1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: What two three breaks and the middle of the feeling 2 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:14,800 Speaker 1: he loves football down in the one yard line? 3 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,159 Speaker 2: How about that? That is the ultimate K. 4 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:27,680 Speaker 1: And we are underway. 5 00:00:33,720 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 3: Hello everyone, Welcome back, I guess to another episode of 6 00:00:38,120 --> 00:00:41,680 Speaker 3: the Action Network NFL podcast. I'm Matthew Friedman, the editor 7 00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 3: in chief of Fantasy Labs, here with me one last 8 00:00:44,520 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 3: time to talk about the Alliance of American Football. Is 9 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,479 Speaker 3: our resident AAF expert, I guess I should say former 10 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 3: Resident AF. 11 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: Expert Ian Hartez. 12 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:57,360 Speaker 3: He's the director of the Fantasy Labs NFL platform in 13 00:00:57,400 --> 00:00:58,800 Speaker 3: an Action Network analyst. 14 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:00,800 Speaker 1: You can follow him in the Action Now work app. 15 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:04,320 Speaker 3: At ihearted, Ian, I guess I should start by saying 16 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 3: congratulations to us for making it through this day, uh, 17 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 3: and for lasting longer than the AAF did. And also 18 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:14,800 Speaker 3: congratulations to us for making it seem like this league 19 00:01:14,840 --> 00:01:17,559 Speaker 3: was actually something worth talking about for eight weeks. 20 00:01:18,040 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 1: Uh. 21 00:01:18,400 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 3: So anyway we are. We are here one last time 22 00:01:21,480 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 3: to talk about the alliance, which it seems has come 23 00:01:24,880 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 3: to an end today. Ian, how are you doing today? 24 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 4: We spelled devastated. I A and I have not taken 25 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:37,160 Speaker 4: anything this hard and quite a while. And uh, it's 26 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,280 Speaker 4: all coming from a league that I barely even knew 27 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 4: existed more than two months ago. 28 00:01:41,440 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 2: So it's it's been an interesting day. 29 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 4: It's not like these signs weren't here when the league 30 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 4: needed a you know, new investor two weeks in the 31 00:01:49,760 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 4: year to get the weekly paychecks done. 32 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: Now, that was quite a red flag. 33 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 4: I think that maybe we should have put a little 34 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 4: more stock into Yeah. But uh, yeah, man, it's it's unfortunate. 35 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 4: I still enjoyed the last eight weeks. I enjoyed the 36 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:04,440 Speaker 4: on field product. I think more than a lot of people. 37 00:02:04,480 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 4: I've seen a lot of jokes on the Twitter sphere, 38 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 4: a lot of people taking gratitude in this. 39 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: League's demise, and I won't have that. I'm not here 40 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: for that. 41 00:02:12,440 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 4: It was a good time and unfortunate didn't work out, 42 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 4: but long lived the af Man. 43 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:20,480 Speaker 2: I love it to this day. I always have Yeah. 44 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 3: So I would say a lot of the people on 45 00:02:22,080 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 3: Twitter who are probably mocking it, I don't know how 46 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 3: much of the game they actually watched. 47 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: But it was it was decent. 48 00:02:28,120 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 2: You know. 49 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 3: I feel like every third time I bothered to look 50 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 3: at what was happening, someone was injured, which is a 51 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,720 Speaker 3: little problematic, but you know, I feel like the the 52 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 3: on field product was probably better than people are pretending 53 00:02:41,800 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 3: that it was. And I should say there was a 54 00:02:44,440 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 3: lot of fun in betting on it, which you know, 55 00:02:47,400 --> 00:02:49,399 Speaker 3: is one of the main things that we are interested 56 00:02:49,440 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 3: in here. 57 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: But then especially because it was it was a new league. 58 00:02:52,639 --> 00:02:55,640 Speaker 3: So like no one really had any sort of edge 59 00:02:56,000 --> 00:02:58,560 Speaker 3: over anyone else from i'd say, like a kind of 60 00:02:58,560 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 3: a football knowledge perspective, you know, I take except for 61 00:03:02,280 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 3: you know us, maybe like a few people just be 62 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:08,000 Speaker 3: you know, because you did some fantastic work on it. 63 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 3: You know, there are other people who were really covering 64 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 3: it in depth. And it was it was fun thinking 65 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 3: about how these teams that didn't exist a few weeks before, 66 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 3: how they would stack up against each other, and how 67 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 3: you could think about handicapping that. And it was it 68 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 3: was a fun exercise at a minimum, and I should 69 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:28,200 Speaker 3: say it was a profitable experience at least for me. 70 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:30,520 Speaker 1: So that was I. 71 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 4: Think it made a good point about it was a 72 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 4: good experience at a minimum, because I think the AF 73 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 4: did lay some of the frames in the groundwork for 74 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 4: what it will take to kind of be a successful 75 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:41,800 Speaker 4: league eventually if it is a possibility. 76 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,000 Speaker 2: Uh, with the xflor one these other leagues, because we. 77 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:47,920 Speaker 4: Did have gambling opportunities, We did have daily fancy opportunities 78 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:50,160 Speaker 4: with fanball, but it just wasn't done well enough. It 79 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 4: wasn't thought out well enough in advance to really capture 80 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:55,200 Speaker 4: the entire I think imagination of the gambling and the 81 00:03:55,280 --> 00:03:58,280 Speaker 4: DFS public. But if these leagues are gonna last longer 82 00:03:58,280 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 4: than what we just saw, you know, they're gonna need 83 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 4: it dive into those markets even more so. 84 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 2: We saw that there's interest for it. 85 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 4: So if these future leagues may correct some of those 86 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 4: bigger mistakes like the financing and all the money that 87 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 4: actually takes the run of business, I do. 88 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: I do still some optimism for another league working in 89 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 2: the future. 