El Huddle: Puras Macanas, Preguntas Con Papi , and Danny Trejo Interview!

Published Dec 30, 2022, 12:17 AM

Will Selva and MJ Acosta-Ruiz start the show off breaking down the Derek Carr news and what's going on in Miami. Our hosts debut Puras Macanas, and then are joined by MJ's father for a live Preguntas con Papi. Finally, Danny Trejo stops by to chat his Rams fandom and reenacts an iconic scene with Will!

A Huddle is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. Hello everybody, because it's so very much of the holidays around and you're welcome to a Huddle. I'm doing ACROST the release with myia will Selva joining me as always. How okay, So how was a Christmas? How were the holidays? It was? They did. They were extremely excited right now. They're in the playing with everything that I got mode. So whether it's playing volleyball with the volleyball net, whether being on the trampoline and slam dunking on the hoop, or on the bicycle down the street, around the neighborhood, they're all about it. Also, really key and very important is the last two weeks garbage pickup has been critical. I'm talking recycling bin and garbage bin's huge because with all the boxes, all the wrapping paper, yes, you need a place to put it. So a sigh of relief because I heard the garbage people come and was able to haul out it was literally overflowing. MJ. Yeah, the same thing in my neighborhood. Everyone's like, okay, are they here. Usually there's a little bit of this Dane when you hear like the garbage trucks, right because they're allowed and not this week, come on, keep them pulling through. I know we were talking, but we were talking about your family being in town, and I know that's a big production, and they say, no, not the backups, olibyang. When you know, it's time to worry, right, it's time to get everything cleaned up and everything to the nines. I mean everything was fine, obviously, right. I freaked out because that's my Latina instinct, right, like every crevice of the house has to be dusted and cleaned. And it was great. My parents are so happy. It was the first time that they got to visit our new home, which was a really big deal for my husband and I. But we hadn't really spend the holidays together in many, many years, as you know will in this industry, especially when you cover NFL, you work on the holidays. That's just sort of the price of entry. It's it's our busiest time of the year actually, So it was really nice that my parents sort of left the rest of the fam behind and came to spend it with us since we couldn't go to them. So I wanted everything to be perfect for them because it's a big deal. But it was really different from the like traditional that I've been used to my whole life, where it's all of my fifty seven cousins and all of my deals and thas and everybody's dancing and rating. It was really intimate, just us and my brother here at the house. So it was it was a different year, but it was still just as nice to spend that quality time with them. The older I get, the older they get, um, those moments are are just more and more important each here, so to have them here to give them their gifts, we facetimes my sisters who stayed back in Miami, and we were all able to still be together. In some way. Christmases look different the older you get, you know, so it does. It was just taking in those moments, you know, good, Yeah, taking in those moments, soaking them in. And I know as my kids get older, I am doing just that and being able to hang out with my family, bouncing around seeing everybody, my wife's family of course my family. It's fun for the kids because it feels like they have many Christmases and so yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's a lot of fun. Lots of seas candies. Lots of candy came, lots of cookies, etc. So we had a We had a great holiday, and for me, I think one of the culminations of the holiday is getting a chance to talk to your dad Boppy. We actually have him on this podcast, which is amazing. And oh, by the way, we have actor Danny Trejo as well. Family affair this week it is and we always want to make it seem like it's a family affair here. It doesn't matter who it is, whether it's Tony Gonzalez, whether it is Tom Flores, George Kittle. We want this to be like, you know, familia here we are. We're just kicking at me and you. We talk about our families. We know how important they are, and we'll just keep those family vibes going with Boppy Love Poppy newly retired great. I know he was. I mean, don't don't be surprised if he just stopped popping up more and more because he's looking for a post retirement hobby. He was great. He was a little nervous. I'm not gonna lie, but two guys will hear him. He crushed it. Um, he's a star. We went out yes Kirsten Watson, who of course worked with us at nfl UM he does our international series on Monday Night Football. It was her day and my parents came out with me to go to the party. Cool. They were the stars of the show, of course they would be. They're like, is that baby? I'm like, oh my god, here we go. We look what we did, Look what we started. So he's already signed an autograph to the thinking celseason. It's pretty great. It's awesome. It was fun talking to him again. Danny Treo was hilarious. Lots of stories, lots of Danny now right. I feel it's like he is like cousin Danny. I just wish that we would have had it catered that Danny's tacos. We would have just catered our chat. That would have been the ultimate we're doing. We're absolutely going there as the l Huddle team. Danny doesn't know yet, but we will be showing up us there. Well, we'll make it happen. We'll try to make it happen one of these days. But for right now, well we have to make happen. Is headlines, breaking news, some heavy optics starting in Leslie is MJ The Raiders bent Derek Carr for the last two games of this season. Jared Stidham will start a lot of people speculating that it is a financial move by the team and that Car has played his final game in silver in black. Where do you stand on all this? Look? It runs so much deeper for us, right because we obviously our co worker is big brother Car, David Harker. We get a little even added insight in that aspect into what happens with the Raiders, into how Derek is feeling. But I think Derek has been has worn his heart on his sleeve, especially this season, but throughout his entire career. He's one of those players that gets up on the podium and lays it all out there, takes full accountability. And I don't think that the issues that we've seen with the Raiders land squarely on his should. There's been some issues with fall protection, some offensive hiccups there that have not been great for Derek. For sure. It's not to absolve him of the of the issues he's had on the field as well, but this is the issues the Raiders have had are not all on him. I don't like this particular move, especially when you think of the contract situation. It definitely feels like a business move, and I think I always have to remind myself of that, like this is this is a business. This is a business. At