John Cena’s Legacy, Triple H’s Booking, And A Bracket Of Christmas Classics

A legend says goodbye and the sport shifts under our feet. We open with John Cena’s retirement and tackle the GOAT question from every angle: the 17 titles, the 17 losses, the Make-A-Wish record, and why legacy is bigger than booking. Then we get honest about WWE’s creative: the heel turn that popped and petered out, Triple H’s tendency to start hot and fade, and why Gunther feels like the rare anchor who can carry a ruthless new era. We talk etiquette that matters—like vacating the ring for a farewell—and how to build a true monster heel without breaking character or burning fans.

From the squared circle to the gridiron, the tone sharpens. We dig into college football’s playoff logic, or lack of it, and the late poll flip that pushed Notre Dame down without any game being played. Our fix is blunt: pick the best 12 teams, stop treating auto-bids like freebies, and admit that expanded playoffs devalue conference championships unless the criteria are clear. Parity from the portal is real—programs can transform fast with the right coach and a defense that hunts—but the trophy still goes to complete teams. We stack up Georgia’s halftime mastery, Ohio State’s balance, a ferocious Big Ten defense, and whether a rising contender can actually run the table.

We close with a Kentucky reboot and a dose of holiday fun. A swift coaching hire signals a fresh blueprint for recruiting, staff cohesion, and portal strategy, even as a brutal schedule waits. And because it’s December, we settle a vital question with a full bracket: Christmas Vacation takes the crown. Tap play for sharp takes, a few laughs, and a clear view of what’s next across WWE and college football. If you enjoyed the ride, follow the show, leave a review, and share your picks—who’s your GOAT, your playoff winner, and your all-time holiday movie?

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:03

Three guys around the table. And by three guys, we're talking about three friends: a lawyer, an engineer, and a school superintendent.

SPEAKER_01 0:12

And just like our personalities, our opinions vary, and we certainly don't always agree. Whether we're discussing the best of or giving our tips and tricks of things in everyday life, you're sure to learn something if you stick around.

SPEAKER_03 0:24

Well, we are back on this Sunday night, December 14th, in the frigid uh non-myhouse, not my office, not Chris. Am I wrong? Oh, you're not wrong. 67 degrees in here. Uh very comfortable. What temperature? Something like that. Terrible.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

I don't even know what that means.

Cena’s Retirement And GOAT Debate

SPEAKER_03 0:46

Outside? Yeah, not so much. Literally six, I think. No, actually it was nine. It was nine. Okay. Uh, but we're gonna have a little uh little potpourri, a little best of, little bracket challenge. We might just, you know, we might do anything to uh tonight. We're getting close to Christmas, but so we got to talk a little Christmas. But the big story of today, at least in some of our worlds, is the end of John Cena's career as a wrestler in WWE.

SPEAKER_02 1:17

So are we starting a new era in wrestling again? I mean, haven't we started like four new eras in the last week, week and a half according to uh Triple H.

SPEAKER_03 1:26

Uh according to my wife, uh, she keeps saying, What is this finally the last match? You've only been talking about it for a year. Yeah, Janie, Janie was saying. Yeah, yeah. So here's the deal. Uh, it is now the time of Gunther, the ring general. That guy right up there. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

He he's officially the terminator if it comes down to it. I mean, if you if you're wanting to, if you're wanting to retire, he's clearly your guy.

SPEAKER_03 1:53

I loved how they were going that route with him. They were oh, he's a machine, he's the terminator.

SPEAKER_02 1:59

I I'm I'm so is he taking out Brock Lesnar next? I'm about AJ Styles. I'm okay with that. Can't can he take out Yeet Man?

SPEAKER_03 2:08

Oh can he can he put him into retirement? The fact that that those guys are back together as a tag team is is good for WWE.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

All right, let's let's let's talk about last night. Yeah, is John Cena the greaters greatest of all time? That's a a very valid question. He's won the title more than anybody else. 17 times.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Now, what did the body say though? Did you see what the body said?

SPEAKER_02 2:30

The body's an idiot.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

I know. Did you see what he said though? No. He goes, of course, you know how he talks. Yeah. He said he's won it 17 times, which means he also has lost it 17 times. Is he wrong? And I wouldn't be bragging about that.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

Yeah, he's not wrong. Of course, he this goes back to the same conversation about Jack Nicholas and Tiger Woods. Yeah. Was Jack Nicholas the greatest of all time? Ali Tyson. I mean, Jack Nicholas has won more majors than anybody else.

SPEAKER_03 2:57

I think Jack Nicholas was the greatest of all time. Yes. Um, so are you saying uh John Cena is? In in this case, I I think it you'd be really hard pressed to say someone was greater than John Cena when you look at the whole picture, not just the world titles, but everything else he brought to W.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

He is one of the greatest human beings.

SPEAKER_03 3:18

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 3:18

He holds the record. He was so much better when he was a heel. He holds the record. He holds the record for um most. Yeah. It's like 670.

SPEAKER_03 3:28

It's crazy. I mean, there's not one person out there that really has a bad thing to say about him as a human being.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

Except that one kid he made fun of when he was a heel.

SPEAKER_03 3:36

That's true. And and uh I think that, you know, again, he's the one that changed that whole heel thing because he he saw it was going really well. It wasn't it wasn't very long, it's not good, and it was not great. Yeah, it was terrible. It wasn't him. It was it was triple H. Again, we got an a lot a lot to talk about with Triple H here tonight, I think.

