Christmas Edition: Ohio Football, Cold Truths, And Christmas Stories

December football in Ohio doesn’t ask nice questions—it demands answers. We open with the Buckeyes’ surge into the playoff picture, powered by a stack of All‑Americans and the kind of depth only a program fluent in NIL and the transfer portal can sustain. The debate gets real fast: what matters more in the postseason—elite talent, crisp red zone play calling, or how a staff solves third downs when defenses know your tendencies? We unpack the Heisman snub energy, the injury truths behind the rotation, and the one or two portal pieces that could tilt January.

Then we slide to the NFL, where the Bengals’ shutout loss brought more than a bad scoreline. Burrow’s frustration, facilities chatter, and a flat two‑minute mindset underscored a bigger problem: when process slips, cold‑weather football exposes you. We talk roster construction that travels in January, why young defenders deserve more oxygen, and what it will take to reset against Miami. From there, the Browns’ picture sharpens into a tough reality—an injury‑riddled offensive line, penalties, and a run game that can’t cover for QB growing pains. The path forward is clear if not easy: define the quarterback plan, rebuild the trench, and add a receiver who scares coverage.

Culture and context matter too. Michigan’s off‑field spiral isn’t tabloid fodder; it’s a recruiting and reputation story that touches every Big Ten locker room. Recruits weigh development, stability, and trust as much as trophies. And because it’s our Christmas edition, we finish with laughs and chaos—tree disasters, pet mayhem, and the kind of family stories that make Home Alone and Christmas Vacation feel like documentaries. Through it all, one theme holds: winners manage details when the weather turns and the margins shrink.

If you love Ohio State strategy, Bengals and Browns honesty, and a little holiday comedy to round it out, you’re in the right place. Hit follow, share with a fan who needs a reality check, and drop your lock and upset for the week—we’ll read the best picks on the next show.

Tune in every week for a new episode!

Chapters

• 0:00 Holiday Kickoff And Agenda
• 2:32 Buckeyes’ All‑American Honors And NIL Edge
• 6:33 Injuries, Heisman Snubs, And Playoff Outlook
• 10:58 Transfer Portal Priorities And Staff Roles
• 17:21 Michigan Turmoil And Big Ten Ripple Effects
• 25:39 Bengals Elimination, Facilities, And Burrow Frustration
• 33:22 Cold‑Weather Quarterbacks And Miami Matchup
• 37:31 Browns’ Offensive Line Crisis And QB Path
• 45:14 Team‑Building Philosophy And Trade Hypotheticals
• 52:08 Locks, Upsets, And Week Outlook
• 56:06 Christmas Pet Peeves And Tree Fiascos

Transcript

SPEAKER_05: 0:00

Welcome to the SOB Scarlet Orange and Brown Podcast Christmas Edition. Today we discuss a Buckeye update going into the college football playoffs, Bengals and Browns beatdowns. And please stick around for the last 20 minutes of the show as we go into our holiday special. You won't want to miss.

SPEAKER_03: 0:23

Anytime you're playing this time of year, whether it's in the Big Time Championship or in the playoffs, you're playing against good teams. So we never want to not give credit to our opponent. But it it's clear that we are not going to get to the players. So we need to be moving forward.

unknown: 0:42

This is sort of the opportunity for us to learn from that game and one point in all three phases. And the ideal leading out the two bunch of six.

SPEAKER_01: 1:56

From the Ohio State Buckety to the Cincinnati fingers to the Cleveland Brandles, we've got every inch of the Buckety State covered. In tight action, and plenty of bold opinions. Because here it's all football, all Ohio, all the time. Here's your host coming to you live from the Dublin bubble, Chris Husman and Ken Carpenter.

SPEAKER_05: 2:21

Hello, and welcome to the SOB Scarlet Orange Brown Podcast. I'm Ken Carpenter. And I'm Chris Huseman. And welcome to the Christmas edition of the SOB. We start off with the Buckeyes. They haven't played. They're waiting on the winner of Texas AM and Miami in the playoffs. The Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, they they pulled off a daily double. They probably had the two worst games they could have on the same weekend. Bengals went down 24-0 at home to the Ravens. Up next, they get the Miami Dolphins and the Browns with a 31-3 loss at but uh at Chicago. Up next, the Buffalo Bills. Your thoughts. Okay. Well, you know, at least the news on the buckeyes. Depending on which uh selection committee it was, they had seven uh first teen all Americans, and a total of one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine guys, depending on what uh what's uh what selection committee was, yeah, got all American status. And that was uh Curry, Downs, Hensman, McDonald, Tate, Saiyan, Styles, Reese, and Montgomery. And uh that's incredible. I just uh totally blown away that you get that many guys on first or second team, all American.

