The Texans general manager joins the morning show for nearly 40 minutes to discuss the latest from minicamp and more.
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00:00Are you ready?
00:02Sports Radio 610 presents
00:04Pain and Pendergast.
00:10Alright, there it is.
00:13The DX theme music.
00:15Like an anthem for Pain and Pendergast
00:18when this man joins us.
00:20Final time here before we get to training camp in a few weeks.
00:24As the Texans wrap up mandatory mini-camp yesterday.
00:27And it's been a busy off-season.
00:28And looking forward to times as we've ended.
00:31And we've had some news over the last few days
00:32with the signing of Nick Chubb.
00:33So we've got a lot of stuff to get into here
00:34with our good friend, Texans Executive Vice President
00:37and General Manager Nick Casario.
00:39Nick, it's great to have you on as always.
00:41Derek Stingley Jr., nine responses, 6.3 seconds.
00:45Your thoughts on the Sting-o-lytics
00:46of his press conference yesterday?
00:48Morning, fellas. Good to be here.
00:50Probably means he won't be on Jericho's list
00:51after that response.
00:53Actually, I was just talking to Omar about this.
00:56Chubb's response was probably even better
00:57when I asked him about, you know,
00:58when did you kind of, what's your sense of what's going on?
01:01And he said, yeah, I showed up.
01:03We're coming, it's music to our ears.
01:05So it was great to hear.
01:06So between Sting, Chubb,
01:07Daniil was a little bit more vociferous.
01:09He had a few more things to say,
01:10but he has a little more experience.
01:12So he's been around a little bit.
01:13So we'll give him some slack on that.
01:15Nick, all these people from Cleveland were,
01:18you know, people I talked to
01:19and then you read it everywhere
01:20and Cleveland fans will say,
01:22the guy's got no ego, Nick Chubb.
01:24That, man, he's just all about business,
01:26just wants to work and everything.
01:27And then I was almost,
01:29I was kind of caught off guard yesterday
01:30when he responded to a question
01:32and he said,
01:33he said he was trying to figure out
01:35why the Texans wanted him.
01:37And I don't,
01:38like, I don't,
01:40despite his injury history and everything,
01:42I was kind of taken aback
01:43at hearing that from a guy
01:44who's been a star running back
01:45in the NFL for a long time.
01:48Yeah, Nick's been a good player
01:49in this league for a number of years.
01:50I mean, it's interesting.
01:51I mean, go back in the way back machine.
01:53So I forget what year,
01:55whatever year it was that he came out.
01:56So he and Sony Michelle
01:58were in the same backfield, Georgia.
02:00And Sony wasn't the most talkative either.
02:02So I'm not sure who got the word
02:03in edgewise at Georgia,
02:04but there were two good players.
02:06We ended up drafting Sony at 32.
02:08Cleveland took Nick,
02:09really with that next pick
02:10in the second round
02:11or 33 or 34, whatever it was.
02:13They were two good players.
02:14Sony had a pretty good career,
02:15had curtailed a little bit
02:16with some injuries.
02:17And Nick had the injuries coming out
02:20and he, you know,
02:21has done a really good job.
02:22I mean, number of years,
02:23he's very productive.
02:24He's dealt with some things
02:25in 23 and 24.
02:27I mean, happens to a lot of players,
02:29unfortunately.
02:30So, I mean, he was a player
02:31that D'Amico and I
02:32had discussions about
02:33and we felt like there's similar,
02:35I would say similar,
02:36not the same,
02:37but along the lines
02:38of kind of what we did with speed.
02:40You look at that position,
02:41have a number of good players,
02:44a number of players
02:44that had played a lot of football,
02:46been productive,
02:46whether it was Aziz,
02:47Christian, or Henry,
02:49and then adding EJ.
02:50In this situation, similar,
02:52you know, DP's done
02:53a good job for us.
02:54You know, Joe had a productive season.
02:56I think we always view it as
02:58if there's an opportunity out there
02:59that makes sense
03:00with the right player
03:01and that we can fit in financially,
03:03then it's worth exploring.
03:05And that's kind of how we arrive
03:07at the end point with Nick.
03:08But Nick's,
03:08he's a workmanlike player.
03:11He's very workmanlike
03:12in his approach.
03:12He says less,
03:14does more,
03:15and I think that certainly resonates
03:17with our building
03:18and our program.
03:19Nick, it's,
03:20we've actually played some audio
03:22from Joe Mixon
03:23from last season
03:24a little earlier in the show
03:25where he was taught,
03:26he was asked by Chris Long
03:27about Nick Chubb
03:28coming back from his knee injury
03:30last year.
03:30And it's very clear
03:31the two have a close relationship.
03:34They came out the same time
03:34in high school.
03:35Is something like this
03:36where you're signing Nick Chubb,
03:37is that something that,
03:38do you talk to Joe
03:39through that process at all
03:41as you bring Nick Chubb in?
03:42At different points.
03:43I mean,
03:43it's always case by case.
03:44We'll certainly talk
03:45to our players
03:46about different players
03:47that they may have experience with.
03:49I think sometimes
03:49on a personal level,
03:51I mean,
03:51a lot of players,
03:51and Seth can probably speak to this,
03:53you just cultivate relationships
03:54on a player-to-player basis
03:55and you're certainly respectful
03:57of those relationships.
03:58So as you work through the process,
03:59if you feel like
04:00you need to have a conversation
04:01with somebody
04:02or get more information,
04:03then we'll do it.
04:04If not,
04:04and I think that case
04:05is probably a little bit more,
04:06there's a mutual respect
04:07for one another
04:08and we try not to intervene
04:09too much
04:10or get involved in those.
04:12Nick Casario
04:13joining us
04:13on Sports Radio 610.
04:15All right, Nick,
04:16so CJ Stroud
04:17throws at minicamp this week,
04:18so were you able
04:19to take our DEFCON gauge
04:21here down from DEFCON?
04:26I actually did at one point
04:27about how concerned people were.
04:28Sean had to take my pulse.
04:30I did.
04:30That's how nervous I was.
04:31No, Nick,
04:32you're,
04:32I actually did do a poll
04:34about how concerned people were
04:35when CJ...
04:36Sorry,
04:36I missed it.
04:36I didn't see it, Sean.
04:37I'm sorry.
04:38You didn't vote?
04:38You didn't get out and vote, Nick?
04:39Come on.
04:41So CJ's throwing,
04:42and he looked great in minicamp,
04:44so I guess the question
04:45I'd have about CJ would be,
04:46look,
04:46you can tell he's put in
04:48some work in the weight room.
04:49This was just,
04:50this felt like a very different
04:51offseason for CJ
04:52compared to the one
04:53coming off his rookie year.
04:55Can you speak to that
04:56a little bit?
04:56Was there a different focus
04:57for CJ this time?
04:58How collaborative
04:59were you guys on that
05:00and how CJ attacked
05:01this offseason
05:02as opposed to last offseason?
05:03Sure.
05:04Every year is different
05:05when you finish the season,
05:06whatever year that is.
05:07Everybody takes a little bit
05:08of time to kind of recalibrate
05:09and kind of focuses on
05:10what do we need to do
05:11for the 2025 season.
05:13So I think we've talked
05:14about this on the show.
