The Best of The Dan Patrick Show

00:00:00
Speaker 1: You are listening to the Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio.

00:00:04
Speaker 2: Timing is everything, everything in life, certainly in sports. And I was wondering about this article on ESPN dot com about the Eagles blaming Jalen Hurts. Why now the beginning of April? Why now? Timing is everything? The Ravens organization blamed the media for blowing the Max Crosby situation out of proportion because it was a slow news day. Victor Wembenyama and the Spurs closing in on OKC. He put up forty one points last night, eighteen rebounds. It looked like a fantasy camp, you know the Golden State Warriors, where you pay money and you're in a fantasy camp and you get to play against the pros. That's what it looked like last night. You had Wemby out there, and then you had a bunch of guys with the Warriors who had weird numbers like sixty one, seventy seven. I go, what is going on here? And Wemby put up a great performance and now two games behind OKC, is it gonna come down to who has the best record, Who's going to win the MVP? Fritzi accused me of maybe, you know, maybe piling on too much Wemby love where he said, are we starting to get wembed out?

00:01:23
Speaker 3: I wonder if in general, you know, he's amazing and it's a unicorn, but it's like forty points and seventeen rebounds and nine blocks in the first six minutes of the game.

00:01:31
Speaker 2: Are you saying you're wem beat out.

00:01:34
Speaker 4: I'm on the precipice.

00:01:35
Speaker 3: I'm not there yet, but I can see that there's something that might say, like, Okay, we don't have to go nineteen minutes on Wemby.

00:01:41
Speaker 2: I I'm all in on Wemby. I think he's fascinating. Certainly watch an entire game, and I'd still love to have a stat of shots altered. He only had three block shots last night, and you know he wasn't playing against a good Warrior team, but the altering shot is pretty incredible there, and he's putting up these great numbers at the end of the season. Closing in on OKC. All right, yes, Marvin, so.

00:02:08
Speaker 5: Fritzy, we're tired of the most unique player that we've ever seen in our lifetime.

00:02:12
Speaker 3: I'm not saying now, but I'm saying it's going in that direction. It's started to slowly roll to It's like, wow, that's a lot of Wemby things.

00:02:19
Speaker 2: So you're going to get negative in advance of everything.

00:02:22
Speaker 5: I just want to get that going.

00:02:23
Speaker 2: Okay, Yes, Paul, I thought.

00:02:25
Speaker 4: It was quite the opposite last night. I'm just about to hit the sack. I see spurs worries about to start. I'm like, okay, I can watch a half, and like you said, it was like watching he was not working hard last night for his forty one and eighteen, he had every shot in the book.

00:02:39
Speaker 2: It was a blast to watch. He's the focal point. And here's another thing. You know, a lot of times you'll go to your go to move or a spot on the floor. Wemby doesn't necessarily have a go to move yet, which is kind of frightening. But I do wonder what's going to happen because eventually somebody's gonna not hack a shack because Wemby is a really good free throw shooter, but they will rough him up a little bit, or at least they'll try to. We don't have enforcers in the game the way we once did. I mean Draymond Green, Desmond Baine. You know, maybe there's a couple of guys that are enforcers or like to appear to be enforcers, but the game is perimeter based. And if Wemby can go one on one with you and beat you off the dribble, he's going to do that pull up jumper. He's got that, he can shoot a three, He's going to do that. But I think eventually, you know what, you know, these scouting reports will be like, Okay, they know what Lucas going to do, they know what Joker will do, they know what Sga is going to do. That's the greatness of these players. They you know what they're going to do and they're able to do it. And that's where Wemby is going to be forced to go in certain areas or use his left hand. Now, that's going to be the evolution of him. He's only twenty two years of age. We get caught up on playoff experience now that used to be big thing back in the eighties and nineties, two thousands, where you go, well, they haven't had any playoff experience. Well, Wemby was on Sports Center with Scott Van Pelt and here's Van Pease's question. History says, well, you kind of need to take your lumpch.

00:04:16
Speaker 6: You need to have been there.

00:04:17
Speaker 1: The more I watch you, the.

00:04:18
Speaker 2: More I think I don't think so. I feel like you are all all ready to go.

00:04:22
Speaker 7: What's your sense of that the value of something that you all just don't have together yet.

00:04:27
Speaker 6: Yeah, we don't have experience, right, screw it. I mean that's all we got. We are not going to play any different ways. Is because it is this way. I mean, well, it's still going to play one hundred percent and go to try to win this championship.

00:04:41
Speaker 4: Sure, screw it, screw it.

00:04:44
Speaker 2: This is year three of Wemby, not year one, And I think because of that, sometimes you'll see these teams they don't know any better. The Spurs are a really young team for the most part, and they've had success against Okasee. Yes, his playoff basketball differently different, Yes it is. It's a referee differently, it's played differently, more half court physicality, and you know, it's a seven game series or a five game series, and normally the best team wins. It's not a one and done. It's not March madness. But Wemby last night put up some pretty impressive numbers. Granted against a depleted Warrior team. They had the wrong Curry out there. Draymond is not Draymon anymore, but forty one and eighteen pretty impressive for him. Yes, paulin the.

