REShow: Arthur Smith - Hour 2

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844-204 Rich number to dial here on this program. Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons is going to join us. And I can't wait to chat with him. He knows. Look, he didn't even accuse me of saying, you know, you're trying to get something out of me. You know, get your clicks.

He accused me being a click baiter. You know. This is funny.

He's he's got, you can tell he's got a really like good sense of humor but he's doesn't want to show it. You gotta drill down on it. You gotta really dig deep. He he he makes me work.

It's in there. I don't like to work. Well. You know, he makes me work.

Kevin Hart's in hour three. I know that's not work for me. You know. Arthur Smith makes me work.

And so I'm going to have to drill down. I mean, how does this team not even talk about Lamar Jackson? Cuz Lamar, the day that he got his franchise tag applied, the the Falcons answered a request from Peter Schrager of Good Morning Football, NFL Network, Fox Sports.

Are you interested? And they're like, we're not going to be interested in him. And you know, I I would think they'd kick a tire on it. Certainly since they're willing to give 230 million or they weren't. They're willing to give it a remarkable amount of guaranteed dollars to Deshaun Watson the year before and then when Watson signed for 230 guaranteed million dollars to go to Cleveland, they just let it walk and totally reconfigured their strategy that now revolves Desmond Ritter and a whole bunch of free agents that they've signed. I mean, they just signed Kaleis Campbell to a one-year deal which is what you do when you think you need that veteran presence to get everybody rowing in the same direction and maybe be one of those key pieces that you see on a defensive line that can help you win a division then you never know what's going to happen from there on out. You win a division, you get a home playoff game, and off you go.

It's wide open. You know, Jesse Bates, that's the big one. A 64 million dollar deal for a safety.

Twenty-three million in year one. When you see that, it's kind of like, okay, that takes up some cap space. They re-signed a bunch of their own. Chris Lindstrom, Chris Lindstrom on the offensive line and Caleb McGarry on the offensive line.

They they they hit that. They get Taylor Heineke in and then those are the signs that you see. They're not calling Lamar Jackson. He's not getting an offer sheet from the Atlanta Falcons.

Predraft or post draft. That one's that ship has sailed. Why? I'll do my best to get that answer from him and also get an answer from him about how he shows up to a photograph with his colleagues and just like I said, the default look is like, I don't want to be here. What am I doing here?

What do you want to really say, cheese? He lets McDaniels box him out like he doesn't care. Are you going to bring this up to him?

Of course, him. Can't wait for this. McDaniels box you out. Look, what's that about?

I need to know how they set up, how they stood there. I'm going to get answers on the important questions. One question that everybody wants to know, did the Falcons talk about Lamar or not? And the other one is just for us. The coach's photo. You stand here, you sit there. I need I need to speak to an actual coach as part of this.

Not smiling. I will not bring up with him every single person that they signed or acquired. Too many. But one acquisition of the New England Patriots, formerly New England Patriots, John Ooh Smith is now on Atlanta. That brings me to my next subject matter. There has been a new narrative in the NFL that's building steam. Did I start it?

I don't know if you started it, but you are definitely here on this program adding to it. And the the narrative is a dangerous narrative. I think this is a this is a fire playing situation for people who are in on this. But the narrative is Bill Belichick has lost it. That's the narrative.

There was even a topic bar on one of the ESPN shows yesterday that said, has Bill Belichick lost a step. I mean 70, so he's moving a little slower. Who cares about how old you are? That's ridiculous.

It's not ridiculous. Actually, there's a history of coaches at that age not succeeding. Well, the reason why anybody who doesn't succeed at that age isn't because their cognitive abilities are lost. It's because they become like most of us. I'm already you know, I'm I'm 53. I got my ARP card 3 years ago.

I still haven't opened that envelope because I still just can't believe it. But you become more set in your ways. I have become more set in my ways.

I'm I'm trying to be more open to meeting other people, but I think to myself, I don't need any friends. I got enough. I agree with you. You know what I mean? Like I and also with me having the fortune, the great fortune of having a show like this and a 20 year now coming up relationship with NFL Network, which is in the news because of all the changes going on there.

