Vikings Moving Off Dalvin Cook (Hour 4)

The way we go out of the former radio program, that's right, it is Zach Gildshoe on CBS Sports Radio. You look at the NFC, and Ben Lieber, former Minnesota Viking and does a great job for the sidelines for the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network, is going to stop by coming up 20 minutes from now. But you look at this NFC, you know on paper, heading into this season, the two best teams are the Philadelphia Eagles and then also the San Francisco 49ers. Last year, when we were looking at the NFC, people like Tampa Bay heading into the season, people like Green Bay as well and also the LA Rams, and all three of those teams were just horrible. The Packers missed the playoffs, Tampa Bay, they made the playoffs just because they won their crappy division and the Rams dealt with a litany of injuries. So just because you go into a season thinking you know who the top three teams are, doesn't mean we actually know who the top three teams will be. But, you look at the NFC right now, I can only tell you who I think the two top teams are, and that's the Eagles one and the San Francisco 49ers too.

There's a grouping of teams that you look at that could be the third best team in the NFC, Cowboys being one of them, Detroit being one of them, Seattle being another, and the Minnesota Vikings. But when it appears that the NFC is right there for the taking, and you've been this loyal to Kirk Cousins for this long if you're the Minnesota Vikings, I don't get why you would take away from the offense like Minnesota did today. Where it's expected that Dalvin Cook is going to get released, and if he doesn't get released, a trade then is going to get done here in the 11th hour.

Now I'm not shocked that the deal did get, you know, that it is trending this way. Even though with how long it was taken, Hickey and I were talking about this, maybe he's going to surprise some people and stay, and they'll keep him in Minnesota, similarly to all the speculation and all the noise also at the running back position with Joe Mixon. And now Joe Mixon is, from our knowledge, staying put with the Cincinnati Bengals. But you look at what Minnesota did today, I know you're saving money, and people will tell me the finances of it, but what are you doing with that money to improve your football team for this year?

And this isn't as if it's March, or it's April, we're in June. And you're not going to be the team that goes out there and signs the Andre Hopkins because you don't need them. So what are you doing now to improve your football team?

And if you're going to tell me you're going to bring in a defensive player, okay I'm all ears, Frank Clark just ended up signing with the Denver Broncos on a one year deal. So I'm looking at this, and I'm just trying to figure out how this makes sense. Even if you think Dalvin Cook is starting to decline, to just save money, you're going to get rid of Dalvin Cook and basically get nothing back? I don't get that. And I don't like that. And I don't like the message that it sends to the rest of the locker room in Minnesota. And sure, you may logically look at this and say, well, Minnesota, even though they have Justin Jefferson and they made the deal last year for TJ Hockinson and they just drafted Addison, maybe they're moving on from Kirk Cousins after this year.

If you tell me that, fine. But you have Kirk Cousins on your team this year. So, when you just did go 13-4, even though we all kind of looked at that and called it a fraudulent 13-4, and a team that we didn't really believe in, and we would irritate Scott in California who would call us up each and every week when they'd be winning all these one score games.

What are you guys going to give them credit? I just said to Scott all year, they're good. They're just not great. And I don't view them entering this season with Dalvin Cook on that roster or not as a great football team. But you don't need to be great to maybe go to the Super Bowl in the NFC. We look at the teams that are viewed as great in the NFC.

Right now, it's Philadelphia. And the San Francisco 49ers have a great roster outside of the great unknown at the quarterback position. I don't know what Brock Purdy is going to do this year.

You know they don't like Trey Lance. And I'm not believing all this hype that people are trying to drum up in the Bay Area about Sam Darnold. So, it's not inconceivable in a game where a lot of injuries are suffered where maybe unfortunately a bad injury happens to Philadelphia. Or the 49ers can't ever figure out their quarterback position. And if that's the case, and one of those teams aren't as great as what we think, then the team that is the third best team in the NFC moves up the ladder a little bit. And now you have a division where sure, the Lions are improving. The Bears still have a lot of work to do. Green Bay, I don't know what they're going to be this year, but they don't have Aaron Rodgers. You know, I'm pulling and rooting for Jordan Love, but they don't have Aaron Rodgers.

