REShow: Joe Person - Hour 1

It's Kirk Morrison. Oh, man, we are loaded today, loaded today. The day is finally here. I am so excited to be here on this NFL Draft Day 2023.

Fellas, I'm excited to be here. Kirk Morrison filling in for Rich. I know Rich is on assignment. He's at the NFL Draft down in Kansas City, but I'm gonna try to hold the seat warm, keep it warm for him till he gets back.

But always great to be with you guys. Brockman, Del Tufo, TJ. I feel like I'm Kirk. I'm Cousin Pete. Cousin Pete. Cousin Pete. Hey, make yourself a plate, Cousin Pete.

I'm Cousin Pete. How's your mom and him doing? Everybody's doing good. How's your daddy doing, boy? We're doing good.

I fight my long distance cousins. I'm back in here hanging out with you guys. But I'm here on one of the biggest days of the year. Like this is the NFL's offseason crown jewel. But would we say this is the second biggest day in the NFL season? Super Bowl, Draft Day? Super Bowl and Draft are the two biggest. Yeah, two biggest.

Yes. The Super Bowl is the sort of the end of the year. Like that's the culminating event. Like this is the culmination, Super Bowl. But what kicks it off, what starts the 2023 season is the NFL Draft.

And we got so much that we're going to get into. We mentioned Joe Person covers the Panthers from the athletic. Get a chance to talk with him as the Panthers are the bale of the ball, right? They got the number one overall pick and we'll get his thoughts as the Panthers are.

They've been on the clock for a while. So it's kind of funny that we'll get a chance to hear their perspective of kind of what's been going on and we'll see what it looks like down there in Kansas City as we get ready to kick off the NFL Draft. So I'm going to talk about the draft, but we've got to talk about the NBA. We've got to talk about Giannis and what he had to say about a loss last night. Think about what's going on with the people in Wisconsin right now. The Aaron Rodgers news is now official. He's no longer a Packer.

And oh, by the way, the Milwaukee Bucks are no longer in the playoffs as the favorites to win the championship. So a lot to get to, fellas. And I think when we start with NFL Draft, for me, a lot of emotions come about.

A lot of emotions. You've been there. I've been there before. 2005, I was drafted 78th overall by the then Oakland Raiders. And it's a time that I always remember. I remember it like it was yesterday. But this was when the draft was two days, right?

Now it's different. OK, the draft is this three day extravaganza. It is now obviously the draft on wheels, right?

You can move it around now, different places before it was always the draft is in New York City, Radio City Music Hall. And you had rounds one through three on Saturday and four through seven on Sunday. So in 2005, I remember the draft was two days, one through three is on Saturday and four through seven was on Sunday. And there was a point where it was always about, are you a first day pick?

Right. I wanted to be a first day pick. I was hoping to be a first day pick. And things were a line for me that, OK, that opportunity will present itself.

This just depends on where. I had spoken to many teams, went on a couple of those top 30 visits. So you kind of had an inclination that teams, you know, all say that, oh, we like you. And if you're there, man, we're trying to pull the trigger. So you're excited. You're like, you're emotional. You're like, man, it's going to happen. But then there's like this break in between, like the visits, the combine, and you're kind of like in this space for all those like Stranger Things fans out there on Netflix. You're kind of like in this underworld for a couple of weeks where time is just passing by.

But yet, you know, there's something on the other side, like, you know, that there is. This decision that's being made for you. That's going to change your life in terms of where you're going to play professional football. So I remember leading up into the draft. One of the things that kind of hit me was that man, it's it's I'm going to be playing for an NFL franchise and I have no idea where I'm going.

So the anxiety starts to kick in and the anxiety is already there. I had a chance to talk to some of the NFL prospects yesterday as they doing some of the community events out there in Kansas City. So I had a chance to interview Will Anderson and he's like, man, it hit me when I got on the plane. Like it hit me when I got on the plane to come to Kansas City that I'm leaving Kansas City as a member of an NFL franchise.

And that scares me a little bit. So I don't know if any of these guys got any sleep last night, because I know I didn't get sleep the night before the NFL draft. Because I kind of secluded myself. I just wanted that moment to be something in which, OK, whether it was good or bad, the emotions that that came over me were one in which of. Relief.

