Hour 3: Why Jalen Hurts' Contract Makes This Year Crucial

0:00because foils didn't play much or play well at an elbow thing six months later. So like, I guess the question is, how much of this do you think they're keeping these guys? Because they're track record versus they're trying to extract value in a trade. Like what is really going on? Yeah. So it's funny. He brings up foes from 2017. Honestly, a great rebuttal by how he was a debatesman. It was a good point. And he's got a statue outside. Exactly. It's hard to counter that one. I mean, look, there are some flaws with it. Foes was hurt. Foes had a longer track record. Foes, I think, had played better more more recently than Andy Dalton has as well as Tanner who's really not played much. You know, I think it's a bit of a leverage thing for sure. I think they think that eventually a team will call and they can turn one of these players into an asset. Like how much of an asset? It's hard for me to say, you know, how he has a good read on this. But at the end of the day, I think what it really shows is not that the roster is not good, but they don't like they cut a lot of young players and they got most of them back credit to how he. I think if someone like Kapanagushikan, the safety had like really impressed them. Maybe you don't keep four quarterbacks, right?

1:00If like, Chance Campbell or Deonte Lawson had like really impressed them, maybe then you don't keep four quarterbacks. So I think it's a combination of things. I think it's a, a, they probably aren't really decide who they want the backup to be. B, they do want to trade them for a pick. And then C, I think it's a year where they could probably keep four quarterbacks because they didn't have a ton of young players like step up and earn roster spots. You know what's funny? We were talking about this more and I'm kind of curious to get you a take on this. Basically, Joe called how you'll be fat liar. As far as, you know, him saying, is this a maker break for Jaylen Hertz? I want how do you feel about that? Do you feel like this is a pivotal year for Jaylen where whether or not he's going to be here as a fill it up equals correct? So it's definitely a pivotal year for Jaylen and not even because of like the reports, opinions, whatever, just contractually. Like I think he has maybe 40-ish, 45 million dollars in guaranteed money beyond this year. So he doesn't have a ton of guaranteed money after this season. It's not a lot for a quarterback for, you know, what he does. So I think even if we thought the Eagles loved him, even if we thought like, you know, all

2:00the, you know, great things about him, there is still a decision we made after this year. Do you want to give him another $150,200? So the break part of it is if he's not good, I could pitch a world where they move on from him. If you look at the salary cap situation, if they trade Jaylen after this year, they only lose $3 million in salary cap space. And there's a $45 million dead cap, dead cap hit. It's according to over the cap dot com. So that is a very manageable situation. I think what was the AJ Brown dead cap hit? It was, well, they split it over to it. That's right. But it was, it was 40 if they had dumped them before when they traded Carson so many years ago, it was 37. So 45 million is not really that much. They would still have 30 million dollars in cap space. So they can move on from Jaylen after this year if they want. Now the makeside of that though, which I think we don't focus on enough is if Jaylen has an awesome year, he will have like all the leverage in the world. So when you're essentially in a contract year like Jaylen is, of course, it's a prove it here, just like any player on the roster that's on essentially a one year deal.

3:00Elliott, about a week away from the opener, what's the biggest question in your mind about the team as we had to week one? So the game, the game is a week from Sunday, biggest part of the team that you're just wondering like, how is this going to be? How is it going to look against the commanders? So I think the passing game is obvious one to say, right? One thing I'm really thinking about heading into the beginning of the season, like how can they win the first four games or go three and one? Because they normally do win in September all the time. I feel really good about the running game. I think the biggest thing that's changed in my opinion from the beginning of training camp to now is I think you're able to run the ball. Safe ones looked awesome. All the running backs have looked awesome. The offensive lines look great. The backup offensive lines look great. This scheme is made to run. So I feel like they're going to be able to run the ball and we all know the defense will be good. I think the real question for week one is how sloppy is this team going to be? Like will there be pre-snap penalties? Will there be procedural stuff? Will they be a team that because they're learning a new offense is really shooting themselves in the foot during this game? Because I think they're way better than Washington.

4:01I don't think Washington's that good. I think Washington's going to win like five or six games this year. So they should win the first game and Washington especially as a bad defense. But one way it could get tricky is if you see some like some of the stuff that hurt them last year like having first in 20, having a big play taken away. So that's one thing I'm really thinking about going into this game is how clean can the Eagles be from a procedural standpoint? When you know when you talk about the first game and playing against a team that you're planning against, you talk about how weak their defense is, what is a for you a decent stat line for a quarterback that hasn't played this offense, learning to offense and everything. What is a decent stat line for you to say, okay, that's a good start for Jaylin. I guess just a win, right? I mean, that's what I'm that now he's now he's talking to you like that. That's not right. But honestly, for me, there's one number that matters for a minute zero. It's the turnovers. Like if they take care of the ball against Washington, they'll win the game because they're better than Washington. And now this year, I don't think, you know, for the past three years, we could go in almost every game and say the Eagles are the better team.

