OverDrive - OverDrive - February 4, 2026 - Hour 2 - James Duthie/Jeff Garcia

Episode Date: February 4, 2026

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Jamie McLennan for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN Host James Duthie joins the guys on Radio Row in San Francisco to share his previous experiences covering Super Bowls, what differentiates this year’s game from the others, if other leagues could replicate the Super Bowl week experience, and Sam Bennett joining Team Canada in replacement of Anthony Cirelli. Former NFL Quarterback Jeff Garcia joins to chat about his CFL career, his experience with the San Francisco 49ers, and what mentality is important for quarterbacks embody in order to succeed. The guys wrap the show up with Best Bets.

With corporate traveler, you get a dedicated travel expert and 24-7 support. So business travel feels effortless. Big meetings land. Business grows. With corporate traveler, the booking is just the start. Search corporate traveler today. Power 2 overdrive continues, powered by Fanduel, bringing you more ways to play your game, your way, live from San Francisco, California.

And look who we have with us. James Duffy in the house. 300 NFL players walking around. And you got this stiff on your show. We got James Duffy in the house. Quarterbacks. We had to have quarterbacks on today. Flagg Football Famous, right?

Yeah. I'm here representing McAlpine Ford and Lincoln. I know everybody's got a representing a product. Yes. And Pop-Tarts. We did do that. Usually we do it at the end, though. Oh, sorry.

We usually do the interview, and then we give you the gratuitous 30 seconds to plug what you need to do. How much do you think those guys get? Because that's the only reason they're here. Oh, yeah. For whatever, you know. A couple hundred thousand. You think? It's not a couple hundred thousand. You are.

So if Christian McCaffrey's here for Frito Lay. Dude, I already know how much Christian McCaffrey's getting. I was talking to somebody in the lobby today about that guy. Right. And he is raking in cash for appearances. I want to reassure you guys, I am pro bono on the show today. Well, we appreciate you doing it for free. Charging all the other guys who want me on out here.

As you should. Are you getting any cat calls from people? Oh, yeah. People are you, Foggiafee. Guys, I'm only doing overdrive today. Stop.

I love it. Jimmy, who are, like, are you friends with any heavy hitters in this room right now? No. You don't pass like Stephen A. Smith and it's like,

hey, man. Nobody knows feet down here. See, I asked them off air. We've got a media pass to walk around. Right. What if you kind of have a, I don't like what that guy said?

What if you went and said, hey, I don't like you or didn't like, do you think that you'd get, Ogo's, you'd get walked out. I saw up another, player yelling at Cam Newton. Newton was doing a show and this guy walked by and he was like, Cam, we got to talk. Cam's like, let's talk outside. I don't know what was going on there.

Well, that wouldn't surprise me. I mean, these guys, like watching some of them walk around, it's incredible. Yeah. Or a farming. How massive they are. Some of them are huge. Yeah. One of the most startling, like, moments of my life, my first NFL game was the 98 NFC championship game here in San Fran

Steve Young and the Niners against Brett Farve and the Packers. And I'd been to CFL games in Ottawa but I'd never been to an NFL game. We had a sideline pass and the sheer size of those guys freaked me out and I said to myself quarterbacks in the NFL are the best athletes in the world. Because neither

Young or Farve was 6'4 or anything like that. But just to have those guys chasing them around? Chasing them and to be able to see over them in their own linemen and to make passes was like, I know I'm tooting the, like a guy like Brock Purdy or Doug Flutie he just had on. It's ridiculous that they

play in the NFL at a decent level. Well, and the courage you have to have to stay in the pocket and throat, knowing there is a lunatic coming around the corner who has every intention of knocking you out of the game. A lot of those meetings and stuff, you see behind the scene stuff, the play is called like, kill the quarterback.

Yeah. Kill the quarterback. Like it's a different era now with the rules. But, But you go back and watch the Lawrence Taylor YouTube like seven minute highlight clip he is killing guys Ronnie lot

to my guy insane if he was blitzing I'm coming to kill you and didn't get penalties on things where they could knock guys out Lawrence Taylor had a hundred of Wendell Clark on Bruce Bell yes from behind

from behind noodles because he was coming off the right side like you'd have like Jaworski would tell stories about Jaws was like he was a right-handed thrower. Right. And he'd be in the pocket just dancing.

And this lunatic would be frothing coming off the corner and he would kill him from behind. If you get a chance to go over to the experience, I haven't gone, a couple years ago,

I had some time, so I went through the NFL experience, and they had a virtual reality thing, which I haven't done much of, I don't know, a big video game guy, but this was one where you put the headset on, but you actually had the football in your hand, and you threw the football like against a wall.

