The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1477 - Merry Christmas Eve, NFL Christmas Day/Week 17 Preview, Mike McCarthy, JJ Watt, & AJ Hawk

Episode Date: December 24, 2025

On today's show, Pat, AJ Hawk and the boys celebrate Christmas Eve and preview the NFL's Christmas weekend games. In the first hour, we are joined by Super Bowl Champion, former Head Coach of the Gree...n Bay Packers & Dallas Cowboys, Mike McCarthy joins the progrum to chat about playing on holidays, the state of the Philadelphia Eagles, building a team through the trenches, what makes Aaron Rodgers' so great presnap, Mike Tomlin winning 200 games in the NFL, and more. In the second hour, we are joined by Texans Ring of Honor member, future Hall of Famer, 3x DPOY, and color commentator for NFL on CBS, JJ Watt stops by to talk about roughing the passer, Myles Garrett's chase of NFL sack history, the Cleveland Browns future, and more. We wrap the show with all of our picks. 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. Merry Christmas everybody. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our holly jolly humble abode on this magical Christmas Eve edition of a sports show that shouldn't be on television, and it starts now. Football! It is magical, and obviously it'll be alongside of our Christmases tomorrow, two on Netflix, one on Prime. To be honest, the game certainly looked a lot better in the preseason whenever we were forecasting. What a great NFL season could look like, obviously, the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas. We're certainly going to make that happen. And listen, we can sell the hope of what the future can be. And maybe when I traded macapas, macaussens, they said that it was going to be a bad situation.
Starting point is 00:00:40 But the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas, if you want this to have success, this is what you do. They did. Have us play the commanders. Obviously, that'll be a good time. Jaden Daniels. He's coming into his own. Dan Quinn, Cliff Kingsbury's still there. They traded for Debo Samuel.
Starting point is 00:00:53 The Washington commanders on Christmas, on Netflix, a new partner that's spending billions. Billions of dollars on sports and live sports content and taking over Christmas from the NBA. Let's go ahead and give them a big one to start today. Hey, you know, they're just going to be coming fresh out of the unwrapping of the gifts from Santa Claus. You know, everybody's going to be kind of settling in. Boom! Let's go ahead and hit them with the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders.
Starting point is 00:01:20 And then right after that, guess who we got? What's more holly jolly than Motor City, Dan Campbell, and the Detroit Lions? A rugged, tough team. The Detroit Lions, we've seen them on another holiday Thanksgiving for a long time, just getting smacked in a mouth. Now they have a good team. Let's go ahead and give them Christmas as well. Let the world see this comeback tale for a city, for a team, for an organization in a beautiful way on a beautiful day in the middle of it. While people are, you know, kind of settling in maybe for their dinner or maybe their second bite or, you know, celebrating their new toys or fixing the batteries or fixing something that potentially took place, let's give them the Detroit Lions in a Minnesota Vikings.
Starting point is 00:01:58 And you know where it's going to be? It's going to be over there in beautiful Minneapolis, Minnesota. And we're going to see a lot of cool traditions. Like when things get going, we're going to see their entire fan base go. Skull. Skull. Skull. Skull.
Starting point is 00:02:17 Skull. Skull. Skull, Skull, Skull, Skull. Whatever at the end of it is. We don't know for sure. But that's going to be a magical moment on Christmas. state. Now, I'm not going to say it's only there. Also in Iceland, I believe Iceland gave that to the Minnesota Vikings, now part of the San Antonio Spurs world. And we would like to say,
Starting point is 00:02:39 we that is a good thing, not a bad thing. You know, if only one stadium or arena was allowed to do the White Stripe Seven Nation Army, that would certainly not be good for all of sports. So the fact that it's something that is a sick community event like that is being added to an event as opposed to being gate-kept away from an event, I think is good for sports. We want more moments of high, high, hi. We want that. And anything Wembe wants to do, by the way, I think we should follow suit. This guy seemingly hasn't figured out. Okay, he hangs out with the monks. He hangs out with Kevin Garnett. That's both in a two-month period. He's with a monk and he's with KG in a two-month period trying to learn about the universe. He's trying to make
Starting point is 00:03:18 sports in the Spurs atmosphere even more electrifying. We like that. We don't hate that. But if I was a Minnesota of Vikings fans forever, you could say, hey, we're the first American ones who really had this. And the Spurs fans would say that. That's cool. We got a guy who's seven foot nine. So does this entire thing. What are you guys doing? Well, they're hosting a Christmas Day game against the Detroit Lions.
Starting point is 00:03:37 And the Detroit Lions, favorite by seven and a half, oh, no. Oh, no, on Christmas. Just maybe that's a vibes thing. Maybe not. But certainly in the preseason looking at what this game could have been, as opposed to, you know, the Bears being the story. The Bears and the Packers, obviously always going to be in the conversation of the NFC North. Instead, it's the others in the NFC North.
Starting point is 00:03:55 Whenever the others are actually in the conversation for this. Super Bowl couldn't have projected that. And then the Denver Broncos coming into the year with their defense, with another year with Sean Payton, with Bo Nix. They were Lombardi darlings, still in the conversation for sure. And then who are they playing? Yeah. Patrick and Treff.
Starting point is 00:04:14 Of course. The NFL thought, okay, they had a Christmas Day home run. Absolutely. And how could you not? I think when it came out, I think we're all like, okay. And then the Kansas City Chiefs, that's going to become a new Christmas tradition. They're red, Andy Reid, pretty holly, Goli himself, you know, in the home of the cheese.
Starting point is 00:04:38 Can I only say that for five more years? Uh-oh. They're moving. Yikes. That's big news right now. Arrow Dead Stadium. Oh. Whoa.
Starting point is 00:04:45 I didn't mean to do that. Arrow almost. Please. We still have five more years. Good point. This isn't until 2031. We're certainly going to piss everybody off now. And we're going to have to live through it for the next five, six years.
Starting point is 00:04:56 But yeah, we're moving right across the road. We're going in Kansas. Kansas. Kansas City, one of those funny city names, that it's two of them in two different states. One of them not be in Kansas. And the other one, turns out in Kansas, they're moving over to Kansas. That's right. And Kansas said, you know what? Welcome home, Kansas Chiefs.
Starting point is 00:05:12 That's what they said. You know what we're going to give you? Whatever you want? Everything. There's $3 billion. You guys can keep tickets and merch just like you. Yeah, it's a good little deal. All we're going to do is we're going to pay for this in Starbonds.
Starting point is 00:05:23 I did a little research on this. I'm not a big bond stock market guy. would rather bet on something you're in control of as opposed to some but it sounds like people do really well over there. Star bonds, I guess, are a type of loan from the state, okay, that'll be paid for by their saying the taxes on what is generated from. So I believe what is happening over there with this $3 billion investment and the Chiefs moving from Missouri over to Kansas,
Starting point is 00:05:47 is they're going to build one of those super-duper Kansas City Chiefs worlds. Chief's time. This can be Chief's time. It's Kansas City Chief's time. That is in Kansas now. So we're going to have restaurants. I assume there's going to be some sort of museum or Hall of Fame for the Kansas City Chiefs, let alone with all the history with Clark Hunt.
Starting point is 00:06:04 And we saw in the Chiefs documentary, they're literally underground, pulling shit out, his desk or something like that. I feel like they're probably going to make this a attraction. They're going to try their best to have their own version of a Lambo-type operation that takes place over there in Green Bay. So I think what the state of Kansas is betting is that all the business that's going to come through, we're going to be able to get that money back without taking any of the revenue from the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, immediately upon seeing that, you go, wow, the state of Kansas just got a hose.
Starting point is 00:06:30 This feels like taxpayers are, you know, really just kind of begging? Like, what's going? Life is okay whenever they were over there in Missouri, what's going on here? So why would you make that deal? But it feels like the state of Kansas is trying to make it better on the fact that they're going to be able to bring in enough to be able to pay us off. Now, granted, those taxes, once they start, do you ever turn them off? I don't think any government's ever done that, right? So I think once you see a flow of income coming, you're probably going to keep that.
Starting point is 00:06:54 So does that end up affecting the rest of the state? and the taxpayers, I don't know enough about the situation, but I will say taxpayers will certainly feel it, and if they don't win, and this doesn't, you know, if they go back to being not good. Oh, boy. They're not, because they have Patrick Mahomes. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:07:09 And it's indoors. They do have a dome, so, you know, they'll be able to have a lot of great events. I mean, Taylor Swift concert in Kansas. That might have been what it really was. That might have been the entire draws. Taylor Swift needs to be coming to Kansas.
Starting point is 00:07:24 That's where we need her to be. and that's a big deal i think if you talk business-wise especially when she's going to have a restaurant oh there's a chance taylor i mean 1587 oh it's right yeah it's already there yeah Kelsey and my homeses boom yeah we got a plate from their place uh downtown kansas city i believe Missouri okay so this would be going into kansas city cheese ton i believe yeah i don't yeah kC mo right there kc mo yeah good run five years they go hey they go wagoo in her yeah five years but all they're thinking about is can't wait to get to
Starting point is 00:07:57 Kansas. It's going to be so much better in Kansas. In Kansas City, Chiefs Town. Nonetheless, we appreciate a new stadium coming in.
Starting point is 00:08:04 We hope that the fans don't feel like they got completely screwed in this, but there's going to be people pissed. And it's certainly going to be a change
Starting point is 00:08:11 of things that we're not going to be in the home of the Chiefs that we've come to know, but it feels like that's going to change.
Starting point is 00:08:19 Good for them. But they are the nightcap for our Christmas NFL lineup. And then the NBA, they're throwing heat too. You know, if there's commercial or something like that, or you want to change the channel or a game becomes absolute shite.
Starting point is 00:08:31 You can go over to Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks. That's a big one, because I think there's a Mickey Mouse game. Yes, there's a Mickey Mouse watch along, yes. There's a Mickey Mouse watch along. We got an incredible gift on here. This is a good part of being part of the ESPN relationship that we have. It's like we get some of the Disney promotional stuff, and I think we would get it anyways because we are a sports show at this point.
Starting point is 00:08:52 But nonetheless, we got this dunk the holes. package? Ken's going to go crazy. Sick. Ken is going to go up. Yeah, they got them all in there. They literally got them all in there. I think Mickey Mouse is leading.
Starting point is 00:09:04 I believe the fun, the clubhouse is going to be a part of it. It's, yeah, I think they're doing one of those things. That's, you know, the added benefit, especially on Christmas Day. Hey, who knows what type of Disney gifts are coming with Santa Claus, Don the Chimney.
Starting point is 00:09:17 Here's last year's, and I'll tell you, Mickey gets loose. Hey, people forget. And I don't know who. So those are. actual humans that they make animated, I believe. Oh, they make them Disney characters? Yeah, of the players.
Starting point is 00:09:31 And then they track them. Yes. With a GPS thing. Yeah, and I think they're actually doing the... Oh, whoa, whoa. Oh. Donald. Goofy! All right. Yeah, so they're going to have a good time. So that is available. What's that on the Disney Channel? Disney Network? Probably
Starting point is 00:09:47 on the Disney Channel. Yeah, the Dano thing, the Monsters. Monsters Inc. was on the Disney app. So I assume probably. Okay, we can check that out. And then, you know, obviously the day is filled with great sports. We're so incredibly thankful and lucky that we're in the sports world. And today should be a good one. We've got Coach Mike McCarthy join us.
Starting point is 00:10:05 He had a picture of saying, what his dollars last year? He said, you're in the season, we're doing this. And I will say, we got a gift from Coach Mike McCarthy. Now, there is a chance, and I'm not going to say it because I don't want to give him a heads up. I don't want to tip them off. There was a lot of gifts. A lot of gifts. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:10:21 He's a good gift. He knows what was in there, what was it? Yes, he does. Yes, he does. He can't pick. He packaged it himself. We don't need to, we just need to know that he, even that pie, those pies. Oh, my God.
Starting point is 00:10:33 The cooks. Oh, sharkery board. Fresh moots. Come on. Foxy was back here with a knife this morning, cutting up coach Mike McCarthy and his wife's. I don't want to say her name. Jessica. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:10:48 That was who it came from. Has he said her name before? Yes. Last week. Okay. if no we should dump that sure you know that's what I was
Starting point is 00:10:59 but I do appreciate you both in rhythm on time I have football coach in the NFL I think he's probably been on the field with his with his wife before probably probably yeah Super Bowl for sure
Starting point is 00:11:09 we know that for sure yeah definitely we all know Andy Reid's wife you know certainly yeah yeah what's going on Andy Reid so is he back for it is he going to be there in Kansas
Starting point is 00:11:20 I doubt it what 2030 he's retired a long ways away Yeah, I think he's calling it before that. Talks the table at Boston Conner, at Ty Schmidt. Merry Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas Eve. Boys, this is a great time of year. The best time of the year.
Starting point is 00:11:33 One half of the hammer. Cowboys AP tone. What a time of the year. Football matters. Yes, it does. Okay, now tomorrow or not really. So that's going to be tough for us to really sell there. Stranger Things is out, so.
Starting point is 00:11:45 What? No big deal. Stranger Things is a... Yeah, big TV show on Netflix. Huge day for Netflix. They're really, you know, touching all the bases tomorrow. respect. So this is kind of the streaming platforms goals, have big events, and then whenever the big events happen on their platform, they're hoping they can hold you. Now, Netflix was able
Starting point is 00:12:04 to crack the code. Netflix and Chill became its own thing. It wasn't like they had to draw you there. You were already going to Netflix just to check out what the hell they had. Everybody else trying to do the same thing. So that's why they're all getting into the NFL business. That's why they're getting into the live sports business, because they're hoping that they can get you on their platform, and then all the ancillary shit, they're going to try to keep you there, okay, and say, hey, you can just come hang out here. You don't have to be drawn here because of a big event. So Netflix's saying, all right, we've got some games.
Starting point is 00:12:28 They might be asked, though. Let's go ahead and drop a little stranger things in here. Let's go ahead and tell them right underneath, too, by the way. You know what else is available? That super dupler sequel to Tiger King that you watched five years ago, we got the follow up on that. Boom. How about, you heard about what Pete did he?
Starting point is 00:12:45 Boom. We got a whole thing for it still trending in there. And oh, yeah, holiday movie here. We want to get any spirit? because this game is ass, we got you there. Netflix is going to be pulling all the tricks. Oh, yeah. And Stranger Things is a good fastball.
Starting point is 00:12:57 That's the one about those little kids riding the bikes. Yeah, exactly, with the Underworld. To your point, upside down, whatever. To your point, quietly Netflix dropped a Adam Sandman George Clooney film on Netflix right now. Yeah, I do not. I haven't seen it yet. I've only seen the trailer.
Starting point is 00:13:13 Well, we know, though. But yeah, it's Clooney and Sandman, so you can assume it's kind of like a Judge Shohey home run derby of a movie. Yes, exactly. Exactly. The World Baseball Classic of a movie. Yeah, I can't believe that's available on Netflix. Right now. It came out like two weeks ago. I was surfing last night, and I saw it. I didn't pull the trigger, but it looked amazing. Did Bob Bunny get a recast? Travis Kelsey get a recast? Is it a Sandman Happy Madison production?
Starting point is 00:13:41 No, no, I believe it's more serious fare. I would say not of Clooney's. Yeah, I believe Sandman is going, you know, he is a drama performance. I heard Clooney was looking forward to working with the Happy Madison production. I'm sure. I am sure. And he asked for Spade, but I think Spade was busy. You know, it was one of those types of situations, but it does look like a good film. So another thing, I mean, Netflix might actually have a hundred million people just from the United States on their app to mark. Good for them.
Starting point is 00:14:06 They certainly wish the games are a little bit bigger. They are more meaningful. Now we got big names, Cowboys, Chiefs, you got it all. You can sell everything, every different angle. You could possibly piece together. But obviously, none of the games mean anywhere near what we thought they would mean at the beginning of the season. but it's still NFL football. We certainly will watch the incredible talent.
Starting point is 00:14:26 Now, joining us, ladies and gentlemen, is a man who sent us a wonderful gift here. All of us. All wonderful gifts. We can't thank him enough for that. Ladies and gentlemen, he's a Super Bowl champ. He's a man who is our coach. He's been joining us every single week,
Starting point is 00:14:38 and I'll tell you what, this Jens or Legend has become one of our favorite conversations we've ever had. Ladies and gentlemen, Coach Mike McCarthy. Yeah. Oh, that's go far. That's going far. His moves. Getting hot hair.
Starting point is 00:14:52 Whoa, yeah, it is. Yeah, it's Merry Christmas, man. It's here. Merry Christmas Eve to you as well. So mine, I actually, we had O's come by and tell it to pause. Stop, yeah. And it did. So it's just kind of chilling.
Starting point is 00:15:09 It's got a perfect temperature, but it is that time of year, Coach Mike McCarthy. Merry Christmas Eve. Did you play it in Christmas games, Christmas Eve games? What is kind of your MO? How many Thanksgiving games? What is your MO on playing? on these big holidays and I don't want to say the honor it is but truly like you are being tasked with entertaining the United States of America during their holiday so I think
Starting point is 00:15:32 it is a big honor to play on these you know monumental holidays coach is that how you view it as well and have you ever talked about that with your team yeah definitely I mean it's it's it's another national game opportunity you know everybody's watching you know and obviously probably been you know part of a lot of Thanksgiving games and you know and players and coaches you love playing on a national stage. And I think really the real joy is after the victory, you know, you get that extra time off with your family. So you may, you know, your Christmas Day or the Thanksgiving Day may be adjusted some,
Starting point is 00:16:04 but there's definitely more, you know, more family time on the back end. So I personally always enjoyed playing on the holidays. I thought it was great for your team. And really it was kind of nice to get a little by week right before the playoffs too. So I think those guys will enjoy, you know, playing tomorrow, frankly. Yeah, the football people calendar is always like, yeah, Thanksgiving's Thursday, Friday, maybe, Saturday, maybe Tuesday. So we will kind of see how it all goes because having to work, having to practice, even the teams that aren't playing on Christmas, obviously
Starting point is 00:16:33 have an appearance, they have a game. A lot of them very, very important. It's a lucky part of our job to be able to be a part of the holiday season for everybody. Let's talk about some of the teams that are currently dancing. We talked about the slate for Christmas, and it was like projection of these teams and then what actual reality of teams are by this point, a little bit different than what we expected in the preseason when we heard about these. What do you think
Starting point is 00:16:57 about the slate and the storylines of these teams? Obviously Denver, favored by 13 and a half against Kansas City, they can still go win it all. But Detroit, Dallas, Washington, Minnesota, Kansas City, all teams, because they're on the Christmas Day, we all thought this, not just the fans, but also the league,
Starting point is 00:17:12 all teams that could be on a Super Bowl run and only one of them are. What do you think goes to say about these teams and maybe the NFL as a whole coach well i think it goes back to our parity conversation from a few weeks back i mean it's here and it's and it's been here for the last 30 years and keeps getting stronger you know i think you know you look at all the things that have happening just with scheduling uh the division games you know some early but most late and and i i just think you know the health of your team you know that challenge of getting through the injury you know part of this thing it shows up more and more every year because you know you look
Starting point is 00:17:44 you look at some of those teams with Washington and Kansas City and some of these teams have had in Detroit, I was had to deal with as far as injuries, it's part of the challenge, you know, 17 games and I don't know how many more teams will be in the playoffs that this year
Starting point is 00:18:00 that morning last year. And I think it bodes well for the NFL and I think it bodes well for the fans. But yeah, it's hard to project these games. Definitely harder today and it was probably 15, 20 years ago. Parodies, what they're striving for, every league's looking for it because every fan base says, holy shit, we can do it. This could be us next
Starting point is 00:18:18 year. We could kind of turn this entire thing around. 36th straight year with at least four new teams. There's five right now from last year. If the Panthers go, that would make it six. 36 straight years? Yes. Okay, so you can go from actual outhouse to playoff Pennhouse, and we have a lot of teams doing that this year. It was actually one of our main headlines from Monday in our overreaction Monday. It's like, hey, there are some teams that are absolutely shite and then had a quick culture change in a turnaround. So if your fan base is going through it right now or your team is asked, there should be a lot of hope with what the league has shown over the last 36 years now.