SPEAKER_02 3:58

But you know, we'll he got he got the uh he got the reception he deserves. F U.

SPEAKER_01 4:03

And he wanted it too.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

He got it. He's FU Hunter.

SPEAKER_03 4:07

Yeah, he he got it. So greatest of all time, I I think I would think so. I think I'd be there with that.

SPEAKER_02 4:14

Is he done done? He's done done. I think so too. He's not coming back.

Triple H Booking And WWE Storylines

SPEAKER_03 4:17

Yeah, I think that it's time to move on to Hollywood and um go b go back to Hollywood, so to speak. Um Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:26

He went out on top.

SPEAKER_03 4:27

What do you think about his retirement tour? So I I thought it was um I thought it could have been a whole lot better if they wouldn't have done I I thought the shock value of the heel turn was great when it happened, right? But then it just went south. Everything about it was not, you know.

SPEAKER_02 4:46

That's that well, I mean, that comes back to that's a common theme with Triple H. Yep. Yep. He does things that can start a story and then they just peter out.

SPEAKER_03 4:55

Yep. Uh Greg, you and I talked the other day that we could write this. And if someone in WWE is listening to this podcast, just hire us. Yeah. You know, I I guarantee you we're gonna get better ratings.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

You have so many stories that have been left open. I mean, I mean, where's the final boss at?

SPEAKER_03 5:13

Just absolutely ridiculous. Oh, yeah, he was on there smiling and and talking about John Cena, his good buddy, last night, and like everything, you know. Ridiculous.

SPEAKER_02 5:23

But however. Cena went out the way everybody else goes out with a loss, except for there was one that didn't go out with a loss.

SPEAKER_01 5:34

Can't you name it? Uh and they all say it was the biggest mistake of all times in professional wrestling. I'm drawing a blank. Yeah, me too. Sting.

SPEAKER_03 5:45

He did not go out with a loss? He did not. I did not know that. Have you seen him recently, by the way? Uh nope. Oh, he's got this long gray beard and he's still doing the black and white.

SPEAKER_01 5:59

Do you know his uh his son's getting to wrestling now, and his son played football in Kentucky?

SPEAKER_02 6:02

Yep. Really? Did you know the funniest thing that happened last night, though, was the Miz and Joe Hendry.

SPEAKER_03 6:07

That was fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 6:07

Oh my god, what do you guys think? Joe Hendry all sudden. There he is. That was great.

SPEAKER_03 6:12

Especially with our truth talking about Nick's balls. You gotta have a little comic relief, man. That was some good stuff. I enjoyed that.

SPEAKER_02 6:22

We had a good we you and I had a good run at picking the matches last week.

SPEAKER_03 6:26

We we were on fire. Yep. Uh Drew McIntyre getting involved with the Oba Femi and uh Cody Rhodes.

SPEAKER_02 6:33

That dude's a big man. Who? Oba Femi. Oh who though he's the NXT champion and he he wrestled Cody Rhodes like that? He is a large human being.

SPEAKER_03 6:41

Who won? It was a no contest. Yeah, because McIntyre interfered.

SPEAKER_02 6:47

The the NXT champion, he's gonna be legit.

SPEAKER_03 6:49

Yeah. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:51

Yeah, he he's a big dude.

SPEAKER_03 6:52

I think a lot of last night, and this was according to what Cena said, he wanted to start pushing the young guys, you know, and young and young ladies. And Sol Ruka, holy cow, she was phenomenal. We called that one. Yeah. Um, she's gonna be a player for a long time. Dude, she is a high flyer, but she's tall, like they talked about last night. And uh yeah, she's she was she was and she beat Bailey last night. So what about the match itself? We haven't even mentioned my main man the ring general.

SPEAKER_02 7:32

Yeah, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah. Um I don't love that it was a submission. Okay, I don't love it. Yeah, I get it. Yeah, too predictable.

SPEAKER_03 7:42

Yeah, he said he was gonna do it. Yeah, too predictable.

SPEAKER_02 7:45

Yeah, in my opinion. Yeah. Um, I mean, John Cena was smiling when it was done. I mean, he was like, yeah, it's done.

SPEAKER_03 7:53

Did you see when uh in the corner? I saw it live, but I I thought when he smiled when it gunther broke character bad. He did absolutely when he was up on the ropes and Cena was gonna, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Yeah, it was a big botch. Or not a it was a big character break. Yeah. Um I was thinking about AJ Styles for a second, his big botch. That was not good at all.

SPEAKER_03 8:15

Um, but I did enjoy last year. But it was a good match. I mean, it was it was good. Look, Gunther is a Gunther is a traditionalist, right? I mean, he he's an old school wrestler. And when he came out, he left the ring so Cena could have his time. Absolutely, and I I thought that was good. And then he went over and got into an argument with a little kid, which was that was awesome.

SPEAKER_02 8:40

Yeah, yeah. Which was awesome. And what about him having to get escorted out because all the fans were drunk and were you getting on to him as he was going to his car? They were gonna kill him. Yeah. That is a that's a sign of you're you're a great heel at that point. Fantastic heel. So uh but we're entering a new era now.

Pushing New Stars And Future Angles

SPEAKER_03 9:00

So and I thought we did last week too, but yeah, exactly. I think the ring Gennard Al is going to uh address Raw tomorrow night first thing, and uh I think we're going to see a big push now for him as a big heel.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

So is he gonna go after Cody Rhodes?

