REShow: Greg Sankey - Hour 1

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Subscription auto renews. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. The Rich Eisen Show.

This is it bro. Here we go. Today's guests, SEC Commissioner Greg Senke, ESPN senior writer Seth Wickersham, comedian Tracy Morgan.

And now, it's Rich Eisen. Yes, yes. We have made it. We have made it everybody. It is the day.

The National Football League season kicks off in 2023. We've got a fun show for you here on this momentous day in the sports calendar. The commissioner of the SEC, college football Greg Senke, is going to join us. 844-204 Rich is the number to dial before he even gets to the microphone.

The Zoom chat with us in about 20 minutes time. And then Seth Wickersham, the senior writer of ESPN who did an incredible deep dive on Sean Payton and how he's preparing for the season with Russell Wilson in Denver as he's returning to the head coaching sidelines in the AFC West, the loaded AFC West. He's going to be joining as Seth Wickersham in the middle of our number two.

And then great laughs Tracy Morgan in hour three. It's going to be just dynamite. How are you over there on this kickoff day, sir? Chris Brockman, how are you? Rich, happy new year, my friend.

DJ Mikey D is in D's nuts. Good to see you here on this great day. Rich.

TJ Jefferson, how are you? The candle's lit, is it not? The candle's lit. Merry Christmas. And guys, I got my scripts. And let me tell you, this season's going to be fire. Fantastic.

Well done. He's got the table read. We'll have a table read later on. All right, for those who might be new to us on the Roku channel, we didn't come on the air on the Roku channel last year until after the first week of the season had commenced. So this will be the first time you've been through this with us from soup to nuts, beginning to end, from kickoff to confetti. And the way we roll here on this program is every single kickoff Thursday, I begin the show by running through the storylines and the season long storyline arcs for all 32 teams. And I need my inspiration to start us off, please.

It's truly a masterpiece. Let's go. We start in the National Football Conference with their defending NFC champion, Philadelphia Eagles. It is year three for Nick Sirianni. He has watered, he has fertilized, and they have a team full of Georgia Bulldogs and others who are going to go out there and try and win a Super Bowl for Philadelphia. Again, words that Eagles fans didn't think they'd be hearing. And it's led by none other than number one in your program, number one in your heart, Jalen Hurts. Can he win a Super Bowl after coming so close last year? Can he be the MVP of this season and your fantasy team?

That is what it's all about. Again, Jalen Carter, the latest Georgia Bulldog that's been put in this terrific defense. The Eagles, however, have some competition in the NFC East, and that is the Dallas Cowboys. Dak Prescott has pressure on him all the time. Forget about the fact that they just acquired Trey Lance. That means nothing for Dak Prescott this year.

It's all about Mike McCarthy. Once again, the head coach there in Dallas. He's going to be calling the place. Zeke's out. Tony Pollard's in.

C.D. Lamb's still there. Brandon Cook's there to take the top of the defense off. And Micah Parsons is coming for your quarterback. How will the Cowboys fare when they make the playoffs? I just said that 27 years since their last appearance in a conference championship game. Can they break that this year unless the Giants follow up their first playoff winning season since the year after they won the Super Bowl? It's been that long, 11 years since the Giants entered a season having come off a playoff winning season. Saquon Barkley is a franchise tag player.

He says he's happy. Daniel Jones has been paid. How will he play under that $40 million a year pressure? Darren Waller should help take some of the pressure off. Same thing with Brian Deball, your reigning coach of the year. The Giants have a lot of folks excited about them.

And then there's the Washington commanders starting. Sam Howell at quarterback. How will that work for Ron Rivera? New owners, Magic Johnson's in the house. Same as Sam Howell. So is Sam Howell. How will that all play out?

Will Chase Young return to form? The Washington commanders have all of that in front of them with the new owners. I can't believe it. Dan Snyder's gone.

Words I never thought I'd say to this microphone. The Detroit Lions tonight take the field full of hope. The last time they won the division, 1993. Last time they won a playoff game, 1991.

Nine straight playoff losses. Dan Campbell is coming for your kneecaps and your thigh meat. And he's bringing along Jameer Gibbs, this talented kid out of Alabama. I can't wait to see how they unwrap him in this offense. Aidan Hutchinson from Michigan is trying to restore the roar there for the Detroit Lions. The Chicago Bears got DJ Moore for Justin Fields, who they kept.

And by keeping him, they get him, DJ Moore. It's the second season of the last time the Chicago Bears won the division, 2018. Matt Nagy did it. Maybe Ivar Flus can this year because Aaron Rodgers is gone. This is the first Packers season that Aaron Rodgers is not starting week one since Favre did it in 2007. Matt Leflore is sending Jordan Love out there. How will this work for the Packers? Can they go from first ballot Hall of Famer to first ballot Hall of Famer to yes, first ballot Hall of Famer. Let's see what Jordan Love does starting this year because everybody thinks the King of the North is now in New York City.