90 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, all right, let's get into it a little bit 91 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 3: to talk about just sort of what happened, because seemingly, 92 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:23,279 Speaker 3: you know, Monday started and it's like, oh, it's just 93 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:27,280 Speaker 3: another week of aaf action. We even created our rankings 94 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 3: for week nine, which that's the real tragedy in all 95 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 3: of this, is that we've created wonderful week nine rankings, 96 00:04:33,640 --> 00:04:36,840 Speaker 3: industry best rankings, and no one's ever going to see these. 97 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 3: But yeah, it just seemed like the beginning of the week, 98 00:04:39,279 --> 00:04:41,240 Speaker 3: a normal week, and then all of a sudden you 99 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 3: hear these rumors that the new owner of the league, 100 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,200 Speaker 3: Tom Dundon, was being pretty serious and saying that if 101 00:04:48,520 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 3: there wasn't some sort of agreement between the Alliance and 102 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 3: the NFL, specifically the NFL Players Association, that he would 103 00:04:56,760 --> 00:04:59,280 Speaker 3: really consider shutting down the league. And it seemed for 104 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 3: a day if that might just be positioning, kind of bluffing, 105 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,520 Speaker 3: But no, that's an actual thing that we had found 106 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 3: out he was serious about. So Ian kind of talked 107 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 3: to us a little bit about what happened. 108 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,719 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean it did kind of come a little 109 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:18,840 Speaker 4: bit more quickly this week than I think a lot 110 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 4: of us were hoping for. Look, originally, Charlie Ever saw 111 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 4: Bill Pollian and the co founders. They had a cohesive 112 00:05:24,320 --> 00:05:26,880 Speaker 4: vision of having the league's long term interest as a 113 00:05:26,920 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 4: number one priority. 114 00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:29,040 Speaker 2: They wanted to. 115 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:31,480 Speaker 4: Develop it as its own entity for the first three 116 00:05:31,560 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 4: years before pursuing a potential minor league system with the NFL. 117 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 4: The problem was Tom Dundon came in and pretty much 118 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:39,720 Speaker 4: wanted that minor league system immediately. So make sure you 119 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 4: check out Darren Novel's report on the Action Network dot 120 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:43,599 Speaker 4: Com about how. 121 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: You know they have did it come to this decision? 122 00:05:45,880 --> 00:05:47,160 Speaker 2: He has all the details with it. 123 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:49,800 Speaker 4: But again, I think the big issue here was just 124 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 4: having that third kind of co main investor in Dundon 125 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:56,840 Speaker 4: who didn't necessarily have the same long term beliefs that's 126 00:05:56,880 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 4: ever saw in Poland was really what got the league 127 00:05:58,960 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 4: rolling downhill to start. 128 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 3: All right, Well, let's talk a little bit about what 129 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:09,360 Speaker 3: matters most, and that is the futures and the wind totals, 130 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 3: the long term bets for this league. There are questions 131 00:06:14,320 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 3: about what is going to happen to those. I would 132 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 3: say that I don't remember what your investment portfolio was 133 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,599 Speaker 3: in the futures, I was looking pretty good. I didn't 134 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 3: have hot shots, but I had plus twelve hundred on 135 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 3: Birmingham and plus five hundred on Orlando, and I feel 136 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,039 Speaker 3: pretty confident that there's a good shot that one of 137 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,360 Speaker 3: those two teams would have won, the hot shots being 138 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 3: the third team that would have had a shot to win, 139 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 3: and then we also had some win totals bets. There 140 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 3: are questions now as to what will happen with any 141 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:47,719 Speaker 3: of those bets, and obviously it could be a different 142 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 3: book to book based on what the exact bet was. 143 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 3: But Ian, what have we been hearing about that? Yeah, 144 00:06:55,640 --> 00:06:56,280 Speaker 3: I'm with you there. 145 00:06:56,320 --> 00:06:58,840 Speaker 4: I had some good action on Arizona and Birmingham that 146 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 4: won the title, but quite got that Orlando tickets, so 147 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 4: it might have all been for not anyway. But yeah, 148 00:07:04,080 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 4: So we got an interview from Jeff Sherman of the 149 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,880 Speaker 4: Westgate Super Book. You can be the full article on 150 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 4: Action Network as always, but basically what Sherman said is 151 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:14,560 Speaker 4: that as of right now, they're gonna go ahead and 152 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 4: just suspend betting on the AAF. Of course, maybe it's 153 00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:20,160 Speaker 4: folding right now. This is spending operations. There's an off 154 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,160 Speaker 4: chance that could come back. That's not gonna happen though, 155 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 4: But the big point from the statement is that they 156 00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 4: will not be refunding future bets assuming the league isn't 157 00:07:28,080 --> 00:07:30,640 Speaker 4: back done. So not working out there for future betters. 158 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 4: Even if you hit the over already, I assume it's 159 00:07:32,920 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 4: just gonna be canceled. So not great there. And then 160 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 4: the big the other catch is that if the league 161 00:07:38,200 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 4: does decide to say, hey, Orlando, you guys have the 162 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 4: best record, you're the best team all year, You're the champions. 163 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:45,520 Speaker 4: Even if the HEYF goes out of their way to 164 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 4: crown the Orlando Apollos as the league champs, that will 165 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 4: not count for those that had Apolos tickets because they 166 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 4: did not actually participate in the AAF championship game. So 167 00:07:54,360 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 4: pretty unfortunate news, I think for all AAF betters of 168 00:07:56,920 --> 00:07:58,080 Speaker 4: all shapes and sizes. 