Grant and Danny

Commanders Don't Claim Anyone, Dylan Crews Collects His First Hit In The Bigs

8.28.24 Hour 1

1:00- We open up the show discussing the plans for our G&D fantasy draft. Then, we discuss the Commanders not making any claims on the waiver wire.

33:00- Nats top prospect Dylan Crews got his first hit against Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees!

Broadcast on:: 28 Aug 2024
Audio Format:: other

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue, and guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance too, with the name of your price tool from Progressive. It works just the way it sounds. You tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at Progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust Progressive. Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates, price and coverage match limited by state law. The seasons may be changing, but the deals at the sharpest rides are unbeatable as ever. Hey, what's going on? It's your girl, Tasha McKia, and I need you to join the sharpest rides for their fall into savings events, where they're offering incredible prices on their massive inventory. That's right, everything is on sale now, shot from sleek sedans to rugged SUVs and sporty convertibles. The sharpest rides has the perfect ride to match your fall adventures, plus with their exclusive financing options, getting behind the wheel of your dream car has never been easier. Log on and shop online at the sharpestrides.com, right from the palm of your hands, or check other massive inventory in person at the sharpest rides, located 2250 South Sea Home Street in Inglewood. Either way, you will fall into savings. Don't miss out, head on over to the sharpestrides.com today and explore the deals that make every season better. And tell them that your girl, Tasha McKia sent you the sharpest rides, affordable, sexy, sharp. Hey NFL fans, you can start the season with a big return on Fandal, America's number one sports book. So when you get a hunch in the middle of the game, you can check out the latest stats, view live play-by-play, and so much more on the same page where you place your bets. You'll get started with $200 in bonus bets guaranteed when you place your first $5 bet. That's Fandal.com/sportsfan. Never waste a hunch and make every moment more with Fandal, an official sports book partner of the NFL. Must be 21 plus and present in Colorado. First online real money weights are only $10 first deposit required. Bonus issued is now a throwable bonus bets that expire seven days after receipt. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fandal.com, gambling problem. Call 1-800-522-4700. Good afternoon and welcome into Grant and Danny. It is Wednesday, August 28th, 2024. And you are listening live to GND. Thank you for making the show part of your day. We got tickets. If you want to go see Kevin Hart when he is in town, a D.A.R. Constitution Hall, you better be listening to this show at four o'clock. What's up Danny? What a stupid day today is. It's stupid. I'm in a salty mood. I came in here ruining everybody's time. I'm going to get over it because I'm a pro, but it's dumb. It's all hot and stupid. I'm in a cranky mood, but I'll get over it. We got a job to do. That's what a bit of grown up is. You put your crankiness aside and you do what you're supposed to. I got a case of the Sposdas. If you guys want to be in Danny Ryuye's fantasy football league so that you can hear more of that joy or whatever that is. We're giving it away about life. I know the Grant and Danny listener league for fantasy football is open and available. Go check my last tweet at Grand H. Paulson. I believe Danny's got to tweet up at funny Danny. If you go check his account as well, you could take a little quiz. The top 10 or so respondents as far as scoring on that quiz are going to get into our listener league. We're going to have a live draft on Tuesday night at Highline rooftop and restaurant over in the Crystal City area. Well, that spot. Very excited about. So get into the league right now by testing your skills, winning your way in with your knowledge of the Grant and Danny radio program. It's one of my favorite things we do every year. Honestly, it's just a cool opportunity. We get together. We eat wings. We have some drinks. We hang out with listeners for a couple of hours and we draft a fantasy football team. And I believe Darius this year has taken it upon himself. He told us he is going to be getting us the stickers to basically do the in person 1999 fantasy football draft where you walk up and you put the name on the board so everyone can laugh at you and make fun of the best. So we're not sitting there drafting on a computer. So it's going to take a little longer maybe. We'll still get through this thing in a couple hours. So a couple notes. That's way more fun to balance with you. It's like the auction is still the most fun thing possible, but that's kind of like a 1A for me. When's the last time you've done a fantasy football draft with the stickers and the big board? It's been a handful of years. I think a Scherzer showdown is the only time I can remember. It's the last time you did it. Doing it. We used to MC Max Scherzer's fantasy football event in DC every year, which by the way, don't sleep on how cool that was. It was great. It was a great event. Max crushed it and somebody if you're listening with the nationals or the other teams that aren't football in town should take this idea from Scherzer. But basically you bring 10 or 12 players from your team, then people pay a bunch of money for charity to take part in the leagues, and then each league gets a player in the league. And players enjoy being in fantasy. Yeah, they like it. So like you're Strasburg and Redone and Bryce and all these guys