Bald Guys On The Bench
Bald Guys On The Bench
Shadow Creek Magic, Rodeo Adventures, and Playoff Drama
Recorded December 18th, 2024
What happens when you combine a legendary golf course, a national rodeo convention, and the heartfelt story of a lost friend? Tune in to our latest episode of Bald Guys on the Bench as we return from a brief hiatus with tales that range from awe-inspiring to deeply moving. Graham gives us a front-row seat to the exclusive Shadow Creek golf course, sharing encounters with celebrities and the sheer magnificence of the venue. Meanwhile, Scott recounts his cowboy-filled adventures at the national rodeo convention in Las Vegas. As we prepare for the holiday sports frenzy, we also open up about personal loss and the importance of cherishing every moment.
Join us as we navigate the thrilling changes in the college football playoffs, now expanded to a 12-team format. We're talking surprising underdogs, challenging playoff paths, and Arizona State's unexpected rise to fame. Our lively debate touches on team dynamics, potential upsets, and strategic plays that could redefine the season. Shifting gears, we scrutinize the often frustrating world of NFL scheduling and the unique challenges it presents, especially for teams like the Steelers. From unfortunate injuries to questionable draft decisions, nothing is off the table in our analysis of the Chargers' recent struggles.
Fantasy football fans, we've got something for you too! We explore the emotional highs and lows of the game, complete with nostalgic nods to legendary left-handed quarterbacks like Michael Vick and Tim Tebow. Celebrate with us as we mark a major milestone—5,000 downloads—and share a heartfelt thank you to our passionate community that fuels our podcast journey. With playful banter, unexpected insights, and heartfelt moments, this episode is a rollercoaster of emotions, camaraderie, and sports talk you won't want to miss. Bolt up and get ready for a wild ride!
#baldguysonthebench #graboneandcrackone #shadowcreek #theshowdown #collegefootballplayoffs #week16 #nfl
Welcome to another episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench podcast, with your hosts Graham Cohen and Scott Wasco.
Scott:What's up everyone and welcome back to another episode of the Bald Guys on the Bench. It's been a couple weeks so we figured we'd jump right in. Graham, let's go what you got bro.
Graham:Hey, it's been a couple weeks. Sorry, folks had a little food poisoning last week. Don't need to get into that because it's as bad as you think. So we're back at it, strong, had a good weekend. Your boy over here got a little special invite, went to Shadow Creek yesterday and saw the match live. It was pretty fucking dope. How was your weekend, brother Dude?
Scott:I don't even know who you are anymore but hey, you know what I I mean are you that out there that we didn't do the one thing we always do before we start talking?
Graham:yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I was getting to that you. We're changing things up a little bit, we're switching up the intros.
Scott:I remember my first episode, oh man.
Graham:Well, folks, we're going to talk a little sports, and when Scott and I do that, we usually drink a few beers. So, scott, let's grab one and crack one.
Scott:Oh, okay, A minute and 23 seconds in. Thanks, Grim, for allowing me to crack this beer, Wow. But as you were saying, yeah, you had food poisoning. I had the crud last week, dude Fever, the whole deal. So we just decided to take a week off and, you know, go with the flow. And here we are, exactly one week away from christmas and getting ready to head into the nfl. We got three weeks left, or three games left. Steelers have 11 days left. We'll do that later, Dude. College football playoffs start on Friday. But get into your weekend, dude. I mean, it wasn't a very good football weekend for you and I and we can't really call Tuesday a weekend. But you know who cares, we don't make rules here.
Graham:I mean we don't, but it is what it is. So what happened? Let's see. I mean we don't, but it is what it is. So what happened? Let's see what did.
Scott:I do oh yeah.
Graham:My boy came in from out of town, my boy back from PA Huge Raiders fan. This was the one week he picked to come out for a game. Did Monday night against the Falcons, picked him up after I got out of work on Saturday, stayed over at the South point, which AKA, if y'all didn't know, apparently the third or second weekend in Las Vegas in December. It's like the national rodeo convention. It's like the biggest thing ever. And let me tell you, I've never seen so many cowboy hats, cowboy boots, cowgirls all over the place and I was like hot damn, what's that?
Announcer:Have I not told you to do country concerts.
Scott:Wear your sunglasses.
Graham:Yeah, yeah, they're great people watching. That's about it.
Scott:Country girls. Shake it for me now, shake it for oh I had for all.
Graham:I'm um, let's go um. So then, yeah, football sunday. I got a question for you, though why did your boy pick that game? Just the randomness of the schedule was it all?
Scott:yeah, obviously it was always a sunday night game, or was it no Monday night game?
Graham:No, it was Monday night. Yeah, yeah, no, it was just the randomness of between him booking the trip.
Graham:I think a lot of it had to do with the person that he was going to bring had something to do with it. So it just it led to that time. Yeah, you know, it was a. It was another tough weekend for myself and also my buddy that came out because he knew Folks.
Graham:I hate bringing up bad news, but over the two weeks that we've been gone had another unfortunate phone call from a close friend of mine saying that one of my old best friends, first roommate guy I used to have a lot of fun with, we used to throw the most amazing parties together I mean legendary parties, I mean shit.
Graham:To this day he still holds, or did hold, his annual Christmas party, which was always a blast. But my buddy lost his fight with cancer. So he passed away this past week and this past Tuesday actually, and it's been real tough for myself and a lot of other friends and it was also real tough just because they did his memorial this past Sunday and if my buddy wouldn't have come into town, obviously I would have flown back. But you know life is life and you know it's not fair sometimes and you know, unfortunately it was time, you know, for my buddy to. You know, go to the next level and all I can do is just wish his family the best. And you know, everyone knows that was there at the memorial, that I would have been there if I could, and so so, as my friend and you know, just the whole time we felt pretty banged up about it on sunday, to be perfectly honest, just because so many people hit us up and was just like, hey, at least what's going on?
Scott:you and your boy were together, yeah, having a good time. You know, both of you knew the dude, obviously, so you know that's a pretty cool thing, yeah, but yeah, I mean, we don't ever.
Graham:We did bond when we start.
Scott:Don't ever. When we get on this podcast and we're recording, don't ever apologize, dude, for being you. When you and I dreamed about this podcast in my backyard, we said what are we going to do? We're going to be us, so don't ever apologize about your emotions and your deal on me. You know what I'm trying to say.
