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This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody! Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere.
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Now, on with the show. This is the Rich Eisen show. Touchdown, Walter Burden! Touchdown! Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles.
Post it into the end zone, touchdown Bears! Hopefully, we can get in your top five. Earlier on the show, ESPN Radio Chicago host and former Bears receiver Tom Waddle, Browns head coach Todd Munkin. Coming up, actor Omari Hardwick, and now it's Rich Eisen. Hour number three, the Rich Eisen show is on the air here on this busy Friday.
We already had old school Tom Waddle in hour number one, talking about the Bears' victory last night. The actor Omari Hardwick from. The show, the greatest, which is going to be coming out on Prime Video, on the life and times, the early parts of the life and times of Cassius Clay, coming in Muhammad Ali. He plays Cassius, his dad. He's going to join us in about twenty-eight minutes' time.
But we've been this, this, this guy essentially had to say hello when he showed up in Cleveland, right? Absolutely. Just the way he goes about his business, the way he talks, the honesty, the winning doesn't hurt either. They're in first place. The Cleveland Browns at four and two, with home wins over the Ravens and the Steelers, being those tiebreakers.
They're heading to Tennessee. A three-game road trip coming up for the Cleveland Browns. Their head coach Todd Munkin is here on the Rich Eisen show. How are you doing, Coach? Great to see you.
Great, thanks for having me. We're doing well. Yeah, it seems like that from afar. Who's your coaching mentors or have been in your oh Todd? I don't know where to start and end, really.
But my whole family's in coaching. Like my my dad and his four brothers were Illinois high school coaches and head head coaches, and they're all in the Illinois Coaches Hall of Fame. And hell, my two brothers are high school coaches, and I have three cousins that are high school coaches, and my cousin's a head coach at Army.
So just when when growing up in that you know environment, but I've been so lucky to be around.
Some really elite mentors from Tom back where I first started, Grand Valley State, Lou Holtz, that really kind of changed my path forever at Notre Dame, and so on down the line. And then probably the biggest influences were the last six years. I think there was a lot of huge influence. One being Dirk Cutter. Where I was with him in Jacksonville and in Tampa, but then the last six years with Kirby Smart at Georgia and then John Harbaugh at the Ravens, I think, really, I would say, gave you almost a doctorate in coaching those last six years.
That I think where I'm at now, I think things happened for a reason at the right time, and I think I was the right guy at the right time for this job. Yeah, and I I heard you know again what you said. I think it was a couple weeks ago where you're you you were basically said the the the moment that you're in right now and the version of you that you are right now. You you might not have been ready for it in the previous past, or you you you might not be ready for this moment. Is that is that true?
You really feel that one hundred percent. I mean, one hundred percent. I mean. If I would have gotten 15 years ago at 45, or even say after the 2018 season, after the Bucks when I when I was at the Bucks when I interviewed for the Packers job and the Jets job and and the Bengals job, is what I thought I knew or where I thought I was then. The good Lord put me here in 19, and there was a lot of learning there.
And then for three years with Kirby, and then three years with John, and so I just believe I'm I'm in the right place at the right time, and I think there's no better time to be the head coach of the Browns in terms of where it's at structurally with Andrew, and where I think the last couple drafts have gone in terms of young talent, and I think, like I said, I I think there's there's no no better time to be the head coach of Browns now. And then, in terms of the offensive mindset that you brought to Baltimore and here now, right? In the ever-changing, evolving world, how much from what you had at Georgia and did there did you bring in?
Now that we're seeing more, you know, RPOs and things of that nature, how much of of that has all been collectively put together? Do you think?
Well, unfortunately, I wasn't able to bring some of those players. Right. Sure. You know that's part of it. Is it's we're always under construction, and there were some things we did at Georgia that we did at Baltimore, and there's some things we're doing here that we did at Baltimore, and we certainly need to do it better.
We're we're not anywhere near we need to be. We've had our moments, but we've had a number of of moments that are below the line, coaching and playing, and we certainly. Are working our rear ends off to get better, and we haven't been turning it over, which has given us a chance. But we've been inconsistent till we really needed it, and that's where Deshaun has really come up big in a number of the games. But we certainly have our work cut out for us in terms of with this young group, especially on offense, and trying to, you know.
Certainly become a heck of a lot more consistent, and that's that's been a struggle. And we haven't started fast, and we haven't certainly played our best football yet. Which you could argue is a good thing. You know, we're four and two, and still haven't played our best football offensively. And so the the task is to to start it this weekend.