Starting point is 00:18:53 Now, let's talk about first time 21 years, something that you know a lot about. NFC East had a back-to-back division champion in the Philadelphia Eagles. What do you think that says about the Philadelphia Eagles? And are they playing their best ball now whenever it comes time to be playing your best ball? I think it says, you know, first says a lot about that division. I think the fact that it's changed, you know, almost almost. almost yearly says a lot about how competitive all four teams are and the, you know, the rivalries, you know, within that division. So, but yeah, I, you know, I think for Philadelphia,
Starting point is 00:19:24 you know, they've had some ups and downs and you want to play your best football here down to stretch. And, and I think they definitely have better football in front of them. Because, you know, they win that division, like you've already stated, two years in a row, it's, it's tough duty with, with no questions. So it's important for them to play well these next two weeks to get some momentum and going into the playoffs. Watching Sequan get into pain and then have some free running space was, it was a trip down memory lane for John's, I assume. It was like, oh, this is what it was every game last year, every single game.
Starting point is 00:19:56 He broke the record for most rush yards in a season. Obviously, there's a bunch of different conversations there, 17 games, and it was all the way through the Super Bowl. It just says he was on a good team, but he had more rush yards than anybody ever. The explosive play thing, stat was like most in the history of the game, most 20-plus yard plays. And as yards before contact would have been a top five rusher in the NFL, just as yards before contact. So it's like last year what we saw out of this Philadelphia Eagles team was explosive run after explosive run. And then obviously when you have that, that opens up the
Starting point is 00:20:27 past game a lot more. And now granted, the past game wasn't exactly thrilled for a Super Bowl team to outrush instead of outpass themselves throughout an entire season in a long time, basically a changing of the guard becoming a rushing league almost with what the Philadelphia Eagles did. And then this They were still winning games, but it didn't look the same. It didn't look as great. It didn't look as spectacular. And it was against the commanders, felt like they kind of got their groove back a little bit. And then more people get healthy, more people get on the field.
Starting point is 00:20:54 And then all of a sudden, Siriani's got a pissed off team going into playoffs who just won a division back-to-back for the first time in 21 years in the NFC East. And they're playing their best ball. It's like, are the Eagles about to go back-to-back with the Super Bowl in a time where we don't really know who's the clear-cut best outside of maybe the Patriots with how they've been playing against everybody? Yeah, definitely. I think, you know, the big thing, you obviously talked about the rushing production, but I know my time in the NFC East, you know, that offensive line in Philadelphia, history is going to be very, very kind to that group. I think you're going to have a number of Hall of Famers come out of that. I think the stretch that they've had as far as health in the offensive line and productivity, you know, the prior years has been, I've been very, very impressed with and obviously happen to compete with those guys. a year directly. So, you know, I think really their play, and it's, you say it every year,
Starting point is 00:21:48 when this playoff slate is set, you know, it's the battle in the trenches is a thing I know I've always looked at first, and I look at the years that we were productive in the playoffs first of years that we were not, you know, those battles up front are critical to your success in playoff football. Okay, so I don't want to start piecing things together, although it is Christmas Eve and a lot of people are going to be doing all those things around the family dinner table, but where are you from, Mike McCarthy? Where are you from? Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 1527. Okay. I'm from 15239. I believe Siriani, Western Pennsylvania as well. I believe his dad had a time at Western Pennsylvania. Signetti, obviously, Western Pennsylvania.
Starting point is 00:22:34 We all, AQ, obviously, comes on the show every single week. We all kind of have a similar mindset that the trenches are where it's at. Do you think it's because, like, Pittsburgh football? Like, do you think that is like that is what western pennsylvania aFC north basically we've been accustomed to just like obviously everyone talks about steel curtain but all let's not forget about jerome betis in the entire like it's just a run all the way back to frank i mean where it's a run place so do you think that is potentially from like birth you were going to be a big time trenches guy do you think that is something that has happened or do you think just most football people are trenches people no i'm buying it you know i'll buy anything from western pennsylvania for sure absolutely but
Starting point is 00:23:11 I think that's, you look at the history of the game. You look at championship football. I mean, you know, I don't know if you can go through all the Super Bowl champions and look at their O and D line and it was not a strength of their football team or definitely part of the strength of their football team because you have to have it. You know, you can't, you know, defense, I will always look at the defense is the thermostat of your football team. You know, they regulate how the game is, you know, because the defense can always keep you
Starting point is 00:23:37 in the game. And you watch these playoffs, every one of these games. is going to come down to a two-minute drill, you know, it's going to come down to that last series. So you've got that defense that keeps you in the game, and that's why, frankly, I think you have to spend a tremendous amount of time on the game management and the two-minute drills and so forth, because that's how you advance in playoffs, and that's how you eventually probably have to win the Super Bowl. So it starts in day one. But the trenches are, you've got to have it, and it's hard to win a championship if you don't have a defense, you know, regulating, you
Starting point is 00:24:10 you know, regulating those football games for you. And I could just tell you of 18 years being a head coach, I've had one top five defense that I've coached, and that's the year we won a Super Bowl. So there's definitely some statistical, you know, support that lays it out there for you. Yeah, and it feels like this year there's a lot more elite defenses or great defense, at least more than in past. Like I think way back in the past from my perspective, one or two good returners in a league,
Starting point is 00:24:36 okay, one or two good returners in a league. Then it became like, hey, everybody saw that, that was an added benefit. We're going to try to get a good returner. This year, I think it's the same thing whenever it comes to this defensive conversation. I think there has been in the past like two, three defenses that maybe we thought could win a Super Bowl. Now it feels
Starting point is 00:24:52 like it's more prevalent. Like, hey, do you think that's because defenses are catching up to the modern offense? Do you think that's why that is? Do you think defense are getting better? Do you think defensive players are getting better? Why do you think defenses are maybe getting better across the board? I think it definitely caught up with our question. I think the biggest
Starting point is 00:25:07 thing that I've seen is, you know, these role changes and who adapts to them, you know, the quickest. And, you know, I could remember, you know, when they'd taken the helmet out of the game and, and just the way it was, you know, officiated, you know, it was so hard to play safety in our game. I might, there's a point to you're wondering if, you know, some of these guys were, we're really going to be able to play. So, but, you know, the coaches and the players, they got it done, you know, focused on the techniques and made it safer as far as taking the head out of the game in that particular, you know, areas as far as, you know, crossing routes and those kind of collisions and so forth.
Starting point is 00:25:42 So I think the adjustments of these role changes, you know, is now we're into a full generation of that. So we're, you know, it's definitely being coached and taught in the high school and the college. And so I think our game as a whole is that you have more flow than where you could make an argument through the early 2000s, you know, really from 2000, 2015, 18, that, you know, there's so much change in the rules and, you know, and officiating, and those guys even had a tougher job, you know, what was a file, what wasn't a file, and, you know, those things can't affect outcome of game. So I think that's what I see has been a big part of it.
Starting point is 00:26:22 But, you know, I think these D-lines in today's game are as dominant as I've ever seen. If you don't have four number one picks on your defensive front, I mean, you're, you're behind the times, you know, and I think if you're looking for value, value distribution, how you build a roster, you know, if you just want to look for a blueprint, you know, four number one picks in that front is kind of the norm, you know, and that's why as an offensive line, you know, you probably ought to consider having three number one picks, you know, as far as the value distribution of how important it is to win up front. So I think that's something that really has always been there, but I think everything's heightened because, you know, people like yourself and the conversations and the detail of the conversations that I see, now that being able to sit out and watch people talk about the game the education and the expertise
Starting point is 00:27:12 is so much more available for our fans. And I think we've helped educate the fan base better. And, you know, it's not, in gambling probably has advanced that to something. You know, not that I gamble. No, no, if you did, though, if you did. Hey, hey, it would be bad. You hit on so many things there.
Starting point is 00:27:30 The generational heads-up football shit, I do think that was huge help. I think that was huge. Because all the OG football players. We're in a middle of like, hey, I've been taught this one way in my whole life. And now at the highest level against the fastest people I'm having to think. And I think that's what you're talking about with flow. Now everything's just natural. These guys have their heads up. They're going to the side. Now, some people will still say it's a little bit softer, but we're still huge hits now. And the hits aren't necessarily the crown. We're getting big time shots from
Starting point is 00:27:56 shoulder hitting strike zone. It's like these kids have been doing this since high school. So like they have perfected. There's no dogs out there. They've just perfected where. we're going with this thing and what they call. I think you're 100% spot on that. And then you're talking about the four ones up at the front. Philadelphia Eagles, like, to your point, like that's what the Philadelphia Eagles had. They also had the trenches and the run game going.
Starting point is 00:28:20 It's like it feels like whenever things change, it all comes back to the same. And maybe we're playing the best version of this football right now than we had been for the last few years. It's a good time. The games are great, you know? And even 44-year-olds can get back in there and spin out. I think, hey, huh?
Starting point is 00:28:35 Phil Rivers, not bad. No, that was impressive. Okay. Were you at the game? It looked like a great atmosphere. I was doing everything I could for him. I was doing everything I could for Phil. Yeah, I was trying to be as quiet as possible when he was making the checks.
Starting point is 00:28:47 I guess watching the TV, everybody could hear everything he was saying. Are we doing that to every quarterback? Are we doing that to every quarterback? Are we having the mics all the way up at 10 whenever he's speaking? How come everybody at home knew Orlando was going to be the quick for Tyler Warren, pick six for D winners? And then he even talks to him afterwards. He goes, you heard me do that in the first. in the first half earlier, and he goes, yeah, I heard that.
Starting point is 00:29:08 And then you did it again or whatever. He goes, that's all right. Good play. Good play. And he jogs off. And it's like, well, you know why he heard it? And sure, maybe just his ears, although I'm not so sure if you're able to hear anything after here at Lucasville Stadium one time. But maybe it's because the TV had Phil Rivers on 10, and it was echoing through the goddamn sidelines, maybe. I mean, everything he said, we heard.
Starting point is 00:29:27 And obviously, he's making checks. But they had this clip come out yesterday on Inside the NFL, which is now available on X from NFL films. and by the way, that's a right home for him. It's a clip show. They showcase Aaron Rogers, okay? And he is talking to a guy that he's been putting over all year, Kenny Gainwell publicly, he's been putting him over.
Starting point is 00:29:48 He's been saying, I can't believe we're only paying this guy this much. This guy's so good at football, which once again goes back to leadership, okay? Whenever you're publicly putting people over, they know that you're on their side, so then they want to show up for you in an even bigger way. Aaron knows that Kenny Gainwell is severely underpaid. This guy is severely underpaid, which could be a little bit of a issue, especially with how he's performing versus other people who are making a shit ton of money in the locker room. So Aaron Rogers being like, I like this guy, this is my guy,
Starting point is 00:30:16 and going to bad for him publicly is a form of leadership that I don't think people are really talking about, whatever you talk about rallying the troops and getting the best out of people, no matter what position they are. And then on the field against the Detroit Lions, have you seen a clip of him talking to Kenny Gainwell? No, I didn't see it. Boom, here it is. Oh, are you talking when he changed it and told him to go to a go? Yes.
Starting point is 00:30:37 Yes. This side, I don't. Run flat to the right. Motion all the way out. Run to go. All the way out. Rogers off his back foot, throws it down the way. And look at Gainwell.
Starting point is 00:30:57 And he scores. He thinks he has a touchdown. He catch it. He catch it. Excellent. Okay, so, Coach, that is a play that I think we don't really see much from quarterbacks anymore. Phil was doing some of it. Aaron obviously doing it.
Starting point is 00:31:12 And Bruce Ariens, who was in here, so he's like, that's a quarterback. Like, that is what a quarterback is right there. What is your take on that play? And how normal or common was that back in a day versus maybe now, coach? Oh, I think that's, you know, of all the quarterbacks that I've had the privilege to work with. His at the line of scrimmage command and, you know, they all see it great at the line. of scrimmage. I think just the way these young quarterbacks coming in the league and the way they're
Starting point is 00:31:37 what they have available. But there's one thing of understanding it and seeing it, but to apply it in real time, I always felt Aaron had such a gift there. And if anything, the challenge was him playing so much faster than his other 10 teammates.
Starting point is 00:31:53 But yeah, his ability to process at the line of scrimmage and get that done in real time, I always thought he was exceptional. He played a different level in that area. And that's a great example of it right there. How much does that happen? Because he's literally just drawing it up basically in the dirt there. Okay, they're doing this. You definitely have a linebacker on you right now.
Starting point is 00:32:13 Instead of running a flat, Kenny, let's go. And Kenny, by the way, he's told to go to the flat. Okay, still looking forward in his thing. He's told to go to the flat. So Kenny said, all right, I'm going to fight. Who knows what the actual play call was. And then two seconds later, go all the motion all the way out and run a go. Yep, you got it. I'm out of here. Just not even questioning. Like that, I think that showcases a lot of buy-in, too, that nobody really talks about in what these Steelers have going on, Coach. Yeah, and what I like about it, too, is, you know,
Starting point is 00:32:40 really the second part of the play, you know, that was the pre-snap, but look, you know, you're watching what he did in the post-snap, you know, because he's obviously looking off the safety, he's holding the safety on the backside ash, so, I mean, he's clearly going there. You know, once he, you know, he confirms he has the one-on-one there with the
Starting point is 00:32:56 linebacker, so, you know, the ability to take the safety out of the play, too, is is a big part of that, too. So not only to see the check, to recognize that, you know, the man coverage, but to also in real time, you know, have the presence to hold off the safety, hold off the safety,
Starting point is 00:33:13 and then to make the throw off his back foot. So, I mean, that's, you know, that's quarterback play. And that's, you know, it's a big part of his greatness. Yeah, certainly. And then also making a catch. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:33:24 Getting up there and doing it. That's like, that's awesome. And now, granted, he's fun. He deserves a lot of money. So he's on contract here. Sure. So those types of catchers certainly help, but I think everybody around him is like he's already earned whatever contract is coming. This guy is unbelievable.
Starting point is 00:33:38 Speaking of unbelievable, 19 straight years of a non-losing season. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, coach, Mike Tom, 19 straight years of not losing 22 straight for the Pittsburgh Steelers as a whole. He got his 200th win on Sunday. Can you just talk as a head coach how hard this is and how impressive this run is? And I think you're pretty close to 200 to yourself, aren't you? 185. I looked it up.
Starting point is 00:34:03 185. Hey, that's a lot of wins. Hey, that's a lot of wins. Okay, coach. That's a lot of wings. Hey, say, anything? You don't do anything? That's incredible.
Starting point is 00:34:12 Good for you. Yeah, I mean, 200 wins. Actually, I'm just, I'm so happy to see Mike, you know, get the recognition and love that he deserves. You know, we talked about Mike a few weeks back here on the show. And this, to me, is the reality of who he is as a coach. I mean, to do that for 19 seasons. is incredible. I mean, you want that in your leader. You want
Starting point is 00:34:35 that in your leadership of how you train the team. And to do that 19 years in a row is, it's an incredible. He's a Hall of Famer, in my view, and I'm just really happy for him to see him recognized properly, and this is what he deserves. All right, so who are
Starting point is 00:34:50 you olds that have been head coaching around for a while? Andy, McCarthy, Sean Peyton will count. Sean Payton would count, I believe. Mike Tomlin, Um, who else? John Harbaugh. John Harbaugh, I guess.
Starting point is 00:35:04 And I guess Pete Carroll. Big Carroll. Which. Hey. The run. The Jim. Harbaugh? Yeah.
Starting point is 00:35:13 Jim Harbaugh? Yeah, I mean, he was with the Niners, though. So, but it's like, it's obviously, if you're ass, you're not getting that, you know. So it's like, uh, you don't survive that long for being an ass at your job at anything in the NFL. True meritocracy, you know, that, you know, that. will actually catch up with you if it's not going how it's supposed to go or how they're expecting or how they are hoping it would go. But Coach Tomlin always winning.
Starting point is 00:35:39 Tell me what that, because you know, you know Jensers. Shit, you know Jensers. So whenever you talk to them, they're like winning season, cool. Yeah, this is fun. All right, this is fun. We'd like to win a Super Bowl. Feels like after watching this team beat the lines the way they did, the Steelers fans are starting to be like, wait a minute, maybe this team can win a Super Bowl.
Starting point is 00:35:56 It was just a few weeks ago when they were saying, we're done, this team is, cook, they can't win a Super Bowl. Yeah, we'll win games, but there's no way when it matters they'll win. Now they get a win over the lines. They play the way they do. It's a tough win, obviously crazy ending there, but they think to themselves, actually our team can win a Super Bowl. What are your thoughts on the Pittsburgh Steelers? And what are your thoughts on what they would need to do to win a Super Bowl? And can they do it? Yeah, well, I think I can. I mean, you know, Sunday I called home, you know, right during the game there, you know, the Pittsburgh Detroit game.
Starting point is 00:36:30 It kind of reminded me of old times. You know, my mom was cooking, everybody was there at the house, watching the game, and everybody was in. Everybody's so excited. Now, just like you've said, and, you know, they're talking about winning Super Bowls again back here. And that's an exciting time. You know, just reminded me when I was a kid, you know, back in the 70s. So, you know, that's what I'm rooting for.
Starting point is 00:36:50 You know, I think Green Bay still has enough to make a run here. Let's, you know, get healthy and, you know, get this playoff birth here this week. But, yeah, it's exciting times in Pittsburgh. And that's the way it should be. And it's great to see the fans just stay behind this team. But I know just talking to family and friends, you know, this past week. And everybody's fired up. And it was cool to see that.
Starting point is 00:37:12 I love the nostalgia, good vibes. Because Pittsburgh is obviously a place where when the Steelers are winning, the town is much happening. They, whenever the Steelers are losing. And we actually asked everybody that's going to be on a show lay in front of a microphone what their Christmas wish would be in football. What would their ball Christmas wish me? What was yours, Coach McCarthy? Well, I'm sorry, I jumped ahead.
Starting point is 00:37:36 No, perfect timing. I'm wishing for a Pittsburgh Super Bowl. I think it'd be great to get back to see the black and golden. And really just when I was asked the question, I was thinking about my conversation with my mother and my siblings this past Sunday. So kind of had that vibe. You know, I had that 70s vibe to it. And I think it would be awesome to see these guys going to run here.
Starting point is 00:37:58 Could you imagine Aaron Rogers going into Pittsburgh after he was just booted out with Achilles and a half out of New York, goes into darkness, booted out of Green Bay, and then he goes to Pittsburgh, a town that in their team that was basically like, hey, figure it out here. They go all in. Shout to the con artist, if they were able to do this, spending $30 million on a wide receiver that's never been in Pittsburgh before, okay? Now, granted, he's going to miss a couple games, and that whole contract thing is certainly, have a conversation and there's an investigation
Starting point is 00:38:30 going on and that whole thing. But nonetheless, they make a lot of plays that they don't normally do. Like, that is not what the Pittsburgh Steelers normally do. Go outside the building. Johnny Smith, Jalen Ramsey, Darius, you start naming off all these things. The amount of money they have invested on the defensive side of the roster, it's
Starting point is 00:38:46 like everything that they've done this past year has been a little bit out of the normal because the normal for the Pittsburgh Steelers is we're sustained greatness. We don't need to do all the weird, desperate moves. and everybody else does to try to make their team good. We don't fire our coaches.
Starting point is 00:39:03 We don't spend crazy. We build from within. This is what we are. That is what Steelers have always been. It's like we are who we are. So this past off season, basically making a declaration of doing something vastly different. I know it's a different GM as opposed to Kevin Colbert. Kevin, yeah.
Starting point is 00:39:19 Good guy. Could have drafted me. Didn't so, okay, sick. But he was a good guy to me. He was a good guy to me. Con obviously doing things very differently right now, but they also made a statement like, hey, we don't know how long this group has as Pittsburgh Steelers.
Starting point is 00:39:31 And a big part of, like, you listen to Joey Porter, whenever he got announced he was going in the Steelers Hall. He was like, we felt like we did our job because we brought a trophy into that building. Like, that was kind of how they view it. Like, Steelers alumni still hang out. And what they're proud of is, like, the decoration, which is the Lombardi that they added into the facility, into the stadium. So it's like, I feel like this group that Steelers have all kind of acknowledge,
Starting point is 00:39:55 like, hey, we need to do something different. and I appreciate that they did it if it pays off the insers are going to be pumped and then next year what are we doing now okay we don't got a quarterback we got to I mean
Starting point is 00:40:06 it's just immediately into that eight's coming back next year what's that eight's coming back not if you win the Super Bowl he's not eight for eight seven
Starting point is 00:40:13 this one was for seven this one was for seven this one's for seven he's going to say this one's for seven you know Ben and then he's going to go next year eight for eight
Starting point is 00:40:23 oh eight for eight actually doesn't work oh my god that's his wish list. That's his big Mike's football Christmas wish. I'd love to hear that about talking to your family back in Pittsburgh and kind of feeling alive. It's special.
