Pat's Peeps Podcast

Ep. 390 Today's Peep Came for Football, Stayed for the Sunshine! A Blizzard Blinds Broadcasters, A Muffed Punt, Taunting, A Governor Waves Knee Pads on the World Stage and Goes Off The Rails, Plus The World's Greatest Front Man's Debut Single

• Pat Walsh

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A snowstorm swallowed the field in Denver and turned a playoff showcase into a survival drill—broadcasters squinting for the ball, players skating on powder, and the Patriots clawing past the top seed. From there the memories started flooding back: Rams-Patriots déjà vu, the thin margins of a 13-3 defensive duel, and the forever-argued choice at the goal line that made Malcolm Butler a verb in barroom debates. Rivalries aren’t just about colors; they’re about what those moments do to your gut.

We shift to the NFC West and a game that hinged on fingertips and focus. The Rams had momentum, forced a punt, and then a muff rewrote the script in seconds. Add a mindless taunting penalty that handed back life and a Puka Nakua dagger that nearly flipped it again, and you’ve got the anatomy of heartbreak. We talk matchups, situational discipline, and how one special teams snap can carry more playoff gravity than an entire first quarter.

Then the mic turns to a listener’s original song, a mournful, sharp take on California’s high-speed rail—billions spent, maps printed, tracks missing. It sets the stage for a frank look at leadership and optics: knee-pad jokes at Davos, canceled appearances, and the sense that style is outrunning substance while homes burn and streets buckle. If you care about infrastructure, accountability, and priorities, this segment will meet you where frustration lives and ask for better.

We close by dropping the needle on a flawless 1985 Mick Jagger 45 and connecting it to choices that shape a life—forklift or radio booth, safe path or shot taken. That thread runs through the whole show: decisions under pressure, whether you’re calling a play, running a state, or chasing a dream. Tap play, ride the swings with us, and then tell us what moment you’d redo if you had the chance. If the show hits, follow, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review so more people can find it.

SPEAKER_06:

