Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger
Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger
Big Ben Talks how Aaron Rodgers makes Steelers a legit playoff contender Ep. 129
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Aaron Rodgers news hits differently when it’s big enough to find you while you’re out of the country, and that’s where we start from the basement. We talk through what Rodgers coming back to Pittsburgh means for the Steelers right now, not as a fantasy, but as a real “win now” window. I lay out why this roster looks like a legit playoff team on paper, what still has to break right, and why it’s too early to throw around Super Bowl contender like it’s a guarantee.
From there, we get nerdy in the best way: quarterback fundamentals, footwork, and why seeing a young QB drill something like a three-step drop can spark a bigger question about the college football pipeline. We break down under-center mechanics, pro-style timing, anticipation throws, and the difference between the clean “handbook” version of the position and the real NFL moments where protection fails and you survive on feel, instincts, and experience. If you love the chess match side of football, this part is for you.
We also dig into the offensive line as a chemistry problem, not just a talent problem. OTAs are for shuffling pieces, testing combinations, and finding the five who actually function as one unit. Then we close with something personal: celebrating Ashley’s seminary graduation and what it takes for a whole family to support a long-term goal. Subscribe, share this with a Steelers fan, and leave a review with your prediction: what’s the Steelers’ final record with Rodgers under center?
Basement Welcome And Old Stories
SPEAKER_01Welcome back to Football with Ben Rothelsberger. We're in the basement. I'm Ben. He spents. This is football. As I just said, welcome. Um, hope you guys have liked the the last few episodes we've done with some former teammates of Willie Parker and Max Starks and Rosie Nicks. Just enjoyed having those guys on. So thank you guys for being here, being a part of the show, sitting in the basement and just reminiscing and talking stories and high school, college, steeler stuff. It was really cool to hear some of those things from all those guys and to do it with them.
SPEAKER_02It's um it's a crazy experience to sit here and watch you. Like I was thinking about Max Starks, yeah, like watching YouTube, like because we just watched it on TV, right? We get to see that. And then, you know, I hope you all got to you felt the same way when you were watching or listening to it or whatever. Yeah. But I felt like we could have been down here another two hours, Max.
SPEAKER_01For sure. Yeah, Max is he's an awesome articulate man who obviously, because of what he's doing with the all the production, the radio, TV, all that stuff. But Max has always been that way, always been uh um easy to talk to, loves to talk, loves to just have fun and laugh. That laugh, I to hear that laugh again, it's been a while. He's be right next to me. So we used to B, what's up, B? So uh love those guys.
SPEAKER_02You know who was for me though, dude? A sleeper so and maybe for a lot of people, because I don't know how much media he did throughout his career.
SPEAKER_01Rosie. Rosie Rosie was awesome.
SPEAKER_02Awesome, man.
SPEAKER_01Funny. Uh always always had a smile. Like, I mean, and then when you hear the story, like I knew some of his story, but not like to the entirety of it. And it was so cool to see other things he overcame. A true story of perseverance, of never quitting, not giving up. Um, and it was that it was just so so fun to sit down here with him and see him get all sweaty and nervous. His shirt was changing colors.
SPEAKER_02You know, yeah, yeah. So if you haven't seen that episode, it's obviously on the channel. Go check it out. Like Rosie's episode, all of them. Willie, like, yeah, it was a uh when when we were obviously that draft brought a lot of people to town and you were you're um reaching out to some guys when you were putting them together. Um, or it was I was I mean, I felt like every time you shout me a text, like, oh dude, you know what? Yeah, that'll be fun. I'll yeah, it's just like it's Evan was super excited too. So that was you know it's good if Evan is super excited. Yeah, so it's been a minute. So uh yeah, we had we've had some we've had some uh awesome episodes that if you guys have missed them in just in the offseason, kind of like tuning out or whatever, as we're gearing back up, OTAs just happen, we're jumping into that. Uh go back, check it out, man. Backlog it. Go, go check out those episodes because they're awesome. Hearing the stories from Willie from Max and Rosie, uh, like Ben said, it's not only inspiring of their journeys because we broke that down uh uh pretty cohesively, but just to see you two. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, and like you said too, so like Willie, you know, doesn't do a lot of media stuff. Rosie, not a lot of stuff. Obviously, Max is in the media, but to hear us two go to to like talk and have remember the stories and reminisce. But to hear Rosie and Willie kind of if you're a Steeler fan, uh you don't have to be a Steeler fan, but but if you're like like a total Yenzy, you're gonna love it. But you how do you not love the stories from those guys? So that was those are really cool. Yeah, please check those out. And I um, you know, we we haven't been sitting here doing like talking for a while. There's been a lot going on in our personal lives, and we will get into that. Typically, we start the show kind of diving into what's been going on, but um we we we have to get into the the biggest stealer news um in the last probably week,
Aaron Rodgers Comes Back To Pittsburgh
SPEAKER_01maybe month, two months, six months. Uh I you know, probably bigger than even the draft news is and I was actually um out of the country celebrating my wife, which we'll talk about later in the show. Um, which we should celebrate, actually we should start with celebrating my wife, but because of the show, we know what y'all want. We need to dive into this, but we were I was this news was so big out of the country it popped up on the phone. So obviously we're talking about the Aaron Rodgers stuff, uh coming back to Pittsburgh, kind of what we had thought, I think, the whole time that there was a pretty good chance of him coming back, especially with all the um all the appetizers, we'll call it that they've been giving him, right? The the the draft picks, the uh free agents, obviously DK from last year, all that kind of um the hoopla. Uh and I will be I'll be honest, because I was gone, I don't know all the OTA ins and outs and stories, so I know you'll you'll throw some stuff at me and we can talk about it. Uh I won't be as diverse as I will be later in the season when we're diving into these like in-depth stories, but uh again, I think having Aaron back is huge. I know we we have talked on the show about being a Will Howard fan that doesn't change anything. Uh obviously the Steelers drafting in the third round, Will Aller. Um I got I get asked all the time when I travel, what do I think of that pick? Obviously, a lot of Penn State fans. Drew Drew?
SPEAKER_02What'd I say? Will Aller?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, well we're combining them both. Yeah, we're gonna morph them to be, dude. That's so awful. Yes. Drew Penn State University. Um anyway, yes. Uh Drew Aller, sorry, Will Howard. Kind of go to the computer. Yeah, too. Yeah, it's like phonetics. Uh sorry, everybody. But I get asked about him a lot. So uh, but I think the for the win now, you know, you they they made the the right decision. That's that that's Aaron. Uh you know, I know our our good friend and friend of the show, James uh Debo Harrison, uh, made a comment, I think, at one point that he now sees a steeler going maybe 16 and one. I thought I saw that or heard that. Like 16 and one. He made some crazy prediction about them. You know, I won't go that far, okay, but I will say that I think with with him here and the weapons, plus him knowing McCarthy's offense, there will be a transition for the other guys, right? Everyone else has to learn a new offense. They just these guys just learned a new offense recently. Yeah. Now they're gonna have to learn a new one. So there is a transition, but that helps when your quarterback already knows that offense a lot. So I think that'll be really, really good news. Plus all the weapons he has. The defense is still gonna be the defense. They are getting older, but you still have TJ Watt and you and you still have Ramsey. You still got some players now. You got JPJ that's playing really well. So you've got some really, really good players uh that'll that'll that are still gonna give you what you need. But um, I think this team has a like is a is a legit playoff team. And I think, and I'll say this because we always have to talk about injuries will always play a factor. So not in this preseason as we sit right now, this is a legit playoff team. I think they're going to they they have a legit chance to win games in the playoff. And I I I hate though, I hate to say like a Super Bowl contender. I think that that is a it's always a bold statement, but this is a team that has the potential to to get to the Super Bowl for sure.
