The Mostly Football Show
Four mates from Down Under dive into the world of American Football and beyond. KG Butler, Matt Wiggins, Adam Rowey, and Pete Thompson bring their uniquely Australian perspective to NFL coverage, plus plenty of chat about NRL, AFL, hockey, baseball, soccer, and whatever else catches their eye. Born from casual catch-ups about gridiron, this show delivers fun, informative discussions perfect for Southern Hemisphere sports fans who can't get enough of American Football. Equal parts analysis and banter – because the best sports talk happens between friends.
The Mostly Football Show
Draft Excluder
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Episode 25 is upon us and the NFL draft is in the books. Pete and Matt discuss their respective teams and how they think they did, and talk about some of the surprise picks. Matt starts looking into his wallet to see if he can afford a Birmingham Stallions shirt, and we both look forward to big games of football for our teams this weekend, and maybe discuss a couple of sporting brawls.
This is the Mostly Football Show, a uniquely Australian take on the NFL and all things in the world of sport.
SPEAKER_00Over to you, Pete. Good morning, good evening, good afternoon, everybody, and welcome to the 25th episode of the Mostly Football Show. It's just me and Matt again today. Matt's uh manfully getting up this early in the UK. Matt, how have you been?
SPEAKER_03Good, mate, thank you. It's good to see you. Wouldn't miss this. Good to see you. Yeah. Doesn't matter how early it is. I'm getting up from my mandate with Peter Thompson.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, well, uh there's many have said that and many who have regretted. So well done. Well done, sir. What a big week it's been. Uh we will discuss uh UFL later, but the NFL has taken centre stage again this week with the draft. Uh before we get into the who we think did well and uh who we didn't, uh how do you think your bears did, Matt?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, very, very interesting. Um there's two sides to this. Firstly, it would appear on the face of things that the Bears didn't address their pre-draft needs in terms of edge rushes and defensive line linemen. But um it's become very clear to me in the two drafts that Ben Johnson has effectively steward stewarded with with Ryan Poles. Johnson's got a type of player that he wants. And the words that I keep reading when I'm been doing my research around this draft class, and certainly to an extent the 2025 draft class is attitude, worth ethic. And the the the word that uh I love that keeps coming up is violence. Every single play, uh, you know, he he he brings violence to the game, he runs with violence, he tackles with violence. So we went in some interesting directions. I think the you know, number one uh round one, Dylan Dienerman didn't expect him to drop to us. Safety was a position of need. I think we've done very well. Um player was uh consensus big board, he was about eight or ten places higher. But then Johnson and Poles went in very different directions. You know, second round they drafted a backup center. He's gonna sit behind Drew Bradbury this year. Um that's an investment for the future. Third round, we we drafted a tight end. Now, given we've got Cole Komet and Colston Loveland, this is a guy who's raw, comes from a rugby background. But again, you do your reading on Sam Roush, who came out of Stanford, you know, enormous worth ethic, wants to be the most aggressive and violent player on the pitch. I think he'll fill that third tight end position that Durham Smythe has filled for us in the last couple of years. So Sam Roush, super interesting. And then I think Johnson probably reached a bit for Xavier Thomas, who's a wide receiver in the fourth. Redeemed themselves again in the later rounds. He picked a corner who's apparently a bit of a steal. Keyshawn Elliott, a linebacker, word again, violence. And then a a gentleman out of um South Africa, Jordan Vandenberg, again, another rugby player, apparently an incredibly impressive specimen. Um, he's a defensive tackle out of Georgia Tech. So I'm going to keep my eye out for Jordan Vandenberg. He was picked at uh 213. Um, he's the only defensive lineman we we picked up in the draft. Um, but again, um Dane Bruegler's the beast, which covers every single player eligible in the draft, um has him down as a bit of a monstrous, high motor, energy, intelligent um um physical specimen. So clearly Poles and um Ben Johnson have seen something in him.
SPEAKER_00So overall, you're happy then?
SPEAKER_03Look, um Johnson and Poles appear to be happy. Uh Johnson said in a press conference um yesterday that he feels as though that you know they've smashed it. I you know I would have.
SPEAKER_00They've got to say that, right? So so so I I'm gonna step in and Paxman you, sir. Are you happy? That was the question. Not are Johnson and Poles happy, are you happy with the way they've they've approached the draft and the result?
SPEAKER_03We so if you look at Thieneman will step in and start, Logan Jones, Sam Roush won't, although you know, we played a three tight end set 25% of the snaps apparently last year. So if Sam Roush is on the field for 25% of the time, I just think he's pick picks two and pick three, pick maybe pick four. You know, they could be players that could have impacted and affected our defensive line and and our edge rushing significantly this season, and and clearly they're not going to be. So um I'm not as happy as I could have been. I think there was a mad rush on edge rushers, picks there.
SPEAKER_01Oh, was there ever? Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03So, you know, they've obviously looked at that and and gone in a different direction. So I again I've said in the past, Pete, I do trust Ryan Poles. I think he gets it right more often than he gets it wrong, which every general manager gets it wrong from time to time. Um I I would have liked to have seen a defensive play, but they've obviously been very smart, pivoted, and if those players aren't there and they're not on their big board and they're not um they're not seen to be offering value at certain positions, I I'm very comfortable in in them going in a different direction. But to to answer your Paxman point, I would have preferred if we'd have addressed the defensive line um and edge rushing a little bit more because I think um that's gonna be important for us next year. Our defense was poor last year. I think we're last against the run. So I'm not expecting us to suddenly jump up to halfway worst in the league. I think we're gonna be in the bottom half of the league again, and you know, unless somebody comes back from injury and really makes uh you know a significant difference to that defensive front this season.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, uh and I think overall the Athletic ESPN graded the Bears as an A. So and I think they've addressed some of their problems. But I I think I agree with you the defensive line is something I would like to see addressed, although bringing a rookie into the defensive line Again, don't know who you're playing first up, but it you know, you can make or break someone by having them in the wrong place at the wrong time against a very experienced O-line. And uh I think playing in the defensive line, uh confidence is everything. If you lack confidence, then it's a long old afternoon for you. So So I'm gonna flip the script and ask my own question back to me. Absolutely. I I think the I think the Packers uh drafted smartly. Um they went for an edge rusher. I think they did well um to pick up excuse me, Brandon Sise. I'm sure it's Cisei, or that's uh the way it's pronounced. A not a good edge rusher. He's not the finished article. He's a corner.