So Todd Munkin here on the Rich Eisen show, because this is a conversation that's had not just for your. Program and team, but throughout the NFL, there's been a lot of offenses that we got to start faster. We can't keep doing this in the second half. We can't keep doing this in the fourth quarter. How do how does a coach address that?
How do you address it?
Something like that.
Well, I I really don't because then you're you're really just saying the obvious. Hell, my wife says that. You know, we got to start faster. What knows. Or why don't you just call the plays that work?
I got you, honey. You know.
So what do you do? You look at everything. You look on a weekly basis at what you're what you're asking your players to do schematically. Where are their strengths and weaknesses? What you're calling, and then where where does it lie from execution, coaching, scheming?
All of that's a part of it, and so. There is not one answer; otherwise, it'd be fixed.
So that's what we're working on. And really, it's—I don't really address it with the team. I just you just talk about the things that need to be corrected and the things that we know we can correct and work like hell to fix. And I've always said this, Rich: a ton of you know, like as long as you recognize that you're human and you're going to fail, and you own it and fight like hell to fix it, you always have a chance. And that's.
Kind of what I've lived by and worked my whole career to be like is that we're going to make mistakes, okay, but are we self aware to recognize those and then fight like hell to fix them individually and then collectively, and and then you can let the chips fall where they may. But we certainly have our work cut out for us this week against a strong Tennessee defense, and so I'll be excited to see us play because it's. It's not a not a death sentence if we don't win at Tennessee. He'll just say where you're at. You know, if you win, you're five and two.
If you're not, then we're not there yet. You know, and we got work to do, and that that's part of the long marathon that is an NFL season. Yeah, and in that vein, Coach Monk, and you're not hanging moral victories; you're hanging real ones at four and two, and you are coming up with these wins at the end of games. And I imagine that's part of building a program, certainly with. Young roster is learning how to win, learning how to execute.
When it truly, you're at a, your your backs are up against the wall. You're out of options if you don't execute. And I'm wondering if you're seeing any sort of residual effects of those victories from this team. I think so. I mean, there's always so much you can talk about it, Rich.
You know that. And then to see the fruits of your labor. Every day, you know how you are working, and I think our coaches do a great job of carrying the message from the big room to the little room. Of you know, putting in the work from the moment that I got here in the off season, we have a a young team that likes to work. I mean, for the moment I got here, you just spot the ball and they go out and practice, and you get to training camp and they like to practice and like to work, and you are trying to get across to them the understanding that.
As long as you understand that the other team is going to make plays, and you can—I know I hear Coach Signetti saying all the time that you know six seconds of play, every play is an entity of it of its own, and you got to be able to move on next play, and be able to stack plays. I think our guys have taken that to heart to know that the other team is going to make plays, and we continue to battle and and have each other's back. And you know we have some non-negotiables. That we talk about, you know, when it comes to physicality and effort, connection, and no celebration loafs, and I think our guys enjoy playing with each other, and I think the closer you are, I think the harder it is to let your teammates down and continue to fight and scratch and claw and continue to grow as a young team because we still are a really young team. We have a lot of growth ahead of us, and You know, like somebody asked me on Wednesday, and I'm about the weekend and the game.
I said I'm just worried about today. Hell, I'm worried about Wednesday's practice and how well we we play today or practice today. And I think I think our guys have kind of taken that to heart. Would you mind if you don't mind taking me into your first conversation with Jared Verse when I'm sure he was a bit shell shocked. And that he probably thought he'd be a ram for life.
Now he's a brown, and he's on your team. And he, his head was probably spinning. And I'm wondering what you said to him, and what you're still saying to him.
Well, first of all, I basically said, "Isn't it cool to be wanted?" I mean, right? I mean, we wanted you here. I mean, we would not have done the trade without him involved in it. I, you were getting a first round pick. That if on the market might have warranted you know a couple first round picks.
That's debatable, but we would not have done it for just future picks.
So it's good to be wanted, and it's basically just be you. You don't have to try to be Miles Garrett. Miles is already taken. You know he's already taken. Just be you, and there's a different system for him.
You know he's really playing defensive end and not outside linebacker, and I think he's continued to work at it. And I still think there's a ton of growth with him as a player. I know he's frustrated without having the sack production, but it's still early. In his career here, or his tenure here, and we've been pleased with the way he works and goes about his business. But the conversation was great.