Like big relief. Tonight, I want I want you guys, Brock Del Tufo, TJ, people out there listening, people out there watching. I want everybody tonight. When the draft picks are announced. Just for one second, have a clear mind, regardless of this is your team you're cheering for or not. But to watch the emotions of these players, the first thing that how many guys, first of all, when they get drafted tonight, take a deep breath. That's the first thing like it's like a long exhale.

I shouldn't say take a deep breath, just a long exhale. It's a long exhale of all of this pent up frustration finally being released because the NFL draft. Is the first time a lot of these players or the I would say the NFL draft process is the first time I know for myself, maybe for a lot of these guys, this is the first time people weren't patting you on the back. The NFL draft is actually to tear you down, not to build you up.

It's about to highlight your negatives, not necessarily your positives, for the most part. I never really liked that about the draft. And we're seeing it kind of take place with some players at the top of the draft now, sort of this this tearing down or why would you go with that guy?

He's not a great test taker or he's he's not necessarily a good leader. Look at his off the the draft sort of tears you down. And these are young, 21, 22 year old kids who are hearing this in real time and seeing this. Google in their name and this is a story that pops up, they can't ignore it, they can't hide it. But I tell you this, when that phone rings tonight. That phone rings tonight and everybody grabs a phone and they tell everybody around, be quiet, be quiet, be quiet, be quiet, hey, hey, hey, phone's ringing.

And what is it always, hey, can I speak to such and such as this is him? Hi, we're about to select you. The first thing that you see is an exhale of and for all those guys who say I'm not a crier, I'm not this. Those emotions, man. Oh, it's still it gets me going right now because I know what that feeling feels like.

I know what it feels like. I waited. The NFL Draft, I believe in 2005, started at, I want to say 9 a.m. local, maybe even 8 a.m. local time. It was early. It was early. It was early.

Maybe I'll go 8 a.m. local time. Early. So I got up to watch the draft. Now, I wasn't considered a first round pick back in 2005, so I kind of felt that, all right, you know, I'll watch, but man, if I get the phone call, trust me, I'm taking it for sure. But that's when the first round was like four and a half, five hours.

Remember, 15 minutes on the clock for all 32 teams. So I didn't get drafted in the first round. Second round came, I had a couple of teams I knew that were looking for a linebacker and I'm waiting and I'm watching teams on the clock and still name not called yet. I'm like, oh, man.

Then I remember. So remember, I'm watching the draft at 8 a.m. By three o'clock, I had to leave the house. I'm done. I got to go. I got to go. Me and my brother, we left. We had to go grab a bite to eat, you know, go grab a soda or something like we got to do something. And I remember I got back to the house or where we were watching the draft at. This is about five thirty, six o'clock.

And it's like, well, first, I mean, the third round has already started. It may not be for me. I may have to wait to the next day. And I was cool with that.

You know, I was cool with that. But I remember about six thirty, six thirty p.m. I got a phone call from a area code five one oh number. Now, the only thing about that was different for me was that five one oh was also my hometown's area code. Could be a boy.

So I'm like five one. Oh, wait, who's called? Oh, my. So I don't know if it's a family member because you know, you got some family members who are like, hey, man, I thought you was in the draft today. They call your name yet. I was like, you know, some people have no idea is your long lost cousin.

Forget about me. So I'm honestly I'm looking at this phone call five one oh popping up. I said, I got to answer it. So I answer it says, hi, is Kirk Morrison available? I said, yes, this is him. And says, hi, this is such and such a secretary with the Oakland Raiders. I have Coach Turner on the line. Would you would you have time for him? Damn right I got time for him.

So he passed him through. And I remember Coach Norv Turner, who was my coach back in 2005, says, hey, well, I just want to let you know we're you're about to be a Raider. How you feel about that? And once he said that, I mean, literally the the Hoover Dam was it was broken. Like the tears start flowing. I mean, it started. I mean, honestly, I don't remember much after that. The last thing I remember was because Norv was kind of, you know, always had jokes and things like that.

So we have a great relationship now and because we still talk about that day. And he says, yeah, so tell all your family and friends that your little name is going to pop up on the tick at the bottom. You know what I mean? Yeah. So get excited. But and he patched me through to my defensive coordinator, who was Rob Ryan.

