WEBVTT 1 00:00:10.160 --> 00:00:14.080 Hey guys, welcome to the Markcast. Read here, Well, here we 2 00:00:14.119 --> 00:00:19.160 go. As teased as promised, big time episode coming your way today. 3 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.960 Hope you guys are excited. Hope you feel like I delivered on this one. 4 00:00:23.199 --> 00:00:28.359 Three big interviews. We have Darryl Moose Johnston coming on executive vice president 5 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:32.719 of football Operations over at the UFL. We have coach Jonathan Heinbach with the 6 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:37.200 Arlington Renegades, and then Anthony Miller from Sports Illustrated. Should be a good 7 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:39.880 one. Just a couple of quick plugs for me here and then we'll get 8 00:00:39.880 --> 00:00:43.159 to the content. I know everybody is excited. This will be the last 9 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.000 show we do before the UFL kickoff next weekend, so no Friday episode will 10 00:00:48.039 --> 00:00:52.359 be live Saturday, March thirtieth from Arlington. We'll have a big guest list. 11 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:55.159 I'll post the event page and the guest list and all of this that 12 00:00:55.320 --> 00:00:59.200 this week. But like to subscribe if you're excited for that should be a 13 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:02.240 fun one. As a reminder, we're going to be giving away two tickets 14 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:06.760 to the UFL Championship game if we cross that thirty five hundred subscriber mark, 15 00:01:06.840 --> 00:01:10.560 So like it. Subscribe if you appreciate the work today if you're excited for 16 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:14.400 the kickoff next weekend, and then we'll be doing not only that, we'll 17 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:18.000 do our Friday shows kind of during the UFL season, but then we'll also 18 00:01:18.040 --> 00:01:22.719 be doing weekly recaps on Mondays following the games, kind of talking about the 19 00:01:22.799 --> 00:01:26.640 games and the standings and what do we learn and whether we doing right and 20 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:29.359 what are we doing wrong? Kind of all that stuff. So getting that 21 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:32.560 all workshopped and set up. But we did that last year with the XFL 22 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:36.519 and with the USFL and then even the CFL. So continuing that in some 23 00:01:36.680 --> 00:01:40.760 form, but subscribe like the video if you're excited for that, because should 24 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:44.280 have lots of UFL content coming out here, and I know we're getting back 25 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:47.640 to the CFL. Had lots of questions about that, but kind of focusing, 26 00:01:47.760 --> 00:01:49.519 let's get this lead kicked off and then we'll move towards all of that 27 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:53.079 stuff here and start balancing that a little more. So, Like I said, 28 00:01:53.239 --> 00:01:57.359 Daryl Johnson, great interview, talking everything you would want Daryl Johnson to 29 00:01:57.359 --> 00:02:00.560 talk about, you know, kind of his future vision for the league, 30 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:06.079 the XFL, USFL, kind of how did those negotiations go with the merger 31 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:08.960 and the kind of the politics behind that. We're talking the XFL kickoff, 32 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:13.520 the rules kind of all that stuff, so it means a lot, especially 33 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.319 the league setting that up. Darrell taking the time to come on, so 34 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:20.439 thank you very much, appreciate that. Coach Jonathan Heinbach coming on, taking 35 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:23.919 time on a Sunday. Coach Heinbach is in an interesting situation where he was 36 00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:29.680 with the Birmingham Stallions back in twenty twenty two, won a championship. Then 37 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:32.879 he was with the XFL Renegades last year won a championship that way, and 38 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:38.080 so now this is kind of the Coach Heinbach Invitational here for the kickoff with 39 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:40.639 the Stallions coming, you know, with the Renegades hosting the Stallions and chalk 40 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:46.560 TOAs so lots of interesting comments from coach Heinbach getting ready for the season and 41 00:02:46.599 --> 00:02:50.199 what's it like kind of all these familiar faces coming back around and his thoughts 42 00:02:50.400 --> 00:02:53.840 heading into this season. We chatted with him twice last year during the season 43 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:59.000 and then after his championship wins, so it should be a good interview that 44 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:02.199 way. And then Anthony Miller coming on. Busiest man in the Spring football 45 00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:07.560 here with Sports illustrated covering all of the UFL stuff. We'll be chatting. 46 00:03:07.759 --> 00:03:10.759 Final roster cuts are coming out for some of the teams, getting Anthony's thoughts 47 00:03:10.759 --> 00:03:14.759 on training camp and the season, and kind of previewing all of that stuff. 48 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:19.039 So three big interviews. I appreciate everybody all the time. I hope 49 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:24.000 you guys enjoy, like and subscribe. We'll see at the end. Thanks. 50 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:29.800 Well, here we go. This is exciting, many emails getting ready 51 00:03:29.800 --> 00:03:32.599 for this. We have the executive vice President Football Operations here, Darryl Johnson 52 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:37.159 with UFL. Now, I wore I did have to wear my Washington commander's 53 00:03:37.199 --> 00:03:39.199 hat today. I had to make a stand. But maybe we could pretend 54 00:03:39.240 --> 00:03:42.759 it's the AAF commanders if that makes you feel better. How are you, 55 00:03:42.800 --> 00:03:45.759 sir, I'm good, I'm good. No. Dan Quinn is one of 56 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:49.159 my favorite people in the world. So it's all good. It's all good. 57 00:03:49.560 --> 00:03:52.080 Yeah, Big Yeah, Big is here for that. That could be 58 00:03:52.120 --> 00:03:54.439 a whole different conversation about all that. I say this. You know, 59 00:03:54.479 --> 00:03:59.360 we're kind of week three, getting into week four training camp here, welfare 60 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:02.199 check for you you kind of how is everything gone? It's been really good? 61 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.840 You know, I think obviously it's something perfect. You know, we've 62 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:08.680 had some some bumps in the road, But I think the big thing is, 63 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.879 you know, overall, when we looked at it, it's us trying 64 00:04:12.879 --> 00:04:16.680 to hold ourselves to that high standard. So this week we finally got a 65 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:19.519 little bit of downtime and we're able to kind of circle back and go through 66 00:04:19.519 --> 00:04:23.240 the onboarding process. You know, where where could we have been a little 67 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:26.759 bit better, get to that car wash component where we create all the production 68 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:30.680 elements that will be there as part of the broadcast and in studio, and 69 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:32.879 where can we get better there? Off boarding? You know, we cut 70 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:40.839 one hundred and thirty six players on the sixteenth seventeenth, so you know, 71 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:44.279 I think the big thing there was just kind of that that travel component, 72 00:04:44.319 --> 00:04:46.720 the timing, where's a good time to start, so, you know, 73 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:49.680 where can we get better there? So that that's been really kind of us 74 00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:55.680 being a little bit picky, but everything being taken into consideration. You know, 75 00:04:55.759 --> 00:04:58.680 Russ always tells us, you know, we're I think on day sixty 76 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:01.439 two or sixty three of actually being an official league. So where we are 77 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:05.399 now and what we've done through that process, you know, everybody take a 78 00:05:05.399 --> 00:05:09.120 lot of pride in what you're doing. So but it's been great to watch 79 00:05:09.160 --> 00:05:13.360 everybody still hold that high standard as we're working and moving along. But training 80 00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:15.759 camp itself, the players, I think that that was one of the big 81 00:05:15.800 --> 00:05:19.160 things. We heard it from the coaches how hard it was to cut from 82 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:24.439 seventy five down to fifty eight. We heard it from the players where when 83 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:28.319 you walked onto the field and it was fifty eight guys in the USFL, 84 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.240 you could kind of look at the landscape and go, I'm going to be 85 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:33.040 good. I'm going to make the fifty this year at seventy five. Hearing 86 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:36.360 the guys talking about the first couple of days of practice and looking around and 87 00:05:36.399 --> 00:05:41.040 watching the guys and then saying, this is going to be a very competitive 88 00:05:41.040 --> 00:05:45.040 two weeks, you know, to get that roster spot. So I think 89 00:05:45.079 --> 00:05:48.680 that the hard part about doing the merger when you talk about the loss of 90 00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:50.839 the players that we're going to be a part of the league moving forward, 91 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:54.000 the coaches that we're going to be a part of the league moving forward. 92 00:05:54.920 --> 00:05:59.680 Our first test has really shown that we really did upgrade the level of talent, 93 00:06:00.040 --> 00:06:01.720 you know, across the league. And I still feel like fifty eight 94 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:05.040 to fifty is going to be challenging. It's it's going to be even that 95 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:08.480 that finer part, and it's I think it's gonna be fun for us to 96 00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.519 see the coaches, you know, kind of that back end of the roster, 97 00:06:12.600 --> 00:06:15.079 because this is going to be you know, the guys that are adding 98 00:06:15.120 --> 00:06:18.079 depth and creating special team spots. I feel very confident that everybody's you know, 99 00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:20.959 they've got there too deep, just like the NFL's as you're kind of 100 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:25.240 winding down and getting ready to start that season opener. So where are those 101 00:06:25.279 --> 00:06:29.879 hard decisions now made on that that backup depth and how important they are in 102 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:33.000 the special teams component of the game. Is that kind of your selling point? 103 00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:35.480 I guess for you know, going into this merger, right and there's 104 00:06:35.480 --> 00:06:39.040 a lot of fan bases. I'm I'm in Seattle here, you know, 105 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:42.879 obviously a lot of these. Is the selling point because it shouldn't be one 106 00:06:42.920 --> 00:06:45.439 plus one is two, right with the XFL and the US develo. It 107 00:06:45.439 --> 00:06:47.759 should be Okay, we're getting these fan bases and then also new fans. 108 00:06:47.879 --> 00:06:50.839 Is it that elevated you know level of football? You know, we don't 109 00:06:50.879 --> 00:06:54.920 have the player fifty four brand, Like, what is your selling point in 110 00:06:54.959 --> 00:06:57.800 your mind of this new merged league. Yeah, that's great that you just 111 00:06:57.800 --> 00:07:00.319 said that. You know, we talk about one plus one equals three point 112 00:07:00.319 --> 00:07:01.160 five. You know, we need to be able to do that. It 113 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:06.160 has to be an elevated expectation from us at the at the top and to 114 00:07:06.199 --> 00:07:11.000 start those conversations so it flows down throughout the organization, throughout the league. 115 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:15.040 So that's that's definitely one of the bigger parts there as we're going through this. 116 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:19.600 I think one of the things that that we've started to have conversations is 117 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:24.560 what do we want our new messaging to be. You know what we do 118 00:07:24.600 --> 00:07:28.079 want to kind of move off of the developmental component. We want to get 119 00:07:28.120 --> 00:07:31.079 away from the opportunity component. We want to talk about the talent of the 120 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:35.199 players that are in this league. We want to talk about the sustainability of 121 00:07:35.240 --> 00:07:41.480 spring football now that these two leagues have joined together and have elevated the talent 122 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:44.160 that we're going to see, you know, going to all the various talent 123 00:07:44.240 --> 00:07:47.000 halls during the course of the build up to the season. You know, 124 00:07:47.079 --> 00:07:51.759 we talked about the level of talent in this league being the best since you 125 00:07:51.879 --> 00:07:57.439 had Reggie White, Jim Kelly, Herschel, Walker, Mike Rosier, Steve 126 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:00.639 Young. You know, back in the day when spring Foot was trying to 127 00:08:00.680 --> 00:08:05.160 go head to head with the NFL and paying big contracts to get that talent 128 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:07.399 there, This is going to be the first time that you're going to see, 129 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:09.560 you know, that that type of talent. I'm not saying we've got 130 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:15.199 Hall of famers on our rosters right now, but spring football that you have 131 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:20.120 seen in other iterations, this will be the best talent that if you're a 132 00:08:20.199 --> 00:08:26.040 fan of spring football you'll have seen in recent history. I know you said, 133 00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:28.439 you know, a rush job here, right just with all the circumstances 134 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:31.519 this season, kind of getting in in your mind, what would off season 135 00:08:31.639 --> 00:08:35.080 look like, you know, next year? What will be kind of the 136 00:08:35.120 --> 00:08:37.080 ideal in terms of getting the marketing and everything in place, because I think 137 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:41.039 we are kind of getting through the best we can right now. Yeah, 138 00:08:41.159 --> 00:08:46.919 I think the big thing is is just getting our calendar set, getting venue 139 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:52.360 availability set, being able to get our schedule set that allows us to release 140 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:56.960 ticket sales earlier. You know that that's been one of the harder things. 