At this point, Alvin DeLora, do I even need to ask? It's Friday. That is what is known as the Decca. Yeah, what's going on? Great to have you here.
I'm Jim Rome. I'm live in Southern California, and the program is brought to you by FanDuel, of course. All right, good show for you. Let's go strong. Make sure you get up in here.
Let's finish the week strong. All right, let's get it. Lots to get to. Good stuff today. Let me start you off.
Telephone numbers toll free. My first interview is coming up at twelve forty, so that's a good time for you to get through. I mean, right now, get up, get in here. I'll have my open. You know that, but I can get the phone call pretty quickly if it's the right phone call.
One eight zero zero six three six eight six eight six. You clones have been on a great run on the phones. Let's keep it up. Keep that momentum up. Hit me up on social if you want on the X at Jim Rome.
Email me at Rome R O M E at haveateak dot com. Also get to our YouTube channel if you don't mind. Find the YouTube channel, hit sub, ring the bell, get in the chat, and let's do this thing. All right, coming up at twelve forty, a tight end for the Minnesota Vikings. V's Minnesota Vikings, TJ Hawkinson.
That's twelve forty coming up at one twenty. The South Pacific Times, the head football coach at Florida Atlantic, Zach Kitley. Our number three Alves week there was. And then we're going to call it a weekend, and I've got lots to cover in and around all of that.
So don't you worry about a thing. Just figure out the best way to engage. All right, hit me up. Love to see it. All right, let me start right here, and I want to say it once again: It is a damn good thing that Jerry Jones does not actually give a crap about winning or losing, because that was one of the worst Cowboy losses that any of us have ever seen.
America's team. America's team, please, please, more like America's clowns. Clowns cannot lose that game. You cannot lose that game at home in prime time to an on four team with an undrafted rookie quarterback making his second career start. You can't lose that game.
And yet, the Cowboys did what they do best—they found a way to lose a game that they should never, ever be losing. Hey, Shotty, remember when you told us you were a better coach than the last 28 seconds of that debacle against Baltimore in Brazil?
Well, you're obviously not. I'll say now what I said then. Those twenty-eight seconds are exactly who you are. You said then you're better than that. You said then you'll be better going forward, but you're not, and you won't.
Stop lying to us. Stop lying to yourself. We we saw exactly who you are. And who your team is last night? An embarrassment.
I just don't know what's more embarrassing. Direct quote, by the way. What's more embarrassing? Losing that game. To that team that way, or getting all bent and butthurt because some rando in the Jerry World postgame tunnel had the audacity to say the word embarrassing in the general direction of one whack Prescott.
That's whack. Embarrassing. I mean, are we serious with this? If you missed it, it's because it was nothing. Even if you saw that on the stream, and you saw Whack look back at this guy like he was staring him down, if you still missed it, it's because it was nothing.
That's the whole point. I mean, it was true, but it was nothing.
So are we really serious with this reaction? Both the head coach and the quarterback actually went to the podium and even talked about this. And the internet is arguing if it's a Cowboys employee or some third-party vendor. Who the hell cares? Could there be any more of a nothing burger?
Embarrassing is by far the nicest thing that you could say about that cowboy performance. The guy was being easy on the highest-paid player in the NFL, who just got outclassed by an undrafted rookie making his second start on the road. But sure. Yeah, yeah, sure. Let's freak out and do everything we can to get people to look at anything other than that big steaming pile of crap that they just took the field wearing the Cowboys uniform with last night.
That big dump they took in their pants. That big dump they took on the field. Let's get everybody to focus on anything other than that, other than that absolute catastrophe that this team, this organization, continue to be. Man, I don't care who said embarrassing in the general vicinity of whack. He was, they were, and it is embarrassing.
And even more embarrassing is his reaction to it. Hey, whack, own it, admit it, and most of all, agree with the dude because he's not wrong. You weren't wronged. Every cowboy fan in the world was just like they are on most every single Sunday. Hey, one more thing, whack!
What happened to the greatest offense there is? What happened to Gotti? Greatest offense there is. If by the greatest offense there is you actually meant the worst defense ever, then sure, Gotti all day long. Yo, Christian Parker.
Way to make it better. And look, I'm not saying that fixing that Cowboys defense was going to be any easy task. It's obviously not.
