1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: This is the best of two pros and a couple 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,640 Speaker 1: of Joe with Lamar airings and a rating win and 3 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:12,239 Speaker 1: Jonas Knox on Fox Sports Radio. 4 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 2: DJ Want went out and got himself paid, no doubt 5 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:19,040 Speaker 2: about it. And the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be 6 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: a talking point. The question is, are they actually going 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 2: to be a great football team? What is all of 8 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:23,320 Speaker 2: this for? 9 00:00:23,600 --> 00:00:26,160 Speaker 3: I'm not sure we actually know the answer. 10 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: He's Jeff Schwartz on Jason fittsbor hanging out on Two 11 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 2: Pros and a cup of Joe on Fox Sports Radio. Jeff, Like, 12 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 2: the funny thing is, I've been saying this, I feel 13 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:37,360 Speaker 2: like for a couple of months because all we do 14 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 2: is keep talking about Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Rodgers and 15 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:43,360 Speaker 2: Aaron Rodgers, and like there's an unavoidable thing here, right 16 00:00:43,400 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 2: the Steelers are going to be this massive talking point 17 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:46,200 Speaker 2: all year. 18 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,040 Speaker 3: And just like as we started the show today, I said, like. 19 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 2: The NBA has built a whole empire on talking points 20 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,440 Speaker 2: that are more meaningful than the game half the time, 21 00:00:54,480 --> 00:00:56,640 Speaker 2: and I feel like that's what we're looking at. Like 22 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: at some point, great you get TJ. Watt back on 23 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,000 Speaker 2: a mega deal. It needed to happen. Great, you go 24 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 2: out and sign Aaron Rodgers, you had to have a quarterback. 25 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:06,600 Speaker 3: All of these things make sense. 26 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,759 Speaker 2: But I guess I struggle to figure out how all 27 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 2: of these things make Pittsburgh any bet better than the 28 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 2: third best team in their own division. And why are 29 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,600 Speaker 2: we talking about this much hype over a team that's 30 00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 2: probably going to be the third best team in its 31 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:18,040 Speaker 2: own division. 32 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 4: Well, it's, first of all, it's Pittsburgh, right, So hype 33 00:01:21,400 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 4: is always going to be there. But I think you're 34 00:01:23,200 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 4: I think the thing that for me, you know, it's 35 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:30,800 Speaker 4: very important as a team to understand two things right. 36 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 4: You want to build in the short term and long term, right, 37 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,120 Speaker 4: and those sometimes you know, to conflict with each other. 38 00:01:35,600 --> 00:01:37,440 Speaker 4: And I want to see your plan right, And so 39 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 4: the other's plan very clearly is we're going all in 40 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 4: for this season. It's a veteran group. They've signed older players, 41 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 4: they traded for older players. They built their roster around 42 00:01:50,200 --> 00:01:53,240 Speaker 4: Aaron Rodgers and the defense and Watt and Hayward and 43 00:01:53,600 --> 00:01:58,120 Speaker 4: Ramsey right, and they traded for DK. It's it's all 44 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 4: veteran and this is the Pittsburgh Steelers, right. The super 45 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 4: Bowl or bust for them, and I think they've calculated 46 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 4: incorrectly that they are chasing a short term fix, which 47 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 4: is we're Pittsburgh. We always win nine or ten games, 48 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 4: We're always competitive. Which are which are? Which are good 49 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 4: qualities to have? I'm sure a lot of fan bases 50 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,760 Speaker 4: would love your Raiders fan. Correct me if I'm wrong. 51 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 4: They're like, I'm sure you would love to have Pittsburgh. 52 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 4: I I I think you would love as a Raiders 53 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 4: fan to have that stability. But the stability in Pittsburgh 54 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,080 Speaker 4: is feels like to me, the worst place to be 55 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 4: in the NFL, which is not good enough to win 56 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:41,760 Speaker 4: a super Bowl, not bad enough to draft young quarterback. 57 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,679 Speaker 4: And Pittsburgh's plan to me, feels very foolish. You're going 58 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 4: all in an older players, which almost never works in 59 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,079 Speaker 4: the NFL. They break down, they get hurt. That's the 60 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 4: unfortunate part about the league, right, one hundred percent injury rate. 61 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:56,680 Speaker 4: The older you are, the more you get hurt, and 62 00:02:56,680 --> 00:02:59,799 Speaker 4: the harder it's to come back from that injury. They 63 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 4: have almost no sort of young core to build around, 64 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 4: and they've done that purposely right because they want to 65 00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 4: try to win a super Bowl now and they're not 66 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 4: winning a super Bowl. That's that's the miscalculation. Their calculation 67 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:15,520 Speaker 4: is we're gonna get the get in the postseason and 68 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 4: then make it happen. Look at the look at your division, 69 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 4: look at the rest of the league. You're not better 70 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:24,800 Speaker 4: than Buffalo, Baltimore, the Chiefs, You're not better than probably 71 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 4: the Chargers and Broncos. You're just not better than a 72 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,399 Speaker 4: lot of the teams in you know, in your own conference. 73 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 4: And it's all in for nothing. And the next year 74 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,920 Speaker 4: you're gonna sit around and go, well, we're okay, we're 75 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:42,520 Speaker 4: a year older. Now we're where's our young core of 76 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:46,000 Speaker 4: our team, our base of our roster. We don't have 77 00:03:46,000 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 4: a quarterback again. Now we get draft one of course, 78 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 4: and they've been more aggressive in the draft than previous regimes. 79 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 4: Is Omar Khan got a contract extension, but they don't 80 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:57,840 Speaker 4: have a quarterback in the future. They they've yet to 81 00:03:57,880 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 4: address that. They tried with Pickett. They drafted the old 82 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:04,160 Speaker 4: quarterback in the first round that year. Very telling on 83 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 4: the talent of that draft. This draft should be, it 84 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 4: should be more quarterback friendly. I just don't like and 85 00:04:09,720 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 4: don't think the way they're building their roster is a 86 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 4: successful process, and I think they'll end up with the 87 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 4: same place they're always in, which again I mean, is 88 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:20,840 Speaker 4: that what you want? Is that really where you want 89 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 4: to be as a franchise. 90 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 2: The other hard part about it is what does all 91 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: of this do for the noise around Tomlin? 92 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 3: And you know, maybe the organization doesn't listen to noise, 93 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 3: Maybe none of it matters. 94 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 2: Maybe all of us, instead of sitting in front of microphones, 95 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: overblow it every single year. 96 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 3: But that's all possible. 97 00:04:39,960 --> 00:04:41,719 Speaker 2: There is just this part of me that man, where 98 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 2: there's smoke, there's fire, and every year just gets louder 99 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 2: and louder. And the only thing that really quells that 100 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 2: noise are playoff wins. And so I'm looking at this 101 00:04:50,600 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: team and you know, I hate ranking things. I think 102 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:56,280 Speaker 2: ranking trying to come up with the ranking is so 103 00:04:56,320 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: subjective and impossible. I like to just put things instead 104 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: on shelves. Like when you walk into a bar, you're like, hey, 105 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 2: I want top shelf vodka. 106 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 3: They're on a shelf together. 107 00:05:05,200 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 2: Then the well vodka is all on a shelf, like 108 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 2: you understand where these things fall. So to me, if 109 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,159 Speaker 2: you're gonna go all in, it's because you are a 110 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,560 Speaker 2: top shelf team that is sitting on the same shelf 111 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 2: as the leader of the. 112 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:17,039 Speaker 3: Lead in your conference. 