WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.560 --> 00:00:08.519 Coming up this week on the marcast. Here we are really peak football season 2 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:13.919 here, CFL preseason this year, USFL Week seven, XFL wrapping everything for 3 00:00:14.080 --> 00:00:18.800 twenty twenty three. Lots of things going on in the world of alternate football 4 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:22.800 TV. CFL giving away its games, part of its games for free in 5 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:28.000 the US, XFL ratings did they end high? USFL now ratings could be 6 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:32.399 could be better? Here following the XFL twenty twenty three season completion, we 7 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:36.600 are talking everything all football TV today. Do not adjust your sets. And 8 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:41.520 it's not one comvision. It is al football Vision. One comvision, my 9 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:48.799 very latest and greatest convention ex t vision. It's who you all know how 10 00:00:50.039 --> 00:00:53.679 works your photographs. Sure, I do your photographs off and then the photograph 11 00:00:53.759 --> 00:00:57.000 that spread up into millions of tiny pieces and they go wiz into the year 12 00:00:57.079 --> 00:00:59.840 down to your TV set where they're all put together again in the right order. 13 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:03.480 You should open your mouth a little wider when you speak. Really exciting 14 00:01:03.519 --> 00:01:07.519 show today. A longtime friend of the podcast, Greg Parks, returns XFL 15 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:12.680 board. Greg hates talking about XFL TV ratings, hates writing about them, 16 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:15.760 yet he is doing both and more here coming on the show. We are 17 00:01:15.840 --> 00:01:22.359 recapping was XFL twenty twenty three ATV ratings success? We discuss you know, 18 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:25.079 you're talking about were the ratings good? Were they successful? Well? To 19 00:01:25.159 --> 00:01:29.840 who right? In what context? And the only context that matters is the 20 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.040 XFL and ESPN because they're the ones who are the only ones showing out money 21 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:37.159 for this and that one. He is going to either continue to fund the 22 00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:40.840 league or not, and then do not adjust your television set. So that 23 00:01:40.959 --> 00:01:45.879 is right from three down nation, John Hodge himself stopping by, we are 24 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:52.040 talking to everything CFL preseason, the health of the CFL, CFL plus, 25 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:56.319 should the CFL be giving away half of its games in America for free? 26 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:59.599 And more? And this is a loaded conversation you will not want to miss. 27 00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:01.799 I think the temperature north of the border talking to people in the league 28 00:02:02.400 --> 00:02:08.439 is there's a hope that if either league stays around, it won't be for 29 00:02:08.520 --> 00:02:13.319 much longer. And I'm not saying that as a malicious, you know, 30 00:02:13.479 --> 00:02:15.800 wish of fans. This is not a representation of how fans are feeling or 31 00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:21.560 how the public is feeling. But for obvious reasons, with the competition personnel, 32 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:25.039 people in the CFL are hoping that these American leagues die. And then 33 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:31.080 we have survived the great CFL preseason thunderstorm of twenty twenty three. We're streaming 34 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:36.960 our games on CFL Plus, and we have Ryan Valentine stopping by former Big 35 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:42.080 Brother Canada can test it doing a full team breakdown of the Calgary Stampeters. 36 00:02:42.240 --> 00:02:45.400 Also to the Ryan's thoughts on the health of the CFL and what does he 37 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:50.439 think of CFL plus streaming in America. This is the most financially lucrative US 38 00:02:50.520 --> 00:02:54.879 broadcast deal they've ever signed. I'll take it. Anything that brings more money 39 00:02:54.879 --> 00:03:00.000 into the league is better. And then trade forward one of the quarterbacks, 40 00:03:00.199 --> 00:03:05.680 your Edmonton Elks stopping by the program. And then we have two separate USFL 41 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:10.879 Week seven previews featuring Eric Eager of sumer Sports and Josh Shepherdson of Fantasy Pros. 42 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:25.800 Well, like I said, loaded show, hope you enjoy. Hey, 43 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:30.919 guys, welcome to the marcass read here tease this a little bit. 44 00:03:30.000 --> 00:03:36.240 This week said we might be mending fences within the White flag for when of 45 00:03:36.360 --> 00:03:40.599 the longstanding feuds of the marcast. We have John Hodge himself stopping by today 46 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:45.360 from three Damn Nation really appreciate that. I was, you know, purchasing 47 00:03:45.560 --> 00:03:49.439 my now we're going to our third Gray Cup here coming up in November, 48 00:03:49.479 --> 00:03:52.960 purchasing my flights this week for Hamilton, and I thought, you know, 49 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:57.560 the world is really small, the CFL world, the all football world. 50 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:01.960 Wanted to reach out to John over three Down Nation said, Hey might have 51 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:05.159 been a little brash coming into the CFL with all the XFL talks here a 52 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:08.240 couple of years ago. What do you think about coming on the show. 53 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:13.400 John is great, really excited. A long extended talk with John, really 54 00:04:13.439 --> 00:04:17.160 appreciate his time talking everything CFL plus on here. Before we get to that 55 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:23.199 today getting Greg Parks on. Greg did a deep dive over on XFL board 56 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:27.199 if you want to check that out. Greg lamenting the fact that he has 57 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:30.720 to talk and write about XFL TV radians. Yet we are going to do 58 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:34.199 more of that today, ending the season, kind of doing the post recap 59 00:04:34.240 --> 00:04:38.480 here, and then we have Bill cham last week talking the championship game. 60 00:04:39.040 --> 00:04:44.879 We have USFL Week six tv radians kind of seeing how the USFL performed without 61 00:04:44.959 --> 00:04:47.360 the XFL kind of crowding the landscape. So we're going to talk through that 62 00:04:47.399 --> 00:04:51.120 with Greg get Greg's thoughts on the XFL radians, and then we're going to 63 00:04:51.240 --> 00:04:57.319 kind of segue now we're moving into CFL. John extended talk like I said, 64 00:04:57.360 --> 00:05:00.000 everything health of the CFL, what the CFL, you know, coaches 65 00:05:00.040 --> 00:05:03.839 and staff, what do they think of the XFL and the USFL. Is 66 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:09.279 John higher or lower on the XFL now that they have completed their season. 67 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:13.279 Really really good talk with John. And then moving into CFL. Like I 68 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:17.600 said, Ryan Valentine stopping by covering the Calgary Stampeters for three Damnation. I 69 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:21.240 mean, this is like basically a three Dawn Nation sister channel this week, 70 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:26.000 but we have Ryan Valentine. I watched him on Big Brother Canada. Really 71 00:05:26.040 --> 00:05:29.519 excited. We've bantered back and forth for years, but really excited to get 72 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:33.160 him on the show here to kind of do the interview portion. And then 73 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:38.800 Trey foward. We were going to have Dave Campbell on doing in Edmonton Elks 74 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:42.079 kind of post preseason game. You know, what do we think of the 75 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:46.480 Elks this season? Dave is sick. I blame the week Canadian immune systems. 76 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:48.279 I'm just kiddy, but I think Dave's whole family is out. So 77 00:05:48.319 --> 00:05:51.759 we have Trey forward on was going to hold that episode till next week. 78 00:05:53.160 --> 00:05:56.600 We have Trey coming on the program. Get a lot of questions. You 79 00:05:56.639 --> 00:06:00.319 know, why isn't Traycy Moore field time? Trey seems like one full, 80 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:02.839 kind of upbeat guy. Hope you enjoy the interview. And then not one 81 00:06:02.920 --> 00:06:08.519 but two USFL week seven previous this week, like I said, Eric Eager 82 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:13.040 over at sumer Sports, Eric joined us back talking XFL and then Josh Shepherdson 83 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:16.079 from Fantasy Pros coming on. I like getting a couple of different unique takes 84 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:19.800 on that kind of where they looking forward to. Eric's really good with kind 85 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:24.920 of the betting odds and the over and unders and everything heading into the matchups. 86 00:06:25.079 --> 00:06:28.120 And then Josh is great. I thought we had a fun conversation there 87 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:31.959 about you know, is are the Philadelphia Stars? Is that the Fat Colby 88 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:35.720 of Survivor All Stars? So really I guess it was Survivor Heroes for a 89 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:40.240 still it's but really appreciate that. So six really good interviews today. I 90 00:06:40.240 --> 00:06:43.439 hope you guys enjoy it, like and subscribe. We'll check back in at 91 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.759 the end of the program. Try to give us up to thirty five subscribers 92 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:49.959 will give away tickets to a championship game of you're choosing when we get there. 93 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:58.279 Hope you guys enjoy see you at the end. Things well, last 94 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:02.759 I spoke with this Yengleman, we were very fuzzily live in San Antonio. 95 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:08.160 Greg was crystal clearer here. I'm looking great as well, talking XFL Championship 96 00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.879 game. Now we're back. We have a lot to talk about. Greg 97 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:15.000 hates writing about XFL TV radiings, but yet that's what we do on here, 98 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:16.759 That's what we talk about. We have lots of football talk on the 99 00:07:16.759 --> 00:07:20.079 show. We also have the XFL showcases to go through real quick as well. 100 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:23.600 Greg, how are you doing, I'm doing great. Read Thanks for 101 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:28.439 having me on. Did the XFL Championship game just live up to your expectations? 102 00:07:29.720 --> 00:07:32.040 I think so. You know, I think there was some fear of 103 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:35.639 a DC blowout, which didn't happen. I mean, it wasn't a blowout 104 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:40.399 either way. I think that would have been probably the worst part about it, 105 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:45.759 and really I'm actually surprised. I know there was a lot of consternation 106 00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:49.959 about Arlington getting in the playoffs, and there was some thought that maybe if 107 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:56.279 they won the championship, some people would look at it as a little less 108 00:07:56.319 --> 00:08:01.199 than legitimate. But I didn't hear much of anyone complain about that. You 109 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:05.399 know, they certainly earned their way beating you know, two pretty strong teams 110 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:11.879 on their way to the championship. So quibble if you must about them making 111 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:16.480 the playoffs, but they certainly earned the championship. It was funny. I 112 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:18.839 m there was obviously a lot of complaints from our CFL brethren, you know, 113 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:22.240 like what is the trophy if you can't drink out of it? Coach 114 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:26.439 him had told me that they, you know, flipped the cup upside down 115 00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:28.199 and drank out in the base of the cup, which I thought was tremendous. 116 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.679 I that have like a quarter million impressions on it. People really seem 117 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:37.120 to like the flipping the XFL championship upside down. Now it is funny because 118 00:08:37.200 --> 00:08:41.919 I see, like I think it was Dallas and the trophies making the rounds 119 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:46.279 down. I see all these news anchors like holding it taking photos with it. 120 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:48.279 I'm like, they don't even know, they don't even know what's well 121 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:54.440 And that was my question, like they maybe they have a headquarters in Arlington. 122 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:56.159 I'm seeing a lot of these press releases having Arlington in it. But 123 00:08:56.200 --> 00:09:01.720 it's like the Arlington Renegades don't have like a home, you know, they 124 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:05.159 don't have a building where the Arlington Rending Gus workout of. So like where 125 00:09:05.200 --> 00:09:09.000 does the trophy go? You know, who keeps it? Does it go 126 00:09:09.039 --> 00:09:13.759 in on Bob Stoop's mantlepiece in his house? Like? That was a question 127 00:09:13.799 --> 00:09:18.000 I had after the game. But it sounds like it's kind of traveling around 128 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.320 a little bit. That's good. Yeah, they're traveling. Maybe Danie'll taker 129 00:09:20.360 --> 00:09:24.000 out. I did see Also, Danny looks like they're going to be releasing 130 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:26.279 some men'swear from her A collections, So I might have to partake on that 131 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:31.360 because it's been I think that GTSQ. I think it's been primarily female. 132 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.440 But I did see a tease for some men'swear coming, so well, I 133 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:37.360 hope you'll you'll model some here on the show. Yeah, I will, 134 00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:39.960 I'll buy some. I'll pop on some Danny virtue they do that. Okay, 135 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:43.440 So that so Greg, it was I think it was Tuesday. It's 136 00:09:43.480 --> 00:09:46.840 so proud. Greg tweets out like, hey, guys that stumbled upon this 137 00:09:46.960 --> 00:09:50.120 on the website. It looks like because the XAFL and announcer HBCU showcase Think 138 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:54.240 in Atlanta and they said, hey, I found these on and then Think 139 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.519 like half an hour later, XFL tweets it out, but you beat XFL 140 00:09:56.600 --> 00:10:01.879 to it. We have the XFL showcases for this summer. There is a 141 00:10:01.000 --> 00:10:05.080 specialist one coming later, and then there's a combine at the end of July. 142 00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:09.120 I have the dates here. I did as shure it's about it kind 143 00:10:09.159 --> 00:10:15.159 of any thoughts then re kind of repeating this again this summer. I mean, 144 00:10:15.240 --> 00:10:16.480 I think if they have the money to do it, and you know, 145 00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:20.240 who knows, they may actually make money on it. Giving their charging 146 00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:24.279 two hundred and sixty dollars ahead and they'll probably get at least one hundred if 147 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:28.639 not more at each showcase, so they may end up coming out ahead. 148 00:10:28.679 --> 00:10:33.159 But anyway, you know it. On one hand, it's surprising because the 149 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:41.440 quality of players they got in twenty twenty three were so high that you really 150 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:48.360 don't need to do this kind of open season tryout type of deal. You 151 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:52.559 know, you can attract a high level player without doing that. But I 152 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:56.600 think the other side of that coin is they're the League of Opportunity, and 153 00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:01.919 they did have a few players from the Showcases that were put into the league, 154 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:05.279 and we're on rosters. I crunched the numbers early in the season. 155 00:11:05.320 --> 00:11:09.519 I can't remember exactly how many they had that, you know, we're from 156 00:11:09.639 --> 00:11:13.960 the Showcases, and I only had a couple of the Showcase rosters. I 157 00:11:13.960 --> 00:11:16.200 think I was missing the last one or two. But even from the first 158 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:22.559 several there were players drafted. And so it's all just you know, no 159 00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:28.000 stone unturned, right, It's it's making sure that you have the highest quality 160 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:31.279 of football, even if that means players who are not currently a part of 161 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:37.120 any league or you know who would attend these tryouts and pay two hundred and 162 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:41.919 sixty dollars for the chance to be seen by coaches and DPPs. So it 163 00:11:41.039 --> 00:11:46.480 is interesting that they're going back to it again. It looks like very much 164 00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:50.840 a similar schedule, a lot of the same areas that they hit last year. 165 00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:54.679 Even the time frames are similar in that you know, you've got the 166 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:58.159 specialist one that's much later than all of the other ones. I think that's 167 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:01.879 going to be in late October again. The only thing different is the XFL 168 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:07.960 combine, which I think is interesting. It's going to be select players from 169 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:11.159 the showcases. I guess the quote unquote best players from the showcases will be 170 00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:16.600 invited to the Combine. I'm not really sure what the purpose of seeing them 171 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:20.639 again is other than to maybe cross track make sure, you know, everybody 172 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:24.799 really gets seen and everybody who's invited to be a part of that draft pool 173 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:31.720 in November checks all the boxes necessary. But that is a major change from 174 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:37.200 twenty twenty two's summer showcase schedule, and I think, like to be fair, 175 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:43.000 maybe we don't fly ownership out to the combines this year or the showcases 176 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.519 this year, right, we're not doing like the Hawaii one. Maybe we 177 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:48.000 just get Danny and the Rock and then let's get them at the Combine. 178 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:52.639 Let's have you know, we can send out back to whoever would say if 179 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:54.919 they want to go to the things, and we'll have rest, Giulio and 180 00:12:54.960 --> 00:12:56.440 all of that, and then maybe let's do ownership. And I think that 181 00:12:56.519 --> 00:13:00.200 will be a big shoe bag. I mean that's obviously extended as well with 182 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:01.559 the three days, and I think that will be kind of an all hands 183 00:13:01.559 --> 00:13:07.200 on deck situation there. So maybe maybe we parse out what staff we need 184 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:09.360 at the actual showcases. Yeah, I mean it could be you know, 185 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:13.639 Saint Louis sends their DPP to the HBCU. You know, maybe Beck goes 186 00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:18.519 to the Atlanta one, and then at the combine you have, as you 187 00:13:18.519 --> 00:13:20.759 said, all hands on deck head coach DPP, maybe some of the key 188 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:26.279 assistant coaches, that sort of thing. Yeah, anything else on this interesting 189 00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:28.919 Last year, I think, like the Hawaii one and one of them the 190 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:31.399 showcases, some of them were in by the only. These appear open as 191 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:35.759 long as you want to pay the injury fee, and then obviously the combine 192 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:37.960 will be the invited only, but maybe you'll get some players you know that 193 00:13:39.159 --> 00:13:41.759 want to pay the two hundred and sixty. I think he said to get 194 00:13:41.799 --> 00:13:45.679 in on that that maybe didn't have the opportunity before. Yeah, I mean 195 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:48.799 it could be there. There are fewer invite only showcases here and it could 196 00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:54.320 be a similar situation to last year, where even if they're not invite only, 197 00:13:54.399 --> 00:14:00.519 you may have some players who are invited to these showcase is to work 198 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:03.600 out as we had on some of those last year as well. So it 199 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:09.399 doesn't preclude people from being invited, but they're certainly keeping a lot of room 200 00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:11.639 open on each of these for people to pay their own way. I just 201 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:15.759 last notes, I mean, they're really doing it, like you said, 202 00:14:15.799 --> 00:14:18.840 doubling down doing the showcases last year, doing him this year. We've already 203 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:22.679 been scouting, We're doing the rookie draft this summer. I mean, they're 204 00:14:22.720 --> 00:14:26.720 really putting a lot of time and energy, even more so even than last 205 00:14:26.759 --> 00:14:30.120 year. And so like we really want to make sure, like you said, 206 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:33.320 the league of opportunity that like anybody that we're trying to get our eyes 207 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:35.519 on, can get a shot here. And it's smart, you know, 208 00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:39.720 you want to keep that level of play high. That's a big factor in 209 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:43.000 getting people to watch the games. You certainly want to beat the USFL to 210 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:48.159 some of these players. And we're seeing already some players who tried out in 211 00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:54.080 rookie minicamps who could be tops on the list for XFL teams in that rookie 212 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:58.200 draft next month, already signing on with USFL teams. So a slight advantage 213 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:03.039 maybe that the us FL has that they're in season, so they can kind 214 00:15:03.039 --> 00:15:07.960 of get some of these guys and get them some professional game tape before the 215 00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:11.600 end of the USFL season to try to get themselves back into NFL training camps. 216 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:16.519 You know, it's the XFL is going to be holding that draft, 217 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:22.159 and the nice thing for them is that it doesn't preclude those players who are 218 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:26.480 drafted from still getting into NFL training camps this summer. And I want to 219 00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:30.159 do and we're going to do kind of a rookie draft show when all that 220 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:33.679 happens. Kind Of like, is it the same as that the NFL the 221 00:15:33.840 --> 00:15:37.960 USFL college draft? Is it different? It feels a little bit more if 222 00:15:37.000 --> 00:15:39.759 it's the same thing with a horse with a different color, But it does 223 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:43.759 feel like at least getting these guys, okay, let's get you on our 224 00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:46.440 list here, like we'll get you on the party list and then you can 225 00:15:46.440 --> 00:15:48.399 still do other stuff, but at least we kind of have first DIBs on 226 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:54.240 that if we're interested. Yeah. I thought it was very different at first. 227 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:56.200 The more I think about it, the more I think it's a little 228 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:00.399 more similar than I thought. The big differences. You know, the USFL 229 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:06.399 was drafting guys before the NFL draft, so any of those guys could have 230 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:08.960 been drafted, though any of those guys could have signed as free agents. 231 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:14.399 The xfls is drafting them after the NFL draft, so they've already had the 232 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:17.559 chance to hook on his undrafted free agents. So to me, the guys 233 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:22.279 the XFL are drafting are more likely to end up in the XFL next year 234 00:16:22.519 --> 00:16:26.240 than the guys that the USFL drafted ending up in the USFL. I think 235 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:30.360 that's the difference to me. I agree, I agree. I think that's 236 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:33.000 a very good way to put that, So I won't try to rephrase that 237 00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:36.840 any different we have here that we'll get to the XFL. Was it a 238 00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:41.519 success here? Your big ratings article USFL this week, averaging four hundred and 239 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:47.279 fifty one thousand across the four we had two cable games to network games those 240 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:51.240 did you know? Six thirty and then seven thirty for the Fox. Are 241 00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:55.480 you surprised We talked a lot about the cannibalization of both of these leagues. 242 00:16:55.519 --> 00:16:59.120 Are you surprised that the USFL didn't tick up bigger here in week six? 243 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:06.720 I am. I think to some extent, I feel like that cannibalization is 244 00:17:10.160 --> 00:17:12.640 I don't know, maybe over exaggerated. I mean, when you think about 245 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:18.279 the actual overlap, it's maybe three weeks, you know, I think the 246 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:22.039 USFL started in XFL's week nine. So if you're talking actual overlap, there's 247 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:26.440 really not a whole lot. Now, you could make the argument that having 248 00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:32.559 played nine weeks, there's that fatigue factor in fans. Right, we're coming 249 00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:37.960 right off the full slate of NFL playoffs and regular season. You're kicking right 250 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.119 into the XFL season, and then that leads right into the USFL season. 251 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:47.319 So maybe it's not that head to head cannibalization, but it's just that fatigue 252 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:49.599 factor of fans who just kind of need a break. I mean, that's 253 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:55.599 certainly where I'm at. Like I didn't watch the USFL next year last year, 254 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:57.599 but you know, even if I had, would I have the energy 255 00:17:57.680 --> 00:18:03.039 to devote my weekends to continue to watch football every weekend? I think that's 256 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:07.279 hard for a lot of people, especially we get into the summer months where 257 00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:11.799 more and more people are outside and things like that. So I am surprised 258 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:18.720 that the ratings for the USFL haven't gone up since the XFL ended its season, 259 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:26.680 or had just not been higher generally speaking, XFL or not. And 260 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:30.000 I'll applagize this is Mike Mitchell's article. I just I have the reader view 261 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:33.359 one because Mark has like a thousand ads over at USFL News. But this 262 00:18:33.400 --> 00:18:34.599 is Mike's article. I just want to make sure I have the reader view 263 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:37.559 so it would be a little bit more condensed here. For US, I 264 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:45.079 still maintained USFL last year had had this. It was the confluence of it 265 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:48.920 been two years since the XFL. We're hungry for this. It's the spring. 266 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.039 There wasn't a lot where, you know, COVID was kind of getting 267 00:18:52.079 --> 00:18:56.559 out where you were watching, like, I don't know if the USFL ever 268 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.519 hits those highs again, I don't know if the XFL hits those highs. 269 00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:03.279 I mean, the us has had one game over a million this year, 270 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:06.519 and that was the two million apted to Kentucky Derby, which if you're, 271 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:08.200 you know, an XFL apologist, you would say, without you know, 272 00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:11.640 the Kentucky Derby and people just fell asleep and left the TV on or whatever. 