Devante Parker Traded; Cuál Es Tu Fantasía: El Regreso

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Speaker 1: Be Around the NFL podcast has lived long enough to see themselves become the villains that hit close From the Chris Wesley podcast studio, It's around the NFL. I'm Dan Hansas. I'm joined by a hero, longtime friend, Mark Seesler. Are you doing? But are we villains now? Not villains? But we were just talking about right before we started how listening to some older clips from the show, Um, there was an innocence and now with experience comes a different feeling. So I guess I somehow equated that in my head two heroes and villains. Did we sell out to the man over time? I don't know. Maybe that's part of today's show is trying to fight that. My paycheck tells me that I've sold out to nobody. But I will say that, like, maybe you know, if you want to spinning, possibly we have more wisdom and with that comes more cynicis and we were callow youth back then, callow. I'd like to go back to that place because I was listening to some of those clips and we've seen the salad days, Salad days. Wait a second, what's this is that? Pmar call Call? There's call in Wolf's music there's a wolf on my headphones. Des a wolf, des a wolf. Don't mess where, don't do it, don't do stupid, don't mess where, don't don't By the way, we're all sell out as colleens tables a four pack of Kelsey Grammar from Fraser's beer, Faith American Ale that she's getting for free and handing over to me. I think the you and Mark should split this. It's a gift not from me, from Kelsey Grammar, really from his he has it. He owns a brewery. This is his brewery and I met him on a flight. And then though I get beer shipped to my house, how often, Um, we have a lot of this. There's a lot of beer. And if you listen to the Throwback podcast, you know that Faith American Ales the official beer of that show. And um my buddy Bob has a long sort of history with Kelsey Grammer who made fun of him on the Donahue Show. Um, and now it's our official beer. And and Connie, I couldn't help I I hope I'm not speaking out of turn. And by the way, welcome to the podcast. Hey, thanks, When when Kelsey was chatting you up in first class and then started applying you with all this alcohol. Did you ever do a Google search and see that all fourteen of his wife's look exactly like you. He told me that he met his current wife on a flight, and we were on a flight at the time, so um yeah. And then he got my address, so I think it starts a lot of I did it just for the story so I could come and be likemer my address today, Everything's fine. And then I had a gigantic pizza that I had transported from Philadelphia. Nothing to be concerned about. Let's let's get into some things, Conny, because it's been a while. You were with us at Combine and that was great, and a couple of things wanted to take away from Combine, and Ricky, I'm gonna need your help in a second to do some quick googling. First of all, one of my favorite moments in our work travel history occurred after we were leaving the steakhouse, Um, the famous steakhouse of course, with the name always sat almost Saint Almos. We're leaving. It was me, you, Mark, Greg Uh Ricky. We had a nice we had a nice crew there and we're walking out the door into the cold feb you are a knight in Indianapolis, and all of a sudden you here like, hey, Don. I was like, who didn't recognize that? I turned around and it's a listener of the show, and I wish I remembered his name right now. But he was like super nice, and it's like, I know you talked about that this is a good steakhouse to go to and and you were gonna be here. So he had And then in the middle of the commentary with me, you know, it catches his eye, this one right here, and he stopped speaking and he looks over and he goes, oh, book, everything worth it. It was the best moment and my career maybe thinking about that now, how he's sending books um. And then. So that was one thing I loved about the combine, Connie. The other thing I loved was, uh, you learned something, didn't you? Something got revealed connected to head coaches and what they're paying attention. Okay, So I have very good intel here that one of the thirty two coaches in the NFL is very upset about a ranking that came out that he was involved in, and it was the hotness rankings, and he felt that he was far too long. I guess there was someone that came out that rated and ranked NFL coaches based on their handsomeness there the hotness factor, Ricky, Can you find that? Can we? Where was it? Was it like a on a website somewhere? I assume people were tweeting about it. Um, but let me look. I think it was kind of a little random. But he was specifically upset that he was behind. I think he came in like maybe twenty on the list and not great. He was behind Bruce Arians, which he was unhappy about. He was behind many coaches and this was confer would buy the head coach himself the GM of the team and uh, someone else in the front office. Can is he like? Is he younger or older in scope? He is? Um? Probably it's like Andy Reid is annoyed or something. No, but I think Andy Reid might have been ahead of him. See that if I would say he's an our in our age. Are you looking at the ESPN Southwest Florida page. Uh, it's it's a I got it off some New Orleans based things. So he's so upset that he was ranked so low on this that he's decided to take the entire offseason to get in shape and proved to everyone that he should be higher up. I knew it this. This is amazing to me that the coaches are plugged in like this. But it's also a sign that this wave mark of younger coaches. They don't all look like Wayne Fonts anymore, and they all read at the Internet, and they all care about their looks and everything. And now that now we know, thanks to Colleen's dogged reports, that you are the new insider. And wait a second. One other great nugget about this is he was having this coach was having a conversation with Matt Lafleur and he walked The coach walked over to me and I said, oh, there's number one, huh? And he knew immediately, like without any context. I said that, and we hadn't even talked about it yet, and he knew immediately what I was talking about. Oh my goodness, that's got under his skin. You have blown the roof off this now I found it because here's La Flora number one, and Colleen, feel free to abstain. I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable situation, but Mark and I will be happy to share our thoughts on the top ten hottest coaches um La floor one, Brian Floores number two, since dismissed under do you agree with that? When that was still still handsome men? No longer a head coach, so that moves up my man, Robert slid at a number two. Still no sign of a certain Cleveland coach. Cliff Kingsbury number three, Mike Tomlin four, Sean McVeigh five, Mike Vrabel six. Wait a minute, Kevin Stefanski buried at seven and check at eight? Zaddy what Kyle Shanahan nine. Pete Carroll rounds at the top ten? Now, Debbie hands this would sign off on that. Deb She's been loving Pete carrollson's ninety three with the Jets. But for his age, he is a very good looking man, nice smile, pepper hair. I think that Sessler heard from my mom about her feelings on Pete Carroll. On one of the first times that we met you and West, my mom decided to unload about how much she hates Pete Carroll. Seemed to be a sticking point with her. I think Dan Campbell gets stinged a little bit here. Um. I think he should be higher up um, and you could certainly make a case that some of the other young guys, like let's say Nick Sirianni here, maybe he deserves