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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. I would say to the Pats now, who wins the game is not the team with the best players. Who wins the game is the players with the best team.
Today's guest. Actor Josh Lucas. Actor Nikolai Custer Waldow. Super Bowl 60 storylines. Your phone calls.
Latest news, and more. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody, it is Super Bowl week. We're in Southern California for the next two days in our usual spot on the Rich Eisen Show on Disney Plus, the ESPN app, ESPN Radio, SiriusXM Channel 80. On Wednesday, we're going up north.
We're going to. Do our show from the Super Bowl 60 Town in San Francisco Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. And we're on ESPN today, which we're always thrilled about back in my old digs. Uh interestingly enough on uh On the first day, first business day after a massive merger between the NFL and the ESPN is announced.
So we'll talk about all of this on today's show. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. Whether you're a fan of the Patriots like Chris Brockman, or you're a fan of the Seattle Seahawks like the actor Josh Lucas, who's now in our green room coming out top of hour number two. I don't know if the Kingslayer has any interest in Super Bowl 60, but the actor who played Jamie Lannister back in the day, most famously, Nikolai Costa Waldow, is going to be right here on this program. Courtesy of Apple TV, the last thing he told me, season two is coming up.
Um, later on this month, and uh, he'll be here in studio in hour number three. And as I mentioned, you at 844-204-H being the number of dial. Hey, Jay Felly, good to see you at your spot. Good morning, Richard. You got it.
Uh, TJ Jefferson, candles lit over there, huh? Yes, sir. Good to see you. How are you doing today? Good to see you.
So it's like the same as it ever was in a couple of ways. First of all, Patriots, boy, do they know how to send their team off to a Super Bowl. Yet again, another rally, another pep rally in New England. Did Raymond Berry do a pep rally back in 1985 before taking Tony Eason to the Superdome to take on the Bears? I don't know if they did that.
And the old Foxborough with the with the metal the metal benches. I don't know if they did that, but doesn't feel like it, but they did it again. They got another send-off. Uh well the Seattle Seahawks, I guess what Quietly got on a plane. I don't know.
Did they have a send-off? I didn't see any video of that over the weekend. Did they act like they had been there before?
Well, both teams have been there before against each other. That was the last time Seattle made the Super Bowl. I've heard that. And interestingly enough, an earthquake of 4.3 on the Richter scale. Was measured in the Bay Area, and my first thought was Marshawn Lynch must have landed.
Because it happened in Oakland, by the way. Apparently, it happened on that side of the bay. But hopefully, everybody's okay, and we're ready to have a celebration of the week. And that's one thing that we always know if the Patriots make it, there's going to be a big old send off. getting their duckboat city in a line.
Before they send their team to a Super Bowl City. By the way, Believe it or not. California's had 13 Super Bowl. There's the 13th Super Bowl in California. Wow.
And this is the 12th Super Bowl that the Patriots have ever played in. Um And the two have never met. This is the first ever. California based Super Bowl the Patriots have played in. Go figure that.
I should have made that a did you know. Um and uh but the other thing that that that you know is that it's a copycat league. And everyone's going to take a look and say, I want that. This team has made the Super Bowl, and I want that. And I guess, how do you copycat what New England's done?
Which is Hold on to your third overall draft choice because that's going to be the quarterback. That's going to go to the Super Bowl from the draft class first, not the ones taken above him. It's very rare that you go quarterback, quarterback, quarterback to start a draft. Like two years ago, And the third one taken is the one that goes. The one that was second overall got close last year.
in the NFC championship game in Jaden Daniels. didn't get there. Um but Drake May is in. And his first year, he didn't start the entire year. He had a coach.
That clearly wasn't fitting, or the ownership group thought wasn't working. And uh they're gonna take That quarterback with the rest of his draft class. And this year's draft class and add some free agents. And um and then hire a new coach who's somebody who knows your area very well because he won three Super Bowls as a player for you. And that you know what I mean?