SPEAKER_03The edge rusher you picked up is Danny Dennis Sutton, who was also reasonably highly regarded. You picked him up in the fourth, right?
SPEAKER_00Yes, he's very highly regarded, and waiting for the fourth round for him was was very good. They they have um switched between corner and edge rusher for um Brandon Cisay. So I I assume he's been like a few college players and played in both positions. Obviously, as an edge rusher, he's not a finished product, but he is capable of playing there. Um he's probably a year, year or two away from starting. So of course they did kick things off before it all started by signing Jaden Reed to a a three-year deal. Obviously, after trading Dontavian Weeks Wicks the week before uh to the Phillies, it it shows that they are serious about their current crop of wide receivers, even though Romeo Dodds and Dontavian Wicks have gone, um Malik Heather Bo Milton will still be around, and obviously we talked about Matthew Golden. So boosting up the whole defensive pitcher was really where they need to be. And and if you look at how Green Bay have played the last couple of years, um it's the defensive side that's really needed to be picked up on. And and obviously, um while they've we we talked about Dylan Casey, yes, I suspect he will end up being a corner uh for Green Bay because of all the issues they've had uh uh kind of with their secondary towards the back end of games. They've not been able to see games out, and you need a stronger defense. They also very smartly uh picked up Trey Smack. And who doesn't want to kick a kicker with a name called Smack? Um he's uh he's good over long distances, so if the four-point rule ever comes into the NFL, um he's a good guy to have. His accuracy is great, but they've also struggled with kicking for the last couple of years. Ever since Mason Crosby moved on, they've really not filled themselves with glory, and I think you probably go back a number of years and you'll see missed fill goals and missed extra points that have cost them quite dearly in the standings, and that's why you end up being the seventh seed through the playoffs. But yeah, Danny Dennis Sutton is also very exciting player.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00Uh I'm surprised he went that late in the in the draft itself, given the amount of hype that was given when he was selected. Um overall, I think they're gonna get a B plus coming out of this. Um they have been looking for value, I think. They've not hunted too many finished products. Um so it looks like they want to build around something. Um I've heard rumours that they've also picked up a quarterback post the draft and signed him to a temporary contract.
SPEAKER_03Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. That's gonna be uh very interesting because obviously now Malik Willis has moved on. The quality of our backup quarterback has gone down considerably. So we really need Jordan Love to have a spot on season, and we can't afford him to to sit two or three games out because I think we showed in the last game against Minnesota. What's behind him now is just not really good enough for us to win games. And obviously we've got Josh Jacobs and the running game will help, but if you can't get your passing game going, NFL's not going to work for you. So uh I guess that's my long-winded say of saying I'm I'm relatively happy. Uh am I happy that we gave all our first rounds up for Mika Parsons? Uh probably when he's, you know, getting another twelve sack season. But it it was a bit frustrating sitting there watching the television on uh on day one and realizing your team is not going to be on the clock for anything.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, you had a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth, and two sixes.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_03Um and yeah, to your point, Pete, you've drafted two corners, defensive tackle, an edge, rusher, a kicker, and a center, who's obviously uh an investment for the future because your front five, your your offensive line is very, very well established. So I think, yeah, to your point, Pete, they've done well. They've maximized value. I think Dennis Sutton is is a good pick um at in round four at pick 120. Um but they've addressed their needs. They've probably done the complete opposite to what the Bears did, who've you know literally looked at what they perceive to be best player available in each of the rounds, and the Packers have addressed their needs. So um it'd be interesting to see how these players um you know uh mature and you know where everything falls in in the season head and and the next two or three years afterwards. So uh um very interesting.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, absolutely. Uh and before we we we look at other teams around and and say how we feel and get the views of the athletic and a few other things, uh biggest surprise was Ty Simpson being drafted by the Rams.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, and also um the humour factor uh associated with Sean McVeigh's face in his 11-minute interview where he didn't smile and it was very clear he was rather pissed off that his general manager had gone in that direction. I think he kind of covered it over by saying it's Matthew Stafford's team, you know, we still have a year left on Matthew's contract. Um, I did read an article saying that not only is Matthew getting very old, which we've talked about in previous exit um episodes, he's also dealing with the generative back issues. Um so it really was interesting, certainly trading up as many spots as they did. But if you look at the quality of quarterbacking in this draft class versus what it's projected to be in next year's draft class, it was a super interesting move for me. And um, again, this is a guy who's not gonna touch the ball probably for a year, maybe two years. The question I have is clearly they saw something in Tyres Limpson. Did they need to make that move this year?
