Hour 2: Jason Avant: DeVonta Smith Is Ready to Lead as the Eagles' Number One

0:00It is the WIP afternoon show with Ike Spikens Fritz. No Fritz still on paternity leave. We are not at McGurks in Royars Ford for the rally and Royars Ford. There were technical issues, but we are here. We do love McGurks. The best seat on Sunday is at McGurks. Miller Light for less than four bucks. NFL Sunday ticket. Check out their calendar for pop-up shops and tailgate tastings for the ultimate game to atmosphere and make it McGurks. We still did get Jason Avon for a full hour. Jason, thank you for, were you on your way to McGurks? When you got the warning or no? I was actually at the stadium doing an appearance there. So yeah, I was fine. I was fine. I'm glad I even got to me in time because driving out there, I'd have been pissed by the time I would have been halfway. You were right on your way over there. Yes, you had been ticked out there to ask you to turn around. Exactly. You have way out there. I was on the blue route. It got me right. I was, too. I must have been right in front of you. Yeah, because we got here at the same time, right before the school call. So it was fine. And actually, look, we're here.

1:00We're doing it. We'll be at McGurks another time. You know, you guys actually were just talking before we got back on air. I want to ask you both because NFL season starts tonight. And there's another game tomorrow from Australia. Now me as not a professional football player, obviously. The only frustration for me is fantasy football. I can't make, I'm trying to make a judgment about a guy who might be questionable on Sunday. And I gotta make a judgment. But as players go and the quality of the game, right? We have this Australia game where the Rams are flying in the day before the 49ers are there for a week. Their body clock is going to be all messed up when they get back. Games on every day of the week. Having gone through, you know, the schedule, the way that you guys did, there was less, less moving around, right? There was Sunday Monday. Was there Thursday even? Yeah, we did. There was Thursday. Yeah. What do you think it eventually does? Knowing what it did to your body, even when you just had a play on Thursday. What do you think it does for the product overall?

2:03We let all of football, but does it take all this moving around games and overseas and playing on different days? Do you think it takes a toll on the overall product? I think it takes a toll not necessarily moving around, but as far as the way that the game is structured and the preseason, I think the first couple of weeks, you see more special team touchdowns, you see more mistackles, you see more long touchdowns in general, and that's a result of guys not hitting and how lenient and favorable it is for player, quote unquote, safety. But sometimes you have to be able to hit people and maybe that extra game can be beneficial. But all that being said, football season is around and we're loving that. Will there be more touchdowns and more excitement for the fans? The fans probably won't even recognize it because it's actually more exciting when more touchdowns. But as far as overall product, we know that this is not going to happen in November. Right. Yeah. And I think we're starting to watch the game differently, right? It's almost as a fan you're allowing for your team

3:07and some fan bases, not us here in Philadelphia. We don't care if you just started. We want you to win every week. But but teams are so slowly ramping up. You heard Seikwam said a couple of years ago that teams are treating the first month of the season like it's the preseason because none of them actually tackle or hit during the preseason. And this thing is going to go to 18 games, right? At some point. And what they're trying to do is they're trying to balance having the more games they have and the different nights they play them on by giving them putting less stress on your bodies in the off season, right? The training camps. I'm not saying that I agree with them. I think that's what they're trying to do. They're trying to put less wear and tear on your body during training camps. That's why there's no more two or days. They've limited how much contact you can have. How many times you can wear the pads during the season? Like I think that's where the CBA sort of bargain. If you're going to make us play more games,

4:07then we're going to get less time that actually when you get to beat up on us. I'll say this. If it is fair, I'm okay with it. So you play a Thursday game. As long as the team that you're playing the next week has played a Thursday game or something comfortable. Same amount of rest time. Same amount of rest time. So if you're going to play a game in Australia, make sure you play one in Brazil too. So all of us can have equal playing ground the next week, right? So but when you have two teams and now another team is on their normal schedule and you're coming back, that's when I think that it gets unfair and you just have to suffer through it. But I don't think that that should be a thing. I think that everyone should have the same amount of time, same amount of rest. And so if you're going to play one game that you have to play too, that's what I think. Yeah, the first game of the season, I think is a little more fair and balanced now. The Rams. Yeah, everybody's been off. The Rams in the 49ers are choosing definitely how to handle Goenthal Australia. The 49ers have been there already for a week in the Rams.