5:02I don't know if that will be the case as much this year. So but I do think they're better than Washington. And when you're the better team for me for Jaylin, it's like the passing yards, I don't know, 200 yards, something like that. But I think the zero is really the key, especially with the fact that what I just talked about, they're learning a new offense procedurally. What type of mistakes will be made is everyone on the same page or their route miscommunications. If they can just take care of the ball and play clean, safe football, I think they'll beat Washington pretty easily. All right. One thing I think is interesting and spike is talked about a lot lately. I think you were on with him another day and you guys were talking about the turnovers versus touchdowns. Yes. And spike lots more turnovers. He does. If it means more production, but he does. And kids, actually, I understand where he's coming from and I get it. And look, you could look at Darnell last year at a lot of turnovers. They scored a lot of points. The one thing I think he might be missing and I think it's more towards your side of the argument is if they run the ball a lot, there's less possessions in the game, right? And if Jaylin turns the ball over twice, I don't know how they get to the 30 points. Like, yeah, there's only so many possessions in a game. And this team seems to shorten the game anyway with the way they play.

6:02So I get it and I would take an extra turnover of meant two more touchdowns. I'm just not sure if it works for this team. Well, so in its interesting, you know, all off season, and this exciting thing about the season starting is like hypothetical times over to an extent. It's really like they're going to be playing and basically a little over a week. So you know, if we're having a hypothetical conversation about a hypothetical football team and how you want to do things, I can see spikes argument of, you know, clearly you score more points, you're better. Like, that's not breaking news. But if you talk about this Eagles team specifically, they are engineered to be a team to take scare the ball elite defense. Great running game. Like, there you go, right? Like that, that when you have those two things, you don't have to be reckless. You don't have to take chances. And you know, we often talk about this too from like where the ball is thrown. I think another way to look at this is if you can run the ball really well in your under center, I'm not completely dismissing the pre snap motion thing. But when I'm talking about like just being a conservative safe offense that runs the ball is the more stuff you're doing pre snap, the more chances there are for penalties. Sure.

7:02And then if you do get a first and 20, you're really killing the running game for that entire drive. Like you could get a big chunk play on second. You're like, who knows? But the penalty is going to be so key for this team because I don't think they're going to throw the ball through the air consistently throughout the season. Now week one, they could do it. Washington's bad. I think Washington will stack the box. They're going to be without their number one corner. And I also think there's something for the Eagles have spent all off season preparing for this game. They have spent all training camp hiding things. So like it wouldn't shock me if they dropped 40 points on Washington. Like if they just came out and like shocked the world, I was like, well, he predicted 30 points per game the first average average. Yeah. I like it. Thought the little heavy. Well, yeah. I mean, Tennessee and Washington bad defensively. Yeah. No, they could put a point there. But I just think they're going to have an element of surprise that, you know, they'll have a bunch of things ready. So I do think four week one and like for this hypothetical, you know, the non-hypothetical we're talking about. Yeah. Like taking care of the ball. When they when they win the turnover battle, like what argument is there against it? Well, they want the turnover battle in the playoff game and they lost the game.

8:04Well, that was a big one last year. But again, like that's one game. I know using 42 games. Yeah. I know you heard. All right. Now let's talk about four games. I'm curious your thought on this because you just mentioned maybe some choppin' this earlier in the year, but the first two opponents aren't very good. They're, would you sign up and do you think the Eagles would sign up for two and two? So they're, they're going to be their favorites week one by five and a half points. I haven't looked yet. I imagine they're about a four and a half, five and a half road favorite in Tennessee. They're not good. Yeah. But they, I have looked. They're underdogs in Chicago. They're underdogs here against the Rams. Like on the look ahead, like I see could change. Right. I see could change. Yeah. But let's just say they're underdogs in week three and four. They're favorites week one and two. Do you think the Eagles would sign up for two and two? Would you? Wow. It's a great question. Um, I think I probably would just because I wouldn't want to risk the alternative of one and three. Right. I think I've gotten for me to be two and two then one and three. Like, and then obviously you could be three and one. You could be four and oh, but I think I would take the floor of two and two. But I, I don't know if this is an Eagle specific thing. I think almost any team, if given this option to play out four games or split the first two

9:10in the first month of the season, I think there's a strong argument just to take the two and two and like your season's not sunk, you know? And two of the toughest opponents all year are week three and four on the road in Chicago. Right. So we're in the first two. Now they beat the Rams all the time. They, well, yeah, I know, but yeah, he said it feels a little different. Small, small. It feels like the Rams were better than they had been in a while. So we'll say, we'll say, yeah, but I think the Eagles just had their number. Well, no, I'm buying the Rams. I just think that I think the Rams are better than the Eagles, but I don't think the Eagles should be worried about the Rams. Yeah, I think that's a fair word to say. Yeah, they had. They have. I think the Eagles, I think like the Eagles have a better head coach and well, they don't and is that well, he beats them all the time. And I think what you see in these games is they win on the margins against the Rams all the time. They do, but I don't think he's a better head coach. I mean, if they were both available, who more teams are after? I think more teams would have a higher. Yeah, I don't think that makes them right, but you are, but yes, in that instance, yeah. All right. Elliot, thank you for hopping in. Sorry. Would you take the two and two? I would take the two and two. He'll definitely. Okay. Definitely. I'm saying it. I think it's going to be three and one, but I'll take the two and two.

