transcript

Speaker 1:
[00:00] You are listening to The Dan Patrick Show on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2:
[00:04] Final hour on this Thursday. Broadcasting live from the distillery complex in Pittsburgh all week long, and I want to thank them for their hospitality. This crowd has been unbelievable today. Thank you for bringing the energy today, the spirit, and we'll give you a round of applause here. Maybe not that great. Yes, Pauli.

Speaker 3:
[00:30] And they love Bill Cower.

Speaker 2:
[00:31] Oh, my God.

Speaker 4:
[00:32] He was in the middle of saying bye.

Speaker 1:
[00:34] I heard someone in the back go, I love you, coach.

Speaker 2:
[00:37] He's the coachiest coach, though. It feels like you'll meet. He sounds like a coach, looks like a coach. Everything, like he's ready to go. And he hasn't coached in a long, long time. Plus, the guy's jacked. Pauli, all of a sudden, Pauli goes, let me feel your abs. I didn't do the abs. I grabbed his shoulder. Paul, it felt like you were going towards the abs there. But no, we want to thank Coach Cowher. And you know what? Man of his word. Because he said, if you go to the draft, I'm going to come to the draft, I'm going to be on your show. And then I saw where he had signed up to be on Pat McAfee's draft special. And normally Pat will get people and there's an exclusivity that you're going to be on his show and no other show. So Coach Cowher said, I'll be on your show to Pat McAfee, but I'm doing The Dan Patrick Show. And I really appreciated that. He said he was going to come here and he did. Stat of the day brought to you by Panini America, the official trading cards of the program. All of our guests this week receive a gift bank provided by Rec Tech, Panini, Penske, Dude Wipes. By the way, we have a Meet Friday. They're busy with the Rec Tech grills up above us. The smashed bratwurst and the hot capicola Primanti style. You know that, Dylan, the Primanti style?

Speaker 5:
[01:58] I do, but I believe it's gabagool, Dan.

Speaker 2:
[02:01] Oh, it's not capicola?

Speaker 4:
[02:03] Well, you know, the Italians say gabagool.

Speaker 2:
[02:05] Oh, do they?

Speaker 4:
[02:06] Yeah, not to nitpick, but...

Speaker 2:
[02:08] No, no, it's fine. I want to make sure I get it right.

Speaker 4:
[02:10] Yeah, the hot gabagool.

Speaker 2:
[02:11] Gabagool. But it's spelled C-A-P-I-C-O-L-A.

Speaker 4:
[02:15] It doesn't make any sense.

Speaker 2:
[02:16] Herb crusted. That's herb crusted, not herb.

Speaker 5:
[02:20] Hey, what's up, herb crusted?

Speaker 2:
[02:21] Hey, herb. Herb Williams. Herb crusted pork loin, grilled steakhouse burgers and wood-fired pesto and hot gabagool pizza.

Speaker 1:
[02:33] There you go.

Speaker 2:
[02:34] Who has it better than we do?

Speaker 6:
[02:36] No body.

Speaker 2:
[02:37] No body?

Speaker 1:
[02:39] No body.

Speaker 5:
[02:39] My mother-in-law texted me, Paulie, am I lying? What's that say?

Speaker 3:
[02:44] Perciuto, gabagool.

Speaker 5:
[02:46] She was like, that's not how it's said.

Speaker 2:
[02:47] Okay. All right. Okay. But you got to be Italian to be able to say mozzarella. Like, I'm not Italian.

Speaker 5:
[02:54] It's the worst because my wife who's Italian is like, oh, can I have fresh mozzarella? It's Jersey Mike's in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Mozzarella.

Speaker 4:
[03:01] Yeah, is that Italian Stolen Valor?

Speaker 2:
[03:03] Okay, when does it get to, is that Stolen Valor?

Speaker 4:
[03:05] I think it might be.

Speaker 2:
[03:07] It's like you go into a subway, you can't say mozzarella.

Speaker 4:
[03:09] They're like, Stolen Valor, show us your Italian card.

Speaker 2:
[03:13] All meat provided by Heartland Steak CO. Kirk Warner will join us, probably wearing a Super Bowl ring a little bit later on. He is a friend of the show, Kirk Herbstreet and his dog, Peter, the ESPN College Football Analyst and Lead Analyst for Thursday Night Football. You can see Kirk tonight on College Game Day at 5 Eastern on the mothership. ABC's coverage of the draft beginning at 8 Eastern. Ladies and gentlemen, Kirk Herbstreet and his dog, Peter.

Speaker 4:
[03:46] Hey, what's up, man?

Speaker 2:
[03:51] Come on.

Speaker 4:
[03:52] Here he comes.

Speaker 2:
[03:53] Oh, man.

Speaker 4:
[03:54] Here he comes. Good boy.

Speaker 2:
[03:56] We didn't get him a chair like we did at the draft. He's looking for his chair.

Speaker 4:
[04:02] You come up here.

Speaker 2:
[04:03] I'm sorry, Peter.

Speaker 4:
[04:04] You come up here. There you go. Come up here. Come up here.

Speaker 2:
[04:11] Come on.

Speaker 4:
[04:12] Come on. Get those little legs up. There he is.

Speaker 2:
[04:15] All righty, Petey. There he is. What is the breed?

Speaker 4:
[04:23] I've purebred golden retriever.

Speaker 2:
[04:25] Okay. Then there's brothers and sisters?

Speaker 4:
[04:27] Yeah. I have four goldens. Tempting. His mom and dad had their last litter, and they're four weeks old. I just can't say no, so I'm contemplating possibly getting a fifth. So I have to wait and see if my wife will allow it.

