Fixing the NBA (Hour 3)

Our number three of our radio program it is the Zach Gelb show on the Infinity Sports Network. Let's talk to Sean Merriman right now and he's here today courtesy of BetOnline.

Check out BetOnline for the most diverse list of well over 1,000 Super Bowl prop bets including MVP, the length of the national anthem, close to 100 Taylor Swift related prop bets, broadcast odds, game and player stats, and much more. Now joining us formerly of the Chargers, played with the Bills as well, Sean Merriman. Sean, how you been? What's up my man, how you doing?

Mom, fantastic. So let me start you off with your Chargers first. A successful first season, made the playoffs with Jim Harbaugh. Justin Herbert we know had a bad postseason game, but I look at that team, I like what lad McConkie did and I kind of say okay, now they got to go get someone else as well at the wide receiver positions.

Give me your thoughts on the Chargers. Yeah, there's no doubt about it. I don't think, you know, I'm not going to sit here and defend Justin Herbert in the playoffs, right, because he had a bad year with Jacksonville and then, you know, he had a bad game with, you know, Texas coming up. So I think he knows and everybody in the organization know that he got to play better than those standpoints. But I try to remind people this, this is a 5-1 team last year. This is a 5, this team won five games last year now in the playoffs and possibly in the contention that should to get up there and get back there and get back there and surpass that.

And you're right, man. There's some pieces they need to add on the offense side of the ball. Lad, to not say that before the season that he was going to be instrumental in those guys' success during the year, I didn't think he was going to be instrumental that fast at coming to this rookie performing that way. People are going to keep hopping on Quentin Johnson and he needs to be better and all that. He is much better than he was last year, but I think he's going to probably going to be a number three wide receiver, but they need to go out and get a number one wide receiver.

No doubt about that because they need, somebody's going to stretch the field and at least pose a threat to that defense that they have the opportunity to throw a deep ball and let Lad McConkie work underneath and then your third wide receiver is going to be strong Quentin Johnson. For people that say that Justin Herbert is overrated, how do you respond to them? Well, he's, he's going, people are going to keep saying that because it's his, his ability, right? And what he's capable of doing. We know that Justin Herbert has the biggest arm in the National Football League. He does things that, you know, you can say the Patrick Holmes and Joe Burrell knows that he does things that nobody can do because he's so he's such a big quarterback. He's so physical quarterback. He's a specimen, so he can do things that most quarterbacks, if not any, can do. So he's judged on his capabilities, not what he should do in the playoffs. His numbers that he put up during the season was historical. He had a historical season. We talked about the turnover ratio, you know, the amount of games and the stats that he put up. Those are, those are historical numbers, but he's going to be based on just like everything else in his day and age. The race he's went, he wins and how far he gets in the playoffs.

And until he does that, people are going to hang that dark cloud over over him as long as he can. We know Reed and Mahomes are the standard, right? Not only in your division, but in all of football, you got to see what your one looks like for Harbaugh and Herbert. Sean Payton got things going this year for the Broncos. What were your thoughts on on Bo Nix, who had a very successful rookie season?

But Bo Nix, man, I like him a lot. And I hate the fact that he's in a division with the Chargers because that that dude, his ceiling, man, he has a he has a tall, tall ceiling because for one, you know, you see him like getting better with your own eyes as a season went on. He's just got better decision making his leadership ability and how he commands that offense got a lot better. And more importantly, I want to remind people this, too, to go back and see what he got, what had the back and forth with Sean Payton and a respect level that these two guys got. Sean Payton didn't have that respect level for Russell Wilson.

He didn't have that respect level at all. So it just tells you what that what that organization thinks about Bo Nix and then also with Sean Payton and that team thinks about it. It's really murderers row when it comes to coaches in this division.

We talked about the three that were there with this team with those teams this year. And then the Raiders go out there and add Pete Carroll, which if Pete can't get the foundation set and the Raiders back to just being OK, then man, it'll be some some dark times continuing for the silver and black. Yeah, but you got to think that, you know, just by his resume, his body of work to Pete Carroll is going to go in and make that team better. There's no shot at Antonio Pierce, but he's you know, when it comes to coaching the head coach and he's a rookie, he doesn't have the experience and expertise that Pete Carroll has and the resume to Pete Carroll has. And one thing we know about Pete Carroll, he's he's a motivator.