10:12Yeah, I think it would be the smart play. Yeah. And I think the Eagles probably would, too. This one tells us out loud. That would be a good way to start. Elliot, thank you. Enjoy your weekend. Good stuff. Next week, it's real. Yep. There he is. Elliot, sure, parks. Those two, one, five, five, nine, two, 94, 94. All right. Coming up, we'll get to everyone's phone calls here. And we got to hit on one of the biggest stories and sports that happened yesterday. The Kawaii Leonard thing. Finally hit the fan. It does affect the sixers in a way. We'll get to that. One of the worst trades when you edit all together in the history sports. I mean, it's just remarkable how much the Clippers end up giving. Welcome back. It's the Midday Show. Hugh Douglas, Joe Gileo, you guys put us to one five, five, nine, two, 94, 94. That's how you hop for it. Jack Miller is in for Kyle today. We're going to have Jason Kelsey join us coming up shortly here. Talk about his item in the Eagles Radio. Thought Eagles RadioThon.com to go bid. We need to up the bidding here for our behind the scenes sitting with the Midday Show. We'd love to have you in.

11:12You can take some pictures. Hang out with us during the show. And the one where we can go to you, where we'll go to your home or your business. I'll find the current bid, but it was in the 2000 range earlier. It's probably jumped up here. It's a really cool one. We'd love to come to your house. Hugh's saying you have to make us breakfast. Breakfast. That's not actually his. Not no, Bruno. Well, not that either. You're not going to get breakfast. Bruno, like yogurt. Well, Greek yogurt and not fruit. Not for when we go into somebody's house. No. But where would you Greek yogurt and granola? When I'm at my house. Oh, but it's not like when you go somewhere. It was to be treated like it like a king. I want to be treated special. You want to be in there? Is that it? Pancakes? I don't even take a bowl of cereal. A bowl of cereal. A bowl of cereal. What? I'm not going somewhere and get a bowl of cereal. Oh, now look who I can have. Well, because the bowl of cereal is the opposite of trying. He just said, you know, oh, you're asking for people to cook now when I said a bowl of cereal. Oh, you're not going to come out. I don't want any of that. And you don't have to cook us breakfast. Anyway, we'd love to. You do. No, they don't. I'm looking at the restrictions here and all of the fine print. It's not in there, Hugh.

12:13There's no food. It's not in there. There would be nice if you did. Well, of course, EaglesRadioThon.com. It all goes towards the Eagles Autism Foundation bid and hop in. And you kind of see all the bidding ends at 5 p.m. today. So hop in EaglesRadioThon.com for a great cause. All right, here we'll go back to the phone lines. Here if you want to talk about the fills. And of course, she on her. So if you believe how he's yesterday with the maker break thing, I didn't buy that for a second. But maybe some people did. Hugh, here's what I will buy. Anyone saying that the Kawai Leonard to the Clippers trade was the worst trade in NBA history. Because Hugh, we know that it didn't really work there. I mean, he was good. He got hurt a bunch, but he's a great player. They just didn't get anywhere close to a championship. So the first part of it was, man, they gave up five first round picks and SGA. And they didn't win anything. Not really worth it. But now, Hugh, the second part was yesterday. So there's been this thing going on for like two years in investigation into the Clippers. On whether or not they tried to circumvent the salary cap and pay Kawai Leonard under the table. Hugh, the penalties and the investigation ended yesterday.

13:13And it ended with five first round picks being docked from the Los Angeles Clippers into the future, one in 29, 30, 31, 32, 33. They were also fined $30 million and their owner, Steve Balmer, suspended from all league and team activities for one year. This is one of the biggest fines in NBA history. Also, Kawai Leonard required to pay $700,000 back to the league. So cool. It does light. It is light for Kawai. It is. But it's not light for the Clippers. Hugh, five first round picks and SGA at the front of this thing. That's at them back. Five first round picks at the back end. You added it together. It's 10 first round picks and one of the best players in the NBA for Kawai Leonard. I mean, there's no other way to say this besides a complete disaster for that. Yeah. And you know what the funny part about it? I remember a few weeks ago that there was a story that I was out to say there was nothing to see here or they they finished up their investigation. It was nothing. But now to come back and have this. It's like what the what were you guys out there in LA doing?

14:15That's crazy. I don't know. Now one thing to note as it pertains to us. So the Sixers do own or at least perhaps will own because there's some implications with the Clippers and the JL on Brown trade. But the Sixers have a pick swap with the Clippers coming up 2029. So people were wondering like that pick, right? That one of those five picks is that one of the picks that would affect the Sixers. No. It's a different pick that the Clippers would have to give up. So the machinations of the Sixers and the Clippers from years ago would have traded with the hardened trade. That's still there. I think the Celtics are still now a part of that with the trade for JL on Brown. But yesterday the Clippers did not have to forfeit the pick to the you know that the Sixers may get. So there it doesn't help them or hurt them. I actually think in theory this helps the Sixers because the Clippers are going to suck now for a very long time. So if we do end up getting that pick swap. It could be a pretty good one. I mean the Clippers are going to be a bad basketball team. I just they clearly broke the rules here. To doc a team five first round picks you and they must have found clear evidence that they were paying the sky over the table. Yeah.