Graham:No, I know what you mean.
Scott:It's your boy dude, it's your homie. You lost two in three weeks. You know You're human.
Announcer:Aren's your homie you lost two in three weeks, you know.
Scott:You're human, aren't you?
Graham:Yeah, and the craziest thing I was telling my friend that was in town. I'm like you know, up until now I've never really had people that close to me that have passed away, I mean recently, I mean my grandparents and stuff.
Graham:but that was like one was at the beginning of the year and then the other one was like 10 years ago, parents and stuff, but that was like one was at the beginning of the year and then the other one was like 10 years ago, but other than that, like no close personal friends, no, nothing, no other relatives. And now it's just like you know, in these past two and a half weeks to have two people that were like really close. You know, I mean at least the one I knew it was eventually happening. You know he was just this cancer was coming type of scenario versus the other one which was an unforced accident, being a motorcycle accident. But it's, you know, like we said last time, it just puts things into perspective and it also just makes you realize that you need to tell the people you love that you love them. So I mean, that's all you can say to that. You're way wrong, homie. But that being said, sunday we had a blast.
Graham:I took my friend over to a local casino we like to say it's called Durango. It's a member of the Station Casinos. They have this really sick poker not poker, I'm sorry sportsbook area, but then, attached to the outside, they have this really sweet sportsbook area but then, attached to the outside, they have this really sweet sports bar area. That's covered. It's open but it's covered. They got beach chairs out there, they got big screen TVs, the food and all that stuff, so we just went over there. We had a great time. We found a spot at the bar, it just worked out perfectly. So we sat at the bar, played some video poker, drank for free, ate, good, and uh, we won our sunday night bet. So that was nice.
Graham:Uh, packers minus three, um, but yeah, had a blast. And then, um, after that we did the uh, neon museum here in vegas, which was pretty cool, but, um, after that just dropping back off the hotel and then stayed the night and got ready for the next day. And that day was, was, you know, my boy going to the raider nation allegiance stadium and, um, the tears that he had going to the stadium and, you know, going to his first raiders game without his uncle, which has been now six or seven years. Seeing all the emotion in him was really cool and I'm glad he had a good time. Unfortunately, raiders didn't win, but they did pull out a little drive at the end of the game which fucked my Falcons minus six but we'll get into that Whatever, hey.
Graham:Well, at least it kept us alive and survivor yeah, oh yeah, facts, oh, obviously, that first, obviously, obviously. But, uh, yeah, so we had a good time, um, and then, yeah, dropping off at the airport. And as I'm dropping them off, that's when one of my other homies that I used to work with when I caddied back at manhattan woods way back in the day. He's just like yo you free? I'm like what you mean, am I free? I'm dropping off the homie at the hotel at the airport. I'm like what's good? He's just like bro, I'm in town. Um, our company's one of the sponsors at shadow creek for the event, for the match.
Scott:He's like I got an extra ticket, if you want to go and I was like uh, the showdown, not the showdown whatever yeah, I know the showdown whatever. Yeah, I know, I know, but it was so weird.
Graham:It used to be the match. Okay, it does say the showdown on the ticket. I'm like yeah, whatever. He's like, yeah, just meet me at the hotel, we'll take the shuttle over. And I'm like, all right, cool, did that? It was pretty much like an invite-only event. I mean, there wasn't a lot of people there and to be honest why they started it so late, like, yeah, it's cool seeing it under the lights, but, bro, that temperature dropped real quick when that sun went down. Yeah, it did it did.
Scott:But a couple weeks ago I listened to the Subpar podcast with Colt Nose yeah, his boy, they had the head probe that's been at shadow creek forever. Monty montgomery, his son, uh, plays on the tour. But anyhow, they were talking about this event and they were talking how they wanted to do it under lights and you know it does get cold in vegas, but you know they were showing as they were teeing off. They're like, oh, at time of tee off, which was like three o'clock, 3, 15, you know, yeah, they had it planned to play one through five, you know, with the sun, and then, starting on six, that's when the lights. Well, they're showing the temperature. It's 69 degrees, bro. Okay, it's 69 degrees. After they all hit their tee shots on number one, dechambeau had this parka on, like he was sitting on the sideline at Lambeau in December with the heater on his head. I'm like, bro, I know you live in Florida and all but 69 degrees is 69 degrees, like, come on.
Graham:He wore that on the range, bro he. It wasn't the first time. Like they had space heaters in the golf carts, I know whatever I mean, obviously it was your first trip to shadow.
Scott:I've been lucky enough to play it Dude. How stupid is that place.
Graham:You know I'm walking around. We walked the first six holes and then came back to the clubhouse on the turn there and just pretty because it was it, and he was saying like seven, eight, nine, where the holes are, they weren't offering a lot of access for the patrons to walk. So like, screw that, we'll just go to the clubhouse.
Scott:Get some food, get a drink. Wait a minute. You just said patrons. We only use that word at one place. Spectator is what you were yesterday. You were not a goddamn patron.
Graham:You know what? Here I'll do a mini one for you, Well no, I'm just. I wouldn't call you out.
Scott:I'm just saying I love the fact that you said patron yeah.
Graham:But, I was a spectator.
Scott:a spectator when there's something on TV and you send me a video where some dude's yelling mashed potatoes. We don't call those people patrons.
Graham:Yeah right, Good point, good point.
Scott:But real quick, as Graham's laughing about this, because you know, dude, for anybody listening out there that does not know Shadow Creek, I was lucky enough. One of my boys you never met him, Graham. This is before I ever knew you. Lucky enough, one of my boys, you never met him, graham, this is before I ever knew you. One of my boys was actually a long time caddy there and then became the first assistant there and shadow creek was built.
Scott:Steve winn, who basically built vegas you know the new vegas that was his property, right, and he had Fazio come in. It was a flat piece of desert and he told Tom Fazio. He said here's the deal when people are here, I don't want them to know they're in Vegas. So the first thing Tom Fazio did to this piece of property is he took the level of earth and dropped the entire property 20 feet. Imagine how much dirt they had to move to do that. Then, not only that, they had thousands and thousands and thousands of pine trees imported from North Carolina. So you're in the desert in Vegas and you're seeing pine trees. Not only that, he had I forget the exact number, nobody called me out on this but he had millions of dollars of wildlife imported to this place. He had kangaroos on property.