That I am fortunate to be able to sit here and say certainly in this building on this show in this studio, I get to work with people I want to work with and II have no time for drama. I have no time for anything like that and if you're set in your ways and you're a control freak and you're a head coach in the NFL, you become set in your ways and the way that you lose the step. Is if you like this is the way it's done and I am not adaptable and I'm going to have my buddies and Joe Judge and Matt Patricia do something that they are not equipped to do because I know better and they will do the job for Mac Jones and Mac Jones absolutely regressed and maybe the reason why is because Bill was so set in his ways and that is the way this narrative gets built and then explodes. When Bob Kraft reveals Meek Mill, I can't believe I'm saying these words Meek Mill called him to say, Hey Lamar wants to play for you. Which puts out.

The unintended or you know spoken message of hey. I'm current I'm speaking to Meek Mill about Lamar and so I'm taking phone calls about Lamar is the top of the flow chart here in New England. It's the coach who. Hired two of his buddies to cause our gem of a first year quarterback to regress in year two and Lamar's not here, so Meek told me Lamar could come.

He's not here so. Who's the one who's set in his ways? That's the subtext to that intended or not he might have been just like hey Meek Mill called me and that's just a funny nugget to say on on television, but the. Totally unintended or unspoken message from that is Bill is uninterested in Lamar and he would never do that sort of thing because he's so set in his ways and there's only one way to do it and it can't possibly be the Lamar way. Forgetting that he's not the one who could cut the check. It's really the guy who spoke to Meek Mill who would have to cut the check and if there's anybody who could go ahead and run like an old school.

Navy offense with Lamar Jackson and probably win football games with a defense that's always balling out. It is that guy. So I say and I know what you're going to say and I will hand the floor to you. Be careful that this guy has lost a step because they did make the playoffs with Mac in his first year. Yeah. How'd that go?

They got blown out. Okay. But welcome to the rest of us. You gotta build.

You gotta find the kid and build and draft around and the drafting around hasn't done as well yet either. I'm not saying he's completely sterling, but he is Bill hasn't been great in a long time. So I hand the floor to you. Do you think he's lost a step?

I don't think you could say otherwise. It's been 4 years without a playoff win and I just think Bill is so stubborn. He would rather try and win with someone so mediocre and just to prove that it wasn't all Tom Brady than to try to bring in Lamar Jackson who's got an MVP on the shelf and play this dynamic explosive new age brand of football and you say it's Bob Kraft has to cut the check.

Bill makes all the decisions for everything football wise in the in the building. Don't you think for for good reason? I do think for good reason. Okay. But I also think that hasn't gone great lately man and everyone's like, oh well he brought in Cam Newton and they couldn't do it there.

Cam Newton was a shell of his former self for not for 3 weeks and that was a COVID year. I think you can throw that one out for one game that you can throw that one out. Okay.

Cuz you don't want to also be the guy after the guy you you look when Brady left. That's why I say to you welcome to the rest of us cuz you now don't know why I don't really like the way you put that, but that's okay. It's totally fine. What do you mean? I have at it.

Go ahead. What do you mean you didn't like the way I put it because about to get rid of cam you're talking about the welcome to the rest of us. We're the only team with six the correct. So there's no rest of us. We're not we're not like you.

Well you are now. We're not. Oh so you're saying that the the the lack of results the last 2 years is now unacceptable because expectations are different for for a team like New England than they are. I would agree with that.

I would absolutely agree with that. We're not like the rest of we're not like the rest of the league. There's a certain standard now that's been built up over the last 20 plus years, but you understand the manner in which I'm saying the phrase though you're trolling, which is totally no. I'm not. I'm not I promise you. I'm not cuz you know I have nothing but respect for seriously. You know how I feel about the Patriots.

You like to tweak me, which is no, but III. That is true, but the reason why I say welcome to the rest of us is you had an unbelievable. Incredible run. I understand that it's so rare but I think and the part part the reason why is because you had an all-time great coach who got hooked up with an all-time great quarterback who grew into an absolute all-time greatest like without dispute all-time greatest dispute and then that undisputedly all-time greatest quarterback leaves the scene, which now leaves you in the position of the following who's next leaves you in the position of the following questioning your all-time great coaches and that's totally fine. TJ I turn to you did Tom Landry get fired. He did it happens was Tom Landry one of the greatest coaches of all time at that moment. Perhaps the greatest it happens pretty much everybody gets tapped on the shoulder. It happens.

