Sports Krunch w/DKROM

1. While I still firmly believe Trevor Lawrence will be the man under center on September 12, is it just absolutely bonkers for Urban Meyer to give Gardner Minshew any kind of chance to start?

2. This year, the NFL plans to crack down on taunting, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported a few weeks ago. Two taunting fouls per game will now result in an automatic ejection, plus fines and even suspensions. Yet in Week 1 of preseason action, officials were flagging even the most innocent of celebrations as taunting. Do you think this is just one of those things where the refs penalize a lot of stuff in preseason, then let a lot of it fly when the games count, or are you very worried that a bad taunting call will end up costing several teams key wins in 2021?

3. With the Delta variant wave expected to get worse during the fall and winter, can you see many other teams following the Raiders lead?

4. Main Takeaways from Week 1 of Preseason

   -David: Several lesser known rookie edge-rushers show they are ready to contribute (Gregory Rousseau, Joe Tryon, and Joseph Ossai stood out)

   -Hal: QB situations being ironed out

5. Truth or Exaggeration

-The 49ers MUST hand the reins over to Trey Lance, by no later than Week 4, if not sooner

-Mac Jones will sit behind Cam Newton in New England for half of the season or longer before getting his chance to start

-Even though defensive backs don’t win NFL defensive rookie of the year honors that often, the Broncos Patrick Surtain II has an excellent chance to buck that trend

-The most productive WR in Jacksonville this season will not be D.J. Chark. It will not be Laviska Shenault. It will be Marvin Jones

-Rondale Moore will be the Cardinals most dangerous skill position weapon not named DeAndre Hopkins

-Given the Chiefs remarkably improved offensive line, Patrick Mahomes will have the best season of his young, illustrious career in 2021

6. Of all the teams that finished in last place in 2020, which is most likely to win their division in 2021?

7. Which playoff team from 2020 will see the biggest drop-off?  

8. Who will be the NFL’s two breakout superstars in 2021, one on offense, the other on defense?

-David: CeeDee Lamb (offense), Brian Burns (defense)

-Hal: Brandon Aiyuk (offense), Chase Young (defense)

9. What is the main thing you’re looking for in Week 2 of the preseason?

        David: Zach Wilson, can you build on your efficient first outing by leading multiple TD drives this week?

        Hal: Health, health, health

1. Do you know or know of Kelly Kleine, and if so, what kind of football mind did the Broncos get with her and what makes her so good at what she does?

2. Who do you have in mind for the first ever all-woman NFL broadcast?

3. In recent months, your business, Athlete Relations has grown even more. In addition to signing more NFL clients, in what other ways has Athlete Relations expanded since we last had you on?

4. During your time in the sports industry, have you ever felt mistreated solely because you’re a woman? What can me and my fellow men do to create THE best possible workplace environment for women in sports, and in any other field?

5. Do you still think it would be the worst thing for the Bears to play Dalton for just four games and then give the reins to Justin Fields shortly thereafter?

6. How much will what Simone Biles did shift the paradigm in how women in sports (and women in general) are perceived and does the sick reaction of many to her decision not to participate in that event show you that too many of my fellow men are unfortunately desperate to not let our sisters take more control of the wheel?

