Our old NFL Films pal and former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Merril Hoge talks tailgating and how the Ravens need to manage a unique offensive attack with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
ravens, tailgating, sonic, nestor, steelers, game, hodge, tailgate, henry, league, merrill, peak physical condition, run, great, built, little bit, baltimore, phases, hurdle, tv
SPEAKERS
Merrill Hoge, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
8
Welcome home. We are W, N, S T Towson, Baltimore, Baltimore, positive. We got things happening all week long. Raiders and ravens get going on Sunday. And finally getting a home game here. And Lord knows, I did some tailgating in my day. I did some television radio with this guy back in the day, uh, old Steeler. We don’t always welcome Steelers on here, especially not more. Oh and one, we welcome Merrill Hodge back on long time. First time all that. Usually it’s Super Bowls, but like, you’re doing this tailgating gig. Haji, which, what? What are you doing out there? Man, yeah.
Merrill Hoge 00:37
Well, Nestor, I make it quick. I’ll get right to it. If you’re going to tailgate, you got to start with the TV, right? So the LG o lead beef before TV up to 83 inches. Key now that’s a 65 inch. The visual tells you everything about the 80 million self lit pixels. Okay, that’s why that picture is so incredible. It’s great outdoor. It’s not an outdoor TV, but it looked great outdoor. Crystal clear picture. Got to have that for games, especially when you watch the ravens and Dolby sounds got to be outstanding. And up to $1,400 off select sizes. So concert
Nestor Aparicio 01:06
guys, I got a concert on here too that I’m good, yeah, I’m off. You’ll get
Merrill Hoge 01:11
it. And then you got to have everything powered up, and you can’t lose power. Okay, I thought this was a cooler, okay, this bad boy right here. The power everything all day for your tailgate, your home game. It’s the Jackery 1000 v2 critical does everything from music, TV, grill, phone, you name it, and it charged with this solar panel. So you know if you go into overtime, you’re going to be okay. Use code homegating@jackery.com $200 off the regular price. And then you got to eat. Okay, look at that right there. It’s all I need to show you, but it’s the new Sonic Smasher, premium cheeseburger, $7 hand smash Made to Order Angus beef. I tell people it’s easier to buy them than it is to make them,
8Nestor Aparicio 01:57
honestly, Sonic, and you can get
Merrill Hoge 01:59
that too, yes. Okay, Sonic would like that. Just get a milkshake that in there. And then lastly, the the cricket joy, extra DIY, smart cutting machine. Okay, it looks like a printer, but it cuts everything. It made this right here. I know this is not a fan favorite there, but it could be ravens, you name it, your favorite player. Uh, fitness is a small space, so you don’t need a room, but it’s a game changer. I mean, koozies, coasters, logos, players, you name it. You can doll everybody up, and you can be all Raven in for the tailgate and shred
Nestor Aparicio 02:28
that under $200 Terrible Towel you have over there. Can it do that? Or no,
Merrill Hoge 02:32
8no, it’s not a shredder. It’s not a shredder. It would only but you can, you go, you can put Raven stuff on it so it’s under $200 so you do a lot of things, especially if you have a little bit of skill with this, this thing would be magic for your entire team. So you put this all together, it’ll be a great tailgate before the real thing the game. Well,
Nestor Aparicio 02:48
I’ll tell you what, man, you got nachos going there? You got it all going on? Oh, yeah. We had all that last Thursday night for the kickoff because, you know, we did it at home, because the game was in Kansas City. We did some special brisket and barbecue. It didn’t work out so good. I mean, this whole, like mahomes, Lamar thing, it’s starting to bum us out a little bit here to start the season. Meryl,
Merrill Hoge 03:08
well, listen, you guys were closer, you know, the other world champs for a reason. So it isn’t like the ravens are the only team that has a problem with them. Think about like everybody has problem with Kansas City Chiefs. You know, the one thing that I’ve always said, because I use ravens as an example all the time, they’re always going to be in every game. And the reason they’re going to be in the game is because in our league, there’s two things you got to do. One most importantly, you have to control the tempo and the environment of the game in the NFL, and you do that by the way they run the football, the way they stop, stop the run, and then there are other phases that build on them, make them, you know, a high quality championship type of team. Just making those extra phases in the passing game, and building those extra phases and being consistent is really their next step, and they’re getting closer to that. You know, they’re, they’re dangerous football team. I don’t care where you play them, and I don’t care when you play them. You know, you gotta respect the Ravens. And I know the Kansas City Chiefs are the hurdle right now, but I think there’s a hurdle for everybody.