So of all years to dump Dalvin Cook and basically get nothing, this year doesn't line up for me. And this is coming from someone that likes Alexander Madison. That thinks Alexander Madison can be a solid running back in this league. But how did this make Minnesota better?

It didn't. And I don't like the message, not that losing a running back is the end all be all. But I don't like that message that it sends the locker room when this guy has been responsible for a lot of yards, a lot of touchdowns the last four years. Four straight years of a thousand plus yards in this league as a running back.

And I know that price tag is big. But what are you doing now to capitalize off getting rid of him and saving money? And if I'm Dalvin Cook, you may be walking to a team like Miami loaded with offensive talent, maybe walk into a team like the Jets that have Aaron Rodgers. I don't think Buffalo gets a deal done, but if you go to Buffalo, you're on a Super Bowl contender. For Dalvin Cook, I don't think this is the end of the world. Now, I know it's tricky for running backs, getting paid and all that, and he'll probably get a one year deal somewhere.

And then if he plays well, he could play himself into a nicer contract the year from now. But I look at Minnesota today, Hickey, as a team that I don't know what they're trying to accomplish this year. And I know most of America is very bullish on the Detroit Lions. But it's not a foregone conclusion.

It's not, oh, let's pack it up and go home. The Detroit Lions are definitely going to win this division. And Minnesota has a realistic case where outside of Philadelphia and the 49ers that they could claim that spot as the third best team in the NFC.

I get it. Their defense is bad. Their defense has been putrid the last few years. But the defense was bad down the stretch last year and they still won 13 and four. Now, in the playoffs, their offense was fine up until that last just dumb dump off to TJ Hockinson. But their defense cost them that game. And I look at the NFC this year, if they were the AFC, I wouldn't be screaming and going nuts about this. I wouldn't. But in the NFC.

It's not ridiculous. Where you look at a team that I don't think anyone looks at Minnesota and goes, I feel good about them get into a Super Bowl or even getting to an NFC title game. But you don't have many big speed bumps in your way in the NFC outside of Philly and outside of the 49ers. And there really is not that much of a difference when you're trying to make the case of who's the third best team in the NFC. When you look at a team like Dallas, a team like Seattle, team like Detroit and a team like Minnesota. Kirk Cousins is good.

Not great. Justin Jefferson, stud, one of my favorite players in the NFL. KJ Osborne, underrated, good player.

Addison, we'll see what it could be. But just got drafted in the first round. Did a wonderful job at Pitt with the Blitnikov Award.

And then did play at USC this past year with Kayla Williams. But I'm looking at this hickey and I'm looking at the NFC. This is not the year to get rid of a guy that's still a good player. You know, on the defense side of the ball, Patrick Peterson. And to Darry Smith, you want to get rid of those guys? I can understand it.

They're older. And I know Dalvin Cook has some mileage on the body because of the position that he plays and how much they have used him. And did he have his best season last year? No, but he's still a productive player. He's still a player that if I'm a Minnesota Vikings fan, that I would want on my roster. If it means that I'm just getting nothing back for him.

And don't give me this nonsense. Oh, tomorrow they find someone that will give up a six round pick for Dalvin Cook. That's nothing. And since like if they would have got a third round pick, which was rumored in that Albert Bier report from the Dolphins at the draft. OK, I could live with that.

I could live with that. But once you didn't get that deal done. And you've had this delay.

I don't know how much how much and how many dissenting voices you had maybe behind the scenes. And maybe that's why it's taken this long to get the decision or they were just waiting and waiting, waiting. And hopefully a team would get desperate and call them and bail them out. But to make this move, if it goes this way, which it's been reported that they're most likely going to release him. It's really a head scratcher to me because the way that I'll say this, I don't think this is a necessary move. If it was a necessary move, that'd be one thing. But this is unnecessary, in my opinion, to get rid of Dalvin Cook. Yeah, I just don't really see what the point is. If you are going to sign someone, OK, fine now.

