Number 74

Future Hall of Famer Nick Mangold stops by to talk about #74, BBQ, his work with the Answer the Call Foundation and how he’s dealing with 4 kids under 9-years of age.  We talk about the bumper crop of #74’s in the Hall of Fame, Rudy’s favorite Fast and Furious movie and our distaste for The Blind Side and Rudy. Plus a Hall of Shame that puts all other Hall of Shamer’s to shame and, of course, our #74 Hall of Fame.

Our Guest
Nick Mangold played 11 years at center for the New York Jets.  He was the 29th pick overall in the 2006 NFL Draft and went on to become a 7-time Pro Bowl selection and 3-time All-Pro.  

He was a three-year starter and All-American at Ohio State and won a National Championship with the Buckeyes in 2002. 

Since retiring in 2018, he’s started a line of craft-style BBQ sauces under the Mangold’s 74 BBQ label. A portion of the proceeds benefit the families of New York’s fallen first responders.

0:54 – “It is amazing.”
Tom and Rudy are both stunned at the rich history of #74.

2:21 – “Thank you for having me.”
Nick Mangold gives us the inside story of how he became #74 and talks BBQ and about a career that may make him the 9th #74 in the Pro Football HOF.

10:22 – “Spoiler alert – this is really going to be a lot about football.” 
Tom and Rudy discuss the amazing 8 (count ‘em 8!) #74’s in the HOF including Bob Lilly, Bruce Matthews, Merlin Olsen, Fred Dean, Jimbo Covert, Henry Jordan and Mike McCormack as well as Joe Staley, Paul Gruber (not to be confused with Hans Gruber), Steve Wallace, John Hicks (who finished 2nd in Heisman Trophy voting in 1973) and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (with additional commentary on Rudy’s favorite Fast and Furious movie)

23:54 – “There’s a couple of folks of note in baseball.”
Tom mentions Joe Nathan’s brief flirtation with #74, the fact there are no ABA or NBA players who’ve worn #74 and finally TJ Oshie’s 4-for-6 performance in a shootout with the Russians in the 2014 Olympics (USA! USA! USA!) 

25:16 – “It’s time!”
Screen Stars focuses the spotlight on Quinton Aaron as Michael Oher in 2009’s The Blind Side. Tom and Rudy also discuss their distaste for the movie (and preference for Michael Lewis’ book) before veering into a brief assault on the all-time abomination that is Rudy (the movie, not the co-host).

30:06 – “The Derrick Rose Award goes to Hall of Famer Ron Mix.”
Despite having a super cool nickname, “The Intelligent Assassin”, Ron Mix had his #74 un-retired by the Chargers for coming out of retirement to play for the Raiders and was also disbarred in 2019 for his part in a scheme with former NBA player Kermit Washington.

32:02 – “I think we have a must.”
Rudy issues the call to have Rudy Tomjanovich as a guest so we can talk about Kermit Washington and the movie Rudy.

32:33 – “Ugueth Urbina.”
When you do 7+ years for threatening workers with a machete, the Hall of Shame is your destiny no matter how many games you saved in the big leagues.

33:52 – “One of ‘em I hope never chases anybody with a machete . . .”
The official Heat Check for #74:

Kenley JansenEloy Jimenez (look him up) John Carlson/Madison Bowey Anthony Costanzo

38:01 – “It’s harder than it appears.”
Here’s your all-time greatest #74’s:

Bob LillyBruce MatthewsMerlin Olsen Kenley JansenTJ Oshie (USA! USA! USA!)

Order Nick Mangold’s SeventyFourBBQ sauces HERE.