🎙️1st and Now | Free Agent Additions, Vegas Stories & Key Camp Battles

Matt and Nik recap a busy week of Lions free agent activity while looking ahead to some exciting battles brewing for 2024 training camp in May. Matt has strong takes on watching big games around big crowds while Nik is about to jump on the Taylor Swift bandwagon.

Intro – 0:00

BC Lions re-signings – 7:54

Free agency signings – 10:45

Early team positional battles – 25:02

Victoria Play with the Pros trip – 31:18

Go for It or Punt – 33:39

[Applause] First and now is the official BC Lions podcast Matt Baker and Nick Kowalski for the first time in the post free agent Market opening era in 2024 bear with me that was a mouthful but I hope that makes sense we have some new additions subtractions to talk about

That’s the nature of the business but Nikki you look TI you recovered from your Vegas Excursion you look like you’re still catching up on sleep I got to say but that’s okay it’s all look at you for watching right now you’re all in a suit that I didn’t get the memo I

Guess today I’m in my I’m in my classic BC Lions uniform but yeah you with the suit you got the little BC Lions pin on you for those watching this podcast you can sort of zoom in maybe you screenshot this but I’m a little exhausted from Vegas well for my attire it’s Thursday

Why not that that’s the reason yeah sure that’s what we were going to go with I I heard you were presenting in front of thousands of kids earlier that’s what I heard th oh thousands yeah maybe a few patched in on police esort yeah yes uh was uh fortunate and

Honored to speak at a career day Fraser height secondary not too far from my uh from our facility here so yeah uh kind of Full Circle for me I remember being in grade 11 grade 12 and and they had a member of the sports broadcasting fraternity at that time

Come in and speak so it’s kind of weird to fast forward 25 years later however long it’s been and yeah always uh glad to talk to the youth our next generation and share my experiences uh about this football club and and my path and yeah I figured uh might as well put something

Nice on none of this uh sideline merchandise stuff that I normally wear in the office so we got all these uh little kids running home tonight and saying when I grow up I want to be Matt Baker that’s how it’s going to go it’s funny they um I had major

Flashbacks because um I was in the counselor’s office waiting uh for this was done over the lunch hour at the school and it went on the announcements uh for those interested in today’s career presentation Matt Baker with the BC Lions is going to be in the library

And my first thought was well I hope I hope people aren’t expecting to see like a player or something that was my first yeah va’s rolling through and two that would have been a lot more entertaining and two I had I had PTSD flashbacks of hearing my name on the announcements at

School like if I had an over like if I had an overdue library book or if I was needed in the office for some reason you ever get that yeah usually trouble’s coming yeah just like major like Panic starts to set in you hear the announc monitor saying your name over the PA

Everyone in the school knows your name has been called remember that yeah yeah you are bringing a little flashbacks back now to be honest I was a good kid in school though not going to lie I was kind of a goody too obious at least grown up yeah yeah we’ll have to make

Some calls to the Transcona School District in man Joseph the Worker shout out Elementary you went to Catholic school and C in elementary yeah okay yeah yeah St Joseph the Worker uh is the name of a church in where my parents and a lot of relatives

Got married and so there you go awesome ready off the rails 2 minutes in yeah well you started it with the wardobe and um anyway Vegas uh we’re going to talk about it toward the end of the show yeah I have a hunch it’s going to come up and

Go for it or punt but uh you and MOJ and Whittingham did some good work uh watched a few of your interviews Dan Marino a guy I love is Greg coell just some great film breakdowns no hot takes no agendas like a lot of Talking Heads

You hear here cuz I heard a lot of that going into that Super Bowl the whole you know Brock pury game manager all that stuff you tune that out congrats to the Chiefs by the way um but what was the highlight the Highlight um I I would say

That getting I I’m the filmer right so I’m I’m behind the camera at all times but my job is pretty much to film whatever whoever whomever MOJ talks to I just got to film it so we got some big names if you saw on Mo’s social media

This past week so the Highlight I’d say would be filming either we got I got right up in Dwayne The Rock Johnson’s face filming there with the security escort what you don’t see is me backpedaling during that while this like 6’6 security guards are like giving me a

Stiff arm to the chest I almost I almost fell backwards I don’t know how I haven’t done that yet so that was a big highlight um getting the rock to shut out Wally buano giving him a happy birthday note uh media day is always a highlight for me I never get sick of

Those so um that’s when all the players are on the field and it’s just a media swarm for an hour we got to talk to Travis Kelce about his connection with Z Karis uh and hit some other CFL angles too so while it was Super Bowl Vegas

