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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 welcome to another episode of the podcast to be named later. Whether he was off on injured reserve or just busy myself as well, we're friendly back in the studio. I got Chris out in California. Here I am in Wisconsin and the NFL's halfway through the season. Chris, good to hear you this morning and welcome.
Speaker 2Chris:
OK. Thanks Kelly. To hear you too, Sir.
Kelly:
I think I've heard you're all fired up and ready to go, is that?
Speaker 2Chris:
Right, that is correct. So your you know, our listeners aren't going to get to hear what what took place prior to coming on the air, you know, but you and I have a little pre talk talk and yeah, you got me all fired up buddy. So I'm.
Kelly:
Ready to go? All right, Speaking of fired up. I'll give you the props because I made a statement that you probably didn't hear a few weeks ago on the podcast when I was talking to our last guest, my friend. And I said I was coming for you in fantasy football. Well, that kind of fell short. I've lost a couple games since then in our Family Fantasy League. You are the leader tied with one other fellow and looking pretty strong. What's your take on fantasy football over this year?
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I don't know you. I mean, you're you. It sounded like you're kind of down on yourself. I mean, you realize you're in the. Playoffs right now. So you're sitting for person.
Kelly:
Oh yeah. No, I'm, I'm OK. But I had a good run. I mean. You know, for me, if you had a week where you scored 300 points, everything else was kind of a let down.
Speaker 2Chris:
Well, yeah. You're not gonna score 309 points every week, so that, but what that week did do for you is, you know, our our, the way our league set up and a lot of others are this way as well. You know, you go to head to head, you know, wins and loss or wins and losses first and then you go to. Your point total as any tie Breakers and often times you know there'll be a couple of teams tied for that last playoff spot or two and and the points really matter. So I understand maybe you're disappointed you're not getting 300 points a week, but that 300 really helped propel you into a good spot for any tie Breakers that may come into play later. So I I like your spot, Kelly, I think you're you're right there. You know, I I I haven't taken a close look at your team, but this is the time of year by week, Sir. Are you know there's there's still a few left, but you know once they end, you know what your roster needs to be a roster. Whatever you want to make a run with, that's what you, you know, you got to put in place, you got to look at your teams and, you know, decide where your strengths are and and where your weaknesses and try to address them either through the waiver wire or trade or whatever.
Kelly:
Hold on one second there though, Chris. I'm going to call you out on one thing because I'm not sure you're being completely fair. Open with our podcast listeners. I think you know more about every team in our Fantasy Football League than the owners themselves, mine included. So don't sit there and tell me you haven't looked at my team.
Speaker 2Chris:
I don't remember everything. I look at it, so I definitely go through and and for any of our listeners who play fantasy football, this is something. Everybody should be doing so, you know, whenever your time is, all of us have so fantasy football. Football in general is a passion of mine. So when Angie's looking at dog videos or you know people, you know, wives who are scaring their husband on. Internet I'm looking at who the 2024 rookies coming out into the NFL are. That's my interest. Like that's my that's my when I have free time, that is where I spend my time and and not everybody is like that. You know, I understand that I'm I'm different that way that that I'm as interested as I am but even if it's more of a job for you if you're in a fantasy football. League at some point, even if it's just Tuesday morning, that that's when you do your waivers or Tuesday after work. That's when you put your picks for the next week in, and that's when you're gonna look at your team and decide who's starting for your team next week, who's gonna buy things like that. That in that time when you choose to to look at your fantasy football, you should also include looking at the other teams in your league, like how to be honest, how do you match up? You know, are you're trying to win a championship, right. So you gotta you gotta have an idea. How are you relative? No different than teams in the NFL that decide, hey, if we're gonna get past the chiefs. We need another cornerback. We can't let them throw all over us. We need another middle linebacker. You know, we we need to be able to protect against Khalil Mack, so we gotta look at at at tackle, you know? Same thing that that. NFL teams are doing to be in a position to win a Super Bowl. You should be doing in fantasy football, looking at your your opponents and and what do they have, you know, and are you good enough to beat them? And so, yeah, I I go through and I look at everybody's team, you know, just about every week, maybe every other week I I go through the league and I click on every, every team and. I scan through. And a lot of what I'm doing is I'm looking for trades like, OK, what are? Where you know what can I? What do I have an excess of and and what do they have an excess of and do I need it? You know, if they have extra wide receivers, do I need one? OK, what can I trade them? Things like that. So I do. I do look at the teams, but I'll be. I'll be. I'll be honest, perfectly honest. I don't remember each individual's.
Kelly:
Like what name corresponds to which players all the time? Yeah, we'll test you on some time on that. That sounds good.
Speaker 2Chris:
I know you got DJ Moore, that's that for sure, I know.
Kelly:
That was that was a good one. That's the that was part.
Speaker 2Chris:
Of my well, that was a fair trade. I mean you. You know, DJ Moore has been.
Kelly:
No, it won't be good. Trade. But it's, you know. I always tell people this story sometimes like. You know you have the ultimate experience early on in, in things. So the DJ Moore trade, when we did that, that was the week he was part of my 309 point week where he got me 59 points and. It always reminds me so when I was in college, you know I did journalism. And one of the things they do in a lot of newsrooms is they have police scanners and stuff. So I kind of got into it a little bit and many years ago I went out and bought a police scanner and about literally two days after I bought it, if you look up on the Internet, there was what was kind of known as the great butter fire here in Madison. It's not funny at all. I mean, it was a very serious thing, but a warehouse full of like butter and cheese started on fire. And so literally, there was rivers of butter and grease running down the roads, and sadly into the water. But at the time, you know, two days after I buy this scanner, this is what I hear. So it's like, that's one of the things for people that you scanners. You're always looking for those you know, super highlighted events and. I could probably listen to the scanner for another 20 years after that and would never hear something you know as all-encompassing as that. So I kind of had that great experience right out-of-the-box and the the DJ Moore thing was a little bit like that.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, you I think you're spot on. I think you could you can correlate that to other experiences in life. You know a lot of times it's it's awesome first time or when it first starts out and then after a while it just kind of fades. So yeah.
Kelly:
Speaking of awesome and also fading, you know we're about halfway through the NFL season. I know when you and I talked at the beginning of the season, we were kind of looking forward to. Kind of. You know, the era of the great quarterbacks and halfway through the season, you talked about looking at fantasy football lineups as well. I think you almost got to go to the hospital pages and see who's checking in that week, especially in the quarterback area.
Speaker 2Chris:
Well, yeah, you're spot on. And I think part of it is obviously injuries and that's a that's always going to be a part of football and then. And I think a lot of it is perception where there was hope for quarterbacks that hadn't necessarily proven themselves, but but they sure looked like, you know, they were going to be a thing. And, you know, we kind of we got we kind of missed out on on every level. So you know a bunch of injuries and then. You know, some of the young guys just haven't grown into their their role as quickly as we had hoped they would. And yeah, the the state of the quarterback in the NFL is is not great again. So I thought we had. We're in a really good place really over the last couple of years. And now it it feels it's pretty destitute, so we'll see. There's still time. There's lots of guys and and the quarterback class coming out of college looks real promising. And there's only 32 teams and some of them do have quarterbacks. So it's not like we, you know, there's not a ton of open spots, but. We can get back, but right now it doesn't look good.
