PMS 2.0 1611 - Marcus Spears, Indiana WR Charlie Becker, Mike Greenberg, Darius Butler, & AJ Hawk

17:05Marcus Spears:They all work out here in Dallas. That's what a lot of people don't know. Big dog BT Turner trains these guys in Dallas. and the guy that Mo Wells that trains my daughter and my son, they all are in the same facility. So a lot of these D linemen, they spend a lot of time in Dallas. So for Vaughn, for Quinnen, obviously for Rashawn, they have everything in place here. I'm talking about trainers, nutritionists, everybody that works on their body. And two, like a different change of scenery for these guys. Vaughn is used to Dallas, but I think this is going to be a really good team this year, and I like how quiet it's been.

17:40Marcus Spears:And the George Pickens thing in our history of watching football with the Dallas Cowboys, it tends to get loud and it tends to carry the entire offseason if something like this is going on. George quietly said, look, I'm going to play under the franchise. Dallas said we're going to franchise tag and we're not going to extend. And from everything that I've been hearing, he's been balling out in camp. So he motivated because he knows payday is around the corner. But just a lot of business being handled and not a lot of drama.

18:08Pat McAfee:Yeah, I think that's a good read on what's happening down there from our perspective as well, because we got a chance to catch up with Shottie. And obviously, Shottie's been around football since he's like 10 years old. Like, actually, I think they have NFL Films has him as like a 10-year-old around the NFL. So he understands what it is. He understands what it isn't. And I think the George Pickens thing was about to cook on draft day. That was about to become a massive storyline. I think all of us on TV were like, okay, here we go. Number one wide receiver certified who has some, I don't want to say antics in the past, but like some drama in the past.

18:42Pat McAfee:I believe baggage would be something that would be considered. And it's the Dallas Cowboys. And we're in a time where everybody's getting paid the most amount of money in history. So this, and he has got Moologetta as his agent. So whenever you start piecing that all together, it's hard not to be like, well, this is going to be an absolute nuke down there. Instead, we get the messaging. I assume you guys did as well. Mullah Guetta's like, some guys just want to play on the franchise tag. He's one of those guys. He's completely cool with it. And now we're watching him mic'd up at training camp.

19:09Pat McAfee:The videos are like, he's completely happy. He's enjoying himself. He's balling. CD's doing the same. And the boys are running extra sprints because they wanted to do it, say, shoddy in front of the Rams. It's like, is this the Dallas Cowboys swag? It doesn't make much sense. It doesn't make much sense, D, but it is very different than what it has been. I know it's been quite a man. Obviously the players, but Christian Parker, man. I'm excited to see him get this opportunity, being the youngest DC ever. He's obviously coming over with the hype from Philly. He's been under great coaches the whole time, and then have these players.

19:40You know, coaches, I feel like they're only going to be as good as the players out there. You mentioned Rashawn Gary. I think that move kind of has slid under the radar. This was a top-flight guy coming into the league, and he's been productive since coming into the league. So I'm excited to see him out there, too.

19:53Pat McAfee:So did Jerry – Jerry just didn't love the way Michael was a Dallas Cowboy? Didn't like Michael. You think that's what we think now at this point?

20:00Marcus Spears:I think so, right? For sure. It was more than football. I mean, since you look at the football play, you don't trade a guy like that in his prime. But obviously it was some not getting along in the building or not thinking that he would be the future and the direction that the team wanted to go. And I got to give Jerry credit because I'm on Jerry's ass all the time about things that he do. But I definitely got to give him credit for the aftermath of trading Michael Parsons. He's turned this into a really good pickup, a really a lot of things he's done. And this and this front office has done to look, you don't replace Micah because we know him as an individual.

20:38Marcus Spears:But by committee, when you look at this group and some of the benefit that you were able to have by getting rid of what trading away, Micah, it's turned into pretty good. Now, they got to go ball like we don't tear their ass up if they don't if they don't hoop this season. But based on paper and what they've done, you can see this team kind of maturing. Like, look at the names, right? We're talking about a lot of mature football players, dudes that have played a lot of really good football, mixed in with some young guys. You look at PJ, obviously, you know, we don't – how his injuries and stuff going.

21:13Marcus Spears:D-winners. I can't wait to see Damarion Overshawn this year coming off injury. If you hear the camp reports about him, it could be serious top five linebacker situation with him. And how he's come back from that. What's everybody saying?

21:29Pat McAfee:Everybody's saying, yeah, but that's always Dallas Cowboys. Everybody's top five at every position every single year. It does feel different this year, let alone the Caleb Downs stuff. Caleb's like a 10-year vet, allegedly, as soon as he got to the campus at Alabama, let alone transfer into a Matt Patricia defense at Ohio State and having the success that he had. They've been saying gold jacket guy since he's like 16 years old. No doubt. Now he's on the Dallas Cowboys in the most mature defense that they've had.

21:52Marcus Spears:Well, our guy Saban said he was the smartest player he's ever coached. Yeah. You know, I played for Saban. So I'm a little bit soft about that because I was a super smart player. But, nah, man, you've heard that about Caleb for a long time. Pat, let me ask Darius a question because it's one concern I have. Okay. Cornerbacks. What do we got? I mean, that's the big question. That's the big question.

22:19Pat McAfee:Oh, you guys are going to get bombed on down there? Who helps? That is the question. But Christian Parker, I would assume he's going to kind of bring in that quarters type of situation. Vic Fangio defense, you're going to keep the shell back there. And then Fangio always had some dogs up front. You've seen they put the money up front, getting after the quarterback, making them uncomfortable. And then you have an offense. So you were a part of this with the Colts, with Peyton. You get that offense, you get up a couple scores, and then you're letting them pin their ears back. They don't have the personnel to have the corners, in my opinion, just be out on the island, lock guys up.

22:52I think Caleb Downs, too, he's going to help a lot, not only in that pass defense, the run defense as well, being able to be that tweener. So I'm excited. Now, we are doing the shit. The Dallas Cowboys shit every year. You know, hey, look at this, look at that. It does feel different.

23:08Marcus Spears:Hey, let me put Pat up there because there you're right. But I got to let everybody know, this is not me every offseason.

23:18Pat McAfee:See, so you're saying that you kind of get lumped in with everybody else that does it because you're spuddy.

23:25Marcus Spears:I get grilled more here in Dallas for being quote-unquote negative about shit that I don't like that's going on. I'm telling you, this offseason, now look, the reality is this don't equate to wins or anything. But what it does is it feels like it put the focus all on football this offseason and getting ready to play a season where you think you got a chance to win. They got the talent, though. The talent is there. Now they got to go put it together.

23:51Pat McAfee:Did Jerry get to that honey hole he was trying to get to? What was that, three miles underground? That's right. There's$3 trillion right underneath our boots right here. I just need to get to it. You think I can give a damn about the Cowboys defense right now? I'm trying to get a rig three miles into earth. there's a honey he said that that is a direct quote from jerry jones last year as the team was going through whatever it was going through after he traded away micah before the season and his entire quote about the trades a couple of them there uh about micah was uh they got what they got uh they got micah we got what we got and we tied okay and then he said uh he said i'd rather uh you know one player's good one player's good four players better and he did the guy got the

24:34Marcus Spears:guy got like maybe that maybe that's why it's been quiet pat he's been trying to he's trying to hit that honey hole.

24:39Pat McAfee:I'm telling you, I think he is. I mean, I almost try to figure it out, and I got zero experience. There's how much money? Three miles? I could get a shovel, right?

24:47Marcus Spears:I'm talking about come out the ground, but I'm in Texas. Y 'all know, I see that liquid go everywhere you go. They got a pump going.

24:54Pat McAfee:So what do we do? We just take a shovel? Like, how do we get involved?

24:58Marcus Spears:Pat, how you get involved is you send me one of them damn backpacks you give all your guys, and I'm going to go find us a hit. And then we'll get it popping. Deal. Y 'all just look at the mailbox. They call it mailbox money downhill.

25:13Pat McAfee:Yeah, believe me. I know. I was down there in Texas Tech. I didn't want to pivot to college just yet because obviously you're going to have to speak for an entire institution here in a second. But when we went down to Texas Tech and I was just kind of looking around at everything and I just see these things just, you know, out in the skyline.

25:30Marcus Spears:And I'm like, so that's where everybody's living.

25:32Pat McAfee:They're like, yeah, this is actual God. God blessed us right underneath your feet here.

25:36Marcus Spears:Right underneath you.

25:38Pat McAfee:God actually blessed this land for us to be able to have one of the best rosters in all college football.

25:44Marcus Spears:I'm talking about an oil roster. Yeah. That's what you call Texas Tech. That's a liquid gold roster.

25:51Pat McAfee:Yeah, and they're still maybe moving somebody in right now. Now, they're not doing –

25:53Marcus Spears:Didn't y 'all just have a kid, one of the top linemen, commit to Tech?

25:58Pat McAfee:Austin Otala. Yeah, 6 '8", 270. Yeah, and he puts people through the ground, too. Cody Campbell, who is one of the double-eagle partners down there at Texas Tech that is obviously a massive part of the NIL, he was an offensive lineman in the NFL. So, like, you look at their trenches. Like what David Bailey's doing right now at the Jets, he's investing heavily in trenches. Like, that is where he thinks, like, we win game because that is who he is. Turns out that's probably the right move.

26:26Marcus Spears:Probably the most important part of it. Pat, what you got on your wrist, man?

26:30Pat McAfee:Which one? This one?

26:31Marcus Spears:No, the left one. Show me the watch. Okay. Give a damn about that bracelet.

26:35Pat McAfee:Okay, I believe... It's my daughter. My daughter made this.

26:39Marcus Spears:Oh, I care about the bracelet. Yeah, okay. I never know. I never know. You might have dropped a bag on that bracelet. No, no, no, no, no. My daughter made this.

26:49Pat McAfee:It's sentimental.

26:50Marcus Spears:I love the bracelet now. Thank you. Way to make me feel like shit in the middle of asking you about the wife.

26:55Pat McAfee:My daughter is old enough to know that old Uncle Swagoo is an asshole. I will run this back and she will know that I'm joking

27:04Marcus Spears:It'll change when she meet me

27:06Pat McAfee:Yeah, I agree quickly and she is fun, man. It's so much fun How old is she now? Three in like three months or so You're in the middle of it

27:17Marcus Spears:Yeah, it's starting to roll now

27:19Pat McAfee:A lot of guilt though. She's learning guilt so this season is going to be much tougher but she's able to travel now with me We're fully pooping and peeing in toilets okay yeah yeah yeah we're fully human at this point a lot of don't let us sit on them nast

27:33Marcus Spears:ad stadium toilets no no we got bring some yeah you and wifey bring some cover guards for that man that's what my see hey speaking of how you brought me into the show my what my kids asses have never touched public toilets it's just just one of the things how about that good for you did

27:51Pat McAfee:it you did it you made it you made it i mean that is a huge deal all right let's get let's talk about lsu right now okay let's talk about lsu right now let's do it where do you stand last night 16-0 vote 16 of the members of the sec voted and all 16 of them said yep we're cool with uh rules being instated where you can't be a professional football player and then come back and play in college. That would mean LSU voted yes for this, which is a very fascinating little wrinkle in this all because obviously LSU and Baton Rouge is the epicenter of this entire conversation. I have said, and I think it should be said, that if LSU is the only team that signs anybody like this, obviously it's going to be a lot.

28:35Pat McAfee:But if there's a plethora of teams or a handful of teams that are doing this, I'll be intrigued to see how the convo goes. Now you, as a representative of LSU, and obviously you understand that you are in the middle of this uh entire story with lane where do you stand and what are your thoughts on it well i don't i don't

28:52Marcus Spears:like dudes going pro and then deciding to come back i don't like that and it's a little bit personal for me and then too like i get the five for five and people want to use that rule but when most of these guys went into college it wasn't five for five the rules should apply to the new people that's coming to college they they are under that that's the way it goes shitty shit It has evolved since you and I and everybody in the studio in the Thunderdome has left college. Things have changed that would have been better for us, but we weren't able to take advantage of them because that wasn't the time we were in school.

29:25Marcus Spears:So I got that part out. Pat, you know with my kids, bro, I've been around high school sports, grassroots sports for all their life. And you see the impact it has on developmental high school players. Like guys, when we were coming in the school where a coach would say, yeah, he's going to be a red shirt, but we're going to give him a scholarship and he'll turn into a player that we want to play. Now, I know money has become a part of college and everybody want guys to star right away. They want a production right away because the NIL and I get that. But a large part of this high school segment has been affected by this.

30:08Marcus Spears:these age gaps and coaches saying like bro i've had basketball coaches during my son recruiting be like look we only taking one or two freshmen because everybody else coming out of the portal and that's what we're waiting on we're waiting on the portal and to their defense if you got a guy that has averaged 17 and 8 last year in college basketball you're gonna take that over a project coming out of high school the problem is a lot of people like us who who's in television you guys do a hell of a job bringing these guys on that are getting recruited and signing. But ultimately, people don't understand the impact that this is having on high school athletes, bro.

30:48Marcus Spears:Like, it's almost to a point. And my son, look, my son, number one player in the country when he was in high school. My daughter, number one volleyball player, right? So it was a different path for them. But every kid not like that. Like, you got guys in high school basketball now that, regardless of how you feel about that are ranked 30 and below where college coaches are like, well, we're going to wait to see if we're going to offer you a scholarship. Bro, if you was ranked top 30 in high school basketball last, like 10 years ago, North Carolina knocking at your door. And Duke knocking at your door.

31:23Marcus Spears:Now they knock at the top five players door and they hope they get one or two of them. And then they move on like Texas this year with my son, that team is comprised of some transfers a lot of juniors a lot of sophomores i think my son is one of three freshmen on the team this year so again like bro it's it's an impact that's being had and then too like once you declare for the pros i've never had a problem with that rule once you declare to go be a pro you're done with college that's how i feel about it so thank you

31:55Pat McAfee:for the transparency and also coming from the perspective in which you're coming from because your kids obviously number one number one but a lot of their friends and teammates obviously going through a lot of these problems and from my perspective this started happening with punters

32:07Marcus Spears:with aussies like aussie guys coming from yeah so they they would come over as like 23 year olds

32:13Pat McAfee:24 year olds they wouldn't have started their university in australia because they were professional aussie rules football players and they've been punting their entire life so it's like would you rather have a 17 year old american kid that is punted i don't know four or five maybe months, six months, or would you rather have a 24-year-old professional guy coming in with a family to be here? It's like, you're picking that guy every single time. I'm picking that guy every single time. And the Aussies are awesome. I think the Aussies are incredible. Everyone that I've met, I've absolutely loved.

32:42Pat McAfee:But you saw, I thought about a younger version of me, like when I was 17 coming out, would I have been able to compete with a 24-year-old? No shot. Yeah, exactly. And now it's basketball, it started creeping in, right? The G League guys started coming in. And then once this transfer portal became like a free agency every single offseason, you can see, to your point, why the rosters at the top are like, we're spending money on improving guys. We don't have time to waste. But there's going to become schools that are just like freshmen, and then they're going to be the transfer. There's going to be two different – there's going to be a divider of how you make teams.

33:15Marcus Spears:Because I think UNC – And Pat, think about this. Think about this, Pat. Everybody there in the Thunderdome right now. Bro, do you know what kind of man I was at 23 as opposed to 17 when it came to ability, physical strength? Like, bro, when we made the jump to college and we played against seniors that were 20 and 21 years old, them son of a bitch just felt like machines. They felt like Dwayne Pierce, an offensive lineman at LSU, destroyed me every day. but it was because I was 17 and he was only 20. So imagine, bro, at 23, I was four years, three years in the NFL. Yeah, yeah. I had a friend in college.

34:01Marcus Spears:I had a friend in college. For football in particular, like I'm not as staunch on it in basketball because once you reach a level in basketball, you're playing against older people forever, right? Like that's how you actually cut your steak. And that game just goes like that. But the physical difference between a 23 and a 17 or even an 18-year-old, bro, that is night and day.

34:28Pat McAfee:They show the pictures of freshmen showed up on campuses. For instance, that Austin Atala kid we had just come in to Texas Tech, he's 6 '8", 270. In three years, he will be 6 '8", 340. That guy will be 6 '8", 340, 335 pounds, probably running a 4 '8", 4 '9", too, somehow at that size. So, yeah, you're right. You're 100 % right.

34:52Marcus Spears:Imagine you going when I got drafted to Dallas, right? Imagine me showing up at Sonoma Valley State, and I'm a freshman walking into not a big Division I college, not anything, but Larry Allen is there, and he's 23.