Content MOJ does a great job of uh definitely work in the CFL angle so there’s guys like Dre green law Johnny Holland Tim Terry these are like former Tai cats connections BC Lions connections so uh a lot of fun stuff in Vegas um but yeah we will talk a little

More about it and go for it or but because I have I have some opinions on Vegas now now that I’m no longer a rookie there well I’m going next month like we’ve talked about uh it’ll be my eighth time I think wow so I I think we

We’ll save it we’ll save it but my only question for now is I was going to tour Allegiance Stadium I was going to do the paid guy do you Rec would you recommend doing that yeah it was a cool Stadium the lights were out obviously during it

But it looks big uh we got up to go the media uh food that was provided was in the 300 section I guess you call it I don’t know Upper Deck I guess might but yeah we went up there for a bit with Whittingham and it was cool one funny

Thing is wh and there was a lot of stairs to get there so Whittingham and I took the stairs and MOJ got to go in the elevator to go up uh and MOJ told us after he’s like you’ll never believe who I saw in the I ran into in the elevator

It was Bruce Buffer oh no way he was announcing the thing right some yeah somei had a conversation unfortunately I wasn’t there for that but I was just running up the stairs but that would have been a good one to get too would have been a super one to get yeah you

Run into oo sinko at all yep Mo yeah MOJ MOJ tried tracking him down uh he actually funny story about Chad Chinko the first thing he tells MOJ told me this I wasn’t there for it but the first thing he told MOJ was uh when MOJ drops BC Lions Vancouver you know radio

Station um oo sinko goes to him yeah my guy lucky Whitehead and um and then Mo tried facetimeing lucky unfortunately wasn’t available at the time but that was Oto singo’s first thought when he heard BC Lions in CFL was was lucky Whitehead there you go current free

Agent lucky Whitehead so no good for you uh the content was outstanding uh I made sure we got the Johnny Holland interview posted up and uh yeah so Las Vegas I’ll be there myself again in well three weeks from now uh we’ll be at the Canucks and golden kns three weeks

Tonight on the Thursday night in Vegas you’re going to a couple Kut games coming up tonight I think as am I but uh we’re talking football as mentioned we’re about 48 hours in change into the free agent Market opening uh from a lion’s perspective I think that’s all

You can expect for now who knows closer to Camp if if something comes up they’ll they might look atth you never know but the free agent Market to the Lions doing what we expected uh adding a couple of quarterbacks so depth in the QB room we’ll talk about uh perhaps a solid

Replacement for Matthew Betts uh changing up the ratio you never know with Pete Robertson but first off since we last recorded a couple of key pieces have stuck around namely Marcus sales and Ben htic the Lions also getting David Neville done to an extension a few days before the the negotiation window

Period was set to open uh couple of key pieces there returning as far as veterans on that defense especially yeah when it comes to these three players to is Sals Neville and halic all three I’m interested to see how like where exactly they fit into this 2024 roster right we

Saw Marcus sales uh play more so with Jaylen Edwards Cooper on that right side last year at halfback but now TJ Le a situation uh we don’t know where Marcus Sals is going to line up whether it’s going to be beside Gary in the boundary

Or in the left side as they did last year whether Marcus is going to be on the field so that’s very interesting there some options therec Neville like we the left guard position I’m assuming is still up for grab so um three three key guys to get back but three guys that

I’m interested to see where they line up on day one at training camp and the Neville one’s interesting because you remember he basically went six last six games in the playoffs he became the starter remember Andrew Pearson uh was I guess demoted for lack of a better term

But he still ended up getting on when Suk Chung went down for a game or two right was that the second game we went to Edmonton that that Suk missed I think so both of these guys Pearson Neville they’re going to be called upon at some point you think Andrew Pearson is locked

Up for a couple more years as well but um David Neville for me is the classic case of perseverance remember 2022 you kept hearing that was going to be his chance to shine his chance to take the ball and run with it but he ends up tearing his labram has surgery

Misses the whole season but then good job rehabbing good job earning his way back ends up earning another extension going into last year and he emerges on the roster as the extra guy for the first part of the Season until they made the change there up there at guard so for me

I’m hoping to see that he’s even more motivated by the fact he earned his way all the way back for sure and a lot of these guys it’s we’ve talked about it at length about how it’s an important year being the great cups here in Vancouver

But for a lot of these guys like Neville Sals helic like they’re they’re entering right into their primes right htic is still in the younger side at only 24 years old but uh sales is now in his fourth season with BC right he’s yeah he’s probably missing he’s had that

Feeling of winning a great cup back in 2019 but that’s that’s now five years ago right so uh motivation it’s it’s got to be at an all-time high yeah offensive line play going to be a big part of it you look at these games uh once we get past Labor Day October November