But on your headset, you were the question. quarterback in an NFL game with all the players there. So you program the play and you knew what it was. And I embarrassed the heck out of myself, like, you know, Mr. Joe Touch football quarterback. So I'm standing there, like a crowd of people watching. The linebacker, like somebody blitzed and came at me. And I fell backwards onto my ass. Yeah. Because it was so, so shocking. It's so real. It took me five plays to even be able to get the ball out because it's amazing. Yeah. Well, even when you stand on a football field, like to get a first down is from like here to that curtain.

that's it 10 yards is not that far yet there's 11 lunatics in your way saying you're not getting there it's incredible and the trash talk too what they used to say now I believe it's a little bit different with mics and all of that that's another thing like guys like Dick Budkiss back in the day

would be like I'm literally going to kill you and start swearing well the things they could get away with you can't get away with anything now because there's basically a camera on every player on the field for an NFL game like the eye gouging and things back in the day when there was four cameras and it was SD you could get away with anything. stomping hand and the ref would be like didn't see it like yes you did you saw it so you've covered a lot of super bowls how would you like this one it's lacking it's lacking it doesn't have

the same hype why do you think we'll get there by sunday i mean well why the lack of hype is it because i do i think that you know we've gone through two decades plus now of whether it's Brady or Mahomes or Manning, and whether you're, you know, a fan of that greatness, like historical greatness, or you hate that team, you're sick of them like a lot of people were with the Patriots, I think that that definitely adds to it, right? Is someone going to knock off Brady? Is somebody going to knock off Mahomes? Whatever that may be. Or is Brady going to win his sixth or his seventh? When you have two underdog teams like that, it's a remarkable story, the odds of both of them at the beginning of the season being here. I think it's the most unlikely Super Bowl ever as far as that goes. But when you get sort of two teams like that, I think it lacks a little jam. Neither one is a team you'd necessarily hate that much, right?

Seattle has a pretty good fan base. I guess New England, I mean, you could hate them because it's New England again, but it's all different guys. Rabel's likable, Drake May's likable. So I just think that's part of the reason there isn't, you know, the super hype that we usually have. It's kind of a watch what you wish for. be an anti-dynasty. You know, like watch what you wish for.

There's always a villain. There's always something. Yeah, exactly. I'm hearing for Seattle a little bit. I don't know if Luke is. Would Luke still have that soft spot? Oh, yeah, I think he would for sure. I would hope so. I mean, we're talking about that today

that, you know, reportedly maybe Brady's not openly rooting for the Pats because now he's an objective analyst and he's part owner in Vegas. I find that hard to believe. Yeah, I think Luke still wears the Seattle colors. Yeah, as you should. Yeah, 100%. Greatest moment of his life and the worst moment of his life both came in that uniform, right?

That game was on the NFL network last night. I was watching it. Still insane. It's still insane. Like, they were up 24-14 in the fourth quarter. I felt bad. And the Seahawks lost that game. We have a group chat.

And I put that in there the other day. And I sent Luke a note saying like, it didn't mean to hit a nerve, but it was just, it was an interview of Belichick. and how they practiced that play. Oh, yeah. And Malcolm Butler got beat on it in practice. And that's like... And yeah, they got a beat on it. And I put it in the group chat going,

this is amazing. Just listening to them break down that. And Luke responded, don't even bring it up. Yeah, Luke just put like the eyes on it. And then I text him privately going like, hey, I didn't mean to like hit a nerve. It was just... He's still angry at you.

I thought you. How could you not be? Because, like, Al's brother has digged at that in our group chat. Like, oh, You know, we're the Patriots. I watched that game the other day, too. Can't do that. The other thing was forgotten about that game is the,

I think he was a former Winnipeg Blue Bomber. Was it Chris Matthew? Matthews, I think, was his last name. He had one catch in his career, and he was maybe going to be the MVP of that game of Seattle won. Right. He had something like six catches for 180 yards. I completely forgotten about it,

and that story's forgotten because of the pick and the Patriots won again. They didn't just hand a ball off the Marshaun, Everyone knows that reference. James Duthy with us here. We're live on Radio Row. Fan dual studio ahead of the Super Bowl, of course, on TSN, CTV, Grave.

We were talking about this off the top. Could other leagues ever replicate something like this? You know, like a central... Could you ever picture a scenario where you get a neutral-site cup final where it's like 10 days, you're in Vegas, regardless of the two teams they're going to make it,

you're playing every other night, Do you think it could ever get big enough where you get media down there, you get fans down there, and you get a buzz like this? I don't think so. Like two weeks is too long for that. And, you know, the whole mice thing. It's an interesting fantasy to look at. What about this scenario? There's neutral site for the four games. Or it's neutral site to start and then you break off and do what?

Or do it the opposite, like you say, play two in each city. And then have the possibility of, you know. But then if there's a sweep, what do you plan in for? I just don't think it works for hockey. Logistically, I don't think it works. It's perfect for the NFL. Too many games. That's the problem.

And the NFL is such a behemoth. I think just hockey is, there's so many crazy hockey fans, and there's so many shows like this for hockey. I think this could somehow work for hockey. I just don't know when. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. The NFL is just so much larger than everything else, it seems like. That's the problem.

And this Super Bowl was just made for this. Yeah, I don't know. I still, I'll take a best of seven in hockey as much as I love covering this event. That's right. I agree because I think in the best of seven, the better team wins. I always, like I brought up earlier in the last hour, if the better team on paper has a bad day, they lose. It's happened so many times. And, you know, we were talking about predictions today in the panel. You know, and I'm thinking Seattle, I think I said 2310 Seattle. But I've been to this so many times. My very first Super Bowl was the 01 season, 2002 Super Bowl, Brady's first one over the Rams.