SPEAKER_00Well uh well that's an interesting one, right? Because last week we talked about them them negotiating with Matthew Stafford for a lucrative extension. Now uh we we should always caveat, like we should always say 42-year-old Aaron Rogers, he is now 38-year-old Matthew Stafford. He's obviously still very capable, but if you look at teams who like to bring succession into quarterbacks, now would be the right time to get someone you think fits the mold. Now, the Rams were a lot more polite about it than the Falcons were with Kirk Cousins, and um they called uh both Matthew Stafford and his current backup quarterback to tell them what they were doing prior to them doing 'em, which is which is respectful and and classy, as you say. But that was the one pick that stood out to me, and I didn't watch days two, three, and four, um that that on day one people went, oh, that's not what I was expecting, especially when they traded up to get him. It was kind of what are the Rams looking for here? And everyone thought it would be something to support Matthew Stafford, and it turned out to be a potential backup for Matthew Stafford. But they may just be looking at it in in terms of a depth thing. And I you know, I speaking as a as a Packers fan, having Malik Willis as a backup for the last three years has been amazing because the guy is uh an NFL starter. Ty Simpson could be that guy, and and that allows Stafford, you know, when he does get hurt, not to be this brave idiot who just wants to play no matter what, and can keep himself healthy for twenty games a season, which is what the Rams are hoping he's gonna be playing for the next couple of years.
SPEAKER_03I think when we had McCund on a couple of weeks ago, and we'll get him on next week to dive into the draft with with much more expertise and clarity that he and I can provide. You know, we asked McCund, do you think any other quarterbacks will go in round one? And he kind of said, not really sure potentially, but I don't think he saw, you know, any other um quarterback coming into round one being called Ty Simpson. So uh yeah, I find this um, you know, I find this a very interesting move. Not you know, I don't question the logic of it. You're you're 110% right, Pete. Getting somebody underneath Matthew Stafford or behind him learning from, you know, guy who's arguably been the best quarterback in the league for the last two or three years, or certainly there or thereabouts. There's there's no there's no question about the logic of that. It's just the timing, with this being a particularly thin draft class with quarterbacks, and next year's being, you know, much more robust. Did they need to do this now? And you know, how long is it going to be until we see you know Ty Simpson having a meaningful impact on the Rams, whose whose window is wide open now? And I think that's the other part of this is you know, I think the Rams are a powerhouse. Why not get a player that can really impact your charge for the Super Bowl next season, potentially the season after? And that's simply not going to be Ty Simpson. It's not.
SPEAKER_00No, it's it it's not, but but you know, do you risk uh alienating Matthew Stafford if he's only on a year-by-year contract by going for a powerhouse? You're also eating into your cap, right, by having two expensive quarterbacks on your payroll. And that that's what what surprised me about some of the Packers fans saying, Oh, we you know, at all costs we should keep Malik Willis. Well, his cost was thirty million. So that's your cap that that's gone. You've got two star quarterbacks and nothing to protect them. You've just got to think logically behind it. Build I mean the risk they take is building up Ty Simpson to be a star backup quarterback, and then when he hits free agency, losing him. But maybe they've also looked around and gone, well, you know, look what happened to New England when Tom Brady left. You know, look what happened to the Giants when Manning moved on, all of that stuff is quite visible that that the teams they there was no secession plan, right? Drake May has kind of broken out this year, but Drake May was not drafted by the Patriots. He's been traded his way to get there or picked up in free agency. Um So maybe this is them going, Well, let's imagine they win the next two Super Bowls. That might be enough for Matthew Stafford to go, you know what? I'm 40 years old, I've won back-to-back Super Bowls, thank you very much, everybody. Uh I'll t I'll I'll waiver the last 50 million of my contract, take my 450 million that I've earned in the last couple of years and and retire in peace. And then you're stuffed. Right? So so why not try and get a Ty Simpson, build him up to be a very decent starter, and then have a serious conversation with with him if Stafford decides to stay on. Yeah. Um I I think it uh it was a really bold choice. It was done in a very classy way. However, I think it was the one that that that shocked us all. Of course, the other um quarterback we we should mention before we move on to talk about other teams, and maybe you don't know who this guy is, uh Talon Green. Tell me about him. Well, he was uh a six-round pick by none other than the Cleveland Browns. So they waited till round six before they drafted yet another quarterback. Yeah. Now that may appease uh uh Shador. Um that that might give him thinking he's gonna be starting again for Cleveland next year, that they've picked a round six quarterback rather than a round one or round two one. Um now maybe that's why uh the Rams traded up. They were worried that the Cleveland were gonna pick quarterback uh Ty Simpson in the f in the first round. Right. So interesting. Uh he's described as a backup quarterback, um, or a secondary quarterback depth selection. So very, very interesting. Cleveland boost by Cleveland. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03I did have ten picks, Peter. So they did, yes. Two seconds, a third, two three-fifths, a six and a seven. So there might be a bit of a case of, you know, and he was their penultimate pick in round six, pick 106, 182. So there might be a bit of a case here of, you know, what who do you know what what do we pick at you know, with our ninth pick of the draft. Yeah. And they probably went what they perceive to be best player available because the Athletic has the Cleveland Browns down as being their draft class being first overall. Um they had the Rams, incidentally, just to finish up on Ty Simpson as 30th overall. And I was just doing some reading. He Ty Simpson's a one-year starter. So he's only played 15 games. That's it. So they clearly see something in him in his mechanics, his makeup, or something. But yeah, pivoting back to the Browns, certainly they didn't need another quarterback. But um, you know, they they drafted a tackle, two wide receivers, a safety, another tackle, a centre, a linebacker, a tight end, and a tight end with their tenth pick. So, you know, they covered most of the map, I think, with um so yeah, look, we can never question the Cleveland Browns. You know, their logic is their own logic. But um, yeah, I would have thought um four quarterbacks in the room is more than enough, particularly when you can't decide who's number one, two, or three. Um, adding a fifth is probably I'm not really sure. There's an argument, Pete, there, they could have traded that pick away.
SPEAKER_00Oh, they could, yeah, absolutely. But um but they did well to get so many picks. Yeah. And quite rightly they have filled what a lot of their perceived holes are, and they haven't gone out and, like I say, done something stupid with drafting Ty Simpson or or somebody like that, or tried to trade up to the first pick with the Raiders by selling their soul or anything like that. So so I think hats off, there'll be an interesting team to watch next year. Of course, uh one of our OG Correspondence Rowie, uh a Raiders fan. Now, I thought the Raiders have been doing some smart moves this offseason. Very well.