113 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:20,080 Speaker 2: To your point, the Buffalo is the Kansas City's the 114 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: Baltimore's of the world. They're sitting on a completely different 115 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:25,360 Speaker 2: shelf than where the Steelers are. To me, I don't 116 00:05:25,360 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 2: think that they even belong in that same conversation. They're 117 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,760 Speaker 2: on the next shelf down, and that's a good shelf 118 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:30,440 Speaker 2: like that. 119 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:31,040 Speaker 3: That's fine. 120 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:35,479 Speaker 2: But when you go this all in, and I think 121 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 2: the result is more than likely going to be either 122 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:39,679 Speaker 2: the same as it's been. 123 00:05:39,839 --> 00:05:41,160 Speaker 3: Or maybe even a little worse. 124 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 2: When all of that comes together, then we're gonna be 125 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: sitting here in February and everybody's. 126 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 3: Gonna say, oh, it's just time for Tomlin to move on. 127 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,279 Speaker 2: And then you turn around and think, Okay, now you're 128 00:05:51,279 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 2: resetting the entire organization because you went wrong on a 129 00:05:54,760 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: fool's goal plan to try and go all in on 130 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 2: a year where all in doesn't get you good enough. 131 00:06:00,279 --> 00:06:04,880 Speaker 4: Correct, And that's where the long term thinking has to happen. Right, 132 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 4: It's hard to thread a needle between here's our short 133 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 4: term plan, here's our long term vision. Their long term 134 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 4: vision doesn't seem to be there. The long term vision 135 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 4: is we're going year by year, which, again, for an 136 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,359 Speaker 4: organization like Pittsburgh and the success they've had over the years, 137 00:06:18,640 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 4: it's very tough to sell your fans on like, hey, guys, 138 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 4: we're gonna kind of have a year when we pull 139 00:06:23,480 --> 00:06:26,800 Speaker 4: back a little bit to get better moving forward. You can, 140 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,720 Speaker 4: you can still have a pullback year and be a 141 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 4: little bit competitive and give your fans hope. But the 142 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 4: issue again is again, what is there. What's their plan 143 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:43,640 Speaker 4: next year? I don't know they're playing this year, So 144 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 4: try to win obviously, Okay, I mean sure, we all 145 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 4: try to do that, but it doesn't mean it's gonna 146 00:06:47,680 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 4: happen and we all agree on that. I could give 147 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 4: you all the franchises at the top of the NFL 148 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,120 Speaker 4: and tell you their plan for the next few years. 149 00:06:54,120 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 4: All revolves around the quarterback. They have the pictures. They 150 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 4: don't have a quarterback for the future. Rogers is Rogers 151 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 4: is not as bad who want him to be. It's 152 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 4: also not what he was, you know, three or four 153 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 4: years ago. So the best to get from Rogers, I 154 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 4: think is just average, and and maybe average is good 155 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 4: enough to get you to the postseason with the with 156 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 4: the roster you have. But I just there are long 157 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:18,200 Speaker 4: term plans non existent. And I think for a team 158 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:20,320 Speaker 4: of like like Pittsburgh, the best teams in the NFL 159 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 4: both are done at the same time long term, right, 160 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:25,200 Speaker 4: we think about the long term and the short term, 161 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:27,320 Speaker 4: and Pittsburgh is so short sighted right now the way 162 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 4: they're their roster. 163 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 2: I also think to your point when you mentioned a 164 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 2: step back and result in hope, right, hope in the 165 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:39,240 Speaker 2: NFL comes in the form of a young quarterback. I 166 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 2: just when you have a guy that's young that you 167 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 2: think is going to be the difference in your franchise, 168 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 2: you can even as a fan base, you can sort 169 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,120 Speaker 2: of handle terrible years. Like Buffalo had a couple of 170 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:53,320 Speaker 2: weird years in the beginning with Josh Allen. 171 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:55,440 Speaker 3: It was fine because they had Josh Allen. 172 00:07:55,440 --> 00:07:58,040 Speaker 2: They didn't work, Like I don't think Bengals fans are 173 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:01,000 Speaker 2: sitting here panicking the way frankly they should sometimes at 174 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 2: how much Joe Burrow is being wasted. 175 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 3: But that's okay because they got Joe Burrow. 176 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:04,240 Speaker 4: Right. 177 00:08:04,280 --> 00:08:06,280 Speaker 2: Like, even if you're a Titans fan right now and 178 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 2: your team has been an abject disaster and forgotten in 179 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 2: the car. In the process of the NFL, you got 180 00:08:11,640 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 2: cam Ward, now you got every like. So it's hard 181 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,239 Speaker 2: to sell hope in what even could be a step 182 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 2: back here if you're a team that's always nine and 183 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 2: eight or ten and seven and you still don't have 184 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: a long term answer at the quarterback and you don't 185 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 2: really at that position, and you don't really have a 186 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 2: clear path to how you're going to get better than Baltimore. 187 00:08:30,240 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 2: And that's like when you're just constantly looking at the 188 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,840 Speaker 2: Ravens and Lamar and saying, well, they are they're better today, 189 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 2: and they're set up to be better for a minute, 190 00:08:38,960 --> 00:08:43,200 Speaker 2: and that organization has something that this organization doesn't have 191 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:44,839 Speaker 2: because they have a quarterback they know they can bank 192 00:08:44,920 --> 00:08:47,760 Speaker 2: on for the next ten years. It's just it's a 193 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 2: really weird spot for the Steelers to be in. And 194 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,040 Speaker 2: because of who the Steelers are and who the job 195 00:08:54,080 --> 00:08:56,800 Speaker 2: that Mike Tomlin has done, we just expect that they'll 196 00:08:56,800 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 2: be able to make chicken salad out of you know what, 197 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 2: and I I just don't know long term that that does. 198 00:09:01,720 --> 00:09:04,120 Speaker 2: Eventually everybody gets exhausted with chicken salad. 199 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,480 Speaker 4: Well, we I mean to be fair, we know what 200 00:09:06,520 --> 00:09:08,400 Speaker 4: it's gonna be like long term, it's not gonna be 201 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 4: good unless look, we can eat our words. Obviously, if 202 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 4: they go out and get a quarterback in this next class, 203 00:09:14,520 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 4: it's it's it's it's shaping up to be a huge 204 00:09:16,960 --> 00:09:20,679 Speaker 4: quarterback class, just based off of mock drafts and look 205 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 4: around college football, so they can easily get you know, 206 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,959 Speaker 4: put themselves in a situation to draft at eighteen, like 207 00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:28,040 Speaker 4: they always do, end up with a good quarterback. I 208 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 4: mean again, it's those are things that are all possible. 209 00:09:31,760 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 4: But in all my words, obviously, if that happens, but again, 210 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 4: what do you what are you building around? 211 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 1: Though? 212 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 4: Who are the pieces? Dk Metcalf is interesting because I've 213 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:46,520 Speaker 4: asked everyone this when we're talking about DK Metcalf, what 214 00:09:46,520 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 4: what is DK's best moment as a as a wide receiver? 215 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:51,439 Speaker 4: Do you do? You you watch a ton of football? 216 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 4: What's the top of my head? 217 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:54,280 Speaker 3: I don't, I don't, I mean, I don't. 218 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:56,199 Speaker 4: Well, the big moment is when he caught Boodha Baker 219 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 4: from behind right. Otherwise he is a fine wide receiver. 