And I think the Rams were 13 and a half point favorites. And I remember thinking all week with Schulte. There's no way New England can win this game. And, you know, stuff happens. Quite often it's when NFL games can get short, right? You can get, even if Seattle scores on a 10-minute drive to open and then New England gets a long drive, suddenly you're late in the second quarter and it's 7-7 or 10-7 and weird stuff can happen. And so I think that's something that makes the Super Bowl great.

But you're right, it doesn't have the definitive champion that a best of seven would get. We're talking about how crazy it is, how some people are drawing parallels to, like, that Super Bowl you just mentioned, how they're like, this is New England team could do the same thing against, how crazy is that thinking? Like, drawing that comparison with this New England team saying, oh, Brady did it back then against, you know, the greatest show on turf. Yeah. You know, maybe Drake May and this team, it's just crazy thinking, just connect those two. Yeah, that's the need for a week full of storylines to fill, right? But, I mean, there's a little bit to it as far as the underdog nature of them,

but, I mean, that was like I said, the Rams, you remember the Rams back then. The Rams were amazing on both sides of the ball. And that's even Seattle's, you know, Sam Darnold's season, that wasn't Kurt Warner and Isaac Bruce and all those guys, Torrey Holt back then. but it would still be an amazing story. The funny thing is because of the way New England, I'll admit, I got sick in New England too, because every Super Bowl I was going to,

it was, I think I've done 12, and like nine of them were Tom Brady-Belichick Super Bowls. And so at some point you want a fresh storyline. And I think a lot of neutral people are like, not the Patriots again. And it's kind of sad, like Rabel and these guys are an amazing story, but they won't get the love of a typical Cinderella because it's the Patriots.

And people are sick of the Patriots winning. Fatigue. People have had the fatigue. Or it's just that they've won for so long. They have the image of a winning organization. You can't sell them as well as a Cinderella. Right, exactly. What do you make of Bobby Kraft?

Well, he didn't make the Hall of Fame his first time in. Yeah, I don't know what's going on there. Is this punishment for deflategate and all that? That's what it seems like. Those are the theories that collectively, at least 11 guys in the room, have decided you're going to pay a price for SpyGate. deflate gate and all the different gates that have... Do you guys feel weird today because,

and I was coming, walking down from the hotel, just as I left, I was watching ESPN, and the Copa, the Copartar, the Panarin trade broke, and then Chris Paul's going to the Raptors, even though he's never going to... It was funny, too, because the NBA trade deadline's on, and they spent five minutes going, all right, what does Chris Paul mean to the Raptors?

How's he going to work with Scotty Barnes? Right? They did like an eight-minute panel, and then Sean comes on two minutes later and goes, guys, Chris Paul's never going to play with the Raptors. He's either getting waived or he's getting moved somewhere else. And they're like, oh, it kind of reminds us. This happens to us occasionally, not like that on trade deadline. We're here. We talked the first 28 minutes about Leifes, Panera, and Chris Paul.

I mean, that's... But I think everywhere, even down here, you know, it's a weird day because the NBA is all the news down here, hockey's all the news in Canada. And there's more to the answer of one of your earlier questions about a little less hype on this game. Well, we obviously flew down together, and you're packed not only for this trip, but you're going to the Olympics as well, right after. Yeah. And, you know, a number of teams have made it through. There's still games tonight and tomorrow.

But Sorrelli's out and spent it in for Canada. If we assume that that's it, like, all right, no more injuries, we're all set. Where do you, how are you prepping for the Olympics and where do you stand on Canada? First of all, I think that's the best. When the team was announced and we did the show in, Minnesota on was it January 1st or New Year's Eve and that was the Bennett thing was the number one topic of him being let and I would if you'd have made argument then to say to people what's the change you would have made I bet you a lot of people would have said I take Sorrelli off and put Bennett on and we were also thinking at the time there's likely to be three four maybe five injuries right all the condensed schedule and for them to only come off with one significant injury and to be able to replace and that to be Sorrelli who's as good as he is, and I know John Cooper loves him and he plays a great role, but he's probably like almost the last guy who made the team, probably because Cooper defended him, and to have

bent it on, I think that's about an absolute best case scenario for Canada for what they thought on New Year's Eve when they named the team, that would be the only game. Does he play? Because there's 14 forwards, not everyone's going to dress. I think he does. I think you find a role for him, but, you know, keep in mind, still two nights of the NHL left. Yeah. That's the other thing. That's, because, I think there's probably teams and coaches and certainly the coaches of the respective countries going, let's get these guys over there. Because he was saying, McDavid gets hit last night.

He's playing tonight in Calgary. You think Calgary wants to take it easy on him? No. I'd be terrified. I know this way not, the great players don't think that way, though, but I have McDavid McKinnon. You know, you've waited all your life from this moment, and now you're down to one game or whatever it is. Yeah. I would be terrified.

Yes. Well, that's what I kind of got that sense last night. You know, they're pros and they're playing. And they play hard. But they've got to be thinking, I just want to get out of here. Like, give me a truth. A little all-star game type features is a nice game. There's a bit of a vibe on that.

But the other players aren't going to be that way. Flag bear for Germany. Like, you know. Like, just get me out of here. Hopefully we win. Ideally, we win. The problem is 90% of the players on the ice aren't one of the Olympics, so they're still playing that way. I don't know about that.