Yes, and it's totally fine. I don't hate Bill. I don't it's not anything like that. I'm just saying like if you look at the last 4 years, it's different. He brings in guys who clearly are incapable of doing the jobs that he's taking them to do that was your decision. Yes, and so now do you think he wanted to get rid of those guys? Probably not do you think Kraft told them WTF bro and I think that's the case WTF WTF and that's why B.O.B. showed up 1000%. I believe that absolutely I would agree with that.

I don't think Bob is happy one bit and he shouldn't be and fans shouldn't just say well. We had a great run. That was cool. Let's suck for the next 20 years.

Why why do we have to? Well, you don't suck. You don't suck again. I'm I'm an expert on on sucking if the just Aaron Rodgers, the Pats are for this division by the way. If that happens, it does place a heck of a lot more pressure on the so when I say I would agree with that when I say certainly if the Dolphins perform as well as I think they might exactly and so when I say Bill is coaching for his job this year and you think I'm crazy, I'm not. I still think you're crazy because I I I I believe every show is talking about it now and of course, you know the local media in Boston is insane, but they're talking about it too.

It's real. I just think that if that happens. Then you've got another welcome to the rest of us situation. Do we at the coaching position? I hope Jerrod Mayo is the guy since he's gonna have the one you're obviously gonna have an unproven guy, but that's another one honestly who does not who does not have the skill set of this man. This man is the greatest for a reason now. Can he be stubborn and more set in his ways and could we find that's that's the one part about this that Lamar would rectify even though I'm sure Bill would think there's no rectifying necessary, but coming in and just saying you you.

Oh, you think I'm setting my ways well. 200 million dollar offer sheet to Lamar Jackson. Let's go what better way to energize the fan base when Bill says. Hey, why do fans have a reason to be optimistic and he says in the last 25 years.

I mean, I'm sure well, he doesn't give you answers and I understand why that frustrates you, but he says something not only does he not give me answers. He says something like that. Okay, Bill great.

That was awesome. What are we doing now that should inspire optimism in the fan base? So let me ask you this question.

There isn't much let me ask you this question to put the button on it so we can get to Arthur Smith on time and he can make me tap dance and work. You would want him to sign an offer sheet you would now understand understand what this would mean understand what it would mean in terms of first round draft choices and what it would mean about a cap that you know that they'd have to reconfigure and they're smart. That's one thing that you know the Patriots are is smart and so you want me to answer that now or do you want to answer that in 4 weeks? What do you mean after they've gone ahead and signed somebody? I would like to see what the first round of the draft looks like. Well, you can't do that. I think Lamar is going to be waiting until then don't you.

Oh, that's true. So let's see what the first round looks like and then get through it and then and then and have a conversation. And you would you'd be so what would the first draft first round of the draft look like that would lead you to say post draft. I want I want that deal done. I mean if if if we if we trade down trade out of the first round take another small school lineman. Oh boy. I want to be inspired everyone when they go to work and wake up each morning and turn the TV and watch for their team.

They want to be inspired. The small school lineman they drafted is is good. You know he's good.

One year man, but it's not inspiring. You understand like let's take Jordan Addison. Let's take Zay Flowers.

Let's let's get it going. Let's stop buying minivans and Volvos and let's buy sports cars. Maybe Bill should just live out here in Los Angeles, but that's what 70 year old men do here and we upgrade. I think the problem is you think like losing Bill is going to solve all your problems. No, no it's the line of thinking. It's the line of thinking he's he's done. He's done with a certain way that it's the Patriot way. He's tired of the Patriot way. Yeah.

I wish I wish he's tired of it. He's tired of anything different at this point because what's been going on with your franchise for 25 years has rendered bupkis. Yeah right. Yeah exactly. But what I'm saying you should be angrier that the Jets have done nothing for 50 years. Oh, I'm not angry. I'm just dead inside, but I'm excited, but the Rogers stuff excites me. There you go.

Let's do the drafts. Oh no. I get it inspired. I got it. I hear you. So you just want to be inspired then because clearly you have to understand that your run is not going to be duplicated right. You kind of do know that right. Here's the thing I'm like Mark McGuire.

I'm done talking about the past like nothing over the last 4 years has been inspirational to make me think another run like that could possibly happen. Let's take a break right here on the Rich Eisen Show. We've got none other than Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons joining us. Let's be on time for him because I don't want him in the mood. You know. Back here on the Rich Eisen Show sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk furnished by Granger with supplies and solutions for every industry.

