Sports Live! With Steve and Justin
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Sports Live! With Steve and Justin
NFL Week 4 - MLB the Payoffs are Set! on Sports Live! with Steve and Justin!
Keywords
Giants, NFL, cancer, coaching, quarterbacks, team dynamics, emotional moments, player accountability, sports performance, game predictions, baseball, playoffs, analytics, fan expectations, Aaron Judge, team performance, fundamentals, MLB, sports commentary, gambling
Summary
In this episode, Steven and Justin discuss the emotional moments from the Giants game, including Harry Carson's inspiring story of overcoming cancer. They reflect on the dynamics of coaching and team relationships, particularly in the context of the Giants' recent performance and rookie highlights. The conversation shifts to offensive strategies, quarterback challenges, and the overall trends in the NFL, including team performances and predictions for upcoming games. They also touch on the importance of discipline and accountability in player behavior, drawing parallels to historical perspectives on great quarterbacks. In this conversation, Steven Kasarda and Justin Matteo delve into the world of baseball as the playoffs approach, discussing team performances, fan expectations, and the impact of analytics on the game. They reflect on the lost art of baseball fundamentals and the significance of players' baseball IQ, particularly highlighting Aaron Judge's remarkable season. The discussion also touches on upcoming playoff matchups and predictions for the teams involved.
Takeaways
Harry Carson's cancer journey resonated deeply with fans.
The emotional impact of sports can transcend the game.
Coaching dynamics can significantly affect team performance.
Rookies can bring new energy and hope to struggling teams.
Offensive play calling is crucial for success in tight games.
Quarterback development is essential for long-term success.
Discipline in player behavior is vital for team integrity.
Historical perspectives on quarterbacks can inform current discussions.
Team rivalries add excitement and intensity to the NFL.
Upcoming games can shift the trajectory of a season. The transition from NFL to MLB highlights the excitement of playoffs.
Fan expectations are high, especially with significant investments in teams.
Analytics play a crucial role in modern baseball decision-making.
The fundamentals of baseball are being overlooked in today's game.
Hustle and awareness are key components of a player's success.
Aaron Judge's season showcases exceptional performance and potential MVP candidacy.
Upcoming playoff matchups will be critical for team momentum.
The Yankees' lineup is designed for offensive success.
The role of analytics may overshadow traditional baseball knowledge.
The conversation reflects on the evolution of baseball and its challenges.
Chapters
00:00 Emotional Moments at the Giants Game
01:37 Reflections on Cancer and Sports
04:02 Coaching Dynamics and Team Relationships
09:00 Giants' Performance and Rookie Highlights
13:52 Offensive Strategies and Play Calling
18:36 Defensive Strengths and Game Analysis
19:41 Eagles' Dominance and Player Frustrations
22:05 AFC Powerhouses: Bills and Steelers
24:47 Chiefs' Comeback and Ravens' Struggles
26:39 Titans' Troubles and NFL's Future Challenges
29:41 The Great Quarterback Debate: Montana vs. Brady
33:27 Discipline in Football: The Importance of Accountability
37:23 The Jets and Dolphins: A Rivalry Renewed
44:09 Baseball Playoffs: The Mets' Disappointment
49:44 The Analytics Dilemma in Baseball
59:47 The Lost Art of Baseball Hustle
01:04:42 Baseball IQ: The Key to Success
01:06:33 Aaron Judge: A Season to Remember
01:10:39 The Impact of Automated Strike Zones
01:14:54 Yankees' Playoff Prospects
01:19:04 Upcoming NFL Matchups and Predictions
There it is. Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Sports Live with Steve and Justin. Hello, Justin. Nice hat. Hello, Steve.
SPEAKER_04:Thanks for having me back.
SPEAKER_02:I heard you were at the Giant game yesterday. Is that is that true?
SPEAKER_04:Against my will and better judgment, yes, I was at the Giants game faster.
SPEAKER_03:And you enjoyed it? You did?
SPEAKER_04:I did. I um I did have a good time. I one thing I I would like to mention first is that Harry Carson was there and he rang the bell for surviving his bout with cancer, which was uh it was an emotional moment. You know, I I had tears in my eyes just, you know, because I didn't even know that he had cancer. Um but apparently he's been battling for a while and they just announced he's cancer free. So he was ringing the bell. And uh you could tell that the crowd was, you know, a younger crowd, I guess, because it was I would have thought that it would have been more applause and standing ovation, but it resonated with me. I mean, I remember Harry Carson from when I was a kid, and I think probably the most memorable moment was him going out by himself to take the uh coin toss at the Super Bowl against the Broncos. I always thought that was a very poignant moment in New York Giants history. I mean, it with all the other talent on that team, obviously, and all the other heroes of the game, and between the quarterback and the points and everything else, Harry Carson was, you know, uh a mentor to everyone in that defense that went on to again win another Super Bowl a few years later.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:So kudos to him. I'm happy to hear that. It was nice to see that in person. And then today, Mara announces that that he's battling cancer. Yeah, I saw that. Yeah, so I hope that uh I hope that he is able to follow the same path as Harry Carson and become cancer free. I mean, I know we talk a lot about different sports owners, and when they make mistakes and whatnot, uh, we criticize them for their pursuit of a championship and how they go about it. But, you know, that's obviously way bigger than football and sure puts things in perspective.
SPEAKER_02:Yes. You know, uh, as you know, I'm a 9-11 victim myself, and I had cancer from it, and um it really strangely, weirdly, as people have told me, I I kind of took it in stride and um because I wasn't in pain or anything like that. But oh, I don't know how many years I'm cancer free. I want to say seven or eight at this point. God bless. Thank you. And um, but you meet a lot of people. Meet a lot of people who are really sick. And when I had my surgery, I walked around that hospital walking through the children's wing and and Sloan Kettering, who did an amazing job. And it really is a very chilling experience because people are hearing, and I've had, you know, family members where you had to tell them you had ten days to live and whatever else, you know, and um incredibly tough experience. It's incredible tough experience, you know. And then there's others that just, you know, roll with it. So what are you gonna do? But we wish the best to Harry Carson, of course, and the best to Mr. Mara.
SPEAKER_04:Yes.
SPEAKER_02:You know, his family's been in control of the New York Giants forever. Forever. Forever. Yeah. And uh so I, you know, now that we said all nice things about him, uh, I was a little interested about the comments that him and the GM made. Was it Saturday? Saturday night? I think it was Saturday night where they said they didn't really sanction this putting Dart in.
SPEAKER_04:They distanced themselves from the head coach.
SPEAKER_02:And basically threw him under the bus. And if he would have fallen on his face, they were just setting themselves up to can the guy.
SPEAKER_04:You know, it's it's it's it makes you wonder now, going back about the relationship that he had with uh the relationship that he had with uh uh Link Martindale before he exited. Right. And who's who's telling us the truth? And how did that transpire? Why did he leave? And now you're seeing Joe Shane basically throw the coach under the bus and completely distance himself from a franchise decision, which ironically, you know, you're the one picking these players and you're the one putting all the pieces together. And um clearly it seems like the franchise is not on the same page as the coach, or they would have you believe.
SPEAKER_02:So I've worked for a lot of companies in my life before I went to law school. I, you know, I graduated law school at 40, so I was in a million different businesses, some family-owned, some privately owned, some public. And it's amazing the people in power sometimes um that, and I see it a lot in school systems too, because I'm an arbitrator for the for the uh tenured teacher program where I decide about people's uh teachers and others, um, you know, whatever jobs, whatever things they may have done inappropriately or not, decide whether they're appropriate and whether they get terminated or not. And you see again and again, not necessarily in school systems, but in all companies, somebody in power is in power for a long time and they keep their friends around them, whether their friends are successful or not. They keep people they like to have around them. And for me, if I have to say anything, that's what I'm seeing here with the Giants. I mean, that's what you see with the Knicks again and again and again. Oh man. I mean, you have these billionaire rich guys have already made their money, and in the NBA, in the NFL, wherever you want to talk about it, you're gonna make billions of dollars whether you win or whether you lose.
