Andy & Ari On3 - The ONE THING Texas needs to fix to win a national title

Episode Date: June 6, 2025

The Texas Longhorns are a team at the top of a lot of people's top 25 lists ahead of the 2025 season. As Steve Sarkisian prepares for his 5th season in Austin, the Longhorns have high hopes. It's a Dear Andy & Ari show, and you guys have some great questions. We start off with a deep dive into Steve Sarkisian's tenure at Texas and how far the program has come. (0:00-4:13) Intro: Dear Andy & Ari Day(4:14-18:17) Steve Sarkisian entering year 5 at Texas(18:18-23:21) How far Texas has come(23:22-31:27) Second Tier Big Ten/SEC teams making the jump?(31:28-37:28) What rivalries are you protecting?(37:29-53:10) Your ideal CFP Format, Ohio State conversation(53:11-58:44) Punishing a team for a weak non-conference schedule?(58:45-1:05:06) Top Books for people new to college football(1:05:07-1:05:56) Conclusion: See you Monday! Watch our show LIVE on YouTube, M-F at 9:30 am et! https://www.youtube.com/@On3sports Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey Interested in partnering with the show? Email [e-mail]  

Welcome to Andy and Ari on three. Happy Friday. And of course, it's a very happy day. Anytime we let you guys roll the show is a dear in your Ari day. And you guys, as always, have incredible questions that got me thinking. One got me diving into the stats. One got me going through my book collection. This is some good stuff, Ari. Yeah, the questions I feel like are getting better every week too. Like it's amazing and our shows are better as a result of it. So I know we say it all the time. I'd like to say it again. Thank you so much for listening. Thank you so much for participating. And my hope is that in doing so you feel a part of this community because it's growing and we are super excited to continue the growth. So thanks for being here. I would argue we have the best college football community. Like we have the smartest chat, the smartest listeners, the best looking, most successful. I mean, it's amazing. So thank you for all that you do. Please tell friends, you know, if they're for college football fans that you have in

your life and, and you think they're, you know, listening to substandard podcasts, tell them where to find us. Tell them to subscribe to the on three YouTube page to subscribe to Andy and Ari on three on all your various podcast platforms and let them know and tell them they can ask these questions and become marginally internet famous for like four minutes as well. Yeah and as you continue to ask questions and we continue to answer them and the show gets bigger you get more and more famous for asking the questions. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy,

but the thing that I do enjoy is, we have created an audience that doesn't take itself too seriously, but at the same time too, knows its stuff. And I think that's kind of how we are, and I feel like that's what we're proud of. So, again, love it. Can I submit a mail-back question right now

that I just thought of? Sure. Can I, can I submit a mail that question right now that I just thought of? Sure. If we, if we took our top 16, well, I guess 13 is the number we'd use. We took our top 13 commenters in the chat. So we're talking about like Willie, Stephen San Antonio, you know, uh, Nathan, like the, the people that are always bringing it every single day. Ferris like.

Could we make them the college football playoff selection committee? I think that I think they make a great one. I think that my number one gripe about the college football committee discourse is that people feel like you need to be some sort of superhuman, person to do it and we've been banging our heads against the table that being smart is great but the data kind of just does the it's like an auto driving car like maybe you want to be in it but like you don't have to drive it i'm dumb but i'm pretty sure i come up with most of the same 16 everybody else would likewise Likewise, and they're probably smarter than us, but I do think that as the show matures too,

the people that we notice in the chat the most should get invites onto the show for a segment to ask us questions about what they're feeling, what they're thinking, what their drive is, and we should give them the attention that they deserve. Nathan, I will say in the chat, who lives, big Nebraska fan lives in Israel has been great. Like you said videos all the time now and I know Nathan's

got a newborn. So it's a little harder to, to shoot those videos now, but I love that. And you, you had a function when you were at the athletic and I think we're going to try to add that for this season where we do a voicemail segment for instant reaction shows. We'll give you a phone number to call and then when a game ends you just you want to vent us, you know, knowing it's going to be on the air, but you go ahead and vent. I think that would be spectacular because it's raw and pure and real. That's the best part about it. So my hope is that we'll get that done because the episode that we did on Sundays back in the day playing those voicemails

was like the perfect way to relive the craziness of the previous day. So yeah, well, anyway, Andy, let's get into it, huh? Super excited to hear these questions and get through them. All right. First one is actually two. I love it when we can combine these because sometimes we get two that are the same and

maybe a different flavor, and sometimes we get a little yin and yang. This is a yin and yang situation. Joe asks, how much credit does Steve Sarkeesian get in college football for the work he's done at Texas? This is probably seeking some praise of Steve Sarkisian. Now we move to Steven San Antonio. No, this is not an arch question. You're welcome.

Maybe it's just me, but I've been surprised by Sark being labeled the offensive genius slash guru with all the very obvious and serious red zone goal line issues they've had. Since Sarkis had the relevant, regardless of who they were playing, the offense marches up and down the field, but once they've hit the red zone of the goal line,

they come to a screeching halt and issues ensue. And in parentheses, I won't mention Ohio State or Red River 2023. I don't know that Sarcas got the appropriate heat for these deficiencies. And had they just been average inside the 20, Texas could have a natty right now. How does he fix these issues that they plagued UT

for multiple seasons with all that high end talent? and why has the media overlooked it when it's of the utmost importance and many in your line of work are picking them to win it all this season? You can't win it all if you can't score a TD when you have to. Alright, so Steve sent me into the stats and he is right. The Texas red zone scoring percentage is not great, Bob. So last year, Texas was great at getting in the red zone. They had 69 red zone attempts, which tied with Indiana for the best or for second best in the country. UNLV had the most. So they're great at getting the ball up and down the field and getting inside the 20. Indiana, and this is another reason why we probably don't praise Kurt Signetti enough, Indiana got the ball into the red zone 69 times and scored 92.8% of the time.

92.8% of the time. 55 of those 69 red zone trips for Indiana ended in touchdowns. That's incredible. That is seven more red zone TDs than the second place team, which was Penn State, which played three more games. So Texas, meanwhile, down the list in terms of red zone scoring percentage. They were at 79%. So not ideal, not what you want. 101st in the country. Now here's what I will say about this though. Steven San Antonio and this is this is my thing with Sarkin. Are you tell me if I'm off base here. Coaches who are good and get close to national titles or get close to, to competing for national titles year over year over year tend to button these things up as they go on.