SPEAKER_03And and I think um uh just wanted to finish off on the Browns. Sorry, Pete. They've got four four players who will will probably you know the first four picks, two in the first, two in the second, you would expect them to start. But I think there's two players there that really stand out for me. Denzel Boston, they picked up a pick 39. He was touted to go mid-round one. And also Manuel McNeil Warren. Now, I had a particular interest on safeties. Obviously, the Bears drafted one. Um McNeil Warren was in an in a number of mock drafts going to the Bears at pick number 25. Obviously, Thieneman, who was scheduled to go earlier, dropped to us at 25. But the Browns picked McNeil Warren up, a safety out of Toledo at pick number 58. And in a majority of mock drafts, he was going late first round. So I think that's the reason why the Browns have been ranked number one draft class out of all 32 teams by the Athletic, because they've got Spencer Faino, Casey Conception, who McKund mentioned as a promising wide receiver. Denzel Boston, another wide receiver who was scheduled to go mid-first, and Emmanuel McNeil Warren picked late second, who was supposed to go late first. So I think that the Browns have done exceptionally well continuing on that bridge of value. Clearly, you know, the Raiders were set. They knew that they were gonna um pick Fernando Mendoza, but there's a corner out of Tennessee. Um, the Volunteers, Jamod McCoy, he was touted to go mid-first round and he dropped to pick 101.
SPEAKER_00101, yeah.
SPEAKER_03The fact that he had a very bad knee injury in his senior year, didn't play um all season, but his um junior year, he was at one point um projected to be a top ten pick. So if Jamod McCoy does stay fit um and is the corner that we saw him to be in his junior year in Tennessee, the Raiders have got a heck of a pick there. I think that's probably the best, it's got the best ceiling of any, arguably, of any pick in the draft. Um, I really hope he does stay fit. And um, yeah, I think the Raiders did very well. Um, they they've certainly set themselves up. It's become apparent that, you know, Mendoza's not gonna start. Um, he's gonna learn from Kirk Cousins.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_03Really, you know, when they pay 20 million for Cousins, is or we're on the hook for 20, a contract of 20 million, even though they'll only pay, what was it, 1.75 or 3. something. Um, yes, Mendoza's gonna be exciting. They picked up trading stooks for safety in round two, Carol Crawford and Edge Russia center in round three, um, uh, even though they spent all of that money on the centre from Baltimore. So given potentially a little bit of future planning there, and Jamod McCoy in in round four. So I think the Raiders, ranked third best draft class by the Athletic, have had a very, very good offseason, Pete.
SPEAKER_00They have. Uh we should definitely get Rowie back on to talk about uh how he's feeling optimistically about next year. So um we won't delve into Dallas. I think we'll let Kerry talk about Dallas uh next next time he's back. But who are the other winners, do you uh think, from the whole Yeah, I think the two New York teams did very well, Pete.
SPEAKER_03Um the Jets um sort of had a bit of a no-brainer, I think, pick um two. David Bailey, an edge rusher out of Texas Tech. Um they picked up a tight end in also in round the their second pick in round one, um, Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon, and a wide receiver with the 30th pick in round one, Omar Cooper Jr. out of Indiana. Um the Giants also did a reasonably good job um just trying to find their breakdown.
SPEAKER_00Uh Arthur Reese is a great get for a great get.
SPEAKER_03So again, no-brainer. I think he fell um a couple of places at highly touted edge Russia. They also had pick number 10 um off the back of the Dexter Lawrence trade. They picked Francis Muragoa, an offensive tackler out of Miami. Um, and um the corner that played opposite um Jamad McCoy at Tennessee, Colton Hood went in the second round, again, good value, pick number 37. Um Malachi Fields uh was picked up as a wide receiver in round three at pick number 74. So it'd be interesting to see how he goes. Um I'm trying to remember the guy's name, who's their superstar uh wide receiver in in New York, picked very highly last year or year before. He also has a Christian name, beginning with M. Um so I think the Giants and the Jets have done themselves um proud, which is not something we often say um when we're talking about the New York teams in the last year or so.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it seems quite odd, right? Because uh the Jets are perennial losers now. Um, it'll be interesting to see how some of these draft picks work out. Uh of course they're just draft picks, right? They still have to go through s it's spring training and summer training, and and there is a chance that they may not get offered a contract at the end of all this. Uh but um it looks like the whole draft system is starting to get the teams to even out a bit as well. Um Detroit looked like they did a good job, Minnesota was looked like they were okay in terms of the NFC North, so uh again, quite challenging for both our teams to to win that division. Next year, I think the most disappointing one for me would probably be the 49ers.
SPEAKER_03Yeah. Um although the Athletic as the Jacksonville Jaguars is the lowest ranked team. They had ten picks, um, none in the first round, admittedly, but um I'm just trying to see where they had the 49ers. It wouldn't be many spots above them, I wouldn't have thought.
SPEAKER_00But uh NFL has NFL has Jacksonville as a as a B, um which is pretty good. I'm just looking up there San Francisco now. Uh Steelers did did well, but they gave San Francisco an A. However, again San Francisco had no first round pick. Yep. But there was an awful lot of disappointment on the socials with some of the picks they were making.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, if you read some reports, they picked their first pick was pick number 33 in the second round, they picked DeJaun Stribling. Um, some people have that down as a reach. Um, but um obviously um um you know the brass at the San Francisco 49ers felt that stribling was the right way to go. Um but uh yeah, um I don't know, you know, the 49ers probably don't need as much help as some of the other teams we've discussed earlier on, Pete. So let's see how he goes. I mean, he you know, Carl Shanahan's system is uh is a favorable one if you're a you know a skilled player. So I would you know I would anticipate the fact that the 49ers did their homework on him. Um he's a big body. Um, you know, Carl Shanahan's obviously seen something he likes in him. So uh let's see how Striblin turns out in uh in the Bay Area with the 49ers.