And you want to free up cash face. OK, different story. You're treating him and getting a better player in. OK, fine.

Different story. They are releasing him basically or bare minnow or I guess the best case. You get a late round pick for Dalvin Cook.

If someone comes at the last second before. Which I'd be surprised. They plan to release him sometime tomorrow. So you are going to lose a player who has had four straight thousand yard seasons. Save some cap space, which at this point on June 8th is irrelevant.

You're not right. You're not really making a lot of moves that you're going to use that 20 million dollars worth of cap space on. And you are taking away from a team that, yes, still has playoff and Super Bowl aspirations and not keeping them around. They even said, you know, we got Jordan Addison, Justin Jefferson, we got KJ Osborne. We're going to throw the ball so much this year that the run game is going to be relevant. Even if that was the case. Don't you still want a good running back in the backfield?

Just bare minimum as a threat. I just don't really see what the point is in the passing game to. Yeah, I don't really see what the point is in releasing him, getting nothing back and saving money this late in the game.

You really can't use that much going forward this year. I know it doesn't impact this year, but if I'm a Viking fan, you better be getting the Justin Jefferson deal done this offseason that like I know two and two don't line up together. But if I'm a Vikings fan today and you see that they're getting rid of Dalvin Cook, I don't want these negotiations with Justin Jefferson to linger. And now he's entering year four in the NFL. I know that the Justin Jefferson salary is what the salary is this year, so it's not even saving you money for this year with Dalvin Cook and things like that.

But you better then shortly after this Hickey have a deal done and ready to be signed with Justin Jefferson. That's just the way that I would look at it if I was a Vikings fan. And you expect that before week one? I don't know. Wouldn't you think it's pretty essential to lock this guy up with how much the wide receiver price is just keeping going up and up and up?

I would say yes, but also at the same time, I've heard nothing in the sense that even they were talking. It doesn't seem like there's any sort of traction going on. I don't know if they're just waiting it out. And because you have the fifth year option, you can kind of slow play this and maybe next year is the year that you really kind of go all out in. It's not exactly like quarterbacks where after year three, it's kind of a let's race now and get a bargain. But I guess at this point, unless I'm just totally missing the boat here, I would be surprised by week one if we're seeing Justin Jefferson have a new contract announced.

If I'm the Vikings, though, where you look at before in the past, I should say, Justin Jefferson said to this show how much he has a good relationship with Kirk Cousins. But if you're potentially going down that road that this is Kirk Cousins last year, I think it's very fair to say on the final year of a deal that this is looking like with a new regime in there that this could be Kirk Cousins last year. Finally, in Minnesota, I'm not letting it get to a point where next year you go into the final year of that contract because it's now his fourth year in the NFL. And I'm not letting it go into where you're in that fifth year option year where you're then ushering in a new quarterback and seeing if Justin Jefferson likes that guy or it's kind of a punt year. I know you can eventually franchise tag him for two times, but I would not want this to be if I'm Minnesota, you can't get it to a spot where Justin Jefferson wants out.

And that's why I would now work to get this done now. I know it doesn't really line up, but from a fan perspective, if Dalvin Cook's not going to be on this roster this year, and you're going to lose him for nothing, you've got to give me something positive. Go on out there and get a deal done for Justin Jefferson because the longer this thing lingers, I think it's more and more likely that maybe Justin Jefferson starts to look elsewhere.

I'm not saying I don't like Minnesota. I'm not saying that whatsoever, but it's kind of lining up where I just don't know what direction long-term Minnesota's moving in where you could go for it this year. And now you're getting rid of Dalvin Cook, and then a year from now you may not even have the quarterback that's on your roster right now still on your team. I think those are a lot of moving pieces, and I just hope it doesn't get to a point where Justin Jefferson's like, okay, I want out of this team. I don't think this team has their act together. I mean, for me, cutting a running back, again, we just talked about last 15 minutes, we're in agreement, that would not lead me to, I guess, be concerned about Justin Jefferson getting fed up. I get it, but look, if they do move on...

