Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast Addresses Michael Lomnardi Comments on AP, the NFL Draft, Luke Getsy, and More
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00:00 Hello everybody, this is Hondo Carpenter from the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.
00:07 It's great to be with you all.
00:09 Just want to kick off this week with so much information coming out of the combine.
00:14 We're going to discuss a lot of that and get into that.
00:19 But before we do, I want to address something.
00:23 You may have seen the news yesterday that Chris Mortenson passed away from the Mort
00:29 Report.
00:31 And I just want to personally extend to his beautiful family my condolences.
00:39 Chris is one of the finest people that I've ever known in this business.
00:45 I met him many, many years ago at a Super Bowl, and we were sitting across from each other.
00:54 And he came over and sat with me and introduced himself.
00:57 Of course, I knew who he was and introduced myself to him.
00:59 And we just began to talk and found out through our conversation that we actually had many
01:06 mutual ties to each other, one of them being our faith in Christ.
01:11 And we just began to visit.
01:13 It was really fun.
01:15 I picked his brain a lot, and it was a great time.
01:19 Every time I saw him after, he was always so incredibly warm, funny, extremely funny.
01:28 He was the original trendsetter, him and Will McDonough, really, of the NFL insider type
01:36 people.
01:40 I always laugh because a lot of people in my position, all we talk about is our jobs.
01:48 And with him, it was not all that we talked about.
01:52 It was so many other things, parenthood, all of those things.
01:57 It was impossible to have a conversation with Mort and not talk about family, which I always
02:04 loved about him.
02:06 And I want to just say that NFL media lost a great person, but people did.
02:20 And he touched a lot of lives.
02:27 He impacted a lot of people.
02:30 And I always say that whatever you do, it's about people.
02:38 And he certainly exemplified that.
02:41 And he was a terrific human being away from the television.
02:45 And so to all of Mort's family, our condolences.
02:49 But to those of you that knew him and knew that his faith was just completely rooted,
02:57 we mourn, we know today that he celebrates.
03:02 So to all of you who knew him, we all lost somebody and we wish them nothing but the
03:07 best.
03:09 Okay.
03:10 Michael Lombardi was a former Raider employee.
03:17 And his sons were former Raider employees, Matt and Mick.
03:23 And he went on the GM Shufflepodcast and made a lot of comments about Antonio Pierce.
03:29 It just did not make any sense.
03:33 And I have waited to address them for a few reasons.
03:39 But I'm going to today.
03:42 I want you to know that I respect Michael Lombardi as a father because his two sons
03:51 are terrific young men.
03:53 And I judge a man, that is one of the very first things I judge about him is what kind
03:59 of dad is he?
04:02 And so I'm going to give him all the respect in the world there.
04:08 I have in the past, prior to getting with the Raiders and covering the Raiders five
04:15 years ago, enjoyed him on the radio.
04:19 And I would hear him on the radio or hear him on whatever, enjoyed him.
04:25 But I always would listen to him and think, man, he's very hypercritical of the Raiders.
04:31 And so when I got to Vegas, I remember somewhere, something I had seen that Lombardi again had
04:42 gone after the Raiders.
04:44 And I asked someone and I don't remember who the person was, or I would tell you who it
04:49 was.
04:50 It was somebody connected to the team.
04:53 Now it could have been a media member.
04:55 It could have been a member of the team.
04:57 I just don't remember.
04:58 And I apologize for not remembering that.
05:00 I should.
05:02 And they talked about, well, he's still being, he's just bitter because he got let go from
05:08 the Raiders.
05:09 I didn't cover the team at the time.
05:11 I know nothing about the semantics of what happened.
05:13 I'm not going to get into that because I have no idea.
05:15 But I'm like, okay, it makes sense.
05:20 Because whatever he had said, it didn't make sense to me.
05:24 And then his kids come and all the criticism ends, which you can understand that.
05:30 That's fair.
05:33 My son works for a company and I had a bad dealing with that company and I wasn't going
05:39 to say anything.