SPEAKER_00: 4:19

Yeah, it was, and and it just goes to show you the talent level that we produce every year at Ohio State. And, you know, we're winning that battle, Kenny. We're winning that NIL battle. Um, that's the game that uh the NCAA wanted to play, and we said, okay, we we'll play it, we'll play it however you want to play it. And um people don't like it, Kenny. I mean, people don't like the fact that, you know, and I don't like it either, uh, to be honest with you. But the uh if that's the rules of the game, then that's the way we're gonna play it, and and we'll beat you at it too as well. But um, you know, some of the things I brought away from that um of the award, the award season or whatever you want to say the past couple weeks was, you know, just seeing Justin saying the snub at the Heisman, um, you know, not to say that he should have been the Heisman winner, uh, but to finish fourth in that and to put Pavia in there and what Pavia had to say, uh, Diego Pavia had to say um, you know, to all the voters in a tweet that he put out, you know, F all the voters, um, you know, just kind of showed you, you know, that's not Heisman worthy. And um, you know, uh for him, and it showed a um uh also a uh tweet, you know, of him sitting over there by himself, uh nobody was over there, but he was talking to Fernando and and um you know it it it just I I think what they're doing, Kenny, is they're they're uh they're waking up the bear, so you know, so to speak. And um I think Saiyan's gonna have something to say, uh, no pun intended, when it comes to the college football playoffs. Um I you know, some couple other things that came away from that too is you know, I think the Smith and Tate injuries uh were real, uh, which I didn't believe, I didn't buy into. Um you know, they were platooning uh during that Indiana game. Um I don't know if that was by design or due to injury or you know, trying to limit their snaps. Um but you know that was interesting to me. And then uh Bo Jackson, Isaiah West, uh those two guys are for real. You know, um over five yards per carry. Um Claire, in my opinion, is for real. Um the defense is still legit as advertised, and and I I'm just happy that you know Ryan Day and his coaching staff uh has a ton of time to prepare for this game coming up.

SPEAKER_05: 6:57

Yeah. I think my my only concern is I I think Ryan Day's gonna have to take over a little bit more of the play calling because Heart Line's getting pulled in two different directions, and that's going to be I can't even imagine being in that situation to begin with. But uh but you know, if you look at uh the transfer portal, which is just blowing up right now, um Ohio State's gonna definitely like every other team jump in there. But uh when you look at the the transfer portal, what do you think would be some areas that the Ohio State needs to address when it comes to the the portal and the guys that they're losing?

SPEAKER_00: 7:38

Well, um, you know, I I think they need to bolster their defense. Um, you know, we are still wide receiver university. Um and you know, I think um just peace, just piecemeal it. I mean, we don't have to and what I like is that we went out and secured um, I don't know if you heard that, we got that Legend Bay uh who was um, you know, uh going to Tennessee, and then once he turned 18, you know, he told his mom that hey, you know, here's what I'm doing. Sorry. And um, and he he's listed as an athlete. So those are the type of guys that I think we need. I think we need that slot receiver that can go and just go everywhere and has just tons of speed. You know, um I'm referring to like a Julian Edelman and you know, somebody that has that speed and that slot receiver that you know a linebacker just can't cover.

SPEAKER_04: 8:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 8:45

And um I think bolstering the defense a little bit um too as well, uh, we're gonna have some losses on that defense, and um, you know, you can never have too many good cornerbacks, uh, defensive backs uh in there as well. So once we get those things, um I think we need to really, really work in, and you mentioned it, Kenny, you know, the heartline situation. You know, what what's his status gonna be? What's his role gonna be? You know, how is that going to improve our red zone efficiency, which we desperately got exposed during the Indiana game?

SPEAKER_04: 9:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 9:22

How's that going to equate to um you know getting uh getting more third down, first downs on third down? And you know, how's that all gonna come out?

