What the Football with Suzy Shuster & Amy Trask: 6 with Rich Eisen

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Visit GameTime.co for terms, again, create an account, redeem the code WTF for $20 off, download GameTime today, last minute tickets, lowest prices guaranteed. Hi Amy. Hi Susie. I sounded a little froggy.

I got home last night from London, picked something up on the way back. No COVID, I promise. I think you actually sound kind of sexy. You know, it's so funny, like sometimes the sicker I get, the lower my voice goes.

Yeah, it's kind of sexy. If there's a sex line working, you know, 1-800, whatever, I could maybe make some extra cash on the side. But yeah, I mean, you know, I'm just letting you know, we're not going to hug. We're not going to share an ice cream sundae today. We're going to have to get our own.

Okay. Or we could share with separate spoons. We could. But let's not bury the lead here as to why we're having this ice cream sundae.

Do you want to share that or do you want me to? Yeah, yeah. So for those of you who listen to What the Football, we made a bet last week. It was Raiders Patriots Week, Patriots Raiders Week, whatever. I really thought that would be an opportunity for Bill to remind Josh McDaniel, who's your daddy? It was not.

It was not. And I now owe you copious toppings. What are we going to have?

Well, because I owe you for this. First of all, there's an expression nowadays. Let's manifest this.

I'm going to manifest something. I hate that expression. Okay. But on CBS, I like calling something organic.

I think it's more like saying I'm going to be intentional. Yeah. Okay, whatever. But two weeks ago, not this past Sunday, the Sunday before, on CBS Sports Network, that other pregame show, we had to pick some games. And I picked the Raiders to manifest the win.

And I did. So as much as I hate the expression, you owe me a big, big, big ice cream sundae. Remember how Julia Roberts said it?

Big, huge, big, huge from Pretty Woman, of course. Okay, I will meet you after the show. Come over to my house. We got plenty of ice cream. We'll make it up together. We can each have our own. Okay, deal.

Deal. Okay, so let's talk about the game pass from London. And I thought that I would have Rich come on this week just because, you know, he's pretty relevant right now. We are in his studio. And he could actually share the fact that he was screaming out Brook Street in London when the Jets actually went ahead and took the win over the Heat. Okay, first of all, Rich is relevant everywhere, not just in his studio.

And I want to let you know, I will represent Rich in this relevancy discussion if you wish. Number two, we just talked about Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts, big, huge, to describe my Sunday. Do you remember, I think it was when Harry met Sally, it was with Meg Ryan. Remember the scene in the deli?

Of course there was. Where she says, I'll have what she's having and the woman's. I kind of imagine that's what Rich was like as the Jets were winning, like that woman. And then they turned and said, I'll have what she's having. Wasn't it Rob Reiner's mom who actually did that? And I think it was impromptu. But that scene where she was carrying on, was that Rich when the Jets were winning? It was something. I mean, honestly, I thought maybe security would come to our room. And it was late.

You know, watching games from London is not for the weak at heart. I mean, we sat there watching on a laptop and let's just say that there was an extra bottle of wine that was opened up. And he was like, you know, woo hoo hoo.

And you've heard Rich get it really excited. So we'll talk to him about that as well. The rest of what's happening in the National Football League. And we can also kind of just sell them down the road for whatever we want to sell them for, because, you know, I'm equal opportunity.

OK, so I'm more than happy to embarrass him or do whatever it has to be. So let's just talk about before we get into the topic of the day, which is the owners meetings, because no one has probably been behind the scenes more than you have in your 30 year career with the Raiders. It is the week that the owners will meet in New York this week and talk about what happens there.

Let's just hit a couple of things really quickly. Anthony Richardson might be out for the season. I mean, that's one of the huge losses that we're going to see right now this week. And we've heard week after week that this kid has to learn how to play in the National Football League. But it would be a big loss to see him go out this early.

It would. And the team has to do the obvious, which is balance short term versus long term. They clearly believe he is their long term answer at quarterback.

So they've got to weigh getting him on the field this season versus protecting him for the long term. As to him taking hits, I thought what Trevor Lawrence did after the first meeting of those two teams was magnificent. And it to me epitomized sportsmanship. Trevor Lawrence walked up to Anthony on the field after the game and said, You were great. You made some outstanding plays, but you've got to protect yourself. The hits are harder in the National Football League than in college.

And, you know, I reference that because that is, as I said, sportsmanship. And unfortunately, Trevor was right and prescient and Anthony is now hurt. And it's going to be a long term versus short term analysis by the team. And we'll talk with Rich in a couple of minutes about the Jets victory over the Eagles. I didn't realize I didn't realize going in that we were looking at the last undefeated team and that the Jets had never defeated the Eagles in franchise history. It was a big deal. It was a big deal.

