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Speaker 1: Yo Soy Fiesta. Rob Gronkowski has taken the party to

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Speaker 1: his own college bowl game this Saturday, the first Gronk

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Speaker 1: stops by this show to talk about the soaring Patriots,

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Speaker 1: this season's top tight ends, and what it would cost

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Speaker 1: Robert Kraft get Gronking uniform for the playoffs. Seriously, Philip

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Speaker 1: Rivers is already back at the ripe old age of

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Speaker 1: forty four, and there appears to be a real chance

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Speaker 1: Rivers starts on Sunday. Here from Uncle Phil himself tonight

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Speaker 1: on why he's back and what kind of shape he's

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Speaker 1: in after nearly five full seasons away. The real question

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Speaker 1: is should you pick up Philip Rivers for your fantasy playoffs?

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Speaker 1: Josh Oliver might be a better bet, but Marcus.

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Speaker 2: Brat will be here tonight for this weekly Fantasy Sleepers,

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Speaker 2: which may or may not include a certain old quarterback

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Speaker 2: who could probably use an app welcome inside with the

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Speaker 2: inside He was presented by Progressive Insurance alongside Judy Batista.

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Speaker 2: I'm Tom Pelisaro. It is the eve of week fifteen

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Speaker 2: in the NFL. We got key injury updates on the

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Speaker 2: Bucks and Falcons coming up in just a little bit.

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Speaker 2: Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football Operations,

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Speaker 2: will be here to talk about maybe some big changes

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Speaker 2: on the horizon in the officiating realm.

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Speaker 1: But who are we kidding? We're starting out in Indianapolis again, where, yes,

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Speaker 1: Philip Rivers was back on the field in his old

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Speaker 1: number seventeen, which was of course freed up along with

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Speaker 1: the spot on the roster maybe the starting job when

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Speaker 1: Daniel Jones went down with a torn achilles On Sunday,

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Speaker 1: Rivers met with the media for the first time in

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Speaker 1: nearly five years as well, Why exactly, Phil are you

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Speaker 1: back now?

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Speaker 3: As simple as as can be as a coach that

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Speaker 3: I love and an organization that I really enjoyed being with.

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Speaker 3: You know, mister ersay believing in me in that year

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Speaker 3: in twenty twenty when it didn't go good in twenty nineteen.

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Speaker 1: And shoot, the teammates that.

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Speaker 3: I was able to were able to play with, Shoot,

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Speaker 3: fourteen of them are still here. Training rooms the same

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Speaker 3: pr guys, are the same quipment, rooms the same.

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Speaker 1: And they wanted me, and you know, I try to

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Speaker 1: keep it as simple as that.

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Speaker 3: And you know, a game, a game I love to play,

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Speaker 3: A game that I thought it was was I was

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Speaker 3: done playing. Certainly, I wasn't really hanging on any hope

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Speaker 3: of playing again. I'd kind of i'd kind of thought

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Speaker 3: that ship had sailed, but something about it excited me.

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Speaker 3: And it's kind of one of those deals. The door

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Speaker 3: opens and you can either walk through it and find

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Speaker 3: out if you can do it, or or run from it.

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Speaker 3: And I know, I know that there's there's risk involved,

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Speaker 3: obviously of what may or may may not happen, but

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Speaker 3: the only way to find out is.

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Speaker 1: Going for it.

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Speaker 3: And I just felt almost like it was a gift,

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Speaker 3: another opportunity to play and cut it loose. Either in

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Speaker 3: the game you love to play and the dream that

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Speaker 3: you got to live, you get you may get some

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Speaker 3: bonus time. So I really kept it as kept it

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Speaker 3: as simple as that in my mind. And uh and

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Speaker 3: here I stand.

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Speaker 4: Tough physically you're ready for gratefully.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, we will find out that too, you know, I

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Speaker 3: think so really, I mean, I know, uh, I again,

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Speaker 3: I know it's it is tough, and I know five years.

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Speaker 1: A long time.

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Speaker 3: Believe me that that weighed on me a lot.

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Speaker 1: Uh uh being so long.

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Speaker 3: Uh, But it also is a game I played a

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Speaker 3: long time and and and and stayed in, uh, stayed

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Speaker 3: in over the last five years. And I know the

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Speaker 3: high school ball is different, but staying involved in the game.

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Speaker 3: And and I watched you. I watched the Colts and

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Speaker 3: the Chargers every Sunday about every snap, and I watch

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Speaker 3: you out every game there is. And I know that's

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Speaker 3: not NFL preparing playing quarterback. I know that's a far

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Speaker 3: stretch from that. But it's not like I just kind

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Speaker 3: of shut it and shut football down and I'm you know,

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Speaker 3: trying to pick it back up. I've been I've been

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Speaker 3: pretty still been very into it, uh since I've been gone.

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Speaker 3: But yeah, no, it is a physical game and it's

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Speaker 3: fast and uh, dudes, you're big and fast just like

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Speaker 3: they were. And so I'm just you shoot, taking the

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Speaker 3: day at time, and I do feel good. There's something

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Speaker 3: about something about being back in this building that feels right.

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Speaker 3: And I'm just thankful and shoot, like I said, really

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Speaker 3: just taking it one meeting at a time, one lift

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Speaker 3: at a time, and really and embracing it. It's been

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Speaker 3: a whirlwind for forty eight hours, I'll say, but each

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Speaker 3: moment that goes by, I feel more and more confident.

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Speaker 3: I really do. I think for me, the decision wasn't easy,

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Speaker 3: and because of all the things that you all can imagine,

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Speaker 3: there's human nature to have a little doubt, you know,

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Speaker 3: And I think for me working through that was well,

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Speaker 3: that's normal, you know, that's normal to have a little doubt.

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Speaker 1: Who wouldn't have doubt after five years?

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Speaker 4: You know?

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Speaker 3: But where's that? Is that doubt real or not? It's like, well,

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Speaker 3: let's again, like I go back to our first answer.

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Speaker 3: The only way you can find out is to go.

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Speaker 4: And so.

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Speaker 3: I've been excited the guys I've talked to too, and

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Speaker 3: again we're taking this thing one day at a time.

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Speaker 3: But I'm just I'm not here to stick and save

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Speaker 3: the year or be a hero by any means. We

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Speaker 3: got to stick and run the crap by the football

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Speaker 3: and play defense and do all those things. So if

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Speaker 3: that comes to be and I'm the one that's out

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Speaker 3: there that's gonna I'm not here to try to save

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Speaker 3: the day. I'm going to know where I'm limited and

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Speaker 3: as we go it will get better if that's the

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Speaker 3: route they ended up going. But again, full confidence in

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Speaker 3: Shane and Chris and the organization in making those decisions.

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Speaker 3: As we move forward, each and every day.

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Speaker 1: Philip, just so you know you are here to save

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Speaker 1: the day. You are here to be the hero. I

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Speaker 1: understand duty the point that he's making, which is, we've

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Speaker 1: got a great roster. He played with Jonathan Taylor, he

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Speaker 1: played with Michael Pittman. He knows some of these guys,

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Speaker 1: he saw how they were playing. He say, he's been

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Speaker 1: watching every Colts game and knows what type of team

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Speaker 1: he's on. But if for Phil Burbs is out there

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Speaker 1: this week which certainly seems like a strong possibility, they're

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Speaker 1: going to need him to do something that virtually no

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Speaker 1: forty four year old in NFL history has ever done,

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Speaker 1: much less one who has not played even in practice

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Speaker 1: in five years prior to today.

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Speaker 5: Yeah, and let's be clear, Shane Stiken left the door

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Speaker 5: wide open for Philip Rivers to be the starter this weekend.

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Speaker 5: He was asked is that possible, and he said, well,

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Speaker 5: we're going to have to see how he feels. And

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Speaker 5: of course that is what all of this boils down to,

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Speaker 5: is how will Philip Rivers fields. Nobody doubts that he

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Speaker 5: can silk for the ball. He obviously is still very

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Speaker 5: mentally into the game. He knows the offense. The question

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Speaker 5: is can his body hold up, not just in a game,

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Speaker 5: can his body get through a week of practices. He

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Speaker 5: has not been in football shape in five years. Having

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Speaker 5: said that, he is there to save the day. This

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Speaker 5: is a team that was on the way, especially early

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Speaker 5: in the season to the playoffs, look dominant. Now they

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Speaker 5: have lost their starting quarterback. He is there to try

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Speaker 5: to hold it together. Let Jonathan Taylor run, let the

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Speaker 5: defense do its job, but Philip Rivers is going to

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Speaker 5: have to make some plays if the culture going to

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Speaker 5: salvage this season.

