Bucking Bronco in Denver (Hour 2)

Life comes with a lot of decisions, and it can be hard to know the right path sometimes. A therapist can help you map out what you really want, so you trust yourself to make great choices and feel excited about the future. BetterHelp offers convenient, professional, online therapy on your schedule, however you want it, by phone, chat, or video call. Let therapy be your map with BetterHelp. Visit betterhelp.com slash positive today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelpHELP.com slash positive. Alrighty, our number two of our radio program.

That's right, it is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. We'll talk to Joe Theismann on what is a glorious day for Commanders fans. Daniel Snyder out. Josh Harrison, goodbye to Daniel Snyder.

Don't let the door hit you or the good Lord split you. Except, I don't know about you, Hickey. I know Daniel Snyder is an absolute disgrace and an awful human being. It feels dirty that he ends up getting a little over $6 billion from this, so maybe the lesson here is just be despicable and just be a terrible human being and annoy so many people and make a fan base, not even care what goes on anymore, and you'll find a way to go get $6 billion. It's still a good day, obviously, but you're right, it is a little frustrating because at the end of the day, truly, he is the real winner when you get basically $6 billion now in your pocket. Not bad to be a bad guy. Not that he's hurting for money anyway, but you're right.

He'll live pretty comfortably. So I didn't really see much about the meeting today outside of two things. They sent a picture out where it looked as if it was just in a ballroom of a hotel room that they kind of put together and you expect all these billionaires in one room would be this extravagant setup.

It kind of looked like our set on Radio Row, where it was right outside of a Home Depot stand or something like that. So I was surprised by that, but I was also surprised. I didn't really see a lot of content from owners walking into the meeting outside of one where Jerry Jones set the tone. Well, you knew this was going to go through. I don't want to say I was surprised it was unanimous, but you never know with all these billionaires, maybe one or two guys go, well, what about the skeletons in my closet? So, you know, I'm actually going to sit here and not approve the sale and who knows what you're going to accomplish, but I think it's better for the league.

You knew that this was going to go down. So you want all the owners on board. And also if you're an owner and Daniel Snyder was the worst owner in the sport.

If this guy gets 6 billion, if you're an owner, this is like a good day for you because the guy was that dysfunctional and still walked away with this ridiculous profit. But I did find it funny that Jerry Jones did set the tone for this meeting where he's going to that escalator, up that escalator. Of course, he stopped to talk to whatever media was there.

And he said something on the lines of today's going to be a great day for the NFL and for all football fans. Did you hear anything from your guy in Jim Erce? Because remember, Jim was the first person that tried to really carry the, or was the first person that carried the baton here in the effort to really speak out and speak against Daniel Snyder. Because for years, whenever there's been a disgrace owner, it's always been hush, hush, hush.

Don't say anything. Just let's settle this all behind closed doors. And it was a little while ago where your guy Jim Erce, where right message, probably the wrong messenger, was the guy that was leading the charge to get Daniel Snyder out of the NFL. It should have been a day where he has his pointer finger in the air.

Number one, I'm the man. I got this going in the right direction, taking a little victory lap. But no, I did not see Jim Erce commenting anywhere so far.

I'm sure he's dying to take credit for it, but so far, maybe owners have put a muzzle on him. Well, I don't know if you could confirm or deny this report, but I was told from a very valuable source that Jim Erce has entered the witness protection program because Colts fans want to kill this guy after the uniforms that they released today. What are these called, the actual uniforms? Indiana Knights. Yeah, Indiana Knights. And they are an all blue uniform with black helmets? Blue bottoms, blue tops, like a light sky blue. So a little bit, I guess, lighter of a shade than their normal blue home uniforms with a dark black helmet that looks disgusting. Now I will say, I don't usually care what the actual players are wearing. People obsess over uniforms and I think it's a little bit too much, but I will agree with you on this one because I saw Hickey is the Colt guy around here.

We know that. And actually, like nationally, you may be the Colt guy too. I think you still have a few mountains to climb there, but you're at least somewhere on the mountain of climbing to being the Colt guy nationally. And right away, you had an instant reaction where you were just shredding the uniform the uniform and you did a quick YouTube video for your very popular Colts podcast. So I'll give you credit that you were playing to the audience and you were giving your genuine thoughts about the uniforms. But I was disappointed about one thing that you did in the video or did not do in the video.

Do you have any clue what I was disappointed with? Well, you've also been known as the shower take guy. So are you not crossing over in the Colts world as the shower take guy?