SPEAKER_00Yep, it's uh excitement starting to build. I'm very keen for the uh for the season to start. I know we've got a few months to wait for that. Um but I think based on the draft, and I I think anyone can look at what their team has done and start start to look at it with quite enthusiasm that some of the problems that the perceived problems they had last year are starting to be addressed. And of course there are still some notable free agents out there that uh still waiting to be picked up. Debo is one and obviously Stefan Diggs in the wide receiver area. So uh there's still uh a couple of big names out there who could be picked up to enhance any uh depth you may need in some positions as well. So before we move on from the NFL, though, there there's a couple of things we probably need to touch on. Uh poor old Lawrence Taylor has been hop hospitalized with some kind of stomach-related issue. So um I don't know about you, but Lawrence Taylor was one of the men, him and Reggie White, uh, back in uh the in the infant years of supporting NFL, they were the guys who just destroyed O-lines and quarterbacks. Yes.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, he's been in hospital for a week. Um his um his handlers agent have said is not um life-threatening. Um but um yeah, sad to sad to hear Lawrence Taylor's um doing it tough at the moment. Um just other noteworthy um news, Peter, in terms of uh um the movers and the shakers and the and and you know potential challenges for next season. Uh the Eagles exercised their fifth-year option on two players that they drafted in the 2023 draft. Uh, two 25-year-olds, Jalen Carter was picked number nine defensive tackle. Um Jalen Carter's been to two Pro Bowls, so you know, one of the premier defensive tackles in the league. So Eagles exercised their fifth-year option on him at 27.1 million. We picked 30 in the same draft. They chose Nolan Smith, an edge rusher. Um, they've also picked up fifth-year option on Nolan Smith at 13.8 million. Um, other bits and pieces of news. Um, Mike Tomlin did an interview this week, um, and he provided some insight into you know why he um walked away from the NFL and and you know, particularly at the time that he did. Um my takeaway quote from that um that interview was um Tomlin said loneliness in leadership is uh you know is a significant factor. It just felt to me uh as a good time to move on. So uh yeah, interesting there. Uh I'm sure uh Tomlin will talk more about his career. Um he's you know clearly moved into a broadcast position. So uh um yeah, hope all all is well there with Mike Tomlin and you know clearly made a big decision for himself at what he felt was the right time of his career. Um off the field, last thing to mention, Mike Rayball, who's really do we really want to talk about him? Uh look, he's been away from the Patriots. He missed part of the draft leader, so that that's why I think it's um significant. You know, clearly he's a head coach who took his team to the Super Bowl last year.
SPEAKER_00And following in the long line of uh history of New England coaches and and their dubious behaviour off the field, I guess.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, so for those listeners that don't know what's happened, he was photographed. Um there were some photographs of him in the New York Post with uh um Deanna Rossini, an NFL insider. Um I think they were sat in a jacuzzi or something together. But um Mike Rabel stepped away um from the Patriots on you know on his own volition, but he he is now back with them having having missed part of the uh the NFL draft.
SPEAKER_00So uh bad timing and um um yes, it probably says something about the New England setup about um who is actually making the draft picks if they can let their head coach um not be around for day one and day two. Um and of course if you if you're uh uh a man of moral standings and being drafted to New England, I wonder what your thoughts are around your the current head coach who's uh applying his trade there, although um the previous head coach never covered himself in glory with regards to that kind of stuff. Uh enough said on that. Yeah, I th I think actually I think what we should try and do is get Chris back on, obviously, Kerry, come and talk about how the positivity of their teams, Rowie and uh the Buffalo Bills as well. Yeah, and the other Chris as well, yes. The Buffalo Bills Chris and uh Patriots Chris. As we as we will call them from now on as well. Very good. That's uh that's our summary of the NFL draft. I think to summarize it, we're both relatively happy. Uh not completely happy, but relatively happy and excited for the new season ahead. And um hopefully after two games we'll have a fair stead of the way things are going. Time to move on to the NFL Light, the the the UFL. And um uh unfortunately, Matt, you had a third of an ass cheek on the uh on the shirt buying chair last week. You now have half an arse cheek. Despite stealing the the perceived best quarterback in the league from the team who were 4-0, uh you still took a bit of a walloping.
SPEAKER_03Um things are not not going according to plan. I must admit, it's have it you know, being in the UK, it's been quite difficult to to keep up with um American sports, so you know, focused a little bit on a lot on the draft. Wasn't able to watch it. I really enjoy watching the draft. When I'm in Australia, it it is a you know enormous spectacle. Um but obviously um catching up on that and doing research after the event. And the other thing I've been focusing on is um is baseball, which we'll talk about shortly. But um, yeah, I saw we lost again the Birmingham Stallions, so um I think we're now joint, bottom of the table um with the DC commanders, is it?
SPEAKER_00No, DC defenders are top. So Orlando Storm lost their first game to the Mighty St. Louis Battlehawks, um probably because you gave them a substandard quarterback for the game. Um and and and so that's a great win for the Battlehawks, and and more importantly, puts me two games ahead of you and McKund, uh Columbus aviator, um, in the standing. So their teams are ranked one to eight. Currently, Birmingham sit in position eight. I don't know how they define uh the difference between the aviators and the stallions, because they are both one and four. Um Houston Gamblers and Louisville Kings are uh the are the two above them on two and three, and then uh Kerry's Renegades and my Battlehawks sit at three and four, and obviously uh Chris up New England Patriots, Chris, and his DC defenders are top now four and one, but they share that with Orlando Storm. So um halfway through the regular season, uh before we get to semis and playoffs, um it's not looking good for you, it's not looking good for McKund, but there's still five games.
