OverDrive - OverDrive - November 27, 2025 - Hour 2 - Luke Willson

Episode Date: November 27, 2025

Join Bryan Hayes, Jeff O'Neill and Dave Feschuk for Hour 2 on OverDrive! TSN NFL Analyst Luke Willson joins to discuss the NFL Thanksgiving matchups, Joe Burrow's return for the Bengals and Hayes, Bro... and O and Noodlleson's picks. The guys dive into Dylan Cease's signing with the Blue Jays, who should start Opening Day for the Blue Jays, Bo Bichette's future in Toronto and Bryan gives his FanDuel Best Bets on Bengals and Ravens.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 It's beginning to sound a lot like Christmas with IHart the Holidays. Non-stop Christmas music 24-7. All your festive favorites. Unwrap the magic of the season. One song at a time. Ask your smart speaker to play IHart the Holidays on IHard Radio. Download the free app today. Gifted to you by Sleep Country.
Starting point is 00:00:30 Country. Hour 2 Overdrive continues, powered by Fanduil, bringing you everything from the opening line of the final score, Brian Hasey, O'Dog, Jeff O'Neill, Dave Feschuk, we're up on YouTube live on TSN's YouTube channel. I'm sure the comments are being very kind of the O-Dog today, very kind. Oh, yeah. To my partner, and I won't stand for any disparaging comments. None.
Starting point is 00:00:50 Because as a leader, you win together and you lose together, Dave. I've always said that. I've always lived by that code. So I couldn't be happier to have him a part of the future. part of the crew and Al's brother who's always been great. My boys are up north watching Shui and Foss, boys that run the funeral home up there in Collingwood, and they said we would have made the exact same pick. Well, that's very fitting. That's great. It's good to hear that those two guys would have taken the Lions. That's very comforting. I thought
Starting point is 00:01:20 you're going to say, I just talked to Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, but Shooey and Fos. Shooey and Fazz, you know, driving around the hearse up there, love the Lions. Okay, well, anyway, Packers won today. We'll get to that momentarily. Leaves are coming off and win. The Havs got to win. How about Ottawa last night?
Starting point is 00:01:39 They've won now three or four on this really tough road trip through California in Vegas last night, won in a shootout last night. Maybe noodles was right. Maybe they don't need to add. But I'm telling you, I just think if they can take a shot this year and say our goaltenders legit and they play really tight and they can because what happens is
Starting point is 00:02:02 if it doesn't work out to be like we just needed that one goal that one guy to score a goal so if you can add a good player man why not and just say we're for real and we're going to make a run I think it would be great for the team they look great they look great man
Starting point is 00:02:16 Otto's been really good Mark was great last night but you look at it like they they've got pretty bad goal to any too just in terms of like they're 28th in team's 8% so as much as you talk about Edmonton's 32nd of course nobody's as bad as Edmonton.
Starting point is 00:02:29 But none of the Canadian teams outside of Winnipeg and Calgary have top half of the league goaltending right now. Calgary is shocking because Wolf got torched again last night, got pulled again. Like Tampa is rolling, man, and Vasilevsky's rolling. And Winnipeg is starting to scare me. I've got to be honest. Yeah. Like they lost again last night and they were chasing the game.
Starting point is 00:02:48 They haven't won a game since, yeah, their goaltender went out now. Yeah, that's scary, man. Like they're out of a playoff spot right now. Yeah, there's one team. Colorado won again last night. So Colorado keeps going Dallas is going to keep going You know like it's it's early
Starting point is 00:03:01 But Winnipeg is not in the clear We love Winnipeg Our second home We love Winnipeg Really ever since you walked into Winnipeg They've lost Ever since you've been there Ever since you're
Starting point is 00:03:12 So I'm the cooler now I'm worried that you're You're the beansie of Basically pro sports right now How many teams Canadian teams did you say are in the playoffs right now It's one right now Ottawa was the only team
Starting point is 00:03:24 Montreal's right there Last night But I think they're technically by tie breaker, they're not in it. Let me take a quick look before we get to a guy who has a new lease on life. Technically, Montreal is not in the playoffs right now. Technically, Winnipeg is behind Edmonton.
Starting point is 00:03:38 Now they've got three games in hand. Yeah, there is one Canadian team. If the playoffs were starting tonight, again, it's unfair to do that because everyone's played different amount of games and point percentages and all that. One team in the playoffs, and it's Ottawa.
Starting point is 00:03:50 Six of the seven. And a bunch of them are swimming. like the leases swimming Edmonton swimming Winnipeg's not in a good place Calgary's a disaster Vancouver's not much better they won last night
Starting point is 00:04:03 but yikes not good not good all right so noodles is I believe on his way to St. Louis right now and he must be feeling great right
Starting point is 00:04:13 noodles's got to be feeling great oh yeah because he is I believe the president of football operations for what's this smell what the rock
Starting point is 00:04:23 is cooking yeah for noodle son noodle son which i'm not sure i love that name i gotta be honest get out of here get out of here there he is oh no i was called your parts i was called i can't get over that you'd make that sign i can't get over it it's my new life now parts oh sorry i said that sorry i said that
Starting point is 00:04:49 who you're talking to when you say parts you're talking to me right that's exactly who i talking to you. Oh, man. How about those Green Bay Packers, Luke? How about them Green Bay Packers? And man, did Micah Parsons making an announcement to the world that he's here and he's ready to play this afternoon? He was unbelievable, Hayes. And I'll say this.
