Two for the Win
Mike is a U.S. Navy Veteran and Bryan has more than a decade of civil service experience. Together, these blue collar guys dissect the latest sports headlines and events.
Two for the Win
Two For The Win - Episode 08
Ohio State's loss to Michigan has alumni on edge and Coach Ryan Day under scrutiny. With a 66-10 record, few expected a stumble, but this defeat has made waves, raising questions about the team's playoff prospects and Day's future. As Oregon stands tall as the only undefeated, the stakes are high, and Ohio State's playoff performance may very well dictate upcoming decisions regarding their leadership.
College football rankings have never been this electrifying. With Ole Miss and Miami itching to break through, the playoff picture is anything but clear-cut. Expect intense first-round face-offs like Arizona State against Penn State, and Tennessee clashing with Ohio State. Weather woes could play havoc with strategies, especially with Alabama facing Notre Dame in a high-stakes showdown. And if you're eyeing underdog stories, non-traditional powerhouses are lining up to disrupt the status quo.
Shifting gears, the NBA Cup heats up as Orlando and Atlanta make waves in the East, while out West, the Rockets and Warriors are in a fierce battle. Meanwhile, the NFL playoffs are in sight, with interim head coach Thomas Brown shaking things up for the Chiefs. Quarterbacks are getting crafty with deceptive plays, and we ponder the tactical brilliance—and potential rule changes—this might lead to. Join us for a jam-packed episode full of sports drama, strategic insights, and unexpected plot twists.
Welcome back everybody. Thank you for joining us on this cold, cold December 3rd. I'm Brian with an I and I'm Mike, and we are Two for the Win.
Speaker 2:Mike, let's dive right on in right on in well topics we're going to hit today. We're going to talk about the newly off the block rankings for the ncaa football. We're going to talk about the nba cup and who's in, who's out. We're going to hit on some mlb transactions and we're going to recap week 13 of the nfl and also look into the future for week 14.
Speaker 1:The future.
Speaker 2:So, leading in, we're going to discuss some college action. So I think that one of the biggest games this past weekend I mean because it's rivalries, everybody loves rivalries in college football but the one that kind of is having the most time right now is Ohio State-Michigan. Of course, you know ranked Ohio State. They haven't pulled it off the last three years, well, four years. So you think, all right, they're ranked Michigan, isn't? You think all right, ohio State's going to win this year. They got it right, they're the better team. They should win. No, no, no. The Ohio.
Speaker 1:State.
Speaker 2:Yes, the Ohio State lost in their house to Michigan.
Speaker 1:That is not a good look, so it has a lot of alumni going Fire.
Speaker 2:Ryan Day, get him out, that bum. Well, that bum, since he's been there, has a 66-10 record. So a 66-10 record by so a 66-10 record by most standards would be pretty good. But we're talking college, college game. You win your rivalry games. If you lose all your other games, as long as you win that rivalry game and embarrass your rival, maybe they can overlook some things. But you're setting this precedence now of not beating your rival.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, the 66-10 is certainly not a bad way to be, but again you say you know there's games you just want to win. Oh yeah, and these are games, especially when you have your alumni in-house and it may or may not be a special occasion, this is a game you want to win.
Speaker 2:Well, it's like in the NFL. You have Green Bay and Chicago Bears. It's a classic rivalry If you win one game out of your division yeah you need to win those two because your fans will love that. At least you know.
Speaker 1:But as the rutskins commanders fan. Yes, yeah, I think I can.
Speaker 2:I can relate, yeah, pretty much everybody in your division. But yeah, I mean I don't. Do you think he's gonna get fired if he doesn't? Because I mean Ohio State, they're going to be in the college football playoffs, they're going to be in there. Do you think he needs to win the championship to keep his job?
Speaker 1:I don't think so. I mean, year after year, they produce NFL caliber players. Okay, they might not be the winningest team out there, especially right now. Let's pull them up.
Speaker 2:What's their?
Speaker 1:record right now. What is their record right now? Let's pull them up. Okay, let's examine this. My apologies for not being prepared for the moment.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, they're right there with the top teams.
Speaker 1:I mean, they're not right now, let's pull them up. Okay, let's examine this.
Speaker 2:My apologies for not being prepared for the moment. They're right there with the top teams.
Speaker 1:This might play a role in it as well. Sure, they just lost.
Speaker 2:Right now they're 10-2. So 10-2. Now they're 10-2. So 10-2, and they're ranked number six in the country.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:So it's not like they're. You know Now, in past years this would have been horrible, because it used to be that you had to win all your games because you wanted to go for that national championship game. I mean, everybody had their bowl games or had their conference championship games and you wanted to win that. So you had a chance to go for the big time, go for that national championship. So you had to win every game because you were pitted against all the other teams in college football. So losing one game was like the death sentence. But this year we've had a lot of parity. A lot of teams have been losing games. As a matter of fact, the only undefeated team is Oregon. So I mean, obviously they're ranked one.
Speaker 1:I don't think he's in as much peril as some people might think.
Speaker 2:I honestly think that if he doesn't make a deep run, that we might be having a different discussion, because for your team to lose to your rival year after year after year, to lose to your rival year after year after year and you don't make a deep run in the new college playoffs, yeah, in the NIL era.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I could see that.
Speaker 2:I think right now it's kind of a wait and see. Let's see what he does it could teeter-totter?
Speaker 1:I really don't think he's in terribly too much peril, but if his playoff run goes sour early, I could see them having the conversation. Okay, well, is this really what we're looking for?
Speaker 2:There's definitely some alumni out there that are like fire that bomb, Get him out of here.
Speaker 1:You're always going to have those guys.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm not trying to knock them, but you're always going to have those fans, those alumni, those people out there that when you don't win that one game, they're ready for you to go.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, Kind of interesting though that one game is not only making headlines for that loss, which, mind you, it was a tight game, you know, Like for a historic rivalry. It stayed really close, Nobody just ran away and you away, and the score wasn't like 56 to 3. So they kept it close, the game was tight.
Speaker 1:Well, that's the other thing.
Speaker 2:Most people aren't talking about the game. They're talking about what happened after the game.
Speaker 1:I was wondering when we were going to get to this part.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean, it's a controversial subject right now.
Speaker 1:I think so.
Speaker 2:You know. So after they lose this game, michigan is. You know they won. They're happy. They're walking around waving their flags.
Speaker 1:Right.
Speaker 2:But then they planted that flag at center field on their logo. Now there's a lot of debate going on. A lot of people see this different ways, and they're not the only ones that had this happen. We also had it happen in the North Carolina State and North Carolina game. We also had it happen in the florida and florida state game and a pitchfork incident in the arizona state.
Speaker 1:Arizona game right, my redhead, my redheaded cousin, goes there. I know who did that one so it brings up the.
Speaker 2:the argument is planting the flag after a victory in your opponent's field at center center, 50 yard line, planting it down in their logo. Is that disrespectful? Should it be allowed? Because they had issues last night, or not last night after that game, where people were being pepper sprayed, people were getting injured because they're getting run over by security and other folks just trying to get out of there. So there was a big scuffle. I mean players were fighting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, if you ask me right, call me old school, call me a boomer, even. Call me old school, call me a boomer. Even the place where you compete at is meant to be sacred and respected. It might be a field, it might be a mat, it might be a court when you compete at is meant to be a sacred place and is meant to be respected. Now, now I feel like, in the spirit of whatever sport you're competing in, oh, doing something like planting your flag in the property. Now, if you're running around, like you say earlier, if you're running around flying your flag, you know that's one thing, okay, but now we're also setting precedent, okay. Where does the line keep getting pushed? Because now we're.
Speaker 2:I mean, so you're kind of saying it's a matter of respect, I think it is. Respect for the game and respect for your opponent.
Speaker 1:Well, you know, and you said it perfectly earlier, right when the game was over, you met center field, you shook hands and then you parted ways from wherever. I mean obviously it was a championship game. Just people could be all over the field.
Speaker 2:But there is a difference between it's not a championship game, it's just a rivalry game.
Speaker 1:Well, rivalry games are oftentimes are played on the same level and competitiveness well, it feels like a championship, yeah but you know there's a difference between celebrating a win and disrespecting. You know where you're at.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, I remember growing up playing sports where you know win or lose. At the end of the game you lined up and you kind of everybody gave a dap to the other team like good game, good game, good game. Yeah, even if you lost and you felt bad about it. But if you really were butthurt about the loss, you didn't line up and you just said, coach, I can't, I can't. And Coach would be like, all right, we'll go sit on the bench while we do this thing.
Speaker 1:Well, that's wrong to me too, because I don't care how you feel you get out there, you shake your opponent's hand.
