9AM: Closing The Gap?

0:00Three time with constant sports writer of the year Jason Wildeys. Our very first guest in the history of Wildeys and Towsh, which will be I'm sure a long and distinguished history. Packers, holo, famer, Mark Towsh. Aaron Rodgers, give us an overrun. What number would you set for how many shows we do? Broadcasting live from the Everlight Solar Studio at ESPN Medicine. I'm gonna say it daily 52 weeks a year. I'm gonna say you do about 230. And celebrating 10 great years on ESPN Wisconsin. And then what else? No, the Towsh, uh, Towsh kind of bows out. This is Will be in Towsh, presented by fellow Windows and Doors of Wisconsin. I'm gonna say you do about 230.

1:28I'm gonna say you do about 230. It is the Tuesday edition, but the first show of the week edition. Kind of like Brandon Cise had a first round grade, but the Packers didn't have a first round pick. So he's a second round pick, but he's their top pick. And they had a first round grade on him, edition. Which means we're getting closer to talking about actual football. Edition. The Packers get ready to open the season on Sunday in Minneapolis against the Minnesota Vikings.

2:34And the NFL opens its season tomorrow night in Seattle. Is it a rematch? Are the Super Bowl? Is that what they're doing in the opener? Edition? That is correct. I'll hold the Towsh. A 94-5 ESPN walk you 100.5 ESPN Madison. 1430 ESPN Beaver Day. ESPNWisconsin.com, the ESPN app. You're Alexa Smart Speaker. Streaming live video, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube. And of course everything you need. On the ESPN Wisconsin app, which you can find, both in the Apple and Android app stores. I'm Jason Wolding Green Bay. I've got the Packers coordinators talking to us today on this lovely Tuesday. Jesse Nelson is in the Everlight Solar ESPN Madison Studios. And a man who had an action-packed weekend. Although it would have been nice if there had been more points scored by the team in Red and Silver on Sunday evening.

3:37He is the Packers Hall of Famer. And the radio color analyst, alongside Matt LaPay, on Badger Football. He is Mark Towsh or Towsh Good Morning. How are you? I'm good, Jason. How are you guys doing? I'm great. It was a great weekend. Jesse looked like he might have been in pretty good position to look really smart. And then things changed in the second half of Wisconsin's 41-13 loss to the fight in Irish. But I'm good. Did you have a good weekend? I feel like you were grindin' and you worked your tail off. You're good for a day of rest. First off, I wanted to, again, for the people that came up on Saturday, the event Saturday night with all of the work that our team put together. And Jesse, you were huge in that. You did a ton of great work. And obviously, Allie and Lainey and my wife. They event went off really well. That was a lot of fun.

4:38And then Saturday was just Bedlam or Sunday. It was just Bedlam up at Lambo. And the game, it kind of went... I have to admit, Notre Dame is really good. And Notre Dame's defense is really, really good. Notre Dame's defense is elite. So the way the game ended up playing out, I was really happy with how our defense looked. And I think our quarterback and all of the stuff that I think he is going to be able to do this year. And he knocked on wood, came out of there, at least. He took some shots in that game that Matt and I were looking like, get down. Let's live for another day because after that pick six, it was pretty much a wrap. It was going to be really tough. Notre Dame's defense was very suffocating. And we just ran out of gas. So it didn't go as well. The game as well as I think we, some of us were believing and hoping could. But for me looking at it, I am more optimistic, even with a complete drumming in the second half.

5:45Then I think a lot of badger fans are. So now, get a little bit of a softer underbelly and hopefully, can show some things in the next couple of weeks. And it's going to come down to the Penn State game as looming large. But you have to take care of business first. All in all. And Jess, I don't know, you can correct me if I'm wrong. I felt, and I don't know how the callers I saw you as I was leaving late Sunday night. Still doing calls at the post game. How, how were people feeling because I didn't get a chance to listen to a ton of post game stuff afterwards. I'm optimistic. I'm optimistic. Riley Yalk, who I was hosting the post game show with, was optimistic. Riley's always optimistic. Riley's still optimistic about last season. Fans did not appear to be as optimistic as three of us might be. The same old badgers team quit in the second half. They were several. They didn't quit. That's what we said.

6:46I know. He's quoting fans. Yeah, there were several, you know, time for fickle to go. Looks the same as last year. Nothing's changed. I didn't agree with any of that. I thought the first half was a really good performance. It showed clear identity. They had a game plan and they were able to bounce back after facing some adversity. That actually happened in the second half too. They followed up that pick six with an eight and a half minute drive and put three points on the board. But they controlled time of possession the way that they want to shorten the game, running the football effectively. And against a really good defense and a national championship contender, I think they showed glimpses in week one of what this can look like and what this will be for the rest of the season. I liked. I thought the positives and the good things outweighed the negatives. There were two really bad turnovers that directly led to 14 points for Notre Dame. And obviously you can't take those off the board if you could.

