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Now, on with the show. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Rich Eisen Show. I told you guys it's all ball. Why did Baker Mayfield and the Bucs not come to a long-term resolution? From the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
Baker wanted this done earlier rather than later. Today's guest: Prime Video NFL analyst Andrew Whitworth, legendary broadcaster Bob Costas, actor LaMonica Garrett. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody, welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We've got ourselves quite the triple play today: Andrew Whitworth, Bob Costas, and La Monica Garrett.
So we'll be talking about lioness, tigers, and rams. Oh my. 844-204-Rich is the number to dial right here on the program. Good to see you over there, Chris Brockman. How are you?
I'm great. When did you think of that? Literally a minute ago.
Okay, good. Listening to the open. That's how top-notch you are. Good to see you, DJ Mike. You D'Az and DC.
Good morning, Rick. What's going on? TJ Jefferson, that candle's lit. What's going on over there, sir? A whole lot of stuff is going on.
It's the first week in August. It's Susie's birthday today. Hey, happy birthday, Susie. Yeah. Same day as Tom Brady.
Johnny C. And Johnny C. McGinley. Butterbean. Yeah, I saw that.
Susie probably didn't know. She's got the same birthday as Butterbean. The most important one, though, is Susie Schuster. That's correct. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial right here in our neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.
So We start today's show in the state of Michigan, though. Where one week ago this show emanated from the state of Michigan. I went back to my alma mater for the Champions Circle event. Can't to see ya. whole bunch of people that I hadn't seen in a long time or I've I've known for A very long time, and when I first showed up on that campus in 1986 as a kid from New York City, right there in the Uh in the Midwest.
And I began to learn what it was like to live outside of New York City. Um Yeah. People started using words that I didn't. You know, like tennis shoes for sneakers. They called it pop.
I called it soda. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. There was a game, a card game called euchre, and they made it a verb. Like, do you want a euke?
And I thought, why are you asking me to vomit? You know, that sort of thing, you know? Fish out of water. Then I would turn on the television set, and I saw one face more than any other.
Now this was just at the uh beginnings of the Zeke led Bad Boys era.
Okay.
Okay.
But there was one guy on television that was not like selling cars, selling tires, selling everything. I mean, this guy was absolutely everywhere in his name. Sparky Anderson. I'm telling you guys, I would turn on the television and it was Sparky this, sparky that. The longtime manager of the Big Red Machine, when I was a Yankee fan for the first time in 1976, and they made the World Series, and I'm like seven years old.
This is the greatest thing ever. Wait, wait a minute, who's coming to town? Four game sweeps.
So now here I am in Michigan. I see the guy who basically was the manager, not basically, who was the manager of the team that basically taught me how to. be disappointed in baseball.
Now everywhere. Because the Detroit Tigers just two years before had won the World Series. And this man could have run for mayor. I'm telling you. You know, long before a Gibby wound up here in Los Angeles, California.
You know, pumping his arm. As he went yard off of Dennis Eckersley, he was a Michigan State Spartan who became a big-time tiger and won it all for them. Yeah. He was everywhere. And I learned really fast that the old English D meant.
meant a lot to people there in the state of Michigan. They love their tigers, man. And then the Red Wings were good for a while too. Jacques Demaires was the coach of the Red Wings. He was everywhere, too, selling cars.
After a while. The Illich family wound up buying The Tigers after the Red wings. And their pizza was everywhere. Pizza Pizza. Yeah, pizza.
And they were running Detroit sports, essentially, outside of the Lions and the Pistons, clearly, but. They got a lot of money. That's what I'm saying. But things have gotten to the point. For the Detroit Tigers.
like many other teams in Major League Baseball. That they're looking at one player and saying, you want how much? Despite how good Tarek Schubel is and what he's meant. to the Tigers organization since they drafted him. And as he even pointed out over the weekend, he used the opportunities that the Tigers gave him, kept putting him out there on the mound.
They just knew as he began to blossom and become a superstar pitcher. That he was going to get expensive. And this year in arbitration, he got a record $32 million one-year contract in arbitration this year. The Tiger said, we'll pay a $19 million. Like that's so absurd.
What?
Well, pay a 19. And the arbiter is like, no, you'll pay him 32. And you were beginning to get the sense that Scoobel was looking towards free agency, certainly. This year was a big one for him. Your remember he didn't pitch.
