REShow: Jane Slater - Hour 1

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Try Dove Men PlusCare Dry Spray goes on dry clean feel all day. You talking down on us we live it up. How about that? This is the Rich Eisen Show with guest host Ben Lyons. Chris Solomon from No Laying Up joining the show right now. What is it about this year's Open Championship that has you so dialed in? Falls are gonna end up in some super weird spots.

If you hit one offline it's heading towards another group on another hole. Today's guests NFL Network reporter Jane Slater, co-host of Men in Blazers Michael Davies, sports host and broadcaster Madeline Burke, plus actor Kevin Connolly. And now sitting in for Rich here's Ben Lyons. Welcome everyone to another episode of the Rich Eisen Show.

My name is Ben Lyons. I'm wearing a jacket and I'm very excited to be here. What's happening guys? What's happening? We've got a big show. It's the Friends of Ben show today. I love it.

Basically just went in the Rolodex and asked everybody to come on the show. I don't know what this jacket is you're wearing. It's a jacket. It's a shirt jacket.

Can you get it right please? Brockman. I have a passion for fashion. You know sucking fashion with Dee Dee Richards yesterday. You know I saw that going off. I mean I was here. You know how you doing TJ? Like the candle?

Oh it's the headband matching the shoes. Gonna be a good show. I mean you got a match. It's what it's all about. You know your boy Ro Parrish tried to teach you that.

Yeah you don't have to get ready because if you stay ready right you're ready to go. So we got the TJ's uh TJ's goats today for what division in the NBA? We're going to do we're going to do the nuggets. Oh let's do the greatest nugget of all time. That'll be fun on the show today.

Yeah greatest Denver nugget greatest Oklahoma City thunder of all time. Maybe throw in a supersonic for the kids. Why not? Well you know I don't want to educate the youth. I don't want to like give up any surprises that might come. All right so that's coming up later in the show. But there's a chance maybe. You're doing the shaft here. There's a chance.

It might be. You know I was thinking guys on the way over here because TJ and I tonight are going to the Sparks game. We're gonna go down to crypto. First time I think I've been at crypto. I've been at Staples many times but going to Sparks tonight with uh with TJ and I'm very excited because going to games I think is why I personally fell in love with sports in in the first place and I know it's challenging now.

It can be very expensive. Trust me there's no worse feeling than spending $800 to sit in the upper deck of a Knick game in March and watch them lose by 25 points. I don't care how many threes.

Very specific. Yeah like I don't know if anyone else experienced that in this room. But just the idea of going to games especially when you're young I feel like that's what connects you to your favorite sports, your favorite teams. I've been very lucky in my career as a sports fan to be able to go to the great temples and cathedrals of sports in in America. Fenway Park of course and my dad many times. Yankee Stadium. Madison Square Garden. I went to Michigan.

I went to the Big House every Saturday. Out here in LA. Dodger Stadium. The Coliseum down at USC. Last time I was there I saw your boy Del Tufo.

Drake and Kanye. Wow legendary night. But back to sports. Going to games is where you really get a sense of the culture around the sports and what what it takes to be a fan. And you the sights and the smells and the sounds and you make memories.

And that's what keeps you coming back to sports even when your team is down in the dumps. I had a privilege about a month or two ago to sweat it out in the bleachers at Yankee Stadium. I went out on a Saturday with Madeline Burke who's going to be joining the show a little bit later.

Madeline covers the Giants in New York and works for MSG. And we went out to the to the Yankee Stadium in the Bronx on a Saturday with my cousin Chris from Wisconsin. We went to the University of Wisconsin.

He's from Chicago area. And it was Lord of the Flies vibes in the bleachers. I don't know if you guys have been bleacher creatures anytime recently.

Yeah not recently. No no you're a you're a Diamond Club guy now Brockman. Yeah I sit I sit lower level.

It's all good now. But back in the day I was at the bleachers at Fenway and it's every man for himself. Yeah and now the reason why I call it Lord of the Flies energy is because the day that I was there being that I am a man I was forced to take my shirt off at the game. It's very intense being at Yankee Stadium where around the eighth inning you hear somebody in the back green shirt green shirt green shirt and the only way to appease the mob was to take off your shirt.

And there's thunderous applause and then they've gone to the next guy. I'm trying to get the cop to take off his shirt at Yankee Stadium. That didn't work out. But it's just so now I don't even remember who won the game. I don't remember who the Yankees were playing. Well I'll never forget that day in the Bronx with my cousin and Madeline and my buddy Louie. And it's these memories you make as sports fans that I think keep you coming back. There he is.

There's my cousin Chris. He was loving it out in the Bronx. Beautiful day at Yankee Stadium.

That was with our shirts on. That was probably like the fifth inning. Seventh inning was when the Lord of the Flies vibes got in. But it got me thinking about the greatest games I've had the privilege of attending as a fan. Sometimes it's a game that you're so excited for. It's got playoff implications or it's a championship game and it's your favorite team.

So there's a build up. Other times it's just a random Thursday and you're going to the ballpark. So it happened when I went to the Clayton Kershaw no hitter went to Wexler's delis picked up some pastrami sandwiches cruised out to Chavez Ravine and next thing you know I'm there in the building for Clayton's no no probably the greatest baseball game I've ever been to. That's incredible.

How cool is that? You ever been a no hitter? I think about it every time I'm at a game. I've never been a no hitter. I've covered a high school no hitter way back in the day when I was a newspaper reporter. But that's really it.