the end of the day, we start to root for guys and for teams and stuff like that, but at the end of the day, there are line items, right, and so when things aren't clicking, front offices have to start to look at that. I don't particularly love this move, but I will say this opens up a whole new world for Derek. Even though we were just talking about it. Well, he wanted to do his entire career with one franchise. That's that's sort of rare in this league. It's rare. He actually mentioned it some months ago that he wanted to stay with the Raiders organization. I know what I've put on film, I know the things that I've been able to accomplish, and I still want more. There's still more and I want to do it here. I don't want to do it anywhere else. I've said it over and over again. I I'd probably quit football if I had to play for somebody else. You know, yikes, Yeah, ouch ouch is right. He said what he said, and he had been with the franchise for nine years. The reality is that he did mean it. He absolutely meant it. He did want to be there, and it was clearly something where he didn't want to be around the team. The team didn't want him to be around because it would have been considered a distraction. I would have liked to have seen him still be on the sidelines, be there with his teammates, because let's be honest, if it was another quarterback who'd done that, we would have been well, wait a second, they're not being a good team to mate, they're not being around. And I understand that he's set. I totally get that, but I think that he didn't do any favors for himself, and I don't think the franchise did any favors as well to this fan base who loved Derek Carr as well. He'd been there, as mentioned, nine years. The reality is they only had one playoff appearance to show for it. Now that being said, he took them to the playoffs, and he did so amiss so much turmoil with the changing of coaches with Henry Ruggs in that situation, certain injuries, they get there, they make the playoffs in totality one time in nine years is just not good enough. So I understand that he led the league in interceptions, and the second half of the season he was not playing particularly well. I just I don't know where he's going to end up. There certainly would be a lot of suitors. I could see a bunch of places saying, hey, let's bring in Derek Carr. Maybe we work out some arrangement with him, short term deal. We have him there. I mean, the Jets could be a possibility. So could you know the Panthers, depending on what they're gonna do at quarterback. But they've got Sam Darnald. There's no shortage of places where he could go. New Orleans. Maybe there's there's so much uncertainty to your point, I don't think it was always on him. The best defense that he had was ranked twentieth during his time, and he did have to deal with some of the injuries that were there. To Darren Waller, to renfro Jacobs, he was left for dead and buried, and then they decided to keep him there, and then he was running the ball with authority and running all over opponents and really produced when they needed him to. I just wonder now what McDaniels is going to do moving forward at the quarterback position, because when he was in Denver, remember he had Jake Cutler, got rid of him, then they got Tim Tebow in there, and now is going to be extra hot on him to produce and to come up with something. Because now if they're saying goodbye to Derek Carr, they better have somebody who's going to be good and who can also convince Davante Adams that he's going to be good. Maybe it's somebody like Tom Brady who comes right Selene, Dion Britney Spears Ushure. Everybody has a residence right there, So maybe that's what Brady comes sex, yes, Adel, so who knows. Well, we'll see what Derek Carr does next. This was a business decision. Again, good guy leader, but they decided the time was right. So it is. It is what it is. The situation in Miami is another one. It is what it is, but it's it's not great, especially for for two a tongue of yoloa. As we've talked about it before with his first concussion. Now he's currently in a concussion protocol again, will not play against the Patriots. And Teddy Bridgewater will start. This is your team. We've talked about that. What do you what do you think? I'm Jay Well, honestly, initially and before we knew that too was concussed. The reaction, I think from almost every Dolphin spence, certainly from mine, it's nice, man. We can't have nice things. We can't really make a strong run for the postseason. The second we or at least that I knew that it was an injury, I don't care about the record, I don't care about anything else. I care about the man and what he's going through. I mean, you remember we were all sick to our stomachs watching him go down in that Thursday night football game with that horrible head injury. I mean, that was one of the scariest things outside of Orienssier that I think we've seen in recent years. And so you have to I think the issue sometimes with this game is that people only see these guys as a jersey, numbers, as a novelty, rights as something who's just out there to entertain that this is a husband, this is a son, this is somebody's someone, right. We love to say when things are going great with a team, Oh, that's my quarterback. If that's how you feel, then you got to back him up when it's the darkest hour. And these things are really freaking scary. Man. So now being a concussion protocol for the second time this season, this is serious and so at this point for me, his health is the top priority. We can continue building this team. We have Tyrek there, we have a Bottle there, the defense is growing, the backfield is strong, that's fine. But if he's not okay, what does any of it matter? So for me, my perspective on this shift that immediately on Monday, once Mike McDaniel said that he was in concussion protocol, that's a scary thought. I'm thinking of the human being of two other man, not to the QB for the Miami Dolphins. So that's where I'm focused on now. If everything else, I think team wise to strong enough offense that if teddy Be goes out there and just does his job, it'll be okay. But um TOA just has to be has to be healthy. So that's that's that's where my concern is for the Dolphins or now, well, I like where your mind is on this, and I throw out this question to you, not to be click baity or to be hot takish. But do you think there is any thought to maybe deciding to walk away and say this is too much for me. Again, I'm throwing it out right. Nobody could blame him if he did. He's a young young man, you know. I mean, this is you've got to think about beyond what you just see on the field. As it is, this is a short lived career, right, but if you're already suffering some of these things, and that's a decision that only he, his health providers, and his family can make. And of course we are not privy to the full extent of it. That's his private situation. We get an injury report, right, we get a status update, and quite frankly, that's all we should be allowed to know. This is his life, and