Great Dane Nation

Season 2 of "Great Dane Nation" comes to a close, as Morten Andersen and TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) go on their summer break for 2022.The guys look back at the first 89 episodes of GDN, reflecting on their favorite guests, biggest surprises, funny moments, and looking ahead at their guest wish list for the 2022 NFL season!

On the 89th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is again joined by VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along! This week, Morten and Stephanie are joined by legendary Michigan State head basketball coach Tom Izzo (13:42 – 55:20).Off the top of the show, Morten, Stephanie and TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) react to the NFL schedule release, and talk about their favorite games on the 2022 slate. Stephanie previews Bills at Bengals (04:08), Morten previews Saints at Falcons (06:40), and FreezePops previews Packers at Buccaneers (09:59).We then move to our interview with Tom Izzo, where he discusses a wide range of topics: eating sausage sandwiches on college football Saturdays (15:20); Stephanie proclaiming her MSU hoops allegiance to Coach Izzo, and asking if that makes her a bad Ohio State fan (16:48); importance of having alumni around the program with the introduction of “Grind Week” (18:24); Morten says he can kick a basketball in the hoop from halfcourt for some halftime entertainment (21:10); some of Coach Izzo's favorite Midnight Madness moments (21:40); why Coach Izzo is not in favor of a “super conference” in college sports, and why he thinks the Big Ten is already too big (23:29); what would have happened if the 2020 March Madness Tournament hadn't been cancelled, and what he told his team when it happened (26:22); on watching his peers retire, and why the NIL and new transfer rules have him thinking about life after coaching more than his friends retiring (28:58); why Coach Izzo believes with no salary caps or contracts, the transfer rules are allowing too much player freedom, which will ultimately hurt the athletes in the long run (31:44); his thoughts on a possible move to the NBA (34:00); why new standards at the college level “hurt” (35:01); why Coach Izzo believes college basketball is always a better option than playing pro ball before entering the NBA (36:45); his favorite ex-Spartans, and a great story about Draymond Green (39:45); why Coach Izzo would want to pursue a job coaching football after he's done coaching college hoops (43:45); who he's putting his money on to win this year's Western Conference Finals in the NBA (46:15); and remembering the late Adreian Payne (48:00). We close things out with “Quiz Time with TommyFreezePops,” with this week's topic being Michigan State and Ohio State trivia. Which host knows the most about their favorite college football squad? Will Stephanie FINALLY get her first win? Will Morten's winning streak come to an end? (55:40)

On the 88th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is again joined by VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along!Off the top, Stephanie pays off her quiz punishment, and shows up to the podcast dressed up in a hilarious leprechaun costume. With that in mind, Morten and Stephanie play a game of “NFL Luck or Skill” – reviewing some of the newsiest teams from the 2021 season, deciding whether it was luck or skill that drove the result of their seasons, and looking ahead to their 2022s (03:38).We then move to this week's edition of “Doink or Down the Middle,” where our hosts buy (“down the middle”) or sell (“doink”) various topics from the world of pop culture, sports, food, music and more (21:24). James Corden recently announced he's leaving late night TV – how do our hosts feel about the “Carpool Karaoke” star? What about the winter? How do our hosts feel about slippers?We close things out with a conversation about Tyrann Mathieu coming home, as he signs a 3-year deal with the New Orleans Saints worth $33 million. Morten talks about the Louisiana native joining the Saints family, and what that means for both the Honey Badger and the organization (30:35).

On the 87th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is again joined by VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along!Off the top, Morten and Stephanie run through their draft grades for various teams from last week's NFL Draft (03:57 – 24:17). Draft grades were handed out to the New York Jets (04:38), New Orleans Saints (06:39), New England Patriots (10:04), Philadelphia Eagles (14:01), Green Bay Packers (17:22) and Detroit Lions (19:31).We then move to this week's edition of “Doink or Down the Middle,” where our hosts buy (“down the middle”) or sell (“doink”) various topics from the world of pop culture, sports, food, music and more (25:02). Why did Morten think it was OK to ask three different girls to the prom? What the hell is peanut butter and jelly sushi? How do we feel about the Kardashians?We close things out with “Play Call Headlines.” TommyFreezePops reads some news and notes from today's headlines in football, and our hosts are tasked to turn that news into a traditional football play call you would hear in an NFL huddle on a Sunday (32:47). After a total failure the first time we tried this segment, both Morten and Stephanie nail this one!

On the 86th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his long-time friend and fellow New Orleans Saints legend Sean Payton (11:44 – 37:47). But before we dive into that interview, Morten is once again joined by VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along! With the NFL Draft on deck, Stephanie gives her “can't miss prospect” of the 2022 class (02:52).We then move to our interview with Sean Payton, where he discusses a wide range of topics: how does Coach Payton feel different since retiring earlier this year (12:45); the one thing he was looking forward to most after retiring (14:25); what brought him to retiring at this point in his football career (16:31); looking forward to finalizing his TV contract – to be a studio analyst – being signed within the next four days (19:03); on the Tom Brady-Dolphins rumors, and why he had no prior knowledge of any of it until The Boston Globe story was published (19:20); on the Dallas Cowboys rumors, and why prior history with a franchise is not the only thing he would consider before coming out of retirement for a coaching job (21:46); how the league can improve with minority hiring on the head coaching level, and why he thinks Stanford's David Shaw will be given an NFL opportunity one day (24:48); why Dennis Allen was the right hire for the Saints (26:54); the state of the New Orleans Saints ahead of the NFL Draft, and why he thinks they have the culture to be a winning franchise right now (27:45); which positions the Saints will be targeting in this year's NFL Draft (29:16); what his draft philosophy is – need vs. grade, and finding the balance between the two (31:11); and high praise for Deonte Harris (33:20).We close things out with “Quiz Time with TommyFreezePops,” with this week's topic being, of course, the NFL Draft (39:34). Which host knows more about the NFL Draft? Who will have to pay off a punishment on our next episode? Both answers to those questions may surprise you…

On the 85th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is again joined by VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along!Off the top, Morten pleads his case for the Detroit Lions to make the playoffs in 2022 to the court, as Stephanie defends the side of the public – that the Lions are horrible and have no shot at the postseason (04:42). TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) makes the final judgment at the end of the podcast.We then move to this week's edition of “Doink or Down the Middle,” where our hosts buy (“down the middle”) or sell (“doink”) various topics from the world of pop culture, sports, food, music and more (15:07). How do our hosts take their coffee? Do they enjoy the patriotic tradition of fireworks on the 4th of July? Plus, Morten makes an official podcast decree on reality television.We close things out with our new segment called “Play Call Headlines.” TommyFreezePops reads some news and notes from today's headlines in football, and our hosts are tasked to turn that news into a traditional football play call you would hear in an NFL huddle on a Sunday (24:36). One of our hosts didn't necessarily grasp the concept this time around, which makes for some unintended comedy!

On the 84th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is again joined by VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along!Off the top, Stephanie pays off her punishment for losing last week's quiz, as she attempts to sing Michigan State's Fight Song while wearing Sparty green – let's just say Steph should stick to her day job (04:22).Morten and Stephanie then dive into the NFL Super Bowl futures market, taking a close look at the teams in each division with the shortest Super Bowl odds. Who do they think provides good value at the current moment (09:51)?We close things out with our new segment called, “Doink or Down the Middle,” where our hosts buy (“down the middle”) or sell (“doink”) various topics from the world of pop culture, sports, food, music and more (38:49). Where does Stephanie stand on the beach? Does Morten like cable television? Their answers may surprise you!

On the 83rd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey, who will be contributing to the podcast over the next few months as the NFL offseason continues to roll along!Off the top, Stephanie introduces herself to our audience, walking us through the career path that led her to the Better Collective family (01:56). Morten and Stephanie then dive into a new segment called, “Doink or Down the Middle,” where our hosts buy (“down the middle”) or sell (“doink”) various topics from the world of pop culture, sports, food, music and more (06:42). Stephanie then weighs in on the situation in Tampa Bay with Tom Brady, and whether this crazy offseason has tainted her image of the GOAT. Plus, Morten and Stephanie's thoughts on all the other insane moves we've seen from around the NFL (19:50).Finally, our hosts are put to the test, as TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) conducts a quiz for each host about their cohost. The host with the lowest score will have to sing the opposing cohost's college-fight-song-of-choice, wearing the rival colors, on our next podcast (32:54).

On the 82nd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Seahawks-Vikings legend Steve Hutchinson (07:11 – 58:12). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:00 – 06:23). This week, Morten makes a major show announcement, as VegasInsider's Stephanie Otey is joining the show as a new cohost for the spring season! Her first episode with Morten and FreezePops is next week.We then move to our interview with Steve Hutchinson, where he discusses a wide range of topics: how Morten was able to make a few dollars while listening to Hutch's induction speech (08:24); running through his Pro Football Hall of Fame journey, and the process of waiting his turn for his “Hall of Fame knock” (09:41); what that gold jacket means to him (13:12); Morten and Hutch's wild weekend in Los Angeles, and why Hutch had to warn the new Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees to watch out for Morten (15:58); his thoughts on Russell Wilson being traded to the Denver Broncos (17:59); the state of the Seahawks, and why Hutch is not concerned with Pete Carroll's age (20:58); what he makes of new Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell (24:22); why he feels the Vikings can win now with Kirk Cousins (27:46); blocking for three of the greatest running backs in NFL history – Shaun Alexander, Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson (30:15); what he learned playing with John Randle, and why blocking guys with multiple moves is the most difficult part of the game (32:51); playing guard in today's NFL, and who he thinks is the best guard in today's game (36:45); who he thinks is the greatest guard in NFL history (41:39); playing college football with Tom Brady, and why he wasn't surprised by anything that happened with Brady this offseason (43:20); why he's happy that Jim Harbaugh is heading back to Michigan after rumors swirled this offseason of him pursuing an opportunity in the NFL (45:43); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Walter Jones, Mike Holmgren, Matt Hasselbeck, Jerry Rice, Lofa Tatupu, Robbie Tobeck, Brett Favre, Jared Allen, Randy Moss and Mike Munchak (46:49).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Steve Hutchinson, and why there is no question that Hutch would be on Morten's all-time “dream team” (59:06).