to be had. I mean Andy Reid is behind Sirianni, but Arthur Smith and Eddie read it right next to each other, Sean Payton buried in the back end. Whoever, this annoyed coaches though? I mean, this was not a poll of thousands of people, correct, this was one person. We've been doing hotness rankings on this show for a decade, wet rankings. Well, but we've talked, we we've done some like you know, how the coach looks overall. We discussed that offhand. But if this was a list put together by one subjective person, uh, maybe the annoyed coach shouldn't take so much offense to me. But not there. Who knows what list they were going off of though, too, because there's a lot of lists I think floating around out there in the ether. But you know what, this is a coach that likes a chip on the shoulder. It sounds like it's motivated them to improve body and mind. Do I should I? I don't want to be unfair and or mean spirited. So don't take this that way. But they are public figures. So do you want to hear the bottom five according to this, Yes, that's that's where i'd start, probably, to be honest. Uh my guy, Mike McCarthy, speaking of Daddy's he is uh fifth to last, followed by Mike Zimmer no longer with the head coach ranks, Ron Rivera Matt Rule coming in the thirty one and and and dead last Vic Fangio no longer a head coach. That means Rule has some catching up to do. Now we have a whole proper new coaches as well, which need to be restorted. So maybe we'll check back in on this, But that let's not let's not lose the biggest storyline here that the coaches are wildly plugged in on this and annoyed that there's internet discourse about who's the best looking coach? Right, the idea that they're tucked away in some bunker eating Chinese food with no connection to the outside world is not accurate. What's that sound, Oh, it's Vince Lombardi rolling over in his grave. Everything's a competition. Competition, football sports, that's what we're about, and we're gonna get to everything that's going on around the league here with Connie Fox and the Sizzler, uh including I think this this is gonna be fun. Greg is on um vacation well learned and um, he's gonna be disappointed to learning miss this because it's been a while, but the return of one of our favorite segments from the old days, Qualace two fantas And you know what I was thinking, Mark, because it's been a while, it's probably been years since we did this set, which, by the way, is it's it's the translation the literal translation. Mark. Well, you know, Dan, you and I were together yesterday and we actually asked a Spanish speaking person and they just disagree to this, But I think it is what is your fantasy? But in a previous episode you called it what is your fancy um, and we asked a Spanish speaking person at it at an eatery um if fantasia checked out as fantasy, and he totally disagreed with us. So that that that that's how we came up with the segment. Because we came up with a segment called this was like seven eight years ago what is your Fantasy, and then just plugged it into Google Spanish. When we got that, Brandy back here, Chavez, he's gonna settle the score, right, Randy, what do you got? What is the translation of what is your fantasy? There? It is there? It is qualace do fantasia. Okay, see that was our original question, right, all right, so we're accurate, honestly, Okay, thank you, Randy. Well, then what was this other what was this other Spanish speaking person attempting to accomplish with us? I don't know what whatever he said we translated and it didn't seem to check out. Different countries are different words. I wasn't. No, I don't know where he came from originally, but let's let's get so it's qualace to fantasia. I like that. And how about we put a coal in on there because it's been a while. Qualacea very regressive. The return is that, right? Is right? Randy back? Well, yeah, actually we would love that us do Fantasia like yeah, and then I added, it's tough for ls beautiful you can do that, Ran, Yeah, we can, and but you're an m v P behind that class. We thank you, buddy. So we're gonna get to that. Fantasy scenarios either or type situation. We have to make a decision, all right, but first let's do some news. One caveat at eleven o six pm of every night, a small eleven like figure with black eyes appears by your side to take a three by three millimeter chunk of flesh out of your body with his razor. Like that's just a small clip of a past. Qualas do Qualas do Fantasia, we called him, and now it's fantasia. That episode was unhinted, like I was back and listen to it, by the way, just real quick, and the first thing I heard was Greg say, I love watching Blake Bortles, and I was like, all right, this is it ended up with that with a goblin like flesh eating care was well before we were being monitored by anyone else in our building. Hence the innocence we spoke over the top of the show. And also great to hear Chris Westling's voice and his laughter there. That was awesome. Um, all right, let's get into the news. Let's start with the Patriots. Now. The Patriots last year, Connie, you'll remember that they were the quote unquote winner of free agency. They were the big spenders. They spent more than anyone. They gave out number one tight end money to two guys, which was like it should have been a bit of a red flag there, but you know what, it worked on some level because the team improved with Mac Jones at quarterback, of course, and and got to the playoffs um two years after Tom Brady. And they've been more quiet this year and even have lost some players, uh, including a Pro Bowl cornerback of course, and it makes you think, where are the what are the Patriots doing? What are they have? Two? Are they actually getting better? Is the Bills rise up? And of course the Dolphins look like they're rising up. Well, they made a move. They finally made a move that you could sink your teeth into. The Patriots acquire a wide receiver, Davante Parker and a two thousand fifth round pick from the Dolphins in exchange for a third round picked the third round pick. So the Patriots have been active on the trade market. We had heard about Robby Anderson in the mix, but it's DeVante Parker in a rare a f C East on a f C East trade. Your thoughts This is a total Belichick move, just making the move for a veteran wide receiver. I feel like that is something that a lot of times works out for the Patriots and doing that deal with Miami when Miami, Um, but look at Miami. There we go. It fills a glaring need with Um Parker, who he's got a lot of upside. He's big, he's physical, he's good after the catch, he can play all three spots. It's an affordable contract and no, so now they don't have to be so thirsty at the draft for a wide receiver and it's a potential win win for everyone because it's exactly what Mac Jones and the Patriots offense needs right now. They don't have another wide receiver like Parker and he steps immediately into a number one wide receiver role. It also lessens the pressure on Nelson Aghalore, so he can get more time in the slot potentially, and Parker gets a fresh start with a new team, maybe a chance to hit the reset button there. I mean, they just need him to stay healthy, Um, but if they can do that, it really might work out. I like Jacoby Myers too, and if you if you throw in Hunter, Henry John new Smith a galore, and Parker, it's it's not a bad cast at all. I mean, I think if you one thing for all of New England's brilliance, if you look at who they've drafted at wide receiver, be at first round, second third, over the past you know, decade, it's been abysmal. It's