35:14Pat McAfee:it's gonna be a tough day come on man it's gonna be tough come on man hey that's lsu hey that's not just okay i shouldn't say that's everybody yeah i think there's a lot of people that are exploring the rule to see what happened but it feels like the conference commissioners are at a point where they're going to be able to regulate college sports a little bit yeah feels like yes feels like we're getting to the point where maybe the conference commissioners are saying we're going to regulate this shit if the ncaa can and uh well at some point they had to

35:40Marcus Spears:bro because if you ain't know everything to go to the senate floor or legislate bro that take years like you'll never you you won't have order but pat i i do say this like and i don't want us to forget this when we having these conversations about college and the state of it right now because when the game started you said it earlier bro we locked in like we all locked in dude this is this is nothing but the answer from a ncaa committee that didn't evolve they never they thought that old archaic system that they had where you just come you get your scholarship you play and you go to the pros or you play and we we present to you that you you got a degree and we pay for your scholarship they thought that shit was gonna go forever and then what happened was information started to go everywhere as far as how much money the tournaments were making how much money teams make per game you see coaches and all of that though i went to war about this when i was at sec network like coach saban is that's your dog now but that's that's my guy man and i got i got so mad at him and kirby smart because there was a rule in college prior to where coaches could determine where guys could transfer.

37:00Marcus Spears:Like, they'll put a list of schools together that you couldn't go to if you wanted to transfer. And I was like, that's crazy. But under the NCAA rules, you could do that. Right? Now, again, do we need structure, all of that? We hear these damn conversations every day, bro. But if these, like Greg Sankey, the commissioner of the SEC, If they don't step in and just say, look, we're going to abide by these laws with our league, it's going to get more chaotic. But this is all an answer to what the NCAA was. Y 'all were college athletes, bro. Y 'all know how restrictive that shit was. I remember Todd Gurley signing autographs for like three grand while he was at Georgia.

37:45Marcus Spears:Todd Gurley probably was going to win the Heisman that year the way he was playing. This was when I was at SEC Network. He came back after a two-game suspension, I believe, or something like that, and tore his ACL. Now, I don't know if he would have tore it, if he would have been playing those previous two weeks or the one week, but I just remember that vaguely, and I remember all of that tizzy being over$3 ,000 for signing some autograph.

38:10Pat McAfee:Yeah, one ticket into a suite that's watching him play. Now, to your point, legit, to your point about it all, the NCAA did fight it every step of the way. there was like an injunction in california about nil and they're like nope we're not doing this we're fighting we're fighting we're fighting we're fighting we're fighting and i think what you're saying is if they would have maybe tried to lean in a little bit try to figure out how to do this maybe we're at a stage of uh hey this is reality this is going to happen do you want to be a part of it or do you want to get left behind feels like the ncaa because of the lawsuits getting left behind but the conference commissioners now showcasing that maybe they can take care of Hopefully.

38:47Pat McAfee:All right, Swagoo. Thank you, man.

38:50Marcus Spears:My brother. Who's winning the Super Bowl? Hey, man. I'm going to pull up to Indy. Are we in Indy for Monday night this year? Come on. Not a chance. Yeah, right. The Colts play here. I'm a season ticket. Can they flex it? You need to stop. You need to stop. I mean, we were talking about it. Who play there? Who play in Indy, y 'all? Yeah, okay. Every team wins but them.

39:08Pat McAfee:No. We were the best team in ball. We're the best team. I would like to let you know, Swagoo.

39:13Marcus Spears:I am a.

39:16Pat McAfee:season ticket holder, okay, for the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Pat, I see you there. I see you there. We ain't never getting a Monday night football game there. One o 'clock. We were at one o 'clock. We made a jersey, an alternate uniform called Indiana Knights, okay, because she grew up tall and she grew up right with them Indiana boys on them Indiana Knights. We didn't have a single night game on the schedule. We wore it at one o 'clock in the afternoon. Indiana Knights jersey was worn at one o 'clock in the afternoon because we didn't have a night game. That's what your network says about the Indianapolis Colts, Swagoo.

39:50Pat McAfee:You. You got a Sunday Night Football against the Chiefs. Great. They got a ball. They got a ball. Week two. We will ball. We got a Chiefs number. It's going to be a fun trip, though, down the road. We appreciate the hell out of you, man. We're big fans. Cheers, dude.

40:01Marcus Spears:All right. All right, fellas. Y 'all take care of, man.

40:04Pat McAfee:That's Marcus Spear. Yeah, Swagoo. Okay, ladies and gentlemen, joining us now is a man who's doing something incredible this season. He's a national champion. He came really into the spotlight in the Big Ten Championship game when he was just catching bombs on absolutely everybody. This year, he'll be raising money to help and hopefully cure ALS alongside the Huddles for Hope. Last year, it was Fernando Mendoza who did this with restaurant Buffalo Louie's down there in Bloomington. He'll be doing it this year with something, I think, a little bit added on top. Ladies and gentlemen, a national champion, an absolute stud, a man who...

40:41Pat McAfee:there's a lot of DB saying, I know what he looks like. That is not how he plays, though. Ladies and gentlemen, Charlie Becker. Hey, Chuck! How you doing, dude? How's it going, boys? Thank you for having me. Hey, thank you for joining us, and thank you for signing up to do something good alongside your football season. We learned the story of your aunt and your personal kind of experience with the Lou Gehrig's disease ALS and why you're kind of driven to do this. Can you tell us a little bit more about your Huddle for Hope kind of initiative and what the plan is for this season? Yes, sir. So my family has always been super close.

41:20And five years ago, we learned that my aunt was diagnosed with ALS. And, you know, as a close family, that affected all of us. And, you know, I was in a spot where I couldn't really help. And I really wanted to because there's not a cure. and now being at Indiana, I was put in a position where I could maybe help the financial burdens because it costs a lot of money and I just want to do as much as I can for my aunt and everybody who's affected by this terrible disease. So we started Huddle for Hope to try and ease the burden.

41:55Pat McAfee:Well, I love that you're doing it. We're thankful that you're doing it. Obviously, we saw Chris Johnson just a few months back and we're reminded of how terrible this disease is and how little we know you know uh because i think chris johnson's wife said in the interview with strahan that it was uh sporadic like they thought maybe football was a reason but actually it was called a sporadic case which is like 90 of the cases and anytime something's being called sporadic it means they don't have a clue on why or how it happened and obviously it's so so devastating so quickly so i appreciate you continuing to spread the word now i've heard potentially uh we're we're you maybe taking some NIL money and giving back as well.

42:36Pat McAfee:Is that accurate? Is that a little birdie telling me that you're going to maybe take some money that you have earned, by the way, we just talked about it all, and maybe help with the initiative as well? Yes, sir. I've been extremely blessed and we kind of said that for every touchdown that I get this year, I'm going to be putting $1 ,000 towards the foundation. I love that. I'm going to match. We will match. We will match it for every time. Hell yeah. Let's go. I like that you're doing that. Thank you so much. Thank you. I like that you're doing that, you know, because obviously collegiate athletes getting paid is a huge topic of discussion right now across all college sports.

43:11Pat McAfee:I don't know how much you guys get to pay attention to, but it's very loud right now. And the fact that you're taking some of that, giving back, also wanting to shine a light on something that we all will hopefully kind of buy in with. I love what you're doing. Okay. We will match. We'll also call. I mean, like the ALS challenge, we should also call for Mark Cuban. We'd like you to match. We'd like Joe Buck. Joe Buck. I think Coach should match. Yeah, we'd like Mendoza. Fernando got that first overall pick money. We'd like him to match. And Alberto. No. Mad Max. No, Mad Max Mendoza, though. He's getting some podcasting money.

43:46Pat McAfee:What we're saying is we would like anybody to join alongside of us. That's huge of you. How old are you? How old are you? I just turned 21. Dude, I love that you're doing this. Happy birthday. Happy birthday. We know your generation doesn't drink. They're saying that everything is done in the alcohol department with your generation. So we would tell you to be safe, obviously, now that you're of age. And in Bloomington, we know have to be of age to have a good time down there. The rules are very, very strict. Can you tell me a little bit about life now as a national champion football player at IU versus maybe whenever the dreams were still there last year or the year before?

44:24Yes, sir. To be honest, last year is last year. and we just got wrapped up with fall camp. So starting this week, we're going to be focusing on North Texas and the season that we have coming up.

44:37Pat McAfee:Yes. Who told you that? Who did? Is that? Did Sig say? Who said it? Was it Keg? Was it Sig? Who said, hey, let's remember now, okay? Last season, 16-0, never going to happen again. Okay, listen, that team's gone forever. That championship, last year's team. We're 0-0, bottom and mountain. Everybody's got to climb to the top. One day at a time, one play, six seconds, at a time each play has a life of its own. Is that what you're hearing every day right now? Has that been the messaging from Coach Sig to you guys? I mean, we got back, and I think a week after the national championship, Sig had a team meeting with a new team, and he's like, guys, last year's last year.

45:13We're not focusing on that. It's time to go. It's time to play some ball. And, you know, we all bought in, and I think we're really excited.

45:21Pat McAfee:Tell me a little bit about Hoover. Tell me a little bit about how the ball is coming out for you, because obviously we have your stat across the bottom there. Yeah, 20 yards per reception. Okay, and they were all over. They were in the Big Ten Champions. Rose Bowl was national. I mean, you're talking about the biggest moments. Charlie Becker was getting big chunks in the biggest games. Can you tell me a little bit about the ball coming out of Hoover's hands versus maybe Fernando's? Yeah, Josh was an amazing addition for us. I'm really happy that we got him. And he, you know, as soon as our national championship was done, he was texting me, asking me, hey, you want to go throw on Saturday mornings and Sunday mornings?

45:56and just get this ball rolling and start this connection, which is a testament to how much of a hard worker Josh is. And whenever I'm in the facility, Josh is here. He's watching film. Him and our other quarterback, Grant Wilson, they're watching film 24-7. And they're great people, even better football players, and I'm super pumped to see what they can do.

46:19Pat McAfee:Love that. Can't wait to watch you guys try to run it back. Tone has a question for you. Yeah, on that, Sig recently said that last year when you guys walked off this scrimmage field in 2025 that the passing offense was not great, and then you guys went on to win the national championship and Mendoza won the Heisman. You said this year it feels like you guys are in a lot better spot. How does that feel with you and Nick Marsh and Hoover? How's it different this year, and how are you feeling about it? I feel great. I'm super excited. We had a lot of good additions, like you said, Nick Marsh, Josh Hoover, Turbo Richardson, our running back.

46:52We retained a lot of our O-linemen. I was saying earlier, just, you know, we got dogs all over the field. From the starts from the O-line, they did a fantastic job of retaining. I think, you know, we only lost Pat Coogan last year. He's on the Titans now. And so we got studs on the O-line. And look at our backfield. We got Turbo, Lee, and Kobe, just some absolute dogs. And then, you know, receiving room, we added Nick. We added Shaz. We got a lot of young guys. Davion Chandler, LeBron Bond Jackson Wasp, those guys are going to ball out They had a great fall camp And I'm looking forward to seeing what they can do And Josh, he's really taking control Of the offense He's brought us all together, rallies the boys And I'm so pumped

47:37Pat McAfee:Okay, so what are the boys doing Whenever we rally? We hang out We play some Maybe we have a biz that needs to be sunk Maybe we play video games, we watch film We tell stories. We play chess. What are we doing? Because you guys are so – I'm 39. How old are you? 40. Yeah, we're old, dude. So what are you guys doing as a team, especially when new pieces coming in and having to build camaraderie as quick as possible? Yeah, I mean, outside of football, we just got done with fall camp, so we're at the facility all month, 24-7. And so ping pong is a huge thing for us. Like, we have tournaments. We have a WWE belt that's got ping pong balls on it.

48:18You know, we got the championship of the ping pong table and we got cornhole going. So, you know, whenever we get some free time where everything here is about competition and everybody's just trying to beat everybody and get that belt.

48:30Pat McAfee:How are you at ping pong? I'm nasty. You're the guy. You got the title. I think Grant Wilson has the title right now. He's pretty good. But, you know, I'm up there. I'm getting there. How about cornhole? Oh, I'm from Nashville, man. That's all we do in Nashville. Yeah, okay, I bet, yeah. I play a couple people for Tennessee. We smoke you, bro. Absolutely, yeah. No chance. Absolutely great. You throw in pancake or you go end over end? Pancake. Yeah, okay. We airmail plus slide? Oh, you slide. By defense, you set up, you got a strategy or are you just out there trying to get as many points as possible?

49:08As many points as possible.

49:10Pat McAfee:Yeah, yeah, you're done. You're too young. We'd walk in there. Give away your game. Yeah, you young kids got no idea. You got no idea. So I wasn't introduced to Cornhole until I got out here to the Colts, and I think it was when Chuck came over from Baltimore. They brought it in to our locker room. And obviously, kicker, punter, I got a lot of meetings, you know, but I got to be in that building. So, man, I became a pro Cornhole player for like three years. I love that. My roommate's a punter too, so he's done all those meetings there. Yeah, he's. Yeah. Yeah, but you got to be able to. You hit two shanks, though.

49:43Pat McAfee:People really stopped caring about how good you are at Cornhole. I learned, you know, That is something we got to do. Okay, let's talk about you. This year is going to be different than last year. We saw you rise to prominence towards the end of the season, obviously in the biggest moments. A little bit different this year heading in, it seems. Go ahead, D-Bud. Absolutely. As a former DB, Charlie, not sneaking up on anybody this year. We know you're the deep ball threat. But what specific, I guess, improvements did you look to make in your game this offseason heading into this next season? Yes, sir.

50:10I'm really looking to just expand my route tree. and people, like you say, just know the deep ball threat. But I'm really looking forward to being able to show all the other route trees that I can do and being able to get some yak.

50:25Pat McAfee:All right, well, let's see how it goes for the Indiana Hoosiers as we don't even think about winning the national championship last year. Don't even remember it. Don't even think about, wow, what a time out there in a Rose Bowl. Just absolutely pummeling Alabama. Was he the only underclassman there at the ESPYs sitting in front of us? Was he the only one that could have remembered? Yeah, I don't know. Is there any other underclassman there with you? I was not at the ESPYs. Oh, you were? I thought you were. No, it was all the older guys. He's a booze-up-breed. Yeah, Tom's pretty drunk. Sorry about that.

50:58Pat McAfee:See, once again, he's not worried about defending a national championship. He's out there sinking base whenever he's not even at Knicks or whatever the hell it is. That was Mad Max Mendoza. Oh, yeah, you're right. That was Mad Max. Similar. That was Mad Max. He's a boy. He's a boy. But we went to Florida for a little break that we had and got to spend time with the Mendozas. And Max, he's a boy. Yes, he started. Trying to steal our beers. Yeah, he was trying to steal our beers. Steal a lot of things. Got on the show, stole a microphone, stole the show. That's what Mad Max Mendoza does. When are you getting the title back for – when do we play?

51:30Pat McAfee:We play every day. That's like a constantly evolving thing. Do you put that over the shoulder? Do you wear it around the waist? How does Coach Cignetti feel about the title at the ping pong table? I don't think he knows about the title but every day it's a tournament whoever's on top gets the belt Okay, let's say game day comes down there you know, a couple games there's two games I think that we're potentially on to get to Bloomington and have a home game potentially that Ohio State game I assume we're probably going to beat Donner who knows what other games Listen, you've got to take care of North Texas Charlie Don't even look at the rest of their schedule Don't even look at it Yeah, but on that note, there's a couple opportunities to probably get down to Bloomington and celebrate the hell out of football in life.

52:13Pat McAfee:You guys play on Fridays as well? What are the rules? We're throwing ball or do we hit out of hand like we're amateurs? Well, you know, Pat, in season, we try to stay away from ping pong, but anytime you want the smoke, man, you let me know. What are the rules on serves? I need to know what the rule is on serves. Are you hitting it out of your hand like a child or are you playing actual table tennis? Come on, toss it up. All right. Okay, listen, I didn't know you. You new school dudes. I don't know how it is. All right, good luck this year, man. You're the best. Thank you guys so much for having me on.

52:45Pat McAfee:Thank you for donating, dude. That's cool. That's really cool to do. And we're excited to join you alongside Mark Cuban, Joe Bach, and everybody else. Oh, Barbara. Schwarbo. Yeah, Fernando Schwarbo. It'll be awesome. We appreciate the hell out of you, man. Ladies and gentlemen, Charlie Becker. Yeah, Chuck. From Indiana, let's go to West Virginia. press conference we have a fullback named caden cowboy luke and he said his job is to uh knock people on our ass that's it yeah i'm thinking west virginia's back how about that and they're not in the fcs d but i can already tell that that was your next question are they playing tomorrow night no they are not playing tomorrow night thank you for not mentioning that i wouldn't disrespect west virginia like that we had our battles back in the big east days and i and look rich rock was on that sideline so i have no doubt that he can build a monster but um you know it's It's a different ecosystem.

53:36Pat McAfee:Yeah, I think college football is a little different, but don't worry about that. West Virginia's in the game. Hard edge. Trust the climb. Yep. No, hard edge. No, trust the climb. That's actually coaching – North Texas. North Texas. Indiana week one. And they just named IU's former quarterback. One of their former quarterbacks their starter. Yeah, a lot of storylines. No, Taven Jackson. He was there when Curtis Rourke was – Center grab legend. He's from Southside Indianapolis. No, that's Rourke. Yeah, yeah, I did. That's Curtis Rourke. So anytime I hear that, I got to say Kid Canada. He started this as Kid Canada's little brother, actually.

