The Ryen Russillo Podcast - Eagles and Ravens Going in Opposite Directions. Todd McShay on Ryan Day’s Ohio State Future and the Final CFB Playoff Spots. Plus, Van Lathan Went to Frolic Room!

Starting point is 00:00:00 Week 13 in the NFL, Philly's big win in big two months. How they fixed almost everything in Philadelphia. What another loss means for Baltimore, Pittsburgh's big day. Taking a look at her cousins and Matt Eberfluss out in Chicago. I've got my college football top 12 but Todd McShay is gonna stop by and we're gonna talk about his thoughts on how Ryan Day probably can't come back to Columbus. That seems crazy to me. We'll take a look at Texas some of the SEC arguments for the last team in if there is an

Starting point is 00:00:40 argument a little Miami so a lot of different stuff that we're going to do with that. Van Lathan stops by, pre-life advice. So we still have a shorter life advice, but Van Lathan hung out with Kyle. I don't know, we just wanted to recap it. Miller Lite, the light beer brewed for people who love the taste of beer and the perfect pairing for your game time.

Starting point is 00:01:02 When Miller Lite set out to brew a light beer, they had to choose great taste or 90 calories per can. They chose both because they knew the best part of beer is the beer. Your game time tastes like Miller Time. Learn more at MillerLite.ca. Must be legal drinking age. jewelry for every day made with responsibly sourced materials so you can look and feel good about gifting and wearing them. Shop your wishlist 25% off at majori.com today. Week 11. Let's run through it. Let's start in Baltimore. Philadelphia with the win. They're now 10 and 2. They've won eight straight games. They're the two seed in the NSC. They've now done something statistically that almost seems impossible in today's NFL. they've surpassed the Ravens.

Starting point is 00:02:06 They're the number one rushing offense in the entire league. Um, and they're the number two defense opponents yards per play. Let's review when they went to the Superbowl, they were number one in that category. So that meant they gave up the least yards per play of any team in the NFL. The year they went to the Superbow Bowl. They were 25th last year. They have fixed it, whether it's coaching, I think the depth and the draft fix coming along, because it's clearly a difference.

Starting point is 00:02:33 They lose Brandon Graham with a triceps injury. Blanket ship left last night's game. When you on Mitchell left, you could tell that it was the kind of thing that just probably hurt where he got hit on his leg and then came back into the game. But the draft fix on defense are making a huge difference. My guy, Nacoby Dean is actually playing. Jalen Carter looks like he's going to be the game wrecker that everyone projected that he would be when he came out of the draft and obviously

Starting point is 00:02:57 fell for a bunch of reasons. And then Kuborzhin, you know, look between Jokic, Luka. Now we've got this corner. The Southie text threads are on fire right now. AJ Brown, another number for you. When he plays, the Eagles never lose. At least not this season. He's been in nine games and the Eagles are nine and oh, if there is a Super Bowl tier of teams, if you allow me to tear here for a second, uh, I think it's clearly Detroit,

Starting point is 00:03:28 Kansas city, Buffalo and Philly. And then I do think there's a line to those next teams. Jaylen has completed 11 passes yesterday and they beat the Baltimore Ravens at their place. And it was a tough game. Like it, they, I think Philadelphia went over an hour and 10 minutes of real time without a first down. But then when you factor in all of Baltimore's issues, which I'm going to get

Starting point is 00:03:54 to right now, um, it's still a game that Philadelphia's there a lot. They can have that much of an offensive drought in a game against that kind of opponent on the road and still get out of there with the wind and they're the hottest team in the NFL. I think it's a really just, it's a good, reclamation is not the right word. I guess redemption, but it feels a little too basic for this, but there's just a redemptive arc of this entire Philadelphia thing of Super Bowl appearance. Same team comes back, great record, but we feel kind of weird about him last year. Then they lose a bunch of games, they lose to Tampa in the playoffs, the off season stuff

Starting point is 00:04:29 with Sirianni, it's all connected, the new quarter, it is like there's no way he's going to make it to this season. They lose to Tampa Bay, it's bad, it's bad, and now it's really good for two straight months. Let's talk about Baltimore a little bit. So if there was a tier one, tier two thing, I've probably had Baltimore in tier one the entire time. I don't know if I can do it anymore at eight and five. Pittsburgh's in it.

Starting point is 00:04:52 Some would have Pittsburgh in tier one. Totally understand. We'll get to them. Minnesota, Green Bay. That's fine. But I just feel like it's kind of those four teams where you feel really, really good about it. Even if Kansas City finds just new ways to win every single week. So Baltimore is eight and five.

Starting point is 00:05:07 They're the sixth seed in the AFC today. The defense, I was banging the table going, don't worry about this past defense. Don't worry about these numbers because look at the quarterbacks they've gone up against. Well, the numbers are still bad. And it's not even because of hurts yesterday throwing the football. They were number two in that opposing yards per play stuff that I was talking about, right? With Philadelphia, their defense was number two in that. I just think it basically cuts through a lot of nonsense and tells you who's great and who isn't.

Starting point is 00:05:38 This year, the Ravens are 18th in opposing yards per play, right? They're 25th against the third down. They're 31st against the pass. So as bad as all of that is on a defense that you just pencil in, like the real thing used to be, okay, you know, the special teams in defense are going to be really good. I think it was fair at times to go, is there a way to beat Lamar that we've seen in the playoffs, but then he wins

Starting point is 00:06:08 another MVP last year. He would still be my MVP this year, which I'll get to here in a second, but Lamar is doing everything and the other pieces aren't carrying their weight. Like carrying their weight would be a compliment to what those units are doing right now for Baltimore. Um, Tucker misses two more field goals yesterday and an extra point. He's four or nine field goal attempts, 50 plus.

Starting point is 00:06:34 He's a 89% career field goal guy. He's 70% this season. The deep ones, this is a carry over from last year, 50 plus he was one of five. So when you combine what the defense is doing, what's happening here with Tucker Lamar for this season in 24 is entering that Matthew Stafford kind of Herbert with the chargers, maybe even a little Matt Ryan at times where it used to drive me crazy in the way we do anything where everything's just wins and losses and all the quarterback stuffs turn on the TV. You watch shows on Monday.

Starting point is 00:07:07 If the quarterback lost, he's not that good. If the quarterback wins and then it's like the quarterback can do nothing. And some of those TV shows would be like, you know what? He just made the plays you needed to. And you're like, actually had nothing to do with it. They like 14 points on defense. In this case, Lamar is more impressive than he's ever been because he's not even coming close to getting that kind of support.

Starting point is 00:07:27 Now, Mike Sandow, who we love, we have on all the time. He has a bunch of things that he uses and tracks. And there's this quarterback betrayal index where if you have great quarterback play, considering like what this quarterback brings to you every single week, and then subtract whatever the defense is doing or not doing in this case, same with special teams back to Tucker. Like the gap for Lamar is like all time stuff right now.

Starting point is 00:07:54 The support that he's getting between special teams and defense is 29 in the NFL. And yet he has been, I'm not saying he is the best QB in the world the way we do with basketball, but he's having the best season. Have you gone and looked at his three interceptions for this year? Go back and look at those. They're like all not his fault. And I'm not even saying like he was great yesterday. Sure. I think you can find a couple throws here or there that you'd like to have back. Clearly this, this shell coverage stuff that Philly was doing. I think we were also seeing it, um, in the game.

Starting point is 00:08:28 I don't know if Pittsburgh was doing the exact same thing, but just looking down field and trying to find these throws and you've got Aguilar dropping balls. Um, Zay's obviously their most consistent guy. Andrews is like been back in a big way now. Uh, I know the Bateman was down, but Lamar is doing more than you would need and a Baltimore team because it's just so well run, like they would never be that bad collectively in the other areas of football and they just have been now, you know, we're talking about 13 games results, uh, I don't know what

Starting point is 00:08:59 to do with the kicker, the crazy thing with a kicker like Tucker is you can talk about the history, what he means to the franchise and how automatic this guy has been. But with kickers, if somebody's this bad and costing you, I don't know if you can say the seven points absolutely cost them the game, but then Baltimore's not going for fourth and eight with four plus minutes left in their own side of the field. The Pittsburgh game definitely feels like, you know, that's one Baltimore's leaving going. We should have had this one so we can go through the games individually and say, what was the record supposed to do?

Starting point is 00:09:30 You know, sometimes you can get a little too generous with that and it can be misleading because the defense again, it's also been such a disappointment. But the way I look at it right now with kickers is Tucker can have all the history in the world, but there's probably a guy right now not kicking somewhere. That's a safer bet than he is. I don't know how you go into the playoffs with him. Okay, Pittsburgh, as I talked about the tearish part of this,

Starting point is 00:09:55 why did I not have Pittsburgh again as a team? Now, if you pick them to win the AFC, I think that's a bit of a stretch with what's in front of them. We saw Buffalo just dismantle a San Francisco team that, by the way, did you see that number on the defensive starters? Three people that were named starters in the Superbowl against Kansas City on the defensive side of the football, three started last night's game.

Starting point is 00:10:15 So the 11 guys that started the Superbowl, three started last night. And our guy, Fred Warner, was limping around a little bit. McCaffrey didn't injury. I mean, it's just a mess and San Francisco fell apart in the snow last night. All right, so if you were picking Pittsburgh to get past Kansas City, past Buffalo, I still, I'm not there yet. And I would probably pick Baltimore

Starting point is 00:10:35 in a rematch in the playoffs if that's what happened. Because I don't know if they can win a shootout. However, yesterday won a shootout, an absolute shootout with Cincinnati. 21-21, 20 minutes into this game, it looked like it was going to be like the best game in the entire weekend. Pittsburgh gave giving up those 21 points in 20 minutes. It just doesn't happen.

Starting point is 00:10:53 They've only given up 20 points in four games total this season, but they're playing Cincinnati's defense. I cannot imagine what it's like to be in the quarterback room with the offensive coordinator and prepping a game against Cincinnati's defense. Where I guess you would just tell your quarterback, Hey, here's the deal. Here's what they do. Every time you drop back, there will be someone open, throw it to that guy.

Starting point is 00:11:14 Because it's a free for all. So basically the games over on the second borough fumble, Nick Herbig, another one, by the way, a just Pittsburgh just has another edge guy that is stepping up big second year kid out of Wisconsin. Uh, Russell Wilson throws for 414 yards in this. The most he's thrown in the game in seven years. So can Pittsburgh win a shootout? They did yesterday and Wilson, you know, I was really watching him in some of the

Starting point is 00:11:48 drives and the difference between when he screws around and when he gets the ball out immediately, there's a difference. Like if you can get him and granted it's great doing it up against Cincinnati's defense, which I don't quite understand how they're this bad. Maybe it's the lack of pass rush outside of Hendrickson because I still feel like there's guys in the back end that I like from them, but maybe I'm just wrong about it. So Wilson ball out quick, his accuracy on those throws, no freelancing, no letting Russ cook stuff. It works.

Starting point is 00:12:16 And then bringing Pickens in where there's just more deep ball trust, which might be the only thing I would trust George Pickens with was a deep ball throw. There's just a lot to like about where it's just more deep ball trust, which might be the only thing I would trust George Pickens with was a deep ball throw. There's just a lot to like about where it's been. However, let's hit the cue, Oregon. Stats to impress people. This isn't even a stat to impress the people. This is a chart to impress even more people. There was a chart that was out today

Starting point is 00:12:42 that was basically talking about quarterbacks excelling at creating plays outside of the pocket. So basically the definition of it was, you know, once the original call is over beyond the first read and now it's freestyle time. Wilson's the worst quarterback in the NFL based on this chart doing it. And the frequency with which he wants to still do it is higher than a lot of quarterbacks and no one is less productive than he is. I mean, Will Leves is ahead of him for this.

