Most Intriguing New QB/WR Pairing In The NFL (Hour 2)

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Here is your college football fix only on the Zach Gelb Show. 78 days until Illinois kicks off its football season against Western Illinois. Last year, the fighting aligned posted a record of 10-3, and Luke Altmeyer, their quarterback, had a sensational season, and he's back for more. And he joins us right now on the show. Luke, appreciate the time.

Thanks so much for doing this. And how you been? I'm good. I appreciate it. Glad to be on.

Working hard. Working really hard to go win some games, I guess. Yeah, I know last year wasn't your first year as a starter, but it was your first full season starting at Illinois from the beginning to the end. Just how do you kind of look back at what you were able to accomplish individually last year? Yeah, grateful.

I think number one very thankful for the season that we had, the work that we put in, and all the all the products of our work. We worked really hard to create that 10-win season. You know, historically, Illinois hadn't been the best, hadn't put up the best numbers in the win-loss column.

So to be able to do that for the community and for our team and our fans and for the Big Ten was really cool. It meant a whole lot to me, but it was a lot bigger than me. But worked really hard for it. But to be able to play 13 games in a really competitive fashion was really cool in this league. It's always been my dream to be in the position that I am, to be able to compete at a high level, to win double-digit games in the Big Ten, the SEC, wherever it is, man, to be able to play at the highest level of college football is.

Is a dream come true, and I don't take it lightly. And I work really hard every single day to be my best.

So it's really cool, and we're excited for 2025 and creating some more memories. That's for sure. There's more change. There's always change, but there's more change than ever now in college football because of the transfer portal. You talk about building a program, right, and what Brett Bielma has been able to do so far, and you guys having that momentum of 10 wins.

How do you guys continue to build that program and top it this year when I know you guys return a lot of players, but inevitably players come and go more frequently now in the sport? Yeah, I guess the prerequisite to kind of building is kind of having the right people in the building, having the talent and the gifted people to kind of do it.

So, and I think that's there. You know, we had a 10-win season last year, and that just didn't happen. It's because we have a lot of talented players who put it all together in a unified way to go make it happen. And a lot of guys, like I said, are returning.

So, the prerequisite is kind of there. You got the pieces, you got the pieces of the puzzle. It's about putting it together in the most unified way.

So, and that just starts with Coach B, Coach Bilma's kind of identity of our program: being tough, smart, and dependable, being consistent, and showing up and being the best version of ourselves every single day and doing the right thing and respecting every single day and respecting every single opponent that we face, whether it's ourselves or the team that's across from us.

So, we're using our gifts daily to be our best, not taking a day for granted and attacking each and every moment that we have, an opportunity that we have to be our best. And that's not for any reason, just other than to exhaust our gifts. In the highest manner, and that is to go win a lot of games and to be our best and to set ourselves up for a great future. And so, we're doing it in a very unified and loving and caring way for each other. And that leads to success.

That was the formula for last year, and it's not going to change because we know it works. And like I said, we got the pieces to the puzzle. It's about putting it together daily to go do it on Saturdays. And that's our vision, that's our goal. And we expect to win.

And we're excited. We're a confident group. I know that you guys said that you have to kind of stay the course and not much change, but does it all feel? As if there's a higher bar now with what you accomplished last year? Because I was just reading a poll the other day from Joe Clatt.

He had you guys ranked as the 10th best team in the country entering this season.

So I know that you got to stay true to yourself, but does it feel different going into this season than it did a year ago? Yeah, it easily can feel different because there's a whole lot of outside media and outside sources telling you you're this or that, and it's very available and very accessible to us.

So it's not like we don't see it, that's for sure. And we understand that there's a target on our back, but we understand also that's that's kind of what we ask for. You know, we ask to be talked about, we ask to be on those polls and those preseason rankings and stuff like that. But at the end of the day, it does change a little bit, but man, you understand what's important and what matters at the end of the day. It's humility and character and doing the right things every single day to create that because those outside sources and voices, they don't know what goes on inside of these walls in this building every single day and the work that's put in.

So, and we understand as an older group and a more experienced group, that's what leads to being in those polls, to being in those top 10 lists.

So it's something that we ask for, certainly. You can pay attention to a little bit, but a little too much will kind of lead you in a negative way, I think. And I've found that out throughout my time in college. But understanding the daily grind, the daily work in a good manner is. The leads to those double-digit win seasons and championships and postseason success.

So that's what we're doing every single day. We have a good leader and coach Bilama, who's a legend in this business and will go down as one of the greats.

So we're being led by the right dude and got a lot of great pieces, and it's easy to get distracted, but we have a lot of good people to keep our head on straight. And naturally, Luke Altmeyer, there'll be positive voices, there'll be negative voices. There will be a contingent of people that will say, Oh, well, Illinois never had back-to-back 10-win seasons in their program. The other shoe's going to drop. You know, maybe they were just lucky last year.

