Hour 1: NFL Training Camp Injury Updates, plus Seahawks WR Cooper Kupp

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0:27Rich Eisen:In ESPN's Wild World of College Football, every Saturday begins with a ritual. And then, the migration turns to mayhem. Predators hunt. Territories are defended. Rivals clash. In this Wild World, legends are unleashed on Saturdays. No one brings you closer to the wild than ESPN. College Football on ESPN kicks off August 28th. Witness the Wild on ABC, ESPN, and the ESPN app. This is The Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of The Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney +, from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast, so you can listen anytime.

1:14But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash richeisenshow, and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. I am guaranteed the Cowboy will win 17 straight games.

1:33Rich Eisen:Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Damn, it's kind of right. It's kind of right. We're hoping. Now's the time. Today's gasps. Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Cup. Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Plus, your phone calls, latest news, and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen. Hello, everybody. It's time for another fun day in our neighborhood. Cooper Cup, join love and you. Daniel Jeremiah has just been added to the list late because he's a pal. And we want to talk some football with him because it's football time. We've got ourselves preseason week number two. This is where rubber meets road.

2:16Rich Eisen:This is where starters actually start a significant amount and then and then basically get put away like fine China until it's time to break it out for the very important dinner party known as week one of the National Football League. 844-204-RICH. Number to dial. I've got a Chicago Bears season preview in four down style. I have a power rankings list of the best game wreckers in the National Football League, guys that can just come out there, wreck a game against you or for your team in a good way. That's coming up. And as I mentioned, the phone number to connect with us, which is what we love here on Disney +, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, Sirius XM Channel 80, is a connection with you, a chit-chat with you.

3:00Rich Eisen:We only have a few more weeks left for win-loss games. And yesterday, phone lines were lit. with people, and we continue to do this, take in the name of a team that made the playoffs last year that's going to miss this year, and then insert the team that's going to be in. So take one out, put one in. I would mention to you which team I thought may be out this year, but I don't want to do it because it involves the team of one of our guests later on in the program. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you? Rich, I'm excellent. What's going on? Nothing much, man. Mike Del Tufo, good to see you.

3:36Rich Eisen:Good to see you. We got the free Rams hat back on again. It's not free. You did not pay anything for that. TJ Jefferson candles lit or it's being lit. What's going on, sir? It's like you put one team in, you take one team out. It's like the hokey pokey of the NFL. You turn yourself around and that's what it's all about. It's skate rink. Last I heard. I don't know. Maybe we'll hear Fernando Mendoza's latest soundbite. Maybe that's what he's singing about. Did he speak today? I hope so. I can't get enough of him. That was so much fun listening to that soundbite of him yesterday. Without having known it all, we played that live.

4:10Rich Eisen:Our instant reaction to that was quite something. Listen, you know, I'm going to tell you what's coming. I always tell you what comes down to Pike, right? Yeah.

4:22Rich Eisen:And the joint practices in the National Football League that goes down, where, you know, with the preseason games not featuring starters too much because you don't want to get them hurt. Teams have been now practicing jointly most of the time if it's geographically sound enough with the teams that they're about to play in preseason action. We'll put our guys out against your guys. So instead of leaning against our own people, we're going to lean against your bodies. and that's the phrase that Robert Sala used earlier this week when the Tennessee Titans coach joined us. I said, so you like these joint practices?

5:05Rich Eisen:He goes, no, no, love. Loves them. Because, again, it's not like, okay, hey, Jeffrey Simmons, that's Cam Ward. Do your best to not, you know, hurt him. Now he's like, okay, Jeffrey Simmons, that's now. Last week it was Brock Purdy. Of course, don't hurt him. Right. You know, be mindful of him, but they love it. And I'm telling you guys, people are going to start saying, maybe we should just not have these anymore. Certainly people are going to fight against each other and if people are going to get hurt in them. Because I guess it could happen in any practice, But if you're trying to go ahead and simulate live action against somebody else's team and then say you're center for your quarterback that couldn't be protected last season, who is like a China doll back there getting ready to be broken by anybody who just wants to breathe on the third stringer protecting him in Justin Herbert last year.

6:17I mean, again, this could happen in any practice, I guess.

6:22Rich Eisen:They did lose two of their own guys last year, one of them in their own practice across the street, Rashawn Slater. But the fact that, you can put it up if you don't mind, the center for the Los Angeles Chargers and Tyler Biotish, he's out indefinitely now with an ACL injury. and additional injuries to his left knee according to Shefty and you know and rap sheet he's going to meet with more doctors to try and get more clarity uh you know the three dreaded words that we grew up with Dr. James Andrews you don't want to hear it I don't know who he's going to see uh obviously there's so many uh excellent people here in Southern California he's played in at least 15 games a year since 2021 jeez put on a charger your uniform, this happens.