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Speaker 1: We talked to Matt Ryan on this show last night.

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Speaker 1: He was talking about he went out and try to

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Speaker 1: throw with Matthew Stafford just this past summer and he's like, oh, yeah,

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Speaker 1: I was feeling good. You know, the arm was responding.

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Speaker 1: Had Stafford catching some balls for He said he woke

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Speaker 1: up the next morning it's like his arm was hanging off.

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Speaker 1: When you're not training to play football, even if you're

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Speaker 1: throwing it around with the high school kids like Philip

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Speaker 1: has been. He's got a full sized field in his

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Speaker 1: yard down there in Alabama, it's still a little bit different.

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Speaker 1: To say nothing of the way that the body is

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Speaker 1: going to react the first time potentially it gets hit.

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Speaker 1: I would tell you from the people I spoke to

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Speaker 1: who are at that workout on Monday night, they said,

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Speaker 1: Philip's arm still looks like it's always looked. It's everything

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Speaker 1: else that comes with actually going out there and doing

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Speaker 1: it as soon as this Sunday. Now Riley Leonard, who

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Speaker 1: would otherwise be in line to start if not for

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Speaker 1: the presidence of Philip Rivers full participatet in practice today,

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Speaker 1: despite that low grade PCL sprain that he's got. We'll

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Speaker 1: see what direction it goes. But Philip Rivers is not

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Speaker 1: here to be riding the bench. He is there to

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Speaker 1: try to help the Colts get into the playoffs. By

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Speaker 1: virtue of the recent slide. They would be on the

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Speaker 1: outside looking in at this point, but still four weeks

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Speaker 1: to go, and potentially if they can get at least

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Speaker 1: two of these games, they're going to give themselves a

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Speaker 1: shot because some of the other teams within the playoff

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Speaker 1: Chase Lamar, Jackson and the Ravens med a bumpy ride

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Speaker 1: coming off a loss to the Steelers. Lamar, as he

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Speaker 1: has in racent weeks, not practicing on Wednesday, but this

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Speaker 1: time listed as not injury related. That means I've lost

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Speaker 1: track the hamstring, the foot, the ankle, the knee, whatever

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Speaker 1: it was that was listed recently. Apparently that's all healed.

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Speaker 1: It's pretty rare for a quarterback just to not practice

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Speaker 1: on Wednesday because of rest, but Lamar in a little

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Speaker 1: bit different state. Something to keep an eye on through

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Speaker 1: the course of this week. As for the first game

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Speaker 1: of Week fifteen, Mike Evans is back. So is Jalen McMillan.

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Speaker 1: Evans suffered that injury against the Lines in his first

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Speaker 1: game back from a prior injury. Both guys officially on

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Speaker 1: the active roster. Judy looks like they'll be good to

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Speaker 1: go against the Falcons.

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Speaker 5: Not so much for Falcons receiver Drake London. He is

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Speaker 5: out for Thursday night football matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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Speaker 5: He is still recovering from a keycl string he suffered

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Speaker 5: back in week eleven, So no Drake London for that

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Speaker 5: division game. While we're at it, let's take a look

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Speaker 5: at the NFC playoff picture, because the Bucks are certainly

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Speaker 5: in the mix. There you see them there, They would

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Speaker 5: be the four seed. Now they are still in the

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Speaker 5: lead in the NFC South but let's look at that.

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Speaker 5: It is the Rams that would have the number one

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Speaker 5: seed right now, and look at the Packers sitting there

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Speaker 5: nine three and one.

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Speaker 1: They are the two seed.

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Speaker 5: They of course are playing one of the big matchups

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Speaker 5: this week. It is another very very strong slate of games.

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Speaker 5: There is Jared Goff versus Matthew Stafford all the way

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Speaker 5: at the top, and you can see there Packers Broncos.

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Speaker 5: And you know what, let's talk more about Packers Broncos

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Speaker 5: because I bet that's going to be maybe a defensive game.

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Speaker 5: Our Brian Baldinger joins the show. Now, these are top

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Speaker 5: five defenses that are going to face each other, Packers Broncos. Baldy,

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Speaker 5: you have a breakdown of what we are seeing from

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Speaker 5: the Packers defense. What are you liking from them?

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Speaker 6: Well, I like the way the defensive coordinator, Jeff Hafley

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Speaker 6: is using Michaeh Parsons. Remember he came very late to

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Speaker 6: the program, so they've gradually worked him in. You can

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Speaker 6: still see Micah in his normal positions, but they're moving

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Speaker 6: him around. They take advantage of his rare skills and

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Speaker 6: being able to chase. So they've just gone through the

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Speaker 6: division and beaten all the teams in their division.

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Speaker 1: But you watch me here.

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Speaker 6: You leave Michael Parsons one on one against anybody, Taylor Deck,

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Speaker 6: He's gonna win. He's gonna win a high percentage of

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Speaker 6: the time one on ones. He can play either side,

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Speaker 6: right side or left side. We see him in those positions. Here, Judy,

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Speaker 6: here he is against the Bears right and this is

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Speaker 6: his strength right here. Once the quarterback in this case,

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Speaker 6: Caleb Williams, he leaves the pocket. Nobody chased the quarterback

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Speaker 6: down like Michaeh Parsons. In fact, Caleb could turn a

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Speaker 6: corner on almost every pass rusher.

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Speaker 1: In the league.

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Speaker 6: But he knew that was Micah right there, and he

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Speaker 6: pulled up and he said, it's better just to throw

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Speaker 6: the ball away and live to another down. Now you

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Speaker 6: can slide your protection of Micah. You can take the

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Speaker 6: back DeAndre Swift and put him over there. You can

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Speaker 6: key on him all you want, chip him with cole comet, uh,

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Speaker 6: slide the line all the way to him. He's gonna

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Speaker 6: find a way. It's like grabbing jello, Judy, like he's

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Speaker 6: gonna come out of some place.

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Speaker 1: Now.

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Speaker 6: This is what Hafley's doing, though, when you get the

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Speaker 6: third downs and sometimes other downs, like watch David Montgomery.

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Speaker 6: He's looking for Micah right here, so he's gonna go

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Speaker 6: over and chip them. But even with the chip he's

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Speaker 6: used to that, he still beats the guard and he

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Speaker 6: gets golf down to the ground. And here against Minnesota,

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Speaker 6: like he's got freedom that there's structure around Micah to

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Speaker 6: let him go free lands go let him go win

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Speaker 6: where he thinks he can win. In this case, he

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Speaker 6: runs the center over JJ McCarthy barely gets out of.

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Speaker 1: The end zone. And then you see this a little bit.

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Speaker 6: You'll use him as a decoy right here, Like right now,

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Speaker 6: Drew donmind's gonna slide the line to Micah Parsons. They're

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Speaker 6: all gonna slide his way, and as a decoy, he's

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Speaker 6: gonna drop into coverage.

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Speaker 1: And when he drops, they're.

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Speaker 6: Gonna overload the other side, and so they're gonna get

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Speaker 6: the same effect that they wanted to move the quarterback

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Speaker 6: off the spot to get him running without him. But

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Speaker 6: because he's such a dynamic player at the line, you

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Speaker 6: have to account for him.

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Speaker 1: You can use him in.

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Speaker 6: A decoy position like Chicago just did, like Green Bay

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Speaker 6: just did on that last one. So you've seeing him

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Speaker 6: in a variety of spots, taking advantage of his rare,

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Speaker 6: rare talents and probably playing as good a football he's

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Speaker 6: ever played up there in Green Bay on a really

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Speaker 6: really good team which should be a great game featuring

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Speaker 6: a lot of great pass rushers in Denver this weekend.

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Speaker 1: Time now to Marcus My words with Marcus Grant, our

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Speaker 1: fantasy expert who has got a big matchup this week

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Speaker 1: with Michael f. Florio. It is expert on expert action

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Speaker 1: in the quarter finals. Sipin' Charvionaye. That is a very

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Speaker 1: solid name. Marcus always brings the heat right here. All right,

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Speaker 1: fancy sleepers time, Like we knew everyone Wednesday, Marcus, give

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Speaker 1: me a quarterback this week.