would be sitting there at a table drafting with 11 people. And you and I were basically the commissioners like putting the stickers on the board. Yeah, like back in the day, someone's like, hey, Tanner, do you like Tanner Roar? Do you want to trade? You know, like, I don't remember the quarterbacks of the area, but you know, do you want to trade me Tom Brady for, you know, the bag of donuts and Tanner Roar. I was like, no, thank you. Like that was the best. That was so much fun. But my second note is I performed at the Highline a couple times does stand up there really strong menu. The wings are excellent multiple flavors and it's a good burger situation. It is perfect for the old G&D fantasy listener. Like this is me. I don't think I'll do a burger during the fantasy draft. I'm not going to rule it out completely. I normally like small finger foods and lots of them. So I could see like a wings. I don't know if they've got a potato skin or a mozzarella stick, but I'm thinking like two or three appetizers over a couple hours rather than the hearty meal that's going to fill me up. I find Danny that I draft my best when my hunger is still existence yet not overpowering. I don't want to be full. I want to be wanting more, but it's okay if I don't eat anything else. That's interesting. That's the happy medium for me to find the right player in the perfect ground. I need to be so stuffed. I need to not be able to move. I want to not be able to really communicate with people. And when when folks come up to me and ask me questions on them, yeah, but I have a pretzel here. So the bites are really good. So there's not shows that are excellent, which you won't bother with. But they have a jumbo Bavarian pretzel, which is an excellent dipping situation. That's really good. They got the wings, chicken tendies, the whole nine yards. So we can do a Sam Howlin Memorial, we're just going to chicken tenders that nobody eats or something like that, just to, just to like a set and empty seat for the guy, you know, somebody asked me, what's Jaden Daniel's favorite food? You guys did 10 these Tuesdays for Sam Howl last year. We did it so many times. I had to correct them. We didn't really do it. We came up with the idea to do it. The idea was he has to throw for 275 yards in a win. That happened once. Last football season. It was delicious. We had a lot of chicken tenders. We did. I think it was week. It was the Denver. I think we're like, we're going to be doing this all year. This is the best. And we never got to do it again. So the new noise in fantasy football, by the way, and I'm sure a lot of you guys have been a part of this in some way. Initially, just playing the fantasy football was the fun. You got together with your boys. You had a draft, whatever. Then you got in a fantasy league. You won the league. You lost the league. It didn't really matter. The second branch of fantasy football greatness was the punishment for the loser, right? That the loser punishment became the thing that the whole league was known for for a little while. That's very yesterday, though. That is like so five years ago, Danny. You know what the new noise is? It's the fun way to determine your draft order. That's what everybody's doing now. Our buddy Mitch Tischler of Monumental does the pod with J.P. Just tweeted me. The Phillies deciding their draft order the other day in the cage. They had a competition where they set up basically laid down some carpet to take out their, you know, brought the golf clubs, take out their irons. And I'm assuming they had to target somewhere in the outfield and closest to the pin basically got so good to pick in that order. But I also saw, I don't remember what team it was. So I apologize for this. But there was a team that had basically targets and they were taking BP swinging like baseball players like they are trying to get as close as they could to the target to determine where they picked. Now we could do it in just a randomized, unfunway. But I actually think we should find a way to come up with some type of order. We don't need anybody pulling hamstrings in the parking lot trying to run 40s or something crazy. But when we get the number of people that we're going to have 14 people in the league, we're all in the thing, the returning champion and then everybody else that wins their way in with the quiz, we actually should, there's got to be a way when we're all together at the restaurant before we sit down to determine a draft order that's kind of entertaining. So I don't know why, but the first thing I thought of is remember, remember from the last dance, the game that Jordan and that like security guard guy would play for like hundreds of dollars, right? We throw the quarters, get as close to the wall as you can. Like all of us doing that somehow, but that's too many people. It's 14 dudes, right? I don't hate that. We could, it could be something that simple though, where we're going to be in an area of the restaurant, they're going to block us off somewhere. Maybe we do our version of bocce ball, we have to roll a quarter and you get closest to a piece of straw paper or whatever we threw down on the ground. We can do it that way. I was thinking like a chugging contest of some type. Now it doesn't have to be alcohol because I know you and others maybe aren't drinking, but like, you know, each person's in a challenge and then the winner's bracket moves on or something, where it's like, well, you could do water or we could do like diet soda or something. I don't know, but it's like an old school, like beer olympics game, a flip cup or something like that. Yeah, who knows or each person has to eat a buffalo wing and you have to show the bone and then we, you know, hit stop and in the order that you finished it is the order that we drafted. I