10AM: Lukas Van X-Factor

0:00Three time Wisconsin sports writer of the year Jason Wildey. Time now for headlines as we predict what will happen on Sunday as the Packers take on. The Vikings at Lambo Field Packers, Hala Famer, Mark Towsher. I'm going to do something crazy. Broadcasting live from the Everlight Solar Studio at ESPN Medicine. I'm going to say kiss and cousins pack bikes, I. And celebrating 10 great years on ESPN Wisconsin. He missed it again. And we'll end this crazy game in a time. Oh my goodness. This is Wildey and Towsher, presented by Pella Windows and Doors of Wisconsin. The 10 o'clock hour of Wildey and Towsher.

1:02I'm sorry I threw Old Boy off there because I really do want to talk about Lucas Van Ness. Because I think that is a storyline that is going to be very interesting, not just through the first four games. But thereafter, whenever Micah Parsons comes back, I was just talking about him with Alex Strof when we were recording Weekly Wildey. So I will get back to that. But some breaking news from the pro football hall of fame. And Adam Schaefter. So last year, arguably, the greatest coach in NFL history, I don't agree. I will put Lombardi ahead of him, but tomato tomato.

2:02Bill Bella check. Who is not one a lot without Tom Brady. Was snubbed for the Hall of Fame class. Remember that old boy? I do. I do remember that. It's ridiculous. Now, I would argue that while not quite as ridiculous, it was also ridiculous that a head coach who was part of the renaissance of the league's most iconic oldest franchise, who took three teams, two Packers teams and a Seahawks team, to the Super Bowl, also came up like two vote shy of the 80%. 80% that was required for a coach to get in because they had changed the rules going into his year. And that kept Mike Holmgren out of the hall, which was preposterous, although not as preposterous as Bella check without his Super Bowl titles.

3:02But they screwed the Poochan how they were doing this. From Mike Sando, my buddy at the athletic, who is one of the pro football Hall of Fame voters, the pro football Hall of Fame has overhauled its selection process, including changes to policies per Mike Sando, dating back decades. Here are the changes, Toush. They have reduced the selection committee from 50 to 25, plus three non-voting participants with voting status determined annually. So apparently they're going to review your voting. But two, they have eliminated the senior category for players that have been retired for at least 25 years.

4:04Three, they will be enshrining between three and seven candidates each year from a 15 person pool, 13 players, one coach and one contributor. And they are scrapping the system. And this is really interesting to me because this is how they had done it for a really long time. Pete Dirty being the Packers, the Green Bay representative. I wonder if he lost his seat. They are scrapping the system in which one selector from each NFL market takes the lead in presenting the candidacy for finalists associated with that market. Instead, one person who is not on the committee will present all the candidates. Toush, this is all because they looked stupid with Bill Balochek not making it into the hall. What do you make of this news from pro football Hall of Fame? I'll be curious how that shakes itself out. There are some players that get missed and maybe get caught up and then you get forgotten.

5:04I think you have that. This guy is a lock stock first ballot, which Bellachek should have been the Tom Brady's the paint mannings, et cetera, far be. And then you have the Eli Mannings and some of these other guys that it's probably going to take a little bit of time. They are going to get in and there's a lot of debate around whether or not they should get in. And that's not a bad thing. What I think has happened is a lot of the Hall of Famers probably are looking at these, especially that class that had 20 people in it. You want it to be really tough to get in and it should be you have to be the best player in your spot for a certain amount of years or I think we all know that guy is a Hall of Famer. We're not sure about that. I think they're trying to eliminate that part of it and make it more stringent and selective. And if you don't get in in that first 10, 15 years, you're not going to get brought in from the Veterans Committee.

6:09So I think the Bellachek part of it. Obviously everybody looked at that and thought there are some access to grind and enough of those people held him out for being in where he is. If he's not the greatest coach, his resume says he is and he should be in the Hall of Famers. He should have been in last year. So I'm guessing that like most things like this LSU player that went from the pros and all this, that is typically when you're forced to address and do something different is when you do it. And that it sounds as if is what has happened with the NFL Hall of Fame. So Loroi Butler got in in 2022, which would have been 21 years since his last, he last played. He was your teammate in 2000 and 2001. So if it had gone any longer, you get to the 25 year threshold and you're done. So you're out. You have no chance of getting in period fin.

