Axing G To Browns? (Hour 4)

We continue this Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. We'll head out to the guest line right now on behalf of NFL Plus and welcome in a former great NFL wide receiver and that of course is Torrey Holt.

Torrey, it's Zach Gelb in New York City. Appreciate the time. How you been? Good, Zach. How are you, man? Hang in there, bro.

Well, I'm doing fantastic. I gotta start you off and first off, you should be in the Hall of Fame. We'll get to that in just a second, but two weeks ago, you got to see your former head football coach, Dick Vermeil, get that call to Canton, Ohio and get inducted. Just what were the feelings and what did that mean to see your coach get in? It was awesome, man. It was everything, you know, and it's always good to get back. What I love about the Hall of Fame, it allows you to get back with your teammates and your coaches and also see your peers that you played against in the National Football League when I was competing.

So that was all good. And then to see coach Vermeil and his family and his wife, Carol, and the grandkids and how they were all excited and had a really good time. It was just really good to see coach be honored in the way that the Pro Football Hall of Fame honored him, man, and to see the support of his former players and former coaches in the National Football League.

I thought it was just fantastic. You know, coach is a Hall of Fame coach, but he's also a Hall of Fame man, you know, with the, if you hear his former players that talk about him, it was coach under him. All coaches talk about, yes, him as a coach, but they also talk about how good of a man he was.

And I experienced that firsthand. He was fantastic. He had a way of connecting with everybody on the team and really poking and really getting, having a unique way of getting the best out of you every single day. So it was really, really, really exciting and humbling to see coach Vermeil be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. For years, and I know also LeRoy Butler was a part of this class. I would have LeRoy on this show and I would say, why aren't you in the Hall of Fame? It's crazy to me how you haven't got your call to Canton, Ohio, and that eventually did come this past year. To me, how do you process not being in the Hall of Fame yet? Because you can't change your stats. We know your impact on the game.

You should be in. And for whatever the reasons are, you're not right now. Yeah.

You know what? I'm, I'm thankful to be missing amongst the greats, man. You know, it's, I think what this class is going in, I think it's now 362, I think, Pro Football Hall of Famers out of what, 25 plus thousand guys has played this game.

I mean, that's a small percentage, Zach, as you know. So to be listed as a, I've been a finalist now for the last three years, very, you know, that's humbling in itself. And I think over time, you know, with the way this thing has worked, and as you look at the history of the why are we single position, and unless you were first ballot, like a Rice and, you know, Moss and Torello and some of these guys who were, who were first ballot Hall of Famers, and there will be others. But if you look at the history of the position and how guys have been inducted in, they, it's taken five years, eight years, 10 years, 12, 16 plus years. So I'm just humbly just waiting my turn. And at some point, you know, I hope the voters will get it right in and duck me in.

Yeah, even Tio had to wait, which is still crazy to me all these years later. Do you just feel like it's inevitable? Like you got to think you're a Hall of Famer and it's just like you said that waiting game, right? It is, you know, and I guess for me, sometimes I feel like I'm a Pro Football Hall of Famer because I'm around them all the time.

I mean, you think about all the guys that played for the Rams, Orlando, Kurt, Marshall, Isaac, they'll coach for a meal. And then, you know, I'm, I'm constantly in rooms with Pro Football Hall of Famers, Curtis Martin, the Chris, Chris Carter, Andre Reed, the like, I mean, sometimes I feel like I'm already in that, in that in the hall, but, you know, you, it won't be, it won't be official until, you know, you're actually voting in and they, you know, they call, you get the call from the president, Mr. Porter now, and he tells you that you're inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. But it's a, it's a weight that, that, that I'm going to continue to gracefully wait upon. But I tell you what, I can only imagine what that call would be like knowing that you're, that you're inducted in. Yeah.

And I'm not just blowing smoke up, you know what, because Tori Holt's on the show, but you are right. It does feel like you're a Hall of Famer already, even though you haven't been put in the hall, because every time you come on, I got to look up and make sure that you haven't got in yet, because I just assume that, that you're always in the hall of fame whenever you join us. No, that's, that's really cool. That's, I appreciate that, man. That's a, you know, it's, you know, I, I, I, I came and I started playing football because I loved it and I had an opportunity to compete and compete at a high level and hit my neighborhood cheer, hit my family cheer. And then, you know, moving on to high school and college and then going pros.