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Speaker 7: Well it's going to be a little bit out of

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Speaker 7: the box here. We're going with JJ McCarthy or nine

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Speaker 7: if you prefer. And I know it hasn't been great

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Speaker 7: this year, but our Plifloria actually has pointed out that

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Speaker 7: McCarthy's worst games have come against either some of the

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Speaker 7: top defenses in the league or defenses facing it for

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Speaker 7: a second time. The Cowboys are neither, and although they

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Speaker 7: are improved, still giving up a lot of yards in

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Speaker 7: the passing game. We saw McCarthy have the three touchdown

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Speaker 7: passes last week. This could be maybe a surprise. I'd say,

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Speaker 7: if you're starting him, I wouldn't watch it. It's not

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Speaker 7: going to be pretty to watch, but the numbers at

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Speaker 7: the end could be okay.

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Speaker 1: For those of us who were grabbing Isaiah to check.

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Speaker 1: Go off the wire last week. Just to fill a

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Speaker 1: running back hole, give me a running back sleeper, Marcus.

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Speaker 7: Let's go Chris Rodriguez in Washington, and it's kind of

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Speaker 7: become a mess in that backfield. Sort of a three

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Speaker 7: headed running back situation there, but Rodriguez definitely the number

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Speaker 7: one guy, leads the team in snaps and rushing attempts,

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Speaker 7: getting about fifty percent of the goal line rushing attempt

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Speaker 7: so those high leverage opportunities are going Rodriguez's way. The

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Speaker 7: matchup is very good though this week, taking on the

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Speaker 7: New York Football Giants thirty first range run defense, second

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Speaker 7: best matchup for running backs all year long, and Rodriguez

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Speaker 7: has played well when Marcus Mariota has been at quarterbacks.

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Speaker 7: So again, kind of a deep sleeper here, but an

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Speaker 7: opportunity in front of him.

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Speaker 1: About a wide receiver sleeper Marcus.

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Speaker 7: Jim Ray DK has been kind of a nice pickup,

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Speaker 7: especially for folks in deeper leagues, And it doesn't seem

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Speaker 7: like a lot because that Titans offense hasn't really done much.

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Speaker 7: But he's playing a lot out of the slot, and

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Speaker 7: he's going against the forty nine ers, who have been

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Speaker 7: the third best matchup for slot wide receivers this year.

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Speaker 7: DK has four weekly Top twenty four finishes. He's scored

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Speaker 7: more than sixteen Fantasy points in three of those games.

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Speaker 7: Plus the way the Titans games have gone, they tend

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Speaker 7: to be in a pass heavy game script in the

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Speaker 7: second half.

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Speaker 8: I would imagine that's going to.

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Speaker 1: Be the case.

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Speaker 7: You're gonna see a lot of cam wored dropbacks in

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Speaker 7: the third and fourth quarter as they're chasing that game.

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Speaker 1: Let's say, hypothetically, I've been riding Travis Kelcey all year

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Speaker 1: and starting to get a little bit nervous about what

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Speaker 1: I'm seeing. How about a sleeper tight end, Marcus.

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Speaker 7: Let's go Pat Fryarmouth in Pittsburgh and it's sort of

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Speaker 7: been a weird situation. They got the three tight ends

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Speaker 7: down there with Friarmuth and John Newsmith and Darnell Washington,

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Speaker 7: but Washington's in the concussion protocol may not play this week,

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Speaker 7: which is good news for friar Mouth because the two

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Speaker 7: of them have sort of been eating off each other's

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Speaker 7: plates this year. The Dolphins, they have been tough on

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Speaker 7: wide receivers, but they've been pretty generous to tight ends.

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Speaker 7: Third best matchup for the tight end position, and if

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Speaker 7: they lock down on DK Metcalf, friar Mouth could be

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Speaker 7: a nice outlet.

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Speaker 1: And one more a defense, Marcus a sleeper please.

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Speaker 7: I always love to give you a sleeper defense. We're

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Speaker 7: gonna go with the forty nine ers, And yes, I

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Speaker 7: know I said chim Bray. DK could have a nice

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Speaker 7: game that does not preclude the forty nine ers from

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Speaker 7: having a good fantasy week in it. On defense as well,

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Speaker 7: Kim Ward tied for the NFL lead in most sacks taken.

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Speaker 7: The Niners have been very opportunistic recently, seven takeaways in

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Speaker 7: their last three games. That's good news against an offense

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Speaker 7: that's turning the ball over on an above league average rate.

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Speaker 7: So again I said, I think the Titans will be

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Speaker 7: chasing this game. That gives the forty nine ers Robert

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Speaker 7: Salin opportunity to attack in the second half, and I

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Speaker 7: think they can be a nice streaming defense.

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Speaker 1: Marcus, thank you. Good luck against Florio. Please work out

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Speaker 1: some type of side bit about who's wearing what depending

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Speaker 1: who loses that game when they come on this show

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Speaker 1: next week. A lot more to come tonight, including the

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Speaker 1: visit from maybe the greatest tight end of all time.

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Speaker 1: Rob Gronkowski will be here to talk about the ball

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Speaker 1: game he is hosting on Saturday. Yes you heard me correctly,

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Speaker 1: and a whole lot more. When Gronk considered going back

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Speaker 1: to the Patriots if they needed him for a playoff

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Speaker 1: run Philip Rivers style, we'll ask him next on The

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Speaker 1: Insiders presented by Progressive Insurance. Oh, superhuman. They can't defend him.

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Speaker 1: I'm sorry, he's covered. Even when he's covered, he's open.

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Speaker 1: Look at like that. Do stop him? Did not stop him?

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Speaker 1: Don't you know, Hard, I'm the greatest comeback in Super

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Speaker 1: Bowl history? Rokowski on the Europe You know you had

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Speaker 1: a heck of an NFL career when not only do

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Speaker 1: we have your highlight set to music, but you got

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Speaker 1: your own bowl game. It's the buck Up LA Bowl,

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Speaker 1: hosted by Gronk, Boise State versus Washington Saturday at SOFI Stadium,

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Speaker 1: and we are please be joined right now by Gronk himself,

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Speaker 1: Rob Gronkowski here on the Insiders with me, Tom Pilaicero

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Speaker 1: and Judy Batista, and Gronk tell me about I'm just

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Speaker 1: gonna call it straight up the Gronk Bowl. I know

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Speaker 1: it's got a longer name, but what's like being involved

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Speaker 1: in this game? What can fans expect Saturday? You know,

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Speaker 1: it's really special. It's my third year and this year

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Speaker 1: is to Bucked Up LA ballhosted by yours.

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Speaker 9: Truly right here, Gronk, baby, and it's going to be

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Speaker 9: exciting this year.

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Speaker 4: I mean the first year we have Boise State.

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Speaker 9: They unfortunately lost to UCLA that game and Ashton Genty

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Speaker 9: was a part of a top five draft pick now

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Speaker 9: running back for the Las Vegas Raiders. But this year

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Speaker 9: it's going to be special. It's the only football game

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Speaker 9: going on.

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Speaker 4: In the world.

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Speaker 9: And directly after the Heisman Trophy presentation. It's Saturday night,

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Speaker 9: five pm Pacific time, that's eight.

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Speaker 4: Pm Eastern time.

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Speaker 9: We got the Washington Huskies versus Boise State Broncos. Boise

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Speaker 9: State just won the conference championship for the Mountain West,

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Speaker 9: so they got an automatic bid to the bowl game.

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Speaker 9: We all invited to. The Washington Huskies a pretty solid year.

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Speaker 9: They lost to three top ten programs, Ohio State, Oregon,

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Speaker 9: and forgot the other team. Michigan was the other one

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Speaker 9: that they lost to, so their losses are legitimate losses

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Speaker 9: to top programs, So this is two solid teams. Jeed

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Speaker 9: Fish is the head coach of the Washingtons, and I'm

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Speaker 9: going to have a word with him because he was

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Speaker 9: the head coach for the University of Arizona Mylelunni, you know,

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Speaker 9: for the two years and turned for three years and

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Speaker 9: turned the program around, and then he took the job

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Speaker 9: over with the Washington Osky. So you know, I got

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Speaker 9: to have a word with him that he should have

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Speaker 9: stayed as the head.