273 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.359 But are you surprised that we've only had the one million plus and we're 274 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:19.720 really in this six hundred to seven hundred thousand rates? I am. I 275 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:26.079 thought that. I was actually surprised the first week because they didn't hit a 276 00:19:26.119 --> 00:19:29.839 million on those network games, and I thought it being the first week, 277 00:19:29.880 --> 00:19:37.720 they'd be able to do that. And I think it's especially surprising because heading 278 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:41.400 into the season, people were just lauding the USFL schedule, and rightly so, 279 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:45.240 you know, they put more games on network TV. I think there 280 00:19:45.319 --> 00:19:48.960 was a more consistent time slot. These are all arguments that we're making that 281 00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:56.119 the XFL should be doing next year, right, and it really hasn't increased 282 00:19:56.119 --> 00:20:02.920 the USFL's ratings significantly anyway. Of course, there are millions of other factors 283 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:04.880 that go into that than just looking at the raw numbers, which I talked 284 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:11.000 about in my article. But if XFL fans think that the magic elixir to 285 00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:17.920 increase ratings is going to be more games on network TV and more consistent timeslot, 286 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:21.279 the USFL showing that that's not necessarily going to be the case. Now, 287 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:23.519 the XFL does have the advantage of, you know, setting that low 288 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:29.680 bar in the first year where any kind of extra promotion, any kind of 289 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:37.680 extra advertising in market, out of market on national TV should boost you know, 290 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:41.640 the profile of the XFL, where the USFL was already marketing itself pretty 291 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:45.920 hard last year. You're seeing a lot of ads. I don't watch a 292 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:48.839 lot of shows on Fox. I think I just watched wrestling in NASCAR, 293 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:52.880 but they have a lot of USFL not just commercials, but the announcers will 294 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:57.640 do ad reads plugging games. So there's not a lot more Fox can do 295 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:03.640 to further play at the USFL where you know, the XFL and ESPN can 296 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:06.200 say, okay, this is where we hit. Now, we have the 297 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:10.960 potential to go even higher if we dedicate more resources, more money to that 298 00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:17.079 advertising effort next year. I do think the USFL and I thought they were 299 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:18.799 I mean I said that you go back. I thought they were going to 300 00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:22.519 come in and completely kill right I did. And I think Fox, yeah, 301 00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:25.599 we're doing all this. You know, it's a little bit of the 302 00:21:25.640 --> 00:21:29.000 BDE. I can get a little bit from Fox sometimes like we're you know, 303 00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:33.160 and it's been like you said, a little more it is. That's 304 00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:36.920 a really interesting point that I do think the ramp up for the XFL. 305 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:41.799 You know, if one hundred and twenty thousand rumored that they spent in already 306 00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:45.519 versus Fox. You know, I watched I Disputed today, They got the 307 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:48.359 banners rolling coming up, Skip and Shannon are going to preview the weekend's games, 308 00:21:48.359 --> 00:21:51.799 you know. I mean, there a lot of time is being put 309 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:53.720 into that where I think you can ramp up XFL a little bit more than 310 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:57.720 you can ramp down USFL. Yeah, for sure, And that remains to 311 00:21:57.720 --> 00:22:00.920 be seen whether ESP and the XFL are going to do that. I think 312 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:04.839 there's been some talk. I think the article on the Athletic a week ago 313 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:11.119 sort of hinted that that's going to be the plan for year two is a 314 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:15.400 little more in those areas. It might not be one hundred percent more, 315 00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:19.400 but it could be just incrementally more enough to be noticed and enough to take 316 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:23.680 this year's baseline ratings. And I mean the other good thing too is you 317 00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:27.119 know, you look at the XFL Championship game, and again this is something 318 00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:32.519 I wrote about in the article, is they retained over ninety percent of that 319 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:38.160 viewership of the first week, over eighty percent of the eighteen to forty nine 320 00:22:38.240 --> 00:22:42.640 and that from that first week. So you didn't see that really hard decline 321 00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:48.000 that would hint to you that you know, they've already hit their apex. 322 00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:51.440 Yeah. So speaking of that, let's get to the main appetizer here. 323 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:55.319 We got your XFL board then, Pierre, I didn't know we were gonna 324 00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:56.400 talk about this this week, and then you put a ton of work into 325 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:00.279 this. I read it. I know it got shared. Mike rab We 326 00:23:00.319 --> 00:23:03.039 said, let's have you on. Let's do kind of the final here. 327 00:23:03.119 --> 00:23:06.119 We have all the numbers, all the data. Obviously go check out you 328 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:08.720 know Greg's article here on the XFL board. Uh so, so, Greg, 329 00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:14.279 what's the XFL rating success? You tell me, Well, it's complicated, 330 00:23:14.559 --> 00:23:19.279 as the as the rest of the headline says, I'm not I don't 331 00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:27.440 feel qualified to answer that question. And there's two there's two big missing components 332 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:33.480 that we've all talked about, and that is the ESPN Plus viewership. We 333 00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:40.759 don't know other than the ESPN press release that said that the championship game was 334 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:44.880 the most watched XFL game on ESPN Plus this year, which again you would 335 00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:48.720 take as another good sign, I assume. And the other thing we don't 336 00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:53.680 have is the ESPN and XFL's expectations for ratings this year. I think ESPN 337 00:23:53.680 --> 00:24:00.000 has said it met expectations. You know, Danny Garcia has said different times 338 00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:03.559 they're happy with where they are, they do have room for improvement. The 339 00:24:03.680 --> 00:24:07.119 Rock when he was tweeting about it, it was saying, hey, baby 340 00:24:07.119 --> 00:24:10.279 steps, We're not lighting the world on fire, but we're we're getting there. 341 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.480 We're we're taking baby steps, right, So you know, they're not 342 00:24:12.599 --> 00:24:18.559 out there waving the banner like mission accomplished. You know, they know that 343 00:24:18.599 --> 00:24:21.200 there's still work to be done, and I think in a way that's encouraging 344 00:24:21.240 --> 00:24:26.359 that they know that there's still things that they can do to push those numbers 345 00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:33.200 forward next year. So without those two pieces of data, I just think 346 00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:37.480 it's I'm not qualified to say whether or not the XFL was a rating success. 347 00:24:37.480 --> 00:24:41.960 Certainly it's getting to year two, which is more of a success than 348 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:45.319 the XFL has ever been. So that's an accomplishment in its own right that 349 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:48.920 should be celebrated. But it's really not about year two. It's about sustaining 350 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:52.720 this year to year, and we just haven't gotten there yet to know whether 351 00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:56.119 this is going to be something that you know, we're not going to be 352 00:24:56.160 --> 00:25:00.720 sweating it out every year going forward. Well, I mean, you look 353 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:03.799 here at FX and ESPN. You know, four hundred and twenty five thousand 354 00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:07.119 average over the season. Greg's got all the time slots, everything that's way 355 00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:10.559 you gotta go do the deep dive on this. We just said USBLA average 356 00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:15.359 four and fifty thousand viewers across four games with two of those on network windows 357 00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:18.440 this last weekend, so you know, you know, just you put in 358 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:22.960 comparison there, you got four and forty six thousand on ESPN, you know, 359 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:26.759 and lower is cable, and you can say ESPN and ESPN two are 360 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:30.359 widely distributed. You out the Fox two, Fox in the in the FS 361 00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:34.359 one and USA broadcast here versus four forty six on that. Were there any 362 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:38.039 of the averages it surprised you. You know, obviously a little bit higher 363 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:44.160 for ESPN with the six h six, even though I think there's a misconception 364 00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:48.640 that ESPN two is somehow like a lesser network. They're generally distributed about the 365 00:25:48.680 --> 00:25:52.279 same. It's just that more people buy default go to ESPN one. Is 366 00:25:52.319 --> 00:25:56.680 that how you kind of read that? Yeah, in terms of how many 367 00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:03.119 homes the channels are in their very similar But obviously ESPN is seen as the 368 00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:08.160 more prestigious network by viewers and things like that, so they're more apt to 369 00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:12.960 go to that channel than ESPN two to check anything out. So that's kind 370 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:17.240 of how I see that there is a big difference. But I think if 371 00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:22.319 you go through the ratings for any sports properties that ABC ESPN owns you're going 372 00:26:22.359 --> 00:26:27.640 to see that difference from from ESPN to ESPN two. It's not it's not 373 00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:32.960 just the XFL games that are drawing that wide of a difference in ratings on 374 00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:37.559 those two networks. The averaging over a million. Obviously we have the dips 375 00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:41.359 here right week six and then nine and ten with the ABC games, but 376 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:45.720 averaging over a million on that I'll be curious with that two million the USFL 377 00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:49.640 had with the Kentucky Derby, does that raise that overall? Is that enough 378 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:53.319 to raise that overall network above that million when all it's said and done. 379 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:56.839 But what do you make of that that the overall average being over a million 380 00:26:56.920 --> 00:27:02.160 here for the XFL and ABC. I would certainly take it as a good 381 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:04.799 sign. It's better than being under you know, again, we don't know 382 00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:11.160 for a lot of these games that are on midday. We don't have anything 383 00:27:11.160 --> 00:27:12.759 to compare it to. You know, I can go through and I can 384 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:18.000 look at the FX ratings and I can say this is what FX draws in 385 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:22.319 prime time, this is what the XFL drew in primetime, and say, 386 00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:25.480 yes, the XFL was above station average. I can do the same for 387 00:27:25.799 --> 00:27:32.400 ESPN two and say the XFL drew well above station average in the rating and 388 00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:34.519 the eighteen to forty nine, the total viewership in the eighteen to forty nine 389 00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:40.599 compared to what ESPN two does in primetime. But with ABC, some of 390 00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:42.200 these games on the middle of the afternoon, you don't have that. Again, 391 00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:45.480 you don't have the data. We're missing that piece, that comparison piece 392 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:48.440 two. Okay. For example, March twenty fifth, Week six, at 393 00:27:48.440 --> 00:27:52.680 one pm, it drew one point oh four seven million, okay, but 394 00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:56.680 what did it draw the previous week at one pm? What was the ten 395 00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:00.920 week average before that? You know, so we just don't have those numbers. 396 00:28:02.880 --> 00:28:06.000 You know, Week six that's the middle of the season where you had 397 00:28:06.039 --> 00:28:10.240 the March Madness competition. So I think that's what really dragged that down in 398 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:14.119 week six. I think still drawing over a million in week six and week 399 00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:18.839 eight, even as slim as it was, over a million are pretty good 400 00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:23.920 numbers to me as a layman looking at these numbers. So that's kind of 401 00:28:23.920 --> 00:28:26.799 my thing. And and you know, you talk about the USFL, is 402 00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:33.519 that two million post Kentucky Derby going to be enough to average it out over 403 00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:37.000 a million? I really I don't think so. Simply because they have so 404 00:28:37.039 --> 00:28:41.519 many games on network on Fox or NBC that are drawing under a million, 405 00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:47.519 that's going to continue to draw that average down, so it may hover around 406 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:52.079 a million, you know. And the other thing is I applaud usfl and 407 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:56.279 an NBC for putting a game on right after the Kentucky Derby. I think 408 00:28:56.319 --> 00:28:59.799 that's that's something that didn't make it into my article. But the lead in's 409 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:03.359 you know, we don't have the information the ratings on the lead ins of 410 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:08.000 Okay, what led into these games? What were the numbers leading into the 411 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:14.200 games? I think it's fantastic that they had the opportunity to draw two million 412 00:29:14.279 --> 00:29:18.119 viewers after the Kentucky Derby. Year you're getting the rating up there, but 413 00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:22.240 you're also allowing a group of people who wouldn't otherwise sample your product to check 414 00:29:22.240 --> 00:29:27.480 it out. You know, the numbers don't say that people have gone back 415 00:29:27.480 --> 00:29:33.400 and watched it again week after, but you know, giving them that opportunity, 416 00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:38.079 that's just smart scheduling on behalf of the USFL and NBC. And I 417 00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:41.920 had a conversation on Twitter with someone about this is Yeah, you'd like to 418 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:45.559 see a stronger lead in, but those stronger lead ins are live sports, 419 00:29:45.599 --> 00:29:51.440 So for ESPN, that would be NBA games. Well, if you're airing 420 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:55.759 live sports and live games before the XFL games, you're going to run the 421 00:29:55.839 --> 00:30:00.400 risk of having it run over into the XFL slot and not starting a game 422 00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:04.680 on television until midway through the first quarter. Is that worth the tradeoff of 423 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:10.039 the strong lead in or would you rather have a studio show that you know 424 00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:14.200 is gonna end right when it ends to lead right directly into that game. 425 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:18.960 So just another factor to kind of throw into this pile that I've written about 426 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:22.960 here in this article of the strength of the lead ins, that that's not 427 00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:27.039 something we've really studied leading into these games. Well. Also, I think 428 00:30:27.200 --> 00:30:32.799 it's kind of like boosting the post on Facebook, right, Like using some 429 00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:37.200 of these lead ins where you're gonna hit you're hitting a lot more impressions on 430 00:30:37.240 --> 00:30:41.000 that, but the amount of for whatever it is USFL. You know, 431 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:44.279 I used to boost my wedding stuff like you know that you're gonna hit more 432 00:30:44.359 --> 00:30:45.920 people the number of people they actually interested it, you know, I know 433 00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:49.839 wwe tried that for years. And let's bring in the NASCAR guy. Let's 434 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:56.319 bring in the guy from entourage, right, remember the post era, Oh 435 00:30:56.359 --> 00:30:59.039 please don't remind me, because those I think. I think if you go 436 00:30:59.119 --> 00:31:03.440 back and if people that tracked the ESPN PR the tweets every week that would 437 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:07.240 come out from the XFL, I think you could tell how XFL felt about 438 00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:11.039 their ratings week and week depending on the stats that they pulled from that. 439 00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:14.440 Oh sure, where if they you know, they had a million, it's 440 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.200 like, hey, peaked, we peaked at one point three million. Whatever. 441 00:31:17.240 --> 00:31:19.000 The weeks where the ratings were kind of trash, it's like we had 442 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:22.480 a lot of people in the stands that week, or hey, the video 443 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:26.240 you know, video view impressions were up across. Yeah, I think that 444 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:32.079 they're only champion the weeks. If I think if the ratings had consistently impressed 445 00:31:32.200 --> 00:31:33.599 for them, I think they would have championed out a little bit more. 446 00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:38.480 But obviously they were happy certain weeks enough to kind of pioneer that. Sure, 447 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:42.319 and you can definitely read into that from from the press release for for 448 00:31:42.359 --> 00:31:47.920 sure. But yeah, it just all depends on I know. Danny Garcia 449 00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:53.400 in one interview said they had a very complicated metric that they used to determine 450 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:56.000 the success and I think that wasn't just talking about ratings, but it was 451 00:31:56.039 --> 00:32:02.200 talking about attendance and things like that. So again without that piece, because 452 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:05.839 you know, you're talking about were the ratings good, were they successful? 453 00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:09.720 Well to who right in what contexts? And the only context that matters is 454 00:32:09.880 --> 00:32:14.880 the XFL and ESPN because they're the ones who are the only ones shelling out 455 00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:17.319 money for this, and that money is going to either continue to fund the 456 00:32:17.359 --> 00:32:21.720 league or not, and so it's really up to them to decide if it 457 00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:24.039 was worth it. It's interesting, and we've talked about it, you know, 458 00:32:24.319 --> 00:32:29.039 with Bill Shay last week and he has his article as well with The 459 00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:32.880 Athletic. I think, you know, it's always going to be harder for 460 00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:37.480 XFL because you're you're asking ESPN, hey, you know put us in here. 461 00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:42.319 Do that? You know foxes where they own this or incentivize one hundred 462 00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:45.119 percent, same with you. We're selling the playoff ads. Hey, you 463 00:32:45.200 --> 00:32:47.319 want to buy Super Bowl ads or you want to buy NFL on Fox ads 464 00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:51.920 like you got to buy. ESPN's never never going to be as incentivized. 465 00:32:51.920 --> 00:32:55.480 And I don't know long term if that's going to pay ten times dividends for 466 00:32:55.519 --> 00:33:00.240 the USFL or not. But I do think that if Fox wanted to that, 467 00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:01.880 you know, they can continue to obviously place this as long as they 468 00:33:01.920 --> 00:33:07.319 want. Where you're always trying to like you're begging Daddy ESPN to kind of 469 00:33:07.400 --> 00:33:12.599 keep us on or keep doing things, and hopefully that partnership is strong. 470 00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:15.039 It seems like it is. They seem to be on the same page ESPN 471 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:17.839 and ownership, And as long as they're on the same page, to me, 472 00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:22.319 that's the most important thing. And and you know, one of the 473 00:33:22.440 --> 00:33:25.720 points I made in the article was, yeah, it would be great to 474 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:31.599 have the XFL on ABC more often next year, but it's all about the 475 00:33:31.599 --> 00:33:36.599 time slots. You know, ESPN is not going to bump an NBA game 476 00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:40.000 off of ABC on a Saturday, you know, when they're they're paying how 477 00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:45.799 many hundreds of millions for the rights to air NBA games, to throw an 478 00:33:45.920 --> 00:33:49.480 XFL game on there, I mean, that's just not reality. So there 479 00:33:49.519 --> 00:33:57.519 really is a limited schedule window to where the XFL can realistically play so many 480 00:33:57.599 --> 00:34:02.680 games on ABC or EVENPN for that matter. I mean, ESPN has a 481 00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:07.719 tremendous amount of sports properties during the season that they air on on ESPN. 482 00:34:07.880 --> 00:34:12.440 So it's always going to be that struggle. Like you said, it would 483 00:34:12.440 --> 00:34:15.440 be a lot easier if ESPN owned the XFL, they'd be incentivized to give 484 00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:22.280 it more prime games and more prime time slots. But the XFL, at 485 00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:28.360 least until it shows that is sustainable and can can make a significant amount of 486 00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:34.800 money, it's always going to be playing second fiddle to these more upscale properties 487 00:34:34.840 --> 00:34:37.400 like the NBA, like at the NHL, like uh the NCUBA, a 488 00:34:37.480 --> 00:34:42.480 women's basketball tournament as well that that airs on ESPN and ABC. Well, 489 00:34:42.480 --> 00:34:45.800 and like you said with the USFL discussion, I think in this season two 490 00:34:45.800 --> 00:34:51.119 of the USBL showing like just putting more games on network does not necessarily it's 491 00:34:51.159 --> 00:34:53.960 not going to double your viewership that you have to. And I don't know, 492 00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:58.800 I don't know. I don't want to be the super negative USFL Like 493 00:34:58.880 --> 00:35:00.880 I don't know what's going on on this year with that where if that is 494 00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:04.599 you know, really hitting what they want or not, But I mean it 495 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:08.239 is it is primed in positions to really dominate, and obviously they're winning in 496 00:35:08.320 --> 00:35:13.320 the slots, but it's like, you know, what, how how much 497 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:16.239 of a margin are you expecting in these USFL on network games versus you know, 498 00:35:16.440 --> 00:35:20.440 XFL on fre on a you know, FX or whatever. Like, 499 00:35:20.599 --> 00:35:23.039 I don't know what the margin they're expecting. I would imagine it's bigger than 500 00:35:23.079 --> 00:35:28.599 it is, But who am I right? And maybe the USFL and I 501 00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:30.320 talked about earlier, like, there's not a lot more they can do from 502 00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:37.519 an advertising perspective on their own networks to push that rating forward, Like they're 503 00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:39.079 they're doing all they can. So when they look at that, you know, 504 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:42.800 they've got to be saying, Okay, where are we going to make 505 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:45.199 up that difference? Then where are we going to get that rise from? 506 00:35:45.199 --> 00:35:50.800 And it could be season three going into all markets that that's kind of the 507 00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:54.000 ace they have up their sleeve right now that they're still playing in four hubs. 508 00:35:54.320 --> 00:36:00.960 If they wanted to take the extra expense of going in to all markets 509 00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:05.840 and you know, putting a legitimate amount of fans in the stands, you 510 00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:12.800 know, that could help locally drive ratings. And so that's really where I 511 00:36:12.840 --> 00:36:15.840 think they could, more so than just throwing more advertising out there or just 512 00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:21.599 having more talking heads on FS one talk about the USFL. I think if 513 00:36:21.639 --> 00:36:24.239 they look at their ratings and say, there's more meat on that bone. 514 00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:28.920 I think where they get that meat from is, you know, going out 515 00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:31.119 into all eight markets. Now, question is do they is it worth the 516 00:36:31.119 --> 00:36:34.679 added expense that's going to come with that, right, because that's what they 517 00:36:34.679 --> 00:36:37.239 have to weigh. Is it worth an extra three hundred and fifty thousand or 518 00:36:37.239 --> 00:36:43.360 two hundred thousand viewers on network TV? Is the added expense of running in 519 00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:47.039 all eight markets worth that extra number of viewership? I don't know. Well, 520 00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:51.760 and they're I mean they're in not County in Canton. I mean they're 521 00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:54.440 in Birmingham, Memphis, and Detroit. And I would not say either of 522 00:36:54.480 --> 00:36:59.119 those three markets as tremendously impressed to the point of like, oh yeah, 523 00:36:59.239 --> 00:37:01.599 this is definitely it was like, I don't. I don't know if you 524 00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:05.880 categorically look at the Memphis hub right now and go, yeah, that's worth 525 00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:07.760 that. I don't know what they're paying for that, and I don't obviously 526 00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:13.840 the forward field, but you know it's I don't I don't want to be 527 00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:16.719 too negative on here, but I don't know if it then magically doubling this 528 00:37:16.800 --> 00:37:21.880 from for the eight if if if I haven't seen it from going from one 529 00:37:21.960 --> 00:37:23.480 to four I don't know if I'm gonna see that's that's took a fair point 530 00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:28.800 too. Oh Greg, it's late for you. I appreciated anything else from 531 00:37:28.840 --> 00:37:30.440 you. I just really appreciate you, like I said, coming in and 532 00:37:30.519 --> 00:37:34.000 doing this here later on the East Coast for you. No, I have 533 00:37:34.039 --> 00:37:37.119 a pleasure to be on here talking about it. Um, you know, 534 00:37:37.199 --> 00:37:39.199 just to plug my stuff on xfl board. I know it's the off season, 535 00:37:39.960 --> 00:37:45.360 but I've got a lot of content coming. I just today Thursday, 536 00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:50.039 as we're recording this, I posted my final season summary. I went through 537 00:37:50.079 --> 00:37:52.840 all eight teams, did a season summary on xfl board of them, took 538 00:37:52.840 --> 00:37:57.079 a look at some of the team MVPs, took a look at some places 539 00:37:57.079 --> 00:38:00.119 that they can improve roster wise next year, took a look at the head 540 00:38:00.119 --> 00:38:06.039 coaches, and gave a one to five about the potential hot seat rating for 541 00:38:06.039 --> 00:38:09.360 each head coach and each team. So in the coming weeks, I'm gonna 542 00:38:09.400 --> 00:38:15.599 look back at November's draft and I'm gonna analyze how well the teams did by 543 00:38:16.159 --> 00:38:21.000 draft phase. So I've I've got a couple of those in the can already. 544 00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:23.039 They'll start coming out probably next week, and then of course we've got 545 00:38:23.079 --> 00:38:27.599 the rookie draft. I on Twitter at Greg m Parks. You can follow 546 00:38:27.599 --> 00:38:30.400 me. I sort of admitted to the fact that I'm probably gonna end up 547 00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:35.440 doing a one one round mock draft of the of the rookie draft. For 548 00:38:35.519 --> 00:38:38.400 as you know, I've done read I've done a seven round NFL mock draft 549 00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:45.000 for twenty some years, and so, like, I love mock drafts. 550 00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:47.559 As pointless as they are, I get it. I understand I can hear 551 00:38:47.599 --> 00:38:52.400 people rolling their eyes watching this, but um, I love the NFL Draft 552 00:38:52.519 --> 00:38:57.440 like it's it's my Christmas. And I've done this seven round mock draft probably 553 00:38:57.480 --> 00:39:00.119 since I was a sophomore in high school, and so the opportunity to do 554 00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:05.400 a real legitimate mock draft, even if it's just one round for the XFL, 555 00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:08.000 I think it's just it's too good to pass up. So that will 556 00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:15.280 probably come out closer we get to to the rookie Draft on June sixteen, 557 00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:17.360 So I'm really excited about the possibility of that, and we'll just have so 558 00:39:17.440 --> 00:39:21.760 much more content in the offseason at XFL board. So check it out. 559 00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:24.679 You're really carrying the torch over there doing the good job. I appreciate that. 560 00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:30.199 And obviously if you're wrestling fanel the PW torch stuff, and I wish 561 00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:31.599 I had more time to watch wrestling so I could listen to you guys more. 562 00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:36.480 A big weekend coming up. Man, We've got four major shows this 563 00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:40.880 weekend. We've got Impacts under Siege event on Friday. We've got WWE's Night 564 00:39:40.920 --> 00:39:45.920 of Champions on Saturday. We've got NXT S show going head to head with 565 00:39:45.000 --> 00:39:47.880 aw's pay per view on Sunday night. I mean, it's gonna be like, 566 00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:51.679 my eyes are gonna have to be taped open to watch all of this 567 00:39:51.719 --> 00:39:54.480 wrestling this weekend. I've done a couple of times other interviews on this show. 568 00:39:54.559 --> 00:39:59.519 I think the the XFL needs to figure out like the the Tamasa Champa, 569 00:39:59.760 --> 00:40:02.480 John any Gargano NXT that to me, that was the peak that NXT 570 00:40:02.599 --> 00:40:06.639 ever was. And if the x BEL can figure out, how can we, 571 00:40:07.239 --> 00:40:09.320 you know, make a show that people want to tune in every week 572 00:40:09.599 --> 00:40:14.079 we feature these are our stars and then obviously you have the people to want 573 00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:15.679 to move up. That is what they need to do, is you know 574 00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:20.880 that pre whatever they've done now and I don't watch NXT two win. But 575 00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:22.760 you know, all the triple h and all of that, that was the 576 00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:25.079 peak, Like we got our ten stars here and then you can watch with 577 00:40:25.159 --> 00:40:29.360 everyone else kind of go up to the big show. It's an interesting comparison. 578 00:40:29.480 --> 00:40:32.599 You a lot to think about reading good. That's well, Greg, 579 00:40:32.639 --> 00:40:37.960 it's late. I appreciate that my travel agents calling about my Hamilton flight. 580 00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:40.519 I mean keep I keep silence and over here, so well, we'll tax 581 00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:44.320 you next time. But I appreciate you really doing the lord's work. All 582 00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:52.719 right, thanks read well, don't adjust your dials here. We have special 583 00:40:52.800 --> 00:40:57.239 guests, really appreciate it. We have John Hodge here with three downation. 