141 00:08:56.000 --> 00:09:01.480 I think single single game tickets went on side on Saling Detroit five days ago. 142 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:05.159 So it has been challenging. So just having all the elements that we 143 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:11.080 can control next year going into the off season and making sure that we are 144 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:15.159 we are checking boxes as soon as we possibly can so we can lighten that 145 00:09:15.240 --> 00:09:18.399 burden on the back end of it. And one of the hardest things was 146 00:09:18.519 --> 00:09:22.240 venue availability and scheduling, you know, coming down to the wire this year, 147 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:26.440 you know, based on on how we were going to pull this off, 148 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:28.240 so that that's something that will be way ahead of the curve. With 149 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:33.799 that way, we can start to talk to our fans about what what the 150 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:37.759 games are going to be, you know in market. Uh So, just 151 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:39.960 being ahead of that is going to be a tremendous help. And it's one 152 00:09:39.960 --> 00:09:43.759 of those things that I'm sure a lot of people don't think about. You 153 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:46.840 know, we get focused on the football, but all those moving parts that 154 00:09:46.840 --> 00:09:50.759 that are really kind of driving a lot of the revenue components was was really 155 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:52.440 late coming on board this year, and we've got to be much much further 156 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:56.919 ahead down the road, not only for us, but but also for our 157 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:01.000 fans so they can start to plan. Are we happy with the March thirtieth? 158 00:10:01.120 --> 00:10:03.720 Is that a stop gap this season. How do we feel about that. 159 00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:05.360 I think that that's another one of the big items. It'll be up 160 00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:09.480 for discussion, you know. I think it was a necessity this year, 161 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:13.559 you know, to push it back a little bit. We didn't want to 162 00:10:13.559 --> 00:10:16.360 get it too far back. We were always talking about trying to find that 163 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:20.519 happy medium in between Legacy XFL and Legacy USFL. When you talk about start 164 00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:26.399 dates, you know, this kind of slotted that we're still having conversations about 165 00:10:26.399 --> 00:10:30.960 some of those iconic sports events that we would be in direct competition with depending 166 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:31.960 on the start date. You know, how do we feel about going up 167 00:10:31.960 --> 00:10:35.399 against the NCAA tournament when that goes into full swing. How do we feel 168 00:10:35.399 --> 00:10:39.399 about being, you know, on the same weekend as the Masters. So 169 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:43.480 there's some things there that we have to talk about. But again with the 170 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:48.039 trust and the belief in the league and then the support from the fans and 171 00:10:48.080 --> 00:10:54.039 the viewers, that really helps us to have some honest conversations there, and 172 00:10:54.320 --> 00:10:56.559 just growing up as a league and being able to do some things regionally that 173 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:00.919 we had to do this year just based on the timing of this schedule that 174 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:05.039 we just talked about, that that makes us a little bit more mature moving 175 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:07.399 forward. Can we stay off the busy day of the NCAA tournament on a 176 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:11.679 Saturday and a Sunday because we can regionalize games and maybe steal some windows in 177 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:16.559 there. It's really that first weekend that that really is the one that's going 178 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:18.639 to be hard to compete against because the games are on almost all day long. 179 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:22.879 But okay, so that's going to be a challenge for us. How 180 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:26.279 do we do our best job there? But those other weekends, do we 181 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.840 feel like now with some open windows that we could we could regionalize some things 182 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:33.279 and have current games going on at the same time. So there's some things 183 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:35.320 that just as we develop and stay ahead of the curve, and I think 184 00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:39.480 we can navigate the masters as well. You know, there's some things there 185 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:45.240 that we could do. So I think as we start to become a league 186 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:48.519 that has the trust of its fan base and and kind of locks them in 187 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:52.000 from a viewership standpoint, that they'll come find where we are, that they'll 188 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.000 make time to sit down and watch, you know. I think that that 189 00:11:54.120 --> 00:11:58.320 opens the discussion to be a little bit more flexible when when we want that 190 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:01.000 start day to be on the calendar. You talked about that legacy XFL and 191 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:05.559 legacy USFL. Obviously, you know you've been around kind of both, you 192 00:12:05.559 --> 00:12:07.960 know, past and I've even had it. I'm sure you're a good friend 193 00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:09.960 Coach Heinbach on here this week as well as talking and someone that's been on 194 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:13.600 both sides. How was kind of that marrying of the ideas because I want 195 00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:16.519 to talk about the rules here too briefly, but you know there's a lot 196 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:20.960 of things that kind of both leagues held dear and obviously you know a little 197 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:22.600 bit of shots taken back and forth. So how was kind of this marrying 198 00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:26.240 of the two ideas. Yeah, it's you know, we're all competitors, 199 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:30.759 so you know, we all had, you know, the beliefs, you 200 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:33.000 know in what our league had done well, and they had their beliefs and 201 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:35.720 what they had done well. And that was going to be the biggest challenge, 202 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:39.440 you know, can we check our egos at the door and really follow 203 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.519 what we've been talking about, which is let's make sure we get the best 204 00:12:41.519 --> 00:12:46.399 practices in line with the UFL and not let our egos get in the way. 205 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.320 So that was something I think we did a really good job of I 206 00:12:48.360 --> 00:12:52.360 mean, there were some things that we that we admired, that we liked 207 00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:56.320 that the XFL did, And talking with Russ Brandon and Doug Whaley and Rush 208 00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:58.320 Jillio, there were some things that you know, that we had done in 209 00:12:58.360 --> 00:13:01.720 the USFL that they liked, thought that we executed very well. So when 210 00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:05.559 when you can have those open conversations, it makes things a lot easier. 211 00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:11.120 And we probably had two or three that were kind of the sticky ones, 212 00:13:11.879 --> 00:13:16.600 and it was really kind of like you would do in politics. I mean, 213 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:18.600 you've got to bring people from the other side of the aisle to your 214 00:13:18.720 --> 00:13:22.120 side and see the value in doing what you're doing. So, you know, 215 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:26.039 on those items, it was a little bit more of a sell. 216 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:31.279 But again staying in that posture of listen, you know what is best for 217 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:33.679 the league moving forward, and I think we were able to do a really 218 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:37.840 really good job there. And as you talk about the rules, you know 219 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:39.120 that that was one of the areas, you know, where we can give 220 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:43.080 you some concrete examples of that. Well. Yeah, and just you know 221 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:43.919 what, I because I was talking with people, say hey, you know, 222 00:13:43.919 --> 00:13:46.879 I think we're going to get Daryl Johnson out here. They said, 223 00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:50.679 you got to ask about because the kickoff rule here, and obviously you were 224 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:54.000 part of both. I think the comments of it not looking like real football 225 00:13:54.159 --> 00:14:00.559 might have upset some of the XFL fans, especially considering maybe the NFL adopting 226 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:03.759 it here in the future. Was that really this digging point. Do you 227 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:05.960 have any clarifications on those comments, because I think that was I think it 228 00:14:07.080 --> 00:14:09.919 upset some kind of XFL like og Homers, if that makes sense. Yeah. 229 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:15.600 I don't think I ever said I said we wanted a more traditional look. 230 00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:18.360 I don't think I ever said it doesn't look like real football. If 231 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:22.600 I did that, that was not my intent. I would never disparage anybody. 232 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:26.799 I think what we talked about is it looked more like traditional football, 233 00:14:26.879 --> 00:14:31.320 which we wanted. We wanted movement at the kick and for us, that 234 00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:33.840 wasn't That was not the selling point. That was not the huge one. 235 00:14:33.879 --> 00:14:37.960 The biggest thing for us is is really looking at you know, what do 236 00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:43.399 special teams provide for our players. We can have a Cavante Turpin story, 237 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:46.960 we can have a Brandon Aubrey story, but there's a lot of other stories 238 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:50.159 there where it's the third tight end, it's the fourth safety. It's the 239 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:54.720 fifth corner that makes an NFL roster because they've had an opportunity to see how 240 00:14:54.720 --> 00:15:00.000 effective he is on special teams as a cover guy and as a blocker or 241 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:03.879 return guys. So that was one of the big things that we wanted to 242 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:07.879 take into consideration and bring to the table from the USFL side when we talked 243 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:13.159 about the kickoff. The number one item in this whole conversation is player health 244 00:15:13.159 --> 00:15:18.639 and safety. So the returns were almost identical. When we talked about the 245 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:22.879 numbers, they were both right around ninety one point four ninety one point three 246 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:26.759 percent. When we looked at the medical data, the medical data was on 247 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:31.240 par as well. There was not a significant increase in any types of injuries 248 00:15:31.639 --> 00:15:37.879 with the legacy USFL style compared to the legacy XFL style. So that is 249 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:41.879 the most important element that we want to look at, and then we also 250 00:15:41.919 --> 00:15:46.360 want to look at what is the best opportunity for our players to get noticed, 251 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:48.080 to be seen, and have that opportunity to get to the NFL. 252 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:52.720 So we kind of went that direction. Now with all this conversation about the 253 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:56.799 NFL potentially adopting what the XFL, did you know that that does change things. 254 00:15:58.279 --> 00:16:00.759 But what we will do is we will continue to move forward with the 255 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:06.000 plan that we had in place, and if at any point, if injuries 256 00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:10.879 start to become an issue on our style kickoff, we will make a change. 