The Program: Recent Episodes
Ron Wells
“The Program” is the thinking sports fans way of truly understanding what it takes to build a franchise from the ground up. All the while diving into the latest headlines dominating the sports landscape and bringing on guests that have championship pedigree sharing how they built a winning culture. Take notes as will I as we dive into “The Program”.
Brief NFL off season recap, nba playoffs recap, cfb all time qb bracket baker vs jameis debate.
We discuss the predictions vs what happened in college football. What’s happening in the NFL. Explanation on Miami Hurricanes struggles. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
This podcast dives into the coaching hires and lack of diversity in the NFL. The lack of qualifications of those hired.
NBA finals Game 6 (3-2), UF vs TA&M, UT vs UGA, FSU vs ND and UM vs Clemson along with NFL Week 5 picks against the spread and winners (gamble at your own risk)
Week 4 NFL picks for Sunday and Monday. What the Heat need to improve on. What was real and what was fake for the Lakers in Game 1.
Sports week of 9/24-9/28. ECF Celtics vs Heat (3-1) ; WCF Denver vs Lakers (2-1); NFL picks and against the odds bets just opinion.
My NFL Picks for Sunday and Mondays games. Recap of Thursday Nights game Chiefs and Texans. Lakers in WCF. Heat vs Celtics ECF predictions.
NFL pick on Thursday game. Some fantasy options. NBA Bubble Boy Basketball. NCAA Football starting up and fans interaction with big 3 predictions in Florida.
With the number 1 seeds locked up and the east pretty much locked in all eyes are on the grizzlies, blazers, and suns for the 8th seed. MLB and the virus and how thats effecting the looking decisions with the power five after the MAC decides to postpone fall sports
Who makes the final spots in the East and West? Keys to victory offensively snd defensively for the contenders.
Lakers and Clippers square off shorthanded; Zion minutes restrictions doom the Pels vs the Jazz; Bucks and Celtics; Rockets vs Mavs
Cam Newton to the Pats; Makur to the Howard Bison HBCU Signs 5*; Sports set to return on a professional level; Should Sports like college football and basketball be played without compensation because their now risking life and death.
Tonight’s Episode reacts to the dynamics that started to form the championship bulls first 3-Peat but first they had to build a winning culture and escape the stigma of Scoring Champs dont win titles and developing trust between MJ and the others (Pippen, Grant, Armstrong, Cartwright and Paxon).
Spending some time to highlight team building and back office planning or lack there of recapping the NFL Draft
Wow the Fins picked TUA, a tackle and another DB. Mahomes gets another weapon. The Chargers and raiders look crazy. The Cowboys make a solid wr pick. How does Brady end up with an All Pro tackle in the draft??????
Chiefs: the champs come off a superbowl run and auite frankly have to fill the shoes of Chris Jones with signing Chris Jones to a Mega Deal. The franchise tag wont hold em. The great thing is Mahomes has 2 seasons under his current deal left and yes it could turn into a $200 million deal in guaranteed money.... after 50 years without a title he’s worth it. The draft will be all about getting cheap labor to fill the roster as they enter salary cap hell. Another issue is how many more coaching staff members can leave the staff before it affects your continuity I.E the saban effect.
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The Team in Washington have an opportunity to become an elite front by adding Chase Young to Montez Sweat and a pair of interior linemen from Alabama and that seems right up Coach Ron Riveara ally. They signed a back up qb and Have Dwayne Haskins as the starter and he has Terry McLaurin on the perimeter. Take a tackle in the second round and best player available throughout at corner and rb.
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The Giants have officially moved passed the Eli Manning era into the Daniel Jones era. Jones showed his accuracy and mobility but also showed that he was your typical rookie. Sequan Barkley got nicked up a bit last year but is still the class of the rbs in the nfl. The giants should take Isaiah Simmons and dont look back but if they take Wirths i wouldnt be shocked. They need a defensive band aid and thats why i go simmons over wirths similar because he is your mistake eraser like derwin james playing all three levels at a A level.
