Hour 3: Rich Eisen Fantasy Draft, NFC Predictions AFC West, Los Angeles Angels Sale, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh

15:19Chris Brockman:All right.

15:20Rich Eisen:What do you got over there, TJ? What do you have?

15:22Chris Brockman:Same thing? I wish we'd done this a little bit later. Why? Well, because coming in at number four, I got the Raiders. Okay. Jay Feli. I just think that they're the third, fourth best team in that division. Now, here's the thing. I think the AFC West has sent the three teams to the playoffs, Chris. So do I. So I got the Chargers finishing third. Oh. I got the Chiefs finishing second. Okay. And I got the Broncos running it back.

15:50Rich Eisen:But I feel like these top three teams, like I said, they all make the playoffs. Well, as you know, I'm accused of being a passionate Chiefs fan or somebody who's afraid to piss off Eric Stonestreet. That's what you accuse me every single time. Why not both? Every single time. I mean, the facts present themselves. I understand that, but I can shoot you straight. My case is airtight. I can shoot you straight. Always. I love when the Raiders are good. It's good for busy. Jason Feller, I hope that you're a happy guy. Thanks. But at the end of the day, this is a very deep end of the pool, and they're still dipping their toe in.

16:27Rich Eisen:They're fourth. I'm putting the Chiefs third. Whoa. I'm putting the Chiefs third. I need to see what's going on on defense, and then who's catching the ball other than Kelsey and or maybe Rasheed Rice. I am keen to see what Kenneth Walker III looks like. Can we get a 1 ,000-yard rusher for Mahomes or what? Really? Yeah. Okay. And then I'm with you. Broncos charges, Broncos charges, Broncos charges. And I wish I could do one 1A, but you can't. So I'm just going to go with, you know, I love their new offensive. You know how I feel about McDaniel. Chris O 'Leary is the new defensive coordinator. Jesse Minter is as great as they come.

17:07I just don't know if that's going to be seen on the field defensively or not.

17:13Rich Eisen:But I think three teams get it. I think the Chiefs win enough games they get in. and the Chargers and the Broncos, I do believe, played in the last game of the regular season. And let me make sure that I am correct on that, and they do. And it's in Denver, and I'm just going to say that's going to – I'm going to shoot my shot and say that's game 260, whatever. Yeah, I was just going to say that too. Yeah, I think that's the last game. That's for the division. Right, so that's my AFC West preview right here. Jim Harbaugh is going to join us, I believe, in now 19 minutes' time. He's talking. He's talking to the team.

17:46Rich Eisen:Let's go. Talking to the team. We're going to finish the show with him. He's going to finish things up with us. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors are the experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them, which means working with a great company that builds and installs a quality product with real pricing, real simple, really beautiful. And when a trusted name like Pella chooses to partner with the Rich Eisen Show, that says a lot. Make 0 % financing options that are available for you right now. certain restrictions apply find your local Pella windows and doors showroom today at Pella.com slash eyes and for details make life brighter with Pella windows and doors we take a break during the break I'm going to make our text chain bluer

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20:33Chris Brockman:The Rich Eisen Show podcast.

20:37Rich Eisen:Breaking news here in Southern California. and this is massive actually it really is um you got it go ahead and hit it hit it here it comes

20:51Rich Eisen:Christopher this is really happening I hadn't even heard a whiff of a rumor or a hint of this

20:56Chris Brockman:happening no me neither uh but it is going to happen this is definitely happening yeah according to Sam Farmer of the LA Times which means what you're about to say is true is true yes Dan Cronky, his sports group, Cronky Sports Entertainment, they are acquiring the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They announced today that it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire controlling interest of the Angels from the Marino family. Transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2027. Do we know how much it is? I have not seen a price yet, but Stan Cronky, who, you know, as you know, owns the Rams and everything over here in Inglewood, But the Colorado Avalanche, the Denver Nuggets, Arsenal, he is acquiring the Angels.

21:42Chris Brockman:And what do all of his teams do?

21:46Rich Eisen:Just win, baby. Yeah, they do. Yeah. They do. And guess what the Angels have not done? Well, it's been a long time. It's been a long time. Hey, listen, it's been, listen. Almost 25 years. Right. Socia, Percival, Darren Erstad, you know, Garrett Anderson, may he rest in peace, Tim Salmon. That was a long time ago. They're not walking through. Erstad's not walking through that door. And so many Angels fans here. We're going to the stadium on Wednesday. And I love going down here, man. Angels fans are about to get an upgrade, considerable upgrade. like they know how to run organizations they know how to run a business in that world of sports and they know how to spend money in the right way and man our angels fans are going to be happy about this they should be they should be wow that's stunning uh and uh i thought the moreno family

22:51Chris Brockman:was never going to sell never you know i feel like they almost did recently and then he kind He backed out of the deal. Right.

