The Pat McAfee Show Live | Thursday March 5th 2026

[laughter]. [music]. [music].

[music]. >> For real? Oh, no. That was. Good pass. >> [screaming].

[groaning]. >> Let's go. >> [music]. >> WHAT'S AUSTIN GOT? I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST STAYED UP. ALWAYS. YOU GOT. >> [music].

[music]. >> YOU GOT Insert coin California. YOU GOT. IT.

THIS ONE FOR THREE. AJ HAWK, $5,000. >> [screaming]. [cheering].

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[music]. >> OH MY. >> [music]. [cheering].

[music]. [music and cheering].

[music]. [cheering]. >> NOW, YOU CAN take all of that adversity. Sorry, I mean, it's tough to you know, I. got to hold the handkerchief and the. microphone at the same time, so it's a. little difficult. But, all this adversity, you know, it's. out here. It's hanging out here. And what you can do is you can take all. of those, you know, self-perceived.

issues and fears and adversities that we. face every single day when you're going. against a tough team. And you got to stick them down deep. because it really doesn't do anything. for you to dwell on them. So, you stick. them down deep and then you realize that. all those adversities and all those. issues. they're just figments of your. imagination. >> [laughter]. >> I wished I could have made that red flag. disappear on the field as quickly as you.

did that one, but [laughter]. you know, there is no such thing as. magic. It's all mentally center. Now, you did that I want to do this one. It's. like any other newspaper. You have a front page for people want to. read the news. You have the. comic for people can't read. And we have the editorial page for. people can't think. >> [laughter]. >> It's like anything else. You have to. have a faith and a belief somewhere. along the line. I'm not sure. I used to.

do this trick all the time, but. >> [laughter]. >> that's when I was younger. But, I'm not sure I can do it. But, in any event, I think maybe we can. I used to do this. with a phone book when I was younger, but I have trouble tearing it up. I I. want to tell you, physically, I have an awful lot of. problems. Mentally, I'm as sharp as I've ever been. However, however, that's one of the advantages of. not being very sharp when you're growing.

up. Cuz then when you get dementia, people can't tell. >> [laughter]. >> And say, "Oh, there's no difference in. anything else.". But, you know, it's like anything else. Many people going to think they saw me. tearing that up. But, it's all mental. If you really have a strong faith and a. strong belief in what you do, it can. work out. Hell yeah, Cobra. >> Some. Somebody said. Somebody said, "How do you do that?".

Perfectly, I thought. But, in any event, [laughter] that doesn't matter. But, The following program is a collection of. studios talking about happenings in the. sports world. It is meant to be comedic. and informative. The opinions expressed. on this show do not necessarily reflect. the beliefs of their peers, their boss,

or ESPN. There may be some cuss words. because that's how humans in the real. world talk. If you are a young, please. seek permission before watching any. further. Hey. Why? Let's. go. This show stinks, and the fact that you. listen, we are very, very thankful for. Mack could be all the way. with a gorgeous assist. The all-time. leading [music] tackler for the Green. Bay Packers. You think?

DAMN IT. YOU HAVE A FRIEND, TELL YOUR. FRIEND SOMETHING nice could change their. life. >> [music]. >> Hello, beautiful people. And welcome to. our humble abode. The Thunderdome. With. some special guests on this big sports. Thursday, March 5th, [music] 2026. This. program begins now. Sports. >> Are the absolute greatest thing of all. time, and obviously, uh, we'd like to.

send our condolences to the entire Holtz. family and say, "Rest easy, Coach Lou. Holtz." We appreciate the hell out of. your contributions to sport and society. Obviously, legendary coach who has. amassed 249. career wins as a head coach. His record. at Notre Dame, 130 and 2. Is that good? Yeah, he's a national champ, and all. obviously would go on to become an. international treasure. We have a kid. who happened to go to Catholic school. and has a imperfect a perfect Lou Holtz.

impression. So, we have had Lou Holtz a. part of our show literally since the. beginning because of the toxic tables at. Boston Common and at Ty Schmit. Ty has. maybe one of the best Lou Holtz. impressions of all time. Everybody, uh, that does a Lou Holtz impression says. they have a good Lou Holtz impression, and that's strictly because the way Lou. Holtz spoke was obviously iconic. Everybody knew what it was. Ty has been. speaking like Lou Holtz since he's in. like seventh grade in full conversation, so he could go literally anywhere at any.

time. And we think that we have been. told that we have been told this, and we. think this is a true statement, not just. something being put out there. Coach Lou. Holtz was impressed with Ty. I I think. there's been a lot of people who have. done a Lou Holtz impression, and I think. he was impressed by Ty so much so that. he joined our show obviously for that. iconic moment up there at Notre Dame, which would inevitably start a massive. back-and-forth between him and the head. coach of Ohio State, Ryan Day. And. through it all, we apologized to him and. his team, and the only response was, "Don't you worry about it." Lou Holtz.

was a dog. We are very, very grateful. for him, his contributions to our show, and what he has done to me. He would. send messages through his people to me. that were like, "Just keep talking till. you figure it out, brother." And it's. like, "Coach, you're coaching me up, you. don't even know it." I wish I could have. played for him. I think the football. world will miss him, and uh. rest easy, coach. You're the man, dude. Honestly. You done good. You done good, buddy. What Pete Bevacqua, the AD of. Notre Dame, joining us here in about 35, 40 minutes. We have Schrager's back uh.

joining us in the second hour, and then. Earnest, obviously, legendary country. hitmaker uh is in town for a concert, friend of the program. He's going to. swing by as well. We got some guests. here uh that bought a trip to the. Thunder Dome at a uh charity event, Peyton Manning's Children's Hospital. I. I believe in the past, Kicking the. Stigma has happened as well. Miss. Carrie, I do believe, all the way to the. left there, has been a part of the. Peyton Manning's Children's Hospital. Gala for a lot of the years, has donated. a lot of money, and uh she told me the. last one I attended, she was going to. win this. So, I I appreciate you doing.

that. And shout to Dallas Clark, just he. was the auctioneer, just giving away a. bunch of money. Nice. John Schrager. >> We didn't know what we were signing up. for, but we appreciate you people giving. your money to a great cause and hanging. out with us. Now, on that note, one half. of the Hammer, Todd Cowboys AP Town is. here. Tone, I don't know what the odds. were that a massive trade was going to. happen 15 minutes before we go live on. this glorious Big Sports Thursday, but. that certainly happened. It might kick. off a wild free agency frenzy that's. about to take place. Joining us now is.

the man that broke the news from his. Twitter account, a man that's about to. be living a chaotic, hectic, stressful. life for the next few weeks. He's senior. ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter. >> [applause]. >> Schefty, okay, let's let's let's grab. the brain just for a second and put it. into one spot as we got to go a lot of. different places. I know I've already. taken up too much of your time giving an. intro to you. Schefty, DJ Moore has been. traded to the Buffalo Bills. My intel on. the situation when I brought DJ Moore's. name up to Brandon Bean when I was at.

the combine with him, glowingly saying. his praises, loved the way he played. football. That was a conversation I had. with him at the combine. I had no idea. he was going to make a trade for a wide. receiver, but here we are. The Buffalo. Bills add DJ. How'd we get here? Why'd. we get here and what are your thoughts. and what are people saying about it, Schefty? Well, again, Buffalo was in the market. for a wide receiver. And I think there's. a little bit of a receiving race in the. AFC East because you knew that Buffalo. was going to be adding a receiver and. you know that New England is going to be.

adding some offensive weapons. So, Buffalo strikes first and reaches. agreement today with the Bears. for a trade for DJ Moore. Now, again, we're still waiting for the. compensation. My guess is it's going to. be a draft pick, mid-round pick. We'll. see how it works out. That should be out here fairly soon, but. DJ Moore becomes the newest weapon and. the kind of playmaker that the Bills are. looking for. Again, they always were. going to go out and get somebody like. this. And you can make the argument DJ.

Moore was about as attractive as any. wide receiver on the market. Chicago was ready to move on. They have. their young receivers that they already. do with Rome Odunze and Luther Burden. and Cole. DJ Moore's a veteran and now he goes on. to the Buffalo Bills where he he played. in Carolina with Joe Brady. Joe Brady. knows what he's getting from having. coached him in Carolina before Carolina.

traded him to Chicago as part of that. deal that essentially got the Panthers. the number one overall pick and the. amazing part about that trade was that. that trade wouldn't have gotten done. unless the Panthers included DJ Moore in. that deal for the number one That was. the the piece that clinched that trade. and now the Bears have taken that piece. and are going to be sending him to. Buffalo where the Bills hope he's the. missing piece to get to that game that.

they have not yet gotten to with Josh. Allen at quarterback. >> Obviously you have the best player on. Earth you got to win a Super Bowl. There's going to be heat on Bean. Does. this quell the fans a little bit now. that they bring in a number one wide. receiver type for Josh Allen's offense. you think Con Man? >> Yeah, I'd say so. I'd say three. fortnights probably till week six. that'll buy Bean time at least for the. next couple of. >> mean the Bills fans are saying a lot of. mean stuff about Bean and not everybody. obviously not everybody but just. portions of the internet are certainly. doing that. So I think it's a. fascinating development up there in.

Buffalo trading for DJ Moore. That's a. weapon for Josh. Let's go ahead and go. win this thing. Now let's go to Chicago. That's great. Hey, I think I think. Bean's saying hey we got him huh? >> Yeah, pretty good. Not bad. Better than it was. >> So if I go with defensive side maybe ha? Hm? >> Yeah. Yeah. We're trying our best here. We got to build a team. Let's go ahead. and make that happen if that's what. happens in the future. Congrats to Bean. Now let's go to Chicago as you're. probably breaking more news on this. entire thing. They're making a move. here. He wasn't a Ben Johnson guy so. maybe there was no loyalty and also go.

ahead Tone. >> Yeah Shefty obviously with the Drew. Dalman retirement their center that. clears some money and then DJ Moore that. clears some money. Are the Bears now big. game hunting because there was a lot of. smoke out there about them potentially. going after Max Crosby or now that they. lost their center maybe Tyler Lindebaum. Does this put them in a position now in. free agency or trade for the Bears to. potentially make a big move? I I think they've checked in on Max. Crosby. I don't know that they're going. to be able to get it done in the end. I. think there have been a whole bunch of. teams.

in on Max Crosby. Everybody's sniffing. around. That feels like one of those. situations that's it's quiet now. The volcano's simmering. >> [laughter]. >> surface and we're just waiting to see. whether that volcano erupts here in the. coming days and whether the Raiders. decide to ultimately move on from Max. Crosby. There certainly are. any number of interested the Bears have. checked in, the Cowboys have checked in, the Bills have checked in. I would think. a trade like this probably. probably. lessens the chances that the Bills could.

pull off a deal for Max Crosby cuz you. only have so many moves to make for big. name, big game players, big money. players. And when you trade for DJ Moore. you know, that's hard to. give up all that money now to pay Max. Crosby. Again, teams find ways to make things. happen, but I just think it it lessens. the chance that Buffalo can get. something done for Max Crosby by making. this deal for. DJ Moore today. Okay, sounds good. Let's. move along. Max Crosby, by the way, I. think that's the one if Logan Paul is.

looking for a guy and it's not a retired. NFL player. If you want an active. player, I think I think Max Crosby's who. we're probably going to send out there. Although any offensive lineman and any. D-lineman, they do hand-to-hand combat. every single day. I think we'd send them. out. Although I am mildly impressed with. Logan Paul. I just don't think he. understands that the fatsos in the NFL. are just fighting every day. >> Yeah. >> Like that that in there. that Now granted Logan's in great shape. Yeah. so maybe he survives, maybe he. dances, but once again fatsos in great. shape, too. That's the thing about these. guys. So they're no longer fatsos.

anymore. They're just huge bodies, it. seems like. So I love the gimmick, though. Oh, yeah. That's a good. conversation piece. Max Crosby's the. one. Schefter, we waste your time, apologize, but also something you can. report that source says from within the. Pat McAfee Show are saying Max Crosby's. the one. >> He's the delegate. >> That's the one that we are sending out. there. I'm sure others will have. different ideas. Let's talk about some. other players that could potentially be. on the move and potentially win in that. particular situation. Go ahead, Con Man. >> Yeah, Shefty, will this trade. compensation affect anything with the.

Eagles and A.J. Brown compensation? Do. you see that kind of maybe lowering or. do you see the teams like the Patriots. who have already been on the record. making a deal be even more aggressive. because the Bills in the division have. made a move for D.J. Moore? No, because. the trade compensation in this trade. isn't going to involve the first-round. pick. And I don't believe there's a. chance in hell that the Eagles would. move A.J. Brown unless it included a. first-round pick. And even then, I don't. think they're all that interested in. moving on from him. You know, and. >> Okay, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. So, you're.

saying A.J. Brown being moved is mostly. a lot of conjecture outside building, not really inside building. Like, if. they were offered some ridiculous deal, like if we're offered two ones and some. like a third and maybe a player, they. would certainly listen to it, but would. they do that for any player in football? So, can you tell me a little bit more on. how close we are to that potentially. happening? Yeah, I I I think here's the. deal. Teams have been checking in. Like, there was a team that called the Eagles. this weekend. And they said, "Hey, we. have some interest in A.J. Brown. What.

would it take?" And they heard the price. and they said, "Okay, well, thank you. very much. Good luck getting him.". [laughter]. I mean, so again, that doesn't mean he. can't be traded, but if you're the. Philadelphia Eagles, the way you're. looking at it, you know, if you like. every team is breaking down their. various plans. So, in the case of the. Eagles, you're saying, "Okay, we could. get in on Max Crosby, which means we. would lose Jalen Phillips, which means. we probably get a third-round. compensatory draft pick back in 2027 cuz. Jalen Phillips is going to crush it on.

the open market. So, we could get. we could pony up and pay up for Max. Crosby a Micah Parsons-like package and. let Jalen Phillips go and get back a. third-round comp. So, would you rather. have Max Crosby. and a. comp third, or would you rather try to. resign Jaylen Phillips and keep A.J. Brown? Like, what what Where do you. think you're better off as a team in '26. trying to win the Super Bowl? That's. fascinating. Cuz everybody outside that.

building is saying he's writing a book. on the sideline. Yeah. The guy doesn't want to be there. Every. single other day. >> drawing. drawing up plays. The new offensive. coordinator is drawing up plays with him. in mind. Now, again, that doesn't mean. that he's not going to be traded, but I. just don't think they have a high level. of interest in moving off him. It could. happen. It could, but. they're not shopping him. They're not open to dealing him the way. the Chicago Bears were open to dealing. D.J. Moore.

>> What's cooking right now? That's another. move, or is that just the final. compensation of the D.J. Moore stuff? Well, well, well, we're waiting on it. We're waiting on the compensation, but. like, if you look at it, the trades that have been made this. week. We're We're on Thursday. We have D.J. Moore going to the Bills, Tremaine Edmunds going to the Rams, David Montgomery going to the Texans, Tytus Howard going to the Browns. So, we're on. Thursday, and we've had four trades. already this week. And I think, you. know, Ty and I talked about this. Like, this is what we expected. Trades, because the free agent class in the eyes.

of some. has some real strengths, but it's not a. very deep class, and teams have more. money than ever before. So, they'd. rather take their money and go put it. into Tremaine Edmunds, who's going to. sign a new deal with the Rams, or D.J. Moore, who's going to have his contract. adjusted in Buffalo, or David Montgomery. or Tytus Howard, who gets an extension. in Cleveland. So, teams are opting, I. think, here to trade for players, and. and I don't think we're done. I don't. think we're done. Oh, I like that tease. That's a good tease. You There's. actually a good clip from our show where. you're on one phone with us and another.

phone. You go, "We're not We're not We're not We're not. We're not We're not We're not We're not. We're not We're not We're not We're not. We're not Now, on that note, Wait till. you see Monday. Wait till you see. Monday. >> Okay, let's talk about that, cuz what. you just basically said there is free. agency frenzy still going to be frantic. cuz this is our first time with all the. boys in studio. You're saying maybe not. because the trades may be taking in in. winning the day here because the class. No, no. It's It's always frantic and the. amazing. >> It's always frenzy. There's always a. frenzy in there. Well, everybody always says it's like. They said, "Oh, free agency opens. Wednesday at 4:00." No, free agency is.

essentially over by Wednesday at 4:00. It was most of these players will be. signed or have agreements in place with. other teams. Free agency really starts. Monday at noon when you're on the air. That's when it starts. >> Yes, we know that. You know that. Everybody in ball knows that and that's. why we are so pumped that you're going. to be out here. Same with Orlovsky and. Schrager. We got a big jib coming into. town. I mean, we're doing Hey, we are. >> Oh, yeah. respecting the hell out of. free agency frenzy because this is when.

magic is. usually made. This is when a team could. potentially change the trajectory of. what next year's going to be. This when. teams are in the dumpster have the same. capability as everybody else to build a. roster that can maybe take them to. climax time right there at the top of. Lombardi Mountain. So, whenever you. think about what free agency frenzy is, it's really the changing of entire. cities. Yes. and franchises, too. >> Yes. and families. >> Right. It's one of the biggest days in. history. Dreams come true. Big deals are. made. Kids that come from nothing. finally experience the generational.

wealth that they've worked their ass off. for. That's what free agency frenzy is. all about. But, Schefter's like, "Well, I don't know about trades." Yeah. Yeah, I hope Trade season. Schefter knows the. number one spender last year, Patriots. made the Super Bowl. Number four spender. last year, Seahawks won the Super Bowl. Okay, let's go Colts. HOW MUCH DO WE. GOT? PROBABLY NOT. PROBABLY NOT. HOW MUCH? OKAY, SCHEFTER, we got a. couple more quick questions as you are. wheeling and dealing on your phone at. the same time. Go ahead, Ty. >> Yeah, Schefty, speaking of the trades, earlier in the week you talked about. Jonathan Greenard and how the Vikings. were likely going to trade him and then.

a report came out today that said like. half the league has reached out to the. Vikings on his behalf and that the. Seahawks are circling. Is this one of. those deals that you expect like is is. he likely to be traded within the next. few days here? Uh I think that this is a case where I. don't think the Vikings. really. want to deal him, but it's one of those. cases where if there's a team that. offers enough to go get him. um and I think it would be a day two. pick so a second or third.

I I think Minnesota because of the. financial questions and issues there. is going to have to consider. My guess. is in the end when these things usually. happen when you hear about a player that. a team is open to trading when there. have been discussions. uh when that happens like. usually a trade happens. So, I would say. it's probably more likely than not, but. Minnesota knows how good he is and I can. tell you he's not going to be thrilled. about giving him up. Minnesota 44 and a. half million dollars over the cap. Now, what are they going to do at the. quarterback position? Are they going to.

bring in a vet? Everything like that. That is uh situation, but that's part of. the game. You got to be able to manage. that. You got to do salary cap. gymnastics. Excited to see how everybody. works out. Now, final question for me. What was the reaction around the league. to uh Aaron Rodgers for 75 minutes. yesterday? I was pumped, dude. He's guy. just wants to have sex with his wife for. everybody. >> [laughter]. >> That's all he wants to do. They're active. What's that? Aaron and his wife and his wife are very. active. Healthy relationship they have. That's what it That's what it sounds. like, you know, for me. And also, him.

putting over Mike McCarthy will hide. There's a lot of things that he said in. there. Anything that drew some reaction. other than him and his wife certainly. doing what God is telling him to do with. each other. Is there anything else that. it was kind of taken from there from a. football perspective? Everybody wants to know is he playing or. is he not? And and he didn't really give. any indication. >> All right, Jeff. [laughter] Yep. That. was That was your go. He did though. He said, "Listen, what do. you want me to do? There's nothing no. real decision to be made, you know, if. you want me to come on here and say, "I'm definitely going to play football.". Well, I got to know what it looks like,

you know, how much how am I going Season. ended two months ago. Let's give him a deal then, maybe, huh? Pittsburgh Steelers? >> Well, McCarthy did say that last time, you know, "Aaron's got to go through his. off-season process and we'll get. together." And what he. >> [laughter]. >> what he he also said something there. about going through his own, did he not, Aaron? Did he not say we got to go. through our own? We got to go through. our process, you know, getting guys in. the building and he's got to go through. his process, so How long you've been. working a whole year? A whole year to. this day? I just remember him saying. that and I said, "Yep, that's that's. that's Big Mike to a T." He's the. greatest and he likes him a lot, so I I. think that'll be figured out. And it.

feels like he's way too happy. He talked. about how much fun he had playing. football last year and then if the. situation remains the same, he's in. shape cuz all the bone and I I just I. think there's. I think he's. >> there's legs there. I think he's good. I. think he's good. All right, I appreciate. the hell out of you, Schefty. All right, guys, we'll see what else. happens here today and tomorrow and. we'll be in Indianapolis on Sunday. You. know what I love about you? You're just. so calm through it all. Just don't ride. the highs. Nope. Don't don't get too low. on the lows. >> Can't. Just right there riding the Let's. let's let's let's see what if you are.

saying the same thing on Tuesday or not, okay? Has anybody on has anybody on air. just openly, publicly talked about what. your life is actually like? Cuz I think. it needs to be known what this guy is. putting himself through to get these. tweets up. This is all for these tweets. That is that is what all of this is for. Everything you do for these tweets. Like. the amount of energy, emotional energy. that you We appreciate. >> works like he's an up-and-coming. insider. >> Yeah, we appreciate you doing that right. now. Yeah, and then oh my god, screenshotting.

Hey. Yeah. Yeah. Woo! Well done, Schefty. You felt good about that. >> Good dunks. Listen, Florio, friend of. the program, I know he pisses people off. though and like. >> I mean, all the Yeah, he's probably been. pissed at like Florio that's Florio. football. I know that for sure. >> That's Florio football in a nutshell and. I understand in the game you two been. there a long time. These had to feel. good putting them out. I mean, these. this had to feel good, Schefty. Legit, this had to feel Well, you know, I. thought my integrity was being. questioned, so I just wanted to Is that. the angle that you're going with? And is.

that why you felt obligated to do as. such? Yes. It was uncalled for, it was. unprofessional, and it was unnecessary. Well, on that note, hey, you're in the. sports world, so every once in a while. is going to be talked. Certainly it. was, and then you just you came. >> I got something for that. >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's an incredible. thing. You should feel good about that, not bad about that. We like watching the. joust out there. You're the man. Ladies. and gentlemen, don't even think it. >> Yeah. Think twice. Hey, maybe don't be. barking up this particular tree. Okay, you don't know what's on the other side.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's Schefty. I mean, he felt so good putting that. tweet out. And he should have. Oh, yeah. How about him trying to do the. journalist angle about his integrity. being questioned? I mean, he's just. going, "Bro, that was not integrity. That was he was. talking on you, and you came back. and just absolutely demolished absolute. murder scene on the internet. I've never. seen it from an insider. I've never seen it. I don't know if. Shinzo, Art of War has that in there. Rest definitely. Rest in peace. Shinzo. did pass away.

Too soon. Yes, a lot of people said. that. >> A lot of people have said that. Back. back then it was bad on time. Yeah, but that's what. >> No, but they wanted him to do it. >> Yeah, I'm talking about. It would be cool if it wasn't back then. he did what he Yeah, we remember Moonzo. carried it on. Is that true? Speaking of carrying. things on in tradition, um. the World Baseball Classic started last. night. >> Yeah, here we go. We're in it. We are in. it. Johnny Bazana. Yeah. [laughter] Is that. What's his name?