Like, how are you going to how are you going to with the OC who won three others. Right. And get that guy back just in time, right? To save the quarterback that you got third overall last year from a fate say like Sam Darnold. Who's now in the Super Bowl?
Chosen third overall in 2018. And he was part of a draft class. in the first round that had five quarterbacks taken. He was the second one taken third overall. but he is the first of that draft class.
In the first round. to make a Super Bowl. And that's where If I am an owner in the National Football League, by the way, I just. Raise my network. Congratulations.
Thank you. Wow. Considerably raise my net worth. Yeah, yeah. You're buying.
Thank you. Appreciate that. You might need a loan.
Well, which means I now own a piece of ESPN. Oh, hey, now. Which means, listen, you're your own boss. Move me some ways I can go here now. All right.
And So I would say let's find us one of those. Certainly, when you're taking a look at a team that just got beaten by Drake May a couple of weeks ago. And you're the Houston Texans, and you're now in a position to say: do we pay? CJ Stroud fifty something million dollars a year based on what we've seen already. Do we feel he is the guy that we should give a two hundred million dollar contract to right now.
As opposed to Getting Us a Sam Darnold, which would be a very risky move because it's very. Unconventional to take a kid that you've already gotten. I'm just using Houston as an example for many reasons. Um because You know, they're the ones who are going to be next up trying to figure out what to do with their quarterback and C.J. Stroud.
Do they extend him? He has made the playoffs in the second round. All three of his years. He has won a playoff game in each of his first three years, but then hit his head on the ceiling. And that is better than what we've seen from Sam Darnold.
But would I rather go and get somebody who doesn't cost the same. who maybe hasn't gotten A chance. And is ready to succeed based on seasoning, based on the amount of time in the league. Do you see where I'm going with this? Because if I'm also choosing Houston, As an example.
Now Which AFC team is built like Seattle the most? Or which NFC team is built like the Texans the most? There's a lot of connective tissue here. With a superb defense. That's been drafted well.
On top of that, You also get somebody like Daniel Hunter to add to your terrific defense, a veteran. Who's been at it a while? Demarcus Lawrence to me feels like the deal Daniil Hunter of this equation. Do you see where I'm going with this? Nico Collins might be the JSN, although the JSN is younger and has better production.
It seems like everything is set up similarly Although Seattle's offensive line, I think, is a little bit better. I'm kind of comparing apples to apples here about if you take Sam Darnold and put him on this Houston Texans team. This current version of Sam Darnold put him on a Houston, Texas team. Could CJ Stroud become the next Sam Darnold? Entirely possible.
But I am an owner of the NFL. I don't want to pay somebody 50-something million bucks a year unless he's already made a championship game or a Super Bowl. You've been advocating for this for a long time. You don't have to pay somebody that you've drafted highly. all that money and then get stuck on the hook if that person's not the real thing.
Look at Tuatungo Vilo and what's happening in Miami. Exactly. Look what's happened with Kyler Murray and Arizona. You don't have to do it. And Sam Darnold is now out there.
And Jimmy G took her team. to the Super Bowl. And the other ones that have gone to the Super Bowl in recent days. are teams like the Chiefs, obviously. Who drafted well?
And went with their guy and immediately saw success, and don't have to worry about who's their quarterback in Japan for the future. You sign them for a gajillion years and lock them up and throw away the key. Which is what the Patriots are in right now. That situation.
So At the end of the day, if the Seattle Seahawks win, everyone's going to be like. I want a Sam Darnold. And I would want to build a team that way. And we're going to talk about that with Mike Mayock in short order. Or if the Patriots win, I'm going to be like I want to build it like New England, although I think it's easier to build a team like the one in Seattle.
Because How are you going to find a kid like Drake May? In this year's draft, there's no guarantee. In last year's draft, we saw Drake May. We saw. Caleb, we saw Jaden Daniels Bone Nicks, if he didn't get His ankle broken, would have played in an AFC championship.
It's a major crapshoot, but the Patriots built that defense through free agency. And so that, you know, that is a path that teams can take. Yes. And the fact that Drake May has made it. And Jaden Daniels almost made it.