Scott:What Kangaroos on property? And back in the day when Steve he actually his house was right behind number nine green Right. Then he sold it and now MGM owns it and you can't play the place unless you're staying at an MGM property that's not named Treasure Island or Circus Circus. You have to stay at another one of their properties. You can't even drive there, dude. The green fee when you play it it's only open to the public Monday through Thursday. Friday, saturday and Sunday it's only for the whales. But part of your fee to play there includes your limo to and from.
Graham:I mean, that ain't bad.
Scott:Right, I mean, the property is ridiculous. He made Fazio sign a contract with him that he would not design a course within 30 miles of Shadow Creek. Okay, oh, wow. And for anybody in Southern California that's driven to Vegas right there, state line prim Fazio has two courses, oh okay, how crazy is that?
Scott:but anyhow, I've been lucky enough to play it. I mean, the green fees now are like eight, nine hundred bucks. That's insane. My boy, josh, when he was the first assistant there you know Jordan comes out there all the time and he said in preparation for Jordan arriving, they would literally their chef would buy everything that Jordan has ever ordered, just in case he asked for it. They haven't. That's insane. Place is stupid, dude. I mean, I was lucky enough to play it in a tailor-made event. Obviously, your boy ain't paying $800, $900 to play a golf course, nah.
Graham:But it's insane. Look, I'll say this it kind of has. I mean, if you take the tradition out of it, it gives you the feel-esque of Augusta. You know what I mean? Just in the sense of you're walking into a place that you're just like, so amazed in how beautiful it is, but then also the location. You're looking at the trees, you're looking at the grass, you're looking at everything around and you're like I'm in Vegas. Yeah, same thing, like augusta. You could pass augusta national and not even know it, because it's tucked away into those woods like not even have no idea but I mean, dude, just the picture that I sent you from the drive.
Scott:Dude the driving range and that's been and that's been renovated.
Graham:Like sick. Yeah, I mean touching the ground, like everything about it. You're just like I get it. I mean, if there's ever an opportunity that I would get to play, I'd be super ecstatic. But, like you said, shit. Ain't no, golf course worth $1,000. Yeah.
Scott:Like maybe Augusta, but that's about it. The the crazy thing to me and you know you and I were talking about it via text last night when you were there you've got this property. That's like a bucket list property for golfers, right when they're in vegas, right, and they get there my one time I've played it. You go in the golf shop and it's like not a lot of stuff in it at least when I was there Like for a place where people were maybe only going to visit it one time and they're going to fill up the shopping bags. I think I was talking to my dad last night. I think I only walked out of there, dude, with like a ball marker.
Graham:Bro, I'm going to be honest with you. I think they're pro shops the size of your office. Right, it's tiny, it is small, dude. The whole clubhouse is hardly even anything Did you get to go in.
Scott:I know you had VIP. Anything like you get to go and I know you had vip did you get to go in the locker room at all?
Graham:well, they uh, technically no, but I did sneak in like I. I peeked my head and I was just like I don't think I'm allowed to be I was like I don't think I'm allowed to be here, but hey yeah, a funny story, real quick, dude.
Scott:Funny story about my boy, josh, and whatever. I don't care, he don't listen to us, so he don't care if I'd say this when he was a first assistant there. It's actually two stories. Then we'll get into some other stuff real quick. But Shadow, people don't understand what it is. So Jordan or a group of golfers are playing behind Michael Jordan. Jordan is playing an eightsome. Okay, this group behind him calls and is like, hey, they're slow as shit. They're eight players. We're a foursome playing behind them and they're like, yeah, whatever Deal with it, it's Michael Jordan. So, anyhow, jordan one day calls up the shop and he's like hey, josh, can you bring me out a cigar? Josh was like yeah, I got you. Comes out to number nine and brings her.
Announcer:Was it nine?
Scott:Whatever Not important, and Jordan goes to his buddy and I'm not going to name his name. He goes I got five hundo. That my boy, josh, here that just brought me a cigar. Their first assistant, without hitting the ball, can out drive you and he's like no chance. And Josh is like, oh, mr Jordan, no, I haven't hit a shot. No. And he's like Josh. And josh was like oh, mr jordan, no, I haven't hit a shot. No, he's like josh shut up, hit the shot and josh rips one and jordan's boy pulls out his wallet, hands him five hundo. And jordan goes thank you, I just wanted to take his money. That's the place you're dealing with, dude. You know what I mean. It's like it's ridiculous. You know it was pretty cool when they did the original match between tiger and phil way there there, and then they I think they had like a they do it. That is zozo championship there on the tour. And then the ladies I think the ladies played there. But the coolest thing when I was there, number one, your boy shot 76, you know on the front, yeah smack oh
Scott:uh. But after the event and I told you this, maybe one of the most nervous times I've ever been standing over a golf ball, the same place that tiger and phil had their playoff because they were tied after 18, we had a closest to the pin contest on 18 green, from right by the clubhouse and it was like an 80 yard shot and you got 120 club pros that are all tailor-made staffers and close to the pin wins, a thousand dollar chip at MGM and their head pro Bonnie's, on the mic calling people's names and saying this, and dudes are chunking them in the water and shanking them. And I'm like, all right, here we go, it's my turn. And I'm like, please, god, just hit the green, don't do anything stupid. Hit it at 10 feet the end, that's all. Your boy was happy, ain't mad at that, right, but anyhow, I'm pumped. You got to go because you know golf fan fun atmosphere, but I'm kind of bummed you didn't get to give Kepka's wife a hug. I mean you texted me last night, you better.
Scott:I mean my girl's got some hammers. I mean we talked about Verlander and Kate Upton. I mean built for pleasure, built for speed, you motorboat, son of a bitch.
Graham:I'm like walking into the pro shop, not even paying attention. There's her, there's their nanny that's pushing their stroller, they have her kid. They're like one-year-old, two-year-old and they're not even really paying attention. And my boy's like I'm pretty sure that's Kev their stroller, they have her kid. They're like one year old, two year old, and they're not even really paying attention to my boys, like I'm pretty sure that's kevka's wife and I'm like, oh, that old thing. And uh, you know, we walk into the vip tent and we're she's sitting down and like I'm just happened to be, I'm like standing there by the doorway, um, going into it, and like the nanny's playing with the kid and the kid's like running around all of a sudden, like the kid sees me and just like bolts over to me with his hands up, like like he knew, exactly, knew who I was.