Speaker 2:I agree. Oh, you get out there. You shake your opponent's hand, I agree. But I do recall a few times where I had teammates that they were still heated and they didn't want to go out there because they knew they were going to say or do something and we kind of preferred that they stayed on the bench because they were a bit of a hothead.
Speaker 1:Well, I mean, that's a slippery slope in that situation. I mean, if it's me as the coach, I'm telling you no, you're going to control yourself and you're going to show some sportsmanship or you're going to be off this team. But I had very hard-nosed coaches growing up, so I did, you know, I did too.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but the thing was for me, I just I don't understand. Like when was winning not enough? You know when was when did this happen? Where you didn't? It wasn't enough to just win the game, but you got to embarrass your opponent on top of it, even if you played a tight game you know there are games where the team that won barely won and they're still acting like they blew them out.
Speaker 1:I mean that's embarrassing for the winning team, for me, I mean the opponent. They might be embarrassed that it's happening to them, but look, if I'm the dean of this school and my student body is out there mutilating a rival school's property in some kind of way in the name of a win, and I mean let's call it what it is Like, that is what it was right.
Speaker 2:Well, I feel like there's this sense that you not only have to win, but you have to almost upstage your opponent.
Speaker 1:And I don't.
Speaker 2:I mean it may be old fashioned, it's just how I feel. You know I don't particularly like it. You know, if you want to do those things, yeah.
Speaker 2:Okay, whatever, you know, the biggest thing is if their coach is okay with it, whatever, it's fine, but if your coach is not okay with it, by all, by all accounts, I haven't heard anybody say I want my team to do that. You know, I haven't heard coaches come out and say, yeah, I'd love if my team went out and did that and I, a matter of fact, I remember when TO was in Dallas, when he was a Niner and he goes out to the center field, right on the star at the 50-yard line holding up his arms like he's doing some sort of pose with the football, and one of the defenders from Dallasallas came and knocked him over because he's like, not on my field yeah, and I mean I don't disagree with it.
Speaker 1:You know I'm saying with that, with what happened there, but you know, oh, no, I I don't disagree with defending you know, defending your field with the, with the flag thing. Like what are you laying claim to? What are you? What are you staking? This isn't your house, it's not a war.
Speaker 2:You didn't conquer land, and now you're taking it over. You came here.
Speaker 1:Actually, these people welcomed you into their city, into their house, to play a competitive name game, to play a competitive game name game to play a competitive game.
Speaker 2:Honestly, a few years ago, the one I really love was what the raiders did. They beat the chiefs in their house and after the game they just circled their buses around the stadium honking and going yeah okay, that's okay that's okay, I thought that was that's hilarious. They took a victory lap in their buses that's okay because it's non-threatening.
Speaker 1:There's no contact. No, you're not. Uh, uh, what's the word I'm looking for?
Speaker 2:what you, you know it used to be. You know you win the game and then you go. You go out and you, you have a good-looking date on your arm and it's like, yeah, I won twice today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what happened to going and having a winning celebration at the bar or the club or something, or the house party? Why are we out here starting fights? We just beat y'all. Let y'all carry yourselves to the locker room. We're going to go over here and have some drinks.
Speaker 2:Let some highly recruited player get hurt in one of those and let's see if the tune changes. But you know, this kind of all started with Baker Mayfield doing his plant the flag stuff and they actually asked his opinion and Baker came out and said that when he was asked about planting the flag during rivalry week, it was something he did against Ohio State in 2017. College football, his words. College football is meant to have rivalries. That's like the Big 12 banning the horns down signal. Just let the boys play. So I get what he's saying.
Speaker 2:The horns down is a big big thing. You don't do it because it's disrespectful. But and it's kind of like an unspoken thing you don't do horns down towards Texas. And I feel like, you know, planting the flag or the sword or whatever you want to do in the middle of the field, on your rival's field, still has a bit of a you know, too much feel to it, at least for me. I mean, there, I'm sure there are people out there they're gonna think such old school thought what a deba, you know I don't like it because it is um antagonizing right yeah, well, that's why they fought well I mean, yeah, that's why they fought, that's why in every single one of those incidentsidences.
Speaker 1:So me, I'm a passionate person, I'm an emotional person, but I also believe in morals and values and the nature of, you know, good competition, right, you know you just beat these dudes, however bad Might have been close, close might not have been to me, like you know, and there will be people disagree with us, right oh sure which is okay.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's the beauty of being in America. You can have a different opinion and nobody is going to really do anything to you about it. They'll just be like you're an idiot.
Speaker 1:I appreciate, coming from a time where there were lines drawn okay.
Speaker 2:Oh, I do too.
Speaker 1:You celebrated and you did certain things a certain way, and you knew not to cross certain lines, because you were considerate of what it would do to the other side or people around you. And we're we're lacking that today. Okay, people just don't care yeah and I don't like things like planting a flag, because now my, now the rival is wondering what they can do, not just to get back at us, but to upscale that Now. When does it lead to violence?
Speaker 2:Well, it did when they played.
Speaker 1:Well, it did, but when does it lead to a larger level of violence, like I mean riot-level violence, you know?
Speaker 2:Well, I think European football would have plenty of knowledge on riots.
Speaker 2:God bless the footballers. So, coming off of that topic and jumping into the now fresh off the block rankings for the brackets. So just happened, we just found out, hot off the chops. So just happened, we just found out. Hot off the chops, yes, we just found out. So sitting at second team out, ranked number 13, is Ole Miss. So they're second team out. Now. First team out, ranked number 12, is Miami. So they're on the outside looking in and we're running out of time. These teams got to make a push or they're not in. So I mean, we've got conference championship games. Those can always shake up the standings because there are teams that are in now that may get the big old bump out.
Speaker 1:It is interesting how this bracket is shifting around.
Speaker 2:Oh, yeah, oh, no doubt, no doubt. So the 12th spot of the bracket in the first round is going to be occupied right now by number 15 ranked Arizona State. Yeah, not the 12th or 13th team. Number 15, arizona State. Yeah, not the 12th or 13th team Number 15, arizona State. So they're in for right now and their opponent in the number five spot would be ranked number three Penn State.
Speaker 1:That's a matchup.
Speaker 2:That would be a very interesting matchup Arizona. State, penn State. So in the number nine spot ranked number seven, tennessee, they would be taking on number eight or the eighth spot ranked number six, ohio State. So Tennessee, ohio State, that would be a very interesting matchup. Number seven and number six. Because they're dealing a lot of that area is dealing with snow and dealing with some interesting weather here lately.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I don't know because Ohio State they have some good receivers but it's kind of hard to pass in the snow and ground and pound might be the way to win one of those games and Tennessee has a really good ground and pound game with Sampson.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So that would be a very interesting matchup. So in the number 11 spot, actually ranked, number 11 is Alabama. So in the number 11 spot, actually ranked, number 11 is Alabama. They would be taking on the sixth spot, occupied by number four ranked Notre Dame, notre Dame. So interesting thing, though, notre Dame, because they're not affiliated with the SEC, the Big 12, any of the conferences, they can't get into the buy spot, so they can't be one through four. They can't get that first round buy because they don't have a conference championship game. So, moving on to the 10th spot, which is occupied by the 9th ranked team, indiana, and they would be taking on the number 7 spot, occupied by the 5th ranked team, georgia, georgia.
Speaker 1:So, if Gary Indiana, gary Indiana Georgia.
Speaker 2:So if Penn State and Arizona State were to go against each other, the winner of that would face the fourth spot, which is occupied by number 10. Sorry about that. The 10th ranked team right now in Boise State. The winner between Tennessee and Ohio would go on to face the number one ranked team Oregon, Alabama and Notre Dame. The winner of that would go on to face the number three ranked team, SMU, and the winner of Indiana and Georgia would go on to face the number two spot in the number two ranked team in Texas.
Speaker 1:Real quick. Smu's ranked number eight. They're in the number three by spot. Thank you.
Speaker 2:I needed that correction. I thought about it after I said it. But yes, this is how the bracket is shaken out Now. This can all still have moments to change because we still have conference championship games to play. If certain teams win their conference championship game, they may push themselves into the bracket and push other teams out. So there's still plenty of movement that can happen.
Speaker 1:You know, this is football right here. This is football season.
Speaker 2:Okay, we're coming into the, we're coming into the final stretch, the nfl, and on the top of it, uh, the ncaa rackets come into the shape uh, I like this format actually yeah, I know it's, I know it's taken some getting used to for some and some older folks don't like it, but to me I felt like this college football season has been very competitive, like there's been a lot of parody and a lot of teams that are playing good ball that we haven't really seen before.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I'm hearing school names that I'm just not typically used to hearing.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean you're used to hearing the normal teams, like the Georgias, the Bamas, the Clemsons.