7. 2021 NFL Predictions

-2021 NFL MVP: Josh Allen

-2021 NFL Offensive POY: Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry

-2021 NFL Defensive POY: Chase Young

-2021 NFL Offensive ROY: Trevor Lawrence, Trey Lance

-2021 NFL Defensive ROY: Wide open

-2021 NFL Comeback POY: Nick Bosa, Dak Prescott

-2021 NFL Coach of the Year: Kyle Shanahan, Brandon Staley

-Super Bowl LVI Matchup and Winner: 49ers, Chiefs over Packers

1.  As you know, this past year-and-a-half or so has been nothing short of paradigm shifting in terms of women in sports. It seems that every month, a new glass ceiling in the sports industry is smashed to pieces. In recent months, we’ve seen the highest-ranked female scouting executives in NFL history (Kelly Kleine of the Denver Broncos and Catherine Raiche of the Philadelphia Eagles) and two women (Becky Hammon and Teresa Weatherspoon) receive serious consideration for NBA head coaching jobs. Yet Major League Baseball, where you work, saw arguably the two biggest glass ceilings get shattered this year. First, we witnessed Kim Ng become the first woman GM in league history, and just a few weeks ago, we saw the first-ever all-female broadcast of a Major League Baseball game with Alanna Rizzo, Sarah Langs, Lauren Gardner, Heidi Watney and Melanie Newman. As a woman who assists with the radio broadcasts of an MLB franchise, how much did it mean to you to see such a barrier-breaking milestone in terms of women in sports media, and sports in general? Have you met any of the five aforementioned women who took part in that historic broadcast?

2. During your career, have you ever felt mistreated solely because you’re a woman? What can me and my fellow men do to help ensure the safest workplace environment possible for women, whether in sports, or in any other field?

3. What are some of the responsibilities of your current job? Do you aspire to get to a higher level in broadcasting, whether as a studio anchor, field reporter, etc.?

4. You currently reside in Tampa, where the Lightning just won back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, the Bucs are coming off an incredible win in Super Bowl LV, and are in the best position possible to run it back, and the Rays are coming off a World Series appearance. Given all this winning, many are referring to Tampa as “CHAMPA BAY.” How does it feel to be living in Tampa amidst all this championship-level play from its three major sports teams? 

5. What were your favorite pro sports teams growing up?

6. What are some of your favorite sports to watch other than baseball?

7. When you look at the standings alone in both the American and National League, it seems like a wide open race for the 2021 World Series Championship. I just want to get some predictions from you as to how the rest of this MLB season will unfold

-Best NL record: Los Angeles Dodgers

-Best AL record: Tampa Bay Rays

-2021 League MVP: Ohtani

-2021 Cy Young Award Winner: Liam Hendricks

-2021 AL Champion: Rays (if not, White Sox)

-2021 NL Champion: Dodgers

-2021 World Series winner:

-MVP of 2021 World Series: Rays over Dodgers

1. If both Carson Wentz and Quenton Nelson take until late October to recover, are the Colts looking at a potential top-10, if not top-five pick in the 2022 NFL Draft? 

2. Chris Mortensen reported that the Colts are not going to pursue a trade for a veteran QB like Nick Foles, Gardner Minshew, or Marcus Mariota at this time, but implied the team can change its mind if Jacob Eason struggles badly in preseason. Should that happen, which of those three aforementioned quarterbacks would YOU trade for if you were Chris Ballard, and why?

3. Do you think the Niners will be forced to abandon their original plan and start Trey Lance sooner than many expect?

4. As long as the Bears get 10 or more starts from Justin Fields this year, would it be acceptable to let him wait his turn for just a few weeks given the uncertainties on the offensive line?

5. How bullish are you on this new Chiefs offensive line and if they’re as good as PFF thinks they’re going to be, is defending Patrick Mahomes going to be scarier than ever before?

6. Last week, nearly the entire Vikings QB room, including Kirk Cousins, was forced to isolate when rookie Kellen Mond tested positive for COVID-19, because they were not vaccinated. If this was Week 1, the Vikings would have been in BIG BIG trouble. Do you get the feeling that a similar situation that occurs in the regular season will cost a team a spot in the playoffs?

7. Do you like how the Broncos are apparently going to use Pat Surtain?

8. The Browns were outscored by 11 points last year and were an astonishing 7-2 in games decided by seven points or less, and that’s almost certainly going to regress to the mean in 2021. Because of those statistics, should the Ravens be considered AFC North favorites? 

9. Two star defensive players (Cardinals pass rushing OLB Chandler Jones and Dolphins CB Xavien Howard) have made it clear they want to be traded. If either the Cardinals, Dolphins (or both) are forced to cave in at some point before the trade deadline, what would be the best possible destination for Jones and for Howard?