And is that just a CBS Sports radio thing? Because you have done all these takes or a lot of your takes where you're just slamming people over and over again in the shower no cap videos. So why didn't hot take Hickey be seen crushing the Colts uniform, maybe using like one of those joke Colts gift that I got you that you didn't really like, like wiping the soap off your face and then just crushing the uniform. I was surprised you weren't in the shower. Two things you are right.

It's more of a CBS Sports radio persona bits that I don't approve of a blue horseshoe podcast bit. That's number one. Number two, the real reason why was because I wanted in case people didn't see it, they could know what I'm talking about to show in the video, the uniforms I was referencing. And I'm not, listen, I bring my phone in in the shower. I keep it safe.

No problem. I would not be able to go in the shower with the runner warning with the water running. This is not some bit where I'm just standing in the shower and the water's not on. This is legitimately shower time when I'm in there. I would not trust myself to keep my laptop dry to be able to video myself, but also show the audience what I'm talking about. Well, two things, one, maybe you need to look into hiring an assistant that could have just held the laptop for you and join you in the shower or two, you could have printed the uniform and then taped it onto the wall of your shower and just position the shower head in a certain position. And I think that would have been funny if you kind of use that as if it was a green screen, as if you were showing the weather when you were, would be showing the uniform and just crushing the uniform of the Indianapolis Colts.

I don't think the piece of paper would have lasted, maybe have it laminated. And now we're talking, but that would have taken too much time. You got to be more committed to the bit. That will, that's what we've learned here today, but I was actually, I don't want to say I was surprised with how annoyed you were because you usually are a big uniform guy and like, it's ridiculous. You're almost a nerd when it comes to the uniforms, but you were actually really outraged. It wasn't one of those things.

There's some people in the media, let me just scream to scream. And you're not actually annoyed about something, but I thought you were going to cry at one point over uniform. I was actually hoping there was tears so we could have fun with it on the show today, but I thought we were going to get tears at how embarrassed you were. And I liked the line where you said, I know the Colts are going to be bad. And I know that they can't look good and play good because they won't play good this year, but at least look good if you're going to look like crap on the field. I thought that was a good line by you. Thank you, thank you.

That is the most frustrating thing. It's just like, yes, I will definitely admit I obsess over uniforms and how teams and players look more than I should and more than the average fan would. So with that said, to look as if you're going to do a alternate uniform, put some thought into it. You look like an XFL team. That uniform that they put out today, it looks like an XFL and Arena League team.

It really does. And the worst part is the timing where you had, I think it was yesterday, the Seahawks with their retro uniforms. Great. Beautiful. Browns introducing an all white helmet to go with their all white look. Beautiful. Today the Patriots with their great red Pat Patriot jerseys. Beautiful. Every team that's doing some sort of throwback, the Falcons bringing their red helmets back for I think more than just one game this year. Beautiful. Every team is doing a retro uniform. For the most part, that looks tremendous. Outstanding. And here are the Colts trotting that garbage out there. I said this and I do believe this for the most part.

A little tongue in cheek, but for the most part, I do stand with this. 33-0 leading against the Vikings. Hiring Jeff Saturday.

There have been plenty of embarrassing moments for the Colts. Pumping in fake crowd noise. Phil Polian crying. Putting the banner up. The finalist banner. The 2014 AFC finalist banner that is still hanging in Lucas Oil Stadium. Loses. Plenty of embarrassing moments during my life as a Colts fan.

These uniforms top it all. Oh, don't forget. It is that bad. Don't forget Peyton Manning throwing four picks in a playoff game, three to Asante Samuel. I will also put in there DeFlakey because I think it's embarrassing the Colts ratted on Tom Brady. I think it's, I don't care about it.

Whoa. I'm pretty sure I said that before. Well, I guess maybe not blaming the Colts, but I don't, I don't care at all about DeFlakey. I think that's the most overblown controversy. And I have, I hate to even put controversy out there, but I'll put in air quotes, controversy that the NFL has ever had to take on. Go Ryan, go. That's unbelievable.

I've never heard you say something like that. I mean, you really look back at that game and the stupidity of all the PSI was now right when it was a 45, seven and they couldn't tackle. I think it was like Aaron Blunt and still run it through them. And also all the eighth grade science people, science students that, that proved the NFL wrong to begin with.

It's just, I mean, who cares? Who was the Colts player that said they could have played with a golf ball and they still would have beat us. I don't remember, but he's accurate. Something Jackson maybe? Oh, DeQuel. DeQuel, their middle linebacker. I think that may have been him.

