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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Let me break it down for you again. The Rich Eisen Show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
You hold good football teams to 10 points. You should win the football game. Today's guests: Chargers wide receiver Vlad McConkey, three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schleren, actors Ted Danson and Mary Steenbergen. And now, for Rich Eisen.
Well, hey everyone Everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, which has everything ESPN all the time. ESPN Radio presented by Progressive Insurance, also on the air. We say hello to our SiriusXM Channel 80 listeners as well, and to you podcast listeners. You're just as important to us, even though you're listening to us whenever you want. It's your right.
Through all three hours, we say hello to you. And we've got some great, I dare any other show to put Lad McCocky and Mary Steenbergen in the same group of guests. Ted Danson and Mary Steenbergen together in hour number three in advance of their season two of the Netflix series Man on the Inside together.
So, and then Mark Schlarth, a guy named Stink and Sam Malone on the show. I mean, that's our role. And today, we got a great celebrity, true or false, in stores and Overreaction Monday. On a Tuesday, the Overreaction Monday podcast is still out there, and your RSS feeds are on our YouTube channel, youtube.com/slash RichEison show for everybody who wants all of that. Because you see over there, Chris Brockman, how are you?
Hey, Rich, who's more likely to have heard of the other, Ladidi or Mary Steenberg? Great question. I don't know. I mean, it's Tuesday, but we can play what's more likely. I don't know.
I don't know if I don't think I'm going to use real estate with either one of them to see, hey, do you know Lad McConkey? Just for us. Just for us. Or the fact that we refer to him as Ladidi McConkey. Michael Key as a photographer.
McConkey. Good to see you over there, Mike. How are you? Our sound engineer. Our audio executive is here.
TJ Jefferson, the candle is lit, as I could see over there. I'm good now, but I was pretty stressed last night. I'm going to let you go. Oh, my God. We're going to talk about that later.
Couldn't tell, TJ. I'm just glad that you're here as proof of life. What you say? Because you didn't respond to a single text on that chain last night. And you were the one on the guillotine in our fantasy league.
We'll talk about that later. All right, I'm just saying. We've got an audience in studio for the first hour today. The students. Hey, there's Professor Schuster with her students, power players and platforms in global sports of the University of Southern California, the Marshall School of Business, and the Annenberg School of Communication.
Only class that crosses both streams like Ghostbusters. You're not supposed to cross. Not supposed to cross. But it works and strength.
So they're all sitting here. I was farming hot takes this morning. It seems what I can use for overreaction Monday on a Tuesday.
Okay, hot take farmer Chris Brockman. All right, let's start with the Monday night football game, even though the Mavs have fired their general manager. Yeah, we knew that wasn't. We'll talk about Nico later on.
Well, let's talk about the Monday Night Football Games. Do we have to?
Well, yeah, we will, because, you know, obviously it's going to leave a mark. It's left a mark. And we'll look at it from the top down, first of all. The NFC standings. The Eagles wound up being one going into the game because they were off last week when everybody else lost in front of them.
And there's still one now. One game over the Seahawks. I don't want to bore you with the details of the tiebreaks. Um and the Rams, they're one. And the Packers drop all the way from first place in their division.
Two Third place in their division. They're seventh overall now. And the Bears are in second place in the NFC North. And have some wait-for-wild card cushion. Here we go.
That's what the final score of last night's 10-7.
Sometimes difficult to watch, but exhilarating, sometimes nonetheless, Monday night football contest in Lambeau Field. We'll take it one team at a time here. And of course We have to start. with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. who are now seven and two.
With A Dynamite. Super Bowl caliber defense. Oh my God, do they have a terrific defense? I think it was funny. Last night, Joe Buck, when uh the Monday Night Football broadcast was introducing The defense.
Philadelphia. And he he basically said, Here's the defense the Philadelphia Eagles you know, most of them played from Georgia. You know, most of them from Georgia. And he's not wrong. Nolan Smith got activated before the game last night.
He's been hurt. Georgia. Yeah.
Okay. Jalen Carter, who is One of the best. If not arguably the best at his position, a game wrecker of the A variety from the middle of the defensive line. Where'd he go? Georgia.