7:09That would have been a miscarriage of justice. I would argue. If that had occurred, they are still only going to allow one coach in per class and they are not guaranteed of getting in. But now my, hey, Mike home, Grin, congratulations. They're going to ram Bill Bella, check through for the 2027 class. And I hope you have your health and everything's great because you'll be pushing 80 years old. If you get in in 2028, cutting the selection committee in half, I'm not sure having fewer voters is necessarily the solution. Maybe the percentage policy that they went to and the idea that you had to have 80% of the vote to get selected. So like Mike home, Grin. So you needed 40 out of the 50 votes. My understanding was Mike home, Grin got 38. So 38 out of 50 people think you belong in the hall and 12 people don't.

8:11And you still don't get in. I don't think that's probably a good policy. And that wasn't a stake by them. So, and look, I'm not, I'm not friends with Mike home, Grin. He and I don't talk frequently. I've certainly learned a lot from covering his teams. But I would argue that Mike home, Grin belongs in the pro football hall of fame. If Don Coriel, who never won anything as a head coach, is in there and he's not, that I don't understand that. But it took Bill Belichick not getting in for them to re-examine their policies. And this strikes me as a, I don't want to say over correction. But I would say it's a very aggressive approach to retooling how they do things. And I'm very curious to see if this fixes these problems that they see. Because it would appear that before they changed the rules in August of 2024,

9:14yes, there were people that you felt like they deserved to get in. But it feels like they have, they have now taken away some avenues for potentially deserving players. That have missed out or coaches in this manner. I'm not, my initial responses, I don't really like it. I don't think it makes it better. Why don't you like it? Well, because you're still saying you will only have classes between three and seven, which I understand. But like, why doesn't, like, here's the example from this year's class. Roger Craig won, he was on three Super Bowl championship teams, I believe. He was the first player. Any time you do something that no one has ever done before, I think that merits examination. And you, I don't know, you were, you're a little bit younger than me. So I don't know if you remember this season. I remember having the football card that, that trumpeted this accomplishment. He was the first player in NFL history to have a thousand rushing yards and a thousand receiving yards

10:19in the same season. Like he changed, he changed the position slightly, maybe more than slightly, with that West Coast offense and Bill Walsh throwing him the ball a lot, but also handing him the ball a lot. Well, let's be honest, under these rules, he would not have gotten in, because the 25 year statute of limitations on his eligibility, eliminating the seniors committee would have kept him out. I just, I don't, there are probably players who played in an era that I don't know a lot about, that deserve to get in, that wouldn't get in. And the fact that there are, there's a player like Roger Craig, who now, if this had been put in place last year, would not have gotten in, I disagree with that. Now Mike writes in here that there were some voters who confessed that they prioritized long awaiting senior candidates, thinking that this might be their only chance to be enshrined.

11:26Well, why not just have a, have that separate category and just enshrine them independent of modern candidates? This seems like a simpler fix to me. And I understand that you want the Hall of Fame to be an exclusive club, Towsh. You're a thousand percent right about that. I think that baseball has so many voters and there are players that tell me if I'm wrong about this. When you see the classes, you're like, that guy's a Hall of Famer. Like he was good or he was really good. I had his baseball card, but I'm not sure he's a Hall of Famer. I don't think the NFL has a problem with putting in too many undeserving guys. I don't see it that way. Am I, am I biased? I don't think so either, but I do think there's the process probably needed an overhaul. And like you said earlier, when you have the greatest coach in the history of the NFL, not get in on the first ballot,

12:27you need to evaluate why. And biases, I think so many times I think there's just people hanging around too long. And in a business that is constantly about change and overhaul in 25 to 30% of rosters, change in our overhaul, there's going to be bad blood and there's going to be some things that are in play that don't need to be a part of the evaluation. So I don't know what that right answer is. I don't know if it's going down to 10 or 15 and limiting it. There's always going to be controversy with it. So it's part of this institution and I think it's actually really good for shows like ours and for other for fans. I think fans love debating all the famous, but when there is no debate and there is no debate, that's when you have to start evaluating what your processes look like and that's why they've decided to do what they did today. But there's no question that the idea of bill ballot check not getting in is is a flaw.

13:31You there you have uncovered a flaw in your system. There's no two ways about that. I totally agree with you. It is an issue. It doesn't feel like this is the right remedy. That's my first reaction. I just saw Wes Hadquitz respond the same way on his Twitter from the Packers. So what was Wes's solution? Again, it's super easy to say, well that's what I do it. I just gave one of mine, right? I would say that a guy like that that you could do the senior committee as a separate group. So you can have three to seven from the coach contributor, modern player, and then you can have, I think you should just have a senior committee selection every year. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I know he as a fan of Packers history has three what he believes and obviously Cliff Crystal believes as the team historian.