Granger is the right product for you call clickgranger.com or just stop by always appreciate when this man stops by always an interesting fun conversation and lots to talk about with a man entering his third year as head coach of the Atlanta Falcons. Arthur Smith back here on the Rich Eisen Show. How you doing coach? Good. How you doing? I'm doing well.

I'm doing well. How'd you like the owner's meeting? How was that one for you?

That was good. It's my second time going through it. Okay.

I had my first year but went well. Okay. Very good. And so are you involved in the the rules changes other than just talking to how are you involved in that process? Yeah. At all coach.

Everybody is you know obviously not on the competition committee. Right. A lot of the the leg work gets done on it but you know you you hear about the proposals and you know if you feel strongly about it and you obviously voice your opinion but that's pretty much where the way it goes from my standpoint right now. Okay. Were you were you pleased with what passed? What didn't pass? You wanted something you were you were up for something that that didn't pass that you wanted to?

Where where would you stand on that at me asking you a macro question on all of that? Yeah. There was nothing that I mean some of the stuff you can you can tell that's probably inevitable. That's good for the game and but there was nothing that was I thought was just kind of out of left field that are really really bothering me. Okay.

Kind of what's coming and you know there's stuff every year and it's our job to adapt and you know listen to everybody's opinion. Right. Well, what what opinion would you do you have on one that I'm particularly pounding this table for coach just to jump right into it is to is to have replay assist help on roughing the passer calls that have been made. I'm not saying that it should chime in on calls that were not made to place a flag on the field. I'm talking about say a team that's trying to beat Tom Brady that doesn't get the ball back because of a roughing the passer penalty that I think should not be called. I think you're driving see what I'm driving at here. Yeah, I figure that's where you're ahead of me. Are you are you were you not in favor of maybe having replay assist help show a a crew hey that shouldn't be called.

Pick it up. What do you think about that? Well, they they tried it you know a couple years ago with the DPIs. You know you don't want to slow the game down and then in a lot of these subjective calls here and you know I think as the officiating is they're they're doing everything they can to to improve to get more consistent all the way across the board. But you know you start I understand the the repercussions of those penalties and what that 15 yarder does. I mean there's there's a team that was you know an advocate for it and they they brought some good data points to the table but you know if we have more and more rules to replay I don't think that's going to be good for anybody involved. I think the officiating you know across the everybody's trying to get it right and so that's the best way I can give you without really picking the side there Rich.

No, I got it. Arthur Smith of the Atlanta Falcons here on the Rich Eisen Show. So, where are where are you on your putting your draft board together? We're we're talking right now. It'll be one month from today is the second night of the draft.

What do you got for me on that front? Yeah, we'll reconvene. We got guys all you know over the place. We still got the pro day circuit going on.

Right. You know, we'll our last draft meetings. We'll we'll start here in a couple weeks. We'll go right back through the board on every position with all the personnel department and with our scouts and then with all of our coaches.

So, we really won't finalize it till about a week out from the draft. But when you what what do you look for at a pro day if you don't if you don't mind sharing. When you stroll into a pro day, you're on a campus and you look for what generally coach?

Well, it depends on what you're trying to get answered. If you got some questions on on a guy, you know, a lot of it it's got their own deal they're looking at. You know, your scouts, these guys have been looking at these guys for a couple years. They've got all the numbers. They're trying to get all the comparative data and for me, there's it's more you know, find out who the player is as a person. You know, you see the film. You've seen the workouts from the combine or actually watching the pro day but just trying to get the whole picture.

All the information you can and and getting it for people you trust. Have you ever strolled into a pro day not thinking you'd be interested in somebody or you didn't think that that was a position of need and then you saw a kid straight up and you're and and that put him on a radar screen and he wound up. Somebody either pounded the table for in previous spots or he was the head coach of the Falcons wound up drafting. Does that happen?

That certainly helped. I think a lot of times it's it's the guys at the back end of the draft or the post draft that you really can pick up some things about. I mean, these guys that are probably going to be in the top.

Let's call seventy-five. I mean, there's a they get discussed over and over. You know, when there's through the media, you know, they're getting a lot of attention as they should but as we both know, the majority of roster is going to come from those later rounds and the guys that you know, that's you can't skip those steps and so I think more towards the back end guys, guys that there's not as much information or aren't being talked about as much as I've gone to places and and found something out that's really helped us and draft those guys in later or maybe get somebody post draft. Arthur Smith, head coach of the Atlanta Falcons joining me here a month before the draft just a few days after the NFL annual meeting broke up in Arizona. So, walk me through if you don't mind the the thought process behind getting Taylor Heinecky in your fold and under contract his role.