54:08Pat McAfee:Remember, Curtis Moore's older brother was Kid Canada. So this is Kid, Kid Canada. Also in football, Lolo Wayne. Lolo Wayne. He's a kicker. I'll tell you that. I saw him make a 35-yarder. And I forget the other distance, but I love the fact that Wheezy F-Baby's boy is kicking field goals. And I appreciate the – okay, so he's a soccer player. I think he has a sweet tat on his left leg as well where he looks cool. I saw him catching some punt snaps on the sideline. I don't know if he was just helping out his snapper. He's actually doing that. Stepping out there kicking, obviously, something sweet for the brand.

54:42Pat McAfee:And I can't wait to hear Wheezy make 35 to 60 metaphors about kicking field goals in his next one, which we are all grateful for. Football, we've got to remember, whatever we get onto the field is the best sport of all time. All this stuff that's been happening around it is about to go to sleep, hopefully. Now, I was firmly in the camp that the NFL guys who didn't make teams, who are utilizing their fifth year of eligibility, were going to be playing football this season. Now that the commissioners of these conferences are kind of coming out and kind of peacocking a little bit, and if we've talked about people that have power in college sports, the names always seemingly go right back to Petiti and Sankey.

55:22Pat McAfee:The Big Ten commissioner, Petiti, and the SEC commissioner, Greg Sankey. they were the last two to sign off on the protect college sports act now was that because they wanted to showcase to everybody like hey We'll let you know when this is good. Or were they actually worried about some of the things that were going to affect the two biggest conferences in all of college sports? Whatever the case, if they're going to start taking a little bit of ownership, it's kind of like states having power, conference having power. So maybe we don't have to worry about a national entity. If the conferences are able to come together, this might be a good showcase of that.

55:55Pat McAfee:And maybe this is what we need for the future. Yeah, kind of just take up all the problems that we have with the NCAA. They just kind of get rid of them. And then the NCAA can just do their March Madness thing because it feels like that's all they really have any power over or care about. And then the commissioners can just be those people. And then there isn't a need for one commissioner to unite them all. It's like, hey, just treat your leagues as your own. And guess what? If you are Petiti and Sankey, all the other commissioners, they're just going to say, yep, you're right. Let's do that in our league too.

56:24Like the ACC and Big 12 have already started to do it.

56:26Pat McAfee:And Bavacqua. Yeah, and Bavacqua. Because I feel like he – They really suspend a coach. That would be huge. And would the coach sue them? And how would that work? Would the judge then just put in a suspension of the suspension and then inevitably do kick the can down? Which might be worse if you were suspended for the start of the next season. Or the judge says, yeah, he's your coach. You can do whatever you want. And then what? Then there's inevitable court. Football starts. Yeah. Right. We will continue to talk about it all. On the other side of this break, be a friend. Tell a friend something nice.

56:59Pat McAfee:It might change your life. Take three.

57:05This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? That's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required, compatibility and availability varies 18+. Every game, every practice, every moment. We rely on energy more than we realize. From the courts and fields we play on, to the gear athletes use, to the technology and transportation that bring fans together, energy powers it all.

57:42And Energy Transfer helps safely deliver the energy that keeps it all moving. Oil and natural gas help make thousands of everyday products possible, supporting sports and the moments that connect us. So whether you're playing, watching, or cheering it on, it takes energy. Visit ItTakesEnergy.com to learn more.

58:04Pat McAfee:Football! He's the greatest. Seemed like we either had a false start or a delay of game by somebody. Nonetheless, we are pumped up that FCS football kicks off the college football season tomorrow night at 6 p.m. on ESPN+. Everybody from Youngstown State to North Dakota. Nine-year NFL vet Darius J. Butler obviously jacked up about the fighting. Waiting Sue out there at 8 o 'clock in the ESPN Plus. The Toxic Table's here at Boston Corner and at Ty Schmidt. One half of the hammer. Done. Cowboys AP Dunn is here. Look out for DK game day. That's right. Time or second. I like it. There's going to be special promos and offers.

58:43Pat McAfee:Yeah. Huge. If you're of age and agree to gamble responsibly, you should come join us on the best sports book on earth, DraftKings. Now, it's available in all 50 states, obviously, because you can trade. So if you're of age and willing to be responsible and not an asshole, two very different things. Yeah. Can't have you ruining it for all of us. Okay? Asshole. Responsible is, hey, let's make this a little bit more fire while we watch these games. FCS games, you're rolling the dice. You got to be super-duper responsible. We have no idea about any of these teams. Preseason football games, yeah, right.

59:20Pat McAfee:Super-duper responsible. With that being said, we've fared pretty well, actually, in this entire preseason. Will that lead to the best season yet? Feels like it. Joining us now is a man who's really throwing high heat. He's representing the entire state of Ohio and everything that happens within its borders. Doesn't matter if it's in a trailer park or in a stadium. Ladies and gentlemen, to get to the bottom of it, college football national champion, Super Bowl champion, Ryder Cup winner, ladies and gentlemen, A.J. Hawk. Yeah! Trailer, trailer, trailer. I do not speak for anybody that spent some time on the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania, you know, maybe possibly point into a mobile home park.

1:00:03That has nothing to do with me.

1:00:04Pat McAfee:Okay, well, I understand that you were trying to defer that even to Pennsylvania at one point yesterday. That was basically PA. We know that. Nope, nope. It is Ohio. No state is basically another state. That's why there's borders. True. Okay, that is why that kind of takes place. and Ohio is certainly its own country, which is a much deeper conversation, I guess. You know? How are we all supposed to agree when you've got, like, a country of Ohio that exists and then they're supposed to all have the same opinion as somebody who's from Florida? Florida, man? Louisiana? Down there, a Cajun down in the body.

1:00:39Pat McAfee:And along California, southern part of it and northern part of it, and then the inland part of it. I don't know how we're all supposed to... We're not. Okay. That's what makes it great. That's why sports are the best. Exactly. Speaking of sports. Yes. What's that? Thank you, Darius. United States of America. United. Yeah. That's right. We're not supposed to all think the same thing and have the same opinions, but we're supposed to be able to respectfully disagree. There you go. That's right. And move about our day. Mm-hmm. But every once in a while, you got to take a stand, don't you, right here.

1:01:09Pat McAfee:For instance, sounds like the commissioners included Mr. Petiti, who obviously represents the Big Ten. He's saying, hey, go ahead. do the little NFL thing. See what happens. You'll be gone. Okay, we'll suspend you. You obviously will lose paychecks. You'll lose opportunities. Your team, hopefully, will lose. You know, that is a hope that we are hoping that will happen as well. But you're going to have to say, then the SEC is coming out saying, okay, yeah, we'll do the same thing. We might be getting to a point, and he said United States of America. I believe the states were supposed to govern the states, and then we're all supposed to come together and do the entire thing.

1:01:43Pat McAfee:And obviously, since 1776, 250 years later, it's certainly gotten a bit convoluted on how it all goes. But it does feel like the commissioners in the conferences, you go back to the Big 12 with what happened with Soresby, feels like they're going to be the ones that are going to be able to keep us going forward, AJ, potentially. And I'm excited about that, genuinely, because I was very worried about how this could all potentially blow up very quickly. We got gambling. We got pros going back. We got this going back. It's like at some point, there's going to have to be a breaking point. But it's like the product on the field is so good.

1:02:14Pat McAfee:We need to keep it alive. Might be the commissioner's job, AJ. Yeah, I guess it could be. So what's going to happen in the next 10 days, 10 to 15 days? No, the 31st, something's coming down, right? There's some kind of ruling? Yeah, I think what's going to happen is the commissioners are going to tell. Seems like whoever voted for LSU said, we're not bad about it either. I mean, I don't know what to tell you. 16-0 vote is a pretty one-sided affair, and that would include LSU doing that. Now, are they doing what the NFL owners do? Which is, we're all voting for this, whether we like it or not. Good.

1:02:48Pat McAfee:Okay? Even if there's two people that are against it. I think Mark Davis is really the only person that's ever been able to break through and be a one-opposed vote against things. Normally, they try to show a united front. Now, it does feel like maybe this is when these conferences and commissioners are having these conversations and saying, hey, we need to be a united front here on everything if we want to kind of keep this going the way we're going. Maybe this will be the answer for the good of the sport. But what I do know, FCS games start tomorrow night. Youngstown State plays. North Dakota plays.

1:03:16Pat McAfee:Then we got this weekend, week zero. We're in Ireland. We're going to get a chance to see UNC play for the first time, you know, under this new era. And then we're off and running, AJ. It is a spectacular time to be a fan of sport and to be alive. Whenever you look at this slate this weekend, obviously getting eyes on USC will be sweet because for how many years do we think Lincoln Riley has over there if he's not successful? And is this year going to be his best year, favored by 30-plus? TCU favored by 7.5 over there in Ireland against Bill Belichick's boys. How does that team look this year?

1:03:47Pat McAfee:They had a recruiting class for the first time. Better. Remember last year they didn't have one? What are we hearing on them? For real, have we heard anything? Is it more positive than it has been? There's investigation. Definitely not positive. I mean, on the field. On the field. The product on the field. They named a starter. It would have to be better than what it was last year. Remember, Paul Feinbaum, I believe, said yesterday that he is inching closely to the worst college football coach of all time. Is what he said about Bill Belichick, especially if he's not able to. He said that yesterday.

1:04:15How could you even break that?

1:04:17Pat McAfee:He's just saying if you look at the chaos, the controversies, the record, you name it, the expectations, there's an argument for it. And I'm like, there is certainly an argument that could be made that this has been a massive failure. Now, has it been a massive failure because of the noise outside of the building? Yeah, I think the noise outside of the building was very, very loud. I think they were going to try to attack however they possibly could. They certainly have. And now there's been reasons, and they've been giving reasons, to potentially be attacked. But we talked to Marcus Spears last hour about how, when he was going through the recruiting process with high school kids, how the transfer portal has kind of taken away the high school kind of opportunity.

1:04:53Pat McAfee:They firmly believe in, like, recruiting. Let's get these seniors in here. Let's develop them. They want to turn it into, like, a full development option. And last year they didn't have a recruiting class. This year they have a recruiting class. And they also used the transfer portal a little bit. I'd assume they think they're in a much better spot now, but I guess we find out this weekend against TCU is always good at football. Yeah, I believe they have UNC this is. I believe they have 40 incoming freshmen and 30 transfers, so 70 new players this year. They do have some guys from last year who were good.

1:05:23Billy Edwards is a decent college quarterback. He was good at Maryland, not so good at Wisconsin. Injuries there. So we'll see. I mean, they bring in Bobby Petrino at OC, who scores everywhere and anywhere that he's ever been. TCU had some locker room issues, but they bring in Harvard quarterback Jaden Craig, so that'll be interesting there. We will find out a lot in that first game there in Ireland.

1:05:42Pat McAfee:Yeah, we certainly will. And Hawaii, hey, I hope they play really good this year. I'd like them to be able to host a game day. That'd be cool. Maybe a couple. They might. Maybe a couple. This year, they're going to be a good team. Yeah, maybe two or three of them late in the season, just back to back. They got Timmy Chang back leading that team. Do they really? Yeah. Hey, Coach. Yeah, head coach. What's that, Pac-12? They're in Pac-12? Mountain West is Pac-12, right? No, no, two separate. But. The Mountain West makes no sense. I mean, Pac-12, North Dakota State is in the Mountain West. I mean, it just makes no sense.

1:06:16Pat McAfee:No, college makes sense, dude. Yeah, yeah, sure. And I also, you know, you want Hawaii to get game day. Didn't you say Andrew Luck is legitimately thinking that Stanford might win the national championship this year? That was one of the most interesting national championships. He believes it. Not national championship this year, but that was one of the most interesting interactions I had in Canton that entire time. You know, literally the entire weekend. Come out of the bathroom. He's going in the bathroom. First time I've seen him. There are a lot of people everywhere, you know, and not like doing this entire thing.

1:06:47Pat McAfee:Andrew, it's so good to see you, man. We got to get you out of there. We got to get you to a place, you know, because I think you're probably really good at what you're doing right now. Your dad obviously has managed teams your entire life. You've kind of seen it. You're super smart. You obviously know the ins and outs. You're passionate about it. I think he wanted to be a high school football coach at one point. It's like, we got to get you a place that can win. He goes, we can win. Like straight face. I'm like, yeah. And he was like, no. Like he was offended by what you were saying. Yeah, yeah.

1:07:13Pat McAfee:Like he was. Yeah, he was very serious. And I'm like, okay. He goes, we just got a guy. We just got somebody from somebody. We're finding our people again. I'm like, hell yeah. Okay. I'm pulling for you. So I'm picking Stanford to win every game until they lose. Okay. And I'm also believing in the four-year plan at Stanford. Okay, I think Andrew Luck's committed, and I think they have a chance. This year, though, I don't know if game day's heading up there. I hope we get an opportunity to. Would be nice to kind of walk those lands, really tall trees. Beautiful campus. Really big brains up there.

1:07:43Pat McAfee:But it feels like we all kind of know what's going to happen. He made me a believer. Me too. He gave me the same prize. Year one? Oh, no, not you. Were you ready before? They don't have any money. They don't have any money to give. That's the question. Well, they give the money to football. some of these super smart institutions have money but it's like convincing these uh finance people that hey you get zero ROI other than maybe a good parking spot and your football team's good I think it's tough sell for some of these people now there's other schools where they get these finance people and they're like hey yeah uh entrance back here you give us 10 million bucks we'll get a couple of this big clap uh what else your team will be good you'll be able to brag Deal.

1:08:26Pat McAfee:Here's$30 million, actually. You wanted$10 million. Here's actually$30 million. Some of these places, I think it's tough to maybe get their money people to fully buy in on. So this person can transfer at the end of the year, and I still have to pay them, and they're not even going to be on the team, and this doesn't guarantee a win. And do I have any say anything? Or is there any? No, nothing. I don't have a percentage of the team. Nothing. Not nothing at all. Parking spot. Really, really, really good parking spot. Might be tough to get sand for people to do it. But one school did it that made me believe.

1:08:55Pat McAfee:Northwestern. I don't think any of us would have expected Northwestern to be invested in a football team. They got a brand new stadium. Remember, they got Kelly wearing a little hard hat and a vest out there. They got everything coming together. One of the most prominent alumni of Northwestern, a man who has been on your television for 30 years. Now, we were not asked to send a video congratulating him on his show. Shout out to everybody over there. But we are very grateful because he was first person to put me on ESPN on a regular basis, has always been incredibly kind to us, and is a man that we've watched, I'm 39, since I'm literally nine years old, doing sports the right way.

1:09:32Pat McAfee:Ladies and gentlemen, a member of every single Hall of Fame that he could potentially be eligible for already, Mike Greenberg. Yay, Greenberg! How are you, man? Thank you very much. Hi, guys. It's good to see you. Yeah, we weren't asked to make a video. We were not happy about not being asked about making a video. every other employee of ESPN basically or anybody that has ever been around you was asked to make a video we're watching these videos unfold and we go how the fuck's that guy get an opportunity to say we don't even get an opportunity so we just want to let you know we are very grateful for you we understand the importance of you in our story as a whole and also sports as a whole so thank you for your service to sports brother legitimately we're very very grateful for you man well you have more than exceeded my expectation I was hosting what was at that moment a somewhat floundering new morning talk show, and I needed something that might give it a jump start.

1:10:27And I saw you speak at the NFL draft in Nashville, and I said, there's something there. And that was where I got the idea to try it, the idea that you would then parlay that into not that long thereafter becoming literally the biggest star I've ever seen in sports media. I don't know that I foresaw that, but I will gladly take all the credit for it. And whoever it is, I will get to the bottom of whoever it is that put together those videos today and did not ask you guys to be a part of it because that's a disgrace.

1:10:56Pat McAfee:What's his name? Pete? Is that his name? I think we know. No, it's not Pete. Pete's on vacation. Pete Phamble? No, it might have been Hembo. It might have been Hembo. It might have been Hembo. It wouldn't be Hembo. I don't think so. Hembo is too busy right now. They're working out the potential completion percentage of all of the quarterbacks in the National Football League for the upcoming season. That takes him a little time. I do love the homework assignments that seemingly happened for Hembo. And then the next day, we get to reap the benefits of it as well because you'll text it over to us.

1:11:27Pat McAfee:Hey, did you know, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. It's like, I feel like I just got a glimpse into Greeny's brain right there on what Greeny is looking for. He's a weapon, as are you. We're very grateful for you. Can we talk a little bit about the current state of sports as a whole? Obviously, we'll get to the NFL and everything good. College sports here. We're new to the game. I mean, I think we've been doing a live show now seven years or something like that, I think is the timeline. Maybe eight. I don't know. Eight. Eight years. We're going to do it on a live show. So very, very young in this particular world.