They got trips. I was just going to say, they're thinking the same thing. You think the guy wants a block of shock. tonight when he has got a PJ or a flight tomorrow morning. Right to Cabo. Yes, especially young single guy. I can't pull my groin before I go to Calvo. Yeah, I'm not doing that. I don't need to lose deep. I think these guys honestly talk to each other. Somebody might send someone else a message saying smart and up. No hitters tonight. Smart smart not. Just get the hell out of here. Let's take it easy. I've told this story before.

Chris Pronger, who was a dear friend, hated my guts for about a week because I let out a bad rebound. I remember. And he took the slap shot off his foot, and we were flying to L.A. the next day. He had to walk around in a boot. We're at the bar. He's got a boot on. He was so mad. That's a terrible vibe.

It's terrible. I'm like, you can't walk into a bar with a boot on. Just stay at the hotel. He was so mad at me, and it was because we were going out to L.A. for a swing. So you have to think some of these guys playing tonight and tomorrow have a little bit of cabo or Mexico or Florida. You can't bubble wrap anyone. No, you can't do it. But you know something's happening.

Unfortunately, something's going to happen. I want to say to the people home, too, like, I don't know if you've been able to do, like, a shot. Like, when I came in looking for you guys, it took me about a half an hour, I kind of expected it would be like the little tiny set. A thousand radio stations here and podcasts and so on. And most of them have about four square feet of room. So that's where I was looking. I was walking up and down the middle.

Look at some little. We don't do guys. You got the Pat Maccabee said here. This guy ran into a, a car. colleague, a former colleague. He goes, where are you set up? And the guy goes behind that piece of cardboard over there. I couldn't believe you had like the second biggest set

in here. It's the last one. Literally. Overdrive. But again, in Canada, like there's some Canadians that have walked by and said, I love you guys, big fans. There's a lot of Americans here that are watching us saying, who the hell are those guys? There are European media walking by, and they've got

the cameras. They're taking pictures, and they're like, they're literally stopping their recording. Do they do? I don't know. this kind of thing. They're looking. But it's all good. We know you, and we appreciate you coming by. I'd just like to say on behalf of McAlpine Lincoln. Yes. You can get your plugs in now. Get your plugs in. All right, buddy. Well, enjoy yourself this week.

We'll be staying around the hotel. Make sure you say hi. Hope you get better guests than me the next couple days. Oh, yeah, Jeff Garcia's coming up. We've got a lot of great things planned the next couple of days. We've got to have to be coming on tomorrow too, right? It's great to you guys are down here because I can tell you're the best show of any of the shows out here, all these American shows. Yes.

It's good. It's good as a big of shows at the studio. Those are cardboard people. Listen, and will you be on my side if I wear a certain shirt tomorrow? Oh, the sweater thing? Yeah, he's going to go... I'm thinking of wearing. I don't want it.

I want to see it in person, too, if you could bring it down to, like, the hotel lobby tonight, too. I want to see it in person. I'll send you a picture of it. Thank you. We're bringing it out tomorrow. Bringing it tomorrow. We are going to do massive ratings tomorrow. TSN4.

Find us streaming on YouTube. All right, he is James Duffy. Down here all through the weekend, hosting every. everything on Sports Center, TSNCTV. Enjoy your time. Have a great trip over in Italy as well, but we won't see you prior to that. And thanks for doing this.

There is, James Duffy, joining us here at the Fandual Set. We're live on Radio Road. San Francisco ahead of the Super Bowl. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN4. With corporate traveler, you get a dedicated travel expert

and 24-7 support. So business travel feels effortless. Big meetings land. Business grows. With corporate traveler, Booking is just the start. Search Corporate Traveler today. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator.

Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the IHeart Radio Network or wherever you get your podcast. All right, Overdrive continues live from Radio Row here in San Francisco. beautiful weather out here today. Beautiful, man. It's about 15 and sunny. It feels like 40 and sunny, considering where we're coming from. We were excited walking over here, but we were also discussing the idea of possibly teeing and how good it was.

Like this morning, this morning was so nice. Now, there is a place in California that's probably nicer weather, and that's where our next guest has come from. Jeff Garcia, join us around the table. You live down in San Diego. It's a little bit nicer than up here, but not much, I would imagine. I traded in the Calgary winter. Yes. It's pretty good good.

It's pretty good. And I'm glad you brought up Calgary because we had Doug Flutie on earlier. And we said this is probably the only show where we're going to reference your CFL career. You're a Great Cup winner. You're up in Calgary for a number of years. And, you know, when you consider what happened with your career and what you're doing now with your life, like how did that kind of set you up for success going to the CFL? Absolutely. Another NFL career was happening without making football.

I wasn't drafted, obviously. I wasn't sought out by the NFL teams coming out of college, which I felt like I was good enough, but for whatever reason, I wasn't getting that opportunity. So my only opportunity was to go to Canada playing the Canadian Football League. I was aware of Canada. I had seen the game on ESPN,

but truly to go out there, They're onto that field, the measurements of the field. It's bigger, it's wider, it's longer, it's all those things. But to be able to learn from a guy like Doug Flutie, following his footsteps, see how he played the game, how he approached the game. Really led to me being able to take what I knew as a quarterback and as a player and put it to work on that Canadian Football League field.