Yeah. So, we're obviously excited about Desmond Ritter but you need that position and it's gotta be the right player and we've got a lot of respect for Taylor. Certainly, we've gone against in the last 2 years and it provides good leadership. You know, a guy that can go on there and certainly if his number's called whether it's the second play of the game or you know, whatever whatever is going on, he can win your football games and and he'll be great for that room and that matters especially when you're planning to, you know, start a young quarterback.

That's that's so important who's in that backup role. And Desmond Ritter, what does excite you? You said we're excited about him.

Can you put a few meat on that bones for me? Yeah, I think that he's a guy that, you know, he won a lot of games in college and then helped the Luke Lickles in Cincinnati really change, you know, the whole culture of that program and I certainly think that experience when you start that many games coming in helps. We certainly saw it early on as we threw everything we could at him and he was impressive and we thought he was ready to take over and that time of the season and I thought he did a nice job.

Cool and collected under pressure. At the end of the day, you know, you've gotta be able to operate on critical downs, third down, fourth down, two-minute situation and I thought he'd done that pretty well and certainly there's a lot of things we'll all continue to improve but we got a lot of faith in him. And so what did he do you think glean from his time starting towards the end of last season? What do you think is is valuable that you've seen on film or you've seen him just grow from from your position as head coach and that you think translates to this year upcoming? Well, there's a lot of things.

There's not the unknown. He's he's been through another season. He understands what it takes to prepare.

I mean, that's usually, you know, what gets guys. It's the it's a day after day. You know, it's week one, week two and that the other part of the season that excitement, you know, may wear off and it's like a lot of industries that guys that are consistent and understand what it really takes not just physically mentally that approach and he's very mature and the way he prepares. I think that helps certainly going into this year. Now, you know, we gotta finish the season as a starter going into the off season to pair understanding the calendar.

What's asked of him? Like I said, the way he operated was very impressive for for a rookie and now we're expecting him to take the next step. Well, one of the many reasons why I'm asking that is, you know, obviously when when the narrative that I'm sure you you hear talked about for your team wanting, you know, to start Desmond Ritter this year and somebody of Lamar Jackson's caliber has a a quasi open market, right? I mean, there's an offer sheet that he can be signed to that the many folks wondering why don't you in Atlanta just pivot to him but clearly there's a lot that you've already invested in Desmond Ritter with time played and reps going in. So was there ever at any point in time a conversation consideration of saying maybe we we we just check out Lamar kick a tire on what he wants for an offer sheet. You know, it's a belief becomes so much more transactional. I mean, I mean, you look around. I mean, look at the people are willing to make trades and they happen quick now and I think anytime any player, it's our job to understand the markets that are going on, who's available, who's not, do they fit.

There's a lot of things that go go into it with those actions. You know where you're willing to spend in the salary cap and it and they're great debates certainly make sure shows more interesting and that's great for the league but at the end of the day, you know, you gotta do what you think is best for your team and what the way you're building and and how it fits in that puzzle. Like I said, there's a lot of great players. They've become available since now more than ever. I mean, look at the deals that were done a year ago and then you got a quarterback that's on a huge deal a year ago that's available now and that was unheard of 20 years ago.

Not to date you, Rich. I mean, what was your first year covering the league? It was about 50 years ago? It's 20.

It's coming up on 20. Oh, yeah. Sorry to age you that much. No, no, no. You know, I would have done NFL Total Access about Joe Namath's championship year but I was too busy soiling my diaper at the time, coach.

You know, it's too busy. I didn't know if you covered Johnny Unitas either. No, I don't go that far back. I apologize, Rich. I appreciate that. I appreciate that.

I think I'm a fine wine but I think you understand the question and you you must have. No, you understand it but but that's our job is to understand everything that's going on around the league. I mean, it's a depth chart.

It's never fully set in stone. I mean, things happen when you have injuries during the season. You see trades happen then and then you see we've got success finding guys at the waiver wire.

I mean, it's every day. You've got to it's always a work in progress and so you're aware of everything that's going on. You know, we don't have our heads buried in the sand but ultimately, we gotta make the decision that's best for our team right now and what we've done in free agency and our so we prepare for the draft. We feel really good about where we're at. What we've built. Uh it's been the first year we've been able to spend in free agency and really excited about those guys we've we've signed so far and we'll continue to look to improve any way we can.