SPEAKER_02So yeah, that's a lot, bro. There is a lot that you have bestowed upon this this Steelers team.
SPEAKER_01And there's a lot of what ifs, right? Sure. You have to keep Aaron help, right? You have to keep him health, you have to protect, you have to stay healthy, guys. Have you know the the the cohesiveness of a new all? There's a lot of what-ifs. But as I said, again, as we're sitting here today, yeah, and I know too, the schedule just came out. Yes. We are we are going to, I mean, I think the unique thing to talk about is the game in Paris. Like that's that's gonna be so cool. But I'm gonna save the the schedule, like the the schedule release show slash prediction show. Yeah, we can't do that without Evan. It'd be it'd be rude and inconsiderate. He is he is part of the the three-man wolf pack. Oh wait, did you hear him? Yeah, no, Evan's not here. It's it's this is it's before noon. Evan's not here. Okay. Um, but uh no, we so we are going to say, I'm just letting you guys know that um we will do the the next show we do will be a schedule release slash um prediction show, and that'll help us dive in a lot more, our our early, early predictions. Yeah, and then we'll do another one, obviously, as we get closer to the preseason, but just a flat out feel gut check thing. Yeah. Um, we'll have Evan sitting down here. So we'll we'll save kind of that because I know that is definitely a big like, well, how do you see us doing this? And we talk about, well, you'll win this game or you'll lose this game. Uh, and I know I've I saw some people talk about well, how can the Steelers be uh a legit team when they're maybe the third best team in your division? You know, people I think people are putting Baltimore and Cincy ahead of us in the division right like early on. What? I don't know. I mean, I think that there's there's you can I would love to argue that with with the people, but we will um we'll get into that. So anyway, a lot of lot of word vomit coming out, but that's my uh my early season prediction, and we will get into the details of it next episode.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, a couple things I want to unpack, but I also just think it's funny that like the Browns, though a professional football team, are not even considered by any other fan base in the division as a contender in the division. Are they still in the division? That's last I checked, last I checked.
SPEAKER_01Hey, they are getting a new stadium, though.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, yeah. Which is good, which is good. You know, that's a good thing to do when when um don't do it, Spence. Time don't do it, don't say it. Use self-control. Don't say it.
SPEAKER_01We're not talking about the Cavs, are we? No, everything that in Cleveland.
SPEAKER_02No, no, just Cleveland as a whole.
SPEAKER_01That's you know, yeah, just super just Cleveland things.
SPEAKER_02How about the Knicks though, bro? I mean since the 90s, right? First time since the 90s. Congratulations, New York. New York Knickerbockers. Yeah, you got something, you got something going for you. That's really cool. Uh sorry about your taxes, though. Um, so so to for you to crown a crown for the lack of a better phrase, uh, crown them as legitimate playoff contenders, right? I feel like that is something that um it is you you wouldn't throw that around lightly. That is that is something that is like to say that and and to even go as far to say like not wanting to say Super Bowl contenders, it's very early to say that, right? You know what I mean? But at what so when one, what are the the primary components that you're seeing beyond Aaron Rodgers that is going to contribute to you saying, yo, easy, easy playoff contenders? And then two, at what point in time in the season do you would you feel comfortable giving them that um Super Bowl contender status?
SPEAKER_01Um I I think you you know you need to see, you need to be six, seven, eight games into the season before you start talking to them because you know, making sure, listen, knock on wood, heaven forbid, pray for them. There's a big injury.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah. We don't want that.
SPEAKER_01All of a sudden you're like, you know what, you could be moving and grooving in week 15, someone goes down, you're like, well, yeah, there goes that. Like some, you know, there are you know, you know, quarterbacks. You get you know specific.
SPEAKER_02A crazy thing, dude. I we saw that with Denver this past year. Yeah, is a crazy thing how that must feel when you have such moment, it's so hard to win games in the National Football League. You have so much momentum, you
Quarterback Drops And College Habits
SPEAKER_02have this, the team's there. That's not gonna look the same next year, and then all of a sudden, you'll sorry.
SPEAKER_01It's uh especially that late for Denver. Like when they do, yeah, that's miserable. If you if it happens early in the season, you're like, well, we can maybe get someone, make something happen, get a young guy going, get a backup, get a free agent or trade something. Um yeah, I just think you know, I think the weapons that they brought in on offense, even if if it were to be Will or Drew, like you can make some good things happen. I think McCarthy's got a great track record of working with young quarterbacks. Yeah, um, it does make me nervous. Like, I'm watching some of the stuff they're doing with Drew Aller at practice, like working on his drop, and I'm like, okay, like I think I under I'm not trying to knock this this this like quarterback school or whatever that that Coach McCarthy does. I know Aaron's talked about it in the past because he's gone through it in Green Bay and he talked highly about it. Um I uh I just to me when I'm watching him do like three-step drops, that makes me incredibly nervous. And this and you might say, why? Like you're you're refining things. There's a difference in refining things and like teaching sure. The first thing if I were to, if I were to when I did do football, when we did football camps, or the first thing you're teaching the youngest kids is how to do a three-step drop.
SPEAKER_02So that's an interesting conversation then. But go go. It is, yeah.
SPEAKER_01It is interesting to me. Like, I understand, like when I had my elbow issue, right? We went out to um the Tom House, Adam Dado. Um, yeah, you know, they work with a you know, Drew, Tom, um, you know, a lot of quarterbacks. Yeah. When I went out there, you know, Adam was like, listen, we're not, I'm not here to change. You've been doing this for a long time. You know how to throw a football. You know, we just want to make sure that you're efficient with it. And so maybe they're just working on like his three-step drop to be more efficient. Yeah. But it looked to me like it was, I mean, the baby steps teaching. And I and again, I'm just this is from a 30,000. I mean, I'm watching someone on a video. I can't hear anything. I'm not doing so. I could be completely wrong, but I'm just and all I say, all I'm saying is that it makes me a little nervous to to watch it and be like, they're working on like three-step drop and how to like, yeah. And again, maybe that maybe, you know, uh, looking like really looking broad scope, maybe it's just a it's a total knock on college football.
SPEAKER_02So that's so that was gonna be my question. It was twofold, and I think you know, you better with a two-step, but that's a different kind of drop. Um, it's uh that's a drinking two-step is what yeah, you know, I never made it to the three-step. Okay. Um, so it's it's twofold conversation in my mind. One, it is playing style. You're playing style, you're very um and and famously very uh instinctual, very intrinsic. A lot of the things that like uh even conversations we've had, I think any fan of yours, any fan of football, like I think one of the things they highlight about your play is it was like feel. You have an impeccable feel that uh I think was um you just can't teach that. It's just a you you have you don't. So it's interesting to see for you to have that and then to comment on that because it's it it was probably intrinsic to you. And then the the other component of this conversation that I think is is probably a more valid argument here is the college football thing. We're not, I don't know, and I'm sure and I don't watch a whole lot of college football. Um, so the family here, you guys can correct me uh in the comments, is like I don't know that I've seen in the last four years any college quarterback take a snap under center. I don't know that I'm watching that.
