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505: Seattle Seahawks 2026 Season Expectations · Sea Hawkers Podcast: for Seattle Seahawks fans

• 0:07
  Brandan: This is the Sea Hawkers Podcast.
• 0:10
  I'm your host, Brandan Schulze, and I am joined by my good buddy Adam Emmert
• 0:15
  for episode 505, getting into our season expectations for the 2026 season, Adam.
• 0:24
  Adam: Yes, we are, man, in an annual tradition that we haven't missed for
• 0:28
  you know, over 10 years here, and I'm excited to talk about this year, and I'm
• 0:33
  sure everybody's gonna be excited to, you know, think about what this season could
• 0:37
  look like for the Seahawks as we go out and run this forward and go back-to-back.
• 0:43
  Brandan: It's been more than 10 years, less than 15, so somewhere in that range.
• 0:48
  Yeah.
• 0:48
  And, happy podiversary to you, because this is usually-
• 0:51
  Sure… where we wish each other our, our podiversary, even though
• 0:54
  it's a couple weeks late, it's fine.
• 0:55
  Adam: That's fine.
• 0:56
  And, hey, look, I, I always feel like y- once you kinda get past the
• 1:00
  double digit mark, like every year you should kinda check in on that
• 1:03
  relationship and be like, "Are we good?
• 1:05
  We still wanna keep going forward?"
• 1:06
  And so are, are we good?
• 1:08
  Do you still wanna keep going forward
• 1:09
  ? Brandan: Oh, gosh.
• 1:10
  I, I hadn't even, considered it.
• 1:12
  Okay.
• 1:12
  So, I didn't know
• 1:13
  Adam: if you wanted a podivorce.
• 1:14
  Like, you just, you never know.
• 1:15
  Maybe you've been- I-… secretly brewing over it the whole- I
• 1:17
  Brandan: had not been secretly brewing up the paperwork.
• 1:20
  I, I feel like ahead of this show would've been the time to do it, like
• 1:24
  I don't know, maybe in the off-season.
• 1:26
  Probably.
• 1:26
  Because that would be…
• 1:27
  This would be a hard time to tell people who are fans of the Seahawks
• 1:31
  and longtime listeners of the show to break that news to them, like
• 1:35
  right at the start of the season.
• 1:36
  Like I, I have enough consideration for our audience that, I
• 1:40
  wouldn't wanna do that to them right before the season starts.
• 1:43
  Adam: See, that's great.
• 1:44
  See, in…
• 1:45
  Now I know that if we ever are get a pod breakup, it's not gonna
• 1:48
  be around our birthdays, it's not gonna be around any of that.
• 1:50
  You're very considerate about it, and I appreciate that- Yeah
• 1:52
  about you.
• 1:53
  Yeah.
• 1:53
  Brandan: June, July, start to worry.
• 1:54
  'Cause that would be the, that would be the optimal time.
• 1:57
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:57
  We'll white-knuckle it through those two months every year.
• 1:59
  Yeah.
• 2:01
  Brandan: All right.
• 2:01
  So we got, news to talk about.
• 2:04
  And, and one of the things that I, I think I wanna do with the show this
• 2:06
  year, because, okay, we've got Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald heading into
• 2:11
  the third season as our head coach.
• 2:15
  It, it, it's been cool because instead of a sophomore slump last year, we
• 2:19
  we got a, a sophomore Super Bowl run, and, our second Super Bowl out
• 2:23
  of the deal as part of the franchise.
• 2:25
  you know, it, this, these last few months we've got to see a lot
• 2:29
  more behind the scenes of Coach Mike.
• 2:31
  And so kinda what I wanna do is, is go through, because I think we have
• 2:36
  some Seahawks fans too who are hopping on board, that now it's the start
• 2:40
  of the season, now is the time to start getting invested in the season.
• 2:43
  They don't care about what happened throughout the all, the, the entire
• 2:46
  off-season, and, and now might be the perfect jumping in spot to be
• 2:50
  like, "Okay, so what did I miss?
• 2:51
  Now you guys are obviously still here.
• 2:53
  What, what did I miss this off-season now that since we've won the Super Bowl
• 2:57
  and now that we're about to go win a second straight one with Coach Mike?"
• 3:02
  Adam: Yeah.
• 3:02
  And when you suggested that doing just like kind of a quick recap for a lot
• 3:06
  of the folks that don't follow the NFL and the Seahawks, you know, 24/7-
• 3:11
  They may need that little bit of a refresher, a little catch-up, and I
• 3:15
  so I thought that was a, a cool idea.
• 3:17
  And if I were to sum it up pretty quickly, it would be
• 3:20
  pretty much kept everybody.
• 3:22
  The people that left, oh well, and I think we're in good
• 3:25
  shape, and [bleep] the Rams.
• 3:27
  I- w- pretty close?
• 3:29
  Brandan: I, I, I would maybe hammer that last point a little bit harder.
• 3:33
  Sure.
• 3:33
  Because it just, it…
• 3:35
  I, I don't think you could emphasize that part enough.
• 3:38
  I, th- there were some people who left, though.
• 3:41
  We, we lost safety Coby Bryant, you know.
• 3:44
  He was a, a starter with our team in the Super Bowl.
• 3:47
  He ends up signing with the Bears, but then he gets injured this off-season
• 3:50
  which is a big bummer for Kobe.
• 3:52
  we lose Boye Mafe, who signed with the Bengals.
• 3:55
  Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker signs with the, the dirty Chiefs.
• 4:00
  and, Riq Woolen signs with the Eagles.
• 4:02
  So, Dreak Young, another special teams player, signs with
• 4:06
  the Raiders, and those are kind of the major losses, I feel like.
• 4:10
  Which maybe doesn't feel all that major
• 4:14
  Adam: It doesn't feel all that major, and that was one of the
• 4:17
  things that if you weren't following this through the off-season
• 4:21
  I'll just let you know, you should have been annoyed all off-season.
• 4:23
  I was for you, that everybody was kinda pointing towards Riq Woolen's
• 4:28
  up-and-down play as like this loss that is irreplaceable, and then talking
• 4:32
  about solid starter type player in Coby Bryant and being like, well, how do
• 4:36
  you ever, how do you deal with that?
• 4:38
  And then y- looking at Kenneth Walker coming off of the Super Bowl
• 4:42
  MVP, that, that gave him some extra shine that I don't think that he
• 4:47
  had coming into this last season.
• 4:50
  And it's not like he had one of those seasons like start to finish
• 4:54
  that you looked at and was like, "Oh my gosh, what a breakout year.
• 4:57
  This is what we've all been waiting for."
• 4:59
  It was kinda one of those things where once Sharps got hurt late in the year
• 5:02
  he came on and, and really helped solidify the run game, and then also
• 5:06
  too, the opponents really did help us with running the football because
• 5:11
  they were absolutely terrified of Sam Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
• 5:16
  So, I think that's something that you can find replacements for, and
• 5:21
  I think John did a great job going out and actually kinda plugging those
• 5:24
  holes in, not even reloading, but just kind of massaging the edges of
• 5:29
  of the roster to make it so that you can take these 90-odd some percent of
• 5:34
  players that we've kept and make that another run at another Super Bowl.
• 5:37
  Brandan: I think they had very good reason of, of being scared of Jaxon Smith-Njigba
• 5:42
  who ended up finishing number five in the NFL's- Yeah… top 100.
• 5:46
  One of the few guys who f- one of the few Seahawks in history who
• 5:51
  have finished inside the top 10, so congrats to JSN, who also finished as
• 5:56
  Offensive Player of the Year last year.
• 5:58
  And then he, he did all that, and then he got a big fat contract from the
• 6:03
  Seahawks, too, and, and became one of the top paid wide receivers in the NFL.
• 6:07
  Adam: That's right.
• 6:08
  great signing.
• 6:09
  Young player ascending, and he's great, so give the man his money.
• 6:14
  We all agree with that.
• 6:15
  Devon Witherspoon got his bag.
• 6:17
  Fantastic.
• 6:18
  We're all stoked about that.
• 6:19
  And then Leonard Williams gets his extension here just the
• 6:22
  other day, and that's awesome.
• 6:24
  So, for all of you little Flockers who, you know, checked out
• 6:28
  for the summer and had cool things to do, we're in good shape.
• 6:31
  That, that's what you need to know, and I think that's gonna be reflected
• 6:34
  as we go through what our expectations are here for the upcoming 2026 season.
• 6:40
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 6:41
  Well, not only did we sign some players, keep some players, you know
• 6:44
  Rashid Shaheed was one of those guys who was, a potential guy who
• 6:50
  could've been lost in free agency, along with Josh Jobe and Josh Jones.
• 6:54
  We keep both the Joshes.
• 6:56
  And I guess the other big piece of news was that we got a, a new
• 6:59
  ownership group this off-season, too.
• 7:00
  So, yeah, let's just hope that they keep things the way things have been going
• 7:06
  and, everything will be just fine
• 7:09
  Adam: everything is going to be just fine because we have
• 7:11
  John and Mike at the top of this organization, and then all of the
• 7:15
  fine people that John points out all the time in the organization
• 7:19
  that kinda keeps that ship steady.
• 7:21
  And look, I mean, I've never been a billionaire, will never be a billionaire.
• 7:25
  I've been a hundredaire.
• 7:26
  That's been pretty cool.
• 7:27
  It's probably the
• 7:28
  Brandan: same.
• 7:28
  But…
• 7:28
  Adam: Yeah, it's probably the same.
• 7:29
  All I know is that if I could have, ponied up the, what was it, 9.6
• 7:34
  or whatever it was that they bought it for
• 7:36
  Brandan: 9.612.
• 7:38
  9.612.
• 7:40
  Adam: Ah, well that's, that's fitting.
• 7:43
  Look, I know that if I looked around the league and watched all the other
• 7:47
  new owners come in, I'd be like, "Oh, new owner syndrome is real.
• 7:51
  Oh, we've actually got, like, a really solid core here in leadership group.
• 7:56
  Guess what?
• 7:57
  Here's my 9.612
• 7:59
  and, I'm just gonna sit back and watch this thing hum, baby.
• 8:03
  Let's go."
• 8:04
  Brandan: I feel like that's the way to do it, and if you are a fan of
• 8:07
  football, which it sounds like the family is, then yeah, you, you
• 8:12
  want to win, and you recognize a winning organization and go, "Eh, it's
• 8:17
  probably best that we not do anything too drastic to help screw this up."
• 8:20
  Maybe only do things that give them, some things that
• 8:25
  that may even help them more.
• 8:27
  Adam: Hey, if it ain't broke, you know?
• 8:29
  And this team is certainly far from broken
• 8:32
  Brandan: Well, there's one thing that, that may change a little
• 8:36
  bit, and maybe it's the place to start, is with the offense.
• 8:40
  Because one of the things that is significant, I, I think even more
• 8:45
  significant than losing some of the players who were very impactful, K9
• 8:50
  very impactful, especially in the stretch run through the playoffs.
• 8:55
  But losing him and then losing Klint Kubiak to head coach the Raiders
• 9:01
  n- I would feel much better about the season had we just maintained
• 9:05
  continuity with Klint Kubiak, but that is one of the things that happens
• 9:09
  when you're a Super Bowl champ.
• 9:10
  They want your players, they want your coaches.
• 9:13
  They got one of our coaches.
• 9:15
  Adam: They did.
• 9:15
  And, you know, a guy that I was fired up for when they brought in, a guy who
• 9:20
  executed the type of offense that you and I have been screaming about on this show
• 9:25
  seemingly for, the past few years.
• 9:28
  And, you know, really brought some stability to that side of the football and
• 9:32
  some, you know, consistent productivity.
• 9:35
  And what's interesting is they bring in Brian Fleury and it does
• 9:40
  seem as if the continuity's there.
• 9:42
  We, we hear about it in all the pressers and all of that.
• 9:45
  There's of course gonna be some changes.
• 9:46
  There are gonna be some growing pains, as a first-time play caller.
• 9:51
  But it'll be interesting to see Coach Mike navigate another season with yet
• 9:56
  another new OC, just going into his third year and already winning a Super Bowl.
• 10:01
  That would just, still just blows my mind.
• 10:03
  Brandan: It, it does.
• 10:03
  It, it is mind-blowing.
• 10:06
  Third, season, third OC, and that's not a trend that I'd like
• 10:13
  to see necessarily continue.
• 10:15
  Although, i- if we have to lose an OC every time we win a Super
• 10:18
  Bowl with a defensive coach
• 10:20
  Adam: that- Let's lose one every year, every year.
• 10:21
  Let's just- Let's go
• 10:22
  … Brandan: let's just lose one every o- every year and- Yeah… hope
• 10:25
  that he continues to, to hire well.
• 10:27
  Because judging from everything that we've heard from him this off season
• 10:31
  Coach Brian Fleury does seem to fit that mindset that, much more of
• 10:37
  the mindset that we saw with Kubiak than, than anything from before.
• 10:43
  So, and I, I don't even wanna think about from before.
• 10:46
  So, he, Brian Fleury seems to have that mindset of what Coach Mike wants.
• 10:52
  And you have a lot of the, some stability within the coaching staff, too.
• 10:56
  Not all of the coaches were poached going along with Kubes down to Vegas.
• 11:00
  So, I, I feel like with enough of the staff offensively still around and some
• 11:08
  of that mindset of wanting to run the football but also, you know, explosive
• 11:12
  passing game, and even some of the hints that we've got from the offense and the
• 11:16
  way they, you know, some of the sequencing of plays, y- we got some of that at
• 11:22
  least in the preseason, even if we didn't get to see any of the starters out there.
• 11:28
  Adam: Yeah.
• 11:28
  I mean, I, I will never take much out of the pre-season in terms of scheme.
• 11:33
  I just won't do it.
• 11:34
  Like, I just, I feel like that's reading in a bunch of stuff to the most
• 11:39
  vanilla things that a coach is gonna do.
• 11:42
  I guess if I were gonna look at the pre-season and say this is gonna be
• 11:46
  part of Brian Fleury's staples, is just a lot of condensed formations
• 11:51
  is, is something that you notice.
• 11:53
  you know, a little bit of, you know, Y tight end/fullback-y kind
• 11:58
  of things, you know, H-back stuff.
• 12:00
  and then from there, I will let you know by about week five what
• 12:05
  we're seeing from our new OC, who I think coming in should garner a lot
• 12:11
  of confidence from the fans, right?
• 12:13
  Like, just a, a guy that has been brought up the right way through football, has
• 12:19
  some defense in his background, tight ends coach, works with Kyle Shanahan for
• 12:25
  a, a long time, and, you know, just that same continuity from bringing Kubiak
• 12:30
  from his familial history and then also his ties with Shanahan that I think
• 12:35
  this is gonna look pretty darn similar to the things that Sam Darnold saw in
• 12:40
  Minnesota, what he saw last year, and then now gonna be this year as he goes
• 12:45
  on to yet another offensive coordinator.
• 12:47
  It'd be really cool to see him have a same offensive coordinator
• 12:49
  for more than, a season.
• 12:52
  Yeah
• 12:52
  ' Brandan: cause-
• 12:52
  Adam: That'd be pretty
• 12:53
  Brandan: neat… how, how many seasons does it go back that Sam's had a new
• 12:56
  offensive coordinator every year?
• 12:59
  Like-… his entire career.
• 13:00
  Like you have to go back to the Jets to where maybe he had one twice.
• 13:04
  Adam: Yeah, he had Adam Gase twice.
• 13:07
  Brandan: Which- Maybe.
• 13:08
  Yeah… is not the one that you want to have twice.
• 13:09
  Adam: No, you don't want googly-eyed Gase to be your
• 13:12
  source of continuity, that is for sure.
• 13:15
  Brandan: No.
• 13:15
  So I-- One of the things I'm curious about though is if opposing defenses
• 13:24
  will then end up approaching this team differently than the way we saw last
• 13:28
  year, 'cause one of the things we saw in 2025 is that they went very heavy in the
• 13:33
  passing game through the first half of the season, and JSN was on that incredible
• 13:39
  pace for Offensive Player of the Year.
• 13:42
  And the, the, most of the discussion was around, "Well, this can't be…
• 13:46
  You, you can't maintain this.
• 13:48
  This, this can't be the way that the, the team continues to win."
• 13:52
  And eventually, opposing defenses did shift toward trying to, attack the
• 14:00
  passing game, which then opened up the run game toward the end of the season and
• 14:03
  and Kubiak had that way to balance it out.
• 14:07
  I wonder if opposing defenses, though, will approach it differently
• 14:12
  and really focus, recognizing that, you know, Sam still has JSN and
• 14:18
  Cooper Kupp and Rashid Shaheed.
• 14:21
  And so trying to focus more on that and making the run game prove itself early
• 14:27
  on, especially when Charbonnet is gonna be out for at least the first four weeks
• 14:32
  of the season, and you have a rookie running back who none of us saw apart from
• 14:38
  practice snaps, through the lens of hard knocks, and the, the people who went
• 14:43
  to practice and, and watched from the berm
• 14:46
  Adam: Yeah, no kidding.
• 14:48
  And look, that's a good point, and I hadn't thought about it through that lens
• 14:51
  of how defenses would attack early on.
• 14:54
  And yeah, I think if I were an opposing DC, I would want to focus on stopping
• 15:01
  the passing attack first because of the, the names that you talked about there.
• 15:05
  And say, "Look, you changed your OC, you changed your running back room.
• 15:11
  Like, prove it.
• 15:12
  Prove, prove that you can have that counterpunch to us," you
• 15:16
  know, shutting down the pass game.
• 15:18
  And you know, you talked about in '25 the idea that they pass the ball a lot
• 15:23
  early, and they had the mo- more success throwing the football, but they were
• 15:27
  still running the football at a high rate.
• 15:29
  It just wasn't getting the type of success that, we saw later in the year.
• 15:35
  So yeah, it'll be interesting to see that cat and mouse game early, how
• 15:40
  Fleury is able to adjust to that.
• 15:42
  Is he gonna be a good in-game adjuster?
• 15:45
  Like, is he gonna be able to go quarter to quarter and really kinda
• 15:49
  change some things based on the looks that they're seeing, or is
• 15:52
  that gonna be a growth process?
• 15:54
  Brandan: Yeah, and that's a good point.
• 15:55
  I, I hadn't even thought about it in that way because it still was a very
• 16:01
  balanced attack through the run and pass.
• 16:04
  So if it starts off to where teams are focusing more on shutting down the pass
• 16:10
  we're seeing light boxes, that could end up being exactly what a guy like Jadarian
• 16:16
  Price needs as a rookie, of not having to face stacked boxes through his
• 16:21
  first couple weeks of his rookie season.
• 16:23
  Adam: That's right.
• 16:24
  And you know, my dear opposing DCs out there, if you wanna play that game
• 16:30
  I'm here for it because I don't know if you knew this, but they're, they're
• 16:34
  bringing back the same five offensive linemen for the first time since the
• 16:37
  Nixon administration, I'm pretty sure, before the Seahawks were even invented.
• 16:41
  And a- and that…
• 16:43
  Look man, do, do that at your peril then because those guys work together, can
• 16:47
  get to the second level, and can really make, hay in the run game that way.
• 16:51
  Brandan: Not only bringing back continuity on the offensive line, but
• 16:55
  an offensive line that going in…
• 16:58
  Shoot, Adam, this time last season- Yeah
• 17:00
  we were just saying, okay, 'cause what it w- it was two years
• 17:04
  ago where it was, what, a bottom five- Yeah… offensive line?
• 17:08
  It wasn't good.
• 17:09
  And- It was bad.
• 17:10
  And all we were saying was give Sam mediocre offensive- Yeah… line play.
• 17:17
  And we got better than mediocre line play
• 17:19
  Adam: Yeah, we got pretty darn good.
• 17:21
  Probably- Yeah
• 17:22
  what, top 10, top 12?
• 17:24
  Yeah
• 17:25
  Brandan: what, I don't think it was top five, but, d- definitely top 10 or 12.
• 17:30
  Adam: Right, which if you're an NFL franchise, you're salivating
• 17:33
  for that each and every year.
• 17:34
  That is so difficult to come by.
• 17:35
  Brandan: Texans might've been in the Super Bowl with us if they had that.
• 17:38
  Adam: That's an interesting point.
• 17:40
  Yeah, i- 'cause it is true, and the other factor in all of this with the turnover
• 17:45
  at the top of the offensive staff, you mentioned some of the guys that have
• 17:48
  been retained, and one of those being Coach Benton, the offensive line coach
• 17:52
  and I don't know that there can be a bigger deal made of that than it is.
• 17:57
  Like, it really is such an important cog to making this thing go.
• 18:02
  We can get that consistency up front, then that gives Fleury a lot of freedom to go
• 18:07
  out and implement things in his vision.
• 18:10
  Brandan: I was a little bit concerned with the offensive line depth
• 18:13
  through the first couple games.
• 18:15
  They finished strong And I, we do have some strong depth
• 18:20
  on the offensive line too.
• 18:21
  So, as much as there were concerns about Anthony Bradford, even in the
• 18:28
  middle of the season last year, they started to dissipate a little bit, but
• 18:31
  he was still on, you know, Bradford watch I feel like- Yeah… through
• 18:37
  the late, late part of the season, too.
• 18:40
  yeah, I, I, I think we're still going to have the guy
• 18:44
  who we view as the weak link.
• 18:46
  I, I, my, my hope is that just, these guys maybe
• 18:51
  take, I don't know, take turns.
• 18:53
  Like, just don't be the weak link guy.
• 18:55
  Adam: Yeah.
• 18:56
  And I think Jalen Sundell proved himself at center really well last year, especially
• 19:01
  in this type of scheme that really values that center that can get out and run and
• 19:08
  get to the second level and work those combo blocks and that sort of thing.
• 19:12
  And that was the guy that we looked at last year going, "Yeah
• 19:14
  we'll see, I guess," and he really did come on and prove it.
• 19:19
  And when it comes to Bradford, one of the things that I think is super
• 19:22
  important to talk about is that he's improved every single year.
• 19:29
  Like, every single year he has gotten slightly better, and he couldn't be
• 19:33
  unseated this year from an improved Christian Haynes that we saw in the
• 19:37
  preseason, or the rookie Bo Stevens, who I, I saw some losses on tape
• 19:43
  that scared the bejesus out of me.
• 19:45
  I see other people out in the Seahawks, media universe, like, really hyping
• 19:49
  up Bo's, preseason as well, but-
• 19:51
  Brandan: Well, Brian Baldinger was hyping it up because- Yep… he, he put
• 19:55
  Chris Jones on the ground a couple times.
• 19:57
  Adam: He did, and that's, that's a big-ass deal.
• 20:00
  You know?
• 20:01
  Chris Jones is a, is a real deal defensive tackle, no doubt
• 20:05
  one of the best in the game.
• 20:06
  So when I look at the depth of the offensive line, I think most teams would
• 20:11
  kill to have a quality swing tackle and one to two guards that can come
• 20:17
  in, in, in play, not to mention a starting caliber center in Olu.
• 20:24
  Like- Yeah… that, that's as good as it gets.
• 20:26
  You, you don't get much better than that top to bottom.
• 20:30
  And they kept 10 offensive linemen this year, at least on the initial 53, and
• 20:35
  I think that's cause for a ton of optimism
• 20:38
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 20:39
  I, I know that there was some calls of, "Oh, if you're gonna keep all
• 20:43
  these offensive linemen, might- maybe you can trade Olu Olutimi."