00:05:34
Speaker 4: Starting lineup for the Warriors, Draymond Green at six six was the tallest guy. Everyone else was six to four or lower. Like you said, it looked like a fantasy camp. You know, hey, guys, we get to play against Wemby. Yeah, it's gonna be great. We did our shot blocked.

00:05:48
Speaker 2: Paul. What's poll question today? Seton first hour?

00:05:51
Speaker 8: Go on here from Paul if you could have any current NBA player for the next five years, same price. The options here are Luca SG, Nikola Jokic, Victor Woman Yama, others.

00:06:04
Speaker 4: We can name them.

00:06:05
Speaker 8: Perhaps I noticed there's no Yanis on here. That's an interesting omission. Yeah, I don't want Jannis for five more years. Yeah, nope, nope, it's kind of crazy. Yeah, came and went, yeah, that's still a story. I mean, it's in Milwaukee. If it was in New York or LA, this would be a huge story. But here's when you know you got Giannis. He's like, I want to play, and you know, it's like a healthy scratch. I can't imagine that this survives. But yeah, there's only one answer to that.

00:06:36
Speaker 2: It's Wemby. He's twenty two. I mean, Sja is wonderful, Luca, but for five years I get Wemby absolutely absolutely, he hadn't even got to his prime. You can make a case maybe Sga and Luka Joker they are in their prime.

00:06:54
Speaker 8: Sja is twenty seven already, Yeah, not to turn twenty eight. Yeah, that's I would have thought he was younger. Yes, I agree, Yeah, Paully.

00:07:01
Speaker 4: When I see in the poll question, I really hesitated in Giannis and he's the same age as Jokis, they're the same age. But Yannis last year thirty twelve, six and a half, it feels like a long time ago though.

00:07:14
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, And you know he's been banged up, he's had the calf injuries. He just haven't hasn't been able to stay healthy. But you know he's and and he had that window and then he got to the point wherever you take him for granted, and that's where he is. When he puts up these same with Joker, you kind of go, oh, okay, another triple double. Yes, Marvin Wenby's the face of the league right now. Right, it's close because it's closed. I mean, I'm sure the league would like to have Sga maybe as the face since he's the reigning MVP. They just want a title. Lebron is emeritus, Curry's emeritus, KD. But Wembley's close.

00:08:00
Speaker 5: But you got to put all your eggs into Wemby basket.

00:08:03
Speaker 2: Right, Oh, I'm I'm there. That's my Easter egg right, I mean it's I got him. I got my basket full of Easter eggs.

00:08:08
Speaker 5: It's Wemby right Because I'm not saying that he's the best player right now, Sga Joker. But you're not running to the TV to see both of those guys play, right, Wenby. You're man, I gotta see this guy play.

00:08:21
Speaker 2: Yes, there's a fascination, just like with Steph Curry and I don't know many other players, even Joker, who I love watching play. He's just his highlights are usually a pass. Sga. You know, there's no highlights there. It's just it's methodical. It's he's gonna do that. He's going to go to the line, he's gonna hit you know, big jumpers. He can get to the hoop. But other than that, you know you don't have those, boy, I got to see that guy. Yes, every player on that list is a really good player. It's a great player. But there's one unicorn on the list. Yes, yeah, how do you not take that guy? Well, God wouldn't God is Wemby down?

00:08:58
Speaker 3: Yes, Tod and Joker thirty one? If you're taking him for the next five years, he's got one foot out the door. He can't wait to hang out with his horses and go to the back of the barn. So is that someone you can really pick for the next five years.

00:09:08
Speaker 2: No, No, he'll continue to put him. It's not like he's gonna slow down because he's already slow. It's not like he can't jump anymore because he couldn't jump. He'll be this way. He's going to be the guy who's fifty years of age when you're playing at the Y and you go, damn, my guy's crushing us. That's gonna be Joker. As long as he wants to play, as long as he's enthused, then he'll put up those great numbers. The old guy at the Why Now, there's always one of those guys. I remember I played at the Downtown Athletic Club baseball passes from under the rope. Come on, dude, what the heck with this guy? And this is back in the early eighties. I just may just got into New York and I'm Downtown Athletic Club where they used to have the Heisman ceremony, and I'll be damned if this guy came out. He might have been the last pick. And he he was torching everybody. And then somebody said, oh, yeah, he played at the Yale back in the sixties. It was like forty eight years of age or something and crushing people back door passes, you know, pick and roll, pump, fake all of this.

00:10:17
Speaker 8: I'm going, man, this guy is crushing everybody. Fundamentals right now are just off the charts. Yes, Mark, the guys that look like Arnie Duncan are going to kill you.

00:10:28
Speaker 2: A couple other pieces of news, Fernando Mendoza had his pro day. More on that coming up. Tiger Woods is allowed to go overseas for rehab. Hohokunukua is going into rehab in Malibu. Bill self does not enter the retirement portal. He is going to come back for one more year at Kansas. What other poll questions are we considering their seat? No, counter, well, we got.

00:10:55
Speaker 4: That one going up.

00:10:56
Speaker 8: With those four options, we're going to let that roll through our one. We also have another suggestion here from paul I'm getting tired of Wemban Yama Coverage or Todd.