For example, Kirby smart got things figured out one, two national titles. Ryan day just got things figured out, won two national titles. Ryan Day just got things figured out, won a national title. Maybe it was Joel Klatt arguing with his assistants going, hey, throw it to number four. Whatever it was, they figured it out. Jim Harbaugh, you can insert all your Connor Stallion jokes here, but I would argue that his staff changes and some of the other changes he made

had more to do with it. He figured it out, won a national title. So I think Steve is asking a question wanting us to be overly negative towards Sark. My thing is if Sark gets the red zone stuff figured out, Texas is going to be unstoppable Ari. Yeah, it is interesting to think. That like if somebody would have asked me before. What has before this question? What has stopped Texas from winning a national championship?

I'm not sure my brain would have automatically jumped to they're not good enough in the red zone, but I do think that it's interesting because when you get as close as Texas has been the last few years, um, to winning a national championship, the things that are keeping you from it, the margins become smaller, right? Like, you know, if you're five and five, you know, the red zones, at least if you're concerns, you need to figure out how to get good players. When you get good players, and you got to figure out scheme, then when you figure out scheme, you got to figure out how to max up, like, it gets get good players and you got to figure out scheme. And when you figure out scheme, you got to figure out how to max up.

Like it gets harder and harder. And as you know, it's harder to go from 10 and two to national title at times. And it is to go from six and six to 10 and two, you know? And then once you get to those big time games against teams that you have to play perfect against, well, you have to play perfect to win, right? And all kidding aside,

Texas was a very talented explosive team last year, and I thought they played a very competitive and exciting football game against a team that was frankly more loaded than it was. And at the end of the game, I know that that red zone trip is probably the thing that sticks out, but at the same time, the one play call in particular is the one that sticks out. There was one terrible play call that we've given him, I think we gave him appropriate flak for, you know, and I think it's funny to relitigate that. I think we probably overdid the flak for that play call because it was bad, but like, yeah. And it actually was kind of funny. It was one play call.

The explanation for that terrible call was just the guy that they would have used in that situation was injured and we didn't know it. Like, I just think that like at times, it's easy to become over critical of people who have done a great job. And I think that if you and I went on a high horse about Sark and their red zone percentage, it's like, OK, sorry, he doesn't run the perfect program. You know what I mean? Like yet. Right. And that takes us to the first question.

The one from Joe about how much credit does he get? I think he's getting your question before we get to the first one, Andy. This is important. Okay. How many coaches who are in this rare air of elite with national championship rings in the modern day right now in college football didn't have an incubation period like this. How many people just showed up and started winning national titles and that was it was like Nick Saban the only exception to that. Nick Saban was the head coach at Michigan State for five years and didn't win anything. During the build like Alabama won them pretty quickly here, like under his. Right. But when you think about it, Davos Sweeney took what? Five years, six years, eight years to break through, I think even.

Yeah, it was eight season as the, as a full-time head coach was the first national title. Ryan Day was in year six, I believe. Who else? Kirby Smart was in year six. Year six. Like it takes a minute. So to me, if Marcus Freeman would have just messed around

and won the national title in year three or whatever it was last year, that would have been insane. Like, you mean that? That would have been more insane, because that's year three of Marcus Freeman's head coaching career. Did it for Kirby Smart, who almost won it in year two of his.

Right. And Ryan Day could have won it in year three if they didn't miss a field goal. Like, I mean, but like these games are one in the margins. And if Steve Sarkeesian scores a touchdown instead of taking an eight yard loss on a toss play, then maybe they're the national champions now. Like winning the national championship is really, really hard. And in order to do it, nine times out of ten, maybe not so much in the four-team era, but certainly in the 12 and 16-team era, you're going to have to win in the margins

against really good teams and get some lucky breaks. You don't run a toss when Caleb Downs is on the other team. I think you learned that. That's probably his new rule for life. But that's the way it works now. So to the first part of the question, Andy is I think he's done a tremendous job. And if you think well, and I think you you actually answered the first part of the question with the way you answered the second part of the

question. Like the fact that we're nitpicking him now tells you that he's done a great job at Texas, because when he got to Texas, the problems were so much bigger. They couldn't put people in the NFL. They couldn't win the big 12. Like he's fixed all that. So now we're picking him on the red zone, which they get to a lot, but don't get into the end zone as often as you want. Like I would call that significant progress. Yeah.

Um, also too, um, if you actually think about this stat, it was the 20 years between Vince Young and Bijan Robinson, where the university of Texas did not have a first round offensive player. It's wild. where the University of Texas did not have a first round offensive player. It's wild. And if you think about why that problem or the scope of that problem existed, that's not a two year fix, right?

Considering what they were, they were bringing in and what they were getting in terms of output, like Texas's program felt fundamentally broken four years ago. Like we talked about on the show. No, that's not an understatement Ari. That's exactly right. And remember like back in the old Andy Staple show days, we got into a huge debate. And I don't know if you'll recall this, but I do. Cause I remember how crazy people went.

But you and I had a segment, I think this was in 2020 or 2021 way, way back in the day, debating whether or not Oklahoma or Texas had a higher ceiling. And do you remember when I said Texas had a higher ceiling, how easy everybody went? They were absolutely berserk. And now we're living in times where Texas is a top three program in America and is going to be in the national championship picture every single year. And it like yeah, Sark did that. So like if you want to know how how we think he's done like I don't even know if you can quantify it in a more stark and like and honestly now let me ask you this five years later. Who is a higher ceiling as a program?

You're probably right. It's probably text. Although see here's my thing on Oklahoma is even if Oklahoma's down now they and we've talked about this. They're not gonna be down forever. Like they'll figure it out because they always do. But fundamentally speaking, I remember the debate that the debate was they're in the most advantageous part of the country for talent. They are one of the largest universities in the country. They've got crazy donors. They've got a rich history of caring about football.

All these things, a lot of stuff are true for Oklahoma. But now the discussion about that on the back end, Andy, if you recall, was, well, they're not all pulling in the right direction. They don't know how to develop talent. And this is where we need to praise Sark and also praise Chris Delconte, the athletic director at Texas,

because he's the one that got everybody around the program pulling in the right direction and the change to NIL, I think is what supercharged Texas in terms of roster construction, they were always getting highly ranked players, but now we know they're getting players. Everybody wants because they're willing to pay for players everybody wants. Right. So, you know, the thing that is interesting to me, though, Andy, more than anything, and this isn't a Sark conversation, this is a college football

conversation is how much do the schools that are most effective in deploying an IL capital? how do you judge their coaches properly? Because it's like so easy to say, yeah, well, Sark did all those things. And I'm sure he did. Like we're praising him. But like, yeah, Texas is just getting players that are really good at football at a higher rate. They're also developing them, putting them in the NFL. Like they got Kelvin Banks type recruits at the end of the Mac Brown era, in the Charlie Strong era, in the Tom Herman era.