I never, again, I just played because I love playing it in the past for the game of football. And now here I am, you know, I've been, been, again, like, like I said, a finalist for the last three years, fingers crossed, fingers crossed that it will become a reality. Exactly. Yeah.

And hopefully you don't have to wait that much longer because to make you wait right now, it's just pointless to me. Cause like we're saying, you should be in the hall, Tory Holt here with us. To you is Cooper cup, the best wide receiver in the NFL right now? Cooper cup right now is one of the best wide receivers in the national football league. He is, you know, he had a, he had an incredible year last year for sure winning the triple crown. I think he'll continue. I think he'll continue going forward and consistently be really good. I think he's an offense that knows how to use the skillset, trust and put him in position to be, uh, to, to win on each play. He also has the work ethic. Uh, he has the endurance. I love his work rate. I mean, you think about what he did last year, Zach, think about the amount, think about the endurance that that takes to be a triple crown winner. I mean, you lead in receptions, you lead in yards and you lead a touchdown and everybody in the, in the national football league teams and fans alike, watching our game across the U S and across the world knows that Cooper cup is going to get the football that you still haven't don't have an answer for him.

I think that's a testament to his clay making ability. I think it's a testament to his skill sets, his knowledge, how astute he is about the game of football. And then like I said, I think Sean McVay is going to do everything he can to put him in favorable position. And then he's got a guy in Matthew Stafford that can get him the football anywhere on the field. When I think about Cooper cup people, well, people think of Cooper cup as this possession. I think they, a lot of times think that he's this possession type of receiver. He's six to 200 and some plus pounds, but he led the league last year and with the most 40 plus yard catches out of anybody in the national football league, including Tyreek Hill, Devontae Adams, Jamal Chase, Justin Jefferson, the list goes on and on. Cooper cup is a special player. I think he's at a, he's at a special place and especially he's in a special place right now.

That's going to do everything that they can to make sure that they highlight his skill sets. And he's a good dude. And he's also one of your hardest working players. You said he's one of the best wide receivers to you though. Is he the best wide receiver? He's one of the best wide receivers. That's the way you're going to say it.

Okay. When, when, when, when, when I, when I look at who's been the best consistently over the years, you got to say Devontae Adams over the years has been the best. He's the best wide receiver right now in the national football league, but you certainly got to put cup up there. When you talk about last year, yes, he was the best wide receiver last year in the national football league, but consistently over the years, you got to, that's got to come into play. You got to factor that in and who's done that consistently the most, I would say Devontae Adams. But Cooper cup certainly one of the premier wide receivers in our league. I know he's going to be out for the first six games, but DeAndre Hopkins also been a really good wide receiver for a long time. I'm also amazed Tory Holt, how quickly Justin Jefferson and Jamar Chase, Jefferson was doing it for two years. Chase just came off his rookie season. How quickly they were able to make an impact in the NFL?

Yeah. And I think a lot of it has to do with their coaching, you know, coming from LSU, getting really good coaching, you know, I had an opportunity to watch them and they played in Oklahoma, played against Oklahoma a couple of years ago in Atlanta and Jamar Chase and Justin Jefferson were the best, the two best wide receivers as well as CD Lamb as well. But those two were the two best wide receivers on the field.

And I think a lot of it has to do with their college coaching. I think a lot of it has to do with what's accessible to these wide receivers now with all of the, all the film and all the tape and everything that they can now get their hands on to improve their games as wide receivers, I think also comes into play. When you think about how wide receivers are transitioned into the national football league now and playing at a very high clip early on. Initially, you know, when I came out, which was what, 2015, 20 years ago, you know, the talk was, oh, it takes wide receivers about three years to really get their footing and to really understand this league.

I think that's changed. And I think a lot of it has to do with technology. And I think a lot of it has to do with coaches now in the national football league, as well as in the collegiate league, doing a good job of preparing these guys for college, but also preparing these guys for the national football league. And now all the time you hear about quarterbacks, Tory Holt, you got to take advantage of that rookie contract because of what the salaries eventually become. I think that's going to be the same conversation from here on out with wide receivers too. Obviously the quarterback position is more important, but the deals these wide receivers are getting now are bonkers. So the first four or five years of a wide receiver on that rookie deal, mega for an organization.

Yes, it is. And, you know, and I see this trend, you know, in terms of the guys transition into the national football league and playing right away, I see this trend, I think it's going to continue in a positive way. Again, because of this assessment, the things that they have access to in terms of film study and old tape and social media. Now they can, guys can interact with former wide receivers that they admire that played at a high level. They can now interact with those guys and get the pertinent information that they need in order to be good wide receivers at such an early age, part of their, in their career.