584 00:40:57.320 --> 00:41:00.519 John, how are you doing? I'm doing great rate, Thanks for having 585 00:41:00.559 --> 00:41:02.440 me. You have is that the Padre's hat on? I think you're trying 586 00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:06.400 to appeal to Andrew Murray here. I think I think he'll be a fan 587 00:41:06.440 --> 00:41:09.280 of you as well. Here. Even more after this, I was fortunate 588 00:41:09.360 --> 00:41:14.400 enough to go to a Padres game in San Diego a couple months ago. 589 00:41:14.800 --> 00:41:16.880 I would be hard pressed to name a single player on their team, but 590 00:41:17.039 --> 00:41:20.679 I got this hat for free, and I had fun at the game, 591 00:41:20.800 --> 00:41:25.920 so I'm happy to wrap them um and hide my ever graying hair. Well, 592 00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:28.920 at least you have here. I don't have any more hair. I 593 00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:30.800 just grow it on my face. So I'm good. I'm gonna be there 594 00:41:30.840 --> 00:41:36.239 one day soon, so i'll it's it's gone gray and then and then it'll 595 00:41:36.280 --> 00:41:38.360 run out all together. That's good. Well good, we have good energy 596 00:41:38.400 --> 00:41:42.599 today. I saw Hodge back up in. You know, We'regina and now 597 00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:45.119 we're trying to you know, I've turned over a new leaf here. We're 598 00:41:45.159 --> 00:41:47.199 trying to work and brace all this up. So I wanted to get John 599 00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:52.360 on. We wanted to talk CFL health and the preseason and everything else more 600 00:41:52.599 --> 00:41:57.119 normal offseason. Obviously, in our limited time covering the league, we had 601 00:41:57.119 --> 00:41:59.920 all the X and BELL stuff and then we had the CBA stuff last year. 602 00:42:00.360 --> 00:42:02.320 This year seems a little more normal. What are your thoughts going into 603 00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:07.480 the season. Well, it's an interesting time for the CFL. I think 604 00:42:07.559 --> 00:42:13.679 that with the competition from the XFL the USFL. I've talked to a number 605 00:42:13.719 --> 00:42:16.159 of personnel people in the league who who have talked about how hard it is 606 00:42:16.199 --> 00:42:21.559 to recruit talent at the combine. I talked to a number of individuals and 607 00:42:21.599 --> 00:42:23.320 scouting who do contracts that kind of thing, and they were talking about, 608 00:42:23.360 --> 00:42:27.599 you know, years ago, we were cutting guys who were seventh round NFL 609 00:42:27.679 --> 00:42:31.400 draft picks, or we're cutting guys who know our first team all acc or 610 00:42:31.719 --> 00:42:36.000 we were cutting players who, you know, these days were really excited to 611 00:42:36.039 --> 00:42:39.320 sign. So I think that that works to the disadvantage of certain teams and 612 00:42:39.400 --> 00:42:43.840 the teams I'm talking about our teams like Edmonton, teams like Ottawa that are 613 00:42:43.880 --> 00:42:45.960 trying to rebuild after a couple of early down years, and I think it 614 00:42:45.960 --> 00:42:50.400 actually works to the benefit for the team that I primarily cover, which is 615 00:42:50.400 --> 00:42:53.440 the Winnipeg Loue Bombers, that have such a veteran core that you know, 616 00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:59.119 maybe ten years ago, you'd want to break up that court earlier because other 617 00:42:59.119 --> 00:43:01.679 teams were going to stop pile talent and develop that talent, whereas these days 618 00:43:01.920 --> 00:43:06.800 other teams are having a harder time developing that talent. So you're happy to 619 00:43:06.920 --> 00:43:09.920 be an older team of the CFL and maybe stick together a little bit longer. 620 00:43:10.000 --> 00:43:13.599 So to me, I still think that Winnipeg is the team to beat. 621 00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:16.320 I like the retooling that the teams at the bottom of the league have 622 00:43:16.400 --> 00:43:20.079 done. I think Saskatchewan is better. I think Edmonton is better. I 623 00:43:20.119 --> 00:43:23.719 think Ottawa is a lot better. And I think that I think that Montreal, 624 00:43:23.840 --> 00:43:29.159 despite their offseason ownership crisis, I think is I don't think on the 625 00:43:29.159 --> 00:43:30.960 field they're in a better spot than last year, but I don't think they've 626 00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:36.039 taken a huge step back, and off the field they're in a million times 627 00:43:36.039 --> 00:43:38.159 better position I think than they were a year ago. So all in all, 628 00:43:38.199 --> 00:43:40.559 I'm excited for the season. I think it's gonna be a good season, 629 00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:45.079 entertaining season of football. I think the lack of parody hurt the league 630 00:43:45.079 --> 00:43:50.320 a little bit last year, right tuning into Edmonton Winnipeg or tuning into you 631 00:43:50.360 --> 00:43:52.400 know, Calgary Ottawa. I don't think a lot of people were going into 632 00:43:52.440 --> 00:43:55.920 those games with holding their breath as to who is going to win. And 633 00:43:55.960 --> 00:43:58.639 this year, I think there's gonna be more of that. I don't think 634 00:43:58.639 --> 00:44:01.519 we're going to see four teams or fifteen win teams. I think the bottom 635 00:44:01.559 --> 00:44:05.840 team might have six wins and the top team might have twelve or thirteen, 636 00:44:05.840 --> 00:44:08.480 and that's that's a good thing I think for fans of this league and for 637 00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:12.280 the league itself. Well, if this feels like there's not. It's just 638 00:44:12.360 --> 00:44:15.119 it seems like there's been a dark cloud kind of the last couple of seasons 639 00:44:15.199 --> 00:44:17.480 with whoever else. It doesn't feel like the football can kind of shine here. 640 00:44:17.840 --> 00:44:21.719 You've got the new CFL Plus and we'll talk about that, but it 641 00:44:21.800 --> 00:44:23.280 just seems like there's a lot of momentum, if that makes sense. I 642 00:44:23.280 --> 00:44:27.400 know there's been a lot of offseason movements, at least to me, it 643 00:44:27.480 --> 00:44:29.920 feels like a lot, you know, I mean the quarterback Carrassel and all 644 00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:31.480 of that. But I'm excited to see here as we get through preseason. 645 00:44:31.559 --> 00:44:37.039 Kind of the identity of these new teams. Well, one very positive thing 646 00:44:37.159 --> 00:44:40.400 I think that's happened is with the new CBA players being able to get guaranteed 647 00:44:40.440 --> 00:44:45.320 money on their contracts after they have been with a team for two years. 648 00:44:45.360 --> 00:44:47.039 You're seeing a lot of guys not signing these one year deals like you did 649 00:44:47.119 --> 00:44:52.000 for the decade previous. You're seeing guys like Trevor Harrins go to Saskatchewan on 650 00:44:52.039 --> 00:44:54.840 a two year deal. You're seeing guys like Boliev Mitchell sign a three year 651 00:44:54.880 --> 00:45:00.639 deal. And Hamilton's Zach Collaris famously said ahead of last season and it's not 652 00:45:00.679 --> 00:45:04.199 in the best it's just of any CFL player to sign a multi year deal 653 00:45:04.199 --> 00:45:07.119 because teams don't actually have to commit to you. Well, guess what now 654 00:45:07.119 --> 00:45:09.880 that the CFL CBA has changed. He signed a three year deal with Winnipeg. 655 00:45:09.880 --> 00:45:14.360 He's signed through twenty twenty five. And that makes fans so much more 656 00:45:14.480 --> 00:45:17.239 comfortable not only investing in these players emotionally, but even financially. Right, 657 00:45:17.239 --> 00:45:22.760 you're going to see more Harris jerseys in saskatchem or Collars jerseys in Winnipeg because 658 00:45:22.880 --> 00:45:29.320 fans are able to identify with these players and feel safer investing in these players 659 00:45:29.320 --> 00:45:30.960 knowing that, Okay, I'm not gonna, you know, pick this guy 660 00:45:31.000 --> 00:45:36.119 as my new favorite player in August, and then by the next year he's 661 00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:39.519 off playing for another team or a team that I don't like. So I 662 00:45:39.519 --> 00:45:43.199 think that that's a positive thing. And these are all changes that the CFL 663 00:45:43.280 --> 00:45:46.400 probably should have made five or ten years ago, or seen coming and anticipated 664 00:45:46.480 --> 00:45:50.360 becoming issues one day. They haven't. They dug themselves a little bit of 665 00:45:50.400 --> 00:45:53.000 a hole, and now they're digging themselves out. You'd obviously rather you know, 666 00:45:53.079 --> 00:45:57.039 you don't dig the hole, but you know, I'll give him credit 667 00:45:57.079 --> 00:46:00.119 for at least digging themselves out, even if they do themselves in the first 668 00:46:00.119 --> 00:46:07.159 place, and it's a positive change. Pro sports is star driven in many 669 00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:09.320 respects. I think the CFLs a little bit less star driven than most leagues 670 00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:14.880 because these are such old iconic franchises like the Toronto Argonauts are the oldest pro 671 00:46:14.960 --> 00:46:20.159 team in North America. But the stars still matter. Obviously, what Chad 672 00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:22.320 Kelly does in Toronto, for instance, matters. He has a star quality 673 00:46:22.679 --> 00:46:27.119 for obviously from his lineage, from you know, being nearby Buffalo, having 674 00:46:27.159 --> 00:46:30.519 a very notorious college career for better or worse, across a few different institutions. 675 00:46:30.559 --> 00:46:34.000 So you know, the more that you can cater to your stars, 676 00:46:34.000 --> 00:46:36.599 and the more that you can do to elevate the stars and make fans feel 677 00:46:36.639 --> 00:46:39.360 comfortable investing in those stars, the better. Well that's the you know, 678 00:46:39.400 --> 00:46:43.679 And obviously we cover all the different stuff on here, but I do like 679 00:46:43.760 --> 00:46:45.719 when the page turns here we go to the CFL season, Yeah, you 680 00:46:45.760 --> 00:46:50.119 would be amazed with the die hard that we have for you know, it's 681 00:46:50.159 --> 00:46:52.719 two seasons of XFL or you know, we had this and you know, 682 00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:55.239 the US I'm like you know, go to the CFL. That's times a 683 00:46:55.360 --> 00:46:59.159 hundred. You know, you just have so much more history in the tradition 684 00:46:59.199 --> 00:47:02.039 of all these teams. Speaking of jerseys and the Argonauts, you are, 685 00:47:02.119 --> 00:47:05.800 are we fans of the new? What is it? The baby blue? 686 00:47:05.840 --> 00:47:07.679 Crimson blue? What is the new? Do you like the new jersey? 687 00:47:08.480 --> 00:47:13.599 They call it Cambridge blue. Cambridge is the light and Oxford is like the 688 00:47:13.679 --> 00:47:15.719 dark. I honestly just call it navy and baby blue, because then everybody 689 00:47:15.760 --> 00:47:19.920 knows what you're talking about. I think they're fine. I think it's an 690 00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:22.480 upgrade over the last ones. I thought the last ones I'm not a big 691 00:47:22.519 --> 00:47:25.039 fan of. And maybe this is just the media guy in me, but 692 00:47:25.119 --> 00:47:28.679 I'm not a big fan of jerseys that are hard to read, and I 693 00:47:28.800 --> 00:47:31.119 found that the light blue number on the dark blue jersey was just a little 694 00:47:31.119 --> 00:47:34.840 bit tough to read. Previous to that, the Argos had always had dark 695 00:47:34.840 --> 00:47:37.199 home jerseys with white numbers, and those are very easy to read. So 696 00:47:37.480 --> 00:47:40.440 I didn't like the new jerseys that they had last season for that reason. 697 00:47:40.480 --> 00:47:44.960 The brand new ones they have for twenty twenty three are extremely easy to read, 698 00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:47.639 so I'm a big fan of that. I think the helmet detail is 699 00:47:47.719 --> 00:47:52.280 lacking a little bit, like it's very monochromatic, it's very just, you 700 00:47:52.280 --> 00:47:54.000 know, baby blue on baby blue on baby blue. I think maybe a 701 00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:58.679 little more navy detail in there would have been better. And I'm not a 702 00:47:58.760 --> 00:48:01.599 huge fan of the oars they have on the shoulders, like like the Alouettes, 703 00:48:01.599 --> 00:48:07.360 if you google like Alouettes alternate jerseys, about ten years ago, they 704 00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:09.880 had these gray jerseys and they had feathers on the shoulders that were as kind 705 00:48:09.880 --> 00:48:15.360 of cool as like a modern take on what an Aloettes are obviously birds, 706 00:48:15.920 --> 00:48:19.320 but the argos Ores look just like that, And so all I could think 707 00:48:19.320 --> 00:48:21.360 about when I was looking at those jerseys was like, oh, this looks 708 00:48:21.360 --> 00:48:24.199 like a riff on the old Alouettes alternate uniforms that they haven't worn in probably 709 00:48:24.239 --> 00:48:28.280 ten years. But but ultimately I do like them. I do think that's 710 00:48:28.280 --> 00:48:30.119 an upgrade. And I will also say this, it's not that long ago 711 00:48:30.159 --> 00:48:34.159 that the CFL's East Division. This is before Ottawa came back in the league 712 00:48:34.199 --> 00:48:37.480 in twenty fourteen. The East Division used to have four teams and four the 713 00:48:37.519 --> 00:48:39.639 more navy blue. It was Toronto, Winnipeg and Montreal, which is just 714 00:48:39.679 --> 00:48:44.920 silly. It's just silly. So the Bombers have since gone back to their 715 00:48:44.960 --> 00:48:46.920 roots, which was royal blue, not navy blue. The Alottes have kind 716 00:48:46.920 --> 00:48:50.639 of doubled down on it. But so I like the fact that the Argos 717 00:48:50.679 --> 00:48:52.840 are moved away from it a little bit. There's no team in Canada that 718 00:48:52.880 --> 00:48:58.400 wears that color, be it in the CFL or NHL, even so I 719 00:48:58.400 --> 00:49:00.639 think embracing that light shade of blue is a good move for that franchise. 720 00:49:01.119 --> 00:49:05.280 It's a little I tweeted, it's a little XFL rending gade, So the 721 00:49:05.280 --> 00:49:07.320 rending Gade had a little bit. Yeah, it's good, it's good. 722 00:49:07.679 --> 00:49:12.559 You talked about off the top of that, you know, having to retain 723 00:49:12.599 --> 00:49:15.480 players XFL, USFL, you know, moving forward, do you see? 724 00:49:15.519 --> 00:49:19.000 And I think it would be the dream of a lot of you know, 725 00:49:19.039 --> 00:49:23.559 Canadian football proponents having to develop more Canadian talent, seynere Canadian talent that way, 726 00:49:23.559 --> 00:49:25.519 what you know, if this, you know, we don't know, 727 00:49:25.599 --> 00:49:29.079 it could be tomorrow this all goes away. But if the XFL and the 728 00:49:29.199 --> 00:49:30.679 USFL continue here a little bit, what do you see the path for the 729 00:49:30.719 --> 00:49:36.000 CFL to kind of keep cultivating talent. Well, I think that's a great 730 00:49:36.039 --> 00:49:38.000 point, and it's something that I have talked to people about in this league, 731 00:49:38.119 --> 00:49:43.880 is Canadians getting opportunities at positions that normally they wouldn't get. I mean 732 00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:46.039 traditionally, like if you go back to the old old days of the CIFF. 733 00:49:46.199 --> 00:49:51.480 I'm talking like the seventies and the eighties, teams generally played five Canadian 734 00:49:51.480 --> 00:49:54.599 offensive linement. They had to start ten during that era, so they would 735 00:49:54.599 --> 00:49:58.519 cash in their first five just on the old line, and then they would 736 00:49:58.559 --> 00:50:00.599 often stick you know, one or two lotbacks, you know, a nose 737 00:50:00.679 --> 00:50:07.119 tackle, a safety, and then maybe like a mic linebacker. And since 738 00:50:07.159 --> 00:50:08.480 then the number's gone down to seven. I think it went down to seven 739 00:50:08.480 --> 00:50:13.159 in the mid nineties, but don't quote me on that. Teams have generally 740 00:50:13.199 --> 00:50:17.679 played American tackles with with with Canadian interiors. And now what you're seeing is 741 00:50:19.199 --> 00:50:24.079 so many tackles with expanded practice rosters in the NFL, with as you mentioned, 742 00:50:24.119 --> 00:50:28.320 the XFL, the USFL, I think more teams are looking to play 743 00:50:28.599 --> 00:50:31.679 Canadian tackles. We saw Dante boll Go at the first overall pick in this 744 00:50:31.760 --> 00:50:35.920 year's CFL draft at a Fresno State. He's a guy who started thirty three 745 00:50:35.960 --> 00:50:40.159 games with the Bulldogs, primarily at left tackle. You know, is he 746 00:50:40.239 --> 00:50:45.559 the first overall pick you know, five years ago? Maybe, but but 747 00:50:45.639 --> 00:50:49.320 maybe not, because I don't think he's a guy who necessarily slots in great 748 00:50:49.320 --> 00:50:52.119 to guard. He is a kind of true tackle. He's got long arms, 749 00:50:52.480 --> 00:50:54.679 he's got kind of a thin lower body, a bigger upper body, 750 00:50:55.119 --> 00:50:59.119 and so I think that's a change that we're seeing. I think the Edmonton 751 00:50:59.119 --> 00:51:01.360 Elks are also going to a Canadian at tackle this year. It's looking like 752 00:51:01.440 --> 00:51:06.840 Josiah Saint John out of Oklahoma was the first overall pick in twenty sixteen when 753 00:51:06.880 --> 00:51:08.920 Chris Jones was with the Saskatchewan rough Riders. He's probably gonna start at right 754 00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:13.360 tackle. So that's a change that we're seeing, and honestly, I think 755 00:51:13.360 --> 00:51:15.519 it's for the better to a large extent. Trey Ford, for example, 756 00:51:15.599 --> 00:51:19.239 was a first round pick as a quarterback, first one in forty years. 757 00:51:20.039 --> 00:51:22.760 Nathan Rourk obviously became a star last season, was in my opinion, the 758 00:51:22.800 --> 00:51:25.880 best player in the league. Though obviously he got banged up with the injury. 759 00:51:27.320 --> 00:51:30.960 So you know, this is a situation where be it strong side, 760 00:51:30.960 --> 00:51:36.559 linebacker, quarterback, offensive tackle. You're seeing more guys get opportunities. And 761 00:51:36.639 --> 00:51:38.079 I'll also say this, if you've only been a fan of the CFL for 762 00:51:38.119 --> 00:51:42.599 the last ten years, you probably don't think anything of Canadians playing running back. 763 00:51:42.840 --> 00:51:45.679 But that is something that did not happen for a very long time. 764 00:51:45.719 --> 00:51:47.760 Like Sean Millington out of Simon Fraser, I think he was a first round 765 00:51:47.800 --> 00:51:52.800 picking maybe nineteen ninety, was kind of the first guy in a generation to 766 00:51:52.920 --> 00:51:58.280 be a true running back in the CFL. And the next generation was this 767 00:51:58.519 --> 00:52:02.239 fabulous influx of allent guys like Jerome mess Him, Guys like John Cornish, 768 00:52:02.320 --> 00:52:06.840 Andrew Harris, who is still obviously playing they'll albeit on the very tail end 769 00:52:06.840 --> 00:52:09.039 of his career. Guys who all of a sudden, it wasn't just like, 770 00:52:09.079 --> 00:52:13.039 oh, he's a Canadian who can get in for some snaps. It 771 00:52:13.119 --> 00:52:15.320 was like, this is a guy who can be a thousand yard receiver, 772 00:52:15.480 --> 00:52:19.360 a thousand yard rusher, five hundred yard receiver and be an MP. Right. 773 00:52:19.400 --> 00:52:23.000 We saw Andrew Harris in twenty nineteen. Were it not for the drug 774 00:52:23.039 --> 00:52:28.000 testing that happened, he probably would have been the MP. John Cornish did 775 00:52:28.039 --> 00:52:31.039 win an MP, Jerome mess Him I think won two Most Outstanding Canadian Awards. 776 00:52:31.079 --> 00:52:37.039 So these days, with guys like Brady olivera starting at Canadian or being 777 00:52:37.039 --> 00:52:39.719 a Canadian running back that's starting, it doesn't look odd by today's standards. 778 00:52:39.760 --> 00:52:43.840 But if this was, you know, fifteen years ago, it looked a 779 00:52:43.880 --> 00:52:46.119 little weird. Thirty years ago, it would look crazy. So we've already 780 00:52:46.159 --> 00:52:50.280 seen that transition happen at some positions, and it's nice to see it happening 781 00:52:50.280 --> 00:52:54.239 in other spots as well. Last question with the XFL and USFL, you 782 00:52:54.320 --> 00:52:58.000 know, I don't know how much of it. I kind of resonated if 783 00:52:58.039 --> 00:53:00.800 you guys tracted it all this year. You know, if you did, 784 00:53:00.880 --> 00:53:04.159 you can speak on that. But you know, the XFL completing it season, 785 00:53:04.440 --> 00:53:07.639 USFL here going into season two, has that changed your guys' thought process 786 00:53:07.719 --> 00:53:10.239 about like, oh, we need to worry about this. We said, 787 00:53:10.239 --> 00:53:14.639 like what is your current welfare check? With John Hodge on the XFL and 788 00:53:14.760 --> 00:53:19.679 USFL, I to be perfectly honest, I really don't follow the XFL or 789 00:53:19.800 --> 00:53:23.679 USFL. That being said, I think the temperature north of the border talking 790 00:53:23.719 --> 00:53:30.519 to people in the league is there's a hope that if either league stays around, 791 00:53:30.599 --> 00:53:34.679 it won't be for much longer. And I'm not saying that as a 792 00:53:34.719 --> 00:53:37.559 malicious, you know, wish of fans. This is not a representation of 793 00:53:37.559 --> 00:53:42.480 how fans are feeling or how the public is feeling. But for obvious reasons, 794 00:53:42.519 --> 00:53:46.519 with the competition, personnel people in the CFL are hoping that these American 795 00:53:46.599 --> 00:53:52.000 leagues die and that is simply a professional desire for them to have an easier 796 00:53:52.000 --> 00:53:55.719 access to this talent because it used to be and most guys who are working 797 00:53:55.760 --> 00:54:01.519 in CFL personnel departments have generally worked in a professional environment where you call it 798 00:54:01.639 --> 00:54:05.320 players. And it's like, Okay, you're not on an NFL roster, 799 00:54:05.440 --> 00:54:07.880 you're not on a practice roster. Even if you want to play, you 800 00:54:07.960 --> 00:54:10.039 got to come up to Canada. And by the way, you're going to 801 00:54:10.119 --> 00:54:15.679 be making fifty thousand American dollars and that's if you play every single game. 802 00:54:15.719 --> 00:54:20.280 You're gonna make less if you're on our PRU. And it's not a terribly 803 00:54:21.960 --> 00:54:24.320 attractive offer to a lot of guys, especially because Americans, and I think 804 00:54:24.320 --> 00:54:28.920 everyone's wired this way to some extent, they're hesitant to leave their home country, 805 00:54:29.159 --> 00:54:31.159 right They don't know a lot about Canada. They don't really understand what 806 00:54:31.159 --> 00:54:35.400 the league is, and it's not until they get here that they kind of 807 00:54:35.400 --> 00:54:38.079 go like, Okay, this league, or the story we always hear from 808 00:54:38.159 --> 00:54:43.480 from American players modern times is I didn't know anything about the CFL, So 809 00:54:43.559 --> 00:54:45.119 I looked it up on YouTube, right, and they go and they watch 810 00:54:45.119 --> 00:54:47.719 a bunch of clips and they kind of go, Okay, I understand kind 811 00:54:47.719 --> 00:54:51.480 of who these teams are, kind of what these schemes are. You know, 812 00:54:51.519 --> 00:54:55.159 the field is really big, there's all this motion, so you know, 813 00:54:55.320 --> 00:54:59.760 just given that they can stay local and they can make you know about 814 00:54:59.800 --> 00:55:02.480 the amount of money playing less games. I don't blame young players for deciding, 815 00:55:02.519 --> 00:55:07.119 yeah, I'll play XFL or I'll play USFL as my route to try 816 00:55:07.159 --> 00:55:09.440 to get back to the NFL rather than coming up to Canada. So I 817 00:55:09.480 --> 00:55:15.039 can't speak for my own personal feelings or for the public in general, but 818 00:55:15.199 --> 00:55:19.400 what I can say is from a CFL standpoint, the hope is that these 819 00:55:20.039 --> 00:55:22.079 leagues, if one of them sticks around, or there's a merger of some 820 00:55:22.159 --> 00:55:29.199 kind, even that would be a lot better than having sixteen independent teams operated 821 00:55:29.239 --> 00:55:31.920 because it does chew up a lot of that talent that would have other ways 822 00:55:31.960 --> 00:55:36.199 come up to the CFL. And I think the position that's hurting most honestly 823 00:55:36.280 --> 00:55:40.159 is the quarterback spot, where obviously every league, even the NFL, needs 824 00:55:40.199 --> 00:55:45.519 stars and a high level of play to have the best level of entertainment value 825 00:55:45.519 --> 00:55:49.920 associated with their product. I want to get your take on, you know, 826 00:55:50.079 --> 00:55:55.039 I and obviously we came into the CFL and it was very like tumultuous 827 00:55:55.079 --> 00:55:58.559 that you know, a lot of tension there right with the XFL and all 828 00:55:58.639 --> 00:56:01.360 that, But todd with our listeners. You know, other people that cover 829 00:56:01.480 --> 00:56:05.360 and we have you know, with like CFL New sub and guys that cover 830 00:56:05.440 --> 00:56:09.679 these things, and not to me, the CFL is a wonderful world, 831 00:56:09.760 --> 00:56:14.400 like once you're in it. Right now we're getting ready for CFL coverage. 832 00:56:14.639 --> 00:56:15.800 I can call people, I can get you, you know, try to 833 00:56:15.800 --> 00:56:19.760 get you reporters and fans and go to the games and all that. But 834 00:56:19.960 --> 00:56:22.519 when you're when you're outside the world as a fan or either with me, 835 00:56:22.800 --> 00:56:25.880 it's a little harder to break into, if that makes sense. And I 836 00:56:25.920 --> 00:56:30.000 feel like there's a level of the word I use is like gate keeping, 837 00:56:30.159 --> 00:56:34.239 if that makes sense, Like if you don't know or you don't know the 838 00:56:34.280 --> 00:56:37.800 last fifty years of you know, the Ottawa's, you know all this stuff, 839 00:56:37.440 --> 00:56:39.159 you know, it makes it hard to be a fan, right, 840 00:56:39.199 --> 00:56:43.519 like I hear I am even a new NFL fan, right I didn't. 841 00:56:43.599 --> 00:56:45.760 It was the XFL that got me into the NFL back in the twenty twenty, 842 00:56:45.800 --> 00:56:49.480 Like I covered the Seahawks here in Silla, but I didn't watch a 843 00:56:49.519 --> 00:56:52.000 lot of other stuff. And I'm just curious to your thoughts on that, 844 00:56:52.000 --> 00:56:53.719 because like now that I'm in it, I love the CFL, love everything. 845 00:56:53.760 --> 00:56:57.119 It's great. But getting to that point, and I don't know if 846 00:56:57.280 --> 00:57:00.440 the CFL makes itself too hard to get into, you know, from a 847 00:57:00.480 --> 00:57:04.360 fan and even from players, well you gotta come up here, you got 848 00:57:04.360 --> 00:57:06.800 to work your ass off for three years and they maybe we'll give you a 849 00:57:06.800 --> 00:57:12.800 shot. I would say that that I think gatekeeping is probably a fair way 850 00:57:12.800 --> 00:57:16.079 to say it. There is a lot to learn about the CFL. And 851 00:57:16.119 --> 00:57:20.639 I think the reason people feel that way, that that kind of sense of 852 00:57:20.679 --> 00:57:25.199 protectionism is because it is something that is distinctly Canadian, and I think as 853 00:57:25.360 --> 00:57:30.320 and I'm born and raised Canadian, I live in Winnipeg, was born here. 854 00:57:30.639 --> 00:57:36.159 I do think that there is sometimes an inferiority complex for Canadians just in 855 00:57:36.159 --> 00:57:38.719 general, right and and speaking as a Canadian who works in the media, 856 00:57:38.840 --> 00:57:44.360 we are bombarded like like a lot of Canadians will talk American politics or engage 857 00:57:44.360 --> 00:57:45.719 and I have a family in the United States by I got a family in 858 00:57:45.760 --> 00:57:47.920 Boston, I got a family in Saint Louis, like a family and a 859 00:57:49.000 --> 00:57:52.280 number of US cities, and we're in tune with your politics and things that 860 00:57:52.280 --> 00:57:55.239 are happening in the United States. We talk about, you know, all 861 00:57:55.320 --> 00:57:59.920 kinds of political things, whether it's the abortion debate, the gun debate, 862 00:58:00.119 --> 00:58:04.599 things like that, because we are inundated with your media and we know that 863 00:58:04.639 --> 00:58:07.159 the same is not true in reverse. And that's appropriate in many respects. 864 00:58:07.199 --> 00:58:12.480 Obviously Canada has I mean, Canada's the population of California. So you know, 865 00:58:12.480 --> 00:58:15.400 it's not reasonable for us to think that Americans are ever going to be 866 00:58:15.599 --> 00:58:19.719 anywhere close to us in tune as what's going on in Canada as we would 867 00:58:19.760 --> 00:58:22.880 be there. And that being said that that can be a good thing, 868 00:58:22.880 --> 00:58:27.440 it can also be a bad thing. Like like a lot of Canadian radio 869 00:58:27.440 --> 00:58:31.400 stations for instance, or network television have regulations in place that a certain amount 870 00:58:31.400 --> 00:58:36.119 of content has to be Canadian, and the reason for that is they're aware, 871 00:58:36.519 --> 00:58:39.800 the government is aware that if people are given carte blanche to play whatever 872 00:58:39.880 --> 00:58:45.199 music they want or whatever television shows or anything like that, that it's inevitable 873 00:58:45.199 --> 00:58:47.519 that American media is going to win because there's just so much more resources down 874 00:58:47.559 --> 00:58:51.719 there in terms of eyeballs, in terms of money, in terms of all 875 00:58:51.719 --> 00:58:54.599 those things, and your currency is also stronger. The Canadian dollar is worth 876 00:58:54.639 --> 00:58:59.320 about twenty twenty five percent, depending on the day, less than the American 877 00:58:59.360 --> 00:59:04.000 dollars. So I think that all of those things culminate in an environment where 878 00:59:04.079 --> 00:59:06.840 where Canadian football fans and CFL fans it. For the record, I am 879 00:59:06.880 --> 00:59:08.960 an NFL fan. I've always followed the NFL, not as closely as the 880 00:59:08.960 --> 00:59:13.000 CFL, but I've always followed both, even in silent like I grew up 881 00:59:13.000 --> 00:59:15.559 as a little kid playing Madden, so like, the NFL has always been 882 00:59:15.599 --> 00:59:20.480 part of my life. But there is I think that sense of protection or 883 00:59:20.519 --> 00:59:22.639 fear where it's like, well, people are people are gonna judge the CFL 884 00:59:22.679 --> 00:59:25.599 before they get a chance to get to know it, or people are gonna, 885 00:59:25.679 --> 00:59:29.239 you know, they're they're they're gonna they're not They're not gonna give the 886 00:59:29.280 --> 00:59:34.280 CFL a proper chance. So why would we give them a chance to fall 887 00:59:34.320 --> 00:59:37.079 in love with the CFL or learn about the CFR or know about the CFL. 888 00:59:37.119 --> 00:59:39.800 Because I do think the general feeling in Canada is that three down football 889 00:59:39.840 --> 00:59:45.079 has better rules than four down football. I will personally say that I am 890 00:59:45.119 --> 00:59:47.360 a proponent of that thought. I do find the three down game more interesting 891 00:59:47.679 --> 00:59:52.760 than the four down game. Um So, I think that when you talk 892 00:59:52.800 --> 00:59:59.000 about CFL fans being a little bit you know, or engaging in some gatekeeper 893 00:59:59.159 --> 01:00:02.559 ism, if you will, I think it ties into a larger conversation about 894 01:00:02.599 --> 01:00:06.360 what does it mean to be Canadian and also what does it mean to be 895 01:00:06.400 --> 01:00:10.840 Canadian in an environment in modern times with you know, not just traditional media 896 01:00:10.880 --> 01:00:15.519 but also new media and digital media and social media just being inundated twenty four 897 01:00:15.519 --> 01:00:21.440 to seven by the American news cycle and American culture and American content, which 898 01:00:21.480 --> 01:00:25.039 again in and of itself is not bad, but is also at times, 899 01:00:25.360 --> 01:00:30.119 you know, at least can be perceived as a threat to what Canadians, 900 01:00:30.159 --> 01:00:32.400 you know, perceived to be theirs or perceived to be unique about Canada, 901 01:00:32.440 --> 01:00:37.199 because Canada is a different place. It's culturally similar in many ways. In 902 01:00:37.239 --> 01:00:39.559 many ways, it's it's very dissimilar. So I think that it all ties 903 01:00:39.599 --> 01:00:44.039 into that big mosaic of what is Canada, what is the US? And 904 01:00:44.320 --> 01:00:49.519 how do Canadians feel on any given day about what that relationship is like that 905 01:00:49.599 --> 01:00:52.320 dynamic is like, well, no, it is and it's I get it 906 01:00:52.320 --> 01:00:57.039 and I understand it all kind of having lived through it now, but it 907 01:00:57.199 --> 01:01:00.760 is you know, it is alarming when you try to get into it right 908 01:01:00.760 --> 01:01:02.320 and now you know, having kind of lived through it and talk to people, 909 01:01:02.320 --> 01:01:06.480 and I think going to the to the Great Cup, the first Hamilton 910 01:01:06.559 --> 01:01:08.480 when we went to like, you get it when you when you get all 911 01:01:08.480 --> 01:01:12.000 these people in the room when you're talking with it. But it's online, 912 01:01:12.039 --> 01:01:15.039 it's always worse. I mean, and obviously we we've lived through that and 913 01:01:15.159 --> 01:01:19.360 everything else. But um, thoughts on the kind of the health of the 914 01:01:19.400 --> 01:01:22.159 CFL here. I know we I've watched obviously the preseason game and I want 915 01:01:22.159 --> 01:01:25.599 to get to ultimately the goal of here of the CFL plus discussion, uh, 916 01:01:25.639 --> 01:01:29.840 you know, seventeen thousand in Calgary, which looked to me, you 917 01:01:29.880 --> 01:01:32.760 know, having tracked XFL attendance all year is phenomenal for me for you know, 918 01:01:32.840 --> 01:01:37.159 preseason game. But uh, you know we I had heard reports, 919 01:01:37.199 --> 01:01:39.639 you know, Calgary they're not going to sell the Upper Bowl. I just 920 01:01:39.679 --> 01:01:44.840 saw Pipple's Pod had an article that like mosaics trying to lower concession prices, 921 01:01:44.880 --> 01:01:47.239 Like, what is your health here going into the CFL this season? Obviously 922 01:01:47.280 --> 01:01:51.440 Amar Doman, you know, making big strides over at BC, how are 923 01:01:51.440 --> 01:01:54.960 you kind of feeling welfare check? I think the CFL is in the best 924 01:01:55.000 --> 01:02:00.280 place it's been in in a long time. Um, that be said, 925 01:02:00.280 --> 01:02:01.559 there's a lot of work to do. And the reason I say that, 926 01:02:01.599 --> 01:02:04.360 at the end of the day, I think the sales in a good spot 927 01:02:04.440 --> 01:02:07.320 is largely due to ownership. I mean, Pierre Carl Pelado is the first 928 01:02:07.320 --> 01:02:12.400 local owner that the Montreal Elettes have had in decades, and he's a billionaire, 929 01:02:12.440 --> 01:02:15.320 Like you can't you can't really argue with that. And also if his 930 01:02:15.480 --> 01:02:20.000 level of engagement was in question, I mean he was at their first day 931 01:02:20.039 --> 01:02:22.960 of training camp, which I thought is really cool, Like training camp is 932 01:02:22.039 --> 01:02:27.559 boring just by definition, like it's it's generally not interesting. In a three 933 01:02:27.559 --> 01:02:30.440 week training camp, there might be four interesting things that happened, be it 934 01:02:30.440 --> 01:02:36.800 an injury or whatever, right or or a big a player arrives later there's 935 01:02:36.800 --> 01:02:39.079 a suspension right like or a fight like like. Training camp is boring by 936 01:02:39.119 --> 01:02:43.800 definition. And Pierre Carl Pelado took the time to be there as a billionaire, 937 01:02:43.800 --> 01:02:45.400 which I think is super cool. And and for the record, training 938 01:02:45.440 --> 01:02:49.639 camp is in TWI Rivier, Quebec, outside of Montreal, so he had 939 01:02:49.639 --> 01:02:52.280 to make extra trip to get to Quebec or to get to that trading camp. 940 01:02:52.280 --> 01:02:54.480 It wasn't just as easy as walking down the street, which was really 941 01:02:54.480 --> 01:02:59.559 cool. And aamardman you mentioned him. He's doing incredible things in Vancouver. 