For people that still don't believe in this program, what do you say to them? Yeah, for sure. But the good, there's the bad. You know, there's people who believe and people who don't believe, and for their said reasons and their explanations. But again, like.

I mean, our job isn't to really say to those people, you know, what we think. It's not. Our job is to go play football and let those people kind of make their money in their areas of, you know, saying what they want to say about us. You know, our job is to go work hard every single day and to go compete and expect to win and be confident. And, of course, the history shows that, you know, a good Illinois team can't really go back to back with it and be good again.

But that doesn't run through our mind one bit in this building at all. You know, we know, like I said, we have the pieces, we have the talents, we have the gifts, and we're set up in a position to go do it again. And we expect to do it. And that's just the bottom line. We're confident and we're going to go get it.

Not saying we're going to go undefeated and win 20, 20-something games, whatever it is, or whatever. We're just going to do our best. And we got the pieces to do it. We're not worried about what other people have to say, good or bad. We're not distracted and we're focused.

And that's just the bottom line. Our job isn't to go prove anybody wrong or prove anybody right. Our job is to use our gifts together to be the best team that we can be. And let the rest fall in place. Mook Altmeyer here with us.

So you started your college career at Ole Miss, and then you came over to Illinois. The last two years have been successful for you. There was a lot of talk, obviously, and you've talked about this before. If you were going to stay this past offseason, ultimately, why did you elect to stay with this program and with this team instead of maybe going back down south? Yeah, I just wanted to do the right thing.

I wanted to be in the right place for my future for the now, to be in a position to be able to sustain success, to be able to be at my best and to do the right thing for me personally and my future. And that's to be here around these people that have that I've earned my confidence and trust in and have rooted myself deeply to be a good quarterback here at the University of Illinois. And I have a lot of returning players that'll be with me that'll be back, my five-offensive line, and a lot of great pieces on defense and a lot of great pieces on offense. And my coordinator, my quarterback coach, and really everybody on the staff's back.

So I had no reason to go pick up and go do something else. I just didn't. I'm doing something really cool here. We as a team are doing something really cool here that means a lot to this community and to this conference. And we know that.

And so we have an opportunity to do something that's never been done here at the University of Illinois. And that means a lot. It's bigger than me. And so it means a whole lot more than just my personal fulfillments and what I want. You know, so there's a lot of substance in what I'm doing and where I'm at.

And this is the right place for me to be at. And I wake up every single day knowing that because I'm surrounded by right people, a lot of good talent, and we're set up to do something really cool here as long as we put it all together, like I said, in these summer months and early in August and into the season.

So this is where we want to be. We expect to compete with the biggest and the baddest, and we expect to win those games.

So we're excited. The team obviously had a lot of success last year. You obviously had a lot of success. But what's the next step for you individually in what you want to kind of show this year on the football field and get even better at? Yeah, I'm always trying to grow my game, whether that's within the position of being a quarterback, with my mechanics, my velocity, my power, my consistency, and all that comes through just being trained by the right people, being coached by the right people, and putting that together as experience goes on.

So, you know, there's a level of getting better within the position that you can talk for days about. And, you know, that's what I'm working towards. But in taking care of the football and things like that, and just putting my teams in good positions throughout the game, whether that's taking a sack sometimes or throwing the ball away or making a big time play, you know, just being the best version of myself. And that's working on my game day in and day out. But intangibly, you can always get better as a fifth-year college player, as a quarterback going into my third year here, being a quarterback here at Illinois.

You're expected to be the vocal leader, the kind of intangible guy that they kind of look to to kind of have that it factor and kind of had that eye the tiger kind of look to him. And that's something I'm developing every single day and very confident in because I know I got it. You know, I know I got it. I got the tools and the gifts inside of me to be able to be that guy. And I'm working tirelessly every single day to exhaust that in front of my teammates because I love them and I trust them.

And it naturally comes out because I'm passionate about what I do and for the people I do it for.

So just always trying to get better intangibly and within my game. And hopefully that'll show coming the fall.

So yeah. I'll tell you, Luke Altmeyer, my favorite part when I talk to college athletes is to hear about the adversity that they've had to overcome. And it makes you tougher, obviously. You don't have to just be a football quarterback to go through adversity in life and then become better for it. At the end of that 2023 season, when you weren't playing the last few games of the season, what did that moment really do for you?

And what did you really learn about yourself to get the player that we ultimately saw and the person that we ultimately saw last year? Yeah, it was really difficult, as you could expect. You know, I was going into that 23 season with the dreams in the palm of my hand, being a starting quarterback at the best conference in the entire country and with a team with a lot of expectations. You know, it was all set up for me. I didn't, you know, I did well in some moments, but overall, I didn't play well.

