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Welcome to The Podcast to be Named Later, where we explore the world a conversation at a time.  Sit back and enjoy.  Here are your hosts, Chris and Kelly.

Kelly:
Hello everyone and thanks for listening to the podcast to be named later. I'm here with my co-host. I guess when he remembers that we've got an episode slated. Chris. Chris, I'm glad you could wake up and join us. Glad to.
Chris:
Have you here? Yeah, glad to be here, buddy.
Kelly:
Alright, well hopefully. So you're going to sleep. You over there in California then quite a week or more with the NFL starting since we talked before we get in. To it, I did want to take a couple of moments and acknowledge a couple of life events for people that know me both personally and professionally. First of all, to all of his family and friends and myself included. Really one of those people that in your personal life. He's a giant, a good friend of mine since 6th grade there for almost significant life events and really just a go to person. Donovan Williams passed away since the last time we talked. Chris, I've known Donovan. Like I said, since I was in 6th grade. As I told some other people, you know, we were kids together and middle school and high school became adults here in Madison, WI, in college. Shared a house for a little while and then after that shared numerous life events and his passing wasn't entirely unexpected due to health issues. But as I've told some other people. Knowing something's going to happen and experience, and they're two different things, so really to his family, his friends and anybody that knew Donovan just rest in peace. Donovan, you were one heck of a good guy. In addition, someone for those that listen to our podcast from the web accessibility world are also aware that last week, Molly Holtz Schlag really one of the founders of web accessibility and the Internet in general, also passed away and. Molly definitely lived life on her terms. I knew Molly before she became Molly, if you will. We worked together. Running a a disabilities forum in a service called Jeannie, which was kind of a competitor. CompuServe dating myself, as I often say on this podcast back in the early 1990s. And so really again, another giant pass. So to Molly as well, rest in peace and to everyone. Just life was a treasure and special so. However you like to celebrate it, you know, do so.
Chris:
Yeah. I'm sorry, man. I, I you told me just before we came on about these, I wasn't aware. And yeah, I'm really sorry, man. I'm sorry for the families. I mean, we all know this is death is part of life and. You know, but it hurts, man. It doesn't make the loss any less right, especially when you're talking about someone you knew for that kind of time. I mean, that's like a family member, and there's just not a lot of people that we get to have in our lives who get to see us grow, understand our evolution, understand us as individually and individuals and. And we understand them. And those relationships are hard. And I mean you can't get something like that back. You know, you you lose someone who has been a part of your life for an extended period of time. But you just can't replace that. And so yeah. I'm sorry, man.
Kelly:
Thanks, Chris, and thanks again to the listeners for that time. As we transition, as I said. NFL Week 1 is now in the books. A lot certainly happened in week one. A lot of places to go, but I'm going to go first up to Soldier Field. And the Packer fan? Hey, you know, as a Packer fan. Worked out better than maybe we I don't really know what to say or expect, but. Packers and Jordan love looked all right in game one at least.
Chris:
For sure. Well, you know, if people listen to our previous Scott podcast somehow, over the course of making our picks and our predictions, and I'm not even sure how it happened, to be honest, I took off the headphones and and kind of asked myself. What did you? Just say so I was. All high on the Bears and. Even in our pick'em that we do with the family, I picked the Bears based on, you know, just the fact that I thought they might be good this year and there's a lot of question marks surrounding the Packers. And after one game, clearly, you know, I mean it, it proved it on the field that the Packers are are the better team at the moment or at least at least in this game. They were and I'm happy, man. Jordan love looked pretty good and and you know, I mean, a little bit short handed. Aaron Jones helped a lot in terms of of making that offense go, you know, I mean, he was really the catalyst for what, you know, a lot of the points that they scored and. But you know, all things considered, man. I mean, the Packers, both offensively and defensively, you know, look better than expected. I'll say that.
Kelly:
Yeah, I found that overall quite an entertaining game and really a little validation for Jordan. Love again, you know, the NFL is. Like 1718 weeks of mini drama as we know, and there can be overreactions, you know? But as the game went out of the gate, it was quite a good performance for the pack. Really like to see the the defense that we saw there was kind of the defense. I've always wanted to see really not letting Justin Fields get stable in the back in the pocket. And as you said. Aaron Jones, you know, and This is why statistics are sometimes misleading, because if you look at his actual numbers, they weren't super high. I mean, they were OK, but there's just plays or players in a game that they just salvage things and make the engine go, and that's what he did. In the Packers game.
Chris:
Yeah. And I mean, you're just hoping, you know, over the course of 60 minutes of of football that, you know, you have some guys on your side that that make plays. Man could be an interception, could be a forced fumble, A timely sack on 3rd down or or a long run or just, you know, the whole thing's going to be a struggle. Right, there's there's eleven grown men. Trying to stop you from doing what you want to do, and you know it's it's going to be a kind of a back and forth most times and you're just hoping you have some guys on your side. Who can do a couple of things that helps swing the game in your favor. And I think Aaron. Rodgers was the. Aaron Rodgers Aaron Jones was the clear guy for the Packers.
Kelly:
Well, Speaking of Aaron Rodgers, let's go there. Monday night, the obviously the TV ratings numbers said it was one of the I can't remember the exact thing, but like. I think it might have been the highest rated Monday night game on E since ESPN has taken over Monday Night Football, so we're in the Meadowlands after the Giants got blown out 40 to nothing the night before. You know, the the whole NFL world's waiting to see former #12 now #8. The Jets and four plays in. His season's over. I mean, I don't know. You can't. If you wrote a story like that, Hollywood would reject it.
Chris:
Yeah, I I mean, I don't even know what to say on this. I mean, it's just hard to even fathom like like you said, this particular story playing out this way, you know, they're the focus of Hard Knocks this year. I mean, you know, all the drama in the offseason and all the. You know, print that they got and coverage that they got and all this and. You know the The Jets fans, man, I tell you what, Kelly, you know, they're they're spanning through the stands during the the telecast and. You can just see their faces. You know there there's some other fan base, like the Browns fans kind of look like that sometimes. And you know, we're just, you can just feel the pain on on the fans faces, like, come on, you got to be kidding me. Like, when is it ever going to be our year? We can't catch a break and four plays into the season, which, you know, they had extremely high hopes. You know, inside that. Building they firmly believed that they were a Super Bowl contender and and you know, they, Aaron Rodgers was all they needed. You know, they have all the other pieces in place and for him to go down, you know, just straight off the gate like that is you can just see it in their faces. They're like, man, I mean we we are cursed. I mean, this is outside of our control. I think go ahead.
Kelly:
So break it down Chris a little bit before we talk about the things I mean because all the TV, I mean the TV commentators, it didn't sound like a really bad hit or anything. What do you see?
Chris:
No, I mean and you know, and I had some friends I was texting with, you know, during the game. Obviously, excitement was high. It's week one and a lot of us at our football fans. I mean we we really look forward to this time of year and so we're all glued to the TV and and you know it's the last game of opening weekend and. Yeah, the the tackle was nothing. I mean, you know it, it didn't even look like you got twisted or anything. I mean just, you know, he he went down. Seemed perfectly harmless, man. There was there was there. There was nothing that jumped out from the play and then they replayed it a couple of times and and even during the replays, it was kind of like alright man, I mean dude, if you're really this old dude, you know what I mean? Like you, you're talking. I mean there was. There was nothing to the tackle and nothing that was, you know, sometimes the body. It's tweaked and and you could. Tell by watching, like man, that didn't look natural and there was nothing about this play that looked that way. And then he even got up. Was kind of wimpy. This was what kind of blew me away about this whole thing was. And I got a buddy who tore his Achilles and. And, you know, it's a long recovery process. And but the way he described the pain when it first tore, you know, he said it was excruciating, man. I mean, one of the worst pains he ever felt and. You know, later information came out that Aaron Rodgers had a full, full tear of the Achilles and you know, he stood up and kind of like, oh, my, my foot doesn't feel right, you know, and and then he kind of walked for a couple of steps and then he he sat down like he was sitting down for dinner and just like, oh, you know what? I better sit down and talk with someone about this. And so he sat down and. There was no pain on his face. There was nothing bad. I mean, it just seems so harmless. And then to find out what the injury, you know what the MRI showed was like, holy cow, that guy's tough as nails. I mean, I I don't know cause. Based on all the information I had visually, his face, you know, reaction everything that happened it it seemed. Pretty harmless.