On the 81st episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Cardinals legend Aeneas Williams (12:46 – 01:00:27). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:00 – 11:54). The Atlanta Falcons traded the greatest quarterback in the history of their franchise, as Matt Ryan was sent to the Indianapolis Colts. Falcons legend Morten Andersen weighs in on this historic move for the franchise, and what he thinks of the direction of the team. Plus, thoughts on Deshaun Watson, Davante Adams, Baker Mayfield, and much more.We then move to our interview with Aeneas Williams, where he discusses a wide range of topics: growing up in New Orleans, rooting for the Saints in the 1980s, and working at the Superdome (15:00); why he didn't play football at Southern until his junior year (16:25); his thoughts on high-profile former NFL players taking head coaching jobs at HBCU schools, and why he feels it's important for these institutions to continue to have the light shined on them (24:19); why guys like Calvin Ridley and Henry Ruggs should be examples for both college and NFL teams on why mentorship is crucial for young players (31:21); how the Cardinals should approach getting over the hump of fading late in the season every year (33:13); why he's confident the Cardinals and Kyler Murray will work out their differences (34:36); why he thinks Kliff Kingsbury needs more time at the helm for the Cardinals before they decide to move on (36:20); what he loves about Buddha Baker's game (38:49); why the Pro Football Hall of Fame should cancel the five-year waiting period for Aaron Donald when he retires (39:27); why he resents the sentiment that he “ended Steve Young's career” (42:52); why he thinks Jalen Ramsey is “the real deal” (47:47); why Torry Holt deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (48:36); playing with Pat Tillman, and his thoughts on the tragic passing of an American hero (49:36); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Larry Wilson, Rob Ryan, Chris Chandler, Larry Centers and London Fletcher (52:03).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Aeneas Williams, and why keeping promises matters (01:01:07).

On the 80th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Houston Texans legend and former Atlanta Falcon Matt Schaub (10:59 – 49:40). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:00 – 10:06). Morten and FreezePops react to the surprising Tom Brady news from this past weekend, as he unretires after his shocking retirement 40 days prior. Plus, some thoughts on the beginning of the NFL's free agency period.We then move to our interview with Matt Schaub, where he discusses a wide range of topics: running through the moments directly following Morten's record-breaking kick in 2006, as well as some of his favorite “Morten moments” from their time together as teammates in Atlanta (11:48); his thoughts on the handling of the Deshaun Watson situation in Houston (24:25); why he doesn't believe the Texans should have fired David Culley after one season as head coach (25:53); a rebuttal to Ed Reed's claim from a few weeks ago that the Texans organization was filled with “bad people” (27:34); why he hasn't seen enough out of Davis Mills to say he's the long-term answer at quarterback for the Texans (29:10); the current state of the Falcons, and why he thinks they're closer to being back in the playoff discussion than people probably realize (31:59); why he believes Matt Ryan is a Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback (33:51); why he feels Matt Ryan has enough left in the tank to bring the Falcons back to a Super Bowl (34:52); why he feels Matt Ryan would play for another franchise, if things weren't able to continue for him past his current deal in Atlanta (35:24); why he was OK spending the first part of his career as Michael Vick's back-up (36:13); why he was able to flourish as soon as he arrived in Houston (37:36); his thoughts on Virginia hiring Clemson's Tony Elliott, and why he's excited about the outlook of the Cavaliers football program (38:43); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Jim Mora Jr., Arthur Blank, Alge Crumpler, Warrick Dunn, Keith Brooking, Patrick Kerney, Roddy White, DeAngelo Hall, Lawyer Milloy, Kyle Shanahan, J.J. Watt, Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, Wade Phillips, Derek Carr, Khalil Mack, Mark Davis, John Harbaugh, Dan Quinn, Steve Sarkisian and Grady Jarrett (40:05).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Matt Schaub, and how his team-first attitude allowed him to flourish regardless of his role throughout his career (50:22).

On the 79th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his newly minted Pro Football Hall of Fame brother Tony Boselli to talk about his journey to Canton, today's Jaguars, and much more (11:52 – 01:03:14). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (00:55 – 10:58). It's a big week for NFL news, and the guys react to it all – Calvin Ridley's suspension, Aaron Rodgers' new contract in Green Bay, and Russell Wilson's new home with the Broncos.We then move to our interview with Tony Boselli, where he discusses a wide range of topics: breaking down his Pro Football Hall of Fame “knock” from Anthony Muñoz, and why that moment was so special (12:54); why he immediately thought of his dad when he received the Pro Football Hall of Fame news (18:09); why he felt like this year was his final chance to get into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (24:52); who he thinks will be the next Jacksonville Jaguar to join him in Canton (26:29); why Morten is partially responsible for Tony's Hall of Fame selection – it's a stretch, people (28:46); his special connection to Bruce Smith, and why he was the perfect presenter for him at this year's NFL Honors show (33:20); why the Urban Meyer era in Jacksonville was such a dumpster fire (35:02); why he believes the Jaguars still need a full-on culture shake-up within that organization, and why he likes the Doug Pederson hire at head coach (38:17); why he feels Trevor Lawrence can be an elite, superstar quarterback in the NFL (40:15); thoughts on Aidan Hutchinson as the possible #1 pick in the draft by the Jaguars (42:34); defensive line move he feared the most (44:14); why a botched shoulder surgery ended his career short (45:58); why he doesn't think the Jaguars will ever move to London while under their current management, but believes they will always play a game in the U.K. every year (49:31); his excitement for Lincoln Riley at USC, and why Coach Riley has to focus on rebuilding that offensive line (53:44); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Mark Brunell, Carnell Lake, Keenan McCardell, Lane Kiffin and Leon Searcy (54:57).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Tony Boselli, and why his Pro Football Hall of Fame journey is a perfect illustration of the full-circle nature within the history of this game (01:03:54).

On the 78th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Cincinnati Bengals legend Ickey Woods to talk about his dance, his foundation, today's Bengals, and much more (13:56 – 51:02). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (00:57 – 13:04). In honor of the iconic “Ickey Shuffle,” Morten talks about his dancing career – yes, you read that correctly. Plus, the guys talk about the Mardi Gras celebrations happening right now in New Orleans, LA.We then move to our interview with Ickey Woods, where he discusses a wide range of topics: how the Bengals of today still pay tribute to Ickey Woods by breaking out the “Ickey Shuffle” (15:14); why he was surprised by the Bengals' run this season, and thoughts on the Bengals' loss to the Rams in the Super Bowl (16:47); how Joe Mixon is able to stand out in a league that is continuing to devalue running backs year-after-year (18:48); thoughts on Joe Burrow, and what the Bengals have to do to improve next season (19:55); why the AFC is going to be a three-horse race for the next decade, and why the Bengals are capable of being the 1-seed in the AFC as soon as next season (22:07); why the 1988 Bengals were so special compared to the other Bengals' teams of that era (24:37); how Boomer Esiason was able to rise above a loaded quarterback field in 1988 to win NFL MVP (26:40); the origin of the “Ickey Shuffle,” and why it wasn't an overnight sensation (27:46); the difficulty of retiring at such a young age (29:15); his involvement with the Cincinnati Sizzle, and why he believes women's football could take off if the NFL gave it some real support and backing (30:13); the background and mission of his foundation, the “Jovante Woods Foundation,” and where people can go to support Ickey's mission of ending Asthma-educed deaths (32:29); why Ickey hated playing against Morten's Saints (36:22); why he believes it's partially the Bengals organization's fault that there is only one player from their team's history inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (37:37); why he's happy Las Vegas finally got an NFL team, and the advice he'd give players who are embarking on a football career in Sin City (38:54); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Randall Cunningham, Anthony Muñoz, Boomer Esiason, Paul Brown, Cris Collinsworth, Sam Wyche, Solomon Wilcots, James Brooks, Eddie Brown, Max Montoya, David Fulcher and Dick LeBeau (40:47).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Ickey Woods, and how his short NFL career has had a lasting impact both on and off the field (51:42).

On the 77th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Olympic Gold Medalist and Boston University legend Mike Eruzione to reflect on “The Miracle on Ice” and much more (11:11 – 56:11). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:35 – 10:14). To set the scene for our conversation with Mike, Morten and TFP talk about their favorite and least favorite aspects of the Winter Olympics. Will FreezePops change Morten's mind on curling?We then move to our interview with Mike Eruzione, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the state of USA Hockey after not medaling in Beijing, and why Mike is bullish on the future of the program despite this year's disappointing result (12:37); why Mike believes hockey should be moved to the Summer Olympics (15:31); why he thought NHL owners made the right move by not sending the pros to Beijing, even though the players wanted to go (16:17); why he feels like USA Hockey is right there with Team Canada, in that they should be a threat to medal in any international tournament moving forward (16:54); why he feels Auston Matthews is the best American hockey player in today's game, and why Charlie McAvoy needs to be mentioned in this conversation as well (17:46); his blue-collar upbringing in Winthrop, MA, and how that molded him into the success story he is today (19:54); why he actively avoids talking with his grandkids about who he is and what he's accomplished (22:22); the crazy story that led Mike to playing college hockey at Boston University (25:59); the process of being selected to Team USA ahead of the 1980 Olympic Games in Lake Placid (30:18); why he and his teammates were able to be so relaxed heading into their game against the Soviets, despite being enormous underdogs (32:59); the untold story of Herb Brooks in the day directly following “The Miracle on Ice” (40:43); his thoughts on the movie “Miracle” about his team's run to gold (42:22); why he opted for a career in broadcasting and motivational speaking over pursuing something in the NHL (43:41); the state of today's game, and why he thinks goaltenders in hockey are the position in sports that has changed the most over time (44:40); why he wants the NHL to make rinks wider (46:45); thoughts on fellow Massachusetts native and BU Terrier Jack Eichel, and why he thinks a change of scenery is exactly what the kid needs to take the next step in his career (47:19); why he thinks it's time to move the Arizona Coyotes to a city like Quebec City (48:19); why he wishes Connor McDavid played in a larger market (49:34); why Mike thinks Patrice Bergeron is Boston's best kept secret, and where he sees the Bruins heading this season (50:06); how happy he was to see BU win the 2022 Beanpot, and why BU's head coach Albie O'Connell needed that trophy to help continue proving he deserves his job (51:31); who Mike thinks is the greatest player in BU Hockey history (53:06); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Herb Brooks, Jack Parker, Jim Craig, Dave Silk, Doc Emrick, Jack O'Callahan and Al Michaels (54:20).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Mike Eruzione, and why his blue-collar upbringing was ideal for the goliath that was the Soviet Union in 1980 (56:55).