15:15Yeah. And that was that that was the whole thing man. But the fact that they came out and was like, oh no nothing to see here. And then it was a whole lot to see that. They knew and wanted to try to just wait until they had everything like all the T's crossed and eyes dotted before they said anything. Probably. To say nothing and then just they knew five three weeks ago. Yeah, probably. I mean because you know I'm in a chat group and a friend of mine used to be and he used to be like a PR guy in the NBA and he snifed this out like a long time ago and he was talking about how this is ridiculous and how he can't believe they didn't find anything. So yeah, it was crazy how they announced that early on and then come back and come back with with all these finds and and all this money. That is that's to be paid out and in the fine. So I'm not surprised because this there's been smoke around this for two years like when there's smoke around a story like this like someone really must know something. Military who's kind of an investigative sports journalist has been on this for a while like he knew something. So I'm not surprised that they found that's true. And the other thing is you go back to when Kauai was a free agent.

16:15It was pretty obvious from like the moment he was going to the Clippers which is kind of weird when you think about it almost as if this whole thing was premeditated and he knew that they'd give him way more money than anybody else could give him because they were going to break some rules. It's just the whole thing felt weird from seven years ago and here we are now. And first round picks an SGA just a crazy ending to the story 215 592 94 90 for Brandon is in Northeast Philly. He's on WIP Brandon. What's up man? Oh, hey, how's it going? Good, Brandon. Long time listener. Long time listener first time caller. We appreciate you man. What are you thinking? We're sure for sure. So I just wanted to talk about the Jalen Hertz. His contract. All right. A caller. It was like two callers ago. He made a really good point about the fact that the city doesn't really appreciate him. I mean, he's done so much for the city and and granted it hasn't really been pretty. But you know, I mean, you got to ask yourself whether you want like a Dan Marino or like a

17:15Bernie Cozar who puts up a million yards with nothing to show for it. I would rather the championships to be honest with you. I would rather the parades. I had to fund it both of them. So I mean, you kind of have to ask yourself that. But Brandon, before you go on, I don't think you have to. I'm just asking myself that because I we why are they mutually exclusive? Like if the Eagles had Dan Marino, why wouldn't they win a lot of games? Like to me, we've just we say that because this is the guy we have, right? So this is how he plays and how they win. So we're good with it because it's great. I mean, obviously they've won a lot of games. But why would they win less games if they had a better quarterback? Well, I think it's it's one of those things where you look at a person's intangibles, right? So we know that Jalen, he wins. You know, again, like I said, it doesn't look pretty, but he just has that instinct to do the small things, you know, that leadership to be a winner. Where someone, you know, other quarterbacks throughout history, like if you look at Warren Moon, put up all the stats in the Hall of Fame, you know, stat collector, but he has no

18:20hardware to show for it. So it's just one of those things where you kind of have to look at someone, you know, someone who's like a padding their stats versus someone who has those intangibles. And when I mean, winning isn't intangible. It's, you know, it's it's different than, you know, just having all these stats and being in the Hall of Fame. That's those are individual accomplishments. But another thing I wanted to mention though was, you know, it seems like the narrative is that the Eagles have all the leverage where in my opinion, I think Jalen has all the leverage because if you look at his, his, his, his, his agent, Nicole, Nicole, Nicole in the clutch. Right. Yes. Correct. Correct. So I saw the interview with her with her and when she joined this team, she basically was saying that, you know, she's a woman. She's a woman. It's a team of women and they plan on doing things differently. And I think, you know, the leverage there is she's looking at a current extension being

19:25undercutting what he could potentially get if he waits, if he bets on himself with, with an extension like in a year or two from now. Mm-hmm. So it's, it's put it this way is thinking of it as, as him earning 60 million versus 70 million in a couple of years. You know what I mean? So, Brandon, I think you're, I think you bring up a really good point. He's going to make more money next year as opposed to signing with you. Lamar is in this spot right now. Brandon Lamar is in the same spot just he's kind of a, he's like a year ahead or two ahead of Jalen because he's, he's got the leverage on the Ravens right now. I mean, big time. So I do think there's something to what you're saying. I actually think you could be dead on. If Jalen plays really well, the, to me, it's all about how he plays. Like if he plays great this year, he's got all the leverage. I mean, he's got that. If he doesn't play well, he doesn't have much guarantee money left on his deal. So he, to me, he either have to take the deal. The Eagles want to give him or I don't think he'd be here. So I think it all just goes on how he plays. Brandon, good phone call me. You know, it does the leverage this with the quarterback swings back and forth to, like

20:28to me, Lamar right now has huge leverage over the Ravens because he has a huge salary cap number next year. And they just can't, they can't build a team next year without him without, but they just can't build a team with him at that number. Like it's just too hot. They got to restructure his deal. But that means he's, they're going to have to give him what he wants or he says no. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Well, and he's still in a lot of people's eyes. It's still in the prime. Great player. Yeah. And Jalen is, it's similar. You know, it just kind of reminds me of the Joe Flacco situation in the sense that Joe was looking for a new contract and, and they told him, nah, right? And he took that team all the way to the Super Bowl. Now you can, you can sit there and say, well, who did what on the team? Whatever bottom line is. He was the quarterback. He ended up getting paid after the fact. So if Jalen goes out then has a really good season, man, then he's going to get paid. So I think it's interesting you brought up the Flacco thing because you're right here. And that was the ultimate leverage play right. Flacco. I mean, he better on himself. And he played unreal in that postseason.