Starting point is 00:40:35 All right, let's talk about some other stuff. Go ahead, Ty. Yeah, coach, the Pro Bowl rosters were announced yesterday, and I think the Pro Bowl has kind of just turned into a shit show that nobody cares about. But for you, I believe you had five of your former players got selected yesterday. What is your just opinion on the
Starting point is 00:40:51 Pro Bowl as a whole? And also, is there a chance that maybe you're heading down to Disney World in Orlando? It'd be head coached. which of the Pro Bowl games. No, I don't plan on going to Disney World. It's a huge honor. That would be a huge honor. Huge honor to coach the Pro Bowl.
Starting point is 00:41:11 Could get 186. Yeah, oh, maybe win 186. Try to work that in that work. And nonetheless, sorry, we apologize. I don't think that counts. But I love the Pro Bowl. Great memories as a family coaching the Pro Bowl. I can remember my daughter, Gabby, always wanting to go to the Pro Bowl and say, no, honey, we want to go to the Super Bowl.
Starting point is 00:41:32 We've been to too many Pro Bowls. So I was very fortunate to coach it a number of times. But it is. It's a great honor. I always enjoyed the moments of when you acknowledge the players in the team meetings and when you announce it. But you also have the disappointment where just this voting process is sometimes seems where a young player gets voting. voted in maybe the next year instead of the year that he actually has that great season. So, yeah, the voting process, I mean, you could pick that apart if you like, but it's a big deal.
Starting point is 00:42:06 And because just like anything, when you do have acknowledgement from your peers, you know, when the coaches and the players, you know, do vote on it, I think that means the means the most. I always felt respect is what we all want in this game. And to be respected by your peers, it definitely carries a lot of weight. But no, it's the game itself and what's happened to it. Frankly, I think it's a shame. I thought the Hawaii setup was outstanding. But with player safety and everything that goes on, the risk is, you know, I do understand that and what they've done with it. So I think the league has done a really good job, you know, trying to keep it intact.
Starting point is 00:42:44 And it just, you know, only watching it on TV, it looks like the guys do have fun with it. But the reward was always the families, you know, see the players and their families. and, you know, the time around the poll, you know, just the activities. And, you know, that was always, you know, and my two sons still talk about it all the time. Some of the best times that they had was back at the Pro Bowl. So it is a big deal. Congrats to all the guys who made it. Yeah, it is a big deal.
Starting point is 00:43:10 Like Coach Mike McCarthy is talking about in the team meeting room, when you find out that you made it, guys care. Like, that is a moment where guys care. At the Pro Bowl, it does appear as if it's not that big of a deal to some guys. while it's happening. I do think the flag football trying to make it something is certainly an effort. But with all the studies and research and money that is currently available, I think Miles Garrett got hurt during the super duper. Broke his toe during the relay race. Off school course. It's like, yeah, that's just going to be now what everybody says I'm not doing that for, okay?
Starting point is 00:43:43 Now I have a real reason not to do it. So I don't know how you save it unless you make it some contests. I think they should make return to what they did in Hawaii. The quarterback contest was awesome. that we're not expecting Peyton Manning against Brett Fav I think I saw Warren Moon in one and Steve Garcia
Starting point is 00:43:59 and like I think Sims was in it like Rich Marino Dan Marino like we watch those old quarterback contests from the Pro Bowl and it was like holy shit in the content world that we're in right now
Starting point is 00:44:09 this if you were to put up a prize with a donation on the side of it this would do thousands this would do massive numbers this would do huge numbers but then yeah to what tone just alluded to
Starting point is 00:44:21 it would be asking people to go through an entire A, because nowadays with how long warm-ups are and how many throws and what your arm can handle. It's like, we know too much to have what we used to have in the Pro Bowl. I think we know too much. We have too many terrible catastrophes that happen that can happen any time a sporting event takes place for anybody to really buy it.
Starting point is 00:44:43 But just like the dunk contest, if you put a big enough prize up and you find the right group of competitors, You can make something good. It's like, I hope we get creative in saving it because the celebration of the elite in the NFL is certainly something that we should save. And it's held against people or for people
Starting point is 00:45:00 whenever there's Hall of Fame conversations later, so it carries a lot of weight. So, you know, but you talk about that Hawaii Pro Bowl, what it used to be, I mean, there's legendary clips that come out of that. That's why as a lifelong NFL fan, okay, I remember Cordell Stewart competing in his thing, as a lifelong NFL fan,
Starting point is 00:45:18 and I got to end of the NFL, I'm like, I can't wait to make the Pro Bowl in Hawaii. Then I start hearing stories. Turns out, and I think it's already been said publicly, Peyton Manning was like the mayor of this thing. He had this thing set up. And I've been to some stuff. Yes, he was.
Starting point is 00:45:31 Okay, so he was. I've been to some stuff that Peyton Manning is set up. Every attention to detail this guy, he sets up amazing things. So I've heard the Pro Bowl around the pool. It's all set up that we got this, that we got this. Guys meeting with each other, talking with each other, families meeting each other, setting up like, I think there's multiple charities that have been put together.
Starting point is 00:45:49 businesses that have been together. Like, I've heard the Pro Bowl back in a day, let alone the party, the amount of booze and it's taking place by everybody celebrating life and ball. It's like, I heard these magical stories when I got in the league. They're like, oh yeah,
Starting point is 00:45:59 Peyton kind of puts it all together. It's like, I'm like, yes, I need to make. So I can't wait to do this entire thing. So I finally make it. They moved to the fucking Arizona. I like Arizona. Yeah, I like Arizona. Great place.
Starting point is 00:46:11 I love Arizona. We didn't even have the whole, we didn't even have the whole hotel. Hotel was split with some other conventions. That weekend. So guys couldn't even drink in a lobby. It was like the worst. I'm like, I missed it by year.
Starting point is 00:46:22 I think I missed it. I missed it by year. But it's like, I think there is a way to save it. And it all revolves around, I think, back in Hawaii, where it becomes like a celebration of the greats kind of getting together. And the amount of content behind the scenes shit we could get could make that a profitable thing. But I think it's going to be hard to bring it back to life, Coach.
Starting point is 00:46:40 But it matters. It does matter, I think, you know. It was incredible. I mean, the Co-Ilanan resort out there, it was fabulous. And my first year in the league was 1993. and the hotel just opened up and I can remember going downstairs and having toast and coffee
Starting point is 00:46:54 and it was 18 bucks and just watch that whole area out there and then to go back here as a head coach in 07 and you said it I mean Peyton was the mayor of that whole operation he actually would give the
Starting point is 00:47:08 you know an address to the whole you know both teams of the AFC and NFC and you know with his sense of humor I mean it was awesome I mean, he, he did such a great job of, you know, letting everybody know, you know, kind of the rules of, you know, around the pole and, you know, and I can remember him talking about, you know, autographs situation where, you know, I think it was Jerome Bettis or somebody came up to him, and it was his uncle, and he had to throw Jerome and his uncle into the pole. You know, he had these funny stories to go with it. But he did a great job of setting the tone the first night that we were in there, whether it was Sunday night or Monday night when it started.
Starting point is 00:47:45 And so I, you know, definitely as a coach, you always appreciate it. But, yeah, the whole, the game was really secondary. You know, the post-game party, I think people look forward to that more than the game. But it was the interaction between players and coaches and the families, you know, like I said, great, great memories. And, you know, I think that part's missed. Now, I don't, I've never done the, you know, done the Pro Bowl and Disney. But I would think they, you know, they do have that component in place down there. because, I mean, who doesn't love going to Disney World?
Starting point is 00:48:16 Well, you just turned it back. We asked you to coach, and he said, hell no. I got plans, man. I got busy. I got things to do. I got this dog wants to go hunt. He missed the window there. I got a, yeah, I got some, well, I didn't miss the window, but I mean, I'm not going to be able to take.
Starting point is 00:48:34 I'm, you know, calendar's starting to fill up here a little bit, Pat. We got a big family trip coming up here for Christmas, so, you know, we got plans. What says the first Christmas and how long? Without, without... 19, I was, you know, 2019, but before that, it would have been 19, or 1987 or 98. Jesus Christ.
Starting point is 00:48:57 This guy has lived in a football building. Yeah. You see this me? Yeah. Yeah. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. Yeah, Merry Christmas.
Starting point is 00:49:07 Well, enjoy it all. We would like that. We appreciate you joining us. Now, there are people, obviously, that are still in the game at the head coaching role that have big decisions to make here going into these last couple weeks. Gar, last week, go ahead. Yeah, Coach, how do you handle teams that have clinched?
Starting point is 00:49:21 You know, like looking at the Steelers, as we've talked about them, if the Packers beat the Ravens on Saturday night, the Steelers are in. You know, they don't even have to play Week 17, Week 18. So how do you handle that with these 10 teams here that have already clinched going in to the last two weeks? No seeds have been clinched, so there is still some movement to be made. And then how do you handle the other side of it, you know, with the teams that are completely done? You know, we got the number one overall pick bowl this weekend between the Raiders and the Giants.
Starting point is 00:49:51 Raiders are already snipping guys. They put Brock Bowers on the IR basically saying like, hey, last thing we need is for you to get her. We'd rather have that number one overall pick for Mendoza. How do you kind of handle that as a coach? And how do you kind of have to respond to what the front office tells you what they want to see as well? great question I think just through experience I've done it I've done it both ways as far as playing guys and not playing guys I think number one it's the health of the individual and I think you got to go through your roster on an individual basis because you know for the teams you know using Pittsburgh I mean you would hate to see someone get injured you know in the final game that you know does not mean anything to the playoff run so but you know healthy players you know in my experience won a place So I think, you know, you go through it individually and see, you know, where they are, you know, like Aaron, what his wrist. I mean, I'm sure that's something that will be talked about if they are in that situation.
Starting point is 00:50:52 So I think the preventative, you know, mindset is part of that, and it really comes down to those individuals. You know, I've sat people in the past, you know, and then if you don't win that divisional round, then you think, oh, shoot, you know, should never send. those guys. You know, we were 15 and 1 in 2011, and we sat guys there in the by week. And I think mentally, that was not a great decision because the last game of the season was, you know, against the Lions and, you know, both offenses threw for over 500 yards. So, I mean, it wasn't, you know, what you wanted to do, put your defense in that situation in the last game of the season and then go into a biweek and then go into a divisional round. So, I mean, I've seen it on both sides of it. But I, I,
Starting point is 00:51:39 I would say it'll come down to the individual where he is, how healthy he is, will he benefit. I'm talking more the veterans because, you know, I think a veteran, you get above five, six years. A veteran, and, you know, and also part of it is how do you train your team? You know, I think when you get into these end of the year practices, you know, definitely shorter. You know, you've got to cut the reps back and you've got to be smart, but you do the intensity, particularly in the drills that require timing and, you know, the ball's being just. distributed and so forth. So you've got to keep that intensity and you got to keep your practice environment to, you know, to the level where if you do give a guy a playoff, you know, that week off, he is still, you know, in the regimen of getting ready to play a game. So I think you've got to
Starting point is 00:52:24 look at all those things and just, you know, been fortunate to do over a long time. Those are the kind of conversations I think definitely will be going on next week if those teams are in that situation. Obviously. Oh, God. Okay, go ahead. No, I was going to say it's a good situation to be in, obviously. It's a great situation. Yeah, it's a great situation to be in. And I don't think there's a wrong decision. You know, I don't think there's a wrong decision because, you know, you have all the facts. You know what's going on with every player on your team. And also who's going to play and, you know, you've got a young guy that, you know, he may be, you're projecting, he's going to start playing, maybe 25 to 30 percent reps in the
Starting point is 00:53:01 playoffs as opposed to, you know, being the guy that's right there at 49, 50. So, you know, There's a lot of things to talk about, a lot of things to consider, you know, how that, how you anticipate that roster is going to look when you line up in that wildcard game. So, I mean, that's, I mean, that's how we've always approached it in the past. And I think the teams that are out, I mean, the question I would ask is, you know, particularly like a quarterback or, you know, someone, you know, you're early in your career, you're early in your program, you know, first year, second year, third year, you know, like a Jalen Daniels, you know. It's important for Jalen to be healthy going into the off-season. You know, because these players, particularly the quarterbacks, there's so much more that they have to do away from the facility because of the limitations of these off-season programs.
Starting point is 00:53:50 Now, I know I sound like an old coach bitching about it, but you don't have the time at the facility that used to have. So these quarterbacks, and I look at my last experience with Dak Prescott, the amount of time that he spends with his perimeter teammates and away from the facility is remarkable. And that's, you know, that is now part of your off-season program, and you have to approach that. So, I mean, you know, if, you know, I'd want my quarterback healthy
Starting point is 00:54:17 coming out of that, you know, regular season, especially if these games are not, you know, you're not fighting for the playoffs. But, you know, also you've got don't cheat the game. Like I understand that. The fans are paying for and so forth and so forth. But if you're early in your development of your football program, And boy, I'll tell you what, I'd want my quarterback healthy for that, for that offseason program. Selflessly, isn't it?
Starting point is 00:54:39 Yeah, and you're talking about four ones on the D-line as well. You know, you've been saying a lot of things, but nonetheless, that they're going to get people excited in New Jersey, New York. We have been thankful to follow along this football season with you every single week. In the gift that you sent to us, one of the kindest things we've ever received here, honestly. I want you to know that. Chef Foxy was chopping it up this morning. We had a nice charcuttery board.
Starting point is 00:55:03 that waggo steak you guys sent oh my god so good so good the apple pie oh the apple pie so all of it was great coach we appreciate you for that what else you get
Starting point is 00:55:16 because we gotta thank jessica because I love to tell you I picked all that for you but Santa Claus's workshop has nothing on her so you're on her you're on her Christmas list so
Starting point is 00:55:27 she said she was going to take care of you and I'm sure she did so well I'm appreciative of you just being that open about it There was not Waggoo steak in there, but it was not an apple pie. We're just going to start rattling off things for you to go. Yeah, I love that apple pie. Yeah, I thought, you know, we're going to be able. But instead, you've been what you've been all year is just your true authentic self.
Starting point is 00:55:46 And you've been amazing to us. We're so incredibly grateful. Have a great Christmas. Merry Christmas Eve. To you, Jessica and your entire family, have a good one for the first time since, second time since 1987. All right. Thank you, Pat. Thank you, man.
Starting point is 00:56:00 Merry Christmas, happy holidays. I've had a blast. this has been awesome all right we'll never see you again we'll never see you again we love you man we're lucky he's a good guy
Starting point is 00:56:12 yeah the best and Jessica his wife the box she knocked it out of the park beautiful a lot of boxes huge box
Starting point is 00:56:19 right across stop perishable it's like so much pressure so much pressure to open this sitting outside for six hours also we got a lot of box here I'm kind of nervous to open because who knows what's inside
Starting point is 00:56:30 yeah sure there could be some story about somebody going through something. This might change my entire life. I get a real anxiety with these boxes and what's inside. Every time I see Perishable, it's kind of forced me to open this right now.
Starting point is 00:56:42 All right, I guess we've got to do it. That meat. Oh, my God. That cheeses? How about Foxy's display? I don't know what that's called. Artistry, I guess. Unbelievable, Fox.
Starting point is 00:56:51 It would have went to waste if we didn't cut it up today, so I had to get it out there. That's why they put Parishable on top. And speaking of Perishable, this hour's ending right now. We'll see you on the other side. Be a friend, tell her, something nice.
Starting point is 00:57:02 ...phehr... ...their... ...their... ...their... ...and... ...the... ...and... I'm going to be.
Starting point is 00:57:34 I'm going to be. And I'm going to I'm going P. And... ...andah, ...and...
Starting point is 00:57:45 ...and... ...and... ...the... Wow. Oh, my gosh. Power tool begins, right? Unbelievable. No.
Starting point is 00:58:18 Hey, why? Let's go. This show stinks. And the fact that you listen, we are very, very thankful for. Maccabee on the line with a gorgeous assist. The all-time leading tackler for the Green Bay Packers. You pay! Stutter!
Starting point is 00:58:36 Damn it! You're friends, other friends, something nice to change their life. We can't count! We don't have! Ford! Sport! Sport! Football!
Starting point is 00:58:47 I say him exit stage level. That man can play a fiddle, can't he? Yeah. On this glorious Christmas Eve, our two begins. All right? Now... Football! I'll tell you what.
Starting point is 00:59:02 Ding, fries are done. Yeah. Ding riser done. What a wonderful rendition right there. Unbelievable. I mean, did that not get you fired up by Jesus Christ's birthday tomorrow? Sure did. Fat man coming down in chimney.
Starting point is 00:59:16 Kids everywhere are celebrating and families coming together to celebrate life and ball and not just basketball as it has been basically for the last 30 years. Also a football slate on Netflix and Prime that sports are going to unify and make this holiday the greatest holiday it's ever been. And I'll tell you what, there's nothing better than Sam. No, there's not. On the damn fiddle with a carol of the bells. He nailed that thing. Sam or Santa? it, he said. Yeah.
Starting point is 00:59:41 No flubs. How about him at the end? Any part of that can be, yeah. A little bit softer now. I'll tell you what, he did kind of a little bit softer now at the end of that.
Starting point is 00:59:52 You know, every once in a while you go to a hall at the moon and some fiddler will get up there and play the devil went down in Georgia, a little voice old steel. And it's actually in my drunken state a couple different times have purchased violins or fiddles
Starting point is 01:00:03 to be delivered to my house because of how cool it looks whenever you're really getting after it. I think it's pretty hard thing to do, Without a doubt. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'm saying small. Yeah.
Starting point is 01:00:12 I've tried a couple times. I haven't really been able to get there. No, no. Because, boy, it would be good to be Johnny and send a devil packing down there. But it turns out it's pretty difficult. So shout out to Sam for that. And shout out it's Christmas for happening.
Starting point is 01:00:23 Toxic tables here at Boston Connor and at Ty Schmidt. Whenever the Hammer, Don. Cowboys AP Town is here. And joining us live from Anatican, Ohio, ladies and gentlemen, is a college football national champion, Super Bowl champion, a rider cup winner, AJ Haw. Hawker, did you,
Starting point is 01:00:37 Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, Hawker. Merry Christmas, absolutely. Who's on your shirt? Can't see because you're like. I believe it's Clark Griswold, yeah. Is that your favorite? Christmas vacation is your favorite series or a movie as a whole Christmas? Yeah, I'd say a Christmas movie, no question.
Starting point is 01:00:52 Christmas vacation. That's the king. Okay, shitter's full. Grinch, you like Jim Carrey one? Jim Carrey, absolutely. What's the one I've been watching with McKenzie? Benedict. Yeah, Benedict Coverback.
Starting point is 01:01:05 I don't think I've seen that one. It's good. If you haven't seen it with your kids, don't know if you'll get into it. Your kids might be past the age of it, but like Kenzie, two and a half years old, three years old. I mean, it's right in her wheelhouse because of the incredible animation and the songs, bangers. And, you know, obviously the animation is just at such a level where it's like 8K. I mean, it is. Yeah, it's good movie. I like the Jim Carrey version still. We watch that as well. She understands that this is also the Grinch. You know,
Starting point is 01:01:34 two different Grinches here. She likes that. How about the Santa Claus with Tim Allen? That's a yearly tradition for my household as well. Yeah, that one, what is there, was there three of those? They didn't, they didn't get better as they went, but they still are all right. Yeah, they existed for a while. Story's still good. Obviously, Santa Claus Story's still good. Evil toys. Speaking of
Starting point is 01:01:52 story, Christmas story. Yeah, I'm watching it. Classic. Miracle on 34th or 32nd, whatever it is. Miracle on 32nd. I don't think I've seen that one. Yeah, it's wonderful life. I don't think you need to. Classic. Wonderful life. Yeah, it's a wonderful life. Yeah, it's a wonderful life. For my 50s, right? That train movie sucks, like 40s.
Starting point is 01:02:08 I love Polar Express, you son of a bit. Sucks. So that one was the one with the bear? Is there a bear in that one? Tom Hanks. Board Express, Tom Hanks, the animated thing, right? Bear, yeah, Bear, I don't think so. Yeah, it's Tom Hanks, and he plays like six different characters.
Starting point is 01:02:22 He's a freaking nut job, man. Oh, okay, I don't think I've seen that one. You brought up Elf. People get real emotional about Elf. I think people really love Elf. I really like Elf. That's kind of my generation. That makes sense.
Starting point is 01:02:33 It's a real new school dude kind of thing. It's an all-time class. But it is, that new school, though, does love Elf. You'll get into, like, Christmas movie discussion with that particular generation. Yep. And there's real emotion behind Elf. Like, and I don't think I knew the first time the smoke that I was walking into, potentially, because I had not seen Elf, I think my generation a little bit older than yours, I missed it.