Starting point is 00:05:09 I also thought he was wildly disrupted in the run game. And if you remember beginning of the year, and I was on this train myself, I got to own up to it, where I'm like, yeah, he's not the most stout run defender. And he slipped a lot of blocks, caused a lot of hats. I mean, big plays would have mattered. If you're Green Bay right now, and it's such a pivotal game, you're in that front office, you kind of sit there and say, this is why we went out and got them. I mean, this obviously, you look at the Lions down.
Starting point is 00:05:34 They're kind of on the outside looking in playoff-wise. Now, I do think there's a world where they still get there. Look at that. Xavier Worthy just took, I got the game behind me here. I'm just making sure we cover the spread. Yeah, I got you. Worthy with a nice, long reverse. But I thought it was overall an incredible performance by Micah,
Starting point is 00:05:52 and by Green Bay. And I'll say this, hey, and you're a Green Bay guy, you know this. They've had a hard time at moments of winning the big one when it's close. I hated the call to go for it on Fort Down to clinch the game there. But what a throw and catch by Love and Wicks there. I was like, holy smokes. So Green Bay right now, times are good. They are.
Starting point is 00:06:13 That defense has been explosive. I think you pointed that out. Stopping the run has been a huge issue for them for years. And like the first time Campbell went forward. on fourth and third. He runs Gibbs up the middle and he just got stuffed. He lost yardage on that play. And then obviously later Williams
Starting point is 00:06:30 drops that ball that he had to have on fourth and short later in the game. But I think the run defense, significant, Parsons significant. And what I think Lefleur, I like that he had that attitude and that approach because he has been getting called out for being far too conservative this year. Like way too conservative
Starting point is 00:06:46 was play calling. And that's a ballsy play. That's a Dan Campbell play. Like we're just going to win the game right now. Like just call a play, snap it on fourth down, and they executed. I'll tell you this. So, hey, so one thing I would disagree with is that Dan Campbell's never had
Starting point is 00:07:02 a defense as good as the Packers have right now. And granted, the Packers, it looks susceptible at times today, but Micah was rolling. And my thought is, like, you pin him inside the 10, they have no timeouts, and you say, Micah, go make another play. But, again, it was really risky, but it paid
Starting point is 00:07:18 off, you know? So I'm excited for Green Bay right now. I'll say this too. I thought this was because they've been a bit up and down on offense and I thought this was the best Jordan, the most consistent Jordan Lovers look, let's put that way. He's been good recently, man. He's starting
Starting point is 00:07:34 to cook a little bit. And like Watson, healthy is I think significant, right? They're getting some pieces back. Jacobs played today. They've got kind of a two-headed monster in terms of running backs. Wilson's been good. So yeah, I mean, I look at the NFC North and I understand
Starting point is 00:07:50 Chicago's still technically and the driver's seat and they got Philly tomorrow, but this felt like a big statement. Like this felt like Green Bay basically put their stake in the ground saying, we're taking this division. And I'd put money on them doing it now. And honestly, if you look at Chicago's schedule, I was kind of going
Starting point is 00:08:06 through this afterwards, but it's an absolute bear. Like the it wouldn't surprise me, they're going to have to really win some games because they have the three of them, in my opinion, the toughest schedule by far. Well, they got Green Bay twice, too, right? Like you said, Green Bay twice.
Starting point is 00:08:22 and then they end at San Fran and verse Detroit, your only game in there that's, I wouldn't even say a gimmie, but it's easier as Cleveland. So it's like Philly, Green Bay twice, San Fran, and Detroit, I hate to say this Bears fans, but I'm not sure I like them, and I don't care what the spread says any of these.
Starting point is 00:08:43 I'm not sure I like them winning any of those games. No, I'm with you. I'm with you on that. And the spread will be applied when we get to those picks momentarily, because you and noodles will be on the clock for that game tomorrow afternoon. It's going to be tough to hear that. It's going to be very tough to hear that. Be honest with me.
Starting point is 00:09:01 You're not, you're not, this isn't some big jam jobs. I know, Mahomes looks phenomenal. Look at this guy. Like, you're not a mole coming over here to ruin the mojo between Al's brother and I. Then you're going to flip back to Luke. Let me, let me ask you this. Parts, former. Parts.
Starting point is 00:09:19 I was talking to you by a act. Gary. Luke, let me ask you this. That last game, would you have picked the Lions or no? No, not at all. I would have taken Green Bay. How bad, dude. Let me say this.
Starting point is 00:09:34 I spoke with noodles, who, by the way, is absolutely, like you said, the president of operation around here. We needed a new culture. I was told that my former parts had been consistently dragging me quite a bit as Cream Hunt gets extra yards in the ground right now as we're going on to cover this spread. We had a bad culture and that's what was equating to the losses. Okay, I think I'm a little behind you. I don't like that face. He's right there.
Starting point is 00:09:58 He's fumbled, but it was out of bounds. All good. Still possession Kansas City in the red zone. Go ahead. Okay. I'll say this. You know, I talked to noodles and we both were kind of on the same vibe that O'Dong's a bit like a floating bag right now. You know, wherever the wind blows him, he just goes over there. He jumped off the ship.
Starting point is 00:10:16 You know, and now he's on the other team. This isn't the first time. you picked up a floating bag I called him I called them Billy Zane from Titanic yesterday like that's it was a sinking ship
Starting point is 00:10:30 man and he was running over women and children to get over here to Haysenbro and it's kind of a concerning characteristic I gotta be honest but he's my partsy now so I gotta love him or is he that's right we'll see it could be back on waivers it's only been one game
Starting point is 00:10:45 we got a noodle son has a long way to go long way to go but it would help if we could get this one. And then you guys got, the spread tonight's tough. The tough. The tough, because you just don't know who you're going to get with Joe Burrow coming back. Well, let's start with that. I mean, Burrow was returning.