However, the one good part of that job is that it couldn't possibly get any worse, right? Oh, it's worse. It's worse than ever. This Christian Parker dude, he's making his predecessor Matt Eberflus look like Vic Fangio. This dude, he's got cowboy fan pining for the days, the good old days of Mike Nolan getting hot sauce in his eye.
Nobody, whoops, excuse me, I got something in my eye. Um, just had some Tabasco on my finger and it went in my eye. That wasn't good. It's terrible. Jeez, I'm sorry.
Hey Parker! Hey Parker! They want this guy back—the guy who had Tabasco on his finger and put it in his eye. Who is Parker? No.
Yes. It's impossible to believe that this defense is still this bad. The only thing more impossible to believe is that Jera is trying to act like the defense being this bad is some sort of shocker. This dude is seriously trying to act stunned today. Look at this quote.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on at one hundred five three the fan on Dallas's defense still being awful quote surprising isn't even a big enough word it's mind boggling looking at the stats of our last five games end quote five games Jera it's been freaking years remember when the defense was terrible even with quote Michael. Parsons. Remember when Jara was trying to tell us that the defense would actually get better without quote Michael Parsons because they would finally stop the run without quote Michael Parsons. Apparently, Jara doesn't remember any of that because if he did, he would not be acting like the current state of the defense is in any way mind boggling. Check out my dude, Shio Capadia.
On the Cowboys' defensive stats since trading quote Michael Alvin, do you have a Michael anywhere for me? Michael Parsons before last season. Shield quote: The Cowboys traded Micah Parsons in August of 2025. In the twenty-two games they played since, their defense ranks thirty-second in EPA per drive, thirty-second in success rate, thirty-second in explosive rate allowed, thirty-first in rushing success rate. Is that bad, Jera Butcher?
The state of your defense is mind-boggling. And this is a problem that just came about in the last five games. Hey, whatever gets you through the night, old man. I'll give the old guy this much: at least he did try to make a move to stop that bleeding. And I did give him credit for it at that time.
I said Joey Porter Jr. was a big swing—the kind of big swing that Jera generally never takes. Unfortunately for Jera, that move backfired last night when Porter suddenly came down with some sort of projectile vomiting illness a couple of hours before the game. Apparently so severe that they had footage of this dude walking around before the game with a puke bucket, a backpack and a backpack and a puke bucket. There is the bucket.
Of course, that triggered every tin foiler who said that Porter. Wasn't actually sick, but still trying to negotiate a new contract. Remember, he had that fake injury in Pittsburgh.
Now he's pulling a fake illness, a fake puke projectile illness with a real trash can. I've got my own theory. My theory is that Porter saw the defensive game plan and immediately started puking all over himself. Porter knew what was about to go down in that game last night, and said, "Oh hell no," and made himself throw up everywhere, jammed his finger down his throat. Oh hell no!
I mean, credit to the Bucks; they were actually ready to play a pretty decent game, unlike the Cowboys. That, despite the fact that they did commit fourteen penalties and they did make one of the dumbest decisions of all time by not going. Up three scores, and instead getting stuffed on the goal line on fourth down. Instead of kicking that field goal, they got away with it, though. I mean, what did the Cowboys do with that gift?
Nothing. They blew it. Whack through a second pick because apparently he hit Jake Ferguson in the worst possible place, his hands, and it was far from the only drop. The Cowboys dropped what could have been a pick six on defense. They also fumbled a kickoff.
I guess that's a long way of saying this: the players were terrible. The coaches were worse, and it all goes back to the ringleader of this clown show himself, Jera Jones, who still can't figure out how to get this thing stabilized. Thirty, thirty years after he destroyed the dynasty that Jimma created.
So it really is lucky for Jara that he doesn't give a damn about winning because he sucks at it. Really, the question is: he is it a matter of he doesn't care about winning or he doesn't know how to win? As always, yes. But do this. Stop blaming third-party janitors.
Look in the freaking mirror, clowns. Oh, and one question for you, Steva: When Pops does pass, and you take over this clown show, are we going to get another thirty years of this garbage to make it like an even seventy? Just saying, Steva. Holy crap, man! It takes me back to that conversation I had with James Kelly yesterday on the air during our Fanduel segment, and it was so obvious.