SPEAKER_04:It it makes you wonder how they got to being a billionaire because they surround themselves with yes men, and it's almost as if they don't want to hear any criticism, and it's just they surround themselves with people who are gonna tell them what they want to hear.
SPEAKER_02:And yeah, but with Mara and and with and with uh the Knicks, you have James Dole, and you have multi-generation generational wealth. You have they made money the old-fashioned way, they inherited it, right? And I met his Dolan's dad a couple of times, and um you could tell he was a worker. You could tell that he had his hands in the company to make it perfect. And and I think old man Mara, for lack of a better explanation, I think he was the exact same way. I mean, he listened he put George Young in there and just let him do his thing. Yeah. Even I could bet you times are weren't agree with him when he wouldn't give people the money or whatever it is. He was successful. He put that 86 team together, the hard way, bringing people in, not using any big contracts, getting a rookie, and you know, it was successful. 86 and 90, the coach was great, obviously. The coaches were great. So the whole coaching tree was very successful, still is. Yeah. So, I mean, besides that, uh uh the coach got a reprieve because uh Jackson Dark came out like he was supposed to come out, like the high draft pick he was.
SPEAKER_04:Well, that first drive of the game was uh pretty tight, it set the tone for the day. Um and he looked every bit of the part of a first-round draft pick. Uh I mean, you know, was it perfect at the end of the day? It wasn't perfect. Did he make mistakes? He made mistakes. Um, but he got things done. He he essentially dragged him to a victory. Um, I know he had that one long run called back. He actually took a shot on it about 20 or 30 yards down the field and just kept running and got down to the goal line. Um, but uh, you know, he looked fairly poised, you know, in the pocket at times and made some decent throws. Um, I thought the play calling could have been a lot better, especially in the red zone and inside the goal line. Um but, you know, firsthand look, um, you know, it's it's a step forward for the Giants for sure. Um, I don't think anybody was giving them a chance this week with the Chargers coming in 3-0. Um but the Chargers were down, I think, two offensive linemen. Um, or at least their left tackle at one point. Um, but a bittersweet victory for the Giants because they lost Malik Neighbors for the season to uh turf monster knee injury.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it's crazy.
SPEAKER_04:It was uh, I mean, that play was coming at us. We were sitting in that end zone, and you know, he's back looking for the ball, and they go down and he didn't get up. He he was laying there holding his knee the whole time, and I was like, man. I mean, it didn't even look like it was a you know collision of contact or anything like that. I mean, they were bumping a little bit, but it wasn't anything egregious.
SPEAKER_02:And you saw it on the replay?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I saw it live. I mean, on the replay, I didn't I didn't see yet.
SPEAKER_02:So he's flying through the air and he comes down on one of his legs, and it's just in the most bizarre when you see I can't watch it. You know, like it's a weird turn.
SPEAKER_04:So it happened when he hit the ground.
SPEAKER_02:Yep. I mean that's my recollection.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I I I just don't know that that happens on grass. I I mean, I guess it could, but to to hit the ground and tear an ACL, it's that's unusual.
SPEAKER_02:But hit but the offense's rookie enthusiasm has spread to the defense.
SPEAKER_04:They played very well yesterday. I have to give the defense credit there. I mean, they were flying all over the field. Um, you know, they they had that one huge play. Actually, there were two big running plays where they ran the stretch play and Amari Hanton took one for a touchdown.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:And he just beat the defense to the corner, and there was nobody, nobody could seal the edge, and nobody came up to to make a tackle. I mean, he just he just beat them. But it looked like they might have been either out of position or, you know, it was just the right call from the offense at that point against that particular defense. So, you know, kudos to them. But other other than that, I mean, I thought they played pretty inspired football, you know, the whole game. Obviously, you know, going down and scoring first and watching, you know, Jackson Doc and Cam Scatterbo. I mean, two rookies are out there pounding it, you know.
SPEAKER_02:Scatterbo threw a block on somebody yesterday and he just like annihilated him.
SPEAKER_04:The whole stadium. It was pretty wild. Yeah. I mean, they're rooting for him. I mean, he's he's a lunch pail guy, right? Like he's not gonna run away from anybody. He's not gonna break one for, you know, 50, 60 yards. Um, he's he runs to contact, but he's got great vision inside. So, you know, he's able to make moves between the tackles, but outside the tackles is gonna be tough for him, especially in the NFL. But he's not afraid to run through contact. But he and he can't be doing that every game. No, he I mean, he's not gonna last long doing that, but that's who he is. No one does. No one lets you. I don't know that they can make that their starting running back long term. Um, and then on the goal line, I mean, it was the play calling was just I I if you're gonna line up and give him the ball, don't put him in a one-set backfield. Just, you know, throw a fullback or a tight end or somebody in there to help lead block for the guy. I mean, he's gonna bash heads with whoever comes across the line of scrimmage, regardless. But, you know, um, it should look more like that two-point play where, you know, not that he has to be untouched, but he he should only have to have one guy to beat when he's trying to get in the end zone.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely, but they played so much better. And I was very impressed with with you know the heart of the game. I didn't expect that. I expect him to probably play pretty good for a little while.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, they're they need they need some upgrades for sure. Um, you know, they've got um some talent left on on the offensive uh on the offense in terms of their wide receiving core, right? But they're gonna have to find ways to get these guys open and utilize their talent as is. They can't try and force square pegs into a round hole. And the tight end from yesterday that scored the touchdown, 84. Um, you know, they had a a very good rapport in the preseason, so he's probably gonna become, you know, fairly valuable to their offense going forward, um, which is good for him, good for them. But you know, young quarterbacks need a tight end. Um, and hopefully the Giants can progress and they can build off, you know, the momentum they had yesterday. Um, I think to give Dable credit, he kicked a field goal in that game at one point where I thought it was a mistake. I'm like, you're you're 0-3. Why are you kicking a field goal here? But that turned out to be the difference in the game. They won by three points.
SPEAKER_02:So Yeah. And and, you know, um his numbers weren't spectacular. I mean, first of all, they're playing against the Chargers, who looked like the most rounded, well-rounded team we saw out there besides Buffalo. Ironically, his numbers were very Daniel Jones-like. I mean, he was 111 yards, looks like 111, and one TD, which he ran in for. Even Scatterboom was uh 25.
SPEAKER_04:79 yards.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, at 25 attempts. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:So um clearly they were trying to protect their quarterback and you know, run time off the clock, which I have no problem with that, if that's your offensive philosophy. I I tend to like that kind of football.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, Herbert had um only had 203 yards.
SPEAKER_04:He never looked like he was in sync yesterday. They they looked like a team that traveled across the country and couldn't uh, you know, almost like they hadn't like you always talk about being prepared. Right. They they seemed fairly ill-prepared.
SPEAKER_02:And uh the the Hampton had uh 12 attempts at 120, looks like 128 yards, one touchdown.
SPEAKER_04:So that was a 60 yarder.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:So, you know, they did a pretty good job, I thought, all game, you know, containing him until that one play. He had another big one somewhere else in the game after that.
SPEAKER_02:I know you were nervous that that he was good, they were gonna lose it, right?
SPEAKER_04:They were gonna that's it felt like we were waiting for the Chargers to get in sync and just start marching up and down the field. And you thought after their first passing touchdown that that was gonna happen, and it just seemed to it it it never really transpired. After that 60-yard run, then it was tight. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:So that reminded me a little bit like the 85 Giants, you know, 84, 85 Giants where where the defense makes some plays and keeps them in the game. Keeps them in the game. And uh and and the offense, you know, tries its best, and long as they don't make any big mistakes, they win. The defense keeps them in the game. And I thought the defense kept him in the game. That's a pretty simple concept, you know. I mean, that's what I thought.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I mean, I I I think they did the best. I know somebody had mentioned, you know, Harbaugh was upset that they were starting Jackson Dart because he didn't have time to prepare. And I I that comment was on Monday. No, I'm sorry. That was yesterday, but they announced that Dart was starting on Sunday or Monday. And I'm thinking to myself, what what are they talking about? You know, what what's to prepare for? How do you not have time to prepare? So maybe they were referencing that they don't have any film on them or there was limited film from the preseason, but who cares? Who cares? You're still playing against the same defense that you've been watching for three weeks and they couldn't move the ball for the most part.