05:40 Well, first of all, that's not really my nature, but I wouldn't have said anything.
05:43 My son works there.
05:47 But then they leave, his sons get fired in the sweeping changes of Josh McDaniels.
05:59 And then he takes some shots at Antonio Pierce.
06:04 Now I want to say this to you.
06:06 People take shots at me all the time when you're a public figure, that's just the world
06:09 that you live in.
06:12 I'm good with that.
06:13 And I don't defend myself.
06:14 Don't need to.
06:17 If you defend yourself, then you're taking time to rehash stuff that my job is just to
06:25 keep going forward.
06:27 What my dad taught me a long time ago about the importance of standing up for people,
06:35 for good people.
06:36 I've shared with you many times on this podcast and we're going to get into all Raiders in
06:39 a minute, but I've shared with you many times on this podcast, things that my father had
06:45 taught me.
06:46 And my dad used to always say, be big enough to defend people who aren't defending themselves.
06:53 And I wasn't talking about cowards, but there are certain situations if you hear people
06:58 gossiping about somebody, stand up and say, I'm not listening to your gossip.
07:02 I'm not going to listen to you to that.
07:05 Frap.
07:06 No, I'm not.
07:07 I'm not participating in that.
07:10 You come to me and try to gossip about somebody.
07:12 I'm going to shut you down.
07:13 Just I don't, I don't want to listen to gossip about anybody.
07:18 And so that was how I was raised.
07:21 Now, in the interest of fair disclosure, I genuinely like Antonio Pierce.
07:29 I respect Antonio Pierce.
07:32 I think he is an absolutely terrific husband.
07:35 He is a great father.
07:37 We know that he was an amazing football player.
07:42 And the fact that in such a short time, he's gone from high school to college, to the pros,
07:46 to now being a head coach of a job he earned.
07:51 He wasn't given the job.
07:52 He was, he earned it.
07:54 He is proven to be a very good coach.
07:58 Now, be a great coach, got to win a Superbowl.
08:02 But clearly his mediocre, meaty, auric rise would tell you he was coaching acumen.
08:11 Just didn't happen by accident.
08:14 And so as you look at what he's gone through, and so he's not going to defend himself.
08:19 I can tell you today, he could give a flying rats behind about Michael Lombardi's opinion.
08:26 Doesn't care.
08:27 I know that for a fact.
08:29 Just doesn't care.
08:30 Okay.
08:31 Say whatever you want.
08:32 I love that.
08:33 I'm that way too.
08:36 But Lombardi says some things that I just can't let go as a guy that covers the team.
08:45 And the fact that Antonio has been asked about it, I just feel like I've got to address it
08:55 a little bit.
08:57 And so this is something that Lombardi says, quote, this guy's driving me crazy, unquote.
09:04 Okay.
09:05 Why is that a relevant opinion, Mike?
09:10 That's fair.
09:11 I have no problem if somebody asks you, what do you think of Antonio Pires?
09:13 That guy's driving me crazy.
09:14 I have no issue.
09:15 So I'm not taking any issue with that comment.
09:19 But then he goes a step farther.
09:24 Then he just shut up.
09:26 Why won't somebody in the Raiders tell him to shut up?
09:31 Why Mike?
09:32 Is he a dog?
09:36 Why should he shut up?
09:40 Tell me what value it is.
09:42 He's being himself.
09:45 He's being genuine.
09:49 You've been critical of the Raiders for years.
09:52 Was it genuine when you weren't critical for a year and a half when your kids were employed
09:56 there?
09:57 You don't have to like what AP says.
10:03 I quite frankly do because I think it's hilarious.
10:07 I was at the NFL Combine this week.
10:09 Didn't see you there, Mike.
10:11 I'm sure you were there.
10:12 I just didn't see you or I would have talked to you about it.
10:16 And listening to all the coaches and executives and people who kept mentioning, man, I hope
10:24 he succeeds.