Kelly:
It is for me, one of the interesting things about the quarterback position is. It is. I mean, it's proven time and again you you know you need something good finding that something good is elusive and then the salary you know, I'm not here to talk about player salaries other than the percentage that's going up for the quarterback. You know, if you have anything go wrong. It's really tough, you know, you can't. You cannot pay two guys that top level quarterback salary and so and it's tough when you see teams especially you know. Look, I'm a Packer fan, but I mean, so I, but I do follow all the teams in the NFC and at the end of the day, we've talked about this, but I like to see players execute at a quality level and Kirk Cousins, for example, was having quite a year. You know? And then the old Achilles injury comes and bites them and. Minnesota. Then you know, they they. Figure out who they're going to start. He plays a few plays and then you know they're under their third quarterback. Who was, you know, just traded over there from Arizona as it's just interesting to see that. And that's been playing out with a lot of teams.
Speaker 2Chris:
Well, there, there's just not enough, not enough competent quarterbacks. It it, it's maybe the most. Changing position in all of sports and I, I would argue it is, and no, no single position affects wins and losses for in team sports more than the quarterback position. So. And the and the reality is, man, it's really hard to do and not very many guys can do it. And so yeah, I mean, even if you do free up additional roster spots, you know, there's some better backup quarterbacks, a couple of teams have a little better ones than. But yeah, it's tough, man. If you don't keep them up, right. And that's why offensive line is so important. You got to take every precaution. You know, if a guy's gonna blow out an Achilles, you know, Aaron Rodgers. I mean, look at The Jets. I mean, they're they're a prime example of, you know, they were all in. They were on Hard Knocks. You know, spirits are high, everything looks great and. You know, Aaron Rodgers blows out his Achilles and and the whole season gets derailed. I mean, they were a Super Bowl contending team and now they're. Struggling to to get to 500, you know. That's just what happens, man. You lose quarterback. I mean, they were probably going to be a 12 win team if Aaron Rodgers played at even, like, 80% of what he's capable of with everything else around him. That was probably on 11/12 win team and now, you know, they might be 7 or 8, maybe 9.
Kelly:
Yeah, I, you know, would agree. And the challenge there is like. For them was a guy like Zach Wilson. Look, I mean, you already knew what you had, so now you're back to that and. No faults of his, but you are what you are at some point and we've we we've seen enough of him to know what what he can and can't do. And you know now they're struggling again with him and. Just I'll tell you, man, you still we talked about this earlier in the year, but still you couldn't write a script like what happened with Aaron Rodgers. I still remember it when he went down in that. Game. So unbelievable.
Speaker 2Chris:
Well, and I I have, I feel no pity for for The Jets at all. You know, you look what Minnesota did. I mean any anyone who follows football can look at the New York Jets football team and 100 people out of 100 if they're being honest, would say they have a much better roster than the Minnesota Vikings do. And the The Jets are pretty stacked, man. Both sides of. The ball, they have everything that they need except for an offensive line. And a quarterback and a good quarterback can help you with the offensive line a little bit by getting it out quicker and and checking out of things and you know, seasoned quarterback can can help a little bit even with the poor offensive line. But the Vikings went out and got Josh Dobbs, and The Jets did nothing. And you know that. Gotta be a half dozen guys around the league who are better than Zach Wilson and who aren't who aren't even playing or are available like they could have made an effort to improve their quarterback position. They didn't. So the Vikings, who I think should have mailed it in that you know, they're not, they're saying no, we're still fighting. And they went out and made a move for Dobbs and a pretty funny dude to come in and. Like arrive on Tuesday and and then the you know no intention of playing, right, trying just trying to get him up to speed and then all of a sudden the starter goes down and it's like, hey, where's that new guy you're in? Wait, what? What? What? What did you just?
Kelly:
Say that that's when that happened. I I chuckled that and I'm thinking, man, that's a lot like. Back in the day, you know when you're playing ball out in the yard of the street and some new kid walks by and says, hey, can I play? And you're like, yeah, you know, maybe in the next half or something and then some guy gets called home for dinner and you're like, hey, new guy.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, the story where he didn't even know everyone's name in the huddle. I just thought that was hilarious. I pictured that dude like, hey, what's your name? Alright. You're going to run out, OK? Hey, you. You play slot, right? OK, try to piece things together on the fly, you know, with the 25 second play clock. So but. Credits adopts. I mean, he played pretty good and. You know, I I didn't really dive in deep to to, you know, all the possible trades and available quarterbacks who who signed to Carson Wentz came, came back and we know who Carson Wentz is. You know, he's had many, many opportunities and and, you know, he's kind of similar to Zach Wilson and and and that you know what you got, he's not what you want. Long term. But you know, whatever. He's played quarterback before, I I would rather have Carson Wentz than Zach Wilson. And you know, there's other people going out and getting guys and and like, you know, trying to do what they can to continue to compete. This year, the The Jets really having it from a front office standpoint, you know, sticking with Zach Wilson. I, you know, you get what you get then. And you've made your choice, and I think it's a bad one, but.
Kelly:
I think at some point and we had enough of a sample size with Zach Wilson to know, I mean. Putting them back in as a starter out of necessity isn't going to change who and what he is. Speaking of the whole NFL, I mean kind of interesting. Like I said, we're halfway through. We look at the divisions, Philadelphia still looking pretty much like the cream of the crop in the NFC.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I agree. So we'll see. San Francisco's coming off of there by in the NFC, not a ton has changed, man. I mean, we haven't talked in a few weeks. You know, I went through my really busy season for work and, you know, unfortunately, it's stuff with the travels and stuff sometimes for us to get, get together and match up schedules. But the. The time hasn't really changed a whole lot, in my opinion, on the NFC, the class is still Philadelphia and San Francisco. The one thing that maybe has changed is, you know, with San Francisco's 3 losses, I think Philadelphia has has moved ahead of them. And then you got the lions. The Cowboys, you know, a couple of other contending type teams, but the Eagles and the 49ers are still the class in my mind. So really, I mean, not much at all has changed, to be honest, in the NFC. You know the the other guys who were right behind them.
Kelly:
San Francisco's. Yeah, San Francisco's had a little bit of a come back to reality and maybe a little bit of the shine off of Brock Purdy from the Nice fairy tale story. But I don't. I don't know that it's we'll see in the next couple weeks if some of these losses on the other stuff were an aberration. I still think they're an incredible team, you know.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I think. You know, it kind of reminds me a little bit like I've been following college football and a lot of times in college football. You you have teams who are just physically dominant over the other team, right? They just have better players and so not everybody looks good. You know, when your receiver is faster than the other defensive back, he gets more separation and the quarterback. Doesn't have to be quite as accurate with the football and I think what was happening a little bit for Purdy was. He didn't have to do a lot, and then when he got in situations where he had to press a little bit, you know, obviously that's where anyone would make mistakes. I don't care if you're jaburo, Joe, Burrow or or Patrick Mahomes or anybody you know. If you're pressing and and you're taking chances, you know you're going to make more mistakes when you take more chances. So I I do think he's the kind of. The guy I don't know the guy personally, but you know, I do think he's the kind of guy, man with the chip on his shoulder. I kind of got that that Brady attitude, you know? Like I'll show them and, you know, symphysis has a really good roster. I I do think pretty is a competent NFL quarterback and they have a great set of skills. There's around him, plus a great head coach that can scheme to help, and so I think San Francisco's going to be fine, and I think party's going to be fine as well.