14:32Three players in old school pack old old school Packers history who deserve to be consideration still even though they they're 25 years of long since past. Well and Lavi Dillwig and Cecil Isbell are on his list. But my biggest issue is if you're going to do this to remedy what you see as a mistake and I agree with you was a mistake of keeping Bill Bella check out. I don't think keeping my home grown out was as egregious as keeping Bill Bella check out. But you're this 80% rule. I just I don't I don't understand how 38 out of 50 voters can select someone and he still doesn't get in like that's not he got 26 votes and 24 said no. Like that's still a pretty significant portion of the voters. And what what is it in government how she's the one who took history and was a history major is it the to defeat a filibuster or something or the override of veto if it's 60% of the senator something like that.

15:43It's two thirds you need two thirds so majority. So I don't like that's still under if that had been the policy instead you needed 33 right. And my home grown gets in and I know I'm fixated on the my home grown one because it's a coach I covered but I think his resume is pretty clear that based on other coaches that are in the pro football Hall of Fame he should have gotten in. And he got hosed by the implementation of this 80% rule but they didn't react to this and it being an issue until last year when Bell check was hosed. And if they had reacted this way a year ago I just I think if you're going to write some wrongs I'm not sure that this is the way to go about it. All right we spent a lot of time on that I want to get to and Colin makes a really good point on Twitter this means Jerry Kramer would not be in the pro football Hall of Fame if the if these rules were in place now. Is that right? Is that right that Jerry Kramer?

16:45I don't know I know the math is right I'm saying does Jerry Kramer belong in the pro football Hall of Fame and I'm not saying obviously we're we're completely biased we love Jerry and obviously he's a huge part of a great run so yeah I think so but that's where I mean at some point somebody does have to kind of piece that together Jerry Kramer Loroi Butler we want everybody as Packer fans but they they made there there. There needs to be a process that is going to be better than what it's been those guys should have been in earlier and I think if you instead of limiting it to three to say if you're a first ballot hall of Famer and you have a class let's say Rogers retires the same time as Tom Brady and Adrian Peterson and all these guys that you know are first ballot and it's nine of them. It shouldn't be hey these are nine first ballot hall of Famers but you got to wait because there's only five that's where this process goes haywire yeah and there's a year that there's only one there should only be one.

17:49That's I guess and you you have a program that you're doing you're having people out to Canton I get the whole deal but it shouldn't be well there's only this if there's nine first ballot hall of Famers nine first about hall Famers should be going in that year and that's where these issues come into play. All right I got sidetracked that's a that's a topic that I I feel strongly about obviously which doesn't happen as frequently as someone would like on this program. I want to talk about Lucas Vaness because that is another topic that I feel strongly about but not as strongly as I feel about my friendship with David Gruber and Gruberloff says as a partner and a supporter of this show you've heard our celebratory messages he delivered his to us earlier this week he's been great he's a great friend he is a incredible person but most importantly for four decades he's been winning your cases to make sure that if you've been injured in an accident you get what's coming to you you get what you deserve even if people are trying to prevent you from winning your case.

18:58So if you have been injured and I hope you haven't been but if you have there's one call to make one call that's all 414 276 666414276 66666 go to the website Gruberdashlaw.com Gruberloff says one call that's all I don't I do want to talk about Lucas Vaness we'll do that next with the entouch. This is will the entouch presented by Pella Windows and doors of Wisconsin called today 855 Pella WI and online at Pella WI dot com slash radio. So let's have a conversation about having a conversation.

20:24How about Lucas Vaness? Towsh Strollford I were talking about him on weekly will be which will be posted soon on the ESPN Milwaukee YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. And it was nice to talk to someone else as opposed to trying to do it by myself. Jesse next time you're my first call or maybe my second if Gabe's available. But Lucas Vaness has has a less than impressive three year resume is that fair to say Towsh Strollford by being unfair I would say he has not lived up to the expectations of being a first round. He has forced one career fumble in 43 games he has a not so grand total of eight and a half sex in regular season play four is a rookie three in 2024 and one and a half last year he has 17 career tackles for loss he has 23 career.