And Caleb Williams flashed this year and clearly appears to be the real deal. And Bo Nix made it but couldn't. Answer the bell 'cause his ankle got broken. Who does that leave from last year's draft? The injured Michael Pennix Jr.
and the oft injured. JJ McCarthy. And Who made the Super Pole? For the Seattle Seahawks. Mm-hmm.
Sam Darnold. Who was in Minnesota? Who had 14 wins last year? For Minnesota. Who then left Minnesota?
goes to Seattle, takes them to the Super Bowl. While the Vikings have an up-and-down season with J.J. McCarthy, when he was not healthy. In comes Carson Wentz, who is up and down. And then Carson Wentz gets hurt.
And then they got to go to Max Brosmer. Oh, sorry. And they still had a 9-8 season because they won their last five games and fired their general manager anyway. And that's what happens when you let somebody walk out of the building who then goes. and goes to a Super Bowl.
And Justin Jefferson This past weekend He's been awesome all year long, not throwing. anybody under the bus. Many other wide receivers in this league would have said something passive aggressive by now or fully aggressive by now. That would have put J.J. McCarthy further on the griddle and then the front office further on the griddle and the head coach potentially in a spot where he's got to say knock it off.
He didn't do that all season long. And a lot of his recent comments over the weekend, I believe, in a podcast involved with USA Today. Um The comments are clanking everywhere, and here's what he had to say with Sam Darnold making the Super Bowl in Seattle. Does a part of you feel like, hey, if you ran it back one more year, maybe that could have been you? Yeah, I mean, for sure.
I mean, definitely. I mean, especially, I mean, everyone knows the difficulty of the quarterback position this year, of how we was dealt with. But of course, you know, having a quarterback that's already had the season under his belt with us, knew the plays, knew the playbook, knew the players, you know, of course, throwing to me, Jordan Addison, TJ Hawkinson, all of these guys. I definitely felt like we would have done better. But, you know, it is what it is.
You know, it's on to new and better things. But I'm definitely happy and proud for him that he was able to reach it this year. You know what? I don't have a problem with a single syllable he just said. There's no question the Vikings would have been better with Sam Darnold this year.
There's just no doubt about it.
Now, we have the 2020 vision of looking back. Um at it. And we definitely have a results-based Opinion. sitting here on the first Monday of February. of Super Bowl Week.
with Sam Darnold getting set to be front and center for the next six days. and potentially for the rest of his life if he wins six days from now. But The Vikings, in the same way that I'm talking about how do you build a team. The Vikings were hoping that JJ McCarthy would be this Drake May. which means, by the way, next year would be his Super Bowl year.
And he would come in. to season two. with pretty much the same first year experience, as Drake May. Because May didn't start his first full year. Sadly for the Vikings, J.J.
McCarthy. Could have had his first full year be Drake May's type of first full year. Had he not blown his knee out? In Train camp. And it's that simple.
If for the preseason he got through it healthy, then two years ago. would have made this year his leap year. And instead, it was his first year. Where you go through the ups and downs. And Sam Darnold 100% knowing the offense, knowing everything, coming back, having a contract, having everything that he had in Seattle, which is you're our guy.
We choose you. We don't choose someone else. You're our guy. As a matter of fact, we got rid of our guy. We sent our guy to our old coach guy.
In Vegas. For you, we put an offer on the table where you don't have to look over your shoulder and go, Drew Locke. No big deal. You don't have to look over your shoulder and go, oh, that's the kid that they drafted and definitely want to start here at some point. You can't blame Minnesota for figuring out.
This is our kid. We drafted our kid. We're going ahead with our kid this year. It's just the timing was off, unless you just wanted to tell J.J. McCarthy.
This is called the national football. He gets called not for long. You had your shot, your knee got blown out, and it's Sam Darnold's team. And you're going to be Jordan loved for as long as we want, and you're not going to have a single thing to say about it. You know, and use this year as another year for you to get better.