Starting point is 01:02:54 I apologize for that. So I am Will Ferrell fan. Let's not get it twisted. I am Will. That one movie may be worse than a history, but all the other ones are bangers. So I think that should be certainly talked about. semi-pro brother got me through a lot of times No doubt
Starting point is 01:03:07 What's the bad one? That one where there are detectives Yeah like the last five Oh is it like he's trying to be serious Like a dramatic or what? No they're trying to be funny It was very slapsticky It was tough
Starting point is 01:03:19 Home alone He may have come back afterwards though But I didn't say elf as mine Home Alone exactly That's like goat One and two That's the goat Yeah so like home alone
Starting point is 01:03:28 Santa Claus Grinch I'll toss in a Christmas story Turbo Man You're sure Yep with Arnold's. Jingle all the way. Jingle all the way.
Starting point is 01:03:37 Four Christmases is great. That one's not bad. But I was rattling all these and I didn't say elf and somebody got like actually emotional like very mad at me for skipping over. I watch it. It is good movie. I think that's a very good Christmas movie. And it came out when Will Farrell was on that generational run with all
Starting point is 01:03:52 those movies that came out that you guys mentioned. So it just hits harder. And anything that lasts every single Christmas, it still plays on TV. That's a good movie. Okay, let's do something that we force Coach McCarthy to do in the first hour because he brought up to Pittsburgh Steelers. We asked him via text, just like we did to you,
Starting point is 01:04:09 hey, what's your football Christmas wish if you could have one this year? He saw one with Steelers, one and Super Bowl, so my family can have fun again. It felt like it was the 70s. Yeah. I mean, what a cool thing for him to have. Hopefully that'll happen.
Starting point is 01:04:22 Conman, what was your football or football's Christmas wish? Yeah, my Christmas football wish this year was kind of concocted this offseason by someone, and I thought it was genius. Maybe it's every offseason, but whatever. I want for Christmas every single year the off-season acquisitions,
Starting point is 01:04:40 whether it be free agents or trades, to not be announced until week one as teams are running out, i.e. Pittsburgh Steelers. Who's going to be their quarterback? The season ends last year? No one knows. Week one, 10 guys run out. Who's going to be the 11th guy?
Starting point is 01:04:56 Who's going to be the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers? Boom. Ben-da-da-da-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha. Holy she injures beers. Oh, my God, the celebration that the Pittsburgh did. Because let on D.K. Metcalf comes running out of that tunnel. We got D.K., how much we pay in him? That would be the first question.
Starting point is 01:05:23 Oh, the quarterback's got to be some low-s salary-ass. Better not still be rushed. Yeah, James. And then all of a sudden, head down, I think, hoodie up. I think we got a Stevenson Ranch hoodie on there. No helmet. No helmet. It's overtaught and we walk out and then all of a sudden
Starting point is 01:05:42 like AJ Stiles double X and then run out. Oh my God. Name comes up. Fireworks are going. And we'd like to showcase how selfless we are because boy, our jobs would suck if we didn't know where any free agents were going
Starting point is 01:05:58 hurts us. It hurts us personally. Yeah, but could you imagine the scene? Think about Sunday night football. Think about the first weekend Sunday night football. Now, granted. It would be elimination. Yeah, of course, there would be elimination.
Starting point is 01:06:11 But also, you might not know. Like, who knows? Maybe this guy got hurt in the offseason. You're not sure. Boom. 2026. Who's running out of the tunnel for the, I don't know, let's just say Indianapolis Colts who are on Sunday night football?
Starting point is 01:06:24 Lamar Jackson. Oh, my God. How did this happen? You know, granted, you know? You imagine the reaction to Dan Jones. Run it out, though. For the Colts? Yeah.
Starting point is 01:06:33 I might get a negative reaction for some of those guys. Yeah, but that might be even cooler. I would have to be crazy, though. I went on absolutely crazy. And then after the first drive, they walked down the field. Everyone's like, oh, of course, Danny Dimes is a quarterback. But hold on, first drive. Danny Dimes runs freaking wild brother.
Starting point is 01:06:50 Which he did. Yeah, maybe throws a 30-yard touchdown. Yeah, we didn't punt for six weeks. That roller coaster? The whole, the only issue is if you're in a way team, which half the leagues would be, you would be jogging out to, I guess some away team heat, and it would just have to be there.
Starting point is 01:07:03 Or maybe all the starters have to wait until the home game too day. Or that's the cool pregame. You know, hey, why are we watching pregame shows on week one? That's why the away team reveals their on the pregame show. They still jog out of the tunnel, empty tunnel.
Starting point is 01:07:17 Empty tunnel. Pre-pre-workout. Exactly. Just coming on light show, the whole thing. I'm a Pittsburgh Steeler and now, that whole thing. Yeah. Not a bad idea. Okay, Ty, what was your football Christmas wish?
Starting point is 01:07:29 My football Christmas wish is pretty simple. Pretty attainable, too. I think it's something that could actually be done probably fairly easily. I simply want Micah Parsons to get a new knee for the stretch run here, preferably his own. So I don't know if there's a way if they could, you know. Who is that?
Starting point is 01:07:45 I'm up to the task. If I need to get cleats on. Well, yeah, I mean, what are you talking about? I'm performing knee surgery on the field to make sure that this guy's ready to go for the playoffs. So, you know, because Coach Mike said it. Hey, I think the Packers have enough to, you know, still make a run. boy I'll tell you what
Starting point is 01:08:03 if I could just somehow get this guy a new knee before what 8 o'clock on Saturday I'd be feeling much better going into the playoffs and I think it can be done I would like it to be known that the biggest response in pop that I got from hearing the boys
Starting point is 01:08:19 responses whenever I pitched idea of football Christmas which Ty's response within the words leaving my mouth they just got out of my lips so I goes I want a new knee from Micah. Is that what we're talking about? I'm like, yes, that's exactly what we're talking about. So this is something he has thought about before being asked today. So I appreciate the fact
Starting point is 01:08:41 that Ty that you have spent time away from show and away from Packers games where you have envisioned yourself finding or robbing a good knee and then putting that thing on Micah so we can maybe have a top five defense and going a Super Bowl run. Yeah, exactly. And that's where it gets a little fishy because I can't, like, I can't give it my knee, you know, like good enough. You're not going to be able to bend. Exactly. Exactly. So where, you know, that might be the only snag, where are we going to find this knee? Can we just use his knee and maybe, you know, put it through like a meat grinder and fix it a little bit? So that's, that's the only place where I'm kind of getting hung up, but, but no, I mean, like 3D printing.
Starting point is 01:09:17 Whose knee are you trying to? It seems like you got an idea over there. I mean, look, there's a guy who wanted to play for the package for $5 million he told this last week. I don't remember him ever having a knee problem. I don't even think about that. Or if a team's been eliminated from the playoffs, you're allowed to take their best player's knee and give it to Mike. Oh, like an organ donor, a joint donor. Boom, Brian Burns. Yeah, like your knees coming to the Green Bay.
Starting point is 01:09:39 Sorry, pal. So you're taking Brian Burns' knee and putting it on Mike? He'll get it back after the play. Yeah, give it back. What if they win a Super Bowl? Does he get a Super Bowl? No, that's Mike his knee. No, it's Brian Burns's knee.
Starting point is 01:09:50 Not one. Burns has got to get one. You got to get a Super Bowl ring. You know what? Yeah, that's part of it. If he wants a Super Bowl ring, we can get him a Super Bowl ring. Because it's a knee. You get to a pinky.
Starting point is 01:09:59 You get to a pinky. toe ring. He gets Mike's knee back. He just has to go rehab now. Sorry, you don't get it. We get a Super Bowl ring. But now, go rehab this ACL, dude. For Mike, that's trying to win you a Super Bowl. Try and win you guys Super Bowl right now. All right, interesting. I don't know if we're at the technological state of that. I think we're closed. But I'm excited to see what it is. A.P. Tone, if you had one football Christmas wish, what would it be? Yeah, so last year in the first year of the college football playoff, we were at Notre Dame on Friday night in the Ohio State on Saturday. And then this past
Starting point is 01:10:27 weekend. We were at Oklahoma and then Texas A&M. And those home atmospheres are so incredible. I believe just like a lot of other great prestigious coaches in the college football believe that it should be home playoff games until the championship. Okay. And the coolest thing that we've kind of seen in all of these that I think personally is all these entrances, all the home atmospheres. This was the light show at Oklahoma. But Oklahoma, while this was going on, also ran, they have the coolest voiceover videos with highlight packages. that just, and the crowd goes nuts. Everything about these home college football playoff games are unbelievable and we need more of them.
Starting point is 01:11:04 Yeah, I think so too. Especially because other thing goes in there, massive comeback and wins. People are saying like, does it even matter? It's like, yeah, did you watch that? It was fucking electrified. I mean, it is, that is what college football has that no other sport in, maybe on earth. Yeah. Because of how big it is, how many people it is.
Starting point is 01:11:23 Now, I know the soccer teams obviously are very passionate and all in. Just like these colleges, they feel as it's a sense of us, our town, fighting, us versus everybody. So it has that same passion as the soccer hooligans over there. Stadium's just so much bigger. 110,000 of them kind of packed in. That's a lot of humans all in one particular place, also are sawing in the same exact direction, literally and figuratively here, for the Texas A&M team. We should want to showcase that more. And if you're a CFP for the good of ball, we should want to showcase a psycho right there.
Starting point is 01:11:56 Love that he's so locked in. moment. But he even talked to his team about how, hey, this is Ottson, which is a legendary college football place with a legendary fan base. This is the first ever college football playoff game. Let's do that. There should be more of that, AJ. We should be celebrating the home fields, which are a massive part of the entire story of college football more as opposed to less, AJ. Absolutely. And it didn't, Dan Lanier basically said this, didn't he? Like, we should, like, these should be home games until the finals. You should be rewarded for being a top seat. I agree. Like, there is, there's nothing else on the planet. Like, when you get, we were just
Starting point is 01:12:27 in College Station, obviously, like the atmosphere surrounding a huge college football game. I've never been into anything like that in any other sport. That was 11 a.m. local, remember, they were all in that stadium at midnight, the night before 10 hours before that, still showed up for game day, still showed up for the tailgate, obviously saw every inch and second of everything that happened in there. Those fans were awesome, man. Those fans are fully. I mean, they are all in.
Starting point is 01:12:54 And they're not the only ones. Obviously, there's a lot of places like that. Needed more. I appreciate that being your Christmas wish, Tone, for the good of ball. I agree. It'll be awesome. And also, I see what you did, Nick. You know it's an S. You know it's not a Z. You know, it's forced to use a Z because of social media. Okay, I don't like what you did. I just want to point that out. Nick does the lower thirds, what Tone is talking about there is. Even adding the S to the Z, I don't even think you have to do that.
Starting point is 01:13:17 Giggs Z? Yeah, so I think Nick was actually spotlighting that he knows what he did. That an S could be here. You know, just let me go ahead and add that on there. Massive respect out of Nick back there. He's done a couple things, hasn't he? He added a half a point to Bruce's thing yesterday just because he liked it and didn't really appreciate the way AQ was operating. So, you know, when you have access to that down there, that's a lot of power, it turns out, especially if you want to promote some of social media handles. Thank you for doing that. Nick. Merry Christmas. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And as far as the BA thing goes, you know, I didn't want to abuse it. I just wanted to, you know, you talked about
Starting point is 01:13:49 maybe rewarding him for using it first. And I thought it was a clever move to beat AQ to the punch and strategy paid off. Yeah, good for him. I mean, now he's winning by half a point. Big one. Big Christmas champion. And then AQ with the games, forget it, let's continue to kind of move along here. AJ, what's your Christmas ball wish, brother? Mine was a little bit more as far as rule changes and as far as physicality.
Starting point is 01:14:13 I felt like defenders, I get worried that when they are trying to, what do they call it, unweight themselves as they are hitting a quarterback, I think they're going to get hurt. So I think we need to be able to land on the quarterbacks a little bit more. We need to have a little leeway there. and I think horse-collar tackle should come back when a running back or receiver is running east to west, not north to south.
Starting point is 01:14:32 I think those are dangerous. The guy's trying to get outside, I'm chasing him towards the sideline. I should be able to yank the back of his shoulder pads and tear him down. Okay, this is his football Christmas wish. I love that. I want to be able to land on his quarterbacks.
Starting point is 01:14:44 I'm sick of these guys almost hurting their wrists. They can land on me. Say I'm a defender, and they're coming up to block me. They're going to try to put all of their weight on top of me. Offense alignment are doing that to everybody. I mean, they're doing that at the end of the game. So we got a whiplash ourselves because we had a successful play? I got to dislocate my elbow because I'm trying to unweight myself, whatever that means.
Starting point is 01:15:03 Okay, that's a lot of pressure. Now, if you listen to Coach McCarthy, he goes, yeah, that's what AJ, he's an old school guy. New school, these guys have come up in this. They kind of have good ways to kind of take the, take the, you can still, no, if you're a high school player, you are landing full go on top of that quarterback. They don't, they didn't change that. Oh, with your Christmas wish? Are you saying that is still happening in life right now, I don't think,
Starting point is 01:15:22 especially like high school, we have to think about there's no, there's no instant replay. those guys got to be spot on that's ohio i saw him knock all a touchdown a high school game that was that felt criminal win situational horse caller tackles i don't know if i've heard anybody wish you for this i'm happy you call i like that east to west you get it east to west say i'm like you're a d-end they're running like a a jet sweep or something old buddy's trying to get outside i'm chasing him from behind he has not turned up the field yet because i think those are dangerous if a guy's going full speed like down the sideline you get him if he's running towards the sideline has not turned up If I can get my hand on them, I should be free to get them down however I can.
Starting point is 01:15:55 Okay. Now, on that note, we'd be asking a lot of the refs to decide what is east-west and what is northeast maybe, you know, or northwest. That'll be certainly a decision that they would have to make it real time. And I like, A.J. Hawk has an opportunity to do a football Christmas wish. We got a new need for Micah. What was yours again, Conrad? We don't announce acquisitions, free agents, or trades until week one. In tone, what was yours? Home playoff games until the finals of the college football play.
Starting point is 01:16:21 AJ said, don't you think we need a little bit more on these? Don't you say we need a little bit more? You know, they're already taking the hip drop. Crowled to the helmet too, I think he, I heard him saying. That was the third one. I was going to. I felt like that would be too, like, cliche to use that one, to say you could hit people across the middle or something. But you would like to add that on.
Starting point is 01:16:36 If we are making these wishes come true, let's go ahead and slide that one. In a perfect world. In a perfect world, yes, especially like a bang, bang play, you should not be penalized or fine if both the guy catching the ball and the guy hitting them both put your heads down. Like, then it should just be, hey, here we go. His whole upper body, like that, whatever he goes. Yeah, it's a special human we have here in AJ. It's a special game.
Starting point is 01:16:57 I appreciate that your Christmas wish. Joining us now might be a guy who has something similar. My Christmas wish is I hope everybody comes true. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is a man that I hope his Christmas wish comes true because he is great for ball. Not only on our particular program that he still joins us with in talks every single week amongst him becoming an owner of multiple teams,
Starting point is 01:17:18 maybe a Champions League team. This guy owns in a soccer. soccer world and then obviously he's becoming one of the greatest color commentators in the biggest league on earth he has so many other things the fact he still talks to us we're very appreciative of ladies and gentlemen a member of the bull ring of honor down there for the houston's future first ballot hall jay jay wahl jay james merry christmas eve to you great christmas see you guys thank you we're giving up our football christmas wishes around a j hawk would like to be able to land on quarterbacks in east the west horse collar tackling
Starting point is 01:17:51 And also, it's hard for you to sell that one. Okay. I'm with you on the northwest, northeast, east side. Like, we got reps trying to figure out catches and not catches here. Let's not go farming GPS on them. Okay, on that note, what is your football Christmas wish, JJ what? I'm actually, I'm on the same path as AJ because I would like there to be replay assist allowed on roughing the passer. and I would like to be in charge of that replay assist,
Starting point is 01:18:22 only for roughing the passer. They can do everything else. I'll just handle ruffing the passer. You're handling the whole league? Yeah, whole league. I just sit in a room and I just have a screen in front of me and every roughing the passer flag comes to me and I decide no rules or parameters just purely based on what I see.
Starting point is 01:18:40 If I think it was roughing the pastor, they leave the flag. If I don't, they pick the flag out. I like that. Judge jury executioner for one particular. particular play that is 15 yards, game changer. Yeah, I mean, it is a game changer, a career changer. Now, you feel as if you had a better feel on what the antenna is, if they could have let up, if they're trying to hurt, if it was a cheap shot.
Starting point is 01:19:03 You think you naturally, because of who you are, what you've done, and how you view the game, have a good grasp on what they're looking for and what they're not looking for. That is why you should be the ipso facto god of roughing the passers? Yes. That's correct. correct. Okay. That one that we've been showing, the Ravens one, not roughing and in the passage. There you
Starting point is 01:19:24 go. Shocker, I know. I think the football people would be happy with what football dictator would be deciding there, though. I would. I think that would be something that people would be pumped up about, why aren't you, maybe a couple other flags, too?
Starting point is 01:19:39 You're not as comfortable with other rules or other... I'm comfortable with everything. I'm comfortable with everything, but let's just start with one at a time. I want to prove that I can do it and then they give me more responsibility um but just one like like i just want to get this one right there's a lot of other stuff there are some that are extremely difficult extremely i don't want to refs have an extremely hard job i don't want to take anything away from refs roughing the passer not that i can handle that you can tell it's very kind of you
Starting point is 01:20:10 you're doing that for a free too for a prove it you hear what you're saying yeah i would just enjoy it i would just enjoy it well i'll still call games from the booth just put it on one of the monitors and you call into my game anytime there's a ruffing the passer flag, I just pop over to your feed as it, nope, clean, there you are. Because you think quick, too, this is not. No problem. No, I don't need 15 angles. I don't need, I don't need more than two angles.
Starting point is 01:20:35 I might need two, just in case with some obstruction of some old alignment or something in the way, two angles, all I need, I'll tell you right away, roughing the passer, not. Man, this is crazy. You're calling a game while doing? I didn't even think that. I thought you were fully committed in a room by. yourself. No, it's not even that difficult. Just
Starting point is 01:20:51 pipe it right into my monitor. I got a separate monitor. It's called the RTP monitor, Roughen the Passer Monitor. And flag goes up, New York sends that sucker right into my feed. I send back negative and carry on with their games.
Starting point is 01:21:07 I think literally all you got to do is the thumbs up, thumbs down because you might be in the middle of one, you know, big time player. Wow, what a fantastic what a fantastic play they're going down, it just, yeah, that's all you got, oh, good, oh, no flag or no flag button. Oh, you're talking about
Starting point is 01:21:23 right here and right here. And it's actually it actually is like a slingshot of a flag. Every stadium adds a JJ watt flag or a flag crane okay, like in those arcades. Yeah, those are great. Every stadium has to add one, like the new one in
Starting point is 01:21:39 Kansas is already building this. It's the JJ Watt roughing the passer flag grabber and it comes down and picks it up. you just have to ignite it with the button that you're pushing while you're calling the game. The JJ Bob. And we're going to track. Oh, my God, the JJ bought.
Starting point is 01:21:54 Jay, J.J. Bought. J.J. Bought. J.J. Bought. J.J. Bought. It comes out with a 99 jersey. Yep. From the middle. And it picks up, it picks up the flag.
Starting point is 01:22:07 Yeah, just like that. And then just kind of goes back up and at the top. And there's somebody up there. It's like, good job. J.J. Bought and picks up the flag. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. But if you throw too many.
Starting point is 01:22:17 on the year that got overturned, you're out. JJ Bott picks you up. Yeah. You, you're gone. Breaks your neck. We've learned that you don't know. You can't rest. You weren't good.
Starting point is 01:22:30 Too many false alarms. Gouges your eyes out. A little on the mouth hook. Oh, kind of gives you out there. JJ Bought has his legs and arms, big ones. Oh, you're strong ones. We're going to see it on CBS before the end of the season. Yeah, I think so.
Starting point is 01:22:45 Probably this weekend. Angry face. Red eyes, maybe bullhorns like the Texans. Oh, JJ Bot, Jay, J.J. Bot. Okay, let's talk about J.J. Bot. You almost had to call, or almost got to call, sorry, Miles Garrett breaking the record for the amount of sacks in a season. I believe you even publicly lobbying for him to get a half a sack when Josh Allen turned in saying like, hey, Miles Garrett forced him to turn there, which forced him to slip.
