The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1470 - NFL Week 15 Preview/Picks, TNF Recap, John Cena LIVE in the ThunderDome, Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Elko, & AJ Hawk

Episode Date: December 12, 2025

On today's show, Pat, AJ Hawk and the boys recap last night's upset by the Atlanta Falcons over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and cover all the NFL news heading into Week 15. In the first hour, we are joi...ned by 17x World Champion, The GOAT, WWE Superstar John Cena ahead of Saturday Night's Main Event & his farewell match against Gunther. In the second hour, we are joined by Texas A&M Head Coach Mike Elko to preview his match up with Miami at Kyle Field, hear his thoughts about the current state of the College Football calendar, and more. We wrap up the last hour by making all of our picks for the Week 15 slate. Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN's YouTube 12-3pm EDT, or ESPN+. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. Have an incredible weekend. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our humble abode, the Thunderdome. On this magical feel-good Friday, December 12th, 2025, this program begins now. Football! It is insane, and week 15 kicked off in a spectacular fashion with a massive fourth-quarter comeback for the Atlanta Falcons to get a huge win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers are looking in the mirrors this morning saying, what the hell happened to us? We were supposed to go to the playoffs. We're supposed to win the NFC South.
Starting point is 00:00:32 Now they're on a little bit of a slide. And for the Atlanta Falcons and Kirk Cousins, when they're playing the Buccaneers, boy, do they ball out. Kyle Pitts want crazy. Kirk Cousins gets a dub. Rahim Morris is yelling at the camera afterwards, and everybody from Tampa is thinking to themselves, we suck, we are ass, we need to maybe start this entire thing over. Week 15 kicks off in a spectacular fashion.
Starting point is 00:00:53 The Sunday slate is going to be absolutely majestic Army versus Navy. obviously a special day for our entire country. And then tomorrow night, Saturday night's main event on NBC, John Sina will have his final match as a W.W.E. superstar. He will be joining us in about 10 to 15 minutes live in studio. And I want to let you know, those jorts have been walking around this facility for the last 20, 30 minutes. And he is a special individual with a special aura.
Starting point is 00:01:24 And every single time you talk to him, you want to tell him like, hey, you're John Sina. Let's never ever forget that. And all John Sina says, whoa, I'm just lucky to be here. I'm just lucky to be here. So for our conversation with him, it's going to be a lot of us letting him know who the hell he is and him responding to us on who we should maybe strive to be a little bit more like him. He's got a tough one in Goonther tomorrow night as all eyes are in Washington, D.C. to watch the never seen 17-time champion wrap up his illustriest, greatest of all-time career with the WWE. So special Friday here in the Thunderdome. The talk to tables here.
Starting point is 00:01:56 at Boston Conner at Ty Schmidt. Big one this weekend for the Patriots Condo. Huge. One half of the hammer, died. Cowboys, AP Tone's head is floating above something right here as we see. Tone. Last night, nobody on this particular stage or maybe even in the country thought
Starting point is 00:02:12 that the Falcons were going to be able to do what they did last night. What was the percentage of bets on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last night as favorites of four and a half points? Sixty-five percent, so it was another one of those that falls in the category of getting 60 percent or more of the bets on the public. And that was another loss and another start to a week of potential losing for the public, but just
Starting point is 00:02:31 kind of how it's been. And Big Mike said it best yesterday. And these rivalry games, you never know what's got to happen. Yeah, the division game, that's all points. And obviously, the Atlanta Falcons needed one. They get one. The bucks need something to change. Let's go to last night, con man. Special game, we thought it might have been shite. We might have thought it was ass. Turns out, this was an electrifying finish. Somebody needs to tell Al Michaels. Yeah, incredible. Christmas came early, you know, and yes, someone should probably let Al noble, let's go right to Kyle Pitts. It was all about the Pitts's prime time performance, if you ask me.
Starting point is 00:03:00 This was his first touchdown wide open. Probably should maybe cover him. I don't know about that. He continues to ball out. And when I say continues, I mean, right here, bang, touchdown number two. And let me just say, Kyle Pitts probably earned himself $30, $50 million last night, let alone his incredible dance moves. But then the second half, the bucks kind of pull away.
Starting point is 00:03:21 It's okay. You know what? That was cute Atlanta. Chris Godwin's back. We'll take that. He also got an octopus this game. It's 2014 to 26. He gets the two-point conversion along with the touchdown.
Starting point is 00:03:33 You don't see that area very often. That's fantastic. 2814, fourth quarter. Two scores, 14-point spread. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a good spot, right, Conman? Yes, sir. And not to get lost in the pits performance. Bejohn Robinson once again goes over 80 yards rushing, over 80 yards receiving.
Starting point is 00:03:49 This was his touchdown of the night. Gets him to 28-20. they go for two. They don't get it, unfortunately. So at this point, too, you're thinking, okay, you know, once again, Atlanta fallen a little short. Down 14, they choose to go for two. Okay, they choose to go for two. This is the new statistics thing. They don't get the first one. They're down eight. Still a one score game. Still a one score of game. And guess what they get the ball back?
Starting point is 00:04:11 Huge interception by Alfred and who else? Kyle Pitts with his third of the night. Now, his butt came down and his elbow came down. But inbound, elbow out of bounds. But they call it a touchdown on the field. huge call because in the review, as you see here, I don't know. The other angle from the right here does make you think, okay, he's definitely in. But then the other angle, if you will, makes you think, I don't know, not so sure. But either way, hey, that's a touchdown. They go for two again down to 98, 26.
Starting point is 00:04:45 They don't get it. 28, 26. So they're down 14. They scored two touchdowns. One for two twice. They're still losing. Yeah, yeah. Okay, so it's 28-26.
Starting point is 00:04:53 Games over, right? Tampa Bay Buccaneers got to put this thing away. The Falcons don't even have any timeouts at this point. That's what you would think. Hey, just run the ball. Don't have to, you know, get cute, don't have to throw the ball. Turns out they do throw the ball before the two-minute warning hits. The Falcons get the ball back in Kirk Cousins does what Kirk Cousins does.
Starting point is 00:05:10 He drives down the field. He fumbles the ball and gets it back, but he drives down the field. Third and 28, they convert fourth and 14 to get here. Zane Gonzalez, 43-yard game winner, takes the soul. out of Tampa Bay. Post game, and we're not going to run it because Todd Bowles is just laced with profanity now, I guess, but he was dropping F bombs left and right.
Starting point is 00:05:31 Everybody basically on Tampa Bay sideline has no idea what the hell just happens. Zane Gonzalez comes through for Atlanta. Atlanta really not fighting for much, aside from pride, and, you know, they get the job done. Rahim Morris might have saved his job ruining Tampa Bay season. Carolina moves the first into the NFC South. the Bucks now out of the
Starting point is 00:05:53 playoff race. It was quite a night for Atlanta, quite a devastation for Tampa. I don't know if they're out of the playoff race. They still have a chance to win the NFC South. Excuse me a playoff picture. They have to play. The Carolina Panthers a couple different times, the Bucks do. But if you look at this Bucks collapse from where they were to where they are now, let alone the 14
Starting point is 00:06:09 point collapse in a fourth quarter last night. Slick Field 2, good job on Zane Gonzalez, getting the plant foot down and getting a good kick. Congrats to him. Bucks percentage to win the NFC South. When they were 5 and 1, it was 80%. When they were 6 and 2, was 90%. Now they're at 55%, but they got to play the Carolina Panthers twice still. So you're talking about a lot of battles down the line here with a struggling buccaneers team
Starting point is 00:06:29 in a hot Carolina Panthers team. Carolina Mike, I believe, is still doing his 150,000 thing. He was performing at the Big Lob Music Christmas party the other day. He's having shows. Feels like the Panthers are up and to the right. The bucks are down and to the left. Here's Tristan Worf's after the game talking about being up 14, losing in the Saints. We lost it as Saints last week, and now we do this. I mean, we lost the two in 10 Saints, and we lost two. I don't even know where the director is. At home, up two scores.
Starting point is 00:07:04 Yeah, I don't really. I don't really. I don't know. That was fucking insane. At a loss for words, calling it insane. None of them expected to lose that game, especially whenever they go for two on both their touchdowns, and you're up two. Falcons have no timeouts.
Starting point is 00:07:19 You mention it before the two-minute warning. Buck's throw it, stop the clock in completion. Then the two-minute warning comes, all of a sudden, Kirk Cousins gets the ball back. He literally has two-minute drill, no timeouts down too. Kirk Cousin's been there, done that. Now, Todd Bowles' defense, Buck's defense, you think maybe be able to get a stop?
Starting point is 00:07:35 Kirk Cousin says, I don't think so. We're going to march right down his field. We're going to kick the field goal to win this game in your building, in your face, in the middle of your playoff run. I can't say enough about this Atlanta Falcons team responding to everything that was being said about them, Kirk responding to everything that was said about them
Starting point is 00:07:50 and getting a huge win in an electrifying game on Thursday night football in which we thought it could have been an ass game and on a flip side when it comes to the bucks it's like what the hell is going on with the buccaneers? You got Todd Bowles and you said profanity lace post game it was like yeah he was very much. Most energy or most emotion I've ever seen Todd Bowles have was after the game in his interview
Starting point is 00:08:12 but I think a lot of bucks fans are like where's that door in the game whenever it's kind of all unraveling and you're just on the sideline. Feels like Todd Bowles' thing is like, I'm always like this. I'm always like this. Baker Mayfield, obviously, we've seen him up, we've seen him down. We've seen him at great runs with this Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. And then now we're kind of watching it fall off. Here's some stats from Hembo. Baker Mayfield with Bucks after week nine through 2023, 2004 after week nine, 12 and 5, win loss record. Now here in 2025, 1 in 5 down the stretch. Obviously, it's not just Baker, it's a lot of things. Mike Evans was back off of injury last night. He has a huge night. He was seen. on the sideline losing his mind as well. This Buccaneers team I don't think anybody knows what's going on, but I know Buccaneers fans are saying, everything needs changed immediately, tone. So they had the
Starting point is 00:08:57 great start, obviously, the 5-1, the 6-and-2, and then, you know, everyone kind of rode off the last month or so because of injuries. And then last night, everyone came back, basically, you know, you had Evans, you had Godwin, you had a Bucca, you had McMillan, like you had everyone that you, all your weapons that you had in the beginning of the year,
Starting point is 00:09:14 you had finally for the first time back again, and everyone thought that would fix it, and for three-quarters it did. did fix it. But also Baker, first nine weeks, 16 touchdowns, two interceptions. The last five weeks, six touchdowns, five interceptions. So it's kind of come off the rails here. So maybe they're learning their offense. Maybe people know what they're having or maybe they're just not playing good ball down the stretch here. If we were going to do like the box score of how many yards are gained and everything like that, the Falcons winning a game with
Starting point is 00:09:39 19 penalties for 125 years. Now there was Paul starts and it was ugly football that they were calling. These refs also, hey, now is not a good time. you refs to be ass. You guys are starting to be in the middle of a negotiation with the NFL, and the NFL is starting to release some information on what the current deal is. Like, you know, we're not even allowed to talk to these refs from February until May because the union
Starting point is 00:09:59 says we're not allowed to talk to them. We're just no contact rule from the NFL to any of the refs for those three months. You know, they don't really speak to the media afterwards because they don't have to because that's in the contract. And the NFL's, we're looking to change out. We're looking for offseason training, some offseason conversation. We're looking for the accountability. This refs union is not. Well, in primetime
Starting point is 00:10:16 games, the refs can't be making mistakes. It feels like they were a topic of the conversation last night. Now, some of these are very real. We're not saying that that isn't the case. 19 for 125 is a lot of penalties to win a game. Buccaneers still looking at all saying, how did this happen? Yeah, no, I think Connor hit the nail on the head, too, because if the Falcons were to lose that game last night and you lose that with 19 penalties,
Starting point is 00:10:38 like, that's the kind of thing where people point to and say, okay, this guy's message isn't getting through this team's undisciplined. I understand, you know, penalties are also on the players. you can't just put it all on the coach, but largely in part, that is like, that's on coaching. You know, hey, we got to make sure we're disciplined, we're doing the right things. So not only does Rahim Morris potentially save his job last night, but now people are like, and granted, it might just be against the bucks, but does Kirk Cousins, like, is he all a sudden, maybe it's not in Atlanta, but is he get a shot to go play quarterback somewhere next year?
Starting point is 00:11:09 Because remember last year he was asked, so Pennix comes in. This year there are some games that weren't great. now on prime time, has a two-minute drive to lead the Falcons back to beat the bucks as five-and-a-half-point dogs, five-point dogs. Kirk Cousins all of a sudden gets spinny's putting in spots. And in Kyle Pitts, you mentioned him earning 30, 40, 50 million. Whenever he was drafted out of Florida, we thought this was the next one. This guy is special.
Starting point is 00:11:30 Whenever we saw him in college, we said this guy was special. Then he got to the NFL, obviously some turnover in coaching, turnover in offense, turnover in quarterback, you name it. There's a lot of excuses that Kyle Pitts can certainly put out for why it hasn't gone necessarily perfect since day one. they figured it out the last couple weeks last three weeks for Kyle Pitts historic three touchdowns last done on prime time good for him and I uh I'd like to see what Kyle Pitts his career looks like going forward because maybe he did flip a switch and become a guy and Kirk is obviously pumped for that
Starting point is 00:11:58 Rahe Morris him yon at that camera that was quite a moment yeah I feel like that was a big moment for him for his life for his future yeah what what he all day all day call game call that call that ball game whatever it is I like that he's doing it I think him and coach Tomlin pretty tight coach Tomlin has a scene where he's looking at the camera talking his shit
Starting point is 00:12:20 not only the kiss but in the past there's been this one so Rahim immediately afterwards is celebrating with the boys and then going where the hell is this camera at all these people have been trying to call for my job why don't we go ahead and do a little bit of that love the moxia out of Atlanta doesn't mean that they have anything really to go for the Lombardi this year but to save a culture
Starting point is 00:12:36 potentially save their team good for them now let's look at the weekend slate we got big games This week. Huge, huge, huge games this weekend. You stay right there across the top. Obviously, Browns and Bears is going to be a storyline. Everybody's going to talk about. Calib Williams, as Coach McGrath, you would say, and Shador Sanders' storyline. Jets, 13 and a half point spread for the Jags. Congrats to them earning that. And then Bill's Pats. This is what we've been waiting for in the AFC East. This is what we've been waiting for with this particular Patriots team. Can they do it against the Big Bad Wolf? Can they in meaningful games? As dogs get a huge win over the MVP into Buffalo Bills to be the actual kings of the AFCs, we get to learn a lot this weekend about your team con, man. Yeah, this is the feeling you've kind of been searching for as a Patriots fan to get this back again on a Friday, thinking like, wow, on Sunday there's a chance. One, you can go win the division, but two, just kind of restamp what you've already done this whole entire year.
Starting point is 00:13:33 The whole conversation for the Patriots all year has been schedule, schedule, schedule, from the outside, not from the inside, but still people have been saying that. it is a chance to go out there and prove, like, okay, as home underdogs, which is very interesting, but as home dogs off of a buy with Mike Vrable, who's 6 and 0 off a buy, it's one of the, not including the playoffs, it's one of those things that you do kind of just, can't believe we're here, can't believe we're playing meaningful football in December in the division, so excited, just can't wait to see it out. To hang a banner up there?
Starting point is 00:14:02 No, we don't hang banners. What? The only banners we hang are Super Bowls. We don't give a shit about the division like Bill's fans. We don't give a shit about winning the conference like Bill's fans. though they really haven't done it. I don't really care about those. We only care about that number one spot.
Starting point is 00:14:15 And that's why immediately after that game, I'm throwing on a Packers jersey for that Packers' Broncos slate. Okay, so Packers' Broncos obviously gigantic as the Packers head into Denver is two and a half point favorites. Good for you, Ty. This is a huge game for the AFC standings. If the Patriots get a win and the Broncos get a loss, that changes the trajectory of the playoffs entirely.
Starting point is 00:14:34 And for the Packers, this can be continuing stacking momentum into the most important time of the year. Yeah, without a doubt. And, you know, a lot of people are saying right now, hey, is this a potential, you know, Super Bowl preview? I don't know about that. But, yeah, I mean, this is a massive test for the Packers. Everyone knows how good the Broncos D is. And then you talk about, you know, the kind of playoff picture in the AFC with the Broncos being at the top.
Starting point is 00:14:56 Like, the Packers are still right there in the NFC for home field advantage. We know how important home field advantages, especially if you're a Packers fan and things would have to go through Lambo. and you have to play a team like the Rams or one of these warm weather teams, if you will. So there's a lot of stake there, and now it's kind of all eyes on is Josh Jacobs going to play because he had another MRI. It came back clean, but there still is a thought that he might not play Sunday because they have a couple massive games behind this one. Josh Jacobs is a dog. Let's assume that he's out there. Chargers chiefs, obviously, gigantic for the AFC West. Seventy-six percent of the bets are on the Chargers,
Starting point is 00:15:34 getting five and a half even though the chiefs are favored at home tough night for herbert even after the win got a lot of bad pub do the chargers continue to grow and i guess jim harbaw could feel some sort of way with what happened with michigan i mean there's a lot of negative vibes coming off a chargers primetime win in the chiefs talk about negative vibes yeah trav man yeah it's gonna be all right man chalves down in the dumps i don't like he's human exclamation point yeah exactly not anymore flip that upside down well that's what the Texans defense can do to people. I think we need to remember that. But Travis, you need to know we love you. We appreciate you. And I do appreciate that you are bummed out at this stage of your
Starting point is 00:16:11 career, stage of everything with how the team is performing and how you're putting a lot of onus onto yourself. We respect and appreciate that on his New Heights podcast. It was not. No. Doom and gloom. I felt bummed out. I was bummed out. When I'm bummed out, I watch New Heights and I say, hey, Trav, Jason, why don't you make me feel good? Then I see this clip and it's like, how do I cheer up Trev? Somebody needs to cheer up Trev over there because of what's going on. Obviously not the year they had hoped
Starting point is 00:16:38 thus far. Still five and a half point favorites over the Chargers at home. And then obviously, Vikings, Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, Lions, Rams taking place. Colts Seahawks. Chance Arena heard of it. Here we go. That's perfect.
Starting point is 00:16:54 That's what Phil Rivers wants. That's perfect. 44 years old? Yeah, right. Don't you worry about a damn thing. Phil Rivers is ready. to ball. All right. As we pivot away from the NFL, let's turn to the greatest of all time conversation. There's a man that is currently in the Thunderdome who's going to walk his way up to this stage, who's considered the greatest of all time in something that is now a global phenomenon. Professional wrestling is something that has shaped my life. I think it's shaped a lot
Starting point is 00:17:22 of people's lives. When I was growing up and I would turn it on, I would see these superheroes of humans doing things that I never could have fathomed. And it gave me hope and inspiration on what I could be in the future. Athletics, a little bit of entertainment, some shit talk and some magic all happening in front of me. Thank you for taking me away from my life and being entertained for a couple hours. This man, 23 years of that. This man, actual superhero. I think he had 2% body fat for 23 some years. Shish. Showed up every single day. He's just a dude from mass up there who's worked his ass off so that he can be called the greatest of all time. And he didn't do it for himself, he did it for literally everybody around them. Every single time or every single question
Starting point is 00:18:03 you ask him, you're going to hear the most humble answer of all time. He might be the greatest the bestspian out there. Okay? It might be the greatest despian out there. We have no idea what his acting career will hold. We have no idea what his business acumen is going forward and everything else. But we do know he's going to be a success story. We do know that he's going to be awesome. And we do know that tomorrow night is his last ever match in the WWE. He'll be taking on Gunther, on Peacock at Saturday night's main event in Washington, D.C.
Starting point is 00:18:32 Ladies and gentlemen, the Never Seen 17. John C.E. Yeah. Where's Stu? Where's Stu? Hey. Yeah, you're there. Unless you're standing between us.
Starting point is 00:18:54 Hold on, we got to wait, though. Yep. Guitar is up, my time is now. You can't see me, my time is now. All right. I do love that. Where's that from? I got a shout out,
Starting point is 00:19:08 Amberson coffee and grocer right here in Indy. Man, this is one of the best coffee joints I'm into. This is a to go. They give you the glass mason jar. This is a cup of get-up in a glass mason jar. Okay, so let's talk a little bit about your history. Okay, history. That's just a cold transition.
Starting point is 00:19:25 No, it's not going to be a cold transition. That might be a cold coffee. OVW in Louisville, okay, is obviously where a lot of this whole thing started. Rip Rogers, trainer, lives in Indianapolis, from Indianapolis. India has been a great hub for professional wrestling for a long time. How often have you been through our city? And how did you know about this place? It feels like you were very familiar with it.