I mean, they were gonna blow them the hell out. Prime time game, coming off a big win, going up against a winless team and an undrafted rookie quarterback. They were gonna blow them the hell out, right? And James Kelly said to me, "I don't know, dude." It seems like a trap game to me. I'm like, damn, dude.
You know what? You're so right. You're so right. All right, I'm not gonna hammer that thing. I'm not gonna smash it, but I will lay the points.
But man, you're right. It does have every bit the feel of a trap game because it's the freaking Cowboys we're talking about. And sure enough, sure enough. I mean, there've been a lot of lows with the Cowboys and so few highs. In last, I don't know, thirty years, that is one of the all-time lows.
Credit to Tampa, they were ready to play. Negative credit to Dallas, they were not ready to play. But man, I don't want to say it's rock bottom because I know they can sink even lower. But that was one of the all-time lows. Football in life, that's what happens.
No. No, that that doesn't happen. Actually, shoddy. I'd call him Marty Junior, but he'll never be his old man. And there's a reason why that guy didn't get a head coaching job until now.
This is why. Why do you think nobody other than Jera would hire this guy as a head coach? Hello. Oh, I'm better than that, and I will be better than that going forward. No, you're not.
And no, you won't be, because we all watched last night, and once again, if they didn't pay me to watch that garbage, I would have changed that channel so early in that game. And at this point of my life, they don't pay me enough to watch that garbage. I mean, come on, garbage. A short week. A short week.
Let me tell you something, America's clowns. You don't lose on seven-second drives. That doesn't happen. I'm responding to the quote that, "Hey, man, these things happen. They happen in football, and they happen in life.
No, they don't. At least not to anybody else." Teams do not lose on seven-second game-winning drives. They don't. The highest-paid player in the NFL does not get outplayed by an undrafted rookie making his second start on the road in prime time. That doesn't happen either.
These things don't happen in life, and they don't happen in the NFL. Only to America's clowns. I'm better than that. No, you're not, Shotty. That's the whole point.
I'm better than I performed in the last 28 seconds. You're not better than the last 28 seconds, and nor are you going to be better going forward. You actually are those 28 seconds. That's who you are. That's where you live.
That's what you do, man. Stop lying to yourself. Stop lying to your players, and stop lying to us. There are a lot of lies that I have to correct today. That I'll get to a little bit later on.
You are one eight hundred six three six eight six eight six. Hit me up. What do you want to talk about? I've got that. I've got.
By the way, more lies. The Detroit Lions. Kelvin Shepard, dude. What are you doing? What are you doing?
The Cowboys' defense is laughing at your defense, and yet you're trying to intimidate us and lecture us about how we're disrespecting you, my guy. You are disrespecting the sport by trotting that defense out there every Sunday and trying to come at us like we're way out of line. Stop. And I thought I was done talking about this guy. I'm not hitting refresh.
My notifications don't hit me when something happens with this guy. But Tony Romo is in the news again, and not for good news. I'm gonna have to go there. It's a great weekend of college ball. I want to talk about that too.
All of that plus a couple of interviews coming up. T.J. Hawkinson, Zach Kitley. And more! Tremendous Friday to you.
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Hello, I'm Ozempic, and I'm other GLP-1s, kind of like him. Hey, did I hear there's a pill version of Ozempic? Yep, you sure did. Ask your doctor about which FDA-approved uses of the Ozempic pen or pill may be right for you. Call 1-833-OZEMPIC or visit ozempic.com to view the medication guide and learn more about Ozempic semaglutide tablets, 9 milligrams, and Ozempic semaglutide injection, 2 milligrams.
I'm telling you, talk about running a misdirection. I wonder if Shoddy. I wonder whose idea was. Was it Shoddy? Was it Whack?
Was it PR? All right, guys, come here. Huddle up. When we get up there, let's spend as much time as possible talking about that rando in the tunnel. The callout embarrassing.
And then let's just go on and on about that. And then let's just tag it with I don't even know why we're talking about this. And then they won't ask us about the game itself. Great play, great misdirection. Yeah, that almost worked.
So, clones. One quick question: Why is Old Trapper beef jerky so amazing? There is something to be said for a family business—a family business which stands by quality, a family business which has a standard, and the standard is to produce the world's finest beef jerky. That is their standard, and they've accomplished that, and they keep doing it. Do not be fooled by other brands.