They've got no shot. By the way, Matt Leflore, year five for him. He's the Dean of coaching in the NFC North because it's year two for Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota. What were they thinking getting rid of Dalvin Cook?

Is it Alexander Madison, the bell cow? Is he going to go do a Dalvin Cook did? With TJ Hawkinson, they have the best offensive player in the game in Justin Jefferson. But with the fact that the running game might be suspect, with all due respect to the guy in the $10 bill, what's going to happen? Can Jordan Addison help out from USC? The defense has Brian Flores as their defensive coordinator should be better. And Kirk Cousins has a Johnny Cakes Sturgis Dakota mustache.

I don't know what's going on right now. But that's how we're rolling into Atlanta. Third year for Arthur Smith, third different starting quarterback for Arthur Smith.

Desmond Ritter's the guy, Bijan Robinson. A running back was actually taken in the top 10 in the National Football League draft in this day and age. Let's see how he will do. Can the Falcons win this division?

I think they will. The Saints have Derek Carr. Derek Carr is now the quarterback of the Saints and Jimmy Graham is back.

What's old is new and what's new is old. And Dennis Allen is the head coach there. Can Derek Carr with the defense that's always, always coming for you, can Carr bring the Saints to a division championship?

They absolutely can. The Bucks do not have Tom Brady anymore but they've got Baker Mayfield. Third career week one start for his many teams. Three different teams he will now be starting week one is Baker Mayfield's in Minnesota. Baker might not get another week one start for another team if he cannot cash it in with Mike Evans as this is last year in Tampa. Chris Godwin and then Todd Bowles.

Could he potentially be on a hot seat if things don't work very well? Then you've got the Panthers. Bryce Young coming out of the SEC. Number one overall pick.

How will he fare for Frank Reich? Can the Panthers put so many different things together in just one off season and go win some football games like Deion Sanders in Colorado? Let's see what the Carolina Panthers can do with a rookie quarterback. The Arizona Cardinals. The only question about their season is will they take a bus or a car to the game?

I don't know. Are they going to drive themselves or a bus? We have no earthly idea but it's Josh Dobbs who's starting because Kyler Murray is not ready to start this season and they're starting a guy who they just picked up from another team two weeks ago. Does that mean they're tanking? Would Caleb Williams even play for them or is this a moot point because the Cardinals with Jonathan Gannon are going to go pew pew pew win some football games that we don't expect them to win? The Rams. Set year seven for Sean McVay. Year seven and Cooper Cupp is not going to be there for week one it appears with what might be a nerve problem with his hamstring.

Words you don't hear. Is this going to be the last year for Aaron Donald with the Rams? Could they trade him in the middle of the season? Are the Rams with Matthew Stafford going to surprise some people with a bunch of new kids on the block?

Seattle. Year 14 for Pete Carroll. Year two starting for your comeback player of the year Geno Smith and he's got DK and he's got Locket and he's got Jackson Smith and Jigba and he's got Kenneth Walker. He's got Zach Charbonnet. He's got an offensive line that's ready to protect. He's got Jamal Adams hopefully coming back from injury. Bobby Wagner's back in town to show the 12s how it's done once again. Can Seattle shock the 49ers who are starting Brock Purdy? Last year's starter was Trey Lance. The year before that was Jimmy Garoppolo. What is going on in San Francisco? They win games.

Nick Bosa has been signed. Two straight NFC championship game losses for this team. Can they get back with a first full year of Christian McCaffrey in this offense for Kyle Shannon and win the Super Bowl?

More on that later on in the show. The AFC let's move on to the Kansas City Chiefs. Your defending champs year 11 for Andy Reid in Kansas City. Year six for Mahomes. All he's done is go to the Super Bowl three times, win two of them and then lose two AFC championship games. He's almost made, yes, five Super Bowls in his first, yes, five years.

We are all living in his world paying rent. We'll see if Chris Jones is going to hold out into the season, deep into the season. We're obviously we're all worried about Travis Kelce's knee right now. Bottom line though, the Chiefs may just still be the best team in the National Football League by the end of the year and it's because they've got Mahomes and good luck to you.

You want to bet against the Kansas City Chiefs. The Los Angeles Chargers have pizayed their quarterback. Is it Justin Herbert with now Kellen Moore coordinating the offense going to unlock a kid who's been unlocking defenses? Left, right, up and down Austin Eckler, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams.

Can he stay healthy? They got Quinton Johnston from TCU. They got a bunch of TCU kids to catch passes.

Can they stay healthy and not charger? Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Derwin James. They're full of stars. They can win this division. They can win this conference. Let's see. Next up, the Raiders. All right, Jimmy G's there, huh? Yeah, wow. All right, no, no, no.

All right, no, no, no. Jimmy G's there. Josh McTandals and Jimmy G back together again, right? Josh Jacobs, they just signed him.