SPEAKER_03 9:16

So I I think he's still dealing with Drew. Um well, but I mean they got Braun Breaker with CM Punk. Well, here's the thing about uh about you know Gunther is he wasn't in that video for WrestleMania. So his push is probably not gonna come until after WrestleMania happens. You know, they're gonna go through CM Punk, Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes. They're gonna they're gonna roll through that, and then it'll be I I think it'll be time. So all right. Any anything less left to say about John Cena?

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Um not having watched wrestling there for a long time, I have to tell you, yes, I do think he's the greatest of all time. I think he's a great human being. I think he was a great face of that organization, and it's gonna be hard pressed to find somebody to fill that role.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

I think we just have to be thankful for OVW.

SPEAKER_03 10:11

100%, that's true.

SPEAKER_02 10:13

Am I wrong?

SPEAKER_03 10:13

I mean, that's where he started, him, Brock Lesnar. I mean, OVW was CM Punk was down there.

SPEAKER_01 10:22

So I was watching some stuff the other day. Dave Batista had one of the coolest intros when he came out and squatted down and did the like the machine gun thing on the show. Yeah. He's weird looking. Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 10:37

All right, so so we haven't talked about I think we need to spend a couple of minutes on uh college football. Yeah, I got lots to say.

SPEAKER_01 10:44

Can I bring up what an idiot, ding dong, moron, and whatever you want to say, Pavia is? Sure. Diego Pavia is one of the biggest goofballs. Did you see what he did after he lost the Heisman? No yesterday? He went out party in New York City. He put out a big, a big uh social media post that had F all the voters. Are you serious? Family Forever. And then he um then he bought a sign of one of those clubs that had F Indiana on it.

SPEAKER_02 11:09

That doesn't surprise me.

SPEAKER_03 11:11

He's a he's a he's a putz. He's an idiot. He can play.

SPEAKER_01 11:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 11:15

He's five, nine, and three quarters. Oh, dude.

SPEAKER_02 11:18

He's not that at all.

SPEAKER_01 11:20

He said he's six, food. You see the picture of all the guys, right?

SPEAKER_02 11:22

He's five, six, five, seven. Best case scenario. He's six seven, something like that. Yeah, six. Six seven.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

What does that mean?

SPEAKER_03 11:30

We still don't know. Uh yeah, I think we need to probably mention.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

So a bunch of things have happened since our last podcast. So we we're we're in the college football playoffs. Yeah. We had the college championship games, and we've had a bunch of coaching changes.

SPEAKER_03 11:43

And we've had some scandals, at least one big one. And one big scandal.

SPEAKER_00 11:48

Which makes me a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 11:52

But it's not really it's not really a it's not really an on the field football scandal. No, some of us during on the field. But I mean, look, yeah. Don't don't cheat with somebody you work with. Yeah. Look, did you did they not learn from the cold play concert?

SPEAKER_03 12:09

Don't don't get shit. Don't get your honey and your money in the same place. Is that what you're saying?

SPEAKER_01 12:13

So he was texting OnlyFans during the game.

Pivot To College Football Chaos

SPEAKER_03 12:16

Yeah. Look, it's it says everything you need to know about that crappy program and that horrific university. That the levels that you know that's the that's one of the scores my daughter was. I realize that the levels, I realize that the the levels that they had to stoop to and look at all of the arrests. The uh the assistant coach, the co-offensive coordinator guy that you know has been downloading illegal pictures of of college students. Oh my gosh. Yeah, indicted, right? The Sharon Moore stuff, the the Connor Stallion stuff, the show caused penalties, the illegal recruiting. Look, um rightfully so, the athletic director lost his job as well. Um, but that institution needs a complete and utter reset. And frankly, it's it's embarrassing for the Big Ten and for college football that they still hold their heads up high and that piece of garbage, Adam Schefter, period, end of sentence. I could just end right there. But when he comes out and he defends Sharon Moore seriously, I didn't hear about that. Oh, you look up his quote when he when they had him on. For some reason, why would ESPN put him on? He's an NFL insider who is a Michigan man, and he comes on and defends Sharon Moore. Oh, we don't know anything about the story, blah, blah, blah. No, we know all about the story. Everyone's known about it for months, and they hit it, they hit it, they covered it up, and it's ridiculous. Babe Portnoy didn't defend him.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

No, he definitely did not. So it's uh so Michigans. I mean, who they're gonna get to be their coach? Yeah, seriously.

SPEAKER_03 14:03

Calen De Boer today reaffirmed his commitment to Alabama. Um, they're going after Kenny Dillingham at Arizona State. He but look, he likes being in Arizona State. Who wouldn't, you know? Well, me too, but I mean, that's where you're going next.

SPEAKER_02 14:20

Yeah. I mean, that's a big drop-off. I mean, I mean, I'm not a huge fan of De Boer, but there's a big difference between DeBore and Alabama and Arizona State. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You ain't wrong. Uh, but it also took Penn State forever to go to Iowa State and get their coach.

SPEAKER_03 14:35

Well, and Michigan thinks they have this elevated view of themselves. Similar to Florida. Yeah. Honestly. Yeah, exactly. And similar to Tennessee.

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Tennessee's got an elevated view of themselves. The only difference is Michigan's at least got a national title recently.

SPEAKER_03 14:50

Yeah, that they that they uh attained through dubious means. Having seen that. Allegedly, yes. Allegedly. Yeah. There's no alleging about it. Anyway, college football playoffs. Yes. Back into the real stories.