Starting point is 00:13:13 So I don't know if he still wants to do it. That chart would tell you that he wants to do it. He didn't have to do it yesterday. He can't run the football anymore, 20 carries, 27 yards. But if it is within the first or second read, the deep ball gambles, which I'm totally fine with. But if it's all the quick, accurate stuff, he's really good at it. And he had a lot of throws yesterday where it was, it was snap the ball, get the ball out, move the chains, keep it moving. But I still don't think I'd pick him to win the AFC. Okay, this is an award for Kurt Warner,

Starting point is 00:13:50 who I'm afraid to talk about quarterbacks. We've talked about Jeff Schwartz, like if you mentioned something about O-line, you're like, uh-oh, is he gonna get me on this? Did I have the protection wrong? Kurt Warner for quarterbacks, like, I'm worried, you know, like, oh, I can't believe it gets covered too. You would do that.

Starting point is 00:14:10 It's like, dude, that's not covered too. That's a, you know, you're just like, damn it, I tried. I even watched the all 22, I tried. Well, this is the, I hope Kurt Warner doesn't get mad at me award because I watched a good chunk of the Atlanta game yesterday. Went back and watch her cousin's picks. I don't think he has it physically.

Starting point is 00:14:29 And they showed a breakdown of like the mechanics of his throws earlier this year before the Achilles injury coming back from that, which is to be understood versus throws at Minnesota. I thought Minnesota Kirk in that final year is the best I've ever felt about him. He clearly, if you've listened to this pot, is not my favorite quarterback of all time. Still think the contract, like I kind of get it. Quarterbacks franchises a lot like relationships. Where you're like, man, I just keep getting treated like shit.

Starting point is 00:14:53 I'm just gonna date somebody nice. I don't even care if I'm attracted to him. I'd like her to not steal my stuff. I think that's what happens with quarterbacks. You're like, all right, this is way too expensive and he's coming off in Achilles and we know the limitations, but it's better than what we've been doing down here.

Starting point is 00:15:07 So if you look at the picks though, they're really alarming. The first one he double pumps, but throws it into coverage. It's always a bad sign when the interception is picked off by a player facing the line of scrimmage, like coming back to face it. And you're just, you know, it's like center field a little bit. The second pick was the pick six.

Starting point is 00:15:26 I don't know if it's the route by one where it's this weird double move and he's never turned around, but if you watch that throw, Cousins gets nothing on that throw and it's not a deep shot. I mean, it's kind of one of those torque throws or you're going across the field. So you got to get it out there. There's nothing on that pick six. 17-3, it's third and goal. They've got backed up at the charges 13. He throws a pop-up into the end zone into three guys.

Starting point is 00:15:55 That's the worst of them. That's the one that I can't make. Like we were doing the Rossello point assignment of interceptions. That's the one I would assign the most points to. And then the fourth one, it's fourth and 12. They had to have it. I don't blame him for that one. You got to get the ball out and you could even talk like there was another throw

Starting point is 00:16:14 though, even at Drake London, who I don't know if he had the best game. There's some stuff where he may have cut off a route and hose cousins. There's another one where he drops on the right side, but the throw, the throw itself and the lack of velocity and how much it looks like he's trying to get into these throws. Whatever, they're six and six, they're the four seed. They could be the three seed because Seattle takes care

Starting point is 00:16:33 of the Jets against Nairon Rogers who continues to just, he's not gonna be the answer. That's not breaking news. He now has more interceptions this season than he has had in 11 other seasons in his career. Okay. The final thought on all of this is Iber Fluss is out in Chicago. I watched the game like a lot of you did surrounded by loved ones on Thanksgiving day.

Starting point is 00:16:54 So Detroit beats them. We already know that Caleb was five to 15 for 34 yards in the first half. Um, going into that disastrous last drive, he was 14 to 20, two, oh eight, three touchdowns lit it up back in. I think the Caleb headline for this year is you got to feel really good about everything you've seen from him, despite everything that's happened. And that Iber Fluss is not going to be there. I'm not a huge fire everybody guy.

Starting point is 00:17:17 I hate the play calling Monday shit because a lot of you just do the same thing every single year with every single coordinator, play calling, play calling, play calling. And a lot of times it's like, maybe your team just isn't that good and there's not some magical play caller is going to come and solve it. However, the Bears, the Bears convinced me in a bad way, like, yeah, I think it is. I think it is the coaching. Ibravulus had some weird moments this year with the challenges. I think he ended up 0-5.

Starting point is 00:17:41 He had the two in the Houston game that didn't make any sense. Then there was like a game after that where then he did get a little bit of a Heber Vluis had some weird moments this year with the challenges. I think he ended up 0-5. He had the two in the Houston game that didn't make any sense. Then there was like a game after that where then he didn't want to challenge because everybody's like, what are you doing in the Houston game? And then he challenged Jordan Addison play, which was right in front of him. And then he said, well, I had a challenge and it was explosive. It's like, well, or you don't use your challenge on it. So he had not built up a lot of equity with me paying attention to it.

Starting point is 00:18:05 Again, back when I used to be a Bears fan and super locked into all this stuff. But if we go to the infamous play, no one's ever gonna forget it. He's never gonna forget it. I mean, that's gonna be like a weird Eberfluss moment into like what the rest of his career is because everyone is watching this one game on Thanksgiving.

Starting point is 00:18:20 They're watching you out there with your rookie quarterback. You get backed up on the penalty. He gets sacked. It's third and 26. There's 36 seconds left. The clock now after the sack under 30 seconds and running. They're likely not going to get the first down, but they're still close to field goal range, but they wanted to save the time out to set up the field goal

Starting point is 00:18:38 because they've had their own field goal issues this season with Santos. So I understand all of that. But as you're watching Caleb trying to get the play to everyone, and granted the snap took too long. He was back there at like 13 seconds. And then this 13 seconds to six seconds moment is when Caleb probably deserves, um, the most blame that you could give him. But I saw a lot of, well, it's actually more on Caleb. No, it's not. You want to, you want to blame Piotr? We can blame Piotr, but it's a really small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small, small lot of, well, it's actually more on Caleb. No, it's not.

Starting point is 00:19:05 You want to blame Piot? We can blame Piot, but it's a really small slice of cheesecake. The rest of it is on the head coach. Can you imagine, just picture it right now, think of all the great coaches that, all the coaches that have been in the NFL, whether they're active or not coaching right now,

Starting point is 00:19:23 but all the great ones that you can picture right now on the sideline watching this disaster happen right in front of them with the rookie quarterback. And just going, man, I need the timeout for the field goal. You're, you're watching it. I can't fathom the good coaches that I can think of right now and picture just standing there going whatever, like we need it for the field goal. You call the timeout at 30, you don't want to, you're probably not getting the first down. So you can't like run up and clock it. I don't think you're going to convert the third and 26, but you're going to have to say, Hey, everybody knows

Starting point is 00:19:56 what the play is coming out. This is the play, maybe give them two plays. At least there's now 30 seconds. And yeah, it's going to be a mad scramble to set up the field goal, which is an ideal, but you know what's a lot less ideal is just watching 30 seconds run off. And then once the ball is snapped, Kayla has to throw it towards the end zone because it doesn't really matter anymore. Balls incomplete ball lands game. I rarely like if I were in local radio, I wouldn't want to be the guy being like, this guy has to be fired.

Starting point is 00:20:28 Even if there was no way he could be the head coach of this team this week. The NBA is back in FanDuel. America's number one sportsbook wants you to catch all the action because right now FanDuel is giving everyone three months of NBA league pass, all you have to do to catch every tip off and buzzer beater is place any $5 bet on the NBA. Okay, here's what I got for you. So light slate tonight, was looking at the odds

Starting point is 00:20:54 and going into it, I was like, I wonder how big that number for Minnesota Lakers be? Like, hey, guess what? They're smart, they're on it. It's Lakers plus eight. So that would be the only side I think I would go unless I'd want to go nets plus seven and a half I don't want to pick a favorite. So then I started digging up

Starting point is 00:21:10 I was like find something for everybody find something that you like How about two or more made threes Jaylen Johnson is minus 110 on two or more made threes He has for a full month in November. Okay Out of all the games he's played, he's only not made two in three of, what is this, 14, 15 games here? He touches the ball a million times. So there you go, Jalen Johnson.

Starting point is 00:21:37 Two or more made threes, minus 110. And also just a fun guy to watch. So next time you get a hunch on who is going to win or how many points a player will score, you can watch your picks come to life live. Just visit fandual.com slash Ryan RYE and to get three months of NBA League Pass courtesy of FanDuel.

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Starting point is 00:22:11 or see terms at sportsbook.fandl.com. Gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. We're gonna do a deeper dive with McShay, but I'm gonna give you my college football rankings, my top 12. Again, the bracket will be different. We'll do that in the final week. All right.

Starting point is 00:22:26 So Oregon, number one, Texas, number two, they be A&M 17-7, but it was 461 yards at 248, two red zone turnovers. The seven is only off of a pick six. I thought this was a pretty dominant performance with some really costly mistakes from Texas. And I feel like Texas fell into the, well, if you're doing this to this team schedule, why aren't you doing it to Texas? I don't understand why I took any shit for this, but if a team brings back the third most returning starters in the SEC and their NFL quarterback and their coaching staff and a couple of nice transfers,

Starting point is 00:23:03 I'm going to think that team is good. I will think that team is forever good. I don't care where in the country that they play, but from a playoff to that returning all of those people. So I just thought, Texas felt a little bit like Justin Herbert. Like you watch Herbert, can you watch that Cincinnati game that we saw in primetime with Justin Herbert and because the team would lose, like, oh, I thought this guy was good.

Starting point is 00:23:24 Like just, just so we're clear here, like you watch Texas all season and you think they're okay. You watched Justin Herbert this year and you're, you're like, not this year, because it's different, but all those years when he was putting up numbers and super talented and making throws like he did against Cincinnati, and you're like, so just to work with her, you watch him and think, I mean, I don't, and I don't with Texas. I have Georgia third. They played Clemson, Bama, Texas, Ole Miss, Tennessee, eight over times against Georgia Tech, not great.

Starting point is 00:23:55 Um, it would have been nice if they put it on Georgia Tech to be more worthy of this number three ranking Carson Beck for a half a half there was kind of a mess again. Tate Ratledge pulled him aside after third in whatever incompletion that went into the dirt. Tate like kind of grabbed him to be like, I don't know what he was saying to him. Yeah, I'm not buddies with him. So I'm never gonna find out, but it's not ideal.

Starting point is 00:24:20 But I think it's also not ideal to not reward a team for playing those five teams and ending up 10 and two and in the SEC title game. All right, Notre Dame. I could put them two, but it's a little tougher for me to do it. I think I really like them. You could say they have four ranked wins, Navy, Army, Louisville, A&M, only Army is still ranked. Um, but I thought that USC game like when Penn State went out there and won. I thought that was a tough afternoon of football and they can just gash you. Notre Dame put 270 on the ground against SC seven yards per carry. Number five, Penn State, their third in the AP. The committee likes them.

Starting point is 00:25:02 Um, and I don't think the committee cares about schedule that much. I mean, the committee had Miami ahead of Georgia yesterday. I might be entirely wrong because there's a lot of guys on Penn State I really like. So from a talent standpoint and watching Penn State enough, you're like, oh, there's that guy.