Kelly:
Yeah, I mean it was. You know the game has barely started and and then this is happening. Sports. We've talked about this so many times, Chris, and I'm sure we will continue to. And I've told you it's the stories you know, and there was all the drama with Aaron leaving the Packers and. You know, as a Packer fan, you probably I I know, I was wondering. Well, dude, where was this? I'm all in on the team guy the last few years here in Green Bay when you couldn't show up to off season. All of that, and you would throw your receivers under the bus and a bunch of other stuff, you know, and maybe it was the change of pace, new team, New City that he needed to light a spark on him, you know, I mean, for the story side of it, sure, the Packer fan of me that I loved it if he's. Pitched a few interceptions or throwing. You know, maybe he should have had the game. I would have liked to have been perfectly fine if he would have had the game Josh Allen had. Throwing a bunch of picks, throwing some balls in the dirt, and all of that. I certainly didn't want to see the story in this way.
Chris:
No and and. You know, we've seen this with Brett Farve when he left kind of unceremoniously. And, you know, there's some hurt feelings anytime you break up. I mean, most of us have had more than one relationship in our life. And when you first break up, you know, it's it's not a lot of fun for either party. And you and you kind of don't want anything to do with the other person. For a little bit. But then sometimes, you know over as time goes by you, you can find your way back, you know or or or at least be friends. And you know, Brett Farve left. And it was like I said, a little rough there for a little while. But then overtime you you just remember the good things and you know in time. I think it'll be the same for Aaron Rodgers, but I I'm on you. I'm on your team, Kelly the. You know, Packers were a Super Bowl contender and you know, let's let's be real, you know, Aaron Rodgers was a major contributing factor to why they didn't win more Super Bowls and in the playoffs, he he came up short more than once and. You know, a lot of it was on him, man. He just didn't look like the all world quarterback he looked. He was during the regular season when the playoffs came and. You know, then, when the offseason would come and like you said the last few years, he's he's unwilling to work with the young receivers. He's unwilling to do the extra work necessary in the offseason and stuff, and and then all of a sudden he goes to New York and now he's willing to do it, you know, I mean, now you're now, you're all in. Now you want, you want to. Be there for voluntary camps and and and things and it's like, hey man, that's, you know, where were you when you were a Packer? You know, it's hard. It's hard for me to not have a little bit of. Commitment and you know, but again, I, I, I I'm with you, man. I I didn't. Nobody wants him to get hurt or anything like that. I certainly didn't want him to go to New York and win a Super Bowl. I'm not pulling for that in any way. But I I you know I didn't want him to. I wanted the season to play out. A little different.
Kelly:
Yeah, definitely because. As I told you off the air, someone else reminded me of this and it's. But I've been there, man. I know what it's like to be a fan. A long-suffering fan of a team. I mean, buying the Packers as we know went from one Hall of Fame quarterback to obviously a second Hall of Fame quarterback. And who knows what it will be with Jordan. So we've at least been competitive since 1992 and you know so. But I'm old enough to remember the 70s and 80s and some a lot of. Lonely Sunday afternoons with the team playing pretty poorly and not doing much and sports is always interesting in this regard because. You know. I guess it's what you're exposed to, but. You have this if you're a sports fan, you have a an emotional attachment and that in no way if you analyzed it makes a lot of sense to these players in this uniform in these names. But you know what? It's also that it's also the thing that binds you together as sportsmans, and you can come together and. Like we've talked about, you know, so I I feel for The Jets fans and I'm not. I'm not. I'm I really honestly do. Again, the story you want at some point the where the cursed team story to have some positive.
Chris:
Yeah, I mean, you know, and there there's examples of it, the Red Sox, it took a long time. You know the there, there's some franchises. I mean, you look at the Bengals, I mean, they were kind of a laughingstock of the league for for decades. And, you know, now it looks like, you know, that they've, they've turned it around, and they haven't actually got the Super Bowl victory yet. You know, they're they're a powerhouse in in the NFL. And I mean, you wouldn't guessed it by week 1 performance, but I think we all agree the Bengals are are a a high quality team and you know, so we can happen and and you know just clearly isn't The Jets time yet because I you know. I mean, I I was joking. You know, I was texting with some friends on Monday night, like I said, and. You know, I said I, I mean, I guess you gotta wear a pantyhose to to be a Jets quarterback. I don't know what it is. I mean, they're just cursed. And I said, you know, I guess I guess this is exactly what it feels like to be a chargers head coach. You know? It's just like I I don't know what's going to happen, but I. Just know it ain't. Going to work out so. That's gotta. That's gotta be how it feels like for a a quarterback playing in that green floor, man. Like, you know, sometimes it don't make any sense, but it just never works.
Kelly:
Well, ultimately and and that you know, for a game that started out with such emotional let down, it ended up being quite an interesting game. Like I said earlier, Josh Allen couldn't get out of his own way for failure with the everything he did wrong. Couple of interesting plays in the game. Itself, you know that ultimately led to a Jets win. Garrett Wilson, by all accounts. Made one of the best catches in NFL I don't know if I'll say history, but that's what some of the announcers and commentators I heard you know, they often maybe a little over reaction, but what do you see for there? Chris, can you break? That plate down.
Chris:
Yeah, I I mean, I don't know that I would put it in like my NFL history top plays, but it was an incredible. Gotcha. I'll say this for. You know, let me see if I could kind of describe it for you visually, Kelly. It's basically it was a back shoulder, I guess he called it a fade. It wasn't very deep, but a back shoulder fade to you know basically out in the flat over by the corner where the pylon is and the Garrett Wilson and the defensive back, I forget who was guarding on the play. We're, I think maybe read uh. They're basically facing each other. You know, mind you, they're in motion. They're running and stuff. But. As the ball was approaching picture like you're gonna dance with somebody you know you're facing each other. You kind of got your hands on each other and. What if I'm? I mean, honestly, the defensive back was probably in a better position. Garrett Wilson was kind of behind him, just just by a hair. You know, the way they were turned. And so he wasn't directly behind him. Like I said, they were facing each other and the ball was coming in, you know, from the side basically. And. There wasn't just stuck his arm out. He had no way to, like, catch it or not on the fly. Right, right. And what he did was just kind of, you know, reach out with his right arm to absorb the impact of the pass, right, so that the the ball is coming in pretty fast and he he can't get too hands on it and they're kind of wrestling with their left arms or I guess it would be Garrett. Here at Wilson's left arm, and I'm just gonna say it was read. I'm not positive on who the defensive back was, but you know, his right arm and Garrett Wilson's left are kind of like, not, you know, negating each. Other and then Garrett Wilson, Wilson reached out with his right arm and just kind of absorbed the speed of the pass and and knocked the ball up in the air and then just have the focus and concentration to stay with it. You know, you kind of some of us don't. If you ever played the keep the balloon off the ground trick right. You know you're not gonna balloon around the living room and and you don't wanna let it hit the floor. And that's kind of what? Garrett Wilson did with the football, you know, just keep it up in the air. You know, I can't catch it yet, but if I tip it back up, I'll get into the crack at it and can't catch it yet. And he kind of tipped it up a a couple three times to himself, and then he eventually was able to secure it. It was a a pretty incredible display of concentration. And, you know, I got Garrett Wilson is special man. I mean, he is. One of the better young receivers to come into league in a long time, and he's just, you know, you look at him like you look at a guy like DK Metcalf and you're like, wow, right. Physically, he just looks like, oh, my goodness, how could anyone? You know, go toe to toe with this guy. You look at Gary Wilson and it's like. You know, I mean, he's, you know, he's fast. You know what I mean? But he's kind of thin and lanky and it's like, but his technique and skill set his release. He's a second year wide receiver and you know, his release is is, you know, maybe not quite Devante Adams level, but, you know, took took Adams years to develop. That skill, you know that release off the ball, the the ability to get separation right from go with just a couple of steps here and there and all of a sudden, you know, he's got 3 yards of separation, you know, before they the play even really gets started. And that's something that somehow Garrett Wilson in only his second year already has like Pro Bowl. Level release and you know the guy you know theoretically. Anyway, the guy's only going to get better if he continues to work at his craft, so he's an impressive wide receiver. And like I said, not the most physically imposing when you look at him. But you know his technique, his skill and his just want. To on the field is enough to push him over the top. So yeah, an incredible catch and and then you got to think about the situation too. They're losing, you know, they had lost their quarterback. They couldn't do a ton. Bryce Hall was really the only bright spot on the offense. You know, Breece Hall looked amazing coming off of, you know. Coming off the knee injury and not not knowing where he would be. First time he touches the ball he he he takes it for 26 yards, then he's then he's out of the game for a while. Next time he touches the ball, he goes for 83 and it's like Oh my, you know, the guy has two carries for 109 yards and it and looks absolutely unstoppable. And both of those plays, as they were developing early, didn't look like. You know, it was like, OK, you know what I mean? He looks kind of bottled up in there and he somehow. Just finds little. Little gaps to to get through and. You know, he you could tell he was out of football shape and and isn't all the way back. You know, most of most any other time. If this was a month from now or last year, you know he scores on that play and he just kind of got gassed at the end and clearly you know he's he's not 100% in in terms of condition yet but very impressive for brisal but the rest of the offense had nothing man. And there was just this whole, like, dark cloud over the stadium. As soon as Rogers went down and was carted off and all that, even the commentators, everybody, I, I flipped over to listen to the Mannings for a little bit. And it was just all doom and gloom everywhere. And even as the game was being played in the second-half, it was still you still had this like, Oh my gosh, we have. No hope you. Know we're we're ruined. And as Josh Allen throwing all these picks and and making turnovers and doing all everything he can to lose the game for the bills, they just still couldn't do anything like at no point did you really feel like The Jets are going to win this game. And then Garrett Wilson makes that catch. And it was 13 to 6 at the time. And then that catch with the extra point tied it at 13 and all of a sudden I was like, hey, we got hope. You know, maybe we might be able to win this thing.