10:27 I want him to succeed.
10:28 It's great seeing him just not change, be himself.
10:32 He didn't get the job and all of a sudden become a buttoned up.
10:35 Yes, going to have some gray book.
10:39 He got the job.
10:40 He's like, listen, I was hired to get fired.
10:43 That's the way this league works.
10:44 The one thing I'm going to have if I get fired is me and I'm going to be true to me.
10:49 Love that.
10:50 So you love that.
10:53 Because he's being genuine.
10:57 He's being real.
10:58 Let me say this to you.
11:04 I ran into Rich Versace, had a great visit with Rich, talking to Rich and I love Rich.
11:12 And our conversation was private.
11:14 So I'm just going to.
11:15 It was just private because it was two guys.
11:18 It wasn't because it was earth shattering.
11:21 I knew secrets, but he said one of the first thing he says to me is hard things in Vegas.
11:27 I said, good.
11:28 He goes, man, I'm rooting for AP.
11:29 He goes, he's just being himself.
11:33 No bitterness out of Rich Versace.
11:37 No anger.
11:38 He didn't trash Mark Davis.
11:40 He didn't attack Antonio.
11:42 You know what, Mike?
11:45 He could have.
11:46 He should have had that job.
11:48 Wow.
11:51 I like it.
11:52 I'm rooting for him.
11:53 I want him to do it was Rich Versace didn't have one negative word to say about Antonio
11:58 Perch.
11:59 Just rooting for him.
12:00 Appreciate him.
12:02 You know what?
12:04 He's not doing it the way everybody else does it.
12:09 But how great.
12:10 I mentioned to Rich, I said, it's so cool because AP's heart is I'm hired to get fired.
12:16 So I want to be me at least through the process.
12:18 I want to be me.
12:19 Rich was like, that is great.
12:22 That's a guy that could have been bitter.
12:27 That's a guy that could have been mad and rightfully so.
12:32 Wait a minute.
12:33 You could make an argument.
12:35 You could make an argument that Rich Versace did a better job than AP.
12:44 You can argument.
12:45 It's a guy that had every right.
12:50 But remember, having the right doesn't make it right to be bitter, to be angry, to be
12:55 mad.
12:57 Oh.
12:59 Rich has nothing but love for the Raiders.
13:03 That Mark Davis.
13:06 Love for the Raiders.
13:09 Another Raider coach that I ran into, a former Raider coach, not a head coach, but a former
13:18 Raiders assistant coach came up to me, goes, isn't it fun watching AP?
13:23 I go, it really is.
13:26 And they go, man, I bet you're having fun with it.
13:27 I said, he is because he's genuine.
13:31 And you want that guy to shut up?
13:35 You want that guy to shut up?
13:39 You want the guy who's being genuine and real to shut up?
13:43 But wait, because the comments get worse.
13:44 It's like just digging a hole for himself.
13:47 Then he goes on and says, it's so comical because he's from Compton and he thinks he
13:57 knows the Raider way.
13:59 It's a joke.
14:05 He's comical.
14:09 It's comical.
14:13 A man being genuine, a man who makes the decision, I'm going to improve my life.
14:30 A man who makes the decision that says, I come from Compton.
14:34 Listen, Mike, I come from the cornfields of Langsburg, Michigan.
14:42 My biggest threat growing up was if I would get a fishhook stuck in my finger.
14:52 I grew up 2000 miles away, more than that from Oakland, but 2000 from Vegas.
15:03 So here's a guy that says, listen, I'm going to avoid gang activity.
15:08 I'm going to avoid all of the traps of where I was raised and I'm going to make something
15:13 of my life.
15:16 This is a man with a work ethic, many match, none exceed.
15:25 This is a man that values being a husband and a father.
15:32 This is a man that's educated.
15:35 This is a man that became wealthy.
15:39 This is a man who I would make him angry if I told you things that I know he's done for
15:46 people that nobody knows about.
15:51 He is constantly helping anyone he can help get up.