Starting point is 00:19:45 You actually yelled at me for not knowing what this place is. I just informed you that you got quite a good coffee shop. You're like, oh, man, we got good coffee in the back. I was like, man, coffee forward places is Amberson, coffee, grocery. They'll change the way you view coffee. But it feels like you've been through the city a lot. I certainly have over the past, you know, two decades, especially over the past year. We came to Indy twice. So being able to do two runs here, you know, that was extremely special.
Starting point is 00:20:11 And later on in my career, you know, I guess these last, it's half decade or so. You know, I've been around the world more than 10 times, but I haven't seen anything but the inside of arenas and airports. So, you know, I kind of changed up my philosophy of like arrive early enough to experience something. I like a good cafe because it allows you to, you know, I like to have a coffee there and maybe some breakfast there. It allows you to see people coming into work. You get a decent view of the city or people around the city. And then I try to stay for at least a meal afterwards to try to at least, if I'm only in a place for a day, I want to actually see it. I just don't want to see the inside of the arenas that look pretty much identical.
Starting point is 00:20:53 and the inside of an airport is kind of identical as well. Yeah, you want to experience the town a little bit that you've been in so frequently. You've lived this, you know, professional wrestlers, obviously people know you guys are on the road a lot, and it's talked about as the old school days, but I think people aren't fully, you've been living a rock star life on the road for like 20-some years. A traveling entertainer's life. I don't know how rock stars live. I don't want to think for them.
Starting point is 00:21:17 A traveling entertainer. I've been on the traveling road show for about 23 years now, and we're hanging it up tomorrow. I can't wear this for one more, I know, I got one more day to wear this. I just wanted to bring the jorts out one more time. Well, they look amazing. This is the actual uniform for tomorrow, too. I'm very excited. USA.
Starting point is 00:21:32 USA. Got a lot of Easter eggs on here. A lot of stuff that's important to me, so. Well, you've been very important to the business that you've been a part of as a traveling entertainer for all these years. So I talk to Michael Cole, who I know is obviously good friends of yours as well. And he talks about wanting to retire sometime. And this guy's been on the road for 30 years.
Starting point is 00:21:52 I don't think your body will let you ever kind of step away from this type of busyness or this type of hectic or chaos type schedule. Do you think about that? Have you thought about that? Obviously, you've experienced life without the WWE. You've gone away to do some movies. This last time is now tour. You had 30-some jobs, which obviously was a conversation about maybe having 200 at some point,
Starting point is 00:22:12 but you had 30-some. Have you thought about that, how life changes, how the schedule changes? You put a lot into there. You know, you are non-stop. You just wanted to talk about the projections for the tour, the idea, the actuality, talk about like, are you ready for life to change? Bingo, that's the one. This is just my perspective, and only my perspective.
Starting point is 00:22:31 I think if you get into something with the understanding that it will be forever, that might be your mindset. I'm here on borrowed time. I got defensively signed in Orange County because of the WCWF Wars. I was retained in OVW because I could be an entertaining personality to help the talent more prosperous than me fall down. They kept me around in WWE when I made my debut and failed with ruthless aggression. I'm used to, or I've known what it's like to walk that razor's edge to face my mortality. And I've also a tried and true lesson than I have learned through this business through mentorship and actual the business unfolding in front of eyes is everyone is replaceable. Everyone. So when you ask me if I'm set for the next
Starting point is 00:23:25 chapter in my life without this thing that's been important to me for 23 years, my answers, yes, because this is something that I do, but it doesn't define me as a human being. I am John Cena, W.W.E. Superstar until the bell rings at the end of the match tomorrow night. And then my role changes, but I'm still alive. I can still find curiosity in life. I can still hopefully aspire to do good things and earn a good life and feel fulfilled yeah you definitely will i mean we're going to dive into your acting and how great of an it also doesn't need to be monetized i heard you say before man who knows what his business acumen would be who cares well i'm just saying if you decide to start investing in companies i don't know what you're
Starting point is 00:24:05 who cares you got a big brain i just uh i just want to always keep a a childlike imagination and curiosity and as long as that happens i'm square man okay well i love to hear that and we we'll talk about your acting, which is seemingly the next step, at least at this stage, and already a current step, you are so good at it. You are, it's outrageous how good of an actor you are. Man, that coffee's good. You're a better actor than that coffee is good. You're not going to want to hear that.
Starting point is 00:24:31 But just everything that you've done, Ricky Stenickey, not supposed to be that good. Ferdinand, right out. Not supposed to be. That's how we met. Bingo, first thing I ever said to you is like, I don't know if anybody's ever said this to you, but you crushed it in Ferdinand. And no one had ever said that to me. Peacemaker, nobody.
Starting point is 00:24:45 So good. You're just, everything you're in. you are great. So the next step is obviously going to be great. We can't wait to watch it. But the chaos of the life schedule. I'm excited to see kind of how you navigate it all. Now, hustle, loyalty, respect, never give up. These have been things that you've been a part of the John Cena character literally since the beginning. Have you done much reflection on career through this entire process? Remember how I told you there are Easter eggs on the shirt? Yeah. This is never give up in my words of what that means to me.
Starting point is 00:25:11 I'm duking the, I'm giving y'all a spoiler. This is hustle, loyalty and respect. And in my words what that means to me. So those essentially are like core pillars or core values of my life. And they haven't really faltered over 23 years. I wasn't the same person I am yesterday. I was certainly not the same person I was in 2004, 2010. We evolve. We grow. My core values of persistence, hard work, seeking longing connection and just respect for for the those who have given you opportunity and respect for the room around you, that has not faltered. So for me to be able to sneak that in on the final final, which is also a nice piece of inside baseball to those who get it. Michael Cole will get it. Like I said, there's a ton
Starting point is 00:26:00 of Easter eggs on this, but a lot of them are selfish. So I took some real estate for me on this one. I hope you don't mind. Yeah, no problem. Three losers will love it. And you don't have to apologize to me at all for absolutely anything. That's another Easter egg. I do believe if I was to drop that accurately. But do you look, you've looked back on your career, lot? No, not at all. My eyes are focused on tomorrow night, a Saturday night's main event. We got a hell of a program. I'm honored to share the ring with someone who considers the mat a sacred place, whose moniker given to him is the ring general because he commands the best out of his opponents. I know it's not going to be a walkthrough. Probably going to be
Starting point is 00:26:37 some strikes. You'll probably hear some from the mezzanine section way up there. I'm really excited to have such a hungry competitor and such a build match, which has tons of anticipation. I'm also excited that we get to glimpse at the future of the business. You know, Javon Evans, Obafemi, Leon Slater, Sol Roka, all going to be on the card against the main event, WWE current superstars. So this is a program with a bunch of eyes on it that's going to allow me to bow out, but I'm going to earn my way out because Gunther ain't going to go down lightly. and in the same time it's going to provide opportunity
Starting point is 00:27:13 for the future of the business. So I'll look in the rearview tomorrow or I look in the rearview on Sunday. But right now, it's a night before game, man. I'm focused on Saturday. I think Goonther is the perfect opponent for you. But that was obviously something that I couldn't imagine the decision being made.
Starting point is 00:27:28 And obviously he earned it through the last time is now tournament and he was the one who in the ring earned the opportunity to be your final WWE match. Every match that you've had on this run has obviously been, either highly scrutinized or highly loved. I mean, the AJ Stiles thing getting added in is what everybody thinks, allegedly, who knows, what's real, what isn't with the business, dish business, you never know.
Starting point is 00:27:50 But all of these decisions getting made and all the things that you're hearing, I mean, let alone to heel turn and everything like that. You seemingly do always have that whatever's good, whatever's good, whatever's good for the business, whatever's good, whatever you think mindset? Have you had that your entire run? Who was the one that basically said like, hey, your mindset should be like this? And how have you maintained that? Because as soon as you walked in here,
Starting point is 00:28:12 I got mad at you. Because I heard the Chris Van Vleet interview where you said, after you gave the AJ Styles by Alicia, who's incredible what she does, the intro, you said, I apologize because I wanted a business for myself and everything like that.
Starting point is 00:28:27 Yeah, my, the apology was by choice. I was forced by no one. It's something I had to do. I know, and I got so mad at you for saying. You're John C. You have to apologize to anybody, okay? No, no, I just, I didn't feel right. I had I asked permission to do it,
Starting point is 00:28:40 I'm more than likely I would have been allowed or certainly I would have taken, I'm always in search for a good explanation. Somebody says no and then gives me a good explanation, well, that's no. If someone has a suggestion and gives me a good explanation, that's fine. And a lot of my creative path and just adapting to the cards that are dealt is because they get dealt with a good explanation. And I don't really care about, and I said this on Chris as well, like, yeah, we can sit here and chatter. about what could have been or we can react to what is. And we can go like hell to make what is great. And what I love about the whole year now,
Starting point is 00:29:19 this is something we can reflect on. The whole year was an intentional year long story. Some moments folks liked, some moments they hated, some moments wish to pan out different. But that's like a microcosm of someone's existence. You know, as we go through 23 years of John seen in the WWE, man, I wish some moments were different. I wish you had this opponent more because of the magic
Starting point is 00:29:40 had. Why did they ever book you in this angle? Why did you ever do this? It is a microcosm for what I've done. I love the fact that at least through it all, again, a small microcosm of my reality, fans loved it and hated it, just like me. Let's go Sina Sina sucks. This last year has been like a compacted version of let's go Sina Sina sucks. And then the realization of like it's almost not me. It's like all of us. We're all just kind of getting all of our emotions out and I'm getting way too deep and and I just I never put a lot of focus on man what could have been. If somebody chooses to to bail or we no longer have this option, that's fine. The easiest indicator of this and this happens all the time is injury and injury is easy because it's
Starting point is 00:30:29 inarguable. Hey, this person is on the trajectory to be the man, blown out knee. We're going to have to have them forfeit their spot. Somebody's going to have to jump. Nobody complains about that. What if somebody's burnt out? Oh, I'll tell you what. What if somebody just can't get it for us? But let's move, let's move forward, man. Let's move forward. And I love the fact that, like, there's been so many pivots.
Starting point is 00:30:52 AJ, that was a pivot. Brock was a pivot, post-Ressomania, all that stuff. Pivot. Because of the pivot, I got Randy. I got punk. I got to work with Logan in a singles match. Because of the pivot, I got Dom. I got A.J.
Starting point is 00:31:07 I got Ron Sina. I got Sammy Zane. I got Cody at SummerSlam. Because of pivots, I got all these great moments. Never once was that like, but it could have been this. Yo, look what we got. Going into it, going into it. You had a thought of what it was, obviously, whenever it's getting pitched.
Starting point is 00:31:26 And now that we're at the end of it, I'm talking about this tour. I'm not talking about your entire career. Yeah. By the way, probably the same. Yeah, I guess life as, I mean, we get deeper into that if you want to. But going into this last time. Don't wait into the way. water you don't want to be in there. Yeah well I spoke a little bit I can get in there the uh the last time
Starting point is 00:31:44 is now tour though whenever you sign up for it that's a big emotional decision I would assume you know a chapter of your life hey we're actually declaring that this is going to be the last run now that we're at the end we talked about that too this is it to I mean tomorrow night this is it that like I'm I am not coming back and I I understand you only have the data before me that you go on no wrestler retires right that changes with me whether it It all changes and everybody else after me, who currently retires and decides not to come back, that's fine. What I urge fans out there, please watch tomorrow
Starting point is 00:32:18 and give yourself the closure that you need. Because my biggest concern is people are like, oh no, he's gonna parlay it into WrestleMania or this match would be great. No, tomorrow night is it. And if you don't believe me, if you're not ready to take that on, you may not get the closure you want. And I just urge fans,
Starting point is 00:32:39 when they watch tomorrow to like let it all out and understand that that's it. I've come to grips with it. I have, I look forward to tomorrow with such a positive attitude and so much excitement about like making that run one more time. But that's the last time. And I think that's important to say because the data before me suggests that that's not a permanent thing. Man, I've been called a lot of stuff, but very rarely am I called a liar.
Starting point is 00:33:07 And I promise you I'm a man of my word on this one. It feels like you are taking the integrity aspect of saying this is my last time. I'm not lying to you. And it's not just you. It's a lot of traveling entertainers. And I also don't, I don't mind the perspective that other folks have. They're entitled to that. If I could just use a couple seconds of valuable air time and say like, yo, at least get the closure you need.
Starting point is 00:33:29 I'm good with it. I'll be fine. But I ain't coming back. Okay. And you're going first tomorrow. I heard you said that. That is Pizza Gate, homie. What?
Starting point is 00:33:37 What? What? I was on Jimmy Kimmel. I said I'm ending the show. I said, I normally go to bed early, but I'm going to have to stay up late for this one. I guess people didn't read between the tea leaves. Like, we're last.
Starting point is 00:33:49 By the way, John Cina's final match is going last. Excuse me? I don't know how the rumor started. I think there's, I think some folks with credibility like to kick a hornet's nest every once in a while and get people chattering. And I understand we're in the age of information, so it's going to keep my attention.
Starting point is 00:34:08 You're not last? That'll keep my attention for a few hot clicks. I don't even know how that started. It's difficult to conceptualize that. Again, I don't make the menu. And if, gosh, if I show up tomorrow and they want me to go on first, well, that's what I'm going to do. But we are last as this point. Okay, as you should be, cannot wait for the entire show available on Peacock tomorrow, Saturday night's main event.
Starting point is 00:34:27 But what I was leading into there was the idea that I had about the tour and the actuality. Yeah, and also we're here now. Like, we're at it. And you said you'll be doing a reflection thing on Sunday and all of that. But now we are at the point where it's kind of over. You're a heel for the first time ever, okay? Yeah. I'm sure you thought about that numerous times,
Starting point is 00:34:46 whether you're traveling or on the road, what it would be like if you were a heel. Obviously, celebrating and enjoying cities for the last time. It's like now we're the day before the final time. And your vibes about this last time is now entire tour. Good. You said you think you crushed it because of the pivots
Starting point is 00:35:02 and everything like that. So when you lay your head down tonight and you think about it all, and I know reflections for Sunday, but when you think about it all, you're going to say, we've done good here. This is a good piece of business, and you think you respected professional wrestling
Starting point is 00:35:15 in your career with what has happened in this last time as now it's where? A great question. I think there are so many metrics because it's opinionative. Am I entertained or not? So if you look at the collective data, right, my goal in life is anyone that bets on me.
Starting point is 00:35:34 If you bet a buck on me, I want to give you back 10. Because I know you'll give me another buck, and I get another chance. Every piece of good work is only a way to get you another opportunity. I'm not perfect with that ratio, but from an analytic company standpoint,
Starting point is 00:35:48 I'd like to think we delivered. From a talent to talent standpoint, I'd like to think I delivered. From an audience participation standpoint, we had lots of folks show up, and whether the noise was bad or good, I know what apathy sounds like, because I heard that real early on in my career a whole lot.
Starting point is 00:36:06 I didn't hear a lot of apathy. So you got consistent chatter, return business, and the company's happy, the fans seem interested. I think the whole story of what this is is yet to be told, but we're here now. So as we go into the last one, I think not only with black and white analytics and just emotional instinct, I know I couldn't have given anything else. Man, I've given everything I've had creatively, physically, like I said, I'm waking up in the middle of the night. My wife's like, oh, yeah, oh, you okay? I'm like, no, I got this idea for a spot.
Starting point is 00:36:40 I got to write it down. I got to remember to say this in the promo, or I got to remember to suggest somebody else say this. Like, I've been a hundred percent in. So what I do know is after tomorrow I have nothing left to give, but I'd like to think that all parties included can say like, man, it was a wild ride. Yeah, you've done good, John.
Starting point is 00:37:02 It was a wild ride. No, John's done good. Thanks. Appreciate it. right for one one cup of coffee to another after go cups yours is bigger than mine
Starting point is 00:37:10 yeah it looks like you got a glass of coffee and I got a cup of coffee but that's a scene of difference maybe that's a scene of difference I think you've done a great job and that whole reality but that's okay people to think otherwise is okay
Starting point is 00:37:22 like that's... No I understand that but you're talking about you're talking about the reality of the business is a huge deal you know like me having the opportunity to work in WWE for a little bit and getting to see it and then seeing what people have to deal with. Well, actually, it was
Starting point is 00:37:36 somebody got sick in a city. Just something as small as somebody got sick, or a flight got to late. That got my first match. Undertaker was sick. You couldn't make the shot. So Kurt Angu calls out a dude with ruthless aggression. I had to get my haircut at 3.30, came back in and wrestled a gold medalist. You on Smackdown? Yeah. Me on SmackDown is because
Starting point is 00:37:54 everybody was stuck in Saudi, so I got a chance to commentate in Buffalo. I get a call that says, like, hey, everybody's stuck in Saudi Arabia. Could you get to Buffalo tonight? Absolutely, I said. I could definitely. do that. Could I at that time? No. We'll find out. But I said yes, absolutely I can get there.
Starting point is 00:38:10 Yes, and figure it out. And if you do good work, it'll get you another chance. It might not get you where you want to be. Like you had mentioned, I had an idea about what I thought this year would be and the people who own the entity that I'm pitching, their response is like,
Starting point is 00:38:26 I like the idea, we just want to do it this way. Just because it's my idea, doesn't mean it's a good idea. I got to be able to adapt. If I want to do the thing, I kind of I kind of got to be collaborative. And I think a lot of times in entertainment, especially with star-driven entertainment, we lose the idea that, like,
Starting point is 00:38:42 it is us doing this. We are only as good as our collaboration. Your F. and John Sina is a testament. That's why I kept saying it on this morning. Yo, that is a testament to everybody I've ever danced with. Absolutely, because I'm a collaborator. I'm not anything without them. And that includes the people in the stands.
Starting point is 00:39:01 Because you, let's go to D.C. tomorrow and don't let anybody in. You see how, you see how, you see how, you see a raucous that match. So we're all doing it together. That's why I say, like, tomorrow isn't about me stepping down. It's about, like, sports entertainment, closing a chapter, and also opening another one at the same time. It's that last page of the chapter that folds into the next one. You get to see the future, but we're also closing this 25-year thing and taking a look at the next ride. Yeah, but you'll be remembered then, now.
Starting point is 00:39:34 Nobody remembers anybody. No, nobody remembers anybody. Yes, you will. By the way, that's not the way it should be. Tomorrow should happen. People should be excited and emote. January comes, I need you looking at the Rumble, and I need you looking at WrestleMania.
Starting point is 00:39:48 Because that means you're excited about the business. And in actuality, if you're excited about the business and the superstars in it, that makes every accomplishment meaningful, which makes a number like 17 meaningful, which brings me up casually in conversation. when somebody's chasing down 17 and when somebody gets 18 that's how it all supposed to work but if they're still thinking about me in January which is two weeks away from tomorrow
Starting point is 00:40:13 we got to focus on what is you know what I'm saying I appreciate it I appreciate the respect but the utmost respect is to to look forward and look at the future of where we're going to go I understand that and I respect that and I think you signed an ambassador deal with the WWE. So obviously the WWE still very much wants John Sina to be a part of the family will forever because you're fucking John Sina. So as you need to remember forever. In a different role. Yeah, before the boys ask their questions for you, final one from me is, can you tell me about Stu a little bit? I obviously know Stu. Everybody that's been in the WWE knows Stu. You're talking about dancing partners. What a perfect tag team partner for you. So first of all,
Starting point is 00:40:52 again, you hear me say this a lot. Nobody does it alone. Honestly, all these member moments that we have, I have, there's a partner attached and more partners attached. I'm talking about like Degger Catering who feeds us, all the folks behind the scenes. I was told not to break the fourth wall, not to talk to the camera. So I said, fuck it, I'll talk to the camera man. And I can look right over the lens and stews there. And we got a whole crew of camera folks and people that make this live event look the way it does, a whole TV truck of folks that shoot the cuts and, and make our stuff a lot better than it is. And my conversation with Stu,
Starting point is 00:41:33 who's an individual I care deeply for, is also a conversation with what I call the truck. Everybody in that room over there, making sure we all look good. And every time I say, let's go to work, those men and women have already been hard at work, making the show awesome before the first bump is even taken. So Stu is kind of a conduit to my conversation,
Starting point is 00:41:56 and not only to the audience out there, because I'm stealing a way to break the fourth wall, but it's also me talking to the folks that I care about who never, ever, ever get to be in the center of a ring and have the audience go, fantastic. But without them, we are worthless. Yeah. You know what I'm saying?
Starting point is 00:42:13 W.E. Crew is the greatest. It is the greatest. They are the greatest people. And a lot of them, you talk about traveling entertainers, a lot of them have been on the road for 30 years. And do it because it is what they love to do, because they're not getting applause, man. They're not getting any of that.
Starting point is 00:42:29 They just show up and hustle. You're talking about pre-show routines to keep the body loose now because that's how long they've been around. You're talking about prepping before the thing, all the camera people, the people in the truck, the lighting. I mean, the greatest people, the time under tension, I've spent with these people over 25 years. Like, man, I know them.