been a blind spot. It's the opposite of the Pittsburgh Steelers and what they had done at wide receiver. They have not been able to do that. So I think it's almost an admission of like they were looking for someone you mentioned Robby Anderson. I think this is a good fit for DeVante Parker. I mean, when when Tyreek Hill went to Miami, this was the obvious next move for DeVante Parker. I mean everyone ever we're saying he's out the door, and so here we go, um to that point, and I'll go from the A T. N Era, which is two thousand thirteen onward. Their their failure to address the wide receiver position UM leads to having to go to free agency in the trade market, and those don't always work out either. But here are the wide receivers they've drafted since two thousand thirteen. Aaron Dobson, Josh Boys, Kembarel Tompkins, Jeremy Gallen, or Gallonne, Malcolm Mitchell, Devin Lucien, Braxton Barrios who's now productive for the Jets, Nikkill, Harry Jacoby Myers. Uh, these are all guys. Myers was undrafted and he's been a decent player, but uh, they they've struggled on that front. Now. DeVante Parker is interesting because he's a former first round pick. UM. He definitely fits the mold of a UM, big body outside receiver, the number one that Mac Jones needs to take the next step. Now you look at his production and he's only had one big year and that was two thousand nineteen when he went seventy two for twelve oh two and nine touchdowns with Ryan Fitzpatrick right with Ryan Fitzpatrick. Yep. And so he's entering now his age twenty nine season. So it's not a slam dunk. It's not as flashy as if they went out and got Tyreek Hill or DK Metcalf or whatever. But maybe these are the type of moves that fly under the radar and end up being more successful. We will see. But it makes you think, also, Connie, that the Dolphins, who once they traded for Tyreek Hill and have Jalen Waddle, Davante Parker becomes someone that they could move move on from that they were confident. Sending him in the division makes makes you think that maybe they're not so high on his upside going. It's pretty telling how much they what they think of him that they're going to face him twice a year. But I think that the Patriots know the potential with him because one of Parker's best games ever was against the Patriots and stuff on Gilmore just a few years ago, so did not forget about that at all. So they know that that is somewhere in him and maybe they can unlock it all right. Speaking of the Dolphins, Xavian Howard what are the kids called x? He received the bag five years ninety millions. He had three years remaining on a five year, seventy five million dollar contracts signed in two thousand nineteen, So add two years another fifty million. He's now the highest paid corner in football. So he's locked up into his thirties. Uh, this was a player mark that has been very productive. Uh. Three pro balls in the last three years led the NFL and interceptions. Um, a guy you want to keep in the building. And after some acrimony last year. Now they are all, yeah, that hold out last year. I mean there were whispers and thoughts that he might move out of Florida and out of Miami to somewhere else, and they kept him with a restructure. So this was coming in. I think that there's I really like one thing that's happening. Um and I'm now I know it's not all Mike McDaniel. It's Chris career too. But they are finding good players and bringing them in his free agents. They are keeping their own guys. Mike mc daniel is not one of these coaches who floats into a roster that is half broken and good luck and see where you are three years from now. They have a lot of pieces and the fact that you know, remember Byron Jones was annoyed with what was happening with Xavien Howard a year ago. They have both of them still. They found a way to keep them both. It saves us um an anti drama going into the summer, because I do think that Howard was a candidate to hold out again if he didn't get last year was a patch. It's like, we'll keep you around. We're gonna have to address this down the road and now they've done it, and the Dolphins said that they would revisit Howard's contract this offseason after they tweaked it in August. But it's first of all, I love that the team made good on that because they're trying to keep this defense together. But it's been kind of It's kind of crazy to me a little while because his agent said that this has been obviously in the works for a year, So that's crazy to think that he had four years remaining on his tract and they were already in talks to renegotiate, and Byron Jones obviously getting paid set this all into motion. But my random thoughts on this are, I really like the idea of Xavien Howard and Tyreek Hill going at each other in practice. And also, I'm going to scrub my social media from all NFL network things to see if I can get a raise because that seems to work. It seems like that have a Yeah, it seems to have a positive effect, that's for sure. But Connie, Miami Dolphins very intriguing team this offseason. I'm setting the over under at nine and a half winds. What are you going with? I'm gonna take the over while banging the over. How about Islaly will too? I think this is going to be one of the more intriguing to You're both wrong. They will be eight nine, I don't think so keep that soundclip. Yes, although isn't my my fascination of Mike McDaniel because this happens with like three coaches a year. There's another world where it goes totally south and he completely I live in that world, the world of reality. They've done so much in this month, though I've seen I've looked into the future, and you will be very disappointed. I know, Mark, You're in a very uh tough spot fan base wise. Um and if you start thinking about the Dolphins as a team to jump over to, I would advise you now not a candidate. I'm sitting in Greg's seats, so I should also mention don't forget that Teddy Bridgewater is there too. That's important to see, you know, carrying the torch for Rosie as he's called. How are you doing with the Greg bot? By the way, how's that coming? The Greg? But I can only I can only have my fingers in one project at a time, and the Mark one is really taken on so much of my free time that I don't you know, maybe somebody else could take on the Greg bot project. That's that seems like a lot of work on several levels. I'm just gonna stay out of the Greg box. I heard, I heard your work and what you put together with that bot. While I was gone, I was like, do I really need to dress myself and come into the office today, because what is the difference between this and that? Nothing? I mean, I missed you, but I guess from a show content it delivered everything that Mark would. I'm content driven and it did everything that I could do. So bang another drop right there? Added Ricky added, all right to forty Niners of the past in the news starting with and this is, you know, speaking of Greg Just terrible timing. Frank Gore is signing a one day contract to retire with the forty Niners and join the San Francisco front office. Gore played forever one of the leading rushers in NFL history, certainly has certainly has a case for Canton rich eyes and coined him the inconvenient truth. That's how long Frank Gore was around, because that was in reference the Al Gore documentary that came out literally like twenty years ago. UM, and Frank Gore had a really long, productive career. Uh, Connie, Uh, it does. It does hurt though, because Greg was pounding the table for Gore forever and to the point where I reached out to him on Texas said do you want to deliver a