7:15Rich Eisen:I don't know if it's like the Spinal Tap drummers or not. I know I'm dating myself with such a pop culture reference. Go look it up if you haven't seen it, millennials. These go to 11. Unbelievable. And then, you know, Cowboys and Saints, they threw fists. They played the feud. Do you hear what your coach had to say afterwards? Suplexes. Yeah, we ain't taking none. Brian Schott. We ain't taking none. You don't want this. You don't want fights, man. That's not helpful. It kind of is. It's not. I think so. It's not practice. This happens. You want to simulate the real thing. This is the real thing.

7:53Rich Eisen:Everyone's going to get 15 yards. Why are we acting like this is new? I know that. Before any of us were born watching football. Got it. Hit it. A little chippy. Not the way we like to do business. Got to be better, but I got to look at the film. We're certainly not going to take s*** from anybody. But again, it was chippy on both sides. And like I said, I want our guys to play on the edge without going over the edge. One guy seems like, sounds like he might have thrown a punch. And that's why he left practice. Have you seen enough of downs to say, we'll see you week one? We're talking through that.

8:25Let me see this film and I'll let you know. I mean, right now I'm just, I'm in charge of Fight Club.

8:34Rich Eisen:Which is kind of wild because he's talking about him. Right. And I thought the first rule, at any rate. And the second rule. that's my coach. I'm just saying there'll be a whisper here and there. I'm not saying they're going to cancel these joint practices. It's fun. You're right, though. As long as no one gets hurt. Well, and Kirk Cousins, I mean, even Kirk Cousins is getting pissed off. He was animated towards the end of the practice with the Raiders and the Texans. Interesting that he'll get the friendly fire from a guy that, I guess he got chippy enough with. He had his own teammate. He got sat down by his own coach, both of them.

9:18Rich Eisen:That's what he had to say after the Texans Raiders joint practice on Wednesday. We heard from, you know, we heard from Fernando Mendoza talking on, gee, Wiz, this was great. I loved it. Cousins, not so much. So you get a little upset toward the end of practice. What exactly happened? Well, my elbow got hit, and I joke with Max. You know, I say, you can touch me anywhere you want. Just don't touch my arm. But you want to bump me in the ribs. I think if anything, you know, hit me in the hips or the ribs is actually good because it simulates what I need to feel. I said the elbow and the shoulder is where I could sprain something pretty easily.

9:50So if you could just help me, I've had some – I got some scars from, you know, some hits in real games where helmets go into armpits and things, and it ruins your season. So I was just, you know, asking him to just stay off the arm and had to remind the Texans as well. You know, you can hit me anywhere you want, or I might as well just take the red jersey off because, you know, You're playing with sometimes an understood rule that if it's not understood, then what are we doing?

10:13Rich Eisen:That's his way of being angry. Yeah, right. In case you're wondering if he's perfect for Mendoza in the room, that's him being angry. Radio audience, he was gesturing a little bit with his right hand. My goodness, he's jabbing at the air. That's an angry Kirk Cousins. Also, that shows Fernando don't know what he don't know yet. you know brother brother let me tell you we're ready for a football season we're ready for a football season i mean everybody just wants to do this for real instead we got a preseason week number two on thursday night you've got yourself the raiders and the texans and then you got yourself the niners and the chargers on thursday night and the chargers are staring at another season with an offensive line that they had plan to go into it they're not going to have in week number one when they get things started against the Arizona Cardinals at home and then welcome in the Vegas Raiders I mean you if you're the Chargers you're sitting here thinking okay we're going to get our new offensive system in with Mike McDaniel we're going to protect Justin Herbert we're going to run the football we're going to get things done on that side and they could still do so but the center that they're coming into the season with who they made sure they got has now been ripped out of the system and i don't know when he's going to come back what a massive injury that is it just feels big yeah to me right now the center is like the last guy you want to lose i guess rashaun slater is no joke either but let me see it's uh jake slaughter you're up again buddy

12:07Rich Eisen:is his nickname sergeant that one's for you no contest wrestling sgt you know arizona and las vegas at home to start two teams that were first and third on the clock you're sitting here thinking what a great way to start we're at home yeah last year they flew they flew all the way down to Brazil. They won. Don't forget they started 3-0 last year before Jackson Dart took them out. Then they have to visit Buffalo and Seattle before welcoming Denver and at Kansas City. And then there's their bye. So now here you go without your center. That's why I wanted to call Daniel Jeremiah in here to talk about it.