Devante Adams is probably looking at New York City saying, maybe I would like to be there or not. They got the Condor. They've got a lot going for them. If they could just put it together and hold a lead.

The autumn wind could be a pirate. The Las Vegas Raiders would love to show their new owner or co-part owner, Tom Brady. We know what it's like to host the Super Bowl and playing it too and win it.

Let's see. Tom Brady's in ownership. John Gruden's lurking with a lawsuit.

What the hell's going on in Vegas? And then you've got the Denver Broncos. Russell Wilson, can he be reclaimed by Sean Payton? Sean Payton coming back from retirement, out of retirement, back to the sidelines. The long time Super Bowl champion coach of the Saints is now taking on the role in Denver. And the whole conversation is his legacy tied to Russell Wilson.

I don't think so. We will see what this team looks like. I have no earthly idea how good the Denver Broncos can be. And it's all about getting Russ Cook in again.

Let's see if Sean Payton can do that. That is the Denver Broncos storyline. The Jacksonville Jaguars are coming off a division title season and it is Trevor Lawrence year two with Doug Peterson. Year three, we're just throwing out year one.

The urban year will just be always known as the urban year. It's a red shirt. It's a red shirt year. Calvin Ridley coming out of his sabbatical because he parlayed the wrong parlay. And so Travis Etienne and that defense and the Jaguars going to London and back to back games and can the Jaguars not only win this division again but take it even further than they did last year. Get to the AFC Championship game.

A lot of folks think that it's possible. The Tennessee Titans, year five for Tannehill, year eight for Derrick Henry. DeAndre Hopkins is in the house.

That's the troika that the Titans hope with their always always take your heart pills and buckle up mentality. But thanks to Mike Vrabel, that's who the triplets that they've put the triplets they're putting on the field to try and reclaim the AFC south. The Indianapolis Colts and the Texans both have rookie quarterbacks. The Texans have CJ Stroud with a first year head coach in D'Amico Ryans. The Colts have a rookie quarterback in Anthony Richardson with first year coach Shane Steichen. But what the Texans don't have and what the Colts do have is this weird odd hold-in hold-out of one of the best young running backs in the game Jonathan Taylor. Is he going to play for the Colts this year?

Is he going to come off the pup list just five weeks in and get something done? What's going to happen with Jonathan Taylor and the running back market writ large is a huge storyline out of the AFC south. The AFC north Joe Burrow is his calf muscle ready. Will it hold up? Because if it does they can win the Super Bowl.

If it doesn't they won't. It is just that simple and with Joe Burrow going to get paid this contract is going to happen. You look around that locker room. He must look around that locker room and know the salary cap will definitely not be bendable to keep everyone together. It is now or never with this group for Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens paid Lamar Jackson. The guy who said he would never play another game for John Harbaugh is going to start year 16 for John Harbaugh in Baltimore and they've got Odell Beckham Jr. to throw to. Zay Flowers a new offensive coordinator from the University of Georgia, Todd Monken.

What will that look like? Roquan Smith patrolling the defense for a full season in Baltimore. This team can win the division and go deep.

A lot of hopes for them as well. The Cleveland Browns have Deshaun Watson for a full year right now. It is time for the Browns to win this division with Deshaun Watson and Nick Chubb and Amari Cooper. They've got a new defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz. You want to hear Browns fans complaining about their defensive coordinator anymore but they always find something to complain about. What about the Browns hopes to get out of the cellar and get back out of the doghousing with the dog pound into first place with their new quarterback and then the Pittsburgh Steelers year one billion for Mike Tomlin and it is a year two for Kenny Pickett. First full year for Kenny Pickett and George Pickens and what a talented group with TJ Watt and Najee Harris, Deontay Johnson all over the lot. Cam Hayward.

So many towns. Patrick Peterson's on this team with like if it's Patrick in the back and the Steelers return to form and then the AFC East. Maybe the deepest end of the pool. Bill Belichick year 24 New England. Matt Jones. How's the quick game going to look? How's the quick game going to look?

It's going to look great. He's not the only quarterback on the roster anymore. We got Matt Corral. We got a whole bunch of people out there in New England thinking Bill's on the hot seat.

Get out of here with that noise. But the New England Patriots still have that defense. They still do their job and hello Bill O'Brien coordinating this offense with Juju Smith-Schuster if he can stay healthy. Mike Giesicki from Miami and all the kids that they've drafted.

Is it time? Ramondre Stevenson. Zeke is in New England. The Miami Dolphins to a can he stay healthy? If he can he can be an MVP and this offense can be all-time great. If not they won't.

