Picking the next purple winner in Owings Mills

With so many names and styles and backgrounds in the candidates thus far, there’s no accurate handicapping in this head coaching search for the Baltimore Ravens. But, as Luke Jones and Nestor point out while also discussing the NFL playoffs, the owner who has all of the power already left some strong clues in his fiery Owings Mills press conference while sitting next to general manager Eric DeCosta.

Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the Baltimore Ravens’ head coaching search, highlighting Jim Schwartz as a potential candidate. They debated Schwartz’s suitability, noting his defensive expertise and past success with the Detroit Lions. Nestor emphasized Schwartz’s local ties and potential chemistry with Eric DeCosta. Luke suggested Schwartz might be a defensive coordinator for a new offensive-minded head coach. They also critiqued Steve Bisciotti’s lack of engagement in the coaching search, contrasting it with his past enthusiasm. Finally, they previewed the NFL playoffs, favoring the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, and Los Angeles Rams.

• [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Schedule and invite guests for the Super Bowl / ’35 reunion’ show in ~two weeks and confirm lineup (include Trent and other invited guests who will appear on the program)
• [ ] Prepare a handicap (probability/odds) of the Ravens head-coach candidates and present it on-air or via AI (consider Vegas-style odds); deliver before the public coach hire announcement

Ravens Head Coaching Search and Jim Schwartz

• Nestor Aparicio discusses the ongoing head coaching search for the Ravens and mentions the recent hiring of John Harbaugh by the New York Giants.
• Luke Jones mentions Jim Schwartz’s interview with the Ravens, highlighting his experience and defensive prowess.
• Nestor Aparicio expresses his support for Jim Schwartz, noting his familiarity with the Ravens and his potential fit with the team.
• Luke Jones acknowledges Schwartz’s credentials but suggests he might not be the final choice, especially if the Ravens prefer an offensive-minded coach.

Potential Fit of Jim Schwartz with Ravens

• Nestor Aparicio argues that Schwartz could be a good fit for the Ravens, given his local ties and previous success with the Detroit Lions.
• Luke Jones agrees that Schwartz could be a good defensive coordinator but doubts he will be the head coach.
• Nestor Aparicio emphasizes the importance of Schwartz’s relationship with Eric DeCosta and Steve Bisciotti, suggesting it could influence his hiring.
• Luke Jones concedes that Schwartz could be a finalist but believes other candidates are more likely to be chosen.

Steve Bisciotti’s Role and Personality

• Nestor Aparicio criticizes Steve Bisciotti’s recent press conference, calling it arrogant and dismissive of fans.
• Luke Jones explains Bisciotti’s reluctance to participate in preliminary interviews, citing the need to commit to all interviews if he starts.
• Nestor Aparicio expresses disappointment that Bisciotti did not participate in Zoom interviews with potential coaches, suggesting it undermines his commitment to the team.
• Luke Jones defends Bisciotti’s decision, arguing that he trusts his team to vet the candidates effectively.

Impact of Ownership on Coaching Search

• Nestor Aparicio argues that Bisciotti’s absence from the coaching search process is concerning, as he is the ultimate decision-maker.
• Luke Jones counters that Bisciotti trusts his team to present him with viable candidates, reducing the need for his direct involvement.
• Nestor Aparicio emphasizes the importance of Bisciotti’s presence in the hiring process, suggesting it could influence the team’s culture and success.
• Luke Jones acknowledges the value of Bisciotti’s involvement but believes the current approach is effective.

NFL Playoffs and Team Performance

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the upcoming NFL playoffs, predicting winners for various games.
• They express confidence in the Buffalo Bills’ chances, given their strong roster and Josh Allen’s performance.
• Luke Jones highlights the importance of defense in playoff games, mentioning the Houston Texans and their impressive performance against the Steelers.
• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones agree on the potential for upsets and the importance of quarterback play in determining the outcomes of playoff games.

Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers

• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the Seattle Seahawks’ chances in the playoffs, citing their strong defense and offensive capabilities.
• They express concern about the San Francisco 49ers’ injuries but acknowledge their potential to perform well in the playoffs.
• Luke Jones highlights the importance of Sam Darnold’s performance for the Carolina Panthers, noting his past struggles.
• Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones agree that the playoffs will be unpredictable, with several teams having the potential to win.

Ravens’ Future and Coaching Search

• Nestor Aparicio expresses frustration with the Ravens’ current situation, criticizing the team’s culture and performance.
• Luke Jones acknowledges the challenges but remains optimistic about the team’s future, given the potential for a new coach to bring fresh energy.
• Nestor Aparicio emphasizes the importance of the coaching search, suggesting that the right hire could significantly impact the team’s success.
• Luke Jones agrees that the coaching search is critical but believes the current approach is reasonable, given Bisciotti’s trust in his team.

Personal Reflections and Team Loyalty

• Nestor Aparicio shares his personal connection to the Ravens, expressing his disappointment with the current state of the team.
• Luke Jones acknowledges the challenges but remains hopeful, emphasizing the importance of loyalty and support from fans.
• Nestor Aparicio reflects on his past experiences with the team, highlighting the impact of key figures like Brian Billick and Steve Bisciotti.
• Luke Jones emphasizes the need for patience and trust in the team’s leadership, suggesting that the current coaching search is a critical step towards a brighter future.

SUMMARY KEYWORDS

Ravens coaching search, Jim Schwartz, Steve Bisciotti, Eric DeCosta, defensive coordinator, offensive minded coach, John Harbaugh, NFL playoffs, Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears.