Starting point is 00:42:49 We're all, it's a family business. Like, you spend so much time around these people. You just get to know them. What if Stu? tomorrow just punches you in the face from the camera says you know what actually i'm sick of this stealing my job so if he throws uh ohio right and he connects i'm gonna tell him i've been with him 25 years he hasn't learned a working punch you are a good punch have i talked you nothing hey nobody talks about the old scene of punch he throws good punch all right let's uh the boys have
Starting point is 00:43:18 some go ahead con man boston connor yeah john speaking of too i love the last fit i'm hoping that maybe it's because you're, you know, rushing the passer for the Patriots on Sunday after your match. You can look through whatever lens you want to, my friend. I'm glad you like the style. Yeah, perfect. All right. But then I'm going to just hold on to that hope until one o'clock on Sunday. But speaking of, you know, Stu and Michael Cole and kind of the tribute videos, like what do you feel when you see stuff like that? Because a lot of it is awesome. All the old clips of you wrestling is incredible. And Michael Cole is on the call for damn near all of them. And, you know, what does he mean to you just as a person, let alone an announcer?
Starting point is 00:43:53 and when you do see all of these people who you've danced with in your terms and also people that you haven't even them reaching out like what does that kind of evoke out of you just because you know all the accolades the 17 and everything it is incredible but just what about the relationships
Starting point is 00:44:09 and what that means to you so the relationship with each individual here is they're all different I think what I take away most from all this is again we did this together
Starting point is 00:44:24 and I understand exactly how lucky I am. I am like one of, if not the luckiest human being on the face of the earth. Very rarely does life hand us a lottery ticket. I've been getting lottery ticket after lottery ticket, after lottery ticket.
Starting point is 00:44:38 Amen, brother. Save us. Now, every ticket is simply a chance to work harder. When I see something like this, I think when I begin to reflect on two and a half decades, the thing that I want to, I guess, be validated and the thing that I always struggle with is, did I do enough? Did I reach enough people? Did I use my opportunity correctly? Did I make the most of
Starting point is 00:45:06 this lottery ticket or stack of lottery tickets that you've handed me? Because I'm a fan. I'm an observer of life. I've seen people waste them and I've seen people use them. And there's no better feeling you want to root for the folks who use their lottery tickets. When I see something like this, it says that we shared a lot of moments and that there's mutual respect from especially people who are kind of apprehensive and even even in the face of the show who respect the business will give me a second of their time. It means the world to see all this because it means hopefully I did okay with my lottery tickets. Yeah, I think you did, buddy. And you gave lottery tickets to a lot of people. That's
Starting point is 00:45:48 because you're fucking John Steve. Okay, so you need to know that. That's what the business does, man. Two and a half decades into this, and we are living the luckiest life of all time. But it does feel as if everybody in this business, old school and new school, all appreciate you. You've gone through a lot of different
Starting point is 00:46:04 generations here, iterations of professional wrestling, from when it was still kind of viewed as Carnie side, not really thing, to mainstream, to out of kind of public favor, to struggling with tickets to now being the biggest it's ever been financially and tickets-wise and globally and everything like that. Your thoughts on the current state of the business.
Starting point is 00:46:25 I know you said if you want to pay the ultimate respect to me, you continue to watch and look forward to what the next generation is. You're trying to put over a lot of NXT talent and whenever Sol Ruka's flip-stunner is or flip-cutter off the corner is insane. I think she did off the top rope to people are going to lose their mind. Javon Evans is outrageous. He is outrageous. Oba is insane. Oh, presence. Yes, he certainly is.
Starting point is 00:46:51 So I appreciate the fact that you are utilizing your last platform, your last big one, to put over the future of the business. But the business has changed mightily since you got to do it. There is a different world, different time. From the unreal situation going on with Netflix, which I think you and I kind of viewed it the same. I don't want to say I'm old-schoolingish-bish-bish, but I didn't necessarily love the thought of what Unreal was.
Starting point is 00:47:13 Coming from the guy who filmed me, backstage, just, you know, just kept filming all the time. I'm like, yo, man. That was foxy. Is there any, like, hey, you, you think. Where's this going? Yo, man. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Yeah, I appreciate that. I don't know. Did you ever see that film anywhere? Okay, anyways, I don't know. We protect is, but with the unreal, with the streaming platforms, with how global it is, like, how do you feel about the state of the business? And what do you think about the future of it whenever it comes to creative, stars of the future? What's going to happen? Like,
Starting point is 00:47:44 How long can the WWE continue to do this? How long can wrestling continue to do this? In your eyes with the current state of our everything. So I honestly believe that live entertainment has a strong future. We don't know what the advent of new technologies will bring. But man, I think humans want to see humans do stuff. And I think WWE and sports entertainment's in a real good spot. I think people like getting together in groups.
Starting point is 00:48:08 And the more we do this all day, the more maybe we want to get together in an arena or stadium and just emote and lighten our backpacks. but I think W.W.E. is in a great spot to do that. The talent roster is deep. I mean, we used to look to the bullpen. It used to be only a couple guys on the bench. Now we got people elbowing for spots. Like, we are deep, and it has never been a better time. If you're one of the active participants, it's never been a better time to be a WW superstar. You get paid the most that's ever seen to train. You get paid the most numbers that I couldn't even think about the guys are making now to draw money. I mean, it is, you can make a vocation. You can make a, a
Starting point is 00:48:44 out of it in a short period of time. It's, it's approaching that athletes window where if you do your five-year deal, if you do a small three-year deal and then an extra one, gosh, you are you will never know want. And it used to be more incentivized. I think they're taking better care of the talent, but who's to say if that is good or bad? I prefer to be incentivized. I, you know, I prefer to like go out there and create interest. But I don't know because I've never been on the other model. We're working less events. I prefer to get that in C.E. and groove, but I don't know the alternative. And I love the create more demand, which creates more excitement. Like, everything has a good explanation behind it. I'm not the biggest fan of Unreal, and I've told the producers of Unreal that, but I also say, hey, just because I don't like it doesn't mean it isn't right. The business, the consumer wants more, and they want to show behind the scenes. So they're just going off of what they know, and we're trying to give the consumer what they want.
Starting point is 00:49:40 I saw every episode, so who's really wrong? And I'm excited for season two, so who's really wrong? But just because it makes me feel uncomfortable, if it's a success, maybe I've got to look in the mirror and ask myself, okay, what about me doesn't feel comfortable with this? There's what I love about, to answer, never been a better time than right now. There have been the golden era, the boom of the attitude era. this is like sustained incredible growth through all platforms and expansion and more content and allowing people to get out there and do what they do. There's never been a better time.
Starting point is 00:50:19 The way we recruit is different with the NIL program so we can get people who maybe you didn't, you know, you didn't love wrestling all your life, but you can be drawn into it and fall in love with it as a second mountain. You know, it is incredible. And what I love about it most is I was always taught in the business, especially especially when I started gaining traction. Swing big. Do not be afraid to swing big.
Starting point is 00:50:41 And just because I personally don't get a lot of the swings, when I hear a comment like I'm old school, what I hear is I don't want to adapt. That's all I hear. I like the way it was and I don't want to adapt. And if you want to look deeper into that, you can be like, okay, well, really what I'm saying is like, I like discipline or I like coaching this way
Starting point is 00:51:03 and I'm not accustomed to this way of how we're doing it. I get all that. We can dig deeper on everything. But when I hear somebody say, I'm old school, is they just don't want to adapt. They like what was. So it's time to move on. As far as being in the business,
Starting point is 00:51:17 never been a better time. But here's the kicker. The biggest challenge now is on the business, is on the men and women out there performing because, boy, have they had some large shoes to fill? You know, we got to keep growing. and we've got to keep prospering. And I don't know if a lot of folks have seen hard times.
Starting point is 00:51:38 A lot of folks have seen a house 12% filled. You know what I'm saying? So I haven't gone through that, you feel great about where you're leaving the place. But the kids now, they don't know shows that aren't sold out and they don't know, you know, selective noise and, like, again, 10% draw of an arena. But it's their lottery ticket.
Starting point is 00:52:01 Their lottery ticket is like, best time ever. work hard to keep it up. So I'm interested to see where it goes. I mean, the consumer chatter is an all-time high. Engagements in an all-time high. We're in a real good spot. I'm excited for the future. Yeah, you've done a great job with your time.
Starting point is 00:52:15 And the baton is obviously well-carried whenever you were carrying it. Excited to see the next generation of superstars take it to the next level. That's always the goal for this business. Ty has a question for your next business. Yeah, in terms of your acting career, I read an article. I think it was earlier this week. And it was maybe one you did with variety or vanity fair or something like that. It was when you were, I don't remember if it was 12 rounds or the Marine or whatever it was,
Starting point is 00:52:37 but you were filming over in Australia, didn't really love the experience, you know, because it was a lot of, hey, we need you here by this time, and then you get there and then you just wait. And I think you talked to either your business partner or someone, and the decision was basically made like, hey, we're done with this for now, right? You know, at some point in that. I want you to finish the thought because I want to jump in a bunch here, but I want to hear you. And this might go back to what we were talking about a little bit earlier with, who knows whether that's accurate or not. but so then you you have that hiatus where you're not acting and it's it's all wwee for a while
Starting point is 00:53:06 at what point did you if if that is true at what point in your career when you are established one of the biggest superstars in the history of professional wrestling at what point did it go off for it's like you know what maybe i do want to tip dip my toes back into acting and i want to kind of go in full board with this knowing that you had it made in the shade in w w you didn't have to do that but it was something that maybe you found like a new passion for you're like you know what i actually could be really good at this so the the statement is great the question is great a lot of what i'm hearing the way you describe your question is it was my choice it was not at all i did the marine as a young 20-something superstar who went from going from
Starting point is 00:53:50 city to city with audiences and arenas chanting your name and going bonkers like i I, while I was in Australia filming the Marine, all I thought about was wrestling. So my passion wasn't in it. I was, I was uninvested. And in doing so, I was also unprofessional, which made me unreliable. Then I kept doing movies, and the reason I did the Marine and did 12 rounds and did all these movies, was a business model. W.W.E. Films was supposed to make us movie stars, so more people go through the turnstiles, which means more noise and more excitement, and we needed that at that point.
Starting point is 00:54:25 I didn't do movies because I wanted to do the craft. I did movies to sell more tickets. So something's going to suffer. Yes, we might sell more tickets, but the movies are going to suffer because I wish I was in Nassau Coliseum or Rosemort Horizon. Not on a movie set.
Starting point is 00:54:41 Twiddling my thumbs waiting for them to blow something up. My mind was elsewhere. I wasn't present. So when you say, oh, you know, you and your business partner said, we're not doing the same way, no. My best friend and manager, I can't even call a manager
Starting point is 00:54:56 because I don't like the term. My best friend, Dan Bame, who's been side by side of me for over two decades, I looked at him and said, after doing a bunch of shitty movies and say, yo, we're never going to do movies again, aren't we? And this is the guy whose job is to hunt for film. He turned to me and said, no, we're not. But don't worry about it. We're going to find another way. And we did. I started hosting live shows.
Starting point is 00:55:19 I started hosting game shows. I started doing cameos on TV shows, little quick hits. I read the news. stuff to keep me engaged, to keep my skills sharp, just why I want to be an ambassador for the WWE. I don't want to lose the pulse. I want to keep that sharp because there's passion there. And then I got a lottery ticket. Somebody wanted me to come in audition. And I was a little older, a little wiser. And finally, I said, hey, man, if you say yes to this, we talked about this off camera. I want to be an actor. All right, put the same passion.
Starting point is 00:55:55 and elbow grease beside it is when you said I want to be a wrestler. What did I do when I said I want to be a wrestler? Back in Kentucky, and I bought as many tapes as I could. I invested in my appearance. I kept myself lean, strong, always looking to improve, go extra practice. Put that amount of effort into this and just see where it goes. And do that over repeated amounts in the law of compounding interest should yield. But I didn't say, like, time to get back in the movie biz.
Starting point is 00:56:24 No, somebody bet on me And I approached it with the passion To give him ten bucks back And that happened So somebody else bet on me And I try to give him ten bucks back And like I said, I ain't perfect But nowadays, if you
Starting point is 00:56:37 You were like, yo man, we could do this over Zoom Fuck no, we do a face-to-face No, the fact that you flew all the way out here The day before your last... We are very thankful for him But when I was being told you were going to fly out here I was telling the WWE people It was like, no, just tell him he doesn't happen
Starting point is 00:56:52 And you're like, no, we're definitely doing it Yeah, because I want to, I want to be good for you guys. I want to be good for the show. I want to be good for our show. You're an advocate for the business. Hell, you're a co-worker. You know what I'm saying? So, again, y'all gave me an opportunity, and I'm just trying to give you back 10.
Starting point is 00:57:09 You know what I'm saying? So I did. You did. But I learned from my mistakes early on of like your heart wasn't in it. And if you try to put as much effort as you put into this thing that you truly love, then love it. Love what you now do. Don't, a lot of New Year's resolution is going to mean.
Starting point is 00:57:27 I want to get in shape. Fucking do it. One foot in front of the other and start grinding. Like, I want to eat more healthy. Do it. I want to drink less. Do it. Like, you got to approach it with passion and commitment.
Starting point is 00:57:39 And I didn't have that. And I can say that because I got a lottery ticket. And honestly, without that ticket, I would still say that. Like, that's where I missed. But from my failure, it was a huge takeaway of like, man, you got a chance to do something. Let's see where it goes. And I'm not going to be perfect. I'm going to make bad moves.
Starting point is 00:57:54 I doubt it. No, man. I don't think you are. Just like I'm going to have bad matches. This whole year is, hey, this is great. This sucked. This is awesome. Why is he booked in this?
Starting point is 00:58:04 It happens. It happens, man. But if you give all you can, I at least have, like, the sleep is sound. I've done all I can. The sleep wasn't sound because I knew my heart was elsewhere. That's a great question, but you understand how, like, you're like, oh man, and then you just said, no, I'm not doing this anymore. And then you just said, like, I'm doing it again.
Starting point is 00:58:23 It was not like that. Well, we want to let you know that whatever lottery ticket brought you into whatever business, we're thankful for it because we've enjoyed the hell out of watching you. Thank you for your commitment to our entertainment. What a cup of coffee. Great glass of coffee that you had there, but also incredible run in one particular business that we all love. Can't wait to see whatever you do next. Can't wait to watch tomorrow night on Peacock.
Starting point is 00:58:44 Saturday nights. Please watch tomorrow night. For the love of everything wholly, tomorrow night. Sina will dance for one final time. time with Gwinter. Let's almost go to work. Hey, I want to let you know, you can wrestle, you can wrestle. For one more night.
Starting point is 00:59:05 You were all right, I cannot after that. Ladies and gentlemen, the goat, John Senai. Thank you guys. Thank you. Appreciate it. Canada's Wonderland is bringing the holiday magic this season with Winterfest on select nights now through January 3rd. Step into a winter wonderland filled with millions of dazzling lights, festive shows, rides, and holiday treats.
Starting point is 00:59:32 Plus, Coca-Cola is back with Canada's kindest community, celebrating acts of kindness nationwide with a chance at 100,000 donation for the winning community and a 2026 holiday caravan stop. Learn more at canadaswunderland.com The NBA is happening Christmas Day Five games, one unforgettable lineup. That's what Christmas is all about. Buckets for breakfast, breakaways for dessert.
Starting point is 01:00:00 It's the holiday tradition. Christmas is all day. With star power from across the globe. The stars, they are going to be out. The best gift, you don't even have to unwrap it. We want to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! NBA Christmas Day. Begins at noon Eastern on ABC and ESPN.
Starting point is 01:00:21 Welcome back to our Humber the Boat, the Thunderdown, on this magical John Cena. Feel Good Friday, December 12th, 2025. Our tour of the program begins now. Football! Had a massive night last night as NFL week 15 kicked off in the NFC South as the Falcons got a unpredictable win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who were in an interesting spot.
Starting point is 01:00:43 with an opportunity to still win the NFC South, but certainly down on their luck as Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts and Bejohn Robinson and Rahim Morris in a defense that was able to get stops whenever they needed, get a huge win on Thursday night football as week 15 of the NFL slate is going to prove to be electrifying.
Starting point is 01:01:01 We just got done with a conversation literally about 35, 45 seconds ago with the greatest of all time, John Sina, who flew all the way out here to have a conversation with us the day before his final match tomorrow night against Gunther, Saturday night's main event live, only on Peacock. For one final time, we get a chance to watch the John Sina show.
Starting point is 01:01:22 The dude's a beast, the dude's a stud, he's everything you think he is. You know, it's almost like a Tim Tebow type thing. Yeah, yes, it is. It's like you see him on TV, you wonder what it's like. Is this gimmick? Is this character? I know that's his name. I know it's his WWE name.
Starting point is 01:01:34 And then every conversation we've had with him that today, both or ever, basically, has all gone in a similar fashion. It's always John Sina. and he's special. The run has been special. What he has done for that business is special, and tomorrow night, it wraps up. I can't thank him enough for doing that.
Starting point is 01:01:51 The talks of tables here at Boston Connor, at Tyne Schmidt. One half of the Hammer, Don. Cowboys AP Tone is here, and joining us live from Manitken, Ohio is a college football national champion, Superball champion, Rotter Cup winner. Ladies of gentlemen, A.J. Hawker, what's up, dude? Sina was great, man.
Starting point is 01:02:07 He gives you 10 back every time you give him one, or he gives you one. Yeah, he, I've heard him do it around with a couple different other podcast. I understood, I understood what he meant. But yeah, he's like, he's an inspirational dude, man, for sure. Certainly inspirational, but also, like, his work ethic and the way he views life and how appreciative he is of everything is certainly warranted of massive praise. And, I mean, maybe we should have the Miz on to join us for this entire thing.
Starting point is 01:02:31 But tomorrow night's going to be special, and we can't thank him enough. And how about this? How about this? I got this bad boy's going to be in the studio for a while. God. Yeah, you know, and DeBone came his pants earlier. It was pretty cool to watch. I heard. I heard. Yeah, it was a pretty cool little moment. Had to get a little wiped on, you know, in the pants area because of what he did whenever he saw John Cena walk in. And we're obviously incredibly
Starting point is 01:02:54 thankful for all of it. And tomorrow night we will all watch Army Navy tomorrow. Last night, though, AJ, week 15 kicked off. We both were on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers because there was so much in front of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mike Evans was coming back. He's going to have a good night, right? They have to win. Well, he did have a good night. They had a good night. and they lose. Tristan Werf's all pro tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the game was basically speechless about how insane it was that they lost the game
Starting point is 01:03:18 that they had a 14-point lead in the fourth quarter in. So, AJ, your takeaway from last night? What are your thoughts on where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are right now, where the Atlanta Falcons are right now, and the Carolina Panthers, Carolina Panthers might be hosting a playoff game this year? Yeah, it's pretty quick to turn around that that happened to Carolina, but I take it more from my – I give the Falcons credit for winning this game
Starting point is 01:03:40 going out and finding a way to win. Now the Bucks, I don't know what exactly is happening with them. It's a weird situation, what we've seen, especially the second half of the year for them. But we should have known, like, of course, Kirk's got that magic left in them. Of course Kirk's going to lead him back when they need a drive, fourth down, big third down conversions all the time. Like, yeah, Kirk still can show some of that Kirk magic, and obviously it doesn't hurt that Kyle Pitts has the game of his life. Yeah, Kyle Pitts has the game that we all would hope that Kyle Pitts would have whenever he's playing his best ball. We hope we will continue to see that because he is a special.
Starting point is 01:04:10 I mean, they even had a... Sills has a catch there. He had a drop touchdown earlier in the game. They had 19 penalties for 125 yards. Obviously, there was not a clean game. The field was slick as hell. I mean, you're talking about potential ugliness, potential ugliness,
Starting point is 01:04:22 and the Atlanta Falcons just kept fighting, kept fighting, kept fighting, kept fighting, get back, hit a game-winning field goal. A lot of people are not happy that Al Michaels just kind of said, and it goes in, and people in Charlotte are happy. It was a 14-point comeback.
Starting point is 01:04:36 Obviously, a huge swing momentum goes through the Atlanta Falcons at the end of that game. An improbable dub, look how happy their team is. And the NFC South playoff race is now incomplete turmoil. People weren't thrilled with Al Michaels' lack of emotion there late and how big of a game that was a meaningful football season. Yeah, maybe Al Michaels was just shocked too. And also just because the Atlanta Falcons are kind of playing for nothing.