Nestor Aparicio 04:06
Man. You’re in peak physical condition, and I tell you what, maybe you could come back and be that factor back, but we brought Derek Henry in to be that guy, and you gotta give him the ball. It’s an odd mix with the pistol on the offense and trying to get under center. What Embry does well, and a really neophyte offensive line that that really struggled against chiefs. I don’t know how it’s going to go against the Raiders, good front seven and Max Crosby this week, but running the ball and Derek Henry, I love the acquisition of him. I just want to see him take the car out and drive it.
8Merrill Hoge 04:37
Well, listen, I know it’s a little bit of a different ask because of Derrick Henry, Henry style, I mean, the key for really the key in the National Football League to be an effective run. I learned this from Chuck Noll. I remember my rookie year he he stopped to play. When I was I was running, I had done a little dance, I was kind of hesitating, and then I, I hit the hole, and he stopped to play. And he’s like, you want to, you want to make big runs. You. You want to be good in this league? And I was thinking, it’s a trick question. I’m like, Well, yeah, he’s like, Get in the hole. You know, we don’t have time in our league to mess around. When you have a seam, you have a crack, Get in the hole. If there’s a yard, get me two. If there’s two, get me four. And then you eventually get the big run. And actually, you know, that was Derry Henry’s bigger struggle when he came to League. Once he he got over that hurdle, and he became a decisive and downhill and go at that attack the line of scrimmage, he’s become a better runner. Now, it’s a little harder from how they do it, from the pistol and, you know, even the shotgun aspect, but, you know, I think that they, they can, they’ll mold around him. They’ll probably get under center a little more to help, but when they need to really feature him in on a particular game. But you know, he had some effective runs he scored when he got down there. And you got to have somebody that can can finish runs once you get inside that five and you do have a guy that can do that.
Nestor Aparicio 05:52
Meryl Hodge is our guest. He’s got big screen TVs. He’s got tailgating stuff. He’s got generators to make sure we don’t lose power. He’s got birders and sliders from from Sonic and all sorts of things. Steelers for you. And looking at this all season, look at where Mike Tomlin is now 17 years into this thing. We’re a few years out on rothless Burger, and you make mistakes on quarterbacks and keep trying. Where are you on what the Steelers are doing in their program? Because I know you’re near and dear to
Merrill Hoge 06:22
that one. Yeah, well, they’re doing what, what they have to do based on who they have and all the new learning and the personnel that exists. I go back to what the Ravens did. I use the the Eagles as examples. I use the lions as example. The Lions built where they are today, from the ground up. They did very similar Baltimore did. They’re going to run the football. You know that they’re going to do it effectively, and they’re going to build phases off of that. They still commit to their running game. Philadelphia did that, got into a Super Bowl, and then they walked away from it. Now they’re back to it. So there’s just three examples of the critical component of that running game. So the Steelers have built that each quarterback is going to complement that. Now what quarterback can take them and grow to different phases in the passing game. That’s what everybody’s trying to see and evaluate. I think Justin fields may have the better chance of doing that based on some of his abilities. He’s a better athlete, and he really hasn’t had a fair shake, because he’s had a new coordinator every year for four years. So you really don’t know what he really is capable of, but is he capable of growing that phase in the passing game where you’re not just a compliment, you can do other things off of the passing game. When you do that, then you become more of a championship team. Right now, they’re good enough to stay in games, you know, and it’s going to be a fist fight at the 50, but they’re not good enough to win a championship right now, those phases will have to be built as the season grows. Merrill
Nestor Aparicio 07:44
8Hodge, got some championship tailgating going on. He is joining us here in a short window to talk about great food and great football. It’s always good to visit with you. Man, stop back a little later on in the year. We’ll evaluate this. Steelers, ravens thing we got to worry about the Bengals. I think the Browns are about sunk already. It’s sweet too, you know, but we can have a little bit of fun with that, right? Marilyn, make sure somebody eats those cheeseburgers before they all they they fall apart. I see that cheese melt. Looks delicious. Man, yeah. Nestor,
Merrill Hoge 08:10
it’s not going to be a problem. I think we got plenty of people take care of that.
Nestor Aparicio 08:14
Well, you look like you’re in peak physical condition there. Look like you’ve been after the celery sticks and the carrot sticks there. Take care of yourself. Keep looking good. Stay
Merrill Hoge 08:21
healthy. Thanks,
8Nestor Aparicio 08:22
buddy. Appreciate joining us here on behalf a whole bunch of friends of Sonic and LG and whole bunch of folks out there and Lori as well. We appreciate that in lieu of our Super Bowl, uh, missions that we used to do all all the time, great to have. Merrill Hodge board, I’m Nestor. We are wnst am 1570 Towson, Baltimore back for more Baltimore positive right after this, you.