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SPEAKERS

Speaker 1, Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones

Nestor Aparicio  00:01

Welcome home. We are W n s t am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive. We are in the depths of winter, as well as a head coaching search out in Owings Mills. If there’s any breaking news, you’ll get that first on the W n s t tech service. Yes, you can join. Just go to W excuse me, go to Baltimore positive, WNS, T’s, the coding in it, just click on the little button. We’ll take you through that, and you’ll be on that as well for when there is the first sign of plumes of purple smoke. We’ve had the red, white and blue smoke over somewhere, over the swamps of Jersey and John Harbaugh is going to be the new coach of the New York football Giants. And meanwhile, the Ravens continue their search. And Luke, I don’t know if you know if you know this or not, and I’ve taken off all month from the Maryland crab cake tour, but we’re going to be doing a cup of soup or bowl in three weeks now, less than three weeks, and that sort of aligns, believe it or not, with the real Super Bowl. It’s the same week, and we’ve only got you’re going to count the Pro Bowlers or such a thing, I don’t know. You count the national championship. Seven football games left is all we have left here, not in 2026 but in this season. And we got some football games this weekend in addition to who the Ravens gonna hire? Luke. Tell me. Tell me. Tell me. Yeah.

Luke Jones  01:16

I mean, we’re up to what I guess it was. On Wednesday, Jim Schwartz interviewed, who certainly Baltimore is familiar with I’m

Nestor Aparicio  01:25

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one of the higher Schwartz, but if I say that out loud, I’ll screw them. So, no, don’t, don’t hire Jim.

Luke Jones  01:30

I mean, I don’t. I don’t think that’s going to happen. I didn’t. I don’t even say that, saying that. I mean, Jim Schwartz is a heck of a defensive coach. I mean it whoever they hire, especially if it’s, you know, if it’s an offensive minded coach, they’d be very well served to go try to hire Jim Schwartz as a defensive coordinator. And maybe that might be some of the motivation there to to kind of lay some groundwork that, because it’s not

Nestor Aparicio  01:53

hires Stefanski, he could bring Schwartz with him. And I was just gonna say, bump a million dollars extra into Schwartz’s salary, and he leaves Cleveland, comes home and but he leaves miles Garrett, you know, which Jimmy’s mind? Yeah. So Jim’s one of my favorite people on Earth. So it’s not fair for me to even comment on it, other than to say the Ravens could do a lot, lot worse than hiring Jim Schwartz.

Luke Jones  02:16

I mean, I’m not going to sit here and say that. I, you know, I’m 100% against it, or anything like that. I far from it, but I just, I think he’s not necessarily what they’re looking for. He’s 59 I mean, he’s only four years younger than John. So there’s that it’s been a long time since he was a head coach and not but I will point out, you know, for all the and I’ve seen, I’ve seen a couple other people make this point locally, but there was a time when he had the Detroit Lions relevant, at least, compared to what they had been host Barry Sanders.

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Nestor Aparicio  02:50

So coordinators were Scott Linehan and Gunther Cunningham.

Luke Jones  02:54

So, you know, they it’s not as though he did a horrible job there, by any stretch of the imagination. You know, as is the case most of the time. It didn’t end well, you know, ends in some frustration, but I think, but it was a long time ago. I mean, you’re talking 2009 through 2013 so he’s been up defensive coordinator.

Nestor Aparicio  03:13

There’s, there’s a thing to be said about that, that that would give them a little bit of cover and say, Man, we’re doing something that’s really local here, and something that this guy’s worked his way home. Let’s give him a chance with Lamar to win like and that would be for me. And listen, Eric is no Jimmy for 30 years. I mean, Eric and Jimmy were in the building together, so just the fact I spent a lot of time with both of those men, and I mean, I hear their voices talking about each other in some ways, because I’ve been with Eric a lot more the last 20 years. When Jim left, that I would always hear Eric would call him schwarzee To me, you know what I mean? He would say, your boy schwarzee, you know? So they’re not strangers at all. So for Eric to pick up a dime and bring he didn’t have to call Jimmy and interview him if he didn’t really think that he could be a candidate, and certainly a candidate he could put in front of Steve. Steve and Jim Schwartz would really hit it off. I’m telling you, they would hit it off big time. Yeah. I mean, and there’s something that’s really important about that, even though Steve made that not to be important, laid it, of course, is the most important thing. It’s definitely important. I mean, in front of Steve could fall in love with Jim Schwartz. I’m just saying that.

Luke Jones  04:28

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Okay, I I’m not saying you’re wrong, but

Nestor Aparicio  04:32

the commonality alone, just the fact that they would talk about the Orioles and crabs, and they would have that kind of thing, Steve would be looking for that sort of comfort level at this point that he probably doesn’t have a Sashi Brown, quite frankly, in the way that he did with Dick Cass

Luke Jones  04:46

Fair enough. Fair enough. I mean, I’m not saying it’s impossible, and they clearly like Jim Schwartz. I just,

Nestor Aparicio  04:53

I’m just throwing that out because we’re talking about him. No, I hear his credibility. He’s got a ring now, you know, just all of that, so you.

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Luke Jones  05:00

I hear you. I just at the end of the day, I don’t think that’s who they’re going to hire. I think it’s far more likely that Jim Schwartz is the defensive coordinator for whoever the head coach could be if they hire more of an offensive minded head coach, especially if they have, if they if they fall in love with an offensive guy, younger or not, but just an offensive minded head coach, and maybe that individual you love their choice for an offensive coordinator, but their defensive coordinator, you’re like, how strongly do you feel about that? Because we think we could land Schwartz, because we think we can out, you know, we can outbid whatever. Wherever Stefanski lands will outbid whatever that team wants to pay Schwartz, and Schwartz has worked many places, right? I mean, it’s not like he’s married to Kevin Stefanski, so I could, I could see that scenario. But look, maybe he blows him away. Maybe he is one of the four or five finalists they bring in next week, and maybe he gets the job. I, you know, I’m not gonna sit here and say it’s impossible. I just, I’d be surprised by that, compared to some of the other guys on the list who’ve been former head coaches.

