“Be calm, speak the truth and…we have to reach out to all our fellow citizens and make friends with people who don’t look like you. If we can do that, we are going to turn this around.” – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on advice to today’s athletes

“We can’t have silence and we can’t have violence. We’ve got to find a way to get to the middle.” – Vanderbilt football coach & former NFL WR Derek Mason on protests

“(He’s) just a guy that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. So I just hated that I was on the bad end of a rare mistake from him.” – Chase Elliott on his altercation with Kyle Busch at Darlington

“This is the best possible scenario, I think, for the Belmont Stakes…We should have a very strong field.” – NBC Sports horse racing analyst Randy Moss on the shortened Belmont Stakes

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 2, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • NASCAR driver Chase Elliott
  • Vanderbilt head coach and former NFL wide receiver Derek Mason
  • NBC Sports horse racing analyst Randy Moss
  • NBC Sports Bay Area Warriors Insider Monte Poole
  • NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed

 

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

• • Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

 

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on his thoughts waking up this morning: “It is kind of like I am caught between hope and history. I hope that our nation is going to make the changes it needed to make to realize its place and what it means and how important it is that we uphold what the founding fathers actually talked about. What Mr. Jefferson wrote in the Declaration, that all men are created equal, we got to make that a reality. I think the events of the past week or so have really shown through all of America how much that is not a fact. We have to fix that. We have to fix it.”

Abdul-Jabbar on advice he would give to today’s athletes about speaking up: “Be calm, speak the truth and…we have to reach out to all our fellow citizens and make friends with people who don’t look like you. If we can do that, we are going to turn this around.”

Abdul-Jabbar on his experiences with race issues growing up: “I remember the very first time I became aware of it. I was 17 years old, and a young man named James Powell was killed by a police officer named Thomas Gilligan. Harlem erupted into a riot and I could have got shot. Being out on the street was dangerous. It hasn’t changed any, it is the same exact issue. Colin Kaepernick tried very hard to demonstrate peacefully about this very issue and what happened? He was ostracized, he lost his job, he was blackballed. This is the issue he was trying to talk about. It seems that the powers that be did not like him bringing it up.”

Abdul-Jabbar on his Op-Ed in the Los Angeles Times: “Just that people have to listen. The criminal justice system is tainted with racism from top to bottom. It discriminates and it makes people suffer and that has to end. It has to end. We have to find a way to make criminal cops accountable…The overwhelming majority of cops are good cops and they suffer too when bad cops do what they do. We need to find some means to hold bad cops accountable and keep them from destroying everything they destroy — families, our trust in the law. They squander all the good deeds of all the good cops. Something needs to be done about that.”

Abdul-Jabbar on how we come together: “We come together every day. In our nation, especially in the cities in our nation, people of incredibly varied backgrounds come together and work together and continue to make this the greatest nation in the world. That’s what America is about, and we got to keep that happening. We can’t let bias and discrimination make a mess of it. We can’t do that. We have to find a way to cope.”

Abdul-Jabbar on voting and being equal under the law: “The whole idea of promoting voting and making the vote available, making it possible to vote, I think is part of what our democracy is about and too many, especially in red states, they are trying to cut this back claiming that there is voter fraud, still voter fraud. Voter fraud is not a problem in our country, unless the Russians are meddling in our elections. We have to make the idea of one man, one vote and everybody equal under the law, we have to make those two things a reality. I am hoping that people can hear that.”

Abdul-Jabbar on his thoughts on the 15th Amendment: “Just consider all the efforts to keep black people from voting. In the reconstruction of the south, any black people who tried to vote were dealt with violence. That is a tradition, that is an American tradition. Black people voting in all elections without harassment is a very recent phenomenon and sometimes that phenomenon seems to fade into the wind.”

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Derek Mason on George Floyd and the current protests across the country: “I think right now, as we sit in this country, I think we are at a point now where there’s got to be conversation as to where we want to go. Here’s what I know: I know a young man was on the ground, trying to ask for help. I believe he did everything right and at the end of the day, he loses his life. That’s the story for a lot of young people across the country. Men of color have really had to sort of figure out exactly how to feel right now and that’s a tough thing. I just gave one man’s perspective and my perspective is this — we can’t have silence and we can’t have violence. We’ve got to find a way to get to the middle. A lot of times violence comes when anger has gotten to the boiling point and we’ve reached a flash point, and right now, we’ve got a flash point in America.”

Mason on his own experiences and having difficult conversations: “I remember being 16 years old and my step-father, who’s a military man…he gave me a lanyard to put around my neck and that lanyard was to put my driver’s license and my registration so that if I ever got pulled over, I never had to reach suddenly across or I didn’t make a movement that was misconstrued as being a quick sudden movement whereas to cause attention to me. It’s those conversations that I think our counterparts and people who we love and people that we share locker rooms with and even share cubicles with, a lot of times don’t understand. That’s been in the life a lot of young black men in America and I can say this much, at the heart of any issue is a heart issue, and right now, this is a heart issue. We’ve got to look at the morality of where we sit today because again, a young man did everything right and found himself in a position where he lost his life. I think that’s where we sit. Right now, I have players that want to know, ‘Coach, what do I do and what happens?’ We’ve got to be able to speak to their fears and anxieties, but also we got to be able to talk about empathy and compassion because if we don’t empathize or we don’t understand — and I’m talking about counterparts — if we don’t empathize and understand, then there’s never going to be an opportunity for us to sit together…and at least listen to a solid conversation about what we can do to get it right. Because right now, it’s totally broken and it’s totally wrong.”