I could be wrong on that. But anyway, yeah, the Colts jerseys that they're how many times they can wear these jerseys once. And I hope just once against the Browns. I got you a Quinn and Nelson Jersey. You should award that Quinn and Nelson Jersey, which is a fine Jersey.

Nothing that like is an amazing Jersey. And she said, this is a real Jersey while you were in the shower going nuts, giving the take. That's what you should have done. It would have been awesome. It could have been the next, like leave Britney alone, leave the Colts jerseys alone.

It would have been great. You know what? I didn't think about that. I like that. This is a man's Jersey right here. This is going to get you four wins.

Those disgusting uniforms get you zero. So I'm off tomorrow. You're off tomorrow. Where are you going tomorrow? If you don't mind me asking the Jersey shore.

Oh, nice for a little, yeah. I'm cheating on long Island beaches. I'm going to the Jersey shore for a weekend. So when are you leaving tomorrow morning round? What time?

6.00 AM early. You have time tonight to get in the shower with the Quinn Nelson Jersey on. You've got some time. You could still get the take. The content's still there.

It's the, it's the low hanging fruit and it just waiting for Hickey to just snatch it up, snatch it right off that tree branch. My only concern, I'm not trying to reason my way out of it. And my only concern is I think the moment has passed. No, the moment has never passed for good content. The Jersey was released almost 12 hours ago.

I'm a little worried. I may have missed the boat. Nope.

On a good idea. No cult fan has done a video of them in the shower in an actual good or decent Colts Jersey, freaking out about the Jersey. No one's done it yet.

It's still there. It hasn't been done before and has not been done before. I'm just saying that's and this is a day and age where doing things differently, being the first to do something does resonate with people.

Resonate with people. I think you could be a pioneer for Colts fans. You're the voice that Colts fans need that.

I think it's October 22nd. Everyone would be in the shower with their culture as young boycotting the game. I will not watch with these disgusting uniforms on the field. I stand with Ryan and I stand in the shower while doing so in my cult blue Jersey.

All right. So earlier, her members are showing just in the last segment, replay his take real quickly on Russell Wilson. Can Russell Wilson resurrect his career with Sean Payton? Because let me tell you something, if it doesn't work out this year, Russell Wilson will be gone. Sean Payton is going to draft a quarterback. I mean, that's the bottom line.

We all know that. I mean, Sean Payton is not going anywhere. He's coach. So he said if he's gone or if he doesn't play well the next year, he'll be gone.

Here's the one tough part about that. Where if he does not play well, sure. There's no more excuses here.

Last year was the Daniel Hackett. Sean Payton is not the problem. The question is how easy is it to get out of that contract? Because on the surface right now, and I look at spot rack Hickey, the dead cap in 2024 is 85 million. And then the year after that, it's 49.6 million. It doesn't get down to a decent number until 2026 when it's 31.2 million.

Now here's the tricky part. If they stink once again, remember they have their draft picks back now. Those draft pick capital, it's over, it's done. At least in terms of the first round pick, I think the entire deal. So if you have a good enough pick and there's a quarterback that you like, maybe you keep Ross on the roster for one more year and then you wait. But if you're that bad, I don't think there'll be like Caleb Williams Drake made bad, but if you are, you're not going to pass up on that quarterback and who knows who else will emerge. So I think the financial part of it is complicating, but it's kind of similar to the Kyler Murray situation where if you have the guy that you believe in that you could draft, you don't have a guy that you believe in that you paid, you'll draft the guy and then figure out what to do with the guy that you paid.

And there's no attachment here for Sean Payton. He's supposed to turn him around, but if Russ is cooked, then I can't fault the Broncos. They want to move on after this year. You know me, I've been high-end Russell Wilson and really I bought into Sean Payton this year. If Herman is right, if what you're saying is right, where Russell Wilson at this point is unfixable and he stinks, you're paying him the money anyway. Do you want to pay him the money to continue to stink in 2024 and 2025, or when you have at least a rookie quarterback on a rookie wage scale?

Sure. It's going to probably hurt you in 2024, but if you have a rookie quarterback, you're not going for the Super Bowl or even the playoffs anyway. So you kind of take the hit for one year there, pay Russ's money, and now you start to move on with Sean Payton and you hopefully mold a guy that you like that can be the franchise quarterback. I'm with Herman.

I think he's right. If this is another bad year and two coaches couldn't fix him, you got to move on. And remember, Sean's never really drafted a quarterback that we all thought was going to be the guy. If you draft the quarterback in the first round, then maybe that's something that excites him. Now, he left the Saints because the Saints didn't have a quarterback anymore. I think Russell Wilson could turn it around this year. I don't think the team is going to be great, but I think Russ could turn it around. But if you start to realize quickly that Russ isn't the guy, maybe then that excites you to try to do something that you've never done before, where you draft a quarterback in the first round that's perceived to be your guy and actually your guy moving forward.

