Lane Johnson's early impressions of Saquon Barkley: good guy, big legs

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And I know you're gonna love this Chris. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Rich! We here baby! Rich! We here baby! Live from the Rich Eisen Show studio in Los Angeles. Um, let me tell you something pimpin. He has a naked heart on the back.

That's exactly how it looks on Joe-bo-bo. Today's guests. Eagles tackle Lane Johnson. Rams running back Kyren Williams. Titans defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons.

Two-time Academy Award winning actor Kevin Costner. And now it's Rich Eisen. Hey everybody. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. We're live on the Roku channel.

This Rich Eisen Show terrestrial radio affiliate Sirius XM Odyssey and more. We're here on a Tuesday and we've got Kevin Costner making his way to our studio set with his movie Horizon. Making its way to a theater near you on Friday. Kevin Costner back here on this program. We've got a couple of football players to say the three actually to say the least. Kyren Williams of the Rams running back extraordinaire. Breakout season for him. Last season, season two for him.

We're gonna be fair and balanced. We had Blake Corum on a few weeks ago because he's my Michigan guy. Kyren Williams will be on this program in hour number two. Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles will be first up in 20 minutes time and then in studio.

I wanted to see what a bad man looks like in person. Jeffrey Simmons of the Tennessee Titans. He will be the first man, I believe, that Caleb Williams, when he looks over the line of scrimmage as a professional football player for the first time. I think he will see Jeffrey Simmons right in front of him. And that's another reason why I wanted to speak with him to see how he's going to prepare himself for that moment. That's all on this program.

844-204 Rich, number to dial on the show. Good to see you, Chris Brockman. How are you? What's up, man?

I'm going open today. I don't know. You're doing that? You mean on your shirt? Can I have a button?

No, I think you're one button too many is what I would think if I had a guess. Jason Feller, good to see you. How are you? Hey, I'm good. I'm doing great.

So thank you for joining us as well, TJ Jefferson. What's on your brain, sir? What's going on over there? I may have got way too much to just give it all to you in this short segment. Good thing we got three hours.

That's what I'm saying. Congratulations to the Florida Panthers. They not only broke through and finally brought Lord Stanley's Cup to South Florida for the first time. Well, for them to hoist it.

They brought it to South Florida multiple times beforehand, but they weren't able to hoist it. But they avoided the conversation that would be surrounding them forever more if the Edmonton Oilers and their multitude of fans that showed up last night to root for the Oilers in Miami. If they had if the Oilers were celebrating on their home ice after being down 0-3, that would have been brutal. But the Florida Panthers make it a Stanley Cup celebration. We've already seen the cup throughout the city overnight. We've seen the cup apparently in places that one would not think the cup would normally wind up. But you never know. But it is, you know, Miami.

That's the way things roll. And we'll talk about that on this through our edition of the program. Down the street, as soon as we were done yesterday, as soon as we sent Jay Pharoah off into his Monday. And you got to if you miss that, check out what he did on this show. Down the street, J.J. Redick was introduced as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers after all.

And the after alls doing a heavy lift after all of the dalliances with Dan Hurley that apparently was going on for weeks. And then he said no to them after it became public. Said no to their six years, 70 million dollars. And then we waited about a week plus and sure enough, just two days before the NBA draft, the Lakers fill their vacancy that occurred way back in May after the Lakers got bounced in the first round of the playoffs. And J.J. Redick shows up with, as we know, most of his experience in basketball coming as a player and zero as a coach in the NBA in the professional ranks. And he comes from the worldwide leader in sports in his own podcast world where he started a podcast with LeBron James. And we found out yesterday there will be no more podcasts for J.J. Redick. He is now the H.C. of the LAL and asked why he took the job. Which is interesting because, again, I know, you know, Chris Mannix was here last Friday, said he wouldn't have hired J.J. Redick. He would have gone with a more experienced hand in Sam Cassell, at the very least. And for sure, it didn't matter anyway because of the roster. And Dan Hurley told the Lakers, your six years, 70 million.

