Bears Rookie Punter Tory Taylor on Texting Caleb Williams & Being Drafted to Chicago

On today’s episode of The Mid Show we get into our thoughts on the Chicago bears draft. Later in the show we are joined by Bears Rookie Punter Tory Taylor, to tell us some stories from draft night, life in Iowa city, and his interactions with new teammates like Caleb Williams. We later get into some Cubs and White Sox comparisons, and Chief how the Blackhawks need some veterans if they are going to progress.

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[Music] all right before we pick things up here you know we want to talk about the presenting beer sponsor of this show and you guys know that’s a great tasting less fing Miller Light that was a good ah yeah Ed you know what I’m excited about this weekend I’m excited to kick back relax and have a couple of Miller Lights with me and the mates yeah me too you’ll hear why Dave used the word mate later in the show uh but I’m excited to have some Miller lights with the mates too uh so shout out to Miller Light Lots Chang over the years one thing that hasn’t is a great taste of Miller Light another thing that hasn’t changed is that it’s also less filling so what’s the best thing about the original light beer uh can’t decide yeah it’s it’s hard to say yeah it’s hard to say there’s so many good things I think you even throw just the look of the can into that conversation as well I so too I think so too uh they’ve sparked the debate in 1975 and they haven’t settled it so Miller Light is great at keeping it simple undebatable quality Great Taste only 96 calories it’s a beer that strips away everything you don’t need and holds on to what matters most a light beer that tastes like beer less filling in only 96 calories the original light beer since 1975 you don’t have to choose what’s best Miller Light has great taste and is less feeling because it tastes like Miller time to get Miller Light delivered right to your door visit Miller light.com midow or you could find it pretty much anywhere that they sell beer just make sure you celebrate responsibility Miller BR Company Milwaukee Wisconsin 96 calories and 3.2 carbs per 12 ounces uh fewer Cals and carbs and premium regular beer and on that note all right bang bang welcome to the mid show it’s myself it’s Chief it’s White Sox Dave I think Danny’s taking a dump we will also be joined by Chicago Bears new punter uh Tory Taylor who was the man yeah Legend yes Legend M yes the man that’s why Dave used the word mate in that Miller Light as you heard uh we were just talking about the mates talking about some Australian Wildlife talking about punting footballs Iowa football all the above yes it was great I I want to start you like we all know how I use [ __ ] very liberally uh we didn’t talk about on the show out of respect to the new Bears employee we did not say that however um I would like to bring mate to the states it feels so much better than friend like I don’t want friends like it’s like you want to hang out with the friends it’s like no I would I want [ __ ] you say mates like let’s go hang out with the soccer mates was there [ __ ] like that yeah so honestly I do say mate sometimes do you really so for one reason I honestly it it started like ironically and then it stuck so when I was in college we like I was in a friend obviously I’ve talked about it before you have like you do rush and stuff we had this one kid we were rushing and for some reason when he would get drunk he would start calling People Mate and start talking an Australian accent that were like yo what’s like you know cuz you don’t know all these kids are going out like that’s the mate guy you know so he just became his mate and so we started calling him mate and then he was sober he was [ __ ] he hated it he’s like I’m like guys’s like I don’t call me mate you know what I mean I don’t want to call Mate I know so then like after that like me and my friends were like what’s up mate like once he expressed the fact that he hated it yes then everyone was all in on it and then like me and like some of my best friends like just like we do it we know it’s like not our thing but it’s become our thing like un yeah yeah so we did it ironically now it’s un ironically so I didn’t feel that unnatural calling them Nate even though you guys like all well let’s get together with the mat and have some another life I I have to meet his actual mates cuz I mean think about it this guy like they don’t follow the NFL he didn’t follow the NFL a couple years ago and you know they’re like holy [ __ ] like we we got a guy in the NFL like that his high school boys and they’re going to be over here for at least a weekend you know they are he’ll probably fly them out and I have to tailgate with them yeah they’re they’re proba those guys are definitely a party yeah they got to be that’s got to be like such a revelation for all the people who grew up playing like him a your rules football and uh and rugby being like wait they’ll pay you millions of dollars to kick a football get me I don’t me to America I meant to bring this up in the interview with him would a fifth convo never had a transition but you got to think he might start to be like a little revolutionary right I I feel like college football has done this like college football there’s been like a influx of what’s up Danny how’s your dump punters from Down Under he mentioned that Minnesota as well I don’t know if no like LSU had uh the guy Wing um Aubrey is like the big guy in the NFL over storm I guess I feel like that migration started happen like eight years ago okay yeah I mean like they can kick all the mates are coming over yeah all the mates I so we’ll get to that soon Danny how was your dump how was my what dump I wasn’t dumping oh someone said you that’s what handsome Hank said no he walked in to take a dump while I was walking up oh [ __ ] story got confused sorry uh but yeah we’ll get to Tory Taylor here in a bit we’ll open the show obviously big day last Thursday big weekend honestly the whole draft I don’t think any Bears fan could be anything but ecstatic I you know as much as I love I was talking to Ryan about this before we started recording with Tory Taylor today I when you boil it down with that fourth round pick I don’t think you should burn a pick especially when you don’t have a ton of capital on a player you literally don’t want to see play yeah but he had the flip side the AR I I’ve heard people say that this is the thinnest NFL draft maybe ever because you have um a lot of guys that have an extra year covid who would be in the draft that stayed extra year and then there’s a bunch of underclassman who would have come out to be a fourth or fifth round pick in typical years decided to stay because the niil money is there you have a chance to improve your draft stock whatever so if you’re going to take a play and I’ve seen like like uh other people local radio like have a meltdown about taking a punter but if you’re taking a guy in the fourth round this year that guy might not necessarily be guaranteed to make your team where Tory Taylor is guaranteed to make your team so you’re guaranteed to improve a spot that is important on your 53 man roster and he’s just one of the mates you got it yeah I know I I don’t know much but after that conversation I know the locker room got better that that did flip me yep in the end he he’s a blue guy well speaking of the locker room I think that’s my biggest takeaway here too and I hope all of Chicago is like way more at ease Caleb Williams seems like the [ __ ] man the dude yeah and we had been told that by a couple of guys who uh that are on the Bears that had dinner with him yeah uh that said like he’s he’s like the media should be ashamed of how they portray him yeah and he does seem like the man yeah yeah so texted all those guys right away which scks out to me too the [ __ ] punter yeah reach out yeah reach out to reach out and was like hey what number you going to pick he’s like no 13’s taken by a 12 year veteran who’s like an awesome wide receiver’s got a great career I love go back to my high school number that [ __ ] matters oh definitely does [ __ ] yeah you imagine if he was like Hey I’m 13 well jayen Johnson had that quote I don’t know if you guys saw that it was I think on W and Sylvie um where he like he also he’s he’s a speak and Parkins guy okay it was Parkins whoever it was um it was in other media where he’s he also had heard all the Hollywood bull [ __ ] with Caleb Williams and he’s like he better not bring that Hollywood [ __ ] here and then he obviously he’s like that is that meaning if he is actually some Hollywood Primadonna he better not bring that [ __ ] here but he’s talked to him since like everything points to Caleb Williams being just he he gets it yeah he gets it and like this might be a meatball thing too I love that they’re all working out together already [ __ ] yeah yeah they’ve done multiple throwing sessions they were working out before they got drafted in Rome and they’re throwing and DJ Mo yeah