I just didn't. That's the truth. And so it was very, very difficult for me. It took a lot of soul searching and a lot of reevaluating of my values and beliefs and the confidence in myself and self-belief because I don't think it was a talent issue. It was just more of a, you know, afraid to fail and self-confidence and self-belief issue.

And so, and, you know, I was shook. I really was, you know, those last three games. And I didn't understand it at the moment, but I understand it now. And, you know, my strength and my confidence and my roots and values and principles are deeper than they ever were. You know, I wouldn't trade a moment in that 23 season for anything in the entire world because my character and my beliefs are so much stronger and deeply rooted than ever before because of it.

I'm more than 23. Season than I am for the 24 season because I know those hard times and that 23 season will carry with me forever. I learned a lot in success from 24, but as we all know, failure can teach it, you know, is one of the greatest teachers in all the world.

So it was tough, you know, even early in spring in 24, I was questioning if I even wanted to keep playing football because it was just so hard. It really was. It was difficult. I was going through it, but I kept putting, you know, one foot in front of the other, listening to the right people, getting the right help. And, you know, it ultimately I worked on my mental and spiritual and emotional side of my life because it was my really one of my first times of experiencing true adversity.

And I was able to get back up. And I was. And like I said, it wasn't a talent issue. It was just, I was afraid to fail. I was, I was scared of, you know, kind of doing the wrong thing.

And now, you know, I'm really freed up. I really am. And I believe in myself. I believe in those gifts and know I can do it. I know I belong.

So I'm really thankful for the people that helped me get there in kind of 2024. And now I just play, you know, have fun, smile. Enjoy being around my teammates and I do something I love rather than thinking this is this is who I am and this is the end-all be-all for me.

So, you know, and I'm grateful for it. I'm just grateful for the ups, downs, and highs, lows. And it was very, very, very tough, but something that I'll carry with me forever and didn't understand in the moment, but I understand a little bit more now. And as I go on about life, I'll keep on revealing what that time was in my life.

So very grateful for it. Pal for answer right there, Luke Altmeyer here with us. It's a preview of the Illinois season. Before you got to Illinois, you were at Ole Miss and you were competing up against Jackson Dart, who was a teammate of yours.

Now Jackson Dart, we're based out of New York, is with the New York Giants. What do you think Jackson Dart's going to be? Just out of curiosity as a pro quarterback in the NFL, and what's your relationship still like with him? Yeah, excited for him. You know, he's a guy who's worked hard.

You know, he's a kid who was kind of overlooked in high school, didn't really get a whole lot of traction until his senior year, and you know, was the Gatorade National Player of the Year for the right reasons. He lit it up and went on to do some cool things at SC and transferred to Ole Miss with me. And we competed and had some fun and grew a really tight, close friendship and bond because we really wanted the same things. We wanted to be great. And we were two quarterbacks in the same room, bouncing ideas off each other and just trying to get the best out of each other.

And so I love that dude. We, we, uh, every now and then we'll talk, but he's he's so focused on his thing. I'm so focused on my thing, and I haven't really seen him in a while.

So, we don't communicate often, but man, there's such a deep respect for, you know, from me to him, you know, because he's such a great player and a competitor. But just the friend that he was and the friend that we were together at Ole Miss was really cool. And I'm excited for him. I know he's going to do good things because, one, he's talented, but man, he competes and he loves the game and he loves his teammates. And the connection that he had with his teammates at Ole Miss was really, really cool.

So he's doing all the right things. He is, and I'm excited for him. Got a deep respect for him, and we have a close friendship. But haven't talked to him in a while because we've been doing our own things. But an Ole Miss legend and going to be a, you know, going to be a good pro one day.

So excited for him. How'd you wind up at Illinois after leaving Ole Miss? Why was that the right move for you? How did that all go down? Yeah, I was going to the portal and the end of 22 and just wanted to find a spot I could play.

That'd be the bottom line. I knew I could play at the highest level at the Power 4 conference, whether that was SEC, Big Ten, or the PAC or the Big 12, where it was. I knew I could play at the highest level and be effective and be good at where that was. It was just about the right opportunity and the right fit and the right people around me. And going into it, I just wanted to be valued and felt believed in.

And I remember my first meeting with Coach Bilama, who were in the portal for a quarterback. And he said, the one thing you'll get out of me is I'm going to believe in you every single day. And that's never going to change. And man, that was really eye-opening for me. I knew I'd be around the right people here at Illinois, and the opportunity was right for me to step in and to be effective and to go play and to make a difference in the offense.

And they were a good team in 22 winning. I think they were starting off 7-1, and didn't end the way they wanted to, but the direction and the leadership of Coach B was there. And I knew I could step in and be a. Part of it. And I think that's what you saw in 24.

So, and looking just to grow that.