22:58Rich Eisen:Like two things are certain. Yeah. Moreno's never selling and Trout's not leaving. No matter how many people think he should be leaving. Or asked to leave. But that would be, how amazing would that be if Trout has like a Stafford-like run? Here for it. You know what I mean? I'm watching Mike Trout play. Like Stafford, how old is Trout? He's got to be what, 34, 35? Right. Like he was the age that Stafford was when he first got here. He's 35. Right. And so he's been like playing for the Detroit Lions for all those years. And now he's about to play for the Rams.

23:34Rich Eisen:I don't think I'm off on this front. Like we're waiting to see what Trout can do in frigging October. Like make a run. And you know, that's what the Cronkies are going to do. They're going to come in and they're going to figure this thing out. And the Dodgers have gotten some competition. Yeah. You know? the Dodgers have gotten some competition in this town if Kroenke is taking this thing over and is going to run it like the Rams and the Nuggets and the Avalanche and Arsenal. Wow yeah it's awesome and you know the bar is set the bar is set in terms of you know obviously what the Dodgers have done but in terms of you know competing and changing ownership and competing hopefully the Angels can make it in Angels Town like the Mets have made it a Mets Town since changing ownership there.

24:26Rich Eisen:No, this is a perfect comparison. I get why you're still upset about it. No, this is a perfect comparison. Look what the Mets have done since changing owners. Dominated. Yeah, they've turned it into a Mets Town. We made it so in order to win a championship. All the Mets do is win as opposed to what they were doing before. What are the Yankees doing? With all the money being spent in, huh? What? What are the Yankees doing? I made a World Series.

24:49Chris Brockman:Did you win? Made a World Series. Wow, have your expectations changed? Hey, it's a different world.

24:55Rich Eisen:We're in a different world now. Trust me, I want to win it all. I get it. But that is the template. Change owners. Get a lot more money in the pipeline. Change it into an angel's town. Just like the Mets have done in New York. Just ask Juan Soto in his great returns he's given the Mets. This guy. That's jealousy. What am I jealous of? You've been jealous ever since he's birthed. What am I jealous of? Why do you have to bring the limo story back up? Of a bird flipping, awkward dancing, you know, do I need the ball with legs? Is that what I'm jealous of? Letting the polar bear walk? Is that what I'm jealous of?

25:37Rich Eisen:Jealous of the men. Yeah. Let's take Beau Bichette. At the time, I thought it was good. Let's work on that one. Beau Flows. Oh, no.

25:47Chris Brockman:But Angels fans, you're about to, in all seriousness, see an upgrade. Yeah, yeah. If you're an Angels fan and you don't go to the games anymore, get ready to go back to the games. You should be more than excited. Ballpark is very nice.

25:58Rich Eisen:I love going down there. Yeah. Getting there ain't easy. Getting there is just like we're calling it the Los Angeles Angels. Is that what we're doing? Well, you know. Because I live in Los Angeles County. That ain't in it. It's true. It's true. I wonder if the Cronky family will change even that.

26:17Chris Brockman:I said this earlier, not knowing this was coming again. Go back to the California Angels. It's the Golden State Warriors, even though they play in San Francisco now. They had the best uniforms. They had the cool logo. Go back to California. Go back to California. Come out to the coast.

26:31Rich Eisen:Because no one in Los Angeles cares about the Angels, so might as well. I wouldn't say that. I would say that. But it is a Dodger town. It always will be. Yeah, so. You know? It's kind of like the Clippers. You know? No matter how much we try. Right. and I know Clipper fans are like hey we had Bomber come in and we're still waiting Kroenke's got that track record I'm excited for Angels fans yeah Angels fans should be pumped oh yeah

26:57Chris Brockman:okay so honestly they're 53 and 85 and I know I'm speaking out of terms of Mets fan but like what do you think that something's gonna get turned around ownership matters a lot I think it does

27:07Rich Eisen:and I think yeah it all

27:08Chris Brockman:yes okay it sure

27:11Rich Eisen:does you put the resources and the dollars back into the team. Certainly if you know how to run sports organizations around the globe, and the results are there. In hockey, basketball, Premier League, National Football League, they're all different in terms of the way fans are expected to watch a product, but they're also different in the way of caps and how you can spend. And to figure out each one successfully, it takes a lot. It takes a lot. You know, so congratulations, Angels fans. You're going to make it in Angels town real soon. What? Just pointing out the obvious.