942 01:03:00.119 --> 01:03:04.400 UM the community owned teams in Regina, Winnipeg are doing very well. Edmonton 943 01:03:05.239 --> 01:03:08.079 is struggling, but I think that Victor Quee, their president and CEO, 944 01:03:08.159 --> 01:03:12.639 who's done incredible things in MMA through his own career, I think is the 945 01:03:12.679 --> 01:03:17.039 perfect guy to lead them to that that new generation of success. Things have 946 01:03:17.119 --> 01:03:22.079 gotten bad in Calgary to some extent. We just had Ryan Ballentine, our 947 01:03:22.119 --> 01:03:23.920 own contributor, who I believe has been on your show before Reid, he'll 948 01:03:23.920 --> 01:03:29.880 be on episode Yeah, there you go, There you go. He's like 949 01:03:29.960 --> 01:03:31.239 he had Jay McNeill on his show, he'd be the best person to talk 950 01:03:31.280 --> 01:03:36.360 about this. Jay McNeil is the vice president of business for the Stampeters. 951 01:03:36.440 --> 01:03:38.440 I believe he is next in line to be their president. John huff Nagles, 952 01:03:38.440 --> 01:03:43.000 the team's president, huffs into his seventies. I don't imagine he wants 953 01:03:43.039 --> 01:03:45.880 to be the president much longer. At some point, you just have to 954 01:03:45.360 --> 01:03:50.079 enjoy your life and go fishing. So I think that the leadership is in 955 01:03:50.360 --> 01:03:53.880 is generally speaking across the CFL, in position for this lead to be successful. 956 01:03:53.880 --> 01:03:59.199 The issue is they were really weakened by the COVID pandemic and they're they're 957 01:03:59.239 --> 01:04:02.880 just behind on a lot of digital trends, and that's getting into the CFL 958 01:04:02.880 --> 01:04:08.719 plus thing that I know we'll talk about, but you know they're there. 959 01:04:09.039 --> 01:04:12.800 I think coming out of the pandemic was just about survival, and this next 960 01:04:12.880 --> 01:04:16.039 chapter is about thriving. And I know that you know, the league keeps 961 01:04:16.039 --> 01:04:20.119 talking about expansion. I don't personally believe that expansion is any closer to happening 962 01:04:20.119 --> 01:04:23.920 now than it was twenty years ago, which is a big problem because at 963 01:04:23.920 --> 01:04:27.880 some point people are just going to get tired of talking about expansion because we 964 01:04:27.960 --> 01:04:30.480 talk about it and it never happens. With that said, I will also 965 01:04:30.519 --> 01:04:33.599 say for people who haven't followed in the CFL for more than about a decade, 966 01:04:33.920 --> 01:04:38.559 like Ottawa folded as the ugh Riders in nineteen ninety six, they've been 967 01:04:38.559 --> 01:04:43.519 around over a century. They came back as the Renegades in two and then 968 01:04:43.559 --> 01:04:46.079 folded after the O five season due to bad ownership. And so after they 969 01:04:46.119 --> 01:04:49.159 folded a second time, there was a period of almost ten years where everybody 970 01:04:49.239 --> 01:04:53.880 said, well, we all know that the CFL will never work in Ottawa 971 01:04:53.920 --> 01:04:57.519 because it's failed twice now in the span of ten years. And now the 972 01:04:57.559 --> 01:05:02.440 Red Blacks are arguably in the best position of any privately owned CFL team, 973 01:05:02.480 --> 01:05:05.920 Like they have a young crowd, generally at TV plays, and even though 974 01:05:05.960 --> 01:05:11.039 the team has been objectively terrible for the last couple of seasons, their ticket 975 01:05:11.079 --> 01:05:14.440 numbers are still pretty darn good. And again, their demographics, I've been 976 01:05:14.480 --> 01:05:16.639 led to believe are some of the best in the CFL in terms of getting 977 01:05:16.679 --> 01:05:19.400 women out to games, in terms of getting younger people out to games. 978 01:05:19.480 --> 01:05:24.760 So, you know, this league has a ton of work to do over 979 01:05:24.800 --> 01:05:28.760 the next five years, and I think they've wasted Frank lay some time and 980 01:05:28.800 --> 01:05:31.920 resources on some initiatives that have just been a waste of time. But I 981 01:05:31.960 --> 01:05:35.800 think that the initiatives they're starting to prioritize and the groundwork they're starting to lay, 982 01:05:36.400 --> 01:05:40.800 if they are able to make the right decisions and have the right leadership 983 01:05:40.880 --> 01:05:44.800 and execute things the right way, to make some very positive steps in the 984 01:05:44.840 --> 01:05:48.039 next five years. Yeah. So, speaking of the TV deal, right, 985 01:05:48.079 --> 01:05:53.280 obviously, we are primarily American listeners here very excited going into the you 986 01:05:53.320 --> 01:05:56.159 know, the season. We were there last year, Ambrosi, Okay, 987 01:05:56.159 --> 01:06:00.440 we're doing Genius Sports, all that big excitement whatever. This year, we 988 01:06:00.480 --> 01:06:02.559 have the American TV deal that's coming, right, it's coming. It's coming. 989 01:06:02.679 --> 01:06:05.320 I think I had Randy on during the CFL media day. Okay, 990 01:06:05.360 --> 01:06:10.039 it's still coming. And then you know we get to and it, you 991 01:06:10.079 --> 01:06:12.239 know, it feels a little bit like a wet fart, right, Okay, 992 01:06:12.239 --> 01:06:15.199 we're kind of on CBS Sports, right, We're kind of on you 993 01:06:15.199 --> 01:06:18.079 know, we're kind of on the CFL. I heard donk on Rod Show 994 01:06:18.119 --> 01:06:21.360 this week talking you know, like people complaining, Like, I don't know 995 01:06:21.360 --> 01:06:25.679 who can complain about anything free. I mean the CFL, like it works 996 01:06:25.719 --> 01:06:28.119 great. I watched the whole thing, But what do you make of this, 997 01:06:28.159 --> 01:06:32.199 like splinter than we we've got more money than we got before from CBS, 998 01:06:32.360 --> 01:06:34.920 but now we're giving away kind of half of our games for free. 999 01:06:36.280 --> 01:06:40.400 Well, I think this is kind of a necessary evil, Like this is 1000 01:06:40.440 --> 01:06:44.480 something that the CFL has tried to do for a long time, which is 1001 01:06:44.559 --> 01:06:47.559 monetize. It's right south of the border. We all know that Americans love 1002 01:06:47.559 --> 01:06:53.639 to watch football. Traditionally that's been NFL on college. I know that XFL 1003 01:06:53.679 --> 01:06:58.000 and USFL ratings, and you're obviously much more familiar with those numbers than I 1004 01:06:58.039 --> 01:07:00.639 have. I know there's been a lot of fluctuation. I see things on 1005 01:07:00.679 --> 01:07:03.280 my Twitter timeline where one week there's a game that pops off but people seem 1006 01:07:03.320 --> 01:07:06.480 really happy, and the next week there's a game that does really poorly and 1007 01:07:06.599 --> 01:07:11.440 people start ringing their hands. So that's the extent of what I know about 1008 01:07:11.480 --> 01:07:15.440 their ratings for those those other leagues. But obviously, right we are a 1009 01:07:15.480 --> 01:07:18.880 country in Canada of again about forty million people. A little bit less. 1010 01:07:19.320 --> 01:07:25.159 If you can turn even you know, two percent of NFL fans into hardcore 1011 01:07:25.239 --> 01:07:29.480 CFL fans, this league could double its television revenue and that would be incredible. 1012 01:07:29.519 --> 01:07:33.000 The rights in Canada are worth about fifty million dollars a year. I've 1013 01:07:33.039 --> 01:07:36.880 been led to believe that the old TV deal with ESPN paid in the neighborhood 1014 01:07:36.920 --> 01:07:40.800 of you know, one to two hundred grand, which is you know, 1015 01:07:40.960 --> 01:07:44.679 next to nothing. We're talking like less than one percent of what the Canadian 1016 01:07:44.760 --> 01:07:48.800 d role was. Reportedly, this new deal with CBS is one million dollars, 1017 01:07:48.840 --> 01:07:53.960 which you know is two percent of what the Canadian rights are. So 1018 01:07:54.119 --> 01:07:58.320 they're moving in the right direction. But this is not a revolutionary source of 1019 01:07:58.360 --> 01:08:00.920 income for the CFL now through CBS, and I think what this new deal 1020 01:08:01.440 --> 01:08:08.719 with the free streaming services for the CFL is all about data collection. This 1021 01:08:08.800 --> 01:08:13.159 is something that's going to allow the CFL to know who exactly is tuning into 1022 01:08:13.199 --> 01:08:15.720 our games, where exactly are they tuning into the games. Because the CFL, 1023 01:08:15.880 --> 01:08:17.840 right now, you know, they sell the data. They sell the 1024 01:08:18.960 --> 01:08:23.840 at least in past years, have sold the TV rights and ESPN just syndicates 1025 01:08:23.880 --> 01:08:27.000 everything, which is cool. But now you're getting more money from CBS, 1026 01:08:27.159 --> 01:08:30.279 You're maybe losing some exposure, but what you are doing is you're checking on 1027 01:08:30.319 --> 01:08:35.520 Okay, how has the exposure previously on ESPN translated to people wanting to watch 1028 01:08:35.600 --> 01:08:40.479 us? Because the CFL doing this themselves means they're exclusively going to have the 1029 01:08:40.640 --> 01:08:43.840 data of who is tuning in? Are these men? Are these women? 1030 01:08:44.079 --> 01:08:45.479 How old are they? Do we have an older crowd in the US or 1031 01:08:45.520 --> 01:08:49.119 a younger crowd? Where are people tuning in? Do we have a surprise 1032 01:08:49.600 --> 01:08:55.560 bastion of CFL fans in Florida versus Oklahoma? Or is our is our bread 1033 01:08:55.600 --> 01:08:59.960 and butter? Texas versus California? Like? Where where are people tuning in? 1034 01:09:00.680 --> 01:09:03.079 Why are they tuning in? And also which teams are they tuning into? 1035 01:09:03.239 --> 01:09:09.000 Do we find that Bolivy Mitchell's ratings from his tenure being a star quarterback 1036 01:09:09.000 --> 01:09:13.239 in high school in Texas? Is he a real push for American fans like 1037 01:09:13.279 --> 01:09:15.079 our fans going out of their way to tune in a bolia Vy Mitchell is 1038 01:09:15.079 --> 01:09:18.079 playing? Or are they going out of their way to watch that Calars who 1039 01:09:18.079 --> 01:09:21.399 albeit ten years ago, was a big star at Cincinnati with the Bearcats, 1040 01:09:21.439 --> 01:09:26.319 Like This is something that I think the CFL is going to use this season 1041 01:09:26.600 --> 01:09:30.399 to collect that data, and the more data and that they have, the 1042 01:09:30.560 --> 01:09:33.439 better they're going to be able to sell things down the line to potentially other 1043 01:09:33.479 --> 01:09:36.920 television partners where they can go, Okay, we gave away service for free 1044 01:09:36.960 --> 01:09:41.680 for X number of years. These are the million data points that we've got, 1045 01:09:41.760 --> 01:09:45.319 or millions of data points that we've got, and we want to give 1046 01:09:45.359 --> 01:09:48.159 this to you to now monetize it to the best year of your ability and 1047 01:09:48.239 --> 01:09:56.560 also specifically target your ads to these people and something else I'll mention this is 1048 01:09:56.640 --> 01:10:00.359 probably getting ahead of the game a little bit, but long term, right, 1049 01:10:00.399 --> 01:10:04.319 we've seen the NFL start to dip their toe into online streaming and not 1050 01:10:04.399 --> 01:10:09.720 selling their rights to traditional media in the form of television, but instead doing 1051 01:10:09.720 --> 01:10:13.560 with online partners. You know, this would be a game changer for the 1052 01:10:13.600 --> 01:10:16.760 CFL. If Apple right came along and said, yeah, we want to 1053 01:10:16.800 --> 01:10:21.760 exclusively broadcast your games to the world, so outside of Canada, We're going 1054 01:10:21.800 --> 01:10:25.880 to give you X amount of money and the CFLs just gonna live on Apple 1055 01:10:25.920 --> 01:10:30.720 TV like that, that is also a game changer potentially if a non traditional 1056 01:10:30.760 --> 01:10:32.159 media company, if Amazon wanted to come and say, yeah, we're gonna 1057 01:10:32.199 --> 01:10:36.039 make Prime the home of international CFL. That market. I don't think it's 1058 01:10:36.079 --> 01:10:40.119 huge right now, but by giving it away for free, I think the 1059 01:10:40.119 --> 01:10:43.880 CFLs hoping to grow it and have the data to try to enhance that and 1060 01:10:43.960 --> 01:10:46.479 make it make it better as time goes on. Have you did we get 1061 01:10:46.520 --> 01:10:48.720 a sense? And I know we've just had the one so far, and 1062 01:10:48.760 --> 01:10:53.239 it was the great CFL preseason thunderstorm, and there was a lot of different 1063 01:10:53.279 --> 01:10:57.279 things in within to it. But any sense I emailed Lucas, like, 1064 01:10:57.439 --> 01:11:00.239 any sense is that how many people logged into that? Because I know and 1065 01:11:00.319 --> 01:11:02.439 obviously I have a just my small stamp on Twitter. Yeah, but I 1066 01:11:02.720 --> 01:11:06.000 tweeted out, hey, wat something, I've probably had twenty people. Hey, 1067 01:11:06.079 --> 01:11:09.079 yeah, well you know I signed up too. You know I got 1068 01:11:09.119 --> 01:11:10.560 them. The thing? You know, this is like, you know, 1069 01:11:10.640 --> 01:11:13.560 obviously a fraction, but you know, if I could get twenty twenty five 1070 01:11:13.600 --> 01:11:15.319 people here, Like, do you have any sense of how many people logged 1071 01:11:15.359 --> 01:11:19.119 on? Or are they going to release those numbers at some point? I 1072 01:11:19.239 --> 01:11:24.439 don't and I would be very surprised if they announced anything. But with that 1073 01:11:24.560 --> 01:11:29.079 being said, at least judging by a like an informal, you know, 1074 01:11:29.159 --> 01:11:32.479 social media sense of things. I was also, I think, you know, 1075 01:11:32.520 --> 01:11:35.920 at least pleasantly surprised by how many people seem to be watching. I 1076 01:11:35.960 --> 01:11:39.640 know, obviously people are hungry for CFL action. We haven't had any in 1077 01:11:39.680 --> 01:11:44.520 six months. And it also helps that the game happened on the long weekend, 1078 01:11:44.600 --> 01:11:46.279 right, Canadians had the Monday off we called Victoria Day. What do 1079 01:11:46.279 --> 01:11:48.319 you guys call it in the States? We don't, Well, we have 1080 01:11:48.399 --> 01:11:53.079 Amorial Day next weekend. This is I worked, okay, yeah, okay, 1081 01:11:53.079 --> 01:11:56.560 so Americans were working, but Canadians were of this past this past Monday, 1082 01:11:56.640 --> 01:12:00.840 so we we it's Victoria. We've just called May long. Really But 1083 01:12:01.399 --> 01:12:05.159 anyways, that that obviously helps that people are generally not doing anything. I 1084 01:12:05.199 --> 01:12:09.640 also think putting things on a Monday afternoon of the long weekend is really smart 1085 01:12:09.680 --> 01:12:12.000 because a lot of people are going to use the long weekend to travel or 1086 01:12:12.000 --> 01:12:15.720 go to the cottage, and they're they're back home by by later in the 1087 01:12:15.800 --> 01:12:18.159 day on Monday. So that's I think that from a scheduling standpoint, was 1088 01:12:18.239 --> 01:12:21.880 very helpful. Um. I will also ask the league once this is all 1089 01:12:21.920 --> 01:12:25.760 said and done, how they how they felt the streaming wet, and how 1090 01:12:25.760 --> 01:12:29.039 the preseason live thing worked in Canada. But my guess is they're going to 1091 01:12:29.159 --> 01:12:32.800 keep any numbers and data points they have very close to the chest because like 1092 01:12:32.840 --> 01:12:36.800 any smart business should. My speculation is that they're going to try to sell 1093 01:12:36.840 --> 01:12:41.560 this to somebody or at least use this information to turn into money at some 1094 01:12:41.600 --> 01:12:44.439 point down the road. Yeah, because my fear with this and like I 1095 01:12:44.439 --> 01:12:46.119 said, I don't know, you never want to complain with free stuff. 1096 01:12:46.159 --> 01:12:48.960 And you know, the production was fine, that Mark did a great job. 1097 01:12:49.000 --> 01:12:51.479 You know, Mark's calling the game and I can't remember his co host, 1098 01:12:51.479 --> 01:12:54.359 but you know Mark's on there and he's a friend of the show, 1099 01:12:54.399 --> 01:12:58.560 Mark Stevens and um. But you know, like we got money from CBS 1100 01:12:58.600 --> 01:13:02.039 Sports. You know, no one else wanted to pay for the other part 1101 01:13:02.079 --> 01:13:05.199 of that. Now we're doing, like do CBS then next year do they 1102 01:13:05.199 --> 01:13:09.159 sit there and go, well, we're not going to pay as much now 1103 01:13:09.199 --> 01:13:12.239 because there clearly wasn't you know what I mean, there wasn't another I'm just 1104 01:13:12.560 --> 01:13:15.520 curious here years after that giving this, like the CBS realized there's not a 1105 01:13:15.520 --> 01:13:18.680 buyer's market for the Cbowl. And I don't know why there's not because I 1106 01:13:18.760 --> 01:13:21.159 said, people clamor for football all the time. I don't know why there's 1107 01:13:21.159 --> 01:13:27.560 not that appetite here in the States. Well, and I mean the thing 1108 01:13:27.640 --> 01:13:31.159 that I keep hearing and I mean even um, you know this is something 1109 01:13:31.199 --> 01:13:36.479 with you know I've heard like Pat McAfee talk about is like oh yeah, 1110 01:13:36.520 --> 01:13:39.880 like you know, back in training camp with the Colts, like we would 1111 01:13:39.880 --> 01:13:44.520 always watch CFL games and people generally watch their exposed to the CFL fall in 1112 01:13:44.560 --> 01:13:48.079 love with it as as you have for instance. But yeah, it could 1113 01:13:48.079 --> 01:13:49.920 be a hard game to get in front of people. I mean, and 1114 01:13:49.920 --> 01:13:55.439 it's it's never been tougher to get eyeballs on a particular product. There's just 1115 01:13:55.479 --> 01:13:59.920 so much happening in a digital world all the time to get people to tune 1116 01:14:00.039 --> 01:14:02.279 in. I know, one thing that the CFL really needs to change is 1117 01:14:02.319 --> 01:14:09.319 currently they are extremely protective of their replays and highlights. For instance, if 1118 01:14:09.640 --> 01:14:13.399 you know, for instance, part way through this broadcast read if you wanted 1119 01:14:13.439 --> 01:14:16.560 to intercut it with a touchdown pass from you know, Believa Mitchell to Kamar 1120 01:14:16.640 --> 01:14:20.680 Jordan from last season, you would probably get a letter from a lawyer the 1121 01:14:20.720 --> 01:14:26.479 next week saying that that's a bad thing, and I, personally, in 1122 01:14:26.760 --> 01:14:30.760 the modern day, think that that is completely backwards. We need to be 1123 01:14:30.079 --> 01:14:34.000 putting this product that is exciting and is interesting and is entertaining in front of 1124 01:14:34.000 --> 01:14:40.119 as many people as possible, and maybe giving away a number of games for 1125 01:14:40.199 --> 01:14:43.199 free to the people of the US. Will prop the CFL to make that 1126 01:14:43.239 --> 01:14:46.359 decision and say, Okay, maybe instead of policing who is sending out our 1127 01:14:46.399 --> 01:14:50.640 highlights, maybe we should encourage them to post highlights because if somebody watches a 1128 01:14:50.720 --> 01:14:57.079 highlight in May of something that happened last year, they'll be more likely to 1129 01:14:57.119 --> 01:15:00.000 buy a ticket to a game, to a home opener next month. Because 1130 01:15:00.000 --> 01:15:02.760 I think that's a huge problem. People right now often go six months without 1131 01:15:02.800 --> 01:15:06.319 seeing a single highlight from the CFL. That's crazy, right, Like, 1132 01:15:06.359 --> 01:15:11.119 I'm on TikTok, I'm on Instagram, I'm on Twitter. Every day, 1133 01:15:11.159 --> 01:15:15.000 I swear I see some type of NFL highlight Lamar Jack's rolling out making some 1134 01:15:15.039 --> 01:15:20.479 crazy play, or justin Jefferson completely undressing a corner on some unbelievably nasty route 1135 01:15:20.520 --> 01:15:24.880 that he's run. We need to get that same exposure for the CFL. 1136 01:15:25.000 --> 01:15:28.399 So I think the giving it away for free, I mean, and look, 1137 01:15:28.399 --> 01:15:30.319 if CBS doesn't want this to be given away for free, they get 1138 01:15:30.359 --> 01:15:33.119 to show all the games. They're not doing that right. They chose to 1139 01:15:33.199 --> 01:15:38.079 show under half. There's eighty two eighty one regular season games. I think 1140 01:15:38.119 --> 01:15:41.479 they're showing thirty seven. So if if CBS didn't want this to happen, 1141 01:15:42.159 --> 01:15:45.039 theoretically they could have ponied up more money and stopped it. And and the 1142 01:15:45.039 --> 01:15:47.079 CFL is has decided to fill the gap, which which I think is smart. 1143 01:15:47.560 --> 01:15:49.640 I'll let you go here, see and my promise, I appreciate the 1144 01:15:49.680 --> 01:15:55.199 extended time here because I, you know, in my position, just as 1145 01:15:55.800 --> 01:15:58.039 you know, trying to give views and you know, all this kind of 1146 01:15:58.039 --> 01:16:00.199 stent like yeah, I was trying to look at the other side, you 1147 01:16:00.239 --> 01:16:01.720 know, and I saw Hey, Randy came out, Hey, we're champion 1148 01:16:01.840 --> 01:16:04.960 this. It's free. We want access, you know, because I always 1149 01:16:04.960 --> 01:16:09.079 think, well that's the way you spin it when we'll know what no one 1150 01:16:09.159 --> 01:16:12.239 wanted it right that we well, now we're going to champion the other side. 1151 01:16:12.239 --> 01:16:13.720 We're going to say, well, no, we want to give this 1152 01:16:13.760 --> 01:16:15.600 away for free. We want people to have access to it. That that's 1153 01:16:15.680 --> 01:16:17.920 how you spin that. You get what I mean? And I know that 1154 01:16:17.960 --> 01:16:20.439 I've heard for years. You know, Randy's the biggest spinner in the world. 1155 01:16:20.479 --> 01:16:25.199 Like do you do you read that? And do you are do you 1156 01:16:25.239 --> 01:16:27.560 agree disagree? What are your thoughts are? Kind of how I how I 1157 01:16:27.720 --> 01:16:32.399 viewed it? Well, I think Randy Ambrosi's job is ultimately to be the 1158 01:16:32.399 --> 01:16:36.600 CFL's biggest salesperson. Um, So obviously he's going to talk about it in 1159 01:16:38.000 --> 01:16:43.199 glowing terms. Um. I've been highly critical of Randy Ambrosie for certain initiatives 1160 01:16:43.199 --> 01:16:46.680 that he's undertaken during his ten years a league's commissioner, um, which I 1161 01:16:46.720 --> 01:16:50.039 mean, he still feels like a new commissioner. I think he's been at 1162 01:16:50.079 --> 01:16:53.359 the league now for some like seven years, which is wild. He's now 1163 01:16:53.399 --> 01:16:56.479 one of the longest tenured commissioners in league history. That is, by the 1164 01:16:56.520 --> 01:17:00.319 way, something the CFL is notorious for. In the NFL or most national 1165 01:17:00.399 --> 01:17:02.159 leagues, if you get the commissioner's ship, it's like a lifetime gig, 1166 01:17:02.199 --> 01:17:05.119 and the CFL we kick you out after three years. It's generally a pretty 1167 01:17:05.159 --> 01:17:10.640 short lived position for one reason or another. But that being said, I 1168 01:17:10.640 --> 01:17:14.560 do think this is positive. The CFL was stuck in this rut where for 1169 01:17:14.600 --> 01:17:17.039 many, many years they would sell their rights to ESPN for pennies on the 1170 01:17:17.039 --> 01:17:21.479 dollar and ESPN wouldn't promote the games. They would throw them on a random 1171 01:17:21.560 --> 01:17:27.039 channel. Often they would make the decision extremely late, far too late even 1172 01:17:27.199 --> 01:17:30.000 for you know, engaged people to say, Oh, okay, where am 1173 01:17:30.039 --> 01:17:31.960 I going to watch the game? Is this on they're streaming? Is this 1174 01:17:32.079 --> 01:17:36.079 on two? Is this on for like like? It became very confusing for 1175 01:17:36.119 --> 01:17:40.680 people who are watching the games. And now for the CFL to say, 1176 01:17:40.680 --> 01:17:45.119 hey, over half of our games are here and they're free, that's a 1177 01:17:45.159 --> 01:17:47.800 pretty idiot proof way to get more people engaged. Yes, you have to 1178 01:17:47.800 --> 01:17:50.880 go the extra step to signing up on CFL dot CAA, but that's not 1179 01:17:51.399 --> 01:17:55.560 a hard step to undertake if you are someone who cares about the CFL, 1180 01:17:55.920 --> 01:17:59.800 and if you're someone who happens to just have CBS and that particular channel, 1181 01:18:00.479 --> 01:18:02.880 literally every other game is there, and from my understanding, CBS will be 1182 01:18:02.960 --> 01:18:06.239 making an effort to make it clear with bumpers and things like that when the 1183 01:18:06.279 --> 01:18:10.119 games were actually on, because that is another piece of information I hear from 1184 01:18:10.199 --> 01:18:12.560 US fans all the time, which was, oh, I would have watched 1185 01:18:12.560 --> 01:18:15.039 the game on Friday, I just didn't know when it was happening or where 1186 01:18:15.079 --> 01:18:18.439 it was. And I think we do live in an era now like when 1187 01:18:18.439 --> 01:18:24.279 I was a kid, you had the TV guide handbook or you'd look at 1188 01:18:24.279 --> 01:18:27.039 the newspaper for when things were on. That obviously doesn't exist anymore. People 1189 01:18:27.039 --> 01:18:30.159 are not patient enough to go and seek out hours and days at advance when 1190 01:18:30.199 --> 01:18:33.039 is this happening, Like appointment viewing is kind of dead. You really have 1191 01:18:33.159 --> 01:18:38.920 to spoon feed people and say this is what we're showing and win and make 1192 01:18:38.960 --> 01:18:43.600 that very easy for people to connect to. So I think it's fair if 1193 01:18:43.600 --> 01:18:45.920 you want to criticize that it's being given away for free. I would be 1194 01:18:45.960 --> 01:18:50.720 concerned if there was no TV deal and the CFL solution to the ESPN deal 1195 01:18:50.800 --> 01:18:54.760 no longer being a thing was just to say, okay, well, rather 1196 01:18:54.800 --> 01:18:57.399 than selling it for pennies on the dollar, let's just give the whole thing 1197 01:18:57.399 --> 01:19:00.079 away for free. That's not what happened. They partnered, albeit with what 1198 01:19:00.119 --> 01:19:02.800 I understand, a more niche company in the market, but they got more 1199 01:19:02.840 --> 01:19:08.199 money and they're getting more exposure and controlling their own data. So for that 1200 01:19:08.239 --> 01:19:10.439 reason, I see it as positive in a way. It's the best of 1201 01:19:10.439 --> 01:19:14.199 both worlds. You're getting more money and you're also collecting your own data by 1202 01:19:14.199 --> 01:19:17.640 having people come directly to you, and you can't beat the direct to consumer 1203 01:19:17.640 --> 01:19:21.039 model and not going through that third party. So is this a perfect long 1204 01:19:21.159 --> 01:19:28.239 term solution. No, But I don't think that we or any endeavor should 1205 01:19:28.239 --> 01:19:30.960 ever get caught up in not doing a deal because it's not perfect. Because 1206 01:19:31.000 --> 01:19:35.399 good is a lot better than nothing, and the new deal is not perfect, 1207 01:19:35.800 --> 01:19:39.319 but it's good, and I think that that is a stepping stone to 1208 01:19:39.399 --> 01:19:43.840 potentially in the future getting a deal that's very good and then great and maybe 1209 01:19:43.880 --> 01:19:45.359 there's a fantastic deal to be had in twenty five years. But this is 1210 01:19:45.399 --> 01:19:49.279 a long term process and I think this is a positive step towards whatever that 1211 01:19:49.720 --> 01:19:54.239 long term goal for the CFL is, which I would imagine is to have 1212 01:19:54.520 --> 01:20:00.000 American broadcasting deal that is on par or even bigger than their Canadian broadcasting deal. 1213 01:20:00.359 --> 01:20:01.079 Yeah. I mean what like you said, Apple, right, I 1214 01:20:01.119 --> 01:20:03.760 mean what you would do just to have it on I do And last thing 1215 01:20:03.800 --> 01:20:08.640 for me on this. I just you know, and it feels a little 1216 01:20:08.720 --> 01:20:11.600 rushed here getting into the season. Right. We got the radio broadcast all 1217 01:20:11.640 --> 01:20:14.680 that, and I know that they're going to obviously stream the TSN broadcast for 1218 01:20:14.760 --> 01:20:17.760 like the regular games, you know, considering that the CBS Sports Network, 1219 01:20:17.800 --> 01:20:19.920 it's going to be like the app whatever, And I got to figure out 1220 01:20:19.960 --> 01:20:23.520 how to get on all that before, you know, over on the season 1221 01:20:23.520 --> 01:20:28.119 too, Like if we have like a CFL app you know they like on 1222 01:20:28.159 --> 01:20:30.199 the you know, Apple TV or whatever. Because doing the laptop thing, 1223 01:20:30.399 --> 01:20:32.720 jumping back, like I wish it was like that where I could be on 1224 01:20:32.720 --> 01:20:35.359 Apple TV. I could go, you know, I got my CBS Sports 1225 01:20:35.399 --> 01:20:39.199 here, I got my whatever. Because I'm like airplaying the stuff off my 1226 01:20:39.279 --> 01:20:43.239 laptop. I mean it's not super elegant right now, but I think it's 1227 01:20:43.319 --> 01:20:45.039 kind of a stepping stone. But hey, like it worked. I went 1228 01:20:45.039 --> 01:20:47.199 on. It worked, it's free. I was able to watch it. 1229 01:20:47.279 --> 01:20:49.680 It didn't cut out, you know, even through all the kind of stuff. 1230 01:20:49.680 --> 01:20:53.119 So I think it could have gone a lot worse. And I think 1231 01:20:53.119 --> 01:20:56.640 once obviously they just broadcast the TSN games, I think going to look a 1232 01:20:56.680 --> 01:20:59.600 lot more professional, you know what, I mean, well, yeah, 1233 01:20:59.600 --> 01:21:01.560 and really that's what everybody wants, right. We kind of want to, 1234 01:21:01.600 --> 01:21:04.479 in a way go back to cable where it's just you turn on the TV 1235 01:21:04.560 --> 01:21:09.840 and everything that's on is on. And the great thing about Netflix ten years 1236 01:21:09.840 --> 01:21:12.479 ago was you turn on Netflix and everything you want to watch is there. 1237 01:21:12.960 --> 01:21:15.600 And what we've seen over the last ten years in that kind of streaming ecosystem 1238 01:21:15.760 --> 01:21:18.800 is the deterioration where all of a sudden, it's like, I feel like, 1239 01:21:18.840 --> 01:21:21.640 if I want to watch everything, I need twelve streaming services, and 1240 01:21:21.720 --> 01:21:26.600 I don't know what's on what, and I don't know what all my logins 1241 01:21:26.600 --> 01:21:29.119 are because I pay for this one and I share that one of the friend 1242 01:21:29.119 --> 01:21:30.960 and this one is my parents, and this one's my neighbors that I secretly 1243 01:21:31.000 --> 01:21:34.960 don't tell them that I use, and it just becomes chaos and people get 1244 01:21:35.000 --> 01:21:39.319 frustrated and then they tune out. So I agree with you. In twenty 1245 01:21:39.399 --> 01:21:41.800 years from now, and by the way, that might be the goal, 1246 01:21:42.000 --> 01:21:44.760 launch term goal for the NFL. In twenty years, you just turn on 1247 01:21:44.800 --> 01:21:46.680 the NFL app and you watch all the games, and the NFL is going 1248 01:21:46.720 --> 01:21:50.000 to sell all their own advertisements and they're going to do it for hundreds of 1249 01:21:50.039 --> 01:21:54.439 billions of dollars, some ungodly sum of money, and that might be the 1250 01:21:54.479 --> 01:21:58.319 model the CFL wants to copy on a'll be at a very much smaller scale. 1251 01:21:59.199 --> 01:22:01.279 That might be the route NHL goes or whatever. They'll just pay their 1252 01:22:01.279 --> 01:22:05.880 own people to cover the games and talk positively about the league and ignore all 1253 01:22:05.920 --> 01:22:12.880 the negative stories that independent media would cover. Maybe maybe that's the model, 1254 01:22:12.880 --> 01:22:15.159 because as a consumer, that's certainly what I would want. I just want 1255 01:22:15.159 --> 01:22:17.800 to be able to mindlessly turn on my television and no, okay, every 1256 01:22:17.840 --> 01:22:20.159 single thing I want is right here. I don't have to think about it, 1257 01:22:20.159 --> 01:22:23.239 I have to worry about it. I can just focus my energy and 1258 01:22:23.279 --> 01:22:27.800 attention on my job or my personal life or whatever. I don't have to 1259 01:22:27.840 --> 01:22:30.880 spend any time or energy worry abot when to watch our TV, because that's 1260 01:22:31.000 --> 01:22:33.039 that's not where we want to spend our energy. So I get it, 1261 01:22:33.079 --> 01:22:36.640 that's what I want to But we're in a very weird place, I think, 1262 01:22:36.840 --> 01:22:41.439 in media consumption in general, where ten years ago we started digitizing it, 1263 01:22:41.880 --> 01:22:45.359 and as the digital space has exploded, what that's done is it's taken 1264 01:22:45.439 --> 01:22:49.039 something that used to be very simple and made it very complicated. And I'd 1265 01:22:49.039 --> 01:22:53.920 like to think that long term the reverse will happen. It'll become more simple 1266 01:22:54.319 --> 01:22:59.119 as streaming services amalgamate. I know Hulu and Disney Plus are amalgamating in the 1267 01:22:59.199 --> 01:23:03.119 United States, you know, I think that that process will will take place 1268 01:23:03.159 --> 01:23:06.319 and eventually there will only be a couple of streaming services left. But in 1269 01:23:06.319 --> 01:23:09.520 the in the intermediate, yeah, fans are gonna have to do a lot 1270 01:23:09.520 --> 01:23:12.359 of work if if they want to watch stuff, and hopefully this new agreement 1271 01:23:12.359 --> 01:23:15.880 for at least the CFL well will help simplify that process a little bit. 1272 01:23:15.319 --> 01:23:19.039 Yeah, someone that's had conversations with my mother last week about getting the NFL 1273 01:23:19.119 --> 01:23:23.439 Sunday ticket now on YouTube or whatever I can. I can definitely craborate. 1274 01:23:23.479 --> 01:23:27.039 It's a challenge. John. I appreciate anything else from you today. Before 1275 01:23:27.039 --> 01:23:30.079 I let you go extended time, I said, I appreciate you hanging on 1276 01:23:30.159 --> 01:23:32.399 here. No, no, nothing for me. I appreciate you having me 1277 01:23:32.680 --> 01:23:35.520 and uh yeah, good luck with the show. Enjoy the CFL season. 1278 01:23:35.840 --> 01:23:39.399 It's gonna be good that John Hodge over at three now. I appreciate your 1279 01:23:39.399 --> 01:23:46.640 time today, Thanks so much. Thanks Boston well, I'm excited today. 