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The Dallas Cowboys have a dilemma with Dak tying up top 5 qb money against their cap. Tbh I think they should move on and bring in some real competition into camp with a Jameis or Cam Newton type looking for redemption. They need to draft a center with their second round pick and look for a wr and db with their third and 4th round selections. I love the Gerald McCoy signing as well.
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Eagles: They could be great if they could stay healthy lol just a mash unit. No one important stays healthy and now they are out of their window. They need to get younger and fast imo. Their making headway though. Look for the eagles to continue the youth movement.
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Dolphins: Brian Flores and the Dolphins front office look like they were laying madden with the way they reorganized this roster. They ended last year in hell and began this year Tanking for tua. All fine and great but not paying a above avg Lt and getting a first for em pretty decent investment. Trading away player that wasnt a fit while he had value also decent move but both turned in pro bowl level seasons once they left so now its what you do with those picks that will make or break these deals. They ended up with a 5-11 season but finished ok considering the roster limitations. Imo this is an easy draft for them but leave to the fins to muck it up. Tua should fall to them at 5 draft the best available pass rusher or OT on your board with the next 4 picks. Throw in a dynamic rb like akers Dobbins or swift as well and you’re cooking with grits. They should win the division if they do this with their first six picks. In the first 70 picks the dolphins have 6 picks and i think there are 80 starters in this draft.
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The Jets: injuries and departures they have another year of what the hell are they doing. Darnold had mononucleosis for 6 weeks. Adams wanted out just draft OL and speed. This team has had so much turnover that idk what to say hear similar to the lions but qb is straight lol.
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Bills: The bills and Josh Allen really played solid football all year. Devin Singletary seems legit in the back field and the defense is stout but still lacks that one pass rusher to really take it over the edge. They land Diggs in a trade have a true number 1 guy. They dont have a pick until late int the draft but if they can reconfigure their cap maybe Clowney can be convinced to come to the Bills. They have 20 million left to play with. OT and DE is all thats left for them to make a run for the crown in the east.
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Patriots: The pats move on from Tom Brady and 20 years of success to what appears to be a total roster overhaul. They have the draft capital to do so but haven’t shown an ability to draft an offensive pro bowl caliber player since Gronk. Trading up and down means nothing if the players drafted are actually trash. The greatest trait the pats have is they actually game plan week to week team by team. They’ve drafted by the book but injuries the last 3 seasons to high level draft. The greatest ability is availability and with two OL and a Wr missing 2 seasons total to injuries it had to play a part in the departure of brady. Stidham looks to be the qb air apparent. I look for the pats to attempt to build draft capital for 2021 draft while getting insurance for position of doubt in this draft. OT first round seems to be the route to go then with three 3rd round picks get a back up like Jalen Hurts if stidham struggles and you want a ball control offense to compliment your defense. A another big body blocking type wr later like colin johnson and go after Thad Moss in the 4th.
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Lions: this legit could be the worst roster and worst coached team in the league next season. Im talking 4 win ceiling the way this roster is constructed. Aging pats players and no dynamic players. They’ve wasted draft picks left and right. They are the opposite of the browns and legit maybe have 7 nfl top 300 players..... this is insane.... oh and they gave their qb 100 million dollars a couple years ago so no flexibility at that position but they still have 31 million in cap. At pick 3 they have an opportunity to draft a qb but they seem locked in on Stafford or they get smart and rip the bandaid off or do they trade out like most think they will and accumulate draft capital.
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Bears: they have a qb issue and a skill spot issue and a db issue and not much top of the draft capital due to the Mack trade but do have two second rounders. They bring in nick foles to challenge trubisky but can he stay healthy and can he pick up this version of andy rieds west coast system. The jags are on the hook for most of the money so thats great but no immediate new blood at qb leaves major concerns for a roster that is in transition. Its gotten younger but they need a corner and wr with the first two selections and then build depth that can develop into starters.