They got those guys. What they didn't do was turn them into first rounders. And that's what happened to Kelvin Banks. And that's what's going to happen to Colin Simmons. And that's what's going to happen to these other players that are coming through now. And so that's the key difference to me between Sark and the previous era. So to put a bow on it, what problem would you rather have? Not being able to go on the red zone or going 20 years without having an offensive player drafted in the first round of the NFL draft? Yeah, so they fixed, they have fixed the major issues. They are now fine tuning. This is like

you've you've fixed your structural issues at your house. Now you're worried about the shutters. And that's a much, much better place to be. Yeah, the leak in your roof is gone. And now you can put a nice island countertop on there. Yeah. So will they get there? National title this year, If I'm being honest, so like I don't know. It's kind of hard to say probably in May and June. Yeah, they have every every piece of equipment they need to create a beautiful national championship winning home. Yeah, will they get better

in red zone? We will see. I was curious about this because I dug into the stats a little deeper because it was remember they they changeders because Burt Auburn hit the transfer portal after spring practice so I was like okay maybe it was the you know maybe it's a kicking thing but Burt Auburn was actually he was 10 of 11 from inside 39 yards and so 37 is the limit for the red zone like because you add 17, 7 for the distance and 10 for the end zone. So like he was actually fine in kicks. They did from the red zone. He is his issues were for the from distance but they're they're going for it which look when you have a defense as good as theirs going

forward in the red zone is not a terrible strategy on fourth down because you pin your opponent deep and you have a great defense which puts you back in the red zone pretty quickly usually. So all they've got to do is punch a few more in and that's the thing, Steven San Antonio. I think you were looking for us to say, oh, this is definitive proof that Steve Sarkeesian is never going to get it done. I actually look at it the opposite way. It basically means he's got one more thing to tweak before they become a killing machine.

Right. And that could be as soon as this year. So I think that a plus also too. Lastly, remember when he got hired? What everybody said? Yeah, that's so nice. He's now listen, and I think, look, Sark's stuff is very public, so we can talk about it. Yeah, I it's interesting to me evaluating C Sarkisian as a head coach, because I think his Washington and USC tenures,

you have to look at it through the lens of, okay, how much did the drinking affect that? Sure. And now obviously it's a different situation. So clearly he is a better coach than he was in those situations. And. Now you see progress year over year. And I'm just I basically I'm looking at the Texas thing is a completely different coach than the guy who coached Washington in the USA. Absolute because of all that stuff.

Yep, I'm 100% with you. Absolutely. Cause of all that stuff. Yep. I'm a hundred percent with you. I think he gets an eight plus. Yeah. He's done a good job. Now look, we're going to great hard. Like we freaking killed Kirby smart. 2018, 2019, like killed him.

We're like, Kirby's never going to get it. He's just never going to get there. What? Hey, you've got gotta figure out the offense? Well, guess what? They figured it out and they went to national times as a benchmark as a benchmark, though. How long does a coach have to knock on the door and

not get through before you start thinking that? Oh, it's gotta be a while, like, because I go back to when I was it. I go back to when I was young and like Tom Osborne was had that reputation of couldn't break through and Bobby Bowden had that reputation of couldn't break through. And then they did and it was like, oh yeah, these guys were awesome the whole time. Honestly, when you think about all the things that have to go right to win a national championship,

statistically speaking, you should probably only win one out of every 10 years. So if it takes you eight times to try it and you go on the ninth or tenth That's probably right in line with what's normal like in order for everything to break your way to actually go And like the funniest thing about Certain coaches like even Ryan Day just broke through but if the rules didn't change He still wouldn't have been broken through and people would think he's the worst coach in the world if they didn't get the exploded Playoff opportunity right? Yeah, 14 playoff different different. We have a he's being fired right now. Totally different conversation about right exactly so like I just my my my

advice to Texas fans would be this. I know you tasted a national championship in 06. I know you expect to win national championships, but this has been a hell of a ride and you should be enjoying it right now. And I think that the most part they probably are. I think that it's easy to recognize when you see Texas as the number one team in the country coming into the year.

Two years ago, if you put Texas in the top 10, you were a laughing stock. I mean, I put Texas in the top five two years ago and all I heard was, Oh, Texas is perpetually overrated. The sarks never won 10 games. Uh, Texas chokes every year. They lose games. They shouldn't. It's like they've gotten like honestly too, like think about it.

Texas under Sark and Texas over the entire Charlie strong and Tom Herman eras would lose to bad big 12 teams all the time. You want to talk about fixing a problem. They don't lose to teams that they shouldn't lose to anymore. You know, think of a fix that is like, I mean, it just like they've done. Would you say the last time that happened was the Oklahoma game in 2023?

That was a pretty good Oklahoma team won 10 games. I think that they played in a few games on the Big 12 two years ago that they almost lost that it could have occurred but they won. Yeah. But almost losing is so much better than losing. Right, the Malik Murphy Kansas State game.

But they're one back injured. Yeah, they won. Yeah, I don't think we have been positive, could be any more positive about it. And I think that if you're a Texas fan who's frustrated about your team's red zone appearances, you should be because fans are allowed to be upset about the things that upset them.

And you're supposed to react and critique and criticize things that aren't up to snuff. That's your prerogative and I think you should. But I hope that as you type that question, you take a step back, look around and just realize that this isn't Texas of 2019 anymore. And that's a huge, huge step in the right direction. And now they're on the knocking on the door phase.

And when you're on the knocking on the door phase, that means there's a title around the corner. So just. Texas is back, folks. Thanks, Joe Tess. Texas is back, folks. Next up, this question is from Chris. The top of the big 10 and the top of the SEC are stacked. Next up, this question is from Chris. The top of the Big 10 and the top of the SEC are stacked.

Are there any second tier Big 10 or SEC teams you could see making a run next season? For the purpose of the question, I would consider Ohio State, Penn State, Oregon, Michigan, and maybe Indiana. Top tier Big 10 teams, Texas, Georgia, Tennessee, Alabama, LSU, and the SEC. So yeah, I've got a few. Okay. Well, he said, he said, Chris had maybe Indiana. I've said this a few times in the last few weeks. I think ever since we had Clark Brooks on and talk about those, the, the top 100 impact players.