Thank you for that. I'm going to stay in UConn and stay in college basketball. And the whole concept of the Lakers being uncoachable because of their current roster and the way everything is set up. Even a guy like J.J. Redick, who might not have had an option to coach in the NBA for anybody in the coming days and years, let alone a franchise that is known worldwide and its brand is known as one of the best ever. He was asked why he took the job, and this was his answer. This job was about the Lakers. This job was about the Lakers and it was about LeBron James, Anthony Davis, two of the greatest players ever. I've been able to do some incredible things in my life. I really have.

I mean, Rob knows this. Like, Monday night, I called game five of the NBA Finals. Thursday, I'm in Cameron. One of my sons is playing at Duke camp in the practice facility.

The other son is in Cameron indoor stadium. And I'm on the phone with Rob and Jeannie committing to this job in the Duke Hall of Fame room. I've gotten to do some amazing stuff in my life.

This might be the best. And when I think about this job in particular, it's not just about getting the job. What I wanted to do was do the job. I wanted to coach the Los Angeles Lakers.

And so that was where I landed on pursuing this versus potential other opportunities. Well, the other opportunities would be to call NBA Finals games for a long time. And keep working at that craft that had him, I believe, last year we were nominated for our show. He was nominated for best new personality on the scene. Rising star, I think. Yeah, because the last time I saw him was in the Lincoln Center men's room.

Last time I saw J.J. Redick. Yeah, that's where it all goes down. Well, listen, that spot. He didn't mention that about all the good fortune he's had in his career to do things. Didn't mention running into me at the Lincoln Center Rose Hall men's room.

I'm sure he just slipped his mind. But I mean, that just goes to show you again, the guy does bring a certain sensibility and a certain sense of self and a certain confidence and a certain sense of accomplishment in other arenas. Now, that may not translate to being a head coach in the NBA for the team that has the biggest spotlight on him and it. And for the team that has LeBron James on it. And as we're having a conversation about all this right now, the Lakers are reportedly going to throw the Supermax contract three years, a buck 60 on the table for LeBron. And say, how does nine years with the Lakers sound to you, LeBron, to finish up your career? That would be the longest stop for him in any spot of his. All world, all time career. And have him commit to the Lakers for that amount of time after they give J.J. Redick a former podcast made of his four years to do it.

And does it work? Great question. What about the fact that he's totally inexperienced at all this at being a head coach in the NBA? Here was his response that went the most viral yesterday. You know, it's it's been a really interesting six weeks or so just in terms of, you know, being part of the engagement farming industry.

You know, it's been really interesting. However, I don't really have a great answer for your question because I really don't give a fuck. Like, honestly, I want to coach the Lakers. I want to coach the team. I don't want to dispel anything. I don't.

I want to become a great coach in the NBA and I want to win championships and I want my players to maximize their careers. That's all I care about. There was his answer. I'm not anti cursing, but do we need to do that? I think it's just the general coarsening of our public discourse.

Where it's becoming more acceptable and people becoming more comfortable to say that sort of stuff. But not though. I mean, you heard gasps in the room. I also heard laughter and somebody clapping.

And I even heard somebody saying, I love that in the background. I don't know if that was the members of the media that were surrounding them, listening to it live and recording it live. Or it could have been his players.

It could have been. He's like trying a little too hard. I don't know if he's trying a little too hard. The way I took it is he truly doesn't.

Care about anything other than what he can affect from here on out. And I think the criticism bothered him a lot. I think he didn't like being front and center in the world that he lived in as well as ESPN people criticize. And then he was there and he joined that organization and he brought his brand to that organization. His success as the host of the old man and the three pod put him in that position. He also pulled the levers of all the opportunities he had there to continue to get a bigger profile there. I thought he was excellent at his job there. I thought any time he opened his mouth, I wanted to listen to him. I thought he had a sensibility about him amongst the madness that separated him from it. That might actually work out in his favor for this job. For this gig. I loved how he referred to what we do as the engagement farming industry.

God never heard that before. He's kind of not wrong that things are said and things are produced and things are posted to gain engagement. And the only thing that we're wondering about is how he can farm engagement in his own locker room. Farming wins.

Well, the question is, how do you do it? Because Sam Amick of The Athletic is reporting today that LeBron and Anthony Davis are expecting a big splash to add a third big name to the mix. And the only way that other teams are interested in engaging in farming that for the Lakers is to ask for Austin Reeves. And the Lakers have so far said no to that. But is that big name Chris Paul?