think that could be kind of until there's got to be something there's been just randomly assigning names on a board in order, but I think that's the new noise in fantasy sports. Really, let's be honest. It's just an excuse for grown up dudes to get together and be broke and do something stupid. It's all it is. It's the best. It is the best. It's one of the last I don't even know what that had to say it the right way, but it's like, the sophomoric behavior is not only allowed, but it's encouraged. And it's like the whole point. It's like just some steam blowing off harmless good old fashioned fun. I'm in. If you guys have any ideas, again, we'll all be in public at a restaurant. There might be a parking lot at our disposal, but I don't want any sprinting and pulled hamstrings because I don't know what kind of shape are cruising. I know what kind of shape I'm in, and I'm not in shape for that. I could tell you right now, but you could send them our way at Grand H. Paulson at Funny Danny. Again, if you want to participate in the league, there's still time for you to get in. You got to go take the quiz and win your way in. The quiz is available on our Twitter accounts at Grand H. Paulson at Funny Danny or on our Facebook page as a show, facebook.com/grantindanny. The commanders didn't claim anybody today. I don't understand that. I'll be honest with you. I'm not upset. I think that Adam Peters and Lance Newmark in the front office know what they're doing generally. I don't know that there was anybody available that would have changed the wind count this year or would have made them a decidedly better team. Here's what I do know though. This is what is irrefutable. The Panthers had the number one option on the waiver wire. They've claimed six players already. Six. The commanders had the second spot on the waiver wire. They put in zero claims. They didn't try to add one player who got cut yesterday. The team after them, the New England Patriots, successfully claimed four players. Now it's possible that they put in more claims than that, but they got four players. So the Panthers and the Patriots who sandwich Washington on average both got five players. They combined for 10 new players to their 53 man rosters. And yet the commanders smacked up in the middle of the two second in the waiver wire, despite all of the discussion about wide receiver offensive tackle corner. Don't worry. They can still add a player here or there. Zero claims. I'm very surprised by that. What about you? Incredibly so. I don't see it. I don't get it. I know that they're smart. I know Adam Peters is smart. I know Lance Newmark is smart. I know their whole front office has an idea. I also know, given past precedent, when they see an issue, they act on it, right? When they go, this is unacceptable. We are not going to let this stand for another second. Even if it doesn't help us long term, we're going to get Bobby Wagner. We're going to go get Austin Echler for a couple of years. We're going to go get a one year guy. We're going to go get some of the guys that I'm familiar with from Dallas or whatever to increase the talent level. We are turning this roster over. 33 of the 53 guys were free agent, trade or draft pick turning 60 plus percent of the roster over from last year, rightfully so for a bad team. So when they see a problem, they fix it. My only conclusion is that they don't see a problem, that they don't see a weakness, or if they do, they don't care about it. They're not concerned with an unproven situation at left tackle for a rookie quarterback. They're not concerned with zero pelts on the wall outside of Terry McClellan in the receiver room, where you combine all of their stats over the previous couple of years, you get a season from a mediocre number two wide receiver on a mediocre offense. You combine everybody's numbers. They don't see a problem. They don't see a problem at corner. That one, I don't say I'm less concerned about, but I would say with the track record of the coaching staff, getting more out of guys that maybe are unheralded. Totally, you know, I get that's maybe a possibility. They like that group maybe more than some might say, hey, we got some potential in here. We'll coach them up and get that done. Fine. And I'm also less concerned, frankly, about that for a team that's in a rebuild that I am things that directly affect their rookie quarterback. They don't see an issue and I don't see the plan here. I don't quite get it. I don't know that they don't see an issue. I'm not going to say that. They didn't see a fix, obviously, and they chose not to try to address any issues. Now, I saw Nikki's a follow up who does a great job covering the team for the Washington Post. Point out something to the effect of it. It didn't make any claims, but it doesn't mean they're not going to act in free agency. They can still sign players. And that is true, except, you know, what I've pushed back on there is the waiver order should have theoretically been way more beneficial to them than free agency. You know, in free agency, you're competing with 31 other teams to sign a guy in the waiver order. There's only one team that can keep you from any player. Now, obviously, not every player is available on waivers right now. They hadn't been at a camp, if they hadn't recently been waived or released. And there are a couple of guys like Noah Brown of the Houston Texans who I still think would be an outstanding fit. And maybe Noah Brown's the guy they really want and they knew they didn't have to worry about it on the waiver wire. He was going to be available after the fact and they're working on a deal with him right now. And I would feel good about that because at least now you're not sitting this period out. But considering that 22 hours have gone by since they formed