it’s awesome yeah it’s like and like don’t don’t get mad at me for this but it’s like so good it’s like is something are we missing something no let me tell you let’s spin that yeah how old are you now Ed 33 so you’ve been you’ve been putting up with [ __ ] for 33 years and I feel like it’s like the city’s due for a correction it’s time for a correction so this this could be the start of something I I think it is all right the best quarterback that they’ve drafted at least in our lifetimes Kyle Orton that the Bears have drafted probably right drafted yeah yeah Kyle Orton um measured by sucess re no just individual success um Rex Gman prior to that he he was a stretch and he fell on the draft to them uh I mean obviously Fields they they traded up for him he was sliding like they they’ve never had a chance at the Bonafide 1-1 consensus this guy is the best player in the draft yeah and it fell into a perfect perfect situation I I I have never been so excited or bullish on the future of any of my teams yeah and I if that gives you pause I get it but like don’t be Eeyore next to he’s not being e oh he’s not he’s not he’s been he’s been on his best behavior I might have to check him a little bit later but he’s been on his best behavior but it’s just you know when you just it like games aren’t played on paper obviously but like you look at both sides of the ball it it’s probably the best 53 on paper and I don’t think they’re done tweaking that we’ that we’ve had maybe ever they we we talked about this prior to not maybe ever in a long time I mean yeah well we what ever in Chicago Bears history no In Our Lifetime yeah because and they need some success to be better than those I can’t speak to like the Ditka and the want they need some onfield success like totally totally but like even the years that were successful here you know 18 that was like Hey like we’re it’s always been the same formula where it’s like we’re just going to have a kickass defense and then hope for the best on offense and same thing with the love of years then you had that one year where Cutler was throwing it all over the place where the offense was really good with Marshall and Alshon and then but the defense had fallen off so like they’ve never had it both at the same time yeah again no no onfield success but this is the first time where you can look at the names on paper and be like the names on paper both sides of the ball are good at the same time first time in five years in five years on that exact note I believe it was when we recorded immediately after the Chiefs game last year where they just got bukaki all over their face and you said they don’t have one dude on the field and then we both correct and we’re like actually DJ Moore he’s a dude now they have they got dudes they got some [ __ ] dudes all over sweat we’ve seen Cole K get a lot better Jaylen Johnson and now he’s he’s a number three that’s going to make him all the better I think it’s like pick your poison yeah exactly exactly and and I mean obviously this Hinsdale Central kid I’m never going to get his name right like he’s I think you will get it right eventually call him Kiran kir Kiran but what’s his last name Kier yeah Kieran he should be a Niro actually um one only guy um I mean he’s a project um very raw from all accounts but like they improve the offensive line um and you you expect braxon Jones can get better um you’re he’s healthy and like you want you you hope Bates makes the center position better you hope you get Nate Davis playing like the guy that they thought they were signing instead of what we got out of him last year which he improved last year in the second half but yeah but he was yeah so if he can you know year two in a new system uh which I guess the system’s going to be new again the coordinator but but I think they’re they’re in a I think it’s it’s fair to be optimistic and happy right now yeah no totally is it totally is I you know the every word on Kieran too is that he’s just a he’s a behemoth of a man obviously know that he’s got long arms insanely long arm yeah smooth and pass Pro got to be smart Yale guy yeah yeah true yeah so Hinsdale Central like they’ve said and then really we we’ve we’ve talked about Roma we did our whole celebration at the drafting sports book really the only one we haven’t talked about is Austin Booker and I reached out to a guy who we know that was a defensive coach at Kansas and he’s like he couldn’t believe he fell that far oh really he’s like I can’t believe he fell that like he he loves him he’s like he’s a man and like he’s a legitimate Passat rusher yeah and like he’s also because he fell far and because the way the rest of the roster is on defense he doesn’t have to be an impact guy like because he’s still young he’s still only 21 so like Austin Booker will have they’ll I believe that they’ll put him in situations where he can have success as he learns this year but it’s not like you’re like last year was like I don’t know maybe we signed somebody before training camp that can rush the passer now it’s like you kind of have yeah you have guys that can that can get to the quarterback and hopefully he can help on like you know third third Downs third third and 12 your ears back and [ __ ] sack the quarterback yeah and and oddly enough like if you get five players in a if five players work out in a draft oh that’s an awesome draft not saying all five are going to work out but you feel good about Caleb you feel good about Rome feel good about Tor like all right let’s see how Booker and right Kier workout right you know yeah and if so even if it is only ends up being three if as long as the quarterbacks one or long as even if it only ends up being one as long as the quarterback is one of them that’s we’re going to be fine but I will say every single interview I see by radun I’m like man I I love this guy he he’s got some charm just a nice kid he’s got little fat baby cheek yeah that’s a good way to put it he has like a charm about him where he like nice quiet authentic and he I think did ESPN radio or the score where they were talking about like the Bears alltime leading receiver we might have talked about this last week too and they’re like oh uh it’s like 5,500 yards he’s like wait in a career uh yeah yeah that’s how that’s how it’s been here so like there there’s there’s runway for this team like it’s it’s it’s out in front of them they got to put the work in and execute and all that but like you feel good about at least the talent that they’ve brought in totally shout out to Ryan puls because he had to do a full tear down they were kind of like the cap was not in a great situation the talent wasn’t in a great situation got rid of everybody and some of that was painful you know with Monty like I didn’t want to see Monty leave you know they had some guys that I had like a definitely definitely some feelings for that I’m like ah it sucks that we have to let go of him but now you fast forward to where we are today and it’s just like this this roster’s looking looking strong and I saw even uh DJ said like they asked him what’s the difference so far just even in throwing and he’s the processing yeah feels a lot better so I think that he he G he like he how do I want to put this he like he he was a poker player that had a tell right there yeah yeah yeah about Fields a good way to put it and I think he I I don’t know if there’s anything Justin Fields could have done this year short of making the playoffs for them not to take Caleb blooms yeah I I even think if they had finished nine and eight and snuck in somehow yeah just making it but I don’t even like wi that Packers game they were taking like no I don’t think so I don’t think so but I was saying even a step further like they got in and but it was like he he played how he played but they managed to win a couple of these games that they lost in the fourth quarter MH I I still like I don’t think you can pass on a guy like Caleb no you’d probably get more in return for Justin but if if they had made the playoffs but the whole thing like I think everybody can it it’ll take some time it’ll probably take Caleb winning some games before people pretend like they were never on the anti- calb train yeah but I so far so good and you know you want you want that guy to be the the leader all like set the tone and it feels like he has that kind of you know innately like he know like he knows like what his responsibility is so yeah and it just it can’t be stressed enough how well they formulated the team too like having veterans like DJ and Keenan there they’re just so important and and then so I see a lot of people talking about how lucky they got with the Carolina Pick yes luck was involved but they also created their own luck yeah p and specifically Ryan PS and we that we played out this scenario last year when we liked fields and we thought Fields was the guy it was like hey you know what everyone like it was always a joke I was like hey you know what and if uh Fields doesn’t have a good uh 2023 uh we’ll just take kale Williams next year