Speaker 1:You're used to hearing the big-name schools, the big-name schools and the occasional one or two hitters here and there, but I mean it's been so many it's been hard to keep up with, man. I mean the lights are everywhere right now.
Speaker 2:But it makes for some really good matchups. It does, I mean this to me has been way more interesting than when you would have these teams facing. You know Middle Tennessee State or you know some lower ranked team.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Where you see this final score is like 70 to 13. And it's like did they need to play the game? I mean yeah. Man Uncle. Let me just give up? Do we have to come out for the second half?
Speaker 1:You know, like man, Wait, there's a second half.
Speaker 2:So yeah, so that's the way college football is shaking right now. Still plenty of good action still to come, and can't wait to see these playoffs. It'll be interesting, for sure. So, moving on to the NBA, the Cup is getting interesting because we have teams that are in already, oh yeah, and some teams that are out. They have no shot, no shot. It's getting really fun for these teams and for the fans, because you have teams that have a shot for this that may not have a shot for a title.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So it's this fun let's put some juice into the season before we get past the holiday season.
Speaker 1:So it's going to take some getting used to.
Speaker 2:for a lot of folks, I mean, this is only the second year.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of mix-ups here, you know, I mean there's still a few teams in it. There's a lot of folks. I mean this is only the second year. There's a lot of mix-ups here, you know, I mean there's still a few teams in it. There's a lot of teams out. There's a handful of teams who have locked it up.
Speaker 2:So we're going to give you a rundown right now, of the teams that are eliminated already, that's right, and teams that still have hope, and we're going to start with the Eastern Conference. So the Group A right now, the only teams left with the availability to get in are Orlando and the New York Knicks. The Sixers are out. The Brooklyn, brooklyn Dodgers, brooklyn Nets yeah, the Nets are out. The Hornets are out. They don't have a shot.
Speaker 1:So, moving on to Group B, Wait, hold on, mike, let's go a second here. Let's play some devil's advocate. Who do you like to win this group?
Speaker 2:Right now, I feel like Orlando's going to be the team that wins it out of that group. Just because they're a young team and they just the team that gets hot at the right time seems to just go on to win this. I mean, last year nobody thought the Lakers were going to win it. I mean the Lakers have LeBron and they had a good squad. They got hot at the right time and just ran through opponents. Nobody was picking them to win the championship. So you just need to have your team firing on all cylinders at the right time for this to really take off. Orlando's just a fun team to watch. They're a young team. Most people couldn't name a single player on their team, so I think they have a good shot in my opinion.
Speaker 1:I like it. What's?
Speaker 2:going on in Group B down here. So Group B right now, the paces are eliminated. Toronto, eliminated Miami. So sad, eliminated. Sorry, miami, you're out Leaving what's weird to say? Detroit is still in it and Milwaukee is still in it. Detroit's been a bad team for a while, so it is weird to see that they still have a chance.
Speaker 1:It is. We're not going to worry about this group.
Speaker 2:Group C Well, group C has Washington the Wizards. They're eliminated. Probably the biggest surprise. Cleveland is eliminated and Chicago is eliminated. Boston is still in it, but Atlanta has actually already locked up Group C, so they're playing really good ball again. You know, you would think that Boston would be the team that's locked it up.
Speaker 1:Yeah, surprising to see the Celtics on the outside looking in.
Speaker 2:Well, they'll be in, they'll be in, they'll be in.
Speaker 1:I don't think they're going to be in. They'll probably be in, but you would have thought they might have been one of the first ones to lock up.
Speaker 2:You would think so, but that's the beauty of this style of play you just got to be the team that's playing well at the right time.
Speaker 1:Here we go.
Speaker 2:moving over to the Western side, here we go moving over to the western side, group A is consisted of the eliminated kings Didn't think that would happen, because the kings have been pretty good the Clippers, who have been eliminated. The Minnesota Timberwolves, who have been eliminated already from the bracket. Now we have Portland, who's still in the fight.
Speaker 1:And the Houston Rockets have already locked up Group A, houston, one of my favorites. To be honest with you, I'm kind of excited about that.
Speaker 2:So, moving on to Group B, you have Utah Jazz eliminated. They're out, and the Lakers, the.
Speaker 1:Lakers.
Speaker 2:Last year's champs of this tournament. They're out. There will not be a repeat champ of this tournament, which leaves Phoenix, who's still in, okc, still in and the Spurs are still in.
Speaker 1:That's going to be a tight group right there, yeah.
Speaker 2:I mean right now they're all 2-1 in the bracket play.
Speaker 1:I like OKC to take it, but that's a tight group.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, I mean you still have Phoenix sitting there with Kevin Durant and his squad. I mean he could turn it on any time. I mean we've seen what he does in the Olympics and in the playoffs and the NBA.
Speaker 1:Classic Redskins fan.
Speaker 2:What.
Speaker 1:Durant.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, washington.
Speaker 1:Wave your hand at me.
Speaker 2:Just always looking for that connection, I guess. But moving on to Group C, the final group for the West, we have the Pelicans eliminated. They're out Leaving Memphis still fighting for a spot, denver still fighting for a spot, Denver still fighting for a spot, the Nugs Yep Dallas still fighting for a spot and locked up for Group C, the Warriors Warriors 3-0 in the play right now.
Speaker 1:I know that's reality, but I also obviously agree. Hey, I mean, I agree with reality.
Speaker 2:Right now, it's Everybody's fighting for their spot. Like we just said, some teams have already locked up their division. They're good, they're in. We're just going to have to see how it finally shakes out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, see how the rest of them shake out.
Speaker 2:It should provide for some very, very interesting matchups.
Speaker 1:I like it. Competitive tournament so far.
Speaker 2:Yes, I agree. So starting next week we're going to have the winter meetings for Major League Baseball. Now I know most people, as soon as the World Series is over, most people are not paying attention to baseball.
Speaker 1:I know I'm not.
Speaker 2:But here's the thing the winter meetings. They happen every December, usually first or second week in December, and this is where all of the managers from all the teams, all of the general managers and all of the agents for these players, they all collectively meet and this is where a lot of teams' transactions for trades, free agents all happen at this meeting. So this would be like if the NFL said, hey, we're going to get all of our resources in one building for a week and shake out what we want to do. It would be chaos. People would just be like it would be like the draft day.
Speaker 1:You mean like the NFL League meeting?
Speaker 2:Well, what I mean is, like this meeting is not like the NFL meeting. This meeting actually produces a lot more stuff happening, so like Sir, are you insinuating that they're productive?
Speaker 2:Yes, very, very productive. Look, we're not even in the meeting set and some things have already happened. So the Dodgers actually signed Blake Snell, who is one of the top pitching prospects out there on the free agent market. So he's locked up with the Dodgers for five years. They also were able to get their great acquisition at the trade deadline last year in Tommy Edmund. They got him locked up and back in with them, which was very smart because he can play everywhere. He can play the outfield, infield. He's kind of like where do you need me? And you always like to have a guy like that on your team.
Speaker 1:Swiss Army knife.
Speaker 2:Exactly, exactly. You know he's the Taysom Hill of baseball. You put him anywhere. The X Factor, so we also have Aroldis Chapman. Did you see the X?
Speaker 1:Factor.
Speaker 2:Relief pitcher signing with the Boston Red Sox for a year. It's a pretty big deal because he's a good reliever still and he's going to a big club. We have Matthew Boyd signing with the Cubs and Frankie Motts, another starting pitcher, signing with the Mets. So it's kind of interesting that you get your very top pitcher in Blake Snell and then the other clubs are signing lesser pitchers just kind of flirting with. We don't want to go for the top of the pay scale. We're going to find some value guys, some value pitching being delivered there.
Speaker 1:We might find some value wins in the middle of the pack next year.
Speaker 2:But the team that has been very busy, that nobody's really talking about right now, is the Angels. The Angels sign Kyle Hendricks, a veteran starting right-hand pitcher. They signed a veteran catcher in Travis Darnot. They also sign an infielder, Kevin Newman, to fill in as their starting shortstop until Zach Nito comes back from his surgery. And they also signed I'm probably going to butcher this name but Kuchikochi, who's a pitcher that was with the Houston, atros Yusei Kikuchi.
Speaker 2:Okay, yes, that guy he signed. He was with the Houston Astros for the second half of the season last year and was a key contributor to them in their run and to the playoffs showed some promise. So he signed a three-year deal with the Angels as well. So the Angels have been making moves before the winter meetings.
Speaker 1:Not bad.
Speaker 2:So to give you some context of what comes out of these winter meetings, the Braves actually acquired Matt Olsen through these winter meetings a while ago with a trade they engineered with the Oakland Athletics.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:So these winter meetings can produce some impact results. You just have to pay attention.
