The Around the NFL podcast is live from Radio Row in Las Vegas.

Hello and welcome to Around the NFL presented by DraftKings. Yes, and Jason Zumwalt. He told you what you needed to know about the setting. Here we are in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Mandalay Bay in the... What do they call it? The Media Center? No, this is the... The episode. Command Center, Radio Road, whatever it is. Convention Center.

Convention Center.

It's the center of it all. And a beautiful set provided to us by iHeart, the good people at iHeart. And we are thrilled to be here. Dan Hansis, Got Heroes, Greg Rosenthal, Mark Sesler, and you heard her voice, Coleen. Coleen, can I just say, I am thrilled that you're here.

Me too.

I I was worried. You went up yesterday with the Air Force Thunderbird. These are the guys, these are the dudes that do the flyover before the Super Bowl. And you went up in there to grab some Gs, to take some of the G power away from triple G. Did you go more than triple G?

You don't understand G power if you think that it's an inexhaustible resource. There's Gs for everyone.

How about Gs, Coleen, did you I pulled nine Gs. Nine Gs, great Gs. Tripled your G output.

Oh, my God.

The côtlet has been thrown down.

This was the coolest experience of my entire life, and nothing will ever top it. I don't know now where that leaves me mentally, but I'm still processing the whole thing, and it was the most amazing experience.

Wait, what does 9 Gs mean? And are you worried that your husband, John Gonzales, saw you say it was the best day of your life and thought like, Well, I've spent a lot of days with her, but this wasn't one of No, John was so excited about it.

I don't even know how to describe what yesterday was like. First of all, I had to do so many hours of briefing and training. As soon as I got there, they were teaching me how to cut lines on a parachute. I had a pocket knife in my jumpsuit in case we had to eject. I had to do all sorts of egress training, and they teach you how to breathe to handle the Gs, because if you don't breathe through it, you'll pass out immediately. So I had a G-suit on, which was really cool because it's plugged into the plane, so it's automatic. It just starts compressing when you start pulling Gs. Basically, they were like, If you're going to pass out, if you're not breathing right, you lose your color vision first, and then you start to get the tunnel, and the tunnel will close in until you black out. When we went up-I've seen the Top Gun sequel.

I'm aware of how it works. Yeah.

They're like, pull up, pull up. I was watching that very closely. There was all sorts of codes that we had, like ease if I was feeling sick. There was a gang load in case there's a fire in the cockpit and you have to go full oxygen. Bailout, bailout, bailout is a jet. Oh, my God. Egress, egress, egress. There's a canopy thing that flies off. So we go up and he's like, Okay, let's do a G warmup. So we're just going to do the human body, essentially, I learned this yesterday, It can handle 4-5 Gs. And then after that, you have to breathe through it. And so we did 5 Gs, and I lost my color vision. The tunnel started to close, and I was like, No, no, no, no, no, So I tried really hard, and I did the breathing, and I was able to reverse the tunnel and come out of it, and I was fine. We did all sorts of tricks. They were doing spins, loops, barrel rolls. We were flying upside down over the snow-capped mountains. It was so cool. And then we did 9 Gs. And I feel like I've accomplished the most insane thing of my life from not passing out, not throwing up.

And to make it all even crazy easier. My lucky number is eight, and I went up with Thunderbird 8. So it was eight on the plane, and his call sign was triple.

How about that?

Triple G.

Little triple G.

I was like, This is so perfect. It was so fun.

Wait a minute. At some At that point, you lose color vision. Are you seeing in black and white then? What does that even mean?

That's basically the oxygen. The blood flow and the oxygen is not going to where it needs to go.

It's like you're on the way to passing out, essentially, halfway there. Exactly.

So then once I was able to reverse the tunnel vision, then my color vision came back, and it was fine. I was so disoriented after the flight, though. I did not expect it to be a full body workout. I was completely drenched in sweat. I am so sore today because you have to tense up your whole lower body and do all of these breathing exercises. And when I woke up this morning, it felt like I had been on a week long bender where I only drank and did all sorts of drugs. And I felt... And mind you, I went to bed at- So like a summer of Connie? Maybe. Not even like that. I've never experienced... I was so hungover feeling this morning. And I was in bed last night at 8:45 and did not have one drink, and I still feel a little off. I have the oxygen. Since I had it up at 100%, they said for a couple of days, the oxygen will have to escape from my head, so I'll get crackling in my ears. I'm doing a lot of snap, crackle, pop right now, and my head feels a little funny, but I made it, and I did it, and it was so cool.

We're very proud of you. Thank you.

These are the guys that are going to be doing it before the game? Yeah.

The same guys. Yes. These are the same pilots that are going to do the to fly over, and they fly 18 inches apart doing all of these tricks. It's unnecessary.

Give a couple more feet.

I don't understand how when you hit turbulence, how you guys aren't hitting each other when you're that close.

Why is a wing not just being pulled right off the craft?

It was so interesting because they said because they are flying so close together, they all hit the turbulence at the same time, so they move together, too.

Yeah, but what if that doesn't happen one time?

Yeah, just once.

I don't know. Everyone's dead.

Mark, how are you? And Colleen, please don't do it It was very stressful hearing.

My dad was there, he was in the Air Force.

Ed is here, and that's great. That is unbelievable.

I think I have to join the Air Force.

Mark, how are you, by the way?

I have about a fourth of my voice.

Yeah, what is going on? Now, you drove here. Yes. Immediately like, Where's Mark going?

When we got the text that you were in Barstow last night.

Barstow is literally halfway between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, unless it is pouring rain from the deep heavens and at one point snowing, then it's three hours and a half. But got to a hotel, fell asleep within five minutes, woke up, came here. It was a very smooth trip. In fact, got here hours before the show, and not much else to report except drinking lots of tea.

That's good. And we got to get you through the next four episodes here from Las Vegas, of course, here for Super Bowl 58. Chiefs, 49ers. We're going to get into the game in a minute. I just want to say for the listeners, this is a very special week. Like I said, we have this beautiful setup that iHeart has been kind enough to give us. I feel like we got some juice here on the floor at Radio Row. It's gorgeous. Is this real marble?

I mean, I'm just I'm impressed. I saw Jerry Rice walk by just a few minutes ago, and he looked up longingly like, Wow, my set's not that nice.

I had a great Jerry Rice moment on the set right next to us. I was speaking with our friend MJ Acosta, and MJ knows everybody. So Jerry not Jera, Jerry rolls in with his contingency and says, Hi to MJ, they exchange pleasantries, know each other somehow. And then he looks at me and he was like, Am I supposed to know who this guy is? So he just stuck out his jaw and we shook hands. And I was like, yeah. All right, Jerry, I interviewed you once in 2011 in Andy Fennalan's office. Oh, and he remembered. He's like, Oh, yeah, of course. No, he didn't remember it. Mark Sesler, because it's Super Bowl week, We are a show that's always innovating. It's how we win awards. We just did win an award. What award was it again, Greg?

It was the Sports Podcast Awards given out in the UK.

Yes, and what an incredible achievement by around the NFL. And we were just nominated for the best NFL podcast and the iHeartMedia Awards, which I believe they'll be sending us to the awards show. I haven't asked yet, but we'll see. The competition is pretty rough there.

It's the best sports podcast. We're going up against Club Shee Shee.

They just did about 70 billion downloads.

The Travis-Kelsey Show. Who's that?

New Heights.

Who's that? Levatard's in there.

Levatard. Who's that guy? Oh, also the... The other guys. The other guys. Talk commentator guy.

Part of my take.

Part of my take, of course.

Heavy hitters.

That's one where it feels okay that we're just in the group. It feels good to be in the group.