169 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, so it looks like probably industrywide, there will end 170 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:06,480 Speaker 3: up being a lot of no action bets. Pretty disappointing, 171 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,320 Speaker 3: I think, And you know, Steve Spurrier. 172 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:09,880 Speaker 2: Was asked about it. 173 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,400 Speaker 3: He said that he felt whether there is or is 174 00:08:13,440 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 3: not a championship game, this might be kind of meaningless 175 00:08:16,720 --> 00:08:19,440 Speaker 3: distinction at this point in a league that is almost 176 00:08:19,480 --> 00:08:23,000 Speaker 3: non existent, But he feels that the Orlando Apollos should 177 00:08:23,040 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 3: be the champions considering that they were seven to one. 178 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:30,200 Speaker 3: I'd say pretty clearly the best team in the league. 179 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 3: But yeah, Ian, where are we in terms of kind 180 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:36,720 Speaker 3: of like final seasonal standings, if we had to do 181 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 3: power rankings with these teams, how are we looking at them? 182 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 2: Yeah? I love the Spurrier interview. 183 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 4: He said, So we're all disappointed, but on the other side, 184 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 4: we got to be the champs. 185 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: Right, we're seven to one. Next teams are five and three. 186 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 4: I appreciate Spurrier's point of view and staying on brand 187 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:54,559 Speaker 4: even during a crisis like. 188 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 3: This, but it feels very Steve Spurrier. Yes, declare yourself 189 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 3: a champion with having to play a championship game. It 190 00:09:03,200 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 3: seems like that would be the Steve sp for your dream. 191 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 2: I love you. 192 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 4: He's again staying on brand during a moment of crisis. 193 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,000 Speaker 4: Ultimate Spurrier. But yeah, seven to one, And the big 194 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,440 Speaker 4: thing was the point differential. And we saw the Apollos. 195 00:09:14,440 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 4: They weren't just squeaking by a week after week, they 196 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,599 Speaker 4: were dominating and they ended up the year with a 197 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 4: plus one hundred point differential, whereas our two to five 198 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:24,439 Speaker 4: and I'm sorry three five and three teams. The hot 199 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,360 Speaker 4: Shots were at plus forty two, the Birmingham Iron were 200 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 4: at plus thirty two, and the Santennial Commanders were only 201 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 4: plus four, So only four teams in the league had 202 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 4: a positive point differential when the Apollos were an entire 203 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 4: fifty points better than the Arizona hot Shots on the season. 204 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 4: So I don't think it's a stretch of all to 205 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,120 Speaker 4: call down the best team in the league. I mean again, 206 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 4: we entered this week doing full fledged research assuming it 207 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:47,960 Speaker 4: was gonna be a Week nine, and we've known him 208 00:09:47,960 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 4: from week one that the Apollos have had the best 209 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:51,640 Speaker 4: offense in the league. That hasn't really been up for debate, 210 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 4: but they even developed over the year. I think one 211 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,640 Speaker 4: of the better defenses, like their secondary was number one 212 00:09:56,880 --> 00:09:59,080 Speaker 4: in the AAF and the yards allow per attempt and 213 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:00,719 Speaker 4: it's a shaming one could to see them kind of 214 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:01,679 Speaker 4: played out in the playoffs. 215 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 2: I think we might have seen a few more beat downs. 216 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 4: So unfortunate, but yeah, and then the rest of the 217 00:10:06,559 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 4: standings went down to San Diego Salt Lake we're both 218 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:12,439 Speaker 4: three and five, and then Memphis and Atlanta finished that 219 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 4: two and six, so definitely made some money. 220 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:16,440 Speaker 2: You can't lank as Atlanta throughout the year. 221 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, I think one of the real disappointing things of 222 00:10:20,679 --> 00:10:23,440 Speaker 3: Week eight was that we couldn't finish. It's like you 223 00:10:23,480 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 3: never know it's the last week, you know what I mean, 224 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 3: like like some like there are things in life it's 225 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:28,960 Speaker 3: like you don't know this is gonna be the last 226 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:31,760 Speaker 3: time for this thing. If we would have known that 227 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 3: Week eight was the last week, It would have been 228 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:38,080 Speaker 3: nice to go out in perfect form with Atlanta losing 229 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:42,800 Speaker 3: against the spread in Orlando winning against the spread, but 230 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 3: you know, we didn't get that. We did get Atlanta losing, 231 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 3: you know, against Birmingham, which was which was great, to 232 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:50,440 Speaker 3: be honest. 233 00:10:50,520 --> 00:10:52,360 Speaker 1: The biggest bet I've. 234 00:10:52,160 --> 00:10:57,559 Speaker 3: Made this year, at least for AF was Birmingham because 235 00:10:57,559 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 3: that line opened at just six, which is egregious. 236 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:03,440 Speaker 1: So that was that was nice to get that. 237 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:05,560 Speaker 3: But yeah, it would have been nice, you know, for 238 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:09,880 Speaker 3: Orlando to close as victors against this spread one last time. 239 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 3: All right, So, as of you know earlier today, hundreds 240 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:19,160 Speaker 3: of players are now unemployed, and so there's the question 241 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 3: about what is going to happen to some of these players. 