00:00Browns have made it official.
00:03Joel Batonio is retiring from the NFL.
00:06This coming out 25 seconds ago.
00:09Joel Batonio making it official, stepping away from the NFL.
00:13The joint with the Browns, he wrote a tremendous piece here.
00:18I'm parsing through it right now on their website,
00:21but after a tremendous career with the Cleveland Browns,
00:25personally for him, he is stepping away from the league.
00:28So, Joel Batonio retiring with the Cleveland Browns.
00:31Before we bring on Dan Wetzel here, your thoughts there, Tone?
00:35Yeah, obviously, there was some speculation as recently as yesterday
00:39on whether or not he would be back, and I'm thinking,
00:42I don't think it's going to go that way.
00:44I thought maybe there was a chance he could come back
00:47if there was an injury to a contender later in the year,
00:51but him making that announcement today, you've got to be at that position.
00:55You've got to be fully all in on something like this,
00:58and obviously, he had been agonizing over this for a long time.
01:01So, wish him the best, and he was an awesome Cleveland Brown
01:04for a very long time.
01:05Big part of some of the better offensive lines we've seen
01:08in recent history, the Browns.
01:10One of my favorite Browns ever.
01:14I've told him before that there have been guys who've walked through the door.
01:19I mean, we've been doing this together with the Browns for 14 years.
01:22There's been guys who have walked through the door that have made it hard.
01:25I like to be a fan and talk about the Browns and be with you doing the show.
01:29I'm not a journalist.
01:30And there's been guys who've made it harder, who've come through.
01:33He is one of the special ones that made it much, much easier.
01:36To be a fan of the team, want the team to do well,
01:39and obviously be able to cover the team.
01:42And he's a tremendous pro.
01:44I think that he could be a Hall of Famer.
01:47I understand that we have plenty of time to talk about that
01:49and the conversation behind that.
01:51But certainly means a lot to a lot of Browns fans out there.
01:55Consummate professional.
01:56And I wish him all the very best in his life's work after this.
02:00Obviously, still a very young man, as most guys are,
02:02who retired from the NFL.
02:04So there's a lot for him to do in life.
02:06And he has every opportunity.
02:08And we wish him every single success from this show.
02:10I'll tell you that right now.
02:11Joel Batonio has just announced his retirement.
02:14Your thoughts on Joel before?
02:17Because I have a thought.
02:19I really hope that a lot of the young guys see the outpouring of support
02:22that's going to come out about Joel Batonio today.
02:25And I have a reason for that coming up at around 926
02:28that I want to tell everybody about.
02:30However, I do want your thoughts on Joel.
02:31Joel was a friend of the show.
02:35Joel still is a friend of the show.
02:37It's not like he died.
02:38Joel is a friend of the show.
02:40I think a friend of a lot of us.
02:41And I look at him, and there's a little bit of both.
02:46I kind of get the same feeling I got with Joe.
02:49That's like, hey, you had this tremendous sterling career,
02:52but there's still that was so left as an organization
02:55that I wish they would have been able to accomplish with you
02:57because you were a consummate professional.
03:00During your time here.
03:01Like, there's been so many guys.
03:03I know we pay attention to a lot of guys through the last 26 years
03:07who are knuckleheads and idiots and morons
03:10and really don't deserve to be in the NFL,
03:12let alone have anybody wear their jersey.
03:14And then I look at a guy like him, Joe, Christian Kirksey,
03:20Denzel Ward someday.
03:22Like, these guys who may very well spend their entire career
03:27with one organization.
03:29It's like, well, they don't have to always be an adversarial relationship
03:33with the fan base, and I think Joel Batonio kind of proves that.
03:36Does he not?
03:36Well, how many guys have we made Hall of Fame cases for since we've been on the air
03:40that have worn a Browns uniform?
03:42And I would love to.
03:42We've made a Hall of Fame case for him.
03:44And the only thing that I think is going to ever hold Joel back
03:47is probably their team's success.
03:49Like, if the Cosmic Tumblers would have clicked in the place
03:54and they were to be a perennial playoff team,
03:58one, if they were really set to go to the playoffs this year
04:01and had none of the craziness ever happen to any of the other things,
04:04I wonder if Joel tries to go one more year, but we don't know that.