Kelly:
The team that two teams that I I always at least this year I'm finding kind of fascinating to see. You know, I've been. I've told you earlier. I was. I liked what Dan Campbell was doing in Detroit. They still have it going on. They, for the most part, they played pretty well. There was one game where they got blown out, but really playing well for the rest of their games and. I'm I'm still very bullish on them. I think they've got a. A great potential to get. To the NFC Championship game, honestly.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah. I mean, I think they're they're tied with the Cowboys in my mind. So I would put the the Eagles won the 49ers 2 and and the the gap between them is pretty small. Then I would put a pretty good sized gap. In between you know you insert a space and then you put the lions and the Cowboys in that next group and. You know, the thing with the lions and the Cowboys both is you gotta, you gotta. You gotta prove it in the postseason. You know when when it matters. And that's always been the Cowboys bugaboo. I mean, they got all the talent in the world. They can win a bunch of games. They can get there, and then they lay eggs in the in the playoffs. And so you got to get over that hump. And then the lions. Historically, have always been the same story, so you know until you prove it, until you can match up against the elite in your conference and beat them, you know you're still going to be a step behind and that's, you know, the lions are talented. I love Dan Campbell and anyone. Anyone who who follows football who doesn't like Dan Campbell, I I don't, I don't know. I mean, I don't know what to say, man. I mean, the guy you know he's in, he's in there with, like, Mike Tomlin. You know, just dudes just know how to win. They're all about business, man. I mean, you can just see why players want to play for him. What players want to give their all in everything they do for a guy like that. And lions definitely have a have a, a great. A great guy, a head coach.
Kelly:
Yeah, the the Cowboys in particular. Look, I'm a Packer fan, so there's no love lost there. But this year in particular, when they're on, they are on, but they've had some really bad games too and. That's been their MO for several years, especially as you said, when it comes to the playoffs.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah. So, I mean, they'll get another crack at it this year. I mean, you know, all the teams we've just talked about, they're barring something catastrophic. They're all going to be in the playoffs. So if you look at what's behind. It's it's not great. So you know Saints, right? Currently the playoffs would include the Saints, the Seahawks, and the Vikings with the commanders, Falcons and Buccaneers and Packers and Rams, all with three wins. So of all those teams I just listed off, nobody strikes me as, like, going to turn it on all of a sudden. So, you know Eagles, lions, 49ers and Cowboys. Maybe the Seahawks. The Seahawks are the one team. If I had to pick one. Would and I I don't know the Saints. I guess if you, if you squint your eyes, maybe they could be a another team that could give trouble to somebody. At least they play defense. So that helps and, you know, taste him. He'll doing his thing and who knows? But really it's the Eagles, lions, 49ers and Cowboys in my mind.
Kelly:
I I would agree 100% on that. I think that every one of those other teams is like you talk about a putting a space between those four and anybody below that. You're putting a couple of spaces. And you know, again, commanders, you know, with their quarterback, you know, again he's hot and cold. He's had some really amazing games and then some that weren't. And so you just, you don't know.
Speaker 2Chris:
I like how. Yeah.
Kelly:
I like him. I love his attitude and I think you know.
Speaker 2Chris:
I mean, you put Sam Howell on The Jets and they're contender. You know that that's that's that's all The Jets need. Really is a guy like Sam Howell.
Kelly:
Leaving the Packers and all that drama aside, I mean, I I think that The Jets have a good football team. They just their their weakness will is what we've talked about was the quarterback and you got to have a better offensive line and that's the part that blew me away. If you're going to spend that much money on a quarterback and you're not going to do anything, really upgrade your offensive line. Well, I mean, we see the results of that. I'm really curious, Chris, your take, Speaking of teams that are kind of snake bit and I wonder if it's you know luck the organization or what? Las Vegas is on their next head coach.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I I don't know. I I. Don't know what it is it in with the Raiders, man, but yeah, I mean I snake bit I guess is I I don't. I don't know what else it would be man like I I mean they just cannot seem to put it together and I I don't know. You know, I don't have an answer for for why, you know what I mean? Like, it's I. I don't think anyone does really. It's just kind of bizarre, you know? But they they're not a good well run franchise and they they they play haphazardly and and disorganized on the field. And I just wonder if that comes from the top down.
Kelly:
It is interesting how. I mean, just historically there's some just franchises that you know they never seem to be able to get out of their own way many times.
Speaker 2Chris:
Their chargers are, uh, you know, we, me and my buddies are always talking about the Chargers going to charge her and that's a team that has had. You know, really what you would think on paper and and even sometimes on the field look like powerhouse teams look like Super Bowl teams and then somehow they they they stumble, you know, sometimes it's in the season, sometimes it's in the postseason, you know, I mean just you can go back year after year after year when they've actually had contending teams that you had. What a fourth and 26, I think. And they it's just, you know, they had a big lead on Jacksonville and the and the wild card round last year. And blew it. I mean, on and on Schottenheimer, Schottenheimer starting his, you know, 3 yards in a cloud of dusk with, you know, 10 minutes to go in the third quarter. You know, he's he's up 17 and and he's put her in neutral and just hoping to coast to the finish line. And, you know, they just on and on. Man, I'm year after year, they're they're a franchise that for whatever reason. Doesn't have that. You know, killer instinct and can't finish.
Kelly:
Before we bounce over to the AFC, I want to go back to the top dog in the NFC and. Get you to do a little bit more explaining Philadelphia. You know, some people call it the brotherly Shub, the tush push, break it down. What actually goes on in this play? Because it's fascinating how they do it well. And then everybody's like, oh, we should ban this play. From the NFL and then some other teams try it and they fail at it more often. So. Break it down. What do you what do you see going on in this play, man?
Speaker 2Chris:
Well, I can tell you why. Why Philly is is so good at it. There's there's really two reasons. One, they practice it more, they do it more and they have it more dialed in, right? So repetition and #2, they have Jalen hurts who? Has the leg drive of a defensive lineman or offensive lineman, I mean, he he can squat more pounds than a lot of front like defensive line and offensive line in the NFL so he can generate power from by himself and then again they they practice it more, they do it more so. They're dialed in and other teams are trying to wing it. You know, the the first time, you know, someone tries to make even a grilled cheese sandwich, they probably struggle a little bit, you know? And I mean, just life takes practice to get good at and so. So you know, the Eagles just do them more and they're at a point now where, I mean, they just don't. They don't seem to care, man. So I think it was the cowboy game. They went for it on. They're around their own 30. And in that time, I actually liked it because they went on like 3. They kind of tried to lull the defense to sleep, which. You know, it just that's just good coaching. Good cerebral effort. You know what I mean? Put in. And so they they tried to draw them off sides. The defense didn't bite. They tried it again, didn't bite. And So what happens? You know how a lot of times. That, like you're on your own 45 and and you line up to go for it, but really all you're trying is 4th and three and all you're really trying to do is draw them off sides. And you know that. So you you you might even change alignments, right? You send a guy emotion. OK, now we're really gonna go and and. Nope, not going not going. I'm not falling for it. Right. So that's kind of what they did like in the Godboy game where they lined up and. That you know. And nothing. OK. All right. And then, you know, they kind of shift around a little bit. OK. Ready. Hut. Nope. Nothing. Nothing. OK. And then what happens is, I think is the defense, like, oh, they're not going for it. They're gonna punt, you know, they're just trying to drop us off. Nobody move, nobody move right. And then they they actually went and which I thought was really impressive. Like, yeah, that's how you start. Start mixing it up a little bit, tricking them a little bit and yeah, then they you know, they get a late drive for two yards and pick up a first down. But the the mechanics of how it looks is so.
Kelly:
I want. To start out, it was we've talked about before, so. We got give us the alignment of the, you know, the offensive line or give us the whole breakdown of how they start and what goes on, you know where everybody is and what goes on.