Scott:he's like pick me up, pick me up that's graham cohen, co-host of bald guys on the bench. Let's go pick me up, guy yeah, yeah.
Graham:So the kid's running at me, brooke's wife's looking at me like are you going to pick up my son, and I'm like no, yes, maybe I don't know.
Scott:Does it come with a hug?
Graham:Yeah, right. So I half picked the kid up and she's looking at me and then the nanny comes over and I was like, no, here you go, Take the kid back. I'm not stealing him, Just giving it back to you. Here you go. And she's like, all right, cool, cool, cool. I was like, hey man, your kid was coming at me, bro. I was feeling the type of way I'm just over here doing my thing, Right.
Scott:I just love it I saw them.
Graham:I saw YouTube golf personality Rick Shields. I saw him. I saw him for a couple minutes.
Scott:People don't know Rick Shields. Without going out on another five minutes. Rick Shields was like the dude that started the YouTube golf world. Yeah, yeah, I mean he's entertaining. He does a lot of fun stuff, a lot of teaching, a lot of club testing you know, goes out and plays against tour pros and you know, fun dude.
Graham:Yeah, he built his brand. Yeah For sure, a hundred percent Doing that. His brand yeah For sure, 100% Doing that. Saw JR Smith there. That was pretty cool Former Cleveland Cavalier and Saw Former what Do I need to say all the teams he's been on.
Scott:No, just the number one team. Oh, I'm waiting.
Graham:Well, he was on the Knicks, you're not setting me up for that. Bro, You're not setting me up that school that just hired the greatest NFL coach ever.
Scott:Anyhow, we'll talk about that later too, but anyhow, let's move on. Dude, it's 25 minutes in. We're talking Shadow Creek. I mean, we could sit here and talk Shadow Creek forever. Facts that's how much of a bucket list that place is.
Graham:Yeah, shit, we didn't even talk about the ass-whooping that Scheffler and Rory gave him. But oh, dude, no need to be said.
Scott:No, that's not even important, whatever.
Graham:Bryson couldn't make a putt.
Scott:Dude, all I'm going to say is remember I was like where are you? You were like we're heading to two green. I'm like where are you? You're like we're heading to two green. I'm like, no dude, go to four green, the par five, where Bryson hits a nine iron in the second shot to like three feet for Eagle Bro, and then Rory drains a bomb for Eagle and then Bryson misses it.
Graham:I'm like I was there. Yeah, my boy, we're walking. They're seeing so many people on the inside rope. He's like screw it. He's like we're going on under inside the rope, so we're like walking in the crowd of people like I'm literally five feet from rory when he hit us. You know his second shot in and I was just like yeah, but place is dope that was my that was my moment.
Scott:Yeah. So, dude, since we've last talked, you know it's been a while. It's been a long time, couple weeks, um, just something I wanted to talk about. The only good thing that happened the night that the chargers were playing the chiefs was your boy's team signed Soto. Let's go Not bad. Yeah, y'all beat the shit out of the Browns that night or that day. Either we lost to the Chiefs on a doink field goal. Refs were ridiculous, as we're going to talk about that again. But before we even get into that, dude, we got a 12 field college football playoff starting on Friday. Okay, 12 teams, dude, we've talked about it numerous times. Don't care if you agree with who got in, don't care about any of that. At least they're trying to do something different, right, right, I'll give you that. And it's going to be dope. It's going to be fun to watch. It's going to last three or four weeks. You know the games kick off Friday night. Your Penn state Nittany Lions, you know, played the game of their season against Oregon in the Big Ten.
Graham:Championship. Yes, sir.
Scott:If they played like that against Ohio State they would have won, but y'all are hosting SMU by any chance. Have you seen the news coming out of Happy Valley? They had tractors on the field plowing the snow.
Announcer:Oh, hey.
Scott:Ohio State Come up north Southerners. Yeah, the Ohio State-Tennessee game, which is the last game. Saturday night Game time temperature is supposed to be like 26 degrees. We got some matchups, bro, we do we got some matchups.
Scott:I mean Clemson at Texas. Winner plays Arizona State. Love it. Tennessee at Ohio State. Winner plays Oregon, the number one seed. Smu at Penn State winner plays Boise State in Arizona. And then Indiana at Notre Dame winner plays Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. I'm just going to say this, dude, if Ohio State beats Tennessee, if? Watch out, what are we watching for? Watch out for a run by the fuck guys.
Graham:I mean, look, they'll make some noise. They got a tough road. They'll be tested and we'll see if they're as good as everyone says they are. But then again, to be honest, this year what team is dominant?
Scott:That's why it's a crapshoot.
Graham:It's a crapshoot. It's a crapshoot. Yeah, I mean, it's an any given Sunday, yeah, kind of comment for a football game.
Scott:And it all came down to the seedings dude. Oregon, the number one seed in the land. They get a bye in the first round. What do they get awarded with? Oh, ohio State or Tennessee. Hey, Right, you want to be the best in the first round.
Graham:What do they get awarded with? Oh, ohio State or Tennessee. Hey, right, you want to be the best. You got to beat the best right.
Announcer:Dude.
Graham:I mean, I mean that's unfair seating, but Right my opinion.
Scott:The winner of the SMU Penn State game, whoever wins that game, is going to beat Boise. State Should. Should is a key word beat Boise.
Graham:State Should. Should is a key word, obviously. Yeah.
Scott:Should, and I'm just going to go out on a limb and just say it right now Clemson's going to beat Texas, wow yeah. And then Arizona State's going to beat Clemson.
Graham:Dude, Arizona State's hot, you think I mean I saw something the other day Arizona State was picked to finish last Dead In their entire conference Dead last and they won it.
Scott:What Fun fact about Arizona State. Their head coach, born and raised there, played there. His parents literally live four miles from the stadium. His wife went there. I mean, he comes home from work I saw this interview the other day Comes home from work and his wife goes why are you home? You need to be watching film. This interview the other day. Comes home from work and his wife goes why are you home? You need to be watching film. Dude, it's awesome, man, it's cool. It's going to be a fun couple weeks. Dude, it's going to be. I agree. I mean no chance. In my mind, indiana beats Notre Dame. But now that I'm saying it, place your bets at Moneyline Indiana. I just I don't know, man, it's going to be wild, it's going to be fun, something we haven't seen. You know You're going to catch lightning in a bottle and the team's going to get hot. Would I love to see Boise State win a couple games, Absolutely.