He's a he's got to get the most out of every single player. In my opinion, he made Russell Wilson. He made Russell Wilson who he is. In fact, he made Russell Wilson who he is that other other teams believe that Russell Wilson was going to show up the same one that did in Seattle.

He never showed up because of what Pete Carroll did. So you got to you got to feel that he's going to make that organization better. They still got to go out and get a quarterback and, you know, Brock Bowers is a beast.

I mean that that dude is next level. He's going to be good for a long time. He's going to get the charges held, but you cannot win in that division without a without a franchise quarterback. If you take the draft off the table since they had the sixth overall pick, let's just say should door and cam order both off the table by then. If it came down to Russell Wilson on a one-year deal for the Raiders, maybe Sam Darnold on a three or four-year deal for the Raiders. If Kirk Cousins becomes available, maybe on the veteran minimum with how much money he's owed from the Falcons.

What do you think out of those three is the best option for Pete Carroll and the Raiders to pursue? I think the world of Kirk Cousins, you know, I think he's done a tremendous job over his career, you know, but being on the back half of your career trying to compete in that division with Justin Herbert and Patrick Holmes and Bo Nix now is going to be coming up. Same thing with Russell Wilson. I think Russell Wilson best, his biggest attribute at this point in his career is to be, if he wants to continue playing, is to be a backup somewhere, you know, and kind of coach up a young player coming in, be a good support system. And that's if he wants to continue playing because he could come in and say, look, you know, I'm not, I don't want to back up anybody and choose to, you know, make a decision on what he, whether he wants to keep playing football or not. He's made a ton of money. He's a champion.

He got all the accolades that you can ask for when you play the game. So he has to make that decision to come in somebody being a backup. I don't see Russell Wilson as a starter in the NFL going forward. I just don't. So you would go with Sam out of those three options in that case?

Yeah, absolutely. And people want to lay on Sam because of how he looked in the playoffs, but everybody forget your body and work and you're getting there. You don't just cruise to the season and put up those numbers and do what Sam Donald has done for the Vikings during the season.

And now he has a bad game in the playoffs. Let's just throw away the key. We're done with him.

It just doesn't work that way. And there's plenty of teams out here, including the Raiders that will love a Sam Donald regular season, getting those guys into the playoffs. So if you're going to go with those three, you're looking at Sam Donald for that. You had so many good teams with the Chargers and they had good teams after, right?

You left them as well. But unfortunately we know the Chargers never able to pull through it and get there. I know you were at Buffalo to wrap up your career and how much love Sean Merriman you have for Bill's Mafia. Does those Bill's teams since you've been there before, what can you say when you think it's going to be your year and you have this team that you think is ready to go slay the Dragon like you guys were trying to slay Brady and how they're trying to slay Mahomes and you guys just keep on coming up short. What do you do as a competitor to kind of just stay mentally sane after it happens again?

It's deja vu. For me personally watching it, it happens with the bills and having a chance to keep running up against Patrick Mahomes. You know, for us, our pathway was always let's get past Ben Roethlisberger. Let's get past Peyton Manning.

Oh, we got to, we got to see the final boss in Tom Brady, right? It's one of those things that the path to get there is going to be tough as long as those guys are in the plan in the NFL. I think the difference is in nowadays is that a lot of guys move around from team to team coordinators are gone. We've seen what happened with the lines that that team for the lines is dismantled. They got to go and figure it all out again because both of their coordinators who've made that team what they were nothing against Dan Campbell at all.

I think he's a great coach, but those coordinators really set the tone in that in that in that locker role in that team, so they got to figure it out again. So you know with the bills, Josh Allen, you always going to have a chance when he's there, but you got it coordinators, you got guys, his contract is up, it's not going to be there. They're going to have to figure it out and always say this, man, you got that four or five year window when you got that that nucleus together, that team together, you got an opportunity. You got to start questioning is the bills running into that to that into that tail end of having an opportunity to want to go win a championship.

And you know, it's crazy, right? The bills have been right there and they haven't got the job done. Even the Bengals, who were right there, they got to the Super Bowl, couldn't get the job done when they fell to the Rams. We've seen Lamar and the Ravens be close the last few years as well. If you had to hit your wagon to one of those three, Burrow, Allen, or Lamar, who do you think will get that ring first in your opinion?