7:47If you catch the kick return cleanly and if you don't throw a really bad lob out to the left side for a pick six, it's probably a one score game going into jump around to start the fourth quarter. And everyone feels completely differently about that game. There you go. That's what I was hoping to hear. You can't, like you said, you can't take those things off the board. They happen. Mistakes did happen and that's what. When you play a team that's relentless and is good, as Notre Dame is, they're going to force you into some things. The kick return can't happen. Like that swayed the entire game. I thought. I thought especially on our defensive side of the ball, we had all we had a bunch of answers to all their stuff in that first half. We gave them those points with with turnovers and. I said on the broadcast, you know, leading into it and everything else that special teams was always a concern. And special teams was concerning again. And that's with our kicker making kicks and so there's a lot to, there's a lot to glean from it.

8:52Bottom line is Notre Dame is a jugger. Notre Dame is really good and their defense, how fast they close things off because Colton Joseph is going to have some days. The E is going to have some days. If he stays healthy, he's going to, he is going to be a very big weapon offensively. Notre Dame was able to take, really limit that part of what Wisconsin wanted to do. And then that forced us in. We're not going to be a great team. If we're going to be sitting there third and eight and have to make a ton of big plays from the pocket consistently. I don't think that's the formula that's going to be successful. But I think we're going to run the football heck of a lot more effectively. I thought physically we were much in a much better spot and we protected the quarterback in a pretty good way until the end of the game. And when the things got out of control. So it, it sounds like some apologies and some things. So I understand why fans feel because the bottom line is you lost by 28 points.

9:52Same exact score as the game that sold your field six years ago, which is eerie in a way. But I'm a lot more optimistic. Nothing happened on Sunday that is making me feel like this team is going to, it's going to be another year like last year. I just don't feel that way at all. Now we'll find out more will come Saturday night next Saturday and whatnot. But I, even though the score is 41 to 13 and it looks like a complete trouncing and it was in the second half. I don't feel the same way I did midway through last season. I was surprised at how negative was it Scott and Fort Worth that was the, I was watching you two on the YouTube stream Jesse you and Riley. I was, I was surprised by the level of negativity. I know that there's frustration over the last couple of years and over Luke fickle, but it was almost as if we forgot that this was one of the best teams in the country.

10:55Like they didn't, they didn't do this against some, you know, rabble rousing mediocre football team. Like these guys are going to be in it all the way through. And what would you have liked to have seen them finish more competitively? I didn't see them quitting. I didn't see any of that. I just thought they got a better team got attacked together in the second half and showed that it was the better team. I'm certainly I've not been an apologist by any means for Luke fickle, but like, you know, if this said if they had opened against some, you know, mid, mid level good, but not really good top five team. I think we'd be looking at them even more differently now than we are. I just thought it was a, I thought it was a decent building block and I understand nobody's interested in moral victories and what have you. But first of all, I was impressed with Colton Joseph.

11:55I was not impressed with that helmet to helmet. He took the back of the head that I thought he wasn't going to be able to continue. And I had flashbacks to the other transfer quarterbacks that haven't been available. But I thought he was as advertised against a really good defense. So I was entertained. I was entertained by you and Riley taking your survey as people were going by the fence. That was awesome. That was better than our polls do on Twitter nowadays. But I understand there are some folks and I get it. It's still a 41 to 13 loss. I that trust me that is not lost on me. But I thought that there were encouraging signs in a game that, you know, and I saw Marcus Freeman talking afterward that it took them a half to get their act together. So did that help the badgers? Of course it did. They did not probably feel good about how they played on the Notre Dame side in the first half.

12:56But I was encouraged. And now we'll see what happens if they avoid playing down to the level of their competition in the next two weeks and then get things cranked up again. So I was entertained. I was the highlight of my evening. I don't know what they said because I had synced up the audio of Towsh and LaPay with the TV broadcast. But I'm watching as they're coming back from a commercial on TV. And there's old T's mug on the face of a football at the Packers Hall of Fame. I assume you got a series of texts in the press box in the radio booth when that occurred. That was cool. I didn't see it because we didn't have monitors for, I think almost the first half. What? So I didn't get to see that. Yeah. Yeah, there's some technical difficulties. And by the way, LaPay is a, you know, he is a goat.

13:56We all know that those uniforms were impossible for us. I can see how that would be. Yeah. The reflection on both sides of it, you couldn't really pick up numbers. And when we finally got the monitors to work, I don't even remember if it was the third quarter or when it was. But man, and the team effort, I give Patrick Herba a big shout out because he was helping. He's on the field. So he was able to release them. But man, spy on the binoculars on. And you still had a hard time trying to see those numbers with all of the red. It did not. It was, it was almost impossible to kind of see what the heck was going on to a degree of detail that obviously that Matt needs to have. It was, it was a big time team effort from Herbae and, and Matt found a way to get it done under. I would guess and when he joins us later this week, he can explain. I would guess that's probably one of the most unfriendly radio setup.