And we'll see what happens in year three or four. But this is Sam Darnold's team. And then, as soon as that guy began to struggle or the offensive line, that. J.J. McCarthy struggled behind, and Carson Wentz got hurt behind, and J.J.
McCarthy got hurt behind again because it was a revolving tour. Do we know if Sam Darnel would have walked through this? Season healthy? There's so much happening with 2020 hindsight. And all you got to do is take a look at the fact that the Vikings fired their general manager.
Friday of Pro Bowl Week. Right, or Friday of Pro Bowl Week, Friday of Senior Bowl Week, pardon me, and Pro Bowl Week, I guess. Pro Bowl Games Week. My bad. The only thing that changed between the end of the regular season And The Friday of Senior Bowl Week.
To cause the Vikings to say everything that you heard over the weekend about why they, you know, rumors coming out about why the Vikings general manager was fired. Ridiculous. None of that In my mind, it is a fireable offense, nor is none of that anything different than firing him the Monday after the regular season, which, by the way, finished with five straight wins. And the Friday of Senior Bowl Week, the only thing that's different is Sam Donald made the Super Bowl. And word is Kevin O'Connell's like, yeah, our kid's not ready.
We kind of need Sam here, but why would Sam stay there? After we heard, well, he hit his head on the ceiling in the finale against Detroit. He hit his head on the ceiling against the Rams. He's not the guy. Is he the guy?
Is he really the guy? Or was the 14-win guy the guy? And the Seattle Seahawks were like, yeah, that's the guy. Let's go get him. Let's trade Geno Smith and go get him.
So at the end of the day, I want to have A guy that I'm paying $30 million a year to go to the Super Bowl with, with already six, seven, eight years of experience bouncing around, I'll take a shot on that guy. rather than maybe signing somebody who's won a A playoff game. And say, here's $55 million, and we're locked into you for a while, and this better work. I'm an owner. I'm saying I'd rather do that.
Obviously, I'd rather have the Drake May pick. That's the winner of them all. But that might be more of a unicorn than Sam Darnold.
Well that leaves them open to, like Chris said, to spend, what, close to three hundred million to Upgrading that roster can't do that unless you have a quarterback on that first. Don't forget the way the Vikings season ended. and the way that everyone was talking about Sam Darnold. And Sam basically reading the room and going, Yeah, they want to play the kid at some point. I'm going to a spot where there is no kid, and I'm the guy.
And I'm up there in the Pacific Northwest, and I'm going to do what I need to do. In relative quiet, peace and quiet compared to the rest of the Media World and its Focus. Also, Rich, you know, what were they really thinking would have been good for Justin Jefferson?
Well, what he was really thinking is, again, you know, what he's really thinking is we would have been better with Sam Darnold. I understand why we stuck with the kid. I do see some moxie in the kid. And let's hope the kid is next year's Drake May. Or you could.
That's why I would as well. I was on a record-breaking trajectory for my career, and this year I put up the worst numbers I have. In a season where I played a full season. Kudos to him that he didn't go all. Yeah.
All season long. Yeah, I know how I'm saying. And this is basically, and if everybody's saying this is him going off, he had every right to say what he just said. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. Mike Mayock, my buddy from back in the day, is going to join us to help us preview Super Bowl 60, chop up a little bit more of what we just discussed.
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And obviously, you and I will get into the X's and O's in this conversation shortly. But, you know, you mentioned John Schneider putting this team together. It's been, I guess, a journey to this point as opposed to the immediate turnaround that the Patriots have had. What do you think is the secret sauce of the Seattle Seahawks that makes them so good built roster-wise going into Super Bowl sixty? Mike?
Well, the bright beacon, the bright light is what we're talking about. They made the right decision at quarterback. And the Minnesota Vikings didn't. Right. Okay, at least for last year.
So the the move to Darnold was A veteran GM. Getting the entire organization on board. Like, this is what we're going to do, and we've got to have an infrastructure behind him to support him. And he went out. Yeah.