It's that simple. Tyreek Hill. Jalen Waddle is back. They did not get Dalvin Cook but they have that offense. Mike McDaniel going on and they got Vic Fangio out of retirement to coordinate a defense. Can the Miami Dolphins shock some people and win this division because the Buffalo Bills it's their division to win. They have roosted themselves atop this division since Tom Brady left. It is Josh Allen once again with Stephon Diggs and Gabe Davis and now they got himself a really talented rookie tight end in Dalton Kincaid and they've got James Cook back there with Latavius Murray and Damian Harris to take the pressure off of the red zone offense that Josh Allen put on his shoulders and did be proverbial too much. The defense how will they fare? When is Von Miller coming back?

They are healthier otherwise. DeMar Hamlin knock on wood made this team. All the crap that happened off the field invariably will not happen this year. Can this be the year the Buffalo Bills finally bring the Lombardi Trophy to Western New York and then we finish up with the JETS. Jets, Jets, Jets. We're Aaron Rodgers after 54 years since their first Super Bowl. Aaron Rodgers is the 40th different starting quarterback for the Jets since Joe Namath left. We are now on the big 4-0 of the search of the next Joe Namath. Is it Joe's future Canton roommate Aaron Rodgers with the rest of this young roster ready and primed to go to finally bring the Jets into the canyon of heroes? I can feel it.

Can it happen? And that is your 2023 NFL season preview here on the Rich Eisen Show. Let's go! Is that it?

That is it. Let's go. And let's go to break. That is our way of saying let's get to Greg Sankey the commissioner of the SEC. We'll talk college football with I should say in my mind the de facto commissioner of college sports. That's coming up. Let's talk about AG1 people.

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Take ownership of your health right now. Check it out. Drinkag1.com slash eisen. Hey it's Rich Eisen. You want an exciting and fast-paced podcast based on one of the most popular segments in the history of the Rich Eisen show?

Well you got it. Over Reaction Monday hosted by me Rich Eisen and my compadre Chris Brockman and every Monday we're going to dive into the headlines from pro and college football and overreact. Are you ready Chris Brockman yay or nay? Yes Rich no holding back buddy I'm coming for you.

Absolutely what you need to hear. Over Reaction Monday every single wait for it Monday wherever you listen. Oh my gosh I'm I feel like I should take a shower after that one. I'm excited.

I'm excited. No I'm just you know I mean that was like my cardio for the morning. Rich you worked working through all 32 teams.

You worked it Rich. But it's exciting. Mooch used the word number 13 last night. He thinks that there's 13 teams with a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl.

That's a great question let's break this down later. Yeah he said that seems high. Did he mention the 13 teams? That seems high. No because we were on NBC and it had to go fast.

That seems high. Oh is that why you told me to turn on NBC you guys were on? Yes we were on. Gotcha. That's why I told you that's that's exactly why I told you. That's why he told you to put on NBC.

This guy over there. I mean I was driving on my way to my draft yesterday. Also it wasn't on until 9 Pacific. You were on delay here. Oh was that right? Yeah. Oh okay.

I watched you later. Oh I didn't know that. Yeah.

Oh that's right. I live in the west coast Mike. I don't need an east coast feed. I like watching the east coast feeds. They don't exist anymore Mike.

I don't think they exist anymore. The TV world has changed Mike. I mean that's exactly by the way that's exactly what we're about to talk about when as soon as the radio audience returns we're going to bring in the commissioner of the SEC Greg Sankey. If there's anybody who's got his finger directly on the pulse as to how the television world is changing and how consumption habits are changing and how dollars and cents are following the consumption habits that are changing it's this man.

And maybe they and maybe my boss the commissioner of the NFL. It's true. This man.

You know. A man. Did I did I just go full harrow club?

Did I just go balloon? A man. Did I sound like the beverly hills cop chief?

Chief. That guy. Is this the man? The man who wrecked the buffet.

Changing college football. Is this the man? Oh and speaking of beverly hills cop. The man who's putting the falcons banana in the NFC south tailpipe Arthur Smith's on tomorrow.

So there you have it. 844-204-rich is the number to dial here on the show. He's the commissioner of the SEC and has been as such since 2015. Always pleased and very appreciative of the commissioner of this busy man joining us on the program of the SEC Greg Sankey. How are you sir? I'm well Rich. Hope you're well as well.

I am. It's the NFL kickoff weekend and the college season has just been shot out of a cannon. I could not love that anymore and it seems Greg that the the sport college football is owning a Labor Day weekend. So you get that and then the NFL season right after on a Thursday night. Is that intentional to own Labor Day weekend?

You know I don't I don't know the history. We have talked intentionally about it. You know we had the opportunity for LSU the last two years to play FSU on Sunday evening. We pretty consistently play on Thursdays.