But more than once in the World Baseball Classic. And you got the sense. Even when he had Arm problems and needed surgery for what was called loose bodies. By the way, is that a cover band name? Come see me.
Hey, come on out Friday night to see me in Loose Bodies. Um And then he comes back and he looks the same. You're like, okay, is this guy even human? You knew the clock was ticking. And you knew who was gonna get him.
Right. You know? You knew it was going to get him. But the Dodgers seem to have competition. At the end of the day though, That competition I don't know what it was.
Jeff Passen's on tomorrow's program. We'll we'll ask him when he Finishes with all the dust settling on this today, with the trade deadline going down today. Was it the fact that the Dodgers were willing to pick up every last penny remaining on his contract, which is nine and a half million dollars this year? Was it the fact that, you know, Scoobel is going to be a free agent at the end of the year? I don't know what it was.
But the Dodgers were the ones who raised their hands with either. The best money deal on top of the best prospect deal. or the fact that Scoobel Is already looking over the steering wheel and, like, I'd like to go to a spot that's willing to sign me long term. Because the amount of money, by the way, for long term, have you looked it up? Have you heard about what Scoobel is going to potentially earn?
Starts with a four. And has eight zeros after it.
So I don't know what it was, but he wound up a Dodger. Yeah. And for three guys that Tiger fans are going to have to learn who they are. Um Outfielder two pitchers. and they might turn into, you know, the next school.
But then the question is: if things don't change in baseball, will they just wind up back with the Dodgers when it comes time to pay them? Is that the way it's going to work?
So School gets traded. He winds up on the Dodgers. Tiger fans are definitely done for this year, one would think. And they have to sit there and go. Can we pay any uh what's what are we going to do here?
What are we going to do here? As Scoobel got them to the divisional round twice. They lost two game fives in those divisional gam round series. And the Tigers have made this World Series twice since Sparky, and the Tigers last won it in 84 for the franchise in 2020. 12 most recently swept by the Giants, 2006, lost in five games to the Cardinals, is Jim Leland.
Another Hall of Fame manager was their skipper for that. Schubel got him as close as the last game of two divisional rounds. But now he's a Dodger where one would expect he will get past a divisional round for the first time in his career. This is what he had to say after. Learning he got traded.
You know, ever since Um That 24 game five, the failure that I experienced on the mound. Um I've used that as fuel to try and bring a World Series to the city of Detroit. You know, I truly did. And that whole offseason, I was never been more motivated. And then, you know, go in and we lose game five again.
You know, that failure kind of sparks some more motivation, you know, and just to dig deeper and see how good you can truly be and um You know, the goal was always to win a World Series, you know, for the city, for the organization. That took a chance on me. Yeah, it's tough. You know, I love all those guys in there. Um They're some of my best friends, you know, and um Yeah, but Yeah, it'll be tough, for sure.
Having a shot to be part of history, you know, how much does that mean to you? Yeah, um, sorry. Um. Oh my god. It's a big one.
Yeah, it's exciting. You know, I'm excited. Mm-hmm. They got a good group, you know, you hear everything and cuss the way. I'm excited though.
Okay.
I don't blame him for being emotional. I mean, he probably thought he would be a tiger for life, and now he just knows the business of baseball has forced him to go to a. team that is perennially great now and In terms of Being tear-filled about going to the Dodgers because of where you once belonged. All he's got to do is just spend a few minutes with Freddie Freeman, and he'll probably tell you: listen, you'll get over it, kid. I needed.
Remember that Kershaw kind of reportedly had to give him a little bit of kick in his behind after a couple months of being with the Dodgers. Like, you're not in the. Braves anymore, sir. But Scoobles showed up. One night later.
Just to greet all of his new teammates and Again. Freddy can counsel him on what it's like to Transition to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, and I'm sure. Scoobel will Get out there on the mound and start pitching his head off for a franchise that has now. Not one, not two, not three, but four. Of the five pitchers that have the lowest ERA in Major League Baseball since 2022.
Sheesh, that's four. They already had Blake Snell. who's third on the list, and Otani is fourth on the list, and Yamamoto, who is Fifth on the list. It's the only one that's remaining is Paul Skeens. Maybe just set your watches on this one.
