The Herd with Colin Cowherd - 3 and Out - Refs are ruining the game, Jordan Love is a stud, FSU and the CFB Playoff

Episode Date: December 4, 2023

John reacts to how the NFL refs are starting to ruin in game with the decisions that they are making during the game, how Jordan Love has turned a corner and looks like an elite quarterback in the NFL, what set the 49ers apart from the Eagles, and finally should Florida State have gotten into the College Football Playoff. 5:20 - Refs are ruining the game 13:43 - Jordan Love is really good 18:25 - Eagles-49ers 28:50 - FSU and the CFB Playoff Follow John on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for the latest. Check out Gametime - the fastest growing ticketing app in the US, and the official ticketing app of 3 & Out and GoLow -  for tickets to all of your favorite NFL, NBA, NHL, NCAA teams. Concert and comedy show tickets, too. Go to Gametime now to create an account, download the app and use code JOHN for $20 off your first purchase. #Volume #HerdSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes.

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Terms at Sportsbook. Dot draftkings.com slash football terms. Okay, what is going on, everybody, John Middlecoft, the arena out podcast. I haven't been doing a Sunday podcast because I go on along with Colin. I did that, but we put all my stuff on a YouTube channel, so I'm like, you know,

I'll do a little something for after the game for YouTube, and I'm like, ah, all right, just making a podcast. So a little shorter version, some thoughts on the referees, Jordan Love, God, he looks pretty good. The Chiefs got some issues, some stuff that me and Colin didn't hit from the Eagles and Niners game,

and the story of the day that was Florida State and the Blue Blood program that is the Seminoles getting left out. I have some thoughts there, the college football playoffs, and just fair, deserve. Those words were getting thrown out a lot from a lot of different angles, and I have some takes. And then, of course, all week long, we will have podcasts. We will have mailbags.

So at John Middlecalf is the mailbag. Like I said, YouTube. We got a bunch of YouTube content up, all the podcast stuff. And we got a lot of content flowing. This is what we call football season. When it gets cold outside, they play football. We sit inside in the heat with our fires and have a cocktail and eat some popcorn. But it's fun to watch.

And luckily, I get to talk about it. So you guys know the drill, subscribe to the podcast, share with your friends, YouTube page. We got merch, thevolume.com. Let's rock and roll, baby. Go to GameTime or go to your app store, download GameTime, the official ticketing app of this podcast. And when you do it, when you download the Game Time app, you can go to a football game, you can go to a basketball game, you go to concerts, comedy shows. Use the promo code John, promo code John for $20 off.

I went Christmas shopping. I saw a $1,000 tree. I said, this is insane. They're like, actually, we got much more expensive ones. Now, some of those trees are the ones that go in, like, car dealerships and stuff. But still, inflation on the Christmas trees, out of control. Insane. Save you yourself a little money.

Download the game time app. Go enjoy yourself and save $20. promo code, John. Okay, that's Sunday night game. I was texting with a buddy who's on the chief's staff. I said, how cool is Lambo? This was earlier today. He's like, nothing beats it.

You just go up in this little town of 100,000 people, and the place is like the mecca of football. And it's a special, special place. And for most of my life, I'm 39 years old. That team, from the moment I really locked into sports about 9, 10 years old, Farve was coming into his own up until two years ago with Rogers, have been awesome. There is nothing like watching late season games

at that place. The weather, the stadium, the whole thing. It is made for night television. Feels like an SEC or Big Ten game. But before we dive into specifically about the Packers and let's face it, they got something going pretty well for them right now. I'm hard on referees. Now, I've been a gambler for a long time,

so you always feel you get screwed with calls. I grew up a Sacramento Kings fan. They literally had a ref who was in with the Italian mob who made sure the Lakers went on, like that happened. So you could call me scarred, called me whatever. But growing up in that world in the NBA, which was a corrupt sport when it came to referees, David Stern somehow burned all the evidence.