Starting point is 01:23:14 So he should certainly get a full sack or maybe a half sack. I want to let you know because T.J. Watt is a part of the record. And obviously the Watt family and Garrett are massive in the tackling of quarterback's community. And there could be maybe tension. You on the call for the game and the way you were handling it and celebrating it, I thought was incredible. Now, on that note, how big of a deal is Miles Garrett getting this? And how special should this be looked at, especially because he is this absolute freak, an anomaly, an alien, so good at his job. and it feels like Cleveland might waste it all,
Starting point is 01:23:48 which is like what happened to Joe Thomas, which is what happened in the past. Do you get that same sense, or do you think there's a chance they turn it around and maybe Miles is a pillar guy that helps them going forward, Jage? Well, let's tackle the first thing first from that game. I mean, it's inevitable.
Starting point is 01:24:02 He's going to break it. He's unbelievable, having an insane year. He has a chance to do it early, which is obviously great. I mean, phenomenal player. That specific play was a fascinating situation all around. there was a whole lot going on from safety not safety who got the sack Mason Graham touched him first so he got the full sack and then they came back a
Starting point is 01:24:25 couple quarters later and said you know we split it half and half and what I said on the broadcast was Miles Garrett either gets all of that or none of that because I mean I've you guys know me I've been studying sacks for 15 years I played in the league and every single week after a game you're lobbying hey I got a half of that sack I got my hand on him. I didn't, whatever. I have never seen a split sack between guys that didn't touch him. So, like, you know, when you run a guy out of bounds, the guy closest to him who kind of forced him out of bounds gets that full sack. Or the guy in a situation where the quarterback falls down or something, the first guy that touches him gets that sack. That's why guys scrambled
Starting point is 01:25:08 to get there. So that's why I said what I said on the air is I've never seen a split sack where you don't touch the guy that's what i that was my point in that and i think that Alex right also has you 91 wants some piece of that he's like hang on i was here too turning this guy in so it was it was a wild play and then just the fact that we came back a couple quarters later and it was like all right just we had to explain it to people it was wild but he's going to break it uh he's insane he's also close to the tackles for lost one which is crazy like he plays the run he plays the past he's unbelievable player. In terms of what Cleveland looks like going forward, they have a ton of rookies who are
Starting point is 01:25:50 playing well, Swessinger, defensive rookie of the year, unbelievable player, really smart, very good athletic, like really enjoyed talking to him in our meetings. Harold Fanon, phenomenal player, really, really good. They continue to add more to the offense for him. Shador went out there, and he made some plays. They took away a lot of the deep stuff, which Shadour is really good at, and they made him throw it underneath and he took the underneath throws he wasn't forcing the ball deep he took the underneath throws he used his legs a lot in the game uh which was very good and he got stepped on or whatever and his pinky was like you know tip of his pinky was hanging off taped that thing back up came out so there's some good stuff there now there's certainly a lot to
Starting point is 01:26:33 work on there's there's no question that they need to work on a lot and we'll see what happens there But in terms of some building blocks, there's at least a couple things to get excited about. Yeah, I, you know, I've been watching Browns games this year. It's crazy. It's like how Shador doing, okay, and his Miles Garrett going to get it. And then you immediately go back, man, it sucks. They're never going to win there.
Starting point is 01:26:53 That's just like the natural opinion. I'm from Pittsburgh. So obviously, growing up, I'm told Cleveland's never going to win a football. That is kind of how it goes. When I first went to Cleveland, I was surprised how nice of a city it was. Honestly, with everything I was told as shout. Jacks, I believe, was the casino. Very nice.
Starting point is 01:27:08 very nice casino there's like five floors third floor was very giving to us yeah the mall there's a mall that's like the oldest mall in the country that's still up there it's beautiful like i was mind-blood when i got to cleveland it was a nice city i was like man there's water i've been told my entire life this is a shittle you know the mistake a mistake by the lake and everything like that and i get up there i'm like it's actually kind of charming and you got a good some good history it appears i didn't know that people's kind of nice and then you watch the browns it's like well everything they said though about the browns growing up though was pretty accurate it feels also a cool stadium like i was looking like i mean obviously i played there a few times but like
Starting point is 01:27:45 the fact like the new stadium coming like if you're standing in that stadium it's a cool stadium and from our booth you're looking out i mean it's tall it goes up like it's a it gets a lot of hate but i mean i like that stadium now i get why people build new stadiums i understand the luxury boxes, the cash, everything that comes with it. But, like, in terms of a football stadium, that's a good stadium. Like, we don't need to be tearing down stadiums of that caliber. Yeah, agreed. Let's keep it open for maybe other shit to happen if we have to.
Starting point is 01:28:14 Maybe we can profit off it as a business. But since you let into it, I mean, that's a great storyline for today. Go ahead, Con, man. Yeah, Jage, earlier in the week, the Chicago Bears basically announced that they're going to Gary, Indiana. That situation with Arlington Heights is up in the air, a lot of question marks. but something that is kind of concrete now is Kansas City going to Kansas, starting in the year 2031, hopefully. What do you think about this?
Starting point is 01:28:38 Kansas City, Middle of the Dynasty, leaving their Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri to go to Kansas. Feels like something the football gods might, you know, raise a brow to. But this feels like a can say no deal for the Hunt family and the kind of organization as a whole. How do you feel about them going to Kansas? I mean, if everything that's been reported is accurate with what they got in terms of, you know, the tax money and also the perks that come with it from the rent situation to the reinvestment situation. I mean, like you said, man, I mean, if you're sitting there looking at that deal on the table, I don't know how they possibly couldn't have taken it. And if you're on the Kansas side of things, you're hoping that the economic impact and the amount of people coming in potential Super Bowls and everything makes up for that but that again if all those numbers are true that is the sweetest stadium deal for ownership that I have ever seen in my entire life yeah in the star bonds that are allegedly paying for this we looked into this a little
Starting point is 01:29:43 bit it is a Kansas thing I assume others have it as well where the local area will be paying it back basically is how they look into paying back to three billion dollars is everything that they're building and hopefully chief's world will be able to pay for that I just read this wrinkle for the first time being reported by Pompliano. Kansas will own the stadium, right, which is cool. Chiefs will pay up $7 million to rent annually, but that money's not going back to the state. No, it's actually going into their own pocket, into their own account, I guess,
Starting point is 01:30:11 for future repairs back into Chiefs world. Okay, so we'd like that on my house. I'd like to pay, I'd like my mortgage to go back into making my house nicer. Now, can I sell that how the Hunts sold that to Kansas? it's like we will commit to $7 million going back into our chief's world to keep it nice and all that type of stuff. I think that is how they sell that. Now granted,
Starting point is 01:30:37 whatever you get that to be an agreement, it's like, okay, so I'm just allotting $7 million of our budget every single year to an account that is basically going in the future to keep this shit nice. That's a fascinating, nice, sweet deal. That's a very cushioned. Yeah, but there's no rent then.
Starting point is 01:30:51 That is the rent. That's what I'm saying. You're just, that's like saying I'm going to put it in a pool and that's going to count as my rent. Yep. Yeah. You just put in a different bank account basically for next year whenever we got to do renovations. Yeah, you're just sliding it from one account to another saying we got to do renovations. Now, who's getting hired to do the renovations too?
Starting point is 01:31:07 Is it hunt contract? Yeah, exactly. Who's getting the interest on that, too? Who's getting the interest on that account as it grows? Oh, you know, the renovations. The stadium, yeah, more renovations. The cell is, we're going to keep this nice so that Chief's world continues to be a draw. you know that's the sell to the state is like hey everybody is going to come all the stores and restaurants
Starting point is 01:31:30 we're going to be able to make money back off of that kansas is going to become a draw there's going to be more concerts there's going to be more people traveling to kansas like that's the cell but boy i'm assuming kansas state or texas people are kansas taxpayers are not exactly thrilled with everything they're reading today about this is that stadium picture uh that's going around is that legit or is that just a a rendering to show new stadium because i do like we are getting extremely cookie-cutter with stadiums now. And Arrowhead is one of the – I've hated playing there because I've not had a lot of success there, but Arrowhead is one of the best environments in sports.
Starting point is 01:32:06 And if we're losing Arrowheads left and right, we are in a bad way. Even Soldier Field. Like, it's got its quirks and everything, but I like Soldier Field. It's unique. It has its own. You get snow. We get the Packers, bears like we had the other night. Like, we can't be losing these types of atmospheres in these games.
Starting point is 01:32:22 What's next? Are we going to wipe Lambo out? No. No, well, that's the thing, though. Lambo is actually a good, like, blueprint for everybody else to try. Because Lambo has the Hall of Fame, the museum, the tours, the restaurants, the bars, the things to do, and the hotels, people are traveling in. Now, granted, they don't have an owner, but they're the ones that have to open their books.
Starting point is 01:32:41 And the real estate was like $170 million a year or whatever. And that was from all the shit that was coming around it. So whenever other teams are selling that, and then Jerry World, Jerry Jones said I think it was reported like 70 million in revenue on game days Jerry gets versus everybody else's home games because of all the other shit around it and what's all built into it I think that's all anybody's looking at but to your point about designs and stuff it's like there's only so many real groundbreaking changing stadium designs and everybody's trying to copy them now like sofi they're like well we saw what they did was sofi and we thought wow that's a good idea
Starting point is 01:33:17 so we implement ourselves. Allegiant Stadium over there in Vegas, like a spaceship, so everybody's like, we kind of want to make it look futuristic-y because it is the future. And then have you seen the photo of what buildings were like designed back in the day versus what they're designed like now? It is not just a stadium issue.
Starting point is 01:33:33 It's like everything has kind of just become like very kind of bland as opposed to like, you know, character, having character in their own different ways. So I don't want to get into a deep like design, infrastructure design conversation. But everything is starting to look the same everywhere. You know, and we appreciate that there's renovations and getting newer, but it's like we somehow have to hold on to...
Starting point is 01:33:55 Like Buffalo. Like Arizona's unique. Minnesota's got a unique. It's still indoor. It still has the roof that shows light through, but they have built in... Like, Minnesota is a massively underrated stadium. That place is incredible.
Starting point is 01:34:07 And it's still unique. It's not the same as everywhere else. I think that place is awesome. I agree. That's why the bills is really cool, though, because everyone is now doing like the, well, we got to build an indoor. stadium so we can have a Super Bowl. And the bills
Starting point is 01:34:19 are saying, like, no, we're just going to put a canopy over, still outdoors, still going to be cold in Buffalo, but will be new, even though, you know, I do not love the bills. Yeah, and they got those big bison out front. Well, TBD, TBD, okay? J.J. Bought is probably
Starting point is 01:34:35 going to be bigger than those bison. Well, JJ Bot's going to have to be because it's going to pick up a ref. That's true. Right. Right. But if those bison, they've got the message loud and clear, don't you think? I don't know. I think they got the message loud and clear. I don't know if they're going to abide by the loud and clear message because... The bills abide.
Starting point is 01:34:51 Their stadium was just on fire. The bill's abide. The stadium was just on fire. I don't know if they're worried about the bison. Jage, I think I saw you already. What happened? I missed that. I missed that.
Starting point is 01:35:00 He did see. The stadium was on fire? There's just a little tech fire. There's just a little smoke. There's fire. These things, construction sites. There's always going to be. A lot of smoke there.
Starting point is 01:35:10 That felt like that was a lot of smoke. Obviously not great. But, you know, every once in a while... Whip up somebody in the back. Sorry, to whip up the Birmingham City new stadium proposal. No clue if it's actually going to come through. But if that does, that's unique. Congratulations.
Starting point is 01:35:26 That is cool. So you just mentioned an XFL team at U.S. XFL team. Tom Brady's Soccer squad. Oh, soccer. No, soccer. Come on, guys. Who is this? Who is this?
Starting point is 01:35:35 This is Birmingham City. Let me look at that. That's unique. That's like the AI design. Yeah, I like what we're doing here. Need it. Yeah, if that's. Smokstacks.
Starting point is 01:35:46 It's a castle. Don't know if it's actually going to happen. If it does, phenomenal. That was one of our Christmas wishes, actually, was make all the AI stadiums. Real? Yeah, real for everybody. Yeah, and also make it. You're welcome, Tom, for the free publicity.
Starting point is 01:36:02 I know you need it. You're welcome. Yeah, anytime we get the show, Farmingham's team, we're certainly going to give credit to who they are. No doubt. Okay. The Farmingham squad is in the middle of the group. They're in the big one. Is that the right name?
Starting point is 01:36:15 Farmingham? Where are they? The Farmingham, Ferris. Birmingham, man. We're picky blinders. Come on. Tom Brady.
Starting point is 01:36:22 Birmingham, middle of England. You know. Birmingham. They're right there in the middle of the Premier League. They're 14th in the championship. No, they're in the championship.
Starting point is 01:36:31 Tom's got a championship. His Raiders stink. This team stinks. This guy doesn't know what he's doing. Oh, no, Tom. Oh, I didn't know that. Hold the phone. So you're telling me, Birmingham is owned by Tom Brady.
Starting point is 01:36:46 That's what I'm just learning here. And so he's got to pay for that. And their shite. I think he's got somebody to pay for it. No, him and Thomas. What's he going to do next? Go buy the Marlins or the pirates? What the hell is this guy?
Starting point is 01:36:58 Oh, oh, don't put that on the pirates. We just spent money on Mr. Kern. It'd be more like the Riverhound. Ryan O'Kern coming to Pittsburgh. O'Hern. Coming to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This guy bats 2-17. No, no, no, that is not.
Starting point is 01:37:14 287. He's a good player. This guy's good player. We added two all-s-offs. You guys are putting in offers on people, though. You're putting an offer on people. They're not getting them, but you're potentially getting them. We're potentially putting offers together, but you haven't followed.
Starting point is 01:37:27 Excuse me, we just saw him Mr. O'Hern. And Brandon Lowe. And Scoobble wants to play in Pittsburgh. He said, I'll take an even bigger pay cut. Detroit's offering me Scrubles. I'll take Scoobles over in Pittsburgh, actually, to go play for the Buccos. Paul Skeens and Scoobel. There's a chance that people were following Jet Passens' X account,
Starting point is 01:37:44 and they're saying, you know what, maybe the pirates are up to something. First baseman, obviously I knew he played first base. This guy's got a good mitt. You should see his flexibility, too. I see him do a full split, like in those, whenever he needs to get somebody out at first. I saw he's been doing this a long time over there. Whenever you talk about picking people off,
Starting point is 01:38:02 he's like the mayor. He's got him so relaxed. They even like, bang, you're out, and we're out of there. We're stealing stuff. Look for Paul Skeen's to work on his throwout, you know, over there at first. He might actually do one of those because O'Hern, does that, you're out. So that's what the Pirates are doing.
Starting point is 01:38:17 So no, Tom Brady doesn't need to come ruin what we got going on. Right with the Barlands. You were right with the Mars. Yeah, Marlins, probably, yeah. I heard your team may be in the Champions League. Is that real? Spaniel's playing unbelievable. Five wins in a row.
Starting point is 01:38:31 Fifth place right now. And we have got a massive, massive cross-town rivalry with Barcelona a derby coming up. Bartholona. Bartholona. You're disrespecting them. And this is, whenever you talk about motivation for Bartholona, certainly calling him the wrong name.
Starting point is 01:38:50 Classic American. Unbelievable. I bet you go to a B-A-A idiot. Yeah. Have you been to a B-tha? No, no, no. I, uh, our last, my last game of the season is obviously on the fourth. And so I was literally trying to find any way I could make it over to Spain for our match
Starting point is 01:39:08 and seeing if I could just pop over, pop back and make it back in time. for our game on Sunday and there's just no way to do it. It's going to be an insane, insane atmosphere in the cauldron of chaos. In the morning we drink coffee in the afternoon it's wrong and then we play Bartholona and we win everyone. It's Espanio, Espanio. Oh, lucky, lucky, lucky, another goal. yeah that's pretty good just brilliant just brilliant champions league so if you're top three at the end you go to the champions league where the owners get paid a lot of top four
Starting point is 01:39:49 top four um something like there's certain situations where five actually makes it it's it's all a little tricky but fifth is europea league um so we're in that slot right now a lot of ball left but boys are playing incredible incredible ball a j the europea League matters. They're up in. The age. Yeah. What's the pinnacle?
Starting point is 01:40:10 Where are we all trying to get to? F1. F1, yeah. Thank you. We're not trying to get that one. Yes, we are. It is. In soccer.
Starting point is 01:40:18 Hop ball. Hop in. Okay. I might see. Champions League. Champions League. Champions League. Top to top from every country around Europe.
Starting point is 01:40:27 And they put them all in one tournament. And the MLS. That's the biggest. And it's on Wednesdays, right? That's on Wednesday nights is one of the MLSs. cup it's midweek yeah it's midweek yeah oh if you if you play in european competitions you are playing in significantly more games per year which is obviously uh taxing on your squad but you're also obviously making a lot more money but it's it becomes more of a challenge from a roster
Starting point is 01:40:52 management standpoint making sure you have the guys and managing that but yes is tiler from dude perfect the part of espanuel too um they are they are part of the group Wow. What? I didn't know Todd was about to have a damn champions. I know. He's like that. Of course he is, dude.
Starting point is 01:41:11 How was your guys' time at A&M? Was he there? Did he get? I went to midnight yell. Did you hear about this? I didn't, I did not hear about your experience at midnight yell. I know what it is. So we traveled down from Oklahoma.
Starting point is 01:41:23 We're down there. Okay, we fly in. We had had communication with yell leaders throughout the week about going to midnight yell. We had full communication about it. The plan was to do that. out there. Look at that. Oh, hell yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I'm at Yale practice, bro. Midnight Yale practice. So I, uh, we fly to Oklahoma. We're all tired or we fly down to Texas A&M from Oklahoma. We're all pretty tired. Some kind of boost up. I mean,
Starting point is 01:41:46 there's a lot going on. So we decide we're not going to this midnight thing. That is still two hours away, an hour away or whatever it is. So we're not going. We're all tired. So I happened at this particular stay, stay in a bus. The bus was right outside the stadium. So I was trying to go to sleep in the bus. And all I heard was cannons going. off and people screaming, I couldn't sleep. And I thought to myself, I told these people I would go. It's literally happening right there. I cannot sleep right now because of how loud it is. I have to go. So after we all, as a group, decided we weren't going and everybody went to bed, I'm in bus, okay, all by myself, and I'm like, fuck it, I'm going. I get up out of bed,
Starting point is 01:42:25 cowboy hat on, black jacket on. Let me do the cowboy shit here real quick. I'm out of bed in like three minutes. I exit bus and I just go, all right, I don't know where I'm going, but I'm walking straight to the stadium. We didn't get final details on where we're going to meet. Somebody to get in there. I just assumed I get to the stadium I'll be able to get in there. Cop, who is sitting outside of bus for security
Starting point is 01:42:44 has no idea I'm getting up there. So he scramble open door. Where are you going? Where are you going? I'm like, I'm going in there. He's like, oh, I'll come with you. I'll come with. Shuts his door. Great guy. Thank God he came, by the way. I mean, I would have been walking in absolute circles. He goes, we're going down and left here. We're going to hit the tunnel.