And I realized that Indiana brings back just as many as, as Alabama and Oregon this year. And then we just had that discussion about Indiana in the red zone last year. Like, uh, I I'm fully back on board the Indiana hype train and so like. Indiana and Illinois. I think both of those teams in the big 10 have a chance to be in the playoff hunt and they play each other early in the season and whoever wins that game I think is is going to be the mix. Yeah.

Okay. that game I think is is going to be the mix. Yeah. OK. Teams that make a run. Does that mean make a run in the national title race? Or does that mean make a run in like being really good? Contend for the playoff, potentially make the playoff. Auburn comes to mind for me. Auburn in Florida in the SEC for me Florida come to mind. Yeah,

that's the big 10 graphic back up. I got one more in the big 10. Well Illinois wasn't mentioned was it? I just mentioned Illinois. In his question and I'm trying to think. He mentioned Michigan which I think if Michigan's offense is functional there's a really good chance. But the other one I have in the big 10 is Iowa. Iowa. Mark

pronounced like we don't we don't know because he was hurt in the spring and he's coming off an injury. But if he looks like he looked at South Dakota State, we're talking about the most competent quarterback play Iowa's had since CJ Beathard. Yeah. And look, they got to play Iowa State, the non-conference. That's not going to be easy, but I don't know, River, if we have their schedule, if we can throw it up there, I think it's manageable. If things break their way, that they could be. Potentially a playoff team. Look, they play Indiana, but they get them at home. They have Penn State in Oregon.

But you could lose to Penn State in Oregon if you win the rest of them. And and I was not going to. I might be favored in all the rest of them, depending on how things break. Well, there's two others that come to mind, and I like this one because we're talking about playoff contention. Nebraska.

Their schedule. Is a team that I think it pop. Uh, Washington is a team that no one's talking about, but has a very exciting young quarterback. God, Demond Williams is going to be so very good coach. You didn't forget how to coach. OK, like I know he had. They had a year last year. But you know, he had a pretty good turnaround at Arizona in year two. They're kind of lurking in the shadows. And if you're like looking at teams that conceivably make the playoff, the one thing that stinks about Washington is that they have to play Oregon, Ohio State and Michigan and playing three of the four and it's pretty tough. And then lastly, here's a absolute curveball that will preview a show that

we're going to have for you next week. And it's going to make waves. What if Oklahoma makes the playoff at 9 and 3 next year? Oh, my goodness goodness Ari. 9 and 3 are scheduled. We've shown the Oklahoma schedule. Great. Picket. We've shown the Oklahoma schedule

graphic enough times on this show. Yeah, not as. If you go 9 and 3 against that schedule, there's a really good chance you've beaten two playoff teams still Oklahoma. I don't know what team that opener is. Sorry. Is that Southern Illinois? That is Illinois state, Illinois state. Okay. Got it. I need to work on my logos. Um,

they beat Michigan week two at home. They go on the road beat temple and then they beat a pretty good Auburn team. They beat Ken state and they start off five and Oh, which I don't think is insane to think they play a pretty good Auburn team. They beat Kent State and they start off 5-0, which I don't think is insane to think. They play a good game but lose to Texas, beat South Carolina and Ole Miss, then lose to Tennessee and Alabama or Alabama and LSU and win one of those other games.

They either beat Tennessee and lose to LSU or lose to Tennessee. And you're ignoring that Missouri's to be pretty good this year again, probably like Missouri has just been good the last few years under Eli Drinkwood. So, and they, Missouri has the easiest sec schedule draw. So it's Oklahoma equity in their hard schedule. In my opinion, if they are nine and three at the end of the year, I'll put my stake in the ground and say they will be in the playoff. There's no way they won't

be with that schedule. It's going to depend on the three and what they look like. Did you get just demolished in those three? But even if you did. To your point, Ari. They're gonna they're gonna have wins against teams that probably are going to be either in the playoff line in the playoff line schedule. That to me is an implication that they

will be competitive against anyone. Yeah, it's it's the same. This is the same argument with Florida. We had it last year, even though they weren't. We knew very early they weren't going to get to that that point, but it's the same thing this year with Florida. We had it last year even though they weren't, we knew very early they weren't going to get to that point, but it's the same thing this year with Florida. And yeah, I do think there will be arguments to be made at that point because as you always talk about, the quality

wins will be there. One of these years Texas A&M is going to be awesome and we're not going to see it coming too. Well, I don't know when it's going to happen, but that's the Texas A&M is a good one for this too. Cause like I was in Destin last week and Mike Elko said we're better everywhere. Okay. They went eight and 4 last year. If they go 9 and 3 against this schedule.

They could be in. Man, they're going to get. Well, they're going to get some people fired if they go 9 and 3 against the schedule, that's for sure. But yes, they would be. They would be. I don't know that they very much like going into the Texas game as a as a legitimate playoff contender.

Wish they were a year ago, right? Yeah, if they lost three games, let's just say they lose to Notre Dame LSU in Texas, do they have enough equity with the rest of their schedule to get in? I don't think it's as certain as it is with Oklahoma. It was depend on how good Auburn, Florida and South Carolina and Missouri were in that in that circumstance. Yeah. South Carolina and Missouri were in that, in that circumstance. Yeah.

So that, that's, that's the thing is, is so much is dependent on how all of these, these deals shake out. Cause that could be an impossibly hard schedule. If those teams I just mentioned turn out really good or some of those teams kind of flop and it's like. That wasn't so bad. Yeah. So. I also think Arkansas is not going to be terrible either. Like we just keep assuming they're going to be bad, but I don't. I don't think they're going to be bad. I think they're going to be a tough out like they beat Tennessee last year

and Tennessee made the playoff. Yep. And we didn't say Tennessee who has Joey Aguilar Magic. Joey Aguilar Magic. Who knows? I'm just throwing, I just want River to continue to work with us and I don't want, I just why I got to throw my own. You're just trying to stay on ball Twitter's good side. I know how it is. I know how you operate. Our next question comes from Crawford and it taps into what we talked about on Thursday show. Dear Andy, which football rivalries would you bring back every year like Georgia Auburn and which one would you create?

Georgia Clemson should be every year. Bonus points, which games you would protect at all costs. So this actually taps into a few things we've been talking about. We talked about the USC Notre Dame rivalry on Thursday. Last week, Greg Sankey revealed that they have eight game SEC schedule models that would protect games like Texas, Texas A&M and Tennessee Alabama

and Georgia Auburn, which I think if you're gonna stay at eight, you've Georgia Auburn, which. I think if you're going to stay at eight, you've got to figure that out. Games that should come back. Georgia Auburn and Florida Auburn are two that I think the Auburn fans miss a lot. And I know the Florida fans missed that Auburn rivalry. That was a fun one.