So yeah, I agree with you. I think this is a trend that we're going to see continuing going forward in the national football league. Tory Holt here with us on behalf of NFL Plus. Getting back to your Rams. I love the move this off season of bringing Allen Robinson. I think he's been such an underrated wide receiver for such a long time. When it comes to the Rams repeating with some of the moves they made in the off season, how likely do you think it is this year? I'm excited about it, man. You know, you, you, you got to knock to beat a champ.

You got to beat the champ. And until they are, until someone beats them instead of the throne and they don't have an opportunity to compete again, you've got to say that this football team has every opportunity as everyone else in the NFC. When you think about the Packers and you think about the Bucks and the Saints and other teams in the AFC, the San Francisco 49ers, other teams in the NFC, the Rams have just as good as a chance as anyone else. And you look at this roster, a great deal of those guys are coming back that they didn't lose Barnmiller and Andre and Andrew Whitworth. Also Darius Williams who went, who's also corner was also moved on. So guys that moved on, but they've also added really good players. You talk about Allen Robinson on the offensive side of the ball.

You talk about Bobby Wagner on the defensive side of the football. They've also drafted well over the last couple of years and their draft and the Rams development, the development program is really what stands out. That's why they give themselves an opportunity to compete for the vision championship, conference championships and Superbowls because of the players that are currently on the roster, Aaron Donald Stafford, Cooper Cuff, these guys are leading the charge, Jalen Ramsey, these guys that are leading the charge, but they also have creations that come in that are expired and they also have draft guys that come in and the draft guys, what I like about what they do with the draft, they draft guys with an opportunity to come in and truly compete for an opportunity to play, whether it's on defense offense, particularly on special teams, but these guys are drafted and developed and they get an opportunity to play early and develop and put themselves in a position to have a successful career. So it's a lot what the Rams are doing in terms of developing their players, how they're drafting, how they're able to maintain players, how they're able to move the cap situation around to keep people, keep guys excited and paid up. And then they have a coaching staff that's had some turnover over the years. Think about Sean McVay's coaching staff over the last three or four years. Somebody's always coming and plucking his coaches as head coaches now. So he's had to replant his talent, not only on the field and the roster, he has to replant his talent in his coaching room and they've done a really good job of doing that as well. When we get to make or break season story Holt, we talk a lot about Baker Mayfield this year and also Tua Tunga-Viloa.

How do you think Baker's going to fare with the Panthers and Tua with the Dolphins? Well, I'm here in North Carolina, so I'm actually watching this battle between he and Sam pretty intimately. I see it and I would say Baker Mayfield certainly looks in charge. He looks very comfortable.

He's galvanized in this office. I think he's got a bunch of guys that are now starting to believe in what he's able to do. So I think Baker Mayfield is in the lead in terms of that QB battle and a lot of it has to do with he's won in this league, he has experience, he has an opportunity to kind of revive himself to really show people that, hey look I can play in this league and I can play at a high clip. I think he would get that opportunity here in Carolina. And then how about Tua with the Dolphins this year? He has all the pieces when you look at the two wide receivers, Guseki too, they improved that offensive line.

Now the question is can he be an NFL quarterback? He has tons of pieces around him when you look at the wide receiver position, speed and play-making ability, a revamp offensive line. But what I love is the coach, Coach McDaniel, I think he's going to do a really good job of establishing some run game, establishing the line of scrimmage, which I think is going to make things a little more settled, a little more clear for Tua in regards to the passing game because they now, there is an emphasis on running the football. There's an intent on running the football really well. I think that's going to go really good for the overall offense, more importantly for that passing game.

Whether it's play action or whatever the case may be, I think the run game is going to help set up what they want to do in the passing game. Before we talk about NFL Plus wrapping up with Tory Holt, I got to get your reaction to Deshaun Watson settling on a suspension today, 11 games and being fined $5 million. Yeah, you know what, I think it's the situation where the Cleveland Browns are saying, okay, okay, now we have an idea of what it is.

It's 11 games, he's been fined. Okay, now they can move forward and make some plans for what that season is going to look like. I found it crazy that he will come back when he's reinstated back into the league. It's a gift to Houston, Texas.