On the 76th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by morning show host at 680 The Fan (Atlanta, GA) and Atlanta Falcons legend and Brian Finneran, along with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), to breakdown all things Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals (00:15 – 42:17). The guys also take a look at Super Bowl futures for the 2022 NFL season (42:17 – 50:29), and Brian gives us his letter grade for the 2021 Falcons (51:30 – 52:40). Plus, Morten shares his thoughts on his former teammate, Sam Mills, and his former coach, Dick Vermeil, finally being selected as new members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (03:23 – 08:31).Super Bowl topics include: getting in-and-out of SoFi Stadium is a pain in the ass, according to Morten (01:23); getting hammered with Steve Hutchinson and Sam Mills Jr. on Thursday in Los Angeles (02:22); why Brian believes Cooper Kupp just had the best single-season for any player ever in the history of the NFL (08:52); why Aaron Donald is a great example for undersized players trying to make it big in the NFL (10:56); how the defensive lines for both teams played at an extremely high level all game long (12:36); the missed offensive pass interference on Jalen Ramsey, leading to a 75-yard touchdown for the Bengals (14:09); why the officials weren't a factor until the end of the game (16:09); the special connection between Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp (17:29); why Rams punter Johnny Hekker dropped the hold on a first half PAT, and the ripple effect it ended up having in the gambling world (20:34); trying to rationalize Sean McVay's commitment to running the ball when it was so ineffective for his offense (22:59); why Morten and Brian are split on Matthew Stafford's Hall of Fame candidacy at this point in time (25:27); Aaron Donald retirement chatter, and why he may already be the greatest defensive player in the history of the NFL (28:58); Sean McVay retirement chatter, and why the guys believe he will back coaching for the Rams for the foreseeable future (33:26); and a conversation about Joe Burrow, and why history says there's no guarantee he will ever play in another Super Bowl (35:37).

On the 75th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by 2x Super Bowl MVP and New York Giants legend Eli Manning (07:36 – 46:14). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:08 – 06:48). Morten shares his thoughts on the current state of the Pro Bowl, and why he believes it should always be played in Hawaii. Plus, thoughts on the Alvin Kamara news coming out of Las Vegas.We then move to our interview with Eli Manning, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why his dad Archie Manning is the true legend at Ole Miss, and why he has to tell his dad to put his phone down at the dinner table (08:01); why Archie Manning is a better texter than Peyton Manning (10:23); his thoughts on the first season of the “ManningCast” during Monday Night Football, and why both him and his brother were happy with what they were able to accomplish (12:24); calling out Peyton for ducking Morten's interview request, and why Eli has started doing more podcasts (14:36); why Eli thinks Peyton was drinking beer during their ESPN broadcasts (16:28); how his ESPN bosses reacted to him chucking the double middle fingers up on national television (17:14); having Snoop Dogg on as a guest, and why it's so difficult to choose who his favorite guest was (18:21); running through the other possible NFL brother combinations that would make for good “ManningCast” fill-ins (20:56); why he doesn't see a future with him and Peyton moving to a traditional broadcast booth (22:04); reminiscing about his two Super Bowl victories, and the two amazing catches that led to his Giants beating the Patriots in both games (24:19); who he would've given Super Bowl MVP to in either Super Bowl had he not won the award (31:03); his thoughts on the Cincinnati Bengals shocking the world, winning the AFC, and advancing to the Super Bowl for the first time since the 1988 season (31:37); his thoughts on the Rams having the opportunity to be the second consecutive team to win a Super Bowl on their home turf, and why he's happy for Matthew Stafford (33:00); why his former teammate Odell Beckham Jr. is thriving in Los Angeles (34:39); the biggest problem with the New York Giants over the past decade of losing football, and why he is confident in ownership to get this franchise back to the top (37:14); why he wouldn't bail on Daniel Jones just yet, even in favor of Aaron Rodgers or Russell Wilson (39:18); why he's a huge fan of the job Lane Kiffin has done so far at Ole Miss (40:36); how he's approaching his nephew Arch Manning's college football recruiting situation, and why he'll support whatever school he chooses, even if it's not Ole Miss (41:34); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Tom Coughlin, Kurt Warner, Michael Strahan, Jeremy Shockey, Amani Toomer and Victor Cruz (42:46).We then dive into our preview of Super Bowl LVI in this week's edition of “Morten's Fast Five,” where both Morten and FreezePops give their official picks for Super Bowl Sunday as the Cincinnati Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams. Plus, Morten walks us through his upcoming itinerary for Super Bowl weekend out in L.A. (47:33 – 01:06:22).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Eli Manning and the incredible legacy of the Manning family (01:06:22).

On the 74th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Buffalo Bills legend and, arguably, the greatest special teams player of all-time – Steve Tasker joins the show (11:02 – 01:00:46). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:20 – 10:16). This week, Morten tells us why he loves the Bengals heading into Super Bowl LVI, and it's not for the reason you would think. Plus, the guys react to the news of Tom Brady officially calling it a career after 22 seasons at the age of 44.We then move to our interview with Steve Tasker, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why Morten is still upset with Steve for actions that transpired in a Pro Bowl in which Steve ended up winning MVP as a special teamer (11:44); missing out on the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his final year on the modern ballot, and why he's not bitter about how it all played out (15:54); why he thinks Matthew Slater has a really good chance of making the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day, why Devin Hester should be given serious consideration on this year's ballot, and why Steve believes he played in the “golden age” of special teams (22:55); why onside kick rules need to revert back to the traditional rules (25:52); why the overtime rules in the NFL need to be different in the postseason (28:20); why the college overtime rule could be like the shootout in the NHL (32:08); his letter grade for the Bills this season, and why he thinks they're very close to winning a Super Bowl (33:03); how impactful the loss of Brian Daboll will be on Josh Allen, and why finding the right replacement for him is crucial to his continued success at quarterback (36:39); committing to jumping into an on-fire-folding table in the middle of a parking lot if the Bills win a Super Bowl (37:28); why Northwestern's football program has been so up-and-down over the last four years, and why they have a unique challenge on a year-to-year basis (37:58); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Andre Reed and Marv Levy (42:28).We then take a few minutes to talk about the Super Bowl from a gambling perspective, reviewing the early odds from BetMGM (01:00:46 – 01:05:35).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Steve Tasker, and why he is the ultimate “foxhole-guy” (01:06:48).

On the 73rd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Baltimore Ravens legend Ed Reed (05:48 – 54:56). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:24 – 05:02). This week, Morten reflects on the divisional round, and how the unlikely heroes of the weekend deserve our respect and attention.We then move to our interview with Ed Reed, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the importance of playing multiple sports while growing up (06:33); why tackling has gotten worse across the sport in recent years (08:12); why his mentality on defense was always to put the ball in the end zone (09:41); the state of the Baltimore Ravens, and what he thinks of John Harbaugh's decisions to go-for-the-win vs. play-for-overtime in key games down the stretch (11:55); what “made it work” in 2012 that led Ed to his first and only Super Bowl ring (15:11); the importance of watching a ton of film, getting everyone on defense on the same page (17:54); the “simple” base defense that everyone on the Ravens had to know (19:42); the amazing 2001 Miami Hurricanes, and why he thinks the program was unable to sustain its excellence (22:34); why leadership matters, and why the Ravens' lack of playoff success since his core group left is a perfect example of that (26:30); what he thinks about Miami firing Manny Diaz, and why it's going to take a mentality shift from the players for Miami to get back to a dominant level on the national stage (28:17); why he thinks Trevon Diggs is the best defensive back in the NFL today, and why Jalen Ramsey is not at the top of his list (31:51); why he thinks analytics and rule changes are watering down the NFL product (33:22); “The Name Game,” featuring Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Jonathan Ogden, Steve McNair, Justin Tucker, John Harbaugh, Sean Taylor and Rex Ryan (37:02); why his relationship with Coach Harbaugh almost made him want to leave Baltimore (37:57); why the Houston Texans are a horrible organization run by terrible people, and why that “old southern mentality” doesn't work anymore (42:46); his mentorship of Sean Taylor, and why he believes Taylor would have been a Hall of Famer (45:27); why he loved playing for Rex Ryan (47:38); and this week's listener question from Scott on Twitter – Who was the player he hated tackling the most during his NFL career? (49:35)We then take a few minutes to talk about the career of Sean Payton, as news broke of his retirement during the recording of our episode (54:56 – 59:45). Morten has been a friend of Coach Payton's for over 20 years, as they were together with the Giants when Sean was a young offensive coordinator in the early 2000s.Then we move to a special edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes his picks for both the AFC and NFC Championship Games (01:01:03 – 01:09:10). Morten gives his picks for Bengals at Chiefs (01:03:25) and 49ers at Rams (01:06:09).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Ed Reed, and the “heartbeat within the lines” (01:09:10).