You know, wide receivers were signed on the fly. I mean, Cooper Cup was a cap casualty in LA. They get Rashid Shaheed right before the trade deadline. You know, and JSN goes off. It opens the door for him to kind of go off with a new quarterback and become the focal point.
But they draft a guard in the first round. He starts the entire season. On defense, it's been a two or three year. I mean Their defensive backfield for the five starters were drafted. Between 22 and 5.
The D lineman, I mean, DeMarcus Lawrence was a free agent last year. They traded for Leonard Williams a couple years ago. In Chennai Nwosu a couple years ago, was a free agent. You know, the inside linebacker, a trade for Ernest Jones.
So You see a general manager who's trading, he's picking up cap casualties, he's picking up unrestricted free agents, and he's doing it in a two to three-year period, both with higher-paid guys. And those veterans on one-year deals. coupled with a healthy supply of draft picks. And he's made he's turned this roster over on the fly. They've never been a bad football team.
They just, they're turning it over. They get the right quarterback, and bang, they go hit it. John Schneider is one of the best GMs that you're going to talk about over the last 25 years. Yeah, no doubt. I mean, and what does it take, though?
And To swap out your quarterback and your top wide receiver and say, This is my plan. You know, in year two for your coach. Does the general manager sit there and go?
Okay, this is what we're going to do, and then he goes and does it, or just happens organically. And then you look back, go, damn, I just traded my quarterback and top wide receiver away. How does that work, Mike? How does that work? No, I mean.
Even though John has got say on roster and all there, and every, you know, every building's a little different who has say and how much. Right. Cooperation throughout your building, but John's great at that. He's a facilitator. He and Mike, I'm sure, sat down and put this whole thing together.
They weren't getting production out of the quarterback position at the level they wanted. Gino was okay, but it wasn't the level.
So, where do we go? We're not going to get in the draft. I mean, they got to go to ownership, I'm sure, and just say, This is what we're trying to do. We're going to pay this guy 30 million, and that's kind of the mid-level in the quarterback ranks. And there's still some upside left.
I mean, they all had to be on board. It wasn't John just saying, Hey, Mike, good luck. Have fun this year. That is the sign of a healthy organization. And so the.
The signing for New England. Is it Milton Williams? Which one? Yeah. That's it.
And give me your. Your CSIing of the Patriots roster and decision making to get them to Super Bowl 60. Michael. Loved it.
Now, you and I, before the draft, had a lot of conversations, and one of them, I remember, we talked about all the money that New England had to spend. And how would they spend it? And it was a combination of some high. powered and expensive Unrestricted free agents. You mentioned Milt Williams.
He was certainly one of them. I can go through their roster, Rich. I mean, I can go right down the list. They paid Spilane, they paid Carlton Davis. Morgan Moses, kind of at you know, he's an older first round former first round tackle, but they turned over four of the five offensive linemen, two rookies and two free agents, and then they signed a whole bunch of kind of One year.
stopgap guys that could still pay. And that's not easy. But those guys are out there. And what I think Elliott Wolfe did a great job is you look, you know, Matt Collins and Stephon Diggs were both signed in March. Like, they don't have a headline or a wideout, yet they got this second-year quarterback, you know, in the MVP conversation, you know.
Garrett Bradbury, another former first-round cap casualty. You go on the defensive side, Tonga. I mean, Kayla Von Chasine, another former first-round pick.
So, again, my point is. They made the right decisions. They spent money intelligently on the high-level guys, and then they brought in a bunch of free agents on one-year deals that played at a high-level because A, they still had something left in the tank, and B, they're playing for a new contract. And I take my tip of the cap. To both of the GMs.
Super Bowl 60 comes down to what, Mike Mayok? What do you got for me? Yeah, one thing to me, and that is: is the New England quarterback. ready to put this team on his back and carry him. And in the playoffs thus far, it hasn't been quite as good.
