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00:00All right. Let's talk about the schedule. You had your chat with the guy with the league, Mike North, last
00:10night, right? What did you learn? Anything good?
00:13Yeah, I think we did learn a few things. I did not know that the 17th game rotation changes home
00:21and away starting in 2029.
00:24So right now, you guys know that the 17th game is based on standings. This year, the Bills will travel
00:30to the same place finisher in the NFC West.
00:34And from 2021, when that started, it was at the NFC East. That's for AFC East teams. At the NFC
00:39East, then it was home against the North, then it was at how it went.
00:43That changes in 29. The NFC East will be the team that hosts the AFC East team. I think I
00:53said that reversed in a minute, but that's the point.
00:54You got it now.
00:55Yeah, that's the point. But I didn't realize that. So you're going to have in 28-29, the AFC will
01:02have two straight years of nine road games and eight home games.
01:05Unless they go to 18 games. But Mike North very much alluded to like they're kind of preparing for that.
01:12Now, he doesn't have a say in that. That's NFLPA and all that kind of stuff, right? And CBA. But
01:17they're very much preparing for that.
01:19So I definitely learned that. Matt Bobay, just to give a little teaser and a bit of a, you know,
01:24to give it away here.
01:25Matt asked Mike a question that I did not think he would answer because he'd say, oh, they're all great.
01:29Matt said, is there a game on the Bills schedule that kind of really is special to you?
01:36Like it could really be something you're looking at and going, yeah, you know what? What are we going to
01:39do with that one?
01:40I thought he'd go, oh, my God, look at the schedule. It's great. He picked one. It was the Green
01:45Bay Packers.
01:47And I'm thinking that's going to be on a marquee type of standalone situation.
01:53That is a road game for the Bills at Green Bay.
01:57Yeah, I love games like that.
01:58Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if it's late year, Black Friday, Christmas, something like that. I just wouldn't be surprised.
02:03Ooh, Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday.
02:05Yep, could be.
02:06Makes sense. I love games like that.
02:08You guys also did talk about the stadium, right, and the impact that the stadium opening, first year of the
02:15stadium, could have.
02:17And again, I know it's all, you know, there's nothing definitive, but just tell us what you think you learned
02:23regarding the Bills going into the first year in a new place.
02:28So Mike's philosophy is, he said, from a league standpoint, the stadium is, of course, a big story up until
02:34kickoff.
02:35Once it's a kickoff, it's a Bills game.
02:37It's not about the stadium.
02:38The stadium is the lead up to the game.
02:41After that, it's about the game.
02:43And he said, and honestly, look at the teams the Bills are playing, and they're the Buffalo Bills with Josh
02:47Allen.
02:47You could put any game there, and it's going to be fine.
02:50And it's going to draw big numbers and ratings because it's the Bills.
02:54And that kind of gets you to a whole number of possibilities.
02:57Now, we did ask him about primetime.
02:59And I believe there was an article recently that Pete Welly had done an interview with the Buffalo News.
03:04And there was something in there about maybe talking with the league about wanting a primetime game to open the
03:09stadium.
03:10And Mike said that conversation was more about operationally, like what's happening, how much time do you need, are you
03:17going to be ready week one, do you need more time?
03:18And that was what they were talking about from that standpoint.
03:22He also mentioned, look, primetime means a lot of things these days.
03:27The number one window for the NFL now is actually 425 on Sunday.
03:32And to the NFL, even though it's not traditional primetime, that's their biggest eyeballs.
03:36That's where they get the most viewership right now.
03:38So that that he said, don't dismiss that possibility.
03:41But what is primetime?
03:42It could be.
03:43And if we do it, he said it could be Sunday night, Monday night.
03:46And then he even said it like this.
03:48He said it could be a Thursday night on Amazon with Ryan Fitzpatrick coming in and tearing it, tearing his
03:52shirt off.
03:52Right.
03:53Like, maybe that's something you want to open the stadium we're talking about.
03:55Yeah.
03:56Yeah.
03:56To open the stadium.
03:57And it doesn't have to be week one.
03:59Like we talked about, it might be.
04:00It could be week two, maybe even week three.