12:48And then, you know, these joint practices, they feel good

12:54Rich Eisen:for the coaches because they can simulate it. But then people start fighting in all this sort of business. It's just, it's fun for us to talk about. It's fun until you get belly to back suplexed. I know. By Steiner. Good one. Then it's not. Who's on no contest wrestling later? Oh, man, this is a big one, Rich. We have a legendary women's wrestler, Awesome Kong, who's joining us in studio. Oh, she'll be here physically. Good. Yeah, she grew up in Carson, California, right down the road. Do you want to announce who's your 100th episode guest? Nah, we've got three weeks. But you've pulled off quite a caper.

13:30Rich Eisen:We pulled off quite a caper. I like it. Our 100th on September the 2nd. We have a big, big star, former WrestleMania main eventer. Okay. That's good to know. All right. So we've got Cooper Cup coming up on the program. Coop. And Von Miller has spoken about why he chose the Cowboys and what he feels he can contribute to all of that. Did he mention me? I didn't hear it. No, no. I don't understand what's happening in the corner today. Me neither. Not sure. Well, he got his rest. Join the Cowboys to make me happy. And I've got my Bears four downs. I've got my power rankings of the top game records in the National Football League.

14:07Rich Eisen:We invite you to call into this program, have a conversation at 844-204-RICH is the number to dial to have a conversation with us about who's in and who's out of the playoffs. You want to talk about a win-loss game? You want to talk about anything that's on your mind? Go for it. and we'll just make sure that we come up with a spectacular play like it's Fernando Tatis and Queens stealing the Grand Slam home run back. And hitting the first pitch of the game for home run. Oh, that's great. Then hitting another one for home. Yeah. Of all times for fans to not interfere, there were two Met fans sitting right there.

14:40Rich Eisen:Just reach out and get the ball. I hear you. Dude, that play was sick. That was insane. Man. That was a lot of fun. For who? And he snatched it and then cut away on the broadcast, but there was an alternate angle where you weren't sure if he caught it, and then he just flips it up in the air to his... Fantastic. Oh, I knew he caught it. It was so dope. That's the Met fan in you. Let's take a break. Cooper Cup, when we come back from the Seattle Seahawks, Jordan Love later on, and you throughout right here on this busy Wednesday.

15:13Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one helps your business grow. The challenge? Finding that person without sorting through resumes. That's where LinkedIn Hiring Pro comes in. It screens candidates so you can focus on conversations with qualified talent. With Hiring Pro, you can hire with confidence and build the team you need. Join the 2.7 million small businesses using LinkedIn to hire. Get started by posting your job for free at linkedin.com slash eisen. Terms and conditions apply. Rich Eisen here with some advice.

15:44Rich Eisen:If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an audible on your debt today at SoFi.com slash debt play. Loans originated by SoFi Bank N.A. Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply. N.M. L.S. 696891. Fast funds. Terms apply at SoFi.com slash debt play. Rich Eisen here. We talk a lot about battles in sports. Teams battling through adversity. athletes fighting for every yard.

16:19Rich Eisen:The toughest warriors I've ever seen, though, aren't on the field. They're kids fighting cancer. They're families standing beside them. Doctors, nurses, caregivers. That's why I'm proud to support Hyundai Hope on Wheels. For over 28 years, they've helped fund pediatric cancer research, raising more than$303 million and supporting over 40 ,000 children. Learn more and donate at HyundaiUSA.com backslash hope on wheels. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. On The Rich Eisen Show here on Disney +, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, Sirius XM, Channel 80. We're one big happy family. 844-204-RICH. We'll take your phone calls in short order.

16:59Rich Eisen:But this guy is back on the program. We had him on in, I think, late spring. And he's welcome anytime. He's a Super Bowl MVP getting set to enter his 10th season in the National Football League. Ladies and gentlemen, defending Super Bowl champ as well. Cooper Cup of the Seahawks back in the program. How you doing, Cooper? I'm great. Thanks, Kevin. Good to see you, man. Listen, this is for my own question. Is Hard Knocks recording this right now? You know, we usurped an office that I don't think is getting the treatment. Oh. I think we're good. I think we're in a safe spot. Well, I'll be honest with you.

17:35Rich Eisen:First of all, outstanding use of the word usurped. I don't know how many people come on this program and drop that. Of course. Nobody. And secondly, though, I like cameras on me. I'm kind of disappointed. I thought, you know, somebody would be shooting this conversation. It would make it, you know, make the show. You got to come out here live and in person. Okay. By the way, I'm happy it's just the two of us. But, you know, I don't mind the extra. Where are you? Whose office have you usurped? We're in Alex's office, Alex Wentz. He's kind of the maintenance guy around here. Oh, maintenance? Okay.

