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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Peyton, thank you for generously donating your forehead for today's teleprompter. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Earlier on the show, Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Carter.
Dolphins head coach Jeff Hapley. Coming up. Hosts of American Ninja Warrior, Matt Eisman, and Akbar Pajabi Amilla. And now, it's Rich Eisen. All right, everybody, hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show is on the air.
Great chat with Chris Carter, Hall of Famer. Uh and uh jacket presenter to Larry Fitzgerald, in our number one, Larry Fitzgerald, it was announced during almost. Oh my God, how great would it have been if I informed Chris that they were retiring his number? It was announced. All right.
But they're retiring Larry Fitzgerald's number. Awesome. Jeff Hafley, the new HC of the Miami Dolphins, kind of have to step out of. Training camp for a bit to answer our questions and hang with us in less than 20 minutes' time. It's Vikings Four Downs Monday.
Overreaction Monday has already been cooked up and popped into your RSS feeds. Or if you listen to podcasts, you watch it, it's on our YouTube channel. It's going to be on ESPN2 later on today as well. 844-204-Rich is that number to dial right here on the program. Akbar, Baja, BML, and Matt Eisman of American Ninja Warrior joining us later on in this program.
Just let me unpack just my last stories on the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend. Um hosting the jacket dinner is Pretty cool. Uh it's an honor. to do that. And You know, it's my job to Set a stage and you know, move things along.
Have some fun with the audience or have some fun with them making fun of me because I'm a Michigan Wolverine and. You know, sure enough. I step to the podium, they're like, Oh H, you know, and My initial response was to basically say, I always love coming here to the Pro Football Hall of Fame so Buckeye fans can prove. That they can spell four-letter words. Oh, God.
And I'm like, I've got one I would love to say in response, but the commissioner of the NFL is sitting right next to me, you know, yada, yada, yada. It's great. And at one point, I did work in because they gave away a piece of jewelry at the end as an item that, you know, on page three of everybody's guide, there's a number, and if your number hits, you win the jewelry. After the jackets are given out. And the class is introduced one more time.
They had them announce who wins the item After The Hall of Famers are introduced as one class with all their jackets. And I'm like, I actually called over the people who run the event because I can't help myself. I'm like, shouldn't that be the end? Shouldn't we give out the item and then bring up the Hall of Famers of the Canton class as constituted in their jackets one more time for a big clap, and that's the finish? Like, shouldn't that be the crescendo?
And they explained to me the reason why they do it differently. is to get the one hundred twenty five returning members of the Hall of Fame, the gauntlet members, out the door before there is a crush of everybody to leave the arena because some of the members of the returning class, the Hall of Famers, don't move very fast. I'm like, got it. Makes sense.
So I set it up in advance to basically tell everybody: when we give out, you know, stay in your seats. to find out who wins the prize. I want to give them that heads up in advance. And I'm like, and it's going to involve page three on your program. For those Buckeye fans, that's between pages two and four.
Bridge, you're so bad. At which point the commissioner of the NFL, after I sat down after that. Roger Goodell says to me, Do you have security? And I said, I've got Steve Hutchinson. At which point the returning Hall of Famers are now introduced.
Dan Faux does that now, an expert job. They put an earpiece in his ear. And each member of the Hall of Famer that's lined up in the tunnel, all the way around, you know, into. The concourse of the downtown city. Canton Civic Center.
Um They all line up and they have their names on a card with a I imagine you know, a quick bullet point from their resume. And they hand it to an individual at a podium who's got a microphone that's clearly attached to. Dan Fauce's ear. And Dan does this sometimes. He ad-libs it's off the top of his head.
He says, He does it without fail perfectly every year. He's awesome at it. But for some reason My Michigan caping pisses him off. He's an Oregon duck. You're like, Dan, you have no.
Big 10. Yeah, I get it, but. No, I mean New to the Big Ten. Certainly not this rivalry. I don't know why he feels the need to insert himself.
So Chris Carter was the first one out, and he goes. you know, from the Ohio State.
Sorry, Rich, you know. And he kind of gives me a little bit of the business. And at one point, then he brings out Orlando Pace and he goes. You know, another Ohio State guy, Richie, goes, Are there really any Michigan guys here tonight? There aren't any.