because Carolina is going to be bad we didn’t know that it would actually come to fruition that they’ be the worst team in the league and we’d have a chance but like we played out that scenario when we got their pick knowing that they’ be and don’t forget until like what week eight or nine last year the Bears had the first and second pick yeah true I wonder how much Caleb Williams appreciates what he’s walking into because if he all he has to do is look at what happened to Bryce young last year where he shows up and it’s like he like the Will Smith meme where he’s like in a empty room all alone with no nobody to throw to no defense no nothing dude he has to like he has he’s walking in one of the best situations a number one pick he does he does a throwing session with two all pros and a top 10 pick like that’s that is oh hey here’s your teammates yeah go out there and [ __ ] SL hit them in the chest he’ll be open and on that note so should like you got to feel Shane Waldren feels the same way and Shane Waldron’s probably already has his agent on the phone like why don’t you call up some of these teams that going to be firing their coach yeah D what what about we haven’t even mentioned Matt eberl like that’s a guy that got the time losing his Bears coach history you’re right he he did in some ways hit the lottery but I feel like he’s not in as good of a spot as Waldren because he needs to make sure that defense is good oh yeah that like because walren will be the head coach waiting wings I would assume right if um cuz now the way I think of it I I know Matt EO is the head coach in name scenario it’s a straight shot right down the middle it’s like all right Waldren you’re the head coach of the of the offense that’s just such not a bears move though but I don’t know it’s different plls is a different guy than PA cuz I remember there was that season where it was very clear that Adam gase was a better Coach than John Fox yes and he went yeah he went to the Dolphins got the Dolphins head job when in reality it would have been smarter for the Bears to just give gase the head job dump Fox mhm that’s just such an unbar move so it’s hard to enion that but it’s also like it’s not the guy that we that’s the first comment where I’m like we are getting ahead of ourselves on this yeah right like our offensive coordinate yeah well you’re the one started it but it’s I mean it’s not I don’t think it’s crazy like like that’s what you do on these show both you talk hypotheticals and I but that’s I think yeah e e flu should feel very grateful but I do I do think the defense is you don’t know what it’s I was also talking and while that’s true I was also talking a bit about it more in like you don’t hear anybody calling for M flu’s head right now no from we were all talking about it end of the year I was on that and like even when they they made the announcement I was like this feels like a mistake yeah um and I don’t necessarily feel that way anymore the defense got so much better it did over the court like really kind of once sweat came in and like we saw trickle down effect was it was getting better before he came in yeah too it was and like you saw guys like I gon Dexter got a lot better and I think that played a big part in them not even hesitating with Rome at nine because there’s a lot of defensive line Talent available there and I think for like hey we got sweat and we really like what Dexter did uh if he has like a year or two jump takes a step yeah like all all all of them you know and it’s like do we have we might be it might not be you know what was that Giants team where they just the NASCAR front four remember that they won the Super I can’t remember which Super Bowl it was that they won but it was like strayan and Justin Tuck like it it’s not going to be that but like could be pretty good could you know could be a get by and like the linebacker group is good sign uh Byer to be the safety for Eddie Jackson like they they don’t have like Eddie Jackson’s on the street still is he he hasn’t even signed no so they it’s not they don’t have like a position group where you’re like oh [ __ ] you know like every every they might not have a top five uniter core is awesome yeah but you still like it maybe not depthwise but those front three are as good as any in well we got to see what ad dun is in the Pro but yeah but definitely so you want you do that’s the one where you could like the front the front the front four too like I I think like sure if you want you could be impressed by Dexter’s you know Improvement but like they’re still but that’s not going to be like oh I don’t think it’ll be a glaring weakness yeah fair right but I don’t but I’m not going to say it’s like not a position we don’t worry about I’m trying to think like Santos was awesome last year yeah was he he was a pro bowler right uh he might I mean he was like 20 to 20 at or some [ __ ] no he had a good year too so yeah that’s but they don’t have one where you’re like [ __ ] going to be [ __ ] us but if it were to be I think it you’re right it’d be defensive line the depth there it does scare me and like even even even our linebacker Court like they they really came together and maybe that’s what they need just to be some cohesiveness some games under their belt but there were some some games where it was like oh this doesn’t yeah early on kind of wonky out of syn and it didn’t seem right for a little bit and it’s felt like taine Edmonds went down for a midle in the middle of the year and sandmore shifted over and then it was like it didn’t get much better and then they Edmonds came back and then the defense was rolling so it’s like they kind of they probably needed some time to get acclimated here’s another thing when we’re talking about the defense uh they’re going to have more rest this year they’re not going to you know like less three and outs less being on the field for these you know these long drives or you know deep into the game like they’re going to they’re that has to be worth I don’t know a point or two you know like literally that like a point or two per game where the defense is just fresher because Caleb has him on the field um you know for longer drives yeah unless they’re scoring too quick that might be a problem the Bears might be scoring too Qui yeah Lance anything uh from you before we get to Tory Taylor um not incredible I think we’ve hit on a lot I agree The Trenches um are probably our biggest weakness however something that’s super interesting is for Caleb Williams to be the all-time leading passer for the Bears all he has to do is throw for 226 yards per game he plays all 17 games if he does 226 to be the best ever as a bear right then for romad dun as a rookie if he can get 66 receiving yards per game he’d be the best rookie in Bears history pretty crazy so that feels pretty attainable pretty crazy what was Fields per game last year probably about two yeah I’ll look it up but yeah I think it honestly it might have been less CU he never like he did throw for 300 once yeah against the Broncos but this is that’s like another thing where the Bears have never had a 4,000 yard passer like that could be probably not this year I remember I was stoked when Cutler broke 3,000 mhm 3,000 um all right then we could get to uh Tory Taylor before we do though we want to alert you guys about some new Portillo’s menu items these are Big so listen up you guys know we love Portillos here all our Chicago listeners Arizona listeners all over the place now Texas Florida yeah exactly Indiana um so Portillos it’s now more than just beefs burgers and dogs uh we obviously know the classic chop salad is a fan favorite everybody loves the chop salad and they just added a fiery kick to a classic we all know and love they got the new spicy chicken chop salad it’s a hot take that Chicago’s adding uh their hottest ingredient sardona and spicy chicken to take a salad up a notch Jer on a salad it really doesn’t get more Chicago than that uh so they’ve also added a chicken pecan salad with bacon because who doesn’t love grilled chicken and uh baking in their salad plus it’s topped with their allnew honey peppercorn dressing Dave you’ve had some I’m I’m trying this tonight I’m I’m pumped for it yeah we were the little uh test dummies for um for patillo’s new salads last week they brought them in and I didn’t even realize they were doing it I just gravitated towards this chicken chop salad it uh I love spicy it had a perfect amount of kick I didn’t feel like I was eating an entire eight course meal for lunch and just all fat and blow to the rest of day it was perfect it was awesome yeah get some all the options there exactly you got the beef bows too you want to cut off the bread cut out the carbs they got one there so I’ve had that many times Portillo is going I’m a health freak they’re going to the Moon yeah they are so don’t sleep on Portillo salads order a portillos.com or visit your local Portillo today actually Ed and I are going tonight we are I’m invited thanks uh Dave uh can you uh kick us over to T all right now