Mason on college coaches speaking to their players: “We have to have transparent and legit conversations. We also have to be able to acknowledge what these young men are going through…I think the idea is that there better be an opportunity for you to understand what these young men are going through, because if we don’t, what we’re going to see even within our own locker rooms — which is a place where I think we can fix a lot. Our locker rooms do what society can’t do, ok? You have people that come from different places all the time, different value systems, different experiences, and what they learn how to do is listen to one another. That’s where I believe coaches can have one of the largest impacts on what’s going on right now…The locker room is a place where it’s not about things that divide us. It’s about things that unite us and for us to sit and listen to each other’s stories and understand one another. It’s how we can really start to bridge the gap because you got to touch one person before you can touch two. So, we got to find a way to get this right.”

Mason on the George Floyd video: “It’s not just color. I think right is right and wrong is wrong, and I think so many people saw this (video) that I think there’s an opportunity here. If we can get past the silence and the violence and find ourselves getting to the middle, the conversation can be real.”

Chase Elliott on his altercation with Kyle Busch at Darlington on May 20: “We’ve talked on a couple of occasions and we’ve run a couple of races since then. I get it, people make mistakes…I think my frustration with him at the time was one, we were going for a win so that is always frustrating, and two, he’s just a guy that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. So, I just hated that I was on the bad end of a rare mistake from him. We’re fine.”

Elliott on his family background in racing: “I feel like there’s certainly been pros and cons with it over the years. I’m thankful for my family heritage in it because I’m not sure that I would have ever found racing had that not been the case. When you grow up around something like that and you have that type of vantage point as I did as a kid, you gain an appreciation and you gain a respect from an angle that a lot of people don’t get to see.”

Elliott on how NASCAR drivers feel about the condensed schedule: “Honestly, I feel like everybody has really enjoyed it. I think it’s been a lot of fun and I think, I don’t want to speak for everybody, but certainly for myself, it reminds me a lot of my short track racing days and just the simplicity of that and I think that’s something NASCAR has really been missing for a long time now…I think we’ve been lucky to have this opportunity to try new things and I think we’d be making a mistake not to carry some of these things forward.”

Ahmed Fareed on MLB negotiations: “For a lot of reasons, this was going to be most difficult for baseball. One, because the players’ union and MLB have had a contentious relationship throughout, even when times were good…But I do think they’ve been handed the toughest situation of all the leagues, too — how to complete an entire season from beginning to end.”

Fareed on the length of the MLB season: “To get to 100 games, even to get to 82 games, I think they have to hammer something out within the next week.”

Fareed on the historic implications of shortening the MLB season: “I think even the truest baseball fan, the diehard, the traditionalist out there, realizes that 2020 is completely different. We will probably never see anything like this again, we hope that’s the case, and so to have any baseball at all, you’re going to have to bend what you think is reasonable or expected. If we do that and we play 50 or 60 games, that’s going to be pretty exciting…I would legitimately think that any of the 30 teams could potentially get to be a playoff team.”

Monte Poole on the role of athletes in society: “You look at our country’s history, at least the last century or so, so many of the civil rights…progressions have been related to sports…I think it’s important for (today’s athletes) to know that they do have a platform, that people do pay attention to what they say if they say it intelligently. Many athletes are starting to say things that I think are good to hear for society. We’re watching things unfold on a daily basis, hourly basis, that tell us right now it’s a tipping point, and to hear the voice of well-known athletes who do have that platform, I think it’s needed and I think it spans all races and all ethnicities. It’s an important time in America’s history to take a stand and decide what our future is going to look like.”

Poole on the NBA’s potential return in Orlando: “None of the potential options that I’ve seen include all 30 teams. It’s all 20 teams or 22 teams, teams that are either sitting on a playoff berth or in position for a playoff berth — sort of a play-in tournament and I think that’s what has the momentum right now. I suspect that they will begin to play basketball without fans sometime late next month…I think we already have come to the conclusion that the 2020-21 season is going to start way late this year, probably around Christmas Day.”

Randy Moss on living in Minnesota: “It’s very distressing and, no matter where you live, I would think it’s almost impossible to see that George Floyd video and not feel some sense of outrage…Here, I think the violence has abated — or at least it did last night — and as of yesterday, the community maybe is beginning to heal. There’s been about $2.5 million in donations to rebuild or restore or repair some of those businesses that were damaged. So, hopefully here in Minneapolis and everywhere, we can come out of this and hopefully on the other side, hopefully we’ll be able to say that George Floyd didn’t die in vain.”

Moss on the horse racing industry operating during the pandemic: “While racetracks are able to operate, the major racetracks are making far less money than they would be making ordinarily. But they’re making enough money that even if they had to cut the purses, the show can go on and they’re giving the owners the revenue to feed and take care of these horses.”

Moss on the shortened Belmont Stakes, which will air on NBC on June 20, as the first Triple Crown race: “This is the best possible scenario, I think, for the Belmont Stakes. A mile and a half didn’t really make any sense to run as the first leg of the Triple Crown because a lot of these horses haven’t been racing. They’ve been inactive and it wouldn’t be fair to the horses to ask them to run a mile and a half, and if they tried to ask them to run a mile and a half, a lot of trainers wouldn’t even run their best horses. It would be a much-diminished running of the Belmont Stakes…We should have a very strong field.”

Moss on the Triple Crown: “Is there going to be an asterisk if a horse sweeps the Triple Crown and the Belmont Stakes is a mile and an eighth instead of a mile and a half? Yes. To be honest with you, yes. But it still would be quite an accomplishment for any horse that’s able to beat the best of their generation at a mile and an eighth around one turn, and then in the Kentucky Derby and then on the first Saturday in October at the Preakness.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include NASCAR Driver Chase Elliott, Vanderbilt Football Coach & Former NFL WR Derek Mason, NBC Sports Horse Racing Analyst Randy Moss, NBC Sports Bay Area Warriors Insider Monte Poole, and NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Mike Florio’s Interview with Chicago Bears General Manager Ryan Pace

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 2, 2020 – Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed, NASCAR driver Chase Elliott, and Vanderbilt head coach and former NFL wide receiver Derek Mason highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Today’s Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Elliott, Mason, NBC Sports horse racing analyst Randy Moss, NBC Sports Bay Area Warriors Insider Monte Poole, and NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • NASCAR driver Chase Elliott
  • Vanderbilt head coach and former NFL wide receiver Derek Mason
  • NBC Sports horse racing analyst Randy Moss
  • NBC Sports Bay Area Warriors Insider Monte Poole
  • NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET through June 12, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • Basketball Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  • Pro Football Hall of Famer Ed Reed

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Mike Florio’s interview with Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Pace.

