The Pat McAfee Show - PMS 2.0 1480 - CFP Quarterfinal Recap, NFL Week 18 Preview/Picks, Adam Schefter, Pete Thamel, Peter Schrager, & AJ Hawk

Episode Date: January 2, 2026

On today's show, Pat, AJ Hawk and the boys recap the CFP Quarterfinal round as they were at both the Cotton Bowl and Rose Bowl, plus they preview the entire NFL week 18 slate and make their picks against the spread. Joining the progrum to catch us up on everything that happened over the past week in the NFL and to preview the biggest story lines of week 18 is ESPN Senior NFL Insider, Adam Schefter. Next, the authority of college football, Pete Thamel joins the show to chat about the transfer portal opening today, his expectations for Trinidad Chambliss and what’s going to happen to all these teams who are still in the playoffs as roster’s begin to change. Later, ESPN NFL Insider/host/pundit, host of the Schrager Hour, Peter Schrager joins the show to chat about the CFP, the Panthers Bucs game tomorrow which he’ll be on the sideline for, and some of the other biggest storylines around the NFL moving into week 18. Make sure to subscribe to youtube.com/thepatmcafeeshow or watch on ESPN (12-2 EDT), ESPN’s Youtube (12-3 EDT), or ESPN+. We appreciate the hell out of all of you. We’ll see you on Overreaction Monday. Cheers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello, beautiful people, and welcome to our Humbley Bo, the Thunderham. On this feel-good Friday, January 2nd, 206, this program starts now. Football! It's the greatest. Saying 2006 felt weird there. Whoa. Yeah. But we're here.

Happy New Year. We can't thank you enough for allowing us to do this for another full trip around the sun. 2025 was obviously fantastic. New Year's Eve. It was an honor to be down there and Jerry Whirling. congratulations to the Miami Hurricanes. Big physical win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. They advance, obviously, to take on who?

Well, the winner of Ole Miss in Georgia. Well, congratulations to Ole Miss getting a huge win over Georgia. Obviously, what Golding is doing down there is the head coach, the man who was tasked with taking over a franchise, a program that was in complete disarray but had a phenomenal football team with potential. Exits happening both from the coaching staff and the locker room. This dude's been able to keep everybody on the same page.

Congratulations to Winad, and this Ole Miss team getting a huge win over Georgia. Gunner Stockton really couldn't get much going through the sky was great on the ground. This was a thriller in there. Kicker hits from 55, 56, and then a game-winning 47-yarder. What an absolute stud. Congrats to Ole Miss. What a beautiful story. Now, speaking of beautiful stories, the Indiana Hoosiers just.

absolutely smacking Alabama around at the Rose Bowl with Kurt Signetti, Fernando Mendoza, in a group of boys and lads that would consider themselves as misfits and castoffs who've come to Bloomington, Indiana, and created a football program from absolutely nothing. Whenever you talk about Indiana, you usually talk about the basketball team. You talk about the stripes on the pants. You talk about maybe a March Madness run. Now, that hasn't happened in a long time either, but you know them for Bob Knight and football. Then Kurt Signetti comes to town, starts talking his shit, gets everybody buy in. Has President Pam Whitten on his side saying whatever you need, however you need it?

Let's go ahead and do it. And they quickly go from a nothing to a powerhouse. Number one team in the country played just as such. And they get a dominant win right in front of us. And Connor, who is a diehard, IU Hoosier football fan. Day one. Just because, I think actually, day one of the Signity area. Day one is sick.

Yeah, Boston Connor. becomes an IU fan. So for Becker, this guy who saw action in, I think, three games prior to the Rose Bowl, had two during the regular season, I think, then the Big Ten championship, and then now in the Rose Bowl goes absolutely ham. You got Cooper Jr. and Sarat still. You got Hemby in the backfield. You got the Heisman, and then you got an offensive line where the center won, the offensive player of the game for the Rose Bowl. Whenever you then go to the defensive side, thumping Alabama. Cracked a rib right there is what's being reported. reported for Ty Simpson. That was pawns who caused the fumble an absolutely devastating

straight to the back that ejects the football from Ty Simpson. Indiana would obviously recover, go score, and then they would just continue to pile it on. So much so that Fernando Mendoza's little brother, Alberto Mendoza actually got in the game. The starters were arrested. Signetti was smiling on a sideline for the first time. And this Indiana Hoosiers team is excited for a rematch against the Oregon Ducks down there in Atlanta. So Oregon, Indiana, battling. Oregon beats Texas Tech, by the way. Texas Tech, great story.

Good season. Good people. Great season, great people. We don't think they're going anywhere. Okay, we do not want to say that they were a bad team or had a bad season because they didn't score a point against Oregon, and it didn't work out. To be fair, Indiana was the only team and is the only team that had a buy, a first-round buy, and has won in that second week.

has been a tough thing for a lot of college football teams to do, all the college football teams to do, except for Indiana. So whenever you talk about the Oregon Ducks, they beat JMU, then they blank Texas Tech, and now they got to run into a red-hot Indiana team down there at the Peach Bowl, and then out there in the desert, you got Miami. Tough team. Tough team.

Stronging. I mean, they are. A lot of sandpaper. A lot of grit. A lot of grit. A lot of grit, yeah, sandpaper jump, and grit. tenacity, a ruthlessness, a savageness. I mean, everything that Mario Cristobal wants his team to be, they are.

And you see it every single play. There was a tackle made where the form was actually, dolphin dive, top of helmet, two jaw in the second half. And the refs said, nah, let the boys play on. Let the boys play. They're a physical team. Ole Miss, you've got to be one of the mentally toughest teams

that ever exist to go through everything that they're going through. And we don't know Golding that well. Okay, obviously we know what people have said about Golding, but all I know is all he's done is manage a team in the most difficult situation. I don't want to say of all the time because I don't know the sport in its entirety for 100 plus years or whatever. Recent memory. In the CFP era. And boom, they beat Georgia.

Boom, they beat the hell out of Tulane. Boom, a coach left to go win a national championship somewhere else. Well, we're in the semifinals for the national championship right now in our question. quarterback and our defense look phenomenal. College football playoffs, I know there's been a couple blowouts. I know there's been some teams, obviously, that people didn't think that should get in. It has been fantastic. And maybe we're a little biased because we're on the sideline.

Hands up, that's all on us. It is so much fun. Thank you to college football for what they did for New Year's Eve, for New Year's Day, what they're going to do next Thursday, next Friday. I mean, this is spectacular. And the best four teams, the most physical four teams, have made it to the semifinals, and we love that. The toxic tables here at Boston Connor, at Ty Schmidt.

Conman, I love the non-biasedness right there. You got the Mendoza shirt on. Just, hey, I was there, just want to talk about it. Rose Bowl hat. It was beautiful out there. It feels like the football gods kind of blessed us. But not just with the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, this entire college football playoff thus far. Yeah, it's been incredible.

I mean, look at those four teams. Going into the year, there's no way in hell any of those four, I guess, maybe Oregon. But Oregon, Indiana, Ole Miss never have won a national championship. Miami hasn't won since 2001. Like, it is very much so, hey, it is the first time ever one of these teams. probably is going to win a Natty or Miami, one of the most iconic, you know, brands in all of college football is going to be all the way back. Like we've done it before with Texas and Miami, like they're back.

This would be a big time, holy hell. Miami is actually the Miami of old Michael Irvin, Edron James, Andre Johnson, Ray Lewis, all those guys on the sideline that entire era. But it is kind of like the NFL too. It's just a bunch of new teams at the top and the cool part about the NIL era. A lot of teams at home, Texas Tech being one of them, they're probably looking at it like, hey, there's no reason we won't be back here next year. Look at what Indiana just did. That's exactly what we can do.

And it's just a magical time of year for football. And I think they got it right here. The Big Ten will definitely have a representation in the national championship. As they should. Obviously, Indiana is taking on Oregon, but a lot of the stats and the records and everything that are coming out, obviously Ole Miss has a chance to continue to go and represent for them. but the SEC overall in bowl time, we've got a lot of opt-outs, you know? It's like you're the only team's dealing with that?

SEC, not great. Big Ten's basically peacocking right now about who they are. In Indiana doing what they did to Alabama, huge, and not in the college football playoff. Iowa, who nobody talks about making a playoff. Nobody talks about having any Heisman. Nobody talked about anything.

They beat Vandy, obviously, in the bowl game, but that's not the only one. The Big Ten has kind of been, the north has been kind of running college ball here for a little bit, and I think people are starting to acknowledge that, not just above the Mason-Dixon line, but also below it. Yeah, I mean, this is going to be what the third year in a row that the Big Ten will have.

You know, they've obviously won the last two national championships, and listen, I'm a Big Ten guy, so I don't want to just be a homer, but they're going to win a third national championship this year, whether it's Indiana or, I'm not sure. Hey, could you imagine Ole Miss? They have a chance. that Trinidad dude That story

That story is incredible If they were I didn't think there was any way They'd be able to all go like this Transfer portal open today Okay everybody that is potentially Leaving Ole Miss To go to LSU

or to go anywhere else Today they would have to get out And say So for last night For that game to happen When there isn't a way to be distracted To be able to be Georgia It was just

That's insane And then this Miami Hurricanes team They might be team of destiny right Unbelievable So to your point But Big Ten definitely has a representation in the national championship. Right.

And certainly Indiana looks like the best team in all of football right now. But it's like the Big Ten, once these numbers start adding up, and once these years start adding up, it's going to be like... It's kind of indisputable. When the NIL era kind of came in, and all the teams from the north, all the non-football nerds that go to all these schools are in the north, who get these business jobs or these equity jobs or whatever other businesses they start, all of a sudden they're all like, wait, we can help the football team?

Yes, how can you do that? you give us 500,000 bucks, you give us $750,000. They're like, I would love that. Never been able to be a part of this football team. Would like to be a part of the sports program in the north has a lot of teams that are Indiana didn't even have a football program. We have on good information that $2 million was donated to the football team from a very famous alum last week.

Another million was donated. You win a Rose Bowl like that. Another one comes. It's like, the largest alumni network in America. It's like these northern schools have a lot of people with a lot. I'm not saying the South doesn't. you got, I think Tim Apples from Auburn, but there is a lot of people

that have money in the South. I'm not saying that. But whenever you talk about people who have the ability to give up 150,000, 250,000, at these northern schools, state schools, whatever it is, it's like they got a lot of those people. If there's a little bit of success, they're going to keep going. It feels like that's what we're seeing across college football

in this NIL era. Well, and I think that's what a lot of people who are either fans of Big Ten teams or who went to Big Ten schools kind of took umbrage with like it's just different down here. It's like it's different in the big 10 too it is like those are rabid fan bases and it's not just ohio state michigan and penn state like there are you know a lot of those teams if they have the means like and you and you go look at it like there there are people willing to donate to football

and to athletics because they love the big 10 but what i was going to say to your point about and i tweeted it after the miami game that they felt like a team of destiny very rarely do we it see it almost feels like all four of these teams kind of have that team of destiny feel like Miami on the doorstep almost didn't get in. Ole Miss, we just talked about everything that's happened with them. Oregon, number one seed last year, getting embarrassed in the first round and then have a close one against JMU. And then obviously Indiana speaks for itself.

Like very rarely do you get the final four teams where if you're not a fan of any one of them, you can kind of talk yourself in and being like, you know what? I'd be happy to see any of these four teams win the national championship. Yeah, congrats for these four squads. Congrats to college football too. Yeah. Because there's a lot of people calling for it's, you know, like it's going to end, it's going to end. And I think there is a lot of problems that need to be figured out, you know, because when you're winning in anything and you're not doing it in a good sound way, it's going to catch up to you at some point.

That's in any business, that's in any situation. That's for sports for sure. Whenever you win, but you're not doing it the right way, the winning is kind of covering up all the bad stuff. And inevitably, the bad stuff's going to get you. That's what everybody's kind of saying about the underbelly of college football. It's like, hey, winning right now, ratings better than they've ever been. More eyes, more storylines, more drama, clear-cut number two sport in America right now. There's more everything about college football, but it's built on a house of cards, is what everybody's saying.

Because all this shit can't keep up with itself, it's like if they're able to figure that out, which is going to be very difficult, feels like Nick Saban is very invested. Every week he has a new, we need to do this, we need to do this. It's like, wait, are you sure you don't? want to do this? He has a lot to sign up for. I retired. I don't have time to be able to do it. But he's definitely sitting in his office typing up in ideas that he has. So I think there's enough of those types of people who are trying to figure it out, but they need to get all that fixed so that we can continue to see this incredible thing just continue to thrive. Because college football is special, man. I mean, we're out there in a Rose Bowl. You got people from

Indiana that never thought in a million years they'd be able to get out there and watch your team do their thing. And numbers are coming out. Fifty-six thousand Hoosiers fans traveled out to the Rose Bowl. This is what's being reported by Chase Parham. Stadium capacities for the four teams left in college football. Ole Miss, 68,000. Oh, this is the stadiums as a whole. I'm sorry, not the people that traveled out there. 64,000 Miami, 60,000 Oregon. Indiana, 56,000. This is the stadiums in which they currently play in. And you know, the thing about Otson, I think they're adding on to that out there in Oregon. But Indiana, they're in the middle of trying to build a real stadium. Yeah. Like they, they added on tents for suites on the field to get more money capable from the

because the donors are like, well, what can we get? What can we do? And they're like, ah, we got these field level suites. They're like, what do they look like? Well, they're really cool. Graduated. Yeah, they're great. They start putting these things. They're on the field. They're on, you're on the field. They did. They literally put up tents to put down there. They're nice. I'm not saying they're like ass tents. I'm saying like they're very nice tents, but they're like building these sweets in real time because they understand what they have. And I can't back to it enough. Like having the president, Pam Witton's her name, she was at Georgia and she watched what the football team did for the university. And I think the same thing happened in Alabama

whenever Sabin was there. I think Sabin and the president in the school were like, hey, if the football team's good, we know that's good for our entire university. I'm not saying Indiana was ever not going to be successful without football because they had been forever. Okay, Indiana University, a lot of people go through their business school is outrageous. I think their dentistry school is like one of the finest in the America. I think Indiana's got a good school. Like this is not something that they're like worried about our school not surviving if the sports aren't doing well. But the president comes in from Georgia, watching what the football team what sports was able to do for. And she's like, how do we make sports bigger? She's all in. Athletic

director, all in. Signetti had the opportunity to potentially go somewhere else. Penn State would have loved. I mean, Western Pennsylvania boy. Okay. That's literally where he was born. Dad, Western Pennsylvania legend. So to go to Penn State. was certainly something that a Signetti family member would certainly listen to. That job was open for 24, 48 hours for Signity. Signetti gets a call. Do you want to go from the school? And he's like, nope, they're like, you want to work a new deal? Yep, sounds good. They negotiate a deal. Forty-eight hours later, they sign, they lock them in there. And in the deal, it says, good faith. Anytime there's a

new contract, if we are good, I think I deserve to be in the top three, top four, whatever it is, if everybody else. Indiana's like, yeah, you got it, man. Don't worry about it. So it's like, You got the head coach locked in for seemingly 10 years. You got all the sponsors or boosters and everything like that locked in. You got the president locked in. It's like this is not a flash in the pan here. This is a new football powerhouse. As long as Sig is able to continue to go ahead and get the right talent,

which we think is his superpower. Oh, yeah. Like I think that as a superpower. They're in just like Texas Tech. I mean, Texas Tech's going to be in it for the long haul as well. because I think the way Cody Campbell described it is we're sitting on the largest ball field in the world or whatever and he is very invested in it.

They lose the Oregon. Oregon Phil Knight, I assume he's going to be invested for Ohio State the way that thing ended, their people are going to want. I mean, it's like it's not just these teams from the north having a little bit, not Texas Tech isn't from the north or Big 12, we'll claim them. Sure. We'll claim it. They're great.

But it's like these schools that have seen the opportunity to potentially invest in ball and get good a ball are now reaping the benefits of doing it. And let's not even talk about Miami. Miami's president is a former private equity guy. I mean, he is a money guy. And the deal that just got negotiated or worked or decision that was made by the ACC, allegedly it's being reported on the internet. The ACC, Jim Phillips, is giving all 14 million that was supposed to be dispersed amongst the

ACC or amongst the league. They're giving that entire thing to Miami for winning that game. It's like, that's good business. We would hope that that would happen, but they didn't have to do. that. I would assume that people at Miami who are the big money brain people aren't bad at negotiations, didn't go, hey, don't you think? Yeah, yeah, just a little bit of a leaner into something. It's like, you got people all committed to ball right now. It's a great thing. I don't know if it's great for the SEC. That is kind of what the SEC is always going to be special. The SEC is

always going to have incredible environments everywhere now. That family is good. Like, there is no disrespect for me on what the SEC has done for college football and what college football means. to the SEC, but it's like, there's a lot of schools that are trying to catch up quick, and they have the ability to do so with the current setup. Let's go to one half of the hammer. Cowboys AP tone. Go ahead, Bob. Just the whole thing, everything you said is awesome. College football, the product on the field, and then the parody right now, it makes it so much

better, in my opinion. This is the first time since the college football playoffs started that Georgia, Bama, Clemson, or Ohio State are not into the semifinals. I think that's good for the sport. I think people kind of get tired when it's just, you know, Bama or Georgia or whatever every single year. So these four teams being in there is huge. And all four of these teams, like they are like the NIL transfer portal

helped every single one of them. All four of the quarterbacks are transfer quarterbacks. Dante Moore is the only one that has been there for more than one year at the school. So all four teams have benefited from the portal in that situation. The beginning of the year, these teams were ranked Oregon 7th, Miami 10th, Indiana 20th, and Ole Miss 21st. So it's not like they were outside of the top 25, but they were not, you know,

predicted to win the national championship. So like I think things will, I think more interest in and things like people will come in because it's not just the same teams every single year to watch this run. It's going to be really, really awesome. And I just, I looked up a stat right before the game because you talked about how tough and gritty these teams are and that's potentially why they're there.

IU has a second ranked defense in the country. Miami has the fourth ranked defense in the country. Oregon has the sixth ranked defense in the country. And then Ole Miss is sitting. they're at 29th, so I guess they would be the outlier. But, like, and then Ohio State won it last year with the number one defense. Michigan won at the year before with the number of defense. Georgia the year before that with the number one defense.

So, yes, you've got to be a tough, great-in-the-treches team to get this far as the playoff. Yeah, and also the mentality of the coaches very evidently radiating through the team. That might be Golding's thing, too. Yeah. I mean. I like the cut of his gym. A lot. Yeah.

Yeah, I really just, I didn't think anybody saving goes in there. Hey, six coaches that aren't going to be here that are close. allegedly trying to recruit for another school. Charlie Weiss is at LSU this morning it's recorded. It's like how does one person keep them all just because there's a lot of times to quit

when it doesn't start going well you can immediately turn a page to the next one because we got to I saw Brian Hartline I mean he's already thrown up Go Bulls! I mean they just lost to Miami he's already saying go Bulls I'm like man I know you love that Ohio State Team Heartline I know you have that

but in the college football space you have to be all in with your place because if you're not the recruits the families the other schools like this guy doesn't even really like where he's at right now so it's like with what's happening with that coaching staff the fact that they're able to win the game was awesome it was there was so many times they could have quit

yeah like so many times because they were up 12 nothing and then go and they go down 2112 like and I thought that was it yeah I thought that was it yeah I thought they were going to give up I thought everybody was just going to move on all the transfers Trinidad's trying to negotiate with the NCAA right now to get another year he's more worried about where he's going to play next.

Like, there's so many of those things that can happen in football that we've seen other teams have to do, or I guess we've never seen anybody have to deal with this. But just like people thinking about their next job, as opposed to focusing on their current job, not great. It's like, this golden guy might have a special sauce. I mean, you legitimately might be able to do it. That's an impossible task he was able to accomplish, and they beat Georgia. I mean, that is just a wild thing.

College football is the greatest. That's why you got to wonder, hey, those six coaches that are going to Ole Miss to LSU, are they not waking up today? do I really want to do this? Why would I go to LSU when we're in the semis right now? And things have not been kind of calm and all focused on ball. There's no argue in that. Over the last month, Ole Miss has been going through a lot of BS, so they haven't been able to just lock in. So Pete Golden, being able to get them to is incredible. But if you are Charlie Weiss or one of those other five.

Or the players. Or the players that are, yeah, exactly. You're not, you're telling me that there's not a, just 10%, one percent of them saying like, screw the tiger so I'm just going to stay in Oxford it was kind of my take the entire time so you're leaving and go win a national championship but you have a team right now that can win a national championship so I was just

confused I'm new to college football relatively new to college football help me explain okay help me explain and the LSU fans are even coming after me when I was like you don't get it you know boy you just don't get it and it's like I guess I don't you're trying to win this team

has a chance to go win a national championship why are you saying that you can only do it at this other place? Well, they're recruiting high school. It's like, well, we've got the transfer portal now. Do you want to live and out with the transfer portal? It's like a lot of teams that are winning and all are doing everything. It feels like it's kind of the modern world right now. And I'm not saying LSU isn't awesome.