Well, here we are again, friends. That's Peeps Podcast. 390 podcasts as of today. It's Black Monday. How are you? I'm looking out my studio window into the beautiful foothills of Northern California. I will say this because I gotta get up and I gotta close my shades a little bit. Hold on. Ooh Lord. Man, the sun. Hold up. Oh no, come on now. Wow. The sun is really coming through my windows today. And uh so when I say uh Black Monday, of course I'm referring to football, anyhow. I'm looking at my studio windows and the beautiful foothills through the daffodils here in Northern California. It's uh like I said, it's a sunny day. It's gorgeous out. I don't know what the temperature is, not that warm necessarily, not not too frigid. Anyhow, my name is Pat Walsh. I'm the host of the Pat Walsh Radio Show. It's just the Pat Walsh show, thank you. Heard on KFBK Radio in Sacramento, 93.1 FM, 1530 a.m., streaming live everywhere on the free iHeart app. And uh please support local businesses. Please uh check out our Pat's Peeps page, uh Pat's Peeps.com. We work really hard at that page and support and we support the local businesses. So if you would, and you get the special deals. Heck, that's a good thing, right? Tough day yesterday, of course. Yesterday was the NFC and the AFC, well, the championship games for the NFL, AFC, NFC Championship Games. And the Broncos and the Patriots played first. That was kind of weird because it started in Denver. Well, we used to call a Mile High. I don't know what they call it now, some corporate name, I forget. It's always going to be Mile High to me, Mile High Stadium in Denver. And uh the Broncos, the number one seed with Jared Stenham at quarterback. I mean, the guy, to be honest, I mean, I don't know, for not having thrown a single pass the entire year, you know, he didn't look too bad. I didn't think he looked too bad. You know, and and I didn't think they looked that great, and I didn't think the Patriots looked that great. But it was really weird because, you know, you start watching the game, and everything's just fine. You know, the weather doesn't seem to be too bad, but this is Colorado, of course, and we all know that there is big snowstorms. They warned about these snowstorms that are coming in. They warned NFL fans, like, hey, you know what? That's Sunday. There's gonna be a lot of snow, and you might want to reconsider your plans. But these fans are out, I mean, they're they're just out for blood, man. They're gonna be there. Some of these fools with their shirts off. That always gets me. You got a guy, he's had one too many, he's got his shirt off so he can be on camera. I mean, I don't know, man. If it gets below like 60, I mean, again, I would have been the first to beat the parish in the daughter party. So I don't get that. I can do well in heat, but not in the cold temps. But anyhow, so it's okay. It starts okay in Denver. I mean, neither team, if you're asking, I mean, I'm not that you were, but I don't know what you thought, but like neither team was that great. Uh then it starts like in the third quarter. I mean, it starts to snow. And suddenly that game is just you know, it was funny because I was listening to part of that on the radio. I don't know what they were saying on TV, but on the radio they were saying that the the announcers, well, no, maybe it was on TV, actually. I can't remember. Doesn't matter really, beside the point. All I know is I watch part of it and I listen to part of it. But anyhow, at one point they were talking about they couldn't tell where the ball was. Like, I don't know, Bob, it could be. I'm not sure what a ball we would say where it's happening, but we're not really sure. And then the the color announcer, I'm sorry, I don't remember who they were at the time for the game. And they're like, Yeah, uh, I don't know where it is either. Maybe the 32. Uh remember that was like the fog bowl between the Eagles and the Bears all those years ago. Remember that game? Started off okay and then the fog just poured in. The announcers are like, I don't know what's going on down there. Your guess is as good as mine. All you hear is, Hunt, hot. You know what I hear? Like, the announcers couldn't see the game. I mean, that's you think about that's tough. What are you gonna do as an announcer? So, anyhow, yeah, it got really snowy. And the Patriots out lasted the Broncos, the two seed out lasted the one seed, and are now headed to the Super Bowl, where after they won, already that meant it was gonna be a rematch with either my Rams or the Seahawks in Seattle. If it's against the Rams, the Rams looking to, you know, get a little redemption for the first one where Tom Brady ever won when the Rams were like huge favorites. It was the greatest show on turf, and they were favored, geez, by like 14 or 17 points, something ridiculous. And the Patriots won that game on a field goal, if you remember. Then they played a few years ago, and that was uh, and even I will admit it was it was a boring Super Bowl. 13-3 in favor of the Patriots. Started off well with the Rams. You know, and and that's interesting to me, too, because in terms of that Super Bowl, people always say, well, God, you know, that that great Rams team, that was Jared Goff at quarterback. You know, boy, they didn't do anything in the Super Bowl. You know, the Patriots really played good defense. Well, here's the point that people forget. The two two of the main catalysts that year for the Rams' regular season campaign to get that far were Cooper Cup and Todd Gurley. Two of the very best players. But if you go back, neither one of them were playing. They had CJ Anderson, they got CJ Anderson at a retirement that year. The guy had been sitting on a sofa somewhere. Some Davenport back in the Midwest. Who knows? But he came back like a bowling ball, and they had Brandon Cooks, who's a vagabond in the NFL, goes team to team. So the Rams could have got, I still think, could have won that Super Bowl had the had the butt but you know what? That's the past. I don't mean to dwell on things in the past. I'm whining about it. It is football. People get injured, but and of course we do remember the Super Bowl we're Seattle the last time they played against the Patriots. Where um Russell Wilson that I tell you what, that game there where I think it was Jimmy Graham who made that catch, one of the Seattle Seahawks tight ends, uh, made this amazing catch. Right after that, they handed the ball to Marshawn Lynch, but then comes the play against the Patriots, which is in my estimation, and probably the estimation of so many football fans who watched that, right when it looked like Seattle was gonna win the game, Malcolm Butler picked off Russell Wilson. All he had to do was hand the ball off, if you recall.

SPEAKER_01:

I cannot believe the call. You've got Marshawn Lynch in the backfield, you've got a guy that's been borderline unstoppable in this part of the field. I can't believe the call.

SPEAKER_06:

Al Michaels, Chris Collinsworth, no one could believe the call. So that could be a rematch of that. And now that's what it's gonna be. But at the time I'm thinking, well, either way, it's gonna be a rematch. And I'm sure that 49er fans are like, hey, whatever you do, Patriots, you you have to win this game. I did a little survey on Facebook to see if Niner fans even cared after they were eliminated, if they even cared about this Ram Seahawks matchup in the NFC Championship game. And if I were if I were if the shoe were on the other foot and the 49ers were playing for the NFC championship game against the Seahawks, I wouldn't, you know, care either. I mean, but overwhelmingly, uh the 49ers fans dislike the Seahawks. They didn't like the Rams either, but they disliked the Seahawks seemingly even more, which is very strange to me because the Rams and the 49ers have been rivals much longer than the 49ers and the Seahawks. But you know, Niner fans, you know you do not want Seattle to win on your field at Levi Stadium. Although God, I was hoping the Rams would. I ain't gonna lie. But alas, you've got to be flipping kidding me. Xavier Smith of the Rams? What are you doing, dude? Xavier Smith? The Rams stopped the Seahawks yesterday. They're playing in Seattle. I'm sure you know you watched the game. I'm probably sure many of you did. And you know, here come the Rams. You know, there's a lot of key plays in the game. But Xavier Smith muffs the punt in the third quarter after the Seahawks' first possession of the second half. The Rams stop them. They needed to stop them, they stop them. If you go back earlier in that game, Xavier Smith, he'd also muffed another punt. Fortunately, he came up with it. They kept the possession, but he muffed it. It's it's you know, hey man, if you're rooting for the team, that's like, come on, what are you doing? But then he does fumble. He literally loses his balance and falls backwards, bobbles it. Seahawks, we cover the ball right after a big stop. And on the next play, and yeah, you could say, well, okay, now you gotta stop him, but you didn't do it then. Right. But still, that puts him like what, down at the 10-yard line or whatever it was. First play touchdown. And this is right after the Rams like regain momentum. They scored a touchdown, they stopped the Seahawks, and then the guy muffs the punt. Sean McVay, the coach, said, you know, it's it he's been very reliable. Bobbled the first one. We were lucky to get back on it. He said, uh, that one was costly. I love him. He's done a nice job, but that was a tough one. And so, yeah, one play later, Seahawks take the 24-13 lead. They were only up 17-13. And the Rams just stopped them gonna get the ball back. Unbelievable. Broke my heart, man. Dang it. Jake Bobo gets the TD after the fumble. LA went right down the field after that one, got into the end zone on a 75-yard touchdown drive, but they now were still within four points. No telling what would happen, but that one, that was tough. I'm gonna tell you another thing about this game. This idiot, I'm sorry, what is it, Rick Wilson or Rick Wilson or whatever for Seattle? Over there taunting, taunting the Rams coaches and the Rams players, taunting Matt Stafford and Sean McVay, taunting them like a moron. You know, you want to talk about a dumb penalty? R.I.Q., what's his name? Rick Wollen? You got two minutes left in the third quarter. He comes in, helps force an incomplete pass on third and twelve near midfield, puts the Rams into a punting situation. They were already down by 11 points in the game. But this fool, Mr. Big Shot here, right after the play, jumps up before he goes to the bench, starts trash talking the Rams' sideline, and gets the taunting penalty. That's right, the taunting penalty, and then one, and that gives the ball back to the Rams. Unfricking believable. Gives the ball back to the Rams on a 34-yard touchdown strike to Puka Nakua. Seahawks went on for the victory at 31-27. But um, yeah, whatever. He's sorry, he said. What'd he say? Because he's getting criticized from his own fans, even and pundits on social media. Everyone calling it dumb. But you know what? That doesn't represent the rest of the Seahawks team. So congratulations to the Seahawks. NFC West, man, always the best. Always right there in the mix. Ain't gonna lie though, it hurt. We would do some listener content. Now I have not listened to this. One of our okay, this is from Estella. And I've not heard this, but Estella, thank you for sending this. Play this from Estella. This is a song called Hard to Say Goodbye When the Train Never Left the Station. So this is a I take it a song about the bullet train. Here we go. Pat's Peeps, 390.

SPEAKER_05:

Out in California, they promise speed and steel. A shiny bullet train, too big to be real. They said for Millet to San Fran Bay. But the years rolled on and the tracks never lay. Just dust in dreams across the nation. No ribbon cut, no celebration. Hard to say goodbye when the train never left the station. Gabin smile, made his speech grand. Never wants it, we've lost command. Trump pulls the feds out. They'd had enough. All that cash and still no stove. Billions spend up vindication. Just more delays and obfuscation. No steam, no speed. Just stagnation. Hard to say goodbye when the train never left the station. Empty fields where tracks should be broken faith from sea to sea. But in Sacramento, no one confesses. Just PR spins and well press dress. No transportation. Only maps and litigation. No hope left. Just frustration. Hard to say goodbye when the train never left the station.