Starting point is 00:11:00 It's not a short week for him because he hasn't played in a couple of months. Are you surprised at all that he is playing, that they wouldn't shut him down for the year? Like, the Bengals aren't going anywhere. He's been kind of a Band-Aid throughout his career, but he's going to play tonight. And presumably the rest of the season. uh absolutely not like and he said in his interview hayes where it's like listen if he's healthy enough to play he plays this is your main guy like this is called being a pro athlete here you don't say oh the team sucks so i'm going to stay healthy it's like you're the captain
Starting point is 00:11:35 of this team you make all the money you go out there and you ball out if you're healthy it's plain and simple to me all the other narratives are like don't want him get hurt don't get hurt for what well i guess for your future you're three and eight you stink i mean They can get hurt any time. Do you think he ever returns to greatness, Luke? Kelsey Tuddy, boys. Kelsey Tuddy! 14-7 Chiefs.
Starting point is 00:12:02 It's early. It's early. Back door cover. Screams it. Sorry, sorry about that. Sorry about that. I'm all behind. Just completely disrespectful to your former partner.
Starting point is 00:12:11 Just chewing on it. I'm not even asking. The floating bag. He's the floating bag. Floating bag. Do I think? The wind's blown him away. Yeah, I know.
Starting point is 00:12:22 You know? So here, the question is, so I think Burrow will be healthy, I think, but I'm not trying to throw you guys off. I think Burrow comes out here tonight and throws for 330 yards. No. I'm not joking. Without T. Higgins. I think he comes out here tonight and throws for 3.30 right on this Baltimore defense's head. That's completely disingenuous.
Starting point is 00:12:41 Look at him. That's completely disingenuous. Hey, ex-parts, dude. What are you guys going to pick tonight, man? I do. It's coming off over 3.30. I do think Jemar Chase is going to have to have a chip on his shoulder, though, right? Like, he's coming off a suspension, and, you know, he issued an apology, and we'll see what he's got in store.
Starting point is 00:12:59 Do you think he actually cares about that? Jamar Chase? Yes. The fact that he, well, I mean, I don't know. You could speak to it, Luke. Like, that's as disrespectful as you can get what he did. You know, like you spit on the guy. It's, you know, trouble.
Starting point is 00:13:14 This is what I would say, too, though. I would say, you know, as much as you want to say, oh, it's X amount of million, you know, he's making a million, like, when you get a whole game check taken away, which is I believe what happens with suspension, that is not a fun feeling. Like, that's a, especially for him, that is an ungodly amount of money. So I'm sure that he does care about it, one for the rep, but more so for the cash. You know, I don't have his exact game-by-game salary, but he lost a lot of cash by doing That's an expensive spit.
Starting point is 00:13:48 Yes. Very significant. Lots of money. Call me out. God. Oh, my goodness, hold on. Look at these two guys. The flowing bag, dude.
Starting point is 00:14:05 Wow. I can't wait until Noodle is back. Yeah. This has got to be. Oh, it's like old times. It's brutal. It feels great to be back on the same team, oh, doesn't it? It does. Remember Al Dogg?
Starting point is 00:14:17 You remember how awesome Al Dog was? The vibes were immaculate. They were so bad at picking games, though. That's my concern, man. You guys, like, it's just a weird mojo. Dave, I got to be honest, it's a weird mojo. It's uncomfortable. It's a two-man bobsled.
Starting point is 00:14:34 We got the O-Dog laying on top of us. It's a difficult management job. Whoever is managing this team has got a lot of work to do. Yeah. I was brother, where do you stand on things? I mean, you were pushing the lions, too. You like that moon, right? The waxing crescent or whatever it was that you referenced earlier this afternoon.
Starting point is 00:14:52 You know what? The moon got us. The moon got us. And I'll take that. I'll take that. I don't want to put that one on O. So I think we do deserve to give him another chance here. Because that's on me.
Starting point is 00:15:02 That's my bad. Going into today, when the moon reading is in the current phase, which it was, the lines are three and oh on Thanksgiving. So I just, you know, the trend suggested that they were going to win and cover the number again. and, you know, if it wasn't for that phantom timeout, late timeout call, that, you know, ended up in another touchdown, who knows how this game turns out. Oh, dog, listen to the sky. This is your partner. Excuses already. Wasn't for phantom timeouts.
Starting point is 00:15:28 This is what you become, O'Dog. No, no. I consider it, man. I consider it brilliance. Go ahead, Alex, brother. No more interruptions. Well, listen, now, we're going to be sweating this Chiefs game now. Like, it's early, but Chiefs are up, like, their offense looks like they're chugging.
Starting point is 00:15:44 man. And that's the problem. Like this cowboy defense cannot stop anything. And you get Mahomes on turf in a game like this where they're starting to cook and start to chug a little bit with health. It's concerning. But as for the game tonight, it's Ravens minus seven and a half. It's a goofy line. I
Starting point is 00:16:00 don't like it. I don't love the feeling of it. But I'm sure you have some tremendous information. So please supply us. Where does your head go first with Ravens Bengals tonight? Yeah, I mean, well, you just look at what our process has been over the course of the year, and it's been pretty successful, Hayes.
Starting point is 00:16:17 I mean, short week, divisional game, big number. Typically that screams, you take the dog. But I think we've got to throw all that out the window for this one, fellas. I really do. I think we've got to throw it all out the window. I was reading an article today. The Cincinnati Bengals statistically have had the worst defense in NFL history, not just this season, but in NFL history in terms of DVOA.
Starting point is 00:16:40 It has been atrociously bad. They're giving up 32 points per game. to go up like six and a half yards per play. It has not been great for Lamar in this offense lately. You know, they have not really looked at the MVP self, Lamar, but I think this is a get-right game. That's the thing for me. This is a get-right game.