SPEAKER_02 15:02

Yeah. Good. So I'm confident we disagree, and it's okay. Um, on whether the appropriate teams are in the playoffs.

SPEAKER_03 15:12

Yeah, I think that um look, you and I both thought that Notre Dame should have made the playoffs. I agree. I I feel that they should have made the playoff. I I keep going back to this whole idea of okay, is it the best teams?

SPEAKER_02 15:29

Yeah, uh that's the decision. Well, what it's gotta be, it's gotta come down to it. Well, it should be get rid of the guaranteed conference winners in, yeah, put the 12, 16 best teams in it, and go play. Does Notre Dame lose to James Madison? Zero percent chance.

SPEAKER_03 15:47

Do they lose to Tulane? Zero percent chance. I I think we could then start picking off some of the bigger stars.

SPEAKER_02 15:52

No question then that Las Vegas had Notre Dame favored over about seven of the teams that are in it. Yeah. Um, but but the issue is here's the issue I've got with Notre Dame not being in it. Yeah. Notre Dame was ahead of Miami in every poll there was that the committee put out. Yeah. For weeks. Neither ne every one uh in the whole year.

SPEAKER_03 16:18

Yeah. Notre Dame was ahead. Yeah, what changed in the last week? Neither team played. Exactly. So what changed? You know, and and for them to say, well, then we we have to go and look at head to head. Why didn't you at the start? Yeah, if that's the case, then shouldn't that have been the criteria from day one? Right.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

And if that's so what I didn't like about it is the here's what I don't like about it. Being a Notre Dame fan. Week one didn't matter for Alabama. Right, exactly. Alabama got trounced by Florida State and can't beat nobody.

SPEAKER_03 16:52

Got smoked by one of the worst teams in in major college football.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

And Notre Dame got beat by a total of four points this year by two teams that are in the playoffs. Exactly. That's it. That's it.

SPEAKER_03 17:06

You hey, preach. That's it. You know, Chris is the only one at this table that's not gonna agree with you because he hates Notre Dame.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

No, I'll tell you this. Okay, I think, and this is just my opinion, I think what you're saying.

SPEAKER_03 17:19

Peter Gammons hates Pete Rose. Peter Gamons hates Pete Rose.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

I think you're saying that let's face it, next year, I'm gonna look at just throw it out there. Notre Dame plays two away games next year. Two road games. Get in a conference, playing.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

I can't imagine that's accurate.

SPEAKER_01 17:38

I'm gonna look. Google it. I can't imagine they have two.

SPEAKER_02 17:41

I can't imagine they have two road games. I think they have four.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Uh well, it's I'm gonna look right now. I think it's here's the thing. Get in a conference, play normal teams, quit quit picking who you want to play. They they basically play the ACC conference. Then join the ACC. It's that simple. You'll win it every year. Why should they? But but seriously, why then if you're on a listen, but if you're not a conference, then you shouldn't be in the NCAA. But just the way it is.

SPEAKER_02 18:05

They shouldn't be in the NCAA period, so Army and Navy shouldn't be either. That's different. Those institutions, those are academies.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

But but right? But no, I don't think they're different at all. Then let's put Army and Navy and Notre Dame. Uh Mark, what were you saying? But but but Join it join a conference like 99%, it's nine percent of all the other teams, and we'll talk.

SPEAKER_03 18:25

Look, here's the thing I don't disagree with that at all. However, in this discussion, in terms of this playoff, I'm not talking about this playoff. I know, but I just don't I don't think that's relevant, but I think the committee used that. I think so. I think that they thought that, and they're you know, um I think that's what's happening across the board.

SPEAKER_02 18:45

So you you are you are entirely wrong on Notre Dame schedule. They have four. They had they are at Purdue, at North Carolina, at Syracuse, they play Navy in Massachusetts, and they play Wisconsin in Green Bay. So so that's just up yesterday. It said they play at Purdue and at Carolina, and they play at Syracuse, and they play Navy in Massachusetts, and they play Wisconsin at at Packers Stadium in Green Bay.

SPEAKER_01 19:15

Navy.

SPEAKER_02 19:16

Yeah. So all right, anyway. So anyway, nevertheless, our attorney friend loves facts.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

Right.

SPEAKER_01 19:23

Yeah. Get in a conference.

SPEAKER_03 19:25

So I I think both of these things can be mutually agreeable and true at the same time. But for this playoff, for them to not make it, um, now here's where I'm gonna throw out something that you know has nothing to do with the playoff. And it is the fact that Notre Dame took their bomb, went home, and refused to.

SPEAKER_02 19:45

I hate that.

SPEAKER_03 19:46

You know, it makes them look that much worse.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

I hate that.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

It's only going to perpetuate that that feeling right over there about they feel like they're entitled and better than everyone else.

SPEAKER_02 19:57

I don't disagree with that at all. I think that's a terrible idea. I'm playing a bowl game. Hang on. Yeah.

Playoff Criteria And Notre Dame Fight

SPEAKER_01 20:01

Just to reference, go back to what you said. Yeah. They're not playing at Wisconsin. They're playing at Lambow Field.

SPEAKER_02 20:07

That's in Wisconsin. Okay. And that's exactly what I just said. I said they're playing Wisconsin in Green Bay.

SPEAKER_01 20:12

And they're playing Navy at Gillette Stadium.