But if he doesn't like it, and then you don't have the quarterback next year... Well, Minnesota's a very attractive destination for a quarterback, so if they move on from Kirk, it's not like everyone's looking at that spot going, oh, don't stay, keep me far away from there. I don't know. They have three great, really good receiving corps. What quarterback wouldn't want to play in there? I just, I don't know. Who's going to be available?

Attractive. But Mark Jackson just signed the contract. Who do you get it? So it's like we see disgruntled quarterbacks happen, you know, get frustrated a lot. So, a situation where I think if you're Minnesota, I don't think you're worried about it just yet.

Yeah, well, I think that's a mistake. I got to get this deal done ASAP, because I'm not letting it get to a point where there's some gray area and then Justin Jefferson's like, okay, I don't want to be a part of that organization. We'll get to Ben Lieber coming up next at the Zach Gelb Show, CBS Sports Radio.

So it looks like the Vikings are moving on from Dalvin Cook, whether it's going to be a trade getting done in the 11th hour, them just releasing him at some point tomorrow. Let's head out to the guest line and welcome in a former Vikings linebacker who does a great job of part of their radio network, and that, of course, is our pal in Ben Lieber. Ben, how are you? Zach, I'm doing great, man. How are you doing?

I'm doing fantastic, and I appreciate your time. If I'm a Vikings fan today, I know you can't be shocked by this news because it's been speculated for a while, but I'm annoyed by it. How is the Minnesota Vikings fan reacting today when it looks like we're finally going to get an outcome on this whole Dalvin Cook situation? You know, I think annoyed might be the right word because I think that people do understand. I think the fans, they get it. I think they understand why he got released.

I mean, it's not because they don't like him. It's not because they didn't think that he was valuable. It's just like, look, it's a contract thing. When Quasi, the GM for the Vikings, took over this job, I mean, we were not in a great cap situation. Tough decisions had to be made.

A number of veterans got let go of this offseason, and he's just another one of the beloved Vikings that is going to get released and not be on the team for this next season. So I think annoyed is the right word, but I think that there is a fair amount of understanding. You know, I think it is bizarre when you look on social media where the fingers are being pointed. A lot of people are saying, like, oh, Quasi doesn't know what he's doing. He's in over his head.

And other people are saying, no, no, no. Rick Spielman has a lot to do with this. Quasi walked into a situation that's very tough and tough decisions have to be made.

I credit Quasi for making some tough decisions, and that's what you have to do as a leader. You've got to maybe keep your emotions in check even though he's a great player and a great person. You can't afford him. What does saving the money, though, do for them this year, this late in the game with, you know, pretty much a lot of the big name trades already being done and then also free agency for the most part being over? Well, something like, you know, if they could have traded him, which, you know, unless something happens in the next couple of hours is not going to happen. And at that point, like, what's a six round pick?

Like, seriously? Yeah, but there is a cap savings, you know, that is decently significant. So if it's a post June one trade, it's $11 million savings.

If it's a post June one release, it's $9 million. So if they could trade him, and it doesn't matter, trade him for a seventh round or a cup of coffee, doesn't matter. You just trade him with the designation as a trade and you gain $2 million versus releasing him.

So there is a benefit to finding a trade partner. It just sounds like I doubt a deal is going to get done. They've already told his camp that they're going to release him tomorrow. So there is a $9 million cap savings that will eventually go to Justin Jefferson's new contract, which I imagine will happen at some point in time before the season starts. Oh, you think that deal is going to get done for Justin Jefferson before the season starts?

Because we were actually just talking about this right before you brought it on. And I just said, I know they probably don't have much to do with one another, but if I'm a Viking fan, I hear that Delvin Cook is no longer going to be here. I need Justin Jefferson locked up and getting a long term deal done before the start of the season.

Yeah, I think that makes the most sense. It sounds like that's kind of where it's trending that something will get done before the season. Now, he has not been at OTAs. I imagine he's going to be at minicamp.

I don't think that it's necessarily a true peacock move where he's just like, all right, let's play a game of chicken and let's see who flinches. I think that he probably wasn't going to show up for OTAs anyway. Justin's the greatest blend of everything. He gets it. He knows how to be a showman.