Starting point is 00:25:19 There's that guy. Like there's some dudes that I really like. And that's why the spread against Oregon's only minus three and a half. Tennessee at six. I have Ohio State at seven. It has been two days and I cannot believe they lost that football game. We will discuss more of them.

Starting point is 00:25:32 McShea. Their seventh in the AP, eighth in the coaches. They have SMU ahead of Ohio State. I think that might be reaching a little. Um, I don't love SMU at eight, but you know, stop me. You've heard this before. This is another one of these schedule things. That's really weird.

Starting point is 00:25:48 They haven't played Clemson yet. They will now Miami, QC or even Georgia Tech and Georgia Tech with Haynes King's actually pretty good. Like that's, that's a, you know, that's in that tier of we're not allowed to say they're good because they have the losses, but when King plays like that's a, that's a decent to good football team. Well coached the tough kid, a quarterback. I have Arizona state nine, three ranked wins, but not really.

Starting point is 00:26:12 Really what you want to focus on is ranked wins after the season. But even then, like everybody's just creating whatever they can to argue their side of it. Boise zero ranked wins. Don't love it. But they competed with Oregon, probably when Oregon was at its worst, but whatever. Like what else am I supposed to do here? I guess I could do Indiana here. Others have the Indiana was ninth in the AP and the coaches will get to Indiana.

Starting point is 00:26:35 I've got South Carolina 11. I know it's three losses. I am, and I have been since the Oklahoma game. I'm not going to argue Bama to be in. Others will. I would probably have Ole Miss over Bama, but I have South Carolina, even though the head to head with Ole Miss is a disaster, but I think I could do this. And if it's standings, that's fine.

Starting point is 00:26:57 But if it's a committee of people talking things out and going, well, what about this? What about this? South Carolina's loss to LSU sucks because they were absolutely, I don't do the ref thing very often, they got screwed by the rest in that game three different times. One of the worst officiated, they couldn't get the numbers right when they kept calling the penalties out.

Starting point is 00:27:17 Like it was Fowler and Herbstreet were just like, what is, what's happening here today? So if you were in the room trying to go, who do we like? And look, the South Carolina Clemson game is a toss up. Clemson position a game tying field goal ends up with an interception that's tip. But I like Lenora Sellers better than I like Milro. So I might even like them better than Jackson Dart. So number 12, I've got Indiana.

Starting point is 00:27:41 Do I think they're one of the 12 best teams in college football? It's a massive, I don't know. Now I'll give them this. They destroyed the teams they're supposed to be. And there was no like, well, there shouldn't have been a let down after the Ohio state game, but yeah, we've said it before. There's a lot of really weird schedule stuff that's happened this year with the expanded conference.

Starting point is 00:28:04 The power for spreads, nothing more than three and a half points. Oregon is the biggest favorite, minus three and a half against Penn State. Texas is minus two and a half. SMU is a two and a half point favorite against Clemson, and Arizona State's a two and a half point favorite against Iowa State, which tells you, kind of like, that is this year. You're like, I don't know. Let's see what happens. We've got Todd McShay host of the McShay show. It has been really good. I don't know if that means I thought it wasn't going to be great, but it's been

Starting point is 00:28:37 even better than I thought, which then feels like a backwards compliment. Yeah. Well, we're both so we understand. We understand my concerns too. Let's be honest. Well, look, uh, we understand. We understand my concerns too. Let's be honest. Well, look, we have specific things that I want to get to. We're going to do just college because we're going to have so much NFL later on to close the season. So I just felt like

Starting point is 00:28:54 there was so much to talk about with what's happened the last couple of weeks. So we're just going to do it again here. I cannot believe 48 hours, a little less removed from Ohio State losing at home to Michigan. I cannot believe. Wasn't that wild? Michigan throws for what? 60 plus yards, 62 yards in that game. We can get into the miss kicks and all the stuff and, and like, there was a interception

Starting point is 00:29:17 off there for a little while. And the first seven for Michigan is, is off that pick. But I can't believe after losing three in a row and watching Michigan all season being like, they've gone through all the quarterbacks. They can't figure it out. No offense there. We can talk up rivalry too, you know, like, Hey, and that's certainly a factor in all this stuff and stuff that we've seen the last couple of weeks, but my God.

Starting point is 00:29:41 So you come out with a heater. You think Ryan day like is done? Prior to prior to Saturday, I thought it was all nonsensical noise, right? Like look at his record. 47 and one I think it was against all other big 10 opponents not named Michigan. What he's been able to build with this program, who he is as a coach. And you look at the last couple of losses to Michigan, like somewhat understandable losses, right? So really good Michigan football teams. But Saturday was different.

Starting point is 00:30:17 And it just can't happen. It just can't happen. When you are clearly the better team, when you've raised the money for the $20 million roster or whatever it is, this is your year. It can't happen. Okay. And so it becomes the kind of the tip of the iceberg. And it's kind of like a divorce, right? Like both parties may be wonderful people. They may be wonderful parents, but they just don't work together anymore. That's kind of how I view this, right? And I'll say this, and you know how much respect I have for Ryan Day, you know, my history going back to Richmond

Starting point is 00:30:59 versus New Hampshire, like Chip Kelly, how much respect I have for Chip, and we're both obviously, you know, have personal relationships with Chip. But, but beyond that, and I'm able to look beyond that, like as an offensive coordinator, you're, you're not going to be able to find a better head coach, offensive coordinator, wide receiver coach combo than what Ohio state has right now. But I also understand this, and this is the most important part, neither party is able to move forward together

Starting point is 00:31:31 in a productive manner. That's to me the most important aspect of this, and that's why I mentioned a divorce. When you have two great people, two great parents, but they can't function any longer together, and that's Ohio State, the university, the community, the boosters can no longer function together with Ryan Day and his staff.

Starting point is 00:31:53 And it's like the 14th biggest city in America, but it's a small bubble when it comes to Columbus and Ohio State football. And with the noise and I'm sure the absurd death threats and how it affects Ryan Day's family and all the pressures that go along with that position, Ryan Day no longer is able to function at the highest level that he can possibly function,

Starting point is 00:32:21 remaining as the head coach of Ohio State. So when I come out and say, barring a national championship, I don't see how there's any chance that Ryan Day continues to be the head coach at Ohio State. I say it because I just don't think it can function any longer. Look, a year ago when this stuff was happening

Starting point is 00:32:40 after they lost to Michigan, two years ago, I think that Michigan loss of the previous three was the one I was like, how did they lose two years ago? Now that's completely Trump by what happened this weekend. And I had done a video. It was like, I felt like there were a lot of parallels for Harbaugh wasn't beating Ohio state in the beginning. They were actually a little closer.

Starting point is 00:32:58 I think that people were given credit for they have the terrible COVID year, but Harbaugh brings all that attention upon himself. I think he dialed it down a little bit. My point was always like, why does everybody want Harbaugh fired? Like Michigan's totally fine with him. Then that should be all we need to do. Then be careful what you wish for. And then the same stuff was happening with Ryan Day.

Starting point is 00:33:15 This one's inexcusable though. It is. Now this changes. I'm not saying fire Ryan Day today. Okay. They still have a chance to win the national championship. Okay. For Christ sakes. So I'm not saying that, but now I'm not saying fire Ryan Day today, okay? They still have a chance to win the national championship. Okay, for Christ sakes.

Starting point is 00:33:26 So I'm not saying that, but now I'm far more willing to understand the frustration, which I think at times is like completely misguided to, I'm with Ohio State fans, like imagine Saturday going, how did it happen again? I don't understand, like, look, I'm not play calling guy because I know there's a ton of stuff that's going on that I don't understand. But like Ryan day got super pissed at Lou Holtz for saying that this

Starting point is 00:33:52 wasn't a physical football team. The way they called plays last year on short yardage situations told you that they didn't love the way they blocked that stuff. And I know they're down the offensive lineman going to this matchup, but if you're down the offensive linemen, I didn't understand why there was a commitment to show that they could maybe push people around. That was my biggest frustration.

Starting point is 00:34:11 That was the, like Howard wasn't good, the pick is disastrous, the kick, I don't understand. And I'm saying this is like, cause I don't understand it. Why was there such a commitment to be like, we're still gonna ground and pound these guys, especially like that side of the field where they were dealing with the tunnel. I think it was an inability to accept that

Starting point is 00:34:34 we're not going to win this by being more physical and shove it down their throat. I truly do. And you listen to every, every interview after games, it's always about the physicality and how Ryan Day is proud of how physical this team is. But they go out and they recruit all these Ferraris on the outside. And so it's okay. It's okay to utilize those weapons. But for some reason, and I think it was just the mentality coming in that we're bigger, badder, stronger, more physical than Michigan this year.

Starting point is 00:35:06 We have to, we have to not only beat them, we got to beat them at their own game. But yeah, but on the D line, if there's one thing that we knew about Michigan this year, it's that you're not good everywhere else. But I'm telling you, so you self scout, right? Yeah, yeah, right. You self scout and you look at Michigan, you say, all right, Will Johnson continues to not play. So their best cornerback is out.

Starting point is 00:35:28 Our best player, our best player is Jeremiah Smith and arguably our second best player is one of our other top five, seven players in this team is Amika Ibuka, the other wide receiver. And they, with four minutes left in the first half, they had to combine four targets. And so it clearly was this mentality inside that bubble that we are going to not only beat them, we're gonna demoralize them and we're gonna do it our way. And now I get it, like you brought in Will Howard

Starting point is 00:35:58 because, you know, Chip's always, I remember asking Chip like 15 years ago, what, give me your, and I forget who their quarterback was at the time, but give me like your, your what you're looking at. Yeah. Well, give me, give me the guy who you would want. What are you looking for in the quarterback position? He said, Ray John Rondo. No, he's a Boston guy. And that was the Celtics point guard. He wants a mobile quarterback. He wants someone to distribute, and he wants that in his offense.

Starting point is 00:36:30 And so they bring in Will Howard, and Will Howard has an element of that because of his good decision-making in the run game, his run ability, and they don't trust him as much as a passer as they do in operating their run game. They bring in Quinshaw Judkins. they pair him up with Travion Henderson. This is going to be the year. But you go into game week preparation and you say, OK, we lost two week one starters on the offensive line. We're not the same group up front that we expected to be.

Starting point is 00:37:01 And if Michigan has won, and I think they had one personnel advantage, especially with Colston Loveland also out at tight end, another first round. Michigan has two first round prospects on that team. Two. Well, no, that's a lie. No, 55 is a first round. Sorry, sorry. Yes, they're defense. Outside of the defensive tackles. And that's my point. Outside of the

Starting point is 00:37:22 defensive tackles, they have two first round prospects and neither were in the game. Okay. Loveland and Will Johnson are out. And so you sit there on Sunday of last week is your game prepping. And I know the game prep has gone on all year, but you're looking at your personnel and you're looking at their personnel and you say, okay, Michigan's got one advantage in this game. Personnel wise, their defensive tackles against our beat up offensive line. But they just continued to run their head into a brick wall. It didn't make sense to me.

Starting point is 00:37:53 It still doesn't make sense. I can't believe, you know, it's one thing if they had won three in a row against him, took him lightly, go in, looking ahead, hey, and all this kind of stuff. But there's no, you lose three in a row to them. They win a national championship. You do all this stuff this summer.