Kelly:
Yeah. You know, again there's times, you know, not all catches are the same and there's times and, you know, think about that as a professional athlete when you make a play, you know, and everything that you can't tell me, it hasn't been in your mind, everything that's going on. You know, yeah, unlike the, you know, when you're a kid trying to keep the balloon off. The ground, you know, you got whatever 70,000 screaming fans and a bunch of big dudes trying to do everything they can to stop you from achieving your goal. I think professional athletes had any sport. When you bring in contact sports like football, it's actually pretty amazing. The level of talent they have and ability to focus and perform at this high level of athleticism.
Chris:
Yeah, and. And then, I mean, momentum's a a real thing and you know that's what made the Garrett Wilson catch even more impressive. You know, like I said that it was all doom and gloom, doom and gloom. Since 4 plays into the game and then that catch, everything turned everything, all the fans, all the people watching on TV, everyone else, all of a sudden believed. Ohh wow, you know, cause we've seen this before, you know, I mean, you've seen a team who you know, is clearly the underdog and probably shouldn't win, but they're just scrappy enough and they hang around and they get the victory and then all of a sudden, you know, knowing that. Collectively, you could just feel the entire, you know, millions of people say, wow, you know what I mean? This just might win this game. And at no point previous to that did I do I think anyone felt that way. And so that that's that's what made. The catch even bigger.
Kelly:
Little bit of a. Funny Side Story here in Wisconsin. I don't know if you saw the headlines. Obviously, again, we talked about Aaron Rodgers leaving and there was more than one bar. As I've read the stories that were offering promotions that if The Jets lost the game that Aaron Rodgers started, you know, drinks were on the House. And when he went down, the stories say that and people just started, you know, pounding him only to get quite a surprise at the end because they had to.
Chris:
Pay their tabs. I didn't hear that. That's awesome. That's pretty funny. Yeah. I don't know what the money line would have went to. And and I, you know, I didn't track all. Of that but. Yeah. I mean, very few people believe The Jets could win that game. I mean, the bills were favored coming into the game and you know then when they went down, it was like, OK, The Jets really have no chance from here. But that's that's why they play the game, baby.
Kelly:
Couple of other bits of excitement in that game before we leave. It had a had a my most favorite off the goal post field goal.
Chris:
Yeah, I actually had a a little side note. I had a a fantasy football game that was taking place and I had Josh Allen and Tyler Bass on that team and I I was, I shouldn't have even had to sweat it. But you know, Josh Allen kept getting me a -, 2 like, you know, every other possession. And so. You know, I'm having to sweat this game out, and he has Mosley going. We play with defensive players in, in that league and and he's got CJ Mosley. And so, you know, he's picking up tackles here and there and getting a point here and there. And as that ball was being kicked out, I was tied in in the game. And you know, and and and I want to win my fantasy football game, man. And so 50 yard kick and it goes up and you can see it fading off to the left and it's like. Oh no. And then you know, you hear the Doink and you could see the football fly, but you, you can never anything that happens. You can never really tell which way the the football bounced. I mean, you could see it kick to the right, but you can't see if it kicked through the upright or out. You know, it's not till the officials, you know, either wipe their hands or or put them up that you know. And so, you know, I'm, I'm to win my fantasy football game. I'm. I'm. I'm hoping it goes through and then whatever happens, at least I got a 5 point cushion going into overtime, you know, and. So it goes. You know, it hits the hits, the upright. It makes that loud, like Doink sound. And I don't know what the percentage is, but it's gotta be at least eight to one that it does not go through maybe 9 to one. You know, when it hits that up, right, it doesn't make it. And but this is the one that went through and, you know, got my five points and we're going to overtime.
Kelly:
That is, you know, the cool thing about that is such a cool sound. No, I wish I had some audio, but right now to drop in the podcast, where's our producer? But I love that sound. And the the interesting thing to me is. For me anyway, it really gives me a sense of because you can hear the ball get kicked always, but you really can never tell for sure. You know when it goes past the goal post, you hear the chair. But when you when you have it blinking off the goalpost, you really get a sense. I mean, how so there's a little bit of flight. Time for the ball when it's a long field goal.
Chris:
Ohh yeah, it's yeah, it's absolutely. It's in there for a minute, man.
Kelly:
I mean, so it's always interesting in whatever TV does, they obviously must put a microphone right on their on the goal post. Just in the chance that's going to happen because they always seem to capture that sound amazingly well.
Chris:
Yeah, there. I mean, there was a lot of excitement in that game, a lot of stories leading up, a lot of stories during the game, you know, you know, and then even to follow. I mean, obviously the Aaron Rodgers is is probably the the biggest. I mean he's, you know, an all time great quarterback still seem to be I wouldn't call him in the prime of his career. But still certainly perfectly capable and. You know. That, that, that's obviously going to be the lead story is, is Aaron Rodgers going down? But you know, on the other side of the ball, Josh Allen, you know, at some point, man. You know what? What? What do you, how? What kind of story do you? Want history to? Tell about you dude and you know, obviously he's amazing and he makes amazing plays and. And you know, that's why he's thought of as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, cause you can see the the capability that he has and then his ability to run as well as pass. And he's got maybe the strongest arm in the NFL. He's right there with Patrick Mahomes and. But you can't keep doing this, Josh. You know what I mean. You cannot keep doing these. These rookie bonehead like first year player mistakes. I mean, if you want to be elite, then play elite. And what makes people elite is consistency. My dad said it many, many times, like, hey, man, there's not. There's no difference between me and Tiger Woods. You know, we can both make the same shots. The difference is he can do it over and over and and I can't. And, you know, Josh Allen just, dude, you got you. You can't. You can't do the things you did, man.
Kelly:
Yeah, I'm not ready to write him off or anything, and I don't think anybody is, but I will say, right? So he had been really remarkable. I believe it was between year one and year 2 for really cleaning up his game. I I forget the numbers, but he had really lowered the interceptions and some other stuff. Boy, this was. Hey, I, you know, the NFL. I'm not going. To I'm not going to be one of the let's overreact for one game entirely, but this was not a good performance for him and it was kind of a regression back to other behavior. Speaking of stories before we leave this game. You know, it ended with a great story too. Player barely makes the team and. Well, the story to end it.