257 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:15.320 And I think that that's one of the things that we've demonstrated from legacy 258 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:19.279 USFL. We had other situations during the course of our first two years where 259 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:23.279 there were issues and we're not again, you know, check your ego at 260 00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:26.279 the door. You know, we tried something, it didn't work, let's 261 00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:30.399 move off of it. We listened to the input from our players all the 262 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:33.600 time, so we want to be stewards of the game that do it the 263 00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:37.279 right way. Sometimes we make a decision and it may not be the right 264 00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:41.919 one, but this was something that we felt was very important. There were 265 00:16:41.960 --> 00:16:47.240 other ones that the XFL felt was very important and we steered their way, 266 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:49.039 but I know that this was the big one and there was a lot of 267 00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:53.080 people talking about it, and quite honestly, when you look at our league, 268 00:16:53.159 --> 00:16:56.559 we have four head coaches that want to know why we're doing it this 269 00:16:56.600 --> 00:17:00.559 way, and four head coaches that are fine that we're doing it this way. 270 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:03.759 So there are still some attachments from your previous leagues, and that's going 271 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:07.799 to be stuff that we that we navigate through the course of season one here 272 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:11.559 in the UFL. But the biggest thing I wanted to get out there is 273 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:15.680 if I said it doesn't look like real football, I apologize. I never 274 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:19.160 meant to disparage, you know, that style of kickoff. What we what 275 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:22.640 I thought I said, and what I hope I did was more traditional. 276 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:26.839 We wanted to look like a more traditional kickoff with movement at the time of 277 00:17:26.839 --> 00:17:30.920 the kick. So that was that was from an esthetic point, in a 278 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:34.359 viewership point. But the most important thing is we can't even have that conversation 279 00:17:34.799 --> 00:17:38.640 if our medical data is not similar to what the XFL's medical data was. 280 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:42.079 Two questions here on the We're you hopped on the earlier. I want to 281 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.599 keep you too long here. I appreciate your time in terms that you were 282 00:17:45.599 --> 00:17:48.400 talking about that the four coaches transitioning and how has that gone with We had 283 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:52.720 Curtis Johnson on last week with the Roughnecks now and transitioning to the the USFL, 284 00:17:53.160 --> 00:17:56.920 you know, adopting kind of the XFL branding with that, and trying 285 00:17:56.920 --> 00:17:59.720 to build the fan base there in Houston. How do you think that that's 286 00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:03.519 gone that transition to kind of have the fore and for Yeah, that that 287 00:18:03.640 --> 00:18:07.759 was one of our kind of unique situations is the Houston market. And I 288 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:11.279 think that that's probably one of our best examples because that really comes down to, 289 00:18:11.960 --> 00:18:14.359 you know, a team that's going to have a lot of change. 290 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:19.000 You know. The rough Necks moniker is is something that I think resonates a 291 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:22.359 little bit more when you talk about, you know, what you know the 292 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:26.680 city of Houston and the surrounding area and and what the oil industry has has 293 00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:30.720 meant to that community. I think there's a better connection there. So we 294 00:18:30.839 --> 00:18:34.559 really felt that that it would it would be good to go with the Roughnecks 295 00:18:34.599 --> 00:18:40.000 as opposed to the Gamblers. And then we wanted to make sure that there 296 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:42.400 was balance and and and how we were bringing in staff. So it was 297 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:47.079 really okay, Curtis, You're you're going to have your staff, your roster 298 00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:49.519 in place as you move forward, but we're going to bring the XFL moniker 299 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:56.039 and color scheme over to you. Uh and and it's been fantastic and my 300 00:18:56.039 --> 00:19:00.519 my happiest moment this year is going to be on the thirty first is going 301 00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:04.880 to be great to kick off, you know, on opening day with Birmingham 302 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:10.480 versus Arlington as our two champions from last season go head to head. But 303 00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:14.960 for me, I'm gonna be down in Houston because Houston gets to play in 304 00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:18.359 the home market for the first time, and that's something that I'm really really 305 00:19:18.359 --> 00:19:21.200 excited about. All of our other teams have been able to do that. 306 00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:23.039 We were in Birmingham, we were in Memphis, we were in Detroit. 307 00:19:23.400 --> 00:19:29.559 Houston was the loan survivor from the merger that never got an opportunity to play 308 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:32.640 in front of their home market. So I'm really really excited for Curtis Johnson 309 00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:37.160 and his staff and his players to finally have a true home game. They 310 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:40.799 were playing in Birmingham in year one, they were playing in Memphis in year 311 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:44.599 two. This is gonna be their first opportunity. So I'm really excited about 312 00:19:44.599 --> 00:19:45.720 that, and I think that that creates a great example. I was at 313 00:19:45.759 --> 00:19:51.000 the town hall, you know, earlier this year in Houston, and there's 314 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:55.359 a tremendous amount of support there. They're just happy that they made the merger 315 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:57.039 and that they're going to have football in the spring in the city at Houston. 316 00:19:57.839 --> 00:20:00.839 Last one for me here and this is near and dear to kind of 317 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:04.599 a lot of different the online Fantasy Sports Better is kind of all that stuff 318 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:08.920 in terms of injury reports this year and trying to kind of broaden that fan 319 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:11.119 base to get people to do that. Do you know how the lead's going 320 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:15.359 to be handling that and the XFL would kind of send them out. USFL 321 00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:19.680 was not as transparent about it, and I know there's various methology behind that, 322 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:22.079 but do you guys know about that? And trying to be able to 323 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:26.000 make sure that people are informed so that they can follow in bed and do 324 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:29.880 all the fantasy stuff. I think we were very transparent in the USFL. 325 00:20:30.079 --> 00:20:33.960 I think we just followed probably a more rigid NFL style of release. So, 326 00:20:34.680 --> 00:20:37.720 you know, the one thing that we've talked about, you know, 327 00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:41.400 during the course of the merger, when it's about information that's going out, 328 00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:45.079 the most important thing is the information is correct. It's not about who gets 329 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.039 it out there first. So the number one thing is the accuracy. And 330 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:52.359 if we are going to have gambling, then that accuracy has to be spot 331 00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:56.160 on. And so we just we followed a more traditional, you know, 332 00:20:56.279 --> 00:21:00.599 NFL style model. When you talked about the injury reporting on the daily reports. 333 00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:03.119 You know, when we get forty eight hours, you know who's active, 334 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:07.119 who's inactive. You know, we'll have some of the mechanisms that we 335 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:12.000 had in the legacy UFL to make changes there within ninety minutes, within thirty 336 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:17.160 minutes, because we actually had a thirty minute change that we that we enacted 337 00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:19.079 I think in year one in the USFL, and that was something that Jim 338 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:22.839 Pop brought to the table that I never thought was going to happen, and 339 00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:26.119 then all of a sudden it does. So, you know, I felt 340 00:21:26.119 --> 00:21:30.799 that we were transparent last year. You know, I think sometimes, you 341 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:33.599 know, we were a little bit protective, but I don't think we ever 342 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:37.079 tried to hide anything. I think we really tried to stay to the NFL 343 00:21:37.079 --> 00:21:40.880 timelines when you get into the game day status report and then the active inactive 344 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:44.200 report as we're leading up to the game. We we know how important that 345 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:48.160 information is to the sports betting fan community, so we know we have to 346 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:52.559 be spot on, and that's why we challenged everybody, you know how important 347 00:21:52.680 --> 00:21:56.079 this this information is to be kept, you know, close to the vest 348 00:21:56.279 --> 00:22:00.440 within the league until it's supposed to be released, so you'll probably see something 349 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:04.759 that's more USFL than you saw from XFL last year. But that's not to 350 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:10.039 hide anything. That's not a lack of transparency. That's really just our mission 351 00:22:10.079 --> 00:22:14.160 to make sure anything that comes out that's sensitive like that is one hundred percent 352 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:17.359 accurate. When we released that from the league perfect, I just see. 353 00:22:17.400 --> 00:22:18.200 I know that's I always want to make sure. I asked that when you 354 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:21.759 get people on because I know that's very important. So Daryl, I really 355 00:22:21.799 --> 00:22:23.359 appreciate it. I know it's crazy busy. Thank you for taking the time 356 00:22:23.359 --> 00:22:26.400 today and comping on early even so appreciate it. You got it, no 357 00:22:26.440 --> 00:22:34.319 problem, enjoy the conversation. Well, the last time, last couple of 358 00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:37.160 times we've had coach time Bock on. I think the first time was the 359 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:41.880 most viewed episode I think we had had ever for a single guest coming on. 360 00:22:41.960 --> 00:22:44.640 And then last time, I know we went viral for talking about the 361 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:48.440 XFL Championship trophy being able to be flipped upside down and drank out of so 362 00:22:48.759 --> 00:22:52.440 lots of my expectations today, Coach, i'mbock. How are you doing, 363 00:22:52.440 --> 00:22:56.759 sir? I'm doing well. Thanks for bringing up some good memories. It's 364 00:22:56.799 --> 00:23:00.839 good. This is exciting back again now again. First off, what were 365 00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:03.480 three weeks into training camp? Kind of how is life for you here? 366 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:07.440 Welfare check? It's going well. It's a little bit of Groundhog's day. 367 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:11.079 Every day in training camp. It seems to be the same routine. But 368 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:15.960 you know, the guys have been great, the guys on this team that 369 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:19.559 Rick Mueller's put together on this roster. Every single day they come in, 370 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:25.480 they're ready to learn, They're ready to put good things on tape and really 371 00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:30.279 improve their craft. So I was just talking to a couple guys around the 372 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:34.720 league. I think we only have right now one returning player on the offensive 373 00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:40.160 line from last year's championship team. So that just speaks to the volume of 374 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:45.720 how good the talent is right now and just how this league is continuing to 375 00:23:45.799 --> 00:23:49.759 evolve in terms of kind of getting ready. We had scrimmages right and then 376 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:53.279 we had open practice here and fans coming. How do you feel like the 377 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:56.960 guys are acclimating here and how is kind of the team chemistry coming together. 378 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:03.160 It's a little bit different of a field this season because we've had the opportunity 379 00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:08.279 to get together with some other teams we've seen. We've had three different occasions. 380 00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:15.599 Two times we've done an organized practice with the Houston Roughnecks, which has 381 00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:18.799 been great. Know a lot of their coaches and have the utmost respect for 382 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:23.319 them, and they came in and it was a very business like type of 383 00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:26.079 a feel at the stadium, and I think they wanted to be in the 384 00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:30.440 stadium with us. It was great to be at Chalktaw just moving the ball 385 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:33.920 up and down the field and doing some situational work. And then we get 386 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:38.640 a chance to go against Memphis and kind of an organized practice over at Mansfield. 