242 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,560 Speaker 3: There are some that I think played well enough to 243 00:11:25,800 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 3: warrant strong consideration for another shot at the NFL, I think, 244 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,640 Speaker 3: and I wrote about this on an article that you 245 00:11:33,679 --> 00:11:37,320 Speaker 3: can find at the Action Network, of course, but there 246 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,000 Speaker 3: are five skill position players I think, and they are 247 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:44,320 Speaker 3: even more than this too. But the primary five that 248 00:11:44,440 --> 00:11:47,560 Speaker 3: I think probably deserves some sort of NFL shot Charles 249 00:11:47,640 --> 00:11:51,320 Speaker 3: Johnson and Rashad Ross. Those two guys really stood out 250 00:11:51,360 --> 00:11:54,760 Speaker 3: above all the other wide receivers in the league this year. 251 00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 3: They were you know, pretty much one and one A 252 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 3: and Charles Johnson is the one that I prefer a 253 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:05,080 Speaker 3: little bit more just in terms of his college production, 254 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:08,360 Speaker 3: his body type. He's you know, a kind of pro 255 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 3: typical big body guy, six two, two hundred and sixteen pounds, 256 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,400 Speaker 3: whereas Rashad Ross is one hundred and seventy nine pounds, 257 00:12:14,640 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 3: and I think Johnson has I think more versatility all 258 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,720 Speaker 3: the way around. Rashad Ross played almost exclusively in the slot. 259 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,000 Speaker 3: I think like ninety two maybe ninety four percent of 260 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 3: his snaps we're in the slot. But you know, both 261 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 3: of those guys are a little bit older. Johnson is 262 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 3: thirty this year. Rashad Ross is twenty nine. But I 263 00:12:33,000 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 3: think Johnson and Ian let me know what you think 264 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,440 Speaker 3: about this. I think Johnson can be someone that, like 265 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 3: a team that just needs a you know, like a cheap, 266 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:47,000 Speaker 3: competent wide receiver three. They're not looking to invest a 267 00:12:47,120 --> 00:12:49,440 Speaker 3: long term in the position. They just need someone to 268 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,200 Speaker 3: come in and play. Now, I think Charles Johnson is 269 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:56,000 Speaker 3: someone who could do that. What do you think about 270 00:12:56,040 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 3: those two receivers. 271 00:12:57,880 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, agreed, I mean they separated themselves early on the 272 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 4: league as the premier top two receivers throughout, and Johnson 273 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,320 Speaker 4: really didn't see a single team that could truly just 274 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:10,079 Speaker 4: put a single man on him and cover him throughout 275 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 4: the year. I mean, he continuously got lose deep, intermediate 276 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 4: and short areas the field. It was a lot of 277 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 4: fun watching him and Garrett Gelbert, I agree with you, 278 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,400 Speaker 4: Charles Johnson is a better choice. But we saw Rashaan 279 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 4: Ross offer a little bit more as a returner throughout 280 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 4: the year, a little bit more I guess in other 281 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,000 Speaker 4: phases of the game. So I am wondering if Ross 282 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 4: perhaps has a better chance of latching around or not 283 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:31,080 Speaker 4: roster again. But yeah, both these guys should definitely get 284 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:32,600 Speaker 4: another shot at the league. 285 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 3: Yeah, and you are right about Ross and that he 286 00:13:34,679 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 3: does have the versatility of being a return man. In fact, 287 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,840 Speaker 3: in his brief NFL career, he did have twenty three 288 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 3: point nine yards per return as a kick returner, and 289 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 3: he was also a deep threat, which I think we 290 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,680 Speaker 3: would expect twenty one point three yards per reception for 291 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:55,160 Speaker 3: his career, which is pretty good. You know, plays exclusively 292 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 3: out of the slot, so someone who you can run 293 00:13:57,960 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 3: those shorter routes go across the field, but he can 294 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,439 Speaker 3: also stretched the field. You mentioned Garrett Gilbert, who is 295 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:07,400 Speaker 3: the one quarterback, and I guess maybe John Warford is 296 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,680 Speaker 3: someone who could intrigue people, maybe, but Garrett Gilbert is 297 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 3: the one guy that I think probably deserves another shot 298 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,560 Speaker 3: in the NFL. Probably never going to be a starter, 299 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 3: but I think he's you know, I think he's better 300 00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 3: than maybe half of the backups in the NFL. So 301 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 3: he's someone I think probably deserves a shot. He's not young, 302 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 3: he's twenty eight, but you know, for a quarterback that's 303 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 3: not all that old, and he was I'd say, clearly, 304 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 3: you know, hands down the best quarterback in the league. 305 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 3: And then two running backs, and I should say this 306 00:14:39,120 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 3: is a league that I don't think had a lot 307 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 3: of running back talent, but it is it is hard to, 308 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,240 Speaker 3: I think, evaluate the position in these circumstances because there's 309 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 3: very little offensive line continuity and it's just you know, 310 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,760 Speaker 3: it's a new system. They're rotating running backs in and out. 311 00:14:56,840 --> 00:14:59,480 Speaker 3: But the two guys who caught my eye, and I 312 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 3: kind of hate to say this first name, but Trent 313 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 3: Richardson is someone I think probably deserves another shot in 314 00:15:05,200 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 3: the NFL, not because he was good at running the ball. 315 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 3: He hasn't been good at running the ball for years. 316 00:15:10,600 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 3: He had just two point nine yards per carry. But 317 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:17,240 Speaker 3: he was excellent as a receiver and he was always 318 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 3: at worst a competent receiver in the NFL. And he 319 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:24,080 Speaker 3: was good in short yardage situations. And you compared him 320 00:15:24,080 --> 00:15:27,560 Speaker 3: to like a better Matt Asiata a couple of weeks ago, 321 00:15:27,600 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 3: and I think that really is the type of role 322 00:15:29,920 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 3: he could he could be. There are more than a 323 00:15:32,560 --> 00:15:37,600 Speaker 3: few NFL teams that could use cheap, big running backs 324 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:42,480 Speaker 3: who have the potential to excel in short yardage and 325 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,200 Speaker 3: to catch the ball, you know, to come off of 326 00:15:45,240 --> 00:15:47,560 Speaker 3: the bench as your number two or number three guy. 327 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 3: I think Trent Richardson could do that. And then the 328 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 3: other runner who caught my eye Terrell Watson, and I 329 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,080 Speaker 3: should just say, like he's a guy I've just had 330 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 3: like a long term flame for a long time, so 331 00:15:58,800 --> 00:16:02,160 Speaker 3: just you know, he he's twenty six at this point, 332 00:16:02,200 --> 00:16:06,600 Speaker 3: so he's not old. But it was incredibly productive at 333 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 3: Zuza Pacific and then had a great performance at his 334 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 3: pro day. When he was coming out, he was like 335 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 3: sixty one two and forty three pounds but fast, very explosive. 