So, very thankful I ended it up here. After the bowl game victory this past year up against South Carolina, what was it like in the locker room when you guys eventually talked to Coach B about that whole little kerfuffle that he got into with Shane Bieber? Did you guys have a little bit of fun in that moment looking back at it, celebrating a bowl victory? Yeah, it was cool. You know, after the game, everybody's just excited and fun.

And we were just competing. You know, not just players, but coaches were competing. You know, we wanted to win. And, you know, no one wanted to win more than our head coach, Coach Bielam, and he cares about his players.

So, you know, we know he's super stoic. He's an older guy. And he's about his business.

So we don't see a whole lot of that only on Twitter and kind of in those moments.

So to see him kind of compete and just let his human nature kind of come out, man, it fired us up and wanted us to go win even more for him and for ourselves.

So he explained it in the best way possible and it made a lot of sense. It did. He just, the bottom line, he cares about what he does and he loves his players and he loves to win.

So, and we saw that in that moment. There was really no other explanation for it.

So we knew that. You know what you should do? When you score your first rushing touchdown this year, I think when you celebrate, you do the substitution kind of celebration. Definitely stick. Yeah.

That could definitely stick. We haven't even thought about that, but I think that definitely could stick. Yeah, for sure. Well, there you go. We'll send you Zach Gilmore's shirt.

Maybe you'll just throw that up as well in the end zone. Last thing I'll ask you: just because you guys had a very good season last year, and we talk about the tough times. You had that stretch where you lost back-to-back games. We know Oregon's a heck of a team, and anyone could beat anyone in the Big Ten, and then you lose to Minnesota. Why did that Minnesota game?

Not end up derailing your season? Why did you guys play a really high level of football at the end of the year after that tough loss? Yeah, I mean, we just we knew what we had created early in the season, and we knew, you know, you know, in this conference, for one, it's very similar to the NFL. Anybody can beat anybody on any given Saturday. And, and, you know, we knew that Minnesota group was not just some average team.

They were a good team who had a really good defense and a sound offense to go do the right things. And they played really well. I mean, they, you know, their special teams got one that special teams player of the week made three long field goals. They did well on offense. They created some created turnover on defense.

They just played better than us that day. And it wasn't like we were, you know, a bad talented group. We just. You know, they played better than us, and that was the bottom line. And we had a deep respect for them, but we certainly want that one back.

We knew we could play a whole lot better, but we knew the bottom line. We knew we were a good football team. We'd shown it, you know, and it was proven.

So we moved forward and we put it to bed. We knew we had a lot in front of us, too, to win three games at the back end of the year to do something here at this university that was really cool and to put us in a spot to go play in a big-time bowl game against a good team to go win it. And we did. And we just, we knew it was in front of us and we knew that we had the pieces to do it. And so we worked hard.

We just, you know, every single day we showed up with the right mentality and Coach Abiden didn't, you know, his consistency was showed even more, you know, throughout that time of his love and care and his values never changed. It didn't. You know, we did the right things. We showed up, practiced the same way we did the week before and, you know, just kept on playing. We kept on putting one foot in front of the other and we played tough.

We played smart and played dependable and we believed in each other.

So And yeah, it didn't shake us. It was definitely difficult those, you know, the hours after because we knew we let that one get away, but. Kept going. You know, we kept going, kept showing up on Saturday, knew we were going to play a good team and played well, used our gifts to be the best. No, we know you guys are going to have a tough football team this year.

We appreciate it. Thanks so much. Really enjoyed the conversation. You do well, all right? Yeah, appreciate you, man.

Thanks so much. There you go. Luke Altmeyer joining us on the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. Love that conversation with the Illinois quarterback. What a story.

And what an answer, by the way, when he was talking about some of the tough times that he had to overcome in 2023 and the player that we got to see last year. And we're all curious to see what the next level is going to be for the Illini this upcoming season as they look to go back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in their program history. We'll take a break. We're talking quarterbacks next, in addition to wide receivers. We'll tell you more about it when the Zach Gelp Show continues after these short messages.

Great conversation with Luke Altmeyer, the quarterback at Illinois, joining us at a college football fix to start off this hour. It is a Zach Gelb show on the Infiniti Sports Network. Let's do this right now. We're going to go around the room. And we have a lot of new quarterback wide receiver duos in the NFL.

Which one are you most fascinating by? Where you have a new quarterback wide receiver tandem heading into this season. I will start with Stu Kovacs, who is your quarterback wide receiver duo. All right, mine is Matthew Stafford and Devontae Adams. I just think that obviously Stafford made the decision to stay with the Rams, which I think we all think was the right decision in terms of, you know, putting himself in position to win their Super Bowl.