Speaker 2Chris:
OK, tight punch formation. You've heard me talk about splits before offensive lineman splits like on a field goal attempt. The the the line might even have their legs like like I might have my right leg. Egg on on the other side of your left leg. Sometimes, right. That's that's how tight we are. We're all bunched up. There's no gaps between our shoulder pads. Our shoulder pads are all touching because we don't want someone to shoot through a gap. So we got to close all the holes. Whereas, like on a if, if you have no backs in the backfield and you're lined up for pass. You may have a much wider split, so the the offensive line, the offensive line can be, you know, for actually I don't know what the rule is, you know with the I don't know how far apart they can be. I think they can be as far apart as they want. It only matters where you're at relative to the ball. You got to have 5-5 guys on the line and then they have to be covered if you're going to have more than that then the guy has to report is eligible. Blah blah blah. There's some rules. That that govern formations well on this play that you're talking about the brother. They shove they what they do is they line up real tight. Everybody lines up tight. Wide receivers come in. Generally there's not even. There might be one wide receiver on the field mostly. It's always like tight ends, extra offensive lineman. They bring in their heavy package, right. All the big boys come on the field and all the skinny guys leave and and when they line up, they're all real bunched up. Well, the defense looks the same. With the defense, what might like if you run a 3, four defense? You might have three guys that are down with their hand on the ground and then your ends. Or your your defensive ends or your outside linebackers might might be standing up, and sometimes they're in what's anyway. I don't want to dive too much into all the other ones, but in this particular situation, everybody's tight. And so that defense, instead of having like 3 guys with their hands on the ground. Right at that right over top of the center's head, like right at the. App. They might have five or six guys on the ground and they're all lined up trying to die that that basically at the center. So Jason Kelsey, Kelsey band, talk about a brief dude because he's at the center of it now at least hurts. You know, he gets to pick whether he goes. Left or right or you know, and he kind of gets to go over to the top of. Little bit, I mean Kelsey's on the on the bottom of the dogpile if you ever played, you know, dogpile on Kelly, then that's Kelsey. Every time they run it is he's he's the dude. And so, you know, he snaps the ball and then immediately gets squished to the earth by, you know, a ton of human beings. Like literally a ton, maybe more. And then he's got to hang out down there until they peel everyone off. So he's got a he's got a tough job on that play, but so everyone's tight and then immediately behind the quarterback are the shove guys. And it looks very similar to when you're kneeling down. So when you are going to, you know, in victory formation, they call it right, you'll have a quarterback and then you'll have two guys basically off to either side of the quarterback. And that's to in the event of a bad snap, there's there's guys there that can jump on the ball, you know. They're they're there for protection purposes in this situation, they're there to be the chef guys and. So once the ball snapped, then they the two guys that are behind hurts. They grab a hold of his back and they start shoving him forward. And then there's actually a third back who comes from about four yards deep and he gives an extra, an extra little umph. So at the end of the day, he has three guys pushing him from behind.
Kelly:
So when when this starts out, is Hertz kind of standing up vertically or is he bent over to get the snap?
Speaker 2Chris:
He's in a squat position like like he's gonna take a snap. So any quarterback when they're under center you, you know, they're you heard under center, right. So basically he's got his probably right hand, whatever his his dominant hand is his throwing arm that would be on the high side. So that'd be right. Like all up in the center's business and. Then the other hand is underneath open like a a set of alligator. Jazz. And so when the center slams that football into the palm of the quarterback's hand, then that that underhand comes up and grabs it. Now he's got two hands on the ball. So when when you do that, you got to get low because the center is low, right? So the center is all squatted down and and bent over. So you got to get low enough. I mean you are upright but. You're you definitely have your your legs bent and you're a little lower to the ground and for the most part pretty pretty vertical, but with a slight forward lean and so you know if you ever seen like a squat rack at a gym. There's like an angle to it. It's not, you know, a lot of times. So there's, like, straight up and down squats. But then there's also ones that are like angled forward and that's kind of the position he's in. So he's already in like, a driving position, you know, with the with the slight body, lean forward and then he takes the ball and then the mass of humanity. Happens and you know, it's just drive your legs, drive your legs, drive your legs at.
Kelly:
That point and these guys, the pushers where where are they pushing on them? Are they pushing on his like his legs, his back, his ****?
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, basically a mid back. Whatever. Then get a hold of, you know, cause he's moving too, cause there's defensive guys flying over the top at the same time and you know. It's a. It's a really tough task for the defense, man. I mean, for in a lot of ways. And so you know, you're not allowed to be in the neutral neutral zone. So you you, you know, you have to have some airspace already and then the offense knows when the ball is going to be snapped and you don't. So so there there's a split second reaction that. You you're at a disadvantage of, right? So the offense goes 1st and and you go as fast as you can to follow, but there's not a lot of margin for error. You can't jump off sides cause when they're doing this it's either you know most times going to be a first down. So you have to wait otherwise you're giving it to them for free. And so you know all of those things present disadvantages and there's not enough.
Speaker
Right.
Speaker 2Chris:
Room for all the bodies. Dude. So these are big human beings. They're wide. They're three feet. Slide. So it's not like I can just line up 11 guys right at the line of scrimmage. There's not room for all that, like there's nowhere to put your feet or your shoulder pads and stuff. So you. So some of the defensive guys, the linebackers, they don't have any choice but to be back about about two yards because all the defensive lineman are two, two yards. Wrong. You know what I mean? They, they they put their legs and their backs and everything else. You know you can't get any closer to the line than where the defensive lineman's feet stop. So now they got to get, you know, cover that 2 yards and it's it's, I mean you can see it in the stats man, it's it's and and if you watch it, it's it's just impossible to stop, man. I mean, if you could stop one out of 20, I'd say that's about the best you're going to do.
Kelly:
Well, I say more power to him. You know what? It's a kind of a brute force muscle play, but. More power to them if you come up with something and you can get good at it. I mean, you know, keep doing it well.
Speaker 2Chris:
You know, and and everybody has different skills. You know, you're not going to tell a Jamar chase like, hey, you're not allowed to run. You're not allowed to run that fast because it's not fair for the other guys. Or. Hey, Aaron, Donald, you're not allowed to do a spin move because you're too good at it. You know what I mean? The Eagles are good at that at this because they like you said, other people have tried and not been successful. The Eagles are good because they practice it and they have the personnel for it. You know they have they have human beings who are built differently than you know, Jalen hurts is different. He's one-of-a-kind. Nobody, nobody. Is on jail and hurts level in terms of Lake Drive and and power from his lower lower half. So there's other you know, Taysom Hill is probably the closest Taysom Hills really powerful Awesome Lake Drive. Very difficult to to stop going forward. Josh Allen's another guy very powerful. Hard to stop going forward. But UM, nobody. And and and. It, like Jalen hurts, man, nobody has that.
Kelly:
Yeah. What? What does it hurt? Skin. Squat. Something like 600 pounds.
Speaker 2Chris:
Guy's leg power. 600 yeah. And there's like I said, there's a lot of offensive lineman who can't do that, man. So, you know, the idea I've heard a lot about legislating it out. And it's like that's, you know, that's an advantage the Eagles have and, but it's not cheating in any way. They just have the personnel and they practice. And I don't see why you would take that away.
Kelly:
It's unreal. Well, Speaking of personnel and practice, let's bounce over to the AFC. What? Uh. We're halfway through there. Kansas City, still looking like the cream of the crop. To you.