Starting point is 01:04:58 So I can sort of see Al Michaels' point. But at the same time, Al, just a little juice maybe. If you can go to the third and 28, Foxy, a lot of Falcons fans on the internet and I tend to agree with them are saying the Falcons have kind of made up for the 28 to three blown victory in the Super Bowl because of this because not only did this happen. Kirk Cousins also fumbled the ball on first down and Ty goes to the runner, I suppose, and they end up recovering the ball at the same time as the as the Bucks do and it was a very quick Vita V of course, smart guy. Hey, I know that's our ball. This game's over. But Kirk right here
Starting point is 01:05:34 fumble and then, you know, he falls on. it does anybody fall on it but they immediately call it atlanta like maybe this is the turning of a page of the atlanta kind of curse we talk about it with the with the panthers you know the panthers are almost cursed and then 283 is right there right there it is right there and it is one of those cool things like they come back down 14 they have a third and 28 on their final drive this i mean even a fourth and 14 we're kind of that was kind of a casual yeah they converted a fourth and 14, like Kirk Cousins. No timeouts. No timeouts to Mr. Sills, who respectfully isn't as if he was Kyle Pitts.
Starting point is 01:06:16 The fourth overall pick, Mountaineer, high school quarterback legend basically changed the rules of high school football. But again, like a lot of the things that happened for the Falcons team on this drive were miraculous. Like it is almost, hey, if next year the Falcons go 12 and 5 and win the division, it feels like we're looking back at this game. when everything changed for him. Yeah, you never know what's going to break a curse. And if it is a third and 28, and it says 28, and it's 28, on the other team's on the other team side, and three is on your side, like it is there
Starting point is 01:06:49 at the bottom, 3, 28, and then obviously on the screen there, it's different. But yeah, maybe last night was the breaking of the curse. Shout to Kirk for doing that for Atlanta. They paid him a lot of money, you know? So him breaking that curse is obviously at least the least he could do on his way out. Tone, the public loss
Starting point is 01:07:05 again. Yes, they did. That's what we've continued to do this season, it feels like. We've had one winning weekend where 60% of the bets or more has won. Is that accurate? Yeah, it was a couple, two or three weeks ago that happened. Every other weekend, the public lost. Okay, so we start out 0 and 1 as 65. We're in a hole.
Starting point is 01:07:22 Okay, and we're going to come back. But I was just looking it up. The bucks are still the favorites to win the NFC South or minus 1.30 to the, I believe it's plus 110 for the Carolina Panthers. Now, I don't know if that's only because the Panthers are only two-point favorites going into New Orleans, a good football team. Plus, they have to play the Panthers two times. So, yes, last night sucked.
Starting point is 01:07:42 You would rather get that win so that your odds are even better to win the division, but they are not dead yet, obviously, with two games still left against them. The NFC South is going to be the division that everybody points to for changing the playoff rules, tie. Yeah, without a doubt. And I think someone mentioned it before the show, you know, like, and it could ultimately, it could be them screwing over the Lions, who are the team that proposed in the offseason, hey, we need to do away with this.
Starting point is 01:08:03 If a team is, you know, eight and nine or nine. 9 and 8, and we have another team in the NFC who goes 11 and 6. Like, that team needs to get in, there's a very good chance that one of these teams who is 11 and 6 is potentially going to get screwed over and miss the playoffs because of the NFC South. Yeah, and people are going to be mad they're getting a home playoff game. Yep. You know, and other teams have to go.
Starting point is 01:08:23 We go from potential one seat to 5 seed, and now all of a sudden this team has this, it's like, yeah, that's how the rules are, win your division, maybe you'll be a little bit better. Exactly. And they're like, well, if we're in the NFC South, any of us could have won this division. Well, you're not. Let's live in reality. Okay, let's not live in a fairy tale land.
Starting point is 01:08:40 Speaking of reality, next weekend, the college football playoff will kick off. Friday night, Oklahoma, Alabama, Saturday at noon, Miami will travel to college station. Kyle Field will be hosting a college football playoff game as Texas A&M short into Elko's tenure is now one of the teams still vying for a national championship. Ladies and gentlemen, joining us now. is the man who's the leader of that Aggie football team. A man who's had incredible quotes this year. I mean, just a professional press conference. So good.
Starting point is 01:09:15 Amongst many other things. Ladies and gentlemen, friend of the program, a man who will see us on the sideline as we do a field pass for his home playoff game live on ESPN2, the head coach of Texas A&M's football team, Mike Elko. Yeah. How are you, Mike? All right.
Starting point is 01:09:32 Before we get going, Pat, how much does it cost to get you on my team as the hype guy? Okay, I would love to be the hype guy for the Texas A&M Aggies. I think you guys do have money down there, so I think we can serve. We do. I do. I think we can put a good package together for you, for sure. I'm open to anything. Send a pitch deck. We'd love to get down there. Love to cowboy boots down there. Last time I went down there, I was gifted cowboy boots and I was gifted some hats. I mean, I love your town down there at College Station. Let's talk about hosting a playoff game. Obviously, this is the dream whenever you take the job.
Starting point is 01:10:01 But now that you're here, how does it feel down there? How does the community feel? and what do you think people are going to see if they're potentially watching Texas A&M in not in prime time because it's a noon game, but you get it in a prime position where it hasn't been for a long time. Yeah, the energy obviously is real. I think this is what this program
Starting point is 01:10:18 and this town has been waiting for, the chance to get to host playoff football first time in the playoffs, and you've been here. You've seen the electricity in Kyle Field when this place is rocking and Saturday morning when this thing kicks off. There's going to be $108,000 strong
Starting point is 01:10:32 with the 12th man, and it's going to be a wild scene for sure. Okay, so tell me about your team in its, I don't want to say readiness for the game, but I guess readiness would be a good call. The Texas loss, obviously not great. And you're trying to run professional press officer line is one of the greatest of all time. I appreciate that you are certainly irritated because you're supposed to be in that moment. And I like that you talk some shit in it all.
Starting point is 01:10:55 But how does the team feel and what is your vibe of what the locker room is like as we head in to the most important game of the season? Yeah, I think guys are fired up. I think obviously it is hard to run the table and never have a misstep. I think that's the world we live in today in college football. And, you know, unfortunately for us, it happened in the last game with a chance to go to Atlanta on the line and against our rival. And that's not what you want. But, you know, at some point that was going to happen.
Starting point is 01:11:21 And so in our minds, we feel like we got it out of the way. We feel like we've centered, refocused. Obviously, the goal has been to go and compete for a national championship that kind of became a reality as the year moved on. and now it's the time to go get it. And so, you know, we're excited to have Miami in here. Go ahead, AJ. Coach, you guys, you feel like you're battle tested when I think of your team. And, like, the season you guys had, you win plenty of games on the road
Starting point is 01:11:44 and at home, like, close games. You could win any different way, I guess. Is that something you actually think about when you review the season and how it all went to where, how you could be prepared headed into these, you know, the biggest games of the season facing some of the best teams, obviously? Yeah, I know you guys are Midwest guys, but I think any time you make it through the SEC season,
Starting point is 01:12:02 and you want battle tests. Different venues you play in, the different teams that you've got to play. You don't survive the SEC gauntlet and qualify for the playoffs without feeling as though your team is ready to go compete. Now, obviously, the teams that you're playing in the playoffs are really talented as well, and that's not lost on me. But I certainly feel like we're ready and we're ready to go. You were the only undefeated team in the SEC remaining.
Starting point is 01:12:26 Go ahead, con man. Yeah, coach, of course, you're in the college football playoffs, so nothing else matters. but do you almost feel disrespected that you're the number seven seed? I mean, you guys were in the top three for the better part of most of the year. Is there any thought of like, hey, these people, these committees, you know, the country, they don't even respect you as a football team? Yeah, I mean, honestly, we don't have time for that.
Starting point is 01:12:48 We've got to really talk with Miami team coming in. We're in. That's all you want it. You know, I think there'll be conversation in the offseason. And we've talked a lot about this about processes and what this whole thing needs to look like moving forward. But right now, the only focus is the fact that we're in. We've got a chance to go compete for a title, and we got Miami coming in here next weekend.
Starting point is 01:13:08 You make the move from Duke to Texas A&M, and we all knew the story going into the change at coaching for the Aggies. They spent a lot of money to move on from the coach. So we just assume in the modern era that we're in, okay, Texas A&M is obviously going to be able to keep up with everybody. You have proven that. You have a couple wide receivers that obviously come in and do huge things for you. Can you tell me a little bit about this offense
Starting point is 01:13:30 and how special it's become with Marcel and Marcel mode at quarterback. Not even really talked about for Heisman, by the way. Not even really talking about for Heisen at all. No, I think, listen, we knew we had to get more dynamic. You know, we got into the backstretch last year, and we felt like one of the things we had to do on offense was become a more explosive, more dynamic offense. That happens in the SEC with talent.
Starting point is 01:13:53 I mean, that's the only way it happens. And so obviously the growth of Marcel has been a huge part of it, him becoming a much better pocket passer, or him being able to push the ball downfield even more consistently as the year went on, but then going out and getting weapons. And so Casey Concepcion has been phenomenal, just won the Paul Horning Award
Starting point is 01:14:10 and has been extremely explosive for us all year. Mario Craver is a kid who could take it the distance whenever you put the ball in his hands. And then Ashton Bethel Roman and Terry Bussie have kind of provided tremendous support and have made their explosive plays throughout the year as well. And so it's a huge part of what you have to do to be successful at this stage, right?
Starting point is 01:14:29 when you get to this part of the year, you've got to have explosive playmakers on offense to have a chance to win. Let's talk about the other side, which you are notorious for having a great defense. Your defense is kind of ass the earliest, right? Was that what it was? Is that how we would reflect upon your defense now
Starting point is 01:14:44 at this stage of the season? Yeah, until I threw a chair. And I think when I threw a chair, we got to disappear. So is that what happened? Honestly, what do you think happened with the defense? Because you guys, because every week on game day,
Starting point is 01:14:54 I don't know if you heard or pay attention to it, but I was like, hey, Texas A&M is real, like, I was told, that Mike Alco is unbelievable football coach. They have the money. They did the right things. They have huge wins. Why is nobody else talking about Texas A&M?
Starting point is 01:15:08 It was basically all year I was like this from jump. You were our hype guy. I know. That's why I'm trying to get you on the train. Put a pitch deck together. Okay, I would definitely watch it. I got a lot of jobs, but I would certainly add another one if I could.
Starting point is 01:15:18 And I love your team. I love your town. I love everything about what you have going on. But everybody pointed out, well, the defense is asked. The defense is asked. Like, that's all the stats that are kind of getting thrown into my, into my face.
Starting point is 01:15:28 And then towards, middle of the year almost, maybe 40% through the season. You guys turned. You said you threw a chair and changed, but what was the actual change you think on the defensive side? Because I think people were holding that against you in rankings and in conversation for a large portion. Yeah, I think we didn't play the first two games the way we would have wanted to.
Starting point is 01:15:47 And I think that just has impacted our overall stats. I think, you know, whatever it was about the first two games, I didn't think we were on. Then we went up to Notre Dame and played a really explosive and got into a shootout And coming out of those first three games, I just think statistically we weren't where we believed we could be. And I think, you know, we had some really strong conversations in our building. The kids took it personal. And I think over the last nine games, we have been much more consistent with what we've done on defense.
Starting point is 01:16:14 And we've got a really good pass rush. We lead the country in third down defense. I think we put ourselves in position, again, going into the playoffs to feel confident that we can make a run at this thing. Yeah, I think you lead the country in sacks as well. Home field advantage will certainly help that. has a question for you. Yeah, Coach, I've never been to Kyle Field, but we will be there. And I'm, well,
Starting point is 01:16:34 I'll be there. Yeah, I'll be there next week. But, listen, I don't know about what things were like when, you know, Bear Bryant was coaching there with the Junction boys. And Pat... Me neither. Yeah, exactly. But Pat mentioned it. Homefield advantage in college football is a very, very
Starting point is 01:16:50 real thing. And everyone talks about A&M and Kyle Field being one of the truest home field advantages in the sport. Do you anticipate it to maybe be the craziest environment it's ever been inside there with this being a playoff game. Like, have you thought at all about what you expected to feel and look like inside there next week? Yeah, it's going to be wild. I would certainly anticipate it'll be as loud and crazy as it's been. I've been part of some moments in this stadium that will be hard to duplicate.
Starting point is 01:17:21 But playoff football in Kyle Field, this place will be rocking. This place will behind us. And for sure, it impacts the game. And when you talk about crowd noise and how loud it will be in here, it certainly is going to have an impact on the game for sure. Are you going to be, how do you feel running on it? Because this is going to be my first time being on the field watching you run the boys on in the field
Starting point is 01:17:42 as the hey. Ha! Are you, are we ready for the sprint out with the boys? How do you feel at this stage, a primetime football, playoff football? Yeah. You know, you got to bring a little bit of swag to it when you go out there. But no, it's a cool, it's a cool feeling.
Starting point is 01:18:01 It really is. It's when you get down to the bottom of that tunnel and the beat drops on power and the play starts bouncing. And as you're walking down, you can almost feel the stadium shaking. It's just, it is. It's a really special environment. It's a special place. Our fan base is extremely passionate and it certainly will be that Saturday for sure. What I want to see is you rocking.
Starting point is 01:18:20 I want to see if you have the ability to keep up with the beat when the beat drops. Hey, don't you worry about that. Okay. You know, I got that. Just know, as you could probably assume, we are going to have the biggest, most outrageous cowboy hats on that side. For sure. Yeah. As you should. As you should. Cowboy boots rock in. I mean, pleaded pants. We're going to do the entire thing out there. We're going to try to buy in to the agiculture. I think the boys are going to try to go to the midnight yell, too, the night before to try to kind of experience it all. I have to do game day early, so I'm not going to be able to make it. You know, that's on me. No, I think it'll be good that you guys do that. I think it'll give you a different perspective really on what it is. You know, I think when you get in here and you feel this place and you feel the passion behind it, I think it kind of explains a little bit more what this place is really about.
Starting point is 01:19:05 And I think if you go out and you experience what Midnight Yell actually is and what it actually feels like, I think you're going to get a greater appreciation of what Texas A&M football and what this culture really is about. It's a special place down there, man. We didn't we didn't do game day down there once this year. No, Saturday. I want to let you. I had to get to the playoffs. to get you down to the division.
Starting point is 01:19:27 I was pitching a lot behind the seat. My words mean nothing with these people. I don't know if you've kept up publicly with my disputes with these people. But I love, because your people show up for us every time, and your people are very appreciative of game day being there. Yeah, we were down there twice last year, both times. Very, very thankful that we were there, very appreciative in a love ball, which I can't wait for the entire world to see.
Starting point is 01:19:51 Now, with success, obviously comes some adversity. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, coach. Obviously, Colin Klein is going to go back to K State to be the head coach, and then your D.C. is going to Kentucky. You're calling the play, so that's a little bit different. But also, you know, there's Ohio State's losing a coordinator, Oregon's losing both coordinators.
Starting point is 01:20:07 JMU and Tulane have head coaches and entire staff going places. How is it juggling your coordinators going to different jobs, potentially doing two different jobs right now during the playoffs? And you guys, obviously, not being the only team dealing with that in the playoffs. Yeah, I mean, I think obviously if you look around the landscape of the playoffs, playoff teams. It's not ideal. And I don't know what a solution would be because you got a lot of different things coming together when you put this football calendar. But it's a problem, like you said, everybody's dealing with it. Oregon's dealing with it. We're dealing with it. Ohio State's
Starting point is 01:20:40 dealing with it. It just, it is what it is. And so, you know, I'm thankful that we got really good people in this building, people that are committed to doing the job here until the job's finished. And, you know, happy for the opportunities that the guys on our staff are getting. There's certainly a reason why we've had the success that we've had for sure. And so, you know, but I am I am also thankful that they're committed to doing what we got to do to finish this job. All right. Yeah, Tom, fix the entire college football schedule, please.
Starting point is 01:21:06 The floor is yours to fix every problem the coach football has. Can you go full screen on him, please? Floor is yours. Elko, go ahead and fix the entirety of it. Thank you. No, yeah. It starts with TV, right? We've got to figure that part of it out first.
Starting point is 01:21:21 All the coaches say that. The academic calendars and, um, it's, It's not a good mix and it just is what it is. I do think the people at work and I do think we're trying to do the things that make it make the most sense. I do think having the portal closed right now is a really good thing. We made that adjustment this year. I think at least now the kids can focus on just playing ball and don't have to worry about
Starting point is 01:21:41 all of that noise, which was not the case a year ago. I think each year we're trying to get this thing a little bit better and credit to the people in charge for that. But obviously still some things we can clean up and fix. Yeah, certainly. Texas A&M having all the resources, having that stadium, and this guy's big ass brain is the head coach. They're in a good spot for the long haul.
Starting point is 01:22:03 Coach Elko's like, yeah, let's certainly make it better, but let's not change it entirely. You know, we got some really good stuff going down here. Go ahead, AJ. Go ahead, AJ. Yeah, Coach, you mentioned your third down defense, obviously best in the country. Was that an emphasis coming into this year?
Starting point is 01:22:16 It's something that you changed up throughout the year. I would imagine those third down periods in practice could get pretty lively at times when you watch what your team, does on Saturday is like what is like what has the process been for third down for your defense yeah I think it's always been an emphasis I think it's something um you know as a defensive coordinator we've been pretty consistently good at over the years um you know I think we do some different things to attack protections and impact quarterbacks and obviously we've got some really talented players and that that's a big piece of it uh you mix in some really talented rushers with some
Starting point is 01:22:48 different looks uh and a home crowd that can really impact the game and that's a really good recipe for success. All right, coach. Well, good luck as you continue to prepare for the biggest game of the year. We'll be down there. I think we're going to annoy you for like a, AJ, I don't know if you even know this. You know, so normally when we do these field pass games, we don't get a chance to talk to the coaches.
Starting point is 01:23:10 But since we have a relationship with both coaches of the team here, I think we're going to annoy you next week with maybe like a 10-minute Zoom to kind of get an idea on where your team is and maybe a little insight so we can call the game better. We appreciate you for that and your hospitality as we try to make something that isn't shit next week. Well, I wish you luck with that, Pat, because I think if you could do better than that, I think that'll be a good thing for college football
Starting point is 01:23:33 and for our game. Hey, I like the way you're thinking. All right, tell the boys, we said congrats on a hell of a year and good luck the rest of the way. And we appreciate the hell out of you, coach. Yeah, for sure. I appreciate you guys having me on. You think if you were to fight Cristobal.
Starting point is 01:23:50 See you, coach. See you later, man. He gets it. I mean, there was something he had going on there. Like yesterday, Coach Cristobald, whatever he was on, and you asked about some of the shit talk or whatever he goes, we say no comment to those types of stuff. All right, Coach Elko, if you're going to fight, Mario,
Starting point is 01:24:04 I'm not talking. All right, I'm going to get out of him. We'll get out of him at some point. That's a huge game, man. Huge. That is a huge, huge game. Obviously, Alabama, Oklahoma, to kick the entire thing off is sweet on Friday night.
Starting point is 01:24:17 Can't wait to get there. Can't wait to get out there to Norman. It's a wonderful football town. Just an absolutely wonderful football place. College game day will be there, and then one and a half point favorite, Alabama will try to continue the ride or will old beautiful Oklahoma do their thing. And then overnight we travel down to college station for Miami versus Texas A&M. Tulane in Ole Miss, JMU, Oregon, college football throwing absolute heat the first weekend of CFP. It's also awesome too because last year, you know, we kind of followed Ohio State the whole time.
Starting point is 01:24:50 and a winner of this game will go to play Ohio State. Like, we know Ohio State pretty damn well because of the four games we followed last year, let alone the Big Ten title game we just went to, like seeing now the team that they might play up close and personal and be able to just know, like, okay, hey, this guy's going to be covering Jeremiah Smith who we just watched. You know, like even those things will be really cool,
Starting point is 01:25:13 and it'll be a huge test too for, you know, A&M, just their first ever playoff. And I don't want to give away too much, but I think you could probably expect to hear and see us standing on that beautiful grass over there at the Rose Bowl. You'll probably see that.
Starting point is 01:25:28 Now, once again, just like John Cena was mentioning, like we're not supposed to be doing these things. We understand that it is outrageous that we get the opportunity to do that. The actual call with Fowler and Herb Street and team will certainly be on ABC and on ESPN, but us getting an opportunity to kind of call the game in our own way
Starting point is 01:25:44 from our own perspective on the sideline of these massive historic, huge implication games is so stupid. We're so thankful and we can't wait to get down there next week. ESPN, too. That's going to be, I mean, Miami A&M. Yeah, let alone. I've never been to A&M.
Starting point is 01:26:02 I know you have, but yeah, I can't wait. It's way out there. You know, it is out there. Like you are traveling Texas, Texas. You know, you're going out there. But then you got people to just live by, you know, like it is a football community. It is a football place, 100 some thousand.