10. Tonight, football returns with the Hall of Fame Game between the Cowboys and Steelers. If there are any players on either team to keep an eye on tonight, who are they and why? 

1. DRAFT STRATEGIES

-The two most common ways to begin a fantasy football draft (at least the ones I’ve come across) are to either draft two running backs in the first two rounds, or to draft one running back and one wide receiver in the first two rounds. Which of the two approaches do you prefer and why?

-When you’re drafting, how much stock do you put into early season schedules (Weeks 1-4) and [fantasy] playoff schedules?

2. Speaking of fantasy playoff schedules, with the NFL changing to the 17 game/18 week regular season format this year, when would you recommend fantasy league commissioners schedule their playoffs (same standard as always with weeks 14-16, or do you move it to weeks 15-17)?

3. Running Backs

-Why is Christian McCaffrey your #1 fantasy player right now?

-Why is Jonathan Taylor worth an investment as early as the fifth overall pick in fantasy drafts?

4. Wide Receivers

                -Why do you think 2021 will be Terry McLaurin's breakout season from a fantasy perspective?

                -WR is always one of the deeper positions in fantasy football. Would you be content if the first receiver you drafted was a guy like Adam Thielen, CeeDee Lamb or D.J. Moore?

5. Tight Ends

               -Would you fault anybody for taking Kyle Pitts with both Mark Andrews and T.J. Hockenson still on the board?

6. Quarterbacks

               -Unlike in real football, great QB play in fantasy football is quite plentiful. That’s why they say every year to wait as long as you can to draft a QB. How long would you personally wait on a QB in 2021?

              -Currently, you have Kyler Murray and Lamar Jackson ahead of Dak Prescott, Justin Herbert, and Russell Wilson, on your board. Why are you more bullish on the former two than you are on the latter three at the moment?

7. Name some players to avoid at each skill position

        -QB: Joe Burrow, Aaron Rodgers

        -RB: Josh Jacobs, Darrell Henderson

        -WR: Mike Evans, Kenny Golladay

        -TE: Dallas Goedert, Noah Fant, Robert Tonyan

8. Fantasy drafts are usually won in the latter half (rounds 8-16). Name some players at each skill position with the potential to become HUGE steals who will likely be available in that range

       -QB: Tua Tagovailoa,

       -RB: A.J. Dillon, Gio Bernard

      -WR: Parris Campbell, Elijah Moore

       -TE: Adam Trautman, Jonnu Smith

1. Hypothetically speaking, if there’s a tie in the competition between Justin Fields and Andy Dalton at the end of preseason play, and if there’s a tie between Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo at the end of preseason play, should the Bears and 49ers unquestionably start Justin Fields and Trey Lance, respectively, in Week 1?

2. What should we expect from Zach Wilson and this young Jets offense this season, and do you think Joe Douglas has put his rookie QB in the best possible position to succeed?

3. Does the approach Urban Meyer's taking with Travis Etienne concern you about how he will utilize Trevor Lawrence? 

4. You said the transition from the Alabama offense to Josh McDaniels’ offense isn’t as seamless as many think. Why is that so and when is the earliest we see Mac Jones this season?

5. How much should we temper expectations for this Rams offense as a result of the brutal injury to Cam Akers and what schematic adjustments, if any, should we expect?

6. With the presence of new Seahawks OC Shane Waldron, who is known for his creativity and has been praised by Russell Wilson as “an amazing mind” and “super collaborative”, is this the season we finally see the Seahawks take the shackles completely off Russell Wilson?

7. If this new Chiefs OL is as improved as advertised, could this be the best season of Patrick Mahomes’ career to date?

8. Which holes in his game must Josh Allen address the most this season?

9. Does Julio Jones’ addition make the Titans the offense that can best match the Chiefs pound for pound?

10. Do you think the marriage between Sam Darnold, those weapons the Panthers have and the Joe Brady offense give Darnold a good enough chance to beat the odds?