Hopefully we don’t have to go outside again come playoff time but the line of scrimmage is going to be key once again and even more key because we addressed the running back position uh as we sort of go in chronological order here we were able to announce this one a week

Before the period open just under that I think will stanback a veteran with the monreal aletes a gray Cup champion a two-time 1,000 plus yard rusher in this league granted his release by the aletes and the Lions officially signing him last week so that’s been kind of the

Number one question for a couple years now right certainly since James Butler departed to the Hamilton Tiger Cats ahead of 2023 but at 29 years old less than three years removed from earning an Eastern nominee for most outstanding player he would lose to Zach keris this

Is a player with gas in his tank and as you see we’ll direct you to BC lions.com when you’re done listening to this podcast check it out you can see that stanback is entering this ear with a chip on his shoulder this could be a sneaky great signing well it’s what the

Fans wanted right we we heard us talk about what are they going to do running back what are they going to do at running back well yeah they’re going to bring in a former East Division MLP at running back and will stanach and a guy that’s also well familiar with Vernon

Adams Junior they obviously shared the backfield in Montreal um a couple years ago and I think for us too we we we saw his touchdown round he he had that 32 yard touchdown run in the great cup in the first quarter that came directly to our seats remember that y so that right

Then and there I saw okay this guy this guy still has what it takes to be a top running back in this league um obviously same into the field where Phil pot scored the winning touch right at us so that stand back ground came right at us

To that corner we were sitting in um but stand back yeah he now is a ring to his name um I was listening to the wagle on the P the CFL podcast with hok MOA and he was talking about how when he talked with stach um you remember that iconic

Shot of hoch um getting emotional on the stage after 2022 stanback told hoch he was like you didn’t tell me it feels this good after winning a great cup so um obviously now they’re both Champions standback coming here he’s going to bring that Championship pedigree and I

Mean that’s a great signing it’s got to be an A+ at this point right absolutely hey uh if you can uh balance out the solid aerial attack we have with VA and these receivers with a stout running game Sky could be the limit on to February 13th we go and speaking of VA

And the quarterbacks we didn’t sign one but we got two uh rather early in the day Dakota prup 30 years old last two seasons with Winnipeg and at one point in the stands in this gray cup you turned to me and said look they’re getting 8 n yards the ball are on every

First down so prukop was out there I think 10 times y this is a guy that uh saw a lot of action in this gray cup scored a short yardage touchdown for the bombers did so in 2022 as well when they lost to Toronto but short yardage and

Depth Dakota prukop Oregon Duck in 2016 he was after three years at Montana State this is um as far as a number three quote unquote pretty good yeah that’s where you immediately think to where prup fits in in this offense right and he’s like you said he’s as automatic

As they come in short yardage too which is a a definitely an upgrade at the position that we had from uh you know it’s it’s a very important part of the game we’ve witnessed that last year in several games right that and Winnipeg’s definitely uh soak the benefits of

Having perap as a short yardage guy um and right now yeah you do probably penil him as a qb3 but the guy we’re going to talk about in a second Jake doag Gala if he’s going to be qp2 that’s not it’s not just going to

Be given to him right you have to earn that spot in training camp and there’s also Chase Bry in the mix that they still have around so um while these quarterbacks are probably slotted into certain spots right now they’re by no means um cemented in at this point right

Just names on a depth chart you are right Jake dolag Gala great measurabl 6’7 242 and we saw him a couple times lost a game there in Saskatoon at the end of August and he actually went for a career-high 400 9 yards against us in September um you know granted that was a

Game where the Lions had built a big lead and they had to chip away and come back they pretty much had abandoned the Run game but half the season nine games Jake started after injuries to Trevor Harris and Mason fine solid veteran backup in a league where you need at

Least two solid quarterbacks just a big dude too like you mentioned 6′ s he was the first quarterback I’ve whenever I’m I’m filing through my viewfinder right and he’s the first guy where I’m I’m looking at him through my viewfinder and I’m like this guy is not a normal size

He is this taller like immensely taller than everybody else in the field um and there’s that iconic I think it was after the Labor Day classic where he had that postgame interview with I believe it was Brit Dort where literally bending over into the frame just so he fit in so um

Yeah no problems for Jake to be seeing over any offensive line or any Defenders too so um a lot of people are it seemed like this is a very positive reception online too for this signing too which is also nice to have make the fans happy

And all that so excited to see what Jake has to bring and and cam Libs going back to day one February 13th getting ready to kind of shut things down it’s almost 5:00 but then we get wind that Pete Robertson is coming and we’ll talk about

