PMS 2.0 1613 - Feel Good Friday With Mark Schlabach, Chris Sale, JJ Watt, Peter Schrager, Pro Football Ireland's Michael McQuaid, & AJ Hawk

16:25Pat McAfee:Sure, yeah. Also, the people that patrol the lakes, the DNR. Yeah. They got great boats. We got five of them across the back. We're going crazy. I got massive respect for everybody. We don't really have a lot of predators around here in Indiana. I don't know how they're going to fit. I think you got to get one in big nets. Yeah, I think you got to get one of them. There are some predators in the history, I guess, depending upon how you look at the word predator. I was talking about jungle cats and such. That's on me. Yeah, animals, which one of the biggest in the history. But nonetheless, I don't know if we got enough nets to potentially.

17:03Well, who took this picture? Why did they not trank this thing?

17:06Pat McAfee:So this would be a hunting camera, if I had to guess, probably out there with any motion to get a good shot on it. and normally would be on field potentially. Could be for them checking their field or could be strictly for hunting. Who knows what they're trying to pull there. But, yeah, we got a harness on. So been around humans before. We just got to hope that they like. And a little baby in tow. And I think they're going to be able to do whatever they want in Indiana. I don't know if we got anything that's going to be able to stop them. Now, you got a lot of Indiana folks that do have guns and stuff that could potentially want to kill this.

17:38Pat McAfee:But I think this thing's up in a tree with the baby. Nobody knows it exists, comes down, kills any animal it wants. Okay, this is dropping an actual something in a hen house. What is the wolf? It's a wolf in a hen house. I don't know how we stop this, but I don't know what it would have to fornicate with for this to be a long-term problem. But I do think that this is certainly going to be something we're going to have to monitor. Yeah, isn't this right? Maybe. And I don't know what animal we have here in Indiana. I genuinely, maybe a horse. I don't know. We got a lion. Make some cool new hybrid we don't have yet.

18:09That'd be cool.

18:09Pat McAfee:The liger is a real problem, right? We'll see him on an hour. Yeah, horse lion would be sweet. Isn't this what Adam Vinatieri's been training for his whole entire life, basically? Why isn't Adam Vinatieri just walking around right now with his bow and arrow? He might be. I'd go back because it has a baby. So let's just trank it. If it wasn't walking around with a baby, kill it. Sure. Okay, that baby, though, could certainly get your dog and my dog. That's fine. Take my dog. What? Joining us now is a damn good dog back from Atlanta, obviously. modern golf tourney and college sports as a whole. Last gem, Mark Schlauble.

18:47Sorry, Pat. That was my attorney, Jackie Childs, calling another year at Norcross High School.

18:54Pat McAfee:You can't do it. We've heard the judges, though, do kind of carry a heavy gavel, as they say down there south. We'll get into that. Cam, six under after getting a bogey there on 12. You said record alert. Can you give us any other updates from the golf course and what you project for the next couple days before we dive into judges in Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky, and many others. Yeah, Sam Burns is two under as well. Yeah, like I said, they got rain early Thursday. Pretty good downpour, about a third of an inch. The rough juice is sticky. It's sticky. You keep it in the fairway, I think you're going to be pretty good.

19:26Minwoo hit 16 out of 18 greens yesterday and gained about three and a half strokes putting. That's not his normal strength, But, look, he's a guy that was coming off two really bad finishes in St. Louis last week and Memphis the week before that. He said he was even going through guys' bags looking at their clubs to try to figure out how to fix his swing and ended up going with some heavier shafts to slow his swing down. And he found it yesterday. But, you know, Scotty, hands back to normal. No hand, foot, and mouth disease. No blisters. He's able to rip a club, to grip a club, and he's ripping it right now.

20:02I mean, he was really good with the irons yesterday, too. I think he's second in the field in strokes gained on approach. So if he keeps it in the fairway, he ran into a couple problems yesterday and got out of it with pars. But if he keeps it in the fairway, I think he's going to be tough to beat.

20:16Pat McAfee:How come you guys don't have to tell us over there in the golf media world that he's got blisters all over his body and he's suffering from hand, foot, and mouth out there? He can't even grip a golf club. While I'm saying Scotty came on the show every day, he's going to figure it out. Turns out he was never going to figure it out last week. Couldn't even grip a club. So how come I don't got to know that? Do you guys have rules about that? You know, that's a really good question. And somebody actually asked me that this week. You know, Brian Rolap, the new CEO you guys had on earlier the week, I think, and his team, a lot of NFL guys, they're wondering, do we need to be more transparent about injuries?

20:48Because if I bet a grand on Scottie last week, I'd have been pissed to not know about it. But, you know, illness is one thing, injuries are another. Yeah. You're looking at a guy, Bob.

20:56Pat McAfee:You're looking at a guy that did exactly that. Yeah, so thank you for describing my feelings. but the NHL does like upper body, lower body. They don't really have like specifics. There are professional sports that don't have like super duper niche. We need to know everything type injury reporting. But that one felt like we should have probably heard about it. At least like, hey, you don't know what Scottie's going through right now because he's not playing the best golf. You want bogey, bogey, bogey to start that entire thing. It's like that would have been a nice piece of information, I think, for the world to have while it's happening, let alone gambling on it, just in general.

21:28Pat McAfee:That's not a real thing in the PGA yet? Nah. They're independent contractors. There's no union. They're pretty private people. But, yeah, I think it's – look, if you're going to get in bed with gamblers, gambling sites, and have PGA Tour bet or whatever it is, it's something I think they've got to take a hard look at. I like you old – I don't gamble. I don't gamble. Yeah, I was about to say, I like you old saying, if you're going to get in bed with gambling, it's like it's 2026, Mark. Okay? Grow up. It's not getting in bed with it. This is happening. It has been happening. Maybe not – How many Italians were you from?

22:03Pat McAfee:Where are you from originally down here in Georgia? I'm from Indiana. So no Italians. Okay, got it. Or the Fazoli. I completely understand. The Mennonites up there in Napa. They're running books too, I bet. You could probably get a little action in there. But I think, you know, just the understanding that gambling is a part of the world, I do think it should enhance the things we learn from leagues. I think they should want to be, you know, and I assume Rollap will want to do that. Now, Rollap was on because they were talking about something brand new. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, Mark, he was talking about the new playoff coming in 2028, which goes from 32 to 16 in match play.

22:39Have you had a chance to get the vibe from the top 30 there this week on what they think about it and if they're happy about it? I think most guys are. I talked to Keith Mitchell on Monday. Go Dawg. He was on the future competition committee and was kind of the brainchild of the postseason, according to people I talked to. He said when they first brought it up a couple of years ago, the golfers were like, hell no. You're not determining our season-long earnings and our FedEx Cup bonuses on a match play where I could lose to – I don't want to name anybody. Who's a bad – y 'all give me a bad golfer.

23:13Mark Schlabach:Michael Block. Michael Block. Yeah, lose to Michael Block. What is that? It's a 13-year-old match. You know, Scotty Shepard follows the Michael Block, Blocky, and, you know, doesn't get his$2 million he's owed. So once they determined they were going to split it up with a final 72-hole stroke play tournament to determine the season-long champion and the final points list and then go to match play, guys came on board with it. You know, something Scotty brought up earlier in the week, you know, it's going to be different or a little weird to have that first tournament, that 32-player group play, eight four-man groups, kind of like World Cup, and not have a winner.

23:57That's different for golf. But the World Cup does it. The big thing to me is they've got to get it to Cypress. They've got to get it to Sleepy Hollow in New York. They've got to get it to L.A. Country Club. It's got to be at Iconic Courses. They don't get to very often or haven't been. a tournament on the West Coast and primetime on the East Coast and then come back to the East Coast. Get it out of Atlanta. Get it out of Memphis. Get the swamp-ass tournaments out of here. It's too hot. People have moved on to college football down here. I hate it for Atlanta. I hate it for Eastlake because they've done a great job revitalizing this area of Atlanta.

24:35Bobby Jones played here and walked the grounds and everything, but it's too dang hot.

24:39Pat McAfee:Yeah, I can imagine. In Memphis, they were talking about 104 four or something like that 111 heat index on sunday jeez we're gonna find out who's who there we're gonna find out who's who there you know my take on all the europeans just that don't live in florida just naturally by the heat if we do remember what the world cup was so they're gonna have to celebrate just everybody that punches a ticket to the next week right that's what it's gonna have to be the eight groups uh four you're talking about they're just gonna have to like that's gonna have to be a big celebration like they punched their ticket as opposed to a big build-up for a fun finale hopefully they're able to get to that now let's get off of golf Who's going to win this weekend?

25:15PCU or the golf? Yeah. Oh, you said we're getting off college. Well, last thing.

25:22Pat McAfee:I need you because you might throw like a deep hit here where you might be able to get some more money. Scotty, I'll go on a limb, Scotty. Okay, here's him on the tee box right now, actually, Scotty. Oh, perfect, guys. Yeah, yeah. Good job there, Schlabaugh. He's wearing a hunter green. Right to my right. Hunter green today. It's right to the right of Schlabaugh. Now, technically, he could be anywhere, and to his right could be Scotty, so that tells us nothing. Oh, he's under that tree. That could be him over there. Scotty Sheffield looks fantastic. Can we get a little audio? Oh, it's beautiful.

25:54Pat McAfee:I'll tell you what. Sounds like he likes it. Get the speed in place.

26:02Pat McAfee:Wake up! We don't know what's on the other side there. We don't know if the fairway is kind of bouncing around. We don't really know much about it. It might be position A. Yeah, he'll be good. I assume he's right where he wants to be. I assume Scotty Sheffield did exactly what he wanted to do right there because Scotty's about to win this whole damn thing. That's who Schloba thinks. That's who I think. Here, let's go catch up with Adam Scott for Bernie here. He's 4-under, par 4, 5-14, 6 '11". Playing some of the best golf of his life in late 40s. How do you feel about the long putter? I know that was kind of a topic of discussion over the last few years.

26:36Pat McAfee:He's still using the hockey stick, but he's not anchoring, which I think is a big discussion piece, right, Schlauble? If you don't anchor it, if you don't anchor it. I mean, speaking of anchoring, did y 'all realize Tuesday was Patrick Reed Day and nobody celebrated? He's back on the BGA Tour. Wow. Off the DP. Congratulations to Patrick Reed. And I know you have obviously stuck very close to the live news. Turns out they're probably no longer living, as you used to call them, the barely living tour. You felt really good about that, I remember. Yeah, they're on life support. I don't – Tyrell Hatton over in England or Europe this week said he thought they would play next year, and they're looking at live 2.0.

27:19But, you know, it's – I just – I don't know if there are contingencies on this term sheet that they've signed. You know, is that main investor – you've got to go find another$250 million to John Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. Do I have to sign up for me to give you my money? Do you have to get a television contract? that doesn't involve Fox Business on the weekends. I mean, there's just too many questions for me.

27:44Pat McAfee:A lot of questions, and I'm sure Schlaba is going to get to the bottom of it. He'll write up for ESPN.com, an absolute monster and a beast. A lot of things getting typed up right now are involving courts and injunctions and who's eligible, who's not eligible. Obviously, Ty and most of us hate that this is even a conversation going into a college football season that we expect to be the biggest and best season yet. As our Irish friend Michael McQuaid has said over there at Pro Football Ireland, what are your thoughts on where we're at right now? And why is it always Lane Kiffin, you think? I mean, do we know it's Lane Kiffin?

28:19I mean, it could just be a coincidence that the courts in Baton Rouge and the two of the players are former Ole Miss guys. I mean, you know, we just start accusing Lane.

28:29Pat McAfee:No, no. So Lane's name has certainly been used. an LSU football team might be the only football team that takes advantage of this injunction that was in Baton Rouge. But if you listen to Lane, where he was like, it's not just us, there are others. Now there's a Texas judge that calls Sankey out by name in this entire thing. Like, how do you think this goes? And this is just status quo for the SEC to be this chaotic about everything all the time. I remember I walked past Greg Sankey at SEC media days in Tampa, and I complained about Lane being so boring in his opening monologue when he addressed the whole media.

29:03And Greg Sanky told me, that's the Lane I enjoy. He can't be happy with this version of Lane. I'm surprised he's going to die on this hill before he's even coached a game at LSU. For a backup tight end, he's got one of the best tight ends in the league. And Harris is a good player, but he's not a great player. So it tells me – I got a buddy who's a huge LSU fan. We've been going back and forth all week. I said, it tells me two things. He doesn't think he has a team good enough to beat Ole Miss and Oxford, or B, he just wants to stick it to Ole Miss one more time.

29:37Pat McAfee:Yeah, well, you know, there's been injunctions that have certainly helped Ole Miss that are seemingly being followed by local judges, but not down there at LSU. So that's the entire angle they're going. We'll be there next Saturday, Buzzsaw, Baton Rouge, Houston, Clemson, and Dabo Sweeney. AJ has a question for you, Mark. What do you think of the Texas Longhorns this year? We know Sark, they talk about how talented their roster may be, and I absolutely agree with that. Do you think they're going to find a way to get over the hump, I guess, and take that next step with Sark? Yeah, I think, AJ, I had them fifth in my preseason rankings.

30:11I had Ohio State number one, so you're welcome for that curse. Mark, good job. Nine and three. But, I mean, look, they went all in. I mean, they went all in. They went out and got Cam Coleman, probably the best player in the portal, who was an absolute monster at Auburn with me throwing to him the last couple years. They went out and got Hollywood Smothers from NC State, good running back. Rakeem Brown out of Arizona State as well, so two really good backs. They got to get better on the offensive line. Sark couldn't beat Georgia, so he went and hired Will Muschamp to toughen up his defense a little bit.

30:46Talking to him, he felt they were a little bit thin at linebacker. They kicked a kid off the team last year. But, you know, that game, what is it, Week 2 Ohio State? I think we're going to learn a lot about them. I'm with you. I got to see it before I believe it with Sark because he didn't win any titles at USC. He didn't win any at Washington. Hasn't won one yet at Texas. But they're loaded. And I'm a believer in Arch. I mean, the way he played at the end of last year.

31:09Pat McAfee:All right, Shalabo. We'll see you down the road. We appreciate you. We got to get to a conversation with Chris Sale. He had a big night last night. All right, ladies and gentlemen, it's Mark Shalabo. Yes, Shalabo. Absolute stud. But speaking of that, we got a chance to catch up with the legend this morning, fresh out of an emotional full game shutout to the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of his family where he had a hundred miles an hour for the first time in eight years. We saw the clips. Let's hear it from the man. Cheers. Dude, thank you for joining us fresh out of last night. That's huge. Absolutely, man.

31:36No, thanks for having me on. I told my boys that I was going on your show, and they were like, sick.

31:43Pat McAfee:Well, I want to let you know. I think I saw one of those reactions, actually. I don't know if you've seen the video. I hope you have. Your boy finding out you're going out there for the ninth inning is like one of the most emotional moments I've seen now that I'm dad. You know, like now that I have a three-year-old and a baby boy, it's like the thought of that moment for him is like so huge. I couldn't even imagine how excited you get whenever you see the video back. But let's talk about last night a little bit. You're old as shit, dude. You are old as hell. You are 37, dude. Dude, you're not supposed to be doing full game shutouts and then hitting 100 last night for the first time in like eight years or whatever.

32:21Pat McAfee:Can you just tell me about the emotions of last night and maybe why it was such a special night? And did you know going into the night that it was going to be like that? I mean, I wish I could tell you I knew it was going to be like that. But, you know, anytime you're facing a team like that, you know, you just try to put your best foot forward, right? Like, you know it's going to be a dogfight. You know it's not going to come easy. Um, you know, with the family stuff, it's fun just cause like, I'm glad I don't see that stuff until after the game. Cause I mean, that's just, that's so special. Like, I mean, just look at that.

