Great Dane Nation

On the twentieth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Dermontti Dawson (13:16 – 42:57). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) to recap the weekend that was in the football world. Morten shares his thoughts surrounding the end of Drew Brees’ career, as it looks like he’s headed to the broadcast booth for next season (01:38). Who is the next “Drew Brees” for Sean Payton and the Saints (04:01)? Plus, Morten weighs in on Justin Tucker’s missed field goals in the Ravens’ loss in Buffalo (09:43).

We then move to our interview with Dermontti, where he discusses a wide array of topics: how he was able to play in so many consecutive games as an offensive lineman in the NFL (14:19); how his faith helped him throughout his career (15:56); revolutionizing the center position by becoming the league’s first pulling center (17:13); why so many teams have tried to find centers that can also pull with success (20:36); what he learned from Hall of Fame center Mike Webster (22:19); going from the young guy to the leader, and how the league is continuing to shift towards more athletic centers (25:10); how someone can be nicknamed “Dirt” because he’s famous for grinding people into the ground, but also be nicknamed “Ned Flanders” because of how overly polite he is (26:46); the biggest differences between playing for Chuck Noll and Bill Cowher (28:34); why Bill Cowher isn’t taking another coaching job any time soon (30:40); why he would’ve loved playing for Mike Tomlin (31:51); his relationship with Maurkice Pouncey, and how he has continued to carry on the amazing legacy of great centers in the black and gold (32:34); why Maurkice Pouncey and Cam Heyward are his favorite current Steelers (33:33); his thoughts on the state of the Kentucky football program (34:05); why Tony Dungy is someone he looks up to (36:18); a Dick LeBeau story you would never expect (37:37); working with Marvin Lewis as a young assistant in Pittsburgh, then as a head coach in Cincinnati (38:18); destroying Mike Vrabel in golf during his rookie season (38:40); and emulating Hall of Fame center Dwight Stephenson (41:21).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (44:23 – 51:49). Which team that lost in the divisional round do the guys have the least amount of confidence in in returning to the postseason in 2021 (45:05)? Plus, the guys give a comprehensive breakdown of NFL Championship Weekend (46:55).

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about Dermontti Dawson, and how a mild-mannered man changed the center position forever (51:49).

On the nineteenth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Green Bay Packers legend James Lofton (09:01 – 54:37). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) to recap the weekend that was in the football world. The guys talk about how much they enjoyed the kid-friendly broadcast of the Saints-Bears game on Nickelodeon, and why they think the NFL should do more of this moving forward (01:07). Plus, Morten and FreezePops react to Nick Saban winning his seventh national title, as #1 Alabama dominated #3 Ohio State to win the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night (04:36).

We then move to our interview with James, where he discusses a wide array of topics: being one of the few players in the history of the league to score points in three different decades (10:14); his accomplishments in track and field, and how those skills helped make him one of the great wideouts in the history of the game (11:54); the amazing impact Bill Walsh had on him, both as a player at Stanford and in his post-playing career (18:54); playing under Bart Starr, and why his win-loss record as head coach was not as important as the life lessons he taught his team (24:13); how he ended up playing for those amazing Bills teams in the early 1990s, and why he was able to have such an impact for them in the locker room (31:05); his time with the Los Angeles Raiders, and an amazing story about Bo Jackson’s first practice as a pro that had Marcus Allen ready to switch positions (42:17); why he knew Tim Brown was going to be a special talent in the NFL before his rookie season even started (44:28); the laid back nature of Tom Flores (45:31); how Al Davis would recruit players to play for the Raiders while they were in uniform for other teams (46:11); why he would’ve made the same decision Stanford did, as they opted out of a bowl game for the 2020 season (48:04); why he loves the job David Shaw has done with the Stanford program (49:13); and why you can make a legitimate case for Davante Adams to be the best wide receiver in the NFL (49:58).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Brian Edwards for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (55:23 – 01:04:15). FreezePops and Brian breakdown every game in the NFL Divisional Round slate: Do the Rams have what it takes to pull off another upset, as they head to Green Bay to take on the Packers (56:28)? Will the Bills win their second consecutive home playoff game this weekend as they host the defending NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson (57:52)? Can the Browns shock the world again as they head to Kansas City to take on the defending Super Bowl champions (59:15)? Which all-time great quarterback is advancing to the NFC Championship, Brees or Brady (01:01:12)?