00:11:11
Speaker 2: Well. I have been accused of falling in love with you know, players before, usually ahead of the curve. But with Wemby, Uh, just fascinating. Fascinating to watch the development of somebody on a night in, night out basis and get that he's got confidence. But he's twenty two years of age, you know, Cooper Flag, you know what, did he turn twenty or is he still nineteen? That's very impressive with what he's doing. But I look at his ceiling and I look at Wemby's ceiling, and they're different. Wemby's got a higher ceiling, yes, Pauline.

00:11:49
Speaker 4: Cooper Flag turned nineteen back in December. Okay. The one thing with Wemby, unlike Steph where people imitate or they'll catch up or learn to cover them. There's not a bunch of seventh three guys on the way. They are athletic who are going to match up with this guy. He's going to be the tallest, most athletic guy for a long time. There's not another guy like him coming.

00:12:08
Speaker 2: Now yet Now, Yet it happens quickly where all of a sudden there'll be somebody and you go, oh boy, you know, and that's the beauty of the NBA. Like every once in a while there's a player and you go, wow, that's different. You know, Shaq was different. He was bigger than Wilt Chamberlain. You know, with Michael gave us different Bird, it was different. Magic it was different. I mean we've been treated to so many that guy's different. And they played differently. Magic played differently than anybody. Mike played different, Larry played different. And now you got Wemby who plays different. Steph Curry, they played different. And you know, basketball has been around, you know for hundreds of years or at least one hundred years, and reinventing how to play the game. That's remarkable. Of all the people who play the game, Steff did something nobody else had done. Now Wemby's doing that shacked to a certain degree. Mike certainly did Magic as a six to eight point guard. Larry that was different. And you have these guys who come along and you go. That's I'll go back to Elgin Baylor. That was different, a six or four guy who could lead the league in rebounding and score sixty points in a game. Jerry West was different, Maravich was different. I mean that's the beauty of basketball. It occasionally will birth somebody playing the way that nobody else has played before.

00:13:44
Speaker 5: Yes, Marvin, one of the most overused terms is generational talent. But I'm glad Wemby's an actual generational talent because we haven't seen this type of hype around somebody since Lebron.

00:13:55
Speaker 2: Yeah, you're right, and you know Lebron in fairness to him, I mean he's unique. The fact that he could probably play one more year. Would that'd be his twenty fourth year. I mean it's remarkable. Sixty thousand points, yeah, seton.

00:14:13
Speaker 4: Yeah, and I mean Lebron more than match to that jump.

00:14:16
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:14:18
Speaker 1: Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan Patrick Show weekdays at nine am Eastern six am Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. Hey it's me Rob Parker.

00:14:30
Speaker 9: Check out my weekly MLB podcast, Inside the Parker for twenty two minutes of piping hot baseball talk featuring the biggest names of newsmakers in the sport. Whether you believe in analytics or the I tast we've got all the bases covered. New episodes drop every Thursday, so do yourself a favor and listen to Inside the Parker with Rob Parker on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

00:14:57
Speaker 2: Breaking NFL news, Pauline, it's so saucy.

00:15:03
Speaker 4: That we're playing the guess the NFL news game?

00:15:07
Speaker 2: Okay, Well, Aaron Rodgers is coming back.

00:15:11
Speaker 4: Okay. Kirk Cousins has signed a contract for next season. Okay, whom has he signed a contract with?

00:15:19
Speaker 2: Todd? The Browns? And and get another quarterback? All right, Satan This this was described as lightly saucy.

00:15:30
Speaker 4: It's a bit confusing as a strategy for this team. Okay, how about the Steelers? He signed with the Steelers?

00:15:38
Speaker 10: Then?

00:15:39
Speaker 2: Okay, Marvin.

00:15:42
Speaker 4: The Vikings. We guess No, that's saucy though, Yeah, how.

00:15:49
Speaker 2: About the Rams?

00:15:51
Speaker 4: According to his agent, kirk Cousins has signed with the Raiders.

00:15:55
Speaker 2: What okay, the Las Vegas Raiders.

00:15:59
Speaker 4: I checked, they're still in Vegas.

00:16:01
Speaker 11: Okay, what.

00:16:04
Speaker 2: I'm good with it? Why because I don't want Mendoza If he's not ready to start right away. And even if he does start right away, you got Kirk Cousins there. He knows that he's not going to be going to be starting. You know, the future is right there for Nando Mendoza. He knows that Kirk Cousins be a great soldier. There, I'm okay with that. Yeah, I'm a problem with it. What why Why do you have a problem with that? Why?

00:16:39
Speaker 8: Why are you going to take a quarterback number one overall and then have him immediately step into the king of quarterback controversies?

00:16:48
Speaker 2: There's no controversy here, No, there is no there's no none with Kirk de Cousins. Yes, Paul, I.

00:16:54
Speaker 4: Got a couple things on this. You bring in Kirk Cousins, that means you're spending money you didn't need to spend. You could let Aid O'Connell get thrown to the walls for seven games and then bringing Mendoza. Secondly, what if Kirk Cousins plays really well, what's the plan?

00:17:09
Speaker 2: Like Fernanda Mendoza is the plan?

00:17:12
Speaker 4: Okay? And why did you just sign Kirk Cousins.

00:17:13
Speaker 2: How much am I paying Kirk Cousins. They haven't released I'm probably not paying.

00:17:17
Speaker 8: Him anywhere in the ballpark of seventy five a year, apparently, because that's about what his agent is able to do.