At which point, I look at. And Hutch, who's sitting right there, he was one of the first people introduced. And I'd turn her Roger Goodell, I'm like, Hutch is standing right there. And we both look, and you could read Hutch's lips. He says, Oh look And then Tyla comes out, and I turn, and Roger goes, There's another one.
I'm like, Yeah, I know. Like, this is the exchange that we're having during the jacket tennis. But you know, my my job is to keep things moving and then to make things exciting. And then each member of the returning class I mean each member of the returning Hall of Famers line up in a gauntlet. that's surrow that you know emanates from the center stage where everybody um Goes up to receive their jackets.
They start on the edges of the arena on a podium and then walk through one of the gauntlets to get to the stage. Larry Fitzgerald, I think, had a conversation and a hug with every one of them. It took him five minutes to get to the stage. Oh, man. He's very popular.
Everyone had a piece of Larry, too.
So it's my job to keep things going. And the applause stops at one point. You just hear music.
So I got to tell a fact or a story or whatever. Um Then it's fun. There's nothing like it. That's awesome. And then you go to this.
You know, hang out afterwards. All the Hall of Famers are there in a party. And I told you in hour one that at one point it's me and Joe Green. Mel Blonde. Lynn Swan?
Lynn Swan sitting there and Jackie Slater. I mean, come on. Yeah. Come on. I just like want to say, can I sit down?
But I'm not a stealer from the Steel Curtain days, or Jackie Slater. You know? You know, and I was just like, want to ask him, like, all right, so, Jackie, what it was like to block him? As in Mean Joe Green. Come on.
Unreal. And then you just look around and there's just there's John Lynch and there's you know, uh Bill Cower, and then there's You know, Warren Moon walking around. And then there's. Yada and Yada and Yada. They're all there.
Jim Kelly. You know, Thurman Thomas, Andre Thurman Thomas was sitting with Bruce Smith. And Tim Brown And Jerome Bettis. That one I sat down at just like to chit-chat with him because Thurman's coming on the show this week. And I'm like, wanted to confirm with him that he understood.
And he's just like, I'm coming on this week. I'm like, yeah, you are. And I actually showed the text from Erica, our booker, saying, Do you want Thurman Thomas this week? And my thumbs up emoji. I'm like, see?
I approved.
So you now have to appear therm. Oh, yeah.
Okay.
Okay.
Fun stuff. Amazing stuff. There's nothing. Like I said, like heroes and legends. I sit there and I think about the fact that you're so closely associated and tied with this.
How cool. It is. Hey, man, I've been around a while, which I'm thrilled about, you know, and I'm honored to be. uh flight home, you know, got all screwed up, so I had to fly through Dallas. Um Cliff Harris crossed the aisle.
Drew Pearson right behind him. And at one point, Cliff Harris turns around and says to Drew Pearson, It's very rare that I'm in front of you. Or actually, no, pardon me, he says, It's very rare that you got behind me. That's what he said. That's what's funnier now.
And Cliff Harris then proceeds to tell me a story about how. Tom Landry used to give them Full computerized printout sheets. I imagine and the pixelated printouts, right? Dot matrix printers. Dot matrix printers, right.
Of the tendencies and the routes that would be run by the opposing teams' wide receivers based on downs and distances. And he would then take uh a You know, colored marker, and first 10, first down routes were be like brown, and they'd be blue and red.
So he'd be able to study. what the tendencies were. Because Um He said Tom Landry would always preach anticipation. is better than reaction. That's how you win.
Yeah. Other you might be able to react, but if you anticipate You'll be able to react faster. That makes sense. And this is what he said he would preach all the time. And he starts telling me about how he would be sitting in the opposing team, you know, in the hotel.
Night before, studying all these printouts that no other teams had. And mind you, this is the late mid to late 70s when this is going on, right? With closed. This is great. Tell are you hearing these stories just from But him turning to Drew Pearson is very rare that you got behind it.
I'm sure Drew did not take well. But Drew, it's just there's the ADA clubber right there, right? Who, by the way, said. Um that Drew Breeze was named after him. I could see that.
Breeze is named Drew because of Pearson. Wow.
Okay.
I didn't hear that in the speech, though. And in terms of Breeze's speech. The thing that jumped out at me here. The moment. You want to hear about the moments where somebody realizes they need.
to do something to become great. Or change something to become great. It's very rare where somebody gets up and says, Yeah, it was easy for me this entire time. I've never heard it. Right?