He was shocked. I mean, like any player would be, just like I would be if hell, someone walked in here and said, "Hell, you've been traded!" Like for God's sakes. I mean, so it is shocking, but he's handled it great, and you know, it's been fun having him around. I've got Todd Munkin. Few minutes left with the Cleveland Browns head coach.
Again, you are at your podium this past week after you win. You talked about how it sounds really goofy, but you sit there in bed. You don't want the night to end. It's ten thirty, and you're tired as hell, and you want to be up for another fifteen, twenty, thirty minutes. I thought that sounded like a country music song.
Like you were writing a country music song here, Coach. You know, that's what it sounded like. You could set that to music. Is that what you do sometimes after a win? You're just you're trying to soak it in.
You know, you're trying. Oh yeah. You can you? No, I mean, walk me through that process for yourself. First of all, how cool is it?
To be a head coach in the NFL, like how cool is that? Like, I mean, four times I've been able to give away game balls.
Something you've looked at from afar.
Now, the first one, I had no idea what I was doing, so I just gave it to everybody. I mean, okay, fine, everybody get a game ball. I'm like, I don't know how everybody played. Hell, I'm still trying to figure this all out.
So, but how cool is it to to be a head coach in the NFL? You've worked your whole life to get there, so. You guys know how this goes. You followed it long enough to know that it's on to the next week, right? Like, okay, so the game ends.
You play a one o'clock game. It's four or five o'clock. You have to do the media, and you get home. It's about six six thirty, and you're eating whatever they had after the game. And you might have friends and family over, but you know the next morning.
You are going to watch the tape, and within a matter of time, it's over. Unless you play a Thursday night game and you win, or you get a bye week where you really get to enjoy it a day or so, it's over. I mean, it's over.
So, yeah, there is some of that where you kind of like, and you like watching the highlights at night. You like flipping back and forth between the highlights. Hey, it's going to be good today. I get to look at the highlights, and everybody you know is happy.
So, I am human. I mean, I am no different than anybody else, and you want to enjoy it. You want to enjoy those moments for all the work you put in. I don't, but there is there is nothing like the locker room after a win. I don't.
There's no drug. There's no alcohol. There's no. There's nothing that that feels like you did something collectively together, and and you just want it. You want to just continue to enjoy that night, knowing that the next day you're back on that hamster wheel and you're rolling.
So, I saw that video of you giving out game balls the other night, though, and you gave one out to Andre Schmidt. You didn't really seem to enjoy that the kick. You seem like you were like, "He's a you're a kicker. Here's your ball.
Now go back, go back to where you are." Did I catch that moment?
Sort of a somewhat dismissive. It came across in a way. It came across the wrong way. Like, first off. I wanted him to take the ball and run with it.
Like he took the ball and was staring at me. Like, what do I have to ask you to say something?
So I'm like, okay, get out of here. Start swearing. Get out of here. Like, fine, I'm done with you. Like you're supposed to take and be jacked, you know?
And I'm like, okay, fine. I've had enough, anyways. You're like the sixth ball. I've had enough. Let's let's celebrate and and share and everything.
Sorry, swore on your show. I'm like, that's alright. That's what the dump buttons for. Don't worry. We've had enough.
You know.
Okay.
So it really and everybody, especially my wife's, like, "What'd you do that for?" I'm like, "Well, I didn't mean to do that." Like it would. It just in today's social media and everybody sees it. Like I really was like, "Okay, get out of here." Fine. You don't want to talk. Great.
Glad you made it. You know, last one for you, man. Honestly, you're you're you're awesome to chat with, and and Browns fans are out of their minds right now. What's your message to them at the end of the day, Coach?
Well, we're still a work in progress, and we still have a very young team, and you know this goes. It's um, you know. The ups and downs and the overreaction of the NFL, right? Like we did not play great against Jacksonville, and everything's you're a one and done coach. I mean, you're out.
Then four weeks later, you're coach of the year, and give it a few weeks, and just the nature of this is to trust that we're going to build this roster. And all fan base wants is. To be able to have a belief that their team is on track to compete every week, compete for a division championship, and as I said, there's no better time than now with our young roster, and we're still under construction. We still are in the the building of this roster and what we're doing schematically, and just understand that I said this when I when I got the job, like. Wouldn't it be cool that we're the start of like twenty years from now when I'm eighty, that people look back and go, "Man, why don't we do it more like the Browns?" Like twenty years from now, that you've flipped the narrative to where they're no longer saying Browns are going to brown, and they're saying that.