SPEAKER_01I mean, if you if you see it, it's almost like a oh, like it just doesn't happen. And there might be some there might be some systems. I know Stanford was known for for a while when Andrew Luck was coming out. People were like, wow, that's why Andrew Luck, Andrew Luck was very talented, but yeah, that's why he was so highly touted as well, because he's like under center, dropping back, doing play actions from under center. Like that's so so things like that, yes. You need to teach like you need to learn how to take a seven-step drop from under center with a little play action in it, or a little bit of a we call like a mini roll or a boot, things like that. If you never do it, that's one thing. Um, and again, I I I could be completely wrong, but I would love to get like Peyton Manning's take, right? The Mannings have the famous school and this and the other. Like, if you were to say, hey, Peyton, look at this NFL, the third round draft pick, and they're practicing a three-step draw. And Peyton might be like, I love it. I think it's super important to do it because and he was very technical, right? Yeah. You would say for when when people played me, it was like, okay, keep Ben in the pocket. Don't like keep him right there on that line. And I'd find with that too. I'd love to stay in the pocket and throw. But when you played Tom, when you played Tom Brady or we played Peyton Manning, it was like, get disruptive and make him move. Yeah, yeah. Right? Not that they can't do it, but you don't want them sitting in the pocket where it's like just it's it's perfect. And they can, you know, very fundamental. Peyton is known. He's a fundamental, it's it's that ball's high, it rocks back and forth. And you know, he famously was always moving. I mean, that that those are the fundamentals, and and each to each their own. He's one of the greatest to ever do it. So maybe he would be like, I love what they're doing right now. It it just it makes me ask the I just asked him the question personally. Like, man, I I hope that it's something a small technical thing they're doing, not like just a hey, listen, let's let's wipe the slate clean and start all over. Yeah, especially if he's been doing it one way for so long, right? It's almost like, let's take what he's doing and refine it or or or tweak it, not say, you know what, remember everything you've been doing for the last eight, you know, 18, 20 years. Nope. Yeah, we're starting over here. That'd be really tough.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it'd be wildly intimidating too, man. If as a college athlete, you're getting into the NFL based upon the performance that you've just done for the last four years or whatever, and now you're you're having to relearn it at a level where it's like, hey man, you can't transfer out of this bro.
SPEAKER_01Well, let me say this too, because it's kind of what you said. When Aaron comes in, if Aaron might be doing it differently, yeah. He might be doing it like he might be doing the same thing, like when they're like, okay, look at the three steps, but it's going to be different. Aaron's got his way of doing it. And it may come from McCarthy's thing, but but Aaron was doing before he got to McCarthy, too. But it goes to kind of what you said here and things that would happen with me. It's almost like I know I've done this before with with younger quarterbacks that came in, and I'm sure Aaron's doing the same thing, where it's like, hey, listen, do what I say, not what I do. Sure. You know what I'm saying? Like, what I do is a little bit like crazy, but you you should do it like take the three-step or or look this or do do these kind of things. I might be doing it a little bit different, but just trust me, do as I say, not as I do. Because my I've been doing it for a long time or unorthodox or whatever it is, and I'm trying to help you get to where we are, and you have and you have a resume.
SPEAKER_02So it's like it's one of those things to your point.
SPEAKER_01I think young guys respect like they respect that. Like, I'll help you. And that's I saw Aaron say that too in the news. Like, I was the same way. I know, you know, with there are maybe one quarterback on the team ever that was like Ben was never never good to me. No, I've always said, I will help you as much as you want to be helped. Sure. I will be here for you. I will watch film with you, I will do whatever you want. And I think there's been a lot of guys that have played with me that will co-sign that. Yeah, I mean, I think most would. Um and because I think Aaron just came out and said, Hey, I'm here to help Will and Drew as much as they want to be helped. Yeah, I'm here to help. If they don't want it, fine, but I'm I'm here to help. Uh same mentality. Like, you want to help those guys. You want to say, hey, listen, it it, but they have to want it. You know what I'm saying? And so I think that that's gonna be great. Like those guys, I know we know Will. I don't know Drew at all, but knowing Will and hearing from him and talking to him, he he wants to be a sponge. Aaron, give me everything. Like almost to the end, almost like, dude, okay. Like you don't have to know what I'm eating for lunch. You know, like I can see Will just being like, I'm and and Drew again, Drew might be the same way. We don't know.
SPEAKER_02I don't know him, but just like just I would imagine what's been really cool is is these last, I don't know, a couple years. Like I feel like college athletes nowadays, um, maybe it's just because my exposure to them has been greater in the last couple years, but they they do seem very eager to learn, very uh, at least the ones that I've come in contact with. I got to see Will in on Single DeMaio, and uh and they were doing workouts and whatnot, just like, hey man, how's everything's going? And you could see you could you could just see it in his eyes. Like he was like, dude, I'm if if that's before we knew Aaron was coming. It's like if Aaron's here, bro, I can't wait to learn from him. It's like if it's my number or whatever, he's like, I it's so to hear him, to hear him like, hey, however, whatever the chips fall, I'm here to work and learn. So yeah, it's you you said something interesting though, when you're talking about Peyton Manning and um, you know, you and Tom and and uh it's uh how how much of this is like uh you know the the game changing, so the position has to change, and it's like the old heads wanting it to do it their way versus this is how the game is. Like this is the and and though the game or this is how the position is played, and like there is a there's a you have to understand the foundational elements of it, and then to your point, as you got older and and prove that you know you're um how you changed your execution of maybe the job description has worked for you, like no one's gonna do it like Ben does it. Ben Ben can do that because we've he's he's seen it work. Like, how much of that is like the game has changed, so the quarterbacks aren't learning fundamentals versus oh that's just how we used to do it, and now
When The Pocket Breaks Down
SPEAKER_02you can still be effective doing it in a different way. That question makes sense. I guess.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think so. Um I I I think, and if it doesn't, I'm just gonna give an answer. It's like I'm talking about the media.
SPEAKER_02Uh Ben, uh why why did you do why did you do the thing at the time?