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about James Lofton, and why now – more than ever – the world needs more people like him and his Hall of Fame brothers (01:04:15).

On the eighteenth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and broadcasting legend Jim Nantz of CBS Sports (18:15 – 36:41). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) to recap the biggest storyline coming out of week 17 – the Philadelphia Eagles blatantly tanking in the second half of their game against Washington (01:14). Plus, Morten and FreezePops each make their predictions for Wild Card Weekend (07:34).

We then move to our interview with Jim, where he discusses a wide array of topics: how he coined his iconic phrase “hello, friends” (19:36); what it was like to call The Masters in the middle of football season as we continue to battle this pandemic (22:33); playing D-1 golf at the University of Houston, and being roommates with future Masters champion Fred Couples (24:47); which broadcasters he idolized growing up (28:07); working with Tony Romo, and when he knew that Romo was going to be a great color commentator (29:31); why he would split his MVP vote between Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes (32:23); why he believes the Chiefs will repeat as Super Bowl champions this season (34:08); and how he called games of Morten’s that Morten probably wasn’t even aware of at the time (35:57).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Paul Bovi for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (37:50 – 48:55). With the College Football Playoff National Championship taking place on Monday, Paul and FreezePops preview #1 Alabama taking on #3 Ohio State (38:35). Then we head to our quick picks for Wild Card Weekend: Can Washington pull off the upset as they host Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (40:47)? Will Lamar Jackson get his first postseason victory this weekend in Tennessee (43:18)? With the Browns ravished by injuries and COVID-19, do they even have a chance against the Steelers (45:55)?

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about Jim Nantz, and what makes him one of the greatest broadcasters who has ever lived (48:55).

On the seventeenth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Philadelphia Eagles legend Ron Jaworski (06:02 – 40:10). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), who has one of the worst fantasy football punishments on the horizon – having to sit at a 24/7 diner for 24 straight hours (02:11). Morten has some helpful tips on how Tom is to survive this punishment.

We then move to our interview with Jaws, where he discusses a wide array of topics: meeting Pope John Paul II (07:34); what led him to Youngstown State, and why that was so important to him becoming a successful NFL quarterback (08:15); his time with the Rams, and why it never really panned out for him as a player in LA (10:21); why Philadelphia as a city was such a great culture fit for Jaws (12:28); how Dick Vermeil was able to change the culture of losing in Philadelphia (14:22); why it was so important to have a guy like Vince Papale in the Eagles’ locker room (16:54); thoughts on his book, “The Games That Changed The Game” (19:40); why he knew his career in Philly was going to come an end quickly when Buddy Ryan took over (23:04); why we’re getting close to a break-up between Carson Wentz and the Eagles (23:41); his read on the Doug Pederson era since winning Super Bowl LII, and why coaches needed to be graded on a scale during the pandemic (24:18); why he doesn’t think Taysom Hill is the future starting QB of the Saints (25:57); why he is so impressed with Tua Tagovailoa (26:26); why we’re looking at an all-time great offense in Kansas City (27:24); what he learned playing under Marty Schottenheimer at the end of his career (29:56); why he was shocked at the coaching career of Bill Cowher (31:08); why he fell in love with a young Tom Coughlin (32:09); what Bruce Arians brought to the table as a young assistant under Marty Schottenheimer (33:13); what he learned from Tony Dungy while he was defensive coordinator for the Chiefs (33:49); Jaws’ top three go-to “thoughts” for leaders today (35:16); and why giving back to his communities is so important (38:06).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (41:09 – 50:17). With the College Football Playoff taking place on New Year’s Day, Kevin and FreezePops take a look at both games, as #1 Alabama takes on #4 Notre Dame, and #2 Clemson takes on #3 Ohio State (42:00). Then we head to our quick picks for week 17 of the NFL season: Can the Colts cover at -14 against a Jaguars team with nothing to lose? With the playoffs on the line, can the Browns bounce back after that embarrassing loss to the Jets? Which NFC West team gets in, Arizona or Los Angeles? (44:19)

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about the excellence of Ron Jaworski, both on and off the football field (50:17).