this is his livelihood and his well being. But I wouldn't blame him for a second. I wouldn't. That's a really scary thought. And to know what could potentially be down the line, you know, like that, it's it's a lot and it's heavy. That's a lot to think about at twenty something years old, at any age, but certainly when your career is realistically just getting started. But it's also the game that you've played your entire life up to this point, that you've dedicated yourself too. That's a tremendous wait on somebody, while at the same time you're trying to make sure that you're okay. Oh I can't. Yeah, no, it is. It's an important reminder to people who are listening in that these guys are humans at the end of the day. They aren't just a commodity. They're not just a name or a player on your fantasy team. And for Tua, let's just hope that he is feeling okay. It sounds like at the moment that he'd be missing one game. We'll see if he ends up missing multiple games. On the football side of it, they have lost four straight games and so they need to figure things out as well. I think having and quick and with Bridgewater there, I think that helps out. And they face a Patriots team that has issues of their own on offense, which my mom if she would look at this, and this is my Nicaraguan mom with many sayings, so that's basically saying like oh, Vey, it's like, oh, can you believe it? So my mom has a million and one sayings from Nicaragua that I have heard over the years, not only from her, but her mom, my grandmother Maya. And there is another saying that she says if she thinks something is BS or something ain't right, doesn't pass the smell test, she says essentially saying, ah, that's BS, that's not really true. Come on, give me a break. Nah, no way, I'm not buying it in on that. You know what's funny though, before you even explained that, I was like, I think I can deduce I think most of you out a phrase like this because there's many iterations of it right from read it. That's funny. Okay, So let's go through some of some of these some of the topics going around the league today. There's a few that could definitely qualify as let's see if if you, if you can be proxy for for your mom and getting her headspace. Um, let's start with Mac Jones oh Man in his weekly w EI interview on Block on that Block, involving Eli Apple. Yeah, I think obviously, you know, I went down in front of him to kind of get in the way, to stop him from flowing down. Taekwon, who obviously couldn't make the tackle there, so to kind of went down in front of him and um trying to stop the fast guy and getting to another fast guy so to split seging decision and definitely no intention to hurt anybody on that play or is he being a real real come on, if you look at that play and you look at some others that the internet, as we know is undefeated has shown, they're like three or four other plays like that that he's made. So for people to put in their heads that he's a dirty player, I've seen players on Twitter say, Yep, that's dirty. In my book, Yep, that's yeah. Yikes, McCorkle seems like the way that he talks gee golli whiz. I can't believe that actually happened. No, there was in the NBA John Stockton, who's a Hall of Famer, play for the Utah guys, and people always said, Wow, what a tremendous point guard, the way he distributes the ball, blah blah blah blah blah blah. But the reality is he would throw out that elbow and that forearm all the time when guys are trying to break through screens. This is how it feels like where Mac is like this undercover dirty player and he's getting discovered. Get out of here. Come on, okay, we have another We've got more. Okay, let's go, We've got more. Let's hear from these guys directly. First, Robert Salah talking about Zach Wilson. I mean, the Jets fans were very direct about how they felt about him. Here's what coach has to say. The plan for Zach again, it hasn't changed. I still think he's got a future here. I still think he's going to be a really good quarterback. He just he needs time to just kind of sit back and continue the development that we're trying to rekickstart. If you will, m well, there's a plan the Makanas sure, right, I know what he's trying to say. Because he has to coach all fifty three players. He's still on his roster. They did make the investment in the draft to make him the future of the franchise, but it's just not working out. He looks out of source, does not look comfortable. There is not making good decisions. He's regressed even taking that time off. It seems like he has been humbled from the experience. But the reality is it doesn't matter if it's Chris Traveler or Mike White. The offense just strictly looks better. And let's also keep in mind here that Robert Sala could potentially be coaching for his life because there was a report that you know, the owner wasn't necessarily too hot on Sala. Ye. So to me, this is where ye going back to the Derek Carr discussion, this is where they're looking at an upgrade there in New York. And maybe is Jimmy g because he does have familiarity with Lafleur and with Sala self preservation right now? Well, I think what saw for one we have to understand about Robert is he's very like team. He's a he's a player's coach, right like, he gets in there, he's working out with the guys. He really does nurture these guys. But it's still tough on him when he needs to be um. The interesting thing in here is like, let's not forget this isn't like a super late year decision to sit Zack down. He pulled him last month and put in Mike White and had Mike White not hurt his rib or whatever. I mean. He's a tough guy. We saw him take a lot of freaking hits before he got injured. There, Mike would have still been out there, and I'll never forget we explored every possible option to make sure Mike was still pick out, like ten second opinions, ten opinions on his rib injury. So I think having Zach back out there was more of a we'll crap, Mike really can't get out there, but he will be out there this week, So of course Zach Wilson is back. I don't think they even intended for Zach Wilson to come back at some point this season. Um, whatever the plan is, that progression, that development that Robert Sala wants to see from him did not happen in that short period of time that Mike White was able to start for these guys and got injured. Um, maybe he does have a plan, but I think it is bless tho Zach Wilson's heart. He's not working out this right now is disastrous and can go down as one of the biggest draft bus that we've seen. We'll see, but maybe he has a redemption story. Maybe he is like Gene Love to come back right. So maybe maybe we'll be talking in like three years. Hey, did you see Zach Wilson with the Texans and what he did? Maybe that's what it is. I don't know why I want to say the Texas. Yeah, well the Texas they'll be they'll be picking a quarterback in the draft, but he'll be somewhere and maybe that will be the case, the change of scenery, because as we've seen time and time again, if you are a top five first rounder, somebody will give you an