21:37Quarterback hits from the advanced metrics perspective his past rushing career numbers he has 34 career pressures in 43 games. So you would like and he's dealt with injuries there's no two ways about that but you would like more production is this the year. Goody came out when they before they gave him the fifth year option for 2027 and said that we don't make those decisions based on what guys have done we make those decisions based on what we think they will do. Do you think like he could in theory if he gets off to a fast start pre-micoparsons and then takes advantage and more advantage than Rashon Gary did a year ago takes advantage of lining up opposite micoparsons upon his return.

22:38Do you think that he could have as many sacks this season as he's had in his entire NFL career again which is eight and a half. That obviously is the hope I think it is possible I would not bet it because I need to see we talk a lot about marshal Lloyd and Christian Watson we need to see him stay healthy. I thought last year he was coming on thought he was starting to make some plays he made a play in that game that he got hurt I think maybe heard it on the plate. Yep you're right in minutes against the Minnesota Vikings and you started seeing him and he just was not the same player when he came back. You know fighting through injuries and getting back out on the field I applaud that but that's you know unfortunately you're judged by you're not judged on whether or not you're playing hurt. The people in that locker room in the front office see it and they know it but in the real world when you it's about production and he has not been as productive as I think everybody hopes he could be. So now he's fresh he's healthy. He had some point I believe about week five or six is going to have the best past pressure in the NFL.

23:45Oppo him and he is going to get a bunch of one on one opportunities to go make plays and if he does not do that this season then you have to really start questioning well what do we have here. I said when they drafted him he was going to be his floor is set he is a strong bull Russian edge set and he's going to be a good physical football player. So what he was at Iowa can he take that next step we're going to find that out because this is the year for him to either take that next step and become a big time past rush big time football player that's going to get paid big time dollars or is he going to be a guy that's going to be a guy that's going to be a good player. So he's going to be a guy that is going to be a role player that will come in and be a really good solid veteran football player this year is the X factor for his career arc in my opinion. Wendy in the ESPN Madison YouTube comments as as you can probably guess it's either Brian Windhorst or a windy city sports fan and it's the latter.

24:53There's problems in there before I for one thing LVN should get a huge extension. Okay when bears fans are infiltrating our YouTube comments and suggesting that that tells you how you kind of view him at where he's at. I think it's he was a what I like to call an NBA draft first round draft pick the Packers drafted him based on his potential. He had never started a game at Iowa he'd only really played two seasons there right he redshirted a year and then played his red shirt freshman and red shirt sophomore year and then declared for the draft. Towsha's right I mean that's why they call him Hercules because he look he's the guy you want getting off the bus first. But he played with a broken thumb all of 2024 and then I think he injured his foot sacking Joe Flacco during the Bengals game last year is that my remembering that correctly that was when he suffered the injury I think he only ended up playing eight or nine games last year he just.

26:00Again I don't know what your expectations are as a Packers fan of him. But he has not lived up to what my expectations are for the 13th overall pick and we can go back to our Rashan Gary debates that we would have about whether he lived up to that expectation of the 12th overall pick in 2019 again. Mike Parsons was a 12th overall pick and obviously he is more than lived up to that expectation so if if if Lucas Van Ness does blank it will have been a successful 4th NFL season for the former 2023 first round pick fill in the blank for me old boy earns a big fact contract extension. Because he plays at such a high level that he is going to yeah I mean I think we can all judge oh he only had six sacks or he only did this to me if Brian Gutekunst and Russ Ball are watching and seeing how he performs this season and obviously his numbers will have to go up but I'm not going to say he needs to have 15 sacks in this that's not where my heads at with Lucas but his season will be a success.

27:23If he plays well enough and as part of a defense that is creating turnovers and he is a part of that and he's getting pressures he's doing things and I know we got into you know a whole argument about how many pressures Rashan Gary had and Gutek had a number and the Packers had a number and the media had a number and pro football focused it we know Rashan Gary was not impactful last year and guess what he's not on the football team this year. Lucas Van S is going to be an impactful player and he's going to get a new contract or Lucas Van S will not and to me success is going to be in the eye of the beholder and really the only beholders that matter are the people making those decisions about his career arc and if he is doing that that will be successful to me for Lucas Van S. I will we will see what are you expecting what do you do you need 10 sacks I what are you looking for yeah I here's what here's what if I'm a Packers fan here's what I want to see from Lucas Van S.