I don't know. We'll be here soon enough. Because Skubel's expected to earn $400 million in his next contract. And I'm sure Skeens is like. That sounds good to me, and the pirates are probably like already looking for Couch cushion change.
But everybody believes this means that Baseball is now destroyed. That this is exactly why we're about to have a nuclear winter. Collective bargaining agreement is up. Every other team in baseball is like, how can we compete with this? Andrew Friedman, the man who shops for the groceries and puts this roster together.
had this to say when asked if the Dodgers are destroying baseball. How'd you respond to the blowback? The Dodgers are breaking baseball. What's your response to that? Passionately disagree.
Um again, this is about the Partnership that we have with our fans who come out 50,000 large and the passion that they have for this team. the guys in that clubhouse who Are doing everything they can to put us in position to win a World Series. And fortunately, through the incredible work by our scouting staff, our player development staff, our front office analytics group. All of our different departments have their fingerprints all over this, and so it's put us in position. to not only be competitive here, but also to have a really strong farm system.
Which then puts us in position to be able to have these types of conversations. And so I think it's incredible work by a lot of people that have allowed for this. And it's special, and we're not going to be flipping about this moment in time and how special this group. Yeah. Era can be in the history of this incredibly storied organization, and we're going to do everything we can to keep doing what we can to win the last game of the year.
All right, many ways to look at that answer in this question about whether the Dodgers have destroyed baseball or are destroying baseball, because there's two ways to look at it. First of all, This. All it cost the Dodgers was three prospects, two pitchers, one outfielder, and nine million bucks. Where's the rest of Major League Baseball to try and get Tarek Schubal for the rest of the year? Where's the rest of them?
That's all this deal cost. We're all just assuming Scoobel's staying with the Dodgers. No, that's short-sighted. That's a little short-sighted.
Okay.
But. This year For right now. If you want to compete. To win the World Series, and there's many in the American League that have a shot to make the World Series in a league that is. Definitely less than the national, it looks like.
Okay.
Nine million bucks. And three prospects. That's It. Where's the rest of the if I'm Andrew Freeman? I'm like, that's all we did.
It's not like they've already signed School to 400 million bucks, and that's why they were able to. Get him. That's all. But the understanding is that I understand what the understanding is.
So, do you want a two-month rental, three-month rental? Why the hell not? The Brewers tried it with C.C. Sabathi a couple of years ago, and they apparently tried it again here.
Now, I don't know why the Dodgers wound up with Scoobel. I will ask those questions of Jeff Passen tomorrow. Destroying baseball. Also, I'd be a total hypocrite. As a Godhard Yankee fan forever, Steinbrenner used to outspend everybody.
Yeah, that was your thing. Yeah. Everybody. Yeah. Okay.
And it was the rules. at the time. And what the Dodgers are doing right now under the rules that they have. And and Queens has got as much money as the Dodgers. Yeah.
Not able to build something like what they're building right here in Los Angeles. That said. The Dodgers do have an insane amount of money that most other teams in Major League Baseball. do not have, or at least in the case of this trade, not willing to spend. They came into this season with an opening day payroll of $323 million, which caused them to pay a tax of $163 million.
Four hundred and eighty seven million dollars. Mm-hmm. So Some teams might be like, that's a lot of money. What's another $9.5 million for Schoolbull? Or, like, that's enough.
We're not spending another $9.5 million for this guy. And they're like, screw it. How many other teams have a chance to three-peat? One, them. And how many teams have had a chance to three-peat in Major League Baseball ever?
And they're going for it.
So you can't blame them, but that said, the rules that they are driving a. Dodger blue Mac truck through. With all sorts of like Walter White pallets of cash in the back. Mm-hmm. Do you know how much money the Dodgers?
are already on the hook. To pay and deferred. Because that rule in Major League Baseball that you can defer money, and a couple of teams would do it for a million here and a million there, a few million here, a few million there. And the Dodgers are like, we'll up it. Do you know how much money they are on the hook?
for nine players through the year twenty forty seven. That figure is 1.064. billion dollars. That's not my money. And I don't know what this means for the 2034 through 43 Dodgers.
I don't know. In 2038 and 2039, the peak aggregate of paying money out. Will reach 102.3 million bucks. And the Dodgers are like, whatever, we'll that service, or we'll just get ready, or we'll put it aside. I don't know.