Speaker 1:I mean you get everybody. It's the same reason they like to have everybody eat lunch together. They start collaborating, they start talking, they start talking business.
Speaker 2:Well, sometimes it's just a matter of saying what do you want for this guy?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, or just saying hey, you know, we really like this player you have, what would you give us for him? Or you know what do you need for him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, things always happen when you have gatherings. I mean people start talking business, they start talking numbers.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it could produce some shakeup in the world of the MLB.
Speaker 1:I'm eager to see what comes of it, if anything.
Speaker 2:Oh, there's still plenty of big names still to find a home. Oh yeah, between pitching, hitting you know there's Pete Alonzo's out there, juan Soto's out there, you still have Max Freed, corbin Burns, you know. So there's starting pitching, there's hitters, you know there's plenty out there. So we'll just see how that all shakes out.
Speaker 1:Real quick. While we're at it, I'd like to wish everybody a happy, belated Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2:Yes, sorry, we did not have an episode last week. Life happens and I had to have a surgery last week and everything's cool. I'm good now. But I don't think I would have been able to do a show, all still doped up from surgery. Or maybe it would have been a good episode, I don't know.
Speaker 1:It's okay, don't worry. The other guy survived. Mike won the fight.
Speaker 2:No fights here. Love her, not a fighter.
Speaker 1:Don't let this man lie to you.
Speaker 2:Let's talk some NFL man. Let's talk NFL NFL.
Speaker 1:You know who did have an episode last week, though Three of them on Thanksgiving Day the NFL never rests. And then again on Friday, let's hear for some NFL action. Episode last week, though, three of them on thanksgiving day the nfl never rest. And then again on friday, let's hear it for some nfl action.
Speaker 2:Okay yeah, we got plenty of football this past weekend. What?
Speaker 1:do you make of that bears and lions game?
Speaker 2:20 to 23, the lions take it so there's, aside from iberflues, not knowing how to call a freaking timeout or how to get his team in position to kick a game time, never flying away.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's been fired because of his incompetency, but I think the Lions need to really look at themselves and be like how the hell we'd let this team come in and get close Because they had them. They were up on them big time and then the Bears come back and almost tied this game up, descended into overtime. What Come on now? I mean, let's face it, the Bears are in a rebuild. They have some good pieces. They had a lot of hype in this offseason but they're still not quite there. They really need an offensive coach to really help out Caleb Williams' development and to also bring some good schemes for them that will help him, Because right now they've been calling plays and it just it was like some of the teams said. They felt like they were calling plays that didn't lead to anything. It was just like hey, call play, but it's gotten better.
Speaker 1:Under Thomas Brown, interim head coach. Yes, yes. You think they're playing better?
Speaker 2:Yes, I think they're playing better. Yes, I think they're going to play better under him. I don't.
Speaker 1:They're scoring points. They're playing close games.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, another game that got a little close that shouldn't have been was Dallas playing the Giants.
Speaker 1:Oh, come on now.
Speaker 2:Final score 27-20. Don't be so bashful.
Speaker 1:Oh, come on now.
Speaker 2:Final score 27-20.
Speaker 1:Don't be so bashful. These are two terrible games. They should have had a shootout.
Speaker 2:Tommy DeVito, tommy DeVito, tommy DeVito, he got benched. And then they put in Drew Locke and all of a sudden the team looked a little competent and they started coming back. They almost got themselves back in the game maybe drew lock should have been starting you said it, not me, but dallas.
Speaker 1:The who started for dallas. I missed some of that game. Was it cooper rush or?
Speaker 2:did they split it again with trey lance? Cooper rush started the game.
Speaker 1:cooper rush show got it done, but the game that reallyrey.
Speaker 2:Lance Cooper Rush started the game, so the Cooper Rush show got it done, but the game that really wasn't much of a game was the late game on Thanksgiving. That was a little disappointing. Packers and Dolphins. I was sorely disappointed in this game because I felt like they made all this hype about how the Dolphins can't play in cold weather. And they were kind of right Because the Dolphins looked't play in cold weather. And they're kind of right because the Dolphins looked a little flat.
Speaker 1:They were pretty dead on there.
Speaker 2:It looked like they just wanted to get back on the plane and go back to sunny Miami Go back to Miami, to your pedicures and your martinis. I feel like one day they'll get it figured out. I mean, they still play against Buffalo and New England, which are both in cold weather areas, so it's not like two it doesn't play cold weather games. He just he hasn't shown well. But you know they've also been a banged up team did they play in those cities early in the season?
Speaker 1:are they playing them late in the season?
Speaker 2:do we know?
Speaker 1:I think they still have some games with them uh well, the jets are at miami next, which is this weekend, so they're playing in a warm weather area yeah, so they'll.
Speaker 2:They'll get that win because the jets are dysfunctional. I don't know. The jets did all right this week. No, they didn't. The the stats lie. But we're not going to get ahead of ourselves. We're going to talk about the game where the Chiefs did it again. Somehow, the Chiefs are finding ways. Even with their poor play, they're finding ways to still win the game. Now, I get it. Maybe poor play is a bit rough to say, but they literally gave the ball back to the raiders, and the raiders are driving. They were going down the field. They had a chance to get down there and kick a game-winning field goal and went in there in the chiefs look stadium.
Speaker 1:The chiefs better watch out, man, because I'm picking the Chargers to beat them next week.
Speaker 2:Ooh, here you go. He's getting ahead of us and putting on his prediction.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to get too far. I'm not going to get too far, but I just want to say something on the way the Chiefs have been playing here recently.
Speaker 2:Well, a bad snap cost them the game they like man. I feel so bad for the raiders because they played one hell of a game and they just they didn't pull it off. They were so close and it was just. It was almost like the denver game those ones that sting too.
Speaker 2:It's gets the ball blocked on the last play of the game and lose. So Chiefs are finding a way to win these close games, but when you get to the playoffs, it's not going to be that easy with close games because you're going to be facing better talent. So if you're having this much trouble with teams that are not as good as the opponents you will face later on in the season or in the playoffs, you might have a hard time.
Speaker 1:I agree with you. The playoffs is a little bit different game, a little bit different level of competitiveness. You now have schemes and plays coming out that you don't call during the regular season.
Speaker 2:Right. I mean, and they're getting some players back. I mean they got Pacheco back for this first game and they're easing him in. He played a few snaps. He didn't really play his normal workload, so they're easing him back and they're going to get Hollywood Brown back here soon too.
Speaker 1:I expect them to be easy on Pacheco until they hit their playoffs.
Speaker 2:I think same thing with Hollywood, because he's coming back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Hollywood as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he's coming back from a big injury as well. He's going to need time to get into the swing of things. Once he gets that first hit, he'll probably, he'll probably be okay, because most, most nfl players they say, oh I, I got the big hit out of the way, we're good, we're good, yeah, and I mean at this point the chiefs are kind of coasting and I I wonder if they might drop a couple at this point because of that.
Speaker 2:Um, but let's face it, they've already locked up their division, they're in, so they're they're going to focus on getting healthy and getting crisp yeah, well, if, if there's any team that can turn it on for the playoffs, it's definitely the chiefs, but they they've got to figure it out before the playoffs. You can't play like they have been playing come playoff time, because you might get into a back and forth battle with the points and if they can't keep up, sorry, you're out. Yeah, so I gotta I gotta ask you this question, though. Okay, I gotta ask this question about the next game. Let's hear it. Do you like that? Do you like that because kirk cussin didn't?
Speaker 1:listen. I want you to know that I am always gonna like that okay um. Secondly, I remember that game very well. It's hard to believe it was almost 10 years ago at this point anyway. Uh, the chargers walking into Atlanta. Now is this impressive, or was this expected?
Speaker 2:Well, the Chargers have had one of the better defenses all year. So the fact that they played outstanding defense against a team that their offense has been hit or miss I mean they've had games where they've looked fire Like they're hitting. Yeah, and then next week they'll have a game where they can't do anything but kick field goals.
Speaker 1:Well, you know they're coming off that stinging loss from the Ravens too.
Speaker 2:Honestly, you mean the Chargers?
Speaker 1:The Chargers. Yeah, we were talking about Atlanta, but the Chargers come off. The stinking loss from the Ravens, okay, but you know, and typically West Coast teams and there's actually two West Coast teams that went all the way east that won this week that I did not think were probably going to pull it off, the Chargers being one of them 17-13.
Speaker 2:I think people are sleeping on the Chargers, I think so too the Chargers?
Speaker 1:I think so too. I don't think they should.