I'm sure Rich probably thought so, too. Are you one of those people that gets excited about, Oh, the undefeated teams, there's no more undefeated teams? Does that matter to you?

No, I don't. Look, it's an 18 week season, 17 games. I just I don't get all giddy and yippy about stats like that. I mean, look, now there's no undefeated teams. Yeah, I think the only people who get excited about that were the Dolphins from the undefeated team. Right. And then the Patriots, the year that they almost that they they lost.

Was it the loss of the Super Bowl? The keyword being almost. Yeah, no. Yes. Against the Giants, whatever. Almost.

It's not nice. I was there. Were you?

Yeah. Where was that one? I think it was Arizona, but I'm not 100% sure.

It was Arizona. We stayed in this crazy place called the Wigwam. And I remember that because it was called the Wigwam, first of all.

And then they also had a they had a water slide. It was one of the things you have to be certain height to be able to do the water slide at the Wigwam. And one of my kids wasn't high enough. Would I have been tall enough?

Maybe not. Yeah, that's kind of sad. Have you ever not been able to go on a ride because you were too short? Oh, as a kid. You know, we'd go to Disneyland, you go to Magic Mountain and you'd have to, you know, be up to the measurement.

Sometimes, you know, one of my siblings or cousins would kind of let me cheat and stand on their feet so I could try to reach. Yeah. Which is going to love the fact that I'm using this real estate to talk about the Wigwam. But, you know, it's my podcast. So there you go. It is. But I'm, you know, a big fan of not mentioning anyone by name if they pay us for advertising. So. Oh, good point. Yeah.

So I will. I'll leave that out next time. What are those owners meetings like? I have to wonder how many owners meetings have you been to? I've never counted, but it's got to be over 100, 100 at the minimum.

Look, I was in the league almost 30 years. There's about three regularly scheduled a year. Plus, there's always some special meetings. So let's call it 100, give or take. How many years did you do owners meetings before another woman was in the room? Oh, Susie, it was a number of years.

I don't remember how many. I was there for a number of years. I was the only woman in the room. And then Jeannie Bonk from the Chargers was there.

Donna Ponte. But that was many years later. There were some owners meetings where wives of owners, daughters of owners.

But in terms of an employee with no relation to ownership, it was a number of years. So tell us what it's like. I think the best part about having you on this podcast is that you can take us places that we're never going to go. So what is it like to be a part of an owners meeting? Well, the easiest, fastest description is to tell you it's like junior high school.

Although some of them more like elementary school, some of them leaned to high school. First of all, there's the annual meeting in March where every team brings 5, 6, 7, 8 people and spouses. And it's a social gathering. All the real work gets done at what are called one and two per club meetings. And there is a lot of work that gets done. And there are serious discussions and there are important discussions.

And they are like junior high or elementary school. Oh, Susie, we pass notes. I would sit in my chair and like we'd all be passing notes around to each other. Who would you pass notes to? Who gave you the best note?

Well, OK, one of the best comments ever. I'm sitting next to, he's now passed away, but the son of the family that owned the Browns, which is now the Ravens. Pat Bolin walks in the room.

Pat Bolin, of course, former owner of the Broncos who has also passed away. And he walks in. The meeting's already started. Pat's wearing a black shirt, button down, tucked into black pants, black belt. The pants are tucked into black boots. So here he comes walking in, solid black outfit. And the guy leans over to me and says, Sub Commander Marcos, straight in from the front.

Well, we start giggling like 10 year olds. And when Al Davis has to tell you to behave, you know, you're probably not behaving. Did Al shush you? He didn't shush me, but he kind of and he kind of, you know, said, OK, kids, you know, these are my words, not his, but, you know, behave. And he was laughing, too.

One time, the then owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, Norman Bremen, was so angry at what then Commissioner Tagliabue was saying or not saying. He stood up, walked to the front of the room, leaned over Tagliabue, pointed down at him and said, Hey, pal, you work for me. And he said it again. You work for me.

Well, I'm sitting in my chair and I'm getting all giddy and I'm sort of jiggling around because I thought it was great. And Al again, you know, behave. Yeah. You know, when you're the behavior problem that Al Davis needs to be telling to kind of act maturely, probably an issue.

I mean, seriously. By the way, one of my favorite stories involves someone with a Boston accent. So there's a segue here. It was Jack Donlon. He was sitting.

He was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers sitting right next to me. Well, there's a very, very serious discussion debate going on between Carmen Policy of the 49ers and Steve Gutmann of the Jets. And they are really. And it was a you know, it was a fair debate. It was loud. It was heated, but it was businesslike.

Well, they're both standing up now. And one of them says to the other, you, sir, are alarmingly disingenuous. Well, Jack Donlon turns to me and I won't say what he actually said.

