Latest / DMV Mess Hall / "Lake Lewis Jr joins the Mess Hall!"

Transcript

"Lake Lewis Jr joins the Mess Hall!" · DMV Mess Hall

0:00
And someone else who just walked in.
0:02
Everyone knows him, Lake Lewis. He just walked in and we're
0:07
going to have Lake come up to the show going.
0:10
On how you doing Lake Good. I'm good.
0:14
All righty. There we go.
0:17
Appreciate you coming out man. Thank you for jumping on.
0:20
I don't think you and I have actually been introduced
0:23
officially. All right.
0:24
So, tailgate, Ted. Blake Lewis, nice to meet.
0:28
You likewise. I see you all over social media
0:31
tweeting everything about the team.
0:34
You were out there today. What are your thoughts on just
0:37
kind of what you experienced at camp and how many camps have you
0:39
been to in the past? You can compare those two.
0:42
This is my 13th year and you know, just this camp, I mean,
0:49
today was obviously the first day where the fans were back.
0:53
You know, so there was a lot of excitement, you know, and it
0:56
felt genuine excitement. It wasn't, you know, hoping and
0:59
praying things could be good. And it's not about right now,
1:03
you know, wins and losses. It's just that I think fans feel
1:05
like they've got their, their team back, you know, maybe not a
1:08
name, but they've got their franchise back.
1:12
So it just seemed like there was a lot of enthusiasm out there.
1:15
You know, when Sam Howland Jacobi Brisette walked out, you
1:18
know, they just, they were almost taken aback with the, you
1:21
know, the. The fanfare you know what the
1:23
the chance and screams for them, you know.
1:25
So it was just good to see that yesterday's practice from a
1:30
practice perspective was really good.
1:33
You know, they were getting after it yesterday and I think
1:35
that they kind of you know, and I hate to say this because the
1:38
fans were there for the first day today, but I I think they
1:41
kind of held them back a little bit today because today's
1:43
practice was very blah. It was very, you know, wasn't a
1:47
lot of energy, but I just think that they're.
1:49
Trying to look out for guys not to get injured, so maybe
1:51
tomorrow they'll ramp it up a little bit more so.
1:54
I can appreciate that they did throw that tight end pass in
1:58
there. It was that.
1:59
Was for you, that was for. Yeah, I think it was Logan
2:03
Thomas and Cole Turner. Yeah, I mean, that was actually
2:06
awesome. I mean, I immediately turned a
2:07
rally and said that was for all the fans.
2:10
Because that play will not be implemented in a game, no.
2:13
If it will, it's because it's like USA soccer or Vietnam,
2:17
right? Right. 100,000 to one odds on
2:20
losing that. Game Exactly, exactly.
2:22
But thirteen years you've been covering the beat, you've been
2:24
coming out here to camp and I've been to, I want to say this is
2:27
my 23rd training camp and I was talking to Trista Langdon, one
2:33
of the VP's over there. You know, Joey, pull me back.
2:36
Just a bunch of the exact saying that I cannot remember a time
2:40
where it's a week day that there have been this many fans out
2:45
here at camp and those bleachers they put in were completely
2:48
full. And it was standing room 3 deep
2:51
behind us. And you've obviously been
2:53
talking to the fans and kind of going around town.
2:56
What's been the major sentiment? I mean, you mentioned getting
2:59
the team back. That's what I was saying while I
3:01
was doing a couple of interviews around it.
3:03
But just being there today, has it been we've just been waiting
3:08
for him to be gone Or is it now we just have it back, we can
3:12
celebrate it again? Yeah, I think it's the latter.
3:14
I mean, you know, they he's gone.
3:16
You know, there's there's no getting around it.
3:18
He's gone. You know, there were fans up
3:21
until it happened officially last week.
3:23
You know that they still thought that he could, you know, goes
3:27
from Christmas past, You know, they could come back and and and
3:30
reclaim his team. But no, no, he's gone.
3:32
And I think that you know, you've seen the energy with the
3:35
new ownership group, you know you've seen.
3:37
You know, just their preparation, the way they've
3:39
gone about it just seems like it's been kind of refreshing.
3:43
You know, Josh Harris seems to be a very personable owner.
3:48
You know, he's obviously a successful businessman, but he's
3:50
a guy that doesn't. It doesn't strike you with an
3:53
ego, you know? So he's he's approachable and
3:56
he's made that very clear. He's approached the fans, you
3:58
know, for two days out that practice.
4:01
Mitch Rails is more the finance guy.
4:03
You know, he's the money guy and he's a little bit more stoic,
4:06
but he's still been out there as well.
4:07
And then of course, we know about magic.
4:09
I mean, Magic is is Magic Johnson.
4:11
He's a people person, you know, he's a smiling guy, you know.
4:15
So it's just a different feel from what you've seen before
4:18
with the, you know, the ownership group and Dan Snyder
4:22
and even the people that work for Snyder were all very stoic
4:25
people going back to. You know Bruce Allen and and and
4:29
Serato and those guys just they weren't approachable type people
4:33
and you know, so I think that's the refreshing part for the fans
4:37
is that they not only do they feel like they've got their
4:39
franchise back, but they feel like they've got people who are
4:42
going to run their franchise that are going to be accessible
4:45
or going to be not tone deaf and things like that.
4:49
So one thing I do want to say that was there are and it's just
4:53
my opinion, there are some good people that work for this
4:55
franchise that were hired. Underneath the Snyder regime and
4:58
we talked about it earlier on the show before you got here,
5:00
those bleachers, all those improvements that happened out
5:03
there. That was already in play.
5:05
That's not a. Lot of fans don't know that to
5:07
be transparent, we got to be transparent about that.