their initial roster and they have the same 53 players, at least that we know of publicly right now that they did 22 hours ago. I am stunned and be I'm a little disappointed because one of the caveats to their roster when it came down yesterday that we gave and that every person around this football team that's covered them was providing is this probably isn't a finished product. And it isn't. I mean, they're going to make a dozen changes on the back of the roster between now and week three or whatever. And certainly week one that it's going to look different. I just would have guessed that when that list of players they got claimed today came out where the Panthers claimed six guys and New England claimed four guys and two tackles. Like those teams have very obvious needs where they're not very good. They threw some waiver claims at those problems. Probably not going to fix them with dudes that just got cut. I understand that. I'm not acting like it's a catch me all fix all situation. I just like the idea of the effort. It's like the room is messy. I leave. I come back. Are you still sitting there with mess all around you? Or is the room a little bit cleaner and you're sweating because you're scrubbing the floor? At least I see that you're working on it that the Patriots are on their hands and knees on the waiver wire scratching at something on the ground, right? That the Panthers have a duster out and they're rubbing it over top of the vent to make sure that some of that dust comes down. I feel like I've got my legs up and I'm eating cheeses with my shirt off and crumbs in my chest hair. Just looking at the TV. Where's my effort on on waiver wire day? I mean, you get one of these, man. That is the beauty. How many times do we talk about their second in the waiver order or the second in the waiver order? You know, when that doesn't matter when you're not claiming, you don't make any claims. Yeah, again, I don't. I'm looking for a different way to to express it. And I can't find one. I just what frustrates me over the last several years, pre adults in charge. And there are adults in charge now and I'm grateful for that. But when there weren't adults in charge, when it was overmatched boobs and their buddies from a place that wasn't, they weren't that really that successful, when I didn't see the vision that meant disaster. When I go, I don't see the plan here. I don't see why this is a good course of action. Whether or not I agreed with something or not, if I can see where you're going, I go, okay, whether or whether I like that or not, I could see it, right? I can, I can hear the case for it. I'm having a hard time with, with this. And again, it's the, the, the, the push and pull is as follows. These are smart folks. I know they are. I know they've got a plan. I just can't see that plan. And that frustrates me. There is some deference. There's some reverence for this group to allow them to, to do what they want to do and shape the team and their vision. And they haven't played a game yet. So I can't call anything a failure. I'm willing to give them a natural benefit of the doubt. Now, I don't do the thing that a lot of people do. The in Ron, we trust their professionals though. So I'll just sit back. Because what do I know though? I make critical thinker. I don't apologize for that. You know, people every now and then will say, why do we question them? They're the pros. Watch Giants hard knocks off season. A lot of these folks are just guessing like the rest of us, man. I mean, Brian Dables, hiring a decordinator. And when he's asked why by his GM, he wants this guy, he's citing his rushing yards per game stats from the previous season. You know, he doesn't know what I would do. Right. Is he Danny Ruier and me or or is he Brian Dable, the New York Giants? But I'm not sitting here saying Peter's a new work and those guys aren't way smarter. They are there. I unlike Rivera and the Marty's who I didn't think had proven themselves capable in the jobs they were given. And in fact, thought in the cases where they had done those jobs previously, they proved themselves largely incapable. I was not giving them the benefit of the doubt. This group, I think in Peter's case and Newmark's case, a lot of the front office guys, the people that I trust around the league tell me they're very, very smart. They're very, very good. And so I am much more willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, not blank checks, you know, not just unchecked. I'm not going to question anything, you know, unilateral kind of support. But absolutely, I give them the benefit of the doubt. But today's one of those days where I go, the team with the worst record last year made a bunch of claims. The team with the third worst record last year made a bunch of claims team with the second best second worst record rather, no claims that it's almost like you don't think any of those guys that just got cut yesterday can help you. Nobody can help you. You're sure no one that not one person might improve something slightly in your room again. I think you said it very well. Not one of these dudes, that's a waiver claim today and all likelihood. You never know that great story could happen. But not any of these guys that are claimed today are going to be the difference maker. Right. I was talking to someone earlier, like, I know everyone's got their pantaloons and a bunch about KJ Henry not making the team. And this is such a colossal mistake. And I don't do that. The 51st guy on the roster is not going to make a break. Yeah. But when there's a dire need that I'm going, oh, there's a fire and bring the water and they're going, no, we don't need it. The fire will take care of itself. I go, that's a lot of confidence. I noticed that confidence. I'm going to be watching that