Starting point is 00:16:57 I think they put up 35 to 40 points potentially, and I just don't see Joe Burrow going out there and putting up 3.30, Luke. I mean, the guys have played football in two months. He doesn't have T. Higgins. I think that offensive line, it's terrible. It's trash. It has been. It always will be.
Starting point is 00:17:14 I think that that defense, which has been humming lately, they've given up an average of 13 points in their last five games. They'll stifle that offense, and I think they'll be able to put up enough points themselves. So I think seven to a half, it's a bit of a goofy number. It seems like the books are trying to get you to bite on the Bengals as dogs, but we're not doing that. I think we should lay the points here, fellas, and take the Ravens and fly with the flock.
Starting point is 00:17:41 Wow. It's pretty compelling, right? I'm all in with that one. You know, Alex, brother, here's what I'm worried about. Like, is Lamar Jackson still that guy? Like, you look at, he's not using the legs like he used to. He's career low rushing yards per game. I mean, this is, yeah, he's coming off, you know, finishing second in the MVP voting,
Starting point is 00:18:01 but he hasn't seen to me, to my eye, as the same dominant force. No, he hasn't, to be completely fair. You look at the rushing totals in general, and they're quite low. I think he ran for like 10 yards or something like that a couple weeks ago. But like I said, this is the time for this offense to get right. He has dealt with injuries all season long, so he's clearly playing through things, whether it's an ankle or hamshed. He's playing through some stuff that's definitely held him back from being his MVP self.
Starting point is 00:18:30 But look, Derek Henry is still Derek Henry. They still have weapons out there. When this defense is as bad as it is, there's no Troy Hendrickson either to put pressure on these guys, he should be able to sit back in the pocket, make some passes. they should be able to run the football down the throats of this team and still be able to put up numbers without him looking like an MVP. Yeah, King Henry, I think,
Starting point is 00:18:49 he's starting to, like he gets alive, man, as you get later in the season. You know, cold it is right now? Exactly. Oh, cold it is outside? Love it. He's coming. Love it. Winter is coming, and he's a white walker. He absolutely is, and he's ready for it. And listen, this is a big weekend. It's a pivotal swing.
Starting point is 00:19:05 The Steelers have got the bills on Sunday, and, you know, the Steelers are falling off. The Ravens have a chance to, to take a kind of a strangle hole in the AFC North. And I tend to agree with what you're saying. This line is trying to sneak people into taking the points here. And I think Lamar gets going. I think this defense holds Burrough and company just, you know,
Starting point is 00:19:25 some reasonable stats and reasonable numbers. I think we're locking in the Ravens tonight. It's a big number, but it's at home Thursday night, prime time. Ravens. Ravens. Okay. HBO's on the Ravens. What the flock, boys.
Starting point is 00:19:38 He feels sick about it. Hey, he's, I know you. You feel sick about it, dude. Listen, it's a short week, divisional game, big number. It goes against a lot of my instincts, but I like where my partner's heads are at. I like where both of my partners are out right now. When a team is as bad as the Cincinnati Bengals have been, you kind of got to throw logic out the window and just sit there and say,
Starting point is 00:20:03 this is a crap team, and I don't want to be on them tonight. And that's kind of where we're at with the Cincinnati Bengals. And look, this team has a lot to prove. the Baltimore Ravens. I was on the morning show today and we were talking with Edward and he said, I don't think they're a Super Bowl contender anymore. They can go out, make a statement tonight, and if they can do that, blow this team out, people will be talking about them being contenders in the AFC again.
Starting point is 00:20:27 Okay. I like that. All right, Luke, I don't know where noodles is. He's somewhere in the Midwest right now. I hope you've chatted with him because you're on Eagles Bears. He's recruiting. We're bringing in another personality or bringing in another teammate. Okay.
Starting point is 00:20:40 I like that idea. We've got options. Well, Eagles minus 7 against the Bears tomorrow. You guys are on this game, kickoff at 3, so it's prior to us get on the air tomorrow. Go ahead. Make your pick. It's minus 7? I thought it was 6.5.
Starting point is 00:20:55 You sure about that? Doogie just locked it in. Officially locked. I'm going on the phone right now to check this. Go ahead. That's a key number. Go ahead. That's a key number.
Starting point is 00:21:09 Now you're stalling for that. That line to move. We're taking the Eagles. We're taking the Eagles, minus seven. A lot of turmoil in Philly, man. Oh, good. Listen, I like the response. I like the response after a bad week last week.
Starting point is 00:21:24 Kind of a get-right moment. I also think Cato Williams is due for some turnovers. Oh, there's a nice little fourth-down conversion for you guys. Yeah. I love this cowboy offense, man. A lot of, yeah, and this is the thing. Last week, Vic Fangio's defense, you guys know, big Vic Fangio guy, really held Dallas at Bay until they were on the field forever, you know,
Starting point is 00:21:46 and this cowboy offense is special. Caleb Williams is bound to make some mistakes. I think the Eagles get right here. I like them to cover the spread. I think they get after them. Okay. You're locking in Eagles minus seven tomorrow. Okay. It's a big spread, man.
Starting point is 00:21:59 There's a lot of weird, weird mojo in Philly right now. Like, really weird mojo. I agree. It's a big statement game for Chicago. They can't score the second half. Yeah, well, and now there's internal, like, rumors that guys. Guys internally are kind of hating on Jalen Hertz or questioning where he's at the way he's playing. So it's got the chance for him to shut a lot of people up.