I'll say effing instead. But he said the real word, as did I. But, you know, our producer Don says I shouldn't swear on air. So I wish you would.

I know I kind of want it, but I don't want to get us in trouble. You, sir, are alarmingly disingenuous. Jack turns to me and says.

I hear you're supposed to be pretty smart. Is alarmingly disingenuous the same thing as an effing liar? Only he's from Boston and he didn't say effing. He said the full word. He says, is that the same thing as an effing liar? I thought about it for a little bit and I said, yes.

Yes, it is. Alarmingly disingenuous is like calling someone an effing liar. Only I said the word. Because if you wanted to just call someone a liar, you would call them disingenuous. But if you're calling them an alarmingly disingenuous person, you're calling them an effing liar. Well, all of a sudden Al pokes me in the back. He didn't ask you for an effing grammar lesson. Only he didn't say effing either. Alarmingly.

And we passed notes. Alarmingly. Alarmingly. Did anybody ever try to steal you from Al?

No. They probably knew that you weren't going anywhere. I wasn't going anywhere. And I'm going to say the following without judgment as to those of my colleagues and peers around the league who view this differently. Many, many people viewed a job with a team as fungible and they would move from team to team to team to team. And I'm not just talking about coaches, but front office people.

I didn't view my job as fungible. I was a Raider and it never interested me to go somewhere else, either during my career or when I had the opportunity after I left the Raiders. What was the reaction like amongst the owners when Al would walk in the room at an owners meeting?

Some extremely warm, extremely welcoming. Others maybe a little scared to sort of cozy up to him because they knew we weren't always on good terms with the league. And by the way, I am now going to revert to my eight year old self, having told you that these league meetings, they really are like junior high school meetings. You know, you've got to try to see if are you going to eat lunch with the cool kids?

Do you even have a table in the lunch area? We could talk about how just a big deal it is to get the chairs. That's a big deal.

I just don't recall a time of anyone being not warm to him. Oh, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you about when I was an eight year old, act like my eight year old self. All the litigation, you know, Raiders, league, antitrust, mom, they started it. So when everybody talks to me about, well, you know, the Raiders litigated a lot. We litigate. They sued us. Al just counterclaimed with a vengeance. What was it over? It was before I joined the team, but it was over Al's relocation of the team from the Bay Area down to Los Angeles and ended up being an antitrust suit. And some of the very people who were advocating that Al should be sued later took advantage of the rulings in the matter and the fact that teams could move.

But I'm always very defensive about that. We were the defendant. We didn't start it, mom. So crazy. I don't even know who started it.

I wasn't aware of it at the time. Let's talk about the chairs. What's it like in terms of who gets to sit where?

OK, that is such a great question. Does Jerry Jones get like the best seat? Does Bob Kraft?

No, no, no, no. OK, so there's three long, long, long tables, like long table after table after table, three rows that are parallel to one another. And at the front, there's a row that's perpendicular to the three parallel rows. And the league office people sit in the front and the people that are making presentations sit in the front. Suzy, every single team wants to sit in the same place every single meeting. So I joined the Raiders. Shortly after I joined the Raiders, Al brings me to one of those two per club meetings that I referenced. Well, the gentleman he used to bring before I joined the team, instead of being annoyed or pissy, was really a teammate and told me what to do when I got to the meeting. He said, get the chair.

I'm like, what do you mean? Get the chairs. You have to get the chairs.

So what does that mean? Well, every team wants to sit in the same seats every single meeting in the same area. So you've got to get in and you've got to put your name down on the chairs. Well, my first thought is, well, then why don't they just assign the seats if everyone wants the same chairs? OK, 4 a.m., I'm downstairs sneaking through the kitchen to get into the league meeting room to put our names in the chairs. I ran into someone from another team who's doing the same thing. So there we are, executives from different teams, sneaking through the kitchen at 4 a.m. to put our name on the chairs because everybody wants the same damn chair.

Well, then why don't they just assign them? But then it's lunch break. At lunch break, you go into another room and it really is like junior high.

Am I going to have someone to sit with? I didn't really care because I knew I could sit with Alan. That pretty much was cool enough for me.

I think it was the coolest place, but it's really like junior high. And as I said, we passed notes, we giggled, we laughed. What was the craziest thing that you ever saw happen at an owner's meeting? Well, I thought the alarmingly disingenuous argument was pretty steamy.

Oh, here's a good one, too. Jim Irsay's dad owned the team before Jim inherited it from him at one point, and this was just hilarious. So the league sues the Raiders as I just acted like my 8-year-old saying, Mom, we didn't start it.

That litigation gets all resolved, et cetera, et cetera. At one point, the league starts acting somewhat threatening again. And he stands up and he says, can we just please not sue Al anymore? This does not end well for us.