32:53I mean, how, how can you not get just fired up for that? Um, it's cool though. I feel like, you know, all three of my sons, my oldest son last year, uh, went viral in the, when I, when I made that diving play against the Mets, uh, my youngest son who's six, uh, was, you know, on the big screen going crazy at the home run derby. this year and then that's that's my nine-year-old right there my middle son uh just you know losing his mind and then you know being able to share some you know share that moment with my family afterwards was was was awesome so you know but just trying to keep up with these young bucks you know i mean shoot it seems like everyone's throwing 100 now so you know i'm trying to keep

33:33Pat McAfee:up with them yeah you throw hard as shit you know and we you know obviously the graphics is 10 time all-star you want to side young you're a world series champ uh 37 years old we've seen you play baseball for a long time in huge moments always been a super competitive guy which i think goes to like the modern stats and analytics which you talked about your nine-year-old they're going crazy when you're going out for the ninth inning it's like your style you're like the last of a dying breed just like throwing your ass off like literally just throwing as hard as you possibly can when did you find out you hit 100 last night does that happen in real time and is that just literally adrenaline and like just being a competitor in that moment having that happen And how do you feel today?

34:11Pat McAfee:How does everything feel today after that? I've actually already played catch today. My three boys were in the backyard playing catch. So I went to go make that first throw, and I was kind of like, ah. I made it, and I was like, all right, we're good. Way to go, way to go. It's like waking up in the morning, you kind of open one eye a little bit slow, and then you open the other one, you kind of look around. But, yeah, everything was good. But just in that moment, I was lucky to be around some very competitive guys in my career, especially early on. And you only get one shot at being a professional baseball player.

34:49There's no going back and redoing this. So you've got to leave it all on the field. If you're not putting your best foot forward, it's time to go home, honestly. That's how I feel. So, you know, I got a coaching staff, a training staff, a front office, a fan base, and most importantly my teammates that are all putting everything they have into it. So, you know, as a starting pitcher, I'm out there once every, you know, once a week basically. You know, so I feel like more so than anybody I have to leave it out there, you know, anytime I take the ball. So, you know, again, like I said, you're facing, you know, the best team in the league in the Dodgers.

35:30They've won back-to-back World Series championships. We got a sweep on the line, and we're at home in front of our fans. You know, once that adrenaline gets going, you know, it's a pretty powerful thing. So you get to a couple moments, and you're like, it's either me or him, and we're going to find out right here, right now.

35:51Pat McAfee:Yeah, and I'm thankful that it was you because, like, history's happening right in front of our eyes here, especially for me as a 39-year-old, you know. And I couldn't even fathom you today. That is awesome to think about, especially after all the conversations last night about you going over 100, doing a full game, the amount of pitches that is, with all the analytics probably telling you not to do that, like that's happening. Waking up today with that ball, you know, because I've had a couple days. It's vastly different than a pitcher because the amount of times you pitch, but like kicking, punting or something after like a long day.

36:18Pat McAfee:Next day, like wake up and my entire shit is just sore. It's like, okay, this is just going to be a tough day today. You just going with the lads. All right, let's see how this thing goes today. Eh, eh. Okay, we are back. We're rolling. Yeah, we are. And I get to go do it all again at the field. Well, thank you for doing that for us old dudes, but also for the good of sport last night. That was spectacular. Ty has a question for you, Chris.

36:42Mark Schlabach:Yeah, Chris, it's weird because I'm getting to the age now. Like, I've watched you your entire career, you know, and it doesn't seem like you're actually 37. Like, shit, I remember watching you in the Northwoods League when you were on the, you know, lacrosse loggers playing the Waterloo Bucs. But it's really cool to see what you're doing. I mean, you're still obviously one of the best pitchers in the bigs. But we noticed we were at the All-Star Game this year. And, like, the reverence, you know, you talk about the young guys, the reverence that all those guys have for you and how they want it.

37:11Mark Schlabach:You know, they were telling us they wanted to get into the clubhouse early to kind of just sit around and, like, share a game with you and kind of pick your brain and stuff like that. Have you noticed that as you've gotten older that, like, you want to give game to these young guys and you're noticing that, Like you are kind of one of the elder statesmen, you know, in the bigs right now. And you're obviously still performing at as high of a level as you have, you know, your entire career. Yeah, no, I appreciate that. You know, that's kind of the cool part about this game is we all compete against each other, right?

37:43Like we're, you know, there's 30 teams, there's 26 guys on each team. And when we're in between the lines, it's business, right? But there is this certain, like, brotherhood, this certain umbrella that is over all of us. And, you know, I just think back when I was a kid, and I remember, you know, my first All-Star game, you know, walking in there, and I was in the corner with pitchers like Justin Verlander and CeCe Sabathia, Jared Weaver. Fernando Rodney was there. And I just remember just being like, man, like, these are guys that I kind of grew up watching. and now I'm in the same locker room and just sitting there, you know, chopping it up, talking baseball.

38:23I think that's a very important aspect of the game that shouldn't be lost. You know, just little things that, you know, get passed down from generation to generation. You know, I'm doing things that I learned from the guys before me and I hope, you know, maybe if there's something that I do or something that I say or a way I do something, you know, someone, it resonates with somebody and they can use it and then they pass it on. You know, that's a that's a cool, cool thing. Like A.J. Przinski was at the game last night and he was my first catcher in the big leagues. And he was like, man, I'm just I'm just glad you made it quick.

39:02And I said, you know, and that's something I learned from Mark Burley. And I'm hoping, you know, maybe maybe in 10 years from now, there's a guy that learns that from me, but I learned it from him. And then you got 30 or 40 years down the line, and Mark Burley's still a name getting thrown around because of something I did, that's something he taught me, and someone taught him before. This game can be special that way. Again, like I said, it's a certain brotherhood that you just try to kind of keep connected, but once those lights flick on, it's go time.

39:33Pat McAfee:Yeah, and we love the competitive edge that is happening 162 times for a seat i don't know how you guys do it i love it i love that you do it okay but i don't know you guys are on tour dude like it is just like you guys are on tour for like five months and i respect and appreciate the hell out of you have to take care of your body and everything like that i ran into uh mr toll payton toll yesterday uh the red sox he told me i asked him uh what he was weighing at the time he's a monster just like you monster of a man i go like uh what what are the dims right now? And he's like, six, six, two 75 ish.

40:09Pat McAfee:And he goes, he goes, I got a VLO pouch right here. You know, I just started laughing. I just started laughing. I'm like a VLO pouch would be something that baseball people would actually, like you talk about passing it down. It's like, that is a hilarious excuse. I assume for some bad body pitchers, like, Hey, what has been, we've had this quarterbacks are the same in the NFL. Very rarely are they super jacked, just monster men keep the fluid going. So I do think everybody that looks up to you that we talked to at the All-Star Game does talk about you in high regard. I think that's cool that you should know that.

40:40Pat McAfee:You're watching your kids go crazy for you. You also need to know the rest of the league looks at you in the same regard. I wonder if that's internationally. Now, you talked about at some point it's either me or you up there. The person that was you last night is certainly a topic of discussion. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, Chris, was it a coincidence that the 100 miles an hour was against Shohei? or was it like when those type of guys and Shohei being the guy for the last few years, is it a little more juice, a little more adrenaline when those guys step to the plate? Is that impossible to do or is it just another guy when you step up there or when they step up there?

41:17Yeah, well, I dare you to go throw a get-me-over-fastball to Shohei. He probably hit that thing to the freaking Comcast building. um so yeah i mean i i think i think you know the game will dictate and tell you when it's time to kind of you know bear down and and and you know kind of dig in a little bit and i think you know given the circumstances when when you have a generational guy like he is because i mean let's face it i mean he's he's kind of the gold standard right now of of what it is to be just an ultimate baseball player, right? I mean, he's doing things no one's ever seen. And, you know, you get in those situations and it's a tight game.

42:00Again, I can't, you talk about atmosphere and adrenaline, you know, adrenaline is dictated by moments and energy in the crowd. And so, you know, if you got 3 ,000 fans there that aren't really paying attention to the game, the adrenaline is not going to be the same as when, you know, like at night, like last night, you got a packed house. Our fans are going crazy. You can feel that. You might not like see it or hear it or like notice it, but there's a certain feeling. I mean, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. But, yeah, you know, there's certain times in games where you got to kind of step up.

42:37Pat McAfee:The shit's palpable. You know, like we say that like, hey, the tension is palpable or the energy is palpable in here. I think that's what you're referring to. So anybody that's been in the arena with everybody kind of generating their energy towards you, there is levels to that shit. You know, like they're – 100%. And you talked about like Shohei's doing things that we've never seen before. Stats are telling us what you did last night we've never seen before either. I'm not a baseball historian, but I think what you did last night, they're saying nobody else in MLB history has achieved all these feats in their entire career, same game or not.

43:08Pat McAfee:Shutout 1-0 win. Shutout versus back-to-back defending champ. Shutout with three former MVPs in the opposing lineup. Shutout against reigning World Series MVP as opposing starting pitcher. And obviously 10-plus strikeouts, zero, walked batters, and win one. So what you did last night, nobody's doing either, pal. Let's just make sure we remember that. They like to cherry-pick those. With the sun setting at a certain time south of the Mason-Dixon line on a 46 humidity and elevation here and there. So I do appreciate it. I do love the history of the game, but, you know, you can get down a rabbit hole chasing numbers sometimes.

43:49Pat McAfee:Yeah, but they can paint those numbers against you, too. So when they're doing it for you, let's go ahead and enjoy the hell out of those days. Okay, let's enjoy the hell. I've definitely had them not in my favor, so I definitely, you know, I do appreciate it. Yeah, absolutely, as you should. We appreciate it as well. Okay, last question for you, Chris. Obviously, baseball culture and community. Go ahead, Conman. Yeah, Chris, first and foremost, as a Red Sox fan, I got to say, you know, you are an absolute legend. It's an honor to talk to you. And also the interview you gave at the All-Star Game crushed a lot of Red Sox fans because it sounded like you wanted to stay in Boston forever.

44:18And they ended up shipping you out of town. So I apologize for them doing that to you. But it worked out. It's pretty cool. You're still crushing it. Still wish you were with the Sox. But it is what it is. When it comes to baseball, we all know, you know, Pat mentioned 162 games. You're in the clubhouse a lot. You're hanging out with the guys. We tried to find the story about Guitar Hero regarding you. But allegedly maybe that didn't happen as far as you love a guitar hero. You just gave a weird face.

44:43Pat McAfee:Okay, is a guitar hero a real story or not? What do you mean? Okay, so it's not. Okay, so no. I mean, I crushed it in college. Absolutely crushed guitar hero rock band in college. But I don't know if I've picked up a guitar hero guitar in probably since college, to be honest with you. Okay. So it wasn't you? So it wasn't you, but good news, it is coming back. Well, what was the story? What do we got? A pitcher of some sort missed games because of carpal tunnel in their hand from playing too much Guitar Hero. There was a chance in the Thunderdome. Obviously, you know, this is not coming from my brain, but there are baseball people that are like, we think Chris Sale was like a beast at Guitar Hero.

45:25Pat McAfee:It's like an expert Guitar Hero. Yeah, that is how it came together. But obviously, it was not you. Yeah, it was not you. No, well, as much as I was injured, it's not a crazy thing to think. Diving for a baseball, and I had freaking 47 injuries for the last six years. So, you know, you can just throw that one on top. No, no, no, we don't want to do that. Journalism, journalism, that was not you. But we do think it did happen to some. But anyways, go ahead. Yeah, and with the clubhouse activity, since it's coming back out, maybe you bring that out next year. I don't know, just something to think about.

45:55But when it comes to the clubhouse, what is kind of the go-to, you know, hangout move? Are you guys playing cards? What are you guys up to in there? And what does it take for, you know, those clubhouses to really come together and go on those historic runs like you hope to do with Atlanta? Yeah, so I'll start with the games first. We have a big, like the Buck Hunter in there. We have Golden Tee that gets used quite a bit. Chess is actually a big one. We got a handful of guys that, like, it's competitive too. I'm not even joking. If you've ever seen four or five people stacked around a table just watching chess.

46:34You guys got a timer and everything? We got a timer? Do the whole thing? Or is this just? No, no, no, no. Not that official. Okay, okay. Who's good? Who's the best chess player? High, CeeLo. Oh, boy. I would say.

46:48Pat McAfee:Don't put on the spot. Multiple people. Who are playing in the chess? Yeah, I was going to say. There's a handful of guys that are pretty good. But I think Dodd and Holmes are probably up there for the two top notches, if I had to guess. What about Buckhunter? Domino's is another big one. Buckhunter is your game? You're pretty good at Buckhunter? You feel pretty good about that? No, dude. Austin Riley can wipe the floor blindfolded. I'm pretty sure him and him. I see Lane in there grinding a lot, too. I think they're the ones that are nasty on that. And golden tee. I'm too old, man. I got too much stuff I got to do today.

47:26I can't be playing games. Yeah, I got to rehab this entire thing. I got to go sit in a cold tub or put a stem on my arm or something, you know. I got to, you know.

47:33Pat McAfee:Yeah, get better. That's what's going on. How about the golden tee? Because there's a lot of cheats to the golden tee, obviously. I had one on my house for a while. That can tell you how big of an adult I was for a while. But, you know, you can really cheat that gimmick in game. Are they doing that, or is this fair and square golden tee we're trying to hit actual shots? So, as far as I know, it's pretty fair and square. That one got used a little bit more in previous years. Jesse Chavez lights out on that thing. Him and A.J. Mentor used to have a daily round of golf on that thing, and then Ment left, and then Chubby left last year.

48:10So it still gets used a little bit. Sounds like you've got to retire the Golden Tee.

48:15Pat McAfee:You've got to move that over to bowling, because that same thing, you could go to bowling on there as well. Mine was at least able to put it. On the Golden Tee? Yeah. You could just change the plug-in in the back. You got bowling happening there. That's a good one. Less cheatable. The Golden Tee. We'll get our IT guy on that. Yes. It's just a plug-in to the back because it's just a screen, and then the entire thing, you get it. But you plug that thing in the back. Golden Tee, you see, and then three that thing off the drive, and you're hitting it like 400 yards. Right around. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

48:44Pat McAfee:So if you're playing against people that know what that is. If you know, you know. It is a vastly different game. Like if I was to show up at a Golden Tee thing at this stage of life and just play against some random drunk at a bar, it's like he goes off first. He's hitting seven iron. You're going driver around today. Yeah, exactly. So you do know what it is. Okay. I'm happy to hear that. Obviously, you guys are baseball players looking for any sort of edge. If it's in there, you got to do what you got to do. But that can go to bowling. Tell me about dominoes. Obviously, Bones is a big game, I assume, amongst the Latin community.

49:14Pat McAfee:They do a lot of dominoes, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm pretty sure Bob Suarez is our top guy with dominoes. Yeah, it's right in the middle of the clubhouse, and it generally gets going right after BP. Some guys, once they get all their work done, they sit down and start slamming some dominoes down. It can get pretty rowdy, man. They play on the bus too, or excuse me, on the plane. Cards and stuff like that go down. But, yeah, we got a good squad, man. We have a lot of fun. We have a little putting challenge we have at the end of every game for player of the game. We got some stakes on it. And it's, like I said, this is as good a group as I've ever been with.

50:01And we're all pulling from each other. When it's going good, it's the best. And when it's going bad, it's not that bad. And I think that's a sign of a really good team that just trusts each other. we have faith in our ability we have faith in each other we trust each other we have an unbelievable staff um you know the there's there's no panic and i think that that is that that is one of the most important things of having a successful year is not not trying to do too much when it's going you know when it's not going your way and again these guys these guys work their butts off every day we got a lot of guys playing every day uh leaving it all out there so like i said that makes it easy for me to go out there on my my once a week and and you know put everything i got

50:45Pat McAfee:on the line for those guys yeah i couldn't help but imagine that the clubhouse is juiced up a senior citizen through a full game shutout last night yeah that's unbelievable easy easy now that's unbelievable what you did was awesome it was spectacular we got to catch it like in real time because we were traveling so like literally we caught it i i rode the wave with you last night and the way your nine-year-old look whenever you came out for that ninth inning i think we're all like, hell yes. This is old school baseball right here. Like, this guy... He was feeling the energy, too. Yeah, as he should.