Starting point is 00:22:18 But this is the biggest game the Bears have played in a decade or close to it. In the last four or five years for sure. Like this is a big, meaningful, like you have prime time. You're under the lights. The whole country, the whole world's watching you type game. Ben Johnson can make a statement. Caleb Williams can make a statement that defense can't tomorrow. I don't mind taking seven points tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:22:38 I got to be honest. I think the Eagles will win. see 24, 21 Eagles. I love getting points in more. You guys got to worry about tonight. You got to worry about tonight. We'll be fine. That's what I would say. We'll be fine. I think the Cowboys cover here, backdoor, and I love, love Ravens Big Tonight.
Starting point is 00:22:54 You better hope they keep pace, boys. You better hope the DAC don't have another pick. I love this. You better hope, pays. Aubrey stepping up, field goals, very smart. Schottenheimer, very conservative. Love that play. Love that play. All right. All right, Luke. Alice Brother, great seeing you,
Starting point is 00:23:10 Al's brother, as always. Absolutely great seeing you. Luke, good luck with noodles. Good luck with noodles, son. You guys need to start picking some winners. All right, boys. We'll catch you guys. We will.
Starting point is 00:23:21 There they are. Fly with the flock. Alice brother, we're flying with the flock. All right. Do you like that, Dave? I'd go the other way. Would you? That's concerning.
Starting point is 00:23:31 Look, Derek Henry, I agree with you. It's apparently going to be freezing in Baltimore tonight, like, you know, like plus four or five. and that does seem to bode well for Derek Henry, but I feel like when we came into this season, I remember how many times were we on this show talking to people that know a lot more about the NFL than I do, saying the Ravens are the best team.
Starting point is 00:23:50 The Ravens are a Super Bowl favorite. They've shown nothing of the store. No, they haven't. And Lamar Jackson, for me, is the main reason why. Like, he's just not the explosive Lamar Jackson that we're used to seeing. And I just, I can't pick him when I'm seeing that. Yeah, he's, but he's clear. Clearly injured.
Starting point is 00:24:08 Like, he missed a lot of time, and then they got into the by week, and they have won in spite of him the last couple of weeks. It's not that he's turning the ball over necessarily. He just is not explosive at all. And it changes the whole dynamic if you know he can't run. Yeah. Clearly, because he's terrifying for defenses. If you don't put a spy on him, you're in big trouble,
Starting point is 00:24:27 but now you don't have to do that. If you don't think he's going to take off, you can play a very different coverage and, you know, apply a different defense to him. Anyway, HBO is on, the Ravens tonight and Noodle Sun. I gotta get used to these names. I don't love them, I'll be honest.
Starting point is 00:24:43 But we'll see what happens after a week or two. They're on the Eagles tomorrow laying the points. All right, we'll come back. Leaves back in action. Tomorrow wraps off a big win and the Jay's making the statement of the offseason so far. Could they make more statements? As we move forward, we'll get back into that as well.
Starting point is 00:24:58 Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and up on TSN3. All right, we'll get to our best bets later in the hour. I think it's a pretty positive day in Toronto today. Rappers win, Leaves win, Dylan C. signed a long-term deal with the Blue Jays pending a physical,
Starting point is 00:25:14 but no reason to believe that won't happen. Very positive day. Uber positive Thursday. I think it's great. How could it not be? I think it's amazing that the Jays are spending like crazy and the Yankees are crying poor, man. Like, I don't know, man. I never thought I'd see that happen. Yeah, that
Starting point is 00:25:30 really, like it's like it used to be in the early 90s. Yeah. You know, or late 80s. If he ever thought That would happen. No kidding. You know, you know, JP, God love him. Like he, you know, he, to this day, if he comes on this station,
Starting point is 00:25:44 he complains about the fact that the Jay's never spent money when he was the GM and he was going against the Yankees and the Red Sox who did nothing but spend money. Right. And, you know, it was the big league AL East, and it was the two, the evil empire in New York and the very rich, you know, Red Sox going. That's where they had, those are the days where they had zero chance. Like, they were just putting out a lineup and it was like, that's why it was like the Yankees and the Red Sox one or two
Starting point is 00:26:10 and then it was the Jays had no chance and there was always Tampa Bay who was creeping up there and they kind of made some hay after that and the Jays were just right in the bottom with Baltimore yeah and listen this is not surprising if you look over the history of Shapiro and Atkins this is what they've always done
Starting point is 00:26:26 they've invested in starting pitching it's their priority it's what they prioritize and they believe in it and they understand why it's a reasonable philosophy to get you through a regular season and get to the playoffs, you need starting pitching to do it. And they've hit on a lot, and they missed on some, right?
Starting point is 00:26:43 Like they missed it. Hume Jun Ryu had a really good start, then got injured, faded. Tanner Roark was a disaster. You know, you can look at a couple of others, but they have continuously gone back to the well. And I think what they have a type. They have it,
Starting point is 00:26:55 like Dylan Cs falls in line with the Barrios, Gosman, Bassett, you know, all different guys, different stuff. But the point being is very, very, very, very healthy, very reliable, going to give you 30 plus starts, good stuff. And I think they have a reason like I said earlier to be very confident,
Starting point is 00:27:13 bordering on arrogant, that they have some sort of pitching philosophy with Pete Walker and whatever staff they have there to be able to get the best out of guys. You know, because he had a really good year a few years ago, like off the charts good. Since then, like his numbers were not great last year.
