REShow: Michael Smith - Hour 2

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Try Dove Men Plus Care Dry Spray goes on dry clean feel all day. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Here's what I would like to do. For all you Cowboys fans out there. Live from the Rich Eisen Show Studio in Los Angeles. And the way that they lost last year is a chip on shoulder that they're gonna cash it.

Now that I'm done I don't think that's gonna happen. The Rich Eisen Show. Earlier on the show host of Peacock's football talk Mike Florio. Coming up co-host of Peacock's Brother from Another. Michael Smith from FX's Little Demon.

Actors Danny and Lucy DeVito. And now it's Rich Eisen. That it is 844204 Rich. Number to dial here to kick off hour number two of the Rich Eisen Show. Mike Florio joined us in hour number one to talk about Lamar Jackson's contract situation. Jimmy G. His future. The immediate and long-term future for him.

And then of course what's going on with the Buffalo Bills and their punter Matt Arizo. If you missed any of that and my opinions on all those subject matters also including what went down in the Rams practice yesterday with Aaron Donald holding two helmets in his hands for the Bengals after swinging them at some Bengals players. You just go to our YouTube stream youtube.com. Rich Eisen Show for anything that you miss over the first hour or any of these three hours. And then we're live on our YouTube stream for the time being. September is when we will join our friends our new friends on the Roku channel. You can watch the Roku channel and the Rich Eisen Show on the Roku channel on any Roku device. Fire TV or select Samsung televisions. You can also watch on the desktop version or on the internet the rokuchannel.com. Download the Roku mobile app that's where you can find the Roku channel as well. Best part about it it is free. The word free is the key word and it's free to say free. You should be free to get all of these devices and check us out on the Roku channel.

Free 99. Thank you sir. Yeah. Good to see you over there Chris Brockman.

It's good to be seen Rich. What are you all upset about? Just agonizing over what to do in this room. All right you're now on the clock in our fantasy league where it's two hours per pick and the pick that you make is a person on your team who uh is on your team all year long. Regardless you can't no trades no waivers. That's uh the league Joe the actor Joe LoTruleo invited us to and you're on the clock you guys. You and TJ are on this and you've got two picks to make in a row and then I'm I'm up next. And you're up yeah. Damn I'm gonna be I'm gonna be on the clock during this hour. It's possible.

Possible. I feel like this is you on The Price is Right. We're gonna go live during the hour to see if if you if you choose the right key. We've been on the clock for 42 minutes so we still can't make it. I think I think we've come to a decision though with our.

Are we gonna do it? With this pick. We don't know what to do with the next pick to be honest.

So we got two hours to worry about. I said we go ahead and we make this pick. All right so we're gonna take Lamar Jackson.

I think it's a smart move. Take Lamar Jackson. And you're adding him to.

Welcome to the squad. We have Jonathan Taylor. Jonathan Taylor.

Leonard Fournette and Keenan Allen. Okay very good. How are you Jay Feli? Good to see you. Just listening. Very good. That's good. Since it's your job.

The guy who sits there doesn't listen. That's a good point. Sounds great. Your Raiders taking on the Patriots. Apparently Devontae Adams not playing.

Which means guess what? He's not playing the entire preseason. Good. He doesn't need to play. Unwrap Devontae Adams for the Las Vegas Raiders week one.

You don't need to play. For my Las Vegas Raiders who I believe will be winning this division. And a great start would be to win week one.

Why? Because they're right here in Los Angeles taking on the Chargers. How about that for a great week one game?

Late window on CBS. I wonder if Nansen Roma will be there. Yeah that'll be it. Unless they're in Arizona for Chiefs Cardinals.

That might not be a bad spot for Nansen Roma as well. So Devontae Adams will be unwrapped then on September 11th right here in Los Angeles for my Raiders. That's right. Our Raiders. Our Raiders. You you have been on the Raiders since uh you know since birth pretty much. Yeah.

I just hopped on board for this year saying I think they're gonna win this deep end of the NFL pool in the American Football Conference Western Division. Welcome. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Let's take this call.

Perfect timing. John in Tennessee. You're here on the program. What's up John? Not much.

How about you Rich? What's on your mind John? I think I know what's on your mind because Adam our call screener typed it into this computer. Go for it.

Go for it. Okay here's my thing. Why are you going to this the Chiefs who won this this division for six straight years right? Six straight years. We have like a generation talented quarterback like you were talking about yesterday.

Yes. Um and we have probably one of the best defensive tackles. Chris Jones. We have the best tight end in the NFL. Travis Kelce. Okay. And yet you're still gonna pick the Raiders.

Yes. Who have a great tight end in Darren Waller. Hold on. A great tight end in Darren Waller. A quarterback not as accomplished as not as not as accomplished as Mahomes. Hold on a minute.

I'll push back a little bit. Raiders and Chiefs as we all know uh you throw records out. You throw records out when it's when it's when when these two teams play each other and I think Devontae Adams is going to be the best skilled player at the position on that field against the Chiefs which is not something that you've been able to say about the Chiefs with pretty much any other wide receiver in the last several years and um I like I like I like oh I like the way that the Raiders have constructed their roster.