And then you bring in Devontae Adams to replace Cooper Cup. I still think Adams has a little bit left, so to see what he does along with Puka Nakua, also, but obviously Adams is a newcomer there. To see what he does with Stafford and that Sean McVay offense to me is kind of intriguing. Yeah, and I'll say this: I think they upgraded at the wide receiver position this offseason. I love Cooper Cup, but he's played in 33 games in the last three years.

So that's a problem. Devontae Adams, I think, has more left in the tank right now than Cooper Cup. You pair him up Nakua. And you got Matthew Stafford back with the Rams, which also You have Kyron Williams in the backfield, too. The the Rams don't have many weaknesses.

And even look at their defense.

Now, this defense is established with Verse and Fisk and Young and Turner. Rams are a very, very, very good I think I was a year early on the Rams. Last year I picked the Rams to win the Super Bowl before the start of the season. I think I may have been. A year early on the LA Rams.

But with that being said, I think Stafford and Devontae Adams is going to be fascinating because Devontae Adams is now in a number two wide receiver position, kind of. With Puka Nakua, I think, being referred to as the one.

Now, he could be a number one Devontae Adams because we all know what his talent is, but Puka Nakua does get hurt from time to time in his young career, but he's been sensational in the NFL. And I was also reading something yesterday. That The Rams and Sean McVay were talking about how the preference was always to bring back Stafford this offseason. But there was conversations about him getting traded. And if he would have got traded, Aaron Rodgers could have been in play.

Could you imagine if Aaron Rodgers was the quarterback of the Rams? I don't know about you guys. That would have sucked all the life In terms of the fun that I had with the LA Rams and talking about the LA Rams in the last year or two. And it's nothing because of the fact that I think Aaron Rodgers is as terrible of a teammate as what people say. I don't believe in that.

I think the guys, the outside perception is Rodgers like this terrible teammate now. I think internally, a lot of people still do like Aaron Rodgers that's on his team. But Aaron Rodgers wash at this point of his career. Aaron Rodgers is not a top 10 quarterback right now. Aaron Rodgers is not a top 12 quarterback right now.

You know, maybe he's 15th or 16th. If Aaron Rodge is 15th or 16th, You know, he's not going to be a bum on the football field. He'll still have some moments where he finds a fountain of youth and he plays well. But Aaron is not this quarterback that I view as someone that go win a Super Bowl right now. Where Matthew Stafford, I do.

So I look at the Rams. I absolutely love that, Stu, that new connection of Stafford to Devontae Adams and how many looks Devontae Adams can potentially get when you also look at the rest of the team of Puka could stay healthy and also Kyron Williams. You gave a Doctor Evil smile right there, Santher. Wh when I said Aaron Rodgers is a Is wash. Why'd you smile like that?

Well, because I'm happy that my Jets got rid of him and brought in Justin Fields. They could have brought Zach Wilson back, and I would have been happy. Anybody except for Aaron Rodgers, get him off my team. Although, if he'd gone to the Rams, there would have been another year of Rodgers and Devontae Adams together, which would have been funny. That is true.

You know what? That didn't even cross my mind. But you would be correct on that being sufferable. Who's your favorite or most intriguing new quarterback wide receiver duo? I mean, as much as I don't like the guy, and as much as I'm glad he's off my team, Rodgers and DK Metcalf is fascinating to me.

Before Pickens got traded, you had Rodgers, DK, and Pickens. It felt like this incredibly robust passing offense.

Now, listen, I like DK Metcalf. He's a really good top 10, probably wide receiver, but they don't really have a lot else. Like, Pat Fryermuth is fine as a tight end. They don't have a ton of weapons there. The running backs, they lost their starting running back.

You know, Jalen Warren is good, but he obviously wasn't starting for a reason last year. Yeah, but they trusted him a lot. A lot of people like Warren better than Najee Harris. But there's a lot of Najee Harris slander where all this guy's done has been a thousand-yard running. And listen, I'm not saying Warren's not going to be good, but there's just questions.

So I'm super intrigued by the Rodgers, DK Metcalf. Like, what... How good is DK Metkev? He's been in this offense with Tyler Lockett and JSN. He's got all the tools to be great.

Rogers coming back in into this offense with Mike Tomlin. Arthur Smith, I just think it's going to be super fascinating to see how it pens. And the Seahawks clearly didn't think that he was a top-of-the-line wide receiver money because now you're paying wide receivers easily, well past $30 million, close to $40 million a year. And the Seahawks, even though DK Metcalf is young, they didn't think that he was worth that.

So I'm not going to give you these.

Now I'm sounding like Samter. But here are just some other potential options before I get to mine.

So Santa said Rogers and DK Metcalf. Stu said Stafford and Adams. You do a Sam Darnold and Cooper Cup. Linking up together? Um I would actually say it's really more so Darnold and Jackson Smith and Jigba as well.

