The Bill Simmons Podcast - Mike Francesa on the 49ers' Franchise QB, Eli's Next Move, and Week 16 NFL Picks (Ep. 304)

Episode Date: December 21, 2017

HBO and The Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by legendary New York sports radio host Mike Francesa to discuss Jimmy Garoppolo's setup in San Francisco (5:00), Eli Manning's offensive line problem (12:00), Matt Ryan's down year (19:00), picks for Week 16 (32:00), Detroit's quiet season (40:00), and Super Bowl odds (45:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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and you wish I did more podcasts, I have some options for you. Larry Wilmore, Black on the Air, which is a great podcast and you should be subscribing anyway. He did one this week with Ezra Klein that's excellent. I am on in the first 10 minutes

because I was walking by the studio and saw him in there and I had to go berate him about Kobe Bryant and Kobe Bryant Day and how Kobe didn't thank his teammates. So we argued about Kobe Bryant and who the greatest Laker was for 10 minutes. And that was really fun. You can check that out.

With over 19,000 State Farm agents nationwide, you can get an agent that gets you as well as Chris Paul and James Harden get each other, which is the focus of The Ringer's first NBA relationship goals video. Who would have thought James Harden and Chris Paul would be awesome teammates? I was a little skeptical. They're great. They're like yin and yang.

They've even figured out how they always have one of them on the floor at all times. And it's been devastating so far. Be sure to check out the video we did about them on TheRinger.com, TheRinger's YouTube channel, YouTube.com slash TheRinger. Subscribe now. TheRinger's Facebook or Twitter. And remember, like teammates on the court, a relationship with a State Farm agent sets you up for success off the court. Go to statefarm.com to get an agent that gets you, like Chris Paul and James Harden, get each other. I was on the Ringer NBA show.

I was one of the hosts with Justin, Danny, and Paolo. And we talked about a whole bunch of stuff. There's an Anthony Davis to Boston persistent trade rumor thing that I feel very passionate about, but not for the reasons you might think. So we'll tuck that on at the tail end of this podcast. Against All Odds with Cousin Sal was on last week with Super Dave Osborne. A lot of congratulatory texts, emails, tweets, and nobody more excited about it than Super Dave Osborne, who has just called

Sal repeatedly since then to talk about how great the podcast was and to gush about himself. So we have to have him on in this one at some point. Last but not least, next week, I am on One Shining Podcast with this producer, Tate Frazier. Yes. Should we say what the gimmick is? Yeah, why not so tate titus and i were talking about which schools should have a better college basketball team just in a perfect world who just should have done better why aren't they better at college basketball and still could do

better right and and and basically our 12 reclamation projects for how we would save college basketball in these 12 places in a way that really makes sense. I will just give away one. I'll give away one of the schools just as an example. The University of Seattle, which we dive into. They have the history because they had Elgin Baylor way back when, who's one of the 12 greatest NBA players ever and was an unbelievable college player. They're in a great city big big nice metropolitan city that does not have an nba team there's a basketball void that's been there ever

since the sonics left and uh and they also have amazon there and jeff bezos who could pull the phil knight and just start pumping money into there they could take the pacific northwest away from washington and all these places so, that was one of the 12. But we have a bunch of, we have our 12, a bunch of honorable mentions, people we ruled out. We tried to offend as many fan bases as we could. Especially Princeton. Yeah, Princeton. If you're in Princeton, if you went to Princeton, you might want to listen to this one.

But we had to do a two-parter. Yeah. It was like an hour 40. Coming out Tuesday and Friday of next week. Yeah. So look forward to that. It's a good one. And you should subscribe to One Shining Podcast

because not only is it entertaining, but I think Tate and Titus can help us win our March Madness polls. So there you go. Coming up, Mike Francesa, recently hibernated, used to work at WFAN, has a lot of stuff brewing down the road.

He's going to come on. We're going to do NFL picks. But first, Pearl Jam. All right, on the line, Mike Francesa. He's not retired. He's hibernating. Hibernating is a better word for you, right? That's a perfect word. Hibernating is exactly right.

First of all, I'm still under contract bill January 1, and then I have a little time to kind of wait on things. So, yes, hibernating would be a very good word, and just seeing what's available and what I might not do. So, yes, just kind of laying low and seeing what's going on. How are you doing? Retired makes it seem like you're going to Florida to go watch Red Sox games in Winter Haven or something.

Not happening. Not happening. I still want to create content, so I will do that. Where and when, we'll have to wait and see. But right now, I promised I would do the picks, and I couldn't have picked a better place to do them than on your podcast, so I'm looking forward to it. All right, so we're definitely doing the picks this week,

and then I'm happy to do them every week for the rest of the season. But that's up to you. Yeah, good. I'll do them. I'll commit to doing them with you the rest of the season. Absolutely. How exciting. You know, it's funny with the league right now. You know, there's a real change in the guard.

You know, Seattle probably on the way out, the Rams on the way in, Minnesota in, Green Bay on the way out. So you got what I call the March of the Wooden quarterbacks this year. You got Case Keenum, you got Foles, you got Bortles, you got Goff, you got all these new quarterbacks. So you got a lot of new faces. In the AFC, you got Ben and your guy, Brady, who got seven between them. But in the NFC, you've got a bunch of guys. Andrew Brees is what you're going to have.

It's a bunch of probably untested guys. Andrew Brees in the playoffs. So it's going to be interesting. And meanwhile, Jimmy Garoppolo is the best quarterback in the NFC and will be in the playoffs. I got a lot of heat when I said I would give up two number ones for him. People thought I was crazy. I meant it.

This guy's the real deal. The Cats knew it. They couldn't do anything about it. They had to make their move. And look what he's done. To go into a team that's 1-10 and win three in a row, and this is the acid test because nobody's playing better than Jacksonville. They are going to be able to single all the San Francisco receivers.

So against that defense, if this guy puts up 300 yards passing, he is a miracle worker because this is a tough matchup for them this week. The moment he got the job, I picked them every week. And I'm with you. I couldn't understand. This is a league that all we hear every single year since forever is you can't win unless you have a quarterback, and there's never more than 8 to 10 quarterbacks. here was one that was available and for whatever reason either nobody

believed or the Patriots didn't want to trade him within the AFC or they were holding on to him because they just didn't believe that 40 year old Brady would be able to play and once they saw he could play what do you do at that point because you can't franchise Garoppolo and pay two quarterbacks $30 million. And he's just sitting there. I think he hit on all of it, Bill. I think he hit on all of it. I think they waited to see if Tom was still Tom, and he is. He's probably going to win the MVP.