Starting point is 00:38:09 Um, I think Jeremiah Smith might be the best player in college football. I mean, he is. Could be such a stud at receiver and, you know, like if nothing else is working, I know it sounds stupid, but it's like, is it worth it throwing to him once every resetting of the talent? It's just like, let's see, because we're probably going to get a PI half the time anyway. A screen, yeah, a vertical shot, whatever it is.

Starting point is 00:38:34 So after the game, and credit to Fox, by the way, for staying with the fight and all of the stuff, which led the flag and you know, sometimes you can see a network get out of something and it pisses you off. I know what I would have to say if I were doing play-by-play. I'm never gonna be a play-by-play guy,

Starting point is 00:38:52 so I don't have to worry about it. You have to admonish it with this no place, whatever. I'm entertained as shit. I love it. I love watching that stuff. Not saying it's right. Shouldn't happen after every game. Although I think these kids have so much hate going on as kind of semi-public figures, in some case,

Starting point is 00:39:09 massive public figures, that there's this release in a way because of how they're connected to so much shit talking that I think that's some of what we're seeing. But then I saw a lot of just piling on Ohio State because they lose the football game what we're seeing. But then I saw a lot of just piling on Ohio State because they lose the football game, which I understand. But here's what I don't understand. If you're Jack Sawyer and those guys are going to do shit to your field because you lost, you're just supposed to let them do whatever you want.

Starting point is 00:39:35 So him grabbing the field and then being criticized, grabbing the flag on the field and then after that, like I don't, I think there's a lot of people that were criticizing Ohio State, no matter what happened. And if they had just let Michigan do this and throw this party and throw the flag into the ground over and over again, nobody, then that would have been used against Ohio State too, to be like these guys didn't even show any fight and being disrespected. So I, I know it's not cool. We can't complain about NIL and transfer portal and there's no loyalty to your college and it's not like it used to be

Starting point is 00:40:09 and be the grumpy old man, right? Yeah. And then watch Jack Sawyer have so much pride that he's not gonna allow that to happen on his field. Here's my greater issue in it. Did you watch Sark when Texas went to plant the flag? And I know it's different because Michigan is the one that planted the flag, but did you watch Sark? How quickly he picked up

Starting point is 00:40:31 on that? How quickly he ran over to midfield and how quickly he got his players away from midfield so a fight did not break out. I did see it and it was impressive that his kids listened to him that quickly. Like they went to do it and as soon as as he ran over, it was like, we're not doing that. We're not doing that. Like everybody, not to say like there'd be other coaches where a hundred kids would be like, whatever coach, you don't care. Um, but I also think that Michigan, Ohio state things different than Texas. No, I agree. Even, even with the A and M history in Texas, cause there's a ton of history and

Starting point is 00:41:04 I'm not being dismissed. The Michigan Ohio State one is just really, really nasty. I got it, but if you're Ryan Day, man, and I think part of the reason why Sark was so- So it's Day's fault? I'm not saying, but you just talked about Fox and the broadcast and how great of a job they did. They also did a great job and part of it was luck,

Starting point is 00:41:24 just the timing of it was luck, just the timing of it, but they happened to pan to Ryan Day at one point and he looks at an assistant who's running by and says, what happened? Well, what happened was you guys were over by the band getting ready to do what you unfortunately have to do even after a loss and you sing the fight song

Starting point is 00:41:40 or the team song, whatever it is. Which has to be the worst time. Oh my gosh. I was, as they were lining up, I'm like, they really got to do it now. But, but you see a bunch of your players, like the vast majority of your players go racing over to midfield and then you ask five minutes later,

Starting point is 00:41:56 what happened? Like, what did, and I get it. His world is crashing down. He's worried about his family, his future. I can't believe, like he's, he's absolutely in shock, like a traumatic shock, right? But at some point you, you got to take there's institutional control. Like you're, you're the captain of the ship. And so I don't know. And I'm not blaming it all on day. I'm just saying it just, it felt like very unfortunate timing where he's saying what

Starting point is 00:42:26 happened and then you watch Sark like eight hours later and it's the same thing that's on the line. Sark is motivated by doing the right thing, but also highly motivated by the fact that, all right, if this happens, we're looking at suspensions, if a fight breaks out and that could affect us either in the SEC Championship and or in the playoff. And for Ohio State, like I don't know if there's gonna be suspensions that are that are handed out, but if there are, it's not gonna be in the Big Ten Championship because they're not playing in it. It's gonna be in the college

Starting point is 00:42:57 football playoff. Okay, I want to talk Texas a little bit because I think SEC Harto and all of the SEC and the conference stuff to me is very political. No, but I just think it's all political. No one's ever changing their mind and the cost of eggs is going to be either something that's bad or good and everybody's just going to be full of shit. So when Texas is coming to the SEC, SEC Harto is like, oh, good luck. Good luck lining up against these guys and all that kind of stuff. Oh, good luck. Good luck lining up against these guys and all that kind of stuff. Um, so that was stupid.

Starting point is 00:43:30 You know, the sec Harto who doesn't think any of the bowl losses ever count because players declare for the draft, but then they'll run around like crazy when they beat the big 10 and some of the matchups, right? So that stuff is, is really annoying. So I know that Texas fans had to do that. I think sane people looked at Texas going, okay, they're probably going to be pretty good. And you could do a little of the scheduling stuff where there are seven SEC teams that won nine games this year. Texas is one of them. So you take the other six, nine win SEC teams, Texas played one.

Starting point is 00:43:55 Like again, Texas' SEC experience is not even close to what Georgia's was. But I thought that was a dominant win. I thought they were a good football team all season. But the other side, the anti-SCC harto, let's say that's the phrase, just to keep it simple here, would suggest that Texas coming into the SEC and winning it immediately is a knock on the SEC. And I thought, well, I guess if a new team comes into a conference and wins it in the first year, like, what does that say for the conference? Now granted the SEC is held up higher, so therefore it's held to higher standards.

Starting point is 00:44:29 So that maybe it's more gaming there. Do you want to run through who won the other conferences off the top of your head? Do I want to run through who won the other, who won the big 10 Oregon? Right. Who won the big 12 in the regular season? Is it BYU? It's Arizona State. Oh, Arizona State.

Starting point is 00:44:47 Yeah, Arizona State. Yeah, sorry. Um, the ACC, do you know who won the ACC? SMU. SMU. Four teams. All in their first year. That's a good point.

Starting point is 00:44:59 I never thought about that. Yeah. So the counter would be again, well, the SEC is the one everybody talks all this shit about. I just never really quite understood. I didn't think I was like, I didn't watch Texas being like, yeah, they'll be bad. But I think weirdo SEC guy probably was in some prideful way. Um, I don't have more on that. That was just a point.

Starting point is 00:45:19 Unless you have more. It's actually a good point. I hadn't thought about it and I didn't look at it universally in the other conferences. I do think. Yeah, it's political. I get what you're saying. And I, and I think, I also think the same sec Harto who was saying, wait till Texas has to play this sec schedule and they can't hold up weekend and week out is now saying, well, look at Texas.

Starting point is 00:45:41 They're another great team in the sec and C and, and we're deeper, better conference and everyone. So yeah, I mean, it's always going to be pitched at that angle. Yeah. Yeah. That's it. Okay. I'm glad we touched on it.

Starting point is 00:45:56 Cause SMU has a little scheduling thing going on here too. Like SMU, I already mentioned it in the, in the top 12 thing, but if you go through like the top ACC schools, they didn't. So sometimes I wonder like, did we have a playoff result where it was like, who had the easiest time in their now ridiculous, completely unfair schedules. But anyway, um, I love Notre Dame. I think I finally, I think I finally got there with it. I don't know. Why this week? Cause I saw, I was texting with Pollock yesterday and I think he's, he's in a similar boat. I think it's been hard to gauge how good Notre Dame is.

Starting point is 00:46:35 I think they looked awesome early. They got a big win against A&M. They then it's like, oh gosh, it's just, it's not going to be a good year for Marquette. They're going to be a great year. They're going to be a great year. They're going to be a great early. They got a big win against A&M. Then it's like, oh gosh, it's just, it's not going to be a good year for Marcus Freeman. Like them, but is this going to work with the Northern Illinois loss? And then it feels like they've steadily gotten better and better as the seasons progressed. My argument is, and it's not even an argument, I guess my trepidation with Notre Dame right

Starting point is 00:47:10 now is when I look at them, two times they had to face opponents that had good weapons and a good passing game, I think. Maybe not just two, but in two occasions, Louisville and, um, and USC, this secondary, which is really talented, but they lost, uh, Morrison, their, their first round cornerback. Right. Are they, are they, when they get into a playoff against a really good passing team, what's that going to look like?

Starting point is 00:47:38 So that's question number one. Question number two is can they pass rush at an elite level? When you start to look at Tennessee and Georgia and South Carolina, if they get in and Ohio state to a lesser degree, but they have talent upfront. Um, what about Oregon's pass rush? Good. It's good.

Starting point is 00:48:03 Not elite. I would say. Okay. I'm just trying to think of it. Like, do you like Oregon's pass rush? Good. It's good. Not a lead, I would say. Okay. I'm just trying to think of it like, do you like Oregon's pass rush still more than Notre Dame's? It sounds like. Um, maybe slightly. I don't think there's a huge difference, but, but Penn State's got a better pass rush. I'm just saying when you combine, okay, a couple of times against really good passing

Starting point is 00:48:22 teams and maybe it's pass rush and secondary, you know together And I think there's a lot of good talent in that secondary, but they've struggled you can't deny that they've given up a lot of yards Okay Now they had the two interceptions late and and they stepped up when they needed to but USC passed the ball very successfully, right? And then the other thing is on the flip side the other side of the ball And then the other thing is on the flip side, the other side of the ball, the weapons concern me. Like, do they have explosive weapons on the outside? And the answer from every tape I've studied is no, they don't.

Starting point is 00:48:52 And a quarterback who has gotten better as a passer this year in Riley Leonard, but they're not, they don't scare you on the perimeter. And I looked this past week and their top two leaders in receiving are the tight end, Mitchell Evans and Jeremiah Love the running back. And so while I think they're a very, very good football team, absolutely deserve to be where they are at this point, considering what they've gone through. They, you know, and a lot of there's been carnage everywhere else and they've continued to kind of gradually rise up.

Starting point is 00:49:29 And I think that the capable of beating a lot of teams, not all teams, but how, how great are they? Is cause, cause Pollock said he legitimately could see them winning a national championship. That's where I differ. I can go a long way in terms of how good they are and I could see them winning a game, maybe two games. I don't know that they're a national championship team because of those three areas that I just touched on. Yeah. I think I just love the O line.

Starting point is 00:49:51 Uh, I love the running backs, even though one of them went down. Yeah. And I think Riley Leonard has been really good. And then the running part of it, I think there's a toughness with them. I think the resume, like, again, it depends. It's back to the politics thing. Like however you want to shape it, I think there's a toughness with them. I think the resume, like again, it depends. It's back to the politics thing.

Starting point is 00:50:07 Like however you want to shape it, which we're experts. And like, I can see the bullshit as soon as it's posted. Or it's like, well, when common opponents, this or whatever, like, when you're gonna sit there and- Well, they have one win against the currently ranked opponent. Right, right. But you're gonna see people.

Starting point is 00:50:22 They're 24. You're gonna see people pushing that they have four and it's just not going to be true. I just think I, I loved that in that game against SC when they needed to be physical. And I'm not even talking about the pick six. Like at that point, like SC is trying to do whatever they can. So the score ends up making it a little, well, SC got a late one anyway. So it ends up looking, cause it was a competitive football game. And I, I know the schedule part of it.