I found that a little strange. But for the Cleveland Browns, they got to be okay with now knowing what the sentence is, what the suspension is, and now they can make plans. And for Deshaun Watson, going forward, I hope that he's able to continue to rehabilitate himself, really get himself in a good space, because this is something that's going to stick with him for a very long time.

So I hope that he does a good job of trying to continue to prepare himself and give him the tools that he needs to have life beyond the game of football. They have the cap space available. Right now, Jacoby Brissette would be their week one starter. Should they pull the trigger on a Jimmy G trade, since it probably won't even cost you that much if you have to go trade for the now 49ers quarterback? Absolutely not. I think they should go ahead and ride with Jacoby Brissette, let him take them through this season until Deshaun is ready.

I think when you bring in Jimmy, say Jimmy comes in and Jimmy wins, he runs off 10 wins, 10-1. What are you going to do, replace him? Now you've got to replace him with Deshaun Watson because you paid Deshaun Watson a boatload of money. I don't think you go down that rabbit hole if I'm the Cleveland Browns. I think you stay where you are.

You don't need any more drama than what you've already had. Stay where you are, let Jacoby Brissette be the pro that he is, allow Miles Garrett in that defense, guys on the offensive side of the ball, play to their abilities until Deshaun Watson is back in the mix. And hopefully, Brissette and that offense, along with that defense, can keep them in the running until Deshaun Watson is back into the lineup.

And then you got to say, okay, where are we? Do we have an opportunity to still make it to the playoffs or are we totally out of it? But I don't think they go down the rabbit hole to bring it in to Jimmy G that have enough issues, enough fighters that they have to blow out.

Go with what you have and let it go and let it go from there. But don't you owe it to the 50-something other guys to give them the best chance to win and bringing in Jimmy G right now could keep them from preventing that ship from sinking? No, I get what you're saying, but I think I have to say right now in terms of team chemistry and what they built there in Cleveland, Jacoby Brissette is the guy right now along with Deshaun Watson. I don't think, I think you bring in Jimmy G, you got to learn a whole new playbook. They got to learn a whole new guy.

It's just, it's just, I don't think it's, I don't think it's worth the time. So Jimmy G is a tremendous talent. He's won games in his league. He's played in Super Bowls, but I don't think it's worth the time, energy, nor money to bring in Jimmy G. Work with what you've already established in Cleveland with Jacoby Brissette, Deshaun Watson, and those guys in the offense and the defense, and then we're just going to play our best. What I'm saying, if I'm the head coach guy, we know what these transmissions is now.

We got to go out and play our best ball, give ourselves a chance late in the year to try to compete, to get into the playoffs, and then you go from there. Tory Hope, before we let you run, tell me what you're doing with the NFL Plus now. Oh man, NFL Plus. So NFL Plus fans, NFL Plus gives the fans the freedom to watch NFL games wherever they are.

To me, that is the coolest part. NFL Plus gives the fans the freedom to watch NFL games wherever they are. Within, within the Football Plus, fans can watch every local and prime time Thursday night football games, Sunday night football games, Monday night football, regular season, and postseason games right there on your phone, on your tablet. NFL Plus is available at the cost-friendly price of $4.99 a month, $39.99 a year. Fans can get an upgrade though. This is what I like right here on that.

This is what I like. Fans can get an upgrade to NFL Plus Premium for all NFL Plus features in addition to full and condensed game replays and the All 22 coaches film for $9.99 a month or $79.99 a year. If you like watching the All 22 copies with no analysts, no noise, no band, no music, and you just want to watch guys play football, you can do that with NFL Plus on the All 22. NFL Plus allows fans the ability to watch football wherever they are.

Make sure you visit nfl.com slash plus for more info. Tory Holt, appreciate the time as always. Thanks so much. You be well. Thank you very much. You too, Zach.

All the best. 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? Offside, defense number 69.

It's Onsides, Offsides with Zach Gelb on CBS Sports Radio. We're treating this like a Friday show even though it's a Thursday because I am off tomorrow as I'm going down to Florida to celebrate my grandmother's birthday. How about that? And then Saturday, I'm going to Miami. It's out of season for my favorite restaurant, Joe's Stone Crab.

So I will be going to Carbone. Big fancy, fancy time. Wait, what do you mean it's out of season? Like the Stone Crabs are, it's out of season. Oh, the crabs.