And that was an every year thing until the divisions. Because Auburn and LSU were originally Florida's two permanent West rivals. And then when they went to one permanent West rival, that was the end of the Auburn one. So other ones that you would want to protect or bring back? Bring back. Kansas, Missouri for sure I'd want to protect or bring back? Bring back like Kansas, Missouri for sure.

I'd want to bring back and I think. Either Oklahoma, Nebraska or Colorado, Nebraska. Yeah, Colorado, Nebraska is the one that I. Would like here's the thing too. It's like you want to do the framework of big games that used to be super significant, but also too. It's of added bonus if they're not in the same conference.

Yeah, you know, in most of these cases, that's the significant, but also too, it's an added bonus if they're not in the same conference. Yeah. You know, in most of these cases, that's the case, but like Michigan, Notre Dame is good, but like Colorado, Nebraska, or, you know, Nebraska, Oklahoma would both be good because they're in separate conferences, but I don't know, you know,

as much cross pollination as possible, I guess. The other one that is listed here that I looked up was Ole Miss Memphis. Do you have any recollection of this? I? Mean, they're very close together and they they have played a lot over the years I think they're playing again pretty soon here. Are they playing this see that do they play this season? I don't know if it's a season Yeah, I They are not playing too late in the season, but Pitt Penn State has happened, but I think they should play that game every year and that would be a fun annual game

because for people I actually the big four. Back when these teams were independent, they kind of had an agreement amongst each other to kind of sign players the same way and schedule the same way. So it was Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Penn State, West Virginia. They were the big four. I kind of like to see like a round robin of that.

Yeah, that would be fun. Yeah. So I think about let's see what else would be good to bring back Texas Tech Texas they should play every year. Like that should be well TCU SEC mandated you had to have a non-conference rival to like you know balance out the the Georgia Georgia Tech in South Carolina Clemson and all that. Like if the SEC mandated you had to have it out of conference rival, like wouldn't Texas Tech, Texas be the perfect rivalry?

Or TCU, cause TCU, Texas had a pretty, like TCU had their number for a while there in the last 10 years. Yeah, nice Southwest Conference, big 12 throwback. Yeah. It would be cool if A&M had to play, like in-state schools playing each other from separate conferences

I don't typically South Carolina, North Carolina to decide which is the superior Carolina. Yeah Yeah Houston A&M would be cool. Oh Yeah, that would be great. Now. We're just making it would be great. Like that would be cool Houston A&M or Houston LSU either one. Yeah But like that would be cool. Houston AM or Houston LSU, either one. Yeah. So there's a lot of fun things you could do.

Stay for UCLA. Bring it back. Yes, now. Right, right, right. Cal U, well Cal UCLA. Like the two great academic state schools that now don't play anymore because they're not in the same conference,

that would be a good one. Anything that we could do to preserve the Pac-12 spirit I'm in favor of. Yeah, yeah. Like I'm very glad that Oregon and Oregon State and Washington and Washington State figured their stuff out and made sure they kept playing. Like, and that's what,

it's funny because the rest of the Big Ten can't even fathom How that works? Wait You just scheduled them every year like how do you do that? What is this? Yeah? So yeah, I think well I guess USC does that with Notre Dame, but they're trying to not do it So I don't even want to think about that anymore I know it. It got frustrating talking about it and then looking in the chat and seeing people just being willfully ignorant

about it. Yeah, it's insanity. Like just because it's your favorite school. Like pretend it's not USC doing this. Pretend it was South Carolina trying to get out of the Clemson rivalry. So pretend it's another USC doing it. How would you feel about it? You'd think it was stupid. So I agree. Yeah. Another instance of not being able to see reality because you're blinded by your own personal interests. Yeah, yeah, just because your favorite team says this is what they want to do doesn't mean it. You should have to like it like you have to agree with it. Even I feel like they have to agree. Yeah, no, like you can be like this is dumb and there are to be fair. There are USC fans and I guess major donors

who are saying this is no no this is This needs to happen. We need to keep playing this game. So, yep next question from Kayden I Like Josh Pate's playoff format where the two and three seed in the conference play for the second auto bid and the first place Team in the regular season is automatically in what would you guys ideal playoff format look like? Well, I I think that's maybe a little bit cribbed from Tony Petiti's play in game idea which we had Joel clad on the show what earlier this year and and he he broke that all down which it was it was definitely a product of Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petiti's

brain this this sort of idea these play in games my think about the playing games while I do think they would be a whole lot of fun like if the SEC did did 3 versus 6 and 4 versus 5 or whatever it is that they had auto bids it's just too hard to explain and you can have fun games in other ways like there are other ways to make fun games so I don So I don't want them to do that because it's too confusing to explain to people when you're trying to grow the sport. And there's just an easier, more common sense way to do it. Like we talked about this last week

when we talked about Lane Kiffin saying, why not just do best 16? Like if you're gonna do a 16 team tournament don't do the stupid double buys do a 16 or a basic 16 team bracket one plays 16 two plays 15 three plays 14 your reward for having the best record or being the highest seed is you get to play the lowest seed like that's your reward. Enough of this other crap. And then that way. The conference championship games means something more because

you're trying to win the conference championship one which matters and two you're trying to get the higher seed which allows you to play the lower seat. It doesn't have to be more complicated than that. So he asked what your ideal one is. What's your ideal playoff because I know it is if it has to be 16. than that. So he asked what your ideal one is. What's your ideal playoff? Cause I know mine is if it has to be 16, that's it. Oh, it has to be 16 then that's it doesn't have to be. So you can make it whatever you want.

Yeah, my ideal playoff would be 8. Automatic entry for the conference championship games winners, conference champions, and then an at large of four that mirrored the 14 playoff. So you have to leave it out the group of five, you're just ignoring them. Group of five would be in the at large conversation. Okay, which would be far more easy to get into than the when it was

only four. If you had to four conference champ and then you had four leftovers. Right now, you know, that gives me pause though, is that the conferences don't make sense, which makes like, maybe that's perfect, like five years ago. And now that the conferences don't make sense, that's impossible. But for me, I feel like if we could get to a place where we had good regular season games, regular season games still mattered. You rewarded the conference champions with an automatic. So you made the race, you know, mean something. And then that had a committee to debate

which four would get in that didn't automatically qualify. So you could preserve, you could preserve that aspect of it, which is who's in and who's out, which I think is amazing. Like, I don't know why anybody would ever want to change that. That's the best thing in the world. Um, you would get player way in. If you're in a power conference, you control your own destiny. No matter what, no one can tell you any otherwise. Then if you have a good draw and your schedule is easier, as long as you

win your conference, you can do it. And then you have the four best teams that people feel like. We're non-conference champs that they could vote in, which I think would be great and it would also minimize the field and in a given year, eight would people feel like were non-conference champs that they could vote in, which I think would be great. And it would also minimize the field. And in a given year, eight would be enough teams, probably, to figure out one of those eight would probably win the national title in most years anyway. And then that would give the group of five an extra way to get in as well without guaranteeing it. Because I personally feel like the group of five has great teams.