message to the audience? And he laughed it off, and I was like, well, dude, I wasn't joking. You've been talking about Gore forever. This is your moment. But he passed. So what does that tell you? He probably enjoys vacation with his families. What it to you? Well, yeah, so Frank Gore, I guess, one of the greatest running backs of all time, one of the greatest of the position. I just hope he pursues a path in the front office and not boxing, because that didn't really work out so well for him in that round. You had to bring that up. I do think he's a Hall of Famer, and no, no questions asked. I know it. Like the length of the career. You could say that that that helped him compile these numbers, but he's not a compiler in my book, on any level of twelve straight seasons with pus scrimmage yards. He was utterly dominant. I he also was just personally my type of football player. Like I'll remember, you know that place, Jockser's Daily, that Culver City bar. Then um smells slightly of death in its previous incarnation, right right. We Well, they know it looks better now. But I went in there one night. This was October eighteen, two thousand twelve, and this was a Thursday night Niners Seahawks clash, low scoring Niners one thirteen to six. Gore in that game ran for like eight plus yards to carry and looked incredible. I mean it was just like, this is my type of player, my type of running back, and I totally get where Gregg's coming from. And that was two thousand twelve where it's like, if you look at the average length of a running backs career, maybe he'd be out of the league two years after he'd be replaced. He goes on to play for another eight and finishes with the Jets. Well, yeah, that was I'm not saying that I'm not citing the Jets is the hype. You know what, I don't feel strongly enough to really come at anybody hard on the Frank Or situation. I will say that he was an All Pro. He was never first team All Pro. He was All Pro second team once, made it to five Pro Bowls, and never in the last seven years of his career. And I thought, if you want to make a Hall of Fame case, and you open the door for other guys. Remember we used to get into these arguments with west Or. I used to all the time because I'd be like, well, look at Eli Manning, look at his counting stats, and he's like, he's it's not about counting stats for for me. With Frank Gore, if he gets to the Hall, it's because he hung around for so long and averaged three and three point eight to four point one yards for carry his last seven years. I don't think he When I think about the best running backs of the Air, I don't think of Gore. But I think there's certainly something to be said for durability and being a great locker room presence and and just being someone that you could count on at a very demanding position. So I don't know if he's a Hall of Famer to me, but I'm not gonna fight it either. If you feel strongly. The average on the back end of his career is really impressive. I didn't know that that's a good number, right, he didn't diminish. I don't I do seem as a Hall of Famer because I think he's a special part of Hall of Fame. Is the story in the in what who? You know? How he fit into the history, And I don't know. There wasn't like he wasn't just hanging around and falling off a cliff. To me, Frank Gore not al Gore, You not an are discussion, but Franko were like was the same guy from Wire to wire And I just here was one of my favorite players. He finished with exactly sixteen thousand career rushing yards. But that's cool, kind of cool, Um Mark, can you name all? Don't do this? Five teams that frank Or played with? All right, Um, Niners, Jets, Bills, and then I'm starting to fall apart at that point, Dolphins, Dolphins, Yet one more? Need it? I gotta get it three years. I don't like these types of questions because I can't remember what I was doing yesterday at this time. It was too late, all right, that's fine. I hate losing button is a finishing piece to those teams. Yes, as I said other former Niners news, Colin Kaepernick still in the news. Following a throwing exhibition on Saturday, Colin Kaepernick indicated that he's willing to accept the backup quarterback job in the NFL. Kaepernick has not taken a snap since the two thousand and sixteen season. Obviously, the only real way for him to get back into the game is as a backup, so he's letting it be known. He's now forty thirty four years old. Um, and we know the story around Kaepernick and how he became such a divisive figure across the league. And um, do you think there's any chance Mark, we see Colin Kaepernick get another job. It's telling to me that he didn't get one last year or the year before when a lot of this had melted away. And I think that there were more coaches and teams out there. And then there's a team like the Seahawks that multiple years they've expressed interest and nothing's happening. Even Pete Carroll, Uh, you know, a week ago at the owners meetings, Uh sort of said nothing's moved forward with that. I mean, it's notable that This workout was conducted by Jim Harbaugh, who probably would have been the one guy if he was still in the league that would bring Kaepernick in. I mean, I think there's another chance, but he's older, he's not played in a long time, and it's I don't see it as a Lightning Rods type signing necessarily for some coaches, But there's younger guys out there that you want to grow and develop as your backup, and so I think he's in a tough spot unless a team gets into a pinch. Yeah. I mean the fact that Cap never got a second chance, even as a backup quarterback anywhere in the league, because we've seen ridiculous players playing the quarterback position, especially like during COVID and stuff, when they were using like wide receivers at the quarterback position. Teams were just running out of bodies. The fact that Cap never got a second chance at all, when Deshaun Watson's out here signing a record breaking deal, it kind of tells me everything I already knew about society in general. But I thought it was really interesting. On one of your episodes last week, you guys talked about the NFL being really clicky and that I think is so so important and it's so real because I never really thought about that before, about the NFL kind of being a click but it is. And if you go again to what everyone else is doing, then like you're kind of the pariah and a lot of teams don't want to risk that and that comes with the territory of Colin Kaepernick. But it's just mind blowing to me that Kaepernick never got another call. Well how about this, Brian Flores files a civil suit uh connected to racial discrimination, quickly gets hired by the Steelers. That was I thought that was a very positive sign for a clickie league that sometimes can turn its shoulder easily and collectively. If Floren's can get another job immediately on the staff of the Steelers, you know, you know, somebody should be bringing in Kaepernick for a workout, but you know what, it hasn't happened yet, and why not, Like, why not have him in for training camp and let him compete and see he you know, he talked about himself as you if you bring me in, I will prove that I have I can win games for you, that I'm a starter. Okay, that's great in words, but what what's the harm in bringing him in for August George July and Augustin seen what you have? If no team does? I think that's very telling. All right, let's take a break and then continue the news. All right, we are back time for news and notes presented by up work, where you could build the team that will build your business. Learn more at upwork dot com, NFL