5:09
And I tried to make sure that they knew that because you know,
5:11
Joey and those guys, they, you know, Joey's actually come out
5:14
on social media and said, you know, it's good to see this this
5:17
come to, you know, maturation when they had this in play for
5:21
over a year, you know, so this was going to happen regardless
5:24
so. You know, some fans are like, oh
5:26
wow, look what, you know, a new owner can do overnight.
5:28
They didn't do that overnight. Trust me that that that would
5:31
have had to have gotten a lot of approval and things like that.
5:34
But regardless the timing of it, you know, just it just looks new
5:39
to everyone. I think it looks incredible by
5:41
the way, You know, it's it. It has a really nice pleasantry
5:45
to to the facility to practice and I can say, you know, as as
5:48
as a reporter being on that field.
5:51
The bugs out there had always been an issue and you know where
5:55
those where the bleachers are, the main bleachers that used to
5:59
just be a weeded area, muddy, mucky and a lot of mosquitoes
6:04
and naps. So to have something there, you
6:07
know, it's good, But I just think from an aesthetic
6:09
standpoint it looks really good out there.
6:11
It. Looks professional.
6:13
It gives a true training camp look, if you will.
6:16
And the players noticed that and they've been telling us that
6:18
they they definitely. You know you have to remember a
6:21
lot of these guys are coming from big time college programs
6:23
where in college their facilities are trump most of the
6:26
professional facilities. So you know they're coming to to
6:30
take a tour doing predraft and stuff like that to you know to
6:33
the park and they're like OK, when we going to the the main
6:37
facility, no this this is the main facility.
6:40
So now you know, they revamped the weight room quite a bit over
6:43
the past two seasons and you know, and not the straight guys,
6:47
but I say this all the time. Say what you want about Ron
6:49
Rivera from excellent and O standpoint, because he's opened
6:52
the book to be critical of of coaching.
6:55
His record has proven that over his his, his, you know,
6:58
professional coaching career. It hasn't been good.
7:01
But the one thing about Ron Rivera is he's a class act and
7:04
he's a standup person and he's in my opinion deserves an A,
7:08
maybe even an A+. As far as the professionalism
7:12
that he's brought to the to the franchise, those players aren't
7:15
getting in trouble. You know, things that we were so
7:18
accustomed to seeing, you know, they're just a a good group of
7:21
young guys and they're working hard, you know, that's the
7:24
professionalism that he's brought.
7:27
So he's done a good job with that.
7:28
And now to see all these other things start to, you know,
7:30
trickle in and now you have new ownership.
7:32
I think that's why everyone's so excited.
7:35
I always said that bringing him in, the time that he came in, it
7:40
was needed. Yes, he definitely was needed.
7:42
Do you feel that the game may have passed him?
7:47
That's a great question, that that's a phenomenal question.
7:49
And I've I've, I've wondered that the reason why I'm going to
7:53
say no right now is because he brought in Eric the Enemy.
7:58
If you go back a couple years ago, I was a big big big you
8:02
know, proponent for them for to to resign.
8:05
You know their offensive coordinator who now is the head
8:08
coach in in in Minnesota. I thought Kevin would have done
8:11
a great job here. And I thought when Ron Rivera
8:13
came in, it was like okay, you got you brought in.
8:15
You know you're bringing in Del Rio for your defense.
8:18
Well, keep your offensive coordinator who who at the time
8:21
was working wonders. Even with the late Dwayne
8:24
Haskins, you know he he was doing some things.
8:27
So I thought he should have taken a good look at Kevin and,
8:29
but he didn't And people were like, well, why wouldn't he do
8:32
that? And I'm like, maybe because he
8:34
didn't want a younger guy underneath him that could
8:37
potentially get him moved out, you know?
8:39
Well, now Fast forward. Their offense needed a jolt and
8:44
they had they have great young talent but they needed a
8:47
forwardthinking modern mind and that wasn't Scott Turner.
8:51
Sorry. It just wasn't.
8:52
And now you get the enemy who's hungry to prove that he can do
8:55
it on his own. And and we all know, I mean, if
8:58
you don't, I'll tell you right now I know he's the coach and
9:01
waiting. So with that being said, if
9:05
you're Ron Rivera, this is a bold gutsy move because this guy
9:09
could be, could take your job. But if he does take your job, it
9:14
it means there's been some success.
9:16
And I think everyone can see that Ron Rivera's kind of
9:19
positioning himself now to perhaps, you know, get a front
9:23
office roll and that's okay because it's still.
9:26
And breeds continuity. It still breeds the same people
9:28
in the building and now you'll have that forward modern day
9:32
thinking coach. So to answer your question, I
9:34
don't want to say the games pass them by.
9:35
I just think that there are guys that are that are ready to be,
9:40
you know in the position of a head coach in today's game and
9:44
and you got to be a little younger and a little bit more
9:47
innovative and and that guy's in the building now.
9:49
Got you. I'm on record saying that I I
9:53
feel that the enemy is going to take over the head Kitchen role,
9:55
whether it is midway through this year or next.
9:59
I I don't know if it's going to happen.
10:01
Just Rivera's teams traditionally start off slow,
10:04
and he has had three winning seasons as a head coach his
10:07
entire career. Out of 13 seasons.
10:09
So, I mean, it's it's just doing the baseball card, you know,
10:14
average is here. It's not that good.
10:17
He's a lame duck coach at this point.
10:19
We had Josh Kirby on talking a little bit ago.