SPEAKER_05: 9:33

Yes, it's uh it's gonna be interesting, but I think you know the preparation and chance to rus guys up will will definitely help. I you know, going into the portal, though I would think you know, I've heard that they're looking at the Florida running back. Uh I think they need to uh improve at the defensive end spot spot with Curry moving on, and you know uh maybe another wide receiver, I don't know. But if you got Legend Day in the slot and you got uh Jeremiah and the uh the the big time recruit uh uh Henry Henry Henry, yeah, Chris the man you talk about that, that who you gonna pick? That's gonna be fun to watch. So um hopefully, you know, uh they'll they'll be able to string it together. But I wanted to take a look at one last thing here is when it comes to the Buckeyes, is uh the Michigan news just gets crazier by the minute. And what is your take?

SPEAKER_00: 10:36

Well, you know, Kenny, I mean, um we talked about this, I think, when we had Donnie Nicky on the show um, you know, on like one of our second, third, fourth episodes that we had, and we talked about um, you know, I think there was an announcer. Um, uh, who was the announcer that got uh um for one of the uh games that got um uh in trouble there in Indiana, he was gonna announce the game and he got um you know for the the Uber driver or the taxi driver, whatever it was, and you know, that sparked off a debate to us about mental illness. And um, you know, now we're learning all these things that Sharone Moore, you know, had in his closet that you know a lot of people do, Kenny, but you know, when you're in a high-stakes uh role as you know as he is, um, to me that's on Michigan. And you know, I think, you know, in our conversations off-air, you know, that we had that you know, this might not have come to fruition if they'd beaten Ohio State. And what have they done to, you know, all these recruits coming in? And you know, I mentioned it, they just hired Ohio State special teams, ex-special teams coach. Um, you know, they hired him uh two days before this all came to light. And it's like, you know, a lot of these things, it was like the right hand didn't know what the left hand was doing, and uh they were trying to carry on business as usual. And then when she actually went to the powers that be um with all those text messages and evidence, um, you know, it was just too hard to overcome for Michigan. And you know, you kind of feel bad for the guy, but at the same time, I you know who I really feel bad for is the athletes and the people that are, you know, planning on attending UM.

SPEAKER_05: 12:41

Yeah, you know the thing that you know, as much as the Sharone Moore thing is just blowing up the whole university, it all started when Ohio State went on a run where Urban Meyer 7-0, Trussell went in all those games against him. And uh they were like, We gotta do something. And what did they do? They hired a Michigan man, Jim Harbaugh, and his line of coaches, his uh assistants that came in, guys getting arrested and all kind of investigations. It all started with horrorball when they were like, we gotta do something to change things because we can't keep losing Ohio State for whatever the run was, like 10 out of 11 years. And to me, it starts with horrorball.

SPEAKER_00: 13:30

Well, and I agree with you, and and it's funny how the narrative have has changed, Kenny, over the past you know, several weeks. Um, you know, it was Michigan dominating Ohio State all the time, and now all of a sudden it was well, you know, Michigan's just won, you know, four or five or six times, you know, since the year 2000. You know, and I find that funny because it's like, hey, wait a minute. You know, where are you, Desmond Howard? You know, you're talking about you know uh being just relentless uh when you know Jen Trussell was uh in trouble and relentless, you know, during the Urban Meyer little um you know flirt fiasco and you know all those things, and now you have something as serious as this, um, you know, it's just sad. And not only that, it it's carried over to you know a lot. Michigan State had their had their uh their problems. Um now Ohio University just had their problems. You know, he's allegedly um you know messing around with a 22-year-old nursing student uh there. And you know, it's just a lot of different things that are going on lately that uh these guys just gotta understand they're in the public eye, Kenny. And and it takes a it takes a lot. It really does take it takes a lot to be the wife of a coach that's gone 24-7 with recruiting and game prep and everything else, and you know, still trying to raise a family. I mean, you know, the odds are stacked against you.

SPEAKER_05: 15:09

Yeah, it's it's definitely uh a tough situation, and it'll be interesting how it all shakes out when they have to play in the their bowl game. Let's move on to the to the NFL here, and we always like to start off with Cincinnati, and they got eliminated this past weekend with 24-nothing lost to the uh uh Baltimore Ravens. Uh I saw a season ticket holder posted something where you know the temperatures are freezing cold and it snowed and the owner did nothing to clean any of the seats off, hire anybody to clean seats. Um you know, it the borough news coming out about he's like crazy things might happen, you know. I don't know, I could get traded. That's you know, and then he was kinda not feeling real good about play, but you know, I think he confirmed he wants to play a long time. But the good news is they get the Dolphins, and the Dolphins are starting a rookie quarterback this weekend in Quinn Yours.