He knows how to be a performer. But he also is, I think, quickly understanding his value within the league and not just the Minnesota Vikings. I think there is a leverage play here, not showing up for OTAs, but he's being quiet about it. His camp is being quiet. He's not out there doing weird things on social media to make it seem like he's unhappy or he's disgruntled.

He's just like, hey, I can play this business game too. I don't have to be there. I'm not going to be there. He'll most likely show up for minicamp here next week. Hopefully, I think for all parties included, including the fans, I would like to see Justin get wrapped up and become one of the highest paid players in the league because he deserves it. I think he's going to have a great value in return, so get the deal done and move on.

I love Justin Jefferson and agree with everything that you just said, but you never want to put him in a spot where he starts to want out. Who knows what the future of this team is going to look like because I don't even know if the quarterback is going to be there coming up a year from now. That's the last thing you want is not having a quarterback and then a wide receiver goes, yeah, I'll go elsewhere to get my money.

Well, that's just it. I think Devontae Adams felt the same way. I think he knew the writing on the wall. He and Aaron are super close. You've got to think that his departure has a lot to do with, he didn't have a lot of confidence in knowing that Rogers is going to stick with Green Bay. Here we are right now and he's a jet.

I don't think that you want to go down the road of flirting with this idea that, if we don't have a guy that can throw him the ball, then what am I going to do here? I think you just lock him up right now and you take away any sort of negative thoughts or any sort of question marks. But that whole thing with Kirk, it's real. He's admitted it. He's like, look, this is not the first time I've been on a one-year prove-it deal. He's like, I understand where the Vikings are coming from. I've got to go out there and prove that I'm worth another extension. He wants to be here.

He's saying all the right things. I think he's going to have an incredible season and really put the Vikings in a tough situation. I think he's really going to flourish once again with a better defense under Brian Flores.

All of a sudden you're like, well, what do you do? You've got a guy that's been super durable that can really make this offense go. He's got a lot of weapons. Do you just kind of blow up the quarterback position even though you've got these high-valued receivers and players? Ben Lieber, what do you think that defense will look like this year?

Because we've talked about this before. You don't sugarcoat it. The defense the last few years has just not been up to par. No, they've sucked.

I mean, not been up to par is being really nice. They've been god-awful. It's been frustrating. Every game you think, okay, this is the game where I think if they just turn it around and they play better defense, to play better run defense specifically, it's going to be better.

The same thing just happens over and over again. They play this flat-footed, stagnant defense that basically you just telegraphed where all the holes are going to be. You telegraphed where the coverages were going to be. You telegraphed basically every blitz that was coming.

The change needed to be made and now we're going the complete opposite direction. Flores is bringing an attacking, on-your-toes sort of defense. It's going to be a lot of guys at the line of scrimmage. It's going to create a lot of chaos. By doing that, just by creating chaos and being deceptive, does that mean you're going to be good? Look at the Lions from last year.

It took a while for Aaron Glenn to figure it out. He is very much a blitz-heavy, same sort of philosophy. We're going to bring a lot of chaos. We're going to make the offense really think. Their defense was terrible for two-thirds of the season before he started to figure out, OK, maybe I shouldn't blitz as much. Maybe I shouldn't live and die by this blitz and leave our secondary to hang out to drive.

Just because it's attacking style doesn't mean it's going to be better, but I do think the reputation that he brings is going to be better. Maybe not top ten, but it'll be better than 31st in the league last year. What message does this send to the locker room today with Dalvin Cook? Because before you came on Ben Lieber, we were discussing, you look at the NFC, you feel really good about Philadelphia. If the 49ers could ever figure out their quarterback, even if they don't, they're always in the NFC championship game, it feels like.

But other than that, this is right there for the taking. And I don't think Minnesota's a great team on paper, but they're a good team. And getting rid of Dalvin Cook, I think it makes them worse today.