Like the ultimate baseball 529. Putting money aside for your kids' education. The Dodgers are putting money aside to win baseball games right now in a way that other teams are not, and they're also not equipped to do. That secret.
So, who's ruining baseball? Is it the Dodgers? Because they're seeing this and they're they're highly capitalized to take advantage of it, and they're like, screw it. And Otani's raising his hand saying, I'll take 680 million of your dollars through 2034 to 43. And Bets is like, I'll take $120 million of your dollars between 33 and 44.
And Snell is like, I'll take 66 million of your dollars between 35 and 46. And Freeman's like, I'll take 57 million between 2028 and 2040. And Will Smith's like, I'll take 50 of your million between 34 and 43. Go make a deal with Uniqlo and start raising more Dodger dogs. And other teams can't keep up.
And so what's going to happen? The 29 other member clubs are going to be like, let's shut it down. They're the ones who'll be ruining baseball if they do that. Get in a room, figure this thing out, because fans are like sick and tired of it. But you can't blame the Dodgers for this one.
It cost them $9 million and three prospects. That's it. But They're also spending all this money. A billion in the future. And 400, half a billion now almost, just to round up.
And they're like, we'll take Scoobel. 400 million, let's start talking. How much you want to defer? Before they change the rules on us, That's because of their TV contract. Let's be honest.
On top of the Yankees have one too. Not like the Dodgers. $8 billion over 25 years signed in 2013. They get $330 million a year from Spectrum. Right.
But the fact that they're able to just jam it in to the system. Then figure out what the system is. But you know what most of these owners are going to do? They'll turn to the players and say, it's on you to figure it out. We'll just freeze it.
Brazil. Shm. Oof.
So And that said, too, on top of all of it, before Andrew Whitworth talks about another star player returning to Los Angeles and Aaron Donald. Maybe. Mostly. My brother went to see Saturday night's game in Dodger Stadium, and on the way back, he's like, I've been just locked in on the Knicks and the World Cup. And he's like, I didn't hear of, I haven't heard basically of any single Red Sox player with the exception of when Chapman came out of the bullpen.
The Red Sox just swept the Dodgers. And are the hottest team in baseball.
So anything can happen. But the bottom line is, it feels rigged to fans. Got to do something about that. And it feels rigged to, you know. 90% other clubs in baseball.
So That's my take on Scoobel coming here. 844-204-RICH, number to dial on the program. Our friends at SoFi want to remind you right now: high-interest credit card debt, you can overcome it right now, even if you thought it's something you could never achieve. Walk the tightrope of your finances with one low fixed rate monthly payment, no fees required, and as soon as the same day funding. Pull off your own debt-defying stunt with a SoFi person loan.
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We'll get to him as we come back right here on the Rich Isaac Show. Rich Eisen here. Running a small business means every hire matters. A bad hire costs time and money, but the right one helps your business grow. The challenge?
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You were hanging out with Aaron Donald. He's wearing a Rams hat. The coach Sean McVay says the trending arrows are trending up. The segment's called Is He Back Yet? What do you think, Andrew?
Is he back yet? Is he back yet? I don't think he's back yet. I guess I'd be curious, you know, from the reporter's standpoint, of like, you know, maybe some questions like, have you renewed your passport lately? Nice.
You know, do you have any long trips planned coming up, you know, this, you know, maybe in September? You know, I'd be interested to what he thinks about Australia, you know, just in general. You know, maybe just a couple more questions that maybe could lead us down the road. Maybe they just want to keep dropping little food bites for us to nibble on a little bit every week. But I think he's really close to being back.
That's what I would put it at. That's what would be my guess.
Okay.
I would guess that we're some finite details and we're going to make this thing happen.
So, can you at least allow this? What did you talk with him about his process that you are willing to share? Yeah, I would say that, you know, even before all of this really kind of got started this summer, when just some original inklings came out about would that be cool if he did, you know, we obviously talked time to time and just, you know, he had had some conversations about wanting to work out and maybe just see, you know, where he was at physically. And really, that's, I think, still kind of been the stage he's been in for the most part: is training, kind of seeing if you can get there. Because I think a lot of people think about the games and stuff, but it's really the, you know, it's putting your body through the impacts and the down in and down out of running into other big, strong humans all the time.