SPEAKER_00: 16:12

Yeah, you know, it's uh it it's almost you know, being a Bengals fan, you're you're really you're not happy with the Brown ownership. Um you really you know, you're really not. But you know, you st if you step back and look, you know, and I saw this the other day, I I forget who was reporting on it, but you know, they're like um it was they they they paid Chase, they paid Higgins, they paid Hendrickson. Um it might take a while to pry out money, you know, from Mike Brown. Um, but they went and they petitioned and they got a$200 million improvement plan uh coming into their facilities. Um you know, all that thing, and and and we can pick apart the bingles, and and if the bingles were winning, that we wouldn't even be mentioning this thing, this stuff, Kenny, I'd be honest with you. And you know, honestly, the seat fiasco they cleared the seats off. But it snowed again. Okay. Um, and uh by that time, you know, they didn't they didn't have it, which is still terrible. And that's why the NFL did not find them, um, is because they attempted to, you know, clean them off the first time. Uh but you gotta be smarter in that. Uh, and you gotta, you know, you gotta be able to take care of your fans, and that's just something that um, you know, they get a knock on all the time, that they don't take care of their players, they don't take care of the players' wives, you know, the the the visiting locker room facilities are terrible, um, you know, so on and so forth. My buddy um who has a uh uh uh a player on uh Ohio University's team, you know, they're going down to play in Dallas, uh, the Cowboys practice facility, who seats 18,000, 19,000 and it's got a dome uh on it. So it's the Frisco Bowl, you know, and they're gonna go down there and play UNLV. Um, but they um you know they're gonna go down there and play that. Um yeah, the Bengals do have a domed practice facility, but it doesn't it doesn't seat anybody. Uh you know, and so there's a lot of things going on there that you can pick apart. The Burrow distraction is what really upset me. Um it in my opinion, it really led to his worst game in his career. Um, you know, you can show the the last drive of that game, Kenny, really set me on fire. Um, it wasn't we're gonna try to avoid a shutout and try to score. Uh you could tell Burrow was just like run right on one, run left on one. You know, it wasn't like guys, let's go down and avoid the shutout, let's get some momentum going for Miami. And, you know, it wasn't. It was just they gave up. And um, you know, they're officially eliminated now. Um, you know, in my opinion, his two interceptions killed drives inside the 35, where it should have been, you know, uh a closer game than that. And, you know, to me, that game was on Joe. And um, I think he really had a change of heart. He had the fans yelling at him, and Jamar Chase was um, you know, yelling at the fans that if you don't like it, go home. And things we missed were Miles Murphy had a hell of a game. Uh Jordan Battle had a hell of a game. Uh Knight had a decent game for once. You know, and As I said before, Kenny, things just snowball in Ohio, especially with the Browns. Zach Taylor apparently had a secret contract that nobody knew about. You know, those are those are just Cincinnati Bingle type things. You know, the the the snow, not removing the snow on the handicap section, you know, for people. I mean, those are bingo things that happen. And uh, you know, at some point in time you just get sick of hearing about it. And it's like just win, just start winning.

SPEAKER_05: 20:34

Yeah. I saw a picture today on Twitter and it was a I don't even know what year what the 50s or the 40s, even. I don't know what it was, but it was a they said players today, but how would they handle this or something? And it was a cold game in Chicago or somewhere, and the players were sitting on benches and had hay covering their legs to keep them warm when they weren't out on the field. So I mean it's uh you know that that's what I like.

SPEAKER_00: 21:07

I like the cold weather games, I like that kind of stuff, but well look about you you you mentioned that Kitty, and that's a great point. Because you know, I'm watching the Steelers play on Miami um the other day, and I looked they showed a stat on there about Tua, was 0-5, 40 degrees or less, and now he's 0-6. And he was terrible. So terrible, in fact, that they're gonna start Quinn Ears, like you said, in this game coming up.

SPEAKER_04: 21:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 21:39

And it's like, you know, you're right. I mean, some of these people were just not, you can you get and when you draft, you gotta draft that way because some of these people, you know, look at look at uh Josh Allen for Buffalo. I mean, he's from Montana. And I mean, this guy, I mean, you okay, you're gonna go to Buffalo to play. And he's like, Yeah, well, yeah, no problem. Sounds good to me. You know, and look what he's done. I mean, you know, a lot of quarterbacks can't go. Carson Palmer couldn't go to Buffalo and play. You know, Tua couldn't go to Buffalo and play. I mean, you know, it's just uh you gotta have a special guy to go in some of these cold weather places that don't have a dome.