we are in the interview portion of the show we are joined by Bears punter Tori Taylor uh Tori thanks for doing this my first question out of the gate you punted a lot last year how tired is your leg has that thing been in a garage all offseason is is it secure it’s more than secure it’s ready to go I’m I’m excited when when you were deciding what college to go to did you pick Iowa because you knew you’d be getting a lot of work uh no because to be completely honest I didn’t really know too much about college football and I kind of just wanted to come over here and I thought well I can kick a ball right in Australia and um there’s not too many that can do it that well playing college football so I kind of thought oh I’ll just go over there and have fun and um see what happens and literally my first thought was I’ll just catch it and kick it as far and high as I can and then after about a year coach wood said you know you’re pretty good at this um you should really think about what you want to achieve out of your college career and then I thought well I obviously want to play for as long as I can because I know the guys in the NFL make a lot of money so it certainly beats uh working that’s for sure but yeah it’s been a pretty pretty crazy few years but to answer the original question I had no idea that I’d punt is it nearly 300 times across four years God some you know some guys might what I what I have last year 90 puns like some guys might not have that in their career you know um one of our mates Brett thoron the punter at Georgia who they even played a couple more games than us I don’t even reckon he he’s gotten close to that in these two years there for sure he’s more than 40 50 times yeah well here’s that Caleb Williams text that you reportedly got is going to come true and you’re punting less than you’re accustomed to absolutely yeah it’s um it’s funny even the um one of the coaches rang me he’s like yeah you know what you got a D good quarterback now so we’re going to have some fun so I’m looking forward to and I mean there’s just weapons everywhere as well so I’m excited do you have like a rugby background or h no I played it I played Australian Rules Football okay um so I played until I was about 14 or 15 and then I stopped playing cuz I wasn’t really enjoying it and then I started again when I was 18 19 and then I joined Pro kick and then yeah Ping’s really just been my thing ever since the last four or five years I love it like I think that’s kind of what’s probably I guess led to the success I’ve had is you know I could go out there and hit 150 balls right now and I would just get so much satisfaction just the driving range out on the golf course yep no you’re you’re a big dude too you’re six 64 and what you’re not exactly your typical punter build yeah 64 222 223 pretty big dude do you ever get like the itch to just run down and take somebody’s head off on on Punk coverage ah no let the guys a little bit bigger and faster than me do that but if they have to do that it’s usually not the best punt true especially if I have to make tackles Tor to get back to Iowa when you got to Iowa City for the first time you’re you’re broadcasting out of Iowa City right now what was like the biggest culture shock like were you like whoa like these people love gas station pizza or like what was your what was the biggest thing that you’re like I’m not in Australia anymore uh oh I don’t know I don’t know if I should say this or not but no say it just just like just the the fatty food you know what I mean like I was I remember when I got through San Francis walking through San Francisco Airport and I was just when you’ve been traveling for 24 hours I was just trying to find something that was just fresh and everything was just oily and crazy and just [ __ ] I’m like oh what is this place but then when I got to Iowa and had you know Iowa was pretty well renowned for their meet and things like that yeah felt a little bit more um normality I guess yeah the Midwest is known for having healthier food than San Francisco that’s yeah for sure and I’ve been to Chicago a few times and I was talking to one of my mates last night um I’ve been in a few places around the US and I know New York’s pretty good for their food and things like that but Chicago has the best food by an absolute mile from where I’ve been yeah and we have a guy who does like our international travel here and he so he’s been everywhere Shanghai London he says that Chicago is his number one food city in the whole world yeah I’m a big pot pot belly person and they don’t have that in Iowa City so I’m excited to oh no we’ll get you we’ll get you a real submarine sandwich out here okay I look forward to I’m a I’m a pretty simple man though like I just like Italian with a little bit of lettuce and onion and I’m good to go there you go yeah I don’t need a thousand things in it that’s all you so where uh where were you when you got the call fourth round like were you expecting that or what what walk me through the process walk me through your day it was pretty crazy so a coach from another team called me just to try and it was probably around pick 117 or 118 and I’m just just trying to see what’s happening he’s like oh you know what teams you been talking to blah blah blah and then I said oh hang on I’m getting a call and then I look at my phone it was my agent I was like D I got a little bit excited think oh you know maybe someone’s ringing in I said oh hang on I’ll call you back um my agent’s um calling me and then I’m talking to my agent I said oh hang on I’m just I was just on the phone to a special team’s coaching he’s like all right all right and I was like [ __ ] like hang on I’m getting a call and and an Illinois number came up and I was like no way like let’s go but I didn’t get my hopes up straight away but then um the call said all like this call is being recorded or something like that and I was just like oh holy [ __ ] it’s happening but I was in the um Gage at my parents like Airbnb thing and all my um parents and family and all my mates and stuff were inside so I was like [ __ ] I got to run back inside and um take this phone like um with everyone there and yeah it was just a really cool moment cuz my girlfriend’s from Chicago and the whole like fourth round we were like ah 20 picks away 10 picks away like four picks away and I was like would you just relax wherever is good but I really wanted to come to Chicago cuz Hey like Chicago is like the sports capital of America like I don’t care what anybody says you know what I mean it’s it’s the truth um and I go for like I support teams if I’ve um if they’re the first team I saw it’s like the Cubs are obviously my team and same with the Blackhawks I don’t know whether that’s going to create a divide amongst us anyone now but um if there’s any white sock fans there but yeah I was just really excited and um the guy in the middle his name is white socks Dave but I hate them I hate them more than anybody hates them so that’s a you you you’ll learn that as you get to Chicago yeah no you you Pi the right I must ask is I will ask is I’m not like the the biggest baseball or basketball fan I love football obviously but like is the Divide really that great amongst like it was until very recent not it it it kind of got worse throughout the years but like 10 12 years ago it was it was a legit hatred now the white socks are so bad that like no cares nobody hates the white socks more than the white socks yeah the white sock fans are are very mad at the white socks right now we hate them stick to the north side and you’ll be fine yeah I will how are the Cubs going to go this year we’re going well it’s going well it’s a good start think they’re on Pace for 97 wins which would win the division easily so battling a ton of injuries and hanging in there so it’s good that’s very very unlock Chicago sports fans to get ahead of themselves there huh oh we’re getting ahead of ourselves with you guys right now yeah that’s for sure yeah absolutely no I’m I’m really excited so what did uh so then they keep going what was the on the other end of their phone call what was Brian Pauls and he’s was like hey yeah so it was actually Jeff Shivers who’s a um longtime Scout for the Bears and he actually came out to IR a few times and um yeah he answered the well I guess I answered the phone and um I heard his voice I was like I kind of know this voice cuz I feel like I made met him a couple of times a and he kind of said oh how would you like to be Chicago Bay and I was just like holy [ __ ] I was like is this really happening like and then yeah it was just a it was a crazy few minutes to be honest and then I think the funniest thing was that when I uh hung up the phone to all the Bears coaches and stuff and things like that I rang my agent um to thank him straight away just cuz he obviously worked his tail off to get me there and um then it was I rang my special teams coach uh from iow who I’m really close with and I was like oh hey coach was like oh what’s up dude like what are you up to like