Um I like adding Chandler Jones on top of it. My concern is their offensive line. I have a concern about their offensive line. That's my concern. Um so that's that's my two cents on the Raiders right there.

So your Chiefs fans sitting there in Tennessee. John is that what you're saying? Yep.

Grew up in Kansas for 10 years. Okay. Very good. Thanks for the call John. Call call back as we uh matriculate our way. That would be great.

How about that? The Chargers are the only team that's home in the AFC West in week number one. As Denver is in Seattle as we all know. And Kansas City's in Arizona. And the Chargers are sitting at home welcoming in the Raiders for uh. That is a spicy week one game.

Lots of home game for the Raiders. Um and that is not being facetious. Yeah.

That is not being facetious. Even with the Rams winning the championship here you could swing a stick and find more Raiders fans in Los Angeles. Still. Than Rams fans? Uh yeah right now. Still. Oh. You make that case. I think so. Yeah. Raiders Raiders are real deep.

It's everywhere. Just take just take and. It's a front-running town though so the Rams fans are gonna be even out there more. Oh and that'd be great. The Rams deserve it.

They do deserve it. So there's that. What's the baseball news Chris Brockman? Oh big-time baseball news. Aaron Judge resigned? Aaron Judge uh no did not. Okay so who signed?

Sorry. Uh the one of the best young players in the game. He won the home run derby. Did he win the home run derby?

No he almost won the home run derby. Julio Rodriguez. Massive extension with Seattle. 210 million guaranteed over 14 years. Has the ability to grow to well over 400 million according to Jeff Pass.

It includes player and team options. Okay so Aaron Judge will point to this and say I want better than that. Even though he's 30 and Rodriguez is much younger. I would not give Aaron Judge this deal. Well not 14 years.

He doesn't obviously 14-year deal no one's gonna sign a 30-year-old to a 14-year deal. How about we cut the how about we cut that in half and keep the money the same? Cool. I wouldn't do that either. If you're the Yankees. No.

Dude. They're gonna they're gonna have to overpay to keep them. Of course and they have the money. They just cut the crap. George Dunbrenner the third underneath underneath the ground is screaming at his son saying just cut the crap Hal. Cut the crap Hal. You you you and Jerry Jones are naming stadiums all over the world.

You make more money probably off of that than the Yankees. Cut the crap Hal. But is he ever going to replicate this season? This is as good as it's going to get. Why would you say that?

How do you know that? Well the last time he was this good was never sexy six years ago. I know. I mean he's out of his skull right now and he's just gonna only get better and he's a great face of the franchise and I over over. Yankee fans don't want to hear another second about it.

Maybe three more good years and then it's gonna be bad. Stanton's back. Stanton's back.

They're putting up double digits. Oh you're back? You're back? You're baseball? You're back? Yankees have won four games in a row. Wow.

I can't tell sometimes. What else do you need to know? He's back.

What else do you need to know? You're kind of sounding fair weather and I know you're not fair weather but you're sounding fair weather. Why? Because I say that I stopped following baseball.

You ran and then you left and then you came back and you left again with things. I've been watching the entire time living and dying please. I know. I'm just saying. Please stay here.

Stay as long as you can. For the love of God. You want to throw the Billy Madison clip? I kind of took a guess. I was hoping that was right.

Let's not take guesses any more please will you? But that was Billy Madison stuff. You're playing with fire.

You're going to be here more often than Mike in the next like month. Yeah so just redo it. Can you just re-label everything? Re-label everything. I've started.

There's yeah I'll get to it. Yeah but then he's going to have to re-label. Mike's not going to know. You know how bad that'd be when he's here. No you give him.

I know you Jason. You can give him a sheet. Give him a cheat sheet. Come on guys.

You can put it together. I'd be really kind of want to mess with him. Congrats to Mariners fans where the Mariners are spending on a player that they have fallen head over heels for. Hold on to him and see what you got. Make the playoffs and let's start winning some baseball games until you face the Yankees or if you face the Astros get them out.

Get them out. Will somebody please take care of the Astros for the Yankees because the Yankees ain't take care of the Astros themselves because for some reason for some reason Aaron Boone, smart guy right? Smart guy. I'd say he's a smart guy. He's been around the league. He knows how to. He's been around.

He knows how to hit make make make some big-time plays. Okay. One time. Very that's all you need.

That's all you need. He knows he knows he knows what he knows. He knows.

The guy knows. He's a savage. He's a savage.

Okay. His guys are savages. For some reason for some reason they just forget how to pitch to Altuve. Altuve. Or Bregman.

Those guys. Or Alvarez. Keep going down. Oh my god.

Oh my god. And then Verlander. Pitching like Cy freaking Young. Again. Hall of Famer. First ballot. Somebody take care of the Astros.

No question. See how I made it about myself when there's big news about the Mariners are two and a half in front of. How about the Orioles not going away?

It's a unique ability. How about the O's? How about the O's not going away? They're really good. I think you got to stop going high register on them. They're six over. Yeah they're really good. I mean they just keep finding ways the cardiac kids they find ways to win.