Chris:
Well, and and this you know, you and I talk about this all the time. This this is what I really love sports about too. I mean, the at the end of the day, these are human beings we've. Said it repeatedly, you know. And and you can feel you know what they have to go through to get to this point, man. So I don't know. I've been watching Hard Knocks and. Savior Gibson was a guy who I think you know, you you'd have to get Robert Sala to to, to give you the real skinny. But I think he might have been the last guy to make the team at at the wide receiver position. At least you know him. And Brownlee came in. They were. They were great buddies and you know, fighting through camp and they both knew that they were kind of while they were good friends. And, you know, they showed them playing ping pong together and working out together and, you know. They knew that very likely only one of them would make it. I mean, they're not going to cut. Lazard, Cobbs, Aaron Rodgers, buddy Cop's got a spot obviously Garrett Wilson's a superstar in the making, you know, at some point, there's only so many spots to go around and. It didn't look like they were both gonna make it. And you know Xavier Gibson was a dude who basically just, you know, got there and obviously he's talented, man. I mean, nobody even gets a tryout if you're not talented. But relative to the rest of the guys didn't come with the same pedigree and. He had to grind man and work and earn it and everything. You know his spot on the team was given to him based on effort. And and just, you know, hey, man, this guy's got heart. He wants it so bad. And you know, I think The Jets have the right mentality that hey, give us a group of guys who just want it or hungry or willing to work. And even if we're not quite as talented that that drive an effort, what's inside of them will it will will overcome, you know, give me a guy who who's trying. But it's only a B talent over a guy who doesn't give a crap and is an A talent all day, right? And that was kind of who he was and that's how he earned his spot on the team and you know. Probably not going to get a whole lot of receptions based on, you know, where he's at in the depth chart, but where he can contribute is on special teams and for him to, like I said, you know, be one of the last guys put on the roster for him to earn his spot based on his ability to, you know, make a play on kick. You know kick returns and then for him to win it, just what a awesome feel. Good story for for him, man. I mean I I I love sports for that. You know there's a dude who has a dream. He goes after it, gives it all he's got, gets a shot and then he makes good when his opportunity presents itself.
Kelly:
Yeah, it is. One of the biggest reasons what I find compelling about sports, I mean. I have no idea to imagine how hard it is to make an NFL team. I mean, let's be honest. They bring in 90 guys in training camp. You know, probably 45 positions on the team are already locked up. You know, they the team knows who probably 45 of the 53 players they're going to keep our on day one. So that means you got 45 dudes really fighting for 8 roster spots, maybe. Maybe you know, toss in another 16 who make the practice squad for a year, but most guys don't stick around on that for more than a year. So just mathematically, your odds are slim to none. This year it was even different because they didn't do the, you know, typical. Hey, we're gonna cut it down in bits and pieces along the way. It was all at the end. So and I I think I mentioned this in our last episode, but I think about it, you know, because you see it every every Saturday, they're playing in college and Sunday, you know those that get to go on to the next level, there's already a big drop off and Friday night, you know, there's hundreds of thousands playing it on the high school football field. And So what is that like to go through that to battle? That's been your dream forever. And then to make the team and do what he did, especially on the emotional night with, you know, as you said, the black cloud in the beginning like that's just the kind of story. You know when you write the 2023 NFL story that's going to be part of the chapter one and that that's in the history book from now till Forever for that guy.
Chris:
Yeah. And and I mean that, that's not an exaggeration either. I mean, you think about Steve Gleason, you know, and and what his punt block in New Orleans now, obviously different stories and and you know after Katrina and and all, you know, all the things that that had gone on and all the emotions in, in, in New Orleans and all that. But I mean, that's the story that just keeps on getting told. Every year and he's he's a. I mean, he was a pretty, pretty good linebacker, but you know, you know, you know, obviously and we know the story of, of all the struggles he's had with the LS and and and, you know, but basically it was a pump block that made him a hero. And, you know, he he was a decent enough player prior to that. But. You know that that was the the play that.
Kelly:
Yeah, I mean, he was a decent player. But look again and I've actually met, I actually through some work that I was doing in my day job at Microsoft X had the opportunity to meet Steve Gleason once through some of the work that he was doing on the LS. But. And so when I say this, I mean no disrespect to that man, but.
Chris:
The Saints fans will remember forever.
Kelly:
He he was just another player. I mean, I'm not saying he was a bad player, but it's that punt block, right time, right place and obviously making the play that again in that season and that part of the NFL, that's what put his name on the page and that's what sports is about for good or bad, I mean. We we have those good memories, we have those bad memories, I mean. You can say 4th and 26th in Philadelphia to any Packer fan and you know they know what you're. Talking about.
Chris:
Yeah, and not and and that's that's what's cool, man. Someplace, you know, Odell Beckham's catch. You know, Desean Jackson's punt return. I mean, you you can go through the list of various players in various moments that stepped up and you know that. I think Zara Gibsons punt return is going to be remembered, you know, for. I mean, maybe forever, man. I mean, people are going to remember watching that and knowing that and and seeing that and good for him. Dude. I mean, I don't know what his career holds for him. I mean, he has a spot for now and and obviously. You know he's on a team, so he has an opportunity to make more plays and and make a career out of things, but they'll never be able to take that punt return away from him. You know, that'll. That'll be for with him forever.
Kelly:
Yeah, and. And you know, it was, as I said, for a game that started out what we expected is not at all what we got right. We think if you ask most people what they expect, they expected the offensive shootout between the younger gun, Josh Allen and the old Pro, Aaron Rodgers. What we got was very different, but ultimately the fact that we've just spent 25 to 30 minutes talking about it still quite entertaining.
Chris:
Yeah, great football game, man. And it just shows you. You just never know, man. And you know, like I said, there's 53 men on the roster and you don't know which one is going to be the one to make a difference in a game.
Kelly:
Let's jump around a little bit, Chris. Week one, a few other things. Quite a game to kick it off just a little bit over a week ago or a little. Yeah, a little over a week ago. Thursday night, Detroit and Kansas City.
Chris:
Yeah, I mean that, you know, Detroit's a good football team. They they came in hungry and.
Kelly:
Yeah, somebody in this podcast said that.
Chris:
Yeah. No, you're you're. You're not the only one man who who, who believes in the Lions this year. And you know, I I certainly thought that even with Chris Jones not playing and Travis Kelsey, which you know, you probably can make the argument they're #2 and #3 on their team in terms of impact, you know, you know, see, Mahomes has got to be #1, but huge playmaking members of the Kansas City. Chiefs that weren't playing and I still believed that the Chiefs still would find a way and who knows, man, if the white receivers were given a hand. To show up for the game. You know, maybe that that you still would have found a way to win, but credit to the Lions and and you know they're a good football team, man. They're well coached, they're disciplined. You know, I don't know if they're great, but they're they're really, really good.
Kelly:
I'm not going to put them in the great category, but I'm going to put them in the and again, who knows for sure, but I am going to put them in the category of. I think they believe and they are working by all the indications as a team and I think that coach has them believing.
Chris:
Yeah, it's, they're they're a real testament to the value of coaching. And you know, a team who doesn't beat itself is disciplined, does the right things. You don't have to be flashy to be. In a in a football game and to be successful in sports in general, if you if you check all the boxes and and do all the right things and don't beat yourself generally you have a chance to win in the end and that's what the lions earn for themselves was it was an opportunity and and in the end they were. Able to pull it out.
Kelly:
Why don't I ask you something about cause you hinted at it when you set up the wide receivers would have had some hands for the game. Going back to your playing days, Chris, you know I don't know if this happened in any of your games, but how does the team, you know, how do you react as either the quarterback or the wide receiver? Like on something like that when it can be both ways, it can happen in a lot of different ways in the game, but like. You know, ball hits the dude in the hands and he just drops it or the other one, the guys wide wide open. I mean, you always here. There's nobody within 10 yards of him or whatever, and the QB just misses it. Do they? What's that like? Do you just brush it off and hey, we'll get him next time. Does it sit in your mind? Do you know any, any, any real world experience with that?