05:14We have a number of players
05:15that have the right mindset
05:16that are about to work
05:18and are about improving
05:19and getting better
05:19as football players.
05:21And going back to February
05:22through March,
05:23even before the offseason program,
05:24we had a number of players
05:25that were here.
05:26Early on February, March,
05:27it might be a combination
05:28of in the building,
05:29out of the building,
05:30but, you know,
05:30they're getting work.
05:31I think CJ,
05:32when he does leave Houston,
05:33he goes out to California.
05:34I think he has some resources
05:36and some people
05:37that he utilizes,
05:38I think,
05:38out there at UCLA
05:39so where he can actually
05:40get his work in.
05:41But he was here.
05:42He mentioned it the other day,
05:43the work that he did
05:44with Mike Eubanks and Clint,
05:45you know,
05:45how they helped him
05:46in his overall development.
05:47So training's important.
05:49And as it pertains to,
05:50and D'Amico,
05:51when he was asked about this,
05:52I mean,
05:52I honestly think
05:53it was much ado about nothing.
05:54I think this spring,
05:55we were just trying
05:56to make good,
05:56smart decisions,
05:57just manage the players
05:58as we see fit.
05:59And in just any end,
06:00the focus is on getting him
06:01ready for training camp.
06:04The building,
06:05he obviously trained
06:06and worked on his body
06:07and his overall strength development,
06:09which that's what
06:09the offseason program
06:10is usually for.
06:11We have a number of players
06:12who have made significant strides
06:14in those areas,
06:15kind of have the foundation
06:16in place relative
06:17to offensive system
06:19and some of the things
06:20that Nick has implemented.
06:22So now it's really,
06:23it's about training camp
06:24and you'll have a better sense
06:25and feel for your team.
06:26Once you get into training camp,
06:28you know,
06:28we feel like there's
06:29a decent amount of competition
06:30on the team
06:31and we'll kind of
06:31let it sort itself out.
06:33But relative to CJ,
06:34he's put in the work,
06:35he's put himself
06:35in a good position.
06:36So I think all players
06:38is important,
06:38even though we kind of have
06:39this 40-day window here.
06:41I mean,
06:41there's still an element of work
06:42that you have to put in
06:44in order to make sure
06:45that you're ready to go
06:45for the rigors
06:46of training camp.
06:47Nick,
06:48CJ,
06:50CJ said yesterday
06:51that he's been watching
06:53some 2003 and 2004
06:55film of Tom Brady,
06:57what he was like
06:57as a young quarterback.
06:58I want to play
06:58a little game with you.
07:00I want you to,
07:00I want you to tell me
07:02whether you think
07:02this is CJ Stroud
07:04or a previous Texans quarterback
07:08when asked about
07:10watching Tom Brady on film.
07:12I'm going to alter the quote
07:13a little bit
07:14to keep it anonymous.
07:15So you're trying to confuse me,
07:17which isn't very hard to do.
07:19So this is,
07:20you're going to tell me
07:20is this CJ
07:21or is this a previous
07:22Texans quarterback?
07:24Quote,
07:25they refer to Tom Brady a lot.
07:27With all due respect
07:28to coach,
07:28I told him
07:29I'm going to be me.
07:31I'm not here
07:31to be a puppet,
07:32if you will.
07:33I'm going to be who I am
07:34and believe in what I bring
07:36to the table
07:36every day.
07:38Unquote.
07:39That sounds like something
07:40you would say
07:40to your defensive line coach.
07:44Is that what you,
07:45I like,
07:45listen,
07:46I don't want to have to,
07:47there was a previous
07:48Texans quarterback,
07:49it was Brock Osweiler.
07:49You don't have to comment
07:50on Brock Osweiler.
07:51I feel like he's doing a good job
07:53in college football.
07:54He's not bad.
07:55He really is.
07:56He doesn't want to hear
07:57about Tom Brady.
07:58Don't talk to him
07:58about Tom Brady.
07:59He's his own man.
08:01So I don't expect
08:03that CJ is approaching
08:04it that same way.
08:05And I do,
08:08I'm intrigued
08:09by the fact that,
08:10and I was really happy
08:12to hear that he's watching
08:132003,
08:142004 Tom Brady
08:15because that was when,
08:16as you've told us before,
08:17man,
08:18Tom Brady was not
08:19like the classic
08:20chess master
08:22that we think of
08:23back in 2003
08:24and 2004.
08:25What do you,
08:26what does CJ take
08:27from those early days
08:30of Tom Brady
08:30and probably doing,
08:32operating perhaps
08:33in some of the same ways
08:35or at least hoping
08:35to operate
08:36in some of the same ways?
08:37Sure.
08:37There's a few things.
08:38There's likely
08:39a system element,
08:40let's say the foundation
08:42of the offense,
08:42even going back
08:43to 2003 and 2004,
08:45a lot of those concepts,
08:46whether it's protection systems,
08:48route distribution,
08:49route concept formationing,
08:51they have carried
08:52through the years
08:53over the course of,
08:54call it 20 to 25 years,
08:56however long it's been.
08:57As it pertains
08:58to individual quarterback techniques
09:01and those types of things,
09:03you always have to be careful
09:04about trying to extrapolate,
09:06well, this player does this,
09:07you're going to try
09:08to do the same thing.
09:09I think any player,
09:11it's good to watch
09:11other players
09:12and really what you're
09:13trying to do
09:14is maybe there's
09:14one or two things
09:15that you can focus on
09:17that you can apply
09:18to what you do
09:20or what you have
09:21as a player
09:21in order to productivity.
09:25So it's probably
09:26a combination
09:27of system element,
09:28what we call this,
09:29here's what happened
09:30on this play,
09:31here's what we were looking for,
09:32because there's
09:33a library of information
09:34that goes back
09:35a number of years
09:35and then as it pertains
09:36to playing quarterback,
09:37that 2003 season
09:39and I probably have mentioned
09:41this or talked about this,
09:42when you look at
09:43Tom's career,
09:44it was almost like
09:45two careers within one.
09:46You kind of had
09:47the 0-1 to kind of 10 group
09:50and then 10 to 20
09:52or whenever he left
09:54and he didn't start,
09:55he wasn't a starter
09:56until 0-1 of 2002.
09:58We weren't very good,
09:59we were 9-7
09:59and then we turned
10:01the team over there
10:02a little bit
10:02and then 0-3 and 0-4,
10:04we were fortunate enough
10:05to put ourselves
10:06in a position,
10:07have an opportunity
10:08to win some Super Bowls
10:09and then Tom continued
10:10to, I would say,
10:11grow as a player.
10:13So again,
10:13you have to,
10:14through the lens
10:14of what they're looking for,
10:17is it technique specific,
10:18is it pertains
10:19to the fundamentals
10:20or is it system specific
10:22and it's probably
10:22some combination of the two
10:24and you're always,
10:25everybody is watching
10:26other players
10:27and picking and choosing
10:28but you just have
10:29to figure out
10:29what can I utilize
10:31and apply
10:31that's going to help me
10:32in the current situation.
10:34Nick Casario joining us.
10:35Nick, just as a follow-up
10:36to that,
10:37a lot's been made,
10:38CJ was asked about it himself
10:40and a lot's been made
10:41about CJ now having
10:42control of the offense,
10:43more control of the offense
10:44this year
10:45in Nick Haley's offense
10:46than maybe he had
10:47in previous years.