Why aren't we more like the Browns? Why don't we do it more like them? Irrespective of how long I am the head coach, or isn't that what you should be doing? Is trying to get everything on track to where you're doing an elite level from a structure, a culture, from a draft standpoint, and developing your players so they can say. You know, down the road, that was that was the starting point of something special.
Was the start of the the twenty twenty six season? Awesome! What a great time to chat with you. Greatly appreciate your time. I'm enjoying what you're doing from afar.
Take care of that voice. What do you got, Lozins? You do tea? I don't. What do you got?
What do you got for this? This is so effed up. My voice. It's from years of people think that. I used to smoke, you know, like a couple packs of Marlboros, you know, fire up a couple lung darts after practice or something.
And now my parents did smoke, you know, when I was little. Maybe that's where it started. It's more yelling, okay? And it's it's not going away. I got lozenges.
I I try. It's now kind of. I don't know. I don't know what to do about it. It's just the way it is.
It is you. You. You be you. You keep being you. And just again, I'm.
I'm concerned from from afar. Um, thanks. I appreciate. Yeah. Thanks for.
Thanks for the time, Coach. Really appreciate it. You guys appreciate. Guys do a great job, man. Thank you.
Greatly appreciate that. Right back at you. Right back. Take care. Todd Martin, everybody, right here on the Rich Eisen show.
Keep calling. Are we still on the air? I mean, I haven't heard. I'm so happy. I don't.
It's a walk and hard knock. A walking harden.
So the final count was was five s's and one f, and then he did he did censor himself. I know he did say f'd up at the end, and I greatly appreciate that. And one lung dart. I am so glad I don't have the dump button over here anymore. Lord, that was everything.
Lost it over there. I turned my right. I think around third s, and then right before the first f, I was. I was. We'd been waiting for that for a while, and I think that exceeded expectations.
I would agree. Yeah. I would absolutely agree. My goodness gracious! He's out of them.
Browns fans, you you got to be so happy because you're. Let's be honest. When he got hired, you're like, really? Yep. Like nobody really was knocking on his door, so we're gonna answer his door.
His knock on our door, really? And the answer is, yeah. And got to give it up. Got to. I understand.
Even if you don't. You know, continue to keep improving so markedly from here on out. You got the right voice. You got the right voice, and I think he represents Browns fans very fairly and very, you know, I think aptly. They they wanted they want no nonsense.
They want winning football, and they want a football guy. And they're tired of it. That's a football guy, right there. Wants something to cheer for, man, and feel good. He's giving it to him.
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Come on out here. That's coming up. The Rich Eisen Show podcast. There's no, there's one of one, an absolute unicorn, and our radio audience, yeah, crazy. Our radio audience just returned.
I'm sorry, just to jump in, oh yeah, make sure everyone knows Omari Hardwick is here. Hey guys, and we just saw a clip of the greatest, and you play Cassius Clay Senior, and we had the actor the other day who plays. Junior, Jalen Best. I still call him that. No, it's interesting because because again, when I'm interviewing him, and I know I'm interviewing you, two days later, there's one thing that he did say in in there about how, you know, he did have a a hot minute playing for East Carolina basketball, and thus he's an athlete.
Yeah, and. You actually, you know, yeah, had a time with the San Diego Chargers. Like now, that's right. Yeah, did you have that sort of competition? Certainly, knowing that this it bow up a little bit.
Obviously, knowing you know, obviously the the relationship between senior and junior. Sure, you know, yeah, I had a moment of uh. We when we met early, we met in Marina del Rey here, and we had to sit down. And he was off the next day. The actual next day, he was off to start training or retraining.
He was already not re, but continue his training. And he talked about being a college athlete. He talked about the fact that this for him was an opportunity to have a continuum of sorts to kind of finish what he didn't start. And I said, it's the same for me. He said, No, you went further.
But okay, so he had some respect, huh? He had enough. He had enough respect. I know because I asked him for a comp, and he he said Kobe Bryant. Did he say Kobe?
He did say the word Kobe Bryant. I asked my pops one day. Rich, I said, pops, who did I run most like? And I just, you know, I asked my father, and he said, "You ran more like Tony Dorsett." So I don't know, Tony Dorsett.