15:57 This is a man who's fiercely loyal.
16:02 And this is a man that cares for people and loves people.
16:08 This is a man who could take some shots at some folk.
16:14 He keeps his mouth shut.
16:17 And you're going to call him comical.
16:20 Now, listen, I'm not a cheerleader for the Raiders.
16:26 I'm not a fan.
16:28 But I've told you numerous times on this podcast, my dad taught me to root for good people and
16:33 AP's good people.
16:37 He's not going to come out and say this.
16:41 He's too busy finding future Raiders.
16:44 But it's all true.
16:47 Comical?
16:49 You could say I find it amusing.
16:55 Comical?
16:59 And then because he's from Compton, he thinks he knows the Raider way.
17:06 It's a joke.
17:07 Mike, I'm from the cornfields of Langsburg, Michigan.
17:12 Where you're from, I'm going to tell you something I've learned about Raider Nation, and I'm
17:16 not a fan.
17:20 I've learned something about Raider Nation.
17:24 I'm friends with a lot of people in Raider Nation.
17:28 But let's just use the Violator, Wayne Mabry, as an example, who's become a dear friend
17:33 of mine.
17:37 Raider Way has nothing to do with where you're from.
17:41 The Raider Way has farmers in it, and it's got folks from the streets.
17:47 It's got gang members, and it's got preachers.
17:51 It's got doctors, and it's got lawyers.
17:56 It has those who struggle in blue-collar jobs.
18:00 They come from the cities.
18:01 They come from the inner cities.
18:03 They come from the suburbs, and they come from the rural flatlands of America.
18:10 Raider Nation is a lot more than color, because you find them brown, red, yellow, white, black.
18:20 Raider Nation is men and women.
18:21 It's Republicans and Democrats.
18:23 It's conservatives and liberals.
18:25 It's Christians and it's atheists.
18:26 It's Muslims and it's Buddhists.
18:31 Raider Nation is Americans and Canadians and Mexicans and Russians and Scottish and Irish,
18:39 British and Filipino.
18:41 It's all the nations of the world.
18:46 Raider Nation is not about a gender, a race, a political ideology.
18:55 It's not about a socioeconomic background.
18:59 But I'm going to tell you something as a person who's observed Raider Nation for five years,
19:04 who goes out to the parking lots, where they tailgate, who travels and visits black holes
19:12 and speaks to Raider fans every single day, the fact that you reference where he's from,
19:20 and let me just quote it, quote, "Because he's from Compton, he thinks he knows the
19:26 Raider way."
19:27 That's not true.
19:29 Because none of where you're from determines Raider Nation.
19:38 You can find the boisterous and the quiet, the reserved and the extemporaneous.
19:48 You can find folks of all backgrounds, all philosophies, all socioeconomic worlds who
19:56 call themselves members of Raider Nation.
20:01 You can find behemoth men and tiny women.
20:06 When you reference where somebody's from and knowing the Raider way, you clearly have proven
20:17 you have no clue what the Raider way is.
20:19 I don't care if you got a paycheck signed by Al Davis.
20:24 I don't claim to be a member of Raider Nation, but boy, they've got my respect.
20:29 And one thing I have learned about them, it don't matter where they're from.
20:35 He knows the Raider way because he grew up a Raider fan.
20:40 He cut his teeth on what the Raiders were under Al Davis.
20:48 He sat in those stadiums and watched the black hole.
20:54 I have been around Antonio Pierce, I would venture to say, probably more than you, Mike.
21:01 Maybe not.
21:02 He doesn't have to pretend to be a Raider.
21:09 And he never tries to tell you that I have the definitive definition of what a Raider
21:15 is.
21:16 You know why?
21:17 Because he is one.
21:20 You calling out him would be about as absurd as me calling out 5 foot 10, 120 pound wide
21:38 receiver for being fat.
21:40 You don't know what it's like to be skinny.
21:43 No, I have no idea what it's like to be skinny.