It is the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. We'll do first and goal on a great day if you're a fan of the Commanders with one of your franchise legendary players in Joe Theismann. Your girlfriend will hate bird dogs, khaki shorts. She'll say the llamas on their website look like a preschoolers birthday party invite, not an apparel company. She'll say the sexual innuendos in their newsletters are meant for seventh graders, not grown men like you. She might even tell you that naming one of the products, quote, Festiver Columbus is borderline offensive.

But as soon as you feel their soft inner liner and see how great their stretch material makes you look, you'll never want to take them off. Go to birddogs.com slash radio to find out for yourself. They'll even throw in a free tumbler. That's birddogs.com slash radio. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. The NFL season is inching closer and closer. Who are the contenders and who are the pretenders? We have four downs to figure out your team's future. It's time now for first and goal on the Zach Gelb show. Alrighty, we'll preview the Commander's season right now with the man that won a Super Bowl championship for the franchise.

Also has won a league MVP as well. And that's our pal, the quarterback in Joe Theismann. Joe, appreciate the time. How are you? Zach, it's always great to catch up with you.

Thanks for having me on. So let me start you off with the quarterback in Sam Howell. I like this Commander's roster a lot heading into this season, but I don't know what the quarterback is. What are your expectations for Sam? You know, you put it as well as anybody and people have constantly asked me, what about Sam? What about Sam? I don't know.

Nobody knows. He played one game. I think completed 11 passes out of 21. Won the game, which is great. Ron's named him. Ron Rivera, the head coach, has named him as the starter going in and now he'll have a chance to solidify the position through training camp. I like the way he throws the football. I like the way he moves.

His arm is plenty strong enough. He's athletic enough to be able to play the position. But you've got a brand new offense under Eric the enemy and you just don't know. I mean, to say he's going to be this, you have no idea.

We have no idea, but you're absolutely right. This roster's got some pretty darn good football team. The roster is a very good football team around that position. What advice would you give to a young quarterback like that? Learn.

Learn as much as you can. Don't get down on yourself. Talk to the coaches. Find out how you can get better. Work every day on your trade.

Learn how to play. You know, the biggest thing about our business is it isn't the physical aspect of it. Most guys that play the position can throw. Some really can't.

We've seen that, but most guys can play the position physically. It's the mental aspect. It's what do you do when it's third and 14 and you've got somebody bearing down on you? What do you do when you have to get the ball out of your hands? What do you do when you're having an opportunity to put points on the board? Don't take a sack on first and 10 inside the red zone.

There's all the little things that you have to sort of remember and the only way that comes is with experience and that's the big thing, Zach, is there's no replacement for it. That's why we see the difference in in young quarterbacks and as they mature. You look at the mistakes they make early and then all of a sudden you don't see those mistakes and that's what you're looking for and here's the problem. This is the problem with all young quarterbacks and especially one that's taken over the helm and they'll be for the rookies coming in as well. You're not going to play a lot in preseason. There's only three preseason games. For sure you're not going to play in the last one. So how much do you play, which means how much does your offensive line play, in the first couple of preseason games and what are we going to learn from that?

A little bit maybe but not a lot. Let's get to the next down. Joe Theismann here with us. So we've talked about some of the names on this offense. Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Curtis Samuel, Brian Robinson Jr. but as you said they bring in a new offensive coordinator. A guy who's very accomplished in Eric Bienemy coming over for the Chiefs.

How do you kind of look at Bienemy now joining the commanders? Well you know there's one name you didn't mention that's Logan Thomas. He's coming back off of an injury.

Sort of got back into it last year but look at what Kelsey, look how important Travis Kelsey has been to the Kansas City Chiefs. If Logan Thomas can have 60 percent of that impact on this offense it'll make it so much better but you're right you only have one football and you got a lot of guys that can make plays for you. I think that it's going to be creative. I think it's fundamentally going to be very sound and for everything that I've seen, everything I've read, everything I've heard Eric will hold guys accountable for what they're doing. The offensive line doesn't have a lot of big names but they've got some experience and some use in it so I'm looking for it to be pretty good. I know there's a lot been going on with the commanders. It's kind of wild that Rivera's already been there for what's going to be now his fourth season.