And without that experience, without those five years, winning the Gray Cup. And believe me, I thought I was at a point in my career after five years there. I had bought a house in Calgary. I had opened a Mexican food restaurant in Calgary. Yes. This guy probably was at the restaurant. I heard you. These two were ran into. I had drinks at his restaurant. I was putting some roots down thinking, hey, this is going to be my career, and all of a sudden things changed. But that being said, I'm so thankful and grateful for my experience up there. Well, it was an incredible one. And obviously, then you end up down here in San Francisco. And it's such great history. What was that experience like for you, like being a

nineer and being a quarterback when you talked about, you know, falling in the footsteps of Doug Flutty? You're following Steve Young and Joe Montana. What was that like your San Francisco years? So I grew up an hour south of San Francisco. So I grew up with the 49ers as my team, as my hometown team as the team I grew up watching and really looking at Joe Montana as my idol. I wanted to be like Joe Montana. I wanted to play the game like he did. So cool, calm and collected, leading the team to four Super Bowl titles. That was like the icing on the cake.

For me to now have a chance to join in my childhood favorite team was really a dream come true. and to follow in that lineage, not easy to do, right? Future Hall of Famer in Steve Young, already a Hall of Famer in Joe Montana, Super Bowl titles, all those things, and now I'm the guy. And early on, I could feel that pressure. I could feel the pressure in the sense that when we were struggling as a team, people were going to say, you're not that guy. Their only difference on the team was the quarterback.

Right? And I knew that there were more issues. with the team, but from a fan standpoint, the quarterback was the change. And so I had to deal with that. Well, I think my five years in Canada, I was more mature at the time. I had gone through some things maybe not quite at that level, but some experiences that prepared me for something like that, learning how to tune out the noise, so to speak, not drink the poison, right? Hey, those people aren't in the locker room. It's all about what your teammates think, what your coaches believe in and what you believe in.

And once I was able to settle into that role and understand, I can't be Steve Young, I can't be Joe Montana, got to be myself, execute the game the way you know how to execute it. You're here for a reason because somebody believes in you. And that guy was Bill Walsh. Bill Walsh believed in me. That's why I was with the Niners. So let's prove him right and prove everybody else wrong. That's got to be pretty incredible.

Sorry, Bill Walsh. It doesn't get any. I mean, you talk about Montana being your idol. Walsh must have been kind of your idol as well, right? Absolutely. He was the architect of what the 49ers were able to do. To create that two decades of winning was because of what he put together. Hey, the coaching staff that he put together, the players that he put on the field,

the free agents, the great drafts, all those things. But yes, for that guy to be in my corner, and believe in me really, really meant a lot to me. And I just wanted to be able to prove that he was right in what he believed in. So what were the pros and cons of coming home and playing in front of family and friends and all the floaters coming out of the woodwork and all of that? Was it, you know, all positive, or did you have to manage some of the things along the way? I mean, there were a lot of great things that came out of obviously having the local support

from my family, from my friends. When the going was tough in those first couple seasons, at least I kind of had a place to go and hide where they're going to love me no matter what, right? That being said, trying to situate tickets before a game, that was not fun. That was not fun, man. I'm trying to focus on a football game,

yet I'm trying to get all the, we'll call tickets aligned properly. That being said, it was a great experience. We did a lot of great things. My family was able to watch so many great things firsthand right here in Candlestick, which is no longer here, but right here in the Bay Area. And so there were definitely more blessings than curses or negativities. You talked about blocking out the noise and drinking the poison.

For these two quarterbacks on Sunday, they're going to throw out the cliches where it's like, I just got to do my thing. I got to play my game. It's just another game. How difficult will it be with the lack of experience for one of these guys to step up and have the game of their life when there's obviously going to be a lot of pressure

and they've never done it? Well, I think both of these quarterbacks, as young as Drake May is, and Darnold went through it, being a highly drafted, sought after quarterback coming out of college, much like Drake, but not going to a team that had the track.

record that New England has. You go to the New York Jets. It's a completely different situation. It's a mess. And you don't know what you're going to see or get. Going to New England, even though they came off of a couple of lean years, they got a leader who was part of the two decades of greatness. They have a mentality that they need to get back on top in a hurry, much like what I experience here with the 49ers. But they also have solid football teams. in the three aspects of the game. They're not down on the defensive side. They're not down in special teams.

They're good in all aspects of the game. So really, they just have to manage the game. Nobody's expecting them to be lights out or do something phenomenal. Drake is, or May is probably a little bit more of the athlete than Darnold is. He's going to play a little bit more out of the pocket than Darnold will.

But that being said, They have weapons around them. They have a running game. They have a great defense. They have people that are helping them. As long as they can stay in that mindset and not feel like they have to win it on their own because that's where it's going to fail. If they have to feel like they have to win it on their own,

I'm not just talking about a last minute drive. I'm talking about, hey, from start to finish, I got to play perfect. If I don't play perfect, they're putting themselves in a mindset that's going to be a failure instead of a winner. And, you know, just do the things you've been doing all year. You had a 14 and 3 record in the regular season. You've been outstanding in the playoffs. Keep playing that team game.