Yeah. So he's still Tom. They couldn't pay two. The kid's going to get paid. They waited as long as they could, and then they sent him to a place where they could still get value. They got the picks they love, which are the low 30s are the Belichick's favorite

because he thinks he's getting a one and paying for a two, so he loves those. So that's the perfect pick. So they'll turn it into something good, but they gave up a special player. They knew it. And this guy turned into magic. I mean, this guy, when he got

back on the bus after his first game, the team gave him a standing ovation. I mean, they knew right away what they had. And this guy, to go to a team that's 1-10 and win three straight games is unbelievable. And if he ever wins this game this week, that will be an amazing

achievement because this team matches up so well against this team. If he can be the difference in this game, I'll tell you something. You're looking at something really amazing at the end of the season. You don't usually see teams lose as much as they do and then win late.

Reminds me a little bit of what Bill did his first year with Bledsoe. They went one, they never won and then they won their last four games including that classic game to end the season and actually set things up for the second year,

you know, winning those last four games of Bledsoe's first year. Very rare that teams like go one and ten and reel off a bunch of wins. You stole my thunder because I was going to mention

that Pats team because it's one of the only times I can ever remember it happening where they were terrible, there was just a shred of hope because Bledsoe was at that point the prodigy still Parcells was involved he was bringing his dudes in and when they won those last four I think they finished the season five and eleven but I felt like they were 12 and four I was so excited it was like oh my god we have hope for the first time believable and you're getting it right now I bet you there's nothing but euphoria in San Francisco.

They know they've turned it around. They know they hit it big. They know they're going to be good. And you watch, so many people will pick them next year to go to the playoffs with an amazing turnaround. It can happen that quickly, and the quarterback makes all the difference. I'm telling you you just look at this the giants have changed their opinion i really believe of what eli did last week it's the eli

that i've told people is there all along if you can give him somebody that can make a play he will make plays he just has had nothing around him and nobody blocking for him and last week he he tore the eagles up they should have won the game, except for a missed extra point, a blocked punt, and a blocked field goal. Otherwise, they win the game against the Eagles. The great thing about the Niners, they move back one spot

and pass up Trubisky, basically. And they get the, I think they got the 67th pick, which ended up going to the Saints for Kamara. But, you know, and they kind of bide their time. They got some more in that trade too, I think. And they're in great shape. I mean, they're in great shape this year.

They could do anything with this pick. They could trade to somebody who has to have a quarterback. I mean, it's a perfect position. Yes, and they're in great shape. My thing is, I want to know where everybody else was, because if you follow the league remotely, I know this just because I love the Patriots.

So, you know, he came in when Brady was suspended and he was just awesome before he got hurt as Brady's replacement. But it wasn't even just that. It was the confidence that the team had in him, the confidence the coaches had, the stuff the guys said before and after the games. And you can just kind of tell from the quotes. Absolutely. And I don't know of tell from the quotes. Absolutely. And I don't know where – how do people miss that? I think they managed them.

I think they wanted to put them as far away as they could. And they put them as far away as they could. They put them in – they got the pick they wanted, which is the low 30s pick, which they love. But I think also they wanted to put them in a place, put them in the other conference on the other coast. They couldn't have put them any farther away. They wanted to put them on a log. I mean, that's it. They other coast. They couldn't have put him any farther away. They wanted to put him on pause.

I mean, that's it. You know, they put him as far away as they could. I mean, that's what they did. They didn't want to see him for the next 10 years. They put him as far away as they could. And I guess Arizona is the one that has to be kicking themselves. Absolutely. Because if it's an NFC, if you go through all the NFC teams,

the glaring ones that just desperately need a quarterback are Arizona and San Francisco. San Francisco's set. There was a great thing on the internet this week. They had Jimmy Garoppolo miked for the Niners game and especially

for the two-minute drill. And it looked like he'd been playing for 10 years. And it was kind of weird because it kind of felt like Brady, the stuff he was saying to the players. And it was like

he had gone to this Brady brainwashing clinic for three years. I think he has. As like a Brady bot? I think he has. But he was like, guys, just let's execute. We know who we are. Let's just execute. Come on, guys.

We need just execute out there. And it was all Brady speak. And he's so confident. And it's like, man, if I'm a Niners fan, I'm going nuts. Plus, that stadium was dead for three years. And not only this, but you're talking about he has no linemen. He has no receivers. I know.

Nothing. No running backs. He's not throwing to anybody. Yeah. I had watched carefully because I bet on him all three weeks. And somehow his stats are good and he's had a lot of drop passes. Because he's thrown to like fifth and sixth receivers. They've got a lot of field goals. They've got a lot of field goals.

They've kicked a lot of field goals. They've come short in the red zone a bunch of times because they don't have the ability to also run the ball, which gives them a chance to play in the red zone. In the red zone, they just don't have as much room to make plays, plus they don't have any size to make plays. So they're not able – they've gotten into the red zone a million times. He's passed for a million yards.

They just haven't scored a lot of points, but they've gotten the drives done late when they million times. He's passed for a million yards. They just haven't scored a lot of points, but they've gotten the drives done late when they had to. That's what he's done. He's come back and won the game with late drives. That's the sign of winning quarterbacks. This guy's got it. There's it, and there's guys who's never going to have it. He has it written all over him.

He is going to be a star, and I'm telling you, I have no doubt he's going to be a star. I agree. So you think the Giants keep Eli? You know what? I actually, and I love Eli. I wouldn't if I were the Giants, but everything I'm hearing is that they are going to probably make Gettleman their general manager and probably pass up and take an offensive lineman at the

top of the draft and rebuild around Eli for two years, I would take the quarterback. I would figure out a way to screw Cleveland out of Sam Donald, which is easy enough. And either trade with him or just tell him that he's terrible and then Cleveland doesn't pick him. And then they'll do something stupid because they're Cleveland. But after that, I take Sam Donald, I play him right away, and I trade Eli. That's what I would do. And I love Eli personally. I have a great relationship with him. But I would do that because it's the right move for the franchise. That's what they did when they got Eli. The Giants need to get a franchise quarterback. But I think they are going to go in the other direction

now from everything I hear, and that is keep Eli and build around him for two years, which is what we begged him to do for the last couple of years, is put an offensive line around this guy. He has to have an offensive line. He cannot operate without one. He has no mobility. He can do everything else. And the Giants ruined it with what they did the last couple of years. The Giants are the closest thing to a 2-11 team that will lose 12 or 13 games this year

and could easily win 10 games next year without any question with them games well they fit the recipe right injuries to key guys bad luck and a really bad coach and the defense is good too yeah the coach you know what i always say about young coaches is this is this bill you when the season comes apart as this one did in the nfl and it often does, it's worse than it is in other sports. It unravels because you have to play with a cohesiveness and an intensity, and you can't get to that with bad teams because they're all pulling for themselves.