387 00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:41.920 So it's been good. It's kind of broken up the monotony of training 388 00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:48.640 camp in terms of, you know, obviously being with the USFL here whatever, 389 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:52.640 and then coming back over thoughts here on kind of all this coming together 390 00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:55.880 here? Would you have ever expected kind of to be in this situation now 391 00:24:55.880 --> 00:24:59.599 and facing Birmingham the first week? I mean kind of a really weird situation 392 00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:02.880 to be what do you make of kind of this merged Premier Spring Football League 393 00:25:02.920 --> 00:25:07.839 Now it's all come full circle. I mean, there's so many familiar faces 394 00:25:07.880 --> 00:25:11.640 for me in my career, I've spent a lot of time north of the 395 00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:15.000 border in the Canadian Football League and to look over across the sideline and see 396 00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:21.640 a guy like Jim Pop, who I've had, you know, We've celebrated 397 00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:26.559 some great Cup championship wins together in Montreal and Toronto together, and to see 398 00:25:26.599 --> 00:25:30.880 him as part of the brass with the league is great. And then also 399 00:25:30.960 --> 00:25:37.519 to see Moos Johnson, who he and I were together in the AAF back 400 00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:41.880 in the day with the San Antonio Commanders and with his vision for the league. 401 00:25:42.279 --> 00:25:48.279 And then yesterday I walked into Choctaw Stadium with Skip Holtz, and so 402 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:52.680 it's really neat. Everybody just loves to be a part of something. I 403 00:25:52.680 --> 00:25:56.920 think we've got the right pieces to the puzzle being able to put this league 404 00:25:56.000 --> 00:26:00.119 together. It was hard. It was a little bit difficult, I'll be 405 00:26:00.200 --> 00:26:06.240 honest. When the league kind of we didn't really know where we stood and 406 00:26:07.119 --> 00:26:10.519 our contracts ran out all of a sudden, there's talk of a merger. 407 00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:14.559 We didn't know which teams would make it. And I'm very fortunate, very 408 00:26:14.599 --> 00:26:18.079 blessed to be a part of Bob's staff again. But to see those guys 409 00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:25.039 across the sideline and in the league just builds the excitement and appreciation to be 410 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:26.920 a part of this. Yeah, what's it like Havin Darryl kind of in 411 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:30.759 charge of football ops again here and obviously you've had lots of experience with him, 412 00:26:30.759 --> 00:26:33.920 but now different feelings here in camp now or how is that going? 413 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:38.279 Well? The one thing I'll always say about Moose is he's a guy that's 414 00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:42.599 not afraid to roll up his sleeves. I remember when we were together in 415 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:47.640 the USFL a few years ago, when I was with Birmingham, I would 416 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:51.880 see Moose. You know, everybody sees him as on TV the executive, 417 00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:56.039 the ex player, those type of things, doing the commentating, but he's 418 00:26:56.119 --> 00:27:00.480 rolling up his sleeves, loading gatorade onto the bus or players to go, 419 00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:03.720 you know, have an off site practice. I mean, he's boots on 420 00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:07.039 the ground. He's a guy that I think football people respect. I know 421 00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:12.799 the coaches appreciate his insight. It's great to see him just on an occasion. 422 00:27:12.880 --> 00:27:17.599 I know we're both running around with us game playing and practice and he's 423 00:27:17.920 --> 00:27:22.119 got a million things going on, but true appreciation and excitement about where these 424 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:26.720 things are going. Right now in terms of Arlington with Chuck now kind of 425 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.880 running as O see difference as for the offense or things, you know, 426 00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:33.119 the seeing different changes there. Well, there's always change here. There's going 427 00:27:33.160 --> 00:27:37.720 to be change based on your roster. I mean, we have a lot 428 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:42.039 of new fresh faces. Obviously, guys like Luis Prez and you know Davion 429 00:27:42.119 --> 00:27:48.039 Smith and you know Tyler Vaughn. Some of those guys were staples for us 430 00:27:48.119 --> 00:27:52.960 last year. But we've got new guys coming in with new skills, and 431 00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:56.160 so the offense is going to change and more. We're going to try to 432 00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:00.839 get the ball in guy's hands and let them, you know, let him 433 00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:03.200 create and let them put good things on tape. I've worked with Chuck before, 434 00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:07.799 so very blessed to be with him. He was a head coach at 435 00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:11.640 San Diego State when I was working with him, So good to be reunited 436 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:15.279 again. And now we've got a background for what our players can handle. 437 00:28:15.400 --> 00:28:19.480 Last year, I don't think we really knew what we had. We threw 438 00:28:19.559 --> 00:28:23.079 that, We kind of threw a playbook at him, saw what stuck. 439 00:28:23.200 --> 00:28:27.640 And as people watch this league, those are truly familiar with the league. 440 00:28:27.960 --> 00:28:33.319 So how much offense change, how much defensive changed? Because you kind of 441 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:38.000 introduce concepts and you see what your players can handle. And the guys really 442 00:28:38.039 --> 00:28:42.440 took on a great role in putting this offense together. So it's been fun 443 00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:47.440 to see year two now picking the ball up and running with it. And 444 00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:52.480 it's been fun just to see the new guys really elevate because the older guys 445 00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:56.960 they're forcing the tempo, they're really you know, Luis has been a great 446 00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:00.880 leader, a great example for the guys, So we've really been pushing them 447 00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:03.240 hard. And I heard one of the guys say, this is the biggest 448 00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:07.480 install they've ever had, even in NFL training camps, And we've got a 449 00:29:07.480 --> 00:29:11.839 lot of offense in and now it's our job as coaches to peel it back 450 00:29:11.880 --> 00:29:15.279 and make a real concise game plan as we go into week one and figure 451 00:29:15.279 --> 00:29:19.519 out who we are. Is it harder building an offensive line now with a 452 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:23.240 couple fewer roster spots and there were I know that there's some changes here going 453 00:29:23.240 --> 00:29:27.839 into the season. Yeah, less numbers is a little bit more difficult. 454 00:29:27.920 --> 00:29:32.839 When we were in the USFL two years ago, had about the same numbers 455 00:29:32.880 --> 00:29:37.279 then, so it was a luxury a year ago to have some more bodies 456 00:29:37.319 --> 00:29:42.599 in the room. But more is not always better, and you know, 457 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:47.400 I say that with a little bit of reservations, just because you want to 458 00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:52.759 have more time to evaluate players. But I think the quality of player is 459 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:57.359 much better this year. Look at the additions we put into, you know, 460 00:29:57.440 --> 00:30:00.920 just into our roster, and I'm looking around with the other groups. 461 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:04.279 It's a really seasoned, veteran group. And not guys that are you know, 462 00:30:04.799 --> 00:30:11.519 multiple spring Spring league players. It's guys with lots of quality starting NFL 463 00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:17.680 experience, and so that's exciting to see the background guys have and the professionalism 464 00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:21.559 that walks in the door every day. One of the big conversation points we 465 00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:23.279 had when year on before was the start of the season, right, and 466 00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:27.240 obviously this year there was a lot of you know, we're starting a little 467 00:30:27.319 --> 00:30:30.359 later here, and I think kind of everyone understands why, but thoughts on 468 00:30:30.400 --> 00:30:33.359 that which the March thirtieth, you like that, is that still enough time, 469 00:30:33.359 --> 00:30:36.839 because I know that was a big selling point for you with the XFL, 470 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:40.240 was the earlier start. Yeah, I think, you know, it's 471 00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:42.559 one of those things you just deal with the schedule. I think hopefully now 472 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:48.960 with us being on major national broadcast is going to be helpful for the league. 473 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:52.640 But you know, for us, I mean, we're so much further 474 00:30:52.680 --> 00:30:56.319 along year two than year one. I don't know that our camp was any 475 00:30:57.160 --> 00:31:00.920 shorter. It's just a little later in the year, and I think it 476 00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:04.160 gave guys a little bit more of a chance to figure out are they going 477 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:08.480 to sign an NFL futures deal or are they going to come play and get 478 00:31:08.559 --> 00:31:12.960 actual film, And I think that's maybe the appeal. Sure, a little 479 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:18.039 bit later, we're backed up to NFL training camps and maybe they missed some 480 00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:22.680 OTAs, But I mean, players are players, and if you play well, 481 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:26.200 you're going to get noticed. And so we hope to be able to 482 00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:30.200 allow guys to prolong their professional career and whether it be with us or somebody 483 00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:34.519 else, or having the opportunity down the road. You know, I think 484 00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:38.519 player wise, they probably wanted an earlier start, But for US, coaches 485 00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:41.880 were ready to go, and you know, we're chomping at the bit to 486 00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:45.960 get this first game started. In terms of kind of XFL before it was 487 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:49.440 a lot of player fifty four ride and recognizing the opportunity and a lot with 488 00:31:49.519 --> 00:31:52.480 DJ and all of that. This year, where we don't we're like we're 489 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:56.200 in the premier league where the premier spring football league where you've been around so 490 00:31:56.279 --> 00:32:00.839 many of these what would you like to see kind of this new UF identity 491 00:32:00.880 --> 00:32:02.799 be because it's still I mean, and again we're kind of rush here, 492 00:32:02.880 --> 00:32:06.599 headed up this season, but it feels like we're so kind of trying to 493 00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:10.119 figure out what we wanted that latch onto. Yeah. I think just putting 494 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:15.200 good quality content on TV and giving these guys a chance to show their skills. 495 00:32:16.640 --> 00:32:22.559 I think with having a small group of returning players is good and familiarity 496 00:32:22.599 --> 00:32:27.880 with our staff, and we've had obviously continuity in our coaching staff. Everybody 497 00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:31.480 that is with us currently was on the coaching staff last year. A little 498 00:32:31.480 --> 00:32:36.079 bit harder because we have a smaller staff size now, so there's a little 499 00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:42.759 bit more responsibility on each coach and just with the staff size, that's probably 500 00:32:42.799 --> 00:32:45.319 one of the biggest issues that we've had to deal with the smaller staffs. 501 00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:50.839 And now we've gone to just seasonal pay with coaches, and so that makes 502 00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:54.559 it a little bit more difficult maybe for retaining coaches down the road. But 503 00:32:54.799 --> 00:33:00.119 I think the identity of the league, I think people will see much improved 504 00:33:00.640 --> 00:33:05.200 product, maybe a little bit more polished like it was towards the end of 505 00:33:05.240 --> 00:33:09.359 the season last year. With the returning players and continuity and coaching staffs, 506 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:15.000 I think all those things definitely play out, But you need new players every 507 00:33:15.039 --> 00:33:19.039 single year. You don't want guys that are, you know, five year 508 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:22.359 spring football veterans. I mean, you want to wish them the best. 509 00:33:22.400 --> 00:33:25.640 I had two of my favorites, Brian Folkertz and Mike Horton, who played 510 00:33:25.640 --> 00:33:30.079 for US last year, and both of them are moving on to different phases 511 00:33:30.119 --> 00:33:34.000 of their life. Brian's coaching right now and Mike's just a new dad. 512 00:33:34.079 --> 00:33:38.000 So it's exciting to have a small part of those guys professional football career and 513 00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:43.799 looking forward to seeing what this new group can put on TV here shortly. 514 00:33:44.680 --> 00:33:46.920 What is it like the expectations are with the league here now for in terms 515 00:33:46.960 --> 00:33:51.880 of growth coming out of this and obviously without the competition, it's a little 516 00:33:51.920 --> 00:33:53.759 more, but obviously there's this immediacy where we still need to kind of make 517 00:33:53.799 --> 00:33:58.359 a mark of have you got the sense of kind of what the expectations are 518 00:33:58.400 --> 00:34:02.200 they're hoping to hit? You know, that's above my pay grade. Freedom 519 00:34:02.599 --> 00:34:07.200 It's one of those where we just I try to put together the best offensive 520 00:34:07.200 --> 00:34:12.039 line and give these guys a chance to be successful and put an offensive game 521 00:34:12.079 --> 00:34:15.280 plan together that is going to, you know, make our fans proud. 