Speaker 2:
[04:43] How does that go over at the house? Like, you can't make a purchase like that.

Speaker 4:
[04:48] No, it's because it's a big responsibility.

Speaker 2:
[04:50] Yeah.

Speaker 4:
[04:51] You know, but I just I love them, you know, and I've got room for them, you know, where I live in Nashville and it just they're family, you know, so I love and I've found a breeder that every time you get one, they're incredible.

Speaker 2:
[05:08] So let me ask you about your wardrobe at the Michigan game. Oh, because you went to see your son.

Speaker 4:
[05:15] Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, okay.

Speaker 2:
[05:17] But I was told by Ohio State fans, of course, because I'm in Ohio. They're like, hey, Herbie's wearing Michigan colors. And I go, his son goes to Michigan. And I'm like, you poor guy, you can't even just have a normal day where you're watching your son in the spring game.

Speaker 4:
[05:35] It's just, and my son played in Minnesota. I'd be in Minnesota, he plays at Michigan. They offered him a full ride to go up there and play. And my wife and I support our sons. My son plays at Michigan. I didn't have a block M on, I had a Navy coat and I think I had this.

Speaker 2:
[05:54] You did have that hat on.

Speaker 4:
[05:55] This hat on?

Speaker 2:
[05:55] Yes.

Speaker 4:
[05:56] It's like incognito as I could possibly make it. So it is what, you know how it is. I mean, anything you do, you're pretty much screwed. He's just checking you out back here.

Speaker 2:
[06:08] Oh, oh yeah. Yeah. He's fine.

Speaker 4:
[06:11] You know how that goes.

Speaker 2:
[06:12] Yeah.

Speaker 4:
[06:13] But I, you know, I was just over at PNC, you know, baseball guy, grew up in the seventies in Southwest Ohio with the big red machine. I mean, I'm as big a baseball fan as I am football. And PNC, I've always looked at that as maybe the best, the crown jewel of all the new stadiums.

Speaker 2:
[06:29] Yeah.

Speaker 4:
[06:30] Yeah. I mean, it's congrats to you guys. I mean, I think it's beautiful and it's great to see, because when I grew up, the Pirates, you know, we are family. It was, it was a big deal, the Pirates baseball. And it's great to see Skeens and Reynolds and, you know, this rookie Griffin. It's neat to see they have a nucleus and they're winning games. And so they invited us over and all I can think about is they're going to ask me to collaborate on this, as I'm taking, Reds fans are going to be yelling. And it's like, what can you do? We were just honored to be over there and take some photos.

Speaker 2:
[07:02] Well, you try to tell people what a real rivalry used to be. And that was the Big Red Machine and the Pirates.

Speaker 4:
[07:07] Man, it was good.

Speaker 2:
[07:08] And then you throw in the Dodgers back then.

Speaker 4:
[07:10] Oh my gosh. And it was so good.

Speaker 2:
[07:13] It felt like every year was coming down to the Pirates against the Big Red Machine.

Speaker 4:
[07:16] Willie Stargell and Phil Garner and Tim Foley and Bill Madlock. And Eesler, Mike Eesler, Omar Marino, Dave Parker, Ott behind the plate. I mean, that group seems like in those days they were together for seven, eight, nine years.

Speaker 2:
[07:31] Well, you could stay together. But I, you know, Renny Stenant.

Speaker 4:
[07:35] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[07:36] Yeah. I think they, Gene Alley. I go back to Gene Alley, a short stuff. Yeah. Yeah. I, you know, growing up in the late 60s, early 70s. Yeah. And to be able to watch those rivalries. And we were just talking about Roberto Clemente. Somebody brought me a bottle of wine. The Clemente Museum. And I remember, you know, when you watch certain athletes and you go, that's different.

Speaker 4:
[07:57] Different.

Speaker 2:
[07:58] And I remember Clemente. He, the way his batting stance, the way he ran, but his arm, his arm was incredible.

Speaker 4:
[08:07] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[08:08] It might have been the greatest arm I ever saw. Now Parker was up there. Yeah.

Speaker 4:
[08:12] But Parker was such a big imposing athlete.

Speaker 2:
[08:14] I think he was a running back in Cincinnati.

Speaker 4:
[08:16] He was in St. Princeton High School.

Speaker 2:
[08:18] Yeah.

Speaker 4:
[08:18] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[08:19] But I can't imagine. He would have been.

Speaker 4:
[08:21] You imagine?

Speaker 2:
[08:22] No.

Speaker 4:
[08:22] He was like 6'4, 6'5.

Speaker 2:
[08:24] Yes, Marvin.

Speaker 5:
[08:25] He would have been like Derrick Henry.

Speaker 2:
[08:26] Yes, he would have been.

Speaker 4:
[08:27] Or if not bigger.

Speaker 2:
[08:28] Yeah.

Speaker 4:
[08:28] I mean, Dave Parker was a monster. Of course, he ended up coming over to St. and he ended up playing for a bunch of teams. But glory years, of course, was the Cobra as a pirate.

Speaker 2:
[08:37] So when you start assessing talent and you're trying to figure out your projecting here. And I don't know what's tougher to go from high school, projecting success in college or college projecting in the NFL. Which one would you say?