10:49How equipped
10:50do you feel like CJ
10:50is for that?
10:52How is he doing?
10:53How is he coming along
10:54with that?
10:54And I guess just in general,
10:56what exactly
10:57is that going to look like?
10:57What does that mean?
10:59Yeah, it's always a process
11:00so it's never anything
11:01happens overnight.
11:04So when you're in the vernacular,
11:06that's step one.
11:07Step two is,
11:08it's really about
11:08the communication mechanism.
11:10So who helps drive
11:12the communication?
11:13Sometimes it's the center,
11:14he handles all the communication,
11:16there's other systems
11:17where the quarterback
11:18sets the protection system,
11:20makes the mic identification
11:21and then the communication
11:23kind of goes top down
11:24and then the line
11:24gets distributed inside out.
11:26So it's some combination.
11:28The most important thing
11:29is are you seeing it
11:30the same way?
11:30Is the offensive line
11:31seeing it the same way
11:32as a quarterback
11:33is seeing it and vice versa?
11:34And it's understanding
11:35like where your issues
11:36or where your problems are
11:37and then what's the solution.
11:39So, and it takes time.
11:40You have to immerse yourself
11:41in film.
11:42You have to immerse yourself
11:43in meetings.
11:44You have to go on the field
11:45and do it.
11:46And there's going to be
11:46probably a little bit
11:47of a trial and error
11:48that takes place.
11:48In the case of CJ,
11:50he was able to handle
11:50the run game.
11:51The run game,
11:52the mic identification
11:53is a part of that.
11:54So he was a part
11:54of all the group run installations.
11:56He was on the field
11:57in the run periods.
11:58So getting the blockers
12:00distributed right.
12:01Who's the mic?
12:01Where's the force?
12:02Do we have to motion
12:03the guy across
12:04to get him in proximity
12:05where he can block that area?
12:08So there's plenty of work
12:09that you can get done.
12:10In the passing game,
12:11that's probably the next step.
12:12There's going to be
12:13some things,
12:13all right,
12:14against this coverage,
12:15against this look,
12:15here's what we're going to do.
12:16But really,
12:17everything starts
12:18with the front
12:19and it's understanding
12:20what's the protection system
12:21we're utilizing,
12:23who's the mic ID,
12:24and then everything
12:25kind of emanates
12:25off of that.
12:26So it's a process.
12:28I mean,
12:28everybody goes through.
12:29I mean,
12:29I'd say Tom went through it
12:30and then got to a point
12:32where even though
12:33he had a lot of experience,
12:35each year it was,
12:37all right,
12:37let's go back
12:37and reintroduce it
12:39and establish the foundation.
12:40And then I would say
12:41as the more time
12:42you spend in a week
12:45as you go
12:46and add some adjustments
12:47to account for the problem.
12:48So the big thing
12:49for the quarterback
12:50is just understanding
12:51where your issues are
12:53and do we have a solution
12:55to that problem
12:56and there's many ways
12:57that you can build that in.
12:59Is there,
13:00you know,
13:00when you go from quarterback
13:01to quarterback in the NFL
13:02or you talk to younger quarterbacks,
13:04is there kind of a transition
13:06that guys make
13:06from college to the NFL
13:08and then while they're in the NFL
13:09and understanding that,
13:11yes,
13:12the quarterback is responsible
13:13for the run game
13:14as well as the pass?
13:16It's just like,
13:17it's not,
13:17you don't compartmentalize it
13:18and the quarterback's a passer
13:19that, you know,
13:20like you can control
13:21the run game?
13:22Yeah, Seth,
13:22that's probably
13:23the biggest adjustment
13:24that quarterbacks have to make.
13:26It can depending on the system
13:27with which you go into
13:29or where you're drafted
13:30because, again,
13:31you're really just trying
13:32to get the blockers
13:33distributed the right way
13:34and let's say
13:36the defense has an extra player
13:37somewhere that you can't
13:38account for,
13:39what's your solution?
13:41And you have to be able
13:42to understand the dynamics
13:43of the play
13:44and a lot of times
13:45the run is going to be married
13:46with some kind of run action
13:47or play action.
13:48So you kind of want
13:49to make them look the same.
13:50That's probably one
13:51of the biggest adjustments.
13:52It's a really good question
13:53that quarterbacks have to make
13:54because the way
13:55offensive football is in college,
13:58there's a certain speed
13:59and pace with which they play.
14:00So it's really put the ball down
14:02and then you're going.
14:03So you're not necessarily
14:04worried about
14:04who's the mic,
14:06where are we going?
14:07You're just hoping
14:08to catch the defense
14:09a little bit off balance.
14:10And I'd say some defenses
14:11may in college
14:13are maybe a little bit
14:13more equipped
14:14to handle the pace
14:16and the speed.
14:17And do you have to
14:18offensively slow it down
14:20and say,
14:21okay, hold on,
14:22let's reset.
14:24The pace of play
14:26in college football
14:27is just so fast.
14:28I mean,
14:29really when you watch
14:31teams play,
14:32it's how quickly
14:33can we get to the line?
14:34How fast can we get
14:34the playoff?
14:36Sometimes that works
14:37in our league.
14:38Other times it's
14:39get to the line,
14:40all right,
14:41simulate you're going fast
14:43and then all right,
14:43what are they doing?
14:45And then what's our solution?
14:46So it's a little bit
14:47of a cat and mouse game
14:48and it probably goes on
14:49a little bit more
14:49in our level
14:50than it does in college.
14:52But I think the run game,
14:53you probably have
14:54better understanding
14:55or need to have
14:56more of an understanding
14:56of the run game
14:57because there's certain runs
14:59you just can't block
15:00the defense
15:01if it's mismatched.
15:02So you have to get out
15:03of the play
15:03or have a solution.
15:05That's probably where
15:05you have to spend
15:06the most time.
15:07Well, I'll just,
15:07you know, Nick,
15:08I just had a flashback
15:09from a defensive lineman's
15:12perspective.
15:13There was a time
15:14back when I was playing,
15:16there was a young quarterback
15:18that us defensive linemen
15:19were trying to tell him,
15:21listen,
15:21we know you're not
15:24handing the ball off here
15:25or we know
15:25that this is going to be,
15:27like your body language
15:28is telling us
15:28and he refused to listen.
15:30And it was driving us insane
15:31because he could see it
15:32and we're telling him.
15:33And like,
15:34so that's why I love
15:35hearing about CJ
15:35talking to the defensive players
15:37all the time.
15:38and asking for their input
15:40because I think
15:41some young quarterbacks
15:42really,
15:42they don't understand
15:43how smart the defensive
15:44players can be
15:45and like how much
15:46they're picking up on you
15:47because like you said,
15:48they've got,
15:49they've got all this time
15:50to watch.
15:51They've got all this time
15:52to figure things out
15:53on film
15:54and some young guys
15:55just flat out
15:55don't get it.
15:57You're a thousand percent
15:58correct.
15:58And I think the good thing
15:59you want to see
16:00with your team
16:01is you want to work
16:02with the other side.
16:05Hey,
16:05what were you guys
16:06trying to do on that play?
16:07Okay,
16:07again,
16:08nobody's trying
16:09to kind of get anybody.