Talk with him. And then Wink Martindale is a D coordinator now with the New York Giants. He hops on the phone because he's my linebackers coach. And and literally everything is always just when you see play like, yes, sir. Yes, sir. Oh, yeah.

No, no, no problems. You can get everything out of me, coach. Oh, yeah.

100 percent. Oh, yeah. I can't wait. And I literally hung up that phone and just cried to him. Everybody already knew my name popped up. And next thing you know, you're in the National Football League.

And the reason why I tell that story is because those emotions that I felt are what I fulfilled tonight. When I see these players get their names called, get their names, you know, called and they go up and go shake. Commissioner Goodell's hand and give him a bear hug. I know yesterday I talked to Anthony Richardson. I said, will you are you going to shake the hand of Commissioner Goodell or are you going to give him a bear hug? He said, that man about to change my life with his announcement. I'm gonna give him a hug. So, yeah, a lot of emotions going on through that, man.

But a lot on NFL Draft Day. We got to get into a ton of NBA last night. I'm I'm multitasking because I'm thinking, OK, what am I doing? I'm preparing for the show last night, fellas. I'm preparing for the show. I said, we're going NFL draft heavy because this is the big moment that we've been waiting for since the season ended.

You know, back in Phoenix with the Kansas City Chiefs win the Super Bowl. It's like, all right, what's the next big event? It's the draft. So the NBA decided to say, you know what? We're probably not going to put many games up on a Thursday against the NFL draft. So they gave us four games last night for the NBA, gave us four games on a Wednesday.

Now, after listening to the Draymond Green podcast, the other couple of days, a little shameless plug for the way for his podcast. But it's true. The main networks get sort of the varsity games and the NBA TV gets sort of the the B game. They call it like the B game. Yeah. But yesterday TV squad, the B games were just as good as the regular. So I'm having to utilize multiple devices, especially watching the Warriors versus the Sacramento Kings.

Right. Golden State in Sacramento. And then I'm watching as I can't believe what is going on in Milwaukee with the Miami Heat taking on Giannis out of the Kupo and the Milwaukee Bucks, which during the third quarter, I'm like, oh, this game's over with. And now all of a sudden we've got a tight game.

So I'm watching two games at once trying to figure out what is going to happen. The New York Knicks had already advanced. The New York Knicks are going to a conference semifinals. Right. And then you throw in the the Lakers who just said, all right, well, we'll see you Friday.

They just say they gave a good effort. But I'm watching all four of these games yesterday and I'm saying, I know I got to talk in a field, but we're going to talk some of the NBA. We're going to talk some of what we saw last night, because I'm telling you this. And I hope we don't get the what usually happens in the NBA. You get the first round and it's like, oh, my God, is amazing. We have all these great series.

And then you get to that second round and you're like, wow. Because you expected more from Denver and yet they could get swept by Phoenix. Right.

Oh, that's not going to happen. Yeah, I'm just I'm just saying I'm just telling you. I mean, I hope that we were talking before the show how excited we are for Knicks and Heat. Right. The rivalry renew 90s throwback. Yes. Where's Big Gundy and Alonzo Boarding? Ronnie Cykli. Right. Brian Grant.

Alan Houston. We get old school now, man, but that's what this this this NBA second round is going to look like. And we'll get a chance to see tonight as there is one lone game tonight, by the way. And I'm saying who's going to be watching Celtics and Hawks? A lot of us.

And yeah, guys like Chris Brockwood over here would have corrected me and said, hey, I'll be watching. Yeah. Guys, text me what happens in the NFL draft because I'll be watching the C's try not to blow it. Yeah.

We had a group chat going on last night. Chris Kirk and I and I go, man, the NBA put too many games on today. Why is there four? And Kirk goes, well, no one's going to watch during the draft tomorrow. And I literally went, oh, yeah, that's right.

That's right. See, the NBA realized, like, you know what? Probably not the best idea to put up four games on a Thursday.

How about we do it Wednesday? Yeah. You still got the Celtics and the Hawks. And honestly, a lot of people thought that series would be over. So the NBA honestly couldn't take the night off. But they couldn't do it. They could not take the night off. So it's going to be fun watching that game tonight just to see.