1:11:53Pat McAfee:We were very NFL heavy for a while because it was what we thought people would want us to talk about. Why are we going to talk about stuff we don't know about? Getting dropped into the college football world with game day 2019 and then yet again three years ago. It's like, wow. This is just an entire universe. It is a completely different world. It's awesome. The pageantry, the tradition, the environments, the spectacles, the story. It is awesome. Pete Thamel, though, comes in to us and says, hey, listen, if you want stability, you go somewhere else, pal. This is how this has been since the beginning of time.

1:12:24Pat McAfee:Is this legitimately what college sports has been forever? Is it just being spotlighted more now because there's money involved with the players? Or why do you think we're at this point in complete chaos? And why is it just kind of understood that this is how college sports is from your perspective? The answer is both. Certainly for as long as I've been around, which is whatever it is now in the business in general, 35 years. And probably long before that, there has been unimaginable corruption. The old expression that I think was originally attributed to NASCAR definitely applies, which is if you ain't cheating, you ain't trying.

1:12:57Everyone was trying to cheat. Everyone was slipping players' money under the table and all sorts of things that were then against the rules. So to that extent, there has always been that element of college sports. The part of it that, of course, is brand new, as you just pointed out is that now there are no rules there's a great line in the movie greece which i love when they're going to have the race john travolta is going to race in the car and the guy says the rules are there ain't no rules and that's exactly what is going on in collegiate sports right now there are no rules we've got guys leaving nfl teams because it is more lucrative for them to go back and play in college and i'm one of the very few people who does not think that That is the end of the world.

1:13:40I know that the Big Ten and the SEC are now treating that as though it's the most terrible thing that ever happened. I actually agreed with what a lot of what Lane Kiffin said on your show yesterday, which is if everyone else is going to if anyone can be doing it, we should be doing it. I don't think he should be criticized for that. His job is to win football games. It's not to achieve some sort of state of morality that the sport has absolutely never aspired to. and second of all it's not like patrick mahomes is coming back and playing for texas tech you're talking about people who are sort of right on the fringe like aj i'm looking at your face and trying to gauge what your reaction to this is if you've got a guy who is an undrafted free agent goes through the process at uh in the nfl doesn't make it let's not not daquan right who sort of seems to have had this deal but so who just goes through the process and and the very end he is cut and now his options are a go find a career somewhere else go do something else with for a living or b the colleges are offering you money to come back and play i'm not 100 sure why we think it is the end of the world that b is an option now i'm sure there are reasons i'm not thinking of why this is terrible, but I'd love to hear exactly what they are.

1:15:02Yeah, I mean, I think as far as players, they're talking like it's supposedly unfair, right? If you're a player and you went through training camp and you do all this, and then all of a sudden, hey, a week before the first game, an NFL guy that was in camp comes back and takes your gig. I understand that part of it, but I don't know, Greeny. I would never blame the player. If you're a guy that's trying to play in the NFL, you're trying to continue playing. If you have the option to go back, yeah, I'm going to go try to play anywhere. I'll go to the Arena League, the USXFL, what we call it. I'm going anywhere so i the fact that it's only possibly a one-year deal is why i think it's it's not a huge

1:15:32Pat McAfee:a huge thing aj literally just said you can't hate the player here you gotta hate the game and that's kind of what you said about lane kiffin right there now i think the way you chit-chatted about the way the conferences have come out and said like hey this is the worst thing in the world i think the conference commissioners watch what happened with soarsby in the big 12 and inevitably uh texas tech and soarsby both kind of backing off of that decision i think the commissioners are trying to figure out whether or not they can be the ones that can kind of maybe be the guardians, the guardians, the guardrails of college sports as a whole.

1:16:04Pat McAfee:Like, is it a big deal, especially with, you know, we got guys playing eight years, nine years, six years, and all these things when you talk about these five for five guys. I think back in the day a little bit more because professional amateurism status, right? That was always the thing. Now everybody's kind of professional. But I think this is the commissioners just being like, no, like this cannot be what this is anymore. and I think we need more of that to be honest. Now, who will sue and what will the ruling say and how will the courts deem it all, I guess, is what we got to look at next.

1:16:33Pat McAfee:But to your point, like listening to Lane explain why he's doing it and he's like, we're either playing with the guy or against the guy. And my job is to win. And then players having an option to make like$350 ,000,$500 ,000 or go sell insurance maybe later or play in the CFL for$75 ,000 or$100 ,000 or whatever, I understand why they want to do it. I could see why Lane would want to do it. But there's a lot of coaches that are saying, we're not doing it. And it feels like the commissioners now for the first time are saying, we're not doing it. It's an interesting time, man. It does feel like we're at a boiling point, old Greeny.

1:17:04Pat McAfee:I know that probably happens a lot in this world, thinking how could it get crazier? How could it get any bigger? This feels like one, though. Doesn't it, Greeny? It feels a little bit. Well, Soresby was a breaking point. So I remember I was on your show the day the Brendan Soresby news broke. And you asked me about it. and I hadn't really had a lot of time to think about it. And I went on TV the next day and I said, I sort of regretted my response here because it wasn't forceful enough. I hadn't had enough time to sort of think it through. Hey, we apologize for putting you in that spot, it seems.

1:17:34Pat McAfee:No, no, no. 30-year career, we almost ruined it. Happened halfway through the interview. Tough spot. Okay. That's not what I meant. But I just didn't know it was even going on until I heard you talking about it. And so you know what it's like. You offer your first thought on something and then you have a little more time to think about it and you realize, damn it, why the hell didn't I say this? Gambling is something entirely different from eligibility. So gambling is a whole separate problem. And with the enormous rise in popularity and significance of gambling in America, that's something I fully understand why the teams, the conferences, the leagues, and everybody else need to be as completely steadfast in as they can.

1:18:12This is something entirely different. There are a million shades of gray to this. So let's say a guy goes and he spends a couple of weeks in a training camp Or let's look at a guy who makes it into the G League And doesn't make it any further than that in the NBA We have a guy who was coming back to play also at LSU Who was a great player at St. John's Played in some NBA preseason games Didn't make it to the league He can make more money by going back to school I don't think anyone is Yes, there will be some victims in this To the point that AJ just made Someone has to lose a spot in order for someone else to gain a spot.

1:18:48But that happens in a lot of different ways. So to me, this is vastly different from Soresby. Eligibility is a different question. And I'm not 100 % sure that when push comes to shove, they won't make some sort of ruling. There won't be some sort of rule in which players can go a certain distance into finding out whether or not they are ready to be pros before they go back to college.

1:19:13Pat McAfee:The whole getting paid in college thing changes the entire amateurism thing. You know, because you used to ask the NCAA why you couldn't do something. Hey, why can't this guy buy me 10 jack and dice? Okay, because amateurism. That's a word you made up. Yeah, yeah, we did. And it's the reason. Hey, why can't I get a car? I just did some stuff over here. I want to get a car. Amateurism. It'll ruin your amateur status. You guys made that word up again. Remember, that's a word that you made up as an excuse. It's like, yeah, welcome to the NCAA world. That used to be the answer for everything. Now, because everybody's kind of professional, I don't know.

1:19:46Pat McAfee:Which, once again, I think the commissioners saw this as an opportunity because they saw how everybody has responded to it pretty much. I think they saw this as an opportunity to be like, all right, we can be the ones that kind of maybe have to regulate this entire thing. We'll see how it goes. Let's pivot to the NFL because, obviously, we are right around the corner. Your team, man, I don't know. I'm not hearing much. Go ahead, AJ. Yeah, Green, I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing. I think you guys might be laying under the radar. You know, your New York football Jets, obviously. What's your thoughts for Aaron Glenn, Geno Smith this year, heading into the season?

1:20:17We know it kind of – it can be a roller coaster of emotions for you sometimes as a Jets fan.

1:20:22Pat McAfee:Yeah, he thought about – didn't he think about cutting his – He said he might cut his meat off, yeah, back in the day if they won it all. It was a toe. There was a toe game. There was a toe game. I was willing to sacrifice a toe. I've rethought that. But I have very few appendages left at this stage of my life that are really of that much value to me. The Jets have not made the playoffs in 15 years. I know I'm not telling you anything you don't know, but maybe there's someone listening to this conversation who does not realize that. I want you to conceptualize that. Think of all the things that have happened in 15 years.

1:20:58The Jets have not made the playoffs a single time. It is the longest streak in any of the four major sports. So incremental progress, I think, is what we have to be looking for here. Here's the best thing I can think of to tell you about the Jets. I think the Jets have a lot more good players than most fans out there realize. Because by the end of last season, they were absolutely tanking. People talk about NFL teams not tanking. NFL teams absolutely tank. They traded away their two best defensive players, and they started the worst quarterback on their roster for the last four or five games to make sure they did not win.

1:21:33And they were during those games by far the worst team in the league. They aren't that bad. They have a bunch of good players on that team. And Dan Orlovsky said it the other day on Get Up, and I agree with him. The Jets have a chance to have a good enough year. And I don't even know if you measure that in wins and losses. They're certainly not going to be a contender this year. They have Buffalo and New England in their division who are way better than they are. But I think the Jets could make themselves a pretty attractive place for whatever quarterback it is next year that is looking for a spot, whether that is someone that they draft like arch manning or dante moore or whoever it is or if the free agent shakes loose a la aaron rogers once upon a time they actually traded for rogers but you know what i mean some veteran who is looking for a new spot maybe the jets decide to go that way i think they could be a year away from being something of some consequence in order to get there they have to be good this year not great but good and i think they have a chance of that.

1:22:33Pat McAfee:Baker Mayfield, fun conversation. I mean, obviously, who knows how it works out with him and Tampa Bay, and I couldn't even fathom a 15-year playoff draft. Now, Grant, I'm in the middle of it with the Colts. We're close. We have not won AFC South in 12 years now at this point, but I couldn't imagine being on a microphone for 30 years, okay, talking about sports, talking about the NFL, and having your team put up these types of numbers. So, I don't know if you know this. We looked this up. Overall record during your tenure of having to speak to the world about sports. 206 and 279. That's a lot of L's.

1:23:05Pat McAfee:That's a lot of times getting on camera saying, look, the Jets aren't going to win a Super Bowl. But the NFL, a lot of that, you know, a lot of that type of stuff. 11 head coaches over that span, 30 years. 29 starting quarterbacks, 30 years. 15, obviously, he just talked about the playoff drought. And then you look right there at the end. It's been beautiful. Zero Super Bowl appearances. Now, Rex Ryan did have four playoff wins, I believe, where there was also good times and great hard knocks seasons. So that was probably the best time to be alive for you. But the Jets have not really delivered for you as a man in front of a microphone in some time.

1:23:36Pat McAfee:Maybe this year with Frank Reich as the offensive coordinator. And Geno Smith slicing and dicing in the last preseason game. And Aaron Glenn keeping the information tight about the draft and not leaking that out. Nobody knew who the hell the Jets were going to pick. Maybe this is the year that the Jets turn around for you for your next 30 years, Greeny. I would absolutely love that. Like you look at all the different ways that they've tried. the jersey that i'm wearing there i'm not sure maybe we i think that's an aaron rogers jersey yeah it's an eight we changed it to a zero yeah you guys did a very good job had a baby dirty good work dirty on the thing but on that note eight super bowl appearances yeah right you would have never you know what i mean zero is the number yeah the jets look i mean look at the different things that they've tried just in the last few years they drafted zach wilson second overall they drafted sam darnold third overall and they traded for maybe the best quarterback of his generation and Aaron Rodgers and nothing has worked that has been the really frustrating part they just can't get the quarterback thing right for whatever reason so Geno Smith hopefully holds down the fort plays decent enough to make the Jets an attractive place for whoever it is that might come in next year and be their quarterback all right I love it let's go to the other team shall we in New Jersey go ahead yeah make it worse you had to watch the Giants win a couple of Super Bowl titles beating the evil empire but uh what's your thoughts on the Giants this year first you were hardball second year with jackson dart all accounts look like malik neighbors will be healthy what's your thoughts with the giants going this year i think they have a chance to be good i think they play in a really good division i think the cowboys are going to be way better um i think their defense has a chance to really make a jump and the eagles have been the class of the division and one of the class teams of the of the league for a long time so the giants here's the thing about the Giants.

1:25:22They, and I wish I had the number in front of me, Hembo would have it. Maybe you guys know it. I believe they lost four games in which they had double digit leads in the fourth quarter last year, which was unprecedented in NFL history. They were a team that wasn't nearly as bad as their record for most of their year. And they did that with a significant injury to Malik neighbors right at the very beginning. They did that while Jackson Dart was a rookie and was learning on the fly. And then they did it with obviously much less experience and probably competent coaching than they should have this year.

1:25:56So I think I'm one who thinks the Giants have a chance to be pretty good. They got a ton of pass rushers. I love Cam Scadaboo if he's able to stay healthy. There's nothing about that kid not to love. And I believe in Dart. I think he has a chance to be a really good player. So I think the Giants have a chance if everything goes their way to be like a fringe playoff team this year the nfc is loaded with the rams obviously being a super team and i just mentioned the eagles and cowboys in their division but i think the giants have a team to be a chance to be a team that's playing meaningful games in december which for them would be an enormous step in the right direction let's stay healthy and how about today

1:26:33Pat McAfee:is the day where it actually let's let's do a universe ball okay i'm happy you're here for this because you are a football sports lord of sorts, even though you would not decide that. This flag football championship football, which might be the best. It's a good ball. Have a catch ball. I mean, you can kick this thing if you had to. The sizing is perfect. If you've got baby little carny hands, you can still grip this thing and kind of throw it. This is a good ball. Universe will tell us if this ball goes in that hoop right there, no more injuries the rest of the NFL season. To anybody, Greeny.

1:27:08Pat McAfee:to anybody, Greeny, no more injuries at all. Do you have anything to say before this ball gets tossed to the universe? Please make this shot. Well, it's not about me, Greeny. Once again, this is the universe doing this with this ball. It's not me. Well, I don't have a lot of faith in the universe when it comes to this, having watched the sport a really long time. I'm hoping as best I can. Come on, universe. Yeah. Oh, my God. That's close. What does that mean? I ruined the season. I mean, it's not good. Because I ruined the season. So people are already saying I'm ruining sports. I can't believe it was the universe.

1:27:47Pat McAfee:Remember, it was not me. It was the universe. Okay, let's talk. We're going to have to do that again. Yeah, way to go, man. I'm so sorry. Thanks a lot. The hoop got smaller out of nowhere. They should cancel all practices the rest of the day. No, the year. Son of a bitch. No, okay, hold on. You screwed us, dude. You screwed us. No, I didn't mean to, though. It wasn't me, remember. It wasn't me. It was the... The universe put a few more balls down there. Yep. They weren't down there five seconds ago. No, they weren't, actually. Set hut. Yeah, I got it. That was good. That's a good line. Oh, yeah.

1:28:21Oh, my God. The universe normally works in threes. I was going to say, that is a great...

1:28:26Pat McAfee:Okay, that was actually... That wasn't about that. The universe just said it wasn't about... It was like, hey, if that ball goes in, talk about something good. if that ball doesn't go in and talk about something bad. Connor has a question for you, Greeny. Thank you, universe. Yeah, Greeny, junior Ian Rappaport said, like, hey, it is impossible for the Falcons to start Tua at quarterback right now, which some people thought was a little egregious, but also hard to argue. And then he also mentioned that the door's pretty much open for Michael Penix, Jr. to go out and just kind of steal that job, take that job from Tua for Atlanta.

1:29:00What do you think about Atlanta right now? Now, do you have any expectation for them? Do you think they'll kind of maybe fall off a cliff? It's Stefanski's first year. What are you thinking about the Atlanta Falcons, and who do you kind of see taking over as that starter, maybe even long-term for Atlanta? Well, I think their long-term quarterback answer is probably not in the building, and it's a real shame because they have so many good players. They have Bijan Robinson, who is certainly as much fun to watch as any player in the league, and people who know a lot more about the sport than I do will argue he might actually be the best football player in the NFL.

1:29:35And they've got London and they've got Pitts and they've got all these other guys. And they just haven't been able to get the quarterback thing right. I don't know that I would say Tua can't possibly start a game for them. But I would say if you had any better option, he shouldn't. And I just don't know that Michael Penix is going to be a long-term option. Look, the injury history on him, and you guys don't need me to tell you that, and obviously being there where you are, you saw him at Indiana. he's so talented but the history of injuries when guys are as hurt as he always was in college the idea that you're going to get him for 17 games much less five or six years of healthy play I think feels incredibly unlikely that was a pick that stunned me when they made it now you're seeing why I'd love to see him healthy because if somehow he stayed healthy then I think the The Falcons could be a really interesting team, but it would pleasantly but very much surprise me if he's able to.

1:30:30I think they're one of the teams that will be looking at quarterbacks in next year's draft.