Made the playoffs the first year with that 7-9 team and then hasn't got back since. How warm do you think that seat is for Ron Rivera? Well I you've had a new ownership as of today. You know but five six hours ago there's new ownership in Washington so everybody's sitting on a skittle. I mean there's you know you're sitting on the oven and everybody is going to be under scrutiny.

I mean here's one of the things. How many coaches have contracts that are expiring? New ownership hadn't had a chance to really get into the organization at all.

They've been really kept at arm's length until you know until the sale went through today. So I'm sure Josh and his people are going to jump right in and try to figure out exactly what they're going to need to do and you know who's going to stay who's going to go. But you know Ron doesn't worry about that. I can tell you that he's not the kind of guy that sits there goes wow man it's you know the pressure is on I have to do this. He's going to coach his football team to win football games and that's the big thing.

Let's get to the next down. So you just said it the biggest news of the day Joe Theismann. Daniel Snyder out approved by the NFL the ownership sale to Josh Harris.

How did you react to that news today? I think it's a fresh start for everybody in Washington. The anticipation has been through the roof.

There hasn't been a lot of success. There's been no stability at the quarterback position and there really hasn't been a lot of stability at the coaching position. The two most important leadership positions on your football team and you know I can only say that it's through the roof as far as the people go and I'm excited for what this team can do. I really am. I'm excited because like I said I know it's on the field and I think the fans are just going to get so much behind it. It'll be fun. It'll be fun to be in a stadium where there aren't as many giant and eagle fans as we've seen late in the season or when they come to play at FedEx Field. Well that's the thing I'm most excited about. You know how great that fan base has been and throughout a long time there's been a lot of apathy and I can't blame those fans. To see that passion and excitement hopefully come back that's what I'm most fired up about. I'm with you.

I mean I really am. I'm just you know the stadium probably seats about 65,000 and I'm predicting that the opener will be sold out. We'll have a full house when Arizona comes in and it'll be really really exciting for this football team. You know that's the other thing as a player you get excited when the people in the stands get excited. That's why they call those things home field advantage. It's hard to communicate for other quarterbacks if that's the case.

It gives the defense an advantage and that's not something we've been able to enjoy for a long time here. What do you want this ownership group to really understand you being a legendary player for this franchise? I think first of all and you know listening to Josh Harris's brief press conference today he understands about the fans participation in the success of this franchise. He was one. His mom still lives in the area. You know Mitchell Reynolds his same thing.

Yeah his family is in the area. I grew up in this area so they know what it was like and I think that's what they really want to try and bring back is that enthusiasm, the excitement by the fans. Like I said the product on the field looks like it's going to be pretty good. Now you put the two together and you've got something to be excited about.

Really really happy about it. And let's get to the final down. So let's get to the defensive side of the ball. We all know this is a big year for Chase Young.

They didn't pick up his fifth year option. Has had to deal with injuries. What are your expectations for Chase this year?

I saw a video the other day. He looks like he's in great shape. He is in great shape. Montez is the same way of course Josh and you know the guys up front are just as the one Daron is you know had a great year last year. Montez had a great year. Jonathan's just as steady as can be and Chase had to come back from the injury.

Now he's had the full off season to be able to get ready. I think that's the best front four in football. Secondary's quite young but defensively I think they'll be aggressive. They finished third in the league last year and I don't expect anything less this year. I think the thing they haven't done very well. There's two things that happened with this football team. They haven't scored a lot of points on offense and the defense hasn't taken the ball away. Those are the things that they're going to have to do if they want to have success this year. And then finally we all know that as we were talking about the quarterback is a question mark. As I said to you I like the roster. I kind of view them as a team that a lot of people aren't talking about but I think they're a fringe playoff team. Is that where you're at with this football team?

Could well be. I mean when you look at last year with everything that they went through they beat the Eagles. I think people forgot that. Beat them handily by the way. Beat the Cowboys.

Should have beaten the Giants a couple times. Haven't not been for an official not knowing what the heck he's doing. I don't know how else to put it but that's you know and people say oh Joe's crying over Spill dick. No it was a fact. You know the league apologized.

It was a mistake but you know you move on from there. I like the fact that nobody's talking about this football team. I like the fact that this football team can operate somewhat under the radar in this division which a year ago everybody said was terrible. Now it's one of the best divisions in football. I like where they are.

I'll also throw you a college questionnaire before we let you run. I'm curious to see what Marcus Freeman does in your number two and I like your quarterback now and Sam Hartman coming over from Wake Forest for your fight in Irish. I like him a lot.