Starting point is 00:50:48 Terrible beat. Terrible. You didn't deserve that. You didn't deserve that. I mean, I gave it out to all my, my fan dual friends. We're trying to take down fan dual each and every week. We've been on a run there. It's a seven and a half point number.

Starting point is 00:51:02 They're down seven covering driving, going in and you give up. I want you to think about it. You're covering and you got a chance now to go tie the game. Yeah. Or maybe when it, if you go for two and, and all of a sudden you throw a hundred and 99 yards worth of two pick sixes in the last few minutes of the game. That's a bad beat. I gave out Notre Dame. I needed it back. So, uh, what are you going to do? You feel okay. Well, I don't know. I don't know if anybody should feel like it should be running around. I needed one though. Um, look, the other thing with Notre Dame's offense in that old line, they're the number one, they're actually number two in all of college football and yards per carry, but they're the number one.

Starting point is 00:51:47 If you include them as a power for, I know they're independent, but like, if you put them up there with the, all the other big boys, they're the best yards per carry and it's, it's by a fairly wide margin over Kansas state. Who's number two. And you're right. I'm not picking to win a national championship. We could rip apart their schedule. Like I've ripped apart other teams schedule.

Starting point is 00:52:04 I'm arguing against the idea they have these four rank wins because it's not really all that accurate. As you pointed out, Army's the only one there. And I definitely like Penn State's defensive talent, especially with the Morrison injury, more so than I like Notre Dame's defensive talent right now as well. I mean, there's a lot of Penn State games we're all watching.

Starting point is 00:52:22 Be like, there's just a ton of dudes here that I do like. Yeah. I do like on this team. So it's been different maybe than some other Penn State years. Okay. I still see that game. Who would you pick? Penn State or name right now?

Starting point is 00:52:35 Ooh. I think I've been unfairly hard on Penn State. I just don't think that they're at that class. I don't like when when it doesn't sound like you think the Irish are either, you know it kind of it feels like a tier two situation for you. Yes, yeah, they're both in that in that tier two.

Starting point is 00:52:55 And like maybe like seven eight spots down in terms of the teams. I think that are better than them. Notre Dame, Penn State, I'm gonna take Penn State. Slightly. Who you got? Yeah, I think I'm gonna go Penn State, even though I ranked them high, Notre Dame are my rankings, which probably doesn't make any sense, but there you go.

Starting point is 00:53:20 The last SEC spot, sounded like you were pushing for South Carolina, I put him in. The Ole Miss head-to-head thing is a tough one to get past. I do think it's okay at this point of the season when things are really, really close. If you just go, hey, guess what? I think this team is better. I like this team better. After the 12 games, I feel better about this.

Starting point is 00:53:43 Lenora Sellers, the stuff he does, it gets a little dangerous. It can get a little wild every now and then, but my God, and the way he'll get free from everybody, and then you think you have the angle on him, it's not Lamar stuff, because there's still nothing ever like Lamar in college, or even really the NFL.

Starting point is 00:54:01 I don't know that I'll ever see anything like that again. But Lenoris will get this angle on you. And then he has this extra burst where now all of a sudden you're like, what the hell is going on on top of the pass rush and everything else? Maybe South Carolina is kind of this underdoggy pick here. I, I would go South Carolina, Ole Miss, Alabama. I am so over the Millrow experience with Alabama, um, that I, I, you will not hear me argue for them, even though it looks like the committee still likes them more. Yeah, I guess I'm confused because I just assumed

Starting point is 00:54:31 after the loss at Miami's up. But I see Heather Denich come on and be like, I don't know what everyone's talking about, like Miami's still in. And I don't know how the hell, if you're the committee member, you want to put that defense? Listen, I'm an NFL evaluator first and foremost. I'm dying to see Cam Ward.

Starting point is 00:54:51 Yeah, baby. I'm dying to see Cam Ward against, you know, a college football playoff defense. Sure. It will help the evaluation. But I'm also a college football fan and want to see what's best and I want to see the best 12-2. I can't live with giving Miami the honor of being in the college football playoff with that defense.

Starting point is 00:55:27 That defense is atrocious. They're so bad on defense. They were a 21-nothing, you blink your eye like two quarters later and they'd given up 35 points. You almost had to try to do that. I hated my guy Restrepo Fumplin too. I hated that. Cause he's been one of my favorite players this year. I have no issue with Miami, but I think it's funny and credit credit to Heather

Starting point is 00:55:47 Dinnage because she got all sorts of shit when she was suggesting that, hey, this SCC team may not be out or a three loss. Like all it was is we have to do a better job of like, you know, what this could look like at the end and the stakes being raised these last couple of weeks. Um, where, you know, I, being raised these last couple of weeks, where, you know, I think it was kind of ridiculous, like during Michigan, Ohio state, when they're saying like, everything's on the line. You're like, except it isn't because Ohio state's still going to be in the playoff. They're going to lose to Michigan and they're still going to be in the playoff.

Starting point is 00:56:18 Now what you tell me to shut up is that everybody's watching Georgia, Georgia Tech in a game that nobody would be paying attention to with Georgia two losses. So I kind of lose the argument on like the excitement part of it because there's more stuff that actually matters. I just think it's ridiculous in the years where it was LSU Bama facing off against each other, meaning like this team, whoever wins this game,

Starting point is 00:56:40 that team has a chance to play in the national championship. And if you lose, it is over. I like those stakes. I like the Michigan Ohio State stakes being different. I don't like Ohio State losing and then being like, oh, whatever, two loss, it doesn't matter. We're just back into the playoffs. So we've already heard that rant from me.

Starting point is 00:56:53 But Dinnich, I thought, got all sorts of heat for going like, hey, have an open mind about a couple of these different things. And now she's doing it with Miami when the same thing's happening with a different team in a different conference. Here's my issue though. If Miami's out, then we have a great discussion. Alabama, South Carolina. I don't think it's Ole Miss, but some people will argue for Ole Miss. I don't think you can finish the season that way, have the losses that they had and still get it. Okay? So for me, it was

Starting point is 00:57:22 Alabama versus South Carolina. I'll come back to that in a second because I'll make the argument for South Carolina. But I want you to understand if Miami is still in, I think if my math is right, it's a moot point. Yes. Like Oregon, Texas, Penn State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, then you throw, keep Miami in the mix. Then the winner of SMU Clemson is in as the ACC champion. Indiana apparently is still in. In what world Indiana and Miami deserve to be in the college football playoff

Starting point is 00:57:58 and some of these other teams don't, but that's the world we're living in based off of last week's college football playoff rankings. We'll see what happens on Tuesday night. I have Indiana in over Miami. I had them 12th. But it doesn't matter what you have. I have Miami out. I'd like to see Indiana out, but they're both getting in according to what the rankings were last week and what Dinnich is now saying and nobody has better insight into all of it. So those are the teams. That's 10 right there. Okay. Then you got Boise State. state is going to be 11 or I guess UNLV

Starting point is 00:58:28 is a possibility if they win that championship and then the 12th spot will be the big 12th champion. Right. Well, the way, you know, I'm kind of going off of the AP, but like, if you look back, I mean, the committee really liked Miami, they still had them in front of Georgia, which I think is so brutal. Like how could you look at those? They had them at six in Georgia, seven in Tennessee. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:58:51 Yeah. So I just, I just laid it out for you. If Miami's in, there's no discussion about Alabama, South Carolina, or Ole Miss. There isn't. There's not enough room. I don't know if Bama's going to win. That with, based on what the committee's been doing here I don't know if, Bama's gonna win, based on what the committee's been doing here,

Starting point is 00:59:08 they're gonna like Bama over South Carolina and they're gonna have the head to head to point two and that's totally fine. And I'm ignoring head to head on both of them. Bama has a two point win head to head over South Carolina. They also have one spot in the strength of ranking edge over South Carolina. In South Carolina's favor though,

Starting point is 00:59:25 they lost to Bama by only two points in Tuscaloosa. In a game they were dogs, three touchdown dogs, and that was eight weeks ago, okay? They have the slight edge and strength of schedule South Carolina does over Alabama. They have no ugly losses like Alabama does with Vandy, and more importantly, the blowout against Oklahoma.

Starting point is 00:59:47 The LSU loss included terrible officiating that could have changed that game and we forget that Sellers was injured in that game in the first half. And most importantly, South Carolina, we're trying to get in the best teams right now. South Carolina's the hotter team has played better down the stretch and two ranked opponents they've beaten in the last three weeks. So if Alabama gets in, it's because of the brand period. No, they'll say the head to head. They're going to say the head to head and they're going to say that they don't Alabama.

Starting point is 01:00:18 I mean, honestly, the Oklahoma loss is worse. When you talk about like fan duel and all these places in Las Vegas, you give three points, it's like, it's, it's under, you give three points for home field advantage they lost by. No, I understand. I understand. I, I am with you on South Carolina and the fact that they had to go a little Robbie Ashford experiment during that LSU game should be even more credit towards South

Starting point is 01:00:44 Carolina, but based on the way the rankings have been going, they're gonna say Alabama won the head to head. And maybe they still like Miami enough. Miami being in over those SEC teams to me would be a joke. That's where I'll sound like an SEC. Apologies, all right, I wanna- Miami doesn't have a win over a currently ranked opponent. No, I know. I'm not asking for a response. The AP dropped him.

Starting point is 01:01:08 The AP dropped him before team. And when you start doing some of the strength of record, all that stuff like Alabama is still number four in the ESPN FBI. I mean, give me a fuck. Yeah. I don't know what, what that is. I credit anybody for trying something a little different or whatever, but like Alabama was number two and then they dropped to four and you're like, so you're going to start citing some of these things. All right. Do you have early leans on the championship games? Can we make that quick without like a full breakdown?

Starting point is 01:01:37 Because I know you're going to do a full breakdown of the McShay show. It scares me that FanDuel has got only a three and a half point spread. I'm not even talking personnel. Like obviously Oregon is the much better football team in my mind. And I think most of the time- You think it's just because it's an Indy? I think it might be because it's an Indy because the whole, I'm guessing Penn State's going to be better represented.

Starting point is 01:02:00 The Ducks travel though, so it's not like- They do. But that like, I was expecting six, six and a half right and nine out of 10 times when the lines like hmm, they're begging you. They're begging you, begging you to take the ducks. Begging you to take the ducks, right? So that game scares me same exact thing like I thought it'd be 6 1 half maybe six and then I was like God. So that game scares me. Same exact thing. Like I thought it'd be six and a half, maybe six.

Starting point is 01:02:25 And then I was like, God, what about the rematch? Is there a chance George is just an awful matchup for Texas? Yes. But I don't think you're going to see, what was it, 10 sacks, 15 tackles for loss, four turnovers. You always got to break in the game.

Starting point is 01:02:44 You don't see that a lot. It wasn't that he was benched. We're just gonna give you a break. It was a mental health break. It truly was if you wanna break it down. Like if you wanna have a cigarette, go ahead. It was like HR walked into his office and was like, listen, grab a cigarette,

Starting point is 01:03:00 there's the couch, take a mental health break, we'll come back to you in a day or two and you'll resume your duties here in the corporation. I don't, it's hard to watch that game and be like, yeah, I'll pick the other team this time. But Carson Beck continues. Like if you wanna make the argument against Georgia, be like, what are you actually backing?