28:25I want to see him be productive in the four games before Micah Parsons comes back and I you know two and a half sacks in those four games some good pressures playing the run effectively. And then when Micah Parsons comes back I want to see him do what Rashan Gary could not sustain last season because I think he had what three and a half sacks in the first two games or something ridiculous and then he had like one sack the rest of the year or something silly like his numbers I got double check the facts on that but Rashan Gary started like I remember writing the story about how oh here he goes. He's taking advantage of not being double teamed anymore and he's got this great player opposite him and he's he's been incredibly productive he finished last season was seven and a half sacks and I believe he had four in the first three games or four and a half in the first three games.

29:28Don't you believe Rashan Gary is kind of a microcosm of the Packers season and I know right there's a lot of issues there's a lot of things that came into play but just did not finish the season the way I obviously we saw film and we we've all seen the clips it just wasn't good enough so that part Rashan Gary is no longer here. Lucas Van Ness is going to get the Rashan Gary treatment he is going to be viewed and looked at as you're going to get a lot of one on one opportunities and in this league as a as a past rush guy or as someone that plays D line that is all you're ever asking for. So we'll see he does he had and we're talking about Rashan Gary as he relates to Lucas Van Ness in my expectations for him he had four and a half sacks in the first three games. Then he had a sack against Arizona and two against Pittsburgh in week seven and he never had a sack or tackle for loss the rest of the year.

30:30Now I know Jim in the YouTube comments is a Rashan Gary believer and we'll see what he does for the Cowboys this year because other players have left green Bay and had some productivity right. Right Eric Stokes being one good example but I look at his resume and say he wasn't a terrible player I would never say that Rashan Gary was terrible but he certainly was not the player that you drafted him to be which is why you traded for my comparisons because had he been the player you were hoping and praying that he would be at number 12 overall if he had been my comparisons you would not have trade for my comparisons. But I don't think he was a terrible player. Towsh the issue I have with him and the reason I bring it up is because this is something that you would hope if he's healthy enough to play in all 17 games. Lucas Van Ness can do is I feel like he didn't take advantage of having my comparisons opposite him with the kind of production you would expect when you have all the one on ones you've been craving why was he not productive when he had my comparisons as his running mate.

31:41And then he didn't elevate his game after they lost Parsons in fact he said on the record that he's been playing great he doesn't have to play any better without my for the final four games and that wasn't really true either Jason we've had this argument before and I'm not going to get into it like a verbal joust with you today. But you said something again about if Rashon Gary had lived up to his draft expectations we would not have picked up my comparisons I couldn't disagree with you more and we I know we've had this discussion if Aaron Campman was rushing the way he did with the Packers have picked up my comparisons. And I'm not going to use in that three four defense would they have with the production Aaron Campman was having but they had a chance to get a Micah Parsons would they have pulled the trigger to do it. Maybe if Vani holiday would they have done it maybe.

32:42Okay. Okay. If if you drafted Lucas Van Ness and Rashon Gary and in the top 15 and if they had been as good as you hoped when you drafted them you wouldn't have felt the need to give up to first round picks and Kenny Clark and pay $188 million. I just saw an article you sent it to me with Pete already had a sit down with Brian Goodakun's you have a transformational player which is not. No offense to Aaron Campman or Vani holiday very good football players. Micah Parsons is in the Reggie White Miles Garrett conversation so while while we can argue and disagree about Rashon Gary I think Rashon Gary is definitely disappointing finish to his season last year. All in all pretty good pro for the Green Bay Packers is it 12th worthy you can get in that argument the same way you can with AJ Hawke the Packers were going to go and get Micah Parsons regardless unless or a Sean Gary was Micah Parsons which no one has ever said he was.

33:51And the argument goes back to they would have never went picked up Micah no I just read an article and Brian Goodakun's these guys never become available they did they made a big move and they did it so that argument I know we fought before about it it just doesn't hold water because this is a transformational talent and now getting back to Lucas Van Ness you need to take advantage of that transformational talent so does Jonathan Ganon. Micah is going to do Micah things at least we hope coming off that injury it's up to those guys to make sure that they're doing it Rashon he didn't have Micah the last five weeks and it definitely showed up to even though prior to that we wasn't overly productive but the argument if Rashon Gary would have lived up to be in the 12th overall pick they wouldn't have gotten Micah Brian Goodakun's just telling you that's just simply not. Okay they never lived in a world where he did do that so I'm not sure you can make that statement but regardless if they don't want a Super Bowl after trading for Micah Parsons like the Chicago Bears did not want a Super Bowl or even more than one playoff game I think after trading for Khalil Mac was the trade worth it.