Hey, Christopher, we love this guy when he was playing for Georgia. Nicobie Dean is back and healthy, and he's making open field tackles. One that he made on Um Josh Jacobs in the fourth quarter last night in the middle of the field. And he also was the one on the sack. Of Jordan Love, ball popped up in the air and he tried to slap it.
At Josh Jacobs, but it was a fumble. And of course, you know who recovered this fumble. The guy who Howie Roseman Acquired from the Miami Dolphins for a third-round pick that we were wondering. Anyone else want to throw a third-round pick at the Miami Dolphins for Jalen Phillips? Anyone, Bueller?
Bueller, I understand that reference, pop culture reference, probably lost on the USC students. Give them credit, Richard. They go to USC. But they don't take a day off. Like Ferris Bueller, that's the reference I was making.
Okay, I got some thumbs up. I don't feel that old. Listen. Anybody else want to flip a three? Because it's going to be better than Philadelphia's more likely than not.
Miami would have said sold. And anybody who didn't... Is got to be looking at. Oh, so Jalen Phillips recovers that fumble. Oh, okay.
He's not part of this Philadelphia defense. And the back end. What, Quinyanimo Bay, right? Is that what it's called? Is that what they're calling it?
And Cooper Dejine, and the rest of those guys in the back end.
Well, you know what McAfee calls him. Amazing whites. Exciting whites. Exciting whites. Ah, so close.
Well, I mean, that's the photograph in your local wine shop.
Okay. Okay. So defensively, check the box. There are some box checking of the Philadelphia Eagles that I think we've come to see in their Super Bowl window era of Nick Siriani.
Okay. And one of them is, you know, more likely than not, terrific defense.
Okay, Vic Fangio's dialing it out the whole business. And then it's just offensively, they're mystifying, they mystify you. Outside of running it through Saquon Barkley for 2,000 yards plus. In last year's campaign. It's like if he's not working.
It's just not working. And it looks brutal. It looks. Completely like tooth pulling for first downs. And Jalen Hurts For whatever reason, on third and long, isn't even targeting A.J.
Brown or Devontae Smith. There were multiple third and longs last night, and he's just like checking it down. He's not even checking out what's going on. A.J. Brown, two catches in the first half, Bupkiss in the second half.
So, um You know. It then leads to the now seemingly weekly occurrence of a press conference: what's up with the offense, Jalen Hurts? And then he'll give you a sound bite where it's all business and he gives you nothing else to hang your hat on. Hit it. When when we look at ourselves in the mirror, it's not a capability thing.
It's not a capability thing at all. You know, we we're very confident in what we can do. We just gotta go out there and play uh at a high level more consistently. And I think this game was a perfect example of what it could be when we take advantage of our opportunities and then. I mean we don't control the things that we can How they can hinder us.
Anybody? I'm getting sick of this. Don't get sick of it. I mean, because he's your Super Bowl MVP from last year, and he could be again this year. No chance.
Okay, no chance. Because, guess what? Another earmark of an eagle's Game? is weird stuff. And I just gave you some weird stuff.
The weird stuff. Weird stuff, like we're going to run. Two pushes. And this league is so on the officiating to officiate this stuff right. And the first push push Against a team that tried to legislate it out of football, happens three snaps into the first drive for the Philadelphia Eagles.
And one of their offensive linemen is clearly moving before the snap. Clearly moving. He was in the defensive officials who have been told to be on their P's and Q's for this. They're staring right down the line. And all the 19, 4K cameras that ESPN has on this line of scrimmage is capturing a clear false start.
And they don't call it. It's embarrassing. And then at the end of the game... After watching all the teeth getting pulled on offense. The Philadelphia Eagles defense gets another turnover.
On a run play on fourth down. With the Packers having the ball at the end of the game with a chance to tie it and force overtime. They get another turnover this Eagles defense on a play that Josh Jacobs said the Eagles were calling out before the snap. Again, we'll talk about the Packers later on in this hour. The Eagles get the ball back.
They got to run out the clock best they can. They've got Saquon Barkley to do it. They've got to burn through the Packers' timeouts first. At one point, they throw it. Like, what did they do with it?
But that's in the previous. Possession that eventually led to Green Bay having a chance to tie it. Only to fumble it back to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now they're just going to run Saquon Barkley all the way to fourth down. At which point, with the Packers out of timeouts, but the Eagles need to burn off the last thirty seconds on fourth down. Do they pun it? Do they just run Jalen Hurts around? Before maybe getting him up the field, something to burn some time off, I would have punted it instead.