“The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is open and honest communication. You have to talk to people, you can’t hide. You have to be visible and show empathy,” Basketball Hall of Famer and former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing told Tirico yesterday about challenges facing today’s city mayors.

Click here for more quotes from yesterday’s shows.

–NBC SPORTS–

 “The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is open and honest communication. You have to talk to people, you can’t hide. You have to be visible and show empathy.” – Basketball Hall of Famer and former Detroit Mayor Dave Bing on challenges facing city mayors

“One thing if you look at our country in the past, sport has been the bonding and pulling together of our country.” – Pistons coach Dwane Casey on the importance of sports

“We are lucky enough to work in a business where diversity is prevalent. Not everybody has that and it’s important to have conversations with your organizations, friends, groups of people you may not know much about and have those tough conversations.” – Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders

“I’m hoping that both sides actually stop thinking about their own good and start thinking about the fans…Let’s not be selfish about it, let’s think about the fans.” – Pedro Martinez on negotiations surrounding MLB’s potential season

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 1, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • Basketball Hall of Famer and former Mayor of Detroit Dave Bing
  • Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and his wife Carolina Martinez, who runs the Pedro Martinez Foundation
  • Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey
  • Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Kyle Petty

 

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Dave Bing on the Detroit riots in 1967-68 and how that compares to today: “You have to wonder what has changed? Racism is just an ugly thing that if any one of us had the ability to eradicate it, I’m sure we would in a moment. What I saw in Detroit in ’67 and ’68 was even after all of the disturbance of the burning, looting, shooting, and fighting. We had a professional baseball team called the Detroit Tigers that really pulled our city back together because they were in the midst of the World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals. I’ll never forget how important sports was to bring people together. What I’m saying now, with no sports, I’m not sure what’s going to bring us back together.”

Bing on race issues in America: “The politicians that we listen to, the leaders in our different communities that we listen to…nobody seems to have an answer. The answer has to be (that) we have to get rid of this hate. The race issue is here and has been here for a long time. We have to face it dead on.”

Bing on if we have made improvements on issue of race in America: “I think it depends on the persons in the conversation. In sports, we all have one goal in mind (and) that’s a team winning. We talked about it quite a bit. The general population seems to be afraid to talk about race. If we don’t talk about it once again and talk about the impact it has, especially on people of color, we’ll never be able to solve the problem. So, it starts with conversation, but has to end with action.”

Bing, a former Detroit mayor, on the challenge of mayors to inspire a city in crisis: “The biggest challenge, in my opinion, is open and honest communication. You have to talk to people, you can’t hide. You have to be visible and show empathy. You have to understand what people are going through across your whole city. People learn to trust you in terms of what you do and don’t do…You have to respect people from an intellectual standpoint by telling them the truth, telling them what is, and telling them your plan is on a going forward basis.”

Bing on advice he would give protesters who want to voice their opinion: “I think you have to respect their First Amendment right, they have the right to protest. You would hope they would protest peacefully. What happened in Detroit and what’s happening in so many of our major cities now — the burning and looting — makes things worse because when all of this is over and all the damage that has been done on a fiscal standpoint has to be dealt with.”

Ryan Saunders, a Minnesota native, on the current situation in Minneapolis: “Obviously with George Floyd’s murder, it’s senseless and that’s what Minnesota feels right now. This is a community I grew up in and I’ve known this community, it’s a special group the way they can come together. We’ve seen a lot of bad and hard moments in this last week here. It’s a trying time for so many, but unfortunately, for a lot of people that don’t look like me, have to have these types of emotions on a daily basis.”

Saunders on his statement regarding George Floyd: “We are lucky enough to work in a business where diversity is prevalent. Not everybody has that and it’s important to have conversations with your organizations, friends, groups of people you may not know much about and have those tough conversations. That was kind of my reasoning for speaking out and I think we have to stand up in what is right.”

Saunders on conversations with his players: “We have done some larger Zoom sessions with our group and I’ve tried to reach out in the right way, whenever the right time looks like. A lot of these guys have experienced some of these daily trials and battles — one player had told me when he’s on a run, he puts his cellphone on his arm as opposed to his waistband because he doesn’t want people to mistake it for something else. That just struck me and it’s hard to hear because I’ve never had to feel that way…I’m able to walk out my home right now and go for a run and where my cellphone wherever I like to. I want to make sure I bring up as best as I can and listen to become more educated about everything.”

Dwane Casey on speaking with players about police relations: “With players, we talk about being smart when getting pulled over and making sure you are respectful. Once you are pulled over in a police situation, you are not in control, they are in control. Accept that, be respectful, ask questions, but be respectful because you don’t know if you get that bad policeman in that situation.”

Casey on how to change the perception of police officers in America: “Every city I have worked in, there have been racial issues. I tell people all the time, wherever you go, racism is in some form there. As far as an action plan, I reached out to the chief of police in Detroit to try to combine the police league and the Pistons Academy — bringing together policemen and kids in the community to try to build that bond, relationship, understanding, and the communication for young kids. I think one thing that will help in all departments is to get together with policemen in their training phase and not wait until 10-15 years. Let’s start building those relationships with policemen to understand who they are and, once they go through the technique and policy part of those programs, I think that will help build relationships down the road.”