On the 72nd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by legendary defensive coordinator and Super Bowl Champion Wade Phillips (08:05 – 49:24). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:12 – 07:13). This week, Morten reflects on “Super” Wild Card Weekend, and why adding that 7th team to each side of the bracket doesn't appear to have been the correct move for competitive balance.We then move to our interview with Wade Phillips, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why he loves Twitter (09:02); the story behind Wade's dad Bum drafting Morten in New Orleans, and why Wade was directly responsible for that draft pick (12:19); Bum Phillips' ability to give great advice to players, and diving into some of Wade's favorite stories about his dad (16:44); playing for his dad at the University of Houston, and how that led him to a path in coaching (20:37); diving into his philosophy on coaching defense, and why you have to stop the run (24:30); attending a coaching clinic in Berlin, and how the game is continuing to grow in Europe (28:25); why being an interim head coach is an almost impossible task (29:38); why Denver was his favorite head coaching job (31:22); trying to coach the Eagles' defense during the infamous “Fog Bowl” (33:14); benching Doug Flutie for the Bills' playoff opener after having a great season as their starter, and why he still thinks the “Music City Miracle” was a forward lateral (34:22); and “The Name Game,” featuring Kenny Stabler, Reggie White, John Elway, Marv Levy, Michael Vick, Von Miller, Peyton Manning and Sean McVay (36:18).Then we move to a special edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for all four games for the upcoming AFC & NFC Divisional Rounds (50:46 – 01:00:22). Morten gives his picks for Bengals at Titans (52:11), 49ers at Packers (54:41), Rams at Buccaneers (56:03) and Bills at Chiefs (57:29).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Wade Phillips, the Phillips Family, and how that Texas-mentality has led to so much success on the football field (01:00:22).

On the 71st episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by a member of both the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – the legendary sportscaster Bob Costas joins the show for a lengthy conversation on a variety of topics (04:38 – 01:10:50). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:06 – 03:50). This week, Morten reflects on a special night for the Georgia Bulldogs, winning their first College Football National Championship since 1980.We then move to our interview with Bob Costas, where he discusses a wide range of topics: dealing with a terrible eye infection while hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics (05:24); his perspective on the Antonio Brown story, and why he thinks his problems go way beyond football (06:52); returning to HBO and reviving his old show (10:09); why his biggest professional regret is giving up his late night show “Later” on NBC (12:14); why Adam Vinatieri passing Morten on the all-time scoring list was a good thing for Morten, and the next two kickers to be joining him and Jan in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (15:55); his keys to being a great interviewer (17:16); his favorite interview ever (21:25); why he'd love to interview Barry Bonds, and what he thinks will happen with Bonds and Roger Clemens when it comes to Hall of Fame voting (25:57); why he believes Curt Schilling should be in the Hall of Fame, regardless of his political views (27:53); trying to decide which of the major events he covered throughout his career was his favorite (28:16); how to handle the mammoth that is hosting the Olympics in primetime (30:25); the battle on obscure sports he lost to NBC Sports (35:34); why the Barcelona Olympics in 1992 stand above the rest for him personally (37:18); what makes a tough interview (38:32); his thoughts on MLB Network parting ways with Ken Rosenthal after critical remarks made about Rob Manfred (40:14); his thoughts on the MLB lockout and what he thinks is the biggest problem with the game of baseball right now (41:24); why he does not envy the position NBC is in with the Olympics this year (46:38); his thoughts on the Chiefs, Packers and Buccaneers heading into the NFL Playoffs (49:04); “The Name Game,” featuring John Madden, Al Michaels, Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Dick Enberg and Dick Ebersol (54:46); and why he'd love to sit down for an interview with both Morten and Gary Anderson (01:07:02).Then we move to a special edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for all six games being played this Wild Card Weekend (01:12:11 – 01:21:36). Morten gives his picks for Raiders at Bengals (01:13:02), Patriots at Bills (01:14:35), Eagles at Buccaneers (01:16:09), 49ers at Cowboys (01:17:33), Steelers at Chiefs (01:18:44) and Cardinals at Rams (01:20:03).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Bob Costas and the art of a great interview (01:21:36).

On the 70th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by former Saints teammate Mark Pattison, as he talks about his journey of becoming the second NFL player ever to climb the Seven Summits (07:12 – 46:48). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:20 – 06:27). This week, the guys talk about the bizarre situation with Antonio Brown and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. What's really happening here?We then move to our interview with Mark Pattison where he discusses a wide range of topics: the difficulty of finding the right thing to channel his competitive energy after his NFL career came to an abrupt end (08:28); his success in business, and why he believes his work at Sports Illustrated will push them past ESPN in digital traffic within the next three years (15:25); how his NFL Films documentary “Searching for the Summit” came about, and how he turned his mountaineering goal into a charitable opportunity (20:27); how he almost died while summiting Denali in Alaska (25:44); a special edition of “The Name Game,” featuring some of the mountains from Mark's Seven Summit journey – Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Elbrus, Mount Kosciuszko, Aconcagua, Denali and the Vinson Massif (26:24); his journey with Mount Everest, and how death was a real possibility on his way down the mountain (34:00); and why Mark is choosing to climb yet another enormous mountain to celebrate his 60th birthday (43:03).Morten spends some time on today's episode honoring the life and legacy of the late Dan Reeves, who we lost on New Year's Day at the age of 77. Morten played for Coach Reeves for four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons (47:01 – 49:38).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (50:52 – 57:43). Morten gives his picks for Chiefs at Broncos (51:40), Cowboys at Eagles (52:56), Chargers at Raiders (54:07), Patriots at Dolphins (55:00) and Saints at Falcons (55:44).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Mark Pattison, and why he's the embodiment of a modern-day renaissance man (57:43).

On the 69th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by new Pro Football Hall of Fame president Jim Porter, as this week brings us the final 15 candidates for the PFHOF Class of 2022 (10:44 – 40:13). But first, Morten remembers the late John Madden, as the news of his passing came down on Tuesday evening. Morten reminisces about his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother, and puts his legacy in perspective (00:00 – 10:01).We then move to our interview with Jim Porter where he discusses a wide range of topics: taking over the job previously held by David Baker, and why he will be a different type of leader for the Hall of Fame (11:36); his background of growing up in the Canton region, working for the local newspaper, and why he wants to get the Hall of Fame more connected to the local community (14:29); some of Morten's ideas to get the local population more involved with the PFHOF (16:58); his love for the bronze bust room (21:17); why we will see a different version of “the knock” moving forward (23:21); on the topic of more specialists being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Jim talks about why the PFHOF needs to include more members that represent all aspects of the game (25:43); on bringing back the tradition of honoring anniversary classes on induction weekend every year (30:17); the great group of 26 players in the mix for the 15 finalist spots this year, and why Jim is happy he doesn't have to make the tough decisions on who to elect (31:57); the balance between the non-profit and for-profit parts of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (34:15); and Morten's idea for the world's largest flag football tournament to be played in Canton (37:05).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (41:43 – 50:36)). Morten gives his picks for Chiefs at Bengals (44:35), Dolphins at Titans (46:16), Rams at Ravens (47:02), Cardinals at Cowboys (47:55) and Vikings at Packers (48:43).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about the grueling process of being a candidate for the Pro Football Hall of Fame (50:36).

On the 68th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother, former teammate, and Kansas City Chiefs legend Will Shields (05:15 – 50:39). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:17 – 04:29). Morten gives us his biggest takeaways from around the NFL as we head into Christmas, and let's just say Urban Meyer is going to be on the “naughty list.”We then move to our interview with Will Shields, where he discusses a wide range of topics: his connection to Denmark, and his love for Danish hot dogs (05:51); his thoughts on the up and down season of the 2021 Kansas City Chiefs (08:49); his thoughts on Joe Thuney's first season in Kansas City, and how he thinks their offensive line has looked generally (12:45); why he thinks he hasn't been asked to come speak to the Chiefs offensive linemen (16:01); what he thinks might be contributing to the decline in offensive line play at the pro level (16:59); who he thinks is the best guard in the NFL today, and discussing his iron man record with the Chiefs (18:53); the “non-negotiables” for a great guard (21:30); why he thinks the 2021 Chiefs are capable of repeating as AFC Champions (25:31); how his relationship with Dick Vermeil grew over the years (29:24); the iconic offensive line he was a part of with the Chiefs (32:55); what's wrong with Nebraska, and why the transfer portal is specifically bad for the Cornhuskers (35:09); background on his “Will to Succeed Foundation” (39:37); “The Name Game,” featuring Lamar Hunt, Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Derrick Thomas, Trent Green, Tony Gonzalez, Priest Holmes and Marty Schottenheimer (41:33); and why falling to the 3rd round of the NFL Draft, even after winning the Outland Trophy, was the best thing that ever happened to him (49:30).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (52:08 – 59:32). Morten gives his picks for 49ers at Titans (53:28), Browns at Packers (54:55), Colts at Cardinals (55:57), Bills at Patriots (56:57), and Dolphins at Saints (57:55).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about his friend Will Shields, and the many characteristics that make him one of the greatest players of all-time, both on and off the field (59:32).

On the 67th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by David Baker, the recently retired president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (04:33 – 45:28). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:01 – 03:43). With the league seeing a crazy amount of onside kick recoveries on Sunday, Morten uses his pulpit to preach the gospel of old onside kick rules, and why they must return to the game.We then move to our interview with David Baker, where he discusses a wide range of topics: reliving the moment he delivered the Hall of Fame induction news to Morten and his wife back in 2017 (05:27); his trip with Morten back to Denmark to celebrate his Hall of Fame induction with his homeland (07:43); why he believes NFL Films should make an episode of “A Football Life” about Morten and Jan Stenerud's journeys, from European immigrants to Hall of Fame kickers (12:09); why David believes Morten's comeback story is inspiring to anyone trying to pursue something later in life, and how he thinks Tom Brady might be drawing inspiration from him (14:31); why now is the right time for him to retire from his post as president of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (15:51); hints at the type of project he will be pursuing in this next chapter of his life (20:08); a life-changing conversation he had with Jim Brown in Israel (21:47); what he's most proud of from his tenure in Canton, OH (24:00); what the next 10-15 years looks like for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a tradition he'd love to see started among Gold Jackets during times of crisis in this country (29:54); his favorite speeches from induction nights during his tenure (36:47); his favorite bronze busts from his tenure (38:48); and his favorite “Hall of Fame knocks” from his tenure (40:21).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (46:56 – 55:33). Morten gives his picks for Chiefs at Chargers (48:41), Patriots at Colts (49:38), Saints at Buccaneers (51:09), Titans at Steelers (52:20), and Packers at Ravens (53:15).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about his friend David Baker, and how your character as a man is what truly defines you as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (55:33).