I know with kids that you've never heard of. One of them tied the game on his first career home run with two outs in the ninth on an 0-2 pitch down to their last strike. I can't name a single player on the Orioles. Then they beat the White Sox. Can you name a single Oriole?

Of course I can. Kyle Ripken Jr. Eddie Murray. Brooks Robinson. Brady Anderson. Ben McDonald. Remember him?

Yeah. Jim Palmer. It's Albert Bell's birthday. Didn't he play for the Orioles for a second?

Very good guys. Great baseball. Kyle Ripken Sr. Billy Ripken. Blank face.

Frank Olson the catcher with two G's. Terzo and Iowa all rise. All rise.

The counselor is here on the program. What's up Terzo? What's up guys? Good to talk to you again my man. Hey I missed you guys the first couple days. I didn't know you made the transition over to YouTube. Man you're making the move over to Roku man.

That kind of threw me off. Yeah I know we're in our temporary home for the moment. You know it's our rental but it's a heck of a rental. We're very happy and then they're building our new home right now on Roku and then we'll move in in September. It'll be great.

Hey man I love the rental. The chat row has been hilarious. I know. I'm seeing some of it. Dude that it's hilarious.

I understand. Somebody just said only Mike Greenberg will admit that he's a Jets fan. Are you freaking crazy? What? Somebody just wrote that.

I just saw that. Also Mike Greenberg hasn't been. Only Mike Greenberg will admit he's a Jets fan. Where is Mike Greenberg? Yeah exactly that's the whole entire point. Mike Greenberg has literally been off the radar until you just mentioned him right now on TV.

No that's not true. What's on your mind Terzo? What's going on?

Hey man so we all made it out of Chicago alive and well Trey Lance and everybody just kind of just trying to hit on him. It's a couple series right. And if you're going to be the Niners this is the thing. This is what we have to look for. We need to see consistency throughout games right.

Not just not just you know a quarter or two quarters. We need to see it. There has to be a little bit of life to breathe into this into this idea that we have. Now keeping Garoppolo I too believe the best insurance policy that we have and I actually think the Niners will do it is they're not going to flinch. The league the league is at this point waiting for them to just cut him.

We're not going to flinch. We're going to pay him the money because he's got us to a Super Bowl. He's got us a throw away from winning the Super Bowl. He's got us to an NFC championship game again where we should have won unless a ball was dropped.

And I think that we have a good opportunity to keep him in the wing. I know everybody's going to hate the whole fact that I'm saying this but I think that's a great insurance policy. Okay everything you just said made complete sense Terzo. I hear you but this is Lance's team man. I mean that's it that's it and thanks for the call Terzo.

I'll just repeat I'll just repeat once again here for the for those in the back who may not have heard me for the last several months. When you make a trade like the Niners made for the third overall pick in the draft and draft a young quarterback who is not just young but green okay who hasn't played football in a while and you then sit him for the first year and then see the quarterback who's still there who was absolutely deposed as the long-term quarterback for the team the minute they struck the trade to go up into the third overall position of that draft in Cleveland. The minute they struck that trade Jimmy Garoppolo was done as the long-term quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers.

Done. So now comes the time where they gotta turn to Lance. That's it. If it was Mac Jones if it was somebody else they would have turned to him maybe sooner.

I don't know. But they saw something in Lance that we're gonna see in short order two Sundays from now in Chicago. A kid who can run it and a kid who can throw it and is smart enough to get it pre-snap. The question is will he be able to handle the pressure when whatever you do or when whatever he thinks he sees pre-snap doesn't happen post-snap. If there is pressure that comes at him fast does he drop his eyes as a lot of people who evaluate this stuff were saying he was doing just last night in Houston. Does he keep his head up? Does he run?

What do we do? How quickly can Shanahan get that rust off the greenness and mature him? And Niner fans will have to understand it might look ugly every now and then. That's what happens when you choose somebody third overall. The Mahomes and Rothless burgers that come fresh out of the first round box don't happen that often. Lamar Jackson. Herbert.

Burrow. Those are names that stand out for a reason. Can Lance be one of them? Absolutely. Last year is that a fair assessment of his abilities? We'll find out but it's time to do it. Here was Kyle Shanahan after the game last night in Houston talking about how Lance is ready for the real big-time spotlight of an every day week in week out top of the line starter for the San Francisco 49ers.

I mean I wish it was cleaner just from a hole but I'm not gonna make too much of it. We wanted him to get just two drives. I ended up giving him three because I wanted to give him a little bit more there but there weren't too many opportunities and we got him some long down and distances which made it tough. I'm nervous watching everyone on those drives not just the quarterback.

Those guys usually get the most protection but it's I mean I don't want to eat my own word so I'm just glad that we made it out of it. I mean it's a fine line for everything that's why pre-season is important but it's also something that I compared to the driving range. Whatever happens there doesn't really matter but you need to do it to get better too so you're always a little bit nervous but we got through it and I think that'll help him in the long run.

He's also referring to putting Lance behind the second string offensive line so he can get the reps. Hey man at some point they were gonna have to turn to Lance. A lot of people think it's still too soon. It's not too soon.