Scott:Oh 100% Right. I mean, I don't know. I don't know Georgia, I don't know what to think about Georgia. Is homeboy going to play their quarterback or is the backup? I heard he's out. Well, he's got a couple of weeks before they got to play, but still.
Graham:Yeah, hey, I am betting most of these games, so don't matter to me, yeah but I am going to go out there and throw it out there.
Scott:I was talking to Buckeye earlier and Buckeye and Kristen heard it. Buckeye said you know, obviously Tennessee's a great program. Tennessee, you know, I told you a couple weeks ago I bet on them to win it. He said Tennessee has a great defensive line, great offensive line and great running back. He's like their cornerbacks are terrible. He goes. They're built just like Michigan right now. Great defensive line, great running game. He goes. If Ohio State and Ryan Day and Chip Kelly do not open up the passing game with the wide receivers that Ohio State has and we all know who they have he goes. If we lose that game, he goes. I'm getting my Ohio State tattoo on my right calf removed.
Announcer:Wow, wow.
Scott:Let's go Right. And Kristen heard it, so, Buckeye, I'm holding you to that shit bro.
Graham:Oh, you better believe it. I have a tattoo.
Scott:I have a tattoo because of a sports bet. You're going to get a tattoo removed because of a sports bet. Let's go, baby. Let's go.
Graham:Let's go.
Scott:Let's go Tennessee, baby. Oh man, you want to? Let's go. Let's go Tennessee, baby. Oh man. You want to talk about a bitter Buckeye? Oh wee.
Graham:Are you going to jar with them all game?
Scott:No, I'm not even going to bring it up until they lose, just like Kristen, justin Parker and Chris Rush did with me with my Chargers bet tattoo. They didn't talk about it at all until the next day. Don't worry, graham, there will be a text in the Vinegar Strokes fantasy football thread the next day.
Graham:I'm waiting for it, oh man.
Scott:Could you imagine I?
Graham:almost want to change my team name now in that league.
Scott:Don't do it, but anyhow, before Friday and the college football playoff start, we got a Thursday night football game that I'm pretty sure you're attending. The last game at SoFi this year, and could it be a bigger game? My last?
Graham:game at SoFi for a hot minute.
Scott:Yeah, could there be a bigger game for your boys' squad tomorrow night? I mean, we got a two-game lead with three to go, but after getting the wood laid to us last week by Baker Mayfield and Mike Evans, I don't really feel great about it and Herbert's injury.
Graham:I mean not to cut you off you, and I actually haven't spoken much about the game in particular, Obviously, I was watching it the. Charger game, no, your Charger game against Tampa Last week. Yeah, yeah, yeah, obviously, when we were watching it, I was watching, obviously, the Steelers.
Graham:He was on the big screen and also the Bills Cowboys, so I was watching the Charger game. I guess my real question is I thought the Bucks defense was all beat to hell. Yeah, what happened? I mean obviously the touchdown to Mike Evans that he broke the tackle and went for 50 yards. Okay, whatever, but did Herbert? Was he just banged?
Scott:What happened? I thought they were going to move the ball better. He didn't have one rushing attempt the entire game. Anybody that remembers he got banged up against the Chiefs, had the ankle injury, yeah, and dude, dude, we started off. Tampa got the ball first, went down the field, scored a touchdown.
Scott:chargers went down the field, scored a touchdown I remember that next possession uh, our fifth round corner from maryland got a pick. We scored. I got a field goal. Their next possession they fumbled and we scored 17 points in the first half and then we didn't score a point in the second half. Their defensive line. What's the dude's name? I can't even think of his name.
Graham:Yeah, played his dick off.
Scott:Yeah, he's an his dick off yeah.
Graham:He's an all pro.
Scott:Yeah, the running back ran his ass off. Injuries caught up with us. Cam Hart, our other rookie corner got hurt. Yeah, Our offensive line, interior offensive line couldn't block me. You know Zion Johnson, dude Trey Pipkins and Bradley Bozeman, Like, I hope you enjoy your last season as a charger.
Scott:Well, Zion's not getting cut because he's still under his rookie deal. But dude, it was miserable. It was absolute miserable. We got the ball coming out of halftime and I literally have the text and I told Tyler TP I'm like, dude, if we don't score any points right here, we're done. Dude, we didn't score a point on our last I think six drives and Tampa scored points on their last six drives. Pretty hard to win a game like that. And dude, let's just say Mike Evans I was telling Kellen you know he's a younger dude, doesn't know I'm like he's one of the most, if not the most, underrated wide receiver in football. Oh, what that dude has done. I mean, he's missed four games this year and still has a chance to keep his thousand yard street going 10 straight years. Thousand yards.
Graham:Dude, if he hits it, I'm telling you how he wouldn't be a first ballot Hall of Famer. Just blows my mind. Look, if you're going to give it to Calvin Johnson which I'm not saying he doesn't deserve it, but that's also opening up a bag of tricks that we don't need to get into.
Scott:Yeah, we're not even talking about that.
Graham:But I'm just saying the quarterbacks he had in his career throwing the ball. Glennon, you got Jameis Winston.
Scott:He did have Brady for a couple years.
Graham:Obviously, you had Tom Brady but that was only for a couple years. Yeah, you know what I mean. Like he was just stacking those yards year by year by year, and now, look, he got a Super Bowl with Tom Brady and it's just like when you look at his career as a whole, you can't not say, like Mike Evans was a top wide receiver pretty much his entire career, would you not agree?
Scott:A hundred percent who?
Graham:was his college quarterback. Oh, I know this, it's Johnny Manziel. Went to Texas A&M. There you go.
Announcer:Good work, good work.
Scott:You ain't catching me, dude. Herbert looked so bad and he was getting drilled right. There was like five or six minutes left and I'm just screaming at the tv the game's out of reach, herbert's getting yeah, put in Heineke, we're playing a short week. Okay, we played the Broncos in three days, Put in Taylor. They finally put in Taylor and Kellen had already gone upstairs. He's like this game's done. I'm like, yeah, I don't blame you and I call him out.
Scott:I'm like they finally put in Taylor. Taylor goes in, throws a pass to his ODU connection, stone Smart, stone Smart catches it, then fumbles. Can't even watch TH One play. I'm like unreal. But hey, this is the reason we hired Harbaugh right here. How did we bounce back Right? You know what I'm saying? All the questions going into the season were and I don't want to go out talk about my chargers forever.