04:07I mean, your body tells you when your body tells you.
04:09And I think Joel played 12 years.
04:11That was a fantastic career.
04:12But there's always going to be that conversation, too.
04:14Like, if you go to the playoffs a whole bunch more,
04:17you're a Hall of Famer.
04:19You just are.
04:20As an offensive lineman, it's easier to make that case.
04:23Then you're on national television a lot more.
04:24You've got the best broadcasters bringing you up.
04:27I mean, think about those Dallas Cowboy offensive lines
04:31when John Madden and Pat Summerall were doing their games
04:34and how all of them were getting mentioned time in and time out.
04:37But Tonio, like so many great players on bad teams,
04:42they didn't get that shine.
04:44Because there is.
04:44Like, the Hall of Fame, being from here, I'm very interested in it.
04:47I'm very interested in how they vote for it.
04:50I mean, it's a Hall of Fame.
04:51Famous players, right?
04:53Not just about what you just did on the field, which what he did.
04:55You've got to be Sterling on the field to be there.
04:58But it's also the story that's around it.
05:00Had they been going to the playoffs, it's 11-year vet Joel Batonio,
05:0412-year vet Joel Batonio, going to try to hoist the Lombardi trophy
05:08just once before he calls it a career.
05:10Like, that sticks with the media, that sticks with the voters,
05:13that sticks with the fans, and it's easier to make that case.
05:16However, I mean, you're looking at a guy who definitely goes into the legends,
05:20definitely is welcome back for all the homecomings and everything of that nature.
05:24He's definitely one of the guys that will be at the, if he chooses,
05:28will be at the autograph signings and all those other things
05:31because he was a tremendous, tremendous piece
05:33and a great representative of the organization his entire 12 years here.
05:37So what this does to the offensive line, it,
05:42how many people were actually planning on Joel coming back to the offensive line?
05:46Nobody I knew.
05:47That's why I'm surprised everyone's like, well, now here are the Browns,
05:50we have to mobilize this.
05:51I'm like, did we not all?
05:52I did not think he was coming back.
05:54Yeah, I thought we had kind of written this off a while ago.
05:56I didn't know anything.
05:57It wasn't like I was sitting there like, oh, yeah, I've been texting Joel.
06:00No, I didn't know that.
06:01I'm just pointing out, I did not expect him to be coming back
06:05because right now I think you're looking at Spencer Fano over there at left tackle,
06:08which, by the way, interesting, I heard Nate Tice last week
06:11and he said he doesn't think Spencer Fano is finishing his career at left tackle.
06:16He thinks that because, that sounds almost like a bad thing,
06:20he thinks that because of his versatility,
06:22there's four other places that he can play on the line
06:25that eventually, depending on where their draft takes them,
06:29he actually, people are going to hate this comparison.
06:33Nate actually compared him to Will Campbell in New England.
06:39Now, I understand he got beat up in the Super Bowl.
06:42It was the Super Bowl and he was obviously playing hurt.
06:44All right, let's, he was great throughout most of this last year
06:48until he got banged up.
06:49But he felt that the Patriots' idea was that the end game with Will Campbell
06:53was not left tackle.
06:54It's another spot on the offensive line, maybe at guard.
06:57For Spencer Fano, maybe it ends up being right tackle
07:00by the time it's all said and done for him, not sure.
07:04But either way, he does provide versatility.
07:06Let's see if he can get the left tackle thing down first
07:08before we go down with anything else.
07:09You're looking at Zion Johnson at the left guard spot.
07:13Elton Jenkins has been, I know he's been put in by like our lads
07:17in their depth chart as a starting center.
07:19I would not be surprised, and Nathan said this,
07:23Zagura and a lot of other people said this,
07:24like probably Parker Brailsford could end up getting a real good look
07:29to be your starting center.
07:30I know he's a fifth-round pick, but he might have a real good look
07:33to be your starting center.
07:34I got to say, that's part of the reason.
07:35I don't think it's the end of the world.
07:37You earlier in the show, you kind of brought up how these could be
07:40the biggest weeks of Shador's career.