SPEAKER_05: 22:20

Uh you know, you mentioned, you know, you mentioned Josh Allen and Browns passed on him in the draft. So you know, and that leads us into the Browns. They get drubbed by the Bears. Uh I still haven't quite figured out what's going on. They said there was a wristband mix up with uh Shadur Sanders. O-line. I don't care who you put back here. You put Tom Brady back here now, it's you're not gonna have success. And now you gotta play the Buffalo Bills. And uh the only thing I can think is, you know, I'm gonna watch the game just to see if Miles Garrett can get the sack record. Yeah. You know, that's like, all right, let's let's root for that, I guess.

SPEAKER_00: 23:03

But you you're you're dead on again, Kenny. I mean, with Posick Teller and Conklin out, I mean, how's how's Quinson Jenkins? How's he gonna run the ball? I mean, you're piecemealing together uh an offensive line that is just trying to go on the snap count with a young quarterback, you know. And I mean, heaven forbid that you check check down, you know, can can, and you check down, and you know, now that changes your blocking schemes. Um, it's not gonna happen. I mean, I think it's to the point where it's like that guy over top of you, that that's the guy that you need to block.

SPEAKER_05: 23:42

Yeah, just hit somebody, hit anybody else.

SPEAKER_00: 23:45

Right. But the quarter, you're right, the quarterback inconsistencies, uh, no run game, the crippled offensive line, um, you know, the run, and as a result, Kenny, I mean, the D has been out there forever, and now the run D is starting to weaken. And then you you you throw in um uh penalties, you know, 12 men on the field, you throw in multiple delay of game penalties, um, then you mix turnovers in that and bad special teams play, coach insecurity, um, Watson's cap space, um, new stadium. You know what that equals? Three and eleven.

SPEAKER_04: 24:26

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 24:27

That's what that equals.

SPEAKER_04: 24:28

And you get it.

SPEAKER_00: 24:29

And, you know, it's uh here, here's my final thing on this, and then I'll let you go, Kenny. But successful teams and the NFL do not turn the ball over. When they have the ball, they are getting a field goal or they're getting points, or they're pinning a team deep in their own in their own zone.

SPEAKER_05: 24:52

Well, let me have you throw your GM cap on. Do you do you uh bring back Shadur, Watson, and Gabriel as your three quarterbacks, or do you look for a trade in the uh with another NFL team or trying to pick up a quarterback in the draft?

SPEAKER_00: 25:11

You know, I've been sitting here and all I do is mention inconsistency when it comes to the Browns. So, you know, to me, you gotta have you gotta stick with a quarterback. Do I ultimately what you're asking me is does sh does Shadur Sanders have the capability of being an NFL quarterback? Okay, and I do think that he does have that capability. I mean, he can go out and throw over 300 yards one game and and and go, but he's gonna need to be surrounded by an offensive line that gives him time, okay, and he's also uh going to have to have some sort of consistency when he comes into the season that he knows that he's the man. Now, whether the Browns make that decision or not, you know, it's real easy to try to say, well, we're gonna draft so-and-so because he's a proven winner, you know. Well, so was Gabriel. Right? Um, so you know, what do you do in that situation? I, you know, if it was me, I'm I'm gonna commit to him for another year and see, because honestly, I just don't think that some of these quarterbacks coming out of this draft have what it takes, you know, to fill that role.

SPEAKER_05: 26:32

Well, let me throw a hypothetical at you. If they were to go the trade route, and based on the the little snippet that Joe said about it's the NFL, you know, you never know what's gonna happen, you know, I wouldn't be nothing surprises me or whatever. Would you trade Joe Burroughs? Joe Burrow for Miles Garrett.

SPEAKER_00: 26:53

No, I wouldn't. I mean, I you know, I believe me, I uh I'm a huge Miles Garrett fan, you know. I I just think he's he's a good man. And um, you know, uh you can just see. I mean, he's he's probably one of the top five most liked guys in the NFL. If not, he should be. And um, he's just got that demeanor. He goes out and does his job. Does he want to win? Who doesn't want to win? I mean, we play sports because we want to win.