51:15Pat McAfee:Yeah, he might have had a little bit of, you know, a little bit of an adrenaline dump after that game. I assume we slept very hard last night at, late night at the sale house. But, thank you so much for joining us. Absolutely. Thank you for your contribution to sport, too, man. A lot of your life you've had to, like, dedicate to being better at sport and being an athlete for all of us and your teammates and your family. You obviously get paid well, but I'm just saying thank you for your commitment to sport, brother. Good luck the rest of the way. I appreciate it, guys. Thanks for having me on.

51:40Pat McAfee:What do I need to do to get more Vila? Let's say I used to throw 98, 99, 100 all the time. 100 regularly. All the time. Regularly. All the time I used to throw. I actually stand like this kind of, and I have a big Pittsburgh Pirates pee on my head, and I used to throw 100 all the time. I mean, it was just kind of a thing. And then out of nowhere, just kind of didn't. 96. And then it became like a talking point for a long time about me not being able to hit whatever. And then out of nowhere in San Diego on like a Tuesday, all of a sudden 100 is back. Talk about Paul's schemes on me, even though it could be confused with me.

52:17Pat McAfee:I did do that. I was picking up what you were throwing down. Okay, I didn't know because you could have thought that I maybe did have a little fucking gas in the tank. Hey, I've seen you on a football field. That athleticism is. So I wasn't going to count it out. I can't throw a strike, though. I tried. I actually can't do it. You can throw a pass, though, which is probably more impressive. Thank you. very kind of you but that's like in an area i can't get a baseball through the strike zone i try i'm not trying to hit a moving target you had to hit a moving target think about it yeah you're right maybe i'm better than chris sale so let's go back let's go back to what i was saying do you in the pitching community like reach out to paul that like do you watch this happen has anything like that ever happened to you where you like lose velo for some reason and maybe you don't know why and everybody's trying to tell you why or what's going on from outside looking in it doesn't really I know you like how much are you paying attention to that type of shit?

53:06Pat McAfee:And is that normal or common for you pitchers to have like maybe a little bit of something going on? Yeah, for sure. And let's be honest. If it was anybody other than Paul Skeens or Mizorowski, it wouldn't be as big of a deal. I mean, you know, Paul's got one of the biggest lights on him of any baseball player and maybe even, you know, athlete in sports. And those things happen, you know, like, again, you're talking about a grind of a season. You know, he's really in his second full season as a starting pitcher. You know, I remember my first full year as a starter in 2012, man, I, you know, it was a grind to get to the end.

53:51And, you know, it's one of those things, it's weird how it's like, it's really, it's tough to do, but once you do it, it becomes a little bit easier to repeat. and I gotta be honest I laugh at the people that are worried about Paul Skeens and I you know I envy their unawareness to sports just to be that like oh this guy's done you know or whatever he's never gonna do whatever it is the talking heads are saying he's freaking Paul Skeens man And let's not forget, 97? No. Not that bad. Not that bad.

54:36Pat McAfee:Are you guys, hold on, do you watch Gunn? Or do they tell you in, like Paul, when he threw 100 finally for first time, long time. Did he know in real time that that happened? You throw 100 for first time, long time. Do you know that in real time? Do you look at the gun? Do they tell you? Like coming out, did you know it was probably going to be that? Like how do you find out? I'll peek up there every once in a while. I'll be honest, my slider is the one I look up the most at because a lot of times if I'm overthrowing it, it won't really kind of do what I need it to do. So if I kind of start getting over like 83 miles an hour, it's like, all right, I'm kind of overcooking this thing.

55:14But, yeah, I mean, again, it's like with all the cameras, with all the media, with all the technology, with everything we have now, it's like every pitch gets analyzed and even potentially overanalyzed. I'll let the rest of the world worry about Paul because I'm not worried about him at all. You agree it was D-Rose's

55:37Pat McAfee:fault? Yeah, it was Team USA, World Baseball Classic, DeRosa. This is D-Rose's fault. We've been banging after him since. Leave D-Rose alone. He's the man. We love him. But that is why we've just been blaming him for everything. Roman Anthony gets sent on assignment. D-Rose. Thanks, Mark. Yeah, Paul Skeens. Y 'all are ruthless. We got to talk every day, okay? I'm glad you were nice to me, but y 'all are ruthless. No, no, no. We're kind. We're kind. D-Ro, though, this guy. Unkind with what he's done to every – okay, all right. We appreciate you doing – I'm going to be sitting out there in a start.

56:10If I hit 94 in my next start, I'm going to be like, oh, man, they're going to be killing me in the next one.

56:15Pat McAfee:Was that the last time we saw Chris Sale really have it? Whoa, shouldn't have it done. Throw me in the used toy bin. I'm done. You're the man. You were great last night, and I can't wait to watch you finish this entire season out with the lads, who seemingly are very tight. Good luck out there. We appreciate you, dude. Tell the kids and family we said hello as well. Will do. Appreciate it, guys. Thank you. That's Chris Sale. Yeah, Chris. And he was phenomenal. Unbelievable. Okay, so we sent the request in, and we said five, ten minutes, just kind of want to hit, like, the family and the night.

56:45Pat McAfee:Obviously, that was awesome to watch as a sports fan. and just him coming in and being so chill was awesome. Thank you, Chris. We appreciate you. Thank you. Baseball has been having a lot of moments for us. On the other side, we got J.J. Watt, Shager, McQuaid, AJ. Be your friend, tell your friend something nice by changing life.

57:03Mark Schlabach:This episode is brought to you by the Hulu original series, Chad Powers, starring Glenn Powell. This season, the walls are closing in on Chad's biggest secret. And with his future on the field hanging in the balance, he'll have to win back the one coach who wants nothing to do with him. Watch the new season of Chad Powers on September 3rd. Streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney Plus for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. From the lights above the stadium to the jerseys athletes wear, sports run on energy. Oil and natural gas help create thousands of everyday products. From the rubber and equipment to the synthetic fibers and uniforms.

57:38And the fuel that gets teams and fans to the game. Behind the scenes, Energy Transfer helps safely deliver the energy that keeps it all moving. Because from everyday life to game day, it takes energy. Visit ittakesenergy.com to learn more.

58:24Pat McAfee:Football! I can't wait to follow the Atlanta Braves as they continue. They could win it all, right?

58:29Mark Schlabach:Yes, they could.

58:30Pat McAfee:Okay. That's my team. I'm going with the Atlanta Braves. Fourth best record. Fourth best record in all of sport right now? Okay. What are their odds right now to win it all? There it is. Boom. It's right here. They are currently sitting at plus 12 hunge. I like that they're playing all these games in the locker room. That was a great question by Con Man. Now, granted, Conor was hoping that would go to a guitar hero convo. Big time. Because Conor's really good at Guitar Hero from our understanding, and it is coming back on... On December 10th under the name Stage Tour. Okay, I can't wait to watch you get back in there because I know how much you love that game.

59:05Pat McAfee:So pumped. Since the beginning of meeting Con Man, there's always been like, anytime like, hey, he's really good at Guitar Hero. Like at his wedding, there's multiple people that are like, have you seen him? It's like always been an abnormal thing about Conor. People have been like, hey, abnormally good at Guitar Hero. but it's not just you I'm finding out now. He actually married somebody who's also very good. Yeah, my wife's nasty at Guitar Hero too. She's a bit of an axe man as well. Yeah, axe woman if you will. Yeah, so like I think Connor, just from my understanding of knowing him for now, I don't know how many years, eight, nine, whatever the years has been, him getting Guitar Hero in there with Chris Sale, I'm sorry you kind of lost the wind in your sales there because that was going to be a full Guitar Hero conversation with Chris Sale I think.

59:47Pat McAfee:But hearing how close the boys are, like that was huge for me. And I assume baseball you have to be, because how much you're around each other. But him saying, like, this group is one of the best I've ever been around, winning a World Series before, I assume that's a massive piece of it. That was big for me. So I like the Braves. I know it's not like going out on a limb, which is where, you know, all the fruit is, you know, this entire thing. But I liked what I heard out of Chris Hale, and I don't think I expected that at all, AJ. Yeah, like he said, when it's good, it's really, really good. And when it's bad, it's really not that bad.

1:00:18That's a great thing, because imagine the rollercoaster of a season the Major League Baseball is. 162 games. There's going to be ups and downs. A lot of times, we know bad teams, when things are bad, that's when they turn on each other and start pointing fingers. It sounds like that is not the case for the Braves.

1:00:30Pat McAfee:So, Gumpy and I were stuck in New York City yesterday. Okay? Okay. Actually stuck. Tough weather. A lot of FCS games got canceled. Yes. Northeast, I guess, weather was crazy yesterday in the entire Northeast. So, where we were flying out of, grounded indefinitely was the term delay they said around this time could potentially be which was five hours after the time that we were wondering or thinking or planning on and whatever happens happens we were not complaining at all just like hey this is what life is this this does happen we're lucky to be here but we're kind of stuck in new york city yesterday for a while shout out to world famous little italy pizza yeah i mean hot slice of pizza so we hung out in there for a while too so like thank you for them not kicking us out.

1:01:18Pat McAfee:Gumpy has two bags. I got my backpack. We just roll right in this place, kind of take over a seat. It was great. Then we kind of go sit back at the courtyard, which was near our hotel. The boss of Red Sox were kind of just walking in from their dinner as we were kind of hanging out there. And that was my first time getting to like actually spectate like what their lives are. Like that was an off day for them. So like getting a wife flies in from out of town. They have like a New York day with their wife. And then they coming back into the hotel it's like they live on the road yeah they actually live on the road some of them coming back just got done two hours at a steak place like kind of doing their own thing so for me just the amount of respect that i've kind of been forced into having for baseball okay i feel like this show ty you're a lot of part of it tone of baseball boys has gotten us into baseball a lot more than i would have ever done naturally on my own in my life i would have just probably been I'm like, I'm okay with it.

1:02:13Pat McAfee:So much respect. And listening to Chris Sale talk about, you know, he's 37 years old, having a catch with his kids this morning. You only get to be a professional baseball player one time. It's like they have their own unique world that they live in. But I got massive respect for it. And I love the way Chris Sale's kids kind of are embracing this entire era and how he's embracing the entire era as well. It would be cool to watch them go win one. Yeah, it would be cool. Red Sox would be cool too. But it would be cool to see Chris Sale hoist another, you know, World Series trophy. It is one of those things kind of like hockey.

1:02:42like the more guys you talk to from the sport, the more you kind of understand their culture and just kind of admire it because of the players themselves. Like he was talking about Mark Burley, right? I don't want to get his name around, Burley. And I remember him. Don't even take it back. I don't want to. But I remember him, you know, throwing a no-hitter and winning the World Series with the White Sox and like just the respect he has for him and hoping that his name lasts over the years. Like that is so cool as a culture. Do you have any other announcements when it comes to fanhoods of teams that you wanted to let the world know about?

1:03:13That's a really good question. Why not something you were going to tell us today?

1:03:17Pat McAfee:Oh, AJ, what do you – AJ, he just sensed that there was a conversation that happened off-air right there, it sounds like. You got real excited there, AJ. You really perked up. What do you think? That's a great tease. I would love to know. You got a new squad. Who did you just pick up? What sport is this? This MLS? What is it? Well, I got a new frisbee golfer. The guy who had the hole-in-one. Frolfer. Yeah, Frolfer. 560 yards. 560. Hole in one? Hole in one, brother. Diskin one. One hawk, I think. One chalk hawk. Bang and chains. 560. That was my guy. He's my new favorite for all four. I think I have picked up an NFC football team, though.

1:04:00Pat McAfee:I think I've decided. NFL? NFC. I think I have an NFC team that I'm picking up. What did you scream NFL for? What about the Colts, brother? They're in the AFC. I'm a season ticket holder. I am a supporter.

1:04:16Mark Schlabach:You need somebody to watch on primetime, though. That has a chance to go.

1:04:20Pat McAfee:Primetime is certainly something. In the Rams, I obviously like all of these teams. But after watching Hard Knocks, I think I'm a Seahawks guy, bro. Okay. How could you not be if you watch that? It's tough to not if you actually watch. I know Hard Knocks does that to every single team. I don't know. Not as much. I don't know. You come away every time like, man, I really like this coach is legit. The head coach is awesome. The GM is great. Walking on the treadmill. The Browns. I don't feel that way every time.

1:04:48Mark Schlabach:The Browns are the only team where it's never been like that. Every other team, I think, the Hugh Jackson-Browns one was not a great look. But outside of that, every other team is like, this team's going to win the Super Bowl.

1:04:58Pat McAfee:So, Hugh Jackson, we would like to let Hugh Jack City know we are certainly fans of him as a person. Certainly. The first scene, though, is him in a river in Cleveland saying, I know I can win here. I'm going to do this. Okay, and I am going to do this. It's like I've never heard a coach say I am going to win here. I just have never heard that. That was just something that I thought was a little abnormal, you know, and it turned out it didn't work. It was. It just kept going. So, they lose. So, we are a fan of Hugh Jack City, but that was a time where I was like, I don't think this team is going to win here.

1:05:28Pat McAfee:I don't think they're going to. And they inevitably did not, and they move on. And once again, it's not Hugh Jack City's fault. No. Okay. Hey, put him in a different situation, maybe he wins. But most hard knocks that I watch or find myself watching, I do like the team more. You know, I think that is – but this Seattle team, the way McDonald operates, the way he talks to his team, he's a younger coach, which is cool, but he's still – I mean, he's getting after a guy's ass. And it's his third year there. He's already won a Super Bowl. So he can be like, yeah, it works. We know it works. The way the team responds to him, the way they show up, the way they play, we're not seeing TikToks or anything coming out of it.

1:06:04Pat McAfee:No, definitely not. They seem very professional. They all seem like pros, and he treats them like pros, and he holds them accountable, but there's a level of respect, I feel like, throughout the building. And they're paying their guys. I mean, everything they're doing, I like. I like everything they're doing. Now, bandwagon fan, they've won a Super Bowl, and now I'm saying it's my NFC team. This is, I would just like to say, I'm picking an NFC team. I'm picking the Seahawks to beat. I'm still a Colts fan. So why were you? I was just – You were kind of acting as if that was like – Needed clarity.

1:06:34Pat McAfee:Because you saw AJ get real excited because it sounded like that's what AJ thought you were alluding to as well. I'm a season ticket holder. AJ's got two teams. Who's he got? Bengals and Packers. Played for both those teams. I only played for one team, live in Indianapolis. So, you know, it is – You can take as many as you want. Take as many teams as you want. That's fine. The D-butt route. I'd like the Steelers to be good because that would be fun. You know, just because McCorphy's – Yeah, sure. Big Mock, that would be cool. I would like the CBS main game. I'd like it to be good every week. Me too.

1:07:06Pat McAfee:Always. Normally is. Ladies and gentlemen, join us now. This guy's going to be on a call for this. What a legend. This guy owns two, maybe three soccer teams. Don't know if he picked up another one in his spare time. Burnley in England. Yep. Espanol in Spain. Yeah. Espanol was on national television the other morning. Woke up and I saw it and I said, I'm going to watch that team because this guy owns it. That's a good team. Remember, we gave him an award for Scott Goodman a year. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, that's right. Do you remember that, AJ? That was great. I mean, hopefully he can win two years in a row.

1:07:36Pat McAfee:And just moments after we give him that award, he says something that would inevitably get quoted and clipped and be buried. So I guess he is a super good man if they would be asking. Ladies and gentlemen, JJ Watt. Yay! Super good man, dude. Thanks for that. Appreciate you.

1:07:53JJ Watt:Hey, and any other world champion teams you want to pick up as your favorite teams? Like, I mean, is there anybody else you'd like to choose?