It feels nice to be nominated. But the reason why we are nominated is because we continue to innovate. We always roll out different satellite programs, and we have a great one debuting today with Mark Sesler. You've won awards for this guy gets it. I mean, we all know.

I don't like to talk about it, but there have been multiple awards.

You never bring it up, but we have So humble. Yeah, we have another offshoot that I think could be the Frasher to Cheers coming up in just a little bit. We're going to have some guests coming by, and it's going to be Mark's stage, and we're going to go into Mark's little world with two very special guests. Should I say who they are?

I mean, they'll see it on the podcast title. Yeah, I think so.

Cleveland Browns. All pros, stars, Miles Garrett, the presumptive or possible defensive player of the year. We'll find out on Thursday at NFL Honors. And star cornerback Denzel Ward. Sit down with Mark Sesler and Mark Sesler alone just in a couple of minutes. Your thoughts, Mark.

I will say these Super Bowl weeks, things happen to you because everything's happening in a flurry, in a visual snowstorm. And then suddenly you're on a plane home. Having just gotten here a couple of hours ago, and now this is happening. And this plan was just hatched this morning. And there were some back and forth on how it should look. And I'm just praying it goes well, basically. That's how I am.

I can feel the anxiety from hundreds of miles away over text, but it's going to be beautiful.

It's a little different than some people that you'd interview. I mean, even from an NFL perspective, Miles Garrett is a top five NFL star. And it's like, I've created some questions that I don't know how they will go with these two figures.

What have you scribbled your questions on over there?

Well, there have been some technical issues, so I put it on a little 1989 piece of paper from the Cosmopolitan Hotel. Is that from the hotel? Yeah.

So that's coming up in just a little bit. But before we get to that, why don't we open up Super Bowl Week here from Mandalay Bay with one big thought. Listen, this is a huge, enormous Enormous Stage. Enormous. A little francesa. Enormous stage for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. I mean, think about this. I did some research on this. The standard, of course, is braided and Belichick, and they won six together. Paul Brown and Otto Graham won seven, but that's different. Aafl, four, three in the NFL with the Browns. We're going to be on the show in just a bit, the faces of the Browns defense with Mark Sesler. Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr won five titles together. But some of that, of course, predates Super Bowl as well. The Super Bowl era, which started in '67, I believe. Chuck Noel and Terry Bradshaw, they won four. Hallis and Sid Luckman won four for the bears. Those are championships, but that's, again, pre-Super Bowl. On the Super Bowl era, Bill Walsh, Joe Montana, they produced three. And braided and Belichick, six. I'm thinking about those two combines, and now it's Reid and Mahomes. Mahomes has been in the League seven years, and he's been the starter for six years, and they've been to six AFC title games.

This is their fourth Super Bowl, and they're going for their third Super Bowl Championship. And I can't... You just don't know, Greg, you're a Patriot's historian of their big run. The gap between the last pre-They're third and fourth titles.

Yes.

How long was that? It was 10 years. Ten years. So the idea that we could just pencil in Mahomes and the Chiefs with Reid to get back next year or the year after, no. Over the course of a career, even braided and Belichick, the standard bearers, they went a long gap before winning and starting that second run. So you got to make good while the good is there to be made, winning this one, getting the third one in the bag with another 10 to 12 years of his career ahead of him, and who knows how long Reid is ready to go on, but he's not looking to retire based on what he's been saying this week. It's such an opportunity for them. They're already legends, but to enter that different stratosphere of all-time greats. And we're here for it. We're lucky because as difficult as for me to watch the Patriots up close the way we got to do in that second half of their run, to go from braided to Mahomes to see two of these legends, all-time greats. It's pretty cool.

I have tried to not take greatness for granted because like a lot of people, I was disappointed the Chiefs made it to this point. I wanted fresh blood. I wanted it to be the Bills finally getting over the hub or the Ravens in Lamar for the first time. That would be exciting. And as we've gotten closer to the Super Bowl, it's like, don't be bored with greatness. I think what you said was perfect because I think about Andy Reid a lot in terms of his trajectory. And when When he was with the Eagles, I thought he was the best offensive coach in the league. As much as Kyle Shanahan, I think in the last 10 years, I thought Andy Reid changed football. I thought he was a Hall of Famer before he won his first Super Bowl. He was that good a coach. But he couldn't quite get over the hump in terms of winning the Super Bowl with the Eagles. To see that guy paired with Mahomes, which there's no comparison for Mahomes. I mean, you're saying, okay, this puts him in a certain class. In a certain way, Mahomes is in his own class.

There is no quarterback remotely similar in terms of their first six years. Just in terms of the individual accolades, his individual excellence, just how great he is and the team success. He is the greatest player in terms of his first six or seven years. So for those two guys to come together- Enter the lineup, his first year as a starter is a start.

It was immediate.

He was the best player in the league. Yeah.

All right. How about you, Mark? Get us going with yours. One big thought.

It's on the other side. It's Kyle Shanaher. Because to me, he's the great what-if coach. He lost 28 to three, biggest stage possible. We were just here a couple of years ago in this same matchup. These two teams are quite different. And yet the Niners had a lead in that game and fell apart when it mattered most. And in general, this is someone that you could look and say he could have five or six Super Bowl if things had gone differently. He's lost multiple NFC title games, and it's tough to get back, but he has brought this Niners team back years, years, years in a row. And yet this feels like a different team to me just because you're getting the quarterback play you wanted. No matter what you say about the Brock Purdy situation and experience, he's done fine by the Niners. He's done everything that a Kyle Shanahan quarterback be asked to do. But it is a top-heavy, weapons-rich offense that you don't know who to protect, who to stop. And I think this is Kyle Shanahan's chance. And it's like, I just feel if this doesn't happen for them, that the Kyle Shanahan legacy...

Mike Shanahan went years until he finally won those two with Elway. Elway went obviously years, losing multiple Super Bowl's before winning two. And neither Elway retires, but Mike Shanahan never got back to those heights ever again. That's your lesson from your own father, that even if you get there and you win, two might be the Crown. One might be the Crown. And to lose a third Super Bowl, one as an offensive coordinator this weekend, would just be crushing. I think it just takes so much resilience from not just him, but everyone else to get back. And there is a fair amount of weight, I think, on certain the Niners players that were here last time that feel that, where the Chiefs, to me, it's not house money for everything you just said. It matters so much. And it's like, I just watching a little bit of opening night, media night, that the Chiefs feel loose to me. Not that the Niners feel butt tight, but the Chiefs just feel like they've been here and loose. And I just wonder if it gets into one of these key fourth quarter situations. Which team do you trust to pull it out?

Shanaher, I do think one thing, after what happened last week in the NFC title game. Defense fell apart in the first half. You're down by a ton. That was a different type of win for the Niners. I'm glad that happened for them. It was instructive.

Coleen, your big thought.

Okay. My one big thought is also about one of the coaches involved in this game, but I'm going to go with Steve Wilkes. Wilkes' boss. I think that his performance in this game and the way that this game goes could really change his trajectory in the NFL, because everyone is talking about spags in in this game. Everyone's talking about Chanahan and Andy Reid, but Steve Wilkes against Andy Reid. Think about all of the Niners DCs that have gotten head coaching jobs in the NFL. Robert Salah, Dameco Ryan, If he has a big performance against Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes on the biggest of all stages, he's going to set himself up for a potential head coaching job in the future.

Big one. That's been cottage industry, DC for the Niners, to get a gig. It hasn't been always a smooth ride this season for them, but we'll see. Greg, close it out. One big thought.