I've never heard it. I've heard speeches since 2003. Mm-hmm. Never heard one saying, you know what, I was born with it and it was great, and I got it. I got it from the beginning.
Okay.
What he said about Sean Payton you know, about how He never wanted to let him down. And he thanked Sean Payton for letting him make both of them great. Is what he said. You know? That's cool.
Thank you for letting me be great. And helping In whatever You want her to be great. Thank you. That guy for me.
Okay.
But It was before he got to New Orleans that he had the moment where the light bulb went on, the epiphany. And interestingly enough, it involves your new head coach. of two years in Dallas. Brian Schottenheimer was Drew Brees' quarterbacks coach in San Diego. Cam Cameron was the offensive coordinator for Marty.
So Brian was his dad's QB coach. And This is what helped Breeze become great. Thank you to Coach Cam Cameron and Brian Schotheimer, offensive coordinator and quarterback coach for the Chargers. I'll never forget a film session in 2003. I was coming off a tough game, and as we watched the tape together, They asked me the question: hey, why didn't you throw to this receiver?
He was wide open. To which my response was, I couldn't see him. The tape paused. There was a moment of silence. They glared at me and said, It's your job to see.
You reach a point in your career when you stop making excuses. It's usually a moment or an event. where you flip a switch or make a very conscious decision. and it becomes part of your being. They were right.
And never again would those words or thoughts come out of my mouth. I would need to find a way to play the game a little bit different. even if it was in a way that had not been done before. It would shape me for what came next. New Orleans.
And then the place went nuts because there were Saints fans everywhere in Tom Benson Stadium, by the way. And so I heard that, and I'm like, oh, I did not know that. Wow.
That's awesome. Yeah, that's the moment where he just said, you know what? You know, I I know I've got uh I'm height challenged. And I just He told his coaches, I just couldn't see him. And the coaches were like, too bad.
Yeah, let's figure something out. And he realizes, okay, I need to. Yada yada yada. He's the first Battle Hall of Famer with a gajillion records. No excuses.
figured out. Which nobody saw. thought possible when he was Yeah. Battling with Philip Rivers. Chargers definitely didn't think so because they chose Phil.
Man, that moment hit me. And then, you know, complete surprise, had no idea Adam Veneteri would tell everybody to tip their waitress by the steak. My man was on fire. Two-drink minimum speech from Adam Venetieri. Didn't see that coming.
As you said on air. I did say that. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, Venetieri. It's not like, hey, I'll be here all week.
I'll be here for all eternity. Tip your waitress. Try the veal. Try the veal. Either or.
Or whatever. And first, first, I mean, he was. Find a way. You'll see his tie was a little bit open. I had no idea he was channeling Rodney Dangerfield.
I thought he had a me, hey. I'm a Hall of Famer. I'm a leader in points of all time. Hey, Bill Belichick got the first high and tight fastball to mix sports metaphors. Unfortunately, Bill couldn't make it here today.
There's a lot going on at UNC right now. He may be on a recruiting trip right now looking for the next Lawrence Taylor. I thought it was because training camp had already started, but in truth, it's because he's judging its girlfriend's cheerleading competition. Yeah. Was that necessary?
Hey. Hey, come on. Hey. What are we doing? What are we doing?
Hey. You pick on your friends. Oh, and then Brady got some next. Yeah, he did. Hit it.
I was lucky enough to play with the greatest quarterback in Patriot history. Unfortunately, he was unable to make it here today. Drew Bludsoe. Yeah. I had a few more Tom Brady jokes, but I was afraid that he'd run up on the stage and maybe give me a Will Smith like he did to Logan Paul last month.
Hey, hey, hey. Even Will Smith got some, huh? Like a Will Smith drive-by? Like, come on. Tony, he was on fire.
Oh, wait a minute. We're not done. But wait, there's more. He gave, did you not hear this? He gave Pat a shout out because Pat showed up, obviously.
Right. Remember, Pat told us years ago when he was a guest here, McAfee, that he lied to Poley about holding footballs. Vitatari said it sent him to Holders Camp. Right. He sent him to Holders' Camp because he lied to.
Napoleon to say uh of course I I was a holder in W West Virginia. And now he had to hold for Vinatieri, and Vinatieri is like, You got to figure this thing out, kid. And who knew that would lead to this moment in the Hall of Fame speech? Hey, Pat McAfee's here in the crowd today. Great to see you, brother.
