- 14 hours ago
ITL debates whether CJ’s physical change translates to performance.
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00:00C.J. Stroud, he's definitely operated differently this offseason
00:05than clearly his rookie offseason.
00:08Even last year, it felt like it was operating just a little bit different.
00:12You can see the work that he's done, if for no other reason
00:15than physically in his body, it shows up.
00:16I think you would ask this.
00:17You would ask, has he slimmed down?
00:18I did, about a week ago, yeah.
00:20And that was just off of getting to see him in some of these pictures
00:24and some of these videos.
00:25It's been confirmed.
00:26He very much has slimmed down.
00:29Obviously, he's gotten his body right.
00:31He's a little bit more defined in some ways as well.
00:35New do?
00:35Yeah, definitely a new do.
00:36That one's one of the things that we talked about at Super Bowl
00:38and a little bit afterwards.
00:39But you can definitely see a physical transformation
00:42for the quarterback of this Houston Texans.
00:44And the question that I have that is really a very personal one for me is,
00:48is this meaningful to you?
00:49Because I've been sitting and thinking about this,
00:51and I see a lot of people in the way that they're having conversations about it.
00:54And I don't know that it hits me in the way that I think that some people are doing.
00:59Now, to be fair, I recognize it's the time of year where we're doing a lot off of workout videos.
01:04Hell, I've been out here drinking the Kool-Aid of,
01:06did you see Tank Dell make that cut in that video with the cones?
01:09I understand that that's what's there for us to consume and talk about.
01:13But how meaningful is it really,
01:15this physical transformation that CJ has undertaken in this important of an offseason that he had?
01:20I actually think it's very meaningful, but I think there's also a caveat here.
01:25I think it's very meaningful because we know he left with his tail between his legs,
01:29you know, figuratively speaking.
01:31We know that he left as, you know, his name was Mud in this town.
01:36You know, that it was an absolute struggle.
01:39Buddy, that's an understatement.
01:40Do you remember those days after the...
01:42I had people that really don't talk football.
01:45Out.
01:45Asking, like, yo, what the hell's happened with CJ Stroud?
01:48Yeah, out on him.
01:49Yeah.
01:49And many still.
01:51Yeah.
01:51A lot of the non-football people are like, man, what's up with y'all quarterback?
01:54Yeah.
01:55Yeah.
01:55So we know what the situation was when he left.
01:58So I think it's...
01:58I appreciate you cleaning that up a little bit.
02:00That was nice.
02:01You didn't say hoes?
02:02I didn't say hoes.
02:03No, you did.
02:03Thanks for that.
02:04Yeah, now I said it.
02:05Front of the hoes.
02:06So here's the thing, and it's going to lead directly to the caveat.
02:10You know, I feel he left like that, so he felt it was important to him to show us something.
02:19You know, all we want to do is just show us something, man.
02:22Show us something that you're approaching it in a different way.
02:25Remember when he had...
02:27Was it two years ago when he did the too many, in some people's view, too many, you know,
02:32podcasts and too many, you know, appearances, and then those were eliminated, right?
02:36He showed us something.
02:38Didn't work out.
02:39In fact, it got worse.
02:40So at least now, he cut his hair, he got in better shape, you know, all indications
02:46are that, and this isn't necessarily showing us, but we're seeing it and hearing it from
02:50other people, you know, working out more diligently and all that.
02:53Also working out with the quarterback coach, who notably is the quarterback coach for Matthew
02:59Stafford, sometimes with Matthew Stafford there, and we know the meaning that Matthew
03:03Stafford has to CJ in particular.
03:04That's one of the guys he models his game after, so it almost feels like a re-attack
03:10attachment to a foundation that he's had, if nothing else.
03:15Hey, you're working out with a dude who was an MVP, right?
03:17Like getting yourself better, and mechanics was something that showed up.
03:20It was one of the things that at least I hypothesized, and I know other people, it's
03:23not like I was the only one who saw this.
03:25Could it be that the mechanics were getting a little off with some of the ways that he
03:28was missing some throws?