220 00:10:02,040 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 4: He's made one I think was All Pro team, Pro 221 00:10:04,679 --> 00:10:07,960 Speaker 4: Bowl Team in two thousand in the COVID year. Otherwise 222 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 4: he's just been like okay, like he's he gets a 223 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,600 Speaker 4: thousand yards every other season, he's only had a thousand yards 224 00:10:13,640 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 4: and three of us six seasons, it's not he's not. 225 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 4: Is that who you're building around? Offensively? Yeah? The offensive 226 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 4: line you know of an offensive line nerd like myself 227 00:10:22,320 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 4: was good. It's a it's a good young offensive line, 228 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 4: like like there's some real talent there. But I mean 229 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 4: that partly doesn't excite Steelers fans. But where's it like 230 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:33,240 Speaker 4: after the season and let's say the old guys are 231 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 4: just done right, like Cam Hayward probably is last season, 232 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 4: you know, slags near the end, Ramsey? Who are the 233 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,640 Speaker 4: young even Patrick Queen is getting older? Who are the 234 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,760 Speaker 4: young guys you're building around? If you're Pittsburgh, they're kind 235 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 4: of just not there. So you're going all in on 236 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:51,840 Speaker 4: this season when you're not gonna win a championship and 237 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 4: then you don't really have young guys to backfill. You've 238 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:58,280 Speaker 4: you know, like you've sort of you've you're going all 239 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:00,840 Speaker 4: in this window without thinking about the few in my opinion, 240 00:11:00,880 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 4: at all, and it's really going to cost them. 241 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 3: So let me ask you this, he's Jeff Schwartz. I'm 242 00:11:06,880 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 3: Jason fitz Wren on two Pros to a Cup of 243 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:09,600 Speaker 3: Joe on Fox Sports Radio. 244 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 2: I want your kind of mindset on this as a 245 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 2: former player and somebody that's around the league so much. 246 00:11:16,559 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 4: What are you. 247 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 2: Supposed to do? And this is a philosophical question. I've 248 00:11:20,679 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 2: had it with Buck Rising at a. 249 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:24,640 Speaker 3: Couple of times on Fox Sports too. But like TJ. 250 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:26,720 Speaker 2: Watt needed to get to paid. There's no doubt about it. 251 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 2: Like you have a great player, you reward a great player. 252 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,839 Speaker 2: But this is the same conversation in particularly when we 253 00:11:32,840 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 2: look at Russiers like Miles Garrett getting paid isn't really 254 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:37,840 Speaker 2: going to result and wins for Cleveland. 255 00:11:37,920 --> 00:11:38,560 Speaker 3: They suck. 256 00:11:38,640 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 2: They always suck, and you know, at some point that 257 00:11:41,520 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 2: doesn't mean you don't sign resigning great players like you mentioned. 258 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:44,839 Speaker 4: I'm a Raiders fan. 259 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 2: I'm watching Max Crosby basically, you know, just waste his 260 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,560 Speaker 2: career not winning any football games in Vegas. 261 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 3: And of course Vegas needs to pay. 262 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,480 Speaker 2: Max Crosby because you're not gonna find another Max Crossby 263 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:57,719 Speaker 2: in the draft. But you're also not winning a lot 264 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 2: of games with the Max Crosby He's like, how do 265 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 2: you find the line between you know, paying the guys 266 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:03,920 Speaker 2: that you have in building for the future all at 267 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 2: once when when you're stuck wherever you are, whether it's 268 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 2: in the sea of sucker, in the sea and mediocrity. 269 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a fair question. So you know a few 270 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 4: reasons why you sign these players, right, And Crosby I 271 00:12:16,200 --> 00:12:18,319 Speaker 4: think is a really good example for this, because I 272 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:20,840 Speaker 4: think Pittsburgh has sort of more and we know they 273 00:12:20,880 --> 00:12:22,840 Speaker 4: have more veteran kind of I think leaders and than 274 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 4: the Raiders do at the moment. But is you a 275 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 4: need to have someone in the building who is the 276 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:36,440 Speaker 4: culture tone center, right, who everyone respects and who everyone 277 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 4: looks up to, right, And it's worth and you want 278 00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 4: the production with that as well, And Crosby's giving you 279 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:43,720 Speaker 4: that production. So it's TJ. Well, you need that in 280 00:12:43,760 --> 00:12:46,280 Speaker 4: the building. You just have to have that veteran and 281 00:12:46,880 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 4: you pay for that guy. And I think you pay 282 00:12:48,559 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 4: more for guys who you who you are homegrown, who 283 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 4: have you drafted, you've developed, that bleed your colors, right, 284 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,720 Speaker 4: So for Matt Scrutsby, a great example like you to me, 285 00:12:59,800 --> 00:13:02,080 Speaker 4: you you need those guys on your roster and you 286 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,800 Speaker 4: try to build around them as you get going. The 287 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 4: Steelers arguing for them is that they sort of have 288 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,319 Speaker 4: Cam Hayward right, like, they don't need maybe a second 289 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 4: person for that. But at those positions, those impact positions, 290 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:21,079 Speaker 4: pass rusher off to tackle, now, wide receiver, I think, cornerback, 291 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,920 Speaker 4: you need dudes there to play. So even if you 292 00:13:26,960 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 4: think this is an overpay, and it might be, it's 293 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 4: only a three year deal, it's probably only a two 294 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:34,079 Speaker 4: year deal, quite honestly. So you need those guys in 295 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 4: the locker room. You need guys that the players can 296 00:13:36,280 --> 00:13:38,880 Speaker 4: look up to, that players look and say, this is 297 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 4: the way to prepare and to win and and to 298 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:44,960 Speaker 4: and also sometimes when you've been through the hard struggles 299 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 4: as a player on a bad team and you become 300 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,920 Speaker 4: good like that, having that perspective can help other players 301 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:55,480 Speaker 4: right as well, So you have to do it as 302 00:13:55,679 --> 00:13:58,559 Speaker 4: and also to the thing I think is important for 303 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:05,160 Speaker 4: the health of just your roster building is right now 304 00:14:05,200 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 4: that people are questioning the Cowboys, what is Michael, Well, 305 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,360 Speaker 4: you're not paying mucha Parsons, like, what are you doing 306 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:12,559 Speaker 4: if you're a player on that roster who's up for 307 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 4: a deal, You're like, what why don't we pay Michael Park? 308 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:15,959 Speaker 4: Like do I want to be here if we're not 309 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 4: going to pay that guy? Like are they going to 310 00:14:17,400 --> 00:14:20,760 Speaker 4: pay me? What's happening right now? And when you take 311 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:24,200 Speaker 4: care of your superstars, then the players that are young 312 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 4: that they look at and say, hey man, you know, 313 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:28,080 Speaker 4: I kind of want to stay here, and maybe it'll 314 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:29,640 Speaker 4: take a little bit less because I want to stay 315 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,000 Speaker 4: and we're building something here. Free agents look at you 316 00:14:33,120 --> 00:14:35,120 Speaker 4: and think, oh, well, well they pay their superstars, they'll 317 00:14:35,120 --> 00:14:37,320 Speaker 4: probably pay me too if I do well there like this, 318 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,440 Speaker 4: like all those things matter when you build a roster. 319 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:44,080 Speaker 4: You want people to want to come there. You want 320 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:46,640 Speaker 4: to be a place that that develops players and pays 321 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 4: those guys. Those end up being off in the core 322 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 4: of winning teams. And then you want the locker room. 323 00:14:52,240 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 4: You want to you know, to have that guy in 324 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:55,440 Speaker 4: the locker room as well. So I get why all 325 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 4: these deals happen. It makes good roster building sense for 326 00:14:59,160 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 4: them to happen. 327 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 2: You mentioned Michael Parsons, and that's the next portion of 328 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:05,479 Speaker 2: this that's really. 329 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 3: Interesting to me. 330 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 2: I don't know if you saw this, but Parsons actually 331 00:15:08,360 --> 00:15:10,360 Speaker 2: did an interview with the Undertaker. I didn't know the 332 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:13,760 Speaker 2: Undertaker was out here doing like on form interviews with 333 00:15:13,880 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 2: NFL players that were deep and meaningful, but he was. 334 00:15:16,160 --> 00:15:18,600 Speaker 2: He was out here talking to Mike about getting paid. 335 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,640 Speaker 3: And what was stunning to me is Jeff like. 336 00:15:22,280 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 2: Okay, look, we all know that the Cowboys seemed to 337 00:15:25,040 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 2: do business the wrong way. It always gets done. So like, 338 00:15:28,080 --> 00:15:29,920 Speaker 2: I'm done sitting here saying, well, they're not going to 339 00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 2: be Like my god, I was on radio, you know 340 00:15:32,800 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 2: when everybody said that Zeke wasn't going to get a 341 00:15:35,040 --> 00:15:36,960 Speaker 2: long term deal. That's how many years we've been doing 342 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 2: this with the Cowboys. They always signed people, They just 343 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,440 Speaker 2: signed people late. They're the anti Eagles and that process. 