Because not interested. No, I think that the names that you're hearing are all the Atlanta Hawks that we've been talking about for a while, which is Trey Young or Dejounte Murray. I don't know.

I mean, that only just costs them money. And is he the answer? Or do the Lakers say the guy we're not trading is your third? Is he going to run it back?

It seems like they can't just run it back. All I know is the words that I'm hearing and that you're reading are all in the Lakers. They want him to go all in.

T.J. Jefferson. All in is the Lakers definition of all in the same as the Dallas Cowboys, which is that's the team. That's what we've got. Our cap situation says this. Our trading situation says that. But we feel that that's the team on the floor. And how does that affect things for J.J. Redick?

And how does he farm the engagement in his own building? I'm over all in. That's what I was thinking. The only all in I know and the only all in I'm recognizing is AEW's all in, which is happening in London.

Nicely done in August. I'm no other all in. I believe all in for the Lakers would mean they are going to go and get that big person. Like if they're going to put three years on the table for LeBron James, like what are we doing here?

You choose your fighter with the biggest name and the biggest ceiling and the biggest boom for your buck. And you go get that person for J.J. Redick, who you just hired for a four year deal. That's what you do if you're the Los Angeles Lakers. I'm very interested to see who's going to make up his coaching staff, because that's obviously going to be such an important part of this. And our eyes will be peeled on that front.

And the question is, though, off of all that, my take on on hearing it yesterday is he is outstanding with the media. He is going to look great as the next head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. I sure hope he's going to bring suits, bring suits back.

I literally was just about to say that. Is he our champion? I want him to be our champion to bring suits back and say, I am the new face of this franchise. I am the new face of coaching in this league. And I am going to show everybody that they were wrong because I do give an F. About what people were saying about me in the engagement farming industry, the EFI. Love it. That made me laugh out loud when I heard that. Even before that is the way he made me laugh.

Set up that answer when she asked that question. You can see he was licking his lips like he is definitely had. He's been sitting there and listening to about the engagement farming industry that he was a very important part in. Remember, sort of the whole plumbers and kind of eat him up. Yeah.

They kind of flipped in many ways. And we don't know what we don't know. But what we know is that's a very confident guy with a lot of experience in his world of basketball at both levels and life and an ability with way with words. Can he farm the engagement in his own building is the only question I have. And the roster is going to be who for him to engage on that farm.

That's all I want to know. And I can't wait to see it play out. And we say hello, neighbor down the way right down the block, baby. And hopefully next time we meet, we'll be right here in the studio as opposed to a men's room in New York City. Hey, Brockman, our studio very well appointed within his jump shot range. That's true.

That's true. So we can make it happen. That's how we're rolling. Eight four four two oh four. Rich is the number to dial here on this program.

We've got Lane Johnson, Kyron Williams of the Eagles and the Rams respectively. Jeffrey Simmons is going to sit in this chair and then the person after Jeffrey Simmons is going to be Kevin Costner. That's how we're rolling here on this edition of the Rich Eisen Show. Eight four four two oh four. Rich number to dial.

We will talk to one of the most talented and decorated Eagles coming up next. Making care of your insurance easier and could help you save to customers who save by switching their home and car insurance to progressive save over seven hundred seventy five dollars on average. That's a whole lot of savings and protection for your favorite podcast listening activities like going on a road trip, cooking dinner and even hitting the home gym. Yep. Your home and your car are even easier to protect when you bundle your insurance together.

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Just go to LinkedIn dot com slash direct and get started. Back on the Rich Eisen Show radio network, 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 click Grainger dot com or just stop by with Jason Kelsey now working for ESPN. And gallivanting in London with his brother and his wife. Right.

And Tom Cruise and Hugh Grant, you know, at Wembley all hanging out. This guy's just the O.G. left behind.

That's one way to put it. He's like Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles here in the Rich Eisen Show. How are you, Lane? Doing well. Happy belated birthday. Thank you, Lane. Getting ready for training camp here in about a month.

I appreciate it. Are you going to bring Tom Cruise out right now? Hugh Grant.

Well, Greta Gerwig. I would like for them to do some stunts for me in training camp. Maybe take a few reps.