Okay. So that they shut down that restaurant this time of the year. I think they do like some takeout stuff. You can still take out like the greatest $8 fried chicken you've ever had in the world and all the other desserts and sides and all that great stuff.

Wait, they actually shut down the restaurant for the most part? Uh-huh. Wow. See, that's what happens when you get cultured.

They're haute cakey. Interesting. You know, all these parts. I texted my buddy. He always used to go to Joe's with it. He goes, you know, Joe's is out of season. I go, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I'm well aware. So he goes, we'll go to Carbone instead. I think there's like select.

No, I think they shut down the entire restaurant and you can just do takeout. Yeah. But anyway, what do you got for me? Five questions, five answers.

Let's go. The Athletic is reporting that the Panthers will make Baker Mayfield their starting quarterback for the regular season. The former Browns QB was traded to Carolina just over a month ago and has already impressed the coaching staff with his ability to absorb the playbook in a very quick manner. They have to go back to last year with four different starting quarterbacks. The Panthers finished in last place at five and 12. Onside draw offsides, the Panthers will make the playoffs this season.

I saw the Panthers at a joint practice on Tuesday. Defense looked good. I think the defense is good. They showed that at times last year, even though they don't have a son Redick anymore, but Burns is really good.

Jeremy Chin's a real player. JC Horn's going to be really good. The problem is I also just wonder how good the defense look just because the Patriots offense have a lot of problems. Offensively, it's tough to really evaluate where the Panthers are. Mayfield's going to be the starter, but when you're watching him in practice, even though McCaffrey's on the field, you know, there'll be a different level of being explosive and explosiveness when it's not in a training camp kind of practice or joint practice.

DJ Moore's really solid. The offensive line's really improved. With all that being said, a lot has to go right for them to make the playoffs.

And this is a team that's building still. I could see them being eight or nine wins if all goes right and they'll have a chance, but ultimately right now I have the Panthers on the outside looking in, so I will go offside. Deshaun Watson and the NFL did agree today on an 11-game suspension and a $5 million fine as part of a settlement. Now Judge Sue L. Robinson ruled a few weeks ago that Watson should serve a six-game suspension, which the NFL did appeal. Now from the start of this entire process, the league has pushed publicly for an indefinite suspension of at least one season for the embattled Browns quarterback.

And then they cowered at the end of the 11th hour. They absolutely did, as you just mentioned, settling on 11 games. The first game Deshaun Watson set to play is week 13 in Houston against his former T-Unit Texans. Onsides are offside, Zach. The 11-game suspension is too late for Deshaun Watson.

Here's the poll question today. Deshaun Watson getting suspended for 11 games is too many games of fair punishment, not enough games. You can find that at Zach Gelb, Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B on Twitter. Give me a follow and also at CBS Sports Radio.

Give them a follow as well. 8.2% say too many games, 15.3% say a fair punishment, and 76.5% say not enough games. You wanted a full season or a suspension that was indefinite, and then you basically showed your true colors in the 11th hour because Watson showed remorse for, what, 15 seconds and then walked it back today?

It's weak. You could have got 17 games. The way the CBA is agreed upon, you would have got your way, and now you just wanted to get back on the field and you say, okay, we'll find them $5 million and only agree to 11-game suspension. So yeah, an 11-game suspension when Judge Sue Robinson said he had egregious behavior, predatory behavior, and committed nonviolent sexual assault, the way it's defined by the NFL, should be a full season. You asked me a 11-game suspension. It's too late for Deshaun Watson.

Absolutely onside. So one question for the Browns, at least taking care of how much time will Deshaun Watson miss? We now know it's 11 games. Now the next question is, who will be playing quarterback for the Browns in those 11 games? Cleveland seems ready to roll with Jacoby Brissett in that time. He did start five games last year for the Dolphins, throwing five touchdowns. The four picks did complete 62% of his passes.

Onsets are offside, Zach. The Browns will trade for Jimmy G. I don't think they're gonna trade for him. They should, but I don't think they will. I think the only way they get him is if the 49ers do release him. You have the salary cap space. It's gonna cost you basically nothing to go trade for him. I would go salvage the season and save the ship from sinking because it will sink with Jacoby Brissett as your quarterback.

You could keep it afloat if it is Jimmy Garoppolo as your quarterback. But the question is, the Browns will trade for Jimmy G. I don't think they're going to, although they should. So offside.

Offside. The Browns will face a challenging schedule. A lot of Browns questions today. Well, a lot of Browns in the news.