Nestor Aparicio  06:02

Can I ask you a question about because I I put 20, about 1815, 18 points, whatever it was up of off the bashati press conference. I gave it a report card because I wanted to honor Mike Preston here in the Baltimore Sun, my legacy, the Baltimore Sun. And I had some quips and some fun, and sort of not it wasn’t fun. I was being serious, right? Like, literally, did I believe what they were selling, okay, you know? And how do I rate it, other than just Steve personality things just the way he is in the billionaire and the big D energy and the whole like I’m in charge, and like all of that, and whatever my little side swipes would be, and funnies that I would write and being thrown out, which is not funny at all, shouldn’t be funny. On behalf of anybody that he appears every eight years, and we’re just blessed to have him show up. Everybody runs around with ear pieces, and he’s broadcasting to all of his employees in the back, some of them who don’t even know him, which in the old days wouldn’t have been like that, because that’s what the original promise was. I mean, you know, they’re charging for Starbucks out there and serving sanka of late in lots of ways, you know, in lots of ways. And trying to say that it’s some special being that came from a civet up on the black wing. But Steve saying, Of all the things he said, that I’m like a shocked by, and not that I don’t even believe it, because I have to believe it. I believe almost everything he said. And I’ve said this about Steve bishati, he’s, he’s painfully honest, so honest that the wife beater guy from the ESPN thinks that he’s a straight shooter wants to, you know, wants to have him on. I mean, can compare it to like Al Pacino and Godfather references into how you comport yourself. Oh, you know, like, I don’t know that that was, like, any of that energy was great, but the thing that he said that really shocked me. That lets me know how he doesn’t love this at all anymore, like, literally, how I feel like, Dude, you’re such a miserable old bastard, and you don’t even want to talk about your team. You don’t even want to be here. You don’t want to be among your fans. You insulted your fans like you said your coach, your football your quarterback, better get his ass up here. All the things that the coach has been saying to me on the phone, like, let’s get Lamar to practice. Like, literally, just all the weirdness, the fact that he doesn’t want to spend an hour on a zoom with Jim Schwartz and Jesse Minter and the guy’s name. They’re passing coordinate Nathan and then Nestor Hassan state that only had to pronounce his name. But I’m because he might be the guy. Now he might be the guy

Luke Jones  08:53

I’m I’m telling you he’s your guy. I mean, I don’t even know if I’d say he’s my guy. I just think keep an eye on him. Can you

Nestor Aparicio  09:00

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do me a favor? Can like, I swear to you. Can you just do this, and we can do it on the air, or you can go to AI and go to Vegas, give me your not here right now. Think about this. I want you to handicap, because we would have made no money on hardball, right? I mean, we thought Harbaugh was going to the giants, and he did, and all the rest of it was eye wash, as you would say, right? But for me, the fact that Steve didn’t want to get on these zooms and he pissed on that dude. You love football. I love football. We don’t own the team. He’s been running around chasing Eric ragged, Joe Ortiz ragged, all the scouts ragged. It’s the reason he knows all the scouts, because he really loved the draft, and he loves looking at linebackers hips from Clemson, who might be third Rounders, like he thinks of himself in that way, right? And he’s smarter than most football fans. I mean, I think if I sat with Steve, you wouldn’t say anything real stupid, even if we had five drinks together, we talked football. I think Steve knows football and has learned a. Lot of football being in those rooms for the last 25 years that he didn’t know 25 years ago, and the Gary Williams and he aspires to all of that big D leadership, tough guy, like we saw that even though he doesn’t like that role, when he comes in, he’ll own it. But saying that he didn’t want to sit with these guys on Zoom and just kind of talk some football with them goes against everything the nerd in you and the nerd and me talked about last week, which is, Eric gets to sit and talk to anybody he wants and just talk about football for an hour or two, or as long as you want him, you’re the friggin owner of the Ravens. Why wouldn’t he be nerded out about wanting to sit and talk a little football with these guys and they, I don’t know dude, that really tells me he’s as checked out as I am, which is, I don’t do all of that anymore, because they locked me out of the building, but you and I used to freeze our ass off five days me with a $2,000 bill that I had to go push onto the lottery, or we’re asking global to help us pay for it and fly out and chase coaches around the middle because we loved it. We love being around it. We love still, I still would do that 100 times over if I wouldn’t treat it like shit. But, um, the fact that he doesn’t want to get on zooms and talk to coaches like, these are the best guys in the world to talk to, and he knows that, so like, that kind of bums me out. You know, it kind of makes me sad if I still have my seat in the upper deck. I’m like his lights half off. I mean, how half off would you want to be to not want to talk to candidates, 789, 1011, and 12, when you’re the owner of the rave? I just that’s, I can add that to the report. That’s an F. I mean,

Luke Jones  11:38

that’s fine, you know, I’m not, I don’t necessarily disagree. Other than he didn’t want to put in the time to do that, because, as he cited, the rule is, if you sit in on one of those on Zoom, you got to sit in on all of those, right? If, if you can’t pick and choose which preliminary interviews you want to sit in on, you have to, you either do none or you do all of them and well,

Nestor Aparicio  12:01

then do them. If you’re running the company and you’re going to come and be the fan, I hear you, especially when it’s what you do pub. But you know what people I would have? I would have, if I were Eric and Ozzy, I’d say, Steve, I insist. If I were Eric, I’d say, I wouldn’t. I mean, honestly, God, this focuses my heart. This isn’t me just being performative. If I’m in that role, and I had access to Steve bishati, and I’m like, it’s the most important thing we’re going to do in the rest of my career, and it’s going to be the reason you hire farm, Steve. I love you. I need you in here. Steve, it’s so important. Well, if it’s that important to me, then bring them back to me in the final round. I mean, you know, like, I do a pretty good Steve, too, by the way, I never wanted to imitate Steve, like I did Peter, but just, I don’t know, dude, I’m down on the Ravens this week, next week, next week, when they make a hire, I mean, they’re gonna hire Stefanski or short, they’re gonna hire some great ball coach. Keep me away from I’m never going to know him, but at least I’m going to think you’re going to walk into a fresher environment than even though Chad Steel’s still there, and like all that, you’re going to walk into a room where there’s going to be more oxygen than there’s been in a while, because it’s going to need that for Lamar, for the fans, for me watching on zoom from the outside and running into the guy at a rubber chicken dinner and saying, oh, Luke works for me. Why aren’t you in well, I’m writing you f you letters on the internet, because your whole place has no integrity. Like that’s where it’s going to be for me in three weeks. But I’m going to be happy with whomever they hire, because as much as Eric thinks I don’t like Eric because I write Pearl Jam letters about him, I think they’re going to get a really good coach, and I think they’re now that, whether it works or not, I don’t think they have really good players right now. I know their culture sucks. I know they’re called I mean, I know that so, I mean, I know that. I don’t think that that’s not me being a jerk. That’s I know their culture sucks, so in the building I’m talking about, and the reputation on the streets isn’t good right now either. And I know Steve’s press conference worked well with the profanity in certain segments and this and that, but the new coach is going to come in and be looser, tight. What do you think when he comes in? John’s gonna be loose in New York? I think, I think it’s hard