Speaker 2:I mean that Ravens game. Yeah, they lost that game, but did they play a tough game against them? Yeah, and then when they lost their starting running back JK Dobbins, it took some of the punch out, because the offense that they run Greg Roman's offense requires a good run game. You play off the run. But they found a way this past weekend to make it work and beat Atlanta by picking off Cousin multiple times in the game. Some of them Cousin's just man, the one in the end zone. Who them? Some of them cousins, just man, like the one in the end zone. It's like, who were you throwing to? Like he just kind of like lobs it up, and I guess he was expecting his receiver to high point it, but there was like three defenders around there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I gotta say, man, I think the charges need to watch out, not the charge. I think the Chiefs need to watch out, because the Chargers and the Broncos are up and coming. They're hot on their tail. Well, they're not terribly hot, they're four games separated, but if the Chiefs aren't careful, either of those teams could be hot on their ass.
Speaker 2:Well, speaking of hot teams, Pittsburgh, pittsburgh Pittsburgh scored 44 points and came out with the win against the poor Bengals.
Speaker 1:They are poor, god bless them.
Speaker 2:Joe Burrow. I feel so bad for this guy, him and Jamar Chase, because these guys are just playing such great ball.
Speaker 1:They're not getting the wins because the defense is just so inept.
Speaker 2:I mean. But just look at it though. I mean, if you look, the Steelers by all accounts have a good defense but they still gave up 38 points to the Bengals.
Speaker 1:The Bengals have to be the only team in recent memory to average 35 points a game through the whole season and still just not be in playoff contention, not even anywhere close to it.
Speaker 2:I mean, even if they're just getting some mediocre play out of their defense, they would be at least in the discussion of being in the wild card, but they're just not getting it. But on the other side, the Steelers, they're getting great play out of Russell Wilson.
Speaker 1:And Russ we trust.
Speaker 2:Look, man, this right here is a great example of don't question Mike Tomlin. Because when he was winning games with Justin Fields and people were like, why would you go to Russ? Why would you put in Russ? Look, don't question Mike Tomlin. He's probably forgotten more football than most of us will ever know.
Speaker 1:Here's my impression of Tomlin. He was know. Here's my impression of Tomlin.
Speaker 2:He was right.
Speaker 1:Here's my impression of Tomlin. Okay, all right, we're working with red, green and white. You know what Scrap all of them. I want black and gray, and then he goes and wins with it.
Speaker 2:Look, bottom line is Mike Tomlin is a heck of a coach. He does a lot. I agree he does a lot with a little.
Speaker 1:He might easily be. Suffice to say he might be my personal favorite coach in the NFL right now. I was a big fan of the super unrealistic Tomlin to Washington trade when we got rid of, yeah, when we got rid of Ron Rivera. I was all on that hype train.
Speaker 2:I knew it was never going to happen. Name another coach in the NFL that can lay claim to the fact that they've never had a losing season. I'll wait, because there isn't one. Even Andy Reid has a losing season. I have to check my stats. Bill Belichick has had a losing season.
Speaker 1:I'm going to check my stats.
Speaker 2:Kyle Shanahan has a losing season and has had losing seasons. Harbaugh has had losing seasons.
Speaker 1:Robert Kraft.
Speaker 2:Oh wait, he's an owner, he's an owner.
Speaker 1:He's an account Sorry.
Speaker 2:The point is, I'm not saying he's the greatest coach of all time because he doesn't have the hardware to prove that, I will say it.
Speaker 1:I'll put him in that conversation.
Speaker 2:But I will say that you need to put some respect on his name because of the fact that what he has done is impressive.
Speaker 1:No, I will put Tomlin in that conversation.
Speaker 2:Just look at what he's had to do these past few years. I mean, he had Big Ben.
Speaker 1:He's also won the Super Bowl. He's got trophies.
Speaker 2:He had Big Ben for a long stretch but these past few years with Mason Rudolph, kenny Pickett Fields, russell Wilson, you know just he had, like Tommy Maddox, like just picking up quarterbacks and making it work.
Speaker 1:And not only that, Tomlin, but the Steelers organization is one of the best prime examples of continuity and consistency that there has ever been.
Speaker 2:Well, they have a model. Yeah, they draft well, they develop well. Yeah, they stand on the principle of defense.
Speaker 1:They have a well-run organization as well. Yes, yes, they have a well-run organization as well. Yes, yes.
Speaker 2:Well, and keep in mind, it's been the same owner for a long time. They haven't been shifting owners around a bunch Well neither has Dallas. It's easy to have a consistent. Well, that's a different matter.
Speaker 1:Are they now?
Speaker 2:It's a very different matter.
Speaker 1:Are you sure?
Speaker 2:Because look that owner Jerry Jones got jealous of the fact that the people that he put in place, that gave them the glory days, were getting all the credit and he wasn't getting none of it Because he was managing the front office and managing all the money side. And then you get coaches Jimmy Johnson getting more credit than him, and he got salty about it so what does he?
Speaker 2:what does he do? He fires him, brings in another coach who stills, still uses jimmy johnson's team and wins another one, and then he goes. See, I didn't need jimmy johnson berry bones.
Speaker 1:I was sorry, jerry Jerry.
Speaker 2:Jones, even though Jimmy Johnson helped organize the trades and stuff that kind of helped them get all those picks, to get all those players.
Speaker 1:Jimmy J so moving on, see this Texans Jimmy Jones. He makes a good sandwich.
Speaker 2:Texans versus Jaguars. Man alright, final score was 23-20. And you know, jacksonville was really playing a tough game until the play that everybody's already seen. Everybody's been talking about the hit that Al—what is it? Al Shayer? Yeah, al Shayer, the hit that he put on their quarterback while he's sliding. Everybody's talking about it because, yeah and if you haven't seen it, he's concussed. He hit Trevor Lawrence as he was going into his slide and, if you see it, there was no point where he was kind of pulling up as he's Alshayer, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:There was no point where he was pulling up or moving off and he literally has, like, his forearm into his neck and head area. It's a bad look, and he does it right in front of the jacksonville bench. Yeah, so naturally everybody on the bench is like bro, what are you thinking? Well, yeah they're standing up and like, and it's their quarterback right.
Speaker 1:Of course it's the quarterback too, right, so?
Speaker 2:well, I mean, they're immediately they're in super defense mode sheriff. Sheriff went over there and got in his face and was, you know, immediately on a sheriff and same thing. I think it was strange they're tied in. He was on him too, like they were getting in his face and yeah, he's mighty strange as well but, the the problem. The problem is they're trying to get this out of the game because they're trying to protect the quarterback yeah and I think what's been going on and I I think players are getting sick of it.
Speaker 2:there have been quarterbacks who play this up, like where they slide extremely late or they're heading towards the sideline Patrick Mahomes, who is famous for going to the sideline and going oh, I'm going out, oh, no wait, I'm going to run up the sideline a few more yards.
Speaker 1:Other quarterbacks are taking that away and I agree.
Speaker 2:Well, very famously, kenny Pickett pulled something like this, where he faked a slide and then kept going.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I feel like this is going to come to a head at some point, because they already suspended Al Shaheer for three games. And now I know what you're thinking Three games, that's kind of a big punishment, but he's also had two other incidences. Three games, that's kind of a big punishment, but he's also had two other incidences. He actually hit a running back for the Bears late. He hit a running back for the Titans late, both of which didn't need to happen.
Speaker 1:So he's kind of becoming the Dr draymond green of the nfl right now. Well, yeah, maybe, maybe he just needs to dial it back a little bit. And I saw the hit. It was a little over aggressive. He's coming in a little fast, a little hot. Um, I agree that it is probably in part they want to protect the quarterbacks, but I also also think that they just want to get dirty play out of the game in general.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I mean it's not necessary. I mean the NFL, they used to put out tapes. Yeah, we're going that far back Tapes where it would be greatest hits of season, whatever, and it was just a compilation of the most brutal hits in every single nfl game hey mike, those were awesome, by the way. But looking back on it it's like well, wait a second. Are we just watching a bunch of dudes getting concussed? And you know, because some of the hits you would see the first of all I love watching dudes getting cussed out.
Speaker 1:Secondly, no, concussed, oh whatever. What is tape? Is that that ribbon, stuff with glue on one side? Oh my god, I use it to hold things together. Oh my god, please stop. Hey, mike, who do you think's better? Trent question who thinks better jacksonville or carolina?
Speaker 2:are you being serious? Yeah, better Jacksonville or Carolina? Are you being serious? Yeah, I honestly think that right now, personnel-wise, I think Jacksonville has the better team. They're just not playing up to it. By the way, doug Peterson is probably going to be fired after this year.
Speaker 1:No shocker if he does. Yeah, I agree with that. But we'll get into who we think was going to be fired and not fired. Oh, we got some hot seat people to talk about We'll get into that. It's cold out here, but I love a hot seat.