My big thought is more about where we are right now, to just take a moment and realize we got CJ Stroud standing over here in the Las Vegas. Go get him, Mark. In Mandalay Bay. And it all seems normal now. And this show is presented by DraftKings, and we've gotten used to that over the last couple of years. But it's freaking I'm crazy. Five years ago, actually seven years ago now, 2017, Roger Goodell is quoted saying, We're not changing our position as it relates to sports gambling. We don't think it's a positive thing. Ten plus years ago, and he was asked about that this week, he says, I think it's bad for the sport because he was worried about how people would question the integrity of the game and as it relates to gambling. And I don't think that's really happened. We're hearing all the jokes about the scripts and stuff like that, but I don't think it's really related to gambling. But it's just a totally different world, and I don't know exactly how it's going to go. But the fact that the NFL has completely embraced Vegas to the point where they fast forwarded giving them a Super Bowl.

They had to prepare for the Super Bowl because New Orleans backed out faster than any city ever has, like less than two years. And we're here, and there's NFL slot machines, and there's everything. It's just freaking crazy because at one point, I was a 17-year-old kid whose two favorite things in the world were weed and sports gambling. And I would have never... It's troubling. I would have never imagined a world...

Little has changed.

Well, one has changed quite a bit because of our employment. I would have never... 420, bro. I would have never- So you're still a heavy drug user? No, actually, that's died down relatively, but it's still a beautiful thing. We should really dive into that. With the fact that we're living in this world where both of those things are legal and they're encouraged that they are funding a lot of what's going on here. I think we're in this weird in between. There's been a lot of laws in the UK that have pulled back some of the regulate. It's been an industry that's been regulated a lot more. Right now, we're just in the Wild West where anything goes. I think we'll look back at this time as like, wow, that was crazy, everything that happened back then.

We understand why this has been a remarkable development for you and all of us.

No doubt. Although I did stop gambling well before I came to this place in the NFL. All right, we got it, Greg. It was too stressful. It was too stressful.

I just looked over my right shoulder and the enormous, enormous superstar for a certain team out of Cleveland is ready to join us. So we're going to take a break, and when we return, it is their debut.

Now, I'm watching them, too, over the- The latest spin-off of the Around the NFL Universe.

Mark Sesler Lead the way, our friend, and then we'll be back on the other side of it. We shall do it. All right. Be right back. Now it's time for a trip to Mark's Man Cave. Brought to you by Debra McGregor.

All right, everyone. Welcome back to the Man Cave. Two very special guests today. We have got two actually huge NFL stars from the same team, teammates, Miles Garrett, possible defensive player of the year. We'll find out this week. Pro bowler, Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward. Incredible season this year, the guys. I want to just ask quickly, the immense change between last year's Browns defense and what happened this year under Jim Schwartz. That's why he's up for potential assistant coach of the year, why you guys are up for all these awards. What was the difference? With so many of the same players, how did it shift so quickly?

Man, it's so much I can say, so much I can say about Coach Schwartz. I think just his attention to detail was a key difference. Just being in the meeting rooms and him being able to coach us all and take us through what's all expected of all of us. And just the energy out the field. I mean, you've seen us out there having all these handshakes and celebrating everything. I feel that stuff played a huge part in our success this year, and he was one of the key reasons as to why that was.

How about you?

I mean, one of the main things is, he always preaches about celebrating with your teammates, swaggery and badassery. Keeping that attention in detail off of what he said before. We were always in a meeting room. He always led the meetings himself. He always went through each position, detailing what each guy is going to do. It might have been down to nitty-gritty with our own position coaches, but he was always in everything that we did, making sure that it was just how he wanted it. But that energy that you see on the field, it's also coupled with the energy that he has every day, that passion that he shows every day. And that stuff is contagious.

When you hit the league, it was popular to talk about the fact that you were a poet off the field, that you practice poetry that words matter to you. Could you give me a few words to describe your teammate Denzel Ward?

A few words? Lockdown. Relentless.

I like that. How about in reverse? I'm not suggesting that you write poetry off the field, but you could just use the same exercise.

Yeah, definitely. I'll say miles is an... I'll say electrifying is one of the keywords that pops out when I think of Miles. Electrifying and dominant.

I like that. So one of the reasons that we've got a number of people on the show, but I have been a Browns fan going back to 1986. So the Marty Schoenheimers, the Bernie Kozars, the Frank Minnifield, Hanford Dixons, Clay Matthews of the world. This defense was different to me. There was a bit of a controversy, I thought early on in the year when they put Brownie, the elf, back at midfield. And I don't know why people had such a reaction. I think it's historical. It goes back to the earliest Browns teams. I would ask you personally, though, and I'll start with you, Miles, elves in general, do you believe that at some point on this Earth, a mythical creature, an elf, actually existed, or does that not sit well with you?

Do I believe that? I haven't seen it, so I I'm not going to particularly say that I believe too strongly in it, but maybe I just need someone to make me a believer.

All right. Elves, your take.

So I'll ask, what exactly is a elf?

Well, you're looking at one at the 50-yard line during each of these games, but it is typically a bean that I believe uses invisibility, is good with a bow and arrow, existed in the woods, typically.

So is that a wood elf? Are we talking high elf, dark elf?

I I think it runs the whole gamut. I mean, if you get into... I'm not, I'm an average elf individual, but the fact that I think some people thought it doesn't represent a tough football player, well, there's a lot of things happening with elves that could cause a problem for the Ravens or stealers, I think, depending on some of their powers. We'll leave it out. We'll leave that right there at that. So I did. I've had a question always about when I... You can tell that I probably played football at one point in my life, way back when. But we would have these pregame meals where some dad on the grill create an immense amount of food, and we go out and we all just pig out. And then 40 minutes later, you're out getting your butt kicked by Wilton high school because you just want to be taking a nap at that point. What do you each eat and ingest from the morning you wake up until the 1:00 PM kickoff? What goes into your body?

A smoothie. Smooth and water.

You keep it light.

Smoothie water, gator light.

Yeah, similar. I'm not a big eater come game day. I'm drinking a smoothie, probably eat some fruit, banana, and that's about I don't eat nothing too big.

No, I like that. So you're here for Bounty, and I love Bounty, good product. It's helped me in my house often. How about for you? Has there been a situation, I don't know, maybe some major fiasco in your own household or life where Bounty has saved the day for you?

I mean, I got dogs, man. There's all kinds of fiasco's happening. So Bounty has come to save the day multiple times.

Okay, so you use the product that you're pitching. I like that.

Oh, definitely. I mean, I have parties all the time with my family and everything. So there's always a mess being made come party time. So Bounty definitely saves the day when using that.

Okay, just a couple more. Denzel, for you. Do you believe that Stealers fans have ever read a book?

Do I believe Stealers fans have ever read a book? Yeah, I'm sure they read a book here and there. That sounds about right. At some point, yeah.

Sounds about right. Last one for both of you. I think this was one of the most surprising seasons, and it's the Joe Flack of it all. It's you playing your best football of all time, the teammate in general. Just the way that the Browns came together, I think for Browns fans, it's unusual. They've been through a lot of ups and downs. Kevin Stefansky, Coach of the Year candidate. It was really joyful to watch down the stretch, but then it ends the way it does. And obviously, I would just... What is your goal? Where do you want to be a year from now when we're sitting here at Super Bowl week? What are the Cleveland Browns saying to their fans at that point?

You'll be talking about us on the radio, and you won't be able to have us sitting here. We'll be preparing for a game.

No more Elven conversations a year from now.

Well, maybe the... No. Post-game, we're talking, we have a trophy on our hands or maybe a bottle of something. We're celebrating a win.