SPEAKER_06:

You see where Gavin Newsom was touting the knee pads for the leaders who caved to Trump. Touting knee pads for business, political, and academic leaders who he says have caved Donald Trump. Wow. Hey Gavin, did you know homes burned in the Palisades? Do you do you know that Southern California needs help to rebuild? Oh, but but you carried knee pads, the Davos. Uh-huh. Davos, Switzerland. Last round of knee pads sold out, just as our law firms are selling out, he said Thursday in an interview with Ben Smith, editor-in-chief of the news site Semaphore. Many American universities are selling out, and yes, many corporate leaders are selling out to this administration. You know what? Many of those corporations are leaving your state, Gavin. You know that, right? Then he held up a knee pad printed with Trump's signature. They're the new Trump signature knee series knee pads, he said. That's right. This guy wants to run for president. This is terrifying. Terrifying. He was scheduled to speak at USA House, a private venue at Davos, sponsored by major corporations, including Microsoft, Pfizer, endorsed by the U.S. government. But his appearance was canceled at the last minute. And he blamed, of course, Trump and his administration, specifically the State Department, but an organizer at USA House telling Politico that a decision had been made to focus on business leaders and not include U.S. elected officials. Yeah, it's about business. It's about not about you, Gavin, and your knee pads and your wasted trip on what? I'm sure a jet to take you to Switzerland, a jet that uses fossil fuel, right? Or is it electric? Perhaps you'd like to tell us. While you're over there in Switzerland with your knee pads, remember there's again people in Southern California, the Palisades and other places that need to have their homes rebuilt. There's people living on the streets here, but nope. Some people think his knee pads remarks are homophobic, implying that those giving into Trump are going to perform a sexual act on him. One one pundit saying, I guess it's okay to use homophobic language if you're a Democrat. Yeah, because what does it mean, Gavin? What does it mean exactly? That's a very good question. Does the knee pads mean that? Or you're bowing to a king? Or what does it mean exactly? We'd all like to know. Oh yeah, and then the treasury chief called the governor's brain the size of a walnut.

SPEAKER_00:

I think Gavin Newsom may be cracking up with some of these things he's saying. I think he may be in Over's hairdo. And being on the national stage is very different than being governor of California with no signature achievements. But to say strange things like President Trump is a Tyrannosaurus Rex. What the hell does that mean? I could say Gavin Newsom is a Bronnosaurus with a brain the size of a walnut.

SPEAKER_06:

Yes.

SPEAKER_03:

I know.

SPEAKER_02:

I know. I know.

SPEAKER_06:

I like the lady at the end that goes. Pretty good. I'm gonna get to my record. This is a picture sleeve today that I have. Picture sleeve, which means the sleeve that the record is in has the picture of the original the original artwork for that 45. I don't have a lot of these. Boy, this record is again beautiful. Perfect shape. No stickers, no writing, no nothing. Absolutely perfect shape. It's in better shape than the picture sleeve, which has taken a little bit of a beating, but it's still in pretty good shape. Um I'll explain the cover of that in a second. It's on Columbia, it's a white label. Uh same song both sides, both sides are stereo. Demonstration, not for sale. The artist is on the cover in what appears to be either um, I don't know if it's his home bed or a motel or a hotel room or whatever. And he's reading the paper with a in a messy bed, and he's watching Wheel of Fortune on TV. Let's see if you can guess what it is. There's a woman putting her shoes on and getting dressed after what appears to be somewhat of an interesting evening. I don't know. Who knows? This reminds me of a certain time in my life in 1985. Some of that time of my life was well, that was a pivotal year in my life for sure, when I went from things that I probably shouldn't be doing and making a pivotal decision, the biggest decision in my entire life, to either remain working in a small town, Hello Oreland, and work in an olive factory or do something like that, driving a forklift, nothing against it, or follow my dreams, which was to get into radio. So this came out in 85. Uh this is from this artist's solo album. This uh is from the uh an artist that is extremely pop in an extremely popular band, legendary band, but is out solo for this one. The first solo album, She's the Boss, his debut solo album. On this record, you're gonna have some of the best, Jeff Beck included, on electric and acoustic guitar, Slide Dunbar and Acoustic Dr. Anton Fear on Electric Drum and Simmons Electric, I mean electronic drums, Bill Laswell on Synthesizer, I mean what a band. Robbie Shakespeare on bass, Rod Magnus on Synthesizer, Alib Dang on Shaker, Johnny Rabbit Bundrick on Synthesizer, what a band. And then the artist himself. This is Mick Jagger. It's a song called Just Another Night. Remember this one? Pat's Peeps three hundred and ninety. Thank you for listening. Pats Peeps390. Perhaps I can explain some of that time of my life in an upcoming podcast. Especially from 1985, leading up to that and after that. I would enjoy that. Maybe I'll do that. For now, I want to say thank you for listening. A good Monday to you. We'll see you on the radio.

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Pat walsh

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