Speaker 4:
[08:52] I think if you're talking quarterback play, I think it's equally as challenging because I think the thing that we all overlook on on quarterbacks is we get caught up and enamored with a guy's size, his arm strength, the numbers maybe that he put up in college or even in high school. And I think what it's so hard to define, and it's why we we always see teams miss, is the ability to process, the ability to see a defense pre-snap. And then in the NFL, you're going to get a different look more often than not post-snap. And it's hard because of the way the college game is played. So much no huddle, looking over to the sideline. You're looking at four signs on the sideline, it's all tempo. And then you're going to go listen to a John Gruden type of play call where you're just trying to manage the huddle and get the call out, let alone deal with it. And so there's really no testing that can evaluate guys unless they come out of a system in college that you feel like, okay, we've seen them like Sark with what they do with Arch. That's a little bit different because Sark was an NFL OC. He's known for his ability to be more sophisticated, more NFL like. So with Arch, I think you're next year when they're evaluating him. I think it's going to be a little bit easier to evaluate based on what you see. But I think the most underrated thing and most difficult thing to predict is the ability to process and beat a defense with your mind and not just look at my primary, he's covered and take off and run. Because we live in this era of dual threat quarterbacks, high school. The best athlete in high school used to be a running back, a receiver, a linebacker, a safety. Now he's a quarterback. And they go up to college and they dominate. And then they go up into the NFL. Caleb Williams is a great example with Ben Johnson's trying to do with him in Chicago. His whole life, imagine being the best athlete on the field, middle school, high school, college, Oklahoma and then USC. So when things get uncomfortable, his natural instinct is to go. And because he's done it so well. And Ben Johnson this past year works so hard in getting him to be like, trust it, go from A to B to C. Ben, let's not take away your ability to create. We don't want to eliminate it, but let's not just go to that as the answer. And so, I don't know, I think each guy is different. Each guy and how you evaluate him. I think that's what makes Fernando so interesting with Tom Brady being in Vegas, is he's kind of a Tom Brady quarterback. Yeah, he can move around a little bit. We saw it in the national title, but he's a guy that does have the ability to look at a defense, evaluate it, get a pre-snap feel, have some answers, they move to a different coverage. I think he's going to get pieces around him. But I think I'm very confident in his ability to go up to that next level, maybe not year one, but eventually, just because of his wiring and his prep, and how he'll be able to dissect the defense.

Speaker 2:
[11:54] But when you look at quarterbacks, and I've said this before, Michael Vick has said it before, that you don't put in the time, because you're such a great athlete. Like Kyler Murray in high school, like that's freakish. Josh Allen, I kept saying, you got to learn how to play the position, because you're just not there, I'm going to take off and run. I go back to Steve Young, and Steve said, it was so easy for him to look, look, go. He said, I had to go to the third and fourth, and then I became the quarterback that I was. But I don't know what that's like, because you play the position, and that clock in your head of how long is long enough, and how long is too long when you're ready to make a decision.

Speaker 4:
[12:37] Yeah. See, I have a great appreciation for it, because I never could do it. I grew up at Centreville High School that you're familiar with, and my high school coach, in these days, they ran split beer. My high school coach went to Fisher to Berry at Air Force Academy, and he brought back the old school wishbone. So I ran wishbone high school offense, reading a triple option. I was like a high four, five, four, six guy and big. I was 6'3, 218 pounds, but could run, and that's why I could never drop it. I go to Ohio State, I had to drop seven steps and run more of a West Coast offense. I never could get comfortable with, I could do the drops, but I was that look at the primary, it's uncomfortable, get out guy. So, I have such appreciation when I see a guy like a Tom Brady or a Drew, more of the old school guy that has that ability to just comfortably ignore his blindside. My first time I went in against Ohio State, against USC, Junior Seau, they still had their ones in. Junior Seau was on my blindside, and we were running a play action to my right in the LA Coliseum. I've got a backup left tackle in the game, and Junior Seau, at this point, I think he had three sacks in the game, and all I could think about, it was on color, so it was down, blue. So I said down, blue, and I started to take the snap, and out of my corner of my eye, I could see my left tackle still in his stance. And I had to turn my back and carry out a fake, knowing that my left tackle, who had no chance to block him to begin with, was still in his stance. And I'm thinking, is he going to spear me in the back? How bad is this? How bad is this going to hurt? And by the time I got to the top of the fake, I was ear holding down. And USC number 55, he used to just kind of do like, I am that guy kind of thing. And I'm looking up at that. But I never had the ability to look at two and three and four. That's why I can really relate to it so well. And to hear Steve Young say, because I think Steve Young, if you put him in this era.

Speaker 2:
[14:55] No.

Speaker 4:
[14:55] Oh my gosh.

Speaker 2:
[14:56] Just ask Steve Young.

Speaker 4:
[14:57] I mean, honestly, he just missed his era. He would have been so dominant because he had the ability to throw, the ability to create. But it's cool to hear him say he even had to learn one to two to three to four, because he was so dynamic as a playmaker.

Speaker 2:
[15:11] Where are we headed with this playoff situation where it feels like 16, but there's a push for 24? I mean, that happened quickly, Herb.

Speaker 4:
[15:20] I think the Big Ten commissioner, Tony Petitti, was really the first one to get out there and talk about it last year. Then everybody was like, no, no, no, no, no, no. 24, that's ridiculous. You'll cheapen the regular season. That's one of the great things about the college game is, you still feel like these games in September really matter. If you go to 24, are you able to hold on to that? There's that argument. Then there's an argument that let's do away with the conference championships. Let's make that a four against five and three against six, and almost like a play-in to advance to the play-off. So, I really don't know. He's just staring that camera down. I don't know how I feel. I don't know what the answer is. It seems like the 24 is gaining momentum.

Speaker 2:
[16:02] Why wouldn't the SEC want 24?

Speaker 4:
[16:05] I have no idea.

Speaker 2:
[16:06] Because I had heard Greg Sankey.