SPEAKER_02:He looked out of sorts all day long.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, it didn't, it just it they they just were not in sync for sure.
SPEAKER_02:And for whatever reason, they were, like I always say, in there with one boot off. And they can't really seem to get it going. I mean, it the play calling wasn't good. Um the Giants somehow got to the quarterback, and and let's not forget, they have some great offensive and defensive lines, the uh, you know, the Chargers.
SPEAKER_04:I'll tell you, the Chargers, when we had a front row look at their goal line defense, and I mean, those guys can play. I mean, they were they were beating offensive linemen off the ball, they were filling gaps, they were, you know, making tackles on on contact on the goal line, um, filling gaps. They really just played like a team that was, you know, very well coached on that side of the ball and prepared. Um, and it is a talented defense, they're a very good defense. I I think that's a playoff defense. I I'm not saying they're gonna go to the Super Bowl or anything, but I can understand, you know, having trouble stopping an offense where you haven't seen the quarterback, but we've seen it before. Um, but uh they they did not click at all really on offense except for those two big plays. And so that's gonna happen, I guess.
SPEAKER_02:I guess so. I don't know what else you uh got a chance to see since you were at the game yesterday.
SPEAKER_04:Uh very little. Right, right. I was exhausted from the night before, if you remember.
SPEAKER_02:So just a little touch base, yes, we had an outdoor function uh the night before. And uh so Eagles and Buccaneers. Uh Eagles showed that you know they're a class above the Bucks. I mean, they out there do what they have to do.
SPEAKER_04:I saw the wide receiver's comments after the game. He tweeted um, you know, I guess something about not AJ Brown uh not not really getting the ball thrown to him. I guess he only had like four targets during the game. Um and he expressed, I guess, frustration through it, almost intimating that he was ready to walk away from this team, which I I just cannot imagine making a comment like that. You won the game, you're you're coming off a Super Bowl victory, you're 4-0. I mean, I I I just I don't I don't understand that.
SPEAKER_02:Well, there weren't a lot of passes thrown yesterday.
SPEAKER_04:I mean sometimes you're gonna get 15 targets and sometimes no.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, I think he had nine or ten targets for what I'm looking at. And you know, it's just just one of those things.
SPEAKER_04:His tweet was if you're not welcomed, not listened to, quietly withdraw. Don't make a scene, shrug your shoulders, and be on your way. And that sounds like a guy who is trying to get himself traded from a team who's 4-0 that has a Super Bowl trophy in their pocket.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:So if I'm the head coach, I mean you can dismiss it. And, you know, I'm sure he'll defend his player. Um, but inside that locker room and on that sideline and during practice during the week, I'm sure they're gonna have their eyeballs on them and their ears open. And, you know, it's it's kind of it it's it's news where there doesn't need to be news, right? Like this is a comment that's gonna have all the talking heads, including me, I'm talking about it. Uh wondering what, if any turmoil is is there in that. I mean, Saquon Barkley hasn't had uh really a great season so far for Saquon, but he's not upset. They're winning. So it's be a good teammate.
SPEAKER_02:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04:These diva wide receivers are are never happy.
SPEAKER_02:They're never happy because they want money and they get money by scoring touchdowns, right? That's true. That is true. So we entered this week saying everybody entered this week, talking about uh the Bills and Green Bay, and how those uh teams really look great. The Bills kept going, the Bills rolled on, the Bills played well, the quarterback looks like an MVP quarter quarterback again.
SPEAKER_04:Um it looked like they I was during the game, I was watching the scoreboard and I saw the Saints look like they came back in that game, but I guess it really wasn't as close as the final score indicated. Um, because I know the Bills were up by a by a bunch for a while there. Um I know that their running game is solid. Um they clearly are, in my opinion, the class of the AFC. Um and the uh the Packers.
SPEAKER_02:Um, you know Well, let's talk about them in a minute. Let's talk about the ups for a minute. The other up is the Steelers. All of a sudden, everybody's talking about the Steelers being one of the best teams in the NFL.
SPEAKER_04:We talked about that after they beat the Jets uh week one. Where are they? Are they for real? Is their defense gonna be okay, not okay? They certainly can score points, then they lose week two, and Rogers makes those comments. Hey, it's only week two, and it's kind of like, all right, well, he's right, but maybe that's not the right attitude. And then since then, you know, they've kind of poured it on and they're starting to write the ship. And they are probably now officially in control of that division. It's theirs to lose at this point, even though it's only we're heading into week five now. They've got a clear leg up on the Ravens and Cleveland. So even you know, Cleveland's defense is great, but their offense is just it's it's kind of anemic right now with Joe Flacco, a quarterback. So as much as I love Joe Flacco, it's not the same Joe Flacco.
SPEAKER_02:And the other team that came back to life that can't be ignored are the Chiefs.
SPEAKER_04:So we talked about that too, that both teams were coming into this game one and two, and this was going to change the trajectory of one franchise for the season. And I, you know, I thought going in that the Chiefs were on the brink of the end of this dynasty if the Ravens could beat them. And at the same time, I'm going through my I'm going through my fantasy football Sunday matchups, and I'm like, gee, Patrick Mahomes looks really good here. I think I should play him. And I did. It didn't help, but I I mean he scored the most points. But I I thought the Ravens were were a wounded duck, and they looked like a team that wasn't gonna get it together.
SPEAKER_02:That's the other thing we learned. Yeah. That the Ravens aren't the team you think they are.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. And it's it's it's incredible that a week four matchup could be so glaring and have so much impact for both teams, right? Like if the Chiefs had lost, it'd be it'd be the same fear of where's their season going. But the Chiefs are now back in the division after the Chargers lost to the Giants. They've they've even their record at two and two. And, you know, if they can sustain their offense, which it seems like it seems like their offense is suffering because of injuries. Their offensive line is is is playing okay. Their defense, I mean, it's not great, but it's not terrible. So because of who they are, and because of who they have, and because of who their coach is, that was a big step forward for them this week, just for this season. And the Ravens are now one and three. Lamar is hurt. They couldn't run the football. I mean, they got Derrick Henry back there. They could last week they got stuffed on the goal line, and they ran that quarterback option play where he fumbled the ball. And I I mean, they just don't look like the team we thought was ready to take the next step and maybe break through. And, you know, they had Buffalo on the ropes in week one and they gave that game away. And now they're one and three, and they're looking like they're this the ship is taking out water and there's no help. So I don't, you know, I don't know what's gonna happen if it's their defense, if it's their play calling, if people are just uh used to what they've shown for the last three or four years and they're catching up or whatever. But the Ravens, the Ravens look like a team that's very much in trouble right now.
SPEAKER_02:And at the risk of talking about teams in trouble, the Titans are so bad that you don't even know what to say.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I mean, you know, they're they're not they don't look like a very well-coached team, um, unfortunately. Um the quarterback, you know, he clearly he's a talented player, but their franchise is a mess and the the roster is probably not that good. And this is, you know, unfortunately a side effect of where the NFL is these days with, you know, their pay scale and having enough players on the field that are actually NFL level talented players and they want to expand. But when you see a team like this struggling so poorly, um it's hard. It it's hard to it's hard to justify making the product bigger and adding more teams. Where are you gonna find players to fill that those rosters?
SPEAKER_02:Well, I think it's a catch-22 with the NFL. I think you need that great quarterback to win. Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, they if they forced the water. And this guy could be good, but they got nothing to give him. I just I can't imagine where teams from the 90s that had great quarterbacks that didn't win where they would be in today's NFL.
SPEAKER_02:And I saw this on GetUp today, and and um their quote was, you know, the NFL destroys more good quarterbacks than they make.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I agree. I agree. They've made it quarterback-centric.