No no pro. No. Did you did you chastise the team in high school if it was like a collective no hitter where there are multiple pictures?

This doesn't count kids. It was one guy. But I would have told them that it didn't count.

Yeah of course you got to stay consistent. So you know there's a difference in those games a game that you randomly show up to and it turns out to be a magical night or a game that you know you're really eagerly anticipating. I remember the most disappointing I've ever had as you know the disappointing experience I've ever had as a fan is when I went to the I was an Eagles fan then I went to the last game at the vet.

Oh baby. The old vet sat in the upper deck the 700 level of the vet spent like four or five hundred dollars on tickets at the time that was everything I had I think. And Joe Gerviscious scored two touchdowns and Ja Rule's booed at halftime and the Eagles lost to Keyshawn Johnson in Tampa Bay. That was a tough tough train ride home with the Philly faithful that night. But I wonder for you guys what's the greatest sporting event you've ever been to either one that lived up to the hype or one that you just happened to walk into the building that night? Wow Mike I mean you've been to more great games than we have. Not when you sat in the truck and you worked the board and got a promotional fleece. Now buy a ticket you paid for.

I think that's the rule you can't just be like oh I got a pass and I went and saw Tyree's catch. 86 Mets Buckner game. I can't believe you were at that game. And the winner and the win the next game.

That makes me not want to be friends with you. What was the aftermath like? What was the seventh train ride home?

It was nuts. I remember because we I think we drove in that I think we drove in that night and I remember I know we took the train one of them. There's a lot of Billy Joel blasting out of the stereo on that car ride home.

You'd have to walk up that out and center if you'd see the way the train was. So funny how the universe works Mike is that now here we are 28 years later and on that night I think back to being six years old at Disney World and my father passed out in the shower. I had muscle men remember those little action figures little muscle men and he lined up 27 of them on the coffee table and to this day at the Orlando Davy Crockett Hotel or whatever it was a wild frontier hotel my father swears there is one muscle man sitting on the desk and that Buckner out.

That's it. How about you Brockman? What's the greatest game you've ever been to as a fan?

I don't know. I think about the only Super Bowl I've ever been to was Eagles Patriots in Minnesota. That ended up being a phenomenal game even though you know the team that I root for didn't win. That game was over when the players ran onto the field because when they played the Meek Mill intro I was like oh I just lost all my money on the Patriots because Philadelphia's gonna win this game.

Yeah Meek Mill was also a with it's tight with Bob Kraft so it's like kind of a weird you know Super Bowl for him. You know I was at game seven of the 18 Eastern Conference Finals in Boston with Selt de Lebron and Jason Tatum going back and forth to each other. You saw the Sox win. I saw the Sox win but it wasn't like a great game or anything. You know game five out here in Dodger Stadium in 2018. We saw the Red Sox win the World Series.

You were in the building. Oh my god that speaks to the entitlement of Red Sox Nation. This is also like also let's be honest I knew we were gonna win. They were that's a top 10 all-time team the 2018 Red Sox so I knew we were gonna win the game.

I can't believe it. I got hit by a truck. Well I feel like that with Yankees World Series.

I saw like four live. It was like so much winning in your lives. And my father after I called him you know I'm a Dodger fan I called him to congratulate him.

Oh that was a very big thing for me to do. Did he tell you to suck it? Well he said oh they should have swept. He said they should have swept. They should have swept. They lost the 18 in the 1918 game.

That's ridiculous. The fact that you guys have four World Series now in the last 20 years is just it's a reminder that there is hope in the universe. That hope is a real thing. Hope is a real thing.

Hope is a good thing. No and it actually plays itself out into forgetting that you were at a World Series game. I did forget that I was at a World Series game.

I'm so focused on the losses. I mean look for me the greatest game I've ever been to I didn't buy a ticket though so does it count? I was working the game.

No you can't because I had that for the 2000 open because I'm watching this right now. Jeremy Lin game game Kobe and the Lakers 38. I was at that game. I worked the blue carpet that night.

I got to interview The Rock and Idris and Ben Stiller. I was there that night. Ashanti sang the national anthem and she was upset they put her in the second row so me and Peter Rosenberg got her seats.

That was the best. Got the Ashanti seats at Jeremy Lin night at the Garden. But yeah I worked that night so it doesn't count. I think paying with my dad to go over to those Red Sox Yankee games in London that was that was probably the best games I ever got to go to and the most fun I had at an event. But tonight that could change you know we could see something special down at crypto where we go to this crazy Sparks game and it's just a night we never forget.

Who knows TJ? That's what's so great about sports. TJ you've been to a lot of games. What's the greatest game you've ever been to?

Yeah you know I've been trying to think about this. I've been to a ton of games but like I can't think of any championship games. I tell you one of the most memorable things I ever attended. I wasn't there in person. I watched it on TV. It was 1996 when the Yankees won the World Series.

The game clinching. Yeah Charlie Hayes caught the ball. I was at a bar outside 16 years old.

Couldn't get in. I was at an establishment in downtown Pittsburgh where Jenna Jameson was performing and that was awesome. But like I said I wasn't there in person. So for a person I would go Super Bowl 42 the David Tyree catch. I was in the building for that Super Bowl so yeah.

I watched that Super Bowl in Cairo. I was covering the movie Jumper. Remember that movie Jumper? They jumped around the world. Good movie.