So if they're willing. Yeah. Bring them all out there, you know, because that's what Jason's doing. Did you see that movie had apparently something, by the way, when when when when you're Kelsey at a Taylor Swift concert now, basically every move you make is being recorded by somebody cell phone. Did you see the movie made by holding the beer in his in his mouth?

The beer cup in his mouth while like doing stuff on his phone, like walking with a full like pint of beer, literally hanging from his mouth. Did you see that, Lane? I didn't see that video, but I've seen lots of rehearsals.

I miss that one. You see. So you've seen that in its in its natural habitat, is what you're saying.

Yeah. A long progression, long 10, 11 year progression of it. So it's he's got more skilled as the years have gone. He's just he's like a fine wine or an old beer. So I guess what were OTAs like without him there, Lane?

What is it like? You know, it was different, you know, not having him on the field for sure. But, you know, he was in the building quite a bit.

So I think he was pondering about what he wanted to do this year. I think you had many options, so did get to see him quite a bit, thankfully. But yeah, definitely going to miss him. It is different not having him in the room, you know, his aura, his presence, you know, and a lot about football. I mean, we're going to miss the games, but a lot of it is, you know, the stuff that happens in the locker room, in the meeting room.

And and that's what we're going to miss most. So what was he doing around just just hanging out? I think he was lifting.

He was lifting a little bit. He was he was taking advice maybe on what he should do, weighing out his options. So I think that's really what he was doing. He was he was doing a lot of pondering, we call it.

So pondering. OK. And so what advice did you give him? I think, you know, he had many options, but I was like, do what's not going to drive you totally insane.

You know, take it the first year, little baby steps. And yeah, I mean, I think with what he has now, he'll obviously be busy Monday nights. But I think he'll have a little bit of freedom this week. And, you know, hopefully I'd like to see him possibly in there helping us with some game plan situations. So maybe you can do that for us.

Interesting. OK, so then what conversations do you have with Cam Juergens about taking that spot here? Yeah, my advice is just be yourself. You know, you don't have to be Jason Kelsey or try to be become your own player, your own style. And yeah, I mean, I think what you can take from Kelsey is his work ethic, you know, how he approached every day, how he was with his teammates, what kind of leader he was.

But, you know, my advice is to be yourself. And and that's what he's doing. OK, so so far, so good in practice, right?

I mean, obviously, Robert's going to meet the road in Brazil in a couple of months. But what you know, really, a really tremendous player, you know, he played guard for us last year. And there's a lot of questions about that, but supremely talented, very strong on the field, very good movement. And as you know, Kelso is kind of behind selecting him. He liked what he saw on film and kind of handpicked him. So but yeah, I mean, you could tell Cam could play, you know, right away as soon as you got to the team.

He has he has everything you're looking for. And what was it like, Lane Johnson, the first time you were in a huddle of any sort? And it's Saquon Barkley wearing your uniform that you've been wearing. What was that like, Lane?

Oh, it felt like I was in alternate reality. Right. You know, I never you know, I made this statement before. I never thought he'd be on our team and surprised that he is.

But yeah, early impressions are good God. He has some big legs. I bet he can squat a lot. I bet he can run fast.

You know, about 15 seconds in, you know, he's proven everybody right. A guy that can do it all. The running back position and then, you know, flexing out wide receiver can do that. Very versatile, but really just a truly a team guy. You know, he bonded with everybody immediately. You know, we played against him many years, but really got to know him quickly. Very competitive, loves the golf.

So we did a lot of that, too, during OTAs. But just a great teammate. You know, are my early impressions. OK, so those legs fit in golf pants. So you're saying that actually I think I think you had to get them tailored. Yeah.

So, yeah, I think custom custom built. I mean, just the general sense of of how good your offensive line is and how good he is. And putting the two of you together at a mesh point with Jalen Hurts with Devontae Smith and A.J.

Brown out wide and Dallas Goddard in the mix. It's it's tough to not just leap to conclusions here, Lane. I mean, what do you say?

Yeah, I mean, on paper, you look at the talent, you look at the ability of the track record. You know, I think we have the potential for a big year. But as you know, as games go on, we have to prove that.