>> Johnny Bananas. Some people refer to him. as Johnny Bananas. His name, his given. name is Travis Bazana. Okay, okay. I am. sorry. I'm just learning this guy. Holy. hell. We call Cal Raleigh What do we. call Cal Raleigh? This guy's base is. abso- He's a horse. This guy is an. absolute horse. The Australian people, I. do believe, in great shape. I was over. there, so I don't want to say like I. know everything cuz I was there for 1. week of my life, but you walked around, you very rarely didn't see somebody that. was in very good shape. So, it feels.

like whenever they turn their attention. to a sport, their bodies can handle it. Like it feels like they are an athletic. bunch. It does feel like that is who our. Aussies are. I had no idea they did the. baseball. And then this guy goes jogging. onto the field, and they had like this. long jib shot of him. I was like, "That. guy is a horse. What Who is he?". Yeah, and then lo and behold, hits an. absolute bomb. They were talking him up. the whole time, and then he hits a bomb. in it. It's like, "Good for this guy. Is. Australia pro I I didn't know they did. the baseball down there." I had no idea. And how many Australians have played.

baseball in MLB? Uh. I mean, you know, a couple handfuls. maybe, but there hasn't been a guy like. that. Like he was the first overall pick. in the draft in 2024. He came over, he. went to Oregon State. So, like he is. expected to be, you know, five-tool. player. So, like I think we were talking. about this before the show. I don't. think it's crazy to say like this guy is. probably. uh or he's he's expected to be the best. Australian baseball player of all time, and you can see why. Big moment, you. know, he hasn't played in the big. leagues yet. He plays for the He was.

drafted by the Guardians, but, you know, for Team Australia. What What a night. >> Yeah, you always think about and we. always talk about what this can do for. America, you know, like hey, baseball, we're trying to get this back to being a. pastime. Hockey team winning against. Canada. Hockey's Hockey teams winning. against Canada. It's like, "Hey, that's. good for hockey." Think about good for. baseball in like Australia. >> Oh, yeah. Like you know, that that feels. like especially with Japan being as. good, and I don't want to act like I. know geography, but they're both really. far. >> Same time Yeah, so I would assume it has. to be in the same area.

>> that's why they're playing their games. in Japan, you know, for the opening. round cuz it's close closer than any. other site. >> Good for baseball, man, if that starts. happening. That was an electric. atmosphere, and that wasn't the only. game. There was a massive grand salami. ding-dong in WBC coming out of South. Korea, right? >> Yeah, South Korea and Czechia and who. who is it? Moon Bull-Kyung and this is. the first inning. So, you know, obviously not a whole bunch of people. there for that the Korean game. I think. I mean times that you mentioned it, you. know, who knows what time this started.

over there. But yeah, talk about. opening the tournament with some. fireworks hitting a grand slam in the. first inning and then this is also part. of what's cool about the World Baseball. Classic like Czechia, a bunch of guys on their team like are. are just regular dudes. Like guys who. are plumbers who this comes around. they're good enough to make the national. team and then they're playing against. you know, pros from Korea. >> Me versus Kershaw. Yeah, exactly. >> Hey, Kershaw got two outs. Obviously had. get the jitters out fresh out of. retirement. Hangs one can't do that.

Keeps it up high and whatever. Kershaw. understood that gets two outs then gets. a standing ovation on his way out. Hey, good to see you, brother. >> Yeah, boy Clayton. And baby Kersh. >> Good to see you, brother. I am I'm. pretty pumped about team USA. I like the. mindset. I like the team. I like the. vibes. I like the culture. I like. everything about it. There was also a. moment. um. was it the Dominican Republic. was playing a team. and their pitcher was playing for the. other team but he was a I believe a. Dominican pitcher. >> Mhm. And he went and pitched for the.

national team and then they called he. was like a young guy I think. If my the. way I saw the story happen in the video. that I'm watching looked like a younger. guy. They were coming out the catcher. was coming out to talk to pitcher. Young. kid from country in which his team is. and then everybody came to the mound. >> [laughter]. >> and like gave him like an ass pat. Like. it was like a. >> That's cool. Yeah, I thought it was like. I was watching in the middle I was like. almost got emotional for the kid that. was standing there cuz that's probably. like. >> Huge moment. >> Yeah, for him. That the World Baseball. Classic I think has been special to. follow and maybe it's cuz we are on this. Olympic hangover right now but it's like.

so cool to see people just. It's cool to see people come together. >> Yeah. It it legitimately. >> their only opportunity, you know, and. it's like we have it but then you watch. these other games, too, and you can see. like how invested these other countries. are. We talked about the crowd in the. Dominican Republic in the game they. played down there. Like, everyone is. kind of invested in this right now. >> Let's go back to the NFL. Talking about. investments, Seattle Seahawks seemingly. not making investments in a couple of. important pieces of their Super Bowl. run. Kenneth Walker was not tagged. He's. going to hit free agency. He's going to. get paid pretty well. Rashid Shaheed, the dynamic returner and wide receiver.

that was brought into Seattle mid-season. out of New Orleans, he's going to go and. hit free agency, as well. I guess this. is a part of the business whenever you. win, Con Man. >> Yeah, and also you just heard Schefter. talking about the, you know, depth of. the free agents. If you're a wide. receiver right now, it's a premium. position. Aside from Alec Pierce and. Mike Evans, who really haven't heard. much, he's probably going to fetch that. 24, 25 million. And then you just. mentioned Jonathan Grenard also with. Schefty. Like, Seattle probably, you. know, kind of zeroing in on the trenches. rather than a skill position like this.

when they know JSN contract is around. the corner. >> And once again, we trust Schneider. Yes. He's earned the right to be trusted. whatever he makes. This is just like. around ball, whenever Bill Belichick. would make a move, people are just like, "Yep, that makes sense. You're getting. rid of your Yeah, sure. Bill Belichick's. doing it." He was able to have success. and win while doing so. And none of his. players that he would cut would ever. make it through the waiver because. everybody wanted whoever that was. Schneider's starting to get in the. similar conversations cuz he was able to. build two different teams. >> Yeah. in one place in a relatively quick. turnaround. So, I feel like that guy not.

the best football thrower. No. Sure. He tried. I mean, I'm not the best. baseball thrower. So, we all have our thing. >> There you go. Yeah. We all [laughter]. have our crosses. But damn, that guy. seemingly can build a team. So, any. decision he's making, we're trusting. we're trusting, but Shaheed is a weapon. >> Yes. in a lot of facets. And in the. world that we're in right now with a lot. more returns, with uh explosive shots. coming at a premium now because of the. shell coverage, it's like Rashid. Shaheed, I think, is going to get a. little bit of looks. I I think there's.

going to be a lot of Rashid Shaheed. combo just like there will be Kenneth. Walker. Let's go to a decision that was. made in Pittsburgh. Jonnu Smith who was. traded in from Miami. As soon as I read. the headline, I was actually with Gumpy. Gumpy goes, he was so good for the. Dolphins. What a trade. Everybody's a super. genius. Now he's being released, you. know. Like Gumpy just obviously. incredibly bitter about it all. Tell me. a little bit about how Pittsburgh feels. about freeing up the room, I guess, in. the tight end room and and releasing. Jonnu Smith. And how did he experience.

go, you think, as a whole? Obviously had. some wins, had some big times. But I. think people were very excited about. what he could potentially bring to the. Steelers. And whether it was his fault. or anybody else's not the case, they're. moving on. I don't think many people. were surprised. >> No, so we go back to when like this. first happened last year there was like. tweets about like, oh Jonnu Smith. potentially going to the Steelers. I was. like, well that doesn't make sense. because Pat Freiermuth just got a. contract. Darnell Washington is really. good. We need a third tight end making. that type of money. And then he did come. in. There was some good. There was some. not so good. Um but they free up $7. million they go from $44 million to $51.

million now. So they got a lot of money. to play with. And when I mentioned guys. like Pat Freiermuth and Darnell. Washington like those guys are they're. going to be on the field all the time. You don't want to take those guys off, especially Darnell. Like they love. Darnell Washington and Pat. So like. >> Mount Washington. Yeah, that's right. We. don't need it. This made sense. He was. always going to like this was a. projected move the entire off season. that this was going to happen. But Jonnu. in the right offense, in the right. place, he he's still he's still really. good. He's still a playmaker. So he'll. he'll be fine. >> Yeah, there will be some offense that.

will find Jonnu Smith and then all of a. sudden he'll be a playmaker. >> Yes. A lot of people saying Ohio State. Yeah, Ohio State with Andre Smith might. not be a bad idea. But also if you were. just. >> That's That's not possible. Yeah, that. was unbelievable what you just did right. there. >> I'm just saying what the internet was. saying yesterday. Yeah, okay. So you. just uh Sounds like you agree. It does. sound like a little. Whatever you say, I'll say like a little. What's that bird? A parrot? You are a. I am a parrot. I am also um what's the. animal that doesn't have a spine? A. jellyfish. Um Jeez, wait. are a few of A lot of.

people also say chameleon, too. Bunch of. different cool things. Um I guess that's quite You're kind of. You got a lot of depth, actually. >> Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Sky and No, I thought our job here was. to relay the news of what people out. there are saying. >> That is a part of our job. That is a. part of our job. I do believe we do that. a little bit more. >> But every once in a while that'll get us. in trouble. Yes, it. >> cuz some people who aren't on the. internet, which we think are people that. are lazy. Okay, especially if you're in this. particular profession, they've never. heard any of those things. So whenever.

we say, "Hey, people are saying this.". they think we're saying that just so. that we could say our own personal. thoughts. It's No, hey, this is actually. People are saying. >> This is actually what's going on. And. that's probably a pretty good focus. group, especially if you're talking. about stuff that you should probably. understand what's going on out there in. where everybody that watches sports. seemingly is. So we just do a lot of. like, "Hey, they don't know ball." if. they get upset. But people do get upset. whenever we do something like, "Hey, we're just breaking the news." Don't. Hey, I guess that's journalism. Yeah, yeah, don't shoot the messenger, you. know. >> and then they go then they say, "Well,

those are all fake things." and it's. like, "Well, that's a whole 'nother. conversation." Yeah, that's a huge And. what if I saw some of these. setups of places. and they're sending out tweets and. comments and posts Mhm. and following. around behind somebody else. I'm like, "How many of these computers have I. gotten so mad at for doing. >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, exactly. These. are starting narrative. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, bingo. >> Where are you? >> One person, 10 accounts. >> got to sign the tweets of those, but. that's getting more hard and hard each. day. Yeah. I mean, the style's there. He's two-time big old Big Ten. Yeah, and.

you could understand how you. >> We wanted that to be true. Exactly, exactly. So we do apologize. We do. apologize for that, but also. Could you imagine? >> I think they do have the science. We. have the comps. Tom Pelissero's. reporting. The Bills are sending a 2026. second-round pick to the Bears for DJ. Moore and a fifth-round pick per. sources. A pick swap that gives Chicago. extra draft ammo and Buffalo a new top. receiver. DJ Moore, good for him. He's. going to be playing football with Josh. Allen. Yeah. Uh-oh. A second and the. second No, that's not bad. I don't think.

that's bad at all. >> all. I mean, they're probably pretty pumped. up about that. >> It's an unbelievable trade. >> Beano's got to be pretty pumpy. Beano. probably thinks he had a bingo here. >> Oh, yeah. He did hit a bingo, Beano. He. hit a bingo, Beano. Yeah, Beano hit a. bingo here. If any of you guys have not. talked to him since then, everybody. understands that we do have a. relationship with him. He is a friend of. the program. I'm excited to get his. thoughts on this at some point. Now, they're not allowed to talk about it. until it actually happens. Remember, that's like the big fight club thing. Six days. That we have a tampering. period, but you're not allowed to talk. about reality of tampering period until.

It's like, well, we're allowed to talk. about it. Yeah, you're allowed to talk. about it, but the people that are. actually involved It's just like college. football where uh. a recruit commits Mhm. and then well, you actually the coach can't say. player's name until they actually So, not even allowed to say their name cuz. that's a recruiting violation. It's. like, well, can they just say like we. want players that are really big, strong, fast, and smart, and good to. their family, and their parents say. they're good. Yes. So, we think all the. rules are stupid. If a deal is made, we. should talk about it, and we should. promote it because it would be cool to.

be able to get Beano's instant reaction. to his bingo of a trade right now. Cuz. this is a home run for him. I think in. his eyes, this is a home run. He should. be able to hit the press right then. immediately. Hey. I did it again. Look. at Beano. You know what it does though? The from. now until next Wednesday at 4:00 or. whatever it is, and then the all those. free agency signings that happen Monday. and Tuesday, gives us social media teams. a lot of time, okay? Cuz Wednesday at. 4:00, they cook, and then they finally. put out official. And then they. >> Oh, yeah. We we might need to have like. a schedule schedule release type video.

for some of these new signings from. these social teams. I'll I'll tell you what, the Buffalo. Bills social team, they got the juice. They got the juice. Okay. I I spent a day at combine alongside. them. We were brainstorming the whole time, weren't we, Gumpy? We had a lot of good. ideas for them that they could. potentially put out, and they put the. effort into building them, and then. ultimately never pulled the trigger cuz. we missed the time, [laughter] but. Little light on the trigger. They should. have let some things go. >> Yeah, they Be aggressive out there if. you're doing that. >> There was a couple tweets that we were. trying to get them to tweet from the.

Buffalo Bills account. That if if they. would. >> Yeah, especially with everything that. was going on They want to talk numbers. Yeah, we said, "Hey, any number that you. were trying to show to Mr. Pegula say. you're doing a good job, we can get that. right here.". >> [laughter]. >> His rate Is that that combines a lot of. downtime. A lot of downtime. Aaron Glenn. What about. >> Well, that That was what they kind of. they shouldn't have. That That was like. a seen ghost type situation. >> Yes. >> I agree. Remember whenever they put. Yeah, I yeah. That's what I said I That was the first.

takeaway. Like, what are they doing. filming that guy on TV? >> he said, "I got a triple platinum. I. couldn't imagine waking up like that. That has to be a worst wake up of all. time." And it was. That's like in school. you accidentally doze off, and then you. notice that the teacher's potentially. looking at you. It's one of those. moments. Instead, it's hey, everybody here. Yeah. [laughter] And. everybody at home. Yeah. He's going to. see this. Yep. Well, you're looking at your service, sure. Yeah, we understand. We appreciate. that. I don't mean to bring that back. up, but I would just like to go to bat. for him. Very easy for somebody to.

to doze off cuz of how terrible the. in-stadium show is. >> Yeah. It's warm and comfy in there. It's. kind of like a library. >> Yeah, there's no air movement. >> Nope. >> no nothing. They put zero effort into the in-stadium. show that because this is a This is an. interview for the athletes. It's not a. show, but we're inviting fans in. Okay, so maybe we try to make it, and. then you go up to the team stuff, and. the teams are just sitting in there like. try There's obviously a juice person in. each room. >> Yes. There is one person. in a in a suite down that you could.

clearly tell that they were put in. there, "Hey, need you to keep us up. >> Mhm. Need you to need you to keep the. juice going cuz the meetings are going. 3:00, 4:00 a.m. Exactly. >> And then they're going into these dead. quiet awkward sounding stadium for 7. hours. I think Aaron Glenn should not be. murdered as much. On that note, phenomenal tweet by you. They had to do. it. It's the Jets. Phenomenal tweet by you. Thank you. Kyler Murray juice is starting to really. flow. Mhm. Kyler Murray is starting to. become the number one conversation about. a quarterback spot. Who needs a.

quarterback? They need to get Kyler. Murray. And I'll tell you, I got trapped. in a 3-minute Kyler Murray highlight. reel last night. >> It is glorious. Oh my god. Him running, okay, whenever he gets going, because of. his build, obviously, it is a different. style of running than we're used to. seeing, but then he's just zooming right. by people. I mean, he has the capability. to outrun you. At this point, he has the. capability, you would hope, to. understand what the defense is doing. You would hope at least. I mean, it. takes a long time for a lot of people to. potentially understand NFL defenses, and. NFL defenses are evolving. But, if Kyler.

Murray understands what defenses are. doing, and he still can run, which he's. 28 years old, right? How old is he? Yeah, I think 28. 28 years old or. whatever, so he's still going to be able. to do this for a while, at least another. contract if he had to. He can obviously. spin it, and he finds like the right. reason to go all in. It's like, is Kyler. Murray about to do the Sam Darnold? Is. Kyler Murray about to do the Baker. Mayfield? Is Kyler Murray about to do. the Kirk Cousins at one time? Is Kyler. Murray about to do the Mac Jones is. about to Is Kyler Murray about to be the. next one that gets his second.

opportunity and just absolutely. slaughters it because it's a nice fresh. taste. of football for him. We'll see. Or, maybe he's hitting dingers for. Pittsburgh Pirates. I I don't know. There's so many different options here. for how big of an athlete and how great. of an athlete he is, but I watched that. highlight reel, and I completely got If. you put him in the right spot, and he's. not going to cost a lot of money, so. he's going to be able to have weapons. around him. >> No money, almost. Maybe 1.2 million. league min. Kyler Murray having a resurgence would. be bananas, and good for him as a whole,

obviously. And there's a bunch of teams. that need quarterbacks. Like, the. conversation right now with the draft. is, hey Mendoza, then Ty Simpson, then. who knows? And I mean, you can pull up. the division chart and there are. multiple teams in multiple divisions. that need quarterbacks, let alone teams. like Atlanta. Like Atlanta's got a brand. new coach, they got a quarterback that's. only played a few games, he just tore. his knee. Would he go to in Atlanta with. Bijan, Bijan, Drake London, Kyle Pitts? >> Which one is it? I don't know. This is. We We talked about the name thing.

yesterday. >> even asked him and I don't think we got. to the bottom of it. He said his mom. Bijan, but he said, "But everyone calls. me Bijan and that's fine by me." Okay, so Bijan does have obviously recruiting. capabilities I would assume for Atlanta. cuz of how good of a football player he. is, but also the city of Atlanta is a. place I think a lot of people would. mind. You see what they're doing with. the NBA team? Yeah, couple guys not. happy about it. >> I I heard that. >> And I stand with Luke Kornet. You do? Yeah, I do. >> Wait, what are you guys talking about? We're talking about a place that has. great lemon pepper wings. I mean, from.

the conversations that I I've heard. and from. from what my taste buds have. judged Big storyline of the bubble. Huge storyline of the. >> Yeah. Not just of the bubble though. I think. if you were to peel back the curtain. I think Magic City might be a big part. of a lot of sports. >> back to the dance club. A lot of sports. Yeah, there's a dope vibe. there. But once again, great kitchen.

The Hawks The Hawks are playing a game. there? Great chef. No, so I think. they're just doing a lot. >> They put games there all the time. A lot. of yeah. There's There's There's hooping going on. you know what I mean? There's a lot. happening out there. People aren't happy. about it. I'll say this though about the. Atlanta Hawks, they're willing. Yes, innovative. They. will. They need to. >> What night were we there for? There was. an awesome night. >> Uh Big Boy Big Boy was there. Peachtree. Uh what's that? >> the Two Chainz. Yeah, they had like all. the Peachtree stuff. >> The hoodie with the Two Chainz on it was. But remember I sat on the first seat at. Big Boy.

>> chair down there. on. >> Boy's chair down there. They do it right. down there. And then I got a big boy. Budweiser that was a 28 oz or something. like that bigger than a pounder. And. then you walk back and there's just some. open resort style bar you could do it. They are. They are trying their best for. basketball live event future feels like. They'll do Concessions are super cheap. I bet you it's a sellout. I would assume. yeah, it's going to sell out. But uh. there's people down there saying is this. what we need to be promoting? It's like uh. I think if you talk to anybody that's. ever really gone through Atlanta.

they would say it's part of the story. down there. Promote the local economy. I was down here as an 18-year-old. Okay, we played the Sugar Bowl in. Atlanta. Mhm. As we know Adam Pacman Jones is uh is. Atlanta uh Stall royalty. Yeah, Atlanta. so he was down he was not with the. Mountaineers. He had just left but he he. did want us to win back him pretty good. it felt like and he was with us. I got show I got shown Atlanta by Pacman. Jones when I was 18. It was I had a.

great time. I bet you did. That was back. in the welcome to Atlanta. yeah Jeezy was going crazy at the time. Let alone Outcast growing up. T.I. going. absolutely bananas again. >> Yeah. I mean it would Ludacris all I'm. just kind of I'm kind of rattling. through the names here. Atlanta had. quite a Gucci sorry I apologize Gucci. Um. I don't want to leave anybody out. Can't. can't miss one here. Yeah. Don't worry. dig deeper. Two Chainz Two Chainz Two. Chainz is a little later though. I say I.

I I think uh. Well we got to go through each zone here. now so so Yeah Donald Glover yeah. Yeah. Childish Gambino. Okay that way a little. later we can. we cannot open this up to one generation. because we do not we just future future. okay we we definitely need to do that. >> Rest in peace. Nonetheless shout out to. Atlanta and uh. and the Atlanta Hawks we happen to know. some of the people down there a little. bit and we've gotten to know the people. a little bit. They're business people. they will get creative. They they will. try their best to make sure people are. having a good time watching the Atlanta.

Hawks because they think the future of. live events and sports are kind of one. with each other and that's what they're. doing as a whole. Go ahead. And they. make it affordable. Just last thing for. those people, those business people, yeah, everything in the stadium, both. Falcons and Hawks, like the prices are. not absurd, which you see all the time. >> Yeah, it's like $5 beers or something. like that, $3 waters or something like. that as opposed to like 10 or 12 or 15. what everybody's doing. I forget the. numbers, but yeah, they are just trying. to get people to come. We want people to. have a good time and celebrate and then.

if we win, which we need to start doing, that's better for all of Atlanta. So, I'm not making excuses, there's reasons. people are upset and I get it. You you. get people could be upset for. everything. I'm just saying they also. take a shot on how many games are down. there? 41? >> Yeah, 41. They're taking a shot on 41. different I mean, they are I appreciate. that they are giving maximum effort. They're trying to do this. So, You know, every once in a while you're. going to get one that maybe not. everybody's going to love. >> That's going to happen. That that that. that's a lot of games, you got to fill. Their record just went pretty viral. I. don't know if you saw the tweet, but in.

the last like 40 games, they're 20 and. 20 and their last like 80 games, they're. 40 and 40. Their last 160 games, they're. 80 and 80. I think it's their last like. 2400 games, they're 1200 and 1200. Like. the Atlanta Hawks are on a historic run. like that, but it is cool. >> Historically Historically. >> Historically mediocre. Right there, yeah, which is a stain. I I think I. would be actually I'm not. the best French speaker, but I think. that is what come see come saw. I I think it actually means like uh.

uh. Yeah. I I think that I I think that. >> have fun at the arena. Great, they're. still selling it out. Yeah. Still. selling it out. Joining us now is a man. that we've been very lucky to call a. friend of ours. His career and his. resume is one that people will look back. upon and say, "Wow, that guy's an. incredible American sports businessman.". And he's not only that, he's also an. ex-punter. Ladies and gentlemen, the. athletic director, and there's an. official title official title I don't. have it. I looked it up. I should have. had it. About sorry. Athletic Director Vice President and.

James E. Rohr Director of Athletics. Okay. We thank you for your money, Mr. Rohr. Peep of Aqua. >> [applause]. >> Hey guys, great to see you, Pat. Thanks. for having me on. Appreciate it. No. problem. I know the amount of money that. was probably paid for that guy's name. James E. Rohr's name to be right there. in front of Director of Athletics. So, I. want to make sure that keeps going for. Notre Dame Athletics, and I want to make. sure we get that right. On that note, we. love that you are the athletic director. for Notre Dame. Not only because of how.

good you are as a businessman and how. you see things, but also because you. were a player there who happened to play. for one of the most legendary coaches in. the history of society. We would like to. pass on our condolences to your college. coach uh uh for your college coach Lou. Holtz's passing. And when we reached. out, I just wanted I I I thought we owe. Coach Holtz a little bit of love, and. there was no other person we thought. should maybe come on and talk about him. a little bit than you. So, thank you for. making time, and is there anything that.

you think people should know about your. coach and obviously Notre Dame legend. Lou Holtz? Yeah, and you you you. mentioned punter. I was unlike you, I. was a horribly failed punter. I was a. walk-on for a half a second uh under. Coach Holtz, and you know, my dear. friend Craig Hendrick, who you know. well, was. who inspired me to to to give it a go. Uh quickly realized when I showed up on. campus. that uh I wasn't Notre Dame material, but Craig. you know, took me under his wing, and I.