SPEAKER_03There are still five games, excuse me, and I can say that I'm less than gripped by it all, Peter.
SPEAKER_00Yes, but you are going to the States where it might be cheaper for you to buy a Birmingham Stallions shirt than have one shipped by out to Australia.
SPEAKER_03I'm sure they'll be in every shop I go in in Chicago, not.
SPEAKER_00Yes. Yeah, yes. Very good. So uh again, the one thing I noticed this week, apart from the YouTube highlights just being atrocious, so I don't know who cuts them up or whether I'm watching the wrong stream. But my gosh, when you there was one where it was uh they were uh third and goal, and the next thing I saw was a first and ten from the opposition on the twenty-yard line, and no points had been scored. So no idea what had happened, no idea how the how the ball had been turned over. Had it been turned over, had they lost on downs, just yeah.
SPEAKER_03There's an old saying, Pete, which discusses silk purses and sow's ears. I think it's just as simple as that. I don't think it's the editing. If it ain't there and it isn't worth watching, is not going to be in the highlights package. So uh I did see um I mentioned Ian Wheeler. The w the only week uh the week one win that the Stallions had was over Gordy's Louisville Kings and Ian Wheeler, the ex-bear, fumbled in the end zone running back. He did score four touchdowns this week for the Louisville Kings. So good to see Ian Wheeler bouncing back and thank you for fumbling in your one game against the Birmingham Stallions. But yeah, I I think it's uh it's a little bit of a poor product. And if I was Dwayne the Rock Johnson, I would be uh having a chat with my accountant and uh questioning the uh the the logic of uh pouring the millions of dollars that he has into uh into that league at the moment.
SPEAKER_00But the stadiums are just not even close to being half full w when you watch games. Look, the I think the concept of it is alright, because if you think about baseball, you know, when the baseball season finishes in the States, then there's the Arizona Full League, then there's the uh people go down playing Venezuela and places like that in in Winter League just to keep their skills up to up to scratch. Not the excuse me, not the superstars. They don't need to, but you know, your peripheral players, uh if you look at uh Luis Mados, who's now been DFA'd by the Brewers, he was DFA'd by the Giants, but he would have spent most of his winters playing in the full league and the Venezuelan League just to make sure, you know, you didn't lose that little bit of edge. And of course, once you hit the DFA carousel, yeah, all is uh all can be lost. On that note, let's let's move to baseball because you're uh a week and a half from attending a Cubbies game. Um the Cubbies were on fire winning ten or eleven straight or something like that, and um they've now hit the might of San Diego and uh the the Dodgers and and so they've lost three in a row. Uh how are you feeling now their progress this year?
SPEAKER_03Ten-game winning streak was amazing, um and it would have been nice if that ten-game winning streak could have um happened next week onwards, but uh you're always gonna take it because it catapulted us up a but as we've discussed, uh an exceptionally tough division. Um I think there's there's two parts. You're correct, we are running into the might of the of the National League. Um obviously we took the first game in the series against the Dodgers, we lost the first game in the series this morning against the Padres. But I think there's strength of opponent, but also we're just running out of pitches, Pete. Um it our our injury list in terms of pitching is appalling. Um so I think um we got Matthew Boyd back. Uh he pitched yesterday, maybe started the game this morning. Um we are really, really struggling uh for for you know for for pitching options and our rotation is all over the place at the moment.
SPEAKER_00So But are you just doing what the Dodgers do and then you know have their pitchers injured for the first half of the season and then miraculously after the all-star break they're they're all fit and firing and and ready for the World Series?
SPEAKER_03I would very much doubt that. And you know, having watched the games, you can see you know, pitcher pitches the ball and he's immediately holding his arm or hamstring, you know, Daniel Palency went down, I think, with a with a hamstring, or certainly one of one of the bigger guys. I I d you know, it doesn't feel to me as though the Cubbies are playing any games and and you know it's it's injury on top of injury. If you're gonna, you know, if you're gonna game the system, you're probably gonna say, okay, well take one or two guys out of the rotation. But we've got we've got six or seven guys on the IL list at the moment. So they have been playing great defense. You know, Nico Horner's earning every cent of that. Um that contract extension. PCA's been, you know, his usual exemplary self at centre field. And the bats have been, you know, booming. I'm really excited about Mo Ballesteros. He seems to get you know bat on ball almost every time he you know he comes on play, which he doesn't clearly, but you know, Mo is a really, really exciting prospect. Um I'm hoping that the the Craig Council gets him into the um into the uh lineup a little bit more often. Um we've got say Suzuki back now, Bregman's starting to earn his money. So you know when the bats are firing, we're a very scary team. And not obviously the cubbies will always play great defense because they've they've got four or five golden gloves on on defense. It's just it's just the pitches. So uh fingers crossed, you know, we get a few guys back. I think Phil Maton is back in the next day or so. Um or may even have been back this morning and pitched in an ins or two. So let's get some of the arms back and then we'll see where the cub is um end up. My first um first few games are the series against the Reds, Peter. So Reds actually sit top of the NL Central. We sit second now. Um so I couldn't have picked a better time to go over and watch.