Yeah and so true. So so basically, you you you looked at the landscape and I imagine, you know, you didn't know if Lamar could be signed to an office shooter. Nobody did.

Not you specifically. Until you know early March and I imagine you'd already gone down the road with free agents and things of that nature. So, I guess the question is is was it at all discussed? Obviously, you did land on Ritter and he is your guy and you plan him to be the guy and you hope he's the guy that, you know, you hand the Lombardi trophy to one day but was that ever was Lamar ever, you know, put in in fourth in a in a meeting by you guys in Atlanta? Rich, I mean, every every thing that becomes available around the league, you know, if it can improve the roster, we discuss and that's at every position. Whether that's the the fifth corner, you know, the backup counter and punt, we're always going to look to add and that's at every position. So, those discussions happen all day.

Those are standard operating procedures and I imagine most teams do the same thing and I understand some players get more attention than any others but absolutely. We got to know what's going on. You're going to see the trends and see what's available. So, those those are everyday conversations and it's like kind of like, you know, asking you are you ever going to go on the bus? You know, I've I saw you have Taylor.

Wow. Well, I mean, if you don't. I've yet to see you go on the bus.

Coach, if you don't mind me comparing myself to Lamar Jackson, there's a principle of the matter and I told Taylor years ago, you know, I told Taylor years ago and Will, if I'm not mistaken, you've tire kicked yourself. You know, that that if there's no motor on the bus, I can't go on it. So, at this point in time, I have to stand on principle but I'm sure you understand that as well. I do. I understand that.

Okay. You're a man of principle. Thank you sir.

I appreciate that. Arthur Smith here on the Rich Eisen Show. In the couple minutes I have left, you signed one of my favorite people on the planet who have gotten to meet Kaleis Campbell to a one-year deal. What do you think he brings to your equation? Coach?

Yeah, we're fired up about Kaleis. A guy that he's been a pain to go against for a long time since I've been coaching in the league and certainly when I was in Tennessee and he was in Jacksonville, he was a major problem. Of course, he went to Baltimore. Kinds of big games against him there. We're excited. You know, he's a guy that's played a long time and been very effective and he can play multiple spots and as we built depth in our D line, he gives us a lot of experience. Certainly, we can play in multiple spots. Get him out of the defensive end like, you know, a lot of times on early downs. I mean, he's a pain for people to go against and as we're building depth in there, obviously with Grady, added David Nyamata, brought Lorenzo Carter back. We have some young players we're really excited about in there and the more guys, the more depth we have will certainly help us. Well, before I let you go, coach, I appreciate the time here.

One last thing. I couldn't help but notice at the league annual meeting, you were in the back row of the coach's photo and I'll just come out and say, you look miserable. I mean, you just got this look on your face like you just don't want to be there.

I mean, what's going through your mind as you're taking this photograph, coach? You're not smiling. I don't know what it is. Is it a squint? Is it a sun situation?

What do you got? I got in trouble with my family and one of my sisters got married two weekends ago. You know, I'm not a big, you know, you gotta go on there. They do it real quick. I mean, it's faster than probably wedding photos but it's just not one of my favorite things. They're kind of thinking just go ahead, take the picture and let me move on to the next thing.

What do you mean? What else you gotta do? I mean, you're just, you're with your peers. You're, I mean, Tomlin's to your left. I mean, and did you choose that spot? Did they tell you to stand there? I mean, what goes on?

I'm fascinated by this. Moving at the last second. So, there was actually three rows and then, you know, that the last second, they try to get everybody to move. A couple people went down the first row. Um I think Kyle Shanahan and I were the kind of the last two back in that third row. Yeah.

Those spots but it happened real quick. McDaniel's is boxing you out. McDaniel's is giving you shoulder. Like, you can't have that. That's the way I look at it. I mean, I don't mean to read too much but come on. No, I mean, sometimes when you're, you know, I'm not even paying attention to that especially when you see a pretty good height.

You know, I'm not even paying attention to what's going on around me, Reg. Okay. Just gotta get a snap picture and move on.

I don't know. Just on behalf of, you know, everybody and maybe your family feels the same way, just tell your face to smile next time. Just do that.