522 00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:19.840 And so you know, as far as beyond that for the large scope of 523 00:34:19.880 --> 00:34:22.599 the league, you know, I think I'm gonna stay in my lane and 524 00:34:22.639 --> 00:34:27.639 do my thing and enjoy coaching this unit, this group. You know, 525 00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:31.079 I just want to throw a shout out to Rick Mueller, our general manager. 526 00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:37.239 He's done an incredible job of finding talent, finding players, creating competition 527 00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:39.039 in camp, and so I think the fans are going to like what they 528 00:34:39.079 --> 00:34:45.320 see, not just early on, but throughout the full season. In terms 529 00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:47.239 of coaching staff. Here, I'll let you go here. Here, I 530 00:34:47.320 --> 00:34:52.519 see the time, lots of shuffling everything. When you look over at Birmingham, 531 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:54.280 you know a lot of similar phases there is that have they kind of 532 00:34:54.280 --> 00:35:00.599 set the standard in terms of what your expectations are for spring football team and 533 00:35:00.639 --> 00:35:02.079 how challenging is that going to be to kind of come in and see them 534 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:07.679 here opening week? I think it's just day by day. You know, 535 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:12.039 Skip's done a phenomenal job with his staff. A lot of guys returned back 536 00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:17.559 from our coaching staff two years ago. So I know Bill Johnson and Corey're 537 00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:22.760 back over there with coach Javis with john so great continuity on their staff, 538 00:35:22.760 --> 00:35:27.400 but same thing with ours. Bob is a great one to work for. 539 00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:31.119 You know, really empowers as coaches, let us put a game plan together, 540 00:35:31.199 --> 00:35:35.159 and it's fun to come to work every single day. And when you 541 00:35:35.199 --> 00:35:39.199 know, really there's only been one real run in with Birmingham. You know, 542 00:35:39.239 --> 00:35:43.159 our very first walkthrough, we look up and there's like fifteen of their 543 00:35:43.159 --> 00:35:45.880 guys sitting there watching our practice at Chalktaw and I don't think they even really 544 00:35:45.920 --> 00:35:50.800 realized what they were doing. Other than that, like, we really haven't 545 00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:54.480 seen Birmingham. They practice in the afternoons, we're in the mornings. We're 546 00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:58.639 both super busy. We need to take care of our own teams rather than 547 00:35:58.679 --> 00:36:00.199 worrying about the other guys. And you know, we'll see them in a 548 00:36:00.199 --> 00:36:06.920 couple of weeks. And it's really a unique setup that we have sharing a 549 00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:12.079 practice facility and appreciate what the league has done and given us a chance to 550 00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:15.719 you know, showcase what we can do out there. Last thing for me, 551 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:17.719 I know that you know and obviously coaching and kind of above all this. 552 00:36:17.800 --> 00:36:22.760 But we've set up this dynamic right of the XFL Conference versus the USFL 553 00:36:22.800 --> 00:36:24.519 Conference, right, and we're leaning into the you know, the kickoff game 554 00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:28.480 and all that stuff. We were talking with Darius Victor like, is there 555 00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:30.440 any sense of rivalry between that you view that? And obviously you've been on 556 00:36:30.480 --> 00:36:35.159 both sides of the warfield here, but is there a censor of pride of 557 00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:37.760 that or is it just these eight teams? I'm curious how you view that 558 00:36:37.840 --> 00:36:40.559 as a coach. Yeah, I mean I've been on both sides. I've 559 00:36:40.760 --> 00:36:45.599 been a veteran of spring football leagues and loved this climate. You're working with 560 00:36:45.639 --> 00:36:51.480 professionals and guys that are really trying to make a livelihood and you know for 561 00:36:51.559 --> 00:36:54.760 us as coaches doing the same thing. Also, sure, there's always competition. 562 00:36:55.280 --> 00:36:59.239 You want to win. This is professional football, that's what it is. 563 00:37:00.039 --> 00:37:05.239 But there's a common respect all the way across the board for the coaches, 564 00:37:05.280 --> 00:37:08.199 for the players, for what everybody is is putting on the line and 565 00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:13.079 the hours and the blood, sweat and tears that's put into this thing. 566 00:37:13.199 --> 00:37:16.519 So sure it's going to be a great rivalry. I think it's going to 567 00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:21.000 be good football. I think people are going to like what they see, 568 00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:27.199 and it gives the fans a little bit of an excitement to get their home 569 00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:30.400 teams back playing in all the markets. I think that's great. We're excited 570 00:37:30.400 --> 00:37:35.920 to be here five of the five of the home games, and we only 571 00:37:35.960 --> 00:37:38.639 have to travel for five, like everybody else has got to travel for every 572 00:37:38.719 --> 00:37:43.000 single one, even if they're home games. So we're looking forward to it 573 00:37:43.079 --> 00:37:46.599 and excited to see the fans out here for the opener. Is going to 574 00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:50.400 be a great start to the season. Well, I'll be down there. 575 00:37:50.440 --> 00:37:52.280 I appreciate it. Thanks for making the time today on the Sunday means a 576 00:37:52.280 --> 00:38:00.679 lot, so I appreciate it. Thanks reading see you man Well. I 577 00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:04.239 spent a good five minutes here trying to figure out which commanders had I wanted 578 00:38:04.239 --> 00:38:07.920 to wear. Its the best Divestro Anthony Miller here. But if I wear 579 00:38:07.039 --> 00:38:10.840 Commander's hat to trol the executive vice President of Football Operations for the UFL, 580 00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:15.119 I can also do the same for you as we have Anthony Miller here. 581 00:38:15.559 --> 00:38:19.880 Really nice because we like we a lot of shots back and forth in private 582 00:38:19.960 --> 00:38:22.039 DMS. It's good to be on here and will be professional and polite today. 583 00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:24.880 I really appreciate it. How are you, sir? I am doing 584 00:38:24.920 --> 00:38:30.400 good. You know, my condolences on Cale. William's gonna bear down instead 585 00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:32.119 of take command. But you know it's been good. I'm doing good. 586 00:38:34.199 --> 00:38:36.920 You know. I read these scattered reports and we'll see, you know, 587 00:38:37.400 --> 00:38:40.400 every day I kind of go back and forth of like I'm either heartbroken or 588 00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:45.679 not so Anthony in Arlington here, he's going to join us next week. 589 00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:49.320 We're doing our UFL show, had the chance to go to scrimmages last weekend. 590 00:38:49.679 --> 00:38:52.280 Had been a part of a lot of the media calls with the coaches 591 00:38:52.320 --> 00:38:54.400 and writing articles such for Its Illustrated, I have your one here talking about 592 00:38:54.400 --> 00:39:00.760 the Arlington cuts today. So timeline wise, final cuts reduced South some of 593 00:39:00.800 --> 00:39:04.000 the teams are rolling them out. Now, how are you? I guess 594 00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:07.599 I always just ask a top welfare check kind of we're a week from kickoff, 595 00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:13.320 like, how are we feeling? It's it's just a different feeling than 596 00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:17.199 it's been in other years because I feel like there's if I feel like every 597 00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:21.920 year that we're covering these leagues, there's more uncertainty because you just don't know 598 00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:23.480 if you're gonna get to the next year because it's like, Okay, the 599 00:39:23.639 --> 00:39:29.199 XFO lasted in twenty well at least this version of the XFL is twenty twenty 600 00:39:29.239 --> 00:39:32.199 and twenty twenty three. USFL was twenty two and twenty three, and it's 601 00:39:32.239 --> 00:39:36.639 like, Okay, we've done a couple of years of this, Like you're 602 00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:38.119 kind of waiting for the other shoe to drop, Like when when is this 603 00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:43.199 actually gonna just flop? And I don't want it to, like I'd love 604 00:39:43.239 --> 00:39:46.480 for this league to work, but you know, there's just so much uncertainty, 605 00:39:46.480 --> 00:39:49.000 but like, how is this year going to go? You know, 606 00:39:49.039 --> 00:39:51.960 I'm really interested to see what what the attendance is gonna be, Like what 607 00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:53.360 are the ratings gonna be? Like, I mean, there there's gonna be 608 00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:58.000 a lot more games on national television, which is great, you know, 609 00:39:58.119 --> 00:40:01.239 with with Fox kind of taking about half of the games on their network. 610 00:40:01.320 --> 00:40:06.840 But there's just so much uncertainty that you know, I just kind of I'm 611 00:40:06.840 --> 00:40:08.320 playing a wait and see thing. It's gonna be a week by week thing, 612 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:10.440 like let's see what happens in week one, Let's see what happens in 613 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:14.719 week two. You know, let's see if it's a leak and you know, 614 00:40:15.039 --> 00:40:19.039 there's gonna be a dip in some capacity when it comes down to attendance 615 00:40:19.119 --> 00:40:21.599 and ratings. It's just a matter of you know, is it going to 616 00:40:21.639 --> 00:40:23.119 be a small percentage. It's a small percentage, and I think it's a 617 00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:27.960 success if it. If it's a big drop, like you know, forty 618 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:30.280 fifty percent for both, you know, throughout the year, then I think 619 00:40:30.280 --> 00:40:32.599 there's gonna be a lot of concern about next year. So I know, 620 00:40:32.719 --> 00:40:37.400 like everyone loves talking about expansion. I get that's all we hear every week, 621 00:40:37.480 --> 00:40:38.760 is everyone like, oh, we're gonna expand the twelve teams. We're 622 00:40:38.760 --> 00:40:42.840 gonna expand it. Like, no, let's just let's get through this year. 623 00:40:43.159 --> 00:40:45.639 Let's see if we can make a profit, and then you know, 624 00:40:45.760 --> 00:40:47.719 maybe two three years down the road, let then we can maybe add two 625 00:40:47.800 --> 00:40:51.559 more teams. But I just want to be I just want to see this 626 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:54.519 league be profitable with the eight teams they have now. Yeah, I almost 627 00:40:54.639 --> 00:40:59.119 kind of did a rant on this podcast because I've recorded everything else and I 628 00:40:59.159 --> 00:41:02.440 decided not to just because you know, kind of keep a professional with Darryl 629 00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:06.599 and every went on here. But yeah, you know, obviously that's like 630 00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:10.239 the hot button thing I don't to me, uh, save for the expansion 631 00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:15.440 talk, I don't sense a lot of hotness right now about this, right 632 00:41:15.480 --> 00:41:19.599 I think the Larry David on Rich Eisen today complaining about the goalpost and going 633 00:41:19.599 --> 00:41:23.679 to the rock about it is probably the most I've seen about this league in 634 00:41:24.039 --> 00:41:27.280 weeks. It feels like, and like I said, we're you know, 635 00:41:27.360 --> 00:41:30.519 we're eight days from kickoff here. You know, we'll be in Arlington a 636 00:41:30.519 --> 00:41:32.199 week from you know, a week from when this episode airs. So that's 637 00:41:32.239 --> 00:41:37.280 where I am concerned. Opening game. I'm very concerned. I need to 638 00:41:37.280 --> 00:41:40.119 look at ticket sales and how the maps are going. But I'm a little 639 00:41:40.159 --> 00:41:45.360 worry ward. Yeah, so I was, Look, people love nostalgia, 640 00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:47.960 So like when the XFL came back in twenty twenty, I think everyone was 641 00:41:49.000 --> 00:41:51.519 super excited because, like, you know, what kind of XFL we're gonna 642 00:41:51.519 --> 00:41:53.599 It's been twenty years since this has happened, so everybody was watching. The 643 00:41:53.719 --> 00:41:57.639 ratings were really good, the attendance was good. You know, everyone was 644 00:41:57.679 --> 00:42:00.800 excited to see you know, USFL twenty twenty two. I think people were 645 00:42:00.800 --> 00:42:02.360 excited. It's like it's been thirty forty years since this league has come. 646 00:42:02.559 --> 00:42:07.039 But now that we've gone through it over the last couple of years, I 647 00:42:07.039 --> 00:42:09.760 think people are just, I hate to say, like they're starting to lose 648 00:42:09.920 --> 00:42:14.280 you know, patience and they're like, I don't really know if I believe 649 00:42:14.320 --> 00:42:16.159 in this thing anymore. I mean, these leads aren't making any progress. 