And where are you going to do that? You know, I felt, you know, last year, the last seven games was was a total misrepresentation of what we were. And we didn't do anything to right that wrong. So, you know, we're ready to do that, eager to do that. But yeah, when when you when I look around, you know, I've been I've been a part of so many talented teams. But looking at our offense, you know, this is one of the best that I've been around. So what happened last year? I mean, we've had a conversation with you prior about it. Whatever did happen last year, is that out of the building right now?

Is that gone? We'll see. I mean, you know, players play coaches, coach.

And, you know, as bad as stuff was, we never got it corrected. So, you know, we did a lot of work this season. We have new office coordinator and Kelly Moore excited about that. You know, with football, a lot of same plays is different terminology, but really like, you know, what he's done in the past.

You know, kind of often salon friendly. And yeah, man, we're very excited. And yeah, I mean, we're ready to get this bad taste out of our mouth and get on the right track again. And how is Jalen Hurts showing up, Lane? And that question is infused with a lot of chatter coming out of the city there in Philly about this being a big season for him. A little bit of pressure that that that he may not be the guy after all because of the last seven games of last season. Lane, how do you respond to any of that chatter coming out of Philly?

Yeah, I mean, as you know, Philly is a big, big media market. You know, you hear lots of stories, but I think just this offseason, he's really done a good job of bonding with his teammates. I felt like the connection has definitely grown a really big offseason.

The work ethic is never been the issue. Tremendous worker, but just becoming a more vocal leader. And, you know, I think whenever he speaks, you know, guys listen up and him reaching out to guys and creating these bonds and offseason.

You know, he's having these, you know, throwing sessions with the receivers now in the offseason, you know, getting work in, but really has gone out of his way to connect with his teammates. And we feel that. And, yeah, we're really excited about this year.

Every year is a kind of a prove it deal to everybody when you're in that town. And, you know, we all feel it to some degree. But Jalen's our guy moving forward. We love him. We respect him.

And, you know, nobody puts in more work than he does. Do you have an example of how he's become more vocal that you're willing to share? Yeah, just when we do breakout sessions during the offseason, you know, organizing events to get together, usually more dinners, hanging out stuff on the weekend. So maybe stuff we took for granted, you know, earlier past few years, we really got to, you know, had a big chance this offseason to bond.

And we spent time doing that bowling, cookouts, but really just spending time together. Lane Johnson here on the Rich Eisen Show from the Philadelphia Eagles. All right, everybody making a big deal of this tight end summit, Lane.

You know, I mean, everybody's talking about these tight ends. You got your own summit, don't you, Lane Johnson? Not to get all aggressive about it, but you got your own one. The mastermind summit.

You're a mastermind. Tight ends? That's one thing. Yeah, we thought that name would get some intrigue. Yeah, we're hosting our seventh event. It started with around 25 guys, and we have around 350 attending this year.

And, you know, sponsored by Metro Ford of OKC. We're having Mike Pereira come in and discuss rules, mainly false starts and holdings, so we can really get a grasp on that. Martin Dominic, XGM, talk about, you know, things from a personnel standpoint. And then we have a lot of our Hall of Fame guys coming in. Alan Fanica, Steve Hudson, Bruce Matthews.

Baldy's going to be down there, David Gill. So, you know, we're just really excited to get all these guys in the room, discuss football, you know, getting that mind frame before camp starts. And really, it's been, you know, the O-line is about brotherhood. I credit Von Miller for really starting the summit in the first place with the D linemen. So, you know, the side ends, it's taken off, and the O-line, yeah, we're slowly growing, but it's been awesome. Lots of great communication and really a lot of great insight over the course of the two or three days that we're there. 350 linemen are showing up, is what you're saying.

Frisco, Texas, July 12th and 13th. Liming coaches, top college prospects. So, you know, we're discussing every position, center guard tackle, and you have some of the best that have ever done it. Lending their advice and their knowledge.

So, I think it's a tremendous, tremendous thing that I wish I had, you know, even when I was a younger guy. So, I'm super excited about it. And walk me through the choice of the word masterminds, Lane. Oh, offensive line mastermind summit.