Try again. This is when he decides to target A.J. Brown. Hey, why not? On a deep ball down the left side.
That's as 50-50 coin flip as you possibly can get when this analytics-driven franchise clearly has. A percentage on a way a punt would work out. I'm not a next-gen stats guy. I'm imagining the odds of percentages were better than 50-50 of the punt working out. Probably 90.
And that's the way the Packers get the ball back, needing only 20 yards or 30 yards to get a decent field goal shot, no timeouts left. I don't get that decision at all. Let's see if the explanation from the head coach. Lends any more clarity than the quarterback did about the offensive struggles. I would have liked to have been a little closer to kick a field goal, but the closer we would have got, the more, again, you play every situation a little bit differently, but I didn't want, I think it was into the wind on that one.
I knew the kick would have to be a little bit lower trajectory of a kick on that particular one. I got a lot of faith in our offense, and it didn't work out on this one. You know, I stay in put on that decision, you know, especially being up three, because you go up six, they're still going to need a touchdown, but you know, How Mary, everything like that.
So we would have ended the game if we would have got that, and I got a lot of faith in our guys to be able to do that.
Now, again, this is a simulcast on the radio. Dead air doesn't do well on the radio. No, no, no. But after hearing that, I just have to say. Yeah.
What? What would Uh uh huh? What, huh? What? Huh?
Uh What? Like the Nick Young sweaty team Jiff of like Hong? I don't understand that. At all. It leads to the last check mark.
Of Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-era window opening type of football. They won. Yep. And Nick Siriani wins his 55th career game as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. That is tied for the fifth most all time by a head coach in their first five career.
Seasons The only ones with more. Mike Smith, how about them apples back in the day with the Falcons? Interesting.
Okay. Matt LaFleur, who's losing last night, has everybody questioning his job status, even to his face, in the post-game press conference. Fair. Two fewer than Paul Brown with 57 and George Sefert. Wynn W.
I am. Put up the NFC standings one more time, if you wouldn't mind, Mr. Hoskins, and I'll explain to the radio audience: there's no photographs attached to that. No photographs of the offensive struggles or the weird decisions and the tush-pushes that they get away with with movement before, and Saquon Barkley coming in and out of the game, and A.J. Brown not getting targets, and Devontae Smith getting one and coming up with the one touchdown necessary.
Yada, yada, yada. They win. Yeah, but who are you picking in a game against the rest of the teams behind the Eagles? I get it until the Eagles do show up and put it all together.
Well, that's a pretty big if. Or they don't. You could say that all you want, pal. And I'm going to keep doing it. You're seven and two.
Yeah.
Yup. They could be, I don't know, three, five, and one. Yeah, exactly. Like the 11th-seeded Dallas Cowboys at present. Or the Packers at 5-3-1.
Yeah.
Once upon a time, 5-1-1. Once upon a time, the team that Eviscerated the Detroit Lions in their home in week one. Yeah, that's the preseason. There should be a lot only now to lose. Back-to-back games.
against the Panthers and Eagles at home. Again, we'll talk about the Packers later on. But the Philadelphia Eagles, despite the weirdness and the wildness and the head scratching and the yeah, this, that, but the only earmark of Of the more recent days of the Super Bowl window. That has yet to appear. Is the passive-aggressive proverb being posted by A.J.
Brown post-game, which he is yet to do or chooses not to do? Oh, I looked before the show, Chris. It's not there.
Okay. There's nothing there. Although I only looked on one social media site, I haven't scrubbed them all, but that's part of your end of the business, Chris. Here we go. Hasn't happened yet.
One character. Maybe that'll happen. But. Say what you will, the Philadelphia Eagles are atop the NFC. Entering week 11.
As they are next up against the Detroit Lions on Sunday night football. Holy smokes, that game, in case you're wondering. is in fact in Philadelphia. Before they visit Dallas again to try and sweep the Cowboys, that Bears game the day after Thanksgiving gets better and better. Every single week.