But you do have Darnold and Cooper Cup. Either way, I don't believe in Sam Darnold. I just don't.

So it's not it's not very intriguing to me. You also have Drake May and Stephon Diggs. Oh, let's hope Stephon Diggs, if you're going to party, just. Don't broadcast it that you're partying, I guess is the best way to say it. But we did see how much Diggs really got Josh Allen going.

Could Diggs, at this stage of his career, make Drake May a much better quarterback? You do have Lamar Jackson and DeAndre Hopkins. Is that intriguing? Where D hop is at right now? Because I think really more of the duo is Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry personally.

That's what the duo is to me. I don't, I would say that Lamar and Zay Flowers is very good, but that's not a new duo.

So I understand why Lamar Jackson and DeAndre Hopkins are on that list. Here's a good one, also on this list that I'm reading from NBC Sports. Trevor Lawrence. And I think most people would look at that, and you still think Brian Thomas Rugers just got hurt, I believe. They would look or left practice would be like, oh, that's the guy, but it's new duos, Travis Hunter.

I still think the role of Travis Hunter is going to be fascinating. And how much of a two-way star is he going to be able to be in the NFL? Um also Jaden Daniels and Debo Samuel is a good one.

Now, is Terry McLaurin on his way out? I don't know, but the most intriguing one to me is actually Dak Prescott and George Pickens. And here's why. The new duo of Dak Prescott and George Pickens. Why is that intriguing to me?

Because Dak is up and down. Right? Also, The number one wide receiver there is CeeDee Lamb.

So this is why it's intriguing to me. George Pickens thinks he's Jerry Rice. George Pickens thinks he's the greatest wide receiver ever. George Pickens had issues in Pittsburgh With the dude that got dealt to the Panthers, and he's no longer on the Panthers. I don't even remember the guy's name anymore.

When it was the one-two punch there, Deontay Johnson. Thank you. You could say it on the air. You don't got to be in my ear. And then I popped my mic back as soon as I said it.

Maybe he felt he'd slight you if he said it on the air. No, no. He wanted to make you look good. I know that you don't always listen to the show because you have 9,000 jobs. I literally went on a rant the other day how when the producer gets in my ear when I'm looking for a name, I'm not like a lot of other insecure hosts here.

There's moments where you blank and you could just have someone else just say it on the air. I'm good with that. All right. I'm just saying, you know, sometimes it's like an instinct. Yeah, I don't take myself too seriously.

I'll just say that. Neither do I. But yeah, that that is for sure.

Well, maybe not. But Pickens to me is fascinating how he's going to get along with Dak Prescott, and he's in a drama machine in Dallas.

So, is there a chance that CeeDee Lamb is the hot hand and Dak Prescott's feed him, and the Cowboys are winning a game, and George Pickens is all salty on the sidelines? Absolutely. And when that happens, how will Dak handle it? How will George Pickens handle it? And how will Jerry Jones most importantly handle it?

So just because of the team he's on. And the fact that he's a number two wide receiver right now and he thinks he's a number one. I can't wait to see how George Pickens is going to handle that relationship with Dak Prescott. All righty, this is Zach Gelp Show right here on the Infinity Sports Network. We will update you some of the biggest stories of the world of sports with some audio.

When we come on back, we call that segment the news brief. But first up, with the latest sports flash, I won't get in his ear, I'll say this on the air. Here he is, the Ackman, Rich Ackerman. Time for your daily news brief. We get you caught up on the rumors, reports, and reconnaissance from the day in sports.

And this portion of the radio program, the Zach Hills show on the Infinity Sports Network, is brought to you by Ethos Life, the easy way to get life insurance in 10 minutes, up to $2 million in coverage with no medical exam. Just a few health questions. Get your free quote at checkethos.com. Not available in all states. Let's go to Tyrese Halliburton, an analyst picking the Oklahoma City Thunder to win the NBA Finals.

The commentary is always going to be what it is. You know, most of the time, the talking heads on the major platforms, I couldn't care less, honestly, like what do they really know about basketball. I mean, in a time like this, I'm not really on social media as much. I try to stay off it as much as I can, but you know, you see it, and ESPN might be on in my house, and there it is. And, you know, it is what it is.

But I think just seeing where I can be better is the most important thing.

So there are a lot of talking heads. This is why I don't like what athletes do. But there's a lot of talking heads who've never played. And there's also a lot of talking heads that have played and embarrassed themselves as well. And can someone just ask this question to Tyrese Halliburton?

This is what I would ask him. And I like Tyrese Halliburton. Here's what I would ask him though. Especially when he says it that way. You know, there's a lot of talkie heads who never played.

Well what about the Talking Heads, Tyrese? Or the players. That voted you the most overrated play in the league. Like, what if it's all about you either played the game or didn't? What did those players that are in the league right now, your peers, what did they not see about you?