What is this, like the biggest story of the day? Obviously it is. You can say that. Shep walks in during the break, and I go to Shep. Oh, what are you guys talking about tonight in a sarcastic way?

He's like, what do you think we're talking about? I go, oh, let me guess, Deshaun Watson. Duh. Baker Mayfield. QB one. Clearly.

All right. So the Browns, speaking of Cleveland, they have a tough schedule. If you look at their first 11 games, Deshaun Watson will miss. They are playing teams like the Chargers, the Bills, the Bucks, the Ravens, and the Bengals. All teams that are going to be in the playoffs slash Super Bowl conversation. Once Deshaun Watson does return starting week 13, two toughest games or two toughest teams you will face are the Ravens and the Bengals.

On ties are offside, Zach. The Browns will make the playoffs. They're not going to make the playoffs because they're going to start Jacoby Bressett for the first 11 games.

I think that's problematic. You have some tough games. I know early on, the first three, four games of the season, you get some easier opponents, but then the schedule does pick up in its intensity before you hand the baton back over to Deshaun Watson. I think there are three or four wins at most, which Jacoby Bressett, even though that's one heck of a roster, that's going to prevent them from making the playoffs this year. So offside, when you asked me, will the Browns make the playoffs?

Can I throw in a curve ball question to you here? Oh, sure. When it comes to this entire situation with the Cleveland Browns, are the Browns now becoming an unlikable team? I think for a lot of years, the Browns are lovable losers.

And then when they started to look like they were turning things around Baker and becoming really good, and they won that playoff game, I was rooting for Cleveland, right? You know, on CBS Sports Radio, like, and here we go again. It's the Cleveland Browns and it's first and 10. Here we go, Brownies.

Here we go. But now with all this Watson stuff, even though I want to root for the people of Cleveland, it's tough to do so. And it makes the Browns unlikable because how much they're saying Deshaun Watson's great, Deshaun Watson's this, Deshaun Watson's that as a human being. And they're almost trying to tell you, shame on you for criticizing the Browns, bringing in Deshaun Watson. I get it from a football standpoint, but off the field, I can't trust this guy. And it makes now the organization unlikable in my opinion. So onside offside, you now find the Browns to be unlikable.

For this season, I will say onsides, I think for after this year offsides, like I think this will be a one year thing. There's like most, I mean, look, Big Ben, if you want to, you know, make comparisons, people aren't booing him. Tyree killed in the Super Bowl that year with all the allegations about what he may or may not did to his son. And I think the reason why it's going to last into this full year is because he's returning so late that, you know, there'll be a few fan bases that will turn up against the Texans. Yes. But I think the actual, when he goes to stay in the stadium for the foreseeable future, even going into next year, he's going to get it from the fans.

Really? I mean, even next year. Yeah. I hate to say it. I think it's going to be forget and move on. Well, I'm not saying you're wrong on that part in terms of the conversation on the radio and television, but when fans get in the stands and they get liquored up even next year, you don't think they're going to be chanting you sick bleep a Jaguar kind of set the bar.

Well, they did, but I think it's also easier to do. That was his first appearance since I think by this time next year, like if you go into Pittsburgh, they'll be booing him. Cause he's a Brown not for off the field. Yeah.

But that will then if you're brewing him because he's a Cleveland Browns player, then you will use these things to go boo. It's kind of like, it's going to be said for sure. That is for sure. All right, final one. Let's go. Albert pools is on the precipice of history in his final season. What will we believe this fall season of his career as he hit today, career home run number six 90, which was a grand slam, by the way, after hitting 10 homers in the first half of the season, up to the all-star break, he's at six 90 now, six 90, six 87.

The other day, the machine is hot. He's now has four home runs the last 14 games. Quick math here. Holy smokes.

Six 90, 700. That is 10 homers. He is short of reaching history for his 45 games left.

Z man. I'm going to put you on the spot here. Onsides are offsides out pools will reach the 700 Homer plateau. You know, what's going to happen if he gets to like six 98, you got a three game series.

May get some meatballs. No, you think Brett farve, Michael stray hand going down. Now, before I say that, cause that could be a hot take.

Let me see. Now those games are going to matter for the Cardinals. They're going to matter. So it depends who they're going up against. If it's like the pirates or the Cubs last series of the year, you may get some meatballs.

Oh wow. Their last one, two, three, four, five, six games of the season against Pittsburgh pirates. You get some meatballs. You get some folly floaters. They're 10 more home runs in 45 games.