15:00Uh, jerseys that we've ever had. Not that I would care. I thought they were hard to read, even watching them on television in my home. And they were significantly easier on TV than they were in person. And they were hard on TV. Single digits, especially eight, nine, zero. They all looked alike. Um, but nevertheless, I did speaking of not having monitors, though. And oh, by the way, we had our 10th anniversary, uh, which was great. And we can talk about that a little bit later. But I understand you can't fumble the kickoff. I am not in any way, excusing the fumble. Uh, Riley did point out that they had somebody different back there during practice throughout camp. So I was a little confused by that. Um, but based on the TV broadcast, because I paused you guys, because I, they brought in, I don't know who they were. I brought in, I don't know who their rules analyst is, the former official Terry McCall. Terry McCall, he was convinced that it was going to be overturned.

16:03And the dude's foot was out of bounds when he recovered the ball and secured it. And I was, I have to admit, I was very surprised when it was ruled that he was in bounds. And it was Notre Dame ball. You know what? Uh, you know, I think we obviously always look at things from a, a cardinal, uh, the glasses are a little shaded. Uh, I thought whatever way they called it, it didn't even think they were going to review it because it looked and then you saw, again, we didn't have monitors for that part of it. The ball, you could start seeing it on the jumbo tron. The ball was definitely rolling around. And I thought, I think it was his left foot was out of bounds before. And then I thought, well, maybe his right thigh was in. And it was, it was not clear as day. I don't understand. I think it's the ACC that does it. Just hook us up and let us hear in what is actually being said by the actual people that are calling it. Just let's hear it because he was on that tell it, who's on that little tell it to you for three or four minutes.

17:06A lot of jeopardy music played at Lambo that night or that for during that stretch. I don't think we need because these guys have been wrong a lot. You're probably better suited just having it go straight to the horse's mouth. And just let the broadcast take over what the deliberations are where they're doing it. The ACC started doing that. I think everybody loved it. And for whatever reason, everybody hasn't done that. Like, I love Dean Blan Dino, but not a little bit upset that Dean Blan Dino didn't make an appearance at our 10 year. I thought Dean would have, I'm a little bit irritated. Dean's a good friend of our show. It would have been good for Dino to be involved. I didn't reach out. I didn't reach out to Dean. I didn't think it was my job to reach out. That wasn't so. So we can't. So we're insanity him from the apparent one we did in my two. Yeah. Well, anyways, I do think that's part of the deal that I think should be changed over because I don't think that helps. I don't think that helps anybody with McCauley up there saying that and you got the Michigan thing and all of the other stuff that's happened over the weekend.

18:10Just be transparent about it. That'd be my solution for it. Yeah, I. Dean is still at Fox. Yes. No, where is he now? I don't know. He's not at NBC. So pretty sure he's at Fox. He was not there for for NBC. All right. We did have a great 10th anniversary. We've got some fun highlights coming from that. Coming up a little bit later in the week and some other big news that came from it that we will be sharing coming up. But not until we have touched base with our friends at Pelowindos and doors of Wisconsin. Yeah, no two homes are exactly alike. Neither a replay. So why would every window and door solution be the same? Well, Pelowindos and doors of Wisconsin premium quality doesn't come in just one price point. Pelow offers gorgeous high quality and customizable solutions for every unique situation quality doesn't have to mean one size fits all.

19:13It means finding the right solution for your home. Pelowindos and doors of Wisconsin real pricing premium quality no game schedule your free in home consultations today at pelah w i.com. Where will the town straight ahead stick around? This is will the end of the show presented by pelowindos and doors of Wisconsin called today 855 pelah w i and online at pelah w i.com Slash radio As Towsht mentioned that we had our 10th anniversary celebration at the tundra trio on Saturday.

20:18Thanks again to all of our partners that made that possible. Obviously are presenting sponsor Steinhoffels which Jesse spent a lot of time on stage sitting in the Steinhoffels hot seat because the sun was shining. Through a small crevice in that amazing stage and right on his beat red face as he was counting down the top 10 moments on the couch Steinhoffels, Grubelofses, outdoor living unlimited sendix and events by design that made us look like a big league program like it was like college game day. That's how professional the program was we welcomed our friend Ryan Grant back we have a suspense some time on stage with Matt LePay and we made a big announcement as Packers Safety Evan Williams

21:20becomes the first active Packers player to become a regular weekly guest on will the entaushe this season. Now Jesse what is our plan with Evan because people forget that once upon a time the NFL just really played on Thursday, Sunday and Monday. And so when we did like the old air and Roger show Tuesdays with Aaron, there were a couple weeks out of the year you have to make some adjustments but. I feel like the Packers plan just every just about every day of the week this season but normally we will have Evan join us when. So my understanding and the Packers schedule is a goofy one this year they play on many different days of the week throughout this year we look at that schedule it's kind of crazy Tuesdays are tentative day that Evan Williams will join us so it's really going to be Tuesdays with Evans if you think about it because we'll have Evan Cohen recurring and then Evan Williams a little bit later in the show so the the Evans will both appear on Tuesdays with us easy to remember at least.