35:16Maybe maybe. No yes it's worth it you take the swings you gotta take the swings and that's a swing that's worth taking you're gonna you're gonna position yourself to do it now whether or not you can find a way to win a championship I know with Reggie White you got one was it worth it that you didn't get to when you should have that's a question you could ask Ron I I think he'd say yes a hundred percent and even if the Packers don't win it. 96 do I think Ron Wolf would tell you it was worth it I think he'd say resoundingly yes they didn't trade first two first round picks for Reggie White they signed him as reagent he would have. You're taking a big swing on your backyard without or living unlimited I am indeed do you disagree Jason that Ron Wolf went to trade it to first for Reggie White in his prime. Maybe oh God well I'll say what's not a maybe that we're gonna work with the great team over at outdoor living unlimited and of course Aaron and Eric Brown they were the right guys for us share the same hard working values love the fact that outdoor living unlimited is family owned and locally operated their showroom it is a must see if you're looking for a new deck outdoor kitchen screen room or more outdoor living unlimited there are your team start with outdoor living unlimited common end.

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37:41is back now. They still brought Aaron Donald back even though they have Miles Garrett. It would take about nothing for $20 million plus ten and six. If, if my, here's the problem with your argument in my opinion. If Mike apartions is a generational player and you trade for generational players, why weren't there 30 teams trying to trade for them? Oh, because there's the end of August and not everybody had camp, not, not everybody had cap space and I mean, no, that's not everybody wanted it. It can't be cap space. You can't say it's cap space because his cap number for last year was not the you didn't have to have a bunch of cap space. If you signed into an extension, you didn't have to worry about the cap space. You're still on this rookie deal. So that's not it. So why didn't everybody else want them? You don't think every team that has, that is not the browns or teams that had no chance to win. You don't think Buffalo would have given up to you don't think Philadelphia would have apparently they really don't think so. Yeah, apparently.

38:43No, you don't know. No, Jerry Jones told you the other, the other team that tried to get him was Philly. And he said he wasn't trading him in the division. So where were all these other teams? So you're telling me there's only two teams in the entire national football league that want Mike apartions for two first round picks on their team. Apparently, that's what you're telling me. Oh, apparently, come on man. Come on man. Come on man. Well then Towsh. Why weren't why wasn't there this? I just told you why I didn't like my answer. I literally just told you why. I don't think it is a day before training as the end of training camp. That's why and teams then had no, you said it was the salary cap number. There's a total reason factor. Oh, I mean to say that there's only two teams in the entire NFL that would do it is crazy. It's crazy. Then why then okay, just then why? Okay, I just told you if you can get a transformational player, you shouldn't give a damn what day it's on to get him.

39:43If this is if you're going to use Goody's answer to peat ority as the basis for your argument, then why weren't there more teams that took this attitude? Because there weren't that their his cap number for last year was 9.9 million after they signed them to the extension. So it certainly wasn't cap related that they couldn't figure out the cap space for him to have him on the roster last year. So would the bills have made the Super Bowl? Have they made that trade? Don't you think the Jerry Jones had the bills offered their two first drum picks for last year and next year? He would have made that trade so he could send them to a team that wasn't in his conference? To say that it was because it was August 28th and that's why there weren't more teams that matters with teams and how they plan. So why didn't the batter to the Packers? Because they wanted to get a transformational player in the heart of his career that's going to be a big transfer.

40:43If they had Miles Garrett on their team already, I agree they wouldn't have done it. Oh, wait a minute. If they had Miles Garrett on their team already, they wouldn't have done it. But if they'd had Rashont Gary playing at a Miles Garrett style level, then they still wouldn't have done it. He's not Miles Garrett. That's my point. But he's a really good football player. You're acting as if you don't want to go get a transformational player if you have a really solid player. And that's just not the case. But this will argument that nobody else wanted. Mike Parsons except the Eagles. No one else made offers. Jerry Jones said it. I'm not going to say. Okay, you're going to take everything at face value and everything that people say. You're telling me that if he had first off, if Jerry Jones was really good at what he was doing, he would have done that in March. And then that changes the entire calendar of how the NFL operates. But now that it's because it's the end of camp and teams are cutting people down to try to figure it out, you're acting as if it's going to be the same thing.