Casey on how sports can bring people together: “I think sports, whether baseball or hockey, no matter what the sport is, there’s a common denominator and feeling of, ‘I know you and you know me.’ No matter what color you are, we are working together with one goal…One thing if you look at our country in the past, sport has been the bonding and pulling together of our country. That’s why I think it’s important for baseball to get started and the remainder of our (NBA) season to get started, to give people that common bond, something to pull for, be that glue to bring together our society, and get things back to normal. Again, a lot of people are hurting and it’s not going to go away quick.”

Pedro Martinez on his foundation’s COVID-19 relief efforts in the Dominican Republic: “We knew once the pandemic actually hit the country, that somehow we needed to chip in to help the less fortunate people…What we did was create a group of more than 40 players and started raising money to buy meals and medical protection for the nurses and doctors to try to beat the pandemic a little bit easier.”

Carolina Martinez on the Pedro Martinez Foundation’s COVID-19 relief efforts: “Honestly, it has been a blessing for us to be able to stand up for our country…This past week has been even more impactful for us because we were able to visit really remote areas of the Dominican…and it was amazing to see how the people react when they see somebody coming with food or they see somebody coming with masks. The fact that we can sit here and be a voice for them…for me and Pedro, has been our most gratifying experience with the foundation.”

Pedro Martinez on MLB’s potential return: “I’m hoping that both sides actually stop thinking about their own good and start thinking about the fans. I think this is the perfect time to have their baseball teams out there to help forget a little bit about what is going on…I hope that the players’ association and MLB realize how important it is to bring some sort of relief to the people.”

Pedro Martinez on the negotiations and importance of fans: “The economics, which is the dark part of baseball — the business part of baseball, it is dirty, it’s dark — and I hope that they take into consideration who pays our salary, what the people do for us, how important the people are…and at least bend your arm a little bit to try to find a middle ground for the negotiations. Let’s not be selfish about it, let’s think about the fans.”

Kyle Petty on Brad Keselowski’s win at Bristol Motor Speedway yesterday following a late crash: “(Keselowski and his crew) made a decision with 40 laps to go to change left side tires and that put them in a position to run back through the field to be in a position in case something happens…That’s the one good thing about when you run a Cup race. If you’re not good enough to win, you can put yourself in position in case something happens to capitalize on it.”

Petty on Keselowski winning two of the past three races: “Winning breeds winning. Winning is a habit and no matter how you get there, once you get there, it becomes a good habit, a great habit. These guys have put themselves in position the past couple of weeks.”

Petty on NASCAR’s return to racing: “The sport has represented itself well on the racetrack. We have had some solid races, some good races. Bristol was a great race…I think they have done everything right, checked the box on everything, and I think NASCAR made huge strides and put more eyeballs on our sport…I think that’s been important for the future growth of the sport.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez & Carolina Martinez, Basketball Hall of Famer Dave Bing, Detroit Pistons Head Coach Dwane Casey, Minnesota Timberwolves Head Coach Ryan Saunders and NBC Sports’ Kyle Petty

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown, Including Jarrett Stidham at No. 35

STAMFORD, Conn. – June 1, 2020 – Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, Basketball Hall of Famer and former Mayor of Detroit Dave Bing, Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders, and NBC Sports motorsports commentator Kyle Petty highlight today’s guests on Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico on NBCSN. Due to the situation in Los Angeles, The Rich Eisen Show will not air today. It is expected to return tomorrow.

Today’s Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	PFT Live
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Martinez and his wife Carolina Martinez, Bing, Casey, Saunders, and Petty joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • Baseball Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez and his wife Carolina Martinez, who runs the Pedro Martinez Foundation
  • Basketball Hall of Famer and former Mayor of Detroit Dave Bing
  • Detroit Pistons head coach Dwane Casey
  • Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Ryan Saunders
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Kyle Petty

 

An encore presentation of this morning’s PFT Live with Mike Florio and Chris Simms will air at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN following Lunch Talk Live today.

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Chris Simms’ countdown of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks, including Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham at No. 35. Click here for more information on Simms’ countdown.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

Tony Dungy Speaks with Mike Tirico About the Situation in Minnesota

 “I’ve probably actually physically met 20 of them. There’s probably 70 guys I’ve never actually shaken their hand or said hello to.” – First-year Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule on meeting his team

“In the bottom, the relegation situation, that’s really where we’re going to show you some television gold.” – NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe on Premier League’s return

“The game is getting harder to officiate. The players are getting faster and it’s a tough game to officiate…Give them a tool to get the major calls right.” – Mike Pereira on advantages of a potential Sky Judge

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 29, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • NBC Football Night in America analyst Tony Dungy
  • Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule
  • Philadelphia Flyers left wing James van Riemsdyk
  • Former motocross racer and Motorsports Hall of Famer Ricky Carmichael
  • NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe

 

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

• • FOX Sports NFL Rules analyst & former NFL official Mike Pereira
  • The Athletic’s David Aldridge
  • Actor Mike O’Malley from TNT’s “Snowpiercer”

 

Following are Tony Dungy’s comments to Mike Tirico on Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN about the situation in Minnesota:

Tony Dungy, a University of Minnesota alum and Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator from 1992-95, on the situation in Minnesota: “It’s tough. My heart is just breaking right now. I spent eight years there — four years as a student, four years as an assistant coach with the Vikings. My brother still lives in the Twin Cities area and it’s just hard to watch this. You see people who are frustrated, they’re upset. Maybe not handling things in the best way, but they’re very frustrated and they’ve seen this kind of cycle. We’ve got to do something to not only give them hope, but to restore love and respect to everybody and that’s what I’m praying for.”