Your tissue doesn't just walk around ready for that. You got to prepare. And so I think some of this was him, you know, hey, is the passion still there? Do I still have that ability to be sore as crap and every day want to go chase it? And I think for him, that kind of meant, you know, the last month, month and a half, you know, really training like a football player and really doing some of the drills, some of the things he used to do day in and day out, and see where he's at physically.
And that's kind of the stuff we. Talked about. I just ask him where he's at. Is he still training? Does he still think he wants to do it?
You know, I think there's still a definite curiosity to do it. I think he's super fired up about trying to see if it's there. But I think it takes time to find out: is the drive still there? Yeah, there's this excitement, there's a curiosity, but to play the game of football, you're going to have to go way past all that. You're going to have to fall in love with the pain again and waking up every day sore as hell, not being in the mood to do it, but still having the drive to go do it.
And that happens long before just being in pads and hitting people. And so I think for him, you know, it was really going through that process, making sure it's all there. And then obviously, there's some, you know, things they got to do, checks and balances wise with the Rams to figure out his contract and how it goes forward and how do you make that work for everybody. And so I think there's semantics there. But then also, hey, if this thing's going to be real, I would imagine if I'm AD and I'm the Rams, I'm probably saying I don't want this guy at every training camp practice yet.
To find some way to ease him into it. And I think that's probably best done in Woodland Hills and not, you know, in a training camp setting.
So that kind of makes sense to me that they've kind of alluded that more to come when they get there because I think that's probably the right timeline for this thing.
So. Two weeks, half a month left, and is he back yet? How long is this new segment going to run on the Rich IS? Listen, I think you could run this thing all the way up until the end of August. I mean, you know, I would imagine, I would think if this is really happening, he would want to get in camp at least for a few weeks just to have, you know, not necessarily that he'd be going through everything everybody else is, but to get out there and start doing some one-on-ones, to get out there and start competing against some of the offensive linemen.
AD is a rare human in the way he's driven and the way he likes to go. I don't see any scenario, Rich, where this is AD just playing a few snaps a game. Like, I just don't think he's wired that way. I think he's wired to want to be the best in the world at what he does, and he's always going to think that way. And probably the only way he could go about this is to think, I want to play significant snaps.
And so I think he's got to get out there and build up some of that scar tissue and just get used to hitting people again and getting used to that process. I know for myself, I had one season in the F. Fell where I ended a year and never, you know, because of injuries and surgeries, I couldn't participate in camp and had to play in a game really where I'd only practiced once leaning into that game. And I know for me, the soreness it took to get over those next few weeks, because that was such a drastic change, being almost a year since I'd played. I can't imagine in this world where it's been multiple years, there's going to be some rare soreness, some stuff you're going to have to get over.
So I would think he'd want a few weeks to build up that ramp.
So I could see, you know, maybe last two weeks of August, maybe the last week, week and a half of August, you know, he's out there on the practice field getting ready. You got a good story. Of Aaron Donald's superhumanness. Because again, everything you're just saying, like he's going to be sore and this is going to happen, everyone thinks that he's such a physical specimen that that. That's just already a given.
So let's checked here. Yeah, most of the things people have heard, but I mean, when you talk about a guy, you know, like literally I always say this, you know, if you've ever looked at somebody with a football helmet on without a face mask, it's the goofiest looking picture you've ever seen. But to watch AD rip somebody's actual mask, like boom, right off of their helmet because he's so powerful, it's like, what just happened? Right? It's like, it doesn't even make any sense.
This guy's so strong and explosive. He once got in a fight with the guy at practice, grabbed the mask, and he yanked it so fast, he ripped the bolts and everything out of the helmet and completely yanked the mask off. And the guy's just sitting there with a shell on his head and his face. And you just feel very, it feels like you get pants. That's what it feels like.
It feels like you got pants on the practice field because you just feel exposed. But this guy is just, he's a rare human, rare, rare human. And so I am excited to see what the promise of this looks like. And I hope he's taken the field in Australia. And, Rich, I got to tell you on that subject, you and I had a great talk in Lake Tahoe at the American Century Championship about travel, and you were kind of giving me some insight to some of your international games.