opportunity and you hope he learns and puts it all together at some point. All Right, we have a little bit more a quarterback news Baltimore. I mean, everybody waiting to see Lamar Jackson. So hey, coach Harbaugh, what's the status here? Let's hear from him as far as because of last year how that ended with him not being able to come back from that injury. I mean, are you so optimistic, whether it's this week or that he is going to be able to come back at some point this year? Sure of course, thanks coach, super insightful. Um think that was not convincing from from John Harbaugh. No, that wasn't just yeah, sure of course now, but but it's not like We're saying, hey, you know, coach, do you want cream in your coffee? It's like, yeah, no, sure, of course, you know this is like a big deal. I honestly think it's not. I do think the truth is he is going to play because they are going to be in the playoffs. I think that he's just not going to play in the next two games. I do think that they need him in the playoffs no matter what. Anything is no offense to Snoop Huntley there, but they need Lamar Jackson back. He just brings the dynamic that they don't have as long as he is healthy. And we've mentioned it on this podcast. He just does not have the perimeter weapons. Yeah, he's got Mark Andrews, but again he got Deshaun Jackson and Babe and he missed a lat and Devin du Arnay, great player, but they don't have a receiver one there. And for the playoffs though, I think he's going to be there. He has to be there, and I think they need him. But that contract of his that I think is probably playing a part in this or lack thereof exactly, you know, but maybe he'll be like Floyd Mayweather, you know that meme whors. It's like him that table and it's all stacks of cash. Maybe that is Lamar here looking at this situation. Now you know what I'm talking about. I've seen it a lot. I would love that for him because I think we've been yelling for so long. Pay this man. He's in the contracts, and then he gets hurt this I don't think him being hurt should stop that from happening. Show me the money, show him the money, but I'll take them too if you want to throw some my way to just saying let me yeah, all right, all right. I think that's a very clear way to emphasize and explain food. We got it now now we're rolling. Yeah, every week we got the week a little something that we're like, really coach, really bro especially as we got closer to the postseason. That's great. We still got a lot less coming up here on l Huddle. It's a backt week. Will Yes, we do. We've got Boppy he's gonna be coming on. He's gonna give his takes on games. And then we also have the actor, the entrepreneur, the author known as Danny drey Oh. He is on as well, and we try to recreate a scene from a famous movie. It's all happening, it's all going down on all huddle m J. You know, when we do this podcast, we always want to make people feel welcome, and the way that we do that is by showing a little bit about ourselves, our family life, talking about western familia, right, and that's what always gets us to one of my favorite segments here. It comes Yeah, that is the wonderful voice of Bobby. We talk about them all the time. He guess what it's met, But I make it's that saying what's th show? Half in person? Right? Because well is on zoom but the studio dadd you saw the studio for a little bit. What did you think? So? And Jay? Yes, yes, everyone here takes very good care of me. What my dad is saying. But it's our honor to have you here at the But do we go? We talk about football all the time. WhatsApp before you already know, which is unbelievable. How did you get on on the WhatsApp? I mean it's very common in Dominican Republic. Everybody WhatsApp, right, especially because it's international, so it's like the easiest way for everybody to communicate, not everybody has an iPhone, so it's sort of because we have a family group chat too, and then Dad and I have our chat as well. So you know, I love my mom, but she doesn't even know how to use the remote control. So I'll go, we gotta start. I'll huddle family chat on what. I don't know. That'd be tough. That'd be tough. But you know, I also wanted to tell him as well, doctor Felicie, that is into retimiento. Congratulations on your retirement. Yeah. Yeah, by the way, that's been retired. I don't know, ten days, twelve days, already won golf, already won golfing for the first time. So he's picking up that, which is awesome. Okay, my husband, I'm golfing. He's a natural. So okay, good things to come um too. Qui Faito So Lottle Bills, Los Dolphins? What what? What happened? Why Bills not Dolphins? In the thing is that when I moved to to the United States, I went to New York first in eighteen nineteen eighty seven, and the best football team was the bow because Kelly Waste in nineteen ninety seven. When we moved to Ye, that we went to Miami then and Jay started to follow the Dolphins. The Dolphin then like she was, she leaded for the Dolphin, everything for the Dolphins. But she got about luck that I got it because no, never either, right, you see how months away? Yeah, yeah, it's like doctor I know the best part of this is that he didn't tell me that he was a Bills fan until like a few months ago. All this time, my whole life, I thought he was a Dolphins fan because he cheered for so I guess you cheered for me, not so much for the Dolphins. The thing that the dolphin. It's a little better now, but you know, all the things it was. Yeah, I mean the Bills went through a long time where they were not great. Yeah. When the I called it Alan, I called him Josh, Yes, I called him a young he's out of this world. Yeah, you're right, You're all right. He is human. So so this is one of the questions, one of the preguntas we had for you, Poppy this week. Oh yeah, yeah, what is more likely Do the Bills make the Super Bowl or maybe do the Cowboys make the Super Bowl? What's more likely to happen? Definitely going to the Bowl too, Yeah, more than the Chiefs. They almost even did you see the last year? Yeah, that was the best game of the playoff for sure? Sure, and uh was then Allen Um for me the best right now? Yeah, but definitely the Bill going to Super Bowl because I'm nine percent they're going to oh oh prediction already. So not only are they going to I like it. I like it. That's good. Okay, Yeah, Um, what did you have for Christmas dinner? Well? In your house? Uh, let's see. In our house, really it was um at my um brother and sister in law's house. You know, we had these potatoes with a little bacon on there. We had uh yeah, so we had that. We had some steak as well, we had salad, we had rolls, so very hearty meal. Now, yes, yes, So I was literally in a food coma after I ate and then you're like, oh wait, we have to open up presents, right. It's it's very different like in West at Coultua, you know, we would do is that growing up? But we would go to Mass, then we would eat, and then we would open up the presence and so in other words, we wouldn't go to bed until like at least seven or eight o'clock in the morning