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Speaker 4: Coach of the University of Arizona.

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Speaker 9: But that's okay, because the University of Arizona nine to

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Speaker 9: three this year. I was hoping to get him for

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Speaker 9: this bowl game, you know, you know, as the last

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Speaker 9: year hosting it. But guess what, they got too good.

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Speaker 9: They outplayed themselves and went ninety three and accepted to

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Speaker 9: the bigger bull, the Holiday Bowl, which probably pays out

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Speaker 9: more so they accepted it.

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Speaker 4: I was hoping they would decline. But it's going to

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Speaker 4: be a.

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Speaker 9: Big one in LA this Saturday at Sofa Stadium.

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Speaker 5: There's no bawl bigger than the ground ball. Let's go

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Speaker 5: back to the teams briefly. Boise State and Washington give

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Speaker 5: us the scouting report. What kind of matchups are you

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Speaker 5: going to be watching from these teams.

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Speaker 9: Well, if there's a ball that's bigger than the ground bull,

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Speaker 9: it's a Snoop Dogg ball. And it's not the football

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Speaker 9: game that's going on. Snoop Dogg's actual ball that he

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Speaker 9: has probably hitting to his face.

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Speaker 4: That the bull's probably bigger than this bowl game right here.

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Speaker 9: That's the only ball that will be bigger than this

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Speaker 9: bowl game coming up.

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Speaker 4: But I don't know how I just.

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Speaker 9: Thought about that, but I just did because I heard

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Speaker 9: about this new bowl game yesterday as well. But this game,

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Speaker 9: we got Boise State. They just won the Mountain West Conference.

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Speaker 9: They went to the playoffs last year. Ashton Gents, you know,

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Speaker 9: was part of the team last year. This is a

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Speaker 9: legitimate pork program. This is a story program. They dominate

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Speaker 9: the Mountain West Conference. You know, over the last decade,

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Speaker 9: you know, they got a lot of chances to you know,

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Speaker 9: compete for national championships.

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Speaker 4: So this is a great program.

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Speaker 9: Very satisfied that we got the Boise State Broncos here.

436
00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:44,720
Speaker 4: They had a great year as well.

437
00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,680
Speaker 9: They weren't even expected to win the Mountain West Conference,

438
00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:50,400
Speaker 9: and then they came back and they did.

439
00:20:50,480 --> 00:20:51,680
Speaker 4: They won it all once again.

440
00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,600
Speaker 9: You can't expect anything less, you know, from them, because

441
00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,720
Speaker 9: it's Boise State. But then we got the Washington Huskies.

442
00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:00,199
Speaker 9: Like I talked about jud Fish, their head coach. You know,

443
00:21:00,280 --> 00:21:03,280
Speaker 9: he kind of just ditched us at the University of Arizona,

444
00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,280
Speaker 9: left blindly and took the job at Washington. But that's okay.

445
00:21:07,359 --> 00:21:09,600
Speaker 9: I was cool with him, and now he's in my

446
00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:11,800
Speaker 9: ball game, so I'll be cool with him again. And

447
00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:14,199
Speaker 9: the Washington Huskis had a pretty solid year. They got

448
00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:16,240
Speaker 9: a great running back who I'm pretty sure is up

449
00:21:16,560 --> 00:21:19,880
Speaker 9: you talked about as a Heisman finalist going into next

450
00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:21,680
Speaker 9: year as well. He talked about it for a little

451
00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,160
Speaker 9: bit because he was scoring touchdowns left and right at

452
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,600
Speaker 9: the beginning of the year. But the Huskis are eight

453
00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,919
Speaker 9: and four. Three of their losses are the top legitimate

454
00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:32,560
Speaker 9: programs like I talked about Ohio State and Oregon was

455
00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,160
Speaker 9: two of them in Michigan as well, so they can compete.

456
00:21:35,160 --> 00:21:36,679
Speaker 4: So it's going to be a great game, and the

457
00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:37,720
Speaker 4: Huskies are favored.

458
00:21:39,400 --> 00:21:42,000
Speaker 1: So let's talk about you here, Gronk. Last month you

459
00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:45,680
Speaker 1: go back, you signed the ceremonial one day contract retire

460
00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,840
Speaker 1: as a Patriot. Robert Kraft made a comment to you

461
00:21:47,880 --> 00:21:50,240
Speaker 1: while playing that night, and you said, hey, what's the

462
00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:53,080
Speaker 1: signing bonus right now that you see forty four year

463
00:21:53,080 --> 00:21:56,280
Speaker 1: old Philip Rivers coming back after five years away? If

464
00:21:56,320 --> 00:21:58,600
Speaker 1: Kraft calls it, you've got no excuse to Could you

465
00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:00,920
Speaker 1: come back and give him a there is a game,

466
00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:01,760
Speaker 1: a playoff run.

467
00:22:01,760 --> 00:22:03,879
Speaker 9: If they need you in New England, you want to

468
00:22:03,920 --> 00:22:06,320
Speaker 9: know something I can give them looks on the practice squad.

469
00:22:06,400 --> 00:22:09,040
Speaker 9: Seeing Philip Rivers signed to the practice squad, which makes sense.

470
00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:10,480
Speaker 4: You got to get them game ready and then you

471
00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:11,600
Speaker 4: can pull them up anytime.

472
00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:16,000
Speaker 9: But I would maybe go back if a team was like, hey,

473
00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:18,520
Speaker 9: you know, can you give us some great looks on

474
00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:20,520
Speaker 9: the scout team and we're going to pay you a

475
00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:23,960
Speaker 9: legitimate bonus, like a million bucks or something bonus right

476
00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:25,760
Speaker 9: on the spot, and all you got to do is

477
00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:29,399
Speaker 9: practice Wednesday, Thursday and Friday on the practice squad and

478
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:31,919
Speaker 9: show us some legitimate looks of the tight ends that

479
00:22:31,960 --> 00:22:34,480
Speaker 9: we're going against, and just go out there and practice

480
00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:36,919
Speaker 9: and have fun and get our guys better. That actually

481
00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:39,000
Speaker 9: might be a pretty cool case. You know, I might

482
00:22:39,040 --> 00:22:41,120
Speaker 9: have to think about that. The chance of that happening

483
00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:43,720
Speaker 9: are one percent, but I would have to just think

484
00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:45,639
Speaker 9: about it and lay my options on the table.

485
00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,280
Speaker 5: I would not be surprised if head coaches around the

486
00:22:50,359 --> 00:22:53,880
Speaker 5: league are like, wait a minute, we should maybe consider that.

487
00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:58,240
Speaker 5: Tom mentioned you were in New England. You officially retired there,

488
00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,640
Speaker 5: You obviously still talk to plenty of people inside the building.

489
00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,720
Speaker 5: How do you explain their very rapid turnaround this year.

490
00:23:06,600 --> 00:23:09,120
Speaker 9: Well, RKK is always trying to get the job done.

491
00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:11,680
Speaker 9: You know, whenever the programs in shambles, he's always trying

492
00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:13,520
Speaker 9: to do what's best for the program. There's no doubt

493
00:23:13,560 --> 00:23:15,600
Speaker 9: about that. He's one of the best owners of all time.

494
00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:17,680
Speaker 9: And it all starts at the top and that Kraft

495
00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:21,440
Speaker 9: family wants the best program, best organization possible every single

496
00:23:21,560 --> 00:23:23,679
Speaker 9: year to give the best product on the field for

497
00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:26,159
Speaker 9: New England fans. Out there in the New England region.

498
00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,040
Speaker 9: There's no doubt about that. And he did a great

499
00:23:28,119 --> 00:23:30,280
Speaker 9: job by going out and getting head coach Mike Brable.

500
00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,320
Speaker 9: He's proven, we all know he's a great head coach.

501
00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:34,880
Speaker 9: Just to have him available on the streets was out

502
00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:37,840
Speaker 9: on the streets like that. We just fell in the

503
00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:41,479
Speaker 9: hands of the New England Patriots, which was huge. And

504
00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:45,000
Speaker 9: then having him and then that was part of the turnaround.