And you were, you know, I was kind of telling you: you know, when you start a Thursday night football season, you're on the road 16, 17 weeks. I didn't think it'd be a great idea to go to Australia. You kind of gave me some wisdom. Hey, man, listen, I think that might be a tough road to go all the way to Australia. I really wanted to tell you, I appreciated that conversation, the wisdom you gave me, and I completely didn't listen to any of it because I am going to Australia with the Rams.
So I do appreciate the conversation, but I am excited because I'm hoping I'm going to get a chance to watch Aaron Donald and Miles Garrett in person in Australia, baby. And against San Francisco, too. What a massive game. Oh, Niners, Rams. And Debo's back.
You know, Niners fans love been reminding Rams fans of how Debo kind of, you know, has a crunky-like ownership of the Rams when they face each other. Even in the NFC Championship game, the Rams, you guys beat him in. He. He went house on the Rams that he likes to do. I cannot wait for that game.
Was there a player? that would have caused you to come back. If they had joined the Rams. You know what I mean? Who would tell you that?
Was there a Miles Garrett possibility for you? You know what I mean? No, I don't think offensively there's somebody. I would tell you this: if I wasn't 44 years old with the team they have right now, I would love to find a way. I can assure you that.
I think that was my exact quote to AD: I said, Listen, I'm not trying to tell you what to do, but if I was your age, damn it, I sound like a really old guy. But I was like, if I was your age, I'd be doing everything I could to play. That's for sure. But yeah, I mean, I think for me, it would have to be being about 10 years younger. That would be the only whatever that peptide is, I'm sure somebody's got it.
Whatever peptide or whatever it is that can make you 10 years younger, that one would be a good one because I would need that one. But that would be about the only thing that could get me going. I'd need a little more youth in these ankles and knees and hips. And unfortunately, I think I've used it all up, Rich. It's all gone.
Well, your Fitz and Whitpod returns for season three on August 20th. And I imagine the American Century Championship will be part of the first episode, just rehashing the summer together. And us sitting around that fire pit. I enjoyed that time with you and Fitz and You know, most of the Fitzmagics that were there, and you know, and most of them this guy puts his feet up. on a fire pit And all of a sudden, you're like, you know, the bottom of my feet are kind of hot.
You were burning your friggin' sneeze. You got to get comfortable, Rich. All right, my feet were hurting. I needed a little warmth down there. Yeah, Rich, we're excited, man.
We're, you know, really cool opportunity for Fitz and I. We moved over to Wondery, partnering with them. And we are going to have the opportunity to have our podcast shown before Thursday Night Football for 30 minutes before the game comes on on prime video.
So it's going to be a really cool opportunity for us this year to create some good memories and have some good times, man. Being us. I mean, I think Fitz is out, you know, being him all summer, filming a show, you know, men versus food, all across NFL cities. He's having a blast. I don't know if he's gaining weight or not, but he has been winning some food challenges, so I've heard.
So I can't wait to watch this. I'm looking forward to that.
So we've got a lot of catching up to do. There's some Tahoe stories for sure. There's been some great moments this summer. You know, we can't wait to kick off the first one, man. And look, that's good times right there.
I took that picture just before I told you to remove your feet because it smelled like burning rubber, man. It smelled like, you know, a. The track in Indianapolis. I think that red wine helped, though. I played better the next day.
It did. Maybe that's the key. The AFs, you're going to be, if I'm not mistaken, Prime Videos, Thursday Night Football opens in the new Bills facility, correct? The new Lions and Bills, correct? Is that we.
Two, right? Yes, week two. Lions Bills, baby. On a high mark. That's a good one.
And then you're going to go to Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers in Cleveland, Baker in Dallas. You've got Seattle and Denver, which a lot of people thought was going to be the Super Bowl had Bo Nicks not hurt himself. Then the Patriots and the Bears. Those are really compelling matchups to just kick off the season. Where do the Bills rank for you here?
Let me just go AFC with you before I let you go. Man, I am excited about them. You know, I think in this one, obviously, it's going to be really, you know, what does Joe Brady look like as the head guy, right? That's a whole different position now, you know, handling that job and being the play caller. That's going to be a challenge.
But, you know, listen, I'm excited to see what does this defense look like. We know what the Bills have looked like on defense for so long under Sean McDermott. And now it's, all right, here's Jim Leonard, a guy who played here. You know, a guy's obviously earned a lot of respect, was in Denver. Around that defense, you know, how will this be similar and what will those change up be?