SPEAKER_01Um no, I think so. I think what you do is you it's the in the quarterback position, I mean all positions have a little bit of it, but the quarterback position specifically has a here's kind of like the handbook, or here's in this, you know, you can break it all down to a specific play. Okay, here's what you're gonna do on this play. Yeah, here's the read, here's the if you get this defense, you're gonna want to look here, if you get this defense, you want to look here. There's always like you prepare, you know, Coach Happy you say you have a plan, work the plan, plan for the unexpected. Okay, so here's our plan for this play or for this how to play the quarterback position. We're gonna we're gonna get all this ready and we're gonna work that. Okay, every time you take a five-step drop, the pocket is perfect. You're gonna be able to hit your five, just to hitch up, throw it, perfect, right? Take your five-step drop, hitch up, throw it, perfect. Three-step drop, three, everything's perfect. But guess what? It's not always perfect. So have a plan, like know what to do, but also you have to know okay, if I go to take my five and all of a sudden a lineman gets beat, or a blitz comes, or um I'm a hot reader. They're bringing one more than I can block. Guess what? You can't hit five, hitch up, and throw it. It doesn't work like that. You've got to make adjustments. So you can teach people how to play the position and what to do. And when everything's perfect, here's what it is. Now, guess what? Here's what here's how to throw off your back foot. Here's how to get the ball out of your hand before you hit five. Here's how to make make an audible. Yeah, here's how to slide the line this way, here's how to change a play. So then you start making other plans. Now, this that your your initial plan is like a real big, a big bubble, how about we'll call it a big bubble. This is everything's perfect. Here's everything. And then here's your your your kind of a backup plan. And this is a little smaller bubble, right? It's like, okay, sometimes things won't go your way, and we got to figure. And then you've got like an emergency bubble that's super small, where it's like, all heck broke loose. They're bringing the house. Yeah. Um, you know, the the ball was snapped early. Check down, check down. Everything, everything that can possibly go wrong. Wrong, went wrong. Well, what are you gonna do in that situation? Yeah, you can try and talk about these things, but sometimes these things, the emergency bubble, are just it's just it's just guts, it's instincts, it's feel, it's been there, done that. Some of this stuff you can't teach. I mean, I remember we've talked on the show, I think there was a we had play where it's like, okay, what happens if they do this, coach? Well, they won't. But if they do, what team you collect? But they but they they they'd never shown, you know, and then the answer would be like they've never shown to to to blitz in this when you have this formation. I understand that. But what if they do? You and and I I not that I argued, I think I don't know if we did this with Charlie, but we did it with someone and Charlie will co-sign this. Uh a lot of guys, and I'm not I'm not necessarily arguing with the with our quarterback coach or our coordinator or anybody, but I'm like, okay, I I'm I hear you. I totally get that. But what if? Because you have to be ready for a what if. Yeah. And it's like, and the answer was, you gotta beat it. And I'm like, wait, Michael Jackson? I mean, what do we like? You gotta beat it. I'm like, what like what like what do you mean, beat it? And they're like it is, dude, do do seven things. Yeah, that's so funny. And I'm like, okay. And we I remember last because we were walking down the stairs after that meeting. I'm like, what? And and I think Charlie or some I it could have been like Duck with us or Dobbs, it could have been Byron. I mean, it could have been any of the guys. Where we're walking, Bruce, we're walking down, and and I think one of them made a comment like, what if Ben's not in? What are we what are we doing? You want Ben to beat? What are we doing? It might have been Byron like laughing. Like, what are we what are we supposed to do if we don't just beat it? Like, like if Ben, yeah. Coach, you know what?
SPEAKER_02That sounds great. Question. Um, what if seven isn't on the field? What if do we have to still do seven days? I know.
SPEAKER_01It's so so anyway. I know that that probably sounds funny to everybody and this, that, and the other, but those are that that's how I would best describe like you've got these guys in this bubble and you're teaching these guys this big bubble, right? And then like dabbling in this one. Aaron's in that emergency bubble, like he's got it all figured out. But and that's where Aaron's down here doing this. Like, listen, if this happens, I'm probably throwing it behind my back and doing this kind of crazy stuff.
SPEAKER_02Follow-up question. How do you do seven things? Uh, just so I know for future reference.
SPEAKER_01Don't own uh John Wayne BS out there. Yeah, that's so funny. So anyway, that's that's kind of a I don't know if I answered your question, but yeah, there's just a there's there's like you you have you prepare for things, yeah, and then it's like some things you just can't prepare for.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and I think it's and this is a conversation that like I'd love to get like real, I mean college football fans that live and breathe it, because that game has changed so much, and obviously now it's impacting pros and in a significant level. And I think like a lot of a lot of maybe what is underneath the questions I'm asking is like, you know, you have a lot of these these um programs are running uh pro concepts, but your quarterbacks aren't able to do what seems to be fundamental in the position of the game. And my, you know, obviously like uh the stuff that I've in my profession, you innovate to optimize, but you like there's no need to innovate something that is already optimized.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I would I would argue with you that I think the game, the college game is not running pro systems. I think they're like, how fast can I get the ball? Like we're throwing these little bubble screens and we're throwing these little, like you're not seeing quarterbacks throwing the ball truly down the field. If they are throwing down the field, it's just like a go ball. Yeah, like they're like you're not seeing, I don't think, again, forgive me, fans, if I'm if I'm like the analytics don't back up what I'm saying here.
SPEAKER_02We're two guys in a basement. Give us a break. Yeah, we're just we're seeing the boards.
SPEAKER_01I don't think you're seeing like the big in routes. Yeah. Like the, you know, that eight, that seven-step drop, hard play action, push up into the pocket, and here comes the 18 to 20 yard in route. So, you know what I'm saying? Just like, you know, you've got a guy clearing out, and then here comes the in, you got to hit him between the numbers and the hash, because if he gets inside the hash, the safety is gonna be sitting there. So you better be throwing the ball literally as he's making his break before he's making his break, because he's 18 to 20 yards downfield, and it's gonna take time for the ball to get there. Yeah. So now if your receiver ends up pushing inside the numbers, the ball's gonna be behind him. So you have to trust that he is on his spot because I'm throwing to a spot, I'm throwing it right there between those numbers. Yeah. And if I have to adjust last minute on my arm because he's a little bit inside, then I'm pulling it inside. Like there's those little nuances I don't think you see in college.
SPEAKER_02Hey, that's pretty tight, though, right? You guys see that? Hey, did y'all see that? That was pretty cool. Yeah, but that's okay, but okay, everything you just said that's going through your mind in a split second, freaking like that's why we love the game. Yeah. And so, you know, not to say obviously it's fun to watch college football and all that stuff. Yeah, I like college football. But like, that's I mean, this at least I'll speak for myself, and I think there's a lot of Yinzers and football fans, uh, everywhere, they're like, dude, that's what we want to see, man. We want to see that freaking just drop it in. I want to see that you saw that you beat that guy. It's cheaper. Balls behind where the ball's out.
SPEAKER_01Like my one of my favorite, I love throwing a deep out, like what we call a bench route, like a 15 to 18 yard out route. Yeah or that deep 24-yard comeback. That I mean, the one where I'm throwing it and he's still, he I see it, I see his name and his number still. And I'm throwing that ball so early because I want him to come out of the break and the ball be like, boom, like a second it hits him. Outside number, boom, round his outside chest. Like those are like, I love like everyone loves throwing a quick slant that goes for a touchdown, but there's something surgical and so like beautiful about throwing a ball before the guy is out of his. And I'm talking like he's got five more yards to go, and I'm throwing that ball, and it's and it's and it's it's put right on the like I picked a spot on the sideline, I'm putting it there because there's so much trust and beauty and artwork in throwing a ball to Antonio Brown, who I'm like, he is gonna be right there, or uh, you know, a Heinz Ward, a play, I mean, any any of those. I'm gonna put that ball right there, and I trust that he's going to be on that spot, regardless where I mean, even if a defender's pulling, the defender might be trailing him. And I'm like, it doesn't matter, I'm gonna put that ball there so early that the defender like it goes it surprises the defender, but my guy knows where the ball's gonna be. It's there, there's like that's pretty to me. Like a 12-yard curl route where he's like waiting on it hits him in the chest. Cool. That's gotta be the best.