Starting point is 01:43:01 so I'm like sweet I'm walking fast though because I feel like I'm going to miss it because they had been doing a lot of yelling so I'm walking fast cop he comes from sitting in his car with nothing full sprint holy shit I'm fresh out of bed we're doing this entire thing yeah he's fully booted to I mean he's got his full shit on it I was like oh I'm so sorry I was playing on just walking in there alone I completely forgot and that is just that is that is that is a bad decision by me soon as I get in there full fucking chaos I mean full chaos in that place you got 30 40,000 people people there, plus people on the field. I walk down there, I'm standing in the corner. I have no idea where I'm supposed to go. I realize I do not have the direct connection to yell leader that Bruce was talking to. And then I thought it would all just kind of be manageable on where I'm supposed to go to. It was not. So all of a sudden, a buzz and a scene starts on a sideline. All of a sudden, now the stands are starting to recognize me. I think at the beginning, they said I wasn't going to make it. So I got hissed earlier. So whenever I walk in, I think it was a full thing. I'm in my bed. Seven minutes before this, I walk in. I walk
Starting point is 01:44:01 down there. Get right to the middle. Holy shit. I know you got hissed. I know. Oh, yeah. At the beginning, they hissed me, I guess, because they mentioned that we weren't coming. So there was like a hiss at the beginning. So then I walk all the way to the middle, chaos, chaos, chaos. A lady, lovely lady leads me there. Once again, no idea who this lady is. No, I have no clue, still to this moment, have no idea who she was. Thank you to that lady. She guided me as there was a little platoons kind of coming down and taking photos. I get to the middle. Chancellor's standing right there. Hi, I'm Pat. Hi, I'm the Chancellor. Thank you so much for coming. Oh, shit. You're like the one here. Okay, very nice to meet you. Kids are here, okay? And I'm standing there and the
Starting point is 01:44:34 yell leader's like, ladies gentlemen, I'm please here. Boom, walk up here. Here's a microphone. Nine minutes from my bed, I think, in the indecision. I have a microphone in front of 30,000 people at midnight. It's like, all right, here we go. Right before I get the microphone, I asked the chancellor, I'm like, hey, quick reminder. I didn't, what's the shit? What's the shit that you guys, what's the thing? He goes, you start with howdy, you end with Gigum. So I was like, sweet. So I start that thing with howdy they all have a full howdy back but i didn't expect there's like a follow up with a woo i almost stepped on top of their woo pig suey yeah no yeah but hey yeah that whole thing it was it was electrifying but when you talk about just like sensory overload real quick i had no
Starting point is 01:45:17 idea and i would say if you're in the area and it's happening you need to go it is an insane amount of commitment from people to ball but i dropped a huge eff huge in there. I mean, just a gigantic one in the middle of this speech. No flubs, by the way. But in the middle, I dropped a massive one. And I'm like, yeah, I feel like I nailed it. Walk out, there's four-year-olds, five-year-olds. It's midnight. Why are these kids here? I could not have expected these kids to be here. And they're like, oh, this is what we've done since like they literally 80-year-olds there, five-year-olds there. And it's like just the thing. We all do this the night before. So it was special. I thought it was very special.
Starting point is 01:45:56 Windy, though, James. Windy. 40-mile-on-hour. our wins. Change the whole game. Change the whole game. Yeah. No question. Talk about Windy. Cleveland. When I was flying into Cleveland, plane. Issues. Yeah. Issues. Landed. Okay. Three tries. Very scary. Did you go back up? Two tries at one airport said, this is not happening. Went to a different one. So you want it was one on the lake. You were laying on the one on the lake and you guys. Tried twice. Passed it. I don't think I'm ever going back there again in my life with the experience that I had there this weekend.
Starting point is 01:46:29 never been more frightened in my life. Yeah, that's a dangerous one, especially because it looks like the tip might hit the water, and that's, you've seen every bad movie. Oh, yeah. Yeah. No, and I was watching the pilot, and, uh, he handled it well. We made it. We might be going down.
Starting point is 01:46:43 But the flight attendant, uh, who was on the plane with me, she, after the first attempted landing, uh, we went up and then we started a second one and it wasn't going well. She moved seats to come by me, and she was like, it's safe for back. Here, I'm going to sit by you if that's all right. And I was like, I don't like where this is going because you're the one I'm looking to. I'm telling you, dude, sketchiest, sketchiest 45 minutes to an hour I have had in my life, I think. We're so happy we still got you. You know what?
Starting point is 01:47:18 That's my ball Christmas wish. I hope you all have your Christmas wishes come true. Even your crazy medically advanced one that you forecast it and wish for for Mike and having a certainly possible. I would like J.J. Watt to have a safe season. Yes. That's what I would like. As somebody who gets all the same thoughts that you had, every time we take off and every time I land, I couldn't even fathom. AJ gets sick, sweats and pukes every time he flies, loves it. I don't puke every time I fly, but I get very, yeah, I get sick, no question.
Starting point is 01:47:49 Sweating, full sweat every flight, and then immediately afterwards, like, I want to be a pilot. It's like, that's crazy. That is absolutely crazy. That makes it kind of difficult. You're right. That is crazy that that's how it is. But I have the same, the thought you had in those 45 minutes, I have during like smooth landing. And every once in a while, I'll get on there. And once again, we're talking about something that nobody in life is supposed to experience. Like, it's the greatest thing of all time being on smaller planes as opposed to commercial planes. You have some pilots, though, that like want to impress us, I think, you know, like.
Starting point is 01:48:20 He goes, he goes, after the second way, he goes, are you all right? I think we're going to try and land in a different. I said, dude, you land this plane in whatever country. you have to land a day to put it on the ground. Why'd you ask me after the second one, brother? I said, I don't care where we put this thing. Just get it down. Home alone.
Starting point is 01:48:39 He doesn't, he doesn't, the polka band. Oh, yeah. They don't fly, right? They just ride in the back of a box truck or whatever. And then John Madden, right? John Madden, right? John Madden, yeah. He only drove bus.
Starting point is 01:48:50 He was only on a bus. It's like, I feel like I know what happened. I think I was potentially in one of those planes where you're like, I am so lucky to be getting off of this plane right now. I am never stepping foot back on one of these. And John Madden, actually, there's some people that have been like, no, where's it at? Arizona? All right, I need six days.
Starting point is 01:49:06 I'm leaving now. I've been close, man. That's what I took. That's what I take away from this. I was like, okay, I should never have been scared at any point in my flying life. Because if planes can do this and if pilots can do this, I am good. Like, it was that, like, it was that level where we were doing stuff that I did not know was capable. like we were fighting it and it was crazy and I was like okay any turbulence regular turbulence
Starting point is 01:49:33 no problem I have now been through the maximum did you touch and go was it an actual touching go or did you go we almost touched the water and went brother we almost touched the water what like I'm laughing I'm not I'm not joking that's crazy in my head whether rational or not I was thinking how far can I swim did you text your wife how far can I swim yeah I told Dude, I, like, did you say goodbye? Did you do a video? I've got a video. I made a video.
Starting point is 01:50:03 Have you ever made a video? No. I made a video. So I had a, I made a video to family and friends. And I was like, I actually made a full video about what was about to happen. We took off. They couldn't get the landing gear up. So we had to turn back around and land.
Starting point is 01:50:19 Not that big of a problem. Is it? What if when you hit the ground it comes up? You know, because they've been hitting the button to lift it. They've been hitting a button to lift it for the whole time, and they're like, hey, we've got to go land this thing. We can't fly, obviously, with the landing gear down. We think it's going to be okay, but there is a chance that whenever we hit,
Starting point is 01:50:36 it kind of unlocks it. So we are going to obviously try to do as smooth as possible. That's what we've got to do or whatever. I'm like, yep, let me go ahead and get this out. And I go, uh... No way. Sam, it happened. We knew it was coming.
Starting point is 01:50:51 This is it. I did like a full thing. Talking McKenzie was a little baby. McKenzie was a little baby I talked about her and her like because they were turning this thing around yeah oh yeah I was I was there I was there dude and then I videoed it going down
Starting point is 01:51:06 I'm like here it is by the way just know that whenever the worst was about to happen your dad wasn't you know like this is happening and you just got it's out of your control sometimes like I'm like giving it like a life lesson and then we hit the ground and we bounce and I'm like oh uh and then we hit it again and I'm like
Starting point is 01:51:25 all right this is getting deleted and I just shut it and put in my phone and then immediately get off that plane get on another plane and now we take off to go where we were supposed to go and it's like as soon as we get in the air I'm like I just thought I was going to die
Starting point is 01:51:39 and then I just signed right back up for it it's like what is my problem it's uh me in Connecticut me and Tony thought the same thing we had a guy who was a couple sneezes away from the grave and it was like okay how do we have a guy this age flying this point
Starting point is 01:51:52 and he couldn't even see what he was When he was taken off, it looked like he was going to fly off the runway. We almost ran off the runway on Dornatakoff. There's not enough Zanax on this planet for that plane ride. I think we have some film from that plane right. Yes, we do. We refused to get back on. You had to make a couple calls to be in total like, nope, we're not getting on that plane.
Starting point is 01:52:10 So you either get a different one or we're living in Connecticut now. Yeah, I don't think I was going to get on that plane either. That was the worst experience we had had just by pilot ineptitude. That certainly was scary. I mean, it was like a 40-minute flight, too, and we're just doing it. number and then while we're taking off he's driving side we can see the runway you know we can see it at the front thing and this guy's getting closer to the side it's like this guy's driving cockide actually and then we had pack plane that was the most pack plane we had oh yeah because it was a shorter
Starting point is 01:52:38 flights everybody jumped in i remember looking back and ton digs sitting sideways on the couch just full body sprayed out sweating white as a as a ghost i think like an actual ghost and then just right down the line everybody has the same look it's like all right yep we're never getting on this plane again everybody's like we're not getting off of this plane that that is the problem we're talking about yeah it was uh yeah you got it when you got to be the tough one like when your family's on there it's a completely different sure like you're not you're you're putting on the face i'm sure somebody on that plane with you guys had to put on the face yeah pat when you're by yourself like i was this time it's a completely different
Starting point is 01:53:17 like you are no longer the macho man that you are in front of your family i love you girl you're going to have a great life okay you need to know that and then we land I'm trying to figure out how you were going to get how that video was going to get yeah when do you send it the cloud was going to survive
Starting point is 01:53:31 when were you sending it somebody has it somewhere it's in the cloud somebody needs to see that okay somebody needs it will be able to see that okay don't you worry about it and I don't need you talking about my flawed thoughts
Starting point is 01:53:42 before I'm about to die on a plane as I'm spending them to my daughter and my family okay on that note Merry Christmas everybody I hope you guys have a great Christmas We've got a lot of football coming up. A lot of good balls.
Starting point is 01:53:55 We'll be back on Monday. You're the greatest people of all time. Be your friend. Tell a friend, Merry Christmas. Goodbye. Hope it's the greatest of all time. Added to baby, Jage. Thanks for bringing it up, Jage.
Starting point is 01:54:05 Right before we send everybody off Christmas on TV. Merry Christmas. Hoping on a plane right after the show today. So very excited that that's what we just talked about for the last, you know, 30 minutes. No, we're all, we've all survived every plane ride we've ever taken. I know. And there's thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of planes in the sky. I know. I know. It's not like that.
Starting point is 01:54:27 Because we have had some, I remember specifically coming. It was the Miles Garrett Mason Rudolph bonk game. When we came back from Pittsburgh, we hit like a straight nose dive. And I never sit facing the back of the plane because I just, I can't do that. And I remember just like fucking levitating and like coming up. And it was that I still think about that way too often. Yeah, and now with that, I'm talking, Ty told me one time, it was after some plane flight that we had. Yeah, bad flight.
Starting point is 01:54:57 We had a terrible. I mean, Jay, there's a real part of it. That is why, when you see what I'm on, it's what I'm on because of all these situations that have happened. It's like, feels like if we get a bigger. I was the own one. I was on a big one, dude. That's what I'm saying. That's not good.
Starting point is 01:55:12 That's bad here. New pilots. But as we roll through our life, and once again, we're talking about something that we should not be able to experience. It's the best part of life. basically that you, when you have money or somebody else is willing to pay for it, it's like, this is what you would like. It takes out all the bullshit.
Starting point is 01:55:28 So we don't want to complain ever because there's no reason to. This isn't relatable. We know. We are saying this is just a couple people catching up here who've been in some very scary situations in this whole thing. Tie, though, after one of these nightmares flights, a couple days later, comes up to me.
Starting point is 01:55:44 Had a dream last night. We went down on a plane. You and me. Oh, yeah. Come on my, dude. Dude, it was the worst flight ever. And I wouldn't, normally I wouldn't say that, but it was like we had just come off, like, the worst flight ever. So, James, as you could probably assume, me and Ty were not on the same plane for a long time.
Starting point is 01:56:04 We were not on the same plane for a long time. That's fun on Southwest, brother. As soon as I heard that, I'm like, all right, we're getting a couple planes if Ty needs to fly. He will be on the other one. That'll certainly be the case. We got to that. And we talked about, which if you have, just let's keep.
Starting point is 01:56:19 it moving but i would like to throw some heat at somebody if we haven't talked about this yet the article about you stopping the charitable kicks we don't need to get into that i mean i'll flame throw that guy all flame throw that guy whoever the hell the anonymous quotes in that article were yeah but this just like kind of goes to show everything that we've kind of been saying about how everybody is kind of just like that's an absurd thing i mean big night out i gave away like three four million bucks to people and uh you know potentially changes they're the same similar type of thing It's like, yeah, it's just all very fascinating how much hate, like, these people have for us, you know?
Starting point is 01:56:53 And it's like... It's unbelievable. It's awesome. It's unbelievable. Thank you. It's very cool that we have it. Yeah, you know, they say have a heat's good. You know, we got a good heat out there.
Starting point is 01:57:04 But, like, these people are just so fucking blind by it. It's a very absurd thing. But on that note, we just had a $1.5 million kick in front of 110,000 people. I don't know what else we get in it. Who knows what college game day looks like next? year. I mean, there's like so many different variables to it, but I'm not somebody, I think people know this. Jay J.J. Wap being
Starting point is 01:57:24 on a show on a regular basis is a segment. We don't really stick with a lot of things, get bored with things. It's not like, hey, we found something, let's do this forever. So, you know, me hinting it, this might be the end of the series. Like, it lives, what if something else comes up? What if it doesn't happen? Like, there's so many things to it. But also, saying it's a bad business sense to do away
Starting point is 01:57:42 with it, it's like, okay. This thing I've ever heard in my life. You want to know it's bad business says, giving away millions of dollars that you like this is the most heritable philanthropic thing you could possibly do oh dude i'm i want to lose it on that guy i'm like are you kidding me like you're going to sit here and anonymously give quotes to this little article and you're going to have an entire article written about a guy giving away millions of dollars of charity like that's a problem that's a problem with our everything that's going on right now is you want to attack something and you're going to attack somebody giving away money to
Starting point is 01:58:13 charity by a kid picking a ball through a poll like come on now what are we talking about about there's so much negative shit in this world to attack and we're going to attack giving money to charity get the out of here man thank you for that jage hey jage i appreciate you doing that for me and for us as a whole but if you want to look around i mean you can go to that website there's a couple other ones anytime we have been talked about there's some sort of angle or just like i don't even know how you have that unless like you do your thing but once again we just hey sit in the pocket keep it going and try to make cool moments for people you know and uh there's a song coming out uh here in a little bit that i wrote about like i treat finance like a maro'n hood, okay? Try to find a Brink's truck and figure out how to give it back, basically. You know, like, that has been a massive piece of us. And we're not the only ones. I mean, Mr. Beast gives away so much. You talk about, like, the things that I think a generation has done with the access to
Starting point is 01:59:04 the amount of shit that we've got access because of how good our people have been to us, it's like there's a natural reaction to want to give back and give away. And it's like, I think some of the olds just like don't fully understand it. You know, and I think there's a lot of people that don't really understand, like, that is his money, it's coming from someone else. It's like, well, all money is earned from somewhere else. But yes, that is certainly coming out of our company's account to these people and to these charities. So it's like, that's a fulfilling thing to do, though.
Starting point is 01:59:31 Like, it's a cool thing. Now, do you find out new ways to do that? And, like, do you do things like that? I think so. We've kind of proven to do that. But a $1.5 million kick in front of 110,000 people at a college football playoff game. I don't know what else, you know, I don't know what else we didn't. But if there is something, let's go ahead and do that.
Starting point is 01:59:48 And what does Game Day look like next year, you know, as a whole? So it's like, you know, I appreciate you going to bat for me, though. But that's kind of been our business here since we started licensing our show onto ESPN and taking two hours daily away from some producer who has a super genius idea that led ESPN to where it was before we got here. You know, so that those people are always going to be, you know, power, attention, clout, money. I didn't even think about them feeling disrespected or disrupted. in that thing for what they've had for a long time but there's certainly a class of those people
Starting point is 02:00:19 that don't appreciate us potentially coming in here and saying like yeah like we can tell them to give away two million of their own money you want to create your own show that gives away two million dollars or five million dollars or seven million dollars go ahead see how that show does go ahead and they had them
Starting point is 02:00:34 they had the mount wrong too they undersold the mount you know and it's just everything you could do to kind of diminish it is a cool thing that they do so I appreciate you going to bat from me judge we love you man Thank you, Jay. Love you, Jay.
Starting point is 02:00:47 So I'm here for pissing me off. I know you probably won't go to bat for yourself on it, so I will gladly call attention to it. I got some songs coming. I go to back for myself. Yeah, yeah. You get to hear inner thoughts from old Pat McAfee and a lot of these songs. There's some kill shots.
Starting point is 02:01:05 There is some good bars, I believe, is what they would be described at. And, you know, just when they come, how they come, and everything kind of gets added into it. So I appreciate you doing that for us, you know? I do appreciate it. that was something i don't think i or maybe you guys knew i didn't fully expect the full war from the people that see us as a threat to their power you know i didn't see that i thought we were like joining a team like joining a lineup whenever we start licensing our show through esbn i'm
Starting point is 02:01:35 not understanding the corporate world or the ineptitude of places or the lack of talent or creativity from people uh who've been at a place for a long time i didn't expect the potential and it's not everybody. I'm not saying it's everybody, but it is people that are sitting in positions where if they were to give a quote, it does seem as if it matters because they have a title and have been a... I don't think I expected the inner anti-us thing
Starting point is 02:01:57 and the reason why it is and how passionate those people could be. You know what I mean? So like, I don't think I expect from day one, the announcement of our show. The way it was framed was like an attempt to kind of bury us. Hey, you know all these people you like? We had to fire them because of this
Starting point is 02:02:13 company. It's like, I don't think that's exactly how that whole thing went, you know, because they think they just put up another billion for another thing that's being licensed, like our show is being licensed. We're not coming from a talent budget. I think we're coming from a licensing budget. Where does that come from? So I don't think that is actually how that works. So that's an interesting thing. But that was in the announcement of it. So it was like immediately like, hey, everything you like, gone. Everything you hate, here. And it's like, oh, that's a tough start. And then literally every leaked anonymous quote to whoever it was. Wall Street Journal, legit places, New York Times,
Starting point is 02:02:51 Washington Post, whatever it is. These are real places. Anonymous quotes coming out. You know, underperforming, not worth the problem. Like they're swearing. Are the advertisers like, it's like everything was like boom, boom, boom. And it's like, geez, I didn't expect the barrage. And it's now that I'm older and we're kind of in this, it's like, that was a guarantee, brother. Those people are losing 10 hours a week on ESPN of what they have. It's like, God, I should have known that, but now we're a little bit hardened. We're a little bit more hardened. And I believe there is potentially a track record of success, though, at this point.
Starting point is 02:03:27 I'd say that's fairly accurate. I think there's a potential extinction coming, potentially. Dinosaur since the history. Meteor. Have kind of disappeared. So we'll see. good luck to you all we appreciate you jage we appreciate the hell out of you man we appreciate the hell out of you brother merry christmas guys i appreciate it have a great holiday send the best
Starting point is 02:03:53 to your family's always a joy see you next week we love you man merry christmas to you and yours also tell tige that if he needs us to do though to pump that lung back up we will for the christmas holidays i'll give him my lungs i don't want that we'll find good luck it's a little late for that because tie tired already offered up some knees and he wished for knees you clearly didn't wish for any long. Wow. Or J.H. I've said for many, many, many, many years that I would take a bullet
Starting point is 02:04:19 for T.J. Yeah, but you wouldn't give up a lung. You wouldn't even give a lung. Oh, I'm sorry. We're all going to do the same thing. Oh, I'd like to we're all going to do that. Okay. Great Tiffany. You're saying, hey, listen. Is it the thought of the show? That's where we got to hit different angles here. College football playoffs needs to be represented.
Starting point is 02:04:33 That was his second. Yours was great. Yours was great. There's is 100% accurate. Again, another money thing. Why, we're not going to get it. We all know that. But if you want to, that is what it should be without question you're the man jage is he got he's going to play i mean we'll see i mean he's still working through it man still still still day by day still day can we give him uh if you need somebody talk to him yeah we can we can have a zoom call with
Starting point is 02:05:00 him we'll talk to him number yeah he may fall if you need yeah he's he's a big talker he's a huge media he loves media he does no i didn't mean he does lots of press no he's a couple He's a couple of buddies talking. Hey, what's up, me? I'll have some smoke. You know, Tyne will come in with a whiskey. We'll be on the same Zoom link. We'll just be talking if he needs us.
Starting point is 02:05:20 And then we'll be motivating his lung to come back to full. You know what I mean? That'll be the goal of the whole thing. They might not have you. They're in a situation where if the Ravens lose it on Saturday, they can red. It's over. How's it?
Starting point is 02:05:32 How do we feel? We feel good. I'll feel a lot better when I know who's playing quarterback on Saturday. Because we got both current quarterbacks are banged up. Love was limited, right? Yeah, but he's in the king. Malik Willis said he will be ready to go on Saturday. Don't even think about calling Philip Revers.