On the 66th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Cincinnati Bengals legend Anthony Muñoz (06:03 – 39:01). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:02 – 05:12). Morten talks about the Detroit Lions getting their first win of the season, and how his old friend Dan Campbell reminded all of us postgame what really matters in life.We then move to our interview with Anthony Muñoz, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why a gold jacket is required for an invite to Anthony's golf tournament (06:56); why he waited to start his foundation until well-after his playing days, and what his foundation focuses on within the greater Cincinnati region (07:53); the influence of his grandparents on his upbringing, and growing up without a father (12:11); why he's so high on the 2021 Bengals, and what he loves about Joe Burrow (13:52); why we'll be talking about Joe Burrow as a top 5 QB in the NFL sooner rather than later (16:00); a call for Kenny Anderson to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (16:38); why he wouldn't have drafted Ja'Marr Chase that high this past spring, but absolutely respects the pro he has been in his rookie season (17:19); offensive line play in today's game, and why it's not at the level it used to be (18:14); Anthony's “non-negotiable” traits all young offensive linemen should work on (21:44); who he thinks is the best offensive tackle in today's NFL (24:50); why Quenton Nelson is the best guard in the NFL (25:19); why Dwight Stephenson is the greatest center he has ever seen (26:09); why Bruce Smith was the toughest person to block in his career (26:49); the players in today's game that he would've loved to go up against (27:30); sharing memories of one of Morten's favorite coaches ever, Frank Gansz Sr. (28:20); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Paul Brown, Cris Collinsworth, Archie Griffin, Ickey Woods and Sam Wyche (29:52).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (40:28 – 47:39). Morten gives his picks for Rams at Cardinals (41:32), Bills at Buccaneers (42:45), Ravens at Browns (43:46), Cowboys at Washington (44:53), and Raiders at Chiefs (46:04).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about his friend Anthony Muñoz, and how his character off the field has led him to being a pillar in the community (47:41).

On the 65th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his longtime friend and UConn's new head football coach Jim Mora Jr. (07:44 – 37:04). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:06 – 06:53). Morten tells what he learned from this long holiday weekend of NFL football, with thoughts on the Saints, Colts, Cowboys, Packers, Jaguars, Patriots and much more!We then move to our interview with Jim Mora Jr., where he discusses a wide range of topics: how his dad, Jim Mora Sr., has changed over the years (08:18); a great story about Morten knowing his kicking range better than any other kicker ever (09:00); why he regrets not being harder on Michael Vick when he coached him in Atlanta (10:59); the futility of UConn's football program, and why Jim believes the Huskies can one day win a College Football Playoff National Championship (13:09); the quick turnarounds he's had in the past, and why he isn't ruling out a quick turnaround for his new UConn program (17:39); why he didn't coach with his dad right away, and how working under Don Coryell set him up for success (19:16); how Morten was able to help some of Jim's kickers at UCLA with their approach to preparation (20:56); the first thing Jim is going to talk with his new team about, and a suggestion from Morten for Jim to add to his first address to the team (22:41); this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Jim Mora Sr., Steve Mariucci and The Dome Patrol (28:36); and the story behind the radio interview that ended his coaching career in Atlanta, and why it's still the biggest regret of his life (30:23).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (38:31 – 45:33). Morten gives his picks for Cowboys at Saints (39:25), Patriots at Bills (41:13), Colts at Texans (42:30), Buccaneers at Falcons (43:18), and Broncos at Chiefs (44:30).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about the amazing story that led to Jim Mora Jr. revitalizing his career in Atlanta, eventually becoming the NFL's all-time scoring leader (45:33).

On the 64th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Seattle Seahawks legend Steve Largent (06:41 – 48:34). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:08 – 05:46). Morten talks about his excitement for Thanksgiving football, and he and FreezePops debate how long is too long to hang on to Turkey Day leftovers.We then move to our interview with Steve Largent, where he discusses a wide range of topics: growing up without his father, and the men in his life that filled that void (07:39); using sports as an escape while growing up (11:24); being the back-up holder, and why it was the hardest thing he had to do in his football career (13:09); why never wore gloves in his career, but definitely would wear gloves if he was playing today (15:45); his philosophy when it came to catching the football (17:02); the most important steps a wide receiver should take to be successful in the NFL (19:55); why receivers prefer to play against man-coverage as opposed to zone (22:10); having the ability to improv on-the-fly if a play goes poorly (24:09); why he chose to go to Tulsa to play college football (25:56); being cut by the Houston Oilers during his first NFL training camp, and how that led him to signing with the brand-new Seattle Seahawks (28:02); the excitement around being a part of a new franchise, both from the fan and player perspective (31:57); what he thinks when he sees a wideout the size of DK Metcalf (34:44); why he thinks Russell Wilson will be a Seattle Seahawk “as long as he wants to be” (25:23); why he went into politics after retiring from football (36:32); why he won't be running for president in 2024 (38:37); why losing a political race hurts harder than losing a big football game (39:39); the parallels between football and politics (40:28); meeting multiple presidents while he served in congress (41:11); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Kenny Easley, Jim Mora, Carl Eller, Joe Nash, Franco Harris, Brian Bosworth, Tom Flores, Mike Tice, Dave Krieg and Jim Zorn (41:49).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (50:04 – 57;14). Morten gives his picks for Bears at Lions (51:45), Raiders at Cowboys (53:08), Bills at Saints (53:52), Buccaneers at Colts (54:43), and Titans at Patriots (55:47).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten shares a special monologue in honor of Thanksgiving, as he brings us inside the mind of a turkey (57:14).

On the 63rd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his former teammate and Atlanta Falcons legend Michael Vick (06:38 – 46:59). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:04 – 05:49). Morten talks about that pesky tie-game-rule that still remains in the NFL after all these years, as we saw the Lions and Steelers end in an ugly 16-16 tie this past weekend in Pittsburgh.We then move to our interview with Michael Vick, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the devastation of going to prison, learning from his unforgivable mistakes, and coming out of it as a better man than he was before (08:10); his first impressions of Morten as a teammate, as the two of them have a 20-year age difference (12:31); why he wishes he had the same work ethic at the beginning of his career with the Falcons as he did at the end of his career with the Eagles (14:23); revolutionizing the game of football as the first truly dominant rushing quarterback in NFL history (17:34); growing up in the projects, moving his family out of the projects, and how his love for fishing helped save his life growing up (19:15); why he chose Virginia Tech over Syracuse, and how Frank Beamer's coaching staff got him to the next level as a football player (25:08); embarking on the most dominant freshman season in college football history (28:53); his emotions surrounding being selected #1 overall in the 2001 NFL Draft (30:33); how his personal goals were always with team goals in mind (32:36); why Morten wishes he would've been more present in Mike's life back in 2006 (34:10); his thoughts on the 2021 Atlanta Falcons and why he thinks Matt Ryan still has gas left in the tank (38:09); his current relationship with Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank (39:43); his advice for Aaron Rodgers in the wake of his COVID-19 controversy in Green Bay (40:12); his thoughts on DeSean Jackson landing on yet another team (41:25); why he probably talks to Lamar Jackson's coaches more than he actually talks to Lamar Jackson (42:00); how Tom Brady is three years older than him, yet is still playing at an MVP-level (42:32); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Keith Brooking, DeAngelo Hall, Roddy White, Andy Reid, Rex Ryan, Mike Tomlin, Antonio Brown, Brian Finneran, Jason Kelce and Warrick Dunn (43:24).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (48:27 – 55:07). Morten gives his picks for Patriots at Falcons (49:12), Cowboys at Chiefs (50:40), Colts at Bills (51:32), Giants at Buccaneers (52:34), and Saints at Eagles (53:28).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Michael Vick, and why the comeback is always greater than the setback (55:08).

On the 62nd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Baltimore Ravens legend Justin Tucker (05:47 – 30:08). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:01 – 04:54). Morten talks about an insane weekend of upset football, as well as his disappointment with Aaron Rodgers in his handling of COVID-19 protocols in Green Bay.We then move to our interview with Justin Tucker, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why kickers seem to get even better as they age, and recognizing that he needed to change some things to get to a dominant level of consistency (08:10); the factors that led to him getting to “unconscious competence” when it comes to kicking, including a deep study into free agent NFL kicker Stephen Gostkowski's approach to the position (10:18); why becoming a dad focused him in a way that he never realized it could (14:07); the importance of being present in the less-than-2-seconds-process of snap-hold-kick (17:40); a cameo appearance from longtime Ravens punter Sam Koch (19:21); the beginning, middle, and end of his record-breaking 66-yard field goal from earlier this season in Detroit (20:18); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Mack Brown, John Harbaugh, Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, Nick Foles and Joe Flacco (27:50).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (31:33 – 38:24). Morten gives his picks for Browns at Patriots (32:54), Buccaneers at Washington (34:09), Falcons at Cowboys (35:12), Bills at Jets (36:07), and Saints at Titans (36:59).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about the dominance of Justin Tucker, and why he thinks the Ravens' MVP should be their legendary kicker (38:24).

On the 61st episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Dodgers, Tigers and Michigan State legend Kirk Gibson (06:55 – 01:10:01). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:06 – 06:03). Morten talks about his amazing sports weekend – watching his Spartans in-person as they took down their arch rivals to remain undefeated, followed by attending World Series Game 5 between the Braves and Astros.We then move to our interview with Kirk Gibson, where he discusses a wide range of topics: his first impressions of Morten, and why he had big shoes to fill (09:19); his journey at Michigan State, going from a program on probation to winning the Big Ten in his senior season (10:24); why the Tigers were the only team Kirk was willing to be drafted by in baseball, and it's not because he's a local boy from Michigan (13:36); some of Morten's favorite memories from his time as teammates with Kirk at Michigan State (15:54); how they feel about the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry, and why Kirk loves Mel Tucker with the Spartans (17:29); the importance of positive self-talk (20:22); why he took losses harder than anyone else, and how that attitude wasn't accepted right away when he arrived in Los Angeles (24:01); why his iconic home run in game 1 of the 1988 World Series was only a small part of the reason that team won the title (29:21); the amazing backstory of his iconic home run against the Athletics (32:12); his thoughts on the 2021 Dodgers falling short of the World Series (39:32); the Tigers hiring A.J. Hinch after his controversy in Houston, and what constitutes “cheating” in competition (40:51); what he would do to make the game of baseball more enjoyable to watch (44:47); what his “moment of truth” was when he was at the plate (49:16); why positive visualization was important to him as a player, and remains important to him as he fights Parkinson's disease (52:25); his battle with Parkinson's disease, and the keys to why he's doing so well (54:59); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Sparky Anderson, Alan Trammell, Fernando Valenzuela and Phil Hickey (59:49).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (01:12:03 – 01:19:24). Morten gives his picks for Falcons at Saints (01:13:02), Packers at Chiefs (01:14:27), Browns at Bengals (01:15:23), Titans at Rams (01:16:04), and Bills at Jaguars (01:17:23).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Bernie Kosar's journey, and how his resiliency through his post-football struggles has been inspiring (01:19:24).