650 00:42:16.159 --> 00:42:20.679 In fact, they merge and they cut half of their teams. So it's 651 00:42:20.760 --> 00:42:23.599 kind of a you know, for the casual football fan, it's like, 652 00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:27.679 you know, why should I be engaged with it? It seems like these 653 00:42:27.760 --> 00:42:30.760 you know, teams are coming and going all the time. It's like, 654 00:42:30.760 --> 00:42:34.480 why would I be attached to them? So, I mean, yeah, 655 00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:37.360 I agree with you. I don't think there's been enough attention on this that 656 00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:39.000 we've seen in the past. There was a lot of excitement with the XFL 657 00:42:39.000 --> 00:42:42.840 over the last few years. There was more excitement with the USFL in the 658 00:42:42.920 --> 00:42:45.679 last couple of years. The UFL is kind of like, you know, 659 00:42:45.119 --> 00:42:50.119 they put this thing together in two three months and you know, just hoping 660 00:42:50.159 --> 00:42:52.079 that there's going to get a lot of attention. They need to do a 661 00:42:52.079 --> 00:42:55.599 lot more in the next week on you know, advertising and getting out on 662 00:42:55.639 --> 00:43:00.639 these ESPN shows and Fox shows to really push for this product because right now, 663 00:43:00.679 --> 00:43:02.480 I just don't. I agree with you, I don't really see enough 664 00:43:02.519 --> 00:43:06.480 of it. And I've been looking at you know, Ticketmaster and seeing the 665 00:43:06.519 --> 00:43:09.800 seats and you know, for like Arlington, and you know, at least 666 00:43:09.800 --> 00:43:13.719 for Arlington, I've seen there's still a lot of open seats. I mean, 667 00:43:13.719 --> 00:43:15.840 there's there's thousands of seats that are still open, you know, even 668 00:43:15.840 --> 00:43:20.920 for Saint Louis, I still think there's a ton of seats that are still 669 00:43:20.960 --> 00:43:24.119 open to be you know, bought. So I'm really interested to see what, 670 00:43:24.599 --> 00:43:28.039 you know, they can turn it around in the next week and get 671 00:43:28.039 --> 00:43:30.519 a lot of people in the stands. That'd be great. But yeah, 672 00:43:30.559 --> 00:43:35.320 I think I'm trying to be a little cautious this time around and kind of 673 00:43:35.320 --> 00:43:37.000 see how this thing goes week by week. Yeah, I think that's how 674 00:43:37.000 --> 00:43:39.519 a lot of the people forget that Greg Parks has been on. I always 675 00:43:39.639 --> 00:43:44.760 kind of judge a and it will talk real football here too, if people 676 00:43:44.760 --> 00:43:46.119 are listening. I want to kind of I always like to set the stage 677 00:43:46.119 --> 00:43:50.880 here with some of this stuff. I judge. Looking at other people's content 678 00:43:50.920 --> 00:43:53.320 as well as my own writers are an upswing and YouTube views. You know 679 00:43:53.400 --> 00:43:58.599 people are are they searching that? I don't feel that, and I always 680 00:43:58.639 --> 00:44:00.920 kind of judge if I get out by a lot of like CFL people like 681 00:44:00.960 --> 00:44:04.360 to come on their shows, like the Rod Peterson's of the World. I 682 00:44:04.400 --> 00:44:07.960 did one podcast this week with my friend with Third Down Gamble, one of 683 00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:10.239 the CFL guys. But like you know, normally the last couple of years, 684 00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:13.400 hey, Red, like, tell me about this USFL thing, Hey 685 00:44:13.480 --> 00:44:15.760 read tell me about all that stuff. I will say. Darryl in his 686 00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:21.000 interview, I think was very transparent about, hey, we're doing the best 687 00:44:21.039 --> 00:44:22.960 we can right now. We relate to the game is we're trying to build 688 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:25.400 all this in two months. You know, this is right, This is 689 00:44:25.400 --> 00:44:30.119 a situation we are in and we really need to stop down going into next 690 00:44:30.159 --> 00:44:32.199 year, which is great. The concern is always like, well what if 691 00:44:32.199 --> 00:44:35.239 there is no next year? You know, that was why I was so 692 00:44:35.320 --> 00:44:37.719 upset about the merch. When the merch came out and people said, well, 693 00:44:37.719 --> 00:44:39.480 you got to give them time. Then one thing then that this stuff 694 00:44:39.519 --> 00:44:44.000 has this time. So I think they're aware that this is not the ideal 695 00:44:44.039 --> 00:44:47.239 timeline that they are in. But also, like you could have played this 696 00:44:47.320 --> 00:44:50.519 season out or that. I mean, there was a myriad of things they 697 00:44:50.519 --> 00:44:52.719 could have done to get to hear. But I do think they're at least 698 00:44:52.760 --> 00:44:55.159 aware of like we're trying to do the best we can right now. So 699 00:44:55.440 --> 00:45:00.280 that that makes me a little more encourage. That gives me more encouragement to 700 00:45:00.320 --> 00:45:02.239 hear that they if they they're self aware, like, Okay, we know 701 00:45:02.440 --> 00:45:07.039 this this year may not be the smoothest, it may not be the best 702 00:45:07.079 --> 00:45:10.400 experience, but let's at least get something out on television and let's show, 703 00:45:10.519 --> 00:45:13.760 you know, the players are gonna shell out at the end of the day, 704 00:45:13.800 --> 00:45:15.719 Like, as long as we get the players enough time to go through 705 00:45:15.760 --> 00:45:17.320 training camp and stuff like that, like the players are gonna ball out. 706 00:45:17.400 --> 00:45:22.159 Maybe maybe it may not be the best presentation. Maybe those fan experience may 707 00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.079 not be as great as we want it to be, but hey, at 708 00:45:23.159 --> 00:45:25.880 least these players are gonna go out, they're gonna put a good television product 709 00:45:27.000 --> 00:45:29.719 and maybe we can start building for next year. So I'm at least glad 710 00:45:29.760 --> 00:45:32.960 that they're you know that Daryl was you know, open about that, because 711 00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:37.119 that I think a lot of us feel that same way. I just hope 712 00:45:37.119 --> 00:45:40.199 that you know, they understand that and like, hey, let's you know, 713 00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:45.159 we know there's going to be a next season. That's the that's the 714 00:45:45.199 --> 00:45:47.199 concern is like like you said, like we don't have enough time, Like 715 00:45:47.360 --> 00:45:50.559 is there really going to be a next season? If they're aware of that, 716 00:45:50.639 --> 00:45:53.280 then that makes me think like they have to be like we have to 717 00:45:53.400 --> 00:45:57.440 do this in twenty twenty five and maybe twenty twenty five is the deal breaker 718 00:45:57.559 --> 00:46:00.320 year if they know this year is not gonna be it. Yeah, I 719 00:46:00.360 --> 00:46:04.719 just like you said, I it's always you know, you put this out 720 00:46:04.840 --> 00:46:07.719 and I don't you know, if it's not at the you know, there's 721 00:46:07.719 --> 00:46:09.400 all you know, if we put something out at subpar or did it into 722 00:46:09.480 --> 00:46:13.920 the like is there our people engage? You know? I saw h we 723 00:46:14.079 --> 00:46:16.360 I mean I noticed that a lot with the USFL, the you know, 724 00:46:16.400 --> 00:46:21.519 the twenty twenty two season where they have all those eyeballs on the weekend and 725 00:46:21.559 --> 00:46:24.159 they had that truncated training camp and those games are really sloppy outside of the 726 00:46:24.199 --> 00:46:28.719 home you know, the kind of the main kickoff one and you saw viewership 727 00:46:28.800 --> 00:46:31.239 leg after that because you come out this is your one. But you know, 728 00:46:31.639 --> 00:46:35.039 like hindbox and you'd say, you know, he feels, you know, 729 00:46:35.079 --> 00:46:37.000 confident the teams are going. And Curtis Johnson was on last week. 730 00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:40.119 I mean he feels you know, it seems like they feel that the teams 731 00:46:40.119 --> 00:46:44.360 are kind of up to speed. Here. You went to the scrimmages last 732 00:46:44.360 --> 00:46:46.199 weekend. First off, you know, fan interest wise, I know, 733 00:46:46.360 --> 00:46:49.599 was raining. How was that? And then how was kind of the football 734 00:46:49.599 --> 00:46:52.719 stuff you saw? You know, it took a little bit, you know, 735 00:46:52.800 --> 00:46:53.719 I made the comment to you guys at first, like, oh, 736 00:46:53.840 --> 00:46:55.760 there's not a lot of people here, so I was a little concerned, 737 00:46:55.800 --> 00:46:59.679 like, Okay, it's not the best weather. But the rain held off 738 00:46:59.719 --> 00:47:02.079 a lot. More fans started coming in around nine thirty ten o'clock, and 739 00:47:02.119 --> 00:47:07.199 it was actually from a fan perspective, there was a there was a lot 740 00:47:07.239 --> 00:47:08.679 of fans out there. There was a couple of hundred that were there, 741 00:47:08.719 --> 00:47:10.840 and I think it was a really good turnout. I think it was just 742 00:47:10.880 --> 00:47:14.559 as good of it ended up being just as good of a turnout as it 743 00:47:14.679 --> 00:47:16.719 was last year. So one, I was impressed with that. Two, 744 00:47:16.920 --> 00:47:21.800 I will say the Renning Gade practice this year, that team looks like they're 745 00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:23.599 better than last year, and and I mean every team should be better. 746 00:47:23.599 --> 00:47:28.559 There they've gotten. You know, when you cut half the teams and you're 747 00:47:28.679 --> 00:47:31.159 inheriting all these good players like they do look you know, you should look 748 00:47:31.199 --> 00:47:34.960 better. But I will say, like there returning players that are coming back 749 00:47:34.960 --> 00:47:37.000 for Arlington. Like I remember last year when I came on your show, 750 00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:40.239 I talked about I had major concerns about the receiving corps. I just didn't 751 00:47:40.239 --> 00:47:45.199 think they had enough playmakers. This year, you got Tyler Vaughn's Javonte Payton 752 00:47:45.199 --> 00:47:49.239 who were back from last year. Both of them looked great. Isaiah Win 753 00:47:49.360 --> 00:47:52.519 said, who wasn't on the team last year, Isaiah looked great in practice. 754 00:47:52.559 --> 00:47:53.679 Like there is a lot of good receivers on the team, you know, 755 00:47:53.760 --> 00:47:59.079 that includes South Canel at tight end. Like this offense looks really stellar. 756 00:47:59.159 --> 00:48:04.039 Louis Perez was near perfect in practice. He looked really good. Offensive 757 00:48:04.079 --> 00:48:06.960 line is as strong as it's ever been. You know, Coach Highbuck's done 758 00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:09.519 a really good job with that offensive line. That's why he's always been considered 759 00:48:09.559 --> 00:48:14.000 the best offensive line coach you know in these spring leagues. But the offense 760 00:48:14.039 --> 00:48:16.679 looked good. The defense was solid, Like I feel like, in general, 761 00:48:16.760 --> 00:48:21.920 this running Gades team is really put together better than they were last year, 762 00:48:21.960 --> 00:48:23.719 and I have a lot more confidence that they could play at a high 763 00:48:23.800 --> 00:48:27.559 level like they did late in the season last year. So I think they're 764 00:48:27.599 --> 00:48:30.239 gonna win the title. I mean, I don't think so. I think 765 00:48:30.239 --> 00:48:32.039 there's other teams that are stronger than them, but I do think this is 766 00:48:32.280 --> 00:48:35.920 this team is better than they were last year and they should be competitive. 767 00:48:36.519 --> 00:48:38.760 Well, it's interesting because, like you said, you're getting the consolidation of 768 00:48:38.800 --> 00:48:43.079 these teams, right, so we're kind of hand cherry picking the best players. 769 00:48:43.320 --> 00:48:45.960 And then also you do get some of this continuity now right where we 770 00:48:45.000 --> 00:48:49.880 saw that with the USFL going from season one to two and just having that. 771 00:48:50.159 --> 00:48:52.199 You know, it's so hard to build that chemistry and you make training 772 00:48:52.239 --> 00:48:55.239 camp and do all that stuff, but you know it's halfway through the season 773 00:48:55.280 --> 00:48:59.239 before you're even and we even see that with NFL teams, right, and 774 00:48:59.320 --> 00:49:01.719 so continuity to be able to come back, I think has to help it. 775 00:49:01.840 --> 00:49:06.039 You know, And obviously there's kind of the mix and the roughnecks are 776 00:49:06.079 --> 00:49:07.000 kind of all that, but you know, in general, you're kind of 777 00:49:07.039 --> 00:49:10.000 gidding a lot of these guys back together. Well, I think the one 778 00:49:10.000 --> 00:49:15.440 advantage the Renegades have over I think any team in this league is Coach Dukes 779 00:49:15.480 --> 00:49:20.239 literally brought everyone back, Like everyone is back outside of the you know the 780 00:49:20.679 --> 00:49:23.599 Jonathan Hayes and Tim Blue, you know Tim Blewett, they're not there anymore, 781 00:49:23.639 --> 00:49:27.360 but everyone else is back. So this is the same coaches have they 782 00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:30.280 had last year. I think it helps that you have someone like Louis Perez 783 00:49:30.639 --> 00:49:34.840 who was in this offense last year. Plus Louis Perez has played for like 784 00:49:34.920 --> 00:49:37.440 five million different teams and knows how to you know, jump on a team, 785 00:49:37.559 --> 00:49:42.599 learn quickly, and move on. So that I mean he's I think 786 00:49:42.639 --> 00:49:45.760 he's one of the smartest quarterbacks in the spring leagues because he's had to be. 787 00:49:45.000 --> 00:49:47.599 He's been traded multiple times, He's bounced between teams, and he's had 788 00:49:47.599 --> 00:49:52.199 to learn different offenses very quickly, and I think that gives him an advantage 789 00:49:52.239 --> 00:49:55.000 over most quarterbacks in this league. So I think when you a lot of 790 00:49:55.039 --> 00:49:58.840 the players are back from last year, the majority of the team that won 791 00:49:58.880 --> 00:50:01.400 the championship is back. Outside of a few players like that, I think 792 00:50:01.440 --> 00:50:05.920 having that commonuity is going to be an advantage for the running gades, because 793 00:50:05.960 --> 00:50:09.280 I think this is maybe one of the tighter knit teams in the league compared 794 00:50:09.360 --> 00:50:14.679 to the other seven you're talking. You know, Luis coming back, right, 795 00:50:14.760 --> 00:50:16.559 that was a big you know, big news and Taomu coming back ag 796 00:50:16.760 --> 00:50:21.400 mccerrn. You know, besides the Matt Kroll, Like you know, last 797 00:50:21.480 --> 00:50:23.000 year, we kind of had some of the big names. Okay, we're 798 00:50:23.000 --> 00:50:25.719 bringing in in the Benkurts of the world and all that. Are you surprised 799 00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:29.840 that we're kind of just doubling down with more of the homegrown talent or is 800 00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:32.840 there any quarterback stuff that maybe I'm I'm missing without another Roughnecks name, they're 801 00:50:34.199 --> 00:50:37.519 they're starting quarterback. But you know, just uh, you always see these 802 00:50:37.519 --> 00:50:38.920 people all bringing man's out, bringing up It seems like, you know, 803 00:50:39.239 --> 00:50:42.519 hey, we got we got Louis Prez, we got these guys. They 804 00:50:42.599 --> 00:50:45.440 kind of know what they're doing. I mean, how many times have they 805 00:50:45.559 --> 00:50:47.320 tried to bring in a big name and then they do nothing Like I remember 806 00:50:47.400 --> 00:50:50.440 Brent Hondley came in last year and was like, oh my god. You 807 00:50:50.480 --> 00:50:52.679 know, the rumors work. He was the highest paid player in the XFL 808 00:50:53.159 --> 00:50:55.519 and he was going to be the star of this league for the Vipers. 809 00:50:55.639 --> 00:50:59.800 He ends up getting benched within like a week or two. Like does be 810 00:51:00.199 --> 00:51:02.519 They're a big name, doesn't mean they're going to translate into having success. 