I was out at campus about a month and a half ago. That's a man okay. He is a man all right. You know he throws the ball well. He's got a lot of experience in his sixth year. Had a lot put up a lot of numbers at Wake. I'm excited for this football team. We haven't had a quarterback that has this ability in a long long time at Notre Dame and Marcus has really got himself entrenched there with the guys.

They love them. It's going to be a young team as it always is. We put a lot of offensive linemen into professional football, defensive linemen as well.

I think you're going to start to see the wide receivers, the DBs and the running backs make their way up the ladder as far as getting into the league too. He's Joe Theismann. Joe appreciate the time as always. Thanks so much for doing this. You bet Zach. Always good catching up with you.

Take care. You got it. Joe Theismann joining us on the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio 4.

A little first and goal previewing the commanders on what is a monumental day for that franchise with Daniel Snyder out and Josh Harris in. We'll take a break. We'll come on back. We're treating this show as if it's a Friday show because Hickey and I are both off tomorrow so we have five questions, five answers.

We'll do a little onsides offsides when we return. You realize we spend a third of our life sleeping? I know stuck in traffic was a good guess too but now that you know you sleep so much why aren't you sleeping on the most comfortable mattress arguably made in America? A brand new iComfort Eco by Serta. It's supportive and designed to keep you cool, comfortable, and feeling restored. Or check out Serta's perfect sleeper for pressure relieving comfort and support while maintaining a balanced temperature. Serta mattresses made right here in Michigan and they have been for over 110 years. Go to Serta.com.

Find a retailer near you that's Serta.com. You're listening to the Zach Gelb show. Zach's taking on the most polarizing issues in sports. Which side of the line of scrimmage will he end up on? Offsides defense number 69. It's onsides offsides with Zach Gelb on CBS sports radio. All righty let's do this.

Hickey what do you got for me? You just talked about with Joe Theismann there Zach so let's bring it up here. The sale of the Washington commanders was unanimously approved by NFL owners today. Meeting Daniel Snyder's horrendous reign is officially over. Josh Harris now will take over a franchise in turmoil after Snyder's teams were not only horrendous on the field. Also dragged through the mud numerous times off the field. Onsides or offsides. Daniel Snyder will go down as the worst owner in sports history. So the reason why I'm gonna go onsides here and there's many different ways that you can look at it. Like if you want to talk about Jeffrey Laureate who had the Mons. He won championships and then he just sold off right all the pliers.

But you look at Daniel Snyder he was willing to spend we all know that. But you once had a fan base that was a proud one of the more passionate fan bases in the history of the NFL. And I've told this story before it was actually at the time when I was leaving the company to go work for Sirius. The last weekend overnight that I ever did I took a train right after that and I took a train down to the DC area where the Patriots were playing the commanders. And I was meeting up with a buddy of mine who's a big fan of the commanders I think they were the football team that whatever they called them.

And at that time I'm walking in into the stadium and we all know it's a dump it's a horrible state and they need a new stadium. But I was looking around Hickey and I thought maybe I read the schedule wrong. Where the Patriots are supposed to be playing the football team and I kept on seeing all these Cowboys jerseys. And that was just alarming to me. Where you have so many jerseys of a divisional rival and I didn't even see that many commanders or football team jerseys.

And I thought that was the weirdest thing. But there were just football fans in that area that were Cowboys fans and didn't root for the commanders and I guess it was so cheap just to go that you ended up going to the game and you and you wore your Cowboys jerseys. But I saw so many Cowboys jerseys and I barely saw any football team jerseys. And that was a Patriot home game. And when I was walking into the stadium and it's a dump of a stadium it's horrible to get to it's horrible to leave the the parking lot is just terrible. But I'm walking in and I go I barely see any fans of the home team. And we all know how much of a disgrace Daniel Snyder is. But it really says something when you're that bad. Where how many times is ownership horrible and it doesn't matter what goes on off the field fans always show up. But they have sucked the life and Daniel Snyder sucked the life out of that fan base. And for me that shows you how much of a problem he was.

Because how many times do we say it? We've seen players beat their wives. Players kill. We've seen owners get you know do despicable things. But every Sunday you either go to the game you sit on your couch you watch the games and and you participate. But that fan base doesn't even want to participate as long as that guy was owning the team. And that level of apathy is what is I think the best like kind of display in a terrible way of how bad Daniel Snyder was if that makes sense. So I will say yeah on sides Daniel Snyder will go down as the worst owner in sports history.