04:03He said not many teams do start on the road two years, two weeks in a row, but it does
04:06happen.
04:06And so, you know, everything's possible.
04:08But I thought the most interesting point was, look, it's about the stadium until the kickoff.
04:14And then it's about the football game.
04:16And any team playing the Bills there is going to fit.
04:18One follow up on the stadium piece of this conversation, Sal.
04:21Did you get the impression from Mike North that the league is generally in touch with teams?
04:29Like, what's your timeline?
04:30How comfortable are you if it's week one?
04:33Does week three make a big difference for you?
04:36Just from a, just finish, everything is done.
04:39Like every last piece of sanding is taken care of and every brick, whatever.
04:45Or like, is that something that as the schedule is being prepared that they have to take into account?
04:51I think so.
04:51Yes.
04:52Now, we also know that, you know, as Pete has said, like there's a punch list that's going to happen
04:56as the, you know, we start the season here.
04:58But it was more of a, yeah, does everything work right?
05:01Are the toilets flushing?
05:02That's what he said.
05:03That was literally his words.
05:04You know, and although, so yes, Bulldog, I do think so.
05:07And it is about being in touch with the team.
05:09But I didn't get the sense that he, I don't think he gave up any vibe to me that that
05:13wouldn't be the case with the Bills.
05:14Like there's going to be events in there beforehand.
05:16They're going to work out whatever they need to work out and they'll be ready to rock and roll.
05:19But sure, they talk with the teams about this.
05:21They also talk with teams about, as you can imagine, availability of stadiums, right?
05:26And not only stadiums, what's happening around that community in certain weekends.
05:31He brought up NASCAR, golf events.
05:34Like, they have to consider that.
05:36And sometimes teams will go, hey, we really don't want to have a game here.
05:40Puts a lot of stress in our community and the traffic and all that.
05:42And you can't please everybody.
05:44Everybody's, you're going to have, you're going to have a million requests.
05:46But you do try to take a lot of those things into consideration.
05:50With Sal Capaccio, do you have a date on this?
05:52Is it, is it May?
05:54When do we get the schedule?
05:55Do you know?
05:56He said May.
05:57Typically, it's the second week usually.
05:59He did actually open the door for it to be after that, like the third week of May.
06:03And he goes, look, we can't, like, drag it into, super into summer.
06:06I'm like, man, what are we doing, right?
06:08Like, but he left that possibility out there that it doesn't have to be the second week of May.
06:12It's, it's, it could be, you know, when they get to it and they feel comfortable with it
06:16and the commissioner signs off on it, then that's when they'll do it.
06:19So, my guess is it will be the second week of May.
06:23But, you know, I guess that would be, like, the 10th through, like, the 17th, somewhere in there, 15th, 16th.
06:28But, um, there's no guarantee.
06:31Currently blocking out the second week of May on my phone calendar.
06:34Make sure I'm available.
06:36That is actually the week I'm going to be on the cruise, the Buffalo Legends cruise that I'm doing
06:39with, like, Thurman and Steve Tasker and those guys.
06:42And actually, I told Mike this in the podcast.
06:44I said, the schedule release is such a big deal.
06:46We're going to do, like, a podcast on the cruise that night to talk about the schedule.
06:49One of those guys has to know something.
06:50Yeah, I feel, I just Googled here because I know I saw something a while ago that indicated
07:00that you're right on track here.
07:02Upfront dates for networks have been announced.
07:05Like, when they start promoting their stuff.
07:08And CBS is April 15th, so that's early.
07:12That's tomorrow.
07:13But everybody else is May that week.
07:15May 11th, May 11th, May 11th, May 12th.
07:18ESPN, Fox, NBC, Amazon.
07:19What are we getting tomorrow, then?
07:21CBS announcing what?
07:22CBS's upfront dates.
07:24I don't know.
07:24Like, where they preview their new shows?
07:27I mean, I don't know.
07:28The NFL schedule typically released during this week in May.
07:31Projected to be Wednesday the 13th.
07:33Okay.
07:34So maybe not a football game tomorrow from CBS?
07:36No, I don't think a football game from CBS.
07:39Sorry.
07:39They don't have any.