41:45It's just absurd to me. But maybe you're right. Maybe in all of the NFL, there's only two teams that wanted Mike Parsons in his prime. And we're willing to give up two first off picks. The facts are the green Bay Packers did it. And I'm glad they did. And other teams if they didn't want to, they're inept. And they don't know what they're doing. And that's what I still think the Cowboys, you can say all the Cowboys that we'll find out if that's the case. They go win a championship this year. Hey, I'll be doing just what I did in the beginning of this show. I was wrong. I was wrong. They made the right move. I don't think that's what I'm going to be saying. What you will be saying is that you want to play trivia. That's what you're going to be saying. Jesse, what's today's category and what colors would you like? I agree with what you said at the start of the show. We need football to start. We are doing double trivia today. Remember, we didn't do it yesterday because we cleared the deck for our trivia tournament of champions finale. Congrats again to Tucker and Wasa, the winner of the tournament.

42:47So we need two colors today. Let's do color 10 and color 20. Nice round numbers. Color 10 and color 20. It's Wisconsin trivia and Notre Dame trivia. Questions about Badger football and Notre Dame football on the heels of the big game coming up on Sunday night at Lambo Field. Color 10 and color 20 right now. 844-770-3776. 844-770-3776. Color 10 and color 20 will play trivia after Towsh tells you about inspired closets. Indeed, and our garage is a mess. It has turned into a storage unit. I literally have to parallel park my Tahoe just to jam it in the garage right now. And we have a young driver coming up. We need to get it fixed. And that's why we've teamed up with inspired closets and owners Dan and Katie. They showed us a virtual reality look at what our garage could become.

43:49I put the headset on. I'm dancing around. I'm tripping on stuff. I kept my balance. But I need to get the garage fixed up. That has been very certain to me. And we are excited to see all of the possibilities and how it all comes together. And if you're a garage or another space in your home needs a little help like ours does. Visit inspired closets milwaki.com to schedule your free design consultations. That is inspired closets milwaki.com. Inspired closets. It's a husband and wife team that is going to transform your spaces. Trivia is an axe that's will de and Towsh. Will de and Towsh trivia is presented by Cousin subs. Feeding the kids shouldn't be an negotiation. At Cousin subs, kids choose their favorite meal plus a side drink and dessert. Visit Cousin subs.com. Cousin subs, we believe in better. Let's welcome in our contestants. The first one is a first time contestant.

44:53It's been a while since this has happened. Let us welcome in Herm in Burlington. Herm good morning. How are you buddy? I'm doing great. Morning to you guys. Congratulations on getting through. We'll see how you perform. Caller 20 is bill in New Berlin. Bill good morning. How are you? Morning. I'm doing well. How are you guys? Good. In honor of Notre Dame Wisconsin. Jesse, are we letting anyone choose or are we just doing this as? Let Herm choose. He was first in at caller 10. So Herm gets a choice. All right. Herb, do you want the Badgers questions? Or do you want the Notre Dame fighting Irish questions? I'm Notre Dame Sucks, so are the Badgers. Let's go. Let's get that hold. All right. Well, Herm, question number one for you in Badgers trivia. Which of these players on the 2026 Wisconsin Badgers roster was also?

46:00On the 2025 Wisconsin Badgers roster. Harder question than you think. Is it Mason Posa, Abu Sama, or Colton, Gobu and a Bartholomew? Gobu and a Bar. That's good. I'm going to go to Mason Posa 8. Jesse, that's one of your best. Thank you. Thank you. It is one of your best on that. We can definitely agree. Colton does great work. Appreciate him for those constants. Stay journalinMadison.com. All right. Question number one for you, Bill, in the Notre Dame trivia section. What does the famous sign that players touch on their way out to the field at Notre Dame Stadium say? Does it say play like a champion today? Leave no doubt or flavor the day Shamrock midship.

47:00Pretty sure it's a... I believe leave no doubt is the remember the Titans defensive coordinator under... Well, anyway. Question number two in Badgers trivia. So I can't remember the name of the coach. Leave no doubt is what they're also using as their rallying mantra this year. Is that right? Yeah. Well, good luck to them. It's not related to missing out on the playoff at all from last year. I'm not going to do it past. Question number two. Hirm. Wisconsin Badgers starting quarterback Colton Joseph was the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year last year. When he threw for more than 2600 yards and ran for more than 1,000 yards as the quarterback at which school? Was it James Madison, Old Dominion, or Arkansas State?

48:04Be Old Dominion. Before they got Colton Joseph, I didn't even realize Old Dominion had football, frankly. Question two, Bill in the Notre Dame section. In which of these years did Notre Dame most recently win a college football national championship? Was it in 1977, 1988, or 1999? Oh, uh, let go 88. Gary Alvarez was on that staff, indeed. Two for two for you as well. The coach would like everyone to know they haven't won one since he was on the staff. There you have it. Question three, Hirm. Which of these teams was the last opponent ranked in the top 10? That Wisconsin defeated in a college football game?