21:29I think it like 11 touchdowns. The picks was the MVP and the Super Bowl. But I could also make the case. The Ravens never got anything close to what they paid him after that. Like in the next, for the rest of his career as a Raven, 42 wins, 41 losses. Oh, no, but in that moment, but see that, that's, it's like, it's like planned dice. It on the street. Yeah. You shake the dice and you take that chance. No, I know. And that's what the Ravens did. But they ultimately didn't work out for them. Like he, his draft pick worked out. He was awesome there for five or six years, right? They won a lot. They made the playoffs. But the second contract was a bad one for them. Yeah. But the bottom line is if Jalen puts it together for his season and he plays bad, he's still won. No, I'm not, I'm saying from the team perspective. Oh, yeah. I ain't thinking about team. Well, but that's all I think about. Why, why are we thinking about the president of the individual? I'm saying, I'm talking about from the standpoint of him getting it like, lacing his pocket. Oh, but I don't care about his pockets. I'm care about the Eagles, not the pockets and the players and to bring it, bring it full circle. I think Jalen is going to bounce back this year. And I don't think that he's going to fall off like a Joe Flackle.

22:31Let me just say that because it, it did sound a little bit like I was just about the money. We did. Yeah. I mean, that's exactly what I was. I know. I know it's just like, I mean, think about it. I'm about the team. Douglas is about the dollars. I'm just saying you about that bread, you talk about it. Uh-uh. I'm pretty sure. Rich already. I don't care about that. You talk about it. You talk about a phenomenal win. Gross. You, you put together one of the best things you can and you make them pay you. It didn't you fall off. That's the way you should do it. That hurts the Eagles. Why would I root for that? I mean, they bought them all right. They weren't all right in those years. They didn't do anything the next five years. Wait, I'm just saying they are now. They got them all right. They're all right because they moved on. They're all right. I mean, we got them all right. It's not like the Eagles are going to be here. They got money. They're going to have players, whatever. I'm just saying get that bread. Jack, do you care about how much these guys make? Because I don't care for crap. No, I don't really care. I know. I know. As long as you get wins, man, that's all it's about. It's about the team, not the pockets. I'm just kidding. These guys lying in people's pockets. Just take notes from LeBron. That's all we care about. I'm just, I'm just, yes.

23:31Man, that's, that's awesome. Like Joe Flackle that year where he had an awesome year. He was great. No, and he want, I mean, he beat them in the negotiation, right? Like he, but then ultimately they lost because the next five years, he was pretty darn mediocre. Dimon and Delco is up. Hey, Dimon, he was. Yeah, yeah, yeah. At the four hours of hold before you, it wasn't for Dimon. Dimon, it wasn't for him. Hey, listen, I was just bragging to my homie of who I was. I said, my mom always called me. No, never called him for years, right? Yeah, didn't even go up to store y'all. Let me in. So my man goes to the store and y'all let me in. Trying to keep your humble, Dimon. I got to play the recording for him. Okay. I know what it is, Joe. I know exactly what it is. You know I was waiting for you. What I do? You know it. Well, first let me greet you properly. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning, Dimon. What's up, man? That man's all about you, Joe. Today all about you. I had a little bit to go off. Run off, right? You can stop me, but then let me come back and finish it. All right? Go ahead. Okay. All right.

24:32So the first thing it was, I listened to Jalen G. Q. thing yesterday, right? Me too. I was the whole thing. Yeah. Okay. So now he says a couple of things, right? And when I'm hitting strong, he says some people call me a cheater, right? He said all the ones who lose him. Remember he's playing pole and you say that? Yes. Yeah. It was kind of funny. And the Zack, the reporter was like, people are like, they would actually do that to your face, call your cheater. That was funny. I like that. Yeah. Yeah. I love it. I love it. Because that's what happens to him in a veil too. You know, these do a gone respecting because he's so good. There's whole mentality, man. There's whole genetic makeup. How he approaches the game where he's coming from. Like I've never seen that. I'm like, I'm trying to think of a quarterback who displays his mannerism. We think about how I'm trying to think of one quarterback who I can compare him to. And there is none. So since he said along, there is none. I agree. He's pretty unique. Like, there have been other players similar stylistically, the way he plays football. But in terms of the mentality, in terms of the the stoic nature, I agree with you.

25:35He's a pretty unique character. Absolutely. Yeah. Yes, absolutely. You got to remember, he's a coach of some. So in life, right? I think a certain thing is just what you're saying name, Jayman. So I have one thing, right? It was the to me. And I can say he's a great leader. He's a general. But the most thing I say was a comedian. And we don't want it because in life, we have what we call leaders and bosses, right? And we have workers, right? So a lot of times you can lead and you can be a great leader. That doesn't mean that everybody is going to follow. Tom is an angel. AJ. He didn't want to follow. Okay. Get off the bus. Go ahead. I'm a container lead. Jayman said his message was, you know, he always remained focused on the goal. They end them with the goal, which is winning. And compared to Joe Barrow and all these other quarterbacks, I don't think they focused on that. And before you cut me off, one more thing is this, right? I asked myself to just, I said, um, listen to you, Joe, I said, let me see.