Him more in a minute but Matthew bets uh congratulations Landing with the Detroit Lions so pretty big hole there on the defensive end side of things but 31 years old is Pete Robertson last three years with Saskatchewan led the riders in sacks in two of those three seasons

And you you’re you like this fact about him doesn’t wear gloves but this guy this is going to this this is this is a player who’s going to bring some nastiness to this Lions defense and it’s because he wears no gloves that’s the number one indicator if you’re watching

A defensive end and he’s got no gloves on you’re know going to be in for an aggressive day C TOA also does not work L either and you see the type of player C is in the field too right but um yeah BC like we had we were second in the

League in sacks last year at 55 and obviously the departure Matthew Betts is going to hurt that but then you you would add Pete Robertson to that group and he’s someone who has kind of that similar stat line to Matthew Betts like Pete Robertson for six fumbles two overs

Last three years in saskatch won too and that’s something Betts did a great job at uh from his defensive end spot so I think just looking at it objectively this is quite like a replacement for Matthew Betts now that he’s Departed but um he I’m I’m happy to have him on his

On our side too of course just come to my mind right now but the last two seasons Pete Robertson has injured a BC Lions quarterback so that’s another reason why I’m happy to have him on our side and not uh not chasing our quarterbacks any longer it’s

Funny I talked about this I mentioned this to Tyler gamon our football ops manager uh 2017 Devon Coleman in Hamilton falls on Jonathan Jennings injured his shoulder less than two years later Devon’s a BC lion Pete Robertson in 2022 kind of collides with Nathan RoR we know what

Happened and now he’s a BC lion so and VA too last year VA as well exactly so there you go uh glad to have this player uh plays with a bit of a nasty edge of course he uh might have crossed the line a little bit in that Labor Day classic

Against Winnipeg but that’s in the past he owned up to that and again have to get nasty have to get meaner Matthew Betts nasty mean High motor Pete Robertson exact same thing before we talk about bets Santi Evans this is a veteran you know veteran experience you

Can never have too much veteran Allstar gray cup experience Nikki and speaking of history and speaking of John Jennings I remember being there in Calgary in overtime in 2016 and it was Santi Evans who recorded an Endzone interception to seal a crazy overtime win for the stamp

Peters it was a blown Lions lead wasn’t too much fun heck of an exciting game but um he has since done great things in Hamilton Montreal two-time great Cup champion with the aloette last year in the stamp Peters in 2018 2018 which was his best year as far as interceptions go

With five again we’re talking about this secondary and where guys might slot in so couple of these rookies come to camp and maybe don’t impress you know you have a guy like seante Evans in the fold so I was happy with this one I know you

Were too yeah when you know when you told us that uh we’re bringing in seante Evans I got very excited because he’s he’s a veteran in this league been playing in it since 2016 also had a bit of an NFL stint in between there too but he’s someone who like you said he’s

Pretty versatile can kind of move around play half play Corner um a really really good tackler for a DB uh if you watch the little highlight tape he put out there’s several uh tackles and he makes pretty much at the line of scrimmage where he’s blowing up plays and just

Doing making the play by himself essentially right so uh excited to see where he slots in um we definitely needed um with TJ Lee going down with his Achilles and Jaylen erss Cooper The Parting versus skatan definitely needed some help in the defensive backfield and seon Evans is is that

Addition oneyear deal for Sean a two-year deal for doag Gala and then one year each for Pete Robert and Dakota prukop William stanback we didn’t talk about Jake Hardy very quickly here veteran Canadian wide receiver was a high draft pick early second round with Ottawa where Rick Campbell of course was

In 2015 it’s a guy who can contribute on special teams so you look at a guy like Daniel Peterman uh no longer with the team free agent and uh a natural progression a natural replacement here for Jake Hardy who spent last year as well with Montreal yeah when I think a

Uh never met him personally but he did follow me back on Instagram so thank you Jake for the follow but uh me too by the way when we were in when we were in Cam Loops in the summer um with Kenan Le France and Shawn White filming the

Tourism with Cam Loop series um Kenan and Shawn started talking about some of their past CFL teammates and Keenan uh brought up Jake Hardy and how he’s such a good you know kind of guys guy in the locker room and all that and just a lot

Of fun to hang out with and then uh when I think his Instagram confirmed it cuz I I was scrolling through some of his posts the other day and there’s him playing hockey there’s him playing golf and of course he’s obviously a pro football receiver so uh he’s Sports guy

Seems like he’s going to fit in really well in this locker room too and like you said can contribute in several aspects it’s funny uh trying to helping the graphics Department prepare these announcements and looking for some Canadian press or cfl.ca photos one of the first photos when I look up for Jake