Graham:No, no, no. I like I said I just, we haven't chatted about the game I just want to ask you a couple of points on it.
Scott:All the, all the questions about the chargers you know going into. Are they going to take neighbors? Are they going to take an offensive lineman? Are they going to do this? Are they going to take Bowers? Well, we took Alt, and if you're not up to speed, alt's leading all right tackles in the AFC and Pro Bowl votes.
Scott:Okay, people after the game the other day are bitching and moaning that we didn't take neighbors. Okay, let me ask you, people that are bitching about this, if we took neighbors instead of Alt, do you think Herbert would still be playing? I'm going to go ahead and tell you right now how about? No? Okay, I mean, we got a steal in the second round with Ladd, who's got the second most receiving yards out of rookies. Okay, we went offensive lineman and got a receiver. Okay, lad is not supposed to be a number one, right, but he's been our number one, right? He's all we got, yeah, and our boy, rob, that you're going to see tomorrow, is yelling and screaming at me via text Lad disappears during games for so long. And I'm like Rob, when you're the defensive coordinator for another team and the only person that's burning you is Lad, what do you think you're telling your people, hey, don't let that little 5'9 dude burn us.
Announcer:Right.
Scott:Yeah, like I said, we've won five games. Last year Five. We've won eight this year. We're going to probably get into the postseason by default because of the two-game lead, with three to go, whatever, but I don't know. Dude, look at the new regime. They're solid, they're making calls, they're doing the right things.
Scott:The only thing I do not like and history will tell you the same thing is who Harbaugh hired as his god dang offensive coordinator Greg Roman. What happened to Greg Roman in Baltimore? Chased him right out of there. Granted, he's doing the best with what he's got. Okay, you assign DJ Chark as a free agent who absolutely kills it in preseason, and then he gets hurt. The end Dobbins goes down. There goes the running game and something that needs to be said more and more. And something that needs to be said more and more Denzel Perryman, middle linebacker that we drafted out of Miami, that we let walk and that came back. He ain't played a game in over a month and he's one of the best run stoppers on our team. There you go. I love where we are right now with the young core of the team.
Scott:Anyhow, enough about the Chargers, we're way into this episode. Let's jump real quick. Steelers hey, thanks, nfl schedule making committee. Let's make the Steelers play three games in 11 days. Oh, and not only that, but let's make the Steelers play, uh, three games in 11 days. Oh, and not only that, but let's make them play, uh, the Eagles I'd say right now the best team in the NFC uh, then let's make them play their the Ravens, and then, four days later, let's make them play the Chiefs and then make them play the Bengals. But, but, oh, yeah, let's don't forget, hey Bills, your last three games of the season. You get to play the Patriots twice and the Jets once.
Graham:They thought the Jets would be better. Look, believe me, I'm not justifying the NFL scheduling by any means, but I will say this I am getting a kick out of all. The Kansas City Chiefs. Fans are like this is bullshit, we got to play. They're in the same boat as us. I'm like, oh I'm sorry, Are you the only team that has to play three games in 11 days? Oh, I'm sorry. We're one of them as well. I mean, and Mahomes is like I can't believe we got to play on Christmas. This is bullshit. And I'm just like shut up, Kermit. I'm like, oh, cause you're the Santa Claus comes to Pittsburgh, to you little bastard.
Graham:I'm like it's, it's, there's a time and a place for everything. I get why the NFL wants to have those games on on those days, but it's just like you can't it's not granted. The Like you can't, it's not granted the schedule. Makers can't predict what teams will be at that part of the season. And I get that Like. Did they think Pittsburgh was going to be as good as they were? Probably not, you know. Did they think that the other teams would do what they did? Who knows? But still, three games in 11 days is not fair to anyone.
Scott:And, besides, if you were going to do that do that in the beginning of the season. Not crunch time.
Graham:Do it around a bye. Don't do it when there's four weeks left, and this is the meat and potatoes of the season when everything comes down to everything. Dude the division is still up for grabs 100%. I just it's look, I mean our game, look. I don't want to say we got shellacked, the defense kept us in it. I will say this we did have some questionable calls that the refs did not want to give our direction.
Scott:Oh, you mean like the slap to the face on the punt I, that the ref said was after the play and clearly you can see the dude smack him and then see the ball go flying. Yeah, I hey, the score was only 3-0 when that happened.
Graham:I mean, look, we lost all that momentum in the third when Najee fumbled the ball that killed us.
Scott:Dude, you only touched the ball on offense twice in the second half.
Graham:Yeah, you can't win games that way, twice.
Scott:Yeah, the Eagles had a 21-play drive that they held the ball for over 10 minutes.
Graham:Yeah, hey, brush it off Because they did the tush, push twice, brush it off.
Graham:It's in the past, don't even no, it is, it is. But my thing is this Brush it off. It's in the past. Don't even no, it is, it is. But my thing is I'm only piggybacking your comment in the sense of you need wide receivers. Yeah, we got some guys, but not having George Pickens kind of a big deal. I mean, like he ain't him but he's the closest thing we got to him. So I don't disagree, but we need him for the playoffs and that's the most important thing.
Announcer:Is he going to play this week Trending in the right direction?
Scott:Is TJ going to play this week?
Graham:He was limited in practice, but he normally has Wednesdays off anyway for just veteran day recovery. Personally, I think he will play, but I think they'll also keep him on a pitch count. Yeah, I mean, at least you know we have Herbick, that's healthy. We have Highsmith, that's playing, that's healthy. You know our other guys will step up, but still it's hard to replace a TJ Watt. I don't care who you are.
Scott:We've said it before the season you know what player going down affects the team more than anybody.
Graham:TJ Watt yeah.
Scott:Wasn't he out last year in the playoffs? Yeah, yeah, but anyhow, dude, let's chat about the game you were at Falcons Raiders. Was that Kirk Cousins? Last game news came out you got benched. They're starting pennants, cousins. Last game News came out you got benched.
Graham:They're starting pinnicks. What's the Magic 8 ball, say, when you shake it up and it's just like things are pointing in the direction of yes, you know what else should be pointing when he threw the real route to the wide receiver for the. When he threw that real route for the touchdown I'm like, all right, you know it looked pretty good, but then just through the rest of the game, like their offense was just so stagnant, so bad. How many times have we had conversations? They have too good of players to be this bad.