1280 01:23:46.680 --> 01:23:49.880 I remember the day that we got involved in all this CFL twitter and I 1281 01:23:49.920 --> 01:23:53.439 saw you know, Valentine here, you know, tweeting. I said, 1282 01:23:53.479 --> 01:23:56.880 I know that gentleman. I watched him on Big Brother Canaba. We've gone 1283 01:23:56.880 --> 01:24:00.720 back and forth, finally getting you on the show, one of the stars, 1284 01:24:00.800 --> 01:24:03.439 a Big Brother of Canada six, but more importantly kind of a Stampeders 1285 01:24:03.520 --> 01:24:06.119 guy. Now for the you know, Three Down Nation? How are you 1286 01:24:06.159 --> 01:24:10.840 deal? Ryan? I'm doing well man, Thank you. Yeah, it 1287 01:24:10.920 --> 01:24:15.479 was It's funny. I joined Three Down Nation just before I went on the 1288 01:24:15.520 --> 01:24:21.159 show. I was in my callback audition. I was sequestered in a hotel 1289 01:24:21.239 --> 01:24:26.479 room in Toronto when I got the call from Duncan dreut Words at the time, 1290 01:24:27.239 --> 01:24:28.960 and they said, hey, you know, would you want to think 1291 01:24:29.000 --> 01:24:30.319 about writing for us? And I was like, well, I got nothing 1292 01:24:30.319 --> 01:24:32.920 else to do because I'm in sequester. So I've banged off three or four 1293 01:24:32.960 --> 01:24:36.800 pieces and they liked them, and so I've been there ever since. So 1294 01:24:38.279 --> 01:24:43.239 they were fortunate. I was fortunate in that they they mobilized their audience to 1295 01:24:43.319 --> 01:24:45.720 vote to save me at one point, which I appreciated. That's good. 1296 01:24:45.800 --> 01:24:48.439 Yeah, I lived through the Big Brother Canada for a while, and then 1297 01:24:48.479 --> 01:24:50.920 after COVID I kind of fell off. I went through them. When that 1298 01:24:50.960 --> 01:24:55.039 season kind of got cut, it was it's hard with the VPNs and all 1299 01:24:55.039 --> 01:24:59.880 of that. But we're here today. The man survived the great CFL preseason 1300 01:25:00.079 --> 01:25:02.880 understorm. Here we were watching the Elks. I watched that whole thing start 1301 01:25:02.920 --> 01:25:08.600 to finish you with River and Mark Stevens or listen to him and Dave Campbell 1302 01:25:08.600 --> 01:25:11.520 everything else. We had our first preseason game. How do you feel about 1303 01:25:11.520 --> 01:25:14.880 the CFL being back? Well, I mean, obviously, anytime you get 1304 01:25:14.920 --> 01:25:17.520 CFL football, that's a good day. Uh you know, I'm I'm a 1305 01:25:17.560 --> 01:25:21.840 big fan of the of our game and how it and how it plays, 1306 01:25:21.920 --> 01:25:26.560 and and for my money, I still think the CFL is the best rule 1307 01:25:26.640 --> 01:25:30.319 set available of all football leagues. So um, you know, anytime we 1308 01:25:30.359 --> 01:25:34.399 can get back to what I consider real football, that's that's what I like 1309 01:25:34.479 --> 01:25:38.800 to see you talking real football. You're gonna get the USFL fans at you 1310 01:25:38.800 --> 01:25:42.680 because USFL apparently that's the real football. That's what they say. Look again, 1311 01:25:43.199 --> 01:25:45.960 you can have your four downs all you want. I appreciate that you 1312 01:25:46.000 --> 01:25:49.880 need the extra time to get ten yards. But you know, a three 1313 01:25:49.920 --> 01:25:55.279 down game with a much larger field, that's just it's more entertaining for me 1314 01:25:55.319 --> 01:26:00.039 to watch because it's got more possibilities than any of the four down that's good, 1315 01:26:00.039 --> 01:26:02.359 you said, yeah, fan control football, they have some power up. 1316 01:26:02.399 --> 01:26:04.880 Since I've you can look at you're a fan of voting and a big 1317 01:26:04.880 --> 01:26:08.520 brother and all that. We could do some fan votes and bring in that. 1318 01:26:08.840 --> 01:26:11.720 I think they had the fifth down and flip the field and kind of 1319 01:26:11.720 --> 01:26:15.119 all this stuff. So yeah, that that that's a lot of video game 1320 01:26:15.159 --> 01:26:17.239 stuff that I mean, sure that that can that can be fun. But 1321 01:26:17.399 --> 01:26:21.520 from a day to day football standpoint, I'll take my CFL rules over any 1322 01:26:23.039 --> 01:26:26.880 any of the other brands. So we had the Stampeders here, you know, 1323 01:26:27.000 --> 01:26:30.239 first year now under the full tilage of you know Jake Mayer, right, 1324 01:26:30.279 --> 01:26:32.479 I mean he kind of with the bow and we had all that last 1325 01:26:32.560 --> 01:26:35.159 year. Jake was on the show last year. I said, I want 1326 01:26:35.159 --> 01:26:39.199 to get on your bandwagon early. I want to kind of hitch my ride 1327 01:26:39.199 --> 01:26:42.199 there. How are the Stamps looking this year? I knew we've just had 1328 01:26:42.239 --> 01:26:45.640 the first preseason, but obviously training camps and all that. How are Stamps 1329 01:26:45.640 --> 01:26:47.920 looking going into the year. Well, I mean, if you're if I 1330 01:26:47.960 --> 01:26:51.840 think basing it off of that first preseason game would be a mistake. Uh, 1331 01:26:51.880 --> 01:26:56.199 They're They're only you know, they're only eight days into camp and there's 1332 01:26:56.239 --> 01:27:00.640 been wildfires raging in Alberta here over the over the first eight days of camp, 1333 01:27:00.920 --> 01:27:06.399 so much so that practices are being canceled or converted into video meetings or 1334 01:27:06.680 --> 01:27:11.960 being relocated. I mean, there's all kinds of things that are happening here 1335 01:27:12.199 --> 01:27:15.760 in the first eight days of training camp for both the Stamps and the Elks. 1336 01:27:15.039 --> 01:27:19.039 So I don't know that this was the best showcase of their early talent. 1337 01:27:19.479 --> 01:27:23.720 But if you look at Jake Mayor from last season, he was the 1338 01:27:23.720 --> 01:27:28.119 third highest QB rating of any QB in the league. If you pro rate 1339 01:27:28.239 --> 01:27:30.560 his stats out, you know, he's about a four thousand yard passer, 1340 01:27:30.880 --> 01:27:34.399 which is what you want from this team when they're as good as they are 1341 01:27:34.399 --> 01:27:40.119 in the run game. I think Jake Mayor doesn't have to be a world 1342 01:27:40.159 --> 01:27:44.039 beater to beat the world. This season with the Calgary Stampeders, well, 1343 01:27:44.119 --> 01:27:46.960 yeah, and we saw codem Gary out there doing well and I said, 1344 01:27:47.000 --> 01:27:48.560 yeah, they said, well, they only want to get him in for 1345 01:27:48.560 --> 01:27:50.760 a little bit ago. Yeah, let's not wear him out there. But 1346 01:27:50.800 --> 01:27:55.319 it seems like he hasn't lost to be I've seen the interviews I there that 1347 01:27:55.439 --> 01:27:58.640 with you or whoever posting you. He wants to rush for however many yards 1348 01:27:58.640 --> 01:28:00.880 this season and they want to be all that. It seems like they're company 1349 01:28:00.920 --> 01:28:03.720 with the head of steam here. The Saint Peters. Yeah, they were 1350 01:28:03.760 --> 01:28:06.800 one of the youngest teams in the league last season, and they've brought back 1351 01:28:06.840 --> 01:28:10.880 a lot of those guys. They had a lot of injury problems, especially 1352 01:28:11.079 --> 01:28:14.720 in the defensive secondary last year, and a lot of guys were able to 1353 01:28:14.760 --> 01:28:18.439 gain game experience to come into this season. So if Calgary is able to 1354 01:28:18.520 --> 01:28:24.079 stay healthy, I don't see why they're not in the Great Cup conversation in 1355 01:28:24.199 --> 01:28:27.600 terms of yeah, the West, I don't know. It's kind of why 1356 01:28:27.600 --> 01:28:30.319 they're opened. We got the Vernon experiment now kind of going into season two, 1357 01:28:30.439 --> 01:28:33.239 and obviously you know Saskatchewan's made moves. So what do you make of 1358 01:28:33.279 --> 01:28:36.960 the West kind of start to top to bottom. Well, I think you've 1359 01:28:38.000 --> 01:28:41.279 got You've got Winnipeg and Calgary at the top. I think those are the 1360 01:28:41.279 --> 01:28:44.079 two teams that will be at the top. One of those two teams will 1361 01:28:44.119 --> 01:28:48.399 host the West Final. I don't necessarily like Saskatchewan. They were on their 1362 01:28:48.399 --> 01:28:54.520 old line was on roller skates last season, just consistently and constantly pushed back, 1363 01:28:54.760 --> 01:28:58.119 and their answer to that was to go and get a less mobile quarterback 1364 01:28:58.399 --> 01:29:01.439 in Trevor Harris. You know, Trevor Harris has a much faster release than 1365 01:29:01.479 --> 01:29:04.239 Cody Fajardo does. But at the end of the day, I mean, 1366 01:29:04.399 --> 01:29:09.159 you know, he's going to be on the run a ton. I don't 1367 01:29:09.199 --> 01:29:13.399 necessarily like what Saskatchewan has. I figure them for an under five hundred finish 1368 01:29:13.479 --> 01:29:15.760 this year in BC. I mean, you know, yes, you said 1369 01:29:15.760 --> 01:29:19.680 it's year two of the Vernon Adams experience, but really what it is is 1370 01:29:19.720 --> 01:29:26.359 the Nathan Rourke hangover and realizing that the best quarterback talent that this league is 1371 01:29:26.359 --> 01:29:30.680 seen in a long long time is no longer in the league. And can 1372 01:29:30.800 --> 01:29:35.319 Vernon Adams be as successful as they were last year? I don't think he 1373 01:29:35.399 --> 01:29:40.920 can be. He's been a quarterback that is successful in spurts throughout his career, 1374 01:29:40.960 --> 01:29:44.920 but has never really dominated. And I think the difference between that team 1375 01:29:45.359 --> 01:29:46.800 being as good as they were and as bad as they were. The year 1376 01:29:46.840 --> 01:29:51.159 before was Nathan Rourke. So I don't know that BC takes many steps forward. 1377 01:29:51.479 --> 01:29:55.119 And I mean the Elks are a dumpster fire, have been for a 1378 01:29:55.159 --> 01:29:59.680 long time, will continue to be. I don't believe in Taylor Cornelius Kevin 1379 01:29:59.720 --> 01:30:02.119 Brown up there as a running back. Maybe they're only saving great they have 1380 01:30:02.159 --> 01:30:06.159 an incredibly deep receiver's room, but I just don't see Cornelius as an on 1381 01:30:06.239 --> 01:30:11.119 target quarterback. Why you know, now, how many years are we going 1382 01:30:11.199 --> 01:30:14.119 to give Chris Jones? Because I know he came in and people are upset 1383 01:30:14.199 --> 01:30:15.079 and you know, hey, it's gonna take time. I mean, this 1384 01:30:15.159 --> 01:30:19.079 is going into year three now, right that the Chris Jones like how long? 1385 01:30:19.279 --> 01:30:23.479 How great of a leash does he have? And obviously we hear and 1386 01:30:23.720 --> 01:30:26.199 you know, you guys reported that you know, Edmonton, Lucy, and 1387 01:30:26.239 --> 01:30:29.319 you know was a two million dollars or three million dollars that like seems like 1388 01:30:29.359 --> 01:30:31.920 not all as well there in Edmonton. Yeah. I think if Chris Jones 1389 01:30:31.960 --> 01:30:34.880 doesn't have a playoff team this year, I don't know if he survives the 1390 01:30:34.880 --> 01:30:39.960 off season. Um, you know, he is an expensive hire and when 1391 01:30:39.960 --> 01:30:44.880 you look at Edmonton's report, A lot of the reason why they lost money 1392 01:30:44.960 --> 01:30:47.760 was because they're still paying severance to a lot of people. So as long 1393 01:30:47.800 --> 01:30:51.560 as that's on the books, they may not make a change up there because 1394 01:30:51.560 --> 01:30:56.399 they're still paying off Brop, Sunderland and A Hervey and all kinds of people 1395 01:30:56.800 --> 01:31:00.640 up there, and that's a big chunk of their loss. But I think 1396 01:31:00.640 --> 01:31:02.920 if Chris Jones doesn't make the playoffs this season, I think the team up 1397 01:31:02.920 --> 01:31:06.720 in Edmonton has to seriously look at it. I mean, we're not and 1398 01:31:08.159 --> 01:31:12.840 to steal a sound a famous football sound bite, when I say they're trying 1399 01:31:12.840 --> 01:31:15.560 to make the playoffs, I mean they're also just trying to win a game 1400 01:31:15.600 --> 01:31:19.800 at home. They haven't won a game at home since changing the franchise's name, 1401 01:31:20.520 --> 01:31:26.239 and that like it's over twelve hundred days or something since they've won a 1402 01:31:26.279 --> 01:31:30.600 game at home. You know, they may not be looking for playoffs, 1403 01:31:30.600 --> 01:31:35.319 but a home win would be a step forward for this club. It was 1404 01:31:35.399 --> 01:31:40.479 funny. I had I shot a wedding last weekend and the couple it was 1405 01:31:40.520 --> 01:31:43.880 like their nine year anniversary and they knew exactly they were. It was a 1406 01:31:44.000 --> 01:31:46.279 three thousand three hundred and thirty three days since they met, and it was 1407 01:31:46.319 --> 01:31:48.479 like if they didn't plan it that way. But I said, god, 1408 01:31:48.520 --> 01:31:50.760 the fact that you went back and they were I guess you can plug that 1409 01:31:50.840 --> 01:31:54.960 into a computer and calculate that, but I just seemed like a wild number 1410 01:31:55.000 --> 01:31:58.319 they'd be able to pull up that. It's a long time for Edmonton. 1411 01:31:59.359 --> 01:32:00.960 Did you feel like they looked good? And I'm going to talk with Dave 1412 01:32:00.960 --> 01:32:04.039 Campbell get obviously because you're going to be biased. I'm just kidding, but 1413 01:32:04.079 --> 01:32:08.000 like, how did you How did you think that Edmonton looked And you know, 1414 01:32:08.000 --> 01:32:10.880 obviously there we're moving quarterbacks around and kind of doing all that stuff. 1415 01:32:10.960 --> 01:32:14.079 Yeah, Jared Daggie looked the best of their quarterbacks. He was on the 1416 01:32:14.159 --> 01:32:17.600 run, he was making on target throws on the run. I thought that 1417 01:32:17.960 --> 01:32:23.640 Kyle Locksley that experiment should end. Um. You know, the guy's a 1418 01:32:23.640 --> 01:32:27.439 good receiver, but I don't want him as a quarterback. And Jones has 1419 01:32:27.520 --> 01:32:31.079 this kind of mentality of trying to put players where they may not belong initially 1420 01:32:31.399 --> 01:32:35.439 because they're athletes, and teach them how to play the position. But it 1421 01:32:35.479 --> 01:32:39.399 was also weird to me that he brought Locksley back into the game at all. 1422 01:32:39.760 --> 01:32:42.960 You know, the idea that he had three quarterbacks and one of them 1423 01:32:42.960 --> 01:32:46.079 played the first quarter and the fourth quarter, which was separated by like two 1424 01:32:46.119 --> 01:32:49.960 and a half hours of actual time. That was really weird to me. 1425 01:32:50.960 --> 01:32:56.600 But I thought Daggie looked good for French, which I'm sure isn't how you 1426 01:32:56.680 --> 01:32:58.960 pronounce it, but that's how I'm gonna say it, because there's two fs 1427 01:32:58.960 --> 01:33:01.359 at the beginning. Um looked good as a receiver in spots, but he 1428 01:33:01.399 --> 01:33:06.079 also dropped a couple of crucial ones late when Edmonton was trying to get back 1429 01:33:06.119 --> 01:33:10.319 in the game. So um, you know, I like the idea of 1430 01:33:10.720 --> 01:33:15.520 Kevin Brown. He was a guy that really kind of stood out for me 1431 01:33:15.560 --> 01:33:21.640 as as um an Elks All Star last season, but he didn't make the 1432 01:33:21.680 --> 01:33:25.920 trip down the highway. So if he can duplicate the kind of game he 1433 01:33:25.960 --> 01:33:29.640 showed tour in the stretch Drive last year, Edmonton will have a very dangerous 1434 01:33:29.680 --> 01:33:32.520 running game. In terms of Calgary, it didn't you know, obviously we 1435 01:33:32.600 --> 01:33:35.359 had the bow and all of that, but they were already kind of divorced 1436 01:33:35.399 --> 01:33:39.039 from him anyway. Just it doesn't feel like Calgary had to do a lot 1437 01:33:39.079 --> 01:33:42.359 here in the offseason, have you note like, what did they need to 1438 01:33:42.399 --> 01:33:45.880 shore up the what did they kind of done leading into this year? Well, 1439 01:33:45.920 --> 01:33:48.600 I mean you did lose falerin Or Mulatte and Sean Lemon, both of 1440 01:33:48.640 --> 01:33:54.439 whom combined for twenty two sacks last year, although Lemon went to BC and 1441 01:33:54.560 --> 01:33:58.800 was cut or before even getting to play a game, which I thought was 1442 01:33:58.800 --> 01:34:05.159 surprising considering he's the reigning most outstanding defensive player for the West Division. But 1443 01:34:05.520 --> 01:34:10.039 so they did have to rebuild their their defensive line in that way, bringing 1444 01:34:10.079 --> 01:34:14.640 in James Voters and silent signing Julian House there. Um, you know, 1445 01:34:14.760 --> 01:34:17.119 Kamar Jordan left, So they need to find a third receiver. And who's 1446 01:34:17.119 --> 01:34:21.039 that gonna be. Is it Trey Adam's Duke's able to step into that spot, 1447 01:34:21.239 --> 01:34:25.439 or will it be a guy like Tommy Lee Lewis coming out of with 1448 01:34:25.479 --> 01:34:30.560 a lot of NFL experience but a little smaller or their their incoming draft picked 1449 01:34:30.560 --> 01:34:33.840 from a couple of years ago, Rice and John. He's six foot seven. 1450 01:34:33.920 --> 01:34:38.479 They targeted him three times on Monday, but he was unable to come 1451 01:34:38.479 --> 01:34:41.880 down with the ball. But I do think he makes a very intriguing red 1452 01:34:41.960 --> 01:34:44.920 zone option. Yeah, what was the deal with Shaun Lemon? I do 1453 01:34:45.239 --> 01:34:47.239 he did recently cut? Like what it is? It just a big fall 1454 01:34:47.279 --> 01:34:53.279 off or I can't say. Sean Lemon is one of the most intriguing guys 1455 01:34:53.319 --> 01:34:58.760 in CFL history to my mind, that he has ninety two career sacks and 1456 01:34:58.880 --> 01:35:02.760 he's played for like seven different teams and just can't stay on with any team 1457 01:35:02.880 --> 01:35:09.920 for long. And he keeps leaving Calgary to get more money and deserves that 1458 01:35:10.000 --> 01:35:14.279 money when he gets it, but then eventually, you know, just something 1459 01:35:14.319 --> 01:35:16.039 goes wrong, he doesn't work out in that market, and he ends up 1460 01:35:16.039 --> 01:35:19.640 finding himself back here. So I mean, you know, I don't know 1461 01:35:19.680 --> 01:35:23.880 that there's a lot of money for Sean Lemon in Calgary, but I sure 1462 01:35:23.880 --> 01:35:27.039 as hell would take him as a rotational d ND if there's a contract to 1463 01:35:27.079 --> 01:35:31.720 be signed health the Calgary franchise. You know, I heard that we're moving 1464 01:35:31.800 --> 01:35:35.880 seats to you know, we're not selling up and I thought seventeen thousand was 1465 01:35:35.960 --> 01:35:40.560 tremendous audience for a preseason game. I think that Danny Austen had put that 1466 01:35:40.600 --> 01:35:44.039 out. You know, we've been tracking us of l and CFL attendance throughout 1467 01:35:44.039 --> 01:35:46.720 the last couple of years. What is the health of the Calgary franchise. 1468 01:35:47.479 --> 01:35:51.239 Well, I mean we had we had president Vice president of business Operations, 1469 01:35:51.319 --> 01:35:56.560 Jay McNeil on our podcast earlier this year and he said he said, our 1470 01:35:56.600 --> 01:36:00.239 season ticket base is less than fifteen thousand, which is a drama at a 1471 01:36:00.359 --> 01:36:03.119 drop off from even five years ago. I think it was twenty two or 1472 01:36:03.119 --> 01:36:09.279 twenty three thousand season tickets. So seventeen thousand for the preseason game was definitely 1473 01:36:09.319 --> 01:36:14.720 an announced crowd. That wasn't a butts and seats crowd that was tickets sold. 1474 01:36:14.800 --> 01:36:19.760 But I do think they can't you know, I want to say the 1475 01:36:19.800 --> 01:36:25.960 fans here relatively spoiled. I mean, this team has been good for thirty 1476 01:36:26.079 --> 01:36:30.520 years, you know, they've they've been in the playoffs seventeen years in a 1477 01:36:30.600 --> 01:36:35.359 row, and so the fans here have a great Cup expectation, not a 1478 01:36:35.560 --> 01:36:42.359 great Cup hope. And given that Calgary hasn't won one since twenty eighteen, 1479 01:36:42.800 --> 01:36:46.399 They've lost the West semifinal the last two seasons, you know, I think 1480 01:36:46.439 --> 01:36:49.640 fans are thinking that there might be a better way to spend their money. 1481 01:36:49.800 --> 01:36:53.720 I mean, never mind the fact that the games are on TSN. They're 1482 01:36:53.760 --> 01:36:58.439 free, you know, for to watch every single game that's not preseason, 1483 01:36:58.479 --> 01:37:01.720 although they did stream the preseason games, but every game's on television. So 1484 01:37:02.079 --> 01:37:06.840 do you want to go down to the oldest stadium in the league and you 1485 01:37:06.880 --> 01:37:12.439 know, line up for a porta potty bathroom and go to an underserved concession 1486 01:37:13.000 --> 01:37:16.000 where you get sometimes a warm beer for twelve dollars? Or do you want 1487 01:37:16.000 --> 01:37:19.840 to sit at home and watch your four KTV with your your six pack that 1488 01:37:19.880 --> 01:37:25.520 you bought for eight bucks at the local store. You know it, it's 1489 01:37:25.560 --> 01:37:29.439 hard to get people out right now, and I think it's even harder because 1490 01:37:29.520 --> 01:37:32.439 McMahon is not a destination. You know, you look at some of the 1491 01:37:32.479 --> 01:37:35.359 other stadiums in the league and they're nice to go to. You know, 1492 01:37:35.399 --> 01:37:39.760 I've been to the New Mosaic. It's a nice stadium to watch a football 1493 01:37:39.800 --> 01:37:44.239 game in. I you know, Winnipeg has has their new stadium, which 1494 01:37:44.319 --> 01:37:46.680 is a nice place to watch a football game in. But Calgary just right 1495 01:37:46.760 --> 01:37:50.239 now, it's not you know, I love McMahon. I think it's got 1496 01:37:51.199 --> 01:37:56.720 the best site lines in the league from any seat, but at the same 1497 01:37:56.760 --> 01:38:00.960 time, you just, you know, for the for the average casual fan, 1498 01:38:00.399 --> 01:38:04.000 it's not enough and the fan experience isn't enough. Well, it's just 1499 01:38:04.079 --> 01:38:08.479 hard because you know, we've been told here the entire time talking about the 1500 01:38:08.479 --> 01:38:12.600 CFL gate driven and now we're obviously doing the CFL plus streaming thing to hear 1501 01:38:12.640 --> 01:38:15.520 for free in the States or you know, we're getting some money on that, 1502 01:38:15.640 --> 01:38:17.600 and then the people always complain about TSN and the money that they're getting 1503 01:38:17.600 --> 01:38:20.439 from that. But you know, if that's the preferred way to watch it, 1504 01:38:20.439 --> 01:38:24.119 I mean we even deal with that with the XFL, where the the 1505 01:38:24.239 --> 01:38:28.399 XFL broadcast and the access you get on TV as far superior than watching it 1506 01:38:28.520 --> 01:38:30.319 in person. But then you still, you know, then you get crapped 1507 01:38:30.319 --> 01:38:33.279 on if there's not anyone in the stand. So I just it seems to 1508 01:38:33.319 --> 01:38:36.880 be an issue for a lot of different reasons, but issues for a lot 1509 01:38:36.960 --> 01:38:42.279 of these leagues right now. Yeah, it's it's it's switching to the model. 1510 01:38:42.359 --> 01:38:46.960 I mean, I have trouble with the CFL is failing or is in 1511 01:38:47.039 --> 01:38:53.279 trouble narrative anyway, you know, I look at I look at TSN, 1512 01:38:53.319 --> 01:38:58.520 and the TSN deal provides five million dollars per team, per season to each 1513 01:38:58.560 --> 01:39:01.640 team, and the salary cap is five million, eight hundred and fifty thousand 1514 01:39:01.720 --> 01:39:08.159 dollars for the players. So you can't tell me that even fifteen thousand season 1515 01:39:08.199 --> 01:39:13.640 tickets at you know, an average of sixty bucks a game over nine games, 1516 01:39:13.640 --> 01:39:16.279 that that's not enough money to run this franchise. You know, I 1517 01:39:16.319 --> 01:39:21.600 think it's always interesting. Edmonton losing two million dollars last season was an anomaly. 1518 01:39:23.159 --> 01:39:27.319 Normally, when you see the public teams open their books, they're at 1519 01:39:27.399 --> 01:39:31.039 just above or a little better than break even, and they've always got some 1520 01:39:31.079 --> 01:39:35.800 sort of fund that they're paying into that draws that eventual number down. But 1521 01:39:36.159 --> 01:39:42.600 it's impossible for me to believe that every publicly run team in the league either 1522 01:39:42.720 --> 01:39:47.239 makes money or breaks even, and then every private team must lose an absolute 1523 01:39:47.279 --> 01:39:53.079 ass load of money in order for them not to be profitable for the league 1524 01:39:53.079 --> 01:39:55.680 to be profitable. So I just I don't buy it. I think it's 1525 01:39:55.880 --> 01:40:00.279 a story that the owners tell to keep salaries repressed, because when you look 1526 01:40:00.279 --> 01:40:03.880 at the books of the public teams, they're all making money. That's interesting. 1527 01:40:03.960 --> 01:40:08.239 Yeah, the Edmonton thing was interesting, and I know we brought in 1528 01:40:08.319 --> 01:40:13.199 Victoria. We're trying to do a lot of different like you know, promotions 1529 01:40:13.199 --> 01:40:15.760 and things, and it says there, I mean, why was that so 1530 01:40:15.399 --> 01:40:18.479 kind of out of the blue there that in terms of that loss, they've 1531 01:40:18.520 --> 01:40:23.560 lost money for a couple of years. COVID is still kicking everyone's ass too. 1532 01:40:23.600 --> 01:40:26.680 I mean, let's not let's not forget that. We're just you know, 1533 01:40:27.319 --> 01:40:31.840 this is probably the first season where we're not worried about going into public 1534 01:40:31.920 --> 01:40:39.239 anymore. Like the perception of going in public is that it's safer than it 1535 01:40:39.319 --> 01:40:43.640 has been for three years. You had a canceled season, you had a 1536 01:40:43.680 --> 01:40:46.880 truncated season, you have and then last season you had a full year. 1537 01:40:46.920 --> 01:40:51.079 But now you're trying to claw back from those season ticket sales. We got 1538 01:40:51.079 --> 01:40:58.279 told on our show that that's the Stampeders retain about eighty six percent of their 1539 01:40:58.319 --> 01:41:01.960 season ticket holders every year. They have a fourteen percent turnover year over year, 1540 01:41:02.000 --> 01:41:05.359 where you don't have new where you have new people coming in and buying 1541 01:41:05.399 --> 01:41:10.520 tickets, and you have people no longer retaining their tickets. And when you 1542 01:41:10.560 --> 01:41:14.439 look at the COVID season, you know you lose fifteen percent of your season 1543 01:41:14.439 --> 01:41:17.520 ticket base there and then from the canceled season, and you can't sell those 1544 01:41:17.520 --> 01:41:21.560 tickets to people. They didn't decide to have a season in twenty twenty one 1545 01:41:21.680 --> 01:41:26.800 until about two weeks before, so it's too late to get those people back 1546 01:41:26.840 --> 01:41:30.600 on board, and so you lose another fifteen percent through regular cancelation. Well, 1547 01:41:30.640 --> 01:41:34.920 now you're down thirty some odd percent in your overall ticket sales, and 1548 01:41:35.000 --> 01:41:40.039 that you know, they're just starting to try and recover that now. And 1549 01:41:40.079 --> 01:41:45.279 I think that's across the league. Attendance was down almost everywhere, and so 1550 01:41:45.399 --> 01:41:48.640 I'm not surprised to see that happening. What are your thoughts on the American 1551 01:41:48.800 --> 01:41:56.680 CFL Plus deal CBS Sports Network amalgamation. The more Americans that can watch the 1552 01:41:56.760 --> 01:42:02.520 better football game, the better, you know. I understand that CFL plus 1553 01:42:02.960 --> 01:42:08.319 um or. Yeah, they were on I believe they're on ESPN Plus before, 1554 01:42:08.319 --> 01:42:12.239 and now they're on CBS Plus, which gets to fewer households but has 1555 01:42:12.399 --> 01:42:15.800 more viewer that. I'm not sure about all the metrics behind it, but 1556 01:42:16.039 --> 01:42:21.479 from what they're saying, this is the most um this is the most financially 1557 01:42:21.600 --> 01:42:28.640 lucrative US broadcast deal they've ever signed. I'll take it any anything that brings 1558 01:42:28.640 --> 01:42:31.399 more money into the league is better. Um, I think if you're if 1559 01:42:31.399 --> 01:42:33.680 you're out there, I think you should be. You know, if you're 1560 01:42:33.720 --> 01:42:38.439 watching the mark Cast during CFL season, you're gonna get a lot of CFL 1561 01:42:38.520 --> 01:42:42.239 talk, so you're probably already a fan of of the league. But if 1562 01:42:42.239 --> 01:42:46.439 you're stumbling across this because you you caught onto the show during USL USFL season 1563 01:42:46.479 --> 01:42:50.640 or XFL season, I encourage you to get out there and watch CFL football. 1564 01:42:50.920 --> 01:42:56.039 It's really great quality football. It's a league that's been around for more 1565 01:42:56.079 --> 01:42:59.920 than a hundred years. And you know, and you and I have gone 1566 01:43:00.079 --> 01:43:04.760 back and forth on XFL and you know the previous failures. Although hey, 1567 01:43:04.800 --> 01:43:08.720 they got to the end of the season this year and it looks strong, 1568 01:43:09.079 --> 01:43:12.199 looks like they want to go again next year, and that's great. But 1569 01:43:12.239 --> 01:43:16.720 for my money, the CFL probably has the second best collection of talented football 1570 01:43:16.760 --> 01:43:21.239 players in North American football and in the world because this is where we play 1571 01:43:21.319 --> 01:43:26.880 it. I think I think the second best set of football players are up 1572 01:43:26.880 --> 01:43:29.880 here in Canada. And I think that proves out with how many guys sign 1573 01:43:30.039 --> 01:43:33.119 n NFL deals every season out of this league. It does it. It 1574 01:43:33.239 --> 01:43:36.800 just real quick here it change your tune at all. Yeah that the XFL 1575 01:43:36.920 --> 01:43:40.720 here, where you've crowned the champion, USFL here is get a crowned the 1576 01:43:40.760 --> 01:43:44.600 second champion here in a couple of weeks. I mean again, I don't 1577 01:43:44.640 --> 01:43:48.239 think that that changes my thought on where the best players are because I think 1578 01:43:48.279 --> 01:43:54.000 what what the CFL game does is it features the athleticism of players that may 1579 01:43:54.000 --> 01:43:57.359 not focus too heavily. When you're talking about a four down, one hundred 1580 01:43:57.439 --> 01:44:00.399 yard game. Um, you know, you you get guys who have the 1581 01:44:00.439 --> 01:44:03.239 ability to make plays up here. You know, linebackers that can track guys 1582 01:44:03.479 --> 01:44:08.000 across the sixty five yard field. If you look at Alex Singleton, he 1583 01:44:08.039 --> 01:44:12.000 bounced around to a bunch of different camps before. Now he's you know, 1584 01:44:12.159 --> 01:44:15.640 he's having nineteen or twenty tackle games in the NFL because he was a guy 1585 01:44:15.680 --> 01:44:19.399 that learned to pursue across the sixty five yard field. Well, that's something 1586 01:44:19.439 --> 01:44:25.119 that translates down into the US game very easily. So I still think that 1587 01:44:25.159 --> 01:44:29.840 the best collection of talent is still in the CFL from a football perspective. 1588 01:44:30.039 --> 01:44:32.119 That may change over the next couple of years, you know, I think, 1589 01:44:32.119 --> 01:44:36.680 but the USL and XFL right now are are They're gathering their rosters from 1590 01:44:36.680 --> 01:44:43.000 players who weren't on CFL rosters already. So that may change in the next 1591 01:44:43.000 --> 01:44:45.960 couple of years here, but for now, I still think that your best 1592 01:44:46.039 --> 01:44:50.760 collection of American born players are still in the CFL. Yeah, last question 1593 01:44:50.800 --> 01:44:55.479 for me, do you does Bo have a resurgence this year? What is 1594 01:44:55.520 --> 01:44:58.399 Bo? And I've seen the media photos now we have Yeah, we had 1595 01:44:58.399 --> 01:45:00.479 all the photos that there, we have real photos of him. Like, 1596 01:45:00.159 --> 01:45:04.479 is he going to have another two three year career here in Hamilton's I want 1597 01:45:04.560 --> 01:45:09.319 him to. I like bow a lot I like bow a lot um. 1598 01:45:09.800 --> 01:45:11.880 You know, I don't know if he's going to be able to win a 1599 01:45:11.880 --> 01:45:15.600 Great Cup because the only two times he's won a Great Cup championship was when 1600 01:45:15.600 --> 01:45:18.840 he showed up on our podcast here in Calgary in twenty fourteen, twenty eighteen. 1601 01:45:19.479 --> 01:45:21.520 Those are the two times he went out and won a Great Cup. 1602 01:45:23.359 --> 01:45:27.840 But I do I mean, you know, I like the guy. I 1603 01:45:27.880 --> 01:45:30.000 think he's great for the game. I think he's great for the CFL. 1604 01:45:30.399 --> 01:45:34.279 It's great to have a guy that's out there that that that's that brash and 1605 01:45:34.319 --> 01:45:39.159 it's got that kind of swagger to his game. Uh, you know, 1606 01:45:39.199 --> 01:45:44.359 I hope he has a resurgence season in Hamilton. I just you know. 1607 01:45:44.399 --> 01:45:47.479 They they often said in Calgary throughout the nineties when Wally Buano is here, 1608 01:45:47.880 --> 01:45:50.560 it's better to let a guy go a year too early than a year too 1609 01:45:50.640 --> 01:45:59.880 late. And the news today that Orlando Steinauer is saying, I don't think 1610 01:46:00.119 --> 01:46:03.720 the bow will play at all in our first preseason game. I don't know 1611 01:46:03.760 --> 01:46:08.000 if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I think it's very possible 1612 01:46:08.439 --> 01:46:13.199 that either scenario is equally as likely that you know, he's not ready to 1613 01:46:13.239 --> 01:46:16.199 play in the preseason game and so he won't be playing, or they don't 1614 01:46:16.199 --> 01:46:19.960 think he needs to because he's showing out so well in practice. It's it's 1615 01:46:20.000 --> 01:46:28.239 going to be a really interesting watch from a guy who's shoulder may or may 1616 01:46:28.279 --> 01:46:30.880 not be ready for the rigors of a full season. I think I got 1617 01:46:30.880 --> 01:46:33.720 Steve Milton come on on next week so they will do a deep dial on 1618 01:46:33.840 --> 01:46:40.039 the the Levia. But so you're telling you had the reverse effect because mcab 1619 01:46:40.079 --> 01:46:43.279 BELLEL. Thompson was undefeated in the USFL until he came on our show. 1620 01:46:43.319 --> 01:46:45.119 Now he has the last two games in the row. So you have you 1621 01:46:45.159 --> 01:46:49.800 have the opposite effect where you all when we were the CFL Horseman, we 1622 01:46:49.880 --> 01:46:54.720 called it the Horseman bump. The amount of time Alex Singleton came on our 1623 01:46:54.760 --> 01:46:58.840 show before he was a starter, and then all of a sudden he was 1624 01:46:58.920 --> 01:47:01.159 the Defensive Player of the Year the next season. We have a lot of 1625 01:47:01.159 --> 01:47:03.920 guys that show up on our show early in their careers and go on to 1626 01:47:03.960 --> 01:47:08.119 become stars. I can't take credit for that. That's all the Stamp Peter's 1627 01:47:08.199 --> 01:47:13.319 drafting and developing. But our track records pretty darn good. Yeah. Meanwhile, 1628 01:47:13.359 --> 01:47:15.680 I have Ben Holmes no show my podcast and then went up and won 1629 01:47:15.720 --> 01:47:20.159 the Great Cups. So what you're saying is I need to let the Stamps 1630 01:47:20.239 --> 01:47:27.319 media know that no Stamps are to do your show at all. Well, 1631 01:47:27.439 --> 01:47:30.239 Ryan, I really appreciate it. Like I said, we bantered back and 1632 01:47:30.279 --> 01:47:32.359 forth, and now CFL season, I'm sure we'll be talking more online. 