• 20:47
  Adam: Oh.
• 20:47
  Brandan: And I'm, I'm thinking, eh, we, we have it good right now.
• 20:51
  Why, why are we trying to…
• 20:53
  We have a ton of draft picks in 2027.
• 20:56
  Okay, yeah, maybe we, we lost one picking up a corner right, at
• 21:00
  the 53-man deadline, but that's fine.
• 21:03
  That's still, what?
• 21:04
  11 draft picks.
• 21:05
  Like, let's not get crazy giving away depth on the offensive line.
• 21:08
  Like, I, I like having depth there.
• 21:10
  It's, it's the first time in a while I feel like we're, we're kinda good there.
• 21:14
  Adam: Yeah.
• 21:14
  And it's a lot harder to go out and get a quality offensive lineman, like
• 21:20
  not in the draft, like to find them via trade and that sort of thing.
• 21:25
  Yeah
• 21:25
  Brandan: nobody wants to give them up
• 21:26
  Adam: Than it is to get a third corner.
• 21:28
  That's just the long and short of it.
• 21:30
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 21:30
  Adam: There's more corners out there than there are, quality corners out
• 21:33
  there, than there are offensive linemen.
• 21:34
  Now, I'm not saying you just can go out and pluck, you know, quarterbacks
• 21:37
  off the street and, and be awesome, unless you're John Schneider.
• 21:40
  but I, I don't see the logic in getting rid of somebody of the
• 21:46
  quality of Olu, to go and maybe secure third to fourth corner
• 21:53
  when there's a track record of them being able to do that without having
• 21:57
  to give up that sort of asset.
• 21:59
  Brandan: So we started at the most important point
• 22:01
  which is the offensive line.
• 22:02
  Adam: Always and forever.
• 22:04
  Brandan: Let's go to quarterback, because- Yeah… Sam Darnold, his
• 22:07
  second year coming off of a Super Bowl championship season, one where he gave up
• 22:13
  zero turnovers throughout the playoffs.
• 22:16
  After the regular season, I d- I don't know if I would've put money
• 22:20
  on a zero-turnover playoff for Sam Darnold, but he got it done and can you
• 22:25
  imagine what it would be like if we…
• 22:27
  now I'm not expecting him to be turnover-free through the regular
• 22:30
  season, but if we got playoff Sam Darnold through the regular season
• 22:34
  so it wasn't like these games where you had four turnovers, like they did
• 22:39
  against the Rams and still almost won.
• 22:40
  Yeah.
• 22:41
  But if, if you just have like ones and twosies here and there where it's kind
• 22:46
  of flukey type plays and, or, you know, a fumble here and there where you
• 22:51
  get blindsided and like, those things are things that are gonna happen.
• 22:56
  If we get that Sam Darnold who is careful with the football and trusts
• 23:01
  the defense, I, I have high hopes for what a, a, an amazing regular
• 23:07
  season Sam could have, again with continuity on the offensive line.
• 23:12
  Adam: Continuity on the offensive line, continuity in the scheme despite
• 23:15
  the OC change, no doubt about that, continuity up top with your head coach
• 23:21
  continuity with your receiving corps, which I think that's gonna be a big
• 23:25
  part when we get to receivers and we're kinda talking about expectations.
• 23:29
  that's something I'm super excited about, and I think
• 23:33
  that can really help Sam.
• 23:35
  Look, his biggest thing that he can improve on, as he's had this career
• 23:40
  renaissance, would be exactly as you said, the turnovers, cutting down on
• 23:44
  that, getting rid of the boneheaded ones.
• 23:46
  You're gonna get got now and then.
• 23:48
  Sure.
• 23:48
  Like, it's just gonna happen.
• 23:49
  Yeah.
• 23:50
  that- that's fine.
• 23:51
  And also too, if you're playing quarterback the right way and taking
• 23:54
  the type of chances you should be taking, y- you're gonna have a, a
• 23:58
  a pick or three, you know, along the way, i- throughout the season.
• 24:02
  Now, with that said, in my experience at least watching football for the last
• 24:07
  30 years or so, usually the guys that are a little more turnover prone in
• 24:12
  a lot of ways, that never goes away.
• 24:15
  And it's never gone away from Sam.
• 24:17
  It's been his thing from college all the way up until now.
• 24:20
  Yeah.
• 24:20
  Leading the league in turnovers last year.
• 24:23
  So you just have to be sure that the quality of your play can overcome
• 24:28
  those turnovers along the way.
• 24:30
  could he get a little better at it?
• 24:32
  Probably, but I still would guess that he's gonna be top five of the quarterbacks
• 24:38
  in turnovers when it's all said and done.
• 24:40
  That would be my expectation.
• 24:42
  But as we saw, that's not a knock.
• 24:43
  That's not me getting after him and saying the guy stinks.
• 24:46
  That's me saying, "Look, that's a part of his game, and that's good
• 24:50
  enough to win you a Super Bowl."
• 24:52
  Brandan: Sure.
• 24:53
  And, and I think it's important to recognize that, 'cause I, I think the
• 24:57
  thing that, that stood out to me too, I think it was ahead of the Super Bowl
• 25:00
  when Jason Garrett did his interview with Sam Darnold and, and brought up
• 25:05
  his old scouting report from college, and focused on the turnover part of it.
• 25:11
  It's like, oh yeah, that really was a big part of his game back then.
• 25:14
  Adam: Yeah.
• 25:15
  I mean, I remember watching his tape when he came out in that draft, and
• 25:19
  I think he was QB three, QB four for me in that draft, whatever it was.
• 25:25
  Yeah.
• 25:25
  And yeah, the
• 25:27
  Brandan: the turnover- Well, that was Baker's, so it was
• 25:29
  yeah, Baker and, and
• 25:31
  Adam: Yeah, he
• 25:32
  Brandan: Josh Allen.
• 25:33
  Adam: Yeah.
• 25:33
  Brandan: And-
• 25:33
  Adam: Josh Allen was one, Lamar two.
• 25:35
  Brandan: Right.
• 25:36
  Darnold three.
• 25:37
  And so he was three ahead of Baker
• 25:40
  Adam: I had Baker last
• 25:41
  Brandan: I know.
• 25:42
  That's what I mean.
• 25:42
  So he was QB three.
• 25:44
  Adam: No, he was QB four.
• 25:45
  I think I even had Rosen ahead of him.
• 25:47
  Brandan: Oh, gross.
• 25:49
  Adam: Yeah.
• 25:49
  Well, you know, early on, tomato, tomato between, you know, Rosen
• 25:55
  and Baker in a lot of ways, but-
• 25:56
  Brandan: Yeah
• 25:57
  Yeah, anyhow, with Sam, I do think that that would be the next step.
• 26:01
  I do think the continuity is gonna make a big difference o- with him in terms
• 26:05
  of the passing game because I don't think he's gonna have to be as reliant
• 26:09
  on the play of JSN to get those numbers and keep the offense ahead of schedule
• 26:14
  and that's the truly exciting part.
• 26:18
  Brandan: One of the things I'm most excited about is that enhanced chemistry
• 26:24
  between him and Rashid Shaheed.
• 26:26
  The, the fact that they were able to sign Shaheed in the off-season, that
• 26:30
  there, there wasn't another team that saw the impact that he had on special
• 26:34
  teams for our Seahawks down the stretch and said, "Oh, we need to pay that guy."
• 26:38
  We see so many receivers making huge amounts of money, and here you have a guy
• 26:45
  that you have that history with of the big plays with the New Orleans Saints.
• 26:49
  You, you see what he did in, in terms of special teams, practically
• 26:53
  willing us back into the game because the Rams decided to punt
• 26:58
  to him, in that regular season game that we ended up winning.
• 27:02
  And there wasn't another team that was willing to offer up more than
• 27:06
  the Seahawks, and so now you get Sam with an entire off-season with Rashid
• 27:11
  Shaheed and that big play ability.
• 27:14
  That, that was the one thing that I felt was missing throughout the late
• 27:18
  part of last season, is that they had a lot of those deep throws to him.
• 27:23
  I think there was…
• 27:24
  I, I think the stats showed that there was only one of over, what
• 27:28
  like 25 yards that they actually connected with throughout the…
• 27:32
  Like one pass over 25 yards to Shaheed?
• 27:34
  That, that has to be a place that I, I at least have the expectation
• 27:39
  that they would improve on in '26.
• 27:42
  Adam: Oh, for sure.
• 27:42
  It, it was a good one that they connected with, and that was against the Rams
• 27:45
  in the NFC championship game early.
• 27:48
  Look, just to go back to Sam for just a beat, like expectation-wise-
• 27:51
  Sure… I, I expect him to be around that 65% completion, 4,200
• 27:55
  yards- 28 to 30 touchdowns, 12 to 15 picks, somewhere right in there.
• 28:02
  That'd be my expectation.
• 28:04
  And that would be right in line what he's done the last couple years, and I think
• 28:09
  that would be pretty sweet, and I think the connection with Shaheed could be a big
• 28:12
  part of him being able to continue that.
• 28:14
  And when we played the Saints last year, and Shaheed was
• 28:19
  still a part of that roster-
• 28:21
  Brandan: Right
• 28:21
  … Adam: I, I remember in that preview being like, "I love this dude."
• 28:24
  Like, they, thi- this is a guy that can really do it as a receiver
• 28:27
  as well as a punt returner.
• 28:28
  We hadn't seen it, to your point, on the receiving end of things, and I think
• 28:33
  that they're gonna find that chemistry a, a little bit better this year.
• 28:37
  And also too, let's not forget, some of those deep throws that they
• 28:40
  missed on were fantastic plays by the defense- Sure… at times too.
• 28:44
  So, I, I feel like with Shaheed, I think he's gonna be like a
• 28:49
  7, 800 yard receiver this year.
• 28:52
  Like, that's, that's what it feels like to me.
• 28:53
  He's gonna be a fair amount more involved, especially since
• 28:56
  he gave the man his money.
• 28:58
  Like, y- get your money's worth out of him.
• 29:00
  Brandan: If he does that, though, then he's the legit number two in this-
• 29:04
  Adam: Yes
• 29:04
  Brandan: 1,000%… in this group of wide receivers.
• 29:06
  Adam: Yes.
• 29:08
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 29:08
  And, and maybe while you hope that Torrey Horton could end up being that player
• 29:12
  w- we still need to see the health out of him, and Cooper Kupp, while
• 29:18
  yeah, none of us expect him to return to being a Triple Crown receiver, he can
• 29:24
  he can still be a part of this offense.
• 29:26
  I- if he just m- maintains what he did last year to stay healthy throughout
• 29:30
  the entire season, I would take, I, I would sign up for that right now, just
• 29:33
  another Cooper Kupp season like last year.
• 29:36
  Adam: Y- yeah.
• 29:37
  that was such an odds defying season for him.
• 29:41
  Like, when you had looked at the history from his last couple years, it just
• 29:46
  his ability to stay on the field.
• 29:48
  And, you know, maybe it's just getting away from, you know
• 29:51
  Southern California area.
• 29:53
  Like, maybe that substation in San Francisco radiates down a little
• 29:56
  further than we, than we knew.
• 29:58
  I don't know, but, that was, that was one of the biggest surprises to
• 30:03
  me by far last year, was the fact that we got a healthy year out of Kupp.
• 30:08
  Like, that's- Yeah, I, I, I have a hard time betting on
• 30:12
  that again this year, right?
• 30:14
  Like, just older guy.
• 30:16
  I know we've been hearing all on KM that, like, he's faster than ever
• 30:19
  this, that, and the other thing, and, impossible, but that's fine.
• 30:23
  I, I really hope, I think for the sake of this offense, that if Shaheed becomes
• 30:30
  legit two and Horton becomes legit three, that's better for this offense as a whole.
• 30:36
  Sure.
• 30:36
  And, and K- Yeah… Kupp kind of takes a little bit more of a backseat maybe on
• 30:40
  the field, and maybe takes more of a step forward in his mentorship coaching role.
• 30:45
  Brandan: Well, if, because he's under contract for two more, this season
• 30:51
  and next season, if they get to the third season of that contract and
• 30:56
  he's still producing at the level he is now, I, I see value in keeping him
• 31:01
  for a, a third season after this one.
• 31:03
  Like, I, I didn't have the expectation.
• 31:06
  I, I was kinda like you.
• 31:07
  I, I was concerned injury-wise, and, that the, the production that we
• 31:15
  that we wouldn't see the type of production that we got from him last year.
• 31:17
  And, based on the contract, it ended up working out very well.
• 31:21
  So I- sign me up for, yeah, a full, three seasons of Kupp
• 31:26
  based on what we saw last year.
• 31:27
  If that can continue, you have the key third downs that he can help you get
• 31:33
  some nice yards after the catch still.
• 31:35
  tho- those- Mm.
• 31:37
  He, that we saw that.
• 31:38
  Adam: Did
• 31:40
  Brandan: we?
• 31:40
  Well, you know, there was just that one- Did we?
• 31:42
  … fumble where it, it was a
• 31:44
  Adam: disaster.
• 31:45
  Brandan: He
• 31:45
  Adam: was, he was catch ball, get tackled.
• 31:47
  Like, now-
• 31:48
  Brandan: No, he, he moved up field generally
• 31:50
  Adam: okay, maybe by like two or three yards.
• 31:52
  Like, dude can't run like he used to run.
• 31:54
  Like, he uses leverage, he uses his smarts- Bless his heart… he does
• 31:56
  all that, but he, he's definitely not gonna be a yak monster that
• 32:00
  Brandan: usually- He's
• 32:00
  Adam: not catch ball
• 32:01
  Brandan: and fall down
• 32:03
  Adam: No, no.
• 32:04
  I mean, he's not afraid to take a hit.
• 32:06
  Like- Yeah
• 32:06
  you give him credit for that, no doubt.
• 32:08
  Look, if this was the last year of Kupp receiving, for us, if we could roll
• 32:13
  him into the coaching staff the next year and give him a nice healthy paycheck as
• 32:17
  a coach that doesn't count against the cap, that sounds really great to me.
• 32:22
  Brandan: A- anything that he takes as a coach is going to be
• 32:25
  way less than what he would make in his third- Doesn't have to be
• 32:28
  his third year.
• 32:29
  Eh, I, I suppose it doesn't.
• 32:31
  Well, this doesn't really make any money.
• 32:31
  There, there is no salary cap on coaches, but- That's right… I
• 32:33
  feel like some of the other coaches are gonna be like, "Wait a second.
• 32:36
  I've been coaching for years.
• 32:37
  So what, why can't I make player level coaching money?"
• 32:41
  ' Adam: Cause he haven't won two championships, and apparently
• 32:43
  had the, the type of effect that he had off the field last year.
• 32:46
  Yeah.
• 32:46
  Which is undeniable.
• 32:48
  Yeah.
• 32:48
  As much as I wanted to deny it because look, I'm not gonna lie, my sports
• 32:51
  hate for the guy is still high.
• 32:52
  Like-
• 32:52
  Brandan: Still?
• 32:53
  It's still high?
• 32:54
  Adam: Yes.
• 32:54
  What- Eastern Washington- What is it gonna take for you?
• 32:56
  … Rams.
• 32:56
  to, to just not be on my franchise anymore.
• 33:00
  Like, I just…
• 33:01
  It, it, it's just gonna be that way for me.
• 33:03
  I'm sorry.
• 33:04
  Like, it- Does
• 33:04
  Brandan: he need to write you a letter and be like, "You know, Adam, I've been a
• 33:07
  real fan of you for the last couple years.
• 33:09
  I know that you haven't been a fan of me- I like the dude… but
• 33:12
  I, I think we can get past this and get over our differences of me being
• 33:16
  an Eastern Washington guy and the me being a Ram because, you know, I like
• 33:20
  your hat, I like your, your sweatshirt.
• 33:22
  Yeah, yeah.
• 33:22
  you have- Swag flag… you have a handsome beard and face.
• 33:25
  Eh, that's a lie, but okay.
• 33:26
  And
• 33:27
  … Adam: Yeah.
• 33:27
  Brandan: I'm saying he's, he's really trying to win you over.
• 33:30
  Adam: Yeah, yeah.
• 33:30
  Well, once you start lying about my handsome face, then I, I, now
• 33:34
  now you're not trustworthy anymore.
• 33:35
  I don't know, maybe we just need to have a beer around the campfire.
• 33:37
  It's not the guy.
• 33:38
  It's not the dude.
• 33:39
  Like, Cooper Kupp the dude is an excellent human.
• 33:41
  Like, that's, that's not it.
• 33:43
  It's just-
• 33:44
  Brandan: How many years-… the tortured-… of being an excellent human
• 33:46
  do you need for him to win you over?
• 33:47
  Adam: to just take all those years that he beat our brains in with
• 33:51
  the freaking Rams and then g- tortured my Montana Grizzlies as a Eagle.
• 33:56
  Like, yeah, those don't go away.
• 33:58
  It's still there.
• 33:59
  but I am happy for him, I'm happy with the franchise.
• 34:02
  I, I love what he brought to the table, for the one year that he
• 34:06
  has been on a team that I can root for.
• 34:08
  Like- Yeah… so it does- it doesn't completely outweigh
• 34:11
  it, to this point to me.
• 34:13
  I know that, for everybody else, they don't have the same
• 34:15
  tortured relationship with, Kupp, but that's just how it is.
• 34:20
  And also too, look, and when I'm saying y- if Kupp becomes the bonafide, like
• 34:24
  four and Horton becomes the bonafide three, and Shaheed number two-
• 34:28
  Brandan: Sure
• 34:29
  … Adam: that, that's such a benefit for this organization
• 34:31
  because you are now getting younger.
• 34:32
  Like, it's not- It's not just based on my irrational sports hate.
• 34:36
  It w- partly rational sports hate for, Kupp.
• 34:40
  So I, I think there's some real benefits if they are able to take those steps
• 34:45
  and part of them taking those steps is because of Kupp himself and what he brings
• 34:51
  to the table in terms of his mentorship.
• 34:53
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 34:53
  No, that's, that's- So
• 34:54
  Adam: they're giving him some credit at the end.
• 34:55
  How about that?
• 34:56
  Brandan: There you go.
• 34:57
  Good job.
• 34:57
  All right.
• 34:58
  So, you got some credit to him in the wide receiver room.
• 35:01
  Tight end room, though, is one of the areas where I, I think that i-
• 35:07
  is a place where this team really can grow and, and maybe there's that
• 35:11
  expectation too with Brian Fleury being a former tight end coach and wanting to
• 35:18
  hopefully bring some of that element, more of that element to the offense.
• 35:23
  Because I think one of the things that all Seahawks fans recognize is
• 35:26
  that AJ Barner could be one of the legit top five tight ends in the NFL
• 35:34
  Adam: 1000% yes.
• 35:35
  I mean, he, the way his game is kind of shaped and the way he moves on the
• 35:39
  field and body type and all of that, he could absolutely be Travis Kelce 2.0.
• 35:44
  Like, that is, that is 1000% in range for him.
• 35:47
  He's got the mentality for it.
• 35:49
  he has the ability to stay healthy enough, or at least has
• 35:53
  to this point in his career to really be able to build on those things.
• 35:56
  He's got swag for days.
• 35:58
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 35:58
  On
• 35:58
  Adam: top
• 35:59
  Brandan: of all of that- Which pop star are we gonna set him up with?
• 36:01
  Adam: Ooh, that's a good question.
• 36:03
  well, since I have such a deep bag of, pop star
• 36:06
  knowledge- You, that might just
• 36:08
  Brandan: be a question for the listeners
• 36:09
  … Adam: especially for a current one.
• 36:10
  That's a question for you, dear Flocker out there listening.
• 36:13
  but I, I really do feel like he is on that ascension to be legit
• 36:19
  tight end one that everybody looks at and goes, "That's a weapon."
• 36:24
  And when you pair that with the other exciting options here, and I'm really
• 36:29
  excited to talk about this, 'cause I think this is the part that really can take this
• 36:35
  offense to a new and different exciting level- Ooh… is this tight end room.
• 36:38
  Brandan: Ooh, tell me more, because I, I think that with Elijah Arroyo returning
• 36:43
  into his second season, like, there, there's some hope that, that he
• 36:47
  will grow in, in year number two.
• 36:50
  There's, I, I think we, we've seen what we're gonna see out of, some of
• 36:56
  the, well, with the, what's our veteran tight end that's, escaping us?
• 37:00
  Kallerup?
• 37:01
  Yeah, Kallerup.
• 37:02
  And
• 37:02
  Adam: Kallerup?
• 37:03
  Brandan: well, Kallerup, he's a young guy, too.
• 37:05
  I, I think we could see some growth out of Kallerup because I, I have to
• 37:09
  believe that there's a reason why we kept him on the roster so long last
• 37:14
  year and didn't see, I mean, a ton of…
• 37:18
  There, there were so many games where he wasn't even active, but he was-
• 37:22
  Yeah… part of the 53 and then would be, you know, on the inactive list.
• 37:26
  And n- when you see that week after week, you're like, why?
• 37:31
  We have to be keeping this guy around for, for a reason, and maybe that reason
• 37:36
  will become obvious i- this season
• 37:39
  Adam: well, Kallerup is probably the least, him
• 37:43
  and Saubert, like, the, fine.
• 37:45
  Like, you need those type of
• 37:46
  Brandan: dudes- Well, Saubert I saw contribute.
• 37:47
  Like, at least even in the blocking game, which is a cool part of the game- Yeah
• 37:50
  … to be involved in if you're a tight end.
• 37:52
  Adam: Right.
• 37:53
  So I think really kinda those two dudes' value really kinda is derived
• 37:57
  from the idea of, like, maybe Saubert being the, third tight
• 38:00
  end on the field when they get to 13 personnel and that sort of thing.
• 38:04
  But with Kallerup's value, it's all right, fine, he's not active for all the games
• 38:08
  but you need two healthy tight ends to run this scheme- Mm… the way that they're
• 38:13
  gonna wanna run it, and he can come in and do professional tight end things.
• 38:17
  Is he a world beater?
• 38:18
  Absolutely not, but he can come in and do professional tight end things.
• 38:21
  Like, you can't have four superstar tight ends on your roster.
• 38:24
  Like, you're just not gonna be able to afford it.
• 38:26
  So-
• 38:26
  Brandan: Maybe, maybe I want that.
• 38:27
  Adam: Well, well so do I.
• 38:29
  Like, that sounds amazing.
• 38:30
  but at the end of the day, you're gonna be looking at Barner and Arroyo.
• 38:34
  Like, those are- Yeah… those are your two.
• 38:36
  And why this is maybe the most exciting thing for me in terms of what this
• 38:41
  offense can look like and how it can evolve and change, one is you mentioned
• 38:44
  Fleury's background with the tight ends.
• 38:47
  I think that can be huge to unlocking Barner's full potential
• 38:50
  as he continues to ascend.
• 38:52
  But Arroyo coming into year two, like, this is such a massive deal.
• 38:58
  It- the way he moves at his size, and his hands, and what he can do.
• 39:03
  And then also, too- The, the blocking hasn't been like Jimmie Graham abysmal.
• 39:08
  Like- Right
• 39:09
  it's pretty decent.
• 39:09
  Like-
• 39:10
  Brandan: Yeah
• 39:10
  … Adam: yeah.
• 39:11
  He, he can go out there and he can get a block done.