Okay, one Pittsburgh, you know. But before we get to that, and you know, other parts, obviously, of your life and career here, Omari Hardwick here on the Rich Eisen show. The preparation, though, for you to play this role, this is crucial here, obviously, because you play, you know, Cassius Senior. But any sports story, for the lack of better phrase, sports movie, sports TV show that's particularly any worth its salt, it's always comes down. To a father, son.
Oh man, it does. Like honestly, you you take a look at, you know, Field of Dreams, for instance. You take a look at Hoosiers, and and it's, you know, you take a look at these movies, and it's about you know either replacing a dad or a father figure or an actual father. Friday Night Lights. That's enough.
Perfect example. Yes. Right. So. Clearly, you have to nail this down.
How did you find out about this relationship and dig into? I think you and I come from similar beginnings. Rich, obviously, Brooklyn is in your bone. That's right. Decatur is in yours.
Decatur's in mine, and they're very similar places in terms of nothing is old. Everything's earned. Hard work is super expected, right? My dream school in life, I actually was where Rich went, guys, and that's University of Michigan.
Okay, and I didn't go. I didn't go bad at at going to that. Didn't you know the fallback was pretty good, University of Georgia? But I think I learned along the way via teachers, mentors, coaches, sure, Rich, but my grandfathers and my father were so present, and they were so constant with stating. Whatever anybody else does to your left or your right, you got to do it ten times better.
I heard it so much. I think I lean most into this thought of expect a lot from them, and make it where when you are teaching Jalen's Ali and you are teaching Kai Parm's Rudy, the the actor who plays Mother Son. On set and off, when you're when you're trying to impart a thought to them, make sure that it's. I expect a lot from you, whether as Omari and or whether as Papa Cash. Yes, but but don't expect for anybody to give you anything.
I'm expecting a lot from you, but don't expect for anybody to give you anything. And I, I think I just went there unapologetically, and and honestly, brother, tried to love on them as much as possible. Offset, offset a lot of talks, a lot of walks, a lot of hang time with Jalen, a remarkable young man. Very called. I enjoyed meeting him a lot.
Very, very called, and and and I don't, you know, perhaps I don't feel that that different in terms of knowing that there was a big call in my life. And honestly, Rich, part of the call was to be the father to this kid. I had met Muhammad Ali in life before he passed. It's a big deal. It's kind of amazing how many people he did meet.
When he passed away, especially little me, the number that was really remarkable. The number, well, what what what was that story? You he was just a fan, and Mary and Molly, his eldest daughter, said it on a red carpet. She met me and, and I, you know, she said my dad is a big fan and has been for years. And I, I froze, comatose.
I froze. Anything in particular? A teardrop, but I saw. I went, I went, and I went and saw him. No, anything in particular that he saw of yours that you knew that she said he started back at like Grindarngang.
She said. That's 2005 with Dwayne Johnson, as you know, Rich. Like, and then all the way through Power, you know, and she, and then we watched an episode of Power together in the Phoenix house, along with Lonnie, who was one of our esteemed producers. Yes, Auntie Lonnie, as I call her, and and I just believe that as much as Ben Watkins and and Kim Coleman and Amazon hired me, Rich, Muhammad Ali hired me for this role. He hired me for this role, bro.
You feel that's the case, bro? Had to be, had to be the case. I love that; that's so cool. I could not imagine watching something that I was performing in with Muhammad Ali and being able to keep it together, right? Did you sneak a peek every now and then to see if he's enjoying it or something like that?
Yeah, I did. T here is a picture, Rich, that I'll give you, Offset.
Okay, because of our our relationship, and I am gonna give it to you. But it's it's amazing. He had a computer and he's watching Ghost, and I have a computer and I'm watching one of his early fights, and we're next to each other. And then I held him, I held him in my in my hands as he falls asleep. And Miriam was there on the right, and Lonnie was on the left, and you know they grabbed that that picture and it forever my grandparents.
There, he's one of their heroes. He's my father's hero. It's crazy. Yeah, you know, I grew up definitely aware of the level of activism and the level of importance that he provided for the world—not just in the ring, but outside of the ring. What a fighter in all elements of the word.
And so, it was cool to watch Jalen become. You know, how's the sausage made?
Well, this show delivers how the sausage is made, how the king is made. But, but in doing so, you know, it's a nice peek into. The father equally as much as you stated they had a clashing of relationship. They didn't clash in terms of both wanting to be the best at whatever they did. One worked with his hands in terms of painting.
One worked with his hands in terms of fighting. But but they were always with each other. He always had his pops with him, and and that meant a lot for me to play that. Yes, where I could be around, and I can still be around Jalen for the rest of his journey. I love.