I assume it is whenever it's going really well. I have not experienced that since getting into this space. Obviously, we went down there for a game. South Carolina, they do the whole thing. It doesn't have working out. It's like, I understand the greatness of the occasions that. in the fan base and the Tiger faithful and they were certainly awesome and spectacular but it's like when it comes to the ball lane it feels like you build it at Ole Miss like you got to the point in which you were hoping to get to why are you just going to go try to redo it well the recruiting's much easier down there it's like okay I guess that's enough to make you decide that my life as a whole as opposed to just a national championship this year will be like this going forward but if Ole Miss wins this whole thing well that's going to be such an interesting dynamic for why you make a decision to win a national championship whenever you literally had the team that did it.

Yeah, six, seven, exactly, exactly. That's over, by the way. That feels like that. Yeah, good for us. Speaking of ever, let's move on to NFL conversations. Huge weekend in the NFL. We got a lot of different positioning up for grabs. We got teams that lose and go home, win, host a playoff game.

I mean, there is crazy in store for week 18 here for the NFL season. Joining us now to break it all down. And what have we missed over the last couple of? of days have we been fully entrenched in the college football playoffs as the new year kind of struck. I saw a guy was wearing diapers at their Times Square. So that's what they do. Sure. That's what they do. That should be a fantasy football punishment. We talked about this the other day. I don't think we got to say it into a microphone. Fantasy football punishment should be you got to go do the ball drop in New York because you got to get there like what? Like 8 a.m. or something.

And then that thing's at midnight here. And I'll have to bring your own booze, right? Bruce, can you explain we were going through the rules a little bit you're not allowed to bring anything yeah it's an absolute nightmare i mean time square is always kind of hell on earth but on new year's eve you just kind of take that and multiply it tenfold i'm pretty sure you can't bring in booze and yeah you're just standing there for for eight to ten hours and you can't get out even if you want yeah it sounds like worst case not bad imaginable but people do it every year and we appreciate them for it because the shots are sick i mean all the humans celebrating the ball drop if it wasn't for those people you know kind of doing their time down there it's not as big of a moment so we

appreciate that that exists. Everybody kind of looks to the ball drop as a big deal. Now, granted, we were on a plane. We did three different New Year's as we were flying. That was kind of... They were all awesome. Yeah, we did 27 hours, I think, on December 31st. So we live 20, 25 as much as we possibly could. Yeah, we certainly did it great. But that should be a fantasy football punishment is you got to go do the New Year's at Times Square. Like, with who? Just yourself. I'd quit forever. Fantasy football? Yeah. And that kind of what fantasy football things are, though, And that kind of what it is? Yeah.

But you kind of, you don't want to lose people in your league, though, but that would definitely lose me. I don't know. Don't I see people walk around with like signs?

Oh, yeah, big time. Not just losing the league, maybe losing your life. None of that's worse than going to Times Square for New Year's Eve. Well, what I saw one guy does is he has multiple diapers.

He just kind of switches in and out so he can celebrate to New Year. Yeah, that's good. And he's pooping. Yeah, dumps, logs. Then he's eating it because he's not allowed to bring his own film. Starving.

Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, He's a man who keep us updated on everything. He's also a fantasy football legend. He might be doing it. Maybe this is what he adds to his league. Ladies and gentlemen, Michigan, man, Adam Schaefter. Yay, Shefty, maybe, huh?

For your league? Yeah, we had a tough finish year, Pat. We were playing in the championship game. Cameron Dicker missed a 33-yard field goal, the first field goal he ever missed from under that distance. And had he made it, had he made it, I would have won the war room title for the first time in 15 years. It was almost like the U was bad.

I was up against Derek Henry. He went for 46 and a half against me on Saturday night. I thought I had no chance. I want to thank Chase Brown and Drake May for trying to bail me out. But again, just not enough in the end. That's the way it goes. Sounds like you had a good locker room. And every once in a while, things that are very out of the norm will take place in football,

which is why it's great. Cameron Dicker, most accurate kicker in the history of the NFL, right? That's what I think the title is at this point. Unbelievable. Step when it matter. Oh, for who? For you or for him? I mean, there's a lot of that.

Okay, let's talk about the Chargers. Chargers play the Broncos this weekend. 425 on Sunday. Chargers Broncos. Broncos win and they get the number one seed. Chargers have come out and said Herbert's not playing and those that are potentially banged up will also not be playing. What does that mean and what are your kind of thoughts on this particular game?

It means that Trey Land. now stands in the way that Denver Bronco is quenching the number one seat in the AFC. Amory Hampton, I wouldn't think plays either. He hasn't practiced all week long, so they're going to rest up his ankle for the playoffs. And it's interesting because the Chargers obviously are going to rest key people here,

and they'll treat this week like their version of the by week, which almost locks them in to a game against New England in the first round, which essentially New England was hoping to overtake the Broncos. They wanted the Chargers to beat the Broncos so that the Patriots can be the one, but now the Chargers are setting it up so that Denver's going to be able to win at home

and set up a Chargers Patriots matchup in Wild Card Weekend, those two teams meeting because the Chargers are going to approach this weekend the way they are. So the Chargers are wrestling people. New England probably still has to play. Kind of interesting what's going on there between Jim Harrobaugh and Mike Grable.

Yeah, so the Patriots, what Conman is thinking is, hopefully not long. Let's get this a win locked up because I do believe there's not a lot of players on the other side for the dolphins as well. I think Waddle might not be there. No practice all week. What are the other names? A. Chan, I believe

Jordan Brooks. They're leading tackler and I believe Minka also already ruled out. Okay, so who knows what the dolphins are doing? Unless you have more information on that for the Patriots, but the Patriots have to win that game. I mean, not that they don't have the AFC East already locked up, but it's definitely better to be the two seed than it is

the three seed, because then you can potentially lock up home field advantage throughout the entirety of the playoffs, which is huge in Foxborough. So it is an interesting dynamic. Do you have anything else about the dolphins and who they're playing who they're not playing? I think the names that you mentioned, I think it will be a surprise if they wound up playing. It certainly is setting up. Today they signed the former Michigan running back Donovan Edwards off the commander's practice squad. So I could see a combination this weekend of Jalen Wright, Ali Gordon, and Donovan Edwards running the football for the Miami Dolphins. Yeah. And also, that does not

mean that they're going to be like ass all these guys getting an opportunity for a tryout this is a tryout this a tryout for these guys not only for obviously the team that they're on and just got signed to but for every other NFL team and there's been a lot of stories of guys playing like waste time in the team that they're playing against signing them saying hey how did anybody else see this we saw what this guy was and making a team huge opportunity for these guys but obviously patriots need to handle their business and get the hell out of that thing healthy I mean that is the goal as we had into potential number two. Yeah, you got to say Mike Vrable probably does love the whole Chargers

bit too, because he can kind of pull from that like you know, the Chargers. They, oh, they want to come to Foxborough, okay. Looks like you guys just suck in football. That's why I want to complain. That is interesting. It's dynamic that they're... I thought Harbaugh love football. I thought Harbaugh love football and competing and all that bullshit. He peddles.

I guess he was just full of shit. Harbaugh has more rush yards than Bo Jackson through his NFL career. A little bit of respect for that. But also, maybe he thinks we're going to take two weeks to prepare for the Patriots. Because if you remember what pictures were in the hallway over that the Chargers? Yeah, it's interesting. A lot of their wins, and one of them was a 41 to 14 victory over the Patriots.

Is that the one you were talking about? Yeah, because every picture in the hallway at the new Chargers facility was the Chargers doing something to the Patriots. If my memory serves to right, yeah. Okay, so, right, that is what it was. Thousand percent. So he might have more respect for you guys than ever before. So he's thinking about two weeks to battle against you.

What's your head shake for? I thought they had pictures of every single victory. from there wins that season. Maybe, but that whole hallway was just Patriots getting their at, we were fast forwarding to get to the point there. Yeah, because you actually say, you guys beat other teams, didn't you? That is your

actual quote, because I think it was like five, six straight pictures of the Patriots just getting beat up there. And it is sweet just because actually with the Chargers possibly coming to New England, it's a lot of throwback, Phillip Rivers, and I'm sure that's probably what those highlights are from. Run the clip, Connor.

Sound, please. Oh, no. More than one game. Why they kept on the TV for one game? Yeah, see, it was. Yeah. Party to back. It was all against the Patriots.

So now Harbaugh's got two weeks maybe with eyes on the Patriots. He's got a lot of respect, not less amount of respect. Let's talk about the number one seed for the NFC. Okay, let's talk about the number one seed for the NFC now. Huge, gigantic. Saturday night, primetime matchup. NFC West to do battle. Anything we need to know for both these teams as we head into Niners, Hulks?

Well, the Seahawks ruled out their left tackle, Charles Cross, who they've been playing without the last few weeks, and they've been able to overcome it. They play great football, and the defense is tremendous in Seattle. The Niners have three players that are interesting that are listed as questionable. Tight-in George Kittle, who missed last week's game with the sprained ankle. Trent Williams, the left tackle all-world, has a hamstring injury, and Ricky Pearsall, who aggravated his knee. injury last week against the Bears.

So I think what's going to happen here is George Kittle already has said he's absolutely going to play. We expect to see him out there. I don't think the Niners are going to make decisions on Trent Williams and Ricky Pearsall until pregame warmups or pregame at some point in time. Both are going to be tested to go. Both that's going to be challenging. We'll see whether either one can make it back.

I think the 49ers are hopeful but uncertain whether either one will. be able to play on Saturday night. Okay, so Brock Purdy's playing better than he's ever played, right? The entirety of it is insane. And then Seattle's just always going to have the question on whether or not they can get the job done. Sam Donald's going to get that. Number one seed or number five seed in the NFC.

That's a big deal. Everybody talks about it whenever it happens about how, why is NFC South get a team that's ranked higher than the Seahawks for the Niners? Don't you think we should just change the entirety? That's going to happen on Monday or Tuesday whenever we get there. Wasn't Sam playing in this exact same situation last year in week 18? Yes, he was, and it did not go well, and then everybody buried Sam Darno, and then Sam Darno becomes the only quarterback to have back-to-back 13 winning seasons or something.

13-win seasons or whatever the case. So congrats to these teams, you guys deserve it. We're happy for it. Go ahead, Shephti, you had something on that note, it sounds like? Both of these, but there's a big difference. Like last year, Sam was in the situation. Went against the Ram defense that was loaded. This 49ers defense right now, they're doing as well as they can,

and they've played well in light of. losing Nick Bosa and Fred Warner and McKell Williams, but I mean, they're not generating the type of pass rush that the Rams were getting last year. And obviously, that's going to be up to the defensive coordinator, Robert Solid, to figure out a way to get some pressure on Sam Darl. And if the Niners can win, again, that's going to continue the conversation, I think, has gone on. There are so many great coach of the year candidates this year, Mike Vrable, Ben Johnson, Liam Cohn. Kyle Shonahan takes this team without those players to the number ball and seed, you can make the argument for him as well.

Like, all these coaches are all deserving, and it's incredible. And if the 49ers win, then it's two more home games to get to the Super Bowl in their home stadium. Like, they have not been on the road the last couple of weeks. If they win this game, they're not to travel again this season. Yeah, and that would be incredible for a team to experience and their fans to experience. So good for the San Francisco 49ers for being there. But you talk about Shanahan potentially being coached the year against these.

Vrable did this with the Titans, right? Freybo had like a hundred guys on IR took the Titans as the number one overall seed in the AFC. They lose to the Bengals, but they still get like nine sacks against Joe Burrow in that game. They somehow win. And then you think about this Niners team, we all did the same thing.

As soon as Fred gets hurt, well, as soon as Bosa gets hurt, then as soon as Fred gets hurt, we all go, can't win a Super Bowl. And they've not believed that at all over there. And this Niners team, wagging. The offense. Kittle, you said, he said he's all the way back to playing, obviously. it's like that's

party and kiddle have had a connection since day one let alone everything else they got cooking if they were able to do this I agree with your sentiment maybe Shanahan coach of the year and he'd have such a cool hat on in the present oh he'd look so cool in the entire process let's talk about coaches a little bit obviously Shanahan's good

Vrabel's good Ben's good Liam's good but whenever you talk about Vrabel Ben and Liam you talk about a coaching staff coming in and flipping it quickly What are some places or names that we maybe need to be keeping in mind that could potentially follow suit next year in a new spot? And how is the coaching firing world going to look this offseason, you think? Well, it's always busy, and we've had two head coaching changes already in New York with the Giants and Tennessee with the Titans. So there are two changes so far.

I would anticipate that we get probably four to five more. This year I might go, I might go the under, except when we get into this situation, sometimes there's always one that surprises you, that nobody was forecasting or expecting. Obviously, it's been a lot of conversation about Las Vegas, been a lot of conversation about Cleveland. I don't think it would be a surprise in either of those two places if we saw some type of change. That would bring the total to four. Now, there are some other places that are in question. Sunday night, we have an incredible matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens.

And I just wonder, again, with all the speculation, swirling around both coaches, with all the fan bases in both cities, being unhappy and disgruntled at times with their teams and wanting a change, despite the fact that these have been two of the most stable franchises in all the sports, I think the losing coach that night, there are going to be some conversations. and it's not like they're getting fired. They're not. But again, what does that coach in that city of that losing team? What does he want to do after that game on Sunday night? So whenever you say

they're not going to get fired, they're not, it's going to be a mutual agreement that is going to be leaned towards by the... If that even happens, I just think, again, there needs to be a question that's answered for the team that loses Sunday night. Because, again, we heard the Steelers fans

chanting fire Talmud. go. We've heard people, the fans in Baltimore being disgruntled and the Ravens turned it around last week, one in Green Bay. They went in Pittsburgh now, finished the year with two straight wins on the road to win the division. How could people be upset in a season with injuries? But in the world we live in, people are always calling for change. They always want the coach's job. And again, the team that loses, I just think there's going to be conversations that occur both ways. What does the coach want? What does the organization want? And they're going to have to sit then and figure that. That might even happen for

the winning team in that case, but it's certainly going to start a block for the losing team and the losing coach on Sunday night. Yeah, the winning coach gets smacked in the first ride in the Super Wildcar weekend. It will certainly just be delayed a week probably is what you're talking about, especially in Baltimore and in Pittsburgh, and you say

you know, everybody wants change. If it doesn't happen, people, you know, get a little restless. It's like heavy as the head, brother, that is a part of being an NFL head coach, especially in a football town like Pittsburgh and Baltimore is. And you talk about the fans, firing fire Tomlin. I mean, they've been calling for it for a few years, not all of them, but there's been certainly a fire Tomlin contingency in Pittsburgh last five, 10 years, I would

say, as the seemingly complacency of being just slightly above average has kind of continued to linger. There's been Jensers who are like, we want more, we want more, we want more, okay? We want more in that. Okay, that is what we want down here. So that's happened. Them chanting it publicly at the stadium, I think was Jensers fans telling the entire. country, we are sick of this. We would like to nationally announce that we are sick of it. And then Baltimore, I assume they've been doing the same thing with Harbaugh for a bit. I assume it's been the same conversation. Some Baltimore people have talked about it probably contingency of Ravens fans have thought about maybe Harbaugh's not the right guy to get us

back to where we were whenever Ray and Ed and all these people won a Super Bowl way back in the day. So it feels like there is, we are at like a melting point for those two cities. That would be giant change, right? I mean, that would be. A huge move. How long has Tomlin been there, 18 years? This is 19, I believe. Okay, that's buying Sigs. Okay, that's signing up for the military.

Nice. That is a long, that's in college. You're sophomore in college. Lotto tickets. I mean, everything, you talk about it 19 years. How long's Harbaugh been in Baltimore? Not 16, 17. Much shorter.

About 16, 17 years, I'm going to guess. That's forever. That's a long-ass time. Driving. those changes were to be made, I mean, that's huge, huge, huge for both those organizations. And not only would it be huge for those cities, but like, if those guys wanted to move on, we said this before, Mike Tomlin can work in TV and take just about any TV job he wants tomorrow. And if he decides he doesn't want to coach there, he could pick his opportunity.

He obviously would be very selective. And I think the same is true for John Harbaugh. If the Ravens and John Harbaugh decided for whatever reason that they didn't want to be together next season, I think any team with an opening would look immediately at John Harbaugh as a potential fill-in or replacement hire in this particular coaching cycle. Anybody. Connor. Connor. Honor was just pointing at me.

I got ideas. To me, they would become this year's version of Mike Vrable, like desired by anyone who has an open. Easy. It was funny. It was funny. As you were saying that, we all started to think about jobs. that Tomlin could take. And as soon as you see TV, it's like, wasn't Amazon allegedly offered McVey, like 30 million or something?

Like Coach Tomlin, no offense, Sean McVeigh. Sean McVeigh can certainly speak. He's very entertaining. Coach Tomlin on a microphone has never lost. I heard Shreg say that this weekend, actually. I don't think he's ever lost on a microphone, Mike Tomlin's. Hey, him and Tariko on Sunday night football. Sunday night football, any footballs.

If he's doing studio, if he's doing calling games, I mean, anything Tomlin on a microphone is a dub. Now, if he wants to maintain coaching, Anybody would sign him, especially if he sits down for an interview with anybody. He would win with his resume in there. So I immediately was like, is Tomlin going to be the coach of the Colts? Hold on. So that is what I thought. And then you mentioned Harbaugh, and then Conner's over there giving me the double guns, like, here, here.

It's like, is John Harbaugh that the coach of the Colts next year? I am going to be fired up about that. Now, is that mean the Colts are moving on from Shane Steichen? And it's like, well, if they move on from Shane Steichen, are they holding his feet to the fire for something and isn't necessarily his fault with the injuries and then not doing it for Chris Ballard. And it's like, well, will they hold Chris Ballard's feet to the time?

It's like, we don't know what the big three are going to do. We do not know what Carly, Casey and Kaylee. So let's go to the GM positions around the NFL. It's like, do we ever have an inkling on what that's going to look like? Because those are seemingly names that we don't know. Who gets hired for the GM? Somebody we've never heard of. Oh, but he's friends with blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

How about the GM thing? Have you heard a lot about that particular conversation happening around the NFL? and, like, Ballard is certainly one of the big conversations, I'd assume, here in Indy. He's been here a long time, long time, Chefty. I don't think, I'm not expecting as much activity at the GM position this cycle as at the head coaching position. Again, we've got right now the Miami Dolphins have a GM opening. I know people have talked about the Giants. I don't think the Giants are going to do it there.

I think Joe Shane is going to be there for a little bit of time. That's my sense of things right now that Joe Shane is. is safe. So we've got one GM opening. You raise Indianapolis. Atlanta hired a search firm, sportsology to go through the organization and provide a

essentially a blueprint of what's going on there and what they're doing right and what they're doing wrong. Anytime a team ever hires a search firm like that. They're cowards? Oh, what's that? Cowards. Yeah. What do you mean by cowards?

You're put in a position to make a decision. Then you hire somebody else to make the decision. That is not there. They work for other companies. They don't just work for your company. Yeah, but we want to get an independent look. From who? If they had an actual good look, would they still be independent?

Or would they be hired to somebody? Oh, interesting. That's how I view it today. I'm a fan of search firms. Whenever I hear these schools hire search firms to find the coach, it's like coward. That's so like whenever that person doesn't work out, you can say, well, we were, we'll get the right one. The next one. It's like, well, what are you in that position for?

Why are you in that chair? What's the purpose of being in that position if you're going to hire somebody else to do the job you're literally supposed to do? That's just how I feel. I'm sure there's different looks at it. And these consulting people, it's not get crazy. We would love to get into that business

whenever we're done. Have no skin in the game at all? Absolutely. Get a massive paycheck. And then say, hey, this is what you need to do. Yeah, yeah. We're not here every day. We have no idea what it's actually like. We don't know what the day to day is.

But in theory, this would be much better. It's like, what a life. So we don't want to blame the, I almost said, RICO, because I got brought up around the internet. I don't want to blame the racket that these consulting people are doing, because that's a business that we could potentially, that's a racket that we could potentially get in someday, so we don't want to necessarily knock that.

But people in positions to make decisions that opt to punt them to other people outside of the building so you can basically have a worked-in excuse if it doesn't work. Yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of that, Jeffty. I don't really like that. And if you need somebody to come out from the outside, side to look inside your building, it's like, well, you're running the building. What?

Why are you in that seat? Get the hell out of there. So that's just, that's how I view it, Chafty, a little different, I assume, with them most, how most people. I understand your point of view entirely. See? I like that. Could you imagine if somebody, let's say Jimmy Pitaro hires a search for, uh, an independent firm to come judge how you do your job.