Starting point is 02:05:50 They got Clayton Tune on the practice squad, and if it comes down to it, you're going to be seeing him on Saturday. Love that. All right, James. Merry Christmas, buddy. Hey, guys. Merry Christmas. What game are you calling?
Starting point is 02:06:03 I am calling the Seahawks Panthers. Awesome game. I've got a great game. One of the few. Very awesome game. It's kind of a shit of late. Very excited. Kind of a shitty slay.
Starting point is 02:06:11 Yeah, it's like it all got worked because of Sunday night football flexed out the game that CBS was going to have, and they put the Sunday night football game back into Fox, so we got this game. I don't know how it all worked out. Very happy to have Seahawks Panthers. Very excited. We're happy you're on the call, too.
Starting point is 02:06:28 We can't wait to listen to you, brother. You're the man. Ladies and gentlemen, and also, I believe he was a surprise friend of the program on Quismas yesterday if he would have been needed. No way. Dude, I was waiting by my phone. That's on VA.
Starting point is 02:06:39 waiting. BA was just crushing questions. I had to show one. I had to turn it off because as you talked about earlier with your A&M yellow leaders with your F-bomb, the show was not quite prepared for my three-year-old. What? Luck. I'm saying luck.
Starting point is 02:06:53 So I was going blind on the questions. I was trying to cheat. I was trying to see the questions ahead of time and then Google it if you ever called me. Didn't happen. Sat by my phone for a half hour. That's why you're the greatest, Judge. You're the man. Ladies of gentlemen, JJ.
Starting point is 02:07:09 Okay, let's take a break on the other side. We're going to speed round the picks for the weekend for the entire slate because we're off the next two days before a wonderful holiday weekend. Christmas Day is going to deliver in a big way, even though the slate is potentially shite whenever it comes to ripple effects of the outcomes of the games. It's also a bunch of superstars playing football on Christmas. Let's enjoy this. Let's enjoy all of it.
Starting point is 02:07:39 Football. He is awesome. That's AJ Hawk. He said, listen, we got holiday photos. Just give me the haircut that I've always had. Yeah, I tried to do the thing. Just give me what I've always had. Okay, I would like to look the exact same way that I've always looked
Starting point is 02:07:57 before I decided to try to kind of make a little bit of a change. Everybody noticed, by the way. I didn't think anybody was going to nose. Everybody noticed. Just give me what I always have had. Age, you look fantastic on this Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas to you and all. the Hawkers.
Starting point is 02:08:10 Merry Christmas. Oh, you guys. You guys look great as well. How about Sam? So good. I cannot imagine. I've never tried playing the violin or fiddle. I would imagine that's very difficult.
Starting point is 02:08:20 He got booked 20 minutes before you saw him. He happens to live about 10 minutes away. So you do the math. As he was walking here, shout out Zito finding him. As he was walking, we had a conversation before the show. If we could find some sort of Carol or the Bell's performance, we would do that. Zito found somebody. he said, hey, God, God, I think he can come
Starting point is 02:08:40 do Carol the Bells on a violin. Would you be willing to pay him this amount of money? We countered with an amount of money. I guess the agreement takes place. Then all of a sudden we see him walking in here during the break. He has no idea what's going on. Obviously, I go to the bathroom, I come back out. I go, hey, we're about to be live. You're standing in middle of the stage
Starting point is 02:08:56 here, bud. What's that? Yeah, 10 seconds. We're right here. Carrow of the Bells, you got it? He goes, yeah, just which camera's that way. Cameras that way. We're about to be like, four, three, two. And for him just the right into it. I mean, no flubs fucking send it. Allegedly, once Sam walked off stage here and we celebrated him an hour or two actually
Starting point is 02:09:18 began just as soon as he's done, we run the intro, we tell him, thank you so much. Let's take a photo real quick. Yeah, we're live again. The fuck out of here. We're alive. Basically, that's kind of how it goes. And then he walks off. And then I guess right over there, he goes, were we live for that?
Starting point is 02:09:31 And Zito was like, yeah, he did great or whatever. And then Zito obviously does the shuffle out. So that guy was in here for, we paid him well, by the way. Merry Christmas to him. And thank you to him for being able to be that nimble or that quick. At home of his family, potentially, sees a DM. Do I want to go pick up a quick? Yeah, I think I do, actually.
Starting point is 02:09:50 Let me go ahead and nail this. He crushed it. Yeah, he did. Professional. That's what's all about, isn't it? That's the holiday season. Magical moments. It's all about it.
Starting point is 02:09:58 Toxic tables here at Boss Conner and at Ty Schmidt. Ty, you can provide a magical moment for one half of the hammer. Don! Cowboys. AP tone. Dressed up in a full Grinch onesie today. Yeah, it looks awesome. Awesome.
Starting point is 02:10:11 Incredible. I'll tell you what, wearing white sweats is an aggressive move. I would never be able to. The green was sold out. But I'm just saying, like, I understand. So you have the same thought I had as well. Yeah, that's it. I think you look good.
Starting point is 02:10:21 Thank you. I walked in here this morning. I saw you wearing the all white. I was like, oh, he's wearing a costume. I didn't know what it was. And then I saw you kind of move a couple different times. I'm like, oh, a Grinch fit here. I like, you really, you outfitted everybody here.
Starting point is 02:10:33 Thank you. I believe they say you threw a fit. And now, granted, AJ shows up, you know, with Christmas vacation right there on his chest, so we're very thankful. I wore green today, as you see. As did Ty, Ty, tried to mix in a little bit. You, you want, what's throwback? Christmas sweater.
Starting point is 02:10:49 Got it. Yeah, I thought, I assumed we were doing Christmas sweaters. Bad assumption. I did have a difference one that might have, color might have worked a little better. But I just figured, why would I abide by some stupid color? Hey, big game last night for the bees. I saw two massive scraps and tilts to start that entire thing with Montreal. I love everything about that.
Starting point is 02:11:10 Yeah, the bad boy Bs are back. Unfortunately, they lost six to two. This is three seconds into the game. Three seconds into the game. I don't know what happened. Who did what? Are we trying to build the rivalry back? Let's fight.
Starting point is 02:11:21 Yeah, Bruins Canadians is probably the oldest American Canadian team rivalry. A lot of people obviously have the Battle of Alberta or whatever the fuck it's called up there in Canada. But Bruins, Canadians, both original six teams. huge rivalry, and it is back. This Bruins team not supposed to be that good. They've kind of become bullies again, which is incredible. And then the Canadians, very good teams. They threw down right away.
Starting point is 02:11:46 And these aren't the big boys. The big boys came later. The big boys put on their big boy pants. This is seven minutes later. The big boys said, you know what? Center ice, I'll see you there. Ding, ding, ding, and they get after it. Yeah, Zadorov and X-E-A-H-U.
Starting point is 02:12:03 There it is. Jay, not a you Jay, they battled Yeah, look at 6-4-2-40, 6-7-255 Just throwing Mitz, man I mean, that's what it's all about Just chucking knucks If you ask me, hey, what do you want for Christmas?
Starting point is 02:12:17 It's me and my brother Underneath the Tree doing that shit Which is still the play for them all. Okay, well, I hope you win. I hope you're the... I won't. I don't know who won that because obviously Zedorav ends up on top
Starting point is 02:12:30 but Ziz... X-E-A-A-A-H-H-H- He's called him Wi-Fi. That's what the boys call him. Okay, Wi-Fi got some in there. I mean, he was Bluetooth-connected. Oh, like Ashford. Yeah, he certainly was.
Starting point is 02:12:42 So I'm proud of the boys getting after it. I like good scrap. This is something to hockey has that no other sport, especially in 2025 has, where it's like, yeah, fights are good for the game. They're good for the environment. They're good for momentum. They're good for a team.
Starting point is 02:12:55 They're good to set a tone. They're also good to send a message from one team to the other what they're about. Like, they respect fighting. And also, the refs have fuel for game. Like, the refs have fuel for game. Like, the refs have fuel. for game. There is makeup calls in hockey
Starting point is 02:13:06 and they just kind of like naturally understand that. There's some things of the hockey culture that are far superior than every other sport. Yeah, I believe that's second one and also the first one because right off the tip, it is one of those things like, hey, give me the honor of this fight. You know, Rupper has been on here
Starting point is 02:13:21 front of the program, Mike Rupp, Stanley Cup champion about how Zadano Chara, legend for the Boston Bruins, 6-9, Beast, basically would ask him like, please give me this fight, like do me the honor of this fight. And both of those felt like that, you know, one to start in the other, like, okay,
Starting point is 02:13:38 our smaller guys, one at the beginning. We are the big and force or no one wants to fight us on both teams. Like, let's throw down and set it. Let's go ahead and let people know that this is a robbery. Yes. Yeah, let's go ahead and let people know what this is about. I enjoy that from hockey. And hockey season's going to be electrifying. Don't look
Starting point is 02:13:54 it now. Cindy Crosby's scoring more and everybody else. Is that right? Yeah, it is. Pens are about to win a fucking Stanley Cup. I know we lost yesterday, but Penns are about to win the Stanley Cup. Stu Skinner? Oh, yeah. SS. There was like two, three different times where our defense was seemingly non-existent and they were just breakaway after breakaway after
Starting point is 02:14:10 breakaway in the middle of games, which shouldn't be happening at the rate in which it was happening. So I'm stacked pads a couple of times. Oh, yeah, butterfly style. No, no. Complete opposite. He was actually just laying on his side like the fucking nutcracker. Laying tall. Yeah, laying tall. Yeah, he was. He was laying tall and playing big
Starting point is 02:14:26 out there. It was good to see Stu kind of get used to his game a little bit. Similarly, every time he's in that, there is a lot of goals, but I see him make some safe. Oh, yeah. I see him make saved so got to get that figured how many more games in a hockey season Nick how far into the hockey season are we right now feels like we still got some good
Starting point is 02:14:42 time to go that's a good question let's look right guys there's quite a few to go so 38 39 maybe 35 at the season yeah we got it right most I'm seeing right now games played is 38 so we got at least 44 more to go
Starting point is 02:14:57 perfect timing we got we got some time still yeah we got some time so how's Detroit you guys still a hockey team or no if you look at the top of this list right here pat the red wings are in second they're in first in their division they're on absolute fire right now and uh just the other day they sent me this cool jacket and a cool box of all sorts of goodies because they're a first class organization i think the pen said yours is on the way okay they're calling that cool in boston they're calling it something else fox what are they calling it you don't want to know they're saying it's red i think is what they're saying
Starting point is 02:15:26 how red it is that is a great jacket though and i appreciate that they sent that alongside some videos reliving the glory days of Detroit, it was black and white. 100 years of hockey town. Yeah, the box had its LED screen on it with all these throwback videos of them winning so many Stanley Cups because it's hockey town there. And they're all the way
Starting point is 02:15:45 back. They won last night. They beat gumpy stupid Dallas stars in overtime. It was awesome. Glad glute. Okay, so riddle me this, because I know you were talking about Stevie Y, coming back to Detroit and creating a winner. Is that now coming to fruition in Detroit? I sure hope so, because there are a lot
Starting point is 02:16:01 his team though? Yes, it's still his team and there are a lot of fans in Detroit that are fed up with it. I'm not because Stevie Y could do no wrong. I'm not because they send me this jacket in a box two days ago. That certainly helps. And growing up, hockey was like the coolest sport of all time when he grew up in Michigan because
Starting point is 02:16:17 of Stevie Y and all the boys. So, yeah, we're looking good. Yeah, but you can't skate. That's the thing about Foxy. No, he can't skate. He's a bender. He actually one time did post his video. Look at me skating guys. It's so cool. I mean, his fucking ankles are sideways. It is classic
Starting point is 02:16:32 like, oh, okay, that's a guy who doesn't know fucking shit. Yeah, this is all lies. You go up in Michigan, where it actually gets cold, not like Indiana, not like Pittsburgh, where all the lakes and all the ponds are frozen. Well, I was skating on three rivers growing up, brother.
Starting point is 02:16:48 Okay, you don't know what it's like to to work and then hop over a dead body. You guys could never do that. You know this entire All-Star Skills Challenge that they're doing for McJesus. workouts. That's what we're doing off the bottom of bodies whenever we're skating on the river
Starting point is 02:17:04 growing up. Just take a look at all the NHLers from the state of Michigan right now currently playing. Okay, that's because we're playing on ponds, we're playing on lakes all the time growing up. Yeah, you got no dangles. Yeah, yeah. Speed, dangles, you name it. Physicality,
Starting point is 02:17:20 I'll admit, I might need a goon on my side, so I'm not going to do a lot of physicality. But I'll do everything else for the team. Did you actually grow up playing pond hockey? Yeah, I played pond hockey. I actually played hockey until I basically had to choose basketball or hockey, and I chose basketball. So on that note, we play a lot of deck hockey, ball hockey in Pittsburgh.
Starting point is 02:17:40 We did roller hockey in the summers. I can't skate for shit. I can't skate for shit. I had $5 Friday night free skates. So awesome. Gold Mall highway. So good. End up in a hospital a couple times.
Starting point is 02:17:50 Not because of me. Chris Harmon got sliced up. Sure. It's expensive. It's a very tough game to get into. It's the best. That is by far. Growing up, like people would go sledding,
Starting point is 02:18:02 pawn hockey is the greatest. It's awesome. Leaving the morning, come back in night. See, I've never, I've never experienced the pond hockey day. Is it like an apprae skater? Are we having beers up there? The whole time. Yeah, you're drinking the whole time?
Starting point is 02:18:14 Oh, yeah. It's fantastic. You go out like 10, and you're probably leaving out like four or five. Oh, it's perfect time. And you're new. Oh, so it's a day drinking? Yeah, and you're fucking nude. You are fucking scent, my life.
Starting point is 02:18:27 Is there any frozen ice fishing? happening around? Anybody get digging any holes in this thing on the sides? Or is this just strictly hockey operation? Probably in Michigan because that's some dumb shit to do while everyone's playing pond hockey, but I'm not sure. We've been ice fishing in Minnesota. Yeah, fun, right? Worst thing ever.
Starting point is 02:18:44 Oh, it is. I grew up ice fishing. It sucks ass. It's the worst. Why can't you catch big fish? Why is it only those tiny four-inch fish that fall about those baby holes? How big of a hill? A hole are you going to do? I guess it is the size of the hole, depending upon
Starting point is 02:18:59 the size of the fish that you i don't know it's not though if you even if i say i drew a little hole and i drop some bait down there if a big old monster comes in then i'm just like i need to expand that hole to pull them out of there is there something about hibernation for the big ones and then the little ones still swimming where it's frozen i always thought you could still catch big ones and ice fish well i did certainly i just never see oh you did yeah i mean you saw that thing i pulled out i did they're still talking about today oh yeah all the trophy fishes are you know warm water yeah because soft fish they know marlins up in some Blake. What did I pull out of her?
Starting point is 02:19:32 A tuna. A what? Guppy. Yeah. No. I think it was. No. I think the fucking guy who ran the thing we were in went to Walmart beforehand and just grabbed a bunch of them and dumped them down the hole and said, these guys will catch it within the next two hours. We'll be good. I almost didn't. I know. I know. The shot clock was running very low.
Starting point is 02:19:52 It was the last cast. If you do recall, it was last cast. I'm getting out of here. Fucking A. I don't think I'll do that everywhere again. No. No. Never. It sucks. Yeah, it was not good. I've never done the ski life, really. Skiing is also in grass. Those are the two things.
Starting point is 02:20:05 I feel like in the Northeast, it is very prevalent growing up, at least. I heard it's good for families, too. Like my daughter has something to do. Like, it is a wintertime skiing thing. Boyce Park, I guess there were people that snowboarded and skiing and stuff. I didn't really get into it much. I did the tubing. Were you a snowboard god over there?
Starting point is 02:20:25 Yeah. Is that what you, you were checking passes? Totally boards. It was the best gig. You worked half hour at the, the bottom of the slope, half hour at the top, making sure people didn't fall off and get on, stuff like that. And then you had an hour off where you could snowboard and ski.
Starting point is 02:20:36 So it was the best job for high school kids. And then you're down there at the lodge, acting like you're running the show. Yeah, free churros, yeah. Hey, slow there. Every time I went to everybody that worked there from Plum, Penn Hills, Minroville, it was at East Hills of Pittsburgh, basically Haven, which we all know more about that part of town now. So we understand what that was like.
Starting point is 02:20:53 There's a lot of, you know, alterations that took place at this particular. Everybody that had the badge that they worked there really felt like they were walking around like snow gods and i assume you did utilize that position of power as well yeah good food in the lodge yeah if i do recall something about eating and drinking while skiing like the food's better the drinks better it is what about tomorrow what's the big one uh for christmas christmas eve or christmas ham stuffing right that's the big is everybody doing that the seven fishes tonight for the italians i believe you guys have going on seven fishes are tonight uh normally start off with a with a shrimp scampy
Starting point is 02:21:28 stuff like that and then move through the night it's a delightful scampy shrimp scampy that's like I guess that is one of the fishes huh
Starting point is 02:21:35 well that's how we counted as one are you guys gonna be eating what I what I pull out there guppy you guys gotta have any fried guppy
Starting point is 02:21:42 probably not that's probably the final one right the seventh one I don't know I have to check with coach series too what's what fishes are there
Starting point is 02:21:50 swordfish salmon sword fish salmon Nick what are the fish tilapia lobster mac oh that counts as well? Calamari.
Starting point is 02:21:58 Yeah. Oh my God. Calamari. He's our fishes, man. Yeah, it sounds like you guys are eating American fish. Standard fish universe. Caesar dressing counts because it's got anchovies. That's fucking Mickey Mouse.
Starting point is 02:22:09 No, I wouldn't count that, but... I didn't know we're doing mac and cheese counts with the lobster mac in there. I guess it makes sense because that is fish technically is in there. Is it? Any seven things you can pull out of water, basically. Oh, I like that. He eaten dead bodies? Good.
Starting point is 02:22:25 seven fishies you know so that fucking rat we got one of the art let's do some picks shall we a j there was a mistake on last week's scoring you and I actually ended up tying oh we end up tying did we yes hey whoa
Starting point is 02:22:41 I don't like the way you talked about that okay I don't like the way that that kind of went down and to be clear I found it to be a little sketchy as well to find that out a few days later but on that note
Starting point is 02:22:54 New York ruled in, and we had a tie last week. So 6-8-2 is my current record against you. We got two weeks left. So guess what, H? This could be 8-8-2, and we go into the off-season knowing that you and I saw it the same exact way. And that's what good teammates were all about. Let's get to the picks tomorrow.
Starting point is 02:23:13 Dallas at Washington. Dallas favored by seven. Who do you like? How do you like it? AJ was 66% of the bets on the Cowboys. Man, this is tough. I picked Dallas last week and got rocked on that. picked, but you know what, I'm sticking with him.
Starting point is 02:23:26 Give me Dallas minus seven. I'll take the Dallas Cowboys as well. Detroit Lions favored by seven and a half traveling into school country. Wemby won't be there, but there'll be a great clap. Just saw that the Vikings have shut down Christian Darrisaw, starting left tackle, who's paid a bunch of money. He's done for the year.
Starting point is 02:23:42 Okay, we don't want to hurt him going into the offseason. We know what it is. And Max Brosmer. Okay. He's playing. Take a look at his number. I thought they shut him down. No, no, no, no. Save him for the office. He has to be shut him. His numbers were very good in their win last week.
Starting point is 02:23:57 What were they? Against the Giants. I think they're like seven of nine for 63, something like that. Kevin O'Connell can do whatever he wants with the quarterback position. AJ, seven and a half for Detroit. I mean, Detroit needs to win this game, obviously. Give me Detroit here, minus seven and a half. Feels like a lot of points, but give him, give me Detroit.
Starting point is 02:24:14 I'll do the same. In Denver, 13 and a half against Kansas City. We all like Denver. The team's leaving the state. And Chris Albuquerque is the chief's quarterback. Who? Chris Aluton. He was a Steeler's seventh round.
Starting point is 02:24:24 pick out of South Dakota State, two-time Super Bowl champion. A luacone? A ludic, O-L-A-D-U-N, I believe? O-S? Not sure. Oh, I don't know. I don't know. Not sure if he is an Oos, but one of the things from this week
Starting point is 02:24:39 people were going nuts about with Kansas City was they didn't do an injury report because they just didn't do practice that day. They just skipped it. Andy Reed. Thank God. Nothing matters now, right? We just lost their Titans. I'm meeting a family afterwards. I never met him. Three of the teams playing on Christmas Day we'd be down on a third string quarterback.