07:45And I'm like, I can't go there because I actually think he might serve
07:48to benefit by not starting the season as the quarterback.
07:52Because you're talking about putting a fifth-rounder starting
07:55with a whole new offensive line.
07:57How do you think that's going to end in the first four or five weeks?
08:00I don't care who the coach is.
08:02I understand your point.
08:03I don't disagree with your point.
08:04I think it's valid.
08:06But I also think in real time, like the second,
08:09like say they announced Deshaun Watson as a starter,
08:12we're going to be loaded with calls that people want to trade.
08:15Shador Sanders.
08:15Well, that's true.
08:16Shador fans saying, get him out of here.
08:18I'm sick and tired of your franchise.
08:20We've done him wrong two, three years.
08:22You've done him wrong.
08:23I think that you and I.
08:24Even though we're one of the few teams that would give him seven starts
08:27to end the year.
08:27And that's kind of where I'm at.
08:28Like, I hope that the wrong people don't get involved and say,
08:32well, he's got to go.
08:33Like, I hope that doesn't happen.
08:34So I'm trying to think long game here with you.
08:36I think your point is well taken.
08:38I don't disagree.
08:39I think it could be very well a great thing to go, hey,
08:42you got thrust into a situation you were not prepared for.
08:46They did not serve you well last year.
08:48If you're Todd Munkin, you got thrust into a situation.
08:50Now we're going to change the offense on you.
08:52It is not in your best interest to do this.
08:54Like, I think that that might be a great thing.
08:56But, you know, we know a lot that the surrounding media, fans,
09:01whatever, may feel differently about that.
09:03I hope that bad ideas don't happen.
09:05Either way, like Parker Brailsford ends up being,
09:07go back to the offensive line of Joel Petonio.
09:09Brailsford, I think, probably ends up being,
09:10or has a great chance to be your center.
09:12I don't know if he's going to end up being it,
09:13but he has a great chance to be your center.
09:14Tevin Jenkins is in there at guard.
09:19I mean, you've just brought him back.
09:21Who am I thinking?
09:23Zion Johnson.
09:25Hold on.
09:27Titus Howard.
09:29That's the name I was thinking.
09:30I wrote it down, and then I didn't have my papers in front of me.
09:32It's right there.
09:32Titus Howard is your right tackle on the other side.
09:35More than likely.
09:36And what's up with DeJuan Jones?
09:37What are we?
09:38I think he's still coming back from an injury.
09:41Every year.
09:42I understand he's coming back every year.
09:43I think maybe more he could end up being maybe more of a swing tackle.
09:46Because you can't be, you can't really count on him
09:51to do all those things for you,
09:53considering all the injuries that he has had.
09:55And I think, honestly, his replacement at the swing tackle position
09:59could end up being Austin Barber, the kid out of Florida,
10:02if we're going to go that way.
10:03216-474-0092.
10:05I do think, and I wanted to say this to you after this break,
10:08is that I hope some of the young guys on this football team,
10:15the guys who we did, like there's guys who are struggling to make the team.
10:17I'm not talking to them.
10:18They've got to take care of their own business.
10:19They've got to do it.
10:20I'm talking about guys who we could see being on this football team
10:22over the next five to ten years.
10:25Guys that were in the draft last year that we're really excited about.
10:28Guys that could possibly be part of this future.
10:30I hope that they do see the outpouring of support from Browns fans.
10:34Because what makes our city, I'll put Pittsburgh in there,
10:37I'll put Buffalo in there.
10:39What puts big cities, but not big markets,
10:44or I should say big markets, but not necessarily big cities.
10:48What makes them special is that, yeah, if you play in the NFL,
10:51these are usually football areas, and if you play for their football team,
10:55the fans do not have to be adversarial.
10:59There are guys here that they take the fans, and I hate it, but you're right.
11:04Like, they look at us like it is all just one great big conglomeration of fans,
11:09and it doesn't really matter, with the exception of a certain few stadiums,
11:13that 90% of the stadiums, it's just a stadium.
11:17They all look the same.
11:18They all feel the same.
11:19All the fans are the same.
11:20They like you when they like you, and they hate your guts when they're not there,
11:24and they'll hate your guts on the way out.