oh what are you feeling and I was just like I like how does this how does this idiot not know what’s going on but then I’m looking at the TV and it’s still at only pck 120 and I was like [ __ ] I was like I’m the idiot and I was like coach Woods like turn the TV on he’s like oh what’s up I was like I just got drafted by the Bears it’s going to be up in two picks and he’s like no you bloody didn’t I was like yes yes yes turn it on cuzz he was down in De Mo which is a couple hours away I think it his sounds like track meat um so he couldn’t make it but it was pretty cool like I you obv you guys obviously know Dallas Clark I’m close with him so he was there as well and he actually had to leave um at 1:00 and one of my mates flew over from Australia for a couple of weeks and his flight was at 4:00 so he was saying he’s like you better get drafted before then I was like I’m hoping so I was I really hope in fourth or fifth round so you can see it and then we ended up being able to share a couple hours together so it all worked out perfectly to be hon it could not have happened um any more smoothly or perfectly yeah dream destination and I’m not just saying that cuz I’m here I was like if I can end up in Chicago which is only 3 hours away my girlfriend’s from there I got a ton of friends there it’s a great City great food it’s literally worked out perfectly I love the coaches as well like coach high tower we really bonded really well at the combine so um yeah I was I was just absolutely pumped now now do your matate like know how don’t Eddie don’t say mate don’t try to say mate I’m saying mate all right I was going to say boys all right mat your mates know that like how big of a deal it is to get not only [ __ ] drafted to be a punter that got drafted and a punter that got drafted in the fourth round like do they like know the scope of how big that is it doesn’t happen hardly ever it really does you know it’s funny like you ask oh do you m that it’s still stinking in for me you know what I mean it’s just crazy and I was saying that to my coach the special teams coach here coach Woods yesterday you know it’s all these like big Milestones happen but I’m it’s happening to me it just feels so strange you know what I mean so but answer your question um a couple of them do cuz a lot of my mates over here um they they’re punters at different schools too you know I had Mark Crawford the Minnesota punter he was down for the weekend too and um had a few friends that used to play here down so they all get it but I don’t think really my friends back home like guge how big of a um a deal it is and when you really like narrow down the percentages of I guess people going from high school to like or to division one to division one to the NFL just to make like the 100 man roster at the start and then the 53 like it’s such a minority of people so um haven’t gotten there yet but just even to be given the opportunity yeah it’s it’s pretty crazy how familiar are people in Australia with the NFL in general I was in England a couple weeks ago and yeah the only thing people wanted to talk to me about was the NFL so it is it growing in Australia too yeah absolutely it is and I think the hardest part is you know in the UK I think what are they you know 6 hours ahead so all those noon games on a Sunday it’s like night time there so they can just put the TV on watch it whereas you get a noon game um here it’s like 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. in Australia on a Monday morning so not everyone’s getting up to watch it but when there’s a night game on like those Sunday night games a lot of people might be watching it um Monday morning I know that’s what I used to do and um yeah especially when it comes to playoff time where there’s a lot more night games a lot more people are watching but it’s certainly growing in popularity so hopefully one day there’ll be a game out there but I don’t know if too many people would want to sit on that uh flight especially from Chicago it’s probably a good 20 hours at least it’s a long it’s a long time long flight yeah how are you uh so I don’t know if that’ll happen how are you uh like as far as kicking goes are are you decent at field goals can you do kickoffs like what’s your capabilities as far as that goes yeah well especially with this new kickoff rule I’m kind of um you know it’s out of my control but if coach High say hey we want you k k a couple of drop kicks out they be like [ __ ] yeah let’s go I certain want to get involved but at the same time I think they’re going to be um changing things up return wise you know there might be like some special guys back there like Ty Hill and um I’m not the slowest dude but I’m I’m not fast enough to catch T kill so nobody is so don’t I worry about that yeah yeah but in terms of um field goals like I can kick a field goal but it certainly takes a lot of practice and um my range is yeah pretty limited for sure no no concerns about the wind blowing off the lake here nah cuz I blast right through it I don’t really know I’ve uh I’ve certainly played in some pretty poor conditions here but I’m just excited man like you know when the weather’s so crazy it almost feels like you know what I would always say to my teammates like this is so crappy and [ __ ] that like it’s almost fun you know what I mean I played at Minnesota couple of weeks ago and it was um oh sorry a couple years ago and it was – 18 cels which I think is like -1 yeah fah and I just remember it wasn’t even cold it was if like the wind was just burning your face and I kind of thought man it can’t get any worse than this but then I thought in the NFL you play for an additional six weeks yeah but I don’t really care where we play whether it’s 100 degrees or whether it’s 30 or minus5 as long as I’m pun the ball I don’t really care this kindy just loves kicking balls yeah yeah pretty much I so I always bring this up to every Australian person we have in the show and I have this irrational fear on the podcast about uh coming across a Cleary uh their only native to Australia have you ever seen one do you know what one is I assume right I don’t I don’t know what that is the C the murderous bird it’s like a murderous bird in Australia it’s like an ostrich yes you never heard of these but it’s blind I think too is it no they’re like Velociraptors basically oh no I I’ve seen some videos from the Australian people and that these things are real they’re basically dinosaurs did you see that video of the Australian guy with his dog that had the kangaroo head is dog in the headlock and the guy just a seen all those I think the scariest thing is those like bird eating spiders which I didn’t even know a thing until someone suggested it here couple years ago to me he’s like oh I have a look at a bird eating spider and those things are massive they’re like sa your hand I feel like there’s a million things in Australia that will kill you drop a hat yeah yeah probably but there’s also a million things here and that doesn’t seem to scare too many people not in the midwest um yeah we got squirrels and a raccoon some big big old deer that’s exactly who are terrified to you yeah the wildli I mean in Australia it’s always like it’s so scary it feels like Jurassic world over there yeah so are you if it makes you feel any better and this might sound really sad to say a lot of them are all dead because of the bush fires a couple of years ago I don’t know whether that makes feel any better or not but a lot of them are gone now which is kind of sad to say but it probably brings it few more ed hates animals as a whole no that’s not true doesn’t like dogs they’re lying come on has any your besides the this draft class his uh have you talked to any any future teammates I know you and Caleb yeah Caleb texted me on um obviously on Saturday and I was chatting to him yesterday cuz he actually texted me and then I told him media what he texting me and then yesterday I was seeing I was like I never actually texting him back so obviously had a thousand messages and then um I was like oh sorry man I completely forgot to get back to you um but yeah he seems like a really cool dude so I’m excited but yeah that’s all um who I’ve spoken to and um obviously a few personnel and um just in terms of travel and things like that and hotel whatnot next week and but I’m just really excited to kind of just meet all the guys and get amongst it so you’re big time to the Star Quarterback yeah that’s a bad way to start don’t maybe don’t let that one get out not always kind of like the Tristan W and Tom Brady thing a couple years ago but there was certainly no intention behind it he was with the mates he was yeah exactly uh who are you what mate on the Bears are you most looking forward to playing with like are you are you excited to play with Cole or uh or or have you gotten with scales have you developed a nice mhip with scales no I haven’t I haven’t spoken to anyone yet like I said I really I’ve only spoken to the Ops guy one of the marketing girls and um yeah Caleb texted me and obviously