344 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 2: But it was pretty stunning to me because Micah flat 345 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 2: out admitted that his people went to the Cowboys and 346 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:49,320 Speaker 2: wanted to do a deal a year ago, and the 347 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,320 Speaker 2: Cowboys basically weren't interested. They had other priorities to handle. 348 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 2: And so I look at all this, I'm like, man, 349 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 2: all that happens every single time that somebody else gets 350 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,800 Speaker 2: paid is that the value drives up, and so the 351 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 2: Cowboys continue to sit here and let Parsons sort of. 352 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 3: Dangle in the wind and they'll get it done. 353 00:16:05,480 --> 00:16:08,160 Speaker 2: But it's just what every time we sit here and 354 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,560 Speaker 2: talk about why the Cowboys aren't who the Cowboys should be. 355 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 2: I think about moments like this when you've got a 356 00:16:13,680 --> 00:16:16,760 Speaker 2: superstar player sitting there with a former ww WE superstar 357 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 2: talking openly about the fact that there are too many 358 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 2: interferences in trying to get business done and he just 359 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 2: wants to get paid and keep doing his job with 360 00:16:24,040 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 2: the Cowboys. 361 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 4: It just gets so much more expensive every time someone 362 00:16:27,360 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 4: gets someone gets a contract for Parsons, and you you 363 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,360 Speaker 4: got to get these deals done before it gets too expensive. 364 00:16:35,440 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 4: And again you have a player like Parsons, a homegrown 365 00:16:38,200 --> 00:16:40,960 Speaker 4: player you've drafted who's a game wrecker. I mean, I 366 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:42,320 Speaker 4: mean they should have paid him the second they had 367 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 4: the opportunity to pay him. And look, maybe there's a 368 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 4: hold up there. We don't know what happens in the locker. 369 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 4: We don't know what happens behind the scenes. Maybe he's 370 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 4: a bad locker guy, maybe he's a bad leadership guy. 371 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 4: We don't know these things. I'm just speculating on why 372 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:56,520 Speaker 4: he went. Besides, but every deal gets me he could 373 00:16:56,520 --> 00:16:59,440 Speaker 4: have They could have gone him for thirty five thirty 374 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 4: three years. So now we're gonna have to pay forty 375 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,720 Speaker 4: one forty two years. I mean he's worth it, obviously, 376 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 4: it's what the next contract up is. But the Cowboys, 377 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:11,880 Speaker 4: maybe they've realized that we're not as good as we 378 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,399 Speaker 4: think we are in we want to trade them for 379 00:17:14,440 --> 00:17:16,679 Speaker 4: two first round picks and rebuild. I mean that's certainly 380 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 4: a possibility here, But dracking their feet it's cost them 381 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 4: a lot of money. 382 00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and 383 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and 384 00:17:27,200 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern three am Pacific 385 00:17:31,840 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 1: on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. 386 00:17:35,160 --> 00:17:37,360 Speaker 3: Hey it's me Rock Parker. 387 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:42,199 Speaker 5: Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for 388 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,920 Speaker 5: twenty two minutes of pipe in hot baseball talk, featuring 389 00:17:45,960 --> 00:17:48,919 Speaker 5: the biggest names of newsmakers in the sport. Whether you 390 00:17:48,960 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 5: believe in analytics or the I Test, We've got all 391 00:17:52,600 --> 00:17:56,720 Speaker 5: the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, So do 392 00:17:56,840 --> 00:18:00,440 Speaker 5: your sofa favor and listen to Inside the Parker Rob 393 00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 5: Parker on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. 394 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:06,960 Speaker 3: Big news for the WNBA this weekend. 395 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 4: We were just. 396 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 3: Talking about it. 397 00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 2: Talks a lot of football this morning, obviously, but w 398 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:15,320 Speaker 2: has got All Star Weekend this weekend, and that's an opportunity. 399 00:18:15,400 --> 00:18:16,760 Speaker 3: It's an opportunity to get. 400 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 2: Casual fans to come in and just sort of check 401 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 2: these things out. I always make the argument that all 402 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:23,720 Speaker 2: pro games and championship games are really for casuals to 403 00:18:23,760 --> 00:18:26,680 Speaker 2: try and grow your sports. So all pro events having 404 00:18:26,720 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 2: Caitlin Clark be a part of them are a big deal. 405 00:18:28,760 --> 00:18:30,399 Speaker 2: And that is not going to be the case this 406 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 2: weekend as she continues to battle injuries in a year 407 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,199 Speaker 2: that has been a tough one for her on the 408 00:18:35,240 --> 00:18:38,280 Speaker 2: injury front. And now all I keep thinking about is 409 00:18:38,320 --> 00:18:42,679 Speaker 2: just the opportunity lost because the overwhelming narrative, and I 410 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:46,160 Speaker 2: don't think it's an incorrect one, is that the ratings 411 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,639 Speaker 2: and the interest in the event will plummet without Caitlin 412 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:51,640 Speaker 2: being part of it, whether it's the skills competition or the. 413 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:52,680 Speaker 3: Three point contest. 414 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 2: But it all just sort of speaks to what I 415 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 2: think has become difficult right now because to me, Jeff, 416 00:19:00,400 --> 00:19:03,600 Speaker 2: I've been pretty lucky in my career to cover a 417 00:19:03,640 --> 00:19:05,159 Speaker 2: lot of w for a lot of years, so the 418 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:08,840 Speaker 2: fact that it's becoming really popular right now is an 419 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:09,960 Speaker 2: easy transition for me. 420 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:13,360 Speaker 3: That's great, But there's this weirdness. 421 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 2: With it where I feel like there are the subsets 422 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:19,760 Speaker 2: of WNBA fans. There's the people that never watch it 423 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 2: that have just decided it sucks even though they never 424 00:19:22,320 --> 00:19:25,040 Speaker 2: watch it. There's the people that tell you it's great 425 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 2: even though they never watch it so they don't know 426 00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 2: what's going on. And then there's a group of people 427 00:19:29,560 --> 00:19:32,120 Speaker 2: that are just really big fans. To me, I look 428 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 2: at all of this as like a cool, exciting opportunity 429 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:36,840 Speaker 2: time right, like Caitlin. The more eyeballs that come in 430 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 2: for Kitlin, the better for everybody involved. But it feels 431 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:41,439 Speaker 2: like it's become way more contentious than all of that, 432 00:19:41,520 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 2: and it's not that simple. And now everything with Caitlin 433 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,280 Speaker 2: has layers, and the w has layers, and it's it's 434 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 2: an argument waiting to happen constantly. 435 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,920 Speaker 4: So I'll tell you my background the WNBA. So I 436 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:56,199 Speaker 4: did not follow it very religiously until Sabrina and nesqu 437 00:19:56,600 --> 00:19:59,520 Speaker 4: was drafted by the Liberty. So Sabrina went New Oregon. 438 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,480 Speaker 4: Her year at Oregon was cut short and fortunately by 439 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 4: COVID that Orgon team probably win a championship. Unfortunately, it 440 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 4: was just a bummer of a way to end. And 441 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:11,480 Speaker 4: I've always enjoyed watching her play at Oregon, and she was, 442 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 4: you know, almost like Kayln Clark before Clark, right, I 443 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,400 Speaker 4: mean the three points, shooting, the passing, not as dynamic 444 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:21,679 Speaker 4: of a scorer visually, but obviously I think she averages 445 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:24,920 Speaker 4: like nineteen points a game, incredible score, passer, all those things. 446 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 4: So I started watching a little more and mostly just 447 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 4: for her, like when she was on and it wasn't 448 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,600 Speaker 4: on National until V as much, right, and obviously now 449 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 4: we know, and then I just started watching for Kaylyn Clark. 450 00:20:36,040 --> 00:20:38,680 Speaker 4: I like watching her play. She gets me to a TV. 451 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 4: She's fun to watch, even when she's not scoring a lot, 452 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 4: which she has not been doing. Now she's averaging nine 453 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:48,480 Speaker 4: assists like she's having an incredible passer. Right. The Fever 454 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 4: score a ton of points. They're fun to watch. They 455 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,200 Speaker 4: they move the ball, they shoot threes like they they 456 00:20:54,280 --> 00:20:56,480 Speaker 4: when they're rolling, they're averaging in the nineties, you know, 457 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 4: like they're fun to watch. Its fun basketball to watch. 