1:30:34Pat McAfee:It's being reported that Tua will start the final preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Friday night. You know what that means? That means Cooper Cush is coming in. Cooper Cush is going to be coming in there. And then Jack Strand probably gets maybe the fourth quarter. Nobody's talking about Jack Strand. Okay? We've seen this guy. He spiked the ball into our area. My daughter had to hand it back to the refs because of how powerful his spike was after he scored a touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. He is 6 '5". He's thrown for like 3 ,000 yards or something like that at Minnesota State Moorhead.

1:31:11Pat McAfee:I think he wants to be an astronaut. I think that is what he's looking to do. And he can spin it. This guy can spin it. Now, will he be the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons? That'd be hilarious. Maybe UConn. No, we're not doing it. If he doesn't make it, baby. Come on, Coach Candle. Hold on. I ain't get him. See, Graney, this is what you're talking about. UConn's not in a conference, though. Independent. Do what we want. No. Can they do it? That's another day. No, Notre Dame already said they're aligned. But UConn can do whatever they want. They're in their own conference. They're independent.

1:31:40Kind of a fart in the wind, though, right? If it's UConn, I mean, they could take Aaron Donald, and it really, who cares?

1:31:46Pat McAfee:He can play quarterback and. Yeah, what's the point? How do you feel about that? Yeah, you talked about – you guys had that haunted hotel or something up there. I remember a couple years ago. Jim Moore is out. They probably follow him. Yeah. The ghost. Yeah, level up to Colorado State. Seems like they're down there. Okay, let's talk about ghosts. Offensive linemen have been seeing ghosts since this guy from Penn Hills got into the NFL. He's a monster, an animal. He's been out of football for two years. His words were, like, got to see if I have that fire again. and then all we've seen is workouts where it appears as if he might be faster than he was before.

1:32:22Pat McAfee:So is he more healthy, more rested? Should we expect Aaron Donna when he comes back to the Rams, which we all kind of assume he will be doing in a matter of time? What are your expectations for him? And what about Miles Garrett being next to him for the first time in his career, getting an opportunity to be the Avengers, actually, on the defensive side with two defensive MVPs? Here's what I think of that. my son played AAU basketball for a very, very long time on teams that never had any players who were going to wind up playing Division I college or going to the NBA. I watched in my life a lot of games that I knew in the layup line should not be played.

1:33:03We're in the layup line. We got a bunch of 12-year-olds on this side. On the other side, these guys are doing reverse dunks in the layup line. And I'm like, guys, Why are we doing this? Why even start? They have to call off the press when it's a 20-point lead. That's what lining up Miles Garrett and Aaron Donald next to each other is like. If you put Reggie White and Joe Green next to each other on a defensive line, the opposition would have just quit. And that is what we're looking at right here. If they are healthy, if the Rams, I mean, you just, you know, as the universe just reminded us with our football toss there, I mean, injuries are always the great equalizer in everything.

1:33:45So the Rams, if they are beset by injury, then like any other team, they become very mortal. But if Donald, Garrett, and Stafford are all healthy, and then some combination of Nakua and Devontae Adams and all their other good players, as long as they are not completely devastated by injury, they're as prohibitive a favorite as I can remember in the NFL in a really long time. What's the last time we had a team that before the season started, you said if they stay healthy, they were superior to this. Their chances were better than what you would say the Rams are right now. I'm not sure what team we'd have to go back to.

1:34:26Pat McAfee:Okay, so the 2023 Chiefs had the same odds to win the title at plus 600. I believe that is where the Rams are right now. That's absurd. Obviously, there's 32 teams. That should be 1 ,000. Everybody should be up near there. So plus 600, whenever you're talking about an entire field of NFL teams to win the title before it even starts, is an absurd favorite. Is that because of the amount of money that's being bet on the Rams so the sportsbooks are just going to catch up because obviously they want money on both sides of this entire thing? Or is it because they view the team to be as dominant as they could ever be, just like the 2023 Chiefs saw?

1:34:59Pat McAfee:And I think it's that one. I don't think it's trying to catch up to the money. I think it's seeing what we're all seeing. Greeny, you hit the nail on the head there when we talk about Reggie White and Mean Joe Green. It's like, how do you get a first down on these guys? Because it's not just in the front end. The back end they loaded up to. It's like if they're not going to get to the quarterback or stop the run immediately, back end's got dogs everywhere as well. That's just the defensive side, let alone Matty and Huka and everybody they got on the offensive side. I assume the pressure is crazy whenever you have that good of a roster because obviously you're expected to win.

1:35:31Pat McAfee:But they've been living like that since they won a title anyways. It feels like they're all made for the L.A. Lights with another Super Bowl back. Yeah, we always talk about when you look at these teams and these organizations, ownership, head coach, quarterback. And they got stability there. They got the reigning MVP there. And then you go to the other side of the ball, you have the reigning defensive player of the year. I mean, this is, for me, with or without Aaron Donald. Obviously, Aaron Donald moves the needle, but you still have a very, very talented defensive front. Then you went and got Jalen Watson and Trent McDuffie from the Chiefs, who already have McDuffie a couple titles under his belt.

1:36:01So not only his experience on the field, but in that locker room is going to be great, man. And so, yeah, everything, if they stay healthy going into the season, like you said, the 23 Chiefs, probably the 0-7 Patriots when you had Moss and Walker and all those guys. But, yeah, they should be as dumb. But you still got to play the games. You still have the reigning defending champs, Seattle Seahawks, who we're getting a closer look with the hard knocks. And they got a lot of those things in place as well. So, I mean, we'll see.

1:36:25Pat McAfee:I love this hard knock season. Feels like I'm learning about maybe a coach that could go down as a great of all time in McDonald with how quickly he won a Super Bowl, with how young he is and seemingly his future over there with Schneider as the GM who might go down as one of the greats of all time. Hard Knocks, do anything for you? Because we're watching Seattle and I'm loving it. I'm watching McDonald talk to his leadership council, which is like 15 people. That's a lot of people in there. There's a lot of people in that leadership council, him reaching directly in kind of the locker room, monitoring the locker room.

1:36:54Pat McAfee:The practice, the way he gets on people's ass, like he gets on people's ass, his theories, the way he brings in other coaches. I love watching this guy. That's what I'm getting from Hard Knocks. For you, 30 years in this entire thing, Hard Knocks had its run. Now it seems like it might be back as a Super Bowl champs. How do you view, how do you watch that, and what are your thoughts on what's happening in Seattle? I love it. Seattle, I think, obviously is, if anyone out there right now feels like they could challenge the Rams at their best, they're probably the closest thing to it. That defense is that level of good.

1:37:23I think Houston's defense is that level of good as well. But you look at the offensive firepower that the Rams have, and neither Houston nor Seattle can touch it. here's what I think is the most genius thing about so you guys who played I think have a totally different view it because you you've lived this all these things seem relatively familiar to you and so you're seeing how this team goes about it for people like me before I got to ESPN so 30 plus years ago I worked in the local media I worked in Chicago and I covered the Chicago Bears and there are very specific times where we were allowed as reporters to go into the locker room during the week.

1:38:01There was an hour on a Wednesday and an hour on a Thursday, and they would bring the coach out and the quarterback and a few players out for specific press conferences. And we could watch a little bit of practice, but not all of it. And I think reporters like me always were dying to know, what is it like when we're not there? What do they talk about when we're not there? What does it feel like when we're not there? What does it look like when we're not there? And I'm sure they are cognizant of the cameras being around. So this probably isn't fully authentic, but it's so much closer than anything that someone like me would ever have had the opportunity to see.

1:38:33So I've always loved it. Some teams are more entertaining than others. You pointed it out. The Rex Ryan jets were definitely the most fun team because Rex, just as is the case now, didn't give a damn what he said. Um, so they were the most fun team to watch, but I find it all fascinating because there's so much in it that I would otherwise never get a chance to see.

1:38:52Pat McAfee:Yeah. I, I really liked this season more so than maybe a couple past training camp seasons that off season one with the giants the greatest i mean terrible for the giants yeah not great yeah never going to get approved again by any team because of it but boy for us that was spectacular because we've never seen that side so just like you were talking about with the players it's like we hear about what the conversations are we we can guess with what the conversations are but actually being in there where you got a gm asking his kids what would you do you know if you're in this thing it's like okay we do got humans out here you know I will not be able to sleep if this guy ends up on the Philadelphia Eagles I'm just telling you this guy he's got to be our most popular guy oh my god worst case scenario my life is over if this happens and then literally MVP Super Bowl yeah lo and behold for the Eagles right there I mean that's why a team will never do it again never ever do it again but I like whenever we get this shit it feels like it's getting good okay let's pivot from you know hard knocks and you just mentioned the Chicago Bears they're getting a chance to be a reporter in there that feels like a team that's going to have a lot of news coming out of it this year and for the foreseeable future go ahead tone yeah Greeny what are your thoughts on the relationship between Ben Johnson and Caleb because obviously they take Caleb one overall he's he's been good uh he's he's been he's been a great playmaker but it still feels like Ben Johnson is not afraid to criticize him and criticize how he plays within Ben Johnson's offense.

1:40:18What do you think about that relationship and their future together? All right. I've been workshopping this take. I'm dying to hear what you guys think. Oh, yes. This is the first time? This is the first time? Yes. So I've used it and like, you know, like guys will use it on the road and then they go on the Tonight Show and they actually get to finally. So I've used it in some other, you know, media. Yes. But now here we are. We are on the big time and I'm going to. Hey, good luck, kid. Good luck, kid. Let's see how this thing plays. The history of football is defined more than anything by the great quarterback coach combinations.

1:40:51If you look at the best teams in history, you go back to Lombardi and Bart Starr and Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Knoll, and then into the 80s where you had Jimmy Johnson and Troy Aikman. The 80s was Joe Montana and Bill Walsh. The 90s was Jimmy Johnson and Troy Aikman, which should have lasted longer. And then you get to Belichick and Brady and Reed and Mahomes. These are the greatest teams in NFL history. So if you're going to place a bet on any combination right now to become the next one in that line, if you're going to take any young quarterback and coach combination and say, I could see them becoming that.

1:41:29They're that good. I love the coach that much, and I love the player that much. I think this is where I would put my money. I think Ben Johnson is brilliant. Now, I have been hearing that from Rex for a very long time. I think you guys may know Rex's son was an offensive coach on the Lions for many years. So he has been Rex has been hearing about and thus telling me about Ben Johnson since before the whole world caught on to Ben Johnson. I think he's magnificent. I love everything about his attitude. He takes the job and immediately calls out the Green Bay Packers this year when the world is projecting that they're a candidate to regress.

1:42:06He's up there talking about breaking the all time scoring record. I've never seen a team run the ball as creatively and effectively as they did a year ago. And then you combine him with Caleb, who I think has the gifts of just about any quarterback I've ever seen. I'm not sure I've ever seen a quarterback who was just more naturally gifted. He's certainly on the very highest possible level of that. And he's a young man who seems to get it. I've never met him in my entire life, but he seems, while he kind of marches to the beat of his own drum, I actually think he kind of gets it. so if you're going to look at the young quarterback coach combinations in the league now, there are a lot of them because there were a lot of good young quarterbacks.

1:42:46I think if I had to bet on one to become the next great duo, I think this is who I would bet. I would bet on Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams. What do you think of that take?

1:42:55Pat McAfee:Pretty good take, especially because you had the timeline, you know, all the way back to the seventies that legitimizes your conversation immediately. So I think the setup was good. I think the punch was good. I think the transition from that to there was also fantastic and certainly agreeable take. But on that note, Joe Burrow and Zach Taylor, right? Do they consider it like a next group? They've already been to a Super Bowl, these two. Zach doesn't even want to throw his flag. He's about to get fired. Yeah, but they were at a Super Bowl already together. Would they not count together? Going into year eight?

1:43:26Pat McAfee:They were at a Super Bowl. How young are we talking? I don't know. That's what I'm wondering. Greeny, we've got to qualify this. Sirianni Hurt's been to two Super Bowls. McAfee, if you owned an NFL team, which candidly, someday you might, and I gave you right now the option of Ben Johnson or Zach Taylor to coach it, which one of them would you take? Okay. What is that all about? There's no reason. It's not about me. I don't have Joe Burrow as my quarterback. Now that's a question, I guess. What young quarterback would you draft? McDaniels, Drake May. There's another one, maybe. Drake May. I mean, for sure.

1:44:03him and Vrabel and even with you know how loud it's been I mean if they start out the season four five and oh six six and two all that will be quiet I think Sean Payton Bo Nix have a pretty

1:44:12Pat McAfee:good argument too hey there's a couple around there which is why the league is in such a good spot because we have so many good quarterbacks it does feel like younger quarterbacks playing better now than they ever have in the past I think you would be able to state that clearer than anybody else D 'Amico CJ Stroud you could argue too a lot of defense guy a lot of people Well, I don't stride, but he already has three playoff wins. He's one in every year. Yeah, every year. He was saying quarterback people, though, I think, right? No, no, quarterback head coach. Oh, okay. Like Sirianni, Hurts, Herbert, Harbaugh.

1:44:43That's why I think Drake and Vrabel probably would be the one just because what Drake's already done. Because, like, McDaniel, let's say they have another great year and McDaniel ends up getting a – McDaniel, excuse me, gets, like, a head coach opportunity and doesn't leave maybe after this year but leaves the year after. At this point with Drake, it feels like we're already pretty comfortable in how smart he is and how good he is that in OC, leave him wouldn't be the worst thing ever.

1:45:06Pat McAfee:And Lamar, do we count whoever Lamar is with? Victor? Is that what that can be? Victor could be, right? Monken and Watson? I like your take, Greeny. Listen to what we just did here. This is what you've been doing for 30 years. You're pretty good, Greeny. We're just stirring the pot. That's all we're here to do. We're just stirring the pot. We're coming up with takes. I've been working on that one for a little while. I'm delighted with the way that it landed. Okay, I'm happy you liked it as well. We loved it. You liked it. Okay, let's pivot off of football. Who's winning the Super Bowl right now?

1:45:32Pat McAfee:August 26th. I don't need a big take. Just who's winning the Super Bowl? I mean, it's too easy to say the Rams. Like, there's no fun. Plus 550. Hold on. It got even better. I'm sorry. Plus 550 now. It's better than what the Chiefs, I believe, were in 2023 now. Shortest odds in the history. The reality is it's very hard to look at any team and say they're as good as the Rams. So, what you're betting on if you're betting, if you're not picking them, is something bad happening to them. if there's a team out there that I think is greatly undervalued on that board, it's Denver. I remain very surprised at, at how little attention the Broncos are getting.

1:46:06That is a team that with no disrespect intended to the Patriots, that's a team that absolutely would have been in the Superbowl last year. If Bo Nix hadn't gotten hurt. And at the very end of that game against Buffalo, he played great in that game against Josh Allen. And, and I think he, they, they, they were at home. They wound up playing that game with a quarterback who just had no chance. And then weather came in unlike anything I've ever seen in my entire life. That's a team that's defense is totally legit. Maybe not quite on the level of the Texans or the Rams, but not that far behind. And they've added Jalen Waddell, and they've got the coach who's been there and done that.

1:46:44I'm very surprised at how little attention Denver has given.

1:46:47Pat McAfee:Brand new facility, too. They're walking into a beautiful, beautiful place every day they go to work, let alone the city of Denver. Everybody obviously sings its praises. So I said, you know, the Rams plus 550, you know, shorter than the 2023 Chiefs, certainly. Not short of all time. 1994, San Francisco 49ers. This might be a Hembo trivia question at some point. Their odds, I believe, are plus 200. Yeah. The year after that, the Cowboys were plus 300. Jerry Rice. Is that Steve Young? Prime was on that team as well. Emmitt. I mean, that was back whenever sports gambling was also like, Hey, I'm giving you plus 200, plus 250 on this for that entire thing.

1:47:25Pat McAfee:So there has been odds on favorites from the beginning. It was probably also back when there was about four quarterbacks instead of, you know, 10, 12 quarterbacks. No, 94. You're talking about the quarterback club? Yeah, who? There was six of them. Have some respect. Just in the NFC, you got, you know, Steve Young, Aikman, Favre. I mean, there's three right there. All right, let's go to the other side now. Marino. I covered the Super Bowl. Marino Elway. Sorry, sorry. Green was actually there. Hold on. Let's celebrate 30 years of Green. They played San Diego in the Super Bowl that year. And I think that was the least competitive sporting event I've ever attended in my entire life.

1:48:03My son's AAU team that played against a bunch of kids who wound up in the NBA had a better chance of winning. I think the score, someone could look, I think the score was 21-0 at the quarter. It might have been 28-0 at the quarter. They had Ricky Waters, Jerry Rice running wild. That was the Steve Young got the monkey off his back game. They obliterated them. That was at a time when the Cowboys and 49ers just owned the NFL. It was the year that Jimmy Johnson had left the first year. The Cowboys had won the previous two Super Bowls. And then Jimmy Johnson left unceremoniously, as everybody knows.