18:11Damn it. I thought you'd be in McDonald's office. No, that one would definitely be a camera up.

18:16Rich Eisen:Well, I know. Cause I see it all the time. I'm sure you could request a better office next time. No, you know what? Again, I'll take you, I'll take you wherever I can get you, but I do see you're, you're, you're hanging out in the coach's office quite a bit. It seems like. Yeah, no. Yeah. Well, I mean, yes, we know, we now take our conversations in the hallways because there's cameras everywhere. How are you enjoying it? Do you like it? uh it's okay it's okay you definitely like there's times you're like gosh dang i would love to have uh not a bunch of people watching what's happening right now um but you know it's just it is it blends into the background um but we've got we've got tricks and we turn the music on kind of loud we want to talk about something so we've got we got there's always there's always ways around it it sounds like an episode of the sopranos on hbo not not hard knocks like let's turn up the music so they can't they can't hear that's so funny and but but you know there if i'm not mistaken there's a scene where you showed something to coach mcdonald on the screen he was like oh my god i've never seen that before but they didn't show what you were showing him you know like if i'm not mistaken did i get that right no that's right was there a follow-up question or what did you show him what did you show him cooper no it was nothing it was nothing uh it was nothing crazy You know, solving world hunger, you know, world peace, all those kinds of things.

19:45Rich Eisen:So it was a football play that we're, okay, so we're keeping that under the hat. Yeah. Okay. All right. Very good. All right. So, by the way, you're 10, man. Can you believe that? You're 10? You know, sometimes I do believe it. Sometimes it seems like it's just flown by. You know, like there's days where getting out of bed is really difficult, and there's days that feel a little better. So it's been, I mean, I've loved every second of it, though. It's been so much fun. I'm still loving coming to work every day. It's just been, this camp's been awesome. The guys have been great. The energy's been, energy's something special.

20:20It's something special to be a part of and just enjoying playing football.

20:24Rich Eisen:What do you tell, what would that kid from Yakima say if somebody walked up to him, you know, when you were trying to put on weight and trying to get, you know, the attention to some people with your want and your can-do and all that? what would that kid think to know that he's a 10-year vet in the NFL Cooper I don't know you know that little kid the little 115 pounder with his ankle weights on yeah you probably say something pretty profound like you know that's the plan that's the plan yeah 10 years it's pretty incredible and so when you say getting up like what what makes you want to get up when those days are like you know I don't know I could stay home I can be with the fam I could do this that the other thing what do you say to yourself yeah well that's always hard That's always hard, leaving my wife and kids coming to work.

21:09But I truly love this game. I mean, I just love playing football from the moment I started playing at nine years old. And it's been a joy every step of the way through all the ups and downs, the trials that inevitably come through playing this incredible game. But I've loved it. I love coming in here and pouring my heart into a game plan, pouring my heart into my teammates and going out there and competing. So, you know, it's just whatever that intrinsic thing is inside of me that just loves what football is about.

21:41Rich Eisen:What do you love about the neck up stuff? Like, what do you geek out on about the football playbooks and stuff like that? Yeah, I mean, I love that it's always changing, right? Like, you are constantly, someone's always hunting you. Whatever look you're doing, they're hunting a solution, and you're trying to stay a step ahead of them. Seeing those things change from year to year is so much fun. Seeing them change from week to week. in training camp, seeing it happen day by day as offense and defense kind of have that healthy battle back and forth. But I think that's it. It's just like the growing nature of it and that you have to keep going forward or you're going to get shut out.

22:17And it's fun to manipulate rules, find the space in a concept where you get handed a piece of paper with a bunch of lines on it that tells you what to do. But at the end of the day, there's within that concept, within that paper, You know, there's gray lines that are showing you, you know, where you're supposed to be, being there when you're supposed to be there, knowing what concept fits to the coverage that you're getting, how that coverage dictates how those lines move and change, what the quarterback's drop is doing and how he's progressing through a concept. All these things just play into like, man, let's bring this paper to life.

22:51Let's bring this, like this idea, this concept and bring it to life, make it come alive against every possible look. and that's on the players. It's on the players to find those solutions, to have rules that we can follow and make those things come to fruition.

23:05Rich Eisen:Love it, man. I mean, Rod Woodson once told me, because I love talking ball with him, he once told me there's no more adaptive an organism in life than an NFL defense is what he said. Yeah. They will, as you said, hunt out what advantage the offense has had maybe in previous games or in certain plays and certain downs and distances and adapt. And the offense has to figure that out is what he was telling me. I would say that's completely true for good defenses. I think that's the only thing I'd add in there. Like the good defenses do that. The good defenses find ways to adapt and move even in game.