00:17:22
Speaker 4: Let's say it was eight million a year for two years. Each year's eight that's really light, right, You could spend that on a guard.

00:17:30
Speaker 2: How many quarterbacks go through the entire year playing every game?

00:17:35
Speaker 4: Third point, is there any chance they're not drafting Mendoza with a number one pick? And after this signing, there's no chase, no zero. Okay, if you are you bringing Kirk Cousins, it now gives you the flexibility to trade down with that pick.

00:17:54
Speaker 2: Okay, I've said that for a while that that's what if I was running the Raiders. If I don't feel like I have a great offensive line and I got a rookie head coach and I'm going to bring in a rookie quarterback, do I want to trade down and maybe get four first round draft picks? Or I could trade him to the Jet trade the pick to the Jets and get four first round draft picks? Does that make more sense. I don't think Fernando Mendoza is a Andrew Luck John Elway generational, but I do think he is a great person. To represent your franchise. He played big and big games. I like everything I hear, I like everything I see. I don't know if he's Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen or Joe Burrow. I don't think he's in that category. And you know, not many quarterbacks are, in fairness to him, I just I got to make sure that I have a good team, not necessarily just a good quarterback. Clint Kubiak, who's the new head coach, he was a former coordinator with Kirk D. Cousins. They spent three years together, and Kubiak would not bring in Kirk Cousins to disrupt what they're trying to do. He would bring Kirk Cousin in and say, you're going to be kind of my quarterbacks coach. You're a backup quarterback here because I can't imagine you go boy open for competition, because that I don't think helps anybody here. Yes, Tom, whatever.

00:19:21
Speaker 3: Happened to those feared nasty Silver and Black Raiders you're talking about? Kirk Cousins and men, those a couple of choir boys. Those are your quarterbacks. That is so bizarre for those to be Raiders.

00:19:31
Speaker 4: Yes, Paul, you have to agree It's a shocking strategy for a team that seems to be on the build and not ready to win.

00:19:39
Speaker 2: Now, I like it, but I'd like it because I know Kirk cousins personality.

00:19:44
Speaker 10: Here.

00:19:45
Speaker 2: This isn't Michael Pennix. This to me is different than that because Atlanta brought in Kirk Cousins and paid him all of that money. Now, all of a sudden, you go, wait a minute, what did you do with that draft pick? That to me was a crazy strategy. This is Kirk. You're not going to get paid, you know, anywhere near what you've been paid before. You want to come in. You can be a backup. You know the head coach, You've worked with him. We want you to come in. We want you to help Fernando Mendoza be a better quarterback, a ready quarterback.

00:20:20
Speaker 8: Yes, Ston, So if you're the Jets right now, I mean, I'm on the phone to the Raiders. So what do you want for number one?

00:20:30
Speaker 2: Wait a minute, you got Geno Smith. I know it's going to lead you to the promise line.

00:20:35
Speaker 8: That's a perfect guy to not have a quarterback controversy with.

00:20:40
Speaker 2: I would if you really want Fernando Mendoza, if I'm the Jets, and maybe you've got a chance to get it right. Then I would be all in on Fernando Mendoza. And if I'm the Raiders, I have to at least listen to this, and if you as long as I have confidence in my you know, scouting department and those making the draft picks when I get these first round pigs. But I don't know if I would be totally confident with that.

00:21:08
Speaker 4: Yes, Paul, you do this twenty hours after Fernando Mendoza's pro day. I wonder if they're thinking the Raiders our plan is to have a sit here for Mendoza, and this is a great option to have a full planned sit here like Mahomes.

00:21:23
Speaker 2: I don't have a problem with it, right you like that. I don't want him to get beat up. You're gonna get beat up even when you have a good team. I don't want you to get beat up when you don't have a good team or a good offensive line. That's the only thing that I worry about with Mendoza. If he has a good offensive line, I think he's got the arm strength, the quality, the intangibles. I think he can be a really good quarterback here. Is Fernando Mendoza on being the number one pick. That's sole process is essentially for you a this need to be the top pick.

00:21:57
Speaker 4: Yes, what's some mentory physical approach to the components.

00:22:01
Speaker 12: Yeah, I wouldn't really say that in the mentality of trying to be the topic. I'm just trying to be the best me possible. And in that aspect, whatever he picks me, you only need one team to believe in you, whether you the first pick, whether the last pick, whatever, and that I'm just trying to be the best quarterback I can be in September rather than right now here in April.

00:22:19
Speaker 2: So I'm putting all my effort.

00:22:20
Speaker 12: Towards you know, it's just trying to be the best thing, best quarterback possible for this season.