• 39:13
  Brandan: It's 'cause we, we, we waited until Jimmie Graham was
• 39:15
  almost toward retirement before we started asking him to block.
• 39:17
  Yeah.
• 39:17
  Like it- Yeah… had he been on the team, I don't know, like, had, had he
• 39:21
  worked with Tom Cable for the, I don't know, the first eight years of his
• 39:23
  career, may- maybe he wouldn't have been a disaster, when he was- Yeah
• 39:27
  with Seattle.
• 39:28
  Adam: Yeah, Sean Payton had no interest in teaching him
• 39:30
  how to block, and that's fine.
• 39:31
  I mean, it worked out good for Jimmie Graham's deal as a whole
• 39:33
  when you look at his career.
• 39:34
  But-
• 39:35
  Brandan: Right
• 39:35
  … Adam: the, that one-two punch of Barner and Arroyo, like that could be
• 39:42
  very much like the Gronk-Hernandez era Patriots with a little less murder.
• 39:48
  Like-
• 39:49
  Brandan: A lot less… you know, that…
• 39:50
  Like
• 39:50
  Adam: yeah.
• 39:51
  Brandan: 100% less.
• 39:52
  Adam: Yeah, all the, the, no more, no murders.
• 39:54
  The zero murders, less murdery.
• 39:56
  That, th- th- that'll be good.
• 39:58
  But they can- And
• 39:58
  Brandan: and let's be clear, too.
• 39:59
  Gronk was on the zero side of that equation as well.
• 40:02
  Adam: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
• 40:03
  As far as we know.
• 40:04
  I, I don't know.
• 40:04
  Maybe he ran the shovel or the getaway car for all we know.
• 40:07
  But at the, at the end of the day-
• 40:08
  Brandan: no, I, I feel pretty confident that we know that.
• 40:10
  Adam: Do we?
• 40:11
  Okay.
• 40:11
  All right.
• 40:12
  yeah.
• 40:12
  Brandan: I think, I think it was 100% Aaron Hernandez.
• 40:14
  Adam: Yeah, e- exactly.
• 40:16
  And, but that two tight end combination that the Patriots were unleashing on
• 40:20
  the league there for a minute, like when you talk about murder, like they
• 40:24
  were murdering defenses doing that.
• 40:26
  And the types of match-ups and headaches that that creates for DCs because
• 40:32
  everything is so disguised because the power run stuff look just like
• 40:37
  the spread you out and gash you in the pass game with guys that can run
• 40:43
  can catch, and can really block as well, I think this is the thing that
• 40:48
  I get kind of over the moon about.
• 40:51
  I, I forgot to look up Barner's stats before this, but I'm, I'm gonna guess
• 40:57
  that, Arroyo's gonna be 500 yards.
• 41:01
  Ooh.
• 41:02
  Seven touchdowns.
• 41:04
  Ooh.
• 41:04
  And Barner's gonna increase on his totals for next year.
• 41:07
  Brandan: Yeah, if you do see that, that would be…
• 41:09
  I mean, if those two combine for 1,200-plus and double-digit
• 41:15
  touchdowns, then, then we will have…
• 41:17
  We'll, we'll get to the end of the regular season and go, "Yeah, that's the, that's
• 41:21
  the Bl- the Brian Fleury impact that we expected and m- and maybe even hoped at
• 41:26
  the start of the season," because those mismatches that you're talking about
• 41:30
  we, we even saw some of that in…
• 41:32
  And, and that's why I point a little bit to the preseason and the sequencing
• 41:36
  and, and say that when you, when you started to see those linebackers
• 41:42
  start to concern themselves with the run more than covering a guy like Arroyo
• 41:48
  who has the speed to outrun them anyway, then, they, they're stuck thinking
• 41:53
  "Oh, they're running the ball.
• 41:55
  Oh, no they're not.
• 41:56
  Now I have completely lost the tight end that I'm supposed to
• 41:58
  cover, and now he's, in the end zone, y- spiking the football."
• 42:03
  Adam: Yeah, and you can really challenge the safety too if you
• 42:06
  get to that third level, it, with the linebacker sucked up as well.
• 42:09
  So Barner last year, 52 receptions, 519 yards, six touchdowns.
• 42:14
  I think he Probably is more like 65- You can dial that
• 42:20
  up… receptions, 700 yards, somewhere in there Yeah Maybe 10 touchdowns.
• 42:24
  And that with Shaheed's incorporation into the offense more, and Horton
• 42:30
  going out there and just catching touchdowns like he did right out of
• 42:33
  the gate, as a rookie, I think that's really gonna make this offense
• 42:37
  almost unstoppable because we ne- we haven't even talked about the reigning
• 42:41
  offensive player of the year in JSN-
• 42:42
  and our expectations for, for him this year.
• 42:46
  But that leaves JSN the ability to just go out and do the
• 42:52
  back-breaking play stuff, right?
• 42:54
  Brandan: Right
• 42:55
  Adam: And not have to be the, the one dude that's the sole focus
• 43:00
  of the offense for half a season.
• 43:02
  Brandan: I, I still don't know where I come out on those types of things
• 43:07
  because I felt like the, the chemistry that was there last season between JSN and
• 43:15
  Sam Darnold, that any deep throw where, that Sam was putting up for Jax, he, he
• 43:23
  was gonna come down with the football.
• 43:24
  And I didn't have that same type of confidence with Shaheed.
• 43:27
  So, you know, I, I hope that chemistry can improve, but I kind of also hope that
• 43:32
  you, you just kinda stick with what works.
• 43:35
  And, and Jax just seems to have that personality of, even if you're
• 43:41
  throwing it up and there, there's two guys there, like he's gonna find a
• 43:44
  way to come down with the football.
• 43:46
  Adam: Yeah, I mean, that's what makes him great and he is legitimately
• 43:50
  great with a capital G, capital rate.
• 43:52
  Like, he's, he's as good as it gets.
• 43:55
  You know, 119 catches last year, almost 1,800 yards.
• 43:59
  that's a monster season.
• 44:01
  But I will say this, that is not a sustainable way to play football year
• 44:06
  in and year out, and have the type of success that they're gonna want to get to.
• 44:10
  I feel like it's paramount for this offense to be a little less JSN reliant
• 44:16
  but you still have him there for those gotta have it moments when gonna go up
• 44:22
  and get it, and get pounded by Kam Curl, you know, still make the receptions
• 44:27
  get up and laugh in his [bleep] face.
• 44:29
  Like, that's, that's what, that's what we need JSN for.
• 44:34
  And I'd like to take some of the load off of him, one, just for
• 44:37
  health-wise and longevity-wise.
• 44:39
  Sure I think that would be a big difference.
• 44:41
  And also for offensive diversification in…
• 44:44
  So the idea that he gets to the same levels number-wise as last year, that
• 44:49
  seems difficult for me to envision.
• 44:51
  I can definitely see him having lower numbers, but being just
• 44:55
  as impactful or maybe even more.
• 44:57
  Brandan: Mm.
• 44:58
  Catch-wise and target-wise, maybe just spread out more, but about the same.
• 45:03
  And then yardage-wise, maybe a little bit less.
• 45:06
  But I, I'd have to think that- There's, he's still gonna be heavily involved
• 45:11
  target-wise, 'cause it wasn't even this- Yeah… e- even though he got to that
• 45:15
  1,800 yard level, he got it to it on, you know, 20 to 30% fewer targets than I think
• 45:21
  you see guys like i- in other offenses, like Ja'Marr Chase or CeeDee Lamb.
• 45:26
  I, I felt- Yeah… like his target share was lower than, than those
• 45:29
  players, but then he ended up getting more yards out of the deal.
• 45:32
  Adam: Yeah.
• 45:32
  It…
• 45:33
  Look, did, the Cowboys win the Super Bowl last year?
• 45:36
  Brandan: No.
• 45:36
  Adam: Did the Bengals even make the playoffs last year?
• 45:39
  Brandan: No.
• 45:39
  Adam: Oh, so are you telling me that when you target a
• 45:42
  receiver that sort of often, it's difficult to make the Super Bowl?
• 45:46
  Like, is that what you're telling me?
• 45:48
  Because that's what I'm hearing.
• 45:49
  Yeah.
• 45:49
  Like, okay, fine, you can target those guys as much as you want, and you can
• 45:53
  you know, spam it, so to speak.
• 45:56
  But it's not gonna get you to where you wanna go.
• 45:58
  163 targets for JSN last year.
• 46:01
  I expect him to end up in, like, 120.
• 46:05
  But most- Ooh
• 46:06
  Brandan: okay
• 46:06
  Adam: most, most targets of all of the receiving options by far, he's
• 46:10
  still gonna be the most targeted, but-
• 46:12
  Brandan: Man, that's like T.
• 46:13
  Higgins level targets.
• 46:15
  Adam: Who?
• 46:17
  but with that said, I, I think that that could be a more
• 46:21
  impactful, well-rounded offense that really does allow you to
• 46:26
  get to that second ring in a row.
• 46:28
  Brandan: All right.
• 46:29
  Well, we did talk a little bit of running backs, but I, I think maybe we should go
• 46:35
  back because I, I think the expectation is that Zach Charbonnet returns.
• 46:41
  do you, do you…
• 46:42
  Once he does return, how do you see…
• 46:47
  It's so hard to say with not seeing any of Jadarian Price
• 46:51
  throughout- Mm-hmm… the preseason.
• 46:52
  Yeah.
• 46:53
  we, we have college tape to go off of and a little bit-
• 46:56
  Yeah… of practice tape.
• 46:57
  So- Where, where does that put you at then expectation-wise with how, how
• 47:05
  they might divvy up that workload?
• 47:07
  Because I do feel like the way this team went last year, they, they, they
• 47:11
  had a, a really nice balance, set up between K9 and between Sharps.
• 47:19
  It, it, it felt like maybe they, they did try and lean on the, the
• 47:22
  hot hand a little bit from game to game, or am I remembering that right
• 47:28
  or did we just want that to happen from game to game and, and we harped
• 47:32
  on it more in that regard last year?
• 47:34
  Adam: there, there was definitely, like, Sharps games
• 47:37
  and then, like, K9 games, right?
• 47:39
  Yeah.
• 47:39
  And I don't know that it was that they were leaning on one more than
• 47:42
  the other, it's just one had more success that game, a little bit.
• 47:46
  Yeah.
• 47:46
  They really did split that workload pretty evenly, and it almost worked perfection.
• 47:52
  I mean, they got two back…
• 47:54
  What, what week did Sharps go down?
• 47:56
  Was it, like- It
• 47:56
  Brandan: was, like, 15.
• 47:57
  It was-
• 47:58
  Adam: Yeah, super late, right?
• 47:59
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 48:00
  Adam: So they dang near got all the way to a Super Bowl with
• 48:03
  two healthy running backs, two, you know, one and one A running backs.
• 48:07
  And in this day and age it feels like- That's almost what you have to do.
• 48:12
  The bell cow back is like, you know, a Tyrannosaurus rex.
• 48:16
  Like, it's a thing of the past.
• 48:18
  And so I feel like we saw a report today come out that said, you know
• 48:22
  Jadarian is supposed to be, you know, kind of RB1 is the idea
• 48:28
  with a heavy dose of George Holani.
• 48:31
  And I feel like that's gonna kinda continue throughout the season as long
• 48:35
  as Price looks the way that I feel like he will look, because of all the
• 48:41
  tape that's out there, I feel like running back tape transfers to the
• 48:44
  NFL, a little easier, like, when you're, when you're looking at it.
• 48:48
  For example, watching Emmitt Johnson with the Chiefs, just the other day.
• 48:52
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 48:53
  Adam: That looked a lot like the Emmitt Johnson at Nebraska.
• 48:55
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 48:56
  Adam: You know?
• 48:56
  it, it, it, it truly did.
• 48:58
  Jeremiah Love before he gets hurt, looked a lot like the
• 49:00
  Jeremiah Love at Notre Dame.
• 49:02
  Uh-huh.
• 49:02
  I feel the same thing is gonna happen with Price here, and his skillset
• 49:07
  just fits so well with the way they're gonna, run the football with the
• 49:12
  zone scheme stuff, and I'm here for it.
• 49:15
  I think he's gonna have a monster year.
• 49:16
  I think Jadarian Price finishes, somewhere between 900
• 49:20
  and 1,100 yards rushing.
• 49:22
  Brandan: So we had Zach Charbonnet for the entire regular season.
• 49:27
  They, they didn't lose him until the 41 to six loss to the Niners in the
• 49:32
  Adam: playoffs.
• 49:32
  Kinda was a game, wasn't it?
• 49:33
  Good Lord.
• 49:33
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 49:34
  Isn't that wild?
• 49:34
  Yeah, it w- in fact, it was his two last games of the season that were
• 49:38
  Charbonnet's two best games, where he carried majority of the workload.
• 49:42
  He, 18 carries, 110 yards, two touchdowns against the Carolina
• 49:47
  Panthers on the road, and then finished on the road against the Niners, 17
• 49:52
  carries, 74 yards, and a touchdown.
• 49:55
  You know, plus you add on top of that, he had, two to three
• 49:58
  catches in each of those games, so it was Charbonnet down the stretch.
• 50:02
  And, and the one thing that I would love to see continue that I didn't
• 50:07
  think he was going to be capable of until I saw it last year with my
• 50:11
  own eyes, he became a red zone guy.
• 50:15
  He, he was the guy who was punching it.
• 50:16
  Yeah.
• 50:17
  He had double digit touchdowns.
• 50:18
  Adam: Yeah, yeah.
• 50:20
  he does have a nose for the end zone.
• 50:23
  the, still the notion that Charbonnet is a power back, like, still
• 50:26
  drives me nuts-… 'cause it's just-
• 50:28
  Brandan: No, but they, that's-
• 50:29
  … Adam: decidedly not true.
• 50:30
  Brandan: But he got there.
• 50:31
  but
• 50:32
  Adam: yeah, I mean, i- if you're able to make it happen, that's great.
• 50:35
  Like, LT, like, led, scored the most touchdowns of the
• 50:38
  season, like, at one point, right?
• 50:40
  And was he a power back?
• 50:41
  No.
• 50:41
  John
• 50:41
  Brandan: Alexander, not a power back, but he- No… found the end zone.
• 50:44
  Adam: Right.
• 50:44
  So y- yeah, I mean, both those things can be true at- Yeah… at the same time.
• 50:49
  I do think when Charbonnet comes back, you're gonna see that real balanced
• 50:52
  workload that we saw once Charbonnet is back, like, three, four games, you know?
• 50:58
  Brandan: Yeah Ease him in.
• 51:01
  Adam: Yeah.
• 51:01
  Brandan: Got it.
• 51:03
  'Cause it's, it's imp- going to be impressive even coming back if he
• 51:07
  being on PUP for the first four weeks.
• 51:10
  Adam: Mm-hmm.
• 51:10
  Brandan: Like, if he, he's back week five, that's an impressive
• 51:13
  turnaround for being- Oh
• 51:14
  Adam: yeah
• 51:15
  … Brandan: out in the playoffs.
• 51:16
  Adam: Yeah.
• 51:16
  No, that- After
• 51:16
  Brandan: that nine-month ACL recovery.
• 51:19
  Adam: That's wild.
• 51:20
  That's absolutely wild.
• 51:21
  I mean, we're getting into Adrian Peterson territory at that point.
• 51:23
  Like, that's crazy.
• 51:25
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 51:27
  All right, so we want more of the same from Sharps and, yeah.
• 51:33
  There's some ex- excitement I think around Price.
• 51:36
  Adam: I, I think there ought to be, man.
• 51:37
  I…
• 51:38
  His tape is pretty cool, from, from college, and like I said
• 51:42
  earlier, the style just, it just screams, like, zone running scheme.
• 51:46
  It's gonna be cool.
• 51:48
  Brandan: You know what else is cool?
• 51:50
  Our Seahawks defense.
• 51:51
  Adam: Yeah, they're cool.
• 51:52
  Brandan: It was, it's pretty good last year.
• 51:55
  Adam: Yeah, I mean, they were pretty decent, I guess.
• 51:58
  You know?
• 51:58
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 51:59
  The top team in terms of, points allowed.
• 52:03
  Adam: Top team and kicking ass.
• 52:06
  Top team in everything else.
• 52:07
  Yeah, yeah, they were…
• 52:09
  They, they just kinda kicked ass the entire way.
• 52:11
  Dark side defense was outstanding, and we all had that
• 52:15
  expectation going into last year.
• 52:17
  And I, I don't know, Brandan.
• 52:20
  It, it feels like the defense is gonna be a shorter conversation than the offense.
• 52:23
  Brandan: Well, what do you, what do you improve?
• 52:25
  Like, what do you ask- Yeah
• 52:26
  Coach Mike to do to improve in year three?
• 52:29
  Just go back and do the things that you did last year and keep chasing
• 52:33
  those edges on defense, I suppose.
• 52:35
  Adam: Yeah, and we all know that coach is gonna have a plan for…
• 52:40
  I guarantee you, he has a whole list of things, somewhere where he's like, "We
• 52:44
  need to be better at all these things."
• 52:45
  And that's super scary for the rest of the league.
• 52:47
  There's nobody else that does it like Mike.
• 52:49
  I know, like, the Jesse Minter's of the world and guys like that kinda
• 52:53
  start to get talked about in that vein, but there is one Mike Macdonald
• 52:56
  there is one defensive guru in this entire league, and it's him.
• 53:01
  And I see no reason for this defense to take any sort of step
• 53:05
  back despite losing two starters and then your fourth edge rusher.
• 53:11
  Brandan: Well, how about this?
• 53:12
  What if this is the year that Mike decides to start growing his coaching
• 53:18
  tree, and turns over more of that play calling duty to Aden Durde
• 53:24
  to where he s- well, "I've, I've now coached my team to a Super Bowl.
• 53:28
  Now I need to take on more of the mentoring role and, and pass on
• 53:33
  some of these, these play calling duties to my dude who is the
• 53:37
  defensive coordinator for this team."
• 53:39
  Adam: Does Sean McVay have to do that for his offensive coordinators to
• 53:42
  get hired in an instant as head coaches?
• 53:44
  Brandan: No, it turns out that that doesn't, that doesn't- Oh……
• 53:46
  They, they just have to be in his vicinity.
• 53:48
  Adam: That's right.
• 53:49
  They just have to, like, rub up on his hair gel and have it
• 53:52
  stick to their arm, you know?
• 53:53
  Like, that's, that's all you need to do.
• 53:54
  Look, I, I, I have a hard time seeing a world in which Coach Mike
• 53:59
  gives up defensive play calling.
• 54:01
  It, it just doesn't feel like that's in his DNA.
• 54:05
  Brandan: No, I…
• 54:07
  And it's not because it's really a sense- Yeah, it's not a-… that
• 54:11
  I get from Coach Mike of needing to have that control necessarily, but
• 54:15
  it is also, like, if you're, the ownership or John Schneider as
• 54:21
  GM, like, this is why we hired you.
• 54:24
  This like this is- 1,000%.
• 54:26
  We, we did not bring you in just to become, like, a well-rounded hel-
• 54:29
  head coach, a well-rounded head coach.
• 54:31
  No, we brought you in to destroy other teams through your defensive prowess.
• 54:38
  Adam: 1,000%.
• 54:39
  Like, we didn't hire a Nick Sirianni type, you know, come in and, like
• 54:42
  rah, rah things and like- Yeah
• 54:45
  take credit for all the talented guys underneath of
• 54:47
  him doing everything for him.
• 54:49
  No, we brought you in exactly as you said, Brandan, to, come in
• 54:52
  and kick ass as, the number one defensive mind in the entire league.
• 54:57
  And, that will continue this year in another year of continuity
• 55:02
  for all of these guys, and that's gonna, I think, really just make a big
• 55:08
  difference for this defense in terms of being stifling from the word jump.
• 55:14
  Not to mention Nick Emmanwori, year two in the scheme.
• 55:17
  Like-
• 55:17
  Brandan: Uh-huh
• 55:18
  … Adam: Spoon's still on the rise.
• 55:20
  y- I don't see Leo dropping off anytime soon.
• 55:24
  And then, then we have the current Aaron Donald.
• 55:26
  Byron
• 55:26
  Brandan: Murphy.
• 55:27
  Yeah.
• 55:27
  Like, it doesn't seem like he should drop off.
• 55:30
  Only, only growth out of him.
• 55:32
  Adam: Yeah.
• 55:32
  Like I said, the current Aaron Donald.
• 55:34
  Like, that's, that's where he's going, right?
• 55:37
  Like, that's, that's the trajectory
• 55:39
  Brandan: he's on.
• 55:40
  I'm excited for him to be the next guy to get paid on this defense, 'cause-
• 55:43
  Adam: Oh
• 55:43
  Brandan: abso- He, he will be the guy.
• 55:45
  Adam: He, he will be the guy.
• 55:47
  And then you got still the wily veteran in Jarran Reed right there
• 55:51
  and then you've got, you know, Riley Mills out there just, you know
• 55:55
  stealing people's souls on top of that.
• 55:57
  This, this group is so effing loaded.
• 56:00
  It's so loaded.
• 56:01
  Front to back, Julian Love, the brains of the operation in the back, Ernest
• 56:05
  Jones, the heart of the middle of that defense and the play calling, and then
• 56:09
  you know, the sought-off linebacker Drake Thomas going out there pulling
• 56:12
  the pin and just blowing [bleep] up.
• 56:15
  Like, dude, this is…
• 56:16
  I, I, I feel like as good as the dark side defense was last year, like, that
• 56:22
  was still, like, Star Wars Episode III.
• 56:24
  We're going to Star Wars Episode IV dark side defense.
• 56:27
  Where, you know, Empire Strikes Back, where the Empire was at its peak.
• 56:31
  I think that's, that's what's happening this year.
• 56:33
  Brandan: I, I'm even excited about guys who are further down the depth chart
• 56:38
  because what we saw from Tyrice Knight in the first game of the preseason
• 56:42
  too- Yeah… that dude was all over the place, and he, he made a legit case for
• 56:47
  saying, "Hey, yeah, I know I lost the starting job to Drake last year, but I'm
• 56:52
  still here, and I'm not slowing down."
• 56:55
  Adam: Tyree's said it's a heck of a ballplayer.
• 56:57
  That's a starting linebacker on 29 teams-… around the league.
• 57:02
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 57:03
  Adam: Yeah.
• 57:04
  I mean, he's, he's damn good, and that's your backup?
• 57:08
  Then you got the Kalispell kid, you know, former Flathead Brave
• 57:10
  there, like, to come in as well.
• 57:12
  Like, heck yeah.
• 57:14
  This is a great group.
• 57:14
  I, I love the linebacking corps.
• 57:17
  I love the coaching staff on that side of the ball.
• 57:19
  I'm gonna enjoy the hell out of Adam Durde this year, 'cause it's
• 57:23
  the last year we all get to enjoy him as a part of our organization.
• 57:28
  In my mind, he's gonna be a head coach for sure of the, London Jaguars.
• 57:35
  Brandan: Don't, don't try and, and write him off to a new team just yet.
• 57:38
  I, I wanna keep, I'm not
• 57:39
  Adam: writing him off.
• 57:40
  I want him to keep, like I said, man, keep getting them checks.
• 57:42
  Like, you know, take that head coaching role if that's your dream.