458 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 4: So my background is probably as yours when it comes 459 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 4: to learning about you know, how the WA functions, and 460 00:21:06,200 --> 00:21:09,639 Speaker 4: and the one thing that stands out to me, and 461 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 4: no surprise, officiating is awful. It's really bad. And I'm 462 00:21:13,760 --> 00:21:15,399 Speaker 4: not saying that you have to fix it for Kaitlyn 463 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:19,240 Speaker 4: Clark exactly, but you have an opportunity with the player 464 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:25,200 Speaker 4: who's this popular, to really change fundamentally change your league. 465 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 4: And some of it has already happened. Right, they have 466 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 4: private planes now, right, they move games to bigger arenas 467 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:33,640 Speaker 4: Caitlyn Clark. They just played the Connecticut son who were 468 00:21:33,680 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 4: like three and eighteen in the garden in Boston, Like 469 00:21:37,119 --> 00:21:42,000 Speaker 4: these events are huge national events when when Clark is 470 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:46,280 Speaker 4: playing and the answer is not to change the game 471 00:21:46,480 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 4: to make her stand out, but it feels like they're 472 00:21:49,280 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 4: actively rooting against Kaitlyn Clark. At times the league is okay, 473 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:59,320 Speaker 4: Like for example, they put out yesterday advertisement for the 474 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,440 Speaker 4: All Star Game has said Page Beckers is the first 475 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:04,719 Speaker 4: rookie to start at All Star Games is twenty thirteen. 476 00:22:05,359 --> 00:22:08,320 Speaker 4: Keti Clark started also gnamed last season. Like those are 477 00:22:08,359 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 4: the mistakes. I just don't understand. If it's like you, 478 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 4: why are you not acknowledging the Superstar Kaitlin Clark. They 479 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 4: just make these mistakes to me that I do not 480 00:22:21,359 --> 00:22:24,199 Speaker 4: understand why. They just don't seem to put enough attention 481 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,200 Speaker 4: to promoting the most popular players. But I get it. 482 00:22:27,520 --> 00:22:29,280 Speaker 4: There are plenty of players in the league that are 483 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,399 Speaker 4: better than Kitlyn Clark. You won't find me arguing otherwise, 484 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:33,960 Speaker 4: especially this season. She's not playing as well, but there's 485 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:36,120 Speaker 4: no one as popular as her. There's there's no doubt 486 00:22:36,119 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 4: about They're going to lose the good lose viewers for 487 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:42,640 Speaker 4: the game this weekend. It's gonna be very noticeable when 488 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,760 Speaker 4: the when the ratings come out. Every game that she 489 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:48,679 Speaker 4: has a national television even when she wasn't playing this 490 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 4: past weekend against the Liberty, got like three million people 491 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:54,919 Speaker 4: to watch, and the league just seems to have not 492 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:59,560 Speaker 4: embraced that the level that I would expect. Deficiating stinks. 493 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:02,439 Speaker 4: It's bad she gets zero calls. I'm not saying that 494 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,680 Speaker 4: she should get the calls, but dude, she gets beat 495 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:11,560 Speaker 4: up in games like she gets pushed, grabs, shoved, knocked down, 496 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 4: and foul calls never happen. I don't know why, but 497 00:23:14,960 --> 00:23:17,000 Speaker 4: that is the league. It's a very physical league, and 498 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:19,760 Speaker 4: fifth it does feel like though there's just not enough 499 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 4: attention from the league office to how big of a 500 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 4: star she is. And it might happen over the years 501 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:29,080 Speaker 4: and they get to that direction. But I don't know 502 00:23:29,080 --> 00:23:30,680 Speaker 4: if you feel that same way as I do when 503 00:23:30,680 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 4: it comes to just the attention given to her and 504 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,480 Speaker 4: how I just don't think they're tabolizing on this opportunity 505 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:36,200 Speaker 4: as much as they should. 506 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 2: I think it's the league. I think it's the players. 507 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:41,959 Speaker 2: I think it's the super fans, like I think everybody. 508 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:46,160 Speaker 2: At some point, people transcend and it doesn't matter if 509 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:49,760 Speaker 2: they're the best to me, Like it doesn't matter if 510 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:51,840 Speaker 2: Taylor Swift you mentioned earlier, you want to go to 511 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 2: Taylor Swift, Like Taylor Swift doesn't have to be the 512 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:56,280 Speaker 2: best singer in the world. She's the most popular singer 513 00:23:56,320 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 2: in the world, like, right, I mean that's I think 514 00:23:58,840 --> 00:24:01,120 Speaker 2: most I don't want to get swifties up at mimenties, 515 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:02,639 Speaker 2: but I think most you know, was. 516 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 4: Very entertaining for her beats, like everything's like it's fun, 517 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 4: like you, it's fun, like going and watching her perform 518 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:11,639 Speaker 4: looks like just a fun time, which I think a 519 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:14,159 Speaker 4: lot of us will pay not maybe too grand a 520 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 4: ticket for fun, but will pay for three and a 521 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:18,400 Speaker 4: half hours of fun. Like I think we all pay 522 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 4: for that. 523 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 2: One hundred percent, and then there's opportunity for everybody else involved. 524 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 3: And that's the thing that like, I just. 525 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:28,679 Speaker 2: Can't wrap my head around why it feels like so 526 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 2: many teams, players super fans the league, Like, I mean, 527 00:24:33,280 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 2: the league is not easy to work with. The WNBA 528 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 2: has never been easy to work with. And I'll say 529 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 2: say that loudly and proudly. I mean, my first radio show, 530 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 2: five days a Week was with Sarah Spain on ESPN 531 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,080 Speaker 2: at the time, and we were national and the day 532 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 2: I started with Sarah, She's like, we are gonna talk 533 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:51,199 Speaker 2: about the WNBA And that was that was back in 534 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 2: twenty seventeen, right, And so from that moment we we 535 00:24:56,040 --> 00:24:58,800 Speaker 2: fought to try and get WNBA players consistently on our 536 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 2: radio show as guests, and the league didn't help make 537 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 2: them available to this to this day. I mean, I 538 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: tried last year to cover a bunch of w NBA 539 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 2: events and the W basically went to Yahoo, where I 540 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,440 Speaker 2: make the primary portion of my income, and the W 541 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 2: was like, no, we don't want anybody in the to 542 00:25:14,880 --> 00:25:18,720 Speaker 2: get coverage opportunities that hasn't been covering the sport for years, 543 00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:21,440 Speaker 2: and I'm like I have like the w makes things 544 00:25:21,920 --> 00:25:23,320 Speaker 2: really complicated to cover. 545 00:25:23,440 --> 00:25:25,960 Speaker 3: They are not an easy media partner. 546 00:25:25,800 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 4: That they get it. 547 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 3: I don't get it either. 548 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,680 Speaker 4: I didn't know that. But that's that's just it's disappointing 549 00:25:31,800 --> 00:25:36,040 Speaker 4: here because again they should be capitalizing on this opportunity 550 00:25:36,840 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 4: as best they can. And and you know the last 551 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 4: for me quickly, like the reaction to the jokes of 552 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:49,679 Speaker 4: the SPS from some people like good, Bad and Different. 553 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,440 Speaker 4: You got four jokes on a national television program by 554 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 4: a comedian about your league, like you might not have 555 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 4: liked them. I get it, mocking Caitlin Clarke for the 556 00:26:01,600 --> 00:26:03,919 Speaker 4: you know, the wallf House joke, you know, the Britney 557 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,600 Speaker 4: Hicks joke about about uh, you know the oh, you know, 558 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 4: like you don't even know who the WNBA stars are. Okay, 559 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:12,520 Speaker 4: I get they might offend you, but can you imagine 560 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,080 Speaker 4: saying this three years ago, that that that the SP's 561 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 4: you got, like I think it was into being four 562 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 4: w NBA jokes and they're like, lighten up a little bit. 563 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 4: It's good for the league to have to be mentioned 564 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:25,920 Speaker 4: in this like even if you don't like the joke itself, 565 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 4: like come on, man, don't take yourself that seriously. 