You gotta start now so the growing happens right away and the maturity happens as soon as possible and the ups and the downs become fewer downs and more ups faster. That's the way it works. That's part of the problem with Zach Wilson getting hurt last year now hurt now. You gotta go.

You gotta get the lumps in. That's the way most quarterback situations unfold in the NFL. The other ones are are the norm. Which one is Lance gonna be? The setup from the coaching staff, the locker room, the roster, the huddle.

It's all there for Lance man. It's a dream come true for a kid who wants the opportunity and gets the opportunity. You want somebody who's a coach who knows what they're doing offensively and also has confidence in himself because the management and the ownership has confidence in him. Check that check that box. You want somebody who can also be around you, other players around you who can make plays. Deebo, Ayuk, Kittle, just to name three and they're all certainly as we know Kittle in the foxhole with him.

Good people gonna have his back. Check that box. Offensive line. How does Trent Williams sound as an anchor on the left side? Check the box.

Defense that can get you the ball back. Check the box. Here we go. It's set up for Lance and sometimes it might not look good and pretty but in the long run this is your guy. I don't think we got Akili Smith here. Honestly.

I agree. I think he's big, he's tall, he's smart. Well I mean just I'm just talking about a highly drafted quarterback. No I'm just talking about a you name anybody of that position. I mean we go Jamarcus but he wasn't first overall. Right. No Akili Smith very appropriate pick. I'm just saying like this is not going to be somebody who appears to have a great skill set.

EJ Manual. He was taken much later than Lance. I'm talking about a top five pick I guess. I don't know. I think you get my drift here.

Of course. I didn't have Akili on my Friday bingo. Nor did I have the I'm gonna cape for Lance one more time here but it's just because now it's go time. Niners are done with their preseason. It's go time. They're gonna be in Chicago in a couple of weeks.

Not a bad place to start too. I know Roquan Smith is going to be hungry and the defense of the Bears is the more accomplished unit. One would think they should go in and get a win and Lance should look the part. There'll be ups and there'll be downs because the kid is going through it the first time. So when he goes through it the second time you can win a Super Bowl. Yeah I said the words.

Let's take a break. Our friend now of Amazon, Thursday Night Football, Michael Smith will join us next on the Rich Eisen Show. So much to chat with him.

Always a great conversation when Michael Smith's on the show as he will be shortly. If you don't know your numbers you don't know your business. That's true when your business is growing fast and even more true when there's a lot of uncertainty. Inflation is running rampant. Supply chains are clogged and the labor market is tight.

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It's NetSuite.com slash RichPod. Back here in the Rich Eisen Show Terrestrial Radio Network. It's been a while since we've spoken to this man. I miss him. We used to speak to him once a week and he's on Brother From Another on Peacock, on NBC Sports on Peacock, but now also on Amazon Prime's coverage of Thursday Night Football. Our friend on the Mercedes-Benz phone line back here on the Rich Eisen Show, Michael Smith. How you been, Michael? New phone, who dis? Hey, congrats on the gig on Amazon. Thank you, thank you so much. Good to talk to y'all, man.

I miss you guys. Do you get free Prime delivery with the gig? Oh, what do you got? It's a great question. I don't think that was part of my deal. Come on, Michael. We need to work on that. We do need to work on that.

You got to get that deal. Have you met Bezos yet? Is he there? No, I have not. You haven't been on the yacht? You've been on the yacht yet? I have not.

Are you going to space? You know, it's compensation, so maybe a meeting might come with that. Gonzalez is the guy to talk to for that, by the way. So I've heard. Oh, yes. T.G. can get that pass for everybody.

We should do that. I mean, Bashati once got us all hammered. This is a Thursday Night Football tradition. He took the entire crew. It was a Thanksgiving night. He invited the entire crew onto his boat that was docked just off the harbor there in Baltimore. That was the night before the John versus Jim Harbaugh.

Oh. And then he was so generous. He gave us all food and drink and then made a few of us stay.

And then I almost didn't answer the bell the next day for Thursday Night Football's coverage of that game on Thanksgiving. Bashati, one of the coolest owners around. Let me try one of his snazzy sports coats one time. I offered to give it to him. I can't take your coat. Um, coat off his back. Off the rack, off the Bashati rack.

I'll raise your Bashati boat flex. Yes. Well, no, no.

Break that down. It was the whole crew. It was the whole Bashati boat flex. It was the whole crew, Michael. It wasn't just me. It was the entire crew that he invited.

I just went to Nobu for the first time in Malibu courtesy of in the annual Jerry Jones Media Team party. Yeah. Yeah. How come I didn't get to go to that? Okay.

That was pretty fun. Did you have the... Is this unethical? Is this okay? No, it's fine.

It's absolutely fine. Did you get the Tyrant hamstring roll? Oh, come on.

Was that on the menu? Was that too soon? Is it too soon? Yeah, definitely too soon. That's unnecessary.

Definitely too soon. When did you come up with that? I don't know. It just came in my head. It's inappropriate, guys. I don't know what my problem is. I don't know.