Making that Visit to Philadelphia for Al Michaels more than just about one of his favorite four seasons. Um, And then there's the Monday nighter here against the Chargers, our neighbors across the way. And that's the way we segue to break. Because Lad McConkey, Ladidi McConkey, Ladidi, is about to join us after he came up with a 100-yard performance against the. Pittsburgh Steelers.
And we haven't, I don't think he's ever appeared on this program. Certainly not since.
Well, he did. He shot a video for us. When Keegan Michael Key was back in studio here last two weeks ago, he's going to join us. Mark Schlerith will join us. And then our three, Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen.
Real-life husband and wife, and co-stars of the Netflix series season two, Man on the Inside, that's our three, but Ladidi next. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Richardson here for Sonos, the speakers that bring every game to life in my own house. With studio quality sound, Sonos makes you feel like you're right there in the stadium. Whether you're cheering on your team, binging your favorite show, or listening to the hottest songs, Sonos fills every room with incredible sound.
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You never text me.
Now we have to bring our radio audience up to speed. Let's ask them. Let's ask the kids here. No, no, no, no, no. Let's not ask the kids here.
Are you going to sit and read all of them and respond to them? No, you just hold on a second. You won't. Everybody. Everybody.
You've got to put me on your best behavior. Listen. Well, we're past. No, listen. Listen.
Listen. Let's do this. Radio audience 844-204-Rich, number down. What do you do when you're in a fantasy league and somebody and you're texting your group, and one person is intimately involved in the wins and the losses of this league, and they do not respond a single time to the text message? Do you take offense to this or not?
What do you do? If you're the commissioner, what do you do? 844-204-RICH. We take it to the people right here on the Rich Odyssey show on Disney Plus, ESPN app, and ESPN radio presented by Progressive Insurance. Also, be on your best behavior because we've never had this guy on as a guest.
Yes. We refer to him as you Ladidi McConkey. And he is a Los Angeles Charger for D D Net. Fresh off the win on Sunday night football against the Pittsburgh Steelers here, courtesy of the Pepper portal for Dr. Pepper ahead of the Texas and Georgia game.
And it's his birthday today. Oh, yeah. Happy birthday, Ladini Mitcon K. How are you, lad? Thank you.
Thank you. I appreciate it. Other than getting an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, what did you want for your birthday? Line. Just some downtime.
Just relax.
Okay. You know, don't have to worry about too much. Yeah, that's it.
Okay, so you're in the grind of the season, basically, is what you're saying right now. Yeah, yeah, for sure.
So, any little downtime you can get, it's good. What would you even do with downtime? Like, what would you do? If I give you downtime, boom, you got downtime. What would you do with it?
Yeah.
I'm probably just hanging out at the house with my wife and my dog, watching some YouTube, something like that, just chilling.
Okay. Well, I'm looking right now down the pike. You got time coming up, week 12. You got a bye week. That's coming up.
We do. We do. Okay. So you just head back to Georgia, go back to my hometown. See the family, maybe do a little hunting, something like that.
So we'll see. What do you watch on YouTube with your wife and your dog? Like, what are your choices? What do you normally watch? I like to watch some I like YouTube golf.
She doesn't really like it, so she'll just hang out.
Okay. Enjoy it with me, Buck.
Okay. What's the name of your dog? Neilie. Nelly.
Okay. It's not Ugga. It's not Ugga. You didn't think about naming your dog Ugga? Nah, not Ugga.
So it's not a bulldog, is what you're saying. It is not. It is not. I got a poodle.
Okay. We just got her. A poodle? Yeah, she's like. Two months?
Yeah.
Okay. I'm just trying to get the full picture of what. Of what's going on in your life right now. I was there on Sunday night, lad, and I watched that victory for your team. Coming in against the Steelers team that had just been They just crushed the Colts.
And I'm wondering what your thought on the Steelers defense was going in and what you were able to exploit on Sunday night. Lag. Yeah, we knew they got a bunch of great players, super physical. Coach Harvaugh talked about it all week, it's going to be a physical battle. And it was.
But really, our defense played lots out. They kept us in the game. Special teams made plays. And when we had to show up on offense, I feel like we did. And it was good.
Got the good run game going, took some shots, were able to get some catch and runs.
So, overall, that was a great win. One of the things I and I want to get to Harbaugh in a second. One of the things I could not help but notice. When I was in the stadium last night, I got there nice and early.