SPEAKER_02 20:14

And that's exactly what I said. I said they're playing Navy at Foxborough, Massachusetts. So two neutral sites. Yeah. And three away games.

unknown 20:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:22

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 20:23

So that's five at Notre at North Carolina and at Syracuse. And two neutral sack games. So five and all. So of their 12 games, they have seven home games, which is the exact number Kentucky has next year. Right. Five at the end. Kentucky don't play neutral site games, though. I don't know that I would consider Green Bay, Wisconsin when you play Wisconsin a neutral sack game. And I don't know that I would consider Massachusetts a neutral sack game when you're playing Navy, but I get what you're what you're saying.

SPEAKER_01 20:51

Playing the playing at uh playing at Papa John Stadium is a neutral site if you're not playing at your home stadium.

SPEAKER_02 20:56

So you know it's a if you're not lovable.

SPEAKER_03 20:59

If you're not playing Louisville, it is outside of Notre Dame. Yeah, I agree. Outside of Notre Dame. Yep. Did the did the committee get the rest of it right?

SPEAKER_02 21:06

I don't I don't think so because I don't I I but it's a difference in the rules. I I think it needs to be the 12 best teams. James Madison, they got no chance of winning. Yep. I mean, Oregon's second string could beat them. Yep. And it's just a bye game. Yep. It's the grand scheme of things. Yep.

SPEAKER_01 21:26

How do you fix that though?

SPEAKER_02 21:27

That's the question. You don't guarantee a conference winner. The reason why James Madison got in is they were the highest ranked conference winner because they were higher than Duke. And so so that's how they got in. It wasn't they were the next best team. The rules say you gotta you take the five highest conference winners. Everybody just assumed it would have been Virginia. But it wasn't. Right. That's that's the issue. Yeah. So change it and take the 12 best teams and go on about your business.

SPEAKER_01 21:56

Do you think they're spending too much time trying to worry about how many teams because they think you know all the teams will be from the Big Ten, the SEC, maybe one or two outliers.

SPEAKER_02 22:03

There'll be one or two outliers.

SPEAKER_01 22:04

Do you think they're more concerned with that than they are anything else?

SPEAKER_02 22:07

Who cares?

SPEAKER_01 22:07

I mean, I I think you're probably right.

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Be be better. But we're trying to get the national champion here. Right. And I don't think Notre Dame would have won it. We ain't asking for much here. I I don't I don't think Notre Dame would have won a million dollars and an eight bowl and two million dollars. I don't think Notre Dame would have won it. I really don't. But I think they're more likely to win it than Tulane. I think they're more likely to win it than James Madison. Right. And honestly, I think they're more likely to win it than Old Miss. Yeah. Without a coach and uh the turmoil they've been through. Yeah, I disagree. Well now, but here's the next question. Do call it championship games matter?

SPEAKER_03 22:47

And should they matter? No, if uh if we're gonna keep going down this road. Look, if we're if we're gonna keep going down this road, you know what Ohio State should have done in that game?

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Resta every single room that they have. Absolutely. Look, how stupid's the SEC? And you know I'm an SEC guy. Yeah. But the SEC's changed their schedule now to where starting next year there's nine conference games. What Big Ten's been doing now for the last couple of years.

SPEAKER_03 23:11

But but that's stupid. Yeah, right. Exactly. Right. Yeah. So um, and Texas has already come out and said they're going to honor that they're you know their commitments to playing Ohio State. But they're gonna change their schedule going out. And after that, they're gonna change. Because again, what's the point? Here's the problem. When you when you expand this playoff, you're devaluing regular season games and you're completely making conference championship games worthless unless the conference championship gets you into the playoffs. Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:44

Because but but why should it matter if you win, but does it matter if you lose? Right. I mean, Bama got trounced. Yep. And Bama's playing like I mean, yeah. Bama's your choice was your preseason pick. Right. I and I didn't have them in the playoffs. And in the middle of the season, they were playing fantastic. Right. But right now, I mean, Franklin County could beat them.

SPEAKER_03 24:06

No, look, uh they're terrible. They play Oklahoma. Is that who they play? Yeah. Is that right? Yeah, Oklahoma's gonna. I expect Oklahoma to win. Because Alabama's not gonna be able to move the ball. And if Oklahoma can score a few points, Oklahoma has the worst quarterback in the college football playoff at John Matier. But they got a great defense. Great defense, correct. Um look, I did pick Alabama to win earlier this season. I did not have them in. I we when we talked about it, I said I don't think they're gonna make it. So who wins it now?

SPEAKER_02 24:37

I think it I honestly, I think there's four teams that can win. I think I would agree with that.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

Okay, and I think it's the top four seeds. I think it's Georgia, I think it's Ohio State, I think it's Indiana.

SPEAKER_02 24:47

I would I want to see Texas Tech play somebody else, but against BYU, and that's the only game I've watched them play, their defense looks amazing. Really good. You think I don't know if it's BYU's great.

SPEAKER_03 24:59

Those two linebackers are legit that they have.

SPEAKER_01 25:02

Do we think Indiana can really run the table?

SPEAKER_02 25:04

I do think they can. Isn't that crazy? I think their defense is good enough to do it.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

What if three years ago they had a two and nine record?

SPEAKER_02 25:10

Well, I mean, they they've been the worst team in big conference college football for the last hundred years.

SPEAKER_03 25:16

That is what the portal has done to college football. It has created parody. Yeah, true. You have it you have a good coach that comes in, uses the portal effectively, it's a quarterback out of cow. They can they can distribute the ball. They got good wide receivers that make plays on the ball, a great offensive line, and a great defense. That's how you win the championship.