Speaker 2:Moving on to another really good contest between the Vikings and the Cardinals, with the Vikings edging out the win 23 to 22 another close win yeah, but I think we saw something that game that if you didn't believe in Sam Darnold, you need to. I think now because he did drive that team down the field yeah to get that go-ahead score. And not only did he do it, he did it at one point, when they were on a fourth and seven, finding Jefferson for the fourth and seven.
Speaker 2:You know I mean if anybody you're going to cover on the field, you cover Justin Jefferson. Like, why are you not covering that man? Yeah, you know, but he found a way, he got him down the field and they scored and they won.
Speaker 1:Yeah, why are you not covering that man? Yeah, you know, but he, he found a way, he got him down the field and they scored and they won. Yeah, and let me tell you what I mean the Cardinals, uh, they may be six and six right now, but uh, they're, they're pretty good man. Uh, they're coming up and they have a good defense.
Speaker 2:They have their their defense is all right. They're getting coached really well. You could tell the team. Even when they're not winning, you can see something, there's something there. They have good play out of their players where it's just a. You're seeing this effort out of players. Even if they're not winning, the effort's still there. The hunger is still there. I mean, you could see when a team is like they've given up and it's done.
Speaker 1:You could see that let's move on down the line here. Another close game, a lot of close games this week. Man, yes, there was the colts and the patriots 25-24, walking into Foxborough getting a win in a year where they might be slipping out.
Speaker 2:If you didn't see that game, you missed out, Because that game was back and forth and those teams were playing their hearts out. The fact that we might be seeing something coming out of richardson yeah because richardson made a drive to win that game.
Speaker 2:Because not only does he drive down and get this the score to get his team tied, but they go for the two-point conversion and he barrels his way into the end zone and gets the two-point conversion. And he barrels his way into the end zone and gets the two-point conversion and they win at the last second because I thought for sure, because the, the patriots, got that score. I was like, oh man, they might have this one. And and mayo has his team playing well, the patriots look like they're trending towards, they're building towards something Versus, you know, having a team that just kind of looks listless.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it doesn't look like they're going anywhere.
Speaker 1:I think the Patriots have had a pretty good start for their first year outside of the Belichick era.
Speaker 2:Well, the Colts are flirting with getting in the playoffs. Well, yeah, I was going to say they're flirting with getting in the playoffs.
Speaker 1:Well, yeah, I was going to say they're flirting on getting in the playoffs. So I mean, despite all the buzz around, you know Richardson and you know Joe Flacco, and then you know, last year they had Matt Ryan and you know some of these other names have come in and out. Well, matt Ryan was a while ago.
Speaker 2:Was he? It was a while ago, wasn't he?
Speaker 1:Yeah Time flies, time flies. But yeah, maybe this coaching staff is all right.
Speaker 2:It should be?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it should be.
Speaker 2:They stole him from the Eagles. And then the Eagles kind of look like garbage without him.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're down here. The next team I was talking about that walked over from the west coast to the east coast, seahawks walking into the Jets' house, getting away A close win albeit, but still got a win.
Speaker 2:That score doesn't really tell the full story. Yeah, because it was a tale got to win. That score doesn't really tell the full story. Yeah, it was a tale of two halves. Jets were looking like they were going to walk away with this because they were just beating up on those Seahawks.
Speaker 1:And that was my prediction, honestly, was the Jets to win this?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and Rodgers is looking like he's not quite the player he was. It's like father time's catching up.
Speaker 1:It's been a long time since 2010.
Speaker 2:But no, I mean, you know his MVP seasons weren't that long ago, but now he's just not looking good. Man, it just it, maybe. Maybe it is time to you know, right off into the sunset maybe it's the darkness he should or yeah, maybe retreat into the darkness again.
Speaker 1:I mean I think you should try the light, maybe go surfing hawai's great year-round.
Speaker 2:It's not dark at all there. Seahawks pulled off that win, but they man did you see their defensive lineman run back a thick six. It wasn't a pick six, it was a thick six, Thick six.
Speaker 1:I bet you're wondering how I got here.
Speaker 2:Leonard Williams, who used to be a Jet. He tips a ball to himself and then runs it back. It was over 90 yards it had to be he runs it back, and then you see him on the sideline. Of course, get that big man some oxygen. He earned it. That was so awesome that reminds me.
Speaker 1:I think it was a couple years ago. It was the miami game, same thing. I think the lineman caught a tipped pass, or maybe he caught a pass on purpose. He did a flip into the end zone and there was a meme with him upside down freeze framed with the football in the end zone. I I bet you're wondering how I got here. Let's move on to the next one.
Speaker 2:That I know you're itching to talk about.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm not necessarily itching because I mean, come on, let's be surprised. I mean they got a win that they should have won.
Speaker 2:It's not a surprise. Washington should have beat the Titans. The Titans are not a good team. Yeah, you know who else they should have won. It's not a surprise.
Speaker 1:Washington should have beat the Titans. The Titans are not a good team. Yeah, you know who else they should have beat. We're not going to talk about that right now. Anyway, 42-19. Good job, guys. That was a good get-right game. We needed it going into the bye week.
Speaker 2:Don't still be salty about Dallas. You're going to beat them.
Speaker 1:Dallas and Philly and the Steelers, all three of them.
Speaker 2:Hey, don't feel bad about losing to the Steelers. That was a close game, they pulled it off.
Speaker 1:I feel less bad about the Steelers as opposed to the other two.
Speaker 2:Moving on to the next game, the next game that went into overtime.
Speaker 1:Another divisional game that yeah went into overtime. Another divisional game that yeah went into overtime.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the Panthers and the Bucs, with the Bucs pulling it off 26-23. Now, look, I feel super bad for Chupa Hubbard. He's a good back, he's normally very secure with the ball. But he fumbled that ball in overtime when the team was already in field goal range and it was like, look, we just need to bleed this a little closer, give our kicker an easy kick. And he fumbled the ball. I mean kudos to the Tampa Bay Bucks for ripping that ball out. And then Baker Mayfield takes them down the field, centers them up. Field goal for the win.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, the Bucs have been having a hell of a year. I want you to watch this Panthers team.
Speaker 2:Well, bryce Young's coming out man, he played excellent that game and he got some really great throws off and under pressure and I had him feeling man, he had a one-handed catch in that game. Yeah, that was I mean there. It was so impressive. I audibly was like what a catch, like holy crap the panthers have.
Speaker 1:They have been competitive for a couple weeks now, because didn't the Chiefs just come to their house too? Yeah, and they played them tough and they played them tough. So this Panther squad man, they might be on the cusp of something. I say keep an eye on these guys man, and something funny about this.
Speaker 2:You know, the Bears are giving them crap about how great that trade was, and they ain't but one win better than the Panthers right now, you know, so yeah, so what for your win?
Speaker 1:For the Bears to be where they're at is okay. We'll see if their coaching staff hangs on, if Kayla Williams is even a Bear next year.
Speaker 2:If the Panthers keep playing like that, they're turning in the right direction.
Speaker 1:I think the Panthers are doing well. I'm eager to see what happens next year. Bryce Young whatever happened on his break when Andy Dalton took over, something clicked this dude's having a coming out party.
Speaker 2:He needed a reset.
Speaker 1:Well, he got Thielen back too. But even before then, leggett was starting to break out. They got rid of and Coker Well, coker, you know all the Coke heads out there. Well, they traded what's-his-name to the Ravens Deontay Johnson, yep.
Speaker 2:And they traded Mingo and Mingo.
Speaker 1:So maybe some things switched up, you know. Addition by subtraction the New Orleans Saints just seem like they just find creatively new ways to lose.
Speaker 2:And poor Taysom Hill got injured in that game.
Speaker 1:They, you know they put out 14 points, probably both. I didn't even watch this game. I saw the game.
Speaker 2:Did both of them belong to?
Speaker 1:Kamara.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no, they didn't, no, they didn't. But the Rams cap off a 21-14 win over them. And the Rams, they're just scrappy. They keep themselves in games. They find a way to keep themselves tight. I mean, they've got a young defense that plays fast and they're just really. You can't count them out, you know, because, like the second, you count them out. Matthew Stafford pulls some magic and throws a pass to one of three or four of his receivers and you just go. How did he do that? You know, how does he keep finding these openings? How does he keep finding these players? And that's just like it's not always one guy, you know. I mean cooper cup could be the guy one week. It could be uh nakua the next week, could be robinson, the week after that, you know. Or could be tutu atwell, you know he's. He's taking turns throwing to all of his guys and all of his guys are producing you know, yeah, and I mean that's with Kyron Williams not always being the lead back, not always picking up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's true too Sometimes this past game they had Corham out there running all over the place.
Speaker 1:Kyron still had a decent game, though, yeah.