Speaker 4:
[16:08] Yeah, he doesn't want it.

Speaker 2:
[16:09] Yeah. But that's more teams.

Speaker 4:
[16:11] Yeah.

Speaker 2:
[16:12] More revenue.

Speaker 4:
[16:13] Is it about the AQs? Like how many teams are you just automatically allotted?

Speaker 2:
[16:18] Yeah, I don't know how many they're going to allot.

Speaker 4:
[16:20] Let's just put the best teams in. No matter what the deal is, I don't like when we get to the end and we gotta be nice and like, let's make sure that a team gets in because this past year we had a couple teams in. And I don't mind it. Like a Ben Roethlisberger, Miami of Ohio, group of five team, put those kind of teams in. Boise State, like those kind of teams. When they were really good, no problem, put them in. But let's not just do it to do it. You know, and I feel like we're at an era right now where that's kind of what we're doing.

Speaker 2:
[16:52] Who are you with tonight on ABC?

Speaker 4:
[16:55] So like you say, game day from five to seven on ESPN. So the Mel Kuyper ESPN draft is on ESPN. Breaking down teams needs and this is what you're going to do. Me, Nick Saban, Desmond Howard, and Reese Davis will be on ABC and it'll be more of a game day version of Fernando Mendoza. We're going to tell you about him. We're going to tell you about his mom. We're going to tell you about what his career has been like. We're going to talk about Arvel Reese as a person.

Speaker 2:
[17:24] Can you tell Saban he's wrong?

Speaker 4:
[17:27] Oh, yeah. He's cool with it. Here's the greatest thing about Nick Saban. I've known him since he was the head coach at Michigan State. So I've known him for almost 20, 25 years. When he first came on the game day, I may have already told you this, but it just stands out to me. He's Nick Saban, right? And we'll get done with the segment. It'll turn to me because I'm sitting right next to him. He'll look over at me and he's like, was that OK? You know, and I'm like, yeah, man. But he wants to be coached like he's a player. Like he's like, don't just tell me what I want to hear. I want I want to get better at this. Like he really, I think, has an appreciation for not just being on Nick Saban and that's enough, but really understanding studio television and how can I be better? So I love that about him because he doesn't have to do that, right? I mean, he's Nick Saban. He could just be Nick Saban. But he wants to really try to study the craft and get good at it.

Speaker 2:
[18:23] Kirk Herbstreet and Peter is not going to be on the show tonight, right?

Speaker 4:
[18:27] I don't think so.

Speaker 2:
[18:27] OK.

Speaker 4:
[18:28] I don't think he's going to hang on the bus tonight.

Speaker 2:
[18:30] You can watch Kirk tonight, College Game Day at 5 Eastern on the Mothership ABC's coverage NFL Draft beginning at 8 Eastern. Herbie, thank you for making time again.

Speaker 4:
[18:39] Yeah, of course.

Speaker 2:
[18:39] Kirk Herbstreet, everybody. We'll be back after this.

Speaker 1:
[18:44] Be sure to catch the live edition of The Dan Patrick Show weekdays at 9 a.m. Eastern, 6 a.m. Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. You ready? NFL fans, when the lights hit the stage, when the picks go down, we got you. Listen to the best NFL insider, Jay Glazer, one of the best linebackers in LeVar, Arrington, a man who's been in the war room, former Falcons GM, Terry Fontana, and Fox Sports host, Jenny Taff. April 23rd at 5 p.m. Pacific. It's Draft Night Live and it's brought to you by Express Pros and Weeble. Your NFL Draft coverage is on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2:
[19:24] We'll try to sneak in a few more phone calls here. Let's bring in Kurt Warner, Hall of Famer, NFL Network Analyst. You can see him on NFL Network's coverage of the draft tonight at 8 Eastern. We welcome in the two-time NFL MVP. Kurt Warner. What's up, buddy? Kind of in playing shape there. I mean.

Speaker 3:
[19:51] I'm pretty good.

Speaker 2:
[19:52] Yeah.

Speaker 3:
[19:52] I feel good, yeah.

Speaker 2:
[19:53] Like if the helmet's on, we don't see the gray hair, but I might just see you out there playing. You look like you're still, like you and Brady. If you had like a combine right now, who wins?

Speaker 6:
[20:04] Ooh, me and Brady? Maybe me and Philip Rivers. Maybe I could take Philip. I'm not sure I'm taking Brady, man. That guy still looks like he could go.

Speaker 2:
[20:12] Okay.

Speaker 6:
[20:14] But I feel good. I feel good.

Speaker 2:
[20:15] But throwing once. Like, could you have done what Philip Rivers did this past year?

Speaker 6:
[20:20] I think all of us old guys, when we watched him, said, I could do that. It made me go back in my backyard and start throwing it around a little bit. Like, if somebody calls, I think I could do this.

Speaker 2:
[20:30] Okay. But if Brenda's looking outside and sees you throwing the football, what'd she say?

Speaker 6:
[20:36] She's like, yeah. I mean, just the fact that she doesn't want me to get hit anymore. That's what she thinks about. She could see me throw and be like, yeah, it looks great, but they're still going to hit you, and the guys are big and fast. So that's what she worries about. But I think she looks and says, these guys make a lot of money right now. Maybe go back for eight games, ten games, and let's see what we can get out of this.

Speaker 2:
[20:58] But when you see yourself get hit, as opposed to feeling getting hit, like how different, because we see it and they look like car accidents there. But I don't know how much it hurts in the moment when you get hit because there's adrenaline going.