the next day the next day, so we would do you know misadi, you know, we would do that and then we we go home, we eat, and then we open up the presence. So literally like the sun would be up and we'd be opening up, you know, the presence, and so, you know, my parents always head plus And then in later years we stopped doing that because we'd be so tired. Christmas Day, we'd be sleeping the whole day. We had like a similar so our no Chebuena used to be at my Madina's house, at my godmother's house, and that's where somebody just sld my dad that they saw his dance moves on Instagram because I was posting pictures of us dance and all that stuff. But it was a party Babby at the house. Y. Yeah, this is the here in New United State, but in Santo Domingo it's Cassie is Saku really? Oh yes, we have to look to the mess of the gay you I mean night, I mean night. Then after night, then we're going back to home to aid them my live party. Yeah, the next day then we opened it, but no, and they came down to this countree yeah, they everything caned. I mean, I'm sure I did Christmas as a baby in Santo Domingo, but I don't remember it. All of my like and stuff are when we were in the US, at least my memory of my recollection. So I didn't even know that that's how they did it. And so you only had one year then, but obviously I didn't remember. But it was just one year, like well I lived three, yeah, and occur, so okay, I don't remember. Yeah, but it's uh, potato salad, Yeah, my mom's potato salad specifically. Now the potato salado seems like that's out of nowhere. No see binos because it's being notings egg. It's but better matter for sure. If Ben says we need to naga r yeah rong ronge not I hope not that. I hope not. But okay, so listen, this year, I was in charge of dinner and it was a big group. You know, it's just my go I mean, I asked my dad moment of truth. I made lasagna. Dad, it's the easiest way to feed everybody. I'm not wow. So I made lasagna the first time, okay, see yeah, the next day went better. It's always better. Don't be telling people I can't cook now. No, honestly, lasagna is always better next day. I think it's great for leftovers, is it? Is it? Here's the thing. I don't like a butcher shop here, Like you know in Miami and in New York, they know where to go to get their meat, to get their pork, to get all this stuff. I don't have that stuff late out for me here. I was nervous. I'm gonna be honest, so I was like, what's the easiest default me? All? I know that we'll feed. Like my brother was there too, like it's a big group. But but yeah, so were you able to enjoy it though? Were you kind of like yeah, hey, you're like trying to smile and try to I mean, we were okay. The way we gather is with food, right, like all Latinos. That's how that's the interaction. That's how you show love. And I wanted to, like, I wanted to make my parents proud. My mom was there and I'm like, I got it. I'll cook the following day. She did cook to be quick. Yesterday she cooked for Monday night football. She made us a great poto salo and we made some mashed potatoes like it was. You know, it's hard because we can't find the traditional like Dominican food here in Los Angeles. So whoever d upout Dominican bodega in La, please tell me where to go, because it's very hard for me to find good plantings, to find to find which is the cheese that you can fry. It's not the same as like chi is very different, So it's hard. It's hard for Dominican girl in La trying exact, trying so hard, but it's tough. I think I have to go. They told me I gotta go to like East La, Okay, Los Angeles. I don't know, you know, I stay right in this area by the coast, so I gotta. Yeah, but there are definitely like Nicaraguan and Salvadorian restaurants too, so there's things that are similar, like like Boo boosas you know, and yeah, and then we'd also eat gotyo bean though, which is great. That was like our own rice and beans. I think we talked about yes, um, so you need to now I remember m jaw this is correct me. If I'm wrong, I think you said in a past podcast episode that was it that your mom or whoever is cooking and they put ching ching. Oh, mommy, we're talking about the measurements when you cook. No wakamunt spoon unching man. Mom confirms, confirms, there isn't no rights as much as as much as your soul tells you ching. Yeah, so as you measure with your eyes the whole time. If you could really cook, you don't need spoons, tea spoons. There's none of that in the Mega Republic. There's none of that. You just know. I love it. And so while your dad is here, m J, why don't we go through some picks. I feel like it's appropriate. Dad, Is that okay? Okay, Mama. Let's start with your team, the Bills and Bengals Monday. You said it's the best game of the week, Gangana, Bill, Yeah, very close. Close. Yeah, then you'll see spread I don't know yet. Yes, three points, it's gonna be a close game for the put put touch down. Then I going to the Bengals better the Joe Burrow one one the spread right now? One point? Bill, that's crazy, Bill. I think the Bengals are dangerous than I think they're the most dangerous team in the NFL right now, with the way that they're playing, and I think they're winning all the games that they need to win. He finally he beat the Patriots, finally beat the Browns. It doesn't matter. Joe Burrow just seems like he's a seasoned veteran out there distributing the ball, and we've talked about it on this podcast, like really just making great decisions. And I think with Josh Allen, I agree he is an alien. But with Josh Allen, how much do you rain him in? Right? He makes so many of these throws yeah, yes, yes. And Sean McDermot when he came out of Good Morning Football, he said that Josh Allen makes a lot of those no no, no, yes, yes yes plays and you have to live and die by that, which is hard. And you know, one of those great plays can either vault them right to the super Bowl or you know, that could be one thing, a critical air that keeps them, that holds them back, right, you know that that's in the big picture though at least. But I think the Bengals, I think they may take this one interesting. All right, Well, I'm very curious because suddenly, and this hurts my soul to talk about the Packers have stunk together through Okay, Randy, we get it, we get it. Um, they played well, They're fair to play better. Right when they got to go up against the Fins, which I thought for sure was going to be a win for the Dolphins. Wrong, so so wrong. You're going up against the Vikings. This is an interesting one because the Vikings are crushing it too. But I feel like now suddenly Rogers is back to his his villain ways. Yeah, and the Vikings they win these close games. I believe they've had eleven one score something of wins third. Yeah, that's an NFL record. I always get people saying to me, they seem so lucky. They always seem so lucky. I don't know. Kirk Couses is playing really well. Justin Jefferson. You know, our colleague Jamie Earle had said that Justin Jefferson probably deserves some consideration for MVP. Oh the way that he's playing. Yeah, so