I had a chance to participate with the. team for a short amount of time, but the. the real. the real value and treasure of those. moments, particularly uh the second. semester of my junior year in spring. training, where I spent so much time. with Coach Holtz until until another. injury did me in Uh just to get to know. him. You know, my life. at you know, I I grew up such a Notre. Dame fan. So many people from my family. went to Notre Dame. He He was a. He was a mythological figure. I mean, I.

quoted Coach Holtz in my in a speech I. gave at my high school graduation. He was my yearbook quote. And so when I. showed up on campus and actually was. around him, I mean, it was like seeing a. legend up close and personal. And then. what was so wonderful, Pat, you know, move that from you know, being a fly on. the wall of the football program for a. half a second, probably the least. distinguished Notre Dame football. program in the history [laughter] of. Notre Dame football, to getting to know. him as a friend.

and to having him in my life, you know, particularly the last I'd say 15 or so. years, we became really, really close. and. he just had an unbelievable way to. inspire people, to make you feel just. valued and important and loved and just. you know, a little thing like he he was. on a flight with my family coming to a. Notre Dame game and he sat next to my. son, Arthur, who's now 15. He was. probably around 12 and a half, 13 at the.

time. And Coach Holtz, 2 weeks later. this unbelievable letter came in the. mail to Arthur about what a great young. man he is and how he looks forward to. following his future and he knows he's. going to go to Notre Dame and you know, we have that framed on my son's wall. Uh and he he said he was a special, special man, just a a unique individual. And an absolute beauty, I believe is how. you describe that. Like going above and. beyond all the time to let people know. that they've been noticed or to make.

people feel as if this moment that. you're having with him is the most. important moment of his life, even. though everybody is expecting that. We. went to a corporate Christmas party here. in Indianapolis. We were invited to this. thing. And you know, the corporate gigs. for speakers are something that. are stuff of legend. You know, like. comedians talk about it and like. leaders, I assume you have hired. speakers to come in. Nick Saban's doing. the run right now, you know, like he's. high the speaker for corporate events. thing is always something I heard about,

you know, and how it is, but I never. experienced it. Then I got invited to. this Christmas party up on North side of. Indianapolis and Foxy, I think went with. me up there. We had no idea what to. expect. Okay, I had no idea. I've never. been in the corporate world. I don't. have any friends who are in the. corporate world. My parents don't have. any friends who are in the corporate. world. I had no idea what we were. walking into. We walk in this place, chaos. I mean, we're talking full full. chaos. There's like a There's a contest. going on up on a stage. I mean, there's. a bar over here. There's a bunch of. people dancing over here. I'm like, "Damn, these people are getting down. like really getting down." Then they. shuffle us off into a back room and.

they're like, "Once this kind of settles. down, this is like a happy hour feel. then we're going to do a dinner then you. guys are going to do your thing. afterwards." It was like, "Cool." So, I. had to be there for, you know, 3 hours, but I was only doing something, [laughter] you know, at the very end. Classic corpo, I think you guys, you. know, whatever the case. But then I get in that back room, the. only other person in there is Coach Lou. Holtz and I had no idea he was going to. be there. I had no clue. So, I open the. door and he's back there and I go, "Holy. shit." Literally right to his face, which is probably not the perfect. reaction and he goes, "Pat." And he. gives me like a full speech about who I.

am. He starts breaking it He did. research on who I He obviously knew I. was coming. He was a part of the the. board there and we spoke for, I don't. know, an hour and 10 minutes. >> Yep. Hour and 10 minutes and he made me feel. as if he was lucky to be if that make He. made me feel like he was trying to talk. to me as opposed to me having like a. thousand questions for him. And it was. in that moment that I realized like some. of these people are casted as. characters, especially in the sports. world if they're able to triumph in. everything. And then you realize like.

some of them are actually who they are. And whenever you meet those people, it's. like that's a special entity for the. history of sport. And it was in that day. in the middle of that chaos. I mean, the. absolute opposite of what you think of. Lou Holtz was happening out here. And. then in his back room, he just made me. feel special and then our relationship. grew throughout the entirety. He was. just a beast and he was all He was. sending messages of inspiration to me. It was like. Lou Holtz, why are you investing in me? And it was like I just think he did that. to everybody that he met. He wanted to. be such a giver. Obviously, Medal of. Freedom winner and everything else. And.

can you remind me of the heart of a that. told me about the heart of a lion story. I think you were the one that told me. about the heart of a lion story. >> Oh, yeah. This is such vintage Lou. Holtz. Shows how just how quick and. smart he is and how funny he is. So, as. I said, I was a walk-on for a half a. second, right? With injuries and. horrible lack of talent but eventually. did me in. But had a great, you know, great brief experience. So, that I graduated in '93 in 2007, I'm running the US Open and I get a call. from a good friend of mine, Bill Fallon,

who played football at Notre Dame in in. about 10 years in the before in the '70s. and '80s. And he said, "Hey, I'm going. to see coach coach Holtz speak. tomorrow." I said, "Oh, that's going to. be great. He's one of the great speakers. in the world." So, the next day Bill. Fallon calls me and he goes, "Pete, after coach spoke, I went up to him and. I introduced myself and I said, 'Hey, I'm good friends with Pete Bevacqua.'". And he said he said, "Lou," without. skipping a beat, goes, "Pete Bevacqua. Pete Bevacqua has the heart of a lion.". And I said, "He said that about me?" He.

goes, "Yeah, without skipping a beat.". So, I was like, "Wow." I went home. I. told my wife. And you know, and I I. would tell people that story. Now, fast. forward to 2015, I'm the CEO of the PGA of America and I. did a radio show on SiriusXM State of. Golf with Pete Bevacqua. And we're going. to do it down in Orlando and and I and I. asked Lou to co-host it with me. So, we were talking about golf and. talking about, you know, obviously his. coaching experience and all that and. Notre Dame, obviously. And in the break,

I said, "You know, Lou, I got to tell. you something that's had a profound. impact on my life." And I told him the. story. And I And he started laughing. And he goes, "Pete, he goes, I've been. coaching football for 40 years." He. goes, "Whenever somebody mentions a kid. and I have no idea who that is, >> [laughter]. >> I said, 'Oh man, he had a heart of a. lion.'". I I I wish you hadn't told me that. He. goes, "Well, I can't say they were. fast." He goes, "Cuz maybe they were a. 300-lb lineman. I can't say they were.

unbelievably strong because maybe they. were the. you know, the the field goal holder." He. goes, "But I could always say heart of a. lion." So, I said, "Ah, man, you just. you just crushed me." No. Hey, if you ain't first, you're last, you know? Yeah, I mean, I didn't know. And I I've told that story and uh. you know, he was he was one of a kind. And the amount of people yesterday, you. know, like unbelievable Notre Dame. players, like you talk about, you know, the Rocket and Rick Mier and Ned Bolcar, Mike Stonebraker. I had a great text. exchange with Ned Bolcar yesterday. Uh.

the impact he had on these young men at. the time who, you know, were true Notre. Dame football players and the love. they still have for him all these years. later and the life advice, not the. football advice, but the life advice. that Lou gave them. year after year after year, the. connections he made, whether he was he. was a master motivator. He's an. unbelievable public speaker, but I think. the beauty of Lou Holtz is like you.

said, in those one-on-one moments when. he just kind of looked at you and, you. know, could just give you the best words. of advice and and it was genuine. He was. always genuine. Yeah, we lost a good one, man. We did. We lost a great one. And we appreciate. you coming on, telling your stories, your perspective cuz obviously you would. know better than most, I I would say, in. this particular time. We just want to. make sure that the Holtz family, they. and Lou. Up here? Mhm. Yeah. knew that we.

appreciated him, and uh we will continue. to spread his beautiful sports legend. for time and time again. Uh he's the. man. Now, quick, before I let you go, Pete. Uh there are some people live in. the Thunderdome. Okay, one of them. happens to be the Butler AD. Okay, he is. the only one dressed in a suit, so you. know exactly who he is. He's the one. right in the middle. Okay, there he is. The athletic director for Butler is here. with a group of friends who bought this. experience at a charity event. Uh we. have about a minute and a half until a. hard out. Is there any pieces of advice. that you would give the Butler Bulldog.

athletic director, or any words that you. would tell him uh as a man who sits in. your chair in Notre Dame? I think that when you're in that. building, you got to get to that. three-point line and start shooting. shots, and you got to pick up that. football and start throwing it around. with you. That's that's the best advice. I can give him, cuz that was a fun day I. had with you. Yeah. Well, yeah, when Pete was in here, you know, immediate "Hey, what up, suit?" You. know, we go to him. Suit in immediately. implies doesn't know athletics, doesn't. know sports. Then Pete picks up that. football, starts spinning it.

Absolutely starts spinning it, starts. shooting it. It was like, "Okay, suit. We we will show our respect, sir." And. we're thankful that you did that for. Coach Holtz today. But but but on a. serious note, no, I'm a huge fan of. Butler, and hey, we're all in this. together. This is a crazy time in. college athletics, but it's a. fascinating time. And uh you know, we we. have to do our best to to make sure that. we're delivering on our promise to. student athletes, which is not just a. great athletic experience, but an. academic experience as well. And that is.

something that means a lot to Notre. Dame, and I know it means a lot to the. administration and all the leadership at. Butler. And that's the key. You know, we. have to keep doing that. And you know, these young men and women who come to. our schools, our universities, we owe it. to them to make sure that they leave. with great degrees and an education. Because as you know, Pat, That's 20. seconds, Pete. You got 20 seconds, Lou. >> people And how many people can do what. you did and go play professionally? And. it's that education. So, we're all in it. together and I'm hopeful about the.

future of college sports cuz it's one of. the great things we have going in this. country. You're the man. He wants a. home-and-home and we would like to talk. to you again. Ladies [laughter] and. gentlemen, Skip Bavacqua. We'll see you. on the other side. Goodbye. Ladies and gentlemen, a conversation. with Lou Holtz is. Thank you very much, Pat. Coach, obviously, I mean, this is such a. beautiful campus. We both know it. It is. literally created in God's image.

It's been a massive day. Obviously, big. weekend with Ohio State here in town. I. know we have the dedication of the new. library. How great does it feel to be. back on campus at Notre Dame? Well, I. say this, if you've been part of Notre. Dame, no explanation is necessary. If. you haven't, no explanation will. suffice. You have to be part of Notre. Dame to understand this is just a. special place. Now, you can take all of. that adversity. Sorry. I mean, it's. tough to do You know, I got a hold the.

handkerchief and the microphone at the. same time, so it's a little difficult. But, all this adversity, you know, it's. out here. It's hanging out here. And what you can do is you can take all. of those, you know, self-perceived. issues and fears and adversities that we. face every single day when you're going. against a tough team. And you got to stick them down deep. because it really doesn't do anything. for you to dwell on them. So, you stick. them down deep and then you realize that.

all those adversities, all those issues, they're just a figment of your. imagination. >> [laughter]. >> I wish they could have made that red. flag disappear on the field as quickly. as you did that with, but. >> [laughter]. >> you know, there is no such thing as. magic. It's all mentally assisted. Now, you did that. I wouldn't do this one. It's like any other newspaper. You have a front page for people that. read the news. You have the.

comics for people can't read. And we have the editorial page for. people can't think. But, >> [laughter]. >> it's like anything else. You have to. have a faith and a belief somewhere. along the line. I'm not sure. I used to. do this trick all the time, but. >> [laughter]. >> that's when I was younger. Uh. but I'm not sure I can do it. But in any. event, I think maybe we can. I used to do this. with a phone book when I was younger,

but I have trouble tearing it up. I I. want to tell you. physically, I have an awful lot of. problems. Mentally, I'm as sharp as I've. ever been. However, however, that's one. advantage of not being very sharp when. you're growing up. Cuz then when you get. dementia, people can't tell. They'd say, >> [laughter]. >> "Oh, there's no difference in anything.". But, you know, it's like anything else. Many people go think they saw me tearing. that up. But, it's all mental. If you.

really have a strong faith and a strong. belief in what you do, it can. work it out. >> [applause]. >> The following program is a collection of. stooges talking about happenings in the. sports world. It is meant to be comedic. and informative. The opinions expressed. on this show do not necessarily reflect. the beliefs of their peers, their boss, or ESPN. There may be some cuss words. because that's how humans in the real.

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their life. Hello, beautiful people. As the crowd takes their seats [music]. here. at the Thunderdome. Hour two, a big. sports Thursday begins RIGHT NOW. SCORE! ARE THE GREATEST STAND, we're so. incredibly lucky that we get a chance to. chat about them every single day. We. hope you are enjoying your life wherever. the hell you may be, and thank you for. allowing us to do this for a living.

It's not just me, obviously. It talks to. tables here at Boston Connor, and at Ty. Schmidt. How do you feel about the. gathering that's happening out here? Feels like you got good juice, good. energy out of this bunch here. >> Yeah, absolutely. Uh you know, you. mentioned it, you know, I wasn't. expecting to have a high-ranking. official, you know, an athletic director. here. >> So you know, you see him? Exactly. Uh. but, you know, my eyes went right to the. the Iowa Tigerhawk, you know. I don't. know if he's from Iowa, I don't know. where he's at, but. >> in Kansas. I believe he played football. at Iowa. Exactly. >> Yeah, you can see You can tell by the. size of the head.

>> Yeah, exactly. So, my kind of guy. I. appreciate everyone else, uh you know, coming here and and, you know, donating and and whatnot, but I want to. pick that guy's brain. Yeah, I think. you're going to have time. Miss Carrie, uh obviously a massive philanthropist. here in Indianapolis. Donates to every. charity, and uh we thank you for making. this happen. We hope you guys have a. good time. You guys have been on TV a. lot. I think you had good smiles. I. think you had good smiles. >> them well. And once again, Peyton. Manning Children's Hospital had a gala,

their last gala, I do believe. Uh final. one. I think it was 18 years where they. raised like 20, 30 million. I forget. what it was for a children's hospital. here in town. Peyton's an absolute. legend and icon. Uh. I want to say kind of forced me into. doing this, but kind of kind of said, "Hey, you Hey, you got anything, you. know, for the year live auction?" And I. go, "Yeah, certainly. We'll sign. something. We'll come up with some ideas." Yeah, we. got a lot of signatures. We'll come up with some ideas. And. that's like the most Peyton thing of all. time. He's like, "Somebody says, 'Hey, how about chance. to watch in studio?'" It's like,

"Great, who's who's handling all this?". >> [laughter]. >> And I go, "We'll We'll handle it. You. just have to do the auctioneering of. it." So, the first time it happened, that was the case. So, I'm trying to. like explain what the hell it would be. We don't do this. So, like, I don't know. if this is really worth whatever you. guys are going to pay, but we appreciate. it, okay? And you're doing a good thing. Now, this has been multiple years we've. done it with Peyton. We've done it with. the Colts with Kicking the Stigma. And. this year we changed, we added a coffee. table. >> Yeah. Big move. >> That was a big move. We put that coffee. table right in front of them. See? See?

>> Yeah. He knows. Exactly. Serving its. purpose. >> Yeah. So, we tried to upgrade it from. last year. And if you see more chairs, that's cuz Dallas Clark in the middle of. it just offered up a double amount. >> How come he got a double amount? Well, Dallas, you know, seems like he was just. up around a microphone freewheeling and. having the time of his life. I don't. know. Definitely. Definitely drinking tequila. He'll run 5. miles in the morning full sprint so that. he can have a tequila in the afternoon. [laughter] and then auctioneer something. and say, "Yeah, we'll give away 10 of. these things." Pat's not here, but on. that note, we are thankful you are here.

And thank you for giving to Peyton. Manning's Children's Hospital. They have. helped my family as well as many others. Shout out to Peyton, by the way. Hope. you're great. Got a text from him. saying, "Hey, pal, heard we're doing it. today." I'm like, "You're coming?" He's. like, "No, oh, we got I'm busy. a lot of. stuff going on. One half OF THE HAMMER, PAT MCAFEE. AP Tonis here. Hilarious. shirt. Oh, you mean the big trifecta? Yeah, okay. So, what is that about? You're just. casting a war on SEC? Is that what. you're doing here? And the Big 12, obviously. I don't know. Is this bug. against windshield war? Cuz that's what.

the Big 10's been doing. >> You got a point. >> I dropped into Ernest, who's here as. well. He'll be wrapping up this hour. with us. Uh, he's in town tonight. I. believe he's downtown at the Egyptian. Room. The Egyptian Room. Incredible. venue. He'll obviously make it a great. time. Can play anything, can sing. anything. I was FaceTiming with him. earlier. He's around a bunch of. southerners. Yeah. Bunch of southerners. >> They get it. There was a goat dogs in. the corner over here. >> Sure. >> Couple, you know, maybe a roll tad. somewhere in the back. Okay. And I just. immediately I I didn't even I think I. met him maybe one time. I said, "Sorry,

boys." Yeah. I don't want to be this. guy. >> Yeah. They were they were writing, I. think. I just completely went in there. Oh. You had to. >> I I just had to let them know. The north has all the money. Mhm. And if we we don't figure out college. football, which I believe there is a. council or a meeting happening at the. White House, which obviously I don't. know if it's still happening because of. everything else that's going on in the. world. Speaking of. uh, Tom Brady super duper flag football. game is being moved to America. Okay? Probably a smart move. I happen to hear. about that with everybody that was going. in there for the good of ball. But for.

college football, I believe like they. are trying to get for go for it right. now. But the big trifecta is potentially. just to be given to is how the big north. thinks. Yes. In the entirety. Is that. not accurate, Tone? >> Yeah. Um, I mean, when you look at the. upcoming season, uh, there's a good chance that they do. it again. Obviously, there's a a lot of. a good other teams, but there's. a heavy chance the Big Ten you they do. it again. Nick Saban said, "I It's an. advantage.". >> Yeah. I don't care what you say. You think anybody wants to move from. Florida.

to Columbus, Ohio? You're going to have to pay them. Mhm. And it's like they did yep. >> They are. It's what they're doing. >> That's exactly what they're doing. All. they have to do is go to one alum or. maybe somebody that's just from the area. that started a company and say, "All. right, this is the guy we can get. How. much is it?" 6 million. Let me call a. friend. Hey, 3 million from you, 3. million from me, we get this. Okay, let's do it. And the north has. like a bevy of those. Now, obviously, whenever Ellison family decides they're. going to help out Michigan Yep. because.

richest the richest one That helps. the. one that owns Paramount and Lanai and. they actually own a Hawaiian island and. Oracle. Whenever they're just like, "Oh, yeah, actually I like Michigan because I. married a you know, and they're giving. them money." That's problematic. But. without just the super mega billionaires. that you don't really know about, a lot. of CEOs, a lot of CMOs, a lot of CFOs. all coming from the north business. schools. So, they all have at least a. couple hundred thousand that they would. love to be able to get special access on. game day whenever they bring their.

friends so that we could potentially get. who we're going to DN? Well, you and CML bought and CML bought. are all going to give 150,000 and then. we're getting Yeah, got out of Florida. We're going to be fine. Okay, sweet. Now, what do I get? Parking spot? No, no, no, no. Parking spots are just for. the big. You will certainly be able to walk into. the stadium. Yeah. [laughter] Yep. Get. some tickets. >> And we're going to win. Okay, you got. it. We're doing that. That's the state. of college football right now. There's a. there in college sports as a whole, I. think. So, they're having a meeting on. that. Hopefully that does get kind of. figured out because if that's what it's. going to be, it's going to get real ugly.

and more division, I think. You know, cuz right now it seems like Sankey and. Petitti Mhm. Big 10 and SEC kind of. separated already, right? Don't you feel. like that's how they're talking about? And if you have one that is just. continuing, it feels like it's only. going to be more division. It's like we. we don't need that. We need to figure. out how we can all kind of benefit from. it and players can benefit from it all. Joining us now is a man who is raising. money at this exact moment and all times. of his day for the Ohio State Buckeyes. getting another good player.

>> That's right. He's college football. national champion, Super Bowl champion, Ryder Cup winner and he has a tree on. the Ohio State campus. Ladies and. gentlemen, AJ Hawk. Hey, thanks for going out on seed to. raise money for another tight end. I do. appreciate you doing that for the. Buckeyes, AJ. I tell you what, you did kind of explain. what college football is right now. That's that's the deal, especially if. you're like those top what? Five to 10. teams that have a chance to win it all. Like that that's what it is, but uh is. it sustainable? I guess that's the. question. >> I I honestly don't know. I genuinely. have no idea if it's sustainable for the.

teams that aren't winning. For the teams. that do have a a a. a litany of people that can give you a. couple hundred thousand or a million. just because of what it is and you can. tell me I think those schools are saying. what do we there's no problems. This is play this is great. What do we. have this is. Oh you got to keep it coming. You guys. were just doing it when nobody was. watching. So oh now it's bad. Oh now. it's bad. It's like I do respect that. angle. Like that is a good argument in. this entire thing if that's what you. believe was actually happening at every. school and at what degree was that.

happening versus what is available now, but I think they're meeting from my. understanding and uh yeah here it is. On. three is reporting. You know on three. man they're so big. Oh yeah. [laughter]. They're just so they do so much. They're. so big dude. So big. On three new. President Donald Trump is hosting a. round table on issues facing college. sports. Ross Dellenger who's reporting. that. Invites include Nick Saban, Tiger. Woods, Tim Tebow, Cody Campbell and. more. Okay, so the thing that I liked. about the list Cody Campbell has a lot. of detractors in the Big 10. Big 10.

representatives also going to be on that. list. So it does feel like they are. getting a collection of ideas and. opinions on how this is can go or should. go. Tim Tebow being in there I love hey. did you see him? Yeah he's bringing it. right now. >> thank you for representing football. dude. That's Tim. >> [applause]. >> Tebow. Thank you Tim for doing that. I think. they do have a good group. Now will that. get anything accomplished? Feels like. it's a group of people that get things. accomplished. Yeah. Now granted will. they rely upon people that never get. anything accomplished to get things. accomplished? That is the worry I think. for all of us A.J. Hawk.

Yeah I guess so. I love seeing Tebow. there but I mean when you got Nick Saban. going on he's not going to sit there and. meet he's not going to go to a meeting. to talk about the next meeting. Like we. know Nick Saban doesn't want to waste. anybody's time. You don't want to waste. his time. So I would think I would hope. that if anybody can get something done I. guess it would be a group like that. >> and Cody Campbell, I I think Dog. >> we can say is he the greatest ex-player. businessman of all time? It doesn't Ishbia. >> It doesn't Steve Young running like a He. was probably Ishbia didn't Ishbia Ish.

Ishbia. is his name. >> Ishbia Okay, he's put up a million. bucks, two million bucks for the dunk. contest. He didn't make it to pros, I. don't think. I mean, we'd have to. recheck his resume. >> pretty good in that in that game he just. played a couple weeks ago. >> He needs to be in that forever. He needs. to be in that game forever just letting. people know what it is. I think he might. be the greatest ex-professional athlete. businessman of all time. I got Jordan. Shaq might have it. MJ Oh, Michael. Jordan. MJ I mean, probably. Now, no. offense Michael Jordan though. I don't. think he's guiding and running the. business, right? He is the business, but.