But I also feel like Boise might have gotten in one of the at large spots last year. It would have well, not even a debate. I think they were the number nine team in the rankings. At the same time, if they didn't, we knew what happened. Like we know what's going on. Like you don't have to pretend like you know how I am. I may I annoy people, but we didn't need the extra context in the first round this year to figure out who is better than the others like so like it's.

I would I would go the time taking out the possibility to play in games. I think I'm fine with my being 16 because if you actually look at what the matchups would have been. In a just straight on 16 team playoff last year. There are some bangers in the first round. Yeah, and you would have gotten you would. There are some bangers in the first round. Yeah, and you would have gotten. You would have gotten some good bangers in the first round, but you also would have done is gotten to the same point

that you would have automatically gotten. So like I'm that's fine. But then I got to see those games because now I think there are other years where it would not work out this way. But like Georgia, South Carolina was a game. We did not get in the SEC season. And I feel Ole Miss, Tennessee, Ole Miss, Texas was a game we didn't get in the SEC season. Like they would have been good games. I am as entertained by college football playoff discourse on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as I am sometimes of the games actually being

played. And I think that of the games actually being played. And I think that might just be a personal preference. So I don't want to convince you guys of that. If you don't like it, that's your prerogative, but like I enjoy the who's in and who's out discussion. I enjoy comparing resumes. I enjoy that aspect of it. So I feel like the further down the line, you want a tighter field to get a more stakes on tighter field to maintain. Regular season integrity into demand excellence while also creating some

16 of 136. Because that's still the most exclusive postseason in major American sports is fine. I know, but of the 100 of the 16 of the 130 or whatever it is like you cut off the bottom 70. They're not even of the hundred of the 16 of the 130 or whatever it is, like you're cut off the bottom 70. They're not even in the discussion. Like, so it's, it's still like not like that number is like use still more exclusive group.

Ari. Okay. I know. But like you're using 66 teams, 16 of 66. When the model is the most exclusive ball and make that the total teams, there are how many professional teams they all have three triple A, double A, and single A. Let's add those in too. And is it the same? But it's not. They're not eligible for the championship. Yeah.

But I think that's a deceiving and bad faith argument. It's not. That's in my opinion. It's just math. It's the most exclusive. Even if you drop it to just the power conferences, it's still the most exclusive. Yeah. Hey, I'm just telling you what I like. They asked me what I would prefer. That's what I would prefer. So I'm telling you what I like. And I think you would actually use less fun than mine. You go back in time and remember that the regular season game was just the playoff from start to finish because all those games mattered During that time and they still matter

To a much less degree, but yes Yes, but they don't have to matter as much to matter as long as they matter. It's fun to watch so The foot now you get too big in the playoff. Yes, you do make it where they don't matter at all. And then that's that's no fun. But here's the thing, though, and I figured this out when I was doing my exercise of the college football bracket. I'm sure you figured it out, too, doing yours. There are so many frickin rematches in this thing.

And when you have the rematches, what I don't mind rematches I know but what I'm saying though is if you just treat the initial matchup as the playoff game you get the game still Like everybody always says like what it but it's for games. Okay, but it is here. Here's here's here's my question let's say you go to a restaurant and you have an incredible dish and Then the owner restaurant comes out and says you want another one. I'm sorry, the rules say you can't have this again for another year.

That's what it sounds like in my household, actually. Was that your wife? Yeah. Then I may have given you a bad example then. But no, I would like to be able to have that dish twice a year if it was that excellent the first time. What if the dish was $15 and every single time you eat it, you like something bad happened

or like something changes in your life that you don't like. This is like the monkey's. No, I'm just trying to think like you did. I'm trying to think like if what what could get systematically worse as a result of eating it a lot? Well, it becomes less special. So if you eat it every night, it's not special.

If you eat it every week, it's not special. If you eat it once a month, it's probably not special. If you eat it twice a year, it's probably still special Three times a year less special. I'm not saying the games aren't fun I'm just saying we get the games and by and large and I think that the Exclusivity of the playoff and how many times these teams play in extra games is all a fugazi It's all like they're packaging it up and lying to you about what you're getting and you're not actually getting out lying

They're telling you you just have to choose like if you like the old stupid way they determine a national champion That's your prerogative. I've been called an Ohio State homer since I became national for five straight years Can I tell you a little deep secret? Yeah Yeah. I was state one national championship last year. Whisper that louder. I don't think the people heard you. I resent that Ohio State won the national championship last year because I feel like they earned it obviously and they should celebrate it and they won within the confine of the rules. But a

true diehard Ohio State fan knows. He lost. To the team that mattered and like a true Michigan fan knows that. And they don't even doesn't give a crap. They're just like what national title? No, I know. And of course they should. I'm just saying like that and look, I was on a team that played a rematch to win a national championship and the Florida State fans

were all like yeah but you lost in Tallahassee and I'm like yeah and maybe don't lose by 32 in the rematch and you don't have to cry about it yeah no I just it's not even like an Ohio State attack it's just like in general like you had certain viewpoints of what you had to do to be a national champion in the past and those don't exist anymore. And pretending like there's no cost to this is just insane to me. That's all. You're the cost. You're never going to change my mind about that. You don't actually take anything out of your wallet. Yeah, like losing to Michigan. Woo, like that, that sucks to me. Like that's, you know, hey, listen, we'll always have that video we did on the

side of the road and gosh, I know. But Ohio state fans aren't, shouldn't be celebrating and going, whoop the year they lost to Michigan any more than they would want Michigan to be able to celebrate after they beat them. Like it's like, that's the, it's the whole thing for Michigan. The same way. The reason why the rivalry is But it can happen for Michigan the same way. The reason why the rivalry is what it is is because it crushed you.