1:48:39And that's where the Niners got in there. And they destroyed everything in their path. That team did have Deion. they were as good as any team you'll ever see 49 26 they win that particular super bowl i assume

1:48:52Pat McAfee:there are some trash time scores you talk about the niners and the cowboys obviously running rough shot during that period of time obviously their fan base has still showcased that entire generations obviously got to experience that dominance and became massive fans of them are the niners looking to move because that substation are they going to ohio i mean they got a lot of distractions are the niners looking to move to ohio right now to get away from that substation is that what's happened nobody's out some land i'm i'm scouting some practice i mean maybe might be able to purchase the ohio 140s i think is what they're calling them oh no more 49ers 160 i think 160 no it might have been 159ers we're not 100 sure what all it is but are the niners moving out of santa clara to ohio that would kind of change something scouting land i don't know nobody talks about that i'd be smarter i have nothing to say whatsoever i'm just enjoying the conversation Happy 30 years at ESPN, Greeney.

1:49:47Happy 30 years. Thank you. Hey, let me say something. Two very quick things, if this is you letting me go.

1:49:53Pat McAfee:No, no, we've got to ask you about baseball real quick before we let's go. Go ahead. Yeah, Greeney, I did just want to ask, and I don't know why no one's talking about this. It's probably because the NFL season is right around the corner. But what's your take on the whole Mark Walter situation? Because Jet Passon's been getting fucking killed online because he basically said, hey, anyone could have done this. He said this a while ago. and then yesterday basically said, oh wait, they actually do have a massive tax loophole that gives them a huge advantage over every other team. And now we're basically staring down a work stoppage because this cheating, lying, fraudulent scumbag, who I hate saying it because he's from Iowa.

1:50:28He's an Iowa guy. Mark Walter essentially just destroyed baseball. Why is no one talking about this? And is that essentially what's going to happen? They're going to have to blow up this whole thing, right? The Dodgers can't keep doing this because they just fucking cheated for the last five years, and now we're not going to have a baseball season next year. They have an amount of money at their disposal that no other team does is what you're referring to. So Mark Walter is someone that I wouldn't say I know him. I have met him. Not only is he from Iowa, but he is a Northwestern alum, and he is one of the two or three biggest benefactors of the Northwestern Athletics program.

1:51:07People made a very big deal when we built our new football workout facility pat i'm not sure if you've ever been there to see it um but people were saying it was literally the nicest facility that any school had in the whole country it is called the walter sports uh facility um so he is he's a a an enormously important person at northwestern that's neither here nor there for the purposes of this conversation except that i have been aware of him a lot longer than most people have he was a person who flew very under the radar i can't pretend I know anything about the situation that he is in but what is pretty clear is that he needs a ton of money right he needs to liquidate pretty much everything he's sold the Lakers from what I understand he's going to wind up selling Chelsea and and um and probably the Dodgers as well even though he has said he's not going to um it's an interesting question as far as what impact that has had on the sport they they have backloaded all of these contracts right that's another piece of all of this like shohei otani's money isn't he's not getting all that for benia they got a bunch

1:52:12Pat McAfee:of benia deals that deferred payments deferred payments deferred payments but way more like bob and bobby benia gets like a million dollars once a year like shohei otani is going to be getting like 30 million dollars um you know every year starting 20 something years from now when he's no longer paying california state taxes i don't know what's going to become of that whole situation i think it has made everyone in the world root against them and especially when you consider that their biggest competition is the team that has every built-in disadvantage, meaning the Milwaukee Brewers, who right now by one game have the best record in Major League Baseball.

1:52:47I think there are a lot of people who feel as you do. I wish I could tell you exactly where it's going to go from here. I've heard exactly what you've heard, which is that a work stoppage feels almost unavoidable at this point. I covered the last time there was one. I was there in 94 when they called off the season. I was at spring training in 95 because Michael Jordan was there with the White Sox when they had all these replacement players there. They had guys literally off construction sites and stuff like that who were at spring training in Sarasota, which is where the White Sox used to work out.

1:53:17It was horrific. I mean, everything about that whole ordeal was horrific. And then of all things, a judge, this is a, I think a little remembered part of this story, a judge wound up ruling with the players and ending all of that. That judge was named Sonia Sotomayor, who was now on the Supreme Court of the United States. At that time, she was just known as the judge who saved baseball. But I really hope we're not heading in that direction again, but that does feel like the way it's going.

1:53:43Pat McAfee:That's Mike Greenberg. Greeny. Icon. Legend. A man that we're very grateful for. We continue digitally as I believe Little League World Series continues from here. Goodbye. See, that was a hard out, Greeny. You knew what that was. Thank you for knowing that. Okay? Because there was maybe one last week where we were we didn't know you know, we didn't know that there was going to be an abrupt stop to something else or we would have maybe taken a hand off a little differently, you know TV hard out stuff, you're a consummate pro right there, unbelievable work thank you for doing that and making us all better brother and on the baseball front what if this causes no work stoppage, what if because of all this there's actually an agreement that's able to be put players are never going to agree to do a salary cap so there will be a work stoppage That's never going to happen in a billion years, ever.

1:54:38You can't be the generation to do it. No. So the whole season's going to be gone, or could it only be half, maybe? Forever, dude. I mean, it could be, but. A sport? We might never see baseball. We're going all banana ball? Savannah Bananas.

1:54:49Pat McAfee:Thank you for the bananas. Savannah, but Jesse Cole is the guy who's got baseball for us. Thank you, Jesse Cole. Got the MLS. Thank you, Jesse. No. Stop. No, we don't. MLS is not in the spring anymore. They move to the winter during football. So next spring, Savannah Bananas. Okay? That's what we're watching. And you're going to like it because it's baseball. Aaron Judge is going to be playing for the fucking wild things. He's a clown through and through. Oh, yeah, he's an Indianapolis clown. They're saying Schwarbo potentially taking some big hacks for the bananas. Yeah, I bet. They're going to call him Big Banana next year.

1:55:23Pat McAfee:I bet. Paul Skeens. Paul Skeenos. Sergeant Clown. He's pitching for fucking second base now that he's got the juice back. He better lose that gut because, you know, I think you have to pitch without your jersey on. Your titties hanging out. No, you don't. That is not an necessity. That is not an necessity. Everybody has their own gimmick. Okay, Paul. A lot of them have a shirtless gimmick. Paul's gimmick will be he'll pitch from second base because he's got his juice back. Do you know that? I hope so. That's just what Skeens needs, too. You know, he's kind of starting to find it again. It's a great idea.

1:55:53Let's stop the season, you know. Skeens might never play again. What? If we don't have a season. He's going to play for the bananas.

1:55:59Pat McAfee:Jesse Cole's got a one-way ticket. I'm not sleeping on skeins heading over to some sort of war going on. Just to serve. You're right. I guess we can't put that past him. Especially with the way the World Baseball Classic was going. It felt like he was kind of maybe in a cockpit of a fighter jet. He might be buzzing the tower in the straight-up Hormuz in 10 months. Is that thing open? Did we know that thing existed? I don't know. It depends on the day. Greeny, we appreciate you, man. We really appreciate you, genuinely. And thank you for just going along with our bullshit, basically. Well, it's a pleasure.

1:56:31I'm so proud of what all you guys are doing every single day. And I'll leave you just with this one thought. I don't know if you're a fan of the singer Kenny Chesney. Oh, yeah. But he's someone that we got to know many, many, many years ago on Mike and Mike. And I never grew up with any country music or anything. I'm from New York, so I didn't know anything about him. But I started listening to his songs. And there's a song of his that I particularly liked and still like called Don't Blink. And I found myself thinking about that song today Because, you know, one day you're 29 years old And you walk into this building and you're surrounded by legends That you have looked up to what feels like your entire life I turn around and Chris Berman and Dan Patrick and Stuart Scott and Keith Olbermann Are all working in the same trailer that I'm working in Which is where we were working out of when I got to ESPN 30 years ago today And then you blink and all of a sudden they're handing you a little statue that says you've been here 30 years.

1:57:29And if there's one word of advice I would like to offer to everybody who is listening, because I know a lot of younger people are with you guys every single day and to you in particular, McAfee, is try and remember that while it's happening. Like try while it's going on every now and again, not just to look at how much taller the mountain is that you want to climb, but look down at how far you've already come. It doesn't mean that you're going to quit. It doesn't mean that you're satisfied. It doesn't mean that you're less hungry. It just means that every once in a while, you really need to stop and appreciate the things that are happening in your life.

1:58:07Because if you had told me 30 years ago today, what my life would be, I, I don't even mean this. Figuratively, I would have wept. I mean, I literally would have fallen to the ground and cried that my life was going to turn out this way and i don't know that i've been as aware of that as i wish i had every minute of it so those are my words of advice before someone hands you a a little trophy and says congratulations on 30 years make sure you enjoy the ride because don't blink it goes by a lot

1:58:37Pat McAfee:faster than you expect it to we love you man that was beautiful and thank you for the reminder and perspective and thank you for the 30 years that it seems like you have kind of been in uh locked in for all of us in your service to sport and here's that the next 30 years where you will you know not blink and enjoy the entire process and we'll be lucky and thankful to be uh in your uh little one of those calls those little uh when you're under somebody's wing uh coattail maybe we'll be uh little baby birds under your wing for the next 30 years brother uh following in everything that you've done for sport alongside the legends that you mentioned.

1:59:17Pat McAfee:And we appreciate you, man. Thank you for everything. Yeah, it's a pleasure. Good to see you guys. It's a lot of fun. Always. It's let's talk as the football season gets started. Have a great day. You got it. Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Greenberg. Yeah.

1:59:44anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses, set up required compatibility and availability varies 18 plus.

2:00:04The perfect lunch combo. That first bite of your favorite sub, followed by ice cold Pepsi. Add a couple of friends, and now that's next level. Suddenly, the laughs get louder, the stories keep flowing, and the food tastes better. Because Pepsi brings out more flavor, more fun, and more of the moment. Food deserves Pepsi. Grab a Pepsi Zero Sugar today.

2:00:52Pat McAfee:We were his nipple tassels. Yeah, at certain times. Certainly have been. But coattails and wing. He takes it under his wing with the coattails. Yeah, we'll ride behind him. Or remora. Isn't it called remora, the little fish that rides in the back of the shark? Sure. Yeah. Maybe. Yeah. Maybe. Pilot fish, too. Remora. I'll tell you what, if you pulled that name out right there. Jimmy Buffett. It's in a Jimmy Buffett song. That's why I know it. Okay, let's hear it. I hope it's right. I can't even remember the whole song, but I remember back in the day hearing it. Like, what is it? I think he does say it in Cheeseburger in Paradise.

2:01:24Pat McAfee:sex really hans don't blink it is yeah kenny chesney's got a lot of boys of fall me too obviously that's making it drown this week it's like we are the boys of fall say it greeny and then he went a different way but i was planning on doing a full yeah i was pumped to be called the boys of fall and then he gave like a real speech yeah that was cool it went viral That was pretty sweet. I can't remember why. It was Sean Payton. Yeah, it was Sean Payton. Yeah, because AJ says. The common remora, also known as the shark sucker. So I love that AJ obviously knows what a shark sucker is. Give me that remora, babe.

2:02:02Pat McAfee:Yeah. Remora's got a neckton mentality. You suck off the neckton. Hey, okay, so the balls didn't go into the hoop. No. No, we're fucked. You should see the amount of injury news that's coming out. It's unbelievable. Like 10 different guys have been done for the season since you started throwing those fucking footballs. That is actually what happened. Oh, there's another one. Shit. Jackson Dart just went into the medical tent. Did he really? Yeah, he did. Look at that. Jackson Dart. No, no, no, no. Hold on. He's going to be okay. They're going to get him out of there. He just went home. Oh, that one was supposed to go home.

2:02:38Jackson Dart just passed out. No, no, no.

2:02:40Pat McAfee:Go in, please. Jackson Dart's not breathing. CPR. Oh, my God. They're taking Jackson Dart by ambulance right out of the hospital. No, this is true. No, this is true. Jackson Dart, he's injured, though? No. No, no. Oh, thank God. I actually believe. Yeah, me too. Thank God. Okay. Just another tent visit. Is that real? No, it's not real. Okay. Jeez. What's going on? What's going on? I can't believe he's your own quarterback. Dude, he told me yesterday, okay? He said, my mustache, I'm finding myself tough to take serious. Like he put a mask on, he's playing a character. and uh i do think we have a little different bruce here mustachioed bruce and i think it optically it should stick around i am worried about the mentality behind the mustache there where he says he can't take himself serious he pops on the screen he's uh almost wants to drop into a character i never feel very serious but i feel less serious with the mustache for sure yeah and when you see yourself i think is when you have a real problem with which happens to be like zoom calls and stuff yeah so like he'll pop on a screen he just immediately goes like holy foot and has Bruce.

2:03:46Pat McAfee:He drops into a character. So he looks too cool maybe for himself right now, which is something we're dealing with. Also dealing with rampant pooping and lack of wiping. You tell me we don't know. We still don't know. Genuinely do not know right now. Do we have a handful of suspects? How many suspects is it down to? Two. Two? Two? I like this. In my mind, it's down to two. Stone cold stone wall two. Down to one in mind. So Gumpy had his own opinion. Then we presented another option to him, and he goes, that could be it as well. That could be it as well. And then we said, well, what if somebody thinks of another one?

2:04:25Pat McAfee:He goes, no, it's either those two. So he is locked in on two. I think he's the only one that is certain that is certainly two people. There's just an added element of the non-wiping of the butt leads to there's no way with what that looked like that you just go through your day and not know. You know, so you either got to have no feeling back there or did you hop in shower afterwards? So who works out and who isn't on the show on in front of a camera? Yeah. And it's so the walls are going to do the vent. If they did hop in a shower, though, it would be I would hope that it's a bit that they're messing with people.

2:05:02Right. If they did. If it's a bit, then it is diabolical because I am so angry. That's not a very funny bit. It's not at all. Maybe it's because I'm the one that's opened the stall both times. But, like, I was driving into work today, and I remembered. And I was so mad, like, just sitting out there before the show. I was like, I fucking have to hate everybody because I don't know who the one is. So I fucking hate everybody because of this one person.

2:05:27Pat McAfee:So if that's a bit, I don't know. If you're a heel, it has worked. It's good to hear. It has worked. I just think that's the only rational, like, thought. We're not dealing with a rational human being here, obviously. Or someone that thinks about it. A fucking person took a nasty ass shit and didn't wipe and didn't flush, which is why I stand by if you do that, you should be shot in the head. You should be fucking assassinated. Maybe start somewhere else and make it hurt. Shoot him in the leg, right foot, left foot. Well, yeah. Maybe we castrate him first. Get one of these hot blades we got around here.

2:06:02We got swords and shit. Maybe we sharpen one of these on a whetstone, get it real hot and slice their dick off like a knife going through butter. And then stick it in their mouth and shoot them in the head. I don't think we're going to do that. I don't think we're going to do that. If you do, film it, please. We're not going to do that. I'll send it to you.

2:06:19Pat McAfee:That would not happen. But it does sound like you should maybe write some film because that was like kind of a Saw type. You know, like you go watch the Saw movie and you immediately think to yourself, somebody had to think of all those things. We should have eyes on whoever that was. Feels like this particular situation has the toxic table in a very toxic place. You guys should maybe write out your thoughts right now. On that note, I don't think this is going to ever happen again. It will. Have you talked to him yet? It will. It's the second time. Are we sure the first time that we found it was the first time it happened?

2:06:48Pat McAfee:Yeah, so then we were told about another time that actually happened last year on a Friday where I go, ooh, what happened? And they go, ooh, what, and run back in there. I don't know. There's a lot of different defenses going on right now. So I just know that we need to stop it. Fucking hit it! That picture is disgusting, by the way. It happened last year. Allegedly, it happened on a Friday when I was not here. I was just informed of that last evening as we were kind of diving into the evidence and trying to figure this out. It became a fun little game last night just because how passionate everybody truly was about this.

2:07:21Pat McAfee:And when new ideas were presented, we had no stone unturned last night. We really went for it. And there was a new piece of evidence that was brought to the table that would have been good for the first time this happened, I think. This particular time, not really a similar situation. I think we have multiple. I think there's multiple. There's no way. I think so. Did the person, did the suspect, when they were questioned, were they defensive? How did they respond? Which time? This time, right? Like yesterday, last night. Okay, a little bit more. So I believe it's down to two people for both of these.

2:07:59Could you do a slight impression of them of how they responded when they were questioned?

2:08:03Pat McAfee:No, not going to give that away. But I do believe it is multiple people that are doing this. I think the non-wiping of the butt, I didn't know that there's this many people that do it. I didn't know there was one person that did it on the planet. No, I didn't get that information personally. I'm just saying what we are learning here. First time there was no wiping of the butt, there was no toilet paper in that first one. Not that we saw, no. So unless this person wiped their ass and then ate it, which I'm starting to think we might be dealing with someone like that. There's a good chance. Yeah.

2:08:37That would be next. Like the...