21:49 It would literally be like me walking up to one of the Raiderettes.
21:53 Let me tell you, you do not know the struggle of being a skinny, pretty woman in this world.
21:58 Give me a break.
22:01 That's how absurd and stupid that comment sounds.
22:05 Boy, it's almost like I'm selling Ginzu knives.
22:11 There's more.
22:16 It's a joke.
22:21 You're calling a man who becomes one of 32 in the NFL a joke.
22:34 You're calling a man who just got the head coaching job at one of the most prestigious
22:45 professional sports teams in the world in the way he has conducted himself a joke?
22:53 A joke?
22:56 A joke?
22:59 What's the joke about it?
23:03 What's the joke?
23:05 Is the joke that he's employed by the Raiders and you're not?
23:11 What's the joke?
23:18 You know what?
23:19 I'm not a Raider fan.
23:23 But in covering them for five years and actually trying to get to know and to understand them,
23:31 my opinion is if you want to look in the dictionary what it means to be a Raider fan, you're going
23:38 to see probably two names.
23:40 Ice Cube and Antonio Pierce.
23:48 Neither one of those men are jokes.
23:50 But I'm going to tell you other names that are going to appear in there.
23:56 See there are names from all over the world.
24:00 People that have never set a foot in Oakland or Las Vegas or Los Angeles.
24:06 There's people from all over the world.
24:14 All different colors.
24:16 See you don't have to look like AP or Ice Cube or Violator to be a Raider.
24:23 To be a Raider you got to have certain things that you stand for.
24:33 Certain things that you believe.
24:37 One thing I've learned from Raider Nation is that they are all committed.
24:40 Just win.
24:42 These are the same people that when their team sucks, they still show up.
24:48 They're there.
24:49 They care.
24:50 There's no apathy.
24:53 When the organization has not given them reasons to be excited, you should see the email I
24:59 get more excited right now than I've ever been.
25:02 I have one of us.
25:03 See my opinion of what a Raider is doesn't matter.
25:07 It is futile.
25:12 I would never suggest Ohondo is the definitive source on what a Raider is.
25:17 But you know what?
25:18 I get tons of emails from Raiders.
25:22 Never been so excited before.
25:25 Now we have one of us.
25:27 Now we're excited.
25:29 Now we get it.
25:31 See only one team wins the Super Bowl every year.
25:36 The other 31 are constantly trying to climb that mountain.
25:43 When Raider Nation says we've got one of ours.
25:49 I've never walked out of the off of the football field at Allegiant Stadium or walked out of
25:54 the stadium and had people shout Ohondo.
25:57 Oh no, no, no, no.
25:59 When the black hole is screaming your name.
26:08 You don't think the black hole knows what a Raider is?
26:13 I have immense respect for the black hole.
26:17 Immense respect for Raider Nation.
26:20 My wife and young son are now part of it.
26:26 I found out about these comments from my wife.
26:31 She was livid.
26:32 I said, what are you talking about?
26:33 You've been a Raider fan for a few months.
26:39 She became a Raider fan because of AP.
26:47 See not count because she's pretty, pretty young.
26:50 Not 52 years old, I think she's young.
26:56 But is she not a Raider because she's from the cornfields of Ovid, Michigan?
27:03 Or is she not a Raider because she's blonde?
27:06 Maybe she's not a Raider because she's a woman.
27:07 Maybe she's not a Raider because she never worked for the organization.
27:10 Maybe she's not a Raider because I don't know.
27:16 All I know is this incredible group known as Raider Nation that goes past geographical
27:23 boundaries that crosses oceans, that has nothing to do with socioeconomics, has nothing to
27:29 do with politics, has nothing to do with race or gender.
27:33 It's a mindset.
27:35 It's a lifestyle.
27:41 She bought into it.
27:43 There's an old adage called enlarge your circle of love.
27:51 One thing I have learned about Raider Nation, they always have room for more.
27:58 They are the kindest, warmest people I've ever met.
