Where will Love go, Dontayvion Wicks or AJ Brown in Philly, Mailbag
64 min
•Apr 15, 20263 days agoSummary
John Middlekauff discusses the 2025 NFL Draft with focus on running back Jeremiah Love's potential landing spot with the Tennessee Titans, analyzes the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive coordinator hire and roster moves, and addresses mailbag questions about workplace culture, player evaluations, and draft strategy.
Insights
- Elite running backs are experiencing a renaissance in NFL strategy; teams are investing heavily in dynamic backs to ease quarterback development and sustain offensive drives
- General manager evaluation frameworks should transcend coaching scheme changes; successful organizations maintain consistent player evaluation criteria independent of coordinator turnover
- Workplace intensity in high-stakes industries (finance, sports) serves as professional hardening; early career adversity under demanding leaders correlates with long-term career resilience
- Information asymmetry in draft evaluation between coaching staff and front office creates decision-making friction; coaches often struggle to separate scheme fit from raw talent assessment
- Change of scenery trades signal organizational direction; the Eagles' acquisition of Dontayvion Wicks suggests imminent AJ Brown trade and broader offensive philosophy shift
Trends
Running back devaluation reversing as teams recognize impact on young QB development and offensive efficiencyCoordinator hiring patterns showing preference for offensive system continuity (Shanahan tree dominance in NFL)International game expansion inevitable; NFL will eventually require all teams to play one international game annually with neutral site rotationWorkplace culture in competitive industries trending toward high-pressure, detail-oriented environments as competitive advantageDraft evaluation methodology shifting toward scheme-transcendent player assessment rather than scheme-specific fitOffensive line evaluation frameworks becoming standardized across organizations despite coordinator changesYoung quarterback success correlation with elite running back support increasing measurablyLocker room chemistry issues emerging as hidden cost of high-priced free agent acquisitions from other teams
Topics
2025 NFL Draft StrategyRunning Back Evaluation and ValuationQuarterback Development and Support SystemsOffensive Coordinator Hiring TrendsGeneral Manager vs. Coaching Staff Evaluation ConflictsPhiladelphia Eagles Roster ConstructionTennessee Titans Draft PrioritiesWorkplace Culture in High-Stakes IndustriesPlayer Character Assessment in Draft ProcessScheme-Transcendent Player EvaluationInternational NFL Game ExpansionCollege Football Playoff Format EvolutionDraft Information Gathering and Background ChecksOffensive Line Evaluation MethodologyYoung Quarterback Success Factors
Companies
Tennessee Titans
Primary focus: expected to draft Jeremiah Love at #4 overall; discussed as organization with running back-first philo...
Philadelphia Eagles
Analyzed for offensive coordinator hire (Sean Mannion), Dontayvion Wicks trade acquisition, and AJ Brown trade specul...
Arizona Cardinals
Discussed as potential trade-back candidate at #3 pick; Monte Osborn Ford GM evaluated for job security
New York Giants
Analyzed as potential trade-up candidate to #3 for Jeremiah Love; quarterback Jackson Dart draft pick discussed
Green Bay Packers
Referenced for locker room issues and Sean Mannion's prior offensive coordinator experience under LaFleur
Baltimore Ravens
Discussed regarding John Harbaugh's contract structure and Joe Shane's role as de facto scout under head coach authority
Los Angeles Chargers
Analyzed regarding Justin Herbert's playoff performance expectations under Mike McDaniel play-calling
Cincinnati Bengals
Discussed regarding Joe Burrow trade speculation and Mike Brown's ownership resistance to trading franchise QB
San Francisco 49ers
Referenced for Kyle Shanahan offensive system influence on coordinator hiring trends across NFL
Dallas Cowboys
Mentioned regarding locker room issues and Micah Parsons contract impact on team dynamics
People
John Middlekauff
Primary host discussing NFL draft analysis, player evaluations, and mailbag questions
Jeremiah Love
Primary draft prospect discussed; expected #4 overall pick to Tennessee Titans; compared to Bijan Robinson and Saquon...
Joe Shane
Discussed for comments on Jeremiah Love's versatility as offensive weapon; reports directly to John Harbaugh
Howie Roseman
Analyzed for press conference on player evaluation systems transcending coaching scheme changes
Sean Mannion
Hired to implement Green Bay Packers/Shanahan-Kubiak offensive system; former quarterback with head coaching potential
John Harbaugh
Discussed for contract structure giving him direct authority over personnel; 18-year tenure with playoff success
Jackson Dart
2024 draft pick by Giants; discussed as player with NFL starter attributes; preferred by Brian Daboll
AJ Brown
Trade speculation discussed; Eagles seeking compensation; organizational direction indicator
Dontayvion Wicks
Acquired via trade from Green Bay; change of scenery move; signals Eagles offensive coordinator influence
Chip Kelly
Historical anecdote: disagreed with Middlekauff on Matt Barkley evaluation; influenced draft room dynamics
Brian Daboll
Discussed for preference of Jackson Dart; offensive coordinator hiring influence on draft strategy
Justin Herbert
Analyzed for playoff performance expectations; 2025 season critical for career trajectory evaluation
Saquon Barkley
Discussed as elite running back example; 2,000-yard season impact; character-driven player evaluation
Bijan Robinson
Referenced as elite offensive weapon example; dynamic ability and character assessment
Christian McCaffrey
Discussed as elite running back example; offensive impact and character-driven evaluation
Derek Henry
Historical Titans running back; discussed for organizational running back-first philosophy
Eddie George
Historical Titans running back; discussed for organizational running back-first philosophy
Kyle Shanahan
Discussed for offensive system influence on NFL coordinator hiring trends; coaching staff evaluation influence
Jalen Hurts
Discussed regarding under-center comfort level and offensive scheme transition challenges
Monte Osborn Ford
Evaluated for job security; discussed as potential trade-back candidate at #3 pick
Quotes
"When you're young and you get your opportunity, whether I was in college at Fresno State or whether I got to the NFL, you're going to work. There are going to be other ideally some young people in the operation that you are going to bond with, right? Because you're kind of in the trenches together."
John Middlekauff•Mailbag segment
"The easiest way to help out a quarterback is to do what they did two years ago, take one Barclay, run for 2K. The running scheme has been proven over and over and over again. It works."
John Middlekauff•Eagles analysis
"If you're really good, you're losing coaches to other opportunities. And if you have issues and you need to make a change, same thing. And the best general managers don't let assistant coaches dictate their draft picks."
John Middlekauff•Draft evaluation discussion
"The way to impose your will on a team is to run the ball down their throat. And that's what the Eagles did two years ago, and they clearly want to get back to it."
John Middlekauff•Eagles offensive philosophy
"I think the only way he doesn't end up on their team if someone trades with the Cardinals to draft this player. And I think it would be historically more like the possibilities would be higher if this guy was Julio Jones or Jamar Chase."