336 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:20,880 Speaker 3: Entered the NFL in twenty fifteen as an undrafted free agent. 337 00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 3: He actually spent time with seven different teams, just kind 338 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:26,640 Speaker 3: of bumping around the league. He was never able to 339 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 3: really get much going in the NFL, but he was 340 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:32,840 Speaker 3: someone that coaches always seemed to like and always wanted 341 00:16:32,880 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 3: to have on their roster. He didn't really do all 342 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,160 Speaker 3: that much big picture in the AAF, but I think 343 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:42,640 Speaker 3: there are some reasons that can explain that. Other than 344 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,080 Speaker 3: the potential reason being that he's not that good, we'll 345 00:16:45,120 --> 00:16:49,040 Speaker 3: just set that aside, but the positive reasons for maybe 346 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 3: why he didn't do all that much. He was in 347 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:55,120 Speaker 3: the Mike Martz offense, which just somehow seemed even more 348 00:16:55,120 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 3: antiquated than it did when we last saw Marts in 349 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 3: the NFL. The offensive line was literally the worst in 350 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,680 Speaker 3: the league, at least in terms of PFF for unblocking grade. 351 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 3: And you know, he was shuffled in and out, which 352 00:17:07,560 --> 00:17:11,399 Speaker 3: is different running backs, most recently Bishop Sankey. But you know, 353 00:17:11,520 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 3: he I think showed well when he was given the ball, 354 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:17,560 Speaker 3: and he also did well as a pass catcher, better 355 00:17:17,600 --> 00:17:19,359 Speaker 3: than I think people would expect for a guy of 356 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:23,200 Speaker 3: his size. So given you know, his college production, his 357 00:17:23,320 --> 00:17:28,080 Speaker 3: NFL experience, his size, athleticism, what he did in the AAF, 358 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:30,240 Speaker 3: I would hope that he would get one more shot 359 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,359 Speaker 3: in the NFL. But those are the guys who caught 360 00:17:32,400 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 3: my eye. 361 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, I definitely agree with through It Watson, especially the 362 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,920 Speaker 4: point where he got a chance to I think show 363 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 4: his ability as a receiver that maybe he wouldn't have 364 00:17:40,280 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 4: gotten those same opportunities as a backup on an NFL 365 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 4: roster or something. So hopefully him kind of having eight 366 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 4: weeks of evidence that he can serve as a backup 367 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:51,600 Speaker 4: in that three down roll will help him get another chance. 368 00:17:51,920 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 4: And yeah, with Richardson, it's not that I mean yes again, 369 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:58,400 Speaker 4: yet he's been terrible to running the ball his entire career. 370 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:00,800 Speaker 4: I'm not trying to debate that, but I think probably 371 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 4: the reason why he wasn't able to stick around the 372 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 4: NFL as a backup was because he was the former 373 00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:09,080 Speaker 4: number three overall pick, and there's almost I think it's 374 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 4: tough for the team and the player to go beyond 375 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 4: that and then accept non alpha role in the lineup 376 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,639 Speaker 4: when you have that high a draft capital in you 377 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,120 Speaker 4: in the past. So if Richardson is willing to come 378 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:22,960 Speaker 4: in and being the number three, number four back on 379 00:18:22,960 --> 00:18:25,800 Speaker 4: a roster, you know, stick to pass downs to maybe 380 00:18:25,800 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 4: a short yard situations. 381 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 2: Absolutely, I think he has the talent to do that. 382 00:18:29,280 --> 00:18:31,800 Speaker 4: And yeah, the only name I'll add at the quarterback 383 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:35,480 Speaker 4: list is I think Zach Mettenberger really played well for 384 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:38,360 Speaker 4: a couple of weeks. We saw him get hurt unfortunately, 385 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:41,200 Speaker 4: that's kind of what helped bring Johnny Manziel to Memphis originally, 386 00:18:41,240 --> 00:18:44,159 Speaker 4: but after the Christian Hackenberger experience was over with, we 387 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 4: did see Memburgh come in really makes some nice throws downfield, 388 00:18:47,160 --> 00:18:49,840 Speaker 4: and he was kind of in a tough situation during 389 00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:52,480 Speaker 4: his NFL career with the Titans. So I would be 390 00:18:52,480 --> 00:18:55,840 Speaker 4: interested in seeing Mettinburger again other chances, just in the 391 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:57,119 Speaker 4: preseason show what he can do. 392 00:18:57,640 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 2: And then two real quick. 393 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:02,160 Speaker 4: Names on defense, Sky gives shout out number one cornerback, 394 00:19:02,200 --> 00:19:04,479 Speaker 4: I'm number one second there in the league. Jamar Summers 395 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 4: Birmingham Iron guy was making big plays from week one, 396 00:19:07,840 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 4: always around the ball, has that true? 397 00:19:10,160 --> 00:19:12,720 Speaker 2: I believe he had eight interceptions as. 398 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 4: A freshman or sophomore at Yukon and then got moved 399 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 4: to safety later in his career, so it'd be great 400 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:18,199 Speaker 4: to see him get a shot, chance to shot at 401 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,320 Speaker 4: cornerback on the NFL roster. And then also San Diego 402 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,680 Speaker 4: Fleet defensive end to Monterrey Moore. Look, you can't teach 403 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,440 Speaker 4: ben at defensive end, and the Pentre Moore routinely showed 404 00:19:28,480 --> 00:19:30,400 Speaker 4: the ability to pressure a quarterback from wherever he. 405 00:19:30,359 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 2: Was lining up. So man, it was fine. 406 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 4: I hope we do see a lot of these guys 407 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 4: in this upcoming preseason because I feel like now we 408 00:19:36,760 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 4: got a better scout and report and just buy anyone 409 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 4: on them. 410 00:19:39,600 --> 00:19:42,920 Speaker 3: You know, Demontre Moore, Like I wish he were still 411 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 3: with the Cowboys, you know what I mean, Like I 412 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:48,199 