So it's really worse than any other sport for that reason because you can't just have one guy play well and win. So the thing that happens is the water's up to your waist, you've got to solve the problem. The water's up to your chin, you've got to solve the problem. The water's up to your chin, you got to solve the problem. The water's up to your nose, you got to solve the problem. You don't solve the problem, you drown. And that's exactly what happened here. Each week went by, he couldn't solve the problem. He couldn't solve the problem. All of a sudden, he was drowned. That was it. And that's what happens. And it happened this way. I knew the day he announced the Eli thing that he wouldn't finish the season. As soon as he announced it and I went off,, but you can't be kind of a stooge, which is what he was. That's just, I don't see how that could ever work in Boston, New York, or Philly, ever.

No, I mean, he had a bad haircut, bad clothes, and a bad attitude. It doesn't work in New York. No way. It just doesn't. You're done. It's over. It's over. I don't care who you are.

That's never going to work in New York. And he had all those. And he had every one of those. And it's just impossible. That doesn't work if you're 11-2. No, that's never going to work in New York. And he had all those. And he had every one of those. And it's just impossible. That doesn't work if you're 11-2. No, that's 2-11. In a weird way, was this all good for Eli? And did it cement the Giants fans' affection for him

and now pushes it toward the last stage of his career where they love him even more than they thought they did? I think it was a painful year for him. I think it was very hard. I think he took it very personal. I think the streak meant a lot more to him than he let on. So I think that he got blamed for all this really bothered him. So I don't think it was an easy year.

It turned out where he became a hero again, and then this Eagle game really – I really think people didn't think he – I mean, I told people, yeah, I followed people who thought he didn't play well. He couldn't play anymore. This Eagle game opened everybody's eyes. It shouldn't have. They had dropped 38 passes this year. They had been atrocious this year.

There were times where he got to do a lot of chucking and ducking. Well, that's because they couldn't even take a seven-step drop without him getting pounded. I mean, that had gotten to that level. It was not about him. It was about the infrastructure. They had completely destroyed their infrastructure. They couldn't play. So as soon as that changed, and that's one thing that's very vulnerable about the Eagles.

When you get cut up like that, that's scary. I mean, that's one thing about them that I'd be very worried about is how badly they got cut up in that game last week by Eli. Eli really cut them up. And I mean with second-level receivers, really cut them up badly last week. We're taking a quick break. Right back in a second. With over 19,000 State Farm agents nationwide, you can get an agent that gets you as

well as Chris Paul and James Harden get each other, which is the focus of the Ringer's first NBA relationship goals video. Who would have thought James Harden and Chris Paul would be awesome teammates? I was a little skeptical. They're great.

They're like yin and yang. They've even figured out how they always have one of them on the floor at all times, and it's been devastating so far. Be sure to check out the video we did about them on TheRinger.com, TheRinger's YouTube channel, YouTube.com slash TheRinger. Subscribe now. TheRinger'scom, TheRinger's YouTube channel, YouTube.com slash TheRinger. Subscribe now. TheRinger's Facebook or Twitter. And remember, like teammates on the court,

a relationship with a State Farm agent sets you up for success off the court. Go to StateFarm.com to get an agent that gets you, like Chris Paul and James Harden, get each other. All right, we're back. One more thing on the Giants, and I think this is interesting just to remember for next season, especially with whatever coach they hire, is it's just not hard to flip it around the NFL. We see it year after year. My big pick

before the year was the Rams as the surprise, where do they come from team? And it really came down to two things, or three things actually. One is they had a lot of talent. Two is that they had an easy, easy, easy schedule, which you get when you suck the year before. And third was that the coach wasn't Jeff Fisher. And it's basically a bet on it. Man, I hope Sean McVay, I like what I'm reading. I hope he's good. But really it was that he wasn't Jeff Fisher. And with the Giants next year, easy schedule, number two pick. They have some talent, you mentioned they have a good defense, and if they get the right coach,

I don't think it would be that hard for them to win 11 games, right? All the guys, Odell comes back, everybody, they'll be much better. Absolutely could. They definitely fit the bill. And the team that really had disappointed me this year, and they still continue to have me scratch my head, is Atlanta. I thought they had so much

talent. And, me too. And listen, they're 9-5, and they easily could have won three or four more games. I mean, that's really been that kind of year. I mean, they've been just off a tick all year, and I still think they're going to be very, I still think they are the interesting team in the NFC and overall, because I think on their best day, they can beat anybody, and these next two games against New Orleans and Carolina are going to be fascinating absolutely fascinating because they still can win the division they're nine and five and they have the ability to do that and

they're going to play close games both these games against New Orleans and then next week against Carolina are going to be close games those three teams are all very close you could throw a hat over all three of them. They're that tight. And those games are going to be fascinating to watch. As a matter of fact, it's going to be very interesting the way things are shaking out. In that division and in both conferences, you're not going to have a lot of games where people can mail it in. Look at the Pats. Pats can't mail it in.

They need to win these last two games because they could fall to the three otherwise. Unless San Francisco is going to upset Jacksonville, and that's going to be tough to do, even with Garoppolo. If they don't, they could fall to the three if they lose one game. So they need to beat Buffalo and the Jets at home, which they should, but they're going to have to play hard. Pittsburgh's going to have to play hard. Pittsburgh doesn't want to beat a three and play the first week without Antonio Brown. They don't want to do that.

So, you know, they need to hold off Jacksonville and be the two seed, and just like New England, needs to be the one seed. So these teams are going to all play hard these last couple of weeks. You want to have Dubai. You want to have home field. I agree with you on Atlanta. That was a team that actually became undervalued

from a gambling standpoint about the 8, 9, 10 week mark because they'd been so sloppy, people thought that's who they were. But if you watch the games, they are actually talented. They were just missing throws and a lot of dumb stuff, the same stuff that plagued the Chargers. I'm still not convinced. I still think they're sloppy.

I still don't 100% trust them. But then you look at a game like this weekend, and they're getting five in New Orleans. To me, that's a three-point line. I'm getting two free points. Now six. As a matter of fact fact they're one of my picks because they're getting six points right now and I just think it's too much I think the game will be very close the Wallens couldn't put the Jets away last week they could not put them away I watched the game and they could not put them away this is going to be a very dangerous game and if you can do one thing on defense and that is guard your perimeter you have got to take

the outside runs and the screen passes on both sides away from the saints if you do that the saints don't have a lot of offense now their offense they have to break three and four screen passes a game and they do they break them every game all he all all he does now is think and dunk that's all he does he doesn't throw the ball down the field anymore. He dumps it to these two backs all game. And Kamara is a scary player. But I think Atlanta has the speed on defense that if they're coached well, they can take some of that away, and they'll be very tough to deal with on offense.