That's still a lot. I'll go offside. I don't think we'll get to 700. You come back for another season.

I'll be that close. I know they said this is final. If he's in like six 97, you have to, I'm sorry.

You have to arrow just for short, but you didn't really have a choice. Like you, you have to come back. Yeah. He may go, he may go to the clubhouse, the Pittsburgh before the six final games ago. Guys, I'll give you a signed Jersey signed bats, whatever you want.

Just give me some folly floaters. Is it wrong to, if he's at like six 98, be like, Hey look, I'm gonna come back and get my two home runs and retire. Like as soon as I do it, if it's like two weeks or two months, because it really hasn't been that big of a send off this year. I know I don't, he hasn't officially said he was going to retire, right? It's just the expectation.

I know his wife had that whole post before the start of the season. So it hasn't been a big send off. Like when he was in New York, it, it, it crossed the, it came across my mind when I saw him play up against the Mets earlier in the season, but there hasn't been this big grand send off.

So maybe he does come back and get to 700 next year, but we'll have to wait and see. We'll do the closing bell next. Tell you, whose stock is booming, whose stock is dooming.

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 off with that clown, Antonio Brown, who is saying that Jerry Jones should call him. Well, Jerry Jones responded. He was asked about it and he said, yeah, we're good. Now there's been a lot of low moments for Antonio Brown, but Jerry Jones is a publicity whore. And even he wasn't willing to now take a flyer and be willing to take a flyer and Antonio Brown, because that's how untouchable he is right now. A once great player, like a phenomenal wide receiver. I think he should be a hall of famer.

I don't think he's going to get in, but I think he should be a hall of famer. And man, not even the drama Dallas Cowboys won any part of the AB drama. So give a stock up to Jerry Jones. Man Titeo, for years, I just thought to myself, how could you fall for this?

How dumb could you be when you could get anyone you want as the star linebacker of Notre Dame? There's still part of me that questions it, but after watching the docu-series, I have a lot of sympathy for Man Titeo. And you know, I liked the way that he revealed his story and I feel bad for him. So I appreciate Man Titeo.

Now in 2022, sharing his story, give him a stock up. Let's hear our pal Scott Zolack on 98.5, the sports hub, while one of the training camp fights did develop between the Patriots and the Panthers the other day. Listen up to Zo.

Looks like it was Wilkerson. And now here comes another fight, another major fight. It's happening right in front of the stands. These guys are A-holes, man.

It's going to involve much Christmas. These guys are A-holes at this point in time. Get these clowns out of here.

Oh, they're right up against the stands. All I want to do is fight. This is fight. This is unreal. I've never seen anything like this.

Yes. Players are coming from the other field. And again, all the players from the opposite field are now running in.

This is like cattle. Now that Bill's calling the team over now. Oh, there's another dust up over here. Yeah, they're, they're starting to get a little bit, 35 from the Panthers here.

I got this. I got the, maybe at this point, you've now had three scrums that number here today in this practice. You had three of them yesterday. Oh, we got another one over here. And another one is now starting here. I mean, at some point, holy crap.

At some point, they're going to have to maybe nope. He was just through the ball to Agalor. So they're calling both teams together here. The Patriots it's Belichick again in the middle here. Mr. Kraft now is in the middle with Bill. Oh, look at this, man.

What a scene. Look at him. He's getting right in the middle with Bill is Mr. Kraft. What do you think Robert Kraft said? We're all Patriots. Calm down everyone. We're all Patriots.

I don't know why it sounds Southern there. You know what they should do? I'm going to give Roger Goodell and the NFL some advice and NFL network.

You can thank me later. Hire Scott Zolack to just go to all training camps or all joint practice and just have him broadcast the fights. That was electric. Give a stock up to Scott Zolack. Some unfortunate news. One of our great affiliates, 1250 the fan, unfortunately had to make some budget cuts and we lost some great hosts in the daily lineup that had become really great friends from Steve Sparky Pfeiffer, Leroy Butler, Gary Ellerson, Bart Winkler. I don't want to leave anyone out. A bunch of other hosts and some great behind the scenes people. Milwaukee's been a great affiliate for us.

We'll continue hopefully to be a great affiliate for us. And I developed some good relationships with their local talent. You know, I've become really good friends with Leroy Butler.