I was cheering again. Fantastic. We are going to have Rich come out after this conversation about the owner's meetings. We're going to have him come out and give us his spin. He's been to one, I'm sure. Did you see him at an owner's meeting at the breakers?

Oh, that's the other thing. You walk out of the owner's meeting at a break time at lunch time after the meeting, and the media is all assembled right outside the meeting. I am sure Rich saw me running so fast from those meeting room doors to get past the media to avoid talking to them.

I think I ran like a 4-4-40. We can ask him about that. Did you not like talking to the media?

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Lowest prices guaranteed. Suzy Schuster and Amy Trask present offbeat conversations and expert sports commentary as they ask, what the football? When my family found out how long it took me to figure out why Charles Woodson named his wine Intercept, they said, there's a reason that you had trouble in school. You know, not everyone knows, you know, what they think about a little intercept. They don't know that I play football. Well, what I've learned is a smooth defensive back can make smooth wine.

That's what it's all about. What the football with Suzy Schuster and Amy Trask. The podcast is available Tuesdays wherever you listen.

Millions of listeners and thousands of five star reviews rave about the hit podcast series in the red clay. The unbelievable story of Billy Sunday Burt, the most dangerous man in Georgia history. He was a whiskey man, bank robber, hit man. He was a murderer.

He's also my father. Seasons one and two are available to binge right now and bonus episodes are coming soon. Imperative Entertainment presents in the red clay. Get the podcast wherever you listen. And as promised, Rich Eisen joins us here. Thank you.

What the football? Amy, let me ask Rich this first question. Are you horrified every time I open my mouth because you're worried about what I'm going to say? Why would you say so? Is there a part of you that's like, oh, Jesus, what's she going to say now?

No. Well, if you do, you'd have that in common with my husband, who I think holds his breath every time I open my mouth on air, just wondering what's going to come out. There's there's no doubt. Sometimes he looks me like with this.

He has a look of apprehension like this. You're right. You know, that's a very good imitation.

It's good, right? No, but because actually I'm I'm attuned to wanting to make sure you're happy. Like that's literally my default. Right.

That's true. That is my default every day. He's also so worried I'm going to say something absolutely awful. So I think I don't know.

I just I feel like you have like that that look in your face, like, oh, God, what's she going to say now? By the way, I feel like I'm like at lunch with the cool kids. This is fun. I'm sitting with the cool kids.

I love sitting on this set right now with this shot. I'll describe it for those who are listening. I'm covering up the B in the name. It looks like what the football is right now.

My head, my heart, my head covers up the whole bit. What the football is it? It's not a good name, you know, but I'm glad to be here.

What's up? Big win for the Jets last week, loss for the Patriots. And it prompts this question for me.

It's something I've wondered about. OK, what is your household like on Jets Patriots or Patriots Jets day? And to either or both of you work to recruit the kids to your side? I will answer this question, if I may. May I answer this question?

You may. Thank you. So when when Xander was born, so 15 years ago about coming up and coming up, he's 15, he's 15. I'm bad at math.

I'm more verbal. So at any rate, so he's born. And the amount the flood torrent of bibs and onesies and you name it, anything to do with the baby, the gifts pour in from New England. They're all Patriots, Celtics and Red Sox. Did you burn them? Well, no, I had a decision to make that was based on many different loves of team sports. Children, family, wife. I mean, I had I had to do all this. I don't think you should listen to wife last, but that's just you notice where that came down.

No, no, I'm sorry. Children, family, wife, established. Hey, thanks so much for joining us here on the football. It's great to see you. It's what the football find a hotel. So no, I've established my love and concern for your for your for your happiness.

He did bring me my coffee with some day. First thing, first thing, first thing. Anyway, that said, all I'm saying is that these jets that I have been in love with for so long, the one thing I did not want to do is get my children into my world of hell, or the private pile, the world of, you know, s I didn't want to get in them in that. And so I couldn't also with Tom Brady quarterbacking the Patriots at the time and, you know, fresh off of their undefeated regular season and a Michigan guy at that. I just couldn't sit there and say I had will use my one clear preemptory on saying, no, I cannot have them root for the Patriots. And by the way, you know how I feel about the Kraft family as well. So I could not sit there and say, no, you you cannot root for the New England Patriots when they're at their ultimate height.

And the jets are such garbage. I thought child services might come and remove the children from my care. That's actually very, very, very gracious and giving of you. Can I tell you my really quick family jet story?

Sure. So it's my grandma's birthday. I think it was her 75th birthday.

By the way, just before you finish. Those are not adjectives I think she would have used to describe my decision. Gracious and generous and mature. I don't know if you saw her. She bristled a little bit. I was I was ignoring.