16:10We're trying to help
16:11one another.
16:11We want to create competition
16:12but I would say
16:14as an offensive player,
16:16the more you understand
16:18what's going on
16:19on the defensive side
16:19of the ball,
16:20it's only going to help you.
16:22So whether it's a corner
16:23saying,
16:24hey,
16:24look,
16:24on this coverage,
16:25here's what we're showing.
16:26I'm using this technique.
16:27Here's the reason why
16:28but when I do this
16:29a little bit different
16:29or with the front
16:31and I think our defense
16:32does a great job
16:33of showing one thing
16:35and presenting disguise
16:36and then playing
16:37something different
16:38and you grow
16:39as a team that way
16:41so as a player,
16:42if you want information
16:44and you're willing
16:45to absorb the information,
16:47everybody's here
16:48to help one another
16:48so use the resources
16:50that you have.
16:51That was something,
16:52I mean,
16:52our players do it
16:53which you want to see,
16:54CJ talk to Sting
16:56or Petrie
16:58or Bullock
16:59or Lasseter
17:00or Aziz,
17:02Coach Burke.
17:03I mean,
17:03I'd say we had a lot
17:04of that in New England
17:05as well.
17:06We had fortunate
17:06to have a number
17:07of smart players
17:08but Tom would talk
17:09to Vrabel,
17:10Tom would talk
17:11to Brewski
17:11and they would,
17:12I mean,
17:12again,
17:13it was healthy competition
17:14but you're trying
17:15to help one another
17:16and then when you're
17:17getting ready
17:18to play an opponent,
17:19one of the things
17:20that we try to do
17:21with their look teams
17:22is make sure
17:23they understand
17:23we want this look
17:24to look this way,
17:26here's the reason why
17:27because it's going
17:27to help you
17:27as a player on Sunday
17:29so,
17:29but I was just saying,
17:30you know,
17:31I was fortunate
17:31to kind of learn
17:32both sides of the ball.
17:34The more you have
17:34an understanding
17:35of what's going on
17:36on the other side
17:36of the ball,
17:37it's only going
17:37to help you
17:38in whatever your
17:38discipline is
17:39that you're working in.
17:40The Texans executive
17:40vice president
17:41and GM Nick Cassario
17:42joining a center position
17:46and I know it's OTAs
17:48and mandatory minicamps
17:49so these things
17:50are probably going
17:50to change
17:51as you guys
17:51actually put pads
17:52on and have guys block
17:53but it looks like
17:54what has been
17:55the first unit
17:56has had Jake Andrews
17:57running at center
17:58when you've got
17:59a couple guys
17:59on the team
18:00who've been center
18:00for this team
18:01with Jared Patterson
18:01and Juice Scruggs.
18:03What is it about Andrews
18:04that has him running?
18:05It seems like running
18:06with the ones
18:06pretty definitively
18:07or am I reading
18:08too much into that?
18:09Yeah,
18:09I mean,
18:10you guys were here
18:11for a handful of days.
18:12I think they were open
18:13and I think,
18:13honestly,
18:14we rolled a lot of guys
18:14through during the course
18:15of the spring.
18:16I mean,
18:16we had eight practices
18:17and I'd say each practice
18:18is probably a little bit different
18:20so we'll roll a lot
18:21of guys through there.
18:21I'd say we have
18:22a lot of players
18:22that have experience
18:23putting their hand
18:24on the ball
18:24so Jake has experience
18:27I would say
18:27in the system
18:28going back to New England
18:30even though it was different.
18:31I mean,
18:31there's some elements
18:32that carry over.
18:33JP's done a good job for us
18:34and Juice has played well
18:35with his opportunities.
18:37Juice kind of has
18:38a little bit of flexibility,
18:39kind of center guard
18:39and he started games
18:40at center for us.
18:41He started games
18:42at guard for us
18:43and provided a good level
18:44of play.
18:45There's probably a likelihood
18:47you're going to need
18:47two or three centers.
18:48I mean,
18:49if you look at
18:49our experience,
18:50my experience
18:50is at some point
18:52you're going to need
18:53somebody.
18:54Something's going to happen
18:54and you're going to need
18:55multiple players
18:56that can play center.
18:58But overall,
18:58that group has done
18:59a pretty good job.
19:00They've worked.
19:01We've had,
19:01we have 15 or 16,
19:04however many offensive line
19:04they have on the roster
19:05and other than Trent,
19:06everybody has been out there
19:07essentially working
19:08which is good to see.
19:09So we think it'll be
19:11really good competition.
19:12We've got competition inside.
19:14We have competition
19:14on the perimeter
19:15to tackle as well.
19:17We'll figure out
19:18we know we're going to have
19:18eight at the game
19:20each week
19:20because you get
19:21the extra linemen.
19:22So we've got eight.
19:25Where's our depth?
19:26I mean,
19:26those are things
19:27that will kind of
19:28let the competition
19:28sort itself out.
19:29But,
19:30you know,
19:30Jake was a player
19:31coming out.
19:32You know,
19:32we had decent grades
19:33on him
19:34when he was coming
19:34out of Troy.
19:35He has experience
19:35with Coach Popovich.
19:37I mean,
19:37Coach Cole
19:38was the offensive
19:38coordinator at Troy
19:39that last year there
19:41when Jake,
19:41you know,
19:41was a center.
19:42So,
19:42you know,
19:43there's some,
19:43I would say,
19:44experience with one another.
19:45It doesn't necessarily
19:46guarantee or mean anything.
19:47And it's a lot of it
19:48just kind of getting
19:49Jake up to speed here.
19:50a little bit.
19:50But it's been a good group.
19:52And that group,
19:52I mean,
19:52like the team collectively
19:54has put in a lot
19:55of good work
19:56throughout the course
19:56of the spring.
19:57I'm excited to see
19:58the competition
19:58sort itself out
19:59here in training camp.
20:00When I look at
20:01some of the additions
20:01on the offensive line,
20:03the first thing
20:03that jumped out at me
20:04if I think back
20:05on the whole offseason
20:06is, okay,
20:06you've got Cam Robinson,
20:076'6",
20:08335 pounds or so.
20:09Ariante Ursary,
20:116'6",
20:11335 pounds or so.
20:13Trent Brown,
20:146'21",
20:15and however much
20:16he weighs.
20:178'12".
20:18Yeah,
20:18no,
20:19he's,
20:19there's not a bigger
20:20human being in the league
20:21than Trent Brown.
20:23Maybe the defensive tackle
20:24down there in Tampa
20:24from Florida,
20:25but I mean,
20:26him and Trent
20:26could duke it out
20:27in a sumo wrestling
20:28match over there,
20:28maybe.
20:29Yeah,
20:29he's like,
20:30it's something you'd see
20:31at a circus.
20:32He's gigantic.
20:33What,
20:33is he,
20:34was there an emphasis
20:35on that
20:35or is that just
20:36kind of the way
20:37it rolled out this year
20:38that you brought
20:38a lot of size and length?
20:39That's a little happenstance
20:40there,
20:41Seth.
20:41I don't think it's,
20:42well,
20:42we're going to get,
20:42you know,
20:42a bunch of guys
20:43that are,
20:43you know,
20:446'12",
20:44into the building.
20:45So,
20:45but,
20:46you know,
20:46at some point,
20:47you know,
20:47length is a component.
20:49I know there's a lot
20:49of discussion at length
20:50while he's got short arms
20:51or he's not tall enough.
20:53I mean,
20:53Matt Light was 6'4 1⁄2",
20:54at 32-inch arms
20:56and played left tackle
20:57at a high level
20:57for 10,
20:5811 years
20:58or whatever it was.
20:59So,
21:00it's all what they do
21:01with their size.
21:02Like,
21:02do they play to their size?
21:05You might have undersized guys
21:07who,
21:07you know,
21:08are good football players.
21:09I mean,
21:09if you look at a guy
21:10like Shaq Mason,
21:11I mean,
21:11he's 6'1",
21:126'1 1⁄2",
21:12and,
21:13you know,
21:13Shaq played a lot
21:14of good football
21:14for a number of years.
21:16So,
21:16in the end,
21:17it's about your technique.
21:18It's about your fundamentals.
21:19And I would say
21:19bigger players,
21:20taller players,
21:21you got to make sure
21:21that your waist
21:22is distributed properly,
21:23that you play
21:24with good body position,
21:25you play with good knee bend,
21:26because in the end,
21:26those are the things
21:27that are going to be relevant.
21:29And if you have
21:29a little bit of extra length,
21:31you know,
21:31again,
21:32think about this.
21:32You're blocking
21:33Daniil Hunter,
21:33who's 6'5 1⁄2",
21:34that's got 35-inch arms,
21:36who can threaten the edge.
21:37So,
21:38if you have a little bit
21:39of extra length
21:39that can hold him off
21:41for maybe a split second,
21:42maybe that makes a difference.
21:44But,
21:44I would say,
21:45you know,
21:45Rashawn Slater,
21:46I mean,
21:46he's not the tallest
21:47left tackle,
21:48but,
21:48I mean,
21:48the guy's like
21:49one of the best talents
21:49in the league.
21:50So,
21:51I mean,
21:51it's always case by case
21:52there a little bit.
21:53But,
21:53to your question,
21:54it wasn't,
21:55well,
21:55we need to get longer
21:56and we need to get
21:56necessarily bigger.
21:58It's just kind of,
21:59I'd say,
22:00how it happened
22:00to work itself out
22:01more than anything.
22:02It is,
22:03though,
22:03man.
22:04Just whether it happens
22:05naturally or whatever,
22:07like,
22:07when you go against
22:08an offensive line
22:08that has a bunch
22:09of long guys,
22:10like,
22:10tall,
22:11long guys on it,
22:12it feels like you're going
22:12against a Jim Boeheim
22:13zone defense.
22:15Like,
22:15you're just like,
22:16these bastards.
22:17The actual offensive line
22:19ends up being
22:19four foot longer
22:20than your normal
22:21offensive line.
22:22So,
22:23I just,
22:23I know,
22:23I trust that
22:24if it's just
22:25happenstance,
22:26it's fine.
22:26I just,
22:27I like dreaming
22:27of the possibility
22:28of just a bunch
22:29of gargantuan,
22:30you know,
22:30Jonathan Ogden
22:31types out there.
22:32It's a good
22:33conspiracy theory.
22:34No question.
22:34We had,
22:35look,
22:35we had,
22:36like,
22:36short tackles,
22:37tall tackles
22:37in New England.
22:38Nate Solder was 6'8".
22:39I think Sebastian Vollmer
22:40was like 6'7".
22:41And then we had,
22:42you know,
22:42Matt Light
22:45and has a bigger body.
22:46So,
22:46you know,
22:47look,
22:47if you have a little bit
22:48of extra length,
22:48it might help.
22:49But in the end,
22:49it's just how well
22:50do you get the guy
22:53most important thing?
22:54Sure.
22:54Yeah.
22:56Sorry to you guys
22:57if I'm a little rattled.
22:58Nick said the words,
22:58imagine you're blocking
22:59Daniil Hunter
23:00and I immediately
23:00soiled myself
23:01and now I had to
23:02take a break.
23:03Seth knows I'm frightened
23:04by Daniil Hunter.
23:05Yeah,
23:06Sean goes all beta male
23:07whenever Daniil Hunter
23:08comes around.
23:08I don't know what it is.
23:08He scares me.
23:10Yeah,
23:10and he's like,
23:10he's the most mild-mannered
23:11dude on earth.
23:12But yeah,
23:13but look at it.
23:13He said yesterday,
23:14Nick,
23:14he's put on 5 pounds
23:15of muscle.
23:16That felt like a warning
23:17alarm to the rest
23:17of the league.
23:18Is that even possible?
23:19That's exactly right.
23:19I don't get,
23:20yeah.
23:21My theory is that he
23:22just decided to try
23:23creatine for the first time
23:25because that'll put
23:265 pounds on you
23:27in 48 hours.
23:28Whatever creatine
23:29he's taking
23:30is different
23:30than the creatine
23:31I'm taking,
23:31that's for sure.
23:32No doubt.
23:33No doubt.
23:34Nick Casario
23:34joining us on the program.
23:37Nick,
23:38D'Amico said
23:39in one of his
23:39press conferences
23:40within the last week
23:41or so that Christian Harris
23:42will be ready
23:42to go for training camp.
23:44Obviously Christian
23:44struggled with the injuries
23:45last year.
23:46What can you tell us
23:47about where Christian
23:48is at right now?
23:48Yeah,
23:49hopefully he'll be good to go.
23:51So,
23:51I mean,
23:51he's unfortunately
23:52had some bad luck
23:53here over the last few years.
23:55I think he's shown
23:55when he's available
23:56and he's on the field
23:57he can be a very
23:58effective player for us.
23:59So,
24:00he's done what he's able to do.
24:01I'd say we have
24:01different players
24:02throughout the course
24:03of spring
24:03in different categories.
24:04They're doing
24:05what they're capable
24:06of doing
24:06and then the target
24:07right now is
24:08what are we going to have?
24:09Who's going to be available
24:10for training camp?
24:11The expectation is
24:12that he'll be ready
24:12for training camp.
24:13So,
24:14we'll go through
24:14these next
24:15however many weeks.
24:16There are going to be
24:16some guys
24:17that continue to train,
24:18continue to rehab
24:18and,
24:19you know,
24:20a couple weeks there
24:20before training camp,
24:22you know,
24:22guys will be back
24:22in the building.
24:25So,
24:25we'll have them
24:25once we start
24:26training camp,
24:27you know,
24:27hopefully we'll have
24:27a better idea
24:28where some of these
24:28players are.
24:29But,
24:29the expectation is
24:30is that he'll be
24:31available and ready to go.
24:32If he's not,
24:33then we'll handle it
24:34accordingly
24:34and go from there.
24:35You know,
24:36Sean and I talk about
24:37this quite a bit
24:37when we have
24:38these mysterious injuries
24:39like a Kyle Tucker
24:40or a Jordan Alvarez
24:42or a Christian Harris
24:42that I tend to stick up
24:45for the medical staff
24:46a little bit more
24:47than Sean just in that
24:48it's always,
24:50it's murkier
24:50than we want
24:51to believe it is
24:52that sometimes
24:52you just flat out
24:53don't know.
24:54With Christian Harris
24:55it obviously ended up
24:56being murkier
24:57than you guys
24:57expected it to be.
24:59Have you been able
25:00to maybe identify
25:01the problem at least
25:02or figure some things out?
25:04Yeah,
25:04and look,
25:05I think the point
25:06that you're making,
25:07you know,
25:08Seth is fair.
25:09I mean,
25:09sometimes medical people,
25:11I mean,
25:11in the end,
25:12it's not,
25:13you know,
25:13anything that they did
25:14or didn't do.
25:15Sometimes it's,
25:16in the end,
25:16the players,
25:17their bodies,
25:18they respond
25:19a little bit differently.
25:20So what's their training?
25:21Do they have a gap
25:22in their training?
25:23Did they miss a day?
25:24Because again,
25:24at some point,
25:25I would just say this,
25:26like the players
25:26have to be accountable
25:27as well.
25:28If something happens
25:29to a player,
25:30you got to be careful
25:31about displacing that
25:32onto somebody else.
25:34Ultimately,
25:34the players are responsible
25:35for their training,
25:37for their body,
25:37for their habits,
25:38what they do,
25:39how they approach it.
25:40If something happens
25:41or pops up,
25:42okay,
25:43then you have to figure out
25:44from a medical standpoint,
25:45what can we do
25:46and how do we do
25:47what's in the best interest
25:48of the players
25:49to get him back
25:50on the field.
25:50So again,
25:52everybody's intentions
25:53are good.
25:54Nobody wants to,
25:56hey,
25:56if something happens,
25:57they want somebody
25:57to get hurt
25:58or misdiagnose
25:59something on purpose.
26:00So there's a lot
26:01of doctors
26:01that are out there.
26:02We got a lot of smart
26:03doctors,
26:05people that help
26:06our team.
26:07And then you have
26:07other people
26:08outside of Houston
26:09and other areas
26:11who are experts
26:12in their area.
26:13So again,
26:13our job is to try
26:14to understand
26:15what's the issue.
26:17Can we identify
26:17the situation?
26:20Can we get the information?
26:21And then what's the solution
26:22and how we're going
26:23to handle it?
26:23And then let's move forward.
26:25Let's not worry
26:25about what's happened
26:26in the past.
26:27Nick Casario
26:27joining us on the show.
26:29Hey, Nick,
26:29shifting gears over
26:30to the wide receiver position.
26:31It's interesting,
26:32just sort of the transformation
26:33of that position
26:34just from an age standpoint
26:36where now you look up,
26:37Nico Collins was a young player.
26:39Now you look up
26:39with some of the turnover
26:41that's gone on in that room
26:42and the guys you brought in.
26:43He's like the unk guy
26:46in that room.
26:47Yeah, exactly.
26:49I'm curious,
26:50your thoughts on that
26:51sort of being Nico's room now
26:53and how equipped he is
26:54to be the example
26:55and the leader
26:55for that young group.
26:57Yeah, I think we're
26:58very fortunate.
26:58I mean, that room
26:59is a collection
27:00of a lot of good players
27:02and a lot of pros.
27:03Like even a player
27:04like Kirk,
27:04even though he's been
27:05in the league a long time,
27:06he's still a younger player.
27:07So I think
27:09they work well together.
27:10Ben McDaniels
27:11does a phenomenal job
27:12with that group.
27:12I mean, Nico's been here,
27:14what's this, year five?
27:15He's going to be year five
27:15or whatever it is.
27:17And again,
27:18you know,
27:18look, Nico's a good player.
27:20I mean, this isn't
27:20some mystery here.
27:21So I would say
27:22when you look at the way
27:23that Nico works
27:24and his habits
27:24and his approach,
27:26if I was in that room,
27:27I would probably
27:28watch that player as well.
27:29And Nico doesn't say
27:30a lot either.
27:30He's kind of in the
27:31Chubb category.
27:32Kirk's the same way,
27:33you know,
27:34which is why
27:34they probably all get along.
27:35And I think our team overall,
27:37if you were asking me
27:38to define this team,
27:39like what's the spring
27:40been like?
27:41I mean,
27:41it's been about
27:42very diligent,
27:43purposeful work.
27:45They show up,
27:46they work,
27:47they go out there,
27:48they work well
27:49with one another,
27:50they practice well together,
27:51they try to help each other.
27:53We don't really have
27:54a lot of riffraff going on.
27:56We don't have a lot
27:56of distractions.
27:57They go out there,
27:58they do their job.
27:59And honestly,
28:00that starts with D'Amico
28:01and his messaging
28:02on the front end.
28:04Here's what the expectation is.
28:05So work works.
28:07And we emphasize that
28:09because in the end,
28:09if you want to be
28:10a good football player,
28:11it's about the work.
28:12There's nothing else.
28:13There's no other
28:13magical formula
28:14that you can actually
28:15go out there and find.
28:16If you want to be good,
28:17you have to work.
28:18So how do you,
28:19what does that look like?
28:20You show up,
28:21your feet are on the ground,
28:23all right?
28:23You're focused on the job at hand.
28:25What are we trying
28:25to accomplish today?
28:26All right,
28:26we're going to practice
28:27from 945 to 11.
28:29And then once we're done
28:29practicing,
28:30we're going to go
28:30into the weight room
28:31and we're going to train
28:32and we're going to work
28:32on our recovery
28:33and we're going to get stronger.
28:34So, I mean,
28:35if you do that,
28:36like at least you have
28:37a shot to be a good
28:38football player
28:39and to give yourself
28:40an opportunity
28:40to compete on this team.
28:42But that receiver room,
28:43we feel like there's
28:44a number of good players
28:45in there,
28:46young and old,
28:47if you want to call it.
28:48You know,
28:48Nico's a little bit older,
28:49but overall,
28:50it's a pretty young room.
28:51Even Justin Watson,
28:52Watson's been in the league
28:53here a little bit,
28:54but he's still
28:54a younger player.
28:55So, it'll be interesting
28:56to watch that competition
28:58and, you know,
28:58we'll keep as many
28:59as we feel
29:00that is necessary.
29:02And, you know,
29:03I'd say the Iowa State kids
29:05have come in here
29:06and done a really good job
29:07as well.
29:07And, I mean,
29:08just anecdotally,
29:09I mean,
29:10talk about work.
29:10I mean, you know,
29:11we practice
29:12and then Jalen,
29:13you know,
29:13has kind of missed
29:14a few practices here.
29:15But, I mean,
29:15the weight room
29:16is right outside
29:16of D'Amico
29:17in my office.
29:18And, you know,
29:19one day we kind of
29:19look around
29:20and you hear a bunch
29:20of noise
29:21and you've got
29:21the jugs machine
29:22set up
29:23in the weight room
29:25with catching balls
29:26off the jugs
29:27basically after their meetings
29:28or after practice,
29:29you know,
29:29and just because
29:30they're trying to work
29:31on their craft
29:31and get better.
29:32So, we didn't have
29:32to tell them anything.
29:33They're doing that
29:34on their own.
29:35I mean,
29:36so I'd say
29:36that's a good place
29:37to start.
29:38And those are the things
29:39that you have to do
29:39in order to be
29:40a successful football player.
29:42Has it been,
29:43I guess,
29:44fun or interesting
29:44for you
29:45with Nick Cayley
29:46in that you both
29:47started off
29:48at the same place
29:48and you go
29:49to different places
29:50and you're going to
29:51learn different ways
29:51of doing things,
29:52et cetera.
29:53Has it been fun
29:54kind of comparing notes
29:55with him
29:55in that regard?
29:57Yeah,
29:57I try to leave Nick alone
29:58so I think everybody's
29:59probably sick
29:59of being around me.
30:00But, you know,
30:01Nick's done a good job
30:02I think of just
30:03trying to be himself
30:04and put his imprint
30:04on the offense
30:05and try to figure out
30:06like what's the offense
30:07look like for the Houston Texans.
30:08I think Nick's background
30:10and we've talked about this
30:11on the show
30:12when he got hired,
30:12you know,
30:13he has experience
30:14in multiple systems
30:14so you have to figure out
30:17what elements
30:17of each system
30:18do you think
30:19you want to utilize,
30:21what do you want
30:21that to look like,
30:22and in the end
30:23it's about what
30:23the players can handle.
30:25So you can have
30:26whatever system,
30:27you can try to put
30:27something in,
30:28whatever you think
30:29is going to work
30:29as a coach,
30:30but if the players
30:31can't absorb it
30:32and understand it
30:33and then go out there
30:33and apply it,
30:34then it doesn't
30:34really matter.
30:35So I think Nick
30:36has a good amount
30:38of humility
30:38where he doesn't act
30:40like he has
30:40all the answers.
30:41He's going to try
30:42to figure out
30:42what's best
30:43for the players
30:43and maybe pull
30:45some things
30:45from some different
30:46experiences,
30:47but I think Nick
30:48has worked really hard.
30:49He's got a good attitude
30:49and it's really,
30:51from his perspective,
30:52it's just been about
30:52putting a foundation
30:53in place
30:54and most of the
30:55offense is in
30:55and then once
30:56training camp starts
30:57we'll go back
30:58and kind of reintroduce it,
30:59but he's in a pretty
31:00good spot
31:00and Nick's come in here
31:01and just been himself
31:02which is all you can
31:02ask for a coach.
31:05He's obviously
31:06a high energy guy
31:07and very intense
31:09but seemingly
31:11in a positive
31:11type of way.
31:12What was he like
31:13as a young guy
31:14in New England?
31:16Was he one of these
31:17guys he had to
31:17calm down
31:18whippersnapper?
31:20I think
31:21when we're all
31:22younger coaches
31:23you have a lot
31:24of energy.
31:24You just want to
31:25make sure that
31:25you're displacing
31:26the energy
31:26the right way
31:27but I'd say
31:27the way that
31:28he coaches
31:28the offense
31:29is very similar
31:31to the way
31:31that he coached
31:32the tight ends
31:33in New England.
31:34He's got a lot
31:35of energy.
31:36Nick's a very
31:36positive kid
31:37but it's genuine.
31:38It's not a lot
31:38of fake positivity.
31:40We've all been
31:40around people
31:41who have that
31:41fake positivity
31:42and you can
31:43smell it
31:44a mile away
31:44but Nick's
31:46not about that.
31:46Nick's about
31:47just communication.
31:48He's about energy
31:49and I'd say
31:49that's really
31:50emblematic of our
31:51team.
31:51When you look
31:51at our coaches
31:52they coach,
31:54they teach,
31:55they communicate
31:55effectively.
31:56There's a lot
31:57of juice.
31:57It starts with
31:58D'Amico.
31:59Nobody has
31:59more than him
32:00and then that
32:01trickles down
32:01to when you
32:02look at Matt
32:02Burke.
32:03We could probably
32:04have a 12-hour
32:05discussion about
32:06Frank Ross and
32:06just his level
32:07of energy and his
32:08juice and then
32:09Nick Haley.
32:09Whatever you
32:10are as a
32:11coach,
32:12just be who
32:13you are.
32:13Don't try to
32:14be something
32:14that you're
32:14not because
32:15you feel like
32:16you've got to
32:16force feed and
32:17I think that's
32:17the one thing
32:18with our
32:19building.
32:19People come
32:20in here and
32:20be yourself.
32:21Whatever you
32:21think is going
32:22to work,
32:22you go ahead
32:23and do it.
32:23If there's
32:24something that
32:24we have to
32:24get fixed
32:25or correct
32:25or have to
32:26dial it down
32:26in some
32:27area,
32:27we'll have a
32:27discussion about
32:28it and then
32:28we'll keep
32:29moving forward.
32:30I would say
32:31a lot of
32:31what you're
32:32seeing from
32:32Nick just
32:33overseeing the
32:34offense is
32:35similar to what
32:36we saw in
32:37New England
32:37in our time
32:38together.
32:38Over on the
32:39defensive side,
32:40how's it been
32:40with C.J.
32:41Gardner-Johnson
32:42so far?
32:42That feels like
32:43we're throwing
32:43a stick at
32:45Dino right now.
32:46He's been good.
32:47He was here
32:48for the early
32:49part of OTAs
32:50and was doing
32:51some work on
32:51his own.
32:52He was here
32:52the past couple
32:53days for many
32:54camps.
32:55Honestly,
32:55he's been good
32:56to work with.
32:57We haven't heard
32:58him that much,
32:59so maybe they'll
32:59come out in
32:59training camp,
33:00but he's blended
33:01in well.
33:03Looking forward
33:04to working with
33:04him a little bit
33:05more and getting
33:06him ready to go
33:06for training camp.
33:07Sean and I
33:08have a pet
33:08theory about
33:10some of the
33:11contracts that
33:11you've been
33:12doing lately.
33:13Tell us if we're
33:13completely off
33:14base or not.
33:16I'm going to
33:16do a conspiracy
33:17theory YouTube
33:18video.
33:20We're heading
33:22into the slow
33:22time, Nick.
33:23It may turn
33:23into that.
33:24We were just
33:25curious because
33:25we were kind
33:26of thinking
33:26about it.
33:26I was telling
33:27Sean that I've
33:28always felt that
33:30a lot of times
33:31players are too
33:31fixated on being
33:32the highest paid
33:33player in terms of
33:34average per year
33:35or the total
33:36money on the
33:36contract where
33:37I've always felt
33:39like players
33:39should be more
33:40focused on
33:41guaranteed money,
33:42short-term contracts,
33:43prove it, and then
33:44you don't have any
33:44drama.
33:46A lot of the
33:46contracts that
33:47you've given out
33:48in the last few
33:48years have been
33:50short-term, lots
33:51of guaranteed money.
33:52Daniil Hunter is
33:53probably the ultimate
33:54example of that.
33:56I felt like, man,
33:58it seems like the
33:59guys that maybe
34:00really get it and
34:01aren't too wrapped
34:02up in their ego and
34:03everything understand
34:04the value of a
34:05shorter-term deal
34:06with lots of
34:07guaranteed money.
34:08Financially, it
34:09makes a lot of
34:10sense.
34:10Is there any kind
34:11of correlation
34:12that you've seen
34:13between that, that
34:13maybe the guys that
34:14are just a little
34:15more dialed in on
34:16the things that
34:17matter aren't always
34:19necessarily as
34:20concerned about
34:20having the highest
34:21average per year
34:22or the largest
34:23total contract?
34:26Every play is
34:26different, and I'm
34:28going to speak for
34:28players, but I
34:29would say you
34:29know this.
34:30Certain players
34:31prioritize some
34:32things over others,
34:33and part of our
34:34job, part of my
34:35role is understanding
34:36what's important to
34:37the player.
34:38It doesn't mean that
34:39you get mad at a
34:40player because he
34:41prioritizes something
34:42that maybe you would
34:43prioritize.
34:44You can't really
34:44worry about that, so
34:45anytime you enter a
34:46negotiation, you try
34:48to have an idea and
34:48understanding what's
34:49important to the
34:50player.
34:51Okay, what are we
34:51comfortable from a
34:52length standpoint?
34:53Does this make sense?
34:54And when you look at
34:55the contracts that
34:56we've done, we're all
34:58over the map, right?
34:59We've done one-year
34:59deals, we've done
35:00two-year deals, we've
35:00done three-year
35:01extensions, we've done
35:02four-year deals,
35:03whatever the case may
35:04be.
35:04In the end, part of my
35:06job and responsibility
35:07is to have the give
35:08and take with the
35:09agent.
35:09I think any, and I'm
35:11not trying to be
35:12derogatory here, but
35:13ultimately, it's the
35:14player's decision and
35:16choice about what they
35:17think is important
35:17because ultimately,
35:19like, it's your
35:20career and you've got
35:21to make the decision
35:22that you feel is best
35:23for yourself.
35:24Now, can you get
35:24counsel and direction
35:25from some folks?
35:26And maybe their
35:27intentions potentially
35:29could be different
35:29than whatever your
35:31intentions are.
35:31So, our job at the
35:33end is to say, look,
35:33this is what we feel
35:34is fair, are you
35:35comfortable with it or
35:36not?
35:37Any negotiation, it's
35:38not about, quote-unquote,
35:39winning a negotiation.
35:40We've never gone into
35:41any negotiation that
35:42way.
35:43Honestly, we don't
35:43believe in that.
35:44I don't believe in
35:45that personally because
35:45it's not a good way to
35:46run, I would say, an
35:47organization.
35:48There's going to be
35:49some give and take.
35:49In the end, you want
35:50everybody to be
35:50comfortable and, you
35:52know, feel that
35:53they're being
35:53compensated appropriately.
35:55And if the team's
35:57comfortable and the
35:57player's comfortable,
35:58then it's good for
35:59everybody involved and
36:00then the player can
36:01internalize it and
36:02process it however they
36:03see fit.
36:05So, but in the end,
36:06look, let's not put our
36:07head in the sand here.
36:08I mean, money's a part
36:09of our game and players
36:10want to be well
36:11compensated, as they
36:12should.
36:12I mean, the big thing is
36:13go out there and play
36:14good football and you'll
36:15probably, you know, be
36:15compensated accordingly.
36:16So, and then you're
36:17going to get whatever you
36:18earn.
36:18So, we're pretty
36:20open-minded, we're
36:20pretty flexible and we
36:22try to maintain good
36:24discourse and dialogue
36:25with agents along the
36:26way and try to do what
36:27we feel is in the best
36:28interest of not only the
36:29player, but the club
36:30ultimately as well.
36:31All right, Nick, we
36:32know we've got to get
36:32you up and out of here.
36:33I'm asking this on
36:34behalf of Seth.
36:35What books are you
36:36bringing to the Cape to
36:37read when you're taking
36:38some time off?
36:39Great question.
36:40So, I'm actually going
36:41to bring, it's a book
36:44of Warren Buffett and
36:45Charlie Munger.
36:46Essentially, it's got all
36:47there, the shareholder
36:48meetings and insights.
36:49It's a pretty thick book,
36:50so I thought to myself,
36:52yeah, this will probably
36:52be appropriate for summer
36:53and, you know, I'll
36:55probably finish off a few
36:56of the books.
36:57I mean, not to go like
36:58nerd on y'all, but, you
37:00know, I've tried to, over
37:01the last, you know, it's
37:02the beginning of the
37:02year, I have a list that
37:03I'm keeping.
37:04I'm on, you know, every
37:06one or two weeks, you
37:07know, finishing one off.
37:09So, I'm just trying to
37:10keep it moving there a
37:10little bit.
37:11I read a book about
37:12Bitcoin, trying to learn
37:13about that a little bit.
37:15I was reading, I just
37:17read a, you know, kind of.
37:18See if you can find out
37:19how I can find my lost
37:20passcode from the one
37:21I, my Bitcoin passcode is
37:24on a post-it note in a
37:25landfill somewhere, but
37:27it's out there.
37:29I don't own any Bitcoin
37:30yet, so I'm Coinbase, so
37:31my broker doesn't allow me
37:32to buy Bitcoin yet.
37:33But, no, I'd say finance
37:35to behavioral science, I
37:36just finished off.
37:37It's called The Honest
37:37Truth About Dishonesty, and
37:40it's about essentially like
37:41how we sometimes probably
37:42lie to ourselves more than
37:46when it's just bigger
37:46science and personal
37:47behavior.
37:48So, kind of thought
37:49provoking, but I'm sure
37:50I'll have my head in a
37:51book somewhere and just
37:52try to get a little bit
37:53smarter.
37:54I need a lot of help, so
37:54I'll see if you can learn
37:55anything over the summer.
37:55I've read three of the,
37:57I've read three of the
37:58books you recommended
37:58from last year, and I
38:00know I've, I'm going to
38:01have, I'm going to do a
38:02three hour long podcast
38:03episode with you whenever
38:04you do.
38:05I might actually listen to
38:05that then.
38:06Oh, you want you on it.
38:07I want you on it, yeah.
38:09I got Morgan Housel
38:10seeping out my ears right
38:12now, yeah.
38:12Huge Morgan Housel fan.
38:14Love Morgan Housel.
38:15All right, we got to get
38:15Nick out.
38:16So, so, so, I mean, I'm
38:18being presumptuous when I
38:19say the cape.
38:19You're not bringing the
38:20family to Saudi Arabia at
38:21the end of June for Cena
38:22versus Punk.
38:24Take the girls to Redal in
38:26Saudi Arabia.
38:27Is Jericho going to make
38:28an appearance?
38:28It's like, and if Tony
38:30will let him out of his
38:30contract, maybe he'll show
38:31up.
38:32If Jericho shows up with
38:33the list, that would be
38:34tremendous.
38:34So, Cena Punk in
38:35Saudi Arabia, huh?
38:36Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
38:37What do the fans think
38:38about the Cena heel
38:39turn?
38:40How's that going?
38:40I don't really pay too
38:41much attention.
38:43He's embracing it, and so
38:44the fans are very much
38:45embracing telling him how
38:46much he sucks.
38:48So, yeah.
38:48So, it's going just fine as
38:50far as WWE is concerned.
38:52Great.
38:53All right, Nick.
38:53We know we got to get you
38:54up and out of here.
38:55Have a great summer.
38:57We will be talking to you
38:58at training camp, and we
38:59are all, I think I speak
39:00for the audience, we are
39:01all very much looking
39:02forward to this season of
39:03Texans football.
39:05Thanks, fellas.
39:05Always appreciate the
39:06time.
39:06Enjoy the summer.
39:07You too.
39:07Thanks.
39:07Appreciate you.
39:08That's Texans Executive
39:09Vice President and General
39:10Manager Nick Casario.