It's. I'll do that. I mean, maybe I'll, you know, I'll I'll I'll church it up and maybe I'll wear a tuxedo. Please do. Coach, if you rock the tux, I know I know it's your, I know it's your dream to go viral. So, that would, that would go viral.

You know, that's the case. I'll see if I can make that happen for you. Okay, coach. Thanks for the time. Always appreciate our chats. Be well.

Thanks again. That's Arthur Smith, everybody. Head coach of the Falcons right here on the Rich Eisen Show. How about him throwing the bus in my grill? How about that? That came out of nowhere.

That came out of nowhere. He's boys with them. Well, he tried to, didn't he, didn't he try to get Will Compton?

Try to get Will Compton. That was a league office issue. Nice. I think that was the most open Arthur's been since you've been interviewing him. They talked about Lamar. Like, yeah, we did. It came down to it. The other Arthur in the room's the one who's gotta scratch the check. Do we wanna do it? Do we wanna blow this thing up?

As he said to, again, you have to look at it all together. Thomas Dimitrov, former general manager there pointed out that they were in a cap strong situation. You heard him say Arthur Smith. It's the first time they're able to spend in free agency. They decided that's the way to go and they are in the boat with Washington, with Tennessee. If the Jets don't land, Rogers with the Jets. Who else do you wanna throw in that mix? The Colts. If they don't go get Lamar or try to go get Lamar or land him and go in another direction and someone else lands Lamar and wins championships or gets to the Super Bowl or gets to conference championship games and puts themselves on a certain pedestal of winners in the league and they're not, they will hear about it. But Arthur Smith believes that this is the way to go. Desmond Ritter, Taylor Honeke backing up, the rest of the free agency class, the rest of their draft class coming and what they've put together. That's the way they're going and that's what came out of that meeting. But they did talk about him.

844-204 Rich number to dial here on the Rich Isaac Show. A fun pop culture stroll thanks to TJ Jefferson and Major League Baseball's opening day. You've got a lineup of top pop culture baseball players based on position? Yeah, man. Just, you know, opening day here. Figured I'd take all the baseball movies, throw them in a in a big grab bag, pull out a starting lineup. It's a Friday and then another Friday favorite, Chris Brockman's What's More Likely coming up at the top of the next hour that only leads into Kevin Hart.

Don't move. Having fun right here on the Roku Channel and the Rich Isaac Show and this terrestrial radio affiliate Sirius XM, Odyssey, and more. Good stuff.

Good fun stuff. So, the number six quarterback prospect in the 2024 class per ESPN, Jaden Davis is currently announcing whether he's going to go to Clemson, Michigan, Tennessee, or Carolina and this is great. I've never seen him play. If he puts on a Michigan hat, I'll love him.

If not, I'll be like, good to see you. Seems like he was Gatorade Player of the Year based on the signage. TJ Jefferson. Richard Dyson.

Batter up. TJ Jefferson has got, hold on a second, Jaden Davis taking out a hat and it's, is that Michigan? It is.

Yeah, Blue knowing. Look at you. Look at you, Jaden Davis being the smartest kid in the room. Wow.

Let's go. Yes and the parents are crying because they know he's going to have a great education. He's going to have a great base. Going to the Harvard of the West, right? Excuse me. East? No, Harvard is the Michigan of the East. I don't get it that that's true. It is true.

Go Blue. Jaden Davis, I've just gotten to meet you and I like you a lot. And you wonder why.

I just love that that was all captured on film. Oh yeah. Sorry Clemson. Sorry Dabo. Oh, they haven't seen Harbaugh out there now. Tennessee, nice run, Hendon Hooker, great stuff.

Carolina, Drake May, you'll hear his name all over next year. I get it. I can already see it, Rich. Five years from now, he gets drafted and on draft day, they're going to pull that clip up of you watching him. Yeah. Commit to your squad.

Harvard's only 175 years older than Michigan. You know why? You don't want to hold on a second and I'm sorry. We'll do your thing at the end of the next hour. It's all good. We're going to finish up our show with you.

I'm just getting started with him. Hey, let it fly. Excuse me. Mr. Mr. Harvard. Mr. Veritas. Okay.

Chicken pie. I mean, I didn't go to Harvard. Excuse me. I'm just saying. Do you know why the theme song, the fight song for Michigan is Champions of the West? Do you know why? Is there bad at geography?