SPEAKER_02 25:35

You know, he won the high husband, he should have won the highsman. His stats aren't great. No, no, no, no, no. He's only had like he only had like two, three hundred yards. His stats aren't great. Right.

SPEAKER_01 25:44

But and he's kind of goofy.

SPEAKER_02 25:46

Oh, yeah, he's definitely but but he seems like a really good kid, though. Their coach, I mean, you like you take the breaks truck to that guy. If I'm Michigan, I back the bank up to it. Oh, it's a deal cup.

SPEAKER_03 25:58

You want to be the first$15 million a year coach? That's right.

SPEAKER_02 26:01

I mean, I'd say whatever you if whatever check I need direct for you to come, that's where I'd be that's where I'd go. It came from James.

SPEAKER_03 26:07

James Madison, yeah. Yeah. That's crazy. Uh, and and again, being an Ohio State guy, not a big fan, but I have to respect them. They uh they've been good all year. They ran the table, they've done it. Uh hey, hats off.

SPEAKER_02 26:23

And I didn't think their defense I didn't think their defense was as good as what it is.

SPEAKER_03 26:26

Yeah, and that kid, he he's gonna be like a politician somewhere. Absolutely. You know, he's a good kid.

SPEAKER_02 26:34

So I didn't think their defense was as good as what it was when I watched them play a lot.

SPEAKER_03 26:38

Those linebackers flow to the ball. That that little corner that's only 5'9, uh solid player. Um, yeah.

Conference Titles, Schedules, And Fixes

SPEAKER_02 26:45

And I don't love Georgia, but they just keep winning. Yeah. I mean, if it's Georgia, too. If Georgia's within a touchdown of you at halftime, they're gonna win. They're just they're they're really good at halftime adjustments. Yeah, yeah. And they're just old school. Their first half's usually terrible.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

They're just bust you in the mouth football, too. I mean, it's just old school.

SPEAKER_03 27:05

Here's here's why I'm a little uh I don't want to use the word concerned because you know it's not like I'm gonna root for them to win. Having said that, they don't have on defense the guys that they've had in the last several years like rushing the passer.

SPEAKER_02 27:19

Georgia?

SPEAKER_03 27:20

Yeah. They don't have those guys that are like just dogs, so to speak. I mean, just get after it and their pressure rate, I think, is in the 90th uh in the 90s out of 130 teams or whatever. Just defensively, they're still extremely well coached, but if they face a good team that can get the ball out quickly, and I I think they're gonna struggle. So we'll see. So who's your pick to win?

SPEAKER_02 27:48

I you you can't you can't pick Ohio State. No, no, no. You're not I mean you can, but just to take Ohio State out of it, who would you say?

SPEAKER_03 27:56

Yeah, no. Um I I think I think Indiana's the most complete team that I've seen. Um so if I can't pick Ohio State, I think I think Indiana Would you pick Ohio State?

SPEAKER_02 28:08

And is it fan pick or you think it's legit pick? Now, I will tell you if I think if Ohio State and Indiana played in the national championship game, I think I expect Ohio State to win. Yeah, I think too hard to beat so quality team twice in a row.

SPEAKER_03 28:20

They played their worst game of the year. I mean, and it wasn't even close, and they were a 27-yard missed field goal away from tying it, taking it overtime. And they played like absolute dog dung. Okay. So yeah, I I think I honestly think Ohio State's the most complete team. Um I I I think Texas Tech is gonna surprise people.

SPEAKER_02 28:42

Uh their defense is good.

SPEAKER_03 28:44

Yeah. So uh of those top four seeds, and I agree with you, I think all four of them can win it. Uh I think you know, I I I think I I would have Georgia as my four right now between those four teams, just because I'm just not convinced about their their defense. So what about you?

SPEAKER_02 29:05

Uh nobody's beaten Georgia. I mean, I mean, I know Alabama beat them, but they've been down 20 points with eight minutes left to go and come back and win. I mean, it's just to me, it's one of those things that it's it's gonna be difficult to just beat them. Uh I mean it's one of those things that it's they're winning games they shouldn't win, and that may run out, but it may end with the national championship.

SPEAKER_03 29:32

Prior to the game against Georgia Tech, I would have said the exact same thing.

SPEAKER_00 29:35

Right.

SPEAKER_03 29:36

But they what they win that game 16 to 9 or something against the Georgia Tech team. And they because they had been playing very they start playing very, very well, and then they played Georgia Tech and just looked like throttled Alabama.

SPEAKER_02 29:50

I think Georgia's gonna be. But I don't know if that's a big up of Georgia or if it's where Alabama's land egg.

SPEAKER_01 29:56

I think I think Georgia's kind of like Kentucky was for the past 10 years in basketball. They play to the level of their competition. Yeah. And I think I think Georgia's got a good shot to win it. I would put them I'd put them between Indiana, Ohio State, and Georgia. I'd put them in those three.

SPEAKER_02 30:10

I I I I I put Texas Tech fourth of the top of those top four solely because I don't trust their offense enough. I think their defense is definitely good enough to win it. Yep. Yep. That's fair. All right. All right, all right. We have a new we one of my predictions that I made a year or so ago has come true. Okay. We have a new football coach at the University of Kentucky. And what are your thoughts? Chris, you're the UK guy. Pretty happy about it.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

Uh uh from what I gather, um he's he's done very well at Oregon and uh he's bringing some good staff in with him. Um been surprised with some of the staff, and and uh from what I gather, he's gonna bring in some decent players. Uh, you know, it's a breath of fresh air, regardless of which way you look at it. So a change was needed, and I think we got the best that we could have hoped for out of the out of the portal. The coaching portal.