26:38I'm, I'm a has Joe some major man or Tom Brady. And then, and then let me chime in at the day. Okay. So, so the answer is Tom Brady. But I will be honest that the first half of their career, the first half of their career, I thought the answer was Peyton Manning. I thought it was just a better player, the first half of their career. But Tom Brady kept going for so long and just blew past him that it, it's Tom Brady. The first 10 years, I thought Manning was the better quarterback. And that's the same thing I will say to you, right? I still believe Manning was the better quarterback. I believe that Tom Brady had the better acuilies, right? And he had the more greater team success. But if you do the eye test, right? Yeah. Like to say all the time, right? Peyton was amazing. Peyton was amazing. Yep. Exactly. So, exactly. So then again, now I'll bring with my man, Jayman, right? Well, he called on us to help and he, he, he looking out for these peers and he's, these are leaders, right? Of great, of greatness, right? He called, he, listen, he talked to Tom, not my time, but he talked to Peyton. Yep. Yeah. More than he talked to my man, Peyton. So tell you something about the genetic character of him.

27:40Also, Peyton Jay has put my man into full, like, oh man, so I love you Joe, but man, you gotta come around, Joe. I'm just, I think I'm the one seeing this right. Demand, I'm on my own, we're a priest of phone call. Everyone's keeps saying, I have to come around. Why doesn't anyone just come around to my side? Yeah, because it's not kind of crazy. It does. Is it really? No, not really. Okay. Thank you for, thank you for, I mean, but I'm just saying, I'm just giving a shout out to you, but the people, the people, the people that I'm crazy, I'm crazy. Okay. Anthony and Jersey stop. Anthony, some crazy to what's up, Anthony? You're crazy Joe. You're a moral of the capital is crazy like a fox. What's up, man? What's up, man? Hey man. Hey man, yo, Joe, Julia, hey, you understand why you had that 11 o'clock hour, man. I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know you're talking about. When he worked blue on the show, I'm blue. I'm just saying, man, yo, yo, yo, man, you're so, Joe, you're so deliverable with these, with these fillies, I can now wait to make it and to play off and, and, and, and, and, it's swinging, hitting nothing like they normally usually do.

28:42Hey, why are we hurting against the fillies? Come on, Jay, we're, because you got your stuff around. Let's do real you win. So bad it has done nothing. They've done nothing. There's been an Eagles in a, in, in, in, in my man, Jay, you know, all you do is win the England, but doubt it. Yeah, how old are you? That's not, that's not fair. You know, you know what? People forget, and this isn't fair. People forget people. No, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on. Hold on, hold on. One second, just a while. Well, he, he, he, he was, he fibbed yesterday. Anthony, hold on a second. People forget. Everyone says, oh, you give the fillies benefit out and never the Eagles. You know, people forget we sat there the, for, Monday of Super Bowl week, two years ago, in New Orleans. And how did we open the show? I said, you, you, I said, I think the Eagles are going to blow the doors off the chiefs. I mean, how much more confidence can I have had in that team? You didn't say that because I didn't think that. I didn't think that. I said, I think they, I think there's a path where the Eagles blow the doors off the chiefs who, well, I, well, it's like one game the whole year. Yeah. So I give them plenty of credit. I give the Eagles tons of credit.

29:43They are a great organization. I just don't think the quarterback is great. That's all I give the team tons of credit. I, you don't think the quarterback is good. He's a Super Bowl with an MVP like. He's pretty good. He's pretty good. Yeah. Yo, yo, yo, you give them more. You give them more. Josh, all the credit. What's Super Bowl MVP they have? No. Kenneth Walker won. Kenneth Walker won. Kenneth Walker won. The CFC champion. Yeah. He's got to do that. Stop. You know what I hear? Yeah. What do you got? When the narrative comes, if how he would have came out and said, um, Jela Husses, Ash, he, Ash, you would have said, well, guys, see, I told you all. And he didn't pay. No. He thinks, yeah, no. No way. I don't say, oh, yes, he says, oh, he's a liar. No, no. He's a liar. And you use a long run. You're big fake. And you know it. And you don't like David. And I appreciate it. We're so thank you. Be soft. You were just like David. No, I will never say that. Anthony, I love you, man. Thank you. Thank you. That's, that's, that's like a weird shot at me.

30:44Um, I would never say it on my channel. It's okay. I mean, I, I'm not that close to his feet. The smell. I don't not like, John. I do like, John. John's been a good eagle. I don't think his career is going on the up. I think it's going towards the down. Um, one thing. I think we over, you know, he just mentioned this through Bonvy Peace, right? And now obviously the Mart doesn't have one. He's ever been there. Obviously, Josh Allen doesn't have one. He's ever been there. I think we overrate championships for players and we, and we underrate them for teams. It's the teams that should be everything about championships. Individuals, that's not how you rank individuals to me. So many great players have not won a championship. So many. And so many solid players have won championships. I mean, if the Super Bowl MVP matter that much, witness the ox have not let their Super Bowl MVP walk in free agency. They let him walk you. Kenneth Walker is a chief. Yeah, that, that remains to be seen. No, but they did it. Yeah, I'm just saying it remains to be seen if that was a good idea for them. But if it mattered that he won the Super Bowl. Because I guess they're, because they're looking at it.