Scott:Remember that guy named Kyle Pitts that everybody said was going to be the greatest tight end ever.
Graham:Hey, trade him to Kansas City and see what happens.
Scott:You slap your face for saying that. I'm just saying, I'm just saying slap your face for putting that out into the universe. Okay, but here's the crazy thing With the news of Cousins getting benched and Pennix getting the start. Do you realize? Two left-handed quarterbacks have not started in the league the same week since 2012?
Announcer:No.
Scott:Yeah, you know who those two are. Well, this week, Tua and Penix are the two lefties. Do you know who the two left-handed quarterbacks were back in 2012? One of them we're going to talk about in this minute. Some local news here in the 757.
Graham:So it would have been 2012,. So that's Michael Vick.
Scott:And you'll never get the next one.
Graham:Mark Brunel.
Scott:No, I was getting ready to say if you get the second one, I'll take a shot right now, but no chance.
Graham:Wait, let's get it. Can you just tell me the team no, or will that be too?
Scott:much If I told you the team, you still wouldn't get it, because it wasn't his first team.
Graham:Oh well, give it to me here. What team was it? Jets? Jets, left-handed Multiple teams.
Scott:That's the only hint you're getting. That's it. If I said any other hints, you'd be like boom.
Graham:Who saw the Jets back in the day.
Scott:That was, oh man, all right I'll give you a hint, but this doesn't count for the shot. Okay, I don't even know which one I want to give you. You're killing me over here. Maybe the greatest college quarterback of all times, stat wise.
Graham:Oh my God, I would have not guessed that Pat White.
Scott:No, beat your Steelers in a playoff game with a walk off. Oh, he did play for them, fuck you. Beat your Steelers in a playoff game with a walk-off, tutty oh.
Graham:He did play for them. Fuck you All. Right, right, tim Tebow Right.
Scott:Is that wild? And that was a pretty asshole thing.
Graham:Well, if you would have said that one, I definitely would have got that for sure.
Scott:That was a pretty asshole thing of me to say to one of my buddies about Tim Tebow beating the goddang Steelers in overtime in a playoff game.
Graham:With the team that we had too.
Scott:And RIP to the wide receiver that caught it.
Graham:Demarius Thomas.
Scott:Unreal. Where did Demarius Thomas play in college? Quick, quick Come on. Acc, acc, clemson.
Graham:Nope.
Announcer:Georgia Tech? I don't remember Georgia Tech.
Scott:Oh yeah, I wouldn't have got that. And the only reason I know that off the top of my head is my boy, johnny, that you met. One of his good friends played fullback at Georgia Tech and they were roommates. Got it, yeah, but anyhow, dude, nsc North. Could there be a crazier division in football right now?
Graham:Dude, I feel bad for the Lions right now. Their players are dropping like flies.
Scott:All right, you want to hear a crazy stat that my wife sent me right before we started. No Amount of players on IR are out for each NFL team. Okay, the Lions have 22. 22. That's insane. Of players on IR are out for each NFL team. Okay, the Lions have 22. 22.
Graham:That's insane.
Scott:The next team are the Browns, with 18. The next team are the Dolphins and Giants, with 15.
Graham:Jesus and a lot of those guys are defensive guys too for him that are out.
Announcer:Stunts.
Graham:And the running back. That's huge. I tell you one thing the only people that are happy and I hate to say this because, fuck them, dude, the Vegas sports book is loving life right now. Yeah, oh yeah, Loving life, all that money that was on the Lions to win the championship. Ooh Dude.
Scott:Not saying they still couldn't but Not only are they loving that, but they're also loving how stupid Dan Campbell is kicking onside kicks. Oh, dude, we're not even. We didn't even talk about the Packers game. Whatever, dude, I don't know, did you not learn in the NFC Championship game against the Niners last year?
Graham:They were down two scores. They had to kick the onside.
Scott:With 14 minutes left in the game. That was with yes, they just closed the gap to get the game to 14 points. And then homeboy takes the onside kick all the way down to inside the five.
Graham:Maybe not 14, but there was a lot of time left.
Scott:On a side note, I'm just going to go out and vent real quick. What has two thumbs and hates the Minnesota Vikings? This guy, what also has four thumbs and hates the Cincinnati Bengals defender that picked up the fumble and could have scored a touchdown for our fantasy team, but yet the ass hat the first person of the of two in the day. Drop the ball before he crossed the goal line. Oh, that would be me and you. It's 2024. Jonathan Taylor, why are you doing this? The Cincinnati Bengals defender are you kidding me? Right now, Vikings, you're up 21 points with three minutes left in the game. You're playing the Bears and you still have your starters in. And yes, folks, I'm whining and crying because the fantasy team that Graham and I co-managed together had our performance of the year and lost by less than a point. Because of all of the above, it's.
Graham:we made all the right plays.
Scott:We did what we were supposed to do there's nothing we could have done differently to change the outcome, except for the Bengals asshat scoring a touchdown on defense, which would have been the Bengals second touchdown on defense in the day, which would have been the Bengals' second touchdown on defense in the day. Our run is over. No-transcript. Our team was stacked.
Announcer:Yeah.
Scott:I don't disagree. It's fantasy football. It comes down to what Luck and injuries yeah. And what ended up killing us. Going into the last regular season week, we were the two seed. We got beat, we got dropped to the three seed and that ultimately ended up haunting us.
Graham:Why Derrick Henry was on a bye the last week of the season and then Derrick Henry got a six and a half fucking points.
Scott:Yeah, but you can't say that because the Bengals defense got us 24. I mean those roles should have been reversed, but the Cincinnati Bengals defense should have gotten us 24. I mean those roles should have been reversed, but the Cincinnati Bengals defense should have gotten us 30.
Graham:Hey, hey.
Scott:Preach. Not only that, but it was hard, it was a tough pill for your boy to swallow, because one of our quarterbacks is Baker playing against my chargers and he's just torching us and I'm like, well, if we get smoked, at least we're going to win this fantasy game.
Graham:But literally the two worst things that could have happened.
Scott:Yeah. Your team gets torched and it's still not enough for you and I have Mike Evans in our other league and I'm playing Buckeye and I beat Buckeye by a hundred points. I mean, it's fantasy football, dude, it is what it is I know.
Graham:And then another team in the playoffs advances with like 114 points.