So I'm sorry. You're saying it was my grandma's birthday. I think was her 75th, 80th birthday, whatever it was.

She was living in L.A. All our relatives come out. We're going to have a big, big, big dinner party. Well, the Jets are playing the Raiders in the L.A. Coliseum that day.

And my cousin, this is also his grandma. Huge, huge, huge Jets fan. OK, so we're playing the Jets and third quarter fourth.

We're losing. I have I'm upstairs in the staff section of the press box. I have someone bring a note from me. I'm like, you got to go bring this to my husband.

He's down in section such and such. And the note says, if we lose this game, I'm not going to dinner. And it was the big, big, big party for my grandma.

It was her big birthday party. The note says, if we lose this game, I'm not going to that. And then I wrote FN. But I didn't write FN.

I wrote the word dinner. Well, we end up pulling a victory out at the last, last, last minute. And I go strutting into that dinner like Felix the cat walking on in. And they're like, oh, you're here now.

I said, yes, I am. But I wouldn't have been there. If we lost, I would have just said happy birthday, grandma and gone home. That is a perfect example of what management feels like on game day, that this is truly this is more than just a game. Oh, this is professional life and death. And you're dealing with also a mercurial individual at the top. And and there are so many fans who don't quite grasp just what it really means.

I remember, Jeff, my my brother didn't have nearly as much. What would you say? Grace or graciousness or whatever.

Gracious generosity, maturity. Plus, he also married a woman who doesn't, you know, root for the Patriots or anything like that. And he always gives me crap. He's like, you're your kids root for the Patriots or whatever.

I'm like, why would you think that they're not a bunch of losers? Well, I mean, that's another way to put it. You're talking about your nephew who is rooting for the Jets. Seriously. So. So. But listen, the Jets were four and twelve.

Well, you're the Zander. I know they were terrible. I wasn't going to sit there and say, put him through a life full of misery.

I wouldn't do it. What the Patriots do then? They wanted a lot of rings. They were lovingly successful. And you talk about a mercurial owner.

Right. There were times I was so upset about a loss. He called me at home to say, are you OK, Amy? My neighbors all knew if we lost a game, we drove home, garage door up, pulled in, garage door down. Don't talk to Amy till Wednesday.

There was one time I was so upset by a loss. My parents had flown up to Oakland. They were going to stay with us overnight.

Yeah. I forgot to open the front door. I left him standing on the front door for like 20 minutes on the doorstep. I finally opened the door and say, why didn't you knock? My dad said, are you kidding? We're scared of you right now.

We're not knocking on the door. I'd say it makes total sense because I brought Lee and my brother Jeff to a Jets Chargers game years and years and years ago. And my nephew at the time, he's in his late 20s now.

He was a teenager. And we brought him to the game and he was wearing his Curtis Martin Jets gamer. And we went on the field and I saw some members of the Chargers and we had no idea you were coming. You should come and hang out with us.

Right. And I said, I'd love to. But my nephew's standing right over there and they saw him in a Jets jersey. And they're like, we we we can't have you there. Like the Spanos is like could not have somebody with a Jets jersey in their in their suite. And I totally understand that.

Another great story I have on that front is Steve Bishotti, the owner of the Ravens. Yeah. Once upon a time, George Clooney was dating. I forget what her name was at the time. She was one of the Dancing with the Stars participants or something like that.

That's right. She was very impressive. But she she was a former Ravens cheerleader and so thus part of the Ravens family. And she called up and asked if it's OK to have George come to a game with her to the to the bank. But he's a Bengals fan. He's a Bengals fan. She wanted to go. And so Bishotti is like, absolutely. Did he come in Bengals gear?

No, but as soon as she found out that he wanted to come to a Bengals at Ravens game. He's just like, would love to meet him, but he cannot be in my suite. And this may sound, you know, impersonal and it may sound, you know, completely off to some fans. But I totally get on game day wins and losses are the world. And I wouldn't talk to anyone other than people with whom I had to speak for business. It's like if we lost on a Sunday, do not even speak to me if you're a neighbor. I mean, unless you're like dying and you need me to come save you or you've been abducted by zombies and I need to rescue you. Leave me alone till Wednesday. And I mean, I did.

I left my parents on the front doorstep for 20 minutes and they were too scared to knock. What I love about you so much, though, is like you're not a very big person. Let's just put that out there. OK, I have to I'm five eight. Right. So if I'm wearing like my Shaq boots, I'm a good six foot that can be intimidating. Right. Are you five three?

I am five three. OK, I hit that one. Wow. And when you're just like she's like finish your sentence. Like when you're in a bad mood, I mean, I can't decide whether it's funny or crazy. It's very frightening. Can we can we focus for a moment?