You got to say, you got to say Burrow, I would say because you know, he's been close enough to get there. You know, they got two tremendous wide receivers. I don't know what's going to happen with Higgins after the season, but we know they can score a lot of points and match people. They got to go out and beef up that defense a little bit. They were terrible at some point, some parts of the season last year, but it's so hard to say, man, because they're going to keep running up into that same problem.

Yeah, that's my halls. Andy Marie, Andy Reed, Travis, Kelsey, and Chris, they're going to keep running up against that no matter who it is. And so until someone figure out how to get over that hump and that hump being the Kansas City cheese, everything else is uphill battle.

What stands out to you the most about Spagnuolo? I know a coordinator assistant coach has never been in the hall of fame. He's maybe the best big game coordinator I've ever seen.

He's has four rings could get a fifth one after two Sundays from now and the scary part. And you know this when you watch the Chiefs, we all know they have the best player in the sport in my homes, but their best unit and the best side of their ball is actually their defense for the last two years. So how about spags? You know, it's one thing and I play for a great defense coordinator, Wade Phillips. One thing about Wade Phillips, he wanted players to do with their best at right. So you're not going to be out of position.

He's not going to force you to do something you're not great at. He's going to put you in a position to win Spagnuolo. I think his biggest upside of what makes him a great defensive coordinator is his timing, not just his play calling, but his timing and when he decides to dial blitzes up and the matchmaking of the cause. And it's all about timing with him. And so, you know, you would think certain teams and coordinators would call certain plays in second and five and second and long situations or third and short his timing on when he brings blitzes and who he brings and where it comes from is impeccable. We haven't seen anybody like that in a long time with Spagnuolo. That's what really makes him great. When you look at the hiring cycle, Sean Merriman, what did you make of the Cowboys hiring Brian Schottenheimer? Well, you know, I played obviously for Marty Schottenheimer and Brian Schottenheimer was on that staff back with the Chargers.

And, you know, I think the world of him and I think that this is the problem right now that we're getting into. It's the big name coaches hires that really riles up a fan base and raise new life. And everybody is excited about the season. And because Brian Schottenheimer is not a big name and he's he's, you know, really in-house hire, it's not going to get the Cowboys fans excited.

So that's where the darkness is coming from. And here we go again. Jerry wants to just control everything because ultimately, when you start to see like a rainbow on the market, when you start to see Ben Johnson, you start to see these bigger names.

It's on the market. The fans now want to get excited again. Pete Carroll coming into the Raiders facility. That's that's excitement to the fan bases that we got a chance no matter what happens, right? They could go out and stinking up again this year, but it doesn't matter. We got Pete Carroll here. So everybody's feeling good about the season and the Cowboys fans are looking just overlooking the fact that a big name coach didn't come into the mix.

Oh, here we go again, right? So I think that I think it was good because you don't want to change that office too much. You can change the defense, bring the defensive coordinator, but when you start flip-flopping from Kellen Moore to the to the offensive coordinator, they've had over the over the certain period of time. You don't want to keep changing that offense because it takes much longer.

That's when you start getting to the rebuilding phase. So I think internally, Brian, Brian Schott and how we can go out and get it done. Can he go out and win them a Super Bowl? I don't know, but I think it was a good hire in-house. So let me ask you this because I want your player perspective on this. Sean Merriman. So Liam Cohen gets hired by the Jaguars and right at first, it's met with positive reviews because Trent Balki's out. All right, they get a young innovative offensive-minded Liam Cohen and then he speaks to the media and he does the like Duvall chant and it gave like a lot of people the ick and it was it was very creepy. If you're a player watching that, do you go?

Okay. Yeah, this is great. We got a player's coach or is it what the heck did we get ourselves into with the cringe-worthy response to the press conference? You know, it's a big difference when you jump from being a coordinator to a head coach, right? When you're when you're a coordinator, you can you can be a little quirky.

You can do some things. You're not under the spotlight when you're a head coach. Everything is magnified. People looking into what you're doing and looking at what you're saying. So when you say one little clumsy thing out there is going to get amplified, right? Was it was it corny a little bit?

Yes, yes, I think it was. I think it was maybe trying a little bit too hard to be cool to fit in very college-like, you know, it is very much like and to you gotta you gotta understand that you as a head coach and a leader of a team, you don't have to force anything on anybody. People trying to win games and they want a leader. They want somebody to lead that team. You don't have to do anything extra trying to round people up and get the fans and the people on your side because if that's not you, that's the problem. It comes across. It comes across if you're trying too hard.