10:22
Josh is on the right saying that if Rivera goes three and six
10:25
this first six games that the new Harris group will just give
10:29
it to. Be Yeah, I don't think there's
10:31
any debate if if they if they're sputtering and we're at the
10:34
halfway point and it just looks bleak because of the young
10:38
talent that they have you you have to go ahead and bring the
10:41
enemy on you. I mean, you have to name him the
10:43
coach. The problem that I have with
10:45
that is that means the offense probably sputtering too, and
10:49
he's going to have to take some some heat for that as well.
10:52
So it could be a whole new overhaul, which would not happen
10:55
during the season, but it would be a clean slate overhaul after
10:59
the season. So I I think regardless of
11:02
records, the new ownership group has so much on their plate now
11:06
that they're really not going to get involved with the stuff that
11:09
goes on the field, the X's and O's.
11:11
So I think these coaches will be here for the year regardless of
11:14
record at any point. I mean, they could be Owen 15,
11:17
they're they're going to finish the season Owen 17, that would
11:21
that, I mean that would be bad. I would think somebody's
11:23
incompetent to get rid of someone if they're Owen 17.
11:25
But I do. I do believe they're going to be
11:28
here. And I think that there's going
11:30
to be some success this season that it it's tangible success,
11:35
success that you can actually see.
11:37
You can actually feel if you're a fan, you can taste the
11:39
success. And I mean, you guys were out
11:41
there. You see that from a depth
11:44
standpoint, this is probably the deepest team they've had and
11:49
probably ever since I've been covering them.
11:52
Yeah. And I say that because the teams
11:54
that were making the playoffs, they were just getting it.
11:57
It wasn't like they were runaway freight trains.
11:59
They weren't 13 and 3:12 and 4:00.
12:01
Yeah. There was 7:00 and 9:00, and
12:06
then nine and seven so. You know you you think of that
12:10
and you could say that the division was down in those
12:13
years, which we probably could say.
12:16
But nevertheless they made the playoffs.
12:18
But with that being said, if if you remember those teams, if, if
12:22
they had a frontline player go down, there was no backup.
12:26
You know it was it was frontline or bus.
12:28
Yeah, it was frontline or bus. This team has guys that that
12:32
are, you know, not too far apart from a talent standpoint.
12:36
I mean, you have your Terry Mclarens, but.
12:38
Truthfully, as great as Terry is, the eye test will tell you
12:42
Jahan Dawson's not that far behind.
12:44
Just from a skill set standpoint.
12:46
Curtis Samuel, not that far behind.
12:49
You know, so now you think about quarterback play.
12:53
Yeah, that's always been the issue with the team.
12:55
You know who's going to be the quarterback.
12:56
It's always been too. And you and people start taking
12:59
favorites. I think from the eyeball
13:01
standpoint, you can see the Sam Howe has every tool to be
13:04
successful. He just needs the right guidance
13:06
to proper guidance. And that's where an Eric the
13:08
enemy comes in. This was a team that the last
13:11
two years had a chance to make the playoffs.
13:14
You know, they made it three years ago, but they had a chance
13:17
each of the past two years. They just couldn't get it done
13:19
down the stretch. And that was with average to bad
13:23
quarterback play. You know, call it like it is
13:27
with an even worse offensive coordinator guiding that.
13:31
Well, now you would think that you have a step up and
13:32
coordinator with Eric be enemy. I mean, regardless if he was
13:35
calling plays in Kansas City or not, he was in that room putting
13:39
that game plan together. So you got to give him some
13:41
credit. I mean, he got some of that
13:43
knowledge. Of course.
13:44
How could he not? You know what I mean?
13:45
So, yeah, so he's prepped for this.
13:48
And now you look at Sam Howe. I just remember the kid in
13:52
college covered from college. He he he could make every throw.
13:56
He he didn't have the same senior year he had his junior
13:58
year, but all those guys his junior year were all drafted in
14:01
the league, 2 backs and two wide receivers.
14:04
So he just didn't have the same thing.
14:05
But he still had really good numbers his senior year and
14:08
people have to understand he played for Mac Brown.
14:10
They they run a pro offense at North Carolina.
14:13
And he told us yesterday, literally after practice, that
14:17
the RPO concepts and things like that, that the terminology that
14:20
Eric the Enemy brought in from Kansas City are the same exact
14:23
things he had in Kansas and excuse me, in North Carolina.
14:26
So he just feels more comfortable.
14:27
So yeah, you know, everything's there for them to be successful.
14:31
But I I don't think there's going to be a coaching change at
14:33
all this year. No whatsoever.
14:36
I'm confident in Sam Howe. I'm happy that Sam Howe's our
14:40
quarterback for a couple of reasons.
14:42
One, if it doesn't work, I did not want this coaching staff to
14:46
draft a quarterback that the new coach is going to have to deal
14:50
with. Allah, you know Dwayne Haskins
14:53
and. RG3 and quarterbacks of the
14:55
past, and I don't want us to bring in a free agent that if it
14:58
doesn't work, the new staff's going to have to deal with.
15:01
Sam has an arm, he said during his press conference yesterday.
15:05
And I'm paraphrasing, but he has total control of the Arab enemy
15:09
offense, which I still find shocking considering how wordy
15:12
an offense that is and how new an offense that is.
15:15
So time will tell. But he's did say that he could
15:18
tell people where to line up and where to go.
15:20
The concern I have is the offensive line.
15:23
Of course. And you saw today, they
15:24
struggled mightily. They they couldn't keep exactly
15:28
today. Today was a was a was a tragic
15:30
practice. If you ask me, if you have me
15:33
rate the practice 1 to 10, one being bad, today's practice to
15:37
me was probably a three to four. You know, it was from the
15:39
offensive line standpoint, from the offense in general.
15:43
It was first team offense. It was not good.
15:46
And then, you know, second team offense didn't do a whole lot.