1:08:01Pat McAfee:So the Rams would be the easy one because Aaron Donald, obviously, from Penn Hills, obviously coming back into it. They got super started. We love Matthew Stafford. We love Sean McVay, super cool. Puka, friend of the program, happy to see him doing what he's doing. Sneed. That would be everybody. That would be the easy one, okay? And I still think they're going to be good. but for me this hard knocks jage have you been watching this guy and have you i mean you get to call games you get to do interviews with these coaches we do not get that on a regular basis with most of these guys he's seemingly everything that you would want as a head coach in the nfl the only issue is he's not an offensive guy so kubiak leaves you know you lose the offense if they do very good head gonna have to leave so they're gonna have to figure that out more so than figure out the defensive side but i like the way they do football up there jage i do i really

1:08:51JJ Watt:Yeah, I had a chance to talk to Mike a couple of years ago when he was in Baltimore. Actually, I had a chance to meet with him a little more at the Masters a couple of years ago. And then obviously we had one of their games this past season. And it's one of those things where if you talk to him and if you've been around him, you've known. And it's awesome to kind of see the rest of the world seeing inside what he brings to this organization and who he is, because it is an incredible way that he goes about handling his team. I mean, AJ, I think you were exactly right in the way that he handles these guys like men.

1:09:24JJ Watt:He treats them like men, but he also shows the vulnerability. He also has the one thing that you can't BS at this level is the knowledge and the insight. And what he brings on the field is matched by what he brings from a personality and a man management standpoint. It's really, really impressive.

1:09:42Pat McAfee:It is. He's becoming one of my favorite leaders to watch. You know, like Signetti is obviously coming to the forefront of being, you know, an incredible leader. And they're running up all of his old press clippings and things that he said. And they're like, this guy's a genius. It's like, yeah, I feel like he's been like this since the beginning. McDonald feels the same way. We got eyes in his first team meeting where he's like, all right, close your eyes. Let's go ahead and do this. And then it took him two years to win a Super Bowl. And then he got Schneider on to what? Office treadmill?

1:10:09JJ Watt:Yeah.

1:10:10Pat McAfee:Just a counterbalance. Looking into it.

1:10:11JJ Watt:I'm looking into it. Yep. They're loud.

1:10:14Pat McAfee:From my understanding, because Bailey McComis, no stone unturned for fitness right now. He's doing two a days. He's eating protein. He's got everything going. He brought one and bought one for the office here, and I tried it. It's loud. It is, like, very loud.

1:10:27JJ Watt:I just don't think I could concentrate. I feel like I'm stepping off or I'm like a giraffe where I'm going to, like, knock my keyboard over and everything is going to fall off. It's thin. That's the thing. It's not for the build of, you know, you, JJ, AJ. It really doesn't work. We have to remember Schneider's got the perfect build for the kind of handheld treadmill.

1:10:47Pat McAfee:What do you mean? He's kind of... I think he's rocking size.

1:10:50JJ Watt:Could you play Guitar Hero while on the treadmill? I don't even know if I could fit on. I mean, I could definitely do it if I needed to. I'm just talking on that small one. I don't know if... You're saying we need to be kind of a littler person.

1:11:03Pat McAfee:Yeah, yeah.

1:11:04JJ Watt:Not a little person. Not a little person. How size is John Schneider? He's not like a tiny human being.

1:11:11Pat McAfee:No, he's not little people, big world. He's pretty, pretty small. We love the roll-offs, obviously. We learned a lot from them. Still going, by the way. Yeah, absolutely, as they should be. I assume his business mind, too, is cooking up something. But you're saying his feet aren't taking up much room. The size of his body isn't taking up as much room. It's all about weight. He has the liver of 10 men, but he has the body of one. Okay, one littler man on the average scale. Half of a JJ Watt. What do you have? I got nothing, brother. Just average? Just average across the board. Not too high, not too low.

1:11:47Pat McAfee:I'll take it. Okay, expectations are what they are. Congrats on getting married. JJ would like to echo the sentiments yet again. Congratulations. But you look at the GM. We're talking about Schneider. That guy's brain. Big brain. Gigantic. He's had to build a couple times now. He's going to go into conversation of maybe greatest general managers of all time. And obviously, the family that just sold the Seattle Seahawks for$9.6 billion to Allen family. are very thankful for Schneider and new ownerships. Like, is this guy staying? Yeah. Got it. Okay, we'll continue to go. It's like, I like the way the Seattle Seahawks operate.

1:12:19Pat McAfee:Let's continue to chit-chat a little bit more about the NFL and football. Ty has a question for you, Jage.

1:12:23Mark Schlabach:Yeah, Jage, just curious, you know, and listen, obviously there's a lot of stuff surrounding. Congratulations on moving to the number one booth. That's really sweet. I think we're all very, very happy for you. Just for you personally, though, what is the process like? How does it go in terms of, you quickly have to build rapport with Jim Nance, and he's a pro's pro. He's one of the best to ever do it, so I don't think it's going to be that difficult. But is it a major crash course right now trying to get prepared for week one when you guys have Packers at Vikings?

1:12:56JJ Watt:Yeah, I appreciate it. I mean, first of all, obviously, like I've said a few times before, it's obviously not the circumstances you hope it would happen under, but I'm extremely excited to be in Minnesota for week one with Jim Nance, Tracy, everybody. um in terms of what we're doing it's not obvious I mean obviously I was preparing for this season and I was making tweaks and changes to how I do things from week year one to year two already but for me and Jim and Tracy and everybody getting on the same page we did call a practice game together we called the Chiefs-Bills game from last year in New York we have a mock studio there and everything it's just like the booth so we went into the booth we basically called you know half maybe three quarters of that game and had built that rapport and just how we like to work.

1:13:39JJ Watt:And it was really, really good. We had a really good time doing it. I mean, we started up a little group chat and you call each other, you talk to each other. It's just like anything else. You're trying to just build that relationship and build that chemistry so that when you step onto the air, it's as natural and as easy as possible. And it sounds like two guys sitting on the couch talking ball just so happens to be that one of them is one of the most legendary voices in the history of sports and the other one played a little defensive end yeah and his first battle and you know humanitarian three defenses boring huge fat mcafee show good guy of the year and i mean true throw that out prestigious stuff guys yeah owner of jams yeah one of the owners of jams great jams will be in the studio again this year so i i've already passed that information along They said, all right, we're getting your stuff ready for the booth week one.

1:14:33JJ Watt:What do you need? What do you like in the booth? I said, I have jams in the booth. I eat jams in the booth. Grape.

1:14:39Pat McAfee:Grape.

1:14:39JJ Watt:Have you had the grape yet? Just had the grape recently. Had the grape. Grape is good. I understand that's Mac's favorite, right? Yes. That's McKenzie's favorite.

1:14:48Pat McAfee:Yes, it is. Grape is a, I'll tell you, we've been waiting on it, haven't we? We've been waiting on it. Take time. We've been waiting on this grape. jage and you were with jams before me obviously so as soon as i as soon as you guys announced the nfl pa partnership i think this is genius connor obviously blakely the founder of jams down there in nashville one of them he uh reaches out we try to do a deal we do business from day one i'm just like hey i don't know how to say this but like all i eat is grape peanut butter and jellies that is literally all i eat staple there's been other options i i don't eat the other ones we only

1:15:21JJ Watt:of strawberry yeah i'm i'm good with the others i'm i'm a i like a berry i love grape i'm all in

1:15:26Pat McAfee:on grape but i'm a i'm a big berry guy so strawberry and berry were available at the time so i say all right i'll do it i like the strawberry one i thought it was really the berry one also good it's peanut butter and jelly but like the strawberry one was good i'm like all right i can get behind a strawberry one but need the grape one like the the grape one we need the grape one and turns out i think it's available now 31st i think it's available nationwide and it is a homer which is everything you kind of do jage everything you're kind of a part of does very well i think you should be very proud of yourself as an ex-athlete for the accomplishments you've been able to like really have and this number one booth thing is earned brother i know it's a terrible situation and we all you know enjoyed tony romo as a lead voice for the nfl season with all of us remember ratings for the nfl is crazy so you are one of the lead voices of the biggest league on earth.

1:16:18Pat McAfee:So, like, we think you've earned it. We think you're going to be great. And we think people are going to love you. And on that note, if they don't love you, you can get explanation from JJ. Every Wednesday he's going to be joining us. What? Hell yeah! JJ Watt is back for another season. Now, super cool look. He's a little bit more fit now. We don't know what the hair is going to be going into the season. That's always something that JJ is quietly working on.

1:16:44JJ Watt:Tight. Keeping it tight this year. Dang.

1:16:46Pat McAfee:Number one booth.

1:16:47JJ Watt:Yeah, you got to keep tight.

1:16:48Pat McAfee:Smart idea. You know, maybe a couple years in, if that is the case, we don't know what the future is going to hold for any of us, including you in this particular role. So maybe in future years we do the spike stuff and we really get aggressive with it. But I think tight probably smart for the first year. We didn't know if this was going to be able to happen, actually, with you becoming number one booth. That's a huge position that you have in the NFL and the season, especially at CBS. So we appreciate CBS for letting this take place. And also you, brother. We're very excited for you to come back.

1:17:16Pat McAfee:and we'll ride along the season with you however it ends up going. And with that being said, there's a team down in Houston that's going to be very excited that the number one booth, you know, has a man in a ring of honor. Go ahead, Con Man. Yeah, J.H., congrats again, like Ty said, on the booth. And I can't believe you're going to be back. That is incredible. But like Pat mentioned, the Texans are going to be in a lot of big games. You're probably going to be calling a lot of Texans games. There was that photo of Daniil Hunter that came out. He looks like the biggest human in the history of the NFL.

1:17:47Obviously, Will Anderson on the other side, and that's basically what Canales said. Like, hey, these two guys that they have on defense are going to ruin a lot of games this year. What are your kind of expectations for the Texans? It feels like they are going to be, you know, once again in it at the end of the season. Do you think this is one of those years where they go AFC title game, maybe all the way to the Super Bowl after, you know, getting a playoff win in each of the first three years of C.J. Stroud?

1:18:12JJ Watt:Yeah. I mean, I was out at their practice the other day, and their defense looks exactly like you expect their defense to look and what you've come to know. I mean, Matt Burke, D 'Amico Ryans have that thing humming. The players on every single level of the ball are just unbelievable. I mean, you cannot get snaps off when you've got those ends rushing. Will and Daniil, it's incredible. And they're gigantic. I stand next to Daniil, and I'll go talk to him. And every single time, like I always say, I can go in the weight room and I can get a good pump. And like at the end of a really good lifting session, I'll look in the mirror and I'll be like, oh yeah, I look, I look pretty good.

1:18:48JJ Watt:Daniil wakes up and rolls out of bed and looks better than I have ever looked after my best pump in like, look, that's just how he walks around. Like that's not after a workout. That's not after biceps. Like that is just how the dude walks around. It is unbelievable. But anyway, expectation wise, they should absolutely be thinking Super Bowl expectations in Houston because they have been thinking that and should have been thinking that last year. Obviously, it ended in a very unfortunate way in New England, not the way they wanted to, but that team had the potential and still currently has the potential to do so.

1:19:23JJ Watt:It doesn't help to lose your number two wide receiver in training camp. That's a big, big blow, but other guys are going to have to step up to make the booty trade. We'll see.

1:19:31Pat McAfee:Yeah, get that booty down there. Do you like CJ Stroud? They were saying he was booty they don't like him i just no deal i mean there's no question that he didn't

1:19:42JJ Watt:play the way that he wanted to in that game in those playoffs and he has focused this offseason he understands and he not put didn't put his head in the sand he knows exactly how it went down and he wants to come out and prove and be better and i think that's great and that's exactly what you should do so yes you go you put him out there get another year under this offense and hopefully they put that together with the defense and then you've got something really special jage how far

1:20:06Pat McAfee:wide can you put your thumbs and still see them how's your periphery pretty good or no you got

1:20:10JJ Watt:good periphery you know what's interesting when i've since i've retired maybe this isn't related to peripherals but i have noticed in my equilibrium has has taken a little bit of a dive like you ever get on a kid's swing or something at the park like with my kids i'll pop on the swing or i'll do one of those merry-go-rounds and in the past no problem hop on hop off now if i hop off that that merry-go-round, it's like I've had 15 beers.

1:20:35Pat McAfee:Dramamine.

1:20:37JJ Watt:Dramamine. I mean, what, am I supposed to pop that before I go to the park? Yes, I do it. I have a trampoline. That would be the most embarrassing thing of all time. My son was like, Dad, can we go to the park? And I, yeah, hang on, let me hit the medicine cabinet real quick. Take my emotions.

1:20:51Pat McAfee:Yeah, don't. Listen, you can't let the kid know, okay? He said, hey, coach, turn around. Okay, we're going to play a little game called Get Out of My Face. You know, do that. Then pop yourself a Dramamine. I got to do it for a day.

1:21:02JJ Watt:I need Dramamine to go on a swing is the day you put me in a home, man. That's it.

1:21:07Pat McAfee:All right. Okay. I'm just trying to give you a little bit of how I, as somebody that

1:21:11JJ Watt:I got to be able to work on it. There's got to be a drill, like the thumb thing that I can do for my equilibrium. Yeah. Dramamine.

1:21:16Pat McAfee:I think it's Dramamine. You work on this one right here. You put in a trampoline. We got a trampoline at the house and a new playground. I used to be able to, you know, they got trampoline. They're sick. I'm flipping on this thing. I'm going and I'm going go ahead and do that now yeah right i i gotta even to do the jumping thing like my brain for some reason like let alone flipping and it's like my daughter absolutely loves i see her jumping i'm like i'm so happy for you that you're doing this right now uh so we don't even some of the some of

1:21:43JJ Watt:the falls that they take like i've seen my son's knees hyper extend as he hits like a double bounce and i'm like everything in my entire ligament history would be gone yeah he's eat it tomorrow

1:21:54Pat McAfee:And he and she don't need Dramamine yet, okay? So you just need to think about that. Neither do I.

1:21:59JJ Watt:Neither do I. Not yet, brother. I'm fighting the good fight.

1:22:02Pat McAfee:Nah, sounds like you need it, bro. You said you get off the merry-go-round and you're 15 beers deep, what? Nothing wrong with that. Those are no joke.

1:22:08Mark Schlabach:Those are no joke.

1:22:09Pat McAfee:The little lights, too, are you seeing? Oh, yeah.

1:22:12Mark Schlabach:My daughter will ask me to spin her around, and I'll do it four times, and seriously, I have to go lay down for 15 minutes.

1:22:18Pat McAfee:Dramamine. This is what I'm saying. If you're ever going to be close to this situation, you just need to go, And Mackenzie goes, I want to go outside playground. It's like, all right, yep, you got it. Let me go pee. You didn't dram me real quick, and I'm going right out there. Okay, Jage, don't have too much pride.

1:22:34JJ Watt:That can't be the answer.

1:22:35Pat McAfee:It is the answer. Okay, let's talk about answers. In Cleveland, Todd Munkin said he found his answer, and it's a former teammate of yours. Go ahead, AJ. Yeah, Jage, are you surprised at all to see Deshaun Watson named opening day starter? I guess, what do you think his chances are of staying there and playing all 17 games as a starting quarterback?

1:22:53JJ Watt:Yeah, I would say I'm not surprised. It kind of seems like this is the way they have been going all offseason in training camp. And I would say in terms of if things are close at all in a competition, we all know, if things are close when you're paying somebody$230 million fully guaranteed, that's the person that you're going to want to give every single opportunity to, to hopefully somehow, some way make you right on that contract that many people question and say is one of the worst in history. So it doesn't surprise me that they've gone that way. Now, the second part of your question is the question that everybody has is how long is this going to last and how good will he be?

1:23:30JJ Watt:And who knows? I don't know the answer to that, but I'm certainly going to be watching. And it's tough. They haven't been able to find their quarterback there for a very, very long time. And Baker Mayfield was there for a bit, goes on and finds success elsewhere. And they replace him with Deshaun. and the injuries and everything else that comes along with it and the stories and all of it. There's no question they've been going through it up in Cleveland for a long time. They have a really, really good fan base. And for them, you want to see them be successful. If this is the way that they feel is best, we'll see.