Scott:It's like really. And then another team in the playoffs advances with like 114 points Like really.
Graham:I know it's rough, it's all rough. I mean I'm not looking forward to the choices that I got to make this week. It's tough. I need dubs More in our CBS league than the ESPN league, although we don't need Andy to show up in the league for the first year and win it. So we got to do something. I mean, I play him this week. All I can do is hope for a miracle, but I mean, if Andy wins the championship, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God.
Graham:I started in your league for the first time and I won it. I'm amazing.
Scott:That would sound just like you.
Graham:Oh, you mean because you took Josh Allen and who's been saving you the last eight weeks.
Scott:No, I'm talking about you the first year in the ESPN League, when you got auto-drafted the first pick of Ezekiel Elliott and you had a bitch fit and then won. So I was saying just like you in reference to that. But whatever, dude, it's fantasy football. I'm just going to say this your boy, you're going to a Charger game tomorrow. Your boy gets to go to his first Charger game since I was with you at SoFi next weekend. This is the first Charger game I've been to since that night.
Announcer:Wow.
Graham:Oh, because you're going to.
Scott:New England, right, yeah, yeah, get to go see the Chargers. I'm going to visit my mom in Connecticut Just so happened to work out that the Chargers are playing New England.
Graham:Did he come through for you? Oh, are you going to tease me with it, or are you going to tell us?
Scott:Yeah, you saw the text. He's getting tickets. I don't know how many. There's six of us going regardless. The question is and Kristen had a great idea how do you ask somebody for field passes without asking them for field passes? I mean, it's in New England, there's not going to be. It's Christmas week. There ain't going to be a lot of friends and family going to this game. Yeah, that's a good point, and Kristen was like I got it. She was like texting him and say, hey, I got you a shirt and a hat from my new club. How do I get it to you?
Graham:Can I give it to you on the field? Can I give it to you on the field? Got him.
Announcer:I mean right, love it yeah.
Scott:But anyhow, dude, three games left in the NFL season until the playoffs start. College football playoffs start Friday night. It's going to be fun, dude. I'm really looking forward to the college football playoffs. I am too, especially with the higher ranked teams getting a home game. I mean the atmosphere at these stadiums are you kidding me? I just feel bad because Boise State they don't get a home game. Could you imagine the atmosphere at Boise State and something like this? Oh bro, yeah, you know what I mean, 100%.
Scott:I'm watching Pat McAfee earlier today and they're talking about Notre Dame and Indiana and you know, indiana, as we know, has the basketball history and they're like all the Indiana even students were Notre Dame football fans because Indiana football has been terrible. Now they're playing Notre Dame. I mean, it's pretty sick. It's history. I love it. It's pretty sick, but real quick, as we get ready to get off the air, I mentioned it earlier A pretty amazing quarterback one of the left-handed players in 2012, just agreed to be a head coach at a university in my area and that's Michael Vick Just became the head coach at Norfolk State. Dude, insane.
Announcer:That is.
Scott:It's insane. And they're in the MEAC. They're going to get recruits, they're going to get you know, are they going to get five-star? No, but remember, remember when Deion signed on to be was it Jacksonville State or something? Jackson State, jackson State. Remember, he did get the number one overall prospect to sign with Jackson State and I'm pretty sure homeboy just won the Heisman three days ago. Bet he did. Dude, I was talking to Billy last night and my dad tonight. If Michael Vick comes in your house to recruit your kid, if Michael Vick comes in your house to recruit your kid as a parent. I was on the fence about this at first and the more I thought about it, the more I was like this is going to work.
Graham:Michael Vick was on the top of the world, dude, and then he was on the bottom of the world Is there any better head coach influence in your child's life when you're sending him away to school to teach that kid lessons Right? No, I agree, right.
Scott:But anyhow, Graham, we're going to probably do an episode Monday night, right?
Graham:We can do some yeah or Sunday.
Scott:I know, cause I work Monday, you work Monday, work Sunday. Uh, we got chargers tomorrow. We got Steeler Saturday, uh, and that might be the end of the year, cause I'm going up north Holidays. Not sure if we're going to record up there, Okay, anyhow. Hey, good luck to the Steelers, good luck to my Chargers, thank you, and let's just get in, because that's two teams that the world didn't think was going to happen.
Graham:Facts hey all you got to do is make the dance.
Scott:Not only that Can we give, and I hate to say this oh, I skipped something. We got to give a little props to the Denver Broncos.
Announcer:Okay.
Scott:Because Vegas had their win total at five and a half. Okay, and as I mentioned in the Denver Broncos, this is going to be our real. On Instagram. I was talking to Rob last week. This is the last game that Rob and Trevor get to go to before Trevor goes off to college, and Rob was. Rob was literally getting emotional with me talking about it and I said, Rob, there's one thing I need at that game and if you don't do this, I may never talk to you, ever again and that is I've known Trevor since he was knee-high to a frog at Chargers games and I taught Trevor when we played the Donkeys. When a Donkey fan walks past you, you got to give him this Eeyah, Eeyah. And I said if you don't send me a video of Trevor doing that to a Bronco fan, the end. So, Graham, when you're tailgating with him tomorrow, remind him of that. Rob already knows and have fun at SoFi Drive. Safe to LA. I want to hear your ass horses. A mother, because we need to get this dubbed tomorrow.
Scott:There ain't a bigger game at SoFi you've been to than this one For the Chargers.
Graham:Yeah, I'm trying to think no, I mean, there's a lot to prove there, you're right. I mean, look, I'm excited too. It's going to be my last home game for a while, so I'm ready to give out all the effort of my vocals and root them on. Let's go, chargers, and go. Bolts go, as they like to say. I think, I don't know, I'm just guessing. It just doesn't make sense. They say bolt up, but thanks for playing. I know, bolt up, bolt up. Hey Scott, it's been a hell of a year already 2024. Quick recap we always have a blast. We cracked 5,000 downloads.
Graham:Couldn't be more proud, so happy to do this with you, love you to death, and I'm looking forward to the next time we do it. So until then, as the best homie always says, buh-bye.
Scott:Good night friends. Buckeye, I hope you have your tattoo removed. Bronco fans, I can't wait for you to hear my boy T Eeyah Eeyah, suck it Broncos.
Announcer:This episode of the Ball Guys on the Bench podcast is brought to you by our friends at Northstar Credit Union and Southern Auto, located in Southeast Virginia.