5:08I'll be interested to see how this works out. A day before the game flying that long, I'm assuming that they have science behind why they're doing it. Yes, it's a Kelly thing. They have a method to what they're doing. I'm just saying it'll be interesting to see. You got two different case studies there. One team has been there a little while trying to get acclimated and the other team says, now I'd rather stay on my normal clock and just go play it next day. Yeah, the thing that I think about with the Australia game is less so about this game and more so about the next game, right? So San Francisco, their players have adjusted the Australia time, but then they got to come back and play another football game. That's the other thing that days. So how many days do they take re-adjusting to over here, whereas I think the Rams probably deal with that less. I have to deal with there. They'll go there, they'll play a game at 10 o'clock, their body clock time, 10 o'clock AM, then they'll come back. I don't know. Yeah, I don't. I think the thing with the day's on the thing on the different days of the week, the way that I think about it, maybe affecting things is the one thing, I would say,

6:10similar to in terms of like an NFL player during the season, I like everything to be, I have a schedule. I like things to be regular. I like routine. I do this on this day, this on that day. I know it's everyone you're playing on a Wednesday and a Thursday and a Friday, that routine is all messed up. I like it. And I just wonder if the NFL is so big, I wonder if it can get degraded a little bit each time they do these things and we just wake up one day and it doesn't look the same. No, you may be right. And here's the thing though. These boys are making so much money. Well, right. They don't matter. Well, they don't ultimately oppose to it. Yes. Right, yeah. The NFL has to be careful. Yeah. Because they're getting greedy. Sure. They're getting greedy. And just look at all the sports leagues. Yeah. More games does not mean better. Yeah. Right. So you have to figure out ways to get the dollars higher without putting more stress on the product and also the players, right?

7:12So I think the NFL is in that range where after this 18 goes up that it got to be a no more. But they're going to keep pushing until the product gets, people get used to it and comment. And now you're in the 2024 game season and now it's okay to miss a home game. Right. Now it's okay to, because they have so many, it'll be fine. I think you gotta expand the rosters. Well, at some point, that means they want to have to pay more play. No, they don't, they don't do that. I just think exactly they don't want to do that. But I would get rid of the practice squad and make them all, having players you can put on the practice squad, just make them on the active roster. Well, they almost put on the active roster. It almost seems the way they've changed the rules. It almost seems like they kind of have and that you can move guys up and down. Yeah. It's just the differences that another team can get. And you can say, and you just stay on the practice going longer. Yeah, 30 years old on the practice. And you can get paid more. That sounds crazy. Yeah. I should still be on the practice squad, right? Yeah, I, you're, now there's a massive difference

8:12between the number of games in NFL team plays and every other sport. But I think it's worth noting that in basketball, all that anyone talks about to improve the, the, the, the league is, they should play less games. Yeah. Yeah. Let's play off games. Yes. A big, like baseball, I feel like it would probably benefit if they play, I love 162 games, but the league, they can use, like, 142 would be good. Would be fine. They agree. Yeah. I think that's just about 64. 64. Yeah. I play. You want baseball fans to riot? Yeah. You want baseball fans to riot, man. Nobody watching baseball. Oh, you talk to us. You with the April major. Yeah. Something's on it, man. And I get it. You have your hard core, but I'm just saying if, if, if, you can't say anything, you know what? Listen, I don't care. We, we, we, we, we, just a knock. Kiss my ass. Let's say that. That's it. Yes, man. So it's a major league baseball. Excuse, excuse my friend. They did. They did. Yeah. So, uh, so Jason.

9:13What? Those are Jason's beliefs. Yes. We do. Those aren't 94 WIPs. Hey, listen, I'm not coming at you. Hey, listen, I'm not coming at you. I'm just saying the overall product. I have the feelings, the overall. I've always loved baseball. I would say that my, my three years in New York, turn me into a baseball psycho, because that town is baseball first. They're beautiful. It's just, it really is. And the way they, they think about it, I just, I'll watch it. The way that I could watch any football game. Yeah. Dude, if the, the Cubs and the Marlins are playing and nothing else is on, I'll watch the Cubs and the Marlins. I'll give you guys a funny story. Okay. I go to a baseball, I'm from Chicago, Saks fan growing up. I go to, I go to a socks, I get to, I get to look, a, a socks in Indian's game. Okay. Dude, they scored 32 runs between both teams. Wow. I was sitting in the outfield sleep. With 32 runs, you're like, is this real? Yeah. Is anybody pitching? Yeah.

10:13Yeah. The game to be like 16, like, I don't know, 16, 15 to 16 or 17 to 15. Yeah. Something like that. And you were asleep. Oh. Oh, there's another one. That's another home run. Yeah. Over the Ivy. The, because I'm sitting out there watching the left field, they're like, dude, what is he doing right now? Well, whatever. Not not gonna let you hate on baseball all hour. Let me stop. I'm messing up. I'm robbing up the fans. That's what we're doing. That is what we're doing, so you came to the right place. But yeah. So, so we play on Sunday, a lot of questions about the Eagles. I think one thing that, that let's start with receivers, giving, yeah. Well, one thing that everyone always said while AJ was here is we have, two number one, why receivers? Devante is the number one, really, and AJ is the number one. But we will get to see whether Devante is really a number one. What is your belief in Devante as a number one, and what do you think the challenges he's gonna face this year as the number one guy that he hasn't faced before when he played