22:34Throughout the season and that subject you change based on what the Packers schedule looks like each week if they play on a you know that Wednesday night against the Rams it'll be different couple of Thursday games so we'll make the adjustments as needed throughout the course of the season but we're really excited to have him. So again we had a great time on Saturday we do have amazing teammates Ali and Laney as Towsh mentioned at the forefront but so many others it really did take a village to pull off what we did I was just so impressed by how good they made us look and we are incredibly grateful to them but I got to be honest highlight of the day. Didn't even happen at the Tundra trio I saw some amateur video of this I saw photos of this Mark Towshier the grand marshal of the green Bay equivalent of the Rose Bowl parade that was cool.

23:44Eleanor's got the waving down sweet ride. How did that how did that play out from your perspective as you went down the road and that thunder bird convertible I think that is. I was just hoping that it was better than November 23rd of 1963 that's what I was thinking. Wow that's what I was hoping for. How did it play out what do you mean how did it play out. So look at it's a parade in a convertible in a downtown metro like that's the jump into my head. That's the first thing you thought of when you got to do this I see this picture yeah yeah it's the first thing I thought of it's like I don't want to be in the JFK situation yeah did you pass any grassy dolls. No but there was a down to the territory there's a there was a junior combine that was going on down there I was pleasantly surprised with because that we all we heard about was how Notre Dame was going to take over the green Bay area in Notre Dame showed up really well I don't want to diminish but it a very nice crowd in the Wisconsin the athletic department put on.

25:02I think a junior kids combine and then we had the parade and then they had a big Q&A and a big pep rally I think on Sunday so I don't when you ask how did it turn out or how did it come around I somebody asked me and I jumped in a jumped in the back. Bucky and I we had some really good pictures with Bucky that I think I can get over to you. Did he know we invented all of our what's that did he knows but you like you did at the TPC Wisconsin last year. No we had a we had a very good like a nice hug and then he sat in the back of the car with me while we were waiting to get the parade going and then the fire truck talked to the fire guys a little bit earlier and asked them a couple of questions and they're obviously excited and ready to participate in the pierce. The pierce stadium climb that's going to be this weekend so yeah it was it was a small parade but it was a very strong parade I think there was five there's only five floats in the entire parade.

26:02Well I'm glad that you lived to tell the tale. I was not prepared for that twist on the parade what I am prepared for you see a car like that going through a downtown with no car like you don't think anything of that that doesn't remind you that is not that is not what I saw it I thought that's really cool I love that it's a red vehicle and I could not have thought of a better person to be the grand marshal. Max was not interested in riding along or was there a good not one no okay not one I'm not really looking at me. She enjoyed it he decided to pass which I was more than okay with so who drove it's a little awkward because you're actually like. Kind of have to get in there and wave because people are not sure it's easy when people are waving to you and then you wait in the air like Eleanor said well how much should I wave I said you just do whatever you want like smile and wave so and then the sun was kind of beating on any sunglasses either I don't believe if I look back at that picture I don't think I had any sunglasses on so I love the shirt I'm wearing the shirt today and now I kind of think as it says grand marshal on the back I think I'm going to wear the shirt a lot.

27:20I think this is one of those winning combination shirt even though we lost up in the next day. I would have preferred grand Puba. Well regardless you could wear it down I don't know Jesse is this the week with Barry Alvarez down at Hard Rock Casino in the first? Sure is we're there tonight 6 a.m. at a clock tonight I'll be driving him and he'll be like the grand marshal in my car with Derek Engler as we head down to Hard Rock Casino Rock for tonight. It's because we're Tarr. Tarr is out of town. Yeah so Tarr will not be there so it'll be Derek and Barry and I shaking some dice maybe hitting the black jack table for sure. The Hard Rock Casino. I hope they keep you out till I hope they keep you out till two in the morning. I hope they want to just let their hair down and let it rip tonight because you are driving. You ain't going to tell coach one to leave right you're going to stick as long as he wants.

28:21Coach sells me when we're leaving that is very clear in our dynamic when we go to Hard Rock Casino Rock for. I am not calling the show when we're leaving. It is a premier entertainment destination just off I 90 in Rock for really good news is it's only about 60 minutes. Although with you driving it might be a little bit longer Hard Rock Casino Rock for offers the most generous and frequent promotions of any casino in the Midwest. Got the big live Barry Alvarez show or Jesse Nelson show with Barry Alvarez. Down at Hard Rock Casino Rock for they also do as Jesse just mentioned great sports book great table games. Great slots and they have the they also have great music music different musicians. I think who did I say is coming kid rock who's coming again Kevin Hart is that who's coming down there. You know what else got it for you tonight. I'll get you a full report. They have great live shows playing dining shopping they have everything you're looking for in a fun night out at Hard Rock Casino Rock for. A premier entertainment destination just off I 90 in Rock for Illinois.

29:25I love that in that graphic Jesse is actually larger than Tarek and Derek. Giving further credence the only one is larger is Barry Alvarez. I think Derek is bigger than me I think it's I'm just not right next to him. Your head is definitely bigger than Derek's head there. You just put more of his body in but you clearly are more your first. You're I mean if Barry Alvarez wasn't there you would think this was the Jesse Nelson show there's no two ways about it. All right we need to get to Evan Cohen of unsporesment like you scheduled to appear if Jesse calls him next. It's well the entouch. Your state your teams your ESPN the ESPN Wisconsin app customizable just to you find the ESPN Wisconsin app in the Apollo Android app stores today.