So it was like, Tim Donagy, he went rogue. No, he didn't. Several people were involved. We all know it. I've been the first to always admit that it is difficult to call fouls, call plays, at the speed in which professional... I don't think it's an easy...

job. I don't act like it's your, you know, the meter maid sitting there punching a clock, right? It is difficult. But there has to be a level. Like, it's difficult to play in the NFL. It's difficult to coach in the NFL. But if I don't make plays as a player, if I'm the offensive or defensive

coordinator and my unit sucks, I get fired. I get relieved of my duties. You know, with these referees, I've always compared them to government employees. Nothing ever happens. It's just the same old shit time and time again. And the final

stretch of that game was one of the most embarrassing things. And honestly today, into massive games. I mean, that was a playoff game. And obviously the Niner Eagle game was a playoff game. They became such a big part of the game. Now, people are like, Middlecough, they're always a problem. True. They're

typically always bad. And it's been really, really awful it feels like for a while in professional sports. Baseball included, why I'm always a big proponent of going to the Roboops. I can't let individual who are not playing in the game or coaching the game consistently impact the outcome

on stuff that is not subjective. It should not be subjective. The hit on Patrick Boholmes is not a late hit. He's literally in the fucking field of play. The defensive pass interference on Valdez Scantling was one of the most obvious pass interferences you'll ever see. He was tackled in mid-air.

What are we doing? Hell, even the last play somewhat, You could argue a coin flip or not, you know, one of the last plays where he's trying to get out of bounds, he's getting pulled back forward. I feel like these referees, because of the intensity of the moment, get completely overwhelmed. When you look at the great Greenlaw, Dom DeSandro situation, don't throw anyone out. It's not that big a deal. Separate them. This is not Adam Silver Sport. That you're allowed to have some confrontation with a guy who has nothing to do with the game. take a deep breath, push the guys aside, and fucking let's move on.

That is unacceptable. Because if Andy or LaFleur or their players, they screw up, there are consequences. They lose a game. Maybe a player gets cut tomorrow because he screwed up. Or benched. Sit back to the practice squad with the referees like, oh, that chick, she just screwed up, whatever. No big deal. See you next week.

Houston, Tennessee. It's just not okay. There has to be some sort of... You know, if you screw up the result, you're not allowed, I don't know. Whatever they're doing is not working. And there's too much money on the line with the players, the coaches, us as gamblers, us as fans giving us all this time. We've got to figure this out. Because what I witnessed today in that Eagle game with those referees who lost control of the game

and then tonight down the stretch in a massive football game was an embarrassment. No other way around it. Now, what is not an embarrassment, if I was hiring a coach and there were going to be Schefter said it, I saw Diana Rusini wrote it in the athletic that somehow there might be 10 job openings

hard to get to 10, I've tried to count but who knows, maybe there's some curveballs that's a lot of job openings. Well, it's a lot of potential new head coaches and I've been saying for a while like where are these head coaches coming from? I actually have been saying for a while like Belichick's going to have his pick of the litter and I had a buddy

scouting buddy like, you sure on that one? I'm like well just based on the numbers, yeah. But if I was hiring a coach, what I would want, I don't even think this is debatable, is my head coach to be my offensive play caller, so essentially he's always working with my quarterback. Even if he has a quarterback coach or quote-unquote un-OC,

because all these guys do, my head coach is calling the plays. That means he is in lockstep with the quarterback. In his development, working with him on a daily basis, those two are the most important guys in my organization. Doesn't mean I wouldn't want, you know, a D'Amico Rines or whatever if it came down to it. But if I had to choose between the two,

I am leaning offensive play caller as my head coach. And you see Matt LaFleur who, let's face it, Packer fans, and there's a lot of you. You guys are easily, Cowboys are the number one brand when it comes to quantity in the NFL, in terms of fans, in terms of getting most people do a television. Then there's a group of like six, seven teams that are just needle movers. We saw two of them, Eagles and the Niners playing a game.

30 million people watch that thing. The Green Bay Packers, because of 30 plus years of Farvin Rogers, are right there. They're one of the biggest brands in the sport. And I would say consistently they have hired offensive head coaches. It's been a philosophical belief since Homegrid and Farv, Sherman and Farv, McCarthy and Rogers, McCarthy and Farv for a minute, like LaFleur Rogers, now LaFleur, Love, because that guy can influence that position, who I'm paying the most money and my franchise is determined on his success.

Listen, I never apologize. Well, Middokov, you said he sucked? Well, yeah, because in the first month when you watched him, he wasn't any good. And I didn't have a long resume to go off. Like, if you listen to me on a random show, you know, Middlecock, that show sucked. Well, if you've been listening to me for five years, you're like, yeah, it happens. Maybe he had a bad night's sleep. Maybe there wasn't that much going on in the football world.