SPEAKER_02But it's not beautiful, like as you're describing it, man. Like that's gotta be the best feeling in the world to be able to like line up across from another man and and and know you're gonna beat him in this, like it's like a dance. It's like what is it, what poetry emotion? Like who said that? A lot of people might have, I don't know. Well, uh Michael Scott quite a bit. Poetry emotion? Wayne Gretzky. Uh, but it's like it's it is that it is that is the thing that I see your eyes light up, and I know it's a lot of people in your position to do that. Like, if you're taking an aspect of that, or uh to any degree you're taking that away from the game, like do you think like you would have been motivated to pursue it professionally without having that kind of dopamine hit? Like that strategy, that chess.
SPEAKER_01I think you you you get more of it the more you play, the better you get, the more, the more times you do it, the better your receiver is. Like, if you if you don't have good receivers that that are that are like beautiful when they run their route and make these catches and that that make you look good sometimes, defender. That's why you throw interceptions sometimes. Like they're not when you throw interceptions, yeah. When you throw interceptions to like like a guy that is like just like standing there, you're like, dang, interceptions. When I'm when I when I've thrown the ball before the receiver is even out of his break, and the defender just happened to like there's nothing you can do. The ball's on the way, it's not like you waited. There's just sometimes those things happen, but there's there's something beautiful. Um, and and again, you you I mean, I'd like to think I had a little bit like in high school, but you just keep getting it, you keep getting more and more trust, and you you start to feel the game and you see the game, the game slows down. Um, and and so you know, and that's why I think like I know people were like, oh, my last year wasn't really good. I like to think it's because of other surrounding circumstances, but the game is like you start you start you start beating the game or or getting better in the game mentally, you know, not so much from the waist down. Sure. Right? Same thing, Aaron. Aaron used to be a great runner, not saying he's not a great runner, but you know, he used to destroy people with his legs. From the waist down, it's like, okay, I don't have it as much. My arm still feels great, my mind is is sharper than ever. I can still beat you with my mind and my right arm. That's what that's when it like the game is just awesome. Like early on, I was beating the game because I was able to escape and scramble and shrug people off and make great plays down the field. Later in my, you know, as I was getting older in my career, not like that last couple years, but like in that the 17, 18, 19, 20 seasons and that, like I was still able to physically do things, but mentally it felt sharp. Like I was like, man, I'm gonna be I'm I'm gonna destroy you with my mind, and I know my arm works great. And so, and in having you know these these artists around me, and the receivers and tight ends and running backs, there's just something beautiful about being like, Man, I I'm I'm gonna do whatever I want today.
SPEAKER_02Was that more rewarding than just knowing that you were six five and could lower your shoulder?
SPEAKER_01Yes, to to to mentally beat somebody, like to know that man, I'm there, there's I I didn't ever remember we've done so many shows now. Who's talked about it? But like there were times that I would see a safety like messing around, and I'd be like, go ahead, get back. I know I know where you're going, go ahead and get back there. And he like flips me off, like whatever, like mad that I was like, no where he's going. Like to have that sort of a sense of like, okay, I know this where he's gonna be. Yeah, yeah. I like I when I know where the ball's going before the ball snapped, is something like you don't even have to adjust something like, okay, I see what y'all are doing, I know exactly where the ball's going.
SPEAKER_02Dude, what a feeling, man.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's it's pretty cool. Yeah, and there's still, I mean, you still have to trust your guy's gonna be there. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_02You know, but it's that's beauty of the sport, right? Because it's like it's one of those things where you can you can align everything, which is like an entire symphony happening in your own head, which um is why I understand they say that's the most important game of or position in all sport. Yeah. But then you're like, dude, you're you can't catch the ball too, dog.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you had to.
SPEAKER_02I guess if you're Josh Allen, you can throw it off somebody's back and do it. But like, you know, and so there's this beauty, this beautiful, like, man, extension of like, you know, that I would imagine your receivers are feeling the same way. It's like, yo, I need my big fellas to buy me time to get down here. I'm gonna trust that someone's gonna put it there. Like, and I that's why we love the game, man. So, you know, long roundabout discussion about, you know, the three-step drop and really the teaching of the fundamentals, if we could wrap that up. I think it's um, it's as a fan, I will say disheartening to a degree in that it feels like you want the game to multiply in its complexities and evolve and develop into something. And it feels to some extent a regression if it, if, if you're not doing things that's like, hey man, look like you we have era, we have eras of guys like you that are like, just build on that. Don't take away, don't, you know what I mean? Like they've already kind of blazed trails for you. Just how do you multi- I think a good example of that in recent history? He's now an old head, is be Patrick Mahomes.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02It's like, okay, that's a that's a like, okay, he's kind of multiplied on that night, and you're Josh Allen's and whatnot. So not to say that these guys, these young bucks can't do it. I mean, they're obviously doing stuff I would never be able to physically do. So kudos to them. Yeah. It's just, you know, the the the intricacies of the game I'm is maybe a concern.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, it'll be it's gonna be fun to see. Obviously, there's a
Preseason Reps And QB Peeking Order
SPEAKER_01lot of questions and what ifs, but we'll we'll try and answer those as we go throughout the season. Yeah. All right. But I do think big it is, you know, Aaron having Aaron back's huge.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's a uh that's something that um I think all fans are looking forward to seeing it all play, especially because the pieces, it seems like the frustration that we might have had last year, it seems like those pieces got plugged. I think one thing that fans are also extremely excited to see in this preseason is for Will, for Drew, and for Mason to even get out there and just let's see what this offense looks like, you know, without the Aaron Rodgers factor. But I know a lot of people are stoked to see what Will has just primarily because it wasn't their last year.
SPEAKER_01This last year. Yeah, that'll be huge to get to get him out there. And and I I would ex-I would expect, especially if if this is Aaron's offense that he's known forever, like I assume it is. Um, I would expect him to get no reps, really. I mean, I mean, yeah, yeah, preseason. I mean, super minimal. Um, you know, unless it's like, hey, we want to get you. I I don't even know why you'd have him out there.
SPEAKER_02He might be out there in sweatpants and do it. He might not even see that. Who knows?
SPEAKER_01Um, but I would expect to see a heavy, heavy, heavy dose of Will Howard, um, Drew Aller. Like I would expect because they want to say, okay, let's see what we have. And and it's you know, in one sense, Drew and Will and Will are coming in on the same playing field, new offense uh for both of them. Uh yeah, Will has a year of being kind of in around the team in terms of practicing with pros and things like that, but but he'll have the same amount of on-field snaps as Drew. Yeah, sure. So it'd be pretty level playing field.
SPEAKER_02Well, coming out of OTAs, man, it seems like Will has been taking the QB2 reps.