That's what I would ask him. But yeah, obviously the thunder had been the team that most people have been picking. Obviously, the pacers they could say it or not, they use it as motivation. And clearly, Tyrese Halliburn this entire year, even after the slow start. has used some of the fuel that he's got.

to kind of propel him to these moments where he's just been a stone cold killer on the basketball court.

Alrighty, let's go to Pascal Siakam, one of the most underrated players in the league. This was with the SVP on the ESPN after the game. Pascal Siakam showed some love to the home crowd. My God, it was amazing, man. Five, I was getting chills out there.

Just the energy, everyone's just so excited. Obviously, first final in I don't know how many years, and it's incredible. I'm just so blessed to be a part of it, and the energy they brought tonight was awesome. And we go from the winning side to the losing side after game three. The pacers are now up to one.

Here's Shea Gilders Alexander, the league MVP, on his performance in game three. I feel like I had some good looks tonight that I miss and I usually make. There's moments where I could have been a little bit more aggressive I would say. Um But yeah, I watch film. beating everything up and Try to be better for this basketball team come next game.

And I can't wait to see what happens in game four. 'Cause in game one, right, the Pacers did their job, they came on back and it was unbelievable. Then they got blown out in game two. But I remember saying, going into game two, it was a must-win for the Thunder because if they did fall down. 2-0.

I just didn't see how they're going to come back and win this series. You dropped the first two on your own home court because you would think, right, go to Indiana, you'll split, and then you'll still be down 3-1. But in this case now it's similar. Even though the venue has changed where the Pacers are now up to one. And as the patients go up 3-1, I don't see how the thunder coming on back.

I don't.

So, this is a huge moment coming up tomorrow night in game four, and I can't wait to see how it's going to play on out. Here's Jalen Williams on being down 2-1 to the Indiana Pacers. We've been in that exact same. kind of predicament. This game 3 was a better game 3 than the ones we had.

So we'll take that and run with it, but Yeah, I mean It's very pivotal, obviously. You know, you don't like being down in a series, but we have been here before, so we'll use that experience and. work to get better from it. And let's go to Charles Barkley. He was on NBA TV.

He says, OKC in a game four, just like how I said it, is a must-win. Friday night? It's D-Day. Friday night is D-Day. That's their season.

If they get down 3-1, they're not going to win this series.

Now, if they get it to 2-2, they go back to being the favorite. Friday night. It's their game. Think about, remember they had KD? Russ and James.

It never got back to the finals again. Every time you get there, like, that might be your only chance.

So Friday night is huge for this organization. There you go, that's Sir Charles Charles Barkley. We go from Charles Barkley to Tim Hardaway. He was on the Post Up podcast. Tim Hardaway is not a fan of Halliburton trash talk.

I'm a talking person on the court. If you're out there and you're gonna talk, I talk whether I'm losing or whether I'm winning. You just can't talk smack when you are winning. That's when guys don't like you. Like, y'all had one of the best smack talkers in the league, Chuck Person, the rifle man.

And Reggie Miller. And then you had one of the best talk smackers as a coach. And Larry Bird, he talked when he was losing and all of them talk when they was winning.

So that was my problem with Hallenberg. When you out there winning, Don't yeah. You give it to them. But even when you lose. Don't clam up, don't get real small, I can't see you, and then you don't want to talk smack, and you behind, be hiding behind your teammates, stuff like that.

Can I just ask a question? Like, don't get me wrong, Halliburton. There's sometimes he's not as aggressive. But is he like hiding? And running off the quarter after they lose?

That d d did I miss something here still? Right? I haven't seen that. I haven't seen that either. That's weird.

Now his son plays in the NBA. Tim Hardaway, he did play for the Pacers for I think a year or two. I don't know, I just thought that was like a weird criticism. I think it started from the choke gesture against the Knicks. They won!

Yeah. So what's the big deal? I guess the point may be from his son. Maybe he knows Halliburton talks a lot of junk when he's winning and doesn't say as much when he's not. I don't know, but I think it all stemmed from the choke gesture.

Is he this great. Trash talker Tyrese Halliburton? Ha. I I don't think so. I don't know.

Maybe I'm just missing this one, but I just thought that was weird when I was listening to that. Here is Arthur Smith, the offensive coordinator for the Steelers on the offensive plan. Maybe they have concepts of a plan in Pittsburgh with Aaron Rodgers. You'd love to be more balanced, you'd like obvious, depending on how you want to attack this defense where you think their strengths, weaknesses are. I mean, that's the game that's played every Sunday.

And obviously, as your roster evolves, I mean, obviously, we didn't bring Aaron in here and sign DK for all that money. to go run the wishbone.

So, you know, you try to play to the strengths of your team. That's great. We decided to go run the wish boat. I like that line a lot. Arthur Smith.