You know, it's interesting because, yeah, you lose a home run hitter. I mean, you look at a couple games last year, and Dalvin absolutely was the x-factor late in the game. But if you're a statistics guy, you're going to lean on the whole net yards on first down.

And he's one of the worst when it comes to kind of feast or famine. It's either he was zero or negative yards or a home run hit. And you watch the games and that kind of does marry up, you know, versus what Alexander Madison can do. Now, we don't know what he can do when he's toting the ball and being the bell cow guy, but he does give you more positive yards on a more consistent basis. And with the signing of Josh Oliver, the best blocking tight end in the league in the offseason, the re-signing of CJ Ham, which a lot of people were surprised by, they're like, wow, we didn't think KOC's offense was going to value this fullback position as much as he is. And we all felt like the only reason he was on the team last year is because he was under contract and he's one of our special teams captains.

Well, he went out and earned another contract. And so it's telling me that we're going to see more fullback. We're going to see much more 22 personnel. We're going to see a lot more downhill in your face, aggressive style run game.

And that suits a guy like Alexander Madison. And even if it is two, three yards on first down, that's better than it was last year because Dalvin had a lot of zero gain yards on first down and really handcuffed our passing offense in second and third down. What do you think the Lions will do this year? Because I feel like if we put a poll question out there, who's going to win the NFC North, the Lions will get the majority of those votes right now, just with the way that people are talking about them.

No, I think that's true. I mean, there's a lot of people around here, a lot of Vikings fans thinking the same thing. And I think that's fine. I mean, you know, it is a nice kind of pat on the back if in the off season you get a lot of love.

But I think that's also a dangerous spot to be in. You know, they're going to go out and earn the respect on a consistent basis. So I kind of like the fact that the Lions, rightfully so, are slated to win NFC North. It puts a target on the back. It puts them in a position that they've never been in for, what, decades. And let's see how they handle it. Let's see if they can handle success. And I like the fact that every week the Vikings will get doubted, because you'll look at the season last year and a lot of people say, look, first round loss to the Giants, you know, they were the paper tiger, like they claim a lot of people were saying they were through the regular season. So they still have a lot to prove.

And I like being in that position. Ben Lieber, when you look at Green Bay this year, what do you expect Jordan Love here? I know it's not year one, but it's basically year one as him as a starting quarterback in this league. It's funny that I think the offense is going to be more dynamic. I don't know if it's going to be more productive, but I think as a defender, you're going to have to think about a lot more stuff. You can probably gain an advantage just off of inexperience that, you know, Brian Flores is going to be chomping at the bit to show him some disguises and roll his safeties around and move his corners up and down. I'm just going to give him a bunch of different looks and he'll win that battle. But when it comes to defending everything, the running part of it, the scrambling part of it, the ability to create, I think he's going to have a little bit more of an upper hand than what Rogers has been doing the last few years. Even though Rogers is, you know, he still ran around quite a bit.

He still created quite a bit. I think just Jordan's going to give him a little extra athleticism in that spot, and that's going to be tough to defend. When we get to the future of Dalvin Cook, Ben Lieber, where do you think he's going to wind up? I know everyone keeps on talking about Miami. You hear a little bit about Denver. Maybe it is with the Jets, with Aaron Rodgers. You had to take a guess. Is it Miami or someone else? You know, I think his familiarity with George Payton and Denver, I think, kind of puts them on the top. And I got to be honest, I know a lot of players say they want to play close to home.

I don't know this for anything. I'm just making an assumption here. I don't know if Dalvin going to Miami is as easy as people, you know, make it sound like, oh, he's going to go back home, be close to family and friends and blah, blah, blah. Like, a lot of players don't necessarily want to do that. That's a big time distraction factor for the player. And, you know, they are sitting on a really good team right now, so he might just be looking at the bigger picture.

But I think for maybe comfort, for a GM that really knows him and George Payton, I would actually put Denver on the top of that list. Ben Lieber, make sure you check him out. Does a great job. Part of the Vikings Radio Network.

Does a great job with K-Fan as well. Ben, thank you as always. Hey, no problem, Ryan. I hope you have a, or Zach, I'm sorry. Why did I call you Ryan?