John Middlekauff•Jeremiah Love draft analysis
Full Transcript
This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. Today's podcast is brought to you by Ferguson Home. Whether you're a homeowner working on a remodel or a pro managing multiple projects. Ferguson Home is where great ideas become stunning spaces. Ferguson Home is designed for the way you want to shop. Experience today's top products by top brands like KitchenAid first hand by visiting a Ferguson Home showroom where you'll explore stunning displays featuring today's latest products and innovations or browse their extended selection of products online at FergusonHome.com. The best moments aren't always about where you're going. They're about who's with you on the way. That's why Toyota believes people are the destination. The Toyota RAV4 is built for busy days and spontaneous plans. From practice runs to last minute road trips and everything in between. With space, comfort and flexibility, it helps turn everyday drives into quality time. Because when the right people are riding with you, every trip matters. Learn more at toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people. Get a jump on next summer with Verbo's early booking deals. Don't wait to claim your dream summer spot, whether that includes a good porch swing or a poolside lounger. When you book early, you get the best places at the best prices. But back to poolside loungers. With Verbo, you don't have to reserve any loungers. They're all yours. In fact, the whole private home is yours. Book with early booking deals and you can lounge around all summer long, however you please. Book with Verbo. What's up everyone? I'm Aiko Vodem. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right, it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Listen to ThanksDad on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. What is going on, my people? John Middelkopf. That'd be me, 3D out podcast. Hopefully everyone is doing well. Here's the thing. The draft is right around the corner. And today we're going to talk a little draft. Jeremiah Love, Joe Shane had some comments about his ability. Howie Roseman gave a press conference talking about evaluations when it comes to new coaches and new schemes entering the building. And we'll do a bunch of other draft talk on the mailbag as well at John Middelkopf is the Instagram fire in those DMs and get your questions answered here on the show. We were close. This draft can't get here soon enough. So you guys know the drill. If you listen on Collins feed, make sure you subscribe to 3 and out. You'll never miss an episode as well as Netflix. I was actually showing my wife what I said about Netflix. I was actually showing my wife what I said about Jack and his explosions at the Easter Party. She's like, John, it was Greek Easter. You know, my her side of the family is very Greek. So it was Greek Easter. So that's what we were celebrating. That's what Jack celebrated when he went to the bathroom all over the floor. But you can see me talking about that on Netflix. So I appreciate everyone watching that. And let's just dive right in some football. Let's just start with some draft talk because some of these general managers have been talking today. Today, Joe Shane, who in Colin were talking last week, you know, kind of like a glorified, highly paid scout. Right. You know, John Harbaugh is the boss. He no longer answers to the general manager, which was never the case in New York. Right. The head coach, there was always a hierarchy that changed the night John Morris slept on it and realized the only way he was going to get John to sign on the dotted line was to give him what he wanted. Why? Because John had leverage. The Titans would have hired him and he gave him five years, $100 million. And he reports directly to them. So good gig if you can get it. That's what 18 years of success. You know, I think not all of them were successful, but I think they made the playoffs 12 of the 18 years. Obviously, he won the Super Bowl and he has a powerful last name, Harbaugh. So changed the game. But that being said, Joe Shane went out there and took questions. Joe's good looking guy, good with the media. Records a little hit or miss, but he's trying. I this is always a time of year to where any of these guys in some of these weird situations like you just never know after the draft coaches lose their gig after the season. Right. If you're going to get fired, they call it the Black Monday, but we saw last year, Tuesday, Wednesday. I think Harbaugh was Tuesday. Mike McDaniel was Wednesday or Thursday. It's really just the week. Anything could happen. And the Tomlin resigned that couple of days later, maybe Monday as well. I kind of forget, kind of runs together. But, you know, this league, when it comes to personnel people, when your boy lost his gig, I found out, even though I kind of knew at the combine shit started getting weird. I, you know, you find out the day or two after your contract's not being renewed or if you have years remaining, you're going to get fired. And that's just scouting personnel. Obviously, the general manager would be relieved of his duties by ownership, not the little ground troops. They could just be told by like a middle manager, hey, you just pack up your shit, you're gone. But Joe Shane today had some interesting comments on Jeremiah Love. And I think if Jeremiah Love, the number one offensive, you know, non-quarterback in this draft, was a wide receiver, like the equivalent of Jamar Chase, of Ahulio Jones, of just like viewed as like a Calvin Johnson, just viewed as like an elite prospect. No one would even question that guy going in the top five. Yeah, you get a running back, especially in this day and age, where all these guys catch the ball too. It's like, well, you can run inside, you can run outside. He can catch the ball and he can pass protect. Oh yeah, Annie's a great guy. Like it's kind of crazy that it got to the point where it's like, yeah, those guys aren't as valuable and they're kind of cheap. Right? If you do hit on them and they become a star and they're on your team eight to 10 years, they don't cost nearly as much as wide receivers. But we've clearly shifted back. And I think everyone agrees universally that this guy is probably going to go to the Titans. Most people I know in the NFL believe he's going to go to the Titans. Then my Spidey senses went off when Joe Shane said he's an offensive weapon because he can do it all. Right? When you're an offensive weapon, that means you're Jameer Gibbs, Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Saquon Barkley. You are a guy that I can lean on to carry my offense. And I was thinking like, could the Giants, because I was in the car the other day, was a, oh, we were going to the pediatrician. And I was listening to Albert Breer talk to Colin and he said the Cardinals would love to trade back. I think I saw a rap sheet say that as well. Now listen, when it comes to the Cardinals, it's kind of sad. I just drove by their new, the kind of area they bought where they're going to put their new facility. And it just feels like, God, they couldn't be any more relevant. And Monte Austin, fourth, the general manager feels like he's kind of jamming for his job. I mean, the team feels like it has little to no direction. They have no quarterback play. They just need more and more good players. But, you know, one draft is not going to save them, especially if Marvin Harrison turns out to just be okay. And their quarterback plays a disaster. I mean, they got drafted in the top five written all over them again. But clearly they would like to trade back and how many teams want to trade up? It's like, could the draft, could the Giants go from five to three just to get what they would say? Is their number one player in the draft? And then I looked and I went, well, Dart, Tracy Singletary and Scataboo did combine for like 2,000 yards and 20 plus touchdowns. Now, ideally, I don't think they want Dart running as much as he did. And Scataboo in a perfect world doesn't shatter his leg and is able to play. You know, Singletary is a good kind of short yardage. I think he had nine touchdowns last year. Tracy is kind of a dynamic player. I think they end up taking just sticking and picking and taking Sony styles at five. That would be my guess. And the Titans end up with Jeremiah Love. And the number one thing I was thinking a lot about this, you know, quarterback so much is out of their, I mean, everything's out of their control, right? The scheme that they play in, who's their head coach, who's their play caller, who are their teammates, how good their defense is. And most of the time when you're drafted really high, you're going to a god-awful team that doesn't have that much help. We got to give the Titans credit. This offseason, they got a defensive leader. So in theory, the Titans defense should be dramatically better moving forward. As we saw last year with Sala with the 49ers, and we saw Sala with the Jets. And then when he got fired, we saw what happened to their defense. So one thing you know about Robert Sala, players like him and he knows defense. And then they got, you know, I don't want to say out of nowhere, but when the cycle started, I would not have guessed that Brian Debal would one end up as an offensive coordinator. Because two, one, I thought if he doesn't get a head coaching job