30:34Well we're not into Evans plural Tuesdays just yet with Evan Williams slated to join us on the regular. Every Tuesday but this Evan has been joining us on Tuesdays for a while now on the England guest hotline England the oldest brewery in America and now finally in Wisconsin. DG England and Sun Potsville PA enjoy responsibly from unsporesment like it is Evan Cohen on will the entouch Evan good morning how are you. Good morning guys Jason March Jesse congratulations this weekend but unbelievable so I'll be right to you guys. Yeah I think we did it our team always does a great job and always looks best in class but they made it extra special and they surprised me with group of offices t shirts that said take care be good and everybody was wearing one.

31:34I'm excited when I pulled up so thanks to our team again and thanks to all of our great partners who made that possible Evan as a proud Wisconsin alum. Badgers obviously taking center stage on Sunday night at Lambo field. How did you feel after that game ended as a badgers alum. Well obviously wasn't the greatest weekend for badger fans and the thing that I guess I'm wondering is not I didn't think they were going to win I think I probably predicted them to win just for the sake of it on the on the predictions but so some media with the a two and not a thing but I think the final score I know was an indicative of the first pass but the final score even if you don't do this is a gambling angle but just a concept like they didn't come close to cover which means Vegas kind of got it wrong that the separation between Wisconsin and Notre Dame is greater than Vegas but we thought it was and I understand how great Notre Dame is and great head coach great quarterback etc etc but I'm not going to do that.

32:46But I kind of wanted to at least just see them cover right just keep it close for a full game and they're not there yet and I understand that this is a team that they lost you that may win a national championship and maybe we shouldn't judge them versus Notre Dame but at some point we do want to judge them against teams that could win at all no sure I mean it's the first game out of the shoot I don't know if it's a different game if they play Notre Dame and like we three after having Western Illinois and Eastern Michigan on their schedule first I I was maybe I was encouraged as encouraged as you can be by a game that you lost 41 to 13 that was how I kind of walked away from it and then watching Jesse and Riley on the post game show on the ESPN Madison YouTube channel I was a little surprised at the amount of negativity that they encountered from the first pass. I'm not sure if I'm from some of the callers I really did think that they're not because I don't feel like they're facing other team as good as Notre Dame until you tell me about the schedule I'm not sure there's anybody as good as Notre Dame on the schedule.

34:00Wait wait before Towshe even answers that Jason I think you got to think about it this way and I'm sure you have but just to reiterate the post game callers for that game is not the reaction I didn't see what you're talking about but it's not the reaction I would assume of one loss except three or three years. Sure of course yep you're exactly right I said that the Jesse earlier in fact I get it the frustration has piled up I understand but if you're hoping that maybe things will be different this year this at least gave you some reason to think okay it may not it it may still be disappointing I'm not saying you can't do but this may not be the same old same old that we saw I just I thought I didn't understand how you couldn't come out of that game and say okay I see the difference I don't I don't expect them to be in the college football playoff but I saw a difference and I was encouraged by it.

35:02Towshe you're talking you're just gonna sit there what's going on you just said don't talk you said let let this go you had this I thought maybe you'd follow up. I thought now it's clearly the time Jason and I both I don't think you did so were there any positives that you saw haven't because I again man I'm gonna look at things in a different perspective than you guys are I thought that there are some things that are much better I think our offense is going to be markedly better and the fact that I I probably underestimate it because every year is so different Notre Dame speed to the ball and what they did to slow down our quarterback who I think is going to have if he can stay healthy he did take some shots I think our run game is going to be so much better and Notre Dame is really good but I thought we protected until very late in the game there's to me there is a lot of positives that I'm taking out of that that I think badger fans are going to see when we're pulling I if we end up going this weekend and it is a sludge match and we're not moving the football then all of a sudden I think you can start being concerned but when you do it against the team that's as good as

36:20I can't talk all right go ahead I'm going to ask you a question in a way because I could give you this in a way is there the Notre Dame game period and now it's the season like that wasn't like we always have to look at that as we're not ready for this to be part of the season yet and now the season begins this was the this was a preseason game that we didn't think we were going to win now the season begins in order for us one day for the Notre Dame game to not be a preseason yet does that make sense I think I understand what you're saying we all know that it counts this isn't the NFL not yet anyways but this was Notre Dame is going to be a top five team all season they that defense if they stay healthy they are going to give every team on their schedule problems that they're going to be dealing with that's what I saw and yes I think you can't compartmentalize but I am going to say all right that is this part of the season it was worse the second half was worse than any of us wanted to see no question I think the first half is what we were hoping to see outside of the bad turnover that led to points now now you start judging and it's going to be you're going to be judging in a very critical manner a couple of games against teams that you should beat it's going to be interesting to see if we have made the game