27:54Chris Brockman:Who wins a World Series first? What, Mets or Angels? Well, that or Angels or Dodgers. I think that. Why don't you ask me November 1st before? Honestly, dude. I don't think the Dodgers win this year. I'm on record. But you think the Angels are going to win one before the Dodgers get it? Indiana won the Natty last year. That's fine. Anything can happen in sports now. Let me explain to you, Chris, what's not going to happen, though, is that Angels win in the World Series before the Dodgers. Okay.

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29:07Rich Eisen:Rich Eisen here. We talk a lot about battles in sports. Teams battling through adversity. Athletes fighting for every yard. The toughest warriors I've ever seen, though, aren't on the field. Their kids fighting cancer. Their 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. Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an audible with a SoFi personal loan.

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30:09Chris Brockman:The Rich Eisen Show. The podcast.

30:13Rich Eisen:Back here on the program, here on the show. Chris Ballard, who, as you know, pulls no punches, even though he's got the arms to follow through. once again showed up in a smedium at the podium today he a lot of general managers are holding press conferences um jason light held one in tampa as well um talking about baker and how you know he wish he goes baker's completely real he wishes was 10 more fake is what he said he's 100 real he wishes he'd been just 10 fake sometimes that was a funny line but anyway Chris Ballard was asked about this whole business of NFL players having a court order to go back to college did you have any rookies come to you wanting to go back and play college football no it's the stupidest shit I've ever heard

31:11Chris Brockman:you your entire life I know I'll catch crap for this but your entire life you fight to get up to the NFL okay but now we're going to go back okay that makes a lot of freaking

31:22Rich Eisen:sense is he wrong he's not wrong yeah exactly he's not wrong and players who see the opportunity to go back you know um i'm wondering if that's going to be viewed as a red flag when they come out again interesting if that's what a general manager in the home of the combine is thinking that, oh, you work your ass off to get to the NFL, and because it doesn't work out in your first shot at it or you get caught, instead of you trying to stick with it and finding your spot on a practice squad and working hard at it, you're going to go back to school like you're Thornton Mellon, triple into your way for Lane Kiffin, and then you're going to come back?

32:16Rich Eisen:and i'm wondering if that's going to be a metric that that nfl teams will look at as a red flag because you know there are some strange red flags that some teams have true and i don't know you could also say that these kids are going to make more money with lane kiffin than they would have on a practice squad i think there's no doubt about that right so in it the whole thing The thing that stinks is that if it is true, and Josh Pate made an allusion to it in hour one, that, oh, so there's this new rule that you get five years of eligibility in five years, right? That you can't do it five over seven and everything like that.

32:57Rich Eisen:So this is what we're going to do. We'll give that fifth year of eligibility to people. And then there's some players that were in a school year prior to the five-year window. you know prior to like they had a cutoff of a class in the same way that there's cutoff for you know kids in you know public schools grade schools and private schools hey the september today is actually the cutoff day in many of school systems around the country like if you know taylor was born on august 30th so she was on the short end of it and somebody else is on the longer end of it's september 1st so some of the thing is that if if there was a school that said oh you folks in 2022 you just went to the pros and now they're allowing you retroactively to go to the pros another year of eligibility like what gives you should sue and if you do why don't you sue in this court maybe we'll take you that's the thing that kind of stinks yeah i hate it we're joined now by a man who when he coached in college football coached before the nfl was a feeder system to college he's jim harbaugh of the los angeles charges how are you coach good to see you great to see you rich good to see you i guess i'll ask you that question did any of the chargers uh players come to you and say can you cut me sooner so i can go back to college did that happen at any point in the last didn't happen here no no i know it's kind of it well anyway that's kind of crazy in that world how are you doing good to see you what's going on oh uh football football going on we're focused on our football man i bet you are man it is that football season and do you do you do you wake up happier when you get closer to the season jim you wake up happier as a person yeah uh yeah um purposeful and uh you know grateful and uh just uh you know doing anything and everything uh that i can to um do anything everything for our team all right yeah grateful but i also don't want to get out work so uh yeah but ripping and running i bet and I was told you just came out of a team meeting where you were speaking to the team.