505
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,359
Speaker 9: You know, he went out there, he got great coordinators,

506
00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:50,399
Speaker 9: having Josh McDaniels has the offensive coordinator. They landed the

507
00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:54,480
Speaker 9: quarterback the year before the prior year with head coach

508
00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,880
Speaker 9: Jerroden Mayo, so that landed in his lap as well,

509
00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,119
Speaker 9: which was huge. So those three guys, you got rab Oh,

510
00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,399
Speaker 9: you got Josh mccaniels, you got a franchise quarterback now,

511
00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:05,520
Speaker 9: Drake may And then they went out and signed all

512
00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:06,760
Speaker 9: the guys in free agency.

513
00:24:06,960 --> 00:24:07,480
Speaker 4: Here's the thing.

514
00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:09,119
Speaker 9: There's a lot of teams that signed a lot of

515
00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,720
Speaker 9: players in free agency and staff their team, but hey,

516
00:24:11,920 --> 00:24:14,760
Speaker 9: it's how can they play together? And with that coaching staff,

517
00:24:14,880 --> 00:24:17,560
Speaker 9: it's bringing them together to play together. And that's why

518
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:19,560
Speaker 9: they're so significant this year, and that's why It's one

519
00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:21,880
Speaker 9: of the biggest turnarounds we've ever seen in the history

520
00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:24,200
Speaker 9: of the NFL, going from the worst team in the

521
00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:27,000
Speaker 9: NFL to the best team and the best record in

522
00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:27,560
Speaker 9: the NFL.

523
00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,159
Speaker 1: Huge game on Sunday, it's the Patriots against the Bills.

524
00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:33,680
Speaker 1: They can lock up the AFC East. They got a

525
00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:35,800
Speaker 1: chance to be the number one seed, which you know

526
00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:37,680
Speaker 1: a thing or two about having the number one seed,

527
00:24:37,720 --> 00:24:40,879
Speaker 1: getting that little bye week vacation in New England. I

528
00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,520
Speaker 1: know you follow the whole league working at fush. Who's

529
00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,760
Speaker 1: the biggest threat to the Patriots? If somebody AFC, NFC

530
00:24:46,920 --> 00:24:48,080
Speaker 1: is going to take them down, who is it?

531
00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,560
Speaker 9: Oh man, Well, if it's the NFC, I'm going with

532
00:24:51,600 --> 00:24:53,640
Speaker 9: the Los Angeles Rams because I do think that they're

533
00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:55,000
Speaker 9: the best team in the NFL.

534
00:24:55,280 --> 00:24:57,200
Speaker 4: They're the best complete team and they're lost.

535
00:24:57,240 --> 00:24:59,639
Speaker 9: Res the Carolina Panthers was kind of because they were

536
00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:01,959
Speaker 9: feeling themselves a little bit too much. I feel like,

537
00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:04,200
Speaker 9: you know, they their heads were too high there. They

538
00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,400
Speaker 9: were not as humble as they should be, and that's

539
00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:08,040
Speaker 9: what happens. You get a little smack when you're not

540
00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:09,879
Speaker 9: being humble. But it was a good thing because now

541
00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:11,679
Speaker 9: they got that out of the way, and they just

542
00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:13,760
Speaker 9: reampted it once again and they showed why they're the

543
00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,800
Speaker 9: best team in the NFL with they absolutely blew out

544
00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:18,840
Speaker 9: a team last week I forgot who, well, it was

545
00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:21,719
Speaker 9: the Arizona Cardinals, and they just showed and proved themselves

546
00:25:21,800 --> 00:25:23,840
Speaker 9: again last week why they're the best team in the

547
00:25:23,920 --> 00:25:27,240
Speaker 9: NFL in my eyes. And so that could be a team,

548
00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:29,120
Speaker 9: you know, in the Super Bowl that can knock got

549
00:25:29,160 --> 00:25:31,480
Speaker 9: the Patriots because that's the only way that they're going

550
00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:33,800
Speaker 9: to face each other. But on the AFC side, I

551
00:25:33,800 --> 00:25:35,320
Speaker 9: think it's up in the air. I think it's up

552
00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:37,800
Speaker 9: for grabs. I really think that home field advantage is

553
00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,480
Speaker 9: going to what play is what is going to be

554
00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,760
Speaker 9: what plays a significant role in the playoffs this year?

555
00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:47,080
Speaker 9: Who can get it? Can the Denver Broncos get the

556
00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:49,320
Speaker 9: number one seed or can the New England Patriots get

557
00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,160
Speaker 9: the number one seed? Who's going to lose a game

558
00:25:51,560 --> 00:25:53,720
Speaker 9: or two where you know it's handed to that other

559
00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:55,719
Speaker 9: team and whatever team that is I think is going

560
00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,720
Speaker 9: to make the significant run down down, you know, down

561
00:25:58,800 --> 00:25:59,399
Speaker 9: the playoffs.

562
00:26:02,119 --> 00:26:05,160
Speaker 5: You obviously know what a great quarterback looks like since

563
00:26:05,160 --> 00:26:05,880
Speaker 5: you played with one.

564
00:26:05,960 --> 00:26:06,840
Speaker 1: Your entire career.

565
00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,640
Speaker 5: What do you like about Drake May, What convinces you

566
00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:12,040
Speaker 5: that he is up to the moment already.

567
00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:15,560
Speaker 9: Well, he kind of does look similar a little bit

568
00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,359
Speaker 9: to Tom at the beginning of his year, with the

569
00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:20,520
Speaker 9: blobby cheeks, with the baby fat on the cheeks. You know,

570
00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:22,919
Speaker 9: that's what Tom looked like his first couple of years

571
00:26:23,119 --> 00:26:25,840
Speaker 9: in the NFL. And that's what Drake May. Tom cloned

572
00:26:25,880 --> 00:26:28,080
Speaker 9: his dog. And everyone's wondering out there if Drake May

573
00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:30,480
Speaker 9: is a clone of Tom, because they play very similar.

574
00:26:30,800 --> 00:26:32,679
Speaker 9: But I know he's not a clone because he's a

575
00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,000
Speaker 9: lot more athletic than Tom Brady, so he can't be

576
00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:39,120
Speaker 9: a clone for just that reason. But they're very similar

577
00:26:39,160 --> 00:26:41,880
Speaker 9: in the pocket, that's for sure. Drake May, Well, he's

578
00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:45,520
Speaker 9: doing a great job. You know, he's progressing every single week,

579
00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:49,240
Speaker 9: reading defenses, getting the ball to the guy that's open,

580
00:26:49,359 --> 00:26:52,840
Speaker 9: checking down when it's necessary, and making the tight throws

581
00:26:53,119 --> 00:26:56,120
Speaker 9: and making those tight throws look easy. And that's why,

582
00:26:56,320 --> 00:26:58,440
Speaker 9: and that's one of the main reasons why.

583
00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:00,000
Speaker 4: These Patriots are so great this year.

584
00:27:00,080 --> 00:27:02,119
Speaker 9: It's because of Drake May just taking his game to

585
00:27:02,160 --> 00:27:04,040
Speaker 9: a whole new level. And you got to credit Josh

586
00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:07,040
Speaker 9: McDaniels as well. He's been through it with Tom. You know,

587
00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,879
Speaker 9: he's made Tom. Not He's not say made Tom, but

588
00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:12,359
Speaker 9: he has helped Tom become, you know, the greatest of

589
00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:14,480
Speaker 9: all time throughout his career, and now he's doing it

590
00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:17,160
Speaker 9: with Drake may as well.

591
00:27:17,200 --> 00:27:20,680
Speaker 1: You mentioned Tom cloning his dog, which is a very

592
00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:23,320
Speaker 1: strange storyline, but everyone always says this. There can never

593
00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:26,520
Speaker 1: be another Rob Gronkowski, most unique, complete tight end in

594
00:27:26,600 --> 00:27:29,679
Speaker 1: NFL history. What if there were another one? Would you

595
00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,880
Speaker 1: allow yourself Gronk to be cloned?

596
00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:33,040
Speaker 7: Oh?

597
00:27:33,119 --> 00:27:35,320
Speaker 9: Man, I don't know if I would allow it to

598
00:27:35,320 --> 00:27:37,919
Speaker 9: be cloned. I would want it to naturally just happen,

599
00:27:38,080 --> 00:27:40,360
Speaker 9: you know what I mean, like another Gronk out there

600
00:27:40,400 --> 00:27:43,040
Speaker 9: that just you know, maybe one of my brother's kids,

601
00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:45,520
Speaker 9: you know one my brother has like five kids, my

602
00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:48,159
Speaker 9: other has like four. Maybe one of them. I don't know,

603
00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:51,440
Speaker 9: that could possibly be. I just want it to happen naturally.