Speaker 3: feel like they need some defensive line help. He was 413 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 3: with the Cowboys, I think was it his final season 414 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 3: in the league or one of his final seasons the least, 415 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:57,320 Speaker 3: But I wish they still had him. Yeah, he's someone 416 00:19:57,359 --> 00:20:00,280 Speaker 3: I think should should get another NFL shot. One thing 417 00:20:00,320 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 3: that's interesting you mentioned matten Berger, Like, just thinking about 418 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:10,680 Speaker 3: the quarterbacks that Memphis had, you start with Hackenberg, metten Berger, 419 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:14,680 Speaker 3: Johnny Manziel. It's just like, I mean, they were basically 420 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 3: just I know. I mean they were just cycling through 421 00:20:19,320 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 3: these guys. All of them were sort of like the 422 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 3: project quarterbacks that the NFL had vomited away. But yeah, 423 00:20:28,560 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 3: Manziel like to go from Manzel entering the league to 424 00:20:34,080 --> 00:20:37,320 Speaker 3: like a couple of weeks later, the league literally doesn't exist. 425 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:39,199 Speaker 1: That is quite a swing. 426 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:42,120 Speaker 3: Let's close it out, I think by sort of doing 427 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 3: like an in memoriam. What are some of the for 428 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:49,960 Speaker 3: you top moments of the short lived alliance? 429 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 4: Yes, I made my final article about the AF more 430 00:20:54,080 --> 00:20:56,400 Speaker 4: or less obituary for the league, So check that out 431 00:20:56,400 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 4: on the Action atwork if you feel so inclined. But yeah, 432 00:21:00,119 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 4: so just looking back at this league, they were definitely 433 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,280 Speaker 4: it managed to even if it wasn't always the prettiest 434 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 4: on field product, it managed to usually give us at 435 00:21:07,840 --> 00:21:09,200 Speaker 4: least one viral moment per week. 436 00:21:09,240 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 2: It seemed like on or off the field. 437 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,359 Speaker 4: Week one, I think we all remember Mike Bercovici just 438 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:18,160 Speaker 4: getting absolutely crushed within about twenty minutes of the first game, 439 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 4: starting his helmet flying halfway across the field, So I 440 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,480 Speaker 4: appreciate it. Throughout throughout the season, there are plenty of 441 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 4: big hits. I mean, when you have some bad quarterback play. 442 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 4: There were some ugly games. I believe the final score 443 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,200 Speaker 4: of the last AF game was eight to three. So 444 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:35,600 Speaker 4: there are some situations where offense doesn't win out, but 445 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:38,679 Speaker 4: still was a league where when we did see the 446 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 4: defense dominating, there are still some fun plays and even 447 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,199 Speaker 4: when the onfield product wasn't great, we even had a 448 00:21:44,240 --> 00:21:48,359 Speaker 4: fun halftime show sometimes. Matt, I believe your pin tweet 449 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:53,399 Speaker 4: is still this amazing world record halftime frisbee throw between 450 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:55,720 Speaker 4: a person and their dog. Look, I feel like the 451 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:58,160 Speaker 4: AF it was never meant to be the thing you're 452 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 4: just locked into on your TV, but awesome, like side TV, 453 00:22:02,080 --> 00:22:04,439 Speaker 4: your second TV in the room should have a heyf 454 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:06,239 Speaker 4: game on it, and like that's the type of thing 455 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:08,399 Speaker 4: where you look up and you see someone launching a 456 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 4: frisbee or do a dog on Saturday night, It's like, 457 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:11,560 Speaker 4: what's here this? 458 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:12,560 Speaker 1: Yeah? 459 00:22:12,680 --> 00:22:17,080 Speaker 3: I mean really, so that pin tweet has not aged? Well, 460 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 3: it's it's a dog, right, some guys standing in the 461 00:22:20,040 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 3: end zone throws a frisbee eighty three yards. The dog 462 00:22:24,320 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 3: goes and catches it. Like everyone in the stadium explodes, cheering. 463 00:22:28,640 --> 00:22:32,880 Speaker 3: It's probably like the high point of anything that happened 464 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:36,880 Speaker 3: in the AAF season. And what's sad is that above 465 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:42,520 Speaker 3: that my tweet is literally convinced that AAF is going 466 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:43,120 Speaker 3: to make it. 467 00:22:45,680 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 2: Man. 468 00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:47,680 Speaker 4: But in that moment, Man, I believe with you, I 469 00:22:47,720 --> 00:22:49,840 Speaker 4: would have gone for war over that statement. But a 470 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 4: couple other good social media flings AAF had do not forget. 471 00:22:54,160 --> 00:22:56,920 Speaker 2: As recently has I think it was last week. 472 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,680 Speaker 4: Last week we had em and m playing to save 473 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,159 Speaker 4: the league by allowing players to actually fight on the 474 00:23:03,200 --> 00:23:06,639 Speaker 4: field and make it more like hockey. So appreciate Marshall matters, 475 00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 4: you know, really giving it his all to save the AF. 476 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 4: Can't say he didn't try. And we also have you know, 477 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:13,440 Speaker 4: NFL players didn't really shy away from it. I saw 478 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,720 Speaker 4: a bunch of formal house day Buckeyes giving Marcus Ball 479 00:23:17,119 --> 00:23:19,280 Speaker 4: a hard time a couple of weeks after he dropped 480 00:23:19,280 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 4: the ball nearly short of scoring, And the most relevant 481 00:23:22,359 --> 00:23:26,080 Speaker 4: one was Patrick Mahomes actually recognizing the AFS existence after 482 00:23:26,119 --> 00:23:29,560 Speaker 4: Philip Nelson had that absurd over his head spinning no 483 00:23:29,720 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 4: look pass. 484 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:32,520 Speaker 2: I mean, you know, it was obviously a joke. 485 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 4: It was about three yards, it was never It was 486 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,880 Speaker 4: a terrible decision, even though it were out. 487 00:23:36,920 --> 00:23:39,520 Speaker 2: But yeah, you know, Mahome's talking about raising his game. 488 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 2: He's got working in. 489 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 4: So again, it was fun to see the NFL players 490 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 4: embraced all the players embraced the idea of a secondary league. 491 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:48,720 Speaker 4: It seems like more of a money thing for not 492 00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:49,639 Speaker 4: working out than anything. 