On December 21, 2020, we lost one of the true legends of the game, as Kevin Greene passed away at the age of 58.

Morten remembers his dear friend, as we spend this episode listening to parts of his recent conversation with the Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker. Kevin sat down for an interview with "Great Dane Nation" on December 10th, only 11 days before his unexpected passing.

Rest in peace, Kevin.

On the fifteenth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by two-time Super Bowl Champion and Chicago Bears legend Jim McMahon (07:57 – 46:27). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) to talk about the weekend that was in the NFL. With all sorts of rumors surrounding Lamar Jackson’s exit-and-return from Monday Night Football this week, Morten takes this opportunity to tell us all about the time he pooped his pants during a playoff game at Lambeau Field. Yes, you read that correctly (01:35).

We then move to our interview with Jim, where he discusses a wide array of topics: how he’s handled the pandemic thus far (09:09); why he plays golf barefoot, and how he did so at Augusta National (09:44); Jim and Morten partying in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl (10:57); the moment he knew he started having problems from football related injuries, and the remedy he’s been using the last few years to alleviate his crippling headaches (12:07); why his relationship with Mike Ditka was so contentious (16:55); moving to Utah, attending BYU, and why he feels his BYU offense was the best he ever played in on any level (18:15); the best thing Ditka did when he arrived as head coach in Chicago (21:43); his favorite memories of playing with Walter Payton (22:42); his special relationship with the late Buddy Ryan, and why that landed him with a talented Philadelphia Eagles team (25:52); why he feels the Bears’ lack of success at the QB position is more about the offensive system than it is the talent of the players (29:02); life as a journeyman quarterback in the second half of his career (29:51); his terrible experience playing for Bill Belichick in Cleveland, and how it led him to become Brett Favre’s backup in Green Bay (31:02); the controversy with Adidas headbands (35:20); the eye injury that made him famous for his sunglasses (39:36); and how he got involved with supporting the military (43:00).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Mark Franco for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (47:47 – 55:17). FreezePops and Mark react to an all-time bad beat from Monday night, as the Baltimore Ravens completed one of the most unlikely backdoor covers of the past decade (49:03). Plus, thoughts on Thursday Night Football (50:17), a rematch between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins (51:58), and the game of the week between the Kansas City Chiefs and the New Orleans Saints (53:22).

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about Jim McMahon, and why Morten admires his unapologetic disposition (55:17).

On the fourteenth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and broadcasting legend Chris Berman of ESPN (05:18 – 47:41). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) to talk about the weekend that was in the NFL. Morten was incredibly impressed by a veteran-savvy move on Monday afternoon involving a k-ball, Alex Smith, and a maintenance timeout – it all makes sense after Morten breaks it down! (01:19)