566 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,359 Speaker 2: And when you when you clap back to it the 567 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:35,439 Speaker 2: way so many people have, what you also do is 568 00:26:35,440 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 2: you give fuel to the rest of the people that 569 00:26:37,359 --> 00:26:39,080 Speaker 2: are looking for a reason to tear it all down. 570 00:26:39,240 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 2: Like that's the other the other part of it. If 571 00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 2: you're coming in and you're saying, oh my god, how 572 00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:45,920 Speaker 2: could they make these jokes? Well, now what you've done 573 00:26:46,040 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 2: is you've really empowered the people that are just desperately 574 00:26:48,480 --> 00:26:52,080 Speaker 2: waiting for a reason to tell the world how. 575 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 3: Elitist the w A you know what I mean like 576 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:55,720 Speaker 3: it it's it's a tough situation. 577 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 2: And I'm I'm I know gently that I'm talking about 578 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,439 Speaker 2: some of my friends in that situation. Like I just 579 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,880 Speaker 2: I think you just have to step back and say, yeah, 580 00:27:04,960 --> 00:27:08,480 Speaker 2: all right, cool, Like you know, I hate to keep 581 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:10,439 Speaker 2: going back to music stuff, but I will say, like, 582 00:27:10,760 --> 00:27:13,120 Speaker 2: if every time somebody made fun of what they think 583 00:27:13,160 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 2: country music is, the entire country music community would turn 584 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,640 Speaker 2: around and pitch a fit about it. Eventually it all 585 00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:21,959 Speaker 2: becomes part of the mockery. Like all you can do 586 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 2: is just tipic cap, like you had a roast comic 587 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:25,399 Speaker 2: hosting the. 588 00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 3: Sb's and he was roasting people. 589 00:27:28,520 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 2: I don't know what anyone expected, and I agree with you, 590 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:35,199 Speaker 2: Like it's just there is this opportunity that comes with attention, 591 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,399 Speaker 2: and attention gives you the opportunity to make new fans, 592 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,400 Speaker 2: to convert people. You want to make people that never 593 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 2: pay attention into fans. You want to take basic fans 594 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 2: that convert him into super fans. There's a conversion opportunity 595 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,280 Speaker 2: whenever you have a megastar. 596 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 3: And that's what Caitlin Clark is. 597 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 2: And instead of conversion opportunity, I feel like they're just 598 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,440 Speaker 2: a ton of people trying to push everybody away from 599 00:27:56,440 --> 00:27:58,919 Speaker 2: it and whether it's you know, there are better players, 600 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 2: like I don't think right now most kids give a 601 00:28:01,800 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 2: damn about what NBA Superstar in the seventies was actually 602 00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 2: better than SGA, Like it's a meaningless argument. Who cares 603 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:13,119 Speaker 2: If somebody loves SGA, let them love SGA. If somebody 604 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 2: loves Caitlin Clark, it doesn't mean that they need suddenly 605 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,199 Speaker 2: a lecture on the history of the greatness of the 606 00:28:19,359 --> 00:28:21,520 Speaker 2: w Just let them fall in love with where the 607 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 2: sport is and maybe eventually they find the history. Maybe 608 00:28:24,119 --> 00:28:27,000 Speaker 2: they don't, but who cares you played football? Like does 609 00:28:27,080 --> 00:28:29,959 Speaker 2: a current NFL kid that's growing up to become an 610 00:28:30,080 --> 00:28:32,959 Speaker 2: NFL fan? And maybe all they love is Patrick Mahomes 611 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 2: and maybe they say Patrick Mahomes is the best. 612 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 3: Quarterback of all time? Do they need a lecture about 613 00:28:37,480 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 3: Joe Montana in that moment? I don't think they do. 614 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 4: But the NFL media wouldn't go after them for saying that, 615 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,239 Speaker 4: you know, like, and it feels like there's just this 616 00:28:50,400 --> 00:28:54,880 Speaker 4: active campaign to like discredit Clark from people that cover 617 00:28:54,960 --> 00:29:01,400 Speaker 4: the league. Dude, So you know when Caroline pet comes 618 00:29:01,400 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 4: out two weeks ago and says Indiana is more dangerous 619 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 4: without Kaitlin Clark, like you, I would anyone say? Would 620 00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:13,000 Speaker 4: would anyone in the NBA media? And I have an 621 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:15,400 Speaker 4: issue with them as well. NFL look all their issues, 622 00:29:15,440 --> 00:29:18,640 Speaker 4: But when anyone say the Chiefs are better without Patrick Mahomes. 623 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 4: Last season, when the Packers missed Jordan Love for two 624 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:25,560 Speaker 4: years and Milik Wilson went two to zero, did anyone 625 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 4: come out and say that the Packers are more dangerous 626 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 4: without Jordan Love. No, that's a ludicrous thing. To say 627 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:36,440 Speaker 4: that's and and over a point was like the offenses 628 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 4: moves better, which it doesn't. It does, It just doesn't. 629 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:42,480 Speaker 4: Nothing works better without Clark. The numbers prove it. They're 630 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:44,480 Speaker 4: four and six without either eight and five with her, 631 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 4: they scored fifteen less points and have less rebounds and 632 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:49,080 Speaker 4: less assists when she's on the game. They just got 633 00:29:49,080 --> 00:29:51,960 Speaker 4: blown up by the Liberty two days ago. Look lifeless. 634 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:56,080 Speaker 4: It goes back to back, but still, uh, I like 635 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 4: it's these I just don't. I don't get that mindset 636 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 4: of just trying to find every way when you're a 637 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 4: legend of the league and Peck knows what she's talking about. 638 00:30:07,440 --> 00:30:10,040 Speaker 4: She's been a winning coach, right like she knows the 639 00:30:10,120 --> 00:30:13,760 Speaker 4: league very well. Just to have that come out and 640 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,400 Speaker 4: say things like that to me, I don't get that 641 00:30:16,480 --> 00:30:19,960 Speaker 4: mindset of not embracing Clark at all, when again, you 642 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:21,480 Speaker 4: don't have to go out of your way to say 643 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:23,240 Speaker 4: things like you can say she's not playing well this 644 00:30:23,280 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 4: season offensively, she's certainly not. You can say she's a 645 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:29,000 Speaker 4: very popular player and all these nice things about it, 646 00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:32,200 Speaker 4: but also knowledge how poorly she's playing offensively this season, 647 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:35,840 Speaker 4: and talk about the turnovers all things are wrong with her, 648 00:30:36,040 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 4: But to say things like they're more dangerous without Clark 649 00:30:39,920 --> 00:30:41,600 Speaker 4: in any way you try to cut that, it's a 650 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:44,240 Speaker 4: ludicrous thing to say because they're absolutely not more dangerous 651 00:30:44,280 --> 00:30:48,560 Speaker 4: without Caitlin Clark. And it's these continued sort of comments 652 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 4: and from people that are respected within the league that 653 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:56,360 Speaker 4: I don't get that mindset of saying things like that. 654 00:30:56,840 --> 00:30:59,440 Speaker 1: Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and 655 00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: a Cuple of Show with Brady Quinn, LeVar Errington, and 656 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: Jonas Knox weekdays at six am Eastern, three am Pacific. 657 00:31:07,120 --> 00:31:10,440 Speaker 4: I want to learn more about your your excellent violin playing. 658 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 4: That's that that can I so I have, dude, I 659 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 4: am the least musical person. I have no rhythm nothing. 660 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,240 Speaker 4: When I was my parents tell the story a lot 661 00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:22,840 Speaker 4: of when I was in like fourth grade, we learned 662 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 4: to play the violin in school, in elementary school, and 663 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 4: we just were like we learned how to like pick 664 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,480 Speaker 4: like Mary had a little lam like nothing crazy right, 665 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 4: and my parents said that they choked that like I 666 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,360 Speaker 4: couldn't even do it correctly for the concert, Like I 667 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:39,040 Speaker 4: was just up there just like just everyone was on 668 00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:41,840 Speaker 4: rhythm and I was the kid like in the back 669 00:31:41,880 --> 00:31:44,960 Speaker 4: who just no idea what I was doing, just zero 670 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 4: clue how to play violin. 671 00:31:46,440 --> 00:31:48,080 Speaker 2: Le's not like a semester trying to learn to play 672 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:54,600 Speaker 2: violin just never happened, no chance. I mean, look, I 673 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:57,840 Speaker 2: couldn't play offensive line. I mean, we all have our skills, though. 674 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 2: I My mom starts taken piano lessons when I was 675 00:32:02,600 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 2: really little. 676 00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:04,080 Speaker 3: We had a piano in. 677 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,760 Speaker 2: The house and a neighbor came over to give her 678 00:32:06,800 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 2: lessons when I was four and my mom my mom 679 00:32:09,600 --> 00:32:12,240 Speaker 2: and dad have no musical background. They just like music, 680 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 2: but they're both toned off, and so my neighbor would 681 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 2: come over and try and teach a lesson and my 682 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 2: mom couldn't figure it out, and I would crawl up 683 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 2: on the bench after the lesson, and by year I 684 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,480 Speaker 2: could play what he was trying to teach her, and 685 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 2: so my parents were like, Okay, he has a propensity 686 00:32:25,880 --> 00:32:28,120 Speaker 2: for it. So they took me to UNLV at the 687 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:31,120 Speaker 2: time to try and get me piano lessons, but they 688 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:33,200 Speaker 2: didn't have any piano teachers available, so they said, why 689 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:33,680 Speaker 2: don't we put. 690 00:32:33,640 --> 00:32:37,360 Speaker 3: Him in violin for six months? And that's where it started. 