Speaker 6:
[21:14] Not very much at all. Like we can watch it on, you know, on film and you're like, man, it does look bad. But you remember and you're like, I didn't feel anything. The amazing thing now is obviously you played the game. When I stand on the sidelines now and watch it, like you're talking about, I'd sit back and go, I can't believe I ever played that game. Like it is like car crashes and the violence. But when you're playing-

Speaker 2:
[21:35] Would you rather not know you're going to get hit or you see it?

Speaker 6:
[21:41] You don't even, you really don't even think about it. As a quarterback, because you're so focused on everything else, I never once thought, oh, I'm going to get hit. It was just kind of like, hey, throw the football to where you're supposed to throw it. Then you take the hit, like you said, the adrenaline, you're more worried about, did I complete the ball? What happened on the other end than the fact that you got hit? So it is an amazing thing. It's as violent and as big, as strong as guys are. Most of the hits you never even feel, you never even thought about.

Speaker 2:
[22:09] But you brought up something to me a couple of years ago. You said you welcomed to Blitz. No, yeah. Because you thought that was to your advantage. Yeah. That's not normal, I think, for quarterbacks, is it? That, hey, I hope you Blitz, because now I know I got a weak spot over here.

Speaker 6:
[22:24] I don't think it is. I don't think, you know, we all have different skills, right? Obviously, there's lots of guys that have physical skills and the ability to run around. My greatest gift was my ability to process information. And so, if I could see you coming, I knew that I could always beat you with my mind and with my right arm. And so, it made the game easier for me. Like, if you're going to Blitz from over here, you don't have any guys there to cover. As long as I've got a guy who can throw it to, the game became easier for me in that regard.

Speaker 2:
[22:52] But how do you know they're Blitzing? Well, I mean- Before they Blitz?

Speaker 6:
[22:56] It doesn't have to even be before they Blitz. All I have to see is that guy take two steps. And once he's going to take two steps, because he's still a long ways from me, boom, ball's out of my hands. I know exactly what my answer is if that guy comes. And to me, it just, it made the game easier. It made it more fun. It was a fun challenge to be able to beat that pressure with a throw. And it didn't have to be a 30-yard throw down the field, which I know a lot of people love that. Let's block everybody up. Let's throw it down the field. To me, it was more fun. That cat and mouse is going, oh, you're going to blitz. You don't think I know. You don't think I have an answer. You come, boom. And then they're just frustrated because all you had to do is throw the ball five yards and you pick up 15. And they're just looking at you like, okay, now what do I do? Guys in the middle. I used to love to play that game with different guys. I remember a time with Charles Woodson. I always thought, you gotta play, use their strengths against them. And so one of the great things he was great at was the slot blitz. And one game we were playing against the Packers in the playoffs. And I knew that he was coming. And so he takes two steps. And he also knew that I knew he was coming. So he took two steps and he stopped because he's like, you're gonna try to throw it behind me and I'm gonna stop you from doing that. But he blitzed, I was gonna throw it behind him. He stopped, I was able to stop and turn and hit the guy on the backside for a big play. And that to me is the fun part of the cat and mouse. A guy like Charles with great instincts, you have to match those instincts and use it against him and that to me was the most fun part of the game.

Speaker 2:
[24:29] But I look at Mendoza and you talked to Mendoza and he seems like a football nerd. That he's like 40 years of age. But when you talk about processing, help us understand, I get to the line of scrimmage. What am I processing here in real time?

Speaker 6:
[24:47] Yeah, and with Fernando, great thing. I actually met Fernando a number of years ago. He came out to my house to train right when he was taken over as the starter at Cal. And so same exuberance for the game, same passion for the game. Asked questions.

Speaker 2:
[25:00] Was your son at Cal?

Speaker 6:
[25:02] No, my son was not at Cal. No, just a trainer brought him over to our house.

Speaker 2:
[25:05] Oh, okay.

Speaker 6:
[25:06] So yeah, just training with him. But all the stuff that you see when a camera's on him is the same person I saw years ago. That he just wanted to be great at the game. So it's been fun to watch that ascension. And when you talk about the processing part of it.

Speaker 2:
[25:22] But what are you teaching him?

Speaker 6:
[25:24] I mean, we're working on everything. We're on the field and we're talking about technique and we're working on different throws. Then we would go on the board and I would talk him through how I prepared and what I saw and when a coach gave me a play, these were the checklist that I would go through to make sure that I had the answers. So the stuff that we're talking about, the processing part of it, I had all the answers to the test and all I needed to know was what the defense was going to do and then boom, I could respond to it. So we talked about all of that stuff. And so it's been fun to watch that process and stay connected with them over the years. And again, back to your question about processing. There are so many different things that you're seeing. Every play is different. Depending on what the concept is, there's different things that I'm looking at. Is there a safety here? Is the corner in an off position? Are they going to bring pressure? Who can possibly bring pressure? There's times I'm looking at linebackers. You know, if the linebackers are a little bit out of position, it makes you go, okay, why is he bossed over there? The safety must be dropping down here. So I know I've got this available to me. So there's so many different aspects to it that it's not just, hey, I come up to the line on every play and I'm looking at this and then I'm looking at it. Everything is different. You give me the play and I can tell you exactly what I'm looking for when I go up there, what the keys are to throw it to this side or that side, how I'm going to respond versus the different coverages that I may see. That's all part of the processing and again, that's the fun part of the game to me. That's, you know, I know for some guys it's probably, you know, running around and making a 40 yard run or throwing the ball 40. To me, it's what are you going to do? Can I respond accordingly in two seconds and get the ball to, you know, the guy on my team that's going to give us the best chance to win?