Starting point is 01:26:20 They love America down there. The biggest United States of America flag that I've ever seen flies right outside of Kyle Field. Then they got 200 American flags flying on top of that thing and everybody is all in on all of it. Yeah, I was just like, I mean, I've never been there either, extremely excited to go. And obviously any one of these home teams could make a case, but Texas A&M will have as good of an argument as anyone with saying, like, hey, we have the best home field. advantage of any team in this first round like that you know obviously miami's not bitching and whining because they got in about draw or anything like that but boy what a tough place to have to go and play right off the rip at texas a and a we were asked hey where do you want to call where do you
Starting point is 01:27:02 want to kind of do the field pass we're like well anywhere would be sick i mean otson's outrageous obviously that is uh that is a cool place oklahoma sweet uh old miss i've heard nothing but great things about that and then Kyle field's there and we started chatting about about it. And every time I'd came back from college game day, Texas A&M, I told the boys, I'm like, hey, that place is just like, it's a special place. Kind of felt it with Texas Tech this year, too. You know, kind of felt it with Texas Tech where I've talked to you guys. So getting the opportunity to go there, and I think for the boys to get a chance to experience something I've experienced a couple of times, obviously very special. But the whole first
Starting point is 01:27:36 round is going to have great environments, which is why everybody thinks, like, hey, one of the biggest parts of college football is the environment. Why don't we try to make that multiple rounds? another round of that. Well, the weather is the weather, it's like, well, NFL teams are doing it. So what is the, what's the biggest issue here? We don't really see what the issue is. We would like more of what college football is, which is the environment, which is the pageantry, which is the student sections, which is everything like that. So us getting a chance in the first round, obviously good.
Starting point is 01:28:07 Beggers can't be choosers, but let's go ahead and get another round of that. You don't think Texas Tech deserves to have a home game? Exactly. Indiana doesn't. Right. All of them. Indiana has a home playoff game. but instead they win the Big Ten for the first time since the World War II era
Starting point is 01:28:20 and then now you can't have a home game because you have to buy that. It's like that doesn't make sense really in theory, let alone Georgia and Ohio State. Yeah, not only do you not get a home game. You have to go to what is like geographically the farthest place away from where you are. But also just to what we were talking about, like how sweet would it be for Texas A&M gets a home game first round and it's going to be 75 and sunny down there. And then you turn around and you have to go to Ohio State and it's negative temperatures
Starting point is 01:28:46 with the wind chill, like that's football. That's playoff football. That would just be awesome. It's probably not going to happen because, you know, all these bowls, like, they obviously want. It goes to 16, maybe. Well, maybe, but it needs to get done. You're right, though. Let's go to the NFL. There's an updated story that he certainly came out of nowhere
Starting point is 01:29:03 and was pretty scary, I think, for a little bit. T.J. Watt ended up at a hospital. Then T.J. Watt ended up getting surgery. T.J. Watt ended up having a little bit of, you know, medical scare that his whole family. Bert Lawton said that T.J. Watt was currently in hospital. J.J. Watt gave a full update on everything. Yesterday, T.J. had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung.
Starting point is 01:29:28 Suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility. Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he's being released from the hospital today. He and his family are very appreciative of everyone's kind words and well wishes. Obviously, JJ, a part of the family, but he's talking about his immediate family. it's like this was scary and came out of nowhere. I think dry needling session at the facility, TJ's just trying to prepare for this continued playoff run that they have, massive game,
Starting point is 01:29:56 and all of a sudden he's ended up at the hospital, getting an emergency surgery. We called JJ yesterday. I called JJ off air. I'm like, hey, what the hell is going on? And I think JJ was a little bit like, yeah, like this is a very, this comes out of nowhere,
Starting point is 01:30:09 this is a very serious thing. So we're happy to hear he's okay. But Monday night, I don't think anybody at this point, is expecting tj to play but man this is just like the reality of perspective that everything can change just like this you have no idea what's going to happen in this life age yeah i i wasn't sure what like when i heard that he was in the hospital yeah obviously very worried and think i'm honestly somewhat relieved that it was something that happened to him instead of like oh they something popped up or they found something like he's going to play again we don't know when that may be but i'm sure
Starting point is 01:30:39 it's been a very scary what 24 48 hours for these guys yeah and then there's obviously I don't want to just immediately go to what football is, but football-wise. There's a lot of stats with TJ playing for the Steelers and TJ not playing for the Steelers. And the Steelers need every single game down the stretch. And this just popping up on a Wednesday, obviously terrible for TJ and for the Watts as a whole. But for the Pittsburgh Steelers, this is not good news either. Here's a Hembo stat. One in 11, win, loss, including playoffs, whenever the TJ is not playing.
Starting point is 01:31:08 They allow 27 points per game and 380 yards per game. 26 touchdown, 7 interceptions with a 70.8 QBR whenever T.J. Watt's not on the field. Things didn't look great for the Pittsburgh Steelers to potentially win in Lombardi. Without T.J. Watt, we can't even get into that conversation. Napitone. No, we can't. Obviously, I'm very, very happy he's okay and who cares about him playing on the field right now.
Starting point is 01:31:31 But the 1 in 11, when you lose or when you're not playing with one of the best defensive players in football, especially him in the way that the defense is created around him, They are not good without him. And it's a huge game for the dolphins coming in Monday night and to try to keep that lead in the AFC Norso. Yes, it's going to be very, very hard without him, have no idea how long it's going to take for him to get back or even if he will be back this season.
Starting point is 01:31:54 But just glad he's all right. Out of nowhere, age, out of nowhere. Dry needling means he was trying to get like treatment. Like that's what he was choosing to go focus on ball, focus on his career, focus on getting better. I've done this hundreds of times. thousands of times maybe this is just kind of standard operating procedure and then boom something i don't know i don't what is it have you guys ever done it but acupuncture
Starting point is 01:32:18 hey j have you done it i don't think i know what it is yeah i've had it i don't love it it's like uh yeah it's like acupuncture needles but they kind of like jab them a little bit go a little bit deeper i don't know how how far you have to go to actually hit a lung though that's what that feels like that's pretty deep yeah because i think the immediate reaction is something with a long it must have been the tyrod taylor golf tea incident yeah where maybe he was getting a shot that was to get there dry needling to get to a lot i don't know i have no idea but i'm happy he's okay that has to be very scary situation out of nowhere i'm gonna go get better today well i guess he's yeah super more jacked i'm gonna go get better today i'm gonna go do what i've been doing for
Starting point is 01:32:57 since the beginning of my career football career go in there walking hey how's everybody doing got a playoff push coming it's going to do the dry needling it's going to hurt you need to go to the hospital yeah i do i i'm in all you have emergency surgery happening it's like quick how life can kind of just unravel like that happy as hell he's okay yeah anytime like the terms emergency surgery and you like need to be rushed to the hospital like i think it's it's just human nature to always assume the worst anyway so i i can only imagine not only his family you know but like steelers fans yesterday you see this it's like this this could be anything is this guy ever going to play for the steelers again and luckily it wasn't that serious but yeah i mean you mentioned
Starting point is 01:33:37 it how many times does he probably do this during the year Like, how many, how many? I don't know, age, that's a good question. Dry needling dudes are normally, like, once a week, right? They are twice a week? Yeah, I don't know. I can't see anyone getting it more than once or twice a week. But, yeah, I'm sure it's definitely a weekly thing for a lot of people.
Starting point is 01:33:53 But I don't want to say dry needling dudes, but whenever I say that, I mean, like, there's dudes that do certain things. Like, if he is a dry needling dude, which I would assume, he is a dry needling dude, that's a part of the weekly recovery process. There's people that do the, what you guys just mentioned, acupuncture. Acupuncture. There's people. tubbing too big now.
Starting point is 01:34:11 All the stuff. There's people that have their own way. If you're a dry needling dude, I think you're probably doing that every single week. So that's just standard operating procedure. For TJ, once again, we don't know unless he added this to his kind of routine this week,
Starting point is 01:34:26 which is certainly possible. I'm not saying it isn't. But it feels like this is probably just a part of his standard process, getting ready for a game, and then it's coming out of nowhere scary. Yeah, so scary. And to Ty's point, like that was what we were kind of speculating just after.
Starting point is 01:34:39 You know, as a Patriots fan, there's been multiple players over the last two, three years who've had blood clots, and they come out of nowhere, and then those guys are out for an entire year. So, like, of course, we're talking about Monday and everything and even the week after and how important it is, but, like, my initial thought was hopefully he's not out next year, you know? Like, this is one of those things, to your point, like, it does give you a little bit perspective in how quickly everything does just change. Speaking of everything changing, sometimes. To be great, you got to get the oldest guy in the league.
Starting point is 01:35:16 It's back. 50 hours, 49 minutes, 7 seconds from now. Yeah. Philip Rivers. He's a 44-year-old. What do you think? It's correct. It'll be 48 it.
Starting point is 01:35:28 425. We saw more clips, man. We got some zip on the ball. Yeah, we got zip on the ball. And also, he doesn't look like the big tub award like everybody had been saying. That is true. Early in the week, people saw his neck and his face and they're like, wow, this guy's a complete fat. So there's no way his 44-year-old body is going to be able to hold all the blubber he's got.
Starting point is 01:35:49 He's going to be even less active. Who said that? A lot of people are saying that. A lot of people are saying that. And now I see him, I'm like, am I missing something? I don't think he looks that abnormal to what Phil Rivers looks like. He looks exactly like what Phil Rivers has looked like. And just like it says right there, he has been on a relentless pursuit of greatness for the 20-plus years.
Starting point is 01:36:07 and now he has the opportunity to do it as a 44-year-old with a team that's still trying to win a damn Super Bowl. I mean, that is very evident that that is what the Colts are trying to do. We're not quitting on the season. We're not giving up. We're going to try and go for it. In 50 hours, 48 minutes and three seconds, we are going to see if Phil Rivers still got it.
Starting point is 01:36:25 This is a highly anticipated snap, this first one from Phil, A.J. It really is. What do you think if they throw them off? You run like Designed QB draw, first play of the game, just to keep the defense on their toes and let Phil, like, Bill wants to let him know, hey, I got it in my legs, buddy. I'm faster now than I was before. So when this news was announced, obviously, there was people laughing in the face of the Colts.
Starting point is 01:36:47 Still doing it. Now, really? A lot of people. Oh, yeah. The books are for me. What? The books. The books are certainly laughing.
Starting point is 01:36:58 It's big. It's the biggest of the weekend. It's big a so weekend. I believe it's, okay, it was at 14 yesterday. It's back to 13. That's because people are seeing these videos from Romeo and 4. from Kevin Bowen and Anthony Calhoun and James Boyd from these, they're seeing him spin it and they're like, wait a minute,
Starting point is 01:37:14 the books are like, we need to go ahead and drop that back down maybe. 13 and a half point spread is the biggest spread of the weekend. Colts still in it. Seahawks, obviously, we know very much in it. To have a two score spread like this is pretty disrespectful to a team that still can go on and win the damn Super Bowl in week 15. Do you think there's, I mean, it's the NFL, so everyone, you know, like even when teams suck and they come in
Starting point is 01:37:39 other teams like a team like the Seahawks if they're playing a team who has two wins they're not thinking like oh we're just going to run through these guys and beat the shit out of them. Do you think though there might be like a little bit of like our they got Phil Rivers like we're gonna and just kind of going in way
Starting point is 01:37:55 way overconfident or do you think that's not my issue with McDonald's he looks like a full psychopath he's a full term in the best way he is yes this is a compliment not a bad thing. I'm saying that as somebody that is watching him on the sideline and he's...
Starting point is 01:38:11 You're going to heat him up. They're going to heat fill up early, I would imagine. And they're going to be throwing bodies at his... I mean, they're going to be diving at his feet. He's going to be... That ball's going to be out and then there's going to be... Because who knows how long it's going to take for him to get up. It might be delay a game. You're right. We're not 100% sure
Starting point is 01:38:27 all of that. But age, the more I see, the more I like. And around the building, it's not like hey, yeah, we're mailing it in here. grandpa, around the building, it's like, he can execute the offense. He knows the offense better than anybody in the building. He's very comfortable. He's seen every defense. Now, AQ. Shepley, I didn't love this earlier in the week. He talked about, and I think Debutt as well, Seattle's defense is showing stuff that has never been seen before.
Starting point is 01:38:53 It's like, well, I guess if you're 44 and I've seen everything, if you've never seen something before, that's not good. If they're adding new wrinkles to just NFL defenses. But it's like, the last time I saw Phil Rivers play football, he knew what he was doing, and he's The offense was moving. That was a half a decade ago. Before COVID. That was half a decade ago. Now, would that change with time potentially, but I'm excited to watch Phil, and, yeah, I've been
Starting point is 01:39:17 on a roller coaster alongside the news. The Rivers roller coaster has certainly been something. I like that the Colts went for it, and I hope Phil goes for 275. I hope he goes for 275. I think that's. No, it is over under us? Three touchdowns. What's that?
Starting point is 01:39:33 Do you know it is over under us? Uh-uh. It is. I've been I just said I've been laughing it's disrespectful okay talking about a guy
Starting point is 01:39:40 who's a 70 finals in the Hall of Fame I believe he's over under is 151 yards Okay so there's an easy bet right I mean that's pretty easy bet they're gonna win out right
Starting point is 01:39:49 I really think they're going to don't do this don't do this to this guy okay you guys aren't no no no this isn't for him this is for me okay I'm convinced
Starting point is 01:39:58 myself but I literally no one no one is giving them a chance to win what are you talking about no one Anyone who's not a Colts fan who wants to go in and say, like, hey, the playoffs are still on,
Starting point is 01:40:09 the Super Bowl is still on. Like, they're still talking about it on a lot of, like, morning shows about how this is, like, gross negligence that this guy's playing on Sunday. Like, this is, this is not okay. Are you seeing this? Like, are they seeing the same thing we're seeing? They are. They are.
Starting point is 01:40:23 They are. Scott's going to get a tattoo. Yeah. Yeah. I saw that somebody will tattoo the number 17 on ash cheek if the Colts get a win with Phil Rivers a quarterback, right? Bart Scott said that this morning. And any of the remaining games?
Starting point is 01:40:38 No, no, this weekend. Just this, okay. I mean, they just beat, we just watched the Falcons beat the Bucks last night, and they put up 29 points and the Celsius just went into Atlanta, flew all the way across the country, and beat the ever-loving shit out of the Falcons. So your angle is in what Tone just said with anything being possible.
Starting point is 01:40:56 Your angle is, hey, we just saw a team beat the Bucks, and that team just got obliterated by the team that you're about to play. And it does feel like the Seattle Seahawks team, even though they're incredible and they're on their way to do a potential Super Bowl, we all believe. They're not really talked about much or celebrated much because they're so far away. So they can't even get to the point of, like, being too cocky about it. Like they're just always under the radar. Sam Darwin's been in a league a long time. Got paid a lot of money.
Starting point is 01:41:23 Jackson Smith and Jigba might be the best wide receiver in ball. Their defense might be the best defense in ball. And nobody really talks about them that often. About Phil Rivers. Because they're so far away. Because they're so far away. So they never really get to the point where it's like being arrogant or maybe not focus. Like every game is like a game for them to prove themselves.
Starting point is 01:41:42 That is definitely what McDonald thinks, especially with their fans kind of turning on them like a year and a half ago. And the Rams in their division. So. Yeah, they're the five seats. They're not. So it's going to be tough, I guess, for the Seahawks to overlook. I'm more concerned about the Colts defense, yeah. But Forrest Buckner was put into his window to return, which is gigantic for the Indianapolis Colts.
Starting point is 01:42:02 I don't think he's playing. this weekend. We need him. You know, they have that T.J. Watt stat about what the Steelers are with and without T.J. Watt. I don't know what the Colts are with or without DeForest Buckner, but Colts defensive season with, with 20.1 points per game, without him an extra touchdown. With him, only 87 yards rushing. Without him, an extra 50 yards rush, or 40 yards rushing. Damn. And then the QBR is about 50 whenever he's in, 58.6 when he's not in. And that's not just this
Starting point is 01:42:32 year. Years past when DeForest Buckner's not playing, not good. It's just not good. He hasn't been playing because he has a freaking neck injury. And obviously we'd like him to be healthy. But yeah, Sam Donald and that offense have been very good. And we don't have Mooney and we don't have sauce. That hurts. Still feel good about the 13 and a half.
Starting point is 01:42:48 I will say that. That is a ton of points. This is the NFL. I mean, Brady Cook is starting this weekend. And everyone, if you're not a college football fan, you're like, who the hell is Brady Cook? And I believe he's got a better spread than Nicole. He fumble. He fumble. his first snap last week.
Starting point is 01:43:03 And the Houston Texans with the Cardinals, the Cardinals routinely lose games by 20 plus points. Correct. Houston, routinely. Routine. I mean, that is routinely what they do. The Arizona Cardinals. And they're playing against the best defense,
Starting point is 01:43:20 maybe in the history of the league. Maybe in the history of the league. And you're playing against a defense that has new heights with a completely different vibe now. One of my favorite shows in the history of shows. Travis is bummed out. You got Patrick Mahomes given press conference, but I don't know if we have any.
Starting point is 01:43:34 This is what Houston, Texas, just did to the Kansas City Chiefs. They're spread against the Arizona Cardinals, the Houston, Texans, less than the Colts. Might have an MVP candidate running back, a semifinalist,
Starting point is 01:43:47 All-Vevict Warb against the Seattle Seahals. Cardinals just lost by 28. Routinely lose by 20-plus points. Shorter spread than Colts and Seahawks. So, yeah. Hey, Phil. Stack the chips. Keep stacking the chips, Phil.
Starting point is 01:44:01 Phil knows. What are you going to do? Phil, it's that dumb, you know? Gunners probably texting him, hey, dad, they're telling me you're some dumb hick, some piece of shit. Well, what are you doing playing? And Phil, Phil, is out there to prove it, not to us, to his family. Yeah, and I'm okay with whoever he's proven it through. Just know, Phil, I have all the confidence in the world on you on this particular Feel Good Friday.
Starting point is 01:44:27 I think you're going to do great. Now, could that change by Monday after what I see? sure sure could that change for sure but also that could get amplified brother that could certainly get amplified because i like our guys and riley might see something Phil might do something that riley hasn't seen yet and all of a sudden Riley Leonard becomes better quarterback so i was thinking about a Riley Leonard package you know that we might have because he's so damn mobile but that would involve Phil getting off the field and then getting back on the figure might take a little bit yeah so i don't know if we're going to have any of that but i just want to let phil know i love you
Starting point is 01:44:59 I appreciate you taking a shot on the Colts at this stage of your life, and I can't wait to watch. Let's talk about the Philadelphia Eagles. They're battling. They took that positivity out of the locker room. Yeah. That's tough. I mean, anytime you've got to take a positivity, anything out of something,
Starting point is 01:45:11 because you think it's affecting you in a negative way, you're really reaching. I don't like what I'm hearing out of Philadelphia. Me neither, but their schedule down the stretch here. They play the Raiders and the commanders twice, and I can't remember who the other team is, but it doesn't matter. Like, they're going to beat the shit probably.
Starting point is 01:45:29 you would assume that they will beat the shit out of the Raiders this weekend and out of the commanders both times and they'll kind of have an opportunity to get right here going in the playoffs but can they beat any of the truly elite teams in the NFC that remains to be seen. The Eagles story fascinating just in the history. I don't get it. I don't get it.
Starting point is 01:45:49 Me neither, dude. Locker room dynamics though are always something. Is there, could you point to, there's no way you could like point to one thing. Could you point to a couple things it is? Like what? I don't know. we're not in there, so we don't know what has happened, you know? Like, I don't know what the locker room, because that positivity rabbit being in the locker room, as opposed to in the cafeteria,
Starting point is 01:46:09 is a message in of itself, like, hey, this locker room needs a little bit more positivity. It's like, do they win too much? Everybody gets too full of themselves, and then all of a sudden there's no real bonding or chemistry. Is that what happens? Did something happen amongst teammates? Was something said? Is there, you know, like all that type of stuff. I just don't fully know because we're not in there. but I am worried about this Philadelphia Eagles team. Well, that's what's interesting, too, is they're on hard knocks right now with the in-season stuff, and I understand that that's selective and, you know, we're not seeing all of that, but, like, it seems kind of chipper, like, around their facility.
Starting point is 01:46:42 Like, it doesn't seem like the sky is falling. They're making tongue-in-cheek jokes about that. Like, they understand it, but it does it. Like, I feel like we would still be able to maybe tell a little bit, like, oh, wow, dude, like, that was a weird interaction. These guys, you can tell these guys don't really like each other. It doesn't really feel like that. And again, that's just what they're choosing to show us.
Starting point is 01:47:01 But I still feel like we would be able to tell if things were really, really different. It doesn't seem that way. Let's go to the Sunday slate one final time. We'll be making all of our picks against the spread after the show ends here on ESPN. As we continue digitally, are we still on TikTok? That's kind of a thing that changes every day. We either get banned or attacked on there. We get a lot of reported attacks from people.
Starting point is 01:47:24 What are I? I don't know. You think it's China? Do people report it or robots? AI reports it. I don't think it's people. I think it's hating folks, you know. And we know they are. Dookie.