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Four amazing flavors—they're all great. If for some reason you relate to it and you haven't tried it yet, try all four. They come in four-ounce bags. If you know what you want, get the big one—the 18-ouncer. That way, there's enough for everybody.
If you do not see it, ask for a trapper by name because no other jerky compares to a trapper. What's your beef? I've got plenty around here because I smash it every single day. All right, quickly. Here is the actual sound.
Here, here is Dak addressing the. This is great. The way this is set up in a post. Here is Dak addressing the tunnel confrontation with the third party contracted worker in his post game presser.
So not only did he get actually hooked, hooked by a third party, third party contracted worker in the tunnel. He got hooked. Just keep walking. Don't look back. Nope.
Got hooked. And even then, to me, that is like the worst decision. But at that point, instead of letting it go. They decide to make an even bigger deal out of it at the podium, and my take is, of course, they did. They don't want us talking about the game.
They're going to do anything they can to get us to look away and not call them out on one of the worst losses ever. But here is Dak turning it into something it's not—somebody questioning his manhood. When he said it, I just happened to look at him, and at that point, you know, he looked away, didn't look, and when I turned my head back, he said something else. And so that—that's the part that you know, just as a man or as just a person of, you feel free to speak your mind. Just speak it.
Don't don't cower away from the reaction that you're going to get. And so. Yeah, I mean, if you're saying it's embarrassing, say it's embarrassing. If you're saying it to me, then say it to me. Don't you know what I mean?
Go back on it.
So that's all that was, and hate it that it's even being talked about. To be honest with you, no, you don't. No, you do. You actually, you seem to love it. You just gave us a whole blow by blow.
Blow. What do you mean you hate that you're even talking about it? You hate it. You have to stop talking about it. You wish you were still talking about it.
You you hate that you're even talking about it, do you? Do you? To be honest with you, keep asking me about that. You know what the big tell is when he starts off by saying, "To be honest with you," to be honest with you, that that's a big tell that something dishonest is about to come. No, keep asking me about that third-party contracted employee, some rando that we don't even see.
Just don't ask me about the loss. Just don't ask me about the INT. Just don't ask me about anything that transpired on the field. Don't ask me about that undrafted rookie starting his second game who outclassed me and outplayed me. But to be honest, to be honest with you, I'm sorry we're even talking about this.
No, you're not. To be honest with you, you're thrilled to talk about this because we're not talking about that bull crap that we saw on the field. Come on. Just like you make sixty million dollars a year, but to be honest with you. I really don't even care about money.
I don't play for money. Never have, never cared for it. To be honest with you, another tell, the same tell. Any time that guy says to be honest with you, he's not being honest with us, man. Stop, stop.
To be honest with you, I don't really play the game for money. Anything but. Stop acting like this guy somehow disrespected you, or questioned your manhood, or if you are going to say it, say it. Hey, Dak, we're all saying it. It was embarrassing.
You lost to a winless team in your house in prime time to a quarterback that was undrafted, making his second start. Of course, it was embarrassing, and so was your reaction to this. D. Cook, four hundred six quote: "Best Thursday night game ever." Like you, Rome. I don't root except for the Cowboys to lose.
Love that. Duck Prescott got butthurt by someone saying the game was embarrassing. When you said worst loss, you meant best loss, right, Romy? Yes, yes. Gordon Hathorn.
Since we can't boo pro athletes without hurting their feelings, good job, good effort, Cowboys. Good job. It's McIlford. Jim, Jim, Jim, Jim Beam, Jim. It doesn't matter.
Jalen Daniels, Jaden Daniels, might as well have been Jack Daniels. 100% of Jera's face was left on Bourbon Street last night. 20% of me has been left on Bourbon Street. Good one, Pops. All right, this next take is graphic in nature.
I want to warn you before I read this. Tony in Salt Lake with this bomb quote: "The Cowboys are a classless organization." Did you see the crypt keeper pound his fist? He hasn't been that mad since segregation ended. And Dak whining about someone saying embarrassing. Try not caring about others' opinions, just like you don't care for money.
At Linear Messenger, hey Rome, let's be real about these clown boys. That loser, Chris, in Southeast Wisco, is closer to a dynasty than the cow clowns ever will be. It's a dynasty, clowns. Forgot about that guy. There you go.
Let's go to chat. Oh, hey, chat. What's up? I didn't start with you, chat. At strength of Sparta.