Dungy on protesting: “I remember when Dr. King got killed. You walk outside and you’re just, ‘Boy, I can’t believe this.’ And then you go back inside, and you watch TV and you see all the places all around the country with similar type things here — burning, looting, just frustration. Anger coming out. I guess what I come back to, just a couple of years ago on the show, we had a lot of young men from the NFL who were protesting peacefully, and they were taking a knee during the National Anthem. The thought then was, ‘Hey, let’s hear from people. Let’s find out what’s going on.’ And I don’t think we treated it that way and so now you get this. Well, how can we react? How can we respond? That didn’t work and you’re seeing anger come out. Anger is not the way to solve things, it really isn’t.”

Dungy on if having access to video inflames these situations a lot quicker than in the past: “It definitely does. You can see it almost instantaneously. You see the visual picture, you don’t have to have somebody describe it to you…It’s hurtful to explain to my young boys this is wrong. But in the words of my dad, what are we going to do to make this situation better? How can we help?”

Dungy on protesting and police relations: “There are people who feel like the only way I can help is to show my anger and frustration, and that is part of it. We have to have these voices heard, but we also have to do it in a respectful way. We have to show love to everybody and figure out how we can move forward. I have friends on the police force here in Tampa, my uncle was the Assistant Chief of Police in Detroit, Michigan in those ‘60s…‘60s and ‘70s, a rough time. So, I know we can’t point a finger at every single policeman. We can’t just blanketly say the police department does this, police do that. We have to look at individual cases and we have to figure out a way that we can get some response and some satisfaction to the families of George Floyd and to the people who are saying, ‘No one hears our voice.’”

Dungy on how to protest in a peaceful and effective manner: “That’s what really hurts. I’m very familiar with that neighborhood in South Minneapolis and driven by there hundreds of times. There’s a lot of minority community leaders, there’s minority businesses, and to see that area just get taken down like this, it’s very sad. So, how do you get your voice heard? How do you express your feelings? How do you come up with solutions and do it in a way that moves forward? That’s the frustrating thing, but that’s what we have to come up with. That’s what people, I think, have to understand. My dad used to tell me all the time, ‘What are you going to do to make it better?’ You go back to those 1972 and ’75 (seasons) and I’m in college playing against Warren Moon. I’m leading the Big 10 in passing, Warren’s leading the Pac-10 in passing and neither one of us gets drafted. What are you going to do to make the situation better? Well, I chose to go to the NFL and see if I could make a career and become a coach. Warren went to the Canadian league and showed people that he was good enough to play and came back and had a Hall of Fame career. So, I think you have to look at different ways to strike out and do it in a positive way. Make a difference, have your voice heard. It does get frustrating, there’s no question about it, but frustration can’t be the driving emotion.”

Dungy on the role of sports and athletes in times of crises involving race: “I think we do have a responsibility. I know when I came to the Steelers, Mr. Rooney, our owner, he talked about not just playing for the Steelers, but being part of the community. Being part of the community means stepping up at times when we need. Yes, it means community service, but sometimes it can be speaking up and saying, ‘You know what people, we need to stay calm. We need to stay peaceful.’ Leadership — we need to listen to these voices. I saw a tweet from Zach Ertz, I saw one from Carson Wentz, I’ve seen one from J.J. Watt. Guys saying, ‘Hey, we have a voice.’ And that’s awesome. You applaud that. That’s what these guys, to me, were doing. We did a piece on Kenny Stills and Mike Thomas in Miami, and they were responding to something that happened in Minneapolis. Kenny Stills has ties to Minneapolis. Philando Castile was shot by a police officer four years ago and that was part of what they wanted to get across and that’s what they told us on our show, ‘Hey, we need to be a voice for those who may not have as strong a voice as we do.’ I think that’s very appropriate for our sports figures.”

Dungy on if sports do a good job of bridging a racial gap in 2020: “I think it absolutely does because you have communication. You have guys sitting in the same locker room and, unfortunately you can’t do that now because of this pandemic, but it would be very, very awesome to have guys in the locker room discussing this situation now. What can we do? How can we as a 53-man group help make the situation better. If the Minnesota Vikings were right there in Minneapolis right now, it would be some awesome discussion between those leaders. In a sports locker room, you can have that back and forth together with mutual respect and that’s what I think we need.”

Dungy on advise to coaches: “Definitely come together, definitely address it. Hear every voice and try not to react with emotion and anger, but react with the thought going forward — how can we build respect in our country? How can we build respect for one another and go forward? How can we make things better?”

Following are additional highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Matt Rhule on Panthers owner David Tepper: “I think he’s just a difference maker in terms of the way he thinks. Weekly, if not daily, he’ll call me with a question, as we go through these difficult times, of something else to think about. I’d like to think I have contingency plans. Well, he always puts something in front of me to make me say, ‘I better think about that.’”

Rhule on meeting his new team: “I think of the 90 guys we have on the team, I’ve probably actually physically met 20 of them. There’s probably 70 guys I’ve never actually shaken their hand or said hello to.”

Rhule on making the transition from college to the NFL: “When you’re in college, you’re in control of everything, and when you come to the National Football League, you’re not. You’re not in charge of how everything works…At the college level, you can get away with being a tyrant or saying, ‘Hey, just do it because I said so.’…I really saw the impact of personal relationships…I think that will serve me really well here at this level.”

Rhule on turning the Panthers around: “The hardest jump is to go from good to great. Going from bad to good is not quite as difficult.”

Rebecca Lowe on new Premier League schedule: “They are extending Saturday and Sunday so that will be a rather long day in the studio, but it’s exciting …All you have to do is sit there. We’ve basically got you covered for the months of June and July.”