15:50
You know there was a nice nice you know deep route to Terry
15:52
Mclaurin. I mean they're they're plays to
15:54
be made but yesterday was just crisp and and the defense still
15:59
was playing making plays too but they were going back and forth
16:02
and and it was like wow this is good because the defense will
16:05
make this offense better and the offense will give the defense
16:08
different looks now because you have a new offensive mind there
16:11
today it just it it didn't click and I and I think that was
16:14
because maybe again it's day two training camp.
16:18
It's hot out here, extremely hot and they're more cautious to to
16:22
make sure guys don't get hurt. They Ronald there mentioned the
16:24
soft tissue issues. So I think that's what this was.
16:28
At least that's what I'm going to chalk it up to right now.
16:30
At this specific time tomorrow I'll be able to tell you guys a
16:33
little bit more because if they come out and stink it up
16:35
tomorrow offensively, then I'm going to start having this
16:39
feeling in me well. How they ever going to be able
16:42
to practice and get Sam Howe ready if the offensive line
16:46
can't give him a pocket and they didn't give it to him today.
16:49
So, Ted, you'll be out there tomorrow, you said, right?
16:51
I'll be out there tomorrow and all next week and it just, it
16:54
cracks me up because you know, Smoot love him.
16:58
He loves to say iron sharpens iron, right.
17:01
Well, nothing is as sharp as our defensive line, you would think.
17:05
Just, you know, we talked about Eric Bienni.
17:08
Even just being in that room with Andy Reed and getting those
17:10
plays called with nagging everyone else there that he
17:12
would kind of ingest from that. You would think that our guys
17:15
lining up against our offensive line, lining up against these
17:17
first round sons of defensive line would pick up a couple of
17:20
things and I just, I did not see it today.
17:23
There's no paths. The guys cannot engage.
17:27
But thirteen years you've been out here covering care for a lot
17:31
of those, You always hear the. Coaches telling the defensive
17:34
line to lay off lay. Off.
17:37
Just don't. The enemy is not going to allow
17:40
that to happen. He, he he's going to want them
17:42
to come full throttle at all times because that's what he
17:45
wants them to have. Listen, this this defense, we
17:49
all know it should be a top five unit.
17:51
Okay. Chase Young looks really
17:53
explosive again. That adds another element that
17:55
the defense was missing last year.
17:57
Let's call it like it is. And they still were pretty good.
18:00
You look at Emmanuel Forbes, who I'm extremely impressed with.
18:03
I mean, he's he's a really good corner, you know, and you have
18:06
Martin, you have all these guys that they brought in.
18:08
Defense will be better. Make no mistake about it.
18:10
They were top ten last year. I think they finished the season
18:13
ranked seven. They're definitely a top five
18:15
unit. That can't help but make the
18:17
offense better. And if you go full throttle,
18:20
you're getting a full game simulation.
18:22
Your offensive line may look bad against your guys, but that's
18:26
okay because they're a top unit. So they should get better when
18:29
they play defenses that aren't as good or aren't as deep
18:32
upfront. So yeah, they should get better.
18:34
But today was, was, was, it was bad.
18:38
And I I I'm a little concerned about that.
18:41
I think that what's going to happen is when we actually play
18:45
against another color jersey, i.e.
18:48
Baltimore, we're going to actually be able to see what the
18:52
offensive line is truly capable of.
18:55
And if they can't cut the mustard, making those
18:58
substitutions to be able to put the right people in place or
19:01
rearranging the line, whichever way they need to be able to do
19:04
it. So that's what I'm really
19:06
looking forward to. We always talk about on our pod,
19:08
yeah, when you're playing against your brother, you kind
19:12
of have a way of laying off a little bit.
19:14
Sure you do. But when you are playing against
19:16
someone that who's just as hungry as you are, who's trying
19:18
to fight for a job. You see what's what.
19:20
There you go. And that's what I'm looking.
19:22
Forward to, and that's a great point.
19:24
You know the the the other thing when you think of that is not
19:29
only does it give you a chance to see who who can do what, it
19:32
gives you a chance to really know if if what you have is
19:35
enough. And and you you know we we know
19:38
about late cuts and things like that or vet veteran cap
19:41
casualties. If I'm Washington you they're
19:44
clearly going to be monitoring offensive lineman out there.
19:47
I hate that it would come in late and you know, and guys have
19:50
been through OTA's, training camps, so maybe they don't have
19:52
any kind of camaraderie or chemistry, but that's the unit.
19:57
That is the most talked about, not because they're good or they
20:02
can be like electrifying like the Y receivers or or how the D
20:05
backs now are getting some love and we know about the defensive
20:09
line so that the conversation naturally flows even more so
20:13
from Sam Howe, it flows to the offensive line and the
20:16
linebackers, so. You've got to see what you can
20:19
do with that. And that's a whole nother story.
20:21
I don't know if you guys talked about the Jamie Davis is not
20:23
getting love right now. I know he's coming back from an
20:26
end. He's coming back.
20:27
We're giving him a little bit, but it just just kind of eye
20:30
poppy. That's basic.
20:31
He hasn't received any love since he's got.
20:33
He hasn't, I mean, so he's been used to it this morning.
20:36
I hate to say that, but I mean he really hasn't And he and he's
20:38
had bright spots. He's had bright spots but he's
20:41
had he got beat today really bad and and and and by a guy that
20:45
might not make the team. You know let's just be honest
20:48
with Batterson he's a good young back.
20:50
But but I don't. I don't.
20:52
I don't see. It we were talking about that,
20:54
yeah. Yeah.
20:54
So he got. I don't know why Jared keeps
20:56
coming back to camp here because there are so many people in
21:00
front of. They just drafted another
21:02
running place, you basically. That is going to take a roster
21:05
spot because they made that investment in it.