604
00:27:51,440 --> 00:27:53,439
Speaker 9: I wouldn't want it to happen because it was like

605
00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:56,919
Speaker 9: cloned in a lab or something. So and if it

606
00:27:56,920 --> 00:27:59,840
Speaker 9: does happen, man, I gotta I'll be a huge fan

607
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:02,760
Speaker 9: because I love just seeing guys just go out there

608
00:28:02,800 --> 00:28:05,639
Speaker 9: and just bulldoze his way through the secondary and you

609
00:28:05,720 --> 00:28:06,719
Speaker 9: got to appreciate that.

610
00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:09,440
Speaker 1: Well.

611
00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:12,000
Speaker 5: I want to ask you, like, what tight ends do

612
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,040
Speaker 5: you like now, because when you're watching the whole league,

613
00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:17,520
Speaker 5: you sometimes will hear a commentator say that's something Rob

614
00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,840
Speaker 5: Gronkowski used to do. So who does Rob Gronkowski like

615
00:28:20,920 --> 00:28:23,040
Speaker 5: to watch among the tight ends in the league right now?

616
00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:25,920
Speaker 9: Yes, I love to watch the passion that Oh hold on,

617
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,680
Speaker 9: I don't be declining that phone call that's coming through.

618
00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:31,240
Speaker 4: That's very rare that they call me in the middle

619
00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:31,440
Speaker 4: of this.

620
00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:35,080
Speaker 9: Yeah, I was my tax guy, and let me tell you,

621
00:28:35,119 --> 00:28:37,000
Speaker 9: I pay my taxes. So I don't know why he's

622
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,600
Speaker 9: calling me, but maybe because I got to get tax

623
00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:43,000
Speaker 9: on my on my bowl game, the bucked up LA

624
00:28:43,120 --> 00:28:46,280
Speaker 9: Bowl game revenue that I'm making here. But I'll pay

625
00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:50,280
Speaker 9: my taxes, you know us, Okay? But who reminds me

626
00:28:50,360 --> 00:28:53,400
Speaker 9: of myself or who know? Who I really like in

627
00:28:53,440 --> 00:28:57,280
Speaker 9: the NFL. I do love the passion what I'm George

628
00:28:57,360 --> 00:28:59,200
Speaker 9: Kittle brings to the table and how he's a complete

629
00:28:59,240 --> 00:28:59,680
Speaker 9: tight end.

630
00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:01,200
Speaker 4: And how he dominates in the run game.

631
00:29:01,840 --> 00:29:05,040
Speaker 9: And then in the same conference as well, they're a

632
00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:07,760
Speaker 9: really really crappy team right now the Arizona Colonels. But

633
00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:12,080
Speaker 9: Trade McBride. He's a really good player. He's bringing the

634
00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:15,160
Speaker 9: heat this year once again. And when he gets the ball,

635
00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,520
Speaker 9: he makes the defenders you know, get punished. So really

636
00:29:18,600 --> 00:29:21,800
Speaker 9: like those two definitely, And as a rookie right now.

637
00:29:21,960 --> 00:29:24,800
Speaker 9: Tyler Warren was watching him at the beginning of the

638
00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:27,400
Speaker 9: year and just how athletic he is and what he's

639
00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,360
Speaker 9: bringing to the table, that versatility that he's bringing to

640
00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:34,640
Speaker 9: the table for the Indianapolis Colts. Unfortunately the quarterback situation

641
00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:37,360
Speaker 9: isn't great for him, but what he brings to the table,

642
00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,040
Speaker 9: and just as a rookie has been just pretty phenomenal.

643
00:29:41,960 --> 00:29:43,600
Speaker 1: Last thing for you, Gronk, before we let you go,

644
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:44,920
Speaker 1: and I want to draw you down because you did

645
00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:46,880
Speaker 1: a good job kind of evading my question when I

646
00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,200
Speaker 1: ask you about coming back and playing. Let's say Robert

647
00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:50,760
Speaker 1: Craft comes to you. I'm going to make you the offer.

648
00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,800
Speaker 1: I'm Robert Kraft. It's a ten million dollars signing vontage.

649
00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:55,840
Speaker 1: You get the run rounds on the scout team for

650
00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,320
Speaker 1: the next four weeks. Come playoff time, Gronk, whether it's

651
00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:03,040
Speaker 1: one snap or fifty snaps, Gronk's playing for the Patriots.

652
00:30:03,040 --> 00:30:06,760
Speaker 1: Are you taking ten million dollars to come in just

653
00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,600
Speaker 1: to play in the playoffs.

654
00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:11,840
Speaker 9: And it could possibly be just one snap as well

655
00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:16,600
Speaker 9: in the playoff game. I mean, hey, man, but you're

656
00:30:16,640 --> 00:30:17,440
Speaker 9: in uniform.

657
00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:20,840
Speaker 4: Hey, I don't know, Man, I don't know.

658
00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:22,160
Speaker 8: I would have to.

659
00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:25,200
Speaker 9: I mean, I would think about it, and I would

660
00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,720
Speaker 9: go outside and I'll go run routes for the next week,

661
00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:29,560
Speaker 9: and if I feel like I'm capable to do it,

662
00:30:29,600 --> 00:30:32,040
Speaker 9: because I won't want to go out there and just

663
00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:35,080
Speaker 9: absolutely be just botch myself. You know, I won't want

664
00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:37,120
Speaker 9: to do that. So I would first think about the offer.

665
00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:39,360
Speaker 9: I'd go outside. I would run routes for a week

666
00:30:39,400 --> 00:30:41,480
Speaker 9: straight and then go from there. And if I feel

667
00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,160
Speaker 9: like I could do it at least participate and at

668
00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:47,320
Speaker 9: least give them something just a little bit, then I

669
00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:48,160
Speaker 9: would take the offer.

670
00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:52,400
Speaker 1: Robert Kraft, if you're watching right now, that wasn't a

671
00:30:52,480 --> 00:30:56,800
Speaker 1: no from Gronk. Man. Hey, we appreciate you coming on, man,

672
00:30:57,040 --> 00:30:59,960
Speaker 1: have fun in the LA Bowl the Bucked Up LA

673
00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:03,040
Speaker 1: hosted by Gronktay, We'll be watching on Saturday. Appreciate you,

674
00:31:03,640 --> 00:31:10,360
Speaker 1: Thank you, guys. Big news out of the NFL's Virtual

675
00:31:10,440 --> 00:31:12,880
Speaker 1: December meeting. Today, the league announced and it will return

676
00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:16,120
Speaker 1: to Munich, Germany in twenty twenty six and twenty twenty

677
00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,040
Speaker 1: eight to play regular season games as part of a

678
00:31:19,120 --> 00:31:23,000
Speaker 1: multi year partnership. NFL previously announced the play regular season

679
00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:28,000
Speaker 1: games next year in Melbourne, Australia, REO and two in London.

680
00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:31,640
Speaker 1: More announcements still to come for more on that Virtual

681
00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:34,720
Speaker 1: December meeting. Let's welcome in Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive

682
00:31:34,760 --> 00:31:38,440
Speaker 1: vice president of Football Operations. Troy Normally, we're all sitting

683
00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:41,360
Speaker 1: there in Dallas right now. Everyone's waiting to get on

684
00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:43,600
Speaker 1: the the cars off to the airport. This is the

685
00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,200
Speaker 1: first virtual meeting. How to go? What were the headlines?

686
00:31:46,920 --> 00:31:52,800
Speaker 10: It was outstanding and frankly personally, to get for the

687
00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:55,960
Speaker 10: membership to vote on giving the league off as the

688
00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:01,440
Speaker 10: authorization to move forward with identifying a partner for women's

689
00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:05,600
Speaker 10: and men's Pro Flag league was it was the highlight.

690
00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:09,520
Speaker 10: It was definitely the highlight of the day. I mean,

691
00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:13,080
Speaker 10: dreams are now. Women can dream just like young young

692
00:32:13,160 --> 00:32:16,640
Speaker 10: girls can dream, just like I did other student athletes.