31:44I know what you're trying to say, Joe. I know what you're trying to say. They have like the second best out to win the Super Bowl. I'm losing him seem to mean nothing to people. Yeah, I guarantee you the problem in different if it was the quarterback. It's a quarterback head. Yeah, right. But that's what I mean. But if we just say Super Bowl MVP, it's got to mean something. Like the last last year's Super Bowl MVP literally left his team in free agency. Like not even a trader. I was like, yeah, we don't want to bring that guy back. We're done with him. 215, 592, 94, 94. All right, your phone calls. Also, we're scheduled to talk to Jason Kelsey about his item in the Eagles radio. Thon Eagles radio thon.com will come back hit everything and a big Merrill moment. The count down because I believe number 16 to that'll be at one o'clock. It's the midday show on sports radio 94 WIP football season is back. And it's time to bring that game day energy home, whether you're at the game or cheering for your living room. Make sure your home is ready for the season with pillow windows and doors. Get performance style and comfort plus incredible savings with 55% off installation or 48 months 0% APR while the home team has made a big plays in the field. Make a big play for your home with Pella call 877 98 Pella.

32:47This gives you a free in home constellation or Pella Philly dot com. According to my son, he's still alive. Yes. Where'd he go? Does he know where he is? He said he hired now because he tried to give an autograph. And I was like, okay, you know what? If he was alive, I could see that. Who would want his autograph? No, it was just like you're gonna let him down easier. And he's your next knockout to tell him. No, I'm letting him live his best life. Because he was, you know, he's at that age now. It's kind of funny because I guess he's figuring out now that, you know, I used to play football. So he was asking me the other day. Did he search your name? I don't know what he did, but he was like, who he asked me? He said, who have you met that was famous? Oh, because you recognize you probably have met some famous. Yeah, and I told him I met Shaq and he was talking about how he would like to meet Shaq and everything. And that's how we got on the Michael Jackson conversation. And he was like, he's still alive. And I was like, okay, I said, if that's what you want to go with, what do you mean? You're gonna let him feel that one on the screen.

33:48Well, I asked him, I said, why? And he was like, he said because he just didn't want to give out any more autographs. Because he talked about how he like to wear disguises. So he said he's wearing the disguise because he doesn't want to give anybody autograph. So I said, okay. I bought, he's what, eight. I guess that that age we check kind of let it live, right? But yeah, he's not like I'm not, you know. He's a little old, he'd be like, come on man. I can't even believe things that aren't true. Here before we go back to the phone, some news here. He, congratulations to Hey Zeus Luzardo. Hey, sure of the month in the National League. That's your guy. Boy, when you, you know, we've talked a lot about his numbers the last two, three months. But when you see the note, because he was the National League pitcher month for August, you see the numbers for August, my goodness. 34 and a third innings pitched. 46 strikeouts. 1.31. Earn run average. You know, for my money, he's been the best pitcher on the Phillies from months now. Yeah. And I want the ball in his hand. I think he's pitching Monday of this four game series against the Braves. He's the, he's the finale of it. So I trust him. He's been dominant.

34:48And, you know, here we talk a lot about Dave Dombraski's mistakes. Yeah. Got to give him some credit. Remember before the season they gave Luzardo a five year contract extension? Yeah. Could you, he was set to be a free agent. Could you imagine the money that I, Oh, yeah, the price of the break would definitely went up. So I think they gave him, I'll look it up. I think it was 135 over five years. Yeah, he definitely got more money. Oh, I think he, this kind of ending to his, let's pretend he doesn't have a contract. And he finishes out the way he is. 300. I think 250 at least, right? I mean, yeah, that's not my right. He's pitching like one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. So he got a five year 135 million dollar deal in March. It really, that's a, it's a great move by Dombraski. He saved himself. Let's just conservatively say 100 million dollars. And obviously other teams could have bid on him, right? He would have went to free agency. So that was a great one. Luzardo's awesome. And for me, he's their game one pitcher. Let's go to the phone lines here. We have Eric, who's up on WIP. What's up Eric? Hey, Joe. Hey, you. Hey, Eric. I want to respond to this analysis.

35:49You're advocating. We're going to house how we should view. Daniel, okay. And you made this point and said, well, if my lot of falls off, they wouldn't pay him. If they fall off, they wouldn't pay him. The balance to be treated like any other player that's your position, right? Yes. Yes. All right. So let me, let me engage this one. Yesterday you were described, uh, Jalen as, uh, headstrong, right? I think one thing that Jalen is to the fans, and maybe do they have a teammate? He's a figurehead. Kind of represents not only the team, but the success that we've enjoyed. I agree with that. He's kind of the face, right? The face of the French. Yes. Yes. Yes. And, you know, he delivered us and his teammates to the promised land. And I think, you know, we can't pick the emotion out of it. Some of those players are only going to win. Most players never will know any super balls. But he gave, he helped lead his team to the Super Bowl and victory. And to say, oh, hey guys, he fell off. So the one guy who made your dream come true. It's a business.