Must be so tempting, though. When you say managing the game, it's basically not do something stupid and cost your team the game. But with the elite athletes and a guy that think they can do anything, quarterbacks are special players. And they always have that mindset

where I've got to be the difference maker because they basically are the biggest factor on the team. got to be so tempting to go from managing the game to, I want to break this thing open and separate. Yeah. And I think that's where humbling yourself a little bit and understanding what is coming from the top down. They have great coaching staffs. They have great mentors. They have great teammates. And, you know, I think both guys are very humble down-to-earth guys. They're not those guys that have Yes, they came out highly touted out of big college programs, but they don't carry themselves that way.

And I think with that sort of mentality, I think that's why their teammates gravitate toward them. They follow them. They demonstrate it. They don't have to speak it. And I don't think either guy is really a rah, raw type of guy in the locker room, right? So nobody in that sense is looking to be anointed with a special presentation of the crown.

They're all in on the team. The best example, I was telling Brian this morning in the hotel lobby, I went to the Super Bowl in Jacksonville where New England played the Eagles, and it was my first time putting eyes on Tom Brady. And I thought I was going to see these plays that were just out of this world, and it's like I've never seen anything like that. It was 10-yard-outs and 10-yard-outs and 10-yard-outs and then touchdown. I'm like that was so almost boring.

It was thoughtful, but they went down and scored every time just by doing that and chipping away. The nickel and dime, the consistency, the taking what the defense gives you. And I think New England has a little bit more explosiveness of attacking down the field with the big play, but it's not something that they rely upon. If it happens, great. But I'm not expecting it and I'm not forcing it. happen. And that's why Drake May is in the MVP ballot race because of his decision making, how he's led. It's not because he had this phenomenal 10 throws that were 50 plus yards down

the field. It was the consistency that he played the game with week in and week out. Jeff Garcia's with us. We're live on Radio Row ahead of the Super Bowl. You know, there's so much preparation that goes into a game like this. When you're the quarterback, though, and something confuses you. Like, how do you adjust on the fly like that? Like, you're taking two weeks to think, okay, I'm reading safeties, I'm reading whatever defense it might be. I got an idea

of what's going to happen, you know, whichever defense they might apply here. I've seen all the game tape. And yet you get to a game like this, and maybe they've got something coming at you that no one's seen before. I'm sure you've been in that situation many times in your career. What can you

rely on in those scenarios to get you out of it and make the right play? don't compound confusion with a mistake in the sense of whether it's throwing a ball up for grabs or taking a big negative play or exposing the ball, not being secure in the pocket. Hey, if you see a pressure that all of a sudden confuses you, what is my outlet or can I get a save a negative play by maybe losing one or two yards. Right. You know, and I think both guys, again, it comes down to their character and how they've played all season long.

And with Darnold, how he's played the last two seasons, minus a playoff game in Minnesota, where he's been a great decision maker. He's been very good with the football, protective-wise. And I don't think there's going to be a whole lot at the end of the day that's going to confuse these guys. The defenses are who they are. Seattle relies on a four-down lineman pressure. They have great defensive line. They'll do some things in the defensive backfill, which they are capable of doing

because they can rely on four guys getting to the passer where they can be more creative. But at the end of the day, they're going to play probably their two coverages throughout the game. Same thing with New England. I think there are probably more apps to bring on some pressures that are

going to be, you know, for Darnold to recognize, hey, when are they stacking a slot defender with the safety and bringing that nickel guy off the edge or, hey, linebacker placement? But these guys, they're studying the game from top to bottom, morning to night, and both of them, hey, they're married, they're not out on the scene, right? I mean, and believe me, I've been around hockey players. I know you guys. They know the seat. I know you.

Oh, yeah, like football players are angels. Come on, man. But they are very grounded. And I think they're going to take this week as, hey, the preparation is more important than the party. It's all about the process of getting through it and being the best that they can be on Sunday. An example of being in trouble or confused and adding to it,

I think, was C.J. Stroud playing the last game against the wing. He got in trouble and confused and he was tossing up lob balls that were just ridiculous and they got intercepted and it was like what were you thinking during those plays? And I saw that if there's a guy that I saw playing

with less confidence and less grit on the field especially in the playoffs was C.J. Stroud I saw a guy who was like a deer in headlights. Yeah he was. And for it being I believe

his fourth, third or fourth year in the league and who's done some really spectacular things as a young quarterback, he took a major step backward in how he didn't lead the Houston Texans for the playoffs. It's amazing how much you can build up street cred and one game can change a lot of it. Well, it wasn't just, he got lucky in the playoff game before, I believe, versus Steelers. Big time. Because their defense is what saved him. But he looked awful in that game.

I hate to use the word awful because he's a professional quarterback. He's one of the top at his position in the sense of 32 teams, but he was not in his prime or at the top of his game come playoff. I can tell you what I think he needs. Mueller's sports medicines revived, right? And Jeff Garcia is a quarterback. And Jeff Garcia's a quarterback coach. I got you.

But Mueller Sports, hey, they've been around for 60 plus years. They probably, hey, got the tape that you wrap the hockey sticks with, the ankles, all the things. But they have the inflatable leg boots and compression sleeves that are utilized all over the body. Deal with, hey, bringing down pain, discomfort, swelling, reactivating the lymphatic system within the body, flushing out the system, as we know. These are in all locker rooms, all training facilities, and all sports med spas around the world now. And why not have them at home to utilize yourself?