Maybe he just kind of ran out of takes for whatever reason on a Wednesday. But like, if my show always sucked, he'd be like, God, this guy just stinks. I'm not going to listen to him. So you could only base. Your opinion, like part of an opinion on a guy, if you have a bad game, Jaylon Hertz, bad game. Well, she doesn't have a lot of good games. So I'm not going to act like, yeah, this guy's a scrub.

So Jordan Love was not playing well. Now, there was always going to be the caveat of he's young, give him time, which is true. He wasn't necessarily young. He'd been in the league. He just hadn't played. Now when he watched him, the last two weeks and definitely tonight, having scouted in Philadelphia, which is not as cold as Green Bay. But going to these games, a night game.

on Sunday night or Monday night in November or December. It is so cold. You can't feel your hands. It is very, the mental toughness it takes, one, to just play in that environment and, two, excel in that environment is difficult. It's why Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, what they're able to do at the level in what's they're able to do it

over the course of their career in cold weather cities is really difficult. It is easier to play in Los Angeles 10 times a year than it is to play in those frigid cold games. So Jordan Love has a couple things going for him. One, he's clearly gotten a lot better. Like he's making big plays. Some of them, I mean that one throw

where he just threw it up there on fourth down, a little lucky. But the dot that he threw to Watson for the second touchdown he threw to him, they're having pretty unreal chemistry. It was like, God, that looked like, and even Collinsworth says this, I'm not saying he's Favre or Rogers.

He just has the physical characteristics to do some of the stuff that they did. And it's why I don't like the Kenny Pickets. I don't like the Mack Jones because their ability to hit as a player, their floor, everything has to go so well for them

just to be an average player. Like, Purdy's not really my style. I would never have liked Brock Purdy coming out of college and ever envisioned him to be my starting quarterback. Now, once he plays, I go, God, this guy's pretty damn good. But I tend to like

because of learning from Andy Reid and even before that with Pat Hill, guys with physical characteristics. Now, I want them to be good at quarterback. This guy has that, he's turning into a pretty good quarterback. Like you watched his poise, his obviously ability to make big plays, he's become much better at the basic stuff. Now, he still misses, I would say, relatively easy NFL throws.

But holy shit, has a guy in recent memory changed the course of his career quicker than Jordan Love? Now, his contract wasn't over after the season because the way they did it, but right now the Packers, who, one, are coming for the playoffs. I think Collins were set, like going to the playoffs. Right now, if I had to choose, you know, the Cowboys of the Eagles, one of those two teams is going to be the five seed. I think the Rams and Packers are the 6 and 7 seed. I think Seattle's in major trouble.

They play the 49ers this week and the Eagles next week. I don't know about you, but I got them chalked out for 2 else. And all of a sudden, going to be 6 and 8. I like the Rams, and I definitely like what the Packers are doing. So, but this gets back to the floor. and this gets back to the impact, like, listen, I think Seriani can be kind of dushy. I really do.

The screaming at the other players, pre-game, the other coach is like, bro, just fucking calm down. Now, I understand why Eagles fans really like him. But here we saw today in that game, like, what's he doing? Calling some timeouts? Here's what I know the other guy's doing, Kyle. He's dialing up every single play in the game on offense.

Just like tonight. What are Andy Reed and the floor doing? I don't know. They're running their offenses. I want my coach to have an impact. I guess if you're going to be, listen, Dan Campbell is an awesome leader, and everything's great when he gets the right coordinator.

But what happens when that coordinator, who's going to become a head coach, leaves? You better sure is hope that you get the right coordinator next year, which is very, very difficult to do. Right? I mean, look at the 49ers. They went from Sala to D'Amico to now Wilkes, who's doing a pretty good job, but he's as good as D'Eco. It's hard to replace those guys.

So you look at LaFleur, like his impact, listen, he did a good job. It was really weird early, just with the team in general. He doesn't have anything to do with the defense. But his impact with the quarterback is like, that's why the guy's a big time coach. Now, how big time of a coach, where he ranks? I don't know.