Can the Celtics wrap it up? Obviously, for all those people who bought Janet Jackson tickets, that means the concert that was in Atlanta that was supposed to be for Thursday has now been moved to Friday. Oh, really? Because I was sure they're going to reschedule that game. I feel bad for people who just bought hotels for one night to go see Janet. Yeah, you know, reschedule Janet, Miss Jackson, if you're nasty.

How do you do that? You move that Hawks game, OK? Yeah, I think they didn't want to put the Hawks and Celtics on Friday because then they would have to be going to the JV team, right? They would go to the NBA TV. I don't know if, see Brock would know, it's like this Friday we've already got a doubleheader on the main channels, right? You got, think about this, the Warriors and Kings are the appetizer with the Grizzlies and Lakers on the late night.

Oh, by the way, the draft gets pushed to the second channel on rounds two and three. It's just a lot, man. These next couple of days, I'm going to be on fumes. I am leaning on you guys because, you know, I'm doing draft coverage post draft tonight.

So I'll be up all night doing that over the next couple of days. But I'm excited to spend time with you guys, but I'm excited to talk to our next guest, though. Our guest coming on the show, Joe Person, he covers the Carolina Panthers. And if you're a Panthers fan, how excited are you?

You're the belle of the ball. You're all eyes are on Charlotte tonight. The Carolina Panthers, they got picked number one. Now, the pick, I guess, is already known by the Panthers organization. They haven't told who that pick will be.

So we'll try to get some of that insight on what that possibly could be. Joe Person of the Athletic coming up next here on the Rich Eisen Show. Kirk Boorstin filling in for Rich. Nobel is a training brand for people who work hard and don't believe in excuses. Nobel's performance footwear, apparel and accessories are worn by some of the fittest athletes on earth and is now the official combine training partner of the NFL and the official on-field supplier of apparel and headwear for the NFL scouting combine. Head to www.nobleproject.com slash NFL to see how Nobel forever changed the NFL combine and to shop football training essentials and more gear for your day to day workouts. Stay tuned to the Rich Eisen Show and keep your eyes on our Twitter feed and YouTube channel, as I'm hosting a new segment sponsored by Nobel called From the Combine to the Draft. I'll profile a few players journeys from the physical and mental tests of the NFL Combine as we head towards the thrilling moment when the picks are announced in Kansas City during the draft.

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Buy new and improved Dove Men Plus Care Antiperspirant wherever personal care products are sold. Kirk Morrison back here on the Rich Eisen Show. Rich is out down in Kansas City getting ready for the draft. And another guy who I know is down in Kansas City getting ready for tonight's NFL draft.

He's Joe Person. He is the beat reporter for the Carolina Panthers for the athletic. Joe, I can't wait to hear what's been going on in Kansas City. I guess there should be a buzz, but the pick is already in. But it's only inside of the organization of the Carolina Panthers. What's been the buzz so far for the team that's been on the clock since March 10th of 2023? Yeah, it's excitement, man.

This fan base is excited, Kirk. And just to be clear, I was in Kansas City yesterday. I went out there for the Play 60 event so I could talk to all those quarterbacks, which was terrific. It was really good media access.

But then I flew back to Charlotte. I'm covering the draft all weekend from Bank of America Stadium. And they're having a draft party tonight. I mean, frankly, it's a reminder of 2011 when this team had the number one pick used on Cam Newton.

They did the same thing. Big draft party at Bank of America Stadium, live music, adult beverages. And it's a little overcast and in fact a little rainy today in Charlotte. But I hope that doesn't dampen things because it's been a cool time for this organization.

Yeah, definitely. I said they're the belle of the ball right now because a couple months back they're picking number nine. And they're trying to figure out what do we do. They flirted with Derek Carr, all of the possible quarterbacks that can come in and be the quarterback for Frank Reich. I mean, after the NFL combine, something had to be done and the Panthers make the trade to get up to number one at that point.

And like I'm saying, this was March 10th, Joe. At that point, did they already know who they wanted or was this truly still a process of who they wanted to take at quarterback? Even though right now, all indications are it's Bryce Young out of Alabama.