I don't know if he's running the. business. >> I saw I I thought I saw Steve Young, his. whatever venture capital fund is worth a. few billion now, too. >> Yeah, I guess you're right. I guess But. no, he's one-off, yeah. So, Jordan, Steve, Cody Camp Never gets talked about. Cody Campbell because he's in the oil. business, but there's a lot of people in. the oil business. And somehow Cody. Campbell has found his way to the top of. the oil business. It's like that should. be celebrated. But when he's in that. room, he's coming from a player's. perspective, but he also has good. business mind. So, that is that is what. we're talking Saban has a great business. mind. But he's coming from It's those.

are the people that we need in that. room. Feels like they have collected. them. Hopefully they figure it out. Speaking of figuring things out, did the. Buffalo Bills figure it all out this. this morning when they trade for DJ. Moore? Chicago Bears get a second and a. sixth if my recollection is accurate for. DJ Moore being sent a second and a fifth. for DJ Moore who's being sent to the. Buffalo Bills. AJ, your thoughts on what. the Buffalo Bills said with this trade. and how do you feel about Beano's Bingo. on this big sports Thursday? Yeah, I. mean, we we never know who win You can't.

really say who wins in a trade when it. actually happens like the day of, but I. feel like the Buffalo Bills, they look. pretty damn good right now. You get DJ. Moore what You only have to give up a. second and a fifth, is that correct? Now, hold on. So, it's just a second for. DJ Moore and a fifth? Yeah, I just said. in Schefter's tweet it says Buffalo gets. DJ Moore and a fifth. >> I think we can take the R off the bottom. of that. So, the. the Bills got a fifth-round pick and DJ. Moore? Mhm. Huh. This was like a real bingo for the. Bills. >> on? What do they know? Like what's going.

Yeah, why We're all we're all we're all. very surprised by the compensation. >> Not really though. Sauce Gardner was. 2-1. >> Well, that was a different organization. Opposite of the of the surprise we're. thinking of, too. But I think the only. thing people are saying the reasoning is. the contract. The the Bills will take. all of the money and I think that is the. only reason. >> But then they're talking about just re-. Exactly. >> negotiation and actually freeing up cap. space somehow in the whole move. I think. Beano is probably taking a little bit of. a victory lap up there in Buffalo. And. Josh Allen gets like a one-type.

receiver. Now, wasn't in Chicago a. perfect fit, I guess, in the Ben Johnson. offense. You know, he and Caleb, I. guess, never really got going whatever. to what they were expecting or hoping. Now, they send him up to Buffalo, he. gets to play with Josh Allen, best. player in the world. You know, that. that's He's going to be the man. He's. going to be the man in Buffalo. That's. the thing. Like, yeah, I think for DJ he. should be very excited. Obviously the. the Bears are a revamp team. They're. much better than they have been the last. few years, but yeah, for DJ Moore to go. to Buffalo, I think this is an awesome. opportunity for he and Josh Allen. Yeah, good for Josh Allen, good for the. Buffalo Bills. And once again, I believe.

in Ben Johnson, so if Ben Johnson says. you got to do what you got to do, you. got to do what you got to do, they move. on from DJ Moore this morning. Now, Dak. Prescott chatted a little bit about. George Pickens getting the franchise tag. and said don't change your love for. football. Don't get in the business mind. of this. Here's the issue that happens, and it happened to me. So, I'm going to. I'm going to chitchat. I don't know if. Dak is talking about George Pickens not. giving maximum effort in training. anymore because of getting money, or if. he's talking about there's things being.

said about you and what you're worth. that could potentially piss you off. because the people that are saying it. are the people that you're going on the. field and potentially getting hurt and. showcasing the world your talents for. So, that's a difficult thing. Like for. me whenever I was about to hit free. agency, there were some things being. said and I wanted to know, right? Cuz I. enjoy the There's things being said and. it's like Pawn Stars. That's the only. way I can really describe it and you are. the item on table and you got Rick. saying, "There's a couple dents in this. thing. It's a little bit of a liability. Who knows what the market is for it. It's going to be sitting on a shelf. Who.

knows?" Here comes my expert friend. that's coming in that also works for me. "Oh, yeah, this ain't worth shit.". You're You're hearing it. You are the. actual World War II gun that's sitting. out there being talked about that moment. and you can certainly take that. personal. And I like the fact that Dak. is like, "Just don't listen, George. We. can't have it. Just at the end of the. day we're going to get you your money, hopefully. You're going to be a Cowboy. Just don't get pissed off at everybody. because the organization is saying. things." And I appreciate that. That's. good leadership, I think, AJ. Yeah, I. think it's good leadership, but also. like. being pissed off is a hell of a.

motivator. So, yeah, just don't let it. overtake your life. Don't let it you. know, just allow it to get a little chip. on your shoulder, I guess, and and play. the underdog role and say, "Hey, they. don't They don't value me like they. should." But you can still be a great. teammate and still kind of keep that. chip on your shoulder, I think. But. yeah, if you start being If you're the. guy that's pissed off every single day. walking in the facility thinking that. you deserve more or they're they're. ripping you off, yeah, that's That's a. tough teammate to be around. I think. that's what Dak is trying to just let. everybody on that team know. Yeah, and. also you're not going to play your best. cuz you're not bought in. I mean, it's. just The business side can tear.

relationships completely apart. I mean, it it has. Cuz that's Other than Madden, right? Madden's the only other time. where a. number is placed right next to you. And. like this is your actual rating. This is. your actual I guess Pro Football Focus. So, these things though whenever they. are projected publicly, that is an. actual ranking system that is taking. place in everybody's eyes. So, whenever. you get offered something that you think. you're better than a player, but it's. less than said player, it's like, "Oh, you don't think I'm better than ba. You. don't think I'm better than ba." The. whole world thinks now that I'm.

because of this. It's like these things. can get ugly strictly because your. friends, your family, the world, and. also you're in your mind you're saying, "I just gave you everything and you. think this guy that has never been on. this team or done anything in this. building is worth this and I'm worth. this?" It's like it gets ugly, brother. It gets really ugly sometimes. I think. that's a good piece of advice from Dak, especially for GP who we know. unbelievable football player. >> Unbelievable. >> But also runs on emotion. Yeah, he does. He he runs on emotion. We need those.

emotions positive because when we see. that it's awesome. Yeah. As opposed to. negative cuz when we see that in. Pittsburgh Not as awesome. It's not as. awesome. So, I like the fact that Dak's. doing a little bit of that ahead of. time. >> Yeah, and Dak is one that can speak on. He played on the franchise tag, had the. cramp, and then had to come all the way. back the year after when he got paid by. Jerry Jones so he could even kind of add. that into it as well. One of the. highlights in there was getting Sauce. Gardner on the Jets. Completely forgot. that happened, but if there was a player. you would assume that, you know, Dak. could kind of use his, you know,

quarterback QB1 sensei type, it would be. to George Pickens. Like, hey, you're. going to get paid if you play well. It. is proven through me. There it is, kind. of the sweet play. It is proven through what I went. through. >> He's on like a glove. Yeah. Still on. him. Yeah. It's good coverage. That's. good coverage. Good coverage. >> That's going to happen. Yeah, that's. true. THAT'S GOOD COVERAGE. YEAH. OKAY? Really good. Come on, Sauce. Yep. They're saying a. lot of stuff, Sauce. Talking out of Pearson's basement. He did say that. Okay, let's lock down. everything, actually. Yeah. >> [laughter].

>> Let's do it for, you know, let's win. some games. Sauce, they're saying a lot. of stuff. I like Sauce. I'm happy Sauce. is here. And if we can stay healthy next. year, Colts are winning Super Bowl. Who's the quarterback? I don't know. >> Maybe Kyler. He coming around on it? It's only a. million dollars. What I would like to. join us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a. man who has been an insider, a pundit. He's an Emmy Award-winning morning show. host. Now, you see him all over ESPN, friend of the program. Ladies and. gentlemen, Peter Schrager. >> Schrager. [cheering]. >> [applause]. >> How you doing, Schrags? Doing good. Going back to an earlier.

conversation about the. ex-athlete/successful. businessman, does the name Junior. Bridgeman mean anything to you? Junior. Bridgeman was a sixth man for the Bucks. in the '80s. Retired. Had his number. retired from the Milwaukee Bucks. Made over 400 and or 4 billion dollars. with Wendy's and Chili's franchises all. over the country. Junior Bridgeman. passed away last year, but one of the. great stories of second chapters to have. career in that sports don't have to. define you for the rest of your life.

>> Rest in peace, Junior. >> [applause]. >> Hell yeah. I do remember seeing that. story cuz I thought about getting into. franchising Dairy Queens cuz there. wasn't a Dairy Queen closer to closest. to my house. And when I grew up in Plum, there was Dairy Queen. And when I was in. West Virginia, there was Dairy Queen. And then I get out here to Indianapolis, there is no Dairy Queens. So now I think. >> Rogers Rogers was talking about some. Teemu Dairy Queen yesterday on the show. with you guys. I don't know which one he. was referring to. Did you know that one. in Latrobe? >> The Meadows, I think is the what he.

called it. I've never been to that one. We had Ellie's. Ellie's was. >> And Cyclones. Yeah, and Cyclones, which. is obviously far superior to the. Blizzard. But on that note, the Blizzard. far superior to everything else that's. available in a very regular place. This. is the Meadows. You see everybody. gathering outside. Look at the hills. It's beautiful thing. Pittsburgh. Steelers training camp is here. And. Scronic would go up there and there. nobody knows him. They say this is some. farmer walking around. And obviously, he. feel pretty disrespected by that. But. yeah, I believe ice cream is a massive piece. of a lot of So I almost got in the.

franchising business with Dairy Queens. Then I almost got in the franchising. with Marco's Pizza Yeah. >> a deal with them where I was going to. maybe franchise a couple Marco's Pizza. cuz one was going to go under, so I was. going to pick up that franchise and. maybe another. Everybody that was trying. to get me into it showed me this Look at. this. They showed me Junior's story. You could. It's like I'm going to need How How of. these things? Who's running them? Like. 1,500. I'm running them. Who's keeping. an eye? I am. Who has the So, the amount. of hustle that that guy had to do for. that business, uh, it makes me think, yeah, sports.

certainly led that. And shout out to. Junior, and thank you for reminding us, uh, about him. Let's go back to an. earlier conversation that we had that I. assume you have an incredible thought. on. You told the story about how McVay's. people in tree were not happy about what. Ben Johnson was doing at during the. playoffs there when he kind of snubbed. them and talked to him publicly, and then in the locker room, and then. posted again. What are your thoughts on. the Ben Johnson trade of DJ Moore to. Beano getting a bingo here this morning. with a number one wide receiver with.

Josh Allen? How do you think this comes. to be? And do you think they were going. to move on from DJ regardless because of. how everything's going? Yeah, there was. no secret that his name was bubbling up. at the combine. Didn't know where the. destination would be. Ends up being. Buffalo. I'd say this, DJ Moore was a. great Chicago Bear, and he was only. there for a little bit, but he only. missed seven games, had that big. walk-off touchdown against the Packers, and of course, everyone looks at the. miscommunication or the last play of. that Rams game and says, "Well, that's. how it ended. That's unfortunate." But, they move on from him, and with Drew. Dalman yesterday surprising us with a.

retirement news, suddenly they have a. bunch of cap space. So, two thoughts for. me. One, they could be in the game for a. Max Crosby if that was to come to be. Two, they could be in the game for. another big free agent pass rusher. And then three, Rome Odunze, it's time. to step up and be that guy. I mean, we. we know that they obviously have other. offensive weapons, and we liked what we. saw from Loveland at the end of the. season. But now, Rome Odunze becomes. really the guy that you have to focus on.

and say, "Okay, if this. you know, Bears offense is going to keep. it going, Odunze needs to make that. giant leap in year three." Okay, so you. said you heard DJ Moore's name bubbling. at the combine. Uh, first year that I've. done the combine bubbling. You know, this is the first time that I've I've. done it all. What are the big stories. coming out of the combine? Any deals. already done? Any players that you. didn't think would get chatted about. chatted about? Like what are what was. your big takeaway from Indianapolis as. you left the NFL spring break here in. our beautiful city? Then I think there's going to be quite a. quarterback carousel ride next week and.

I think it could be really interesting. The first domino feels like it's Daniel. Jones, but we're not so sure a team. won't match that or raise that contract. with the transition tag forcing the. Colts to make a really tough decision. We'll see if won't anyone does that. But. Kyler is a name to watch. Malik Willis. is fascinating to me. How much is Malik. Willis going to make? What do you value. a player who doesn't have all that. experience yet has shown great potential. in the rare chances that he's had to. play in NFL games the last couple years. Then you go down that list of that next.

tier and you're talking about guys like. Kirk Cousins. What's he got left and how. much can he still make? Joe Flacco is. going to be a free agent. What's he. going to garner? Tua, what's he going to. make? So I always look at it as like. there's 44 45 spots for quarterbacks. that are going to make real money in. this league. You got your 32 starters. and you got those that top line of. backups before you get to those rookies. and second year guys. Who's going where? What seats are being. filled when? And as we sit here a week. from free agency or four days really. from the start of the legal tampering. period Pat, I can tell you I don't know.

where Kyler is going. I don't know. what's going to happen with with the. future of Tua Tagovailoa. I don't know. if the Jets are going to hang on to. Justin Fields. I don't know if Rodgers. yesterday coming on was. a sign of yes I am coming back to. Pittsburgh or actually I'm going to need. more time. So there is still this great. unknown which makes it really. interesting and why we should be. watching it noon next Monday. Okay, so. let's talk about the free agency frenzy. that you'll be joining us. Kyler. seemingly the belle of the ball in this. entire thing and is the are the. Minnesota Vikings the definite.

destination for him cuz as I've. continued to piece this together. obviously not at altitude because I've. been in Indiana. Right. Sure. But I've. had a lot of deep thoughts about this. and I've been in some. uh rabbit holes of Kyler Murray. highlights, not lowlights. Is there a chance that Kyler Murray and. Kevin O'Connell are about to do what Sam. Darnold did, what Baker Mayfield did, what all these guys who get second. opportunities have a chance to do? And. is that what you were hearing at the. combine? Because I think that's what. Connor was thinking and hearing through. the entire process and he's kind of.

projected that onto me now. And I kind. of feel that way, especially with what. Kyler's good at versus what Kevin. O'Connell needs at quarterback. It feels. like that's potentially a match made in. heaven. Is that how everybody feels, Shraegs, or. Well, knowing the news was on on on the. precipice, I pitched to the Get Up. producers on Tuesday, can I do a top. five most exciting Kyler Murray plays on. the show? And granted, uh there's been a. lot of lowlights for Kyler over the last. couple years due to his health, but. there may be a guy who's got, you know,

there might not be another guy in the. NFL who's had more exciting moments than. Kyler Murray in his brief NFL career. That is what is tantalizing. The fact. that he's 28 years old, the fact that. he's a former first overall pick, and. the fact that his price tag, Pat, will. legitimately be $1.3 million on your. books. The Cardinals are going to eat. all of that $36 million. It's not Oh, that's going to That's not going to the. facility. No, no. No, that's going to. Kyler Murray. It's going to Kyler and they decided.

instead of being this 2-year commitment. with Kyler, let's rip the band-aid off. Let's let Michael Floor start anew and. Monti Ossenfort didn't draft him. Let's. just start Let's Let's start from. scratch. Fine. But when you're talking about a guy with. all that talent and all that excite-. ability and all of those real game. experiences both in college and the pros. and you can get them at $1.3 million, which is about the same cost as a fourth. or fifth round pick in the draft, like. that that is what makes him so. appealing. So, personally, if I'm Kyler, I'm not looking at price tag because. it's all an offset anyway. I am looking.

at best situation and yes, the situation in Minnesota makes a ton. of sense. You go there, you compete for. the number one job with J.J. McCarthy. >> You're winning the number one job. [laughter]. You get the tutelage from not only Kevin. O'Connell, but from Josh McCown, and. from Wes Phillips, and from those. offensive coaches, which is basically an. incubator for quarterback play. And then. you come out the other end, and you're. either A, the quarterback for the. Minnesota Vikings making a big free. agent deal next year, or B, you're back. at the door, and you're able to sign a. big deal somewhere else. So, to me,

Minnesota makes a ton of sense. And for. a guy like Kyler, it makes more sense. for me to go to a Minnesota, and even. say, "I'm not the definite number one.". Then go to a Jets, or go to a Miami. Go. to Minnesota, learn for a year, get that. graduate degree in quarterback play, and. then go on and see what happens in your. career. I had I went through I talked to. someone. I was like, "Let's go through. all the quarterbacks who have done. this." And there's a bunch who have. And. Mac Jones is currently doing it with. Kyle Shanahan right now, where you say, "I'm going to go learn, and I'm going to. go figure it out, and I'll be the big. guy next year.". The one who who did it early on in his.

career was in the COVID year when Jameis. actually when Tampa moved on from from. Tom from Jameis, and they went with Tom. Brady, Jameis had options. Jameis chose. to take a very small number. to go to New Orleans and learn from Drew. Brees, Sean Payton, Pete Carmichael, and. be the backup there. He would eventually. get on the field, and he would make. plenty of more money in his career. But. Jameis was early on to raise his hand. and be like, "All right, I'm going to. take less money. Put me in a. quarterbacks room where I can be better.

for the long term." If Kyler has that in. him, as a number one overall pick, with. the pride and ego those guys have, to. say, "You know what? Just put me in. there. Let me get back in the room. Let. me get back in the lab, and let me. restart this thing." I I think he and. Minnesota would make a ton of sense. >> Yeah, I'd be pumped to watch him have a. second start at this entire thing. And. Jameis, uh I believe he to your point, I. think he said, "I want to like. quarterback Harvard or something down. here." That's why I made decision. We. would also go on to learn that he. couldn't see. Yeah, yes. Got that fixed,

too. Yeah, he he actually couldn't see. He didn't know was on his team. especially if it was more than 10 yards. down the field. He all kind of just he. saw bodies. So the fact that he had as. much success he did for his team and the. opposing team is truly a wonder. I still don't know how he did it. But. shout out to him going to New Orleans. He's still in the NFL. Still in the NFL? Still and and and was beloved in New. York this year. Beloved Everywhere. Beloved everywhere by Jameis. Yeah, he. almost caused a brawl also against. Atlanta when they were supposed to kneel.

the clock out and he handed the ball off. to I believe who who was it? Jamaal. Williams? That's good for the locker. room though. Yeah, Arthur Smith and. Dennis and Dennis Allen almost threw. down at the 50. That was a great moment. Yeah, I do remember. That was beautiful. And we thought it was good for the boys. too. And Jameis actually said that. Just. felt like we had to do it. >> [laughter]. >> I felt like we had to do it and then no. doubter Jameis. If you feel something go. for it. AJ has a question for you. Shraks. Shraks, what about this whole. Trey Hendrickson saga that's been going. on for a while? Where do you see him. going? Also Cam Jordan, Khalil Mack, they're both you know veteran edge.

rushers on the market now. Does Trey. sign first? Where do you think he goes? I think Trey is going to be a highly. coveted defensive end in this [applause]. market. That a baby Trey. Hey, we're. happy for Trey. We're happy for Trey. It's been years. And it felt like he's. and and and being an NFL player is a. great honor and being on these past two. years it felt like this was a lot of. strife for a guy who is as you guys know. going on your show and who has treated. everyone in the media wonderfully over. the last several years of his career. going back to New Orleans that this felt. like this was the the way it should end.

and yet the day of the franchise tag I. was hearing stuff that they might. franchise tag him. I'm like please. don't. Just let him walk. Let him have a. new career. Let him try to be out of. that situation. So he's a pure free. agent and I think Dallas does make a lot. of sense. I know he's on the other side. of 30 and that's not necessarily what. everyone wants to hear. But they have. the 12th and the 20th pick where they. can get younger and they're looking to. add assets. So Trey Hendrickson will. have a market and I'm hoping that that. first day when I'm with you guys at the. Thunderdome we're announcing at 12:05. p.m. that Trey Hendrickson has signed a. major deal somewhere. We hope for him.

that he gets some sort of generational. wealth cuz he took small deal, small. deal, small deal. We'll get you an extra. small deal. We'll get you an extra small. deal. I don't want to do this, he said. But I kind of have to do this. So good. Came on the show and was like, I guess this is what I have to do. I hate that this is what I have to do. But I'm not happy. Mhm. I would like a. better deal. This has been happening behind closed. doors, but now I guess. this is what you have to do these days.

to get That's basically He was so hating. what he was being forced to kind of do. to get a deal done. And because. >> it, remember? Because of that. >> My wife was a nurse and I met her at the. hospital. Like she's a Cincinnati girl. Like I want it to be good. I desperately. want this to be working. It's just not. He like assembled the local media and. like apologized. >> Yeah, once a practice, once a practice. is wearing golf stuff, was going to talk. to the media. I appreciate you guys. I appreciate you. saying. these bums just won't pay me. And then. the owner comes out and goes, at some.

point. these athletes need to understand you. signed the deal. And it's like, wow, is. that a shot directly at Trey. Hendrickson? And he's like, no, no, no, it wasn't a shot at Trey. And Trey was. like, Okay. Feels like a shot, but okay. I guess I'll Still might go back. >> You were so mad Oh, yeah. at him for how. nice he was being entire this entire. This has been like the better part of. three years now in the making. A lot of. good prime time of his career has been. sent in purgatory basically with. Cincinnati. Now hopefully he gets a. chance to really uh And up until the day. cuz Mike Brown is 92 years old. He still.

goes to practice every single day. Still. has thoughts. Still and does not talk. Does not talk to us in the media. Like. so at any There could have been at you. know, at 3:00 in the franchise tag if if. somebody had come across that Schefter. was reporting that Trey Hendrickson was. being franchised, I wouldn't have. blinked because that's how that that's. how that organization operates. You. don't know. So they did let him walk and. I think both sides will be better for. it. >> Cameron Jordan also will not be a New. Orleans Saint. He's been there for 15. years. That seems like a massive.

announcement, especially for the city of. New Orleans and everything he's done for. the community. He'll obviously now go. ring chase if I had to guess as a lot of. guys will do in the free agency process. Good luck to him. Thanks for his service. to the ball. He's on TV a lot. >> Mhm. Can't wait to see where he ends up. next. Speaking of guys that get the. quarterback done that are being talked. about a lot. Tone has a question for you. about a happening on the internet right. now. Yeah, I do. Shrags, Lane Johnson, right tackle for the Philadelphia. Eagles, stud, um, tweeted to Max Crosby the eyes, the.

couple oh, what's going on to Max. Crosby? Is this a recruiting tool? Does. Lane know something and what do you know. in the latest with the Max Crosby news? Max Crosby is is one of the topics that. are going to be coming up every day up. until now until the end of free agency. Here's the deal with Max Crosby. Uh, obviously right now the Raiders are. telling anybody who listens it's going. to take a huge bounty of picks and a. treasure trove to even talk to them. They haven't gotten that yet. I always.

say, and this comes from, you know, several years of doing this, that, you. know, obviously deadlines spur action, but as we get closer to the start of. free agency, sometimes the high demands, they loosen up the reins on that. He is. a beloved Raider. He is a guy that is always the first one. in the building. He is always the one. who is the vibes guy and the voice of. the locker room. He is like what you. want to build a team around. The. question is, is he happy? And if we can. get, I don't know, two first round picks.

for Max Crosby, is it worth moving off. of Max Crosby and saying this is a total. reset? Let's build around Mendoza and. let's get new guys in there. But, what. makes it interesting is obviously he has. a social media presence. He's got his. own podcast. He went on with Caleb. Williams, was talking to him and was. just gushing over Caleb. And then it's. this whole deal of okay, well, he also. has now been through and I think. Schefter laid it out pretty well, but. six NFL head coaches, five NFL GMs, I. think 12 different quarterbacks have. taken snaps in games that Max Crosby has.

played in. Whereas Myles Garrett last. year. kind of sucked it up and said, all. right, I'll just sign, I'll get the. money and we'll take it and we'll keep. on going. The Browns still won what? Four, five games. Does Max Crosby want. to just continue to do this the rest of. his career? Does he really want out? And. if he does, he hasn't told John Spytek. that directly. Had a lot of time with. Spytek at the combine. They love Max. Crosby. But everyone's got a price and. if Crosby wants to raise the tenor of. his unhappiness or if he even even is. unhappy, well, then that would certainly.

spur things. But right now, he is a. Raider and they are thrilled to build. around him on that defensive side of the. ball. Right now he's a Raider and I'll. tell you what, we got a 2035 first round. pick here in Indianapolis. We got a 2036. one, maybe 2037 one. 2040. Oh. We. can give that up too if we need it for. Max Crosby. We can't be the only team. that's thinking that. Connor has a. question for you. >> Yeah, Streisand, obviously you have to. trade for Max Crosby, AJ Brown, Jonathan. Grenard. These are kind of trade. candidates and then when you look at. those guys and free agents aside from.

the quarterbacks that are out there. available right now, who do you kind of. think or who are you hearing is kind of. the most sought after guy? Linderbaum is. up there on a lot of free agent boards, but who are you hearing everybody kind. of is in on and would like to try at. least have a shot at him. Linderbaum's. going to be a name. Obviously, they. didn't put the fifth year, they didn't. sign him with the extension for his. fifth year, which now makes him a pure. free agent. The guy that Adam Schefter. mentioned earlier that's really. interesting to me is Jalen Phillips who. had a a really strong start to his.

career with the Dolphins, had multiple. years of injuries and last year was. traded to the Eagles and was. outstanding. And suddenly you look at a. guy who's a former first round pick, can. rush the passer and he's going to get a. big number. Alontae Taylor is another. name that's going to get big numbers. from the Saints, a cornerback. Those. aren't even guys that are necessarily on. this list. So, it's guys like that that. you're like, "Whoa." And I'll never. forget when two names, one, Sammy. Watkins got his first big deal in free. agency and everyone was like, "Whoa, Kansas City paid him what?" And then the. other one was when Christian Kirk got.

his big money from the Jaguars a couple. years ago. It's that type of player. sometimes that wows you and suddenly has. a market and they can just raise the. type That's where Jaelan Phillips and. Alontae Taylor are right now. Those are. two guys who I think are going to demand. a huge pay a huge pay raise from what. they've been currently making and people. are going to be shocked when those guys. get those numbers. I'm excited to see. money get spent cuz that salary cap up. into the right. I mean, big. They're. taking huge jumps. >> 301. >> And that's only going to I think it was. a $20 million jump this year or. something like that or $30 million. $301.

million and we can thank our media. partners for that. Uh and. >> Thank you, media partners. Thank you, media partners. Thank you, media. partners. Thank you. There's a lot of people at top of these. media partners with big brains. Then you got a lot of people just in. this part of those companies are trying. to ruin it all. But we appreciate them. putting money into all of it. Take it. away. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. There's a lot of really good people. I. mean, that was just a easy shot for me. to take at middle management in a lot of. different places and I'm certainly going. to take that shot anytime that I have. it. But on that note, media and the.