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Vikings: The Vikings have a phenomenal roster already and with some Casualties like I’m a couple of corners in another line and then I have to come back to the back but at the end of the day they have a lot of draft capital after trading away Stephan digs it up with another first to know the third so that gives them five draft picks in the top three routes if I were the Vikings I will look to upgrade my receiving corps with two receivers in the first round I know it sounds crazy but the biggest need is at that particular position you don’t want Adam Thielen out there by himself. Kirk cousins definitely needs a lot of help and you want to continue to do that so what I would do after the two receivers his draft a defense of end to help with on pressure and then come back and get a running back if Cam Akers was sitting there and you have a nice want to punch with him and Dalvin cook hashad a series of injuries throughout his career meanwhile acres has been the same table runner Florida state with no injury history to really call upon other than an ankle. I would round out the rest of the draft with half offensive lineman and DB help.
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The Packers: it was a really good first year for the new packers coach and play caller given the personnel on the offensive side of the ball. With limitations if the wr corp outside of Adams the need a #2 to emerge or draft one. The need a te and an upgrade at either tackle or guard. Defensively they are loaded. They still need to cycle some guys out so look for them to drafy a DE or DB early but all in all the packers have balance and need to get more dynamic on the perimeter. A swiss army knife offensive player is needed and a number 2 wr. If you get that in one player great.
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Bengals: The team of the infamous hour. It went from tanking for Tua to Homecoming for Joe Burrow. Its a forgone conclusion he ends up in Cincy and the bengals franchise tagged AJ Green. With the future of Burrow as a priority and much like the Falcons the injury bug hit them hard af. Their last two seasons both OL draft picks went down early.... The bengals has no draft capital unless they trade back but i wouldnt do it get your qb and grow. Take best available after the 2nd round. Burrow and reach for a tackle at the top of the second round and then best available after that.
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Browns: Baker was who we thought he was and he needs lots of help to get it done and the Browns new front office are gonna do that. Best available rt in fa they got em. Then they have a Noah’s ark of offensive talent two wr, two te, two rb. Imo Baker needs all the help a game manager needs to survive in the league and unfortunately the owner of the browns has been inpatient in his front office decisions and its effected his coaching hires in turn. Some say this roster is the most talented in the league as the first run of free agency has ended. However with no continuity and a new coaching staff and front office; Who knows if it all fits. I would go OL in the first with their top ten pick unless a top edge rusher or interior DL falls like Brown or Young. Baker needs time and OL was their down fall. Chubb is a good back and they have kareem hunt but who knows if he can stay eligible to play. Rb is next up followed by best player available the rest of the draft.
Steelers: whelp they traded their first rounder for Minkah Fitzpatrick who became an pro bowl level interior db with mike tomlin and at lb their set with bush and watt. Dl is getting long in the tooth and qb is also a problem. Tbh they are in the process of flipping this roster with big ben age and the OL age as well they should be a win now team but i dont see it. James Connor is ok. jUju was ok. James washington was meh. Steelers usually nail the draft but with a lack of draft capital its gonna be a tough flip...... i think they are destined to win 8 games or more but does that get you in position to land a qb next draft if i were them i would flip my second round pick for a 1st next year and allow mike tomlin to just do the rest with his vets.... 2021 is their year.
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Steelers: whelp they traded their first rounder for Minkah Fitzpatrick who became an pro bowl level interior db with mike tomlin and at lb their set with bush and watt. Dl is getting long in the tooth and qb is also a problem. Tbh they are in the process of flipping this roster with big ben age and the OL age as well they should be a win now team but i dont see it. James Connor is ok. jUju was ok. James washington was meh. Steelers usually nail the draft but with a lack of draft capital its gonna be a tough flip...... i think they are destined to win 8 games or more but does that get you in position to land a qb next draft if i were them i would flip my second round pick for a 1st next year and allow mike tomlin to just do the rest with his vets.... 2021 is their year.