They have a great player in Julio Jones. Ryan's had a very iffy year. He has not been on the same page with hisfy year. He has not been on the same page with his offensive coordinator. They have not been on the same page all year. But they're still dangerous. And with six points, I will absolutely take him this week

against New Orleans. That's definitely one of my picks. I also like taking a dome team on the road because I feel like when you're in these domes, you're just so used to it at that point. But I read a stat with the Saints this week that I was stunned because I totally grabbed drew breeze and fantasy and i was stunned by how unexplosive he was and how every time they broke a play it was a dink

and dunker and yet i saw this stat this week he has 65 passes of 20 yards or more he leads the league in 20 plus passes he would have been like my 10th pick for that category. They're all five yard throws. I'm telling you, they're all, half of them are screen passes to Kamara. The guy breaks two or three of them every game. It is amazing. These guys are running screen passes here, there, and everywhere. Everything is a dink and dunk and they break them religiously. I mean, it's amazing what they are doing.

It's unbelievable. It's not your old New Orleans offense. It's just not the same. And they get very ordinary sometimes. The New Orleans has these parts in the game where they look. The old New Orleans used to just tear you apart and score touchdowns their first six drives. They are not like that now. This team has trouble scoring sometimes, and they have trouble putting teams away.

They are not the same team this year as far as that now. This team has trouble scoring sometimes, and they have trouble putting teams away. They are not the same team this year as far as that goes. They're not the big margin team at home they've been in the past. I thought the Rams game was interesting for them because they just couldn't throw. And they eventually shifted their entire attack and became like this kind of pound it running game type thing just to get back in the game, which is the

opposite of what you would have thought they would do when they were behind. Absolutely. I'm not sure they can throw it against good teams. No, and I don't think they can. I tell you, the Rams are solid. They are a very solid team, and what they did to Seattle last week was scary. That was surprising. What else was surprising?

I went to the game, took my youngest son, Harrison, to see the Jets, Kansas City. And Kansas City played so badly that day. I can't even tell you how badly they played. And on a day where Hill and Kelsey were huge, and they still got beat. And I'm telling you, the last two weeks, he got the defense straightened out, and also he got the offensive line straightened out, and they have looked like a different team the last two weeks in games. They had a win. They won them both going away.

So they kind of straightened out their issues and give Andy Reid credit for that. And that's what happens when you bury Andy Reid. He always knows how to get his team to the playoffs. What he does when he gets there, he's got a lot of Chuck Knox on him. But as far as that goes, he gets his team there all the time. Andy, unfortunately, is from – and I like Andy a lot, but Andy, unfortunately, is from the same school as Marty Schottenheimer and Chuck Knox in the playoffs.

Things always go wrong. They always go wrong. I love that. I love that reference. I totally get it. I would have bet against Chuck Knox in the 80s if I had known how to gamble back then. I had a lot of success against Marty, and Andy's another one. Once it gets to the playoffs

that's when you have the Travis Kelsey tight end option pass that gets intercepted and all that stupid stuff something always goes wrong there are guys who I got to the playoffs I get there every year but as soon as I get there the you know office is closed I mean that is it I mean it is not then you get guys who when they get to the playoffs their teams are always ready when they got there those are the guys you worry about the Then you get guys who, when they get to the playoffs, their teams are always ready when they got there. Those are the guys you worry about. The guys who know what to do when they get there. And there are guys who do. And then you got the team that I think is the strangest of all,

and that's Pittsburgh. Tomlin has become a befuddling coach in big games. But the biggest thing last week, now, we're into that mystery of who actually, did Todd Haley call the non-spike? Was there really a non-spike call? There was a lot of different evidence there because when you call the spike play,

which should have been called once they were inbounds because you can't have chaos at the end of the game, but as soon as you do, the receivers stand erect at the line of scrimmage and don't move. Every receivable one did. And that tells you that he just motioned one out, which puts it on the quarterback, although he swears Todd Haley told him there seems to be a difference of opinion. But here's the thing.

If you're going to run the non-spike play, the fake spike play there, because you're worried about the fact that the Pats will take it and score the first time they get it in overtime, the thing you've got to do is you've got to throw it where you've got a one-on-one matchup where the throw goes to the ground if it doesn't hit. You cannot throw it over the middle of the field.

You cannot go near the middle of the end zone because you cannot account for the ball getting tipped. And as soon as it does, bingo, the old Pat magic comes right back. And for them to win that game from after that shallow cross went all the way down the field, which was one of the weirdest plays I've ever seen against Belichick in my whole life. Okay. Absolutely befuddling how that happened.

Two guys ran into each other at the secondary. But once that happened, their odds of winning the game were almost minuscule. And to have won that game there is almost, it can't happen to anybody but the Pats. The Pats own those wins. Nobody else even comes close to getting one of those wins, except the Pats.

And the Pats get a bunch of them. It was, dare I say, one of the three or four best regular season wins they've had during the Belichick era. Oh, it was an amazing win. Incredible win. No business. They came back and do what he did. When they came back and do what he did,

and then to be sitting there and saying they got the two-point conversion and now watch a shallow cross go from the 20 all the way down to the 10-yard line. I mean, you've got to be kidding me. I mean, you couldn't fathom against a New England defense impossible. And then to have what you saw happen and what you have to learn, and I hate the rule, but here's the rule, folks. You've got to get to the point and realize it and tell your receivers

and tell everybody if you are going to stretch for the end zone or stretch for the first down marker with the ball, you better control it because if you don't offer reception, it is going to be an incomplete pass. We've seen it with Des Bryant. We've seen it four or five times now. You have got to control that ball. I'm with you on Tomlin. I think he is the hardest to assess coach that we have in the NFL Because on the one hand I do think he's one of the six best coaches in football On the other hand Weird stuff happens to them

And there's games when There's games where they're 11 point favorites on the road And they're down 20-0 at halftime And there's games when They have leads that they blow And weird shit at the end of games To have a two time Super Bowl MVP Basically get overruled on the sideline, if that's what happened, to throw a pass over the middle

to the only receiver that was even running a pass route is just really sloppy. That's stuff that doesn't happen with good teams. I don't know what to make of Tomlin. Ridiculous. And Tomlin does weird things. They'll come out and they'll go two, three times early in the game and not get any of them. And you're saying, why is he giving away all these points?

And you just wonder what the heck. They do some very strange things. And sometimes that defense does not show up at all, a la the Baltimore game. And you just say, what is up with this team? It's a very hard team to calculate. I find them very hard either way. Favorite dog, very hard team to calculate. I find them very hard either way. Favorite dog, very hard team to figure out. Well, one thing you do know, though, if Ben is in his building,

he is going to be very dangerous, especially from behind. He will always make plays late in the game. The guy in his building is money late in the game when he's behind. He'll always make a play. They miss Shazier, which goes without saying. But it should also be mentioned because you take him and Antonio Brown out. And I don't know. I think there's a blue chipper number that you can just lose from a team.

I think we've seen it with Seattle. To me, Seattle's a write-off. I think people were giving them too much respect last week. No, they did. I mean, the Rams not only did they kill them, but they pushed them around. They manhandled them. I have not seen that happen in Seattle. Yeah.