35:16Rich Eisen:Anything you could share? What is it like 10 days before season? You're meeting with your group. You just cut down to 53, roster set. What do you talk about now? What do you do? Today's meeting was one of my funnest meetings of the year and important meetings of the year. It's electing the captains for the team. So we just did that and it was incredible. Okay. And so you sit there and watch the guys do it? Like, what do you do? You just sit in the corner or are you part of this thing? Oh, yeah. I count the votes myself and the first-year players that aren't eligible to be captain. So Akeem Mezador, Jake Slaughter, Travis Burke, Brennan Thompson and Genesis Smith.

36:12We retired to an anterior room and we counted the votes. We like to do it. We like to do it old school. There's a ballot and that way there can't be any chicanery. We have the witnesses, you know, electronically. I mean, who knows what could happen, right? I mean, I got you. We don't want any of that stuff. So we had a great vote. Players voted, and it was – we have so many leaders on our team, probably the most I can ever think of in any team I've ever been on in terms of being a player or a coach. The amount of example setters, the amount of tone setters that we have and guys that lead on and off the field.

37:02I mean, just give you the perfect example of what to do. I mean, you want to know what to do, how to do it, when to do it. Guys, I would put it this way, that put their entire, not just their heart, their heart and soul. And that's the way they approach this game. And off the field as well, just tremendous versions of themselves and the way they represent their families. And it just makes it so easy for, you know, the rest of us, really. I mean, just watch them, study them, emulate them, see if you can go make them proud of you. That that that standard that they said is is incredible.

37:45Rich Eisen:All right. So let's jump into it. Since I was an honorary captain for you once upon a time, Jim. I mean, who's not to turn into my information, man, but you want to announce who's who's in it? Who are your captains? You got that for me? Can I guess? Can I take a stab at some? I guess I think we probably want to. I'm so tempted right now. He wants to do it. You're a great guy. You're a Michigan guy.

38:15Chris Brockman:You're a Michigan man. I think I'm going to reserve. Let the organization do that. Well, how about this?

38:24Rich Eisen:There's one rhyme with like Sherwin, Sherwin Shames. Does that rhyme? Does that? Okay. Very. That's one.

38:35Rich Eisen:Gosh. Mustin Berbert. Bustin Berbert. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah. Is that right? Okay. Good one. Very good. All right. Oh, no. I got one. Shlemiel Schmack. Yep. Got that one. A man with over a hundred. How many sacks do you have? Yeah, that would be on a resume of a captain, I think. It's incredible. I mean, some people have asked me the surprise player of the team. Who's the surprise player of the team, Coach? And I got a lot in my head. But, like, I think the biggest one is Khalil Mack. He is 35 years old. He, by all performance metrics, the tape, but also the strength and power, the speed and agility, the flexibility, mobility, all are at peak.

39:27They're all PRs in his performance. And he has one of those aura rings that has his biological clock at six and a half years younger than his age. I mean, he plays like he's 22, right? He looks like he's 22. I know when he's in the weight room and, you know, it just looks that way. You know, it's the example of if one man can do it, another man can do it. And if human history has shown us or told us anything, if one man can do something, then others can and should be able to do it and certainly attempt it. But, yeah, incredible, incredible example for us. And, you know, one of the all-time greats.

40:13Rich Eisen:What's it like in a meeting with you and Mike McDaniel, Jim? What is it like when the two of you guys are sitting down? I'm fascinated by the fact that you hired him. I love the guy. He's hilarious, but he's brilliant. He's got a brain that operates one of one. What's it like when the two of you guys are talking ball? Well, you hit the nail right in the head there. that's a, it's, it's, you know, it's so intelligent, you know, book smart, football smart, all the smart, street smart, I mean, you name it. And, and the kind of the mere reflection of that is, is Justin Herbert, you know, the intelligence and the, and football intelligence.

40:57It's such a great, it's such a great thing. And it's kind of, you know, this is really true because people ask me, I go, how smart are they, Coach? And I go, I don't know. They're so smart that I don't know how smart they are. But I know what they – it bodes really well for the Los Angeles Chargers. What's it like being around Mike? So he's just a great guy. He's hilarious. He's funny. I just – the meetings that he has, I just – I got my pen out. I'm writing things down because there's like a nugget of gold that comes out of every one of those interactions, whether him and I are talking on the field or in his office or mine or in the meetings.