The only person who enjoyed holding my balls more than my wife. I heard that. I'm standing next to Kurt Warner and Lewis Riddick on the set. I'm like, whoa.
Now, he did follow that up, though. Yeah. Because Chris is like, wait, what? Yeah. Oh, he followed it up.
He followed it up with him. His wife's wife would hold for him in the offseason, whatever. Which led Kurt to say on the air, he's like, Yeah, because I brought up, you know, hey, two-drink minimum. And Kurt's like, Yeah, so, you know, our wives play, you know, significant roles for all of us in the offseason. And I just went on the air.
I'm like, Don't think that was my takeaway. I don't think that was a takeaway from that comment. Adam Vinatieri, it's up and it's good. And you saw Manning Peyton right before him. Oh, yeah, he went with a forehead joke.
Yeah, the prompter. Yeah, the prompter was going to be on his forehead. Man, everybody got to be on his head. Scoring points everywhere at Viniti. Little legend.
That was the first. He just picked off everybody. Oh, my goodness gracious. Didn't see that one coming. Great weekend in Canton.
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Rich Eisen here. We talk a lot about battles and sports. Teams battling through adversity, athletes fighting for every yard. The toughest warriors I've ever seen, though, aren't on the field. They're kids fighting cancer, their families standing beside them, doctors, nurses, caregivers.
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Okay, so that's how we know this sport has made it. Matt Eisman, Akbar, Baja, Baja, Biamilla, here on The Rich Eisen Show. American Ninja Warrior airing Monday, 8 Eastern on NBC, and the next day on Peacock. It is season 91 million. Did you read that right?
Get your glasses. Season 18. Season 18. Crazy. Yeah.
And the guy that we just saw in the clip named RJ, it was very loose-fitting clothes. Like, are we changing the dress code here? You know, a lot of these ninjas have their own type of swag, and so they wear their own shoes. We have ninjas who compete in suits, you know, the classy ninja, like a full-on three-piece. Like the way I run my 40-yard dash?
Yes, yes. But only he has a vest on your head. It's like swimming.
Some people go Speedos. Others go the boxer briefs. Whatever suits your style of running. I tend to choose the baggier clothing. Understood?
Reasons that are hard to grasp. I do that seriously.
Somebody's in a three-piece suit doing a three-piece suit. You got to look them up. The classy ninja dude did a 360 on the warped wall. Just decided, like, you know, I'm going to do this in a suit, dress shoes and all. Like, I mean, it's unbelievable.
Well, that's not a commercial. Like, those, those, remember those stride-right shoes the women could play basketball? Here's a suit, gentlemen, you could be a ninja warrior in. And so go close deals with Gordon Geck. Are you guys going to have a Tom McCann drop?
I remember going to those shoe stores as a kid. Oh my God, stepping in that. Oh, and a little thing. And that thing you put your finger in, and they'd have that fader that would go down and touch your toes. Right?
If anybody is born like 1989, they were like, What are you guys talking about? Yeah. I know. I know. What are we going to say?
It's safe for yourself, man. We're vengeance. We're classic. We're classic, is what we're saying.
So, what was the first meeting like?
Well the you two. The first meeting was audition, right? Really? Yeah, I auditioned, but I didn't remember. It was in the old, yeah, in LA, old A.
Smith Studios, the production. And I went in there and they just like, all right, react to what you watch. And I just kind of was going on. What'd they show you? Like an actual, you know, season two.
two, maybe season three, ninja. And I started just going and I kind of went in WWE style, just like, oh, shoot, look at that. And Matt's right there. And they was like, hey, what's up? And then I took off.
And at that time, I had gotten like a thousand nose going on audition.
So I took off, didn't really get a chance to really connect with you, right?
Well, as soon as you left, we just started slow clapping. It was clear he was the guy. He followed. He followed, though. He did have a big act to follow, Warren Sapp.
Sapp? Wow.
Who I just saw over the weekend, by the way. Sapp was? Yeah. Wow.
Did you? Wow.
Yeah. I did not know this the first time I've ever been here. Yeah, Sapp did. Yeah, Sapp. He said he wanted to take me out partying, but I said, I think we're going to go with Akbar.