I love that. Yeah, exactly, man. That's the ultimate goal. It's to get to where the Chiefs and the 49ers are playing right now. So that's where we're going to work hard to do this offseason and come back better than last year. All right.

Good luck. Thanks for stopping by, and we appreciate it.Thank you.Thank you.

This has been a trip to Marks Man Cave. Brought to you by Devlin' the Greater. All right, Great. Welcome back. Oh, man. Sestog, the premiere of Mark's Man Cave. And I got to say, Mark, I bet you're feeling great now because you got that off the plate.

Yeah, I hope the people are still listening. Again, when you're dealing with 60% of your voice and they didn't want to wear Cans headphones. So it was a bit of a stage moment.

You got to amplify a little bit more.

You were suddenly on stage.

It was an interesting experience for us because we're watching our own show for the first time, and we couldn't hear what you were saying. So we'll be listening like the fans. By the way, because I know Greg and Colleen haven't heard it, we're always looking to monetize the show, and and build the empire. This is the name of the program that everyone just heard. Now it's time for a trip to Mark's Man Cave, brought to you by Devon McGregor. Devon McGregor is a placeholder. We're looking for sponsors, and I thought Man Cave Mark is perfect because on the heels and the momentum of your DiJournos, it's really pushing your everyman appeal out there a little bit more? Yeah, I think so. The idea of people coming down into your cave, it's just an extension of that brand that we're building. So anybody, including... I'm just going to say DiJournos. If you want to extend the brand connection with the Sestog, Man Cave is open to business. Devlin McGregor, just a placeholder.

Yeah, I don't know what the hesitation is on the part of that one particular pizza vendor. I continue to have hope that they'll perform and come out of the shadows. They did tweet at me.

They did? Yeah. That's great. That's big.

That's a start.

You could lead a de jour nose to water. But can you make it drink? We're going to find out. That's true.

We've done this show for 10 years, and it's been great making podcasts. We're podcasters. The next 10 years, in Influencers. That's really-That's where the guap is. That's really what. Time to level up, guys. That's what we're happening.

That's where the guap is.

You need the perfect setting, the perfect squad, the perfect eats, and the perfect plan to keep everyone pumped all night long. I feel like I'm punishing someone.

Or else. Or else.

Well, actually, can I say? I did.

It's like Gail Gudeau having to eat that pizza.

We're not going to play it back because I don't want to make light of it because it's an important cause. But the latest ad read that's out there about getting professional help, very different tone. Respectful and somber.

Well, yeah, I received some coaching before I recorded that, and I tried to pay attention.

Connie, where's your head space at? Where's the oxygen levels?

My head is in the cloud still, guys.

If things went sideways, I did prepare something for this show. Oh, my gosh. Okay.

Is it a eulogy?

Colleen was an amazing woman. Funny, kind, vivacious, and that laugh. Oh, that laugh. A wild Irish rose. She was bringing serenity and warmth to this crazy garden we call life. Then we just all start to share memories of you, but don't need it, so we're good.

That's so nice of you to think ahead and plan that way. Thank for thinking of my death.

I mean, you're going up in a jet. Yeah. With the jets, how close are they? Eighteen inches?

Well, that's when they're flying with their other planes.

Can we make it 18 yards next time?

There was this one up there, right? You weren't flying two.

No, it was just one. It was just me and Tripple up there.

By the way, these guys, I saw, maybe it was the man that you were up there with.

Tripple was here. He just texted me, but they just left.

This guy, out of... Tripple. By the way, a lot of people come in for your Tripple, your Gs. It's hard to ignore this. This happens with the nicknames. Like, Colleen literally tripled your Gs. She tripled, triple G. I did. Let's talk about brand invasion.

I'm taking this as an opening serve, essentially, and I will return fire at some point.

But this guy that you went up in the air with, if it's him, I don't know, but right out of central casting.

Oh, you guys have no idea. Everyone that is part of the Thunderbird, they are all I don't know what the interview process is, but it was a bunch of Ken dolls, and all of the girls are gorgeous. Everyone is a fighter pilot or a fighter pilot adjacent. I truly think I might have to join the Air Force, but I think my window has passed at this point.

So Top Gun is real?

It really is, truly. I mean, you guys should have met Fire. It's good to know that. If you guys would really have liked him.

Really? Yeah. How many women Thunderbird are there?

There's a few. But also each jet has its own and has its own team. Are they hot mechanics? Everyone's good-looking. Everyone is really good-looking.

Every Thunderbird. What an experience is this one. The janitorial service, just a bunch of nines and tens.

They're all cool, and they all get along with each other. The vibes were honestly so good there.

Well, Colleen, don't judge a book by cover. There could be something going on underneath the fingernails.

Well, I think that you could find out what it was. You should go over there next.

I'm going to bring down the Thunderbird. Take them down a peg.

You know who's going up today with the Thunderbird? Matt Ryan.

If Matt Ryan passes out, too many Gs.

They were explaining to me why, as I had mentioned, that women are more physiologically capable of handling the Gs. It's because, and I didn't realize this, shorter people are better handlers of the Gs because of the blood flow. I'm a little nervous for Matt Ryan.

He's 6, 5, 6.

So you're saying that- That's in a tough spot.

I could be an absolutely superior You could.

10 Gs?

10 Gs.

10 Gs is the only way to beat Connie. Double digit the Gs.

I wanted to hit one of the mocks.

This has been a great week for the small man. Mike Vrabel can't get a job because he's so big and athletic and strong. They're just passing out jobs to 5'5, 140-pound guys.

What a moment here at Super Bowl Week from Las Vegas. All right, let's do some news, get caught up on what's going on around this big game. I'm here all day.

You're walking the wrong man. What?

You're walking the wrong man. I'm not like one. You're walking the wrong man. See, it's important to remember because he's mild-mannered, right, Patrick Mahomes? But he's got that dog in him. That was from the quarterback series on Netflix when he was going toe to toe with Max Crosby. It's one of the best rivalries in the league, Crosby and Mahomes. They get after it twice a year.

And saw Crosby right in the corner when I walked in.

Mahomes, part of Mark what has made this guy who he is, you do not F with this guy. And we, collectively, as a people, doubted him this year. And I know it's not just him, but The way he's locked in and leveled up, and we're going to do a Super Bowl pick at the end of the week, it's just like, could you possibly pick against Mahomes and feel good about it? I don't know. I don't think I can.

I feel like if you pick against him, if you pick with Mahomes, I should say, and they lose, you can't walk around the streets beating yourself up about it because there's no way that wasn't a logical move. And I think the reason we haven't seen so much wildfire and anger and venom out of him is because things have been pretty good. It's like this- Let's get Darius. Tony is dropping-Yeah. I thought that was instructive. It's like, he will get on his teammates. He will go crazy. He will show his emotions. He's got all that. I think he's able to keep it under the cuff a little bit more than others. But the Chiefs in general, outside of like, Kelsi Is he taking Justin Tucker's helmet and whipping it in the back of the end zone? They're able to, in the big moments, not lose their cool for the most part.

And it's interesting, the Chiefs. Again, because you have to draw the parallel, the last dynasty to this team, which I think absolutely, if they win, you can't deny it's a dynasty of the Chiefs. You could already call it that, considering the success they've had. But getting that third is a big deal.

I think they're the first team The second team, the only team in history that's ever made four Super Bowl's in five years, other than the Patriots.

In the salary cap era, it's unbelievable. Anyway, the Patriots were easy to root against. There were elements around that team, including some controversies they were in and then just how often they were in the picture. People just got sick of them. The Chiefs, not always that case, but it's starting to happen now where people are turning on the chiefs. They got booed loudly when they entered at the opening night festivities on Monday as they took the... They emerged. And Mahomes was asked about that, how things have changed and how they're seen. And I really think, and this is some toxicity, we don't need this, but I really think the Taylor Swift pushback has been borne that's come down and worked against the Chiefs as well because she's obviously connected and aligned with them, and bros are tacky.