Cincinnati bangle. KJ Henry to you, but there it is. Yeah. Grant and Danny on the fan. Why do you guys think that Peters and company were not more aggressive over the last 24 hours on the waiver wire? You think they're confident in the roster? You think something else is a foot? 806361067 is the number you want to join us. 806361067. Also, one of the players Washington cut yesterday that everybody thought was coming back on the practice squad. Apparently is not the team will not be. But continuing forward with one of their preseason stars will explain next on the fan. This episode is brought to you by progressive insurance. Whether you love true crime or comedy, celebrity interviews or news, you call the shots on what's in your podcast queue. And guess what? Now you can call them on your auto insurance too, with the name of your price tool from progressive. It works just the way it sounds. You tell progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at progressive.com to join the over 28 million drivers who trust progressive. Progressive casualty insurance company and affiliates price and coverage match limited by state law. Doors take us to summers away or winter adventures and afternoon getaways. 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Danny this is the fan welcome back and thanks for making the show part of your day top three teams in the waiver priority based on how they finished last season how bad they were going into the off season panthers commanders patriots panthers claimed six players got them all they had the number one pick in the waiver wire that's how it works Washington didn't claim anyone and them right after them New England claimed four that they got they might have even claimed more than that but one of those is not like the other the question we're asking is why do you think the commanders decided not to I think they liked their roster for starters they kept a lot of guys that mostly they brought in remember they also signed way more players and free agency than Carolina certainly and then New England did as well I think at a couple of positions specifically like safety and maybe the D line at the tackle I think they think they're really deep you know to the point where they're trying to trade a guy or two and maybe that's the other part of this it does seem to me like it's possible that Peter's priority right now they've got the guys that they like they kept the most talent they'll rearrange the roster is need be you know cut a guy off the safety pile if they have to in a few days and bring someone else in if they need another offensive lineman let's say whatever but I think right now he's actually just trying to swing a dealer to with a couple of those players for California yeah now you should be able to do both like you could assign Lance Newmark to be your waiver wire guy if you're Adam Peters you just burn the midnight oil you could get it all done and I'm quite sure I mean he's a grinder this guy's a worker like he's in his office constantly he could do both but I do think that his priority if I had to guess is what am I doing with Ridgeway and Mathis and can I get a deal for one of those guys like am I able to to make a trade and figure out a player that I like on someone else's roster that might be a better player than someone that just got cut which is telling as well but if you're asking me am I surprised absolutely yeah not only that I think they definitely would claim someone I thought they should claim a few guys I would have bet that they claimed a offensive tackle and a wide receiver and maybe even a corner just those three spots just throw more competition onto the pile going into game week not even close I was way wrong same here yeah I think the answer that I that the only conclusion I can come to is they're very confident in what they've assembled because again I what I keep pointing to is when they think there's an issue oh they're swift action there is it there is a massive turnover and change look at you mentioned the safety position how different is that room than it was a year ago at this point look at the linebacker position how different is that than it was a year ago I said this will not stand we're not doing that we are changing that position over 100 percent same with the defensive end spot really when it comes to it right I know that you moved on from it wasn't these guys but they moved on from sweat and chase young but here's some incumbents let's do that nope all new it's feral it's Armstrong it's John Baptiste it's Fowler it's you know Jammin Davis presumably a position switch nobody that was in that defensive end room last year is there repeating itself pretty much right it's all brand new when they see something that they want to fix they fix it it tells me they don't want to fix this either they don't think it's broken they like what they got or they're not really concerned about the the some of the same things that I happen to be and again I'm outside I'm just a but putts these guys know what the hell they're doing and they've got a plan but I don't this one's hard for me to say I don't quite understand the idea again this is it you're not going to go sign another term of chlorine nobody's cutting up a frontline superstar just because at this point you got the waiver claim priority to go get him my point is for a team coming off a 4 13 season we've already turned over more than 60 percent of the roster there's not a single player out there that might upgrade your talent level at some point might provide some security or some depth at one of these vulnerable positions where you've got at best to be kind unproven players that haven't accomplished a whole lot in this league when you again when you're talking about a rookie quarterback and supporting him just very surprising