811 00:51:02.840 --> 00:51:07.440 Now. Do I think Matt Carroll could do well with Birmingham, Absolutely, 812 00:51:07.599 --> 00:51:12.239 But I mean the reality is Jmr. Smith. I mean, coach Skipholds 813 00:51:12.239 --> 00:51:14.639 talked about it a few weeks ago and in the media availability, he said 814 00:51:14.840 --> 00:51:17.000 J Mar Smith has been in his offense for seven years. Like he's been 815 00:51:17.079 --> 00:51:21.480 with Skip Holds in college, he's been with him with Birmingham. J Mar 816 00:51:21.559 --> 00:51:24.679 Smith knows the offense better than anybody else, so it's a it's a natural 817 00:51:24.719 --> 00:51:29.039 advantage for him to run this offense. He knows how to run it well 818 00:51:29.079 --> 00:51:31.880 and he's done it to perfection because he's helped the team win a championship, 819 00:51:32.320 --> 00:51:35.880 you know, when he was the main starter in twenty twenty two. So 820 00:51:36.360 --> 00:51:37.960 you know, just because you bring in big names doesn't mean that they're going 821 00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:43.960 to be an overnight success. I to me, you know, and I 822 00:51:44.039 --> 00:51:46.079 know that there'll be a lot of this X and l USFL kind of rivalry 823 00:51:46.159 --> 00:51:50.360 staff, especially kind of the opening game. But I am worried that Birmingham 824 00:51:50.599 --> 00:51:52.880 it might steamroll a lot of this stuff? Is that? And I know 825 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:55.320 that you know practice it. You know it's hard with all this training camp, 826 00:51:55.360 --> 00:51:58.880 but we don't get the same access he would normally. But like just 827 00:51:59.000 --> 00:52:01.360 in terms of just uh, like you said, the continuity there, how 828 00:52:01.480 --> 00:52:04.840 much do they know everybody? We're bringing everybody back, you know, I 829 00:52:04.920 --> 00:52:07.760 know Scarborough retired, but like it just it feels like that's kind of a 830 00:52:07.840 --> 00:52:12.519 force to be reckoned with compared to maybe like the new Luki of Roughnecks or 831 00:52:12.559 --> 00:52:15.800 whatever. Well, I would say, you know, looking at the outlook 832 00:52:15.840 --> 00:52:20.440 of each of the teams, I'll be honest, I think there's three really 833 00:52:20.519 --> 00:52:23.000 good teams that I feel like can win the championship. That's Birmingham DC and 834 00:52:23.039 --> 00:52:28.519 Saint Louis. I feel like there's a big separation between those three teams versus 835 00:52:28.599 --> 00:52:31.159 the rest of the league. Like I feel like maybe Memphis and Arlington are 836 00:52:31.239 --> 00:52:34.639 like right there in the middle at four and five, Like I think the 837 00:52:34.679 --> 00:52:37.760 two of them are going to battle for that last playoffs spot. But just 838 00:52:37.840 --> 00:52:40.440 what I see from you know, Saint Louis, d C and Birmingham, 839 00:52:40.679 --> 00:52:45.400 those are the three teams I feel like they're going to dominate everybody in this 840 00:52:45.559 --> 00:52:46.840 league. And I feel like they're the three best teams and they're going to 841 00:52:46.880 --> 00:52:51.639 battle it out for the for the championship. I feel like everyone else doing 842 00:52:51.679 --> 00:52:54.960 like Michigan. I mean maybe E J. Perry is the starting quarterback, 843 00:52:55.039 --> 00:52:58.960 but Michigan's offense is a mess. Like they have a good defense, but 844 00:52:59.360 --> 00:53:01.800 I feel like they have no weapons offensively, So I'm I think Michigan could 845 00:53:01.840 --> 00:53:05.960 end up being the worst team san Antonio. There's so many, you know, 846 00:53:06.119 --> 00:53:08.519 question marks that Waite Phillips has just come in there and just overhauled that 847 00:53:08.599 --> 00:53:12.679 whole roster to bring in a lot of roughnecks, but you know, he 848 00:53:12.760 --> 00:53:15.000 didn't get all the top roughneck players. So it's like, I mean, 849 00:53:15.039 --> 00:53:19.440 who knows what's going to happen in San Antonio. Like I feel like, 850 00:53:19.519 --> 00:53:22.800 you know, Memphis and Arlington they're going to battle it out for that number 851 00:53:22.840 --> 00:53:27.480 four spot to see who's the fourth best team, but you know they're there. 852 00:53:27.559 --> 00:53:30.719 I think the only concern I have is there's a big separation between the 853 00:53:30.760 --> 00:53:34.079 top teams and then kind of the I don't want to say the bottom tier 854 00:53:34.159 --> 00:53:37.599 teams, but like the average teams well, it was right, was Mike 855 00:53:37.679 --> 00:53:40.400 Mitchell The other day we were talking that they had their scrimmage the defenders and 856 00:53:40.519 --> 00:53:45.280 then Mike covers them and like they just steamrolled, Right was it Michigan they 857 00:53:45.360 --> 00:53:47.239 played, they scrimmaged against and it was like they just totally steamrolled them, 858 00:53:47.280 --> 00:53:51.119 Like it wasn't even close. And like you said that that co signs with 859 00:53:51.239 --> 00:53:55.719 kind of your assessment. But yeah, you get that. And as good 860 00:53:55.760 --> 00:53:59.360 as his talent is in these groups, I mean it still is. You 861 00:53:59.440 --> 00:54:01.239 know, it's kind of scring football talent and fools. We're trying to kind 862 00:54:01.239 --> 00:54:06.360 of work through here. But uh, with DC, what is impressing you 863 00:54:06.480 --> 00:54:08.159 there? And and I mean I assume the taalmu ride is kind of is 864 00:54:08.199 --> 00:54:10.760 going to be the start of that show. I know Abram Smith got hurt, 865 00:54:10.800 --> 00:54:13.599 so I don't know what they're going to do the kind of address that 866 00:54:13.639 --> 00:54:15.519 I know they brought in some people, right, Yeah, I think the 867 00:54:15.599 --> 00:54:20.400 running back situation will be interesting in DC. But I but I think people 868 00:54:20.440 --> 00:54:22.039 got to remember this, Like I'm not trying to knock on Abram Smith, 869 00:54:22.159 --> 00:54:25.199 but let's face it, he had like one game where he had over two 870 00:54:25.239 --> 00:54:29.719 three hundred yards rushing against Saint Louis and then really the rest of the season, 871 00:54:29.760 --> 00:54:31.559 you look at the stats and he was averaging like almost fifty yards a 872 00:54:31.599 --> 00:54:36.440 game, like he wasn't I'm not I'm not saying I'm not trying to downplay 873 00:54:36.519 --> 00:54:38.239 his loss because it's a big it is a big loss. But at the 874 00:54:38.280 --> 00:54:43.199 same time, like I look at someone like you know, Mark Thompson with 875 00:54:43.239 --> 00:54:45.719 the Houston Roughnecks. He was a lot more consistent last year, averaging seventy 876 00:54:45.760 --> 00:54:49.039 eighty ninety yards a game. Like I'm looking for a running back like that 877 00:54:49.519 --> 00:54:52.480 versus you know, someone like Abram Smith who had one big game and then 878 00:54:52.519 --> 00:54:54.559 you look at the stats the rest of the season and it really wasn't that 879 00:54:54.639 --> 00:54:58.079 great. So I'm looking for someone to a little more consistent. But I 880 00:54:58.280 --> 00:55:01.239 I yeah, DC is really put well together. I mean, they basically 881 00:55:01.320 --> 00:55:05.159 got the bunch back Jordan Tamus, one of the best quarterbacks in this league. 882 00:55:05.320 --> 00:55:10.039 Margie Barlow has really coached a very disciplined defenders team and they put you 883 00:55:10.079 --> 00:55:15.440 know, Vawn Hutchins has really put a good roster together. So I mean, 884 00:55:15.519 --> 00:55:17.440 you look at this defense, you look at the offense overall, Like 885 00:55:17.719 --> 00:55:22.559 I think DC should be considered one of the best teams in this league. 886 00:55:22.280 --> 00:55:25.079 Yeah, and talking like you said, san Antonio and that's kind of my 887 00:55:25.199 --> 00:55:29.760 team, and you know, obviously trusted Wade and AJ. But like I 888 00:55:30.320 --> 00:55:32.400 see like no buzz at all about san Antonio, like at all. It 889 00:55:32.519 --> 00:55:36.360 just doesn't even seem like anything's going on right now. I don't know. 890 00:55:37.280 --> 00:55:38.760 Is it just because I don't know if the media people on some of these 891 00:55:38.800 --> 00:55:42.760 teams are pushing out more stuff. I'm seeing more of it, but I 892 00:55:42.800 --> 00:55:45.079 don't send it's a lot of a lot of excitement around the San Antonio fan 893 00:55:45.159 --> 00:55:47.679 base right now, except for you know, there's some fan accounts to go 894 00:55:47.800 --> 00:55:52.079 for it. I think there's just so much uncertainty, like we just don't 895 00:55:52.159 --> 00:55:54.719 know that this may be the team that I feel like is the most confusing 896 00:55:54.760 --> 00:55:58.960 because we just don't know like what we know what they're capable of. I 897 00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:01.000 mean a J. Smith is, you know, one of the smartest offensive 898 00:56:01.039 --> 00:56:05.800 minds you know in all of spring football. But you know, we we 899 00:56:06.000 --> 00:56:07.079 just don't know like what kind of team. I mean, we know we 900 00:56:07.159 --> 00:56:09.920 have John, they have John te Kirkland, who's one of was one of 901 00:56:09.960 --> 00:56:14.320 the best receivers in the XFL last year before his injury, Like, we 902 00:56:14.480 --> 00:56:17.400 know he's got big play mentality to him, but you know, they they 903 00:56:17.440 --> 00:56:21.239 haven't been named us starting quarterback yet, like we don't. You know. 904 00:56:21.360 --> 00:56:23.639 The defense, you know, went through a major overhaul and the offense went 905 00:56:23.679 --> 00:56:28.880 through major overhaul. So you're not going to really know what's going to come 906 00:56:28.920 --> 00:56:31.480 from the san Antonio team until maybe two three weeks into the season. Everyone 907 00:56:31.519 --> 00:56:35.519 else you can kind of predict, like where they're gonna go, Like I 908 00:56:35.599 --> 00:56:37.480 think everyone kind of predicts. You know, Michigan's maybe one of the bottom 909 00:56:37.559 --> 00:56:43.119 teams. You know, you look at Saint Louis and DC and Birmingham like 910 00:56:43.280 --> 00:56:46.000 those are the obvious top teams. But like san Antonio, like you're just 911 00:56:46.480 --> 00:56:49.840 shrugging your shoulder, like I don't, I don't know what's going to come 912 00:56:49.880 --> 00:56:52.599 for the team. You can expect good defense because Waite Phillips is a good 913 00:56:52.639 --> 00:56:57.320 defensive mind. But you know outside of that, can a J. Smith, 914 00:56:57.559 --> 00:57:00.760 you know, be able to put this, you know, all these 915 00:57:00.159 --> 00:57:05.480 different pieces into this offense together and you know, make the high flying offense 916 00:57:05.559 --> 00:57:08.840 that the Houston Roughnecks were last year. Yeah, because I'm looking at you, 917 00:57:09.079 --> 00:57:10.840 so I mean, isn't going to be Dormity. I know, And 918 00:57:10.920 --> 00:57:15.559 it's so hard because like it's it's basically like preseason and training camp, but 919 00:57:15.679 --> 00:57:19.159 like we don't know, you know, we're it's all like I guess seeing 920 00:57:19.159 --> 00:57:22.440 in the substance at this point. But France Wills or Dormity, right, 921 00:57:22.440 --> 00:57:24.039 I mean, is that who we're rolling with with san Antonio Just see I 922 00:57:24.320 --> 00:57:28.000 remember when they were doing kind of the initial drafts, like oh, they're 923 00:57:28.000 --> 00:57:30.119 going to bring in someone or they're going to get benkru or whatever. It 924 00:57:30.199 --> 00:57:32.679 just doesn't seem like they've ever like that's that's who we're rolling with. I 925 00:57:32.800 --> 00:57:37.360 mean, it could be. I would think Dormandy would be the favorite. 926 00:57:37.400 --> 00:57:39.760 I mean just because he came in last year, everything that he went through 927 00:57:39.800 --> 00:57:44.480 with Orlando and it was able to be one of the top quarterbacks in this 928 00:57:44.599 --> 00:57:49.039 league. So I it feels like that it should be him. I mean, 929 00:57:49.159 --> 00:57:52.559 Francois, I mean, no, I don't. I don't really see 930 00:57:52.599 --> 00:57:54.880 him being in the running. Chase I think Chase Garber's is still on the 931 00:57:54.960 --> 00:57:58.239 team as well, like he could be in the running. But I think 932 00:57:58.280 --> 00:58:01.840 when Dormandy is the one that I think should be at least the favorite to 933 00:58:01.880 --> 00:58:06.119 win the job. But you know, then again everyone thought recent it was 934 00:58:06.159 --> 00:58:07.920 going to win the his rough next job, and Jared ended up winning that 935 00:58:08.039 --> 00:58:12.719 job. So I guess you never really know until they set the depth chart 936 00:58:12.800 --> 00:58:15.280 up. Yeah, let's talk about that a little bit. I have your 937 00:58:15.320 --> 00:58:17.960 article here that them naming Mark Thompson kind of a lot of a lot of 938 00:58:19.039 --> 00:58:21.719 flucks. Right now. We had Curtis Johnson last week, and what do 939 00:58:21.800 --> 00:58:24.679 you make of them naming Jared as the starting quarterback? You know, he 940 00:58:24.719 --> 00:58:29.000 has a lot of upside. He's got good size for a quarterback. You 941 00:58:29.039 --> 00:58:31.079 know, I think he's got a strong arm, and you know, I 942 00:58:31.360 --> 00:58:35.960 think what they really like about him, and from my understanding is they love 943 00:58:36.039 --> 00:58:38.920 his potential. They love his upside. You know, they the If you're 944 00:58:38.960 --> 00:58:42.920 a Houston Gamblers fan, you've spent the last two years trying to go through 945 00:58:42.960 --> 00:58:45.679 an influx of quarterbacks. You know, you had Clayton Thorson in twenty twenty 946 00:58:45.760 --> 00:58:49.000 two, and he was all right, but he wasn't great. Then he 947 00:58:49.039 --> 00:58:52.599 got hurt and Kenji Barhar came in there, and you saw the potential with 948 00:58:52.679 --> 00:58:54.559 Kenji Barhart, you know, being that he was with the Baltimore Ravens, 949 00:58:54.639 --> 00:58:57.480 like, oh, maybe you could be the next to Mark Jackson. And 950 00:58:57.840 --> 00:59:00.679 you know last year he got to a hot start and then he got got 951 00:59:00.719 --> 00:59:02.599 that ankle injury against the field up his stars, and then his season kind 952 00:59:02.599 --> 00:59:07.000 of fell apart, and then they ended up moving on from him, uh 953 00:59:07.159 --> 00:59:10.119 during training camp. So I think they're looking. I think coach Johnson wants 954 00:59:10.159 --> 00:59:15.800 to have a more of a proto type quarterback that fits the bill. You 955 00:59:15.880 --> 00:59:20.679 know, tall, long stature, strong arm, and I think Jared's got 956 00:59:20.760 --> 00:59:22.519 that. And you know, he had some success with Tennessee. It wasn't 957 00:59:22.519 --> 00:59:27.880 always smooth with the volunteers, but he's got the potential to be a really 958 00:59:27.920 --> 00:59:30.920 good quarterback. And he's got weapons. I mean, Justin Hall was one 959 00:59:30.920 --> 00:59:36.159 of the best receivers in the USFL last year. So he's got the weapons 960 00:59:36.239 --> 00:59:38.079 on offense. And you know, hope, you know, for the Roughnecks 961 00:59:38.119 --> 00:59:42.880 offense, you you hope that Mark Thompson can you know, be ready for 962 00:59:43.079 --> 00:59:45.280 Week one. I mean this this guy was the USFL Offensive Player of the 963 00:59:45.320 --> 00:59:49.599 Year last year. For the last two years, he's been one of the 964 00:59:49.679 --> 00:59:53.199 top five running backs in you know, spring football. So the Roughnecks really 965 00:59:53.280 --> 00:59:57.480 need him to be back. Otherwise you know, they can go with TJ. 966 00:59:57.599 --> 01:00:00.519 Plager, who you know, he he came in las year to fill 967 01:00:00.559 --> 01:00:04.000 in for Mark Thompson when he was out with a couple of weeks with an 968 01:00:04.039 --> 01:00:07.159 injury. And Pluger is a solid running back, but Mark Thompson is a 969 01:00:07.239 --> 01:00:09.599 difference maker. He can you catch out of the backfield and he can just 970 01:00:09.719 --> 01:00:14.199 run you over. So you know, they they certainly have to hope that 971 01:00:14.280 --> 01:00:17.880 they can get Thompson back. Yeah, ufl. Twitter certainly runs through Mark 972 01:00:17.920 --> 01:00:22.239 Thompson's fingers right now and his keyboard well is he was he he was complaining 973 