Starting point is 01:03:21 And I'm like, well, I'm backing with they went three and two of those five games. Let's not forget Carson Beck threw three picks in that game and was not very good. Carson bell is a hell of a lot better, more confident. You think so? I didn't think he was that great against tech. Did you? I mean, I think he's saying now I did second half. I thought it was really good. I thought he was really half. I was like, what is going on with

Starting point is 01:03:42 this guy? They're a team that they like to play one half of games. I can tell you that much. Is there anything to, it takes you a while to recover. I'm interested to see, do we see more of arch in this game? Yes. Mench. I mean, we already saw it.

Starting point is 01:03:58 Mench on our show the other night made a really good point. Tim Tebow vibes when arch comes in, go back to that Chris Leake freshman year. There's a certain level of like energy, his mobility. I think, and I think we saw it in this, in this Texas A&M game. I think we're going to see potentially a little bit more of him against Georgia in design, not, not like, you know, because not, I mean, it could be because you were struggles if he struggles again the second time around against Georgia. But I do think there's gonna be a little bit more arch

Starting point is 01:04:35 in this game. I would agree. I think you better bring it out and show it. And I think we already saw maybe the teasing part of it against A& M to have Georgia thinking about that. Do you have, uh, do you have anything on Sam Levitt, the freshmen? He's got a gold chain on in his profile pick on ESPN.com.

Starting point is 01:04:54 So that's all I need to know. You love the picks. What do you mean? Uh, no, I don't, I feel like I always see on your X feed, you're always like, you know, you'll pop up some weird old pic of somebody. Well, that's the Nicoby Dean fedora thing, which is try to like, because Nicoby Dean was the kind of guy that was like, he's not going to be good in the NFL because he's undersized. Cause he was probably one of my favorite college linebackers. It did take a bit, but I mean, he was just so good, but sometimes it just sighs, but it looks like now things are

Starting point is 01:05:24 going to work out for him. No, I feel like when it's Sunday night or Monday night football or Thursday night football, I know everything I need to know about a player's personality, the way they introduce themselves. Okay, I've said this for years. Like I can tell exactly, you know, there's a reason why the old linemen just-

Starting point is 01:05:42 What kind of hang that guy would be, everything. Right, right. I mean, like the more sauce you throw into that, the more difficult I think you would be as a roommate. But if you're a freshman in Arizona State, right? If you're- You're not wrong. If you're a kid out of Westland, Oregon, and you find a way to get a gold chain in your profile pick,

Starting point is 01:06:02 like how do I pick against you? Yeah, he's been playing well. Okay. What about SMU Clemson? I can see Clemson winning that. That was the only one spread wise where I felt like what does it mean that Clemson, if you're getting Clemson plus two and a half,

Starting point is 01:06:18 you kind of have to. Yeah. Okay. All right. Let me finish up here. I know you're going to do a much bigger breakdown. We were going to do a full conference championship game breakdown here. I just was trying to get in McShay's head a little bit about the early liens. All right. Let's throw a scenario at you. Okay. Because I've seen this one out there on the internet.

Starting point is 01:06:36 Okay. It's crazy. If you look at the standings right now in the NFL and you go league wide. There's a lot of work for the Bears to end up with the number one pick. They're four and eight. There's a bunch of teams with two wins. There's a handful of teams with three wins. Saints and say, so it's not likely that the bears, even though the difficult, tough, uh, redundant, difficult remaining straight in the schedule. It's not likely even with all those things, they would end up with a number one pick.

Starting point is 01:07:03 However, we don't have any rules here. If the bears were to get the number one pick, should doors on the board, maybe it even means you get Dion. What would you do? I don't think you're getting Dion. Um, I would, depending on the information you have and everything that leads up to the draft, I'd probably draft them. And get rid of Caleb. With no intention of making Shador my quarterback, I've got my guy.

Starting point is 01:07:31 I would, I would, and the difference in talent level and the future of those two is like, it's hard to overstate. Okay. I really like Shador, best pure passer. I think he's got a chance to be a solid pro But Caleb's got a chance to be special still and we've seen a lot more glimpses in the last few weeks than we did earlier in the season I Draft him only because now I've got the leverage

Starting point is 01:07:58 Because prime coach prime is absolutely going to dictate where should or goes No question in my mind, he's stated it, he's leaning into it, he's tripling down on it. And it will happen. So if I draft him at number one, no matter if it's Chicago or Jacksonville or whoever it is, if I draft him at number one, now I'm in control. Now I dictate not where he goes,

Starting point is 01:08:24 but what the price is going to be. And if it's Chicago or any other team, I'm looking at this year's draft and it's not like the last couple of years where there's a clear cut top five, top seven players are clear. You can get pretty close at pick six or seven or eight, what you can get at number one. And so I take them trade to the team that coach prime is designated for Shador and now I'm going to get a boatload of picks because I have the leverage. If you want them, you got to come and pay me to get them. That's what I would do. I'll give Shador this man.

Starting point is 01:08:59 A better answer than you expected. Admit it. Um, I think I really wanted to break down like the idea that some people would be like, would should or be a better prospect than Caleb and I can't fathom. Well, I answered that. Yeah. You were definitive that there's no, but there's no one that does evaluation. Well, can't speak for everybody.

Starting point is 01:09:18 Right. I mean, somebody would maybe great. Should or I haven't come across anyone who sees the same future for Shador as they see for Caleb. And that's not, um, that's not even that big. It's not like a knock on Shador necessarily. It's, it's more of what everyone thinks that Caleb can become. Yeah. Yeah. Um, and I would agree with that part of it. Um, and,

Starting point is 01:09:39 you know, another thing was sure that you want to talk about doing it on your own. There's still the third worst rushing team in college football. Like you never have to worry about it. And yet he's still putting up these numbers. And if it weren't for Travis Hunter, I think she'd already have a much better chance of the Heisman, like maybe, maybe even the favorite he's been awesome. Sure.

Starting point is 01:09:58 Or his team. He really has been. I look, I felt like the beginning of the year, I was saying the same stuff from last year and I went, this isn't happening. And then they completely turned it around, completely turned it around. And they deserve a lot of credit for that, but I would agree with you. I think some of the theoretical kind of fun stuff of like, what if the Bears are the number one pick, you take Shador and then trade Caleb.

Starting point is 01:10:19 And it's like, why would you want to get rid of Caleb after everything that you've seen him go through this year and how well he's played for really good stretches here in the second half of the season. All right, you can check out the McShay show on Spotify, Ringer podcasts, three days a week, Saturday night recaps. You guys will be going all night then after all the conference championship games

Starting point is 01:10:41 this Saturday, correct? All right. Yeah, fired us. I'll call you to see if you want to join again. No, I'll jump in. I'll jump in on that one. All right. I got them locked in.

Starting point is 01:10:49 Spice it up. All right, let's go. Talk to you soon, buddy. All right, my man. Before we get to live advice, let's just say the community, there was, for those that care, there was an incident this weekend, which was positive.

Starting point is 01:11:08 It was a positive. So let's not mislead. We've got Saruti, we've got Kyle, we have Van Lathan, who we're always excited to have join us. And Kyle and Van had the frolic room hang that the internet could not stop talking about. So let's start with this. Kyle, how did it start? How did the rendezvous start?

Starting point is 01:11:29 Uh, it started at Thanksgiving. We actually like a couple of weeks before this, I forget why I bandaged. Oh, we were watching football a couple of weeks before that. And he was like, you know what? I'm going to frolic room. And then Bill kind of got a whiff of that. He was like, I'll go. It's like, all right, we'll see.

Starting point is 01:11:41 Uh, and then I realized I had something to do that Saturday. And then I saw Van at Thanksgiving and he was like, concrete, we're doing this. I got a little nervous. I texted him the day of. I was like, big day. He was very responsive. I'm like, this is happening.

Starting point is 01:11:54 And he showed up at 2.30. I showed up at two, no big deal. And we stayed there until like 9.30. It was like a seven hour hang. Wow, seven hours. He bought the whole place. Wingstop. It was, I refilled my jukebox credits like three times. I probably spent like $60 on the jukebox, but it was all worth it.

Starting point is 01:12:14 Priceless. Okay, Van. So let me tell you something. I had a fucking fantastic time at Frolic. I gotta be honest with you. Okay. I will say something. Rosillo, you were kind of like the abominable snowman of Frolick.

Starting point is 01:12:27 Like you people, there's rumors of you, but people aren't sure. Like, you know what I mean? Like Moby Dick type of situation. People aren't sure there's rumors of you. I went to, when I sat down, I came in there, I sat down and Kyle starts introducing me to all of the cast of characters. There was a white girl in there, I sat down, and Kyle starts introducing me to all of the cast of characters.

Starting point is 01:12:46 There was a white girl in there that started crying within five minutes of me sitting down. Tears. She got a hair pit trigger on her cry. Yeah. About something that happened in the bar years ago. Nobody cared that she was crying. I was trying to console her.

Starting point is 01:13:00 And everybody else. I know, I was trying to tell you that. Kyle's like, she cries, don't worry about it. The bartender was like, ah, fuck you. And everybody was like, she's crying. Then the gigantic Boston bouncer comes in and starts sprouting pro-Trump stuff at me. I'm like, bro, not today.

Starting point is 01:13:19 Have some wings. He goes and he eats the wings. And then we're all together. I met, and let me tell you about, real quick, let me tell you about the diaspora at Frolick. I met a Nigerian person, an Asian dude, regular whites, South Boston people,

Starting point is 01:13:39 LA-born African Americans. Everybody was there, and everybody was just getting drunk and watching the game. I met another guy, the USC dude, that's how the, we were, I was, I'm going back. Me and Kyle left, we were so fucked up. I'm going back. I have fun in Frawlick.

Starting point is 01:13:58 Frawlick is my new haunt, right? I got a haunt, I've never had a haunt before. You know what I'm saying? Baton Rouge, you have a haunt and then it gets shot up. But here, I've never had a haunt before. You know what I'm saying? Baton Rouge, you have a haunt and then it gets shot up. But here, I don't think that's gonna happen at Frolic. But like, at Frolic, it was dope. I had a fun time, Ryan.

Starting point is 01:14:14 What's your hesitation? It's not that I don't love dive bars, because I love them. It's just our schedules don't always align. And like Saturday is a perfect day. Like there's no way I could, two o'clock. I mean. I mean.

Starting point is 01:14:31 I mean. It's just Indianapolis. It's not gonna happen. I mean it doesn't happen at two o'clock down the street from me, you know? So I'm a bit, if it's gonna happen, it's usually very, very late for me. I'll be like, all right, it's on. I mean the one time I was in that'm a bit, if it's going to happen, it's usually very, very late for me. I'll be like, all right, it's, it's on.

Starting point is 01:14:45 I mean, the one time I was in that end of town, I was at, I think it was in like a part of Korea town and it's one of my favorite dive bars in LA, uh, up there, and then I just hit it, Kyle up. I go, Hey, I'm in the area frolic room right now. I'll go. And then Kyle's like, dude, what are you 11 o'clock? Like, what are you nuts? So 11 AM maybe.

Starting point is 01:15:10 Yeah. So I was just like, it's not, it's not going to happen. Um, well, so yeah, we went to say Jay Gillis afterwards and Bill, I don't know who, whose idea was it was Bill's or Ryan, but like, should we go to the frolic room and I think it was like 10 30, you could feel vibe shifts in there as the as the sun went down it's just different right like well it was you would have been fine van with frolic if we showed up at 7 30 it's been dark for two hours but there was just nothing like that two o'clock you know it's still bright outside that's i just didn't want his first impression to be you know the shift changed you know you

Starting point is 01:15:42 don't get troy or anything you get get those, the guys in the bow ties. It's just different. I'll tell you one thing about Kyle that I realized about Frolic as well. There's another reason why Kyle wants people to come to Frolic. Kyle is the mayor of Frolic. No.