Speaker 2:Kyron still got his carries, but he wasn't like. The rookie was looking pretty good.
Speaker 1:Well, maybe they might be, they might be saving him for a run. Well, they're not particularly well. The NFC.
Speaker 2:West. Yeah, it's not great.
Speaker 1:The wild, wild West. Nobody's particularly dominant, but you're all still in it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but moving on, we had the bird game Eagles versus the Ravens.
Speaker 1:Now, this is a good game right here.
Speaker 2:This is a game that, if you looked at it, you don't get the full story just by the score, because sometimes you can see a score and you're like, okay, we know what happened here, but this score, I feel, is misleading Because, yes, the Eagles won, but I think it has more to do with the Ravens' lack of hitting their field goals. Yeah, they missed multiple field goals with their kicker, mr Guaranteed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they missed multiple field goals with their kicker, who has been Mr Guaranteed.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Mr Guaranteed one, so guaranteed.
Speaker 2:Yeah, tucker was missing field goals multiple times in this game and he's been doing that for the past few weeks. It used to be you don't even think about it. Oh Tucker's coming in, let me go grab another drink. No, no, not anymore. You just don't even think about it. Oh Tucker's coming in, let me go grab another drink. No, no, not anymore. You just don't know. And I feel for him because it's probably got nothing to do with anything more than in his head.
Speaker 1:You know, I remember Because he's got the distance.
Speaker 2:He's not shanking them, he's barely missing, or he's plinking it off the post or boinking it. Doinking it, I like boink. Boinking it Okay.
Speaker 1:Doink sounds terrible. Boink is more lighthearted, but still offensive.
Speaker 2:I feel for him. He's just going through a rough patch and I hope he clears it up, because he's a darn good kicker. Even still, I think if any kicker has a chance to be in the Hall of Fame, he should have a good chance.
Speaker 1:Yeah, let's move on down here. This is a game that I expected to be much more competitive, one that I know that you probably really don't want to spend much time on.
Speaker 2:No, no we can definitely talk about it.
Speaker 1:Keyword definitely he doesn't want to talk about it.
Speaker 2:No, no, no, no, we will talk about it.
Speaker 1:I love the denial.
Speaker 2:I love a good snow game I do. I hate that my team didn't show up. Or that CMC is back on IR.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So Buffalo and the 49ers had this wild snow game which you know crazy thought a snow game in Buffalo.
Speaker 1:But the 49ers came out.
Speaker 2:Well, they came out looking.
Speaker 1:Or should I say Santa Clara.
Speaker 2:They came out looking pretty damn good.
Speaker 2:You know, because McCaffrey had a couple runs and if it wasn't for a shoestring tackle he would have been off to the house. So he was looking strong, he was starting to look like the McCaffrey of old and it's like finally our run game looks efficient. So if you think about it, you have Mason who at the beginning of the year was leading, if not second, in yards rushed for the first five games of the year. So we have two backs that can get it done and they can alternate and you know we should be good. But mcafree, on a play, goes down without being touched in the backfield about five yards back and just goes down.
Speaker 1:that's not good I remember seeing this sign and I knew.
Speaker 2:As soon as I saw him go down I was like fuck, he's hurt.
Speaker 1:Kyle Shanahan. When they came out from halftime they tried to ask for an update on CMC. He's like he's not coming back he's like he's not coming back and he just walks away cause he didn't want to answer that question.
Speaker 2:To make matters worse, mason gets hurt with a high ankle sprain, which means he's going to IR as well. That leaves Jarendo. Mason gets hurt with a high ankle sprain, which means he's going to IR as well, that leaves Jarendo.
Speaker 2:Yes, isaac Garendo is the only running back pretty much on the team. I mean there are practice squad guys, jarendo Demo, but I mean they just look a shell of themselves because they've been dealing with so many injuries and the players that they have on the field, they're just not the same. It's not the same team. They're older, they're hurt. When we do have players on the field, you're missing three other players. They're not playing good football.
Speaker 1:How much more time do you think Kyle Shanahan hasahan has on the clock? They're not getting rid of kyle. I don't think so either.
Speaker 2:I don't think they're getting rid of kyle because, if anything, they need to get him away from drafting players, because I know he has input on the players they're drafting. He needs to not be the one that is deciding this. They need to have him back off because, don't get me wrong, I like Ricky Pearsall. He has potential. We didn't need Ricky Pearsall. We needed offensive line help. We needed offensive line help and we needed defensive line help. I'm saying we as if I'm part of the organization, but I'm not. This is the culture.
Speaker 1:This is the culture. Don't bullshit me. I know you're calling the GM every single day and making recommendations. Okay, we know. I know some people. I can make some, we know okay.
Speaker 2:But no. So most of the time you say we. It's because it's because people are fanatics their fan is short for fanatic and we are invested.
Speaker 1:We invest our emotion, our time, our our very what can you be more public about your nfl elite status so that our podcast can gain some viewers?
Speaker 2:I don't know what you're talking about, so anyway.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, they never do.
Speaker 2:Anyway, going back to the game, buffalo of course looked great because they have Josh Allen and their running back didn't get hurt and ran all over us, so hats off to them. I hate that we lost, but this may just be a lost season for the Niners and they need to go lick their wounds and hope that they can do a better job drafting in this next draft.
Speaker 1:Did he put up more points than the Shady McCoy snow game? Who Remember when LeSean McCoy put up like 200 and I don't know, 50 yards?
Speaker 2:No, he didn't touch that, but you did have Buffalo, josh Allen. He had a rushing touchdown. He had a rushing touchdown, he had a passing touchdown and by the letter of the law, or how it goes down in the books, he had a receiving touchdown, because he threw the ball over to Cooper and he pitched it back to Allen and Allen ran and dove at the pylon and got a touchdown. So it counts as a receiving touchdown. So he hit the trifecta and did snow angels with his coach after the game. That's kind of funny.
Speaker 2:But there's something I want to hit on that happened not on the field but in the stands during that game oh, so yes for, for those of you that haven't heard this story or haven't, you know, been aware of this, so there's a little girl by the name of maya uhila, or Camalia. She's eight years old, she's a cancer survivor and she was going to her first NFL game with her family, and it just happens to be this game the San Francisco 49ers game against the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo. Now she and her family are 49ers fans, so for her it's probably so special because she's probably never seen her team play and she's seeing them for the first time. And for anybody going to see your team as a child and seeing your favorite players on the field, it's just the coolest thing and she's probably ecstatic.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But her family had to leave the game early Because some drunken Bills fan thought it was a good idea to push her down some stairs. Look, I know Bill's mafia can get a little rowdy and I'm not lumping him in with these people because I don't believe that Bill's fans are like this, but I really hope that karma gets to that guy, because there is no reason at all that you should be pushing an eight-year-old child down some stairs, especially one that just got done beating cancer.
Speaker 1:She was literally holding the cancer-free sign.
Speaker 2:Yes, she is holding a sign at the game that says I beat cancer. I'm at my first nfl game. Yeah, a dream come true I don't know you push this little girl down some stairs. What is wrong with you?
Speaker 1:yeah, I mean I agree with you there, obviously, like it's just, I don't know drunk or sober, I mean there's no, there's no reason where did you give me?
Speaker 2:that's going to be viable, that I'm going to say, oh yeah, that was a good reason to do that.
Speaker 1:There's nothing funny about it, there's nothing entertaining, like there's. Just I mean you, I mean luckily she's a good sport, because you really could have ruined her, you really could have messed some things up for her. Yeah, oh, like she hasn't had it hard enough yeah, and I mean, you know maya day camellia, you know, at the age of eight she's already a warrior, so she's dealt with more than this, more than most you know. Whatever this crap is, you know, this, you know, in her book.
Speaker 2:This is probably something small, but still like I agree with you, that is some bullshit well, the bills have come out and they've invited her family back for a better game experience good I'm not sure what they're gonna do no good for. Maybe they'll put them in a box. Or they'll do something special for which kudos to them for that. Put them in a heated. Or they'll do something special for her which kudos to them for that.
Speaker 1:Put them in a heated box with sliding windows and concierge.
Speaker 2:If it was me and I'm in charge I would find out who that fan is and I would ban them from any further games.
Speaker 1:Oh, I agree, and I honestly will be surprised if the family hasn't already been in contact with A law enforcement and B a lawyer.
Speaker 2:They have talked to law enforcement.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Because you're assaulting a minor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like this dude. It hasn't come out yet, but I'm pretty sure they probably already know who this guy is.
Speaker 2:It's this day and age. It's going to be kind of easy to figure it out.
Speaker 1:I hope, I hope.