That's what it seemed like, you know, when he did that. He's Sean Merriman and he's here courtesy of BetOnline. Check out BetOnline for the most diverse list of over well, well over 1,000 Super Bowl props, including MVP length of the MVP, length of national anthem, close to 100 Taylor Swift related props, broadcast odds, game and player stats and much more. Once again, that's BetOnline. Make sure you check it out. Sean Merriman, thank you. You got it, man.

Hey, we got a big fight with February, Friday, February 7th in Long Beach, California. Make sure you guys download Lights Out Sports TV. It's obviously my free ad support and streaming platform.

It's available on all smart TVs, iOS and Android. We got a couple of guys. This card, I think it will take off for the UFC. So make sure you guys check out Lights Out Extreme Fighting 22, February 7th.

Lights Out Extreme Fighting also BetOnline. Make sure you check out all the good stuff that Sean Merriman has cooking. Alrighty. Thank you so much, Sean. There he is.

Sean Merriman joining us on the show. Uh, let's take a break. We'll come on back. We're actually gonna do some hoops on the other side. We got to get into Jimmy Butler as he'll get traded.

The question is to where there's one destination that stands out to me. And also, could we see the length of NBA games actually getting shorter? We'll get into all that on the other side. I don't know if there's ever been a more pointless story that we have to talk about than probably Jimmy Butler.

It's like on both sides. So Jimmy Butler wants a new contract. The heat would have been fools to basically bend over backwards for Jimmy Butler and let him do whatever he wants.

They would have been fools. He's a good player, a very good player in his mid 30s where your championship window with him has already passed. Like the heat got to the finals twice with Jimmy Butler. It took so much to get there and they couldn't get the job done in his two NBA finals appearance. And I understand, even though right Pat Riley is more old school, even though Pat Riley is one of the few people in the NBA who could say it's my way or the highway in this era of player empowerment, you could view Pat Riley how you want. Pat's not wrong in saying the heat aren't gonna give Jimmy Butler the deal that he wants. The problem is they should have got rid of him in the off season because that relationship was fractured beyond repair.

And now you're just getting into a petty game of Jimmy acting like an ass and then Pat probably being petty if we're just being fair. But you would think the way that this is being talked about, Stu, that Jimmy Butler is like a top 10 player in the sport. The only time we ever say Jimmy Butler is a top 10 player. For example, if I did a list right now of top 10 players in the NBA, I don't think people would put Jimmy Butler in the top 10. The only time people put him in the top 10 and made that case was when he got to the NBA finals and it was like, okay, you had seven days off and you have to just basically sit there in awe of what Jimmy Butler did. It's not me crapping on Jimmy Butler saying he sucks.

And I like Jimmy Butler. He's a very good player, but you're acting right now. And this is what happens in the league. And he at least has something more tangible than some of these other guys that request for trades.

He is being unreasonable, I think. And I don't know, like he'll get traded because the heat in him have reached the dead end and now they need to get rid of him. But is there a great desire by the rest of the league to bring in Jimmy Butler?

I don't think so. Like you're going to have to pay him. Maybe he'll be a good soldier. He's not going to get the deal right away. So do I think that if you need a number one, you're breaking the bank for Jimmy Butler? No, because he's not a number one. Could he be a number two in a championship team?

I guess. But I think if you're a team out there that's bringing in Jimmy Butler stew, it's really to be your third best player. Can he push a team over the top? That's how I think teams are going to look at it. And with how nasty this got in Miami, I don't believe there's going to be these crazy amount of suitors.

I really don't know. And I also don't think Jimmy Butler's going to change who wins the title. Like, I don't think if he goes to the Suns, I don't think they're winning a title. If he goes to the Warriors, I don't think they're winning a title. Again, at this point, he's a good player.

He's a very good player, not a top player like you said. Can I give you one? Sure. What about Milwaukee? You have Giannis on to the Kumpo. You got Dame Willard.

And I read that they have to get Pat Cottonton out before they could do this. But then you could give the Heat, Chris Middleton and also Bobby Portis. I like Bobby Portis a lot, but a fortune for Chris Middleton.