But also the booing from opening night was a little misleading because the Chiefs fans were there first for the Chiefs podiums, and then they cleared out. And then they had the joint appearance, the Niners and the Chiefs. So then the Niners fans came in, and it was mostly Niners fans that were left. So on the broadcast, it sounded like it was just all booze, but it was also a little bit of the timing and the run of show.

And also you're driving, you're taking the drive from the airport to where you're staying in Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders, Death Star It has a gigantic Chief's helm on it. So some of the overflow of people that were just here as Raiders fans were also like, I think which team I'm going to be booing will be the Kansas City Chiefs. Not a big problem there.

But let's keep the storyline intact. I'm going to wipe all that from the show. Here's Patrick Mahomes on Being the villain. Not necessarily. I think I just like winning.

If you win a lot and that causes you to be a villain, then I'm okay with it.

But at the end of the day, I'm going to enjoy playing the game and try to win as much as possible. So he knows what to say. Not much there. Your boy, Mark, Brock Purdy, meanwhile, he's on the other side of this, and everyone is talking about Brock. And what is he? Where does he fit in on this Niners team? How should he be celebrated? It's been, quite frankly, it's become an exhaustive storyline at this point. Standpoint, including, Oh, that guy's just a game manager. Here's Purdy on being called a game manager.

I feel like it can be a compliment at times where it's like, All right, you got a guy that can come in and run the system well. I feel like that's a compliment. I think you're doing things right mentally, and obviously, you're good enough to be able to hit guys that are open and make plays.

So, Mark, yes, but also the the pejorative nature of it is this guy isn't a playmaker. He can't do it on his own, but he might be hoisting a trophy in a few days, and nobody would care what you call him. He would be a champion.

I mean, he's refusing to, in a way, look at the definition, the way that it's been for 20 plus years. And I more agree with Baldy that he's a silent assassin. He fits beautifully into that attack. I feel like I've talked about Brock Purdy from my point of view so often. It's like, I couldn't support him more. I don't know what you need a quarterback to do in today's NFL in an offense like this. It's not because of the offense. Purdy does so much well, and I think we can't reconcile the fact that he wasn't a first-round draft pick. I think people are still struggling with that, that he's come out of nowhere and that no one recognized who he was before the draft, too. I think And a lot of people have some weight over around the fact that Purdy has blown all these expectations and been a complete surprise.

But he's not a game manager. He is the furthest thing from a game manager. The funny thing is, if you look at the stats from this year, Patrick Mahomes would be the ultimate game manager. No one throws the ball shorter depth of target than Patrick Mahomes. He's not taking any chances. He hasn't thrown an interception in six playoff games, which is outrageous. No one's even gotten close to an interception on him this year. He is doing exactly what needs to be done. Brock Purdy is the opposite. People that are calling him a game manager aren't watching these games. He's been a little up and down in the playoff. Certainly, the first half of that Packers game wasn't good or parts of that packers game. But he takes chances. I looked this up this week because I had a feeling. On PFF, they have big-time throws, big-time throw rate. Four quarterbacks in the NFL are in the top eight of big-time throw rate and turnover-worthy play rate. Wouldn't that be the opposite of a game manager? So Brock Purdy, I thought was exceptional in terms of the good throws he made in the NFC Championship. Rewatching that, I was really impressed of how many low percentage plays he made.

So he's one of the four quarterbacks that are in the top eight in big-time throws and in the top eight of turnover-worthy plays. He is a risk taker. I don't think you can take that out of him. He's not really a game manager. The other guys on that list are like Stafford, Trevor Lawrence was on the list, and Gino. It's a a weird list, but it does make sense to me. It's guys who are going to take some chances, and it's not always going to work out, but they're fun to watch. And Flacko was way above the rest of them if he qualified.

Baldy talked about that, too. He said that the nature of the Niners offense is to attack in the middle of the field. And to do that, you're thrown into traffics. And I think part of that is built into what his skills He's not known for having a cannon of an arm, so he can't maybe hit some of the throws that staff can hit, so they attack in a different way. You're not going to hear me going into this week, going after Purdy too hard, because I really thought the way he responded when the house was on fire in the NFC title game, told me what I needed to know that he is a silent assassin. He's not going to shrink in this moment. He might make mistakes, but he's not going to collapse. Just look at his yards per attempt this season, 9.7 6.

That was the best in the entire league. He was the most efficient quarterback. He was top five in yards and touch downs and passer rating. How can you call him a game manager? But I guess at the same time, it's almost like X-Factor. Everyone has a different definition for these and it feels like it's sometimes fluid because you could make the case that every single quarterback who has ever played the game is in some way, shape, or form a game manager.

Sure. That's the job.

Where is he? Where is he in relation... This is an offseason conversation, but in relation to the Dalton line.

It's funny you say that. Who?

Brock Purdy? Yeah. I think he's in front of it, but how comfortable is he?

Miles above.

So he's way in front of it. And that's why- Well, yeah, I'm saying I agree he is, but is he a top He's got 10 quarterbacks, he's got top 12. I think right now, to me, he would be... It's tough to remove him from the system, but he'd be somewhere in that 8-12 range for me, where if you were starting a team, you would go with about eight or nine guys first, and then he's somewhere in that mix of 8 to 10, which is exceptional for any second-year quarterback. Imagine if Justin Fields was a top 10 quarterback in his second year. I mean, it's exceptional. And it's okay, 49ers fans. It's It's okay that he's not a top 5 quarterback.

What would he need to do to change your opinion, to get him into the conversation of a top 5 quarterback? What would he need- Top five? Top 10 quarterback.

Maybe he would just need to see more, see him in a different offense, see him evolve as a pro? Just around longer? I don't know. He is gifted by obviously great tools.

I think cut down on the mistakes. Like the turnover or the play thing I was talking about, it's a reason why you wouldn't put some of the other people that I mentioned, it was Gino. Who was it? Stafford. Stafford, you put in there. He takes too many chances now, and I think he'll pull that back while still having the play make at some point.

To Dan's point, though, he bounces back from that. I think he's very mentally tough. There's something about him, the way his teammates talk about him. But for me, seeing him in a different offense, and I get where you're coming from, Dan, but half the league is Shana Khan offenses now. It's not Shana Khan. I don't mean just the scheme, I mean the players around.

Sure. He has potentially four Hall-famers.

But he also has made every one of those players extremely effective. And some of them, like Brandon has had a star season with him at quarterback. He adds to the game of the people around.

It's one of the most age-old conversations around this time of year. At one point, people thought Joe Montana was a game manager, was a system quarterback. Who should really get the credit? Bill Walsh or Joe Montana? Because at that point, he had already gone through and had success with all these other guys. And that's like football. You I can't really separate it. And the beauty is, they're only great together. And there's no question to me, this is the best 49ers offense we've ever seen. It's not even close.

One of the things that... Jordan Love is a great example. I would have him probably ahead of Purdy right now. And part of that is because not that those guys around Green Bay aren't talented, the young players around him, the past catchers. But I think he made them better. And is Purdy making this core better, or does he just fit in nicely as a piece that is making the most of them? I think Love is making that surrounded cast better. I think Stroud did the same thing as Purdy.

He's right behind you right now, Stroud.

Is he?

Yeah. He's literally- So crazy. He got to watch a lot of Super Bowl.

He's very strange in my mind.