So it's a fair question. I think that that both those things can be true, that they had a strong lean and preference for Bryce Young, but they still did want to go through the process. And it's important to note, too, that early on when they started talking to Chicago, Scott Fitter talking to Bears GM Ryan Polls at the combine, that the Bears preference and I've reported this was to go from one to two, flip with Houston and then go two to nine with the Panthers and really, you know, really collect on draft picks for Chicago. So at that point and the Panthers were OK with it at that point.

And so that tells you they were good with two quarterbacks, which I believe to be Stroud, CJ Stroud and Bryce Young. Well, sometime in that week between the combine and March 10th, I think Houston, from what I've been told, kind of got cold feet a little bit. I think the Panthers also were concerned that if Houston did kind of get, you know, jump back in, that they were going to take Bryce Young, the Texans. And so Scott Fitter gets the deal done. You know, they had to include D.J.

Moore, a very good player, and it's going to potentially, you know, hurt the development of presumably Bryce Young a little bit or at least take a weapon away from him. But you said it, Kirk, man, this is a this was a move the Panthers needed to make. They have been on that veteran quarterback merry-go-round with basically from the moment Cam Newton's health started and injury started to unfortunately play a part in his the end of his time here. So even when Cam was still around, they had a year where they played Kyle and Kyle Allen and Taylor Heinecky. Then it was Teddy Bridgewater. Then it was Sam Darnell. Then it was Baker Mayfield.

Like it was time to do something. And I think I think, you know, Bryce Young makes a lot of sense if you can accept the size piece of it. He's Joe Persin. He's the Panthers beat writer for the Athletic. Make sure you follow him. Great follow. He's one of the the blue check for former blue check brothers like myself.

We not paying for the five. All good at Joseph Persin on Twitter and Joe. Look, who's more excited tonight? Is it Frank Wright, Scott Fitter, or is it David Tepper, the owner? You know, probably Tepper. I mean, let's think about him. I mean, he's the only guy out of those three who's been here for all of that litany of quarterbacks that I just described. David Tepper, since he bought this team in twenty eighteen.

I mean, I'll take it back specific for you. They go. So his first year owning this franchise was twenty eighteen. The Panthers were coming off a playoff berth in twenty seventeen. You know, they had just gotten McCaffrey in twenty seventeen. They go to Pittsburgh on a Thursday night. Mid-season, the Panthers are six and two.

They're riding high. David Tepper's going back to his hometown of Pittsburgh where he had been a Steelers minority owner. And Cam Newton, halfway through that game, gets drilled in the throwing shoulder by T.J. White.

Clean hit. And he was never really the same. And the franchise hasn't really been the same since then. They haven't been to a playoff, you know, since since they've been made the postseason since Tepper bought the team. And I think he's, you know, clearly like he has had a huge piece part of this process, as has his wife, Nicole, who's who went to all the pro days or at least three of the four with with the whole contingent.

And so I think I think Tepper out of the three folks you mentioned is probably the most geeked about it. Yeah, I think also, too, one of the things is we're talking Panthers because they have the number one overall pick. But that's not the only pick that they have. Right, Joe? They still got pick thirty nine ninety three.

That's all. Well, second rounder. They got a third fourth to fourth and a fifth round. You mentioned no D.J. Moore because he was in the trade over to Chicago. So we know wide receiver definitely is on that list. What else is on that wish list outside of drafting at number one? So probably Ed Rusher, for sure, because they already had a need that they don't really have a clear cut in.

You know, they last off season, not this one. They let Hassan Reddick walk to the Eagles and it kind of where we're sort of doing it piecemeal over there. Opposite Brian Burns, who, of course, their their Pro Bowl defensive end, whom the Bears asked about, by the way. And the Panthers weren't going to part with him.

But but so they needed someone anyway. And then news came earlier this week that Brian Burns had ankle surgery about a week ago. And they think he's going to be back for training camp. But but I think it even put more importance on that edge rusher position. You mentioned wide receiver. I don't I don't think they're done there, even though they they went out and got Adam Feelin and D.J.

Chart. I would not be surprised at all at some point this weekend, whether it's Friday or Saturday, to see them get a another young wide out guy right up the road here in Chapel Hill. UNC Josh Downs that I like a lot.