But it's impossible to argue the growth we've seen of Jordan Love that LaFleur doesn't directly get a shit ton of credit behind that. Right? I mean, it's been an incredible thing to watch. And I've watched every pass he's had the last three weeks. We're like, God, I can't believe this guy's as good right now. And on the flip side, like, listen, Andy can only do so much. Their personnel, and they were able to get by with it last year, it's much more difficult

just when you don't have really good receivers. And let's face it, like, I'm not blaming anyone. No team is perfect. And you'd think, hey, if Travis Kelsey is still elite, and listen, people think I had some Travis Kelsey the hater now. I've said this over and over. He's one of my favorite players like ever. Love the guy. He's just not quite the same. I know he had like four for 80 tonight, but he's just the A plus player is, you know, much more B plus now, which is still fine. But their other receivers just aren't good enough. Their defense, really, really good. Their team is really, really

solid. But like when you look at the AFC, I don't feel good about any of these teams. I really don't. I'm going to, Miami's technically the number one seed right now. Am I picking them to win the AFC? Now, if they get home field, it would be a big deal. Right. Going to Kansas City is very, very difficult. But let's face it, this Kansas City version is unlike any version we've seen. And it's so hard for them to score right now, it makes it hard for you to have faith. I'm not going to bet against them. We'll see the matchups in the playoffs, but it's definitely going to be more difficult. And I kind of starting to feel like, maybe it's just not their year. Maybe they're like a second round teaming out. But then you look at the rest of AFC, do you feel great about

the Baltimore Ravens? Want no part of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They just lost to the Arizona Cardinals Day at home. Now they had 17 weather delays, but holy moly. The Browns are screwed. They're starting Joe Flacco. You know, maybe it is the Dolphins here.

Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes

for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the I-Hard Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. A win is a win. A win is a win. I don't care which I'm saying.

Yep, that's me, Cliver Taylor the 4th. You might have seen the skits, the reactions, my journey from basketball to college football, or my career in sports media. Well, somewhere along the way, this platform became bigger than I ever imagined. And now I'm bringing all of that excitement to my brand new podcast, The Clifford Show.

This is a place for raw, unfiltered conversations with some of your favorite athletes, creators, and voices that not only deserve to be heard, but celebrated. One week, I'll take you behind the scenes of the biggest moments in sports and entertainment, and the next we'll talk about life, mental health, purpose, and even music. The Clifford Show isn't just a podcast.

It's a space. For honest conversations, stories that don't always get told, and for people who are chasing something bigger. So, if you've ever supported me or you're just chasing down a dream, this is right where you need to be. Listen to The Clifford Show on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more behind the scenes, follow at Clifford

and at TikTok Podcast Network on TikTok. Do you remember when Diana Ross double-tap little Kim's boobs at the VMAs? Or when Kanye said that George Bush didn't like black people. I know what you're thinking. What the hell does George Bush got to do a little kill? Well, you can find out on The Look Back at it podcast. I'm Sam J. And I'm Alex English.

Each episode, we pick it here, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it. Including a recent episode with Mark Lamont Hill waxing all about crack in the 80s. To be clear, 84 is big to me, not just because of crack. I'm down to talk about crack on day, but just so you all know. I mean, at this point, Mark, this is the second episode where we've discussed crack. so I'm starting to see that there's a through line. We also have AIDS on the table right now. Thank you for finishing that sentence.

I don't think there's a more important year for black people. Really? Yeah. For me, it's one of the most important years for black people in American history. Listen to look back at it on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Today, that Eagle Niner game, when I came into my own as a little young sports fan, the Niners were a bohemes. so were the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers had just traded for Brett Forth

and there was a stretch and this is to me kind of win. I always say that like the Magic and Larry Bird of the NFL was Peyton and Tom Brady but you could argue the NFL really started to take off economically is when Fox got the NFC they hired John Madden and Pat Somerall

and the Niners were huge the Cowboys were huge and the Packers were huge and they kept playing each other. Most years multiple times a year. Right? The 49ers, played the Dallas Cowboys twice a year for fucking five straight years. They played the Green Bay Packers several times a year for half a decade.

And the league was built around those teams. They were the best three teams in the league, and one of those teams typically was going to win the Super Bowl and definitely represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. That's what today felt like. That's what the stakes felt like. Having lived in Philly, that kind of dreary, dark, moist, wet, cold, just an ugly...