Better junk it. We went to Cairo, Rome, London by 3 30 kickoff. Ordered all the beers in the hotel and watched a little mezze platter. It was nice. Did you guys like that story? I did like the story. I like how you took one of the greatest game you've ever been to turned into a story of you and Jenna Jameson at some bar in Pittsburgh.

So that's TJ Jameson. Totally random 2007. She was at the bar is all. Patriots perfect season. I was regular season. Me and my friends road trip to Buffalo. Sat in the second row behind the Pats bench.

Randy Moss had four touchdowns in the first half that like totally random. It was awesome. That's awesome. That's what I'm talking about.

So many slurs in the bills. Parking lot is totally fine. So yeah, let us know the greatest game you've ever been to. You can hit us up on Twitter.

We're on Instagram at Rich Eisen show course on YouTube. You can hit us up as well on our call in line 844-204-rich-844-204-7424 going to games and what that does to you as a sports fan. Anytime my father and I hear the song Deo. We just laugh and laugh and laugh because I remember being nine years old at one of those trough urinals in Fenway and a guy who probably drank a Wade Boggs level of beers. But wasn't Wade Boggs pulled up next to us at the trough and started singing Deo. So that song always brings a smile to our face. And if you're sitting on the couch, you got to go to the game.

So if you can save money, if you can figure it out, if you can get a ticket, if you can go to some of the, you know, go into an LAFC game, go to an angel city game here, go into some of these soccer games here, turnt up, you know, going to a game, even if it's a team you're not a diehard fan of or a sport that you're crazy about, just a different experience to get an understanding of it. So I'm going to ask everybody who's coming on the show today. And we have a huge show today.

It's the friends of Ben show. We've got Jane Slater calling in in about 10 minutes. I want to find out the best game Jane's ever been to Haley Jones calling in a place for university of Stanford. She's a baller, Michael Davies, of course, been a friend of the show for a while here at the rich eyes and show Madeline Burke and Kevin Connolly is going to be in studio. So we got a huge show today, the greatest games you've ever been to. We'll talk about that with Jane Slater.

Plus the state of TJ's Dallas Cowboys get into that next Ben Lyons in for rich. This is the rich eyes and show. This is it. You guys, this is it. The putt to win the entire tournament.

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This is the Rich Eisen Show. I'm having a blast, you guys, this week being here. I feel like I won some kind of contest. Honestly, this is a week I really look forward to. I think it's going to be an annual thing now. If it's two years in a row, can we make it an annual thing?

Can we get booked for summer 2023? I think we can. Let's just lock it in.

All right. Lock it in. Look at that.

Be your own agent in Hollywood. That's the key. No, excited for Jane Slater to check in. We're trying to get a signal to James Bond's villa in Italy to get her on the phone. But in the meantime, I want to remind you guys that IndyCar roars through Toronto this Sunday with competitors facing a tight 11 turn 1.786 mile street circuit. Wow.

Stream IndyCar streets of Toronto live Sunday at 3 30 PM Eastern only on Peacock. TJ, you've been to like a big time NFL game. What's the biggest Cowboys game you've been to? Have you been probably haven't been to that many over the years. I mean, not that I haven't been to that many football games over the years. It's such an event. It's such an all day thing. Biggest Cowboys game, man.

That's because, you know, I've gotten lucky. I've gone to some preseason games. A better question. Are there are there big Cowboy games? Wow.

Here you go. See every game act together. Since we are into statistics, just look at the ratings for every year for the highest rate of football games. You're pretty sure to see at least.

Sadly, people slow down on the highway when they see a crash, too. So I get it. I mean, are you trying to come back or no? Because I'm already booked for next season. You saw that once I got books on the shelf for next season, I start coming out for the Cowboys. How are you feeling, though? Realistically, no jokes, no one saying, you know, one way or the other, like genuinely, how are you feeling going into the season with the Cowboys? I mean, look, here's the deal, right? I believe if you're a fan of a team, right? Fan is like fanatic. So if you don't believe every year that your team has a chance to win, then why even like, why what are we doing here in the words of Chris Brockman?

What are we doing here? So people get mad when I say when they say, oh, Cowboys fans think that they're going to win the Super Bowl over here. Did we really feel like we're going to win the Super Bowl every year?

I would say if you're rational, no, but you know what? I'm going into every football season with optimism and yes, positive energy. It's football. It's a game, man. And people get so mad, like, I'll hold this up after a win. And the amount of like tweets I get about how I suck in the Cowboys suck. It's like, bro, don't it's not that serious.

Might be the worst four words in sports, but I get it. I get the point you're making, but it's fun. We should have fun with this. It's like we're grown men and all we do is look forward to Sundays and you know, it's only 17, 18 weeks a year that we get football. So let's go out and enjoy it and have fun and like root for your team and think that your team has a chance to win. I do that every year. I know we're not going to win every year, but if I don't feel like this and I'm not going to watch football because what's the point, you know, like let's have fun. Let's have some fun, right? We should have some fun when it comes to rooting for our favorite teams and for believing that they might have a shot, you know, like putting Mac Jones in your top 10 quarterback roasted on top 10 quarterbacks. I'm so glad you did that because that's your boy.

That's your team. You know, just on a casual Wednesday, go have lunch in front of James Bond's Villa in Lake Como, which I think Jane Slater did yesterday. Right. Was that yesterday, Jane? Thanks for checking in from across the across the world.

Appreciate it. Is this the part of the show where we go? Who's more bougie? You or me, Ben?

Yes, a bougie off. Go. I see your James Bond Villa and I raise you.