1633 01:47:32.359 --> 01:47:35.119 But I really appreciate you taking the time today. And like I said, 1634 01:47:35.119 --> 01:47:39.680 I just it was still just surreiled that day and kind of discovering CFL Twitter, 1635 01:47:39.680 --> 01:47:42.720 because it really did all come like it was I think it was either 1636 01:47:42.800 --> 01:47:45.800 the Irash episode. It was like the first day and we're like, oh 1637 01:47:45.840 --> 01:47:48.279 my god, this is the whole world now. So I really appreciate it. 1638 01:47:48.560 --> 01:47:51.840 Hey man, my pleasure to come on and just let me know when 1639 01:47:51.840 --> 01:48:00.319 you want me to come talk stamps in the future. Well, I appreciate 1640 01:48:00.319 --> 01:48:03.279 it. We have sitting outside the beautiful CommonWell Stadium there. It looks like 1641 01:48:03.359 --> 01:48:09.279 tray four the Edmonton Knox. How are you doing? Yeah, really good, 1642 01:48:09.319 --> 01:48:12.359 just you know, enjoying training camp and getting back into football, which 1643 01:48:12.359 --> 01:48:15.159 is fantastic. Looks like a beautiful day. What's your day consistent right now? 1644 01:48:15.159 --> 01:48:19.640 Where you have going on? Just for this practice? Early this morning, 1645 01:48:20.079 --> 01:48:23.600 you know, did some of the hot tub, cold top therapy kind 1646 01:48:23.640 --> 01:48:27.199 of routine. It's some lunch, watch a little film. Got another meeting 1647 01:48:27.199 --> 01:48:31.239 coming up at four and another meeting tonight. So full day. What's it 1648 01:48:31.319 --> 01:48:33.840 like getting back into Yeah, like you said, coming off the offseason, 1649 01:48:33.840 --> 01:48:36.600 getting back into you know, the real deal here. What's it feel like? 1650 01:48:39.000 --> 01:48:42.119 Yeah, I mean, honestly, it's it's felt fantastic, honestly, 1651 01:48:42.199 --> 01:48:45.239 way better than last year, just based on the fact that you know, 1652 01:48:45.479 --> 01:48:48.079 I'm a second year player now, like I knew a lot more of the 1653 01:48:48.119 --> 01:48:53.640 offense coming in. I remember like last year at training camp, come in, 1654 01:48:54.159 --> 01:48:57.039 you know, doing the install going back to the hotel, studying toil 1655 01:48:57.039 --> 01:49:00.239 like twelve o'clock, wake it up at like five thirty six, talk, 1656 01:49:00.279 --> 01:49:01.520 and then you know, you don't get a lot of sleep. The days 1657 01:49:01.560 --> 01:49:05.479 get long really fast, versus now it's kind of just a refresher so's it's 1658 01:49:05.479 --> 01:49:10.359 a lot quicker to review the material and then go perform on the field, 1659 01:49:10.359 --> 01:49:14.159 for sure. Yeah, how hard this is the acclamation process of getting up 1660 01:49:14.159 --> 01:49:16.000 there. I mean obviously you know you're Canadian having played up there, but 1661 01:49:16.079 --> 01:49:19.640 you know, coming in and you got you know, Chris Jones, Barkinacci 1662 01:49:19.760 --> 01:49:25.000 and everything else. What's it like kind of coming into that situation. Yeah, 1663 01:49:25.039 --> 01:49:27.439 I don't know. I feel like I actually came in like a pretty 1664 01:49:27.439 --> 01:49:30.720 good circumstances. Team accepted me pretty well, the coaches all, you know, 1665 01:49:30.840 --> 01:49:34.960 super cool guys. Yeah, I mean, honestly, it was just 1666 01:49:35.199 --> 01:49:39.439 it was just learning the offense was definitely the tough part, especially at the 1667 01:49:39.520 --> 01:49:45.520 quarterback position, especially coming from like OUA and going to a professional level with 1668 01:49:45.680 --> 01:49:48.279 a lot of guys you know, who've coached in the CFL for many years 1669 01:49:48.319 --> 01:49:55.159 and even in the NFL, so it's it was definitely a struggle. I'd 1670 01:49:55.199 --> 01:49:58.960 say learn the offense because just in ou a new sports in general, it's 1671 01:49:59.000 --> 01:50:01.760 a lot more simplified. And then I would hear the stuff's a lot more 1672 01:50:01.760 --> 01:50:04.399 complicated, so it does take a little bit longer to catch on and everything. 1673 01:50:04.439 --> 01:50:09.720 So did you feel extra pressure this as a quarterback being taken in the 1674 01:50:09.760 --> 01:50:12.960 first round like that and coming in as a Canadian? Did you feel an 1675 01:50:13.039 --> 01:50:16.159 added pressure? Uh? No, I didn't. I didn't feel any added 1676 01:50:16.159 --> 01:50:20.239 pressure. I always, like, you know, hold myself to a high 1677 01:50:20.239 --> 01:50:24.760 standard. So whether I was drafted in the first or the seventh, or 1678 01:50:25.119 --> 01:50:28.920 fall was an undrafted free agent or whatever, was expecting to win and perform 1679 01:50:28.960 --> 01:50:32.439 and do well. So I would say there was definitely more stress just put 1680 01:50:32.439 --> 01:50:36.319 of myself, just because I was wanting to do well versus being drafted in 1681 01:50:36.359 --> 01:50:41.319 the first round. What was the year like for you last year? Obviously, 1682 01:50:41.359 --> 01:50:44.800 you know the team had struggles and and you can't you know, dealing 1683 01:50:44.880 --> 01:50:46.600 with injuries and all of that. It seems like you gave a spark when 1684 01:50:46.600 --> 01:50:49.079 you came in. I know a lot of people have been clamoring to see 1685 01:50:49.079 --> 01:50:53.880 more of you. What was the year like for you last year? Yeah, 1686 01:50:53.960 --> 01:50:57.239 so there was definitely some highs and some lows. I mean, you 1687 01:50:57.279 --> 01:50:59.800 know, I like just looking back at it, you know, the last 1688 01:51:00.279 --> 01:51:02.359 you know, a week we went and we looked at our preseason games. 1689 01:51:02.760 --> 01:51:05.279 So I remember, like looking back, I just watching some of the Winnipeg 1690 01:51:05.319 --> 01:51:09.920 game today. You know, I was fresh, like, you know, 1691 01:51:10.119 --> 01:51:14.119 new meat on the block. I went out there and first six or seven 1692 01:51:14.119 --> 01:51:16.319 plays, boom pusier. They really made sure I had like I had to 1693 01:51:16.399 --> 01:51:19.479 know my offense right. I hadn't know where my hots were and everything, 1694 01:51:19.520 --> 01:51:23.479 and I struggled a little bit that game, I could admit it. But 1695 01:51:23.560 --> 01:51:26.520 then I came out in the second week against Calgary in the preseason and I 1696 01:51:26.560 --> 01:51:30.279 played like a lot better than I remember too, Like I played extremely well 1697 01:51:30.319 --> 01:51:32.640 in that game. I thought, for you know, being in the offense 1698 01:51:32.720 --> 01:51:36.359 for four or five weeks at that point and being a rookie and everything, 1699 01:51:36.399 --> 01:51:40.600 so I thought I actually played really well that that thing. But I'm always 1700 01:51:40.600 --> 01:51:42.880 so hard myself, Like I was thinking back to it last year, I'm 1701 01:51:42.880 --> 01:51:45.279 like, I could I could have been better. I could have been better, 1702 01:51:45.319 --> 01:51:47.079 But this year, coming in and evaluating the film from last year, 1703 01:51:47.319 --> 01:51:49.439 I thought, I thought I did really well in that second game, and 1704 01:51:49.479 --> 01:51:55.159 then you know, just waiting, trying to buy time to get my first 1705 01:51:55.199 --> 01:52:00.439 career starting an actual game in an actual regular season, and then I got 1706 01:52:00.439 --> 01:52:05.560 granted that opportunity. In the fourth week, we played Hamilton and I put 1707 01:52:05.600 --> 01:52:10.239 together a solid game. I would say, not nothing fantastic, nothing crazy, 1708 01:52:10.479 --> 01:52:12.800 but you know, I don't think. I don't think I want us 1709 01:52:12.800 --> 01:52:14.439 the game, but I don't think I lost us the game. And our 1710 01:52:14.479 --> 01:52:16.800 defense was able to step up and actually help us win that game, which 1711 01:52:16.800 --> 01:52:19.239 was fantastic. So we did end up getting the first win of the season. 1712 01:52:19.920 --> 01:52:24.479 And then you know, starting to get confident, you know, feeling 1713 01:52:24.479 --> 01:52:29.600 good in the offense. Come out Week five against Calgary at home, Boom 1714 01:52:29.640 --> 01:52:31.119 boom. A couple of plays here. I have a big explosion play where 1715 01:52:31.119 --> 01:52:34.800 I'm breaking tackles, running around in the backfield and bull ball of fifty yards 1716 01:52:34.800 --> 01:52:38.960 out of the field. Big play, and then we had like a quarterback 1717 01:52:38.960 --> 01:52:42.199 power the next player. Then I got hurt and then I missed you know, 1718 01:52:42.319 --> 01:52:45.319 eight weeks, and those were those are a long, long eight weeks, 1719 01:52:46.039 --> 01:52:50.399 Like you're out here when you know, when you're actually active, you 1720 01:52:50.520 --> 01:52:54.880 come, you come to the facility, the day goes by super super fast. 1721 01:52:55.119 --> 01:52:58.319 But then therapy you're just kind of lagging around all day trying to do 1722 01:52:58.319 --> 01:53:00.199 your therapy, get a little bit of workout day and stuff. So yeah, 1723 01:53:00.239 --> 01:53:04.760 those were definitely a tough, long eight weeks. And then you know, 1724 01:53:05.079 --> 01:53:10.680 I mean, I'm an adamant film watcher, but it's I personally like 1725 01:53:10.760 --> 01:53:13.760 enjoying watching film that I'm actually in. I feel like I learned more from 1726 01:53:13.760 --> 01:53:15.119 it. It's it's a lot harder, right because you're like, oh, 1727 01:53:15.239 --> 01:53:17.520 maybe would have did this a little bit differently, did that a little bit 1728 01:53:17.560 --> 01:53:24.119 differently. So it was definitely it was it was a long eight weeks, 1729 01:53:24.119 --> 01:53:27.199 but then I got back into it after and I got another start later on, 1730 01:53:27.319 --> 01:53:30.399 I think the last game of the year, and I thought I did 1731 01:53:30.399 --> 01:53:32.680 pretty well. Now last game, Uh, definitely definitely some mistakes, but 1732 01:53:32.760 --> 01:53:36.079 I mean I definitely seen an improvement from the start of the year and then 1733 01:53:36.119 --> 01:53:42.039 even now just being here in this training camp, I definitely can just see 1734 01:53:42.079 --> 01:53:46.439 and feel the difference my confidence throwing war on timing. I definitely just feel 1735 01:53:46.479 --> 01:53:49.279 a lot better in the offense overall, and I mean I'm super excited to 1736 01:53:49.279 --> 01:53:56.439 get this year rolling. What was conversations obviously you had with coaches and staff 1737 01:53:56.479 --> 01:54:00.000 and everything. What were your position coming into the year, because it felt 1738 01:54:00.159 --> 01:54:03.560 like you gave the spark last year obviously got hurt, and then it felt 1739 01:54:03.600 --> 01:54:06.680 like you kind of got like, you know, and we love Taylor and 1740 01:54:06.680 --> 01:54:10.000 then we've covered him back down to the XFL and all of that, but 1741 01:54:10.039 --> 01:54:12.880 it felt like you kind of got leaped over and so what is it? 1742 01:54:12.920 --> 01:54:15.840 What is your position now or whatever? They you know, whether they have 1743 01:54:15.880 --> 01:54:19.439 those conversations look like, um, yeah, I mean I've been told that 1744 01:54:19.720 --> 01:54:24.279 I'll always get a chance to compete for the starting job, and I mean 1745 01:54:24.520 --> 01:54:29.000 I'm super grateful for that. But i mean coming in and you know, 1746 01:54:29.239 --> 01:54:31.560 viewing things, you know, not trying to be biased towards me or towards 1747 01:54:31.560 --> 01:54:34.720 Taylor anybody, Like I understand they have him the starting guy right now. 1748 01:54:34.760 --> 01:54:38.079 I mean he stepped up last year when the team needed him. He did 1749 01:54:38.119 --> 01:54:41.600 a super super great job, and uh, you know, I'm grateful he 1750 01:54:41.640 --> 01:54:44.600 was there for our team last year to pick him up. But I mean 1751 01:54:44.640 --> 01:54:48.279 I'm still here to compete for that starting job. Obviously if if he compete 1752 01:54:48.359 --> 01:54:50.840 does better than me, you know, when he wins the competition, Uh, 1753 01:54:51.199 --> 01:54:54.479 that's great. He's gonna you know, lead the team and everything. 1754 01:54:55.680 --> 01:54:58.319 Even if it's you know, even if I get my chance later on in 1755 01:54:58.359 --> 01:55:00.880 the year, you know, week eight or four or twelve, whatever it 1756 01:55:00.960 --> 01:55:04.880 is, I'm just gonna be ready for an opportunity that I understand. He's 1757 01:55:04.920 --> 01:55:09.479 the guy right now. But you gotta play. You gotta do well to 1758 01:55:09.600 --> 01:55:13.199 keep your job, and so you know, it's always job hunting out here 1759 01:55:13.359 --> 01:55:16.880 in professional football. So but I've got nothing, nothing bad to say about 1760 01:55:16.920 --> 01:55:21.039 Taylor. He's a great dude. I'm always cracking jokes with him. Great 1761 01:55:21.079 --> 01:55:24.479 guy, he's a great leader, and I think we got a really good 1762 01:55:24.520 --> 01:55:28.079 quarterback right hand. Yeah. Does that give you extra motivation seeing, you 1763 01:55:28.119 --> 01:55:30.479 know, obviously him getting the contract and know when you're coming in and kind 1764 01:55:30.520 --> 01:55:33.439 of seeing, hey, maybe that's something I could get to or with either 1765 01:55:33.600 --> 01:55:39.000 with Edmonton or somewhere else. Does that give you that motivation? Yeah? 1766 01:55:39.039 --> 01:55:43.000 I mean it's like, obviously you always want to be able to, you 1767 01:55:43.000 --> 01:55:45.880 know, get the best contracts you can get, you know, make the 1768 01:55:45.960 --> 01:55:50.319 most money you can make. But I'm more focused on just like I don't 1769 01:55:50.359 --> 01:55:55.439 care if he makes more money than me. Like, I'm more into who 1770 01:55:55.479 --> 01:55:59.600 gets more first downs, who's driving the field, more completions, touchdowns, 1771 01:55:59.600 --> 01:56:03.319 better shows, and everything. So I'm definitely more focused on the actual football 1772 01:56:03.319 --> 01:56:05.800 aspect and then if you know, if you can go out there and compete 1773 01:56:05.840 --> 01:56:10.279 and do well, all the other stuff will come based on how you play. 1774 01:56:10.479 --> 01:56:13.119 In terms of we're we cover bes, I mean, we cover all 1775 01:56:13.159 --> 01:56:15.840 everything, but I'm out here in Seattle, so BC is kind of our 1776 01:56:15.920 --> 01:56:19.560 team as well as Edmonton obviously seeing the success and Nathan work has been talked 1777 01:56:19.560 --> 01:56:24.600 to death, but getting the spotlight on you guys, as you know Canadian 1778 01:56:24.600 --> 01:56:29.199 athletes Canadian any position, especially as a quarterback, do you carry that as 1779 01:56:29.319 --> 01:56:30.800 as a badge of honor? Do you want to? Does that put more 1780 01:56:30.800 --> 01:56:34.359 pressure on you? How do you view that and how you compete? Uh? 1781 01:56:34.520 --> 01:56:38.600 Yeah? So, I mean I'm grateful to be Canadian and playing in 1782 01:56:38.640 --> 01:56:42.640 the CFL for sure, and I do I do carry that title. I 1783 01:56:42.640 --> 01:56:45.199 will definitely embrace it and try to be a role model for young Canadians moving 1784 01:56:45.279 --> 01:56:49.600 up. But at the same time, also it's like I embrace it but 1785 01:56:49.640 --> 01:56:53.720 I also don't want it to be the definition of me. You know, 1786 01:56:53.760 --> 01:56:57.279 I don't want somebody keeping me on the roster because oh, I'm a Canadian 1787 01:56:57.560 --> 01:57:00.399 quarterback, I'm a good look for the team or anything like that. I 1788 01:57:00.479 --> 01:57:02.520 want to be kept on the team or being a starter based on how I 1789 01:57:02.600 --> 01:57:09.640 play and being a dominant quarterback in the league, not just being a Canadian 1790 01:57:09.720 --> 01:57:15.600 quarterback. How many conversations preseason they've circulated around the whole home losing streak and 1791 01:57:15.720 --> 01:57:20.800 wanting to kind of remedy that this year, Yeah, honestly, I haven't 1792 01:57:20.840 --> 01:57:25.399 heard a lot about it. We do have a we have a like a 1793 01:57:25.399 --> 01:57:30.760 newer receiving corps this year, a couple of new pieces on the old line 1794 01:57:30.760 --> 01:57:32.319 as well, and even on the defense, we got to new guys. 1795 01:57:33.159 --> 01:57:35.560 I think we're a lot further ahead this year than we were last year, 1796 01:57:36.000 --> 01:57:41.000 and I just don't think a lot of guys are super aware of that yet. 1797 01:57:41.439 --> 01:57:44.920 So maybe coming up, you know, on Saturday, they'll talk about 1798 01:57:44.960 --> 01:57:47.000 it a little bit. But yeah, I haven't heard a ton of stuff. 1799 01:57:47.000 --> 01:57:50.840 I don't think a ton of people actually know the losing streak we've had 1800 01:57:50.880 --> 01:57:56.319 at home. But I can guarantee we will win a home game this year. 1801 01:57:56.399 --> 01:58:00.920 One hundred. What is that? Coach Jones? Like he's been on 1802 01:58:00.960 --> 01:58:02.079 the part, he's been on our show. I would call him a friend 1803 01:58:02.079 --> 01:58:05.399 of the podcast. What's he like is you know, mentor and a coach 1804 01:58:05.399 --> 01:58:09.720 and everything else. Yeah, he's a he's a super great guy. I 1805 01:58:09.720 --> 01:58:13.520 mean, I think he's a fantastic guy. I think he's a fantastic coach. 1806 01:58:13.960 --> 01:58:17.159 I think sometimes you know, like I have people talking to me about 1807 01:58:17.520 --> 01:58:23.239 how, you know, the media makes him look a little more kind of 1808 01:58:23.720 --> 01:58:27.159 hard, gritty and you know, like a loose cannon a little bit. 1809 01:58:27.199 --> 01:58:30.119 I feel like, but he's a he's a super great guy. Nothing but 1810 01:58:30.159 --> 01:58:31.279 good things to say about him. He's a great coach. And I mean, 1811 01:58:31.439 --> 01:58:34.199 I'm super grateful that he picked me, you know, selecting me especially 1812 01:58:34.199 --> 01:58:36.920 in the first round, to come out here to Edmonton and you know, 1813 01:58:38.359 --> 01:58:41.359 build a new team and you know, get Edmonton back to where they used 1814 01:58:41.359 --> 01:58:44.399 to be a couple more here, I'll let you go, I appreciate it. 1815 01:58:44.439 --> 01:58:46.520 Here After meetings and everything else, hit me and what you know, 1816 01:58:46.640 --> 01:58:49.399 goals for you this year? Like I said last year, you said some 1817 01:58:49.439 --> 01:58:54.159 real highs and some real lows. What are you looking forward personally to accomplish 1818 01:58:54.239 --> 01:58:57.199 this year? Uh? Yeah, So there's like, you know, I 1819 01:58:57.279 --> 01:58:59.800 have all kinds of different goals that I'm aiming for. I mean, the 1820 01:59:00.199 --> 01:59:03.680 biggest one is to just be the best quarterback that I can be and be 1821 01:59:03.760 --> 01:59:06.359 the best leaders for the team that I can be. That's definitely number one, 1822 01:59:06.680 --> 01:59:10.560 And I think if I can accomplish that, I feel like a lot 1823 01:59:10.560 --> 01:59:14.479 of the other ones, like like re earning the starting job, right, 1824 01:59:14.479 --> 01:59:17.479 and then it would probably be more to trying to become the leading pastor getting 1825 01:59:17.479 --> 01:59:20.880 our team to the playoffs, winning a championship. I think all those teams 1826 01:59:20.960 --> 01:59:27.159 kind of fall in after getting that starting job back and becoming the best quarterback 1827 01:59:27.199 --> 01:59:29.680 that I can be. So, I mean, it's not it's not gonna 1828 01:59:29.720 --> 01:59:30.680 be overright. I'm not going to be the best quarterback I'm going to be 1829 01:59:30.720 --> 01:59:33.760 this year, not even next year. You know, probably it's it's gonna 1830 01:59:33.760 --> 01:59:36.680 be over time. The more the more you learn, right, the better 1831 01:59:36.680 --> 01:59:41.319 off you're gonna be. Do you feel like going through last year really kind 1832 01:59:41.319 --> 01:59:44.920 of hardened you mentally and emotionally? Here that kind of you know, because 1833 01:59:44.960 --> 01:59:46.439 I mean I've never i haven't played a snap of anything. But you know, 1834 01:59:46.439 --> 01:59:49.720 I've been told football it's the most of you know, But just having 1835 01:59:49.760 --> 01:59:53.399 gone through all that so early in your career, do you feel like that's 1836 01:59:53.399 --> 01:59:56.920 hard to you and prepared you now? Yeah, I honestly I feel like, 1837 01:59:57.079 --> 01:59:59.520 uh, I mean, no, nobody ever wants to get hurt, 1838 01:59:59.720 --> 02:00:01.279 and you know you don't want to miss any weeks. But I mean, 1839 02:00:01.359 --> 02:00:04.119 I think it was a I think it was actually a good thing for me 1840 02:00:04.199 --> 02:00:10.520 to to learn, because you know, we're like going through high school and 1841 02:00:10.520 --> 02:00:14.840 then O U A U sports. I was always, you know, I 1842 02:00:14.880 --> 02:00:18.880 was always the guy right, and I was always kind of just like kind 1843 02:00:18.920 --> 02:00:23.279 of guaranteed everything. But like you know, you get to the professional level, 1844 02:00:23.560 --> 02:00:28.279 you realize nothing's guaranteed. Everything can change after one snap, right, 1845 02:00:28.399 --> 02:00:30.520 And I had to. I had to learn last year how to be in 1846 02:00:30.560 --> 02:00:35.279 that backup role and how to try to motivate our team off that um, 1847 02:00:35.800 --> 02:00:40.079 how to play, how to practice, how to prepare for a game, 1848 02:00:41.359 --> 02:00:45.079 because it's it's definitely a it's definitely a learning curve for sure. I mean, 1849 02:00:45.119 --> 02:00:46.039 and you don't want to you don't want to prepare for a game as 1850 02:00:46.079 --> 02:00:49.079 a backup because I'll tell you what, for everybody who is doing that, 1851 02:00:49.239 --> 02:00:54.119 it's a terrible idea because it's one snap of way. Like even if you 1852 02:00:54.199 --> 02:00:57.239 ask Taylor, I mean you talked to last year, he probably wasn't expecting 1853 02:00:57.239 --> 02:01:00.920 to go in that game when he had to write, kind of just happened. 1854 02:01:00.199 --> 02:01:03.640 So I mean, everything's only it's it's one injury away and then your 1855 02:01:03.720 --> 02:01:06.279 name called and you've got to be able to perform. So you always got 1856 02:01:06.319 --> 02:01:10.359 to prepare like you've started well, Trey. We like I said, we 1857 02:01:10.399 --> 02:01:14.319 get more questions about you and wanting to see you play in Edmonton than anyone 1858 02:01:14.399 --> 02:01:16.880 you know. Obviously you know CFL quarterbacks a little fluid sometimes, but I 1859 02:01:16.880 --> 02:01:19.920 hope you get a good opportunity to this year. I'll be watching the preseason 1860 02:01:19.960 --> 02:01:23.920 games. We have our CFL plus now I'll be watching here in the States. 1861 02:01:24.319 --> 02:01:27.439 But really excited. Like I said, Edmonton's one of the teams we 1862 02:01:27.520 --> 02:01:30.560 hold dear. So I really appreciate your time today and wish you luck this 1863 02:01:30.640 --> 02:01:34.399 year. We're excited for you. Thank you, I appreciate you. Awesome 1864 02:01:34.399 --> 02:01:42.640 man. Good luck and we'll see you well. We had to show them 1865 02:01:42.720 --> 02:01:46.119 in on XFL. Now. Eric Eager was Super Sports back we're talking USFL 1866 02:01:46.159 --> 02:01:49.319 week seven. I can't believe we're already. I saw Brett today posting like 1867 02:01:49.359 --> 02:01:54.640 playoff tickets. We're getting ready for the playoff tickets. How is USFL season 1868 02:01:54.680 --> 02:01:59.199 two treating you? It's been good. I've you know, I've really enjoyed 1869 02:02:00.119 --> 02:02:02.600 watching the games. Early in the season, you had a lot more scoring, 1870 02:02:02.920 --> 02:02:06.319 uh you know, and then the last few weeks, uh, not 1871 02:02:06.399 --> 02:02:11.039 so much. I believe every game when under last week, if I'm not 1872 02:02:11.079 --> 02:02:15.119 mistaken, h seven to last eight have been one out right by underdogs, 1873 02:02:15.880 --> 02:02:19.199 many of which were underdogs by quite a bit. So it's been an interesting 1874 02:02:19.239 --> 02:02:23.640 season. I've certainly enjoyed. Uh. You know. Spring football is always 1875 02:02:23.680 --> 02:02:27.159 like a nice like drink of water during a long sort of walk in the 1876 02:02:27.199 --> 02:02:30.520 desert. So I like it a lot. Is it? You know? 1877 02:02:30.560 --> 02:02:31.920 And we talked last year and had you I mean, is it living up 1878 02:02:31.920 --> 02:02:34.920 to season two? Did you expect more growth this year? Is it where 1879 02:02:34.960 --> 02:02:38.560 you thought it would be in terms of you know, production and talent and 1880 02:02:38.560 --> 02:02:42.760 everything else. It's actually better than I expected. I think that, you 1881 02:02:42.800 --> 02:02:45.800 know, continuity has really been cool for the league. Right, so you 1882 02:02:45.880 --> 02:02:48.520 watch, you know, the new Jersey Generals, and you get Darius Victor 1883 02:02:48.600 --> 02:02:53.359 and you get you know, DeAndre Johnson although he was benched this past week. 1884 02:02:54.359 --> 02:02:57.399 You know, when you go to Birmingham, you get Alex McGoo. 1885 02:02:57.720 --> 02:03:01.359 You know, you had Jamar Smith before the injury. Um, you know, 1886 02:03:01.359 --> 02:03:04.840 and some players coming on in defense on defense, and then you have 1887 02:03:04.880 --> 02:03:08.800 some you know, injection of good talent in the league with Breeland speaks in 1888 02:03:09.640 --> 02:03:13.199 Michigan and and I think the coaching is other. Yeah, it's been better. 1889 02:03:13.239 --> 02:03:15.479 I think the coaches that struggle in year one have all been replaced and 1890 02:03:15.920 --> 02:03:20.359 have actually been better, I think than previous years. So, uh, 1891 02:03:20.800 --> 02:03:25.880 it's been good obviously. I think that. Um, you know, there's 1892 02:03:26.039 --> 02:03:29.119 there's some question about, you know, is it better than the XFL, 1893 02:03:29.239 --> 02:03:31.680 Like what would the best team in the USFL be on a neutral field against 1894 02:03:31.680 --> 02:03:34.800 the best team in the XFL. Like I'm not really like concerned about that 1895 02:03:34.880 --> 02:03:38.640 right now, especially with both leagues they're not on at the same time. 1896 02:03:38.680 --> 02:03:44.199 Really, Um, it's it's met my expectations. You said, scoring down 1897 02:03:44.640 --> 02:03:45.840 there has been a thing. I mean this last week we have to shut 1898 02:03:45.880 --> 02:03:49.399 you know, shut out. The Stars have won two games now without scoring 1899 02:03:49.399 --> 02:03:53.279 The defensive touch shot, Like, what do you attribute that too, because 1900 02:03:53.279 --> 02:03:55.880 it's weird, like we should be peaking kind of here and there the end 1901 02:03:55.920 --> 02:04:00.399 of the season. Yeah, I think, I mean it, defense is 1902 02:04:00.439 --> 02:04:03.600 generally harder to put together than offense, right, and um, you know 1903 02:04:03.640 --> 02:04:08.359 you have weak link systems, you have you know, secondary play that I 1904 02:04:08.359 --> 02:04:11.800 think was off Um, you know, I think more holding is being like 1905 02:04:11.840 --> 02:04:14.279 I don't have the data in front of me, but I think more holding 1906 02:04:14.359 --> 02:04:16.399 is being called on run plays, which and pass plays, which is hurting. 1907 02:04:16.800 --> 02:04:20.119 Um. I think there's been a reasonable amount of offensive past interfere and 1908 02:04:20.159 --> 02:04:24.680 spent all these calls as well. So I think that there are just like 1909 02:04:24.760 --> 02:04:28.479 things the league is doing that suppressing scoring a little bit. And then the 1910 02:04:28.600 --> 02:04:30.840 quarterbacks that I think, you know started out really strong, you know, 1911 02:04:30.880 --> 02:04:36.760 the the McLeod Bethel Thompson's the Alex Mgoose of the world, You're not And 1912 02:04:36.840 --> 02:04:41.520 even in Michigan where you know, Josh Love like was really good early on, 1913 02:04:41.600 --> 02:04:45.199 Like, I don't think that those players are really playing up to where 1914 02:04:45.199 --> 02:04:47.239 they played at the beginning of this season. And you know, offensively does 1915 02:04:47.319 --> 02:04:51.159 go as quarterback play goes. Do you feel like they've done a good job 1916 02:04:51.199 --> 02:04:55.039 this year with assemble in the quarterbacks. To me, obviously, McCloud is 1917 02:04:55.119 --> 02:04:57.439 kind of a big you know, the off season signing. But you know, 1918 02:04:57.600 --> 02:05:00.560 like you said before, the continuity and you know, DeAndre Johnson and 1919 02:05:00.600 --> 02:05:03.520 all the others. I think so, I mean even but we even look 1920 02:05:03.560 --> 02:05:10.479 at like Case Cookus here for example, like he really didn't you know, 1921 02:05:10.520 --> 02:05:14.399 he's really not gotten protected, right and that and that's a really hard way 1922 02:05:14.399 --> 02:05:15.920 to win. As you said, they won, you know now they're three 1923 02:05:15.960 --> 02:05:18.760 and three and three, I believe in Like you know, they won the 1924 02:05:18.840 --> 02:05:23.640 first game. Offense was fairly strong with Corey Coleman and and you know, 1925 02:05:23.880 --> 02:05:28.039 uh Colburn and stuff like that. But you know, you don't from there. 1926 02:05:28.159 --> 02:05:30.359 You don't really have you know, the offensive line to protect him. 1927 02:05:30.359 --> 02:05:33.600 And he's gotten beaten up and it doesn't look like he's gotten he's been able 1928 02:05:33.640 --> 02:05:38.279 to like sort of maintain uh, you know, even what expectation would be 1929 02:05:38.359 --> 02:05:42.800 under pressure. Uh, And so you know you've seen a decline and play 1930 02:05:42.880 --> 02:05:45.840 there. Um. You know that that to me, I think is a 1931 02:05:45.840 --> 02:05:49.920 big issue. Obviously, we saw Case last year get looked it would have 1932 02:05:49.960 --> 02:05:54.239 gotten more looks after the season but obviously had the injury and then right I 1933 02:05:54.279 --> 02:05:56.880 think he was a cup of coffee with was it the rams? I think 1934 02:05:56.880 --> 02:05:59.479 he got in there for a little bit. But do you see any of 1935 02:05:59.520 --> 02:06:01.720 the quarter backs here stand out that you would think would get looks following the 1936 02:06:01.720 --> 02:06:05.199 season. I think Cucus, if he comes out of it healthy, probably 1937 02:06:05.239 --> 02:06:10.000 will. He probably would have heady and godn't gotten injured in the championship game. 1938 02:06:10.600 --> 02:06:15.960 Um. I think beyond that, it's you know, we saw some 1939 02:06:15.039 --> 02:06:19.199 quarterbacks that weren't particularly good in the XFL get looks, so you could see 1940 02:06:19.199 --> 02:06:23.920 that happen. I'd be surprised though, given that there are two leagues, 1941 02:06:24.199 --> 02:06:27.039 and I think many people believe the XFL was the better of the two leagues. 1942 02:06:27.079 --> 02:06:30.000 With Benda Nucci getting a getting literally signed by the Denver Broncos not only 1943 02:06:31.199 --> 02:06:38.439 a workout um, and the third quarterback room the NFL changing that could help 1944 02:06:38.479 --> 02:06:40.840 a lot as well. Like you know, there is like an incentive to 1945 02:06:40.880 --> 02:06:44.840 develop these guys. Now, it could it could lead to more. But 1946 02:06:44.960 --> 02:06:47.399 I just don't know if quarterback play has been good enough across the league, 1947 02:06:47.439 --> 02:06:51.520 like Kenji Bahara has been okay, I think he's been probably the biggest surprise. 1948 02:06:53.239 --> 02:06:56.000 Maybe he could get a look as a you know, athletic young quarterback, 1949 02:06:56.600 --> 02:06:59.039 but I think it's I think it's gonna be hard for a lot of 1950 02:06:59.039 --> 02:07:02.039 them other than Cookis were you surprised ye had that Denci was signed so quick 1951 02:07:02.079 --> 02:07:05.920 and then I'm seeing like immediately throw and pick sixes and everything else in practice. 1952 02:07:05.960 --> 02:07:09.000 Like to me, that was kind of shocking. I mean, good 1953 02:07:09.039 --> 02:07:13.720 for him, but like very very quick. Denucci to me was interesting because 1954 02:07:13.800 --> 02:07:15.680 I don't know if you got this view when you were watching the XFL, 1955 02:07:15.760 --> 02:07:20.239 but Denucci felt kind of Kyle slowderish to me, and that there were there 1956 02:07:20.279 --> 02:07:23.720 were good things. You'd watch him make a complete shore, like, oh, 1957 02:07:23.720 --> 02:07:27.720 that's pretty impressive, but they weren't scoring as much as a guy with 1958 02:07:27.800 --> 02:07:30.880 like that brilliant of a season, right, Like you know, Slowder was 1959 02:07:30.960 --> 02:07:34.119 first team All USFL last year. But it wasn't like the New Orleans Breakers 1960 02:07:34.159 --> 02:07:39.439 had a great offense um and they couldn't finish in the red zone. And 1961 02:07:39.439 --> 02:07:42.600 there were there were some games, I know, the overtime game was very 1962 02:07:42.640 --> 02:07:45.279 clutch when they put up enough scoring there to win. But for the most 1963 02:07:45.279 --> 02:07:49.039 part, like he was not delivering and I think, like Seattle, you 1964 02:07:49.079 --> 02:07:51.880 know, there were some games where they were in the teams and he was 1965 02:07:51.920 --> 02:07:56.239 not particularly impressive, even the game, you know where they had to win 1966 02:07:56.279 --> 02:07:58.239 to get in the playoffs, Like the first half of that game, they 1967 02:07:58.279 --> 02:08:01.880 only scored six or seven points, and you're just like, you know, 1968 02:08:01.239 --> 02:08:05.159 I think a lot of people look at football like artistically more than they look 1969 02:08:05.159 --> 02:08:09.359 at production. And I get that to an extent, But I think the 1970 02:08:09.479 --> 02:08:11.920 Nucci is going to fall into that realm where I think he was doing some 1971 02:08:11.960 --> 02:08:15.960 really cool things. I don't know if he was doing some very he was, 1972 02:08:16.039 --> 02:08:18.800 he was all that much more effective than some of the other guys were. 1973 02:08:18.800 --> 02:08:22.439 Talking the quarterbacks with the USFL, have we started seeing the delusion of 1974 02:08:22.560 --> 02:08:26.960 talent with the two leagues or do you feel like that we're still kind of 1975 02:08:26.960 --> 02:08:33.319 waiting for that down the line. I think I think you are going to 1976 02:08:33.359 --> 02:08:35.079 see it a little bit for sure. And I think if the NFL starts 1977 02:08:35.119 --> 02:08:39.520 to carry more quarterbacks because of the rules, I think you could very much 1978 02:08:39.560 --> 02:08:41.520 see that. So to me that that might be, that might be part 1979 02:08:41.560 --> 02:08:46.439 of what's baked in. I have not like watched these games and thought to 1980 02:08:46.479 --> 02:08:48.399 myself, oh my gosh, there's not enough talent. I you know, 1981 02:08:48.600 --> 02:08:52.279 and maybe I have reasonable expectations about what this league should be, but I 1982 02:08:52.359 --> 02:08:56.359 have not watched a game and thought to myself, oh, wow, the 1983 02:08:56.479 --> 02:09:00.159 talent's really bad. I mean, you know, there was a game where, 1984 02:09:00.199 --> 02:09:03.640 you know, uh, the Philadelphia Stars I couldn't stop the Houston Gamblers, 1985 02:09:03.640 --> 02:09:07.800 and I said, this is this might be the worst defense in in 1986 02:09:07.279 --> 02:09:09.960 pro football. But I, you know, for the most part, I've 1987 02:09:09.960 --> 02:09:15.079 been I've been fairly okay with the level of talent across the league. In 1988 02:09:15.199 --> 02:09:18.720 terms of best teams right now, I mean, you know, it seems 1989 02:09:18.760 --> 02:09:20.960 like it's in the South Breakers kind of coming down a little bit. Obviously, 1990 02:09:22.000 --> 02:09:24.600 Stallion's holding in there. Who are you making kind of your pick here 1991 02:09:24.600 --> 02:09:28.399 in the South? Yeah, when I look at this, I do think 1992 02:09:28.439 --> 02:09:31.640 the Gamblers are a team that that you know, initially I thought it was 1993 02:09:31.720 --> 02:09:37.159 kind of a flukey thing, but I've had to sort of adjust my priors. 1994 02:09:37.159 --> 02:09:39.920 I make the Gamblers about it, and this is how like condensed the 1995 02:09:39.000 --> 02:09:41.840 league is with some of the underdogs winning. I make the Gamblers the second 1996 02:09:41.840 --> 02:09:46.279 best team in the league, one point five points better than the average team 1997 02:09:46.319 --> 02:09:48.840 on a neutral I still make Birmingham four points better than the average team on 1998 02:09:48.920 --> 02:09:52.039 a neutral but you know that's declined over recent weeks. I mean when they 1999 02:09:52.039 --> 02:09:56.279 were when they beat the Memphis show Boats, was it like forty two to 2000 02:09:56.359 --> 02:10:00.000 two or something like that. Um, you know, I certainly it's certainly 2001 02:10:00.079 --> 02:10:03.760 he made me adjust for a while and think that they were they were a 2002 02:10:03.800 --> 02:10:05.760 team that needed to be you know, sort of reckoned with. But for 2003 02:10:05.800 --> 02:10:09.000 the most part, Birmingham has not been as you know, as strong. 2004 02:10:09.039 --> 02:10:11.359 I know, they won and covered the other day, but they have not 2005 02:10:11.439 --> 02:10:16.000 been as strong as as suggested. You know. I also think I make 2006 02:10:16.039 --> 02:10:20.000 New Orleans a point better than the average team out of neutral. Uh. 2007 02:10:20.159 --> 02:10:22.560 And then from there you have Memphis about you know, a little bit below 2008 02:10:22.600 --> 02:10:26.039 an average team out of neutral there, you know, whereas I only make 2009 02:10:26.079 --> 02:10:30.119 one team in the North. Uh, you know, up, you know, 2010 02:10:30.279 --> 02:10:33.199 better than the average teamount of neutral, and that's the New Jersey general. 