Chris:
Yeah. No, I mean it it I wouldn't say it stays in your mind very long, but yeah, no, it's it's obviously bothersome you. You're well aware that opportunities like that don't come along. Sometimes you have to really fight to, to even get your hands on a ball or sometimes you have to really fight to get two or three yards of separation. So when you got 10. You know you you want to capitalize on those and and you know over the course of a game, you're only gonna have so many, you know, good opportunities. And if you miss him, it's like, OK, you know what I mean? I I was only gonna get 7 for the whole game, and that was one that we missed. And, you know, Christian Watson's career kind of started that way. And and it could, you know, could have started with a touchdown on his first catch. And instead he dropped it. And it's just deflating. And then. What what really happens though? I mean, you know how it is in life, man. When you take a a punch to the gut and then another punch to the gut and and you know it's it has this cumulative. Like exponential effect of negativity on you and in a football game, you know or, you know, a wide receiver quarterback combo. You know, it's pretty devastating if a quarterback loses confidence in a wide receiver, you know, you drop on. Alright, man, you know, next game you drop another one or or maybe you know, 810 minutes later you drop one. That was a little more challenging and we kind of gave you a pass. Like I was a little behind you. You know, that one was a little bit on me or whatever. But you know, you start dropping, you know 2-3. Very catchable balls, 4 catchable balls. At some point it's like dude, I can't throw the ball anymore, man. And now? You know, that's good. That will linger, you know, and. I know you know if guys just have bad games, sometimes, you know didn't didn't have a good dinner or whatever, man, they just there's not having a good game and. You know, for Patrick Mahomes, man, I mean, you can see it in his face there. There was one specifically in the fourth quarter when it was first down and. It's probably about a 2530 yard pass to Tony and in for NFL standards, he was wide open. My home set him right in the hands in stride. I mean, you know, a couple of moves and he may be able to even score potentially, but at a minimum he's gaining 253035 yards on the play. And it was, you know, it was going to be a get him to midfield. Right from go. And you know, he just dropped the ball, man. And. And you know, at that point, I think that was his fourth drop in the game. And so you could, you know, they flashed him homes his face. And you could just see he's like, you gotta be kidding me. Dude, you are paid a lot of money and your sole purpose professionally is to catch a football. And if you can't do that, like what good are you? That's what I took from it.
Kelly:
It's got to be tough in that, especially I'd love to be on the sidelines of a game once, just to feel the intensity. You know, with everything, first of all, the plays are so fast, the speed of the game is so fast. You hear there's so much going on. I bet it's just quite a intense space.
Chris:
Yeah, for sure. And you know when you're a team like the the Chiefs, you understand, you know, they they've been there. I mean, how well they hosted 4 AFC Championship games in a row. Five. I don't even know. I think it's a ridiculous number and. They know the value of Lins and, and they're playing for something bigger. You know, it's not just a game, you know, they're trying to win Super Bowls, and every game matters, which means, you know, every, every play matters. Every catch matters. I mean, it should matter to everybody. These are all professionals. Everybody should be, you know, but for the Chiefs, they know that they don't have much margin for error. For them to get to their.
Kelly:
And I think that's that is definitely true and it's like anything if you've done it once or done it twice, you know, done it done it three times, you know. I think you know more than other people what it takes to climb back to the mountain. And you know what missed opportunities to do. And I think you really get a really good sense of hey. You know. Game one, game 15, it doesn't matter. We we we can't get these opportunities back. Yeah. And it's really, you know, I'm sure already after this week because there'll be some teams that start out owing to and you'll I probably think I saw a couple headlines already, but I know every week for the next few weeks you'll see it. The statistics you know of what you know, teams that are owing to what percentage of them make the playoffs, or teams that are, you know, oh and three and you'll see it. And every once in a while, something you know is an outlier and breaks through that statistical reality. But it just takes longer. And longer, Speaking of having bad games, I don't know. Did you see the Cincinnati game?
Chris:
Yeah, that. Yeah, I ended up watching that game Sunday morning and.
Kelly:
What? What did you see there? I mean, wow, man, I mean again. I know everybody can have them, but if you could have a time to pick and have your worst game, we have to assign the biggest contract in football probably wasn't the greatest time to have it happen. I'm sure it. Didn't thrill them.
Chris:
No, and I mean, you know, sometimes you know, I I kind of alluded to it earlier that sometimes you just have a bad game and and so you know, that could be on the individual or that could be on the team. You know, football is a funny shaped ball and a bounce is funny and and every once in a while you know every time there's a fumble it it goes to the same team repeatedly. You know, it's like flipping a coin. And you know you have these series of. You know. 120 to 140 plays and you know within those there's probably 10 or 15 that are are big, you know kind of game changing type of plays and if you go you know 12 and four in those then you're probably doing pretty good. You know if you go you know 4:00 and 12:00 then you're probably going to lose. And every once in a while in a game, you know, you kind of saw over the course of a season with the Vikings last year where, you know, they were in all these close games and that could go either way. And they just kind of want them all. And so they ended up with a really good record and, you know, within a game, I think sometimes. As an individual, but also as a team, things could just, you know, not go your way repeatedly. It was a it was a very sloppy field. It was raining and you know, it's just credit to. I don't take anything from the Browns, man. I mean they, you know, defensively they looked pretty stout adding. The guys they added and and having. You know. Myles Garrett looks like unstoppable. Man. I don't. I don't feel you know. He's been in the running for NFL MVP or Defensive MVP, and I don't know if you'll get it this year or not. But man, that guy is just brutal and he plays a position that can affect the plays regularly too. So you know, I think universally for the last few years, Aaron Donald has been considered. The best defensive player in football and but from a A down tackle position it's it's hard to affect every play. You know what? I mean it's. It's, you know. He he's put his, his HIS teammates in positions to to succeed, but he isn't always necessarily in a position to to have an impact where at the defensive end position you you have more opportunities to have effects on football games and and Miles Garrett looked awesome man. The whole Browns defense did so. You know, we we've had this conversation before, man. It did. Did one team make the other team look bad or or was one team just bad and? Yeah. Let, let's just hold judgement. So it was a terrible game that the Bengals looked terrible. I think Burrow through for, like 7580 yards or something ridiculous like that. They just couldn't complete a ball. They couldn't do anything. And, you know, so the end result was they lost pretty badly. But let's let some some time. Go by. Let let's let him play in the sunshine. Let's let Burl you know. Remember he had the calf strain and and you know probably didn't get a ton. Time with the guys in camp and so, you know, let's let's just let things play out a little bit before we jump the gun too far. You know, it was it was a bad game for sure. And if they have three or four of them in a row, then OK, then that let's they they might have problems. But you know, if it's just one bad game then you know I think they can overcome that.
Kelly:
In the time we've got left. What else were some highlights or low lights that jumped out for you in the NFL? I'll just give one of mine first thought the Rams were significantly better than I thought they would be.
Chris:
Yeah, I didn't watch any of that game, so I I don't know exactly how it played out, but the final score and then just you know, as the game was going on and I was following the score, I, I gotta say, I was surprised by that one too. Again, not having not watched that game. I don't. I don't know exactly how it played out. You know, sometimes scores can be deceptive. Yeah, I mean, I I didn't expect much from the Rams this year. And you know, I I felt like maybe Stafford was already, you know, one or two feet out of the door and was just, you know, with cup hurt and everything else. It's kind of like, you know, I I just didn't expect a lot from him. And the Seahawks, you know, we kind of expected a little more from us. Like, felt like, hey, man, they they got something to build off of and. They could be a dark horse kind of team for this year and. After we one week, you know, maybe I don't know who we were wrong about or you know, again, you know, if you go to another game like the 49ers and the Steelers, I think a lot of the talk around the Steelers was very positive, especially on the offensive side of the ball. There was high hopes for what they would look like this year. And then the 49ers just went in and mopped them up. McCaffrey looked unstoppable. The whole 49ers. Offense, you know, was just clicking pretty. Looked great. I you had a had a huge game. Look, you know, like they could do no wrong. And then defensively, the the Steelers couldn't get a first down. So you know where the are the Niners that good or the Steelers that bad or you know, it's just, you know, this is where you need more data points to really get a. A good pitcher, but that was one that I thought would be a competitive game. I thought it would be close. I thought the the Steelers would would put up a fight offensively. I know the Niners are really, really good defensively, but I thought they'd, you know, be able to do a little more than than what they did and. You know, time will tell for both of those. Teams as well.
Kelly:
San Diego Chargers. What? What? I mean, they're just sneak bit, man.