He's just never healthy anymore. And he won a championship and that's when he was at his best. And I think that Chris Middleton and Bobby Portis, they're their Heat culture kind of players, in my opinion. And the Heat, they're not trying to be this great team. They're not trying to win a championship right now, right? They're trying to be a tough out in the postseason, make the playoffs and maybe at best they could win one round or at least go to seven in the first round. I don't think it's likely they probably win a playoff series this year. So I don't think you're going to get that much back. So that is why I think those two teams, even though they've been going up against each other throughout the years, it can help both out where the Bucks get better and the Heat basically put lipstick on a pig on what's a very ugly situation.

Yeah, that is an interesting one. I would still say that the Bucks wouldn't be as good as the Celtics, Cavs or Knicks though, in my opinion. It puts them at least in the conversation with the Cavs and Knicks, but I don't know because it's tough. The regular season, I don't want to say it's irrelevant for the Bucks, but once you win that championship, I know with last year where you had the coach get fired, then Doc Rivers come in, you know, the Bucks have showed that they're going to be okay this year. But ultimately the clock really doesn't start ticking on the Bucks until you get in the postseason because now it's, can Giannis get two?

And then if Giannis doesn't get two, it's, oh my goodness gracious, Giannis is going to request a trade. So you said the Cavs, the Celtics and the Knicks who are the one, two and three right now in the East? Yes, yes.

Yeah. I would, I know the Cavs are so damn good at 37 and nine and the Knicks, we saw what they did last year for the Knicks. It's, are they going to be able to be healthy at the end of the year? They made their big move getting Bridges and Cat. I look at the Cavs and the Knicks.

I don't know about you. It's so impressive what the Cavs have done this year being 37 and nine and Atkinson's a heck of a coach. And the Knicks, what they've been able to do last few years has been fun to watch. And there's still always that, yeah, but with them like, yeah, but can you get the job done in the postseason? We know the Celtics can get the job done in the postseason.

They're coasting right now. But if I put a gun to your head, even if they don't get Jimmy Butler, the Bucks, and I said, pick two teams out of the East right now, one of them has to get to the finals. Who are you picking? Celtics for sure. And then I think Knicks would be my two. I'm still going Celtics and Bucks. And Hey, the Knicks are going for it this year.

So we'll see if they can get the job done. So let's listen up to Vince Goodwill. He was on the Goodwill with Goodwill podcasts.

I thought he was on the Good Shepherd show there for a second when I was reading that courtesy. Here is Vince Goodwill though, on a surprise, Jimmy Butler suitor. I've heard that Philly quietly, quietly could be a suitor for Jimmy Butler. It would be a Jimmy for Paul George swap. I believe I've heard this that Joel Embiid who still loves Jimmy Butler is pushing for them to reacquire Jimmy Butler, knowing that Jimmy is out there.

But here's the other side of that. Paul George was told by management or ownership, we wouldn't trade you year one of this deal. Oh, Daryl Morey is not someone that wouldn't go back on his word or against his word if you believe James Harden or not. I have no desire to see Jimmy Butler back in Philly.

No desire whatsoever. A year or two ago, yeah, different story. But that team is 18 and 27. And I think it's easier to say who is healthy rather than who isn't healthy. Or the other way, who isn't healthy rather than who is healthy.

I don't know anyone in that team who is healthy. But that would be such a past the prime kind of move. The time to keep Jimmy Butler was when he was there. Now I get at the time where they kept Ben Simmons because they didn't know, even though they should have known, but they weren't embracing how lackadaisical and how petulant Ben Simmons was. And Jimmy wasn't going to put up with that. That's the irony to me also with this Jimmy Butler situation.

Jimmy was annoyed with Ben's lack of work ethic. And now you have a guy who's requesting a trade out of there because they're not giving him like this new contract. And he's dogging it right now in Jimmy Butler. So if I had to say three teams here, that I would be curious if Jimmy Butler did go there, I would say the Bucks. I would say the Suns just because I would love to see misery with misery. It would be fun.

And then you know what? I think the Magic would be interesting. I'm a little disappointed with the Magic this year.

They're 500. They had a nice season last year. You know, do they need a little bit more of a veteran presence on that team? And I would throw potentially the Orlando Magic there.

And the other big name to watch is the Aaron Fox as we wait to see if the Kings are going to trade him from now until the deadline. This was Adam Silver on the Dan Patrick show. Now you would never think the NBA would actually shorten games, right?