493 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 3: But yeah, and of course Johnny football coming. What are 494 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,680 Speaker 3: the things about the league that you liked and would 495 00:23:57,720 --> 00:23:59,800 Speaker 3: like to see implemented in the NFL. 496 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:03,520 Speaker 4: As a Johnny Liefer, I'm very much so enjoyed watching 497 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 4: Johnny Manzel play football in America again. 498 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:07,360 Speaker 2: It was a good change. 499 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,360 Speaker 4: I'm looking forward to seeing a comeback season has left 500 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 4: because if you think Johnny Manziel's done playing football, who 501 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:16,760 Speaker 4: you are mistaken. I'm willing to make a bet with 502 00:24:16,840 --> 00:24:19,639 Speaker 4: anyone that thinks otherwise for a cake. I want to 503 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,959 Speaker 4: know so far on the season. But yeah, so my 504 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:26,800 Speaker 4: favorite AF rule change was the onside kick sequence, because look, 505 00:24:26,840 --> 00:24:29,840 Speaker 4: I've been a long proponent that I do like special teams. 506 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:32,399 Speaker 4: I like kickoffs, I like the way it used to 507 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,560 Speaker 4: be played, but the factory matters. They are changing these 508 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:39,199 Speaker 4: rules the NFL onside kicks now that players literally need 509 00:24:39,240 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 4: to be lined up on the line. It's almost impossible 510 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 4: to recover the ball these days. I think the conversion 511 00:24:43,920 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 4: percent last year was ten percent or under, so it's 512 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:47,719 Speaker 4: almost impossible to get the ball back now. 513 00:24:47,760 --> 00:24:50,240 Speaker 2: And what the AF did was there are no kickoffs. 514 00:24:50,240 --> 00:24:52,639 Speaker 4: In their way of giving teams on side kicks was 515 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:55,400 Speaker 4: a fourth and twelve conversion from the offense's own twenty 516 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 4: eight yard line, where you have a chance to pick 517 00:24:57,000 --> 00:24:59,120 Speaker 4: it up. So I really like the idea of good 518 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 4: quarterbacks was having one last chance with their hands. You know, 519 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,520 Speaker 4: fourth and twelve obviously not easy. Maybe the need to 520 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:07,520 Speaker 4: make it fourth and fifteen for the NFL or something. 521 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,320 Speaker 4: That's a conversation we had, but I guess it was 522 00:25:10,400 --> 00:25:13,000 Speaker 4: something that was actually brought up at the NFL's Competition 523 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:16,040 Speaker 4: Committee for potential change in the future. So that was 524 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:17,840 Speaker 4: the one role that I think we could maybe see 525 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 4: in the NFL s sooner rather than later. 526 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, I liked that they sped up the play clock. 527 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:25,719 Speaker 3: I wouldn't mind seeing the NFL do that. 528 00:25:26,359 --> 00:25:27,360 Speaker 1: I liked that. 529 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:32,879 Speaker 3: They that they made the review process for calls, that 530 00:25:32,920 --> 00:25:35,479 Speaker 3: they made that public so you could sort of see 531 00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 3: what the referees were doing, what they were looking at 532 00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:40,760 Speaker 3: those are the big things that I liked. And I 533 00:25:40,800 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 3: also liked some of the camera work too. I thought 534 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:47,040 Speaker 3: that was good. The NFL could maybe do some of that. 535 00:25:47,119 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 3: But yeah, I guess it just means that we start 536 00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 3: focusing on the NFL Draft in earnest and it is approaching. 537 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 3: It is April, and you know it is the month 538 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:02,840 Speaker 3: for the NFL Draft. But yeah, definitely sad to see 539 00:26:03,000 --> 00:26:05,399 Speaker 3: the Alliance fold, you know, and look to get some 540 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:06,200 Speaker 3: Apollos gear. 541 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 1: Just counting. That's that's definitely next next on my list. 542 00:26:13,160 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 2: Question here with we're now we're in the middle off season. 543 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:18,919 Speaker 4: You know, we've at least I've been a completely af 544 00:26:18,920 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 4: grind for about eight weeks. I see draft Twitter going 545 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 4: nuts and all this. Do you think we have a 546 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,600 Speaker 4: tendency to overvalue rookies because of how much attention we 547 00:26:28,640 --> 00:26:32,000 Speaker 4: pay to them from February to April every single year, 548 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:34,840 Speaker 4: and then all of a sudden, I would say half 549 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:37,440 Speaker 4: of their NFL outlook is almost tied to what team 550 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 4: they end up on in that situation. And meanwhile, there's 551 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:43,320 Speaker 4: you know, ninety percent of the league that aren't rookies 552 00:26:43,359 --> 00:26:45,080 Speaker 4: that were more or less not paying attention to for 553 00:26:45,119 --> 00:26:47,000 Speaker 4: three months, So I don't know. You've always been more 554 00:26:47,000 --> 00:26:49,239 Speaker 4: into scouting prospects than me, so I guess as an 555 00:26:50,040 --> 00:26:52,919 Speaker 4: entryway to our off season evaluation, I want to hear 556 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:54,840 Speaker 4: your pitch for why we should pay so much attention 557 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 4: to all those rookies. 558 00:26:56,119 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: Well, I'm okay. So we should pay attention to them because. 559 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 3: They are the new players, and so we have a 560 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 3: sense of what the older players are going to do. 561 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:08,919 Speaker 3: We already know sort of how they function within their offenses. 562 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:13,040 Speaker 3: What we don't know is how all of these new 563 00:27:13,080 --> 00:27:16,000 Speaker 3: guys are going to be factored in, so like they 564 00:27:16,040 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 3: are the big unknown for the upcoming season. That said, 565 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:25,720 Speaker 3: people absolutely overvalue the impact that rookies will have, both 566 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:28,640 Speaker 3: I think from a real football perspective and then also 567 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:32,160 Speaker 3: a fantasy perspective. So I should say, like I'm reading 568 00:27:32,320 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 3: you know, you see a lot of sort of like 569 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:38,640 Speaker 3: scouting guides that get released this time of the year. 570 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:43,280 Speaker 3: So I'm reading one of them right now, and they 571 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:48,480 Speaker 3: have ranked eleven quarterbacks this year who they think will 572 00:27:48,520 --> 00:27:54,400 Speaker 3: either be at a minimum high end backups or potential starters. 