• 57:45
  Brandan: That, that's been…
• 57:47
  You know, touching back to the Hard Knocks thing again and seeing some of that
• 57:52
  it, it does feel like his camera time…
• 57:56
  We, we talked about how camera time we didn't think would
• 57:59
  impact rosters that much.
• 58:01
  Right.
• 58:01
  I think it, it will impact coaching.
• 58:05
  Adam: I actually agree with you on this.
• 58:06
  I hadn't thought about it until this very moment, but- GMs scouting players
• 58:12
  and trying to figure out who they want to bring in for their roster
• 58:16
  they're gonna go and look at the tape, and it's there for everybody to see.
• 58:18
  It's all 22, easy enough to find.
• 58:21
  To go and, and get an inside look on how a, a coach operates in…
• 58:29
  Th- that's just not something that you're gonna find, you know, a lot of film
• 58:33
  access of, and here it is on Hard Knocks.
• 58:35
  And so, just seeing how much, you know, Mike does, like, lean
• 58:39
  on him for certain things now and then, I think that bodes well.
• 58:43
  And then also too, like, here we are.
• 58:45
  Like, you rub up against Coach Mike now, and you're a head coach.
• 58:49
  Like, that, that's where this is going.
• 58:51
  Brandan: But maybe what we really need to hope for is back-to-back chips, because
• 58:57
  it does make it a little more difficult.
• 58:59
  Teams don't like to wait for the Super Bowl to make coaching hiring decisions.
• 59:05
  It was a little bit abnormal for the Raiders to wait for Coach Kubiak, and I
• 59:11
  I think that we even heard that maybe that had something to do with Tom Brady being
• 59:15
  part of the ownership and having some of the inside information of being in those
• 59:19
  meetings with, with Kubiak and, and that sort of thing that m- that maybe
• 59:24
  made them want to wait a little more.
• 59:25
  Yeah.
• 59:26
  Adam: Maybe that's w- exactly where that comes from.
• 59:29
  I, I don't know.
• 59:30
  But, yeah, I feel like if you're gonna capitalize i- and try to get
• 59:35
  multiple chips out of this era of Seahawks football, this is gonna
• 59:40
  be your best year to do it, likely.
• 59:43
  Maybe, I don't know, maybe year three or year four would be when you've
• 59:46
  got a ga- drillion draft picks and a genie of a GM in John Schneider.
• 59:50
  Maybe, maybe it gets even better.
• 59:52
  Like, it…
• 59:52
  I'm not gonna put a lid on it.
• 59:54
  Brandan: The one thing I- If I were to wanna project something out for
• 59:59
  the defense though, I think trying to maintain that continuity on the
• 1:00:05
  offensive line, paying some of your guards, and I'm not saying necessarily
• 1:00:10
  pay Anthony Bradford, but, you know, if Gray's able, continues on that
• 1:00:13
  trajectory to where you, you pay him.
• 1:00:16
  Maybe you wanna keep continuity even with having a, a Sundale at
• 1:00:19
  center if he continues to grow.
• 1:00:21
  Like, center contracts are getting kind of expensive now.
• 1:00:25
  It- he might not be as high because he's an undrafted guy and, you know, even with
• 1:00:30
  Jobe, we saw- Yeah… when he got paid this off season, like we kinda got a deal
• 1:00:33
  with Josh Jobe because he was an undrafted guy, and, even though he, he played at
• 1:00:40
  the level of, a high tier corner, they got a little bit of a bargain there too.
• 1:00:46
  I, I would like to see though, with Coach Mike being primarily, or
• 1:00:53
  being the defensive guru guy, if we can continue to stay young at some
• 1:00:59
  key spots on defense going forward.
• 1:01:01
  Adam: Yeah, I mean, if you're kicking this a few years down the
• 1:01:03
  line, that, that, that is gonna be the, formula to do it.
• 1:01:08
  You're gonna have to go out and, and maintain your youth on defense
• 1:01:12
  and development with your head coach specializing on that side of the ball.
• 1:01:16
  no doubt about that.
• 1:01:18
  But for this year- And
• 1:01:18
  Brandan: I say that because that's not something we got from Coach Pete.
• 1:01:22
  Adam: No.
• 1:01:22
  Brandan: We never saw him turn over a defense and, to a youthful
• 1:01:26
  group that then had that same LOB.
• 1:01:29
  Not that you, not that I had expectations of LOB success-
• 1:01:33
  Adam: Right
• 1:01:34
  … Brandan: but, that you could find guys that were, that
• 1:01:38
  could carry the mantle a little bit.
• 1:01:41
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:01:42
  No, they were pretty good for, you know, a good decade there though.
• 1:01:44
  Yeah.
• 1:01:44
  Like, yeah.
• 1:01:45
  But you were relying on older stars for, you know, quite a while there.
• 1:01:49
  but for this year specifically, you know, even though the defense
• 1:01:54
  is getting a little older, you know, between Leo and DeMarcus and Nwosu
• 1:01:58
  Brandan: We're the bottom third, we're in the bottom third of, roster age.
• 1:02:02
  When I saw those stats come out today with the 53-man rosters announced on Sunday, I
• 1:02:08
  was surprised that of the teams in the NFC West, the Arizona Cardinals the youngest.
• 1:02:13
  They were in the mid-tier, and all the other, you know, Rams, us, Niners, as
• 1:02:18
  to be expected, especially with the Rams, with having an old quarterback in
• 1:02:22
  Stafford on the roster and bringing back Aaron Donald and, Miles Garrett.
• 1:02:26
  Like, a- and the 49ers just being old.
• 1:02:29
  it, it was, I- and I think even the Seahawks were between, like a little
• 1:02:34
  lower than the Rams, but above the Niners.
• 1:02:38
  Adam: Interesting.
• 1:02:38
  Okay.
• 1:02:39
  wouldn't they be, like- Or maybe flip-flop… if you're at the bottom
• 1:02:42
  of the list, like when, if you're in the bottom third- They're the bottom
• 1:02:45
  Brandan: third.
• 1:02:45
  Oldest third
• 1:02:48
  Adam: Okay, I guess I didn't understand what you
• 1:02:50
  were saying with the list.
• 1:02:51
  So if you're at the bottom, you're older, but if you're at the top, you're younger?
• 1:02:54
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:02:55
  Adam: Oh, okay.
• 1:02:56
  I thought it, you-… meant the opposite.
• 1:02:58
  that was confusing.
• 1:02:59
  Brandan: I'm sorry.
• 1:03:00
  I, the, the, the, maybe because they listed it that way because it's
• 1:03:05
  more optimal, op- more optimal to be younger, so they started with the- Mm-hmm
• 1:03:10
  the lower numbers and then went older.
• 1:03:13
  Adam: Yeah, I, I think you have a handful of guys that does skew that
• 1:03:16
  for this particular roster, but- That's
• 1:03:17
  Brandan: what I mean, and that- Yeah… that's what reminded me of it
• 1:03:18
  because you mentioned- Yeah… guys
• 1:03:21
  like, yeah, Tank Lawrence and-
• 1:03:24
  Adam: Yeah, but I, I don't feel like there's a falloff, that
• 1:03:27
  feels evident for any of those guys.
• 1:03:30
  I mean, some of the best years they got.
• 1:03:31
  We also have seen that Mike has gotten the best out of some of these
• 1:03:34
  older defensive linemen, even at his time back with Baltimore as well.
• 1:03:38
  Sure.
• 1:03:38
  So feel great about there.
• 1:03:40
  linebacker group, we just talked about, feel great about.
• 1:03:43
  I went and looked at a little Avery Smith stuff, Oh
• 1:03:47
  Brandan: good
• 1:03:48
  Adam: yeah, yesterday.
• 1:03:49
  And inside guy, you know, played a lot of nickel in the box.
• 1:03:55
  Do [bleep] tackles, man.
• 1:03:57
  He thumps for being a, a little guy.
• 1:03:59
  Like, it, same sort of like spoon-type intensity to his game.
• 1:04:03
  I'm not saying he's Devon Witherspoon, but, I, I feel like we could
• 1:04:07
  see him inside, Spoon and Jobe on the outside for this year.
• 1:04:11
  That'd be kind of my expectation for that there.
• 1:04:14
  And, I think that'd be great.
• 1:04:17
  I'd say the other big expectation I have for the defense this year, I think
• 1:04:21
  Murphy's in 12 to 15 sack land this year.
• 1:04:26
  Brandan: Ooh.
• 1:04:27
  Ooh, that would be…
• 1:04:28
  Yeah.
• 1:04:29
  okay, you got me excited there.
• 1:04:31
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:04:32
  Yeah.
• 1:04:33
  'Cause that just means the opposing offenses are boned.
• 1:04:38
  Like, if he's getting that sort of pressure on the regular
• 1:04:40
  like, good night Irene.
• 1:04:41
  Like, it, it's over.
• 1:04:42
  Brandan: I do wonder how much rotation, though, we'll see with…
• 1:04:47
  You know, if, especially if they see a role for Pritchett to where
• 1:04:51
  he can play outside and move Spoon a little bit inside here and there.
• 1:04:55
  So, 'cause you don't see- That's a good one
• 1:04:57
  Witherspoon playing solely outside, e- even last year.
• 1:05:02
  So- Mm-hmm… I think Jobe will be, but I, I could see them, yeah
• 1:05:08
  playing Pritchett a little bit outside.
• 1:05:09
  You got N- Nick Emmanwori that can come inside too.
• 1:05:12
  Yeah.
• 1:05:12
  So, how they rotate through that group of guys in the secondary, eh
• 1:05:20
  that's not, I don't have any expectations there, it's just I, I expect to be
• 1:05:24
  entertained a- as I watch Coach Mike move pieces around the chessboard.
• 1:05:29
  Adam: I expect it to be the right decision whatever it is he does
• 1:05:32
  and for it to kick ass, and for this defense to dominate from the word jump.
• 1:05:37
  And I, I, I can't wait.
• 1:05:39
  I can't wait.
• 1:05:41
  Brandan: I, I'm excited about little Tai Okhota too, 'cause, Yeah… another
• 1:05:45
  Montana guy who went to Montana State.
• 1:05:47
  Wrong school
• 1:05:48
  Adam: but, you know, me
• 1:05:48
  Brandan: too.
• 1:05:48
  He went to the wrong school, but-
• 1:05:50
  Adam: That's okay
• 1:05:50
  … Brandan: man, oh, man, when you listen to Ty Okada interviews
• 1:05:54
  does he not sound like he's already a coach out there on the field?
• 1:05:58
  The dude is polished, and may- maybe that's his Montana background.
• 1:06:02
  He, i- i- we gotta- Yeah… watch out, because he could be
• 1:06:04
  coming for our jobs next.
• 1:06:06
  Adam: I, I mean, he can try.
• 1:06:07
  I mean, look, I, I keep, I'll bring my name in the
• 1:06:10
  Brandan: raffle I, I meant specifically your job.
• 1:06:12
  He could be coming for your job next.
• 1:06:13
  Adam: Yeah, I mean, I'll, I'll have my rabbit ears on
• 1:06:16
  come June or July apparently.
• 1:06:17
  But, yeah, at the end of the day, smart dude, and it's because he's
• 1:06:23
  you know, from these parts, which we reside, where we're all brilliant.
• 1:06:26
  So-… that makes sense
• 1:06:29
  Brandan: I, I'm just, with the way that Coach Mike always seems to find, again
• 1:06:35
  going back to Baltimore, with-- he made Geno Stone into a dude who got
• 1:06:40
  paid- Yeah… by, the Bengals.
• 1:06:42
  Yeah.
• 1:06:42
  And i- he made Coby Bryant a dude that got paid by the Bears
• 1:06:45
  and I, I think rightfully so.
• 1:06:47
  Mm.
• 1:06:48
  But, he does seem to find guys who just can instinctively
• 1:06:53
  play safety and do it well.
• 1:06:56
  And so if, if Okoda can come in and, and fill that role relatively
• 1:07:01
  seamlessly, which we kind of saw him do, when there were injuries
• 1:07:05
  at the safety spot last year.
• 1:07:07
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:07:08
  Absolutely, and it's gonna be, it's gonna be interesting to see the depth at safety
• 1:07:13
  'cause I think that's the one thing that I do have concerns about the most.
• 1:07:17
  Brandan: Yeah
• 1:07:17
  Adam: okay.
• 1:07:17
  But Julian Love's been pretty durable.
• 1:07:19
  Ty Okada's been pretty durable.
• 1:07:21
  There's a lot of depth now, so-… they kept a bunch of
• 1:07:23
  safeties on the squad, you know?
• 1:07:24
  So there, there is that.
• 1:07:26
  I do trust in Mike that way.
• 1:07:29
  With that said, I, I feel like my last expectations for the defense-
• 1:07:33
  Brandan: Mm-hmm
• 1:07:34
  … Adam: Byron Murphy and Nick Emmanwori are gonna be thought of as
• 1:07:39
  the pinnacle, first team All-Pro-
• 1:07:42
  Brandan: Mm
• 1:07:43
  Adam: of their positions, and both will be in the top 30
• 1:07:48
  of the NFL Top 100 next year.
• 1:07:50
  Brandan: Interesting, 'cause-
• 1:07:51
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:07:52
  … Brandan: it, it, th- you pick out those two, but what about Spoon?
• 1:07:56
  Because he, he's yet to be the first team- He's not a stats guy.
• 1:08:00
  He's not a stats guy, but he is- Yeah… a guy who, while he's hasn't
• 1:08:06
  been first team All-Pro, he's been multiple time Pro Bowler, which we
• 1:08:10
  now see the Pro Bowl's gone away.
• 1:08:11
  but you can still get selected for the Pro Bowl, and, which is fine.
• 1:08:16
  But, he's not a s- do you think that based on what we saw from the playoffs
• 1:08:24
  based on what we saw from the Super Bowl, I think we get-- I, I think we see
• 1:08:33
  Not double-digit sacks, but I'm gonna c- I'm gonna say seven sack
• 1:08:39
  season from Devon Witherspoon.
• 1:08:41
  Adam: That'd be a monster season from the quarterback position.
• 1:08:44
  Holy schmoly.
• 1:08:46
  I, it, I mean, it's in range.
• 1:08:47
  I think b- between him and Emmanwori, like, I think Mike's ability
• 1:08:51
  to mix that up, and that's exactly what he did in the Super Bowl, right?
• 1:08:54
  Yeah.
• 1:08:54
  Use, use Nick as the decoy and then let Spoon eat, and
• 1:08:59
  that worked out brilliantly.
• 1:09:00
  They're gonna do a lot of that throughout the entire season.
• 1:09:02
  It's gonna be awesome.
• 1:09:03
  The only reason I didn't put Spoon in that group i- isn't because
• 1:09:06
  he's not as great as those other two players, 'cause he clearly is.
• 1:09:10
  Brandan: Mm-hmm.
• 1:09:10
  Adam: Like, I mean, it, he's the best DB in the league.
• 1:09:13
  Like, fight me.
• 1:09:14
  Like, I, like, I…
• 1:09:16
  It doesn't matter.
• 1:09:17
  Like, at the end of the day, he is one of those guys, he's not big
• 1:09:21
  he's not z- particularly fast, he's not particularly strong.
• 1:09:24
  You know what I'm saying?
• 1:09:25
  Yeah, he's- Like, he doesn't put up
• 1:09:27
  Brandan: the big numbers… when you say not particularly, he just
• 1:09:28
  he's not the fastest, he's not the strongest, but he does- Yeah
• 1:09:32
  he's, he is fast, and he is strong- He is… and he is a great tackler.
• 1:09:37
  Adam: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:09:38
  But that's not the type of thing that gets recognized outside of
• 1:09:42
  like, football head circles, right?
• 1:09:43
  Like-
• 1:09:44
  Brandan: Sure
• 1:09:44
  … Adam: casual, normie fan, which is kind of how that top 100 list
• 1:09:48
  works a little bit, and even all-pro selections to a large degree, That's
• 1:09:52
  Brandan: why I think there's gonna be that temptation there, for Mike to be like
• 1:09:56
  "Let, let's get Spoon some stats," just like we did in the, in the Super Bowl.
• 1:09:59
  Adam: I mean, hell, if you're that sort of dominant to
• 1:10:01
  where you're like, all right, like-… let's, let's see here.
• 1:10:05
  It's week, you know, 12 against the Cowboys and they have two offensive
• 1:10:11
  linemen injured and they keep wanting to throw bombs, like, all right
• 1:10:14
  today's the day Spoon gets four sacks.
• 1:10:16
  You know?
• 1:10:16
  And you just wanna rack it up?
• 1:10:18
  Sure.
• 1:10:19
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:10:20
  to get to seven, he can have three two-sack games and
• 1:10:23
  one, and one a single sack.
• 1:10:24
  Like, I, I think that's in the realm of, of possible.
• 1:10:28
  Adam: Oh, I'm not saying you're wrong.
• 1:10:29
  Like, I, I wouldn't bet against it.
• 1:10:31
  Not even a little bit.
• 1:10:32
  Yeah, it…
• 1:10:33
  I dare anybody out there to bet against Dev- Devon Witherspoon.
• 1:10:36
  Like, good luck with that.
• 1:10:38
  'Cause if, when you're wrong, he's gonna tell you.
• 1:10:40
  We all know that.
• 1:10:41
  Yeah
• 1:10:43
  Brandan: All right.
• 1:10:44
  So that'll be why…
• 1:10:45
  Y- you've predicted some stats.
• 1:10:48
  I don't think I've, I've done a, a good stats prediction on offense.
• 1:10:53
  I think, I, the…
• 1:10:56
  Gosh, I, I really like AJ Barner.
• 1:11:00
  Adam: You should
• 1:11:00
  … Brandan: I, I don't think he g- he can get to Trey McBride level
• 1:11:03
  even in this offense, but, I'm gonna say eight and eight.
• 1:11:09
  800 yards, eight touchdowns.
• 1:11:11
  That, that's my- Yeah… my big shift I think for, for him to…
• 1:11:14
  'Cause that's what, like 25% more production than over last year?
• 1:11:17
  Oh
• 1:11:18
  Adam: yeah.
• 1:11:18
  Yeah, yeah.
• 1:11:19
  Well, I, I, we're right in line there.
• 1:11:21
  Brandan: Okay.
• 1:11:22
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:11:23
  Brandan: Did you already nail it for, for…
• 1:11:24
  Oh, no, you were combining the two.
• 1:11:26
  That's right.
• 1:11:27
  We-
• 1:11:28
  Adam: Oh, no, I, I
• 1:11:28
  Brandan: gave
• 1:11:28
  Adam: a Barner- Or
• 1:11:29
  Brandan: maybe I
• 1:11:29
  Adam: did
• 1:11:29
  I gave a Barner stat line and I gave- Okay… like an Arroyo, stat line.
• 1:11:32
  Brandan: That was so long ago.
• 1:11:33
  You expect me to remember- No
• 1:11:35
  Adam: not even
• 1:11:36
  Brandan: a little bit… like I was paying attention to
• 1:11:36
  what you were saying and-
• 1:11:37
  Adam: I mean, why would you care?
• 1:11:38
  Like, I…
• 1:11:39
  No, I don't.
• 1:11:40
  I don't expect any of that.
• 1:11:41
  That's for sure.
• 1:11:43
  But, yeah, I mean, we kinda talked through it all and
• 1:11:46
  we're a, an hour and change into this, so we're probably gonna have
• 1:11:49
  to get to record and, playoff predictions and that sort of thing.
• 1:11:54
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:11:54
  Record prediction.
• 1:11:55
  gosh, they only lost three games last year-
• 1:12:00
  Adam: Mm-hmm
• 1:12:01
  … Brandan: by, what was it, seven points total?
• 1:12:04
  Adam: Something like that.
• 1:12:05
  Yeah.
• 1:12:05
  Brandan: They should…
• 1:12:06
  Can they, can we just do that again?
• 1:12:08
  Adam: unlikely, but I, I would love- It
• 1:12:10
  Brandan: does feel unlikely- Yeah… considering there, there's going to be…
• 1:12:14
  Despite everything that's happened within the division this off-season, the, the
• 1:12:19
  target is still gonna be on the back of our Seahawks as Super Bowl champs.
• 1:12:23
  Adam: I don't know.
• 1:12:25
  I don't know.
• 1:12:26
  Brandan: I think it
• 1:12:26
  Adam: is.
• 1:12:27
  Nobody's talked about us for the entire off-season.
• 1:12:29
  All they talk about- The
• 1:12:29
  Brandan: media doesn't matter.
• 1:12:31
  I'm, I'm talking about- Well… coaching and, and hyping their guys up as…
• 1:12:35
  Like, they're, they're going to know that they're going up against
• 1:12:38
  the Super Bowl champs every year.
• 1:12:40
  Adam: I've seen a billion
• 1:12:41
  Brandan: player- Every game
• 1:12:41
  … Adam: interviews and they talk about the Rams all the effing time.
• 1:12:45
  They do not talk about the Seahawks.
• 1:12:48
  And I honestly believe that there's a sense around the league that that
• 1:12:53
  was a Nick Foles flukey Super Bowl.
• 1:12:58
  Brandan: Hmm.
• 1:13:00
  Adam: So I don't know that they're gonna get the best shot.
• 1:13:01
  I think the Rams are gonna be getting everybody's best shot.
• 1:13:05
  And, I think they're gonna have a, a really cute, nice regular season.
• 1:13:09
  I think it's gonna be, gonna be good for their deal, the
• 1:13:12
  Rams, their regular season.
• 1:13:13
  I, I predict the Seahawks win 12 games this year because I think
• 1:13:18
  it's gonna be a little bumpy with the new OC for, for a minute.
• 1:13:21
  I'm still scared of Myers.
• 1:13:23
  Like they- and I'm, I'm making this prediction assuming Jason Myers is gonna
• 1:13:27
  like more or less figure it out, right?
• 1:13:30
  Brandan: Yeah, he just, he just had the, the yips and the pre- preseason yips.
• 1:13:33
  That's all it was.
• 1:13:34
  Adam: D- sure.
• 1:13:35
  Let's hope so.
• 1:13:37
  Brandan: It's like when you go out on the driving range at the golf course and
• 1:13:40
  you're like, "Man, I am not-" Go back
• 1:13:41
  gonna be able to put a single s- I, I won't even be able
• 1:13:44
  to pull out driver today.
• 1:13:45
  But then you get out to the course, and then you're ripping it, and
• 1:13:48
  you're like, "Oh, it was just a driving range problem today."
• 1:13:50
  Adam: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:13:51
  let's hope for that.
• 1:13:52
  And that's what I'm making my prediction based on.
• 1:13:55
  so I predict they're gonna win 12 games.
• 1:13:57
  They're gonna be second in the division in like a five seed or something like that.
• 1:14:01
  What- however those seating, the seating works.
• 1:14:03
  I never…
• 1:14:03
  They change it all the time.
• 1:14:04
  I, I just don't know.
• 1:14:05
  Brandan: Second in the division or the conference?
• 1:14:07
  Adam: No, division.
• 1:14:07
  And, Oh… and then they're gonna storm through the playoffs, win
• 1:14:11
  their second chip, and send the Rams packing home, while Sean McVay
• 1:14:16
  screams into his play call sheet as another, you know, trying to buy
• 1:14:21
  a championship season slips through his, hair gel slippery fingers.
• 1:14:25
  And, we win our second chip back to back.
• 1:14:28
  Brandan: Hmm.
• 1:14:28
  Okay.