That could be thrown out there. I didn't think the commissioner would talk about it, but here is Adam Silver doing that with Dan Patrick. Something else that I'm a fan of, and I'm probably in a minority, as we get more involved in global basketball, the NBA is the only league that plays 48 minutes. And I am a fan of four 10-minute quarters. I'm not sure that many others are.

I mean, putting inside what it means for records and things like that, I think that a two-hour format for a game is more consistent with sort of modern television habits. I struggle with this one. Here's why.

Here's why I struggle with this one. I agree with the commissioner. I can't stand the commissioner, but I agree with the commissioner. But the commissioner has no spine. And that's the thing.

He's not wrong. Shorter games have more benefits to us as fans, right? The NBA is basically turned into, you go on social media and you just see the highlights, you see the slam dunks, you see the embarrassing plays and things like that, right? That's what it's turned into. And then whatever Charles Barkley and Shaq are talking about inside the NBA.

The regular season product's been so relevant. Now, if the commissioner is saying there's a lot of benefits to shortening the games and making it from 48 to 40 minutes and doing 10 minute quarters, and he anticipates load management to go away, I would then follow up and say to the commissioner, why do you believe, even though the games would be reduced by eight minutes, that players in the NBA more than any other league, where the players run the league and all we hear about is load management this, load management this, load management that, over shortening the games by eight minutes, you really think a guy like Kawhi Leonard is going to go, if let's say he misses 25 games a year or 20 games a year, that he's then going to go play in 10 to 15 more games a year. That's where I think we're getting sold a bill of false goods.

I really do. Because in theory, it makes sense. In theory, it will shorten the games, less time, eight minutes shorter, maybe load management will go away. I think once you start load management, it's not going away. And even though you're shortening the game, so maybe you could manage those minutes better, then how many minutes also in a game will your superstar be on the court?

That's another thing. If it's a 40-minute game, you know, am I getting my superstar on the court for 33, 34? Or is he only going to be on for like 23, 24? You know, just throwing out numbers. So I think it's misleading where I understand why you would, for the ideas and the reasons why you'd want to shorten the games, but I don't think the payoff is going to be as rich as what you think because we need the players to start caring about the regular season. And once you stop caring about the regular season, and I think it's tough to suck it back in and make enough changes where the regular season product goes back to being what it once was.

Do you feel that way, Stu? Because it's a nice idea in theory, but I just, there's no trust with me and the NBA, with this commissioner and also the players. Yeah, I agree. I would still think there would be some type of load management or like you said, just not playing as many minutes. I don't know. Also, I also thought the idea in the past and this wouldn't happen because of money, but I would take the games away.

Yeah. Take the games away. 65 to 70 games instead of 82. We don't need 82 games. You don't.

And here's the other thing. Has the awards, right? You got to play what, 55 or 65 games, whatever it is. Yeah. I think it's 65.

I think it's 65 too. Has that really changed that much of this issue? People thought, Oh, like these guys are now easily going to clear that number because they're going to want the awards. It really has an altered load management. And I appreciate the commissioner trying to at least attempt to fix the problem, but it's so the toothpaste is already out of the tube.

And once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it is very tough to get it back in the tube. So I would use to, I think the better thing would be cutting down the games, but still they're not going to do that because of the money part of it. And, and truncating the games in terms of minutes, I don't think does enough to get a player.

For example, like Joel Embiid, Hey, you're going to go play in 10 more games a season, you know, just throwing something out that it's been synonymous with load management. Alrighty, Zach Gelb here with you on the infinity sports network. We'll wrap up the show next. We'll update you some of the biggest stories in the world of sports with some audio. With the news brief, you will hear from Deebo Samuel, DK Metcalf, and also John Calipari in our news brief today. Some interesting cuts there. Update time first.

Here's Zach. So I meant to comment on this earlier and I'll do so now. For a while, I thought the funniest I was hack moment ever was Jay Williams, where a few years ago, Jay Williams congratulated the Celtics on finally hiring a black coach when they hired Imeo Doka. The problem was they've had many black coaches before in their organization.

So Imeo Doka wasn't the first. So I thought Jay will trying to say that someone would hack him over that was just so not believable. Well, Patrick Mahomes, his father, Pat Mahomes, senior, he on his Twitter account, put out after the day after the Bill's Chiefs game.

Today is a great day not to be from Buffalo. And now Pat Mahomes, senior, is claiming that he was hacked and that he hasn't been on Twitter for years. Like, come on.