03:29I imagine that working with a quarterback coach, which every quarterback will do over the
03:33offseason, but that one in particular helps him get those things back tied in.
03:37I do think that maybe that matters.
03:38And the other thing that we're seeing, he's showed us, new draft pick, calls him right
03:43away.
03:44You know, first call I got, I was surprised, who was it, said I was surprised I saw CJ
03:46Strauss' name pop up, you know, and all that.
03:48So he's, in terms of like just showing us something, I think it's very, very meaningful.
03:52Here's the caveat.
03:53Yes.
03:54What's going to happen when the waters get choppy?
03:56And I've been saying that consistently.
03:58This is where the question originates from, because, I mean, it's better that he got in
04:02shape rather than not being in shape, right?
04:04That is something that is always optimal in a vacuum.
04:07The question I have is, what does that tell me about between the ears?
04:10Because ultimately, I think that that's the question we're having, right?
04:13CJ Stroud, in those games in Pittsburgh and New England, or yeah, in Pittsburgh and New
04:18England, respectively, it wasn't just that he was bad, point blank, period.
04:22It's that it felt like he was making the wrong decisions.
04:25He was forcing things at times.
04:28And that is a between the ears that I don't think is fixed by having, you know, tricep
04:32pulls or whatever, right?
04:33I don't think that that is the speaking to it.
04:35Now, the idea of he is taking this seriously, I mean, I think that that is a demonstration
04:40that shows when you lock in.
04:42It's an effort.
04:42We've all seen this in our lives where we go, okay, I'm going to focus in.
04:45My life is a mess.
04:46I'm going to, you know, work.
04:47I'm going to work on going to the gym three times a week or whatever.
04:49And I'm going to establish this discipline in my life.
04:53And hopefully that translates to the larger form, right?
04:55I do understand that as a concept.
04:58I just don't know, especially at the stakes that we're talking about, that it feels super
05:02meaningful to me in that regard.
05:04I do want to push back on something that I see on the base power text line.
05:07We do appreciate all the texts that come in, mind you.
05:09But somebody said the notable thing for them, and they wanted to qualify that they are a
05:12sports critic, a cynic, rather.
05:14So this comes with that framework.
05:17They say is that it took four until year four, head into year four, that he took this seriously.
05:21I wouldn't agree that that is the perspective here.
05:23You could maybe make the argument that last season, last offseason, he maybe took it too
05:28seriously, ended up with that shoulder injury because he was out here doing too much, throwing
05:32the football, it seems, or whatever.
05:33Maybe you could make that argument.
05:35I wouldn't quite say that.
05:36But this does seem like a different level of lock-in.
05:38I just don't know if that speaks to, hey, we get to these moments where you have to make
05:43the decision of sticking with the plan and making the right decision as the way that they
05:48want you to.
05:49Do you go rogue, or do you do the things that led to the turnovers that ultimately were your
05:53demise?
05:54I don't even think it's necessarily going rogue, because the waters will get choppy.
05:59Even if the defense is consistent, the offense is going to have a learning curve.
06:03There might be some play-calling issues, as we've talked about.
06:06We're not exactly sure how good a play-caller, and others aren't as well.
06:10Of Nick Caley, new quarterback's coach, maybe an injury here or there that puts more pressure
06:15on him, and the offense sort of breaks down or struggles or something.
06:19That's when I want to see a new CJ.
06:21I don't, I mean, I care.
06:23I just said, I think it's meaningful.
06:25I care that he came back and he's coming back in good shape.
06:27You know, he's got all these other things going on that we've talked about.
06:30I think it's meaningful.
06:32But what's more meaningful is what happens when it gets choppy.
06:35You know, that to me is going to be the real tech.
06:38We saw Zion Williamson come back in shape.
06:40You know?
06:41Wow.
06:42I had not considered the CJ Stroud, Zion Williamson connection there.
06:45Thanks for that.
06:46I'm sure there's a lot of people in their cars like, what are you doing right now?
06:49Food!
06:49That's what made me think of it.
06:52One more time for the people, if you don't mind.
06:54Food!
06:55Food addict!
06:56It's just fun.