• 1:14:29
  Adam: Little bit of adversity.
• 1:14:30
  I'm bring- predicting a little bit of adversity, but-
• 1:14:32
  Yeah… coming through and still being the champions that they are.
• 1:14:35
  Brandan: I think we get off to a 10 and two start, and people are really
• 1:14:39
  questioning why they thought…
• 1:14:40
  A- and, and the Rams will be the ones that will start more slowly.
• 1:14:44
  And, and then, we'll see more of the adversity down the stretch
• 1:14:50
  to where, you know, especially two and two, then if you go three
• 1:14:56
  and two to close the season, win 13 games, then, then that's
• 1:15:02
  going to feel like that late season adversity before we turn it around and-
• 1:15:07
  Okay… and then win in the playoffs.
• 1:15:09
  Adam: Part of the reason I go from 14 to 12 as well is we're not
• 1:15:12
  playing the AFC South this year.
• 1:15:14
  Playing the AFC West.
• 1:15:16
  And-
• 1:15:16
  Brandan: Sure
• 1:15:16
  … Adam: that's a, that's a damn good division.
• 1:15:19
  Yeah.
• 1:15:19
  And so there's gonna be some tougher games in there.
• 1:15:21
  But I do think you're gonna get a little bit of a better shot
• 1:15:24
  from some of these other teams.
• 1:15:25
  But they're all looking at the star-studded Rams and, you
• 1:15:28
  know, 96-year-olds- There's only
• 1:15:30
  Brandan: two teams in the AFC West… Aaron Donald and be
• 1:15:30
  like- So be, let's be honest
• 1:15:33
  … Adam: Chargers and Denver?
• 1:15:36
  Brandan: Denver and KC
• 1:15:38
  Adam: I mean, I, I- If you were gonna take one off, I'd take Kansas City, but
• 1:15:42
  I'd say there's, there's three in there.
• 1:15:45
  Brandan: Yeah, I don't know.
• 1:15:46
  I feel like we've always had Harbaugh's number.
• 1:15:49
  You know, Jay Harbaugh- I'm not afraid… is gonna want that, Jay
• 1:15:51
  Harbaugh's gonna want that win bad.
• 1:15:53
  He
• 1:15:53
  Adam: wants to beat daddy.
• 1:15:54
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:15:55
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:15:55
  Yeah, you always wanna do that and, have bragging rights at Thanksgiving
• 1:15:59
  or, you know, that sort of thing.
• 1:16:01
  Brandan: And one thing that we've learned from previous, just last
• 1:16:04
  season, Jay Harbaugh finds a way.
• 1:16:07
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:16:08
  And we're not gonna lose to the, the Raiders, right?
• 1:16:11
  Like-
• 1:16:12
  Brandan: Who?
• 1:16:13
  Adam: Mike Macdonald's gonna end, end, Kirk Cousins' season.
• 1:16:17
  Like, that's what's gonna happen there.
• 1:16:19
  Ooh.
• 1:16:19
  That'll be the, the first time he's gonna have- That'll be
• 1:16:20
  Brandan: the Mendoza breakout game, huh?
• 1:16:22
  Adam: that'll be- Well, I
• 1:16:23
  Brandan: mean-
• 1:16:23
  … Adam: break glass and put in.
• 1:16:25
  I, you know, I think he's gonna have- Break, break him out of
• 1:16:27
  Brandan: the glass.
• 1:16:27
  That's what-
• 1:16:27
  Adam: I, I think he's gonna have closer to a, Brosmer
• 1:16:31
  situation than he will, a breakout game, that's for sure.
• 1:16:36
  But-
• 1:16:36
  Brandan: Oh, I d- I wouldn't put him- We're
• 1:16:38
  Adam: gonna break Cousins
• 1:16:38
  … Brandan: in the Brosmer category.
• 1:16:40
  Adam: No, no.
• 1:16:40
  Just first game against that defense, you come in in the third quarter
• 1:16:44
  after Cousins goes down, and you know, you know, the defense is gassed up.
• 1:16:46
  I still
• 1:16:46
  Brandan: expect him to be better than Brosmer, who had
• 1:16:49
  like, deer in headlights, you know, panic interceptions.
• 1:16:52
  Adam: rookie quarterbacks, man.
• 1:16:54
  Rookie quarterbacks.
• 1:16:55
  That's all I gotta say.
• 1:16:56
  There's, there's a lot of super talented rookie quarterbacks that have come
• 1:16:59
  through this league, that when they get up against a defensive mastermind…
• 1:17:03
  Remember when Belichick used to torture every good rookie quarterback that would
• 1:17:08
  come through- Oh, yeah… the league?
• 1:17:08
  Yeah.
• 1:17:09
  Yeah, just make their lives hell.
• 1:17:11
  That, I mean, that's Mike.
• 1:17:13
  That's what Mike do.
• 1:17:13
  And
• 1:17:13
  Brandan: he, if, he should only get better at doing that.
• 1:17:16
  Adam: Oh, yeah.
• 1:17:17
  Yeah.
• 1:17:18
  Brandan: see, and that's probably the place to end on, is-
• 1:17:21
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:17:22
  … Brandan: with Coach Mike.
• 1:17:22
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:17:23
  Brandan: Because what we've seen That's, a- and I started there when we started
• 1:17:29
  the show getting to see more of the behind the scenes stuff with Coach
• 1:17:34
  Mike than, than we ever have- Mm-hmm
• 1:17:36
  that has me really excited about he thinks about things that I would
• 1:17:42
  hope that my head coach is thinking about, and in the way that I, I
• 1:17:46
  want him to be thinking about it.
• 1:17:48
  Because yeah, y- because you don't know, for one, that coming off of year two
• 1:17:53
  and winning the Super Bowl, you think that, hey, I, I just need to keep
• 1:17:58
  doing what I'm doing because I'm awesome.
• 1:18:00
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:18:00
  Brandan: And you can see him think through these things like how, how do we find ways
• 1:18:04
  to motivate this team in new ways because it is a new team, and it, it's not just…
• 1:18:10
  And, and through different ways of just even subtle language type things that
• 1:18:17
  maybe seem corny, but it seems like at least there's buy-in among the dudes
• 1:18:23
  because you s- just the way you see the team take, and I even go back to Tayo
• 1:18:29
  Karma, like eh, it's, it's dudes like that where you start to hear things that
• 1:18:33
  the coach says come from the players, and i- when the coaches are going to
• 1:18:38
  the, or when the, the leaders of the team are going to the coach and asking
• 1:18:43
  you know, how they want the coaches to, message certain things through them
• 1:18:49
  that, that's a cool part that I, I don't know if everywhere is like that
• 1:18:55
  and I kinda think it probably isn't
• 1:18:58
  Adam: So much about Mike and seeing the behind the scenes stuff
• 1:19:02
  that you're talking about that really kind of jumps off the page to me is
• 1:19:07
  the humbleness, the fear in not, like, I'm afraid, like, we can't ever put it
• 1:19:13
  together, but the fear of like, "Ooh, I, I can't just sit on my laurels.
• 1:19:18
  Like, I, I, we gotta- Yeah… we gotta iterate.
• 1:19:21
  Like, we gotta chase those edges.
• 1:19:22
  We gotta, you know, keep, keep pushing this forward.
• 1:19:24
  Like, I'm not a made man.
• 1:19:26
  Like, this could all evaporate tomorrow, right?"
• 1:19:27
  Like, that's something that I think is, is motivating.
• 1:19:31
  The earnestness and just genuineness of him, even if some of the things he does
• 1:19:37
  is corny, some of them really hit home, like when he was talking about, O.J.
• 1:19:41
  Brigance-
• 1:19:42
  Brandan: Mm-hmm
• 1:19:42
  … Adam: in Hard Knocks, right?
• 1:19:44
  And you can see that really connect with his team.
• 1:19:47
  And he does think about, you said he thinks about things that you hope or that
• 1:19:51
  you want your head coach to think about.
• 1:19:53
  I'd even take that a step further.
• 1:19:54
  He thinks about things that I wouldn't- Wouldn't even… begin to think about.
• 1:19:58
  Brandan: Sure.
• 1:19:59
  Adam: You know?
• 1:19:59
  And that's what you want, and he's got the right people around
• 1:20:03
  him, and he's not a person that I feel is satisfied with accolades.
• 1:20:10
  In fact, I feel like the accolades came and he was kinda like, "Well
• 1:20:13
  that's cool, but, on to the next."
• 1:20:15
  You know?
• 1:20:16
  Just, that- Yeah… that's his mentality.
• 1:20:19
  And I love it.
• 1:20:19
  And when you have that sorta dude, like, helming the ship, you're in good
• 1:20:24
  shape to- Yeah… go and go back to back and, again, end the Ram season
• 1:20:29
  again in the playoffs as we will this
• 1:20:32
  Brandan: upcoming one.
• 1:20:32
  It makes this team so much fun to root for when you have- Yeah… not
• 1:20:36
  just players that you know you can root for, but coaches too.
• 1:20:40
  I wish I got to see some Brian Fleury so I know how much more
• 1:20:42
  I could root for that dude.
• 1:20:44
  Adam: Nope.
• 1:20:45
  He's under wraps.
• 1:20:46
  He's under a coaching bubble wrap, and, the secrecy is
• 1:20:49
  real when it comes to, to him.
• 1:20:51
  We've had, I think, one public presser,… since training
• 1:20:55
  camp started out of Fleury.
• 1:20:57
  we've gotten zero seconds on Hard Knocks.
• 1:21:00
  I don't even think he's been seen in the se- city of Seattle, even
• 1:21:04
  with all the flock cameras are out.
• 1:21:05
  Like, he's a ghost.
• 1:21:07
  Brandan: There's gotta be, there's gotta be a coffee place nearby that knows his…
• 1:21:11
  I just…
• 1:21:11
  Let me know what his coffee order is.
• 1:21:13
  I need a little bit of intel on Fleury.
• 1:21:16
  Adam: Oh, I, I think, I think Fleury drinks a, I know
• 1:21:21
  they, they have fancy names for the sizes, but those are [bleep].
• 1:21:24
  So let's just go-… a, a large black coffee, double cupped.
• 1:21:29
  Brandan: Oh.
• 1:21:29
  Adam: That's it.
• 1:21:30
  No.
• 1:21:30
  That's
• 1:21:30
  Brandan: all he drinks.
• 1:21:31
  I, I bet he's a, he's a two sugar, two cream guy.
• 1:21:34
  Adam: Two sugar, two cream.
• 1:21:35
  Yeah.
• 1:21:35
  Okay.
• 1:21:36
  That, that seems like too many to me, but that's fine.
• 1:21:38
  Well, it's a
• 1:21:38
  Brandan: large…
• 1:21:39
  Yeah… it's large.
• 1:21:40
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:21:41
  See, now because I'm such a princess, like, it's black coffee for me
• 1:21:45
  but you gotta put some ice in there because my poor tender mouth just can't
• 1:21:48
  handle the heat, like such a pansy.
• 1:21:51
  Brandan: Oh, that's, that does remind me of something, and I'll get it, get
• 1:21:54
  into it in the second half of the show.
• 1:21:56
  Okay.
• 1:21:56
  Traveling to France, very different- Yeah… than, than some of the
• 1:21:59
  things that we have here in the US, and, and coffee was one of them.
• 1:22:03
  Adam: Oui.
• 1:22:06
  Brandan: I will get to it, Adam, in the second half of the show.
• 1:22:09
  Adam: All right.
• 1:22:09
  Let's-
• 1:22:17
  Brandan: Kicking off the second half of the show.
• 1:22:18
  One thing that I, I wanted to, close the first half with, a question
• 1:22:23
  that I, I just wanted to ask you.
• 1:22:25
  Sure.
• 1:22:25
  Especially if we both have the Super Bowl prediction in mind but
• 1:22:29
  who do you wanna go up against?
• 1:22:31
  Adam: Don't care.
• 1:22:32
  Like, there, it's a- It's a…
• 1:22:34
  The AFC is not nearly as good as the NFC, again this year.
• 1:22:38
  So-
• 1:22:38
  Brandan: No, but I, I, I think that would be kinda cool if
• 1:22:42
  the team that we defeated…
• 1:22:44
  like- Okay… maybe I want more emotional damage for Ravens fans.
• 1:22:48
  Like, if we were, if the Ravens were to finally make it and, and get through
• 1:22:51
  the playoffs, get to the Super Bowl, like, how good would it be just to, to
• 1:22:54
  crush them with the guy that they could have had, even though th- they should
• 1:22:57
  be very happy to get there with Jesse Minter, then, as their head coach.
• 1:23:01
  Adam: No, that's, that's interesting.
• 1:23:02
  I, I do think, Ravens would be on my short list of AFC teams
• 1:23:06
  that my sports hate is high for, just always kinda has been.
• 1:23:09
  Brandan: Mm-hmm.
• 1:23:09
  Adam: No particular reason.
• 1:23:11
  other than Brian Billick.
• 1:23:12
  Just hated that guy.
• 1:23:14
  Didn't like
• 1:23:15
  Brandan: him.
• 1:23:15
  But you're an Ed Reed guy, you liked him.
• 1:23:17
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:23:17
  I mean, y- y- I'm a human.
• 1:23:20
  You know?
• 1:23:21
  Like, Ed Reed was awesome, no doubt.
• 1:23:23
  Yeah, he was.
• 1:23:23
  Just didn't like…
• 1:23:24
  Yeah.
• 1:23:24
  Brandan: Flacco had some good years there.
• 1:23:26
  Did you hate…
• 1:23:27
  You didn't hate Flacco.
• 1:23:28
  Adam: I was indifferent about Flacco.
• 1:23:30
  Brandan: Okay.
• 1:23:30
  Adam: I mean, he's just other Eli, right?
• 1:23:33
  But-
• 1:23:34
  Brandan: Sure
• 1:23:34
  … Adam: yeah, so, Ravens would be on that list.
• 1:23:36
  I guess, honestly, of all the teams, and this is so
• 1:23:41
  sports petty it's not funny.
• 1:23:42
  I, I would love to see Denver again.
• 1:23:45
  Ooh.
• 1:23:45
  I'd love to see Denver again, beat the brakes off them again, get to laugh
• 1:23:49
  in the face of Bronco Jarrett again.
• 1:23:51
  Oh my God, it'd be glorious.
• 1:23:54
  It was funny, he was out here just, like, two weekends ago.
• 1:23:56
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:23:56
  Adam: And, we were talking about Bo Nix's ankle.
• 1:23:59
  Uh-huh.
• 1:23:59
  And, he's like, "I'm so glad that happened."
• 1:24:01
  I was like, "Are you serious?"
• 1:24:02
  He's like, "Yeah."
• 1:24:03
  He's like, "We- there's no way we're beating you."
• 1:24:05
  Brandan: Oh.
• 1:24:06
  It
• 1:24:06
  Adam: wasn't happening.
• 1:24:07
  Brandan: He's…
• 1:24:08
  Just the, th- avoiding humiliation.
• 1:24:10
  He was glad- Yeah… that that, not, not so much glad that, Nix's ankle's gone.
• 1:24:16
  That's funny.
• 1:24:16
  He's gonna have to, Nix is gonna have to watch his ankles
• 1:24:18
  in week three against the Rams.
• 1:24:20
  Adam: Yeah, probably.
• 1:24:21
  but yeah, at the end of the day, that, that'd be one.
• 1:24:25
  Chargers maybe.
• 1:24:26
  Brandan: See, Chargers would be interesting because y- again
• 1:24:29
  you have the Harbaugh connection.
• 1:24:30
  Although- Yeah… that could get a little tired in the two weeks of media leading
• 1:24:34
  up to, you know, talking about, oh, Coach Mike and how he came from working for Jim
• 1:24:39
  and how, you know, Jay's, Jim's son.
• 1:24:42
  Mm.
• 1:24:42
  And that could, that could b- get a little bit old.
• 1:24:46
  But when you did bring up the Chargers, I did think that that would be
• 1:24:50
  been a fun team at least to defeat.
• 1:24:54
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:24:54
  here's my ridiculous one, if I'm gonna put it in there.
• 1:24:58
  Okay.
• 1:24:58
  Tennessee.
• 1:24:59
  Oh.
• 1:25:00
  Like, I would love to see another team-… with their second-year
• 1:25:03
  rookie, or their second-year quarterback, like, kinda overachieve
• 1:25:06
  and get there a couple years early.
• 1:25:08
  Brandan: Uh-huh.
• 1:25:08
  Adam: And then you can get there, and your Super Bowl is against the Rams.
• 1:25:12
  Then you beat the brakes off them, then you hoist another Lombardi
• 1:25:15
  and then you talk dynasty and wow.
• 1:25:17
  Yeah, I, I already like it.
• 1:25:19
  Yeah.
• 1:25:20
  Well, it- And you get to beat the [bleep] Chiefs every fall… it feels
• 1:25:20
  Brandan: a year early because their stadium's not finished Yeah, also too
• 1:25:24
  isn't that, isn't that what the NFL writes their script into for them for their
• 1:25:27
  first, season in their new stadium?
• 1:25:30
  Adam: Oh, that's a good point.
• 1:25:31
  I don't know, it just depends if they're gonna plan anymore for LI.
• 1:25:35
  Brandan: Yeah, well.
• 1:25:36
  Adam: Yeah, 'cause they're try- they're trying hard to script that
• 1:25:38
  one for, for the Rams here with, geriatric Donald coming back.
• 1:25:44
  Brandan: I'm still-
• 1:25:45
  Adam: I'm starting to talk [bleep] about it now.
• 1:25:47
  Like I don't care
• 1:25:49
  … Brandan: it, I, when I saw that salary, $20 million- Mm-hmm… for a dude who…
• 1:25:56
  I, that's obnoxious to me.
• 1:25:58
  That a guy who's out of football for two years- Mm-hmm… can come
• 1:26:03
  out and, and have, and the team is willing to go, "Oh, well
• 1:26:07
  we saw you practice really hard.
• 1:26:09
  Here's, here's 20 million with an opportunity to get 30."
• 1:26:14
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:26:14
  Brandan: It, it seems overly
• 1:26:19
  th- there's a word for it.
• 1:26:20
  whether it's ambitious, whether it's just, yeah it's, it's something.
• 1:26:29
  Adam: Let's say, th- well, let's put the shoe on the other foot.
• 1:26:31
  Let's say Cam had made it to, like, 31 and didn't have the neck
• 1:26:36
  thing, but just said retired.
• 1:26:38
  Brandan: Yeah, just retired at 31.
• 1:26:40
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:26:40
  Took two years off and decided to come back because Coach Mike was
• 1:26:44
  magically here now, and they were on a Super Bowl run and all that.
• 1:26:47
  And the Hawks were like, "Watch Cam Chancellor work out," and
• 1:26:51
  he's Cam freaking Chancellor, and you're like, "Sweet, we love you.
• 1:26:55
  Here, here's 20 mil."
• 1:26:56
  Would you be mad?
• 1:26:56
  Here's
• 1:26:57
  Brandan: top of the market money-
• 1:26:58
  Adam: Would you be mad?
• 1:26:59
  … Brandan: at your position.
• 1:27:00
  Adam: Would you be mad that Cam Chancellor does
• 1:27:02
  Brandan: that deal?
• 1:27:02
  As a fan I wouldn't be mad.
• 1:27:03
  No.
• 1:27:03
  But as a, a, as someone who watches football, I think that there's no way
• 1:27:08
  that that should legit actually work out.
• 1:27:11
  Adam: True.
• 1:27:12
  And maybe, one of the cracks in this whole thing, that we're gonna
• 1:27:15
  Brandan: hear- Because we saw it with Marshawn.
• 1:27:18
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:27:18
  No, you brought it up on the last show that we did.
• 1:27:20
  Yeah.
• 1:27:20
  It was a great comp.
• 1:27:21
  It was a great comp.
• 1:27:22
  Brandan: But it, it's, it's, it's a, well, great comp in terms of age, but-
• 1:27:28
  Adam: Just in philosophy.
• 1:27:29
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:27:30
  It, defensive line is different though.
• 1:27:32
  The, the- Yeah… the one, the one area to where, okay, where I
• 1:27:39
  would be more comfortable with it working would have been if Walter
• 1:27:43
  Jones was out for two years.
• 1:27:45
  Okay.
• 1:27:46
  Adam: Fair.
• 1:27:46
  Brandan: And, you know, say instead of Duane Brown, m- bringing-
• 1:27:51
  Yeah, well, well-… you know, bringing him in, the timeline- It
• 1:27:54
  had no consequences… would have to
• 1:27:55
  Adam: yeah.
• 1:27:55
  Brandan: Yes.
• 1:27:56
  Yeah.
• 1:27:56
  Let's, let's play pretend a little bit with the timeline.
• 1:27:59
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:28:00
  Brandan: But, yeah, you need a left tackle, and it's been two
• 1:28:04
  years, and Walter Jones says, "I, I need top of the market money."
• 1:28:09
  Then I, I could see it working
• 1:28:11
  Adam: It's not my money.
• 1:28:12
  I don't give a crap.
• 1:28:13
  Like
• 1:28:14
  Brandan: you know?
• 1:28:14
  But also it's Walter freaking Jones.
• 1:28:16
  Yeah.
• 1:28:16
  Like, the best dude at the position in, in-
• 1:28:20
  Adam: Generational
• 1:28:21
  … Brandan: this, that generation.
• 1:28:22
  Adam: Yeah, generational.
• 1:28:23
  Which is what Aaron Donald was.
• 1:28:25
  Brandan: And at the position where, yes, it's physical, but is it…
• 1:28:31
  It, it's not as reliant on speed and quickness as linebacker
• 1:28:35
  or safety necessarily.
• 1:28:37
  Adam: Not necessarily, but the difference between the average
• 1:28:41
  lineman and, like, the great lineman, like, they're all strong.
• 1:28:45
  Yeah.
• 1:28:46
  And, like, the best ones are the strongest.
• 1:28:48
  Don't get me s- don't get me wrong.
• 1:28:50
  Like, I mean, it matters to, to be strong.
• 1:28:53
  But the big difference is the quicks, and that, honestly too, for
• 1:28:57
  Aaron Donald, that's his, that's his, like, trump card, right?
• 1:29:01
  Or it had been back in the past.
• 1:29:03
  Not only was he a beast and strong, but he had those quicks and the get off, right?
• 1:29:07
  Right.
• 1:29:08
  Does he still have that?
• 1:29:09
  Like, I know you'll get Albert Breer out there, like, reporting, "Hey, wasn't
• 1:29:12
  gonna come back unless he could beat Aaron Donald" and, like, I don't know
• 1:29:16
  how many snaps this is gonna be, but he's gotta beat Ar- So if he's coming
• 1:29:18
  back, then he's still Aaron Donald.
• 1:29:20
  Yeah, okay, we'll see.
• 1:29:21
  I, I, I am dubious of this as being the slam dunk he's
• 1:29:30
  Aaron Donald again thing that everybody's penciling it in for.
• 1:29:34
  And also, at the end of the day, because again, back to sports hate- Look, there
• 1:29:39
  wasn't, there wasn't a time that I've been happier to see an opposing dude
• 1:29:44
  freaking retire than watching Aaron Donald finally ride off in the sunset.
• 1:29:48
  Good.
• 1:29:49
  Good riddance, [bleep].
• 1:29:51
  I'm so tired of you and everything about your 99.
• 1:29:55
  Like, I just…
• 1:29:56
  I, I'm, I'm over it.