2011 02:10:33.319 --> 02:10:35.520 So the South is gonna be hard. Um. I think Houston is, 2012 02:10:35.600 --> 02:10:39.319 you know, by stacking up wins when other teams have it and put 2013 02:10:39.319 --> 02:10:41.800 themselves in a really good position. Um. But I think Birmingham is still 2014 02:10:41.840 --> 02:10:46.640 the best team there. Why did the Generals get that up up in the 2015 02:10:46.640 --> 02:10:50.000 North Division? Why did they get that from? You? Defense is really 2016 02:10:50.039 --> 02:10:52.399 their defense is really good. Um, offensively, they have to figure out 2017 02:10:52.479 --> 02:10:56.359 quarterback. I'm not sure why they gave you know, DeAndre Johnson maybe a 2018 02:10:56.520 --> 02:11:00.359 little bit banked up, but I'm not sure why, you know, they 2019 02:11:00.359 --> 02:11:03.039 would give the entire game to Kyle Aletta to me, who isn't you know? 2020 02:11:03.960 --> 02:11:07.319 You know, he made some impressive throws, but for the most part, 2021 02:11:07.399 --> 02:11:09.439 was very weak the other day and has been for most of his pro 2022 02:11:09.520 --> 02:11:13.159 career. But you know, defensively, I also think the running game. 2023 02:11:13.199 --> 02:11:18.279 They lost a game against Philly basically because Darius Victor couldn't hang on to the 2024 02:11:18.279 --> 02:11:22.560 ball three fumbles. I think eventually things look right to the top. I 2025 02:11:22.560 --> 02:11:24.239 think Mike Riley's one of the better coaches in the league, so I'm good 2026 02:11:24.399 --> 02:11:28.680 given them that benefit of it out In terms of Riley doing good, I 2027 02:11:28.680 --> 02:11:31.760 think Barr Andrews has looked tired. I don't know, I see him and 2028 02:11:31.800 --> 02:11:35.199 I was joking like him in case Cooks kind of on the sidelines. Really 2029 02:11:35.199 --> 02:11:37.960 a horrredous game for them last game and the turnovers and all that. I 2030 02:11:37.960 --> 02:11:41.399 mean, he seems like he's really not locked in right now. Are you 2031 02:11:41.479 --> 02:11:46.039 noticing that? Yeah, it looks unimaginative for sure, Like they haven't you 2032 02:11:46.079 --> 02:11:48.600 know, last year they were kind of wide open in case Kukus was a 2033 02:11:48.600 --> 02:11:52.319 lot of fun. Brian Scott before him. I'm even Costello in the championship 2034 02:11:52.319 --> 02:11:56.039 game, like was able to get them in the backdoor to cover the spread 2035 02:11:56.039 --> 02:12:01.000 in the championship game. But I just think, you know, it does 2036 02:12:01.039 --> 02:12:05.399 look it does looks tired and and you know, when you have an offensive 2037 02:12:05.439 --> 02:12:07.319 line problem as bad as theirs, like, I don't know what there is 2038 02:12:07.359 --> 02:12:11.199 to do. They have shorted up a little bit defensively in recent weeks, 2039 02:12:11.199 --> 02:12:13.319 but some of that is turnover. Look, some of that it's getting a 2040 02:12:13.359 --> 02:12:16.439 pick six against New Orleans. Some of that it's getting h you know, 2041 02:12:16.560 --> 02:12:20.520 all the turnovers. Although they moved the football enough to kick eight field goals 2042 02:12:20.520 --> 02:12:24.720 against against New Jersey, I think that that was a little bit of a 2043 02:12:24.079 --> 02:12:28.720 of a fluke as well. So I think that, um, you know, 2044 02:12:30.000 --> 02:12:31.840 it does look tired there. I have them about an average team on 2045 02:12:31.840 --> 02:12:35.760 a neutral field, and that's just because you know, three other teams, 2046 02:12:35.199 --> 02:12:39.199 uh, you know, or two other teams in their division are the worst 2047 02:12:39.239 --> 02:12:41.720 teams in the whole league, and the Mallers and the Panthers and you know, 2048 02:12:41.720 --> 02:12:45.760 the show Boats are kind of they're emerging a little bit, but they're 2049 02:12:45.800 --> 02:12:48.800 still, in my opinion, a little bit below that would Yeah, is 2050 02:12:48.840 --> 02:12:52.520 that a stat you would champion? The eight field goals and most like No, 2051 02:12:52.680 --> 02:12:56.319 I mean, at least you're getting into scoring range. And I know 2052 02:12:56.439 --> 02:13:00.359 that. You know, red zone efficiency is not a stable stat year to 2053 02:13:00.439 --> 02:13:03.399 year, in game to game, but they've done it now for a few 2054 02:13:03.439 --> 02:13:05.600 games in a row. As you said, like they've moved the football. 2055 02:13:05.640 --> 02:13:09.039 Okay, they've gotten turnovers. I think the getting turnovers part is the really 2056 02:13:09.079 --> 02:13:13.960 unfortunate part. But they had not been able to sort of capitalize on it, 2057 02:13:13.000 --> 02:13:18.520 which has been unfortunate. I you surprised Mahlers looked like they had life. 2058 02:13:18.600 --> 02:13:20.560 Now they don't. I mean that it looks like they're kind of back 2059 02:13:20.600 --> 02:13:24.039 down in the door, kind of in the dungeon again. Yeah, they 2060 02:13:24.359 --> 02:13:28.880 they Defensively, if you can play some defense like you're gonna you're gonna have, 2061 02:13:28.079 --> 02:13:31.600 you know, you're gonna have some Okay things happen to you in this 2062 02:13:31.680 --> 02:13:35.000 league, and they did that offensively. I mean what they wouldn't like the 2063 02:13:35.000 --> 02:13:37.000 first two or three games, so that's scoring a touchdown. Last week they 2064 02:13:37.000 --> 02:13:41.880 couldn't score. Um you know, if you had if you had them against 2065 02:13:41.920 --> 02:13:45.239 I mean they were favored by three against Memphis to open on bet online. 2066 02:13:45.279 --> 02:13:48.119 That was I texted my friends, so this is the easiest bet you've ever 2067 02:13:48.159 --> 02:13:52.600 made in your life on Memphis. And then you know, second half of 2068 02:13:52.640 --> 02:13:56.119 that game, you know they they you know, Memphis didn't even want to 2069 02:13:56.119 --> 02:13:58.479 really move the football in the second half of that game. And still you 2070 02:13:58.479 --> 02:14:03.119 know Pittsburgh can't do anything with it. So yeah, I think there's funky 2071 02:14:03.279 --> 02:14:05.319 at the beginning. And that's what I like about this league. Last year, 2072 02:14:05.560 --> 02:14:09.000 you had teams like Michigan, you had teams like Pittsburgh, um, 2073 02:14:09.159 --> 02:14:13.079 that really added nothing the whole year. Houston was a competitive team, but 2074 02:14:13.119 --> 02:14:16.159 not they didn't win. But teams that weren't even competitive week the week, 2075 02:14:16.199 --> 02:14:22.079 like Michigan, uh and and Pittsburgh you kind of have. You don't have 2076 02:14:22.199 --> 02:14:24.279 that this year, but those teams are starting to fall off again. Yeah, 2077 02:14:24.279 --> 02:14:28.479 because it seems we've we've championed and for better or worse, I don't 2078 02:14:28.479 --> 02:14:31.880 know if if having parody across the league. I hear both things, where 2079 02:14:31.920 --> 02:14:35.079 like you you have timody losing indivisionals that what do you make of that? 2080 02:14:35.319 --> 02:14:37.640 And the parody here headed into week seven? Well, I mean, if 2081 02:14:37.680 --> 02:14:41.760 you're a gambler or something like that, like you really do like the parody 2082 02:14:41.800 --> 02:14:45.880 because you like being able to just you know, take underdogs every week and 2083 02:14:46.319 --> 02:14:48.239 hope and hope it works out, especially in a league where there's not a 2084 02:14:48.319 --> 02:14:52.720 ton of scoring right now, like that to me appears to be the right 2085 02:14:52.800 --> 02:14:56.439 way to do it. Um does that does that make for better football? 2086 02:14:56.479 --> 02:15:00.199 I'm not sure. I I personally think the last few a few weeks have 2087 02:15:00.279 --> 02:15:05.319 been you're low scoring in a sort of ugly way and im and I'm interested 2088 02:15:05.359 --> 02:15:09.359 to see, you know, if that thing turns around in terms of you 2089 02:15:09.479 --> 02:15:11.279 said you're talking to your friend to the you know, putting the wagers on 2090 02:15:11.319 --> 02:15:15.119 and so. Has there been a lot of action Have you noticed that Is 2091 02:15:15.119 --> 02:15:16.880 it better worse than last year? Because I know you guys, you know 2092 02:15:16.880 --> 02:15:20.960 all complained last year about like getting the injury reports and kind of everything to 2093 02:15:20.960 --> 02:15:24.920 be able to do that effectively, to gamble and all of that. Have 2094 02:15:24.000 --> 02:15:28.640 you noticed an uptick this year. I haven't, but I'm also like not 2095 02:15:28.720 --> 02:15:33.680 gambling now with with sumers. So you know, I I think the DFS 2096 02:15:33.720 --> 02:15:39.159 tournaments have not particularly I don't think that they've had the overlay or the or 2097 02:15:39.239 --> 02:15:43.720 the the payouts that that you really want, which which is unfortunate. Um. 2098 02:15:43.159 --> 02:15:46.159 I think that there are some sharp groups that are that are betting USFL 2099 02:15:46.239 --> 02:15:50.199 for sure and moving lines. Um, but I think that they've gotten killed. 2100 02:15:50.199 --> 02:15:52.760 Like if you look at the last few weeks, uh, you know, 2101 02:15:52.840 --> 02:15:54.880 some of these totals have gone from mid forties to high forties and the 2102 02:15:54.960 --> 02:15:58.840 games are landing like in the twenties. So I'm not maybe you know, 2103 02:16:00.159 --> 02:16:01.960 licking their wounds a little bit because this league has been hard to predict, 2104 02:16:03.039 --> 02:16:05.479 and i'd been hard to predict. Is good obviously, you know, um 2105 02:16:05.640 --> 02:16:09.000 with the league with so little data, but that means you have to be 2106 02:16:09.000 --> 02:16:11.439 disciplined and not and not you know, obviously I think you know more than 2107 02:16:11.479 --> 02:16:16.079 you do. Is that so? Is that just a byproduct of the football? 2108 02:16:16.159 --> 02:16:18.680 Is there things the league could be doing? Is it just hey we 2109 02:16:20.000 --> 02:16:22.039 got it's year two of this and teams who are just trying to win And 2110 02:16:22.079 --> 02:16:26.319 I mean what do you attribute that too. I think that they're calling the 2111 02:16:26.319 --> 02:16:30.039 games, you know, in a way that will be more conducive to unders. 2112 02:16:30.079 --> 02:16:31.680 Like they're calling holding, they're calling a legal man down field. They're 2113 02:16:31.719 --> 02:16:35.719 doing a lot of things that like I think you have to call them. 2114 02:16:35.760 --> 02:16:37.600 But it's one or two I mean in a game, and the clock. 2115 02:16:37.760 --> 02:16:41.360 The clock is also a big deal, like when the clock is running like 2116 02:16:41.399 --> 02:16:45.920 basically the whole game, Um, you can't have you can't punt, you 2117 02:16:45.920 --> 02:16:48.879 know, and and it's weird. You also can't have drives that gets you 2118 02:16:48.920 --> 02:16:52.959 to midfield and you punt, and you know, with the kickoff being the 2119 02:16:52.000 --> 02:16:56.840 way it is, a lot of teams are starting near midfield and then punting 2120 02:16:56.000 --> 02:16:58.680 and then you know, pinning teams deep and like that, you know, 2121 02:16:58.680 --> 02:17:01.479 and there's a turnover or something like, it's not going to be conducer to 2122 02:17:01.559 --> 02:17:05.959 scoring, and that just um, you know that that's just a you know, 2123 02:17:07.280 --> 02:17:09.840 an issue of you know, kind of like the way the way the 2124 02:17:09.840 --> 02:17:15.239 game's branded. But I think that there's a little bit also in kind of 2125 02:17:15.239 --> 02:17:18.840 how the game is being called that has been a little bit less fortunate as 2126 02:17:18.879 --> 02:17:24.639 far as scoring is concerned. It's interesting, I want to get your thoughts 2127 02:17:24.719 --> 02:17:26.920 on the a little bit more on the kickoff, and then we can do 2128 02:17:26.000 --> 02:17:30.440 kind of the matchups here before we get out real quick rapid fire. Um. 2129 02:17:30.840 --> 02:17:33.280 You know, we obviously have seen the NFL this week and all that 2130 02:17:33.319 --> 02:17:37.479 and the fair catch and everything else, and the XFL kickoffs been circulating USFL. 2131 02:17:37.600 --> 02:17:39.120 They're you know, booting the ball halfway down the field here kicking it 2132 02:17:39.239 --> 02:17:41.680 off. It was at the twenty five now twenty like, what do you 2133 02:17:41.920 --> 02:17:45.920 what do you make about, like you said, kind of artificially inflating teams, 2134 02:17:45.920 --> 02:17:48.399 you're able to start the almost midfield without getting touched. Yeah, I 2135 02:17:48.399 --> 02:17:52.040 mean I think that's helpful for trying to get more scoring. I think it's 2136 02:17:52.120 --> 02:17:56.840 it's obviously like a basically thumbing your nose at this idea that kickoffs are more 2137 02:17:56.920 --> 02:18:01.600 dangerous because they're they're not really innovating. They're just making sure more kicks are 2138 02:18:01.600 --> 02:18:05.920 returned. Um, and you know, unlike the XFL, which I think 2139 02:18:05.959 --> 02:18:09.200 at an innovative solution to the problem. So yeah, I mean it's going 2140 02:18:09.280 --> 02:18:13.239 to help. And I think kickers in this league have been tremendous for the 2141 02:18:13.239 --> 02:18:16.200 most part, which has been cool. I you know, the special teams 2142 02:18:16.200 --> 02:18:18.399 in general, I think are what's fun. And you know, one of 2143 02:18:18.399 --> 02:18:20.120 the reasons I like, uh, you know, spring leagues is it kind 2144 02:18:20.120 --> 02:18:24.920 of takes you back to when quarterbacks weren't as good and when special teams mattered 2145 02:18:24.920 --> 02:18:28.840 more and stuff like that. And that certainly is the case in the USFL. 2146 02:18:28.920 --> 02:18:31.559 It's a little bit weirder in the XFL because of you know, no 2147 02:18:31.680 --> 02:18:35.040 extra point kicks and and and the kickoff rule being the way it is, 2148 02:18:35.440 --> 02:18:37.799 uh and punts being the way they are as well. Like I think that 2149 02:18:37.959 --> 02:18:43.040 it's um, it's a very interesting uh you know, discussion about you know, 2150 02:18:43.079 --> 02:18:48.000 the relative values in sports. Are are these leagues missing the mark now 2151 02:18:48.440 --> 02:18:52.399 that you know they're not really developing? Like Kavante Turpin's a special teams player, 2152 02:18:52.440 --> 02:18:54.600 Like how much more how much value? How much value is he going 2153 02:18:54.639 --> 02:18:58.079 to add if every kickoff is is fair cought? In two thousand and twenty 2154 02:18:58.120 --> 02:19:00.760 three in the NFL, well, I know, and I think it was 2155 02:19:00.920 --> 02:19:03.879 back when the XFL brass took over here. I think it was one of 2156 02:19:03.920 --> 02:19:07.600 the podcasts that Jim Monos did or whatever where they had talked about kind of 2157 02:19:07.639 --> 02:19:11.239 scrapping kicking all together in the XFL and I know, I think Sam had 2158 02:19:11.239 --> 02:19:13.840 talked about the show as well, and it was this balance of, well, 2159 02:19:13.879 --> 02:19:16.319 no, we still want to you know, it's football, you still 2160 02:19:16.360 --> 02:19:20.040 want to have kickers, but how can we do all the extra points and 2161 02:19:20.040 --> 02:19:22.639 all that stuff. It's an interesting thing. I do think, like you 2162 02:19:22.680 --> 02:19:24.959 said, it takes away the punt their kick return here. I think this 2163 02:19:26.040 --> 02:19:28.239 league might have to pivot to developing. You know, the thing with special 2164 02:19:28.280 --> 02:19:31.319 teams is like a lot of the players are non premium position players, So 2165 02:19:31.680 --> 02:19:37.879 like running back, linebacker, tight end, safety, you're you know, 2166 02:19:37.920 --> 02:19:41.799 those positions don't matter as much in the eleven on eleven game as they do 2167 02:19:41.959 --> 02:19:45.600 in you know, as other positions like that. And so maybe maybe this 2168 02:19:45.680 --> 02:19:48.079 league is like, okay, well we're really gonna have to showcase pass rushers, 2169 02:19:48.399 --> 02:19:52.399 pass blockers, quarterbacks, receivers and pivot that way because that, you 2170 02:19:52.399 --> 02:19:54.440 know, that's going to be what the NFL is gonna want out of these 2171 02:19:54.479 --> 02:19:58.040 leagues in the future. Real quick, here, before we get out, 2172 02:19:58.079 --> 02:20:01.719 who do you got on this Stallions here? I think Game of the Week 2173 02:20:01.760 --> 02:20:05.040 on Fox at one o'clock against the Breakers. Who are you taken? Yeah? 2174 02:20:05.120 --> 02:20:09.440 So the Stallions are favored by two, Um, I make I make 2175 02:20:09.479 --> 02:20:13.760 Birmingham more like favored by five, so I probably would lay the lay lay 2176 02:20:13.760 --> 02:20:18.600 it there. The I think Birmingham. One of the one reason i'm um, 2177 02:20:20.559 --> 02:20:22.920 you know, maybe a little bit off market here is I'm giving Birmingham 2178 02:20:24.440 --> 02:20:28.120 home field advantage because they're playing at their home stadium even though technically they're a 2179 02:20:28.159 --> 02:20:31.799 road team here. Um, And I make home field advantage for Birmingham and 2180 02:20:31.879 --> 02:20:33.840 the USFL about a point and a half because people do actually want to go 2181 02:20:35.639 --> 02:20:39.040 and watch them here, So that that that would be the that would be 2182 02:20:39.079 --> 02:20:45.319 my bet here terms here Stars smallers back here at Tom Benson. This you 2183 02:20:45.360 --> 02:20:48.479 know, hopefully Stars kind of getting another get right game here. What do 2184 02:20:48.479 --> 02:20:50.479 you make of this? Yeah? This is weird. This this open. 2185 02:20:50.520 --> 02:20:54.879 I think at one in the favor of Philly, and that's moved towards Pittsburgh 2186 02:20:54.959 --> 02:20:58.719 now through zero doesn't really matter, but I make phill it. I make 2187 02:20:58.719 --> 02:21:01.399 the wrong team favorite. I guess Philly. I make about a two and 2188 02:21:01.440 --> 02:21:03.879 a half point favorite. So for the second straight week, I think there's 2189 02:21:03.959 --> 02:21:07.760 opportunity betting against Pittsburgh. Yeah, I don't think the home field of Canton. 2190 02:21:07.760 --> 02:21:13.440 I don't think it's overwhelming. I don't know. I think they need 2191 02:21:13.479 --> 02:21:18.000 to revisit that in the off season. Near Gamblers show Boats. I make 2192 02:21:18.079 --> 02:21:22.799 this about I make Memphis about two point dogs. So um, you know, 2193 02:21:22.840 --> 02:21:28.360 Houston has been pretty good. But I think Memphis getting three and a 2194 02:21:28.399 --> 02:21:31.959 half at home where their home field advantage. I am making that right now 2195 02:21:31.959 --> 02:21:35.200 about a point because people have showed up two route for the show Boats I'm 2196 02:21:35.239 --> 02:21:41.000 gonna make I think plus three with Memphis is the right bat. And then 2197 02:21:41.000 --> 02:21:45.520 we got here at Panthers Generals here back here that Canton. Yeah, the 2198 02:21:45.600 --> 02:21:48.840 Generals are seven point favorites. I think that's too much for any USFL game, 2199 02:21:50.159 --> 02:21:54.280 especially one that's either going to be started by Kyle Laltta or or DeAndre 2200 02:21:54.360 --> 02:21:56.399 Johnson. So I take Michigan plus the points. Yeah, that's a seven 2201 02:21:56.479 --> 02:22:01.479 point favorite. That's crazy. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me. 2202 02:22:01.559 --> 02:22:03.559 Now, Eric, any fundle thoughts to me. I appreciate your time 2203 02:22:03.559 --> 02:22:07.319 today. No, this has been fun. I always love talking about the 2204 02:22:07.319 --> 02:22:11.920 the the spring leagues with you. I can't wait for this CFL to start 2205 02:22:11.920 --> 02:22:13.680 in a few weeks. Uh uh, you know, I had a lot 2206 02:22:13.719 --> 02:22:16.840 of fun last year following along and um, you know, we got some 2207 02:22:16.920 --> 02:22:20.440 quarterback movement in that league too, which will be cool. Yeah, if 2208 02:22:20.479 --> 02:22:22.680 you ever want to talk CFL on here, we'll do that. I had 2209 02:22:22.719 --> 02:22:24.959 my preseason game on this week, very exciting, and we're ramping up. 2210 02:22:24.959 --> 02:22:28.040 We have lots of CFL coverage. The thing that I like about the CFL 2211 02:22:28.120 --> 02:22:31.920 that they do much better than these leagues, and I don't understand why these 2212 02:22:31.000 --> 02:22:35.680 leagues haven't done it is the CFL will play Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 2213 02:22:35.719 --> 02:22:39.719 and sometimes Sunday, sometimes Monday. They spread the games out and make them 2214 02:22:39.920 --> 02:22:41.959 you know, you get you get a touch point with the CFL like every 2215 02:22:43.040 --> 02:22:46.239 day of the weekend, which to me is something that these these leagues have 2216 02:22:46.319 --> 02:22:50.680 sorely missed. Well, I said, I'll tried that, and then it 2217 02:22:50.719 --> 02:22:52.399 was kind of such a failure this year. It almost like scares them off 2218 02:22:52.440 --> 02:22:54.600 where they don't want to lean into that. It's like, oh, shoot, 2219 02:22:54.639 --> 02:22:58.479 no one watched, Like we don't want to do that. Yeah, 2220 02:22:58.920 --> 02:23:01.479 and maybe and maybe the CFL having their whole country as sort of their fan 2221 02:23:01.559 --> 02:23:05.840 base might help them get like a down you know, they might have a 2222 02:23:05.920 --> 02:23:09.319 fixed amount of watchers anyway, but yeah, and maybe I'm just a sick 2223 02:23:09.319 --> 02:23:11.760 of maybe I want to watch all the games and not just you know, 2224 02:23:13.040 --> 02:23:15.920 a game one game on a Saturday or something. But to me, it's 2225 02:23:15.920 --> 02:23:20.239 a missed opportunity and it's one thing I really like about the CFL. No, 2226 02:23:20.399 --> 02:23:22.520 I get it, And I said, I think the touch point in 2227 02:23:22.639 --> 02:23:26.000 having, you know, especially here USFL coming into the summer, people have 2228 02:23:26.040 --> 02:23:28.959 stuff to do on Saturday, Sunday, like Thursday and either whatever. Hey, 2229 02:23:30.000 --> 02:23:31.319 I like that's a little more manageable than I could do that. So 2230 02:23:31.840 --> 02:23:35.959 yeah, and then summer, no one likes baseball that much and basketball is 2231 02:23:35.000 --> 02:23:39.000 almost over, and so maybe it's just about who they're competing with too. 2232 02:23:39.399 --> 02:23:43.159 Yeah. Well, Eric was supersports really appreciate your time today. Thanks, 2233 02:23:43.799 --> 02:23:50.120 Hey, thanks forming on. Well, I appreciate this. We had, 2234 02:23:50.239 --> 02:23:54.520 I think, on the playoff push last year, kind of late season. 2235 02:23:54.559 --> 02:23:58.079 We had Josh Shepherdson on here with Fantasy pros talking USFL. We happen back 2236 02:23:58.120 --> 02:24:01.680 today, Josh, how are you good? God? It's good. We're 2237 02:24:01.680 --> 02:24:05.440 getting through, you know, we we've moved on now XFL. I've been 2238 02:24:05.520 --> 02:24:09.280 enjoying CFL preseason this week. It's exciting. I mean USFL is fun. 2239 02:24:09.920 --> 02:24:13.520 It's like a totally different flare. And I don't know if you watch any 2240 02:24:13.520 --> 02:24:16.079 of that they have, like the preseason game and there was a thunderstorm and 2241 02:24:16.120 --> 02:24:20.159 a rain delay and like cow's are running like I'm kid about that, but 2242 02:24:20.440 --> 02:24:22.479 you know it's really its own beast up there. But we're talking to USFL 2243 02:24:22.559 --> 02:24:26.360 today, first and foremost, what do you make of the season here? 2244 02:24:26.159 --> 02:24:31.280 We're past the midway point. I mean, this work gets thrown around a 2245 02:24:31.280 --> 02:24:35.360 lot, but I mean when the shoe fits, it's parody. This year 2246 02:24:35.399 --> 02:24:37.959 in the USFL. Every time I think I have my thumb on the pulse 2247 02:24:39.000 --> 02:24:43.319 of who really is looking like the cream of the crop, something comes up. 2248 02:24:43.360 --> 02:24:46.719 I mean New Orleans has lost two games in a row after their four 2249 02:24:46.719 --> 02:24:50.159 and no start, that that offense looked brilliant and they've hit the skids. 2250 02:24:52.040 --> 02:24:54.479 I thought Memphis looked terrible through the first few weeks of the season, and 2251 02:24:54.520 --> 02:24:58.440 they've rattled off three in a row. Houston seems to have found a group. 2252 02:25:01.319 --> 02:25:05.280 It's just the one area that there is no parody right now I feel 2253 02:25:05.319 --> 02:25:07.799 comfortable saying, and I've joked about it a little bit on Twitter, but 2254 02:25:07.040 --> 02:25:11.399 in all seriousness. The Self Division has just been leaps and bounds better than 2255 02:25:11.440 --> 02:25:15.360 the North Division. But beyond that, it is tight and I don't feel 2256 02:25:15.399 --> 02:25:20.760 like anybody is truly pulling away from the pack. And it's it's fun as 2257 02:25:20.799 --> 02:25:24.239 a fan. It is maddening as somebody who tries to cover the sport and 2258 02:25:24.280 --> 02:25:28.399 make predictions for either sports betting or dfs, But overall, I'm enjoying it 2259 02:25:28.440 --> 02:25:31.959 and it's it's definitely a different feel from twenty twenty two. Significantly, I 2260 02:25:33.000 --> 02:25:39.079 would say it's a different feeling in what way in that Birmingham looked great last 2261 02:25:39.120 --> 02:25:43.200 year. They looked like a runaway club. New Jersey had just such a 2262 02:25:43.239 --> 02:25:48.680 brilliant tandement quarterback with mister spring Football Luis Perez airing it out and then DeAndre 2263 02:25:48.799 --> 02:25:52.559 Johnson complimenting them in the running game, and they just haven't found that that 2264 02:25:52.879 --> 02:25:58.120 fluidity in the passing game of Kyle Auletta. And so the North Division and 2265 02:25:58.280 --> 02:26:01.840 God the Stars, it's it's killed me. I fought with the continuity at 2266 02:26:01.920 --> 02:26:05.840 quarterback and head coach and a lot of the skill position players that they would 2267 02:26:05.879 --> 02:26:09.079 hit the ground running it, and the offensive lines looked so bad. So 2268 02:26:09.120 --> 02:26:13.079 I just different in the sense that there were a few teams that really looked 2269 02:26:13.200 --> 02:26:16.520 sharp pretty quickly last year, and we could kind of get a feel for 2270 02:26:16.559 --> 02:26:20.440 who was going to make a playoff push by this point in the season. 2271 02:26:20.440 --> 02:26:24.840 And at this point it is wide open. It's the parody thing is interesting, 2272 02:26:24.840 --> 02:26:28.719 and I know that's come up a lot in Pat Raffino and I kind 2273 02:26:28.719 --> 02:26:31.879 of had our our Monday recap show that you know, I get into a 2274 02:26:31.959 --> 02:26:35.280 lot of the XFL too right, and whatever you say it's bad for the 2275 02:26:35.319 --> 02:26:39.799 one league or good for the other vice versa. But you know, I 2276 02:26:39.399 --> 02:26:43.000 was told in the XFL it was a good thing. We had all these 2277 02:26:43.040 --> 02:26:48.399 teams and the divisions were kind of fluid, and I know the arlington of 2278 02:26:48.440 --> 02:26:50.239 it all, but you know, them making it to the championship game with 2279 02:26:50.239 --> 02:26:54.719 the locy record. But people like that where it felt like the XFL oor 2280 02:26:54.879 --> 02:26:58.040 USFL in twenty twenty two the last three weeks of the year, didn't you 2281 02:26:58.040 --> 02:27:01.239 know, season didn't matter because Da da DA day. But now all I 2282 02:27:01.319 --> 02:27:05.600 hear is can people completing the other way that the parody in the USFL is 2283 02:27:05.600 --> 02:27:07.639 a bad thing. So I don't like, you know what I mean? 2284 02:27:07.680 --> 02:27:09.239 I kind of hear both sides, and what do you make of that? 2285 02:27:11.520 --> 02:27:15.680 I think the parody is probably better. I mean, people like a dominant 2286 02:27:15.680 --> 02:27:18.840 team, whether it's to root for it or to root against it. Having 2287 02:27:18.879 --> 02:27:22.079 the villain or the super team is fun. But at the same time, 2288 02:27:22.280 --> 02:27:26.479 I mean, you're keeping all eight fan bases engaged, and that's that's ultimately 2289 02:27:26.520 --> 02:27:30.000 a good thing. You don't want any fan bases checked out, you know, 2290 02:27:30.120 --> 02:27:33.280 sixty percent of the way through the regular season. That's that that can't 2291 02:27:33.319 --> 02:27:35.959 be good for the sport. And so I mean, yes, we had 2292 02:27:37.079 --> 02:27:41.159 Arlington make the postseason and win the XFL Championship with a losing record, but 2293 02:27:41.319 --> 02:27:46.319 the North and Self Division had playoff spots up for grabs going into the final 2294 02:27:46.360 --> 02:27:50.639 week of the season. And last year, I mean, we were just 2295 02:27:50.680 --> 02:27:54.040 hoping that the Stars and the Generals were gonna not roll the footballs out there 2296 02:27:54.040 --> 02:27:58.120 and kneel it out, you know, joking of course, but treat it 2297 02:27:58.120 --> 02:28:01.559 as a walkthrough. They thankfully, they played a competitive game, but I 2298 02:28:01.559 --> 02:28:05.840 mean, nobody knew what to expect last year, and this year it looks 2299 02:28:05.879 --> 02:28:07.879 like these teams are going to have to play right down to the wire, 2300 02:28:07.959 --> 02:28:13.959 and I think ultimately that's a better product, and especially this year without the 2301 02:28:15.000 --> 02:28:18.760 one hub city, I think you really need to have the fan bases engaged 2302 02:28:18.159 --> 02:28:22.520 the fact that they're playing in four to front hubs at this point. You 2303 02:28:22.520 --> 02:28:26.559 don't want any any hub having no teams competitive at this point because it would 2304 02:28:26.559 --> 02:28:30.479 be just an awful look I think for the product. And I mean it's 2305 02:28:30.520 --> 02:28:33.239 out of their control to an extent, but you still don't want to see 2306 02:28:33.239 --> 02:28:37.959 that happen in terms of I agree, keeping the fan bases and that you 2307 02:28:39.200 --> 02:28:43.079 engaged. And that was what was so funny with all the XFL playoffs stuff 2308 02:28:43.200 --> 02:28:46.719 was you know, the last two weeks or three weeks of the season wouldn't 2309 02:28:46.680 --> 02:28:48.639 have mattered if you if it wasn't the way that it was with the division. 2310 02:28:48.680 --> 02:28:52.959 So it was because of that that it came down to the last game 2311 02:28:52.200 --> 02:28:56.920 of everything that really mattered between the ce Dragons and the Vipers. I mean, 2312 02:28:56.520 --> 02:29:00.520 we were there for that. You're talking about the fan base and keeping 2313 02:29:00.520 --> 02:29:03.719 people engaged, it's almost like we haven't. It's almost like we talked so 2314 02:29:03.840 --> 02:29:07.760 much last season about the attendance that like we don't talk about it this year 2315 02:29:07.799 --> 02:29:11.799 because it's like, oh my God, we've done all this, but it's 2316 02:29:11.120 --> 02:29:15.280 remarkably slow. And I don't want to say that, as you know, 2317 02:29:15.319 --> 02:29:18.159 I get kind of whatever anyway, but it does feel like, you know, 2318 02:29:18.239 --> 02:29:22.200 Birmingham hasn't showed that back this year. Memphis is really kind of m 2319 02:29:22.239 --> 02:29:24.959 ia. Michigan, they're losing at home. That doesn't seem great. Canton 2320 02:29:26.120 --> 02:29:28.479 hasn't been good since Week one. To me, what do you make of 2321 02:29:28.840 --> 02:29:35.879 the four different hubs. I mean, I hate to do the pitting Leaks 2322 02:29:35.879 --> 02:29:39.319 against each other thing. At the end of the day, more football is 2323 02:29:39.360 --> 02:29:41.239 better than less football. You and I are on the same page with that. 2324 02:29:41.680 --> 02:29:46.280 But I do think having the actual home cities hosting their home teams was 2325 02:29:46.319 --> 02:29:50.639 a great thing. I mean, the DC beer Snake got all the attention 2326 02:29:50.639 --> 02:29:54.000 in the world. Seattle fan base was great. I mean, people showed 2327 02:29:54.079 --> 02:29:58.120 up because they had a team in their backyard. I think it's tough when 2328 02:29:58.120 --> 02:30:03.760 you have two teams in Canton and either is an Ohio based team. It's 2329 02:30:03.840 --> 02:30:07.040 just it's tough. And Birmingham, I think they might be a little bit 2330 02:30:09.159 --> 02:30:11.000 worn out from having all of the games there last year. There's not that 2331 02:30:11.120 --> 02:30:16.440 new fresh league feel to it. I would have thought that maybe they would 2332 02:30:16.440 --> 02:30:20.360 be a little bit more fired up because they're hosting the defending champion. But 2333 02:30:22.479 --> 02:30:26.000 at the same time, ultimately I think it'll be better in the long term 2334 02:30:26.040 --> 02:30:30.040 interests of the league if if they do away with the hubs and we eventually 2335 02:30:30.079 --> 02:30:33.520 get the eight teams in home stadiums. But I don't know. I'm not 2336 02:30:33.559 --> 02:30:37.200 a financial guy, I'm not in there their office to really know, but 2337 02:30:37.680 --> 02:30:41.360 I guess just my general feeling from watching the games is there seem to be 2338 02:30:41.440 --> 02:30:48.079 more fan passion in the XFL at the stadiums. In terms of on Twitter, 2339 02:30:48.159 --> 02:30:52.120 where we see all the people who are the diehards. There's definitely dug 2340 02:30:52.120 --> 02:30:54.920 in diehards out both sides of people like you and I who enjoy both leagues 2341 02:30:56.000 --> 02:31:00.479 for what they are, and I love to see that the TV. The 2342 02:31:00.520 --> 02:31:05.280 TV viewership seems to still be doing at least enough. Um I don't know 2343 02:31:05.360 --> 02:31:09.360 relative to last year, but but the fact that that it's not immediately dooming 2344 02:31:09.399 --> 02:31:15.000 gloom when when the viewership numbers come up, it's promising. But ultimately I 2345 02:31:15.040 --> 02:31:18.760 think it would help if these teams had an actual home base as opposed to 2346 02:31:18.840 --> 02:31:22.399 just just a hub. Last we'll get one more round on this and then 2347 02:31:22.440 --> 02:31:26.559 we'll get to you know, football mechanics here. I get that, and 2348 02:31:26.680 --> 02:31:28.399 you know, moving the hubs and everything. And it was last year, 2349 02:31:28.440 --> 02:31:31.719 right, we're gonna go to Birmingham. We're gonna go. But like you 2350 02:31:31.719 --> 02:31:35.120 said, I mean, you know, Canton taking Canton out of it is 2351 02:31:35.200 --> 02:31:39.040 It's not like Memphis is really showing up. It's not like and like you 2352 02:31:39.040 --> 02:31:41.200 said, if if it's the burnout in Birmingham and we had the eight here 2353 02:31:41.280 --> 02:31:45.920 last year, and I don't get that. I don't get the Birmingham drop 2354 02:31:45.920 --> 02:31:48.559 off. I mean, I just they seem really passionate. They have the 2355 02:31:48.559 --> 02:31:50.680 most Facebook groups from what I know about, you know, the Birmingham fans 2356 02:31:50.719 --> 02:31:54.520 and all that. But I just I don't know if we if if you 2357 02:31:54.600 --> 02:31:58.639 had everyone can you know, everyone that was going to go to a game 2358 02:31:58.680 --> 02:32:03.520 that live inner around Birmingham and now we're kind of just spreading that out across 2359 02:32:03.840 --> 02:32:05.440 I don't know, because it's not like I said, it's not as if 2360 02:32:05.440 --> 02:32:09.879 Memphis or Michigan they're kind of blowing the doors off the venues right now. 2361 02:32:09.639 --> 02:32:13.040 And that's true, and that's surprising to me, especially with Memphis with the 2362 02:32:13.079 --> 02:32:18.440 relocation from Tampa. I mean, I would have expected there to be a 2363 02:32:18.440 --> 02:32:26.920 little bit more passion and almost like that recapturing what they had in Birmingham last 2364 02:32:26.000 --> 02:32:30.479 year, because it's just a new franchise in something new. But perhaps the 2365 02:32:30.559 --> 02:32:33.280 slow start contributed to it. Maybe things will pick up as they're winning. 