28:06 You walk through those pregame tailgates.
28:15 You think before I moved to Las Vegas to cover the Raiders, I'd been to Raider games.
28:24 You know my relationship with Matt Millen, who I love and adore.
28:30 Matt said to me once, "The only difference between the Raiders and the other NFL teams
28:35 is the other NFL teams' fans think they're part of the team, but the Raiders players
28:41 and organization believes the fans are part of the team."
28:50 It's different.
28:54 It's different.
28:59 I'm sorry.
29:00 I think it is sad to call it a joke and comical.
29:09 I root for good people.
29:10 I want Dan Campbell of the Lions to do really well.
29:13 What a great person he is.
29:15 I grew up in Michigan.
29:17 I covered the Lions.
29:20 Although I am not now, for many years I was a devout Lion fan.
29:28 He gets to Detroit.
29:30 Am I now going to say that he doesn't know the Lion way?
29:36 No, he's the head coach.
29:40 He's defining it because it's constantly evolving.
29:45 D'Amico Ryan.
29:46 D'Amico Ryan did such a good job at Houston.
29:51 By the way, fantastic like Dan.
29:54 Fantastic human being.
29:56 Great person.
30:00 I want good people to succeed.
30:02 I root for good coaches.
30:05 I like to see people who are good people, who work hard, who have a hard work ethic,
30:10 who aren't complainers, aren't gossips, aren't murmurs, aren't complainers.
30:13 Just keep your head down and go to work.
30:17 I think that's cool.
30:21 See when you start telling what is the Raider way and what isn't, you speak from a place
30:26 of arrogance.
30:28 I can tell you one thing I've learned about Raider Nation, and I'm not part of it, there
30:34 ain't nothing arrogant about them, about themselves.
30:38 They take pride in their franchise, but it's not pride in themselves.
30:46 You spend some time with Gorilla Rilla, Violator.
30:52 They love this organization.
30:54 They dressed up just to make the black hole something, not because they were trying to
30:58 get all the media attention, and they get a lot now and deserve it.
31:02 They deserve it, but it isn't about them.
31:08 I've met Raider fans who have to sacrifice to get to one game.
31:17 One game.
31:20 Fans will save money all year to be able to take their kids to one game a year.
31:24 Why?
31:25 Because it's not about them.
31:28 It's about their franchise.
31:32 Matt Millen said it best.
31:36 These fans are part of the organization.
31:40 You see, that little lady who cleans hotel rooms, wears her Raider shirt on Sunday, living
31:52 in the inner city.
31:57 That guy over, and I interviewed him a couple of days ago, a couple of guys from Glasgow
32:05 who are part of UK Parliament.
32:08 They're not Americans, but they're Raiders.
32:14 You can find a big old farmer in the rural areas throwing hay in the summer, slopping
32:25 pigs in the fall, herding ground in the spring.
32:32 He's a Raider.
32:36 You can find people in the inner cities, you can find them in the country, you can find
32:40 them anywhere you want.
32:43 It don't matter if they've ever been to a game.
32:48 Because being a Raider in the Raider way has nothing to do with that.
32:57 Mike Lombardi is a tremendous father, and he's had a long career in the NFL to which
33:03 he should be applauded.
33:07 He should be applauded.
33:10 He's done far more in the NFL than I've ever done.
33:15 Those comments came from a cheap shot and a man that did not earn it.
33:26 Mike Lombardi, you're better than that.
33:30 You're better than that.
33:32 I want to end this part with this.
33:39 One thing that I have learned about Raider fans is they are the most inclusive and warm
33:50 people I've ever met.
33:53 Ever met.
33:56 I'm very proud that my wife and my youngest son are part of Raider Nation, because Raider
34:04 Nation's good people.
34:08 One thing I've learned being around Raider Nation, whether it's going to black hole chapters
34:13 and speaking, whether it's all the emails I get, or whether it's being in the lots for
34:23 tailgates or being in the stadium or being at practice, one thing I've learned about
34:27 Raider fan is they are just warm.