• 1:29:58
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:29:58
  Adam: And now you're back to terrorize me one more time and to make
• 1:30:02
  it so that, your stupid LA Rams get all of the freaking shine yet again?
• 1:30:07
  Seriously, [bleep].
• 1:30:10
  I am so done with it.
• 1:30:12
  Brandan: The only guy that I'm going to be more happy about moving on is when
• 1:30:17
  Calais Campbell finally decides to retire.
• 1:30:20
  Adam: Dude, he, he's been around so much to so many
• 1:30:22
  different teams that, like, at this point, it's nothing but love.
• 1:30:26
  Hey, there you go.
• 1:30:27
  There's the dude who overcame the sports hate, so maybe that's
• 1:30:29
  what, Cup's gonna have to do.
• 1:30:31
  Brandan: To where he just sticks around long enough that you're like, "Oh-
• 1:30:34
  Yeah… I re- I respect your longevity."
• 1:30:36
  Adam: And plays for, like, 18 teams, so he's not
• 1:30:38
  really, you know, for one team.
• 1:30:40
  You
• 1:30:40
  Brandan: don't think of him as a Cardinal necessarily anymore?
• 1:30:43
  Adam: No.
• 1:30:44
  No, I think of him more as a…
• 1:30:46
  That's a good question.
• 1:30:48
  Raven, I guess?
• 1:30:49
  Brandan: Maybe.
• 1:30:50
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:30:50
  Brandan: Jaguar?
• 1:30:53
  Adam: who?
• 1:30:55
  Yeah
• 1:30:55
  Brandan: Exactly
• 1:30:56
  Adam: I don't think about anything on the, on the Jaguars.
• 1:30:59
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:30:59
  Well, it- one thing I have been thinking about is our new ownership
• 1:31:04
  group, how that could have an impact.
• 1:31:05
  Because going back and listening to a little bit of John Schneider and talking
• 1:31:10
  about what, the, the new ownership group brings, it, it was interesting
• 1:31:17
  to, to hear him list three things.
• 1:31:20
  Because when they talked about the use of like AI and how that could
• 1:31:24
  be involved, and you're thinking…
• 1:31:26
  I guess when I think about how teams might use AI, it's kind of like through
• 1:31:29
  well, trying to dia- diagnose what trends in play calling and that sort of thing.
• 1:31:35
  But the three things that, and maybe this is just because this is where GM
• 1:31:38
  brain goes, but it's through the medical field, scouting, and then coaching was
• 1:31:43
  the number three thing that he listed.
• 1:31:45
  Hmm.
• 1:31:45
  And I, I do…
• 1:31:49
  Having the new ownership- It, so I, I just, I'm curious of how it will have an
• 1:31:55
  impact and, and if we notice anything.
• 1:31:59
  Because I, I think the thing that the main people, the main thing people
• 1:32:03
  hit on was that, the owner came out and said that, you know, he still watches
• 1:32:06
  Steelers game, which I, it, it makes complete sense to me that as an owner of
• 1:32:12
  the 49ers you would continue to watch a team that's, I don't know, at least worth
• 1:32:16
  watching in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
• 1:32:18
  So the, the fact that he remained a, a guy who would watch the Steelers
• 1:32:22
  on a phonetic level, like that, that just made sense to me hearing it.
• 1:32:26
  Adam: Sure.
• 1:32:26
  And also too, like I'll give him some credit for like keeping his fandom
• 1:32:31
  aligned, like for, for a lifetime.
• 1:32:34
  You know, I've only had one switch.
• 1:32:36
  so-
• 1:32:38
  Brandan: You would make that switch if you bought a team, I would think.
• 1:32:41
  Adam: Well, I think, you know, two things can be true at the same time.
• 1:32:43
  I- in, you know, A- AFC, different co- conference and all that, right?
• 1:32:48
  Yeah.
• 1:32:48
  So you know, that can be your AFC team and the Hawks are your NFC
• 1:32:51
  team, and then, or n- not just your NFC team, but like your team.
• 1:32:58
  But, yeah, I, I think that can all be just fine.
• 1:33:02
  I, I don't care.
• 1:33:04
  I, I'll put it to you like that.
• 1:33:05
  I, I don't care that the AFC- I
• 1:33:07
  Brandan: don't think anybody cared.
• 1:33:08
  I think that the re- Some people cared… well, I think that the care comes from
• 1:33:13
  the idea that this is your announcement as the owner of the team, and that's gonna
• 1:33:20
  be something that you bring up in the…
• 1:33:21
  Like you didn't have to tell us that.
• 1:33:23
  Oh, so you're not asked?
• 1:33:25
  You could just say that, you could just say that, you know, "I've been a fan of
• 1:33:27
  football for a re- really long time."
• 1:33:29
  Adam: Yeah, you probably can.
• 1:33:30
  Brandan: And bec- because with it being the Steelers, had it been an AFC team
• 1:33:35
  like had he come out and said, "Oh yeah, I've been a, a longtime Chargers fan,"
• 1:33:39
  like I don't think it would have, connected with Seahawks fans the way of
• 1:33:43
  him saying that he was a Steelers fan.
• 1:33:45
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:33:45
  No, and I get that.
• 1:33:46
  It, look, and I'm not even as mad at the Steelers as I am at the other
• 1:33:51
  team we played in that Super Bowl that wore, b- white and black
• 1:33:54
  rather than,… yellow and black.
• 1:33:56
  But, tho- those are the people I'm more, frustrated with.
• 1:34:00
  But, yeah, at the end of the day, I, I mean, I can see why
• 1:34:03
  it'd get under some people's skin.
• 1:34:05
  also too, like I don't think we're gonna talk about Vinod like hardly at all.
• 1:34:11
  Like it sounds like, you know, his son Neil and, you know, his wife obviously-
• 1:34:17
  Yeah… the, the controlling partner
• 1:34:18
  Brandan: or whatever.
• 1:34:19
  She's the controlling owner, and it does seem like Neil is
• 1:34:21
  going to be the, the dude who's-
• 1:34:23
  Adam: Hands-on
• 1:34:24
  … Brandan: like involved with the, the team more so.
• 1:34:26
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:34:26
  It w- we'll s- hard tell and not knowing.
• 1:34:28
  We'll see how it goes.
• 1:34:29
  I- I, I think it'll be just fine.
• 1:34:32
  Like, I, I just, I haven't wasted, wasted is the wrong word.
• 1:34:36
  I haven't spent too much, brain space on the Khoslas and what the
• 1:34:41
  ownership change means and all that.
• 1:34:44
  Brandan: No, that's gonna be something that- But there'll be things that-
• 1:34:47
  not to worry about it, but just to be aware of where it could impact, and-
• 1:34:52
  Yeah… it, there's, it's very possible that it only impacts in good ways.
• 1:34:57
  Adam: For sure.
• 1:34:57
  And look, at the end of the day, we've had a change of ownership
• 1:35:01
  during this John Schneider era now.
• 1:35:04
  Brandan: Yeah, from Paul to Jody.
• 1:35:06
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:35:07
  And while that was familial, and so you'd think there'd be similar
• 1:35:11
  thinking there, I'm not gonna worry much about it until John has
• 1:35:16
  decided that he's done being a Hall of Fame GM for the Seattle Seahawks.
• 1:35:20
  We're lucky.
• 1:35:20
  Brandan: I like the idea that he's already tr- you don't think of the training
• 1:35:24
  going in the direction of the general manager to the owner, but I, I kind
• 1:35:28
  of think that that, Yeah… that could have been there, especially for
• 1:35:32
  the, the Paul to Jody transition of, you know, this is, these are the things
• 1:35:36
  that, as the general manager, I, I am, the information that I'm giving you to
• 1:35:40
  where these are the decisions that I, I want you to be in on type of thing.
• 1:35:45
  Yeah.
• 1:35:45
  and yeah, having that background of, of GM'ing, I, I feel like that
• 1:35:53
  can, can, the training can go more in that direction than the overr- more of
• 1:35:58
  the wanting to be a, a, an owner who overreaches into what the team's doing.
• 1:36:04
  Adam: Also too, I'd be more worried if we were like the Panthers, right?
• 1:36:08
  And new- Mm-hmm
• 1:36:09
  ownership comes in, and you've just been a dumpster fire
• 1:36:11
  forever, so they're like- But
• 1:36:12
  Brandan: we know how to fix it
• 1:36:12
  … " Adam: Load up, I'm gonna do all sorts of things.
• 1:36:14
  I'm gonna fix this."
• 1:36:15
  Like, instead, we've got a championship train on the tracks.
• 1:36:19
  And so when you buy that team, you just go, "Yeah, man, yeah, keep being awesome."
• 1:36:25
  That, that'd be great.
• 1:36:26
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:36:27
  Adam: Make me money.
• 1:36:29
  Brandan: Keep being awesome.
• 1:36:31
  Yeah.
• 1:36:31
  Just like the show.
• 1:36:33
  Adam: Sure.
• 1:36:36
  Brandan: We want our executive producers to keep being awesome.
• 1:36:39
  We've got DC8, we've got Ryan Peterson, our YouTube live executive producer.
• 1:36:44
  We've got Lisa Carlson, and we've got, on the executive producer
• 1:36:49
  list, Adam, Dave Blomquist.
• 1:36:51
  Adam: Oh, Bloomy.
• 1:36:52
  So
• 1:36:53
  Brandan: I, I'm putting Bloomy there because he hosted me
• 1:36:56
  when I- Yep… I made the trip out to France this past week.
• 1:36:59
  Yep.
• 1:36:59
  And I, I haven't talked a- about it really on the show, but my daughter
• 1:37:03
  got, a, a, a assistant teaching gig there essentially in France.
• 1:37:09
  And, so yeah, I got to, to chauffeur, that's a French
• 1:37:13
  word, chauffeur out- Bloomy
• 1:37:15
  to, to France.
• 1:37:16
  And, got to meet up with Bloomy and, and, yeah.
• 1:37:20
  Had a good time.
• 1:37:21
  Do you, Adam-
• 1:37:22
  Adam: Mm-hmm
• 1:37:22
  … Brandan: you know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France?
• 1:37:25
  Adam: A Royale with cheese.
• 1:37:26
  Brandan: Royale with cheese.
• 1:37:27
  Do you know what they call a double Quarter Pounder with cheese?
• 1:37:30
  Adam: your mom.
• 1:37:32
  Brandan: Chicago style.
• 1:37:33
  Adam: How is that Chicago style?
• 1:37:35
  Brandan: I have no idea, but when we, you drive through the countryside in
• 1:37:39
  France, and you see the McDonald's ads there just like you see the McDonald's
• 1:37:42
  ads here, and, they advertise a Chicago style burger, which is a
• 1:37:47
  Double Quarter Pounder with cheese.
• 1:37:49
  Adam: Okay, fair enough.
• 1:37:51
  Brandan: My biggest regret in France-
• 1:37:53
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:37:54
  … Brandan: not trying the gas station baguettes
• 1:37:57
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:37:58
  It, that's gotta be their, like, version of gas station sushi, right?
• 1:38:03
  Brandan: That, well, that's what turned me off of it, because you walk into the
• 1:38:06
  gas station and, and the gas stations over there, especially off of, like, the
• 1:38:09
  main interstate, they're just like the…
• 1:38:11
  going into a Love's or a, you know, one of the big time- Sure
• 1:38:14
  gas station where you see…
• 1:38:15
  And, but yeah, just loaves of bread sticking out of
• 1:38:20
  the little paper containers.
• 1:38:22
  And it was so novel that I, I felt like I should try it, but it also seemed like…
• 1:38:28
  I, I wondered if it was more gas station sushi, and so I just, I
• 1:38:31
  wish I would've tried it to know.
• 1:38:34
  Adam: Do you think that a gas station baguette carries the same
• 1:38:37
  health risks as gas station sushi?
• 1:38:39
  'Cause I'm gonna go with no.
• 1:38:40
  Brandan: It, it can't be.
• 1:38:41
  There's n- 0%- No… chance that it is.
• 1:38:44
  i- it's probably, it's probably even less of a health risk than a
• 1:38:50
  eight-hour hot dog at the gas station that's been there on the, the h- warmer.
• 1:38:55
  Adam: Mm, it might be more than that, because that's a 0% health risk.
• 1:38:58
  Because if you have a hot dog on the rollers for eight hours, there ain't
• 1:39:01
  nothing alive inside of that thing.
• 1:39:03
  Like, all you're getting is a, a crunchy piece of sodium.
• 1:39:07
  Yeah.
• 1:39:08
  Brandan: Maybe.
• 1:39:09
  Adam: Mm-hmm.
• 1:39:09
  Brandan: they did have mango, Pepsi Zero.
• 1:39:14
  Adam: Nope.
• 1:39:15
  Brandan: It was not good.
• 1:39:16
  Adam: Yeah, well, I'm sure.
• 1:39:18
  Brandan: but the things that I…
• 1:39:20
  that were way better about France-
• 1:39:23
  Adam: Okay
• 1:39:23
  … Brandan: Coke Zero.
• 1:39:25
  So you hate
• 1:39:25
  Adam: America now.
• 1:39:26
  That's fine.
• 1:39:27
  Okay.
• 1:39:27
  Brandan: Well, I'll tell you the things that I hate- Yeah
• 1:39:28
  about America now.
• 1:39:29
  Coke Zero, here, is not good compared to the Coke Zero
• 1:39:34
  in Europe, or in France, at least.
• 1:39:35
  Adam: Better Coke Zero?
• 1:39:36
  Brandan: Better Coke Zero.
• 1:39:37
  Adam: Yeah, that, that makes some sense because didn't they pass, like
• 1:39:40
  some laws about the sugar in the-
• 1:39:41
  Brandan: Yeah… soda?
• 1:39:42
  'Cause better zero sugar Red Bull, too.
• 1:39:44
  Mm.
• 1:39:44
  The sugar-free Red Bull over there, way better.
• 1:39:47
  Adam: Is there, is there a good version of those?
• 1:39:50
  Brandan: the…
• 1:39:50
  You would…
• 1:39:51
  I think you would be surprised.
• 1:39:52
  I think you would like- They taste like-… the sugar-free Red Bull.
• 1:39:54
  Adam: They taste like the Dennis or Swish.
• 1:39:56
  Brandan: That's what I'm- They taste like- That's why I was so surprised.
• 1:39:59
  I was like, "Oh, this tastes good."
• 1:40:01
  Adam: Okay.
• 1:40:01
  Brandan: This is a good flavor now.
• 1:40:02
  Adam: Well, you usually drink those, so I figured-
• 1:40:04
  Brandan: I do… you'd like them if you like, yeah… and I, I was disappointed
• 1:40:06
  when I drank it over there and I was like, "Oh, this is so much better," 'cause I'm
• 1:40:09
  not gonna, you know, haul cases home.
• 1:40:12
  Adam: How much of a tariff do you think you're gonna have to pay
• 1:40:14
  to import that, French- I s-
• 1:40:16
  you know-
• 1:40:17
  Brandan: I'll let you know once I-
• 1:40:18
  … Adam: Red Bull Zero?
• 1:40:19
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:40:20
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:40:21
  Brandan: Once I, once I do that.
• 1:40:21
  Adam: But is it worth it?
• 1:40:23
  Brandan: I don't know if it is.
• 1:40:24
  It, it's not that much different that it might be worth it- Okay… but-
• 1:40:26
  Adam: All right… it
• 1:40:28
  Brandan: might be.
• 1:40:29
  Adam: Well, I really enjoy that you used your daughter as cover
• 1:40:32
  to go and hang out with Bloomy-
• 1:40:34
  and, bring him back
• 1:40:36
  Brandan: on board.
• 1:40:36
  Oh, the coffee.
• 1:40:36
  The, the coffee- Yeah… is the one thing that I wanted to get to too
• 1:40:38
  because, Ooh… when they bring you, like, when you order a latte-
• 1:40:42
  Adam: Mm-hmm
• 1:40:43
  … Brandan: you, you can drink it as soon as it gets to your table.
• 1:40:46
  Adam: Now, see?
• 1:40:47
  They get it.
• 1:40:48
  They absolutely get it.
• 1:40:50
  Because this is my number one [bleep] about coffee.
• 1:40:53
  Anywhere you get it, especially if you're not, like, somebody who likes to get
• 1:40:56
  a bunch of cream or stuff that, like, kinda cools it off naturally, right?
• 1:41:00
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:41:00
  Adam: if you just get a regular cup of coffee, if it burns your hand
• 1:41:03
  it should burn your [bleep] tongue.
• 1:41:06
  Like, you, you shouldn't have asbestos tongue.
• 1:41:09
  Like, that's, that's not a thing.
• 1:41:10
  Like- Yeah… like, I thought McDonald's lady proved that with
• 1:41:12
  her, like, little lawsuit, you know?
• 1:41:14
  Yeah.
• 1:41:15
  Brandan: Oh, I should've tried McDonald's coffee to see if…
• 1:41:17
  That would've been the true test.
• 1:41:18
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:41:19
  Brandan: Is if McDonald's coffee was drinkable right out of
• 1:41:23
  the, out of the pot there.
• 1:41:26
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:41:26
  Mm.
• 1:41:26
  That would've been interesting.
• 1:41:27
  All
• 1:41:28
  Brandan: right.
• 1:41:28
  So, yeah, that was- Well, now I have to go back.
• 1:41:29
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:41:29
  Now m-
• 1:41:30
  Brandan: Now I have to go hang out with Bloomy again.
• 1:41:31
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:41:32
  So I, I've traveled with a, a handful of dudes, for wheel
• 1:41:35
  grinds over the years, right?
• 1:41:36
  And I'd always order my coffee, be like, you know, "Large coffee, black," with
• 1:41:40
  just a little bit of ice to cool it up.
• 1:41:42
  Brandan: Mm-hmm.
• 1:41:43
  Adam: And they'd all make fun of me and sure, I'm a
• 1:41:45
  princess about it, that's fine.
• 1:41:47
  But, like at the end of the day, like, after about six months
• 1:41:51
  traveling together and all that, guess what everybody else started doing?
• 1:41:54
  Brandan: Uh-huh.
• 1:41:55
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:41:55
  Because it's genius.
• 1:41:56
  Because I wanna drink my coffee now.
• 1:41:58
  It's my coffee and I want it now.
• 1:42:01
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:42:01
  And that makes it drinkable now.
• 1:42:03
  Adam: That's right.
• 1:42:03
  And so, I'm proud of the French for figuring that out.
• 1:42:07
  Brandan: Maybe they've been doing it all along, and we're the-
• 1:42:09
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:42:10
  … Brandan: the, the screwed up country when it comes to drinking coffee right away.
• 1:42:14
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:42:14
  Doesn't, isn't it Europe that doesn't believe in ice, though?
• 1:42:17
  Brandan: Yes.
• 1:42:18
  Adam: Okay.
• 1:42:20
  Brandan: But they s- use, they still keep their drinks in the cooler
• 1:42:24
  Adam: Gotcha
• 1:42:25
  Brandan: But regardless, a big thanks to Dave for, yeah
• 1:42:30
  letting me, putting me up at his house and, taking me out to eat.
• 1:42:34
  And I, I said, "You know what?
• 1:42:35
  If, if you're not gonna let me pay for dinner one of these times, you're gonna
• 1:42:39
  be an executive producer of the show."
• 1:42:40
  Adam: Oh, for sure.
• 1:42:41
  Look, it, don't feel bad about it though, because the CIA puts them up
• 1:42:44
  in nice houses-… and they, they give him a really nice wage, you know?
• 1:42:49
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:42:49
  Adam: Like.
• 1:42:50
  Brandan: I, I think I did find out that it's Heather who's part of the CIA, not…
• 1:42:53
  That he's just along for the ride.
• 1:42:55
  Adam: Dude, that's even better for his deal.
• 1:42:56
  No, none of the work and all the bennies?
• 1:42:59
  That's awesome.
• 1:43:00
  Congratulations to Dave.
• 1:43:01
  Heather
• 1:43:01
  Brandan: is awesome, by the way.
• 1:43:02
  Adam: Oh, I'm sure she is.
• 1:43:03
  I'm sure she is.
• 1:43:04
  That, she would have to be, 'cause, 'cause Dave's awesome.
• 1:43:07
  We've been missing you, Dave.
• 1:43:08
  I'm, I'm glad that, I'm glad that, you guys had a good time together.
• 1:43:12
  It sounded awesome.
• 1:43:13
  Brandan: Another person who is awesome, who I listed among the
• 1:43:16
  executive producers, Lisa Carlson, giving us a raise in at the
• 1:43:19
  executive producer $90 a month level.
• 1:43:22
  Holy Hannah.
• 1:43:22
  So appreciated that from Lisa.
• 1:43:24
  Adam: Yeah, man.
• 1:43:25
  They, Lisa, Greg, you guys are fantastic.
• 1:43:27
  hopefully you're getting some of that CIA money too to help offset that.
• 1:43:33
  Brandan: We also got Lee Rydberg in at $60 for the year.
• 1:43:37
  And Lee says, "Been a s- been a listener for many years, but Adam's
• 1:43:41
  Better At Life about the Flock camera guy earned my annual subscription again."
• 1:43:46
  "Best Seahawks pod ever, and always coming down on the right side of history.
• 1:43:50
  Looking forward to running it forward this season, and fortuitously busting
• 1:43:54
  our way to another Super Bowl.
• 1:43:56
  You guys rule.
• 1:43:57
  Go Hawks.
• 1:43:58
  P.S.
• 1:43:59
  Keep the Hard Knocks commentary episodes going."
• 1:44:02
  By the time you hear this, Hard Knocks will have ended
• 1:44:05
  but, We're gonna miss it
• 1:44:06
  a big thanks to you, Lee.
• 1:44:07
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:44:08
  No, appreciate you a ton, Lee.
• 1:44:09
  I'm glad that, you found the, necessity and humor in the
• 1:44:15
  dude in Arizona who took out his city council over the Flock thing.
• 1:44:19
  That was great.
• 1:44:21
  Brandan: Also, welcome back to Josh Hight, who is in at 12.12
• 1:44:26
  and, we're gonna be seeing Josh DeHooman from Discord, at the game.
• 1:44:31
  Oh, yeah.
• 1:44:31
  'Cause we're gonna be going to the Patriots game next week.
• 1:44:33
  And, still have a few tickets left.
• 1:44:36
  I know Josh got one of 'em.
• 1:44:37
  And, yeah, if you go to getintheflock.com
• 1:44:40
  you're gonna get a ticket.
• 1:44:42
  You're gonna get to…
• 1:44:43
  Tuesday night…
• 1:44:44
  And let us know if you're coming, though.
• 1:44:46
  Tuesday night we got reservations at 13 Coins.
• 1:44:49
  This is the first time that we, that we paid for, the
• 1:44:52
  actual room, the reserve room for dinner, the night- Oh, we
• 1:44:56
  Adam: fancy like.
• 1:44:56
  Brandan: I know.
• 1:44:57
  Well, okay, I have to be honest.
• 1:44:59
  I, I may not have done it, but, Lisa did say it's their anniversary.
• 1:45:04
  Adam: Oh.
• 1:45:04
  Brandan: And so I, I thought, "You know what?
• 1:45:06
  For a long time Flocker, and now executive producer- We gotta do it
• 1:45:10
  we, we gotta pony up for our executive producers that- I
• 1:45:12
  love it… support us."