Speaker 2Chris:
By only because the you know the chance to champ until someone beats the champ kind of scenario, dude. Like, the AFC is really exciting. So right now let me see. Let me pull up the AFC standings right now. Chiefs are the one seed. Ravens are the 2. Jaguars are three. Dolphins are four, and then it's Steelers, Browns, Bengals. Outside of the playoffs, bills, Texans, Chargers and then the, you know, then you start getting now you're into The Jets golds area so. But you know if you want to talk about who's going to represent the AFC. In the Super Bowl, chiefs, Ravens. 10s maybe the Dolphins, the Bengals. The bills aren't even in the playoffs. These are all teams that I feel like, you know, can absolutely can ramble off two or three. The two or three wins necessary. So I would still make the Chiefs the chief, but. That's simple, not necessarily a result of what I've seen on the field. From them and more, just like they're the chiefs. Man. You know what I mean? You can't count them out. So I would give the edge to them just from experience and having been there and done it and their defense looks great. You know, they have all the pieces necessary. But you know, if you tell me the Ravens beat them in the AFC championship game, I'd be like, alright, the Dolphins beat them. Sure. Alright, I buy it. The Bengals? Absolutely. They've done it, you know, before the bills. Yeah, you know, so the the AFC is much more tightly bunched up. Kelly.
Kelly:
Yeah, I'm looking forward to the second-half of the season with the AFC, because I think there's more competitiveness and. I don't see a lot of change in the NFC positioning between now and the end of the season. I think that there's a lot more uncertainty in the AFC as we play out the second-half of the season. So I'm I'm kind of excited and a lot of. Good teams that that play a little bit different styles of ball that keeps it really interesting.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah. I mean, if you know you want to go to the opposite ends of the spectrum, you have the dolphins. Who are, you know, high flying fast, you know, basically attract team and then on the other end, you got a team like the Ravens that do a lot more ground and pound and Smash Mouth. Although the Ravens have opened up a little bit more this year, they're throwing the ball a little bit more than they have in the past, but they're still at their core. A Smash Mouth football team, so. And those two styles very well might meet. I mean it's it's very likely those two teams could run into each other and we'll see what, you know, styles make fights, right. So if I had to pick between the two what the Ravens do, I just feel historically travels better. I feel like you can repeat it over and over and over, whereas the Dolphins. You know, I I'll have to see. I'll have to see that play out in January, you know, on the road in, in, in a cold weather environment, you know, at Pittsburgh I, you know, I don't know that. That they will look the same in that type of environment. So if they get to play all their games at home in Miami and seven degree, 70 degree sunshine, you know, then you know, I like Miami under those circumstances. But you know, I I don't know if what they do will travel quite as well in the cold. That's the big wrinkle as we get into the second-half here.
Kelly:
Right. And especially these teams that are more of the track star teams, you know where it's running up and down the field that kind of offense is just really hard to execute when the ground is frozen and you know you're doing your best to stay warm. So we'll see. I it's funny how we talk about different teams and you know, we talked about like Las Vegas, the same snake that Miami, much like the Chargers, they've always those two teams. When I think about the NFL, those are always for me, two of the kind of air shows in the NFL, if you will. They've been that way for a huge amount of their time, and I I it's entertaining to see that execute it well.
Speaker 2Chris:
Oh yeah. I mean, what the Dolphins are doing is. I mean, I don't even know how to describe it. So right now they have 285 points scored, you know, where's the? Let's see where the chiefs are 208. So, you know, Jaguars are at 193, The Jets are at 132. You know, Browns are at 181, so I mean they have more than 100 points more scored than the Browns at this point. So I mean, the Dolphins are fun to watch, man. I mean, you know, you same thing you look at personnel waddle crazy fast. Most are crazy fast. You know, Tyree kills the fastest wide receiver. Football. And so they're taking what they have, all that motion. I mean, they're they they have a very. The Arena Football League feel to them, you know, there's always a guy in motion who's getting a a running start at the play. Now you can't run towards the line of scrimmage in the NFL like you can in in some of the other football leagues that have existed. But dude, you get Tyreek Hill already in a jog. I mean, he's faster than everyone. Right from go. If you, if you if he's starting from a standstill, if you give him a running. Start I mean that man. What? What? Defensive Guy has a chance, right? If the if Terry kills already jogging when the play starts and then he gets to go in the next gear. That really puts a strain on the defense and the and what the Dolphins are doing is it looks amazing man. I mean it's it's a lot of fun to watch or scoring a lot of points. I mean it's it really stresses the defense. So I think it's really cool. Now again, I don't know if it you know, I don't know if that brings you to a Super Bowl, but it it it looks cool right now.
Kelly:
I'm all for entertainment and in the sport and yeah, like I said, I. Anybody, whether it's, you know, hey, let's. Move two yards by pushing our guy or let's move 30 yards by having this guy run really fast and having a quarterback and I can put the ball right there. Execution well is one of the fun things about sports. Speaking of execution. Well, college football, we're, you know, 2/3 of the way through the season, starting to see teams emerge, obviously. And who's going to, you know, be stars coming up in the NFL, but what are you looking at in college football and what are you liking is what you're seeing?
Speaker 2Chris:
Ohh, I'm liking a lot now man. I mean, you know, Michigan's gonna travel to Penn State today. The Big 10 has three like real true powerhouses, really, two. Now. I mean, after what Ohio State did to Penn State earlier. But yeah, I mean, this is it. I mean, this is. You know you've you've gotten through. All your you know, Appalachian States and northwest Louisiana Tech, you know you're you're, you're into the heart of your league play now. And this is where you know this. The stakes are the highest, and this is, you know, you've positioned yourself so and then there's real, like true parity up at the top, you know, and and a lot of different styles from different regions of the country. You know, what Washington's doing looks, looks amazing, Penney's good for him, man, after all this. That he suffered, you know and. Multiple knee surgery, shoulder surgeries and and now he looks he looks great playing up at at the UW. You got the two time defending champion Georgia, who broke in a new quarterback this year. I mean, obviously they're Georgia. I mean, they're stacked 4 deep at every position and with five star talent, but. You know, they're they're they're, they're they're not unbeatable and neither is Michigan or Ohio State or Washington or anybody, I mean. So you know it's this year more than any it feels like. And then even if you go out just outside, you know, Oregon lost to Washington in a a really epic football game. Where Bo Nix and and Michael Penix junior both played phenomenal. But you know only one team gets to win. Oregon missed a field goal and and Washington got the win. But you know, they play that game 10 times and it very well might go 5:00 and 5:00 so. Oregon's just outside Texas took a loss to Oklahoma in, you know, big rivalry game that that happens. But Texas looks like a really good football team, and they're just on the outside, you know, hoping somebody stumbles, you know, Florida states in there and they've got the easiest path. Probably the ACC is pretty light with Clemson. Having a down year and and so you know they're not going to have the same challenges. That some of the other teams will but. You know, you could go probably, you know, 8 deep and find a national champion, you know, out of those eighteens.
Kelly:
I'm really curious to see. I would love to see how Washington stacks up against Georgia or somebody else. In the SEC, because they are their quarterback, as you said, I mean, he's really had a journey, but he's really like executing at a high level.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah. And I mean historically up front, the SEC has always been a significantly better than the Big 12 and PAC 12. You know they they got the, they got the meat on the lines, you know offense and defensive lines. And historically they've just been able to manhandle some of the teams from out West. They, you know, they just have more dudes, man. They're bigger, stronger on the front and you know, skill position wise generally you know Big 12 and and PAC12 stack up really nicely, but. You know when it matters in the trenches, the SEC is is the class of the of the country. Big, Big 10's really good too. I mean Big 10 has a has a lot of big big boys. Man who can who can play so but SEC is is has always been number one in that category you know or or is usually number one in that category so but at the top you know like the Ohio states. And the michigans I mean I think they can compete. So you know when when you when you take the high flying fast moving you know West Coast offense. And you put them up against the the ground and pound version of the SEC or the big 10. Usually the the ground and pound wins out in those. But you know that's we'll see. That's why they play it.