11. Is it the right thing for the Broncos to do everything possible to make sure Drew Lock wins the job fair and square? 

12. Would you be either surprised or shocked if the Broncos ended up as a top-10 defense this season, if not top-five?

13. How much improved is the Bengals offensive line compared to last season and how, if at all, is Joe Burrow better equipped to deal with below average OL play?

14. Should the Dolphins do whatever it takes to get Deshaun Watson, or should they just play out the season with Tua Tagovailoa under center and see what he has?

15. Would you expect somewhat of a rough start to the season for Justin Herbert given he has to learn his second offensive system in as many years?

1. Hypothetically speaking, should the QB competition between Justin Fields and Andy Dalton, end in a tie, with both training camp and preseason play accounted for, should the tie go to Fields or Dalton? If Dalton starts Week 1, when is the earliest you think we see Justin Fields this season?

2. What is your most educated guess as to Allen Robinson’s future as a Bear at this point in time? How much hotter should Ryan Pace’s seat be if the Bears let Allen Robinson walk for nothing?

3. The two young pass-catchers I personally have my eye on are TE Cole Kmet and WR Darnell Mooney. Which one of those two sophomores (so to speak) has the bigger breakout season, and how much does the answer to that question depend on who starts more games at QB?

4. If Roquan Smith does what he did in 2020 this season, do the Bears give him a similar mega-deal before Week 1 of the 2022 season?

5. Since their out-of-this-world 2018 season, the Bears defense has still been solid, but nowhere near the dominance they showed that year. This season, the Bears are returning to the basic Vic Fangio system under new defensive coordinator Sean Desai. If you take that, plus Khalil Mack at full strength (he wasn’t 100% last season), a full season from Akiem Hicks, and a sophomore breakout campaign from Jaylon Johnson, will this 2021 Bears defense be the best the franchise has had since 2018?

6. Even with Tarik Cohen back from injury and Super Bowl LIV hero Damien Williams now in the stable, do you see David Montgomery having an even better season in 2021, and is he worth taking in the fourth or fifth round in fantasy football re-draft leagues?

7. What position battles (other than QB) will you be keeping an eye on as the Bears begin training camp next week?

8. WAY TOO EARLY Predictions

-Bears 2021 MVP: Khalil Mack

-Bears 2021 Breakout Player: Darnell Mooney 

-Bears 2021 Bounce-back Player: Akiem Hicks

-Bears final 2021 regular season record, place in division, playoff seed: 8-9, 2nd place, no playoffs

1. Based on the intel you have, why did the Panthers decide to take Jaycee Horn over Justin Fields, and why do they think Sam Darnold can be the long-term answer for them at QB?

2. Outside of Jaycee Horn, which Panthers rookie do you see making the biggest impact this season?  

3. Last season, Christian McCaffrey, the focal point of the Panthers offense, only played three games due to various injuries. With the NFL moving to the new 17-game regular season format this season, how much do the Panthers plan to lighten CMC’s workload, if at all? Is he still worth the first overall pick in fantasy drafts? 

4. The Panthers have one of the NFL’s rising stars at WR in D.J. Moore. Despite playing with five different QB’s over the past two seasons, he’s totaled 1200+ receiving yards each year. If he plays as good or better in 2021, can you see the Panthers extending him some time before the 2022 season?

5. Do you think Brian Burns solidifies himself as a top-10 pass rushing DE this season, if not top-five?

6. Listener question: Is Ha-Ha Clinton Dix still an option at safety or is there another FA target the team has its eye on, like bringing back Tre Boston?

7. What position battles will you be keeping an eye on as soon as the Panthers begin training camp?

8. WAY TOO EARLY Predictions

-Panthers 2021 MVP: Brian Burns/D.J. Moore

-Panthers 2021 Breakout Player: Donte’ Jackson 

-Panthers 2021 Bounce-back Player: Yetur Gross-Matos

-Panthers final 2021 regular season record, place in division, playoff seed: 10-7 

9. Aside from boycotting the NFL, what can we do to hold the NFL accountable for not caring whatsoever about the physical and emotional safety of its female employees? 