37:48we have made those big strides and if we saw what we saw in that first half if that carries over I think you're going to see some positive results that is kind of how I think I think I think I think I've narrowed it down I think I've narrowed down high almost to find it okay and I don't know that the callers for for Jesse and Riley would have all been altered if it was narrowed down this way but here we go let me see if I can give it a whirl in the very over as era of what's constant football as a head coach and the era that's how it's played in any school any location any time Wisconsin was good enough to always compete for two full hats the previous three years of the Luke fickle era Wisconsin has not been good enough against those same schools to compete for a single half now this year in loop fickles career Wisconsin is now good enough for the national champion contenders to compete for a half that's where we are is that fair I would I would say that if that's that's how the results would play out and yeah when we look at last season Ohio state we couldn't compete with them like that was a I know that score actually looked better than what this score did

39:05but that was about as we don't have a chance and we didn't have a chance and everybody knew we didn't have a chance type of game that was not the case here midway through the second quarter you're looking at it and I actually actually think I said to Matt we're battling right to we're right there with these guys it was tough sledding on both sides to move the football and then the turnover happened and then the second half noted aim kind of said no no no no no no no so there's not going to be any medals for that we all get that but you can start building progress and it's you can't just fire it up you know build Roman a day but you do need to start seeing signs of things and I thought we saw that it's not what everybody wants to hear I think everybody wanted to say we're going to beat Notre Dame and we're going to be back we got all these new players it's the first time all these guys have played together that is another layer to this where Notre Dame had almost most of their team back it's a different landscape than what we did in the Barry Alvarez era too and I think we have to make sure we're mindful of that

40:10Towsh was there ever a game during your prime as a badger where you went into the game thinking we have no shot of winning never the best team you ever played against during your time there was who and how did you do against them? oh probably Michigan at home the year that I think they won the national championship 98 or 99 and we had to go up there when we were undefeated when you're undefeated in November you're thinking you're beating anybody we knew that was going to be a tall task but we had just lost to Cincinnati and we came back and played Tom Brady and Michigan and there was not a doubt in our mind we could beat them and I think we ended up losing to them 16 13 or is you know an old fashioned slot that was stuck in our career no the first one was in an hour they beat us up pretty good they were a little more talented than we were the second year that we ended up in 99 we ended up losing to them and then we didn't lose another game

41:13that was probably the team that I would say was the best that we played so but the point is right there back and forth there was no such thing as we did as fans going to the nerdy game of like somehow some way let's figure this out maybe we could pull off a miracle kind of thing there was never that moment you guys ever it was always toe to toe even match up even against a team never going to win a championship yeah in 98 99 that was never that was never thought I get it you're saying it you're saying it I don't think you're making excuses but you're making an honest caveat of like I didn't play the same sports with these young men are playing today it's a whole different world we didn't know just like Wisconsin can have an idea of what these guys are going to do but nobody has played together whereas Notre Dame you had an idea they got a lot their defense again I'm not going to see you tell you I'm a Notre Dame expert from last season but that defense was legit and they were better and I think faster and if you saw the you know the Jason was mentioning the helmet to helmet hit on our quarterback

42:22I really think Wisconsin thought we were going to be we have a lot more success running with Colton Joseph and their safeties and their linebackers and their defensive line are athletes and can run with Colton and that I think probably surprised me the most I thought we'd see more Colton out in space and able to do it and Wisconsin tried to do it Notre Dame was just too good well that defense made a huge addition they had a Charlie Partridge formal Wisconsin defensive coach and that was a good addition for them Evan let's let's switch gears to the NFL because I'm fascinated by the Australia game and I'm fascinated that two guys who are such good friends and on a show here where we struggle with time zones that they are taking diametrically opposed approaches to how they're going to go about this game Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers have been in again I don't know how many days it is because they're in the future at this point

43:35but they have been in Australia now for several days meanwhile Sean McVeigh and the Rams are treating this like they're playing in Cleveland and it's just a slightly longer flight they're traveling as they would for basically any other road game are you as intrigued by this as I am I understand that the outcome won't necessarily say oh it was better for them to go early or it was better for them to wait but I'm just fascinated by this and the fact that it's a division game that could very well have some major playoff implications by seasons end yeah we talked about it this morning because I the clip of Kyle Shanahan talking about like what day it is is the funniest thing because I don't know if you guys operated this way but what he was talking about was that basically if I can narrow this down every single game day he treats as a Sunday and subtracts six days to get ready on the seventh day for the game

44:47and in essence this is in his mind he's like this is a Sunday but it's Thursday there but Friday here so it's Wednesday here but Tuesday there and you're like what the hell is he talking about but it actually if you really listen it actually kind of makes sense in the way in which they treat it in terms of like everything has to be deemed a Sunday relative to the work week but because Australia and I've never been to Australia but it's obviously a different totally different time zones and in terms of why one team does one way and the other team is in other way San Francisco's had a few distractions including the whatever that thing that everybody gets hurt as a result of in San Francisco so maybe they're like we need to get out of here allegedly allegedly so nobody gets hurt before the game you know I mean who knows I have no idea why the McVeigh in Shanahan have different approaches to that but it is fascinating and the other thing you see the thing with Rahim Morris and I was the principal coordinator that they were flying on September 2nd America