Speaker 2:
[27:05] Kurt Warner, the Hall of Famer, you can see him tonight, NFL Network coverage of the NFL draft. They start at 8 Eastern. Trying to assess, as a quarterback, are you better at assessing defensive backs or wide receivers?

Speaker 6:
[27:22] I would say probably wide receivers. You know, being around so many great ones over the years, I think I have a better sense of what I'm looking for. You know, what makes them great or the little things and the nuance to that position that I think can make you successful at the other level. Not as good at some of the positions that I wasn't you know, quite as close to.

Speaker 2:
[27:45] Yeah, because I always wondered about that. Like, why aren't catchers better hitters? Because they're catching every pitch. They're seeing every batter there. And I wondered that with a quarterback of, you know, you see these defensive backs, you know what they're going to do, strength and weakness is, what's like that one wide receiver? Is there one wide receiver? If I say you can have any wide receiver in the history of the NFL.

Speaker 6:
[28:08] Oh, in the history of the NFL? Yeah, I mean, I'm taking Jerry Rice.

Speaker 2:
[28:12] Okay.

Speaker 6:
[28:13] And I played with a lot of great ones, obviously, a lot of hall of famers. But Jerry was just so good at so many different things, how definitive he was running routes. There was never a misstep, obviously, you know, the amount of success that he had. But, you know, the interesting thing when you talk about DBs, I had never worried about the most physically talented DB. The guys I worried about were the guys with instincts. And so even when I'm watching tape and breaking down for the draft, I'm looking at guys and going, OK, can they play with their eyes? How quickly do they react to something? Can they read, you know, route recognition and understand where to go with it? Those guys to me were the hardest guys to play against. The guys that were big, strong and fast, it was like, all right, we can counter that. What was hard to counter was guys that could see and react to things that were different than other guys.

Speaker 2:
[29:01] So Troy Palamalu and Ed Reed.

Speaker 6:
[29:03] Exactly. Those guys, Charles Woodson.

Speaker 2:
[29:05] But they're off-strip. They're not, they're their own defensive coordinator.

Speaker 6:
[29:09] That's because they're seeing things and doing things that nobody else does. So you think, they can't see that. They don't know what's going on. And then all of a sudden, I remember playing against Troy in the Super Bowl. And he'd be down on one side of the field, like he was in a drop position, maybe even a blitz position. And right on the snap, he goes running back to a cover two position and you're like, that's not even possible. Now, if you know that and understand that, you can take advantage of it. But there were so many times that you thought one thing and then he just goes running off and like you said, doing something completely different and is actually able to accomplish it. You know, most guys that did that would be like, okay, that guy tries to do that, we're gonna kill him. A guy like Troy or Ed, they do that and they find a way to get into that position because they know exactly what they're doing and why they're doing it.

Speaker 2:
[30:02] Juxtapose losing a Super Bowl to winning a Super Bowl. How high is the high? How low is the low?

Speaker 6:
[30:10] I mean, winning is always going to be better than, you know, I mean, the high of winning is always going to be better than the low of losing. But I'll say this, unfortunately, you always bring this up, I think, but I lost two Super Bowls. So yeah, a lot to talk about. But I would say that the difference of the two Super Bowls that I lost was also the expectation going in. The loss to the Patriots when we were 14 point favorites, and really, we were the better football team week in and week out, roster-wise, and we didn't play our best football. So going through that game and knowing you didn't play your best in the biggest moment, hangs with you a lot longer than when I lost with the Cardinals, and we weren't supposed to win, we weren't even supposed to be there, and here we are with two and a half minutes to go, and we're leading in the Super Bowl. It hurts to lose that one, but because of how far we had traveled and what we had accomplished, it didn't hurt as much because there was a lot of pride in what we had accomplished. The One of the Patriots is probably the game that I still think about, of all the games that I played more than any others. If I could have just done this different or that different, how you could be a two-time Super Bowl champion. So that low was pretty low compared to the other one.

Speaker 2:
[31:27] Paul, bring out Tom Brady here.

Speaker 6:
[31:31] All kinds of things to talk about, don't we? Maybe if we just throw it here, maybe there's some competition.

Speaker 2:
[31:38] What happens when you see Brady? You guys don't open up a scrapbook, do you?

Speaker 6:
[31:45] We don't. I don't even go back to that game at all. We don't talk about it.

Speaker 2:
[31:49] If you played them 10 times, how many times do you win?

Speaker 6:
[31:54] I think we win at least eight of those. Okay. If not, yeah. We were the better team, but we didn't play our best. It's the hard thing about the Super Bowl is that when you show up, you're there for sometimes one week, sometimes two weeks. Every time you turn on the TV, they're telling you how you're going to play and if you're going to win. So for two weeks, we heard how we were going to kill the Patriots. It really felt like as we got into that game, we had a lot of guys that kind of believed, hey, we just need to show up and we're going to win. So yeah, Tom and I, we don't talk about that much. We were at the front end of starting that Patriots dynasty and stopping our own. So it was a bit of a bummer, but fortunate that I was able to get back and play three of those things.

Speaker 2:
[32:39] But you're a Hall of Famer though.

Speaker 6:
[32:42] Yeah, I mean, I am.

Speaker 2:
[32:43] Wait, come on, I don't mean to bum you out.

Speaker 6:
[32:46] That's great, but I'd rather won three Super Bowls. I'd rather be a three-time Super Bowl champion, but you're right, it's great.

Speaker 2:
[32:53] Okay, I can give you three Super Bowls, but you're not a Hall of Famer.

Speaker 6:
[32:57] I'll take the three Super Bowls.

Speaker 2:
[32:58] Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I think that's the right answer.