10. During your experience working in the sports industry thus far, were there times you ever felt mistreated because you are a woman? What can us men do to be the best possible allies for you and all of our sisters in this field, or in any field?

1. What will be the next major barrier to fall for women in pro sports? Will it be the first woman NBA head coach, first woman NFL GM, first woman NFL offensive or defensive coordinator, or something else?

2. You currently work for The Draft Network, which I have said many times is THE best year-round NFL Draft resource there is. We have interviewed many of your colleagues, including your partner in crime (the good kind) Paige Dimakos earlier this year. What exactly do you do for TDN, and are there any exciting developments going on there this season?

3. Last week, the Washington Football Team was fined $10 million due to the findings of an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment throughout the club. That said, the attorney who led the investigation, Beth Wilkinson hasn’t released a single page of her report and the aforementioned penalty can only be summarized as a slap on the wrist. Aside from boycotting the NFL, what can we do to hold the NFL accountable for not caring whatsoever about the physical and emotional safety of its female employees? 

4. During your experience working in the sports industry thus far, were there times you ever felt mistreated because you are a woman? What can us men do to be the best possible allies for you and all of our sisters in this field, or in any field?

5. We are just two years removed from the Raptors winning the NBA title. What did that monumental achievement mean not just to Toronto, but to all of Canada in general? Speaking of the NBA title, you currently reside in the Phoenix area. Just how widespread is Suns fever throughout the entire state of Arizona right now? 2021 NBA Finals prediction?

6. As we speak right now, all NFL training camps will be in full force in just over three weeks. What are you looking forward to the most this NFL season?

7. WAY TOO EARLY 2021 NFL predictions

-2021 NFL MVP: Josh Allen

-2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year: Justin Fields

-2021 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: Patrick Surtain II 

-Super Bowl LVI Matchup and Winner: Bucs vs. Browns, Bucs

1. What will be the next major glass ceiling to be shattered in pro sports? Will it be the first woman NBA head coach, first woman NFL GM, first woman NFL offensive or defensive coordinator, or something else?

2. How did your experience as a Broncos cheerleader help make you into the strong, powerful woman you are today, and how pivotal were those seven years in getting you ready to go into sports media?

3. During your seven years on the team, did you ever encounter anyone giving you hell and/or stereotyping you for being a cheerleader? What can me and my fellow men do to help ensure a safe, healthy workplace environment free from such stereotypes and all other forms of sexual harassment for ALL women in sports?

4. You were a Broncos cheerleader in 2015, when the Broncos won Super Bowl 50. That was truly one of THE most intriguing Super Bowl championship seasons I have ever watched. Aside from going to San Francisco, dancing at the Super Bowl, and every post-game celebration that came afterward, what were some of your most memorable moments from that epic season? Did the cheerleaders get a Super Bowl ring, and how similar or different is it to the ring the players received?

5. Based on what you’ve heard, why did the Broncos decide to pass on Justin Fields and go with the current QB situation they have?

6. Would it be totally unsurprising if Teddy Bridgewater is the starter on September 12, or would he have to just absolutely beat out Drew Lock SIGNIFICANTLY to win the job right off the bat? What other training camp battles will you be watching?

7. Would anything less (and I mean ANYTHING less) than a playoff appearance this season cost Vic Fangio his job as head coach of the Broncos?

8. WAY TOO EARLY Predictions

-Broncos 2021 MVP: Courtland Sutton

-Broncos 2021 Breakout Player: Jerry Jeudy

-Broncos 2021 Bounce-back Player: Bradley Chubb

-Broncos final 2021 regular season record, place in division, playoff seed: 10-7, 2nd place in AFC West, #7 playoff seed

-If Broncos make playoffs, how far will they go? One and done