Let's move on. Hey, this is always on my radar a little bit just because how much things have changed in our world. 20 years ago, you were playing the Super Bowl on green concrete, and Everything was always terrible. And now every year, teams are complaining about the turf is bad here, the grass is too slippery here, this and that. So Kansas City is training at the Raiders facility, and they are singing just O'Sanas about it. O'sana. They're going nuts because it's great. We love it here. What a great team. What a great facility. Blah, blah, blah. So the NFC team is at UNLV, and they are not happy with it. In fact, the Union Director, do we know who the executive director of the players union is now? It's important because it's no longer D Smith. Greg?

I mean, usually I have a computer in front of me. I took the computer away when Mark did his thing, and I forgot to bring it back.

Well, I was curious if you knew it. Lloyd Howell. Anyway, he said today- D Smith liked to get into the news, too.

Lloyd Howell, maybe not so much.

Well, wait till the next labor negotiation. He'll be in a funny. But the UNLV practice field, quote, really isn't up to snuff for what our players deserve. So I just wanted to mention that they're unhappy with where they're practicing and the Chiefs are loving it. But I guess if it was the other way around and they were in the AFC, they'd be at the state of the art facility. But that's just how life goes.

Deal with it. Yeah, but something seems like you could have months ago realized that might cause some problems.

Truth.

It's a little bit of a knock on Vegas as a Super Bowl city that they don't have two high-quality facilities.

I think they just put that sod down.

On the NFL, though, to make sure that that facility is ready to roll.

That's the thing. There's a lead up to this. We didn't just announce this city.

But you can't just create out of thin air a football facility. I guess UNLV was the best they could do. And next time around, hopefully a little better.

It's a good point. In other news, Greg, you mentioned it and your one big thought that got us going. How the NFL for years was like, Stay Stay away gambling. Stay away. And now we are fully in bed. I mean, we are presented by draftings today, for an example. We also, by the way, just so people know the rules, so all of the NFL employees did get a sternly worded email from Rog himself about, Hey, you're in Vegas to work. You're not allowed to gamble. Obviously, you can't go in the sports books. You have to avoid all those things.

But no slot machine. No, nothing.

Nothing. You can't go on the casino floor.

Don't even look at them.

I'm glad I did not read that email, so I'm glad that you apprised me of that. I didn't know that part about the slot machines.

Are you a slot machine guy?

No. I mean, actually, it was- I thought you needed an oxygen tank. I feel like when you walk through a casino and I'm just the noise of it, it's like a Dave on Busters on LSD. It's like, I need to be shot down again.

We are the same in this. It's just over-stimulating to walk through a casino. The colors, the noises, the people.

It's a lot. Sorry, Greg. You would imagine... Jeff Probe, baby. Once again. You would imagine that both these teams There have been stories. Go look up the name Barrett Robbins as an example. There are stories of players that go crazy Super Bowl week, get themselves in trouble. Where did Barrett Robbins go? I think he went to Mexico.

Yes, I think it was Tijuana or parts close.

He was the starting center of the Raiders. Look it up.

It's a wild story. They got waxed the next day by the Bucks.

They sure did. There was the Falcon's, Walter Payton, Man of the Year. Eugene Robinson. Eugene Robinson. That was a tough one, too. He got caught with a hooker that week.

That's a lady of the Night, Greg.

85 patriots had some issues before they were destroyed by the bears.

What a hooker, man. That's why they lost. So strong.

No, it's not.

It's just a word. I don't know.

I don't know. Don't look at me.

Anyway, Reid, the coaches Reid and Shadah and League Representatives, as soon as they touch down in Vegas, they're talking to the players. But here, you got to know what you can and cannot do. Here's what Reid said this week. We had the League security rep come in and talk to the guys right when we got here. I mean, literally when we got here, and that was part of the conversation, was gambling. He made it very clear, restating the rules and regulations and temptations here, obviously in Las Vegas. So that was addressed. Oh, man, I got a feeling. I don't want to put a sandwich on it, and we'll do our Super Bowl sandwich props later. We're going to get a story this week. It might come off this day, so I don't know. But someone is going to be a storyline about some of the feces.

You're going to put a sandwich on it?

I'm not ready to do that because it's probably not going to be good, so I don't want to root for bad news for somebody. But that's Mark's thing. Something.

Well, maybe it won't be a bad story that comes out. There will be a story.

What would be a good story?

Well, there's always some crazy things to happen. There's always the guy put a 17 Parlay where he put 20 bucks up and won a million dollars. There's those stories. Those are happy stories.

Good news is not typically news.

If it bleeds, it leads. Am I right?

Yeah. Yeah, they got the chart back in the middle of the day.

Journalism degree, so I could say that. Eric Biennemi, former OC of the Chiefs. He's got rings with his team, and he left KC and became the offensive coordinator of the commanders this year, but he got fired over there, so now he's looking for work. Guess what? Andy Reid said Wednesday in his press conference that Eric Biennemi spent time with the Chiefs before the AFC Championship game. He talked with the offensive guys that hung out with us in our meetings. He's still up for a couple of jobs. He couldn't really answer if the enemy would be part of their staff next season, I guess, if he doesn't get a job. But I feel like, should that be allowed? You get another coach now on your team, and it's a guy that...

It's happened before. Fangio with the Eagles as a recent example. That's right. It is a weird little Netherworld loophole that could happen. But ultimately, he's just helping out the team he already worked with. I'm sure he's getting paid for it.

Yeah. A little consultant. The enemy was with the Chiefs from 2013 to 2022. He was the OC from '18 to last year.

I thought it was interesting how Reid answered one part of the question was that they asked would he be there next year, potentially, just like if all this could shake out. He's like, Well, they're in space for him right now. I mean, you can create space for anyone if you want. But I think it would be intriguing to see him come back. But there are a couple of people on that staff I think maybe Reid would rather have Biename over.

It's like the Patriots, they hired Van Pelt, they hired our My old friend, Why am I blanking McAdoo?

They consulted with Chip Kelly.

We couldn't get Biennemi in there for an interview?

Some of these pats hires. I don't know, man. That's coming from a Jets fan. My coaching staff has Nate Hacket on it still. But you got Ben in the building.

That's what I'm saying. My name is Nathaniel Hackett.

It's nice to see you out here. It's good news for the Bills. Put it that way.

It just felt like the enemy with him. A little different. It would have been different.

Maybe a little bit different. Hey, by the way, finally, we have a quarterback from the vaunted QB class of 2018 in a Super Bowl. We haven't talked about this yet. It's Sam Darnold. Sam Darnold. Here's a quote from Darnold, by the way. He was approached media night. I always envisioned going deep in the playoffs with New York and being able to make a run at the Super Bowl. Obviously, that's what you dream of as a kid. Right when I got drafted by the Jets, and still to this day, it's my goal to be able to bring a championship somewhere. Now he has that opportunity as a backup for the Niners, but I just want to put it out there. Sam got there first, 2018. Direct with us. We got Baker, we got Josh Allen, we got Lamar, we got Josh Rosen, but only one man got there first, Mark. Sam fucking Darnold.

This is the most awkward to grind that you... Of your many awkward axes.

It's interesting that Darnold didn't dream of getting there with the Panthers. He knew that was a failed operation. Look, Sam Darnold, he's a backup quarter. You might see him in this game like we saw in the FC Championship game last year for Brock Purdy leaving. But he should wear that Super Bowl ring proudly. Once I saw Coleen Wolf introduce Maurice Jones-Drew on our network as Super Bowl champion, Maurice Jones-Drew, and he holds up the ring, and they offer the viewer no context that MJD got it as the broadcaster for the Reims. I was like, Sam Darnot deserves that ring.