06:57It's just fun to hear.
06:58But you know what I mean?
06:59It's good.
07:00It's like when you go on a crash diet.
07:02You know?
07:02Hey, look at them.
07:03Look at Bobby.
07:04He's looking really good.
07:05Look at Sally.
07:06She's looking great.
07:07Then they get off that diet because there was a birthday party or a holiday or something.
07:11And then, you know, a month later they're waiting to 50.
07:13You know?
07:13So, it's...
07:16I want to see when you have to respond.
07:19I think I got to the point, too, because we've seen other quarterbacks go through the same thing.
07:22We've seen it every year with Lamar Jackson.
07:24Like, oh, he's jacked this year.
07:27And not saying he had a bad year or anything.
07:29But it's always the same result.
07:31So, I think me personally, I got to a point, I don't let that type of stuff get to me
07:36as much.
07:37Right.
07:37No, fair enough.
07:38And I take you to remember we were talking about the River Oaks Country Club where the Texans had their
07:42charity golf tournament.
07:44Which I think that they got somewhere near $600,000 of investment into their charitable endeavors.
07:51So, salute to the Texans and specifically Cal and Hannah McNair for those efforts there.
07:55But D'Amico Ryans was talking about this thing.
07:58And he said, quote, CJ's done a really good job all offseason.
08:01Just continuing to be locked in.
08:02Continuing to prepare the right way.
08:04CJ, he's been dialed in to our strength sessions, our coaching sessions, and our meetings.
08:09He's been dialed in and very into it.
08:11That's all you can ask from all our guys at this time.
08:13Everybody's looking to grow.
08:14And CJ's doing a great job of growing and learning.
08:16Spending time with Kaylee, with Jerry.
08:18He's doing extra things with his body as well.
08:20Body maintenance.
08:21Proud of the work that he's been putting in right now.
08:23It's only going to help you when it comes time for the season.
08:25And I think maybe the point that I also need to note in talking about the transformation is he is
08:31here.
08:32We've seen him.
08:33And I know that the Texans are really good about dropping some of these videos on social media of the
08:39dudes working out together.
08:41You see him right in there doing that work alongside his guys.
08:44And so, I do think some of the value of him being in the building as well, I think, shows
08:50up.
08:50That would almost show up as more meaningful to me than just the nature of he's been able to have
08:56a transformation in his body.
08:57Absolutely.
08:57Absolutely, 100%.
08:59You know, yes or no, is it meaningful?
09:01Yes.
09:01But there are just, you know, let's see.
09:04Let's see when it goes down the road and things are not always, you know, perfect.
09:08No, for sure.
09:09And I see you on the text line talking about, like, CJ Stroud.
09:12And the conversation of just his general arc to this point, I think it gets oversimplified.
09:17I think that's the point that they're making mention of is, like, oh, your one was good, your two not
09:21so much.
09:21And I am probably one of the people that wants most to be like, all right, but what are we
09:26talking about with an offense that didn't develop,
09:28an offensive line that was clearly very bad and all those.
09:30I think that those things are somewhat understood.
09:32Maybe we don't, you know, there's an attempt at a shorthand so that we don't have to go through the
09:36entirety of that conversation every time that we come to it.
09:38But it is worth mentioning that this is a circumstance where maybe that lock-in also paired with surroundings that
09:46are clearly different in the way that the Texans have built this.
09:49An offensive line that looks like it's at the very least going to be big and beefy, if nothing else.
09:54And then a run game that looks like it's likely going to be more substantial and a pass-catching core
10:00that at least is going to be another year more advanced in the system
10:04and just in the league in general gives him a better leg to stand on with this lock-in.
10:09And maybe that's what makes it meaningful, right?
10:10Maybe it makes it meaningful in that this is going to be the first offseason that you come in where
10:14not only do you have a CJ Stroud who's locked in,
10:16but also you have a circumstance around him that should allow him to be the best version of himself as
10:21well.
10:22So, I don't know, I still have a hard time going,
10:24ooh, I see muscles, that is meaningful for CJ Stroud in particular, but I can understand where people are coming
10:28from.
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