What is this? I credit my partner, Duke Manny Weather. We're developing the name. He's the man that reached out to me and was like, we should start something. You know, he's been training guys for the past 10, 15 years. And the mastermind came from, you know, getting the Hall of Fame guys that have played the position at the highest level.

Getting these guys in the room and having them discuss ball, how they approached games, how they approached training, how they approached, you know, just aspects of the life of being an NFL player. And so, those are truly the masterminds. I felt like the name would be catchy and create some intrigue. And it has.

I agree. It caught my ear. Before I let you go, Lane Johnson, let's talk about a couple of things that you've been up to since last playing season. Did you sing a song with Zach Bryan at a concert in Oklahoma? Lane, did you do that?

Yeah, we did. Revival. So, the closing song. You know, I first said that I was just fine with the meet and greet. And hey, I think you want a little bit more. So, I ended up on the stage and got the words right.

I got a good rhythm and it was a good time. Okay. Just want to make sure. How did you prep for this thing? I mean, so you know it? You just know this stuff? Yeah, I knew the song. So, there wasn't a whole lot of prep. But yeah, kind of, you know, last 10 minutes of the concert, I got word of what was about to happen. And here we go.

So, not a whole lot of thinking went into it. But it was a fun time. And yeah. So, is he an Eagles fan or this is a sooner thing? No, he's a true blue Eagles fan. So, I didn't really get to talk to him. I think he just grew up hating the Cowboys. You know, he's from Ulaga, Oklahoma which is a little bit past Tulsa. So, I think he had a disdain for the Cowboys and his love for the Eagles grew at an early age. So, that's how he got into it. Listen, bonding through spite is something I can relate to, Lane.

That's something I can absolutely relate to. And then lastly, I mean, I've saved the best for last. WrestleMania? Really?

I mean, Lane, that's got to be, I mean, where does this rank for you? You and Kelsey and Ray Mysterio in April. What happened? Yeah, it was, you know, something that I always grew up watching. You know, never thought I would actually be partaking in it. But as the Jason Kelsey show progresses, you know, he asked me if I wanted to do kind of a week of training before at Monster Factory as the lead in the WrestleMania. So, yeah, we, it was a great time. You know, we didn't really know a whole lot going in. Knew who we were going to be working with and got to meet Ray and Dominic.

And yeah, it was amazing. And my job was to not get hurt. And, you know, as I see it, Kelsey is Jim Carrey and I'm Jeff Daniels. So, I know my role. Does that make you dumber? Is that what you're saying? Oh, yeah, most definitely. Look at you, man. I mean, that's... Yeah, shout out to Big Dom.

So, got a great shirt. You know, we came in there low key when the lights were down and snuck up ringside. So, the first progression was to jump over the bar and not trip and fall. So, once we got that, you know, the show was rolling. Wait a minute, what? Lane and Jason were sitting about four rows in front of me.

Oh, is that right? I was behind them and I happened to look. Hey, Lane, what's up? TJ here.

What's up? I looked over and I snapped a picture of you guys and I'm like, who are these guys in the Eagles lucha match? I was like, wait a minute.

That's got to be Kelsey and Lane Johnson because I just seen you at a Super Bowl party about a month earlier. So, I was like, all right. So, yeah, and there was a picture attached. You guys hopped right in front of me. It was amazing. People went nuts.

It was great. They came in there with the Ray Mysterio and the LWO and clean house. Yeah, I think the coolest thing was like immediately going backstage and Triple H is there watching the production. You have guys kind of like in assembly line getting ready to go out. And so, yeah, man, big production. And it was awesome just to be around the guys and see everybody.

Let's be honest, more butterflies that or the Super Bowl, Lane? That. Really? That for sure.

At least I had some sort of rehearsal with the playing part, but that was totally new. But fine. Really? More, seriously, more butterflies than playing in an actual Super Bowl? Seriously. Seriously, yeah. I mean, by the end of the season, when you get to these games, the playoff game, the kind of, you know, the butterflies for me, I feel like are generally in the beginning of the season.

And by the end, you're just so programmed and wired to practice and plan that it's more routine than anything. And the big Dom you mentioned, that's the big Dom we all know about. Is that what you're saying? He helped you get down there? Is that what you're saying?