The link is just an unreal place to watch. game to elite teams. And early on, it was like, God. And ultimately the Niners, to me, when healthy, are just better. You know, the Eagles have some injuries on defense that they're not going to be able to overcome, and the Niners will eat you alive. And this gets back to the coaching thing. Like, in a game, early on, the game was weird.

You know, the Eagles had a 6-0 lead. The 49ers head coach impacts the game. Now it's just raw, raw speeches and screaming at the other team and screaming at the referee. And I'm not some, like, I'm not anti-Nixiriani. I'm not acting like he's some bum. But, like, what does he do on game day? That's my question.

And you could ask this question about Mike Tomlin, about John Harbaugh. Like, I like my coaches to impact the fucking game. So when it got a little weird, what did Kyle Shanahan do? Started dialing up some plays that, I don't know, started working. They hit some big touchdown plays, and then they eviscerated the opponent. But it was the head coach, half of the game, is the guy calling in the play. So I just think there's an element, and there's a curveball the Niners have that the Eagles simply don't.

Debo Samuel, nobody, if you ask, like who are your top five wide receivers is going to say Debo Samuel? You'd be crazy to, because he's not truly like some dominant outside wide receiver. But do you know what Debo Samuel is? A dominant football player. And honestly, one of the most unique players we've ever seen.

The Philadelphia Eagles retired from the NFL earlier this week. I think they threw a little halftime. ceremony. Deshawn Jackson was one of the most unique players we've ever seen. But Deshawn Jackson was a true outside wide receiver, despite having the speed, right? And he wasn't just a speed guy. He could run all the routes. He had great hands. He was just an elite talent. Debo can't just go outside and just run every route and get open and give you 10 catches game. That's not really his style. But you could get him, like today, six, seven touches, and he can easily get 150 yards and three touchdowns. Physically, there are

isn't a wide receiver like him in the sport. Most wide receivers, and rightfully so, go out of bounds, hit the ground. They're not looking to run you over. They're not trying to act like they're Earl Campbell or Walter Payton in their prime. That's not their job. Their job is to move the chains, explosive plays, and live to fight another down. There was a play today where Greg Olson's like, I would like to see Debo get out of bounds. Debo doesn't go out of bounds. Debo doesn't go out of bounds. Debo's lowers his shoulder like he's a running back or a tight end or a linebacker and tries to inflict pain on the defender. And guess what happens?

Debo always goes forward. Now, he got hurt earlier this season, broke, you know, chipped his shoulder bone because playing like that has consequences. But Debo's style, like today, Ray Ray Ray McLeod, the 49ers returner, is out. So when the 49ers finally got the ball after the Eagles kicked a field goal and they kicked it off, who returned the ball? Debo Samuel. Do you know what my guess would be during the week?

Debo looks at, a lot like in the NBA used to be. Michael Jordan, they'd be playing whoever's good. And Michael goes, Phil, I'm checking that guy. Scotty would go, I'm checking that guy. You don't give the defensive assignments to great Kobe. Kobe would go, I want that guy. That's the way the NBA I grew up on, the great players, they chose you on defense. The coach didn't have to divvy out assignments.

It felt like when Debo is back there returning, that no one at practice like Debo, do you think you can do some kick returning this week? Because Debo talked a lot of shit. And listen, I got no problem in any walk of life talking shit. You just got to back it up. Like Deion talked a lot. They got fucking destroyed and embarrassed

during the Pac-12 season. They went four and eight. He got the sportsman of the year. He won four games. Again, it was fun, a lot of noise, a lot of shitty football. I mean, awful football. If you're going to talk shit,

you better be able to back individual sport. It's easy, right? If I'm Rafa Nidal, if I'm Connor McGregor, if I'm Mike Tyson, if I'm whatever, I only have to back it up for me. My issue with Debo was like, hey, Debo, like some of your offensive linemen, let's be careful here. But it didn't matter because Debo backed it up. And he went in there and he destroyed the Philadelphia Eagles. IUK2, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, they punked those guys. Now, those guys that got two big wins, they were off. short rest. They had to be exhausted.

That's why I like the Niners this week. But there's a difference of winning the game. Like, listen, you win by 12 points and you win like they won today. They annihilated those guys. That was like, we fucking see you guys again. Whether we got to come back here, whether you got to come back to us, we're going to be a big favorite. You saw that three points?