Like that's why people care so much. Or because the states are right next to each other in the same conference and they hate each other. Do you think that like if in 1960 or like during the 10 year war, if like losing the game didn't stop you from winning a national championship that the rivalry would be nearly as

bitter as it is now. I think that like, it's pretty better stakes and the heartbreak and the trauma that you have to live through in order to survive that rivalry. That's what makes it the rivalry making like if we if we were to look to our right on our screens and look, look at the chat. There are Ohio State fans and Michigan fans yelling at each other still, and the Michigan fans are reminding the Ohio State fans who won, and that they lost, and that they didn't

win a true national championship. Michigan fans are saying to Ohio State fans, we beat you, go celebrate your national championship. But we won while dead inside and Ohio State fans are saying back to Michigan fans. Who cares? We won the Natty while dead in the Ohio State fans are saying Connor Stallions, Connor Stallions, Connor Stallions.

That's what everybody is saying stuff to enrage their opponents while also if they looked into the depth of their soul and acknowledged what happened are both upset about it. But you're saying it cost something in the rivalry and I'm telling you right now as we sit here on June 6th and people are currently arguing about Ohio State versus Michigan that they are disproving your theory. I don't know man. I know this is my again we're talking myving your theory. I don't know, man. I know this is my again, we're talking my personal preference

here. You don't have to agree with me. My personal preferences that you that that war is D day. That's a war day. And if you don't win, you die. Like that's that's it. And that's the way I like it. And you don't have to agree again, but that's my preference in college football. But it is bizarre nobody's going to show up for that game this year. Ohio State's doing the Oprah Winfrey like talk show tour right now because they won the national title while also like not having solved the biggest issue their program was facing which is beating their rival. Like it's crazy to me because that is what you want and you at least acknowledge it's crazy to me. Is that is what you want?

Can you at least acknowledge it's kind of weird? I think it's funny. It doesn't bother me the way it bothers you like. I just think it's hilarious that because these people will never stop arguing about this game. No matter what you do. They'll never stop, about this game No matter what you do They'll never stop but you know that like deep in the soul of a Michigan fan They are hurt that Ohio State was still able to win the national title and you know deep in the soul of an Ohio State

Van that they are still disgusted I think if Michigan hadn't won the national title the year before I would agree with you on that But I think I think the Michigan fans because they did beat Ohio State and win the national title the year before and then beat them again with it with what was not a very good Michigan team. I think they're fine about it. I don't think it hurts their soul one bit that Ohio State won the national title. I think it hurts their soul deeply. No, chat. Every year, as you know, in college football, what happened last year is the only thing that's happened. year. You know, what happened last year is the only thing that's happened.

And Michigan got the ultimate taste of victory in a one of the most thrilling and unbelievable upsets in the history of the rivalry. And it did nothing to stop the team that they beat from winning the national title. That sucks. I mean, there was a solid month of would Ryan Day get fired over it. So I know I don't think it gave us a hell of a talk about so Hannibal Lecter walking into the crowd at the end of Silence of the Lambs though. I mean like it's like it's OK. He's fine. Meeting a friend for dinner. And that's the thing too. And it's like you don't like me saying what I'm saying isn't like a Ryan Day

shouldn't be celebrating in Ohio State shouldn't be so of course you should you won the national title. Like you were the best team in college football last year without question. But my preference and then we'll move on is that when you lose the games, you can't lose. Then that stops you from doing that. That's all the games you can't lose at the playoff games because then you're done. Right. Right. So don't say that and then act like the regular season hasn't been damaged and that we agree. Okay, go ahead From az panther as i'm here in mexico sipping margaretas on vacation and listening to the podcast in a swim up pool Which by the way, it sounds like the the very best way to consume our content

Seriously, I was wondering do you think the committee will ever punish a big tenor SEC school for playing a truly horrible non-conference schedule? Okay, I think they were about to do that. If Indiana had slipped up, you absolutely would have seen them get punished. That a 10 and two Indiana was going to finish behind. A three loss, Alabama. What happened?

Andy. I don't think the college football Playoff Committee draws a line in the sand when they're in there that says is this game a conference game or is it not? I think what they do is they look at the grand total of what you play. You play good games or not? Yeah.

Cause if you play a bad non-conference schedule, but you then you play nine really hard. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And what you played in the non-conferences of no consequence. And if you play an easy schedule in the conference, but you beat somebody big in the non-con, then you are forgiven for that.

What I think that this is, this is what I was getting into with the, the Texas tech discussion yesterday. Like if you're worried that the, as Joe, if you're Joey McGuire and you're worried that the Big 12 is considered inferior to the Big 10 and the SEC, well, you have three opportunities

to change that perception by trying to play those teams. So it all balances out, but you're right. Like if you get an incredibly hard draw in the Big 10 and the SEC, it really doesn't matter who you play in the non conference. Nobody's ever going to be punished specifically for not playing a hard enough non conference schedule, but people will be left out because their strength of schedule numbers were bad. They had fewer

opportunities to acquire quality wins and thus the resume will be weaker at the end of the year. So it all plays hand in hand. I'm like, I don't know if you play in the SEC and this is what people don't want to hear but I think if you play in the SEC or the Big Ten you can schedule anybody you want in the non-con and be fine because you play enough hard games in the regular season in order to do that but though Indiana was not going to be judged because of its schedule like if you add Louisville and Indiana beats them, then I think that 10 and 2 Indiana has a better chance of making the playoff. 10 and 2 Indiana with that schedule would not have made the playoff. Yeah and I think

that there's a lack of appreciation for what Indiana did even though they didn't play anybody that great in the non-conference. I think going 11 and one was shied away as they haven't played anybody. We're going 11 and one against anybody is a really hard accomplishment. They went 11 and one and beat the crap out of most of them. Indiana, Indiana got in not because they were gifted a spot, but they took it the hard way despite the fact

they didn't play anybody all that tough. Yeah. And also too, we were talking about this before the show started, Indiana absolutely beat the brakes off of Nebraska last year. Indiana beat a Michigan team that wound up beating Ohio State

and Alabama in the bowl. They beat Washington. I'm not gonna sit here and pretend like their resume was great. It wasn't, but they unequivocally proved that they should have been one of the 12. If they wouldn't have gotten of the 12. If they wouldn't have gotten in the four. Right. And the thing is, whereas Tennessee was a lock to get in

at 10 and two, I don't think Indiana would have made it at 10 and two. So there's your, there is what we're talking about. And you and I have said this a million times and I still don't think people quite quite grasp it like they do consider this stuff you don't like that Indiana got in but it wasn't apples to apples because Indiana went 11 and 1 if Indiana's 10 and two, they're out. With that schedule. But they went 11 and one. The thing that's different about non conference and conferences, you can actually control that and nonconference in conference,

you get spit your schedule. Indiana didn't choose its conference schedule last year. If Indiana would have played Oregon last year and lost, then they would have gotten in because they would have been 0-2 against really good teams, and they would have had nothing to bolster it. And they controlled not playing a really tough non-conference schedule, and that would have came back to bite them. So I think that this already exists. And I think that people are becoming confused with nonsensical talking points that are being spewed in the form of commissioners saying things just to get through their side of the bidding war. Yeah, I'll be glad when they finally get that thing determined.