We then move to our interview with Chris, where he discusses a wide array of topics: his background in broadcasting, and what led him to being one of the first on-air talents at ESPN (07:19); why he didn’t audition, but rather told the ESPN executives to just turn on the local sports broadcast that weekend (11:31); the bare-bones nature of the ESPN studios in its infancy (13:26); how he got the nickname “Boomer” (17:47); how Boomer popularizing Morten’s nickname “The Great Dane” changed his status around the league (19:56); one of Boomer’s favorite Morten-stories from his playing days (20:58); how Morten found out he had been drafted by the New Orleans Saints by watching Chris Berman on ESPN’s coverage of the NFL Draft (22:38); why he had such good chemistry with his longtime TV-partner Tom Jackson, and why Jackson was selected as Boomer’s righthand-man all those years ago (24:29); the similarities between amazing musicians and professional athletes, and how music connects different types of people in a way that sports can’t (29:48); some of the famous people Boomer has been able to rub elbows with as a result of his status as a Hall of Fame broadcaster (32:29); the amazing start Patrick Mahomes has gotten off to in his NFL career (34:41); why the league is being dominated by veteran quarterbacks (37:43); why he thinks Tom Brady and Bill Belichick split up (39:32); and how honored he is to be a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (42:40).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (49:42 – 55:24). The guys take a look at the Cardinals-Giants match-up, and how these two teams heading in opposite directions might make you think twice about chalk (51:02). Plus, a breakdown of Dalvin Cook and the Minnesota Vikings heading to Tampa Bay to take on Tom Brady and the Buccaneers (52:14), and the defending Super Bowl champions heading back to the stadium where they won their Lombardi Trophy in February as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Miami Dolphins (53:01).

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about Chris Berman, and why he’s a pioneer in every sense of the word (55:24).

On the thirteenth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin (06:56 – 54:32). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), who got engaged over the Thanksgiving holiday! FreezePops fills Morten in on how it all went down (01:28).

We then move to our interview with Michael, where he discusses a wide array of topics: being diagnosed with COVID-19 after a trip to Mexico, and dealing with the excruciating headaches (08:12); the dangers of not having a routine as a “one hundred percent-er” (12:02); growing up as the 15th of 17 children in Ft. Lauderdale, FL (13:24); why he sometimes likes to eat his cereal with water instead of milk (17:42); being recruited by Howard Schnellenberger to play college football at Miami during his one season of high school football for St. Thomas Aquinas (18:57); playing for Jimmy Johnson at Miami, and how Michael almost got kicked off the team on his first day as a Hurricane (22:46); the key to Miami becoming a major power throughout the 1980s and beyond (26:25); why Michael Irvin “cringes” when thinking about the championships he should have won at both the college and pro levels (29:09); what Miami being “back” actually means, and if he feels like they’re there yet (30:15); thoughts on D'Eriq King, and why he’s so happy to see Miami with a great quarterback again (31:21); the importance of hiring Ed Reed as Chief of Staff for the Miami program, and why Ed is better suited for the job than Alonzo Highsmith would have been (32:30); having the honor to play one season under Tom Landry (34:04); why he refused to be drafted by the Green Bay Packers (35:19); the heads-up he received from then-Miami coach Jimmy Johnson that made him feel good about being drafted by Dallas (36:19); the culture change that needed to happen in Dallas for the Cowboys to become the dynasty of the 1990s (37:14); his first impressions of both Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith (39:50); why one night in Dallas was all it took to convince Deion Sanders to sign with the Cowboys (43:48); the origin of the nickname “Playmaker” (46:53); why he doesn’t think Dak Prescott’s injury will hurt him in the wallet as much as you think (47:42); his thoughts on CeeDee Lamb, and the incredible lineage of the number 88 with the Cowboys organization (49:33); why Jason Garrett had to go, and why Mike McCarthy has struggled so much in his first year with Dallas (51:23); and his relationship with Jerry Jones, and why it was so important to Michael to have Jerry be his presenter at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony (52:33).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Brian Edwards for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (55:27 – 01:02:43). The guys take a look at the Browns-Titans match-up set for Sunday, as two of the best running games in the NFL face-off (56:44). They also preview the struggling Eagles heading to Lambeau Field to take on the surging Packers (58:53), and the Las Vegas Raiders heading to East Rutherford to take on the 0-11 New York Jets (01:00:36).

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about what makes Michael Irvin the “Playmaker” (01:02:43).

On the twelfth episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by three-time Super Bowl Champion and FOX Sports game analyst Mark Schlereth (05:14 – 37:24). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), where the guys talk all things Thanksgiving. Does Denmark address the Thanksgiving holiday in anyway (02:44)? Plus, Morten talks about why he hated playing on Thanksgiving while with the Atlanta Falcons (03:58).