Double that motherfucker. Because we'll be six or seven. That's what it looked like. And Siriani's hooting and hollering over there like, bro, what are you doing? Call timeouts? Now listen, Dom DeSandro's my guy. I love. Don DeSandra. Everyone who's ever worked for the Eagles in the football operations players swears by that guy. No issue.

Listen, you know, this ain't Palo Alto. You know, this is a family, some, you know, there's a lot of stuff going on in South Philadelphia, right, in the New Jersey area. It's a little bit different than some of the people where I come from are used to, way things get done. My main issue with that whole situation, Dom's just sticking up for his guy, he's right there, and I understand why Kyle's pissed, is no one needs to get thrown out, like I said earlier. That just can't happen, not in the game of that magnitude. Like Niners Cowboys, like Niners Packers, like, we need to get that again. And we need to get, like, the good thing about the NFC, which to me is clearly starting to separate from the AFC, because the Niners clearly can win the Super Bowl.

They're the favorite. I think the Eagles, if they get a little healthier, can win the Super Bowl. I actually think Dallas, I'm not going to pick them, but I'm not naive or dumb enough as a football guy to go. I take them seriously. I look around the AFC, like, what's Lamar won? One playoff game? I'm going to pick Tua to rattle off three playoff games when the Super Bowl. It's much easier to look.

Hell, even the Lions have some flaws. You watch them today, the amount of talent they have on their team? I think the sport is really starting to shape up. And that stretch of that Niners Eagle game, the intensity behind it, and then this night game made up for a pretty terrible morning beside the Denver Houston game. And last but not least, I just, I did a video and talked about it to podcast on Saturday night after all the games.

and like I said, I grew up anyone my age, if you grew up loving football in the 90s, Florida State was a bohemist. They were a national program. I've been following the program. I literally have a good buddy who is Norville's right-hand guy, helps pick the players, lead recruiter, GM, whatever official title is.

I'm rooting for the program. But the moment their quarterback went down, you're no longer that program. So this notion of our resume, our resume, our resume, well the wins you got were not with this team not with your quarterbacks if jordan Travis was still around they have to be in i would not argue and if they were to get screwed and had gotten left out when they're starting quarterback i would totally understand the argument but when you're rolling out a third string quarterback or a backup quarterback who also sucks in his old i feel no sympathy

now here's what i've never had an issue with in sports when people's moms when people's dads, when people's significant others, when their brothers, get very emotional and defend their guy and say shit about their family's team. I get it. They're emotionally tied and close to the situation. There's a difference between them and me and you just as a fan, right? They are much closer to it given that they're sleeping with them. It's their son. Their investment in it is just at a completely different level, given their connection. So I always give them some leeway when it's ever like, can you believe what Aisha Curry said in Cleveland? Well, yeah, it's her fucking husband.

What do you think? I never put any stock into any of that. I think that's such a catnip for the fucking booger readers on social media. Totally understandable. And these fans, like, if you're a Florida State fan, if you're a Florida State player, if you're their coach, be gutted probably doesn't even do good enough job of describing how you'd feel. That picture today when it got announced Alabama and you could see the head coach sitting there in like sweats. And behind him, Jordan Travis, whose leg is still wrapped up, like up high and the soul out of Mike Norvell's body, you could feel it.

Like, if you ever seen the movie Ghost was Swayze and Demi Moore, like the Souls leave? That's how you could see a soul leap. Jordan Travis looked like he saw a ghost. I understand in that room, all the guys like were getting up, they were rattled. totally get it. But I'm sorry, you're a four-teen-point underdog against Georgia. Like, you know what the committee did? They put Georgia at 6 and Florida State at 5 because of optics.

It had like a government feel to it. Like, this would look good. They didn't believe that Florida State was better than Georgia. They're literally a two-touchdown underdog to them in the Orange Bowl. They believed that Georgia was better, but it wasn't worth putting Georgia at 5 in them, because it would even and got louder. Because if Georgia had beat Alabama, guess what?