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Ravens: They got humbled by King Henry and a lack of diversity in their game plan. They sured up the defensive front with Caliaus Campbell for a late round pick. Now they can continue their method of best player available and figure out the rest. The ravens have 5 picks in the top 100. They have an opportunity to have an embarrassment of riches when the draft concludes. They could replace Mark Ingram in this draft. Add a couple DL/DE types and a top flight wr before we get out of the 3rd round....
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After acquiring Matt Rhule, Joe Brady and Teddy Bridgewater the Panthers will look to continue to turn this roster that lost Luke Keukhly to retirement. I would love for them to land Isaiah Simmons but thats too high for them to jump patrick queen seems to early to take. They will be interesting to watch during this process as we learn their identity
Falcons: after starting the season 1-7 because another season of bad injury luck the falcons finished 7-9 and look to get back the calvary headed into next season. healthy option at rb and some help at db as well to round out the secondary depth. Best player available throughout may accomplish their goals. They also picked up dante fowler as well. With 6 picks overall it may take some injury luck to have a good year or a homerun in the draft.....
Bucs: They got Brady and franchise tagged Barret. The bucs still have major holes to fill but are hoping better weapons with a worse Oline will make brady a better qb than he was in 2019. The bucs surrendered 47 sacks last year (48 was the league high). By comparison Brady was sacked the most of his career at with 34. The bucs have no run game and that compounds the protection issues. Ronald Jones has been underwhelming but that entire 2018 draft class outside of Sequan Barkley and Nick Chubb have been busts..... then theres the defense that surrendered 30 pass tds and only got 13 takeways..... they need help Brady is not the great deodorant he once was.... the bucs pick at 14 has to be a tackle and at 45 as well. This line needs mojo. With plenty of backs in the draft hopefully dobbins or akers slips to the 3rd round at 76. Take the load off of brady and protect your defense. Something Winston wasnt afforded his entire time in Tampa. Piece together the pass rush and secondary in FA.....
Saints: They had a great season but got clipped in Ot by the Vikings who played a perfect game. Brees is limited but still very accurate and very smart. They have a great WR that they’re underpaying and a rb that they will have to pay soon or franchise em. The oline is locked up this year and the defense has depth everywhere but db. Corner especially but with the addition of Malcolm Jenkins a vet that can be a coach on the field their unit should be back up to snuff on the back end. Unfortunately, they dont have much draft capital and very little cap flexibility. They need to create it because Kamara on a franchise tag could really tie them up and the DE Marcus Davenport are due up in 2021. Something is gonna have to give. Adding Emanuel Sanders was a good move but how many more seasons does he have left to give. I think if there isnt a corner available in the first where they are picking they should go receiver. After the first group they run the risk of not filling their most glaring need with youth. Even if its a reach because, lamb, juedy, jefferson, ruggs and Higgins are gone. Mimms, Ayuik, Shenault still are great gets to be a future number two with Thomas. Then either address corner or rb to avoid paying Kamara and get a good back to fill the void in the 3rd round. Its just tough because the saints have second rounder and thats the value zone of this draft
Titans: they made an improbable run through the playoffs behind a proven formula. Run the ball, dont turn it over and play bully ball. Ryan Tannehill took advantage of the one thing he didnt have in Miami, continuity on the Ol and run game. Marcus Mariota never took advantage of those same things and I was proven right about him being as good as Jameis when they were coming out. Kid landed on 3rd base when it came to personnel surrounding him and was what I thought he was which was a poor mans Jeff Garcia.... Mike Vrabel did what defensive coaches do and signed tannehill instead of exploring the qb market further. Tannehill will in the end make over 150 million in guaranteed dollars for his nfl career and have 2 playoff wins and appearances lol aint life fair. Well he will have to duplicate that again this season. With King Henry on the franchise tag (smart move). The titans have replaced a couple key guys while letting Jurrell Casey walk for 7th rounder and that made sense only cap wise Jeffery Simmons is a monster but him and Cassey as a tandem cant be repeated.... im sorry that was a bad move imo. Then they saw all pro caliber rt Jack Cocklin go for nothing to the cleveland browns..... the titans need to hit this draft out of the ball park to stay relevant. That means finding a back to replace king Henry cap hit. Not a fan of resigning him either he is about to hit 1200 carries soon just franchise him a couple of seasons. The great thing is this draft is littered with backs worthy of a top 50 type selection.... other than that with weak draft capital (picking 29th in every round and no 4th or 6th rounder) i look for them to be the team like the Bears last year and other one hit wonders before them to fall back to the 7 to 9 win category. They just dont have enough juice in the qb room imo to make it happen.