So I think in our game, that opening game, Lions Bills, I'm excited because you're really talking about two teams that have kind of been on the cusp of everyone thinking, man, they should have had one in these last couple years or at least been in there. But, you know, is their window still open? They've both made some changes. You know, obviously for the Bills, it's at the head position, but for the Lions, you know, an offensive coordinator with Drew Petzing, like, what's this bring to this team? And so I think this is going to be, you know, possibly, you know, one of the top games of the season.
Lions Bills. You talk about two teams that are out to prove that they are still Super Bowl contenders. This could be an explosive one. I'm excited about this game for sure and looking forward to it because you're talking about two elite human beings and quarterbacks and Jared Goff and Josh Allen.
So this ought to be one with some fireworks. And I can't wait. I mean, our schedule just feels like every year it's just getting better and better. And I'm getting more and more excited about these games. And you talked about that Seahawks Broncos.
That's Another one. I still think that's a game that, yeah, it could have been last year's Super Bowl, but it also could be this year's. Both those teams have the potential to be there again. And so, Denver to me is another one that I just think, man, feels like they've made some moves that I think are going to make them a little more explosive on offense and looking for that defense to kind of return and be, even if they're not as elite as they were last year, they're still going to be really, really good.
So, I think that that team right there, Denver, is going to be the team in the AFC. I just have a feeling they're going to be one of those teams at the end that you're going to be dealing with again. And we might see, you know, a Bills, Broncos, AFC championship to see who goes. And hopefully, it'll be as compelling as the one that we saw this past year in the playoffs for sure. My sleeper team that I mentioned, number one on my top five list, I don't know if it's.
Fair not to call them a sleeper team, but I put the Bengals there because I don't think people are thinking they can get back to SoFi. like the Rams. I really think, you know, Burrow looks pissed but excited at the same time. You know, I don't know what's going on. Yeah, and I loved hearing, you know, I've read Ted Karris is talking about this defense and the changes they've made and how, you know, just even when he walks out of a huddle and goes to grab the football, the D-line and just what they look like.
And, you know, he called it grown men across from him. Like it just, the maturity and how they look as elite on defense, when he walks out of a huddle, he said, man, it's just night and day from what I felt last year, what that side of the ball feels like. And I think when you really look at this Cincinnati Bengals team and how great they've been on offense, I mean, even, you know, really, we look at Joe Burrow and his health and those things, but they've been able to produce. When he's been in, they have been one of the best offices in the NFL, no question. And defensively, they've just kind of let them down through these years, even in some of these moments where you'd say, hey, some of these games Joe Burrow's missed, they've had okay quarterback play.
Joe Flacco came and played in some good games last year. Jake Browning over the years has played, but defensively, they've just continued to struggle and never really seemed like the group that they could lean on. This team, the last time when they met us in the Super Bowl, This is what they were a middle-of-the-road defense. They haven't even been close to being a middle-of-the-road defense since that moment. And that's how they got to the Super Bowl.
And if this defense can actually be a top half of the NFL, call it a top 20 even defense, I think matched up with this offense, the Bengals are going to make some noise. But they are going to have to play good on that side of the football to have any chance because it can't be on Joe Burrow and this offense all the time. And the other thing I love reading, because I've been begging for it, is seeing that they've really put some emphasis this offseason and even into training camps.
So it wasn't smoking mirrors. They've been doing a lot of under-center work and getting Joe Burrow under center, some play actions, all the things you can do with motion, the run game. I'm excited about Cincinnati. My only reason I don't put them yet, Rich, with the Bills and the Broncos kind of in that AFC picture just yet, is they got to go show that's going to really be who they are. That's how they're going to play.
I want to see this defense in action because practice is one thing. And when you get out on the football field against these teams, you know, the real games are what it really shows. Up. And so I want to see what this group looks like to start the season. I think it's going to tell you a lot because they're going to be challenged early.
They got a tough schedule to start.
So it's going to be fun to see if this defense can lead the way. Fitz and Wit is the name of the pod. It's also the name of the YouTube channel where you can watch their pod, listen to it wherever you get your podcasts as well. Thursday Night Football also returns a week later after August 20th was the Fitz and Wit debut for season three. A week later for preseason action, and then, of course, the whole enchilada.
Great to see you, brother. You too, baby. Ladies and gentlemen. Oh, it's football season. We're in camp, Rich.