21:07
So why do you keep coming back here and coming to practice?
21:11
And trying other than you want to put tape on someone else.
21:14
I think that's what it is and and I think maybe and maybe his
21:17
folks told him this time around with the enemy, the way he uses
21:21
his backs maybe the tape on him could be that he's versatile,
21:25
that he can catch passes a lot of the touchdown that he caught
21:27
today over Chain and Davis. So those are those are good
21:30
things for tape you know but. That was a fade from percent.
21:33
It was that was insane. It was that.
21:36
Yeah, to the shortest guy on the not quite the shortest but yeah.
21:39
And he and he had he had Damon beat by 3-4 yards.
21:43
Jaymon did recover. But you know and again I'm going
21:47
to I'm going to give Jaymon the benefit of the doubt that he's
21:49
coming off. He's coming off an injury and
21:50
and it takes time but it wasn't like a an injury to cost you the
21:56
year. I mean it was an offseason
21:58
procedure. But at the end of the day right
22:01
now for this team they need someone in the middle.
22:04
And right now it looks like it might be Khaliq Hudson might be
22:08
a guy. Yeah.
22:09
Yeah, yeah. It's exciting to see him come up
22:12
there. It just frustrates me because
22:15
it's part of the issue I have with Ron Rivera, the GM.
22:22
Never. No, he was.
22:23
Never worth the 19th pick in the draft.
22:28
Maybe for a team or a franchise that was not rebuilding.
22:31
But you need someone to have an immediate impact on your roster
22:35
and to put him at Mike. And then realize that you made a
22:39
mistake and have to move him. Where you have a defensive coach
22:43
from the 85 Bears that cannot recognize a linebacker, you have
22:48
Michael Singletary. I mean, come on.
22:51
And the other thing is this isn't to knock Damon's quality
22:54
of play because regardless, Kentucky's the SEC and their
22:58
program has definitely come around their top 25 program.
23:02
Maybe you can say friends top 25, but I've always said when
23:07
you're a team that's rebuilding and you're trying to bring in,
23:11
you know, players that can compete and win.
23:13
I need them to come from big time winning programs because
23:16
they know what the investment is needed to to to have some
23:19
success. I don't want projects from
23:23
schools that aren't known to produce players and that's not
23:27
knocking Kentucky and it's not knocking Jamie because I think
23:30
James is very talented. I think he came on strong last
23:34
year. I think he had a really good
23:35
year. I think his second year was
23:37
really good because they put him on the outside, but but they
23:41
this team more than any other team in the league right now.
23:44
You talk about devouring running backs around the league.
23:47
Well, well the commanders devalue lineback and they're
23:50
they're phasing with that position out.
23:53
They absolutely are. So they're going to be playing
23:55
games a lot with one guy and they'll be rotating, but it'll
23:58
be one in at one time. I I don't see them ever, ever
24:02
having three traditional linebackers on the field.
24:06
I just don't see it. If they do, it'll be one and
24:09
quick and they're done. So you know you have to find the
24:14
linebacker you want in the middle.
24:15
Is it Barton? Is it Hudson?
24:17
Is it Jamieman Davis? You drafted Jamieman Davis in
24:21
the first round. It has to be every reason for
24:23
him to be and whether you're bringing them along slowly or
24:26
not, it's like it's going to become a confidence thing if you
24:30
keep doing this. You know how we've seen these
24:33
guys play with guys minds and they can't recover.
24:36
I think James is a fragile guy like that and that's not and I
24:39
again not knocking him, it's just that he's heard all this
24:43
stuff. He knows what's going on.
24:45
And when I say he's fragile, I don't mean because I'm telling
24:48
you he's a fragile man. I'm just saying, you know, this
24:51
is a precarious situation and and you know how fans can be and
24:55
once they start coming and keep coming and keep coming, then you
24:58
see sometimes guys just they can't recover.
25:01
From Take My Football and Go Home, Right?
25:02
Exactly. And this staff is not a shame to
25:06
move guys. They drafted Sam Cosme to play
25:09
tackle and he definitely was not attacked.
25:12
He's Brandon Sheriff 2.0. As far as not his game, let me
25:17
make sure I rephrase that. But there was a time, two years
25:20
ago, he was standing next to Brandon and one of the practices
25:22
and I was with another person. I said look at them.
25:25
They almost look like from the back, they look like clones of
25:28
each other. I said this guy's going to end
25:30
up being a guard. Sure enough they moved him to
25:32
guard his arms long enough like he said.
25:35
So they want versatility. They're doing it with with Sadiq
25:40
Charles. Sadiq Charles a tackle.
25:42
Let's just say what he is. But they really want for some
25:44
reason him to play guard. And I think that that that's, I
25:49
don't like it. I think he should be getting
25:51
every opportunity to be your right tackle or your maybe even
25:54
your left tackle play guys to their strength.
25:57
But sometimes they feel like the strength of a guy is what they
26:00
see in them. And I I don't know that that
26:02
goes back to that talent evaluation.
26:04
To me it's also the whole position flex thing.
26:07
Can we just get a guy that play one position?
26:10
At the one thing he does, yes. Yes, you know, it's people go to
26:14
trade schools all the time to get that one trade.
26:18
Let's just get that one I don't want my Carpenter operating on.
26:21
No. Let's get that one all broke
26:23
guard and not let him walk away. You know what I'm saying?
26:25
So and and if I saw my Carpenter you know do great work in
26:30
college I I I don't want to try to make him do something else.
26:34
You know and and I don't mean just any college you know, so
26:37
deep. Charles was playing at a high
26:39
level at the LSU, you know, and they're a powerhouse.