• 1:45:14
  Adam: No, this is gonna be sweet.
• 1:45:15
  But yeah, man.
• 1:45:16
  It's gonna be- If all that sounds cool to you guys-
• 1:45:18
  Brandan: 13 Coins.
• 1:45:19
  Yeah… the, the, and tailgate with Tracy.
• 1:45:21
  That's right.
• 1:45:22
  And, she's got the new tailgate spot that we were there for…
• 1:45:25
  If anybody came out for the NFC Championship game, it's
• 1:45:28
  gonna be at that same spot.
• 1:45:29
  So we'll be tailgating with Tracy.
• 1:45:32
  And, there's game- other games day stuff going on, too.
• 1:45:36
  I think some of us are thinking about going to the Mariners.
• 1:45:38
  I got, a few tickets 'cause…
• 1:45:41
  Is it Luke Bryan?
• 1:45:42
  Is that the, the guy who's gonna be playing in the parking lot?
• 1:45:46
  I don't
• 1:45:46
  Adam: know.
• 1:45:47
  Country guy
• 1:45:47
  Brandan: who?
• 1:45:47
  I, I, I thought maybe a country guy you would know him.
• 1:45:49
  Adam: I know the name, and if you…
• 1:45:51
  I, I'm just, I'm just, I, I'm not good at the music trivia-
• 1:45:55
  Okay… and names and all that.
• 1:45:56
  Like, I, I, I don't.
• 1:45:58
  Like- I thought you knew some country… you play the song…
• 1:45:59
  Well, I mean, I do.
• 1:46:00
  I know the songs.
• 1:46:01
  Yeah.
• 1:46:01
  So if you play a song, I'd be like, "Oh, yeah, I know that song."
• 1:46:03
  "Well, who sung it?"
• 1:46:04
  that one guy.
• 1:46:06
  Brandan: That guy.
• 1:46:06
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:46:07
  It just…
• 1:46:07
  I, I have to keep room in my brain for, how many potential yards
• 1:46:12
  that Elijah Arroyo is gonna
• 1:46:13
  Brandan: Right… have this year.
• 1:46:14
  Yeah.
• 1:46:14
  Good, good point.
• 1:46:15
  Yeah, so Luke Bryan, I do have a few tickets for the, the kickoff of that
• 1:46:19
  That'd be cool… kickoff concert.
• 1:46:21
  And, and then we'll probably get together after the game, too
• 1:46:24
  depending on, I don't know- For sure
• 1:46:26
  if, if we're worn out or not, but, yeah.
• 1:46:29
  Adam: I will be.
• 1:46:30
  Yeah.
• 1:46:30
  And I'll, I'll [bleep] and moan, but, like, yeah.
• 1:46:33
  Brandan: We might just go back to the tailgate spot
• 1:46:34
  after the game and, and hang.
• 1:46:35
  That might work
• 1:46:36
  Adam: good.
• 1:46:36
  That might work good.
• 1:46:38
  Brandan: So, getintheflock.com
• 1:46:40
  we still have some tickets left, and, should be a good time.
• 1:46:43
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:46:44
  Can't wait to see all you little Flockers there as we drop the
• 1:46:46
  championship banners and, embarrass, Cheat and Vrabel again.
• 1:46:51
  That'll, that'll be, that'll be fun.
• 1:46:53
  Brandan: Oh, shout-out to a couple new YouTube members, too, that
• 1:46:55
  I saw, The Hawk's Eye podcast.
• 1:46:57
  We got Juan Adame and Chris "Smokehawk" Nelson as new YouTube members.
• 1:47:03
  Adam: Hell, yeah.
• 1:47:04
  That's awesome, man.
• 1:47:04
  Appreciate you guys.
• 1:47:06
  And, yeah, if you're do- if you are watching this on the
• 1:47:08
  YouTube, yeah, become a member.
• 1:47:10
  be sure to do the like-ski, the subscribe-ski, all that good stuff.
• 1:47:15
  And, there's also the hype-ski.
• 1:47:17
  Brandan: Oh, yeah.
• 1:47:18
  Adam: Yeah, you can do
• 1:47:18
  Brandan: that.
• 1:47:19
  The, the hype-ski button.
• 1:47:19
  That, I like that…
• 1:47:21
  Now, this is not just, just to get everybody to go and press the like button.
• 1:47:25
  Yeah.
• 1:47:26
  But, now on YouTube, when you click the like button, I, I
• 1:47:29
  saw a little football, a little spirally football show up.
• 1:47:32
  Adam: No.
• 1:47:32
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:47:33
  You gotta go try it.
• 1:47:35
  Adam: Wow, that's pretty cool.
• 1:47:36
  I don't usually like our own videos, but, like, maybe I'll have to do that
• 1:47:40
  just so I can see that beautiful spiral.
• 1:47:42
  Yeah.
• 1:47:42
  How many, can I have as many RPMs on it as Sam Darnold puts on it?
• 1:47:45
  Brandan: No.
• 1:47:45
  There's zero chance that it had that many.
• 1:47:49
  Adam: Zero chance.
• 1:47:49
  Can't spin it like Sam, but hit the like button anyway.
• 1:47:52
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:47:52
  Well, maybe if it…
• 1:47:53
  Maybe what you try doing is, spamming it and to see if you
• 1:47:56
  can get it as fast as Sam's ball.
• 1:47:58
  Adam: That's really gonna confuse the algo, though.
• 1:48:00
  Like-… you're just, like, liking, unliking, liking, unliking.
• 1:48:04
  Brandan: Yeah, maybe.
• 1:48:07
  All right, we got, some e-mail, Adam, from Hugh.
• 1:48:10
  Oh, sweet.
• 1:48:10
  The, the father of our overlord says, "Hi Brandan and Adam, supporters of
• 1:48:16
  the reigning Super Bowl champions.
• 1:48:19
  I have really enjoyed watching the anointing of the Lambs as
• 1:48:22
  the next Super Bowl champions by the vast majority of the media.
• 1:48:27
  I would imagine Coach Mike and the rest of the team will not find it hard
• 1:48:30
  to motivate the players this year.
• 1:48:32
  If I were them, I would just have a wall of press cuttings in the VMAX
• 1:48:36
  showing every article, forgetting about them and allowing them to
• 1:48:40
  prove everyone wrong once again.
• 1:48:43
  I really don't understand then feeling that we will be vastly different.
• 1:48:47
  Yes, on the offensive side of the ball we have lost Kubiak and Walker
• 1:48:51
  but we have gained an OC from similar stock, which will give us
• 1:48:55
  consistence- consistency whilst hopefully building on what went before.
• 1:49:00
  Clearly John and Mike have learnt from the Grubb hire and gone back
• 1:49:04
  to a solid NFL coach with experience rather than the land of unicorns
• 1:49:08
  and fairies where Grubb resided.
• 1:49:10
  With regards to losing Walker, yes, he was excellent in the position
• 1:49:15
  or excellent in the postseason when Sharps went out injured.
• 1:49:19
  But also, I always hear that running backs have little to no value as they
• 1:49:23
  aren't important in the modern NFL.
• 1:49:24
  So why do these two moves make us so much weaker?
• 1:49:28
  On the defensive side of the ball, we lost our third-best corner, our
• 1:49:31
  third-best safety, and our fourth-best edge, but evidently this is going
• 1:49:36
  to torpedo us for the next season.
• 1:49:38
  I think not.
• 1:49:39
  The most important part is we still have Coach Mike, who it would appear
• 1:49:44
  is a bonafide defensive genius.
• 1:49:47
  I don't see an Eagles style slump.
• 1:49:49
  I see us running it back forward and everywhere possible.
• 1:49:53
  For the UK listeners especially, who remember Kevin Keegan from the '90s, I
• 1:49:57
  would love it, love it if we beat them.
• 1:50:00
  If you've never seen it, look at this famous football manager
• 1:50:02
  interview/rant up on YouTube.
• 1:50:05
  Have an awesome day, from Hugh."
• 1:50:07
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:50:07
  Already having an awesome day, Hugh, hearing from you, man.
• 1:50:10
  you may have been confused which, podcast you're writing into when
• 1:50:14
  you use highbrow words like whilst.
• 1:50:17
  Or, or like, that, that was, that was impressive and
• 1:50:21
  thank you for making me feel dumb.
• 1:50:22
  but your, your email, spot on, bud.
• 1:50:26
  Like, we completely agree.
• 1:50:28
  Brandan: Well, and speaking of Hugh and the father of
• 1:50:31
  the Pick 'Em League overlord-
• 1:50:32
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:50:32
  … Brandan: the Pick 'Em League is back this year.
• 1:50:34
  The link is up at SeahawkersPodcast.com.
• 1:50:37
  So if you wanna get in and, you know, find out what time of the
• 1:50:42
  off-season, if it's gonna be this off-season, next off-season when
• 1:50:45
  you get your Pick 'Em League award, maybe, maybe I'll surprise you and
• 1:50:48
  do it right in the week that you win.
• 1:50:50
  We- you'll just have to wait and find out.
• 1:50:52
  But- Yeah… you can only do that if you go and get in our Pick 'Em
• 1:50:55
  League at SeahawkersPodcast.com.
• 1:50:57
  Adam: Do it.
• 1:50:57
  It's a great time.
• 1:50:58
  Also, I think there's a bet on Calci, for the over under of how many
• 1:51:02
  weeks that I remember to put in picks.
• 1:51:04
  I think it's at, like, five and a half right now is the over under You know
• 1:51:09
  th- that's, that's reasonable.
• 1:51:10
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:51:12
  F- see, the, the trick is though this year, is if you have any grinding gigs.
• 1:51:16
  'Cause it would always be the week that- I know… you have a grinding
• 1:51:18
  gig on the weekend, that that would be the week that would derail your picks
• 1:51:22
  for the entire rest of the season.
• 1:51:24
  Adam: Well, if I do end up having to do a wheel grind, it's gonna be max one.
• 1:51:30
  But Bronco Jared has taken over all that, and- Okay… he is, he's kicking
• 1:51:34
  butt and taking names, making sparks.
• 1:51:36
  So, yeah, I'm very excited to say that I haven't had to grind a
• 1:51:42
  wheel in a very long time, and that, you know, all of our Goldsworks
• 1:51:46
  endeavors on the woodworking end of the things has been, just gangbusters.
• 1:51:51
  We can't make- Oh… enough stuff to, keep up and
• 1:51:54
  Brandan: So you're not even filling up the website?
• 1:51:57
  Adam: Oh, God, no.
• 1:51:58
  No, I, I, I don't have time to.
• 1:52:00
  Like, I mean, we're gonna, we're gonna finish up some stuff tomorrow
• 1:52:03
  and it'll be gone on Wednesday.
• 1:52:05
  Brandan: Okay.
• 1:52:05
  Yeah.
• 1:52:06
  Well, okay, for the flock who wants stuff like that, the only
• 1:52:09
  way you get it is if you go to Phillipsburg, Farmer's Market.
• 1:52:12
  Adam: No, you just shoot me a message and be like, "I want something like
• 1:52:15
  this, and, i- in roughly this color."
• 1:52:17
  And we'll make it up, and if it gives you the fizz, it's yours.
• 1:52:21
  If you…
• 1:52:21
  And you can buy it.
• 1:52:22
  If after we make it you're like, "No, that wasn't exactly what I wanted," no worries.
• 1:52:26
  We'll just put it out for sale and, we'll sell it that way.
• 1:52:29
  So if there is anything on, on your radar that you're looking for with
• 1:52:35
  a little wood epoxy goodness, yeah, hit us up at, goldsworksmt.com.
• 1:52:40
  And, yeah.
• 1:52:41
  So there's a impromptu ad that I didn't plan.
• 1:52:44
  Brandan: May- maybe Goldsworks needs to sponsor the Pick 'Em League, and so
• 1:52:48
  we have weekly prizes from Goldsworks.
• 1:52:49
  Oh, my
• 1:52:50
  Adam: God, that's a genius idea.
• 1:52:52
  Yeah.
• 1:52:54
  Brandan: Then I can, I can farm out the weekly prizes to
• 1:52:57
  to this, amazing company.
• 1:52:59
  Adam: That's right.
• 1:53:00
  And, Brittany will hate me because, she'll have to do the, the epoxy
• 1:53:04
  work on all that and- 'Cause she's already, she's already bowed out.
• 1:53:09
  N- just once a week, babe.
• 1:53:11
  Just once a week, just for the Pick 'Em week.
• 1:53:12
  Brandan: Some bottle openers.
• 1:53:13
  Come on.
• 1:53:14
  Adam: S- some bottle openers.
• 1:53:15
  Nothing hard.
• 1:53:18
  She just grunted, I think, so.
• 1:53:19
  Brandan: All right.
• 1:53:20
  Well, maybe we got our answer.
• 1:53:21
  But, you find out by winning week one what, your
• 1:53:24
  prize- Yeah… is this season.
• 1:53:25
  Actually, I was thinking about getting some, Super Bowl programs this year.
• 1:53:29
  Adam: Ooh, that'd be, that'd be sweet.
• 1:53:32
  Yeah, 'cause you're gonna need-
• 1:53:33
  Brandan: I don't know
• 1:53:33
  Adam: if it's-… the first in the trilogy- Yeah… when they
• 1:53:35
  when they win three in a row here.
• 1:53:36
  Brandan: Yeah, so just collect them all and start with the, the one that…
• 1:53:42
  But I, I too, I wonder how many people got the Super Bowl program from last year.
• 1:53:46
  Is that something people- Oh, not, not this guy
• 1:53:47
  have collected
• 1:53:47
  Adam: yet?
• 1:53:48
  Not this guy.
• 1:53:49
  But I, I don't, I don't keep memorabilia like that.
• 1:53:52
  Right.
• 1:53:52
  That's just not my jam.
• 1:53:53
  A lot of people do.
• 1:53:54
  So yeah, I think that'd be a cool prize.
• 1:53:56
  I think most people would be into it.
• 1:53:58
  Brandan: All right.
• 1:53:59
  Well, what do you say we get down to some do better and better at life?
• 1:54:03
  Adam: I'm not sure I want to.
• 1:54:05
  Brandan: Well, I'll go first then.
• 1:54:06
  Adam: Not sure I want to.
• 1:54:07
  Okay, go ahead.
• 1:54:07
  Brandan: Then, then, you know- Yeah… you can decide
• 1:54:09
  if you're into it, to this
• 1:54:11
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:54:11
  … Brandan: this show or not.
• 1:54:12
  I'll just put it against your report card come June, July, and
• 1:54:16
  … decide how you did at your do better and better at life.
• 1:54:19
  Adam: It'll be, it'll be on your, Festivus list of grievances.
• 1:54:21
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 1:54:22
  Yeah.
• 1:54:22
  It'll just go on your permanent record.
• 1:54:23
  It's fine.
• 1:54:24
  Adam: Fair.
• 1:54:26
  Brandan: My do better this week, Adam, man, you know it's rough out there when
• 1:54:30
  the sports books are taking donations.
• 1:54:32
  sports books listing Aaron Donald as comeback…
• 1:54:37
  You can, you can bet on Aaron Donald as comeback player of the year.
• 1:54:42
  I, I saw the Bleacher Report was advertising through their BR
• 1:54:47
  gambling site, what- whatever it was.
• 1:54:49
  yeah, the Bleacher Report article from Timothy Rapp.
• 1:54:54
  And not only that, so they write an article that highlights
• 1:54:58
  an X post from @BR_betting.
• 1:55:02
  Aaron Donald is officially back, and they put a little s-
• 1:55:07
  siren, light and a, a ring.
• 1:55:10
  Ah, the emoji.
• 1:55:11
  Rams plus 500 to win the Super Bowl, Donald plus 850 to win
• 1:55:17
  comeback player of the year.
• 1:55:19
  You know what the problem with this is?
• 1:55:21
  Comeback Player of the Year was an award that got changed right after both
• 1:55:26
  Geno Smith won it one year, and then Joe Flacco won it the following year.
• 1:55:30
  Mm-hmm.
• 1:55:31
  And they changed it so you have to actually be injured.
• 1:55:33
  The AP Comeback Player of the Year.
• 1:55:35
  Oh.
• 1:55:35
  This is the, the wording of the, from the AP now.
• 1:55:39
  It is to honor a player who has demonstrated resilience in the
• 1:55:44
  face of adversity by overcoming illness, physical injury, or other
• 1:55:49
  circumstances that led him- Mm… to miss playing time the previous season.
• 1:55:54
  Adam: Yeah, there's your loophole.
• 1:55:54
  I
• 1:55:54
  Brandan: don't think the spirit of the award that other circumstances include
• 1:56:00
  "I just didn't wanna play football anymore, so I sat out for a couple years."
• 1:56:04
  for, for any sportsbook taking bets on Aaron Donald to be Comeback
• 1:56:10
  Player of the Year, that is absolutely ridiculous, and you need to do better.
• 1:56:15
  Adam: It's shady.
• 1:56:16
  It's shady.
• 1:56:17
  It's shady as
• 1:56:18
  Brandan: hell.
• 1:56:19
  Adam: I'll give you that.
• 1:56:19
  Yeah.
• 1:56:19
  also too
• 1:56:20
  Brandan: I'm also taking money, though.
• 1:56:22
  I will take the…
• 1:56:23
  I will give people plus 850 odds on, on Aaron Donald getting
• 1:56:26
  Comeback Player of the Year.
• 1:56:28
  Adam: This is interesting.
• 1:56:28
  I didn't
• 1:56:29
  Brandan: know that this was the- Send, send the money to at, to Venmo @hakra.
• 1:56:31
  And, I'll, I'll pay you out at
• 1:56:35
  the end
• 1:56:35
  Adam: of the year.
• 1:56:36
  And a bookie is born, baby.
• 1:56:37
  A bookie is born.
• 1:56:38
  Look at that.
• 1:56:38
  no, I, I just think that the other circumstance, loophole
• 1:56:43
  man, like again, it's the Rams.
• 1:56:45
  Sure.
• 1:56:46
  It's Aaron Donald.
• 1:56:47
  Like, they, they'll, they'll…
• 1:56:48
  Of course they'll use the loophole
• 1:56:51
  Brandan: But Patrick
• 1:56:52
  Adam: Mahomes- All he has to do is step up
• 1:56:53
  Brandan: Patrick Mahomes is coming off of injury, Adam
• 1:56:57
  Adam: Fair.
• 1:56:58
  Fair, and that legit- and he's a quarterback.
• 1:57:02
  Brandan: Uh-huh.
• 1:57:03
  Adam: And he's Patrick Mahomes.
• 1:57:04
  Brandan: Right.
• 1:57:05
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:57:05
  Like- So
• 1:57:06
  … Brandan: if, if there's…
• 1:57:07
  You're silly to put on, money on Aaron Donald either way because-
• 1:57:11
  Adam: Yeah
• 1:57:12
  … Brandan: you got Patrick Mahomes who's gonna be up for the award.
• 1:57:14
  Adam: That's an excellent point.
• 1:57:15
  I didn't think about the Mahomes angle.
• 1:57:16
  You're right, they're just straight stealing out there.
• 1:57:19
  Brandan: I, the, I w- I wasn't gonna use that word.
• 1:57:21
  That's why I went with taking donations.
• 1:57:23
  I don't wanna…
• 1:57:24
  I, I don't need to be involved in any litigation.
• 1:57:28
  and that's why I also
• 1:57:29
  Adam: put- Oh, sue me for my hundredaire status.
• 1:57:31
  Like, this is theft.
• 1:57:32
  Get out of here.
• 1:57:34
  Brandan: It's ridiculous.
• 1:57:36
  Adam: Yeah, it is ridiculous, man.
• 1:57:38
  Well, speaking of ridiculous things, this is why I wasn't excited about
• 1:57:42
  Do Better this week, Brandan.
• 1:57:44
  because Do Better this week is for me, and this is, this is, this is legit.
• 1:57:48
  Brandan: Oh.
• 1:57:49
  Adam: I, I de- I deserve this one real good.
• 1:57:51
  Brandan: You know, you only- Real good
• 1:57:52
  bring this up when you do really deserve a Do Better.
• 1:57:54
  Adam: Just a, just a super dum-dum.
• 1:57:56
  And, I bring this up because, you know, this is
• 1:57:59
  Brandan: a- Wait, show me your fingers.
• 1:58:00
  Do you have them all?
• 1:58:01
  Adam: Oh, still barely.
• 1:58:02
  Brandan: Oh.
• 1:58:03
  But they're
• 1:58:03
  Adam: there.
• 1:58:04
  Brandan: Yep.
• 1:58:04
  Okay.
• 1:58:04
  Well, you haven't…
• 1:58:05
  No
• 1:58:06
  Adam: almost lost it once.
• 1:58:06
  It's okay.
• 1:58:06
  We're not going there.
• 1:58:07
  Yeah, no, no, nobody hurt, thank God.
• 1:58:10
  not that, that wasn't in range, so to speak.
• 1:58:14
  So, w- we have a couch i- in our living room, and I
• 1:58:19
  hate this [bleep] couch, dude.
• 1:58:21
  It hurts my back.
• 1:58:23
  Can't stand it.
• 1:58:24
  I wanna get something different.
• 1:58:25
  I'm thinking we're gonna go, like, old people recliners
• 1:58:28
  like, next to each other.
• 1:58:29
  Brandan: Oh, there you go.
• 1:58:30
  Mm-hmm.
• 1:58:30
  Adam: Yeah.
• 1:58:31
  You know, we're just gonna make that leap.
• 1:58:32
  maybe get a walker.
• 1:58:34
  I don't know.
• 1:58:35
  But, got this couch.
• 1:58:37
  Don't like it much.
• 1:58:38
  But the other day, I decided maybe…
• 1:58:41
  maybe it was subconscious.
• 1:58:43
  I decided I was gonna teach us a, a lesson.
• 1:58:44
  I don't know.
• 1:58:45
  But I go out to our side-by-side, and I'd gone on a hike with Ollie
• 1:58:49
  and, you know, I, I take a firearm with me when I go hiking.
• 1:58:52
  So hold the firearm from the side-by-side, walked inside.
• 1:58:58
  I'm, I'm talking to Brittany, and this is something I've done-
• 1:59:02
  15,000 times, right?
• 1:59:04
  Uh-huh.
• 1:59:04
  Like, this is, this is a, is a r- as routine as routine gets.
• 1:59:08
  So, talking to Brittany, I've, I've got my, my pistol in, in
• 1:59:12
  my hand and, we live in a, in a, in a tiny cardboard box of
• 1:59:16
  you know, nothing out in the woods.
• 1:59:19
  Not a lot of places to point said thing in safe direction if
• 1:59:22
  you're, if you're doing anything.
• 1:59:23
  So like, yeah, I'm walking over, I'm talking to Brittany
• 1:59:26
  and I point in the corner.
• 1:59:26
  And so I go over and I, I'm gonna, empty the chamber and
• 1:59:31
  pull the trigger so that the pin comes down and so it doesn't store
• 1:59:34
  it with, like, a loaded spring.
• 1:59:35
  And so I'm talking to her and I, I, I rack the slide and I'm talking to
• 1:59:38
  her and I didn't drop the magazine.
• 1:59:39
  I pointed it at the couch and go, bang!
• 1:59:41
  I shot it.
• 1:59:42
  I shot the couch, Brandan.
• 1:59:43
  I shot it right through the seat of it.