45:53now he lost his birthday he lost his birthday but in September 3rd but they arrived Australia October or August no September 4th and so there was no September 3rd and everybody made the joke of like I'll you true 49er he refuses to go to 50s and stay at 49 I mean just to say I love it I love this confidity around this which way do you think is going to work? Well I have a take about this game that Jeff Saturday I think almost wanted to kill me this morning when I said it so they're not going to try to do this obviously but I think it's in the Rams best interest to lose this game I think the single best thing that could happen to the LA Rams is losing this game because of the fact that we already have the ridiculous undefeated talk I think the concept of them getting the early loss out of the way actually alleviates some of the pressure That is a ridiculous take. Thank you.

46:56Yeah I have to think that that's the NFL players mentality there between Jeff Saturday and Mark Towscher both great offensive lineman because I can see what you're driving I mean she agrees with me that's the setup that's the setup exactly I it is ridiculous that they haven't even played yet and that's the talk I would be curious I really like I'm not going to lose give it but it's you guys it's you guys that are doing the talk of going undefeated nobody else thinks they're going to go out of the Rams No I know you haven't said it yet but you guys are bringing it up and acting like it's actual conversation nobody in their right mind thinks the Rams are going to go undefeated nobody but it's a narrative that the media is pushing and you guys are the ones pushing it and then you're pushing back against your South Well that's what's happening there you go can I give you guys something what is tomorrow on your I don't know yeah go tomorrow is the bowl the fun

48:00Well Jesse has asked me to give mine today would you like mine or no wait you're going to take first take tomorrow what do you got going on tomorrow I have a meeting we have meetings in first of tomorrow so I don't I can't guarantee my time that I would be able to be a part of it We will any have any time we can accommodate you we're going to do it baby so let's go what is your play the music go Jesse We will move things around to make sure we can always hear from Evan on this show yes only if Jesse remembers to call you You ready? I'm ready now here we go Aaron Rogers will finish his career with the green Bay Packers this season I think we're playing let me explain yeah I believe

49:01That the Pittsburgh Steelers are going to be blood this year and I believe that there's going to be enough reason for them to be excited about the concept of giving through our shot There is no way they can just have Aaron Rogers on the bench but what if full circle moment they release him and he signs with the Packers finishes the season in green Bay on the bench sporting Jordan love There's a symmetry and a full circle moment to how it would end he starts on the Packers bench and he finishes on the Packers bench And he ends as a green Bay Packer and he has a football home after the nomadic last few years All I'm basically saying to you is I don't know if the Steelers are going to be that good they're going to want to give a young quarterback a shot to see if they need to draft one next year

50:01And there's no logic behind Aaron Rogers sitting on the bench for that team versus spending the last few weeks of his career in green Bay And I have a positive supportive role model and finish happily ever after Jason will be loves this story so much he may cry I have anything happily ever after here he's not going to sit on the bench he didn't come back to sit on the bench if he gets trained there's literally as you are saying it No, no, I understand there's five teams I could and there's three teams in his own division that he go to before green Bay Well, too, I think that the Bears like their backup Detroit Minnesota would make a hundred times more sense than going to green Bay Like if golf got hurt or if you know the Vikings I think this is probably one of those cases they would have probably like maybe last year we should have grabbed him And it's that no way know how the Rams San Francisco New Orleans you could just the falcons

51:07I'm assuming he would be Carolina I don't think he's he would sign there before he would say I'm going to be the I don't think he's going to care I don't think at that moment I think the sentimentality will override the hypothetical of being that quarterback on his last legs for a team that's not that good I'm not staying if there you know there's some load if the Texans got forbid you know the crowd gets hurt and like when you're a quarterback come in there I'm not saying that I'm saying 20 bucks he knows the dover for him why not well I'm going to know that that ain't happening I love the boldness hey listen that is bold bold but it's not there is no hey maybe I'll be wrong but I'm not going to be wrong that's a crazy take that's crazy that's a little more than a little prediction it's not supposed to be you know I understand I'm giving you credit for boldness but there has to be

52:1110 to 3 half there's got to be some kind of a path and the only pathway that that would happen would be in the unfortunate situation that I'm not even going to bring up so if I were to go and I know you have other stuff got to get L.A. finish finish up I would have said it if Aaron Rogers finishes his career not on the Steelers but this year that's believable for you right like they're not that good another team to be get hurt or like you know another like you said with some of those other teams hovering and they need a guy like that's not off the board like the Joe Flacco say it last year yeah yeah Evan I would say if something happened to a complete contender the Texans the you know the Rams where there's an injury and it's like in you know early late September early October before the trade deadline that seems more feasible than what you're saying here like Aaron's just going to say well I'd love to go and be the second or third string quarterback up there in Green Bay come on man like that's crazy talk but I love it. Okay.