the Dad, the Packers are favored three and a half of the Packers. I see the Viking. You think the Viking? Okay, yes, I like it. I agree, Listen, is that the Pockers they are winning? Okay, but you see the how would they won? That's right, it's something right, right, yeah, it because two will make it the correct it's well for troofing goals for mistake. So you think the Dolphins lost that game, not so much that the I mean, obviously both takes are true, but it was a bigger Dolphins loss than a Packers win. Huh mmmmmmmmm that one. But okay, I'm gonna I'm gonna go with Poppy. I agree. So yeah, yeah, I mean on my work this week because now I can. It'll be a close one. Let's do one more game, dad, Dolphins Patriots. Dolphins have to win. But now two wasn't concussion product exactly? M m in the game, isn't lead right? M M? Yeah, I say it's a Boston yeah, and two us the word to play. No, I doubt it, there's no way. Yeah, yeah, it's highly doubtful. It's no way on the weather, and it's called Bridgewater is going to be likely the starter floor. Then I see the offense, I see the Patriot field. Suppose I know you're not wrong. It's probably is how it's gonna go this It's it's it's tough, it's tough to the Patriots are favored two and a half. Thought on Mac Jones's confiance, saying Mac Jones no, but two us no word game. So it's more so about about the Dolphins offense. Mac Jones dad, You know, I met Mac Jones's dad, Mac Jones's Papa Jones. No. Yeah, he's tall like you. He's a big dude, very funny. He was really really nice. But still I hope the Dolphins were I hope the Dolphins win. Was there any other game you had on your use by with your little eye will um, Yeah, that's that's a wrap. SAT Eagles is interesting. Panthers Bucks, NFC South, Well, yeah, who wins that? Do we think the Panthers can pull it off? If they win out, they make it into the playoffs, and they make the playoffs and they would be hosting a playoff game. So are we are we to assume that Tom Brady can do this all himself? Because I just feel like Tampa Bay is just getting by. I don't feel like they're this incredible juggernaut. They just have felt, you know, sometimes slow, sometimes old, sometimes just not on the same page as we see with Brady. You're going for you, Brady, see but when Yeah, he's not great under pressure. We know that, you know exactly. Yeah, you do my home a knowledge, Gordon, don't be in the mobile quarterback, that's true. Better. No, it's baby, you know I I it's the girl. Okay, okay, it's gonna show you. Listen. I'm still learning Spanish the correct way through all these years. Well, no, me too, because people always say to me you already know that because you speaks Spanish. No no, no, no, we took English in school, right, and we're still learning as we read different things and trying to get smarter, especially sports vernacular in Spanish. Yeah, it's a whole. It's a third language. It is. It's like like quarterback is Mari Campo? Right? But a quarterback? Quarterback? Yeah? Yeah, I mean I'm trying to think. I mean, is that you know? Is it the tight end there? It's like yeah, yeah, no, receivers, I don't know a lot. Yeah. Most people, especially in Latin America, UM, they understand like the English the English words, yeah, yeah, okay, those are good game picks, a good games guys. I like it good, I like and can check those off. Thanks Dad. Welcome into the huddle, Will Silva alongside me, Ermanaprimama, Ja Ruiz and MJ. We have a very special guest, and not just any guests. This is a well known actor who has over four hundred screen credits to his name. He's also an author, he's also an entrepreneur, and he's also a proud dog owner. Let's give a warm l huddle welcome own, but a Danny Drejo. Yeah you're Lane, Yes, you're a proud dog owner. I feel like we just got tougher MJ, because we have Danny here with us. You are proudly wearing your Rams hat right now, and we can make this into a therapy session. My friend, I know this has been a long season for you. Um, how are you doing. I had a coach in high school, a football coach, and his name was Coach Bowers, and he hated me because but because he said, I know, he would say that practice. It's like the harder you practice, the less you get hurt. And I think you know what happened to the Rams. I think you know that super Bowl, it's great, but then they had the Super Bowl, Uh hangover and back and it's like you won the super Bowl and it's like, you know, they you know, everybody started getting hurt. You know, God, my idol. You know Donald, I can't He's a rock. Why do you hurt a rock? You know what I mean? I was I got his picture. Oh my god. But you know it's just like I don't know, It's like and I watched them get hurt, and the injuries are what coach Bowers used to call practice injuries. You know you you you know you got it, you got and so and then the light of the whole series was when uh the quarterback came in the new one, oh the Bakeryfield Baker, and it was like, wow, that was the that was the the you know, the piece to resistances. I'm just winning that game. Let's go now, you know. And then and then so now there's a little hope. But I still love the rent. I used to sneak into the coliseum in nineteen fifty seven. Oh my god, day. Well there was just there was no security. You would just like stay in the bathroom. When a family walked by, you just jumped in there and with the family and everybody was look at that nice white family. They Mexican kid walking, I'm a dog, And it was like that's the way we got in, you know, and and uh we cheered for him all. I've never never lost hope for the Rams. I when they left, I just kind of worried about the point spread. They weren't really my team, but I still loved him. What made you a Rams? Like, can you remember the moment when you said this is my team? Well? You know what I was, you know, born and raised in La and uh, god, I remember going to my first Rams game, and I remember my dad. God, I don't know, I don't know how old I was, but he bought me a Rams helmet, you know. Uh but those days it probably ten bucks, but but maybe and you know he strength for that. So so I think I've just been a Rams fan my whole, even when the Raiders were here, I still I still love the Rams and and uh, all my friends you're you know, wearing the silver and black. You know i'd show up in a Rams that. Well. Were you a friend of of Vince Ferragamo? More? Were you a fan of Roman Gabriel? You know, Merlin Olson, of of Deacon Jones? Like, so, who are your favorite guys? I mean, Eric Dickerson, you know, have you ever you know there was a guy they called the Flying Dutchman. He was amazing to watch him come out and just throw that you know, ninety yard pass and he was the hell Mary guy because he would always shoot that long pass and and uh, you know, I love Eric Dickinson. I mean he was like he was one of my heroes. And uh, Elroy crazy Legs Hurst was he ran like kind of weird, but but he made jugdowns, you know, and did guys like and merl Olson. I mean he was like the king of you. So it's like, like I said, it's like the Rams have just been