NFL's relationship is wonderful. I mean, it is beautiful. You talk about other. leagues trying to figure out what it is. and we're nowhere near done. He They're. still looking to renegotiate. Did you. see that? >> NFL would like to revisit some of these. deals, I'm reading. I'm like, "Oh." And there's nothing anybody can do. about it. >> Nope. And then there's like a Wednesday. afternoon football game that could. potentially happen out of nowhere, super. duper special super small Super Bowl on. a Wednesday afternoon that uh I don't. know, Apple wants to have or something. like that. And it's like, "How much is. that worth?" 150 billion.

Deal. Okay, sick. So, that money goes in. It's like that is all still very. possible. Let alone all these. international. >> these companies has a different. philosophy, right? So, like Netflix. wants to do these events. So, they look. at Christmas Day as an event. They look. at maybe opening day as an event. Fox, CBS, they want the full slate, obviously, of all those 1:00 and 4:00. games. ESPN's thrilled to have. the obvious Monday night game, and then. Amazon has got the Thursday night game. And now you have YouTube coming in, and.

YouTube basically said, "All right, we'll take a a game on a Wednesday or a. Friday of week one, and then we'll take. whatever else scraps you got, and we'll. pay for it." Suddenly, where it used to. be CBS, NBC, and Fox used to just have. to fight against each other, now you've. got six, seven, eight different. partners, and to his credit, Hans. Schroeder, who's, you know, running the. media side of the NFL right now, is. listening. And that mere listening makes. this such a a feeder frenzy and an. auction for these games. My fear is. that, you know, I watch the NBA.

religiously. I I sometimes don't know. where my favorite team is. I just saw. that the Yankees announced they have 21. games on Amazon this year. I don't. necessarily know if I'll know which 21. games. Like, you don't want to dilute. the project or kind of spread it out so. thin where you don't know where your. favorite team is on any given day. Yeah, and that Team USA I was on MLB TV. yesterday, right? >> Yeah. Yeah, and then for the PBA, I was. on Bowl TV. >> Oh, nice. Mike Flanagan on the call, yeah. How do you have the energy? I'll. tell you, just I'm thankful they came. through Indy. Like, I legitimately, and.

this is I was talking to Gumpy about. this, and I guess it's pretty. narcissistic to think like this, but if. something sporty comes through Indy, I. do kind of feel obligated to be like, "Hey, thanks for coming through." Like, we genuinely appreciate you coming. through here. And then the PBA, I've. seen clips of this my whole life. Kind. of spent some time as a child at a. bowling alley. Kind of get the culture. and the demo of the bowling world and. how it works, but I never seen how it. actually operates. So, they were sending. a bunch of messages, you know, >> trying to get us to come and everything.

like that. We didn't respond to any of. them. Uh we just kind of showed up on. our own. Didn't want anybody to really. know that we were coming. Really wanted. to experience what it was. Hat low, back. of room. Me and Gumpy got like a good 17. to 20 minutes with nobody really knowing. we were there. So, actually got to see. cuz everybody's obviously facing one. direction. Everybody. is bowling over here. So, everybody's. watching. And EJ Tackett, who is out of. Indiana, is on his way to being the. greatest of all time, folks. Yeah. You've seen the stories earlier of the.

who do you think you are I am and then. obviously with the sack and all the. the two-handed wonder from down under. and everything like that. This guy from. Indiana, he's going to be the greatest. of all time. He's in his early 30s. He's. about to do something that's never been. accomplished before, which is become a. four-time bowler of the year for the. PBA. Also, allegedly, this guy's scratch. golfer, could potentially be. professional golfer as well. He just. spent his entire time knocking down. pins. He is not just knocking down pins,

folks. I got a chance to talk to AJ. Johnson, Johnson, AJ Johnson. I got a. chance to have a good conversation with. him. He's also a bowler. He's fresh out. of a peanut allergy reaction that almost. killed him LAST WEEK. HE. >> [laughter]. >> FIVE DAYS. FIVE DAYS THIS GUY HAD A. SWOLLEN throat and a swollen face. And. Mike Mike Flanagan of Bowl TV told me he. had that look in his eye last week and. then the peanut got him and this guy. ended up in the hospital. So, he missed. last week's tournament. They're in the. middle of a 10-week run right now. This. is a major, the US Open. And AJ Johnson.

was telling me about how the lanes, you. know, I always go cuz I've been around. the bowling community but not actually, you know, a great bowler. I just know a. couple of like keywords to drop. Oil. patterns. You say oil patterns, everybody knows you know what the. you're talking about. You're in the end. I don't really know what oil patterns. are though. I'm just saying it. You. know, this is like a kiss to my amigos. I'm just saying it. I've no idea what. I'm saying. It's just like hey, I know. this is what I'm supposed to say at this. time to get me through this particular. interaction here, okay? Oil pattern. Same time we talk about one and I go.

right in two-handed wonder. Everything I. got I unloaded as immediately as. possible. So, A.J. Johnson start. breaking down the game. This is Hey, there's a lot of going. on on these on these lanes. So, the oil. patterns, I was told by A.J., great. descriptor by the way, I think he. follows program, understands who we are, is a former football guy who bowls. He. said these lanes are like. golf courses, like holes. So, the oil. patterns are like golf holes. You know. how golf hole will put a sand trap where. a lot of people hit it to. So, then they. they're predicting where you're going to. go. A lot of water potentially like.

especially the hardest courses like from. 285 to 320, there's a a river or. whatever it's going through. They're. clearly saying like if you can mash it. over this thing, cool, but you got to. throw it You got to hit this before you. got to lay up for this entire thing is. what the course is telling you. I guess. these oil patterns, they're doing the. same damn thing. They're like saucing up. the part where it normally would break. and then there's some over here and then. like beforehand and then the balls if. it's a matted ball, okay, you see it, there's a shiny ball and then there's a. matted ball. The matted ball I guess is.

like a freight train goes moves the oil. So, now you got a moving batches of oil. and then they get that glossy ball AND. THEY JUST RIDE that son on top, but it's not going to have any movement. So, that's normally why a thing's. knocking down the end. I learned so much. about all the that's going on and a. Basically, what they were saying is like. if you roll a 300, it's either not. difficult oil patterns or you are an. absolute monster. Let me ask you, um. this is like we're of a certain age. You. know, I have a bowling alley, Howell.

Lanes in Howell, New Jersey that I spent. so many birthday parties and childhood. What was the bowling alley out there in. Plum that you would go to in Pittsburgh? >> Holiday Lanes, yeah. It's right above. McDonald's. There you'd fight there, smoke there, play billiards there and. try to steal a couple. on the lanes from somebody if uh Couple. of good arcade games there, right? Oh, yeah, we had a we had the the basic uh, the thingy. NBA Jam? the good arcade the. good arcade game was try to walk through. there without picking up cancer from the. second hand smoke. >> Sure. That was the best one. You know,

that was That's called Frogger. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was your nose, you know, you're trying to get through there. >> pool in the bar area. Bumper pool. Yeah, Holly Lanes was Shout out Nesbit's. Lanes, they're still rolling down there. Shout out Nesbit's Lanes, right by our. high school, that's where people would. uh, either park. What? Can we go draft maybe? To Nesbit Lanes? I'd love that. All right. Yeah, I assume just cuz we. just said it right there, we will. potentially hear from the people that we. know that still work there and we would. like to let them know we'd like to come. bowl. Shrags, are you a bowler?

I could bowl. More of the social. element. I like a little hang sesh. [laughter] and uh, you know Big. Lebowski. I lived in Atlanta for a while. where you go on a Sunday night in. Atlanta, you get all walks and you go to. the bowling alley, that's where it's at. >> Yeah, you have a good time out there. So, what are you rolling? You over a. hundo? Uh, over a hundo but not over two hundo. No, I'm a nice 150, put it in the books. >> That's that ain't a good bowler. Pretty. good. I think that's a good bowler. I. saw a couple uh, 180 somethings uh, yesterday at this US Open, they were all. qualifying qualifying and I didn't know. this, okay. So, then I go, is it like.

high score? How do you guys qualify? I. guess they have 200 is par. So, if you're under 200 for your they. play a certain amount of games. So, if. you roll 190, you're a minus 10. If. you're above two if you're at 210, you're a plus 10. So, you're looking at. everybody's score, so they're just. trying to qualify and then there's how. many qualifiers? 24 qualifiers for the. weekend tournament and then they do 24. round robin they all play against each. other. >> till 10:00 p.m. Saturday. The boys are. bowling. >> Yeah, they were a lot of bowling. That's all we kept thinking is like.

they're they're doing a lot of rolling. to these balls. >> No sunlight. None. They're in there. They're completely capped and uh, yeah, and then you get to the TV show on CW. and uh, right now EJ Tackett yesterday. was plus 176. Okay, I don't know how Seeing the oil. patterns well. Yeah, good. And he's from. here, feels like he's going to have to. win this. Next week they're in Illinois. then they're back in Fort Wayne. It's a. big Midwest thing 10 weeks. Shout out to. Bowl TV Mike Flanagan. That guy's a. character. Mike Flanagan is a heel announcer. Yeah. and get well A Johnson Johnson. Yeah. He.

is he's he's got that Flanagan told me. He had that look in his eye last week. and then the peanut ball. Mike Flanagan said I tell people I'm the. best you know I'm the greatest to ever. do this if if you don't stop and and on. I'm going to look like I'm a liar or. whatever and I'm like you will Flanagan. will lie. Flanagan will lie. Mike. Flanagan loves bowling. I mean these. guys they love bowling and I would say. anytime [snorts] I've gone bowling which.

recent you go and get away especially. here in Indiana I have a good time. Yeah. It is a it is a good time. And you. get a strike holy you feel a lot of. Big crowd? I would say 150 people. Pretty good. But they were following a. couple different but they're like. standing where you where all walking at. normally. They're all standing back. there there was a couple benches in the. middle ones which are showcase lanes. where Bowl TV had a good setup. >> Sure. Bowl TV had a good setup going. right here. Flanagan was on the call. alongside.

Ardy I believe from Indiana there so. they there was a couple there's. bleachers they were packed they were. smaller there and then people standing. and we just kind of snuck in the back. and then Were the rest of the lanes open. were like other randoms bowling next to. them? US Open Could you get on? No. US. Open it's all of them. They had people. trying to qualify man. There's a lot of. people trying to qualify. Serious. it's a major. And then once you hit the. showcase one you move to the next round. Shout out to PBA thank you for coming. in. Oh yeah PBA. [applause]. I was from Freehold New Jersey. Bruce. Springsteen's our biggest alum native. whatever. Parker Bohn Jr. was a bowler a.

professional bowler so throughout our. childhood it was like Parker Bohn is. from here and I thought that name was. always funny. He was a legend on the. bowling tour. Dude Bohn could really. roll it. >> Bone could really, really roll it. Okay, I'd like to ask you about the reaction. to that Aaron Rodgers conversation cuz, you know, Schefter I said, "Hey, what. was the What's that? What was your guys. I said, "Well, perfect, perfect. transition, Parker Bone." Right right.

into it. >> Okay, yeah, you're right. >> We all worked out this morning cuz we. want to have sex. >> Yes, we do. Yes, we do. That was. certainly a big takeaway on the internet. is like, "Hey, Aaron's at that stage of life where. he's, yeah, trying to put down. >> look good. Yeah, he's trying to put down. right now. >> Game day every day. >> Which we like. He was also beaming with. happiness, which I don't think people. are talking about enough. Not only is he. talking about trying to make love. to his sweet wife on a regular basis, but also you could tell he was clearly. happy, the happiest he has been. What is. your takeaway from the convo yesterday.

and what are you hearing from around the. league? Cuz what I heard, I think he's. playing for the Steelers next year. I. think that is what's taking place. AJ. would know better. AJ's going to try to. swallow every piece of information that. he actually has from talking to Aaron. off air, but what was your takeaway from. the call and what do you think the NFL. world heard in it? Well, I thought the. whole AJ dynamic was incredible with the. microphone not working and him jumping. on 30 minutes in and me like, "So, you. playing or not?" That was tremendous. The next question was going to The next. question I wanted from AJ was, "So, wait, who's your wife?" And he didn't do. that. That would have been I mean, his.

sister, BUT YEAH. YEAH, EXACTLY. >> about all of this. I I mean, well, we. learned more, I feel like, yesterday. about it all. But on that note, don't be. such a weirdo obsessed with who his wife. is, Shailene. Okay? You psycho. Get off her back, creep. Okay? I had no idea that was a thing. even and I feel bad because I feel like. he's living in hell with this situation. with drones or that. I was just like, "Oh, I didn't even know he was married.". Like, I'm not even That My head doesn't. go there, but I'm not everybody. Yeah, good man, Shailene. The man, Shailene. Talk about ball. Talk about ball. Let's. talk about ball. What was What was the.

takeaway? Will Howard's good. Sounds like Will Howard's good and he. liked that quarterback room and he loved. Mason Rudolph and it just seemed like. there were such good vibes about the. guys. He was listing like third and. fourth receivers and talking about Kal. Austin and like Ben Skowronek and and. then his love for Mike McCarthy that it. did feel like there was going to be some. reveal at the end of the conversation. until he told you if you think you're. getting that, you're not. But I do. respect that he has had conversations. with not only Mike McCarthy but with. Omar Khan and it feels like, you know,

for all his I need to wait and it does. seem like and you you asked it well, is. it Steelers or nobody? Like you asked it. really well and I he didn't want to go. there but it does feel like there's one. more year and one more year in the tank. and if he looks as good as he did on. that Zoom yesterday where he looked like. he was glistening and was in the best. shape that I've seen him in years and. smiling and beaming in a great mental. place. Like I would roll it roll it back. one more year. Why not? They went to the. playoffs last year and if things had. gone differently against Houston, who. knows? So to me, I think the team is. interested. I think Mike McCarthy's.

interested and I think Rodgers is. interested but I have learned in this. job especially with that player, do not. put words in Aaron Rodgers's mouth and I. will not do that. >> That was a strike right there by the. way. I saw some people saying he's. washed, he's washed. He's like you. didn't watch. You you didn't watch him. and he is wanting you to say that so. that he can find even more to say, oh is. that right, huh? I can't throw a. football anymore? Aaron's entire thing. is like when I'm on my deathbed I'll be. able to spin it. Like this is not 70. yards Yeah, it's just what Yeah, exactly. It was 69 yards, was it not?

I think it was actually 70. >> yourself when he's referencing like and. then big Darnell? Like I know it's. Darnell Washington but like did you find. yourself like wondering like do we need. a depth chart to reference? He. referenced every single player on the. offense and you're like first name. basis. I was like, all right, I don't. know if everyone at home knows all the. wide receivers or all the running backs. but he went through it all and he loved. all those guys and that to me tells me a. lot. >> Terrible teammate though, remember that. Never never never forget it. And Ben. Skowronek did come out and say though, I've been wearing wired headphones. Any. photos? He did. He had receipts. Now.

Aaron be. >> if I didn't if I didn't go online and. maybe look into the wired headphones. thing. If Rogers is so hell-bent on it, I'm like, maybe I'm doing the wrong. thing with these AirPods. Oh, yes. Yeah, yeah, you're not the only one. You got. T.J. Watt to change. >> Yeah, you're not the only one. I think. there's a lot of people doing that. Now, on that note, these AirPods are. incredible. Yeah, they're nice. Yeah, these things are nice. >> they work? >> I do one of these. I do one of I go, "Hey, why don't you" and it does it. It's You can have one in, so you're kind. of here, but you're also. >> it work? >> I don't know. I don't know, but I'll. tell you what, it's probably not good. for me, I guess, is what somebody with a.

bigger brain than I have is saying. Uh. Tone, what did they say in Pittsburgh. about the call yesterday? I guess. I mean, Yinzers aren't going to love. everything any anyways. >> No. And that's certainly not going to be. the case. I think he showed so much. affection for them. Yeah, he did show them a lot of love and. the city a lot of love. He was very. thankful to be a part of it. But all the. Yinzers wanted to know was one thing, it. seemed like. Not all of them, but it. seemed like a majority of the Yinzers. yesterday wanted to know one thing, and. they didn't get that answer, but I don't. know why they necessarily expected. And. he mentioned that the Steelers, they. haven't really put anything in front of.

them yet, either. He doesn't even know. what it would look like if he was to get. back in. I think it was all very fair. >> Yeah, they were happy about how he. talked about the the city and the team. and Will and those things, but no, there. was a lot of oh, great, he's holding us. hostage again this season this this. offseason cuz. a lot of people wanted him to make a. decision before free agency started. I. don't know if that's going to affect how. the Steelers approach free agency or. not, but a lot of Steelers fans were. upset thinking he's holding them. hostage, and now we're not going to have. an an answer, and how we're going to go. about the draft and free agency if we. don't know who our quarterback is. >> [sighs and gasps].

>> Football's the best. >> Yep. It is. It's the absolute best. Shraegs, the big. story out of free agency frenzy will be. what you think whenever we're done with. Monday? I think Kyler. I think what Kyler does, whether he. spurs to J.J. McCarthy. I think the A.J. Brown thing is worth watching. I think. the Max Crosby thing is obviously going. to be top of mind. Um. >> a board over here? Hold on. Do you have. a board over here? Right here. A board? Do you have like a board you. have everything written on over there? No, I just have all my notes in my phone. and all that and I've got everything but.

I'll have it all built in. You know. there's people that have full dry erase. boards all around. Rap Sheet has. very diligent notes. >> Mhm. all around his camera. >> Names team. And whenever he's asked. something, he his brain has to calculate. if it's on the right side of the screen. or left side of the screen and how close. is it and then he has all the. information right there. I thought you. had the same. I I didn't know if we were. missing out on something that we should. maybe be doing, you know, it feels We. could. Everyone's got their own. methodology and process. Ian has his, Adam has his. Mine is let's just talk.

over text and I have it on the notes. app. We'll see what happens from there. Shafter does that too. He screenshots. those and sends them out. On that note, I've gotten a text from Florio. Okay. And it was all capital letters. I would. like it to be known it was capital. letters so he would like it to. >> My dome. >> Now, he said he said [laughter]. uh kind of Pizon. Period. >> Close. Two spaces. Mhm. FCC chairman. Brendan Carr says I should get equal. time. Period. Funny. [laughter]. It's actually a good line. Great line.

So we'll probably hear from Pizon soon. I'm excited to hear his angle on it all. Schrags, we can't wait to see you out. here. Thank you for traveling to Indy. next week for the good of ball and uh. let's crush this thing. I cannot wait guys. I will have my wired. headphones with me and we will have a. blast. Let's go. >> Okay. All right. We'll see. Yeah, I. think we'll be making that decision for. you over here brother. >> [laughter]. >> Schrager filter. You're the best ladies. and gentlemen, Peter Schrager. Yeah, Schrager. Before we get to the break, we have to. introduce a friend of the program, a man. who is. one of the most uh.

successful. song makers. of our generation. When it's all said. and done, this guy will be talked about. as a musical genius uh because of what. he's been able to put together in all. genres of music. Uh currently touring. around the country tonight in. Indianapolis, Indiana. 13 number ones. From beautiful Nashville, Tennessee, Lipscomb Academy, the ever handsome. and thin FIGHTING LOOKING ERNEST.

>> [cheering]. >> GOOD. GOOD TO SEE YOU. YOU LOOK GOOD. HOW ARE YOU DOING? ALL RIGHT. Legalize. cannabis. Back to our band. >> Hey. I've been reunited with my jacket. Yeah, this jacket was left here last time. >> No, you can't take it. It's been here. USO? Yeah, this is part of this entire. thing. This is part of this entire. thing. Honorary USO. [laughter]. What's up, dude? >> What's up, dude? USO, bro. USO, bro. You're a pig. REAL ESPECIALLY THIS TIME.