573 00:27:54,880 --> 00:28:01,200 Speaker 3: And that number is disgusting. That is so historical inaccurate, 574 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:05,800 Speaker 3: Like no class in NFL history has ever produced eleven 575 00:28:05,840 --> 00:28:08,040 Speaker 3: such quarterbacks, you know what I mean. So, I think 576 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 3: it's easy to overvalue what any given player or any 577 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,520 Speaker 3: group of players is going to do in the NFL. 578 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:20,439 Speaker 3: If you look back even two or three years at 579 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:25,040 Speaker 3: let's say, like rookie drafts in dynasty leagues, most of 580 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:28,720 Speaker 3: those players at this point would be like totally irrelevant, 581 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,840 Speaker 3: Like you probably couldn't come up with an entire first 582 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,480 Speaker 3: round of players you would actually want. But if you 583 00:28:36,680 --> 00:28:39,400 Speaker 3: go back in time three years, there was so much 584 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 3: hype around all of these players, even guys who were 585 00:28:42,240 --> 00:28:44,040 Speaker 3: going in the third round. You're like, oh, I can't 586 00:28:44,040 --> 00:28:46,320 Speaker 3: believe this guy was still available in the third round. 587 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:53,120 Speaker 3: We entirely overvalue the future production of rookies coming into 588 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 3: the league, I'd say, especially before they actually go through 589 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 3: the draft and are joined with teams, because when they're 590 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 3: just prospects, people I think view all of them through 591 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 3: a best case scenario, you know what I mean. So 592 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 3: it's like they overvalue the possibility of any given guy 593 00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:17,080 Speaker 3: joining a good team, and then they overvalue the possibility 594 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 3: of kind of regardless of what team that guy is on, 595 00:29:20,280 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 3: of what he can do in his first three years 596 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 3: in the league. So yeah, it's really easy at this 597 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:31,360 Speaker 3: time of year for everyone to have inflated estimations for 598 00:29:31,440 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 3: what these players should do. That said, I'm a total 599 00:29:34,440 --> 00:29:37,560 Speaker 3: rookie optimist, like I buy into it. 600 00:29:37,480 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: Like every year. 601 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:41,800 Speaker 3: The one thing I should say about this is I 602 00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:44,560 Speaker 3: feel like I at least have a realistic perspective on this, 603 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 3: like historically, Like I know, I'm probably too high on 604 00:29:48,120 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 3: certain players either because there are just too many players 605 00:29:51,120 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 3: in general for me to be for me to think 606 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:56,520 Speaker 3: that all of these guys are going to work out 607 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 3: or at least I know, like historically, guys who look 608 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 3: like this don't tend to work out in the NFL. 609 00:30:02,880 --> 00:30:05,440 Speaker 3: Uh So anyway, Yeah, that's that's what I have to 610 00:30:05,440 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 3: say about the rookies. 611 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:07,320 Speaker 1: I like it. 612 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:10,120 Speaker 4: I think I'm probably still a little bitter, uh in 613 00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 4: my internal self for how screwed I got with Mike 614 00:30:12,760 --> 00:30:16,640 Speaker 4: Jaeski's no show last week one and philp Blendsy really 615 00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 4: coming out of nowhere to ruin all my Royce Freeman 616 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 4: shares in season long. So it's a it's a learning 617 00:30:21,920 --> 00:30:24,560 Speaker 4: experience and I'm looking forward to getting after now that 618 00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 4: we don't have any other. 619 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:27,840 Speaker 2: Live football to appreciate it. Unfortunately. 620 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:30,959 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean as a sign of how seriously we 621 00:30:31,000 --> 00:30:34,720 Speaker 3: are taking the demise of the AAF. We have not 622 00:30:34,840 --> 00:30:37,240 Speaker 3: done an ad read this week. I just wanted to 623 00:30:37,320 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 3: kind of point that out. You know, some things must 624 00:30:39,560 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 3: be sacred. We aren't going to commercialize our sorrow by 625 00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:50,920 Speaker 3: bothering to talk about about Roman or any other any 626 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:53,280 Speaker 3: other person who wants to pay us money to talk 627 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:53,800 Speaker 3: about them. 628 00:30:54,160 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 2: I thought that was the lead in. That would have 629 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:56,680 Speaker 2: been brilliant. 630 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:01,280 Speaker 1: And I know, yeah I was, Yeah, I was. 631 00:31:01,320 --> 00:31:04,080 Speaker 3: I was thinking about it, or or Audible or you know, 632 00:31:04,120 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 3: any anyone else. 633 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:09,560 Speaker 1: But so yeah, that's that's the show. Ian. 634 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:13,560 Speaker 3: We have done our week nine rankings, but alas they 635 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:15,959 Speaker 3: will never see the light of day. Any final thing 636 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:16,720 Speaker 3: to add here. 637 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 4: Yes, someone wants to read my four to five quarterback 638 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,480 Speaker 4: blurbs I wrote up today before finding out the league 639 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 4: was defunct. Go ahead and to say with a DM 640 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 4: on Twitter and I got you for free, no paywall. 641 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:30,160 Speaker 1: Yeah it was funny. 642 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,200 Speaker 3: Sean Corner sent a message on Slack being like, hey, 643 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 3: you know, I'm doing my Power rankings, but I'm seeing 644 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 3: that this league might not exist anymore. 645 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:45,280 Speaker 1: What should I do? You know. So anyway, yeah, that 646 00:31:45,400 --> 00:31:47,000 Speaker 1: was that was the beginning of the end. 647 00:31:47,080 --> 00:31:49,560 Speaker 3: She said, yeah, any of you have info on that 648 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:54,960 Speaker 3: developing story in Scott Miller, our deputy editor, just yes, 649 00:31:55,640 --> 00:32:00,520 Speaker 3: more info coming soon. Stop writing now, yeah, stop priding. 650 00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 3: So anyway, that is That is the end of the Alliance, 651 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,720 Speaker 3: and I should say the end of the Alliance podcast 652 00:32:08,120 --> 00:32:11,920 Speaker 3: unless they somehow magically come back, in which case we 653 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 3: will delete this episode from the archive and pretend as 654 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:15,880 Speaker 3: if it ever happened. 655 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,120 Speaker 1: But yeah, that is the end of this episode of 656 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:20,720 Speaker 1: the Action Network NFL podcast. 657 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 3: Please rate interview the show on iTunes for Ian for 658 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:27,560 Speaker 3: the Sad sad Ian. I am Matthew Freeman, Mattathew workle 659 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:41,520 Speaker 3: see you again next episode.