I know that. I know that. We're in camp, except for Donald, but he'll be there. He'll be there, sir. Andrew Whitworth, everybody, right here, Rich.
As a show, our favorite. There he goes. We have to go to commercial break as well because I was late to get to Fitz and then to Whitney. I couldn't quit him. We're back with your phone calls in a moment.
Rich Eisen here with some advice. If high-interest credit card debt is grinding you down, it might be time to call an Audible with a SoFi personal loan. It consolidates your debt into one low monthly payment with no fees required. And with as soon as the same day funding, you can make the right play fast. Call an Audible on your debt today at sofi.com slash debt play.
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Learn more and donate at hyundausa.com backslash hope on wheels. Yeah. The Rich Heisen Show, the podcast. When it comes to your home, Pella Windows and Doors are the experts at taking care of you and your home. At Pella, they find the products that meet your needs and their experts install them.
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Find your local Pella Windows indoors showroom today at Pella.com/slash Eisen for details. Make life brighter with Pella Windows. Indoors. Uh the Hall of Fame was quite uh nice to um post on their uh socials that uh we are doing the show there from Friday. On Friday, we'll be in Canton, Ohio.
That's the royal week. You guys will be back here. Yeah. Because I'll be sitting there at the hall, and you'll be, I'll be there here. I'll be there, you're here.
Chris Berman is going to stop by. He is the Master of Ceremonies for yet another induction ceremony on Saturday. I believe is Rod Woodson on the hook too? Rod, I got to text Marshall. I heard he's going to be there.
Oh, good. Yeah. I try to see if Sean Payton would join because he is introducing Drew Brees. I saw that video. But he's arriving shortly before the jacket dinner.
I mean, he is coaching practice and then hopping on a plane.
So it's cool. Um That's happening on Friday. Very excited about that. Love that. All of that good stuff.
Apparently, the Red Sox are circling around Adley Rutchman. Yeah, some baseball moves are happening. Obviously, we're a few hours away from the deadline. Yeah, Sox and Orioles close to a deal. Looks like that could be in the medical stages right now, because Rutchman's on the DL right now with kind of a wrist.
So That could be done. Joe Adell has been traded to the Guardians. And the Mariners have acquired Taylor Ward. From Baltimore as well. The Angels sent Soriano to the Blue Jays earlier this morning.
Oh wow.
Well, they just traded Gaussman to the Cubs.
So I don't know what Interesting. Get rid of a stud, acquire a stud, right? You know Mm-hmm. What are the Mets up to? Yeah.
You're paying attention over there? Not really. Nope. What's there to pay attention to? Like I said, baseball is far too long.
When your team's not doing well, it's like you can either set yourself up to have a horrible summer or you can go about your day. I'm choosing to go about my life. I'm always happy to slag on the Mets. You know, you're aware of that. Clearly.
Ugh.
So For anybody that's like Oh, the Dodgers are ruining baseball baseball because they have the most money. You know, it's got uh an unlimited Pile of cash. The Mets. And they're a dumpster fire because you also have to have the proper front office, the proper farm system, the proper manager. the proper roster.
And the players have to perform. Yes, they do. Yep. And the Dodgers are hitting on all those fronts. Yeah.
Well, not this weekend. Not this weekend.
Well, not this weekend. Attaboy. Did you go to any of them? No. Why?
Too hot, too expensive.
Well, it was ridiculously hot this weekend. That's true. Yeah. And ticket prices were outrageous. It's funny, Andrew Freeman talked about the 50,000 fans.
Yeah, a lot of empty seats and a lot of Boston fans there in Dodger Stadium. You're feeling good about yourself right now. What are they? 28, and 5 in the last month? That's a far cry from the beginning of the season where you were crying that you were the worst team in baseball.
We were the worst team in baseball. For the second straight year. For the second straight year, Red Sox fans were like, What are we doing? And they're like, Oh, that's what we're doing. You know, last year it was Devers.
This year it was getting rid of your manager. It's wild. It really is. Hour two, Bob Costa, is coming up. Thanks for listening to the Rich Eisen Show Podcast.
You can watch and listen to The Rich Eisen Show live weekdays from noon to 3 Eastern on ESPN Radio, Disney Plus, and on the ESPN app. The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast.