I don't know why I called you Ryan. Zach, have a good night and, yeah, we'll do this again soon. You got it.

Thanks so much. There he is. Ben Lieber joining us on CBS Sports Radio. I actually thought for a second there, Ben Lieber was about to take, we had him on this show a ton. I thought he was in one way going to take some sort of shot at Ryan, Haate, Hickey.

And I don't know what's going on right now. I think my ship is being sabotaged because this is a long conversation that Hickey and Ben Lieber are having right now. So, Hickey, when he said your name, you had a big smile. I thought he was about to take a shot at you.

No, me and Ben are tight. You know, I texted him 20 minutes ago as a reminder. I talked to him first on the phone. He just, he associates now, I guess, me and him just chatting along.

Good times. I thought he was going to take a shot at you. No, no. He has texted me before while, like, we've just been on the air. So, I don't know, maybe he was in on kind of teaming, because most people are in on teaming up against you. Just the way that it works around here. Now, maybe.

I thought he was joining the Leroy Hoard team. Tables are turning. Watch out.

The momentum is shifting. Let me tell you, I'm real nervous. I may wear some bubble wrap and a helmet to work tomorrow.

I don't know. Those palms look awful sweaty right now. Maybe just get a fly swatter. Just get rid of you real quickly. You and maybe Jack Stern as well.

Just swatch you guys around CBS Sports Radio. First of all, you cannot swat me around. Why? Come on. You're very easy to swat around. No.

No, no, no, no. You're like a pencil. A pencil? Yeah, you're like a pencil.

Put one of those, you put one of those thumb things on it to help you write. If you want to say you have a little, you know, thickness to you, if you want to say. One year ago today, I should remind everyone, I'm not a pencil. I'm not a pushover.

I could not be swatted around with a fly swatter. What happened one year ago today on this show? June 8th, 2022. What happened? I don't know. Oh, I remember. Forty one push ups down the chute in a row from yours truly. No big deal. So, yeah, try to swat me around.

Those four don't push up. We'll just break that fly swatter in half. Ben Lieber just texted me. He said, dude, so sorry for calling you, Ryan. That's an insult.

And that was stupid. No, that last part, I don't believe. I don't believe. Kevin, you can confirm right there.

Hey, I can. Ben Lieber off the good list. Cross him off. I just the ink is barely drying on Ben Lieber.

Nice list. He just fly swatted you. That's what he just did. Done. See you later, Ben.

All right. We'll come back with the closing bell. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Another day is in the books and we're taking stock of the sports world. It's time to find out who's up and who's down. Let's end the day right and hit the closing bell.

Only on the Zach Gelb show. Let's start things off. Last night, Ellie Dela Cruz first career home run. Listen up to the great call by John Sadak on Valley Sports, Ohio. Tennis match. Golf tournament silence.

Anticipation to see what. That wasn't just a home run. Almost exited the ballpark. That ball had a family. I love that call. Just what a monstrous blast last night. Belly Dela Cruz there. The number one overall prospect.

Give him a stock up. Last night in the association. NBA finals. Game three. Nuggets take a 2-1 series lead. Nicole Jokic, 30 plus points and a triple double. Jamal Murray, 30 plus points and a triple double. The first time ever in the history of the NBA, where two teammates combined for 30 plus points and a triple double each.

And also the first time in NBA finals history that you have a player go for 30 plus points, 20 plus rebounds and 10 assists. That's what happened for Nicole Jokic. What a duo.

The best duo in the NBA, Nicole Jokic and Jamal Murray. Give them a stock up. Maybe Dalvin Cook going to the Denver Broncos, but we know Frank Clark is winding up with the Denver Broncos. I like that. Good move by the Broncos today.

Give them a stock up. Bryce Young in the least surprising news ever. The only thing that could be surprising about it is that how quickly this did take. But he is now the number one quarterback. QB won for the Carolina Panthers.