Yeah. What do you got, Jane? Where are, where in the world are you, Jane?

I am in Dallas with my dogs where it's about 105 degrees. I cannot wait to get out to Oxnard and training camp because when I was in LA for our big reporter summit, which was so cool, by the way, I think some of you that follow me, TJ and Ben probably saw this Tori Spelling and Kelly Garth ended up showing up for our summit. That was awesome.

I know she went out, uh, but yeah, just getting ready for camp. I love hearing TJ. It's like the collective voice of the Cowboys. Everybody gets excited. There's new hope. Um, because even though they went in that 12 and five run last year, it just felt like that playoff game against the 49ers where they were heading to quarterback draw with what, 13 seconds to go.

They don't hand the ball to the rep. There were just so many questions about this team and how once again, it just felt like the wheels came off the bus. So I know there's a bunch of, there's a huge fan base of fans, just like you, TJ, just very excited for camp and any calculations that comes out of it.

NFL network reporter and friend of the show, Jane Slater checking in and later on in the show today, Jane, we're going to have our lists of top 10 wide receivers in the NFL. We've got three lists, one from me, one from TJ, one from Brockman. How many of those lists do you think are going to feature CD lamb?

You know, it's hard. I don't know what to make of CD lamb because with CD lamb effective because of Amari Cooper. And then we had some of the drops last year, or is he going to step up and really embrace that role? I think the biggest push that I kept hearing, you know, whispers around the building was the frustration that they wouldn't get the ball to the playmaker.

In other words, who is your playmaker? And it was Amari Cooper. If you'll remember when Cooper rush was the starting quarterback in Minnesota, he was the playmaker.

You put the ball in Amari's hand and you win the game, a game that they weren't expected to necessarily win on the road. And so and so I think that's going to honestly be the biggest question mark heading into training camp, besides who's going to be the kicker, uh, is can CD lamb really step into that role? And by the way, they've gotten Jaylin, Tober, James Washington, and you're not going to have Michael gout the first couple of weeks. Uh, and then Noah Brown is always a really strong candidate that really stepped out in camp.

And then you see sort of flashed them during the season. So maybe we see an increased role for him, but I have a hard time answering your question. There been because I don't quite know what to expect from CD as he as he steps into that role. I know that he does all the things the right way. He's been getting in a lot of reps. I have a ton of respect for him just as a person and as a human. But in terms of, you know, is he going to emerge as that guy in Dallas?

There's a lot of pressure when you read the 88. I just will see. You know, I think there's a lot of question marks on this team, specifically offensively favorite one of my. He's definitely one of my favorite young players in the league.

So I'm keeping my eyes on CD lamb this year. And another question mark in Dallas is around Ezekiel Elliott. TJ, of course, had him on his top 10 running backs list yesterday, whether it's health concerns, off the field stuff, whatever it is, there's always question marks around Zeke. What are you expecting from him this season?

And talk to me about the state of Ezekiel Elliott. Well, I saw him, uh, with OTAs, many kids with OTAs, and I pulled him off the side as he's walking out of the locker room. And I asked him, I said, how hurt were you last year? And he told me at a PCL on his right side, and it happened after Carolina.

I said, how did it affect your game? And he said, it really impacted his ability, uh, to separate an order. In other words, to really like sort of get the ground and the burst that he needed. And so I get the sense that he's, you know, he's healthy, you know, these off the field issues haven't been a problem in Dallas, really in the last three years. Uh, and it was Dak who even said, and of course they're best friends, so you expect this, but he said, when healthy, he thinks Dak, I mean, a Zeke is the best running back in the league. It's just hard when you've got guys like Dalvin Cook and whatnot, who in the last couple of years have really emerged a strong running back. What to expect from Zeke. I just, I think sometimes too, when you get the contract to the extra zeros and you saw him do the holdout and, you know, shout out to his agent, Rocky Arsenault, that may be the biggest running back contract we ever see again.

Uh, just because we've seen how it's played out with some of these guys. Um, but I think because of that contract, there's been just increased scrutiny on him and it doesn't help that you have a younger guy like Tony Pollard, who a lot of people think should be getting more reps. And I would also submit that with that offensive line, Zeke's first couple of years when he had Travis Frederick at center and you had a healthy Tyrone Smith and Dak Martin, all those guys, that's why Zeke was able to be as successful as he was. And we've really seen a deterioration of that offensive line.

And by the way, you're going to have a rookie on that line this year. Uh, you know, Tyrone Smith, you hope that he stays healthy. We've definitely seen, you know, some of the injuries pop up in recent years. And so, you know, it's not just one thing.

Right. And so I think there's a couple of things that are going to play in here, but, you know, I've seen him doing more working out in the last two off seasons and we've seen him do before. Um, but I think he's better when Dak's healthier and he's better when you've got a strong offensive line.

I think that really does apply to any running back though. NFL network reporter, Jane Slater, joining the show, Ben Lyons in for rich on the rich eyes and show Jane. It's that type of, it's that time of the year. It's that time of the year when Dak goes shopping. Is he going Balenciaga this year for the lineman?

What kind of are we working? Mercy's like, what are we doing for Dak's shopping? Is he buying gifts for the team? What can you tell me about that label guy? The last time I was on your show, you talked about some, it was, what was it? Some bag that Zeke got? I don't know. I'm about fashion brands in the year 2026.