in the NFL, it kind of made a lot of sense with Penn State. You know, he'd been in Alabama. Maybe he wasn't that interested. Maybe they just wanted Matt Campbell more. But I would have thought that he would have got a head coaching job, college or pro. And they got him as their offensive coordinator, which we saw him before he got to the Giants. Him and Josh were kicking ass and taking names. And we, it's well established how much he liked Cam Ward. Say this for Debal, they have been on the right quarterbacks, right? A couple years ago, they desperately tried to trade up for Drake May. Part of that, the hard knocks version of their off season was Joe Shane talking to Elliott Wolfe. Like anytime you guys are thinking about doing anything, we want to be your first call. They love Drake May. So they were on the right guy last year, moving up to get Jackson Dart, who Debal liked. Like we'll see if he can sustain a good career. But there is no disputing if you watch Jackson Dart. Like he has all the attributes to be a solid, really good starter in the NFL. And you get him to kind of run your offense, but you have to put people around him in the best way. You know, ideally you would get like Jonathan Ogden or Trent Williams, right? To protect a guy. But if that's not an option to get a guy that you can hand the ball to or that just can touch the ball 25. If you have 60 or 70 plays in a game and that player is involved in 25 plus of those places, that's, you know, you're talking 40 to 50% of the snaps Jeremiah Love is impacting. And really more than that, because you have to account for play action. You have to account for defense going to him when he's in the flat as a pass catcher. And I was also thinking about this. I would say two of the most famous and iconic players in my lifetime that have played in Nashville, Tennessee, have been Eddie George and obviously Derek Henry. They're kind of one of those unique organizations that like kind of running back first, you know, when they've had success, the running back has kind of been the star of the offense. Now, obviously Steve McNair in the early 2000s with Eddie was unequal to him and, you know, want to split an MVP with paid man. And he was a stud. If you watch that, I think it was on Netflix, the doc, and they're showing some of the highlights. I mean, he was just, he was a badass. You talk about pre NIL. I'll promise you this. Where do you go? McNeely Alcorn State. I don't know if Alcorn State is keeping Steve McNair in the NIL era. Just just just a hunch. Just a guess might lose him to the SEC, but Steve could play Eddie could play. And here's the other thing with Eddie and Derek Henry, big backs. Like you see Eddie now who I think is coaching HBCU. Eddie's a massive dude. I mean, Derek Henry feels like the biggest fucking running back in like the history of the leak. I mean, I went to a Titans practice Brables first year when Matt LaFleur was his offensive coordinator. And I remember they had Dion Lewis and they had Derek Henry and I was there for a bachelor party, but I went a week early and interviewed John Robinson. This is early days of three and out. And I just remember Titans. This isn't exactly the Yankees. I mean, they were like three or four media members there. You can walk or ever. It was pretty cool. And I just remember standing pretty close to Derek Henry thinking I've been around a lot of NFL players that that guy looks like a defense. That guy looks like a defensive tackle. And you get Jeremiah Love, who's not quite that big, but in terms of dynamic ability, speed, explosion. The other thing I love and this is what you want to feel really good about is the person. And that's part of the thing. What you get with Bijan Robinson or Saquon Barkley or Christian McCaffrey is like they are elite football character guys. And if you're getting into business with them, I think this is a pretty easy selection for the Tennessee Titans. I think the only way he doesn't end up on their team if someone trades with the Cardinals to draft this player. And I think it would be, you know, historically more like the possibilities would be higher if this guy was Julio Jones or Jamar Chase or, you know, Calvin, one of those type players, right? Because if Calvin Johnson was in this draft, you know, the Cardinals probably wouldn't take him. But they could probably trade out a 3 and then if the Titans wanted that guy, would they be willing to give up? And it's like, do we really want, are we in a position to go from 4 to 3 and trade? When you're the 49ers did it, they traded back with the Bears. I think they were at 2 and the Bears were at 3 and they just flip flop spots because the Bears took Mitchell Trabisky. Obviously, they regretted that one. I think the 49ers, if memory serves me correct, got like a third and a fourth rank pick to literally move back one spot from a guy that they would not have selected. So I think if Monty Austin Ford is good at his job, he starts kind of working the channels right now and saying, hey, we're getting some action. People are interested. And obviously, they were interested. It could be the pass rusher or Jeremiah Love, who I just think has a chance to be, you know, one of the best players in the league because we saw by the end of the season like Bijan is clearly one of the best players in the league. Last year, Saquon Barkley, or, you know, the year the Eagles won the Super Bowl, was the best player in the league. I'm not talking, I'm just saying like pound for pound, the best player, you know, non-cornerback. I think a couple years ago, that was Christian McCaffrey. So we have part of doing the draft process is running studies, right? What is working in the league? What's working for specific teams that are successful? What is working for teams that are not successful? And we did that and I saw, we'll talk about Howie here in a second. The Eagles do that constantly. Any team worth their salt is constantly running studies. Now, it sounds a little crazier than it is. Like, we're just talking football here. But trends and what's working and clearly dynamic dominant running backs are working right now in the NFL. And they make it way easier on your young quarterback. Someone asked me yesterday, would you take Fernando Mendoza or Cam Ward? For me, and, you know, because if I ran a team, I would be running the Shanahan-Kubiak offense. Fernando makes more sense in that offense. But like, if I was with Andy Reid, he would like Cam Ward a lot because he likes the freelance element to his game. And I think the easiest way to get a guy like that under control a little bit and make it easier on him is to get a dynamic running back. We just call runs. Inside, outside zone power, whatever you want, screens, just easy layup plays that you don't have to do that much. Because every time I would peek at a Titans game, obviously they were at TROCES last year. It was like the guy was just running around for his life trying to make plays. That's not a sustainable way to win when your talent's not there. Right? Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes can do that. They have good talent around them and they've, you know, mastered the position. Right? When you're young and you're just trying to figure things out, the... I would argue this for any person in any industry. You know, the easier on-ramp for you to have success is people around you helping you out. In most young quarterbacks, go to teams where there's not much help. It's kind of you. Figure it out. And, you know, you got to be pretty mentally tough. It can break you. So my guess as we sit here right now, if Jeremiah Love is there at 4, the Titans select them and it'll be as important of a pick and individual they've had on their team since the other two running backs. I think you can have that type impact. Like Eddie George in the late 90s, early 2000s, going to war with some of those, you know, Gruden Rader and Ray Lewis Ravens teams. And obviously the success Derek Henry had, you know, for Ray Bull and, you know, behind Tannehill and those offense for years when he kind of became a superstar. You know, Howie Roseman gave a press conference today. Obviously he's asked about AJ Brown and he doesn't give any information on that. Who knows how that's... Your guess is as good as mine. Like I assume he's going to get traded, but these situations are complicated. There are cap implications. They clearly just do not want to give him away for nothing. Like I have a hard time thinking this like, yeah, they just gave him away for like a conditional third. Like, I don't know. And that's why I think he's still on the team. I think it's been a complicated negotiation. But this is a franchise, especially under Howie. They've had a lot of different coaches, right? He's won Super Bowls with multiple coaches. Obviously, Siriani has gone through a ton of different offensive coaches. And I think the best organizations that our general manager run transcend scheme, because they have a clear set of parameters in which they look for in guys. And he was asked specifically about offensive linemen, and I would imagine this speaks to most of the positions on their team that he essentially said, because obviously they have their however many new coordinators in as many years. I mean, basically Shane Syken was there too. And ever since they've had a new coordinator and a lot of new staff members every single year. And