Speaker 6:
[33:01] It'd also be pretty...

Speaker 2:
[33:02] Hard to keep you out.

Speaker 6:
[33:03] Yeah, it'd be hard to keep me out if I won three Super Bowls, but yes, I'd take the three Super Bowls for sure.

Speaker 2:
[33:07] I thought Ben was going to be the MVP in the game, in the Super Bowl against you guys. Like that throw that he had to San Antonio Homes.

Speaker 6:
[33:15] I mean, the throw, the catch, I mean...

Speaker 2:
[33:18] The two-minute drill.

Speaker 6:
[33:19] I mean, the fact that he didn't get both feet down, all the different things.

Speaker 3:
[33:23] All the different things.

Speaker 2:
[33:25] Oh, what? Whoa, whoa, whoa! You're in Pittsburgh. You're in Pittsburgh.

Speaker 6:
[33:28] I'm still looking for visual evidence, people. Where's the evidence? I know I'm in Pittsburgh. I love you guys.

Speaker 2:
[33:34] Do you think that maybe San Antonio Homes didn't get both feet down?

Speaker 6:
[33:37] I actually don't. I mean, first of all, it was so close. Secondly, in those moments, what you love is that, I thought we played a great game. We came back and got the lead, but it was a couple great players making a great play in the moment to win the Super Bowl. Like, that's what it should be. If we're going to lose, that's the way you want to lose. I mean, it was, I couldn't even believe Ben threw the ball because we have three defenders there. And then to put it in that position in San Antonio, be able to make, I mean, it was just, you just have to tip your hat to great players. And so I was fortunate to play in three great Super Bowls, right? One that came down to a yard, one that was the first Super Bowl that was won on the last play of the game against the Patriots, and then that one against Pittsburgh. And that's what you want. Two best teams playing a great football game, comes down to great players making great plays, and you just have to tip your hat to them. I mean, it was just an unbelievable play.

Speaker 2:
[34:33] What's the call to Larry Fitzgerald for the touchdown that gave you the lead? Do you remember the call?

Speaker 6:
[34:39] Yeah, so we were basically in our two-minute drill. So we had concepts on both sides. So to his side, it was a concept that we called under. So his little five-yard in route, Anquan was over the top of him who would run a 12-yard in, or he had the ability if they played man coverage to break out. So what made that play so great was Anquan pushed up, it was man coverage, he broke out. Troy Palamalu was the safety there. He jumped Anquan on the out portion of it. So Larry beat Ike Taylor on the little under. So as soon as I hit him, there's nobody in the middle of the field. And so it was cool. I remember just running over to the sideline and of course we had some people that hadn't played in the Super Bowl and lost in the last play of the game. But everybody's like, we just won the Super Bowl. And I'm like, no, there's two minutes to go.

Speaker 3:
[35:33] Just hang on.

Speaker 6:
[35:34] Just, but I mean it was so cool, that excitement, because nobody did expect us to be there. Nobody expected to ever say that Cardinals were gonna win the Super Bowl. And so we had that moment. Unfortunately, it was short-lived. But yeah, you still remember that pretty vividly.

Speaker 2:
[35:50] Are you glad you came by today?

Speaker 6:
[35:53] I am, you know. There's just certain things that there's always gonna be a constant reminder. You come to Pittsburgh, what are we gonna talk about, right? You cover the Super Bowl. You know you're gonna hear about it a little bit. But again, I have those experience to pull from. So I always love being on with you.

Speaker 2:
[36:09] You played in three Super Bowls.

Speaker 6:
[36:11] That's right.

Speaker 2:
[36:12] You're a hall of fame.

Speaker 6:
[36:13] There you go.

Speaker 2:
[36:13] You're a two-time MVP.

Speaker 6:
[36:15] Right. We could talk about the one I won a little bit more though. I'm just saying.

Speaker 2:
[36:20] We are out of time.

Speaker 6:
[36:21] Yeah, out of time.

Speaker 2:
[36:22] We are out of time.

Speaker 6:
[36:23] Perfect TV.

Speaker 2:
[36:24] Nobody wants to hear about a victory. Come on. We want pain. We want tears here. Kurt, tonight, NFL Network coverage 2026 draft. They started 8 Eastern. Kurt Warner, everybody. We'll come back after this.

Speaker 1:
[36:40] Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsportsradio.com. Within the iHeartRadio app, search FSR to listen live. The NFL draft is where it all starts.

Speaker 5:
[36:55] This is crazy. I can't believe it.

Speaker 1:
[36:56] From the picks to the breakdowns, weird covering, all of it.

Speaker 4:
[37:01] Because in the NFL, I put myself in the position to be here.

Speaker 1:
[37:04] One pick can change everything. It's draft night log. Join Jenny Taft, Jay Blazer, LeVar Arrington and former Falcons GM, Terry Bottineau, April 23rd at 5 p.m. Pacific. And it's brought to you by Express Pros and Webull.

Speaker 5:
[37:19] So I threw it for her, man.

Speaker 1:
[37:20] On Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2:
[37:22] Meet Thursday. Kind of like Meet Wednesday, but then there's Meet Friday tomorrow by thanks to a Kurt Warner. Why do I do that? Why do I always touch on the negative there? Is it better radio, TV to see a grown man get upset or cry?

Speaker 5:
[37:40] For you, it feels that way.

Speaker 2:
[37:41] It does. I apologize.

Speaker 4:
[37:43] You're an instigator.

Speaker 2:
[37:44] I know, but I didn't mean to. But I think you learn more about somebody in a loss than you do a win.

Speaker 4:
[37:49] They say you learn more from failure.