Starting point is 01:47:38 Through and through. It's a great Sunday slate for Week 15. We are in a great position for ball. All three time slots have magical football games. And then obviously Phil Rivers taking his first snap in five years is going to be must watch there at 425. Let's talk a little bit about sports happening around. the world before we dive into the picks.
Starting point is 01:48:00 Have you seen this free diver, this Croatian free diver? I didn't know this was possible. He stayed underwater for 29 minutes. What? Oh, I didn't know if this was real or not. At Mizumat TV, you think it's fake? You think Misamah TV's fake? I've been watching some of these free divers. I've been watching this guy that trains people to hold their breath
Starting point is 01:48:19 for 10 minutes, which I thought was nuts. 29 is crazy. Yeah, this could be AI, this could be a complete fugase. We have not back-checked it, but it shows. up in my algo and I saw it. 29 minutes. I thought I heard like 3, 5 minutes is a big deal. 10 minutes is a big deal. 29 minutes underwater sounds like an insane thing.
Starting point is 01:48:40 So the fact that this is happening, congrats to him. We hope that this is just what future humans can do. I don't really know how you get to that point. I remember when David Blaine held his breath for like six or seven minutes or something like that. And it was an absurd feat. we know that there's actual fish walking amongst us, it seems like. Yeah, this is ridiculous. And I didn't think anyone, I mean, T.C. basically held his breath, I think, for like 10 to 12
Starting point is 01:49:05 minutes when he was filming the last mission impossible. I just figured that was higher than any human will ever be able to reach. So for this guy to go for 29 minutes, I would venture to guess that T.C. is in the pool right now. Okay. T.C. is not in space. I heard what happened? Yeah. Basically, he said, hey, I would need favors from the government in order to do this because I believe part of it was that they were going to shoot on the international space station. T.C. was going to do a spacewalk. Turns out you can't just go up and do that. You can't just go up and do that. You kind of need the okay, maybe from the president. And I think T.C. just said, you know what, I'm trying to make
Starting point is 01:49:42 movies here. I don't want to get politics involved. I don't feel comfortable asking for any favors. So he's going to figure out a way. He just might not be doing a spacewalk on the space station. Yeah, because next movie that he was shooting was supposed to be space movie. Yes, this thing has been in development for a while. And it was basically like, hey, this is full go. T.C., when he wants to do something, he's going to do it, and guess what? He wants to go to space, and he wants to fix the Hubble
Starting point is 01:50:04 telescope. But, yeah, it's not happening as of right now. He'll get it done. He will. We'll assume they'll all get it done. Let's go to some fun social media. Do you see the Texans? Do you see the Texans? No, what happened? Fun social media segment. Yeah,
Starting point is 01:50:18 it's fun social media. Cal McNair, owner of the Texans, was trying to get a hot five from C.J. Stroud after the game. and C.J. just kind of missed them. So high-fiving everybody, bang-and-a-bang-and-bang. Cal McNear, owner of the team. CJ, thank you for doing that. Okay, gets caught on there.
Starting point is 01:50:36 Kyle McDare, a couple days later, still holding his hand up once he's starting quarterback to maybe give him a high-five because of how much he loves what C.J. has done for him. He walks through the facility. Hi. Hi. Not saying hi. Not saying hi. Not saying hi. Just want a high-five here. Gets all the way through it. and inevitably finishes off with a high five from C.J. Stroud.
Starting point is 01:50:57 And I'll tell you what, special stuff happening in Houston. You got the owner walking around like this for content and content purposes only time. This is unbelievable. I mean, you hit the nail on the head. This is fun, social media. This is great. And you know what? Even him still wearing the coat from being in Kansas City.
Starting point is 01:51:13 Just, and this is the guy everyone was calling Tommy Boy a couple years ago when things were bad. They're like, hey, Cal McNair, this guy's a big dumb dipshit. He is big Tom Callahan's son, essentially. Are we sure about that? Because this is genius. This fun, social media kind of stuff. And wow, what a moment. And allegedly, it was his idea to do it.
Starting point is 01:51:32 I don't doubt it. He said, listen, aren't we in a content-driven world? There's a reason why I'm in this seat and you guys are in your seat. Have we not thought about me maybe finishing the high-five here? How do we go about getting that? They make the video. Shout to the Texans doing it right. And also, CJ Stroud and the Texans, they might win a Super Bowl?
Starting point is 01:51:49 Yeah. We think that? defense. And if CJ can get hot and that offense gets hot with that defense, anything is possible. Absolutely. Isn't it crazy this year we're judging off the defenses? Like, hey, does the offense have enough to be able to beat one of these defenses is the question? As opposed to like, hey, can the defense get a stop in a certain spot, which has been years past? Now it's like, can the offense have success against the other team's defense? Crazy kind of iteration of football right now that we're kind of watching. Well, it feels like that's kind of the first time of the
Starting point is 01:52:21 cyclical nature of football. Not only the running backs having more yards in the top five than the receivers, but also just how important now defense has been. Like the last, what, five, six years running the ball and offense has become much more prevalent, but now it is like, hey, what is your trenches? The Eagles were kind of the ones last year that showed this. What are your, what's your D line? What's your O line? And that is the separator now between these good and great teams. You know, you look at the number one and two seeds across the board. The Rams, unbelievable, the Packers, unbelievable, the Patriots and the Broncos. Their highest paid players are on their D&O line. It's awesome to see, especially as one of those teams, but also, too, you know,
Starting point is 01:53:04 who has a young quarterback who, you know, has a young deal that, or a rookie deal, rather, and where, you know, teams can spend elsewhere. Yeah, going forward, I guess he has a big conversation. We've got some breaking news here out of Michigan. Sharon Moore, We have video of him showing up to his arraignment today. Obviously, the story of him being fired for cause due to an inappropriate relationship with a staffer happens the other day. Then afterwards, he gets arrested. Now we know what the charges are. And now we have seen him in court.
Starting point is 01:53:35 Here's him sitting for the arraignment today. It is a video of him sitting wearing a whites. I mean, this is not where you want to be. Oh, Jesus. This is not where you want to be. Obviously, this is a moment that is not. great for Sharon Moore, and obviously there's victims in this entire thing, so we are pulling for all parties. But this will continue to move forward as he was arraigned today. I believe there's
Starting point is 01:53:57 three different charges that he has been charged with, breaking and entering, stalking, and then something else in the entirety of it all. All of them carry years in jail and fines alongside of it. So Sharon Moore today, verse one week ago, certainly vastly different. And once again, perspective, anything you do in the dark will come to. the light and things can change very quickly. That is something that I think we all can remember from this story. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. We'll figure out everything
Starting point is 01:54:25 I guess in the coming months of what's going on. But man, yeah, just what a different life that guy has right now than he did a couple, just a couple days ago. And Michigan's in Shambles trying to figure out what to do with the head coach position now. John Gruden would be a home run, right? We all think. And I know Portnoy's
Starting point is 01:54:42 pushing for it very hard. I saw Portnoy posted something from John Gruden's maybe high school days where he said his dream was to be the head coach at the University of Michigan and Porter was like the time is now. I mean, we're sitting
Starting point is 01:54:53 in the middle of it. I know there's a couple other names that have been floated. I think Pete Thammle mentioned Brahm. Brom would be, I mean, there's a couple, that would be like a Matt Campbell
Starting point is 01:55:01 type hire. Yeah, Matt Campbell gets hired to Penn State. Everybody that knows balls like, that's a, that's a really good hire from the situation you're in and even if you weren't
Starting point is 01:55:10 in the current situation, that's a good hire. Brom would kind of be something similar in that aspect. Tommy Reese, offense coordinator for the Cleveland Brown, I believe his name has been mentioned.
Starting point is 01:55:19 His name was mentioned for every head coaching job that's kind of come up as of late. Mentor's name's been there. Michigan's got to figure it out. But until then, the Ohio State people say, ha ha, ha, it's great to be a Buckeye. Is that how you guys are viewing it right now? Yeah, it's always great to be a Buckeye, whatever is going on in Michigan. And so, yeah, you know, Shrone Moore. That's a tough look, man.
Starting point is 01:55:37 That sucks for him. Michigan, I think I heard you say. And obviously the 126th Army versus Navy game is happening tomorrow. Shout it to the troops. Shout to America. Who's favored? What's a quick breakdown, Con Man, on that game? I believe Navy is favored. They won last year. This game is at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. And if you remember, Blake Horvath, he is very motivated, as always. And I'm going, Navy, fuck it.
Starting point is 01:56:06 Okay, so you have yet to receive your Navy merch. I hope you get it someday soon. Shout to Army Navy. Shout to all of you for allowing us to do this for a living. We're back on Overreaction Monday. Be your friend, tell the friend something nice. See you then. Okay, you didn't want to make a picker.
Starting point is 01:56:24 You just threw it in there at the end. Just want to let people know. I mean, we just went to Paris Island and the Marines are within the Navy, so I feel like it would be pretty wrong to not. Yeah, go Navy beat Army. Is that what you're saying? Yes. What's Army saying?
Starting point is 01:56:38 Probably Go Army beat Navy. Clay Corvath last year tweeted us to talk shit after the big time win for Navy. Because a Monkin, yeah. I guess we do still have a football program because Monken on our show said, does Navy even have a football team? And Horvath's like, that's cute. Let's go ahead and get the win. And then let's go ahead and talk a little shit about a couple of yinzers on Navy as well as we look ahead to this game.
Starting point is 01:56:58 Yeah, Horvath is back at quarterback, Heidenreich. I believe he's number 22 is the wide receiver from Pittsburgh. And Texas is T-E-C-ZA is the fullback for Navy. So there's, yes, there's a Pittsburgh connection there. Minus 6 is the spread 38 and a half is the total. One fact, 16 straight years it went under, okay? 16 straight years it went under. And then the last three has been a push and two overs.
Starting point is 01:57:25 So not sure what's going to happen there, but for a long, long time, it was like a guaranteed under game. Yeah, and underdogs have covered 10 of the last 14, 8 of the last 11, 3 to the last 4. 6 points, a lot of points, man. Especially with Army Navy, you know. And Hembo and Greenie said this is the greatest rivalry in college ball. That was their kind of take on it all. AJ, your thoughts on Army Navy being so special to college football
Starting point is 01:57:47 and kind of having its own weekend alongside the Heisman. I like the fact that it's kind of a standalone situation. First off, these unies are unbelievable. I got a good buddy. AJ Hensler who played for Army who lives by me. He's a lawyer now. So he's, I'm pulling for Army for his sake, but obviously I understand
Starting point is 01:58:03 the whole situation on both sides. Appreciate the boys from Paris Island and boys and girls. But I think the pageantry surrounding this game, I've never been there. It's one of those things that I think you, I absolutely need to go to. I need to take my kids. Not doing game day there. We didn't do it last year either.
Starting point is 01:58:19 We did it two years ago, I think I was there. Didn't Bill come on? Yeah, Belichick came on. And I'm going to say it feels people want us to do it. I want Game Day to do it. I say us as if I have any say and what those people decide with Game Day. But I would like, it was kind of weird doing it, you know, because forcing the people to stand behind us,
Starting point is 01:58:42 I understand wanting to celebrate and make it a bigger deal and having college game day there certainly does that and I'm very lucky to be a part of a show that does that. So maybe instead of doing the standard game day outside, it's like maybe on a sideline for like an hour leading up to it as opposed
Starting point is 01:58:59 to a full game day thing. Because it is you turn around and you're like don't stand here. Like you guys, there's a lot of shit going on today. Was it the cadets? What's that? Was it the cadets? Cadets and I think the other side too. Just in general like even the vets that are standing there. It's like a weird, it was kind of like a weird feeling doing it,
Starting point is 01:59:15 just from my own perspective. I think obviously the vets that aren't there or, you know, the alumni of Army or Navy watch game day and they like kind of get a sense of it through there. So I appreciate that and I understand that. So I think if there was like an hour kickoff show inside the stadium as opposed to doing like a full game day outside is probably the right answer in my eyes personally because we should draw a little bit more spotlight to this game because this is everything that's good with America. This is everything good at the ball and everything like that. But I would just like to say from my perspective, the game day was kind of like,
Starting point is 01:59:48 man, you guys are, Army Navy is a huge day. Like the amount of this that happens, the amount of catching up that happens, the amount of everything that happens. And then for them to feel obligated almost to stand outside. It's like, it was just a weird, I was very appreciative, very thankful to be there, honored to be there, but also like very much like, ah, I don't know if this is the right thing that it's supposed to be. And like by nature of it being the only game on that day, if you don't count, you know,
Starting point is 02:00:15 one double A playoffs and D2 and D3 and all that kind of stuff, it almost gets overshadowed a little bit because you're going to talk about that game, but you're not going to talk about it for three hours. So naturally you start looking ahead to the playoff games and, you know, those games, obviously, and then you start looking ahead to like the Heisman and things like that. And it seems like Army Navy itself, like it kind of comes back full circle when you make the picks, but it almost ends up not being the story of the day. And I don't know if I love it or not, but there is a bowl game Saturday night. Nah, who gives a shit?
Starting point is 02:00:44 Who is in it? Boise in Washington. Okay. The L.A. is that still the Granc Bowl or? The Grongk Beach Party Bowl? I don't know. It might be the Grong Beach Party Bowl, but I mean, is anybody watching anything aside from Saturday
Starting point is 02:00:56 night main event? Yeah, I'll be on Bigot for John Cena's last. He'll be getting on the last, by the way. Who would I thought? Yeah. Well, that'll be at what? Midnight? No.
Starting point is 02:01:04 No, no, no. You believe it's his last time? Do you believe him? I'll tell you what? He took. He took an angle with me that I didn't expect off air And then he kind of mentioned it on air I'm like brother wrestling
Starting point is 02:01:16 Never you're never retired Because there might come a time Where the John Cena character is needed back Or wanted back And there's an entire thing like That is kind of a part of the wrestling business And chasing the dragon Of going through the curtain
Starting point is 02:01:31 And all that shit Has been a part of the wrestling world Literally since the beginning Of the wrestling world So like retirements aren't real in wrestling is like a real conversation and a real statement that is made, and he even acknowledged that. But then he said, like, I don't think I'm a liar, though.
Starting point is 02:01:46 Do you think I'm a liar? And I was like, holy shit. I didn't, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. I was not calling you a liar. He goes, yeah, I'm just kind of questioning my integrity here. And I'm like, that is not what I meant to do. I did not mean to do that because, and he explained it here, I think even more so.
Starting point is 02:02:01 And he was also explaining to me again, like, I know you can only go off what has happened in wrestling. Your retirements are not real. I mean, that's just like a real thing, especially with a business opportunity that pops up or, you know, like, hey, Saudi Arabia wants to have a match where you are going to make whatever the money is for amount of 20 minutes of work, like just sound decision-making process. Maybe you do think about doing that. And then he went into a full speech about money and about like, is that what's driving decision-making? Is that what you think I'm, so now you're questioning my more, I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I'm not saying it. doing that but he is very steadfast
Starting point is 02:02:40 on like no yeah I don't want to be the guy that says it's done and then I come back because then I'm liar and then what was the purpose of this entire thing if I end up coming back later and I'll tell you he is way too humble for who he is he's fucking John Sina and he has no idea that's the case I think which is obviously
Starting point is 02:02:56 a good thing not a bad thing which is why his character and he is who he is but it's like I do think this is it for John I do I legitimately think this is it for John well and a lot of those guys like no disrespect to them but like Sina is a he's legitimate like a list movie star now you know like he has his next thing lined up and you know he kind of said to us he was like hey if i don't commit to that and kind of put everything i have into that the way i did with wrestling when i first started like i'm not going to be successful in
Starting point is 02:03:24 it so i could see that because like we said and the fans do it too like when we were in philadelphia we went fucking ape shit when undertaker and scene and all those guys came out like it was the best part of the night but at a certain point like those people are always going to be asking for that so it's like if you do it a few times then you kind of do sign yourself up for like oh boy like am i expected to do this every single year at wrestlemania i could see you know not wanting to do that either he's special human he's so jacked yeah so huge has been forever work ethic insane let's go to work stew he did that on the way up he did that on the way up he He did sick.
Starting point is 02:04:07 Never forget it. Yeah, right out the door there. He goes in the locker room, comes out, change, you know, to travel. He looks at us. Somebody was up on the screen. Maybe you, I don't know who it was. He looks at us and he goes, and he walks right down the hallway. It was like, what a moment.
Starting point is 02:04:22 Yeah. That was a real moment right there. He's awesome. Check on D-bone. Let's talk about the Heisman tomorrow. Well, we already know he's exploded all over himself. He has, he can't sweat right now because all the moisture in his body has exploded through his penis. He has, he's come seven to eight different times, casino is here.
Starting point is 02:04:41 Balls weigh 50 pounds over and over again. So let's talk about Heisman tomorrow. There has become a clear odds-on favorite in Fernando Mendoza, minus 1,800 to win this thing. That means everybody knows who's winning at this point, tone. Yeah, you would assume so. And like I said, going into the Big Ten championship, it was kind of between him, Pavia, and Julian San. He won the Big Ten championship, so that kind of automatically, knocks out saying so it's between him and pavia and then he has that huge throw down the
Starting point is 02:05:11 sideline to charlie becker and everyone was tweeting about it's his heisman moment and stuff like that because you know there is everyone's watching it that's the last thing everyone sees before they turn in their ballots and stuff like that so then his odds jumped tremendously and yeah it's it's highly expected that he will be your heismans i appreciate that he uh he is who he is i thought he had an incredible performance on our show not not that i uh i judge how people do on our show, but I certainly appreciate that he came on, obviously knew this show, and I think the response from a lot of people that maybe didn't know a lot about him was like, this dude's awesome. I don't think a lot of people knew that he was awesome. He was being accused
Starting point is 02:05:49 of reading AI answers in interviews because maybe he was too robotic people were saying about him, and then he comes on our program, and he's pretty wide open. I think because he knows us pretty well, he understands the program and has followed for a long time from my understanding, Fernando has. So the way he plays, the way he talks about getting hit, the way he views football, the plays he has made, everything about him screams, Heisman, I think, and somebody that they would want to be a part of their fraternity forever. But also, number one overall pick, this guy. Like, what a wild transfer from Cal to Bloomington, Indiana, takes the Hoosiers on this ride and also change the trajectory of his life, AJ.
Starting point is 02:06:26 Yeah. Imagine this guy's, imagine he's going to win the Heisman, most likely. His speech is going to be, like, it's going to be emotional, it's going to be inspirational, it's going to be authentic to him, like, yeah, I, yeah, it's impossible to root against this guy, I think. He just, him and a lot of the guys in the team, when you hear him speak, they got something special
Starting point is 02:06:45 going over there, and I'm a huge fan of Mendoza. I always will be. I had a lot of Ohio people attack me because I had a hole in my jeans, and I was chanting for the Hoosiers at Lucas Oil Stadium. You know, a lot people call me a douchebag from Ohio. What's the hole in your jeans about, what do you mean about that? Well, I was wearing holy jeans as if I thought I was
Starting point is 02:07:01 some fucking Abercrombie your fixed model. That's what Ohio people are saying. You know, classical. I'm from Pittsburgh. I understand how Ohio people are. There were some people talking shit to me, calling me a douchebag, all these types of things on the internet and in real life for this particular moment.
Starting point is 02:07:16 But it also felt as if the Ohio state people kind of have respect for Indiana. Yeah. Didn't it feel like that, AJ? I don't know. You'd be around it a little bit more than me. I think they definitely do. Yeah. I don't hear like Indiana slander.
Starting point is 02:07:27 I don't hear anyone taught like, yeah. I think they respect who they are and how good of a team they have. I think they appreciated how tough they were. Like, I think that is what Ohio State people do. And I'm not saying that Ohio State people are immediately going to respect the team that's tough. Because if Michigan's tough, Ohio State's not going to respect them. But I think from my understanding from what I have witnessed, and it might just be through you and the other people I know from Ohio that have talked about it.
Starting point is 02:07:48 But it feels like Ohio State's like Indiana is a good football team. Like, we obviously shouldn't have lost that game. We need to win those games. But I don't think it's like Ohio State hates Indiana. I think Ohio State's like, yeah, we lost to a really. good football team in Indiana and not we're in the college football playoff. Well, and it wasn't like a shootout. It was a gritty
Starting point is 02:08:07 physical game. Like, and to your point, if that was something where, you know, they were dancing around and maybe it was a blowout and it was a very pretty game from Indiana, that'd be one thing, but they shut down Ohio State's offense and nobody has really done that. Actually, nobody has
Starting point is 02:08:22 done that since the college football playoffs started last year. And when you talk about their defense, too, like the Hoosiers took punches. I the first play of the game. Mendoza got fucking blasted and he bounced back and continue to play and it feels like that
Starting point is 02:08:39 is something Ohio people will look at and say like, okay, respect. You talk how you talk, whatever. You got killed, you came back in the game and you stepped up in the biggest moment. It's good football. Good football. Yeah. And that's all we're looking for. Good football. Play the game right.