But what are we doing here? Does anyone actually believe Pat Mahomes, senior, who has been in enough problems as it's been well documented, is going to have his account get hacked and whoever's hacking his account isn't going to be like selling PlayStations or whatever you see on the internet. It's not going to happen. Whenever you see when someone gets hacked or putting out like crazy photos and they're going to tweet out, today's a great day to not be from Buffalo. You know, you look at Pat Mahomes, his family, how many problems they caused for him. His wife has actually really been not a problem the last two years.

Like, I don't remember really a negative story about her, but the the brother and the father, right, creating issues. It's like, if I was an NFL player, I would tell my family, don't tweet about me. Don't tweet about the opposition. Don't tweet about anything NFL.

You want to post some photos? It was fine. But don't be a polarizing person here. Don't add more crap onto my plate.

That's what I would say. But it's amazing. I got hacked. Today's a great day to not be from Buffalo.

Yeah, someone's going to hack you and tweet that out. Come on. It's time to answer Ask the Pro's question of the day. It's brought to you by Raleigh Auto Parts. Tony in Vegas says, Zach, what did you make of Sean Merriman saying Russell Wilson's now a backup quarterback and that the Raiders should pursue Sam Darnold over Russell Wilson and Kirk Cousins? You could submit a question by tweeting at INF Sports Center at Zach Gelb using the hashtag Ask the Pros. Think of Raleigh Auto Parts while your car care needs guaranteed low prices and excellent customer service from the professional parts people.

At O'Reilly Auto Parts, O'Reilly Auto Parts. I would personally sign Russell Wilson. I think it's tough. I don't know how or when Kirk is going to become available, but I would take Russ, not that I think he's a better quarterback right now over Sam Darnold, but because it's going to be a one year deal and it's a placeholder. Do I think Sam's going to be their franchise quarterback there? Probably not. Do I think Sam is worth it for a three or four year deal?

Probably not. And also, I still think Sam was a product this year of the Vikings, more so him being really good. And with the Raiders, if you tell me you're bringing in Sam and you have Brock Bowers and then the six pick, you're getting another offensive weapon. Okay, I'd be more inclined, but it wouldn't shock me if the Raiders use that six pick on the defensive side of the ball with some of their issues after you get past, you know, Max Crosby and Christian Wilkins and Wilkins obviously has to be healthy.

So personally, I would go with Russ just on a one cheap year deal. All right, let's update some of the biggest stories in the world of sports with some audio. We get to a news brief. Time for your daily news brief.

We get you caught up on the rumors, reports and reconnaissance from the day in sports. Santa's best friend, Mark Davis on the Raiders hiring Peacow. I've watched Pete for a number of years. I watched him at USC and where I really watched him was when he was in Seattle competing with the 49ers and the Niners were the bully on the block and Seattle actually was one of the one teams that figured out how to beat him and beat him pretty damn good. So I was impressed with Pete's, again, he brings up the word competitiveness and I think that shows throughout his career and he's a football guy. He loves football and he wanted to be a Raider. Mark, how have you changed over your process as an owner?

Well, every day you learn and you just try to learn from things and that's what you do. Did you think I was Ben Johnson? No, we didn't think we had Ben Johnson. We never made an offer to Ben Johnson and he's a Chicago Bear. I think Mark hit the nail on the head earlier in that conversation where you hear about what Pete Carroll's all about and you don't at least have to be worried about the head coach with the Raiders.

It may not work because they don't have a lot of talent but you at least know you have a consummate professional and a really damn good coach in Pete Carroll who will one day call Canton, Ohio home. Here is Mark Davis on the importance of bringing in Tom Brady as a minority owner. Bringing in Tom Brady was bringing in somebody that was on the football side that I had been lacking having here at the organization.

Back in, I guess it was 18 with John Grudy, he was somebody that I brought in and really expected to be that person on the football side that would bring stability to the organization. He had a 10-year contract and all that and his head was chopped off and we were put in a really bad position as an organization. That's interesting wording, Stu.