Networks. Ian Rapp report expects of the Browns, the trade Baker Mayfield before the draft. Wait a minute, what was that gafalling or whatever? That's set that verbal? I can't be alone? Is anyone else like super exhausted with the Baker Brown's quarterback? Anything? Any of this? Well? Well could what if we fired into the sun. Well that's what we attempted to do on our Let's try it again. Let's try it right here. Okay, okay, it's through the stratosphere. It looks like it's it's returning. Is coming back? Oh no, it's coming back. Oh no, it's back. Cleveland is expected to cover up it didn't work part of A Mayfield's eighteen million dollars salary. Uh So that's where we're at now. So and don't listen to anything you hear about the Browns maybe be willing to to keep Baker Mayfield on on the team. That's just not an option. Uh So he's gonna be moved. It just matters now where he ends up. Seattle makes sense, Carolina should make some sense. The Titans are being mentioned out that whoa, the Titans and Bucks reportedly also landing spots. Let's get the grave digger on this one. Nonsense nonsense as nonsense as in your feelings on it, or if you think the reporting is unsound. I think the reporting is speculation on teams that could use a upgraded backup quarterback. But unless Mayfield is cut, the Titans can't pay that fifth year option salary with the way they currently he's expensive. That that's the plaint he needs to change here, and that's why they're not getting any offers exactly. How about this? You know what I want to watch this summer? What I want to watch Baker Mayfield and Jared Golf in a Hard Knocks training camp battle. What if he ended up in Detroit? I am so glad that I'm not using the equalis to Fantasia that I initially came up with, because it was that exact It's literally exactly the whole thing about jaredo in this I'll say it real quick. In this scenario, Jared goff Um is on a hike in Malibu with his um new girlfriend and is bitten by a snake, goes into a coma, and the Lions are forced to trade for Baker Mayfield, who rides in on horseback and leads them to the playoffs for the first time in thirty years, as he did with Cleveland after their long absence in the playoffs. But then I said, you know what, I don't like that that scenario site Jared goff sounds like he was seriously injured by a snake. Was no. Well, the other part you was that he awakens from coma right before Thanksgiving, replaces a middling Baker Mayfield, rips off like five straight wins, and then they lose in the playoffs. Interesting, but you can see why I past see. Also, I know that if I Baker Mayfield scenario gets has no traction with Dan. So I was like, I gotta play to the audience. I thought maybe a hard knocks thing would would get a little pop, and Dan just stared at me dead and Dan Dan is over this can we try to do it again? Maybe this one will get to the sunny And somehow got rejected and turned back our way, And now we're talking about other hypotheticals connected to Baker Mayfield in a trade. Come on, that's the rocks. It sounds like it's made of wood. That's the problem. It's like from Game of Thrones. What are we doing here? It's turning, it's coming back banged in the biggest spot. That was a house behind us. Um, all right, that was people upward getting their money's worth on that one. That was new, was it? No, it's presented by upwork, the world's work marketplace. Learn more at upwork dot com. Finally, Little uh League floats him and Jetsam Texans signed Marlon Mack running back the Bucks resigned former Hard Knocks star Giovanni Bernard. Remember you drove an old beat up minivan. I remember that. I didn't remember that. No, I don't remember it. And poor Brandon Cooks the Texans have received quote multiple calls reportedly on the wide receiver. Now this is another fund game, kind I'm gonna put you on the spot. Here we go, Brandon Cooks pulling up, pulling it up, on old Pro Football Reference. Name the teams for Brandon Cooks. Uh so, obviously he was with the Saints for a little bit, the Rams, he was with the Patriots, he's the Texans. Um Who am I missing? He? Alright, it's a lot of teams for a twenty eight year old who has one thousand yards this season. But I think he's getting traded because people it's like people on right, it's a little bit different than he's floating from team to see a journey. Yeah he has all right, that's what's happening in the news. All right, now, everyone understand, we're about to enter the land of the mystical. Okay, this is not the work of an occult, this is not witchcraft. But this is also something to not let the children here, because we're entering into a dark universe. I was gonna say metaverse. I think that works a dark and sometimes stormy metaverse. I didn't use it initially because I wasn't sure if it was I think that more means that there are your your flip plopping in a metaverse type show from timeline to time. There's a multiverse multiverse. That's what I was looking for. The metaverse can be defined as a simulated digital environment that uses augmented reality, virtual reality. That's this world, maybe that's this podcast. But just put the kids to bed. It okay, bat in the hatchets, because it's time once again. Four qualas do fantasia colon regress qualas do fantasias Mark. Do you want to get us gone or do you want to build up to a little sassler. I'd be happy to get us going. Get us gone, all right? While you sit in your work cubicle staring at the doomed midday sun, an angelic being descends and informs you telepathically that you have a decision to make choice A. You can be Josh Allen for the next calendar year, having his talents, all of his experiences, his ups and downs. You're him feeling what he feels. But you also have a double consciousness where you can tell you are aware that you are you having this experience inside of him, and you come out of it back to being you. Writing a groundbreaking novel, The Flinger, that is so insanely detailed and accurate in describing the life of an NFL quarterback that it goes down as the greatest sports novel and then sports film of all Time. You're celebrated like royalty for the next three years, but then suddenly perish went. A wayward missile mistakenly launched from a base in Tyranne, scatters your seventy ft yacht. You go down in history though, as a total hero, because you saved the life of both actress Jennifer Lawrence and the real Josh Allen, pushing them off deck into safe waters just before the missile lands, because that's what heroes do. Or choice B, but it was it was Lawrence and Josh Allen on the yacht. I'm just noting all the I'm doing. It would be multiple people on the yacht, and he was able. Yes, Yes, Choice B. All right, you live to be a hundred with all the pleasures of life. YadA, YadA. Saved for four issues Marks W's Nightmare. One. You're not allowed to use the Internet ever again. Problem two. No matter where you are, you sense a faint smell of rotting cheese in the air. Oh my god. Problem three. Whenever you watch football, you have zero ability to see the quarterback on screen. To you, the quarterback is utterly invisible. No QB four In sightline every number four. You live with a kitten named Curly Girl. The problem for you is that Curly Girl has the ability to read your mind, keenly observe your actions, and telepathically produce a daily online blog in reverse Josh Allen fashion that totally exposes your ups and downs becomes a massive sensation. But against your will, you can't figure out who's chronicling your darkest secrets. Yes, you become this sort of anti hero who is super honest and seeing