AI Summary
5 min read"Have you heard about Jared Gate for the New England Patriots?" a caller asks, referencing a turf issue that forced the team to rip out a new field. That kind of minor, off-season drama is the backdrop for a much broader set of complaints on this hour of The Ben Maller Show. Maller weaves together three distinct threads — a veteran cornerback signing, a former executive's rant about player softness, and a change in how TV ratings are counted — to argue that the NFL product is quietly degrading even as its financial numbers inflate.
The Trevon Diggs signing: a glass half empty
The Seattle Seahawks signed cornerback Trevon Diggs to a one-year contract. Diggs, 27, is a two-time Pro Bowl selection who led the NFL with 11 interceptions in 2021. But Maller is unimpressed, framing the move as a desperate patch for a leaky secondary. "Seattle did not sign Trevon Diggs," he says. "They signed the memory of Trevon Diggs." He points to Diggs' recent injury history — a torn left ACL and a banged-up right knee — and notes that last season the cornerback recorded zero interceptions and zero pass breakups. "If Diggs was any more washed up, he would be wearing a shirt that had Tide on it," Maller says. He also mentions attitude issues: Diggs clashed with the Dallas Cowboys over where to rehab.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (03:22) **Seattle Signs Trevon Diggs: Glass Half Full or Half Empty?** - Ben introduces the Seahawks' signing of two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Trevon Diggs to a one-year contract and sets up the debate.
- 2 (12:23) **Gripes Department: Lewis Riddick's Rant on Lazy NFL Players** - Ben reacts to former Eagles executive Lewis Riddick's criticism of players complaining about joint practices and preseason games, echoing Tom Brady's similar comments.
- 3 (17:32) **Nielsen Ratings Change: Enron-Level Accounting for TV** - Ben discusses Nielsen's fourth major ratings methodology change in six years, designed to better count multiple people watching the same program, or "co-viewing."
- 4 (27:43) **Maller Meet and Greet & Listener Calls** - Ben promotes the upcoming Maller Militia meet-and-greet in Las Vegas and takes a series of listener calls and comments.
- 5 (42:04) **Insta Trivia & Mallard of the Third Degree** - Ben presents the instant trivia question about a quarterback with the nicknames "Mr. Biscuit" and "Pretty Boy Assassin."
- 6 Standout Quotes
- 7 (10:19) "So what are the Seahawks doing here? Well, I'll tell you what they're doing. They're running a kissing booth, and they're kissing frogs. That's what they're doing."
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
Ben Maller talks about the Seahawks adding Trevon Diggs to their defensive backfield, former safety Louis Riddick ranting about lazy NFL players, sports TV ratings are being adjusted by Nielsen again, Maller to the Third Degree, and more!
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