SPEAKER_02:Um and and they really need a good coach who knows how to build a team. Look at Patrick Mahomes. He lands with one of the best offensive minds and an ownership that says, go get him. You get go with here's what you got, go get him.
SPEAKER_04:If he had ended up with the Jets or Cleveland or you know, God knows who. He'd be hurt right now. He'd probably be hurt right now. He may not even be playing. Uh it's crazy to think that the line between great and and and not great is so thin, I guess, from franchise to franchise, but it's it's it's a glaring problem for the NFL, for sure.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Which if you talk to anybody who's graduated from this league, so to speak, they they they tell you the most important thing for the quarterbacks is to learn before getting out there and and and actually playing in this game because the the jump from where they come from in college to where they have to be in the NFL is a huge learning curve.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely.
SPEAKER_04:So the NFL, you know. I think in the future if they're going to expand to even more teams, you know, I mean, that just means that the good players are going to go to other teams. You'll have less great players on each team, which is what they want, right? They want parity. So instead of having a great offense, you might have one or two great offensive players. And you won't see a tremendous defense. You're not going to see a tremendous offense.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, but they don't they not only want parity, they want Tom Brady.
SPEAKER_04:They're not going to get that.
SPEAKER_02:They want a guy that goes out there and everybody watches.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, there's only one, right?
SPEAKER_02:I mean, Mahomes is like that.
SPEAKER_04:Mahomes is like that because he wins, right? It's still about winning. At the end of the year, he puts on a spectacle. He's a great athlete. I mean, phenomenal, phenomenal athlete. And he is he is a great quarterback. Um, you know, by the time his career's over, I think if he wins one more Super Bowl, you know, he's cemented himself in the conversation with Montana and Tom Brady.
SPEAKER_02:Um you think Brady Brady was better than Montana?
SPEAKER_04:Two different eras. Yeah, I agree. Two different eras. I mean, Joe Montana, Joe Montana was pretty tough.
SPEAKER_02:He was a leader, too.
SPEAKER_04:He was a re thrower of the football, incredibly accurate, um, a leader for sure, both in the clubhouse, on the field, off the field, had so many other intangibles and a different kind of personality altogether than you know, than Tom Brady.
SPEAKER_02:So you know my favorite Joe Montana story is you know, there's the infamous Dwight Clark, right? The infamous pass to Dwight Clark. They're on the the goal line or in a Super Bowl. Sprint right option. You know, all this pressure is on them. Joe Montana's sitting there in the huddle with the guys, and he looks up in the stands and goes, Hey, there's John Candy. Yeah. And there's video of it, and you hear him because there's a microphone. And everybody turns around, they're looking at John. Here they are at the quinchal moment.
SPEAKER_04:They've been working for since they got to go 89 yards to win this thing, and he's looking at John Candy.
SPEAKER_02:Tiny football. He's like, There's John Candy. He's like, check it out. There's John Candy. Just like a great moment.
SPEAKER_04:And yeah, it was the who was the center? It was uh was it Harris Bart? I'm trying to remember who their center was. He's talking about being in the huddle, and he points at like they're all tense and like, oh my god, this is it, you know, and he goes over and points to John Candy, and he's like, just it broke up the angst and took the pressure off them because he was so cool about it. It it it it made them not worry.
SPEAKER_02:He was cool. He's not he's not my I'm old, so he's not my Johnny Unitis, but you know, what are you gonna do? Actually, Unitis was pretty much before my time. His moments I was I was really too young for. Um, you know, in 69, I was 10 years old, and it sounds like a song. And um I was 10 years old, and I remember watching that Super Bowl. I remember watching all the Super Bowls, actually. Um, but it was United's was pretty much done. He had been hurt. Um, you know, the backup quarterback of Morton, I think it was, was in, and he wasn't doing well. And they brought United's in, he's even though he's injured, he started moving the ball down the field. He just didn't have any time left. They waited too long to do it.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. So he was, you know, I didn't see him play, but he was still a household name when I was growing up because it was always, you know, when the coaches would yell at you or make funny, they'd say they'd they'd use two names. Who do you think you are? Babe Ruth? Or if you're playing football, who do you think you are? Johnny Unitis? So I it shows his his prowess and gravitas to who he was.
SPEAKER_02:Well, they said there's you know the many years. The line goes, when did when did Johnny Unitis take control of the team in the game? And they said the moment he stepped off the bus. As soon as he stepped off the bus, he took over the whole team and game. So he was that and you know, to show what a different era it was, in the offseason he worked in a steel mill. So you know that ain't happening today. That ain't happening today, right? No chance. That ain't happening today. So um, you know, Todd, just so uh Indianapolis lost their first game. The Rands surfed them up.
SPEAKER_04:Well, I mean, they had two plates called back. Well, I know one play called back, but the first one was the touchdown of the wide receiver, who inexplicably makes this great play on what I thought was probably going to be a pass interference call, leaning into the defender and defensive pass interference for contact or whatever downfield. And he makes a great catch and then shakes the defender and beats the next guy trying to tackle him, running down the sideline, and he looks back and holds out the ball. He loses the handle on the football, goes through the back of the end zone. You know, that drives me nuts. If I'm a coach, you're benched. I don't care who you are, I don't care how good you are. I agree. There's only one way to fix that. Benched. You're fucked, you're excuse my language, you're benched. Because later in the game, he gets a holding penalty on a block that I don't, you know, the guy ran 60 yards for a touchdown. It was a great play. But that's in his head, right? I mean, you can't do that. And he needs to be benched. You need to get through to the guy, and there's only one way to do it. You bench him. If he doesn't like it, pack your bags, you're getting traded to Cleveland. Because if you're a coach and you can't traded to Cleveland, you can't. Well, that I mean, that's what they did with uh Chris Carter, right? I mean, they shipped him off to Minnesota. And, you know, Chris Carter uh praises buddy Ryan for having done that to him because he couldn't get his act together. And I mean, I know he had bigger problems at that moment in his life than just, you know, dropping a touchdown pass, but you know, that moment straightened him out. And a lot of times today they make a big deal about the coach embarrassing a player, especially after what Mike Singletary did. But there's a way to do it. You bench him. He's not playing today. Is he if nope, he's not available, he's in street close. Why? Next question. You leave it at that. And you get their attention. And either they they step up and they play like they can and don't make those mistakes, or they're gonna, they're gonna, it's gonna ride, it's gonna, it's gonna rear its head somewhere else if you let them get away with it. And it sends a terrible message to the rest of the team, especially guys that are not skilled position players, right? They're out there fighting. If you're an offensive lineman or defensive lineman, and you're on every play, you're in a car wreck. You're given everything you have, you're sacrificing your body to win games. And you see a guy with all that talent make a boneheaded play like that and not be disciplined afterwards. I mean, it's inexcusable.
SPEAKER_02:I agree. That never used to happen. Happens too.
SPEAKER_04:Happens all the time now. Seen a lot in college. They they run, they start slowing down, they drop the ball before they cross the goal line. I mean, you know, you can't have that.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, the only other team I would mention is seems like the commanders are holding on to nothing without their quarterback, you know? So had Mariota in there, right? Yeah. And and uh they lost to the Falcons, who are now two and two.
SPEAKER_04:They're both Falcons are very much heckle and jackal, I think. It seems like, you know, one one week they look like world beaters, and then another week they're they're just like they get shot out, and you think your head spins. Like, how did that happen? Um, Washington is still one of the younger teams, I think, in the NFL. So, you know, they're growing. We talked about that week one and where they're headed. And, you know, I I still think they're trending upwards, you know. So we'll see. I mean, I know they had tremendous success last year.
SPEAKER_02:So let's talk about your team. There's two games tonight, and the first one, of course, at seven o'clock, which is not far from now, um, is is the Jets and the Dolphins. You know, it's a divisional uh rivalry to say the least, but I think the Jets have a rivalry with everybody in their division. Um yeah, everybody hates them.
SPEAKER_04:That's the rivalry.