26:43
And then you bring them here and the next thing you know, you're
26:45
trying to maneuver them around. And there was even some talk at
26:47
one point, maybe you can even play center.
26:49
I'm like, we we can't do that. Stop.
26:52
Stop. Once again, we got Lake Lewis
26:54
here. We're speaking with a couple
26:57
more questions. You know you're busy, Lake.
27:01
What do you want to see as one of the biggest changes that the
27:05
organization can make? You mean currently or just in
27:11
general? In general, you know, I would
27:14
like to get the name thing put to bed once and for all.
27:19
So with that being said, are you for commanders or are you
27:21
against commander? You know, a lot of, a lot of
27:23
people don't like when I say I was for the Washington football
27:26
team. So okay I was and and then I
27:29
just said okay, It's commanders. I'm going to be for the
27:31
commanders because I am in that crowd of just win football
27:36
games. You win football if they go out
27:38
this year and do the impossible, and when the Super Bowl is the
27:42
commanders, do you change the name?
27:44
No, you don't change the name. You can't.
27:46
No. And fans will.
27:47
Still. There will be fans still saying
27:49
change the name, but going to the Super Bowl party.
27:52
So you can't have it both ways. So my thing is, it's a name.
27:55
I understand the attachment with Redskins.
27:57
We all do. Everyone knows what that meant
27:59
to all fans of the team. I'm from DC, so I don't have the
28:04
fandom like that, but being in the media, but I'm from DC.
28:07
This was the team I grew up rooting for.
28:09
So to be able to come back here from Florida and all the places
28:12
I've been in my media career to cover them, it it it was, it was
28:15
an honor as a dream come true. But I know the history of the
28:20
organization and I think people have to understand it's still
28:23
the same organization. You you can't you you you know
28:28
you can't be desensitized to the whole fact that we know.
28:33
You know what the name was to a lot of people, but we also know
28:36
what the name wasn't to some others.
28:38
And for me, you change the name, the colors are still the same.
28:42
That was my biggest thing. Please just don't change the
28:45
colors. The history's still there.
28:47
Nothing's changed except for the name.
28:49
The fight song still sounds very similar.
28:51
It's just different, you know? Of course it's different,
28:56
Temple. Of course, you know, if if
28:59
there's a way you can get the name Redskins back, I'd be all
29:01
for it. I really would if it meant
29:03
acknowledging some things along the way.
29:05
Yeah, I'd be all for that. But I just want to see it put to
29:09
bed. I'd I I'd like the new ownership
29:11
group to say, hey, we are going to change this name.
29:14
This isn't our permanent name. Then fans could be like, wow.
29:17
Then you can have your chatter about what the name will be.
29:19
But I'd like the ownership group to say we're going to change the
29:22
name and this is what it's going to be.
29:24
Because you guys know, let's just call it like it is.
29:28
I haven't seen a name yet and fans are going to surf now and
29:32
say no, that's not true. I can tell you this team did it.
29:35
No, you didn't. Listen, they say the fans pick
29:38
the names. They don't stop it, stop it,
29:41
stop. It's a it's a right.
29:44
It's a marketing thing that the teams have to see.
29:46
It's a lot that goes into it. It really is.
29:49
I don't know how far this team went into it.
29:51
That's the problem with the Commander's name.
29:53
That was not a fan favorite by any means, and no one even knew
29:57
of it. I heard more Admirals before I
30:00
heard Commanders. Some of those focus groups,
30:04
yeah, it didn't come up. Yeah, Red Wolves, obviously it
30:06
was around Red Tails were around Warriors.
30:09
And those were names of people were like, OK, I can get with
30:11
that, you know, All of those names had some kind of positive
30:14
thing to it with the fans. But when it came out, it's the
30:17
Commanders. People were like then they
30:21
didn't know anything about this. You know, I hadn't heard
30:23
anything about that in the media.
30:24
Even being in the building, I didn't know any of this.
30:27
So it just it was kind of a blindsided thing.
30:30
But I also just encourage fans to realize this when they say
30:34
they want to erase and wipe any trace of Dan Snyder away.
30:38
Dan Snyder purchased the Redskins, and the Redskins were
30:42
under his watch for 95% of his tenure as the owner.
30:46
You're not erasing that. I mean, do you understand what
30:49
I'm saying? If you, if you say you want the
30:51
Redskins, that was him. That was the bulk of his tenure
30:55
and it wasn't good. So, you know, if if you're going
31:00
to say you want to erase everything that came with him,
31:03
you, then that means you got to erase that too.
31:05
You can't have one without the other.
31:06
Well, I think that when they say Redskins, they park back to.
31:12
It was a good old day. Of course, when we when we when
31:14
we can remember a winner. Not just because of Schneider,
31:17
but absolutely bowls the three Super Bowls before he was there.
31:20
So that's what they they they go by that.
31:22
What about logic? I mean, George Preston Marshall
31:24
was the biggest races of them all.
31:26
And he has basically been a race.
31:28
No one thinks about him. When you think about this team
31:30
and from a fans perspective, when we think of the Redskins
31:34
and the name, we don't think of Dan and those years of Dan was
31:37
here. He had two playoff wins and one
31:40
wasn't his. So realistically, I don't think
31:44
anyone cares. But from my I agree with you.
31:46
I just we're talking about the beginning of the show.
31:49
I just want them to change it and not tell us anything.
31:52
Not give us any options. Not making a survey.
31:55
Don't do a Boston Market survey like the Wizards did.
31:58
And then they go from a name and know that that's the perfect
32:01
example right here in your own town.
32:03
No one thought of Wizards. It was I I remember it was like
32:07
river dogs and all these different names, the monuments,
32:11
you know, because they're tall, you know.