Luke Jones  14:18

to say. I mean, because you need some time. I’m going to go back to something you just said. And you kind of, I think you made Steve’s point for him. You just said you have a lot of trust that they’re going to hire a good person. I think Steve has all the trust in the world that Eric’s going to bring five very viable finalists for him to then talk to. I think it’s as simple as that. Now I’m not necessarily that’s not even me disagreeing with the idea that it would be helpful and great for the owner to sit in on that, but I think that’s

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Nestor Aparicio  14:51

football, sure, but I just give an opinion, even if the Zooms are taped, okay, and he can go watch this the interviews of the. This weekend. It’s still going to be the same amount of time for him, or even looking at the transcripts. But Steve is a reader of humans. I would want him in on this. As a fan. I want him in on this. That’s all I that’s me out loud. That’s what.

Luke Jones  15:12

But you, but you even just said yourself that you have full confidence that they’re going to hire a good head coach. I think Steve has all the confidence in the world that Eric’s going to Eric and Sashi and anyone and Ozzy are going to give him a five guys that then he will sink his teeth into right or wrong. I think that’s the mentality. And you kind of just, I would equate it. I’ll put it in reporter media terms. Let me honestly, did you ever truly enjoy covering training camp? No, especially, especially as time went on. No, I hated it. You could have learned a lot, but you didn’t. You my point. And look, I’m in agreement. I don’t I don’t hate it. Let me do I enjoy covering training camp as much as I did in 2009 if I’m being fully honest with you, no, and a big part of that is there’s a lot to really filter through that doesn’t really matter that there are a lot of guys that I will tweet about on August 6, that three weeks later, I will never type their name into social media again or write about them in an article again. So there’s a filtering, there’s a vetting process, there’s a filtering. There’s anyone who’s covered training camp long enough knows that it’s not

Nestor Aparicio  16:30

apples and and watermelons here, because, like, billion dollar doesn’t make it to the to the last five or Minter doesn’t make it to the last five, or Anthony ever doesn’t make it to be there that he doesn’t trust his people, then Well, time well spent to learn more about football from these people, about their organizations and philosophy. And I’m just saying, If you love football that much and you’re invested in football

Luke Jones  17:00

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that much, that and he’s not as invested. Well, he’s not as invested. I mean, he said that was one of my big takeaways. And let me be clear, and let me be clear, I’m This isn’t me pushing back saying that I don’t care that Steve’s not sitting in on the first round. I’m giving you a rationale that I think at least makes sense, whether you agree with it or not. I think you’re not taking a side. You’re just No, I but I think that’s, I think that’s always thinking, and I would say, and I would say this, I don’t think someone who necessarily goes out and blows off training camp, I’m not saying they can’t cover the team effectively once the season starts, because, like I said, there’s not a whole lot now. There’s certain little things here and there I might we can probably go through the Patrick awasos. And you know, this past year, Ruben Lowry, we haven’t uttered his name since he was weighed by the ravens, and early on, he’s my all time favorite. But my point is, I had some background on him, and I followed him going all the way back to OTAs. You had no idea who he was. And I, when I just say, you, I’m just speaking in general terms, fans didn’t know who he was. There’s a great story. How consequential was it to the Ravens in 2025 and beyond nil? You know, well, the Ben

Nestor Aparicio  18:11

Cleveland story here, over the life of it, either would be, you know, we got a lot of Ben Cleveland

Luke Jones  18:16

so, so I’m just kind of laying out from, I’m guessing, from Steve’s perspective, he trusts his people so much to at least vet and to bring him the five guys to say, All right, now I’m here in the building all week, all day for each of these four or five candidates, we’re going to talk to each one of these guys for anywhere from five to 10 hours. Some guys might be longer. Some guys, it trickles into a second day, right? I mean, you followed coaching searches over the years, so I think that’s how he’s thinking about is that, is that right? You know, I certainly hear what you’re saying, as far as the merit of of him sitting in and maybe he would discover somebody, or not even discover, but see something earlier on that maybe would would have been the sixth guy who doesn’t make the cut, that he would say, That guy needs to make the cut, right? So there’s always a cut off, right? I mean, whether you talk to 20 people, should you talk to 21 whether you talk to 10 people, should you talk to 11? Whether you have five finalists, should you have six

Nestor Aparicio  19:21

saying, this is a chance, I hear you to be single for one night, that’s for one weekend, and go, I don’t know, and date anybody you want for a weekend, and turn off and then go back and on Monday, Sam. I mean, it’s the bachelor. I mean, literally, you get to go on dates with anybody you want to go on. This is the only time in 18 years Steve has had the chance. Steve wasn’t allowed to talk to Sean Payton about football. Maybe he did at a cocktail party one night somewhere at a charity, but I don’t know. Steve doesn’t do any of that. See, Steve doesn’t even go to the owners meet. I mean, like I used to see Steve at these owners meetings, it’s not. Like he was, he’s at a pool where, like, even talking to Andy Reid looks weird. I get you’ve been at that party, so I, you know, it’s all in the family, and it’s 32 coaches and general managers and all the bosses, and, you know, it females, and there’s liquor and there’s food and there’s kids, and there’s a band usually playing good music and a DJ, but

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Luke Jones  20:23

good old fashioned station, though, at least when I went a couple years ago.