this year they totally re-hauled the group. And they lost a long time. I mean, fired, resigned, however you want to describe it. Probably wasn't wanted back. Even though I just saw Lane Johnson got married at the Four Seasons in Nashville, and Jeff Stoutland was there. I probably looked pretty fun. Everyone's wearing like cowboy outfits, cowboy hats. Of course, I saw Dom was there in a red jumpsuit looking good. But how he said that we have a system that for evaluating players, and specifically offensive linemen that transcend scheme. And this is where when you can lean on an elite general manager, it is much easier to figure it out through the turnover that a lot of teams just naturally have. Because if you're really good, you're losing coaches to other opportunities. McVay, Kyle, Seattle, right? And if Howie, I mean, Shane Stuyken become a head coach, Kellan Moore become a head coach. Or if you have issues and you need to make a change, same thing. And the best general managers don't let assistant coaches dictate their draft picks. Like listen, Kyle Shanahan is, I think he's a very special coach. But like that organization is very, when it comes to draft time, their coaches have a lot of juice. They just do. I mean, no coaching staff ever had more juice in recent memory than the Gruden Raiders. Like if John Gruden's assistant wanted something and he was on board, they did it. It didn't matter what the scouts think. And one thing I think the different view of the front office and the coaching staff is simply short term and long term. And I think sometimes for coaches, it can be difficult to watch a player and separate the plays that are being called his job and what his physical attributes are. And if, and then meeting with the guy, can this guy transcend and figure out what we need him to do, even though he did not do that in college? Because a lot of times you're watching a guy that is doing something in college, whatever position he's playing, that is something you're never going to ask him to do in the pros. But do you feel comfortable enough saying we can, with his skill set, he can excel doing what we need him to do? And I think the front office just has a much easier time looking at it through that lens. And coaches can have a tough time. And listen, I'm not acting like every general manager or every scouting director is good at their job. We obviously see a lot of picks like, what is this guy doing? I've watched this guy on my couch play the last two years in college. You used to watch that guy in the top of the second round. That's insane. But I think a lot of times coaches can be very, very, very hit or miss. And in fairness, in the pros, evaluation is not a job requirement. It really is. If you can't evaluate in the pros, but you're a great position coach, you're a great scheme guy, you're a great teacher, that's all that matters. I just won't lean on you for your opinion. I have to give you, you know, the opportunity to give your opinion. It doesn't mean I'm going to take it in. And I think the Eagles are going to be fascinating this year because, you know, you hire Sean Mannion, you're going to institute this, you know, the Green Bay offense, which is LaFleur that comes from Mike Shanahan, that he coached for Kyle and the Kubeaks and the McDaniels like that. They all have the same thought. It's getting under center. It's running the zone runs. It's putting your back to the defense, which specifically goes against that article that came out on Jalen that he's uncomfortable going under center, which I supported Jalen saying I don't feel comfortable going under center because Matt Ryan said that. Aaron Rodgers said that at first. It is if you're used to playing in the shotgun and controlling it from there, which Jalen has been doing for a long time. And then you want me to go to my center and the play action fakes. I'm putting my back to the defense. It's something that unless you instituted immediately when you get into the pros, because most people aren't doing this in college football, it can be a very uncomfortable thing to do. And the only way I don't care what you're doing to break through something professionally that you are uncomfortable doing is to just keep doing it. And eventually, hopefully you will be in a position where you're like, OK, I'm much more comfortable doing this. I think I can have success. Right? And sometimes you just won't be able to. So only time is going to tell if this is going to work. But the Eagles are going all in on this because it's very conducive to running the football. And this goes back to the Jeremiah Love thing. The easiest way to help out a quarterback is to do what they did two years ago, take one Barclay, run for 2K. Now, is the guy going to run for 2,000 yards again? Probably not. But they're paying him a lot of money. He's going to come and motivate it, I'm sure. And they're going to be looking to have a 15-plus-100-yard season from their start running back. And this running scheme has been proven over and over and over again. It works. I mean, hell, the Eagles got gashed against the Bears with them running zone, just running it right up down their throat. Him cutting back the backside, Manun Jai in Swift. They got embarrassed at home earlier this year because the running game, even as the game has changed to a more aggressive way, has changed to a more spread offense passing the ball. There is nothing, and any fan knows this, when your team is dominating another team, just handing the ball off, 5 yards, 8 yards, 12 yards, 4 yards, 15 yards, it is one of the best feelings in football. And if you've played in high school, obviously in college or the pros, it is truly the way to make the other team essentially give up. Right? Obviously, when you throw bombs, it's cool, and it's fun for video games or in real football. But the way to impose your will on a team is to run the ball down their throat. And that's what the Eagles did two years ago, and they clearly want to get back to it. And if I was an Eagles fan, like, a lot of unknown how this is going to go, but the one thing you feel good about is my general manager knows how to pick good players. My general manager knows how to load a roster. And if your roster is as good as it possibly can be, there is less ask on the quarterback. And I would imagine in this scheme, it ideally puts less on the quarterback, which it felt like at times last year that they were putting a lot on Jaylen. To have him carry them like he was Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, or Patrick Mahomes. And while he can have individual games and do it, he's not that level player to do it throughout 17 games. We have enough sample size. It's just not his skill set. Today's show is brought to you by our presenting sponsor, Hard Rock Bet, the official sports betting partner of the Miami Heat and Orlando Magic. We talk football on the show, but the NBA playoffs are right around the corner. And with Hard Rock Bet, every night is a shot to build the same game parlay and score a major bucket. Maybe you like a hot hand to drop 30. The big man to control the glass with the double-double. Point guard to dish out five assists. 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Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia. Today's podcast is brought to you by Ferguson Home. Whether you're a homeowner creating your dream space or a pro managing multiple projects, Ferguson Home is where it all comes together. Ferguson Home is designed for the way you want to shop. Experience today's top products by brands like KitchenAid firsthand by visiting a Ferguson Home showroom where you'll explore stunning displays featuring today's latest products and innovations or browse their extended selection of products online. Ferguson Home understands that every project is made up of countless decisions and that's why their expert consultants are committed to helping homeowners, builders, contractors, and designers bring all the details together. You can count on support from them start to finish. From choosing the right products to coordinating deliveries with your project schedule, book a one-on-one consultation at your local Ferguson Home showroom or shop online at fergustinhome.com. Whether you're working on a new kitchen, a new bathroom, or a whole home remodel, you'll find the latest designs and technologies from the brands you trust at Ferguson Home. Can I tell you about my friends at Factor? You know, for me, eating healthy, it's not a willpower problem. It's a setup problem. That's until I found Factor because especially with a young child, podcasting, running around, it's like, don't have time to meal prep, and that's where my friends at Factor come in. They have meals built around my goals. Every meal is crafted with functional ingredients, lean proteins, veggies, whole foods, healthy fats, fresh, never frozen. That's key. So if you want to try the newly launched, ready to eat salads with vibrant ingredients like alote corn and miso edamame, they got you covered. Head to FactorMeals.com slash John50off. And use the code John50off to get 50% off and free daily greens per box with new subscription only while supplies last until September 27th, 2026. See website for more details. This segment is brought to you by Change of scenery sponsored by Toyota. When you have a coaching turnover, football is really small. So when you hire new guys, those