So, you know, I have a 14-year-old son wanting to get there, and I totally get it. was how uh on the SoFi stadium PA, you guys get announced as you're coming out to warm up by position group. and the lusty booze coming from the stands because they were filled with terrible towel waving or shaking your head already, fans in Pittsburgh. What what what what goes through your mind, you and the Chargers, when when this is the scene in your own building that you're seeing? Lad.
Yeah, it can be a tough, tough deal sometimes. You know, coming from Georgia, it's like I had really never experienced that before. Um, but it was great seeing them all leave uh at the end of the game. No, and I understand it. I don't mean to put you in a tough position because you don't want to sound critical of your fans who are full-throated in your in support of you.
And there's many of them here in Los Angeles. I get it, and you don't want to, you don't want to criticize them. But I guess what does what challenge does it present to you that you're silent snap counting in your own building? Were you prepared for that? This week?
I feel like we kind of always work on it. We work on Silent Count a lot just because we understand. Uh that that happens sometimes. Um just when you play play another teams like you know the Raiders, Chiefs whatever teams travel, um, it seems like they travel A lot, tire stadium. But no, we're prepared for it.
Okay. And then you mentioned how Harbaugh Jim was telling you all week it's going to be a physical battle. Can you walk me through what Jim does throughout a week in general to set the stage. To set the narrative for your team within the building to set the, I guess, tone. How he goes about it.
Lad. Yeah, I mean we're I'd say it starts with on Wednesdays. We're full pads. Uh we're out there. you know, getting after it a little bit, obviously being smart, but Um you gotta keep that you know physical.
Physicalness going throughout the week, so that's part of it. And then I feel like our offensive coordinator Giro does a great job of it emphasizing it. Um Sanjay, my receiver's coach, like, hey, like, we're going block um If you're out there on the field, so they just do a great job of emphasizing it and like showing, like showing us reps. Like, if you do it, if you are physical, this is what happens. We can pop big runs.
You can turn first downs into touchdowns.
So setting the agenda, he comes out on a Wednesday and addresses the team, and you know. what the agenda is going to be for the next five, six days, essentially, is what you're saying? Is what he's doing? I mean, I would say, yeah. It could be, you know, different every week.
Coach Harbaugh will have a different message. Whichever week we're playing.
So this past week was just physicalness.
Well, I think and the thing that again, he never talks about it. Certainly, you know, whenever I ask him publicly or in a in a in an interview about how He just seems to keep it simple. You know, I brought this up to Derwin James last week, and I'll bring it up to you. is prior to the first game of the season in Brazil, I called that game on YouTube and I asked him, you know, what his philosophy is, how it works, why is he able to go into a program, make it his own, turn it around immediately? And his answer was, he just didn't, it was as simple as possible.
He just said, I love football. And I love people who love football, and people who love football love me. That's what he said, you know, and it's you're laughing, right? Simple as that. Simple as that.
Right? I mean, and does that resonate with the players in such a way that it works? Lad, is that as simple as that? With him? It's simple as that.
I mean, he always says competitors competitors are welcome. Uh I feel like we've got a bunch of those on our team. And Coach Robo just does a great job of just like getting guys to rally together. Uh like You know, offense, defense, we're all feeding off one another.
Somebody makes a play, then the next person makes a play, and then it's just uh. You know, a ripple effect after that.
So, yeah, he just does a great job of bringing this all together. And, like I said, it's as simple as that. How are you? You love football. Yeah, how are you a competitor?
No, how are you a competitor? How are you? How how am I competitive? Yeah, right. Yeah.
Shoot, I think I'm pretty competitive about everything I do. Whether we're playing ping pong in the locker room, playing some golf in the simulator. Uh, now I'm on the football field, so I don't like to lose. You're that guy, basically, is what you're saying. We we all know guys like that.
You're that guy Lad McConkey, are you that guy? You're one of that guys that you don't like losing in anything. I'm a pretty bad loser, I'll say. What about an argument? Are you that guy too in an argument?
No, no, I can uh I can admit when I'm wrong.
Okay. When was the last time you admitted you were wrong? When was the last time you admitted you were wrong? Oh, I can't I can't remember. I couldn't tell you.
But so where does that come from? the competition. You're a competitor. I have an older brother. He's five years older than me.