07:40They will have their kind of lead up with morning shows revealing certain games like
07:45they've done in the past and things like that.
07:47So no doubt about that.
07:48What was the other thing that I wanted to mention that I kind of learned?
07:51Oh, yeah.
07:51So you guys know that Friday is no longer considered a short week.
07:55So that kind of gives them more flexibility because of all the different ways they have
07:59to imagine the schedule and do all these different things and feed all their partners,
08:01basically.
08:02Like, Fridays now are not considered a short week.
08:05Thursday is.
08:06So teams can play like two Thursday games and a Friday game this year.
08:10Like, you could do that.
08:12Are the Bills, I'm sort of a little bit rusty with this.
08:14Are they definitely not playing abroad?
08:18They are not playing abroad.
08:20Simply not, Mike, because we know all of the teams, but because the Bills are not possible
08:25with the partners of the teams we do know, if that makes sense.
08:28We know all of the home teams and the Bills do not have an away game against any of those
08:34home teams.
08:34Except L.A., which we know is San Francisco in Australia.
08:38That's right.
08:38We know that matchup already.
08:39Yeah, that's the one where this is the second time the Bills will go to L.A. for that extra
08:45game against the NFC.
08:46And that's the point you made about how they're going to flip that.
08:49I mean, I think probably they get to 18 games by then.
08:53But if they don't, then L.A. would come here next time.
08:56Something like that.
08:57It really messes with me.
08:58That's exactly right.
08:59It really messes with me, Sal.
09:00Like, I've always known the schedule format and sports marks the time for me.
09:04So, as weird as it might be, super geek with this, but you put a Bills game in the past
09:10in my head, I can tell you most of the time what year it was.
09:13And the NFC alignment is what makes that possible.
09:16Because it's a four-year rotation.
09:18But now, this will be the sixth year of a wrench being thrown into that.
09:22And I have to go back and like, okay, well, was that that division or was that just that
09:28one game?
09:29And that's why I hate it.
09:32Well, you're like that person that, you're the person who the people like do infomercials
09:38for and say, you know, you have to retrain your brain.
09:39So, pay me a lot of money.
09:40I'll show you how.
09:41I know.
09:42That should be free.
09:44It's so annoying.
09:45It should be, anything like that should be free.
09:47Because who wants to do that?
09:48All right.
09:49Any, we've only got a minute or two here, Sal.
09:51Yeah.
09:51I don't have a draft question ready.
09:53Is there anything new in your brain about the Bills and the draft?
09:56No, I just, I see a lot of, I see a lot of mocking of, you know, Caden McDonald specifically,
10:03but defensive linemen.
10:04And I think that's starting to trend a little bit.
10:06That's where my brain's been.
10:08So, now when I see that, I'm like, oh, maybe I should start going somewhere else.
10:11And I'm thinking about it.
10:12But I've always been, you know, more in that camp of defensive line on where they're going
10:17to go.
10:18I still think, man, it's, if they're going to think about pass rusher, it might really come
10:23down to what they believe in Michael Hoyt, but I could see it.
10:26And I still think wide receivers in the window.
10:28So, I just think that more of the defensive line and, you know, like talk has started to
10:33percolate a little bit later.
10:34Okay.
10:34Week from tomorrow.
10:35Week from Thursday.
10:37Sorry.
10:38Round one of the NFL draft from Pittsburgh.
10:40Sal, thank you.
10:41You got it, guys.
10:42Hey, always game day in Buffalo.
10:43That's where you can find the podcast.
10:45Of course.
10:45Right, right, right.
10:46Thanks.
10:46There's Sal Capaccio on the Western Hotline.
10:48His appearances are always brought to you by New York's Only Outlet Liquor.
10:51When you need to stock up, it's the place to buy.
10:53Case, what's your outlet?
10:55ADP chasing tonight.
10:57Probably no schedule stuff.
11:007.30 on YouTube.
11:01A little early for you.
11:02Yeah, fantasy stuff.
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11:30Well, it's in caps.
11:33I like that my voice cracked there.
11:35I wanted it to.
11:36I shouldn't be mocking you.
11:37I went for it.
11:37You read all that stuff, and I just sit over here and heckle you.
11:40I want to go for it.
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