Quote: Apparently, the truth about being embarrassing hurts. At King Shark Forty Nine. Who are the fail clowns now? Fail clowns. Signed the Atlanta Falcons.
Good point. Fair point. At Craig the Randall, Joey Porter Jr. watched Space Jam too before last night's game. At Dan and Allentown, embarrassing.
Sign the clones when they hear Dino sing. At Stranger, quote: "Most valuable sports franchise on earth. Jara's mediocrity is so profitable he has no incentive to improve." Right, pretty much, pretty much what I'm trying to say and have been trying to say. That's why he doesn't care. The guy's not doing everything he can to win.
Obviously, and why would he? You keep coming, and the organization, the franchise, continues to escalate in value. Why would the guy care about winning? And he doesn't. If he did, they wouldn't be losing games like that.
Embarrassing. All right.
So, your reaction to it coming up. Vikings tight end T.J. Hawkinson. That's next. Zach Kittley, Florida Atlantic head coach.
Coming up at 1:20. Telephone calls. I like it. They're lining up. Stay there.
I'll get to you. Anybody want to zoom in today? I might even take a Zoom call on a Friday from the right person, right? All of that. Still ahead.
You're listening to the Jim Rome Show. At Edward Jones, we believe rich is more than caring about the latest and greatest. It's also taking care of what gives your life meaning. That's why your dedicated financial advisor meets you where you are, with personalized financial strategies that help protect what matters, so you can preserve your progress while creating a path forward. The key to being rich is knowing what counts.
Let's find your rich together. Edward Jones, Member SIPC. Hello, I'm Ozempic, and I'm other GLP-1s, kind of like him. Hey, did I hear there's a pill version of Ozempic? Yep, you sure did.
Ask your doctor about which FDA-approved uses of the Ozempic pen or pill may be right for you. Call one eight three three Ozempic or visit ozempic dot com to view the medication guide and learn more about Ozempic semaglutide tablets nine milligrams and Ozempic semaglutide injection two milligrams. There's a pill version of Ozempic. Right once again, I am Jim Rome. Great to be with you on a Friday.
So if you're on hold, stay there. Phone lines are lit. Love to see it. But first things first, we are joined right now by a tight end for the Minnesota Vikings. He is a two-time Pro Bowler.
He's in his eighth year in the league. He has 22 receptions, 195 yards, and touchdown this season. He won the 2018 John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end in college at Iowa. The Vikings are 4-0. They take on the.
On Sunday, we are joined right now by T.J. Hawkinson. T.J., really appreciate you making time. How you doing, dude? Fantastic.
How are you? Good, man. Good. Really good to see you.
So you can't do much better. Yeah, man. You can't do much better than a four-no start, and you're one of three undefeated teams left in the league.
So how did this week of practice go? And how would you describe the energy and the mood at the facility right now? Yeah, I mean, always great vibes. You know, just being here for the last, you know, four years or whatever it is, it's we always have good vibes here. And you know, practice went well this week.
Everybody's everybody's locked into the Saints, so I think it's going to be a fun one on Sunday. Obviously, they're a great team, so you know we got our work work cut ahead of us, but it'll be fun. I like that. I like that response. Always great vibes.
Always great vibes. T.J. Hogsett joining us.
So you led all receivers. Receivers with 13 catches, 119 receiving yards in that win over Miami. How much early season chemistry and rapport are you starting to feel like you're building with Kyler Murray as he's got more playing time? I think it's a week by week thing. You know, I mean.
Every day, every day we step out here in between the white lines. You know, we're we're just trying to get better, and you know, Kyler's made obviously great strides. Obviously, being with this being the first year in in our in our system, so every day we're coming out here, we're communicating, we're we're talking what we're seeing and what he's seeing, and and how we can mesh those two things.
So, yeah, it's it's been fun here to to be on on this side and and just continue a. You know, I was gonna say you—you can't speak for him. I'd be better served asking him. But I wonder, what do you think it's like for a guy like that? I mean, a former number one pick overall that is not only changing systems but changing organizations for the very first time.
And then this, you could probably speak to how much more comfortable does he seem right now than when he first got there. Yeah, I mean, you know, I think every day that you're here, you know, we we as a locker room, we always love to, you know, invite invite. At least since I've been here, everybody's is a close locker room, so we we always invite those guys and that are new and and you know make them feel welcome.