Chris:
Yeah, that's what I alluded to. They they're in Los Angeles now, but they my bad. They I do it all the time. Too bad I've gotten pretty good about calling Washington the commanders nowadays, but it it just takes a while, man. You. You hear something for years and years and years and you know, your tongue just has some muscle memory. Yeah, the, the, the you know, I alluded to it when I was talking about The Jets in the quarterback situation. You know, that's what I text my buddy. I said this has gotta be what it feels like. To be a Chargers head coach, you know, when you when you're applying for the job, you know, if I'm a quarterback man and The Jets are like, hey, we'd like you to come play for us. I'm just feeling like, yeah, but sure you got all these weapons and sure, you got all these good things going on. But man, it don't work out well for quarterbacks, you know, playing for The Jets. I just feel like that, you know, you guys going to put. The kibosh on my career. And if I'm interviewing for a head coaching job and the Chargers are calling, I'm kind of like, yeah, you got Herbert, you got a defense, you got, you got all these good things going on. It just never works out for a coach, for the Chargers and for whatever reason, man. They just find ways to lose games that they should win. And I mean, you know, dolphins look great, though I think the Dolphins are exactly like what you expect the Dolphins to be. I mean, they got run on for, like, I don't know, it's approaching 200 yards or something. So, you know, chargers. Have their way with them running the ball but. You know the question with the Dolphins, you know, we saw this last year. I mean, when Tua was healthy and he has waddle and and hill on the field. There's huge running lanes for the for the tailbacks and you know they got two of the better wide receivers in football. Tyreek Hill is maybe the most unique wide receiver in all the football in what he can do. There's just nobody. I mean, he just runs faster than everyone, man. There's nothing you can do to stop speed. You know, scheme, do whatever you want. But you can't send three guys to cover one. And with as fast as he is, it's it's impossible for one guy to cover him, and it's it's really hard for even two guys sometimes. So you know when they're healthy. I mean, this is just what you expect. You know, they they looked amazing last year. Offensively when when two was healthy. The big question around the Dolphins, you know, our, our Tyree kills hamstrings going to hold up all year. To his brain. Gonna hold up all year, you know? I mean, there's just, you know, it's more has to do with health questions and and durability issues and and can they hold this you know keep this going for 16/17/18 you know and beyond weeks that's the question. So the fact that they scored a lot of points isn't surprising when they're healthy that's what they can do.
Kelly:
It is interesting how some teams I guess, over even throughout all the. There's, I'd say, I guess kind of take on the identity of their city a little bit and have a reputation. I mean, that's kind of the the Dolphins whenever they've been successful, that's kind of been their MO, a lot of the time, right? Give me some super fast wide receivers. Give me a quarterback that can really. Throw the ball around the yard and we're just going to have a track meet.
Chris:
Yeah. No, you're right. I mean, the Steelers have kind of in the Steelers, they've been built on running games and defenses. You know the you, you can go franchise by franchise and there's some movement, you know within them. But yeah, I mean you're you're not wrong, man. The the there's certain identities, identities, you know, and especially if you have. Some of the situations are are a a head coach stays in place for a long time and so his philosophies stay with the franchise, but other times, even as head grocers change, you know, dolphins are a good example of that. And even the Chargers, you know what I mean that that that's, you know, kind of who they've been and so. You know. If if the Chargers had almost any other uniform, you would think that they were, you know, a Super Bowl contending team based on talent and and the ability it. But at the end of the day, you have to know how to win and that's where the Chargers have just never seemed to figure it out, man. And if any team in all of sports finds them. More miraculous ways to ****** defeat from the jaws of victory. I don't know who it is. The Chargers are are #1 and and just find a ways to these games. Yeah, dude. I mean, over the years. I mean, think of some of the just obscure, bizarre.
Kelly:
They're they're pretty high up there.
Chris:
Ways they've lost games is crazy.
Kelly:
I've always, you know, so growing up, I was, I was always a Packer fan and for a while I was also, I remember my brother Joel, your uncle. We were both. I was a Houston Oilers fan and he was a Pittsburgh Steeler fan as well. But. I also remember as a kid always having a little bit of soft spot for the Chargers. Just maybe it was just they they were out in California. That's when they had Dan faults and everything else, and it was so different than the Green Bay Packers, you know?
Chris:
Of that air, air, Air, coriell days.
Kelly:
The Packers were. Yeah, man. And the Packers were, you know, running three yards in a cloud of dust and not very good. And the Chargers were always on late in the afternoon, and it was sunny California and all that, you know? So I've always had a soft spot for us. The San Diego Chargers.
Chris:
Well, I'll tell you what. You you you just brains ring something in my ear about the three yards in the cloud of dust, I'm going to be really interesting. I think my, my, my team, my team of interest this year so far is is the Atlanta Falcons man. And I just want to see you know how.
Kelly:
LA charges against.
Chris:
They hold up. You know, I I love it, man. I mean, this is, it's throwback. As it gets. They, you know, they got an identity. They know exactly who they want to be. And they have a have a a stout offensive line they got you know. One of the best young running backs in the league last year in Algier, and then they drafted, you know, one of the best prospects in in a long, long time and be John Robinson and you know they they want to run the ball and and if they run 70 plays they would love for 63 of them to be runs if they can be successful doing it, you know. So that is not the NFL of today. That is not how most teams do it. That's not how the rules are set up. And so they're bucking, you know, the the norm in their approach, at least offensively. So I'm really curious. I mean, you know how they're going to be able to do, I mean, both Bijan and Algier had had good statistical days. You know, they played the Panthers, you know, not a lot of pressure coming from the other side probably, you know, if they were playing the Chiefs, you know, we'll see if you 3 yards in a cloud of ducks. Works against the team that could put up points, but their team that I'm pretty interested in, man, I'm I'm kind of curious because they're really the Titans have kind of been like that in recent years. You know, just feeding the rock to Henry and just run, run, run, run, run. I I think the Falcons are even a step up from that man. I mean they they just want to run the ball. And I think they got, you know, the the squad and and the personnel to do it at least on the offensive side, we'll see the the defense is a work in progress, but. They're going to be a team that I'm, as they have different, you know, levels of competition that they have to face. I'm kind of serious curious how that style holds up.
Kelly:
Yeah. Well, I mean, it's definitely not how the NFL is built today, but as you said, like you know, if they ran 70 plays in 60, three were were run, I think they'd be fine with that. And that's what they're geared around and they've. Optimized for it, they got, you know, they already got a big game, but at least for me coming up this weekend.
Chris:
Yeah, no, and well, I I think I texted the to the family group like, hey, NFC South's best division in football. And so I think they have the most wins. So you know we I think we agree that that that whole division is up for grabs. I'm most probably think the Saints are the favorite. You know the the the Panthers are in a rebuild and you know, as are the bucks. I don't know what exactly the bucks are right now, but you know, and then you got the Falcons. I mean, that division could go to anybody. And so I'm kind of curious to see, you know, who the cream is that rises over time.
Kelly:
Before we call it an episode, what's what are you looking forward to this weekend's game or two that's jumping out for you, Chris?
Chris:
In the NFL, Packers are gonna go play those Falcons, so we'll see. That's, you know, obviously every week I'm gonna be interested in what the Packers have to do. I'm I'm. I'm mostly gonna be looking. I don't know if there's a a specific. Game, but you know, as you kind of alluded to, right, so. You know, you just you can't start piling up losses. The bills are, oh, and one. The chiefs are. Oh, and one the the Bengals are owing 1 some, you know, these are premier, you know, Super Bowl contending teams that that we think based on you know last few years and personnel that they have coming into this year and you know they they not nobody has a win yet. How how do you bounce back? You know, how does Josh Allen bounce back? You know, going home. Are you gonna take that poor performance to heart and and not let it happen again? Are you going to show everyone? Hey, this this is who I am. You know, that last game was was not me. You know, Joe Burrow. You know what I mean? Like, hey, that last game was not me. You know, here's what the Bengals are about. And so you go kind of down the list. And I I just want to see what the. What would I believe to be the premier teams? You know how they respond coming off the loss, there's an interesting one. The Chiefs at the Jaguars. I think you know, we both agree the Jaguars are up and coming, but they're not quite there yet. The Chiefs are the pinnacle. And they play each other, even Jags get the game at home. Chiefs are coming off a loss, you know. You know that they they ain't trying to lose two in a row. And this is an opportunity for the Jaguars to show, like, hey, we've arrived. You know what I mean? We're we are a contender, you know, we got a game at home. Against you know, the the best team in football and if you're there then you should win that game or at least at least compete to the end with them and. So I'm I'm curious about, you know, who are the Jaguars? I think we know who the Chiefs are. They lost. You know, it's unfortunate they didn't have a couple of key components and and a lot of guys played absolutely terrible from the wide receiver position and stuff. I I don't think anyone believes the Chiefs have lost it. By any means. So I think we know who the Chiefs are, but I'm curious who the Jaguars. You know what I mean? Like, do you have enough defense to to hold them down? Do you have enough offense to score with them? You know what I mean? You know who are you guys? Man, are you a flash in the pan last year or are you building something?