You know, I'm already in the future, Jane, you know, it's like Kanye West over here. I am wearing a jacket. Well, I don't know if you're familiar with this, a bunch of football players wear this spray grounds. Um, and I love it. And so shout out the spray ground, but it's these unique looking bags and luggage that look like $1,400 Louis Vuitton bags. I think I paid 300 for one suitcase. And then like, I've got a duffel bags, like 120, but everyone thinks I'm the bougiest chick in the airport. Cause it's all matching, but honestly, it's really cheap stuff. And every time people ask you about it, I'm like, oh yeah, I'm going to spray grounds. The spray ground hit me up. I need some new stuff, but yeah, I don't know a big label check.

I've never owned like a pair of Christian Louboutins or any of that. Well, Dak is, I remember that last year was such a thing of him buying stuff for the team or whatever, but talk to me about Dak and his health right now. That was also a big issue last summer.

I remember with the hard knock stuff. So what do you expect from Dak this season? You know, that was a crazy thing coming into training camp is we were all shocked at how healthy that, you know, the, the ankle had healed. And then he gets that, you know, the injury in his non throwing shoulder and we're like, what is that? Or in his throwing shoulder. And it was a pitching, you know, something that pitchers deal with.

And we find out they're consulting with the Rangers and I think it was the Yankees. And that was just like a curious one where we didn't see him much at camp. But when you talk to him, you know, many camp OTA, he just had a camp here in Dallas. He'll tell you this is the healthiest he's been. And of course, I get that we get into these famous, like, you know, it's the camp storyline, best shape ever, healthiest he's ever been, have had an awesome off season, working out his personal trainer.

I get that. But I think more importantly, it's his mental mindset. You know, keep in mind too, he was not only did he deal with that ankle injury, he lost his brother to suicide. You know, I think there was a lot of question mark, you know, around that big contract. And then of course, you also had this new coaching staff.

And in the first year it was just, it was a disaster, right? And so I just think as a group, I was saying to somebody the other day, it felt more normal around there. And I felt like even Mike McCarthy, even though it's sort of a pressure cooker situation for him, you know, all that coaching staff is in their final year.

He even felt a little lighter. I just think those guys, you know, specifically Mike and that staff, they do better with the guys in front of them in the practice room. They they're like some of our parents. They're not good with technology. And you saw that on the football field.

It was a disaster the first season. And so I just feel like everyone's kind of hit their groove. In fact, I saw Kenny and Mike, uh, at the Kenny Chesney concert backstage and they were, you know, all besties. And so the stuff that we, they're not going to basketball games in Duke like Jason and Mike was, I mean, Jason and Dak, but at least we're seeing that relationship building that I hadn't really gotten to see.

And maybe it was there, but with COVID, we just didn't get to, uh, it just, it just, it feels more normal. It feels like these guys, their mindsets are in a better place than they were heading into even last season. Jane Slater from the NFL network, joining us from the NFL network, joining the show. And it feels normal to have you on the show this time of year, Jane, because you've been covering the Cowboys and working with the NFL for a long time. Now, as you head into a new season, what can audiences expect from your performance this year?

What are you focusing on with your game? Uh, how to just formulate words out of my mouth, you know, talking on TV live should be easy, but sometimes it's not, you know, I always, every year, I just try not to have some gap on air. Like I had that ended up on, was it Jimmy Kimmel and all the shows. There's a certain injury that I will not say on air ever, ever again.

Uh, cause it just, it doesn't come out. Right. So yeah, that's, that's what we've learned. We're just trying to improve and grow guys, improve and grow in year seven NFL network. Well, what I love too, in addition to covering the Cowboys is that you've got your finger on the pulse of, of everything happening in football down in Texas.

I see you covering high school stuff now and really kind of expanding your reach. Talk to me a little bit about this idea that another NFL team might come to Dallas or come to the Dallas area and what that might do to the Dallas Cowboy fan base down there. That is the most hilarious news item that I've ever seen come out of Dallas.

Keep in mind, Jerry wouldn't even allow for a team to go to San Antonio. Remember when the saints were kicking that around, that didn't happen. And then there was a big, you know, stuff a couple of years ago or 10 years ago.

Now it seems like the years are flying by as we get older. Ben, when Jerry wanted to put, uh, the stadium and fair park, which is of course, where they have the cotton bowl and we do text so you weekend, et cetera. And Laura Miller, the mayor at the time wasn't having it. And so do you really think that there would be another NFL team that could come to Dallas and set up there at fair park? There's just no way I find it laughable. So that's just one of those stories. For me, it's like some of the free agents, uh, that attach their name to the Cowboys every all season. I'm like, I hate the wet blanket that's for you guys, but that, that isn't going to happen.

And neither is two teams in Dallas ever. I just, I never, ever, ever see it. Jane Slater, joining the show friend of the show, you know, of course, from the NFL network, Jane, how is your job, whether it's advancements in technology or just the appetite for news change since you got your first gig covering football? You know, I, it's funny, I love football. I really do. Uh, but I think, you know, me, Ben, I'm obsessed with news. I mean, I lived and breathe it.

Uh, sometimes I just, I can't turn it off even though I should. I, I just, I have such an appetite for news and information and just natural curiosity. That's why we tell journalists or young guys and girls in college that want to get into this.

I said the best way to get in this and just naturally be curious and be a little nosy. And that's certainly who I am. And so that doesn't just apply to football. I mean, that applies to the war in Ukraine. I think you and I were talking about the war in Ukraine at super bowl. I was like, Ben, keep an eye on this. This thing's going to turn into something. And so, uh, yeah, I'm just messing with, with all news and information. I just think the one thing that I struggle to get behind, and this would probably hurt me down the road as I try to get other gigs, it's fantasy football.