Nestor Aparicio  20:27

By the way, Luke is here, I’m here. We’re going to get to the games this weekend. But I just want to, because I don’t talk about this much, especially when I’m name dropping and like all of that. Because, yeah, when you’ve been doing this for 40 years, you know, yeah, I’ll name drop, and then I’ll bring the people on. By the way, we’re two weeks out on Super Bowl, 35 reunion, 25th anniversary. I’m going to be bringing a bunch of people on. Anybody that will have me Trent doe for is coming. Just a bunch of people will be coming on. So had Matt Simon last week, so we’ll do that. But you know, back in the day in Baltimore, I have some pictures that were taken on the club level here when the stadium was brand new. I have pictures that night of me with Bob Kraft and Jerry Jones at the same time next to me, and I have pictures that night with Tony Dungy and Andy Reid and a bunch of other people. The whole event. I was Marvin’s guest that night, 1999 think Brian had just gotten here. Stadium had just opened, that Brian was the coach then, for sure. So it’s 99 that it happened, and what it was, was a a like Spring Fling thing to get the owners and coaches, black coaches, young black coaches. Mike Tomlin might have been there that night. I don’t you know. I mean, I like, literally, it was a it was a mixer, because not enough black coaches were getting hired. And part of the reason was they need to meet Marvin Lewis to hire him, and they can’t meet him in a normal circumstance. And he’s an assistant coach, so he’s not at the owners meetings. He’s not in front of people. So this is 27 years ago, and I don’t remember who else might have been in the room that night. That was a young African American Coach, probably Leslie Frazier. I mean, just thinking of people that were there that night, but the whole idea of owners meeting coaches and the importance and the significance of it, and people meeting each other, Luke, it’s the one time a year it happens with when you see it, and then all the drinking at the at the at the combine, the late night thing. But the owners, other than Jared, pulling up on his bus, there’s not that sort of thing going on. So that’s why it were. I mean, Steve’s just so out the lunch and so gone, and let’s win a championship the next 10 years. I’ll get the hell out of here. Okay, dude, but like, this is the one chance to meet a bunch of these people and to not did not have the owner on the Zoom would be disappointing to me. If I were Jim Schwartz or the other people, and I’d be like, Okay, I get over the hurdle. Oh, that’s who your organization. I thought he was the guy without socks, that was the cool guy, that was the normal guy, that was the staffing guy. God damn you. I didn’t want to meet me like, I don’t know dude. I just everything about the other day was very flippantly arrogant to me, and it really I’ve had a couple of sleeps since the thing, it really has illuminated, and should illuminate for anyone in my space, how and why I got thrown out. When you consider that’s the owner, the coach is gone. They’re going to bring a new guy in. The general manager looks very, very that this is the boss, and everybody knows who the boss is, but the boss isn’t here, but the boss is always here, and Sashi is the boss, and Chad’s got his eyes on things. So the boss is always here, but the boss isn’t I invented remote working. So like, if you have to be a billionaire or Donald Trump to get up and say those things and then say tickets are on sale. You don’t matter that fans don’t matter. Pete, like, You’re my favorite reporter. I mean, a lot of it was right, like, like, he’s might be watching it and playing that he came in all fire. And I’m like, Dude, get on a zoom with Jim Schwartz and talk football with him. That’s really, that’s all, as a fan, you’re good at picking people, you know, come on, man, that’s all that was just, that’s fun. That’s a piece for me that I think that’s not, I don’t think I’ve been unfair in any way. I would love to spend an hour with coaches, and that’s one of the things as I get a lump in my throat, throwing me out, costing me relationships with people that have been among the better people I’ve ever known in my life, and anybody that knows me, with Brian and listened to this program or knows anything about me, and Barry trots and Gene ubriaco and ball coaches, all the Marvin every all the people in my i I’ve always found them to be. Really intellectually stimulating people for me in my life and and they’ve allowed me into their homes and into their lives. So I just telling a coach you don’t want to sit down, that tells me you don’t want to learn, and they know more about it than you do. That’s that’s ignorance on purpose. That’s just saying I don’t, I don’t care enough. I got the idea that Steve didn’t care enough on Tuesday, and that’s sad. That’s sad because I dude. I met that guy 25 years ago. I remember the first five conversations I had with him, and they were all like, these long, interesting, thoughtful that I know he is and is capable of being, and it, I don’t know. I just, I don’t know. I got a closet full of Raven stuff here. I want well, but I’m like, No Stop, don’t look No, you know, because it, it’s not what I bought a PSL for 30 years ago that I just thought the owner would have more, especially before he sells it off to the gypsies, right? You sell to the next people. That’ll be a conglomerate of something, something from the Saudi Arabians, or something who knows, like, literally, who knows. But it won’t be a guy from Severna Park who made his own dough picking people and then 20 years into it, saying, I’m not even interested in meeting football coaches. I mean,

Luke Jones  26:24

that’s, I would be curious. I mean, and look, I there’s plenty of merit to what you’re saying, as far as the value of having him sit in on all those, albeit it’s think the list is up to 17, not, not that they’ve interviewed already, but that they’re going to so, you know, that’s a lot, but I but I’d be curious to see what all these other teams are like. Is ownership sitting in on all the preliminary

Nestor Aparicio  26:49

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He’s different than everybody else, and that’s fine. Comes. I’m just curious. I’m curious. I’m curious. He’s a billion clearly, he makes it. I mean, there’s nothing about Tuesday that shows he makes his own rules. And it, you know, and it speaks to me being thrown generally, how it works for billionaires, yeah, he makes his own rules. So, you know, there will be no questions from Jason lock and for we got games, do you have anything else you want on? I mean, we did the hardball thing. You know, people, it’s hardball going to win. Or the Ravens gonna win. I, you know, I, there’s, I

Luke Jones  27:26

like the Ravens chances of winning way more than the Giants next year. Okay, fair enough, because they have a better roster, whether that roster was ultimately a little overrated or not. I mean, that’s certainly, you know, we talked about that. And Eric has to own that part. Players have to own that part. But you’re gonna ask me right now to bet $1 I’ve met bet more than $1 but who does better? The Ravens or John Harbaugh next year? I’m gonna say the Ravens. No, that

Nestor Aparicio  27:50

doesn’t Yeah, yeah. And you met their coach. Yet, you got a lot of confidence, don’t you?