Get ready for more because I'm picking against them this week. Dallas with, you know who back, is going to push them all over the building. I mean, so expect it against us. I hope we don't have the same picks. I hope we don't have the same picks. Hold on. Before you do the picks, we've got to talk about ZipRecruiter. Are you hiring?

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has been used by businesses of all sizes to find the most qualified job candidates with immediate results right now. My listeners can post jobs on ZipRecruiter for free. Go to ZipRecruiter.com slash BS. Once again, ZipRecruiter.com slash BS. ZipRecruiter, the smartest way to hire. Without further ado, the Week 16 picks by Mike Francesa.

Four picks for you this week. Four picks, all right, let's do it. Four picks, here we go. Number one, I have Seattle at Dallas. Dallas is laying four and a half, and as I just told you, I think Seattle's done. I think Dallas's odds of getting into the playoffs are very small, but they can't think about that right now.

All they can do is win games. They were given a gift last week. They should have lost the game. They absolutely were about to lose the game. They got a new life. Now they get their running back back to go with what is now a healthier defense. I think Seattle's shot. I think Dallas will run for big yardage.

I think they'll blow Seattle out. Dallas minus four and a half, that's game number one. Game number two, I already mentioned, I've been on the Falcons all year. I picked an Atlanta New England Super Bowl before the season started. I picked a rematch. I said they're the two best teams. I thought Atlanta was the best team. They were the best team last year. If you locked the coach in a

room with about three minutes left in the third quarter, you would have won the game without a coach. That's how bad their coaching was at the end of the game. They made so many tactical decisions that were so wrong. They tried to actually bury the Pats, which was just stupid. Patently stupid.

Instead of just playing the clock at that point with that kind of lead. Your job's to win the game, not to get style points. So Atlanta is 9-5. This is a huge game. I mean, an incredibly big game, the way things work out. Atlanta, they can make the playoffs with one win. They get the division with two wins. I take them plus six points here.

I think this will be a field goal game. I think it'll probably be a 31-28 or something like that. I'll take the Falcons plus six, game number two. I don't like this team, but this is a bad line, and the Rams coming off an enormous win against a Tennessee team that is desperate. No way should the Rams be a seven-point favorite. I'm taking Tennessee plus seven. I think this game, even if Tennessee blows it, I think it'll be very close. The Rams gave you their absolute hit the ground running, give you every ounce we have win last week.

Hard to duplicate that, even for a young team, two weeks in a row. Tennessee's desperate, coming off some shaky performances. They're alive where if they win their last two, they win the division because if Jacksonville loses this week, now if Jacksonville can lose this week to San Francisco, which who knows with Garoppolo, they could still next week, Tennessee could win the

division. So they're still alive. I'm taking Tennessee plus seven as my third pick. And then my fourth pick is my Christmas night gift to everybody. Oakland off last week, dead team, dead players across the country on Christmas night. They don't want to be there. They don't want to be in Philly on Christmas night where everybody will have had their Christmas eggnog since 2 in the afternoon and will bury the Raiders fans and bury the Raiders in the building.

Philadelphia can score at will. They will run up the score on Oakland, which I'm not even sure will show up for this game, on a Christmas night in Philly at 8.30 when they don't want to be anywhere near there. And all they're left to do is try to go 8-8. Philly's destined for big things. Bowls can put up big numbers.

Philly minus 10 is the Christmas night present for everybody else. So four. Dallas minus 4.5. Falcons plus 6. Tennessee plus 7. And the Eagles on Christmas night before you head towards New Year's to win big over the Raiders on Christmas night on national TV. So I had three of those four.

First of all, I enjoyed the picks. Which one? I'll announce in a second. I'm going to build some drama. The one I did not have was Tennessee plus seven, and yet I completely agree with your theory, and I think as you get older and you live through these seasons, you're older than me, but we both lived through a bunch of them.

Sometimes the lines just – sometimes it just gets silly. The Rams should not be seven-point favorites in Tennessee. I think the Rams are better. I don't even – like you said, I don't even like Tennessee. But that line's too high. Like last week, how were the Chargers favored at Kansas City? That was ridiculous. That was crazy. I said, you have to on

just merit take Kansas City. This is a stupid line. You cannot have the Chargers favored in this game in Kansas City. Impossible. Well, with all that said, I just don't like the Titans. I don't like them either. Let me tell you this. I have not picked the Titans once this year. I can't stand the team. It's a line pick for me because I think the line is ridiculous. I don't like them either. Let me tell you this. I have not picked the Titans once this year. I can't stand the team.

It's a line pick for me because I think the line is ridiculous. I don't like the coach, and I don't like the quarterback. I agree. I don't like the quarterback either. I need to have one of those two. Yeah, but I just think they can run the ball, and I think the Rams will find that it will be hard to supercharge it this week. I really believe that they're at a conference,

they're coming off a week where they got patted on the back all week, they're looking forward to playing Garoppolo in the Niners next week, believe it or not, because that's going to really be a big game coming forward the weeks to come. They know what's going on there with Garoppolo, they play next week. I think they just could be

down before they know it and have to rally back. And it might be a very tight game. And Tennessee's still alive, so I'll take Tennessee plus seven. They can. They do have a big offensive line, and they can run the ball. All right, my picks. So I have three of your four. The first one we discussed already, but the Atlanta line's too high. That's a three-point game. They're in a dome. Either team can win. It's going to go back and forth. I have no confidence.

Even if New Orleans up 10 with three minutes left, I still think Atlanta can get a garbage-time touchdown. I think they can win outright. I agree. They're plus 210 to win the game. To me, it's a coin flip. I don't think it really matters where that game is. I totally agree.

I think Kamara could run amok and single-handedly beat them, but I think it's close. That's the first one. Second one, I think Seattle's dead. I think they're a cross-off. I agree. When you get humiliated at home like that, to that degree, where the Rams, it was 41-0 halfway through the third quarter. The final score, it was 41 to nothing like halfway through the third quarter. The final score, it was way worse than that.

Like we're watching that game going, I was with a bunch of friends, we're thinking, is this going to be 70 to nothing? Like what? Because the Rams have been running it up all year. So it's like, what if they just run it up? What if they're like, just F you, we're going all the way with this.

They kind of called off the dogs, but Seattle looks dead to me. They're sniping. They've lost too many guys. They can't block. And what's interesting is this is yet another game against a good pass rush. Dallas has a sneaky good pass rush. They do.

They'll get after the QB. When Lee plays, they win. And Zeke, the upgrade from Alfred Morris, who they're second in goal from the one-yard line, and the clapper, Jason Carrot, runs the two slow run plays up the middle, and Morris gets stuffed both times. Zeke's scoring on those. Yeah, absolutely.

I think he's worth— And the offensive line is just going to bury Seattle. Yeah. Just bury them. So that's my second one. And then the third one you had—hold on, I'm looking. With Philly? Yeah, the Eagles.