And then then then just some other spots. Corner is sort of a sneaky need for this team because you've got Dante Jackson. One of their starters, along with J.C. Horn, Jackson's coming off an Achilles surgery.

And so I you know, maybe a corner at some point, too. He's a Joe Person, the Panthers beat reporter for the Athletic. I mean, that's a lot there, because when you talk about the Panthers right now, it's obviously they're going to grab a quarterback number one overall. But I looked at their roster over the last couple of days and I see Andy Dalton and you forget. Well, Andy Dalton is in Carolina and we know what his role is going to be.

But is there a sense that Andy Dalton could start the season or whoever they draft number one overall? It's here you are. Here's the keys to the car. Here's the keys to the franchise.

You take it over. Or could we possibly see Andy Dalton start this season off until whoever may be becomes the starting quarterback? Anything's possible, but I think if you traded those assets that you did and you have earmarked and targeted Bryce Young, then I think you start that development and that process right away. I think he'll be the week one starter. I think, as you said, Andy Dalton's role is going to be as mentor and as an experienced backup, obviously. Who can if injuries happen? That's been the question looming over Bryce Young, really the only question anyone has about him.

Not even so much the height, but the weight and the build. Can he withstand the pounding in the pocket? He's very elusive, but my point is, if he gets injured at some point, you have Andy Dalton ready to slide in. But I think it is going to be, as you said, with the caveat, is it someone other than Bryce Young? Regardless, I think that person, unless it were Anthony Richardson, but I think this is Bryce Young and I think it's his job from the jump.

A couple more minutes here with Joe Person. I know you've been at Panthers voluntary minicamp over the previous couple of days. Is there anything that sticks out to you about this team that you say, you know what, they can compete even with a starting rookie quarterback? Yeah, I mean, listen, Scott Sitter, the GM here, this process started with Matt Rule when Rule was here.

They made steps. They had a draft not that long ago, I think 2020, where they took all defensive players. Then the last couple of years, they made moves either in the draft or free agency to solidify the offensive line. All of it was with an eye on when they got in a position to draft their future franchise quarterback, he could slide in and be ready to go behind a competent offensive line with a defense to help him out too. And so, there's a real, listen, nobody's printing Super Bowl tickets here or anything like that, but this organization views the NFC South as theirs for the taking or someone's for the taking.

I think all these four teams. Because you got Brady retiring. Drew Brees was a couple years ago. It's been a division in flux. Atlanta, what are they going to do?

Is it Desmond Ritter there? Are they potentially in the market for a quarterback tonight? All of which to say is, even last year, the Panthers under interim coach Steve Wilkes did a fantastic job, by the way. They went to Tampa Bay in week 17 with first place on the line. It was a down year for the division, but the point is, there is an opportunity for the Panthers. Again, I think that was part of the reason that they made this move they did to get quarterbacks settled and see if they can't take control of this division. Not for a year or two, but for several years.

Last one for you, Joe. You mentioned it back in 2011. The Panthers selected Cam Newton, number one overall. Obviously, he took this team to a Super Bowl.

They didn't win, but they made it to the Super Bowl. Just what's the fan base to feel of possibly landing Bryce Young tonight? If that's the choice that they go with, Bryce Young, how is the fan base handling all of this, I guess, all this popularity, all of this anticipation, knowing that they're going to get the top tier quarterback? Well, you know, there's some people that do question the size.

I get it. He will be the smallest quarterback in the NFL the minute he's drafted tonight, whether it's the Panthers or whomever. He's a special player. We can debate this, and it will continue to be debated, but he played in college football's toughest conference. He managed to stay healthy, missed one game with a shoulder injury that he was falling down on a run and put his arm down to brace himself, jarred his shoulder. There have been other small quarterbacks, Russell Wilson, Kyler Murray.

Those guys were a little thicker, a little thicker through the chest. But I think I was around Bryce Young for a while yesterday at the deal in Kansas City. I think he is going to just blow the fan base away with sort of his professionalism, the way he is going to conduct business here. And, you know, they needed a face of the franchise. Cam got hurt. Cam is no longer around. They traded away Christian McCaffrey. They needed a face of the franchise, and I think Bryce Young is going to represent them well. Oh, man.