Kelly:
Yeah, I'm curious to see that one. I'm also curious, I guess just because it was sold outsided are the Cowboys as good as they showed in week one and are the Giants as bad as they? Showed and then. I'm also curious to see. What do The Jets do? OK, now, whatever. Got them through game one. You know, now, now this is your reality. I mean, any emotional low or high from everything that went on in week one, it's gone. And this is what you got now. So how do you? Come out.
Chris:
Yeah, and that's a crazy game, man. I mean, I I could see that game being like 2 to 4. The Jets are playing at the Cowboys and based. So the Cowboys have had this flashy defense good, a good defense, like fantasy Wise, they're they're they've been a really good defense man. They got a good return, man. They got digs, picking off balls and returning them. You know, they got Michael Parsons and. DeMarcus Lawrence and. You know, they they had guys who could, who could make big plays, you know, strip sacks, pick sixes. You know, those types of things. But they did not have a defense that could. Hold up for four. Quarters, you know, on a play by play basis you know, so they they had that. You know, flashy like to go get you a score, but they're they're not gonna be able to keep A-Team from from marching down the field on them very effectively. They added some girth right up front and and picked up some big, some big boys to fill the metal and they still have all that back end speed and and playmaking ball, Hawking ability, all all that. Pass rush ability. And you know, we'll see man the giant, the Giants offensive line is garbage, and that game also was in, in pretty ****** conditions. And so, you know, we'll see. They'll get a chance to play. But The Jets, I think we know exactly what The Jets are. I mean, they're going to win with grit and defense and, you know, hopefully have a good running game. But they, you know, their offensive line problems aren't just all better. So. You know, jets have some offensive line issues, but at least they got playmakers that can kind of, you know, work around it, you know, breeze all shows he can, he can get yardage even if the offensive line isn't blocking, right. Dalvin Cook, I think you know he's a four time Pro Bowler, still has a lot of gas in the tanks, but The Jets are built on defense and I think based on what I saw, so are the Cowboys. So you know that that that's an interesting game to me. You know that that two teams that are are clearly at this point built on defense. I think Dax, you know a significant upgrade to Zach Wilson at the quarterback position. But you know, with that jets defense, I I don't know how much he's gonna be able to do so that that is an interesting game as well. I want. I want to see how it plays out and what the two because these are two of the best defenses. You know, you can put the the Eagles and the 49ers in there, but jets, Cowboys, Eagles, 49ers right now for me heading into the season. And what I saw week one, those are the best defenses in the NFL currently in my mind. So you know, time will tell some other guys will show themselves. But right now two of them are going against each other. So that's.
Kelly:
Pretty interesting. Now I I I look offensive, football's fun and it's enjoyable. It's flashy and obviously it's dramatic and. Well, that I enjoy seeing a really good, especially given how the rules are stacked against them. I enjoy seeing the really good defenses perform their craft at a high level and they can come in even with because I really believe the deck is stacked against them in, in, in a lot of ways, I mean the. I really enjoy seeing a good defense come in and shut down one of these higher powered offenses. I just, I think it's. Just makes the game more exciting.
Chris:
I agree with you 100% man. There was some SEC games I remember LSU and Alabama played twice in a year and I don't remember what the total points score between these two games were, but I I think one of them finished nine to six and it was some of the best football I ever saw. You know, in the old Ravens Steelers games. You know, when a punt matters. And field position matters, you know, and and a a, a snap over a quarterback's head for a 12 yard loss. You know is a determining factor in the. Team, you know that that's cool football, man. I'm into it. I like it. I I love. Especially when two match up against each other. When neither. No, I don't want inept offenses that that are that, you know, just can't do anything. But when a defense overpowers the other teams offense. And that's happening on both sides of the ball at the same time. It is a cool football game where where field position. Really matters when you know. A full goal. It is worth like 10 points in this game, you know, feels like right. And so, you know, just getting to the opposing teams 30 is is a huge accomplishment. I'm into that man. I like that kind of football.
Kelly:
Yeah, I do too. Well, Chris week ones in the books, we didn't get to college this time around. We'll we'll pick that up next week a little bit more.
Chris:
Yeah, go buffs.
Kelly:
They are unreal, dude.
Chris:
Yeah, I I mean, we'll see. I mean, they gotta they they should slaughter Colorado State this week. I mean, they're they're obviously they're the. There's the powerhouses. I mean, you're Georgia's and Ohio State and Alabama's and on and on. Right. Texas had a gigantic win good for them. They I mean.
Kelly:
Alabama have a little bit of power depletion buddy. Maybe they didn't pay the bill or something. Yes. So Texas went in there and.
Chris:
Put a whooping on him, dude. I mean, hung with them. I mean, I wouldn't say they. I watched that game and they didn't whoop him, but they won and they went toe to toe with them and ended up winning by 10 in the end. And every time Alabama came back at him and it looked like, ohh, here we go. This is what Alabama does. They just don't. Lose they find. A way to win Texas is, you know, like not so fast, buddy. And they went and scored again. And then Alabama scored and Texas like, alright this what you want to do? Will score again too. And that was a really good football game. So yeah, college football still in the preseason, you know, we'll get we don't really have a a great marquee matchup of ranked opponents this week but. Yeah, the the Colorado Buffaloes. You know, you look at their schedule. I looked ahead and it's like. Alright. Well, I mean I should.
Kelly:
I believe they after this week, I believe they have Oregon and then USC.
Chris:
Be able to ramble off some wins.
Kelly:
Goodnight.
Chris:
Is that what it was? Those are spread out. I I have to. I'd have to look again. I just remember. I think those are further down the road. Dude, I could be wrong about that. I could be. But I just remember thinking, alright?
Kelly:
You guys doing sports cop podcasts? And we don't know.
Chris:
The schedule. That's why we need to produce a red. I need someone like feeding my computer screen with information. I'm I'm my own researcher so, but anyway I'm interested. So next time we get a chance to talk. Man, I I'd love to, you know, kind of catch up on the college college situation.
Kelly:
I will say this again because I know we have some listeners that are wazoo fans, Washington State, including a former guest who if we can find a way to have him back Dan Airplane Dan. You took it to my Badgers. Congratulations.
Chris:
Yeah, they, they, they launched up into the top 25. That's a big win against a a good football team. You know, so a good online zoo, I mean I I don't know if I said it, that's where I went to school as wazoo and you know, so I love to see it. They're one of those programs that's not perennial by any means. They kind of, you know, they they come back. About every four or five years and and and put a nice squad together and then they take 3-4 years off and and and so hopefully this is the year that they're up near the top.
Kelly:
Well, in between and between them and Oregon State, I mean the.
Chris:
Yeah, you got a 5050 chance. Of winning the league.
Kelly:
They didn't win their court battle, so we're at least the first part of it. When they've asked to say that. The at least they put an injunction in place so that the other schools can't start making decisions about the future of the PAC 12 when they're all bailing at the end of the year. There was a court case on Monday about that, and because there was going to be a meeting Wednesday of this week around some of the. Future decisions, but hey man, if you left, if you're leaving at the end of the year, I think you lose all rights to decide anything about. The league.
Chris:
Yeah, agreed. I mean that, that seems like a no brainer to me.