So him and all his friends, always over at the house when I was growing up. I think that's definitely where it comes from. It's like they were always beating up on me, five years older, so it's like tough for me. Um but then You know, I when I'm getting in middle school there and high school and still opened up on me, so I was like, I either gotta Got to show up and get better. They're just going to keep opening up on me.
So I think that's where it comes from. Do you compete even with Keenan like Keenan Allen, who set the record for most receptions in the history of the Chargers on Sunday night? And the latter throws that game. Do you even compete with your own teammates and somebody like a goat, like him? Black?
Like you're talking about on the field, off the field, or what? All of it. Just a little bit of everything. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. Yeah, no, for sure.
We're, I mean, yeah, anybody. Like, we're in there and playing ping pong in the locker room, getting after it.
Some guys just set up some cornhole boards, start playing cornhole. Uh we got the golf simulator, so we're we're always competing.
Okay. And what about with yourself? What about year one of Lad McConkie compared to year two? You compete there too? 100%.
Yeah.
I mean, I feel like uh Had a lot last year that, you know, I had a good year, but I was like, I can be so much better. Went in the offseason, you know, worked hard, had a great offseason, got healthy, got feeling good. Um, so yeah, I'm always trying to improve and Shoot, if I can get better and better and have a better season every year, I think I'll be good. What do you think you're better at this year? I think uh I'm being I think I've I've come out and I've just tried to be more consistent.
And that's something I'm still working on. I feel like I've left some stuff out there this year. And that's just part of it.
Next play mentality is something I'm I've been working on this year.
Okay. And what about the competitive Lad McConkey? Um when the End zone's right there. You're seeing it. You just made a play.
against the Pittsburgh Steelers. You got a second touchdown right there in your sights. You're shaking your head. Yeah.
What about that? How has that sat with you over the last 24 hours? I should have sworn. I was watching it. I should have just trusted my speed.
I should have just kept running. Uh quit looking back, just head down and dig. I'm upset about that one. I should add two. That's not.
Were you sneaking a bit? There is no jumbo trunk. You got to really look up to see anything.
So you weren't during that? Yeah, I was like I was like wrapped around so you're not able to see it.
So I have I was trying to peek but Kudos to him. He was rolling too. Yeah, I mean, that's no joke. That's Jalen Ramsey who was trying to track you down. Lad.
Okay. All right.
So that that that pisses you off, essentially. That's what helps fuel the fire for the next game. That's what you're saying. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
I've already watched it way too many times. Like, gosh, I should have just I should have just kept running. All right, so let's talk about the pepper portal ahead of the Texas Georgia. You never played against Texas when you were Georgia, right? Did that?
I did not.
Okay. So this is just now a newfangled thing, I guess, now that Texas is in the SEC, and let's roll. That's what you're saying. for this game. Yeah, no, it it it's cool dude.
I feel like Dr. Pepper does like a good job of just like bringing all the fans together. And I know how the fans were. When I was at Georgia, like 8 a.m. We have a 12 o'clock game, 8 a.m.
They're out there telgating, g getting ready to go.
So it'll be, you know, cool seeing the Pepper Portal and they'll be able to like interact with Texas fans and show them who's really got more school spirit and who's really got more proud.
So the Pepper Portal is you you you're appearing within that prior to the game? Is that what you're saying? Is that what it is? Len? Yeah, I think like I I'll be I'll be on there.
Okay. And then there will also be like fan like Georgia fans can interact with Texas fans.
So you can have some, you know, friendly competition. Um you know do some chants, call the dogs, whatever you want to do, some sh But uh really to show Yeah, show what you got.
Okay. All right.
And what do you think of the Georgia Bulldogs season so far and chances of. of doing what you were able to do when you were there. Yeah.
Oh, I got the utmost confidence in 'em. They've had some nail bodies this year, but they've pulled it out.
So I think they're battle tested. I'm ready to see him, you know, come live here down the stretch.
Okay, and you got a good Kirby Smart story? Is there one? He just strikes me as just a straightforward. Football guy too. Like, uh is there a good Kerberg?
Oh, really? Two minutes. Too many. I can't repeat a lot of them, though. Is he a D's nuts guy like Nick Staben?
Does he do that, or is he not that guy? I don't know if he does that, but he's got his microphone out there.