that way by others, but you didn't want any of this out there, And of course you never come around to the conclusion to blame curly Girl for writing this blog. Ps. When Curly Girl dies, cats live to be like what fifteen or something, You are dumb enough to buy a subsequent kitty named Curly Girl two point oh, and that kitten has the same power then Curly Girl three point oh, etcetera, etcetera. You never figure it out that was gonna be my loopole And so you gotta pick how old are you on the yacht missile? You're you? But you only have you know it would the book would come out, let's say a year after Josh Allen's next season, and then there's a movie option, the movie gets made and becomes a hit. In between that from from the minute that the comes out? How long do I live? After? About total? Another five years? Tops? Do I have like Emily and the boys in my life? That's yeah, that you're it's it's you, but you also I'm not the Only thing I don't know how to explain is where you go when you're inside Josh Allen for a year. But that's that's the work of a writer that you would be doing to create the novel. But well you, I mean I feel like you created to nightmare scenarios for me personally. Well that's the point, isn't it. I mean, that's why we put the kids to bed, That's why we bat catches, because it's not always a fairytale, and certainly when it's marks turn, there's never a positive choice, so it becomes a Sophie's choice. Uh what do you think? Okay, So I'm thinking this through right now, and I'm thinking that the second scenario sounds worse. But if your cat is just like exposing your day to everyone online, but like who is reading that? Who even knows how to find curly Girl? Like does it font does it becomes a massive sense bogs anymore? Well, okay, so let's say the cat gets you know, the content would be the cat on TikTok. The content would become multi multi platform. It's the rotting cheese smell in the air that constantly follows following me the least because you would get used to that, would you? You would if it was always there, like when you're around someone the bet smells bad, or if you smell bad yourself, it starts to not bother you after a certain amount of time. Right, maybe I don't think not for me. I have a smell thing. Yeah, that that does it for me. So I'm gonna take the I'm gonna perish in a on a yacht after saving Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Allen and being a hero. That's why you have to go that route. Mark, And I'll tell you why. I think you overplayed your hand a little bit on the on the second one only because you're the big cell for this. Where did I possibly do the big cell? I think for the the second was was a long life that you get to live a long life, but everything else runs counter to living. Wanting to live like no Internet. Okay, that's gonna be tough. That's gonna be tough, but we've we've been there before, and you would be okay after a while. The rotting cheese thing, see I I that's not pleasant, but I could deal with that in time. The no quarterback in my sightline ever, that would effectively rule out football is something I would watch after a while, just because you lose that. But the whole kitten thing is a nightmare scenario. I'm also allergic to cats, so, like, it's crazy to me that I would keep buying these cats after they die. Um, and the fact that it would be documenting all my like darkest thoughts that doesn't sit well with me, And and the fact that it would become a sensation. I'm out, So give me five years to live as a hero. Yeah, and it's horrible, but that's the way I have to go. See, I'm all, I'm allergic to cats. I'm also allergic to dogs, and I keep buying cats and dogs too, so that part didn't bother me at all. Um, I think that living as a hero, dying as a hero, living and dying is a hero is my answer. So there you go, Mark, you got us all to admit that we'd rather die in less than five years. That's so bleak. Well hold on, I mean, what was I supposed to in the hat? You want me to come in with that dog and pony like Pollyanna scenario? No, no, just be you. I like it. Where's the eleven like creature with the black eyes. It's going to take three point three millimeter off of done that? All right, Connie? What you got? Okay? All right, here we go. Wait, wait for round and all right, the phone rings looks like a cute all right, it's less sneat, it gets answered, gets answered, it's less sneat. He's just finished an efficient workout and a perfectly personalized protein shake. On the other line, someone desperate to run. In fact, it's all he thinks about, dreams about, obsesses about. I can't say I blame him. I frequently think about going on the lamb, but for him it's different. After tearing his A C L and the Super Bowl, the only thing that matters to Odell Beckham Jr. Is running free again. The conversation with Less is warm but short. Less explains that Beckham won't be part of the Rams next season and that he let his heart do the talking at that video conference two weeks ago when he's told reporters that he wanted Beckham back. God, but O'Dell, the ramily will never be the same, said a breathless sneed, and then the culture ups. Odell felt dizzy, like he might even throw up. He needed to clear his head, but before he could queue up the second season of Starstruck, his ears filled with ringing and damn it, it was his phone again, God just saying all right, but this time it was another GM calling with an offer he couldn't refuse. You choose the adventure here. Was it A Andrew Barry saying Baby come back? Was it B Bill Belichick promising another ring to the future Patriot? Was it C. Chris Ballard persuading O'Dell to bring Indie back to relevance? Or was it D. Brian goodacoons with an invitation to the hottest vacation destination in Wisconsin? The Packers Goody so aggressive that choose your own a ventu. I absolutely am going Goody. I don't like this um Packers wider super room right now. It needs some sizzle. I know Odell's a little up and down now at the stage of the game back to back a c LS, but that still makes sense as a destination and trying to see what would happen if you put him in that offense as a guy that, um, they need. Now he stepped up for the Rams in the playoffs, could he do it for the Packers and get them over the hump? That one is the most intriguing to me. When against the Colts, the Pats and the Browns, the Bill Belichick another ring thing does not ring true for me because they don't have that team right now. And I think if you're Odell, you're trying to simply win Super Bowls and you look at Mac Jones and say, nice player. But it was just a week ago that he talked about Matt Ryan fitting so well in Indie that said, what are the Packers doing if they don't do more at wide receiver? He fits perfectly well with Aaron Rodgers. I'm with Dan, I'm and you know we've got the Goodies song the sound bites. Um, I don't know if O'Dell's nightlife is the most important thing at this point. Green Bay not the greatest thing for that. But these guys can fly to wherever they want all the time. I'm going Packers. They tried to get him last year too. I mean the yeah, the problem is that there's no Delilah in Green Bay, but no, it's the spot here. But yeah, I mean, I think I agree the Cults are a little short at wide receiver and you want to give Matt Ryan the best chance possible. Otherwise, why did you take on that contract and go down that road? Um? I'm not totally sold on the Patriots skill position players there, um, even with DeVante Parker yet, but I just don't see Adele's a fit there. I don't either. I don't like that. And the Browns