1:24:05Pat McAfee:That's what we think Munkin's trying to literally just win some football games. And right now, maybe Deshaun, because he's experienced, let's go ahead and do this. If he hasn't really separated himself too much from Shador or the other way. Dylan Gabriel threw three touchdowns last night. He's former third-round pick. That's right. He's a good player. He's a good football player. He's a good football player. Look out. Dylan Gabriel's a good football player. He had a good football game last night, which leads to this question, Jage. How much should I think about these preseason games? Because I'll see some highlights and I go, ooh, Drew Aller there rolling to his left, kind of dropping in a bucket.

1:24:37Pat McAfee:Feels like I'm getting a chance to at least see that he could do that, accomplish that. I see some other highlights. Running back last night for the Chargers. That guy looked like he was shot out of a cannon. This guy right here, he's going to be a kickoff returner for somebody this year, I would assume, just because of this play, if it's not the Chargers in general. But then you see some plays, and it's like, oh, this is terrible football that's out here. This is really bad football. How should we be judging this? And how should I be setting my expectations for things? Now, Herbert hitting a 57.6-yard in-the-air touchdown pass last night to Quentin Johnson.

1:25:09Pat McAfee:Obviously huge for Chargers fans to see that. And I got jacked up, and I guess this is two yards longer than any completion that McDaniel ever had with any quarterback before that in the air. So obviously going to get a chance to utilize that weapon. But how do you judge these preseason games? And what should I be looking at, you think?

1:25:27JJ Watt:In my personal opinion, it should all be judged off of individual technique and things that can be judged based on how it can translate into real games. You can't look at anything based off of scheme or anything based off of the level of competition you're going against. So for like an offensive lineman, how is his footwork? How is his hand placement? How is his drive off the ball? Those types of things where even if he is going against inferior talent, you can tell like, all right, this guy has the tools and the pieces. Same with other positions. Quarterbacks are really hard on because you could be going up against third stringers who don't even know or understand the scheme that they're playing in and their talent level is not there.

1:26:05JJ Watt:So there's some guys running wide open or your coach is scheming up some good stuff that gets you opportunities open. And that's not to take away from good performances. It's just to say that that's a much more difficult one to understand. Now, for D-linemen, like in my instance, I'm looking at a guy to see what type of pass rush moves that he has in his arsenal. How much strength does he have in his bull rush? Does he have a nice double swipe move around the edge? Because those are the type of things that will translate once you bump him up in the competition level. But especially these last preseason games, it's really unfortunate that they've turned into basically second, third, fourth stringers, which I get.

1:26:39JJ Watt:And they are very beneficial for guys trying to make the roster. But overall, it's almost as if the league has basically started to show like, I mean, we all know where this is headed, guys. Like 18 games, two preseason games, two bye weeks. We're all pretending like, oh, maybe it'll happen. We all know where it's headed. So this is just kind of that thing where it's like, all right, these last preseason games are no starters. Sometimes don't even make the trip. Let's prepare everybody for just two.

1:27:08Pat McAfee:Okay, so two preseason games, 18 games, no Pro Bowl games. Yeah, what? Oh, man. God, dude. I'm not going to watch them catch water balloons? What are we going to do without dodgeball?

1:27:22JJ Watt:I'm going to see Dano do the quarterback course. Pat, I feel like we were – maybe I can't remember. Did you ever do a Hawaii one or did you start in Arizona? Arizona, yeah. Because I got the end of Hawaii where Peyton was still doing his pregame meetings and there was still like the meetings by the pool. Like I feel like I was fortunate enough to catch the very end of the great preseason or the great Pro Bowl games and then kind of start to transition into the downfall of it. But it was really, really cool my first time going.

1:27:53Pat McAfee:Yeah, I bet it was. and you know I think I probably got screwed at least a year or two before I got voted in there so I think I should have got a chance to experience that but that's one of those things as a kid our age obviously watching the Pro Bowl in Hawaii and then once you get in the league you start hearing stories about like what's happening at Pro Bowl and it's like oh my god is this the greatest this is the greatest weekend of all time never been to Hawaii one of my first trip to be Pro Bowl like so excited obviously now at this point it's one of my favorite places to ever exist but then they just say, yeah, it's not going to be out there anymore.

1:28:25Pat McAfee:Actually, you guys are going to share a hotel with a sales convention who's going to be here as well. You know, like everybody blames the players, but the NFL also kind of gave up on the Pro Bowl as well. You know, and it went to Orlando there for a little bit, and then you bounced around. It was like, this didn't feel like, you know, we're coming here to work all of a sudden. I thought we were here to like celebrate.

1:28:46JJ Watt:That's a bad look right there. That was a bad look.

1:28:48Pat McAfee:Yeah, there's a lot of things that happened in these Pro Bowl games that I think a lot of people said, we don't want that to be what football looks like to people, right, with all of our stars. And in the flag football game, now that we're trying to push flag football into, you know, international play and everything like it for the Olympics, they're like, flag football's ass too. Like, flag football wasn't good either. So who's benefiting from this? And they're like, we're done with it. So I think there's going to be some sort of gathering, which is good, but I think there's a chance that you were one of the last final guys trying to win the MVP at a Pro Bowl.

1:29:21Pat McAfee:Got it.

1:29:21JJ Watt:Got a truck out of it, baby. Got a truck out of it.

1:29:24Pat McAfee:Yeah, you and Clay Matthews both. The guy tried to block a punt. Nobody's blocking right now, Clay. Okay, there's no reason. He touched my shin. Guy touched. He missed the ball. He touched my shin. I'm like, what just happened? I looked at replay. Clay Matthews trying to actually block. We had breakfast together.

1:29:40JJ Watt:That's awesome.

1:29:41Pat McAfee:Is it? Is it awesome?

1:29:42JJ Watt:Yeah, it is.

1:29:44Pat McAfee:Yeah, because he thought to himself, I think block a punt, get a couple sacks. I'll get that truck. Yeah. Actually, he's the MVP. Instead, JJ was actually, oh, you're a bad decision. You know, it was, those were the good old days. Yeah, here's JJ just having some fun. Hashtag Pro Bowl. They wanted us to tweet from the sideline. That was a big thing. See, that's fun. That's cool. That's sick. They're like, hey, we want you to put a tweet out from the sideline. And JJ was like, you got it. Zany photo. About to win MVP here. And he did. Pro Bowl days had good days. We assume there'll be a good party or something.

1:30:17Pat McAfee:and hopefully they'll be able to do something that'll be at least worth a damn. Let's pivot away from Pro Bowl games that are dead. Let's go to something that's very alive. You're in the number one booth. Huge game. Go ahead, Tom. Yeah, you are. Congrats, Jage. Week one, you're calling Green Bay in Minnesota, which for some reason, as someone who grew up with CBS being the AFC, drives me absolutely nuts. That point aside, who do you think has more pressure? KOC, who everyone thinks is a great coach, a quarterback whisperer, but hasn't won a playoff game yet, or Matt LaFleur, who, you know, has won some playoff games, but the Packers fans really want some more out of that team.

1:30:53What are your thoughts on those two going into the season?

1:30:57JJ Watt:It's a really good question, Tone. It's a really good question because there's certainly pressure on both of them there. I would say if you're looking from the outside, you would have to probably put the pressure on – I would say it's probably LaFleur only because he has Jordan Love and his quarterback who he's had for a little while, whereas KOC is working with obviously Kyler Murray, who's come in just this offseason. So you would kind of, if you're looking at it that way, say, you know, you've had more time to work with this and everything. But I'm really fascinated to see how this plays out and how Kyler works in KOC's system, because obviously I've been doing a whole bunch of research for this game and getting prepared for it.

1:31:39JJ Watt:Kyler's entire career has been out of the shotgun from high school to college to the pros. Now, the last couple of years, he has gone under center a little more, but he still hasn't been in the top 25 in terms of under center snaps. And KOC is consistently in the top five. He's never been outside the top eight in under center snaps. So to see how Kyler operates from under center, to see how they use him in that play action rollout game, to see how once KOC gets his, you know, claws in and is able to really work with Kyler, what that offense looks like. and Justin Jefferson and Addison and these guys.

1:32:14JJ Watt:I can't wait to see how that goes. And then obviously on the Green Bay side, you hope Tucker Craft is healthy and out there for week one. They'll get Micah back at some point on defense. But if that team is healthy, it was kind of their issue last year with some major injuries, and then it's the finishing. They didn't finish in the end of games last season and lost a bunch of games late. So it'll just come down to if they can get those things corrected and make that next step.

1:32:37Pat McAfee:All right, J.H., you took the next step. It wasn't by design. Where did that happen at? The incident? Yeah. Wisconsin. All right. Well, we appreciate the fact that you're going to be alongside us for all NFL season as the number one booth. You're the absolute best. We appreciate you. We'll see you all season on Wednesday and obviously on Sunday. You're the best. Ladies and gentlemen, JJ White. Wow. Good guy. Good guy. Good man. Great guy.

1:33:10Mark Schlabach:He's a great man. And I didn't appreciate that people were saying he was paying for Romo's bar tab. Is that what he was in Wisconsin? A lot of people were saying that. No, people were saying the officer went to the same high school. Really? So, I don't know.

1:33:22Pat McAfee:Wisconsin, I mean, obviously a phenomenal state, a place that we absolutely love. But I think, yeah, it's just crazy coincidence. Small world. Wow. Let's make sure we're doing all the headlines. Let's make sure we got all the headlines. Yeah, let's make sure we got all the – We checked on the grandparents yet. All the context clues that don't exist and everything. Like, well, he was going to see. We'll never know. No. AJ. Wow. I saw you guys talk about this earlier. Don't fan for free. What do you want them to say? You had like a 30-word other things you wanted them to say. I just don't think this is the right angle.

1:33:52Pat McAfee:Just saying. I don't know what it means. What does it mean, don't fan for free? Exactly. That's what we're saying because they're giving away a house. They're giving away money for a house, these people. So it's like if you don't do it free, win something while you're doing it. I think it's what they're saying. Just put win a house. But the problem is you said you get money towards a house. So you wanted to say win money towards possibly a house. And a Dodge Hellcat. A Dodge Charger Hellcat. Sorry. You actually get the truck, right? You get the truck. Free groceries for a year. It's not a truck.

1:34:23Pat McAfee:It's a Charger, which is a car, but it has a lot of back-end. Free groceries for a year. How much is that per month? I don't know. I guess that you're going to have as much as you want. I'm going to enter. Believe me, I'm trying to win. Just kidding. I don't know. Dolphan for free. fan with a chance to win. There you go. Terms and conditions apply. Yeah. Certainly. So you don't get as many groceries as you want every single day. Can't just have like the most plain chicken breast of all time. No. Yeah. AJ would certainly be looking for that. So you're telling me they're giving the blandest food of all time away?

1:35:00Pat McAfee:Because I would like to win that. AJ Hawk. I think we heard that quote. Is that right? Is that what you said? False. No, I mean, I'm kind of like bored with grilled chicken, to be honest. I bet. I bet, dude. Okay. It only took 20 years. I put some barbecue and some pepper on it. Hey, how was the – before we move to a man who knows more about the things happening around the NFL than we certainly do, even though we played in it, he knows everybody that's actually kind of doing it. Was also in the Super Corpo meeting the other day that taught us that the NFL is in a really good spot. How did the team do yesterday?

1:35:31Pat McAfee:Good. It was good, man. The boys played hard. We got a dub. Yeah. Great. Let's go. Thank you for facilitating everything. I appreciate it. No problem. What was the score? This one was a bit of a runaway. We won 53-0, I believe. Oh, come on. You're joking. That's not normal. That's not a normal situation that happens. Just things came together. Okay, so what do you say? One play at a time. It's not about the scoreboard. We need to keep going. At what point? Yeah, because everyone got to spread it around a little bit. Everyone got some touches. It was good, man. Boys played hard. We played with proper leverage on defense.

1:36:01That's what happens. You give up zero.

1:36:02Pat McAfee:Okay, I like that. Outside pieces. Stay the outside pieces. You know where your help is. That's how it is. Thank you for running that up. You'll get your 25 % that I promise. you yeah well i don't like that we're potentially thinking about you know maybe making a little bit off of this game but like um aj i just want to let you know i love that you're trying to get the boys to pitch a shout out for the whole season and uh let them know that if they do that we will certainly spotlight it and we would like donate to the year and pizza party boom there it is we like to give a shout out for the year pizza party do you hear him saying proper leverage outside shoulder we're reading everything we're supposed to read we're reading our keys it's like you guys What was the speech third quarter?

1:36:40Pat McAfee:Heading into fourth quarter. You guys were probably up 40 at that point at least. No big speeches. Just keep your head down. Play 0-0. Play it like it's a start to get. Yeah, right. 0-0. I step on their fucking throats! I know you were saying that. He ran the coach host. They don't gain another yard. Well, we'll see. We'll see how the season goes. 53-0 to start. He's going to be able to keep the boys motivated. We will see. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a man who is an Emmy award-winning host. Oh, pundit. Sorry. I believe on his way to becoming an award-winning host as he hosts the Schrager Art, a podcast that is obviously sought after by all the big names around the NFL because he's friends with everybody.

1:37:18Pat McAfee:He's an insider, and he's also a guy who knows everything happening. Ladies and gentlemen, our friend Peter Schrager. Yeah! Peter Schrager! How you doing, Schrager? I'm awesome. It was great seeing you this week at that Corpo event. Dude, have you been to that before, I assume? I mean, I've been to it for three different companies. I used to go to the NFL Network one, used to go to the Fox one, the ESPN one. What was your impression of that? And for the guys in there, I know you guys talked about it, but Schefter was talking about it yesterday. 30 of the top broadcasters in the world at football and the league just having a conversation about the latest and what we need to know.

1:37:55And Pat McAfee at the head of the table is taking it all in. I'm watching him like it was a reality show.

1:37:59Pat McAfee:I was not at the head of the table. I was at the end of the table. Well, the head of the table was the other side, which I saw immediately upon walking into an event that I quickly realized I've never been anywhere near something like this before. Then I see three seats at that side, and I go, okay, so there is where the power is going to be, which it was, by the way. That was where the head of the table was the other end. So I said, I'm going to be as far away from that as possible. So I actually did that. I sat at the very end. Shrag's a couple doors down here. I didn't know the screen, though, Shrags.

1:38:33Pat McAfee:The screen was right here. So back of my head face was... Eyesight. Everyone looking at McAfee the entire time. That's fine. Meanwhile, Kelsey and Kurt Warner, like they're Laurel and Hardy at the end of the other side of the table, just cracking jokes and doing their own thing. And I'm like, all right, I like this dynamic here. Yeah, it was. It was good. Watching Kelsey and Kurt Warner kind of break down everything in their own way over there. It was good. I think, to be clear, I think Kelsey, myself, needed that. We had never been a part of anything like that. I don't know if I've ever experienced something like that before.

1:39:05Pat McAfee:But I'm very appreciative of the NFL letting us know where everything stands and how the season's going to be. About to have the biggest and best season yet. No questions asked, especially with the stats that we were seeing. And don't – hey, fourth floater on the kickoff return.

1:39:19Mark Schlabach:Big deal.

1:39:19Pat McAfee:Fourth floater on the kickoff return. Look for, you know, things to really break open. 1 ,100-plus more plays than we had the year before. Yeah, just – but they're a little bit worried about some of the collisions. So we're going to have to continue to work on that. Okay. Yeah, because, you know. Are they up or down? Did they mention our concussions up or down with a new kickoff? Way down. Way down. I heard up. Per capita? Per capita, are they up? Or...

1:39:42Mark Schlabach:I just assumed across the board, way down. No. Not what I heard.

1:39:45Pat McAfee:So per play, because there's 1 ,100 more plays. Sure.

1:39:49Mark Schlabach:Down. Okay, that's good.