Starting point is 02:08:55 Represent the game right. Respect the game. And let's enjoy the hell out of this season. All right, let's take a break. and then let's make our picks on the other side as your connection is getting a little sticky over there as you were starting to compliment Indiana. Hi there, surprise. 30 for 30 presents Boo-ya.
Starting point is 02:09:13 Can I get a witness from the congregation? You can't stop authenticity. Boo-ya. Stewart was exactly like you saw him on-camera, off-camera. He dialed it up 10%. Can you imagine the impact of young black boys and girls looking at that going, I feel sane? He changed the culture.
Starting point is 02:09:31 He changed sports. Stream Buoyah, presented by Madelo, right now on the ESPN app. Talk about stepping up. It's time to level up your game. Introducing the all new ESPN app. All of ESPN, all in one place. Your home for the most live sports and the best championship moments. The electricity is palpable.
Starting point is 02:09:55 Step up your game with no annual contract required. It's the ultimate. fan experience. Level up for more on the ESPN app or at stream.espn.com. Sign up now. Football. Hey, it's magical. That's A.J. Hawk. The toxic tables here at Boston Corner and at Tye Schmidt. One half of the hammer. God. Cowboys AP Tone is here. All the boys in the back. And obviously, the Thunderdome is alive. We're very thankful for John Sina
Starting point is 02:10:26 stopping by the Thunderdome in the first hour. Is he just sits one sleep away from his last match ever in the WWE as he takes on Gunther tomorrow night at Saturday night's main event only available on Peacock. Now, we're about to get into our picks, but AJ, we would be remiss if we didn't pick this one. Sina, Gunther, 101, Washington, D.C. in the final, final for John Cena's legendary goat-like career. Now, he's taking on the ring, get all out. Gunther, who I've been in the ring
Starting point is 02:11:05 with, and I'll tell you what, brother, he's a problem. He's strong. He's tough. And whenever that chop hits your chest, it's not only your sternum that hurts, and your body that hurts, your eardrums blow out because the smack is so damn menacing that your entire
Starting point is 02:11:21 body can't help but to collapse. John Cena's obviously been in battles before, but I don't know if he knows what he's into with this Austrian monster and Gunter. AJ, who do you like? How do you like?
Starting point is 02:11:34 At first, let's get some of the numbers. Tone, what is the percentage of bets on who for this particular matchup? A crazy 85% is on John Sina in his match. Wow. But it makes sense.
Starting point is 02:11:46 He is minus 300 to win this match. He's a heavy favorite. The odds have been moving, though, in this particular one. He obviously ends here as a heavy favorite, just like Fernando Mendoza for the Heism. But it wasn't always that way when we were looking ahead to this match
Starting point is 02:11:59 tie. No, it wasn't, and I think one of the reasons that it might be moving in the other direction towards Gunter is because a lot of people are speculating that the Kabuki Warriors might interfere with this match. And somehow, they've been raising a lot of hell over there, so we'll see, but that could be why things are kind of moving back in the direction of Goonter. So obviously you bring up
Starting point is 02:12:15 the Kabuki Warriors, last time we saw Seina in a ring, Raquel Rodriguez, gave him the Tehada bomb, then he got the pop rocks from Roxanne Perez, he got kicked into balls by Lipp Morgan. So obviously a lot happened. Dominic Mysterio becomes the Intercontinental champion. But conman, when you talk
Starting point is 02:12:30 about not only the odds shifting, is that changed your mindset on who's going to win this? And what do you think the strategies are? I think you always have to look at the odd moving. I would take the over on chops. I think that's my biggest thing, is Gunther especially is going to have to hammer him. I mean, this is the Goats, the never seen 17
Starting point is 02:12:46 champion. He will be going for his final bid. And he has all the motivation in the world, but Gunther also playing spoiler. I mean, he is Austrian. He's not American, so he doesn't respect anything that is true and real. patriotic. So I take over Chops because that's going to be his strategy. As far
Starting point is 02:13:02 as Sina goes, I mean, I think he's just flying off pure emotion. Who knows about sleep tonight? I don't see any in Sina's future. So being well rested, does that matter as much? I don't think so. Hard to go against Sina, but the safe bed here is just pain.
Starting point is 02:13:18 It's just pain it's just pure pain delivered from from Goonther. Pain for square in. What do you mean? You're almost got it.
Starting point is 02:13:32 I almost had. I had the perfect bow and I completely fucking pissed on it. So I'm actually incredibly, incredibly mad at myself right now. I don't really want to get into it. But you're saying pure pain's on the way. Pain's on the way, man.
Starting point is 02:13:46 I think Goethe wins. All right. Tone picking Goonther. Tie. I'm not going against Sina. He's with 88% of the bets is what tone says. Con man. I'm taking Sina in a,
Starting point is 02:13:57 landslide. AJ? I'd have to roll Sina, but I think there's a possibility that for the business, Sina finds a way to just let Gouter have this one.
Starting point is 02:14:08 I think it's possible. You think the last time is now he's going to let something happen for somebody else? He's leaving it all out there. And he never gives up. He wants to put over the business more than anything.
Starting point is 02:14:18 It's not about John Sina. It's about the business. That's what he said today. I mean, he's a humble champion. He wants to springboard the most violent champion of all time into the next stratosphere. And that's why,
Starting point is 02:14:27 you're taking go into her well how about showcasing to the next generation that if you work your ass off and you become the goat you fucking win yeah that'd be cool wouldn't that be a cool thing that would be and that's what it's going to be give me john sina hell yeah yeah i'll take sina too give me sena big fight john i mean no problems i'm excited to see who all shows up now i thought it was potentially on mbc because maybe peacock would want john sina's final thing on mbc you know the Peacock Company would want the linear one to maybe get a little bit of a boost. You know, we got John Cina's final match.
Starting point is 02:15:01 What is on it? It's strictly on Peacock, which means there's no hard out. Ah, there you have it. Peacock, there's no hard out, right? So for us, this match could be two hours long. Not just this match. Who knows?
Starting point is 02:15:14 This card. Not just the card, but who knows all the, you know, the shits that could come with John Cena's final match? You know, who's going to want to say thank you to John Sina who's going to want to come see John Sina you know like that type of stuff those those types of conversation there's a chance that no hard out is definitely for the best of all parties but also provides a lot of opportunity for tonight being or tomorrow night being
Starting point is 02:15:41 awesome so congrats to John Sina get a big time went on his way out that's what he does boy John the wall I believe is on NBC at 8 p.m let's fucking go they also have the Shrek the Hall's Christmas special yes you're not I got multiple TVs, and Shrek the halls will be one of them. Yeah, pure pain, though, is on the way. Per square inch? That's going to haunt me for the whole weekend. And SNL.
Starting point is 02:16:08 Oh, yeah, SNL. What's he doing? Hopefully it's not an indication of things. I'm so serious. Yeah, I know. We were watching. Yeah. Until 1 o'clock.
Starting point is 02:16:22 I'm going to be thinking about that. Two minutes. Please don't. It was great. You actually saying, oh, so close, man. Maybe my favorite take you've ever had. Calm, man, thank you for the breakdown.
Starting point is 02:16:37 Over on chops, good part. That's good. That's good. That's good prop bet. All right, let's get to our bets. Week 15. Oh, Mendoza's winning a Heisman. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:16:48 Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Yeah, they shouldn't have odds on it because it kind of ruins the whole thing. Yeah, it kind of does. It makes sure to know what's going to. happen before a time, but we can look ahead to Mendoza's speech, which I think we all think. Army Navy, Navy favored by six. AJ, you'll take... I'm going to take Army
Starting point is 02:17:05 on this one. Army plus six. I'll take Navy. I'll take Navy. I'll take Navy minus six, just strictly because you know, we got to represent for America on both sides. If you were to take a Navy there, I would have taken Navy. It's in Baltimore. Kind of a home game. Yeah, right in your backyard. Urah, boys.
Starting point is 02:17:25 Six points, a lot of points. Man, those helmets, both helmets are sweet. Obviously, they both played Air Force this year, and they both won by three points against Air Force. I don't know if that means anything to you. Six points, a lot of points. Fun fact, I believe I saw it yesterday on the Internet. I think each Navy helmet takes three hours to paint.
Starting point is 02:17:41 Yeah, I saw the painting. It's insane. Very nice. It's going to be special. Flyovers always. Yeah, the pre-game festivities are awesome. Six points, a lot of points. Army plus a lot of points.
Starting point is 02:17:55 Navy wins. I'm on your side there, AJ. I six points and it feels like a lot of points. Underdogs. Yeah, and the trends are this is going to be a close game. Snow, right? We assume? Yeah. I don't know for sure, but I would assume. Feels cold. Yeah. Yeah, this one feels close, doesn't it? It feels like it's
Starting point is 02:18:11 coming down to the end. A high of 43, low of 30. No precipitation, so just, you know, a nice cloudy Baltimore day. All right, I'll take Army plus six, Navy wins, though. Congrats to that. Mara, let's go to the Sunday Slade, AJ. Last night, we were both wrong, so that means we're Zero and zero going into Sunday. Shout out to both of us. Browns, Bears, Bears favored by seven and a half at home. Over under 38.5. Shador Sanders, Caleb Williams, Kaleeb Williams, depending upon who you listen to? AJ, who do you like? How do you like it?
Starting point is 02:18:41 Obviously, I was thinking bears early like I think everyone is. But you know what? For whatever reason, I think the Browns find a way to keep this one close. Give me the Browns. How cold is it now? What's the weather? This one's about to be historic. Yeah, 10 degrees, and I believe we got a 15-degree wind chill. It might get down to negative 5. Yeah, it feels like negative 4 at kickoff is what it says. Chilly. Yeah, that is a chilly. Who knows how this game goes then?
Starting point is 02:19:02 You know that. Who handles this the best? It feels like negative 4, and then there's Gus coming. Yeah, it's literally just a mental toughness game. That is, that is all this one is. I like where Ben Johnson's team is. I like that minus 7 and a half, even though I could see Miles Garrett getting a couple. Congrats to him on his record.
Starting point is 02:19:19 I think Shador Sanders is going to do well. again. I think he's going to throw it for a bunch of yards. Continue that conversation. But give me the Chicago Bears. I like them. Fresh off a loss to the Packers. Jets, Jags, AJ, Jax, favored by 13 and a half at home. Congrats to Jacksonville Jaguars. Having the opportunity to be favored by this much in meaningful football season. Such a quick turnaround for Liam and the boys.
Starting point is 02:19:40 Anything we need to know about this particular game? Brady Cook is the starting quarterback for the Jets because Tyrod and Justin Fields are hurt. And if you watched him last week, no disrespect to him, but this is one of those things where it's like if you're a 13 and a half, a lot of points, but if you pick the Jets and they end up get beat by 35, which they definitely could, you're going to be kicking yourself come Monday. AJ, who do you like? Well, with that being said, I guess I'll take the Jags.
Starting point is 02:20:04 Mine is 13.5. It was ugly. Me too, brother. Okay, I'll take the Jags as well. Bills at Patriots, Bill's favored in Foxborough against the number one seed, New England Patriots. Whole new team in New England. Drake May is a bona fide superstar.
Starting point is 02:20:20 odds-on favor to win the damn MVP. Mike Vrable has always won when he was a head coach, and the Buffalo Beals are fresh off of a Jashellen MVP in the snow masterpiece, late comeback to beat the Cincinnati Bengals. Connor, any final thoughts that we should think about? 95%
Starting point is 02:20:36 chance of snow on Sunday in July it will be a snow game. It is a hat and t-shirt game. I believe it's the only one first one of the season. Patriots win. They win the division. They are officially in the playoffs. I'm not completely sure. As far as injury report goes, I know our third string running back is probably out.
Starting point is 02:20:55 Christian Benford, starting corner superstar for the Bills, actually a guy who had the pick six against the Bengals. He popped up on the injury report. I believe he had a boot for a toe injury. Starting left guard, Jared Wilson for the New England Patriots, who's been out past couple weeks with an ankle. He will be back at left guard, which is massive. I mean, this is just kind of a throw everything out blood ball time, baby. Has Drake made playing a snow game yet? I don't believe so.
Starting point is 02:21:19 Not this year. He might have had one late last year in the snow, but I'm not sure. Nothing was stakes like this, for sure. Let's go into the Dietz. Shall we hand size, please, on Drake? And then obviously compare it to big hand, Josh Allen. Drake made 9 in an 8th is his hand size.
Starting point is 02:21:35 Josh Allen is 10 in an 8th for his hand. He's got an inch bigger hands. What's a standard for big hand quarterbacks to be over 9 inches? Is that kind of the thing? I think anything over 9 is considered good, right? Coming out of that draft, because this is how I found it or whatever, Pennix had 10 and a half. Nix was 10 and an 8th. Caleb, 9 in 3 quarters. Drake May, 9 and 8th, J.J. McCarthy, 9.
Starting point is 02:21:53 So I don't know what that does for you, but that's just kind of what the coming out of that draft was. Because Josh Allen, in the snow, we all just see him do special things. And it's because he has massive hands. He's an athlete. He can move? Drake May, we just assume going to be good in a similar situation. Yeah, just for context, what were Kenny Pickett's hand size? Because that was the big thing with him. It's like, no, no. Can we actually get it, though? Yeah. Because that was the whole thing was like, hey, this guy's hands are way too small. So if his are, you know, eight and something, then I guess. but eight and a half. Okay, so there you have it.
Starting point is 02:22:22 So, yeah, no big deal. All right, let's move along. Who are you picking, AJ, the Beals or the Patriots? You know what? I'm going to go with the Buffalo Beals on this one. I will take the New England Patriots, even though there's a lot of unknowns, and we know how special Josh Allen can be in the snow.
Starting point is 02:22:37 I like the Patriots team a lot. Not that I don't like the Beals. Love the Beals. They've been very good to us, but I just like... Maybe it's because Connor and me following along with this story so closely to it. They're a good football team. They're a very fucking good football team, New England Patriots. And Rable, Connor said at the beginning of the show, off of a buy in the regular season is 6-0 ATS and straight up.
Starting point is 02:22:58 Getting points at home, I'll take the New England Patriots. Cardinals, Texans, Texans minus 9.5. I've already talked about how disrespectful it is to the Colts for what this spread is so everybody knows I'm on the Texans. How about you, AJ? Yep, give me the Texas. Raiders, Eagles, Eagles favored by 11.5 at home taking on a Raiders team that has just been very fascinating to watch. watch. Who was playing quarterback for the Raiders last week? It was Gino and then Kenneth
Starting point is 02:23:22 Pickett came in. He threw an absolute dart and he will be your starting quarterback. And it's not a revenge game. It's kind of like a commemorative game since he was the Super Bowl winning quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles last year. Kenny Pickett, last person to touch the ball during the Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl. A kickoff it'll be 29. It'll feel like it's
Starting point is 02:23:38 19 degrees. Precipitation probability 5%. We don't have to worry about any of the hand stuff with the football. Not that Kenny Pickett ever has anyways. He played a bit in one. ACC championship. He's from New Jersey. It's the bad weather. AJ, who do you like? How do you like it in this one?
Starting point is 02:23:54 11 and a half. It's a lot of points. Yeah, 11.5. Feels like a bunch, especially like I don't feel great about where the Eagles are right now, but I don't feel very good about the Raiders either. So give me the Eagles right here, minus 11 and a half. All right, I'll take the Raiders plus 11.5. Even though I don't think they win the game ever. Two and a half favorites are the Baltimore Ravens taking on the Cincinnati
Starting point is 02:24:14 Bengals. Bangles, interesting situation, especially with Joey B saying it sucks. I don't want to be around anymore. I ain't playing play in playoff football, so what is the purpose of playing? It's a kid's game. Okay, we get paid a lot of money to do this. I certainly love it, but, I mean, what do we play it for?
Starting point is 02:24:30 There's a chance. This is where Joey Burrow is at. There's a chance, what's that, pal? If they went out, which their schedule is not bad, there's a chance they could still make the playoffs. So they still have something to play for. And if they lose, they're eliminated, and this could be the last time you ever see Joe Burrow
Starting point is 02:24:46 in a Bengals jersey. Or ever. Any jersey. At kickoff, yeah, because he was talking, and then all the Andrew Luck comparisons came and we all. saw what happened there. At kickoff, it'll feel like it's one degree. Sheesh. Okay. Lamar Jackson and Baltimore Ravens, they've looked very interested this year, right? Yeah, very much so. Man.
Starting point is 02:25:01 Interested is kind of a word that could describe the Baltimore Ravens. Have they been? I don't know. Juiced up, ready to go, excited to play in every game. I think this is Joe's first home game since he's been back. Two and a half point favorites in Cincinnati. A.J., who do you like? How do you like it? I like the Cincinnati Bengals here. Now, I know T. Higgins is out. Anyone else out?
Starting point is 02:25:20 T. and Tray. Trays continue to be out. Okay. Yeah, give me the Bengals at home here. I think Joe's, Joe's a new old rope-a-dope, letting people, letting them think that he's like all down the dump. So, you know, what is football? What is life? Boom. He puts up five touchdown. Joe's got to do a fool. I love football. I am football week. Yeah. Yeah. I like Joey being the Bengals as well.
Starting point is 02:25:46 That's crazy to say about this Ravens team, by the way. Just in my head, I just saw the stats of Lamar for the last, what, four or five games or whatever it is. It's just not good or bad. Yeah. And everybody's heard at this point, but it looks as though he's hurt. He's playing injured. Give me a Bengals, it's going to feel like it's one degree at kickoff. Jeez, Louise.
Starting point is 02:26:09 Chargers, Chiefs, in the home. of the cheese favored by five and a half with 76% of the bets on the Chargers. Obviously, after the huge primetime win, there was a lot of things that happened with Justin Herbert. Obviously, with everything it happened in Michigan, we assume Harbaugh's got a little bit of this going on. So there's a lot of negative potentially surrounding the Chargers, even though fresh off a win. In the Chiefs, there's a lot of bum that mindset. What are your thoughts on the game, AJ? Who do you like?
Starting point is 02:26:40 How do you like it? Man, I may be stupid, but I've, I got to pick the chiefs here. I don't know. It's crazy to me that, is this a big, it feels like a big line, right? Is that because Justin Herbert, the hand, the whole situation coming off the surgery? Is that why the chiefs are favored by this much? That's a lot of points, man. That's the division game.
Starting point is 02:26:57 Yeah, for real, but I'm still taking them. So, yeah, I'm going to go against Big Mike's judgment and give me the chiefs. All right, I'll take the Chargers plus five and a half. Washington commanders, New York Giants, Giants favored by two and a half at home. Congratulations. Yeah, okay. Snap's a 21 game underdog stream. Wow, congratulations.
Starting point is 02:27:18 That's a big deal. How about Mara just a couple years ago with sick of telling his billionaire friends about why his team sucks, and for the first time in 21 games, his team isn't expected to lose. Good for him. Hey, congrats to you guys,
Starting point is 02:27:30 Hey, Mark. This is a bus-wash game. Anything we need to know about this game that potentially would inform us on why you guys are favorites, Bruce? No, not really. I mean, the commies just got boat-raced, but yeah not a ton
Starting point is 02:27:42 to play for or really care about here it's just pure pride rivalry matchup in the division winning for the gaffer you know shit let's go get one done if now we're picking first yeah let's do it AJ did that get it over the hump for you to pick the Giants or
Starting point is 02:27:58 are you going to take the commanders getting points like I am who are the starting quarterbacks in this game Dart Marriota yeah Marriota yeah okay give me New York Giants I like them at home ball chance oh I do Mike Kafka did say on hard knocks
Starting point is 02:28:14 We're going to win out You guys aren't coming to do that Get the fuck out of here So I don't know Message landed Remember they showed 2 and 10 On the board before the Patriots game I love this shit
Starting point is 02:28:26 It fucking sucks We're dumb with this And then they lost the path But they just had to buy It's an out of 2 and 11 And they did it again Put the fucking record up They said nuh
Starting point is 02:28:38 fuck this guys we can actually do it this week now on the flip side it kind of cut to the guys in the meeting room and they look very disinterested and kind of like they didn't care what he had to say oh really yeah we are we suck you're gonna be gone
Starting point is 02:28:53 you know fourth fucking guy to stand up there in the last month so give me marriota without Zach Hertz right because of the oh yeah for Zach we appreciate your contribution to sports and if you come back from this that would be insane but that's that looked nasty we hope you're okay uh in the future let's go colts seahawks
Starting point is 02:29:14 biggest spread of the weekend somehow seahawks favored by 13 and a half at home chance of precipitation is phil rivers is 49 hours 41 minutes and six seconds away from making his first start in five years his first playing time in five years is there anything else we need to know about this game other than old man Philip Rivers is returning. Nope, that's it. AJ Hawk, who do you like? How do you like them? You know, from the minute I heard that Phil Rivers was signing with the Colts,
Starting point is 02:29:47 I was very positive on it. I said that's a great idea. Why not? We've got to figure it out. Let's find a way. So I'm going to stick with that. I'm taking the Colts here. Obviously, Colts plus 13 and a half.