I am just been so bullish on this. I just refuse to participate. It just feels like so much extra work, uh, to constantly picking my players. And not only that, but diluting the fandom, you know, for a particular team that you had growing up. I can't tell you how many people have tried to bribe me into joining their fantasy football teams, but I just won't do it.

The people who find the time in their days to do it, Jane, if you were doing fantasy football, you wouldn't have time to learn how to drop the rope on the wakeboarding. I mean, I wouldn't be able to work on my golfing skills, play with my two dogs, cook, whatever, like building a new patio. You're just replanting things. Yeah.

Becoming a tennis pro. I'm like an onion, Ben. There's lots of layers here. It's not just football and, uh, and that's it. No, but I mean, I find doing, I've got so many other things I like to do, but I love my job, but it's nice to sometimes decompress. I mean, I would argue that like coaches, they want to decompress when the season's over.

Not everyone is, uh, old, less need who goes on vacation is constantly watching film. Some of us do need a break. Well, enjoy the rest of your time off. We look forward to your coverage all season. I appreciate you making some time to be a part of this show. I appreciate you showing me around Super Bowl. I mean, I was a deer in headlights and you made me feel comfortable.

So I really appreciate you. Yeah. Real quick.

It's so surreal. And I'm going to blow up his head real quick, TJ. So let me, let me have this moment growing up. I wanted to be on MTV so bad and eat like I was obsessed. And so I always thought Ben was the coolest guy. I was like, here's a guy, my age has got my dream job.

Like how did he do that? And the fact that you and I became friends is just honestly the most surreal thing ever. Sometimes like you always give me the best advice, the best information. So I feel lucky to call you a buddy and thanks for having me on your show.

I love that Rich lets you do that. Thanks, Jane. I appreciate the kind words. Glad to see the check cleared.

Thanks so much for coming on the show. Jane Slater from the NFL network, joining us on the Mercedes-Benz Vans phone line. Very curious what happens with your Dallas Cowboys this season. Yeah, me too.

Go all the way, could miss the playoffs. That's what it is. And that's, that's what makes it fun. That's the fun. Enjoy the journey. Wake up early every Sunday, right?

Like enjoy the journey. When we come back, we're going to have TJ's goats, the greatest players for every NBA franchise. We've been doing it all week long. And today we're going to do the Denver Nuggets.

I look forward to that. Ben Lyons in for rich on the Rich Eisen show. Don't go anywhere. Welcome back to the show. Welcome back to the show. Ben Lyons in for rich on the Rich Eisen show. What's up, Ben?

Denver Nuggets guard Contavious Caldwell Pope has agreed on a two year, $30 million extension to stay in Denver. KCP. How do I become a clutch client? Cause it seems like all of those guys get in good spots and they get absolutely paid for, you know, probably not what they're worth. We were talking this morning in our very serious and very professional production meeting about how you never practice your Euro step as a kid. These kids now they all got euros Brockman. I didn't. Well, when I was going to, uh, you know, summer hoop camp, the right stuff, uh, they didn't teach Euro.

Cause I don't think anyone knew what it was exactly. I was learning the jump stop. I'm like, I just want to shoot threes. And I love how the Euro was really, uh, popularized by a non-European Mano Ginobili. I think that's great. Yeah. Everybody associates Manu with the Euro. Um, TJ, you've got some more of your goats today.

Share with the class. We do, man. We do. Well, you know, Ben, we got to like get, but they'll twofold time. There we go.

He's going to set up the, you know, you got to go. I wanted you to start. Well, like we, like we've been doing, we're going to continue with this whole goat talk, you know, just kind of my thoughts on who is the greatest player per franchise. And you know, one of my criteria is that they play at least three seasons for, for the team. And then also Ben, like what they did as a member of the team, their impact on not only the team, but like the culture of the franchise and maybe even the culture of the NBA. So that's kind of how I was going about making these lists. Now we're doing the North West division of the association, and that is the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Oklahoma City Thunder, Portland Trailblazers, and Utah Jazz.

So I figured I'll start off with an easy one here. I'll go with the, uh, the Utah Jazz. Now, you know, Utah Jazz have been the two NBA finals. Of course they fell short because they had to play Michael Jordan. Most people did fall short back in those days, but you know, rich history, you've got, you know, your John Stockton's, your Mark Eaton's players like that.

I don't want to disrespect. Sad to lose Mark Eaton, very sad story that came out recently. He was such a beloved figure in that community.

And it was a bike accident, if I'm not mistaken. And the same thing with Sean Bradley, like tragic, but ultimately the greatest Utah Jazz player of all time is the mailman, Carl Malone. I mean, that guy at the time of his retirement, second leading scorer in the NBA, you know, the thing back in those days, Chris and Ben is when we were growing up in like those nineties, we didn't really get a lot of West coast TV. So you you're really watching Carl Malone and Stockton through the USA today sports page. And you're seeing this guy, Carl Malone's averaging 27 and 14, every game in Stockton's got 18 assists, but we never really saw them growing up, but you know that they were great. And Carl Malone, arguably you put them in the greatest power forward of all time category. So I think that was a fairly simple, incredible to score that many points to without really having a three pointer in your bag, right? The dude was just a bucket.