34:32 They're warm.
34:35 They're the backbone of America, and they're the backbone of their countries.
34:43 The way I describe Raider Nation is a Midwest colloquialism that we like to use where I'm
34:50 from in Michigan.
34:53 You'll say about somebody, "Them good people."
35:00 Raider Nation is good people.
35:03 Antonio Pierce is good people.
35:09 That's the Raider way.
35:11 Do they always make the best draft picks?
35:15 No.
35:16 Do they always get the best free agents?
35:18 No.
35:19 Do they always get it right?
35:20 No.
35:21 Well, one thing you can count on about the Raider way, they never give it up, and they'll
35:29 be back tomorrow.
35:32 Here's the whole deal.
35:34 Antonio Pierce isn't going to defend himself, nor should he.
35:39 I thought those were cheap shots.
35:42 I had so many people asking me for my comments.
35:45 I had radio stations.
35:46 I said, "No, I'm just going to address it on my podcast."
35:50 If Antonio Pierce is not the Raider way, it's so comical because he's from Compton, he thinks
35:58 he knows the Raider way.
36:04 Antonio Pierce doesn't know the Raider way, and nobody does.
36:11 He said it.
36:12 I was hired to be fired.
36:14 Why?
36:15 Because this organization is only about winning.
36:18 If he doesn't win, he's out.
36:21 He gets it.
36:22 He's a Raider.
36:23 He understands I'm only going to be judged by one thing, winning.
36:28 Winning.
36:29 Winning.
36:30 I'm going to end with this.
36:41 I have no issues being critical of anyone that I cover.
36:51 I've been critical of Mark Davis, and I've been very supportive of Mark Davis.
36:55 I've been critical and supportive of a lot of people.
37:00 But this was personal.
37:05 This was personal.
37:06 Calling someone comical a joke is personal.
37:11 I'm sorry.
37:16 If I know somebody's good people and I hear people make it personal, I'm going to voice
37:23 my opinion.
37:26 I have that platform.
37:30 That's how I feel.
37:32 So let's get going.
37:33 I want to talk about the draft coming up because there's a couple of things that I find really,
37:38 really fascinating.
37:39 I believe the record for offensive linemen picked in the first round is five or six.
37:44 I think we're going to see as many as 10.
37:48 I know that seems hard to believe, nearly double.
37:54 Just talking to executives and asking them about what they feel, what they're surmising,
38:09 what they're gathering, as many as 10, I think that's pretty incredible.
38:16 That tells you the absolute depth.
38:18 In fact, we may see quarterback, wide receiver, and offensive lineman be the first 10 picks.
38:28 I don't think that's going to happen.
38:30 I think somebody will pick a corner before.
38:33 But still, that should tell you the depth of this draft.
38:38 A lot of depth here.
38:40 This is going to be a great draft.
38:43 There's going to be a lot of good players picked.
38:45 There's going to be a lot of bad picks because some folks, you know how that works.
38:49 They consistently are in the top half of the draft every year because they don't know how
38:54 to draft.
38:55 They fall in love with a guy.
38:57 Boy, he goes and has a great combine.
38:59 Okay, but what's the film say?
39:01 Let's go back.
39:02 Terry and Arnold, who I told you many people believe will be the first round pick in my
39:08 first mock draft.
39:11 I had him mocked to the Raiders at one.
39:18 We had heard that at Bama had a workout.
39:21 He had last week, a 4-3.
39:24 He does a 4-5 at the combine.
39:27 I think he'll get that to 4-4 at his pro day.
39:32 That's not going to turn off people who understand when you put the tape in, you see how Terry
39:39 and Arnold plays.
39:41 You see it.
39:43 You can't run from it.
39:44 It's viable.
39:48 There's always going to be those teams who fall in love with people or are so desperate
39:52 at a position.
39:53 You know, you hear people say, "Do you take a position of need?"
39:57 So let's say you're picking at 13 and you have a need.