Kelly:
You know, so. We'll see. I just what I was going to say. Is I mean? I feel like I the whole PAC 12 thing is a long and sad history. I actually blame a lot of it on their former Commissioner, Larry Scott, who did a poor job of running the conference and. Thought he was going to do some kind of Hail Mary with a TV deal that never materialized. I mean, all kinds of stories about him, a lot of the PAC 12 cities, he couldn't even watch the games or just all kinds of problems. And now they're paying the price for that. And it's unfortunate that so many of these schools. You know, have kind of look out for themselves or you know, their best bud with USC and UCLA and then Washington and Oregon and all the other stuff that's gone on it. I don't know how I feel entirely. I mean, part of the change is inevitable with the money involved in college sports. So I imagine if this was happening to the Big 10, I'd probably feel more intense about it. I still think it's not entirely cool for me growing up the big 10 in the PAC 10. As they were then, you know, because they both played in the Rose Bowl, those were kind of the two conferences I always followed. So to see one of them probably going to be gone after this year. I mean, yeah, there's change. And then there is a disappearance and. I guess you gotta learn to live with both, ultimately.
Chris:
Yeah, I mean, we could do a three, a three-part series on just the history of the NCAA as it pertains to football alone, let alone, you know, the other sports and Title nines and and just all the components, man. I mean it. College Sports has had its head up its **** for as long as I've been alive and and. It's just. It's too bad, man. I mean, it's a great product, it's it obviously generates a lot of money and you know a handful of people in power. Just you just poor decision making and and a sense of entitlement by the NCAA and and there's this. Ruling body. That, you know, has no common sense, and I just on and on and I could go on forever about the frustrations I have about just being poorly run. It's like you have this incredible product and this incredible platform and you guys just are terrible at running it.
Kelly:
You know, and maybe we'll have to look at the scheduler, talk more about this, but I'll just say this. Never in all of my sports world watching have I seen. And it's not just the big name sport of football and basketball and stuff like that, but if you really get into across all the different sports that the NCAA has, there are, I mean, amazing, talented athletes and an amazing product. Volleyball here in Madison, teams outstanding college hockey. Again, the Wisconsin's women hockey team amazing up and down. You swimming, gymnastics, all these different sports. They put on amazing sports but never had. Such an amazing product, been mismanaged or run more ineptly or like a thief, Edom, with all the power going to the top. And I don't mean the schools, I mean the NCAA and the money at in my career of watching sports, they could be doing so much better. And with the right governing body. A lot more things could have been put in place. The whole circus we're seeing now with nil. If they want to just bury their head in the sand for years and said Ohh it's they're student athletes, they can't make any money. That's that's just the most ridiculous thing. If I'm a student and I write a book, I get paid. If I sing, I get paid. If I act, I get paid. If you're getting. I mean, these schools are paying. Sometimes you read about it, right? Oh, whatever. Big name. School X paid. You know, school Y $1.1 million to come in and take a beating. Well, nobody. None of the students got any of that money and they're the ones that you know, like. But that was all correctable if you would have just. Not been fools. And that's that's what it is, fools.
Chris:
Yeah, 100% man and and just zero common sense and kind of 0 give a ****, dude. That's the part that's really infuriating. It's like, well, I'm in charge. I make the rules and that's it. And you know, it's too bad, man. I mean, you know, I I know we're. We're probably running a little long, but I just, I'll never forget. I forget his name. The Colorado Buffalo that was a wide receiver and but also was a downhill skier and went to the Olympics and lost his college eligibility. You remember his name? I I can't.
Kelly:
Remember his name? But I remember the story. And like.
Chris:
That's the kind of stuff that's. Like dude, what are you guys doing?
Kelly:
Oh well, actually, I mean here again. I there was a you can find it. There was somebody I think she played tennis for the North Carolina. And she ended up playing in the US Open, and I think she made, like, $81,000. She had to give it away or she would have lost her college eligibility.
Chris:
Yeah, that's that's the stuff I'm talking about.
Kelly:
Now I'm sorry, but in a sport like tennis, where it is an individual sport and. There should be a way for those people to take part in some of these. Grand Slam level tournaments. I don't know how you find this outlook. Does it mean a college player can be on the whole tour? Probably not. You got to work something out, but there's got to be some better level of common sense, especially when again, the people running this. It's just like the people that run all these bowls, I mean. They make high 6 figure salaries to put on a football game and what do the players tend to get? Ohh a bag of goodies from Best Buy here is $400.00. Here's an iPad. Thanks. Thanks for your contribution. Know. Oh. Oh, you tore up your knee? Willis Mcgahee and lost a year in the NFL, and your career was never the same. So sad. I hope you had an.
Chris:
Yeah, Fiona Crawley, that was the. That was the girl from North Carolina forfeits $81,000. And that's the kind of stuff. So, you know, if you have a government, This is why you have Commissioners and and have governing bodies for people to use. You know, some level of common sense. And and This is why you have captains on teams. And and you know, sergeants, and and in the military and hey, man, we have a general set of rules, but every once in a while, something's going to fall into a Gray area, and we need someone in charge who can make a decision because we don't exactly have a specific rule for this and. Yeah, if you if you are putting other people's interest 1st and you're making a decision now, not everyone is going to like your decision all the time. I mean, you and I, every, every human being deals with this on a regular basis. In my work, you know, I I we have a set of specifications, this is how we're. Supposed to put a roof on, but this looks a little bit different. You know, we didn't take this thing into consideration. So given the new information that I just. That just came to light. We're going to make this ruling and everyone just accepts my ruling and says, hey, that's fair. That's reasonable, we understand. You made it and when you know Fiona Crowley goes and makes $81,000 and say, hey, well, you know, we didn't see one of our, you know, collegiate athletes doing this well. When someone goes to the Olympics and and, you know, gets a swag bag and gets some meals paid for and stuff as a representing the United States of America. Yeah, we, you know, we that this is a special. Case in your situation.
Kelly:
Not even in the sporty played.
Chris:
Yeah, we're we're gonna let you go ahead and keep your eligibility. You know, this isn't something that comes up all the time. And anyone would say, OK, that's that's a very reasonable common sense. Kind of. Solution. You know, maybe he doesn't exactly fall in line with the rules, but you know it makes sense why you made this choice. But when someone consistently makes choices that are clearly only in the best interest of 1 or few and harms thousands, it's just hard to get on board. Man, I know.
Kelly:
We're running long, but I'll just say this, obviously this one really cranks me off some of this because. It'd be one thing you you play this game of claiming it's the student athlete and academics are so important. Yeah. How how many classes do you think any of those basketball players are going to during March Madness and all that, I mean? You want them there or when they're playing college games on Thursday night and Friday night and all this. Look, I don't have a problem with that. I don't even have a problem. If the kids don't go to class. If they're in college and they're there at the premier schools to, like, try and become pro, then put a program in place. If you're going to have colleges host this stuff to give them the life skills that they need. If they don't work out in the pros. But don't play this game. I mean, I'm not saying these players are ignorant in any sense of the imagination. But you know the the can they just are not straight up and honest about what's going on and they're happy with all the riches and the TV contracts and the players. OK, fine. Now we got a little bit of nail and holes. Some people are freaking out because hey, some college player got a, you know, whatever. I mean, you've heard about them. Some some yeah. College players getting a couple $1,000,000 and nil. Yeah, well, last time I looked, I think Nick Saban was getting paid about 10 million. So don't cry to me that it the you know, just it's. Not fair to the people doing the product. That's the number one thing for me in any sport, man. It is the people on the field playing the game. Putting their. Hard effort training and risking injury, especially in sports like football on everything they do and. If you are a steward or a leader or a Commissioner of that. You should be acting in the 100% and more best interest of those people on everything you do and it is clear to me that the NCAA leadership on multiple occasions has not done that.
Chris:
No, you're 100% right.
Kelly:
All right.
Chris:
Just a a sweet little get off my lawn to finish this episode.
Kelly:
I mean, look, I love sports, man, and but I I love stories and I also anybody who knows me knows me, that I I'm a big fighter for equality and if I see an injustice, I I like to.
Chris:
Do too.
Kelly:
See it corrected. There's always, Chris. Our conversations, I love them. You get the the best out of me and just one last shout out again to both Donovan and Molly. Rest in peace. Part of my passion and energy. You both knew it. You made me better because of your supporting it. And again, just to rest in peace to both of those two kind souls.
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