SPEAKER_02:Something to that.
SPEAKER_04:They're like they're like a kid that gets picked on, and they just keep picking on them. So we talked about it last week. You know, first we we mentioned the Giants and the Chargers, and we joked around about uh Jim Harbaugh beating three Hall of Fame head coaches, and you know, maybe the Giants actually have a chance because they don't have a Hall of Fame head coach just yet. Uh and the Giants circled the wagons and and and won the game. And I said last week that going to Miami, you know, for Aaron Glenn was gonna be it's a meaningful game for him. It has to be.
SPEAKER_01:Right.
SPEAKER_04:I can't imagine it not being a meaningful game for him. I know that aside from the fact that they're 0-3, um, you know, they thought they were gonna win uh two of these games. They could very easily be, you know, two and one.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Um but they're the Jets, right? So you you don't expect much. And they're going into Miami, they're on the road. Miami's look terrible. They you don't know whether they're coming or going.
SPEAKER_02:They weren't bad last week, but the week before they were ridiculous.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. And their coach, I still think, you know, he's he's kind of a weird guy. He's aloof, and he doesn't look like your, you know, typical NFL head coach, um, but a smart guy. And um, you know, maybe I shouldn't say weird, maybe eclectic or whatever. Um, but he's gonna have, you know, he'll have a I'm sure he'll have his team prepared to play the Jets. It is a division game. These teams know each other inside and out. But for Aaron Glenn, this has to mean something. Right. Um you know, he was the corner on the on the fake spike play, and that play is not indicative of his career because he was a good player. And he was one of the players the Jets lost to the Texans when they first opened their franchise. Right. Um, I think he was the second player selected in that expansion draft by the Texans. And he, you know, he's gotta have this team ready to go. He's gotta have them ready to fight. I mean, they have to put something together this week, whether it's protecting the quarterback who I I haven't heard yet if he's playing. I know all I heard was if he's cleared to play, he will play Justin Fields.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Uh, but if I'm the coach, you know, I especially nowadays, guy coming off concussion, unless it's Tom Brady or Johnny Unitis, I'm not I'm not throwing him back out there just yet. And if I have to, I'm gonna make sure that my offensive linemen are ready to protect him, but also that we have to we have to run the football.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:So I would imagine the Jets are gonna try to establish running the football early tonight and try and get Brees Hall going because there were rumblings earlier this week about him maybe being traded uh because they have this quasi-three-headed monster in the backfield with with the other two. I know Braylon Allen is a great talent. Um so who knows what what the game plan is, but as far as being in the locker room tonight, if you're Aaron Glenn all week, I can imagine he must have been telling these guys it's a division game, it's an important game, we're on the road, it's a business trip. You know, I didn't really hear much from the Jets this week. There was no nothing in the papers. Nothing. It was very quiet for the Jets. Almost eerily quiet. Like you notice it was there was no banter, there was no choice uh, you know, uh corkboard headlines or anything like that. So I would be very surprised if the Jets weren't ready to play tonight because typically Monday night Jets Dolphins games are are pretty exciting.
SPEAKER_01:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Um so I expect to see some fireworks tonight from both sides, but I'm gonna go with the I'm gonna be a homer and and say that the Jets following the Giants victory yesterday, maybe they're a little inspired, may want to get on the win column themselves.
SPEAKER_02:Well, the Dolphins are minus two and a half.
SPEAKER_04:The Dolphins are favored. Yeah. Well, uh it's the Jets, right? I mean, how many one-point games are they gonna be one and two-point games? Hopefully it's not as heartbreaking as it was last week, and they can get a victory tonight, uh, just to get them all, you know, in the win column.
SPEAKER_02:So um then the other game uh tonight is the uh uh the late game, as they say. Um Bengals and Broncos.
SPEAKER_04:I mean Bengals look like they're very much bleeding out right now. And uh I would expect the Broncos to be more than a bigger one. Bleeding out bleeding out is the term you want to use. Probably not the best term, but you know, they're not just yet a sinking ship. They're they're dripping oil. How about that? Okay, rudderless, they're rudderless without their quarterback.
SPEAKER_02:Right. So the the Jets are plus two and a half, the Dolphins are minus two and a half, and the other game, where is it? Um I'm just five. It was seven and a half, but I don't know what it is now. I gotta find it. Here it is. Um the uh minus seven and a half to the Broncos, plus seven and a half, obviously, to the uh Bengals.
SPEAKER_04:That game is in Denver?
SPEAKER_02:That game is in Denver.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. They need a big they need a pretty big win. I mean, they they they should they need to stay in in line with the Chiefs and the and the and the uh it's funny because the underover is 44 and a half.
SPEAKER_02:Well it's the Jets top and the under over is 43 and a half.
SPEAKER_04:I something tells me we're gonna see the over in the Jets game tonight. I know it's those two teams usually combine for a lot of points, even when they're dead. So we'll see what happens. But I think the Broncos are gonna take them to task tonight. I uh they're a good football team. We know they're well coached. Bengals are without their quarterback. I know they have the star wide receiver and whatnot. But uh and their defense isn't terrible, it's not great, but I just think the Broncos are gonna outclass them tonight.
SPEAKER_02:So at the risk of changing sports. I mean, we could talk about next week on the NFL picks in a little bit, but um we're moving into the Major League Baseball. We're moving into the playoffs. Some are and some aren't. Some are and some aren't. And it's funny because Jason and I have been talking a lot this week about gambling and the effect and players and things, and I think we're gonna put a show aside to talk about different instances about gambling and professional sports, and maybe we can cover it all in one show. Sure. But for now, maybe we'll do that after the season. Only because we'll have nothing to talk about then. Um so uh the wildcard game, as you know, is uh national league, and I'll bring that up first, is uh the Dodgers in Cincinnati.
SPEAKER_04:Cincinnati made it, huh?
SPEAKER_02:Somehow, a team with what, a hundred and nineteen million dollar payroll beat out the highest paid team in the in the league with 341 million? Something like they say, you gotta believe. You gotta believe. Amazing. You know those those amazing Met. Here is here is Steve Cohen's comment uh today uh uh regarding what happened to this wonderful team of his. Steve Cohen on whatever this is, uh I guess it's X or something. Met fans everywhere. I owe you an apology. How about how about uh I took your money and and didn't produce, no. Said you did your part by showing up, same thing, and supporting the team. We didn't do our part. We we will do a post-mortem and figure out the obvious and less obvious reasons why the team didn't perform up to your and my expectations. We are feeling raw emotions today. I know how much time, effort you have put into this team. Wow. Um, the results are was unacceptable. Your emotions tell me much how much you care and continues to motivate the organization to do better. Thank you, the best fans in sports.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, so I think there's a little window dressing there from him because you know, the first thing he mentions is the fans and their dedication for coming out this year because he had criticized them for not coming uh previously.
SPEAKER_02:Correct.
SPEAKER_04:And I don't think that's ever really fair uh for an owner to make comments like that about his fan base.
SPEAKER_02:Um a billion-dollar owner, yes.
SPEAKER_04:I don't I think that's these games are expensive, families are struggling. Uh there's a lot of corporate seats that are sold and empty for whatever reason. So, you know, and you know, on top of that, you have, you know, two or three different network deals, streaming, Amazon, Apple TV. Some fans can't even afford that, right?
SPEAKER_03:Correct.