2:08:38Pat McAfee:I think it's multiple people, though. That's what... We need... Like the Coneheads. The Coneheads used to eat toilet paper. I'm telling you, I'm a little bit worried. What, you think they're like a team? They're like, hey, here we go. This is what we're doing? No, I think independent contractors, both of them. There's two of the dumbest fucking people you've ever met. Absolute buffoonery of the highest order. Two of the worst people in the fucking... No, no. No one shits in that stall ever. And if you do, you shouldn't. There's way too many options. I don't know. Bill told me that's right. He's seen one person shitting there a lot of times.

2:09:07Yeah, I've seen people shitting in there.

2:09:09Pat McAfee:There's been a lot of people that have eyes on things all of a sudden, you know, quickly. Yeah, exactly. And a lot of people that always do this are always going in this bathroom. Well, who is it then? One of those fucking people, too. Who is it then, Connor? He doesn't know. He's got his emotions on it. If I fucking knew, there'd be one less person here today. No! Come on. You guys can't be talking like that. You can't kill them, but someone gets suspended. You could kill them, yeah. Suspension, yeah, right. Everybody's got like six jobs here. We can't just be jumping people off. Indiana law, you could kill them.

2:09:40I wouldn't do that, but I would make their life fucking hell. They wouldn't be able to get to work. Oh, we already can.

2:09:47Pat McAfee:60 to 90 days. 120 to 240 days this roundabout here. We got full road closures. Like a mile out each way. Blocked roads. except for local. Just for the roundabout or is it other stuff? Well, there's like a bunch of neighborhoods in here. The amount of people that are just driving through those things, I mean, that has to be in the thousands. Oh, yeah. In the blocked off area. And obviously with the four-way that's right out here, you have to go around. So these neighborhoods obviously have this. It is crazy times. I guess there was an announcement on the Facebook. It's going to be about 60 minutes.

2:10:19It's not showing up on like GPS apps either. That like there's a road closure. So people are just driving up here like they normally would and then just like, what the fuck is going on? And then they have to cut through one of the neighborhoods.

2:10:30Pat McAfee:Yeah, but it's going to get done easy. Now, I thought we had already been doing this a lot of times. We've already lost power in the internet multiple times. They haven't done anything. That's what I'm learning. They haven't been doing anything. It's going to be quick. They're already laying the groundwork. They're going to, yeah, they're going to fucking blow through it. Yeah, you're probably right. No, no delays. It's going to take fucking two weeks. We know the lads out there are awesome dudes. We've talked to the construction workers. Now, the planning from the top, Don, I think there's going to be some interesting timelines.

2:10:58Well, and the problem is it rains for about two weeks at a time. So when it rains, typically construction just gets delayed until it's done raining. And, I mean, we just got out of a two-week window. So that's why I'm saying we have two weeks here before it starts raining for like a month straight.

2:11:13Pat McAfee:Yeah, like two months maybe. Yeah, so they have two weeks to do this. Remember, we don't see the sun for four or five months. Now, if you're a free agent looking to sign with the Colts, you should see the palm trees out here. It is. Isn't the beach awesome out here? We do have a beach up here. Yeah, we do. Right there on the lake. Don't go in the water. No, touch the sand, not the water. Yeah, do not go in the water. There's E. coli in there. But the beach is nice. Not just a little E. coli. No, like a bunch. Like, you will get really fucking sick if you go in there. It's interesting. But you can hang out on the sand, which is what we have.

2:11:47Pat McAfee:Exactly. Boom. Right there. Boom. Look at that. That's real? Yeah, that's real. And if you're a free agent, that can all be available to you. That kid is really close to the water. Yeah. You'd be shocked how many people still just go fuck up. Parents got arrested last week. That's how Mick got how he is. That explains a lot. Now he doesn't know how to flush a toilet. Whoa, that sounds like Tony. Tony's number one prospect. Tony thinks it is. Okay, that's an interesting little. Now we got people on the record starting to say so. Yeah, but Mick said that he only poops in the woman's bathroom. and we've heard from sources that's not true.

2:12:22Yeah, so... Whoever did it, I would assume, is feeling the pressure. All right, Tony, what source said that that's not true? And I was cleaning up dog shit on the fucking floor. Tell him, man. Do not say that I am the master shitter. Everybody knows where I shit and when I shit because it's honestly... I take too long. Yeah, I know. Because guess what? Kind of. Maybe I'm smoking a little bit. in the bathroom.

2:12:47Pat McAfee:I have to be away from him. I have to be in a certain stall. I'm drug testing him tomorrow. Now, someone who is smoking in the bathroom all the time would be a prime prospect to forget to wipe their fucking ass. Well, I don't like that narrative. I don't like that narrative. I don't like that narrative. They would be. I don't like that narrative. Now, with that being said, I've only ever seen Mitt poop in the woman's bathroom. And if I ever did see him poop in the men's bathroom, it was the most disgusting, smelly poop you've ever smelled. but from the handicap stall. I've never seen him poop in the stall that was in question.

2:13:20Pat McAfee:Okay. Well, and also, he was putting in that work yesterday. I don't think it was Mitt. I don't think it was Mitt. Just from hearing his voice, I don't think it was him. I don't think you know everything, though. I don't think you know everything that's been said. You're right. I don't. Now, I do not believe it. Once again, Tone is the only one who has said who he thinks it is. Off the record. Yeah, he is the only one. I've gotten texts from a lot of others that agree with me. Oh, really? Off the record? Yeah. Okay. Interesting. We'll get to the bottom of it. Okay, let's take a break. Let's come back on the other side.

2:13:47Pat McAfee:Let's hit all the headlines that we didn't get a chance to chat about. I'll tell you, the college football craziness is absurd, actually. Like, that shit's crazy. Fucking don't. The school – me too. I would like football to start. And, you know, we've been pounding the drum that once football starts, nobody's going to talk about this. Go UT, Mark. Let's go Youngstown State. Yeah. But, I mean, if that kid gets a touchdown first week and does something. Go up 33-0 on club. Yeah, no. That's going to immediately just be like, look at y 'all. Also, how many tight ends does Lane need? What if he goes, guess who's back?

2:14:24Guess who's back? What if he scores three touchdowns against Ole Miss? Fucking world's going to implode down there. They just gave their starting tight end number seven. You know what that means at LSU? They don't need another one.

2:14:36Pat McAfee:Yeah, I think you have kind of gotten to the point where you're like, is this worth all the shit that's going on right now? I stand with Kirby. He said, hey, these boys have been fighting with me for eight months. I'm not going to give them some job to some guy that just got here. I fucking love Kirby, bro. He's the best. Oh, yeah. Okay, I missed that. Well, that's kind of where I'm at. It's like I get we're doing like, hey, if they're not playing for us, they're going to be playing for someone else. But we're not hearing that from anybody else. We're only hearing it from Lane and LSU. So until we hear it from something else, I'm thinking this fucking guy is orchestrating everything.

2:15:05He's the only one talking about it. He's the only one who wants to do it because everyone is coming out and being like, yeah, it's not right. I don't think we're going to do it. But apparently, everybody's fucking reaching out to these guys. If you're not playing with us, you're going to be playing with somebody else. Yeah, well, you know. I don't fucking buy that until I see it.

2:15:25Pat McAfee:So, is Lane being told by agents that other people are involved? Maybe. Maybe. Is Lane doing the negotiating directly, or is that a GM that's doing this, and he's just kind of doing the talking, and, you know, where the information's coming from? I think it is a very interesting piece of information. if anybody ends up on any other teams. Like if it only benefits LSU and the injunction was in Baton Rouge. Which thus far. Publicly, that's what's being stated. But we don't know what's happening behind closed doors negotiations and everything like that. We don't know who's talking to who. We don't know what players says there's what.

2:15:58Pat McAfee:Dozens of these guys, allegedly, that could fall into these particular injunctions. I think other states have them as well. But if it's only LSU, I think that's going to be real loud. I think that is going to probably have the SEC, because LSU already voting against this happening. I think it's going to get real loud if it's just LSU. Now, granted, the Ole Miss NIL, Walker. Walker Jones. Great name to be in the school. Walker Jones comes out and says, we didn't do any. We didn't do any negotiating. No, there was none of that from us. So that's them clearing their name with this particular player.

2:16:37but we have seen the SEC recruiting trail

2:16:41Pat McAfee:potentially go through some muddy waters in the past. And I'm not saying Ole Miss. I'm saying Lane thinks that other people are doing this as well. Will that happen? We find out. And that's where the entire conversation kind of begins and ends. And some of the other examples was like Texas with that offensive lineman, but that kid didn't transfer in. That kid went to Texas, then went to a mini camp, then went back to Texas. They didn't get him from some other school. So that adds another layer. Like the Indiana guys, The two guys from Indiana who are trying to play again. They're just not transferring from a different school to Indiana.

2:17:11And those guys got hurt. So they're basically just getting like a medical red shirt to play another year.

2:17:15Pat McAfee:Kid from Texas tried out, right? It was two tryouts. Is that what they were considered? Yeah. Didn't make the weekend. Just going back to the college he was at the year before. Oh, man. Whew. It's going to get hot in the kitchen. I am just kind of tired of talking about it. And I just want the season to start because it's fucking horse shit that this is all we're talking about right before. Is Kirk doing it? No, they would never because he's fucking got integrity. And it's college football. It's not, oh, you weren't quite good enough to make an NFL team. Why don't we fucking give you a million bucks to come back and play for us this year?

2:17:47It's college fucking football. You saw it. Big Ten's going to lead from the front. We're not going to be fucking taking any bullshit from the back, okay? You want to play with these guys? You're going to get suspended six games. There's going to be institutional penalties. This is college fucking football. This ain't you played six months with the Cleveland Browns, four months with the Cleveland Browns. You're not fucking good enough to make the team. Come on back. We got you. Maybe you'll catch 15 touchdowns this year and be first team All-American, and maybe you'll get drafted in the third round next year.

2:18:16Let's try it out. No, we ain't ever going to fucking do that. Kurt get a five-star freshman quarterback and sit his ass until his junior year just out of spite because guess what? We got fucking these guys who have been putting in the work that have been here, which I don't necessarily love that, but that's just the way it is. And I'm good with that.

2:18:35Pat McAfee:I'll tell you what. People are saying maybe Iowa's getting some of these NFL guys. Isn't that what they were saying? They were saying maybe the Iowa Hawkeyes. No one is saying that. No one is saying that because we do it the right way. You got Raisin Heklinski. Yeah, well, maybe. We still haven't fucking name a story like quarterback yet. Well, I thought we were Raisin Heklinski. I think we're going to see him and Hank Bryan quite a bit week one, and then we'll kind of go from there. Henry. I like Hank hanging on. Yeah. I like that, putting up a fight. Consider me a heck Linsky guy. I want to raise some heck this year, but, you know, I trust Kurt.

2:19:08Pat McAfee:Big Ten's going to lead from the front. I like Lanning, his first coach that came out, right, and said, you're an NFL guy, you're an NFL guy. Get the fuck out. Respect. That's why I'm wearing the O today. Because we staying with them. How about you, D-Bot? I don't stay with Mario Cristobal and Coach Kandel. Mario. Another guy who would not fucking welcome any of his guys back because he set them free. Pretty sure. Yeah. Crew and classes he's got. AJ, where do you stand? I stand with Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Okay, and if they sign a guy from the NFL? I side with whatever decision they make to make the ball club better.

2:19:51Trying to win games around here. We're trying to win games. We don't want to get fired.

2:19:55Pat McAfee:There's going to be a lot of that. I think you guys are going to be all right. If we got a couple guys coming from the NFL, my tune would change pretty quickly, but I know it's not going to happen. So I don't even need to go there. And I don't have a coach team, so I can stand on my high ground. You certainly can. You can grandstand the shit out of that because you're going to go low somewhere else. You're kind of balancing it out. I get it. I get it. If it's just LSU, I think this is over. I think that's the other part of it is that I'm sick of Lane Kiffin being like, what are we doing? What are we doing?

2:20:26Playing victim. And then also doing the shit that pisses everybody off. Like, why are they pissed? Everybody can do it. It's like, dude, shut the fuck up. I'm sick of that shit. Bruce. Have been sick of this shit.

2:20:38Pat McAfee:It feels like Lane lost con man a little bit over the last, I don't know how, in the last 24 hours. Because he was on the show yesterday. I was listening to him. I'm like, alright, Lane obviously has his reasons, and that's just how it's going to be. I thought it was just going to roll on to the next one. And then the Big Big Ten's saying, I don't think so. The SEC's saying, I don't think so. LSU voting 16-0. Conor's like, this guy's literally just acting by himself. I'm sick of this fucking... He fucking lost me last year. When he came on, he's like, hey, I got this documentary. It's coming out.

2:21:05It's going to be pretty cool. And I watched it fucking Wednesday night. E60. Awesome. All of a sudden, I'm like, I like Lane Kiffin. Then, I don't know, in January, he decides to leave his program that he can easily stay at, be like the most legendary coach in the history of the program. And then he's acting like, they won't let me coach. I don't know why. I'm trying to coach. I don't know why they won't let me. But they won't. And it's not my fault because I want to be here for the next two weeks. It's like, dude, okay, playing victim. Then once again, we're doing this again right now with all these fucking guys.

2:21:36It's like, okay, you know what, Lane? I hope you go 6-6 and they fucking run you out of town. I hope it's a miserable experience.

2:21:44Pat McAfee:They got a$50 million roster down there. Exactly. Allegedly. I mean, who knows what's real? Who knows what's real and what isn't real? But it's like, I don't think they're going to go 6-6. And that's why this all happens. Because Lane is going to win bowl games. And that's why it'd be awesome. Because it wouldn't be the first time there's high expectations and it fucking burns down at the hands of Lane Kiffin. And I'm not praying on that to happen. But if it were to happen, I ain't fucking grabbing a hose and saying, give this guy a break. And saying, look what this fucking guy did to your team.

2:22:14Where's Brian Kelly? Where's Brian Kelly? Bring Brian Kelly back.

2:22:20Pat McAfee:Yo, money, we gave the guy. We gave the guy. And look who the agent, the tax payer going to pay that. Jeff Landry. I wonder how he feels about all this. He probably loves it. Yeah. As long as they're fucking 1-0. Have you heard about the women's basketball team, what happened? I guess there's been some news over the last couple days. Have you heard about this? No, about Peace Prize, something like that? That's what they were going for. Hoping for. which I like because sports do kind of unify and bring people together. People from different backgrounds have the ability to lock in. Can you turn that...

2:22:55Pat McAfee:People from different backgrounds have the ability to kind of lock in. We're not going to take a break. We're just going to go through this stuff. Why would we? Sure. Go take five and then come back to do... No, no, no. We should do it right here. We'll test everybody's bladders. And I have to piss real bad. Me too. I'm ready to go. Yeah, I got to piss pretty good, too. Legs are pretty deeply crossed right now. I've got to save myself from myself. But I don't know if you heard, AJ, down at LSU, the women's basketball team. Obviously, the men's football team, big conversation. The men's basketball team, big conversation for similar things.

2:23:29Pat McAfee:The women's basketball team, Coach Malky actually, she had these visions of unifying a war-torn territory. She thought to herself, if we can get somebody from both sides of this war in the same locker room and on the same court shooting at the same hoop, we can maybe bring two countries together that have potentially been in war for what it seems like forever. Yeah. Long time. Did I play from Israel? Nope. No, no, a different one. And Palestine. Nope. Nope. I don't think. That's next. She might. That's what she should. We don't know. They might try that next. Yeah, we don't know. We don't know where her scouts are.

2:24:08Pat McAfee:Different one. But we do know she had – Buffalo assistance. She had a scout in Ukraine. Mm-hmm. They had a Ukrainian player. Mm-hmm. And then say, you know what? We can be the ones that do this. Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Women's college basketball. We can be the ones that can end it over there. Brings in a Russian player. Okay, we got a Ukrainian player on the team. Got a Russian player on the team now. This could be a shining example to the world about coming together and what we are. She says all these. Ukrainian girl quits. I ain't doing this. Dad's in the military. No way am I doing that. She leaves the team.

2:24:45Pat McAfee:So Coach Mulkey has these grand ideas of bringing everybody together. I guess she didn't run them by. The Ukrainian representation of the conversation brought the Russian on the team. Ukrainian said, get me out of here. I'm not doing it. Now, was she already going to leave the team? Was there a chance she had ideas before this? It wasn't exactly directly because of this. but it just feels like a lot of potential L's in LSU happening back to back to back to back. But the idea that she had bringing the world together. I like that. I like that a lot. I just think she kind of misread the war. Maybe.

2:25:17Yeah. Maybe a tad. Yeah. Although I, I'm reading here. Moki told the Ukrainian player, she could not pass in a good basketball player just because of war between two countries. But I heard it did work. I heard Putin saw this and was like, cease fire. Cease fire. Just for the moment. Yeah. For like extended time being. Huge Tiger fans. We'll pick this up after March. So I don't know. Let the girls play the basketball. So I'm not, you know, that might have been AI. That might not have been real, but I did see that. You did see that? Okay. The first thing he said in the Paul Burrow. And then he took off from the foul line.