Lowe on what to watch for upon the PL’s return: “Liverpool to win the trophy after thirty years plus one hundred days, which is actually the time from the last game to the first game in this pandemic break…(I’m) also interested in Sheffield United, who are newly promoted, sitting there in seventh position and an unbelievable season they have had so far. How high can they finish? And then look below Sheffield United, Tottenham and Arsenal are at 41 and 40 points, who should be much higher up. And in the bottom, the relegation situation, that’s really where we’re going to show you some television gold.”

James van Riemsdyk on this year’s NHL playoff format: “I think in the past, we’ve kind of liked the re-seeding model a little bit better than the pure bracketed style, but I think we’re still trying to sort through what we think is best for this situation.”

van Riemsdyk on advantages of round robin formatting for the top seeds: “Look at a team like Boston, for example. They had such a great regular season to date, and we want to make sure that they’re…placed properly and acknowledge the season that they’ve had so far.”

van Riemsdyk on his comfort level returning to the ice: “You realize how again, everyone is prioritizing the safety aspect…Nothing that we do will come at the expense of that. So, just knowing that that’s our thought process, I think it makes me comfortable.”

Ricky Carmichael on the athletes competing in Supercross: “These guys are incredible athletes. Power-to-weight ratio and what these guys are able to sustain — the heartrates, the cardio, mentally…and the risk involved…Someone who is able to tune into the broadcast, they will see…these fine riders and what they’re able to do on a 230-pound motorcycle is absolutely incredible.”

Carmichael on becoming a racing analyst: “I just want to be able to share my experiences with the viewers and give some insight on the broadcast of what these guys are going through. I kind of act as if I have my helmet on and what I would do in certain circumstances and try to relate that to the general fan watching or someone who has never watched.”

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Mike Pereira on the difference between withdrawing a proposal and tabling a proposal for the fourth-and-15 rule: “If it’s withdrawn, it can’t be brought up until next year and is basically dead. If it’s tabled, they will have to look at a few more things. I think they brought up some good points…such as giving teams more opportunity to get the ball back if they are behind.”

Pereira on the tabled fourth-and-15 rule: “There’s too many unknowns about the thing. I get worrisome of what would be a fix? You could look at a fix, at maximum, it could take you to the 40-yard line and couldn’t go beyond that. That’s unrealistic to shut down a play midstream because you make it beyond the 40-yard line. To me, the Sky Judge proposal is more important, but it’s getting less discussion as we go forward.”

Pereira on the advantages of having a Sky Judge: “The game is getting harder to officiate. The players are getting faster and it’s a tough game to officiate. Who gets all the criticism? The officials. Give them a tool to get the major calls right…Let’s just hand them a different aid so their overall performance improves.”

Pereira on the NFL removing last season’s pass interference replay rule: “It’s simple, there is no way to make a judgement call like replay and attach two different standards to it. You want to call it one way on the field, but if it gets challenged or reviewed, you call it a different way in replay. It probably could have worked if you used the same standard.”

David Aldridge on prioritizing the importance of sports: “It’s very difficult for me to be all about sports with everything that is going on in our country. We all are understanding that sports are important to people. I want sports and the games to come back because it will help a lot of people, but I know there are people not thinking about that right now. I would like people to know that entertainment and distraction is not what everybody has in the front of their consciousness.”

Aldridge on the status of the NBA’s return to play: “I think the NBA union is much better in terms of cooperation with the league than the baseball union is. That just seems to be spiraling out of control in baseball. For basketball, there’s a joint committee coming up with scenarios…They aren’t anywhere near finished yet, but they are working together.”

Aldridge on potential site for NBA playoffs: “The union has signed off on Orlando being the site for the playoff tournament.”

Aldridge on how the NBA players union is helping team owners: “Basketball players put money in escrow for the owners in case the season would be cancelled for whatever reason. So, the owners have some financial certainty on the losses for this year.”

Aldridge on the potential site of an NBA Finals: “I think right now, there has been talk of Houston being a possibility. (Disney Executive Chairman and former CEO) Bob Iger has been pushing very hard for Orlando and Disney World. I think most players and their agents are pointing in the direction of Orlando.”

Aldridge on what he learned watching “The Last Dance”: “I can’t say I learned anything…That’s because I’m old and was there for most of it. There are things you forget, like Dennis Rodman going to Vegas during the season. It just re-emphasized to me the phenomenal job Phil Jackson did coaching for those three years because it could have gone off the rails 100 times.”

Mike O’Malley, a Patriots fan, on Tom Brady: “Of course, I’ll root for Tom Brady in Tampa. Tom Brady has brought New England fans and, in fact, NFL fans, so much joy in terms of how he performed. I know a lot of people don’t like him because he won a lot of Super Bowls and beat their teams. As someone that rooted for the Patriots growing up, he has brought so much joy to our family.”

O’Malley on Rob Gronkowski reuniting with Tom Brady in Tampa: “I think Rob Gronkowski was not thinking about going back and playing and I really think he was retiring. I would like to talk to him and find out what the inside story was.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include NBC Football Night in America Analyst Tony Dungy, Carolina Panthers Head Coach Matt Rhule, Philadelphia Flyers LW James van Riemsdyk, Motorsports Hall of Famer Ricky Carmichael, and NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include FOX Sports NFL Rules Analyst Mike Pereira, The Athletic Senior NBA Writer David Aldridge, and Actor Mike O’Malley

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Nos. 36 and 37 on Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 29, 2020 – NBC Football Night in America analyst Tony Dungy, Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule, Philadelphia Flyers left wing James van Riemsdyk, FOX Sports NFL rules analyst Mike Pereira, and actor Mike O’Malley highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Weekday Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Dungy, Rhule, van Riemsdyk, Motorsports Hall of Famer Ricky Carmichael, and NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • NBC Football Night in America analyst Tony Dungy
  • Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule
  • Philadelphia Flyers left wing James van Riemsdyk
  • Former motocross racer and Motorsports Hall of Famer Ricky Carmichael
  • NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET through June 12, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • FOX Sports NFL Rules analyst & former NFL official Mike Pereira
  • The Athletic’s David Aldridge
  • Actor Mike O’Malley from TNT’s “Snowpiercer”

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Nos. 36 and 37 on Chris Simms’ list of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks. Click here for more information on Simms’ countdown.