Luke Jones  27:54

I mean, they’ve got Lamar Jackson, they’ve got Kyle Hamilton.

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Nestor Aparicio  27:58

They’ve still a lot to like here rejuvenated Lamar Jackson will be right, like so and all that, and then cutting the edges of the Ronnie Stanley’s and the Marlon Humphries and new blood and the draft, and they’ll have a fresh coach, and they’ll put them on the billboards, and he’ll be good looking, because, you know, like,

Luke Jones  28:14

the same way, in the same way in our previous discussion where we talked about John Harbaugh being rejuvenated. I fully expect the ravens to be rejuvenated. Now, does that mean they’re going to hire someone who’s going to take them to the Super Bowl that’s going to be the next hall of fame caliber coach, or the next coach that’s here a decade plus, like and Brian wasn’t here a decade, but nine years. We’ll see about that. But in the same way that I said, there’ll be a honeymoon for John Harbaugh in even in New York there will absolutely, I even if the Ravens don’t hire the absolute best coach they could possibly hire, when it’s all said and done in this hiring cycle, I still expect, I don’t think they’re going to hire someone who’s totally incompetent, right? You know, we could debate whether it’ll be the best or the second best or the third best in this hiring cycle. Who knows? I mean, who who’s Pittsburgh going to hire? You know, the Ravens have the best job right now. In 2026 they have the best job there’s hands down. So we’ll see how that works out. But yeah, I expect all those guys to be excited about this. I mean to you, to your point, if har ball had truly lost the locker room, which, again, that’s a semantics game. There’s still a what exactly does that mean? Kind of idea, then they’re going to be excited about whoever, because it’s new, right? It’s like you’re dating a new dating someone new. There’s always that excitement at the beginning, until you find out whether it’s going to be a long term fit, or whether you say, Oh, I kind of like the girl I used to date. I don’t know if they’ll be that. You know, I kind of, kind of sort of doubt that.

Nestor Aparicio  29:45

But, oh, I think it was a very happy breakup on both sides. I mean, I think it’ll be okay. I think something had to there’s going to be a next. I think both sides are going to be even Mike McDonald understands he’s going to get fired at some point. Let’s get to the games this weekend real quick. What do you got? What do you got? What he got, what he got. Who do you like?

Luke Jones  30:00

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Think, you know, I mean, the bills, it’s, they’re fascinating. I mean, the, gosh, they’re so injury ravaged at wide receiver at this point. I think they, what, three healthy wide receivers on the roster. The Broncos have this great defense. You know,

Nestor Aparicio  30:13

I’m in on the bills for some reason. I don’t know. I just want them to win. Yeah. I mean, I,

Luke Jones  30:18

I think from a storytelling standpoint, it’s certainly the best story if they come out of the AFC. I mean, with apologies to Bo Nix and Drake May and CJ strat. I mean, the Texans defense is legit. We saw that against Pittsburgh, but I don’t know, for the bills, as lazy as this sounds, it does kind of feel like if you don’t do it this year, when are you going to do it? I hope

Nestor Aparicio  30:40

you haven’t started ripping the stadium down yet, because it’d be a fun place to celebrate if they could win, right? Like, less true, they can’t play like there’s no they’re the lowest. There’s nowhere to have a parade unless you walk on the ice, you know,

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Luke Jones  30:55

anchor bar or something like that. I don’t know, we have an indoor parade. Yeah, right, right. But I think it’s going to be so fascinating to see what the Broncos look like. I mean, I you know, I guess the Seahawks, you could say, to a lesser extent, right for me, for the Seahawks, it’s okay. Sam darnold. Sam darnold, in a playoff game, what’s that going to look like, right? But, you know, I think the Broncos all year, like everyone kind of thought, like, Okay, I think everyone agrees Sean Payton, great coach, and their defense is, is terrific. But, you know, Bo Nix, I mean, he’s kind of had this fourth, fourth quarter Mojo thing that he has had, but like, doesn’t look great for four quarters. Their offense, since losing JK Dobbins, their their running games, not as potent as it had been. So I think I’m, man, I I think I’m with you on the bills, but that said the bills absolutely have warts, too. So it’s going to come down to this, can they run the football? You know? Can they run the football? And I think their defense, which did some nice things against Jacksonville, you know, in some key spots. You know, can they, you know, can they get the job done on the road again? You know that? That’s the other thing. They’re playing another road game, right? So that’s, I think that’s Josh Allen. Don’t care about the road, you know, I’m worried about that. That’s the thing. I mean, especially given where they are, and let’s face it, they’re wide receivers. Weren’t regarded as great anyway, but now that the numbers have shrunk, right? I mean, they’re, you know, you look at if they get one injury in game, you’re like, Okay, he’s gonna be throwing the guys you’ve never even, don’t even know their name

Nestor Aparicio  32:31

well, I mean, you’re making fun of Sam darnold, but what’s, you know, what Bo Nix ever won, right? You know? So, like, this is a time of the year where I’ll take Josh Allen over Bo Nix, because I’ve been watching football for 40 years, and until Bo Nix does fair, proves he is who he is. Tony Romo, to me, You know what? I mean,

Luke Jones  32:47

that’s fair? Yeah, no question. I mean, no question about it. So, you know, and then the other AFC game, and then we’ll pivot, give our thumbnail on the NFC. But I mean, Houston’s defense is terrific. They look at what they did in the fourth quarter, the Patriots aren’t the Steelers. Man, I mean, they just aren’t. I would have said the same thing about if the Texans had beaten the ravens and the you know, if Tyler Luke makes the kick and the Texans come into Baltimore last Monday night and and I don’t not saying they necessarily blow the Ravens out, but I would have picked the Texans in that game. There’s no question about it, Pittsburgh, their offense looked completely inept. The Patriots have a way better offense than than the Steelers. So that said that

Nestor Aparicio  33:32

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Houston defense. You like, I mean, I mean quarterback, Drake. You like Drake, maybe then he better deliver and they’ll win, I think so that’s the way these games are. Well, he was really just interceptions. Will two guys on the Patriots have a special teams, you know, Gaff? I mean, like, but Houston’s gonna play defense. And I think that game is, you know, oh, it’s 23 in the fourth quarter. I mean, it’s gonna be that kind of game I was.