693
00:32:18,320 --> 00:32:21,000
Speaker 10: This was it was just outstanding. So I'm just I'm

694
00:32:21,040 --> 00:32:24,680
Speaker 10: looking forward to the next phase of this. We covered

695
00:32:24,720 --> 00:32:28,840
Speaker 10: some Competition committee items, just where we were from a

696
00:32:28,840 --> 00:32:33,240
Speaker 10: competitive play after fourteen weeks, and some of the things

697
00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,040
Speaker 10: I just shared with the membership. You know, when you

698
00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:39,280
Speaker 10: just start talking about turnaround teams emerging. Seven of the

699
00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:43,200
Speaker 10: seven of the eight divisions have a team in first place.

700
00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:48,600
Speaker 10: These are in first place or tied for first place

701
00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:51,200
Speaker 10: that didn't win their division a season ago. I'm just

702
00:32:51,240 --> 00:32:53,800
Speaker 10: looking at some of my notes, close games, exciting, fifty

703
00:32:53,840 --> 00:32:56,800
Speaker 10: games decided by a game winning scoring, the final two

704
00:32:56,840 --> 00:33:00,200
Speaker 10: minutes of regulation or an overtime that's tied from in

705
00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:04,320
Speaker 10: NFL history. And then special teams, which just continues to

706
00:33:04,360 --> 00:33:07,720
Speaker 10: carry the season. You talk about most kickoff return yards

707
00:33:07,720 --> 00:33:10,480
Speaker 10: forty two thousand, five hundred and forty one and the

708
00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,400
Speaker 10: second highest kickoff return average at twenty five point nine,

709
00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,400
Speaker 10: you know, second most in NFL history. And then the

710
00:33:17,440 --> 00:33:22,160
Speaker 10: twenty three special team touchdowns that's extraordinary. That's on part

711
00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:26,680
Speaker 10: return obviously kickoff, kickoff return. And then you look at

712
00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:30,440
Speaker 10: you know, block field goals being returned for touchdowns. It

713
00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:34,840
Speaker 10: has been that dynamic kickoff has changed the way people

714
00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,400
Speaker 10: are strategizing at not only the beginning of the game,

715
00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:39,760
Speaker 10: but at the end of the game, then we just

716
00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:44,200
Speaker 10: updated the morning points of clarification, areas that we continue

717
00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:48,400
Speaker 10: to monitor weekend and week out, defensive pass and affairans, disqualification,

718
00:33:48,520 --> 00:33:54,000
Speaker 10: hip drop tackles, illegal contact, offensive passing, affairance roughing the passer,

719
00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,880
Speaker 10: and then they shared with the membership, both myself, Lopez

720
00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:01,240
Speaker 10: and Walk We talked about areas of our oportunity and officiating.

721
00:34:01,400 --> 00:34:05,560
Speaker 10: We always cover officiating in debt, areas of where we're

722
00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:12,080
Speaker 10: extremely accurate in foulstone and then recognition and after fourteen

723
00:34:12,120 --> 00:34:16,160
Speaker 10: weeks of play OPI and illegal formation in particularly around

724
00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:20,360
Speaker 10: the kickoff, we've just seen low accuracy and low recognition

725
00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:24,279
Speaker 10: in those particular areas. And then we updated the membership

726
00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:29,840
Speaker 10: on areas of opportunity. We talked about expanding replay and

727
00:34:29,880 --> 00:34:32,920
Speaker 10: replay assist. There are some areas that we're thinking about.

728
00:34:33,280 --> 00:34:36,520
Speaker 10: We haven't discussed this and fully with the competition committee

729
00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:39,279
Speaker 10: and we'll get feedback from the clubs, but areas of

730
00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:44,640
Speaker 10: potential expansion of replay exists assist crackback block, the low block,

731
00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:49,920
Speaker 10: blind side block, intentional grounding, and illegal formations in particular

732
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:54,400
Speaker 10: around the kickoff. Those are areas that we believe we

733
00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:57,200
Speaker 10: would like to talk to the Competition Committee about and

734
00:34:57,280 --> 00:35:01,719
Speaker 10: for the membership to consider possibly expanding replay assists going

735
00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:03,640
Speaker 10: into twenty twenty six campaign.

736
00:35:03,880 --> 00:35:05,600
Speaker 8: And then lastly gave.

737
00:35:05,520 --> 00:35:07,719
Speaker 10: Them an update on where we are with talks with

738
00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:11,279
Speaker 10: the nfl RA, and I just laid out just very

739
00:35:11,400 --> 00:35:15,360
Speaker 10: six seven, very high level points. We're just looking for

740
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:19,200
Speaker 10: access and flexibility. Obviously it didn't get into any economics

741
00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:22,040
Speaker 10: that will take care of it. So the probationary period,

742
00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:28,720
Speaker 10: the dead period, just rewarding for performance, postseason assignments, training

743
00:35:28,719 --> 00:35:33,080
Speaker 10: and development, further use of technology, and practice squad which

744
00:35:33,120 --> 00:35:35,520
Speaker 10: is one that they are familiar with.

745
00:35:35,560 --> 00:35:36,280
Speaker 1: That term.

746
00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:40,120
Speaker 8: How do we get a bench right now? There are seventeen.

747
00:35:39,719 --> 00:35:43,200
Speaker 10: Crews, but just like the player and the player roster,

748
00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,120
Speaker 10: with attrition, with injuries, those that may not be performing

749
00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:49,239
Speaker 10: as well as you like to. We need to have

750
00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:54,919
Speaker 10: the flexibility of still developing, constantly developing the official while

751
00:35:54,960 --> 00:35:58,840
Speaker 10: if someone's not performing, having the ability to, as we

752
00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:03,080
Speaker 10: would say, continue to work with him or her until

753
00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:05,480
Speaker 10: they get things right and then move them back up.

754
00:36:07,400 --> 00:36:09,919
Speaker 8: So I said that we'll dig in a little bit more.

755
00:36:11,960 --> 00:36:14,360
Speaker 5: Let's dig in a little bit more on the negotiations

756
00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,520
Speaker 5: with the Referees Association because their CBA does expire at

757
00:36:18,600 --> 00:36:23,920
Speaker 5: the end of May twenty twenty six, so it's coming up. Certainly,

758
00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:26,839
Speaker 5: it seems like the league's focus is on trying to

759
00:36:26,920 --> 00:36:31,839
Speaker 5: improve officiating, trying to find ways to improve officiating. Why

760
00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:34,080
Speaker 5: do you think the things that you want that certainly

761
00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:37,520
Speaker 5: seem to center on greater access more training, Why do

762
00:36:37,560 --> 00:36:40,799
Speaker 5: you think those are the things too key on how

763
00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:43,640
Speaker 5: that will improve officiating? And also this always comes up,

764
00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:47,600
Speaker 5: Has there been any conversation about going to full time officials?

765
00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:52,239
Speaker 10: Well, I'll start with the latter. It's not a day

766
00:36:52,280 --> 00:36:54,759
Speaker 10: that goes by that we don't talk about. How do

767
00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,160
Speaker 10: you get better? No differently than the club, how do

768
00:36:57,200 --> 00:37:00,680
Speaker 10: you how do you increase play? Do you get better

769
00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:04,080
Speaker 10: at the individual position? Collectively? You know, the goal coming

770
00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:06,400
Speaker 10: into the season and every year is how do you

771
00:37:06,480 --> 00:37:09,200
Speaker 10: find consistency from crew one to crew seventeen.

772
00:37:10,520 --> 00:37:13,000
Speaker 8: Some will fall short is no differently in the player.

773
00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:16,200
Speaker 10: A routine play in practice, sometimes not a routine play

774
00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:19,440
Speaker 10: during the game. There's a human element that comes in place.

775
00:37:19,640 --> 00:37:23,759
Speaker 10: We're looking for consistency from crew one to crew seventeen.

776
00:37:24,360 --> 00:37:27,279
Speaker 10: So the ability to have access is no differently than

777
00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,120
Speaker 10: the coach with the player.

778
00:37:29,360 --> 00:37:31,280
Speaker 8: We need access and flexibility.