Hardy it’s the 2016 gray cup celebration it’s him and Tanner doll just yelling and going crazy right when they right when that game ended so Tanner of course a a good buddy of ours and another example yeah I’m looking at it right now Keenan LEF France say yeah the football

World is small that’s a great photo yeah got the long hair and everything does Tanner of course naan DTE shout out for shout out you for that photo that was a crazy result by the way Ottawa taking down Calgary that one of my favorite gr Cups ever like the

Stampeders had lost two games all year um beat us pretty good in the western final and then here come the auta red blacks one game Anything Can Happen the quarterback situation the Henry bars and Trevor Trevor Harris the Sho string tackle on I believe it was Andrew Buckley was the quarterback for

Calgary they had to settle for overtime and then Ernest Jackson game-winning touchdown former BC lion ER just off the fingertips right yep yep so there you go uh we’re looking to create more of those memories the 111th gray Cup every year we want to win it uh it’s just another

Year in that regard but doing it at home indeed would be special Matthew Betts was made official just moments after the market officially open and he was free to sign somewhere else uh bit of a surprise in the end kept hearing it was down to us and the Hamilton Tiger Cats

And I think our brass uh felt pretty good about it the later it got until this Detroit Lions thing got finalized so Matthew Betts one-year deal with Detroit and we all know what he accomplished making Canadian history with 18 sacks most outstanding defensive player the first lion since Solomon

Elimimian to accomplish that feat and uh you put this down here in your notes Nick I think if you want to be an outstanding Canadian come to BC of course backto back years and Nathan RoR uh Nathan R winning the award in 2022 and then Matthew Betts winning the most

Outstanding defensive player as Canadian right so uh if you have aspirations of being that outstanding Canadian player the the BC Lions are probably the spot for you based off history here um and then one thing I want to add too is I think it’s fitting that he’s still a

Lion in that aspect and he’s playing for Coach Campbell and the Lions yeah if there’s any yeah if there’s any coach uh I think that would have an interest in Matthew Betts down south it has to be uh Dan Campbell right you see that motor on Matthew Betts that has to get Dan

Campbell excited yeah and uh their general manager Brad Holmes it is done a great job building that team so that’s a guy who’s clearly demonstrated he is great at evaluating talent and I think I speak for all our fans all our listeners and you as well when we say uh thank you

For the Memories best of luck and we’ll be following just like we will Nathan RoR whether he’s with New England or wherever he ends up who knows the situation with the Patriots and new coaching staff and everything so uh we shall see but best best of luck to

Matthew Betts always a BC Lion in our hearts okay uh no guest on this episode you probably figured that out by now uh we’ve gone down some of the key additions and uh players who have resigned with the BC Lions but as far as the roster breaks down nick uh you want

To talk about a couple of interesting positional battles uh star in the secondary where of course it’s a solid mix of veterans and some of these unknown youngsters coming in and there’s going to be some questions that need to get answered uh come training camp and throughout the entire secondary right uh

Obviously the losses in the secondary this so far this week have been Jaylen Edwards Cooper to a scatch one and Quincy Mo to Toronto after his release but right now that probably puts Adrien green at safety right he developed in his second year got some starts toward

The end of the season but with TJ Lee still down like we were talking about earlier how do Marcus sales how does he fit in into this whatever halfback spot same with Cante Evans um at the other cornerback spot us uh uh um across from Gary Peters is it Sigman bag Yogo

Patrice Renee is the answer you year be to year two with BC is it uh one of these newcomers that that rigma and Company bring in every every offseason um another guy worth mentioning I think is Charlie ringland where is he going to fit in this Charlie ringland was a 2023

Uh fifth round draft pick who uh tore his ACL last season but at the combine right but he’ll he’ll presumably be ready for training cap this season so the entire secondary I think is there’s so many intg story lines already it’s February but I’m I’m already looking

Forward to may just for the secondary and what we saw with guys like B Yogo and Renee and ringland who we you’re going to see in Camp for the first time if these guys can make a difference on special teams they will stick around yeah that’s how Patrice made his money

Exactly so uh we shall see just one of many intriguing battles we’ve talked a bit about the running backs uh will stanback is going to enter as the Undisputed number one but you’re going to have to keep a couple more around Nick and uh I know know it was a

Constant conversation uh you know failure to establish a running game but when called upon taquon myel um made some good plays for this team you know in Winnipeg Western final big run early then we fell behind and couldn’t really use him as much that way

They love him in a block as a blocker very impressive so you never know who can emerge as a number two or with a practice roster spot yeah and and taan misel can also catch balls out of the back field too right so another interesting storyline is how is the