Princess of Darkness, my favorite name of all time. You love dogs, as do I love rescuing animals, as do I. You know, sometimes when you've got a really, really big dog and then a little one, sometimes the little ones are more feisty. Well, let me just say this. Let me say this story here.

First time ever met Amy Trask. Since I know this is an owner's meeting week. Yes, please. Bring us back to it. No, no. Here we go. No, no, no.

Seriously. And then I'll finish the whole other story here about kids and what we were for. But the first time I ever met Amy Trask was at an owner's meeting. I forget where it was.

I know it was like the year for year one, year two of NFL Network. And in walked both at the same time together, Al Davis and Amy Trask. And I stood there and I watched as you walked in the room.

And the only thing was missing was the Darth Vader Imperial music in the background. And I kid you not, I was scared less by. And honestly, the two of you would walk in a room and you basically have this air about you is like the owner's meeting can now begin because the Raiders have arrived. And we are going to abstain because we're going to piss everybody off in this room about absolutely everything.

We will take a stand on nothing except obstructing what you want. And that was essentially the air you gave off to everybody when you walked in the room. First of all, I love that. I love that.

I love that. And I just before you go back to your story about the family, I got to tell you about the abstention thing. Al always abstain. Before I joined the team, a lawyer that was outside counsel told him for legal reasons once the league had sued him, just abstain, just abstain. Although he just kept abstaining and abstaining. One of my biggest, biggest, biggest goals was to get him to stop abstaining, which I did.

So everybody was always making fun of us for abstaining. I finally, finally get Al to change. I'm like, I convince him we're going to vote yes or no. A vote comes up. He votes no. And one of the other teams, it was Carl Peterson from the Chiefs, gets all her rumfy that we voted no.

I said, bet you wish we were abstaining now. Yeah. I mean, that was every single time. And, you know, I just remember then getting to know you and meet you and you start talking about rescue dogs. And I'm like, who is this person?

But you still need to be afraid of me. I was, though. I still was Amy for for like up until like two, three years ago when we finally really got to know each other for real. And I just remember one one owner's meeting. It was towards the end of Al's life. And you were with him as well. I remember this was in Arizona at the Biltmore Hotel, I believe. Those s'mores at the fire pit.

Oh, my gosh. There was there was nothing smory about this conversation because the NFL Network had just completed or was just in the midst of having an anthology of the top ranked 50, 40 or whatever was through number one of the Super Bowl winners of all time. And the Los Angeles Raiders was, you know, their championship team was ranked like 22. And Al thought that was an outrage, an absolute outrage. And he walked up to me. I remember he had his walker with the tennis balls on the bottom of him and you were standing right next to him. And he's staring at me with his big, thick Brooklyn accent, you know, the L.A. Raiders 22nd overall, whatever it was.

Who the hell came up with that ranking? I need to speak to that person. What you know, and basically he was insinuating. Was it you, Rich? Like, I'm like, I had nothing to do with this, sir. And you're like standing there next to him like, yeah. And I'm like, what the hell is happening here? Honestly, I'm glad I went to the bathroom just before, because I might have actually done something right there in front of you guys. Honestly, that was one of the all the all of the interactions that I can remember where I where I first met you. And now I, you know, know you still be a little more afraid.

Yeah, I am. Just just to finish up. So, yes, my kids are Patriots fans, Celtics fans. And I put my preemptory on the Red Sox. No effing way on planet Earth was I going to have them root for the Red Sox. I think there is one one shot of Zan in a Red Sox like jacket or something. And that was it.

I'm like, no way. Like I will put I put my preemptory challenge, preemptory challenge. Yes, I might. Yes. I got rid of the Red Sox juror from the pool and I put the Yankee one in there.

So it's great. Like Cooper, our 12 year old, is going to go to college one day and they'll say, you know, who are your teams? And I'll go, Celtics, Patriots, Yankees. And they'll be like, who the hell are you? Like what what household did you come from? Did you hear that he said my kids? Oh, come on.

I've actually always wondered. Moms do that, dads do that. And they'll say my kids, my kids. You know, it takes two. By the way, you do that. I'm trying to remember when I saw Rich pregnant three times. Oh, my God.

My kids? Oh, my God. You do that all the time. You do that way more than I do. Falcon to Rebel Base, Falcon to Rebel Base. Should I do that on a podcast?

Should I move between the two of them? Seriously. What the football is going on here? Get our name right.

OK, we're branding here. My head is as big as the bee. Look at that. I'm sorry. Well, didn't your dad tell you you had a big head one time?

No. OK, so Joel, God rest his soul, was just a sweet, sweet guy. He once told Rich when he went to Cornell Summer School and he gained about 25 pounds.

I did. Eating late night pizza when he came up and goes, Richard, you're grotesque. Yeah, he told me I was grotesque.