And it was so strong. When you hear other forwards of that era talk about competing against him, guys like Barkley and stuff, they just talk about his strength. It seemed like to me, he was the first guy who kind of was known and really kind of glorified his own workout routine. Like nobody lifted weights or that we knew of or was so outwardly open about it. This dude was jacked.

He could have played defensive end. It's really wild driving around the state of Utah. If you ever find yourself from Provo or Salt Lake, they're just Carl Malone car dealerships everywhere. Really? Yeah.

Everywhere. Didn't he used to drive an 18 wheeler around like famously? Like actually would transport goods. I think like he was a trucker.

That is true. And also shout out, Carl Malone for joining up with Hulk Hogan to take on, you know, the DDP to take on Hulk Hogan, Dennis Rodman and the NWL back in the world. One of my least favorite players of all time, but I think there was something about Carl Malone as great as he was.

He was just like, he didn't really resonates about Carl Malone. I don't really like that. Look, you already got Denver Nuggets fans.

We don't need to get into the car. I'm going to save the Nuggets. I'm going to save the Nuggets. We're going to go into another Northwest team and that's the Portland Trailblazers. You know, the Trailblazers went to a couple finals or finals in the 90s, but again, they were in the era where Michael Jordan lived.

So it's really hard to eat and Isaiah Thomas and Isaiah Thomas. But you know, the Trailblazers, they are former NBA champions. Of course, they beat Dr. J and the Sixers in the 70s and rich history.

I think they may have had the longest consecutive home sellout streak in history back when it was the Rose Garden and the NBA. Great, great franchise. You got guys like Bill Walton, of course, who led them to the championship. You've got Terry Porter. Oh, I love Terry Porter. The late Jerome Kersey.

Jerome Kersey, Jeff Petrie. Think about the great international players who touched that floor. Yeah, guys like Drazin and Arvida Sabonis.

Arvida Sabonis, who I was really going to get into, and I'm glad you said that because that was my next sentence. It was just like, can you imagine if we would have got 1986 Arvida Sabonis fresh off of like, they dismantled the USA. Or if they let Drazin eat or Sam Bowie didn't get hurt.

That's the other big what if. What if Sam Bowie never got injured? But great history with the Trailblazers. I'm going with the guy who was really looked at as the number two player for many years behind Michael Jordan in the league. That's Clyde the Glide Drexler. Yeah, Clyde the Glide Drexler.

The availability too. So when we talk about with basketball all week long, I'm pulling up his stats right now. Every year, 82 games, 80 games, 82 games. The guy played. That's a big deal back then.

Yeah. And you know, like I said, for Clyde, he was really looked at as like Michael Jordan was one. Clyde Drexler was two. And although I don't think that Michael really appreciated being and Chris, you can you can comment on this because you're the last dance. I don't think he really appreciated Clyde being compared to him. And he really took it out on him and dream team practices, from what I understand. He was really upset that other people existed on Earth. It sounds like just the fact that anyone would have the audacity to be compared to try to also play basketball.

Yeah, like Mike like that. I'm the only one allowed to play this regard. Sorry. All right. So now let's go up to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Okay. Now, first and foremost, for the Timberwolves, I'm giving the shout out as I've been doing to Altoona's own Doug West.

Okay. Doug West was a legend in Altoona, played for the Timberwolves for many years, not the greatest Timberwolves ever, but he's certainly the greatest Altoona mountain lion to play in the National Basketball Association. With all due respect to Johnny Moore, Mike Isolino and Danny Fortson. So I'm just giving Doug West a shout out. But Timberwolves come out. You're talking to Timberwolves.

It's Kevin Garnett, really the big ticket, the kid. I remember I wrote a column in my college newspaper when he was about to enter the draft and I was like, it might be a mistake to draft this kid out of high school. I just want to look into the camera right now and say, KG, I apologize. I was so wrong. I was wrong. That probably, yeah, I would say I don't make many bad takes.

So yeah, that would be pretty bad. Kevin saying that Kevin Garnett might not be that great. One of my favorite players to never play for the Knicks. One of my favorite all time guys.

Just love KGB intensity. Like he was that dude, man. And I'm so glad he ended up getting a ring. Now let's go to the Oklahoma City Thunder. And I'm going to try to speed through this because I know we got some time issues. Basically, guys, what I did here and we can talk later about this.

I broke it up. I want to give the Seattle SuperSonics their props. So I'm going to say the greatest Super Seattle SuperSonics of all time.

Gary, the glove pain. I know I realize they are former NBA champions. But to me, when I grow up growing up, this guy personified the SuperSonics. I know they've got a huge fan base, very upset. They don't have a team.

I kind of hope that that gets rectified at some point soon. But I wanted to give this Seattle franchise love because we're all big basketball fans. Hey, Brockman, what happens if Gary Payton guards Steph Curry in the NBA finals? He gets absolutely worked. No way. Who gets work? Steph? No, GP gets worked. Challenge flag on the field there.

We don't know. I take the glove locking anybody up. Yeah. I remember Gary Payton helped Michael Jordan statistically to his worst finals performance ever. Gary Payton fan. Shouts out to GP. And then we're going to flip on to the Oklahoma City Thunder again, making this quick.

It came down essentially when we're speaking just Thunder, Russell and Katie. Oh, Nick Collison. Shout out to Nick Collison for his longevity. If I'm changing planes in Oklahoma, I might be able to tell someone I'm related to the college.

That's a good point. You do look like his little brother Collison asked thing going on. I went with the MVP. I went with Kevin Durant, much like Lebron James. If Kevin Durant spent any time on your team and he's in the running for your greatest player in your franchise and it came down between he and Russ, I just went with Katie.