I think so as well. I think we'll finally see tonight who the Panthers have been waiting since March 10th when they made the trade to get to number one. Who are they selecting? But I know one thing I'll be doing, I'll be following Joe Person at Joseph Person on Twitter. Everybody, make sure you follow him.

He's going to lead you all the way up until that pick is announced and all the news in Charlotte as they get their new quarterback. Appreciate the time, Joe. All right, man.

Enjoy tonight, Kirk. Thanks. I will. Thank you. Appreciate it. Yeah. How's Joe Person, man?

He's going to give you all the information that you need. Covering the team does a great job in doing that. It's fun because, again, the Carolina Panthers are the belle of the ball tonight. They are the team picking first. They are on the clock, and so it'll be fun to see who they go out and get.

If it's Bryce Young, it's Bryce Young. And then the real draft starts at two, and I can't wait for all of that, man. But I talked about emotions a little bit earlier, emotions of being drafted. But there's also about the emotions that come over you about what is considered failure or not a failure. And Giannis Antetokounmpo, he kind of clarified that last night. He gave his thoughts on what being a failure or failing in a season is really all about.

We'll get to that coming up next right here on the Rich Eisen Show with Kirk Morrison filling in for Rich. The world might look normal, but getting back to feeling normal takes time. If you're feeling overwhelmed, it's time to get the support you need to move forward. TalkSpace makes it easy to connect with a licensed therapist online. Start messaging your therapist as soon as the day you sign up, all from the comfort of your device. You can even schedule live video calls right in the app. Start feeling better with TalkSpace.

Get $100 off your first month with promo code SLEEP at TalkSpace.com. Last night, we had an NBA four games last night, and all four games definitely did not disappoint. I think there's a lot of Knicks fans who are excited that the New York Knicks are now heading back to their first playoff series win since what, 2013, I believe. That's a long time.

It feels like forever. Yeah, so the Knicks, they have found their way into the conference semifinals. The Warriors, they force a game six and the three now, 3-2 matchup against the Kings, so that game will be on Friday to see elimination for the Kings after going up 2-0. Yeah, the Warriors have won three in a row. The Lakers, they ended up losing to the Memphis Grizzlies last night after the game was really close in the third, some kind of way.

Jean Marant, Desmond Bain, they take over in the fourth quarter, send the Lakers home for another elimination game against the, for the Grizzlies. So game six on Friday, but it's the game last night that really got everybody buzzing, had me buzzing because you saw it as, and this was the, I think I saw, I read this too last night. The betting favorite in this game was the Milwaukee Bucks and they were minus 13. Yep. Minus 13 points. This was no way, there was no way the Miami Heat were supposed to win this game.

And you're watching it and you're saying, okay, yep, yep. Bucks has got this. Then all of a sudden something changed. And what changed in that fourth quarter was Hemi, not Jimmy, but Hemi, Hemi Butler, because he is him. He is us. Yeah, or Hemi Butler. That works. But the Milwaukee Bucks, for the first time ever in NBA history, a one seed lost to an eight seed play-in team.

See, I threw a little twist in there. There's like, oh God, yeah, there's been eight seeds who's defeated one team, but they've never, there's never been a one seed lose to an eight seed play-in team where that team had to actually play themselves into the playoffs and then knocked out the number one seed. First time in NBA history that happened last night. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, they go down in round one. And last night after the game, the postgame, Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting down and obviously emotions are high.

They're the betting favorites to win the NBA championship. And that dream is not going to be, that dream will not be fulfilled. And so after the game, Giannis was asked, was this season a failure? And I want you to listen to his explanation on what is a failure or not a failure. I just asked Bud the exact same question, but I'm curious for you.

Do you view this season as a failure? Oh my God. Okay.

Because I'm not that up. You asked me the same question last year, Eric. Okay. Do you get, do you get the promotion every year on your job? No.

Right. So every year you work as a failure. Yes or no?

No. Every year you work, you work towards something, towards a goal, right? Which is to get a promotion, to be able to take care of your family, to be able, I don't know, provide a house for them or take care of your parents. You work towards a goal. It's not a failure. It's steps to success.

You know, and if you've never, I don't want to make it personal. So there's always steps to it. You know, Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championship.