You're grotesque. Oh, that's ouch. He also told him that he had a very large head.

That's ouch. So he told me. But he was a sweetheart of a man. I loved him. At any rate, what else do you want to talk about on what the football?

When I woke the kids up this morning, I will say when I woke up my kids this morning. No. Come on. Taylor was in a Celtics uni, top to bottom, because she thinks it's cool whatever she gets from Cooper, too. And Cooper was Celtics top to bottom.

It was gorgeous. Yeah, he's he's a big Celtic fan and I don't mind it. You know, again, I'm a Nick fan from growing up. And, you know, I'm going to invite Jeannie Buss on this podcast.

When do you want to do that? Well, the season starts. OK, well, we'll get Jeannie Buss. She's just, by the way, Jeannie and I, we went to the same high school. A lot of people went to our high school. Just so you know, Mike Silver, Steve Kerr, Palisades High School in the Palisades.

Mike Silver, a big favorite of Al D'Alocasal, right? Oh, yeah. Can you say he got high or something like that?

He smoked doobies. Oh, I don't. Was that Loki or someone else who said that?

You know, and by the way, there is you worked with like the five families. Like that was honestly like that was I remember. Hey, you scared the crap out of everybody. You know, there's a really, really like that about you.

I love an intimidating woman. I'm so happy. Every time I hear a story about how scary you were, it warms my evil heart. Your evil heart.

You have the biggest heart in the room. Well, you enrich, you know, the Mike Silver story is a very good story. And it's a life lesson. Huge, huge, huge brouhaha between the Raiders and Mike Silver umpteen times. I had to sign the checks every time the league fined us for the way we treated Mike. So we treated Mike poorly, rudely, horribly.

I didn't think it was that bad, but it broke league rules. So we got fined and I had to sign the damn fine check. And you know what? Mike and I have had conversations and we're friends now. We worked through that.

And I think there's a good life lesson in that. OK, I like that. Very good. Well, since you are the producer of the podcast and you complained to me this morning that we went too long. No, I didn't. You did the word complain.

You did you. That's a bit long. I don't want to go so long. So I'm giving you a heads up.

Nothing to do with that. It's just, again, like I'm you know, we're whatever. What else? He's collaborative.

I'm trying your collaborative. What was the best part of the games from England, by the way? We got home last night, which is why I sound like a frog, because every time I sit on the plane for 12 hours, I pick something up. Right. So what was the best part?

Like, tell us a little something. Take us. Not flying with you.

Well, there's that, too. We flew in different planes. Now, do you do that? And do you do that because your parents and you want to make sure that you're not on the same plane? That is just logistical. I don't like flying on the same plane. I was very happy to take my own flight back.

I watched 30 Rock for six hours or a million percent. But is that because as parents you want to meet? OK, that is exactly.

It's not because you just don't like sitting together. No, I mean, look, it turned out that in order to get the best rate, I had to fly United both ways. Oh, my God, you just mentioned another business and they're not paying us?

Damn it, sorry. I had to fly. You don't want someone send them a bill.

Someone send them a bill. My answer to that question is I just love calling the games. I love being there.

I get to, you know, do so many things professionally, usually, you know, doing the daily show here is a perfect example. Tell us something interesting. Did you get to meet the new king? Tell me something interesting. This is not interesting. Did you get to meet the new king?

Wow. Did you meet the king? King Henry? I met Derek Henry. I met a king of England. No, King Charles III was not there. They didn't have me over. Kind of stuck. They didn't have me over.

I feel they should. It was the NFL. It was Shabbat. So he was busy? Yeah, he wasn't home. He wasn't home because they had the flag up on top. He was making the blue and white challah? I don't know where he was.

I don't know. What was interesting, it was just interesting being over there and seeing the fans who were totally into it. Did you go out to tea? We did do tea. We did do tea with Susie's friends and their daughters. We did that.

I'm the only guy who had to ever leave tea because I had a production meeting. I bet. Do you feel like more people are NFL happy over there?

No doubt. Do you get a sense when you're walking in the streets that people want to talk to you more? Oh, talk to me more? Well, I don't want to talk about myself because you find that uninteresting. No, your beginning was a little boring.

Now you can hide. Yeah, that's interesting. Actually, you just said something that intrigued me.

You're finding a growing avidity? Oh, no question. No doubt about it.

And a more full, complete understanding of the game where you don't have to explain it at all. They are diehards. And the thing that's impressive about being a diehard is if their favorite team is playing on Sunday or Monday Night Football, those games kick at 1.15 in the morning over there. It's nuts how people will stay up.

They are totally into it. We were up watching the end of Eagles-Jets. It was 12.40 in the morning when that game came to an end.