Starting point is 02:29:56 I think if you have Colts money on, that's not a bad situation either. Oh, you're speaking from my brain. Jeez, Louise, I love that. Thank you, AJ. you got my shirt on from Kofandy. Okay, I love that. Amazon's looking out for both of us. And you're saying, my words out of your brain. I love where we're at.
Starting point is 02:30:12 We're seeing the field the same way. Give me the Indianapolis Colts, plus 13 and a half. I think it was plus 14 yesterday, too. It was. We'll take the plus 14 as well, right, AJ, won't we? Yes, we will. We will take it all day. Titans, Niners, Niners, favored by 12 and a half at home.
Starting point is 02:30:27 Titans, I don't know, man, just really about anything. Well, I don't know if you heard, but Cam Ward was being a negative Nancy on the team playing after a win. I heard that was taken out of context. I heard that Cam Ward was basically like, yeah, it's cool, man, we won but also, like, what are we doing here? We suck. We're fucking 2 and 11. Then I heard somebody who's the team comedian
Starting point is 02:30:45 who has a good relationship with everybody, said, hey, it's hard to win, it's a league, let's make sure we enjoy us, I'll care what the hell, Cam Ward said. Cam Ward thought, he's a fucking rookie, you don't know how what he's the way. I saw there's truth in every joke. That's also, maybe team comedian's a shit talker naturally. We know Cam Ward's a shit talker as
Starting point is 02:31:01 well, so that's just a little shit talk, I think. and I like the Cam Awards later. They are hot. Hey, let's not fucking have a parade, because we won a game. Let's make sure we understand there's still things to do, which maybe bodes well
Starting point is 02:31:11 for the future of the Titans if anybody in positions of power can make a good decision one time. That's all we need. TBD. That's asking a lot. It's going to shock you. I looked it up yesterday.
Starting point is 02:31:20 The Titans after a win this year are 0-1. What? We don't have a lot to pull from. You don't have a lot to pull from. Is there any Niners stats that we have here other than the fact that they're just much better football team than the Tennessee Titans?
Starting point is 02:31:33 Oh, I bet there are, I don't have them at the helm, especially because stats today were a lot of opinions. But I do think... It did feel like a mail-in on the stats thing. Yeah, it was fucking ridiculous. But Bob Sala against rookie quarterbacks, can't imagine rookie quarterbacks do too well against a guy like that. All right, AJ, who do you like? How do you like it? I was lean in Tennessee when we started this, but I'm going to flip and take San Francisco minus 12 and a half. Yeah, I had the same exact trajectory as you on this particular.
Starting point is 02:32:03 give me the Niners. Green Bay favored by two and a half heading into number one seed, Denver Broncos. Now, obviously, the Broncos defense. Stott, Bo Nix is able to get the job done on the offensive side. And for the Green Bay Packers, you want to talk about a stout defense. That's a smothering defense that they have. Halfley's name is now up for basically every single job. Mike is doing things we've never seen of. And it's not just him. It's the entire squad. And on the offensive side, it's Toyo Athon. Jordan Love is about to go absolutely bonkers. Ty, anything we should think about before making this pick?
Starting point is 02:32:38 No, you kind of mentioned it when we talked about this in the first hour. Josh Jacobs did have another MRI just to make sure he didn't do anything to his knee and it came back clean. But there is a thought that maybe he won't play Sunday. I think he's playing Sunday. So at this point, that's kind of the only thing. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said they're running back. Josh Jacobs will practice today in a limited fashion. it sounds like he's feeling pretty good
Starting point is 02:33:02 LaFleur added they will have to see how he feels after the workout. LaFleur said there we didn't hear it exactly Josh Jacobs told us he's playing this. Yeah I mean this is a massive fucking game I can't see there being anyway he sits this out. AJ who do you like and why is it the Packers? I tell you what I mean the fact that the Packers are
Starting point is 02:33:20 favorites going into Denver when they are such a good team in a tough place to play at mile high that says a lot about what these odds makers I guess believe the Packers are. I think the Packers win this. I'm taking the Packers here minus two and a half on the road in Denver. We know the impact Micah has, even if he's not making the tackle. We know what he can do.
Starting point is 02:33:37 And the rest of that defense is very, very good around him. And Jordan Love is going to hit a few deep balls over the top, too. I don't like what my brain just did. I don't like it. I was on the Packers there. And I might end up still being on the Packers. But in my brain, I saw Jordan Love backing up like this and doing one of these. And for some reason, Broncos are on the other side of it.
Starting point is 02:34:00 There's a chance. I mean, he threw a pick early against the Bears last week and then kind of recalculated and just absolutely shredded him. No, that's old Jordan. That's not this, Jordan. I was going to say, he's, I mean, that would be, he's been playing so good over, like, the last four weeks. And I would guess that's why the line is what it is, because ultimately the books just are a little bit more confident in Jordan Love than they are, Bo Nix.
Starting point is 02:34:24 I'll take the Doreen Bay Pack. What were you going to say? Yeah, exactly what he said. Like, if you look at the teams and how at the Broncos. have beat them, like it hasn't been they haven't had like an impressive win this point yet and we talked about this yesterday to someone who called you
Starting point is 02:34:40 the Patriots get a lot of gruff for their strength of schedule and no one's really talking about how the Broncos have the second easiest schedule but they haven't beaten anybody handily really yet. Okay I like the Packers minus two and a half. I don't know why my brain did that though because my brain was just trying to, hey, check some bounces.
Starting point is 02:34:56 Yeah, you know, every stone and he played boat to his credit he doesn't step off in big game he does he does i like jordan too after his interview which once again i can change the way i think about somebody entirely from one conversation i liked jordan love coming into our convo with him earlier this week i love love now boom detroit lines i used to love them well fell out mostly because we have zero relationship with the team but also because they don't look the same this year as they did last year no they don't i fell in love with them last year in your past because they were tough, they were fun, they were
Starting point is 02:35:32 exciting, they were electrifying, and MCDC was giving us the soundbite every single fucking week. Where have those been? Honestly, good question. He's focused on the offense. Well, Appleby's commercial was ass. Bad. Press conferences have been ass. Bad. What do they contribute into fucking sports
Starting point is 02:35:48 all of a sudden? The locker room, cellies have been worse than they normally are, I'd say. Jamir Gibbs is really the only redeeming him and Jack Campbell, yeah. The offense is playing great. I'll give MCDC a lot of credit. there, and they're going to have to score a million points in this game. But I will say the defense has not been.
Starting point is 02:36:04 If you guys remember, Brian Branch, out with that Achilles injury. Kirby Joseph was supposed to come back. He's been out for a million games. Well, he had a setback, so he's out for the regular season. And Terry and Arnold, another starter, out for the season. So that secondary is banged up. And that's not good against Matthew Stafford. Do they have the revenge game every time Matthew Stafford's playing the Detroit Lions?
Starting point is 02:36:24 Do they have the immortal chamber thing in Detroit for all these players? Or did Matt only get introduced to that in L.A.? Great point. We need that. Also, let's look into the turf. I think you brought that point up to me. That turf seems to be a problem because we have injuries two years in a row now, and it's not looking good.
Starting point is 02:36:39 Yeah, nobody ever talks about Detroit's turf, and I'm not saying all the injuries are there. Just natural thought whenever we hear about a team having a lot of injuries. It's like, what's going on there that maybe isn't where else? And maybe it's just unmistfortune or whatever. But on that note, the amoral people, I think, have tried to get in touch with us. Seriously? There's a chance to get one of those trailers in here. That would be awesome.
Starting point is 02:36:59 Yeah, we're living forever. Our haters are going to be fucking mad when we are alive forever and they are not. We're all going to be able to dunk again? Again, you were able to dunk? Yeah. And you're a ball? Huh? No.
Starting point is 02:37:13 No, I know you weren't. That's what I'm saying. Like, what dunking are you referring to? High school, brother. High school, what? Fucking basketball. You're dunking. What are we talking about?
Starting point is 02:37:22 Tennis ball, but. I had no, I'm going to be 100% serious right now. I had no idea you had ever. Tennis ball. I'm saying with the tennis ball you were able yeah I didn't know you had that type of explosion I bet you still can you're more of a savvy player I always done I didn't know you were like an explosive not anymore
Starting point is 02:37:41 still savvy I didn't know you could get the tennis ball in it that's even a good feat for you yeah for anybody yeah yeah I couldn't touch her room kidding me never not even close brother but you fucking got a j. Dylan on the sideline how's a savvy basketball player more of more stocked. Could you smack the backboard when you were doing a layup? The bottom. The rubber? The rubber part. Smacking rubber? I mean, look, no one was picking me to dunk the ball.
Starting point is 02:38:12 You know, they were picking me to pass the ball. I know, but for a guy that, in my eyes, is a good athlete. I think you are a good athlete. After watching you do all different sporting styles, I think you are a good athlete. You're the first good athlete that I've ever met that has not been able to touch, like, jumping and I'm and I mean this seriously basketball is probably my one of my better sports growing up but yes like jumping has just never been my
Starting point is 02:38:33 Connor Connor can throw Connor can shoot Connor can do it Connor you're like real athlete oh yeah I can skate like if we go across the board in sports I can do them all just jumping no matter what has never been my thing dancing there you're not bad yeah again on the ground
Starting point is 02:38:49 10 toes yeah exactly two feet you gassing up that drummer the other night I still will not be able to ever. Okay. I mean, he was a talent. I mean, he might have been a cocky son of a bitch. Is that when he owned Tobittle?
Starting point is 02:39:04 We were at a, oh, that was crazy. Age, this might have been the reason why Indiana won, to be honest. At halftime, Indiana's band was doing their thing first. Tabittle was walking in front of us, our suite. And I don't know how many people were on that. Too many. Maybe a thousand? A lot.
Starting point is 02:39:21 He got every other one of them. So 500, then they'll say if there's 1,800. he got 400 of them they would walk and they would have no idea and they'd go, hey, Tabittle, Tabittle! And Ohio State band would look and he go, on the field, Tabittle. And then he...
Starting point is 02:39:36 It was funny. They were pissed. They were not. I laughed every other time I did it. Tobito and the Indiana band put on a good show at half time. How come nobody was saying that about the Big 12 championship? What's that all about? I don't know. I thought John Pardy brought the fucking house down.
Starting point is 02:39:51 But apparently not everybody thought... Came out of the ground. Give this guy some He had three different stages. Three stages, fucking pyro and fireworks. This guy had a clean shave, sweet jacket. That might have been the problem. Huh? That might have been the problem. He should have
Starting point is 02:40:07 maybe grown a beard because I saw a lot of people saying who the fuck is this wobble body. Oh, it's dirt on my boots guy and he doesn't have any fucking dirt on his boots. Those things look brand new. Well, that's because he was in Jerry World and they gave him a full thing. I don't think it was fair the way that people were talking about Mr. Party because I agree.
Starting point is 02:40:23 I will say this. I thought it was great. and it might be a little dirt on my booze banger stage can't be the can't be the star well that was can't be going after like the stage was cool like stage was cool but that can't be the one like jack white in m&m who we didn't i don't even remember the fucking stage i remember the setup of the fans very close yeah i thought was a smart idea it was great for the optics to have that many hands whenever they zoomed out and we're like oh that's only that one down there then the cheerleaders were in there i thought maybe that was interesting because trying to utilize all that space is difficult on a football field.
Starting point is 02:40:57 So I think they're always trying to balance that. I think Eminem had the right idea, though. Wasn't there Nicklu? Everybody tight in here. That was a couple years ago for Jack Harlow. It wasn't great. John Party, I thought you did great, dude. Gumpy and I really enjoyed it.
Starting point is 02:41:07 We were in transit. Gumpy and I were in transit, and we're standing in airport watching said performance. A little bit of sound. Certainly static sound out here. This guy pops up out of the ground on the stage. We're like Big 12, bringing it. And then we see the jacket.
Starting point is 02:41:25 party, we're like, holy shit, sings the song, walks a hundred yards to another stage, there's firework, there's pyro, and he's absolutely, you know, getting on that thing. I mean, Gumpby are like, is this the, this should be Super Bowl halftime maybe, did we hear it entirely?
Starting point is 02:41:42 I mean, we weren't plugged in like some people were. Gumpy sends one, party's kind of doing it here or whatever, because we were so impressed. Literally stop what we were doing to watch it. We're like, wow, what a show. Then I retweet, double down, This production's outrageous. And then we got a thousand people telling us how terrible.
Starting point is 02:42:01 There's some mean things about him. Mean things. I didn't like it. Not at all. Were you listening to it on mute? I mean, well, and I didn't want to respond. But kind of. Yeah, yeah, it was.
Starting point is 02:42:11 Maybe we didn't hear it as clearly. But party, we thought he did good. Maybe John O. He's hating Fox or Duky, dude. Don't ever forget it. Yeah. He's a jacket. So cool.
Starting point is 02:42:22 Yeah. He should have done dirt on my boot. boots every time. Because there was a point during his first song, he was up, and he was like, God, ain't nobody fucking care that I'm up here right now. And he started to play, hey, I do, Big 12! Which, you know, that never
Starting point is 02:42:37 really plays, but... Yes, it does. What are you talking about? Always. What are they supposed to say? I got a lot of dirt on my boots. What's up, motherfuckers? Guess what? I got some fucking dirt on my boots. I mean, guess what? Every 70,000 on their, fuck yeah.
Starting point is 02:42:53 Even, and then when it's over, Hey, you know what I was thinking the other day? I just looked down here. Oh, shit. Got a little motherfucking dirt on my boots. Or point someone out. Hey, is that some... Hold on.
Starting point is 02:43:06 You got a little dirt on your boo. Yeah, so remix. Yeah, exactly. Here, the Big 12, we all kind of got a little dirt on our boots. Yeah. I mean, but he's a fucking artist. So why don't we have a little respect for everything he put into that? No doubt.
Starting point is 02:43:23 Absolute showman, DeBoo. amen. Thank you party for the show. And we apologize for, I guess, just throwing you into the sun with our particular setup on our little portion of the internet. But he was, there wasn't one. No. I mean, we're scrolling. We got on a plane. Phone goes in pocket. Send that tweet. I fucking doubled down. Absolutely phone in pocket. Let's walk the plane. Get on plane. Sit down on plane. Okay, we're going through the whole thing. Let's check phone before we take off. Jeez, gumps, are you reading? holy fuck this guy's trending right now they haven't said one good thing about this guy have you seen this and gumby goes it does appear as if we were a little off on our judgment of parties uh performance or something like that it was a great show that you kid me look at that's unbelievable
Starting point is 02:44:11 gas it up the crowd the mat lafleur bump i mean look at all the fucking band on the entire i mean they did everything bob party i was gonna say people left in droves too they were borderline stampede towards the concession stands when he came out. I know, I'm just saying it's not fair. You'd think people would be like, well, actually, I'm going to just shit or piss my pants because parties out there, but they didn't.
Starting point is 02:44:32 Big 12, great job on halftime alongside party. Also, Big 10, what you guys did to Lucas Oil Stadium made it awesome. I mean, like taking over these NFL things and making them college atmospheres, you certainly did a good job. Let's get back to the Sunday, Slate, shall we? We're both on the Packers. We're all on the Rams? Yep.
Starting point is 02:44:50 Me as well. I, uh, man, I don't like that. It feels like it's the same old lions. I got to give MCDC a little credit here because he's unlocked J.M.O. Gibbs is having one of the best years ever. Golf's numbers are actually incredible if you look at them and St. Brown's doing St. Brown things. And that's
Starting point is 02:45:06 without Leporta and without Ragnow and some of the, you know, so MCDC's doing a good job. Only way we win this game is if it's a shootout. We have to win 42, 35 or so. But isn't that what the Rams want to? The Rams aren't scared of that either. And that's the problem. And that's the problem with our banged up defense.
Starting point is 02:45:22 Stafford will probably throw for $3.50. thuds is what happens when you win a bunch of games schedule gets very very hard indeed and when you lose a few when you run into the rams late into the season that's when it becomes a huge problem 75% of the bets are on the lines so maybe we're seeing it wrong 65 last night you like the lines how come I don't know I just feel like they they have to win this week I think people have kind to written them off and act like they're like you know six and seven or like they're eight and five still. This team is very good. They play in a very tough division. And I don't know.
Starting point is 02:45:56 I don't want to say that the Rams are due for a stinker because that's definitely not the case. But I could see this being like a big hutch statement game as well. Six points, a lot of points, man. Yeah, I guess I don't know if they're going to win, but I think they'll cover. AJ, final
Starting point is 02:46:12 answer? L.A. Rams. I'll do this, Sam. Panthers, Saints, Panthers favored by two and a half in New Orleans, New Orleans fresh off a win over at Tampa Bay Buckingham. Carolina Panthers can still win the NFC South, potentially should win NFC South with what is happening down there and host a home playoff game.
Starting point is 02:46:36 Bryce Young, shock. How do you like it, AJ? I'm a little surprised the Panthers. Well, I guess I thought they might be favored by more than two and a half going into this game. I know it's a tough place to play down in New Orleans, but give me the Carolina Panthers. I think Bryce Young lights it up.
Starting point is 02:46:54 I'll do the same. Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys Sunday night football. Five and a half points spread. Dallas Cowboys favored at home. Tell me a little bit about 9 in the Vikings. Any pieces of information that need to be heard? They're coming off a blowout win last week. Nine had a efficient game, if you will.
Starting point is 02:47:12 Didn't throw for a ton of yards. $1.28. something. Yeah, yeah. Very, very efficient. He was 9 to 10 to start the game. But I heard someone say, today, like, if the Dallas Cowboys don't win by 40, they're the laughing stock of the NFL.
Starting point is 02:47:24 Who said that? What? Stephen A. Stephen A said that? Yeah. Well, he's always got that little thing going on with the Dallas Cowboys. Minnesota Vikings have it all, man, don't they? They got it all.
Starting point is 02:47:35 Except. Van Ginky, if you throw a quick screen his way, he's going to pick it off and take it the other direction. Cowboys still happen. AJ, who do you like? How do you like it? Man, five and a half feels like a lot, but I like this Cowboys team.
Starting point is 02:47:49 I really do. don't know if the Vikings' offense will score enough to keep up. So give me the Cowboys at home. I'll take the Dallas Cowboys as well, minus five and a half as we wrapped up the Sunday slate there with our picks. We hope you have an incredible weekend. We hope you have the greatest weekend of your life. And remember, anything you want is available because of our friends at DoorDash.
Starting point is 02:48:08 Hell yeah. Win every week with DoorDash streaks. You know, you can save up $250 a season when you order on game days. And obviously, this QR code will make your life easier. And this pizza right here will not be delivered because this piece. on a graphic, but any pizza that's around you can be delivered to you. And it's not just pizza, you can get local steaks, Chinese food, fast food, healthy food, you get smoothies, or shakes, or burgers, or pants, t-shirt, what, medicine,
Starting point is 02:48:40 cleaning supplies, what, towels, anything with our friends at DoorDash, shout out to DoorDash, Shout out to all you for allowing us to do this for a living. We appreciate the hell out of you. In the back, great work this week, boys. Work base. The GDB graphic design boys. Good work this week. Good work based.
Starting point is 02:49:00 Congrats to D-Bone. Yeah. What a day. He's in the middle of a hair transition too. Yeah. So he had to take a photo in the middle of a new haircut with his hero, John Sina. So I'll be excited to see how we view that photo four or five years from now. You know, it's like wedding.
Starting point is 02:49:17 photos that happen whenever somebody's in a different stage. Here he is right here. This is obviously a magical moment for D. Bone. Oh, he's a big dude. Bone, yeah, he's offensive alignment. National Champion offensive lineman. Yeah. Yeah, he's a gigantic guy. A lot of people saying his legs are like pogo sticks and stuff like that. Just know that he's a great athlete. D. Bone is a great athlete and he's current U-ball champion. And he had a chance, obviously, to meet his hero in John Sina. And he kicked ass this week, as did dirty, as did talk. as did Bill, as did Mitt. Zito, we appreciate the hell out of you.
Starting point is 02:49:52 Tim McAfee, great work this week. A. P. Tone, where you go? Thank you. Talk to the table. Way you go, boys. AJ, way to go? Hey, you're watching around the world. Way go, you guys.
Starting point is 02:50:05 Another week of doing this as a job. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Crazy. That's right. your time is up his time is now his time is up tomorrow night yeah it's sad damn it's the dawn of a new day
Starting point is 02:50:33 and let's remember that we have no idea what it'll bring be your friend tell a friend something nice it might change your life let's try to enjoy this life team on me team on three we'll see you on Monday one two three team Bye!

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