Kelly:
Yeah, I I do like there's. The thing that I am looking forward to the most and I know we have to sort out a few things with the the minds of the PAC 12, but I'm really looking forward to seeing 12 teams have a shot at the playoffs starting next year. Because there's definitely in my mind, you know more than four teams that could win it all and just we're limiting it too much. And, you know, even Oregon, like you mentioned, the Washington, Oregon game. That was one of the more epic football games that I've seen in a while. Just. Back and forth and really. Quite a game, entertaining, you know, and I think that both Washington and Oregon, for example. In a 12 team playoff would make it obviously, and neither one of them, you know, could win it all still. And like you said, you play that game 12, you know, 10 times and it's going to go 5050.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah. Well, I mean, it's just cool. I mean, right now, if you know, just assuming you took the straight top 12, there may be some other parameters that that jostled around a little bit, but Oregon State. Would be the 12th seat. Now, I don't think Oregon State is going to roll through Ohio State and then Florida State and then Texas to win a national championship necessarily. But be cool to have a minute. You know, I'd like to see. I'd like to see some teams have, like, Texas for sure. Right now, Texas is 7, Alabama is 8, Penn State is 9. You know, Oregon is 6. All of those teams. You know, they they give any one of these teams a run for their money, you know? And then. And that's where, you know, matchups matter and everything. So yeah, the the expansion of the college football play. Enough about time, man. Like, come on. You know, let's have a real playoff. And you know, when they expanded to 4, you know, OK, that's a step in the right direction. But yeah, expand the 12 is is much better and then you know at that point OK that that's good man. So you know, I think Utah could beat almost anybody in the country. They they play a brand of football that that travels and and will hold up well. You know, you start getting down, you know a little further, I understand. Well, you know these it's a long season. There's a lot of risk with injury with with football. These. These are most of them are still. Student athletes. So I mean, there's definitely people who are just in their minor leagues of their of their future NFL. But you know, there's a hundred kids on these teams and you know, five or six of them are trying to get the end of all the other guys are are trying to. Get an education, you know and and. You gotta take that into consideration, man. I don't want to have a two-month playoff, right. So I think what they've expanded to is fair. It's reasonable kind of fills in the gap of. You know of of the. Season. You know what I mean? There's.
Kelly:
Like a big gap. I'm fine with 12, I think as a fan it gives me something that you don't get too often. You know, you'll get one or two of these at the beginning of the year where you're getting a big name program from one conference playing another one, you know. And they're preseason games, if you will, but you don't get it all the time, and at least here, you're gonna generally get. Really exciting, top notch talent from different conferences playing each other, and that's ultimately what I'd like to see, but I don't think we need, you know, like you said, a two-month playoff, but something like that.
Speaker 2Chris:
No, I'm fired up for for college football, man. I mean we're we're. We're in it and rapidly approaching conference championships. You know, every everyone backloads their schedule, right? And the, you know, the big games are at the end. And I mean you, you like you said you you catch a couple along the way. You know, like Ohio State and Penn State played a couple weeks ago and you know and and just when they come up on the schedule, sometimes like mid season, you'll you'll get a big matchup or you might have a big out of conference game early, you know on occasion. But generally speaking most teams back load their schedule with their toughest competition at the end. And that's what we're.
Kelly:
In Speaking of playoffs, another sport, baseball, we've been through our playoffs and have a World Series champion in the Texas Rangers. I gotta say this man, baseball is so bizarre at this point for a season. You know, that's a constant companion from, really when you come pre spring training March through October. Wow. The the playoffs are like gone in a second.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah. And that's always been my biggest beef with baseball. And I think I've said it on this podcast before. Like I just don't get it. You know, the basketball has it, right? Hockey has it right. You know, they they make their playoffs like a whole second season. And you know, baseball, for whatever reason, man, they just want to Sprint through it, you know. Very few teams make it, which that part I don't have a problem with. I would. I wouldn't mind seeing it expand it just a little bit and then play longer series man, you know what I mean? Like the. Like you know, you play all these games to determine, you know, who's going to be the one seed and the two seed and who gets home field advantage and on and on and on. And then you you, you Sprint through where you're playing a game every single day, you're burning up your best pitchers, and you're doing these short series where, like a single home run can win a game. And there's so much variance. You know, I would like to see baseball play nothing but seven game series, and I'd like to see them add around. And I would like to see them give breaks. So you know, you're you're playing like. A232. You know, give a break in between the game one and game two. They don't have to be back-to-back. Spread this out a little bit and then allow the best players to play. Baseball is really kind of unique like, you know, assuming nobody's injured LeBron James and Anthony Davis are going to play every single game on on a baseball team, that starting pitcher. Who's probably the Most Valuable Player of the game? You know, most important to a win is that starting pitcher baseball set up in such a manner that you you might only get to use that guy twice. Maybe, you know, maybe. And so three times there, every once in a while, but then you're really, you know, you're really straining him at that point. And so. You know, why wouldn't you spread it out? So the best players get to play more frequently. And yeah, I I just, they're so archaic, man. You got this long drawn out season, you know? And then like like you said, you just Sprint through the playoffs and and you're playing your, you know, they're better this year. I think last year they had games at like 10:00 in the morning and it's like come on man, we got jobs. Like who's watching baseball at 10 AM on. A Tuesday, you know, so. Spread it out, man. Like, you know. Let's let's extend it a little bit. Like I said, basketball basketball's too far the other way. And you know, they they let too many teams in the playoffs and it takes way too long, but they got the right idea. Like, hey, we make more money in the playoffs, our our TV contracts are bigger and you know, we're getting better viewership when when we're in the playoffs. So let's make it last and baseball for whatever reason just doesn't seem. To get it.
Kelly:
You know, I I'd be just fine. Obviously. You gotta you've got to pay attention to the calendar to some degree because already you're going till the end of October sometimes early November and depending on where the team is, that can. Be tough, but. One I would like to see every series be A7 game and I'd be OK with cutting away. Probably never happen, but take a week out of the regular season and back it down to 154 games instead of 162 and give me that week in playoff series. I think, yeah, I know. Normally you know, teams come into a town and they do a three-game series, right? And I with no break. And then you go to the next town and you play your three or four or whatever it is. I wouldn't mind seeing them do more of a staggered, you know, take a day off between. Games. Figure out what how you work that into a schedule, because as you said. I would love to see. And especially now with the way that pitchers are pitching shorter, your elite pitchers don't really get to shine or showcase their talents and abilities in the postseason. Nearly enough in the way it's going right now. And if you had a few more days off. You know that guy might be able to get two or you're going to get deeper into your staff with two starts each and maybe 3 for your top guy. And that to me. That's really what I want to. See, I want to see. The most elite talent on each team competing as often as possible.
Speaker 2Chris:
Agreed. Yeah, I mean, that's where you get those marquee matchups, you know, and. You know, like you know, none of none of these guys ever called me and asked for my opinion. They just make their own choices and stuff. Hey, since we're on the baseball subject, I am curious your take. I know you're a Brewer fan. You know, you make it to games, you know when you can. And I've been following them your entire life. So you know what? What are your thoughts, man? You guys just got shook up a little bit. You know, you know. So what went down?
Speaker
Yeah, a little.