All right. You need to get up big time. Honestly, I was like, damn, where Rich has been at?

And then when I got the call, I was like, whew. It's been a while. I thought we had beef.

I thought we had Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverly beef. Never. No, never, never, never. Did the ratings plummet when you had me on?

Never, never. Losing sleep over this, man. It's good to see your voice.

It is good to hear yours as well. So what did you glean from last night's action? Anything last night, Michael Smith? Well, I'm connected to what y'all were just talking about. Because, I mean, I get my, you know, my, the hair on my arms started standing up and y'all were talking about a fantasy draft, you know. Also doing some fantasy stuff this year on Sunday mornings with Matthew Barry.

I guess I might as well plug that. Please. Fantasy football pregame for NBC Sports and Peacock. The most interesting name that you guys mentioned, but just kind of like passed over was Brandon Cooks to me, man. Like Brandon Cooks is just like forgotten. Nobody wants a Texan.

It ain't sexy. You know, you know, you know, where Darryl Waller got Derek Carr or Chris Godwin got Tom Brady, so on and so forth. So I go, you know, with Davis Mills. And Brandon Cooks just puts up consistent numbers, man. He's dependable, explosive at times. Davis Mills is going to be pretty good. I like the Texas to be competitive, not to compete for that division. You know, God, no, I'm not sending a shocker roll like Davis Mills is talking about. But I mean, let me go have that defense playing hard.

They got some good young players. I'm sure y'all thought about Damian Pierce as a fantasy asset. No, he didn't. We didn't. We didn't.

We didn't. No, no, that's like Fight Club. No, no, no, no. That's like Fight Club. It's so funny. It's a sleeper. I know. I didn't say that.

Well, streaming or whatever you call it, whatever prime video last night. Nobody's sleeping on anybody now. It's RB1. He's not a sleeper anymore. It's too late for that. I agree that that horse is out of the barn. But it's so funny that everybody's just like, I'm going to get him in like round 10, round 11, round 12, as if nobody else knows that he's really good. It feels like he's this year's Javonte Williams. Like, right. I like it.

It feels like like who are you? What league are you playing in if you think you'll sneak Damian Pierce? Oh, it's called the Moron League. That's the league that we're in.

We're in the Moron League. OK. Yeah. No.

OK. So you pick you glean that anything from the Niners with Lance and and his readiness. I kind of went all in on that last segment as well, that it's just Niners are going to have to turn to the kid at some point.

It just happens that now is the time. I mean, the Niners are not used to breaking in a new quarterback and training wheels. That's just not their gig.

That's not what they've they're doing. I mean, this is big. This could be, if you will, the biggest controversial move at the quarterback spot or the most concerning move since Harbaugh went to Kaepernick instead of Alex Smith all those years ago. You can make that case. I mean, they made this move when they made the move up together.

Period. If it was a matter of time and it kind of backed themselves into a corner and, you know, setting aside the awkwardness of the Jimmy Garoppolo situation, just now it is Trey Lance's team. You know, that position traditionally, they're not used to being patient with in San Francisco, given the rich history of quarterbacks there. And so they're going to have to be patient with this young kid who just has not played a lot of football.

It's really that simple. He has not attempted a lot of passes over the last few years. He had the one year North Dakota State, then he had the one game for the COVID shortened season, and then he more or less had a richer season last year.

Like, you know, there are some aspects of his game that is just going to take some time to develop. I was in the green room last night with my new team, mate Ryan Fitzpatrick, and his head exploded. There was a throw to Atlanta's head over the middle that was just, it was just fundamentally poor. It was a completion, but the receiver shouldn't have opportunity to run. This is for a team that I believe was at the top of the league lead when it comes to yards after the catch for its wide receivers. They thrive off of yards after the catch in that offense. And he just threw out, it was a poorly placed throw that did not allow the receiver to make as much of a play as he could have had it been a better, a more accurate throw. It's just, he's just got a long way to go for a team that has, you know, for the last few years, since it went healthy, has had a Super Bowl roster around it to say nothing of the issues along the offensive line.

So, San Francisco, I think, could be in for, maybe they're one of those teams, maybe they're one of those teams that gets better late in the year, but early on I feel like it could be rocky. Michael Smith here on the Rich Eisen show, fresh back from Houston, where the Texans and the 49ers played a preseason game on Amazon Prime. It was great to hear Al's voice last night as well, right here on the Rich Eisen show. So, let's just switch gears a little bit here. What did you make of the sudden genie placed back in the bottle by the Brooklyn Nets and that Durant is now back in the fold and everybody left, as Shams Sharania told us this week, left that meeting energized.

And they're going to go try and put what that great roster on paper into practice on a court. What do you think of that? You know, it's so crazy how long it's been since we talked, how much has happened, and then not happened in Brooklyn. You know, man, I'm going to choose to look at this as a positive, because when I first heard the story, because I was on the road, I was in Indianapolis on Monday, I went to Indianapolis Monday night, I spent two days with the Colts, Wednesday with the Bengals, missed the Fight Club yesterday, and I went to Houston. So, I was on the road when I heard that all was well in Brooklyn, and I rolled my eyes at first, but then I just said, you know what, KD, thank you. Thank you for making our summer interesting in a way that it ordinarily would not have.