REAL FUNNY. HE'S GOT COMBAT BOOTS ON, TOO. HE'S. READY. I got these in Qatar. Okay, you you went. on an incredible trip over there to see. the troops. I I don't know if they knew. what was about to happen was about to. happen if they told you that, but. obviously an incredible contribution. back to the people that are absolute. badasses of our society doing their. thing. >> you learn anything? Did it inspire any. music whenever you were over there? Like. how how does that whole process work for. you? I haven't written any songs. necessarily about it yet, but I would. say that like my personal patriotism.

went through the roof being over there. just like seeing the guys and girls. absolutely ready for to pop off, you know, not necessarily knowing it. would right now. But they are very well prepared. They're. bad ass. >> Were you playing? What did you play for. every single night? >> Yeah, every night it was like Jeff Ross. and me and I brought my boy Cody Lodan. with me. And Jeff Ross Jeff Ross would like. volunteer like volunteers would come up. and he'd roast them. It was Oh, so he's. just cooking folks. >> Oh, yeah. How did he get you? Uh yeah, I. mean he would do like a little like he. he told everybody, you know, Earn's.

here. He quit smoking weed to be here. That's how bad he wanted to be here. I. appreciate [laughter] that. That's a. type of compliment. >> Yeah, yeah, it's actually a compliment. He had one guy up there. He was like, "Look at this guy. Looks like he's from. the front lines of a Pizza Hut.". >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, they loved it. It was good. It was good. It was kind. It was loving. He's a great guy. He He's the one that. asked me to come out and do it. He's a. verbal genius. I He has found his niche. and thank god there's an avenue for it. so we get a chance to learn about him. He walked by our set at Radio Row. We. had a microphone out there and he looks. in and we go, "Jeff Ross, jeez, you're. the best." He goes,

"What is this an ugly lives matter. convention?" And then he just [laughter]. walked away. It was like Exactly. It was. unbelievable. >> Exactly. Yeah, we're big fans. I don't. know if I would sign up to be overseas. with him for a week. I don't know if I. mentally could handle that. I think he. would just absolutely break me in half. But it sounds like he's a gentleman and. classy just like you. He's the best. >> Ernest is in town in Indianapolis. He's. going to stick around for our digital. program. We will continue tomorrow on. ESPN as the ever-changing world of sport. continues to make our lives much, much. better. We're so incredibly thankful. that we get to do this for a living. Shout out to the people that donated. money to watch the show live.

Thank you. Thank you. Hell yeah. Thank you. Thank. you. Thank you. It's definitely not. worth whatever you paid, but thank you. for doing it. We're back tomorrow. Be a. friend, tell a friend, say something. nice. Much love, enjoy life. Goodbye. Okay, now we're still live. Earn, we're. still live. You guys stay great out. there. You guys Yeah. stay great out. there. Well, god. >> a great Okay, so you're in Indianapolis. right now. What's the tour that we're on. right now and. >> Live from the South tour. Uh yeah, we're. here tonight in Indianapolis. Got the. fellas out. Is Cody with us tonight? Yeah, Cody Lodens opening for me. One of. my Deville boys. >> And is he going to sing uh Black Betty?

He's going to have to. >> Yeah, that's how this guy came to be. That's how Ernest found him. Uh I. believe Barstool posted a video of one. of his friends pounding him in the. stomach Oh, sure. >> Black Betty. Yeah. Yeah. I like this guy. >> [laughter]. >> Actually got pretty good little chops. I. got a chance to meet him. He's. fantastic. So he's on the road with you, the Deville boys. I love what you're. doing for the crew. I like that you're. building up your own record and your own. label. But I also like the fact that. you're getting a chance to shine here on. these on this tour. How has the Live.

from the South tour been and what have. you learned about yourself maybe and. your music on the road? >> Yeah, dude, it's been a blast. You know, I've I've gotten to open for everybody. and play a bunch of cool shows in big. stadiums and stuff. with Morgan and Jelly and whatnot, but. uh getting to go out there and like play. for an hour and 45 minutes if I want to, do whatever I want, have control of the stage and like. pace a set versus like how how much. energy can we bring in 30 minutes is my. favorite part of it. >> Okay, so let's talk about you being the. on-stage talent.

versus the hitmaker for everybody that. we know, basically, at this stage of it. How do you balance that? Is this normal. for the music world? Cuz what Our. Stapleton, is that his name? The guy. with the big beard? So, whenever he. burst onto the scene, I think it was. Tennessee Whiskey with Justin Timberlake. maybe at the Grammys is where I think. the modern world. Yeah, that's where we were introduced to. him. And they were like, "Well, he was a. writer, he was a writer, they never. thought he'd be able to make it even. though his voice is that." And you as. producer while also being artist, how do. you balance that? And what is life like.

for you in that role? It's busy, but I. like my time is very intentional with. it. I have writers out on the road right. now. We're writing songs for whoever. else all day before I play a show at. night. But like. I would say over the course of years. like. how we developed. and came up like with Morgan and me and. Charlie and Hardy all kind of. building a sound helped me find my own. sound as an artist, you know? So, it's. like a fun outlet for me cuz I like. making all different types of stuff.

So, you know, if I make something that's. in this world one day, I have an outlet. for it, an artist I could send it to, or. get in the room with wide variety of. artists and be able to kind of be a. chameleon. Do country fans love you. because of the amount of love you have. for country music and how you're from. Nashville and you showcase country music. in your style of music is like the most. country. I think. >> hope so. Yeah, yeah, yeah, >> [laughter]. >> exactly. Exactly, but also bro country, obviously. You've made bangers that have. brought a lot of people into country. music, but obviously that is a huge. combo about the genre of country music.

I feel you're pretty I assume you're. probably pretty torn about it all. because how much you love actually like. the Ryman you named your kid Ryman which. is like country music. >> Shout out Ryman. Yeah, shout out to the. Ryman. I think there's going to be a. story about on World Baseball Classic. about the Ryman on Friday's game against. Brazil with Logan Webb I think. >> Sweet. >> That's going to all come about. But how. is that kind of world of country music. changing and you being like a. traditional country guy but also having. the ability to make absolute bops, absolute bangers in the country world.

>> I'm I'm glad that I exist in this. timeline because. you know, the industry will allow a wide. variety of things to fit within under. the country music genre and the more. people that are coming to country music. and the more it spreads, um I see that as like an opportunity as. a disciple of like traditional country. music. It's just more eyes on this too. There's nothing wrong with loving this. I make this. But like while you're here, let me show you and like. I treat it almost like getting to be a. history teacher of country music, you. know. I can write songs that exist in.

today's landscape. But. I also want to like put you on some. Merle Haggard and George Jones and Keith. Whitley and Ronnie Milsap and like. there's layers to it you should go find. Yeah, I'm riding around in his Cadillac. in Nashville. Hilarious this thing. Old. school throwback. >> 75 Coupe DeVille on that thing. Yeah, I. was saying bingo, exactly what it is. [laughter]. And we're rolling through. uh. music. >> Music Row? Music Row. Didn't want to get. that wrong obviously. We're rolling. through Music Row and he's from there, you know. I believe.

family pretty yeah. So he's just. pointing at different houses. Oh, that's. where Waylon can wrote this. That's. where the this team like it is. There's so much history on Music Row. So. much. It was awesome to learn. So you. talk about being a history teacher it. was like I got a chance to be a pupil of. yours one time and I think I and my. respect for everything down there grew. So we appreciate the hell out of you and. that was a fun time done. That was a fun. time. We did a tour of the Ryman. together. Yes, we did. I was under that. stage. Mhm. And Grand Ole Opry obviously. now is a place but at one point was just.

a show and that show was hosted at the. Ryman. And right now the Grand Ole Opry, if you watch any of it, actually has a. circle that most singers sing stand on. That's wood from the Ryman because it's. an ode to what it is. The Ryman's like. I believe they still call it the church. Yeah, the mother church of country. music. >> Yeah, and it felt like you're in there, too. It really did. >> Yeah. That place is awesome. >> It's awesome. And you killed it in. there. Thank you. Thanks for being. there. We went on a bird just to see the. boy. Had to. I You named your kid Ryman, and then I learned the history of the. place, and you're playing and I'm like.

feels like this is a big night in. Ernest's life. I'm certainly going to. show face. I wasn't the only one there. Everybody was there. I don't want to. just start rattling off names, but like. It was sick. 13 number ones for a lot of. different people. There was a lot of. people there. Ernest, we appreciate the. hell out of you. Tonight Indianapolis. going to be fantastic. >> That's right. It's the Egyptian Room at. What is it? Old National Yep. Old. National Center. Yeah. First time. playing there. It's a cool place. How. long you play for? At least 90 minutes. What all do you. play? I play a lot of songs. I play some songs.

off of my life in the South record. Life. from the South. It's Saturday. night. >> It's Thursday night tonight, but I sing. it Saturday night and always say I know. it's a Thursday night we're going to. party like it's Saturday night. I'm. aware. [laughter] Big pop. Big pop like. >> They will. Yeah, they will. We've been doing Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue. Thank you. Who's Your Daddy? We do Back. to Back. I'm like Toby Keith is one of. my North Stars as a country artist and. songwriter and just it fella, you. know? And so we go Who's Your Daddy and. Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue. Remember Who's Your Daddy? Who's Your.

Daddy? Tonight. Good call. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. there. You heard it here first. Yeah, it's in there, yeah. >> Who's Your Daddy? >> You can even give a Whoo! Whoo! Whoo! Who's Who's Your? You can give one of. those. Okay. Yeah. They'll give it for. They'll give it right back. You could. You could come out and sing it. >> [laughter]. >> All right, ladies and gentlemen. Connor. has a question for you, Earn. Yeah, obviously Nashville guy Nashville. football show kind of turned into a. football city with Vanderbilt over this. college football season. >> Thank god. >> Yeah, kind of awesome cuz the Titans. stink, but that's why I wanted.

Yeah, that's what I wanted to ask you. Hey. Two-tone season, baby. Let's go. Two-tone blue going to have a year. Oh, we got to see their logo. >> Yeah, but but I mean, come on. Please. god, can we have a year? But Vanderbilt, let's stay on that. I grew up going to. Vanderbilt games, whether we were. winning or losing, mostly losing. The. last time we had a good season like. that, I believe GameDay came. It was. like 2009 or 10. >> Yeah, well, no, it was after Jay Cutler, but we had gone We were about to go five. and 0 at home against Ole Miss, and I. was there for GameDay. And I don't think. we like won since that game [laughter].

in 10 in this year. It was like, yeah, dude, every like gold and black. everywhere. It's cool to be a Vandy fan. Yeah, it was fun. A great GameDay set, too. Yeah, in the city. It was very. obvious, yeah, that like the city's just. coming out. Like city's just coming out. for the team. Didn't have a lot of like. super uh old traditions. You know, this. kind of happened in Indiana last year, too. So, before we go live at GameDay. down in Indiana, cuz my whole is. like, let's showcase what this place is. And they don't There wasn't a lot of. Like there wasn't a lot of football.

There's obviously the hoo hoo hoo. Hoosiers, but there isn't like a stadium. Like the stadium chant is normally like. a football thing. So, if your team is. not like that good of a football team, uh you know, you're probably not going. to have it. Felt like. that day for GameDay at Indiana, those. fans created their own traditions. It. felt like it created the the experience, and they'd probably been doing that. beforehand, but then now that has. carried on. The great state of And then. the whole place says Indiana. They. branded in the entirety. I'm not saying. I came up with that, but it did seem.

like it created it got created at that. particular time and really showcased. >> Yeah. Vandy was kind of doing the same. thing, it felt like. They're trying to. figure out what they are as a football. team, what they are as a football fan. base. And the entire city of Nashville. showed up on that note, which I think. what Connor was going to say, it is a. football city. Yeah. It'd be cool if the. Titans. >> Yes, we're going to be great. It'd be. super cool. >> And we love the GM and the head coach. like we believe in Borgonzi and I think. I I think it's going to be a great fit. I feel like he's going to love. Nashville. >> Yeah. Um Cam Ward, shout out Cam dog. Cam's an athlete. >> He's awesome. >> He's unbelievably talented. We talked to.

him a lot. I saw him make some throws. against the Colts that were like. outrageous. But let's talk about like. Vrabel's leaves. You've told me. privately, and I would like you to say. publicly just cuz it puts over Vrabel. pretty good. The city was like, "That's. our That's what the team is basically.". Isn't that kind of how it is? >> That's our guy. He's our guy. He's like. And I It was easy for me to root for him. this year, too. Like I was going for the. Pats in the Super Bowl for sure. For. Vrabel. Um but I don't know. I just hope. It would be nice to have a winning. season. Like let's go Let's Let's go. 500. 2 years from now be great. They're.

like, "Let's go 500, team." Like. This is a realistic dog. You know how good it would feel to win. six games? >> [laughter]. >> Yeah. We We kind of experienced it this. year with the Colts. >> Yeah, shut up. We're 8 and 2. Yeah, and. and you know how good it felt? >> Oh, it was so amazing. The city was. buzzing. You're right. You're 100%. right. >> Dylan's the same way. Every Titans True. Titans fan every year we wake up on. January or whenever Whenever the end of. the season is, "We're winning the Super Bowl next year. for sure." And it's like two, three,

four games in and we're like, "We We. still got a chance." Then five, six six. games in and you're like, "Next year.". And I feel like that's what we're going. to do. Jelly [laughter] Roll Jelly Roll. potentially playing for the team too now. with how much weight he's in. Jelly. Yeah, Jelly Roll's That's not Jelly Roll. anymore, dude. He's covered in best. health. It's Jason [laughter] D Ford. Well, I saw a transformation from Kid to. Bob, too. I saw that at halftime. I. [laughter] got That's just a matter of. one trip. He comes back, that's a whole. different guy. >> Well, that's what I I've I've heard them. speak for him before. But [laughter] I. do wonder, like was Did we see Kid.

Rock's last? No, I hope not. >> No. No, cuz I was I was worried that the. the stream was like. >> on tour this summer here, so. >> Kid Rock or Bob? >> It said Kid. Thank god. I thought we. lost Kid. And I'm like. >> video of him and RFK is one of the. greatest pieces of content I've ever. seen in my life, Dude, that edit, it's. like out of a fever dream. It's like a Rex Qwondo commercial, but. it's Kid Rock and RFK, dude. Can we. [laughter] talk about this a little bit. from the music standpoint in the music. world, their thoughts on it? Because I. feel like music people, creative people,

their brains are different, you know, than everybody else. It's hard to. necessarily just say like, "Why did that. person do that?" It's like, well, why. did they create this for all of society. to have as well? The Bad Bunny Kid Rock. thing that started getting built, how. did the music world respond to that? Did. you feel obligated to put on for Kid cuz. he's going to play some country music, or were you pumped up for Bad Bunny. getting an opportunity to do the Super. Bowl again, which is like the biggest. gig on Earth? How did the music industry. kind of view that? I don't know. I mean, I feel like everybody watched the game. and then kind of off during. halftime either way.

Yeah. That's what I really feel like. >> Yeah, you watch the game, a lot of. people do just It's on, and like that's. when you like you go out and smoke. >> Yeah. You know, >> to make it a big deal, and I don't think. anybody that was actually in it treated. it as a big deal. I don't think anybody, even Bad Bunny. >> Bad Bunny halftime show was better than. I expected, just like the the production. was crazy. It was a cool vibe. Made me. miss the islands. Yeah, you do a lot of that. >> I love that stuff. I love the islands. Who doesn't? >> cuz your your skin would be one cuz Oh, the islands hate me. >> Yeah.

>> [laughter]. >> But I love the islands, dude. >> You play a lot of that type of music, you know? I felt like you went back to. the little locals only. >> I went back to the little locals only. era, gut string country. You play a lot of that tonight? Yeah. I. got I think I'm playing I'll play a. couple off of locals only, and then I'll. play a couple new ones off of this next. record. Lorelei? Lorelei. Lorelei. Unbelievable. Can you tell me the story. of who Lorelei is cuz I think it's an. actual thing that exists. >> Yeah, it's crazy. There's a. There's a beach bar called the Lorelei. in Islamorada. I had a writers trip down. there. The writers that I actually have.

out with me right now, we went down. there, stayed at a house. >> Go Dogs. Go Dogs. >> Go Dogs. Rhett Akins, Ben Hayslip, shout. out. Jacob Durrett, >> Shout out. >> Anyways, um Smart idea to hit everybody. Yeah. But, uh. sitting at the Lorelei, and I'm like. what is the story of Lorelei? Cuz I knew. it was a mermaid, but it's an ancient. siren. She would call sailors off into. the into the night and they would uh. yeah, they'd die. And I was like there's this there's a. love story here or the lack thereof. So, Lorelei, Lorelei, I still hear you. whisper in the dead of the night. You. always wreck my world and I don't know.

why. I keep my sails to the wind for. you, Lorelei. And I was like let's go. back and write that song as soon as we. finish this beer. >> That's smart idea. >> did. Yeah, and uh Losers, similar. situation, right? I mean you're at. Losers bar in Nashville. I've been I've. been Yeah, there's a story here. somewhere. We've been yeah, Losers with. with Jelly and Post. We we've always. wanted to have a Losers song. It's like. all of us. I found myself in this bar. It was like an ode to losers, but. without saying it. But yeah, we were like we just need a. song named Losers and that's and and by. God that's what we got. >> Yeah, you certainly [laughter] did. >> Shout out Losers, T Ford. What was the.

first uh big song you were part of? Um And did you think you were going to. be able to make bangers? And then did. you know you were going to make bangers. after you made one? Or was there always. like a blind belief that you make. bangers? >> I thought I was making bangers for years. before anybody else thought I was making. bangers. [laughter]. You know, like it took me it took I. signed my first publishing deal in 2013. and didn't uh have my first number one. until 2020, but I didn't really get my. first cut until 2018. So, like 5 years.

of swinging like this is dope and it was. either ahead of its time or just sucked, you know? And then finally it clicked. My first one was uh I Love My Country. with Florida Georgia Line. Florida Georgia Line has so many. bangers. >> Yeah, they they. the best. >> Hey, and it seems like they're. Hopefully. I saw pictures of them. >> All all we can be happy about and should. be is that they're getting along and. it's all smiles and good times. >> Congrats, boys. Let's go, FGL. >> Hey, thank you for what you did for our. lives. >> That's right. >> [applause]. >> Okay? God. >> And you got to do what you got to do. If.

you hate somebody, you you hate there. Sure. Believe me, we all understand. But. it's great to see you guys back. together. >> Yes, it is. >> It is great to see them back together, I. think. And maybe they get a couple more. Yeah. And maybe. >> [laughter]. >> Yeah, that's what we're talking about. That's how my body felt when I saw a. photo of them walking together. >> Yes, dude, you could hear it.

Dirt. Oh my god. Forget about dirt. They were a hit-making machine. Now, I. believe the story of them. another hit-making machine. was a part of potentially, right? And. there a I think Big Loud has a pretty. big part of the entire Florida Georgia. Line story. Yeah, that's where it all. started. Big Loud Records, Craig. Wiseman, Joey Moi, Seth England. At the time, Chief was there, too. Joey actually goes back to like. Nickelback. He came up with Nickelback.

and produced them. That's what I'm. talking about, yeah. So, it started. there, and then. he came to Nashville in like 2009 or 10, and started working on a couple things. About that time, Seth, who you've had. on, Dog shot, Seth. met the guys, met. Florida Georgia Line, and started just. kind of managing them immediately. And. Craig started Big Loud Shirt Publishing. So, Seth was like interning for Craig, found these two guys, let's write songs, y'all are going to go play college. towns, and.

kill this And then it then they. had Cruise like a year into that, and. the rest is history. And then it was. Morgan, Chris Lane, Jekalyn, and myself, Hardy, Larry Fleet. And there's a I'm. There's so many now, I I don't want to. leave anybody out. >> Shout out Big Loud. >> Big Loud. >> That's what we're saying. Seth, we know. Seth. Yeah, oh yeah. Weapon. Seth didn't. make a single U-ball shot. Seth had a. shoulder He really did, though. I got a. shoulder issue. I want to make one. You. have, though. You You've been here. before and made a You're You're active. >> [laughter]. >> I know, I want to do it again. I just. want to prove it wasn't a fluke. You.

were a five-tool baseball player at. Lipscomb. You got drafted in what, the. fifth round? Something. >> Fifth round. Fifth round. Yeah, I should. have gone higher. But no, I uh I played. I played one year at Freed-Hardeman in. college and then dropped out and started. doing this. Not this, this is new, but. doing You could do this if you wanted. to. >> [laughter]. >> He said you you actually played baseball. and I think that isn't that where you. met Morgan, right? Yeah, me and Morgan. played against each other our junior and. senior high school. He went to Knoxville. Gibbs. I went to David Lipscomb. Now it's. Lipscomb Academy. Mustangs. Mustangs. Get those things up. Those things up. You guys created the spray that killed.

COVID. >> That's right. That's right. Shout out. TD. Yeah, Trent Dilfer. >> Thanks, Trent. Um. >> [laughter]. >> Got that stang vax. >> Yes. It was actually a stang vax spray. I. have a bucket. [laughter] The Broncos. picked it up. Stang spray, dude. Yeah, stang spray. I think that's what it was. >> Yeah, but uh yeah, we played we played. against each other junior and senior. year. They beat us junior year, went on. to win the TIAA state championship, and. then we beat them senior year. And uh. went on to win it like the next game or. whatever. Hey, his.

story is insane, obviously. >> Insane. Cuz it's not without quite a. self-inflicted wound. And then. work, work, work, try to earn everybody. like, "Hey, I'll earn. I'll earn. I'll. earn. I'll have to. I know. I know. I. know." And then all of a sudden it's. just like. >> Yeah. Oh, yeah, this guy has one of the. greatest voices maybe of all time. He. can't sing. It's like, "Okay." He can. sing anything. Dude, his voice is. insane. >> That is what he And he But he grew up. singing, right? And he like I mean, he. is a true singing talent I think that. people don't really respect cuz it's a.

country genre, but he You guys. When you guys get together, obviously, it's always bangers. But everything he. puts out seemingly a smash, and. it's uh it's unbelievable the run that. he's on right now. >> Yeah, it's insane. He's really good at. governing himself with. like what songs he likes. Like he's he's. really honest. You got to think he's. putting out 30 36-song albums, but. they're cutting like. 60 songs and then going back from that. So, like, and out of that, the Morgan. Wallen pitch link is like probably. hundreds and hundreds of the best songs.

in town. >> What do you mean? What do you mean? Well, like if you had a SoundCloud link. of if you're a publisher, you probably. got every song in town today was trying. to get a Morgan cut and they all get. sent and the best ones wind up on his. link. So, then he picks his favorite. It's It's all It's how we all work. >> Okay, so that's what the songwriter song. creators do is. Yeah, the the relationship and not even. just talking about Morgan, I think what. keeps an artist going like artists that. we think about that have had great. careers like George Strait wasn't. writing his songs, but he A&R'd his.

records. So, A&R being artist relations, but like he picks his songs really well. Aldean's the same way. He's going to. always. have a career cuz he picks his songs. really well. And then. >> But the guy has a good ear. Yes. And the. separation in going back to your. songwriting versus artist, like. I've I've been able to learn the skill. of like. picking a song that works for me whether. I wrote it or not, you know? I don't. have to prove that I can write songs. I. like if a song something I want to sing, I want to sing it. Like boat named after. you, the one I just put out. I didn't. write, love that song. Fits the record.

perfect, let's do it. >> Who wrote it? Do you know? Yeah, it was. Nathan Chapman and Tony Lane. Incredible. song. It's about a high school. sweetheart I think, right in the there I. think if I listened to the lyrics. properly. I don't know if it was a high. school sweetheart. Just Yeah, it's a the. boat named after you. I'm just out Oh, yeah. It could be maybe out in. California, top down Rodeo Drive or back. there in your hometown having kids and. doing fine. Maybe up in Colorado keeping. warm with someone new. Me, I'm out here. on the water on a boat named after you.