guys weren't just working at Lowe's, right? Those guys weren't running a bank. They were working for other teams. They're either coming from college, typically probably a big school, or coming from another NFL team. And a good GM and a good front office will go, what information do you have on these five players that that team, whether they're coming out in the draft or a situation like the Green Bay Packers, who have kind of had a fire sale? You know, this goes back to the floor a couple weeks ago. Guys didn't believe in their roles. We just, not everyone was on the same page. He essentially said without saying we had some serious locker room issues, which actually I give a lot of respect to the Packers. If that would have been the Eagles, that would have been some of these other the Cowboys. It would have been not only a well known story and maybe it was kind of in the Green Bay world, but it wasn't something that we were talking about all over the NFL. It wasn't because if you said, hey, a story came out, the Green Bay Packers have fractures in their locker room. Guys aren't happy. It would have been a big story. I know this. I know this is a big story about it. And I don't really remember that coming out. Hell, I, until Parsons got her right, I thought they were going to make Super Bowl, you know, and clearly they had some issues going on, which gets back to the Belichick thing. You got to be careful when you bring in players and they become your highest paid player and they're coming from a different team. So it's kind of a tough situation because clearly you acquire Parsons. He becomes the best player on your team. Lead to some little ripple effect of negativity. So I'm not blaming, it's not Parsons' fault, but I wonder just they already had some issues. You bring in this guy. Other guys think they want to get paid. This other outsider gets paid. Things can get weird. Well, the Eagles just, their offensive coordinator comes from Green Bay. He's been, you know, LaFleur's guy. That's why they hired him to run that offense. And what intel does he have? He has intel on the Packers, guys. So what do the Eagles do? They just trade a late round pick for Duntavian Wicks, who fifth round pick, never caught more than 40 balls. You know, he's like 6'1 1.5, kind of a bigger guy, not a blazer, but NFL wide receiver and adds depth to their roster. And I think they're hoping clearly, and this shows you, I don't think they make this trade if their new offensive coordinator is like, I like this guy, right? It wouldn't be, even though how he's the boss, if how he goes, I kind of like this guy and man, you look at him and be like, I'm not a fan. You wouldn't acquire him. That's not, that's not smart business, right? So clearly he's on board with them. And I think this also alludes to the other change of scenery that feels inevitable is AJ Brown. You want to have some reinforcements. So you add Hollywood, you add Wicks to go, you know, you bring back Goddard. You still got Saquon. There is no replacing AJ Brown one for one. There just isn't. If they trade AJ Brown, there's no one they can acquire in 2026, who is going to be that talented, even if they nail this upcoming draft pick. That rookie will not be as good as him right now. So if you're Howie, you got to do this by quantity, right? So you got to just try, hey, we'll bring in three guys, which I'm sure they're going to draft a guy relatively high in the top couple rounds. And then you go, OK, AJ is gone, but we brought in three more bodies to try to replicate that production and that impact. And hopefully of those couple guys, you know, the cream kind of rises and we get the best out of that group to go with Smith, who is a really, really good player. And ideally a really, really good running game because the one thing in the Shanahan scheme, you don't need Jerry Rice. You know, obviously Mike Shanahan actually coach Jerry Rice in the early 90s with Steve Young, but like you can get by if your running game is kicking ass, especially if your defense is going to be good as probably the Eagles defense is going to be. And that's what I think they're attempting to do. They acquire this player. They give him a contract extension. So clearly, you know, in a perfect world, you have Manion around for a couple years. I do think if this goes well for Sean Manion, owners love quarterback guys. And, you know, the last two guys to make Jalen Hertz look good got head coaching gigs. And this guy's a former quarterback. He can fix Jalen Hertz. We can be talking about change of scenery for Manion in next January. Toyota reminds us that when people are the destination, it's not about where you're headed, but who you're headed there with. Learn more at Toyota.com and find the vehicle that fits your people. Okay, let's let's dive into a middle cough mailbag at John Middlecough at John Middlecough is the Instagram fire into those DMS. We will start with Alex. I just started working my internship for investment banking in Jersey City and the work culture is fucking horrible. In the NFL, what do you think the work culture is like? Do you feel a sense of competition with other scouts or is it more collaborative? I've always said that the NFL, I've never worked in finance, but I call it Wall Street on grass. Because I think there is a similarity in terms of the amount of hours you have to work and the intensity of the environment. Right. And obviously with the NFL, like an investment banking, you're talking hundreds of millions, billions involved in this operation. I'm trying to put this in the nicest way possible. When you're young and you get your opportunity, whether I was in college at Fresno State or whether I got to the NFL, you're going to work. There are going to be other ideally some young people in the operation that you are going to bond with, right? Because you're kind of in the trenches together. But it is not a happy go lucky, put a smile on your face. Like no one cares what you think when you're young in some of these jobs, especially in a job with accomplished people and a lot of money in the line. So my advice to any young person getting into investment banking, getting into the NFL, getting into any high pressure operation that is involved with doing big deals that are either public or like in pro sports, that is just a public outcome. That there's going to be high stress and high pressure on the people in charge. So if you come in and listen, I'm pretty opinionated, I had to learn early on like sometimes you got to keep your mouth shut and just do what needs to be done. And a lot of days you're going to leave the office probably late at night and go like that. That sucked and that was hard. But like tough things should like you'll look back when you become my age and go that helped shaped you professionally. And as you go along professionally and maybe you do career changes or maybe you change companies and the vibe is differently. Everything becomes easier. I think one of my best advantages since I've been talking for a living is like I don't view this as difficult. Even though depending on the time of the year I'm working holidays, I'm working late nights, I work seven days a week sometimes. I've done all that for way less money and way less credit. No one even could point me out of a lineup beside my family. So I think when you're in the trenches and shit is hard and everyone's angry and it's just it's intense. When I first got to the Eagles and was working because my first job was kind of like how he's I don't even know if that the specific job still exists. But you know technology was a little different in 2010 2011. You just I'm just working so close and hand in hand with him any little thing he needs. And it was just really intense. And I didn't know if I was going to make it. Right. It's not that you know you get it's football you get yelled at every once in a while some of it's your own doing. But you don't have a smile on your face when you go to bed at night. But I look back like that hardened me up for because one thing when you grow up and your parents are hard on you and you have high standards in your home. Like those are your parents as you leave the nest and you go work for other people that are hard on you and have high standards. And that benefits you greatly. I saw a beach tell a story recently that the first project he did for Andy Reid. He said he spent like two weeks on it. He just got hired essentially as Andy's assistant and he hands them the project and he kind of looks through it. And then he looks at the three ring binder. And I guess beach didn't take off the you know like the the thing that you scan. And Andy looks at him like you didn't take off the the CVS sticker. You handed a project to the head coach. You didn't take off the sticker and beach walked out of the room and he said he called a friend. He's like I don't think I think I'm going to get fired. And Andy was trying to set the tone of like details really matter. And I think sometimes when you're young and maybe a friends that work kind of more jobs with different cultures. And again I'm not who knows. I don't know what company you're working for. I think that can only benefit you. And also you can see things like one time when I was working at Fresno State now everything's on you know the cloud. Right. So if you if you're watching recruiting film if I'm Kirby smart or Dan landing I could get