Starting point is 02:24:55 The commanders will play Josh Johnson. The Vikings will play Brazmer, and the Chiefs will play Chris Oloidocoon. Okay, sounds good. So Denver, minus 13 and a half age? Yeah, give me Denver right there on that one. Okay, we're all seeing it the same way. Houston Chargers,
Starting point is 02:25:12 Chargers favored by two and a half at home, over under 39 and a half. Almost 60% of the bets are on Houston, just at 57%. Anything else we need to know about this game? This feels big. Yeah, very cool. that was that C.J. Strouds only had, what,
Starting point is 02:25:24 a four-game win streak two or three times in his life in both times was ended by a Jim Harbaugh coach team. And that was Ohio State heading to Michigan. AJ, Houston, or the Chargers, two and a half to spread? I think this is the time that C.J. Stroud breaks that whole curse
Starting point is 02:25:40 on that. So give me the Houston, Texans. I'll ride with you. Baltimore. Green Bay. Baltimore. Getting three against the Packers who were receiving 63% of the bets. 8 p.m. Eastern on Peacock. Go ahead. Lamar, no.
Starting point is 02:25:52 so he's probably not going to play that's his thing yeah but that's his thing when they play on Sundays yeah Lamar Jackson back contusion was the only Ravens player missing in Wednesday's practice Ravens have their field a final on field workout tomorrow time is running out for a return says Jonas Schaefer he's Jonas Schaefer's talking about the urgency here there's a lot of urgency here in this game's on peacock people are going to be pumped about that Baltimore getting three AJ who do you like how do you like it who's playing quarterback for Green Bay? Do we know? They were both
Starting point is 02:26:24 limited in practice. Again, like these, the concussion things, guys haven't been able to come back a week later, so I don't know if Love's going to be able to, and then Malik Willis was banged up, and he basically said, like, hey, if it comes down to it, I will be ready to play on Saturday night.
Starting point is 02:26:40 AJ? Okay, well, maybe put a guardian cap on Jordan Love, but give me Green Bay here, minus three. And he took a massive shot. Yeah, big time. I mean, that was a old school CTE era of football shot, right to face and then landed on him too and I appreciate he
Starting point is 02:26:55 he's a dog it feels like by all the sense so maybe he is able to get through the protocol quicker than most in this particular year I'll take the Packers as well we're seeing it the same age maybe this is the one where we go absolutely perfect let's go Seahawks Panthers JJ Watt on the call Seahawks favored by 7
Starting point is 02:27:12 in Carolina huge game for the playoffs here yeah it is minus 7 does feel like a lot for the Seahawks on the road give me the Carolina Panthers here most games as an underdog this season the Titan have had 15. The Giants have had 14. The Jets have had 13. The Panthers also 13.
Starting point is 02:27:28 Panthers plus 7 at Seahawks here, says Hembo. Merry Christmas. Happy holidays to Hembo. We appreciate everything he's done for us this year and also the Quismus questions yesterday. You like the Seahawks? I like the Panthers here. Plus seven. Me too. Steelers, favored
Starting point is 02:27:46 by three against Cleveland Browns going into Cleveland. Game obviously might mean nothing. depending upon what happens in the Ravens Packers game. Steelers favored by three with 75% of the bets in Cleveland. Steelers have voted well in Cleveland. Miles Garrett could get the record, though, against Pittsburgh Steelers, which would be obviously gigantic.
Starting point is 02:28:06 Anything else that we're missing? No, nothing at all except for TJ Watt back at practice. I assume he's still not going to play, but he is back in practice. A certain outside linebacker has resumed practicing for the Steelers, says Joe Roder from the Trib. No, he's not paying your 11 bucks to get to play. blue checkmark, okay, Elon? I'm fucking journalist, I can't be bought.
Starting point is 02:28:26 So shout out to Joe Rudder doing that. And for his dedication to city working for the Trib Dyer. Oh, and D.K.'s out. Mecca. Yeah, not just this week, the next one. Oh, yeah. And out of guarantees as well. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:28:38 But the Steelers have said they are going to honor that move forward. Yeah, they said that. We'll see how it all goes. We hope the best for everybody. He drops a pass round one. He won't. Age? Give me Steelers on the road here.
Starting point is 02:28:52 Me as well. Cardinals taking on the Bengals. Joey Burrow, fresh off an ass beating of the Miami Dolphins. He looked very good, and he said, this is what it's about. When I'm rehabbing and not playing football, I'm miserable. Okay, when I'm playing football and it's going well, I'm happy. He basically addressed the entire I'm happy. I'm not happy situation about his future. Bengals played their best ball last week.
Starting point is 02:29:13 Do you think that continues here with the Cardinals traveling in? Yeah, I don't know who the ruler of the jungle is in Cincinnati, but I'm going to take the Bengals either way. Yeah, me as well. And we're all, hey, this might be the week. Here we go. Can't wait. Undefeated. Patriots, Jets, Patriots getting 81% of the bets against the Jets. What is the normal outcome between Patriots, Jets, late in the season?
Starting point is 02:29:33 We just piss on their face and kind of celebrate, except for last year. I'll take the Patriots, AJ. Patriots, Patriots for me as well. Buccaneers, Dolphins, this one feels too easy. Give me the dolphins plus five and a half down there in Miami. Are you taking the dolphins or taking the bucks? You said this one feels too easy. I thought you were going bucks, so I'm taking bucks here.
Starting point is 02:29:51 That's what I did mean, which immediately made me go, all right, I guess I'll go the other way here. Five and a half doesn't feel like enough for the bucks. So this one feels to me. This one smells to me. This one is a little bit stinky to me. I did see a stat. I can't remember who it was from, but in situations like this where the one team has to win or whatever to improve their playoffs or get into playoffs, there's a team that has nothing to play for, the team that has nothing to play for is actually covered 60% of the time. I'll take the dolphins plus five and a half. Quine yours, hey, this guy can't. and leave the train station later and get there
Starting point is 02:30:23 at the same time. I saw the tweet last night. I saw the tweet last night. Jacksonville Jaguars traveling into a hostile. Hall. Yeah. Lucas Oil Stadium. Fresh off, a master class by Phil Rivers. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:30:39 Now, defense can't get a stop. Plus 3,000 odds right now to make the playoffs, Indianapolis Colts. Pretty good. A lot of things have to happen. One of them is beat the Jacksonville Jaguars who are hotter than they've ever been coming in to Lucas Oil. And also motivated because I don't want to say that they're saying that we are talking shit about them, but they're basically saying everybody seemingly talking shit about him. And they can certainly utilize clips from our particular program to
Starting point is 02:31:03 signify that. So maybe we're not good that I am a Colts fan. And maybe these teams are using a lot of motivation from what I'm saying. I haven't even really thought. They'd be very narcissistic of me to think that I matter that much. But in the current world that we're in right now, with bulletin board material and us being considered national media the things that I say hyping up Colts teams during weeks of games
Starting point is 02:31:26 I think if their coach was to be somebody that pulls clips from national media and shows teams we could have potentially been motivating some teams I think there's a chance
Starting point is 02:31:36 that maybe we're part of the problem so I'd like to say this is Jacksonville Jaguar's team God they're so good Trevor Lawrence is flying around looks like goddamn stallion out there William Cohen's lost so much weight Oh, my God.
Starting point is 02:31:47 He knows that it was always wrong. It was always supposed to be do. Oh. Shod Khan, this guy, not only best mustache in history. Guy created a bumper saves all our lives. Thank you to him. But also, he's a visionary. I mean, he has been seeing this for a long time.
Starting point is 02:32:01 And they've been talking about it for a long time. Yeah, exactly. I mean, he looked at this, and this is what they envisioned in January. Okay. We're going to do it in September, in October, and November. And now we're doing it in December. we're going to do it in January Probably even February
Starting point is 02:32:19 What? February? And then after February You know what's after February? What's that? This is going to last forever! There's a chance. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 02:32:29 We were mocking a little bit there in September and October. Had to. But boy, with what they're playing and how they're playing right now, this Jaguars team, Jaguars team is actually unbelievable, a real buzzsaw. I don't think a lot of people want to play them in playoffs. but on that note I'll take the Colts plus six and a half of course age who do you like how do you like it yeah I mean on that note especially hearing
Starting point is 02:32:52 you know reminiscing over what Sean Khan how he rallies the troops I will take the Jacksonville Jaguars in the lot has yeah I am sorry I think Phil you know what I think Phil continues the role I love what he's doing but this Jaguars team is really putting together what the fuck happened to our defense I mean we literally scorners take you took a couple of wrists and And all of them fucking ate shit is really what happened, unfortunately. But hey, look, got good young pieces still.
Starting point is 02:33:23 Just need to figure out that quarterback position. Maybe a couple other pieces on defense, maybe a couple other pieces on offense, and you're there. Next year's your year. We got some tradable parts. Oh, yeah. Okay? We're out of picks for a long time. We're out of picks for a long time.
Starting point is 02:33:39 We don't really have a lot of assets. We've paid everybody, basically. but we got opportunity for other teams to potentially get really good players in their prime to give us an opportunity to potentially build for a future if that's what we're trying to do or we like our guys. There's a chance we try to get
Starting point is 02:33:54 healthy for next year. Yeah, I think you guys like your guys. You've always like your guys and I think that's one of the things that a lot of Colts fans have issues with. I'm sick and fucking tired of hearing we like our guys and then not making the playoffs. Yeah, what about that guy? Plus 3,000
Starting point is 02:34:10 real quick. Still got a chip in a chair. Phil Rivers knows that. He's going to go get it. I can't believe you're taking the Jags minus six and a half in the Loudhouse. I thought you knew a ball age. Well, you do got to think they just went into Denver, which is pretty hostile, and they won't 41-17.
Starting point is 02:34:25 He just kind of beat the shit out of one of the best teams in the NFL. And Phil Rivers is like, hey, I'm throwing it here to the defense. No, no, no. D. Winters said he just knew what he was doing because he called Orlando earlier. And we talked ad nauseum at the beginning of the show, how it feels like they've turned Philip Rivers microphone up louder than every other quarterback in the NFL, maybe in the history of quarterbacks because they know how funny he is. It's like, well, actually, you're giving way our
Starting point is 02:34:50 entire fucking thing, that whole world. That's charming. AQ walks in a building and goes, I know all of Phil Rivers checks. And it's like, okay, that's good. He's been in building 13 days. Now he's got to redo all of his checks. Okay, I'm sure that'll help out. I'm sure everything's good. Age, I don't like what they're doing to us. That's why back's against the wall, chip in a chair. Still a chance to make the playoffs. See, here's me adding. It's a board material. Yeah, exactly. A very good Jackson for Jaguar's team.
Starting point is 02:35:17 Loses to the Coltses. What? Wow. Yeah. Do I know really anybody on the roster? No. Phil Rivers. I know him, yeah, I'm a fan of him.
Starting point is 02:35:30 Boom. I don't know. Do we know him really? I mean, we know them all enough to. I don't think we have a relationship with anybody on the team at this point. Do he? Tyree. I know that's Pacers.
Starting point is 02:35:42 Yeah, exactly. The Colts anymore. Exactly. Daniel Jones, we had a relationship with. He's, like, reach out, fan of the program, which we're appreciative of. Yeah, uh-oh, Chris Ballard. He's the only one that we do, and it feels like maybe because of that, his days, might be. No, no, it's not.
Starting point is 02:35:58 We are not the curse of the Colts. Ah, maybe, I don't know. I do see a lot of people potentially giving us credit for potentially forecasting everything that's kind of happening here. But on that note, I would like it to be known, I'm still a believer. Pitman. Yeah, we kind of know people, I guess. When you see him, you said what's up. So, yeah.
Starting point is 02:36:18 That counts. Super Bowl at one time. Yeah, we know these guys. Hey, Liam, we know more people on your team than we know on Colts team. So we would like to not be used as motivation against Indianapolis Colts. We would like this to not be run to the Jacksono Jaguars team. They won't. Kalin.
Starting point is 02:36:33 Ownership. Bingo. Pete. Yes, Pete. Frog tea. Yep. Training room. Yeah.
Starting point is 02:36:39 We're still in there. Yeah. Conti. Stinking. Chris. Sting. We don't really know Shite. His name's Shane.
Starting point is 02:36:49 Okay, you don't know shite. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, you don't know. All right, let's get to the next one here. Saints, Titans. Shuck. Give me Shuck. I'll take the Saints.
Starting point is 02:37:01 Give me Cam Ward and the Titans on this one. Wow. I think they found something. Think you may have found a little something. I like the juice that they had. I like the energy that they have. I like the vibes. that they have huge win over the Chiefs.
Starting point is 02:37:13 I think Saints might have found something, too. Giants, Raiders, favored by one and a half? I don't think so. Give me the Giants. It's good game. Who's playing quarterback for the Giants? Who cares? Dard if they let him.
Starting point is 02:37:24 I want Russ. I want Russ in there. Maybe James L. Or all three. Yeah. At the same time. Heisman package. Yeah, so who do you like?
Starting point is 02:37:33 I like the Giants. This is for a number one pick? Yeah, loser gets a number one pick. No meaningless game could mean more. than what we have this weekend. It should be something out of football. It should be something. Bruce, how do you feel about the game?
Starting point is 02:37:46 Because I heard Coach McCarthy talking to the Giants. If you've got four ones, you can win a Super Bowl. And if you've got a young quarterback in the middle of his development, we would like him to be healthy in the offseason. Really felt like he was talking to the Giants there. And obviously Giants fan, Bruce is like, hey, McCarthy to the Giants really starting kind of scratch where I hitch right here in it all. What are your thoughts on Dart playing or not playing as a Giants fan?
Starting point is 02:38:11 there was some chatter about shutting him down, but it was kind of alongside the Joe Burrow chatter where it's like, hey, he's better, he's got to go out there and play. So they are playing him, but in our play calling, being very protective. He had six pass attempts in the first three quarters of the game against the Vikings, and we ran the ball 35, 40 times. So while he is playing, it is clear, no design runs, and we're not dropping back to pass much, especially if they're coming zero blitz like Brian Flores was. With all that said, no Brock Bowers kind of handicaps them on, on their side as well. So it should be an absolute dog fight. Both defense is trying and playing well and both coaches offensively, probably, you know, working with what they got and maybe playing a little scared on the giant side. AJ, who do you like?
Starting point is 02:38:54 I like the Giants here. Me too. Eagles, Beals, Beals favored by one and a half at home. This is, we're talking home field advantage conversation for Buffalo or either of these? Yeah, Buffalo's still in it. Buffalo, they're a game back, but they could still win.
Starting point is 02:39:11 technically could be a home field advantage so they have a lot to play for Philadelphia Eagles already win the division they have a home playoff game can they move up the standings in the NFC much they could but no not a lot needs to happen but it's it's not that and the bears have the head-to-head tiebreaker against them as they beat them so so Eagles not much here no bills a lot yeah those a lot limited participation for Josh Allen and Bill's walkthrough on Wednesday they knew a new addition not participating is tight-end Dawson Knox with a knee walkthrough limited What's that mean?
Starting point is 02:39:42 He didn't walk through all the place? What's a walk through limited mean? I think it means if they would have a normal practice, he would have been limited in a normal. Oh, yeah, we were told that they have to project if it was a full day, what it would have been. Is this G-day, Christmas Eve, late in the season? Maybe, or is this actual issue we shall see?
Starting point is 02:40:02 At this moment, who are you taking? How are you taking it, AJ? I'm taking the Buffalo Beals at home and minus one to half. Me as well, and then Bears, Niners, Sunday, football, Niners, favored by three, that's good football team. Oh, yeah. I just watched them live, that's good football
Starting point is 02:40:17 team. You're on the flip side, Chicago Bears? That's good, tough football team. This is a great Sunday night football game. We're pumped and excited about it. AJ, who do you like? How do you like it? Yeah, I mean, I don't know if George Kiddle is going to play how he is doing, but either way, I am taking the 49ers on this one. Me as well,
Starting point is 02:40:33 I will take the Niners favored by three. And remember, the Niners can still get the number one seat in the NFC if they went out. So there's a lot to play. Not that the Bears don't have a lot to play for it, but The Niners can literally have a home game all the way to Super Bowl and through Super Bowl if they win out. So a lot on the line for Brock Purdy, who was dealing on Monday night, fresh off of five touchdowns. Man, Brock Purdy, well, I know Brut was B.A. saying, you're doing a little, like, how his ball kind of, you know, if those are two or three ball, as you hear these guys talk about on TV.
Starting point is 02:41:01 But, yeah, his, like, anticipation is what sets him apart. I think he's awesome. Yeah, and that things, you know. Deadly accurate. He's playing battleship. You know when you sit on, you know the game Battleship where you're saying, like, C-7 or whatever? That is literally what he's doing.
Starting point is 02:41:18 He's launching it over the thing. You can't see where it is, and it's just hitting exactly where he needs it to go. It is, you're watching a master at work whenever you're watching him live. And now, granted, was that the Colts defense? No, partially. They didn't fucking punt Thomas Moorstead's last morning
Starting point is 02:41:38 in a football game. Yeah. potentially last Monday that football game I messed up zero punts his whole family was in everybody was in town it was good game for
Starting point is 02:41:47 it's Brock a bad teammate he held a lot of perfect extra points perfect and that fucking guy was hit from 64 yeah Ed Pinnero
Starting point is 02:41:55 I didn't know he could do that I saw Ed walk out on he can actually it was 64 yarder and I was like there's no way this fucking let's get a returner back yeah let's go ahead
Starting point is 02:42:06 and try to steal one here Eddie Piniero is going to hit from 64 the record was 63 just like 10 years ago. Eddie Peneiro, not known for a big leg, obviously incredibly accurate. He lines up from 60 fucking 4. This guy almost makes it. It's an inch away from going through it.
Starting point is 02:42:20 It's so close. We didn't have a returner back there. Okay. Let's not like there, guys. Let's get to a break. Shut up. It's not how we're going to Christmas. Okay. They knew Eddie had it. They knew Eddie had it. And I'm impressed by it. That was a great kick. Just like groupie hitting from 60.
Starting point is 02:42:38 Incredible. In Seattle, it's like, yo, I did not know that was possible. I made eye contact with him. I was like 60, and he gave me one of these. This little guy's got Moxie. Kickoff, he fucking full send body in air. I saw that actually. You see a little body floating through.
Starting point is 02:42:54 And he fucking got tossed around and then he fucking got up and then jogged off to the side of like, this guy runs sprints to keep warm on his side. And you just watch him, it's like, I fucking love this guy's Moxie. I really do because he's doing more. than most kickers, but also it is very obviously he's the smallest guy on the football, maybe in the history of football. He might be the smallest guy to ever be on an NFL football field, like for real. You see him out there, and it's like, holy fuck, this guy's small, and he murders the ball. I have no idea how he's, he's a marvel.
Starting point is 02:43:27 Blake Groupie is a marvel in my eyes, and we're lucky we have him, and hopefully he'll be around for long haul, but boy, what does the course look like for long haul? What does life look like for long haul? We have no idea. All we have is this moment and today. We have no idea what tomorrow's going to bring so let's try to enjoy it all it's the holidays obviously christmas christmas eve let's go ahead and have great conversations let's go ahead and be thankful for what we have let's go and bury some maybe to hatch it with some people yeah sure and on that note let's cut off some anchors new year new you right around a corner somebody sucks go ahead and get them out of your life don't feel bad you got to look at the mirror every single day and say is this life worth
Starting point is 02:44:01 living it should be because it's a beautiful thing to be alive in general merry christmas to you all we can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for a living. AJ, great work. Thank you, great work, boys. Merry Christmas, everybody. Merry Christmas, everybody. Shout to Sam Fiddlepour. Yeah, that's right.
Starting point is 02:44:19 Yeah, great job. Great job. All right, we love you all. Thank you all. Merry Christmas. Enjoy your families. Enjoy ball, and we'll see you on Monday. Be a friend, tell you something nice.
Starting point is 02:44:29 You might change your life. We're in this thing together. Team on me, team on three. One, two, three. Team. Goodbye. 30 for 30 presents boo-ya. Can I get a witness from the congregation?
Starting point is 02:44:43 You can't stop authenticity. Boo-ya. Stuart 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 seen. He changed the culture. He changed sports.
Starting point is 02:44:59 Stream boo-ya, presented by Modelo, right now on the ESPN app. The NBA is happy. happening Christmas Day. Five games, one unforgettable lineup. That's what Christmas is all about. Buckets for breakfast, breakaways for dessert. It's the holiday tradition. Christmas is all day.
Starting point is 02:45:20 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.

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.