my team and I've always won. I mean, I kept bet, I've always uh you know, I've always did well with him. You know, last time I spoke to you, Danny, it was right before the Super Bowl and the Ram Broun contention. So everybody we were asking you, and you wholeheartedly without skipping a beer, like the Rams are not just going, they're winning. And I can see the smile on your face when it finally happened you got that picture of Aaron Donald Bart. How much did that mean to you to be able to see if you're in the new stadium. It was amazing. It was just amazing. When when they won the Super Bowl, it was like welcome home, you know, and I really welcome home Los Angeles, you know, and they were just like, I mean, the whole world and the whole all Los Angeles was smiling. Everybody became Rams. People started turning into their Raiders jerseys, you know, and all the diard r Okay, baby, all those all those she got big eyes right here, she's got big eyes right Oh. But uh, you know that's that's my team. That's all hes do it. It's like I can't wait for one of my girls to sing the national anthem for him. Like I started the record label. Oh wait a minute, pot, Yeah, when's when's this gonna happen? Danny? I don't know. I'll have you know, number one RAMS fan, So I'm gonna ask them, because the Rams on the phone right now. I started the label, and uh, everything good has happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else. I started that record label to help this lady I met who was in a battered woman shutter and her daughter wanted to be a singer. So I just okay, well so and we did it. And so we've just been we're just getting ready to sign with Live Nations and go on tours. So wow, I just you know, I just feel like, so feel proud of the two girls that are like just killing it you and so that in my my my restaurants are doing great, and Arry Donald eats in them every once in a while and he hasn't been around lately. And some of the Rams come in, you know, it's like and some of the Lakers. I tell all the Lakers, hey, look in the movies, I'm six foot five. So you guys got to duck down. You know, perception is reality, Danny. But I love that you mentioned the restaurant. You have the trailer tackles um shirt on. I remember covering the Rams when they were still at the coliseum while the so Far was being built, And there was one day in particular in the press box. U catered the press meal more than one game, it was more on one occasion we were like, we were Will and I were just talking about this. Sometimes we go into the stadium, you don't know what it's gonna be, but we saw you and we're like today we were any good. Keeps asking me, what what is your secret? Because we've been opened up six years seven almost seven years. And you know we started with one and just kept building and most restaurants in LA closed the first year. And then what is your secrets? It's like a big it's no secret's good food? You know, I've never heard. I wouldn't ask you out on day and say hey, babe, I want to go out and I know a place where there's really food. It doesn't work that way. Day bress you. I take you to the best mood and then you know, we eat up. We have like gluten free, we have a vegan, we have vegetarian and gluten. I work with autistic children and and and the doctors have told me that kids with our autism don't do well with gluten. So we got a group of tea menu and you had like four or five, six and seven you see parents, there was special needs children. Because mama doesn't have to cook three different meals, you know, as can order or whatever. He wan bide into a cal if he wants to mama's vegetarian. And we got covered all bases. And we did that because of when you wrap a show, you evidently a five or six of you will go to a restaurant inevitably. Oh well, okay, I'll have to sell you know, because so you know, come to trail lead at all. I mean, looking at what you've done to this point, just as an entrepreneur, as we mentioned, Treo's Tacos is doing extremely well. Now you've got a record label that you're running as well. What would you say now to the younger version of you? Because the younger version of you had been through a lot. You were incarcerated, and you dealt with cancer. You've had to survived so many things. And that's why when you first came out, we said we got a little tougher because you come across as this really tough guy, especially on screen, but you are a teddy bear ready to help people out. Would the younger you look at the older you and say, man, you're soft? I mean, come on, man, you know what I had? Guys that I knew that are still in the penitentiary. You know, they're like a seventy years old locked up forever. They write to me and say, hey, man, you know what we knew you were was you know, but that that's with love, you know, and uh, you know what I have to you? People said, what are you sorry? But I think the good Lord, I think I had to go through what I had to go through to get where I'm at, because you know, like when I talked to kids in schools, I walk out on stage, there's it's immediate quiet. And I mean some of the worst schools in LA right right, and they you know, they're not respecting Danny Treo. They want to hear what the guy from conn Air or the guy from Eat if you're Mexican, the guy from Blood and Blood Out, the guy you know though, that guy. They want to hear what those guys have to say. And it's like what idea said, education is the key to anything you want to do and drugs and alcohol will ruin your life. That's my message. And I say it from experience, and I think. I mean, I've had teachers come up with tears in their eyes and say, how do you do it? You know, how do you do it? It's like this class never even quiet, you know, and they listen. But again it's like I've been in their living rooms. I wish more actors would use that platform. But then a while, the actors don't have the history. I I god, you know, so I don't Yeah, I'll say this, Danny, and I'll tell you why. I think it's so impactful, because, especially in the Latino community, with men specifically, there's this there's this persona or this expectation of being macho and what that means, and sometimes it can borderline into toxic behavior. So while most people might see like, oh, I can't say and all this stuff, and yes, that that exists, there's also this other side that says, you can be all of these things and you can still be a kind person, you can still be successful, you can still give back to your community, uh, and you can still be a positive influence for other people regardless of what you've gone through. And so I think that's something that you represent that has made such an impact generation after generation, especially for the Latino community. That what you just said. When I was writing my book, Don Low, one of my best friends who helped me write the book, he said, toxic masculinity. And that's that's my whole family head. We didn't know it. We always we're just you're tough, you're bad, and and everybody in the neighborhood feared us. And but but the the manhood was was toxic, you