SPEAKER_04: 27:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 27:24

Um, but you know, I I just think Joe Burrow is a is a is a generational type quarterback. I mean, if he was on the Dallas Cowboys, you know, would they be in the Super Bowl uh, you know, consistently? Maybe. Maybe. Um, but you know, I just don't think you can throw away a guy that's 28 years old, has his type of uh pedigree, and um, you know, I just don't think you can do it. Not even for a Miles Garrett.

SPEAKER_05: 27:58

Yes. And, you know, the thing I think about though is if you look at every successful team when it comes to either Super Bowls or deep playoff run teams, the one thing they have is a consistent good quarterback. From Brady to Patrick Mahomes to, you know, you go back in history, Terry Pratshaw, Ben Rothelsberger, I mean, all those guys, they all had good quarterbacks, and that's why they ran deep into the playoffs and even won Super Bowls.

SPEAKER_00: 28:28

And in that, Kenny, I I you you hit the nail on the head there because you have a front office, like, for example, Pittsburgh. You know, they weren't gonna let Rothelsberger lose. And, you know, he he was good enough, okay, that he was, you know, he he provided that that role. He held up his end of the bargain at quarterback. And I think that's why Joe Burrow is getting so frustrated. Is he's like, well, I'm gonna come out here and do everything I can to help this team win, but do you have my back? You know, are you gonna get the best guys in here that's gonna allow me, you know, to take you and win a Super Bowl? And I think that's where his frustration's coming from. And um, you know, I think I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that.

SPEAKER_05: 29:20

And this younger generation of athletes, I mean, I've heard college coaches say they come in, obviously they want NIL money, but they come in and they're like, they look around, they're like, uh this, I like the facilities. They're like, those are things that appeal to these guys, you know. And this generation of athletes, if you know, you're playing in a cold weather weather city, you gotta be either really good or you better have a bunch of things that are gonna make that player think, okay, this is a good place to hang out for the next two, three, four years. So it's it's a tough situation, no matter how you look at it.

SPEAKER_00: 29:54

Well, a hundred percent. I mean, some of these guys are coming from college facilities that are better than the NFL facilities.

unknown: 29:59

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 30:00

I mean, these guys are uh, you know, they eat four times a day. It's they're catered to, and you know, the locker rooms and the weight facilities and and the support staff. I mean, they they even got their own dentists. If you look at every NFL player, they got teeth that like, man, they're blinding. You know, they got all these different things going on. You know, some some of some of the teams, these mid-market or small market teams, I mean, they just they struggle to compete with that stuff. And, you know, you're gonna go out and play, you know, my buddy and I had a had a conversation about this the other day, and it was like, you know, you you look at all the ACLs and all the injuries that happened last week in these cold weather games, Kenny. Oh, yeah. And it was it was unreal. And you know, I asked him, I said, what's your feeling on that? And he said, it's turf. It's turf. You know, I mean, look at this is 2026, Kenny. I mean, we have all these doctors, we have all these, you know, and all these these teams now, and all these NILs are like, well, he had a he had an M he had an ACL injury. And they're like, so what? Everybody does. You know, he'll be able to come back. He'll redshirt and we'll he'll be able to come back, just you know, better than new. But what's causing all this stuff? I mean, we got creatine, we got all these supplements, we got all these strength trainers. You know, what's causing these athletes now? And like you said, it I mean, these guys had hay on them to keep them warm on the sideline 40 years ago, you know, and you know, here we are in 2026, and it's getting worse when it comes to these injuries, Kenny.

SPEAKER_05: 31:36

Yeah, no doubt. Well, we you know, we we're calling this a Christmas special, and we got some some fun things we want to do here toward the end, but but before we do that, I'd like to get your upset and your lock for this week.

SPEAKER_00: 31:50

Well, you know, I I I think my uh I think my lock this week is I think you're gonna see the Bengals go down. And um, you know, I mean, if if Quinn Ewers beats best Joe Burrow in a game in a warm weather game down there, then, you know, I don't know what else to say. I mean, I think we're in a situation, I think um uh T. Higgins will be back. Um, you know, I I I think the Bengals will go down there and and take care of business, you know, in that whole situation. My lock, unfortunately, this week, Kenny, is going to be the Bills over the Browns. Um, you know, I just hate to say it, but I just, you know, you get a cold weather guy coming in. He he understands, you know, he knows the assignment, and you know, it just doesn't bode well. Uh that Buffalo defense for Shadur Sanders. So that that's my that's my upset, and that's my lock.