On the 60th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Cleveland Browns legend Bernie Kosar (07:43 – 01:01:55). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (00:57 – 06:52). Morten talks about the massive struggles of the Kansas City Chiefs this season, and previews Michigan State's massive game against their arch rival Michigan ahead of Saturday's battle of undefeated teams.We then move to our interview with Bernie Kosar, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the amazing coaching he received throughout his career, and how that shaped him as a man (09:16); how he and his contemporaries are dealing with the ramifications of playing through injury in the 1980s and 1990s (10:32); living with CTE, improvements in concussion protocols, and persevering after being told by doctors he only had “5 years of cognitive brain function left” (12:21); leaving Ohio for the University of Miami, and competing against some of the best quarterbacks in the country for playing time (24:02); his mentors at Miami, and the impact of Howard Schnellenberger on his life (26:45); overcoming major adversity, and the responsibility he feels to help former players who are struggling (29:59); why he forced his way to the Browns instead of entering the draft in a traditional way (36:32); how the Browns' impressive running game reminds him of his Browns, and what he thinks the ceiling is for the 2021 edition of the team (39:10); praise for Kevin Stefanski and advice for Baker Mayfield (42:35); the current Brown he would grab and put on his Browns' teams (44:29); being cut by Bill Belichick in Cleveland, and signing with the eventual Super Bowl champs in Dallas (45:49); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Clay Matthews Jr., Ozzie Newsome, Jimmy Johnson and Troy Aikman (53:59).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (01:04:08 – 01:12:26). Morten gives his picks for Packers at Cardinals (01:05:23), Buccaneers at Saints (01:07:00), Patriots at Chargers (01:08:19), Titans at Colts (01:09:22), and Giants at Chiefs (01:10:29).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Bernie Kosar's journey, and how his resiliency through his post-football struggles has been inspiring (01:12:29).

On the 59th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus ahead of his Thursday Night Football match-up with the Cleveland Browns (03:53 – 41:57). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (00:57 – 02:56). Morten recaps his foundation's annual event, “Special Teams for Special Ops.”We then move to our interview with Brandon McManus, where he discusses a wide range of topics: being star-struck when meeting Morten at Peyton Manning's afterparty at the Pro Football Hall of Fame (04:23); the evolution of how kickers are compensated across the NFL (06:26); his thoughts on the ManningCast so far this season (08:09); how invested he stays within the game, knowing that he could go enormous lengths of time with no action (09:14); how he has performed after less-than-ideal warmups (13:15); being at his first NFL training camp as a back-up for Adam Vinatieri on the Colts (16:16); whether he's a “feel guy” or a “mechanical guy” when it comes to kicking (19:02); the beginning of his tenure in Denver, where employment was not guaranteed (20:53); his thoughts on the 2021 Denver Broncos (24:40); why he thinks the strength of the Broncos is their defense (27:16); why having Von Miller back is so huge for this team (28:02); why Brandon believes he could hit a 70-yard field goal if given the opportunity (29:06); some of the rule changes Morten proposed to Roger Goodell as it relates to kicking, including rewarding 4 points for field goals over 60 yards (31:27); his two favorite kickers of all-time, and why he has so much respect for Justin Tucker (35:43); his favorite place to kick outside of Mile High, and his least favorite place to kick (36:49); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Peyton Manning, John Elway, Britton Colquitt, Sam Martin, Vic Fangio, DeMarcus Ware, Aqib Talib, Gary Kubiak and Brandon Staley (38:35).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (43:57 – 51:07). Morten gives his picks for Broncos at Browns (45:01), Bengals at Ravens (46:06), Bears at Buccaneers (47:41), Chiefs at Titans (48:29), and Saints at Seahawks (49:58).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about the evolution of the kicking position, and why he sees Brandon McManus as one of the kickers that will help the position continue to evolve (51:10).

On the 58th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by head coaching legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame brother Tony Dungy (05:35 – 48:06). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:02 – 04:48). Morten talks about the importance of giving back to the community, as his foundation hosts its annual “Special Teams for Special Ops” event this weekend in Atlanta.We then move to our interview with Tony Dungy, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the impact of faith on his life and coaching (07:54); his dad - a Tuskegee Airmen and a man of principle (11:15); advice for young black coaches coming up in the NFL today (13:46); how being a great Christian may have cost him NFL job opportunities (15:06); thoughts on having Drew Brees as his new broadcast partner (18:24); thoughts on Peyton and Eli Manning on Monday Night Football (19:35); his coaching philosophy - "looking for uncommon people" (20:30); creating a winning culture in Tampa Bay (24:06); being fired by the Bucs after lots of winning (26:55); getting the call from Jim Irsay and the Colts (28:56); picking the Buccaneers to repeat as Super Bowl champs (30:26); why the 2000s Colts were a special group (31:23); his immediate thoughts after winning Super Bowl XLI (34:15); making history by coaching against another black head coach in the Super Bowl (35:05); thoughts on the Colts undertaking a midseason "Hard Knocks" season (36:24); why he thinks Aaron Rodgers will return to Green Bay next season (37:00); funny story of Warren Sapp asking for a trade out of Tampa Bay (38:23); and this week's edition of "The Name Game," featuring Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Warren Sapp, Rondé Barber, John Lynch, Mike Alstott and Warrick Dunn (39:42).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (50:14 – 57:39). Morten gives his picks for Chargers at Ravens (51:12), Cardinals at Browns (52:44), Bills at Titans (53:32), Packers at Bears (54:39), and Texans at Colts (55:44). Plus, a college special on the way out as #10 Michigan State takes their undefeated record into Indiana to take on the Hoosiers (56:59).Finally, we close things out with “Morten's Game Winner” – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Tony Dungy, and how he exemplifies what it takes to be an uncommon man (57:39).

On the 57th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Houston Oilers legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame brother Warren Moon (06:50 – 49:46). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:04 – 06:01). Morten reflects on a historic night at Gillette Stadium, as Tom Brady returned to play his former head coach, Bill Belichick, for the first time – and maybe the only time – in his career.We then move to our interview with Warren Moon, where he discusses a wide range of topics: reflecting on his childhood in a tough neighborhood in Los Angeles, why he made the decision to attend a different high school from the one assigned to his district, and the impact his mom had on his upbringing and development (07:57); fulfilling his childhood dream of winning the Rose Bowl while playing at the University of Washington (14:20); his favorite memories from his three years playing for the Huskies (15:47); his approach to leadership, and where he derived his skills from (20:18); reflecting on his dominant 6-year run in the CFL, and whether or not he regrets not giving the NFL a try from the beginning (24:10); why he thinks we will see other stars emerge in the NFL who get their starts in other professional football league (28:40); with the Oilers no longer existing, Warren describes his weird relationship with the franchise that holds all his history and records – the Tennessee Titans (30:09); why he thinks the Titans can win a Super Bowl with a running back as the focal point of their offense (32:14); why he would choose Justin Jefferson over Dalvin Cook to add to his 1990s Vikings' roster (33:32); why he thinks Russell Wilson will finish his career with another franchise (34:45); the one trait Patrick Mahomes has that Warren wishes he had in his own game (36:48); his mentorship of Cam Newton, and the advice he'd give him if he had his ear today (37:30); and this week's edition of the “The Name Game,” featuring Bruce Matthews, Mike Munchak, Drew Hill, Robert Brazile, Mike Golic, June Jones, Denny Green, Brian Billick, Cris Carter, Randall McDaniel, John Randle, Darryl Talley, Walter Jones, Will Shields, Andre Rison and Dante Hall (40:01).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (51:58 – 59:28). Morten gives his picks for Rams at Seahawks (53:00), Bills at Chiefs (54:03), 49ers at Cardinals (55:20), Browns at Chargers (56:33), and Saints at Washington (58:02).Finally, “Morten's Game Winner” returns – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Warren Moon, and his pioneering journey through the world of professional football (59:28).

On the 56th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Raiders legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame brother Fred Biletnikoff (03:48 – 54:24). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:02 – 03:43). After Justin Tucker made history on Sunday with his record-setting 66-yard field goal, Morten explains why Tucker is the greatest kicker in NFL history.We then move to our interview with Fred Biletnikoff, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the atmosphere in Las Vegas, why the team never felt at-home in Los Angeles, and trying to recreate the “Black Hole” at Allegiant Stadium (04:32); getting scolded by Pete Rozelle for smoking cigarettes on the sidelines while he was coaching (09:02); high praise for Darren Waller (10:41); why he believes the Raiders can win a Super Bowl with Derek Carr (11:47); some of his favorite Raiders on today's team, and what the key to their success will be this season (13:19); being impressed with Vegas' defense so far this season (14:45); insight into Jon Gruden, and what he thinks of the job he has done since returning to the NFL from the broadcast booth (16:32); what it was like to play for Coach Biletnikoff (18:05); why it was important for him to sign with the AFL's Raiders instead of the NFL's Lions (22:45); his first impressions of Al Davis, and how he'd describe the legendary owner to kids today that might not know who he is (24:49); the mentality that led to the Raiders of the 1970s to be feared league-wide (27:45); making the Hall-of-Fame-case for Daryle Lamonica, and how happy he was for Tom Flores getting inducted into Canton this summer (30:15); Kenny Stabler stories (33:30); why Tom Brady is the one quarterback playing today that he would have wanted to play with (37:06); absolutely roasting today's NFL officiating (39:04); reminiscing about the late, great Bobby Bowden (41:18); spending his final season as a professional football player in the CFL (46:08); this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring John Madden, Bill Walsh, Dave Casper, Ray Guy and Willie Brown (50:43); and proclaiming the 1970s Steelers as liars for not coming clean on the “Immaculate Reception” (54:03).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (55:12 – 01:02:19). Morten gives his picks for Buccaneers at Patriots (56:20), Cardinals at Rams (57:26), Raiders at Chargers (58:40), Ravens at Broncos (59:41), and Giants at Saints (01:00:48).Finally, “Morten's Game Winner” returns – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Fred Biletnikoff and the amazing Oakland Raiders of the 1970s (01:02:22).