You know, Arthur Smith's got a good football coach voice. I I've never realized about him. Arthur Smith, how about that? Maybe we'll be a head coach again in this league if it goes well on Alec Pittsburgh this year. Let's go to the roommate show.

This is Jalen Brunson, Josh Hard, and Matt Hillman. And this is Jalen Brunson and company reacting to Tom Thibodeau being fired. But yeah, this is my first firing. Obviously, I've known him my I've known him my entire life, but I remember like having conversations at moments with him when I was in eighth grade when we moved to Chicago. And just to see like where we are now, like Helped me become two-time all-star, two-time all-NBA.

The things he's done for me, like, obviously, individually, I'm so grateful for. Just because, like, he had that, he had that confidence in me that, like, I knew I had, but like it's great to see someone like Push it. Push it to be better. Obviously, I have my dad, and he always believes me more than anyone. But, like, to have Tibbs and the To do what he did for my career, I'm just so grateful and thankful for.

I just think that there should be nothing but praise for him and his time in New York. I agree. 100%. I don't think anyone's ripped him for his time in New York.

Now, yeah, there were people that said he was in a hot seat going into this postseason, but I think most people right now are at rate that he got fired. Because he took the team back-to-back 51 seasons for the first time since 1995, first Easter Conference finals appearance since 2000.

So I think a lot of people have respect and admiration for what Tom Thibodeau has done.

So this was a reaction. Or a confrontation. A fan, you know, sometimes fans that they. They mess around and they find out. I have to say this the right way without dropping any curse words here.

So some fan was trucking around with that Orzeron. And like, oh, can I get a picture, Cocho? And it was a video, and he was trying to get a gotcha moment with Cocho, and he said, roll tide. Here's how Ed Orgeron handled that. Here we go, baby.

Roll time.

Alright, here we go. Not really. I know. I mean, what was that about? Look, I respect you as a person.

I was a fan. I respect you as a fan. I wouldn't take those accuracy after I take a picture of you. I understand. Have a good day, man.

Hi. Where are you from? I'm from Alabama. What part? Tuscaloosa, actually.

So you gotta understand. That ain't no discord, dude. But look here, just just respect. Yes, sir. I mean, what the f, man?

Hey, if you're from Melissa, you wouldn't go to Nick Shaba and say go tigers, wouldn't you? I think some people would, but you wouldn't, you wouldn't, you wouldn't, you would. I love that.

Now, Nick Staben did win a national championship once at LSU. I don't think that's how a coach o meant it, obviously. But I love Coach O. I'm a big Coach O fan. Would have been great if he would have just said, Roll time, no, truck you.

Remember that video in the locker room when he's giving this speech? Roll time, no! Truck them! Or however he said it. Love me some Coachell.

I'll never forget being at the same Super Bowl party with Coachelle. And then the next day he came up to me, he goes, Zach. I'm a single man now. But wasn't there the most beautiful woman you've ever seen in your life at that party? It was unbelievable.

I had such a great time.

Alrighty, let's go to Gary Bettman. This is a real commissioner, unlike that slap, you know what interview that Adam Silver gave on ABC where they couldn't even give Kendrick Perkins a chance to respond and give a question. And then Kendrick Perkins is like, oh, you're the greatest commissioner ever, Adam Silver. Here's Gary Bettman when he's asked by the great one NHL and TNT, would they expand the Stanley Cup playoffs? Would you ever think about expanding the playoffs to like 10 teams in each conference?

No, no. Because I think our play-in is the last month of the regular season. There you go. Right? And to have a one-game play-in where you come up against the hot gold.

No, I'm not saying a play-in. I'm saying expand the playoffs. No, even that. I think what we have now is working really well. There's nothing as good in sports as our first round of the playoffs.

And anybody can win and anything can happen. At the end of the day, what we have is working really well. And everybody always wants to tinker. Let's change this. That's the beauty of sports.

I know this is like asking Which vegetable do you prefer to a kid? But the best commissioners in sports right now, one through four in the major sports. Number one, Goodell. Number two, Gary Bettman. Three, Rob Manfred, and then four.

Spineless silver, Adam Silver. He would expand the postseason to every team. Just don't even play the regular season. Just show up. You have a chance.

And Samson would be like, yeah, we like it. It kind of reminds me of soccer. Oh, geez. Stupid. Gary Bentman, we're not doing any expansion.

Our playoffs are fine just that we like it. Adam Silver.

Well, we're going to have the 7 and the 8 play. The losers then go on and play the winner of the 9, 10.

Soon they're going to add 11, 12, 13, 14. It's just ridiculous. I think the winner of the NTA tournament should get away from the game. It doesn't matter. What you think!

No, I'm just kidding. This is Hat Gelp Shot right here on the Infinity Sports Network.