Thank you for contributing to society, or more accurately, contributing to the news cycle, giving us free content. I want to say, I appreciate KD, but at the same time, I'm annoyed with KD, because that just shows, like, yo, man, your trade request wasn't that well thought out. It's like, if you're going to make that trade request, you can't just go back and be like, you know what, never mind.

That's annoying, to say the least, to use my daughter's favorite word. But, in reality, though, I saw that this is where it was going, and many have pointed out that Gobert traded, and the Jazz guy for Gobert certainly didn't help. But early on, I actually saw that this is where this was going, that we had all better get used to seeing him in the Nets uniform, because KD, at the end of the day, and this is kind of all brand, not necessarily the wishy washy part, but he's going to play basketball. He's not a dude that's going to pull a James Harden and show up and throw basketball that people will show up out of shape, or show up not wanting to play. The Nets always knew that, at the end of the day, he was going to play. Kyrie has no options, like, you know, as the great Chris Rock once said, a man is only as faithful as his options. And Kevin Durant had no other options. Kyrie Irving had no other options but to return, and but to look at this and say, you know what, if we all want to play, me, you, Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, like, we could be good.

You know, like, yeah, we're frustrated, yeah, we may not believe in the front office, but on the court, we could be really good if we're all healthy and we're all committed. And so it was the wise choice, even if the initial trade request seemed rash and ill-advised, especially if you're not going to follow through with it and say, you know what, trade me or else. Well, what is your or else?

He was only going to go so far with this. Well, I mean, not to cross streams with politics and everything else here, but I'm just saying, like, I would love to see the unredacted conversations. Oh, well, I really would. I'd love to see it because Kyrie says I'm staying and then Durant says I'm going within 48 hours of each other. But we're told that those are two mutually exclusive decisions, that they're not connected to one another. It's just guys figuring they have to do what they have to do. And then Durant says, I want the front office out and I want the coach out.

And the owner's like, no. And now we're all back together and they're not happy with the front office that's given them the possibility of playing with each other. And adding Simmons and Seth Curry and oh, by the way, that Royce O'Neal deal that happened is pretty damn good, too. And then you look at the roster. Why would you be upset with the front office?

That's what I was always trying to figure out. All the front office deals was what you wanted them to do. Like, I don't recall, and correct me if I'm wrong, I don't recall an instance where there was some sort of decision that the players were at odds with. I mean, nobody in their right mind is not going to run your decision making through Kevin Durant and by extension Kyrie Irving in the first place. But they wanted James Harden, they got James Harden. They hired Steve Nash. I mean, it was on Kevin Durant's pocket where Kyrie Irving first infamously uttered the idea of we could all be the head coach. So, okay, y'all all want to have this group approach to coaching the team. So, you got the coach you wanted, you got the players you wanted. What held this team back, and I mean, it doesn't fit with the jokes.

We all like to get jokes off at this experiment expense. But it's really simple. It's injuries and vaccine. A global pandemic and one player's unwillingness to get vaccinated coupled with injuries did not allow this team to reach its full potential. And therefore, people have been able to default to their initial evaluation that this would never work.

We never got a chance to see if it worked. They played 16 games together. But yeah, I'm with you. I never understood why there was beef with the front office because the front office didn't tell Kyrie Irving not to get vaccinated. The front office didn't tell James Harden to jump ship again. The front office didn't get hurt.

I mean, it was all silly. And I just wish people would think things through before they decided to go to the extreme of trade me, and then double down and say, it's me or them. I mean, I guess you can come back from that if you're Kevin Durant because the organization is going to say no thanks. Right, because you're Kevin Durant as well.

And then, you know, the front office was aggressive enough to get Harden and then aggressive enough to know if it wasn't working to get rid of him and get people that could not only help them right then and there, but maybe for the future. And then, so that's the whole thing. I don't understand.

That's why I said I want the unredacted, you know, conversation. Like what has been, how did they do this 180? That's a hell of a sales job. I know. And then how big, how deep is this iceberg underneath the Brooklyn waters here?

And what does it mean? And how did they put the genie back in the bottle? Like, I don't know how it happened, but it's going to be must see television. Hell yeah. You know, this fall and the winter. Better would be Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverly being teammates.

That looks like that's going to happen, doesn't it? I mean, it's in Westbrook's best interest. I don't, I mean, but a lot of things are in Westbrook's best interest that he doesn't necessarily go with, but I mean, you know, it's in his best interest to not shoot threes, but you know, Hey, here we are. I, if I were Russell Westbrook, but I'm also older and I'm wiser. If I were Russell Westbrook, I'd say, you know what, damn 2013, man, you know, you did something dirty.

You hurt my knee. It cost me the thunder, but like in the here and now this team just got a lot better. This team made the best of a bad situation that front office had made some ill-advised personnel decisions and yet salvaged it with the perfect catch and shoot three and D role-playing tenacious irritant that it needs.