1:39:51Pat McAfee:Boom. That's what we're aiming for. 1 ,100 more plays, though. So per capita. Yeah. Per capita down. I thought I read somewhere that there was no concussions last year. Percentage per play is low. Okay. But because so many plays. Total concussions. Opportunities to dong your head. Total concussions. Way up. Yeah, so there was a – no, way. Okay, we're talking two figures. Is the average up or down? The average way down. So what are we talking about? We won. We just said there was zero last year. No, so I don't think that is anywhere near accurate from a couple of things, but it is per average percentage of play.

1:40:33Pat McAfee:Boom. Way down. Way, way down. Stingers were up, but there was no concussions. No, that's old school. People aren't doing the fake concussion thing anymore. Everybody really did. Go ahead. Sorry, Shrek. The other thing I think you guys will find interesting was a good, healthy debate, including several of us, talking about grass versus turf. Mm-hmm. And the field services and the big takeaway, which I think is interesting because the NFL is working tirelessly to, obviously they don't want their star players injured, so they're working every day they can. 30 different fields, because SoFi has two teams, MetLife has two teams.

1:41:05Each one has a different surface, so they're trying to work to get the best surface for each stadium. And, you know, someone just froze their hand and was like, MetLife is a disaster. Like, what are you doing there? And we're working on it. So the FIFA in the background, all the stuff from the World Cup with all the players wanting it, and I just said, Pat, and I just froze my hand in front of the room. Probably shouldn't have had a voice in this thing. I'm like, so is that something that could be worked out in the CBA and collective bargaining and maybe get that in the next... It was kind of like, all right, we're not going there yet.

1:41:33Let us try to work on this before we get to the CBA.

1:41:35Pat McAfee:The lovely player in safety, I think her name was Mackenzie, I believe. Yeah, she was great. She did not know that's who she was sitting at that part of the table. You knew that whenever we were sitting in there? No, I didn't know who she was. I always knew Jeff Miller as the health and safety person, so I didn't know who McKenzie. She was fantastic. She presented well. We had Kurt Warner across, Jason Kelsey, David Pash looking great. And then right next to him was a lady who was very kind, was not very chatty. You know, like everybody was kind of talking. It was super corpore. But hey, fake hellos everywhere.

1:42:04Pat McAfee:You know, then on our side it was me, Fosso, Shrags, Jason McCourty. I believe it was Jay McCourty was in there. And then it was a guy with deep voice. Mitch was speaking for the NFL about two and a half hours in. He brought good juice. He was really good. But she was player in safety. Player safety. We had no idea. She was great. She had all of it. She had all of it. Where was Dr. Sills? There was no Dr. Sills site. Call him in the slides. They showed a picture of Sills. He was putting up one of the blue tents in a picture. So he's still in the mix. He wasn't in the room, though. Walt Anderson didn't invite him.

1:42:35He would have cut out his talking.

1:42:36Pat McAfee:Okay, that's Gumpy's take. Gumpy was on a couch in the back outside of the table. And we did kind of walk out of there and think to ourselves, did we know we were going to a Walt Anderson show? And it certainly was there for a bit. He cares. Walt Anderson represents the officials, and sometimes he's put on the crucible out there, and he's fighting off all sorts. And I'll tell you, Walt, I've seen him wear cowboy hats. I've seen him wear cowboy boots. He comes in there. He's a gunslinger. He ain't going to take shit from anybody. Yeah, and I've seen him make absolutely horrendous calls on a football field and also in his new position that he's in now.

1:43:11Pat McAfee:Sure. But I think anybody would have that happen if you're in the paint. You know, you're going to get dunked on every once in a while. The big takeaway I had from Walt, who was talking a lot, because a lot of this is rules-based and what's changing, he really cares. I mean, this guy, he had, because somebody would ask questions, he'd go, well, we actually thought of that. Then we'd do a boom. Then he'd be like, well, what would you do there? And it's like, oh, Walt really? Yeah, like he knew his shit. It's kind of all you can ask for. Exactly. I thought he cared and he knew his shit. Now, do you disagree with some of this stuff?

1:43:36Pat McAfee:Potentially. But I do think that room told me that they really care about what's going on. But it was, that was a super corpo event. I don't think, they had Walt in a suit and he did not, you know, that shit was opened up. all over. Yeah. So it was cool. We appreciated it. Let's talk about this. Awesome experience. Yeah, it was. It was cool. And you've obviously done it with many different networks. Is it the same across the board quickly? No, Fox actually does it like a totally different Fox is like a three day situation where it's offsite and it's more about team building and bonding. And, and then the league presents within that framework.

1:44:09Uh, CBS does theirs up in New York city, similar kind of thing, but last two years, ESPN, it's really the one time everyone who works on the NFL properties at ESPN is all in the same room. So it was kind of cool just to see everybody in the mix and have everyone. I mean, it's great seeing Laura Rutledge and seeing Joe and Troy, but then also seeing Jason Kelsey and Warner and all the different folks that were in there. So it was a really cool experience. Mike Greenberg, Molly was in there.

1:44:32Pat McAfee:Yep, McGrath. Yep. Molly McGrath. Scott Van Pelt, obviously host Monday Night Countdown. He's in there. All the producers. Who? Schefter. Yeah, Schefter in there in the corner. Breaking news while we're in the room. It was out three times to answer phone calls. I loved it. Yeah, I came back in. It was good. It was good to me. Okay, let's talk a little bit about football here. We see the Las Vegas Raiders. We saw Kirk play a little bit. We saw Fernando Mendoza. Obviously, the conversation has gotten really loud about who's the starter. I am still in the camp of, I assume, Kirk Cousins is going to be the starter because the second preseason game where Kirk doesn't play, the one offensive line doesn't play, Fernando does play, but it's mostly with the second teamers.

1:45:11Pat McAfee:That tells me that Kirk is probably your starter. Last night he plays a little bit. Could it be just we need to build up a ramp, a new offense? Let's go and see how we are in there. They've come out. Kubiak said, I don't have to say who his starter is. I don't need to do that. We don't have to do that. He also said in one of his answers that Fernando needs like three more preseason games, he thinks, because Fernando obviously very smart, is learning on the go. And I think he is a guy who can adapt and change quickly. He showcased that plenty of times in college. How do you view this entire situation and how should we be viewing it, Shregs?

1:45:40Well, look, they really like Fernando Mendoza. He's been fantastic there. And obviously he's an electric first overall pick. And the last six first overall picks get on the field early, and it's what it is. This is a different situation in that Kirk Cousins knows Kubiak's offense inside and out from time playing together. And, of course, Tom Brady has a voice in this thing as well. And Brady has been one of the most public advocates of not rushing the quarterback development and taking the time and doing this right. I would put those two things together and the fact that they did sign Kirk to real money.

1:46:10It wasn't like Cousins is signing for minimum veteran money. I would imagine Kirk Cousins gets the start and he's going to ride it out until there feels like there needs to be a change. That would be my impression on this. If they were to completely change course and go with Mendoza, it also tells me that Mendoza was just flat out awesome in a way that they can't deny getting him on the field. But there is no pressure inside that building to push Mendoza, to sell tickets, to sell merch. It is understood. They've got their first overall pick. And instead of botching it like so many teams do and rushing them out there and trying to justify the selection or say, hey, this is why he's the guy and let's try to get things going here.

1:46:50Let's wait until he's fully cooked and ready to go. And I don't think that Kubiak has indicated that that's where they're at right now.

1:46:56Pat McAfee:We all have faith that Kubiak's going to be a good head coach, right? I think. I think so. And I think this is the Raiders' best roster that we've seen in some time. Feels like they're most in a line with each other about winning. It doesn't feel like there's a lot of bullshit happening. So I assume they're going to handle it right. And that would be crazy to say about the Raiders, I guess, you know, for like a long time. But I do think they're going to handle it right. I'll be excited to see when Fernando gets a chance to get on the field. Okay, let's talk about another quarterback head coach situation that is maybe brewing in front of our eyes.

1:47:25We thought this would be, you know, simpatico much sooner.

1:47:30Pat McAfee:Go ahead, Ty.

1:47:30Mark Schlabach:Yeah, Shrigues, what is your take on Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams? Because it seems like there's kind of two camps right now. it's either the Bears are going to regress big time this year and not be as good, or Caleb's going to take a massive leap under Ben Johnson and win the MVP. But Ben Johnson certainly has no issue with kind of ripping Caleb and letting everyone know when he thinks he made a bad choice or a bad decision. And obviously he wasn't completely thrilled with the way he played last year, even though they were good. What are the expectations for the Bears next year? And do we think that, you know, Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams are going to kind of find that simpatico and, you know, take a huge step this year?

1:48:12I'll tell you, knowing Ben fairly well, he had multiple opportunities to leave for the NFL. Several years ago, the Carolina job, I know that they were sniffing around on him when he was not even a hot name as an offensive coordinator. Then the next year, obviously, Washington did the dance with him, and they had a second overall pick or third overall pick, whatever it was, where they got Jaden Daniels. And Chicago was going to be the following year, whatever. But Chicago was the one where Ben Johnson ran to. Remember, it was Chicago, Vegas, a couple other teams when he chose that Bears job. And one of the main reasons why was he fell in love with what he saw from Caleb Williams.

1:48:50And I think Caleb in his first year with Ben showed massive strides. I believe that the actual expectation for the Chicago Bears this year would be winning the NFC North and competing for a Super Bowl. I think that's what is next when you finish in the final four of your conference and you take the Rams to the absolute final bell. And you lose at home on what was just a heartbreaking loss in a fashion that, whether it was DJ Moore or Caleb or the play calling or what, you felt like there was more football to be played. And it ended in an unfortunate way. Now, Pat, we were both in Miami that weekend.

1:49:23It was because it was the national championship for college football the following day. That Sunday night game, I know that a lot of Bears people still have that bad taste in their mouth from that loss to the Rams. It's been an outstanding summer for them. They added great, great weapons on this team. They feel really good about the tight end that they selected early in this draft. They love the fact that they're going to get another year for a Dunze and the hope is burdens on the field. So everything I've heard is that this thing is ascending and is on its way up. But Ben Johnson, he's what they call a red ass.

1:49:58He's going to tell you how he feels, and he's going to tell his quarterback how he feels. And it seems like Caleb's been very receptive to it. So to me, the sky's the limit, guys. If someone says Caleb Williams MVP and the Bears are going to win the Super Bowl this year, I am not going to be someone who's like, oh, you're overdoing it. That's hyperbole. No, there's no reason that shouldn't be the case. He's gotten significantly better every year, and they're a team that was knocking on the door last year.

1:50:19Pat McAfee:Sky's the limit. Shout out Wheezy. And Lil Wheezy. The kicker, obviously. He's a Packers fan, though, so that doesn't really work. Yeah, green and yellow. I think we got another version of that out. And his kid is now a kicker, too, which we love, obviously, and appreciate. Ben Johnson, though, we just watched them do a double reverse drop to a tight end who sneaks out after acting like he's blocking for some time. Ben Johnson's offense is the start, you know? So, like, quarterback is going to operate the offense. If you can operate the offense and also be a star and have athletic ability nobody else has, I think it will be something that the NFL maybe has never seen before.

1:50:59Pat McAfee:But you've got to be able to do the offense first before all the extra stuff. Because everybody's like, he's Jared Goff plus Caleb Williams. It's like, well, he's got to be Jared Goff first, I think is what Ben Johnson would like him to be. Because the offense is going to work. You've just got to do it. Now, if it's not working on one particular play, do your shit. Don't turn it over, though. Because I've got another play coming. the next one. So that's what we need. I hope it works because the thought of Ben Johnson, and you talk about how many different jobs he had, his offenses are so much fun to watch.

1:51:28Pat McAfee:And it has good running. It's like sound. Everything is like really good football the way Ben operates. If Caleb can do his Caleb shit on top of the best offense that we've seen in some time, that'll be electrifying. I hope they're able to get there. Okay, let's talk about, you know, maybe perfect timing taking place. Organization you're very tight with. AJ has the last question for you here. Yeah, Shregs, what's taking so long for Aaron Donald to sign? Is it going to happen anytime soon? I feel like, are you surprised, I guess, that he has not signed yet? I sat with you guys the day of the ESPYs.

1:52:00We all sat there in that ballroom, and everyone's like, oh, he's signing, he's signing. And I said, there's two things at play here. Aaron Donald needs to feel like he's 100 % ready to go, and that he feels like it's 99 version of 99, like it was his Madden rating the last time he took the field. And then there has to also be this feeling that the Rams are obviously welcoming him in because the numbers have to make sense. We're not even at the numbers yet. And here we are, August 28th, about six days away from when they fly out to, you know, or whatever it is, 10 days away from when they fly out to Australia and we don't have them on board.

1:52:32I thought if this was going to happen, it was going to happen in early August. It would happen at the end of camp when they broke out after going to Loyola Marymount and they said, okay, we've got our team. It hasn't happened yet. So now I think they're all just kind of like in wait and see mode also. And if Aaron Donald wants to play and the numbers make sense, he'll be there. But this is really an Aaron Donald's court. And as of right now, it seems like he doesn't feel like he's at the point where he wants to declare that he's coming back right now. And the Rams, they haven't set themselves up for any failure where it's like all of our season hinges on him.

1:53:03They have been practicing at an incredible level, and their team is 100 % ready. They were a couple plays away from going to the Super Bowl without him. He's an amazing thing to have, but their season doesn't bank on the fact whether Aaron Donald's on the field or not.

1:53:16Pat McAfee:You're the best. We appreciate the hell out of you, ladies and gentlemen. and that's Emmy Award winner. Have a great weekend. Peter Stranger. Yeah, Stranger.

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1:53:55Pat McAfee:and the ESPN app. 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.

1:54:39Pat McAfee:That's a good question, AJ. What the hell's going on? I'm seeing these two-tenths videos. He looks... Yeah. And then he's like, well, business-wise, it's like... I thought Sheffy claimed the numbers were already taken care of. Oh, did he? Oh, did he? Did that change with how quick he looks? That's interesting. Have the greatest weekend of your life. We'll be back here for an overreaction Monday. Be a friend. Tell a friend something nice. It might change your life. Goodbye. Okay, sorry about that age. Just, you know, a little countdown clock there. But, yeah, maybe information just changed, you know, as things went because he started feeling good.

1:55:11Pat McAfee:He's like, you know what? My fire is back. I might be better. Yeah, hold the phone here. Now that we're talking about this. I mean, he looks unbelievable. Yeah. And it's like, with how strong we know, I guess that would be the question. Is it the feet he's worried about or is it worried about hand-to-hand combat? He's a little bit worried about what it's going to be with these younger lads who've been playing football. He's been out. And if he gets, you know, if he gets de-bowed, that's all he does not want to have, right? Like, that is what he's thinking about. I would like to be able to absolutely dominate people because he doesn't want to ever showcase Aaron Donald getting beat, right?

1:55:47Pat McAfee:No way. Is that what we're waiting on, I wonder? Like, I genuinely wonder what he's waiting on or if it is a business thing potentially. Like, we know what's about to happen here too. So I can't wait for it. Seemingly inevitable. But now maybe not AJ. What a ride. What a ride this is. We thought for sure by now he'd be in there. I don't know. I would assume he's working out super hard and he's just seeing how his body recovers. That's the thing. Can I make it through the whole season? Can I be me for a 17-game regular season? And obviously they plan on going on a deep run into the playoffs. So I would assume that's where he's at, but we really have no idea.

1:56:20No clue.

1:56:21Pat McAfee:I assume he comes back in his All-Pro. So just know that that's where we sit AD and I think the whole entire sports world does. But he doesn't need to hear that, obviously.

1:56:27Mark Schlabach:No, and we talked about it earlier. Do you think there is potentially a chance that he's just like, I don't want to fucking fly to Australia. you. I'm just going to wait until they get back and I'll play. I don't want to do all this bullshit. I'm doing all this other stuff. I will be ready come week two. I'm not fucking flying halfway across the world to do this.