2366 02:32:33.760 --> 02:32:37.360 I'm not sure. I mean, everybody loves rooting for a winner, so 2367 02:32:37.760 --> 02:32:41.600 hopefully that that'll drom up a little bit of extra extra attendance. But we'll 2368 02:32:41.600 --> 02:32:46.680 see. And maybe there's a little bit of football fatigue just in the general 2369 02:32:46.319 --> 02:32:50.399 general spring football public right now, because I mean we didn't have the XFL 2370 02:32:50.479 --> 02:32:56.559 leading into the USFL, so I don't know, but but yeah, it 2371 02:32:56.639 --> 02:32:58.920 is a little disappointing to see that even with the four hubs and the actual 2372 02:33:00.079 --> 02:33:03.719 host teams in those hubs not drawn quite as well as I would have expected. 2373 02:33:03.399 --> 02:33:07.120 Speaking of the show, but it's Todd Haley a good coach, are 2374 02:33:07.120 --> 02:33:09.600 we? I mean, we lived through this last year, we came back. 2375 02:33:09.840 --> 02:33:13.559 I see he's really good at twerkey in the locker room, right, 2376 02:33:13.600 --> 02:33:16.000 I think I saw the videos of that. But I mean it's not Haley 2377 02:33:16.040 --> 02:33:20.239 a good coach. He is a maddening coach. I don't I can't put 2378 02:33:20.319 --> 02:33:24.079 my finger on it. I mean, I don't know exactly what got under 2379 02:33:24.120 --> 02:33:28.479 his skin after that Houston loss. It was bizarre. I've never seen a 2380 02:33:28.520 --> 02:33:35.239 coach quite behave like that after a loss. But he's always kind of had 2381 02:33:35.239 --> 02:33:37.360 a little bit of a poor sport in him. I feel like, and 2382 02:33:37.840 --> 02:33:43.360 I don't know, I'm not the biggest Todd Haley fan, but I mean 2383 02:33:43.440 --> 02:33:48.600 he's got them on a winning streak and they have not gotten the greatest quarterback 2384 02:33:48.639 --> 02:33:50.879 play. So I will give credit where it's due. I mean he's pulling, 2385 02:33:52.159 --> 02:33:54.520 pulling some strings and getting some w so it's it's hard to argue with 2386 02:33:54.559 --> 02:33:58.360 that. And we look here, I'll pull up. We look here in 2387 02:33:58.399 --> 02:34:01.479 the South. You taught you you know, I'm talking about the definition of 2388 02:34:01.559 --> 02:34:05.079 parody. Here four and two across the board, show boats is I mean, 2389 02:34:05.159 --> 02:34:07.079 Showboats looked like they were out to water, right, come back here 2390 02:34:07.120 --> 02:34:13.479 and they have five hundred breakers collapse. I don't know if mccon Bethel Thompson 2391 02:34:13.559 --> 02:34:16.040 has the mart cast curse. He came on when they were undefeated on our 2392 02:34:16.040 --> 02:34:20.000 show, and it's not one the game sense, what do you make of 2393 02:34:20.079 --> 02:34:24.799 the Breakers kind of collapse here against the Stars, who I don't think much 2394 02:34:24.799 --> 02:34:28.120 won the game last week more just kind of outlasted New Orleans. Yeah, 2395 02:34:28.159 --> 02:34:31.200 that was that was. That's two bizarre games, two bizarre wins in a 2396 02:34:31.319 --> 02:34:35.680 row for for the Stars. I mean, I've plucked it as a fan, 2397 02:34:35.840 --> 02:34:39.079 but I went in expecting them to get beaten up pretty good by the 2398 02:34:39.079 --> 02:34:43.959 Breakers. I mean they eked out the win the week before with eight field 2399 02:34:43.959 --> 02:34:48.879 goals and afforded nothing turnover disparity. I was just like, what is going 2400 02:34:48.920 --> 02:34:54.799 on? And it was more bizarro football this week. But um, I 2401 02:34:54.840 --> 02:34:56.680 mean, I think part of it's that we've got John d. Filippo as 2402 02:34:56.680 --> 02:35:00.959 the first time head coach. There's a lot on his I think he came 2403 02:35:00.959 --> 02:35:05.360 out really hot because the offense was great, and that's his side of the 2404 02:35:05.360 --> 02:35:09.719 football, I think. And I mean the defense has played relatively well even 2405 02:35:09.719 --> 02:35:11.959 in the last two losses. It's not like they're they're giving up thirty points 2406 02:35:13.000 --> 02:35:16.079 a game to their opponents. But at the end of the day, I 2407 02:35:16.520 --> 02:35:22.239 do still think that they had the offensive pieces. I mean, West Hills 2408 02:35:22.319 --> 02:35:28.079 is such a monster and I love Sage sarat Jonathan Adams is such a good 2409 02:35:28.159 --> 02:35:31.520 vertical player. I really thought the return of Johnny Dixon last week was going 2410 02:35:31.559 --> 02:35:35.239 to be what they needed to kind of unlock that offense again. But I 2411 02:35:35.239 --> 02:35:39.799 think they have the right pieces to get back on track. If the Stallions 2412 02:35:39.799 --> 02:35:43.360 get healthier. It's hard to bet against them right now. And I mean 2413 02:35:43.520 --> 02:35:48.280 Mark Thompson's an absolute monster for the Gamblers, but I still have some questions 2414 02:35:48.319 --> 02:35:52.040 about the quarterback play there. So ultimately, I still think the Breakers are 2415 02:35:52.040 --> 02:35:56.079 going to be in it until the end, and if I were to handicap 2416 02:35:56.159 --> 02:35:58.680 the division right now, I still think they will win the South, but 2417 02:35:58.680 --> 02:36:03.079 I don't say that with any conviction at this point. Well that's the thing 2418 02:36:03.120 --> 02:36:05.719 here. I mean, it feels like the Stallions haven't really had a lot 2419 02:36:05.760 --> 02:36:09.079 go right for them this season at all, but here they are four and 2420 02:36:09.159 --> 02:36:11.920 two. You know, it's I gave him a piece separatesist where the Breakers 2421 02:36:13.319 --> 02:36:16.639 totally the other way. It came in so hot and McLeod and you know, 2422 02:36:16.680 --> 02:36:18.200 we had talked with CFL. People know he's going to come in and 2423 02:36:18.280 --> 02:36:22.959 just run circles around everyone. I don't know if you know we talked on 2424 02:36:22.079 --> 02:36:26.799 Monday. Is he getting tired and coming from the CFL and playing here and 2425 02:36:26.879 --> 02:36:30.760 injuries and kind of all that. Any other thoughts kind of on either the 2426 02:36:31.479 --> 02:36:33.520 Birmingham up swing here or the Breakers and then we can hit the North a 2427 02:36:33.520 --> 02:36:37.520 little bit. Um. I mean, I like what I've seen from mcclaude 2428 02:36:37.520 --> 02:36:41.239 Bethel Thompson. I mean even last week in the loss, it wasn't like 2429 02:36:41.360 --> 02:36:48.319 he was making just dreadful decisions or anything that I think is a true long 2430 02:36:48.479 --> 02:36:52.319 term problem. I think your fatigue thing could could be, you know, 2431 02:36:52.440 --> 02:36:56.239 potentially an issue. But I mean looking at the quarterbacks in that division, 2432 02:36:56.280 --> 02:37:00.600 I do think that. I mean, Alex McGoo is settled into a real 2433 02:37:00.680 --> 02:37:03.639 nice groove and the running ability that he brings to the table is just such 2434 02:37:03.680 --> 02:37:09.760 a different dynamic than what mclod Bethel Thompson brings for the Breakers. But at 2435 02:37:09.760 --> 02:37:13.760 the same time, and C. J. Marrabel is coming off of a 2436 02:37:13.840 --> 02:37:16.120 very good game. I don't want to diminish that, but I think the 2437 02:37:16.559 --> 02:37:20.680 missing piece of both Scarborough they had to adjust to a little bit. I 2438 02:37:20.760 --> 02:37:24.639 mean, he's he would be right in the discussion with the Mark Thompson and 2439 02:37:24.680 --> 02:37:28.239 the West Hills of the South Division as just the Belkow who can you can 2440 02:37:28.280 --> 02:37:31.239 run your offense through And I think it took them a little bit to find 2441 02:37:31.239 --> 02:37:35.239 their footing there. But I would say that the Stallions are probably I mean, 2442 02:37:35.280 --> 02:37:39.079 are certainly on the upswing, but I think that the Breakers can match 2443 02:37:39.159 --> 02:37:45.000 them offensively. And I just think I do still think that they are the 2444 02:37:45.040 --> 02:37:46.799 top two teams in the division, with Houston just nipping at their heels. 2445 02:37:46.799 --> 02:37:52.399 But that's really the difference between um the quarterbacks of those those teams. I 2446 02:37:52.479 --> 02:37:56.399 just have less faith in Kenji Bahar so well, that's the thing is I 2447 02:37:56.440 --> 02:37:58.440 mean Kenji either we saw him getting banged up a little bit, you know, 2448 02:37:58.520 --> 02:38:01.360 Mark tom Sin. It really does kind of feel like a cheat code 2449 02:38:01.440 --> 02:38:05.079 right now right where I mean God got from me with Gamblers to be without 2450 02:38:05.079 --> 02:38:09.920 that, I mean, do they it feels like they're in second here, 2451 02:38:09.040 --> 02:38:11.399 just kind of by default. I mean, do you do you see the 2452 02:38:11.440 --> 02:38:15.319 Gamblers challenge you We had the weird I don't know if you track this week. 2453 02:38:15.360 --> 02:38:18.760 We had the weird like USFL playoffs and it looked like they were changing 2454 02:38:18.840 --> 02:38:22.479 the playoffs scenarios and then they weren't, and I you know, reached out 2455 02:38:22.520 --> 02:38:24.440 to the league and kind of got I was like, what is what is 2456 02:38:24.479 --> 02:38:28.520 happening here? But you know, keeping the same you know, divisions one 2457 02:38:28.559 --> 02:38:31.000 seed playing that two seed. I mean, I don't see a world where 2458 02:38:31.000 --> 02:38:33.799 the Gamblers stay at the number two. Or do you agree or disagree? 2459 02:38:35.440 --> 02:38:39.520 Um? I mean Bart obviously Bart and injury, which is what I think 2460 02:38:39.520 --> 02:38:43.799 the default is. I would say they're probably the third place finisher in the 2461 02:38:43.799 --> 02:38:46.799 division. And then we're looking at the Breakers and Stallions, And I mean, 2462 02:38:46.200 --> 02:38:50.159 even though we talked about Memphis reeling off three in a row, and 2463 02:38:50.239 --> 02:38:54.879 it's impressive that they are at a debt even for a point differential since they 2464 02:38:54.959 --> 02:39:00.559 got p forty two to two and by the Stallions. But ultim I would 2465 02:39:00.600 --> 02:39:03.799 say you can tier the South with the Breakers and Stallions in Tier one, 2466 02:39:05.000 --> 02:39:09.600 the Gamblars by themselves in Tier two, and Memphis just to tick behind the 2467 02:39:09.639 --> 02:39:11.600 poor time Hailey, they're easier to come out at you on the sidelines here 2468 02:39:13.200 --> 02:39:16.399 uh here. The other way with this, Stars were my team last year, 2469 02:39:18.159 --> 02:39:20.200 you know, obviously made into the championship game. Case Cooks has been 2470 02:39:20.239 --> 02:39:26.920 on the show. They've had two wins now without defensive touchdowns at all. 2471 02:39:26.360 --> 02:39:31.280 See, it was very weird. I didn't know Bart Andrews is like tired 2472 02:39:31.479 --> 02:39:33.639 if we're we've kind of given up on this. It feels weird here at 2473 02:39:33.680 --> 02:39:37.120 week six going into seven. What do you make of the Stars? Man? 2474 02:39:37.639 --> 02:39:43.959 Uh? I guess the expression a win is a win really is apt 2475 02:39:43.120 --> 02:39:46.360 for them. I mean, they have just got it out two wins. 2476 02:39:46.600 --> 02:39:50.000 I will say the thing that I'm most encouraged about is that the defense has 2477 02:39:50.040 --> 02:39:54.879 played significantly better the last two weeks. I expected West Hills to absolutely run 2478 02:39:54.959 --> 02:39:58.760 wild against that run defense, but I mean they weren't exactly great against the 2479 02:40:00.000 --> 02:40:03.280 Generals running game. Darius Victor kind of just coughed up the ball three times 2480 02:40:03.319 --> 02:40:09.280 into their lap. And but at the same time, I don't see quarterback 2481 02:40:09.360 --> 02:40:15.399 play at and offensive consistency from the General's Molars or Panthers to challenge the Stars 2482 02:40:15.479 --> 02:40:18.840 if they find even a modicum of the same footing they had last year. 2483 02:40:18.879 --> 02:40:22.239 And I think even though they haven't scored offensive touchdowns the last two weeks, 2484 02:40:24.000 --> 02:40:28.200 last week was the closest I've seen them resemble the twenty twenty two version of 2485 02:40:28.239 --> 02:40:33.319 the Stars they had. Coburn looked efficient and fast and played it just a 2486 02:40:33.760 --> 02:40:39.360 different level than he's played most of this season and the fact that they were 2487 02:40:39.440 --> 02:40:43.440 able to really generate a running game last week. Bart Andrews is always going 2488 02:40:43.520 --> 02:40:48.600 to lean heavily into the past, and I think that that's ultimately I mean, 2489 02:40:48.680 --> 02:40:52.479 it was an effective strategy last year, but they've needed the offensive line 2490 02:40:52.520 --> 02:40:54.959 to play better, and I think they did play better last week. My 2491 02:40:56.120 --> 02:40:58.920 God, that Keith Cook interception along the sideline is one of the dumbest play 2492 02:41:00.000 --> 02:41:03.040 as I've ever seen on a football field in my entire life, and I'm 2493 02:41:03.079 --> 02:41:07.200 not embellishing it at all, But otherwise, I mean, I feel like 2494 02:41:07.239 --> 02:41:11.399 he did a good job of circumventing pressure, and I thought the offensive line 2495 02:41:11.440 --> 02:41:13.799 did some very good things last week. That has me a little bit more 2496 02:41:13.920 --> 02:41:18.200 encouraged than I would have if you told me that they won two games without 2497 02:41:18.200 --> 02:41:24.040 scoring an offensive touchdown, I wouldn't probably have expected to feel encouraged. But 2498 02:41:24.200 --> 02:41:26.440 after the last two weeks and seeing them move the ball last week, I 2499 02:41:26.520 --> 02:41:30.840 think that they have something cooking a little bit there. It feels the stars 2500 02:41:30.840 --> 02:41:33.520 feel like. And I don't know if you're a Survivor fan, I watched 2501 02:41:33.559 --> 02:41:35.959 the first four of these seasons of Survivor followed off after all of that, 2502 02:41:37.079 --> 02:41:39.680 But it feels like the Stars are kind of like when they would do like 2503 02:41:39.840 --> 02:41:43.319 heroes versus villains and they would bring back Okay, we're going to bring back 2504 02:41:43.319 --> 02:41:46.000 all the All Stars. We're going to bring back Case cook Is. But 2505 02:41:46.120 --> 02:41:48.760 you know, we had Kobe donald Son back in season two, but now 2506 02:41:48.799 --> 02:41:52.079 he was like fat Colby and he doesn't really like he's a little bit older 2507 02:41:52.159 --> 02:41:54.959 and he's a little more banged up and he can't really compete. Like it 2508 02:41:56.079 --> 02:41:58.959 feels the Stars that way, like we're bringing everybody back, but nobody feels 2509 02:42:00.159 --> 02:42:03.879 like they were the first time around. It feels like they're either slower or 2510 02:42:03.000 --> 02:42:05.920 more tired, or beat up or injured. They're just not quite as good. 2511 02:42:05.959 --> 02:42:09.040 Does that make sense? Yeah? I mean, and maybe there was 2512 02:42:09.079 --> 02:42:13.559 a little bit of resting on their laurels coming into the season, especially since 2513 02:42:13.600 --> 02:42:16.319 they did have a successful Week one against Memphis. I mean, the offense 2514 02:42:16.399 --> 02:42:22.159 looked great in Week one, and I wonder if maybe they were kind of 2515 02:42:22.840 --> 02:42:28.600 buying into their own hype to an extent and just not putting their best foot 2516 02:42:28.680 --> 02:42:31.159 forward. And they've kind of needed that wake up call the last few weeks 2517 02:42:33.280 --> 02:42:37.959 because I mean, a paper you're swapping out in a somewhat indirect sense, 2518 02:42:39.840 --> 02:42:43.040 Buck Howard for Corey Coleman is just a monster field stretcher, and Pearl Wells 2519 02:42:43.079 --> 02:42:48.520 has done a pretty good job stepping in for Buck this year. So I 2520 02:42:48.799 --> 02:42:52.920 don't know. I thought this was going to be a juggernaut offense with especially 2521 02:42:52.079 --> 02:42:56.079 in the backfield. I think that was an underrated aspect coming into I mean, 2522 02:42:56.120 --> 02:42:58.440 Matt Colburn everybody knew, looked good, but Dexter Williams looked good down 2523 02:42:58.520 --> 02:43:03.079 the stretching. It's just a grinding, sustaining back to as a let's change 2524 02:43:03.120 --> 02:43:07.280 of pace to to what Colburn was doing as an explosive runner. So I 2525 02:43:07.440 --> 02:43:11.600 do wonder if maybe they kind of uh bought into what they were doing last 2526 02:43:11.680 --> 02:43:16.280 year and kind of didn't bring forth the best effort so far this year, 2527 02:43:16.360 --> 02:43:18.879 and now it's kind of coming back together. I think this weekend will be 2528 02:43:18.959 --> 02:43:22.760 a true test. I mean, again against Pittsburgh. I mean, you're 2529 02:43:22.799 --> 02:43:26.200 facing a stout defense that if you don't bring your a game, you're going 2530 02:43:26.319 --> 02:43:31.559 to struggle. So I think this will be a really telling week for for 2531 02:43:31.719 --> 02:43:35.239 what they are the rest of the season. One of my favorite things in 2532 02:43:35.319 --> 02:43:39.040 the last game with the stars, was watching Case and Barn kind of on 2533 02:43:39.120 --> 02:43:41.159 the sidelines, like watching the replace like I was out of bounds. Like 2534 02:43:41.239 --> 02:43:45.799 that does again, it's kind of like another Survivor reference when we had an 2535 02:43:46.040 --> 02:43:50.000 RS Yellow at Terry Deeds to call the call the wambulance back in I think 2536 02:43:50.000 --> 02:43:52.040 it was Guanama. What season was that? But you know, I like 2537 02:43:52.239 --> 02:43:54.959 he's like I was out of bad like you were. But I do I 2538 02:43:56.079 --> 02:43:58.639 do feel like the I can't remember the individual that got the interception. I 2539 02:43:58.680 --> 02:44:01.879 do feel his foot was on the line. I don't know if we got 2540 02:44:01.959 --> 02:44:05.040 I know we corroberated that Case was in bound, so we didn't feel like 2541 02:44:05.079 --> 02:44:11.159 that toe was on the line of the New Orleans which was quite the interception 2542 02:44:11.239 --> 02:44:13.879 celebration where they had done like the ten minute regear. I think they're still 2543 02:44:13.920 --> 02:44:18.120 going there. I think there's still a cheer in the end. I enjoyed 2544 02:44:18.159 --> 02:44:22.799 the broadcast making note of that being the longest interception celebration they've ever seen. 2545 02:44:22.920 --> 02:44:24.840 I mean, Joel clad is just so good. I can't say enough good 2546 02:44:24.879 --> 02:44:28.719 things about about him on the broadcast, and he I believe, if I 2547 02:44:28.840 --> 02:44:33.840 remember correctly, he even chuckled a little bit watching the replay and hearing Case 2548 02:44:33.920 --> 02:44:35.520 sayd to Bart, my foot was out. He's like, no, buddy, 2549 02:44:35.600 --> 02:44:39.840 your foot was not out at all. And I was kind of chuckling 2550 02:44:39.920 --> 02:44:43.040 myself frustrated. But all you can do is laugh at something like that. 2551 02:44:43.200 --> 02:44:48.719 And I'm glad you brought up the sideline interaction because circling back to the cellth 2552 02:44:48.760 --> 02:44:52.000 momentarily, I thought for sure j Sternberger was going to find himself on the 2553 02:44:52.079 --> 02:44:56.879 pine after getting chewed out for not following an assignment last week, and then 2554 02:44:56.959 --> 02:45:01.440 to see him involved again, I think they'll speak to um just the tight 2555 02:45:01.520 --> 02:45:05.920 ship that they run for Birmingham. But yeah, I mean, the best, 2556 02:45:07.159 --> 02:45:11.079 my probably favorite thing about the USFL, and I know we're getting in 2557 02:45:11.799 --> 02:45:15.399 going back to a little bit earlier discussion, it's just the access. I 2558 02:45:15.479 --> 02:45:18.440 mean, the access in these spring leaks is just phenomenal. I wish us 2559 02:45:18.520 --> 02:45:22.239 the Bells weird in terms of the things that they poked fun at, right, 2560 02:45:22.360 --> 02:45:26.479 like we're okay with like blob he did a cartwheel and like the head 2561 02:45:26.559 --> 02:45:30.159 fell out. Okay, We're like, we're okay with that. I wish 2562 02:45:30.239 --> 02:45:33.760 they were a little bit more, you know, we celebrated the the you 2563 02:45:33.840 --> 02:45:37.280 know, the the Pittsburgh the was it the Showboat's return kick right on the 2564 02:45:37.360 --> 02:45:41.719 malors right, Okay, we celebrated that August. I would have loved to 2565 02:45:41.760 --> 02:45:46.639 have seen like longest interception celebration, like official, like official, this is 2566 02:45:46.680 --> 02:45:48.399 a you know, and just poke a little bit of fun at that, 2567 02:45:48.520 --> 02:45:52.879 Like I think that's okay where they they'll joke with Blob and Dave the Wave 2568 02:45:52.959 --> 02:45:54.280 and then you know, you have yelling at who they had the guy yelling 2569 02:45:54.280 --> 02:45:58.079 at Blob like you're not even the real mascot. You don't even talk like 2570 02:45:58.719 --> 02:46:01.360 I like all that, But I wish they play. But see, like 2571 02:46:01.399 --> 02:46:03.799 they're real football, so they can't. They can't joke about the football. 2572 02:46:03.840 --> 02:46:07.600 They can joke about it, but we don't, like we play really real 2573 02:46:07.680 --> 02:46:09.879 football, but we have fun with everything else. Yeah, And I mean 2574 02:46:09.959 --> 02:46:16.520 they poked fun at Alex McGoo in the wall incident, and I enjoyed the 2575 02:46:16.600 --> 02:46:18.159 levity there. I mean, have some fun with it with this kind of 2576 02:46:18.280 --> 02:46:22.120 access, like and I mean, god, we're still going back to the 2577 02:46:22.239 --> 02:46:26.479 Darius Victor Thick five safe wives, Like I am enjoying the more human side 2578 02:46:26.520 --> 02:46:30.559 of it, and I agree, I definitely think even the football aspects of 2579 02:46:30.680 --> 02:46:33.799 that poked some fun at the celebrations. I mean, I mean this is 2580 02:46:33.799 --> 02:46:37.799 supposed to be the fun. These are supposed to be fun leagues for these 2581 02:46:37.840 --> 02:46:41.280 guys to showcase not only themselves but as players but as people, so have 2582 02:46:41.440 --> 02:46:45.399 some fun with it. I agree with you, I've said both. I 2583 02:46:45.479 --> 02:46:50.000 think I think the Exit Fellow carries itself far too seriously, sometimes just obviously 2584 02:46:50.719 --> 02:46:52.399 knowing their past and everything else. I think the USFL is in that as 2585 02:46:52.440 --> 02:46:54.840 well. And I think it's just like, ah, like we're Fox Sports, 2586 02:46:54.879 --> 02:46:58.840 Like we don't last question here. We'll do rapid fire matchups before we 2587 02:46:58.840 --> 02:47:03.719 get out of here. Mallers historically worst team now in spring football history. 2588 02:47:03.760 --> 02:47:07.040 I mean, we had debates last year against the Guardians. They looked like 2589 02:47:07.159 --> 02:47:09.399 they were on the rise, and now they've fallen back down to earth. 2590 02:47:09.440 --> 02:47:13.479 What do you make of the Mallars coming into this year. I definitely would 2591 02:47:13.479 --> 02:47:16.440 have said the Mallars were the worst team. The twenty twenty two Mallars were 2592 02:47:16.600 --> 02:47:20.399 worthy worst team in spring football that I've ever seen. But their defense is 2593 02:47:20.479 --> 02:47:24.159 it's too stout for me to put them behind the Guardians at this point. 2594 02:47:24.200 --> 02:47:28.239 I would say their defense is the best unit between both teams. The offense 2595 02:47:28.280 --> 02:47:31.079 has been laughably bad, But I mean you could say the same thing about 2596 02:47:31.079 --> 02:47:35.879 the Guardians defense. They weren't stopping a cold in the XFL. And I 2597 02:47:35.959 --> 02:47:39.200 mean the thing that killed me with the Guardians was, I believe it was 2598 02:47:39.239 --> 02:47:43.200 maybe week six or seven, they talked about trill Buckley running two days and 2599 02:47:43.319 --> 02:47:46.440 I just shook my head. It's just like, what are we even doing 2600 02:47:46.520 --> 02:47:50.399 at this point? It was It was a tough watch and it just makes 2601 02:47:50.399 --> 02:47:54.159 it all the more mind boggling that they didn't finish one tena, that they 2602 02:47:54.239 --> 02:47:58.760 managed to spring an upset against the Defenders. But ultimately I would say the 2603 02:47:58.799 --> 02:48:01.040 Mallars have crept just past the Guardians. But that's about as far as I 2604 02:48:01.079 --> 02:48:05.239 can as I can go with them right now. Now, I think it's 2605 02:48:05.280 --> 02:48:07.719 a debate. It's a tailors all this time. Here which one on that? 2606 02:48:07.319 --> 02:48:11.440 So here we go? We got breakers? They excuse me, we 2607 02:48:11.520 --> 02:48:15.840 have stallions breakers here coming up back in Birmingham. What do you make about 2608 02:48:15.879 --> 02:48:18.600 this? One? O'clocks? Either there? I think this is the game 2609 02:48:18.639 --> 02:48:22.239 of the week. We're going to start off with the arguably the two best 2610 02:48:22.319 --> 02:48:26.719 teams in the USFL squaring off. The Stallions had their number last year. 2611 02:48:26.799 --> 02:48:31.600 The Breakers played phenomenal in the first meeting. I think that the Stallions are 2612 02:48:31.000 --> 02:48:35.440 probably going to get the better of the Breakers right now. I think that 2613 02:48:35.520 --> 02:48:41.000 they're still kind of going through adjusting after two awful weeks offensively, whereas McGoo 2614 02:48:41.079 --> 02:48:45.520 is Alex McGoo has just been locked in, and I think I think that's 2615 02:48:45.559 --> 02:48:46.920 going to be the difference right now. Like we said, the Stallions are 2616 02:48:46.920 --> 02:48:50.799 ascending and the Breakers are kind of hitting the skids at this point. But 2617 02:48:50.280 --> 02:48:54.399 at this point, nothing would shock me. If West Hills goes out and 2618 02:48:54.479 --> 02:48:56.920 has a dominant game and puts them on its back, Sage Sarat keeps moving 2619 02:48:58.000 --> 02:49:01.040 the sticks and mclaude Bethel tops and just flips the switch, I wouldn't be 2620 02:49:01.120 --> 02:49:05.840 shocked. Yeah, I don't know if Laca just needs to kind of ride 2621 02:49:05.879 --> 02:49:07.559 himself here. It just feels I felt bad. There was a whole CFL 2622 02:49:07.639 --> 02:49:11.479 contingent that came down to watch him play at Michigan last week and just you 2623 02:49:11.520 --> 02:49:15.239 know, kind of horrendous game there. From the Breaker's point of view, 2624 02:49:15.879 --> 02:49:20.040 coming into the stars here, I guess ascending. I don't if you don't 2625 02:49:20.120 --> 02:49:24.159 like but here, Mallers, what do you make about this? See? 2626 02:49:26.040 --> 02:49:31.120 I think the Starts are gonna keep the momentum up this week. I really 2627 02:49:31.159 --> 02:49:33.680 think they found something in the running game last week. The Mallars aren't the 2628 02:49:33.719 --> 02:49:39.879 easiest team to run against, but if they can just keep themselves to second 2629 02:49:39.879 --> 02:49:43.920 and third and manageable, I think they can do enough on offense because the 2630 02:49:43.000 --> 02:49:46.719 Mallards are just struggling mightily. I really thought that they had found something on 2631 02:49:46.879 --> 02:49:52.360 offense with the running game and some mobility at quarterback, but then they just 2632 02:49:52.520 --> 02:49:56.479 posted a bagel last week, and the bar is just they're putting too much 2633 02:49:56.559 --> 02:50:00.840 on the defense is played with the offense just now their weight. I do 2634 02:50:01.000 --> 02:50:03.879 think that the Stars have enough balance to squeak out to win this week, 2635 02:50:05.120 --> 02:50:09.120 and I mean put some distance between themselves and the bottom of the division. 2636 02:50:09.200 --> 02:50:11.479 And I think that's got to be Bart's message this week to the club, 2637 02:50:11.639 --> 02:50:16.479 is that we can really put ourselves in a great position to make the postseason. 2638 02:50:16.520 --> 02:50:18.479 Would win this week. Do you think Bart should kind of let his 2639 02:50:18.559 --> 02:50:22.000 hair go gray? Do you think the hair that do you think the hair 2640 02:50:22.159 --> 02:50:24.440 I don't think the hair that is working for anymore is no. I think 2641 02:50:24.479 --> 02:50:28.840 the Gray with the thinning on top, I think everything. I think the 2642 02:50:28.959 --> 02:50:33.040 Grays it needs to come. Yeah, he's a guy. This might be 2643 02:50:33.120 --> 02:50:35.040 a scary one. I think you tell me which the scarier scary terry. 2644 02:50:35.120 --> 02:50:37.959 Here. We got the Gamblers at Showbutz and then the Panthers at Generals. 2645 02:50:39.040 --> 02:50:43.520 This could be a trip up spot for the Gamblers. I mean, I 2646 02:50:43.559 --> 02:50:52.200 have more faith in Mark Thompson carrying Houston's offense than Memphis putting together a solid 2647 02:50:52.280 --> 02:50:58.040 offensive attack this week. But I mean Memphis just keeps greeping together wins. 2648 02:50:58.079 --> 02:51:01.120 I mean you could say the same thing about Houston. I thought they played 2649 02:51:01.559 --> 02:51:03.959 a more well balanced game. I have a little bit more faith in Houston 2650 02:51:05.120 --> 02:51:09.719 ultimately, but that game I don't have any conviction in picking at this point. 2651 02:51:09.479 --> 02:51:13.360 This could be the scariest weekend here, you know. I know the 2652 02:51:13.440 --> 02:51:16.000 ratings were down a little bit this week with the XFL not being on. 2653 02:51:16.079 --> 02:51:18.680 I mean, we have the one Fox game that's going to be the best 2654 02:51:18.760 --> 02:51:20.280 game. Like you said on the kind of Fox proper, I think this 2655 02:51:20.479 --> 02:51:22.479 FS one. I'm to be all right. I think there's interest. I 2656 02:51:22.559 --> 02:51:26.399 think the Stars still kind of carry that Cacher. But this to me, 2657 02:51:26.520 --> 02:51:31.959 the USA FS one of the gamblers, showboats. Panthers generals just I don't 2658 02:51:31.000 --> 02:51:35.239 know about that. We haven't talked a ton Panthers obviously, you know, 2659 02:51:35.559 --> 02:51:37.399 winless at home here. Do you think they bounced back now that they're on 2660 02:51:37.479 --> 02:51:43.840 the road back in though Canton, I wish I had more faith in the 2661 02:51:43.959 --> 02:51:48.799 quarterback room. I mean, Carson strong and injured reserve leaves it all on. 2662 02:51:48.920 --> 02:51:52.920 Joshua's played essentially right now, but it's not as if New Jersey's getting 2663 02:51:52.959 --> 02:51:56.280 stellar quarterback play right now. I was surprised to see Kyle I Will allow 2664 02:51:56.360 --> 02:52:00.319 to play the entire game last week, especially when they went to the sideline 2665 02:52:00.360 --> 02:52:03.079 and DeAndre Johnson, so that the game plan was for him to get in. 2666 02:52:03.200 --> 02:52:05.239 So it wasn't as if there was an injury keeping him out, because 2667 02:52:05.280 --> 02:52:09.719 I know the broadcast booth did speculate a little bit that he was banged up 2668 02:52:09.760 --> 02:52:11.440 in the previous game and wondered if maybe that was why he wasn't on the 2669 02:52:11.479 --> 02:52:16.559 field, and perhaps he was instructed to just kind of go with the narrative 2670 02:52:16.600 --> 02:52:20.520 that he would play. But I mean, he was suited up and he 2671 02:52:20.680 --> 02:52:24.280 looked like he could have gone in and when allow a lot of struggle, 2672 02:52:24.319 --> 02:52:26.959 I thought for sure they would put Johnson into provide a spark. Maybe they 2673 02:52:28.040 --> 02:52:31.440 do this week. Maybe they lean I mean Mike Radley loves to lean on 2674 02:52:31.520 --> 02:52:33.239 his backs in the running game. It seems like a good week to do 2675 02:52:33.360 --> 02:52:37.360 it. With the Panthers struggling to score, just win a low scoring affair. 2676 02:52:37.520 --> 02:52:41.920 I would take the Generals in this one, which it's it's funny. 2677 02:52:43.079 --> 02:52:46.319 I just think if you put DeAndre Johnson on the Panthers with that combination of 2678 02:52:46.399 --> 02:52:50.399 Reggie Corpin and Stevie Scott, they would just have such a more explosive and 2679 02:52:50.479 --> 02:52:54.440 dynamic offense for what they'd like to do. That lack of quarterback mobility, 2680 02:52:54.600 --> 02:52:58.000 like true game changing mobility, I think hurts them a little bit, especially 2681 02:52:58.079 --> 02:53:03.280 since they're just not enough out of their past catching corps. Trey Quinn has 2682 02:53:03.280 --> 02:53:09.639 flashed this year. He had a great game last week, and but ultimately 2683 02:53:09.680 --> 02:53:13.799 I have more faith in Mike Riley and the General's gutting it out this week. 2684 02:53:15.000 --> 02:53:18.079 But that could be a very ugly, ugly game. Yeah, let's 2685 02:53:18.079 --> 02:53:22.200 see. I'm curious how this week works. In Week seven, Josh, 2686 02:53:22.280 --> 02:53:24.079 anything else from you. Where can people find your work. I really appreciate 2687 02:53:24.120 --> 02:53:28.719 your time, thanks for having me on. They can find my work at 2688 02:53:28.799 --> 02:53:33.639 Fantasy Pros and Betting Pros. I write up a usfl dfspiece every week for 2689 02:53:33.760 --> 02:53:37.879 Fantasy Pros and I offer some betting insights, which has been kind of ice 2690 02:53:37.920 --> 02:53:45.319 cold lately. But at Betting Pros and I give you the the thought process 2691 02:53:45.360 --> 02:53:48.559 behind every bet so you can make your own informed decision whether whether you agree 2692 02:53:48.600 --> 02:53:52.319 with my logic or not. But I like to show how the sausage is 2693 02:53:52.360 --> 02:53:54.920 made and kind of lead you to water instead of forcing you to drink at 2694 02:53:54.959 --> 02:54:00.120 st I like that, Josh, I appreciate it. Tremendous resources here, 2695 02:54:00.200 --> 02:54:07.559 Thank you so much. Thanks. Well, there we go, loaded show. 2696 02:54:07.680 --> 02:54:11.959 Like I said, you know, I thought John came across, like 2697 02:54:11.000 --> 02:54:15.399 I said, very well today, I think I think it's the same thing. 2698 02:54:15.520 --> 02:54:18.399 Like I come on here and do the show. I enjoy kind of 2699 02:54:18.479 --> 02:54:22.239 doing shows outside of this and kind of being able to talk more long form 2700 02:54:22.319 --> 02:54:24.399 that way, like with my mom, John Lewis's podcast or anything like that. 2701 02:54:24.520 --> 02:54:28.520 So I appreciate that. I thought John, that was a great conversation. 2702 02:54:28.760 --> 02:54:31.200 Really appreciate Greg making time late at night coming on to do that, 2703 02:54:31.639 --> 02:54:37.040 and then obviously Ryan Valentine everyone over at the Elks for setting up trade Forward, 2704 02:54:37.600 --> 02:54:39.680 going to be looking to get more into the CFL here. We have 2705 02:54:41.200 --> 02:54:45.159 lots of team previews next week coming in for the CFL season, and then 2706 02:54:45.239 --> 02:54:46.799 I teased it on the live stream on Monday, but we're going to have 2707 02:54:46.879 --> 02:54:52.520 a special CFL kickoff pregame show live before that game here on June eighth. 2708 02:54:52.799 --> 02:54:56.559 Is that June eighth, And then I'm going to have a special somewhat cool 2709 02:54:58.120 --> 02:55:01.600 project. I still need to talk with Anne worry about this, but Andy, 2710 02:55:01.680 --> 02:55:03.120 I have a cool project. We're gonna work forward to here a week 2711 02:55:03.159 --> 02:55:07.559 after next so should be good. But lots of CFL team previews next week. 2712 02:55:07.680 --> 02:55:09.799 Still working on some other guests. I hope you guys enjoyed. Thanks 2713 02:55:09.879 --> 02:55:13.559 everyone who contributed this week, taking time to come on the program, set 2714 02:55:13.639 --> 02:55:16.440 things up, and obviously all of you for listening. I hope you have 2715 02:55:16.520 --> 02:55:18.600 a great weekend. Take care of