On the 55th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist and coaching legend Dick Vermeil (06:54 – 01:04:17). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:06 – 06:54). Morten reacts to an epic game between the Chiefs and Ravens from this past weekend, and explains why he thinks Lamar Jackson is the MVP of the league through two weeks of the season.We then move to our interview with Dick Vermeil, where he discusses a wide range of topics: his involvement in the wine business, and the history behind his company, “Vermeil Wines” (07:41); his coaching style, and the difference between delegating and designating (13:53); Morten having teammates on the Chiefs that weren't born when he started playing (15:49); knowing when to release a player, and remaining close with many players he has cut (16:46); being the first official special teams coach in NFL history (18:12); taking over an Eagles franchise in the late 1970s that was a losing program, and what it took to turn them into NFC Champions (19:38); why the NFL needs to do a better job helping its former players with medical assistance as they get older (24:04); the amazing story of Vince Papale making the team in Philly (24:46); a review of “American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story” (26:18); his love for underdogs, and why London Fletcher should be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (27:05); what a Gold Jacket would mean to him (27:44); why Tom Flores getting inducted helped clear the way for Dick, and the various high-profile coaches stumping for him as a candidate (29:12); the hilarious story of David Baker's phone call to let Dick know he was a finalist (30:43); reminiscing about the late, great Frank Gansz Sr. (31:58); why he stepped away from coaching after winning the Super Bowl with a historically great St. Louis Rams team in 1999 (36:59); why he came out of retirement to coach the Chiefs in the early 2000s (38:48); working his players so hard in St. Louis, there was almost a “mutiny,” and why things were different in Kansas City (40:15); why Patrick Mahomes could go down as the finest quarterback to ever play in the NFL (42:45); the state of the Rams, his relationship with Sean McVay, and why Matthew Stafford will be great in L.A. (44:13); why he doesn't think Doug Pederson should've been fired in Philadelphia (47:03); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Kurt Warner, Ron Jaworski, Trent Green, Marshall Faulk, Tony Gonzalez, Jared Allen, Harold Carmichael and Will Shields (48:45).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (01:05:13 – 01:12:08). Morten gives his picks for Buccaneers at Rams (01:05:51), Saints at Patriots (01:07:05), Packers at 49ers (01:08:36), Chargers at Chiefs (01:09:33), and Washington Football Team at Bills (01:10:49).Finally, “Morten's Game Winner” returns – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten reflects on his relationship with Coach Vermeil, and explains why he's had a profound impact on every single one of his former players (01:12:08).

On the 54th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by Denver Broncos legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame brother Steve Atwater (05:34 – 42:10). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (00:58 – 05:30). Week 1 was full of upsets galore this past weekend. Morten reacts to the games that moved the needle most for himWe then move to our interview with Steve Atwater, where he discusses a wide range of topics: reacting to his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction weekend, and how he almost had a massive wine stain on his gold jacket immediately after receiving it (05:59); the impact of his high school football coach on the rest of his football career, and why it was important for him to be in attendance during his induction (12:13); where he got the nickname “Smiling Assassin” (14:48); the backstory behind his legendary hit on Christian Okoye (16:21); how Wade Phillips coming to Denver changed his career (18:09); Steve passing along well-wishes from Brandon McManus (19:14); getting inducted into Canton on the same weekend as two other Broncos legends (20:03); who he thinks will take a majority of the snaps at quarterback for the Broncos in 2021 (22:54); what he thinks the ceiling is for this year's Broncos team (24:06); the brilliance of Justin Simmons, and why he tries not to give him too much advice (25:11); why he believes in the Patrick Surtain II hype (26:57); why he agrees with Terrell Davis that Von Miller is the second greatest Bronco of all-time (28:17); who he thinks is the best safety in the game today, and who he thinks is the hardest hitter (30:18); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring John Elway, Mike Shanahan, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith, Dan Reeves, Ed McCaffery, Bill Belichick, Bill Parcells, Bill Romanowski, Karl Mecklenburg, Pat Bowlen, Jason Elam and Dennis Smith (32:15).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (43:04 – 48:54). Morten gives his picks for Saints at Panthers (43:55), Chiefs at Ravens (45:13), Titans at Seahawks (46:20), Cowboys at Chargers (47:13), and Texans at Browns (47:56).Finally, “Morten's Game Winner” returns – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten welcomes back the NFL after an incredible first week of action (48:54).

On the 53rd episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by NFL Commissioner and longtime friend Roger Goodell (06:04 – 56:46). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) for this week's edition of the “Opening Kick” (01:16 – 06:04). With the 2021 NFL season only hours away, the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the U.S. is still front-of-mind for many around the football world. Morten weighs in, urging Americans to get vaccinated.We then move to our interview with Roger Goodell, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why he's uncomfortable being called “the most powerful man in sports” (06:34); his excitement level as the league returns to full capacity across the board (07:40); reflecting back on a challenging 2020, and why he thinks it might be the proudest he has ever been to be commissioner (10:58); why one of his biggest regrets in life was never pursuing a college football career, as he was a star athlete in high school (14:25); going from an intern at the NFL league offices to commissioner of the league (14:55); his great respect for both Pete Rozelle and Paul Tagliabue, and their differing leadership styles (16:40); why he believes relocating an NFL team should be hard (19:34); the importance of globalizing the game of American football, and why he doesn't think a franchise will call London home for the foreseeable future (22:04); why there's never been a better time to be a football fan, and why the NFL views legal sports betting as a way to grow their audience (25:52); the many positives of adding a 17th game to the regular season (32:11); Morten pitches some rule changes to his old friend (33:39); the brilliance of Tom Brady (40:21); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Paul Tagliabue, Pete Rozelle, Adam Silver, Rob Manfred, Gary Bettman, Jerry Jones and Robert Kraft (47:26).Then we move to this week's edition of “Morten's Fast 5,” where our Hall of Famer makes picks for the five biggest games of the football weekend (57:46 – 01:03:10). Morten gives his picks for Packers at Saints (58:29), Browns at Chiefs (59:41), Steelers at Bills (01:00:30), Chargers at Washington (01:01:36), and Cowboys at Buccaneers (01:02:28).Finally, “Morten's Game Winner” returns – a weekly monologue from The Great Dane on his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten uses this time to reflect on the 20-year anniversary of 9/11/2001 (01:03:55 – 01:06:27).

With the NFL season kicking off next week, Morten Andersen is joined by Atlanta Falcons legend Brian Finneran and his co-host TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) to preview the 2021 regular season! The guys do a full division-by-division breakdown, telling us who will be the best and worst teams in each division. The guys also tell us who they think will win the AFC, NFC and Super Bowl! (04:39 – 01:06:52)Morten does his best to explain why the Saints will be OK in a post-Drew Brees world (23:31), and Brian explains to us why he believes the Falcons will improve from last season (21:23). TommyFreezePops tell us why he isn't as optimistic about the Patriots as you'd think after the team set a record for guaranteed-money-spent during this offseason's free agency period (38:34).Brian played nine seasons for Atlanta, and is one of the most beloved Falcons in franchise history. He's known by the fanbase as "Mr. First Down," as he always had a knack for making that clutch catch on third-down. Brian is currently the co-host of the morning show at 680 The Fan in Atlanta.

On the 51st episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by his Pro Football Hall of Fame brother and Pittsburgh Steelers legend Jerome Bettis (08:36 – 52:18). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), where the guys talk about preseason QB battle for the Saints, and why Morten believes Jameis Winston has the edge at quarterback right now in New Orleans (03:01).We then move to our interview with Jerome Bettis, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why it was bowling, not football, that kept Jerome out of trouble growing up in a bad neighborhood in Detroit, MI (12:09); going back to Notre Dame to finish his college degree during the COVID-19 pandemic (17:14); being an All-Pro as a rookie, and the moment at the Pro Bowl in his first year that made him realize that he belonged (19:36); what his favorite play was during his pro career, and how Dermontti Dawson changed the center position forever (23:15); why he chose the Steelers over the Oilers when the Rams decided to trade him after his third season with the team (28:27); how Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier were great mentors for him when he arrived in Pittsburgh (30:29); why Bill Cowher was so important to the success of his career (32:39); the story behind winning the Super Bowl in his hometown in his final professional game (35:25); Jerome's predictions for the 2021 NFL season, including thoughts on the Steelers, Najee Harris, Derrick Henry, and a Super Bowl prediction (43:08); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” including thoughts some of the all-time great Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as Isaac Bruce and Lou Holtz (45:13).Finally, TommyFreezePops is joined by Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (53:13 – 59:20). Kevin gives his picks for the AFC, NFC and Super Bowl, as well as the futures bets he feels most confident in heading into the 2021 NFL regular season – NFC North winner, league MVP and league-leader in receiving yards.