1:56:45Pat McAfee:They can't come out and say that's why. We heard Shanahan say, didn't Shanahan come out and be like, we don't want to do this at all. This is so far. And then Roger Goodell goes, Coach Shanahan understood how important this all is. I assume even saying, I'm not doing an 18-hour flight to start a football season when I've been out for two years. I'll catch you guys on the other side. Publicly, the NFL and assume the Rams and everybody doesn't want Australia to think that we're being negative about it. He's just saying, for the actual good of my body, maybe a 24-hour trip after the first game that I played two years, not the best thing.

1:57:21Pat McAfee:Maybe mentally as well. So shout out to the boys taking that trip. Yes. Shout out to the boys taking that trip over there. And we can't wait to get started. Yeah, pumped. I'm pumped to see that in Australia, too, like just the scenes of the arena and everything, and those fans are going to put on a show. But is there some sort of benefit for the Rams to announce their roster than have him go, like, practice squad to the active roster? Like, is there some sort of, like, advantage to that? Is there some sort of advantage to Aaron Donald going right to the roster as a fully guaranteed vet or whatever?

1:57:54Pat McAfee:Yeah, so if he's starter for the first game, if you're active – no, not starter, active. You're on the roster, yeah. Yeah, if you're active for the first game and you're past your fifth year, vested is how they describe that. Your contract is guaranteed for the entire season. Okay. So that was a big – So it helps the team. That's why the team signs vets usually after week one. It helps them. But Aaron Donald is not really – I don't think it applies to them. That applies to a vet that you're signing that you are possibly going to cut later. Yeah, special team vets, they are – as soon as you get to week one and they have a uniform in their locker room, whoo.

1:58:27Yeah.

1:58:28Pat McAfee:Got a contract. We got money this year. Yeah. I couldn't get cut multiple times, but they got to pay me. This is really, really good news. It's not, yeah, obviously not that with Aaron, but what is the contract for Aaron Donald at this stage with the Los Angeles Rams, especially with how much money they have everywhere?

1:58:41JJ Watt:Fifteen.

1:58:42Pat McAfee:I assume they'll get it figured out, probably incentive-based as well. We hope we see Aaron. And whenever it is, Aaron, we appreciate you. Now, he's playing my NFC team right there. Yeah, sure. You've got to hate the Rams this year. Got to watch that. No, no, no. I like good football. That's your rival, man. I like good football. I just know that my NFC team, the boys, the Seahawks, we're ready. Whatever the hell's going on. Is Aaron Donald coming back? We hope. Okay, we'd like to see the best team because we like to represent it as the best team. One of the 12. Yeah, and we're going to fight, too.

1:59:11Pat McAfee:Like, this team. Oh, yeah. This team has dogs everywhere, dude. I heard about it. I went back and watched the Super Bowl parade because I'm watching his hard knocks. I'm like, this team's filled with, like, absolute dogs here. And then you go back to the Super Bowl parade, and it's like, yeah. Yeah, we got dogs everywhere. You're liking having this NFC team, huh? You're liking having this NFC team. Yeah, I do like having an NFC team. We battle right away. It has nothing to do with you and me. Yeah. I haven't even looked at our schedule, the NFC team, my NFC team schedule. But I do know is week zero starts tomorrow for college football.

1:59:46Pat McAfee:Let's go. FCS was obviously last night. It was awesome. It was spectacular. Preseason for the NFL, obviously great. These football games have been very good. It's already delivering for us. And it might just be the biggest. and best season yet. Joining us now, live from J.R. Mahins in Dublin, Ireland. Ladies and gentlemen, boots on the ground for North Carolina TCU tomorrow. Ladies and gentlemen, from pro football, Ireland. Michael McQuaid. Yay! Michael McQuaid! Hey, uh... Lads, what's the crack? Hey, what's the crack there, McQuaid? You're at J.R. Mahins right now?

2:00:28Mark Schlabach:I am I'm sitting beside the owner Co-owner John Who is sitting with probably the biggest smile he's had on his face Since you guys were here two years ago this weekend So Football's back, biggest season yet lads Here we go

2:00:41Pat McAfee:Yes it is the biggest season Do you think it's going to be the best season yet or no?

2:00:47Mark Schlabach:I think it's going to be the best season yet I was listening to you guys a second ago And can I just say as somebody who For the Americans listening to this we're very lucky to have games international get aaron donald on that plane to melbert he's on

2:01:01Pat McAfee:that plane he's going okay so you're saying let australia see aaron donald and let's talk about that the growth of football international i think you've done a great job in the country of ireland we knew about a fan base in ireland of pro american football through you before football got to ireland a few years back it's only going to continue and it's only going to continue to grow do we think flag football is going to help from your perspective? And what are these week zero games that are traveling over there? What does it do for the fan base in Ireland and maybe even international games as a whole?

2:01:35Mark Schlabach:Look, there's so many people in Ireland that work really hard in the sport. When we have week zero over here and we see, you know, Dolby Alcic walking into Marion Square Park at four o 'clock on a Friday afternoon, it's just mental. But we get to take the season off. And I know there was games last night and I seen the show yesterday. but you know we get to kick it off week zero and it ends obviously with espn's first super bowl in la and to start it in dublin's very special we've got this game obviously tomorrow between unc and ccu and to have pit against wisconsin next year is special and i feel like you know the connection that we obviously have to north america a lot of people including yourself patrick with iris heritage it's very very cool and i have two schools here this weekend that are I've actively talked about that.

2:02:23It's special.

2:02:24Mark Schlabach:And all I want now and all we want is that I think we have on Saturday to have the start of what I hope is going to be the best season yet.

2:02:31Pat McAfee:Yeah, it is going to be the best season yet, I do believe. Maybe the biggest as well. And I think to kind of add on to your point, the Irish people, from our understanding, would like football. We think the Irish people would enjoy American football. The mentality, what's this sport? Hurling. What's this sport here? I got the ball here. What's this one?

2:02:56Mark Schlabach:So I have to blame my doggy, T.S. time connection, but I think it's a sliver, a hurling ball. Yes. I'm nearly certain, yeah.

2:03:02Pat McAfee:Yeah, that's exactly what it is. Yes, thank you, hurling. A lot of physicality. I mean, it is pretty physical sports over there. Obviously, everybody thinks about soccer, but like rugby, everything, this sport is big, and there's spectacular plays. I think Ireland can be a great showcase of what football can do internationally. How about flag? Are you guys doing a lot of flag football over there? And do you think that helps internationally or no?

2:03:25Mark Schlabach:The NFL has invested flag football starter kits in every school across the entire island. I was watching your show from West End, Indiana, a few weeks ago, and seeing young boys and girls from Cork in Ireland. And I think they give you a flag. And that was pretty special. It's growing in here exponentially. We've got our own female league now, the Prada League, and obviously...

2:03:46Pat McAfee:Oh, Jeremiah, it's too many good times. Oh, no. Unbelievable. We got a lot of good service. We have a lot of good times, but your connection might be shit. Every school, they put out football kits. That's unbelievable. That's a good idea. That'll change the game. Yeah, that's sick. Yeah, because I do believe that is a culture that if they knew more about the sport, they would enjoy it. I think they would enjoy it. So getting it in front of them is a big deal. I like that McQuaid was like, hey, just as an international, let's get Aaron Donald done here, okay? I don't know how often we get a chance to see maybe greatest player of all time, whenever it's all said and done.

2:04:22Pat McAfee:We'd like to maybe let the Aussies kind of see what's going on at the top of the food chain. Him and Miles Garrett in Australia debuting at the Melbourne Cricket. Grime. MCG. You know, which obviously Aussie rules football and cricket home. Prime time. Place is going to be packed out. Just like Ireland's going to be for UNC TCU. Now, I don't think it's the best connection yet. No, it's not. That'll happen. Far away. Hey, McQuaid, we love you, man. Love you, McQuaid. Love you, McQuaid. Sláinte, McQuaid. Oh, to have a baby goodness right now, Jared. Oh. Maybe next year, boys. I wish I didn't think of anything next year.

2:05:02Mark Schlabach:Maybe next year. Let's pit Wisconsin. I was going to say, we'd probably take that one off, too.

2:05:07Pat McAfee:This would have been the one. Bill Belichick out there. What's going on with everything else happening over there? What do you mean? Like what? What? It just feels like, you know, do they have a general manager over here? Not right now, but Bill's used to doing both jobs, so I don't think that affects him that much. And we hope Steve's okay because he's doing both of those jobs as well. Lombo, I hope you get an answer at some point. Yeah, no kidding. Now, if it's terrible, we'd like to say.

2:05:34Mark Schlabach:Yeah, sorry in advance.

2:05:35Pat McAfee:We take the claps back, okay, in this entire thing. but a lot of people were dancing on grave very loudly. It's been a long time. Have we gotten any?

2:05:45Mark Schlabach:People are saying tomorrow's a must win already, acting like he may be fired if they get clobbered by TCU.

2:05:51Pat McAfee:Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now, live from J.R. Mahins in Dublin, Ireland, friend of the program from Pro Football. Yeah, Ireland. Ladies and gentlemen, saying it's going to be the best season yet and maybe even the greatest season yet and maybe also the...

2:06:10Mark Schlabach:Superfluous crack, boys. The biggest and best season yet, lads.

2:06:14Pat McAfee:Ladies and gentlemen, Michael McQueen. Hey, McQueen. How you doing? A good call.

2:06:20Mark Schlabach:Lads, lads, if this cuts off again, it's on me, but I've got Rob and John here who want to say hello.

2:06:25Pat McAfee:Hi, lads! Oh, my, lads!

2:06:28Mark Schlabach:Get off! What's the crack, boys? What's the crack, lads? Good to see you, lads. They can't hear you, but they're very, very happy, man. Sorry, guys, Dave. Black football script, football script, past season yet live. Week zero tomorrow.

2:06:43Pat McAfee:Exactly what I thought. Tell us a little bit about what your expectations are for North Carolina and TCU over there. Obviously, the North Carolina Tar Heels, since Bill Belichick has gotten there, has been seemingly publicly ridiculed and attacked from the very beginning. He has remained steadfast that, hey, we're building a program here. We've got to get a recruiting class. They got a quarterback in from Wisconsin. They transfer in. He's going to be starter. What do you expect from them? And what do you expect from TCU?

2:07:11Mark Schlabach:Look, I'm really excited to see North Carolina tomorrow because even when it was coming back on again, you're hitting the nail on the head. Bill Belichick is under pressure. TCU had a pep rally, and the AD was saying, we haven't came here to lose, and the fans are definitely up for it. Billy Edwards, I think, has only played one full season without injury in college football. That's going to be interesting to see. and we know how good team on June could be in terms of the run game. TCU is really interesting. Sonny Dykes has been so good with us all year, giving us time, talking to us for the last number of like five or six months every other month and having a crack really.

2:07:48Mark Schlabach:He's obviously got a new OC. As you said, he's lost his quarterback. So I'm excited to see Judy Craig come in, excited to see what can happen. I think they might lean on the run game a good bit tomorrow, but I think anybody here, especially the NFL heads here, maybe converting themselves to college heads are just looking for a tight and close. In my case, I want a high-scoring game. I want like a, if you remember Nebraska-Northwestern a few years ago, it was like, what, 34, 31 or something? I want a classic in Dublin to pick off the best season in the Airplans.

2:08:18Pat McAfee:Yeah, and maybe biggest season yet. And Ty had to run really quickly in the middle of your great answer there because he might be having the biggest shite. Bit of a crack. Yeah, he is having a bit of a crack in there alongside the toilet. Worst poop yet. And we're pulling for him. We are certainly pulling for him. I love that you get a nice sip there of the Mahins, Stout. Yeah. You didn't split the J.R. Absolutely. You didn't split the J.R.

2:08:44Mark Schlabach:You know what? Just while we have reception here, because they said it. I get about seven messages a week about this. Two years ago this week, you guys were about five meters away in this bar. It went international viral. So I'm going to ask for every Irish person, every European NFL college football fan. When are you guys coming back? I mean, if we get to the end, they're great. Forget about that. If it needs to be. Get back over here, lads. You'll pack the place out. So when's it going to happen?

2:09:10Pat McAfee:I'll tell you. I had a great time. Maybe too much fun. I'll tell you. You mark us down for next year. You're turning 40, right? Yeah. 40 in Ireland. You know what they say. No, 41. I think we should do. Pitt, Wisconsin. I don't think we should go.

2:09:23Mark Schlabach:Pitt's for Nardouche. I don't think it matters. Who's playing? I think do it in June or July or even just before or just after you come back from vacation. It doesn't have to be week zero. It would be great if you could. You've got roots in Amsterdam, Pat. People over here would love to see you guys do Belfast, Dublin, Galway, Cork, Kerry.

2:09:43Pat McAfee:You think I'm going to survive how many days? Yeah, right, dude. Yeah, right. You guys are the greatest. I'm happy that you guys are going to put on a showcase here to start the biggest and best season yet. And we appreciate you joining us, man. Good luck over there.

2:10:01Mark Schlabach:Thank you. I'll see you in LA, guys. Let's have the best season yet.

2:10:05Pat McAfee:Yeah. Have a good one. Yeah. Sláinte to you and all the lads, please make sure we tell it. And for the trad, lads, and for the trad band, need to hear a hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop, hop.

2:10:17Mark Schlabach:Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. They got us. They got the jersey as well. Oh, geez. Sorry, you're the best. You guys are good.

2:10:24Pat McAfee:See you, lads. Thanks again, Mike McQueen. Bob Mahan. How many days did he want me to stay over there? I think he was thinking like a month in Ireland next year. It felt like that. We were only there for 36 hours. I learned a lot about me over there. Yeah, we can run a 36-hour trip back again. We can't do the island tour from what it sounds like McQueen wants us to do, but a nice Thursday to Saturday. That's too long. Thursday to Saturday. Well, we leave on Thursday. We get there Friday. Show on Friday. Leave Friday night, Saturday afternoon. It didn't sound like we had to do the show. Yeah, it just sounds like we just got to kind of go over there and do it.

2:11:03Like take a picture?

2:11:04Pat McAfee:I would recommend everybody to go over there and do it. Okay, I would. It's like Vegas. A thousand percent. It was fucking incredible. One of the greatest 36 hours of my entire life. And like the bars are just nothing like American bars. You know, old school. you're literally walking into like families pubs that have been there for a long time locals have been like walking through there their entire and then you come in and obviously american very lucky that people knew we were coming obviously the mahen boys and seamus fucking we were ashamed yeah so a lot of people are like in mcquid a lot of people are like obviously taking care of us walking in this place we were very loud i mean it was happening but we had a fucking blast i mean we were picking up people it looked like uh it looked like kind of when forrest gump was running.

2:11:45Pat McAfee:People just started gathering around. It was like we were picking up people. It was maybe one of the best pub girls yet. I would say. Same mindset out of all the people in Ireland too. Everyone's just trying to have a good time, especially with being a host city. We talk about it with India all the time. It's a great host city for things, no matter what it is. It feels like Dublin and just Irish culture and people in general are very similar to that. The football games have been good. They've been great. I like the way he's angling it because he should be as a person who is from Ireland and trying to build pro football Ireland.

2:12:18Pat McAfee:It's like, we kick off the entire season and then you guys end. And he said, I heard you guys talking about FCS. Okay, yeah. Alright. It kind of kills what I'm pitching here. It kind of kills what we're talking about. I get what he said. We kick off the entire season and then it ends at the Super Bowl. I like that Ireland's doing that shout out. I do wonder what the fan bases are going to look like in the stands. Very curious, yeah. I mean, TCU, you wonder. Maybe you use it as a trip Yeah, you use it as a reason to go out there. Like Georgia Tech and Florida State when we were out there, both on the East Coast.

2:12:51Pat McAfee:What was that, like 30 ,000 in the stands? Yeah, kind of like that. I think that's what the stadium holds. I think it's like, what, 40 ,000 maybe? I forget how big it is. I forget, too. I know one of the kids is from Ireland who's on North Carolina. They asked Belichick about it, and his entire town went to Dublin for this game. Yeah, Derry, I think he was. Yeah, Derry County or something. Derry someone. I am. Shout out Finn Balor, by the way. Shout out. J.D. McDonough. Becky Lynch. Yeah. Of course. Conor McGregor. Conor McGregor. There's Seamus who we mentioned already. Once again, deserves another mention, Seamus.