SPEAKER_04:And they're trying to find these games to watch. You're by by by increasing your revenue streams, you are decreasing your fan base. And I think the Mets are probably, you know, even though it's New York, uh, you know, like I said, there's a little window window dressing there.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:But also you've got, you know, this$300 and something million dollar payroll, and you're telling the fans that the product on the field didn't meet your expectations. But you spent almost$400 million on payroll. You refuse to pay your best player, your franchise best player, Pete Alonzo. You strung him out again on a one-year deal, and you know, the first thing he does is announce his free agency, which is normal. I mean, why would he wait after you know, till a week or two, we just announce it and get it over with? You knew it was coming anyway. But that lack of commitment to your core players, coupled with the fact that you're spending all this money on, I mean, he gave Soto almost$800 million. And then you have an analytics guy as your general manager, and you acquiesce the analytics and you expect fans to buy into this. If you're gonna spend that much money, spend it on ball players. Uh it's not that hard of a concept. If you're over the luxury tax threshold, then be over the threshold. So, like I said, I think there's some window dressing there.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_04:It is inexplicable to me that a team that spent that much money and has the best player in baseball misses the playoffs in a playoff that is expanded. So they've got a they've got some serious soul searching to do on how they want to move forward from here because they can't miss the playoffs. You don't have to win a World Series, even though you promised your fans four or five years will win a World Series. Well, five years has passed and you haven't delivered. So I think all the noise can calm down that you know, he's our George Steinbrenner, he's gonna win us the championship, he's gonna do all the right things, and he's gonna it it's it it's it doesn't fit the narrative, doesn't fit.
SPEAKER_02:So you know, I've been thinking a lot about analytics, and I think it's gonna take a team without analytics to win it all for everybody to start to change. Yeah, I mean and I think when you have these billionaire owners, which we all have now, all have billionaire owners, and not traditional baseball people, like the Hunts own uh own the Kansas City Chiefs or traditional the Maras. These are all traditional Roonies, traditional, they've these teams have been in their families for generations. And you could say that about the Cyburners, too. But I mean they're not taking and let me finish this second, that the these billionaire owners cannot get their head around the magic of baseball. Baseball people, real baseball, if you ever watch, you know, if you don't know that much about baseball, and you watch some of the real movies about baseball where they talk about how they draft people, more documentaries, how they look at people, how they grade people, what they do, what are the intangibles. But at the end of the day, just like in football, you go out there, you do it or you don't. You can look till the end of time. You gotta get out there and do it. And I think the baseball owners today have all that money and have to understand how their team is going to work. And analytics, they can understand. They can't understand baseball because they didn't grow up with it. They can't understand what it takes a catcher of this, a Texas Leaguer, uh split-fingered fastball, righty lefty, um small ball. Uh, they do understand home runs, and obviously they understand wins and losses. But their limited baseball experience is causing them to go to analytics because it gives them an opportunity to logically understand their team rather than listen to a bunch of old guys sitting around a table saying, yeah, this guy's a great ball player. He really comes to Park to the play. He, you know, all the cliches. And you know, we've all seen the movie Money Ball, and you saw those guys sitting around the table talking. And I understand the money ball process. Over a long term, I don't think it works. And I've never thought it works. And I understand uh, you know, it's a cheat, and cheats don't work. They never work. They may get and and I think I think what's being lost and may be lost forever soon, is the understanding of what makes really baseball players baseball players. What makes them work, what talents they have. Like, look at Babe Ruth, right? Greatest player that ever lived. Pitched, hit. He drank every day, he barely could make it to the park. He weighed five, you know, some ridiculous amount of weight, and yet, and yet, he could play ball. Not only could he play it, he played it better than anybody else.
SPEAKER_04:The lore of Babe Ruth would probably have you believe as a kid that he was 500 pounds, but I think he was only about 220. He wasn't that much. He he he wasn't as big as his his legend says he is in terms of of girth and waist.
SPEAKER_02:And he was one of those guys that was stronger than strong as an ox.
SPEAKER_04:Strong as an ox. Just, you know. I I I like you opened the show talking about owners and and how they have these relationships with their general managers in football and baseball. It's you know, I don't know, you know, I'm trying to think like if the I mean Sandburn has only owned the team since 1972. But outside of that, you know, uh what long-term uh ownership in baseball is there from what you would consider uh, you know, baseball royalty families. Um I mean I I can't think of any off the top of my head. For some reason, Marge Schott's name is ringing in my head, but I know she's long gone. Yeah. But I mentioned that because of Cincinnati.
SPEAKER_02:Well, you know, the Milwaukee is um hedge fund guys now, but they do tend to keep some old school baseball players around them.
SPEAKER_04:Um Yeah, these these franchises went from, you know, I mean, it was lucrative back in the day because you collected the gate, right? So you got people to show up to these games, and that was it was all about selling hot dogs and people showing up to the ballpark. And they made money because it was cheap to go to the games. So you could fill the stadium with 30,000, 40,000 or 50,000 people because tickets were real, you know, fairly inexpensive.
SPEAKER_02:Whereas now there was a ticket for everybody.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah. There was every price point. Every price point. Now, I mean, it costs a fortune even to sit in seats that are not very good. And I understand how we got there, but it's it's it's a different, it's just a different product now than it was, you know, 100 years ago, but certainly even from 20 years ago, right? Like we're if you're a Yankee fan, you're in year 20 of analytics. Because it started with the Yankees and or they started their analytics department in 2005. But analytics being used in baseball is probably even 10 years older than that, right? So now everyone is has acquiesced to it.
SPEAKER_02:So the long the longest owner, I'm looking at the list now, I pulled it up, is Steinbrenners.
SPEAKER_04:Right. So they owned the best first generation of baseball owners.
SPEAKER_02:8.7 million they paid.
SPEAKER_04:I think he paid like 200 grand out of pocket for that, if I remember correctly.
SPEAKER_02:The next is the Tigers, uh, Olympia Entertainment, Detroit Tigers, Chris Lillich, and they're 92. And that came also with uh the Colorado Rockies, Charlie Montfort.
SPEAKER_04:Right, right.
SPEAKER_02:So, and everything here's 81, Chicago White Sox. They've been around a long time. And uh Jerry Risendorf, uh he he's not really an analytics guy. Um, so there are some people still hanging out there, um, but they haven't really won either. So, I mean that's that's part of the part of the thing. Who's this? 44 million, Minnesota twins. They come up in 84. Um, 92, 92, 95, 2006.
SPEAKER_03:Boy, people didn't really spend much money.
SPEAKER_04:It's amazing.
SPEAKER_03:It's really amazing what it is.
SPEAKER_02:And um well the padres number, sure. The Padres, but Peter O'Malley, I mean, he's a long time baseball guy, right? And um there's you know, Steve Cohen paid the most of any other owner um two point four million billion. Um Marlowe I just can't imagine spending.
SPEAKER_04:That much money to buy something and then not having control and trusting someone enough to give them control of the operation.
SPEAKER_02:That part is really, I mean But but the person, the person that you're giving control to, he can, through analytics, can articulate what he's going to do. The guy that drafts Joe Blow from Idaho is gonna say, well, he's fast, he's got a great glove, he shows up at the park, he's there in clutch spots. For my two billion, I'm going, what are you talking about?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, but what's his WR squared plus R C minus? I mean, right? Like they come up with these obscure stats to justify their analytics. Can the guy play baseball?
SPEAKER_03:That's right.
SPEAKER_04:Can he run? Did he pass the eyeball test?
SPEAKER_03:I don't know.
SPEAKER_04:I that's what I mean. I mean it's just sometimes you wonder like where is your head at when you're making these decisions to carry some of these players on your teams.
SPEAKER_02:It's like shoemakers, they're all disappearing. The people left. They're people that really, you know, the Billy Martins of the world, the who else you want to say?
SPEAKER_04:It's because we live in a throwaway society. I hate to use that term, but a friend of mine used to say it all the time. Something doesn't work, throw it out, buy a new one. And who takes a belt that you know the strap came off the buckle to the shoemaker to have them fix your belt? Who has their favorite pair of shoes resold or you know, reconditioned?
SPEAKER_03:My dress shoes I do. But they're very expensive, so right.
SPEAKER_04:But now, you know, people under 40 they just throw them out and get a new pair. And they spend two or three hundred dollars to do it. And we do the same thing with kitchen appliances and cars.
SPEAKER_02:That could gets back to me being old.