It's okay. That's that's that's Jerome Bettis who chose the wrong school. It's Champions of the West because the Big Ten used to be known as the Western Conference because Michigan was on the west border of the United States when it was founded.

We're talking pre- Louisiana purchase. So let's stop this whole business of we're just off the turnip truck. And now everybody's talking about how good Michigan is.

Taking kids from Ohio. We got Jaden Davis putting the hat on. Yeah.

Was he losing the playoff again? Oh, this guy. This guy.

Well, congrats on getting a QB. This guy. Over there. Okay, Syracuse. Hey, I want to point something out to you guys about these new rules.

You probably didn't. What rules? What rules?

Baseball. No, I'm not ready to turn the page. Okay.

No, we were. I'm page turning. You're basking in this, right? I'm getting ready for August.

I'm getting ready for August. Two minutes ago. He was like, if he commits, it was fine.

If no, it was nice. He was going to dismiss this man. You know what I knew he existed? When he put the hat on? Five minutes ago. When he put the hat on. Because otherwise, he'd be a non-person. He didn't exist to you.

That's called fandom, sir. I'm on fire. I learned something about Jaden Davis moments ago. Oh, what did you learn, Rick? He's smart. He makes good decisions. He's an excellent decision maker.

Smart and excellent decision maker is what you want to see in the quarterback position. He knows. Rick, let's look at this one. I'm looking at his footage right now. Tom Lugan Bill's coming on talking like about how good this kid is. And Rich also, he didn't want to risk anything. He was prepared. You could tell he's checking his phone.

Yes. He was conscious. He wrote it. He wrote it out on his phone. You could see him.

Some AI app did it for him. I didn't memorize it if he's so smart. Excuse me. I have notes. I have notes. We all have notes. I have notes. Look at this book, by the way, Michigan Alumni.

Everybody, people wonder like what talk. People always ask what that notebook is. It's my Michigan Alumni book. I'm almost done with it.

There's like years of notes in here. I'll reach out to the Michigan Alumni Association, say, you know what I need? I need a new book. See if you can get an amazing... You know what we don't need? You know what we don't need? A new quarterback. They're clapping for him because he's made the right decision. Hug him out. Hug him out because Ann Arbor is a great place to play football and learn and learn. In that order?

By the way, it's kind of funny. You know, the kid above him right there in terms of quarterbacks who just got taken. I'm looking at the list that ESPN's putting up there. CJ Carr. It's Lloyd's grandson who chose Notre Dame. That was a tough blow. He knows.

That was a tough blow. He knows. But you know what softens it? This young man being smart, determined. Prepared. Prepared. Prepared.

Preparation prevents poor performance. Say that. Yeah, I'll say it again if you need, but... What a great moment on this program. Captured. Live local late breaking. I learned about Jaden Davis and his smartness and his greatness and his decision-making skills and if he put on a different hat, I'd have seen him in a different September.

You wouldn't have cared about it. I love sports. Sport. And twins. Kevin Hart's coming up.

Hour number three and what's more likely? What? So we're losing our blue check marks tomorrow, right? And so Patrick Mahomes tweeted out, you know, when are they taking it away? And MVS, Marquez Valdes, Gaitlin goes, pay $8 for the guys. So like, Patrick booked the bill for the whole team. Mahomes wrote back, can't bro, I got kids. God, I love Patrick Mahomes. I love Patrick Mahomes. I'm worth half a billy.

Let me explain to you, Patrick Mahomes. You are going to lose your blue check mark. We all know who you are. You don't need to be verified. You verified yourself in front of the whole world in February in Arizona if they needed it. Everybody knows who I am.

There's only one at Rich Eisen who's got 1.3 million followers. Everyone else is just an imitator and if anybody's out there trying to imitate me, you are a loser. In advance, I front loaded on my final day of having a blue check mark. Do you think I won't have one on Monday?

I think we're all going to be. Guess what? If I don't have one on Monday, I'm going to come to work and I'm going to continue to verify myself every day. I think this is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever seen.

Well, I mean, they're trying to make sure that there are no bots out there and there's no anything or trying to bail out the most haphazard and failed business model ever. But I should give this man $8 to keep my blue check mark. I have a check mark. I have a blue check mark. It's called my wife, my children, you folks, and you out there. Rich, you're verified in these streets, man. Thank you, sir. You don't need no. So is Patrick Mahomes. Well done, Pat.