So you better be ready and alert because you'll hear him. And you're like, where the heck is he? And you look down, he's 100 yards over on the other field screaming at you.
Okay. But it's all good, though. It's all good. It's all love.
Okay. So, are you guys openly talking Super Bowl in the Los Angeles Chargers locker room facility and things like that? Openly talking about it? I mean, I feel like that's something like since the beginning of the year, we're like, why not? Why not us?
Why can't we go win the Super Bowl? Why can't Los Angeles Chargers win the Super Bowl? We have. players in the building, the coaches in the building to get it done. Um so yeah, let's let's get rolling down this stretch.
Um getting the playoffs and then You know, once you get in the playoffs, who knows what can happen.
Okay. Well, I appreciate the time, and I've spent this entire interview holding back from calling you Ladidi Mikon K. Lad, because that happened here on this set about a year and a half ago. It went viral. Did I hear your quarterback refer to you as Dee Dee?
Yes, uh uh uh after the game on Sunday. Lad, did I hear that? Wait, did he? I really don't know, but I know tons of my teammates will always say it. There's like.
Half the teammates all go, La Dee, what's up?
Now it's just like, okay, I just roll with it now. Cause we heard there was a rumor that they did in fact start to refer to you as Keegan Michael Key, as Mr. Garvey referred to. Yeah.
Program. Confirm that that is a new nickname. Yeah, tons of guys call me that for sure.
Okay, now I'm going to ask a question, I shouldn't. Do you mind it? Is it a big thing? Is that a problem? No, that's cool.
That's cool.
Okay, we're on our register. I could be if that's the worst thing they're calling me, I think. I do like that.
Well, Lad, listen, appreciate the time. Everybody should check out the Pepper portal for Dr. Pepper at the Texas, Georgia game. Lad is part of it. In advance, I guess you are, let me check this out.
You are heading to SEC Country. You're heading to Jacksonville. Oh my goodness. We are.
Well, you've played in this building, right? World's largest cocktail party, right? Have you played in this building? I have played in a couple of times.
Okay. Except this one, there'll be no drinking. For this one. This is nah. I don't think I was drinking it the last time either.
Okay, my bad.
So you have definitely.
Okay, so in advance of this Texas-Georgia game, you've never played against Georgia. Your first competition with Georgia is, in fact, the Dr. Pepper Portal. But you are professionally playing in the building in which you played as a Georgia Bulldog in the world's largest cocktail party. I got that right?
Yeah.
Okay. Yes. Very good.
Well, I look forward to you going back to your old stomping grounds like that. Good luck to you doing your thing. And I appreciate the time and happy birthday. Lad. Thank you.
I appreciate it. Thanks for having me. Happy birthday to Lad McConkey of the Los Angeles Chargers here at the Rich Isaac Show. And off he goes. Who wouldn't want to spend their birthday here?
We've all done it at one point in order to do it. We've all done it. We've all done it. I've survived it. All right, let's take a break.
The Packers' end of things from Monday Night Football. That's next. This is the Rich Eisen Show. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. If you've shopped online, chances are you've bought from a business powered by Shopify.
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All right, the Green Bay Packers last night Had the Philadelphia Eagles in their house. Problem number one: they're the Eagles. Problem number two: Eagles coming off a bye. Not easy to do that. Problem number three.
They're not firing on all cylinders on offense as the Carolina Panthers just shocked them. In their homes. This is after they lit up the Steelers on Sunday night football, winning that. Matchup with Aaron Rodgers that was highly anticipated. Jordan Love had his best game.
Oh, arguably is a pro. The offense was killing it. Then it's his 27th birthday. The Panthers gave him his birthday punches on that day.
Now here come the Eagles. And the defense did its job, and the offense looked completely off. Again, doesn't help that Tucker Kraft is done for the year. He was there. Yards after the catch guys, you know they were serving up Loads of crafts, yak, and cheese.
I make myself laugh. But it doesn't help that he's gone and he went out in the middle of that game against the Panthers, and they're still trying to adjust on what to do. I'm not making any excuses. Because the Packers have now lost three games this year. All three of their games, they allowed 16 or fewer points.