As during the regular season, give him credit, he's used his legs when necessary, including in the snow. you know, a week and a half ago. But this kid is is has been super all year. I think Seattle's a better football team right now. And I think this kid is going to have to play the game of his life And with both his arms and his legs.
For New England to win. What is Seattle cooking up for him then? What do you think Mike McDonald's doing right now on that side of the building? Michael, I think a less talked-about issue is, you know, we talk about. Jaden Daniels.
We talk about Deshaun Jackson. We talk about the escapability and playmaking with the legs of those guys. We don't talk about Drake May like we should. Drake May is an athlete. And Even though he's not as twitchy quick He still can tuck it and go.
And when necessary, I think their first playoff game, he had like 10 carries for close to 70 yards. And, you know, he turned the ball over, what, four or five times those first games, first two playoff games.
So he's got to play completely clean. He's got to use his legs. I know Seattle is very aware of his legs. I wouldn't be surprised to see a spy. But I don't think they're scared of them.
I think they respect New England's receivers, but I don't think they're scared of them.
So. Drake May is going to have to play a game now. And then New England, other than May, is cooking up what you think for Seattle. I mean, Yeah. They are wearing is my 14-year-old son Cooper is a die-hard Patriot fan, Mike, because of his mom.
Is said to me, Dad, we're wearing the same uniforms that we wore the night that Sam Darnold saw ghosts. And she's trying to dig at me too, Mike. You know, that's what sons do. He might like New England because of his mom, but he certainly sounds like he's got the curiosity of his father.
So what do you think of New England's defense to try and affect Darnold to go back into the old days where he was struggling. Yeah. I mean Three playoff games, they've allowed 26 points and they've taken the ball away eight times. It doesn't get a whole lot better than that. Um You know, I think it comes down a lot of it to.
Kent, what happens in the red zone? And can Sam Darnold con convert? You know, the four-point opportunities, the difference between field goals and touchdowns, versus a New England defense that's been very stingy, especially in the playoffs in the red zone. And I think you'll see some simulated pressure and some things to try and get Sam to get rid of the ball real quickly, get it out fast. But I think the red zone is as it always is.
Red zone and turnovers in games like this. Are huge. It gets magnified.
So, who turns the ball over? Who's forced to kick field goals? I just think overall right now Seattle's a more complete team from a talent perspective. Mike Mayock here on the Rich Eisen Show. A few minutes left with the former GM of the Raiders, and obviously a longtime friend and colleague of mine from back in the day on NFL Network.
Hey, Mike, the coaching hire that we're not talking about enough is. Oh, the one we're not talking about. I think a team that can play well quickly. With a new coach would be Atlanta with Stefansky.
Okay. Why? Because I think he knows what he's doing whenever he gets a competent quarterback. He's winning 11 or 12 games, and that's where the asterisk lies. Is where's Michael Pennix going to come down this year and what do you do with Kirk Cousins?
They just kind of redid his contract to give him a little wiggle room, but they're probably going to have to release him. I think there's a deadline in there in March where they're going to have to release him or redo a contract.
So, what does the new regime think about Michael Pennix? You know, they got Matt Ryan. They they they've got Kevin Stofansky, that's a Philly connection, those two guys. And Ian Cunningham, the new GM. I think that's a team ready to win quickly, but it's all going to be on Michael Pennix.
And I think Kevin Stefansky went a long way. He won Coach of the Year twice. when he had a quarterback he could work with. I we had Jeff Hafley on the show, and I'll bring it up because I see your hat there, your BC football hat. I loved meeting him.
I'd never spoken to him before. He was like emotionally intelligent. You know, and um in in just um I couldn't have been more impressed. And obviously, you want to talk about what you think of the quarterback for the new regime. I think he's at the top of the list, right?
I mean, obviously, Mike LaFleur with. Uh Kyler Murray now in Arizona. Um, you know, jumps out at you about what about the quarterback. Um no doubt though You know, Half Lee's got a got an interesting situation there in Miami. Mike yeah and Uh The two are things hard, Rich, because On top of just evaluating talent, you're scared to death about concussions and injuries.