Pretty sick. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. And I always thought it'd be sick. to get a boat and name it after you. Mhm. Oh. HEY, DO IT, YOU KNOW? HEY, THAT'S THAT. EARN difference right there. That's a. flip on it. >> That's right. That's [laughter] a little. flip on it. >> Uh there's people starting to talk about. your freestyling ability on the. internet. I've been able to witness it. personally. I want to let you know, unbelievable. Truly. It's a It's a great. party trick and it's also. >> That's all. >> it is. >> a great business trick. I I've heard. stories from people that have been like, "Yeah, Earn freestyled for 25 minutes. last night, and in doing so, dropped.

four hooks and three verses that people. are going to use for other songs." I was. a part of a freestyle session that you. did where you dropped a hook for a song. that I I have probably released at some. point, and then also one of the verses. just in the middle of a freestyle, and. then you went over and got on a. keyboard, I do believe, and started. making the beat to the song. And I was. like, "I'm in song land right now. This. is Welcome to song land. This is really. how this whole thing happens. So, I. would like to say, thank you for. allowing me to get to witness how it all.

comes together. And you're you're a. weapon, bro. You're a weapon, dude. You really are. Truly. >> And uh we're lucky that you're doing our. generation, our society. Thank you, that's very kind. No problem. >> You're looking great, too. Thank you. By. the way, you're a weapon. >> [laughter]. >> You know what the deal is. I do. Yeah, I. got trapped. >> hey, send me your guy. >> Yeah, affinity they're good. Affinity is. good [laughter] people. It was like a. before and after picture me and Pat. >> [laughter]. >> Before and after science. That's exactly right. Hilarious. I grew.

a 3 in 4. We'll say 4 in. >> [laughter]. >> Hey, it can It can literally happen. I'm. looking at a video right now Bruce just. pulled up from TikTok that says, "Give. Earnest a mic and he could do anything.". I don't know how long This is a. 10-minute video, so you freestyled for. 10 minutes here on camera. I mean, you've made songs for people literally. while streaming live. It's a uh You're a. weapon, brother, and uh I can't wait to. watch you tonight. Thank you, sir. Can't. wait to have you there. >> Yeah, no problem. Who Who Who Who Who's. your. >> Who's your daddy? Who's your daddy? Who. Who Who Who's your daddy?

Who's your baby? Who's your buddy? Who's your pat Oh, friend. Friend We'll get it. You don't have to DO IT. SORRY. SORRY. HEY, I'M JUST YOU CAN HAVE. your phone out if you need it. >> [laughter]. >> Thank god. I don't I won't by the time. we get there. Okay. But Who Who Who Who's your Who's your. daddy? Oh, we're doing that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm the one that's going to. it up. No, we're fine at the top. We're. good. Can I wear that jacket tonight and give. it back to you? >> Yes, you can. I love it being on your. chair, but I haven't seen it in 2 years.

Does it still have anything in the. pocket? No, no, no. [laughter]. That was you. No, we had a thief. No, that was used, as you know. >> He had some damn fine pockets. First day. I met Earnest. >> [laughter]. >> First day I met Earnest. The he comes in here. Great conversation, good times. He's. with Jelly. Maybe uh try some sage, you know, do the. whole thing. Then he's to roll out of. there day. It's good. Hey, uh I left the jacket there. Did you. Did you Did you find it? And I'm like, is it the legalized country one? That. would be it. Yep, that would be it. He.

uh then nothing was said. 20, 30 minutes go by. Hey, in that right pocket. >> [laughter]. >> left a little gift for you. You might. want to go ahead and check that out. Save it for a rainy day. >> Yeah, exactly. That's [laughter] exactly. what you said. >> me 3 days later. He goes, "It's. raining.". That is an accurate assessment. You're. the best. Love you. Hold on, we're going. to take a break with you. So, that you. don't have to get up and leave right. now. >> Okay. If you're in Indy, go check him. out. The show's going to be outrageous. If you're in any town that he's going to. be in, the show's outrageous. He can. sing anything, will sing anything, and. it's going to be a guaranteed good time. I that's That's the vibes that you. bring. I think that's why everybody.

wants to work with you, dude. And I. think that's why success follows you. And uh I'm very, very lucky that you uh. have allowed us to be a part of your. business and your world. You're the man. Thank you, sir. Love you. On that note, we're going to take a break. Uh AJ, we're back on the other side. wrapping up all the sports news, okay? So, you need to dive in. Yeah. Oh, yeah. I am. I'm all ready. I don't know, AJ. I am. I had a quick. question for Earnest. He said he's a big. fan of the islands. Which islands are. you a fan of? Do you usually frequent them? >> [laughter]. >> Hot skids.

Saint Thomas and Saint John. Where are. those at? Just so we do know if we go. It is the US Virgin Islands, and you do. pass Little Saint James ON THE NO! FROM SAINT THOMAS TO SAINT JOHN, YOU CAN. SEE IT THERE on the right. Little St. Aaron. >> And you just drive by and you just go. and then you get to St. John and have a. good time, dude. >> Okay, I'm happy you did that though cuz. you were acknowledging. Yeah. >> Yeah, you every time. >> It is what it is, but but uh. but St. Thomas is one of my favorite. places on Earth. We bought a house. there. It's the best beaches ever. St. John's. awesome. 10-minute boat ride away. Go,

you know, go have a coconut rum on the. beach, why not? Yeah, live a little. Live a little. You know, Jimmy Buffett. took us to a time of happiness even. whenever our bodies were not there. present. I think your songs do the same. for a lot of us too. >> My God, thank you. Cuz it hasn't. haven't seen sun in about 4 or 5 months. and all of a sudden your your ass is on. a boat down there saying, "I'm. looking for the sirens about to. kill all of them." Yeah, I'm trying to. get to it first. Be cool to be dying. Save the world and kill [laughter] this. I'm putting sunscreen on while. I'm listening to your music. I.

appreciate that. Be a friend, tell a. friend something nice, it might change. your life. We're back on the other side. Take five. Ladies and gentlemen, a conversation. with Lou Holtz's. Thank you very much, Pat. Coach, obviously, I mean, this is such a. beautiful campus. We both know it. It is. literally created in God's image. It's been a massive day, obviously big. weekend with Ohio State here in town. I.

know we have the dedication of the new. library. How great does it feel to be. back on campus at Notre Dame? Well, I. say this, if you've been part of Notre. Dame, no explanation necessary. If you. haven't, no explanation will suffice. You have to be part of Notre Dame to. understand this is just a special place. Now, you can take all of that adversity. Sorry, I mean, it's tough to do you. know, I got to hold the handkerchief and. the microphone at the same time, so it's.

a little difficult. But, all this adversity, you know, it's. out here. It's hanging out here. And what you could do is you could take. all of those, you know, self-perceived. issues and fears and adversities that we. face every single day when you're going. against a tough team. And you got to stick them down deep. because it really doesn't do anything. for you to dwell on them. So, you stick. them down deep and then you realize that. all those adversities, that those issues.

they're just a figment of your. imagination. >> [laughter]. >> I wish they could have made that red. flag disappear on the field as quickly. as you did that one. But. >> [laughter]. >> you know, there is no such thing as. magic. It's all mentally it's set up. Now, you did that I won't do this one. It's like any other newspaper. You have the front page for people to. read the news. You have the. comics for people can't read.

And we have the editorial page for. people can't think. But. >> [laughter]. >> it's like anything else. You have to. have a faith and a belief somewhere. along the line. I'm not sure. I used to. do this trick all the time, but that's. >> [laughter]. >> that's when I was younger. Uh. but I'm not sure I can do it. But in any event. I think maybe we can. I used to do this. with a phone book when younger. But I. have trouble tearing it up. I I want to.

tell you. physically I have an awful lot of. problems. Mentally I'm as sharp as I've. ever been. However however that's one of. the advantages of not being very sharp. when you're growing up. Cuz then when. you get dementia people can't tell. They'd say. >> [laughter]. >> oh, there's no difference in anything. else. But you know, it's like anything. else. Many people going to think they. saw me tearing that up. But it's all. mental. If you really have a strong. faith and a strong belief in what you.

do. It can. work out. Somebody said. Somebody said, "How do you do that?". Perfectly, I thought, but it didn't. matter. That [laughter] doesn't matter. But How important is Sam Hartman to this. football team? I hope my list betting is. BAD AS YOURS. >> [laughter]. >> USUALLY, THERE'S PRESSURE ON A NOTRE. Dame quarterback. But Sam Hartman, hell,

he's as old as I am. I I remember when. he. >> [laughter]. >> But he's a great quarterback, he's a. great competitor, and he's the ideal. situation. All right, boys. I'm going to go do this. zoom. Yep. Yep. Yep. We're muted. It feels like this guy's. got a lot of energy and no idea.

what he's talking about. We're muted, you said? Yeah. Okay, good. Hello, brother. Thank you for making. time this morning. I can't wait to hear. what you're pitching, man. I can't wait. to hear about it. First and foremost, huge huge fan, Mr. McAfee. I know you're you're busy. I'll. get right to the point. As a company that prides itself on being. on the leading edge of our industry, we want to be in the Pat McAfee.

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I'm all the way here in Eugene, smoking. on some new green, changing up routine. Gratitude, truly. I'm all the way in. Eugene, smoking on [music] some new. green, changing up the routine. Gratitude, truly. Feel like new school. dean. Laughs, pretty cool G. Three. stripes, blue jeans, staying [music]. top, blue jeans. So, this is insane. I'm.

the fifth guy ever to ride this. motorcycle. It's a 1996 Fat Boy. They've. been doing this since 1999. It's called. the leader of the quack. You can call me. the leader of the quack right now. Quack. Quack. Quack. >> Yeah, I currently say his name is Matt. He's a dog. He's wearing a different. jacket today and he told me to wear the.

one he's wearing. This is a grateful. dead [music] one, so I'm going to wear. this one. Leader of the Quack coming in. 3, 2, and. >> [music]. [music].

[music]. [screaming]. [cheering]. [music].

[music]. >> So, you're the one that I beat the hell. out of tic-tac-toe and ro-sham-bo? I. just beat him at tic-tac-toe. I hooked. him line and sinker. >> You're the worst tic-tac-toe [music]. player of all time. Yeah, get out. >> [laughter]. >> Undefeated. Completely different. Just came down to the thing. Boom. Go. GO. GO. GO. MAKE ME WANT TO SCREAM. PUT YOUR.

HANDS UP. TAKE YOUR. HEELS OFF. SMOKE SOME TREE. GIVE ME THE OREGON Ducks to get a huge. win today. A little bit softer now. A little bit softer now. A little bit. >> [laughter].

>> Don't let that HAPPEN AGAIN TODAY. >> [laughter]. >> OH YEAH, MAN. GET IT. OH MY GOD. IT'S ALL GOOD. OH. I like this guy. Thanks, bro. 2K. It is close to a million in prize. This. maybe will break that today. Over a.

million to charity for a total of over. two million dollars given away. I got a. feeling you might have somebody with a. leg pat trying to take some more of your. money. Yeah, Reese. I appreciate you. saying that it's my money. My wife, my. daughter, and my mom are happy to hear. that reiterated. Uh I think it's very. clear that no business would actually. sign up to give away $250,000. Jack, what year are you here in. Oklahoma? Freshman. You're [cheering]. freshman. Okay. You're from Houston. What's your major. here? >> Accounting. Okay, so it's going to be.

tough to count all the dollars if you. make this kick. Have you ever kicked. before? >> Uh I did once on It was kickoff in a JV. game. How was it? Was it terrible? Did you. kick it out of bounds? >> It sucked. I like that. >> He came prepared. >> Look at this. The guy brought cleats. First ever. >> [cheering]. >> What is your mindset as you Honestly, I'm clear-minded. I've been listening to. a lot of music, so I'm locked in right. now. >> Who are you listening to? Uh Frank. Ocean. All right. Why don't we up this to uh $200,000 to. you? >> [cheering].

>> And we'll keep the $100,000 donation for. the light beneath the well uh that. obviously the Michigan player is doing. to make the world better. Michigan, Oklahoma potentially coming together. You're a lefty here. Okay, if Ernest. Hausmann can dig some wells, you can. somehow pull a rabbit out of the hat and. hit a 30-yard field goal. Not only for. your bank account, you accountant, but. also for the world. GO ON, JACK.

>> [screaming]. [cheering]. [cheering]. [screaming]. >> SO MUCH FUN. ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO GET HIM. >> [cheering]. >> JACK, come here, Jack. Jack. Jack. Jack. >> [cheering]. >> Oh,

>> [cheering]. >> WHAT DO YOU BET? SWING. ALL RIGHT, UNBELIEVABLE. JACK, JACK. JACK, COME HERE, BUDDY. The. scouting report did not have that. [laughter] going through. Okay, so it. was a $100,000 kick. IT ENDS UP BEING 200,000 TO YOU, 100 to. Ernest Hausmann's THE LIFE BENEATH THE. WELL, $550,000.

IN TOTAL over the first 2 weeks. Jack, congrats, dude. That was unbelievable. >> [cheering]. >> It was all worth it bringing the cleats, doing the whole thing. How close did. that come? 2 yards. 2 yards, you cleared. it by. Congrats, JACK. LET ME SIGN THIS. CHECK. WHAT A MAGICAL morning here in. Norman. Thank you, Ruby. >> [music].

>> They all commit and love what's going on. that weight room. They all commit and. love what Jim Harbaugh's preaching and. everybody in the building is happy. Everybody's like excited to be there. It is infectious what they got going on. And how many owners are spending 300.

million. on a new facility just for the practice. facility? But then for them to do it upright for. the last couple it's like. look out for the Chargers, dude. Look. out for the Chargers.

Oh, look at that. I love the high five. Yeah, give each other A HIGH FIVE. >> [screaming].

[laughter]. >> THAT IS INCREDIBLE. Obviously national. champion Michigan man and greatest high. five. Yeah. Because of what you brought. for the high five world. >> [laughter]. [music]. >> He tried to get a handshake to that.

particular high five trophy. Did break. the hand off. We had to put it back on. >> [laughter]. >> We have so much respect for.

>> [laughter]. >> I mean wow, it looks like a lot of. highlights against one particular team. They played more than one game. for one game. Imposing our will. This. sucks. It's party in the back. I love that Chargers team even more now. Hey. Why? Let's.

go. This show [cheering] sticks and the fact. that you listen, we are very, very. thankful for. The all time leading tackler for the. Green Bay Packers YOU PAID. TELL A FRIEND, TELL A FRIEND SOMETHING. NICE. COULD CHANGE THEIR LIFE. Hello beautiful people and welcome back. to our humble abode, the Thunder Dome.

On this big sports [music] Thursday, March 5th, 2026, hour three of the. program begins now. Score. Are the greatest and that's A.J. Hawk. Hawker, HOW'S IT GOING BUDDY? DID YOU HEAR LOGAN PAUL SAY THAT he. would. ragdoll any NFL player for a million if. they were to box or fight. Now, first of. all, I would like to say to Logan Paul, incredible work you're doing now. Yeah.

This is phenomenal stuff. And also, Logan Paul, incredible. WWE superstar. This guy is what WWE. needs. So, we are fans of Logan Paul as. well. I think he's under valuing. offensive line and defensive lineman who. who do hand-to-hand combat and maybe. don't go box and stuff like that. So, maybe they don't know a slip or whatever. the case is. What I assume they actually. naturally have it with that. Like, Max. Crosby is who I'm putting up Is there I.

guess you already should know Deonna. Dawkins said, "If we're going to throw. hands, we can certainly do that." I. think this is a good conversation piece. actually cuz Logan is a trained boxer. Not saying he's an elite boxer, but he. is a trained boxer, has been in there, has been punched before, has landed them. before. There is quite an advantage to. that. And Max Crosby trained with Shawn. Strickland. He was throwing bombs at. him. Now, I don't know what Max Crosby's. form is in boxing, but I just don't. think he'd quit. Yeah, Shawn. Strickland's trying to kill him. Shawn. Shawn Strickland's trying to take him. out. That's just in the off season he.

does that. So, I think because Max has. already been punched numerous times and. it didn't like scare him, you know, like. I think that's the That's like Le'Veon. Bell came out and was like, "I'll fight. you." That's cuz he's gotten to the. point of boxing where he gets punched. and doesn't like, you know, flinch. He's. like still fighting in there. If you. know how to counter, that means you know. how you're okay getting punched or you. can see it coming and have the move. If. you're a trained boxer, you can counter. And that is really the That's the. That's the level of fitness That.

that is the difference between. not fighting, boxing, being an okay. boxer, and then going to the next level. And Lev has been in there numerous. times. Frank Gore, I think would be okay. going in there. We have boxers in the. past, but then Logan Paul said those are. retired guys. We need to be current. guys. Give me current guys. Throw Trent. Williams in there as well. >> I mean yeah, Trent Williams is one of. the big It's going to have to be a big. dude for sure, right? That outweighs him. by a lot because Logan is a legit boxer. and I don't know I guess there's.

probably some guys that are kind of. under the radar been boxing for a while. in the NFL that we don't really know. about. I guess they don't publicize it. maybe. Logan's cardio too, really good. Yep. >> Logan's wrestler, like he has great. cardio. We are not saying that Logan is. a walk in the park for anybody, which I. think a lot of people would like to say. cuz he's handsome, he's chiseled, he's. WWE superstar, and he's letting you know. that you are not nowhere near the same. caliber of human as he is, so you're. naturally going to hate him and want to. bury [laughter] him. He's good heel. He. is a great heel, but I think we would. have to send some guys that are and I.

think we do have those guys. I I think. for the good of the NFL we do. But. Tom Brady just walk around calling him a. Yeah. Yeah, what's that about? >> That's that's Tom. Is that a shoot, brother, or is that a work? >> Well, maybe he worked himself into a. shoot here and in Gronkowski. >> [laughter]. >> Gronk did not expect that at all. I look. Tom Brady is evolving here and then. you know, who knows if this is a work or. if this is a shoot. But if it's a work, super genius stuff, which we should. obviously expect from those two. >> Sure. Yeah, I mean Tom's the greatest of.

all time, so you know, I think he can. kind of say whatever he wants, but we've. also seen I mean we saw Tom with his. shirt off the other day throwing the. football around. You know, he's in. better shape now than he ever was in his. playing career, so maybe he has a faster. jaw. >> Yeah, exactly. Run a faster 40. May Maybe this is Tom's second calling. here, you know? I mean I understand he's. part owner of the Raiders. Who's to say that he won't be boxing, I. don't know, Canelo in 6 months time? Wait, Tom Brady? Yeah. You never know. Could. That's the guy. >> Oh, so so you're thinking Logan Paul is.

calling for an NFL guy. Tom Brady's. like, "Look no further, fella. You found him.". >> Yeah, yeah, exactly. You think Tom. Brady's getting in there? I didn't even. think about Tom. >> Logan, you're going to be my stepping. stone, and after I dispose of you, then. I'm going to then then and it's game on. Then I'm going to call game on Sunday. Exactly. I'm going to own the Raiders. and then it'll be anybody. Come. Saturday, I'm fighting at Caesar's. Palace. Floyd Mayweather at the you know. He's got a fight coming up. Hey, Floyd's. got a lot of fights, five I think. I. think there's been more added. Floyd, thank you for the years of. entertainment. Good luck out there doing.

your get back. Yeah, there's good luck. Mike Tyson. This is clearly a get back. and if it is, good. You what you. congratulations on having this get back. Sure. Just in the back pocket and once. again when he gets in there I assume he. won't be touched. I assume. Right not. I. assume. It'll be the same story and. Floyd will have to remind people while. also getting an incredible amount of. wealth again. And then we hope this. round he's good. We hope forever he's. good. >> Yeah. But on that note people would love to. see him get his ass knocked out by some. of these people that he is taking later. in his career. The latest maybe we've. ever seen, but I love what the sports.

world is kind of cooking up. World. Baseball Classic continues today. Is. that accurate? >> Yeah, there are a couple more games. today and then really though kind of is. just hey all eyes on tomorrow night. Tomorrow night at 8:00 p.m. on Fox USA. will get out there. There's no more hey. we're beating the out of this team. so they're going to send a minor leaguer. over to you know hit for us or pitch for. us. Like these are the boys who you know. are going to take us to glory for glory. which I believe is their tagline. So.

yeah, I mean but again all these games. kind of have something worth watching I. would say because there are multiple. guys on every team who are either stars. in the MLB or who are you know plumbers, electricians, that kind of stuff. >> So the Japan plays if I'm reading this. right 5:00 a.m. on Fox Sports 1 tomorrow. morning again against Taipei. We just. watched Taipei lose to Australia because. big dog. >> Yeah, Travis Blazona. >> Blazona Blazona did his thing for.

Australia. I love that we're off and. running and then yeah tomorrow night. 8:00. One tonight. Eight games tomorrow. Let's go, baseball. Is that old school turf they're playing. on? Probably. It's Tokyo Dome. That was. Tokyo Dome, dude. All right, it's field turf. >> Field turf. Boom. That's big bat Bazana. Yeah. >> [laughter]. >> Johnny Bazana is. Johnny Bazana is. I just learned of him last night. They. were hyping him his ass up. They were. hyping his ass up. I'm like, I didn't. know Australia did the baseball. And.

then his ass hits a home run in the. game. He's out. I'm like, "Okay, big. dog. I I like that you kind of show up. whenever you're in your moment." I think. we're going to see a lot of that. Could. you imagine what this would do for. Australia baseball as a whole? >> Yeah. I think that's a. I said this AJ at the be beginning of. the show when I talked about it. I was. in Australia for 7 days. They were all in really good shape. I. saw like two fatsos. Maybe three. That's. it. Like from I'm talking the entire. city. >> Experience, yeah. Looking around. They're all in like very good shape, it.

feels like. Baseball is a sport where if. you are in good shape and you get the. hang of it, it Certainly doesn't hurt. >> you can benefit from it. And with the. growing in that area with Japan and Asia. obviously starting to really love. baseball, this could be huge for their. sport, which is why I like international. play, too. That's why I like. international play. >> And it's a little I mean, it's a little. late and it's not the same thing, but. we've seen all the punters coming over. and going to college in America. Like. that's what he did, you know, he grew up. over there and then came and went to. Oregon State, had a bunch of success, was the first overall pick. So, sometimes that's all it takes. And.

obviously, you know, he hasn't played in. the big leagues yet, but he I think he. had three knocks last night including a. home run. Like that's a pretty damn good. start for Australia. >> Oregon State really good at the. baseball. You know how I know that? >> How's that? Cuz I said Oregon's really. good at baseball. Ah, sure, sure. Got a. loud [clears throat] I said this. baseball team here is running things. Maybe champs, I might have called him, who knows? Just kind of in the middle of. it. It's pitch black outside. It's. beginning. I just talked to the baseball. coach yesterday. I'm trying to recall. all the information I got. This team's. unbelievable at everything. Track.

They're faster than you. Weed, they got better weed than you, for. sure. Baseball, best ever. Just in my [laughter]. head, you know, just running running. through things that I experienced while. I'm there. I'm like, man, I think I nailed it here. They can do the whole thing. >> [laughter]. >> Get to the commercial break. I'm like, man, let's see the reaction here. Holy the Beavs actually Yeah, hold. on. They're great. actually. They are. actually the baseball team of Oregon, and it's like, Well, we've come too far.

now. >> Yeah. I can't go back. I do apologize. >> former Mustang uh Scotty McGough, who. was in the MLB. He played at Oregon. Sweet. >> Did he really? >> Yeah. Not Oregon State? >> No, Oregon. See, I'm telling you. That's. why. Oregon State needs to go recruit. out of Philomath High School. >> Exactly. >> a couple guys get throw 78, 79. meatballs. >> Yeah, if you need it, though. Inning. eaters. Speaking of, me and Clayton. Kershaw tomorrow. Oh, yes. For pretty big donations. We're going to. watch you go yard on him. How many. times? Just stop trying to give it away. Okay, we will have no spoilers around.

here. No. Okay. I'll just wait and see. You did You did. say you were getting one inning. I think. a lot of people assumes that's just. three at bats. That could be We don't. know. That could be 12, 13. >> know. You might have put a crooked. number up. We don't know, AJ, and that's. the fun part about it. You know, that. especially when I watch him go. pitch two outs in baseball when he was. retired just two weeks ago, getting. ready for this. It's like, okay, so the. guy hits dinger off of him. And we go, oh, no. He made a mistake. He.

he knew it. Oh, no, cuz then that kind. of, you know, that's not good for the. entire thing. And then he just gets. right back into it, locks in, I am still. Clayton Kershaw. But from my. understanding, he was not really he was. retired retired. Oh, yeah. He thought he. was getting a call to coach Team USA. And D'backs like, nah, you deserve to be. on the team, I think, from your career. You haven't been able to do in the past. We'd like you on the team. He's like, all right. And then. pitch against McAfee first day kind of. that'll be your thing. All right, I'll.

get in shape for that, I guess. And then. all of a sudden it's like, "Hey, you got. a couple innings for us maybe if you And. he's like, "Yeah, let me try this thing. out real quick." So, I got to face. actual He was I think. the bullpen session into what we were I. think he was trying to see I think they. were all trying to see. >> Oh, that was that was him getting like. getting ready like he was going to start. a game. Like for sure. He told us on the. show. He was like, you know, they when they asked me here. he was like, "I'll throw a thousand. pitches because I'm never doing this. again." So, like this is like that was. like a hey, let's see if I still got.

this. I got a chance to face like actual. Oh, yeah. >> It was cool, man. Wait till you see. There's a couple moments I'm sitting in. there and I just look at him and it's. like. Clayton Kershaw, right? And then. he does his and I'm. watching this praying mantis up there. and I'm like, Wow. And then I got this catcher, you. know, who's definitely not on my side. Andy Pettitte not on my side at all. I. look up at this guy. Great hero. Rossy, yeah. Me and this guy we work. together to help team USA.