everything from the iPad. Well back in 2008 2009 these companies so every high school game you you pay for a service and they film every high school game or they get access to the film of every high school game and they sent DVDs. Well by the end of the season you know we recruited California Arizona Texas you might have twenty five hundred three thousand DVDs. So when a pack of DVDs these enormous boxes you have to input you know the two schools and then numerically. Well I don't know if I wasn't paying attention or what happened but I was off one number. So from like four hundred to six hundred every game was off by a game. So we were in a recruiting meeting and coach Hill would pull modern day versus Santa Margarita. And he'd go to four twenty seven and it was actually four twenty six. So he'd pull it and it'd be like Edison High School against Clovis West and he would just kept looking and it was all off and he starts fucking freaking out and pissed off rightfully so. And eventually a DVD flies across the room. I have to duck he wasn't necessarily throwing it at me but he was just pissed because the details really really matter. And I remember thinking when that meeting ended like I'm going to get fired. And I've known a lot of people that work for Nick Saban guess what it was not a fun experience at all. And all those guys benefited. Now if you're not in a fun experience and it's miserable and you're not going anywhere that sucks. So you kind of have to have a gut feeling in my two football situations when I would find myself feeling miserable. I always lean back on the thought that like I'm in a really good spot that like this is going to benefit me moving forward because listen as a young person you come in bright eyed bushy tail then you get there and no one gives a flank fuck what you think and can be kind of mean to you which I just think is hardens you up. You also you know depending on what you do like for me in the podcast world is the culture is way different. I would just say hey man just keep your head up and just keep swinging. Largely agree with your bane take from Tuesday but this feels like classic hit piece from a team hoping he falls further other than more than he usually would. The report came out against quote the wishes of the victims family and the only criminal charge was reckless driving. I'm a new attorney and in a fatal car accident. It is a real outlier for the driver not to get hit with at least some sort of aggregated aggravated enhanced traffic charge let alone vehicular manslaughter or homicide depending on how the Florida classifies those on top of that the victims family apparently has not filed and is not planning to file a civil suit which also makes this seem like a very tragic accident rather than anything resembling the Carter or she rice situations. Obviously working off limited facts here but I don't think this should or ultimately will have a major impact on a stock. I think the take I was I had I don't think it's going to impact the stock at all. I don't think he was never probably going to go in the top five. He was always going to go somewhere between like six and the early teens. I mean the early teens would feel a little bit like a drop but he he's going to go high right and this gets back to what we talked about with Brad Holmes. I don't know if Joe Shane or how we were asked about this but I all these teams knew about this. This this was not a shocking incident. This is not something that was new information and this gets back to what you brought up that I talked about yesterday like it is on the Scouts and to work with their whoever their detective arm of the organization is to gather all that information because if you are going to take Reuben Bain you're going to need to know that case and the details of that case. Like like it was your own you know it happened to you. And that's their job. Not to like you know Reuben Bain is great on second and short he really excels against the run stacking and shedding and playing the backside like it's going to come down to the information off the field with this guy. So I hear you. I need to know if you actually think the current Raiders regime has a shot at making something positive happen of our current situation playoffs be damned. I just want to be competitive in the division. I'm excited where the team is going but it feels like this team is destined to inevitably fuck it all up as typical Raiders fashion. I would be pretty excited. Like you said I mean sometimes as a franchise this isn't about when you know the standard shouldn't be we can win the division next year. The standard for the Raiders this was like when polls got Ben Johnson can we just be competitive. Then it turns out they win the division they win at home playoff games it was incredible. But if you would have told Bears fans at the start of the year you're going to be the seven seed. There was not a Chicago Bear fan alive that wouldn't signed up for that because that means every football game you play in matters. And the previous year with Eber and I'm just using the Bears an example. When you have a season and several seasons were none of the game matters. You know all your games after the first couple just feel pointless. You know that's what the Raiders season that happened last year. Their games in October November December did not matter unless you're a diehard Raider fan you did not need or want to watch them. And I've been a lot of the fans like I can't watch this. It's a terrible product and obviously that's why you get the number one overall pick. But I think they could win seven games this year if all goes well. And seven games depending on the order in which you win them. It might feel like you're kind of alive around Thanksgiving. And I think that's all you could ask for in like the first year of a new coaching staff with a young quarterback. Let me tell you about my friends at Ethos. Life insurance is something I'll be honest I never thought about until I had a child until I got married. And you have other people that not only depend on you but your life becomes intertwined with them. 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That's E T H O S dot com slash the number three and out application times may vary rates may vary. Today's podcast is brought to you by Ferguson home whether you're a homeowner creating your dream space or a pro managing multiple projects. Ferguson home is where it all comes together. Ferguson home is designed for the way you want to shop experience today's top products by brands like KitchenAid firsthand by visiting a store. Ferguson home is the place featuring today's latest products and innovations or browse their extended selection of products online. Ferguson home understands that every project is made up of countless decisions and that's why their expert consultants are committed to helping homeowners builders contractors and designers bring all the details together. You can count on support from them start to finish from choosing the right products to coordinating deliveries with your project schedule. You can find the latest designs and technologies from the brands you trust at Ferguson home with verbals last minute deals. You can save over $50 on your spring getaway. So whether it's a mountain escape city break or a week at the beach there's still time to get great discounts. Look your next day now average savings $72 select homes only. What's up everybody. I'm a go vote of my next guest. You know from stepbrothers anchor man Saturday night live and the big money players network. It's will Farrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. I went and had lunch with him one day and I was like and dad I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means but I think I'm going to be able to get a good start. I went and had lunch with him one day and I was like and dad I think I want to really give this a shot. I don't know what that means but I just know the groundlings I'm working my way up through and I know it's a place that come look for up and coming talent. He said if it was based solely on talent I wouldn't worry about you which is really sweet. Yeah he goes but there's so much luck involved and he's like just give it a shot. He goes but if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fine anymore. It's okay to quit. If you saw it written down it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of you know the cat just hang in there. Yeah it would not be. Right it wouldn't be that. There's a lot of luck. Yeah. Listen to Thanks Dad on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. I just heard you say on the podcast that you got into a heated argument with Chip Kelly in the draft firm. Could you expand on that? Also why do you think he didn't work in the pros? As a college football fan he was a huge star with a high octane offense. Was it because his personality didn't work with players or mostly the exes and those? I would say by the time Chip came. I was feeling myself. It's probably the cockiest I've ever been professionally in my 20s. Because I was Howie's guy by then. I had met Chip multiple times on the road doing the West Coast. One thing one of my buddies with the Eagles had taught me. Every time you go through a program and you meet a prominent figure, an assistant coach, a coordinator, definitely the head coach, send them a personalized letter. We had Eagles