Starting point is 01:16:02 Don't bullshit the people. Like Kyle, like Kyle. I'm not even on the wall. I'm not even on the wall. I'm not even on the wall there. Kyle is, it was, everything was revolving around Kyle. Kyle was connecting everyone. People were coming in, they were paying homage to Kyle. Like they would walk by, but they would come and stop.

Starting point is 01:16:20 Like you ever see one of those old mob movies where you walk in Vito's club and you, let me go say hello to Vito real quick. And like, people were coming in and they were saying, what's up to Kyle? And then going to the end of the bar. This is kind of a situation where Kyle is the man. I understand why he wants people to come.

Starting point is 01:16:35 I had a great time though. I ended up having like deep conversations about my dad. Like, we, once I get drunk, I become everybody's friend. I'm like one of those drunks. I was around meeting new people. I might have got a real estate agent out of it. You got G-checked by a cowboy guy, didn't you? Little bit.

Starting point is 01:16:55 I think you came out of it okay, but he was like, what's the fucking story here? Yeah, he tried to come over to me, asked me about the cowboy hat. There is a part where you're in a bar and there's a little thing in the back of your mind that's like, don't get fucked up in the frolic room. All right?

Starting point is 01:17:09 But like- Yeah, cause this guy's like, walk from Utah, like I'm a real cowboy. Yeah, and I'm like- Living in LA at the frolic room. All right. Right. Thanks for ripping.

Starting point is 01:17:17 But you know, I get that the hat is controversial. So it's like, whatever. But I had a fun time. Bottom line, frolic, if I was gonna give it out of the 10, I'm gonna give it 9.5 out of 10. The only reason why it's not a 10 is because they ain't got no food, but I had to provide the food.

Starting point is 01:17:30 But I really had a fun time at the Frolic Room. Much easier, much easier place to work in the food service though. So I think Frolic Room deserves even more credit for that, for not pretending, but like, all right, we're gonna do food. So I saw, was that Blade? Was that Blade your trainer Kyle no no

Starting point is 01:17:46 No blades awake I from from Vermont or fuck. I always get those wherever he's from up there. I think it's oh, Maine No, no that that was that's my trainer. That's the Nigerian guy He was talking about that guy actually got fired because he just wouldn't show up to work on time And he would just constantly lie about it But then another bouncer is in the hospital just kind of getting old stuff So they brought him back for the night shift. So I never thought I was going to see him again because I'm really not there after the shift change.

Starting point is 01:18:10 But you know, we, me and Van went for the long haul. So it was like, you know, five hours into the hang. I was like, oh my God, it's you. And then we hung out. Van, what's the beverage of choice at the frolic room? What were we drinking? We were on the old fashions, baby. We were on the old fashions, baby. We were on the old fashions.

Starting point is 01:18:26 And let me tell you something about the frolic room. They do not care about over serving you. Heavy pours. They look over and they see you don't have an old fashion. And the next old fashion is in front of your, Troy is on, you want another one? You want another one? I said Troy, this is my fourth one.

Starting point is 01:18:49 You say yes twice, he stops asking. Yep, I'm like, this is my, cause he came over and he put it there, I was like, hey bro, can I have some water? This is like, I was like, can I have some water? I just, give me some, just give me one glass of water. Just one glass of water, cause I got some water? I just, give me some, just give me one glass of water. Just one glass of water. Cause I got a, I got a woman to go back home to

Starting point is 01:19:08 and she's already been warned by the way about the frolic room. It was a deep conversation from Kyle's girl to my girl about the frolic room. So she was like, don't come back here all fucked up. And I did anyway. But it was, but it was a lot of fun. Old fashions were the drink.

Starting point is 01:19:23 Can I give you a little fun fact? I paid her both of our tabs before we left just so we get out of there clean. You wanna guess what it costs for both of us to drink for seven hours there? I had like six and a beer, so I'm gonna say, what, like 100, 150 bucks? It was 98, I thought you were gonna say a lot more.

Starting point is 01:19:43 But it was mine and yours, so I don't know. I was I was getting beers the whole time. So I don't call you get a discount for bringing people in. I feel like you need to like get some kickbacks. It's not really said, you know, and I don't really want to put it out there. You know, I don't want like bar rescue, John Taffer showing up being like, we're gonna fucking gut this place.

Starting point is 01:19:58 I don't want to offer anywhere close to that place. Yeah. So yeah, me neither. I would just change everything. Yeah, I don't know. Different times. You know, sometimes you're gonna do pretzel rods like canes, like the guys in the 20s. Buckets of pretzel rods as soon as you watch it. What says Hollywood more than pretzel rods? Yeah, right. Exactly.

Starting point is 01:20:17 Really wanted to capture the soul of this town. I know we don't have a ton of time, so I want to ask Ryan one thing. When? Because me and Kyle talked about it, either you're coming up there or this Saturday we're coming to you. Whatever, we had a whole conversation about the, when, what's gonna, like, what's going to happen

Starting point is 01:20:45 with this? Are you coming to Frolic, Ryan, or are we gonna have to come all the way down to Manhattan Beach? Like what's the deal here? Bro, dogs. Well, the Manhattan Beach parties apparently are not well-reviewed on Yelp. So, this has to be where I come to Kyle.

Starting point is 01:21:04 I have to come, this is not me reversing it and be like, hey, why don't we actually do it at my place? Cause we've already tried that. I have to come up, but it's gonna be, you know, the problem is redemption. There's always like a last second thing with me. There's never like, oh, I'm gonna be going out next Thursday, my life doesn't work that way.

Starting point is 01:21:25 It's a last second thing. And then you guys are conveniently leaving out. Like when you go early to the frolic room, do you know how long that would take for me to get there? It'd be an hour. It'd be an hour. It would be an hour. Rossello, let me tell you something.

Starting point is 01:21:37 Okay. A lot of people recently have tried to drive a wedge between me and Rossello. It's never going to happen. All right. So just stop it. It's crock it in tubs, it's rigs and merch. I've heard about this. wedge between me and Rosillo. It's never gonna happen. So stop it. It's crockin' in tubs, it's rigs and merch. It's never gonna happen. Yeah, people been trying to drive a wedge.

Starting point is 01:21:51 It's never gonna happen, okay? Whatever, you don't have to agree on everything. I'm aware. We're together. I'll put it to you like this. You're coming to the frolic room and there's not gonna be any last second. Not only are you coming to the frolic room,

Starting point is 01:22:03 I want old Rosillo, I want New England, drunk, WWE, fucking, give me another one. Give me another beer. I want you to drop your, you know how like in Departed where Mark Wahlberg is talking to the guy and he's like, on the weekends, you're dropping your eyes and you're hanging out with the, yeah. Drop your eyes on the weekend, you're dropping your eyes and you're hanging out with them. Yeah, like drop your eyes on the weekend, give me another beer, fire it up in fucking Southie

Starting point is 01:22:29 or whatever, the guys from Southie, the bonsers from Southie, you come in there, we're going fucking crazy in the frolic room. Everyone's coming, we're going crazy. I'm gonna be the new mayor. It's time that a black politician wants something. So I'm gonna be the new mayor of frolic room. So I'm coming in there.

Starting point is 01:22:48 And Rosillo, you gotta come in there, man. I'm in, I'm in. We'll set a date, we'll figure it out. We will not, you know, it'll happen only if we promise there's dancing after. Van, you're the best. I was unexpected. Thank you. Love you guys. Love you guys. All right, prayers're the best. Thank you. Love you guys.

Starting point is 01:23:06 Love you guys. All right. Prayers for Ryan Day. I got to go. You want details? Fine. I drive a Ferrari, 355 Cabriolet. What's up?

Starting point is 01:23:16 I have a ridiculous house in the South Fork. I have every toy you can possibly imagine. And best of all kids, I am liquid. So now you know what's possible. Let me tell you what's required. Okay, thanks to Van for stopping by. Again, our email address is lifeadvice.rr at gmail.com. Life advice begins now.

Starting point is 01:23:37 Okay, I think we had a couple, yeah, with this feedback one is too intense. What's up guys? 510-165 NBA comp Matthew Delavadova, not the game three of the 2015 finals version but close. My buddy and I want to come clean about a few things. TJ was right. You can use his real name because he said you could call me Alex, which is my real name. So I guess we're real naming each other here. I do do that stupid joke of asking if he minds if my buddy can

Starting point is 01:24:01 meet up with us for a drink, however. So this is the tickle monster emailing us. Okay. So Rudy is correct. Being a wrestler, you often get too comfortable with physical contact being a smaller guy, you frequently get targeted in the wrestling room with unwanted attacks. Imagine these men wrestling like locker room with unwanted attacks. Riscilla was also correct. The guys become way too comfortable being in the natural state when introduced with this uncomfortable, disturbing joke, I also hated it.

Starting point is 01:24:26 But like the saying goes, hurt people, hurt people. It is not how I wanted to become known to Ryan, who I've listened to since the SCP days, but I'll take it. My buddy will be retired from TJ's life going forward and it's not necessarily for him to ask random strangers to tickle him to build up a tolerance. Okay and he says as a former Montanan I'll see you at the garden bar. I'd like to get a shift at the garden bar. Maybe pick up bottles for seven days. So this is the tickle monster I guess. Is

Starting point is 01:25:00 that what I'm led to believe then here? Yeah sounds like it. So he just needed someone to say it loud enough and he was like yeah you're right I'm led to believe then here? Yeah, it sounds like it. So he just needed someone to say it loud enough and he was like, yeah, you're right. I'm gonna change my whole shit. I guess I'm a little confused. If so, this is the biggest help we've ever been. Yeah. Perhaps. Well, it's one of those things where

Starting point is 01:25:17 when you kind of say it out loud and let other people figure out what you're doing, it's like, yeah, that is kind of weird. Actually, maybe I should stop doing that. Yeah. Yeah, when you hear people that don't know you talk about it. Cause no one was listening to that email going, I think it's cool. Those guys, can I hang out with that guy?

Starting point is 01:25:38 Like, Hey, I was listening to that Rosilopod the other day. The hoop stuff gets a little long, but they do this life advice at the end. And one of the guys in the friend group just tickles the shit out of the other day, the hoop stuff gets a little long, but they do this life advice at the end. And one of the guys in the friend group just tickles the shit out of the other guys. Like, what do you think if we started doing that? Hell yeah. Okay. Um, this is a longer email, but man, it's good just because it's well written, although it's not like, Oh my God, this I've never heard of this scenario before. Jim stats, five 10, one 85 just started lifting again at age 26 recently hit dumbbell bench press with 45 pounds four by eight.

Starting point is 01:26:14 I'm telling you right now, if there's anything in you, this is when the strength starts to happen a couple of months ago, a couple of years, but just keep going a couple of months ago. I went and saw a movie with my roommate, Twisters, review of Twisters. Glenn Powell is cool. Did you like it, Srooty? I like the original better, but I do love Glenn Powell. Dude, his approval rating.

Starting point is 01:26:34 He's like Anthony Edwards at the end of last year. He's like, I told everybody Ant has really nowhere to go, but kind of down on the love fest for him. Glenn Pa- I'm worried. All right, anyway. Movie theater's packed. To the left of me sat my roommate. To the right was some guy who was the subject of this email.