>> Yep. They couldn't wait for that 12:06. to come. Wait till you see the reaction. we have to that I mean, we have. shots of everything. The boys pieced. this together in about 6 minutes with. cameras everywhere with microphones. Foxy had to piece it all together. We. got some good out of that little. inning that we had with Clayton Kershaw. Incredibly honored and we're going to. raise money. Oh, yeah. Kershaw's cause? Yeah. Ker- Kershaw's. Kershaw's cause. I looked it up. Kershaw's cure, Kershaw's cause. challenge Kershaw's kids We'll.

definitely do anything. Yeah, challenge. challenge Right around there, yeah. Yeah, so we will definitely do that. And. he couldn't have been nicer. Yeah, he. was the man. the man. The perfect guy. for that. >> The family, too. Really nice. Yeah, family. He It's family of six, I think, seven. >> Yeah. Had a baby. Yep. Yeah. Don't want to give anything away. Mom kind of talked to me, too. Yeah, she did. >> In [laughter] her own way. Yep. >> [snorts]. >> Hey kids, why don't you go out and get. in here and Shaq balls? You think he's. hitting balls into the outfield?

>> [laughter]. >> Mrs. Kershaw, please. Good point. Sit. down. >> I'm right here, Mrs. Kershaw. And then. they did They did send the kids right. back. I mean, it Everybody just. acknowledged it. Yeah, stay out of. sight. >> [laughter]. >> Stay out of sight. It was a fun time. We had a blast. Anything we didn't hit today? Uh tax. implications for Indiana are coming out. uh for the Bears coming to Hammond, Indiana. Feels like the taxing is going. to be done to people that are traveling. into town. At least that's where it was. kind of directed towards. 1% food and. beverage tax, don't love that.

>> Don't love that. >> Don't love that at all. 5% hotel tax. increase, you would think that'd be. people that are traveling. 12%. admissions tax, okay, that's for you. know, car traveling plus toll roads and. a special taxing district to fund the. product uh project. That taxing district. will be the area which it is. So, the 1%. food and beverage tax feels like it's. going to be the one that's going to hit. the people of Indiana the most. And then. the admissions tax, I assume that that. is just something that uh. we'll never fully understand. Oh, tickets, okay. I didn't know if it was.

admission Okay, tickets. All right, so. To all events? >> It's a win-win-win. Hold on, wait. To. all events in Indiana? At that venue. Okay, so that's a 12% tax. on tickets sold. at that venue. Well, maybe unless. Morgan's probably going to sell the. place out. Taylor will sell the place. out. >> Well, Lucas Oil, they they have a great. thing going at Lucas Oil. Yeah, but I. think it's far enough away you could. probably do both, especially with the. two If Soldier Field's gone, that's. probably where they have to go, yeah? Yeah, that's what I think you could. probably do. Are they not keeping. Soldier for events? Venues, the city.

owns it, right? You would assume they'd. still want to put on their shows or. whatever. They have a park right down. the street from there that has that huge. event every single year. >> Lollapalooza, Yeah, they do They host a. lot over there. So, Indiana people can. certainly weaponize this against. uh politicians because there is a. raising of the tax, but it feels like it. was a targeted tax. >> Yeah. And I don't like the raising any. money at all, but I do like that we have. two NFL teams in Indiana. Yep. That is a. Incredible. >> That's a crazy thing for Indiana. >> If the Colts starts thinking, guess. where we're going. No. The whole Bears.

No. BEAR DOWN. NO. BEAR DOWN IS SO COOL. YEAH, it's. awesome. And they change their name a. little bit maybe. Good, better, best. Never let it rest. Though your good is. better and your better is best. You get. a sweetheart, it's only 2 and 1/2 hour. drive each way. I'm sure sweets. Easy. That's going to be helping the state, too. They'll probably be cheap. They probably will be cheap. Yeah, I'm sure. You want to go Bears. stuff? Yeah, probably cheap. >> Brand new stadium? >> Yeah. What are the chances it happens? >> See if I can do this year. What? What's.

what the what happens? >> it's going to happen? You think it's. going to happen? Oh, they're going to. you know, you think the Bears are going. to let them go? You think Illinois is going to let them. go, you mean? Yeah, that's what I mean. Like I don't. know. I just don't see it. Like I don't. see them letting that happen. I would. imagine this the city comes together. They find a way to keep them. I don't. know. Our governor was calling their. governor a mayor. Yeah, I I think that. might that might put a little chip on. Mayor old Pritzker's shoulder over. there. >> [laughter]. >> And he might try to figure something. out, I think. >> I've seen his name in a lot of things as. a I think he potentially has got a lot. on his plate to try to figure out uh. what a new stadium deal could look like.

that you've been trying to do for like. 5, 10 years or whatever the case is, which is what Mike Braun, uh governor of. Indiana, was saying. He's basically. saying they've had a long time to figure. this out. You think they're just going. to like couple weeks Mhm. Took us 3. months to put this together. You do you think they're just going to. be able to piece this together as. quickly as it needs to be for us to get. started on this thing? Cuz if we break. ground and get moving, which we can. definitely do, uh this thing's 2029, even though they don't get out till. 2032, there's a chance for an even. quicker turnaround in this whole thing. So, to your point, I don't I don't even.

know if I like. that it's happening. I don't think I do. I agree. I I I don't think I like that. Illinois is letting this potentially. happen, but I do appreciate the fact. that Indiana's like, "Hey, you're an NFL. team, you're the biggest league on. Earth. You can help our state as opposed. to hurt our state. So, we are giving you. an option." And it feels like if you. talk to the people that are providing. the option, they're saying It's the best. one. >> This shit's going to happen. Is it. That's That was my takeaway from Bron. coming on the show. He's like he thinks. it's happening. And he's in the direct. conversation of it all. That was my big.

surprising takeaway from him. And also, he gave me a couple names on who I need. to lobby for the legalization of. marijuana in Indiana. So, I think it was. a win-win out of that whole thing. Yeah, I think it was. I mean, he was. very, very optimistic. You are right. I. just want to hear what the other side, what Illinois, what they're saying, like. what their kind of proposal. Like, I. would imagine they're doing everything. they can to keep them there. Big news. It's just in a county, the food and. beverage tax. >> Oh. Oh, we don't care at all. The two. The two counties up there, Lake and. Porter County. So, there's some pushback. cuz if you're just like a guy going to.

grab a coffee on your way to work in. those counties, you're paying an extra. 1%, but it doesn't affect the whole. state. >> that. Yeah. 70 cents. You should see the. price of coffee beans today. >> Exactly. As opposed to the next day. >> are fine. I'm going to Just write. yourself off on that. Okay, cool. Good luck up there. >> Yeah, get done. >> Indiana pride. Indiana pride, you guys are doing THAT. FOR US. THE ARIZONA CARDINALS AND Carolina. Panthers will open the 2026 NFL season. in Canton in the Hall of Fame game. presented by.

Navratil. Nice. >> Nice. Tickets go on sale Monday, March. 9th at noon. Obviously, got Luke Kuechly. and Larry Fitzgerald, Canales LaFleur. >> Oh, wow. Holy I'll tell you what, if. Carolina's there, I'm happy we're going. to be there. Yes. I really like the cut. of the jib of that entire program down. there. >> Uh-huh. Hey, that's a good football. team. >> That is a good football team. Carolina's. a good football team. >> Good football team. They're trying. They're looking. to become a great football team at the. same time. But, they are a good football. team. And then Arizona, we'll see. Yeah.

We'll see. Is Larry playing? Could be. He could. >> Why not? Good question. >> Who's Who's quarterback going to be? Good question. They're bringing Josh. Rosenback. When do they pick? Can we get. the draft order, please? >> They pick. third? Mhm. Is that a Ty Simpson. Is that a Is that what a Is that a Ty. Simpson situation right there at three? Two, Sonny Styles, we all think, right? Or Or Arvella a lot of people think. One. of the One of the. Ohio State guys or David Bailey. Aaron. Glenn goes diva. So, we got a Fernando.

We got defense from Ohio State. Is that. Ty Simpson right there at number three? Or do they package that and move it out. if they don't have a quarterback? >> That would be, um, just from everything. you hear, very, very high. >> But, if you don't If you don't Oh, for. Ty? Yeah. They could trade back and try. to get him. >> He is the number two quarterback, but. he's not sup-. From everything you hear, now it. obviously could change, he's not. supposed to go in the top 20. >> He He's not I think because we made fun. of Our Lord so much for saying, "I. watched three games.". >> Mhm. Okay, so I watched eight games.

This guy's better. It's like, "So, you. didn't watch the most important games at. the end of the season against the best. teams?" Well, I'm not there yet. It's. like, well, that Shut up. For- Wait. until you see what Fernando does down. the stretch here for the last half of. the NFL season that he played last year. and how he handles himself. He is guy. who has earned number one. And if he. would have went to LSU like, I don't. know, Joe Burrow did, everybody would be. talking about how special Fernando is. So, that's why we got so mad at Dan for. talking about that. But, Ty Simpson. pre-injury, there is certainly that. a team can sell themselves on him being.

a guy. Plus, with his leadership. abilities. And we know that the. quarterback position is the thing that. matters. So, people are saying, "Well, if he was to go three, they'd be highly. projected." It's like, "Well, if Arizona. Cardinals don't have a quarterback, who's going to be? Baby, that's they. taking opportunity to to go and fill the. role right there." But, I assume there's. many other pieces that they need. Maybe. they make a trade as well. But, if you. don't have a QB, I don't think anything really matters in. this game. >> Yeah, and they've been heavily linked to. Malik Willis, so we'll see if they. actually decide on on pulling that. trigger. And it it kind of seems like. that's where they're at because, you. know, like Like guys have been saying,

like. probably not going to be drafting Ty. Simpson at three. I suppose you could. fall in love with him and do that, but. they do have so many needs that maybe it. does make a little more sense to you. know, get Malik Willis and then just get. the best player available because you. need a lot of those guys. >> Yeah, they've done offense a bunch with. the O-lineman Paris Johnson I want to. say and then they did also with the. Marvin Harrison Jr., but at three if. it's not Sonny Styles like Jeremiah Love. I think he's going three or four to. either Arizona or Tennessee. He looks so. good. Everybody's talking about him.

running and jumping, agreed, all that. stuff in the drills. He did not have to do any of those. drills. Once he ran 4-3 or whatever, everybody okay. Let's check the boxes. outrageous. Then he does all the. on-field drills and it's like, what? His hands, how smooth he was, the. intensity, the cut, everything he did. was just out of. just outrageous how good he was and. yeah, you're right. He might move into a. top three, top four pick and that when. it is all said and done. I still think.

if a team misses out on free agency on a. quarterback that they want. Quarterback, you need a quarterback. >> Oh yeah. And if you're up there. But boy, if. >> I guess that's what Schrager said. though. Schrager said all these veteran. quarterbacks are going to get a lot of. looks next week because probably don't. believe in the draft class nearly as. much and that's kind of how they weigh. it all, come see, come saw. As you know. and I know though and [laughter] Connor. knows, if you draft a quarterback in the first. round it doesn't work out, you are. Really? Yeah. Well, yeah, but it kind of goes If it's.

number four overall Even more. What if he he doesn't work at all? Like. it. >> Yeah, not good. There were some moments. That also has. to do with the staff as well. Yeah, the. spinning spike. Aw, the tornado spike. and then he didn't want to do it again. You remember that? >> Yeah. Yeah. I don't really want one. thing to become my thing. It's like you. got it, dude. This is the thing. What if. he blew his knee out doing that one. time? Maybe he realized like, you know what? I'm so athletic, I should save it for. just playing. There was a time where I.

was a full-on believer, remember? >> Oh yeah, we are believers. There you go. That was a good run. I still am. Coaching matters, too, cuz. Mac Jones, once again, is going to be. the belle of the ball. And we all. thought he was really good after his. rookie year, which turns out he was. Dude. Sick. Was that a shot out of an ice. cube? I I don't know if it was an ice. cube or an actual shot glass. >> it a snowball? There's Yeah, snowball, I. don't know. Like what was it? >> It could have been a sphere ice that was. in his drink. Yeah. No, he took a shot. out of it though, I think.

It's got to be a shot glass. I thought. it was a shot glass. >> it's an actual shot glass? And he just. destroyed it. Yeah. Probably. So he's throwing a glass shot glass. >> No, he he was I believe. it didn't it didn't break. I believe. that. I don't think they're just hawking. glass at a dong. >> It hits the ground. No, it goes. everywhere. >> Boom, right there. Oh, it shattered. It. did shatter. Might have been ice. Oh, really? And somebody clean that up. You're saying it would have it could. have been ice. [laughter]. Could have been an ice glass. Could you. imagine just being a guy that says, you. it, I'm going to hawk this thing. A.

glass? >> That's Mac. Him dancing immediately. afterwards, George Kittle, obviously, in. the back healing from an Achilles. surgery. He says, that's Mac. That's. what he says in here. That's him, dude, as he dances. So he good job. I love. Mac. >> if he's throwing an actual shot glass. there and it's exploding, a couple of. those guys be like, dude, what are you. Dude, took it way too far. What are you doing? Now someone's got to. clean that. Someone's going to slice. their foot open on the glass. If. it's ice, it's. that's the reaction. Yeah, I think he's. crazy. By the way, super cool that he's. got the ice shot that's happening.

Everything they do seemingly good. Except. practice next to the electrical. substation. >> Oh, I thought you were going to say we. win the Super Bowls, yeah. Yeah. They have a few over there. They do. Not. Not Not this century. Oh, the Patriots are back in the Super. Bowl all All a sudden, we're taking. shots at mean, San Francisco for it. Why. wouldn't I? I guess you're in a good. spot. We can't do it. All right, Bill's. got DJ Moore. We'll see how long you. guys last. >> Oh, yeah, that's right. Who's the best.

corner in football? Oh, yeah, Christian. Gonzalez. I think we'll be okay. We're back tomorrow. >> [laughter]. >> Got a good feel-good Friday morning. >> Oh, yeah. I think we're on ESPN news some more. Oh, nice. Uh Ocho, right? I wouldn't mind that actually. He's kind. of gay [laughter] with us. That would be a pretty cool little. thing. Next week should be fun. Free agency. frenzy on Monday. It's going to be. crazy, AJ. It's going to be crazy. >> Do do you have Schefty's writer situated. yet? Yeah, I I honestly, I don't know. >> about where's he going to get food? You. got to give him a designated bathroom. There's a lot of things. I don't know if.

maybe we should I'm going to try smoke. him out. I'm going to try smoke his ass. out. >> Tape him to a chair. Please [laughter]. do it. I want to watch him panic when he. sees it happening. Oh, he's. Schefty, what's up? Close the door behind you. Trap him in a. room. Yeah. I'll tell you what, this has been the. best free agency frenzy Monday that I've. I've had in some time. Time and time. again. Schefty, you haven't put a tweet. out yet. Huh, that might be why, man. I. just kind of found myself not really. caring. >> What? >> [laughter]. >> That would be good TV. >> I guess he is very stressed.

That's what they say. They say he's very very very stressed. At all times. >> more than normal because I bet he's a. little bit more than normal because. you're kind of throwing him off his. normal game coming to another a. different place. He doesn't have all the. stuff he's used to. >> He wanted a handler with I mean, there. was a lot of things that were being told. to me that were needed. And I'm like, I'm not having some random ESPN person. in this ThunderDome, okay? They're like, "Oh, he's a good guy. Good. guy." I'm betting. Yeah, I'm sure. Is he. how many times has he anonymously quoted. one to kill me? Just just so I know.

Just so I understand who's who. No, he's. a good guy. He's a young guy. It's like, all right. He'll be. Schefter needs him, I guess. Okay. We'll. treat him super good, I guess. >> Respect. Well, what's he do? Can we just have. somebody do that for him? Well, he knows. what he has, when he has, and where he. needs to have it at. Okay, Schefter, do you have a brain or. what? What like kind of how is this? No, I'm you know, I'm just worried about my. thing. >> Football, that's it. I'm just worried. about my thing. It's been fun. It's been. a fun experience with the Schefter. thing. Cuz Monday is an insane day. He's. flying in here like 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.

cuz he doesn't want to miss anything on. his phone. He should be living in this hole here in. his in his little money pit over here. The little new deal hole over here. He. said Monday through Wednesday will be. the busiest days of his life this year. And he's in Indianapolis. I've never. been there. Yeah. Now that I mean this. new place, so we're soupin' up this room. for him so he doesn't have to leave. You. know, we are trying to make it as. comforting as possible for him cuz from. our understanding it is a show in of. itself. This kind of Schefter. He'll be. in there. And then to the right is where. Orlovsky and Schrager's will be over in.

studio B, which is the HOME OF HAMMER. DAHN. WE did not know it was studio B. until the hosts of Hammer Dahn called it. studio B just last week. >> Shout out. Good idea. Shout out to. Mystic, uh, the company that designs our sets at. Radio Row. They're coming in and doing a. full for both of these things. So, yeah, we're we're pumped up about it. We're. excited for Monday. Hopefully. the NFL will be excited for Monday. Yeah. Oh, they will. >> And they won't blow all their loads on. trades. >> Exactly. We need Monday to be No, it's.

going to be a frenzy. Keep loads in. Let a couple loads out, but we need save. some. Yes. Be a friend Hey, thank you guys. Thank. you. Oh, yeah. Miss Carrie, uh, on this angle here, far. right, Miss Miss Carrie. What an awkward experience for them. >> [laughter]. >> Definitely, 1,000%. You should see how. it is for us. Yeah, I know. I appreciate They're so. far I don't Yeah, I agree. What if you.

scooted them up a little bit? Would that. help? >> Then they they'd be in every single. shot. I'd like Yeah, you're right. You. know, it's like, uh, It's elusive. I. appreciate you being a hero though and. caring about them and not us in this. entire We have like random people. staring at us for the entire day from. just feet away, you know? So, I I do. appreciate. >> it when there's people there. I love it. when there's people sit like awkwardly. back off the stage a while just like, "How do they know what to do? Can I. stand up? What do I do with my hands?". >> So, I Well, so and then we try to tell. them like, "Hey, we can hear you. We're. live, you know?" And then like, "Hey, there's going to be a 3-minute break in. between hour one and hour two. You're.

going to want to talk to me. Please know. that I'm not disrespectful. I got to. piss. I'm sorry." Cuz we never do it, but we are thankful that they're here. And it's been a good It's been a good. class right now. >> Good crew, yeah. Yeah, it's It's been a. good crew. >> yet. It's been good energy. Got an AD. We got Andy Moore's boys here. >> Yeah. Mhm. Andy Moore, local car. dealership guy, also massive contributor. to the IU Hoosier sports NIL. Best deals. in town. Uh you You want more and MORE. AND MORE OF Andy more. business. That's.

certainly what they say, and these lads. certainly doing a little bit of that. And then Miss Carrie's got her crew over. there. Uh the Hawkeye huge head, played. football. >> Legend from Mount Vernon. from Mount. >> messing around. >> No, he is not. AJ, that head will run. through your face, and you know that. I. tried to start a convo with him right. before we went live. "Hey, where are you. from?" And then he start, "We're live. Please, I can hear you. Shut up." It's. like the dentist kind of. >> tough. It was tough. I tried. I got. interested, and then it was the wrong. time. And then the AD's been looking to.

leave for a while. He's got a lot going. on, but he's kind of felt obligated to. be here, you know, which has been cool. People have walked up and talked to him. earlier. Butler Bulldogs are on the. right path. >> Yeah. Miss Carrie, you're an American dream. story. Trucking business. That's right. Trucking business. Think about that, AJ. Good trucks. Yeah. >> Moving On time. >> Boom, bang, pow, boom, bang, boom. We. need this here. We need it. Here we are. right here. Hey, buddy. Boom. [clears throat] First Step. Logistics. Yep. The backbone That's.

right. of America. Ladies and gentlemen, we're getting to. get out of here. If you're in Indiana, Ernest is playing tonight, you should go. check it out. He will put on a great. show. What a vibe. Yeah. He's the man. Just as a whole. He'll put on a good. show. Also, PBA is happening at Woodland. Bowl. Yep. Nice. Pins? Woodland Pin. Woodland Pin. >> Sure.

>> [laughter]. >> He's walking going to dance on it. What about that? Royal Pin, sorry, Woodland. Royal Pin Woodland. We call it local Woodland, I believe is. what the conversation is. Official title. is Royal Pin Woodland. Okay. They got a. good arcade there, laser tag, >> Oh, yeah. hot putt, Love it. >> go-kart racing, Whole night. >> Whole night. Yeah, it's a nice place. Quite the facility. >> is a real deal. Yeah, you're not doing. much putt-putt in right now cuz the sun. and rain has been out here a lot, but. Royal Pin Woodland there on East 96th.

Street. The best bowlers in the world. will be bowling for a major. championship, the US Open. But, most of. them aren't even supposed to really have. hopes and dreams of winning it because. EJ Tackett's rolling the rock. And when. he's doing that, he's taking home the. trophy. AJ Johnson Yeah. >> is also going to be here. >> Yeah, yeah. He had. He had a little bit of a neck. Okay. [snorts]. >> One of those football necks. Peanuts got him out. >> Yeah, right. Not this week.

Not Not yet. We don't know. Last week he. had a look in his eye. Said, "Mike.". >> Mhm. And then all of a sudden he just chomped. into something and just thought it. wasn't and then. almost dead. Yeah. That's scary, dude. Yeah. >> That peanut thing is very, very scary. I. don't know how that that that happens to. a human. Like, I don't know how that was. allowed. I guess shellfish, too, right? Don't that one kind of get you? >> Eggs. Some people are You got to feed to. them early. Eggs are in everything. Yeah. Give it to them right away. Or.

microdose yourself because you want to. be at the hoity-toity events and do. shrooms and. >> That's what you're doing, though. That's. what you're doing when you're a baby. You give them peanut butter, give them. stuff, you microdose them as a little. baby and see if they can handle it. >> But I remember people being very scared. to give peanut butter cuz oh what. if Yeah. We'll do it at a doc- the. doctor's office will do it a lot. When. they test them for all the allergies, they'll give them a little chunk of. peanut butter. >> They travel them. I love that Ohio's still doing it. >> Mhm. Always. You ever want to tell a. friend something nice that might change. your life for owning this thing. together? Thank you, guys. Team on me. Team on three. We'll see you tomorrow.

with a feel-good Friday. ONE, TWO, THREE, TEAM. GOODBYE. >> [clears throat].