Pretty amazing. Omari Hardwick here on the Rich Eisen show. When people come up to you and talk about Power, yeah. What do you what what do you get? Like what are you hearing from?
I get I get excited when I think about the fact that Rich Eisen watched Power. I be like, man, y'all ain't watching Power until. What can I tell you until COVID and on, Richard? What Rich Eisen watched that joint during that's pre-COVID. That's what I start thinking.
I'm like, Rich, watch me. That is not what fans come up to. They do ask that sometimes. No, but you know what they do, Rich? They I say to them, yes.
And I said this to my driver and route.
Okay, I said sometimes at baggage claim they'll be like, "Yo, man," but I miss you. And rich, I'll say, but I'm right here. Yes, I'm right here. And they'll say, no, I miss, I miss, I miss you. And I go, no, yeah, you said it right.
And they go, oh, I miss you. I go, yeah, you miss me. And I equally understand that that character of complication and complexity at that level was not only relatable for many people, but those who couldn't relate fantasized about being either his cool. Either his vulnerability and being able to marry the two, either his ferocity, like who doesn't want to be kind of the bad guy, if not the whole bad guy. Yes, and so yeah, some days I wake up and uh and I and I count the blessings in terms of Courtney and Curtis having delivered such a dynamic character for me to wear, into into flaunt as much as people now can run off.
The millions of people can run off and go, man, he really did something. In that character and the portrayal of it is forever there. It's iconic and it's amazing to be considered as as iconic as the character I portrayed is is considered. Why do you think it works? Because again, it's it it it's created a world.
You know, a it's not just it's not just one a one off. It worked because they hired, and I don't know if they knew what they were hiring initially. None of us, perhaps, do. You had a lot of years on on one platform, Rich, and then all of a sudden you came to another platform. And you know why it will always work is because you have that thing, bro, that can't be taught.
And I think what they learned that couldn't be taught was the athlete meets the poet, who has a poetic sensibility and outlook on life, but who has super defensive back mentality.
Okay.
Super, super. If the man gets behind me, there's nobody behind me to get the man, so I must keep the man in front of me. Yeah. And I think that combination of sorts, which I guess is, dare I say, my complexity, at the epicenter of that character, I decided to insert all the Omari I could. There's a big ass O between the G, the H, the S, and the T.
The spelling of which makes ghost. But that big asshole in the middle, man. I guess I'm pretty, uh, I'm pretty full circle. Yeah, I think it worked because of that. And if you get flagged, you say it wasn't me.
I do. Is that how it works, Elsa? Is that the defensive? You know how it works. I didn't touch him.
I didn't touch him. The ref always gets the second one, right?
So as long as I get the first one in, then then I didn't make the foul. Love that. Is there an episode that you get more often than not? Yeah, I get the fight scene with Tommy. Played by my brother Joseph Shakur, there's a fight scene, as a breakup scene, if you will, you know, and and you know, and then you and then you might get a scene.
It definitely it definitely displays or or or sort of exposes the demographic.
So if it's a street guy who really kind of lived the life of Ghost a bit, then they love episode one, the pilot episode, when this man takes somebody's head off. And then smooths out his tie, takes a deep breath, and walks back in and has a drink, and commands the waiters. I imagine when that's when you read that when you read that on a page, you're like, I can, I can, I can crush this. I imagine, right? When you see something like that, why do you imagine it, Rich?
Because it's something that an actor like yourself can sink your teeth into. Like you get it, and it's also so, um. It's also so definitive; it defines who you are right off very early. That that's a great point, you know. And in another way, just you know, opposite and Mad Men.
Yep, the pilot episode of Mad Men. Pilot episode. The very end of the pilot episode of Mad Men. That's right. An idea of who Don Draper is.
Oh man, and Ham did his job in that, didn't he? He killed it.
So, like, just as yeah, the pilot episode is often not as is a to your point, propulsive and definitive. Right. I definitely think. Curtis, who had a great talk with me about the pilot and what he wanted from me, he did out of the pilot. He did, but Courtney wrote such.
When the writing's that good, Richard, is an overrated reality of an actor being that good. I definitely know I'm solid, but when the writing is as good as it was in that pilot, man. I just got. I was ready to go, baby. I was ready.
What was your dream before I let you go? Because again, we covered this the last time you hear, but we got a whole new audience of being an NFL player. Like, what was your? Oh yeah, yeah. I know that.