card stock, send them a personalized letter. So I was doing that everywhere I went. And it really worked. Because you go into school a second time, they would come up like, hey John, good to see you again. I remember Chip did that. So I was like, I already know the guy. I know Howie. I just felt very comfortable. Obviously too comfortable. And then the draft meetings came. And Matt Barkley, who actually played a lot longer than I ever would have envisioned him playing, came up. And I obviously was doing the West Coast. And I forget exactly how the meetings went back then. But I think the position guy, or not the position coach, but the area scout talked first. And I kind of crushed him. Well, Chip was in our meetings in the back. You know, he'd kind of come to when we talk about a player that he was either on Oregon or that he played. And Matt Barkley, I think in two years against Oregon, his junior and senior year, threw for like a thousand yards. I mean, it was look like fucking Joe Montana against the Ducks. Any Oregon fan or USC fan, if you're old enough, you probably remember like Matt Barkley was really good against them. So Chip thought he was good. And again, I actually respect him how long his career went. He seems like a great guy. Everyone I know that knows him likes him. But from a football standpoint, I went, he can't move. He doesn't have a great arm. Like I just, I don't think this is the type of guy we should pick. And I was again cocky feeling myself pretty aggressive. And then Chip starts chiming in that he disagreed. And again, maybe I'm misremembering it a little bit like, I don't know if we were directly arguing or I was just saying something. And he was just saying the completely opposite. And I just didn't really stop talking. And I remember after the meeting, one of our guys said like, man, bro, you're pretty aggressive in there. And it was just never quite the same after that. I remember going to the combine a couple of weeks later and no one was really talking to me. And I could just tell they had turned on me. You know, and how he just had to do whatever Chip wanted to do. I mean, if you've listened to this being how we have a good relationship and you know, I chip just I wouldn't even look at me. And, you know, as the scouts hated him, I mean, I think he couldn't his evaluations couldn't have been any worse. Listen, I'm biased because I know some of the things he did to other people. I don't think he's like a high character guy. I'm not a fan. And it's not even about me personally. Me leaving the Eagles is the best thing that ever happened to me. So it's like my life changed for the better from then. But like some of the things he did to other people, it's like, give me a fucking break. But yeah, I mean, this back to the guy asking me when you're young, you got to be like, you start thinking like I'm Theo Epstein, you know, and you got to be careful because older people with the power, they want your opinions, they want you to be controlled sometimes, especially like a corporate setting. Right. This isn't like a startup. There's a clear hierarchy in that room. And your boy thought he wasn't equal until he wasn't. And they're like send back the iPad. Like I fucking love this iPad. I don't have any money. You want me to spend $1,000 back? I don't know how much iPads cost. I haven't bought one in a while. But I remember that that was like the thing I was like, I got to get back my iPad. I got to buy my own iPad. I think I've had the same iPad. You know, I bought an iPad like a year later. I think I still have it. Like the case is falling off. Probably need to get a new one. Who will be more successful in the next 10 years? The Giants or the Raiders? I feel like they have a lot of similarities with the expected, expected drafting of Mendoza. I think the Giants have a better young core of guys. You know, Crosby's older, Colton Miller's older. We don't know how dynamic and good Genty's going to be. Bowers is good. But I think when you look at the Giants, you go, I mean, Abdul Carter should, should has the physical capabilities to become a high end dominant edge rusher. Like one of the best speed rushers in the league. I'm not saying he's Mike Parsons. Obviously his rookie year was a disaster. But like he should make pro bowls. And I'm not talking about the ones, you know, where you get invited because seven guys drop out. I'm saying like he should be one of the best pass rushers in the NFC. Malik neighbors, if he's on the field, should be one of the best players in the NFC. And Dart's already proven like his skills do translate. He's just got to stay on the field. So they have more. And the other thing is like John Harbaugh, we know what he's like as a head coach. There are more question marks with the Raiders. Kubiak, no one would have hired him two years ago. Fernando Mendoza's had five career snaps under center. You know, Crosby, how long can he play at a high level? Were the Ravens right on the knee situation? So I think the Raiders have more question marks. But I think you're right. I would buy stock in both. The Raiders division, you know, Andy's older in his mid-60s. Harbaugh's over 60. Sean Payton's over 60. So one thing the Raiders have going for him is like those guys can't coach forever, you know? The NFC East's a little easier. Washington, ton of question marks coming into the season and as a roster. I mean, as long as Jerry's there, there's just a lot of shit going on. And there's just always drama with the Eagles. With the NFL expanding to international games, we'll get to the point where every team plays one every single year. It would be able to split the home and away games even 8-8-1 neutral. I didn't even think about that because right now they're just giving up one of their home games. It is 100% inevitable. Like Thursday night football, what it became. When I was in the NFL, you know, 15 years ago when it started, Thursday night football had like two or three games. I think by the end, before I went into radio, there was like five Thursday night games. And it was like Rich Eisen and Mike Mayock. It was on NFL Network. I saw at the owner's meetings, Roger Goddell, one of the things he said about, because NFL Network was, it technically wasn't ending, but it was going to ESPN. So Thursday night football, you know, without the NFL Network doesn't happen. So the expansion of Thursday night football and what it is today as a true package and a really big deal in the NFL got started, launched, and became a thing on that network. And what it is now is every team, does every team have to play? I actually think they changed that because now you can play two games on Thursday night football. Pretty sure every team plays in a Thursday night football game, but there's definitely, you know, a full package of games starting week two through essentially the end of the season. That is what's going to happen with the international games. Now, unlike Thursday night football, I don't think there's going to be a situation where they say you can play multiple international games. That's pretty unfair. Even though I think the 49ers this year are playing Australia and playing Mexico City. But the 49ers want to play in Mexico City. They don't want to play in Australia. Another question for you. Given the credibility of Mike McDaniel as a play caller and designer, are you prepared to say if Herbert doesn't play like an elite quarterback this year and or wins a playoff game, he never will? I think the narrative has been, he has been terrible. He has had terrible situations his whole career, but I don't think that's true. At some point, doesn't he need to earn a reputation? Oh, doesn't he need to earn his reputation? I this is listen, there's no disputing it. This is a big freaking year for the big fellow. You know, I think there's pressure on the Chargers to win the division to home games, which don't necessarily matter, but it's easier from a travel standpoint. And for him to have a playoff game, if he's playing wildcard weekend, if you're the two or you're the three and you're playing the six or the seven or vice versa for him to throw three or four touchdowns, that's one of the best games of Herbert's career. It's important. And I don't argue with you on that one. He gets a lot of support from people like me that believe it's going to happen, even though it hasn't happened. But the longer you go, people question, is it actually ever going to happen? And I think we're we're crossing that bridge now. We're crossing that bridge now. He's another bad playoff game away from being like the James Harden without the strip clubs of the NFL. Little different. It's not apples to apples comp right there, but Harden's been terrible in the playoffs for the most part. And Herbert has been atrocious. Question for the go low back. We'll just answer it here. I completely with you on not shitting on Tiger. It seems pretty obvious he's an addict because of everything he's been through and he takes pills to have a quality of life. However, why does he have to drive like a reckless asshole when he obviously knows he's under the influence? I know in my past, if I've ever had a couple drinks and I'm fairly certain I'm under the limit, I still drive like an angel just to be extra cautious. He's downing pills and then driving 60 through residential neighborhoods. But none of his accidents happen, even if he's fucked up on pills, if