2:25:52Just poof.

2:25:53Pat McAfee:Oh, he said high-exceled elbows? Yeah. That's what he said? Wow. See, that's what Coach Mulkey was trying to do. It didn't last long, but at least it lasted. Right? I guess we should be happy about that. Their men's team has about four guys heading into first semester right now because they got a bunch of G League guys, and this thing was like, hey, all those guys can't play anymore. So I think they got like half a roster at LSU for basketball. So just thinking about the future, if you want to take the under on their team total wins, that is probably a very, very, very good idea. For the LSU men's basketball?

2:26:26Yeah, they added five guys from professional leagues.

2:26:29Pat McAfee:So you're saying because of what the SEC said? Yeah, they have like six guys on their roster right now. Wow. And it's August 26th. Their head coach, Will Wade, serial fucking cheater. So he will figure it out. What do you mean? He's just been caught up in some scandals? He got fired at LSU initially for cheating. Had to go somewhere else. Went to McNeese State with Amir Khan, Mr. Ora King. Got them to the tournament. Cut bait real quick. Went to NC State. Got them pretty decent. Cut bait real quick. Let me go back to LSU. They're good with me being a cheater. I'm going to go back and use those resources.

2:27:05Pat McAfee:But how do you keep going up these jobs if he was getting caught up in things? You're saying he did cheat at one point. Oh, yeah. That's why. Not at all the points. He's winning games. I'm kind of guessing, you know. Yeah, like, you know, do people give a shit if he was cheating at McNeese State? Probably not. That's why he got fired from LSU. It was like a big scandal. And then he left, and then he's kind of just. But, you know, it's kind of in college basketball, I feel like it's, you know, once a cheater, always a cheater. These guys cheat, get fired, doesn't matter. they end up getting a big-time job elsewhere.

2:27:34Time heals all wounds.

2:27:36Pat McAfee:Yeah, but maybe this, and to tie it back to what Petiti said and what Senke said and what the ACC and the Big 12 is, maybe what we needed all along was these conferences to police themselves. And we found our way here. Thank you, Lane Kiffin. Thank you, Lane. Yep. And that's what I think Lane will probably say. Yeah, probably. Yeah. You're welcome. Because there's now a coaching when you can get hired. Right? Lane Kiffin rule, I believe. Shout out. Now there's going to be one for this. You've got to change college ball. Trailblazer. You know, the distance between a villain and a hero. Uh-huh. Not that far.

2:28:16Pat McAfee:I heard that recently. And that Lane Kiffin coaching rule thing, actually a great thing for college football. Yeah. Incredible. Needed. Because last year was, that was insanity. That was my first real, like, this isn't real life. Yeah, it is. and actually we're talking about it right now. Yeah, but this doesn't feel like it's real life. What do you mean? You're trying to win a national championship somewhere else. You can win a national championship. You're doing a decision to win a national championship. You actually, yeah, but it doesn't matter. We're going to talk about it. What the fuck? This doesn't seem real.

2:28:47Pat McAfee:How is this even real? They're like, yeah, this is just the way it has to be, man. Just got to start recruiting for the other school, man. Just can't be there. Got to get out of here. See you later right now. It's like in the middle of a playoff run. Doesn't feel like the timing's a little bit wrong. Yeah, but this way it is. They won't let him coach. He can't recruit anybody. He's not allowed in the building. You got to sweep it for bugs. I mean, what a fucking wild world, college footballers. I mean, just that situation in and of itself, let alone everything else that's going on everywhere. Thank God for it.

2:29:14Pat McAfee:Thank God for sports. Thank God. Summerall, he was doing the exact same thing. He had Tulane, but he already had the Florida job, and he basically said, like, I'm doing two full-time jobs right now. So he's very difficult. I'm trying to get us ready to win, you know. But I also, like, I got to build a team up in Florida where there's a lot of stuff that needs to get done there. Who did he bury? He buried Dano, Summerall. Yes. Yes, he did. Dano, Florida. Yep. Yeah. He posted a picture of Dano sniffing shoes. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, that's right. Dano sniffing some shoes. Why did he do that? He said something about pedicures.

2:29:47Dano did. Yeah. Like, guys who get pedicures or weirdos or something like that.

2:29:51Pat McAfee:Yeah, he's 100 % against. Yeah. I remember that one really big. It did. Listen, you do what you got to do. I got a lot of people that I know they have to take care of their feet for a living. You know, like I think a lot of athletes at this point decided to take care of their feet. People in the past did not. I hate the feeling. Really? Oh, yeah. Really? I hate it. Great pedicure. You love the feeling? Oh, yeah. See, I get real uncomfortable. The bottom of my feet, I think, get a little bit weirdly sensitive. The grinding of the – I don't like the feeling. I'm not against it. Go do it. I've done it multiple times.

2:30:22Pat McAfee:But I only enjoy really a couple parts of it. At the end, I think they do the salt, the sea salt. The stones on the calves. It's a great part. I mean, that's an incredible part. But when they're going to work on my feet, I don't really like the feeling of it at all. When they start doing the grating of shit. I tell them no files allowed. Yeah, I don't like it. The Epsom salt. I'm not against it. You do what you got to do. But I'm just saying, like, I don't really prefer the feeling. You do petty, maybe? Oh, yeah. Yeah, I think a lot of people have started doing it. Pedicure, manicure. Yeah, I've never done a mani, but the petty, the best.

2:30:54Pat McAfee:I don't like the feeling of it, so that's why I don't do it. But I appreciate that people are taking care of themselves. Which takes us back to let's make sure we're wiping after we poop. Well said. Even just flushing. If you want to live your fucking life like that without wiping your ass, fine. Flush the toilet. I think we would smell them. What else does this person not? That's what I mean. We would smell them. You gotta wash your ass, I believe, is red. We share things. We touch the sink. Yes, exactly. Oh, my gosh. you know a lot of things that we sanitize the whole place we are actually cleaners coming in today funny funny you say if someone doesn't wipe then there's probably other things they're neglecting in their life that's pretty yeah i would think so yeah yeah which kind of maybe opens up the nope not going to get into that what's that just sounds like tone thinks he knows who it is i did a private investigation i interviewed a lot of people in here um and that's where the evidence lead.

2:31:52Pat McAfee:Okay. It sounds like you might have had a little bit of a... No, nothing personal. All right. I don't know if that sounds real or not. Whoever it is has to just keep going with it, though. Now they can't be like, all right, guys. It was me. I'll give them$100, actually. Wow. I'll match. I'll match. Five? No. Give some sickhead in here$100 because they won't openly say that they're shipping the toilet. It's a ploy. You just say you're going to give them money and then they say that they did and then we fucking beat the shit out of him. Okay, yeah, then sure. I will also match a hundred bucks. You got it.

2:32:30You know what? I'll give him a hundred thousand bucks. There we go, Ty. That's very kind of you.

2:32:35Pat McAfee:Thank you for the Thunderdome culture. You could do the old lie detector situation, like bring a legit lie detector. Dude, great idea. Great fucking idea. Yes. I like that. Now, granted, you know, So somebody will step on a tack. Somebody will step on a tack here. Put a penny underneath your tongue. Anybody that's doing that ain't that bright. Nope. They definitely are. Anybody that's doing that will definitely swindle their way through this. For sure. I told Pat last time, please not do that because my brain is so weak that my brain will convince myself that I'm the one doing it. Yeah, I think that's why they don't really let it carry into court, but it certainly has done talk shows great justice for a long time.

2:33:16Pat McAfee:Those are crazy days watching TV. you see a guy sitting up there. And I guess at this point, you know, that was one of the work. No, it couldn't have been. No, that was 100 % real. No, that was a shoot, brother. 100 % real. That was a shoot, brother. Which programs? All of them. Like Maury? All of them. Maury, Steve, Jerry, you name it. Anyone that happened. Jerry's was definitely for real. Sally, Jesse, Raphael, Ricky Lake. Sally was for real. Ricky was for real. Ricky Lake. Ricky Lake. It was a run. Beast. Absolute beast. Those were good old days. Oh, yeah. and they would trot somebody out there just right in front of everybody to see.

2:33:51Pat McAfee:Are you the biggest piece of shit that ever exists? No. That's a lie. This guy is the biggest piece of shit. And then guess what? The next episode somehow, they found a bigger piece of shit. And they just kept rolling them out there. That was an unbelievable casting job. There's no way that was a work. Those were all shoots. Good work by them scouting out all those situations and getting them on television. What if we get O's in here to do some of his mental fuckery. I don't think his shit holds up. I was going to say, isn't he a fraud? What? No, that was proven wrong. Was it? I don't know. He did something to me at the backstage of the Espies.

2:34:27Pat McAfee:I was really fucked up. Whoa. You are? Okay. Let me rephrase that. If we could dump that from the record. I ran into O's backstage of the Espies. He did a little trick. He did a little mental trick. And he guessed Chris Larman's name, Slur Monster. I don't know how O's would ever know the Slur Monster. Legitimately, I have no idea how he would know that. So I was all the way back in. As soon as he did that, I'm like, this is exactly the shit. Just like when he got you. I was about to say he did my phone right there. My daughter's nickname with an emoji. With the emoji next to it. There's been some videos on that one, too.

2:35:04Whoa. Send me that, AJ. I need it. Yeah, me too. That'll make me. It's long. You got in a really long situation. Hawk's always been a disbeliever. He has. I'm not a disbeliever. He does unbelievable stuff. O's is amazing. There's not wizards walking this earth, fellas. I disagree. I'm just going to let you know on a little secret. Don't want to break your heart. We don't know that. You don't know that? I do. So you don't think there's aliens in it? Picasso, he's a genius. He's a wizard.

2:35:34Pat McAfee:He is kind of a wizard, I think, with what he's able to do. But you're not a believer in... I'm a believer in doing great tricks and illusions and all of that and magic tricks. I'm not a believer that somebody is reading my mind or your mind. Okay, I mean, fucking Chris Larman. I don't know. That's a deep pull there. I don't know how he would have got... Like I said, very good at what he does. Amazing at what he does. He's not climbing into your little brain and figuring out what you're thinking, though. We don't know. Your big brain, sorry. No, a little brain. He got a little brain here. A lot of air.

2:36:05A lot of air. It's got to get out. I'm pretty sure, AJ. It does.

2:36:08Pat McAfee:Yeah, there's not even open-minded. I thought you were an open-minded. Oh, I'm very open-minded, but this has been a thing for years and years they've been trying to do. Look at Penn and Teller. They give a billion dollars if someone can prove that they're a mentalist or they can read your mind or whatever. Guess what? No one's stepped up yet. Yeah, but Penn and Teller have been fooled before. They get a big FU trophy called the FU Duff. You ever watch that? You ever watch that show? I had a good show. It was a good show. Great show. I love magic. I really love magic. But I do appreciate the fact that somebody took an hour and a half to break down that it was the mentalist.

2:36:39And I think if that's happening, you did good.

2:36:43Pat McAfee:I think your gimmick worked. Yeah. And people actually watched it like, what the fuck? What? Yeah. You did good, Deros. And he's running like 27 miles a day somehow. He does a marathon every day. That's kind of crazy. So maybe a little bit of a. No, maybe AJ is right. I guess he would have won a lotto or something. Yeah. I have a tough time putting Big Night out of my head. There's actually a rule for that if you use it for that kind of purpose. I will never forget that. Yeah, but he was... 37 steps. That thing fell flatter in a fucking pancake. Yeah, but that was a crowd full of drunk yinzers.

2:37:20Drunken yinzers out there. Doesn't matter. The brain turns into a concrete wall. He's a mentalist. No, it does. You've got to fight through that. I wasn't drunk. That is true, Ty.

2:37:29Pat McAfee:I mean, him trying to do that to an entire arena of yinzers. It was an aggressive move. It was. I thought it was an aggressive trick. Those brains were barely firing at that point. It wasn't that late in the night, man. I know they're drinking all day. No, it was like 47 different inputs into your iPhone calculator. Yeah, it was a bunch of, yeah. That's the problem. None of those people know how to use their iPhone. Wasn't he just trying to get you to spill boobs on your calculator upside down? Yeah, I think so. No, it wasn't. Yeah. That is what it was. 8 ,085. Like Steelers, go Steelers, boobs.

2:38:00Pat McAfee:5 ,808 or something like that. Yeah, something like this. Yeah. I was like, I don't fucking know. It was the worst thing I've ever seen. Worst thing you've ever seen? I mean, as far as mentalist stuff goes, it was basically David Blaine hanging in a harness with a bunch of balloons. No, that was way better, actually. All right, let's get to a break until tomorrow. We're on 1 o 'clock tomorrow, 1 to 4. 1 p.m. We are so close to, like, actual season. Yes. We are still off-season right now. Yes. Regular season hasn't kicked off. What an off-season it's been. It's been a lot to happen. AJ came a little bit of a wizard, a little bit of an alien here with the neon light behind his head on this particular graphic.

2:38:41Pat McAfee:So he doesn't believe in wizards. D-Butt, not going to be here tomorrow. D-Butt going back. Great work this week. Thank you, D-Butt. My daughter got to play a buff match tomorrow, too. Nice. Good luck. Here we go. Oh, yeah. Who? Sophomore season. Oh, my bad. Your daughter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Who does she play? Is it just like a whole area? How's it going? Oh, yeah. Usually like, I think six, four, either four or six schools, however many schools, and then it's a few of them on different tees, and they play nine. A little jamboree. Yep. You guys got people moving balls like Foxy said he did in the school?

2:39:10Pat McAfee:Oh, yeah. Entrenching the greens, I guess? I was alarming when Foxy put that because, you know, this daughter in particular, she is by the book. She doesn't like to cheat. She's very – and I'm like, hey, you know. Yeah, I was going to say. They tell us we can't even, as parents, help your kid find the ball. She has an – well, actually – Yeah, you don't do that. Yeah, it's very kind of you. Play that close to your chest. I mean, I respect that, but also for the good of the team, in this case, cheating would actually help. No, Foxy, see, this is what we're saying, Foxy. But it could hit you, though, and go in the fairway.

2:39:41Her drive hits you. Oh, yeah. Exactly. Oh, for sure. I'll take that one for the team.

2:39:45Pat McAfee:You're trying to Erling Haaland. Mm-hmm. Bicycle kick. Yeah. Oh, I didn't see that ball there. Your foot just bops that thing into the fairway. Don't be doing that. We need the integrity of fucking golf. This is what they're saying. Shrink the game. And then you need to teach her, like, You need to walk 30 yards ahead of her group. She needs to walk 30 yards ahead of her group. Oh, my ball's on the green. You marked that thing about 10 feet closer than it actually was on the green. That's the one. No way. This is disgusting. What is happening here? Don't be doing this. Just right there from me.

2:40:17I like that one.

2:40:18Pat McAfee:Don't be doing any of this. And don't be tackling anybody on the golf course. No. People don't like that. No, they don't. Since the beginning of time. Who does that? It's not good, good. I'll go. Be a friend, tell a friend, something nice might change your life. We're in this thing together. Rest in peace, Dolly Parton. Well said. Well said, Bunch. For Dolly. Before I get out here, love you, Dolly. Miss you, Dolly. Rest in peace, Dolly. Thank you for your contribution to society. Very wide-ranging folks mourning Dolly Parton's passing. Flags are at half-staff, I see. Yeah. Not just flags. Damn right.

2:40:56Pat McAfee:Be a friend, tell a friend, something nice might change your life. That was a good one. That's pretty good. Pretty good. Safe travels. Thank you, brother. AJ, get your state in order. Yep, yep, yep. Just like the commissioners are seemingly doing for their conference.

2:41:16Pat McAfee:Ty, tomorrow's going to be a good day. I hope so.

2:41:23Iowa's got a big game in the LLWS today. That's kind of all I'm thinking about. Ohio dominated New Jersey Curacao? Yeah Curacao You

2:41:36Pat McAfee:We'll see you Tomorrow at 1 o 'clock AJ will be in Stew. Wow Team on me, team on three for the good of Sport baby. One, two, three, team

2:41:46Marcus Spears:Goodbye In ESPN's wild world Of college football Every Saturday begins with A ritual and then The migration turns to mayhem. Predators hunt. Territories are defended. Rivals clash. In this wild world, legends are unleashed on Saturdays. No one brings you closer to the wild than ESPN. College football and ESPN kicks off August 28th. Witness the wild on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN app.

2:42:19Pat McAfee:A new podcast series from ABC Audio in 2020 goes inside a case that has captivated the nation. To many people, Luigi Mangione is a modern-day Robin Hood. People were cheering the demise of this person they'd never met, who was a father of two and a husband and had a life and was just doing a job. From the manhunt ending in a McDonald's in Altoona, Pennsylvania, to what authorities are saying about a possible motive. I'm ABC News legal analyst Brian Buckmeyer. Listen to Burden of Proof, Luigi Mangione, wherever you get your podcasts.