11:25But you look at a guy like Joel Batonio,
11:27there's going to be an outpouring of support for Joel Batonio,
11:29and there's going to be an outpouring of support for Joel Batonio
11:31for years and years and years and years to come.
11:35He might not be a Hall of Famer because of all the things that we've laid out
11:39for over these last five years, I hate to point it out because it sucks
11:42because the guy just retired.
11:44He may not be a Hall of Famer, but to Browns fans,
11:47he's going to be one of the special players of that era,
11:50and there's not that many.
11:52There's not that many.
11:53It doesn't always have to be we use you up, and that's it.
11:57It doesn't have to be I don't trust these fans, and that's it.
12:02Yeah, you've got to be good.
12:03You've got to put together that effort.
12:05I understand that we're expecting more of you.
12:07And, you know, if somebody shows up late to work at their own job,
12:11no one's showing up and getting on the radio and saying that they need to be cut.
12:14I get all that, but that's part of what you sign up for.
12:17And you look at a guy like Joel Batonio,
12:19there's fewer and far between those guys who are still loved by their fan base
12:23than there have ever been.
12:25And we don't stick around for very long.
12:27So Joel Batonio stays around his entire 12-year career.
12:30You're going to see an outpouring of support,
12:31unlike a lot of guys that you see in the league with this fan base today.
12:35And I just hope that a lot of the young guys on this football team,
12:38who we do hope are here in 10 years giving us their statement
12:41about their time with the Cleveland Browns as they retire,
12:44I hope they see this today.
12:45It can still be a special relationship between a player and a fan base.
12:48Well, you're just seeing fewer and fewer of these,
12:50unless we're talking about even winning teams.
12:52You see guys, look at the 49ers have been a winning team.
12:55Look how many guys have been jettisoned from the 49ers over the years,
12:58and they win more than they lose.
13:00So, you know, you factor that in.
13:03Also, you know, we talk about the window that the Browns had,
13:08you know, from Dorsey.
13:10And, of course, this goes way back.
13:12This was a Ray Farmer pick, right?
13:13Yeah.
13:14But you think about, was he in 2014?
13:17I think it was the same draft as Terrence West, wasn't he?
13:19Yes, it was the same draft as Johnny.
13:22God, I'm getting old.
13:24So, yeah, you think about, just like Njoku just finished his ninth year
13:31in Cleveland.
13:32He was the same draft as Johnny.
13:33And I said, guys don't even get that much time.
13:36That's a long period of time in today, in any sport.
13:39Yeah, and honestly, his career, and I'd love to get Joel on here very soon,
13:44his career was a little touch and go.
13:46I mean, he had the Liz Frank injury that set him back a season.
13:51A little bit of that career was kind of like, well,
13:53is he going to be healthy enough to be able to do it?
13:55Because he was, and by the way, he's one of the few guys,
13:59you don't see the drop-in just play him and then set your watch to him
14:03for the next 10 years, guys, anymore.
14:05Not in this generational offensive lineman.
14:07I think a lot of that has to do with high school and college football coming up.
14:10I don't need to get into that whole diatribe again.
14:12I think everybody's heard me a million times on that.
14:14But, like, Joel was a guy who played tackle in college.
14:17They dropped him in, he played card, and you just set your watch to him
14:21for the rest of his career, with the exception of the injuries
14:23that he dealt with earlier in his career.
14:25But everything else, he was sterling for you for all that time.
14:29And there was a lot of times he had to get his back shot up
14:31and all the other stuff to continue to go out there and play.
14:33So for Joel, I hope that people see, I hope the young guys see
14:37how much of a special relationship this is where, yeah,
14:40they were not always winners.
14:41And they definitely lost more than they won, no fault of Joel's.
14:45But you see how special a guy is to a fan base, like Joel Batonio,
14:51like a couple of these guys have been here over the last 10 years,
14:53who have come back and retired as Browns, you know, Christian Kirksey,
14:57even Richard Higgins, who did not spend a whole lot of time here.
15:00And there's a lot of people who just absolutely love him.
15:02Like, it can be a special relationship.
15:03Like, it can be a special relationship.
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