Running back workload going to get managed this year right and uh Neil McAvoy is on record saying that he expects taquan myel to be better in year two up in Canada and then there’s also like we just said earlier there’s the the newcomers there’s going to be more

Runningbacks brought in and if and if they perform so well in training camp in preseason that you just you cannot simply cut them then they have to keep them around uh they’re could be in for a surprise come come training camp but so kind of bottom line is you don’t lock

Things in in February because training camp will’ll tell who how this uh how this position all breaks down um we’ve talked about left guard already Pearson and Neville both back uh the Canadian draft will usually result in one or two offensive linemen coming in but I’m moving over to uh wide

Receiver specifically the field side Alexander Holland’s back multi-year extension lucky whad not signed by the Lions or anyone as of this recording but I think you know these are business decisions more than anything Nick and anyone who comes on to this roster that wasn’t here a year ago might be someone

Like a jius we Who’s Back Aiden Eberhart Ryan rigmaiden we encourage you to listen back a few weeks ago gave us some names of some solid rookie Americans that are going to be in cam loops Turning Heads earning a spot some Intrigue here yeah in the last two

Seasons I think I’ve learned and you can probably Echo this that you go to training camp and probably the first week you can already kind of tell like okay these guys are catching everything in sight like that’s the most cliche cliche statement ever for a training

Camp but you can just tell is what I’m getting at by some guys separate themselves from the pack and it’s such a competitive uh position every training camp because there’s 15 of 20 guys and there’s obviously the starters you got Justin McKinnis Cy Hollands hatchers obviously down so opens up another spot

Um but there spots up for grabs and it’s it’s going to be competitive as ever and uh Camp will tell you know who who Jordan maximi and Jason Tucker like out of the group and um that’s another one I’m really looking forward to in May yeah the uh the offense and

Defensive battles you just see how intense both sides of the football gets and that’s one of the great things about Camp uh interior defensive line we’ve talked about the rush end with Pete Robertson in sonone uh possibly some too solid bookends but in the interior uh you know we can talk about stove

Richardson being back Josh Banks is here those guys I think made Woody Baron Expendable tibo debay is back uh Francis bemy a draft pick from 20123 and a one-time guest on First and now we’ve even had uh some signings like Topo gallei formerly the Green Bay Packers

And Jonah Tavi a guy Ryan rigmaiden very happy to have Tavi gallei all those guys um defensive line we bring several of these guys and watching those guys go through the motions the one-on ones and when you get into the team play that’s always fun to see exactly and there’s

There’s so many of them too another name that I know um kind of made his made his way on the roster toward the end of the season last year was Marcus Moore and I know the team thinks very highly of him uh he summoned that he I think he had a

Sack called back in the west semi-final but he had a sack in preseason 2 last year I remember and he’s someone that you just notice is around the quarterback at all times so that’s another name to keep an eye on Daniel Joseph is brought into this so while you

Can probably assume that Josh Banks is going to lock down a starting spot how that other defensive tackle spot shakes up and where stove Richardson like you said fits in Nathan Cherry uh very interested to see come training camp just uh under 3 months away from being

Back in Cam Loops have to love that uh before we get into go forward or punt uh tell some of our listeners where you’re going to be this weekend I’m off the Victor not Vegas I’m off the the Vegas of uh the West Victoria is that right

Sure no probably called that but yeah I’m off to Victoria bright early tomorrow morning um for play with the pros which is one of our um coaching clinics that we do with players where sold out 100 kids are going to be taught by Suk Chong Javon C toy Marcus Sals

Manny Rumba and J Geral Broxton um we got the West Shore Rebels helping out too that’s a junior football team out in Langford Victoria area and it’s just always fun to do these events too I’ve been going to them for a couple times they they like to spread them out

Throughout the entire province of BC and they’re out in Victoria right now um and then I saw that Marcus sales and crew they tonight if you’re listening to this on Thursday evening and you’re in Victoria the Irish Times Pub uh Marcus that sounds good they’ll be down there

So if you want to go catch I think Marcus said come have a pint and let’s talk about winning the gray cup so that’d be a good conversation tempted to come over there get a fairy right now it’s 109 we can make it have a have a

Molson at the Irish Pub there and talk football and mhm yeah but Marcus I got my best like we were saying I got I’m dressed for it so yeah you are yeah you’d be the sharpest looking guy in there but yeah marusa Marcus and Manny are also paralleling that too with other

School programs that are going on right now I know they’re doing their energy Champions program so they’re visiting schools telling them about uh the importance of environmental responsibility and then I know those presentations are always a lot of fun too they kids engaged and all that too

So um another another benefit of having a guy like Marcus sales back for another couple years he’s one of the best players we have in the community so um yeah go go join him tonight for a pint though when he’s when he’s off his going you’re not going to go back to that