36:49We've got to move on. I think you have to treat. Support a back. Different. And I think the players probably consider him a little different. I'm sure they love my lot of, but if how he moved on after a year, I don't know how that would affect the locker room, but I would imagine it would, it could hurt them around the locker room. So I'm going to counter what to, I hear your point. I mean, it's a, it's a good point. I'll counter what two things. This is the same franchise that one year after the first Super Bowl, which took, you know, 50 years, moved off the quarterback that won that Super Bowl MVP. And I understand they're different and folds was not that. That was a mistake. Okay. Okay. Okay. But Eric, I agree with you. I agree with you. I grew to them, but they did it. And then on top of it, two years after that, they moved on from the head coach that delivered the first Super Bowl. So I, I'm not telling fans not to be sentimental, Eric. I get it. I'm just telling you how I feel and my guess is, the Eagles are not as sentimental because their history says they're not. I mean, they don't bring, they let Brian Dawkins, because they let Brian Dawkins go to Denver.

37:50The Eagles don't really act sentimental. Well, let me, let me say one thing that I got. I read this beautiful book the other day called What if by this very handsome, bald sports journalist. Did you read it yet? Or do you just, you just kind of saw it's out and you maybe ordered it? Because it's the, I don't think the copies are out yet. Unless you got your hands on one somehow. I got a guy. I'm talking about that right now. Okay. All right. The top speculated what would have happened had a how we paid. And I think a lot of people consider that that was a mistake to how I made. So how we make some mistakes sometimes. I learned from our mistakes. And maybe they've learned by the mistake of moving on from. They call some may ask you one last question about. Jalen, maybe I can convince you to switch your position. Okay. Now, do you agree that Jalen values a win over his individual statistics? Yes. All right. And do you agree that some quarterbacks probably value their statistics more than when they're more focused on. Going to the Hall of Fame or going to the cobalt and they put more of an emphasis on their individual athlete. I agree.

38:50Some quarterbacks are like, yeah, I don't think I doubt there's many, but sure. I'll go with you along with this analogy. Sure. Okay. And if a quarterbacks is, you know what? We're going to have to throw some we're going to be more aggressive. We have to switch an offense so that I personally can shine and pad my staff. That's what I the quarterback wants to do. If a quarterback has that kind of mentality, so anything's possible that that self-centeredness might be obvious to his teammates and affect other teammates. Sure. Yeah. I go along with that. All right. So I think the selflessness that Jalen has to go, hey, if if running the ball with Saquon 30 times a game, that's what's going to get us to win. I don't care if I feel a single touchdown all season as long as we win. I imagine that has a positive impact on the locker room and on the teammates and encourage them to be on the finish my block. I don't care if I don't get a catch because our leader doesn't care about his staff. All we care about is winning and that doesn't show up on the stat line, but I think that elevates the ethos of the team. It helps us win a lot of games.

39:50We've got to value that. I think there's something to that or a good phone call. I do think his the selflessness you want to use that right go back to 24 when they pulled back because everyone had a sacrifice that you're right. They ran the ball. The receivers clearly agent and handled well, but they had a sacrifice and became a running team. Yes. I think that's good. To me, there is a fly in the ointment with the way we talk about Jalen though. What's that? We almost pretend he wasn't great in 2022. His whole career hasn't been du-lasts just win ugly. That's not the truth. His first dominant year in 22, he was the best player on the team. He put up better stats. They scored more points. If he had always played this way, it'd be a little easier for me to say this is just the way they win with Jalen. That's not how that happened. The passing offense has gotten worse. It was really good with this quarterback. I feel like people just forget that. Let me play devil's advocate a little bit. Maybe it's that people didn't forget it.

40:51Maybe they just look at it differently than you look at it. Maybe they look at it as the selflessness that the caller was talking about and making this sacrifice. Why in the world would you want to score less points? I think it's just the truth is they can't do it like they used to. I'm saying, and again, playing devil's advocate, when you look at it, when you score less points, you have more success though. When you talk about the Super Bowl year. Oh goodness. No, I'm saying Joe, but that's how in a league. Well, they didn't score less points that's the Super Bowl year. They just ran for the points. But what I'm saying is he took a back seat. We all like to talk about how Jalen took a back seat. Right. But what happened last year when they needed him? That was the selfless act that he had. And maybe we don't last year to me when you look at the numbers compared to Josh Allen's numbers. And I know we don't like to do that. It was not the Eagle season that we wanted from our team, but it wasn't as bad compared to his season to Josh Allen's season. I think it was far of different. That's just me. I just think we're twisting ourselves in a pretzel.

41:51This has not always been a game manager defense wins the game quarterback. He had MVP caliber season. So I'm not disputing the fact that he has to play better. I'm not doing that. But I think that what people are lost is that when you talk about it, it's almost like it was like he was horrible last year. I thought he was I thought he was a bottom 12 quarterback in the league last year. I don't think he was even after better. I think we're actually under song the way he played last year. But that's just me. 215. I didn't say horrible, but not good. Horrible. Not good, man. 215. 592. 94. 94. We'll come back and Merrill moment number 14. I was updated. Merrill moment number 14. We'll let you hear that. And I have a feeling it's a great one. That's the extra calls. Midday Show Sports Radio 94 Wipe.