40:03 But what if the person who's best at your place of need isn't worthy of the 13th pick?
40:13 What do you do?
40:15 Do you go ahead and just pick them and overpay them?
40:20 Bad drafting teams do.
40:26 Some people go up and take guys because they think they're undervalued by others.
40:31 They say, "Yeah, they are worth 13 even though everyone else has them as a second rounder
40:35 or a third rounder."
40:38 This is why evaluation is so vitally important.
40:43 This is why, again, I think there's going to be as many as 10 offensive linemen in the
40:48 first round.
40:49 It's going to be phenomenal to watch.
40:52 I'm more excited about this draft than any draft ever.
40:55 There's just so much depth.
40:57 And then with the people who make bad picks, it's going to keep pushing that depth down.
41:01 Remember last year, there was a few guys, not a lot, but there were a few guys that
41:05 were first round quality still available in the second round.
41:08 Michael Mayer was one of them.
41:12 I was told, today's Monday, so I was told, I don't remember now if it's Saturday or Sunday,
41:20 but one of the days, I was told, "You could see some first round depth well into the second
41:26 round."
41:28 The Raiders at their second pick in the second round are still going to probably get a first
41:34 round talent, probably.
41:38 It's a deep draft.
41:40 There's a lot of great talent here, a lot of great talent.
41:45 I had something else that really stood out to me.
41:50 As you guys know, I am totally understanding of Luke Getze being the offensive coordinator.
42:00 Now a lot of people who only look at his time in Chicago maybe aren't that way, but I'm
42:13 a big supporter of Luke Getze.
42:14 I love what he did throughout his career and into Green Bay.
42:18 I had multiple people, multiple, in fact, multiple, that I didn't even bring Getze
42:29 up.
42:30 They brought Getze up to me.
42:31 I thought that was pretty cool and the respect that he has around the league.
42:36 Raider Nation, I know some of you are very nervous about what happened in Chicago.
42:40 I'm not blaming you about that.
42:42 But I'm telling you around the league, the hire of Getze was, as a matter of fact, I
42:46 had one coach tell me, not a Raider coach, but a coach tell me, he said, "I gained a
42:52 lot of respect for AP picking Getze because most guys in his position wouldn't have done
42:58 that."
42:59 I know how respected I feel about him and how others respect him.
43:03 To me, that showed me how smart Antonio was.
43:07 He wasn't the sexy pick, but he was a good pick.
43:11 I thought that was, and I thought you guys would appreciate that, the respect for Getze.
43:14 I'm going to also give you a name I want you to keep an eye on, Charles Turner, offensive
43:21 lineman out of LSU.
43:23 Just keep your eye on him.
43:26 Raiders are intrigued by him.
43:29 Not saying it's definitive he's going to be a Raider.
43:32 I'm just telling you the Raiders are interested in him.
43:36 I am hearing that Chicago is going to start coming down on their cost on Justin Fields.
43:44 I can tell you as of this moment right now, the Raiders have not made the definitive decision
43:48 of what they're going to do in the draft.
43:51 While I told you I thought it was unlikely because of the cost with Justin previously,
43:58 and I think it's still unlikely as of this moment, the fact that Chicago is coming down,
44:03 I think puts it more on the front windshield than looking at it out the rear windshield.
44:09 Just keep an eye on that.
44:10 A lot of great stuff going on.
44:13 A lot of stuff coming up.
44:15 Cannot wait to share it all with you.
44:17 From all of us at the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast, part of Sports Illustrated's Fan
44:21 Nation Raiders Today coverage, thank you for being with us.
44:24 Remember, you can follow me on IG @HondoSR, and you can find me on X, formerly known as
44:32 Twitter, when you go to @HondoCarpenter.
44:35 Please go to si.com/NFL/Raiders to get all your coverage.
44:41 Appreciate you.
44:42 Respect you.
44:43 Honor you.
44:45 Wish you nothing but the best.
44:46 Thanks, everybody.