I'm sure you were very quiet. It was wild. It was totally wild being over there. We're going to Frankfurt next for NFL Network. The Chiefs and the Dolphins are kicking off the Frankfurt-Germany series in two weeks.

And then after that, a big follow-up between the maybe one-win Patriots and Gardner Minshew and the Colts. But other than that, it's going to be a great two weeks there. And then I'm just assuming that the endgame here is... Because I don't believe a team can function overseas as a 17 regular season game, year-round outfit. I just don't think it's a competitive even playing...

I guess it's not a playing field. If somebody comes west to London and the London team lives there, I mean that is a total competitive disadvantage. We saw the Jaguars there for one week against the Bills team that arrived Friday morning of that week. It was a washout for many reasons.

Jacksonville had a better day. And I'm not just saying it's because the Bills were tired. But I'm insinuating that. That said, I just think what they're trying to do is build a fuller schedule overseas so the Brits can see five, six, seven, maybe eight games. And then you'll put a couple games in Germany, if not three or four. And maybe one in another part of Europe. Maybe you go to the Southern Hemisphere and you have an international series that maybe the NFL could sell off as a new package. Well, I agree with you about the competitive disadvantage, of course.

There's also business issues, umpteen business issues. But I'm going to say in defense of the West Coast teams, so the Chargers, the Rams, the 49ers, the Seahawks, at one point it was the Raiders. They're now further east, so that's about an hour and a half of saved plane time for them. But when people talk about the distance for, say, the Bills to fly to England, I did all this math last week, and I know, look at Rich's face when I say I'm going to do math. It's kind of scary. But from East Coast teams getting to London, give or take 3,500 miles, well, you know what, when the Chargers or the Rams play the Bills in Buffalo, that's about 3,300 miles.

So I remember as a West Coast team getting a little bit annoyed listening to the East Coast teams whine about 3,500 miles when West Coast teams do about 3,300 miles multiple times a season. There you go. Bunch of babies. Right?

Bunch of babies. But you're, of course, right about the competitive disadvantage. It is. I think so. And by the way, I love listening to you do the games. Thank you. I appreciate that.

I would tell you more about it, but it's boring. Well, Rich, we have to wrap now. Okay.

No, listen, we appreciate you coming. Next time be a little tighter, please, because I'm looking at the clock. I went a little long. I went long. I did. He said to me yesterday, we're driving back up from the airport.

We came, we landed, we came here. He did overreaction Monday. And then we got in the car to drive home, and he's like, you know, your podcast is skewing a little too long.

I really want you to be tighter. I agree with him, by the way. It's got nothing to do with your content. It has to do with if anybody's looking for a podcast and they see a long one, they might not choose it. I agree.

Because their commute is shorter. I agree. You've been telling some stories, Rich.

It's called Yarn Spinning. I want you to come back. This was fun. I'm here.

I'm easy to book. Here's the good news. He's here all the time. That's right. Also, he has to, or I'll just lock the garage. That's true.

That's true. Thanks for coming. Anytime. Thanks for doing it. See you every five minutes. Absolutely right.

Amy, this is a good one. I love hearing your stories. That's the best part about having you. You know what? It took five... Is this our sixth podcast?

Yes, this is the week six edition of What the Fuck? Okay, well, so it took me five weeks. But I finally figured out that I get to just relax and be me. And I don't have to worry about anything. And so it took me five weeks to figure out how to do a podcast. I was always, always, always in school.

The slow kid in the back of the class. But now I get it. So we're going to have fun.

Best edition of What the Foot All ever. Would you stop screaming with our brains in here? Your head is perfectly in... My head is messing with the brain in here.

Wait, put it over an O. Guys, thanks for listening. I hope it wasn't too painful. I apologize for the frogginess of it all.

I'll be fine next week. It's all good. Sexy, sexy. It's great. It's very Deborah Wenger.

Oh, that's very cool. Next week, it might be Marshall Faulk. It might be Jeannie Buss. There it goes.

It might be Al Michaels. Can you wrap up? Because I'm hurting my back making sure that the B of what the football is.

He just needs a little bit more attention. Thanks, guys. Thanks for taking in this week's edition of What the Football. As always, leave comments. We are very happy to answer questions. We will talk to you next Tuesday.

Time for ice cream, babe. Yeah. Every Monday, Rich Eisen and Chris Brockman react to what's happening in the world of football on overreaction Monday. Dolphins Final Four AFC team.

Oh, that is not an overreaction at all. I'm with you. You're in. I am in.

The other three Final Four teams. If you were asking me to call my shot, this is the overreaction limit podcast. Call your shot. Call your shot. Entertainment purposes only.

Unless I'm right. Chiefs. Dolphins. Bills. Ravens. Ravens. Final Four. Overreaction Monday. The podcast. Listen.