Who Can Win It All Right Now

SPEAKER_02 30:59

Um I think a change had to be made. Yep. Um I mean it was just like when Calipari was gone. It just it was it was time for a change. I think if I think if he hadn't a got if Kentucky hadn't got blown out in the last two games, Stoops would still be the coach.

unknown 31:13

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 31:14

He thought he was still gonna be the coach at the very last press conference.

SPEAKER_02 31:17

Um but I think the change was right. Um I find it very interesting how quick the coaching change occurred and we had a new coach hired. It took longer to fire the coach than it took to hire the coach, and that kind of surprised me a little bit. Um but it looked like there were two guys and there was one that became the favorite fairly quick. Because it sounds like, from what I've read and discussed, it sounds like conversation started in October at the Tennessee game, right?

SPEAKER_01 31:51

Or before the Tennessee game. So once you get a Kentucky guy who grew up a UK fan, played at Louisville, uh, played at Trinity, um you know, he's he's got the heart and that's a good place to start.

SPEAKER_02 32:05

I'll tell you what, their schedule next year's brutal. Yeah. I mean it's brutal.

SPEAKER_03 32:11

Yeah. That that did rhyme, by the way. That's it. He's got the heart, and that's a good place to start.

SPEAKER_01 32:16

Yeah, well, there you go. Brutal.

SPEAKER_03 32:18

Hey, um and he's and he's a little gassy, so he has to oh wait.

SPEAKER_01 32:23

So our dear friend, I want to give a shout out to our dear friend Larry. I'm not gonna mention his last name.

SPEAKER_02 32:28

The cable guy.

SPEAKER_01 32:29

We all know Larry. Larry Larry, Larry thinks you guys beat up on me pretty good.

SPEAKER_03 32:35

Larry, uh, we do not beat up on.

SPEAKER_01 32:38

And and he said, I'm the only one, I'm the only one here that seems to have it going my, you know, I'm the only one that's right most of the time. Uh-huh. But he said I even got a little crazy in one of those last podcasts. I don't know what we were talking about. Yeah. But I just wanted to shout out to Larry and say, Larry, I'm glad you're on my side.

SPEAKER_03 32:52

Well, there you go. That's right. Uh and and Larry, uh, yeah, I love you, man, but uh, we don't pick on Chris near enough. He doesn't. I think it's fair.

SPEAKER_01 33:01

I think he grew up close to where I did, but just for the record. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:04

So he knows so he has multiple estate as well.

SPEAKER_03 33:07

Did he have a large plantation?

SPEAKER_02 33:10

I didn't I didn't know that about Larry. Larry, I didn't know that you come from that kind of stature.

SPEAKER_03 33:15

Well, I also we we need to give a shout out to our producer, Rick Mellon, who just made a trip up to Kentucky this past week, and we were going to have him on the podcast, but we could not put it together with our schedules. Nope. So, but shout out to Rick, and he has provided us some. Are we gonna hit one of these real quick? Let's do a fast one. Do you want to do let's do the Christmas movies?

SPEAKER_01 33:35

Christmas is do Christmas.

SPEAKER_03 33:36

We'll do we'll do that one next time. All right. So give me one second while I pull this up. Um happy first day of Hanukkah.

SPEAKER_02 33:44

Well, that's important, but you know what else is we're past the 10th, baby.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

That's right. I can go now.

SPEAKER_02 33:50

We're ready to go back to road trip.

SPEAKER_03 33:52

Road trip. We normally don't mention that till the end. I know, but we have candy here too. Looks like yeah. Oh, we got a bag of uh look at all the candy we have. Uh all the chocolate bars. I'll let Chris look take a look.

SPEAKER_01 34:06

Gosh, I don't think I got a call.

SPEAKER_03 34:07

Okay, so here we go. I love that you have to put on glasses to be able to read on your phone. It makes me so happy. Well, at least I don't have my hearing aids in. What? Uh what? So we've got a bracket of Christmas movies. Okay. So here we go. First movie, and I know you guys don't have this, so you're just gonna have to go off of me telling you. Okay. I probably won't know any of them. Home Alone versus The Nightmare Before Christmas. Uh I'm definitely Home Alone. Uh I'm Home Alone. Home Alone. That moves on. Easy. Next one a Christmas story versus Home Alone 2.

SPEAKER_01 34:45

Christmas story.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

Look, if you're on for 24 hours in a row on Christmas Day, you have two different channels, dude.

SPEAKER_03 34:52

It's fantastic. All right. The next one is How the Grinch Stole Christmas versus the Santa Claus. Now, how the Grinch stole Christmas is the cartoon from 1969. Oh, the original one. Yes. Oh, that's so good. Versus the Santa Claus with Tim Allen. I do love that too. I have never I've not seen the old one. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 35:08

The old Grinch there. Yeah. You've seen the Santa Claus, though.

SPEAKER_02 35:11

I have seen Santa Claus. It's good. Yeah, Tim Allen. I gotta go with it. It's the only one I've seen.

SPEAKER_03 35:17

I'm gonna go Grinch. I'm going Grinch's too as well. Look, you knew Mark was gonna go old. He's probably black and white. He was 50 when it came in. Grinch moves on.