00:22:26
Speaker 2: He just seems like he was spit out of a computer or AI or something where you go, you here, you go. He gives you the answers that you want to hear. And also his approach to a pro day wasn't a let me show you throws that I probably will never have in my career. Hey, let me roll left, throw right for sixty yards. And he even said how often do you throw the ball forty yards. All you're doing is trying to replicate what throws you're going to have in a game. And if you watch an NFL game now, for the most part, how often do you see a pass that's forty yards down the field. Not very often. And I think that's what Mendoza's approach is. Hey, if it's there, I'm going to take it. And now you have Tom Brady to reinforce that, because Brady, if it was there, you take it. I don't need to do anything crazy. I don't need to try to force anything. If it's there, I'll take it. I'll take advantage of that until you try to stop me with this. So Mendoza is going to have Kirk Cousins in Tom Brady. I like that insulation there. Now you just got to make sure that offensive line is going to stand up, and if it does, this can be a success story. I'm fine with Kirk Cousins coming in. Wait, how often do we talk about, man, it really valuable to have a backup quarterback who can play. Used to be a backup quarterback had a visor on and he had a clipboard. He wasn't in a headset. Now you really have to make sure that you're ready when somebody gets hurt. Yes, Morvin.

00:24:06
Speaker 5: What if the Raiders start out owing three with Kirk Cousins as their starter, isn't it gonna be pressure to throw Mendoza in there? Yes, so throw him in there anyway.

00:24:14
Speaker 7: No.

00:24:14
Speaker 2: No, I want him ready when he's ready. I don't want him to be ready because he's the number one pick in the draft. I think teams have made that mistake before. Is he ready? You'll know he's ready. He'll know he's ready. I don't want to go, hey, fans are coming out to see you. That shouldn't be the approach. And Tom Brady knows that he knows that better than anybody. His words to me. If I was drafted in the first round, I wouldn't have lasted in the NFL because he wasn't ready. Mendoza we assume is ready, but he's the he's the best quarterback in the draft. Well, that doesn't mean that he is ready to start take over the NFL. There should be an easing in process. That's the approach I would have. And if Kirk Cousins plays well, I'd say awesome, but I wouldn't go, oh, we can't put Mendoza in there. You'll put him in when he's ready, Yes, Paul.

00:25:13
Speaker 4: I also wonder how many options Kirk Cousins had at this point. He's a good starter who's a little old, but not a thousand years old. But he's not You're not going to hand over your franchise to him at this juncture. But he's not bad enough or average enough to be just a gap guy.

00:25:30
Speaker 2: Well, I thought he was going to go back to Minnesota. I thought that that, you know, because the JJ McCarthy situation. Yeah, yeah, you know, he's saw trying to sit with it a little bit more. But yeah, Mendoza is sort of a more athletic Kirk Cousins.

00:25:48
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:25:48
Speaker 8: Yeah, So you're sort of bringing a guy in to show him the ropes who plays almost exactly the same way you do.

00:25:56
Speaker 2: So like efficiency, and you know, but I see Mendoza as Joe Flacco, maybe a more athletic Joe Flacco size arm And I've said before, if Mendoza has a Joe Flacco career, I'd sign up for that. If I'm a Raider fan. Nothing to be ashamed of with what Joe Flacco did. I just think we're looking at Mendoza maybe unfairly in saying, Oh, there's your guy. He's a generational talent. I don't know if he's that, but I did. I love what I hear from him, and I loved his approach to a pro day. He acted like a pro at a pro day, not a college kid who's trying to impress you with these throws that he probably won't even have in his career. I don't want Zach Wilson. Remember Zach Wilson rolled left? He throw back right sixty yards. Oh my goodness, I want to know what you do. Five yards there, seven yards there, ten yards there. That's what I want to know, because those are NFL throws. You can stand. What was it? Last year? I had to prove to John Calipari I could throw the ball fifty yards. I don't know where it's going, but that's not the end. It's not the NFL. Man, I can throw it sixty yards. Jeff George had the best arm, maybe one of the best arms I ever saw, and they'd go, man, he can throw it sixty yards. Kyle Buller he was on his knees at the fifty yard line and he could throw the ball fifty yards from his knees, and I go, that doesn't happen in the NFL. Like he's down, the play is over. But they're like, man, did you see him throw from his knees? Joe Montana did not have a great arm, Steve Young did not have a great arm. They had great aim, they had great touch. That's what the NFL is. Man, he can throw the ball right through a building. Why would you do that?

00:27:58
Speaker 6: Yeah?

00:27:59
Speaker 4: I have very goodness for Kirk Cousins.

00:28:01
Speaker 8: There are at least eight Coals in the greater Los Angeles Las Vegas area, which we know he's very He's a huge coals shopper. Oh that's right, Yeah, yeah, that's good news for him.

00:28:12
Speaker 5: All the Eddie Bauer you can.

00:28:13
Speaker 2: Have, Yeah, yeah, Coles cash coming in hands. He's gonna have the plaid dress shirts that he would wear in hot weather.

00:28:21
Speaker 4: Oh yeah.

00:28:23
Speaker 2: David in Ohio, Hi David, what's on your mind today?

00:28:28
Speaker 6: Hey?

00:28:28
Speaker 2: Dan?

00:28:28
Speaker 11: With the Kirk Cousins news. Going to the Las Vegas Raiders. Uh who is also affiliated with Great Clips. Him and Mark Davis can go and get the same boll cut they get their haircut.

00:28:39
Speaker 2: So I think Kirk has a little better haircut than Mark does.

00:28:44
Speaker 4: Uh let's see.

00:28:47
Speaker 2: Jeremy in New York. Hi, Jeremy, what's on your mind today?

00:28:52
Speaker 6: Morning?

00:28:52
Speaker 7: Dan?

00:28:52
Speaker 10: Hope you guys are doing really well six'.