That is amazing. I never introduced any of our analysts who have won a Super Bowl as Super Bowl winning, except MJD, because fans get so upset about it.

That's more of an inside troll job. I know, but he holds it up, and you guys didn't explain it at all.

He just holds it You know those viral videos of the guy that destroys his TV when his sports team loses? That was Greg after you didn't provide the context.

It's my favorite thing to do.

It did make me laugh and troll you.

I know you're calling it an awkward ax to grind. I'm just These are facts. That's all, Mark.

Number one, the first one with a bullet. They are factual from an angle. You're not creating facts, but you're putting them into a certain stew that tastes a certain way.

And it's delicious. Here we go. Pennsylvania Man faces up to four for illegally flying a drone over the AFC Championship Game. Can we not? Can we stop doing this? How many commercial breaks where everyone's confused for a second and the crowd starts booing and the announces are trying to figure it out, and then the ref finally comes out and goes, We are stopping the game for an official's time out, and you see some people looking up as they go to commercial. It's like, Some idiot just flew another drone over a stadium. Go to jail forever. Send a message.

Wow, that's aggressive.

I was going to go the other way.

Wait a minute. Pennsylvania Man. So he flew it from Pennsylvania to Baltimore? He was probably. Okay, I want you to say that's impressive to me.

It's an awesome drone. It sold so many drones.

It's powered on nuclear energy.

Now that we know this, we refly it more.

Four years feels a little steep. I think so, too. Our country does in prison more than any country in the world by leaps and bounds. I feel like four years for a drone is the reason why.

Hang them. That's what I say.

This is a good ax to grind in. You want to go 12 years at least for this guy.

Dan hates drones. I'm capable to fly them.

Next 10 years-I hate extra commercials.

These games are long enough.

Next 10 years, we're going to be influencers, and Dan's going to become big on capital punishment. It's just going to be his thing.

I'm going to run for office, my main campaign will be about drones and how they need to be eliminated.

Oh, my God. Will you please do a campaign ad? Please.

I will. In fact, we got a lot of off-season episodes to get through. Drones may not fly within three miles of stadiums that seat at least 30,000 people during NFL games. So there you go. And relatedly, here's a headline from The New York Post that came out today. Content Creator, that's us on some level, climbs Las Vegas sphere in shocking scene to, quote, raise money for a homeless pregnant woman. This happened today. Wait, what? Yes. And a guy climbed the giant sphere where you two is playing, and I think Fish is there and the Grateful Dead and Friends, Mark.How.

Is he raising money?How is he raising money? Good lineup. Okay, yeah. How does what and what connect here?

Crime. This is the crime beat.

I'm saying where is the money coming from that he's raising?

See, that's a great question. Well, wait, no.

If he's an influencer, he could have been on one of the platforms and people are donating.

You could do it on TikTok or whatever.

That's the world that you guys are going into. That's the influencer world.

Mark is leading us there.

How do you climb a circle?

That's That's the best question of the day.

These news stories have deeper questions attached to them.

How about he's known as the Pro-Life Spider-Man? You know what? I'm going to bring him along on my campaign tour. Yes, of course, you are. I got him. I got you, Pro-Life Spider-Man.

Dan is transforming before our eyes.

Oh, my God. All right, here we go. That's it. That's what's happening in the news. Anything else to add that you've seen in and around the big game?

No, I mean, I just thought it was interesting that Andy Reid opening night was asked about foods that he likes and dislikes, and he said the only thing he dislikes is liver.

Never tried it. I didn't see that coming. Never had it.

Oh, I love liver. What?

Of course you do, Greg. How is it cooked? To me, it sounds absurd.

Like a pâté, certainly. Like a foie.

I thought liverwished or liverwashed.

Leverwished. No, it's tasty. It's fine.

Wait, is it salty? What would you-We're trying to get Mark back to me.

We're trying to get back to me. You don't want to...

There's certain things I'll just never do.

This is not a texture. A little tangier, I would say, than regular. Oh, that is not a selling point.

It's a texture issue, though, a little bit, right?

I think it's because my German grandfather was a liver guy, so it's just baked into me.

Willa Helm, Rosenthal.

Heinz. Heinz was his name. Hinds Rosenthal.

Don't do it, Greg. I know what you want to do.

We're at the Super Bowl, right?

Yeah, let it... Just let it... That's time and place.

You're doing it. I'm not. I'm just Somebody knows you're dying to do it right now. Amazing food memories with livers.I.

Just really need you guys to behave yourselves here.Mark, he's dying to do it.

Time and place, Greg. Yeah, this show is off the rails.

All right, we're going to take one more break, and when we come back, we're going to have one more conversation about the Vabe game. Stay right there. All right, we're at 103, looking good, moving well, and let's land the plane here. All right, I'll just come back with this one. Here we go. Three, two, one. All right, welcome back. Before we go, this is where we show our bonafides as real football people. This segment is called X Factors, Basic Bros and Lazy Ladies, Aren't Even Thinking About.

Yeah.

You see how I did that?

What? You included women?

I included women because that's important.

You know what? It's equal representation. We're going after everyone. So there is no one that is safe in this segment.

It's also important when you do mention women, that you ask for the credit of mentioning the women. That's important.

Part and parcel. It is extremely important that you understand that this industry of ours is populated by all types of people.

I've done it again. So here we go. Let's get into it. So So nothing basic, okay?

Nothing basic.

Nothing basic, nothing lazy.

Mark, give us something. Give us something deeper. What's an X-Factor for this game?

I love that Colleen mentioned Steve Wilkes. I want to just go from a different angle a little bit. He called them out. Everywhere that Steve Wilkes has been, win or lose on some of these teams, the thing I keep reading about him is Alpha male, his power and absolute vitriol at times in the locker room and in certain speeches to players and the way he plans, affects the players. And there was, I think, tension between Kyle Shanaher and Steve Wilkes this entire season. And you brought them down from the booth to the sideline. And I think that's made a difference. But then you go and get gashed for 182 yards on the ground by Detroit in a game that you barely won, and your defense would have been the reason you didn't. And it's like we saw that we've become so accustomed under Demeco Ryan's and coordinator's past, where this defense played at a certain level. And Wilkes came out of the woodwork this week very strongly and just said, No, not acceptable. And you can point at the coordinator, but a lot of the players came forward and said, In the NFC title game of all games, we did not put forth the right effort.

And that can all sound like locker room nonsense, but I do think that there is... I like that that happened to them. What was that? I don't know. It was like a huge piece of metal just fell from the ceiling.

Are we safe? Go hunt. I don't know.

Dan just almost hit the deck.

I don't know.

What was that?

That was concerning. But tied into the fact that they nearly gave their entire season away last week. I still have legitimate concerns about their defense, but look at the players. Some of the better players on the defense were not playing up to who they are. So it's like, does that refocus help against Kansas City? And do you not let Kansas City in the first half make a statement and don't let Isiah Pacheco and others come and rush for 100 plus yards on you?

Isn't that such a weird... Because that's been floating around. You've heard that. The effort wasn't where needed to be. Not the execution. And maybe that's just a poor choice of wording. But if your effort is not all the way there in the NFC title game, what the hell is going on?

I can think of the plays. It was the touch downs. It was the pursuit on the Jamieson Williams' touch down and the Jamier-Gibbs' touch down. Something's rotting. This is something the Lazy Lainies. Is that it? Lanie? Ladies. Ladies. I was just making it specific to a specific moment.

Like a Lanie box? But it was too close to Lailies.

Yeah.lazy.

Lisa.

Lazy Lisa's. Lazy Laura. And Boneheaded Berries. Now we're getting into weird territory.