So Sapp tried out, you're saying? He tried out, and he was great. He was great. But when Akbar came in, it was just like, you know. It's like, it's probably when they saw Ryan Gosling walk in for the notebook audition.
Like, that's the guy. That's the guy America's going to fall in love with. Wow.
I don't know what else. I was saying that.
So Ryan Gosling. I appreciate that, man. I mean, that's. By the way, Ryan Gosling and notebook coming off the stride right rap for like you woke. You know why I rested.
I'm at a seven month old. I am very much in what can make my wife happy mode, Rich. Seven months? Yeah. Best dad ever.
Best dad ever. It's like a reminder that I'm not doing enough. Seven months. It's so cool to see Matt as a dad, man. It is like that is, it's a different, it's a different met.
Okay.
Are you setting up obstacle courses at home? Literally, I had to go get weights and like reinforce the little crib fence because he was already doing like prison riots style, like trying to break. Trying to be like Andy Dufran, he's going to tunnel through the couch. Way you go! Jawataneo.
Hey, Matt, you on fire right now, man. You are on fire.
Well, I had to get up early this morning with him, and my wife is not going to, she does everything. Fantastic. It's been amazing, though. What's your son's name? James McIntosh.
We call him Big Mac. Oh, yeah.
And he's a little delight. Tell him what you told me in the green room. I said, how big is he? Because, you know, Matt's a tall dude. He's 97 percentile height, 20th percentile weight.
So clearly, he got his figure from his mom. She's a little more lean than I am. He said right now he's pointing towards wide receivers. Oh, yeah, wide receivers. I was like, oh, that sounds like a D-lineman.
Let's be honest, you've seen me run. He's pointing more towards wide receivers, coach. Who was on your team when you were rookie? Oh, man, rookie. Rookie year was Charles Woodson, Rod Woodson.
John Perella, Dana Stubblefield, Rich Gannon, Charlie Garner, Barry Sims. Was this Gruden? No, no, bro, this is Callahan. Oh, yeah, this is yeah, this is Callie. Yeah, Callie.
Callie. Yeah, Chuck Bresnahan, defensive coordinator. You remember Chuck Bresnah? Of course I do. Yeah, Chuck Bresnahan.
Jim Harbaugh. Was a quality, quality control coach. Wow.
Dang. Yeah, Jim Harbal. Here, man.
So, your rookie season was the Super Bowl season? Was the year after. Year after. Year after. And you couldn't tell me nothing.
I was like, oh, boy, man, this is come in as an undrafted. Like, I know we're going to go to the Super Bowl. And since that year, the Raiders have not been, you know, what the Raiders should be. And so.
So you're the mush, is what you're saying. Oh, no, no, no. You're the franchise. Wow.
Oh, no. Oh, no. You know, I'm sensitive about that. I grew up with the Los Angeles Raiders, and so I'm a Raiders fan.
So, you know, seriously, though, it happens in my mind, like, dang, was it like they got me as a free agent? And they're like, oh, this guy, he's just effed up everything. Like, you know what I mean? In all seriousness, though, and I'm sure you heard this, the conversation about that Super Bowl night, you know, after Parrot Rawren's, may he rest in peace. Um that the game plan changed overnight.
Because, you know, that's what everyone's saying. That somebody said, we're changing our game plan up. Is that from upstairs? Oh, I mean, there's only one way. There's only one upstairs.
There's only one way things flow. Whatever you hear upstairs, this is coming from upstairs. That was the conversation that happened.
So then you show up there, but that's. Both Woodsons, man. Yeah, Woodsons. Man, that was a stacked team. Bill Romanowski.
He was the first one to tell me, welcome to the team. Ever tell you that story? No. Did he? Oh, so there's the auxiliary.
No, no, he didn't do it. Although he did punch somebody in the face. By the way, that's the aside of the year right there. Although he did punch somebody in the face. Romanowski is the ultimate guy.
Love him when he's on your team. Despise him any other time. But Bill was the first one to tell me congratulations. There's the auxiliary locker room that they put the, you know, it's like we call it the Dead Men Walking. This is the old Oakland Raiders facility.
And then you have the main locker room. I was never in the main locker room.
So I'm like, oh, man, like, you know, kind of the writing is on the wall. Right. And my dumb bud thought, well, if they can't see me, I forgot the time. It was like 4 p.m., I think, Eastern time, 1 p.m. is like with the final roster or something like that.