He spent a lot of money but he sucked the life out of maybe one of the more passionate fan bases that this game has ever seen. Let's go from bad to good that's because your pal Rob Manfred according to the athletic is going nowhere. Well real quickly he's actually the third worst commission uh commissioner in sports now. Rob Manfred or excuse me that I said that wrong he's the second worst commissioner. I was gonna say I know you don't like Adam Silver as you call him spineless silver. Spineless silver is the worst commissioner. Rob Manfraud Fred whatever you want to call him he is the second worst commissioner in sports. He's not the worst he is not the worst so he's not the worst.

He is not the worst so he's got that going for him. Well I gotta give him credit for the pitch clock. If it wasn't for the pitch clock he's probably still the worst commissioner in sports and also Rob can we take a public speaking class please. He is the out of all the commissioners he's the worst at public speaking horrible.

Yeah you think he needs to be smooth and conveying the message he is not smooth. I actually saw him not recently like probably five months ago walk on the streets in New York City. He walked out of a random convenience store I'm like hold on. You should have told him that I sent my regards and my best.

There was no one with him. He just said hey Rob Zach Gelb says hello. Your pal big supporter. Well you never know who's listening or what messages get back to someone because that we talked about this before a few years ago Christopher Mad Dog Russo out of out of nowhere was like and you get these people like Zach Gelb who all he does is crush the commissioner and I did some investigation on that. It was communicated to some people that Rob Manfred heard many of my rants during the pandemic just how he spattered all of our faces and I was absolutely crushing him so he's not a fan of me. I've never met Rob Manfred.

I've never talked to Rob Manfred but it was communicated to me from someone that I trust greatly that the commissioner knows that I am not a fan of his which I take great pride in if I'm being honest with you. And the news gets better because guess what he'll be there now and be I guess your pinata for a little bit longer. Four more years. Four more years.

The athletic is reporting that Manfred when the owners meet next week is expected to be re-elected as commissioner of baseball. He's been the head man in charge since 2015. He has done some positives rising revenues as you mentioned the pitch clock has been a big change for the positive for the game but plenty negatives 2020 COVID season to completely bungled that entire situation. They had the second longest MLB strike in history back before the 2022 season and we are watching right now in real time the A's tank their way out of Oakland.

So some good some bad. And he trashed the fan base too. And he also trashed the fan base and the own trophy that's named after him the commissioner's trophy which you love to say he called a piece of metal. And not only that he made up a university when announcing a draft pick a few weeks ago.

Did you miss this one when you were out? He made he I saw he he was announcing a player that attended Grand Canyon University called the Grand Union University because he was getting booed. I think it was an A's player that got picked too so people were just booing and going nuts because they're upset that the A's are going to be going to Las Vegas which you know it's you know it stinks that Oakland's losing a team but I understand why a baseball team would want to go to Las Vegas over Oakland. But regardless he was so nervous because of that because he doesn't know how to handle anything that doesn't go according to plan and he's like from Grand Union University. I actually did hear that because my uncle used to work for Grand Canyon and so he was not happy with the little pub they get that was their one shining moment and the commissioner bungled it. Do you know what Grand Union is by the way?

I do not. So I looked it up I'm like what the heck is Grand Union University? I've never heard of it and then I realized it was Grand Canyon University. Grand Union are supermarkets and they are in the Vermont and New York area. Probably upstate New York I would guess. I would imagine.

I've never seen a Grand Union. Well free pub for them so I'm sure supermarket sales have skyrocketed up so lucky lucky them thank Rob Commissioner Rob Manfred for that. All right onsides or offsides Rob Manfred being re-elected as MLB commissioner is a good thing for baseball. Offside. All he's done is the pitch clock.

Anyone could increase revenue. So I give him credit for the pitch clock but this guy is a bozo and I'm not a fan of his. So therefore I don't think it's good for Major League Baseball. Good for us on the show because we get to keep on hitting him like he's a pinata as you were saying but not good for Major League Baseball because this guy I don't understand why everyone just loves this guy so much because every time I hear him speak I'm just like what the heck did he just say this guy's a moron. And he is not going anywhere. All right the New York Jets today kicked off their most hype season in team history with their first practice. Aaron Rogers is now talking about how his patience is going to be a good thing for this young squad. Garrett Wilson not shy about his expectations saying the goal this year is to win the Super Bowl. The Jets are on board with these sky-high expectations basically of Super Bowl or bus. So I ask you onsides or offsides Zach anything less than a Super Bowl appearance should be considered a failure for the Jets this season.