But what was your? What was your? How did I see it? Yeah. How did you see it when you were going through?
You know, when I was in high school playing running back and defensive back, going both ways at Marist Academy, and it was awesome that Alan Chadwick just got a huge honor. I think he became the most winningest coach and. I guess he passed Buck Gottfried, which was the local high school I should have gone to, Southwest to Cab Buck Gottfried, but I went all the way across town and went to, of course, Maris. Yeah, there was a moment while in high school that maybe I was a little disgruntled that most of the recruiting was for DB because I equally wanted to get down at running back. Yes, and so there was a moment where in my career, I kind of thought my dream of a career would have been.
Kind of what uh you know we're seeing from these guys that are playing multiple positions like Travis Hunter like are you what you're saying right now I'm not at all no but you you literally thought I can make it the NFL and I could yeah in my college you know one of my dearest of brothers and you know this Rich Champ Bailey is one of my closest friends and teammate and Champ went on both sides and Dion went on both sides or you have in the bathroom right there in the green room for all you listeners and viewers has this incredible sign and it's a quote from. Yes, the incomparable Belichick. Yes, and he says, "Do your job." Yeah, yes, sir. It just says, "Do your job." It's very underrated for a person to be able to do their job. Yes, and certainly in that room in which you found in the bathroom.
Yes, sir. That's the that's the one. There it is. There it is. So I just wanted to do my job, and I thought that in the NFL, if they gave me a shot, I would have been able to accomplish doing my job.
And who who's who called? Like who did you? Who was the coach in San Diego at the time? Remind me, the charge. Bobby Ross is Bobby Ross.
Bobby Ross was agent tipped by Jack Real, who equally had as his client Champ Bailey, and my pops at a point was working with Jack Real. Yes, sir, and sort of ushered in this this reality of an attempt at the NFL. The free agency market is something different. A, it all worked out because for so many, so many guys that you know, when when it doesn't, if you will, work out in in football is like, now what? What am I going to do?
Many try acting, but few get to the spot where you are sitting. Oh man, Rich, I could kiss you on your forehead. It's true.
Well, I've got a bigger, very large one. Very large, but it's true. I'm gonna kill some guys. It's true.
Camera is that off the record? Is that why you pop that out? Maybe you know what, Rich. Last time we were on, last time we were on, yes sir. You brought up your daughter having a pinchet for scissor.
My my no, it was your son. My oldest son. It was your son. Oh, is he still rocking? Is he still rocking?
The whole family does now. You now you rocking out the scissor? And I hasn't gotten a dad just fully yet. No, I did go to I did go to one of her concerts. You told me that I did.
Have you ever taken the show out with Scissor's music in the background? I have not. I don't think if we did that, I don't know if I could afford it. We would have an issue. I don't.
Yeah, you'd have to have Scissor come sit down in his chair.
Well, by the way, she's more than welcome. I love that. I just hooked you up, Scissor. Make sure you come through. Oh my god, that's up.
Or you just hooked us up, would you? My my oldest son would cut school on the. We would be done. Oh yeah, he would. How old is he?
He loves her. He loves her. He loves. Yeah, he's. How old is he?
Is he driving? He's now eighteen. Oh yeah, he's driving. Oh yeah. Did you get him a nice whip?
Did you whip him up, Bubba? I want you to tell me, Bubba did not whip. You didn't whip Bubba. No, no, we're trying to, you know. Yeah, yeah.
In Southern California, things can go off the rails. Oh, quick, fast. You know, no, no, there's no, there's no, no. The greatest here. It's no hoopty, but it's you know, it's not a whip.
Practical. Yeah, it is practical. It's practical. I like that. Yeah, practicality is a pleasure.
Yeah, let's do this more often than once every three years. How does that sound? I miss you, brother. The same to you. Amari Hardwick is here on the Rich Eisen Show.
Everybody, check out the. Greatest, available for streaming exclusively on Prime Video starting November fourth. We had Jalen best on Wednesday, and now great chat with you, sir Omari Hardwick. Here at Omari Hardwick official on Instagram, be part of the legion to follow your your world. Thanks for coming on.
Thank you. You bet. That's Omari Hardwick right here on the Rich Eisen Show. We're back to wrap this show in a moment. Thank you, my brother.
The Rich Eisen Show, the podcast. At Hyundai, the SUV trophy shelf is getting a little out of hand because U.S. News and World Report has named Hyundai the best SUV brand. That's now five out of six years with hybrid SUVs like the premium and capable Palisade, the adventure built Santa Fe, and the tech infused Tucson. Which means at this point.