Kelly:
A little earth shaking news back here in the Midwest. Yeah, I mean. You know Wisconsin boy goes to. The enemy, if you will. Really interesting. A lot of dynamics going on right, Craig, Counsel been the Brewers manager for nine years, you know, probably a lot of people know his story or right as a kid his dad worked for the Brewers. And, you know, he ran around the county stadium back in the day with players when he was a young kid teenager. Had a very successful baseball career, you know, ended up with the Brewers. And then like I said, was a manager for nine years, got the team into the playoffs. 5 out of those last six years. So that was pretty good. I will say the playoff exit every year is kind of tough and that was bad. We can go back to the when they were game seven against the Dodgers. Back in, I believe it was 2018 when Council did take out a starting pitcher who was doing well. Sometimes I think you can over manage. Well, you know, his contract was up and all of a sudden his really, you know, unexpected on all counts. He signed with the Chicago Cubs. They weren't even looking for a manager. And I can't fault them for doing it. I mean, you know, I don't know what the whole story is. Sure, it's a little as a sports fan. It's like, dude, you're going to go to the Cubs. I get that part. That's a little surprising, but. You know, he said he wanted a new challenge they were offering and he also said that. And I've read other articles about this, how the manager salaries in baseball had really been declining and he was trying to, you know, push up the market a little bit. We'll see if he did. But at 8 million a year for the next five years guarantee. He he definitely you know better his better himself. What I don't know is you know, what's the behind the scenes story as to didn't even get all by what I've read, you know, didn't even give the Brewers a real chance to counter. That offer now they had made an offer at about 5 million. I realized this is all monopoly money to most of us, myself included. And this someone wants to hire us to. Two podcasts at that rate I'm available.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I'd be available at that rate too, buddy.
Kelly:
So you know, it's tough man to see, but. I know it's. I'm not gonna go as far as like I know there's a park over near where he lives and somebody like put graffiti all over the sign for the park that had his name like. I don't have a problem. People want to Boo him when he comes back to town. That's just the drama and the emotional sports it was. It's like anything if he's been there for 9 years and you know your own hometown grown guy. There's a little bit of, hey, what were you thinking, man? But you know, these jobs are rare. And by all accounts, I mean, clearly the Cubs have deeper pockets than the Brewers. And I've also heard that the Ricketts family, the team that owns them. You know is likely to open up the wallet a little bit more in this off season, so. I can't fault him for saying, hey, I've done this for nine years here. I want to keep being in this business, you know? And he's he's got two young or a high school age daughters, so he'll still be close to home. Chicago and Milwaukee really close. Got 2. Sons that play college ball one at Minnesota and one in Michigan. So. You know, at an emotional level, it's like, dude, the Cubs, really. I mean, of all the teams, you could go to, that's probably the Brewers biggest hated rival, if you will. But from a professional standpoint, I understand it from a financial and family. You know, it makes sense and. Uh, I guess the ultimate thing is this. If the Brewers really wanted them, you know, they could have done more at some point, whatever whatever the back story is that we'll never hear about like. They could have done more earlier to keep them or not, not cause them to look around. And you know anytime that you create a situation cause it's where someone can look around. You don't know what's going to happen. There's no guarantees and. I don't know. I think it's going to be interesting to see as baseball's got a serious problem. Still, in my opinion, with the whole way salaries work in the different money teams can spend. I don't know what this is going to mean for the Brewers, ultimately. Like is this so they've had it run. You know, they've like I said, they've been they won their division a bunch of times. They've been in the playoffs, so they're at least in the upper half of, if you will, what will this mean like. Does this mean that we're going to fall back a level because if and everything I read so said, players really love playing for this guy, this is the part we as fans don't really know. Like, what's all that about? But you hear that players really like him, a lot of baseball people say he's a really good manager. I don't. I don't have a way to judge that because you know, what do I know about what makes a good manager? And I think there's a lot more than just wins and losses that we don't see or can know that's a long winded answer to say. I'm bummed personally just because you know he's been named. It's been around for a while and it's not, and he's still going to be in baseball, but now he's going to be with this other team that you know, as as an emotional thing. It's also interesting. He's 53 just a couple years younger than me. So it's like, you know. You know, taking that step, but on a hey, good for you, dude. Who among us? If someone's offering you, you know that much more money wouldn't take it. And to go to a place that likely has more resources to do the very thing. That your. Putting as your career that is managing a baseball team so professionally, financially, he's, you know, in a better circumstance. I'm sorry to see him go for the most part. Only because you know he's been around for a while and he's not. I don't know that he's the best manager. I I think he's some of the comments are a little bit overrated. But hey, man, you know I don't get paid to speak on that, so I maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, I don't know. But we'll see. It'll make. It'll make Chicago. They're already pretty intense games, but it'll make Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers games, especially here in Wisconsin. More exciting next year, I can tell you that.
Speaker 2Chris:
Which is the the bigger E2 Brutus moment. The far playing for the Vikings or Council going to the Cubs?
Kelly:
Yeah, that's. I've seen that question tossed out a few times. It's a hard one because you know, if I ever go into the Vikings. Was there was a year in between? Yeah. I don't know the answer to that. I do know it was so far played in Lambeau Field as a Minnesota Viking twice. I was not at the first year that he did it, but I heard that game and. The booze I heard and were as loud as I've ever heard them afield, and I was there for the second game that he played as a Viking. I actually, I don't go to a lot of football games, but I happened to go to that one. And even then, you know, in the second year of it, it was. Pretty intense, I think. If I had to pick, I'd say far of going to the Vikings was more of a shock. The sports fans.
Speaker 2Chris:
Well, is there a more beloved sports figure? In Wisconsin history than farf that you can think of.
Kelly:
No, not for the period of time. You know, I think when he had his run here just because of who and what he was and for being one of those people that helped turn the thing around. Reggie white. Was pretty popular, you know, because again, here was an elite NFL star long before the NFL is back in the 90s. You know, the NFL wasn't the behemoth it is today. It was popular and everything, but it wasn't the money machine and just entertainment. Tunis today. The Packers, while they were improving, were still coming off their doormat 2 decades, if you will. So I'd say Reggie White was there. Robin yelling for the Brewers. I mean, young kid, 18 years old, starting shortstop. It's pretty beloved in the day. I'm too, you know, I'm too old or too young, I guess, relatively speaking. You know how Kareem was built. Viewed around here when he was about. But probably not Aaron Rodgers or I'm sorry. Brett Farve might be. Just because of the. So we talked about earlier on you know. Just guys that are are are doing with their thing like he wasn't, you know, he wasn't afraid to take a chance, man.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I you know, I'm I'm a little bit younger than you are. And in my lifetime I I would put far as number one. I mean obviously you know John is Stan and and you know I I know he's pretty beloved and. But football's king and. Far of as as a character. As a you know, just to beyond beyond his sports ability and like what he did professionally, you know, just, you know, his approach to the game and his approach to life or his perceived approach towards life and just, you know, a guy who genuinely seemed to love his job. And you know the the the gravity around him and the force at which he pulled people in just, you know, it wasn't like anybody else that I can remember in, in, in Wisconsin sports, you know, I mean he just it was different, you know people. I mean how many? How many fans of the Packers are fans today be because of Brett Farve and how many people who were kind of fans, but the team sucks, and then all of a sudden Brett Farve came and now you're a passionate fan, you know, and I I I'll tell you, for me personally, I grew, I grew up, you know, with the obviously most of the family with the exception of the black. Who's a bear fan? Not not to be named. Is is Packer fans you know? And I grew up around it. And then as as you grow up, you know. Especially like in my teenage years. You know, you're trying to find an identity and I'm trying to, you know, all teenagers as as they kind of progress into adulthood or trying to be individuals. And I remember I was a big. Fan of the Bengals? When Sam Weiss and Boomer size and you know it was basically they were good and they were fun and they were doing stuff that other people weren't doing, it was a little more high flying offense and. So you know, I was a fan of them for a while, lived in Seattle, and then, you know, all my friends were Seahawks fans, and I found myself, you know, pulling for the Seahawks as well and and stuff. But, you know, at some point. I don't remember exactly how old I was. I remember when it happened. I remember going to my aunt and uncle's house to watch the Seahawks and and the Packers play. It was the we want the ball, we're going to score game and.