Let me ask you a question real quickly. What did you make of Robert Saleh today wearing the I heart HK the hard knock shirt after all he did was complain and bitch and cry and didn't want hard knocks and now he's making it seem as if it's the greatest thing in the world where you know he's just very annoyed about it. I still think it shows that it's in his head and he's distracted by it. I think it was kind of lame today. I saw everyone was like praising him on Twitter for it. Oh good job by Robert Saleh. Robert Saleh seems like a great dude but the fact that he's bitching about hard knocks so much when you control what gets out I thought was rather lame. Now to answer your question anything less than a Super Bowl appearance should be considered a failure for the Jets I would go offside.

Offside. And the reasoning is I think bare minimum you need to get to an AFC Championship game. I would I would lower that bar just a little bit. If you're a jet fan sure you should say Super Bowl or bust I get it but that AFC East is loaded and that AFC is loaded as well. Speaking of high expectations the Pac-12 preseason media poll was released today and USC with Caleb Williams was picked to win the conference. The Trojans received 25 of a possible 36 votes but it's not going to be a cakewalk this year for the men of Troy. Washington, Oregon, Utah obviously all in the conference as well. All bringing their quarterbacks back. All four teams including USC finished in the top 50 last year. Pac-12 very tough. Onsides or offsides? USC will win the Pac-12 conference. I'm going offside on this one for two reasons. Number one, Hickey is all over USC and he believes they're going to the college football playoff. Number two, offensively incredible. Defensively still a major question mark.

I'll put some shekels on the other teams like Washington, Utah who's won it the last two years. You brought up Oregon the other day. Maybe Bo Nix continues to just dominate being a member of the Ducks but I'll go against USC just because I don't trust that defense. Let's stick in college football. That defense couldn't stop a nosebleed.

No, yeah they got destroyed by everybody they played last year. You're right about that and so is Bart Scott with that saying. Let's stick in college football finally. Lane Kiffin used SEC media day today to discuss the biggest problem in his mind with college football that is NIL and the transfer portal. The Ole Miss head coach called both of them quote a disaster end quote and said while he wants players to be paid the pay for play the inducement of getting kids to go to certain schools and recruiting because of the most money they receive has hurt parity within the sport. On sides or off sides there needs to be changes implemented to fix NIL and the transfer portal. So I didn't hear this to be clear the response. I did see Lane Kiffin answer a question from a reporter today who supposedly is his doppelganger so I heard that part about it and then Lane Kiffin saying his daughter is starting to get recognized and people go up and ask her are you Lane Kiffin's daughter he was like no but I heard she's a jerk or something along those lines so I saw that. I did not hear his response here but here's the thing whenever someone says there needs to be changes to NIL and transfer portal I always ask what changes and it's like oh we gotta go to the politicians for this stuff so I don't know what there is to actually change if a player wants to transfer I'm good with that and if a player wants to get paid he's more than deserving to get a chunk of the pie so I'm gonna say offside I'm not saying that it's a perfect formula right now but I don't know what the heck that you could actually change here Hickey do you have anything? No I'm with you like I don't like there's nothing you can do right now like I would agree in terms of like I don't think NIL should be basically for high school recruits here's the most money and you should go to a school based on that but if that's what you want to prioritize and you could get that I'm fine with that it may not always work but that's what you learn and that's also I don't know how you can stop that like it was happening before it was quote unquote legal quote unquote legal anyway there's no like I don't think putting a salary cap in is fair personally if a kid is worth if Caleb Williams is worth 10 million dollars and someone's willing to give it to him he earned like he deserves it so I don't yeah there's no fix and there's certain things to prioritize if you want to go to whoever's gonna give you the most money then that's your right it may not be the best decision for you but in the moment that's what you thought was the best thing to do and you can live and learn and that's why you go to college it's to live and learn and not everything's gonna be perfect and you definitely make some mistakes QBs who there's no more excuses for we'll get into that when the Zach Gelb show does continue in five minutes and Miraz it's his final day at CBS Sports Radio tomorrow he'll join us coming up in 25 minutes so what are you thinking for lunch uh I can't I'm getting new window treatments so I gotta go home and wait around all afternoon for a design consultation just to get a quote it's gonna totally mess up my work day why don't you just go to blinds.com because I need custom products blinds.com products are made to order and totally customizable and you get upfront pricing right on their website to easily get your quote online but I want to see the products in person blinds.com ships samples to you fast and free they can even verify your measurements and handle the installation wow how convenient tell me more blinds.com also has a huge selection of stylish shutters shades curtains and options for motorization even for your patio plus their 100 satisfaction guarantee well you've convinced me let's go eat I've got time now shop blinds.com and save 45 on selected products get 45 off selected products right now at blinds.com rules and restrictions may apply.