32:12
But when they said Wizards, it was embarrassingly bad.
32:17
I still don't like that name. I like the bullets, you know?
32:20
But again, there was a political reason why that was changed.
32:24
And I'm from DC, so I understand, you know this is
32:28
this is my thing if you want to keep sports and politics apart
32:31
because that seems to be what it that's what the the nucleus of
32:36
it was was hey, you don't want your Sundays about politicians.
32:41
You know the politicians are at the games.
32:43
You know you just want to be able to escape and get away and
32:47
have a chance to yell and scream and and and and then you go to
32:50
work again on Monday. That's what the basis of all
32:53
this used to be. Well, that's not the world we
32:55
live in today. It's just not.
32:57
It's a it's unfortunately, it is a canceled culture and if things
33:01
aren't politically correct, they're going to go after it and
33:05
you know, but you're not going to make everybody happy.
33:07
That's the thing like the commanders, half the fan base to
33:10
me seems like they're okay with it if they just win.
33:13
But then the other half is like we can want both.
33:15
We can want a name change and we want them to win.
33:19
I I I think that's a a little much.
33:21
I really do. I know there's, you know you
33:23
guys deal with it more than I do outside.
33:25
But I mean you support this team.
33:28
You support this team through hell of high water.
33:31
It, it doesn't matter. You know, I see you guys on road
33:34
games, you know, So if they win, I'm asking you as fans if they
33:40
win the Super Bowl, I'll keep myself as media out of it.
33:43
But if they win the Super Bowl this year, would you be upset if
33:47
they came out after the year and said we're going to change the
33:50
name? Would I be upset?
33:54
I guess I'm one of these fans. I go along and get along, so to
33:57
speak, so. The name could be the Washington
34:00
Pixie Sticks. I always say that name and as
34:03
long as they're winning, I don't care.
34:04
I'm. I'm not one who's going to trip
34:05
on the name too tough. I I just want to win.
34:08
And whatever name they come up with, I'll back it.
34:12
Because as you said, I'm a fan. You're a fan.
34:14
Just at some point in time, we've got to put it to bed.
34:17
Have to, Yeah. We got to put it in.
34:19
If we won the Super Bowl and you change it, would you be upset?
34:22
I'd be pissed, right? I'd be damn pissed because and
34:25
now you have an identity as a winner.
34:26
Exactly. That is on a trophy.
34:28
On a trophy that is on a Lambar trophy.
34:30
Now, being realistic, ain't half we know that we're not winning.
34:34
You know, I'll fall on a 401K down, get the playoffs.
34:36
They can get to the playoffs, but they're not going to the
34:38
Super Bowl. But you know, it's just I, my
34:42
friend Brian Hall came up with this and he said, you know, if
34:47
I'm lucky enough to raise a child and I get a chance to walk
34:53
her down the aisle. And hand her over.
34:57
You know, give my blessing away. And then she gets married and
34:59
changes her last name the second her last name is changed.
35:03
None of those memories went away.
35:05
Me pushing her on a swing stays the same, of course.
35:09
Me remembering to talk to her prom date and say have her home
35:14
at this time, that doesn't go away.
35:16
None of these memories I have with my father going to RFK for
35:19
the first time. And watching a grown man shed
35:23
tears because he finally got to take me to a game goes away.
35:27
So all these fans are yelling and screaming about it.
35:29
The name is nothing. The memories are everything.
35:33
And let's make new ones and I'll add on this name and I'll add on
35:37
to that because I use that analogy too.
35:40
There was a gentleman that got in my got in my Twitter and was
35:44
like, you know, no one can make me change how I feel about the
35:47
name. You know, my, my grandfather
35:51
took me to my first game. He said this and I, you know, I
35:55
just told him, I said, you know, so you still have that memory.
35:58
That memory is never going away. But guess what is going away?
36:02
Your grandfather. You understand what I'm saying?
36:05
Your grandfather's definitely going away.
36:07
If it if things go the way natural life is supposed to go,
36:10
grandfather's going to go away, but your memories won't go away
36:13
for him. So what makes you think your
36:15
memories are going to go away for this team?
36:17
You know, So again, I just think sometimes fans do get over
36:21
emotional about it. And I and I liken this to
36:23
sometimes certain fans carry this as if it's like a safe gang
36:29
to be part of. It's not a violent gang, it's
36:32
not a gang causing crime and trouble.
36:34
But it is almost like sometimes how people are with their
36:37
politics. They didn't identify with
36:40
anything growing up and they weren't part of anything.
36:43
So now they latch on to something that they can be
36:46
boisterous about and it's safe. They can get away with saying
36:50
mean things and stuff like that. And and I do.
36:52
I think there there are some fans that have been jaded
36:55
because of what's going on here for the last 20 something years.
36:58
But guys like us who are old enough to remember the winning
37:01
and how it shut the city down, You know when you had Dallas
37:05
week and you couldn't even focus in school, you know, you just
37:07
knew that those were going to be wars.
37:10
Those are the things that I think is the younger generation
37:13
of fans are able to experience. They're not gonna care what the
37:18
name is. They're really not.
37:20
They're well, I mean, I used to have a TV show with Larry
37:22
Michael at the park and it would make me so angry and Larry would
37:27
say, why are you so pissed? But I would come in and they
37:30
would literally have a sign on the door that said.
37:33
Dallas Yeah, man. Find your players and it's
37:37
Dallas, right? I mean come on now you're trying
37:40
to fabricate this just rivalry here where it should be there
37:44
inherently and and you have to stop pushing and and I'm cool
37:49
with all the guys you guys know that that that I'm I'm great
37:52
friends with a lot of the players especially former
37:54
players now but you have to create a new narrative you you
38:00
can't keep showing you know Riggins you know running down
38:04
against the Dolphins we know this it's ingrained in
38:08
everyone's DNA who who's who's want to see this team be
38:11
successful. Everyone knows these stories.