So I think, you know, we've done we've done nothing but that with with Kyler. I mean, he's he's a great addition to our locker room this year. I mean. The vibes that he brings every day, how hard of work he is, you understand why he was, you know, the number one overall pick, and you know, has has had great success in this league, and then, you know, it's just again continuing to be. You know, go out and practice in between the whites, and and communicating, and you know, he.
I feel like he's he's become more and more comfortable with not only the system, but just us in general, and being able to trust it, and you know, be able to trust receivers to make it make plays for him.
So it's been it's been fun to to get out there with them and continue this season. Makes sense to me. I can appreciate that. We are talking to TJ Hawkinson. TJ, of course, the final catch was the one.
You know where I'm going. It generated the most. Attention was we got down inside the five yard line. Look, bottom line, you know how you know brutal the keyboard warriors can be, right?
So my question is this: Aside from that, just generally speaking, when people get up online and they get into your mentions, generally speaking, do players see this? And because some of this is fair game and some this is not fair game at all, does it get in their heads? Did they ever carry it on the field? Does it affect mental health? Like, what about social media and some of the things you see?
I mean, I kind of try to stay off of it. You know, at this point, my my career, I've got other thing. I got a a wife and a baby at home, so I enjoy that time. But you know, I'm not that. That's something that I'm not worried about.
I mean, I I just I keep myself in the present, and and this this organization and these coaches and these players in this locker room.
So yeah, I mean, I know it gained a lot of attention, but on the same. Same hand, you know, we're four and zero, and that's that's the best odds to win that game, and is going down, and you ended on offense, so you know that's that's what we call in the huddle, and that that is what it is.
So yeah, I try to make it a bigger picture than that because I I get that. I get that. I understand that. I'm just talking about like social media overall. You're a vet, and you've been around this thing a long time.
To your point, I've got a wife. I've got a baby. I know it's important, and I'm going to keep the main thing the main thing. I I just wonder, man, because people online and that play aside, they're just getting angrier and angrier and angrier. And some of it's fair game, and some of it is totally out of line.
And I just wonder how that affects mindset. And do players ever carry that on the field? I'm. I mean, I'm sure you know that that affects people. Yeah, I mean, I know it's.
I know. I know it's a crazy world out there. I do. I really do. I know there's.
You know, there's people that get in DMs, and there's there's a lot going on with that. But on the same hand, I mean, it's our job to not really look at it either. You know, I mean, yeah, we have to do social media. We have to do that stuff. But fortunately for me, I have somebody that does that and kind.
Of you know, I send them things and they do it. But I mean, it's a it's a different world we live in than you know, 10 or 15 years ago when I was in high school and and getting into college.
So it's it's a little easier to access us than than. In the past, now you're so right. I we have two kids. I've got a 25 year old son and a 21 year old son, and we talk about this. That even that like three and a half, four year difference, it's so different.
Even in that one gap, just those four years, how how quickly the world changes. TJ Hawkinson joining us. TJ, I get a kick out of KOC. It's a big KOC house. I'm curious, what's it like being in his offense, where you know that everybody's going to get the ball.
That I the offense is still ramping up this year, but the way the offense sets up and it spreads the ball around, it's So many different guys. What's it like being the offense? It's a lot of fun. I mean, obviously, I get a, I get to play with you know. Arguably, the greatest receiver to play the game in Jets, and and a really really good receiver in Jordan Addison, and then obviously our quarterback.
So you know, I I get an opportunity to be able to you know get out here and and enjoy these guys and and learn from them and see what they're doing and kind of you know I can't take what Justin Jefferson has obviously and put it in my game all the time, but you know there's little tids that he he does and you know he talks about that that. That I'm able to apply, so I think I think that's the best part about this place is, and this offense is is just being able to have that communication between all the players and and and and be able to learn what they're doing, and and you get to run that route every once in a while.
So, you know, just talking to them and seeing how they get open. Vikings tight end T.J. Augusson for a few more moments, joining us.
So you have all those weapons, and then the announcement that. Odell Beckham Jr. was signed to the practice squad. What was your reaction to that? And have you spent any time with him?
Oh yeah, he's been he's been another great addition to this locker room. I mean, obviously, you know he's had the career he has had, you know. And I grew up watching him, and and you know being a fan of his.
