Joe Thomas Talks Calling First NFL Game, Big Weight Loss, Badger Memories

Joe Thomas (@JoeThomas73) is calling his first game for NFL Network this Saturday at 1pm ET, on a team with Rich Eisen, Nate Burleson, and Melissa Stark for Bucs-Texans. He joins the Glass Half Empty podcast this week:

We discussed:

- How is he preparing for something like being on a live game broadcast? Who is helping him? What teams are he watching to learn from?

- Is Jameis Winston good now? How good?

- The diet and exercise regimen he deployed to lose 50 pounds after retiring from the NFL.

- Do Steve Smith and Michael Irvin, part of the fun NFL Network Thursday Night Football studio show with Thomas and Colleen Wolfe, ever come close to coming to blows off camera?

- Which Browns coach from his tenure there could have succeeded with more time?

- Wisconsin Badger talk: Does the 2006 12-1 football season get lost in the what-if shuffle? Why didn't Brian Calhoun have a big NFL career? Where will Bret Bielema go after sitting under the Bill Belichick learning tree?

- His plea for a sky judge in NFL games.

Hope you enjoy!

Listen and subscribe on iTunes. Previous guests have included Ethan Strauss, Deirdre Fenton, Asaf Peled, Jon Rothstein, Nick Kostos, Logan Paul, Andy Staples, Jenn Decker, Adam Lefkoe, Dan Orlovsky, Adam Amin, Jimmy Traina, Prince & Cecil Fielder, Eric Bischoff, Rob Perez, Conrad Thompson, Bill Pidto, Arash Markazi, BJ Armstrong, Jeff Passan, Pat McAfee, Chris Russo, Nick Friedell & Malika Andrews, Michael Mulvihill, Jeff Goodman, Buster Olney, Kayce Smith, Ryan Ruocco, Patrick Crakes & Bob Seidman, Tim Kurkjian, Matt Vasgersian, Dianna Russini, Albert Breer, Matt Jones, Stugotz, Jorge Sedano, Nancy Faust, Chris & Kyle Long, Lanny Poffo, Greg Norman, Richard Deitsch, and Kevin Negandhi.

And: Tom Haberstroh, Jason Barrett, Steve Levy, Bo Ryan, James Jones, Nate Robinson, Dave Finocchio, David Ortiz, Deandre Hopkins, Lisa Byington, Dave Portnoy, Nick Wright, Darren Rovell, Erika Nardini, Cassidy Hubbarth, Jim Ross, Joel Klatt, Rachel Nichols, Dan Patrick, Brandi Rhodes, Joe Davis, Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas, Bruce Feldman, Aaron Taylor, Josina Anderson, Alexi Lalas, Seth Davis, David Kaplan, Michael McCarthy, Ramona Shelburne, Ira Berkow, Ozzie Smith, Bryan Curtis, Dave Kindred & Michael Kornheiser, Vince Wilfork, Dustin Johnson, Mike Florio, Andy North, Chad Millman, Tracy Wolfson, Ernie Johnson, Grant Hill, Joe Buck, AJ Hawk, Dan Wetzel, Adam Schein, Aaron Nagler, Jeff Van Gundy, Jalen Rose, Kevin Burkhardt, Cari Champion, Scott Van Pelt, Colin Cowherd, Kristine Leahy, Ryan Satin, Big Cat, Woj, Peter King, Urban Meyer, Peter Mehlman, Ahman Green, Michael Wilbon, Kenny Smith, and Dan Le Batard.