11:18with AJ? Just better players, right? So, we have AJ. A lot of times you're gonna get the second best corner. So we all know that, but that slant route, that's a must, or that critical play that's a must is gonna become the Devante. Now, do I think that Devante is well prepared for it? Yes. I think he gets the most separation. I think that he is built for this, especially when you're the number one receiver, you get number one priority when it comes to play calling, too. So, what does that mean? Devante and Smith, more so in motion. Now he gets a little bit more help coming between the tackle and the guard, or now he gets a running start on the shallow cross rather than being stable at the expedition before. Right? So, all of those things can help him out as well. But I think Devante is well equipped when it comes to just getting open to be the number one receiver. Now, AJ is a guy that can just raw ability, just his physical strength to be able to get open. He can do that in a way that it doesn't have to be beast in a guy, but he can beat him

12:21with his feet. He can beat him with his brain. And I think that's something that the Devante can do and will do. Yeah, I think of Marvin Harrison, senior. You know, Marvin Harrison was not very big guy. Yeah. Wasn't gonna overpower you as a wild receiver, but he was so quick and he was so precise with his route running that that's how he used that to his advantage to get open. He had good speed, didn't have blazing speed, but had good speed. So Marvin Harrison was a, it was a master when it come to running routes and he in the quarterback, he had paid many was on the same page with every play. Yeah. And Devante has the ability to go down and Devante is going to make people scared because Devante is a builder. A 40-yard dash is not the right test for Devante. Devante is more of a 400 runner, right? When you go back to his high school days and that 200 400 runner. So those guys is built as they get down the field. So that is something to be afraid of with his ability to go up. But when you look at a guy like Chad Johnson, Chad Johnson was never a big guy.

13:23He was slender, but he's able to move his body in certain ways and also had great feet. And those are the attributes that Chad Johnson had. No one ever questioned, could he be a number one? And Devante Smith is that and maybe just as good at route running. Yeah. And a guy that people have compared him a lot to, JS and having the year that he had last year. If you had a question about Devante as a number one, what about his game or his body or whatever, what would be the question you had about him in this spot? It's just in a situation where a defense knows. This is the only scenario that I can foresee that could be a problem. When a defense knows that it's third and three and the only thing that can beat you is a short route and now they put a big physical guide there that's going to bank inside or do something of that nature. I think that's the only time you will have trouble. But I think maybe we don't rely on a slant in that situation as much. Maybe we open a route tree a little bit more and not play sticks, which we do, which we've

14:27done in the past. If we need third and fourth, we run a third and third, or third and fourth, we run a seven-yard route. The third, you know, something like that just beyond the sticks in order to get a completion. So if you're going to be able to do a divante Smith, you may have to take more of a shot, or you may have to call a play that gets everyone open rather than depending on a slant like we have in the past. Yeah, I look at it this way also. I think when a defense knows you need a big catch and where the ball is going, can they still get the ball to you? You know, that's your number one receiver mentality as well. Sometimes we measure it rightfully so in numbers. Everybody wants to see the bottom line numbers, but I also look at it as who's that guy, that quarterback is going to on third and seventh when they need to pick up a big first down or down in the red zone, third and gold and they need to pick up a touchdown there. Can you get him the football and can he make place? Steve Smith was not the biggest wide receiver. Can't tell you he was the number one wide receiver. Yeah, but Steve was a pit bull, though.

15:29He can't out physical. No doubt about it, but he still was five-nine. Yeah. He was five-nine a buck 80, right? But he just, he had that dog in him. He had that dog in him. And I think now, Smitty does it a different way, but Smitty has that dog in him. While Steve Smith may have been a pit bull, I look at Smitty as a doverman pinter. Okay. And anybody knows about doverman pinter. They're just as dangerous. They can get on you. Yeah. Very annoying. Yes. Very annoying. Very annoying. So I think that's what Smitty is going to show up more than anything is that we're going to begin to have that same confidence that we would have an AJ on big plays. Get him the ball. We're going to have the same thing as Smitty. And Smitty's going to make those catches. He's made them before the only difference was you had AJ on the other side. Yeah. Now he's got to make them on his own, but he's made the actual plays. The big games. He's made them. He shows up every time. Yeah. And here's here's something that I think the fans can get used to is that Smitty is a

16:30more well rounded overall football player than AJ Brown when it comes to just his approach to the game. So him being able to catch more passes out of slot and being more willing to you're going to see that. And you talk about JS in his year. His year was the way that it was is because there is multiple clips of him lining up in the backfield him lining up in the well next to the tight end or him being able to move around. AJ Brown does not have that in his ability. AJ Brown is line me up here. Do this type of a guy Devonte Smith knows the offense well enough to be anywhere. And I think that'll help him out. So how much I mean he's the guy thrown him the ball, but how much of an adjustment. He was so many of the balls that we saw AJ catch were really just AJ beating the guy, right? I mean, he had man coverage. Jalen saw he had man coverage. He gave him an opportunity to beat the guy. Might not be the same thing in this one. So how much of Devonte success will rely on Jalen playing sort of a different brand of football