The shelf's going to need its own structural support system. View U.S. News Best Cars at cars.usnews.com and visit hyundaiusa.com for details and more details and more and more details on all of that stuff. What a what an hour! The Todd Munkin chat went as well as any of us could have possibly thought it could go.
Nah, that went better than I. I did.
Sorry for on your show. You have a new drop. Say that again.
Sorry for on your show. Yeah, I wasn't expecting that. That was better than that. I could have his recounting of Andre Schmidt getting his game ball and why he was came across as so dismissive. Outstanding.
Sorry, it's war in the show. Superb. Go to YouTube to get the answer. Please, everybody. The Atlanta Dreams halfway home.
They are halfway home. You imagine Angel Reese gets a WNBA championship before Caitlin Clark? Oh, buddy, let me tell you, the internet is going to explode. It's likely, well, bro, let me tell you. Um, and the Atlanta Dream, the Atlanta Dream, co-owned by Women's Sports Now's own Renee Montgomery.
Um, Susie chatted with Renee two days ago. Yes, and that's on the Women's Sports Now YouTube page at WSN on ESPN. And then after the Atlanta Dream took a two games to one lead, Susie chatted with Andrea Carter, and that conversation sitting on the Women's Sports Now YouTube channel at WSN on ESPN. Here's a little taste. Name me a player right now that epitomizes Atlanta more than Angel Reese.
Like I dare you. There's no one there. There is no one, and I was talking about this after the game. I was like, "Angel Reese always meets the moment." Like, if you look throughout her career, her ability to just she has this. There's something about her that draws people to her.
The way that the fans and even sometimes the opponents, like they're like, "Oh, I love competing against Angel Reese." I think John Qualls said it after one of the games against New York. She's like, "I love." Competing against Angel, and there's just something about her superstardom, her celebrity status, but also her production on the court. It's just a perfect mesh of yeah, representing Atlanta. She really has everything. There's nothing missing in terms of being a superstar that Atlanta is going to get around and get behind and support through and through.
Yeah, Game Four is this weekend in Atlanta. By the way. That that arena was sold out to the Gills. It was jamming. They had to move them, right?
They did.
Well, I mean, Joe Lacob, who's you know obviously the owner of the Golden State Valkyries, he's like, hey, listen, we're playing in the Chase Center. Let's let's get this let's get State Farm Arena going. Like, doesn't matter if there's a Hawks game later on or not. I mean, and they did, and they have, and it looks great. And here we go.
And again, follow follow everything through the Women's Sports Now YouTube channel at WSN on ESPN. Rich, have you thought about being able to have the WNBA championship added to to what we do here? Why not? I mean, we've had all the trophies here, have we not? It's true.
Lamar Jackson, what's going on with him? I need answers. I demand answers, and I can handle the truth. Here's the head coach Jesse Minter. The latest on Lamar Jackson's readiness for this this game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
You know, I think we're still working through that, but he's you know he's been able to get some work in these last couple days, and and you know we'll we'll again you know. Between Lamar and our staff and us, like it's going to be a decision based on him and how he feels and how how effective and things like that. Feel like it could be.
So he's had a good couple days, but we'll see how it goes over the next forty eight hours. This is weird, isn't it? Doesn't feel like he's playing. Do we have Lamar? Do I see just popped up?
Okay, Lamar. What's happening? What's happening? Right now, I'm heading the right direction. I can't call it right now, you know.
I still got a grace period, so we'll see, man. Hopefully, but I feel like I'm heading the right, heading the right direction right now. For the sake of all of us who want to see Lamar and Joe Burrow have at it, when Joe Burrow has been out as much as he's been out, and now Lamar. Has been out as much as he's been out. Let's go.
Let's go. Bummer. Let's get Burrow and Lamar against each other in the first of these two games. Two years between these two. Two years ago, we were in Germany when this game was.
Well, both teams in the high thirties. That's right. That's right. So. Good job!
I'm a good geography drop right there. That was sort of a flex. Hey, when we were in Germany, that's true. Yeah, good job. Thank you.
Great show, Todd Munkin. He was cursing. If you missed it, you got to check it out. I was awesome. Nice four on your show.
That's so great, so great. Hey, everybody! It's the weekend. We'll be back to wrap it on Disney Plus in a sec. The Rich Eisen Show podcast.
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