Starting point is 00:27:29 If you look at just conventional stats, they were not that positive. But he strikes out a lot of guys. and you know the defense in San Diego was not very good and that's obviously what they're banking on here they had very good defense in Toronto this year he didn't have a great ERA but he had a really good expected ERA yes exactly
Starting point is 00:27:46 like what was expected based on you know what you would expect out of decent fielding his numbers would have been much better and yes it's a big commitment but who cares you're not paying it and as long as it doesn't have an effect on any other portion of the payroll I think this is Uber
Starting point is 00:28:04 positive because again, they just handed Vladi, the last two signings they've made, have been the two biggest they've ever made. They gave Vladdy over $500 million and then they just gave Dylan C's $210 million. They've never done that before. And as I said earlier, I think this is assigned to Bichette,
Starting point is 00:28:20 maybe Kyle Tucker, I don't know if Tucker makes sense, but that they're not going to slow down. They've got a taste of it. They're in the 11th inning Game 7 World Series. If that's not going to push you to continue to be aggressive and feel like you're real close to winning, what is possibly ever going to push you to do that.
Starting point is 00:28:36 Yeah, I keep in mind, Hayes, just because you feel the mentality of being all in, it doesn't mean it guarantee success. Absolutely not. But you're just putting it out there that that's the objective and that's where you want to get back to. Yes, exactly. Like they could, and they still might, go out and try to find a project and build him back up.
Starting point is 00:28:54 That's basically what they did with Robbie Ray and he won't sign a young for him. You know, go find a guy, decent stuff. They had to pay, they had to invest a lot here. Like, they paid a ton of money to Dylan C's. but yeah and he's turning 30 next month yes you know not a young guy there's a window 30 30
Starting point is 00:29:11 the age 35 36 37 years there at 30 million per may not look particularly pretty yeah they don't care about that but they don't care about that I with you and they should no doubt they shouldn't know like they literally are if you you know they are one of the richest owners in major league baseball and every general manager says
Starting point is 00:29:30 or anybody involved with these types of transactions these guys have already been here for a decade seven years from now they're like that's not even going to be our problem not even close well and listen they're going to deal with other guys like we'll see what burrios what happens with him where he fits in line where he sits here he's still owed a lot of money for a few years that hasn't stopped them from going out there and do this doing this so that's what you have to bank on if in four or five years cease falls off which very well could happen push him down the rotation hey you can't have enough pitch They have that money to be your fifth starter, so be it.
Starting point is 00:30:05 Every plan you can have. You think about last season, the opening day starter was Jose Boreo. Yeah. Right? The idea that Jose Boreas would not be in the picture in the playoffs, and a guy named Trey Yassavage, who nobody outside of the hardcore prospect pool guys really had heard of would be a central figure. You couldn't ever plan that.
Starting point is 00:30:25 Who do you think gets the ball opening day this season? Kevin Gosman. Well. Not even a question. I mean, I think it'll be up for grabs. Either him or you savage, I would think. Like, I don't think they'll step in and seize immediately gets it because he got the big ticket and he's the big prize.
Starting point is 00:30:42 It might be a savage. Yeah, I could see you Savage. If he has a great spring training, then I don't think Kevin Gosman would raise an eyebrow with that. Like, hey, come on a sec here. I don't think so, man. I don't think so. I mean, listen, again, like Dave just said, he didn't get the ball opening day this year.
Starting point is 00:30:57 Or I don't think the year, but he has had an opening day start for the Jay's game's tenure. did get to you. Who did get to start? This year? Yes, it was Barrios opening day. It was Burrios. And like Gosman was hurt coming out of spring training. Right.
Starting point is 00:31:12 He wasn't available to them opening day. But yeah, I mean, I think Gosman, you saff, it doesn't ultimately matter that much. It doesn't matter, but it just goes to show you. They have options. The guy you sort of pegged as your number one guy last year didn't even end up being a factor when the biggest games showed up.
Starting point is 00:31:28 Yeah. And you still did okay, right? Right? You've got to have plan B, plan C. You can never have enough pitching. And you certainly can't have enough pitching like a Dillon C's who has been, what is it, five straight seasons he's been either 32 or 33 starts. That's- That's for real, slight numbers. Yeah, there's no guaranteed health in pitching, but that's as close as you're going to get. Yeah, they clearly put a lot of stock in that, which makes a lot of sense.
Starting point is 00:31:54 And they, you know, I think Ross has told us this before. And they're not alone. Every team should be doing this, and I'm sure every team is. they study angles and arms and torque and you know what kind of pitches you throw and listen this was a targeted attack it's November they haven't even hit the winter meetings yet and they said we're not playing a long game we're not waiting until February or March or whatever we can get them this is the price we're going to pay for them and I appreciate that mentality and I think if you're a Blue Jay fan you have to love it now I think they need bullpen help I think they're going to still possibly attack that oh yeah if you can get a bullpen arm maybe a couple, and you bring back a guy like Beau Bichette, if you're a Blue J fan, what else would you ask for? Like if you get, let's say one bullpen arm of substance, I don't know who that is right now, we'll see.
Starting point is 00:32:43 But a guy with decent stuff that you can rely on as a back-in of the bullpen guy, maybe a closer, ideally, that pushes Hoffman out of that position, and you bring back a guy like Bichette, who I think a lot of Blue J fans are hoping they bring back? Like, what a turn of events. This time last year was nothing but negativity. around this team.
Starting point is 00:33:01 I find it bizarre the timing of it. Like Bo Bichette, just the, and Hayes, you've talked about all the time, like these drag on these off seasons in baseball, like how this could drag on this long
Starting point is 00:33:14 for a player like that that you either want or you don't want, like, I find it shocking. I think it's more likely they're playing chicken with Bo. Like,
Starting point is 00:33:22 I don't think they were willing to do it with C's clearly. Like, clearly there was a price that said, you got to pay it if you want them to sign now or we'll wait, and they said we'll do it. With Bo,
Starting point is 00:33:31 You know, there's a question of the market that's out there. Where is he going to play? Which teams are looking for them? So I think there's a chance they're going to allow him to kind of establish that, and I'm not sure it's been established yet. But what's the Blue Jays delay with Bobauchette? Like wouldn't they just say, man, we love you, you're a big part of this. We want you to get healthy and we keep on trucking next year.