17:31than he's played in the past? All of it. And that's the, that's like the nature of it because of the way that he goes to play football the last few years is, OK, AJ Brown is to the left. We run him on a stop route. We run him on a, you know, a slant. We run him on a go. It's very, very elementary, right? So you're going to have to have Jalen hurts to go to a different level in order to get Devonte the touches that he needs and also for the other guys to be involved in the offense because Nanteven Wicks can get open, but you have to be able to utilize him in a certain way. Hollywood Brown can get open, but he has to be utilized in a certain way. And the more mature and the better quarterback play, the more these other guys can get touches. Right now, the Philadelphia Eagles is a graveyard for the third receiver. Whoever the third receiver is like, when, like, it's a graveyard for that person. Just think about our third receiver the last three, four, five years.

18:32Like, has anybody been productive? Well, yeah, Jahan Dawson, do we really have 15 catches like that? Like, it's a graveyard for that person. And that goes to the quarterback when, when, when quarterbacks are at the top of their game. The third and a fourth receiver, the second tight end, all of those guys get balls because sometimes the defense dictates that. And if you're playing the game the right way, you're going to get to that person, but when you're not playing the game the right way, you're going to force it into a situation that a guy gets the ball and complete is intercepted or it's an incompletion or you've run for it. Well, it does seem like they've built the team that way. I mean, I don't want to keep comparing to the Niners, but the Niners, like, you know, they didn't have a number one by the receiver last year. You know, Puril Salvat's heard most of the year was a kiddo, I guess, to an extent. But it was McCaffery was probably the number one, right? I just see what it was all over the place. And it does seem like the Eagles. It's not like they went and signed a bunch of all pros, but they did go and get a bunch of guys who have had successful years in the league. Elijah Morris had successful years in the league.

19:32Don Tavian Wicks has had successful years in the league. Hollywood Brown has had successful years in the league. You don't think they would go get all the other guys. If it does seem like they don't want to make up for AJ's catches with one guy. They would rather have three guys get 30 catches than one guy get 90 catches. And that's what let's see. And that's the way this offense is really designed to go. It was never designed to be. You look at the from Mike Shanahan, Renwood Rods, a Rod Smith, Shannon Sharp, easy hit McCaffery back in the mid 90s when they were winning back to back Super Bowls. It wasn't to just predominantly throw one guy to ball. It was to spread the ball around and hand that thing off the TD to rail Davis. Yeah. And let him run it. And everybody is sort of they, they, they, they take her with the offense a little bit and put their own little spin on it. But for the most part, it's an equal opportunity offense. Yeah, it should be. And the game of football should be, it's not always equal opportunity. I would say because the person that is the most prolific offensively, this is how it often should be run. The guy that has that needs the, the fewest touches to score touchdown should be number one

20:37in getting the football. Right. We knew that was the sign. Yeah, we knew that was the sign Jackson. It took him about five or six touches to score touchdown. So he gets the priority of the targets or the lion's chair. And then it goes in order after that. And so if the quarterback is playing the game the right way, it'll lead to a guy having 40 catches. That's the third receiver, 50 catches. I think our third receiver thing is out there window this year. It does seem like it. It will. No, no, no, no, I don't mean literally out there wondering from him. I mean, the idea that he's not going to be productive. No, yes. I, I think I hope that's the catch. Yes, they did. They didn't draft this kid to put him in that slot to not be a part of his offense. He, the only way he's not a part of your office is if he's not effective out there as a player. I'm saying they're going to go into games trying to get him the ball at times. But that's why they picked him. Well, yes, yeah, that's why you drafted him. We will, we'll ask Jason about McCoy lemon, what he's seen. But also coming up next, I do want to present to him a situation that I want to find out of

21:38Jason thinks is fair or unfair that you're going to have to judge. There will be a visual aid to this as well. So we are not at the rally in Roiers Ford at McGurks because we had some technical difficulties. We do love McGurks, pub and grill in Roiers Ford coming soon. A brand new McGurks and why I'm missing Jason about with us until four o'clock. We'll get to that next 2 1 5 5 9 2 9 4. 94. This is the WIP afternoon show at Ix, bike and Fred. So football starts tonight and then there's football tomorrow and then there's football on Sunday. It's football season. The players are ready but is your kitchen ready for football season. If the answers know, we moved into our new house in South Jersey. The answer was no. So we went over to National Appliance Warehouse and what an experience in National Appliance Warehouse. We went to the one in Wilmington. There's also one in tax remittletown Delaware as well. The showroom is enormous. Every brand you could possibly want. So I know you care about the price. You're always going to care about the price. You know you're going to get the best price at National Appliance Warehouse. They have something called price ashore there which updates the prices in the store to make