He blew his knee out. When was that? A couple years ago. That was a few years ago. It was doing something very stressful. He was sitting on the couch. Oh, yeah. Yes.

Sudden movement, man. Sudm movement. And it copied. Yeah. Well, you took a lot of hits in your career, but you look good. Thank you. You're walking good. Everything feels good.

Everything's good. You know, minor tweaks here and there. I've had overcome some of those things, as we all do, playing the game for so long, no matter whether it's hockey, because that's as physical as any other sport out there. or football, but I feel great, man. Thank you very much for having me. A great cup champion, Jeff Garcia. Thanks for doing it. Hey, thank you guys. Appreciate it, man. Great scene. Thanks for coming by. Jeff Garcia joining us here. Live at the Fandual Booth, Radio Row, San Francisco

Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on YouTube Live. With corporate traveler, you get a dedicated travel expert and 24-7 support. So business travel feels effortless. Big meetings land, Business grows. With corporate traveler, the booking is just the start. Search Corporate Traveler today. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith. We're putting loneliness in the penalty box

by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the IHeartRadio Network

or wherever you get your podcast. Powered by Fandole live from the Fandual set Radio Row, San Francisco. BestBets powered by Fando, make your picks and assemble a same game parley in seconds on the Fandole Sportsbook app. Boilers. McDavid records a point, dry-sidal records a point tonight. That's what you think? Yes. They're not going two straight nights without putting up numbers.

Not going too straight without winning. I think they might have. They want to know. They want to get out of there, but they'll get on a power plate tonight, tap home something. power play points that's your best bets for tonight powered by fandul same game parlias around the n hl available in the fandau sports book app please play responsibly 19 plus physically located in ontario thanks again to jeff garcia i love good he's got a lot of energy like awesome guy awesome guy points to you guys the nchel players as if you're the hooligans like there aren't NFL players

up to madness every single place they go i wanted to say you want to compare some notes here, Paul? Yeah, exactly. I think that would probably, although baseball players, they get the reputation of being able to play after a big night. More so than any other sport.

David Wells pitched a perfect game. Apparently is the most hungover he's ever been in his life. And I think it was an afternoon game. It was. It was like a 1237 first pitch. I've seen it twice. firsthand. Once in New York City with Roger Clemens,

we had a friend of a friend, and he was pitching against Bonds the next day, and we were at a release party of a bar, and he said to me, he goes, I'm going to hit his elbow, you watch. And I was so hung over getting into the game. As I walked in, the crowd was going crazy. He had hit the first pitch, Bonds' elbow.

Isn't that amazing that you just crawled into, that place. I was like... And he had been there for like three hours prepping for the game. He was pitching and I barely made it to my seat. And that was a one o'clock game the next day. And then Mark McGuire, we had many nights in St. Louis with Big Mac. One thing I've never understood or like comprehended was like playing guilty in hockey is a thing once in a while. But to do it, attempt it for an afternoon game, I found to be... That's outrageous. How about outdoors in the heat in the afternoon?

Imagine playing an afternoon game in July. And it's 38 degrees. Yeah, like if you're banged up, you're just fuzzy and you're not... I don't know how you do it. I don't know. So maybe baseball players are at the top of the list. See, but they're in that city for four days. So they plan it out.

It's like, okay, I can let one get away from me. That's what it is. They're not doing it four nights in a row, but guaranteed one. Here's where a sneaky possibility would be golfers who have made money and, you know, didn't have a great Saturday. No, they're not winning on Sunday.

I think there's a chance they have a big night on the Saturday. Have you ever tried chipping hungover? It's so tough. Dude, you will stick it in the ground. You don't think Harry Higgs could do it? But that's what I'm saying. If you're a grizzled vet, you're so good at your last place. Yeah.

What do you care? And they're so naturally talented. They're not going to just start chopping the ball around it. They can put, they'll find the earth, throw it on the green, two putt and leave. They shoot 74 and they're out of there. John Daly could do it. A hundred percent. He's done it.

Dude, I think a guy did it in Hawaii. Look up the story. Robert Allenby went out in Hawaii and got the shit kicked out of him. And he couldn't see out of his eyes and he couldn't golf. Do you remember? That's an accurate statement. He got like arrested in Honolulu or something. because someone had absolutely

somebody tuned him up at the bar at the bar and then left him on the street and I think someone picked him up and was like this is Robert Allenby I swear he he was a mess they were like this guy's got a 1048 tomorrow at the Honda

like it was Robbie Allenby crazy story that is crazy Those are stories that happen everywhere. But anyway, Jeff Garcia, awesome guy. He was great. And really cool that we had Flutie and Garcia because of their CFL connections.

Yeah. Which, you know, obviously down here, it's not necessarily a huge story, but it is for us. It is awesome. And, you know, both of them, Great Cup winners. You know, we're getting closer to go time. Like, by tomorrow it's that much closer to where we're going to be in terms of the NHL season coming to an end. The trade deadline in the NBA tomorrow. Yeah.

Getting closer to the Super Bowl. the Olympic games are starting later this week. You know, like the Canada's got a tune-up game on Monday. You said there's NHL games tonight and tomorrow. Tampa plays Florida tomorrow. Yes. And you know that's a bloodbath. Of course it is.