Starting point is 00:33:52 Let's do this? Or does that count down to my – like, what's the delay? I would think they put a price tag on them if they want them back. I would think they want them back. I don't know if that's 100% for sure, but I think they'd want them back. But, yeah, I think they, like, obviously what happened here was the Jay's looked at Dylan Sees and said, we think we have to pay you $30 million, and he probably said, yes, you got to pay me $30 million. Like, there's a chance with Bichette.
Starting point is 00:34:14 They're saying, we'll pay you $25 million, and he's saying, well, I want $32, you know, or whatever it is. You can use any number you want. Or it could be a term thing. Jays say we'll give you a four or five-year deal. He said he wants $7, 8, 9, 10, you know, and if they're not comfortable with it, or if they don't feel like that market's out there for them, like clearly the Jays thought this seven years 210, someone else was going to pay it or close to it.
Starting point is 00:34:37 That's why they were willing to be aggressive. That's smart. You target the guy, you're comfortable with it, you got them, go for it. Who cares with the Mets or the Dodgers or the Giants of the Yankees were willing to pay? They didn't want to finish second? They didn't want to finish second, so they got them.
Starting point is 00:34:50 With Bichette, I would guess it's more of a song and dance because the Js are probably having a more difficult time figuring out exactly what that marks. market is. And maybe Bichette is as well. Like, you know, you know players, you were an athlete. I'm sure Bo's looking at it saying I'm Bo Bichette. I think I should get this. Doesn't mean you're going to get it. I know. And the Vladdy one is the big thing. They've kind of been attached at the hip. And it's like, Vladdy gets, I just remember the mentality of a player saying, well, if that guy's 500, aren't I 300? Like, you have that kind of mentality.
Starting point is 00:35:23 Oh, yeah. Where you're like, why am I taking a discount when that guy just got 500? Like, are our numbers that far apart? I don't think so. They're not. During the regular season, they weren't. Pichette was a better hitter than he was. Yes. Now, the playoffs, obviously, were different, but...
Starting point is 00:35:38 And the other thing, too, guys, I mean, let's not underestimate here. You have to play a lot of baseball games for the right to become a free agent, right? Like, it's not like, if I'm your agent and you just played all those games and put in all that service time and we're a good, loyal Blue Jay, I would highly encourage you to see what the market is out there. Like, just, you know, because you don't get that chance every day. Right. Now, what this tells you is that maybe someone will get to Bichette before you get a chance to.
Starting point is 00:36:06 Like maybe there's a team out there that will apply the same logic that the Jays did to Dillon C's to Bobbichette. We want you. What's it going to cost? We'll pay it. Right. And you might, you're risking that with every day that passes. And I think that's the point you're making. Oh, like if you really want them, you're risking something every day that passes that Boston calls him and goes, fine.
Starting point is 00:36:24 we'll give you that $275,000, $250,000, whatever it is. I don't know what the number is, because everyone's got a different number with Bichette. Everyone's got a different goalpost, right? Like, what positions he play and how healthy is, he can't he run the bases anymore? You know, there's a lot of, it's more difficult to apply, like, a logical number to Bichette. Wow, that's the problem. Like, with Dillon C's, you know, we all know arms can go poof in a moment in baseball. You're paying for the track record of health over the past five seasons where he's been as
Starting point is 00:37:00 he's been as clockwork as anybody in the big leagues in terms of showing up to the mound every day ready to go. Boba Shett, there's some real health red flags there, right? You can't ignore those. I mean, he wasn't healthy for the bulk of the playoffs. He wasn't healthy last year for the entire dismal season when you finished last in the American League east and everybody just assumed he was going to be headed out of town very shortly. So, you know, you can't underestimate those things.
Starting point is 00:37:24 important and the advantage that Blue Jays have is they know more about all those injuries and the intricacies of them than anybody else and maybe that tells you why they're not immediately stepping up to the plate to pay him everything that he wants. Well, there is
Starting point is 00:37:39 definitely a chance here that the Jays are effectively allowing him to fall on his face and free agency. Could be. You know, and that's a harsh way of phrasing it, but the point being is it's not that they don't want them. Doesn't mean they're not going to pay them, go out and see.
Starting point is 00:37:57 Because that happens. That dance happens. You know, lots of players, they're like, oh, if you think you're worth that, go out there and get it. Or when it comes to a trade a lot of times, the organization will say, you tell your agent to go out and try to facilitate one, and guess what? Doesn't happen.
Starting point is 00:38:13 Yeah. Well, and we are an environment, to your point about, you know, Hal Steinbrenner carrying some water for the commissioner, we're in an environment where there's a lot of teams saying we don't want to spend big money right now. Well, there's a lot of players getting squeezed. You know, like there's a big issue in the players are so serious.
Starting point is 00:38:27 Salary caps coming. We're headed for a labor war and we've got to set a tone here. We're not just, you know, we are falling in line with the commissioners cost certainty and cost controls. We don't want to be seen as somebody overpaying the players who may or may not be healthy for the next five, 10, 15 years. Well, look at the offseason
Starting point is 00:38:44 last year. Like, Bregman had to wait a long time. Didn't get some great deal. Got an option. He opted out. Alonzo waited a long time. That's right. Like those are big pieces, like Bregman was one of the faces of Houston, one of World Series, great player. They said, go see what you can get.