Florida State still was going to be. going to go. Texas is third. Texas has a loss. They believe that Texas as a one lost team was better in Florida State. Why? Because they are. When you don't have a quarterback, one thing I've learned is I've gotten older is the word deserved. And I heard a great quote one time. You don't deserve anything. You get what you negotiate. Right. So like this notion of deserving, if you spend all your time thinking you deserve things, you're going to get lapped. Now, I understand like you deserve if you're a Power 5 team. Your team's not healthy though. You lost the most important guy on your team, the quarterback, the most important guy in the

sport. Here's the other reality. The reason the SEC and the Big Ten keep expanding and merging because they want to wipe you all out. You realize when you bring a Target, when you bring a Walmart, when you bring a Costco into an area, it wipes out the little guy. That's what the Big Ten and the SEC are doing. And Florida State knows this. It's why they've tried to get to the SEC. The problem is they're involved in this television deal. which is fucking terrible, and it's signed for the next, like, 10 years with ESPN. So they're kind of stuck. They're no dummies.

If they had done what they did in the SEC, they're in. Of course they would be. Their second best win is against an 8 and 4 Clemson team. I got news for you. If you had rolled your backup quarterback or the third stringer against Clemson at Clemson this season, you would have lost. So that win, to me, means nothing. Like I said, completely understand the emotional outpouring

and anger and just resentment toward the whole thing, threatening legal action, all the bullshit. I get it. That's what happens during these situations. It was all justified. And we have to come first. All of this exists, not for the teams and the players and the coaches. It all exists, all this money now, especially the NIL.

I had a scout. He's not even a scout. He's like an assistant GM tell me that one thing he's heard going into these schools is like some of these coaches are less emotionally invested. invested in the player. They treat it more like the NFL. It's like, well, you're making fucking 400 grand. Either make a player, get out of here. Where back in the day, you know, if I, even if I brown bag, you at 50K, I get to know you, I live with the ups and the downs, but now it's become much more transactional. That's what this sport is. There's a ton of money in the line.

It's all transactional. And Alabama's a two-point underdog. You would have been at 18-point underdog. It's just basic math. And Herbstreet said this, like, no one wants to watch these bad games. It's a fact. No one wants to watch these bad games. We saw the NFC championship between the Eagles and the 49ers when they didn't have a quarterback. How was that? I don't know. The worst playoff game I've ever seen. Just as a viewer and lover of the sport. Right. So that's what you guys would have been. You didn't deserve it. Here's the other thing. It's not fair. Life's not fair. It's a bitch. It sucks. Do you know the greatest lesson that will ever happen to all those Florida State guys?

is to learn in that moment, God, you can get screwed at the moment's notice. Welcome to America. What a great life lesson, especially for all those guys going into business. They're already ahead of the curve because most of the people they're going to compete competing against early on in their professional career if they don't make it to the NFL have never experienced something like that. The greatest life lesson is when you get screwed, when you fail, things out of your control. You guys did everything in your control.

It just wasn't good enough because it's not good enough because you're not. good enough. Like, that's an objective fact. Like, the, the betting angle just proves like, you would have been a multiple, you're a multiple touchdown right now against Georgia, who I got news for you doesn't care at all about this

Orange Bowl at all. Half their team's probably going to opt out. Their Super Bowl was Alabama and they lost. So if you think you guys are devastated, that team doesn't give a shit about this game. So this notion that they got screwed? I guess,

personally, maybe a little bit, from a football standpoint, they're not better in Alabama. Hell, they're not better in Georgia. They're not better in Oregon right now. The right thing happened. So props for the committee for not worrying about, quote, unquote, the blowback or what was going to piss people up on social media. If more companies started operating this way,

maybe society would get back on track instead of being worried about what's the blowback going to be like on X? Here's a news flash. Who gives a fuck? Make the right decision. The volume. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier.

This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an a cappella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform? We do some retirement homes. Those people are starving for banter. Listen to humor me with Robert Smigel. and friends on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged.

It's the enhanced games. Some call it grotesque. Others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast's Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year. Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth. Listen to Superhuman on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Hey, this is Robert from the Stuff to Blow Your Mind podcast. Joe and I are both lifelong Star Wars fan, so we're celebrating May the 4th with a brand new week of fun, thought-provoking Star Wars-related episodes. Join us as we tackle science and culture topics from a galaxy far, far away, such as the biology of tauntons and wampas on the ice planet hot, or the practicality and corporate business sense of the Sith ruling. of two. Listen to Stuff to Bole Your Mind on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.