I thought that was the right move. Yes. Katie is the best basketball player for every team. He's on every floor.

He touches. That is his legacy. It is being the best. All right. Despite those t-shirt jerseys being the worst radio audience, you showed a photo of Katie wearing one of those. What a terrible jersey things.

Hope everybody's fired for that one. All right. So now we're going to finish this up with the Denver Nuggets. Yeah, the Nuggets Nuggets, you know, what is nation?

I will say this. The Denver Nuggets have one of my favorite uniforms of all time in any sport does 80s kind of Horizon type Denver Nuggets jerseys. A lot of great players from Dan. It's all the fat lever, but we're going to talk about the greatest player ever. And I and I buzzed that basically boiled this down to three people Carmelo the Joker Carmelo Anthony and I had to eliminate Carmelo. Great nugget, but maybe not the greatest nugget of all time. Then it came down to Joker two-time MVP. And again, 10 years from now, we're going to be saying that Joker is the greatest Denver Nugget of all time, but we're old school around here.

We like to show love and respect to the old school. So because of that I went with Alex English. Yeah, that's right. Alex English, that's Denver Nugget of all time. He I think 14 team stats. He's the all-time leader and points and assists games played minutes played Phil goals. Alex English was a walking bucket. If I'm not mistaken, he led the decade of the 80s and points scored. I could be wrong about that.

That just popped into my head just now. How is that left off the top 75? He's the greatest nugget of all time. He made the all-star team like eight times. They were in the playoffs, 10 of his 11 years there. Went to a Western Conference Final, dropped 50 points twice. Yeah, dropping like 2,000 points back-to-back years.

Alex English is the greatest Denver Nugget of all time. And that's just my goat list for that division, man. And as always, interested to see how wrong I was when I checked the comments on YouTube later. Good stuff. Good stuff, TJ. We're going to have to do a couple more tomorrow, right, to close this thing out while I'm still here. We'll finish one and we'll leave Pacific for Rich on Monday. Okay.

Just so he can partake in the fun. Atlantic tomorrow with our teams, baby. Yeah, you know, you guys, I've saved talking about the Knicks until Friday.

That's what I think. I've done a pretty decent job of not throwing too much Nick banter in there. We haven't broken down Mitchell Robinson's extension just yet. We're going to save all that for Friday. We're going to save all that to Friday. RJ Barrett's Instagram, by the way, some wild promotions this summer.

The guy's out here selling avocado and lasagna and paninis. He's going to get traded to death. Easy, easy, Brockman.

Don't speak that into the universe. I hope he likes Utah. Haley Jones from Stanford. Stanford Cardinal coming up next.

Ben lines in for rich. Why didn't you just have Cardinals, her name? I always threw me out. It throws me off from the Stanford Cardinals.

Some people say it's like, I never got it. So, you know, we've been talking about Jokic a lot on the show this week. And do you guys know that I was at Serbian appreciation night here in Los Angeles? You know this?

It's amazing. So oftentimes the NBA, they have these nights to honor different groups of people, you know, Japanese appreciation night and Serbian appreciation night. And the way that the season had rolled out for the Clippers, they had picked up Boban and Milos halfway through the season or later on in the season.

And all of the promotional calendars dates had been set. So on Japan night, they also made it Serbian night. There's a photo of me with Boban. I got to interview Boban at Serbian night. I introduced Boban to my father. That was a life moment.

That was pretty great. And then, yeah, I also, just for those out there who want to question, you know, me, my basketball credibility or who is this guy? How does he get to talk about hoops? Is he just a fan? Well, he's a fan with real access because at Serbian night, I had the privilege of dressing up like a hot dog and running out onto the court and shooting hot dogs into the stands. Yeah. So when you're looking for serious basketball analysis, when you're looking for someone to break down X's and O's, has your favorite analyst dressed like a hot dog at an NBA game?

I don't think so. So that was a very special night. Serbian night at a Staples center back then, like I said, my father was in the building, horrified to see his first born dress like a hot dog.

It's a strong hot dog outfit. Yeah. And it sort of lets you know to the state of things when, uh, when anytime there's like promotional food, it's never, that's never a good sign. Right.

I was at a wizard's game once and they had burritos falling from the sky on parachutes. Yeah. Not good. You know, so let's keep it to t-shirts, bobbleheads. Once we start shooting hot dogs, processed meat flying through the air.

It's never a good thing. What's the best hot dog you've ever had. Oh, Grace Papaya. Grace Papaya, 72nd and Broadway recession special recession special.

It hits every time. Pinks. Pinks is for the tourists, Mike. I still like Pinks. Oh no.

There was a good seven year window where I would roll down my window, going down the Brea and scream. You're all tourists. Go back home.

I love Pinks. The line is always around the block. It's ridiculous. Um, Haley Jones from Stanford, one of the great stars in college basketball coming up next, Ben Lyons in for rich, the rich eyes and show Serbian night was a vibe. For the real story behind some of wrestling's biggest moments, it's something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard and Conrad Thompson too. All-time Hogan opponents, Macho Man's got to be in the conversation. Where's Andre for you? I've always said Andre was number one.

Wow. Because even going back before, you know, Hulk Hogan was a baby face. Hulk and Andre were able to go in and headline at the new Orleans super dome at Shea stadium in Japan, wherever they went, that was an attraction. Something to wrestle with Bruce Prichard. Listen, wherever you get your podcasts.