2:13:24Pat McAfee:He wants us to go do a workout with him, AJ. You should do that. Did you guys know the NFL hates America? That was not a part of the Corpo thing. I was a part of the – It was part of that conversation. What do you mean? We're supplying these countries, helping them getting better at flag football while we're trying to win a gold at the Olympics? Okay, so I don't know if every school in America is getting flag stuff too, though. Well, either way, it shouldn't be an even playing ground. Oh, I think they're trying to grow the game, though. I think that is something. Yeah, and they're arming other countries with ammunition to take us down at the Olympics.

2:13:59Pat McAfee:What if it was Italy? If they gave them 50 % and then America 50%, I'd be okay with that. Okay, you just don't like that they're making it as accessible as they seemingly are to every school in Ireland. That is awesome. That is an incredible move. That's smart. I don't know who decided on that, but that feels like a really good decision. Let's make it as easy to access as possible. All it takes is what? I guess one massive shipment to each country and then just have the government pass it out and deliver it everywhere. I mean, we got one of those boxes over there too. Like it's not a large amount of stuff.

2:14:33Like you could send a bunch of shit.

2:14:35Pat McAfee:You can get five balls. Yeah. A hundred flags, 200 flags. and obviously the flags can work on boys and girls. Yeah, easy to... And they're survivable. They're not like shittily made. What, eight cones for like end zones? Good idea. Flag football is going to do a lot for football internationally. I think it's a good idea. And these balls are perfect. They are. They are. I took one from the Indy event. It's awesome. Yeah. Okay, so you did take a ball. We thought we had a ball somewhere. Thief. Yeah, we... Someone actually threw it to me and said, take this. I said, sweet. And we use it every day.

2:15:08Pat McAfee:Okay. It's good ball. It's great throwing ball. It's like, and you can kick this. It's kind of like the For the Brand. Very similar to the For the Brand black ball I have that we've worn out. It is baby Duke. This is baby Duke. And I assume it's the same supplier as what we were selling. But I'll let them deal with the logistics. This is the ball. It's a really good ball. And if every country has it, kids are going to start kicking this too. You know, so it's only a matter of time for this game becomes the number one sport in the world. It already is. My brain. My brain too. Well, they did a study on your brain, I think.

2:15:40Oh, no. They're not getting in there.

2:15:43Pat McAfee:Would you like to offer your brain up for research? Absolutely not. I don't want anybody to know anything about this. Yeah, you know what? That is something I haven't really thought about. Can I clear my cookies first, please? Yeah, good call. What if they could? Eventually, they will be able to tap into your dead brain and say, like, relive his whole life through. You think you'll be able to do that? I mean, I have a pretty good memory. Who's doing what to relive in my life? Somebody is? I'm saying like with technology at some point, because they say like, hey, you could tap into their brain once they die.

2:16:10And then you could like, hey, here's a 10-minute version of this whole, the whole dude's life.

2:16:14Pat McAfee:Oh, like how life flashes before your eyes. You just kind of record that. Yeah. I guess some people could say, hey, just let them see the good stuff. And some people say, let them see everything. Oh, you think there's people that are signing docs on what's allowed, what's not allowed? It's kind of an agreement. Probably. I hope people get a chance to see my shit. That'd be fun. Yeah. Kind of live there for a little bit. just read how terrible of a person you are for about two, three days. It'll kind of cool off. It'll be good times. Kind of ride that wave. And then more bullshit will come out that's not real.

2:16:47Pat McAfee:And then, boom, you're the worst person of all time. I get from the same people, and also you picked up a new group of people that are reading something that's not real about you and hate you for it. And you can correct them at some point, I'm sure. I'm sure they'll change their opinion with it. That'd be fun if people get to read that. And then also good moments is we get to experience sports all the time. Bingo. It would be a great time to read through that. I'm so incredibly lucky for all of it. We all are. And as this football season does kick off tomorrow, week zero, legit, let's have the biggest and best season yet.

2:17:18Pat McAfee:Amen. Let's do it. And Ty might be having the biggest and wettest. Poop yet. He could be. I mean, there's nowhere near coming back. He's been gone for multiple minutes. There was a lot of cheese on with this morning, and I actually looked at him and said, like, I'm a little worried about this, right? And what'd he say? No, I only had three Red Bulls today. He's always worried about it. Well, the thing about it is I know how bummed out he was that he couldn't do Michael McQuaid to Michael McQuaid. True. Him getting up and leaving in the middle of that, I know it was a heartbreaker. We're going to have to have McQuaid back on again, I think.

2:17:52For sure, recap the weekend. I do know it was a euphoric feeling for Ty and many of us here just to hear McQuaid say, best season yet. So he did get that at least before he was.

2:18:03Pat McAfee:And he hit biggest at one point as well. Yeah. Yeah. Which I liked. I like that. I get a phone call from somebody that probably read a headline just asking him, hey, what happened here? What happened here? Just need to know that. Pretty important person. Give me a call right now. Hey, just know everything's good, man. I don't hate anybody right now, actually. Mm-mm. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I do. There's a lot of people, actually, that I do. But there's a, you know, everything vibes going real good in the football season. Nice. Hey, man, Ty. Yeah. I'm a play-a-thon. Fuck. Sorry. and he fucking nailed it.

2:18:36You know what? I know it. You didn't even have to. No.

2:18:39Pat McAfee:You just bailed on McQuaid with no poop? Absolutely not. Is that no bull poop? No Thai poop? No, no.

2:18:45Mark Schlabach:I'm on antibiotics right now. This fucking nagging cough that seemingly is never going to go away. I'm just going to deal with it the rest of my life. But one of the side effects is hellacious diarrhea, unfortunately. And you already kind of... It is hellacious. Yeah, and it is hellacious. I mean, I took a massive shit earlier this morning before I ate anything. Didn't even really have anything for dinner last night. There's really nothing you can do. It kind of just produces on its own. But, you know, I did do something crazy in there. I wiped my fucking ass. I washed my hands and I flushed the toilet.

2:19:13Pat McAfee:Wow. That is crazy. That's rare.

2:19:15Mark Schlabach:You can't take that for granted. Exactly. Not anymore.

2:19:17Pat McAfee:Not with adults. There's multiple people. We still don't know. We still have not gotten to the bottom of this.

2:19:22Mark Schlabach:I think everyone's kind of got a good idea. We all know what happened. I got to look Mitt in the eye. I don't know. I believe Mitt, I think. Okay. No one was saying. Okay, so you just. I'm saying you guys were inferring that Mitt was the guy. Wow, and Mitt, how he was like, he wasn't defensive. He was just stern, like, come on.

2:19:40Pat McAfee:Mitt's watched, you know, first 48 and all that stuff. Mitt knows. Mitt's no dummy. You know, he's grown up. He's playing chess. Yeah, he gets what's happening. That's not me saying I think it was Mitt. Right. I'm just saying, like, just because Mitt gets portrayed as, and he is certainly, there are some things where he's actually, you know, locked in. Yeah. Oh, really? What's that? Yes, 100 % locked in. On what, Foxy? Every single morning he helps with this show. He's locked in. He's a gigantic asset. Gigantic asset. Now, does he potentially turn on a shower in the morning when he doesn't think anybody else is around?

2:20:29Pat McAfee:Heads over, shoeless, takes a poop in a very small stall just because it was the first one. Doors open anyway, so this thing's basically the back of a pickup truck. He's tailgating in this thing. It doesn't matter how small it is. Does he poop while the shower? And then he sees the steam from the shower get to him. And he's like, oh no, I've been here forever. Billy's going to burn down. Yeah, you know, so then he gets up without wiping, and he goes right to the shower. He's like, oh, this is going to be a sauna too. I didn't know that. Shuts that thing. and then he's not worried about the, you know, wiping the butt.

2:21:02Pat McAfee:And he completely forgot because he had been sitting on that toilet for at least 10 minutes after poop was finished. Sure. On phone. Probably couldn't feel feet anymore, actually, that were barefoot. Crawler. Is that a potential possibility? I didn't think about that. Now that you lay it, when you lay it out like that, I guess Mitt is back in the conversation. Definitely, yeah. And I'm not saying he's a definite yes. I'm just saying I don't think anybody's walking around without wiping her butt with that poop that came out of that thing. So there had to be some sort of cleaning that took place.

2:21:33Pat McAfee:Did they waddle over to the other stall? Maybe. But this one feels like a potential. Heading right to the showers. Oh, no, the shower's still on, man. You know, that whole thing. Chance. But you say you looked him in the eye, and he said no. So maybe not. He was. He did convince me, but now I was, that was before I was presented that theory, so. Exactly. And I think only, yeah, big pop out of him, actually. See, now he's starting to think, maybe it was me. Shit, I could have completely forgot about that poop. There's a lot of those potential theories. I mean, Bone, just in general, that's a theory.

2:22:10Pat McAfee:Yeah. You know? If he could fit in that stuff. They need to feel comfortable to come forward, though. Whoever it is should say, this is a safe space. You should feel comfortable now. Like, no one's going to be up there. It's not a safe space, though, because remember what Ty and Connor said. Ty and Connor said, Ty said he wanted to get a sword. heat it up so he could sear off their penis.

2:22:28Mark Schlabach:I did say that. And honestly, I still believe that way. So nobody's coming forward. It's too late because if they come forward now, it's just like, okay, you're just a coward. Like you knew you did it this entire time and you let this whole thing play out for a week. So never, never. So you're just an absolute coward loser. Don't want to talk to you for the rest of my life.

2:22:48Pat McAfee:Now, Bone could have done it, by the way, because he could then have the out of I couldn't fit in there ever. And it's like, well, maybe Bone, in a moment of like, I'm going to get these guys, man, you know, does that to throw everybody off the scent. You know, there's a chance that could be Bone. Now, we tried to check the cameras, see who walked in and out of the area. Bone has not been seen on those cameras multiple times, which has been a surprise to everybody. So I guess you could clear his name, but he might be dropping in from the top. Yeah, you never know.

2:23:20Mark Schlabach:But that was the one thing. In the vents. When Bone's taking a dump, it looks like when you're going to Kroger and buying a five-pound ground turkey, like ground beef, like a big – The log. Yeah, exactly.

2:23:33Pat McAfee:You go into a used port-a-jump. Exactly. He brings scissors.

2:23:36Mark Schlabach:Yes, that's been baking in there all day. That's what you expect out of Bone. Not bring scissors in. Yeah. Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut. Because he knows it's not going to go down otherwise.

2:23:47Pat McAfee:Okay, so he's passed the setup, the cautionary flush. Yeah, he passed that. He's got pasta scissors. Yeah, his log to that. I mean, sometimes even a skewer if he needs to. Let's have a weekend. We're never going to find out who it is. There's so many theories, dude. We're never going to know exactly. But if you keep looking people in the eye and you've got feelings, please let me know. I'd like to know any other ideas. Boys in the back, great work this week. Hey, boys. We're glad. Good job, boys. Mitt from Graphic Design Boys really good work this week Talks to the table I think they know who they think did it?

2:24:26Pat McAfee:Zito, Tim, way to go

2:24:31Pat McAfee:ideas lads Talks to the table way to go this week you too man you guys played a celebrity softball game this week that was this week that was fun that was a good time that hoodie's sick by the way seeing it in person Yeah, Johnny and Matty Gaudreau Foundation. I said I was going to take one of everything. Turns out they're ahead of it. They shipped it all here. I didn't see it yesterday. Thank you so much for all of it. But I would like everybody to go support, you know, cool family. Hats fit. Hats are great. Yeah, great hats. Great hats. Good logo. They got a USA hockey logo, so it's, you know, it's a good logo.

2:25:06Pat McAfee:It's hard to find, like, those types of just simple things. They got a camo one with the USA hockey logo right here. Money. Yeah. If it's my head, I got a gigantic dome piece, which is very abnormal. It is at the tail end of the cloth back part. But if it's good, I'm going to wear that probably all year. This hoodie, unbelievable. Yep. I have to cut the sides of these things, though, AJ. You know what I'm talking about? Yeah, what for? Like, it's just too tight around? Like, what do you mean? The way I'm built, it's just like these things will just start riding up to my nipples. You know, like, just because I'm built like a spark plug.

2:25:38Pat McAfee:You know what I mean? So it's just like these things start down here, and then they just start working. They're Alex Honnold-ing, these things. They just climb right up to my tits, and it's just not good. So I've got to kind of cut and let that thing loose because of the way I'm built. With the caboose that is there, with the rib cage, with the way I'm built here, it just kind of doesn't work. But you cut the sides, it's really nice, really, really good. Happy to support. One half of the hammer, done. Cowboys apitone. Way to go, sweet Tony. Good word of God. Not my best, but I appreciate your kind words.

2:26:08Pat McAfee:It was your best. If this goes in Biggest and Best season yet Hell of a throw This one, this one, this one Smaller That was the same problem we had with Baby Duke too They definitely get in from the same spot Still perfect ball We can't thank all of you Enough, we love all of you We appreciate all of you And I'll tell you what scheduling a potential live performance two days before the first college game day in Louisiana. It might have been a bad decision. We'll have updates on that. I don't know if that one's happening. We might have to punt that one later in the football season, AJ. I'm learning about rehearsals and all this type of stuff.

2:26:54Pat McAfee:It's like, who has... Yeah, it's a big... I mean, yeah, live performances would be... I think there's a lot that goes into that. Yeah, yo, I'm learning in real time. There is a lot that goes into that. And I'm like, oh, no. I've made a grave mistake here. I don't know where that time's coming from that we are going to need to do. So that one might get punted into the season with a little bit more time to potentially prepare. So if you were going to come, just know Thursday, September 3rd, next week, just floating plants. Floating plants. Rehearsal. Did you think about it? I didn't think one time about rehearsal.

2:27:32Pat McAfee:So it turns out when there's really, really, really talented musicians, they probably don't need it as much as you need it. And this is much like the Vinatieri situation. My first time holding in a game was for Adam Vinatieri my rookie year. If a ball is – if a kick was missed, nobody was saying it was Adam Vinatieri. It's probably this fucking asshole. So Vinatieri took that very seriously and was like, hey, I'm not letting you. Okay. the musicians that were scheduled to be a part of this are like the fucking the best the best yeah musician the best musician and it's like they they really were like can we like maybe get and i didn't even think like a little sound check at least something exactly we get a sound check we get a rehearsal can we get how about the set can you put together the i'm like yeah you got it you got it you got it rehearsal what all do we need well we're also going to need these instruments obviously and this type of equipment to do rehearsal it's like okay yep i'll certainly go through that uh uh holy fuck we got game day on saturday in louisiana and you know it's just we might have to punt this one a little bit down into the season where we can maybe have a little bit more preparation for maybe the biggest thing of all time i had no idea how much goes into this but i uh let's just keep that one floating okay keep that one floating probably going to get punted down the road.

2:28:53Pat McAfee:It would definitely happen this season. Maybe more songs. People will love that. We love all of you. Be a friend, tell a friend, something nice. AJ, great work out of you. Thank you for traveling out here. Great work, guys. Good work, Hawk. 53-0, unbelievable. Be a friend, tell a friend, something nice. It might change your life. We're in this thing together. Have the greatest weekend of all time. You guys are the best. Team on me, team on three, for the good of sport, baby. One, two, three, team.

2:29:14Mark Schlabach:Goodbye. Mysteries unravel and stunning truths are revealed when 2020 investigates. Follow the clues, the evidence, the breaking new details. ABC's 2020 means... True murder mystery. Shocking. If you follow true crime in 2020... Then you've got to listen to this. Subscribe now to 2020 True Crime Plus. Ad-free, exclusive true crime content. Search 2020 True Crime Plus on Apple Podcasts and start your free trial. Terms apply.