22:41sure that you're getting the best price. They also because they're so big, they have huge buying power so they guarantee you the lowest price. But what really stuck out to me even though the price is great is how I was treated. Right? You could walk into a showroom like that and see all these brands and all these fridges and all these ranges and all these mattresses and be overwhelmed. But that isn't the way that they treat you. They treat you as if you were family. That is the policy there. What if this was my mom? What if this was my dad? What if this was my kid? And they treated us like that. My wife and I, the experience was great. We wound up with a bunch of appliances in our kitchen that we feel awesome about a five-star experience which you're going to get to. And as I mentioned, they have every appliance and mattresses as well. The Labor Day Magical, even though Labor Day is over, the Labor Day Magical is still underway at National Appliance Warehouse. Visiting them in Wilmington or Wilmington or Tax Reemittal found their both tax reader, both in Delaware. We'll go to NationalPlianceWarehouse.com. When you go there, tell them Fritz and Spike sent you a Sizzikes music now.

23:45Like this. Country-Ike. This is not so bad. Yeah. Who says, Louis? This is actually Post Malone. Oh really? Yeah, he did a country album. I want to say he played this when I was at the concert. But you don't know. I don't really know. I was, was Post Malone at the concert that you went to? Yeah. Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, you did. I don't really know if this one he played. Yeah. That is your 330 country which we shouldn't do when Jack is in here. It's a WIP afternoon show at Icebike at Fritz. Post Malone? Country? Yeah, he did a whole country record. Country, rap. Oh yeah. Yeah. Look, crack here, he always. Whatever. Whatever gets him paid. Whatever gets him paid. He was at this concert down there. We were just talking about the shore down at Wauwood. That was like, I don't think any song is a country song that he's singing. Yeah. It's just a little bit of a claim. Yes, yes. The normal Post Malone show. So we are not at McGurks and Royars Ford for the rally

24:45and worse for the technical difficulties. But we do love McGurks. Jason Avant is here with us for the full hour until four o'clock. Now before we get back to the Eagle specifically Jason, I need your opinion about whether this is fair or unfair. So I won an auction in the Eagle's radio phone. Oh. For Eagle's autism found. I know his action was over. Okay. So, spend a lot of money. You got good costs, good costs, good costs. But I do get to play horse against Nick Sireani. Oh nice. I get to play rock paper scissors with Nick Sireani. Okay. And a lunch with Nick Sireani. Okay. But the horse thing, you know, I plan on beating his ass. But one thing, now this is part of the, the part of the thing was you play horse at the Jefferson Health Complex. Okay. But here, he's got like his own rim in a room. I'm going to show you, just hit the play button. You can see what the rim is. Oh, the one in the chair. Yeah, just one in the chair. Yeah. In the auditorium. Yeah, he has home court events. What? I was just looking at it. One side of it, you know, I have a mole.

25:47One side of it, there's a wall. The other side of it, there's chairs. Yeah. In the stage on the right. And you have to go on the stage. You have to stage there to the right. So my point is this, if Nick wants, you know, an unfair advantage and wants to do it that way, that's fine with me. But I just think if we're, if we had a fair matchup. Okay. I think it should be like neutral, whether it's a playground or a court or something. Ah. Hey, he gets to shoot on these chairs and with the wall. So here's the, here's the, I agree with you. Okay. But I think you can organize to get up some shots beforehand. Come in, come in. Come in beforehand. I'm about to get the lay of the land. Maybe a day before get the land and land. Yeah. And put some shots up off the chairs, off the stairs. That's what you need. That's what you need. That's what you gotta do. Now, he may have home court event, but when you're a baller, you're a baller. Well, that's true. When you're a baller, you're a baller. It's a rim is a rim. Well, that's not true. It's not true. It is a rim. Yeah, could I get in there with the Eagles?

26:47I mean, they're one time to try about the show. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But this, I know Nick Seriani is a competitive guy which we all love about him. Yeah. Yeah. Dude, he's a rumm sure he's in there every day. Dude, you can't psych yourself out like that. It's not, it's not. It's not fair. It's not fair. Well, he got me in. He got me in the basket. Put your hand in the ring when you shoot. Yeah. Get it going. I just got this. He has a basketball in there. And you gotta figure out his weakness early. Wow. What you do is you go for a left-hand lift. See how he's see if it looks awkward. Oh, that's not, that's my weakness. Oh. Dude, you got no shot. If it straight up jumpers, I think I can put, I mean, it just give me time. I mean, I got six months, you know, I can shoot a basketball. You know the funniest jumpers I can compete. I was the horse like champion in my neighborhood because I was that kid that developed all of the tough like awkward trick shots. By the backboard. Dude, I can throw a shot up behind my back like this