00:28:54
Speaker 2: Four, So, dan you've had this incredible of.

00:29:00
Speaker 10: Guests and interviews over the, years but one missing name keeps popping up to. Me AND i don't want to kick up any, dust but would you ever consider Having Jim rome on before you hang it up in a couple of?

00:29:13
Speaker 2: YEARS i asked him years, ago and we are At Super bowl In tampa and he, said, oh you're not allowed to have me on BECAUSE i was AT. ESPN i, go, Yeah i'll have you. On how ABOUT i have you on and you'll have me on and the same time on our radio, shows kind of a. Simulcast he didn't want to do. IT i was open to. It but WOULD i Have Jim rome on? NOW i don't. KNOW i haven't really thought about. It two years down the. Road jim might not want to come. ON i don't. KNOW i have no relationship with. Him todd knows. Him you work With Jim? Rome?

00:29:59
Speaker 10: Did?

00:30:00
Speaker 2: Yeah a few?

00:30:00
Speaker 4: Years?

00:30:01
Speaker 2: Okay, uho is.

00:30:04
Speaker 1: That what the show?

00:30:05
Speaker 3: Was talk to the show ON espn two Called talk to In Los, angeles and THEN i worked for a week or two on his radio show many years. Ago a week or, two, yeah because we were doing THE tv. Show but then he took the radio show on the road To New York city for a. Week SO i produced the radio show for like that. WEEK i don't know if we're A Super bowl week or.

00:30:21
Speaker 2: Something what did he know? You if he saw?

00:30:23
Speaker 10: You?

00:30:23
Speaker 2: Yes, Okay, hey there was a, time you, Know. Jim jim changed the sports radio, INDUSTRY i, mean very. Influential BUT i have no idea who who's on the guest list here for the next two? Years you know? What put it down right? Down Jim rome. Question, yeah who else are we having? On Colin. Cowherd we're gonna Have colin On let's bring them all? Out sure you, want, YES.

00:30:55
Speaker 4: Pauli about four years AGO i Alerted Michael jordan's people that you're retiring in five, years five and a half, years and so groundwork was. Laid they did say get back to me closer to the. End, okay it's in an.

00:31:08
Speaker 2: Email, okay all, RIGHT i like. That, Plannet, yeah, yeah, Right so we Gave jordan five year heads.

00:31:14
Speaker 4: Up, yeah he's. Busy, yeah but five years.

00:31:17
Speaker 8: And not only, that But paul just preemptively took credit for.

00:31:19
Speaker 2: Us so Now todd just got blocked.

00:31:21
Speaker 8: Out that Is, Todd you just the white whale just already got hooked by somebody.

00:31:26
Speaker 2: Else you were book. Blocked, sorry all those going into retirement and you missed out on Booking. Jordan that would be Like Larry you know What paulie B Larry bird walking off with his. Finger he sent an email five years. Ago yees, SEE i get. That, yeah you full Credit paulie at the three point shooting? Contest, yes and so walk? Off, yeah who booked the last? Guesst Michael? Jordan paul? Did it'll be a good trivial pursuit question or.

00:31:53
Speaker 1: Something Fox Sports radio has the best sports talk lineup in the. Nation catch all of our shows At Fox Sports radio and within The iHeartRadio app SEARCH fsr to listen.

00:32:04
Speaker 2: Live let's bring In Jeremy, fowler he covers THE NFL espn SENIOR Nfl National. Reporter let me start. There your reaction To Kirk cousins landing with The. Raiders, Yeah, dan great to be with. You The raiders wanted a. Veteran they tried to Get Joe. FLACCO i was told they actually got pretty close to Signing flacco at one, point but they didn't want to spend, huge you, know starter related. Money if he was going to go to The West, coast he wanted the starter, money so he just stayed In cincinnati.

00:32:30
Speaker 7: Instead at that point they pivoted To Kirk. Cousins really that was the best. Option there weren't a lot of other veterans out there just talking with The, raiders like they, said, hey we know we have to get a.

00:32:39
Speaker 2: Veteran he's the best.

00:32:40
Speaker 7: OPTION i kind of almost wondered If cousins at some point was going to either go to The rams so you can sit for a year and almost help your value for twenty twenty seven free, agency or even sit out a little bit and, wait you, know for the. Situation BUT i think with the chance to, play it's pretty clear The raiders won somebody who can at least spot start some games Until mendoz is completely. Ready who do you think starts opening game for The raiders at? Quarterback, WELL i, MEAN i Think cousins has a good chance. Here he's got some history With Clint. Kubiak he knows that style of offense really. Well this Gives mendoza. Time The raiders seem to be leaning on that old school, mentality at least a little bit of, like, hey why do we have to rush him out their week? One you, know even if he is ready or has a good, camp, like let's give him little time to. Develop you can always put him in week, five week, ten. Like there are a lot of options and flexibility that he doesn't have to be the. Guy you see so many stories of players starting week one and they just weren't, ready you, know Like Zach wilson comes to. Mind i'm not Comparing mendoza To Zach, wilson but sometimes you just want to make. Sure now If mendoza's just lights out and undeniable In OTA's and mini camp and training, camp and at that point you, say let's go with, him and you have the flexibility to do. That AND i don't think they're Paying cousins crazy money here where they can't get out of that, deal and it'd be at some.