Starting point is 00:39:00 Pete Alonzo, the Mets basically played chicken with him all year. They'd go see what you can get. And he couldn't get it. And he eventually came back and they gave him the deal and he's opted out and we'll see what happens now. He's going to do the same thing again this year. It's possibly, he claims he won't, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Starting point is 00:39:15 You're right. I'll believe it when I see it. And that's Boris again, I believe. Oh, yeah. But with Bichette, you know, there's a different approach to back. like arms are just always more valuable in the sport. Outside of like the superstar bats, super, superstar bats,
Starting point is 00:39:31 arms are just, they're so necessary, so mandatory to get. And the markets are always going to look a little bit different for them. All right, Best Bed's coming up. Leaves caps tomorrow. We'll look ahead to that.
Starting point is 00:39:43 And we're tracking Cowboys sub 1714 on the Chiefs. Those Cowboys looking pretty good. Looking pretty good. Overdrive continues. TSN 1050 and on TSN3. All right, best bets powered by Fanduel. Make your picks and assembler. Same game parlay and seconds on the
Starting point is 00:40:01 Fanduals Sportsbook. Yeah. Ravens laying in points tonight. Going to parlay that with the Bears getting points tomorrow. I like the Bears to show up. I think it's a massive statement game for them. And I don't like where the Eagles are at right now. I just do not like the way things are going.
Starting point is 00:40:17 Turmoil there. They just have these weird up and down seasons. Yeah. And right now, the Eagles, I think, are in a pretty dark place. It's just as big as it gets for the Bears to make a statement. You don't have to win. You just got to cover. Best bets powered by Fandall. Same game, Parlay is now available for every NFL game of the Fandall Sportsbook Gap. Please play
Starting point is 00:40:33 responsibly 19 plus. Physically located in Ontario. It's good to see Joe Borough will return tonight. It's good to see Austin Matthews return last night. Nise Waugh. They need more. You got to get more guys coming back. Guys, you see Masters had a little update from practice that the power play
Starting point is 00:40:49 of course. Nobody has fewer power play goals in the NHL than the Maple Leafs. They're switching something up. They're going Matthews at the point. Ooh. What do you think of that? Austin running the quarterback of the power play. To be honest with you, as much as they throw talented players out there,
Starting point is 00:41:09 I've lost hope and them trying to figure it out. I think Mark Savard is a brilliant power play guy, but it just seems like they go out there, and whatever the formation is, they ultimately end up doing whatever they want to do. and they have these tendencies where they're skating around and they have all this motion and they're going up and down and doing all this stuff
Starting point is 00:41:31 and it results in the same thing, which isn't a whole lot. I thought that power play, wasn't it during the COVID kind of season where they had this outrageous power play where they were setting records? And then it just kind of all of a sudden fell off the cliff and it seems like ever since then
Starting point is 00:41:47 they just kind of had more downs than ups. So I don't know, Matthew's back there. What's really going to change? Who's going to shoot the pot? I've been saying it, like, just have William Nealander as the trigger man and have him as an option where if you want to take him away, that's fine. But if you do, there's going to be other things open. But they just keep wheeling around and skating in a circle.
Starting point is 00:42:11 It's so dumb to skate towards a guy and then pass it to him. That defeats the power play. I don't understand what they've been doing for the last, since the beginning of the season anyway. It's been bizarre to why. Yeah. Will this work? I don't know.
Starting point is 00:42:25 Now you're going to see, like Austin Matthews, he might scare some people up top. Does that open up the middle of the ice and John to find? I don't know what it's going to do. It'll be fascinating to watch, though. Well, what does it say about a shot? Yeah. You know, like are you putting him there to get more opportunities to shoot or because you don't trust it? We talked at the beginning of the show how we noticed that a shot doesn't look like it has the mustard of years past.
Starting point is 00:42:49 And now he's at the point running the power play. And that's just something they don't have. on that team. They tried OEL back there, but what a luxury having a guy with a bomb back there, preferably a right-handed shot that can shoot the puck. It's just not on their roster. No, it's not.
Starting point is 00:43:05 And you look at it last night, like the O.T. winner was Matthews was a decoy. It was a great decoy, by the way. It was a crafty play by Willie. He basically passed it because he realized saw what was going on with a goalie. But that might be what's happening here.
Starting point is 00:43:21 like set up Matthews has reached a point where he's a decoy in the power play. I hope not. That couldn't possibly work all season. I mean, at some point Matthews has got to be a focal point of your power play. But this is going to put him in a different position again. You know, like he's, is he the guy that's going to be what, driving play? Is he the guy that's just settling in on a blue line? How does this work?
Starting point is 00:43:45 The biggest problem they're having, to my eye, or one of the biggest problems is his own entries. They're just not getting it in with control. Exactly. And they don't have, Marner was really good at that. And, you know, Neelander and Matthews, not so much. We'll see what happens tomorrow.
Starting point is 00:43:58 Five o'clock. All right. Least in action tomorrow. We got Rathters playing this weekend. We've got NFL football. Jays are making splashes. Time to be alive and trial. HBO.
Starting point is 00:44:10 HBO's alive. In turmoil. It's okay. One loss. We like that. We'd prefer to start that way. It doesn't define us. It doesn't define us.
Starting point is 00:44:20 Now we go. Go. Back to your business. Hashtag, now we go back to business. Yes. Now we go back to business. All right, pass. Here we go.
Starting point is 00:44:32 All right. Thanks to everyone behind the scenes for helping out. We appreciate it. Everyone for tuning in today. TV, radio, podcast, web, and of course, up on YouTube, live on TSN's YouTube channel. We're out of here. Enjoy your evenings. Enjoy the games tonight.
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