27:48for layup. Yeah. Nobody can get the ball up. Right. And I can do it every single time. And so you learn that type of stuff. So you gotta come up with something next few days. Yeah. Well, I've told the victim. Oh, yeah, we're April May. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got a few months. Yeah. I need to use my shot. Yeah. So well, here's what I need. Hey, it's good coach. Coach, I'm coaching right now. I would love and look, if he goes all I'm asking, if we got to do it in the auditorium, all I'm asking is I get two hours, two days a week for the next day. There you go. That's how you, there's like a four-in-turn. That's all I'm asking for. The Twitter question is brought to you by Mark's Jules. There's being a bird's fan takes commitment this season. Make the biggest commitment of your life finding engagement ring of your dreams at Mark's Jules. The question, AJ Brown plays the night. Are you rooting against him, rooting for him, or don't really care? 41.7 rooting against him. 50.7. Don't really care. Liars. Liars. Seven point six rooting for him. Yeah, I mean, he's probably gonna have a great year. He's gonna have a good year.

28:48Yeah, well, I mean, unless he's ended all on set, I mean, he wouldn't have a great year. And that's the thing I always say to people. The guy wasn't a finished football player. That's the frustrating part about it. I don't believe his heart was into being here last year. So therefore he didn't put forward the effort that he needed to be out there. Of course, he's gonna put forward the effort this year. Yeah. Did you see what T.O. did when he came here? His first year? Yeah. He wanted to make the point. Yeah. As he wanted to make a point. So yeah, AJ's not done. And they're gonna feed him the ball. Yeah. Yeah, Drake, Mike, Ray, but they're gonna make sure he gets the ball. Biggest thing we AJ is long term. Yeah. I'm just keep him happy long term. Exactly. He's in a new relationship. He's buying dinner. Yeah, he's pulling out open doors. He's trying to close to the top of the world. Yeah. He's going down to the show. Like he's doing everything right now. So it's good. It's gonna be in your two, you know, when it hits true personality and care. Well, you're most that extension.

29:48Exactly. Well, and then think for us, people saying they don't care. Yeah. People will be fine with AJ having a great year. Yeah. If everything's fine. As long as we're good. Yes. If we're having trouble throwing the ball. Oh, yeah. If people are gonna be some pissed off, I'll feed you. I told you. I told you. You shouldn't have got rid of him. Yep. He was all, you know, I'm like, dude, it doesn't matter. He wasn't gonna play that way for us anyway. No. Exactly. He was. That's when we kept arguing with Elliott all of season with Elliott. It was like, I wouldn't have trained him. I would have brought him back, I'm forced into play. Dude, no. Did you see what happened last year? You see what's been going on? So he can be bringing Marshall in practice back and balls down. Yeah. Yeah. We don't hear anything. That's kind of the receiver. He knows bad. He knows. It would be good for us. He knows. We're great for radios. Yeah. We've even been for us. But now I feel this dude is paying our rent right now. Thank you. Good job, AJ. Gonna talk to Jason Wright about McCoy lemon. Who we've not, excuse me, we've not talked about really at all. After I tell you about Corn Blow Law, I hope you never need Corn Blow Law. I hope you don't need to go to Corn Blow Law.com.

30:51Because if you do, that means that you had a medical situation, whether there's a delay in diagnosis or they don't diagnose it at all or a surgery doesn't go the right way. Help me out, Mike. Jesus Christ. Alright, well. I'll start this one over. Yeah. I don't even have it in front of me. I can't. No. I don't know if you know me well. I have to know if you know me well. I'm not bad. I don't know if Corn Blow knows me well. Maybe you have a voice that shouldn't hold off and I'll get in there. I'm getting there. In any case, if you're in that situation, Corn Blow Law can get you answers. If you are in this situation where one of your loved ones, you perhaps want answers, Corn Blow Law does it. They have the best legal team to get it done for you. They have a great staff of medical experts because these situations are complicated and you need both. So if unfortunately you're in that situation, I want you to do it at Corn Blow Law.com. K-R-N-B-L-A-U, that is Corn Blow Law.com. Corn Blow Law, we're medicine and law meat. So McCoy Lemon, we have not really seen very much. So I would ask you what you've seen since he's been here,

31:52but it really just hasn't been much. When you saw him playing college and you saw the Eagles take him, what was your impression of McCoy Lemon and what do you think ultimately, and in the best case scenario, his role here in Howie Shines? Well, so I was fortunate enough to see him live. Michigan USC played, I still call games for Michigan. So I get a chance to see a lot of the film because they're on offense and you get to see it when you're watching film. So I saw him know him pretty well. The thing that he does well, contested catch guy most of the time. He had a lot of production. The way that he got the production that didn't always translate to the NFL though. So he's aggressive, he likes to attack the football, but a lot of his routes were basic routes. They weren't a lot of head fakes, making a guy go left to right or just creating a bunch of separation. He was having a lot of contested catches