38:13
Everyone's seen them if you're of a certain age.
38:17
But you know you have some old timers to talk about.
38:20
You know the the the 71 hung on the Giants and 66, you know,
38:23
things like that. Those are their memories.
38:26
Well, the younger people need to see some new memories, you know,
38:29
and you guys can remember the time when the Patriots stunk.
38:33
You know the Seahawks stunk and in there, you come in there
38:36
where Tampa was definitely bad. Well we've seen all these teams
38:40
get some Super Bowls over the last 10-15 years, you know, so
38:43
it's a it's a time that's happening.
38:46
The the Detroit Lions are hopeful that they can get into
38:48
their first Super Bowl ever. You know, they think they have a
38:51
chance this year. So what I'm saying is, is that
38:55
the young people in Detroit, they don't, they don't care
38:57
about those stories from Alex Karis and those guys from the
39:00
50s and 60s. They probably don't care about
39:03
Barry Sanders. They just want to win today.
39:06
And I promise you, if this team goes on a nice run this year and
39:10
and you see that the trajectory is going even further for next
39:14
year, I don't think that the name is going to be such a big
39:17
issue, but the ownership group has to.
39:19
So to answer your question again, they've got to put a stop
39:22
to this and and end it. It's either going to be
39:25
commanders and that's it. It's going to go back to
39:27
Washington football team and that's it.
39:29
You don't have to do a major rebrand if you do that.
39:31
But then there are people on social media today.
39:33
Oh, I hate the Washington football team.
39:34
There was no identity to it. But you don't like the
39:36
commanders either. So, I mean, come on, what's
39:38
what's going on here? And.
39:41
You're not going to make everybody happy.
39:42
You're not getting that old name back.
39:45
Chris Cooley was talking on the Kevin Sheehan Show and this was
39:48
maybe two or three years ago when our name changed, said If
39:51
Snyder's smart, that's you, Jeff.
39:55
He'll keep it watching the football team because whoever
39:57
buys it in the name of whatever the world they want to, and I
40:01
wish that would have happened because we wouldn't be going
40:03
through this. And it's a debate.
40:06
We're definitely not going to finish today, but late.
40:09
It's nice to officially finally. Meet this was good.
40:12
This was this was. I've done.
40:13
I've done appearances on people shows and there's been times I
40:18
can say I'm like, man, it's got me a long time here.
40:21
This is not good. I got to go.
40:23
But no, this was great, man. Very engaged the whole time.
40:26
Good stuff. Really appreciate it.
40:27
It's nice to find out, you know, get a chance to actually talk to
40:29
you other than, you know, social media and Twitter.
40:32
Yeah, well, thanks man. You guys keep up the great work
40:34
and come back on with you. And so just so our listeners can
40:37
know, where can they follow you Lake, if they don't know about
40:40
you? Yeah, you can, you can.
40:41
I mean, you can take me down on social media at on, on Twitter
40:45
at Lake Lewis and then on Instagram Facebook threads at
40:48
Lake Lewis Junior. You can go to Sports Journey and
40:52
I have some stuff coming up, you know, through through my ABC
40:55
obviously news stuff. So yeah man, that's a lot of
40:58
stuff going on out there. Appreciate it.
41:00
All right. So last question before you go,
41:02
Yes or no, yes or no answer, will the team be back at the old
41:08
RFK grounds? Yes.
41:11
There you have it. All right.
41:13
Log it up. Yes, I I think that's the
41:15
logical move for everyone. All right.
41:17
And obviously a lot of red tape they've got to get through, but
41:20
the DC wants them back now and that's where they belong.
41:24
Can't be, can't, can't practice in Ashburn.
41:26
Live out here and play your games in Maryland and and bypass
41:30
DC to get to where you're going either way.
41:32
And your name, Washington, right.
41:35
Commanders or whatever the name will be.
41:37
Yeah, you know. So you got to get back to the
41:39
DC. Appreciate it.
41:40
Like thank you again. All right guys.
41:42
Appreciate. It.
41:44
Rally I don't know about you, man.
41:45
This has been one hell of a day from being out of camp.
41:49
I I did have a couple Don't Sleep energies to start off, so
41:53
that's probably why I'm not dragging right now.
41:55
But I don't think I need it. The energy from our fellow fans
42:00
out there practice tonight, the energy from everybody we had out
42:04
here at the brewery and just coming on the show to have Lake
42:08
Lewis jump on with us. A boy, Tim, just all these other
42:12
people that love this team and cover this team and just no,
42:16
it's absolutely unreal, man. It really was.
42:20
Yeah. So I really, really appreciate
42:24
everybody from Melo, Tea Lake, Lewis, Tim, gosh, that's what it
42:30
falls down to guys. And this is, this is probably
42:33
the longest pot that we've met. We're going.
42:35
To cut this up. OK, sorry, I'm going to cut this
42:38
up. So I hear the music in the
42:41
background which lets me know that we have come to another
42:44
ending episode of the DMV mess hall.
42:48
And before we go, like you Ted, the only time I needed my don't
42:53
sleep was on the way here. Once I got here, hand based
42:57
brought me back to life. So thank you to everyone that
43:01
showed up. You could have, you could be
43:03
listening anywhere anyone but you decided to listen to the DMV
43:07
mess hall. We greatly appreciate it.
43:09
And in closing, as the captain always says, you wrap it hard.
43:13
I don't wrap it at all. They'll get Ted rally Captain
43:16
and we're.