And I'm hiding behind the door, and I have my little Nike watch that, you know, you get from the, you know, if you got a little sponsorship, they give you the watch. And I have it underneath the glove, and I'm watching the time. I'm like, dang. If I go out there late, then I'm gonna get cut because I came to practice late. But if I go out there, then the Grim Reaper is gonna come get me.
I'm like, dang, like, I'm like, oh, frick it. 12:57, let me just run out there. And I'm running, and I get a big old slap on my butt. I'm like, damn. They got me, I turn around, hey, congratulation, hey, you have a nickname.
I was like, it's two syllables, bro. Ock bar. Congratulations. That was Bill Romanowski telling me you made the team. He told you.
He told me. Yeah. Before I got there, when the horn went, I just started crying, like, oh, you know, yeah, yeah.
Okay.
Yeah. So you. You got out there. I got out there. 53 told me.
Yeah. 53 told me. This is great. Yeah. It's the beginning of the redemption arc for Bill Romanaus.
Is that how you told him he made American Ninja Wins? That was it. He was hiding out. Thank you. Congratulations.
Slapped him on the butt. Off we go. Any new wrinkles for season 18 that we should know about? You know, I think what we just saw right there, the head-to-head, I mean, just really the triple header. The triple header.
Yeah, the triple header where three people were on the course simultaneously. That's when we sell the whole seat, but you'll only need the edge, Rich. It has been so fun. As I know, it's shameless. It has been so fun getting to see us challenge these ninjas and then see them rise to the occasion.
And the racing has been spectacular. We got a kid who's looking to go back to back. There's a lot of young talent out there who want to have a say in it. Yeah, it is. And to me, it feels so much like what you're watching.
Like, I saw you just watching you, and I know how much you guys love sports and how much you love sports, but you're watching it and you're just like you're on the edge of your seat. And, you know, in the past, Where we've seen the finals used to be, you know, you against this monster course.
Now we're seeing these ninjas compete against each other, and we're putting the fastest, the strongest against each other. That type of intensity, when you watch it in just that short frame, it's just edge of the seat type of competition, you know? And where did you shoot it? Vegas, babe, Vegas, Vegas. The only city that can handle the energy.
And we get to, you know, during this time, too, when we're filming, we get a chance to sneak in and go see some Raider games. You know? Yeah, remember we've got a little field access. It's nice when you go with Akbar and you're actually in the booth with other players. Although, you're not getting a hot dog.
Those are all spoken. That was last year? Yeah, that was last year. Oh, and look how well the team did. Oh, come on.
You got a problem here then? Do you see the size of this man? I can just see Fernando Mendon with a tear falling down his eye.
So let me ask you how you think the Raiders are going to do this year. I'm Really like Fernando Mendoza.
Okay.
I just don't know when he's going to get out there. Yeah. When do you think he's going to get out there? Curly Bowers, Max Crosby. I mean, they've got I liked you know, when they thought they didn't have a Crosby, they're like, let's break the bank on Linderbaum and get our center for our future first Overall pick.
Let's go and get that set up. Let's get Cousins to set up the quarterback room. Yeah, I think Cousins. And they've made some really good moves. They did.
They did. They did. This year's just about. you know, getting Kubiak Up and running as an HC, and see what's going on with the quarterback. Yeah, you got temporary expectations.
Like, that's what I've done as a fan. You know, I'm mostly, you know, I speak as a fan of the Raiders. I don't want to get too high because you get too high, then all of a sudden you're back at that feeling disappointed. But maybe it's when the expectations are low or mid that's when the Raiders step up. Why are you laughing, man?
Because this sounds like great parental advice. Like, listen, son, I'm just going to aim low so I'm not disappointed. I'm not going to do as the Raiders. I have been around the Baja Biemit family. Oh, his kids are rocks now.
Like, if you. aren't like Basically Finding world peace or Or curing the most difficult disease, you are a failure. Yes. I have been around the Did you just call me a diplomat? Like, is that what you just said?
No, I'm just, I'm just saying, like, you, you're, you're, and your family's senses of success. And I appreciate that. I've been around it. I've seen it. I've, I walk around.
I'm like, I, I don't even know what I'm doing. Yeah, but I'm going to ask you, how do you think the Raiders are going to do this year? Ah, so I've avoided the. Yes, you have. Oh, you think I was going to let you off?
I mean, this is the Rich Eisen show. I want you to claim the Raiders' name right now. You will announce them. You will announce them as the AFC West champions. I don't think that's going to happen.
Why would you say that? Say, God forbid. That's what my mom would say. Gookoff. Listen, this is in you never know league, clearly.
Okay.
You never know. Anything can happen. You're a Bronco, right?
Okay.
And well, how dare you? I think this man's team has a much better shot at repeating as champions than your team has at winning the division. I will never put anything past anything Max Crosby wants to speak into existence.
Okay.
And I, you know, Genti and Bowers and. You know, Cousins is a very good quarterback. I just think the Chargers are better, the Broncos are better, and the Chiefs are better.
So You just say that right in my face like that, huh? Like, you don't feel guilty that you're just lying to the people? No, no. You just lie. You just sit here lying to the people.
I'm not lying if I'm speaking what I believe. Uh But your belief could be wrong. This is going to be. Pardon me if I don't. I feel like the bat is coming here.
No, no, no, no. Pardon me. Put up the schedule. Oh! He's going to break it down in your face.
He's going to break it down. Can we play the win-loss game today? I need the actual auto is a pirate, please, for this man.
Okay.
All right, here we go. Win-loss, sir. What happens opener against the dolphins? I don't hear the. Is the auto win playing?
Okay, there we go. All right, explain. Oh, nice. Oh, the offensive dolphin happens. That's a win.
That's a win. Then they're at the Chargers. They're at the Chargers. There's no tie here in this situation. I'm going to go Raiders on this first one to go.
2-0 at the Saints. Yeah, they're going to win there. They're going to start off 3-0. 3-0. Wouldn't that be amazing?
Now the Chiefs come to town. What happens then? Yeah, that one, they're going to be coming off of a big high off the Saints. They're going to take an L right there against the Kansas City Chiefs. 3-1, they're at the Patriots.
Yep, 3-1 at the Patriots. Everybody's going to go, oh, yeah, the Raiders, the Raiders, and the Patriots, and then the Raiders are going to be filling themselves like, you know, trying to come back. They're going to take an L on that one.
Okay, three and two.
Now home for the Bills. Yep. And then they're going to come. Yep. Yep.
Yep. Josh Allen. Is yup another word for loss? That's a 500. We're at 500.
That's all. All right, 3-0 now, 3-3.
Now the Rams pay visits.
Now we're pissed.
Now we're pissed.
We are pissed. The highest level of pestivity, we come out and we beat the Raiders. You beat the Rams. I'm sorry, the Rams. We come out and beat the Rams, the LA Rams.
All right. Now 4-3 at the Jets. Come on. Come on. Come on.
Yeah. Okay, 5-3 now at the Niners. We slip to the Niners. Yep, we slip to the Niners. That's it.
5-4. You talked about. We beat the Seahawks. Six and four. I don't like how comfortable calling it.
This is Ninja Warrior on Ninja Warrior. Ninja Warrior on Ninja Warrior. We see that. That's at in Denver, Mile High. Come on, man.
What's come on, Raiders? Seven and four. Seven and four. At the Browns. Yeah.
Eight and four. Thank you. Chargers at the Raiders. You already knew the silence. Chargers at the Raiders.
You sweep them? No, we don't sweep them. They come back and they win this one. Eight and five Broncos. Broncos now in Vegas.
Yep. Aye. Bye. Can we sweep them? Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Nine and six Titans at Raiders. Titan and three. We win. Ten and 10. What's he got?
One hook. One, one, two, three, four, five. 10 and 5 at the Cardinals. Yeah, 10 and 5 at the Cardinals. We win.
11 and 5 at the Chiefs. Andy Reid upsets a weird going, thinking that this was going to be a big one, and we ended up going into overtime, beating the Kansas City Chiefs. You thought I was going somewhere else with you, didn't you? I did. You ran the Okie Doke on me.
7, 8, 9, 10, 11. 12 and 5. 12 wins? That's correct. Don't say like 12 wins.
Why are you questioning me? I said, You let him say what he believes. I'm telling you what I believe. The prediction markets open at because I think I'm taking the other side on this bat. Greater win total final.