It adds another layer to that whole conversation with where are you on your quarterback? and I'm sure that was a question. Half had to answer in his interview. You know, is where do you stand on this guy? And you better have a plan.
Because if you're going to move on from this guy, not only is there a big salary cap, but you better have an answer. It was kind of like when when I had the Raiders and we had Dark Carr and people wanted to move on from Dark and John and I looked at each other like, yeah, but what's next? Where are we going? Where are we finding that guy?
So it's going to be interesting to see how they go after trying to. The hard thing, I think, is he's quick, he can move in the pocket, but he got rid of the ball so quickly last year, it was almost like he was worried about getting hurt.
So, what's the fine line where you let this kid play like an athlete, you let this kid play at a high level, but you also try to take care of him? And I think that's a really difficult question because if half doesn't answer that the right way, then it's going to be a tough year until they find the answer. And then speaking of BC, a kid out of BC, once upon a time, strolled into the Giants' locker room, right? I'm looking at him, right? Am I not mistaken?
Or you were a Steeler first, Mike? I was a Steeler first. You were a Steeler first.
Okay, then you stroll into the Giants' locker room, and all I can think of is what your career could have been like if your special teams coordinator was actually a Hall of Famer. Mike. Yeah. What would your career have been like? I'm guessing that guy is just going to be delayed one year.
What do you think of the whole Belichick thing? I'm blown away by the fact that. Whether it's petty jealousies, which I hope it isn't with the voters because I've found the voters over the years to really care about what they're doing. Whether it's the new system they instituted this year with how they're voting, which I think is stupid, Like you got three senior guys, all of whom you can make a great argument for. You got an owner, and you got a coach.
And I don't know how you compare and contrast three different layers in this NFL bubble. Like, let's pick a coach, let's pick a senior, let's pick an owner, but let's not pick them against each other. And you know, I read the article about the uh from the one voter who said, Hey, I thought it was important to try and get the seniors in in their last year, and I know Belichick's going to get in.
Okay, I get it. But If you're doing your job, in my opinion, who's the most deserving of that five? And the answer has got to be Belichick from everybody.
So I just don't get it. What did he tell you? I'm laughing. Because you're right. I mean, that's why I'm laughing.
You know what I mean? Like, we were talking about it last week, Mike. Like, any single time you just start talking about his resume and why he should be a Hall of Fame, you just start laughing, saying, why am I even wasting my breath? We all know, right? I mean, what did he tell you when you first walked in the Giants' locker room?
Do you remember your first interaction with Belichick? I remember. Um, one of my first ones. was getting in a fight on a on a punt In practice. And I wasn't Necessarily trying to get in a fight, but I nobody knew me and I needed to do something.
I was being overly aggressive. The first day of prison. A little bit.
Okay. All right. And in the morning practice, I got in the fight. Mm-hmm. And thankfully, nobody ever gets hurt.
You know, you're throwing shots, and the guy could have killed me had it gone any further. It got broken up, and we're stretching for the afternoon practice. And Belichick, who at that point was probably all of If I was 23, what was he, 29, maybe 30? Yeah. We're stretching.
He looks at me, comes over, he goes, hey, tough guy. We're going to find out whether or not you can really play or not this afternoon, so you better buckle it up. And To my astonishment, all of a sudden, I was on a different team, I think I was on the first punt team. And It opened the door to give me a chance. to compete because it also got me some extra safety reps.
And I got in some games. And, you know, back we had four preseason games. And So Him kind of taking a liking to me as a backup safety and special teams player opened the door to give me a chance to make a team. And Parcels was he there yet? Was Bill there yet?
Oh, yes. Parcels was there? In the 82 strike, Ray Perkins went back to Alabama. That's right. Harcells got elevated to head coach on an interim basis, as did Belichick go from.
Special teams to defensive coordinator on an interim, and both those were made. Permanent starting in 83, I believe.