“Quarterbacking is like being a farmer. The work is never done…It’s our responsibility to give him new challenges,” Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told Tirico yesterday about quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ growth.

Click here for more quotes from yesterday’s shows.

–NBC SPORTS–

“Quarterbacking is like being a farmer. The work is never done…It’s our responsibility to give him new challenges.” – Chiefs coach Andy Reid on QB Patrick Mahomes’ growth

“It’s giving everyone an absolutely massive lift.” – NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe on Premier League’s return to play plan

“The (positive test) numbers have been kept so low, there’s a confidence now that the Premier League can move forward and…finish the (season).” – NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle

“I thought he was a first-round talent in the draft two years ago…He has a lot of Tony Romo in his game.” – Chris Simms on New England Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2020 – Mike Tirico hosted today’s episode of Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN and was joined remotely by:

• • Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona
  • Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin
  • NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Jeff Burton
  • NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle
  • Supercross rider and current points leader Eli Tomac

The Rich Eisen Show followed Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN, as host Rich Eisen was joined by:

• • Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid
  • Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer
  • Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh
  • NBC Sports’ Rebecca Lowe

 

Following are highlights from Lunch Talk Live on NBCSN:

Robbie Earle on today’s announcement that the Premier League will resume its season June 17: “This has been a huge week for English football…It was so important that the Premier League made a couple of big steps forward…Exciting news for Premier League fans that it looks like ‘Project Restart’ has had a real kickstart in getting going. I look forward to the next three weeks.”

Earle on the Premier League’s recent testing samples: “I think the confidence the Premier League have taken — the steps moving forward — has been because it’s been underpinned by the high number of testing…I think because the (positive test) numbers have been kept so low, there’s a confidence now that the Premier League can move forward and, hopefully not only restart the Premier League, but finish the Premier League [season].”

Earle on Germany’s Bundesliga resuming play: “I’ve been hugely impressed…Concentration levels and fitness levels have been excellent.”

Terry Francona on MLB’s season: “I do think Major League Baseball is doing everything in its power to be prepared to play if we get a window…The one thing I do wish — I understand there has to be negotiations, this is a billion dollar business — I would prefer if it was done in private and not in the media, just out of respect for the 40 million people out of jobs right now.”

Francona on issues surrounding Minor League Baseball this season: “To lose a year of (player) development is keeping our organization and everyone up at night because you can’t get that back. When you are 18-22 years old, the most important thing to do is to be playing. It creates a ton of anxiety for all of us.”

Francona on how the team will operate if the season begins: “We don’t have a lot of answers right now. What we’re going to do is follow all the protocols and guidelines in place and then try and make it as easy and organized as possible for the players so they can get ready. That will be quite a feat, as you can imagine.”

Francona on pitchers staying ready during the hiatus: “If our pitchers fell behind, we were going to be playing catch up the entire time. I really believe our pitchers have done an excellent job in keeping their arms stretched out to a point where they can compete again pretty quickly.”

Francona on managing Michael Jordan in the minors: “It had all the makings of turning into a circus for a number of reasons and it never did. I give Michael (Jordan) all the credit for that. The biggest thing he did was respect the game of baseball and respected the people in the game of baseball and it made it all work.”

Chris Simms on a potential “Sky Judge” to be tested in the preseason: “To have that extra set of eyes, it’s hard for refs on the field to see everything, so I do think an extra set of eyes to help and act as an angel on their shoulder should help in a lot of ways.”

Simms on ranking Patriots QB Jarrett Stidham #35 on his top 40 quarterback countdown: “I thought he was a first-round talent in the draft two years ago…Very good athlete, can throw the ball all sorts of ways…He has a lot of Tony Romo in his game, and I know New England likes the mental aspect and how he handles himself as a professional.”

Jeff Burton on changes within NASCAR following the return to racing: “Normally, Cup races are relatively long, but this has given the sport an opportunity to look at perhaps some shorter races…Does a shorter race create more excitement, does it create more drama, and put the drivers on an immediate need to be more aggressive?”

Burton on the new NASCAR race schedule: “It’s changed how they are doing things, but I haven’t heard anyone — which is remarkable to me with all the changes, the protocols and all the things to get into the racetrack — who has complained about it. It’s all been positive.”

Burton on drivers who have impressed him since the return: “I think Chase Elliott has run really well, had a chance to win multiple races. Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick…and Alex Bowman. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, it’s been forever since Jimmie Johnson has won a race, but Jimmie Johnson. You’re starting to see him in position to win a race and it wouldn’t surprise me to see Jimmie win a race really, really soon.”

Chris Mullin on the differences between the NBA during the 1980s and 1990s compared to today’s game: “Free agency. There wasn’t as much movement with star players. The core stayed the same, which helped chemistry and teamwork…It was way more physical…The evolution of the game has moved further and further behind the three-point line.”

Chris Mullin on Michael Jordan: “Michael could show up to a practice after golf and dominate.”

Eli Tomac on returning to Supercross competition: “Most of us can rely on our past driving pretty well. The question is if you can go the distance…Within 2-3 days, your brain starts warming up more after you take a few weeks off the motorcycle.”

Tomac on the excitement of Supercross: “How far we jump our motorcycles and the raw competition itself. We have really good energy in our sport from green flag to checkered (flag).”

Tomac on having seven events in under a month to finish the season: “That’s going to be the test for us and we’re going to be at elevation in Salt Lake…Cardio-wise, we’re going to be pushed to the limit…Recovery is going to be key.”