We avoid Fridays as a league unlike others because we don't want to interfere with high school football but we do try to maximize that weekend because you don't have NFL games on. And I know again this is not your bailiwick at all but I just got to throw it out there because the story is Dion Sanders and what Dion's been able to do with the transfer portal and 86 new kids and coming in and and doing what Colorado did against TCU and I'm just wondering your your reaction to seeing 86 new kids and a dynamic world famous individual as a head coach at a a school that had one win coming out of the box like that. What do you think when you see that commissioner? Well I did not have a chance to see the game obviously watch the story or follow the storyline in the off season Dion is a dynamic personality who draws people and has obviously drawn people into his program both those who are going to play and those who want to watch. You know as we're talking about providing more certainty and security for student athletes you know that the headline can be a bit troubling. I think Dion's explained the why.

Whether people are okay with that is probably another conversation for another day. It's probably worth reminding everyone that the the previous game that TCU played was 65 to 7 Georgia wins. Yes there is no I in SEC but you're the commissioner of it I get it I understand.

That was a lot of points that was a lot of points last time a lot of points last week. Okay okay I understand way to bring it back to your your conference but I I think it is a conversation to be had that there's 80s that the transfer portal has been used to transform a program's success and I'd imagine Colorado is not complaining about it at all but what I guess what what would you find troubling about it commissioner? Well the issue is I think the expectations for how we support student athletes are higher and higher and I haven't followed the narrative of where everyone may have transferred to.

The good news is there's a lot more freedom for people who look and say you know what I'm not going to play here and and Rich what I don't know is is all the storylines and all the reasons and I'm not the representative for the why necessarily. I am fully attentive to our need to be a part of the solution to make sure student athletes are well supported that they find places to be educated and to play and I think that's the concern that draws attention that is is we're going to congress we're having conversations about how college athletics continues to change and support young people whether it's the whether it's Colorado I think we've seen this roster turnover in basketball for a few years those of us in leadership have a responsibility still with young people. Well I was tuned to your state of the state if you will address leading off SEC media week in the summer just like so many others Commissioner Sankey and I heard you mentioning that that because so many state houses don't even don't don't even enforce the laws that they they have or support them they just say these are the laws just you go it appears that you're you mentioned federal help is needed.

I heard that and I said good luck good luck like what what walk me through how you see this actually coalescing to be helpful. Well I think the the the clarity we have is there is interest at a congressional level at providing national standards or really the restoration of national standards to college sports of any change over the last five years that's new to us it is that states are now dictating the administrative policies for athletic programs for instance you have states that introduce name image and likeness activity and as you heard me that day I don't have any indication that states are active in enforcing the laws they've adopted but the next iteration was we have competitive realities among states where they want their universities to succeed so then they pull back from those laws and have even gone so far as to restrict conferences or or the NCA from enforcing even basic name image and likeness rules and for me one of the great ironies is this conference does not have name image likeness policies yet we have states that say we can't enforce name image and likeness related policies even if those were adopted I don't think that makes a lot of sense given that this is a voluntary association our members come together have meaningful conversations and make decisions about the right rules with the right guidance from legal counsel so it's it's kind of a catch-22 and the only way you can resolve that would be for preemption of state laws that's the congressional act and I think embedded in your question is that that's a tall hill to climb and and I don't have predictions but I do have a responsibility that we engage in that conversation. Greg Sankey the commissioner of the SEC here on the Rich Eisen Show what about the supposition I've mentioned it before I'll say it again because I feel more resolute in that this is where we're headed that the SEC and some member schools from other conferences as well who have similar issues similar concerns similar budgets similar programs get together and create your own world maybe under the auspices of the college football football playoff system what do you think about that? Well I don't spend a whole lot of time thinking about that right now I fully respect and understand the observation there has been so much change if you will at our level of college football on our level of division one that there's a bit of settling that has to take place right now Charlie Baker is the new NCAA president I think Charlie deserves an opportunity to introduce his concepts moving forward you know in many ways the the connection of all of the sports work really well but we're going to be subject to criticism whether we maintain status quo whether we change the question is can we continue this adaptation in the current environment as I've referenced to support the young people in our programs and to bring people in so that they watch. Well I mean and again we spoke to Kirk Ferentz for instance again of the Big Ten at Iowa he's been around the block a few times as you know he was mentioning hey you know we can we charter flights so we we can fly to Washington one week and then Rutgers the next it's the Olympic sports at schools that cannot afford to do that don't have the budget to do that so that's why I'm again taking schools that have similar as I mentioned issues concerns about NIL about certainties that you were talking about at the top of our conversation that the sport currently does not have and just carving out football and then everyone else has to figure out what their issues are maybe you don't travel everywhere in these conferences that are all over the map not yours but there are others right now what about that idea? Yeah so I think we have to start with each of these organizations each conference is responsible for the decisions it makes and we've made a set of decisions to expand obviously with Oklahoma and Texas joining next year or not to expand amidst the current turmoil because we understand who we are and in fact I was just looking at a draft of next year's football schedule with the opponents and dates and we're going to have schools that travel less in football I also think and this is a philosophy of our conference that what we do in football is reinforced by what we do in basketball and baseball and softball in other words this it just means more attitude we communicate is reinforced over and over because we're not lost in playing other people or creating confusion about what games mean how much within your schedule we understand conference games we understand conference rivalries and we're actually restoring a set of rivals with our expansion I do think though you hit on a reality that in a number of sports that play multiple times in a week the distance of travel and multiple time zone presents a difficulty that you know our decision making doesn't require us to manage.