779
00:37:31,719 --> 00:37:34,000
Speaker 10: One that just comes to mind I just think about

780
00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:40,200
Speaker 10: is postseason assignments. We should not penalize an individual because

781
00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,520
Speaker 10: he or she's in their first second year and they

782
00:37:43,560 --> 00:37:47,440
Speaker 10: may be a top performer at that particular position. We

783
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:51,160
Speaker 10: want that ability to have that person should have the

784
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:55,920
Speaker 10: ability to work postseason assignments. Right now, it's really you

785
00:37:55,960 --> 00:37:58,480
Speaker 10: got tier one, Tier two, and tier three, but a

786
00:37:58,520 --> 00:38:01,960
Speaker 10: lot of seniority is wrapped into some of the things

787
00:38:01,960 --> 00:38:04,640
Speaker 10: that we just again it's a different day.

788
00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:07,759
Speaker 8: We're going to work with our partner. We want to.

789
00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:12,239
Speaker 10: Improve officiating because the game. We have a responsibility to

790
00:38:12,320 --> 00:38:14,880
Speaker 10: the game. We should like we have the best coaches

791
00:38:14,920 --> 00:38:18,160
Speaker 10: in the world, best players in the world, and frankly,

792
00:38:18,560 --> 00:38:23,239
Speaker 10: their careers are on the line. Men are losing and

793
00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:26,520
Speaker 10: are losing jobs, both as players and as coaches.

794
00:38:26,840 --> 00:38:29,399
Speaker 8: So the accountability has to be there and we'll work

795
00:38:29,480 --> 00:38:29,799
Speaker 8: through it.

796
00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:33,720
Speaker 10: These are just the areas that hey, access and flexibility.

797
00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:35,359
Speaker 8: We'll get to the economics.

798
00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:40,640
Speaker 1: There have also been a couple of high level announcements

799
00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:42,800
Speaker 1: over the last week. You mentioned one of them already,

800
00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:45,759
Speaker 1: for which was the thirty two million dollar commitment to

801
00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:50,400
Speaker 1: found these pro flag football leagues for both men and women.

802
00:38:50,520 --> 00:38:52,719
Speaker 1: Another one that was several days ago now was the

803
00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:55,960
Speaker 1: partnership with the Big Twelve, which is kind of across

804
00:38:56,360 --> 00:39:00,359
Speaker 1: everything here. It does involve officiating and development and giving

805
00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:05,120
Speaker 1: them training tools, but it's also about emerging technology and analytics.

806
00:39:05,120 --> 00:39:07,080
Speaker 1: Both seem to have a common thread here, which is

807
00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:10,319
Speaker 1: trying to grow the game, protect the game for generations

808
00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:13,279
Speaker 1: to come. Just take me through if you could of

809
00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,719
Speaker 1: both those agreements and why they're so important.

810
00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,239
Speaker 8: That's an excellent example, and that's founding on officiating.

811
00:39:20,000 --> 00:39:25,359
Speaker 10: You got a global, a universal challenge with one officials

812
00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:28,520
Speaker 10: coming into the system. How do you develop You know,

813
00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:32,880
Speaker 10: our officials come from the collegiate level. You watch college football.

814
00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:35,279
Speaker 10: Depending on what side you're all on a call. Some

815
00:39:35,320 --> 00:39:38,640
Speaker 10: people like it, some people don't. But working together in

816
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:42,480
Speaker 10: a collaborative manner, we believe with the Big Twelve, they're

817
00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,440
Speaker 10: playing games internationally. Guess what they're going to places that

818
00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:49,040
Speaker 10: we've gone. What can we learn the sharing of information

819
00:39:49,160 --> 00:39:52,600
Speaker 10: around data? How do we integrate technology is at the

820
00:39:52,600 --> 00:39:55,080
Speaker 10: Big Twelve Championship game, we could go down to at

821
00:39:55,160 --> 00:39:58,719
Speaker 10: and T stadium, that's the stadium of the Cowboys. What

822
00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:01,560
Speaker 10: can we learn here? What are information can we be sharing?

823
00:40:02,160 --> 00:40:07,040
Speaker 10: So we're excited about that partnership, not just to develop officials,

824
00:40:07,239 --> 00:40:09,040
Speaker 10: but what about the student athlete experience.

825
00:40:09,719 --> 00:40:12,440
Speaker 8: You got the Big twelve showcase. What can we learn

826
00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:13,280
Speaker 8: from one another?

827
00:40:13,840 --> 00:40:16,919
Speaker 10: But the partnership is centered around how do we get

828
00:40:16,960 --> 00:40:18,200
Speaker 10: better and officiating?

829
00:40:21,040 --> 00:40:23,440
Speaker 1: Troy, thank you very much. Know it's been a long

830
00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:25,759
Speaker 1: day for you, a lot of zooms and you know

831
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,360
Speaker 1: here's one more for you as well. We appreciate the

832
00:40:28,360 --> 00:40:30,120
Speaker 1: time as always, look forward to chat with you soon.

833
00:40:30,480 --> 00:40:33,799
Speaker 8: Thank you, Judy, Thank you Tom.

834
00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:37,120
Speaker 1: Sixty days to Super Bowl sixty and the Insiders, we'll

835
00:40:37,160 --> 00:40:39,720
Speaker 1: be with you for most of them. Catch us five

836
00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:42,759
Speaker 1: days a week on the podcast, on NFL Plus YouTube

837
00:40:42,840 --> 00:40:45,520
Speaker 1: and of course on NFL Network. More Insiders after this

838
00:40:54,800 --> 00:40:58,239
Speaker 1: done now for good coverage presented by Progressive Insurance. The

839
00:40:58,320 --> 00:41:01,560
Speaker 1: Rams defense has been rate at keeping teams out of

840
00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:04,360
Speaker 1: the end zone this season. They're allowing just a forty

841
00:41:04,400 --> 00:41:07,799
Speaker 1: two and a half opponent touchdown percentage in the red zone,

842
00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:10,360
Speaker 1: which is second in the NFL, and over all, the

843
00:41:10,440 --> 00:41:13,560
Speaker 1: Rams are third in points allowed at just seventeen point

844
00:41:13,680 --> 00:41:19,560
Speaker 1: five per game. Philip Rivers is back with the Colts.

845
00:41:19,640 --> 00:41:23,800
Speaker 1: Made his practice debut in his second go around in Indianapolis. Today,

846
00:41:24,120 --> 00:41:27,799
Speaker 1: there's just one big question left, what.

847
00:41:27,840 --> 00:41:28,279
Speaker 4: Is your playing?

848
00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:28,480
Speaker 3: Wait?

849
00:41:28,520 --> 00:41:29,680
Speaker 4: What do you playing with? Right now?

850
00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:31,080
Speaker 3: Right this second?

851
00:41:32,239 --> 00:41:32,920
Speaker 1: I'm not sure?

852
00:41:33,080 --> 00:41:33,200
Speaker 3: Ray?

853
00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:37,040
Speaker 1: How about that?

854
00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:40,160
Speaker 3: That's an honest answer, and I will answer your question

855
00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:40,960
Speaker 3: a little better on the plane.

856
00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:44,400
Speaker 1: Wait, Greg, not what it was when I walked up

857
00:41:44,440 --> 00:41:45,120
Speaker 1: the film Buffalo?

858
00:41:45,280 --> 00:41:48,480
Speaker 3: All right, I can tell you that, But then I'll

859
00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:50,239
Speaker 3: follow that up with I ain't never ran away from

860
00:41:50,239 --> 00:41:56,120
Speaker 3: anybody anyway, So I'm you know, people say, well, we're

861
00:41:56,320 --> 00:41:57,680
Speaker 3: know you're gonna be right there, and it's like, well

862
00:41:57,680 --> 00:41:59,600
Speaker 3: they do that for sixteen seventeen years.

863
00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:03,400
Speaker 1: Boys for honesty there, Judy.

864
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:06,240
Speaker 5: I don't know what's going to happen on the field,

865
00:42:06,320 --> 00:42:09,440
Speaker 5: but the press conferences alone have made this signing just

866
00:42:09,560 --> 00:42:10,759
Speaker 5: a gift to all of us.

867
00:42:10,840 --> 00:42:14,680
Speaker 1: I'm so glad Philip Heerpose is back. Not since Brian

868
00:42:14,719 --> 00:42:17,279
Speaker 1: Fitzpatrick admitted that he was eating birthday cake all summer

869
00:42:17,360 --> 00:42:19,439
Speaker 1: is anyone's been quite that honest about maybe not weigh

870
00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:23,840
Speaker 1: in what they used to say