01:00:22.280 --> 01:00:24.760 about like the field or the turf. I'm like, do we do we 974 01:00:24.840 --> 01:00:27.840 need to get into all this fright? Like I don't you know, this 975 01:00:27.960 --> 01:00:30.320 isn't a Cashman field scenario, Like let's you know, I mean they're playing 976 01:00:30.400 --> 01:00:34.760 on like high school, right, I mean they're playing on like this shouldn't 977 01:00:34.760 --> 01:00:37.960 be an issue, right, Yeah, I mean he's I think he made 978 01:00:37.960 --> 01:00:40.480 the comment like Arlington's field is the worst or something like that. I mean, 979 01:00:42.320 --> 01:00:45.039 I don't I don't know like what the field is made of. I 980 01:00:45.079 --> 01:00:47.639 don't know, you know, how it's all set up, but you know, 981 01:00:47.880 --> 01:00:52.039 injuries happen, and you know, unfortunately Mark Thompson, you know, 982 01:00:52.719 --> 01:00:54.599 had an you know, he was injured last year, so I don't want 983 01:00:54.599 --> 01:00:58.000 to say he's injury prone, but this is the second time he's been heard 984 01:00:58.000 --> 01:01:00.199 in two years, so I mean, there there is you know, that 985 01:01:00.280 --> 01:01:02.920 part of his game. You know, he put he plays a physical position 986 01:01:04.000 --> 01:01:06.079 at running back, so he takes a lot of hits and he has to 987 01:01:06.119 --> 01:01:08.239 make a lot of cuts and stuff like that. So injuries are a natural 988 01:01:08.320 --> 01:01:12.239 part of the game. It doesn't sound like it's gonna be something that he'll 989 01:01:12.280 --> 01:01:15.440 be out for the season four because they haven't played someone on the injured reserve 990 01:01:15.559 --> 01:01:17.880 list yet, you know alias from this recording. They haven't done it yet, 991 01:01:19.039 --> 01:01:22.039 so it feels like, you know, if he is going to miss 992 01:01:22.079 --> 01:01:23.800 time, it doesn't seem like it's going to be too much. So hopefully 993 01:01:23.840 --> 01:01:29.239 he'll be back sooner rather than later. I haven't hear any of the Arlington 994 01:01:29.400 --> 01:01:30.880 right there, and they finalized today. They're kind of ahead of the curve 995 01:01:31.000 --> 01:01:34.400 some of the teams. You have this salary day to do it. Any 996 01:01:34.519 --> 01:01:37.880 surprises on that because I remember who was I talking to one of the recent 997 01:01:37.960 --> 01:01:43.440 interviews about just you know, the line of you don't feel necessarily safe for 998 01:01:43.559 --> 01:01:45.599 maybe last season. You're sitting, Okay, I'm gonna I look around and 999 01:01:45.679 --> 01:01:47.800 I can see the talent, but where the talent level is so high on 1000 01:01:47.920 --> 01:01:51.639 some of these teams, you know, we're really kind of niitpicking to get 1001 01:01:51.639 --> 01:01:55.800 this cut down. Any surprises with the Arlington cuts. Devin Darrington was a 1002 01:01:55.880 --> 01:02:00.760 big surprise. You know. He he took him in Devion Smith where they 1003 01:02:00.800 --> 01:02:06.199 were splitting the carries last Saturday when I went to their open practice, so 1004 01:02:06.639 --> 01:02:08.239 I kind of just assumed that maybe he was going to be the backup running 1005 01:02:08.239 --> 01:02:12.719 back. I mean, it's Debbie on Smith's job. He he fits what 1006 01:02:13.119 --> 01:02:15.960 you know, Bob Stuke wants in a running back in his offense. So 1007 01:02:15.599 --> 01:02:19.480 I thought it made sense for you know, him to start and Devin Darrenson 1008 01:02:19.519 --> 01:02:22.679 to be the backup. But you know, with Devin being released, I 1009 01:02:22.760 --> 01:02:24.840 think it's probably gonna be Leeddy Brown probably being his backup again. He was 1010 01:02:24.880 --> 01:02:29.239 the backup late last year for them, and he performed pretty well in that 1011 01:02:29.440 --> 01:02:32.480 role with Debion Smith, though, I'm going to assume Leeddy Brown probably comes 1012 01:02:32.519 --> 01:02:37.480 in. I know Stup likes dad A Hunter, who was the third running 1013 01:02:37.519 --> 01:02:40.159 back on the roster, so I mean Hunter could be seeing some playing time 1014 01:02:40.199 --> 01:02:44.079 as well. Really, other than that, I mean Christian Sam. I 1015 01:02:44.199 --> 01:02:46.119 know he was placed on the suspended list, but he was a guy who 1016 01:02:46.159 --> 01:02:50.760 played well in the USFL last year and I thought maybe he could make an 1017 01:02:50.760 --> 01:02:54.480 impact on the linebacking course. So yeah, I don't know what happened with 1018 01:02:54.639 --> 01:02:59.719 the suspension. Nothing's been really said about that, but with him being placed 1019 01:02:59.760 --> 01:03:01.079 on that list yesterday, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise. But at 1020 01:03:01.079 --> 01:03:05.800 the same time, he's a talented linebacker and you know, whatever the suspension 1021 01:03:05.920 --> 01:03:08.159 is, if he can if another u UFL team can pick him up and 1022 01:03:08.239 --> 01:03:10.880 bring him on their TOLM, I think he could be an impactful player. 1023 01:03:10.960 --> 01:03:15.119 But really, I think the big one was Devin Darrington. That that was 1024 01:03:15.519 --> 01:03:20.119 was a very surprising move because he's so versatile and that was a I don't 1025 01:03:20.119 --> 01:03:22.559 know if it was a hit on the offense because I think Leeddy Brown can 1026 01:03:22.599 --> 01:03:24.400 come in there and be that verstile back they need, but that was a 1027 01:03:24.480 --> 01:03:30.159 surprising cut. How how is coach Stoop said? Does he seemed to be 1028 01:03:30.280 --> 01:03:32.039 enjoying the process this time around, you know, I mean, he's the 1029 01:03:32.119 --> 01:03:35.280 one right his wife doesn't want him at home or whatever. I mean, 1030 01:03:35.320 --> 01:03:38.719 does he seem to be enjoying us? I know he brings us up a 1031 01:03:38.840 --> 01:03:42.239 lot of the times where he's that people are asking him, you know, 1032 01:03:42.440 --> 01:03:44.079 how are you enjoying it? He's like, Hey, I don't have to 1033 01:03:44.159 --> 01:03:46.360 go to like appliance meetings. I don't have to deal with parents or anything 1034 01:03:46.440 --> 01:03:50.239 like that. I don't have to deal with grades like these are adults, 1035 01:03:50.320 --> 01:03:52.400 you know, I don't have to worry about them. They you know, 1036 01:03:52.440 --> 01:03:53.960 they're adults. They come into work when they need to, they do what 1037 01:03:54.039 --> 01:03:57.840 they need to do, and then they go off on their own. So 1038 01:03:58.039 --> 01:04:00.840 I think he enjoyed. I think the sc fits him perfectly because you know 1039 01:04:01.000 --> 01:04:04.199 he's going to work, you know, for a few months yere. Then 1040 01:04:04.440 --> 01:04:06.400 you know, he's basically off for the rest of year, and he could 1041 01:04:06.400 --> 01:04:11.639 do his job, you know, from wherever he wants to. So I 1042 01:04:11.719 --> 01:04:15.400 think he the last couple of years, I've seen a difference in him from 1043 01:04:15.559 --> 01:04:17.679 twenty twenty. I think twenty twenty he was just a little more serious about 1044 01:04:17.679 --> 01:04:21.920 it because this was basically his first professional job, and it seems like he 1045 01:04:23.079 --> 01:04:25.679 wanted to be, you know, really good at it. Now, I 1046 01:04:25.719 --> 01:04:28.880 think getting into twenty twenty three and twenty twenty four, he seems to be 1047 01:04:28.920 --> 01:04:32.360 a little more relaxed, really enjoying, you know the moment of being a 1048 01:04:32.400 --> 01:04:36.119 head coach. And I think helping the championship last year really helped because I'm 1049 01:04:36.159 --> 01:04:40.639 sure it gives him the confidence and gives his team the confidence needed that they 1050 01:04:40.679 --> 01:04:44.400 can come in here and you know, try to repeat as champions. Yeah, 1051 01:04:44.679 --> 01:04:46.039 a lot of pressure on that, you know, and the iblock eye 1052 01:04:46.119 --> 01:04:49.199 was photo shopping photos of them with it, you know, with the trophy 1053 01:04:49.320 --> 01:04:55.480 to get ready for the episode, and you know, targets on your back, 1054 01:04:55.559 --> 01:04:57.440 you know, and I think I know they take a lot of pride 1055 01:04:57.480 --> 01:04:59.800 in that and being able to do that, and you know how they have 1056 01:05:00.039 --> 01:05:01.320 the season turned out for them last year, So a lot of pressure on 1057 01:05:01.400 --> 01:05:04.719 that. Any other stories, any other tidbits before we get out of here, 1058 01:05:05.119 --> 01:05:08.280 I know, well, like I said, we'll convene here next week 1059 01:05:08.320 --> 01:05:11.400 before they kick off and all of that, But any other things you're tracking 1060 01:05:11.480 --> 01:05:15.000 right now. The one thing I'm interested with the Renegade's is how they used 1061 01:05:15.519 --> 01:05:18.800 Lindsay Scott. I know when Mike and I were on the media availability last 1062 01:05:18.800 --> 01:05:23.880 week, he had asked about Lindsay's god and Stoops had said that there could 1063 01:05:23.920 --> 01:05:26.280 be some packages for him. We'll see. He tried to keep it as 1064 01:05:26.320 --> 01:05:30.119 vegue as possible, but it really does seem like they may use him. 1065 01:05:30.719 --> 01:05:32.599 My assumption is they're going to use him very similar to how they use Kelly 1066 01:05:32.639 --> 01:05:36.079 Bryant last year, and how they have some packages where he may be just 1067 01:05:36.320 --> 01:05:40.159 running the ball or he could be rolling out. I will say when I 1068 01:05:40.199 --> 01:05:44.480 saw from Lindsay Scott in practice, he looked solid. I think, you 1069 01:05:44.559 --> 01:05:46.320 know, at the beginning there were some times where he was trying to force 1070 01:05:46.480 --> 01:05:50.320 deep balls and he was trying to force passes and double coverage. But I 1071 01:05:50.440 --> 01:05:54.639 will say when he rolls out of the pocket, he is very accurate with 1072 01:05:54.719 --> 01:05:57.760 the football. So I wouldn't be surprised if they used him for some you 1073 01:05:57.800 --> 01:06:00.679 know rpo styal plays, maybe rolling him out of the pocket on you know, 1074 01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:03.960 play action. He could be very good for that. So I'm really 1075 01:06:04.000 --> 01:06:09.079 interested to see if Lindsay Scott gives his offense a little more creativity and be 1076 01:06:09.199 --> 01:06:13.800 able to you know, use his ability to run the football well, and 1077 01:06:13.880 --> 01:06:16.159 obviously with the new you know, offensive coordinator Insteff as well. I know 1078 01:06:16.280 --> 01:06:18.599 that last year you were a little lament about you know, some of the 1079 01:06:18.719 --> 01:06:21.840 the a little bit more in Arlington offense. So maybe this time around that 1080 01:06:21.880 --> 01:06:25.199 it could be a little bit more exciting that way. But yeah, different 1081 01:06:25.440 --> 01:06:28.599 different quarterback than press. So it's exciting to see. But you know, 1082 01:06:28.840 --> 01:06:30.920 you can't doubt Luis how you have it. So I guess I'll just ride 1083 01:06:30.920 --> 01:06:33.760 it out here and we'll have to see. He's a spring football king. 1084 01:06:33.880 --> 01:06:36.679 I mean we all know. I mean, he's been in been in a 1085 01:06:36.760 --> 01:06:42.920 million of these leagues and he's been successful every time. So I'll be interested 1086 01:06:42.920 --> 01:06:45.800 to see if this is his last go around or if he's going to continue 1087 01:06:45.880 --> 01:06:47.280 doing this. But I mean, if I was him, I wouldn't keep 1088 01:06:47.320 --> 01:06:50.039 rolling with it because he's been one of the top quarterbacks in these leagues. 1089 01:06:50.719 --> 01:06:55.239 Well, Anthony, enjoy the week here. I will see you in in 1090 01:06:55.360 --> 01:06:58.519 Texas next week. I'm sure we'll have a shinderbocker two here after the game. 1091 01:06:59.280 --> 01:07:03.079 Enjoy your clean shaven Jalen Hurts quarterback and your tiny hands. Kenny Pikett, 1092 01:07:03.280 --> 01:07:05.599 we'll we go, you know, we'll go get Drake May or something, 1093 01:07:05.639 --> 01:07:09.320 and that it should be exciting. I think NFC East is going to 1094 01:07:09.360 --> 01:07:12.559 be exciting this year. They're talking about the Cowboys or mat at Dak Prescott. 1095 01:07:12.599 --> 01:07:15.239 I think lots of excitement there with Daniel Jones and everything else. Yeah, 1096 01:07:15.280 --> 01:07:17.320 it should be sooth standing for the Eagles to win that division. So 1097 01:07:17.360 --> 01:07:21.920 I appreciate it. Anthony Miller, I said, check him out Sports Illustrated 1098 01:07:23.000 --> 01:07:26.480 everything else. The hardest working man on there except him and Mike Mitchell. 1099 01:07:26.519 --> 01:07:29.679 So I really appreciate it, and I have a good night. Thanks appreciate 1100 01:07:29.679 --> 01:07:38.000 it. Huge, special things for everybody, all the work it took to 1101 01:07:38.039 --> 01:07:42.360 get the episode together today. Shout out Jeff. Everybody over at the UFL 1102 01:07:42.679 --> 01:07:45.440 getting the Jel Johnson interview setup means a lot. I know there's lots of 1103 01:07:45.480 --> 01:07:49.079 spinning plates and things in motion, so means a lot. You guys setting 1104 01:07:49.079 --> 01:07:53.920 that up. Daryl taking the time to come on, busy guy getting ready 1105 01:07:53.960 --> 01:07:57.280 for the season. You're talking getting the league going here in less than two 1106 01:07:57.320 --> 01:08:00.119 months, so it means a lot. Certainly appreciated. Thank you to Bianca, 1107 01:08:00.239 --> 01:08:04.360 everybody over at the Arlington Renegades. Get you coach Heinbox set up again 1108 01:08:04.519 --> 01:08:09.039 him coming on on the weekend, taking time on a Sunday morning before you 1109 01:08:09.079 --> 01:08:12.199 know, God knows all the stuff he's working on. So thank you Coach 1110 01:08:12.239 --> 01:08:16.000 Heinbach. Shout out as well. His five is one offensive line training and 1111 01:08:16.039 --> 01:08:19.439 then his podcast. And with that being said, you know, coach Heinbach 1112 01:08:19.520 --> 01:08:24.119 is is a fellow a football content creator, so I always want to make 1113 01:08:24.119 --> 01:08:26.880 sure we get that shouted out. I'll put the links in the description. 1114 01:08:27.439 --> 01:08:29.840 Thank you very much. And then, like I said, Anthony Miller here 1115 01:08:29.960 --> 01:08:32.520 taking time to come on. All the work and articles and the endless supply 1116 01:08:32.640 --> 01:08:36.119 of things that he is providing right now content wise with him and Mike Mitchell 1117 01:08:36.199 --> 01:08:40.399 over at Sports Illustrated so means a lot. We'll try to get Anthony I 1118 01:08:40.439 --> 01:08:44.159 think involved next week as well with the kickoff episode. But we certainly enjoy 1119 01:08:44.279 --> 01:08:46.239 kind of the sit down and deep dive that we're able to do on this 1120 01:08:46.760 --> 01:08:49.399 you know, this format here. Like I said, that will do it 1121 01:08:49.439 --> 01:08:56.079 for me today, Like and subscribe Big UFL kickoff episode next week live from 1122 01:08:56.199 --> 01:08:59.279 Texas. I'll post during the week, but if you're you know, subscribed 1123 01:08:59.319 --> 01:09:00.800 on here, turn on the bells, kind of all that stuff. You'll 1124 01:09:00.800 --> 01:09:04.199 get the notifications and then I'll be posting everything on Facebook and Twitter. But 1125 01:09:04.319 --> 01:09:06.319 it should be a good guest list, should be a lot of fun. 1126 01:09:06.399 --> 01:09:09.960 Like I said, we this not the first rodeo with all this stuff. 1127 01:09:10.399 --> 01:09:14.399 And then stay tuned like I said, the weekly UFL recaps here coming out 1128 01:09:14.880 --> 01:09:16.720 during the season. So hope you guys have a great weekend. Thanks again 1129 01:09:16.720 --> 01:09:17.119 and take care.