Okay, so the guy you fought wasn't Lawrence Taylor then? I had a side deal with him. Which is why you're a healthy man talking to me today, Mike. Love our chats. Obviously, look for more of my texts and calls to you over the next coming weeks and months as we build more rosters.
Thanks, Mike. You're the man. Appreciate you. Thank you. Oh, we're missing.
So, who wins Super Bowl 60? What's your prediction? I think Seattle's a better football team, so I think they win the game. I think they're both really well coached, but I think Seattle wins. Mike, you're the man.
We'll chat soon. Thanks, brother. Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Mayock here on The Rich Eisen Show, also on ESPN today. Let's take a break. Your phone call is 844-204-RICH, number to Dell.
We got to run The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. Back here on The Rich Eyes and Show, 844-204-Rich is the number to dial. You know, obviously, we're finishing up. Our first half year. It's crazy how time flies with the show moving to Disney Plus and ESPN.
And so, if you're a new audience in some way, shape, or form. Get ready for the next few months because we talk football a lot. And certainly, when the schedule comes out in the summer, we play a game called the win-loss game, where we have fans call in and go win-loss, win-loss. About their new schedule and try and predict who is right at the end of the day about. their uh their one would say going down a scheduling whole.
Sometimes they're right, sometimes they're wrong. And joining us now is a guy that we've been calling out quite a bit on this show for the last several weeks as the Patriots were doing what they were doing all season long to get to the playoffs, to win the division, and then go to the Super Bowl. We were all recalling the guy. Dustin in Arkansas, who came on this show and playing the win-loss game. Said the word loss 17 straight times for the New England Patriots, had them going 0 and 17.
And here to kick off Super Bowl Week, back on the Rich Eisen Show for the first time since is Dustin in Arkansas. Did I get all of that right, Dustin? You did, Rich, and I got all of it wrong. Yeah, okay.
So what gives? Are you just a Patriot hater or what? No, I legitimately did not think that we were going to be very good here. I didn't think Trick May was going to be that great. I didn't think the rest of the team was going to be great, and I thought we'd get some injuries and lose.
But, you know what? I believe in accountability, and I need to hold myself accountable. I was wrong, Richard.
Well, I mean, you weren't just wrong. You were wrong. Many times, 14 limits for three, 14 wins, and then three in the playoffs. One would assume you didn't see that coming because you had them losing every single game. No.
And so when you say we, you're a Patriot fan? Yes, it's um I'm not really proud of myself right now. Wow, Jesus.
Now, Chris, do you allow him into the back into the fold, into the boat here? Like, you're the. What do we do now? What do you, I don't know, what do you do here? I don't know.
Are you from New England? How did you end up in Arkansas? My wife's from Massachusetts.
Okay. Now we're getting more information. Is there something that we shouldn't? Be prime. No, she's actually a good person.
Oh, okay. I'm just not.
So you're just bad at predicting football. Did you go higher register? I'm the problem, it's me to quote Ms. Taylor. It's not you, it's me.
Okay, great. You just went Costanza.
Okay. Well, keep the faith. Are you allowing him back in for Super Bowl 60, Chris? Is he back in the boat? Is he being repatriated?
Are you picking us on Sunday, Dustin? Yes, we'll win 25 to 8. There you go. You're back.
Well, Dustin didn't actually leave. He just didn't believe. Every now and then, that happened. But you cannot believe and think it's going to be a rough year. And like, you know, four and thirteen.
You don't have to go winless. You won eight games past week. Chris, though, let's be honest, don't you want Dustin to. Pick against the Patriots. Kind of.
Don't you feel like, uh-oh, he just got this wrong, too? Dustin, maybe sit this out. Don't even watch the game. You're benched. Yeah, just benched.
Dustin. We'll see you next season. You're benched, Dustin. You're benched. Tell them to play the ball.
I love the show. Thanks for having me. Thanks, Belf. Thanks for calling back. Call back next week.
Accountability. Dustin in Arkansas. Accountability. Accountability. Sometimes your best ability is availability.
In this case, it's got to be accountability because you don't want him available. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast. Mm-hmm.