one feels played to me. I hear the chatter, but come on it, would you know? I heard all So Jarvis Landry might be interested in going back. How about Yeah, let's let's clean break and move on. Otherwise we're going to bring up that other name again. And it went into the sun and it exploded. All right, we're with you? Goody is the choice? Do you would? Is that what you want? So? I would have gone with two Goody's him last I can't believe less need with crocodile tears. It was like Oh, the Ramilly will never be the same again. It's not like it didn't see that seemed a little disingenuous, though. I feel like, how often has he said Ramily? Um? I don't know less Snee doesn't seem like a Ramilly speaking guy. It was a weird conversation, very strange. All right, let's take a break and we'll do one more. Al Right, we are back in case you're just joining us. What should be weird on a podcast? This is a game that's been returned from the Mystic Deep called Fantasia. All right, Mark, this applies to both of you. But okay, Mark, I was like, you're making him go again? Do you not have one again? Brian site play for Let's get into it. It's March eighteen, two time travels into play. Andrew Barry and the Haslams are in a conference room in Cleveland with the Shawn Watson and his agent. Watson has been handed a gold pen to sign the contract extension that will finalize the blockbuster trade that will change the Browns forever. Some say for better mother It's worst. Just as the infamous QB is set to put pen to paper, the door swings open or creeks open. No, the door explodes and in walks a hero without a cape. Mark ser Mark has met with stunned silence and confused glares. It cuts through the tension with an opening statement, I'm annoyed now and snatches the pen from Watson. Mark demands Cleveland officials rethink their seismic decision. At QB, Jimmy Haslum, the owner, perhaps moved, perhaps frightened, remember the door exploded, acquiesces to Mars please and nixes the deal. It's over okay. This immediately become the wildest NFL story of all time and huge international news. Podcaster breaks into team headquarters coerces or convinces ownership to back out of one of the craziest deals ever, the one that could you know you get it. Mark's unreal determination to risk it all and position principal over winning makes him a cult hero. Andrew Barry and Kevin Stefanski are both swept out of the building in the ensuing fallout. A new leadership, which now includes Mark in a largely ceremonial advisory role, UH struggles mightily to pivot Cleveland free falls to a four and seven record over the next two seasons, A controversial trade of Myles Garrett and a first for Gardner means you has met with a susuna tsunami of criticis is hum from a howling football gagnance than suspicion. Suspicions that sess Dog is pulling the strings are rampant. The struggles of the team reshapes how Brown's fans sea marks intrusion on team business years earlier, and he becomes a pariah for the fan base. The Browns quietly stripped Mark of his honorary title and sess Dog slips into obscurity. The entire saga has an untold effect on the sess dogs physical and mental well being, which leads me to the question, great, do you still stop the Shaun Watson from signing that contract? Yes? Wow? Why? Well? Because I think like if I first of all, get the one camera off me as soon as possible, day it for it um Because I think if you do something that you believe in, you're probably gonna pay a price half the time anyways. So the other option is don't do something you believe in and continue to coast. So that's that's where as far as I can go at this point with it, Yes, I think I would because I also liked the concept of the door exploding, like taking the the golden pen and throwing it to the side, and then having like these multimillionaires staring at me trying to connect the dots because we've talked to each other once or twice in the deep past, like who is this nerve that just entered the room and what is he about to do? So I like that part of it. It's around the world and then the team's deep struggles and the fan base turning against you, and I feel like I because well, I don't. I wouldn't love it. I mean, I think I become sort of like Jack easterby part two. It sounds like um and on top of it, like the idea that I would think that that where I it with my current football knowledge, which I agree would be limited for a general manager role or something like that, that I would trade Miles Garrett in a first round pick for a a Gardner Minshew figure that was another three years old. I mean at this point, like what substances are inside that happens in the ensuing this offseason? You have to fill the quarterback position again. But even even this offseason. That would that sets me up to be a total rube, like I wouldn't do. I would never only notice in this moment that you're wearing a Brown's hat right now, which is interesting as well as I speak to you about this, it's it cites my old stance, my old fandom. He doesn't have to get rid of the hat. You can rock that hat first. It's an elf. I'm more into. It's like about Colleen, if you were in mark shoes, where would you come down? So this like cushy advisory role. What's that about in the front office? It's hazy And that's what I was thinking. What you should know is that we don't really know for sure. Um, if you had anything to do with you know, the Garrett for Minshew trade. But people, you know how passionate Browns fans are, they would they would dig up old podcasts and they would see, like how big a fact you were and you weren't even necessarily be behind that move. Maybe you had some input, but you weren't pulling the triggers. But that will be how it's remembered that you were the one that did it. Yeah, I think they would go back and look at you know, they would study their tape of this show and be like that idiot is the one who even if that wasn't true, But it really doesn't matter what was true or not. That's how the public would take that. My problem is the end of it, the fact that how so, it's just he lives out the rest of his life with mental and physical anguish if he chooses to go down that road. I don't like that aspect for Mark Um nor Mark I was Mark ye, I would also blow up the door and the trade and say I'm annoyed now, because that's in general how I feel. That's the easy part, right, But if I'm saying what I think, if I had the power here, I would let Mark about his days in relative relaxation and but stressful. As we know in the game of it's just not how things tend to turn out, unfortunately. But we actually live in the world where the other choice was made, like it did happen, and I just go on. So if I the choice, if I really think about it, like I don't care what the Browns do, That's what I'm trying to all right, Well, so let me actually like you know, you're answering these questions on the flight like they could. They've already done what they do this, so we I'm living in the other option is just the current existence we you and I enjoyed that book three by Stephen King where they find a portal in like an old diner that allows the guy to stop the JFK assassination. That's what we're dealing with here. You could just avoid that diner. They they can make their choice. I thought for a second, was like I have to be all about that choice and stay a fan and be super excited about it. I'll just stay with where I am right now. I'm doing my thing. They can do their thing if you can over cess dog though, Like that's something that I could get behind. Just the nickname stick. I also got hooked into the