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. You also get to see Ellie DeLacruz live, and he's an absolutely electric player. Makes uh a few too many errors, I would think. If if he was my shortstop, I'd feel incredibly frustrated at some of the simple errors he makes. But as a player, he's absolutely electric, and and speed around the bases is good. And of course there is uh good news for PCA as well. He's no longer the biggest prick in all the baseball. He's been replaced by uh Dalton Rushing of the the Dodgers, um, who uh uh enough said about him the better. But uh yeah, uh interesting. I I loved the the Dodgers series with the Giants was was great. I mean the Giants won 2-1, which I'm ecstatic about. Not only did they hold them for to zero runs for over over uh two games, they also broke Atani's on-bass uh streak that was uh up at fifty-three games with uh getting on base, so that got broken as well, um which was which was uh very pleasing, but they played well and they stood up for each other as well when uh uh um uh aforementioned Dalton Rushing uh said something he shouldn't have. He he uh he got pinged by Logan Webb. And when Logan Webb was asked, he denied all of it completely. Absolutely. Um so it's gonna be interesting to look at it. The Giants have had a couple of really touchy games, one with Cincinnati, and if you want to uh if you want to have a a good laugh, uh go back and look at the highlights. I think it's probably the third uh Cincinnati game when uh uh again we pinged one of the Cincinnati players for for something he did the day before. Um Cincinnati then decided that they should throw a fastball at uh Adamis and they did twice and the second one they hit him. But it as Adamus puts his helmet down and you know he's he's such a lovely guy, he's ne he's never gonna get a fight. As they walk into first base and the benches are being clear, the bat boy from uh San Francisco is manning up and standing between Adame's and the pitcher, just waiting for anything. So it's it's it's really interesting, and the that's the good thing about and I hope you're enjoying the MLB app, because you get all the local commentators and they'll break that stuff down rather than play by play. We got a play-by-play of how hard the ball boy or the bat boy was in terms of fronting up to fronting up to a pitcher. Um but there's been uh there's been a couple of big fights again. If you want to watch uh ex-giant uh Jorge Soler from Atlanta charging someone in the mound and giving him a big uh right hander. I mean if he was running towards me, there's I wouldn't be running at him, I'd be turning tail and legging it at uh back to the bullpen if I was the pitcher. It's uh it's good to see some of the passion there. So I'm starting to get excited about the Giants. They've started to find their bat. Um many Giants supporters were really against Jung Hu Leaf after his start and and Casey Schmidt, and they've really shown in the last um two series and really stood up. I think that yesterday Junghu Lee was four for five, um a triple, three singles. Um I think over the l over the homestand he was batting nearly six hundred and something. Um so at one point he was nine out of thirteen against uh against the Marlins, so which is great because that's what we want. Uh and what we just need is our bigger bats, Adamas and Endeavors, to start hitting the fence a little bit more often as well.
SPEAKER_03So I suspect we the Cubbies could do you a favour by taking a couple of games off the Padres in the next few days. We should quickly talk about the plight of the Mets and the Phillies. Horrible.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, uh again, what's going on? Uh I I starting to feel pretty bad because of the nine games the Mets have won, three of them were against the Giants when we were going through that really awful patch at the start of the season, and you're kind of wondering where do they go from here? I mean, what's Bo Bouchette thinking right now? He he he took his payday and he's he's potentially looking if things don't get any better for them you know, not not playing in postseason. Well we are and I know it's early, I know we're twenty games into a hundred and sixty games, but the the Phillies and Not looking good the Mets no and and Giants play at Phillies tomorrow. Um and their starting pitcher uh tomorrow is Hauser, who had a great game against um uh LA, so if he can if he can kind of replicate that, that would be awesome. But um in terms of if I look at uh the Philly starting pitcher, tomorrow it's it's Lozardo. He's got a six point nine one ERA, right? This early in the season. Yeah, i i if if you can get after him, um you know, opportunities are there, just kick kick them while they're down, because that's exactly what they do to you.
SPEAKER_03So they're they're respectively one and nine and two and eight in their last ten games, so they've clearly got to do some both teams have got to do something to turn the ship around. So uh yeah, keep an eye on that.
SPEAKER_00And you know, the perennial losers, um the White Sox and uh the Rockies are actually doing okay this so far this season. Uh thirteen and sixteen for the Rockies and uh twelve and six uh sorry. White Sox uh twelve and seventeen, so normally by now they would have lost games. Now the Rockies are bottom of the league, but they're tied with the Giants. Um the Kansas City Royals again really shocked to see them on a 11 and 17. Um they've given away so many runs and uh late on in innings. Um you know, and and you you know, they've had games where they've you know their opening pitcher has gone through eight innings, conceded one hit, and they've still lost. And you're like, wow, that's that's uh that's a tough loss to take. But I've I have to say, mate, I'm very proud of you the way you're picking up all the baseball lingo as a a relatively uh fresh man into baseball this this year in in terms of you know following a team for 160 games, it's uh it it's good to see.
SPEAKER_03I've a solid teacher, Jedi Master.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, good. I won't ask her what his name is. Thank you. But I'll take a look at it. Uh very good. So um while we've been talking about fights and everything, I don't know how uh how much you've uh been up to speed with the Spanish second division or the Liga 2.
SPEAKER_03Really weirdly, Pete, I did see a clip on uh on uh social media. What on earth was now how that falls into the point Yes is easier to get it?
SPEAKER_00Yeah. Um the my problem is I I don't mind it. I I I I I know I sound a little bit there, but but you know, uh it it he's gonna well if you're gonna send me off, then I'm gonna do something proper. Right? 'Cause I don't know what was going on. I don't know what was going on or whether that guy said anything to him, but he he he obviously ran up to him while he was waiting to take a free kick. It looked like he stood his ground and the guy ran into him, right?
SPEAKER_03What happened was the goalie got sent off was actually taking a free kick on the halfway line. And in the at the edge of the uh box where you know he's going to kick the ball to down the other end, was a a little bit of an incident, the player fell over. The referee came over to look at um the you know the VAR TV or whatever it is, and as he came across, the goalie didn't like that, so he went up to the goalkeeper and the captain of the opposition who was assaulted, also ran over, and then he just pivoted from taking out his anger and ire on the referee, pushed the captain, very theatrically, fell over. Referee gave him a red card, and then as soon as he got his red card, he thought, might as well get my money's worth, and he landed a massive haymaker on him. So I can't imagine he's gonna play much football um next season. Um I would imagine it's got to be a year ban or something along those lines.