32:52and he was being skimmed open in some ways. So his role will be a guy that's going to be predominantly in a slot that needs maybe a little bit hope to start to get skimmed open. Now he can be effective after the catch. He can make some contested catches but he's going to need assistance getting open. Yeah, what do you think about the learning curve? I said you guys have the most difficult position. Outside of quarterback to learn in a rookie season, translating or transitioning from college wide receiver to the pro game. Everybody doesn't come from that type of system in college and getting open versus defenses at the NFL level. What do you think some of the things he's going to have to get better at? And it's so far from what you've seen of and what little have you seen from him? The line of scrimmage. The line of scrimmage and the thing that he hadn't got the rest is he hadn't been practicing. And so that is where me personally, I got hit in the throat a few times by showing Brown say,

33:52this is not going to work. Yeah. Back at the line of scrimmage. No, this is not going to work. So you start going to the drawing board thinking like because you've experienced it and you come up with different ways and I figured it out maybe at the later my first year that man, the second move, the first move doesn't work in the NFL. The second and third one does. And how I can make a guy think that that was my first move or things like that. So he needs time. I don't necessarily know the playbook can be like Strenuous for a guy that's in this position. Usually slot receivers, the good ones are usually not first year slot guys. The really good ones because there's so much nuance to it. You have to know when you're hot, you have to work with the left tackle at times, you have to know the adjustments in routes. If it's cover two, you do this, if it's cover one, you do this, all of this is in one particular play and there's a bunch of different plays like that. I go in and bait versus coverage, I go out and that takes time. And so to be productive

34:54and to be the optimal McCoy limit is going to take a year or two. And man, I'm thinking not having that practice time out on the field. Have you built that trust with Jalen to where he knows, not he knows? You know where Jalen needs you to be at every time because Jalen can read it one way, he reads another way. Yeah. And turnovers happen when you aren't on the same page. And that's, and like, so that could be possible. But there's the thing, he's a first rounder. So there has to be something in the ego's mind that thinks he can play outside. You have to be, you think he's going to have to be there at some point? There is no way. I'm not drafting a due slot receiver. And I'm just not doing it. And let's this do is freaking lightning in the bottle. And I know that he's like got the size of Steve Smith even though he's small. Like, you know, like if it's not like that and he's explosive like that, I'm not drafting a due slot. And he was smiddy playing on the outside. He played, yeah, he was smiddy playing on the outside because he was, he was a little dude.

35:56But he was, he was, he was mentioned about 400 masters. Yeah. You going, see, see, there's more dudes in a field that's afraid of Steve Smith than he was lying back there. He's like, he's right. I'm just saying the truth. Like, I know I've been around him outside of football. Me too. Dude was low off. He looked, yeah, I love him. It's my man. The other one you say he's touched. Yeah, he looked touched. Yeah, yeah. Well, I hope, I mean, they got the Devonte Pick right and the ego's have been good drafting for the last five years or whatever. But the one position I would say, they haven't been great. Right. I mean, they've made some mistakes in the first couple of rounds. I'm going to make a decision. It's, it's production, right? So the production thing in college, it's hard to evaluate because if you see a guy that has 90 catches or 80 catches and has 1300 yards, you're like, oh, this dude is a baller. But you got to look at how he got those catches. How many defenses can play four corners against their four receivers at USC?

36:58And how many times was he in the slot of no situation? How many times was it off coverage? And when you look at McCoy's lemon tape, majority of his catches are in off coverage. Yeah. So he's getting a free run. You're not getting a free run in the lead. Yeah. We have Mike Mayock on every week during the season. And Mike said he was his number one wide receiver in the draft. And I just like, not an expert, 100% not an expert, but usually there's a trait with a guy that is the number one wide receiver in the draft. And I just wonder what his trait is. Well, when it came to, when it came to just being aggressive and being tenacious and that's the skill trait, a skill trait of not giving up. And that's where I have hope with McCoy lemon because that's what you see on the film. Usually when you have like this competitive edge to force your way back to the football and refuse to lose, that usually translates into learning how to get open at this level.

37:59It usually translates into refusing to be denied. So even though he has all of these things stacked up against him, he has the trait mentally what I've seen on film to be able to overcome it. That's what I said about Jeremy Maclin. Because Jeremy Maclin was in an offense with Chase Daniels at Missouri where he never saw Man the Man. Yeah. Like never saw it. So when he came here and he was getting hands put on him, I knew because how competitive he was, eventually he'll get better at it. And we had those conversations with my man. I'm always the fast. I can always get open. I can't get open. Yeah. It's because the game isn't like that. And you have to have something in you that teaches you the game and this is the learning curve in the NFL. And by the way, you bring up Jay Mac. He's an often forgotten when we talk about the receivers. Yeah. The area Jay Mac could have been special here. Yeah. Andrews cut it short and then he left the Friad and see, I don't think he wanted to play for Chip anymore. So he got out of here. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