• 1:59:45
  I hate this [bleep] couch anyway, so I…
• 1:59:47
  Now I think I taught it a lesson.
• 1:59:49
  The coffee table doesn't look at me the same way after this either, right?
• 1:59:53
  But so I put a hole right the, right through the seat, of, of the couch.
• 1:59:57
  I've never, never in my life had a round go off where I didn't intend it to go.
• 2:00:01
  Wow.
• 2:00:01
  Not out of tens and tens of- You
• 2:00:03
  Brandan: Plaxico'd your couch.
• 2:00:04
  Adam: I Plaxico'd the [bleep] couch.
• 2:00:07
  And like, so now, I…
• 2:00:09
  Like at this point, Brittany, like, sics her out of the bedroom
• 2:00:11
  and she's like, "What was that?"
• 2:00:12
  I was like, "It was an accident!
• 2:00:13
  It was an accident."
• 2:00:14
  I'm just so stunned.
• 2:00:15
  And I, I, I think I heard her say that because all I
• 2:00:18
  heard after it went bang was
• 2:00:22
  bing!
• 2:00:22
  Because it's in pretty tight quarters.
• 2:00:23
  Fortunately, like, it just…
• 2:00:25
  It, it was in a spot that, like, nobody could get hurt.
• 2:00:28
  So I'm thinking about writing a, a review now for Wallaroos, Furniture.
• 2:00:32
  Their, their couches, like, I don't know, three, three and a half stars.
• 2:00:35
  Like, [bleep] couch, hurts your back, but it is bulletproof.
• 2:00:41
  It can take a bullet.
• 2:00:41
  No, it's bulletproof and it hides bullet holes real well.
• 2:00:43
  Like, it didn't penetrate all the way through.
• 2:00:46
  Brandan: Whoa.
• 2:00:47
  Adam: There's a bullet in my [bleep] couch right now.
• 2:00:50
  And, like, the hole, you can't even tell.
• 2:00:53
  You can't even tell.
• 2:00:54
  It's amazing.
• 2:00:55
  So that part of it was cool.
• 2:00:57
  So, for all of you who are doing your regular firearm things and
• 2:01:02
  out and about, even if you have tons of experience, even if you, you
• 2:01:06
  know, take all the precautions, all that, like, just be extra careful.
• 2:01:09
  It only takes a second for you to be a dumb-dumb just like me and do better.
• 2:01:14
  Brandan: Yeah, that's
• 2:01:15
  Adam: a- Don't shoot your furniture.
• 2:01:16
  Brandan: that was something that y- being in the Navy and
• 2:01:19
  standing watch, you, you had to do.
• 2:01:22
  That was a routine of, of just charging your weapon, you know
• 2:01:25
  as you turned over the watch.
• 2:01:27
  Adam: Yeah.
• 2:01:28
  Brandan: And I, I never had that happen, but I, I knew people who had that happen.
• 2:01:32
  Yeah.
• 2:01:32
  Yeah.
• 2:01:32
  I
• 2:01:32
  Adam: forgot to drop the mag.
• 2:01:34
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 2:01:34
  Adam: So when I racked the slide, it just put in another bullet-
• 2:01:37
  Brandan: Right
• 2:01:38
  … Adam: then I, then I decided that the couch needed to die.
• 2:01:39
  Brandan: But it's one of those things, like, if you do it
• 2:01:41
  routinely that you can kind of…
• 2:01:44
  It, it can be something that you-
• 2:01:46
  Adam: Yep
• 2:01:47
  Brandan: Yeah, overlook
• 2:01:48
  Adam: Yep, that's what I did.
• 2:01:49
  So, yeah, I w- I vacillated whether I was even gonna tell that story on
• 2:01:54
  the podcast after it happened, but, 'cause I'm, I'm, I'm embarrassed.
• 2:01:58
  I've, I'm legitimately embarrassed about it.
• 2:02:00
  I
• 2:02:00
  Brandan: can understand it.
• 2:02:01
  But, yeah.
• 2:02:02
  But it, it does take us to the, the logical next step-
• 2:02:05
  Adam: Yeah
• 2:02:06
  … Brandan: of wh- I, I will say that, n- now that we are getting
• 2:02:11
  to advanced age in our, you know- Yeah… upper 40s- Mm-hmm… one of
• 2:02:14
  the best decisions that we made at our household was going from the couch that
• 2:02:19
  was more aesthetically pleasing and, but kind of low to the ground- Right
• 2:02:23
  and always, not only y- you felt a little sore getting up from it
• 2:02:28
  but it also, you had to do the, the getting up grunt every time.
• 2:02:32
  Adam: Yep.
• 2:02:33
  Brandan: w- once we went to the, the more of the recliner type sofa-
• 2:02:38
  Yeah… we didn't go, we didn't go side by side recliners, but we, we did get a
• 2:02:42
  reclining sofa- Like love seat reclining?
• 2:02:43
  that was-
• 2:02:43
  Adam: Yeah
• 2:02:43
  … Brandan: yeah, and it's actually, it's, it's full length.
• 2:02:46
  Okay… so it's couch, but it's reclining, but it's higher.
• 2:02:50
  So, and- Yeah… yes, it's not, not a great sleeper couch, but it's
• 2:02:55
  also a much better sitting couch.
• 2:02:57
  And, Yeah… and, and it, again, not the, not the prettiest
• 2:03:01
  but it, it's, when you have one that you're not getting up
• 2:03:06
  and being sore from sitting down-
• 2:03:08
  Adam: Yes
• 2:03:08
  Brandan: you, you do appreciate that.
• 2:03:09
  Adam: Yeah.
• 2:03:10
  I don't know what age to start.
• 2:03:11
  I guess it's 47, is when-… sitting on the couch hurt me.
• 2:03:15
  Like that was ridiculous.
• 2:03:17
  And, so I had to let it know,… and so I did, I
• 2:03:23
  Brandan: can't vouch for the bulletproof nature of the couch that we got, though.
• 2:03:26
  Adam: I can.
• 2:03:27
  Look, if there's ever a home invasion, man, I'm hiding under the couch.
• 2:03:29
  I'm safe.
• 2:03:30
  Brandan: You're safe.
• 2:03:31
  Adam: That's right.
• 2:03:32
  Unload a mag.
• 2:03:32
  Good luck.
• 2:03:33
  If it's 9-mil, it ain't getting through.
• 2:03:37
  Yeah.
• 2:03:37
  Brandan: There you go.
• 2:03:38
  Well, maybe keep that around just as a, you know, a barrier
• 2:03:42
  for your shooting range out
• 2:03:44
  Adam: Nah, I, I gotta get
• 2:03:45
  Brandan: rid of it… out on the homestead.
• 2:03:46
  Adam: Because now there's evidence of the gu- like, Brittany could totally
• 2:03:49
  frame me, like at any moment and be like, "Yeah, I pulled a gun and shot at me.
• 2:03:52
  Bullets in the couch.
• 2:03:53
  Go, go find it."
• 2:03:54
  Brandan: Go, go look.
• 2:03:55
  Adam: No.
• 2:03:57
  Brandan: All right.
• 2:03:58
  On to Better at Life.
• 2:03:59
  My Better at Life this week is for Evie.
• 2:04:03
  And, I, I got word from Evie's dad that your Pick 'Em
• 2:04:07
  League overlord received her GCSE exam results, here recently.
• 2:04:13
  he says, "I'm not quite sure the equivalent in the US, the exams that
• 2:04:17
  you would do at 16 y- years old.
• 2:04:19
  And in England, the highest grade you can receive is a grade nine.
• 2:04:23
  Across the 10 subjects she studied, she received six grade
• 2:04:28
  nines and four grade eights.
• 2:04:30
  She worked except- And that's why
• 2:04:31
  Adam: she's your overlord, people.
• 2:04:32
  Brandan: Exactly.
• 2:04:33
  Adam: Right there.
• 2:04:33
  Brandan: Uh-huh.
• 2:04:34
  She worked exceptionally hard from around Christmas revising and doing
• 2:04:38
  practice papers, plus all the practical set designs and construction for her
• 2:04:42
  drama GC- GCSE, along with all her regular schoolwork and volunteering
• 2:04:48
  coaching at a junior football, put soccer in parentheses, club.
• 2:04:52
  thank you for us Americans.
• 2:04:54
  Yeah.
• 2:04:55
  soccer club to help her gain her Silver Duke of Edinburgh award
• 2:04:59
  one of the five youngest people in all of the UK to achieve this.
• 2:05:03
  Wow.
• 2:05:03
  She is now enrolled to do her A-levels of maths, English literature, history
• 2:05:09
  and politics starting in September.
• 2:05:11
  For me, without a doubt, better at life than Skip Bayless.
• 2:05:15
  Congratulations to our overlord, Evie.
• 2:05:18
  Adam: That's ridiculously amazing.
• 2:05:20
  Like, congratulations to her.
• 2:05:23
  And, it just shows you just how multi-talented our overlord and savior is.
• 2:05:29
  Yeah.
• 2:05:29
  Is, yeah, like, now after hearing that, like, clearly
• 2:05:32
  smarter than me, clearly better than me, clearly e- everything.
• 2:05:35
  So yeah, overlord
• 2:05:37
  Brandan: and savior.
• 2:05:37
  Future host of the Sea Hawkers Podcast.
• 2:05:39
  Adam: That's right. Yeah, yeah, just, open your
• 2:05:41
  inbox right around July, Evie.
• 2:05:42
  that's when you'll get your invite.
• 2:05:45
  Brandan: Start, start watching the games this season, though.
• 2:05:47
  I, you know.
• 2:05:48
  Adam: I don't know.
• 2:05:49
  She could still be better and not do
• 2:05:53
  Brandan: it.
• 2:05:53
  Like, like…
• 2:05:53
  I, I don't know.
• 2:05:56
  Adam: I'm just saying, the, the bar for me is not exactly the highest.
• 2:06:00
  Brandan: Don't sell yourself short.
• 2:06:01
  Like, I- Yeah… I, I never give you homework, and, it sounds
• 2:06:05
  like, you know, no, Evie doesn't need anyone telling her to do
• 2:06:09
  homework either, so okay, maybe.
• 2:06:10
  Maybe I've talked myself into it.
• 2:06:11
  That's right.
• 2:06:12
  Adam: High achiever.
• 2:06:13
  Hey, look, you know, between her and our, our buddy Wilson, who I'm
• 2:06:17
  convinced is gonna be a future president-
• 2:06:19
  Brandan: Oh
• 2:06:19
  Adam: yeah… like, sounds like Evie's on prime minister track.
• 2:06:23
  Like, we're gonna have some hookups.
• 2:06:25
  This is gonna be great, because I'm not rich enough to buy a politician.
• 2:06:27
  I just need them to be my buddies.
• 2:06:29
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 2:06:29
  The next…
• 2:06:30
  They just need to be the next billionaire, s- to achieve
• 2:06:34
  billionaire status so they can then, buy the team from the Coastal family
• 2:06:40
  when it's, it's time for them- Oh, yeah… to, to double up their money.
• 2:06:43
  Adam: That's pretty good.
• 2:06:44
  That's pretty good, and then make us the official podcast of the Seattle Seahawks
• 2:06:48
  with no oversight or requirements.
• 2:06:52
  Brandan: That's part of our contract.
• 2:06:53
  We require that.
• 2:06:54
  Yeah.
• 2:06:54
  No, no oversight.
• 2:06:56
  Adam: Or requirements.
• 2:06:57
  Requirements.
• 2:06:58
  yeah.
• 2:06:58
  You, you're not gonna manage my time.
• 2:07:00
  That's not happening.
• 2:07:00
  That's a
• 2:07:01
  Brandan: good point.
• 2:07:01
  Adam: Yeah.
• 2:07:02
  Brandan: All right.
• 2:07:02
  Okay… who do you got for Better at Life?
• 2:07:04
  Adam: That was awesome, too, by the way, and, appreciate you
• 2:07:06
  and Evie for writing in this week.
• 2:07:08
  my Better at Life than Skip Bayless this week is for somebody
• 2:07:11
  who's currently employed by the Seattle Seahawks, and hopefully is
• 2:07:14
  until he gets bored of just kicking ass as a GM, but for John Schneider.
• 2:07:18
  look, this off-season is really the biggest challenge in all of
• 2:07:24
  GMing, taking a championship roster and moving it forward and trying to
• 2:07:30
  build a dynasty, and got so close last time we had that opportunity
• 2:07:36
  and has learned some valuable lessons.
• 2:07:39
  And I just think his stewardship through this off-season between ownership
• 2:07:44
  transfers and roster management and coaching hires and all of that, man
• 2:07:51
  this has probably been one of the off-seasons that I have been the most
• 2:07:54
  lockstep with, John Schneider in his decision-making process.
• 2:07:59
  Mm-hmm.
• 2:07:59
  And it makes it easy to be a fan of this team, because everything he
• 2:08:02
  does is- Just it's smart, it's, it's rooted in, being a good person
• 2:08:11
  and doing the right thing, right?
• 2:08:12
  And there's so much of that within his tenure here as GM.
• 2:08:18
  The way that he treats players, like we heard him at the podium here
• 2:08:22
  after cutdown day, and you've heard him talk over the years about this
• 2:08:26
  but just how compassionate he is about that day and trying to make sure that
• 2:08:32
  you know, even if you're not gonna be with the team, that we've showcased
• 2:08:35
  you enough and give you opportunities and really take care of people.
• 2:08:38
  And the culture that he has created around the building, that him and
• 2:08:42
  Pete really dialed up, and then bringing in Mike, and then obviously winning
• 2:08:47
  another Super Bowl, and just kicking butt this off-season, in my opinion, as a GM.
• 2:08:55
  He's amazing.
• 2:08:56
  I love John Schneider, and he is better at life than Skip Bayless to me.
• 2:09:02
  Brandan: Yeah.
• 2:09:02
  When, you know, it was, it was touch and go a little bit there a couple
• 2:09:06
  years ago whether or not- Mm-hmm… he, he would remain, especially as
• 2:09:11
  m- you know, usually when you transition from a coach, you tend
• 2:09:15
  to see a transition from GM as well.
• 2:09:17
  And so for him to then make that, win a Super Bowl, come back, and
• 2:09:22
  now have an opportunity to, you know, be, one of the…
• 2:09:28
  Let's see.
• 2:09:28
  It would be the ninth franchise to go back to back.
• 2:09:32
  Yeah… if the Seahawks can go ahead and get it done this year, which
• 2:09:36
  you know, as a season expectation show, I, I think the expectation is there
• 2:09:40
  to go ahead and, and- Yeah… get that done and be that ninth franchise.
• 2:09:44
  Adam: And probably, but just off the top of my head
• 2:09:46
  only two since 2000, right?
• 2:09:48
  Patriots, Chiefs?
• 2:09:48
  Brandan: Patriots, Chiefs.
• 2:09:50
  Those would be the two.
• 2:09:51
  Adam: Yeah.
• 2:09:52
  So I, I just think he's has us set up in a way that makes it not only like
• 2:09:59
  a plausible thing to go back and back to back, but I think highly likely.
• 2:10:04
  I genuinely do.
• 2:10:05
  And, part of that is, is that I feel like when you try to buy a Super Bowl
• 2:10:12
  like the stupid [bleep] Rams did It usually blows up in your face, and I can't
• 2:10:18
  wait to watch it happen to these jokers
• 2:10:21
  Brandan: I am looking forward to watching it blow up in the
• 2:10:23
  in the face of the, of the Rams.
• 2:10:26
  And, you know, we just have to let the substation do its thing in Niner
• 2:10:30
  Land, 'cause, we've, we, we've
• 2:10:33
  Adam: seen- Just keep sending that electricity up and down, substation.
• 2:10:35
  Just keep doing it
• 2:10:36
  Brandan: Man, it's been a whi- I, I was thinking about it, and when we did our
• 2:10:41
  Know Your Rival episode of the Niners, the, the craziest thing we talked about
• 2:10:46
  was Brandon Aiyuk, that situation.
• 2:10:50
  And-
• 2:10:51
  Adam: Yeah
• 2:10:51
  … Brandan: ever since that, that happened, we've seen Kyle Shanahan
• 2:10:56
  try and cover up a car accident.
• 2:10:58
  Adam: Right
• 2:10:58
  Brandan: we've seen, w- what other…
• 2:11:02
  They, they've dealt with other, injury issues-
• 2:11:05
  Adam: Yeah.
• 2:11:05
  Brandan: They-… since then
• 2:11:06
  … Adam: bunch of dudes already hurt.
• 2:11:08
  Like- Bunch of dudes… Mike Adams missed some practice, like all that stuff, right?
• 2:11:11
  Brandan: Yeah, and then they have this other dude who, who showed up
• 2:11:17
  and, and scammed a bunch of women th- by saying that he is a, a Niner player.
• 2:11:22
  I know his last name's Love, because the, the reason why…
• 2:11:25
  the, another reason why it hit my radar is because I guess one of
• 2:11:29
  this guy's post was, that he said he was cousins with both Julian Love
• 2:11:35
  and Jordan Love, and, yeah- Well-
• 2:11:38
  D- Dejon Love is the, is the guy for the Niners.
• 2:11:43
  And, it's, it's, it's unfortunate that he, he scammed all
• 2:11:48
  these ladies, and, I don't, I don't like how necessarily he's been…
• 2:11:55
  I don't know.
• 2:11:56
  people are overly promoting him, which is weird to me, on
• 2:12:00
  social media, which just- And
• 2:12:01
  Adam: defending?
• 2:12:02
  Like promoting and defending him?
• 2:12:03
  Brandan: Not defending, but, like, they think it's pretty funny that…
• 2:12:09
  Because there's other players that are like…
• 2:12:11
  A- and I think it's just promoting how ridiculous it was, because he's
• 2:12:16
  he had on his socials, like, him in a Niners helmet, like, out on the beach
• 2:12:21
  catching passes, and it was clear that he's, like, not NFL caliber by, his-
• 2:12:28
  his route running or his pass catching talents.
• 2:12:31
  But, yeah, it, i- it's a, it's a bummer that he scammed a bunch of people.
• 2:12:37
  So he, and then he, and- But it's also hilarious that it's, that he was doing
• 2:12:40
  it posing as a, an injured Niners player.
• 2:12:44
  Adam: Yeah.
• 2:12:45
  That's crazy.
• 2:12:45
  Just add another, wild instance onto the stack of things that have
• 2:12:50
  happened to the, Bay Area 49ers.
• 2:12:56
  Brandan: Can't wait to watch that team go down, but I guess maybe, we can
• 2:13:00
  root for them week one in, defeating the Rams over in, Aussie land.
• 2:13:05
  Adam: For sure.
• 2:13:06
  Cardinals or Niners, more wins this year?
• 2:13:12
  Brandan: I think the, no, the Niners still have more wins than the Cardinals.
• 2:13:14
  Adam: Are we sure?
• 2:13:16
  Brandan: Yeah, I'm pretty sure.
• 2:13:16
  Adam: This has, this has been one of those disaster distraction off-seasons.
• 2:13:21
  I- And they're old
• 2:13:22
  … Brandan: they're, they've weathered so many dang storms there in Niner land
• 2:13:26
  that I, I feel like they're, they're still gonna win seven games at least.
• 2:13:30
  Adam: I mean, maybe.
• 2:13:32
  I, I, I see a path to a four-win year for these guys.
• 2:13:36
  I do.
• 2:13:37
  Brandan: Oh, that would be fun I, that, that just to me feels like homer optimism.
• 2:13:41
  But I, I will accept it if that's what we end up receiving.
• 2:13:44
  Adam: This is a homer [bleep] podcast.
• 2:13:47
  This is by twelves, four twelves.
• 2:13:48
  Yeah, man.
• 2:13:49
  Niners win four games.
• 2:13:51
  Like Rams overachieve in the regular season, they get spanked
• 2:13:54
  in the playoffs by us again, and Sean McVay cries himself to
• 2:13:57
  Brandan: sleep.
• 2:13:57
  We're also a realistic homer podcast in that we, we make accurate predictions
• 2:14:01
  and how can I ever predict more losses b- from a Niners team than a Cardinals
• 2:14:08
  team who we've been conditioned to watch stink for so many years?
• 2:14:12
  Adam: Because, I think this, like, Kyle Shanahan thing is a big deal.
• 2:14:17
  Oh, not to mention, you forgot to mention that their owner, Jed York
• 2:14:21
  went to a trailer park to sleep with a $140 prostitute and got fricking
• 2:14:26
  busted because he's getting divorced.
• 2:14:28
  Like, just go, go pay a high-end hooker.
• 2:14:30
  Whoa
• 2:14:31
  Brandan: whoa.
• 2:14:31
  I think that we're also making sure that we get, the details accurate in this.
• 2:14:35
  It…
• 2:14:35
  She…
• 2:14:36
  It was $160 hooker, Adam.
• 2:14:38
  Oh
• 2:14:38
  Adam: okay.
• 2:14:39
  Yeah, exactly.
• 2:14:40
  Not that I have anything, against trailer parks.
• 2:14:42
  Lived a lot of my life in trailer parks, man.
• 2:14:44
  They're not-
• 2:14:44
  Brandan: We, we don't…
• 2:14:45
  See, the trailer…
• 2:14:46
  I don't know if you saw this, but the trailer park was standing up
• 2:14:49
  for itself saying that, "This is not the type of trailer park we are."
• 2:14:52
  That's right.
• 2:14:52
  "This is just where it just happened to be the trailer park
• 2:14:55
  where the police set up the sting."
• 2:14:57
  The trailer park- Right… management was not impressed with
• 2:15:01
  the idea that this was the area that they were directing Jed York to.
• 2:15:04
  Adam: That's right.
• 2:15:05
  it, they also claimed that this happened, just
• 2:15:07
  outside the trailer park- Sure
• 2:15:09
  at one point.
• 2:15:11
  So sure, maybe, I don't know.
• 2:15:13
  But oh my God, what an embarrassing freaking off season.
• 2:15:17
  What's John Lynch's scandal gonna be?
• 2:15:19
  Because we've got, you know, Jed York, we got- Yeah… Kyle with a coverup.
• 2:15:22
  What, what's John Lynch's scandal gonna be?
• 2:15:25
  The
• 2:15:25
  Brandan: the substation- Is he
• 2:15:25
  Adam: gonna be in a crypto scam or something?
• 2:15:27
  Brandan: coming for him next.
• 2:15:29
  Adam: Golly, what a joke show of an organization.
• 2:15:31
  Four wins.
• 2:15:33
  Brandan: Okay, I'm on board.
• 2:15:34
  Yeah.
• 2:15:35
  A- after the Jed York reminder, yeah, maybe even three.
• 2:15:39
  Adam: Have you seen his mugshot, his sad billionaire mugshot?
• 2:15:42
  Brandan: I, I saw some people commenting that maybe the worst look
• 2:15:45
  was the, was him a- against the height, j- you know, being 5'8".
• 2:15:50
  Adam: Well, that's why you have to pay.
• 2:15:51
  But, Yeah, it, it was hilarious.
• 2:15:55
  It, it truly is.
• 2:15:56
  Brought a lot of joy to my heart.
• 2:15:58
  You know what?
• 2:15:59
  Maybe we should make the Niners honorary Better At Life this week
• 2:16:02
  for bringing so much joy to my off season with their misery.
• 2:16:06
  And I think with that- There's only one thing left to say
• 2:16:09
  go Hawks.
• 2:16:10
  Go Hawks.