On the 50th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined by world famous podcaster and XFL kicking hopeful PFT Commenter (13:34 – 01:10:37). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), where the guys recap their final night in Canton, as they hit up Peyton Manning's afterparty. FreezePops met Tom Brady, and Morten held court with some of the greatest kickers in the history of the league. Oh, and Peyton hit the dancefloor. It was an epic night! (03:26 – 13:33)We then move to our interview with PFT Commenter, where he discusses a wide range of topics: the story behind his iconic sunglasses (15:30); working as one of Morten's kicking students, and participating in a pop quiz to see if he remembers the pointers Morten gave him during their session last year in Atlanta (20:01); why he thinks he may have to cut his iconic hair after this football season, and why he wants to have a mullet as an adult (27:23); celebrating a Stanley Cup victory with the Washington Capitals (31:49); why he thinks “Pardon My Take” resonates amongst current and former athletes (39:36); explaining what “Blake of the Year” is (41:22); why he would be cool with Washington Football Team retaining its temporary name as a permanent one (44:06); who he thinks was the worst guest in the history of his podcast (45:17); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring Big Cat, Dave Portnoy, Hank Lockwood, Billy Football, Skip Bayless, Scott Van Pelt, Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo, Max Scherzer, J.J. Watt and Tom Brady (47:02).Finally, TommyFreezePops is joined by Thom Cunningham for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (01:05:12 – 01:12:17). What does Thom think about wagering on preseason football (01:06:32)? Where can baseball bettors find value right now (01:08:05)? And Thom explains why he's sticking away from most of the NFL props ahead of the 2021 regular season at the moment (01:09:48).

On this special edition of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten Andersen and TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) are together in-person for the first time ever, with the two of them meeting up in Canton, OH for Enshrinement Weekend at the Pro Football Hall of Fame! In part one of the podcast, the guys recap an amazing weekend spent in the birthplace of football (00:15 – 31:47).Morten spent the week chatting with many of his Hall of Fame brothers, including Ron Wolf (31:57), Joe DeLamielleure (33:09), Willie Lanier (35:01), Tim Brown (40:59), Bobby Bell (43:28), and Willie Roaf (46:42), as each all-time great shared with Morten what it meant to them to have a gold jacket. We close things out this week with The Great Dane sharing why his gold jacket is so special to him (47:55).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, Morten Andersen and TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) give a full preview of their upcoming long weekend in Canton, OH for this year's Pro Football Hall of Fame induction festivities! Morten talks about his favorite events surrounding the weekend, his advice for the honorees on how they should approach their speeches, and shares some funny stories from his trips to Canton as a member of the most elite fraternity in all of pro football (01:13 – 16:00).Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out with Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (16:37 – 25:29). The guys talk about Team USA Men's Basketball advancing to the semifinals against Australia after a rocky start to their summer, and why bettors shouldn't be afraid of taking the gold-medal-favorites moving forward (17:56). Kevin also tells us what his approach is to betting on preseason football, and it may surprise you (19:50). Plus, Kevin and TFP recap Tom's ridiculous 24-hour stream from Denny's (22:15).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear part four of a four-part interview with Morten Andersen, conducted by TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll). Morten talks about his amazing comeback story, as he sat at home and waited for a team to call him for 20 months after finishing up his 23rd season in the league. Morten also talks about the moment he broke the NFL's all-time scoring record, and the difficulties he faced heading into retirement after playing for 25 seasons in the NFL (01:37 – 17:50).Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out with Thom Cunningham for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (18:33 – 26:20). The guys talk about the Olympics, and which niche sports they are targeting as places to cash-in (19:59). They also take a look at the rocky start for Team USA Men's Basketball, and why another country might be a better play right now when it comes to gold medal odds (21:10). Finally, the guys look ahead to TFP's 24-hour live stream from the Denny's in St. Louis, as Thom tells us which O/Us he likes heading into the brutal day at the diner (22:16).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear Morten Andersen and Tom Carroll (TommyFreezePops) run through an all-kicker edition of their popular segment, “The Name Game.” Morten weighs in on seven of the greatest kickers in NFL history: Adam Vinatieri, Gary Anderson, Jan Stenerud, George Blanda, Lou Groza, Jason Hanson and Tom Dempsey. Morten also tells us who he thinks is the best kicker in today's game (01:03 – 14:56).Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out with Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (15:32 – 27:08). The guys give their biggest takeaways from Milwaukee's historic run to their first NBA Championship in 50 years, and where they place Giannis Antetokounmpo among the league's elite (16:48), share their view of the Suns from a gambling perspective heading into next season (21:02), and take a look at the way-to-early title odds for the 2022 NBA Finals (23:24).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear part three of a four-part interview with Morten Andersen, conducted by TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll). Morten talks about his post-Saints career: being released by the organization he thought he'd spend his entire career, suiting up for “the enemy” in Atlanta, playing under the bright lights of NYC, having a front row seat to one of the greatest offenses ever in Kansas City, and having one of the most bizarre tryouts ever with Minnesota (01:08 – 17:49).Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out Thom Cunningham for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (18:46 – 25:03). Should bettors be worried about Shohei Ohtani in the AL MVP market, and who are some other options that might yield better value (20:26)? Who does Thom like in game four of the NBA Finals, and how does he see the rest of the series shaking out from a gambling perspective (22:13)? Plus, Thom gives us the best player props to be following throughout the rest of NBA Finals (23:14).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear our “Top 7 Number 7s in NFL History,” compiled by TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) and analyzed by Morten Andersen. Will Morten make the cut after missing out on a top 7 spot on our nicknames list? Who will get our top spot? How valid can this list be with all of FreezePops' inherent biases for and against certain players? All of these questions answered, and more (01:47 – 17:30)!Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out Thom Cunningham for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (18:21 – 25:00). Even though the Suns took care of business in game 1 of the NBA Finals, did Thom see enough out of Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks to believe they have a shot to win this thing (19:48)? Should bettors be eyeing anyone other than Chris Paul for Finals MVP (21:04)? Plus, Thom gives us the best player prop to be following throughout the NBA Finals (22:39).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear part two of a four-part interview with Morten Andersen, conducted by TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll). Morten talks about his 13 seasons as a member of the New Orleans Saints, how relaxed things were under Bum Phillips, why Jim Mora was so successful once he took over the organization, and playing with “The Dome Patrol” (01:03 – 19:56).Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (20:42 – 29:01). With all the injuries we've seen amongst NBA stars during this postseason, Kevin tells bettors the best way to approach basketball moving forward (22:05). Is Kyle Schwarber a legit threat to win the NL MVP this season (24:49)? Plus, Kevin tells us why the Tampa Bay Lightning are likely to repeat as Stanley Cup champions (26:43).

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear our “Top 7 Nicknames in NFL History,” compiled by TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll) and analyzed by Morten Andersen. Will “The Great Dane” make the cut? Who will get our top spot? Who was an honorable mention? Are some of these nicknames even safe to say on a podcast? All of these questions answered, and more (01:37 – 18:54)!Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out Thom Cunningham for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (19:54 – 26:33). Thom tells us why bettors might want to look ahead of the conference finals in the NBA to find real value on the hardwood (21:26). Which of the four remaining teams in hockey does he think has the best chance of winning the 2021 Stanley Cup (22:48)? Plus, how will this newfound emphasis on “foreign substances” in baseball have an impact on the prop market (24:06)?

Summer vacation is upon us! Over the coming weeks, “Great Dane Nation” will look a little different, as we'll be taking a break from the big-name guests you heard throughout our unofficial “season 1.” But that doesn't mean we won't be here each and every week to bring you the compelling football content you desire, along with our expert analysis from the team at Vegas Insider!This week, you'll hear part one of a four-part interview with Morten Andersen, conducted by TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll). Morten talks about his first few days in America back in 1977, his whirlwind football season at Ben Davis High School, and his journey to becoming a Michigan State Spartan (01:51 – 22:27).Then, TommyFreezePops closes things out Kevin Rogers for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (23:18 – 32:31). Kevin explains why the news surrounding Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul, combined with the Nets mounting injuries, makes the Bucks a great value play to win the NBA Finals (24:54). Should bettors be going all-in on the Jazz to win the Western Conference (27:31)? Plus, Kevin explains why a seemingly obvious player-prop should be on all of our radars over the next few days (30:01).

On the 40th episode of “Great Dane Nation,” Morten is joined NSMA Hall of Fame broadcaster Dan Patrick (14:28 – 57:38). But first, he checks in with TommyFreezePops (Tom Carroll), where the guys reflect on the end of their unofficial “season 1” of the podcast (01:04)! Don't worry, this feed will remain filled with great content from Morten and FreezePops throughout the summer!We then move to our interview with Dan, where he discusses a wide range of topics: why knowing what he wanted to do from a very young age was an advantage to him early in his career (15:44); why he almost quit broadcasting early in his career because he didn't think he was good-looking enough (17:12); how a letter from Bob Ley while Dan was in college helped set him on a path towards ESPN (19:25); his incredible partnership with Keith Olbermann, and why the two of them never had to have a discussion about their partnership (23:11); why him and Keith tried to “get away with things” when hosting “The Big Show” together (24:35); how strange it was to go from an Average Joe to one of the most recognizable faces in all of sports (26:40); why the shows he is most proud of from his time at ESPN have to do with death (28:35); remembering Stuart Scott (31:33); getting confronted by angry athletes about how they were portrayed on “SportsCenter” (34:35); why he doesn't regret leaving ESPN, and the story of leaving the worldwide leader to start his own project (37:03); why he decided to step away from “Sunday Night Football” after ten years with NBC Sports (44:44); why he thinks Aaron Rodgers would be a better “Jeopardy!” host than he would be, and where he thinks the Rodgers drama goes this summer (45:37); who is the one quarterback not named Patrick Mahomes that he would want to build his NFL franchise around (48:10); why he isn't confident in Urban Meyer down in Jacksonville (49:51); and this week's edition of “The Name Game,” featuring the biggest names in sports media (50:41).Then, TommyFreezePops is joined by Thom Cunningham for his weekly check-in with the experts from VegasInsider.com (58:26 – 01:04:02). Should bettors be looking to hedge their Milwaukee-futures-bets after falling to 0-2 against the heavily favored Nets (59:36)? How will the series between the Suns and Nuggets play out (01:00:33)? Which NBA player props should people keep an eye on over the few days (01:01:29)?Finally, we close things out with Morten's “Game Winner” – a weekly segment where Morten monologues his biggest takeaway of the week. This week, Morten talks about Dan Patrick, and how a seemingly innocuous decision with his buddies in college led to one of the most storied careers in sports broadcasting (01:04:02).