Right. And so if you're Russell Westbrook, your career, it'd be you on the verge of being John waltz. Now, John waltz, since you're covered in land with the Clippers, good for him, but you want a bird to be in John waltz.

So your options are, we could send you home. We could trade you, or you could fully embrace setting aside this beef and playing with this guy. Now it's not totally up to him because it's still in the organization's best interest to trade Russell Westbrook.

Um, you know, and get younger, better role players. Um, cause that big, that big three, everybody need a big three. That's just a big two in LA.

They need a big two in some pieces. But if you're Westbrook, I'm begging to play for Darwin ham, stay with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. I'm squashing that. I'm grilling up that beef and eating it with Patrick Beverly and trying to make the most of playing with the Lakers. Else you may get shipped to someplace like, I don't know, um, Indiana or something like that.

No disrespect to Indiana. I just left there. Well, I mean the, I know that the, the biggest, uh, head scratcher for me this entire off season for the NBA was Westbrook's longtime agent breaking up with him or they broke up together. And he sends out a statement saying, I told Russ, he should stay put rather than be somebody else's salary cap saving one year and done acquisition. That's not his leg. That's not what his legacy should be.

He should stay put, buy whatever Darwin ham is selling. And, and so I'm out meaning Russ wants out. Like what is, is that what that is? Like I, that one was, I don't recall an agent ever sending something out like that about his star player. You know what the truth of the matter is, man, these dudes don't be knowing what they want. They're grownups, but they don't know what they want half the time.

They don't even know. And I think, I think the consistent pattern with a lot of these material superstars is that they haven't thought these things through. They're acting emotionally, they're acting irrationally, you know, and, and so many of them, you know, and it's part of what I love about the NBA. I love that players have so much power, but when players have that much power and, and don't think about the long term, I don't, or have pride and ego and so on and so forth, you know, it, it, it gets emotional.

It's not, not, not, I may cross streams real quick, but I am standing sports. I think one of the more fascinating stories, I'm sure you've covered this extensively, maybe even today in recent sports transactional history is one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL negotiating his own contract. Like that's, that's not just unique.

That's unprecedented. It's like, you ever been your own agent, Rich? Oh, no way. Me neither. I ain't got the time or the temperament because it don't take nothing to piss me off. So if you tell me what I'm not worth, I'm checked out.

Right? So if you're the Baltimore Ravens and you're negotiating with your quarterback and you're trying to like come to an agreement on a massive historic contract that he probably wants to be fully guaranteed, thanks to Deshaun Watson and so on and so forth, so forth, like, yo, how does you talk about redacted conversations? How does that conversation go? How does, how does the organization say, yeah, man, you're great, but in the playoffs, eh, not so much, but go on out there and deliver a championship for us. Cause you're still our guy.

We still want you. It's like, I, that situation is just incredible because it's, you know, nobody does that. Like, imagine one of these NBA dudes were talking about negotiating their own contract. You know, I mean, it's just players, I think everything they say and everything they request probably has to be taken with a grain of salt.

And I think we oftentimes give the ramifications that it requests way more thought than frankly they do. Michael, thanks for the call. Uh, so you're on the, are you on the road all every Thursday? That is the plan, my friend.

That is the plan. I'm racking up the miles. I'm back in my element. I'm shaking hands and kissing babies and, and I'm having a good time, man.

I'm having a good time with Amazon and all good, but this may be my week catching up with you, man. Right back at you. Well, let's do this. Let's do this.

Stop. Let's do this more often. I know you're in Kansas city for the opener of Thursday night football on Amazon chargers and chiefs.

How huge is that game going to be? Maybe we'll, uh, we'll check in after that one as well on a couple of Fridays. Let's do it. Hey, good luck with this fantasy draft.

Anybody need advice? Well, it's come, it's come to a screeching halt because Brockman and TJ are now in a minute 40. Should we take Darren Waller or not? Michael just told her to take Brandon cooks. That's what he told you while our cooks did agree with the sentiment.

Somebody, I think it was a reference to Chris Godwin. Somebody said, um, that, uh, if he's not ready for week one or week two, so, you know, like with tight end, like they're the, they're the shelf and you don't want to, you know, if you, if you got to, if you got to put it this way, you got to pass on Darren Waller, then just wait and either take somebody late with upside or stream the position. So we can't stream the position, but if you're going to pass, don't start reaching for a tight end saying, Oh, I got to get a tight end.

No, you don't. All right. Let's bolt. Thanks for the call.

Michael. Greatly appreciate it. Let's, uh, let's chat in a couple of weeks. All right. Yeah.

That's Michael Smith right here on the Richardson show. We'll take a break. When we come back, there is quarterback news.

There is quarterback news in the NFL. We'll hit that next. 8 4 4 2 0 4. Rich number to dial. We'll take your phone calls as well. What's more likely top of the next hour likely coming. What's more likely we make a pick here before the end of the hour for you to do it. Actually, we're doing it.

We're taking Darren Waller. Very good. Uh, and then I will choose, uh, in the commercial break.

Very good. No, you choose on there. You can choose right now.