to me that there's that they don't feel like there's anybody outside of there that to me says supreme confidence in what they've assembled there was only three tackles claimed and one wide receiver claim so it's also a situation of like who are you upset that they didn't get because if if you're upset that they didn't claim anyone just as an example well who's the guy that got a way that they should have grabbed you're not able to not I mean you specifically one is not no one's not able to tell me there's a receiver that was available that isn't now that they should have claimed and if you can do that at most positions right I think that actually is a endorsement to them not having claimed anyone I just pointed the other teams and what they did that were in the same tier as you the same bucket as you that were also really bad and most of them were not only claiming a player but several players and you just said I will figure it out another day let's go to the phones Taeon is in DC on Grant and Danny on the fan what's up how do you hey what's going on y'all how y'all doing good man doing well good good um I'm kind of happy they did they didn't claim anybody off of waivers and the reason I'm happy is because that means that they like you said they have confidence in what they have there this is this is a rebuild and they they teaching their the guys they brought in um not to say that they won't be moves later on but they're giving them time to grow and and you say you brought in all these teachers to teach and you're going to put your guys in the best position who they are so if you say all that and then at the end of the day you go in this you know radical way to pick up just for the sake of picking up that's something that the Snyder area used to do that's not something the Harris area is doing so far and I like that so I I appreciate the phone call I've seen a couple of people interpreting us whether they're tweeting us or in the youtube chat everyone's more than welcome to do so and saying kind of what he just said maybe more accusatory you guys just wanted to claim someone to claim someone no I don't I don't care about the procedural element of claiming somebody my point is I see major weaknesses on on the roster and one to me that I'm really a couple of me that I'm really concerned about because it affects the rookie quarterback I would say let's do something there let's try to improve that group right and if there's nobody out there to improve the group so be it maybe that work should have been done in the off season or before now but let's get after let's get active let's let's try to I don't I don't care about the procedural element of just putting in a waiver claim just to do it because the team after you did or the saints did or the dolphins did I don't care about that part of it I go there's a weakness and they're going there's not a weakness that's what I care about appreciate the phone call for me I do think there is an argument and he just made it I thought pretty well that this group just went through camp in the preseason educating every player in the building on their way and while I don't necessarily think that should be the end all be all the commander way is going to be a whole lot different than how other teams do it like I'm okay with someone coming in here who did it the San Francisco 49er way where they win or the Green Bay Packer way where they win or the Pittsburgh Steeler way where they never lose the Ravens was pretty good and we'll do that I like those ways too but my point is I also think this could be an acknowledgement again like the evidence if we're believing the actions less the words but really truly the actions and what they're doing is telling the story not what they're saying we're not rebuilding we're recalibrating I don't do rebuilds all that stuff I think this is another example of them showing that they're in no rush there is some patience here I'm okay with Giovanni Jean Baptiste my seventh round pick developing in my program at the pace that he's going to as a rookie I don't need to go claim some dude who had three and a half sacks last year on the waiver wire or an offensive tackle I'm okay with Brandon Coleman Cornelius Lucas Trent Scott doing it the way we've been coaching them up to do over the last two months rather than going another and grabbing another version of Trent Scott who was just the same guy who was in another building because people will feel a little better that we claim to tackle and they can you know put their head on their pillow and and feel like we're just working to fix the problem but I think there have been plenty of times really since they're very active free agency where if they were desperate to win one more game or get to you know nine wins or try to win a wildcard or something you probably make other moves you go trade for Brandon Ayuk you do a lot of things they don't do including probably don't trade Jahan Dotson who can help you this year for draft picks right future picks yeah that that's what a team that is thinking about the future does and so I think this is another example of that where it's pretty clear and Josh Harris just spoke to the media on Sunday at the X and he said well they need to have a better record than last year to feel like they're making good progress it was a terrible year for wins last year he thinks they will it's the long game for him he's thinking about the big picture down the road and this feels like that when you don't claim anyone to just try to improve the edges of your roster a tad to be a little bit better let's go to Joe and rest and what's up Joe Hey guys thanks for saying thanks for taking my call I think in short yeah I think that no moves just means like how much better are one of these players going to make our team like