It's like, well, Jimmy, why don't you fucking? You know, it's pretty simple. They will hire search firms to make recommendations of hires. If you just ask people in the business themselves, well, who will be the best hires? There are people that know have bigger, stronger, longer relationships that know those people better than the search firms in my mind. In my mind. Once again, we don't want to bury the racket of the paying us an exorbit amount of money. We could do one.

That's what we're trying. Yeah, that we will be. Let's dump that to let people know. We will certainly be in the, we got all the right answers. We don't know your business, really, but we got all the right answers business. So I'm not judging the racket of the search firm.

I just judge the human that makes a decision to put that as the decision maker when you're supposed to be. That is why you are, well, why are you here for? To find the, all right, don't worry about me. Let's get back to Steelers and Ravens Sunday night. Oh, whoa, whoa. No, let's stick on this point.

Connor has a question for you about Miami doing something that we like. We actually like this a lot, so it kind of contradicts everything we just said. Yeah, Shephti, Troy Aikman, Hallfamer for the Dallas Cowboys. He is going to be a consultant to advise the organization on its GM search process. Now, when it comes to exactly what Troy Aikman is going to be doing, is that something where he is sitting down with these guys in the interview process? Is he more so advising, you know, Ross and the other ownership for, Fergie, perhaps. I believe she is also a part, Mark Antony.

Is that more so what Troy Aikman is going to be doing? Are him in, you know, Dan Marino just kind of packing lips and talking shit? And then they're, you know, kind of mentioning some GM names. What exactly is Troy Aikman doing? And do you see other teams bringing in consultants like a Troy Akeman, you know, Hall of Fame type player to give them advice? on how to maybe point their team in the right direction? Well, look, Troy goes around week to week

and is in these cities dealing with these coaches and these players on a regular basis, so he's got firsthand knowledge, and I think he's just going to be a part of this whole process. I would expect, I don't know this, but I would expect that he would be a part of the interview process that goes on. He'll give his input, and ultimately Stephen Ross,

the Dolphins owner, gets to make the decision. Tom Garfinkel in the Dolphins for an office, Brandon Shore in the Dolphins for Office, they'll all be a part of this. Now, how they come to that decision, we'll see how they do that. But Troy will have a voice. He'll have a say. We'll see how much they listen to him. But I think he just brings the credibility of three decades in the sport, understanding what it takes to win, knowing people in the sport. We talk about relationships. He's got a lot of different relationships. Troy's a very serious guy, very professional. You can count on him at all times.

And so the dolphins are leaning into that and using him as an advisor, which I understand. I like the move. Hate consultant groups, independent part. Love bringing Troy Aikman in. Get his ideas and opinions. It's somebody that's involved in it. When you're bringing a search firm,

who are these people? What are their connections in the sport? Are they going around week to week? Tregman, are they talking to the people that you are? Like, again, it's just a question of, it's always about relationships. Where are your relationships?

There you go. Tragman's got a lot of them. And not to mention a sweet-ass beer. Yeah, eight you're talking about? Yeah, there it is. I wonder if they will just have a couple eights down. Hey, throw me one of them.

And then maybe he'll say, you know what we need to do is bring an eight back down here to Miami. Oh. Maybe that's what. Maybe Troy starts doing more. You know, actually, now that I'm down here, I've got some other ideas. And Stephen Ross, like, feed me, feed me, I just got rid of Greer for the first time in 100 years. He had my full attention for everything, basically. I'll take you down there.

Could be, could be. Let's just say, Troy Aitman getting more handsy, we like. Congrats, Troy. Guy never comes on our show, huh? You think Troy hates us? I don't know. I mean, you know, I kind of... We sent a lot of requests to Troy.

Troy can never make it. First day of Rich Eisen is on ESPN at the same exact time as us. Troy, I think it was there for two hours. Don't love it. So I was like, Troy hate us? I don't know if Troy hates us. Troy, we appreciate your commitment to ball for as long as it's been. And you're super jacked. Super, super jacked.

Super, super jacked. Let's get back to Sunday night football and some decisions being made. Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, Shephti, we're going to be waiting all day for Sunday night. Steelers Ravens for the AFC North. And, you know, Pat just kind of mentioned maybe bringing an eight down to Miami. There's been a lot of stuff. Talked about Lamar Jackson and whether he's going to be a raven or not moving forward.

He said he is, I assume the organization. has said they are. I believe he's practice all week. Is he a good to go for Sunday night? And then my source is telling me that T.J. Watt is potentially also a go for Sunday night. What's the whole injury situation for Sunday night?

No, I didn't say my source's name. I expect both players to be out there. Look, everything is on the line here. It's one game for the division title. This is the first time in two months that Lamar Jackson has had a full week of practice.

leading into the game, which is pretty amazing when you think about it. Now, one week up until now, has he practiced in full all week? But this week, he has. So obviously, this is serious business. These are high stakes. Lamar will be out there. Now, T.J. is coming back from the partially collapsed lung. Mike Tomlin sounded a note of optimism early in the week,

and I think barring any setbacks in practice today, tomorrow, before the game, barring any setbacks, I would expect that T.J. Watt will be out there. On Sunday night, trying to bounce down. Let's go, T. You go, T. T's. You go, N.0. You too, Lamar. Let's go, Lamar.

Let's go, Lamar. T's is going to have maybe the freshest lungs he's ever had. Yeah, you know. Is that how that works? You know science better than us, Shefti. Is this thing the best it's ever been now? Because they had to pump it back up, right? From my understanding.

What a scary situation to happen out of nowhere. Honestly, genuinely happy he's okay. Him coming back, obviously, huge for this team, has played good ball. And obviously, in one of the biggest rivalries in all of sports, Lord. Lamar Jackson helped you for the first full week in two months. He had sickness. He had injuries. He had a hamstring. He had everything kind of right. So all systems going. If they win, they have a home playoff game. And then if they win their home playoff game, Baltimore is going a little bit of a run. And we're talking about Harbaugh

maybe being a coach with Colts next year. It's like, they might win a Super Bowl. They could. They might win a Super Bowl over there in Baltimore. Everything's still in front of both these teams. Good luck to them. Now, let's talk about a team with a new addition. Also out of nowhere, go ahead, Ty. Yeah, Shephti, Trevon Diggs getting let go of the Cowboys when just a couple years ago, you know, he was arguably like a defensive player of the year nominee. Obviously, things haven't gone that great there. What are the expectations with him for the Packers?

I don't think they're playing too many guys on Sunday against the Vikings. Can we expect to see him out there? And how much of an impact do you think he is going to make? Or I guess how much is he going to be on the field for the Packers during their potential playoff run. Well, Matt LaFleur said he hadn't decided yet whether Trayvon Diggs will play on Sunday in a game where they certainly seem to be resting a lot of different people. I know that Davis already said that Jordan Love is not going to play, that he's clear concussion protocol, that it's going to be Clayton Toons starting a quarterback. I think we might see Trayvon Diggs on

Sunday, depending on what LaFleur decides. But I think he's going to be playing for this team in the playoffs. And I think he's going to be coming with a chip on his shoulder. And I think he's going to be out to prove a point. And I saw what Michael Parsons said, like, wait till we see, wait to you see what we see from Trayvon Diggs here. Like, there's a lot on the line. The season did not go the way he wanted. There was mutual disappointment from Dallas and him and him in Dallas to the point where Dallas released him this week, like just moved on from the guy. So I would think somebody like that is really determined to go out and show that he's better than that, that the Cowboys made a mistake and he still can play

and be a force. So I think you're going to get the best version of Trayvon Diggs in the playoffs here. Okay, congrats. Travon Diggs going to the Green Bay Packers. Obviously big move for them. They've made multiples of those this season. You can't bring up Trayvon Diggs without bringing up Stefan Diggs. Obviously, he's

had an incredible season for the New England Patriots. Very serious accusation and allegations come just a few days ago. And then Barmore, very serious accusations and allegations come out as well. What's going on in New England and are they just waiting for the NFL, basically, take the next step? Like, how does this kind of normally go? Yeah, they'll wait for the league to conclude their process or look into

both situations. Now, what was interesting to me was that the Patriots clearly backed both players. Like, they stood behind both their guys. And I think usually teams are a little bit more neutral. And it seemed like in this particular case, the Patriots were pro player. For whatever reason, you know, based on the information that they have. So we'll see how it all plays out. Obviously, the team will let the league look into the situation. The legal process will play out in both particular cases, and we'll see what comes out of these particular cases. All right. We'll continue to follow your Twitter account and everything else you have going on to keep us updated with everything happening around

the football world. We appreciate the hell out of you for 2025 and we can't wait for 2026 with you, Shafti. Here we are. 2026 already. Happy near to you. guys happen here this one's flown by I feel like this season is flown by yeah they all do they all do I think that's what we're trying to we're kind of learning here is like week two week three becomes week 16

just in a couple snaps and all the saying you've done 36 years like I have 36 years but you look young brother yes you do you look young I don't know what it is you look young I'm saying there about Stanford Steve too his breed of Caucasian I don't think he's supposed to look like that at that age

what he's turning us 29 49. That's not true. He's almost 50. No way. Yeah, but he's in the sawn all the time. That was awesome. I saw him, yeah, put a sauna video out for Happy New Year.

That was on his birthday. I appreciate him doing that. Herb Street's another one. Yeah. Herb Street's in Ohio White. He's not supposed to age like that. He's supposed to age like me. 50.

He's up there. How old are you? 59. No, you're not. What the fuck are you guys? You guys doing the surgeries or what is it? Is it the surgeries? nothing 59

moisturize you got to do moisturizer there has to be a full moisturizing that yeah I do that I want to thank Shirley and Jeffrey Shepter for the jeans I want to thank you know living right I don't drink I don't do anything so I live a very boring existence Pat I'm always home

you know hanging out with the dogs you know you fall yeah but on that note like the blue light is allegedly the worst thing for you and you're you're always in there so everybody has their own advice yours is finding new pieces of information

to break news for everybody and we appreciate the hell out of you for that happy new year to you and yours and congrats on the skin dude you look amazing ladies you gentlemen Adam chapter I'm picking up a full moisturizing routine I have over the last couple years nice my wife you know got to do it half Korean and uh Asian skin is just like hers is phenomenal second but I also realize like she takes care of it too it's like sure there's a one go with the other you know the whites just be like, we want bad skin and just choose not to do anything. I think Bill Byrd did an entire bit on it. It's like, so my wife would just slide some lotion in front of my thing and just be like with

a note, before you go to bed, just go ahead and try this. Hit some Papuatu. It's like, thanks. There it is. Exactly. They're the best. From Dewey. Can't spell Papatouille without Pat right there in the middle of it.

That's what I told myself when I was. That was rubbing in all. And my skin was rejecting it. It was just a paste. I made you like a great. Hi there, surprise. 30 for 30 presents Booyah. Can I get a witness from the congregation?

You can't stop authenticity. Booya! Stewart was exactly like you saw him on camera, off camera. He dialed it up 10%. Can you imagine the impact of young black boys and girls looking at that going, I feel seen. He changed the culture. He changed sports.

Stream Booyah, presented by Modelo, right now on the ESPN. football you know football is a beautiful thing it's a magical thing it's a glorious thing it's something that is in the middle of that was a hard jeez bill a little bit of touch bill i mean it was i was going to get into a full football entire diet track right there just the sport as a whole and all anybody's going to be able to pay attention to is the as soon as we walked into the room a shout to bill by the way picking up the audio and graphics today back there. Tees and P's to Nick, who's in the middle of recovery for something that he had happened.

He should be back next week. We hope he's okay. That was a crazy situation. He found himself. Oh, yeah. And I'll tell you what, he wasn't very positive going into it at all. What? No.

No, super negative. And it was like, yo. A shocker for him? I mean, I agree. R. Nick? I agree that. Sunshine Moroto? No.

Yeah, you're right. I mean, I should have expected it, I guess. but it was a pretty little serious, quick little thing that had to happen. Serious quick little thing. I mean, legitimately, that is the right way to describe it. A little medical procedure, he's good. But, boy, I didn't know you could find that many terrible things about something that quick. I mean, I didn't even know the way the body works enough that you could potentially hit something close to that.

That could kill you instantly and then obviously getting surgery done. There's a chance I don't wake up from that. It's like, that's 0.001%. What did you say? Exactly. That's what I heard. Then he said, what if the new day? What if this, it's like, buddy, you're getting surgery and you give you a bunch of pain pills.

You pass out for two days. Everybody feels bad for you. This is a good thing, not a bad thing. And you're going to be healthy on the other side. Other side? What if I'd nick an artery? I'm dead. Not zero chance.

I'm like, what are you talking about? He was like, I fought back a couple times. And then I almost kind of like the, I don't need your positive bumbo jumbo bullshit right now. It's like, bro, what are we even talking about? So, Nick, we want to let you know? I know it's much to your chagrin. We're happy or good. Hell yeah, Nick.

And you weren't freaking us out a little bit with how negative you were being about it. I just want to let you know that. But that is kind of natural. And we're happy or better. Honestly, we're very, very happy or better. But I was like, no, that's not the way. I've got that a bunch of stuff. Your knee is nowhere near your heart.

Like, okay. That's a fair point. I mean, but what if I was the... Yeah. There's an artery down there. Yeah, it's somewhere. Yeah, there's certainly stuff happening. The toxic table is here at Boston Connor and that's right.

We're happy next good. Yeah. Of course, you know. And we tried to say, hey. pretty run-of-the-mill procedure. Listen, I understand anything can happen. But the more you worry about it, the more anxiety it's going to get. For us, too.

Without a doubt. All of us have to now have anxiety. I had none going in. It's like, congrats to you being alive at this time. This will happen quickly. They got things to fix this. I couldn't even imagine what the procedure was back in the day for this. I mean, but I'm like a couple of those.

You literally just punch you. 47-inch incision and they're milling around in there. And he just comes back. Yeah, I'm starting to do your money. not even make it to 203s. He's like, geez, come on. But he's good. He's good. Yep. Thank God. I mean, he didn't think that was possible by the right. No. To Tony's point, though, Nick might come back as Sunshine Moraldo. He might be a whole I'll tell you what. I don't know if we'd be able to handle it, but if he was to come in here

with a radiating light around him at all the time. A couple, oh. What if he went to a yes man conference whenever he was in that service? You know, what if he comes in here, grabs a guitar? Wish you would step back from that ledge, my friend. That'd be great. Great movie, by the way. That lady with her dentures, too, I'm thankful she did that to him. He needed that. Did they do halftime?

Yeah, half-time, Oregon, Texas Tech, I believe. That's right. The third-eye blind. Okay, I was about to say, I know she was good. Somebody's doing something that they're not supposed to be doing. The NHO. A lot of people.

No, us included, I guess. I guess we kind of fit in that. The NHL always finds a way to really find the right musician for kind of what they have going on. I forget who they got this year for something, but everybody was like... The Wiggles or something. I got to see Train when I went to that outdoor game.

I think it was... I can't remember. Penguins played at the Fines Field. I can't remember who they played, but Train was the... Drops to Jupiter? Yeah. Yeah, it was awesome. Come on. I got chills just thinking about this. So I am a train fan. There are certainly people that are bigger train fans than me,

and I learned that whenever Train was playing that particular... That exact game that he was talking about. and I put a tweet on saying going off somebody other than like trained I don't know if we need to do train right now Train loyalist. It was train. Train loyalists. I mean, I got murdered for having it. I don't even have an ounce of talent that the old buddy who sings that thing has. And obviously, I'm jealous and envious of this whole thing. And I'm like, listen, I understand I need to respect train a little bit more.

I'm just talking about for hockey. I feel like they never really get who they think. But I think they view it like, well, our hockey fans are going to watch. We're going to try to bring somebody in that's going to bring a different demographic. And I'm not saying that's what they think about for the Super Bowl and everything. that but I do think that is a strategy for some people that are putting together shows and it feels like the NHL is kind of lived by that for all their big events they got the stadium series coming up down in Florida yeah they do yeah it does look sick it's not open air though

it's closed the stadium obviously tropicana field I think has a roof on top it so a lot of people are talking about this not being an outdoor game but I don't know how it's happening down there yeah I read somewhere that they're keeping the Marlin stadium closed so that it doesn't mess with the ice at all so it's not tropicana what is it called it's uh Home Depot Field Depot, something like that. Tropicanada's going through it, actually. It got destroyed. Tropicanada, dude?

Yeah, a couple years ago, by the hurricanes down there. I just saw that. Okay, good for Tramacanah. The roof is back. That's a legendary place. So this game's happening in Miami. Correct. And I believe I read that they're shutting the retractable roof

leading up to the game so that the elements don't do anything to the ice. But I thought I read that they're going to pop that back open when the game starts so that it actually is open air. It looks incredible. And in 2026, we can have Miami host NHL game with open air. I mean, good for sports going forward. Good for ice. Go ahead.

Hockey people are not happy about this, actually. They want this to be in the north. They want it to have snow. They want it to be cold. They're not happy. I understand that completely because, like, the pond hockey ideas kind of where this whole thing comes from. And it's in Miami, which is just a complete opposite.

Feels like this is more so a showcase of what science can be right now and what ice can do, but also the Florida Panthers and what they've done for hockey done. there. It feels like this is almost a tip of the, uh, uh, some super cold hat. Tip of the to the tooth. It feels like it's a tip of the touc to the Florida Panthers and the people down there in Miami. So I understand how hockey people would be pissed about how we do like the snow and we like the environment. I like the sky cam that comes in there. I like the different angles that take place. I think it's a beautiful setup. I, I love what they've done with the stadium series. I didn't know the super hockey people were going to be pissed because it was in

Miami. But I mean, they've kind of taken hockey. They've got to take it hockey down there, man. Tampa and Miami. And to your point about Tampa, the Bruins play Tampa in the stadium series, I think February 1st this year, again, doing it in Florida. The only time they've

really, really had problems with it being outside and kind of nicer out was in Lake Tahoe. They did a game right on Lake Tahoe. And when the sun came up with, you know, the what's altitude of being in Lake Tahoe, that really

screwed up. So, like, I don't think playing it in Florida, as long as it's indoors for the majority of it, once the game starts, it's like, hey, within three hours, it really shouldn't affect the ice itself. But I think it's just sweet because all those players get to go to

Florida and play a game. Back when I was, back whenever I was skating around Gold Mile ice rink. You know, we had to get off every, what, 45 minutes so they could fix it. Yeah, it was like every 45 minutes to an hour. which is one of all either of the great times or the problems happen. Everybody's got to get off the ice now.

You've got to be in the concessions. You're multiple places. You say me. Yeah, but there was a lot of that. But also good times. Let's not act like there wasn't great times there. Five bucks. All I could skate, have a good time.

Make it out. I mean, there was a lot of suck. What? People are sucking face with a lot of people around there. You turn a corner of bleachers and all of a sudden two people's sucking face. Looked like New Year's Eve. And be somebody from another school and then somebody you know from your school. And you'd be like, wow.

There's no way that person knows anything about that person. they would not be doing that right now. That person seems to be way out of that person's league right now, but good on you. Go get him, sunshine. Beauty of the roller room. But in that ice skating rink, and then the inevitable part of it is

that person that was from the other place would have people that they were with. And somebody in that group obviously was not happy that that person was sucking face with somebody from our particular. And then that's where it all starts. And then now you've got three hours of the skating rink trying to figure out who's going to try to stab who with an ice skate. You know?

And that's Friday nights. I ended up in hospital two times there because somebody got stabbed with escape. So it was, that's my thoughts, but that was indoor. It was very, very, very cold there. And they had to reset it every single time. And there was times where it wasn't frozen, you know. So I don't know if gold miles anything like what they got going on, Donner.

But they need to keep an eye on that ice, especially in the warm area. Joining us now, ladies and gentlemen, is an ice expert, a man who understands everything about the cold. Not that kind of ice. What are you talking about? You're talking about snow? No. guy is from Ohio, ladies and gentlemen, joining us now, college football national Oh, yeah, yeah.

Ladies and gentlemen, AJ Locke. Age, when's your birthday? What are you referencing? When's your birthday? My birthday is January 6th. It's coming up pretty soon. Yes, it is. Happy early birthday. Obviously, January 6th, everybody thinks. AJ Hawke's birthday. That is what everybody thinks about that particular date. Hey, it was fun, man, watching your team lose down there in Texas. Not watching him lose.

Let me rephrase that. That was rude of mind. We're coming up on your birthday. That was fun to be able to be on the field for that Miami, Ohio State game, and then also for Indiana, Alabama. And, AJ, I think you would say the same thing. We say, the more physical teams clearly won those games. I mean, it feels like across the board.

Oregon, too, very physical. And this whole Miss team, they might be the mentally toughest team of all time. Feels like tough football matters whenever it matters, and that's what we kind of saw over the last couple days, AJ. Yeah, I mean, I don't know if we ever, like, got away from it, but there definitely was a time in football to, where it's like, hey, spread them out, basketball on grass, that whole thing. And it didn't talk as much about winning the trenches and being the more physical team.