Luke Jones  33:58

I mean, let’s face it, Houston’s defense really deodorized a horrible performance by CJ Stroud on Monday night. I mean, he kind of single handedly, no, okay, one or two of those were bad enough in the end that Aaron Rodgers could have snagged that right. But CJ Stroud was a big reason of leaving Pittsburgh in that game. I mean, he just, he was not good. And I, you know, I really thought a couple years ago when CJ Stroud doing what he did as a rookie, I thought he was on his way to joining that group of mahomes, Lamar Allen burrow. I thought there was a chance that he was going to join them. He’s getting the way College. He’s got, you know, like he, but that hasn’t happened. I mean, he, he hasn’t gotten better. I mean, you could argue he’s regressed. So that’s where I take some pause, but I don’t know. Man, that defense, like, I’m not ready to say they’re the 2000 ravens, or the Oh, two bucks, or, you know, the 85 bears, but it’s a really good defense. I mean, it was so. Telling to me we didn’t, I don’t think we meant made this point, but I I thought it so much watching that game, watching Houston, their defense do against the Steelers, in contrast to what the Ravens looked completely helpless to stop the Steelers offense when Kyle Hamilton left the game, man, was that not a commentary on how far the Baltimore defense, and I’ll even say the Pittsburgh defense, have fallen in contrast to what that Houston defense looked like with that front, nasty, physical, relentless pass rush. The Ravens need to find a way to get back to that. Doesn’t have to be exactly that, but man, it’s got to look way closer to that than what we saw this year, with no ability to get to the quarterback on any consistent basis. So I’m, I’ll go New England, but I’m with you. I think that’s a close game. And the Drake may thing it’s, it’s Lamar Jackson, right? Lamar, second year MVP, incredible, historic season. And then we saw how he and in fairness, his teammates, how everyone looked against the titans in that divisional round. So until you see a young quarterback on that stage in January, at least for the first time, there is an unknown there where you say, Hmm, but I, I was sold on Drake may with what he did in the fourth quarter against the Ravens a few weeks back. So I’ll go with the

Nestor Aparicio  36:23

Patriots well. And it gets chargers again the other night too. So like for me, the more you know that you walk into the arena there at that point, you feel it. And, yeah,

Luke Jones  36:32

let me clarify. I realized he played a playoff game last Sunday, you know, want to clarify. He’s not coming off a buy. This is a major step up, you know, with what the Texans, I mean, chargers have a good defense. Texans have a great defense. So I defenses travel this time of year, this time of year, it’s important. There’s no question about it. All right, Luke is here.

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Nestor Aparicio  36:53

We’re going to get one more thing in here on the NFC, and then we’re going to throw it out for more John Harbaugh and ravens hiring and all of that stuff. I’m with the Seahawks, and I’m with the Rams on the road because Stafford’s been there before. I love the enthusiasm of a really cold winter night in Chicago, and the Rams having to come in reminds me of like Vince Ferragamo back in the day, or Hale or whatever. I think that’s a fun capper. And I think the way the bears have kind of come on and been an interesting team in a in a market where the team is stunk, sort of perpetually, we all were waiting on the Jaguars, maybe a little bit. Maybe Houston’s that, as I have been wearing all my old oiler stuff, maybe the Texans this, this is a year that the Texans can host a championship game, maybe if the bills were to win, right? So there’s a little bit of that aspect going on this weekend, but I firmly like Seattle a lot with San Francisco’s injuries, and I firmly like the Rams on the road, just because I like Matt Stafford and I I just think that, you know, I don’t even look at the weather, but I just think like, the Rams will figure it out. The Rams will go in there and steal their lunch this weekend, and I think Seattle’s the best team? Yeah.

Luke Jones  38:03

I mean, I, I would argue, I think Seattle man and I might go down with the ship on this because they almost made me look terrible last week. I still am not convinced that the Rams, when they’re firing on all cylinders, aren’t the best team. However, down the stretch. They kind of played with their food a little bit. Lost a couple games. They shouldn’t have lost it. Cost them the division, cost them the number one seed,

Nestor Aparicio  38:29

but and they can still host the championship game if the Niners win on Saturday night and

Luke Jones  38:33

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they win, yeah, I mean, they could. And look, I I’m with you on Seattle, but I mean, the 40 Niners, give them credit, man, when you look at their run of injuries, I mean, they’re, there’s some really strong players on IR that they, you know, they went into Philly, and I get it, the eagles had issues all year, but they went into Philly and bullied the Eagles and without kill but, but I, but I think I like Seattle, you know, but I, Sam darnold, makes me take some pause, man, he just does. You know, we saw this with the Vikings last year. So they’re, that doesn’t,

Nestor Aparicio  39:09

I’m gonna light it up with six touchdown pass, and that’s the thing. They don’t really need him to do that, per se. Well, I mean, they’re gonna win this game 27 to 13, and they’re gonna win by a couple touchdowns, and it’s just gonna, they’re going to grind you down because they’re solid.