Place we were at the sticky Wicked or whatever you’re not going to go we’re only there for the day we not going to go play darts or anything we’re I’m in Friday morning and out Friday night so it’s in and out for me that’s

No fun they got to put you up for a night why not yeah well Marcus sales he’s going out tonight at least with the guy so you got you got him people rather see him anyways you take the fairy or the Hella jet we’re taking the fairy tomorrow nice okay right early

Touchdown Pacific baby August 31st Royal Athletic Park lions and red blacks that is going to be a major highlight of this season okay go for it or punt what do you got my go for it we’ll start off with sure let’s go I got I got a good

One here this might be a little controversial but I thought so I’m I imagine if you’re listening to this he probably watch the Super Bowl moments after the Super Bowl ends Travis Kelce of course being the showman that he is starts starts belting out um Elvis

Presley’s vivva Las Vegas and I saw this post about it cuz I thought I thought about this in the moment I thought that’s not half bad like the the Tony’s doing he’s obviously screaming at the top of his lungs but the Tony did it with when he was singing I thought

Wasn’t that bad and then I see this video explaining how he actually had Perfect Pitch which is he pretty much sang the song back in its exact pitch at the exact right moments um so there’s this a funny video breaking it down but I thought I this just made me laugh

Travis Kel is obviously such a character so I’m going for him and his all his Antics I think they’re funny and I know people might get annoyed of him with his significant other now but I would just get used to it as long as they keep winning Super Bowls too what’s his yeah

What’s his significant other’s name again I forgot start with a te yeah uh I I’ll take I’ll take your word I I I couldn’t I I didn’t I turned it off like seconds after I no it’s not no it’s not not at all you see this video though of

Him singing no oh had people send me this I I I had people yesterday in our group chat send me The Chief’s reaction to the 49ers taking the I’m not I’m done I’m not watching it like yeah it’s over like well this is kind of funny and has

Nothing to do with the football that’s kind of my my argument for and he he is um in the past I’ve seen him up on the podium whether it’s after the AFC title game or he does the fight for your right to party like yeah he it was just like

That but Viva Las Vegas like several times right on right on no and everything okay just screaming though all right uh I’ll go might go for I’ll go for it first here um extra hash brown when you’re ordering your breakfast at Tim Horton’s or or anywhere else like uh

You get the combo with the the you you get one right but you pay for it like one’s just not enough I I experience you pay for this okay yeah I say yeah it’s just one one hash brown doesn’t do it you know what I mean I’m

With you I had this the other day I was hungry okay I’ll pay whatever it is and I’ll get an extra one I thought you were saying saying like they gave you an extra one no no no always go for an extra one even if it cost you $1.99 or

Whatever okay I’ll keep that in mind I don’t think I’ve ever done that but I’m with you I like to put mine if I get a breakfast sandwich I like to put the hash brown in the sandwich that’s good too yeah little crunch yep all right am

I going to punt here first or you going to punt here first you can punt first okay uh sticking with the Super Bowl theme I’m going to punt away watching the big games you’re emotionally invested in around other people I think might have explained this it was also my

Dad’s birthday on Sunday so wasn’t going to stay home like normally when the ners are playing a big game I’m home leave me alone don’t bother me um I can turn up the volume as loud as I want I can swear if I want to but um this got a little

Intense toward the toward the end um my dad had one of his good buddies over who was kind of joke play kind of playing around all in good fun but it when the result goes like the way it went not fun so hopefully the next time they’re in

One of these who knows if they’ll get the chance to go back next year I don’t know uh likely won’t be on my dad’s birthday again at least so one question for you are are you happy they took the ball I don’t think it mattered I I like

I um that’s not my biggest complaint with what they did all like that’s fair I mean because it’s hard because if you I’d rather I’d rather be in a position where you’re having to protect the lead now if they score a touchdown it’s a different story if they score a

Touchdown they go for two because they want to give the Chiefs the hardest path to come back so um yeah I’m I I have more of an issue with the execution on third down there I mean yeah not coming away with a touchdown was um so I yeah

I’m not as not as critical as uh of that decision as other people are I am a little critical I’m not going to lie I think you because you saw it right there with the Chiefs when they had to go for it on fourth and one there’s if they was

They could punt them it was half a yard but they could punt yeah it’s the NFL they could punt in that situation so I think you saw it right there was your answer that Casey used that extra down to their advantage knowing what they had to get right and It ultimately worked

Out it’s scary giving Pat Ms a a a walk-off situation too it wasn’t my biggest issue with how that I agree with that too like I don’t like it but I don’t like say it was the ultimate deciding factor third quarter you get the interception you’re on Kansas City’s 44