53:18Evan say hi to our teammates in Los Angeles. Yes. I'm going to another question they haven't called me and I'll hang up on you guys when they call I did was eight o'clock. I don't remember what my question was even going to be that's why I stream a conscious things that's why I go so we appreciate you haven't take care. I don't know about that be good which part. Yeah that was Evan Cohen. I don't like how we ended that really stuck in the middle of the year. I think it's a really good job. I don't like how we ended up landing there. That was good. One of the great partners that were at our incredible 10th anniversary celebration and it was flowin baby Tito's vodka. Indeed they have been a partner from the jump Courtney and her team were up there and the cocktails were flowing and it was Tito's in our glass.

54:20There is no doubt about that when whether you're tailgating before the game watching from the couch or grilling with friends Tito's handmade vodka. It is our go to it's made in Austin Texas the first legal distillery in the state and Tito's does great things out in the community as well especially for our four like it front. So the next time you're raising a glass just make sure it's Tito's handmade vodka in that glass crafted to be savored responsibly. More will the a tower straight ahead stick around. Will the in-touch on 100.5 ESPN is brought to you by Everlight Solar save money save the planet Everlight Solar. I look at my clock and it says the time and then I try to see my family's time and it says the time but it says yesterday.

55:25I don't even get how that's possible. So I feel like I'm in the future and then also when we play on our Friday which I think is the Thursday in the US for such creatures of habits. So I call today Tuesday. No wait, sorry I call today Wednesday which is the first day we put in a game plan but I think it's Monday however though it's Sunday and the present. So like I'm going to mess that up all week if you guys ask me but today is just our first day of the game plan which is a Wednesday. We'll put in some on a Thursday Friday is the final part of the game plan Saturday we walked in when we play on Sunday which is a Friday in Australia on a Thursday and on the US so don't ever make me do that again. And I tried to steal Mount LaFlaur's girlfriend Aaron Rogers since still is quarterback. Is the game what what day is the game in the United States Friday on Netflix Thursday night on Netflix Thursday night but Friday in Australia. Tows you've been to Australia haven't you? I have. Yep. Yep. Did it mess you up as much as it appears to be messing up Kyle Shanahan?

56:26Well I made the mistake we went over there I think for our honeymoon and I believe we got there and I only. Not shocking you guys didn't do any of the planning and I thought Australia because if you look at the map you would never think Australia is as big as the US from a land standpoint because of the way the globe is. I thought every I thought every flight would be like in an hour hour and a half if one to go to Melbourne to Sydney and whatnot and we ended up going up to the great barrier reef once we landed and it was another two and a half hour flight and I just I was not happy and then I looked at him like there's a little if you fly from Sydney to Perth it's like flying California to New York and once I saw that I'm like if I would have known that but I did. I didn't because I didn't do any of the work. It's a long flight. It is I think the Rams are crazy for doing it the way that they're doing it but they might be crazy like a fox and they might be geniuses because if they find a way to sleep on the plane they'll be like they never were even there because they get there a day early but that data and actually exist because it's gone and then they get back on the flight the next day.

57:42It is almost as if they never went and that's kind of genius if you think about well we'll see how it works out for them but yeah my understanding is they have fitted their plane with the full complement of fully lay down flat beds theoretically so they can all get quality sleep on that 16 on the flight. I think it about this I saw that what is a win worth to an NFL organization how much are they willing to pay a little Starbucks for you today huh there is a how often what is the value of a win in the NFL to put new turf down if you think it's going to give an advantage to outfit a plane is it 60 million bucks is it a hundred million dollars like what is the value of an NFL win. I don't know what the value is to billionaires like the owner of the Rams.

58:48Now if you asked Ed policy right now how much would you guys if it was strictly financial and you guys have to make a win a game how much is it how much is it worth to pay to win a game. I think it's getting close to you know I think people would pay somewhere between 60 and a hundred million dollars a game to win. That's how much I think it's worth your salary cap is only 300 million I think it's got to be way less than that. That's they cap it because otherwise the owners would pay a lot more than that. That's why it's kept right but you're still not from a player standpoint it's kept from a owner so that they can't. And NFL owner would pay somewhere between 60 to a hundred million dollars to win a football game. Okay but are you you're not saying you're paying that for every game then right. No I am. You're talking you go ten and seven you've paid six hundred million dollars or a billion dollars. I don't think they're willing to pay that much.

59:49They're in the to make money. Some owners I'm not even sure that they care that much about winning as much as they care about like Jerry Jones admits being talked about all the time and the profit margins that he gets. 60 to a hundred million dollars a game because I don't know how much it cost to outfit retro fit a plane for I don't know 200 people to all have laid out beds. I don't think that's cheap. I don't I that I would tend to agree with. Well if you've got that much money then you better have wall knee legal group making sure that you're a state planning is order wills trusts probate elder care and special needs planning Edo and Kelly and the team at wall knee legal group do it all is great to see Edo and his family. Learned a lot about us figure skating from his daughter is really fun to see them at our 10th anniversary and and to talk a little bit about a state planning which you know how important it is and you know how delinquent I had been before wall knee came along they offer custom personalized experiences not cookie cutter one size fits all.

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