41:40I mean, it's two, three, four a day. And he just does it in a way that, man, I like to listen to this guy talk. This man sure can talk, and I like what he's saying. And, yeah, he's got the keys to the offense, and, you know, we're all behind him.

41:58Rich Eisen:What do you think he's going to unlock that hasn't been unlocked in your first two years with Justin? What do you think he might unlock? Well, Justin is just, he's really, he's great, Rich. The unlock, I think it's just, there's no sport like football when it takes, you know, it's a team effort. So there's no one man band. But, you know, Justin, he's just great at everything. I think the way Mike sees the game, though, with, you know, the time to hit a receiver is right out of the break. You know, that's when they have the most separation. That's when they can get the most yards after catch. You know, when they're, you know, moving upfield, not necessarily back to the defense.

42:47And Justin's so accurate. Those two things are what I really felt, you know, were connected and, you know, something that just plays right into Justin's, you know, skill set. Now, Justin's skill set is he's just elite at everything that he does. And, you know, we all recognize that. I think anybody that knows football recognizes that. I think he's got the most armed talent. I think he's the most accurate. and uh to to be in uh you know mike's system where it really um you know big plays uh yards after catch can be maximized by you know making that timing of hitting the receiver right out of the break you know with a guy that's that accurate that's that's i think would be the number one thing that jumps out to me after after watching this do training camp and in the offseason Love it.

43:41Rich Eisen:In the couple of minutes I have left with you here, last time you were here, Jim, you said you woke up in the middle of the night. You thought, I have to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame. What are you thinking now when you wake up in the middle of the night? What are you thinking, Jim? You remember that because it was, you know, I was coming to your show. I was sitting right in this chair. You're like, I woke up and I think I got to get dressed. Yeah, that's right. I've woken up about four hours before your show and just staring at the ceiling. And, yeah, that hasn't changed. I just, I think when it's all said and done, yeah, I think he's the best I've ever seen, you know, in person.

44:22and I think when it's all said and done, I want him to be recognized for that because I truly believe that's going to be the case. That's going to be when he's done playing and he's certainly well on that path. Nobody's thrown for more yards in their first six years than Justin Herbert and the thing we all want to do is win And that's what I wake up thinking for Justin and for everybody. You know, all of us, Derwin James, Khalil Mack, you know, Tooley, Joe Alt, Ladd, you know, so many guys, Dan Henley. So many guys that play with their – they just put their whole soul into it, Rich.

45:11Rich Eisen:How many of those names, Jim, were the captains? How many of those names were the captains? Did you just give me that list? I think there's some overlap. There were definitely some. Okay. All right. I got that. Scott Slater. Slater. I can't think that's a C. There's so many guys. I had no idea Slater was spelled with a C. I had no idea. C-L-A-T-E-R. Great to see you, Coach. Always great to see you. I know that hand is from over your left shoulder is from McAfee. What's with the clock that doesn't move? Why is it 8.02? What is that one? that clock right there doesn't move that was a gift from Tom Carsotis, Shinola the great Shinola company out of Detroit and a really great friend of mine I need a new battery in there so it's now like at 802 it was a special time for me and it's frozen there, you just need a battery I caught you the one time Jim Harbaugh needs a battery great to see you man good to see you you'd be well go blue go blue to you too uh and uh and thanks for the time that's uh jim harbaugh the best of the family great family there goes jim right there i thought like hey 802 is this time i don't know maybe the time or something nope just that's what i told chris can someone get coach a couple of double a's please my gosh i love that hey man mcdaniel as you know we had what andrew hawkins came on here right and was talking about how he's he got footwork down and and just these minor details crack things open he's like if they can time things out and herbert hits someone out of a break i am taking ladidi mcconkey in every draft that i have from here on out i'm so mad because that guy if he gets a separation and Herbert's hitting him in an offense that is now attuned to that?

47:08Rich Eisen:Yeah, he gone. See ya. Well, you saw it in the last preseason game, Quentin Johnson's 65-yard touchdown. Okay. That'll wrap it up for this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We'll see everybody on a very special Wednesday. We'll detail on Disney Plus after this.

47:23Chris Brockman:Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show podcast. You can watch and listen to the Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show. the podcast.

47:42Chris Brockman:This episode is brought to you by State Farm. No two football players are exactly alike, and the same is true off the field. That's why State Farm gets to know you so they can help personalize coverage for your life and budget. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.