The Raiders will—you'll have trouble getting the raiders on the plane to play that game i'm telling you they won't want any part of coming all the way across the country on christmas night they are a team that's completely given up they lost the game last week they should have won they've had a terrible season a terrible season they've changed coaches've changed coordinators. They've made so many changes on that team. They're talking about building a culture. They will no way will they give a big effort and they'll get a crazy Eagle Stadium and a crazy

Eagle crowd on Christmas night. They're celebrating in Philly. They will roll the score up on the Raiders, I think. And when I look at, I'm with you on all that, when I look at the big lines, I always think, all right, if they're up 20-3, are they going to close the door? Are they going to add to the lead versus give up garbage time,

stuff like that? Philly's defense is really good. I don't trust. They're going to keep coming at them. They're going to get turnovers. They're going to get strip sacks. They're going to get everything they need. Absolutely.

And the Raiders will check out by about, I don't know, the game starts at 8.30. I think the Raiders are checked out by 9.50. They're done. Just watch their receivers. Their receivers won't be even finishing routes by about a quarter after 9. Yeah, and I think Cooper's already out. Right. And I'm telling you, they will not even be finishing routes.

You'll watch them. They won't even be going all the way up the field. They'll have their hands tucked in their jerseys. They won't even take their hands out to catch the ball if it's cold. You watch. And if it's inclement, forget it. Add 10 points. And Carr, I don't know what happened to him,

but the yards per attempt last year were a little concerning because basically if you're not over seven yards per pass, that's always a red flag. And this year it's even worse. He's like Mr. Checkdown unless they're down 14. I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if he's a red flag. And this year it's even worse. He's like Mr. Checkdown unless they're down 14. I don't know what happened to him. I don't know if he's a franchise quarterback. I have not seen really anything.

People started getting crazy with him last year. They started putting him in the wrong category. He was way overrated. They were really wrong. I mean, they overrated him dramatically. He's a nice player. He's not yet in the league of the top guys. He doesn't belong with the guys which we know, like Rodgers and, of course,

the great guys. And then, of course, even the guys like – he's not in the Lux class in a million years. I mean, not even close. I mean, so he's a nice player. He's a – He's fun. And he's got a lot to prove.

He's got a lot to prove. He has a chance to be this generation's Andy Dalton. I think that's his – Oh, that's terrible. That is terrible. Andy Dalton made I think that's just... Oh, well, that's terrible. Andy Dalton made playoff games. Yeah, but he's hideous. He's hideous. All right, so you have the Titans as the one we disagree on, plus seven.

What's your fourth one? Oh, so you like the Rams in that game? No, no, no. My fourth one is not... I'm staying away from that game. Okay. I took a long look at the Giants plus three and a half in Arizona just because I like the way Eli's playing,

and I think it would be funny if the Giants won their last couple games and screwed up their draft pick. Stayed away from that. The Broncos and Washington I took a long look at because the Broncos' defense has suddenly come back to life. Yeah. And I just don't think – I think Washington's just basically running out of skill

position guys and I thought that was enticing but that's not where I'm going. I think Bryce Petty is atrocious he's just awful the Chargers need the game they have a puncher's chance of kind of lingering for that six seed

the line is under seven, I've seen it at six and a half I've seen it at seven we're going to go i'm looking right now we're gonna go seven right now yeah we're going with seven right here so i got chargers minus seven look i you and i both thought the chiefs are gonna win last week that was also a very chargersy game they it starts out they miss an extra point that it's 10-6 instead of 10-7, and you just kind of go, oh, boy, here we go. You know, stupid interceptions, fumbles. It was just the whole shebang.

Typical Chargers. Typical Chargers experience. And now it's also typical Chargers for them to win this game 34-0 and keep their hopes alive and linger until Week 17. I think they blow them out. And, again, I think Bryce Petty is really, truly terrible. And I have no problem betting against him. And I don't like Baltimore at all, but Baltimore will probably, with that defense, probably

more of a Colts, too. I mean, absolutely. And the Colts, you know, the losses now, they're in a good position to draft. Their season's long over. It'd be hard for them to stay, probably, in that game, although they stayed in a lot of games early in the season. But that's going to be'd be hard for them to stay probably in that game, although they stayed in a lot of games early in the season. But that's going to be a hard one for them. And Baltimore's really been defensively really laying it to people recently,

except for that Steeler game, which they just were overmatched in. But, you know, they'll probably win big, although the line's way too high to even dangle with as far as that's concerned. So the game that scares me a little bit is Kansas City this week. Miami is such a Jekyll and Hyde, you just don't know when they're going to play. Some weeks they play, some weeks they don't play. You just don't know when it is with them. You really don't know.

This might be a play week, and if it is, that will be a close game. That one scares me a little bit. I wouldn't go near Kansas City, lay in the 11-and-a-half. There's way too many because you just don't know. Some weeks Cutler actually evades a tackle and throws it 70 yards down the field, and it's right on the guy's hands for a touchdown. Depends what week you get these guys.

Very hard team to figure. Really extremely hard team to figure. I've got to be honest. Has any team ever had a quieter year than Detroit has at 8-6? I mean, they're 8-6. You would think they're like 4-8 or something, the way they've gone about their season. They're 8-6. I mean, they're 8-6. You would think they're like 4-8 or something, or 4-10 the way they've gone about their season.

They're 8-6, but they just had such a quiet season. It's an uninspiring 8-6. Every week I watch them, I've lost some bets on them the last couple weeks because I don't know what I'm betting against. They don't really do anything that well. I can't name one thing that they're awesome at, and yet they just kind of get the lead,

and all of a sudden they're up 10. You don't know how it happened. They get some dumb play. Yeah, they're a weird team. Stafford's a good player, but he hasn't had a great year. He hasn't thrown it well. I think he's got a bad hand. Yeah, he's definitely hurting.

Yeah, he's definitely hurting, but that team's a very odd team. You know what it is? They're also not well-coached. I hate to say it. They're not well-coached. I agree. Finally, Cincinnati's got to get rid, I mean, that team's a very odd team. You know what it is? They're also not well coached. I hate to say it. They're not well coached. I agree. And finally, Cincinnati's got to get rid of the coach.

They had to. I know everyone loves him. He's a good man. Everyone likes him in the league. We all like him. But it's time that they make a coaching change. And, you know, Cincinnati doesn't want to ever make a coaching change because they don't want to pay anybody.

So they never want to make a coaching change. But they finally have to make a coaching change for Cincinnati. He was kind of the Mike and Mike of NFL coaches. He was on for a long time. He didn't have any awards. We didn't really know what was going on. That's great. The Cowboys, couldn't you see them

beating Seattle this week? Having it be lined up for them to sneak into the 6-8 and then they blow the Philly game in Philly when Philly will probably have nothing to play for. In a heartbeat and absolute, they need Atlanta to lose this week in the worst way.