39:00Yeah. And then he got hurt that 2014 season here. All bald dude. That that season as a wide receiver go back and look at Jerry Maclin 2014 as a wide receiver man. Well, I mean, bombs away down to feel him and Nick foes Mike Vick everywhere on lemon. One of the guys, one of the things that you guys both touched on is not only is he learning everything is that if his quarterback had been here in the system with the coordinator for a few years and quarterback knew everything like like was was was was you know hit the ground run in. Yeah. I think not that it would make McCoy lemon better this year, but it wouldn't be two people figuring things out of one time. Yeah. I think Jalen's figuring things out at one time too. I worry about lemon that we're going to be eight games into the season. You'll have 14 catches and everybody will be. Especially when I score points. Yes. He's going to put a brighter light on him. Yeah. And we're already we're already bracing for the agent and have a great year this year. Right.

40:01So all that stuff puts a light on the offense. Yeah. He first run receiver being drafted. Smitty has the new number one guy Jalen. Like it all does. So it's you can say it's fair. What's unfair? I'm just saying it's going to be a storyline that is going to be covered. Did you mention did you did you mention? Do you cover the Michigan games? Oh, yeah, I was there. Did you cover this week? I did. Did you cover this week? I did. I did. I didn't play. I didn't play. I wasn't that playing. I don't want you to get fired. I don't want you to get fired. Speak on what I want you to speak on the top city. I thought the game was over. Okay. I thought the game was over. I'm leaving. Just leave it there. I thought the game. I don't want you to go ahead. I'll take it. I ain't. I'm going to fall. Of course you will. But what did you think of the storming of the field? No, that was that that's not Michigan. That wasn't. Oh, it is Michigan. No, no, storming of the field. Yeah, that's what y'all do now. Listen, but that's that's not necessary. Michigan, this is a bunch of new generation kids.

41:04It's the kids. These are the same kids that are storming of field that's doing composes. It's the same kids. Right. So you just nothing rational with these kids, right? So they just want to have something to have. It was a big win for your program. I mean, you see. There you go. And the fact that we're still Michigan has to hold on. We won our game last week. We don't even know. We won't do it. No, no, no, no, man. The fact that those college kids got robbed of a memory. Oh, no, no. Yeah, that's technically. Technically, that would have been the biggest win in that school's history. I believe that. But here's the thing. Technically they went by the letter of law. Oh, I know. The Michigan law. Oh, there it is. It's a letter of law. It's a letter of law. It was a win. Company man. We went letter of law. No, I want to see no forgiveness. I can't see any footage. I can't see any footage you are. I didn't. This is running around celebrating. I actually was celebrating. Not in the world. Not in the world. Not in the world. But I wasn't storming the field. But I got to call the game. So I got to make it exciting. You weren't the field.

42:04I got to make it exciting. Ah, yeah. You know, I'm trying to keep my job. I thought you were not. I thought you were not. I missed it. I was. It wasn't the best moment. I said no Jason out there somewhere. It's somewhere. I missed it. I was. I didn't. I was a great catch by the way. Yeah. The hair's a funny story. About that. You can see like all of the like everyone just dejected there. Yeah. The outline. The round is down. Everything. Yeah. After, you know, that last drive, the defense on the field I needed to stop, we couldn't stop. Right. And I go down because I can see all the players and see the receivers. She's up right there to coach it somewhere else. I was like, dude, you know you're gonna get one more chance. You're gonna get one more chance. So fix your face. You know what? That type of thing. I was like, you don't get one more chance, about 35, 40 seconds left. Do something with it. And as soon as I see JJ, we can't let the guy, he's like, man, you told me OG, you told me OG, I was like, all right, I just said the word, well it's normal. But he made me feel good though. Yeah. And Jason, thank you for coming in today.

43:07I saw no problem. It's always great to have you in the show. And how do you get, I can't hide you at the end. You seen Nick Marshal out there, for your receipt for Michigan State in Indiana? Yeah. I said, you know, believe me, I'm so disappointed. Yeah, you guys, you guys are headed for a good five and we're lucky. Yeah. We're lucky. Yeah. Hey, I hope we're in which. I'm going to say you're going to be right there with me. That's an end game. 2-1-5-5-2-94-94. Thank you, Jason Avante. That was great. We will get to your calls. Next, also, Baldi joins us for the first time this season. This is the WIP afternoon show at Ike's Bike and Fritz. Hey, Philly's baseball is in full swing and there's only one way to celebrate with a surfside iced tea in Vaca or Surfside lemonade in Vaca. Smooth, refreshing and made for game day. Surfside is the perfect match for a day at the ballpark or catching the game at home. Surfside is only 100 calories with zero bubbles so it goes down easy. It's not a seltzer. It's Surfside.

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