SPEAKER_04:So well, no, I I mean vintage, not old.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I'm vintage. I'm vintage, that's what I am. Hanging on by a thread over here. So um, I mean, there are a lot of things, right? There are a lot of things like that. And I I really believe that r playing baseball has become a lost art, right? So so no question. So so think about how when you talk about trickle-down theory, think about how it works. I want to play professional baseball. So here are the stats that generate my worth. So when I'm playing in college, am I worried about winning? Am I worried about um making sure we get this game, making sure it is? What are we worry about? We worry about generating those stats that are gonna fit into the analytic structure and make it all happen. But and also get me a spot on Sports Center Highlights. And what is when I think of Derek Cheater, all right, when I think of Derek Cheater, I think of the flip. Oh yeah. I think that was the greatest hustle move I've ever seen in all my years watching baseball, and I've been watching it since I'm a tiny little boy.
SPEAKER_04:So hustle, it doesn't cost anything, right? That's what the coaches used to tell us. It doesn't cost you anything to hustle.
SPEAKER_02:Heart and hustle.
SPEAKER_04:The other the other part of that play that is m more overlooked, in my opinion, is his awareness, his baseball IQ. Absolutely. He followed the play, he knew where the runners were, he knew where the throw was gonna be, he put himself into in position to make a play, and it was a great play on top of it, which not a lot of other guys would have even been in position to make that play. And today, the baseball IQ is not there with some of these players. Even the ones who are at the top of the list of great players. Their baseball IQ is almost virtually lost.
SPEAKER_02:So when I played Little League, and this is like a bad comparison, but we're gonna make it anyway. Go for it. When I played Little League, my father used to take me out, and my father never played baseball a day in his life. He lived in a city, went to the war at 14. He didn't play baseball. He delivered ice as a kid to the cotton club. So he used to take me out in a field, we'd hit balls or whatever. He bought me this book. It's how to play baseball. And it talked, it went through all the things. When the ball when the guy's on first, the ball gets hit the right field, you back up second base. When your ball gets hit, the guy's on second base, the ball gets hit the left field, you back up, you know, a different spot. So it was all these these things, and you and my father used to take me out in a dirt field by our house and basically run through all those patterns, the you know, the the fundamentals of playing baseball. So I never played it. I was a big fat kid as a little or whatever it was at that time, and I didn't play and um I didn't really say much. And one day, coach put me in center field. The ball, and on my team, seven of the nine guys were named Steve. No joke. It it really didn't work out well for the drafting process. So and it was the Mets, strangely enough, the local Oakland, New Jersey Mets in 19, whatever, 1960. 60 something. And and like it was a play, and I ran in from center field to back up the second baseman. Second baseman misses the drops the ball, it rolls in front of me because I'm standing right there. I pick it up, the runner looks at me, I take two steps forward and tag him out. From that day on, I play it every day.
SPEAKER_04:Play it every day. Heads up baseball. Good for you. I mean that's listen, and I think about and you think about what made Lawrence Taylor good.
SPEAKER_02:Lawrence Taylor was always around the ball. And he got all those fumbles because he was always standing there. You used to watch the replays of the games, he would run after everybody. And he'd be the ball would be deflected, he'd be standing there. The ball would fall out of somebody's hand, he'd be standing there. Good players make their own luck in that way. And and all these intangibles are all lost in baseball or being lost.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I agree. I I you see it on the field. You j you some of these games are unwatchable. You wonder how these guys make these plays or don't make these plays, and they get caught sleeping and you know, picked off or bad base running, thrown to the wrong base, not hitting the cutoff man. All the things that you learn in Little League, at least we used to learn.
SPEAKER_02:And that's what was amazing.
SPEAKER_04:And it's not there. I don't understand that.
SPEAKER_02:And that's what's amazing about the Derek Jeter play, and I was never a big Derek Jeter fan until that day. Not only does he go, he's there when the ball falls through, he makes sure he's there, he has the awareness of where the runner is, and he flips the ball to the catcher and makes the play. And you're like, did that just really happen?
SPEAKER_04:I mean, it would, and you know, Posada made a great play also fielding the ball and making the tag. So, and I mean, I know the throw didn't hit the cutoff man or whatever, but it was the throw was online to the plate. So the although everything happened, you know, even the one, the play Jeter made on Timu Perez in the World Series, right? Running out, getting the cutoff, and firing to home plate. You don't see those those plays a lot. Uh, you know, and I know that that's a tremendous play, it's a great play, but that's again an example of the awareness of the player being having a baseball IQ and being in position to make a play.
SPEAKER_02:And that is all things that are lost in today's world.
SPEAKER_04:Certainly.
SPEAKER_02:And I think they're lost in football, I think they're lost in baseball. Uh I don't know what to say about hockey and major league major league. I mean uh the NBA. Well, that's a whole conversation on its own. So uh so back uh let's take the baseball for a minute. So here's batting title. I guess we gotta talk about Judge since we're both or at least I am. You're a Yankee fan or are you a Met fan? I'm a Yankees fan. So um Aaron Judge, 152 games. Can't complain about that. 541 at bats, 137 runs, 179 hits, um, 114 RBIs, 124 based on balls. That's a lot.
SPEAKER_04:He he was walked, I think he broke the record for intentional walks in the American League this year.
SPEAKER_02:Well, not for anything. The next person on this list has 40 based on balls. And this is the hitting uh the hitting.
SPEAKER_04:He's gonna I'll tell you, he uh he might be the one guy that benefits the most from the automated strike zone next year. Because he's not gonna he's that though they're not gonna be able to call those low strikes on him. The the the one thing I would be concerned about with him on that is the high strikes based on where this thing is gonna be calibrated, but that's an adjustment he can make. I mean, he's got a great eye. Um he certainly is worthy of MVP.
SPEAKER_02:Um slugging percentage is six eighty-eight.
SPEAKER_04:Six eighty-eight.
SPEAKER_02:The next guy on the list is four eighty-three. Even the guy on the National League list is four fifty-seven. And meanwhile, he batted three thirty-one, which is an a uh a George Brain number.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, he was well over four hundred the first two months of the season. His batting average dropped almost a hundred points uh at one point, which for anybody else it's you know batting 300 today. It's like people don't appreciate how good somebody is. The guy from Seattle's hitting 246. Or I don't know what he finished with. Maybe he he got closer to 250.
SPEAKER_02:Um Well, Bo Bob Bichette, who's on Toronto, is the next guy on the list. His batting average was 311. He had 139 games, so a little less. Uh 20 games left, 15 games. Very good. It's a shortstop. You don't see shortstops on lists like this. Nope. Um He like I said, he had 44 40 based on balls, so they pitched to him a lot more. Um 181 hits or around the same number of hits, and uh only 94 RBIs. So, you know, a total different player. Um who we want to go down to? Nobody.
SPEAKER_04:What did the uh what did the dumper finish with home runs? He finished with the 60 on the nose? Who's that? The catcher from Seattle?
SPEAKER_03:I don't know, I don't have that right in front of me. You want me to look it up?
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I thought he was gonna I know he I know he got the 60.
SPEAKER_03:I don't have it. I'll look it up somewhere.
SPEAKER_01:It was a long weekend.
SPEAKER_03:Career leaders, major league, career, career, career, career.
SPEAKER_02:Cal Riley, you're talking about, right?
SPEAKER_04:Yes, Kyle Riley.
SPEAKER_02:He hit fifty-six. He had sixty.
SPEAKER_04:So he finished with sixty.
SPEAKER_02:Right. Schwaber hit fifty-six. Schwaber is unbelievable. Schwaber, uh, Ortani hit fifty-five. What do you want to say about him? Aaron Judge hit fifty-three, Nicole. Sorto at 43, Alfonso had 38.
SPEAKER_04:Sordo had a good season for what it's worth. I would take those numbers if I was anybody else.
SPEAKER_02:No, Chisholm had 31. Um, let's look at the National League a little. National League Tria Turner from Philadelphia. Trey Turner. Trey Turner, he had 304. He batted. It was in 151 games. About the same number at bats as Judge. Um 43 based on balls to give you an idea. What a difference. That's why his slug that's why his percentage his on-based is off the charts as well.