Otherwise they're pretty much doomed because Carolina's already got 10. Yeah. And they play Tampa this week. So they need either Carolina to lose or they need Atlanta to lose, you know, because they need Atlanta to lose twice at the Ted dead because they lost to them. So, but you know, they need Atlanta to lose because they need Atlanta to lose twice if it's head-to-head because they lost to them. They need a lot to happen, but right now they need

to take care of their game, which they will. They'll win their game at home. Garrett wants to be there next year because he knows he wants to get a winning record. He wants to be there next year, and he will be. He will be there, there's no question. Don't you feel like with all these 9-point, 10-point, 11-point, 12-point lines and you know everybody's going to be doing three-team teasers,

it just makes me nervous. I would urge everyone to be careful out there this weekend. Yeah, all I would say is the guys like Pittsburgh and New England, they have to win these games. So more often than not, they will come at the spread. They'll be the rare one where you get burned. But more often than not, on these big lines, when they're going to play, and they're going to play, the only way to go is with the spread. They'll be the rare one where you get burned. But more often than not, on these big lines, when they're going to play, and they're going to play,

the only way to go is with the favorite. Because if you go with the dog, the game is 42-0 too many times. So the bottom line is, you're right, you can get burned with those big lines. But the only way you can go on a Pittsburgh game or on a New England game is with the favorite. But they need the games. New England needs to win these last two. If they had a three-hole, New England would slip to the games. New England needs to win these last two. Just play out of the three hole. New England would slip to the three hole if Jacksonville won their last two.

So, you know, you don't want to be the three seed. I mean, no way do they want to play an extra game. They don't want any part of that. That would be almost like letting the trainer come to the building. You know, that would be almost like letting Tom's trainer do the building again. Belichick had enough. He's like, get rid of this guy.

This guy's giving our players avocados. He's out. Hold on. Quick break, and then I got to read some Super Bowl ads to you. One last break to talk about Sonos. Have you heard about Sonos One? It blends great sound with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control of your music and more. Use your voice to play songs, turn on lights, adjust the temperatures, check news and traffic,

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All right, we're back. Super Bowl odds. I'm going to just read these to you. You react. Patriots plus 220. I would take it right now. Wow, that was easy. It seems low to me. Plus 220. I would take it right now. Wow. That was easy.

It seems low to me. I would take it right now. They gave up. They're up three, and they gave up a 69-yard crossing pass in the last two minutes of a must-win game. It makes me nervous. Let me say this. Let me say this. Their road in the AFC has never been easier than it is this year.

Well, if they take care of business this week, I agree. As long as they win their last two games, AFC has never been easier than it is this year. Well, if they take care of business this week, I agree. As long as they win their last two games, their road has never been easier. This is the easiest road they will ever have for this football. I want to remind you that they did play Tim Tebow in round two one year. I don't care. This is the easiest year. That's how easy

this year is. Okay. Tim Tebow did beat the Steelers that year, by the way. In OT, one of my greatest gambling wins. Steelers plus 550. No thanks. Vikings plus 850.

I would take it because I think they will get to the Super Bowl. They have a very good chance, but I would middle that number. If I had the 8, I would middle it the other way because I don't trust them in the Super Bowl. Vikings 10-1, Saints 10-1. I'm not enticed by either.

I think Minnesota could be home all the way. That's the one thing that could be interesting. With their defense, that could be definitely. Minnesota is worth it, I think. Here's the one I like. The Rams are 12 to 1 there is let's say they're a three seed they would have to go probably to Minnesota in round two where they lost but it was one of those not quite young team not quite ready to win the game. Learned some lessons from it.

Now they're going back. I could 100 million percent see them winning that game. I like the Rams. I think the Rams are the soundest team, super nuts in the NFC. But I don't like the matchup against the Minnesota defense. The Rams have to run the ball to win. They will not run the ball on the Vikings in a big game. The Vikings will beat them again.

Okay. The one thing I like about the Rams, well, two things I like. Big plays and they're fast. I noticed last week they just seem super fast to me on both sides. Also, they're very well coached. The coach

has got a chance. He hired he went the Mike Holmgren way with Fritz Schirmer as a defensive coordinator. He picked the right, older defensive coordinator. The team is crisp from coming out of the stadium. Really, from the minute they show up for the game, coming out of the tunnel all the way through the end of the game, they're crisp, they're organized, they look like a football team,

they play like a football team. They play like a football team. The coach has their attention every minute. This coach has a chance to be big time. I think you can see that a mile away. I think they're a year away. I think the matchup with Minnesota is a bad one because Minnesota will shut down their running game, which has to be there for them. But they are on their way to big things, I think, to win them. 12-1 is, I don't think, a great value.

We got the Jaguars at 13-1, Falcons at 16-1. Jaguars at 13-1. That's where I go. Which one? I think Falcons could either not make the playoffs or they could win the whole thing. I think they're still the roster that I think is the most impressive in the entire league when it's healthy.

I like the roster as long as they get fourth quarter pass rush, which comes and goes. But if it's on, the week it's on, they can beat anybody. I think they're capable of running the table and beating anybody in the playoffs. But I also think they're capable of just falling apart. They're a very strange team this year. They've been this unexplainable fourth quarter collapses,

but they have a lot of talent in Atlanta. 2020 U.S. President. Trump plus 320. Who? Trump plus 320. Bernie 6-1, Biden 8-1, Elizabeth Warren 6-1. Biden, 8-1. Elizabeth Warren, 20-1. Biden, lock it a century, will be the president.

8-1, I would take him at 4-1. 8-1 is a gift. He will be the president. Okay. Have you seen enough movies yet to do movie odds? Not yet. Not yet. You got to give me... I just start getting all my SAG stuff now because I'm a member.

I get all the things for the SAG Awards, so I get to vote. I'm just getting all my DVDs in. As soon as I get them, give me another two weeks. Okay, so you'll watch them? Yes, I will. Absolutely. I do. I get them all in because I'm a SAG after guy, so I get them and I get to vote. And I do vote because I like to. That's why it's fun. So I do like it, and I like the movies. The only thing I saw yesterday was Jumanji with my kids. And I got to admit, it had three or four very funny things in it.

You know, The Rock was good. Jack Black is very funny. For kids, it was very funny. I actually laughed four or five times, so I got to admit I did. And my kids, who are 11, and just about two of them are going to be 13, my twins are a couple days shy of being 13, they loved it. So we did see that. My brother-in-law worked on the Jackman movie, got singing in it, which is tough to take, but I hear it's pretty good. So you might want to see that about Blahnem, that movie, The Greatest Show. I heard it's pretty good, we'll see,

but I have some relatives who worked on it,. I heard it's pretty good. We'll see, but I have some relatives who worked on it, and they thought it was pretty good. They worked on it for years. So it was a high production item, too, so let's see how that does. And I can't wait to see the new Street Keaton Spielberg movie about Washington Post. I'm looking forward to

that. That's going to be my first thing I watch. I can't wait for that one. I saw that one, because I get the screeners. Did you like it or not? I will say this. It's really good. It's not great, That's going to be my first thing I watch. I can't wait for that one. I saw that one because I get the screeners. Did you like it? I will say this. It's really good. It's not great. But that's fine.