00:33:53
Speaker 2: COST i guess the timing of. This mendoza has his pro day and then all of a sudden you announce your bringing In Kirk. Cousins do you think the rate Gave mendoza heads? Up, oh it's a good.

00:34:03
Speaker 7: QUESTION i Think mendoza probably knew that they were looking, around because The raiders weren't keeping that a secret at least in league circles and free agency. Circles you, know like they've been talking To Joe flacco for a good, week week and a, half you. Know BUT i think he wanted something a little more than what he got With cleveland last, year which is probably a fifteen million or so twenty million a year to, start even if it's only going to be for a certain amount of. Games you, know The raiders weren't quite willing to go that, far So cousins was the next best. Option SO i don't know if they directly told, them but it's pretty clear at least right, now what their plan is to at least have that option to start a veteran.

00:34:41
Speaker 2: If you want to go that. Route but they're not shopping the. Pick they're they're Taking. Mendoza, YEAH i would be absolutely shocked at this. POINT i have not heard anything hard and fast that they're going to shop the. Pick most other teams in the top ten of the draft are Expecting mendozo to be off the board at one and the draft starts at. Two To Jeremy, fowler you can go TO espn dot com deep, dive THE espn team with a deep dive on The, eagles and it feels like the conversation around The eagles in the off season is kind of a slow burn, there like the blame game, here and then all of a, sudden you, know this report spotlights that the blame. Is it's squarely On Jalen. HURTS i was curious the timing of this at the beginning Of april that this comes. Out why do you think that? Happened or why do you think you got access to this In.

00:35:33
Speaker 7: April you, know we've actually been working on the story for a. While it just happened to run now because it was ready. Now there wasn't like a hard and fast plan to, say, hey let's hit Them april, first the day after the owner's. Meetings the owner's meetings had nothing to do with the. Story you're, Right the timing was a big topic yesterday and a discourse about the story why. Now so really it's just a matter of reporting and vetting something out that you've been working on when it's, ready it's.

00:36:00
Speaker 2: Ready that was kind of the.

00:36:02
Speaker 7: Situation but we started in season because The eagles offense was clearly. OFF Aj, brown you, know weekly was upset about something on the. Sideline everybody could see. It you, know the passing game was struggling for a second consecutive, year even though they won The Super bowl in twenty four it was one of the worst passing games in THE. Nfl and so we just sought out to figure out what Ales eagles, Offense what really is the?

00:36:24
Speaker 2: Issue what's the.

00:36:25
Speaker 7: Story With Jalen hurts AND Aj brown, Specifically and as we dug in with the story and asked more, Sources jalen's name came up a lot as certainly not the only. Culprit there's plenty of blame to go around here with The eagles offense last, year from coaching to offensive. Line play just wasn't as. Good their running holes weren't there For Saquon, barkley the receivers didn't look as fast like they just didn't look as explosive of an. Offense so not all that is On Jalen, hurts but some of the things highlighted in the piece were accentuated when we brought it up to people and sources both with The eagles.

00:36:59
Speaker 5: And in and around the.

00:36:59
Speaker 2: Program i'm trying to be fair To Jalen. Hurts i've said it for the last couple of. YEARS i don't think he's a great regular season. Quarterback he's not going to put up gaudy. Numbers they're not a pass first. Team but in big games he's played. Big, Yes he's had a new offensive coordinator every year of his college and pro, CAREER i. Believe and now you bring in a thirty three year old former quarterback In Sean, MANNON i, mean what are we supposed to expect out of? Him where you keep bringing in a different offensive philosophy.

00:37:29
Speaker 7: Here, yeah and to his, credit he has had to adapt to a lot of, change and now the system was relatively the same throughout it They Nick sirianni has tried to keep. Continuity you, know you Have Shane steichen who was there, originally who probably did the best job Of Jalen hurts out of all the, coaches to be, honest if we're looking, back but you, know he was part Of Nick sirianni's coaching, system coaching.

00:37:52
Speaker 2: Tree they were.

00:37:52
Speaker 7: Together then you bring In Brian, johnson who's part of the. Staff you, Know Kellen moore was really the only departure when they brought him in two years, ago but he kind of blended some of his ideas with What Nick sirianni was. Doing So herts has had some level of, continuity but to be, sure he's had to overcome a. Lot that's a lot of, change a lot of different voices in your, ear and to his, credit he's had some great moments throughout.

00:38:13
Speaker 3: That you.

00:38:14
Speaker 7: Know so it's a delicate balance for a story like this because you have original reporting that you feel, like, okay well this is the, story this is what's going on with The eagles and the.

00:38:25
Speaker 2: Offense but he's had immense.

00:38:27
Speaker 7: Success he's got a really unique determination and steely resolve that has helped him overcome a, lot and you, know we highlighted that throughout the. Story you, know we try to provide as much context as we could To Jalen hurts his you, know side of, things or his perspective with some of the topics that came. Up and, so, yeah it's just a situation where you, know certainly he's a proven good player that you can win, with but there have been you, know it's The eagles are now in a situation where they know something had to. Change they had to reset their, offense and it's now a moving train That Jalen, hurts who's been resistant to some of those changes in the, past now has to get.