SPEAKER_05: 32:48

Well, I I had the same with you on the lock. I had uh the Bills giving up 10 and a half to Cleveland. It's just uh they got something to play for. Cleveland's playing for a draft pick. And so I got the Bills winning that one easily, and I'm gonna stick with what I've been doing all season long. And I got uh for my upset, I got Carolina plus three at home versus Tampa Bay. So those are my uh my two uh two picks for this week. And as I flip my page over here, I had to write these down, but uh, I talked to a friend of mine, an army buddy. We were in the army together, and he lives in Cleveland, and he's a diehard Browns fan, and he listens to the podcast, and his name is uh Rick Reynolds. Shout out to Rick, and he said, Um, you need to do a Christmas special and have a little have some fun with the show. And I said, perfect. So I said, I got the perfect guy co-hosting with me. So I got about four or five questions I'm gonna run at you here, and you uh you tell me what you think here. All right. The top three things that drive you crazy at Christmas time.

SPEAKER_00: 33:57

Oh man. Well, I can tell you right off the bat, that's the shut down the Christmas display at our house at nighttime. It takes me about 25 minutes um because you know the wife has um, you know, 30 candles that are you know lit up. Um we have the uh uh garland on top of the fireplace and over the entertainment center that need the lights turned off. You know, we have the 16 uh uh plugs inside the Christmas tree that light up different times. Uh that doesn't mention the outside lights. The outside lights need unplugged and all those things. So I guess it's the shutdown routine at night just to make sure we don't catch the house on fire. Um two other things, I guess, would be the the setup. All that stuff needs set up.

SPEAKER_05: 34:53

I can't.

SPEAKER_00: 34:54

And it needs brought up from the basement. And so I, you know, it's almost like I need to hire people to bring up stuff from the basement to uh start setting that up. And then uh, you know, adversely the teardown. Um once once it's all done, the teardown is also my number three. So you know as far as the Christmas time, the snow, everything uh, I'm good. I think it's awesome, you know, but it's just the setup.

SPEAKER_05: 35:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 35:23

And the teardown.

SPEAKER_05: 35:24

We we have uh only had a real Christmas tree once, and um I couldn't get it back outside of the uh sliding glass door, and when I pulled it, all the needles shot back into the house. But uh ever since then, we've had a you know a Christmas tree, fake one, artificial, whatever you want to call it. And so we said, let's spend some good money on a nice, real good light up tree. Year two, lights don't work. So now we gotta go back through and pile more lights, and then it's trying to wrap it around the tree. And you know, I just had surgery, so I'm trying to do stuff, and I'm just like, I I can't do it. I it looks fine, and and it just is like, no, we're missing that spot needs a light, and I'm just like shaking. I'm like, I can't I can't do it. You know, I'm talking to the dog, I'm like, I it's I'm losing my mind. And this year wasn't able to help with the pulling into the tree and everything because of the surgery I had, so I absolutely cannot stand bringing the Christmas stuff out like you, and I can't wait for it to be put away, but I can't stand doing that. So, you know, I I got to the point now where I've almost got my wife convinced that we got five wreaths, we'll just put them in a the five windows that face the the daggone street, and that's it. I'm done. I can't do it, you know.

SPEAKER_00: 36:49

So it's funny you say that because we did we did I'll I have another story I'll save here for a second, but uh we started going, we went to the you know, she brings home an artificial tree and it has snow on it. Well, artificial snow. And I put this thing up, Kenny, and there is more artificial snow on the ground than there is on the tree by the time I get through. And not only that, it clogs your sweepers up. So not only that, now I've got to tear apart the sweeper and unclog both sweepers that we have because they're clogged up with artificial snow. So it's the gift that keeps on giving.

SPEAKER_05: 37:36

Without a doubt.

SPEAKER_00: 37:37

When it comes to that, and part of our part of our great tradition is the kids will gather around and sit on the couch while I put up our old Christmas tree that we used to have with lights on it. So I get the gloves on, Kenny, I get a coat on part of their entertainment, and they're just sitting back eating cookies and videotaping and putting stuff on TikTok and Instagram, me putting up the Christmas tree, and it's become a big ordeal every year in our family that when I put up the Christmas tree, I'm like, this, you know, I'm cussing everything else, just like you, and yeah, it's become an ordeal.