Luke Jones  39:22

They’re so, yeah, that said Jackson Smith and jigba is so important to what they do, and Donald’s got to get it to him, like, and he did a good job getting it to him in the regular season. That’s got to continue so but I’m with you. I think Seattle kind of fun to see that that rivalry reignited. You know, before it was Pete Carroll and Jim Harbaugh a decade ago. Now you’ve got Shanahan and and Mike McDonald. You know, I’m a big fan of Mike McDonald. I’m a

Nestor Aparicio  39:47

huge fan of Mike McDonald.

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Luke Jones  39:50

Yeah, with me. Great coach, great coach. And man who would have thought back in what was it week eight, that the Ravens with Ty. Huntley at the helm, would beat the bears and that you look back and that’s their best win of the season. I mean, not, okay, they blew out the Packers, like they shut out the Bengals on the road, but like, Who would have thought at that time, one that it would be the Ravens best win, or one of their most impressive wins of the year without Lamar, albeit, and that the bears would go on to do what they’ve done. I mean, the bears are a great story. They’re fun. I mean, like, they’re just this fourth quarter team that comes alive and he’s being all hockey. Caleb Williams doesn’t look that good until he looks great and makes an incredible throw. They have some

Nestor Aparicio  40:38

swagger in of the eight teams left, they have the most swagger, the

Luke Jones  40:43

mojo to them, where you kind of wonder, it’s like, man is like, Can Ben

Nestor Aparicio  40:47

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Johnson, Texans don’t have swagger. They just have sort of this confidence. Just have a

Luke Jones  40:51

great defense. I mean, it’s just great. I mean, to make O, Ryan’s is a defensive guy, and they have a great defense and a great front and, I mean, so they’re confident in that way. But I don’t know,

Nestor Aparicio  41:00

I always start thinking of some of these teams as really good teams because, you know, we’re getting to that point of the year where we’re like, because I hadn’t felt like, none of these teams stood out to me in week 12 as like. And you know, the bills are living eating off their lunch, and the rams are eating off four years. And like, none of these teams have proven anything. None of these people have proven any. I mean, I’m going through any, none of these names that we’ve given, other than Matt Stafford, you know, Mike rabies won some stuff as a player. You know, I’m looking through, where are my champions in all of this?

Luke Jones  41:28

The bills, the bills look like it until they face Patrick mahomes and the chiefs. Over the years,

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Nestor Aparicio  41:34

none of these owners have even won. I mean, like I’m looking I think

Luke Jones  41:38

I would, I would say, because you mentioned week 12, and, you know, not specifically week 12, but that point in the season, I thought the Rams were the best team. And I do wonder if them, if they’re barely getting by by the skin of their teeth in Carolina, right, that that’s their, oh my gosh, that was their big scare. You know, you kind of think about all these different teams that win Super Bowls over the years. Very rarely, is it? Is it a team just steamrolling everyone week after week after week? There’s a scare, there’s a there’s a play where the ball goes your way. I mean, the Ravens in Nashville, right in 2000 that the Ravens in Denver in 2012 I mean, either one of those games easily could have lost last week in Charlotte. That’s much. That’s why that’s the point I’m making. So I do wonder if that’s their Oh my gosh. And then they get themselves aligned, and they were in trouble because I, because I, and again, I might, you know, I thought back in week 12, they’re the best team in the NFL. I think they still might be if they put it together, but at some point it’s like, you either put it together because you’re the best team or you don’t and you’re not that. The games last

Nestor Aparicio  42:49

week were good, right? The bills stuck it out. I mean, the 49 weekend was fantastic, yeah.

Luke Jones  42:53

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I mean, other other than the Sunday night game, which I just esthetically wasn’t a very good game. It was. And then Monday night show, Monday night at all, went down. Those two games just weren’t very entertaining. You hate the Steelers, you know? Yeah. I mean, yeah, no, I but I just mean in terms of, just objectively, like, the football itself wasn’t exactly the most captivating, other than, like, if you love the Texans defense, playing as great as they did, so but I think I’m with you on that one. I think, I think I’m going Seattle. I feel better about and the Rams. I think the rams are a better team than the bears. But the bears, man, they just had this Mojo that it’s like the commanders last year. How about that? I feel like that’s kind of a man. The commanders just got on a roll. And, you know, they go into Detroit and they completely, you know, they completely flatten the lions.

Nestor Aparicio  43:47

Like, let’s just get in a tournament. Let’s just get in a tournament. So, yeah, who knows?

Luke Jones  43:52

I mean, but I, I think it’s gonna be a great divisional round weekend, and I’m with you, like, who’s going to is the cream gonna rise to the top? Finally, in this, in this year, where everything’s felt so wide open. Do we see that? So, yeah, I’ll go I’ll go bills, I’ll go patriots, I’ll Go Seahawks, and I’ll go rams. So that for everyone listening, pick the opposite. Yeah, the bills in the

Nestor Aparicio  44:13

Seahawks, I’m kind of rooting for for them in a sort of, because I’m like, McDonald sort of the buffalo. I just want buffalo to win. Like, let them win. Man, let them have a party. I don’t need to see Denver win again. San Francisco can’t win. Houston would be interesting if they get there. God bless them. To your point, if CJ Stroud plays, willing to win these

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Speaker 1  44:35

three games 40 years for the bears, man, like that. That, you know, I don’t

Nestor Aparicio  44:38

really see the Patriots win it. Diddly winks. I mean, screw them.

Luke Jones  44:43

They’re only six years removed from Tom Brady, like, come on. Like, they can’t, they can’t win again. I mean, they might. They very well might. But, like, No, I’m not that. No, well, no, I agree, and I like Drake May, but I don’t want that.

Nestor Aparicio  44:55

We all have a little Texans in us at three o’clock on Sunday afternoon. All right, he’s. Gone, Nestor, we’re back for more. We are W NST AM, 1570 Towson, Baltimore, enjoy the games. There’ll be little purple blooms of smoke that come on the W NST tech service brought to you by Bill Cole, Cole, roofing, Gordian energy. Bill and I came on and broke down the bishati press conference. Oh, nothing like talking about Steve bishati with Mike con sleatti at Baltimore positive. Stay with us.