cushy you know, probably well paid role at some point. That's you know that that's not the most Uh, that's not the worst thing to think about that, So the kind of nice All right, do we have anything else? Um here? I have a quick one, all right, Connie, last one here we go. Okay, all right, you've been told you must board a plane immediately. The only information you've been given is you must stay a week for forty seven straight hours. You can do it one of two weights. The first option is watching a week three JAG's Titans game on loop. The second is having a NonStop conversation with the NFL Network insider of your choosing you decide seven straight hours of talking or watching the same game over and over and over again a terrible game. And well, it should be said, because I want to make sure we're on the same page that according to the language in this company, there is only one NFL Network insider. Okay, there are other insiders or reporters, but there's only one guy that gets that title fixed to his name. Mic correct. Okay, I think you mean the broader umbrella of inside inside while they call them insiders, right, but there's only well, there is only one. It's in his contract. It's in the boiler plate deal. So is it is it? Is it Ian or bust or is it um? You could pick from the I think you can pick from any of the newsmakers newsmakers makers, how about that news breaker? And and I should also just throw in there that like I don't remember the seven teen week ree game. I don't even know if the Jagson Titans played each other. At that point, I think what was its stick though? That's what I forgot, Like, why am I staying away forty seven straight hours? Again? You're You're rewarded with a handsome prize cash prize at the end. And what if I fall asleep? What if I fall asleep? You're brand spot that's it, that would be that would be a big one. I can't fall asleep straight hours. We will almost two days. I'm famous in my house for falling asleep all the time. I'm like on the couch and stuff when we're trying to watch TV shows. Drives my wife crazy. And I'm not ashamed to admit that. On those Mondays, those power rankings Mondays, after a long Sunday, when I'm going through every game on game Pass. Uh, when I'm about seven games in and it's three or thirty in the afternoon, I've been known to doze off during watching some of these. It is a tonic for that. So now you're telling me I'm watching the like a terrible game from five years ago between two bad teams. There's no chance I stay awake. The only chance I had to stay awake, and I guess not die in a plane crash is to be talking to someone. And let me add this, the talking to someone that obviously helps you stay awake you have someone to bat them, but that you have to split the pot of money at the end with that person. Well, but I'm with Dan, I would I would not off probably in quarter four of the first showing of that game, so we'd have problems. I I UM, I'm going with the talking with um. You know, I can talk with Mike Garafolo for forty seven hours and we would be his job would be to keep me awake. I did a sleep study in Boston once where I had to I was I needed money. It was in a hospital. You had to at one point stay up forty eight straight hours. Really, yes, and it was by the end of it, you're scene visions. It's insane. I don't recommend it, and I didn't make a lot of money for it either, But um, there were nurses and doctors that will come in and kind of help you a little bit. So I know that in my experience, you absolutely need human interaction to not totally fade away. So you're going and going, Mike g and like, I'll split the pot with Mike g Also, I don't know what what if you said big cash prize, that could be a hundred dollars, that could be It doesn't matter when the prize is. I just want to also, ever have to worry about money again for the rest of your life. Tell the Insider, if you don't keep me awake, we're both dying. So there's a fair motivation there. Can believe you experience with this ridiculous scenario. What yeah, like, Ricky, did you have something to add here? Yeah, I got a quick one for you. Okay, So it is this offseason currently, a little ferry is going to come to you and say, and it's not me, and it's going to come to you and say, the Jets are going to be the biggest team you've ever seen. They are going to acquire every big free agent, They're going to make blockbuster trades. They are going to be the top of the news cycle. Sala is at the top of his game. Zach Wilson has developed into the amazing quarterback. The only give that you need to do to make sure that this happens is no longer hosts the Around the NFL podcast, and it's Greg who gets to host the show and all he does is go, Dan, what do you think? And then you only get a couple of sentences before he cuts you off. Every day three to four shows a week. Do you take the deal? So I give up the host chair? Greg or the Jets are the biggest. Now that's some like classic like old time, like here's the monkey pod that make three wishes and I won't have to be the biggest team ever. And then they're all giants, They're all like it was a trick, like this is a full blown like like Dynasty, Ring after ring after ring. I still get to do the podcast you do, but it's up to you know, it's Greg coming up with the bits and you only get a few words here and there, and he's driving the bus. So my position obviously remains totally unchanged, right right, Well, you're used to that with a him anyway. So I would I would take the Dynasty. Would I would because I think Greg would capably drive the boat, and I think that it would be fun to be in in a different perspective, and I'd probably make life more difficult for Greg and that would be fun too, So that would be my choice. And then my favorite team gets to become a dynasty. Okay, that's kind of easy. Actually, that might become annoyant on the show, by the way, just to let you know, good, All right, there you go. Let's let's let's exit this world because after a while it starts to feel like you might not ever get out, you know, So let's get out while we can. You can't stay in too long. Well, nobody wins in that world, so let's go. Some would say we we did stay in too long by about fifteen to twenty minutes. But listen, we don't go in there too often with good reason because it is connected to dark forces. Okay, but now we're out. Connie, you've said it all. Thank you. This faith American Ale by Kelsey Grammar is all I need to get by. Um, make sure you share it nice and cold, A nice and cold um. Thank you, cheers everybody anything? Dad? Um? Uh nope? Are you starting to realize the folly of trading for James Harden if you believe yourself to be a credible NBA Championship contentants? Is because I'm wearing a sexer switcher? Is? It did remind me maybe I whatever I just wanted? Ben Simmons out of there. You got that. He's But Ben Simmons is really helping the nuts right now. He's really been doing a lot for them. I think he just started some white workouts again, so I got her fired up. That's all it took. And now he's filing Simmons is filing a lawsuit to get the money back for not playing What a World Good luck? Yeah, I don't. I don't like the Ben Simmons sauce storyline. All right, Mark, Yes, you two said it all in your shirt says be kind four times, and I think that's a good thing for everyone to try to remember. Pulled it out of the hamper beautiful. All right, Thank you, Randy Chavez, Brave Digger, Ricky Hollywood, Connie Fox, the whole gang. We'll be back Thursday with another show, and make sure you're here for it till then you know what to do. The cow