SPEAKER_04:I mean, I think everybody's gonna benefit from the automated strike zone. That'll give baseball what it what it wants. And maybe the automated strike zone will change the analytics of of the game.
SPEAKER_02:So it's funny, his uh Judge's on base percentage is 200 points is a hundred points higher than most anybody else. And his because of the walks, if you think about it. Yeah, sure. And his slugging percentage is over 200 points harder than any higher than anybody else. Incredible. Really incredible. So that's a major league. So um we have I know we didn't get past Cincinnati, but just to just to round that up, Cincinnati's playing the Dodgers, and that should be uh I I I want to say that's Wednesday. I have that here too. Uh Cincinnati. Dodgers, no, it is it's the late game on tomorrow. The Yankees in Boston are at 6.08. Detroit and Cleveland is at 108, and San Diego and Chicago's at 308. So if you like baseball, turn the television on at one o'clock.
SPEAKER_04:A good day to be a stay-at-home dad.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I got a hearing in Peakill. But um so that begins it. Uh the people that get a bye is uh the Phillies, Milwaukee, Toronto, and Seattle.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, Seattle did get the bye, right. Okay.
SPEAKER_02:So the rest of it should be you know, there should be some good baseball coming up. Hopefully.
SPEAKER_04:I'm actually kind of glad for the Yankees that they're gonna play right away. I think that's probably important to keep the momentum going. I'm just you know, Boston kinda had our number this year in the regular season. Um but uh it should be interesting. I mean the Yankees you know, I asked Dom which team do you think was better going in and you know, we went through the phases of the game and he said this team is a better pitching, starting pitching than last year uh up front for sure. And I think also on the back end, but our bullpen this year is not what it was. I mean Weaver was pretty much lights out last year, and he's uh and I don't want to say he's non-existent, but it's it doesn't have the same we don't we we don't I mean you don't know what Boone's gonna do. You know, who is he throwing out there? Is is he gonna is he gonna save Williams for a ninth inning big spot? Is he gonna continue to use him in the seventh or eighth inning, which I think he should do at this point? And then what you're gonna get from whoever closes these games is is unknown, really. Um we've got a small sample size from post-trade deadline.
SPEAKER_03:Right.
SPEAKER_04:Um so that's a concern. Um hopefully somebody rises to the occasion. It'd be even better if we scored enough runs not to have to worry about it. Um you're gonna obviously expect John Carlos Stanton to continue his postseason prowess and deliver some big hits. And you got Cody Bellinger in that lineup this year, savvy ball player, heady ball player, world champion ball player. Uh so he's got playoff experience and just an all-around, you know, decent ball player. He's good in the field, he's not a liability anywhere. So hopefully that gives the Yankees an edge. And then you got Judge, who, you know, hopefully he can relax this year and you know, take some of the pressure off himself and just keep hitting 320. I don't care if he hits any home runs. Just just be who you were this year. Continue to be that guy.
SPEAKER_02:Um and you have Stanton that kind of woke up his bat a little bit, Carlos a little bit.
SPEAKER_04:He had a great season considering he was, you know, again, he he was hurt to start the season with the elbows injury uh issue, and you know, he he came back kind of right where he left off from last year's playoffs. So, you know, you're you're you're hopeful if you're a Yankees fan. I mean, your lineup is built, I've been saying it forever, your lineup is built to score six runs a game. So you shouldn't have to worry about uh other teams beating your starting pitching, but you know, the playoffs is a different animal altogether. You never know how the pressure is going to get to somebody or how big the moment is gonna be. And when you're a Yankees fan and you're in the Bronx, you watch these games and you're playing in that lineup, it is an incredible amount of pressure because every single pitch is life or death. You can feel it seething from the fans, not only in the fans in the seats, but people at home watch it on TV.
SPEAKER_02:I have friends that like wear their hat inside out, they put the glove on top of the television and all that crap. So so alright, so to leave it with that, we will see. We'll talk about that next week, I'm sure. Um maybe the drama will be over, maybe it won't. Um, but next week's football, just to go over quickly, Thursday night's Niners and Rams. And uh Thursday night nine.
SPEAKER_04:Oh, so that is um where is that game? Well, obviously it's in California. Um Matthew Stafford looks good. He's playing like a pro that he is, he's got some talent. He seems to have started a a good rapport with uh Devontae Adams. He's finding he's got obviously he's got Puka Naku, he's just tremendous, probably the best receiver in the NFL at this point. Um the running game is decent. Yeah. You question, you know, what they really are because of what happened against Philadelphia. Um maybe it's their defense is young, maybe it's they don't have enough time. I don't know. But you look for the Rams to take control of that division with a win on Thursday night. And then they have to take advantage of the fact that the 49ers quarterback is out.
SPEAKER_02:Then we start on Sunday in Europe. I don't know where. I think it's London. They played uh Vikings and Browns. Back-to-back games there.
SPEAKER_04:That game is this this upcoming weekend?
SPEAKER_02:Sunday the fifth, yeah.
SPEAKER_04:So the the the Vikings went from Ireland to London?
SPEAKER_02:That is the first time that the NFL has done that.
SPEAKER_04:Wow. That is incredible. So they stayed at the I'm assuming they stayed out there and are flying back and forth.
SPEAKER_02:They're drinking Guinness as we speak.
SPEAKER_04:Ha.
SPEAKER_02:So I I'm Wow. Don't even get me started on that. All right?
SPEAKER_04:Well, I yeah, I know we don't we neither of us like it, but I will say that I I listened to a lot of the Fallout from the Ireland game. And I know the Rooneys had a big impact because they are Irish or of Irish descent. Um taking this off. Um you know, they they they had a very good response from the crowd uh in Ireland, and it seemed like uh the players enjoyed being there. Um there was good turnout, it was well received. So, you know, maybe uh maybe it's a better place than than playing in London. I don't know, but I guess the Vikings will be the ones to tell us that when they finish this week.
SPEAKER_02:So yeah, and how drained out they are when they have to get back in the regular rigomerole. I'm sure they'll make them play a Thursday night. And then Cowboys and Jets, one o'clock, Giants and Saints, one o'clock, Raiders and Colts, one o'clock, uh Dolphins and Panthers, one o'clock, Broncos and Eagles, one o'clock, Texas and Ravens, one o'clock, Titans and Cardinals, four o'clock, Buccaneers and Seahawks, four o'clock, that's a big one. Yeah, Lions and Bengals, 425, Commanders and Chargers, 425, Patriots and Bills, 820 uh on Sunday, and Chiefs and Jaguars at 815 on Monday.
SPEAKER_04:That so that's a good game, too. The Jaguars are playing very well.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, we'll see what happens.
SPEAKER_04:You know, they're playing good. They're playing good special teams, they're playing good defense. It seems like their quarterback is starting to come around finally. Um so you know, we'll see.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, there's you know so everybody uh as we had mentioned before, um Jason had Jason, did I just say that again? Justin had Justin had said had went to the giant game yesterday with his friend Mark, and after uh Dart's fantastic performance yesterday, um they they did some AI work and wrote a song about him. And I think if we're gonna end uh end our time tonight, I think I would play this song before we go. What do you think? Oh yeah, let's go. You lost your you lost your camera.
SPEAKER_04:My calendar?
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. I can still see me. I don't know. I see you now. Now we all know why it's iron baby to turn out. It's a good thing Tommy Cutlets didn't become it because I can only imagine that's all you're all right, everybody. I don't even know what to say after that. I can't wait to trim that down and post it and see what people say. It really is unbelievable. But that that's our show for that's our show for today, this week. And uh I look forward to thank you, everybody. You've been great. Uh the subscriptions are up, uh the viewership is up, and I appreciate everything from everyone, uh especially you for all your knowledge and everything you bring to the show. It's been amazing.
SPEAKER_04:So it's a pleasure. Thank you so much for having me. I enjoy looking forward to it every week, and I I wish you a continued success, of course, as we move forward.
SPEAKER_02:See you later. You'll be here, don't worry. Take care. You aren't going anywhere, I won't let you, but I'm not sure.