SPEAKER_01And um I would expect that. That's kind of seems normal, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Seems to be standout, and uh that's I mean, that's all good news. One thing um that was interesting uh on the offensive side of the ball is offensive line is still figuring out the pieces there. Obviously, we got um center, might be one of the best in the game, man. I think Zach is awesome. Um in and we we have poured some some capital into that over the years, right? We got Fautanu over there, Spencer Anderson's uh playing well. Uh David Cook came in, I believe. Uh Dylan Cook, excuse me, came in for Broderick, uh, played extremely well. We got um Jennings Jennings is his first name, Jennings Dunker.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, yeah. Uh yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Red mullet. Yeah, so and love that. Wonder how many fights he's been in. He seems like a fighter. He seems like a like a just a I bet you I bet you any amount of money him and him and uh Cam will get into it because Cam likes to fight rookies all the time.
SPEAKER_02I feel like you have to, right? You gotta, but I mean you don't have to fight anybody. No, but if you're gonna go, like, yeah, I mean, yeah. Hopefully he doesn't back down, that'd be fun. He seems dense, he doesn't seem like a move, a very easily movable. But I look at the talent and I'm like, okay, that's cool, but they're switching people around. As I'm I'm reading here, man, I think like so Troy uh taking reps at left tackle, Dylan's uh flipping to right.
SPEAKER_01Listen, what what what they should do is they should it's like this is the the old line is going to be a puzzle at some point, like a puzzle where like a uh one that would drive you nuts if you were doing it at home. Like this one back here that's been sitting here forever. Forever. Yeah, no one does. Where it's like, okay, this piece and this piece go together. Yeah, and then this piece goes to a guy, okay, these three pieces go pretty good, but these two don't go well over here. Okay, well, let me take these two away and put this one over here in it. Wow, what that one fits over here now. You know, it's like a it's not a puzzle where it's like at some point that you want the puzzle to fit perfectly. Yeah, yeah. But it's what it'd be one of those puzzles where it's like, well, how did those two pieces fit really good? Those pieces fit together right now. And then this one, but wait, it's not quite yet, but they shouldn't fit together because you know, a real puzzle, there's only two only two pieces really go together.
SPEAKER_00Right.
SPEAKER_01But right now, it's like these two pieces do go together, kind of. And so it's gonna, there's going to be like I think it's super smart. Like, I don't think you should just be like, okay, you're our right tackle, you're our left tackle, you're our guard, you're I mean, obviously center is considered, but like, like, no, like move things around because you might find holy cow, I didn't realize that these two guys work so well together. And he's a right and he's a left, but they work like let's let's let's try them there for a while. Like, let's let's go for a week. That's what OTAs are for. That's what training camps for, that's what mini camps for. Like, start shuffling and moving. I know that like guys, like, okay, he's a guard. Well, they at in practice and one-on-ones, put him at tackle one time and see what happens. Put him at tackle for a practice, maybe not against like a lot, but in drills, one-on-ones. And in, you know, they there are drills that they do a lot where it's like it's two-on-two rush, or you know, you have the the the guard and a tackle go against an end and outside, and they do twists and they you know work together. You might discover something. You might be like, oh wow, I didn't realize that he's actually really good here. Or these two work together really well. Let's move them over here. Yeah, you that this should just be these this five pieces
Offensive Line Chemistry As A Puzzle
SPEAKER_01and call it seven pieces because the the the new guys and all they should just be doing this. Just shuffle, try this, try this, try this, try this, and just keep keep messing until you find where that those five, and those five, you might not discover that though the perfect five until week two of preseason. You you should have a pretty good idea, but all of a sudden you might go into the preseason be like, this is what we like, but we're we're we're we're finally down, right? You might say, okay, we've got these five puzzle pieces and we feel like this is it. But there there is this, like, here's what we think. This, this, this five, this is what it looks like. But there is this one other little thing where this guy could fit in there, and that might be the one so you you're gonna refine it to where you only have a couple options, okay. But but it you you might not figure that out to the very last minute.
SPEAKER_02Interesting. So you'll have to educate my ignorance on this uh topic. But is is the fluidity of that finding chemistry uh more important than somebody's comfortability with a given position?
SPEAKER_01Well, I I yes, I would say that that would be the most important thing is is is the the chemistry because that that group up there is like so unique. You know, I love my boys up front. They are they are so unique in the sense that they are so weird and and silly and they have their own jokes, their own, they they're just their own like people. They're their own like like y'all are just you stay over there, y'all are just there. And sometimes I've I've been a part of teams where the best athlete, the best, the boy, he has got the best, he's got more skill than all of them. He is the best skilled guy, but he doesn't fit in the group. And there's and and I've had, I mean, that Super Bowl 43 O-line that we were talking about with Max, that was a hodgepodge group of dudes. None of them were probably the best linemen on their team. I mean, Max was, you know, maybe not. I I don't know. I you know, but they were they they believe they they they they they just they did this. They they melted together, they bled for each other. There's chemistry, they were goofballs together. There's something to that. I mean, I and you can have a great lineman that is just doesn't quite fit in there. He might play some here and there, but it won't make them the best group until you can get that chemistry that they all believe in each other. And again, yes, he might be a right tackle and he might be an unbelievable right tackle, but you know what? We stuck him at left guard, and because of who the center was, when you've got you know Pouncy in there and you've got this guy over here, your left tackle is really good. We stick him in there, and he's actually better for the for the group in there than he is as an individual out here. Interesting. So, yes, but again, that's up to coaches. I mean, some coaches will just be hard-headed about it, and or or GMs, you know. Well, we drafted him as a tackle, we have to play him as a tackle. Yeah, or we draft him in the first round. We can't afford to not, you know. I know our this this fourth round guy is playing and and everyone sees it. The quarterback sees it. You know, times I've been like talk to BA or Coach Randy or um anybody like, hey, you see this this like how this free agent's playing, this fifth rounder. Do you guys see it too? Like as a quarterback, he's protecting like I see it. Yeah, I know we drafted a guy in the first, second, third, whatever. I again I don't have an example, but uh, I wouldn't throw anybody out there, but like this guy, you see who's playing better, right? Do we all see we all yeah, but you know up top, they drafted him. We can't admit we were wrong. There's a lot of we don't admit we're wrongs.
SPEAKER_02That's crazy in an industry where the crazy that it's just about winning.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_02So it's like crazy, yeah. That okay, so it doesn't happen often, but I'm just saying it can and it can happen in other positions too. Hey, people get funny when you talk about a money. Um so um that's interesting that you've interesting, like it makes sense. What you're saying makes sense in that you value the cohesion of the unit rather than an individual performance. Because I think when we historically have critiqued a player's execution of their job, it's like, oh, well, this person is not doing their job. And it's like, are you are we asking of a fish to climb a tree? And do we need to shift him over to try to try to get him back in the water so he can swim? You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01So it's but remember that group in front is the only group that has to work together like that. Sure. Right? So you can have a receiver that is like his own, like, like I don't care about what the rest of the guys are doing, but he's a stud, and you're like, okay, we're gonna like he's a stud. Yeah, yeah. Don't have to have that cohesion, right? That group has to work together. Yeah, you can you could argue D-line has to do some stuff with their twists and thing, but nobody has to work together like that. A cornerback, yeah, he's got to do, like, he can't just go rogue and be like, okay, I know y'all were playing zone, I'm playing man. Like, yeah, there's some stuff there, but there's the the cohesiveness, that's the most important group. So they have to. You can't afford to just have a rogue player on the O-line. That's interesting.