he's just driving like a normal person. Yeah, I mean, I talked to someone, maybe I mentioned this, that lived or has driven down the street. I guess he doesn't live there, but he stayed in that area multiple times, kind of in the golf business. And said, John, that street is like a street in the suburbs where no one goes faster than 30 miles an hour. It would be borderline impossible to get into anything more than a tidy little fender bender because you're texting. For you to flip a car, his driving is atrocious. And his, like I've said this forever, if he, the reason he's taking pills is to play golf and lift weights. Without the pills at 50 years old, there is no way he could lift the weights and attempt to play golf like he likes to do, which is the only thing he's ever done, right? And obviously that has defined his life. So if he actually goes to rehab, wherever he's going in Europe or some other country, and it works, and he's not able to take these opioids anymore, I think we see a completely different human and potentially like in a wheelchair, because eventually his body won't work. I mean, the guy has more surgeries than like a guy that played football in the 60s. So I don't know why Tiger drives so fast. He's a terrible driver. That the accident the other day or a couple of weeks ago was just, was an all-timer. How realistic is it to think that next year's offseason will be headlined by two aggressive teams, the Rams and the Eagles getting into a bidding war for burrow? I don't even think we are remotely close to Mike Brown entertaining trading the guy. I think it would take a disaster for the Bengals, but if there's a disaster for the Bengals, that probably means burrow is missing games. And then what's his trade value? Like, how could you throw a boatload of picks at the guy if something happens like it happened last year? And if he's good, right, where all these teams would be lined up to acquire him, I would imagine the Bengals are good and then they're not going to trade him. So I just have a hard time. I'm old enough to remember when Carson Palmer wanted out and Mike Brown said, you ain't going anywhere. I just think you're dealing with an old stubborn owner who is not in the business of just trading this guy, even if it's for a haul. What am I missing on Dante Moore? In my opinion, everything I've seen, he's a quicker Bryce Young and next year's draft, who will eventually get a GM fired. Well, he didn't come out. That's why he went back to school, to prove that he's better than that. I think after the Texas Tech game, the game against Indiana, you know, down the stretch of the season, you went, that's a smart move. He's only been in college now for a couple years. I think he's like 20 years old. He needs some work. Like, not everyone is just ready for the NFL. And I commend the guy and probably in his decision, he's making a boatload of money. He's a king on a campus that loves football, has a powerhouse team. They're going to be a preseason top five team. I mean, who knows, they could be like two or three and their substance behind it, their roster's loaded. There are going to be a lot of people's pick, you know, now Dan Landings, you have to prove you can win some big playoff games, but they are going to be a sexy pick to win the national championship and all eyes are going to be on him. And I think he is going to be one of the most talked about players because NFL people are going to be talking about him constantly. He's got a lot of buzz. He's got a lot of hype coming into the season. His decision to go back has made him kind of like a household name. I think he's got a lot of physical abilities, but I need to watch him more. And luckily, he's playing in college again. I get the opportunity. So, you know, I like Bryce. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a fan of his in college. I would have taken him over CJ Stroud as well. I loved him at Alabama, but then you just see a size and you see him in pads relative to CJ. You're like, I don't know. I don't know. Now, it's not like CJ is playing great either, but CJ's last game in college when he threw all those touchdowns at Ohio State. Maybe it was the final four game. I just remember three like five touchdowns was against Clemson. Some of these college playoff games run together, but and then CJ went to the combine and ran like a 4-4-5. You're like, God, he's way better athlete than I thought. Evaluating quarterback is hard, but the more college tape you have on a guy, the easier it is to evaluate. So, I think there are a lot of question marks for Dante Moore, but he's not in this draft. I'd be with you if Dante Moore is in this draft. I'd be like, it's pretty risky. There is no guarantee that's going to work. To me, he, because he would be the clear number two, he'd be in a different stratosphere than Ty Simpson. He would go number two overall to the Jets. It's like, Dante Moore is going to work with the Jets. I would bet against it. But what if he goes back next year, gets stronger, gets better, hones in on his craft, gets more reps, and by the end of the season, you're like, this guy's a stud. So, we don't need to make any declarations right now. Or maybe you're right. Maybe he's just overvalued. But we get another year of them playing. Let's pull up the Oregon football skit. Let's talk a little college football. So, he opens up with Boise. They go on the road to Oklahoma State. They play at SC. They get UCLA at home, Nebraska at Illinois, at Ohio State, versus Michigan at Michigan State, versus Washington. They got a good schedule. They play Ohio State and Michigan. They go to USC. That Boise games always, you know, Oregon and Boise have played a million times over the last 25 years. At Illinois, no joke. Nebraska at home will be a solid game. Washington's good. I mean, that's their rival. That's a good schedule. If I was looking right now, I would say, I'd say conservative 10 and 2. Feels like they got a loss on here. At Ohio State's tough. Michigan's going to be tough. At USC, I mean, they probably lose one of those three games. I'd probably say 11 and 1. Potential in the Big Ten championship game. Assuming those championship games still happen. Which I saw Sanky, the SCZ commissioner, was like, yeah, let's probably run its course. We have to run its course if both the teams playing in this game are going to be in the playoffs. I mean, what's the point of this? It's why I'm a believer that the championship game, you have to work with the committee should morph into a playing game. Kind of like the NBA. So instead of Texas versus Georgia, or last year, Indiana versus Ohio State, which was fucking awesome, which I respect the shit out of both those programs for playing as hard as they did when both of them are locked to get a buy, is that game should be like USC versus Illinois. And the winner gets in and the loser doesn't make it. Like that would be theater too, which I think that's inevitable. That we get to a position where it was like last year, it'd be like Texas versus, you know, whoever another team is in the SEC. Texas versus Vandy to go to the playoffs. That would be my guess what that weekend morphs into. This is just nice text. I discovered that I don't need to play the happy song to relax my baby. Your pod has been our win-win. Kind of weird playing me for your baby, which I appreciate. We need more sports fans. Actually, it's not weird at all. I'm glad you're doing that. I play podcasts in front of my baby all the time. Sometimes he's cool with it and other times he's not feeling it. And anyone knows you just go and you find, you know, sleep baby songs. Sometimes like this song will make him fall asleep in two minutes. 10 minutes later, he's just screaming. It's like, yeah, this is not working. Some of these things it's like, does this really work or sometimes he's just tired. Sometimes it's not. Appreciate you guys. Talk to you soon. See you. We'll be back. Hello everyone. I'm Ago Vodem. My next guest, it's Will Ferrell. My dad gave me the best advice ever. He goes, just give it a shot. But if you ever reach a point where you're banging your head against the wall and it doesn't feel fun anymore, it's okay to quit. If you saw it written down, it would not be an inspiration. It would not be on a calendar of, you know, the cat just hang in there. Yeah, it would not be. Right. It wouldn't be that. There's a lot in life. Yeah. Listen to Thanks Dad on the I Heart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. Mona will be there keeping positive sweetie with crystal where nay we got reality with the king with Carlos King and yes, drink chance will be in the building. Okay. Plus, you know, we're going to have a lot of guests. So you need to join us and we got the black effect marketplace to pitch your podcast and everything you expect from the black effect podcast festival. Tickets are on sale right now. Go get your that black effect.com slash podcast festival. Don't play yourself. Okay. Pull up. When a group of women discover they've all dated the same prolific con artist. They take matters into their own hands. I vowed I will be his last target. He is not going to get away with this. He's going to get what he deserves. We always say that trust your girlfriends. Listen to the girlfriends. Trust me, babe. On the I Heart Radio App, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an I Heart Podcast. Guaranteed human.