You know what? Save this clip because you guys are going to want to use this. I know you guys rerun the baseball clip thing that you guys got me on. First pitch. Save this one, and you'd be like, you know what?
The only person to ever call this out was Akbar. And I might miss on one of the two of the games, but they will be somewhere in the range of that 10, 11, 12 win. Akbar's dream is that Fernando Mendoza is going to be watching this in his hotel room going, somebody believes in us. And that's it. That's going to be the beginning of his Rocky story.
I love it. I love it. You guys are great. Thanks for coming on. Always American Ninja Warrior.
Ninja Warrior is going to the Olympics, huh? Yes, we are. Just like the Raiders are going. To the playoffs. I'm not a pentathlon.
It's replacing Equestrian. There will be ninja-type obstacles. Fantastic. Yeah. We're hoping we get involved, but I'm sure Tarico is going to be doing it.
Thanks, NBC. They've got to have us there. They've got to have us there. The national finals begin tonight, 8 Eastern, with the top 60 athletes battling it out in head-to-head races. The season finale on Monday, August 31st, when the next American Ninja Warrior champion will be crowned, airing tonight, 8 Eastern on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
It is great to see you, gents. Appreciate it, man. Thanks for having us. Always, Matt Eiseman in Akbar, Baja, Biamila, right here on The Rich Eisen Show. Back to Rapids.
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What's up, Riley? How are you? Pretty good, Rich. How are you? What's on your mind?
Appreciate you hanging on and hanging in. Yeah, thanks for taking my call.
So I'm a Vikings fan, and I was just wondering why everyone thinks Kyler has a starting quarterback job locked up. when he was cut from Arizona. They're paying him how many millions of dollars to not play for them? Like it's not like the Vikings traded three first round picks or even got 'em in free agency. Like I just don't see why everyone thinks he should just have the job.
Well, because here's the deal, Riley. I mean, just because another team is done with a quarterback because a new regime comes in or the front office or the ownership is finished with this player based on some water that can't be put under a bridge does not mean he is no longer a successful quarterback and can't be successful somewhere else. I mean, how many times do you see somebody change addresses and all of a sudden they go and crush it? I mean, Drew Brees, San Diego is done with him. Look what just happened over the weekend.
I'm not saying Kyler Murray is going to be a first ballot Hall of Famer by any stretch of the imagination. He did not have as successful a run in Arizona as Drew had in San Diego before Phillip Rivers took the gig over there. I just think that he's a first former first overall pick with an athletic skill set that is unique. And um and the the The Vikings and Kyler Murray might also say a change of scenery is going to be best. We're better at coaching him up than anybody else was when they had him.
And um and it's going to be something we need to see for 1.3 million bucks. That's why, Riley.
Okay.
You know, I just, I don't know. But I understand, listen, it didn't work out well for him in Arizona at the end of the day. And thank you for the call. I mean, again, I don't know what happened with his foot.
Okay.
All I know is that the foot injury happened when it was an errant snap hit him in the face mask. Yep. And then Poof, he disappeared forevermore. Never played another snap. That was his last snap for the Arizona Carson.
Yeah, that was before halftime, too.
So I don't know. A new coach comes in, and they're like, we're going to start from scratch. And ownership is. Um On board to eat that amount of money, it does say, hey. That's a red flag.
That's something that we need to be concerned about. But in Minnesota, Based on what was Going down there last year, feeling the need to push JJ McCarthy in a certain way to have a veteran presence, He fits the bill. He absolutely fits the bill. And he can do things at quarterback that other guys can't. create pressure with inside the five-yard line, you might keep it and run it in.
They haven't had that in Minnesota. A long time. No?
So That's why. I think he's got the leg up unless again JJ McCarthy performs so well in a Meeting rooms. On the field in training camp, in preseason games, that he just forces the issue to the point where everybody in the locker room knows who should start week one. And that's the way that Pennix can get the gig, and that's the way that Shador can get the gig over veterans. that I I feel Management.
And potentially the head coaching. And the rest of the coaching staff is going to say we got to see what we have in this veteran first. Could be wrong. And as far as me being a diehard J.J. McCarthy fan, I hope I am.
from Minnesota. That wraps up this show. I want to thank Matt Eisman, Akbar Baja Biamila, Jeff Hafley, Chris Carter. And you will set up the rest of the week on Disney Plus when we come back on the TV side of things. 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.