spoken to coach High the special team’s coach a couple of times that’s really it I’m sure I’ll meet a bunch of the guys next week after for rookie mini camp nice any other big plans this summer before you really get into full football mode yeah you still you still have classes going on actually I’m finishing up class next week so I graduate next week which is pretty yeah pretty gonna be pretty special because I’ll be the first first Taylor to graduate which is pretty cool so I’m yeah looking forward to just getting that over and done with what are you gonna miss most about Iowa City that’s a great it’s a great college town it is I love Iowa City ah I mean it’s probably just the guys in the building you know it sounds so cliche but just like I loved rocking up like I loved going to football every day you know it was probably a grind for some guys but I was always like you know I moved across the other side of the world like I just loved going into the building and hanging out with the guys especially hanging out with um the coaches and coachwood really loved um hanging out with him and it’s probably those things it’s really usually just the little things and obviously playing in kck’s pretty special but um yeah playing in the NFL’s probably going to top that for sure I hope so I would hope so yeah yeah absolutely I’m excited probably going to pant a little less too which is nice yeah I hope you never get get a big get a get yourself a big warm jacket and sit on the bench in December that would that’ be nice sure we’d all love that do you get um what would you rather do would you rather pin somebody like you’re punting from the 45 and you pin somebody down deep or would you rather just hey I’m putting from my own goal line I’m just going to Boom it as far as I can which one like gets you personally more excited oh so how do I wear this in a non- arrogant way but so I’ve been kicking like end overend drop punts for 20 years if you’re know I mean like playing a sh ruls football so if the ball’s on like the the plus 45 like that’s my money shot I’m like okay like I know where this is going like nine times out of 10 I’m like I’m putting this inside the 10 at the boundary but when the ball’s on like the minus 20 and there’s an open field spiral Punt and I hit the ball I want to hit like I don’t think people quite understand how hard that is to do especially in um when the weather’s really shitty so I would say I gained more satisfaction um out of hitting like that big um spiral punt with lots of Hang Time so in similar terms I would take like a 48 yard fair catch like open field ball um over like one at the five but which is probably a little weird to say but I feel like a lot of punters would agree with me um but at the same time I know hitting the ball out at the five is going to benefit the team just as much and I know the crowd will be going crazy too yeah that’s true all right then Tor we appreciate the time you’ve given us I do kind of want to could you shout out some of the mates I just want what’s their names what are some of the mates names uh obviously I got Charon B back home uh my mate Mark Crawford I’ll shout out all my coaches as well back home and um special mention um to my agent as well Bruce T best in the business so yeah there’s there’s a few shout outs I feel like just a wild crew I’d love to meet them before a game and just I I bet they tailgate hard I volunteer our crew volunteers to host whatever austral come over for tailgates yes we will show them the time of their lives it is funny to say that because I had two mes come over last year before the um final game of the season which was my senior game and um they got on the got here on the Friday afternoon and I was at the hotel and I was like guys just to let you know people are going to know who you are so can you not do anything stupid and then like the the next day I wake up and there’s like snatchat snapchats of them like standing up on the tables in the bars like singing and like playing one of the trumpets from the B and things like that I’m just like yeah thanks guys great um yeah they certainly had a good time so yeah there’ll be a few guys coming over this year so they’ll um yeah I’m sure they’ll look forward to meeting you in person we will have a tailgate for and they will have the time of their Liv genely that’s awesome I to it I hope this happens Tori thanks man anything you want to get out there before you wrap this up no just again really appreciate everyone’s support and I’m like I can’t believe it’s happening but really excited to be a bear let’s super yeah we’re happy for you so welcome to Chicago yeah yeah thanks very much guys really appreciate it awesome thanks Tor all right shout out to Tory Taylor as you just heard now you know why the first five minutes before you guys even heard the interview we were T hyping him up so much because he’s the man and uh we were happy to have him on before we continue on with the rest of our show though we want to talk about Chevy drive chicago.com because Summer road trip season is coming up quick and now is the perfect time to get a new Chevy boys Chief you got a Chevy how’s that Chevy treating you Chevy’s been great I love the Chevy yeah yeah it’s about to be road trip season I think we should go to Kentucky I I know we’ve talked about it before like that to me is like the perfect distance get there like six hours day trip so I’m sure we got some listeners headed to the derby this weekend yep Derby is this weekend and then uh I want to have a great Chicago summer so I think I’m going to go up to a lake house in Wisconsin at some point too yeah that’s perfect that perfectly encapsulates chicag sound smart guy got something into your brain and uh that road trip’s easier with Chevy the SUV lineup with the new Silverado truck it’s all the space you need to comfortably get to where you’re going uh Chevy Drive chicago.com has the latest offers on all vehicles and can help you find your local Chevy dealer every Chevy is a number one pick Chevy drivechicago.com is the official truck partner of the Chicago Bears go to Chevy dri chicago.com to learn more check out that whole flea right Dave yeah nor just get your oil change tires rotated get it all done D place to be all right moving on your Chicago Cubs um listen they’re just battling they every everywhere you pop up it’s just someone’s hurt someone’s gimpy someone’s wobbly and they just keep finding ways to win swept the Astros yep thankfully got one against the Red Sox uh tough one uh we’re recording this Wednesday during the day so we don’t know what’s going to happen in the rubber match versus the Mets um some things excited about some things to be concerned about I think the only thing to be concerned about really has been the injuries like even with what else the bullpen closer it hurts seeing what’s happened to Ala I think he’ll figure it out I don’t know man they took him out of the closer R and he still blew another game yeah you know like you would you would hope like taking him out of that situational pitching would put him in a better spot and start to feel better get into more of himself cuz he really kind of locked into his own last season yeah and he was OB he came into this year being a big part of the Bullpen um to give up that Dawn against the Mets it’s just like oh no like this is something where the slide the mud slide could really keep going totally but I do I I think they’re in such a good spot with their entire pitching staff where tion’s been awesome Sha’s been awesome Steel’s coming back soon I I think you know if if he gets into high leverage situations and you have they put Kade Horton up to Triple A already yep uh so if it needs to be who knows if it’s a power like Ben brown or something like I think they’ll be able to Cobble together a back end of the of the bullpen and be fine but yeah the AA stuff is not ideal yeah like obviously that and the injuries are just not ideal well like I bet the Cubs yesterday without looking at the lineup and then when I was watching the game like Patrick wisdom’s in there you know like it was like one of the it was kind of like last year’s everyday lineup and now it’s like through the first month of the Season you’re like wait like yeah when they’re healthy like this team is so much better than last year but they also so even with those lineups they’re still finding ways to get it done yep which that’s what you that’s what you’ll love to see like last Thursday I said it on Tuesday’s mid show I something just came over me I wanted to go see Justin Verlander play and I went to that game and that lineup was just just the whole bottom half of it’s like oh this is a problem and sure enough like they would get Verlander and jams I think he got out of a bases uh loaded no Out jam then the second inning he got out of another one and they just couldn’t figure it out boom PCA first career home run uh get like they get it done there and then obviously that Mets Wi on Monday which like they had no business winning that bet him that day too yeah yeah