our it's not going to equate to wins but I think if I just reiterate what Grant just said it's I really feel like I just keep asking myself what is the goal of the front office like what do they want to get out of the season and if it's to you know win a couple more games or you know it just show what Jayden can do but still stay in that range for next year to where we can draft some potential players because I mean the turnovers been crazy and next year a lot of the guys they sign are might not even be on the team as it is so I just think they're just looking forward to the future and this year is what it is I really don't feel like this team is going to be a good football team but if they show you know that a little bit of improvement then you know that's that's a success in my eyes yeah so what you're cooking there and again I'm all I don't I don't know if anybody's more long term than I am I've I've always been desperate for people to think that way I'm born and bred in Baines prison of the Washington Wizards trading away first round picks to try to win one or two more games to stay at that 41 win range I've done that I've been there building that way is stupid but this is one of the oldest rosters in the league right the the guys at the receiver spot are 27 28 Jameson Crowder is up there right Byron Pringles up there I know they got some young kids in McCaffery and whatever it's not like McClorin's 22 you look at the the tackle spot they got a young player in Coleman but they're playing a lot of veterans too you know what I mean at spots and this is as just too much about implementing a culture and a way of doing things so that that machine can continue but it's not as if there are no young players around via waiver wire or free agents or otherwise they could go snatch up right now this minute and to that point while they made two dozen free agent additions this offseason the vast majority of them are one or two year deals of veterans that are just tied razors as I call them right you know guys as you said they're going to help set the culture not really long term solutions so that was where I think there's been a little bit of some confusion on on what the plan in this first year was maybe but pretty clearly again they're in no rush nor do they need to be right I just want them to do what they can to help Jaden Daniels to thrive that's my thought the Steelers have finally named a starting quarterback Danny who would Mike Tomlin give the reins to Russ Wilson or Justin Fields will get into that next plus Dylan Cruz was spraying the ball to all fields in his first major league multi hit game last night we'll get to the young Nat stars breakout evening over at Nationals Park on the fan you you you you you you you you you you you you you you welcome back to Grant and Danny on the fan we are live on one oh six seven all over the DMV and we are also streaming on our one oh six seven the fan YouTube page if you want to watch us in high definition there Mike Tomlin today made it official for the Pittsburgh Steelers I'm not sure how well kept this secret was but Russell Wilson who they gave every opportunity to win the starting job throughout camp in the preseason Wilson will be their starter Justin Fields will back him up this was always likely it does not change how I feel though Danny I think field still ends up starting more games than Russell Wilson this year because I don't think the Steelers are going to be that good they're going to try to keep Tomlin streak alive without having a losing season as the head coach but inevitably I think they turn it over to fields and because neither of them is a great quarterback maybe they just have him run around and try to be the hardest offense to defend possible and that might be with his legs making defenses go 11 on 11 yeah you add an Arthur Smith to that equation finally updating their offensive coordinator position somewhat from a guy that got some pretty good results frankly out of you know folks in Tennessee over the years and you've got some bones that are pretty decent right now I know Jalen Warren's a bit banged up but Najee Harris I mentioned Warren is a good scap back out of the backfield George Pickens who's got some talent so it's not like that the cupboards completely bare to me they're best served as you said a bit more read option play making kind of a poor man's Baltimore doing it doing it that way with the dynamic quarterback and in in Justin Fields then you would be with whatever Russell Wilson has left that he's one of the guys I was all time dead wrong about in terms of Wilson I go as bad situation in Seattle he needs to change a scenery he needs a time machine and that also to have a positive effect on his body he can't be Russell Wilson going back in time now he needs to somehow jump back into younger Russell Wilson because that guy's not walking to the door well the Steelers are probably built to be offensively like an eight or nine win team their defense is actually good enough that they could be a playoff team it's kind of the same situation they're in most years they've got a defensive player of the year nominee year in and year out and TJ Watt on their defensive line can't Hayward who's going to be all the famous still plays at a pro bowl level they got some other guys on that side of the ball like Minka Fitzpatrick like Joey Porter Jr. who are going to be really good for a long time my problem with Pittsburgh though is the weaponry everybody acts like George Pickens is a number one and let's say I'm wrong and he actually is that and that's what he becomes they got nobody else at wide receiver Deontay Johnson's in Carolina they traded him van Jefferson and Calvin Austin are their starting wide receivers at the beginning of the year with George Pickens now at tight end pet