Starting point is 01:26:53 The dude appeared to be anywhere from 15 to 19 years old. To his right sat a girl about his age and his mom and dad. Not sure if the girl sitting to the right of him was his sister or not. Before the movie started, the guy sitting to my right asked me if I wanted to get any of the snacks that his mom packed at home and snuck into the movie. I kindly accepted a small Ziploc baggie of popcorn.

Starting point is 01:27:14 I thanked the guy a couple of minutes go by, the guy looks by way, just enough to get my attention to ask if I wanted any of the puppy chow that his mom brought. To which I kindly declined. Is that like a nickname for like trail mix or something? Yeah it's like chocolate, a bunch of different chocolate things I think. Yeah I don't know. Maybe some chips in there. Okay I didn't I didn't know that so think think because I I didn't realize they called the puppy chow. I've noticed my own shopping. I never have snacks.

Starting point is 01:27:47 It's been pointed out. That makes sense. Checks out. Yep. You're a very deliberate eater. I feel like an efficient and deliberate eater. Yeah. Just stacks of chicken breasts and the free food. It's not like you don't like good food. It's just that like, I don't think you're like, hey man, like I'm, you know, I, I'm gonna have a pack of Biscoff cookies in the pantry. No, and whenever I do buy any of that stuff, it never, it just, you know how much you hate waste,

Starting point is 01:28:16 I didn't even wanna tell you. So yeah, I didn't know what that stuff was called. All right, so I'd kindly declined. A couple minutes go by and the guy asks me, do you think this movie will be good? At this point, I'm thinking that this guy's just being nice and I generally didn't appreciate the offer of snacks. This is also the most by far that I've ever spoken to a stranger in a movie theater.

Starting point is 01:28:37 But again, nothing seems weird at this point. The movie ends, the guy looks over at me and asked what I thought of the movie. I've never had a stranger immediately ask my opinion on a movie, but considering our exchange before the movie started, I wasn't perturbed by the question. After sharing my opinion, the movie was pretty good. The guy asked me, what are your hobbies?

Starting point is 01:28:54 I finally have that uncomfortable feeling that you get when a conversation with stranger has reared into an unforeseeable direction. I come up with some quick, but shit comes quick bullshit response, such as quote, hanging with friends or watching sports. And I hope that my short response and slight change of tone would signal that I'm now done with the conversation didn't work. Then the guy asked, quote, do you like skateboarding or fishing at this point?

Starting point is 01:29:17 I'm wishing a tornado would just rip through the building and suck me away. You can only like one. Which one are we doing on Saturday? Um, I wish the tornado would rip through the building and suck me away. You can only like one. Which one are we doing on Saturday? Um, I wish the tornado would rip through the building and suck me away. I can give a short answer. I doubled down and using a tone that was suggesting uneasiness, saying something to the effect of, I don't mind fishing. Then the guy suggests that we should hang out sometime and then ask for my phone

Starting point is 01:29:40 number. Now I'm full blown panicking quickly. I try to understand his intentions either. He's just an overly kind of guy who's oddly comfortable in attempting to strike up a friendship with a stranger or he has romantic intentions. I don't know, that age. Again, I'm not trying to like make any assumptions about it, but I don't know. I mean, if he's sitting there with his parents and then maybe a sister or whatever, I don't know. Not sure if it could really be anything other than those two options. I'm not attracted to men and not,

Starting point is 01:30:06 extra not attracted to men who may or may not be teenagers. Also in a manner of seconds, I try to brainstorm responses. I obviously don't want to give this guy my number regardless of what its true intentions were. I don't know how much time I would need to spend with someone before I feel comfortable going fishing with just that person.

Starting point is 01:30:21 But the answer is a lot of time. Not to mention I'm potentially 10 years older than this guy and I look like I'm at least 26, if not older, so there's no way this guy mistook me for being around his age. I'm a nice guy and I don't like making people feel bad. The guilt I know I would feel if I told this guy, sorry, but I'm not giving my number overpowers me and I say, quote, sure, I'll give you my number. I start reading my digits and about halfway through, I think to myself, what in the actual fuck are you doing?

Starting point is 01:30:46 I panic again and quickly make up my mind that the safest way out of this is to give a fake phone number. I give the guy my real number until it came to the final digit and I changed it. I smiled, got up and left. The way I handled this exchange stayed with me for days and I know I took the coward's way out.

Starting point is 01:31:03 I've attempted to justify my actions by telling myself that either this guy, either way, sorry, this guy was going to be disappointed to learn that I didn't want to ever see him again. But this way, his disappointment could come at a later date once realizing I gave him a fake number as opposed to feeling that disappointment in the middle of a packed theater next to his family.

Starting point is 01:31:21 I'm interested to hear all of your takes on how you would have handled this. Am I a piece of shit for giving a fake number as opposed to just being honest? If you're asking why I didn't immediately get up after the movie ended, the theater was packed. Our conversation was silent enough. All right, so longer one there.

Starting point is 01:31:37 I'm gonna offer up something that may not, like he might just be, maybe he's the friendliest teenager of all time. He could also have- He might be in like a special classroom, you know what I mean? Just doesn't take cues. There could be a touch of something going on

Starting point is 01:31:51 where his social cues are off a little bit, which unfortunately, which is, I always think of like, teenagers not having friends, it just sucks. That that could have been it, but that's not your responsibility. You know what I mean, man? Like it just sucks. Um, that that could have been it. Um, but that's not your responsibility. You know what I mean, man? Like it's not your kid. So for you to be beating yourself up here, the fake number thing, I get it. It's just easier way than saying, you know, women been doing it for decades.

Starting point is 01:32:17 Um, unless, you know, you never know though, cause of like the kids remembering birthdays and stuff. He may try every single number combination on your ass and in a week from now you're gonna text, ask you to go fishing. So I would just, I think you handled it fine. You don't need, I can't even believe you let it go that far personally, but that may be something to replay in your head, which is not always

Starting point is 01:32:42 the easiest thing to understand. And I can't imagine like, why wasn't a parent jumping in there a little bit sooner going, Hey, why are you talking to the 26 year old or like leave or I don't maybe they were psyched he was meeting someone. Yeah. So they're like, please take them on Saturday. This kid loves to fish and skateboard, but you can only do one. I only get one day off a week.

Starting point is 01:33:02 I can't do another fishing trip. Come on. Uh, I don't know. I, I look at off a week. I can't do another fishing trip. Come on. I don't know. I look at it, you know, I'm a normalized no guy. I would look at this as training. The stakes are kind of low. Like I think I would have had a nice way out of this that doesn't really hurt anyone's feelings.

Starting point is 01:33:15 Maybe it would, but it wouldn't sound bad coming out. Like I would just be like, oh yeah, I don't give out my number. Like almost like it's a telemarket or something. Like that's what I would try. I haven't really tried that one yet, but it popped into my head and it was like, man, if I was like I would. That's what I would try. I haven't really tried that one yet, but it's it popped into my head and it was like, man, if I was in that situation, that's what I would do.

Starting point is 01:33:28 So like, I look for these little, these little situations that I didn't force, but they're just coming my way. And I'm like, this is a good chance to see if I can do a couple more reps on the, uh, on the old squat rack or whatever. It's just like, can I get this one out? Uh, I understand that he's, if, if it comes across your mind that maybe this guy's got a developmental thing, maybe not the best time to test that out, but he wasn't thinking that. So if I wasn't thinking that either, I would have tried something like that. It's

Starting point is 01:33:50 like, Oh yeah, no, actually, I don't, I don't really give out my number. But yeah, you know. Yeah. Once again, it's just, it's rough out there for dudes, finding friends. This is, this is a little bleak, but I think this, you were too nice at the beginning, and I know that sucks, because if you were just more of an asshole at the beginning, didn't want snacks, or if he asked you the fishing versus skateboarding thing, just say I don't like either,

Starting point is 01:34:12 it probably ends the conversation, but you were being too nice, and you kind of dug yourself too deep of a hole. Maybe, yeah, maybe he just keeps shooting shots. He's like, all right, which one, would he like, basketball? I don't think he would have, yeah. He just starts firing different activities

Starting point is 01:34:23 until you say yes. You know what I loved, because I don't know what I'm doing lately, but every now and then I'll, I'll say something in a setting where I, you know, I'm by myself. And I asked, like, I got, I shouldn't even admit this, but like, it'll just be such a sign that you're getting older where I was getting, what are the cup options? You know, and she was, she's like, we only have one cup. I was like, that's pretty efficient. It was like waiting for, and she just was like, what the fuck are you talking about? And, um, you know, I was like, I'm not going to drink that. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it.

Starting point is 01:34:57 I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it.

Starting point is 01:35:04 I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going to drink it. I'm just going have one cup. I was like, that's pretty efficient. It was like waiting for, and she just was like, what the fuck are you talking about? And, um, I'm actually regretting even telling any of this story right now. So the point is this, uh, I kind of want to go to a movie theater by myself and turn to a stranger and be like, you think this is going to be any good? That one I like though, like that, that's probably what you think. So did that ever used to happen?

Starting point is 01:35:26 I'm talking like the eighties when it just wasn't like everyone wasn't a weirdo, kids played outside. Like, was that a thing? I mean, even the previews, like the previews end and you're like, I'm not gonna see that one. Like maybe you'll turn to the stranger next to you, but like, isn't it sort of like, what'd you say? I don't know.

Starting point is 01:35:41 Opening credits, I think to be like, hey. What do you think, buddy? Yeah, I know, I get it. Think think to be like, hey, buddy. What do you think? Yeah, I know, I get it. Think this will be good? That is hilarious. You know what sucks too is, no, I hate watching this movie.

Starting point is 01:35:52 As a guy who's like a solo movie, like that's my thing, I love it, is just like the most peaceful thing I could do, really. And if somebody like kind of came and screwed that up, it would just bum me out. It would ruin my whole experience and I would be mad about it. I don't think I would have been nice to this guy to be so I can't really relate because like that's my safe space. Like I won't, if I'm going to see twisters by myself, I've got a big ass bowl of popcorn. I've got a giant soda. I don't want to talk to anybody. Like I don't want to talk to anybody. Um, like me, me being

Starting point is 01:36:20 there alone signals that I don't want to make friends. Uh, but I don't know. It just, Me being there alone signals that I don't want to make friends. But I don't know. It just. Here's, here's, I think the lesson. 15 to 19 is not your concern. Worry about the new guy at work. Worry about the guy who moved into your town that you went to high school with, or the college friend that doesn't have any friends and wants to crash.

Starting point is 01:36:37 You're like, we've covered a thousand of those emails already. Stay in your age lane. Do not feel guilt about this one. Okay. Thanks to Kyle. Thanks to Van. So because you got Van, you got one email. Do not feel guilt about this one. Okay, thanks to Kyle. Thanks to Van. So because you got Van, you got one email. We'll make it up to you. Thanks to Cerruti. Thanks to Wargon. And I hope everybody had a good holiday week. We will be in Denver. Bill and I are going to be doing Bill's show in Denver on Wednesday night. So we get some Nuggets Warriors tomorrow night.

Starting point is 01:37:05 That means no Wednesday pod for me, but I'll be back on Friday. All right, we'll talk to you then. Please subscribe. Ron Russo, The Podcast, Rangers Podcast. Must be 21 and older, present in select states for Kansas in affiliation with Kansas Star Casino or 18 plus and present in DC gambling problem. Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit rg-help.com. Call 888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org forward slash chat in Connecticut or visit mdgamblinghelp.org in Maryland. Hope is here. Visit gamblinghelplinema.org or call 800-327-5050 for 24-7 support Massachusetts

Starting point is 01:38:08 or call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY in New York.

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