But I think we're in a great time for college and professional football. I mean, how many unbelievably violent hits did we see in these games this weekend? In two different games, we saw people selling out, putting their body on the line. So tons of respect for it, man. Yeah, it sucks Ohio State loss. I'm alumni there. Love everything about Ohio and Ohio State. But, yeah, Miami, I have tons of respect for how these guys play.

And getting to see them play two weeks in a row now. In person on the field, yeah, they're awesome. And I don't want to say this to disrespect the entire state. I'm just trying to point out something that I think Ohio State people should respect and probably do respect. Miami out Ohio to Ohio. I mean, that is certainly what happened. And then Desmond Howard would say, so did Indiana. Indiana out Ohio to Ohio in the Big Ten championship.

And now is it because of their current teams that they are or because of who the teams Miami and Indiana have? I think Signetti wants that. I think Signetti is relying on their team. to be very fundamentally sound and very tough. Like, that is just how we're going to be. The tackle well in space. That's how we talk about this, too, on the field with Darius. Like, these guys tackle in space very, very well.

And it's something you cannot really do in practice. So for Indiana coming off that 20-some day break and being able to tackle in space and tackle so well, like that's usually what goes when you have a break is you don't tend to tackle as well as you have. And these guys, we're absolutely on fire. Is that the tough? I think that's tough. In my eyes, like having the secondary, like pawns right there.

with a massive shot. He wasn't the only one. 12 was all over the place. There was multiple corner tackles in space, which is normally what it's going to end up being whenever you have an open field is, can your smaller guys make big time hits? Does that go into the toughness that we're kind of referring to here about these teams, AJ? Yeah, I think so. Like, you have 11 willing guys to make tackles on every play. An offense, like, they're trying to make your corners tackle. They want to get to the corners and say, all right, we're not going to block the corner, obviously, because we expect our running back or whoever to make that guy miss or run them over. And when your corners are physical and they come up and run support on a consistent

basis, yeah, it makes it very tough to score points on you. There was a, there was a stat that was floating around the internet here. This is from Care Bear Curran. And once again, we have not double-checked this from Care Bear Curin. He's unbelievably passionate about sports. He's from Brooklyn, New York, 13,500 followers. He tweeted he did a roster dive on Indiana. Hasn't found a single offensive player younger than 21 yet. Indiana plays more six-year guys than underclassmen and then he puts in the end, that's a team

of full-grown men. It's not just full-grown men, they're all very physical. They're all a very, very physical group and they've all bought into the fact that they weren't supposed to be there. Kurt Signetti has built through the transfer portal. The transfer portal has been opened today. Names in there, over a thousand allegedly. Big

ones. Where are they headed? Well, to tell us ladies and gentlemen, the authority on college football from college game day, a man whose hair was meshed up in his first spot on game day, because the rain, and then they wouldn't let it happen again, perfection the second time we saw him. Ladies and gentlemen, Pete there. Yeah, Pete. How you don't, Pete?

Pat, I'm great. How are you? Authority, you saw it, I saw it. First time, first hit at the Rose Bowl there. The rain was getting you. The humidity was getting you. There was a little bit more drop onto the forehead. Then the second time you hit us with, and you dropped the precipitous amount of something,

hair was flawless. the delivery was perfect. I appreciate you battling the elements for all of us. And let's talk about the very, very, very important day that is today. Transfer Portal officially opens up. What does this mean in the modern world that we're in? Pete? All these people we knew we're going to go in there because their agents have been telling people

or how should we view today in the college football space? So today, Pat, is the start of a sort of two-week binge where every player of college football essentially can be a free agent every year. There are now, according to our Max Olson, who's our portal guru, 4,000 players, more than 4,000 Division I players in the NCAA transfer portal. So it is just a like completely ridiculous free-for-all right now. And yeah, it's a mad scramble for rosters. And you combine that with 33 jobs having turned over,

which means there's going to be probably 50% plus roster movement at those 33 places. and the normal attrition that happens, yeah, it is by far and away in the short history of the portal here the last five, six years, the most frenetic and hectic time. And the big difference for the macro this year, Pat, is there is no second window, right? There was a post-spring portal. So you could kind of go and be like, yeah, I don't really like where we are at Nickel or left guard. Let's go to, you know, grab the guy from Troy or, you know, some Sunbelt school and, you know, and figure it out. So now this is the only time for legal movement. I think graduate transfers could still end up moving.

But for the most part, you need to address your needs now. And it comes amid a quintessentially college football moment where, you know, there's obviously still four teams playing, right? So we're going to have guys going to have to leave their teams like we saw last year with Bobrabula. We're going to have guys, you know, declare they're going to leave, but stay with the team. So it is, and you have, you have teams that. maybe trying to target the replacement for players

who are going to be playing for them in the portal. So it is a weird moment in time. I don't know how long the portal will be at this moment, but it is here and it is made for an unusual amount of hecticness. 4,000 names in the transfer portal. That's 40 if there's 100 teams. How many total players are there in Division I football? Do you know?

Well, that's what I was trying to do the math. 100 teams. We'd go 133 times 85. I'm not a math guy, but I'm sure I can do that in his head. No, certainly not. Yeah, we got phones now. 11,300. 11,300.

So a third, a third, basically, of the college rosters are currently in Transfer Portal. And I'll say this, from a player's perspective, if I can go in there and go back to my school, why wouldn't you go in there just to see? Now, that leads to the conversation of, like, in the NFL, free agency frenzy launches on a Monday at nude. okay we're very lucky that it happens it's part of our show has been a part of our show it's crazy but all the tampering there's a legal tampering period in the nfl it starts at the combine and then it kind of works its way through where agents are speaking to other agents gms are speaking it's uh it's basically like when it all kind of takes place but it's a legal tampering but

they're not allowed to do it so they meet in bars and starbucks unless sholts and rapaport fight each other so you know it's all that does college have that happening as well because i assume that that's very regular right now because there's really no rules or no real um real no person to enforce any of it so i would assume the tampering has already happened have deals already been made do players know once they go in the transfer portal where they're headed like what is how is that kind of all work so yeah there there is and to be fully blunt i don't even know what the actual contact rules are uh but they are ignored and uh the agents are you know as you legally acting as middlemen for their players and contacting schools and such. But obviously the players are talking

to the coach. Like all this stuff is happening. Nobody's even really hiding it if we're, if we're being honest, right? So yeah, guys started good, you know, declaring they were going the portal three, four weeks ago and markets are set and preference lists are made. And, you know, so today, tomorrow, we're going to see some, you know, some deals finalized. For example, last night, right after midnight, I reported Rocco Beck, the Iowa State quarterback, told me he's going to visit Penn State. and likely will come to a deal. You know, and that's not shocking he played for that staff at Iowa State. And so deals like that, you know,

that they're fairly obvious are coming together and it's set to come and set to come together. So I would say probably of the quarterback market, a third of it is probably done or close to done at this point. I think there needs to be a full calendar. Pete, there needs to be a full calendar here. They just need to a calendar rehaul that will fix a lot of the issues. I mean, Saving talked to.

about he took his new year's resolution to chat about it but it's like obviously the players have to do what they have to do right now teams have to do what they have to do but if you change the calendar then i think that kind of fixes when you have to do what you have to do and it might make it all a little bit morally um understandable i think that would be a boy did it kind of what's that you said i don't think so to morally understandable well morally understandable it would make it makes sense, right? Like, and it would keep everything a little bit more, a little bit more linear, but there's always going to be tampering, and there's always going to be dudes getting fired.

No, I agree. But if we have a legal tampering period like the NFL has, like it was happening, now it's just kind of like, hey, it is happening, then it's a little bit more like everybody's doing the same shit, because everybody always says, what am I allowed to do? When am I allowed to do it? It's like, if they were to make a calendar, I think, to my perspective, I didn't explain it enough, it would be more morally understandable to be able to do all the shit that everybody's doing as opposed to just being like we don't know what the rules are we don't know what

everybody else we're trying to keep up with everybody else well who's everybody else have you heard exactly no but somebody's got to be doing that there's a lot of that kind of happening you know where people are kind of justifying everything they're doing so if we had a better calendar that kind of said like this when this happens this when this happens this when this happens this when you could do this this this happens but who would do that pete yeah who makes the calendar chasing tail now we have no idea who would even accomplish that who's at the top who's in charge nobody age right pete Well, you just quickly, because I don't want to, I don't want us to talk about who is and who isn't in charge. Because it's nobody, right?

That's basically the final answer. Correct. Yeah, that's the succinct answer to that is no one is in charge. But the game is great. Awesome. And the players are awesome, and there's a lot of great opportunity. Now, you talked about 4,000 plus names in that Transfer Portal. The number one name into ESPN Transfer Portal rankings.

Go ahead, Tone. Yeah, Pete, I believe it's Brendan Sorsby. A quarterback from Cincinnati is number one. Now, all four teams in the semifinals are starting. transfer quarterbacks. Dante Moore being the only quarterback that's been there for two years. And Sorsby is not the only name. Levitt's in there. Drew Messamaker, Lagway, Riola, Byron Brown. Everybody knows Rocco Beck, Josh Hoover. Like, there's a lot of big quarterback names in this transfer portal. And we've seen you can go to a national championship

with transfer quarterbacks. A lot of those big names, have you heard any rumors on potentially where they're going or schools that are in the market? Obviously, we know that Miami's always in the transfer portal quarterback market. I use always in the transfer portal quarterback market. I believe Texas Tech is probably going to be. Can you link any of those or any schools that potentially are definitely in that market? Sure. Let's start with Shoresby. A couple minutes before jumping on here. I reported that he is essentially on his way to Lubbock right now for a visit with Texas Tech, which obviously loses quarterback Baron Morton. And remember their backup, Will Hammond, who's a promising young player, played really well at Utah this year, tore his ACL. So,

Texas Tech has a significant need at quarterback, as does Lane Kiffin. So Sorvie is going to visit Texas Tech and then go to Baton Rouge and then we'll soon make a decision between those two from there. So that as quarterback battles go at Big Brand programs, that is about as high stakes as you're going to, you're going to get in this portal season. you mentioned Hoover I reported on Game Day with I think better hair than the first hit that Indiana is expected

to target Hoover that can get tricky as things go there's a few other schools that are involved Louisville Kentucky among them but that one is that one is in line

you know today as it was on as it was on I don't even know what day it is anymore Thursday did I say that? Yeah it was Thursday and it's crazy yeah you should have seen us last night on the flight is it from is it today or is it yesterday what day is it today

and it's like well we don't know our phones are they on central time mountain time or we still in pacific time because you really don't have a clue but it's been an honor to do it all i will say but it has been quite a blur here the last two 20 25 into 2026 into today i think uh i think i got uh this is not to complain but this is certainly just to let everybody know what's been happening after cotton bowl we fly to burbank california That's where we're supposed to fly to. Because there is low ceiling with all the weather and the clouds.

Pilots come back. The boys in the back had fallen asleep at this point, snoozing. A lot of this is a lot of snoring happening in the back. Can't fall asleep on the planes. Try to. Did catch like 15 minutes on a flight home. Was pumped up about that. But was wide awake.

Pilots come back. We're going to try to land you in Burbank. But we don't know if it's going to be possible. If not, we'll head to LAX or whatever. Okay, they tell us that. It's like sweet. And we're all very tired. It's very late.

and then the guy heads back up there. So then flight attendant turns around and goes, they're thinking they're going to be able to get into Burbank. Cool, because we've got, you know, people picking us up, and it's very late at night, and the show starts at 6 a.m. local, and it's about to be 1.15 at this time. So, you know, we don't have a lot of turnaround time.

And from one side to the other is like 45 minutes or so. You know, so that is a little bit of a drive. So all indications are we're going to be able to land in Burbank. So we go, sweet, we'll go down in Burbank. We tell the driver we're about to come down. We go down 200 feet, sea ground. First time we see it. Oh, yeah, it looks pretty nice down.

we take right back off. It's like, okay, a little P can go. We're not able to do it. So now we're heading over to LAX. Now we've got to get into LAX landing, right? Because there's a whole thing. So that's an extra 45 minutes to an hour there. Drivers, obviously, didn't get message because we didn't have service until 20 minutes

after we had already left. So it took them another 20 minutes to get there once in over. We get there. So all of a sudden, a four-hour nap time becomes like an hour and a half, two-hour nap time for a college game day. So then I just roll in the game day on like six coffees. You know, here we are, the Randstadion, so then right after game day so jacked up about being at the Rose Bowl

I'm asleep for an hour and a half two hours here well Oregon Texas Texas Texplan it's like well I'm gonna watch that game a little bit pass out about an hour get in there then we get in last night about 2 a.m. we're in here this morning so I'm not saying whoa is me I'm just saying not a lot of sleep because how great college football has been but it's been the perfect way to start 2026 are we going to get some massive signings like is Sorsby signing today like will we get these early announcements or is there an official time when all these deals kind of get announced like

Rocco's deal will that get announced as it happens or is that like a couple days from now and do the deals have to be in this two week period like or is that's just a visit time or the deals have to be done in this time yeah what's the next couple steps here maybe a nap or two away from me so I would expect sort of some dominoes to go there's no like specific day pat where where they're going to happen I would expect them to start popping formally maybe late today and then over the weekend throughout the week. And I think once a few go, we're going to get a bunch more.

So, yeah, it will be a fluid and dynamic situation. But it's not like they have to do it by the 16th when the portal window closes. It'll get the pop and he says. Yeah. So you just have to enter the portal in these two weeks. Is that what Unless your team's still playing and then you can what another. Five days, I think. Afterwards. Yeah, they

kind of opened it up for another five days. All right. That sounds very feasible for everybody. Go ahead. AJ, last question on the portal. Yeah, Pete. How much have you, have you talked to these coaches, especially the guys that are in the playoffs, how they're handling this whole situation, not only trying to, you know, figure the portal out, but you're renegotiating with players you have on your team as well and trying to decide who you're going to have around. Like, how are these coaches handling it? Yeah, it's a good question, AJ. A lot of the

renegotiation for the playoff teams, they tried to do in December, right, to just get it out of the way. Like, it's probably not the best game week of a playoff if you're talking to a guy about his deal and his value, but there's also some, like, that's some of the reality of it, too. I think the most interesting high-stakes situations were, like, Ty Simpson at Alabama, like, do you go try to find a replacement for him? You don't know if he's going to go pro. Like, you don't know how that's going to work. Now, his season's obviously over. Dante Moore at Oregon, look, I think everyone just slots him in the mock drafts at one or two and just assumes that's going to happen.

I'm not telling you it's not, but there is a feeling at Oregon that he could stay. And he has even said that. He said that to one of the TV crews going into the JMU game. He's younger. He's kind of seen adversity. You know, he's a little bit of a slight guy. He could probably use to put on some weight. So I'm not telling you's definitely coming back, but I do think that's there on the table.

So if you're Oregon, by the way, you're going to need a quarterback for next year. All these quarterbacks are falling off the board. So it just creates some really bad situations and difficult situations, which is why the calendar that Nick suggests that that Pat mentioned earlier would, again, nobody's crying for the teams in the final four, but they're in bad spots. Yeah, and maybe this is what the parody is created by. Everybody else that isn't in it has time to fully focus on. The people that are in it, you have to be distracted a little bit,

so maybe that'll help with parity going forward, or these teams that are in Final Four are there because they figured out how to deal with all of it. You know, there is certainly a couple of different things, as Pete Dammel keeps his portal phone popping on this, glorious 4,000 players. I think we got a little scoop when I got off when I got off here, Pat. What is it? What is it?

I mean, I got to confirm it. You can run it by us first. Yeah, would you like us to confirm? Yeah, I don't know if you're the crew I run it by with a couple hundred thousand people, a million people you have watching. No, yeah, that would be the right time to do it. Okay, last couple quick questions, and you're talking about staying going. There's one particular team.

I mean, this golden guy might be the greatest coach I've ever seen. Go ahead, Conman. Yeah, Pete. it's talked about today how Weiss is, Weiss Jr. is over at LSU, you know, 12 hours after the Ole Miss team beats Georgia. Now he's, you know, recruiting, getting ready for the portal with LSU. Is there a chance that these guys look at themselves in the mirror and say, what the hell am I doing? I'm getting the hell out of LSU and going back to Oxford and just staying with Ole Miss. Or all six of those guys locked in with LSU no matter what, they can't change their mind.

They're screwed. They're starting from the bottom. Ole Miss might win a national championship. it is just generally wild that old miss might win the national championship right like it like what this is why college football is you know the most ridiculous best sport in america uh it is just uh it's mind blowing it's wonderful it is uh it is awesome i do not expect connor uh any of those coaches to go back they have contracts that old miss is also like hired the replacements too so it's the the world has moved on they're just in that little uh temporary time warp there and uh yeah

a ton of credit to Charlie Weiss Jr., man. He called an unbelievable game last night. He had Kirby on roller skates. That's difficult to do. That's, you know, that is, you know, that Georgia defense had been the best in the country, the last half of the season. They had stonewalled a bunch of people.

And, yeah, Trinidad Chambliss is one of the great stories in the 21 or 22 years that I've done this. I mean, just what a, he's just been relentless in meeting the moment. And a guy that you'd like to have a beer with, says Coach Kolding, which means the boys like every time we've heard him talk, he's seemingly electrifying. And he's not letting any of the outside distraction or noise getting the way of him and the boys kind of doing their thing. It's been fun to watch. Now about him, last question for you, Pete. Go ahead, Todd. Yeah, Pete, speaking of Winnidad, is it just assumed that he is going to get another year of eligibility from the NCAA? And also, after this kind of storybook run for Ole Miss is done, is the idea still that he 1,000% is going to be transferring to LSU. And a majority. Yeah, a bunch of other guys, I guess, on their roster as well.

Well, let's start with Trinidad. I think Pat would appreciate if I termed his medical redshirt. situation, quite the quagmire. Okay, well, yeah. So Trinidad's sophomore year at Ferris State, he did not play a snap. He was dealing with chronic tonsillitis. And, you know, they've filed an extensive letter to the NCAA. There is, there's 91 pages, I believe, this off the top of my head from son I wrote

four or five days ago, of medical documentation about Trinidad Chamblitis and why he didn't play that year. The early inclination from the NCAA, as they communicated to Ole Miss, was that they were not going to grant him the medical red shirt waiver. So they hired Tom Mars, the noted attorney, and they are pushing, trying to push a few buttons to see what's going to happen. The timing of this is horrific for Trinidad Chambers. If he knew that he could have a year, he would be a top of market for $5 million a year quarterback for next season. And look, the guy made a, you know, a nice sum of money this year at Old Miss, but it wasn't even anywhere close to seven figures. So this would be, you know, a chance for him to get a real payday, develop another year in college football and really set himself up well.

So there is an NCAA committee that reviews these medical hardship waivers that is set to begin meeting likely today. They were closed until New Year's, as Mars pointed out to me. So it's fascinating because if Trinidad jumps in this market, I can't tell you he's won, but he's, you know, he's certainly, he's certainly darn near close to it. And it would really create a fascinating dynamic between Ole Miss and LSU. But Ole Miss and LSU also have to go get other quarterbacks too, right? Like that, you know, that you can't sit and wait and hope for the NCAA for a waiver in this situation. So it's pretty fascinating. again, look, there's, there's an expectation just in terms of players that a lot of them

are going to, you know, who go in the portal after Ole Miss season ends, that they're going to consider LSU. So in the longer, but the longer they go, Pat, this is just an opinion. The longer they go and the longer Ole Miss wins, the harder it is to leave. Of course. Humans. Yeah, human nature. Yeah.

Yeah, human nature. And also just like calendar crunch, right? The title game is January 19th, right? Like, are they going to hold a spot until January 19th? teeth, you know, depends on, like, it's just the volume, you know, maybe like star guys, key guys, deals in the drawer, all that stuff, sure. And that's, deals in the drawer. Oh, no.

That was the, how to quantify the Exodus, but it would certainly be interesting, the more they win, uh, how this goes. You're the best. We appreciate the hell out of you, Pete. We'll continue to follow along on this transfer portal. Palooza. Palooza. Yeah, there it is.

Portal Paloza from Pete Thammel's X account. We appreciate the hell out of you, man. Thank you for all the info. Thank you, gentlemen. Get some rest, Pat. Pete, I'm going to let you know. We're bummed out over here. Yeah.

Because of you. Why? Well, our refrigerator is certainly not big enough for the amount of people that are in here. I heard about this. Did you? You were the one. And I forgot to ask my wife. Pat, you're on the Christmas card list.