know, it was it was ended and it came out it is toxic. And uh, I mean, and I sound like a little woose, but I've never heard you. When I was growing out, I never my family talked about I love you or you know, and and and and I chose my uncle Gilbert either drug addict and arm robbert. And one of the reasons, you know, when I would go to my mom and should be on the phone, I go, Mom, Mom's gonna speak quiet on the cold. You see him on the phone, you know. And and okay, so and I go to my dad and said, Harry, I'm one of them. Could you see damn it? And then I would go to my uncle Gilbert, and Gilbert, yeah, hold on, yeah, what do you want me? You know what I mean? And that just that just that time. It's like one of the things I when I talked to parents, time you gotta give him time. And it's like, I think the only one that really had time for me was my uncle Gilbert. Maybe because he didn't work, maybe because he didn't you know, maybe because he was a drug addicant an arm robber. But but still that's what I needed. So when I go to a classroom, I've been to grammar schools and ended up sponsoring kids that say, hey, my dad's prisoning. Hey, we'll call me, you know. And I called from you, Hey, didn't are you doing in school? Good? Good? Good? It's just the time, that's it, you know what. And it was told to me a busy man has time to do everything. And I like that. I got time to do everything, you know. And you've done a lot of things, and for me, one of those things is heat. And you have said before, You've said this before that that movie was a career changer, and that scene with de Niro, the death scene in particular, was one that really puts you on the map. So rather than asking you about what's it like to work with de Niro, what's it like to do that? I thought that you and I could recreate it, Danny. I will play I will play Neil McCauley, and you will play Trey Hoo. All right, Danny, So here you go. So I'm gonna I'm gonna try to do my best Robert de Nira for you. Right, So you got okay, you tell us when to action? Here? Yeah and action? Why did you do it? What happened? Yeah? They kill by Anna she's dead. So it's the guy who stood in for you. What wing grow when grow? Yeah? Wing grow one grow on his own? Oh no, the for the one, the van Zee van Zanne. Are you sure? Yeah? Did you say anything about how we're gonna get out? I don't remember. Come on, come on, my aunt is dead. A call the medic. No, I'm not gonna make it. Don't leave me like this, Holmes, don't leave me like this. Oh yeah, yes, counts. When I said Holmes in that movie, everybody cheered, don't leave me like this, everybody. That's what I hope. That's the word I owe you. That's right, your little we know what was the proudest moment, one of the proud besides my kids. But after we did Machet there and Halloween came by and there'd be a knock on my door. Open it all these little kids dressed like you know what I mean, I'm Chet there all right? You know what I mean. It's like a Mexican superhero, right. That's that was you. Oh, it was like so unbelievably that the wow there, Thank you Jesus. You know, it was just like, well, honestly, I think it's absolutely it matters. Thanks thanks again. Danny really appreciated m J. This has been a pack show, a fun show, and we had Danny, Trail and your dad on the same podcast. We need, I mean, we need to gather them together, side by side, the two of them. Yes, like that would be cold. Yeah, let's go to Trail's time. We have let's we have to rest. That's the rest of the itinerary. While my parents are here, We're going to say, yeah, I have needed some more. I happened to he's got some time. He has some time now so he could do it. Um. So we always finished with bun for me. My bunto is JJ Watt retiring after twelve seasons, seven all Pro selections, three time Defensive Player of the Year. This was an announcement that caught us a little bit off card off guard. Rather, it caught the Cardinals off guard because Cliff Kingsbury said, yeah, I didn't even know that this was happening, but clearly JJ Watt had been thinking about this for a while. He said, as much. My quick experience with JJ Watt, I remember going down to Houston and covering his charity softball game at Minute May Park. There were thirty thousand there and yes for this charity song and former First Lady Barbara Bush, she was in attendant, and this was a fun time, fun night. I remember interviewing him beforehand. Gave him a softball that had the photo of every quarterback in the division and that out laugh and he thought it was funny. And then I said, Okay, well, now let's let's talk some Spanish because I also did this piece in Spanish, and so I taught him some Spanish, told, hey, what do you think about saying this? He says? He said. Initially he's like, I don't know much Spanish. He says, like, dude, I remember him saying, right, perfect, nailed it. Yeah. But then I had him read one of his tweets or taught him how to say it in Spanish, and he was terrific, just like Kittle. You know those guys there, they want to they want to speak Spanish. There's a lot of people who say, hey, Dimon and JJ Watt was one of those people. So it's been fun watching them, and I hope he enjoys the next chapter of his career. So that is my e bundo. I love that low key it's his right, Yeah it is, Yeah, it was really nice to see him on the sideline before that last game with his son and his wife out there. It's a new chapter for him, right. I'm really happy for him as well, and all that he's done, not just on the field, but off of it as well for the NFL has been tremendous to watch. I love it. I think my epondo is almost the opposite of an Epunso we're just getting started right at the end of the year. So many people are on vacation all of this, and meantime we're running with our hair on fire all throughout the UNIFL stetwork because there's so much to do and things only ramp up for us from here to the super Bowl, which is what seven weeks away. That's insane. Yes, that's insane. It's so close, guys. Things are just gonna get spicier and I'm here for it. It's gonna be a crazy ride, but you know what will and I we got you. We got you here on el Huddle. We are just getting things going here. Quite frankly, we're just start finding our rhythm. So thank you too, Randy, Thank you to Jonathan who helped us out behind the scenes here putting this podcast together for you guys. Please like, subscribe, rate it, share it, and tag us on social media. Let us know what you think. Hey, let us know about your holiday too, Um, your fists and how all of that went. Um. We want to know what you have dinner. What are your favorite um dishes that your family makes. That's share it. We need recipes, right, we need to We all need to share in this thing well. As always so great being here with you and sharing this time and these experiences. We will be back next week with another l Huddle Radio adie us. Hey, my name is j You're listening to Huddle with Will and Huddle is a production of the NFL in partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or or wherever you get your podcasts.