And it's they have one more in person meeting before the season starts and that is June 18th, I believe and then according to Rick Sankey they have until the end of November slash December 1st to finalize that I hope they don't take that long for God's sake please get this thing done yeah because I want to I'm done with the rhetoric like just pick something. And do it. And we'll argue about it later, but pick something. Yeah. You have to pick something like that

playoffs starts in. 18 months. Playoffs. Starts in 18 months. Pick something. All right, one more question. It's good as we start the summer here. This is from John. What are the top three books about college football that you would recommend to someone who knows nothing about college football? Oh, and there's a great, great one

that River has put up there, Swing Your Sword, Mike Leach's book that he did with our friend Bruce Feldman. I actually have a different Bruce Feldman book on my on my top three. So you absolutely have to read Meat Market by Bruce Feld. It's a year inside Ole Miss recruiting when Edward Rond was the head coach at Ole Miss. I think it's the best college football book ever written. I think you will understand recruiting and college football better reading that book than anything else. That's one. The opening kickoff by Dave Revson is another. If you want to really truly understand the history of the game, it's about how the game really came to be and the very very earliest years of college football. Just a great great look at how the sport evolved.

And then, you know, the modern books are all like Scandal and the system and then like it's all depressing. I've got one. All right, go for it. I read this when I was on the Ohio State Beat, but wars, they knew it. Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and American in Time of Unrest. That's a great one. And Ohio State beat, but wars, they knew it. Woody Hayes, both Schembechler and American in time of unrest.

That's a great one. And that, that to me, I think kind of gives you the, the sense of why people are obsessed with college football, why that rivalry is special in like times in America during that time and all. I think that like, if you want to understand the spirit of college football, you'll get it reading that. Another one, I think a lot of that stuff applies to other rivalries too. It's not just that, but it's like

you want to understand the hatred and the passion that goes into college football. Go read a book about a rivalry. Yep, that's a great one. The other one I was going to suggest is the Junction boys, which is about Bear Bryant's first season in Texas A&M.

Specifically about the preseason camp before the first season in Texas A&M, and you will understand more about Texas A&M. You about the preseason camp before the first season of Texas A&M and you will understand more about Texas A&M. You will understand more about Bear Bryant and you will understand more about college football in general. When you read that one, that is now do different era stuff that you could never do now, but it's a hell of a read hell of a reader. So well, we've given you some beach reading.

Hopefully we're giving you some some swim up bar listening because Ari the swim up bars is the way to go. Do people listen to books on tape? I'm going to Vegas this weekend and I'm going to have some alone time in the pool. I think do I just like take some headphones in there and like listen to like a murder podcast in the pool? Do people do that?

The the one that someone just told me to read has nothing to do with sports is Operation Paperclip. I don't know if you've heard of this book. I don't know that the secret intelligence program that brought Nazi scientists to America after World War Two. And I helped like help them win the space race, which is insane, but like I'm into that sort of thing now. That's that's a good one. What what's the one about the- That's a good one. I make you uncomfortable, don't I? Well, no, it's a good book. Like that that sounds like a fascinating book. I'm trying to remember the one I recommended to you. American Kingpin. The Lost Silk Road. Yeah, it's called American Kingpin.

Yeah, that was a great one on tape. I was so enthralled by that book, I would arrive home while listening to it and then and then keep driving. Yeah, the the what's the one about the dropout? And the book I think is called the dropout. It's about a woman that's in jail for doing Theranos. Yeah, that was a really good true crime book. And then of course, my favorite book, which Mitch Light, my editor at the Athletic. Bad Blood is the book on Theranos.

Oh, Bad Blood, right. The Dropout was the podcast. I also think the, under the banner of heaven about the fundamentalist Mormons and the murder that happened was pretty fascinating too. But I'm also all ears to great books on tape because I, as I get older, listen to music less while I'm driving and more to podcasts and in audio books.

So yes, but read those college football books. And I haven't read Meat Market, and I told this to Bruce. And like I just said, like, because it's not an audiobook, I was like, Bruce, will you just do a personal reading of Meat Market to me? Because he's got the most soothing and relaxing voice. Both of them. Like Bruce Belton's voice. Now the question is does he become, how's his Ed Orgeron impression? You are standing because you would read Ed Orgeron's quotes in his voice. That's what they would need to bring you in to do the impression. Okay.

I have Meat Market up there on my mantle, and I have not got, because somebody said it's outdated, and I don't think that's true. So I want to read. It's definitely not outdated. No. The other one I will recommend that is not about college football, but it will actually

help you understand college football, because I think some of the leaders of college football have read it and. Like our book. Yep. It's called the club how the Premier League became the richest most disruptive business in sport. It's by Jonathan Clegg and Joshua Robinson. It is awesome and they actually have two other ones.

They have a messy versus Ronaldo book which is very good but their Formula One book which is their newest one is really good too. It's not as good as the Premier League one, but it's it's right up there. Yeah, I need to read that too, even though I don't know the first thing about American soccer. I don't know anything about soccer or Formula One,

and I was completely enthralled. I said American soccer. I don't know anything about soccer. I am very amused though that my wife went to Paris on a shopping trip and the day she arrived like PSG won the whole thing and like there were like riots in the streets while she was there.

I think that's quite funny. That's her first Champions League title. Big doings. You know that. I didn't know that. That's great. Well, I also might have asked for the PSG Jordan 1s for Father's Day. We'll see if that comes through. for Father's Day. We'll see if that comes through. All right. Ari, it's been a pleasure. Next week, we are off, but we are not leaving you without shows. We would never do that to you. We are taking deep dives into some of the most intriguing teams in college football in 2025 with some help from our experts at our on three team sites. So the plan is to talk some Tennessee, some LSU, some Notre Dame, some Michigan and some Oklahoma. We kick it off Monday with the Sooners with our guys George Soy and Eddie Rudasovich from Sooner

Scoop. It's going gonna be a lot of fun. Crazy Andy. If something goes absolutely we'll be around. We're terrible at being on vacation. So you may see us. We love you.