Yeah, now it's focused on the women's failures.

I'm saying and the Boneheaded Berries. What these people aren't paying attention. It's connected to me. I think we could see Clyde Edwards-Hilaire have a big-time game. We could see some of the designer runs to the outside that take advantage of what's been a dumb defense. And I think that's what... I guess it's great that you're calling them out and saying the effort's not there, but something's rotten. No one's pointed out that this is a bad defense. It's been a below average defense. And it's not like a small sample size. It's not the two weeks that mattered the most in the season, which are pretty important, and they've gotten pushed around, and they're very lucky to still be playing. It's like the six weeks before that. It's the last three games that mattered. Baltimore handed it to them. I can say the The linebackers handed it to them. The lines handed it to them. Most of the stops that they got are just because the lions dropped the ball or made mistakes. That is very concerning to me. And I think very specifically, it's on the edges of their front. And it's even sometimes those linebackers who get a lot of pop for being over-aggressive.

So it's guys they paid a lot of money to. It's Armstead. They brought in Chase Young. I think the Chiefs, they don't have to have a meeting and talk about getting their minds right and getting their effort right in a championship game because they're championship material. And the 49ers defense, to me, has not been championship material for a while.

But when Steve Wilkes gets that head coaching opportunity, everybody can sit down. No, you're exactly right, though.

Yeah. Well, see, we've given now both sides of the story.

Well, you're right, though. We want a fair and balanced podcast. You're right, though. If they have a great game, he's going to get a head coaching job. That's how that works. No, he won't. Not this year. In the future, he's respected. I'm not putting it all on him.

People will forget everything that happened in the last 6 to 8 to 10 weeks if they have a monster game.

They have the players to do it. They have Bosa, they have Hargrave, the number one free agent. They have all these different all pros.

Connie, how about you?

Okay. I am going with an offensive guard because if we're talking X-Factor, I feel like the offensive linemen, they are always getting overlooked. It's not fair. And nick Allegretti, I think.

Especially on the interior of that line. You're right, Connie.

Exactly. And especially in the run game, because Joe Tooney is probably not going to play in this game. Toppy. Allegretti started last week. He's a really good run blocker. He has lots of experience as a starter for Kansas City in the past. This is a seventh-round pick who's only started 13 games in his entire career, and now he's starting a Super Bowl.

And listen, the only time we've ever seen the homes look mortal in the really, was that Super Bowl against the Bucks when the line was all beat up and it was a turnstile. I was thinking how connected to your point and your point, I don't know if Chase Young has big-time football left in his body at this point. And this is such a huge game for him, Greggy. We've talked about the free agent. He's about to be a free agent, and he's probably not going to get a big contract regardless. But if you could come up with a couple of sacs and do something and be a difference maker, and you got Bosa on the other side, they have, you would think, at least a name brand talent, the ability to F up Mahomes and cause havoc. But it just hasn't really happened.

And he's made a couple of plays, and I think they will run on him. You're right with a little Allegretti pop. Both of these defenses, where they're vulnerable is to the ground game. So it's all this quarterback talk, and yet you could see a lot of rushing yards.

Greg, what's your- That was mine.

See, I just seamlessly- That was wonderful.

We almost partnered.

I just felt like, okay, it was so connected.

And you guys did it so well. It felt It was like Mike and the Mad Dog, 1995-level chemistry. I love it.

Well, that's proud territory.

What about a little Jake Moody, too?

Yeah, it's a little expect. You just got two in, and that's unfair. Why would you do that?

Why would you do that to me?

It was a bonus. Was that yours? How could you?

Wait, was it really yours? Alice.

Well, tell us why did. I didn't even go yet. Tell us why didn't.

Speaking of Mad Dog, Chris Ruso. Now everybody needs to get Ruso on their show. We have always been the true Ruso fans. Our podcast. Yes or no, Greg?

We were first to that corner.

Always. First on the scene. Mad Dog is going to be on our show on Thursday. Just one of many great guests coming up.

I think before he had a later career explosion almost.

This third act of greatness.

He was in a different stage in life. He talked to us about that. We courted him annually on this show, and I think brought the proper respect and understanding and context of who Mad Dog is.

He's coming up on Thursday. We're going to let him know that because we love that man. What a moment. Now, let's go to the Kickers Club. Okay. But nice set up. Yeah.

That's what I'm here to do.

Now, nobody ever talks about this stuff because, oh, who cares about kickers? As if these guys aren't, in many cases, deciding the games. Jake Moody versus Harrison Booker is an obvious mismatch here. On paper, in terms of experience, in terms of what we've been seeing from each of these guys in recent weeks.

Handsomeness, hair.

I'm not going to go there. That's inappropriate.

Let me Google real quick to check.

Let us know, Coleen. Yes, let us know if Greg's right.

Oh, he's got great hair.

Is Wana Naga? Is that what you're saying?

No, I could be totally wrong. I just think Butker has great hair, so he's got to outshine Moody.

Anyway, Butker, I haven't been tracking this closely. I haven't really seen it, but he's been locked in. He's made his last 15 field goal kicks. He's been perfect on P-A-T.

How are we looking with him? Now I'm just on an image search for his hair.

Moody's fine. Moody's fine. In terms of what we've seen from each of the guys in recent week, Butker has made... He's been automatic. Of course, he made the game winner, Connie, last year against the Eagles. It was a chip shop, but still, with the Super Bowl on the line. Big deal. Moody, you hear the whispers and the way he was spoken about on the telecast that you wonder if there's been some concerns about if he's cut out for the stage. He missed a field goal in each playoff game leading to this, he missed a P18 in Week 18. He's never kicked in the stadium. I think that matters.

It feels like the stadium, though, it's a nice controlled environment.

I'm just saying, Butcher has done it many times or multiple times at this point. But I will say this for Moody, although Butcher is the guy that trusts way more to make a big kick on Sunday. Like the quarterback, I think Moody did show something in an NFC title game because he could have spun out after missing that early kick. And instead, he locked in, and he was piping it. He made everything after that. So does that carry over to the new biggest game in his life? He obviously has a high pedigree. He came in as a hotshot draft pick.

I think he got drafted so highly, specifically because he hit so many big-time kicks in the biggest Michigan games, in the college football play-ups. It has an all-time kick. So maybe those big-game memories help him.

So that is something to keep an eye on and how the kickers impact the game, because I have no concerns about Butker. He's shown that he is nails. He's, to me, a top three kicker in the league, and he has been for several years now. Just another element of the Chiefs, by the way. There's some balance. It's not just my homes. They've really built out. It's a credit to that organization in all the phases. All right. There we go. So that's the first show of Super Bowl Week here from Radio Row. Again, we'll be back on Thursday.

We have a lot of guests coming in the next two days.

More guests coming up. And then back on Friday with our last show, more guests, more fun. And then we have a couple of days where we have a good time. Yeah. Ed Wolf's in town.

He sure is. Ed Wolf's a good time. Mary Wolf's about to be in town.

Mary Wolf's rolling in. Ed Wolf is already here.

Oh, yeah.

You mentioned he went to your airplane experience.

He was at the base.

Greg and I both spoke to him before we started today.Proud papa.Yes. The man has much flight experience himself, but he never went 9 Gs like his little girl. How about that?

It's pretty cool. So cool.

Pretty cool. Anyway, and then on Sunday night, of course, we will have full coverage of Super Bowl 58. That's it. Hit the music. There's that Sam Spence music, Championship Chase. That's what it's all about, Greg.

There can only be one. It's a beautiful thing.

Thank you to Eric right there who did perfect work today. Thursday. He's the call.