The other nine years was a failure. That's what you're telling me. I'm actually your question. Yes or no? Okay, exactly. So why are you asking that question?

It's a wrong question. There's no failure in sports. You know, there's good days, bad days. Some days you are able to be successful. Some days you're not. Some days it's your turn. Some days it's not your turn. And that's what sports is about.

You don't always win. Some other people are going to win. And this year, somebody else is going to win.

Similar as that. We're going to come back next year, try to be better, try to build good habits, try to play better, not have a 10-day stretch with playing bad basketball. You know, and hopefully we can win a championship. So 50 years from 1971 to 2021 that we didn't win a championship, it was 50 years of failures. No, it was not.

It was steps to it. You know, and we were able to win one. Hopefully we can win another one. You know, I'm sorry that I didn't want to make it personal because you asked me the same question last year. And last year I was in the right mind space to answer the question back. That was Giannis Antetokounmpo after the Milwaukee Bucks' 128-126 loss to the Miami Heat as the Heat win the series four games to one.

And I open it up to you guys because there was a lot there. I watched that actual clip three times last night just because I wanted to figure out, okay, what is Giannis saying? And he's saying what a lot of players sometimes think. Like, what is failure? I think the goal for every team is to win a championship.

That's what the goal is. But if you don't win the championship, you failed at that goal. Is the season a failure?

I don't necessarily say the season is a failure. We went out and we accomplished it. There was accomplishments made. They were the number one seed, right?

They won another division title if you count division titles. They did what they were supposed to do. But in terms of the ultimate goal, they failed at the ultimate goal, but there were goals that were met within the season. That's why I don't call it a failure. But because the reporter has to ask that question, do you consider it a failure or is it a failure? And like I said, no, it wasn't a failure. We accomplished a lot.

We just failed to reach one particular goal that set out in the beginning. What do you guys think about it? Because I'm just, I can see the emotions and I give Giannis a ton of credit how he had to restrain himself. He caught himself a couple of times. He's like, oh, let me stop and I don't want to make this personal. But I really thought that that was probably one of the few interviews I've seen where a player had to hold restraint back in a time in which those moments. I mean, he asked that question to Russell Westbrook, probably a little bit different, right?

You get a different response. Well, Kirk, in lieu of me answering this, because I've never been a professional athlete, I turn to you and I ask what what is the prevalent thought in the locker room with your teammates when you had seasons come to an end? Did you have feelings like Giannis or was it like, well, we didn't win the Super Bowl, so this suck? Or is it do most guys kind of feel the way he felt?

I think from your own personal experience, you being in these locker rooms, I think guys feel more like Giannis. You realize how hard it is to win and why guys appreciate winning a championship so much, because it's it doesn't happen often for a lot of guys. I mean, for me, I played eight years in the National Football League. I never made the playoffs.

Like I know how difficult it is in the margin for error. So to not be able to accomplish the main goal, which is to win a championship. You failed at that particular goal, but what did we succeed at?

What else did we find about ourselves? They went out and played great basketball all year long. One thing they had a bad 10 day stretch and you lose up seasons of failure. No, the season is not a failure. Giannis grew as a player. They're going to find out the holes within the team that they can feel and get fixed. You lose players to free agency.

Now you'll gain players. It's not a failure. It's part of the process that he's saying.

It's a process. I thought what he said stuck out to me the most was Michael Jordan played 15 years in the NBA. He only won six titles, so the other nine seasons are failures?

No. Jordan had, remember all the years against the Pistons? He had to build. He had to learn. So it's more of a learning process. And I get what Giannis is saying, but I understand the question as well. Oh, I totally understand both sides.

Question kind of has to be asked. Giannis took it to a super big picture, extreme philosophical answer, which is fine. I love Giannis. The league needs more players like him, but he referenced Michael Jordan.

Michael Jordan has that famous quote that's a Nike poster. You know, I've I've missed 9000 shots. I've lost 300 games. I took all these game winning shots and missed. I've failed over and over my life, and that's why I succeed. And that's kind of what Giannis's point was getting at. Like all these failures compound. So when we do reach the ultimate success, it's so rewarding. And I think that's kind of what he was getting at. Yeah, I believe so too. Wherever you listen.