It's a really good movie. I'm disappointed, though. No, it's really good. I was hoping for great. I was hoping for great. It's really good. It's the 2015 Warriors. It's not the 2017 Warriors.

Well, listen, fun doing it. I'll be back next week. Have a very Merry Christmas to you and to all your zillions of listeners. So thanks very much. I'll talk to you next week. Congratulations on your hibernation. Talk to you next week. All right, before we go,

I wanted to post the discussion that we had about an Anthony Davis trade to the Boston Celtics. This is with Justin Palo and Danny from the ringer. And if you want to hear this whole podcast, go to The Ringer NBA show and you'll have it. Here we go. What should we save? I have the hottest take of all time. When do you want it? Right now. Immediately.

I wouldn't trade for Anthony Davis. Okay. I'm not interested. I'll give you my 40 cents on the dollar offer, but you're not getting Tatum or Brown and you can have my draft picks. Just because of the injuries? Yeah.

You know what? I like my team. I like the team I have. Hayward's coming back. I don't want to trade for Anthony Davis. Can I just root for this team? This is my favorite. All my Celtics fan friends, we were talking about this.

This is easily my favorite Celtics team since probably the last bird team with Reggie Lewis and Dee Brown and Brian Shaw and all those guys. I love that team. But we might even be drifting into the 80s. All of us love this team. We don't want to trade. We want to root for these guys. It's like they're a cut below the hated super teams. So if they were to add Anthony Davis, it would become a little less likable.

Yeah, then we're like buying. It's like the same shit everybody hates when everybody else does it. I like the team we have. Let's go. Hey, we're back. Fix his ankle. Let's do it, man. I don't want Anthony Davis. I know it's heresy to say that. I mean, Anthony Davis is a top five player.

I think he would fit perfectly what they do, too. Can I just be happy with my team? I've already won titles. I love having Jalen Brown. I love Jason Tatum. I'm already one title. We have more picks coming. Let's go.

I have Kyrie. We have a superstar already. Why don't we go with Anthony Davis? Boston wins too much. This is the luxury of having so many titles. How about this? Stay in the court, Anthony Davis. I'm going to trade everything.

I'm going to mortgage everything for somebody who's had, what, 22 different minor injuries at this point? But also, I mean, imagine him on a team that has a good training staff. Oof. I don't want to go there. I'm incredibly loyal to this group of dudes, and I hope they don't make a weird trade. That's all I'm going to say. I love watching this team. My whole goal is I just want to be excited to watch the Celtics every day.

I love this team. I don't need Anthony Davis. It's like if I'm having a great dinner and Danny comes in and he's like, here, try this beef stew I made. And I'm already like downing a filet mignon. I'm like, you know, I'm good. I don't want the beef stew. So the beef stew is Anthony Davis in this case?

Well, he's like the son of Don. He's like that level of beef stew. But it's too much. It's too rich. I'm good. But what if it actually happened? If they traded... Well, first of all...

What's a reasonable trade? If they ever trade Tatum, I'll be devastated. I fucking love Tatum. Jalen Brown, he could talk me more into. But I think he's going to be great. Yeah, if it was Jalen Brown and all the picks they have and whatever else, I don't know. I guess it would make sense on paper.

We're still like two years away from Indiana. Did you see them celebrate the Indiana game? It was like watching a Division II college team. They're like such not an NBA team. They love each other. They pull for each other. That's what I want. All right, that's it. Thanks to for each other. That's what I want.

All right. That's it. Thanks to Mike Francesa. That was so much fun. Thanks to SeatGeek. Don't forget about BSNBA. 20% off. I'm sorry, $20 off your first time using SeatGeek for NBA tickets.

Use the offer code BSNBA. Thanks to Sonos. Remember for a limited time, Sonos is offering the listeners of the BS Podcast 10% off one order of $2,500 or less for any product on Sonos.com, including Sonos One, which is spectacular. Just use the promo code BILL10,

capital bill, one zero, at Sonos.com to receive this exclusive offer. I will not be talking to everybody again on this podcast until Tuesday with Cousin Sal. We'll be doing a week 17 lines rehashed in the weekend, which means that's after Christmas. Wanted to wish everybody a very happy Christmas and wanted to mention it's 2017.

I think for the 24th best year in a row, the best Christmas song. What do you in a row, the best Christmas song. What do you think I think the best Christmas song is, Tate? All I Want for Christmas is You, Mariah Carey. That's your choice. That's not mine. No, mine is This Christmas. You really thought Mariah Carey was my number one Christmas choice?

That was Harry's pick on Against All Odds. I just thought it was hilarious. But no, I don't know what it would be. Mine is Do They Know It's Christmas by Band-Aid. Oof. I think it was hilarious but no i don't know what it would be mine is do they know it's christmas by band-aid oof i think it was 1983 or 1984 they all got together to raise money for africa and it's a who's who of people i loved when i was 14 great sting bono boy george simon lebon paul young it's a murderous row it's a great song it still holds up my kids are into it my daughter wanted to sing it for uh school choir this year and the subject matter i think they decided maybe not a great idea but uh it's incredible the video is incredible i love it

i listen to it every year i get excited for christmas i would say number two is the bing crosby david bowie song that's. Yeah. It's a good one. I like the video too. It's such a weird pairing of people. Have you seen the video? Yeah. Bing Crosby's wearing the sweater. David Bowie's kind of stripped down.

That's my number two. And then... No Luther? Number three would be Blue Christmas by Elvis. Oof. Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do. Great Elvis song. I like the Elvis Christmas album

It's really good Are you going to be going out In North Carolina? No Nothing at all? There's nowhere to go out Where I live Really?

Yeah you can go out in the woods You going to any college Basketball games? Yeah I'm going to Wake Forest, North Carolina December 30th When's that? December 30th

12 o'clock I'll be there It's like a Saturday though? It's a Saturday Oh well if you see Tate Frazier in the stands Yell out to him. Tell him you love One Shiny Podcast. Say, what up BS?

Do all that. Tate Frazier, live in Carolina, December 30th. Merry Christmas, everybody. This is a great year for the BS Podcast. We actually were putting up, if you go on theringer.com, we put a whole page of interviews that we did. And to see the number of awesome guests we had this year was kind of staggering.

This was easily the best year we ever had in the podcast. The iTunes, we were one of the 20 most downloaded podcasts of 2017 yet again. So that was awesome. Thanks to everybody for spreading the word. Thanks to everybody who subscribed. And I'm looking forward to see you after the holidays. Merry Christmas On the wayside, on the first sun never lost