friar muth is fine they drafted darnell waston who's proven to be more of a blocker than a receiver so far in the third round he's a huge guy I just don't see good weapons and if you add that to a bad quarterback situation you get a really bad offense there's really no way around that with all due respect to Arthur Smith I mean you are trying to make filet mignon at a hamburger helper and that is not easy to do but I think naming Wilson the starter was just inevitable they'll eventually play fields as well and it's going to be probably a step backwards for them this year the thing even more of a problem than their personnel those the division yeah but some more best division of sport Cincinnati really good Cleveland very solid three teams all could be in the playoffs heck all could make runs to the conference championship game and I don't think it would really surprise anybody that much so that's the issue for Pittsburgh I know issues last night at Nat's Park Danny for game two of Dylan Cruz a lot of people show us fun one for his debut he went 0 for 3 drew a walk didn't really flash nearly as much last night made a great running catch in right field up against the barrier and foul territory also had his first two hits and his first ever stolen base all in one game an impact performance for the Nationals showing off the tools and almost Homer deep to left center field last night in his first at bat ever off Garrett Cole now the center to long hold clocked down to two one the pitch well not hit deep to left field Verdugo going back it's over his head and off the base of the walled in play heading for third is Tina he'll hold there and in the second is Dylan Bruce with a double and his first hit in the major leagues baseball man it's unbelievable quick nod to Patrick Corbin who was unbelievable last night of course of course he was against the Yankees probably his best start since 2019 six innings two hits completely had the Yankees off balance he made one so to look bad at one point he had Aaron judge looking like a fool I couldn't believe my eyes last night I mean I watched too and I just kept going okay there's a misprint something where it's going on but to cruise specifically the whole the whole thing that you want as a fan and that's all I am you know when I'm at home watching games the same way I'm watching Jayden Daniels in the preseason the same way I think back to when John wall got drafted or whatever all you want to see in these early season or meaningless game kind of environments is I just want to see the thing whatever the thing that this person's claimed to fame is why the scouts were excited why the GM was excited why this was the pick and you got to see that in the preseason with angels when he checks to the one throw and puts it you know in the one spot that down me Brown could catch it down the sideline you saw it last night with Dylan Cruz all of the tools on display line drive tracer to left field check making a difficult play in the outfield look relatively easy that not only the running catch you mentioned but going back on a ball swiveling his hips dealing with the side spin the slice catches it like it was the most routine thing in the world getting a terrible jump at second and that crazy excellent grown-up slide to avoid the tag after you know his little squibber where he makes it a tough play and beats it out all of the tools for Dylan Cruz wrong display last night you saw the thing that's what's so much fun I was gonna say I think you're already kind of seeing where is I say about Dylan Cruz I don't know what he does that's elite I think everything's very solid just good yeah you've seen him make a throw from the outfield at 94 plus miles an hour you've seen him make a really nice running catch against the barrier and right you've seen him hit a ball off the base of the wall against Garrett Cole you've seen him steal a base he could just help you in a lot of ways and it's why you go second in a draft when you're a winning player like that it's why you are a college world series champion a team captain of the best club in America just about 14 months ago when he was in school but that's what everybody wanted to see hopefully you were in the ballpark last night for game number two our coverage of baseball on the fan presented by T-Mobile switched to T-Mobile and you can get tons of benefits and still save on every plan against AT&T and Verizon use their savings calculator to find out how at T-Mobile.com/switch Mike Clay has some statistical projections for the commanders and also has tallied up how many games the win probability calculator he uses as them winning we'll get 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After investing billions to light up our network T-Mobile is America's largest 5g network plus right now you can switch keep your phone and we'll pay it off up to $800 see how you can save on every plan versus Verizon AT&T at tmobile.com/keepandswitch up to four lines via virtual prepaid guard a left 15 days qualifying unlocked device credit service ported 90 plus days with device an eligible carrier and timely redemption required card has no cash access and expires in six months hey Mike Volennie here host a cash to ticket alongside my partner Jim Costa it's really simple are you tired of podcasts claiming there are a bunch of pro betters when they live in their mommy's basement are you tired of podcast that claim they had 80% of the games when really they just lose like most of us think cash to tickets the spot for you we're real we're transparent we're having a hell of a good time with it and we sit there and we're there for the sweat with you guys we're just trying to figure it out just like you follow and listen to cash the ticket on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts You