Transcript
Speaker: All right, lads, welcome back to another episode of Who's Got the Ball. Myself and Shane back here once again. Shane, what was the crack? Not a whole lot. So it's another double week, so I'm trying to not give away all my news on Monday. So have something to talk about again on the Thursday. But it was quite a weekend. Just had a bit of a going away party and just took it handy then. Thank God. Back to work then. Just today. So just hoping to win the lotto tomorrow now, which will be great.
Speaker: Yeah, that would be great. That would be a great Tuesday. So we're recording this a little bit early. about 10 days out from when you're actually hearing it. Because we wanted to get a preview episode in for the the college game that's going to happen over here in Ireland, the the game between UNC and TCU, and talk about Irish NFL and Irish kickers over in the college football game as well. So Jimmy i taught jimmy English from Gaelic Red Iron is the best man to have on for that. And myself and himself are both on holidays next week or over the next course of of a week. So we record this ahead of time.
Speaker: And as Shane said, that a bit of limbo going on because we'll be recording our Premier League preview later this week, but you'll actually hear that sooner. So I'd say I'll i'll save my news from last week, my trip to Mayo for that one, because yeah people will be hearing it sooner. and And why not? Sure, you know, might as well. But yeah, I think this one is a little bit of a shorter episode, but I think that the chat with Jimmy was was a good one. He gave a lot of insight into kind of the lads playing over and...
Speaker: in the college game in Ireland from Ireland and and possibly having future NFL games over here and maybe what the college game could do to to grow but yeah I think in general Shane what are your feelings about like all the Irish guys and I will get into it deeper with Jimmy now in a minute but the Irish guys getting involved in the college game I personally just think it's it's great and it can only continue to grow yeah 100% agree and I think the fact we're now seeing Irish guys get those division one scholarships as well off the bat and not having to go over and almost like test themselves in the lower division but then say, oh, geez, that fella can do something. Let's bring him up here. So it's good that their the college is now willing to take a chance on these Irish lads. And as I mentioned in the podcast, getting them over earlier is better, I think. And I just think it can only bode well for the future, both for American football itself, but also its popularity in Ireland and the way it's been building over the last couple of years. This is only going to help it grow maybe three, four or five times faster if if there's Irish lads to be keeping an eye out for. We already have Daniel Whelan
Speaker: and Charlie's space. Imagine if we had five or six lads, they'd be keeping an eye on every Sunday. So yeah, I think it's absolutely brilliant. And we want to lose our GAA players AFL, we might well lose it to the NFL as well.
Speaker: Yeah, agreed. And the bigger pay packets for the lads as well. And obviously it'd be mad, like, you know, if you had a local lad playing your county team and then he goes over and he makes and he's playing on, i don't know, playing on the Colts. Like you'd have a load of lads supporting the Colts for absolutely no reason out in Fermanagh and you'd be like yeah oh the Colts is fairly you know Fermanagh is a Colts county so I think it's that it's only going to bode well for the future but yeah we get great chat and with Jimmy about that amongst other things including the the college game and the future of the NFL in Ireland so we'll jump straight into that one now. Alright lads so Jimmy English joining the podcast from Gaelic Gridiron you'll all know him by now he's joined the podcast before and as you know I'm over there with Jimmy me a lot on the on the Gaelic Gridiron network so Jimmy pleasure to have you how are you?
Speaker: James, we're seeing far too much of each other these days. You know, think we need a little bit of distance. But it's great to be here, lads. Always always a pleasure to chat football with you. So thanks very much for having me on. And looking forward to getting into it.
Speaker: Yeah, no, pleasure is all ours. We're going to touch mainly on some Irish football topics, kind of for the time that's in it, considering we've got the Aer Lingus Classic coming up in just over a week. And obviously there's a lot of news recently about Irish kickers getting accepted into college programs on top of Charlie Smith likely being the starting kicker for the Saints. So quite a lot in the Irish realm of NFL, which is great. But the first thing we want to touch on is...
Speaker: The fact of these Irish kickers getting accepted into college programs, getting their scholarships, heading into big schools such as Ole Miss, Like in that kind of a sense, when we when we get these guys two, three, four years into these programs, maybe will that shape a better pathway for them into the NFL than the IPP? You can look, maybe there's positives to both because the IPP carries an extra roster spot. So in that way, it could be different to the way the NFL franchises look at it. But I think maybe the the lads getting that experience of the US might stand to them in the long run. Jimmy, I know you you know a lot guys. So what do you think about that?
Speaker: Yes, absolutely, James. I think college the college path is definitely the way forward for these lads because the IPP is great in it it's it's a great idea. But what you often see is it's it's very much a gamble of the IPP guys coming through because they've no real... And you know that there's always the exception. you know You have Travis Clayton for the Bills a couple of years ago. He was drafted as ah as an offensive lineman.
Speaker: You have Seu Traore. got drafted by the Miami Dolphins this year as a tight end, I believe. But... what but what often the case is is these guys are very raw coming through the IPP so they're not necessarily going to walk on to going to walk on into a starting position in the NFL whereas with the college path these guys are are getting three four years of actual game experiences which is what the NFL are looking for it's that you know that that that kind of real life game experience, in in game experience. And like the college football college football is now more and more operating it at an NFL style level.
Speaker: So they're they're getting they're getting into game experience they're getting the getting the experience of playing in those big stadiums in that kind of atmosphere almost pro style environment. So when they do come out of college, they're almost NFL ready. Right. So they're in a much better position.
Speaker: to, they're in a much better position to to go straight into the NFL. And the other thing with the IPP is, depending on your eligibility, and I still don't understand this, how the different eligibility works with the IPP, because some guys can be drafted Whereas some guys, you know, I think Charlie, for example, when he came to the IPP, I think because he'd gone to university here in Ireland first, he couldn't actually be drafted by an NFL team. So that's something else that's that's going to put them off is because they have to have this extra spot available then for to carry these international players. so
Speaker: And I think now as well, that we've been through several several cycles of Irish lads going into the college system is that U.S. coaches are now, they're more willing to take a chance on them and to give them a scholarship spot. So it's now, you know, when Ross Balger and even as back as far as Andy Quinn, when they were going in, these these guys were an unknown entity. the U.S. coaches didn't know how the he it was going to work out. and And, you know, I think Ross is a perfect example of of a guy who should be in the NFL right now.
Speaker: But it was just unlucky that that he was so he was he was the pioneer. He was the guy who did it first and he ended up going to a pretty small college in... in oh i Idaho State, I think he was at. Idaho State, yeah. Sorry, the die the Idaho State Bengals. So he could have gone anywhere, really, if he had been a few years later, if you know what I mean. So...
Speaker: No, I think college is definitely the path forward for these guys. And I think we're going to see, you know, it we're we're already see wherere we're already seeing it where I think almost every big-time university in the next couple years is going to have an Irish lad on their roster, be it a kicker or be it a different position.
Speaker: Yeah, I think that... the kind of variety of specialists that you can get from from an Irish player, be it kickoff specialist, the ponter um yeah a kicker, that there's a good variety there. And, you know, as you saw but in the case of Charlie and then obviously Rory Began and Mark Jackson went over the same time and they're all goalkeepers at GA and county level. So, you know, they'd be...
Speaker: used to that kind of kind of place kicking be it like throughout the game and having to be very accurate so i think shane obviously as obviously when you're growing up and all of us are probably the same being interested in ga being interested in soccer and if you had that option or your friends had that option where you knew you could go down to this like kicking king and give it a go and you had a good leg on you Like, I think you'd see more lads actually doing it often at your age group. And I think when that takes over, I think there'd be such an abundance of lads that it's hard not to imagine them going to so many colleges. But Shane, want to get your thoughts on on that. you know like Do you think that with the oversaturation, is it a good thing or you know could it be too much at a stage? I think we're we're only at breaking down the first level now, but maybe in 10 years, it could be an oversaturation of this.
Speaker: I think that's like that's a long way to be looking down the line. As you said, we're only kind of getting our foot in the door at the moment. So to be thinking now, oh God, are we going to lose all our GE players to American football in the next 10 years? Sure, we're already losing to the AFL.
Speaker: We're losing Colvin McDonald this week as well. I think kind of to look back on what Jimmy said as well, how would the IPP Well, it's a great option getting these lads in at 18 or 19 instead of 23 or 24. They're going to make a big difference them as well going forward because when you're going in at 23 or 24 and you're just kicking a round ball for 10, 12 years, if you're going in at 18 and you're working with elite college coaches who they're they're taking kids off the street in America as it is and they're like, this is how you kick a ball straight.
Speaker: Getting an Irish side over there with a big leg and being shown how to kick a ball properly when you still... kind of, he's still kind of formulating what he's doing. Whereas at 22, 24, you're more used to kicking a certain style of ball for far longer time. I think that's a big advantage to going through the college system as well.
Speaker: I'll just kind of looking up a couple of lads over there because obviously i I'm famously ah really bad at college knowledge. sport ham Daniel Shannon last year, sorry, David Shannon kicked all of Georgia Tech's punts for last season. And I think someone like him,
Speaker: averaging 43.2 yards that's only going to get longer and the more players that go over burst their legs are going to be longer as well it'll get better and better he placed 35th overall in america last year who knows in five years time the the number one place punter could be irish if he gets over early enough gets a chance even at maybe high school level i know that's kind of probably well down the road now they're going to start picking off how you feel high school high school aged players but i just think At the moment, if we can get our foot in the door, if if we get to an oversaturation level, I think that can only be good for Irish sport because the GAA can only get these lads so far. And that's why it likes that Colby McDonald is going at 18, don't miss St Kilda's, because these d are lads who want to be professional sports people.
Speaker: And the GAA, it's never going to go professional. So Colby, he's come in, he's won his All-Ireland. He's kind of fulfilled a lifelong dream for the whole of Mayo. Now he gets to go and basically do professional for the next 10 or 15 years if if he proves to be good enough.
Speaker: Yeah, you make a great point there. like I think this is another pathway for these young lads that may not have and an option to go pro in Ireland if unless you know they're a soccer player rugby player as well on top of that, which is also difficult. But I think opening up these pathways is is really important. i know you mentioned...
Speaker: and David Shanahan obviously he got to play over here at college level in the Aer Lingus Classic we'll get on to that game in a minute but Adam McCann Gibbs is the next one up Jimmy me and obviously we we've both spoke to him and we had their live event and you got to interview him there in the Aviva along with some of the other UNC guys and You know, he's kind of the hottest name almost. And he hasn't even we haven't seen him do it yet. Yeah. Straight away, you've got now Peter McStravick and from York, new York County of Loud. he could be the hottest name. And it's like, you know, next guy up, next guy up. So all it's bound to be at least two or three of these guys become massive names in the NFL.
Speaker: The Adam McCann-Gibbs situation is very interesting, James, because he flipped his commitment from Penn State where he was originally due to go when James Franklin left and took his staff with him. So he then, obviously UNC and Bill Belichick came calling and he committed there.
Speaker: I'd say for two reasons, Bill Belichick being the the top reason, but then also the opportunity to get to play in front of his home crowd in his first ever collegiate game. But I I wouldn't be surprised. Like, Bill Belichick is on the hot seat in UNC.
Speaker: And I think if this season goes south for Belichick, he's gone out of... He's gone out of Chapel Hill. don't think we'll ever see him coaching again. I think he's going to retire. And I can't say I blame him, to be honest with you. So, I'm not sure how long... Look, I hopefully will... will there's no doubt that Adam McCann Gibbs will have a very successful col collegiate career.
Speaker: It's just whether it continues to be in UNC or not. And like it's it's like you say, he was the hottest thing. He was the hottest kind of commodity to come out of Ireland. And there was all this hype about him.
Speaker: But then in the meantime, we've already we've seen a whole slew of other Irish players getting big time commitments. So, you know, you mentioned Peter McStravick there. He was initially due to go to a smaller school, Iowa Western.
Speaker: And, But then we saw the clip of him kick kicking a 70-yard run. And you're like, there there's no chip there's not a chance in hell this guy who goes to a small D1 school now.
Speaker: And now he he ease's he's going to like one of the most prestigious college football programs in history in the University of Mississippi Rebels. So it'll be very interesting to see what happens there because he's not as young as McCann Gibbs. He's 24, 25. So he's kind of where Charlie is at now.
Speaker: So I'd say he might do a year or two in college and then go to the pros. just and like Obviously, kickers have a longer lifespan at in the NFL because they're not putting their bodies through as much kind of rigors as some of the other players are. but I think that there's like that there's a you know that there's other guys who have committed this year that have not necessarily been overlooked. and But you also have the likes of Oshin Flynn. He's gone to Mississippi State.
Speaker: yeah it was There wasn't half as much fanfare about that commitment, really. um So I think, obviously, we're goingnna see we'll we'll see him squaring off against Peter Mikstravik at the end of the year.
Speaker: in the in the rivalry game between Ole Miss and Mississippi State. So there's actually a couple of very interesting match-ups happening if if you if you look at the college schedule where...
Speaker: Irish lads will be facing off against each other. So it'll be kind of reminiscent of when we saw David Shanahan and Ben Kiernan, who's asked also playing for UNC back in the day.
Speaker: and They got to play against each other at one stage a couple of years ago. So when you start seeing Irish lads playing against each other for different US colleges, that you're kind of like, this is...
Speaker: this is something special here, you know? Yeah, yeah, I agree with that point. And I think it's also worth noting maybe um on the back of us discussing the NFL and Aussie rules and stuff, like going to the NFL isn't the only professional kind of American football league that you can be a part of. And we saw two guys now both with the the BC Lions in the CFL, you mentioned already Ross Bulger, and then to add to him, Mark McNamee, who was with the Packers, they've both been drafted onto that team.
Speaker: Yeah. So that's another option there for young guys, you know, that you say, okay it's not just it's not just the NFL. If you get over to the US, you can still make a career out of it in Canada or even in the European American Football League.
Speaker: You did mention Bill Belichick and you mentioned the game over here. So I think it's only right we touch on it. Shane, you said yourself that you're famously not a big college head for American football. Too many sporting plates for you down there in Limerick to juggle. But look, I think it's still going to be a massive occasion and obviously one that everyone's looking forward to, especially with Bill Belichick being the head coach. And like like Jimmy said, a very bad season they had last year, finished with a 4-8 record in his first season in charge.
Speaker: How do you see this one going? And do you think Belichick, like Jimmy said, do you think this could be the last year for him? Yeah, I definitely think this could be his last year regardless because they're paying him the bones of 10 million a year. I read when I was looking up the stats on this and he's well in his 70s now. He's done it all. He's won it all. He's most successful in the NFL coach of all time.
Speaker: if if he comes out here again and has another losing season, it's kind of just like, what's the point for him? What's the point for them? Unless he's developing lads at a level that's absolutely outstanding, which obviously he isn't if it was a 4-8 record last year. So it kind of just gets to the point of like,
Speaker: you stay too long to be the villain or you die villain or whatever it is. Stay too long to be the hero or die a villain or whatever. I just think having him over here, he's a name that even if you don't know NFL, you know who he is.
Speaker: Everyone knows his name. if Even if you're a follower of any sport, you know Bill Belichick, you know Alex Ferguson, you know the lads who have done it at such a high level. i think he's going to attract fans that have absolutely no interest in record football just to see if they get a picture with him or just kind of watch him in person, see what he does.
Speaker: and I think it will bring more fans over from North Carolina as well. yeah Yeah, University of in North Carolina. Yeah, I think more fans will come over because it's him. It's a game in Ireland. Everyone knows the Americans love coming to Ireland. It's just their favorite their favorite pastime, really.
Speaker: So I think having having him in attendance is the reason that it could sell out this year. Yeah, I think it's the fact that the game has kind of... It's gone on for so many years and maybe the seedings of the teams involved and how badly UNC did last year might be a factor in a play of of how like glamorous this tie is. i think Dolichek maybe does pull this up a little bit, but like last year you saw TCU...
Speaker: opening the season against unc and they battered them in chapel hill as well which was not a good look to start off for belichick and then you also have the michael mbardi situation off the field who a lot of people say he has no business being part of this this college and team and now obviously you want get into the ins and outs of it because it's speculation but there is a hr complaint against him and he's on paid leave as the gm so i think um off the field The situation surrounding Belichick and and a lot of what's unfolded over the last couple of years and then this Lombardi situation, I don't know, the UNC might not want to smear their luck any further if if things continue to go badly on the field.
Speaker: Yeah, all I'll say in the matter is if UNC lose this game in Dublin, I won't be going to the post-game press conference with Bill Belichick because there's no point. You'll just be getting the one-word answers out of him.
Speaker: So I also wouldn't advise anyone to try and get a picture with him. It might be the last thing you ever do if you try and get a selfie with Bill Belichick. You might not live to tell the tale, to be honest with you. But look, it's a great occasion. I mean, any time big-time college football comes to...
Speaker: comes to Dublin, comes to Ireland, it is a great occasion. So I am looking forward to that. I think i think overall, they they they i think to sleepy the the franchise or the the the series needs to up its game a little bit if they're going to continue to to to bring in the fans, especially the the the passive fans are the kind of fans who have a little bit interest. And I mean, UNC and TCU, they're not exactly household names, even in America.
Speaker: They're two very small markets in their own right over there. So, you know, obviously we have, we have Pitt and Wisconsin next year. That's a kind of of a bigger, rival a bigger rivalry in the big 10, but just, and especially with the NFL, uh,
Speaker: here last year and coming again potentially next year. and I just think if the college college series want to continue to, to and i thought they're working so hard to sell tickets this year, they are pulling out all the stops. So you can't fault them and that. But just, it's kind of hard to see how how this can can continue to be a yearly event if they're having to work so hard to to sell tickets, you know?
Speaker: Yeah, and I think the the inclusion of the Union Jack Bowl or whatever the the name on it is. you The Union Jack Classic, which we're not even going to touch. We're not even going to entertain the notion of it. No, that's that's one that won't be touching any of our podcast feeds or social media feeds. But the inclusion of that, obviously, is another factor probably in...
Speaker: the saturation of American football over here. and And like you said, NFL games over here will probably grab a bigger a bigger crowd. You've also kind of got the fact that when you mentioned the next, if next year's game is a bigger game, people might wait and gear up towards that one and say, right next year, I'm going to go to this one because it's, it's a bigger rivalry or, you know, I support an NFL team adjacent to where that college is. That's kind of what i what I'll do. That'll be my team now. And they might bring over fans. And I also think that it could become a bit of a gimmick, but bringing over Notre Dame is a great move because it constantly brings Irish fans out. Yeah.
Speaker: And maybe you'd see that. like record We're not going to see Notre Dame back in Ireland for at least another 10 years because they just won't give up the TV rights. They won't give up the the home game. If they do come back, it'll be as an away team like they did back in 2012. I think they were the away team then.
Speaker: But just it's just such a and such a massive undertaking for a school of that size to come over. So i'd luck i as much as I'd love not Notre Dame to come back, I think it will be waiting a long time to see that.
Speaker: Yeah, I think that's that those kind of options are a little bit off the table. So I don't know what we see. Maybe if this goes to every two years a better, better hype around it. But yeah, look, either way, I think it's going to be a good game. and Obviously, we spoke, we got to talk to some of the players and you had, I think, a press conference on on remote with Bill Belichick. And you said he was he was quite ah open to answer questions, which is interesting.
Speaker: Yeah, it'd be great now if we if we got him to actually sit down with us for for a few minutes when eat when he's here. with fingers Fingers are crossed. The request has been put in with the guys. So, look, I think that could be that could be something very special.
Speaker: Yeah, well, fingers crossed. And I think he's in ah he's in fine form as well already. I think during the training camp, that I saw a most recent quote from him about how he's setting up the the camp for players. He doesn't want to make it easy. He said, it's not like we've been out here doing watermelon rolls, badminton and relay races, which is the great Bill Belichick quote. So I i think he's in fine form. Let's see how he gets on when he comes over here. Yeah. Before we move on there, Jimmy, can I just ask in relation to getting more people to go to the college games, what kind of colleges think would be, not even the biggest pull, but what ones would be kind of accessible to come over? And like, obviously just said Notre Dame won't have, they're not going to come anytime soon. is there any college you think big colleges will be willing to make this move and kind of just drag fans with them and just try and bring the hype back to us?
Speaker: Similarly to how Florida State did maybe, you know, a couple of years Yeah, yeah. Like, I'd love to see Penn State come back, Shane, to be honest with you. I think they'd be a great. They haven't played here since 20... Since 2000 and... Oh, God, 2012, no, 2015 maybe Penn State came over. Yeah, they played Crow Park against UCF and they won in the last second field goal.
Speaker: And, like, Penn State has a huge... huge fan base, not just in in state college, but all around the country. I mean, the Penn State alumni network is one of the biggest in the States. And I personally know a lot of Penn State fans who are here in 2015 and would love to come back. So I think Penn State would be a great one. at Boston College, they always travel very well. Our own i queen is Boston College now. Yeah.
Speaker: Like ideally you'd get an SEC team playing here. Could you imagine if Alabama or Georgia or even Ohio State in the Big Ten played and it played in Dublin? It would be absolutely bananas. They're just not going to give up.
Speaker: They're not going to give up a home game because it's just not worth them. It's not worth their while financially to give up a home game. So. Look, that would be the dream. If if if the guys at the College Football Ireland could pull off bringing an SEC team here, the likes of oh Ohio State, one of those kind of big, big names, I think that would be... Like Penn State, Ohio State in Dublin would be absolutely just phenomenal. you know Or even the likes of... you like You won't get Alabama and Auburn because they won't give up an iron ball to come and play in Dublin. But Alabama versus anybody really would be would be great to see. Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah, I think we might... The thing is, with these colleges, you said they're not really willing to give up these home games or these big bowl games, whereas the NFL are trying to shift towards having every team having an international game across their season, which is an interesting tactic. The NFL given have gone for the opposite strategy. They're giving Europe all their shit games. i mean, if the Jacksonville Jaguars play one more game in Europe, I swear to God, like... Their second home is in the UK and now. here's all Here's all the games we don't want you know and to play. like I think, though, on that note, that the Steelers and Saints and in in Paris is actually a great game.
Speaker: In retrospect, when I when i first you know heard the news that the Steelers were playing and in Paris, I was kind of like, what's this about? They only played in Europe last year and they're an away team, so won't be as as big of a deal, really, but...
Speaker: You know, it saves me going to Pittsburgh and it gives the opportunity to go to the first ever NFL game in France. So and I just think the NFL's kind of strategy is with regards to Europe, it's kind of like okay okay there's there's still very much testing the water, I think. There there are some good matchups this year in in the in Europe, but it unfortunately, a lot of these games tend to be very dull affairs because the teams are either jet lagged or You know, they're just like, oh, it's just a European game or an international game. who really I don't think the players give a shit about the international games, to be honest with you.
Speaker: They're just doing what they're told to do, really, because they're getting paid. and So look, yeah, it's an interesting strategy by the NFL, the what they're currently doing. I think the the fact of Ireland being like so accessible though from the East Coast, if you had an an East Coast matchup again, i think that's probably where you get the most fans firstly coming over. because I know Goodell himself said that the game from the States over here, it had the most international fans traveling from the US of any game. So obviously that's that connection to Ireland and Pittsburgh being a factor there as well.
Speaker: And he did say that they'll be back in a few years. But you have Peter McKenna, who's the Proke Park Stadium director, saying that he's really confident it'll return in 2027. And just because of how well the game has gone, obviously we've got teams with international and marketing rights over here, part of the Global Markets Programme. So we've got, Shane, we've got your Jets. We've got the Steelers, obviously, that were here already. But then the Chiefs, Packers, Jags and Titans. Now the Jags are...
Speaker: big players over in London, as we've already said, and then the Chiefs and Packers would be kind of big names that maybe could draw a big crowd. And so I think with the investment of the Chiefs, you know, they've they've put in the kind of areas around Dublin. They've got the 20 locations set up with equipped for people to play American football. And I think they're continuing to grow their fan base over here. I think that would be a huge one. Shane, do you think if in 2027, if we had Patrick Mahomes in Croke Park, that'd be a...
Speaker: That would be one I'd say you'd venture up to for sure. Yeah, I think it's like again, what Jimmy said is dead right. at So many of the games that they send out to these European, these like the to the likes of Berlin to Paris and Dublin, they're never the big teams. they're You're never getting the Bills playing.
Speaker: really anyone outside of their own country. They're another one that probably don't want to give up a big massive of home game when they're always running to win their division, teams like that. So if we got a game where like the Chiefs against the Chargers, which is actually, that's the one that's in St. Paulo this year. Imagine that in Dublin.
Speaker: It would actually just it would it would did diakhu would actually be lift off. the whole place would be buzzing around for weeks in advance. and a Everyone, if they had tickets to heart to get for the last time, might not be like if it was these two coming over. I just think, I think with the way, with how well the first game went,
Speaker: That's kind of what annoys me most if we don't have one this year. But it also kind of shows that if they did bring a big team over, that it would absolutely sell out in a heartbeat. They'd have no issue selling tickets. They'd have no issue with their fans on filling up the amount of beer they sold. I can only imagine.
Speaker: Everything that could possibly go right from a goal... right times 10 if they brought over a big yeah big team or a big but a big name. Jersey sales to go through the roof. The real ones. People be out buying Mahomes jerseys for $250 piece. Not a bother on them. Just to get a glimpse of it. Probably, definitely the top, one of the top five biggest players in the NFL of the last 10, 15, 20 years. And he's still one of the best there is well. I just think it incredible to get someone of his standard over here instead of a kind of
Speaker: Rodgers who's on his way out and i said like yeah he's definitely one of those people that did not give a shit about the international game last year I wouldn't think yes like I think getting someone like him over would be absolutely incredible and it would be such a boost for Ireland as well Yeah, I agree with that. I think once we do maybe prove it with a bigger team and a bigger crowd and people that come over, maybe not just to go to the game, but also to to experience the city, that they didn't get tickets and just to be around the area. I think once we prove that a second time, I think it could be a a more frequent thing once the NFL settle on their their countries that they're going to do the international games in every year. do you think it could be something that might we might see biannually down the line, Jimmy, or every three years? or
Speaker: Well, look, i i was chatting to a guy yesterday who operates food trucks in the Crow Park vicinity for big events. And I'm not going to say that the NFL is down on the list of Crow Park events for next year, but it is.
Speaker: So there's the Crow Park are planning for a game. in Dublin next year. Who it is, i have absolutely no idea. Like, you know, the Chiefs, they did their launch with what the the the equipment boxes and I'd say half of them were raided within the first 24 hours. So if that was an absolute epic fail.
Speaker: Completely overhyped for no reason whatsoever. It honestly could be anybody. I don't think the Jets will play here because that they played and they played in the UK a good bit. think they're more so in the UK than there in Ireland. and The Packers, I think the Packers Chiefs would be an absolutely fantastic match if they have in Dublin.
Speaker: Obviously have the Irish connection there to through Dan Wiening and the Chiefs have expressed interest in playing here as well. I think the Titans could be a dark horse. they They were the last team to enter the Irish to get Ireland as an international market. They're the only team who just has Ireland as their international market.
Speaker: So I think, i think and you know, having spoken to people from the Chiefs, sorry, the Titans organization last over the summer, there's a huge interest in playing here. and Now, they haven't taken any steps really yet to kind of activate here or to grow their market. I think that's still to come. So they could be a few years down the line.
Speaker: and But if I was a betting man, I'd be putting money in the on the Packers playing here next year for for sure. Yeah, i think that's an interesting shout with the Irish angle as well with Dan Whelan, obviously.
Speaker: i think, and there's a lot of Packers fans in Ireland, obviously. You've got your yeah Packers pub the same way you've got Chiefs and and Steelers and so on. and So they've had multiple events, obviously, with the UK and Irish Packers. And yeah, I think that all does add up. I just hope that...
Speaker: You know, it couldn't if it is the Titans, we don't get saddled with a Titans-Colts game midway through the season. and um And, you know, it'd be a bit of a bummer after waiting in a year. But I do think we are due a big one. I think it shows. And the Croke Park is not a small stadium. It's one of the best stadiums in Europe. It's a monster. like and Exactly. Like, you're looking at... Like, I think if we sold it out for the Vikings and Steelers, there's no reason why it wouldn't sell out time and time again. yeah Especially with the amount of international fans that came over to Dublin for that game, you know?
Speaker: Yeah, and you've got, you know, that time, Shane, you mentioned that Rodgers probably wasn't overly interested. I saw, you know, Carson Wentz was the backup at the time, and you had some Irish and NFL media pages speaking about how him being Ginger was a connection to Ireland. Now, we don't go down those routes ourselves, but if they want to do that, they buthold like I can probably take i could probably take a wild guess which out the day we are as well, but I'm not going to...
Speaker: I'm not going to my mouth in case. I'm going to do a Jose Marino on it in case I get in trouble. Yeah, you're dead right. But before we let you go today, i do want to throw you question I didn't ask you to prepare for. And this is the one to god honest answer. Give us your Steelers records prediction for this next season. What do you think they're going to finish going into the season?
Speaker: I think we be doing well to finish eight nine, to be honest with you. I think it's going to be a rough, rough ride for the last hurrah for Rodgers just because, look, I'm a diehard Steelers fan. always support them. But I think the organization made a massive mistake in hiring Mike McCarthy as their head coach. there were There were so many different directions they could have gone on. And I think to go up, you know, look, I love Mike Tomlin. always loved Mike Tomlin.
Speaker: Massive respect and gratitude for what he did for the organization. But, you know, he there wast there was a decline in the past couple of seasons. And think the Steelers have to go out and swing big in order to get the the organization back to where it has to be or needs to be.
Speaker: And Mike McCarthy, there's a reason he was out of football, right? There's a reason he wasn't head coaching anywhere because i just don't think he's the right man for that job of or for, and you know, hes he's a Pittsburgh kid. He grew up in Pittsburgh. he's says He's a son of the Steel City. All well and good, but just, I think it was a kind of a panic hire by the Steelers.
Speaker: They went for the safe option. They could have, like I said, James, to you last week on the Gale of Gridiron podcast, they could have gone out and got Marcus Freeman from Notre Dame. They could have got a a whole host of up-and-coming coaches. And I just think it was the wrong it was the wrong thing to do. So optimistically, we'll go 9-8. Realistically, it'll be the it'll be eight and nine and we'll So I hope I'm wrong. I hope I get proven wrong. But just, I do not have a good feeling about this year.
Speaker: Well, appreciate your honesty and appreciate your answer on that one. Always, always. Now that I can be honest, I'm always going to be honest. another Another Easter egg thrown in there with Jimmy to wrap things up. But i look, appreciate you once again. Gaelic Gridiron podcast will be linked down below. You can hear myself and Jimmy over there throughout the season and a few live events coming up too. So keep an eye out for those. But yeah, i appreciate your time, Jimmy. And we'll chat to you again soon.
Speaker: Nice one, Jimmy. It's always a pleasure. Thanks for having me on All right. So there goes Jimmy. Appreciate him coming on. It was it was really interesting chat. and we won't keep you too much longer since this it is a little bit of a shorter episode. we'll We'll let you go back about your day after getting your NFL and and American football mixed with Ireland and fix, which is obviously great to chat about and hopefully a bigger topic in future. Shane, I'll throw to you to wrap it up with the usual.
Speaker: Yeah, so obviously, as we said the start show, we're recording this about 10 days out. So thanks so much again, us 100,000 subscribers. We really, really appreciate it. We can't believe where quickly it's grown over the last week. So it's it's just great to see.
Speaker: No, all jokes aside, just thanks for listening every week. We really appreciate it. And we'll be back on a weekly schedule soon enough once our summer holidays are all done with and we'll have up-to-date news you then. So just honestly, thanks so much. Honestly, the support means so much.
Speaker: Yeah, I agree with that. I completely second it. But ah subscribe to us on YouTube because we are getting new viewers and we want you to subscribe too. So subscribe. But i yeah, we'll chat to you again next week. I'm about to piss myself.