So, like, two years ago, I was asking you for your address and you wouldn't give one to me. I, like, texted you. That could be a little evasive, right? So all I want to do is send a Christmas card. That's all. Yeah, but then I feel like to send something back. You know, so that's all that. No, no, you, we're talking human nature. We're talking my human nature. So the reason why, whenever people are like, hey, what's your address? I want to send you something. I'm always like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I just try to hope that they forget about the conversation. Because first of all, I don't want to commit to opening it. And I don't want to commit to having to feel bad for whatever it is or also send something the other way. So I'm

trying to cut a lot of steps out of my life whenever I do that. You literally came with me and said, just want to send you a Christmas card. You said, that's all I want to do. And I appreciated you, the clarity, you know, because who knows what shows up here. Actually, who knows what shows up here. So your family's Christmas cards, the last two years, are the only thing that are currently magneted, magneted to our refrigerator. It's clear canvas, except for the two family Christmas cards. on our refrigerator. So literally, everybody sees it every single morning.

And throughout the entire holiday season, we're like, I want to win this year. Can't wait. And guess what it is right now? It's 2020 fucking six. It never gave. I still take one. Broken freaking heart.

All right. We'll get to the bottom of this, Pat. I'll talk to my sources. We'll resolve this. Yeah, all right. Quite a quagmire. We've added, we've added Teigen, too. So it's a pretty good card.

gonna lie it's an upgrade oh see we don't know it's an exodus of debauchery you should see the real estate that your family has on our refrigerator is an exodus of debauch it's right it's at eye level it is on the fridge say your watch to it oh there's fucking pete and teddy in the fam i'd love another water shout out teddy you know what i wasn't going to stay hydrated but just another glimpse at the thamil family bingo i'm my head over making me healthier people are asking me you why I'm in shape, fuck. If every time you ate something healthier or got water, you saw the Thamel family, you'd want to go back

to that as well. Pingo. And then all of a sudden this year, the Thamble family says, you're not a part of the family anymore. Yeah. Cut that. What's that all about? All right, thanks, Pete.

Merry Christmas, Pete. Go confirm some news. Unbelievable, Pete. Breaks some news, Pete. What's that all about, age? I don't know why. Why do you get cut? I enjoy seeing it, too.

I come in there on Fridays, usually. I get some water. I say hi to Pete and the fam and, yeah. I've been waiting. I assume the third one was already here for this year. I didn't know you did that. I always salute the family. He put a kiss right on the family.

I mean, look, it's a Massachusetts family, you know. It's different for me. It hits even closer to home. He's a power player. Age, I don't know if you saw this or not. I thought your outfit for the Cotton Bowl was potentially the reason why the Ohio State Buckeyes lost. Yeah.

an interesting choice by you honestly I don't think any of us... I told you what happened you're driving down, you got comfortable just said I'm not changing. That's what happened. Yeah. Yeah. And it matched the tuxedo t-shirt, so I said, why would I change? I mean, wearing a onesie though on TV was certainly something we did not expect

from AJ Hawk. And what's the sweatsuit? It just says sports on it. Yeah, it's from China. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. It was a $14. Amazon. $14 sweatsuit that that AJ chose to wear. And when he showed up and we were all very surprised. And then whenever he was like, I'm wearing this on the sideline, we were all a gas. No, you tried to get me to wear goofy shoes and make me even look more absurd. No, you were thinking about wearing the boots. We were just telling you, talk the sweats into the

boots. That'll look cool. That's all we were saying, because we did think it would look cool. And now that we're looking back on it, that might have been the most Ohio thing you could have done. Maybe Ohio State would have been more Ohio as opposed to Miami with you wearing a sweatsuit. Oh, wow. Maybe. I did, I don't know if I told you or not, but I did leave the sweatsuit in Dallas in the hotel and left a little note and said,

you can keep this. I wasn't bringing that back. I wanted to bring it back because it was so comfortable, but I can't, you know, we lost the game. You guys did lose. We won, though. It felt like football was great. And obviously, Indiana Pounds, Alabama.

So everybody thinks that's a bad game. I don't know. I thought it was awesome to watch it. team just execute to perfection while also being very physical and tell a story that they'll talk about forever in the college football world, this Indiana Hoosier Squad, and how special of a run it is. And it is Kurt Signetti, the greatest coach of coaching, just in general because of what he's been able to do to a program that existed, but not really, and then flip him into an absolute title contender. That shot right here is by Spanx. No, there's Spanx.

You see him? There is. There he is. He's a worker. You know, he's like a spider monkey. in there. He sighed out us a couple times. It was hard not to just let him know that this game is not about you, brother, okay? And there is 53 and a third wide here, you know, the way this entire thing goes. He buzzed my tower on purpose, ones. Yeah, he walked right in front of us a couple times. I almost

tripped him, but I know the camera was what wasn't worth it. That guy sucks. I mean, just through and through that guy sucks. But that shot he had a becker, that shot he had a becker, really good. Pretty good. Now, is that him or the camera, you know, very interesting, that he's taking credit probably for the lens

in the camp. But that's a great shot. I mean, unbelievable shot. If you guys weren't standing there, he wouldn't have been able to get that. So he should be thanking you guys, maybe, because he came in from a different angle. But this was electrifying that we were allowed to be there. We're very thankful that we're allowed to be there. We're very appreciative that we're there. And we had somebody watching from New York, which we're grateful for. Front of the program, ladies and gentlemen, Emmy Award winner, Peter Schroger. Yes, Shreg. Yes, Shregs. How you doing, Shregs? I'm doing great. I'm in Tampa. I'm on sidelines for this Saturday

Buccaneers, Panthers game, but I don't know how you guys are still standing. I turned on the television two nights ago. There you are. Doing your thing. I put it on last night. There you are. On the other side of the country,

doing your thing. Can you just tell me, I know you probably talked about it, was there a greater American moment than that B-2 bomber going over the Rose Bowl? No, the weather thought they had America. The weather thought they had us.

Okay, that's what they thought. And then all of a sudden, we're back out there for halftime. four Air Forcemen properly blues. I mean, they were properly they come up to us

they go, hey, when the clock hits zero, B2 is coming right over that scoreboard right there. And I was like, excuse me, I had to take my ears out.

I said, excuse me, I thought that was canceled. They go, they thought it was. It's not. When that clock hits zero, B2 is coming over there.

To start the second half of the Rose Bowl, this B2 stealth bomber comes flying overhead, they thought they beat the B2. They thought the flyover was not going to happen because there was a couple clods.

and maybe a little pressure in the atmosphere. That thing flew from Missouri to Pasadena. There was no chance we weren't going to see. Maybe our aviation anomaly, the B-2 bomber, shaped like a falcon, to be faster than you, stronger than you, more stealth than you. I love that shot. An indicative message to the rest of the world that we're America and you're not. Yeah, I don't know if there's anything more American than flying over the Rose Bowl

as Indiana with their story of everything that happens inside of it taking on Alabama with college football happening in a massive way to start 2026? Yeah, I'd say that's the most American think you could be a part of and we salute the hell out of the troops

the past, the present, and the future and any future bombers that we got that take out assholes around the world that don't like us, shout out to them as well. Good question, Shregs. That's why you're an Emmy award-winning journalist. I loved it. It was cool. I got emotional. And you said it.

You said, there's two things that no other country has. College football and that B2 bomber. And that got me riled up, baby. We got college football. You don't. Shout out America. And we got that thing. I don't know what everybody else has,

but I feel good about where we're at forever. And it was a beautiful thing. There was a couple off-mic moments people thought that got caught on air. That was crazy. People were like, these guys don't know they're on air. It's like, what? Oh, you mean red white bomber? Said that right in this, Mike.

Yeah. said freedom erection, right into another microphone. And then I saw people going it's crazy what these people will say whenever they're not on the microphone. It's like, even crazier lady, we're dropping that shit right onto the live mic. And who was I talking to? Who was I talking to? There was somebody

grabbed my microphone. And whenever I said, it feels like somebody's talking into my microphone. I guess you couldn't hear it on the feed. Some audio person was trying to fix my microphone because it wasn't working. And he was just talking right into it. And it was going into all of our ears, like while I was talking. So,

So I was trying to tell that guy to turn off the microphone because you were speaking into our ears. I guess the feed couldn't hear it. But then people were like, oh, they don't think they're live. It's like, we know. We know we're live. And did you see what we just saw? Yeah. You're not getting a freedom erection?

I mean, I don't know. Call sign death 11. Are you kidding me? Yeah. Okay. I think we're having. It's not a jet. It's a be, it's a bomber.

Yeah. Emmett McMahon, uh, properly known as PMI Mitt, texted in the group as this thing happened. That jet was sweet. We! It's not a jet, okay? It's a stealth bomber. I guess it does fly in the sky, though, where other jets would potentially be. So we respect that.

He is employed by us, so we are certainly a part of the problem, and we'll try to learn him up. We'll try to learn him up. And now, on that note, let's learn about some ball. What's right? You're down in Tampa, I think? Huge one. Yeah. Let's talk about Carolina in Tampa Bay.

Go ahead. I did want to say something, because I'm watching Signetti. I watch you and Signetti go back and forth. and we're talking about him in the college game. Like, it is not a deep class of NFL coaches right now. Don't you even think about it? You're talking about Vrable last year at Ben Johnson. I don't know if there's a hotter coach in any level than this guy.

And if you look at those vacancies, Adam said it earlier. There might be four or five more. I'd be very curious to see if an NFL team picks up that phone and calls old Bloomington, Indiana, and just inquires that gentleman right there. Because I don't know if I've ever seen a better coaching job than what this man. it's done. He's very comfortable in his own skin. He is who he is. He's a talent evaluator. He loves college

ball. Obviously, he's dedicated his entire life to it. What he's doing for Indiana incredibly remarkable and unbelievable. And he even said, be a good movie, wouldn't it? And then Reese was like, is there a follow up to that? And Sig was just like, who's yours? No. That was later. But Reese did ask him about his thoughts

on it, and he said, it'd be a good movie. And then Reese was like, I don't know if you're going to keep going or not. and then SIG just kind of looks at him. Okay, next question. Who is going to play you? Next question. SIG is like that, though.

I mean, you are on, even when we talk to him, I feel like we get along with him very well. We get along with him very well. I don't know where he's going. I genuinely don't know where he's going. And I think that's a part of his greatness. His team loves him.

His team has obviously rallied around him. The school has rallied around him. The state has rallied around him. And I think he loves exactly where he's at. I mean, when you talk about statues, that thing's already made. I mean, he's already not a statue. In Bloomington, who knows what else would come? I appreciate you acknowledging this.

I said it was, it's one of the great coaching jobs ever. Then I asked Twitter, I'm like, is there a comp? And where a guy comes, and out of nowhere, a program that's just been more abundant in a sleep for 100 years, suddenly becomes a power. And the only two comparisons I got that were even close that, I think we're good. Bill Snyder at Kansas State, he resurrected that thing. But that was a lot of Jucco guys, and they built it up, and they had that great run with Michael Bishop and Darren Sprouls and all that. And then Bill, Jim Calhoun at Yukon,

because Yukon is up there in stores, not necessarily at power. Then all of a sudden Yukon was rattling off Biggie's championships and national titles. But that is a elite, elite company of coaching. I think Brad, too, here at Butler, right? Yeah, Brad Stevens for sure. Yeah. Whenever he did. Consistent, multi, like multiple years of national title.

contention. I don't want to say basketball is not comparable to football, but it's hard because there's like 13 people on their roster, and then there's 85 to 100 on a football roster. So getting everybody to buy in like that, obviously a taller task, but I'm not putting down basketball coaching as well. Obviously

it's difficult. But yeah, Sig's special, man. He is a he's awesome. And he's a Western Pennsylvania guy that went to West Virginia, and now he's out here in Indiana. It's like, he and I have a lot in common. I've met a thousand Kurt Signetti-like people's in my life. There's only one Kurt Signetti, though.

Yeah, I love that. Great take. He is a special Italian, man. Special Italian Inzer, who is special for ball. Okay, let's bounce around to the NFL a little bit. You're down there for the NFC South Battle. Now, Carolina wins and they're in. Bucks win. Atlanta loses bucks win.

Atlanta wins, Tampa Bay wins. Carolina's in. is basically how it goes, right? Carolina, two out of the three different outcomes going to be the NFC South champs and host a playoff game. What are the other storylines going into this one other than the bucks have been absolute ass? What are your thoughts there? They have been. They're one in seven the last eight weeks. They started off six and two.

And in that six and two start, they won a game in Seattle. They beat the Texans with that defense and they beat the 49ers straight up. And then they went off the rails and they've been awful ever since. We spoke with the Buccaneers yesterday. had a good chat with Baker. It's basically, this is the first week of the season where they don't control their own destiny in the division. And the message around the team was, look around.

We're a bunch of veterans. We've all been here. We've all done this. Let's leave it out there on the field and let's do this. Let's play free. They're hoping to get Tristan Werfs on the field. I think he'll play. And they're hoping to get Coliza Kansi back,

who has been out for 14 weeks and is their energy guy and their best player on their defensive line next to Vita Vaya. So there is hope in the air. they are not a defeated bunch. And yet, to your point, if you're at home

and you're trying to figure it out the playoff-wise, Buccaneers fans need to root for Baker and they've got to root for Tyler Shuck. If they get those two guys to win, the Buccaneers can go to the playoffs. Last question on this game. Go ahead, AJ.

Yeah, Shregs, people have tried to, I guess, they hypothesize maybe that Baker's not 100%. Do you know, you get any feeling that this guy's banged up a little bit? Oh, yeah. Baker's all sorts of banged up.

I mean, he's playing with about 100 injuries. What's the most? What's the biggest problem you think? Well, there was, I could look at the injury report and what I got. I don't have it on me right now, but there's multiple things listed, and he's going to play and be Baker and be what he's going to be. That's what it is. And his whole body's aching.

What's interesting is, is the first time he's had all four wide receivers healthy, you know, the last couple of weeks, and that includes Jalen McMillan and Mike Evans who have been out. So they get Bucky Irving back there. They get Tristan works if they can. Like suddenly they're the healthiest they've been in weeks, but Baker, of course, is banged up, but he's not going to miss. this for the world. Let's go to the number one seed in the NFC Saturday night special. Go ahead, Ty.

Yeah, Shrags, what do you think the biggest takeaway is from 49ers and Seattle? Seattle, I don't know. I mean, maybe they've obviously been very good all year, but no one is playing as good as the San Francisco 49ers right now. It sounds like Tysart to make his selection there, didn't it? Seattle, I don't know. Well, I'm just saying, you know, I mean, Brock Purdy is arguably the best player in the NFL right now.

I've done this with Donald already. Yeah, we kind of have. done this with Darnold already, but he, you know, he has obviously a big shot at redemption. How do you see this one going? Well, I think it's an incredible game, and we're blessed on ESPN to have both of these games on our network on Saturday. And you look at Donald, you look at last year, you also look at the fact that Clint Kubiak is a Kyle Shanahan disciple, and Sam Darnold spent all that time with Kyle Shanahan when he

was the backup to Purdy, and you think does Kyle Shanahan have something up his sleeve where he knows this other team and knows how to solve them. I would also look at this, two other parts to this game that are really interested to me. The first one is an easier one. There's a carrot at the end of this game. If they win this game, they do not have to leave their homes the rest of the year. What? The Super Bowl is in.

The Super Bowl is, well, they can go to the facility. But the Super Bowl is in Santa Clara. And it would be the first time ever that the number one seed also has a Super Bowl at home. So we've seen the Buccaneers and the Rams win Super Bowls in their building, but they went on the road and they had to do some things to get there. This one would be fascinating because the Super Bowl being there, means that they can get a full week off after this, and then two games, and then the Super Bowl,

unheard of stuff. So that's the carrot. The second thing, which I think is really interesting, as we're debating Stafford or May, Stafford or May. Remember, humans vote on this award in the MVP. Well, Christian McCaffrey has done the last few weeks on two primetime games. All right.

With the rest of this roster, Shreggs, don't Dan Orloffs for this thing. Not even being listed in these odds makers. They're saying Bo Nix and C.J. Stratis. and have a better shot than Christian McCaffrey. I'm telling you this. There are 50 voters. Orlovsky's one of them.

There are several at ESPN. We're humans. I am not one. I don't know if everyone's looking at the EPA stats and the strength of schedule. They might just be looking at when the games mattered the most, who played the best? Stafford threw three picks on a Monday night game in Atlanta last week. Drake May was up 21 to nothing and lost against Buffalo the last time we saw them on national TV. Shut up, dude.

The last three weeks, though, of the season. season, the 49ers had prime time against the Colts, McCaffrey ran wild, prime time last week against the Bears, McCaffrey ran wild. And if he goes 1,000, a thousand, and does it by beating the Seahawks for the number one seed, I'm telling you, odds makers be damned, this thing can flip. There is a narrative to be said that, hey, this is the year that we give it to a running back. Okay, I don't. No.

I don't, I don't really, with what Drake May has done, I understand you guys don't want to crown them. I understand that. You guys. It was really cute, though, that you crown Malik neighbors, and you called him better than Terry McLaurin before anything happened, basically, before this season, which was a wild move by you, but you've hit on a lot of things as well that have been wild. Is that such a wild move that Malik neighbors has a higher upside

and might be a better receiver than Perry McCluron? That wasn't the conversation. Now you're doing exactly what the SBN people do. So, like, that is, let's just go ahead and not, let's stop doing that. but just what Drake May has done this season there shouldn't be a hey let's pitch for somebody else to win it what Christian McCaffrey has done

certainly special and we are some of his biggest fans whatever the case Drake May is 23 in his second year and even with this 30 second ranked schedule or whatever what he is done against common opponents with Matthew Stafford who people were saying has done it is better than what Matthew Stafford was doing it's like

and you can't really name okay Stefan Diggs okay keep going exactly you're right okay valuable. He's the V in MVP, right? Okay, so it's like, I understand you old TV people don't want to kind of give it to Drake May because he's in his second year, but it's like, this year is warranted of an MVP winner for Drake May, and I respect pitching Christian McCaffrey. For the record. I respect Dan Orlovsky, who has a vote. I did not know he had a, I did not know he had a vote. I did not know Dan Rolovsky had a vote with what he did for Stafford. It's like, okay, I respect what. you're doing. I love Matthew Stafford. I think we've been very open with our love for Matthew Stafford. Christian McCaffrey, massive fan. I've been very open about how much we like him. But like Drake May's season, he's fucking special. Like this has been important of an MVP for sure.

So let me tell you how it's voted. So you have to fill out a ballot one to five. And the person you put number one gets like five points. The person you put number two gets like four points. The person who gets number three put three. So it's not necessarily who gets the most first place votes. It's a culmination of 50 different voters. And it's interesting. because, yes, Roloski has one, but I think, like, Boomer Asiason has one, Troy Aikman has one. There's a lot of former players who have them,

but it's also writers, and it's also people on TV, but I don't know if there is a, okay, here's how I would say it. We've had second-year quarterbacks. Lamar did it, Pat Mahomes did it, Kurt Warner did it. We've seen second-year quarterbacks win it. Marino.

I don't know if they look at Drake May's season as this historic slam-dunk, most valuable player-type season. All right, on that note, AP voter, is here, Tone, whenever you look at it all, how are you kind of viewing it? And MVP award has become quarterback award. I think that is like basically what has happened. So if you guys were to not vote Drake in with the year that he's had, boy, the mass holes are going to be

loud for a long time about it, you know? But on that note, it feels like you do understand that Drake's had a year that he's had, although your vote is not final until all 17 games are played. Yes, I need to see all 17 games. And it is a two-horse race, I believe, between Drake and Matthew Stafford. And I respect the Christian McCaffrey angle, which is, I feel like it's hard, even though he has basically been that entire offense, especially when Mack Jones was the quarterback. But Bejohn technically is having a better season statistically than him. So that kind of hurts him in that.

That's a team that's been eliminated. No, no, I know. No, no, I agree. I completely agree. And yes, that's where the valuable thing comes in and all of that. But no, I don't think it's, like, I don't think Drake's a clear-cut winner right now either. Like Stafford If that game didn't happen the other night

Which it did It obviously did And it didn't happen in week 17 Like Stafford would still be the favorite Okay I appreciate that That's AP voter That's a voter

Triggs and I don't have a vote No, he was AJ Daner Lovsky does though I don't want to vote Stay away Neither I would like you to have the greatest weekend of all time though

We'll see you on Monday Goodbye Love you guys Oh that was good I think you did get it in I think you did get it in That was really good work out of you Connor has

Exhibit Well, I mean, just the wording really pissed me off, you know, and not everybody might, it's not just like the other Lamar Jackson seasons that are historic. Drake May is the first ever quarterback with 4,200 pass yards, 30 plus pass touchdowns, 110 plus pass rating, 400 plus rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns. So, like, well, he is the first. But that's a, but, but, but, but, but, but probably. I mean, we've had this conversation.

It would be a nightmare. And I, and I said this, Schrager, just as a. Patriots fan, I would take a win in the playoffs over an MVP. Of course. Because if he were to win the MVP and they were to lose in the first round of the playoffs, everyone for the rest of time would call him a easy schedule merchant. And the only reason that the MVP was because of the schedule and that they would never actually beat a good team.