And and you and you don’t start you don’t run the ball that’s like ah inexcusable I’ve defended Kyle Shanahan every year until now I’m starting to see the once what’s what’s I’m butchering the saying here but there’s once is a pattern and TW or no what I’m saying

What I’m getting at is there’s been several double digit leads now in these massive games that San Fran has ultimately came up short in so it’s becoming a pattern two uh two Super Bowls and an NFC title game in Los Angeles where they were up 177 I don’t

Blame him for the Atlanta thing as much as because he wasn’t the head coach yeah like he I don’t know why that I don’t know why people put that on his record like no one ever says you’re too young to remember this or maybe you weren’t even born yet when the Houston Oilers

Blew the 35 three playoff lead in Buffalo in the early no one talks about who Houston’s offensive coordinator was that’s fair yeah you don’t like yeah but well Steve wils was certainly the scapegoat for that at least but um yeah that was uh Bill bich let’s get him out

Of retirement I saw I saw Vel potentially too I’d be on board with that big names are out there right I’d be on board with that speaking of big names all right no more Super Bowl talk speaking of big names I’m kind of pun in this halftime show we’ll get your take

On it I just audible to it I just thought about it but it my my whole take on this was okay I I honestly thought Usher when I first saw it I I didn’t realize that he was like the main performer in the halftime show I just don’t think Usher himself has that

Magnitude of like high quality hits and my whole go ahead no go ahead I was going to say when they announced it people were kind of huh yeah like yeah for Vegas Super Bowl in Vegas you got in 20124 you got Usher I personally like

Him because a lot of his hits a lot of his hits me of my youth so to speak right and yeah the show I yeah I I I could take it or leave it I don’t know if I’d punt it um my mic Dro moment about Usher though why it wasn’t that

Good was that you proably you yourself and my myself to speaking for this I thought the half time show got good once Usher was not it wasn’t about Usher anymore once Little John came in once lud that’s when I was like okay this is cool that’s what they kind of done in

The past too right with especially that West Coast one where it was a collective group but I just I just didn’t love it and there wasn’t any there was there was one meme I guess with uh him holding Alicia Keys that was memorable from it but even the entire show like there

Wasn’t that anything that was too memorable from it they were rollerblading cool but it’s a Super Bowl I mean I I expect an A+ every time and again I I wasn’t the state of mind I was in I I was kind of just I want I kind of

Wanted to take a breather at halftime was outside helping uh Grill the steaks as mentioned it was my dad’s birthday and so from what I saw of it I was like yeah it’s okay I mean it’s not the best not the worst you won’t remember it unfortunately but it’s been a high bar

Recently you know Rihanna last year was great obviously Dr Dre a couple years ago the West Coast one yeah like where they they combined everybody right Brant it wasn’t just Dr Dre though it was like all five of them had their kind of equal stage time whereas I don’t know just I

Like for me a bunch of years ago they did Springsteen he was awesome that was a Pittsburgh Arizona Super Bowl in Tampa think who stands out to me off the top of my head be right yeah that was the wardrobe malfunction remember that no not that one like recently if I’m not mistaken

This is bad 5 did it a few years ago that yeah not too memorable that was the Atlanta one right with all like bun be and stuff like that came out but yeah I saw Katie Perry in Arizona great 10 years ago 11 years ago whenever that was

So oh uh the chili peppers and Bruno Mars was a pretty good one right that was a good one was it was it with the with the Chili Peppers or just Bruno Mar Bruno Mars and then the chili peers came out I thought right I can’t remember

Either Timber Lake was 2018 so that’s that’s what I’m talking about remember he did like um oh I can’t I think of the song I’m not going to sing it right now but he it was I like that show that’s all I remember from it I don’t yeah I

Now it’s coming back to me now I uh maybe that was one of those where I just kind of um just didn’t pay attention or I went to grab a snack or something mirrors is a Justin Timberlake song I’m thinking of I remember you did it I love

It so there we go all right we’ve covered a lot of ground here uh we encourage everyone to subscribe rate leave a review and uh in the coming days uh we shall see whatever uh else comes down the pipe but BC lions.com is our free agency Hub uh we’re on YouTube uh

Check out Arrow up the wrap if you’ve not seen the conclusion excellent work by Nick Liam and everybody involved and uh stay out of trouble in Victoria do my best we’re like I said we’re in and out so it’ll be okay not hard to do well if

You get this before Friday or before Thursday night if you’ve already downloaded this and you’re in Victoria head to the Irish Times Pub that’s it Marcus sales will be there all right first and now the official BC Lions Podcast