Speaker 2:
[37:52] I've learned an awful lot about you guys. Yes, Paul?

Speaker 3:
[37:55] Well, the win for the Rams was awesome.

Speaker 6:
[37:57] It was great.

Speaker 5:
[37:57] It established Kurt. But he says he thinks about that loss to the Patriots all the time.

Speaker 6:
[38:02] We want to hear about it.

Speaker 2:
[38:03] Yeah, like we think about our losses in the sports Emmy all the time. We never think about the wins.

Speaker 5:
[38:08] Which loss is the worst?

Speaker 2:
[38:11] It always feels like the last one is the worst one. But you know what? I did have somebody who votes and they said, you got to stop whining, his words, and I said, okay, I'll stop whining. Does that mean we win a sports Emmy? He goes, no, but I think it could help you stop whining. I don't know if we're capable of doing that. We're very petty and it hurts. Who's on Friday's show there, Todd?

Speaker 3:
[38:36] We've got Louis Riddick coming by and Tom Pelicero and maybe other surprises.

Speaker 2:
[38:40] Do you have food in your mouth?

Speaker 3:
[38:42] I'm just finishing a last little bit of something, the sandwich from the Rec Tech.

Speaker 2:
[38:46] I know, but you knew you were coming down, coming back on.

Speaker 3:
[38:48] I was stuffing it in my face as I was going down the steps. I thought I washed it down with the water.

Speaker 2:
[38:54] Okay. Yes, Dylan.

Speaker 1:
[38:55] I almost choked on that sandwich running down the stairs.

Speaker 4:
[38:57] I was trying to, I was like, I have 10 seconds to finish this thing.

Speaker 2:
[39:01] Okay. My thanks to Rec Tech. They did a wonderful job. Beautiful spread there. Gave away a Rec Tech grill. So, you know, all good stuff today. Beautiful day here. Weather-wise, if people are going to the draft, you don't have to worry about weather. Yes, Pauli?

Speaker 4:
[39:18] Yeah, high of 73 in Pittsburgh today. Low, high 50s and totally clear tonight.

Speaker 3:
[39:23] Same for tomorrow.

Speaker 2:
[39:24] Okay.

Speaker 3:
[39:24] Back to you.

Speaker 2:
[39:25] That's good. Thank you. Super Doppler radar. Tune in to the NBA Playoffs, Celtic Sixers, Lakers and the Rockets. By the way, we came up with something. When Bill Cowher joined us, he said BS twice, but he actually said bullshit. And we were wondering, can we make that just a not a curse word? Can we just like, can you just say it, Paul?

Speaker 5:
[39:49] Like on radio, you're not supposed to. But when Coach Cowher said it, it felt like natural coach football talk.

Speaker 2:
[39:54] Yeah, I was okay with it.

Speaker 4:
[39:55] No, no mean spiritedness.

Speaker 2:
[39:57] But then what happens if your kid says something to you about taking out the garbage and they say, that's BS?

Speaker 1:
[40:03] So you couldn't even say it?

Speaker 2:
[40:05] I know. Well, I'm not supposed to. I'm a professional. I'm a journalist. Yes, Marvin.

Speaker 5:
[40:08] Well, if it is BS, I want my son to be honest. So just call it like you see it.

Speaker 2:
[40:14] Wait, if Lorenzo says and uses those words around you.

Speaker 5:
[40:18] This is for content purposes. Now, what goes on in real life at the Prince House is a whole different animal.

Speaker 2:
[40:22] Okay. All right. Yes, Dylan.

Speaker 4:
[40:24] Is there a difference if it's just BS or if he says this is F and BS?

Speaker 2:
[40:28] Oh, no, no, no. You can't do F and BS.

Speaker 5:
[40:30] Uh-uh. Child services.

Speaker 4:
[40:32] Just checking.

Speaker 2:
[40:33] But it does feel like you could say that and it's not terrible.

Speaker 5:
[40:36] Yeah. And he's the coachiest coach ever. So whatever he says, I agree with.

Speaker 2:
[40:41] I know. You could say Bullocks too. Yeah. The British version. All right. Final results of the poll question.

Speaker 4:
[40:48] Well, we added one last hour, Dan. Who's better looking, Kirk Herbstreit or his dog, Peter?

Speaker 2:
[40:53] Sorry, Kirk, this is overwhelmingly. Man, Petey is gorgeous.

Speaker 4:
[40:56] 86 percent agree.

Speaker 2:
[40:58] Petey is well-maintained. Like, he's gorgeous dog. Yes, Paul.

Speaker 4:
[41:03] I'm not going to stand for that. Kirk's a legend in the good looking guy community. Slap in the face. How many times did you vote for Kirk, Paul?

Speaker 2:
[41:11] He's still voting. Yes. Let's go around the room. Todd, what did you learn today?

Speaker 3:
[41:15] Bill Cowher thought he was taking his wife for a nice dinner on a docked boat for his 20th high school reunion, not realizing they were about to embark on a three-hour cruise.

Speaker 2:
[41:21] What did I learn today?

Speaker 3:
[41:23] Kirk Warner doesn't believe San Antonio Homes got two feet down.

Speaker 2:
[41:25] I know.

Speaker 3:
[41:25] And Cardinal Subal lost to the Steelers.

Speaker 2:
[41:28] What we learned brought to you by tirerack.com. Shipped fast and free, back by free road hazard protection, convenient installation options like mobile tire installation. tirerack.com, the way tire buying should be. My thanks to the distillery and this wonderful audience. Thank you everybody. It's been our pleasure to serve you. See you tomorrow.