49:08Was it Iowa, Minnesota, or Ohio State? Oh, boy. It's Minnesota, ever ranked in the top 10? Let's go, Iowa. I gotta be honest with you, I thought the exact same thing. And apparently the correct answer is Minnesota. Jesse, are you sure? All right, so per my research, Minnesota, and I did check the game film in 2019, Minnesota, was ranked number eight. When college game day was in Minneapolis, and the Badgers defeated the golfers to win the Big Ten West, and advanced to the Big Ten championship where they almost then beat Ohio State before going to the Rose Bowl and losing to Oregon. So Minnesota, number eight. Most recent top 10 win for the Badgers.

50:10All right, if that's what your research has led you to believe. All right, so Hirm, you got that one wrong. Bill, your chance to go three for three, and we'll do the drawing a little bit later in the program. Question number three in Notre Dame trivia is this, the climax of the movie, Rudy, features the title character finally getting a chance to play in a game for his beloved Notre Dame fight, Nyresh. Which real college football team, which played a game last night, is the opponent Notre Dame is playing in that game? Is it Missouri, Georgia Tech, or Washington? Georgia Tech. Did you really remember that or did you know that Georgia Tech played last night? I remembered it. I don't know why, but I remembered it. Hold on. I also have an update.

51:10Oh no. What is this? Oh no. Oh no. Wisconsin's student section. Embarrassingly, stormed the field at Camp Randall Stadium when Wisconsin defeated the 10th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. So retroactively, that is a correct answer. Oh no. How does this happen? A lack of preparation? No, no. There was actually over preparation for this. I don't have to explain how we ended up at this point. I just, I apologize. We ended up at this point, but we were able to get it sorted out before any disaster struck. Who's so everybody? Who asked you to write today? Who informed you? No way. You looked that up on your own in that sort of time. He said Iowa.

52:11And then I thought, wait, there was that Iowa game where they stormed the field and I believed it. I believed it. I believed it. Have you thanked me yet for saving you from yourself yesterday and the tournament of champions too? No, you didn't yesterday. No, I did. So here's what I think happened. When I was, when I was, we don't, hey. Oh my god. Riley, Riley out also came in once I had seen this and he was a yet his finger up. Oh, so yeah, that did happen. All right. Pick the winner right now or what? I'm ready to fit pick the winner. Well, we don't even know how many entries you got. No, everybody today has got all the entries. Everybody got all the entries and I don't know if we've ever done it before. Everybody gets it on slide. A live drawing with two participants both on with us. So one of them has a great chance to win. Especially after getting the extra entry that they were denied initially by your faulty research. I can't believe they storm the field after beating Iowa in 2020. I was a joke.

53:11Congratulations. One of you is the winner. This is fun. Congratulations. With that extra entry. Her. It's a true underdog. Rudy style story for her. Wow. First time on the field. Rob's opportunity when Dan divine comes and replaces Araparsegan. The wrong is corrected thanks to Vince Vaughn's character. He gets his extra entry that he deserved anyway. Any wins. That just there's more of a field storm than that wind in 2021. Just to be fair, Bill, good job getting all the questions right. I would have been excited for you too, but not quite as excited as I am for her.

54:14After Jesse's mistake. Thanks for playing, buddy. Yeah, that was good. That was good. Congrats to her. Appreciate it, guys. We got such good sportsmanship on this show by the way from our contestants. Herb some would say her play to win. Some would say nice reference. Herb, you you you are our winner. Congratulations. Thank you also for answering Iowa allegedly incorrectly initially. It forced a correction from Jesse. Everyone's a big winner here. Thanks for playing. We appreciate you. Thank you. I'm glad you gave him an extra entry. By the way, don't ever say we can't give extra entries anymore. Jesse. That wasn't an it was an earned proper entry. That was not an extra. That was a harmed proper. Nice. Yeah. Nice. Oh, okay. Tash, what are you going to tell us about next?

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56:15Make Labor Day easy and delicious with Sendix, your trusted local grocer. 11 o'clock hour starts right on time at 11.20 in two minutes. We'll be in Towsh. Don't go anywhere. Another hour of will be in Towsh, presented by Pella Windows and Doors of Wisconsin, is coming up next on ESPN Wisconsin and the ESPN Wisconsin app.