Only the Browns and the O of 08 and the Dolphins the year before have had more such losses in a single season in the last 20 seasons. Only the 73 Rams have allowed fewer points per game and losses in a season than the 2025 Packers. They've allowed 13 points on average in their three losses. All they got to do is score two touchdowns, and they are. Unbeaten.
That's the difference between being unbeaten Through Half of your season. And your head coach. being asked about his Job status. Yes, folks. Matt LaFleur, as we all know, coming into the season, the new man in charge.
Son of Carmen Ed policy wasn't extending anybody's contracts, not Gudekunst, not the head coach.
So, Matt LaFleur now. Isn't this amazing? Just two games losing streak going from 5-1-1 to this question. I'll leave that for all for everybody else to decide. I'll just focus on the day to day and trying to do I I feel like you're always coaching for everything in this league.
You know, that's just my mindset. It's always been that way. You know, you can't ever Mm-hmm. Exhale. You got to always be pushing, and that's just my mindset.
So. Um and that will be my mindset until they tell me not to coach anymore. That would be I'll just say this a mistake I know it's not looking good right now. Listen, I know it's not looking good right now. This guy won 12 games his first three years in a row.
And I know Rodgers was doing Rogers things, but come on now, man. I think it would be a mistake, but then again, you know, this day and age, crazier things have happened. Crazier things have happened. And I know this one particularly stings, certainly when a fourth-down play. Where Josh Jacobs gets blown up in the backfield so badly that he feels the need.
I got to pitch it to Jordan Love to keep this game alive, and the ball's fumbled and it's a turnover on downs. That turns into a fumble. Says this. about the play call. Fourth and one, they called out our play.
We ran it like four times. They called it out. As a runner it don't never feel good. I mean Whenever they know what we're doing, they'll never feel good because it changed my mind on how I'm gonna run the ball. if we just being honest.
Um It m it makes it makes me kinda like guess what what I'm gonna do. Um and I Obviously, you know, people are smart. They gonna we if we got cold words or whatever, you hear it a few times, like you gonna eventually react to it. You know, I mean, that's football, but Yeah, I mean it's it's never a good feeling. How did it change the way you ran on that run?
I mean, they called it out. We called our play. They said inside zone. It's coming right here. Um So I kind of like didn't want to run right there, you know?
But um Yeah, that's just how I played out.
So the Eagles are calling out their code words and making their best offensive player, most reliable offensive player, second guess himself before he gets a football on a fourth down must-have play. On Monday Night Football. That Doesn't sit well. And I understand, like, that's coaching, that's on the coach. But I think you got to give this guy a little bit more grace.
That's my own two cents. That said. Kind of going back and forth here. Do you know the last time the Packers lost a home game in which they allowed ten or fewer points? Like they did on Monday Night Football.
I'll give you the answer. Who says a while ago?
Well, they had won 66 straight home games. Allowing 10 or fewer points, including the playoffs. That broke that streak up last night. Last time it happened in Lambeau Field. Week eight, 1991, when the Bears beat them 10-0.
With Jim Harbaugh starting for Mike Dikka. Wow. That's the last time it happened. 1991. Correct, sir.
There was only, I think, six people in this room that were born. That's correct. And there's a whole lot of them. And they all have microphones in front of them. We're sitting on the Rich Eisen Show pool table right now as a professor.
I'm not going to say her age. Listen, I hope she was born in 1999.
Well, yeah, totally. I hope she was. What am I talking about? Is this thing on? What?
Uh-huh. But they're five, three, and one. Everybody just chill out. Fine. That's not the world in which we live.
But guess what? It's a mat. We're still marathoning. We're marathoning. We're marathoning, okay?
And I've seen what this team can do when they're 5-1 and 1 as well. And the good news is the defense is balling out. And all Jordan Love's got to do is just see the field a little bit better, because some of this is on him. You see, remember that point where Christian Watson was open over the middle and they cut to LaFleur watching it back on the tablet, and he's just like, oh. This is after Aikman's like he was open.
And I know that. For a fact, because Cooper really needed Christian Watson to couch passes to get off the guillotine last night. The fact that supposedly LaFleur is in the guillotine, I think, is nuts. It's crazy. One playoff win in the last four seasons.
I understand that, man. But what are we doing? Because you could see the same thing about most everybody in the National Football League as well. And this team can score points, and I think will again. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
Mm-hmm.