There's going to be text sent saying, no thanks. Well, I think. Brandon Hagel and Sam Bennett. But now Bennett's on the team. Like the conspiracy theory. So I saw it the other day. I don't think it matters. I hear you.

That outdoor game, which was outrageous, we didn't talk, Vasilowski's fighting, unbelievable game. Hegel and Gensel are sitting on the panel afterwards, and they're like, you guys a week from now are going to be, and they go, yeah, we'll deal with that in a week,

but right now we're teammates, we love each other. Yeah. Like, there is, you've got to step on that plane and go. But it happened at the Four Nations. Yeah. Like, it happens all the time. You know, you look at Bennett and Hegel, they were the first two to drop the gloves at the Four Nations in that American game.

Yeah. Or the two of them hate each other. Yeah. And then both of them knew it was coming. They're like, the Kachuk brothers are going to try to be heroes here. Yeah, yeah. Who's taking it on? And Hagle's like, I'll take Kachuk and Bennett was like, I'm jumping over the boards.

I got Brady. Yeah. After Hagle inspired him. Yeah. Because they went toe to toe in the fashion they did. It's true. And, you know, Bennett scored that big goal in the final. I'm pretty sure Hagell was on the ice.

And I think Hagle came in flying into the same. the scrum in the celebration of the big Bennett goal when Mariner hit Bennett and Bennett went top show. And to be honest to Florida's in one. We were talking. Tampa can crew. They're in big trouble. Florida's in a great spot. Florida needs that game. Florida needs that game. Tampa's got to be thinking

you know, not necessarily we can cruise home because they're fighting for home ice. They have us. They must be saying we might be able to pick off another one here. But that's what I was about to say. At a minimum, if Florida misses. And that's the big one. Yeah. Not if the leaves miss. The leaves miss. It's okay. They've had Tampa's number. Right, right.

You know, the Leafs are a good team, a grizzled veteran team with playoff history. But if Florida's out... Wide open. And you're looking at the east, you're like, who is possibly going to step up with us? I think it's Tampa. And the other thing you could throw in there, Tampa's two best players aren't going to the Olympics. Right. Vasoletsky and Gutcheron. You know, like they're going to go...

Three weeks of sunning and just relaxing. And I'm... On the other side of it, guys, you look at the Maple Leafs. Like, what a year to take a step back. The way the Eastern Conference is set up. If Florida misses. Florida could miss. And you take a step back as well.

That's a leafy thing. The story's not written yet. That's the thing. 25 games left. To their credit, again, we said it before they went 8-0-2. They had a chance to go down one way where they put the flag up and said we're done. they fought. Now they had a brutal 10-game stretch. Now you've won three straight.

You know, if you get some help over the next two nights and you're five out, it's not ideal, but it gives them an opportunity. Well, you've got a better percentage chance. You still got to win 17-18 games. I'm reading, though, I don't know if this is right, but from some of the analytics sites, they're talking like 98 points getting in type of thing. That's the crazy thing, in this division alone. But out west it's going to be 80. Someone's getting in with 89 points. You know, like that.

But out east, you're looking at, and the Leafs right now, I believe, are on pace for 90 points. Yeah. They've got to win more games to get on the pace than 90s. They got to get on a heater. Their best players have got to be their goaltenders. Wall and Stolars, both them getting three weeks off now. Can you go jockey back and forth and go on a heater? I think I'm coming back to Willie and Austin.

They go over and do something in the Olympics feel good about themselves and come back. Those are the guys. It's on your best players that are going to deliver. You want to take a couple of mass waste management guys, or we don't have time? Quickly. We don't have time. Two each. I'm going to take Scotty Schaeffler, Nick Taylor, and Sahith Agala.

Scott, once you take Scotty, it's basically over. I'll take Hideki Matsuyama, who's red hot and loves that place. Brooks Kepka again, even though I don't think it's legitimately going to happen. Who's another big dog? I'll take. Is Benny Griffin? in there. I'll take my boy, Ben Griffin. I'm going to take that stinky old Charlie Hoffman.

He loves the waistband. He loves it with those gray slacks. And I'll take, is Cory Conner's in there? I'll take Connors. I got to have a Canadian. All right, day one, live from San Francisco. It's been awesome. Unbelievable energy in here. The set is great. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes back home helping out. Everyone here from Fanduil helping out, too.

We could not be in better hands. Just an incredible setup. Dube looks amazing. I think he's got to go. Come over here and sit down. No, the chair's not here. But we'll get Dugie some FaceTime before we get out of here. With the ripped band.

Everyone's here helping out. It's been unbelievable. Thanks to Doug Flutty. Duffy came by. Jeff Garcia. More tomorrow. More Friday. We're just getting rocking.

It's been incredible. So we're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight. We're back tomorrow at 4 p.m. We'll chat then. I'm Dylan Playfair. And I'm Tyler Smith.

We're putting loneliness in the penalty box by talking to some of our favorite athletes about the importance of friendship. This is bromance. Bromance is brought to you by Charm Diamond Centers, proudly Canadian-owned and operator. Charm has been part of your love stories and bromances for over 50 years. And you can find Bromance on the IHeartRadio Network or wherever you get your podcast.