Speaker
Ohh yeah.
Speaker 2Chris:
Pretty funny, the Seahawks viewing the seating for the the Seahawks fans was outside like you got to watch through the window from the backyard. You know, the TV. It's pretty funny. There's a little sign up for for Seahawks viewing and a couple of folding chairs set up outside the window. And during that game, I realized like, Nah, man, I'm definitely a Packer fan. And you know, I just. Myself, you know, wanting the, the the Packers to win that game and and that was what really I always pulled for the Packers. You know, you kind of have teams you pull for, you have who your hearts really with. But then usually there's, you know, 2-3 other teams that you kind of like you kind of pull forward. The Bills have been like that, you know and. Brett Farr for a lot of people, I think solidified their their fandom and and increased it. You know, if they were already fans, now they're really fans and and a lot of people I think that maybe you weren't even that big a fans. Of the Packers came on board when Fart arrived.
Kelly:
Well, and I think so. One of the things that we had talked about earlier when I am right, sometimes that first experiences like when I talk, you know my little scanner story, I think for a lot of people you know. So the Packers of the 50s, sixties and earlier that, you know, had been titled tone and all that well again 70s and 80s, the cover it was pretty bare. So in the early 90s when Ron Wolfe came in, you know and kind of. To change the direction of the organization and then Mike Holmgren and then Brett Fire, you know, being the face of the franchise on the field well. All of those circumstances combined, you know to really and his style of play combined to really cement that legend and you know, none of us know what these guys are like in real life, but you always, you know, you hear from everybody that, you know, the dude was always smiling and just. And I'll tell you what football is 1. Heck, we talked about it. How tough of a sport it is, and I'm not judging anybody because I don't. But you know, to do what he did as long as he did at the level he did and to take the punishment he took in his position, I think that that's all of those sorts of things. Cemented his status as.
Speaker 2Chris:
As a beloved character, you know well and you see all these guys on IR all the time and four week IRS and uh, you know it's it's a different day and age in terms of toughness, man. I mean you know, anyway, I don't have to get into politics or any of that business, but we're we're softer as a as a people than than we used to be in. What he did in the in the games that he played and and knowing what he went through and and the punish me he took it, didn't you? You didn't have all the protections that you have now. You didn't have the rules set up in in the way that they are today to protect quarterbacks when he played. And the fact that he showed up every Sunday. And played what whatever condition he was in, he went out and gave it his all. I mean, that's you gotta respect that man.
Kelly:
Yeah, I mean, you know, I think about it sometimes even we talk about you know football, any, any contact sport in particular is kind of a. Odd combination of talent and I mean you think about this brotherly shove play. I mean, here's a bunch of, you know, 22 adult men. Piling on to each other in some brute force way. In something that none of us would ever, I mean outside of those circumstances of the football field, that just would. It's not an experience you would ever happen so. I would say that for him to play in that arena and show up no matter what, it seemed more power and I think that, you know, in some ways I'm glad that the NFL is taking more safety, more seriously and all that like, I'm not going to call anybody that plays professional football. Soft at all? I mean, I think that it's, I'm glad that we're looking at things like concussions in more detail and that. But, you know, he played in the area, he did. And, you know, he excelled at it. So we'll see, I mean.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, I I wouldn't call anyone who plays professional football soft either. All. But I would say anyone who plays professional football in 2023 is softer than someone who played in 1977. So it's relative, right, but I'll, I'll still take the the the 2020, the 2023 football player over the 1977.
Kelly:
Oh, most definitely.
Speaker 2Chris:
Accountant. So in terms of toughness, it's all relative, you know, you know what I mean? So yeah. Anyone who chooses to play football professionally. As a general statement I I would not say they're soft. The work that goes in and the and the punishment they go through and the reality is the training is different, the diet is different the, the, the, the bodies that they're playing in are different and everything is wound tighter and is is on a hair trigger, you know all the hamstrings and tendons and ligaments that hold the body. Together for the guys who make it to the NFL, those things are wound as tight as they could possibly. Be whereas in you know the 1960s. You know you, you you might be selling cars in your offseason, you know, and and you might not quite be as as physically fit as the guys are today.
Kelly:
Yeah, and that's a whole interesting thing. We could talk about sometimes. I'm not an expert at this, but I sometimes I do wonder. The guys are trained up too well, or if. Where you know? Ability of the body to dish out. Punishment is exceeding the ability of what the body can take. And we see these and I don't honestly remember well enough to know of hamstring injuries are the same as they were 30 years ago, the Raider things. But you do see a lot of these kinds of injuries of.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, the, I mean the ACL tears are are through through the roof and and I'll give you kind of a a. So I I had a group of friends that I used to go to the river with and they had a couple of boats. One was a pontoon boat, you know basic outboard and and we we tooled around and. Thing just always ran, man. You fired it up and it it drove around. Well, then they had the speedboat. This group of people were mechanics by nature. They owned a A a shop and. And, you know, did transmissions and and exhausts and engines and you know, so they were pretty dialed in. Well, they had this speedboat that they were constantly working on and this thing was. Just ridiculous fast. You know when I mean, you had to scale her back so she didn't fly up in the air. You know what I mean? So the power this thing put out was was insane. And inevitably, you know that they'd always ask who wants to go for a ride. And I would always take the pontoon boat because I know the thing ain't ain't is just gonna keep going and I can get home whenever I want. Anyone who out went out in that speedboat, you know, it was 5050. Whether you're gonna break down out there. You know, so it it run real hard for 30 minutes. And it was amazing. And and and you're. Just flying across the water and then it would something. The below and then they take it back and and they, you know, they had all their truck and tools they'd have to take it out of the water and then they'd be working on it and they'd spend 4 hours working on it. And then they, OK, we think we got it up and running again. They put it back in the water. Who wants to go for a ride and and then, you know, it ride for 15 minutes and then something else blew. And it feels like today's day and age. All the players are the speedboat and. I think we we wouldn't be so bad off if we had a few more pontoons and at least they run.
Kelly:
Yeah. No, I agree. And you know, Speaking of rides, Chris, I think we're about at our destination for the day. As always, love these conversations make me think. Give me an outlet to talk about sports and life and hope you're doing well out there in California, bud.
Speaker 2Chris:
Yeah, everything's good, man. And the seasons, a lot of seasons are winding down. So the roofing world is is slowly winding down and the weather is getting colder and it's sweatshirts and beanies and boots, time of year instead of, you know, flip flops and sun shades and and so and now the college football and NFL. Heating up and you know we're getting into where games are really going to matter. You're going to start seeing some separation and things will start to become more clear as far as who's legitimate contenders and stuff like that. So yeah, I'm pretty excited, man, and hopefully we'll get to do this little. More frequently going forward.
Kelly:
Alright. Thanks Chris and thanks everyone for listening to another episode of the podcast to be named later.