691 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,959 Speaker 2: I was four when I started playing, and for the 692 00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 2: first six months I was the worst. Like I started 693 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:44,880 Speaker 2: with Suzuki, which is like this easy way to teach kids, 694 00:32:44,920 --> 00:32:46,800 Speaker 2: and you're supposed to go through a book in six months, 695 00:32:46,840 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 2: and it took. 696 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:49,200 Speaker 3: Me like a year and a half to get through 697 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 3: book one. Like I was terrible. I was the worst. 698 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 2: Like the teacher was like, please, God, make him stop. 699 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:56,120 Speaker 2: But I was a really stubborn kid and I was like, no, 700 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:57,440 Speaker 2: I like this, I want to figure it out. And 701 00:32:57,480 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 2: then once it clicked, I went through like books through 702 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,560 Speaker 2: ten in the next six months after that, like it 703 00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:04,640 Speaker 2: was automatical. So by the time I was eight, I 704 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,239 Speaker 2: practiced eight hours a day. I got into Juilliard when 705 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:09,040 Speaker 2: I was ten. I played Carnegie Hall when I was ten, 706 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,680 Speaker 2: Like I was a little child prodigy violinists, like my 707 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:14,920 Speaker 2: whole my whole life growing up, and we didn't My parents, 708 00:33:15,000 --> 00:33:17,280 Speaker 2: you know, tried hard, but they never had much. So 709 00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:20,440 Speaker 2: I was a public school kid while going to Juilliard 710 00:33:20,520 --> 00:33:23,880 Speaker 2: while balancing eight hours of practice to day, so like 711 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:26,720 Speaker 2: it just the grind was my entire life. So it's 712 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 2: it's funny that I think that's part of the reason 713 00:33:29,520 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 2: I love working with athletes. 714 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:31,240 Speaker 3: In general. 715 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:34,360 Speaker 2: It's because like there is a commonality to you know, 716 00:33:34,400 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 2: when nobody's watching, what are you doing, and how much 717 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 2: work you put in to try and get good at 718 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,160 Speaker 2: what you do, and you know, there's a It was 719 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 2: my whole life, my whole whole life, I practiced eight 720 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:44,800 Speaker 2: hours a day, and when I got to Juilliard, I 721 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:46,680 Speaker 2: was the lazy one because other kids had tutors and 722 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:48,920 Speaker 2: they practiced at twelve, you know, they practiced twelve. 723 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:52,120 Speaker 3: Hours a day. So you know, certainly a wild journey 724 00:33:52,160 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 3: for me. 725 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:56,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, there is a lot of you know, the practice 726 00:33:57,000 --> 00:33:59,880 Speaker 4: part of it is, uh, there's there's a lot to peak. 727 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:03,440 Speaker 4: That's a lot. I mean I fight this now just 728 00:34:04,120 --> 00:34:06,720 Speaker 4: as a sports parent. Like we have a lot of 729 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:09,560 Speaker 4: family friends that they spend a lot of hours in 730 00:34:09,640 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 4: the with their kids, you know, doing sports, and it's like, 731 00:34:13,200 --> 00:34:16,200 Speaker 4: I'm like, it's a lot, Like I know there's a 732 00:34:16,200 --> 00:34:18,480 Speaker 4: payoff at the end. Again, we don't I haven't gone 733 00:34:18,480 --> 00:34:20,440 Speaker 4: that direction yet, but I got friends that, you know, 734 00:34:20,680 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 4: their daughter is doing four hours of gymnastics at night, 735 00:34:23,440 --> 00:34:26,840 Speaker 4: like nine years old. It's like, oh, it's feels like 736 00:34:26,880 --> 00:34:29,720 Speaker 4: a lot, but I get the payoff at the end, obviously. 737 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:32,800 Speaker 2: It's a hard thing to like because when I first 738 00:34:32,840 --> 00:34:35,080 Speaker 2: when I moved to Nashville at the time, you know, 739 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 2: I moved with some buddies and we kept getting and 740 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:39,200 Speaker 2: losing our own record deals, and we all thought we 741 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 2: were going to be famous. But I remember when I 742 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:43,319 Speaker 2: got my first call to do a fiddle gig, and like, 743 00:34:43,360 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 2: I was a violinist kid that just started playing fiddle 744 00:34:46,160 --> 00:34:49,080 Speaker 2: because there's better money in it. And when I started 745 00:34:49,440 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 2: I got my first call, they were like, great, so 746 00:34:51,680 --> 00:34:53,840 Speaker 2: if you could play mandolin on this song and acoustic 747 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:56,560 Speaker 2: on that song, because that's Nashville. Everybody plays a million things. 748 00:34:56,920 --> 00:34:58,480 Speaker 2: And I was like, wait a minute. I spent my 749 00:34:58,520 --> 00:35:00,839 Speaker 2: whole life learning how to play this. I didn't know 750 00:35:00,880 --> 00:35:03,000 Speaker 2: you wanted me to also play this and that, Like 751 00:35:03,040 --> 00:35:05,800 Speaker 2: it's such a different classical music is such a different 752 00:35:05,880 --> 00:35:08,680 Speaker 2: commitment level that I was behind, Like I am still 753 00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:11,200 Speaker 2: behind it. But it's funny, like I never because I 754 00:35:11,200 --> 00:35:12,919 Speaker 2: didn't grow up a fiddle player, Like I didn't grow 755 00:35:12,960 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 2: up playing Devil went down to Georgia and Orange Blossom 756 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:18,120 Speaker 2: Special like little kids do. And when I started playing 757 00:35:18,200 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 2: fiddle gigs, I took seventies rock guitar solos and just 758 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 2: tried to rip apart, like how did they play Hotel California? 759 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,240 Speaker 2: How did they play you know, like Aerosmith's stuff, Like 760 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 2: like I just I took guitar solos because the way 761 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:30,279 Speaker 2: I looked at it is like there were twelve year 762 00:35:30,280 --> 00:35:32,040 Speaker 2: olds out there that could play better fiddle than I 763 00:35:32,080 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 2: ever would. But it's it's funny to me that, like 764 00:35:35,120 --> 00:35:37,640 Speaker 2: you talk about sports, like I grew up in a 765 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:38,920 Speaker 2: very specialized world and. 766 00:35:38,880 --> 00:35:40,680 Speaker 3: Now music is less specialized. 767 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:42,960 Speaker 2: And it's funny that in sports it feels like it's 768 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:45,920 Speaker 2: all of my friends growing up were playing fifteen sports 769 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:48,800 Speaker 2: and now they're so many kids are es centrally focused 770 00:35:48,840 --> 00:35:51,040 Speaker 2: on one or two Instead, it's like the two roles 771 00:35:51,080 --> 00:35:51,560 Speaker 2: have flipped. 772 00:35:52,080 --> 00:35:54,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, the thing that you know, I am Vietna lely 773 00:35:54,920 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 4: against like specialization at that at young ages. I think 774 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,440 Speaker 4: that's crazy. I mean I didn't do that, and a 775 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:01,680 Speaker 4: lot of my friends is that we're professional athletes, didn't 776 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 4: do that either. Yeah, I mean, it's it's kind of 777 00:36:03,239 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 4: crazy how that has become a thing with with sports now. 778 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:09,160 Speaker 4: And it's hard because you know, I feel very fortunate 779 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:11,840 Speaker 4: to obviously have the background of playing in the NFL 780 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:13,359 Speaker 4: because A lot of times I want to tell these 781 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,919 Speaker 4: parents like like sorry, but like you're you're five six, 782 00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,719 Speaker 4: like your your your wife is five to two, like 783 00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,360 Speaker 4: your kids not playing Major League baseball like I. But 784 00:36:23,400 --> 00:36:24,480 Speaker 4: I don't. I don't want to tell them that. I 785 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,440 Speaker 4: don't want to ruin their their you know, there is 786 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:29,040 Speaker 4: their existence of of being a pair at sports parent. 787 00:36:29,120 --> 00:36:32,400 Speaker 4: But you know, genetics matter. You know, things change in 788 00:36:32,480 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 4: high school, when when players get when when kids mature 789 00:36:35,680 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 4: right in either direction. So you know, it's a difficult 790 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:40,560 Speaker 4: discussion to have with with how much time and effort 791 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:44,440 Speaker 4: you should spend with your child playing sports. 792 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 3: So, dude, in fifth grade, I remember this so distinctly. 793 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:51,480 Speaker 2: Again, I'd already gotten into Juilliard and I'd already played 794 00:36:51,520 --> 00:36:54,960 Speaker 2: Carnegie Hall at this point, and I distinctly I was 795 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:57,880 Speaker 2: so obsessed with football on Sundays. It was my favorite 796 00:36:57,880 --> 00:36:59,759 Speaker 2: thing in the world. And I remember going to my 797 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 2: mind and dad and being like, I want to play 798 00:37:01,560 --> 00:37:03,800 Speaker 2: Pop Warner football, Like I just I really want to 799 00:37:03,840 --> 00:37:06,719 Speaker 2: try this, And my mom just flat out looked at 800 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:08,799 Speaker 2: me and she's like, my mom's like five to five 801 00:37:08,840 --> 00:37:11,280 Speaker 2: and my dad's like six foot and they're both skrowny people. 