Speaker 2:I hope somebody has it on their phone or they have it on a camera that was looking at the stands. They probably have it on a camera in the stands, but yeah, not a good look and I am so happy for her that she beat cancer and I I hope that her family does have a better experience the next time they go no, I agree.
Speaker 1:I I'm glad that, uh, the the bills organization was able to um, find out and do something as well and this quickly, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, uh, moving on to the monday night game, uh, we had the browns versus the broncos and it was a very competitive game and very interesting yeah because we saw the. We saw the the broncos play some some pretty good ball. You know, their offense wasn't quite hitting on all cylinders.
Speaker 1:It wasn't a pretty game but they got it done.
Speaker 2:Their defense really stepped up and poor Jameis Winston doing what he does best. You know Jameis Winston is the forever giving. You know he's the one that will giveth and taketh away from your team.
Speaker 1:Don't get me wrong. Defense was overall okay, but they just kept letting Njoku burn them through the middle. Okay, but they just kept letting Njoku burn them through the middle.
Speaker 2:Okay, well, I'm speaking more on the fact that he kept throwing. Winston kept throwing picks.
Speaker 1:Oh well, yeah, winston's yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Winston kept throwing picks, but he had multiple pick sixes in the game. So it really it was really funny after the game because jamis winston said in his presser he was like lord, please deliver me from pick sixes I mean I think the lord might have a little more on his plate than worrying about your pick sixes, Look.
Speaker 1:I've got to give it to Jameis Winston man. He truly is a quarterback man. Way to get by it.
Speaker 2:Man, he's like a key and people character come to life.
Speaker 1:He's so funny.
Speaker 2:But the man throws for 497 yards, four touchdowns, but has three picks in the game, two of them being pick sixes, which ultimately costs them a game. But part of his 497 yards that he threw for, 235 of those yards, went to one player, jerry Judy, the former Bronco. If he is not having a middle finger game against his former team, I don't know who he could say yes, oh, he was all over it.
Speaker 2:So this actually holds a little precedence because his 235 receiving yards breaks a record. His 235 receiving yards breaks a record. So his 235 receiving yards breaks the record for most in the NFL history by a player in a game against his former team. The previous mark, held by Terrell Owens, was 213 yards versus the 49ers back in 2008. I remember that, so I do too.
Speaker 1:I remember that game.
Speaker 2:I remember that game. But you know he's having a monster game against his former team and he was eating it up. He's doing the Hulk hogan kind of like. Oh, he was handed his ear, like, let me hear it, he was he was egging him on.
Speaker 1:I don't think that, honestly, the crowd would have gave him as much crap as they did if he had just been a professional. But he was there. He had some things to say say he got it out of his. He got it out of his system.
Speaker 2:He had a not so ceremonious exit out of there. He had a. He had a bad time with the broncos. He's playing well with the browns and I don't fault him for being like what now guys? Like, look at me, I, I'm playing excellent, and not only am I playing excellent, I'm doing it against you guys. So for him to show off, I think that's awesome, and he did it in not a bad way.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I was going to say that At least he didn't cost his team a play. You know week 10, anybody versus Washington in the backfield?
Speaker 2:But you know, hanging out with fans instead of playing the game.
Speaker 1:Right, he did poses after scoring, or he'd get up after a big pass and look at the crowd and be like let me hear it, let me hear it I think some of it was serious, but I think some of it was lighthearted because if you look at the crowd in some of those clips, some of those guys are smiling. Some of those people are smiling at like yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:You got, us you got us, you know?
Speaker 1:Okay, welcome. Welcome home, buddy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so yeah, that kind of stuff I'm cool with.
Speaker 1:You know, you play.
Speaker 2:See, that's what more players should do. If you're going to go and don't talk trash, just show it on the field. The showing on the field, or showing on the court, or showing, you know, on the diamond, like, that does better than talking trash. Like, show us, you're that good. Yeah, you know, because there's nothing they can do. After that, there is nothing you can do. You can't say nothing, you can't do anything about it, because they're showing you up.
Speaker 1:Now, of all these teams we're talking about tonight, we've got a few coaches sitting in the hot seat. A couple have already bitten the dust, okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, robert Slade. Robert Sala is gone, ember Flus Yep, he's already gone. So McCarthy doesn't have a contract except for this year, so they're just going to let him walk.
Speaker 1:They're just going to let him walk. How about Brian Dable?
Speaker 2:I don't think he's going anywhere because of the pure fact that they set him up to fail.
Speaker 1:You double down on a quarterback, let me introduce you to Daniel Snyder, my friend.
Speaker 2:They double down on Daniel Jones and pay him a bunch of money and then tell him here's your quarterback, and I don't think that was his choice and let Barkley go in the process.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So bonehead moves by the front office is not the coach's fault.
Speaker 1:So he's gotten.
Speaker 2:So you think, they're going fire a gm, they should the gm brings his own people, though not always, okay, not always, but their gm did his.
Speaker 2:Look on, you know, uh, the show they did uh hard knocks, yes, hard knocks. That was a bad look on hard knocks when he's telling barclay yeah, go see what you're worth and we'll see what we can work out. Like uh, no bud, like you're an idiot, you let him out that door, he ain't coming back. And what happened? You let him out the door and he ain't coming back. And and what did the owner say? He was like it would really suck if he goes to the Eagles.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it'd really suck if he went literally anywhere else but here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that's what happened.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that clip. I remember that. Let's move into the next week. Here We've got some interesting matchups coming up here. We didn't have a lot for any upsets. There was a lot of close games last week. Do you see anything? Do you see any interesting matchups, any trap games? Do you predict any upsets coming this week?
Speaker 2:Well, I mean we've got a good Thursday night game going with the rivalry of Green Bay and Detroit. Lions, that's probably going to be a shootout. That's going to be a good game.
Speaker 1:Let's see here we got another divisional matchup Miami and the Jets. I'm not really worried about that one.
Speaker 2:Cousins going to the Vikings. Cousins going to.
Speaker 1:Minnesota. Now this that has potential. This might be a fireworks game, if Atlanta can hold it together.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, if Cousins doesn't keep throwing picks.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that helps too, Because.
Speaker 2:Minnesota has a good defense.
Speaker 1:Listen, sir, leave the chains at home. They're affecting your accuracy. Listen, sir, leave the chains at home. They're affecting your accuracy. You know I don't really care about New York and the Saints.
Speaker 2:That's a trash game to me. Yeah, we're not going to go in on that. So, man, if I've got to pick a game for an upset, well, you already said you think Chargers will beat the Chiefs. I hate to say it. I hate to say it, I don't want to say it, but I kind of think the Bears will beat my 49ers. I hate to say it, I don't want to say it, but I kind of think the Bears will beat my 49ers.
Speaker 1:I hate to say that, but I kind of feel like that might happen, I know that's upsetting to you.
Speaker 2:But I don't know if that's actually an upset.
Speaker 1:Hey, touche.
Speaker 2:Touche sir.
Speaker 1:Why you got to go there. No, honestly, kyle shahan's a good coach. Honestly, I think you guys can out coach them. I think you can beat them, especially they're coming to your house.
Speaker 2:I I just don't think we can piece enough players on the field to be effective well, that's true, you know, because we're down to our third string back, which gorindo's good, but he's not.
Speaker 1:He's the third string back for a reason yeah he's not mcafree, he's not mason well, listen, your, your level of running back skills on a different level than some of these other teams. Okay, so I'll wind up with deborah in the back your third string quarterback is as good as a third of the league's first-string running backs okay.
Speaker 2:But yeah, I don't know. I kind of feel like that's where we're going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean okay, so that's your pick. You think Chicago's going to beat your own team. I love the confidence.
Speaker 2:Well, I mean I don't want to look. Look a lot of the games next week. There's some scrub games Jacksonville, tennessee.
Speaker 1:Nobody's going to really care these next couple weeks last week, this week, next week they're just grind games some of them it's going down to divisional matchups like you said, it's coming down to divisional matchups. There's not a lot of fireworks games. Nobody's worried about saints, saints oh versus giants honestly, one game I want to see.
Speaker 2:I want to see if carolina can play philly competitively the way they've been playing if they do, then maybe we need to start thinking that they're heading in a good direction.
Speaker 1:I don't think Carolina is going to beat Philly, but I would love to see it happen.
Speaker 2:I know you would.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for multiple reasons, not just for my own bias.
Speaker 2:Oh no, your bias is ringing hard, sir.
Speaker 1:Listen, sir. That's what she said. I couldn't help that one.
Speaker 2:Well, is that time again?
Speaker 1:It's that time again. I think we had a great show. We talked about a lot of information. We're in the hot part of the season. Thank you for joining us again. Everybody, once again, happy belated Thanksgiving. I'm Brian with an I and I'm Mike, and we are Two for the Win.