His head was chopped off. Now, we know those emails were leaked and there's been a lot of thoughts about why those emails were leaked but the emails were still the emails. So that seems as if Mark Davis thinks there was a little sabotage job right here with the Raiders, right? Yes, that was my first thought when I heard that as well, absolutely. I didn't think you would hear that from an NFL owner, if I'm being honest. I think that's the most we've heard an NFL owner really push back since Robert Kraft landed during the whole deflakgate stuff and was demanding an apology from Roger Goodell if the investigation went the way that he thought it was going to go. Let's go to DK Metcalf. Well, actually, Jim Irsay too. He was also someone when it was a Daniel Snyder thing, he kind of started going after Daniel Snyder too.

That was very un-ownerly-like, if we're going to use that as a word. Here's DK Metcalf on casuals with Katie Nolan. Katie Nolan has a podcast now?

I haven't heard from her in a while. Here is DK Metcalf if he wants to play in New England. No. What? You couldn't see yourself ever living in Massachusetts?

Look at how long it's taken you to say the word. No, it's not a desirable place in my opinion. I said great organization. Yes, of course.

Some may say the best. Geez, that's a knife to the heart by DK Metcalf. Alrighty, we're on to T. Higgins. I didn't want you anyway. I wanted you there. If you're interested in DK Metcalf, you can come join us. Deebo Samuel, my pal, Cleats and Convos podcast via Bleacher Report.

That's a good question. Who's he rooting for in the Super Bowl? I got a little hate for both, but I got all love for my brother AJ Brown over there, so I definitely want to see him win. I definitely don't want to see Mahone get the third one.

That's fair. I'm rocking with AJ and Saquon with this one for sure. I get the AJ Brown relationship, but come on, you went after the Eagles, went after them, and then it was brought back up on this show and you hung up on us, and now you're rooting for the Eagles because the Chiefs beat you twice in the big game.

I'm actually surprised he answered the question. I don't know if I'm more surprised with the answer or the fact that he actually answered the question, but yeah, who would you be rooting for still in that spot? You're Deebo Samuel, you have beef with the Eagles, and the Chiefs beat you twice in the big game.

Who are you rooting for? I feel like his beef with the Eagles was such a beef to the point where I know the Chiefs beat them twice, but I feel like... Fletcher Cox hates his guts. Yeah. Like Fletcher Cox holds us at the Super Bowl, like when I asked about Deebo, off the air he goes, oh man, you really tried to get me with that Deebo stuff, and then after they lost last year, Fletcher Cox is like, I have a ring, you don't. Basically like, suck it, is pretty much what Fletcher Cox said. Yeah, I'm shocked he said Philly. Which one would you say if you were him? I would say the Chiefs.

Samter, what would you say? He hates them both, right? It's kind of like youth, Ryan Dayne, James Franklin, you hate them both, you don't want to see any of them win. He wants it to end in a tie.

But who would you root for? I guess the Eagles, NFC Love, I don't know. Yeah, I feel like does that even exist, NFC Love? Yeah, I think he has to root for the Chiefs. I do, but he said the Eagles, and that's him. That was startling, I will say that. Here is Amun Ra St. Brown and the St. Brown podcast finding out that Antoine Randall L was leaving the Lions to go to the Bears. No.

That's kind of crazy. You guys just messing around your group chat, are you leaving? How'd you know? I actually am leaving. Not that there's any regret on sending that message from Amun Ra St. Brown, but when was Antoine Randall all going to tell Amun Ra St. Brown? Something to think about.

Alrighty, that will do it for News Brief. Zach Gale up here with you on the Infinity Sports Network. Let me just say one thing, because Samta brought up Ryan Day. I actually, Ryan Day, I actually have a new level of respect for him.

No. Just in terms of, I saw a Michigan fan went up to him the other night as he was walking into Smith and Molinsky's and was like, hey, can I take a picture? He had a video. He's like, 4-0, up against Ohio State, extend them. And like, if that was me and I just won a national championship and I know that Michigan owns you, but you get gaunt like that, if Ryan Day punched that fan in the face, I would have had no problem with it. The fact he just smiled and walked away, it's a new level of respect for Ryan Day.

That's as far as I'm going to go on that one. Alrighty, that will do it for the Zach Gale Show on the Infinity Sports Network. Talk to you tomorrow everybody, 3 p.m. Eastern, noon Pacific time. Big thanks to Evan Washburn. Big thanks to Ryan Hickey, Wyndham Clark for joining us, Sean Merriman as well, Samta Stu. Thank you, as always, act as well on each and every one of you. However you listen to this show, we do appreciate you. We out, we'll talk to you tomorrow everybody. Bye-bye, peace.