802 00:37:11,680 --> 00:37:13,680 Speaker 2: And my mom looks at me and she's like, look 803 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:15,960 Speaker 2: at the two of us, what part of this like 804 00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:18,400 Speaker 2: makes you thinking you're not going to play football? And 805 00:37:18,440 --> 00:37:20,600 Speaker 2: she was like, look, you're already grade at something. I'm 806 00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,640 Speaker 2: not going to let you sacrifice something you're great at 807 00:37:22,680 --> 00:37:24,680 Speaker 2: because you want to try football when you're just going 808 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:25,839 Speaker 2: to get murdered doing it. 809 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:28,640 Speaker 3: And that's my mom. Like my mom was always very 810 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:29,400 Speaker 3: My mom. 811 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:30,600 Speaker 2: Was the type to walk in the room if I 812 00:37:30,680 --> 00:37:32,399 Speaker 2: was practicing and just take it out of my hand 813 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:33,919 Speaker 2: and always say, if that's the best you can play 814 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:34,920 Speaker 2: the damn thing today. 815 00:37:34,680 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 3: Put it away. Like my mom's very direct. 816 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,959 Speaker 2: But I always respected that because I think I would 817 00:37:40,000 --> 00:37:42,279 Speaker 2: have totally gotten off track on what I ended up 818 00:37:42,320 --> 00:37:44,480 Speaker 2: being great at just because I wanted to play a 819 00:37:44,520 --> 00:37:46,279 Speaker 2: little bit of Pop Warner football. And I know my 820 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:48,839 Speaker 2: athleticism now is a grown ass man. I never should 821 00:37:48,880 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 2: have played football, right, I know this. I accept it. 822 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, to think that the hard I think the hard 823 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 4: part of the parents is not wanting to like to 824 00:37:57,719 --> 00:38:02,440 Speaker 4: like squash, you know, the wanting to play sports and 825 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:05,240 Speaker 4: wanting to be a part of a team and wanting 826 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:07,560 Speaker 4: to put the effort in. Right, you don't want to 827 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:12,279 Speaker 4: tell your kids no for those reasons sometimes, But I 828 00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:14,560 Speaker 4: understand where your mom is coming, especially if you're good 829 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:16,520 Speaker 4: at something else, right, is you don't want to to 830 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:19,600 Speaker 4: use up any sort of time doing something that you're 831 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:21,280 Speaker 4: not good at and it might not have a future. 832 00:38:21,520 --> 00:38:23,040 Speaker 4: So it's a difficult part about it. I think I'm 833 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:24,400 Speaker 4: being a parent, like you want your kids to have 834 00:38:24,440 --> 00:38:26,360 Speaker 4: fun and play sports and be involved in the community. 835 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:28,799 Speaker 4: But sometimes it's like you said, your your mom tells 836 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:31,160 Speaker 4: you like, hey man, it's not for you. 837 00:38:31,239 --> 00:38:32,560 Speaker 3: Oh. My friends tell me all the time. 838 00:38:32,600 --> 00:38:34,879 Speaker 2: I'm the worst my friends with kids because like I'll 839 00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:36,640 Speaker 2: go to a dancer title for one of their kids 840 00:38:36,640 --> 00:38:38,239 Speaker 2: because I want to be a supportive buddy, you know, 841 00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:40,279 Speaker 2: And it's like, you know, she's she's eight or nine 842 00:38:40,320 --> 00:38:42,759 Speaker 2: years old, she's doing her best up there, and I'm like, yeah, 843 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 2: I was already a chillier. Like it makes me the worst, 844 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:47,480 Speaker 2: I know it, But I go to these things. I'm like, 845 00:38:47,480 --> 00:38:49,000 Speaker 2: your kid doesn't have talent. I don't know how to 846 00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:50,319 Speaker 2: tell you this, Like your kid's just not good. 847 00:38:50,360 --> 00:38:52,600 Speaker 4: Oh, because they think they do. They ask you like 848 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:53,839 Speaker 4: can can Mike yes. 849 00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:58,360 Speaker 2: People think that they're like American Idol is living, breathing 850 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:00,560 Speaker 2: proof that parents need to be more honest with their 851 00:39:00,640 --> 00:39:03,439 Speaker 2: kids sometimes at some point like somebody and I think 852 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:05,399 Speaker 2: parents are the delusional ones too. 853 00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,440 Speaker 3: Like half the time, you know, a parent. 854 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:08,879 Speaker 2: Will sit there and be like, oh, you should really 855 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:10,959 Speaker 2: listen to my kid, and then I listen and I'm. 856 00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:13,000 Speaker 3: Like, yeah, your kid sucks. I don't know how to 857 00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:14,000 Speaker 3: tell you this, but like your. 858 00:39:13,920 --> 00:39:16,839 Speaker 2: Kid is not musically talented, like your kid's tone deaf, 859 00:39:16,880 --> 00:39:18,040 Speaker 2: and it's like but then the. 860 00:39:17,960 --> 00:39:19,640 Speaker 3: Parachs are like no, no, no, no, no, they're good. 861 00:39:19,719 --> 00:39:21,759 Speaker 2: It's like, ah, man, I'm sorry, your kid's not going 862 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:24,480 Speaker 2: to be famous. Like if you're asking me, look, we're 863 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:27,080 Speaker 2: all wrong sometimes, but man, your kid doesn't have that 864 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:27,680 Speaker 2: it factor. 865 00:39:27,719 --> 00:39:29,640 Speaker 3: Like somebody's got to be honest with people. 866 00:39:30,200 --> 00:39:32,760 Speaker 4: Thankfully, I have not had anyone ask me those things 867 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:36,000 Speaker 4: about their parents that their kids about, like football and 868 00:39:36,200 --> 00:39:42,080 Speaker 4: baseball Whatnotuh wow, so wow, I guess. I guess it's 869 00:39:42,120 --> 00:39:46,800 Speaker 4: maybe different in the in the music world. Also, people 870 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:48,640 Speaker 4: that you think, so I don't really have that question 871 00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:50,440 Speaker 4: about whether they could make it, anyone can make it 872 00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:50,719 Speaker 4: or not. 873 00:39:51,640 --> 00:39:53,759 Speaker 2: I always loved when people will come up after a 874 00:39:53,800 --> 00:39:56,880 Speaker 2: concert and like, you know, when when the band was 875 00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:58,719 Speaker 2: lucky enough to have a bunch of hits and we're 876 00:39:58,719 --> 00:40:01,319 Speaker 2: touring all over the world, and you know, people will 877 00:40:01,320 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 2: come up after a concert and the thing that I 878 00:40:03,040 --> 00:40:06,239 Speaker 2: heard more than anything in my life was, oh, man, 879 00:40:06,320 --> 00:40:08,719 Speaker 2: you know what, I played the violin in fourth grade. 880 00:40:08,840 --> 00:40:09,839 Speaker 3: I should have stuck with it. 881 00:40:10,400 --> 00:40:12,400 Speaker 2: And I'm always like, yeah, yeah, because if you'd have 882 00:40:12,400 --> 00:40:15,759 Speaker 2: stuck with it, like, there's no like I've always. 883 00:40:15,680 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 3: I'm very very blessed, I'm very very lucky. 884 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:20,600 Speaker 2: I worked my ass off and I was given a 885 00:40:20,640 --> 00:40:23,000 Speaker 2: set of talent that I don't understand why I was given, 886 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,799 Speaker 2: and I'm very honored to have it. But whenever somebody's like, 887 00:40:25,800 --> 00:40:27,440 Speaker 2: oh man, I should have stuck with it, it's like, yeah, 888 00:40:27,480 --> 00:40:29,279 Speaker 2: because if you'd have practiced forty minutes a. 889 00:40:29,320 --> 00:40:31,919 Speaker 3: Day for a few years, you'd be where. 890 00:40:32,719 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 2: It's a weird conception with music where just because it's 891 00:40:35,640 --> 00:40:37,920 Speaker 2: like NBA players complain about the fact that the coverage 892 00:40:37,920 --> 00:40:40,080 Speaker 2: of their sport is skewed because so many people can 893 00:40:40,120 --> 00:40:43,320 Speaker 2: play rec league basketball music, is that times a thousand, 894 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,319 Speaker 2: Because so many people can sit down and play a 895 00:40:45,400 --> 00:40:46,640 Speaker 2: chord at the piano, They're like, oh, I. 896 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:47,640 Speaker 4: Could have been a musician. 897 00:40:47,640 --> 00:40:49,200 Speaker 3: It's like that's a lot more than that. 898 00:40:50,440 --> 00:40:53,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, i'd imagine. So again, I'm the least music account 899 00:40:53,320 --> 00:40:55,319 Speaker 4: of person ever, so I couldn't even tell you like 900 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:57,000 Speaker 4: where to be given on that. But yeah, I mean 901 00:40:57,000 --> 00:41:01,040 Speaker 4: it's talented and sometimes luck plays rolling it, but yeah, 902 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,280 Speaker 4: you have to have that baseline of talent to be successful, 903 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:05,520 Speaker 4: and it feels like it with music. You can tell 904 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,000 Speaker 4: pretty early, right if someone has it or they don't. 905 00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:10,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean the earlier the better too, because like, 906 00:41:11,520 --> 00:41:14,319 Speaker 2: as you get older, you learn that you're dominant to 907 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:15,960 Speaker 2: one hand or the other, Like you learn that you're 908 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:18,120 Speaker 2: right handed, can't do anything with your left, and most 909 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:20,239 Speaker 2: good musical instruments require you to be. 910 00:41:20,239 --> 00:41:21,560 Speaker 3: As ambidextrous as possible. 911 00:41:21,600 --> 00:41:24,040 Speaker 2: So the earlier you start, that's why little kids that 912 00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:26,480 Speaker 2: start when they're four are more successful than kids that 913 00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:28,480 Speaker 2: start with their twelve, because when you're twelve, you're like, well, I. 914 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:30,000 Speaker 3: Can't do anything with my left hand, you know what 915 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:30,239 Speaker 3: I mean. 916 00:41:30,360 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 4: So