I've visited Bart Winkler in Milwaukee. And radio, it's a rough business. It's also a rewarding business. Those guys are all talented. Hope they land on their feet soon. Just phenomenal people and I wish them nothing but the best. But I think it's important that we honor and show respect to those guys and all associated with the station for such a long time and just say thank you. So I wanted to give them a stock up and just unbelievable shows and really fun engaging conversations that I've had with them throughout the years. And we always know the listening audience is so important. So I just wanted to give these guys a stock up because now listeners have their routine altered.

And hopefully those guys find the platform sooner rather than later. So give a stock up and a big thank you to all those guys for what they've done. All right, so I was at Patriots Joint Practice on Tuesday. And Hickey, I thought I really cracked the code on Belichick. Because three years ago, I asked him a question about Terence Brooks. And I went into with the mind with the thought process of okay, I'll ask about someone that doesn't use to get a lot of spotlight and then Belichick will go on and he went on for 90 seconds and it was unbelievable audio. So I go into this joint practice and I'm like, okay, I'm going to do it. So I go into this joint practice and I called Ray Martel and he goes, you're going to talk to Belichick today? I go, yeah, yeah, I'm going to be at the press conference. I go, I'm not going to ask about the offense, even though I really wanted to because he would give me nothing. I go, I'm not going to ask about a player on his team because he probably gives you nothing. So I go, let me ask about someone on the other team.

Right, Hickey? Whenever you hear Belichick talk about the other team, he's extensive and thorough and praises players who aren't that good and makes them out to be greater. The good players, he gives a fair assessment of them. So this was the question that I asked the Bill Belichick and this was the response.

Bill, you've seen Baker before. What challenges does he bring to your defense and how do you just view him as a quarterback? Yeah, right now we're really just focused on development of our team. So we're not really in the evaluation of everybody else. There'll be a time for that, but right now our focus is on how to make our team better, how to coach better, how to play better, how to get our units to communicate better and operate more efficiently. So Carolina's got a lot of good players. They have a lot of guys with different good skill sets. We'll see how we match up against them and we'll learn about it as we go.

But right now it's much more focused on what we're doing and what they're doing. Hickey, I got Belichick. There's no other way around it.

Unless you mentioned before, unless you asked about the long snapper, 99% of questions, we get Belichick. You know what I think? And by the way, everyone thought I asked him about Temple and that rule.

It wasn't me. And he said it was awesome. He goes, I have a lot of connections to Temple.

I love Temple. And I was like, yeah, that's my coach now. He was mentored by Wayne Harden, who's a legendary coach at Navy with Wayne Harden. Bill Belichick's father Steve worked with Wayne.

That's how they became in contact and close. And then Wayne went on to have a very successful career at Temple. He's a college pro football hall of famer, college hall of famer. But anyway, with Belichick, I think if I had to pretty much verbalize what was going through his mind, it was probably, this is probably someone from Carolina trying to get a big nice quote from me about Baker Mayfield.

And I'm just not going to give him what he wants. So Baker's a good player, but I'm not going to say he's a good player. I'm just going to say Carolina's a good players and I'm focused on my players. So I got to give a stock down to yours truly because I thought I cracked the code on Belichick and I was wrong. NFL settling with Deshaun Watson and letting him only have to serve 11 games is a joke.

Give a stock down to the NFL for selling with Deshaun Watson. And real quickly in 30 seconds or less, describe to me this Papa John's thing you guys were talking about last night. It's their new spin on pizza. It is basically an uncrustable for pizza. No crust.

It's in a box and it's toppings only. And then what was the other part about the pizza sales being down? Papa John's claims there's pizza fatigue nationwide and that this is a new idea to reinvigorate those to eat more pizza.

Yeah. A pizza fatigue is not a thing. I love pizza, but I like good pizza, not cardboard pizza.

So stock down to this lame excuse by Papa John's. That's the Zach Gelb show on CBS Sports Radio. Big thanks to each and every one of you for calling, listening, and tweeting.

You can always follow the show on Instagram and Twitter at Zach Gelb, Z-A-C-H-G-E-L-B. If you don't do so, do so right now. Come on folks.

Do it right now. And a big thank you to Dennis Pitta for joining us, Jake Butt, Mike Golick Jr., and Tori Holt. Hickey, great to see you. Talk to you on Monday at 6 p.m. Eastern, 3 Pacific. I will not be here tomorrow. So have a good weekend everybody. Be safe. Bye-bye. Talk on Monday. We out. Peace.