And that he's not a good quarterback. Did you know it's actually Stanford Steve told me this weekend? Easiest schedule since 1999. Well, it sounds like we know, does Steve have a vote? He should. how he's trying to do. Steve says a lot. It was his birthday

the other day. I had birthday, Steve. He says a lot. What's that? Yeah, he's on TV. Of course he says a lot. Steve E. TV is what they call Stanford. That is what they call.

He looks so young. He does. Doesn't that look amazing? He was wearing that red with red behind him. I know. Which was surprising. That's such an aggressive move for his particular caucusoid.

Yeah. I was more surprised seeing that than his co-host. love we love love what a moment what a moment so he had no idea what was coming didn't look like no just got a run in whatever

and then natural reaction life comes out you fast it certainly does especially if whoever's running the video is just like uh let's fucking let's see what he does take a lot take a lot see what he does he what am I

Happy New Year Happy New Year Respect working working those hours too On New Year's yeah legit Now, granted, we had three New Year's, we were flying. Oh, my gosh. We hit them all.

We had 26 hours at least. AJ, have you thought about that? How many hours we had on December 31st? It had to be. I have not yet. Had to be 27 hours have not thought about it. It's because he's living in the moment. Yeah, he's right now.

I'm here. I'm here. And in the next one. Shrek, we learned this about AJ. He broke this down to us on the flight to the Cotton Bowl or to L.A. He literally just lives in the moment. I was like, we all try to live in a moment. He goes, no, but I'm actually living in.

this right now and here and here and here and I'm like Jesus you're a goldfish I guess that's how some people would describe it but I'm just mentally where my feet are is what I am and my guy yeah it's and right here do you remember what this exact moment was AJ I do not no okay we do so we were telling him oh no there's a new king of the big 10 and it's the Indiana Hoosiers he didn't want to hear what was he patting he was pot yeah AJ Patton hey was Pat AJ was potting all weekend, Shregs, because Ohio State lost in Miami. He was potting. Potting pretty good.

Some very lucky person at the hotel just picked up a gorgeous sweatsuit that was worn once out there. I don't know about gorgeous. Gordshire should have been me! Granted Connor would have certainly worn it every day, which goes to the exact point I was making there. That sweatsuit was something. That sweatsuit was something, dude. I had no idea that he was going to... Did you think that ever with AJ?

No. I certainly didn't think that when I saw him wearing that that is what he was going to be wearing on the sidelines. Maybe it was because he was getting a little active because he thought he was in the game, you know, because it was a Baca game and he's a little different. How about the shot of him yelling at the ref to call fucking touch him? Oh, he's in it, Tricks.

He's in those games, for real. It's awesome to watch. It's a part of why college football is so amazing. AJ lives into Columbus area. Obviously, an Ohio State legend, but it was every snap he was with it. He just so happens to have to have a, microphone on him with people talking shit to him while it's happening it was cool to watch

AJ you are why college football is great though sorry shrinks go ahead brother I was to say I watched I watched the entire broadcast and I texted you guys at halftime pat you I mean I'm not trying to blow smoke up you're no what but like you did play by play really well also and that's a skill that without having the spotter and the full thing like you were calling those plays as they were happening in real time from the end zone it's pretty pretty impressive broadcasting chops he showed there too no thanks strange yeah it's very very difficult to see anything. So I'm just saying whatever dumb brain has. But D-But and AJ both basically have the game pinned pretty quickly. I mean, it is a... He almost stopped talking,

so... Yeah, two quarters. All right, I guess I'll stop talking. The game's over. Games only two quarters, because at the beginning, during the commercial breaks, everybody who had a microphone to AJ's ears were letting him know, oh, no, 14-0, this thing's over. Okay, game's over. I'll stop talking there. I'll be sure anything for the rest of the game. It was like, that's where he was doing he's pouting. But for us, like, calling it, AJ and Darius have the game immediately. Diled in. Almost immediately, like, exactly what we're looking for, what it's going to be. And then once you start kind of getting into it, the players are make the game, you know?

So all we're trying to do is spotlight. There's some dog days, I'm sure, of the sports calendar, but you have to at least pinch yourself when you're on the field in those moments, right? Oh, yeah, the cotton bowl we added, like just, yeah, we would like to do that. Can we do that? Well, you're not contracted, so would you like to take one from futures, like, not just the you guys we're not paying to do it for sure but the other way can we do this they're like absolutely we don't have any set up so it's like we're very thankful for the opportunity

to do it and when we're down there yeah it is always a constant reminder to each other and to ourselves about how dumb this whole life is I don't want to speak out of pocket no without a doubt I mean without without without it's so cool like that that is your hard press that we've done a lot of cool shit I don't know if anything favorite part of the year yeah yeah so stupid do we get to do that. Best part of the year. Yeah, Rose Bowl every time. We eat the grass on the Rose Bowl every time we step on to the field.

We do not. So that is what you guys are doing? We have to. At our end, you have to. Yeah, for the Bugle Boys' broadcast on the other side, we have to have the Rose Bowl in us. We need to be penetrated by the Rose Bowl. Because you guys played in the league, so our credibility is to have the Rose Bowl inside of us. Okay, and you guys certainly, do you cheered that, or is it like a lot?

No, just pick up. Do it on your own. It's very personal moment when the Rose Bowl enters you. Oh, it's like a ceremony. Exactly. very much so. And even yesterday, you know, we had a lot of that rain. So that was some of the more fresh grass that I had. Nudely, if you will. Okay. So how many pieces of grass? How many I'd say 20 to 30. Like what you would pick up on like a T-box to see which way the wind's going.

And are you doing one bite or is it in? No, no, no, no, on one. I think, I'm pretty sure I saw Connor pick up part of the painted grass on the sideline. I don't think we got down there. I'm painted, and I'm going to just say it, a smidge of dirt this year. Okay. Usually it's just the grass, but I got a little of the broad stuff. And I didn't ate it. So the Granddaddy of them all was inside all of you. This year, I put a lipper in for a little bit.

Oh, you're sucking done. Yeah, he was sucking daddy. The granddaddy of them all. I love that. It tastes so good. Why don't you guys tell me that? I can put that over that. You guys are literally living the Rose Bowl.

We don't want to brag about it, man. Everybody's trying to gnaw on it. Yeah, everyone wants to suck on Granddad. Eddie. Of the mall, Rose Bowl. Yes, but we, we honor it by doing that. Thank you guys for doing that. Yeah. Yeah. So that's what you can feel

through the TV, Shregs. You can feel that. Tomorrow, Shrags, do it to the field. Tampa. Maybe grab a piece of the ship, actually, and eat. There you go. It's not the Rose Bowl, but. Yeah, take a splinter. Pat, weather-wise, Montana State or Rose Bowl rain? What do you remember

more? I would take Rose Bowl rain. a thousand times out of a thousand i think yeah that montana state thing it was so cold and shout to the game day crew um so at montana state we're powering through generators because it was so cold so they they were losing power and they had to make a decision on like do we send the show or do they still get a heater for their feet you know like that was decisions that were being either or that was decisions that were being made so obviously the feet heat heat you're lost there. So they sent that thing out to the world so we could continue to be live.

And I'll tell you what, that was a decision that was made that did not think about the humans that were out there. It was really cold. Because even the fans that were out there freezing with us, they had like fires going around. They were around fires. It was like negative 14 or something like that. Negative 20 was crazy. The frozenness of everybody's body while we were doing the show will make me remember that forever. But also it's not a bad memory. Like that's not a bad memory. That was cool to be a part of. Don't want to sign up for it again, but it was certainly like a cool moment I remember forever.

That Rose Bowl rain, I think Sabin was in the worst spot. So with the way the wind was blowing, the wind was blowing into our inner stage. My left side was getting hit. Herbie's right side was getting hit. So if it was Herbie's right side in my left side, I think that was basically...

Kind of full width of his back. Back. Yeah, I think Sabin was getting hit by that. It was like 50, 55. It wasn't like freezing. Could see the breath a couple times, though. But yeah, we were just getting onslaught from behind us. But it was like-

Couldn't believe I would, because I went to sleep probably right after the game Thursday night, and then I wake up and there you are in Los Angeles. I mean, I got it. It's just unbelievable to me. Thank you. Yeah. It was unbelievable to me, too. And I'll tell you what, I almost missed that one.

You know, I gave myself the hoot with the owl, soar with the eagle speech like 10 times. Yeah, you have to. That 6 a.m. local, that game day goes live. five 27 I'm still naked in my bed really yeah I'm naked in my bed and I'm laying there staring get doing the you you get to do this you can't be just out there who with the house if you can't sort the eagle could you imagine you don't show up yeah what is saving and to say about you you don't show up to this thing and I immediately get up but how good did that pillow feel oh I was thinking about it the whole time I'm saying about and then I get out of it

outside, then I get outside the bus or whatever, and it's actual monsoon happening. And it's like, all right, at least this wakes me up, though, you know? And then you walk down the tunnel and it was all drenched. And I'm in cowboy boots. Oh, maybe I'll get to eat shit. Slip and sliding. So like

the most, I'm like dancing down this tunnel while drenched. And it was like, I needed, I like woke up, you know. And then he get down onto the field and they're obviously working their asses off with the squeegees, which we appreciated for sure. Because if that would have sat there, I don't know how much more it could have taken with the amount of water

that was falling in there. The field itself was unbelievable. Where we were, it wasn't even that bad. No. The Rose Bowl crew did a phenomenal job, but it felt like it was very relenting, I would say, yeah. Yeah, we, I don't know if you heard, we did a peek and go with the plane, too. I've already told a story once on here, so I

don't want to, like, continue to do it, but plane down, 200 feet, you back up, can't land. I did not know that. Yeah, that was at 1-15, and then we get two, AM to LAX 240 back to Pasadena 245 back to Pasadena

shout out to Denzel driving me over there to get back there so then 3 o'clock to 510-ish 515 we're trying to pass out and then we wake good did you sleep at all or no I got like an hour and 40 2 hours there but it was like we're lucky to do it

as soon as you get down to the game day set it's like not the fucking lose bowl you see Steve over yeah wearing his jolly didn't even know it was his birthday Here's a guy. Exactly. It's like, good to see you. Steve, appreciate you.

The whole crew, the camera crew were all there. I didn't see them the last time. I don't think they were there. So it was good to see them. Good to see you. Good team, team. Some of them are just getting absolutely pissed on. When we got the hotel,

when we got to the hotel, they were leaving to go to the game day set. Yeah, to go set up all the stuff. Yeah, when I got to a thing, they had already set up all of the security, you had barricades to get in for the day because people were checking in to work for the day as we were getting there for the first time.

I did the I did good morning football for many years and we do the draft in those LA like we did the draft in Vegas I'll never forget I had a 2 a.m. call time in Vegas because we need you know whatever and I'm walking up there and the entire world is at the casino tables the entire world is spilling out of clubs and I'm wearing a shirt and tie with a mock draft at two in the morning walking up to the room to do the filming I mean it was crazy yeah you morning show folks what time do you guys start eastern we started at we used to start at seven eastern so it'd be four pacific and you know we have the zoom call the meeting the whole thing when they moved the show to the west coast it was like i you know you lose years off your life and that

that i couldn't do it much longer and we're pumped you came over to hell yeah yeah it's ever a morbid take now we are pumped the morning show thing i i started with the bob and tom folks which are radio and by start i mean like once a week i would go in there there you commit your entire life to doing morning i mean that is uh hey you're going to bed nine eight nine o'clock because you're up i did i did it 10 years on the east coast but when they the west coast when the show's over and the sun's not up yet that's yeah you're you're a third shifter brother yeah that's right that's what that becomes and shout out to all the third shifters but on no doubt their entire life is different. And I'm happy you said, I don't know

if I'm built for it. I don't know if I am built for it. We've got a couple other questions about what's happening around the NFL, Shregs, before we make our picks and get the hell out of here. It's going to be a great weekend. It's going to be a very good weekend. It's going to be a very good weekend, Shregs. Great ball this weekend, Shregs. Great ball this

week. Week 18 of the NFL season's about to deliver. Ty Schmidt has a question for you, Shregg. Yeah, Shregs, just curious, when you look at the potential number one pick in the draft, and how that can shake out. I know a lot of New Yorkers are all pissed off

because the Giants won last week, and if they lose, it's not going to, you know, there's a chance they can either have the number two pick. I don't know if they have the number one pick. They can go all the way down to seven. How do you think this is going to shake out and also have you heard anything? Like, is Fernando Mendoza for sure

going to be the number one pick in the NFL draft? Yes. There's such a long way to go, but I would say he is the perennial favorite right now with two teams, the Jets and the Raiders, both in desperate need of a young quarterback. So you would assume that he would be, and he has checked every box.

And I, you know, I spoke to Daniel Jeremiah for a while this week because I don't think there's anyone better as far as year-round doing this stuff. And DJ was like, the nitpick on him is that it's all RPO. It's all RPO. So he's like, so I went through all the third and sevens are longer, and this kid is money in that situation without the RPO.

He's smart as hell. He's a great kid. And he takes a beating and just gets right back up. The comparison that DJ made. which I thought was really good and I shared it on Get Up this morning. Everyone's talking that he's, you know, well, it's Kirk Cousins because of his personality.

That's fine. Playing wise, though, and I think it's a really good compliment. He said Matt Ryan, where it's just big body, smart as hell, can do the progressions, can stand in the pocket and it's just a leader in every single way. I mean, and that to me is worthy of the first overall pick. The other quarterbacks in this draft are, you know, you got Moore who's a bit of a long shot to be the number one pick.

And the number three quarterback, We don't know if Simpsons come in, you know, what his deal is. We don't know if Trinidad Chamblitz is going to skyrocket up, but it is a shallow quarterback draft class, to say the least. Fernando is definitely the number one. Once they meet him and talk to him, it's only going to grow. And I think maybe even a team that doesn't need a quarterback, like doesn't appear to need a quarterback, might want to make their move for Fernando.

I think I appreciate your comparisons to Matt Ryan and Kirk Cousins and stuff like that. He's a dog, though. And not that they weren't. Okay, I think they obviously have to be dog to be able to play in the end of and everything like that. But like the way he talks is that of a football dog. He takes a lot of pride in the fact that he's tough. He takes a lot of pride in the fact he's a good teammate.

He brought all the boys up to the Heisman. And everybody's talking about Diego and his offensive linemen. For sure, it should be a part of it. Fernando's boys were there too with him. And they got trapped up there. They actually, there was a flight situation. Is that right? And Fernando led the way.

It's like he's, I don't know. Maybe we're too close. How about this? We're too close to. How about he goes to? He's six. He goes to New York, Shrags. Six, five.

He's a beast. He can move. He moved yesterday. And I'll tell you this. He goes to New York, and I know that this was covered at the time, but, you know, what's he do, Saturday, Heisman afternoon? Is he out, you know, shopping himself? No, he took, you know, 10 different kids whose parents suffer from multiple sclerosis

on a shopping spree around New York City. That's how he spent the day. Like, if you don't, I've never met him. But if you think he's cringe or dorky, like, please, go go get your quarterback you. I will take this kid. 10 out of 10 times. He is dorky, though. And that's okay.

Yeah, that's a good thing. Can he get any winning games? I think it's a good thing that he's dork. We need to start changing that. I don't know how we change that because we'll say nerd and dork. And I'll have like nerds and dorks get upset at me. And it's like, I don't mean this like 20 years ago, nerd and dork. I feel like now nerd is a good thing.

It's a good thing to be a nerd or a dork, I think. Yeah, I would call myself a nerd or dork. Like the first thing I'm doing after this is going to watch stranger things. Is that nerdy and dorky and dorky? Maybe. Am I going to play video games? I think culture's a little bit more nerdy and darky. I think culture's a little bit more nerdy and dorky.

Now the Legos thing. Because we do a lot of tech stuff. But like you said, too, like he doesn't play like that when he's on the field. Like he's a fucking killer on the football. And also I got crack, no pause. And then just kept rolling. It's like, okay. Like we, we, I think, I think he's a guy.

Like, I think he's a program generational quarterback is what I think of Fernando Mendoza. That is how I view him. Just everything about him screams guy. Like everything about him. He's addicted to film, super smart, loves his teammates. You talked about him taking the shopping spree to the kids of MS families. That's because his mom has MS.

So he's literally watched life go the way it's gone and has found motivation, inspiration, never going to get in trouble. And oh, yeah, he can fucking spin it. Everything is the tightest spiral. Every ball coming out of his hands is an absolute dart. AJ, am I mistaken in that? Even his warm-up throws. Because of the white paint on the ball, you literally see it.

Now, he's needed to hold on a ball there on a sideline. But when he spins... Almost killed Sig. I mean, it's a perfect throw every single time. It feels like AJ. So if he goes to a cold weather climate, he'll be able to handle it. It feels like he is a generational type NFL quarterback potentially. He's what it feels like AJ.

Yeah, he feels like the prototype that you would want. And everything, like the mental part of it is just on top of what he does physically is what puts him over the top for me. He seems like a no-brainer. Can he figure it out, though, at the NFL level? That's always going to be the question that's quarterback. Well, there's also this knock that. Well, he was a one-star recruit.

Guess what? Cam Ward was a zero-star recruit. And I don't care what guys were recruited by the services when they were 15, 16 years old. Can we take the kids for what they are now? He's 22 years old. He's played in, I believe, 33 college football games now he started them. If we haven't learned anything from Bo Nix and Tyler Shuck the last two years, I'll take a quarterback with some experience and who's played in multiple systems over the raw product.

He'd say, well, he could jump real high. Yeah, and he might be able to jump high. We don't know. We have no idea. Him running yesterday was so funny. Because he's a lumbering lad. And I didn't know this was a part of his game. Carson Beck doing the same exact thing.

I wonder what Carson will do, you know, for the quarterback draft class going forward. Honestly, because he's... He's a big sum bitch, too. And there's your five-star guy who we've been hearing about since he was 12. So that's the other side of the spectrum, right? And he's won big games.

You can point it's like, hey, he's been a part of big games, and has won big games. His teammates like him. He's been in two different places. There is a lot to... the like about Carson Beck as well. And then Dante Moore, I guess there's a chance if you listen to Pete Tamer earlier

where he goes back to Oregon. So it's like, oh. He was another one of those five stars. All of a sudden, you got some questions up there at the top. All of a sudden, you got some questions at the top. Are the Indiana Hoosier's about to have the number one overall pick? Yes. It feels like they are a lock, too, especially when you like kind of...

At Draft Kings, I believe it's minus 450 to get number one overall? He's this big, too. Yeah. Has Indiana had a basketball player going on? Was Isaiah first overall pick? that's a good question when they see him too they're gonna only be more impressed

I mean he's fucking he's big house he's very big like it's like holy shit in the way his throwing motion is like perfect he's got like perfect mechanics

and I'm telling you the ball comes out fucking perfectly I mean it is every time is the tightest spiral go ahead IU basketball has had two number one overall picks

Walt Bellamy in 1961 and Kent Benson in 197 Ben Benson was a problem. He, hey. Oh, yeah. Isaiah and Victor Old Depot were first round picks, but not number one overall.

Oladip was there. He looked so cool. He had a jacket on and made him look awesome. Was he at the game? Yeah. A lot of Indiana legends around. Mark Cuban, I believe, was there. Yeah, saw a Cubie Cubby Cubster.

Cub's big supporter of... He got a big pop on the Jumbotron. Yeah, as he should. He's big supporter of Indiana Athletics. I think he is really... I think he's a part of a massive piece of Indiana Sports right now, kind of having a big insurgent. So that's good.

Pittsburgh guy comes to Indiana does his thing. Signetti, Pittsburgh guy, comes Indiana, does his thing. We, Pittsburgh people, come to Indiana, do our thing. Great state over here, dude. Let's talk a little bit about Pittsburgh, though, shall we? Go ahead, Tone Diggs.

Yeah, Shreg's, obviously, Sunday night football. Is a big one for a lot of different reasons. Winner goes to the playoffs, losing coach. Who knows what's going to happen? Even the winning coach, as Shepter talked about earlier, who knows what happens if they have an early first round exit in the playoffs. You've been one of the more

positive people talking on TV about the Pittsburgh Steelers and their chance Sunday night. Why is that? And then what do you think about the coaching situation for these teams if obviously one of them is going to lose on Sunday night? Aaron Rogers lives for moments like this. Aaron Rogers had a moment in 2022 at the end of the season where it was winning in

and it was his last game as a Packer and he lost on Sunday night football to an aspiring Lions team. Oh no. He's about to be positive. They shut them down. Okay, okay, there you're back, you're back, you're back. He hasn't had a, he's, he's looking to avenge that. And I'll tell you, last week, get it out of the system, you go into this game.