So first day he got here, you know, I was stoked to shake his hand and introduce myself, but. You know, just another guy that you talk about a vet and knowledge of the game. You know, he's got a lot of it, and and just being able to communicate with him and you know see what he sees is is pretty sweet. And you know, just watching him catch the ball is pretty fun, dude. I think that's cool that you thought it was cool to shake his hand.
I mean, given everything you've seen, everything you've accomplished in your career, does he still have that? It like you know when guys walk in, like when he was at the peak of his powers, man, there was nobody bigger. But does he still have That it does. That still kind of come off him. I mean, yeah, for sure.
A guy like that, and a guy, a guy that has had a career like he's had, you know, you always. I mean, just being a fan of the of the game of football, you really have to respect a guy like that.
So it's it's awesome to have him in here. And and and you talk about a good dude in the locker room, and he's been that. All right, let me finally ask you: What about the defense? One thought about the defense: I could argue that not only is that the best defense in the NFL, your defense, it might be the best. Unit on either side of the ball in the NFL right now.
How much do you think facing Brian Flores' defense gets you ready for game days? I mean, yeah, we had to do it a lot in camp, and obviously, he he brings a lot of looks that you have to talk about. And I wouldn't want to, you know, have just a week to be able to talk about it to to play on Sunday.
So they they do a lot of really really good stuff over there that makes it hard on the offense, but. You know, to to have the the group that those guys are in the tight knit unit of of a defense, just being around them and getting to see their connection and and how they they talk to each other and and how much you know onus is is on the players is is pretty sweet. Vikings are four and zero. Big game coming up to Sunday against the Saints. TJ Hawkinson, eight years in the league right now, coming off a huge game.
TJ, really appreciate you making time. I know. You have a lot of choices, not a lot of time. Great to have you on the show. Thank you very much.
Appreciate you. Appreciate you having me. All right, TJ, good having you. TJ Hawkins in joining us, eight years in. Always good to have a conversation like that.
I know my man V in the fee appreciated that. His Vikings are unbeaten thus far. All right, so our number one. I saved some time on the back end. Let's get a telephone call or two in here.
One eight hundred six three six eight six eight six. Where to? It's got a Buffalo, Chris. Yo, Chris, good to have you on. What's up?
Hey, Jim, lifelong Cowboys fan. I can tell you, we are so far removed from the days of Staubach, Landry. Jimmy, Troy, what this team used to mean in the NFL, and now that Carnival Barker has turned it into a Super Bowl champion of internet clicks, TV ratings, merchandise sales, and indifference. The Cowboys do nothing but the Cleveland Browns with better uniforms, a nicer stadium, more money, and the quarterback is in a creep. War the Jones family selling and just going away?
I'm out, bro. Rakim, what a great phone call! What a great phone call! Except for the very end of that, I know, I know that's what you want. I know you think that nothing will change if they don't, but they're not selling that team.
No way in hell they're selling that team.
Now, what will happen? Not to be morbid or obnoxious, Jera will pass on. We know nothing is going to change until that happens. Frankly. Jera will pass on, and we know that there is a succession plan in place.
This is why, at the very end of the opening segment, I said, "Hey, Steva, I haven't forgotten about you, and I know you're not your old man, and your old man is still calling all the shots. Ultimately, he will pass on, and the old man knows that." And we all know Steva is then going to run the show, and we don't know Steva like we know the old man because the old man won't share the spotlight. But this is—we do know this much about Steva: Steva is different than Jera, and I think I have a sense, to a certain degree, a tiny degree, of how he's different. But we don't know exactly how he's different.
So maybe when Steva and I think he does have authority, and I think he does have power, and I think he does have the old man's ear, but the old man is going to do what the old man's going to do. When Steva is the one calling the shots, I wonder how different it's going to look. No, I wonder how different it's going to actually be, because Jera is making it about him always has, or he would have never run Jima off. Because they were a dynasty, an all-time great dynasty, an organization that's never been the same. Because the place just wasn't big enough for Jera and Jema, and Jera wasn't getting all the credit.
So no, they're not selling the team. He's going to hand the team over to his son, but they're not selling.
So the question then becomes: How different will it be? If you are a Cowboy fan, you better hope a lot different. That's why I said, "Are we going to get another thirty years of the same?" I don't know. We'll find out. Stay tuned.
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