And so you mentioned how what I'm you know harping on to use a phrase right now really can't be addressed or or heated as a reality or even in the realm of reality until things settle I think is the word you said things settle what's your sense on when things are going to settle? Well it depends on how we define things right it's the narrow the narrow lane of of conference membership yes you've seen the the change particularly with the Pac-12 being reduced as it stands right now to two members next year which is going to be you know there's a lot of home and homes if that were to stay so that's a point of change that's expected. And so Rich that's part of it when you look at the bigger picture the state and federal legislation the litigation we have you know that that's a matter of years to resolve itself and back to your original question those of us in these key leadership positions have a responsibility to be in dialogue about how do we move forward in the most healthy way and to the extent different solutions are introduced and considers and considered and opinions expressed we have to be attentive to what that might mean for the future. And you said you also wanted to give the new NCAA honcho Charlie Baker former governor of of the great state of Massachusetts a shot for the lack of better phrase I might be paraphrasing what you said earlier what what has he told so far what does he put on the table in front of you and maybe Tony Petitti and the rest of the conference commissioners? I think first of all he's been collaborative with us he's been engaged in conversation I think he's been public about bringing in an outside firm Bain Consulting to take a look at the NCAA sent a letter with I think at the end of July early August with here's some indication of where we're headed I haven't seen the the full plan or the full set of changes that might be introduced I think that's a bit of the waiting period what has been refreshing is there is a newness that provides some momentum there's a willingness to look at things a bit differently with Charlie and some of the team he's brought in and that is part of the reason I think patience is warranted right now. And then what about your conference any thoughts on expansion at all are you done with that? Well no we've had we've had opportunities but I don't look at a number I look at what's right for us we're really focused on 16 we have the University of Texas playing at the University of Alabama this Saturday and really a sign of things to come which will be an incredibly exciting evening we're finalizing our 24 football schedule and our focus is on 16 we're very attentive to what's happening around us but we're not in in the expansion mode at this time. Okay in any sense that when you do you I mean the Atlantic Coast Conference just picked up a Pacific Coast team or two and the Big Ten has Northwestern in it and now two teams from the actual Northwest would you consider somebody from outside the Southeast or even in that area obviously I know Texas isn't technically Oklahoma I mean West would you expand in the same way that these other conferences have coast to coast would you consider? When we have I'm sorry when we've discussed opportunities we are focused on really who we are and there's a no embedded in that one never knows what the future may hold but one of the great conversations with our presidents and chancellors really the week after the USC and UCLA move was you know what we know who we are our fans identify fervently with the Southeastern Conference and as we expand we want to be attentive that we want to play to our foundation our history and our traditions and we think we can do that even with this most recent expansion like we did with A&M in Missouri Arkansas and South Carolina so we're not ones that are looking to to be global with placement of campuses because we think we're global with who we are right now. Commissioner I appreciate the time and I always enjoy chopping it up with you like this because again I just keep on hearing you know the state level isn't really enforcing their laws on NAL and some states haven't and some states don't you know in the federal government you know good luck to all of us right but but everybody who might be in the same boat with the same concerns all getting together to create a world in which you make up the rules you with like-minded individuals in same positions of leadership you make up your own rules and everyone else is going to have to figure it out for themselves I just feel that's inevitable. I just think well I think there is something about the like-mindedness when you go back to the state issue you know one of my concerns is for young people if you heard my as you referenced my immediate date speech I talked about our student athletes deserve better than this environment we have now they're asking you for it too I heard you say they're absolutely and in fact you know you saw a lawsuit file that I saw reported on the ESPN you know update by one of our former student athletes related to an NIL deal he allegedly signed that extends into his professional career we don't have consumer protections we don't have regulation like other parts of the sports world have and so we are dealing with antitrust lawsuits there's a level of complexity here that is I'll use the word magnificent when I talk to high-level attorneys so there's a lot to figure out and to your point about people getting in a room and figuring out the pathway forward I have no disagreement with that we just have to do it in the environment that's been introduced to us lately. Commissioner thanks again enjoy Texas and Alabama I know the rest of the country will and your season and let's do this more often I really always enjoy our conversations thank you.

Absolutely thank you. That's Greg Sankey the commissioner of the SEC right here on the Rich Eisen Show and great chat right there how about that hey uh commissioner what do you think of Dion? Well you know last time TCU played somebody from our conference dropped a huge 60 burger bomb on top of them.

I thought you might enjoy that answer. That's great I think Stetson Bennett just threw another touchdown. He wants to say that. Yeah but he's he's nice.