They played the Baltimore Ravens a few weeks ago. Everyone picked Baltimore to win. It was in Baltimore. They punched Baltimore in the mouth right from the gut go, and they never looked back. I don't understand how everyone today wakes up and says, oh, well, at home in Pittsburgh, which might be Aaron Rogers' last game. they might get T.J. Watt back on the field. Oh, and by the way,

Mike Tomlin might be coaching his last game that they're suddenly going to take a nap and go in the corner and not show up for this one. I have full confidence that the Steelers are not going to be the same Steelers team that we saw against the Browns last week or against the Chargers earlier this season. Personally, I'm picking the Steelers to win this.

They're at home, and they've got Aaron Rogers at quarterback in a game where everyone's doubting them. I'll take those odds. I love to hear that. Pittsburgh people are certainly going to be interesting. and your thoughts there, you know, because... But I'm not sure, because I said that. I think they're torn, brother. Go ahead.

A lot of them are like, no, just lose and just be done with this whole thing. Exactly, yes, that is what I'm referring to you. A lot of them are very torn. It's like, okay, so we win this game. Great. Laurie, you know, we're a title and we get a home playoff game. For what? Oh, it's going to be the fourth time we come down to Ackosher, okay, this season,

and play a team that's actually good, and they're going to beat the hell out of us in front of our faces. That has happened in Pittsburgh, like three times this year already, right? Was it three times? Yeah, Green Bay was at home. Seattle. Bills was at home. Seattle's at home. So it's already happened three times at home where Yenzers have had to travel in.

Had to leave at a half time in all of those. But to get there, had to leave two hours before the game to get there to the tunnel. Well, I'm going to play Schedule Maker. I know those guys at the league office pretty well. And traditionally we get the four or five game as a Monday night playoff game for ESPN. And it's either NFC or AFC. If we're doing Panthers, Buccaneers, tomorrow, on ESPN.

I doubt they're going to give ESPN Panthers, Buccaneers winner the following week. So I would imagine the winner of this game is going to play Monday night football the following week for the wildcard round in that building. So if you can't get up for a Monday night game at home in the playoffs That would be awesome. We're great on Monday night at home.

Undefeating. Oh, yeah. Talking it, boys. We're going to the divisional round. And then guess what? Anything. Oh, mama. Oh, my love, roo-la-lo-lo-lo-la-lo-la-law. Oh, my God. Divisional round in Foxborough.

Already won there this year. That's a piece of cake. Yeah. Oh. Hey, if they go to divisional, they're probably playing against either Drake May or Bo Nix. You guys?

That'd be fun. That'd be sick. That'd be fun. Never seen them do it. Never seen them do it. Aaron Rogers, on the road. I've seen it before. And it was the 2011 Packers.

and AJ Hawk was on the team. Yeah, they beat the Steelers in a Super Bowl out here. He owes us one. This is a giant valent vat of iced tea from public. I love that. Hold on. How many, uh, he's that, what is it?

Unsweet or Super sweet. Which one? I go unsweet. Of course. Just, uh, just, uh, just the tea only. Gross. But, uh, body is a temple. Yeah, of course.

Zero calories. Look at that. Hold on. What are we having there? We got, uh, we got, uh, we got, Can't cancer probably. Hold on age. There's fucking nothing but sodium in there.

Potassium, sodium. Salt water? Dump some sugar in there, Shregs. Yeah, what is in there? Oh, yeah, go back to the ingredients. Please, can we see that with the ingredients? I'm sorry? Health nut.

Down a little bit. Filtered water, brood tea, caramel color. Oh, I don't love that. Potassium. Marble color. What am I drinking? Potassium sorbic.

There's preservative. That's a preservative. Yeah, not good. You got caramel color. which is just food I assume, right? Nothing too bad, right? Even though I've heard some of these colors are really the problem.

Yeah, not great. And then potassium sorbay, which is a preservative, I'm sure that's okay. And then why is dehydrated piss one of the ingredients in there, too? Yeah, I didn't know they're doing that. What animal is that from? Yeah, good question, AJ.

Humans. Well, hey, batches of hula and got himself a long way drinking that. That's right. And Shrains is now an Emmy Award winner. So, I mean, it turns out AJ Hawk, it led him to be the all-time

leading tackler for the Packers. So. What did? Drinking your own urine. Remember? Oh, okay. Ice cold glass of piss every night. What do you cool with that? What do you put it in the freezer?

No, I put ice cubes in it. What do you mean? On ice, don't act like you don't know. Imagine how quickly ice cubes would melt in a big glass of pit. That's what you put ice in coffee, brother. That happens. But the, um, just like, did you see Stanford Steve ordered something similar to D butt on our plane?

I did not expect that. Did you see what they ordered? I think it's pretty similar to your order. DeBan asked for just like basically, give me four shots of tequila with ice. Yeah, just a glass of tequila with ice. I'm like, are you putting anything in there? He's like, no.

Oh, shit. AJ, you told us that you used to do that of piss, right? It was like he'd get the square ice ice ice. Yep. In the other thing. With the big cube, please. I forgot the tequila. No, actually make ice cubes out of peat.

That's the other thing. Oh, that was supposed to be a gift. Forgot the DJ? That was a gift from me to your wife. I know where it's at. They're not going to find it. I'll get it on Thursday. they got to take apart the plane somebody gifted me a big bottle of tequila and it's like

they're not going to find it i can't do that i'm in a chapter of life i cannot be doing tequila it just is it's i didn't even consider there would be tequila or drinking involved in the run you guys just did oh brother oh he was what he's talking about what are you talking about jack and diet for sure yeah i have no idea i didn't factor that in what do you mean you didn't factor that it was fucking new year's eve For three hours straight, it was New Year. Shanks, you're going to be with us. We had to celebrate New Year's Eve three different times.

Yeah, we were fucked up. To be clear, there were some very banged-up people on that plane, I would say. There were some boozed up people. I could not. I did have a jack-and-dye to celebrate the situation. But then there was these little gummies that AJ was handing out. Surprise gummies. Hey, that was crazy.

AJ was just like, look alive. AJ was so drunk. Put the parachute on. We had to, like, rip it off him. like he was thinking about jumping. I'm going to pull it. I'm going to pull it. I'm the playing. Living in the moment.

Yeah. Yeah. Think about him showing up in that moment. Whoa. How'd I get here? What was the previous moment? What happened to this moment? What led to this? Yeah. All right, Triggs. Happy New Year, dude.

We appreciate the hell out of you, man. We appreciate the hell out. Thanks so much. You guys are the best. Thanks for bringing me and your family. I appreciate it. We're lucky. We're very, very lucky for you. We can't wait for 2026. You need to do one of these runs with us.

You should. It's a pretty wild time. Are you going next week? are you doing any of the games? Both of them. Both of them, brother. Arizona, then to Atlanta. The Atlanta one is intriguing to me.

Atlanta one should be epic. Because you have two quarterbacks and I'm a draft junkie, so Mendoza and more together is very intriguing to me. Second time. And I don't want to say, when you get eyes on Mendoza, it's a little bit of a different thing. His ass, his legs, he's a horse.

Don't look at the Adidas pants, though. Adidas pants. Shout to Adidas being a part of that thing, Heisman Weekend. And shout to Adidas having Indiana and Miami. Yeah. So they're obviously in the dance in a big way. They've invested in college football, but they need to fix their fucking pants. I mean, the pants were loose on the quarterback. That can't, we can't have loose football pants.

No. You know what I mean? I might have to text, oh, Mikey Foss, and see if we can get me a little credential action here. This might be the move. Rose Bowl, you would have no chance. The Rose Bowl is four different. Have you ever heard about this? Have you heard about that? No. No. Is it like Fort Knox? Yes. Yes. They actually do have it. They have it locked down pretty good. Feel safe in there.

Yeah. Yeah, like feel very safe in there, but it takes time. Like you've got a schedule to get into that thing. It takes a long time. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. Okay. I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that is very much what it is. College football playoff I think has been, especially Emmy Award Award winning Peter Schrague. Yeah. No, I know. In Atlanta? I mean, went to Amory. I love Atlanta. Is Emory in Atlanta? Oh, yeah. Georgia Tech, look out. Emery's knocking. Yeah, they are. Got a lot of money. They can make you cover. Yeah, you guys might be able to build a football team.

Yeah. Bingo. Ladies and gentlemen, our friend, what are you doing? You're on the sideline tomorrow? Yeah, sidelines tomorrow. I'm going to have a serious face on, a suit, a tie, a whole different guy. We like both of them. Ladies of gentlemen, Boots, Shrek.

Hey, do love Shricks. All right, let's take a break. On the other side, we're going to make picks for the entire weekend's sleep. and then we're going to get the hell out of here for the greatest weekend of all time, right, AJ? Yep, can't wait. The amount of cocaine accusations that I've gotten over the last couple of days

is when they really show up. For you? Yeah. Especially because I was like, I slept an hour and 40 minutes and then I did game did down there and another hour of 40. People were like, this guy's got to be doing something.

It's like, I regret to inform you. I've smelled said cocaine a couple of times. Not my speed. The trees. somehow keep me growing there you go and going and I don't know how to be honest I've been I don't either I've been looking into the science I don't know if it's supposed to work that way but I'm very grateful for it I'm very grateful for it but also like what a fucking great time to be

alive honestly then I get home I see McKenzie that's first time I've got like she's obviously every day becoming more and more of a human you know like more humany reactions the response is the question she can see on TV too she recognizes you on TV that's got to boom like that started to happen for real like I think a couple months ago maybe beginning of college football season she would see me and you know Sam would be like that's dad like I would see little videos and she like look up and point and say dad but I don't think she really you know I think it was like uh do now it's like she like listening to me on TV I'm like that is so cool and crazy I think and then when I get there she tells me she

saw me on TV, you know? It's like, I saw you a dad game. That's what she calls it. And it's like, yeah, you did see me at that game. Holy hell almost start crying, you know, at the entire thing. And then Bluey, this dog, yeah, I mean, he pissed on me immediately upon me getting into that house. Just so excited, I guess. Better than him pooping on you, I guess. I guess this is because he's excited and he likes me. Yeah. Yeah. Happy to see you. He's this big. Is he still growing? He's never stopped him. I don't think he's ever stopped.

He might be Andre the fucking giant at dogs. This thing might just keep going. As soon as I open that thing, two, whatever it was. What time we get home? Yeah, around that, yeah, two, two 15. 15, whatever it was. Open the gate, get in, uh, up the stairs, you know. Shut that thing.

I hear it before I see it. And it heard me come into the house, I guess. This thing gets itself out of its cage. It's so smart. This fucker is so smart. Gets himself out of it. his cage fucking opens the doors

this guy just puts his paws on the fucking handles just opens the doors we're gonna have to get the fucking these handles because we got these handles and he just too easy pulls it open this fucking pulls it open not just push doors he's opening he's opening pool fucking doors

so think about that this guy he's un fucking unbelievable he's gonna be sleeping in your spot next time you come home right you're gonna pull the pull the sheets back he's right there just snoring I don't know if he sleeps to be honest I've never seen it.

If he was to sleep, that would be cool. He turned this corner, though, and he certainly was pumped. I mean, it was a flawed, and he keeps flying in, turns that some bitch, sideways so he can lay it down. Comes right at my feet, literally shot at the shins, and then obviously he just starts fucking pissing right on himself and anything. Oh, yeah. It's just like, I need a fucking shield when I get in there. What up, dude? Good to see you.

And he's never going to relax. No. No, no, no. If I don't fucking. Try it as to don't. I guess. Yep. That's how you relax him.

What? What's the color? It sounds like a drug. Trasidon. Yeah. Knocks him to fuck out. Yep. They wanted to do that to me as a kid.

And my mom fought hard against it. You're not fucking just zombieing my kid. Okay. So I refuse to do that to blue for now. What's the name of it, though? Trasidon. Yeah, I've got it as well. Oh, yeah.

Great for pups. See you later. Maybe I'm done being pistol. Yeah, exactly. I love it. His dog is awesome. But boy, he's got the juice. We'll be back.

We're going to make the picks for the entire slate this weekend. Comes down to this for me and you, AJ. Okay. Good. That's how it should be. I'm 7, 8, and 2. You obviously 8, 7, and 2. We could end up completely tied on the season.

It is how it's supposed to be. Yeah. Yeah. Should come down to the wire. Which way am I? I can't. On her way. There you go.

It was your left hand, right? Yeah. There you go. Got it. Easy now. That's weird. Easy. Watch your hand.

You're on low. You were going, though. That's where you took your hand. You were trying to go down or you're weirdo? Yeah. That was fucking weird out of you, dude. I'm happy you're not potting anymore. Football!

He's glorious, that's college football national champion, Super Champion, and all-time leading tackler for the Green Bay Packers, AJ Hawk. Great work by Bill on the music there. Yeah, good job, Bill. Just a little touch, you know, Bill flip that thing down earlier, like it was, you know. What a bum-b-b-b-b-b-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-ding. What if Bill does just kind of casually put on a helmet somewhere and he DJs, you know, Ron, Don. He does. It's just with skulls.

Splitting them. That's a toxic table. At boss Connor and Attie Schmidt. He's not a killer. Yeah, whichever poor human's the most drugged up, it doesn't know where they're at. them back. That's not true. That's one half of the hammer. Cowboys AP 10. That is all said in jest.

That used to be the story about Bill McComis that was being told all the time by basically everybody in Thunderdome so much so that you had to wonder if it was actually happening. Why is there so much? And then we saw Bill McComers start attacking the days as if he was in a lead operator. Guys started doing three-a-day workouts. Have we seen this? I love this.

Three-a-day workouts. He's still in the middle of doing. He had to join a 24-7 gym so he could get another workout at night. Him and Rip Rogers are competing in there for the most amount of time spent in the 24-hour gym. And he's got this mustache. He's got new fits. He's been wearing new fits. Slop portions are smaller and smaller.

That's right. Still smell. Sure. The slop does still smell. But what is happening is it's fueling an absolute beast. Hey, Bill, we appreciate the evolution of who you have become. And thank you for stepping in for the audio today and the graphics. You've done great.

Well done, William. So, Bill. He didn't say hi. Thank you. He does not want to try and unmute his mic. Yeah, that's true. He's not looking for that button. Could potentially mute everybody.

See? Yep, exactly. Just like that. So now you're me? Oh, really? Oh, Bill was holding this against you. Are you back? Bill, okay.

Let's not be a petty son of a bitch, Bill. Oh, Bill's maybe kind of getting comfortable. He is. How about here the power he potentially has now, he feels? Oh, I don't like what you're saying. Let's go ahead and slide that thing all the way down. That's unbelievable. I haven't really heard that all day.

Has he been doing it all day? It's kind of a thing to do. Oh, wait a minute, Bill. I know Bill doesn't like Tony. How do you know that? Just because of that move? Yeah, well, and just I think this weekend, Bill, every once in a while, I was like, man, is Bill going to slug Tony in the stomach right now?

Yeah, that kind of getting into it? Yeah, I didn't know why. Maybe it was just a one-way situation. Oh, see, look, you're no longer immune. He brought you back. Bill just brought you back. So that's very nice. And you are gone.

There he is. Wow. Easy come, easy going, easy going, especially if you're going to try to get into a fight with him whenever we're traveling for New Year's Eve. Is that what was he calling him?

Fat? He's not fat. He's not fat. He's Jack. No, no. One way he was coming at me. I just took it.

Like, because I know what he would do to me? What would that be? Would that be you like a pretzel? Oh, okay. You didn't even want to tell you. He didn't want us to find out. Okay. I appreciate that, Bill.

Thank you for not exercising your power for the rest of the show today. That was very kind of you for doing it. Yeah, it was. He saved you for now. Thanks, Bill. And Nick, once again, we hope you're okay. Absolutely. We have an update right from Nick.

He texted. Yeah, thanks. Oh, he did? I didn't say that. Yeah. Did he say he's going to be super positive? Yeah, I believe that was the main sentiment. Thanks, boys.

Can't wait to see you all on Monday with Big Smile. All right. New year, new Nick. That is. New Year. And how about New You? Maybe you, uh, maybe sign up for a little bit more digital safety with macfee oh yeah more than an antivirus got a

video coming from that i think that's going to really do uh shatter some records in the marketing departments that one's the most maybe close to most ridiculous video we've ever made drop there has to get approved right now by uh some companies but boy whenever that thing rolls out there it's good people are going to understand what they're missing whenever they don't download the macfee app which will protect you all of you the digital version of you more specifically. Also provide VPNs for safe surfing on public Wi-Fi. That's huge.

It's big. It's big. Scam detection, easily screenshot a link or a picture that you get or a text that you get or an email that you get. Just kind of pull it right in there and they'll respond. Don't you fucking think about hitting it. I don't think they'll say fucking in there though. You never know. Is that an option? That'd be cool. Maybe. So they used to be antivirus, AJ. You remember Mac for the

antivirus? Oh yeah. Everybody's computer. Adam. We're going to fight bugs for you. Hey, first coder, maybe. I don't know. The first antivirus software, right? Yeah, definitely was. For all the computers during the big boom, so they were everywhere. So obviously they have all this tech.

They have all this vision. They have all this forethought. John McAfee has his story. He moves on. How is company continuing to do it? They decide, oh, we should start protecting people digitally because there's so much out there. It's really impressive what they do. Especially if you haven't been, you know, aware.

For the last 10 years from the last time I had, you know, Macfee on my laptop. Well, even now, though. like you sign up AJ you sign up for this app and it'll immediately scan the device you're on for something uh anything that's in there trying to get you the Wi-Fi you're on obviously that's a big part I didn't know the Wi-Fi's were as dangerous okay like whatever we're not don't they get on there people get it can steal all your stuff if you get on public Wi-Fi yes I learned that through the conversations with the Mac V folks they're like uh VPNs for whenever you're on public Wi-Fi is a big deal and I'm like VPN so if I want to pick up like a show without

paying for right that is kind of what a VPN they just kind of put me somewhere else if I want do it. They're like, I guess, but also it is a blocker basically for this Wi-Fi. So you're just basically here instead of going directly to it. You know, so it kind of takes the thing away. It's like a shield basically for these public Wi-Fi where people can get in easily and I guess you're snatching. And then during that initial scan, they'll also tell you if your shit's been breached. It's really fascinating. It is really, I'm telling you, this has been a big development for my life, especially in the world that we're in right now. Everybody's getting that look real. Everybody's getting emails. Everybody's getting all this shit.

People are able to hack into whatever, whenever. It's just our natural thoughts now, I think, at 2026. For sure. You should at least let McAfee find out where it's happening, if it's happening, and try to protect it a little bit. And that's all they're trying to do. Very easy to use. A lot of this stuff sounds confusing, a lot of words, acronyms. I didn't know what they mean. And then you get on the app, it's all very right in front of you, easy to use. That was my biggest takeaway. Well, Bruce was in there since the beginning of these conversations with the McAfee people. I told them, like, straight their faces.

a friend confuses shit. So if this is confusing, I just won't be able to push it. I just want to let you know that because I personally will not do it. And you're like, no, easy, convenient. And wouldn't an upbeat bunch the McAfee people? I'm telling you, they're active in the

Zoom or the teams. They're sending like responses, like reactions while you're talking. They're muted. And we're getting like thumbs up coming on the screen from somebody I've never even met. Hey, Helen, just sent in a thumbs up while I'm speaking. It's like okay all right instant response yeah i don't have any hackers and they're not worried about it

exactly very very passionate about what they do too like very very passionate bunch i feel like they're carrying the torch of the macfee into the next one and uh we're lucky to be a part of it makes sense we should be macfee macfee certainly you know it feels like it's a nice alignment it is a nice alignment and also in the world that we're in you fucking need it that's what i realized through the conversation with them so thank you to them for taking care of this yeah yeah and also if you can put a bank account, I guess, because people are hacking in here. Yeah, without a lot.

And it's like people acting like they'll arrest you if you don't do it. They put a lot of pressure these days. They've got a lot of leverage on these people. And AI's making things look more real. Oh, scary times. Grock needs some McAfee help in his life. He's getting hacked? The internet is just taking advantage of Grock and doing just an unfathletful,

thinkable things to Grock. I remember the one time people were asking a lot of questions and he was giving answers in one specific order, and then the CEO or the president stepped down the next day. But now all the porn weird. Sorry, just left. I've gotten it. All the porn weirdos have taken advantage of Grok recently.

What do you mean all the porn weirdos? Just the horny, imaginable people on the internet have just taken advantage of Grock. Okay, so Grock added the Photoshop, right? Or something like that? Yeah. Like, that did happen over the last, like, week or two, right? That was a big announcement for Grock, I think. Yeah, so every reply.

is now on Grock's actual page is the problem. Okay, so whenever it was announced that Grock has access to the highest level of Photoshop now and make it easier for you. The first thing human beings did was say, hey, take this person's clothes on. And Glock has to listen to do it.

And that's what happened? Yeah. messed up. But that does sound pretty fucking wild. Who would be monitoring that? Is that something that somebody would have to corral Grock and to stop doing? Elon?

I assume. So then they make an AI version of the naked person. Yeah, because how do they know? They don't have actual naked pictures of that person, right? Grox's guesses to the best of its ability. Oh, that can't be allowed. That sounds really fucked up. Yeah, I told you.