Following are highlights from The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN:

Andy Reid on Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy: “I always knew that he knew everything about everything, so when I had a chance to make him the coordinator, that was an easy decision.”

Reid on his relationship with Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes: “It’s a trust thing…He trusts (me) and Eric (Bieniemy) and (Chiefs QB coach) Mike (Kafka) as teachers, and we trust what he brings us.”

Reid on how Mahomes can improve: “Quarterbacking is like being a farmer. The work is never done. There’s something in the game that you can work on and it’s our responsibility to give him new challenges.”

Mike Zimmer on the NFL season: “We’re preparing like it’s going to be a normal season.”

Zimmer on rookie WR Justin Jefferson: “I think every coach and GM say they were surprised that he was there when we picked him, but we really were this time…We felt like he was really pro-ready as he came in.”

Zimmer on Bill Parcells: “We’re pretty good friends. We talk every Monday morning…He’s a great mentor for me. He’s hard on all of his coaches, but for some reason I think he took a liking to me.”

Zimmer on the proposed fourth-and-15 rule change replacing onside kicks: “I’m against it. I’m a traditionalist. I like football the way it is.”

Zimmer on trading former Vikings WR Stefon Diggs to the Bills: “Buffalo came in and gave us all those picks and we were up against it in the salary cap. We felt like we could save some money and get a bunch of picks. Maybe get a young receiver, like JJ (Justin Jefferson), which we got. I wish him well. He’s a good kid, he worked hard for me.”

Rebecca Lowe on the reaction in the UK of the Premier League’s announced plan to return: “It’s giving everyone an absolutely massive lift at a time, I think, where desperation…was starting to creep in. We need positivity, we need lifting. We can be both concerned, and we can be both very, very clear with making sure all things are in place, but we can also be super happy and super excited…that something we love it is coming back.”

Lowe on the feasibility of the Premier League’s plan to finish the season: “I’m positive [about it], I think it’s feasible.”

Lowe on the PL’s planned resumption date of June 17: “At some point…we’ve got to try and get this thing moving because we haven’t got all the time in the world. There are people relying on this for all sorts of reasons.”

Lowe on the reception to the condensed schedule: “The great thing about human beings is we all adapt. Whether you’re watching it and find it jarring at the beginning, then a few weeks in it becomes the new normal, that’s the same with the players.”

Jim Harbaugh on the University of Michigan’s safety protocols: “There’s a great health system at Michigan, there’s a lot of smart people, and I have confidence that they’re going to give us the right direction. And I think it’s a really important piece, and we’ve done it, is reached out to the parents.”

Harbaugh on the University of Michigan’s approach to playing this season: “We’re respectful of what the doctors are saying, respectful of the virus. Ultimately, we want the health and safety of the guys, the coaches, the staff, everybody — the community — to be the priority.”

Harbaugh on Michigan’s quarterback situation: “That’s to be seen. We’ve got some guys we really love, and they’ve been chomping at the bit.”

–NBC SPORTS–

Today at Noon ET on NBCSN – Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico – Guests Include Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona, Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin, NBC Sports NFL Analyst Chris Simms, NBC Sports Motorsports Commentator Jeff Burton, NBC Sports Premier League Analyst Robbie Earle and Supercross Driver Eli Tomac

Today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN – The Rich Eisen Show – Guests Include Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid, Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer, and Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh

Today at 11 a.m. ET ON NBCSN – NBC Sports Football Flex Features Nos. 38-40 on Chris Simms’ Top 40 Quarterback Countdown

STAMFORD, Conn. – May 28, 2020 – Kansas City Chiefs and Super Bowl-winning head coach Andy Reid, Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer, Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh, Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona, Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin, and NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms highlight today’s guests across Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico and The Rich Eisen Show on NBCSN.

Weekday Lineup on NBCSN (7 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET):

7 a.m. – 9 a.m.	PFT Live (LIVE)
9 a.m. – 11 a.m.	PFT Live
11 a.m. – Noon	NBC Sports Football Flex
Noon – 1 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico (LIVE)
1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	The Rich Eisen Show (LIVE)
3 p.m. – 4 p.m.	Lunch Talk Live with Mike Tirico

 

Lunch Talk Live begins at Noon ET on NBCSN, with Francona, Mullin, Simms, NBC Sports Motorsports commentator Jeff Burton, NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle, and Supercross driver Eli Tomac joining Tirico on today’s episode.

The hour-long show airs weekdays at Noon ET on NBCSN, with an encore at 3 p.m. ET, and streams on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Select content and interviews will additionally be hosted on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel and social media platforms. The full show will also be available on The Mike Tirico Podcast.

Today’s Lunch Talk Live guests, which feature dynamic and cross-sport pairings, include:

• • Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona
  • Basketball Hall of Famer Chris Mullin
  • NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms
  • NBC Sports motorsports commentator Jeff Burton
  • NBC Sports Premier League analyst Robbie Earle
  • Supercross driver and current points leader Eli Tomac

 

The Rich Eisen Show, which will be presented live on NBCSN from Monday through Friday from 1-3 p.m. ET through June 12, follows Lunch Talk Live today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

Today’s guests on The Rich Eisen Show include:

• • Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid
  • Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer
  • Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh

 

At 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports Football Flex, a one-hour show showcasing the most topical news and analysis from NBC Sports’ digital football content, features Nos. 38-40 on Chris Simms’ list of the top 40 NFL quarterbacks. Click here for more information on Simms’ countdown.

“The fact that there might be potential for teams to move around a little bit, that definitely adds a little incentive to the game,” Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper told Tirico yesterday about the NHL’s round robin formatting to determine top seeding in each conference.

Click here for more quotes from yesterday’s shows.

–NBC SPORTS–