00:39:06
Speaker 2: On can you make the comparison With Russell wilson And seattle And Jalen hurts In, Philadelphia.

00:39:14
Speaker 7: Well that's a layered. Discussion you, know they are different, people different, players but that comparison is not lost on some, people including some in The eagles building that that do see some. Similarities, really if if you go just to straight, football there are some similarities where you, know they're they throw a great deep, ball they're, athletic you know they're they're known as you, know good leaders as far as trying to set a great, example uh really get getting after, it setting a good work, ethic you, know like being championship oriented like all those.

00:39:54
Speaker 2: Things but you know they.

00:39:56
Speaker 7: They have some struggles with certain, coverages not really true pocket. Passers you, Know Russell wilson struggled with. That you know where he you had to win with a good running game and a good, system around. Them you, know some quarterbacks you can win really because of and that's a short, list and then some of you need to win with by supporting. Them and last year when The eagles didn't have enough support Around Jalen, hurts that's where you saw the offense struggling because it was all on. Him you, know some quarterbacks can handle. That but it's a very short, list as you, know you, know The Josh allens of the, World, Mahomes Joe, burrow some of those. Guys SO i think, stylistically there are a lot of, similarities you, know probably different. PERSONALITIES i, mean you, Know russell's more known as kind of you, know he's he always says the right. Thing you, know he's he's a walking uh you, know message, board you, know just with inspirational quotes things like. That jalen's got a little bit of that as. Well but he's more of an, introvert you, know he's known as. That even talking to people with the story when you ask about you, know relating to teammates or poor body, language any of those, things they'll fight back and, say, well that's just who he. Is if he wins A Super bowl or he gets a fifty five million dollar year, contract life changing.

00:41:05
Speaker 2: Events he's going to have the same. Face he's not going to.

00:41:07
Speaker 7: Smile he just he is that, way you, know he's on to the next, thing which is admirable in a lot of.

00:41:14
Speaker 2: Ways you.

00:41:14
Speaker 7: Know it shows he's unflappable but also can be tough in a locker room a little, bit you, know and he's had to adjust to try to relate to, teammates which he did later in the year.

00:41:22
Speaker 2: And did a better job at that than he did at the beginning of the.

00:41:24
Speaker 1: Year there are some.

00:41:25
Speaker 7: Similarities i've heard people bring that. Up we didn't make the comparison in the, story BUT i was wasn't necessarily surprised That i've seen that comparison a lot in the discourse over the last twenty four.

00:41:34
Speaker 2: Hours help me understand The Cleveland browns situation best you can that the owner now it kind of feels, like, hey you, know we found this quarterback here there were spending forty million dollars on and why don't we play. Him what Is Deshaun watson's chances of starting this year for The Cleveland? Browns, DAN i think his chances are.

00:41:57
Speaker 7: Decent he has to play over the next three to four months on the practice, field, well he has to show. SOMETHING i Expect Shador sanders to be probably first in.

00:42:06
Speaker 2: Line you froze up.

00:42:18
Speaker 7: There jeremy is an off season workouts because he's the last guy to hit himself well enough to Earn, YES.

00:42:24
Speaker 2: I got you. Back, okay, okay sorry about.

00:42:26
Speaker 7: That SO i Think Shador sanders will get the first crack at things when they start reps in. OTAs But Deshaun watson Is it's. Interesting he's he's two. Things he's a big swing and a, miss Which jimmy has them said on the. Record he's also now an, option whether you like it or, not because they owe him the. Money he's only got the one year left on the forty six million dollars despite Two achilles, tears all the, problems all the bad. Play he was at one point in his life a top five to seven quarterback in THE. Nfl if they can get seventy percent of, that he's probably their best.

00:42:59
Speaker 2: Option and they know. That so you, Know jimmy has them saying two different things at two different. Years really called.

00:43:05
Speaker 7: Him a big swing and a, miss and then now he's calling him an. OPTION i think he can be. Both he was a big swing and a. Miss there's no doubt about. That you, know four years it has not worked, out but you do have this one sliver of. CHANCE i think he's their best option a quarterback if he can show that he's you, know that he can be mobile enough and move around on This Achilles.

00:43:22
Speaker 2: And this feels like if the owner Wants deshaun wants him to, start it feels like that's going to.

00:43:29
Speaker 7: Happen, well maybe it can depend on the inter office dynamic with those. Things and you know that's been debated In, cleveland whether the owner wants certain things or.

00:43:38
Speaker 2: Not but when he got a new coach coming in though you know In, monkin, YEAH i think they.

00:43:44
Speaker 7: Trust they Know Todd munkin's football. Acumen he was In cleveland once upon a. Time he's known as a good offensive. Coach he got the best out Of lamar for a couple of. YEARS i think they will defer to, him AND i think he likes some things that he saw From shador and he hit will say, This Todd munkins offense is more, spread offense. Oriented it can, adapt BUT i think it Suits Deshaun watson's style more Than Kevin stefanski's. Offense did that Gives watson a fighting?

00:44:12
Speaker 10: Chance?

00:44:12
Speaker 2: Here great, Stuff, no you're. Busy thanks as. Always we appreciate, It jeremy of.

00:44:18
Speaker 10: Course.

00:44:18
Speaker 2: Thanks, dan appreciate, It jeremy fowlery