so just a little little gut him out victories Dave those are the best on those those are the victories in April and May in early parts of the year that it matters it matters like crazy and like right now it’s obviously it’s a month in of the season but they being on Pace for 97 wins is incredible yeah so and they survived that Gauntlet of an April yeah you know that was that was a gauntlet of an April and you know and he still more than survived yeah no they yeah they needed to be 500 at the end of April exactly so now um let’s just keep building the momentum going in May gets some healthy Steel’s coming back soon he they announced he’s having his Rehab start uh he was in here he was talking he was going to go to Arizona for like a simulated one and then they announced when he’s doing his Rehab start so he’s got to be very close so you did the whole Qui yeah you did the whole month of April without your Ace you know and then when you had two guys last year who you could depend on with Hendrick and a a struggling and it it like you having those three guys be completely gone or or ineffective you’d be like Ah that’s probably not good given the schedule that they have and the fact that they’re still they’re 18 and 12 like that’s pretty God damn good yeah and I’m excited to get back into some divisional ball yep they got two series against the Brewers two series against the Pirates and then they got another Series against the Cardinals so you might be seen Paul SK too oh is that right yeah that’s ex actually I would go see I would go see Paulin if Assuming he’s a freak yeah so yeah here’s your next Verlander yeah and shout out to talkman too he’s got yeah yeah yeah and that’s the thing like they have they have depth like they haven’t had before where like you can call up PCA and PCA he’s hitting 278 like and he’s had some good moments he’s effective so uh yeah there there’s there’s a lot to like about that team they’re a fun team like they’re you know we said about them last year where they just seem like they have a good culture it’s a bunch of guys who are you know they don’t have like that true true Superstar they just have like a lot of guys who are like uh you know eight out of 10 you know and it’s and it’s fun to watch just like defense and like timely hitting and and good pitching they’re they’re a very very likable team yeah and we and Morel is electric did we say Javier Assad yet no because cannot go show without ment he I was going to bring him up give me those fan graphs Dave give me all give me all the good stuff make make Cubs fans warm and tingly even though I know you hate to do that just a baseball purist he’ll tell the truth yeah I’ll tell the truth I mean sub2 ER the FIP and X FIP lead I mean obviously he’s not going to have a sub two ER this year no but come and case per nine not great that’s not his thing though I know but if you’re missing bats it’s a better thing no I mean I mean he’s a good pitcher how old is he 20 26 I was going to say 25 um yeah but he’s a guy who like came up kind of came out of nowhere last year you know found him yeah they sure found him yeah but like he he only came in who got hurt last year that he got slid into the rotation strowman strowman right yeah right so then he came in and and was like lights out when they were on that super hot run in the summer and then he’s just kind of picked up right where he left off cuz he was he was great last year too yeah so good good April Chicago Cubs exciting exciting exciting um if there’s nothing Dave we can mow over the white socks there uh shout out shout out our boy Danny mck uh had a bomb in and double last night he’s playing some pretty good baseball he’s striking out too much but um he’s been a nice little offensive spark aside from the strikeouts uh I have lost five straight bets against the white socks which was it’s it’s DED day wins and losses do not [ __ ] matter for this team so it’s like what do you want to talk about how Garett crochet is doing well or striking a lot of people out his era is way inflated right now but he looks good um there’s nothing to talk about the John shrien pissed off the fan base already um he had to come out and like say he wasn’t talking about the haters in the fan base he was talking about the haters in Miss that uh when Ben endi had his walkoff uhp couple nights ago he his home run call you could probably pull it out I don’t know if that’s legal or not but uh he hit the he hit the walk-off and he goes take that haters like thinking that like the you got he doesn’t know the white sock fans or the history of the last seven years like he obviously wasn’t involved with the organization he doesn’t understand what’s going on and why we’re so pissed and like hate the team so much I don’t think but he’s getting a good taste of it now even make it out of the month of April he shows up at that 108 bums tailgate and then he was all everyone was in on him and then now he’s that’s no it’s see like yeah he’ll rebound he’ll is a tough spot it’s it’s an a very hard spot the what he obviously he’s not going to just walk in and start [ __ ] all over the team he can’t do that can’t do that either yeah he can’t do that which is what if you were telling the truth he would be doing yeah um but I mean he’s he’s in a hard spot nobody’s watching the [ __ ] games though like I got them on TV2 every night they’re six 24 they’re playing a lot better yeah they’re not anymore I don’t think I think they’re the third worst team no they’re the worst team still yep okay well I stand corrected I thought they passed the Marlins for a second but Marlins are seven and 24 um Rockies are 7 and 22 the the Rockies too yeah so nevertheless it’s uh it’s a complete dumpster fire they don’t really have anybody they can trade but like here’s the thing like Eric feedi looks legitimately good right now that’s a good story it’s a sure it’s a good story but like people are like oh what can they get from why they have him for at least next year why are we talking about trading the good players [ __ ] keep the good players and then get more good players around them yeah but he he’s as good as gon I would imagine so yeah a lot to look forward to I don’t think Coulson Montgomery’s played the last few nights what do we uh we we can keep moving it on yeah I was just going to ask how long before they get relegated from TV2 to just nothing or like you’re checking box scores and that’s it another month of this or is it you’re going to have them on all summer casual you know passively yeah if I’m in if it’s if I’m in my living room they’ll they’ll be on okay they’ll have dedication that’s just not though it’s just cuz what there has to be something on yeah but you could have Seinfeld rerun on your not with volume yeah I suppose mhm yeah um sein fold reruns will be on TV1 how could you sell me that death trap can on the show with this is it officially stevenh stamco season in Chicago I hope so uh the GM for Tampa has come out and said like signing Stephen SOS is a priority I mean he’s still very good here’s the thing that I I’m starting to get angry at factions of the fan base who just they don’t understand that you can’t just be like we’re just going to play all rookies like that’s like you’re losing Tyler Johnson you’re losing I’ll pull up cap friendly right now but they’re losing a ton of Veteran guys that are going to be vacating roster spot so Tyler Johnson is gone uh McKenzie an whistle he’s not a veteran guy but he’s he’s not an NHL player he’s out Taylor radish is going to be out ree Johnson’s going to be out Colin Blackwell was pretty good last year you know fourth line he’s going to be gone uh zit is going to be gone tenori is going to be gone manga’s going to be gone these are all like guys who don’t belong really in the NHL anymore in Tyler Johnson’s case so those are eight roster spots you’re not going to have eight rookies next year so you should be trying to go and improve the team Kyle Davidson did say he wants to take a step forward he wants to progress he wouldn’t put like a timeline on the playoffs or anything like that but they’re they could if they are not even like hyper aggressive but if they go out and get Stam Co and another top six type of forward they’re like they’re not that far off from being in that mix you know with St Louis and Nashville for like those bottom you know Wild Card spots so you could push for that next year if you know because vasic Jones like they have some building blocks Taylor Hall will be back next year like they they should they should like Davidson wouldn’t say playoffs are the goal and that would be silly for him to say that should be the goal like that should be the goal and if you look at what’s going on with Toronto and some of these other teams you do kind of need to start winning before you have to pay all these guys and so I would like you know I don’t want to give Stam Coast any significant term so if Stam Coast is like hey like I’m I think Stam Coast is 33 so if Stam Coast says Hey like I want a fiveyear deal to take me to the end of my