SPEAKER_02I and I wonder how that how that goes into even like grading drafts or free agent, like looking at people like what the chemistry factor is, and even like off the field vibes and you know, for how they're gonna the gel. Because yeah, you don't need a wide receiver to be like the homie. Yeah, you know, you need to be fast and break somebody's ankles and have good hands.
SPEAKER_01So you know, so like it's always great to have a guy that is like you're cool with and you can, but if you if you trust that he's gonna be where he's supposed to be, yeah, it is what it is.
SPEAKER_02Man, that's yeah, so that's interesting. Yeah, so I mean it looks like they're you know, based on the reports that I'm seeing, and it looks like they are in the early to mid-early stages of shuffling it around and seeing which sticks. You should, yeah. Should and you're saying that's something that throughout the season, you have a couple options, you want that locked in for the start. Are we in the week four still switching it up?
SPEAKER_01You don't want to, you you don't you want to get that. Some people will, but you usually that's because of injuries. Sure, sure. You want to you want to have your five where this are like this is it, and and the best is when you have your five and you're like, okay, I have a uh a one or two guy that's like like your backups that when you stick them in there, people are like, Oh, we we're not missing a thing. You know, we had guys, and I would, you know, Doug Legerski, um, you know, Cody Wall, Doug Bronco Legerski. What a great one. Football. You know, the the neighbor, we used to call him. Cody. Um, like certain guys, you know, Trey Essex, same thing. Like Trey was a starter, wasn't a starter, was a starter. I mean, just guys that you're like, okay, we can plug him in anywhere, and he meshes with the guys, and and you're not missing, you're not skipping a beat. You know, you may listen, I love Doug. When Pouncey went down, Doug was was awesome. Doug would put his heart, soul, body on the line. He'd do everything, but he's not Marquis Pouncey. Sure. Let's just let just it is what it is. But you know, he's but but the mesh is still there, right? The guys still believe in his calls and what he's gonna do. Yeah, that's what you have to have.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, man. I hope we land. I feel I did this is one thing that I like I keeps coming up when I've had conversations about this with um some of the guys. It's like, dude, you're it's not for a lack of talent this year.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, you know, there's a lot, listen, there's a lot of talent on this.
SPEAKER_02It's like this. If you get you're talking about your puzzle pieces, if you just get this to click. I mean, I'm thinking about uh a position group that's been extremely exciting, and we've been on the fence about it for the
Defense Standards Plus Early Record Guess
SPEAKER_02entire last year, banging the wide receiver two drum. You get Michael Pittman Jr. in here, you get Michael Pittman Jr., you get DK Metcalf. You know what I mean? Like, and what I've what I've been seeing here, man, is uh was it the young rookie? Yeah, Jeremy Bernard. Um what are we doing, bro?
SPEAKER_01Like this this I've heard Roman Wilson's been playing really well. So, I mean, there's if you if you went it's a good problem to have when you've got a lot of guys that can make plays, and we've got obviously we know we got a tight end. Yeah. So uh to me, it's it's it's I'm there's obviously questions about the offense, but to me it's like, okay, can the defense step up this year and play to a level that they're supposed to what we expect them to play at?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I I fully believe that. But I don't know if it's because it's Pittsburgh that I just it's a it's kind of like uh how Coach Tomlin used to say when when TJ would do something crazy in the meeting be like, what'd you think about TJ, you know, stripping the ball and then went down to Giant Eagle, got his groceries and came back and scored a touchdown. You're like, well, that's what TJ. So I feel like that with the defense, I'm like, it's pissed. We should be lethal, violent, and in control at all times. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01We should. Uh we weren't all the time last year. No, then that's with the frustration. And I think there's frustration, but but again, that's why I say if the defense can can live up to the billing that we expect from them, yeah, and what I think they expect from themselves with new coaching, there's gonna be a lot of changes, but I think it it'll be exciting to see. And then obviously Boswell signing, re-resigned. I think that was a huge move. Congratulations, Voz. Um, dinner's on you, golf's on you. Uh but uh no, we're I'm excited about this this this season, this team, uh, where it's gonna go. We'll dive more into it as we get as we get moving closer.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So, like Ben said, the next one that we bring to you guys, we'll do an in-depth breakdown of the schedule. Uh, the the Paris, we'll talk about the Paris game. Maybe maybe we get some beignets. All right, talk about if that's more in Louisiana. I guess it's French influenced.
SPEAKER_01I mean, that's what that's Paris is in France.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I know. But like is is is oh, so not it's not in Paris, Texas.
SPEAKER_01Not Paris, Texas. Not Paris, Ohio. I have to change. There's a few Paris. I have to change my flight.
SPEAKER_02So, but um, yeah, so we'll dive into that. We'll talk about it with Evan. Um, but at the beginning, what are you gonna cook for the Paris game?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we feel like it's like small like finger food, right?
SPEAKER_02Like that's the problem, bro. Like, I've been to Europe. Have you been to Paris? No, no, but I've been to Europe. Footballing in Paris. We be. Um beret, little berets. Yeah, dude. I'll wear a beret. A little striped shirt. You know what I mean? What is the joint? What is the the joint tie? Not joint a bow tie? No, the little what is it, like the a flower? No, the what the gondola guys, they wear that. I guess that's Italy, right? I'm doing I'm doing great. Um I just feel like a like a scarf? Yeah, kind of like a scarf. An ascot. Oh no. You know, like Freddie from Escargo. Escargo. Freddie from Scooby-Doo wears this. You know what I'm talking about? I mean, I know what you're talking about. I don't know what it's called. I just yeah, I French food, love to have it. The problem is I eat like an American. It's we portions portions are gonna have to level it up from what I know. But speaking about being out of the country, uh of what I want, well, we'll we'll segue over it. One, Debo was 16 and one. That's a bold, you know, on that one to argue with Debo. But 16 and 1. Yeah. Um, yeah, just off-rip. You want to give a number?
SPEAKER_01Uh 12 and 4. No, that's weird. 17 games. 12 and 5. 17 games now, right? Still living in the past. Right. All right.
SPEAKER_02So 12 and 5, and then we'll break down how that looks uh in this next episode. But speaking about being out of the country, you had mentioned you were out of the country when the Aaron Rodgers news broke and you were celebrating uh a crowning achievement of the Queen of the Castle.
Ashley’s Seminary Graduation And Family Grind
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_02Uh, I think the family deserves to hear.