You still have to go through the process and all of that. But Hickey, thankfully, we didn't get one of these stupid things like last year. And I know he wasn't the number one overall pick, but he was a first round pick. But the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers, the first few games of last season through us, Mitch Trubusky. I didn't need to see Andy Dandy Dalton get thrown to the wolves and prevent us from seeing Bryce Young play on NFL football field. I'm just happy that we're trending in this direction that Bryce Young will actually end up logic. You know, the logic is prevailing and will actually end up starting game one for the Carolina Panthers. I don't know why, but I think a lot of coaches, especially in the NFL, sometimes hate common sense. This is not one of those times. Credit to Frank Reich. Common sense prevailed. Does Frank Reich even have a choice? Well, no. Credit to the Panthers.

David Tepper would say, Frank Reich, you're out of here. The charade has ended and it ended really even before it started, which is also a good thing as well. You don't need to go into a training camp having Andy Dalton taking reps.

The first team reps go into the first preseason game. They did the right thing. And you know what it is? A lot of times coaches and GMs are just afraid. You never want to throw someone too early because they know if he doesn't pin out, then I could be out of a job. Just stop being afraid. It's really ridiculous.

Let's hear just this Jackassery from Jimmy Dunn. He explains why despite losing 66 of his colleagues during 9-11, he's confident that the people associated with Liv had nothing to do with the terrorist attacks. This was courtesy of the Golf Channel. Every day, the first thing I think about is that several times during the day, I think about it. And the last thing I think about at night is that. That has not changed since that day.

And I'm not alone in that. I would guarantee that every one of those family members has that same condition. And it's it's it is just a reality of how unbelievably sad and awful that day was. So I understand that and I am quite certain. And I have had conversations with a lot of very knowledgeable people that the people I'm dealing with had nothing to do with it.

And if someone can find someone that unequivocally was involved with it, I'll kill them myself. But the reality of it is we need to come together as a people, even our country. We have too much divisiveness.

And at some point in time, whether it's our view of the Japanese or our view of the Germans, there is a point in time where you have to say, let's try to get to know one another. Let's try to understand two things. If you found out.

A person that made you lose a loved one. We're going back to 9-11. Right. If there was like an extra list of names that got released to Jimmy Dunn. Jimmy Dunn ain't doing anything. Number one. That's just him trying to be a tough guy in that moment.

Number two. Hey, can you explain this to me? How the heck is this deal in the golf world going to bring people together?

Like, what are we doing here? All these guys. Jay Monahan, who said, don't take the money.

What about the families of 9-11? And now you took the money. And then Bryson DeChambeau, it's time to forgive. It's been 20 years, 20 plus years.

And now you have this jackass and Jimmy Dunn. Just stop. Stop bringing up the 9-11 component. You all sound stupid. Like so dumb. Just be honest. You took the money.

It's a ridiculous amount of money. Everyone understands it. But stop just trying to justify it.

And at 9-11 and this and that, you all sound like a bunch of morons. You're like better off not even doing the interview. Let people trash you. You took the money. Just say we don't care. We took the money. It's amazing, Hickey, how all these idiots just keep on trying to justify it.

And they all have diarrhea coming out of their mouth. I think they're trying to put politics in sports. You know, everyone says separate the two. No politics in sports. We just want to watch the games. Golf, I feel like with this move is actually the opposite. Let's bring as much politics as we can into the sports world to show you that, hey, we're not just in it for the money. Every time they invoke something with the money and where it comes from and how there's no bad guys, they're bringing politics into it.

It's not working. I texted someone in the golf world today and I said, I'm a talk show host. It's never bad when people are talking. But these guys constantly defending the 9-11 component of this is stupid. They are just better off not doing interviews and shutting the bleep up. Don Monahan and Bryson couldn't have sounded so stupid the last 24 hours. Stockdown.

You know what? On the show on that note. Big thanks to Ben Lieber for joining us. I guess we'll thank Alan Shipnuck for coming on his phone connection. It was horrible.

I don't think he was really that much into the conversation. Big thanks to Hot Take Kiki as well and each and every one of you for listening to the radio program. We'll be back tomorrow on a Friday at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 p.m. Pacific. We out. Bye bye.

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