What happened? Yeah. I mean, he had a kind of rough go during the season, but I wanted to show appreciation just for the man he is, for myself, for the Eagles, and, you know, helping everybody out, you know, throughout my tenure there. So shout out to big Dom. So you got him down there is what you're saying?

A little bit of both. I mean, he was there. I think you can kind of get around pretty free range. He's a free range kind of guy.

But yeah, he got it set up. Okay. Good enough. Lane, thanks for the time. Have a great time at the Mastermind Summit. Keep us in mind and let's chat soon. Alrighty. Appreciate you, Rich. Happy birthday and see you next time. Thank you very much.

That's Lane Johnson right here on the Rich Eisen Show. Fun stuff right there. Pretty cool. There you go. Sometimes you take pictures, you're like, what am I going to use that?

What am I going to ever need that? Well, I figured what am I going to see that again? The problem being, I've met Kelsey and Lane Johnson, and despite the fact that they played for the Eagles, they're two really cool dudes. So it's massive, massive.

They're really cool cats, so it's hard to dislike them. Fun stuff. Fun stuff right there with Lane Johnson, Kyron Williams coming up in hour number two and Jeffrey Simmons of the Titans in hour two, and then Kevin Costner in hour number three. We'll take a break.

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You should do that. The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions. Let me repeat that. The Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup champions. I remember when I first got to ESPN in 1996, the Florida Panthers shocked the entire universe by actually making it to the Stanley Cup final against the Colorado Avalanche and they got swept. That was when, if I'm not mistaken, there was the plastic rats all over the place. Remember that? Scott Melonby. Remember him?

He used a stick to eliminate a rat in the locker room before the game. I remember doing their highlights, the Florida Panthers. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but they went 25 years without winning a playoff series after that.

They've been awesome since. I also remember back when I was at ESPN for the first time, there was a 28-year-old head coach of the Hartford Whalers. The dreaded, hated owner, Peter Carmanos, hired a 28-year-old kid to be the coach of the Hartford Whalers and then moved the team to Carolina. Guy's name was Paul Morris.

28 years old. At the time, the second youngest coach in the history of the NHL. And he became the coach eventually of the Florida Panthers. And we all saw last night a big moment for him. As the Panthers, I mean, you want to talk about a huge relief as the Panthers avoided losing the cup after being up 3-0. We did see a game seven, which we'd only seen twice before, a team up 3-0 in a game seven.

Last time we saw it was 1945, year before that, 1942. And here we are in 2024, and the Panthers are staring it right down the gullet. The it being a way to be discussed in shorthand, you don't want to be discussed in sports shorthand.

You don't want to be Munsoned. Okay, so here they are staring at, in the face, at home, you know, Alanis Morissette, by the way, how about that? Doing them both.

Right, doing them both. The national anthems, and as she's singing O Canada, it sounds like they're in Edmonton, and you're like, oh no. Right? Oh, Florida.

Really? This is the team, again, for all of their years being casted as the team that can't fill their arena. Why are they bringing hockey down to South Florida anyway? What is going on with this franchise being in the NHL? Folks in Canada were kind of like looking down their continent at them, and in comes Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers to try and put them in a part of history that is a part of history you don't want to be in. And they won. And they finally break through and win the Stanley Cup.

And Paul Morissette, this was a great moment for him. Kid from Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, I've been to, by the way, the Upper Peninsula of Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan. And I've been there, and it's beautiful country. Sault Ste.

Marie, Ontario. Kid from there getting to hoist the cup in his late 50s. Guy who was once upon a time 28, now an older man finally breaking through for a franchise that finally breaks through with him.

This was him on the Canadian broadcast on Sportsnet. It's just brilliant, right? I've never hugged so many sweaty men in my entire life.

I'm not sure I'm going to do it again, but I'm going to do it tonight. It's not what I thought it would be. It's so much better.

But it's the hugs, man. I saw Sam Bennett smile today. First time in two years.

It's brilliant. You know, it's for my mom and dad in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. My brothers Mike and Shane in Sault Ste. Marie and Waterloo. The whole Angloys clan in LaSalle, Ontario. All of the people that suffered through 30 years of me losing, they get excuses. Mom and dad especially. They died. Your name's going up with your heroes.