SPEAKER_01Yes. We were um, you know, as people know, my wife has been in seminary now, three-year seminary program with Denver. And so she uh it's been two weeks now, I think. We went out to Denver for her um graduation, where she walked across the stage, got her uh diploma, she got her core, she was wearing cords, right? Because she, of course, had a 4.0. Yeah, of course. Of course she did. Nothing less. Expect nothing less on the rock wasn't my own. She's a rough. She looks like more like the Harlan side. Um uh yeah, so got to do that, and we got to be out there with um uh obviously her the rest of her class, and uh, we spent some time with the camps, Jeremy Camp and 80. Um they actually sang during it, which is really cool. Yeah, did lead worship during the the commencement, and um it was really cool. So we got to be out there, the whole family went out, my parents went out, her parents went out, and the kids were all in the stands cheering her on as she walked across the stage, and then we um just spent like a couple days out in Denver, and then we came back and went on a little trip, a little celebratory trip just of the adults. Nice, and um got to just get away a little bit, and so it was nice to celebrate her and her her achievement. Still has one more class to take, but it's just a summer class. So uh, but it was really, really proud of her and all her hard work. It's been a um, you know, it's it's been a tough three years for her and for the rest of us because we've been, you know, daddy, daddy daycare has been going on at full full tilt, but she's been doing both things and just putting the extra work in, writing 30-some page papers and taking tests and stressing about things and then getting like a you know 99%. Like, hey, you know, C's get degrees. Like, what are we doing? Uh and so, but but no, super proud of her and and all the hard work that that she's done. And we put a picture out on, I think Aaron put one on our socials somewhere. So it's it's just really neat to be to be to be your husband. I'm very proud.
SPEAKER_02That's awesome, man. What was that like that moment? One, uh you talk about taking a trip after to relax, like 100% earned every ounce of uh Yes, I did. Oh, no, we yes we did. Well, yeah, like I mean, as a husband, like obviously there is when when you know when you are in a marriage and somebody commits to pursuing a dream, it is a agreement that the family makes in pursuing the dream.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we all we all had to yeah, we all were.
SPEAKER_02And so as you're watching, as you're watching Ash walk across the stage, man, what was there any emotion or or um like what was going on in you? Like I man, she not that we ever doubted she wouldn't do it.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, there's never a doubt she wouldn't do it.
SPEAKER_02She's a for those of you who don't know Ash, she's a she's a a wizard is probably an understatement. Like she's very she's overqualified for the degree that's pretty bad you called her a wizard now.
SPEAKER_01Theological degree.
SPEAKER_02Theologically, actually, it would be um yeah, she's overqualified for the degree.
SPEAKER_01I think she just got she's got a few degrees, uh, let's be honest. Yeah, and I I honestly think she'll go back and get her doctorate at some point. Like I and I'm fine with that. I believe that. And it's it's no problem. So just can we wait a couple years? Yeah, yeah. For real. I should I forgot. I had a uh Jeremy Camp. I think I think they made it, but they made a shirt that said I survived my wife's master's degree. I should have worn it today, I forgot until just now. I said you guys should have put I barely survived my words. But um no, yeah, watching her walk. I mean, we were just obviously very proud of her. I knew I knew she would do it, I knew what she was doing in her grades, but um the fact Meryl. Meryl's gonna Meryl, I'm in the middle of a show. I heard you talking about the offensive line. I had some thoughts. Um just I think there were, I think there was definitely some like a little bit of relief in the sense that okay, because I know how much it's how hard it's been on her, yeah, to be like, I feel like I'm and she's been amazing. She's still been such a present mom and wife. I I will absolutely give her kudos and stuff for that. But I know for in her mind and in her heart, she feels that she's not as present as she probably would like to be. Sure. And so for her to see how hard it is for her to um to deal with with both things and the stresses. I mean, she would there's times that she was up till one, two o'clock in the morning reading or doing papers and and then getting up at four or five. And so it definitely was a lot on her, and um, you know, to make sure she got done so she wasn't away from the kids and doing stuff. And so to to just trust that the the process, you know, and and and that she got it done and made it through. And um, I think it's just, you know, it just like I said, it's just super proud, love her to death, and and just uh we're all and we kept we kept reminding her, hey, listen, we don't feel neglected. Um, you know, that's we we we are we're still on board because she would ask there was times like this last year where she's like, I think I'm gonna just I'll just be done. Because there were girls in her in her cohort that were like that didn't finish. Yeah. And I'm like, no, you're not. Like you put too much into this. We're not stopping now. Like, yeah, because no, I don't want to. I'm like, no, no, you're gonna finish this. We're getting this degree.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Um yeah. Um that's but anyway. That no, that that is amazing, man. And and and I don't know, I don't know that there's a right way to do the season you guys are coming out of, but you definitely as a family did it well. And I can say that outside looking in. I mean, I know there were the burden is something of uh what she did, the schooling, the burden of it is something I can only imagine. You know, I I've not gone through that, and but as a husband supporting a wife's dream, like I do that daily, yeah. And like as your brother, dude, I think the way that you navigated that it was um, I think you can hold hang your hat on that. It was your kids handle it. I think Ash crushed it, and she to your point. I mean, again, your words will mean much more than mine in this, but as her friend, I'm like, it was I was proud of how she navigated as a mom and as a wife as well. I mean, I remember going on trips and she'd be like, I have to take this call, go to the plane, she's in the on the plane doing this call, come back. Hey guys, can I get you? It was one of those things where it was like, you know, she to what I could you see, yeah, it didn't affect so I know we're super stoked, me and Ken's, and the girls are like, oh my gosh, she like yeah, it will be a thing now. We say, Yeah, Ash went to seminary. You know what I mean? And she's not done. I feel pretty confident. But she's left.
SPEAKER_01And I do want to give a quick shout out to like Adrian Camp and the other girls that were in the the cohort that I got to meet when we were out there. Um, first of all, just nice to meet y'all. Congratulations, the ones that made it. But um, especially Adrian, and uh, you know, there was a couple that we were like, Ash's like, like, hey, like, you know, that that that shoulder, like they they did it to each other, they just got through. And I thank the camps for that. And and been so awesome to get to hang with Jeremy. Like, it we've only I've only known for a little over a year now, and he's by far my favorite Christian music singer, way more than Bart. Easy. No, but you got a new single out now.
SPEAKER_02Go check it out. It's called Reflector. There you go, Jeremy.
SPEAKER_01Um, it's uh but but to get just to to have that uh a new brother um to to to in Christ and and and and like I said, what Adrian was for Ashley. I I I couldn't thank them enough to help when the the tough times when I don't have an answer. Like she was like, Well, you know, and I'm just like, hey, like I'll I'll I'm I'm always here for you. I just don't I don't I got nothing for you. So I'm very thankful for them, but but everyone that was got to meet her professors and all that was pretty cool.
SPEAKER_02So that's awesome. Well, Ash, congratulations, proud of you. Um what else we got, man? Before we
Shoutouts And Next Show Tease
SPEAKER_02land this thing, got nothing. Yeah, nothing for you. Got nothing for you.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, uh yeah, I guess this is it. And now I have potential spam calling.
SPEAKER_02Mighty ducks.
SPEAKER_01Um, no, but anyway, um, thank you guys. I think we can just wrap this thing up, I guess. Feels good to me. Feels good to you guys, feels good to me. Yeah, this is a heck, this is a lot longer of a show than I expected it to be. I knew you were dropping gems, bro.
SPEAKER_02I didn't know you knew so much about football. Look at you, dude. You're pretty good at this thing.
SPEAKER_01Thank you guys for tuning in. Um, like I said, uh next episode, we'll try and get Evan if we can wrangle him down here to do a um prediction show, a scheduled kind of yeah, scheduled prediction show, I guess. We'll give our uh trying to remember what I said today, 12 and 5. We'll see if I still feel that way. But uh anyway, thanks for joining us. We'll see you guys next time.