career well then that that doesn’t work for me uh and it shouldn’t work for he’s 34 so it that shouldn’t work for Davidson either but if if you’re like hey like we’ll give you and I’m not even joking with this number we’ll give you 12 million a year which the Hawks could easily afford it wouldn’t [ __ ] up their ability to resign any of the guy like Bedard like give them 12 million a year for two years and then re reevaluate I don’t think that’s crazy at all I don’t think it is either but people are like well you’re stuck in the past like No And they say that when I talk about Kan too both of those guys are still awesome if you took if you just had like Anonymous types of players that you wanted for this team just had the stats their age and you just Stripped Away the names because those guys will likely because of their age be forced to have shorter term deals they’re attainable and they would be perfect for the type of team that you need to put around Bedard and that’s what everything should be about Bard can’t be on a line 90% of the time with Kev and Nick Felino that’s not good for Bard put him with people who know who can play at his level and get more out of him and help him grow that’s what they need to be doing and there’s just guys like that don’t become available very often you got two of them this offseason what’s what’s the lowest number that would like get Bard going or get get Stam Coast going on like I really don’t know you think eight would be like eight for two years like it’s a great question I don’t know I so I think because he the thing with with Tampa that makes it tough to project with him specifically so when Taves and Kane signed their their monster monster deals at 10.5 they the highest paid players it was the expectation that Stam Co would break that the following I think it was the following off season when he was going to be a UFA for the first time that he would be at 11 he wanted to stay in Tampa there’s no there’s no state income tax which has become like a meme but it’s true he signed for 8.5 he signed for $2 million a year less than Taves and Kane were getting and I do think part of that was Bowman just was like well you guys want almost $1 million we’ll smash all the records even though we have a hard C [ __ ] idiot um but he signed to stay in Tampa he like he definitely did take a HomeTown discount to stay in Tampa Bay he might just do that again he might not care about the money I do think ah the way he was looking out of the eyes it felt like it did it did kind of it did I agree it did feel like that was the end but then when the GM comes out and says it’s a priority for us to bring him back which it should be he’s the greatest player in the history of that franchise and he’s still very good the captain all this and and like I think their run is over their run doesn’t get talked about enough they went to game seven in the Stanley or the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011 they’ve been a threat to win the Stanley Cup every single year including this year they got dusted by by Florida and Florida is better deeper bigger stronger faster whatever but like they were they still have vasileski still have Hedman still have COV still have Braden Point Brandon Hegel is a superstar like they have if they want to keep this run going even if even if their ceiling is the second round or the maybe in a in in a year like the Conference Final like stamco should be a part of that and it’s like you know so he might be like hey I want to keep playing here I want to play for one team I’ll sign for 4 million yeah I mean it’s definitely a leap of faith to think that he would have any interest in playing here at all so that’s not what I’ve been told just not from him specifically but in general yeah guys want to play in Chicago it’s known as like the best city the organization and the hockey Ops side I should say they take good care of the players and yeah but I feel like he’d have to get some type of disrespectful offer from Tampa or just like a or or if Chicago gives him a disrespectful offer on the other direction where it’s like we’re going to give you we’re going to give you six million more than your next closest offer like how do you say no like and we’re going to put you on Connor Bard’s left wing go have fun go have fun we’re we’re building something here like you like remember when you came in when you were an 18-year-old guy with Tampa and you guys are [ __ ] terrible like we’re building that here we want you to be a part of this and like you know and you’re and then maybe it’s not this year we make the playoffs but next year like we’re going to have we’re going to have a very good team can hockey structure their deals like that like what like like frontload them you I mean you can um but that’s really like for tax purposes it is just like uh whatever you’re making on the contract is averaged out right we’re like that and it does make it so like Mary and HOSA was getting like 15 a year for his deal his aav at the beginning of that deal and his aav was like five something and then at the end of at the end of his contract he was only making 1 million a year so if you’re like hey like this guy can’t play but we still have to we still owe him money you can then trade him to a poor team like you know historically Arizona was like the landing spot for that and Arizona would take that cuz then they can say hey like we’re we’re we’re above the minimum we’re above the minimum but real dollars we’re only going to pay him a million so it’s like it’s like we’ll take a draft pick we’ll take the salary it helps us get to the to the floor what a [ __ ] loophole that is yeah that’s insane yeah but and I think they’ve changed some of the rules around that but that’s how it that’s how it is it’s that’s how it’s structured so you but they they really do need to the offer that they need to give him is essentially front loaded just have a have a I would give him $24 million for two years and be like I dare you say no to that should I have a conversation with him and Kane try to see if you can get them both two years 16 and be like hey after those like let’s make a handshake deal but then you’ll take discount I don’t even think Kane care cares about the money I think he just wants to be back here yeah and um I mean it’s that’s never that one’s never going to happen I don’t know about never I don’t know about never really um we’ll see I I I would say it’s a less than 5% chance but I think I think if they came to like hey like we’ll give you a two-year deal 5 million a year you’ll will be Top Line with Bedard power play you’ll go down you’ll be the captain which he should have been this past year be the captain you’ll retire as the all-time leader hawk in everything and because he he was a point per game player for Detroit recover like he’ll be better next year than he was this year coming back off that hip injury which no hockey player has ever come back come back from before and he came back and he was awesome again and he looked like he looked like the cane from like three four years ago as opposed to the one last year where he was really DED up really bad like I I was talking to somebody who was golfing with him in the summer before before last season and like every swing he was like wincing and kind of limping and they’re like you all right he’s like yeah it’s just like this hip is like a [ __ ] problem so it was like a problem on the golf course and then he’ go out and get a point per game yeah just basically with just his brain now his body’s working again and it’s not like he like Detroit was a fine team it’s not like they were great yeah you put him with like that’s the thing like his his game would compliment Bedard so well like they because they think it you can see the way that Bard thinks and it reminds me of the way that Kane thinks out there the way he finds space and slows it up spe like changes Pace they’d be perfect together just [ __ ] do it just do it well I’ll be a soldier for you let me know what I got to do I’ll fall in line Stam Coast to Chicago I’m on board I’m going to Tampa next month so if I need to go recruit him make a uh put a sign outside the door you know what custom Jersey I’m there hit up Tori all the mates bring them down to Tampa little recruiting come on Steven yeah I just I just want and like I just want the team to be competitive next year I can’t watch an AHL team again like that was that was even with Bedard it was they were hard to watch take a step forward and this is how this is a way to do it yeah all right then we got to wrap up this show I got something that just popped into my head I really hope Tory Taylor smokes cigarettes and he’s like the the kicker and the the replacement that’d be sick yeah I want him to be I know he’s English or whatever in that movie but yeah I mean same thing I’ll member of the crown at one point yeah um all right then thank you everybody for listening thank you for watching that’s it thank you one more time to Tory Taylor uh we’ll be back next week see you then [Music]