SPEAKER_02 35:30

Is it in black and white?

SPEAKER_03 35:31

Uh no. Is it the old cartoon? Yeah. Claymation. It's not old cartoon. No, the next one is claymation, though. It is the Rankin and Bass Christmas classics, which is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.

SPEAKER_01 35:42

Misty the Snowman.

SPEAKER_03 35:44

No. Yeah, so Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and um oh, what was the one with the uh little elf with the little moat?

SPEAKER_01 35:53

Gosh. What is that? I never heard of it. It's called Rankin and what? Rankin and Bass. Rankin and Bass.

SPEAKER_03 35:59

They were the ones that produced Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the one with Mickey Rooney in it with the uh oh oh oh oh oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_01 36:08

Well what about the one with the uh the snowman that sings? Wearing the cargans.

SPEAKER_03 36:15

Versus Scrooged. Let's just go Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer versus Scrooge. Scrooged. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.

SPEAKER_01 36:22

Bill Murray, man. I haven't watched either one. Bobcat Goldwight. You're the tiebreaking wants to staple the antlers on the mice. He can't get him staple that's not good for Christmas then. Rudolph.

SPEAKER_03 36:36

Rudolph. All right. Next, the other side of the bracket. Miracle on 34th Street, the original. Never seen it. Versus the Muppet Christmas Carol. I'll go Miracle on 34th Street because I can't stand the Muppets. I'll go Miracle. I've never seen the Miracle National Lampoons Christmas Vacation versus the Jim Carrey Grinch movie. National Lampoons. I mean Christmas vacation all day on. It's morning. Save the neck for me, Carp. Now we go down to It's a Wonderful Life versus Jingle All the Way.

SPEAKER_01 37:11

Jingle All the Way is Schwarzenegger with the Turbo Man. Right. What? I bought Logan a Turbo Man. He's got a Turbo Man in the box still.

SPEAKER_02 37:19

I've never heard of it. But it's got Simbad.

SPEAKER_03 37:22

What's the old one? It's a Wonderful Life. I gotta go with that. I'll go with that one, too. Yeah, I got to.

SPEAKER_02 37:27

I haven't seen it, but I'll go with it.

SPEAKER_03 37:28

And then I've seen parts of it. In the bottom of the bracket, the very last matchup. Elf versus Mickey's Christmas Carol. Elf. Elf. Elf. Elf. You're an angry elf. Peter Dinklage.

SPEAKER_02 37:40

I don't know that I've ever watched the whole thing. I've watched parts of it.

SPEAKER_03 37:44

James Conn and Peter Dinklage. Yep. All right. Home Alone versus a Christmas story. A Christmas story.

SPEAKER_02 37:53

I gotta go with that. That's Janie's favorite.

SPEAKER_03 37:55

I agree. Christmas story moves on.

SPEAKER_02 37:57

I probably like Home Alone better, but JD likes Christmas story.

Kentucky Coaching Change And Outlook

SPEAKER_03 38:00

All right. How the Grinch Stole Christmas versus Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Grinch. Gotta go classic Rudolph. Claymation's gotta make it. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. All right. And uh the other side now we've got Miracle on 34th Street versus Christmas Vacation. Vacation. Vacation. Christmas vacation. 21 lines. We're just getting to be like mashed potatoes all over again. I think.

SPEAKER_01 38:31

Why is the floor web tied?

SPEAKER_03 38:34

So it's a wonderful life versus elf. Elf's the only one I've seen.

SPEAKER_01 38:41

You know, I gotta go elf.

SPEAKER_03 38:42

Elf, I agree. All right. On the uh the other side then, we are down to Christmas story versus Rudolph. No, I'm sorry, Christmas story versus the Grinch. Christmas story. Christmas story versus Vacation. Christmas vacation versus uh elf. Vacation. Vacation. Vacation. So we're down to Christmas story. There we go. Christmas vacation.

SPEAKER_00 39:06

Gotta do it. It's not. Who can be it's not? Seriously. Oh, he's tacking out a bone.

SPEAKER_03 39:13

I think we can all say that. We can all just say, it's that time. Especially.

SPEAKER_00 39:21

Christmas vacation, baby.

SPEAKER_02 39:23

Love it.

SPEAKER_03 39:23

All right.

SPEAKER_02 39:24

What's the producer think about that?

SPEAKER_03 39:26

Do you think he'll go with that? That's a good question. I'm I'm curious to I tell you what, for the next podcast, we're gonna bring him in on the phone. Yes. And he'll jump in on the soup, uh, the soup Nazi uh discussion or whatever we're gonna do. No, no, no, it's for you.

SPEAKER_02 39:41

It's a good episode.

SPEAKER_01 39:42

So content.

SPEAKER_02 39:43

Yeah, we're ready to go.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

But we gotta get it on the books because everybody's busy right now.

SPEAKER_02 39:47

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 39:47

Now I've got the paperwork and I got my attorney.

SPEAKER_02 39:50

Right. We're ready.

SPEAKER_01 39:51

I'm driving. He can't drive.

SPEAKER_02 39:53

No, he definitely couldn't drive.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

That's what get us in trouble in the first place.

SPEAKER_03 39:58

Just because I I can't drive fifty five. I gotta go thirty five.

SPEAKER_01 40:02

You know what's funny is you can't your car to then go fifty five.

SPEAKER_02 40:05

Has it ever been over the speed limit? What's the speed limit?

SPEAKER_03 40:09

Snake.