Houston Texans: Look when you have a coach wearing too many hats this is what happens.... you end up in salary cap and draft hell with no way out. Fortunately qbs hide a lot of the warts the Texans have... they have no depth at corner, DL, and they let hopkins go for far less than he was worth on the open market. I get the move to trade him but you gotta get back a first rounder in one of the next two drafts. The fact that stefon diggs recouped that much compensation and you took back a fat contract for a rb in a rb loaded draft with Johnson baffles me. But hey they did secure the Lt position with the trade with the dolphins and their likely to draft one this year with the pick acquired for him with. Yet you still havent locked him into a long term deal and with tge new cba cemented you’re gonna pay even more to keep him.... with Watson contract coming up in 2022. That compounds the looming questions. Good thing for them with coronavirus outbreak they have a ton of options in free agency with very little cash but players remaining at this point just wanna have a job before the draft comes. There’s some deals to be had. In the draft the texans if their lucky could land Hopkins replacement in Denzel Mimms if he slips to the second round. Van Jefferson is also an option late day 2 of the draft in the fourth. Other picks need to be securing rt and the interior line play. Watson is great in the pocket like tom brady type footwork. Just give him more help up front. No need to get an rb. Build depth in the trenches and find a few corners. Winning a playoff game keeps Bill Obrien as the steward if that organization because ownership is not nearly as active as they should he with the passing of their patriarch two years ago. However, not making the playoffs with watson as your qb would be an indictable offense.
Jacksonville Jaguars: PFF rated the Jags line 26th the center was the lone Bright spot. The sent away their two best defensive players in Jalen Ramsey (2 firsts) and Calaius Campbell (4th to the ravens). Fournette has been hit or miss. Traded away Nick Foles to the bears for a 4th and you need comp for Minshew in camp. With 7 picks in the top ten 150 I’d throw a lot of beef in the trenches and size at the db and edge rusher areas.
Indianapolis Colts: The colts return one of the best OL units in the league but need a LT as Castonzo begins to get long in the tooth. After trading away their 1st round pick for DeForest Buckner one the best interior Defensive Linemen in the league and paying him top dollar the Colts still arent cash strapped. The colts then took a one year shot on Philip Rivers who had his best season under the head coach but his them offensive coordinator Frank Riech. Reich has done well his first two seasons at the hc spot in indy turning luck around before he decided he was punch drunk and making Jacoby Brissette a serviceable top 20 starter in the league. Eric Ebron is gone and you need to replace his athleticism at TE. With departures of aging vets in the secondary look for the colts to pick up a couple dbs and difference makers in the draft. I love rb Cam Akers, ss Grant Delpit, here along with DE Johnathan Grenard from UF, And TE Thad Moss. All were difference makers in college and fill needs along the roster. The Colts have Cap flexibility in the future with rivers 1 year deal and brissett coming off the books next year as well. I look for them to upgrade Qb in the next draft with much better prospects around the corner.
The College Football Playoff Semifinals Reaction Podcast. LSU destroys Oklahoma and Clemson charges back to beat OSU
This is a in depth breakdown of the infrastructure and the results of these mechanisms on the College Football Playoff contenders. Starting with LSU, OSU, Clemson and then OU. Then the picks based on the breakdown. Appreciate you listening and let the smack talk begin.