Oh, okay. Well, no, we don't want to rush them, but you don't want to choose. I don't want to rush you like you tried to rush us for the last hour.

I just want to get this out before our terrestrial radio audience goes away. Mike Tomlin has spoken. Oh, Steelers versus Lions this Sunday.

And then, uh, we'll see more of the fruits next week on hard knocks, right? Uh, Mike Tomlin has listed his quarterback order for the weekend. The final preseason game. Hey, here it is.

What is it? Trubisky picket Rudolph. Oh, that's the way it's going to go.

Interesting. They've all been playing well. Meaning he's still QB one as of now, despite Kenny Pickett's emergence over the last few weeks. So I think this is the way the Steelers are going to play it. Steelers are going to play it that we're going to see Mitchell Trubisky week one for the Pittsburgh Steelers at the Cincinnati Bengals. Good luck.

Good luck. I'm just saying, like, are you going to throw, um, are you going to throw the rookie picket into the deep end of the pool against the defending AFC champs? Nah, you don't need to do that.

I don't know if you do that. And the week one battle of two teams playing both of them, two franchises against each other, uh, were playing in newly named stadiums. Go figure that. What's the new stadium name in Cincinnati? Do we know what it is off the top of your head?

Because it's not off the top of my head. Because it looks like Trubisky is going to get the first career start for a visiting player in Paycor Stadium. Paycor Stadium.

That's right. It's Pay-Joe Stadium is what really what it is. Definitely Pay-Joe Stadium.

Suddenly, the Brown family has decided to strike a name for their stadium for the first time ever. Why would they need to be raising revenue, do you think? Oh, okay. Let's see. Joe needs paid. Jamar needs Pay-Joe. Pay-Joe Stadium. So, Trubisky will get the first career start by a visiting opponent in Pay-Joe Stadium.

And then the next week, the first career start by a home quarterback in Accra-Sure Stadium. And so, let Trubisky do that. See what he can do, right? See if you can actually catch fire with Mitchell and have the ability to let Pickett mature by watching, if you can. And if it doesn't go that well, if it's like two and two, two and three, three, you know, two and four, I don't know, then you go to Kenny Pickett? Because all I know then is it's just going to be great theater for every weekly press conference at Mike Tomlin.

Who's your quarterback? Yeah. He hasn't had those questions in a long time. Nope. Never say never, but never. There it is. Steeler's schedule, not that hard. So, that's the way it's going to go. You go with the vet and then you get bringing the kid and poor Mason Rudolph's going to have to just sit around and wait for a chance. That's the way at least it's going to go in the final preseason game. The Devitos.

Danny and his daughter, Lucy, coming up. But here's the thing, Rich. I mean, look, they start Bengals, Patriots, Browns, Jets, okay? You could go 500 there. But then Bills, Bucks, Dolphins at the Eagles. That's tough if you want to roll Pickett out in that little stretch.

That's for sure. Before the bye week. And look, at some point you're gonna have to turn to him and that's the reason why I keep saying to the 49ers fans, you knew this day would come and it has arrived for Lance. Yeah. But if the Steelers are three and five going into the bye, you think we see Pickett week 10?

Versus New Orleans and then home against Cincinnati. You got, yeah, you got two Accra-Sure games back to back. Yeah.

I'm gonna keep saying that. Accra-Sure. Accra-Sure. All right. So, I'm now on the clock, huh? Yeah, you're up. You're up.

Man, I love Cam Akers so much, but I chose Cup. So, what am I gonna do? I don't want to get in on that. David Montgomery I had last year. I just can't go there. Antonio Gibson may lose his gig, right?

Trending. DK Metcalf may not have the proper arm throwing him. Josh Jacobs I can't even touch. Marquise Brown I'm gonna go.

I'm not gonna go. There's Brandon Cooks. JK Dobbs. I know, but you need wide receivers in this league. You got to have three of them, which means you got to wind up having six, right? You got to have a deep wide receiver bench. You got to have, yeah, you got to have six.

Wide receivers is a deep position. I know that. So, I am going to go. I'm going to roll the dice and also prove to everybody that it's not personal.

Just business? I have just drafted JK Dobbins. Oh, there you go. There you go.

I think he's going to be coming back. Come on, man. I'm going to put up a poll really good. Whose team is better through five picks?

Well, I mean, okay. So, and it's a PPR league. Whose team you like more or better?

What's the phrasing? What's your team? What's your five?

All right, so our five so far is Lamar, Jonathan Taylor, Fournette, Keenan Allen, and Waller. And I've got, I'm going to win this. I'm going to win it going away. It'll be 80-20. What?

Josh Allen, Aaron Jones, JK Dobbins, Cooper Cup, George Kittle. See you. You are not going to win it.

80-20. That's not going to happen. One in four will say yes to me. At least.

I doubt that. Well, three and four, I mean. I'm so bad at math. Why do we keep trying to count here? On live TV and radio too. We got to stick with our strengths. Let's take a break here on the Rich Johnson Show. We're back in two minutes. What's more likely for the final preseason week of professional football and then the DeVito family? Don't go anywhere.

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