So he's at 60,000 feet you know what I mean? Are we putting that at Tom Petty level not Richard? Well no whatever's the lowest Petty.

Yeah it was pretty low. He was Laurie Petty. Laurie Petty. Laurie Petty.

Laurie Petty. Hey good good job I didn't see the game in Colorado good job. I saw the score. Last time TCU played yeah a little bit more than a three-point margin of difference at the end.

Yeah we hung 60 oh good confetti dropped. That made me laugh man. I didn't see that answer coming from the commissioner of the SEC. All right we'll take a break 844-204-rich the number to dial phone calls and coming your way Seth Wickersham wrote this great deep dive on Sean Payton. One of the biggest mysteries of the season is how the Broncos are going to look and how is Sean Payton going to if you will handle Russell Wilson.

That's all still to come. It could be information to change your life forever or the Something You Should Know podcast could just be something interesting. My guest is Kim Zachman. She is author of the book There's No Cream and Cream Soda. I don't think I've ever really known the story of why they're called hot dogs. There are so many legends about the name of the hot dog. When the Germans immigrants came over and they brought all their sausages they also brought their dachshunds.

It really is because they kind of look like dachshunds. Something you should know wherever you listen. One of the most important things you got to do to stay in the game is stay fresh. Let's talk recipe for success here folks.

You've got to focus on the fundamentals. What are the reasons that die-hard fans keep coming back year after year? And how can you refresh them to be even better for the future? You got to bring in some fresh meat to elevate the old guard.

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Like a car seat right? Yeah. Let me tell you before I was off I was you know had a little down dip in my journey here once and so I spent about a year eating five dollar foot long so it sustained me until I was able to get back on my feet. So all good.

Subway. All right that was a good conversation with Greg Sankey don't you think? I think so. I appreciate you saying that. I feel the same way.

I feel it. I like him. He basically runs the NFL's AAA so there's a lot on the table. So there's somebody I didn't know about this lawsuit. Somebody signed an NIL deal that runs into his professional career.

Get out of here. It's pretty complicated. There is a company that will up front guys and you know in the in the fine print is a percentage of future earnings in professionals.

It's across all sports. Yeah consumer protections is what he basically said. How about that? Back here on the Rich Eisen Show radio network I'm sitting at the Rich Eisen Show desk furnished by Grainger with supplies and solutions for every industry.

Grainger has the right product for you. Call clickgrainger.com or just stop by. I'm telling you guys when was it? Was this 2020 or 2021 when the Super League fell apart in Europe? Oh 21 I think. Is that when it was?

Yeah. Where some as you know some Premier League. What a couple in La Liga. There was a whole was it across it was across Europe right but the lion's share was mostly in the Premier League. They're going to leave they're going to create their own Super League because they had their own issues their like-minded issues financial issues and why do you want to have problems that you can solve by just playing in in a league with similar squads or franchises or teams that have same question marks as you?