SPEAKER_00Uh come on, you're of an age that you can remember uh Billy Bremer and Norman Hunter standing toe-to-toe on the sidelines and they only got a a game.
SPEAKER_03That was in the nineteen seventies, Peter. And we are now in an age where you you know you can't even tackle people.
SPEAKER_00Um, but but I I would think you've got precedent to say that a year would be excessive. I I I c I can imagine a ten-game, maybe twenty-game ban, but I think a year would be excessive. But but it he obviously decided, well, if you're gonna do this, I might as well just punch the guy in the face. Right? And so he did. And uh it is one of the most remarkable pieces of um sporting highlights from this weekend, not necessarily the most remarkable. I I think that falls to Rochdale and York City. Yeah, what a game. Um before we start on all all of that, I I know what's coming next from a lot of people. It's going to be the Wrexham bleating and moaning. That you know, two teams need to go up. Um they're forgetting the fact if you want to make this league three, it's not two teams that need to go up, it's three plus playoffs because you have to mimic the league that's above you. All of this whinging started when Wrexham were cashed up and looking like they wouldn't go up. And and their celebrity owners were oh well two should go up, it's not fair, we've got more points than anybody else, blah, blah, blah. You should, but it's not the rules. Live with it. I feel very sorry for Rochdale, even more sorry because I'm not even bloody sure the York goal went over the line. Um it was a very brave decision by the referee, but what drama. What absolute drama. You're in the UK, was that uh big on all the sports reports?
SPEAKER_03It was big news over here. Um and um I mean really I think after from a financial standpoint, after um the championship to premiership game, it's probably got the most importance. And um so yeah, look, uh two very decent teams. I mean, I think the second place team ended up on 106 points. Um high drama. That's what we're here for, Pete. You know? Exactly. The game winning goal was a bit Sunday Sunday league. Um, but um yeah, it's what we're here for. Let let's uh let's have a theatre and um enjoy it while we can.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And this weekend two big games coming up, one for my team, one for your team. Um your team need to do what's needed and make sure Tottenham don't win a game.
SPEAKER_03Yes.
SPEAKER_00Um and and then let's hope for a West Ham win. And uh and them looking down the barrels of championship football. We have to be able to. Of course, uh also have to say put uh I feel sorry for Xavi Simon, who's now done an ACL, he's out with the rest of the season, he's out of the World Cup. Um that is terrible news for Tottenham. But if you uh do any kind of research, Tottenham's injury list for the last three years has been incredible tale of hamstrings and ACLs. I don't know why they're not looking at a the training ground or b who their physios and um people are, because the the the the training is obviously not supporting them, strengthening their their bodies to be able to cope with just a 38-game season.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, I I mean my my gut feel there, Pete is it's just bad luck because they've had so many different managers. You can't blame a you know, a training um you know, an an overloading, you know, training regime or whatever.
SPEAKER_00You you say that. Go go and look at Ange Postacoglu's regime and look at the number of hamstring injuries they had compared to any other team. It it's uh the numbers are quite stark.
SPEAKER_03And since Ange they've had Postacoglu, they've had sorry, they've had uh Frank Tudor. Anyway, um yeah, I'll be at the game um where hopefully Villa contribute to Spurs' demise. We we have got very, very I'm I'm quite worried about the Europa semi-final Forest are playing out of their skin at the moment, and I think that's a massive banana skin for us. So um Villa are heavy favourites to win the Europa League, but I think you know that's the worst possible semi-final draw we could have had. So um that's Thursday night, and then obviously Spurs on Sunday. Traditionally, teams that play in Europe mid-week or late midweek don't back up well on the on the following weekend. So um the game's been moved to Sunday night. Let's just hope the villa can get three points, because um I will be very, very disappointed if they don't. We were awful against Fulham on uh on Saturday.
SPEAKER_00So uh the Premier League are banking on you, my friends.
SPEAKER_03We need to put our socks up. But uh very good.
SPEAKER_00Uh and before we sign off, obviously Cambridge sit in the third automatic promotion place in League Two. Their fate is in their own hands. They go away to crew Alexandra at three o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Uh crew have nothing to play for, which either makes them very dangerous or hopefully makes them on the beach already, going out to party, etc, etc. Uh I think some of the teams around them are playing teams that could be relegated. So again, a little bit of fight going on there, so that's what we like to see. So um hopefully Cambridge will do the needful and uh score early and uh put the game to bed and I won't have a sleepless night. However, I I suspect I may well be getting up at uh a ridiculous hour of the night to uh You love it. To uh to see what's going on. Yeah, well, you wouldn't have it any other way. Um now the RNE is if they don't and go in the playoffs and make the playoff final, I'm in the UK when the playoff final. Well, it uh I'd prefer automatic promotion. Um because the last days of my holiday can't be heartbreaker watching my team lose at Wembley, which uh has happened too many times before.
SPEAKER_03But on the flip side, Pete, you might get a ticket and it's win-win.
SPEAKER_00Uh well yeah, uh I could get a ticket, yes. And could have a very, very good day of it.
SPEAKER_03But Cambridge, Wembley, UK, the stars have aligned. Uh mate. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00A ticket to the playoff final will be a lot cheaper than a Birmingham Stallions UFL shirt. Yes, and on that bombshell. Matt, I appreciate you getting up early to uh to join us today. Yeah, we'll speak to you all next week. Uh hopefully KG will come and tell us about Dallas and McKund will give us his views on the draft overall. Thanks everyone. See you soon.
SPEAKER_02Ta-da. That's a wrap on another episode of the Mostly Football Show. Don't forget to subscribe and review or get in touch at mostly football twenty-five at gmail.com. See you next week.