We then move to our interview with Mark, where he discusses a wide array of topics: how a kid from Alaska ended up having a 12-year, Super Bowl-winning career (06:31); how he ended up playing college football at the University of Idaho under Dennis Erickson (08:30); the challenge of calling a football game vs. breaking down film for a studio show (10:47); how playing at Idaho uniquely prepared him to join the second wave of “The Hogs” in Washington (14:09); the mentorship he received from “The Hogs” during his first six years in the league (15:25); when Russ Grimm taught him the concept of being an expert at holding, and how he carried that skill late into his career (15:42); how less practices in today’s NFL has led to a lack of nuance in the game (18:00); how “The Hogs” were the unquestioned leaders in the locker room in Washington (20:42); why the biggest reason Washington Football Team hasn’t been successful in many years is ownership’s influence on the locker room and coaching decisions (21:18); his relationship with Mike Shanahan, and how he’s helping Mark get better as a broadcaster (22:31); the difficulty of preparing for Patrick Mahomes (23:53); why the rookie wage scale has changed the way quarterbacks are drafted and developed in the NFL (26:27); explaining the inconsistent play of Drew Lock in his second season (28:05); how he became a soap opera star while working at ESPN (33:42); the origin of his nickname, “Stink” (35:39); and his foray into the food industry, “Stinkin’ Good Green Chile” (36:23).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (40:35 – 48:07). It’s all Thanksgiving this week, as Tom asks Kevin what he is most thankful for from the 2020 NFL season from a gambling perspective – his answer may surprise you (41:46). Plus, we preview both games from the Thanksgiving slate, as the Texans head to Detroit (44:06), and Washington heads to Dallas (45:52).

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about his love and appreciation for Thanksgiving (48:07).

On the eleventh episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Los Angeles Rams legend Jack Youngblood (09:51 – 40:29). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), who has many questions about the “Sexy Morten” photo that surfaced late last week. Thankfully, Morten has all the answers (01:40). Plus, the guys talk about Kyler Murray’s incredible Hail Mary touchdown throw to DeAndre Hopkins from Sunday, as Morten recalls the one time he lost on a Hail Mary in his 25-year NFL career (06:33).

We then move to our interview with Jack, where he discusses a wide array of topics: how he ended up as a Florida Gator (11:10); why he cried when the coaches at Florida switched him to defensive end (13:00); his brief history as a kicker (13:47); being one of the guinea pigs for Gatorade while playing college ball, and why it’s so much different today than it was back then (14:51); how special it is to be considered amongst the best players in the history of the Florida program (17:39); why he loves what Dan Mullen is doing for the Gators (18:30); what he learned as a young player in the NFL playing alongside guys like Deacon Jones and Merlin Olsen (21:43); the famous story behind playing an entire playoff run with a broken leg (24:11); reflecting on his incredible legacy with the Los Angeles Rams (29:18); his excitement when the Rams returned to Los Angeles, and why the St. Louis Rams always felt like a completely different franchise (30:15); why Aaron Donald can play on his team any day (32:40); whether or not the Rams can win a Super Bowl with Jared Goff at the helm (32:58); the funny reason why Jack would feel weird playing for Sean McVay (33:43); how he would stop guys like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson (34:35); why Archie Manning asked Jack “you don’t like me?” in the middle of a game (36:04); and why being a part of a team is what he misses most about his playing days (37:25).

Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (43:01 – 52:24). With all the buzz around the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals this season, have we been sleeping on the Los Angeles Rams in the NFC West (44:36)? Speaking of the Seahawks and Cardinals, Tom and Kevin preview this star-studded Thursday Night Football match-up (46:25). Plus, the guys take a look at the “Morten Andersen Bowl” between the Saints and Falcons (47:54), and preview one of the games of the week between the Packers and Colts (50:02).

Finally, we close things out with Morten’s “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, he talks about his friend Jack Youngblood, and how his last name alone says everything we need to know about the Rams legend (52:24).