They need it. I don't know, Tony. You probably get there and make him give you a 12-foot dung. You probably post that out there. I mean, there's probably some positives that have happened. That'd be sick. A 12-foot dog? That feels too big.

Don't you think that feels? That feels. That would affect your day. counter arguing though that feels that would be sick just thinking of a i mean i guess you'd be actually tying that thing up you got it wrapped around you're doing fire hoars like a hose yeah you're doing this one yeah like extension cord yeah yeah yeah it's a good nickname though they're wearing it like a necklace so are you doing yeah it is actually so you're doing this here and then you're just yeah turtleneck or your outfit you're all right i mean that's like that's like a

not good though I don't like that they should corral the shit out of that that should be something that it has to happen because there is some incredible things that AI is able to do with pictures obviously like hey can you remove this can move this can you clean up this can you fix this yeah can you um make this more HD yes can you add that like they've they've done I mean I was on a Texas oil field one time yeah that was really one of my only times dabbling with the AI picture thing has smoke on didn't put my my rings back on though so my hands were off look similar hands were off right before posting photos see that the hands don't have wedding ring on or baby girl's hair hair tie and i immediately have almost the anxiety of you know a thousand super anxiety

people so that i have to add my own wedding ring on their photo then i put it up and all anybody notices obviously is that an edited photo it is it is let's make the pics it's a wild time to be live. Grock can't be doing that. That sounds crazy. Week 18 is a big one. Last week of the season. Last feel good Friday of the regular season of the NFL. We met it. We did it. Oh, yeah. Saturday, 4.30 on ESPN.

Peter Schreger will be there. Dan Orlovsky, I assume, as well. The Carolina Panthers will take on Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina Panthers win. They get the NFC South title. Tampa Bay wins, and Atlanta loses. Tampa Bay gets the NFC South title. If Tampa Bay wins, wins, and Atlanta wins, Carolina gets the NFC

South title. So, congratulations to whoever wins this and gets a home title game. It could be the Carolina fucking Panthers. Congratulations to them. Tampa Bay is favored by three at home. Baker, definitely banged up, says Shreger. Who do you like? How do you like it, AJ? I was thinking Carolina early, but bake and with Shreg's telling me that the receivers, people seem pretty healthy. Give me Tampa Bay here, minus three. Okay, I would say Carolina plus three down there. Let's go to the next one, Saturday night football for the number one overall NFC seed.

On ESPN at 8 p.m., Seattle favored by one and a half, traveling into the Super Bowl site, Santa Clara, California, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, and one of the most dynamic offenses the world has ever seen. AJ, who do you like? How do you like it? Seattle's favored by one and a half. So I have a good feeling. I'm guessing that you like San Fran at home here. I'm taking Seattle. I have faith in San Fran. Darnold and the crew. So give me Seattle. Why is Seattle favorites, though, on the road here? Maybe. Kittle and Trent.

Kittle playing, though, right? Is Trent out? What was, yeah, I thought Shifty said it's still up in the air for all for them, unless I miss a No, he said Kittle of playing. It was, it was Trent and. Pierceall. Pierce, oh. Okay, so Trent, huge deal, obviously, not saying Pierceell is not.

Trent Williams, once in a generation left tackle, who was a massive piece of their entire offense, not playing is a huge deal. You like Seattle minus one and a half, AJ? I do, yes. You think I would like the Niners? Why do you think I like the Niners? Just because I've been playing so well. Brock Purdy has been on fire.

The San Frayn is very good right now. How's Seattle been playing? They're up for the number one seed in the end. Pretty good. Offense not great. Beat the shite out of the pitchers. They are 7-1 straight up and against spread on the road this season. Oh, yeah, I forgot they're road warriors.

Yep. Hawk and Animal. Yeah. give the Seahawks oh congratulations to them getting a number one seed yeah

wow oh I don't know this one you're gonna go back to the Niners you know that I'll take San Francisco for you I mean one of my no I like McDonald maybe in this thing remember on the road

He's super locked in. We got to do a coin toss here. Okay, if it's on this side, Jack Har with the two axes. Okay? Strengthen honor. That'll be the sea. Run to the sound of the guns. That'll be the sea.

Are you going to catch it and flip it under your hand? Or what are you going to do? Yeah, I'll probably do. Thumb toss, catch, flip over to here. This one will actually be the Seahawks because there's green on it. Cry havoc and let slip. The Frogs of War. Okay, so that'll be the Seahawks.

A couple of Frogmen. And then run to the sound of the guns. Okay. We'll be the Niles. Okay, and there's axes. The Winkler Axis. That's how they got the gold. That's how they got the gold.

Yeah, exactly. Not these axes for killing. We're talking about gold axes back in the day. I think this is a pick-um, actually. We'll let Jack Carr figure it out. He's never been wrong. Did Magic Johnson get to flip the coin? He didn't.

He was just standing there? Yeah, he was just standing. And the coin wasn't heads or tails. It was like this. Yeah. Why, Magic Johnson should flip that coin. I don't know why the hell he'd make him walking out there. Well, he's a big 10 guy, so they didn't want him.

do uh you know but imagine magical sure no look yeah behind the back yeah we'll never know now we'll never know what he would have done or could have done go on jack car strength and honor wow is the san francisco 49 wow okay all right i mean jack never been wrong that's great writer too great the best started the eighth book yesterday Did he really? Yeah. He announced that? Yep.

His next novel's coming out in like May, I think. James Resey. So much whiskey just being housed by him right now. Oh, yeah. Just cleaning up. I need to do it. What a weapon. Thank you for your service, Jack, Carr.

Thank you, James. And for picking the Niners. Let's go to the Green Bay Packers taking on to Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota Vikings favored by seven and a half. Is that right? Yeah. Clayton. Clayton, too.

Packers aren't playing anybody. They can't. They have the seven seed locked up. Love is out of the protocol, but Clayton Tunes is going to be starting a quarterback. 71% of the money are on the Green Bay Packers at plus 7.5th because people don't know that everybody's not playing for the Green Bay.

Definitely. And Minnesota also has got, they've already shut down a few players themselves. Oh, really? Who has they shut down? Kristen Derrisaw, highest paid player on the offensive line for sure. I don't know if they shut down the other two higher paid players, but can't imagine

Justin Jefferson's playing, although he's like 50 or 60 yards from a thousand. Jay J.J. McCarthy has no injury designation. We'll start on Sunday per Kevin O'Connell says Kevin Seifert, Seifert, Seifert, Seifert, Seaford, we appreciate Kevin Seifert's contributions.

I'd think the Minnesota Vikings minus seven and a half. AJ, you like the Packers plus seven and a half? Yeah, I mean, yeah, give me the Packers. I think they either win or they find a way to cover. Is anyone else not, is Packers defenders playing? They didn't really said anything other than LaFleur just kind of said.

like yeah we're going to be sitting a lot of guys but I mean some guys got to play you know I don't know for how long but I just want to let the world know for the sake of gamblers out there feels like we need to know more about who's doing what when okay I feel like I'd like to know a little bit more about who's doing what when let's just stay away

from the games like this one that don't mean dick okay let's not pick this one then sweet Titans Jags this matters Jags win they win the AFC South they're favored by 13 and a half who do you like AJ? A lot of points but I like the Jags give me the Jags as well Colts Texans. Texans win,

Jags lose. Texans win AFC South and have home playoff game. They're favored by 10 and a half against Riley Leonard and the Indianapolis Colts. Who do you like? How do you like it, AJ? I think Riley could, you know, he might have a little bit of magic, but I like the Houston Texans here. I'll tell you what, I haven't seen the defense do

much. Okay? You know you have it. I've not seen it. Sauce is at. Who's out? Sauce. They shut down the dudes as well. Yeah, I'll take the Houston Texans, favored by 10 and a half. Brown's Bengals, Bengals favored by seven and a half at home. Will Miles Garrett get it done? That's really the only conversation about whether or not they'll win.

We don't know. Shador Sanders, though. This guy's got something special up there in Cleveland. Yeah, we'll see how the Bengals, what their game plan is. This game doesn't matter, right? No. We move. Sorry.

Hey, yeah, good luck, though. Good luck to them. Cowboys Giants, this game does not matter. Nope. We move. Mike McCarthy's name has officially been listed as exploratory options for the New York Giants. head coaching vacancy do we like that bruce or no oh we fucking love it need need coach mike in new york gm's not going anywhere though so is mike okay with that or no we we like our guys to be honest

i actually like our guys against the cowboys and joe shan's going to be at the press conference saying that he likes our guys right after the season end okay we've heard that one before haven't we because a lot of people that are picking the guys and paying the guys are saying that they like the guys no shit you guys like the guys we know you like the guys you're the ones paying them uh obviously Saints, Falcons, has a little bit of intrigue because if the Falcons win and the Bucks win, the

Carolina Panthers get in, it doesn't matter that the Bucks win. If Atlanta loses and the Bucks win, Bucks get in. If Carolina wins, it doesn't matter across the board. So Saints, Falcons, minus three and a half. Falcons can't win the division, but they can certainly take it away from the Buccaneers.

I like the Saints here. I like Tyler Shuck. I mean, this guy is, I think he's a future superstar, maybe. Is Atlanta playing people? I would assume so. I mean, they did last week. Back to back. I mean, the Saints have been out forever,

and they've been playing everybody, so I don't see why they wouldn't. Shucks back to back 300-yard games, so, yeah. Who do you like, Conman? I think the Saints hate the Bucks so much that they are going to throw everything possible at Atlanta to get the job done. So Carolina goes either way.

Okay, so I'll take the Saints plus three and a half. That's a crazy pick because of what we just saw the Falcons do. But who do you like, AJ? I like the Saints here. Okay, that's crazy. Dolphins, Patriots, potential number one seed implications on the line here, depending upon what the Broncos do. Patriots favored by 10 and a half.

Who are they playing? They're playing Spin the Quinn Ewers? Spin the Quinn Ewers from what it's kind of like from Shifty, Donovan Edwards, Jalen Wright, to Ollie Gordon, running the rock. A lot of guys coming back from injury for New England. Probably going to get some time just get that rust off before the playoff. Gumpy classic AFC. He's battle here, brother. What are your thoughts on your dolphins? Finn Ewers will keep it tight. Jalen Wright can pound the rock.

Ollie Gordon could still keep it moving. O-Line should be playing. Only word to be, I think Aaron Brewer might be out our center. He's probably our best player. If he doesn't play, we could be in trouble. Patriots head coach Mike Vrable told reporters it looks good for left tackle Will Campbell and D-Tackleman Williams to be activated off injured reserve for Sunday's game versus dolphins. Big boost head of the playoffs are two of their best trench players in Williams and Campbell return. That's a good piece of information. from Cameron Wolf.

Are you with win yours, AJ? Are you with the New England Patriots? I will take the New England Patriots on this one. You like Drake, Drake, May, May. I like the thought of Drake MVP, Drake May as well. I think they're dominant. I don't like the whole, you know? The Stafford stuff?

No, not only that. Maybe Christian McCaffrey needs to win this thing over Drake May. It's like, what? So we don't, we... I'm fine with it, honestly. It's because he's 23. You think is that when he's too young? don't know yet it's not proven he's not like a staple

in the NFL the award and the people who vote on it fucking suck no and you do not suck sorry Tony but like the the whole Orlovsky thing and I think that's what is interesting for me is like the whole Orlovsky let me stand on this you know mountain and scream for Matt Stafford

and then the people who are kind of exposing not just Dan but like hey this guy works for this company and this company also represents these people so it would benefit everybody in this one particular portion for one person to win and then every year it changing like if they were set things every year in those you're you all whenever you start doing that you lack um the reality of like people

just making decisions and having um like a stubbornness about it yeah and those people saying whatever they want to say that's what i'm prove it right that's what i mean and those but i think a lot of people piece together like i saw the tweet about c a and all that shit and everything which once again we have friends of ca we have friends at w me. We have friends of Utah. We do business with people, so we kind of know them. And I think agents certainly have a lot more say in what's being said on TV as opposed to everybody wants to kind of always kill producers. You know, always like, like don't talk about this, don't talk about this, don't talk about this. A lot of people kill producers for that. And it's certainly

them as well. But I think agents do have some saying like what address, what doesn't get how it gets addressed. I wonder if they're just telling them to vote for their people, though. That would be crazy if that was happening. And you would hope that it would sniff it out, especially with the transparency of the ballots, you know, especially with transparency of the ballots. But then you're just assuming every human just buys into whatever they're being told to do, and then you start thinking yourself, well, will humans do that? They would. Wait a minute. I hope not. And then you start spiraling into, does this even matter? It does. Okay. And we can never forget about that. It very much matters. So tone, whenever you're making your vote with all your

connections. Yeah. I was about to say my, I just want my agent, my only agent is my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Who's he like this year? He loves Drake, May. That's going to be carrying his water. Oh, there's a couple of gallons back there. I just think just trying to write off a game, everybody's saying if that game didn't happen, well, it did.

The guy threw three picks and blew the number one seed in the NFC. And the strength of schedule thing, we literally talk about every year, every single week. Like, you can lose any game. These are all professionals. Yeah. And then the common opponent.

That was the one that was just sitting on the screen right there. What would this guy be like with their schedule? We know that's what happened in those six games. There's 11 other games. It's like, all right. Ellen brings up the above 500 stuff, so that's weird. What are you doing? Is that what you're voting off of?

I'm just pissing Connor off is what I'm doing. You're an actual voter. Let's make sure we take these things serious and I'll just piss off people from a particular region of football town. Me doing that is not putting any names on papers. Yeah, you're right. transparency because we're going to see what you did and you're going to have to be able to sleep at night

yeah I will will you be able to always see that's not good either we need somebody that can't sleep at night sometimes whenever a mistake is made I don't know how we're going to find these people we need to find him Tony you better take this shit serious always do what if Drake lays an egg

this weekend throws three picks against the Miami Dolphins defense no one's talking about that you know that dolphin's defense been good pretty much all season which one's your favorite favorite. Quinn the spin. Spin yours. Finn yours. Quinn yours. I don't give a shit.

Just win. Yeah, I mean, I'm all in on Quinn right now, but that could change next week. You know, that's kind of the, as a Dolphins fan, anything could happen right now. And that's to the world we're living in. All the ends don't do is win, win, win, win, yours. Yeah. It's all about the you, baby. Hey, they're a good football team. Could they beat the dolphins? All right, let's not do those conversations.

Because that goes back to what we were talking earlier with the Drake strength of schedule thing yeah the NFL is the NFL let's never forget that and on that note I don't like that there's open campaigns happening against Drake May's having we should be celebrated what fuck Drake May did here you know this is like Josh Allen last year like hey Josh's doing some special stuff and then we got a lot of people just starting to attack at all I guess that's kind of the game that's played yeah I think they should all be celebrated great see they're up for the fucking MVP mm-hmm they're not the least valuable exactly they're not avergely valuable they should all be celebrated

They're all super duper valuable. SDBVP. They've all had really good seasons. Super duper valuable players. Exactly. Well, who is the most valuable? Only our Lord and Savior knows. The olds are going to vote for Stafford because he hasn't got one is what's going to happen.

And I don't know. Is there anything wrong with that? Who knows? Sounds like you think there's something wrong with that. I would say, yeah, just because people think he's probably old one because he should, Matthew Stafford, in the grand scheme of things, should have an MVP in his career. We agree.

But just not this year, in my opinion. You don't have a vote? Yeah, nothing. Who's your agent, though? You're trying to, aren't you? Well, I can't disclose that. Oh, yeah, of course, of course. All right, let's get to the next one.

I got the Patriots minus 10 and a half, so do you, AJ? Yep. Bill's Jets, does this matter? Judge Allen's not playing. It doesn't matter. Kansas City Raiders, that was fun. Hey, good on you, Treve. whatever you decide to do.

Lions, bears, does this matter? Yes, bears need to win to hold on to the two seat because if the bears lose and the Eagles win, the Eagles go to two, bears go to three. Okay, I will take the Bears minus three. AJ, who do you like? How do you like it? I will take the Bears minus three as well. Philadelphia, minus four and a half.

Still some seating, it sounds like. Yeah, I'm not sure if they're playing everyone, though. Who's, who's, who's? It might be a very similar situation to New England where they play for, a quarter or so and then hey let's check some scores okay maybe 10 and Marquis

can get this thing done against the commies four and a half point favorites AJ who do you like how do you like it man these are tough ones but I like Philly here I like Philly as well Cardinals Rams doesn't matter Chargers Broncos obviously Broncos can lock down

to number one seed Chargers seemingly not playing anybody just going back Hertz is sitting Hertz is sitting yeah I'll take the Washington Commanders plus four and a half Me too Okay Me too

Chargers Broncos Broncos can get the number one Overall seed They're favored by 12 and a half Chargers not playing Herbert and potentially not playing other good players Is that accurate?

Is 12 and a half enough, AJ? Yeah, give me the Broncos minus 12 and a half I'll take them as well And then the Baltimore Ravens playing the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night football Ravens favored by 3 and a half favored by three and a half going into Acresher. Hey, Tone, what's Mike Tomlin's record as an underdog against the Ravens?

Since 2020, it's 7-1 against spread and 7-1 straight up. Three and a half point dog at home. Aaron Rogers, people talking about, is this going to be his last season? So this will be his last game if they were to lose? That's correct. Teage. Does that not have a fresh mindset? Teage back with a brand new lung.

Mike Tomlin obviously understands the loudness outside. At home in front of, oh. And then Derek Henry just went all week all week all week all season, basically. Baltimore Ravens can have a home playoff game. Favorite by three and a half. Is the defense good enough to stop Artie Smith? Is the offense able to move against the Pittsburgh Steelers defense? What happens here?

in a case of if we win we have a home playoff game and maybe win the Super Bowl and if we lose tear it down we need something new AJ who do you like how do you like it I like the Steelers here I like Teague's back New Long as you said so yeah Steelers

plus three and a half absolutely I'll be doing the same I'll take the Pittsburgh Steelers plus three and a half at home just strictly because they can't get beat four times in bad ways at home in a season right and still be worth it. Anything is possible. Anything is possible. You guys

go into Super Bowl. After you laid out the path, yeah. I like the Steelers. Do you like the Steelers? Yes. Let's get the hell out of here. Have an incredible weekend, everybody. We appreciate you all so much for joining us. We're lucky to do this. We understand that. The fact that it's existed all the way into 2026 is crazy. And on that know, we only started like nine years ago as Evan Fox tries to get in all the DoorDash L-Raps that we're trying over here

He just took it down and put it back up. Tell him it was two. Tell him it was too. It was clearly down. It was clearly down. We would like to let you know. DoorDash is the greatest. You understand that. Scan the code. It's the whole thing. Good work back there, Foxy. It's supposed to do it three times an hour. You know, we do a long thing.

We do a long thing and happens. AJ, have you seen any shoes I'm wearing? These would have been a good part of your little Goof Troop costume you had for that day or Zee. Stick them up for the camera. Let me see. All right. A little goof troop. Oh, those are like, yeah, you're like six foot eight in those.

Yeah, they're Nike's version of the Hocus. Okay. Jeez. Yeah. You're rolling your ankles at all? You do feel like you're kind of falling off these things. But I'll tell you what, when you're walking perfectly straight, like people are in their lives, I assume. Yeah.

I assume there's not a lot of agility happening in day-to-day lives as we get the DoorDash thing over with, Congratulations, Foxy, you got the job done. 2026 would have been a complete miss for Foxy instead he hits him. You do feel like you can really roll your way straight ahead on Clots. Look nice. And to wherever you're headed. They do got a much better design, I think, than I could have expected. I think I got these from Vandy.

Shout to Vandy for these. They were in the bus from the season. And, you know, quick wrap-up of the season. What are these? I looked at them. I go, holy fuck, those are nice hocus. Wow. That's what I said.

It was a really nice hocus. I fucking grabbed them. Oh, good shot. Look at me. I mean, so much cushion. Yeah, so much. You see my pinky toe there. You see that?

That's not great. You know, those get a little painful on the outside. That's always my problem with any shoe. You know, I need to wide boys. Mm-hmm. There's that pinky toe gets it. These ones have a little bit of a shark, a necton. Yep, mentality.

Sure. When I'm walking on clots. Cool. It's because I get to do this every day with all you guys. I appreciate the hell out of you. Boys in the back, great work. Really good. Bill, way to step up today.

The graphic design boys, way to go, boys. Oh, yeah. There you go, boys. Ziet, incredible work on Thunderdown this week, buddy. Very Zee. Mitt. Way to go, dude. Yep.

AJ, really good stuff out of you. Thank you, you too. Sorry, you had to pot your way through Ohio State losing in a college football playoff, but it is what it is. That's college football. Happy. 2026 everybody be for intel friends I'm nice and my change your life we're understanding together team all meet team all three one two three team bye bye bye