Beliveau, Richard, Hal, Lindsey, Maurice. How cool is that, right? And then he got the cup while he's being interviewed by ESPN. You see that? He's like, hold on a second. I got to visit. And he talked to it like he was talking to it.

Man. This is the moment of victory on the Florida Panthers radio. Is that what we're going to play right here? Doug Plagans and Bill Lindsey with the call. Ten seconds left to the Panthers. A dream 30 years in the making is a reality. The Florida Panthers have won the Stanley Cup. Lord Stanley is coming home. You always will have a place in South Florida.

Oh my God. The Panthers have won the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history. Start the celebration, South Florida. The Panthers have done it. Stanley Cup champions! Bill Lindsey was on that cup team that lost the year I arrived at the worldwide leader in sports.

He's a 26-year-old with a lot more hair. Pretty wild. It's finally happening. And so the scenes that we were all like, really, is that what it would look like if the Florida Panthers won the Stanley Cup? Well, we're seeing it.

We're seeing it. Cup was in the Atlantic Ocean earlier today. Cup was in the Atlantic Ocean earlier today. There it is. In the Atlantic Ocean.

Oh, he falls. That's awesome. Just awesome. The famed elbow room in Fort Lauderdale. Made it up there. That's where the boys are. Like this morning. Like they haven't been to sleep yet. There it is. They're drinking out of the cup from the second story of the elbow room. It's being poured down to a mouth on the ground floor. That's the way it works in South Florida. The cup that was here just a couple months ago.

Wow. Congrats to the Florida Panther fans. Best championship celebration that there is.

Well, because you bring it around. The cup is made to be paraded around and be with the people. And the joy. The joy in that man's voice announcing the game. The joy that these players feel just accomplishing that and getting to touch that thing that we had right here staring in front of us. It's truly amazing, man. And it gives you chills to hear the stories. Yeah, the journeys. And the irony of the McSorley jinx being kept alive by a kid from Sault Ste.

Marie, Ontario. Coaching his bunch of Panthers who, again, as I mentioned, the third team in the last 40 years to win the Stanley Cup in the year after they lost in the Stanley Cup final. That's a rarity, too. You lose. You get to the very end and lose in one year. In the next year, you get back there.

You roll that rock up the same hill and you break through only three times in the last four decades that that's happened. And it's from a team that went a quarter century in between playoff series victories in a town that, you know, is known for being the birdcage. So there you have it. Congratulations to Florida Panther fans. And that wraps up our number one of the show here on a busy championship in South Florida Tuesday of the Rich Eisen Show.

We're still here on Roku and also to fall. It's all right. I got it. He gets all up. He actually is all into hockey. He gets all he gets all starry out.

He gets emotional. He talks about, you know, the cup. And then you want to talk about journeys. How about two kids from St. Louis?

Once upon a time sharing a school bus ride to school. That's this. That's Matthew Kachuck of your now champion Panthers on the left, chilling out with his friend Jason Tatum. Now the champion of the Celtics on the right. And I don't know who that kid behind him is, but he must be great at what he does.

He'll probably be president in a couple of years. They're in the ninth grade in this photo. Is that what it is?

Yeah, that's their accountant. Ninth grade in this photo. Look at that. Look at those kids. That's amazing.

Ninth graders there. One's going to, yeah, I'm going to win the cup. By the way, I'm going to win the cup a week after you win the NBA championship.

Come on. You're going to win one week. You're going to win the NBA title on a Monday and I'm going to win. You'll win the Larry O'Bie. I'll win the cup or, you know, I'll win the Larry O'Bie next week.

You win the cup. All right. Cool. Cool. Cool. Great. Awesome.

See you in 2024. And there's videos of them in school, I guess, that I'm seeing all over the place, too. That's one St. Louis.

Tatum learning how to tie a tie. That's kind of a famous one. I think they're in like science class in one of them. So cool.

Yeah. That's Chaminade High School in St. Louis. Shout out. Shout out to Chaminade, St. Louis. Good night for them. No doubt. A shout out for you for giving where the boys are a shout out. Thank you, sir. Hour two coming up. Riveting, incredibly moving, captivating and addicting. Binge seasons one and two of In the Red Clay now, wherever you listen.