It was April of 21. Yeah. And it fell apart it it was created and fell apart in 48 hours. Right like Belichick's New York Jets coaching tenure and I said at the time if there's any sport in America that could wind up doing their own Super League it's not like it's not the NFL where they're just going to tell teams that have lesser salary cap you know spend less on the cap you're out we're gonna just go with some other teams or baseball where hey Oakland days we're sick and tired of you surfing off the luxury tax you're out we'll just play with fewer teams than Major League Baseball that's not gonna happen. I said it was college football and it's not and it is going to happen I'm telling y'all it's going to happen and it's going to be an ugly divorce because I don't think every conference is going to take every team it's not going to be all the SEC and all the big 10 and all the big 12 and all ACC and whatever's left in the Pac-12 or whatever new conference could be formed with the final two. Nuh-uh it's going to be some from each and member schools are going to get some big fat payoff say you're out or you're in the lesser league that you can come up from you know you can be elevated from and others will be relegated too I think that's going to happen because state governments you just heard Greg Sankey say state governments are coming up with rules that they don't enforce and the federal government good luck get out of here what we've got to do is just turn on the news for two seconds to know nothing is going to happen there so so what's the answer if you're not going to get government help for the guardrails and the NCAA you got one member school coach flipping the bird to him saying yeah I don't recall who bought the cheeseburgers get out of here with that nonsense you know what's the answer well we're going to look around and Sankey will call his friend from back in the day Tony Petitti the current big 10 commissioner once upon a time was a CBS executive I bet they've done television deals together where Petitti was the buyer and Sankey was the seller and they get together with other like-minded conference commissioners and sit down one day down one day and say what are we going to do because this is out of hand it's too much let's come up with our own rules we'll come up with 30 teams in one conference 30 teams in another conference two divisions three divisions four divisions whatever you want to do mimic it like the NFL come up with the rules the players get a certain amount and go play and the other schools you're in another tier and you can join the upper conference and if you lose too much in the upper conference you get relegated I love it it's happening it's going to happen I love it guys ladies gentlemen this is going to happen I don't know when but it will because at some point these commissioners and coaches and school presidents and even the players are going to say enough we got to figure out what the rules are and state governments will be like forget it and federal governments are going to be like what who who who dis but I'll but I'll step to the podium and I'll go on my podcast and opine about it some US senator some US representative going going on a podcast like we got podcasters running the federal government right now more than representatives not to go straight out of my lane a little bit so they're going to have to figure it out for themselves it's going to happen eight four four two oh four rich number to dial here on the rich eyes and show let's go to uh mike in new jersey you're here on the rich eyes and show what's up mike hey guys thanks for taking my call you bet thanks for making it what's on your mind um happy NFL kickoff weekend same to you sir thank you sir so um my question is um as the season goes on uh sports personalities always talk about the 72 dolphins and the last undefeated season so my question to you guys is who do you think will be the last undefeated team this year and who do you think will hand them their first loss wow I did not know there'd be any research on this show um okay rich I'm gonna take myself out of this because as you know I have the script so I know the answer okay appreciate that mike in new jersey thank you for the call what do you think I mean we've done the schedule game quite a bit we've seen a lot of schedules I don't know who's got the easiest one off the top of my head since saints have the easiest schedule Tennessee at Carolina at Green Bay home for Tampa at New England really that's easy at Houston home for Jacksonville at Indiana at Indianapolis six and oh headed to the bot I mean yeah I'm super high in the eagles that's about to say like look at the eagles they were last year at New England home for Minnesota at Tampa Washington at the Rams at the Jets home for Miami at Washington Dallas bye and I meant bye week not like what tj would say would be bye to your undefeated season because they're at their home for Dallas I mean that too you know that might be that might be your winner um San Francisco at Pittsburgh they might just lose week one guys I mean that's a fact what San Francisco might lose week one I thought I thought you meant Philadelphia uh yeah I I think so I'm gonna pick the Steelers this week how about this one here's one here's one here's one uh mr Hoskins call up the ravens schedule would you please yeah here we go I'm with you here they're the biggest favorite this week they're 10 problem though they've got three they play three division road games in the first five yeah so I think we got to throw that okay that's tough I feel you on that forget that um what about Cleveland again the team we're not talking about super low expectations don't know what Deshaun Watson's gonna look like but they've kind of owned Pittsburgh on a Monday night home for Baltimore home for San Francisco okay maybe not I'm just saying they've they've kind of owned Cincinnati the last few years they could easily start three you know know about the Chargers Chargers I got home game against Miami at Tennessee at Minnesota home for Vegas by home for Dallas at Kansas City I don't know undefeated the longest there Kansas City seems unlikely call up Kansas City I mean let's just sometimes the answer's staring you right in the face and I understand you don't have Chris Jones that's big and they haven't worked out as of right now Travis Kelce is not worked out we have no update on tonight's game at Jacksonville home for Chicago at the Jets at Minnesota home for Denver home for the Chargers at Denver home for Miami I mean that could be a winner and then they they wind up what who do they lose to I mean any of the games I've just mentioned obviously but they lost to Indy last year I know that great question I don't know that's the beauty that's the beauty playing this game what about the Broncos just somebody we're just someone we're not expecting right rich Arizona was what nine ten and oh a few years ago true Denver home for Vegas home for Washington at Miami at Chicago home for Jets that could be they could be four and oh going into I know but we're talking longest undefeated usually seven eight no maybe look at the Jaguars maybe that's not all right let's look at the Jaguars that's a good one than that look two games against the Colts hold on a minute that may be and they're tough games are on at home I'm saying it at Indianapolis home for Kansas City home for Houston and then back to back in London that game against Buffalo what a good advantage they're already going to be totally acclimated that's my point then they come home for Indianapolis boy that look at all the home games have early on they're going to be on the road a lot at New Orleans is a rough one at Pittsburgh TJ funny you should bring up the Jaguars one of my over reactions on the overreaction Monday podcast we should get everywhere where you get your podcast and on YouTube was Jaguars your one seed in the AFC there you go I called that an overreaction but once again like I said I shouldn't participate because you have the script well done look at you're returning to the gag of it TJ knows the ending wow man great question that was a good wide-open pal but they might rewrite oh that's true oh there's always right well not right now all right our number two coming up on our program that's that work of shame on the latest in Denver hey guys it's Suzy Schuster and I am so excited for my new podcast coming out this fall it is called what the football with Suzy Schuster and the princess of darkness and the princess of darkness Amy Trask if you're looking for a new podcast to listen to about jargon heavy-legged waste benders this is not for you we're gonna have big girl conversations when we are going super deep to bring you weekly guests that you won't find anywhere else it is what the football Suzy Schuster and Amy Trask wherever you listen