SPEAKER_05: 38:22

Well, I it's gonna be interesting since we have our my brother-in-law coming and his he's got a a huge boxer, and I have a Chesapeake Bay retriever and a mini Aussie. And my uh son's gonna be bringing his mini Aussie and wood floors. And it's it's it's gonna be absolute chaos. And it I I can just see it because two years ago for 4th of July, we I decided to make ribs and he brought up my brother-in-law comes up, he brings up his former boxer that he used to have, and the mini Hossie and the boxer are just going crazy, rustling playing with each other. And just as I put the ribs from the grill onto the table, we look over, boxer drops over dead with a heart attack. Oh my god. I'm just like, if this happens again at Christmas, I'm done. I can't do it.

SPEAKER_00: 39:25

So it's like a scene out of Christmas vacation, you know. I feel like Clark W. Griswold at times.

SPEAKER_05: 39:31

Yeah. Well, if you can make one Christmas trade for next season for the Cincinnati Bengals, what would it be?

SPEAKER_00: 39:38

Oh, that's easy for me. I I'm trading Trey Hendrickson and I'm I'm getting a a major linebacker out there uh that can actually cover, go side to side and stop a run. Um, yeah, that's an easy one for me. What about you?

SPEAKER_05: 39:53

Uh for the Browns. I as much as I want to say quarterback, I I we need a receiver. Judy just, I don't know, he just doesn't get it done for me. So that'd be my one trade. One player in the draft that if if he was there and you're the Bengals GM and you're like, I gotta take this guy, who's that gonna be?

SPEAKER_00: 40:15

Oh, that's another easy one for me. Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, uh, a linebacker. Um, if we can get one of those with a veteran linebacker, uh, one of those guys with a veteran linebacker, man, I'd be a happy guy.

SPEAKER_05: 40:29

Yes, without a doubt. I would take Carnell T, stick him with the wide receiver, or I would um pick um, you know, the defensive back, uh, Caleb Downs. Yeah. Those would be the two I would go for.

SPEAKER_04: 40:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05: 40:43

Now I I heard uh the bear from Fox Sports talking about this, and so I thought I would throw this one in there. Would you take Ohio State and Indiana for the college football playoffs, or would you take the field?

SPEAKER_00: 41:00

Um, another easy one for me. Um, I'm a Big Ten guy, so to me, I want to get that third Big Ten championship. Um, I'd like to see Ohio State in there, uh, but if it's Indiana, then good for them and good for the Big Ten. But uh yeah, huge Big Ten guy. So yeah, that's an easy one for me there, Kenny.

SPEAKER_05: 41:19

Yeah, well the bear Chris Felika there, he said that uh he would take the field. So uh I'm kind of uh leaning more toward Ohio State, uh, you know, putting it together and winning it all this year.

SPEAKER_00: 41:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05: 41:32

Well, let's get with this some some story stuff here. In the funniest story you've heard or been a part of from your all of your Christmases.

SPEAKER_00: 41:43

Well, you know, when you mentioned the Christmas tree thing, we used to go to this place called Ten Buck Farms, which is about an hour and a half from here, and uh, we used to cut down our family Christmas tree and bring it back home.

SPEAKER_05: 41:54

And uh the whole Clark Griswold thing.

SPEAKER_00: 41:57

Yeah, exactly. They put you on a little train caboose and uh they take you out, you know, in the field and they give you a saw, and they're like, cut it down, meet us on the road, we'll come back by and we'll pick you up, you know, and the whole family goes, and you know, you're out there looking for a tree and you're out in the middle of the field and out in the middle of nowhere, and you know, you're just trying to find that Clark W. Griswold, you know, that aww moment, you know, where it's like, there it is, that's our Christmas tree, you know. And so the wife, you know, she didn't like, we're out in this field, and she didn't like any of the trees that were in this field, and she looks over across the roadway in a field uh over there, and they were some beautiful trees, Kenny. And it was just like that moment where the sun you know shined down on this one particular tree, and it was like, that's the one I want. And so we trap across the field way over there, and we finally get to this tree that she wants, and I'm like, okay, is this the tree? She's like, Yeah. So I get down, I cut this thing off at the base, you know, with the saw, and you know, my son and I are dragging it out to the road, and you know, here comes the uh um caboose, and you know, we they grab it and put it on the end, and uh, you know, we get in, we have our hot chocolate in there that they provide, and you know, we get just for context, you got two daughters too. Two daughters, uh, my son and my wife and I, and we get up to the um, you know, where they put it in the wrap, where they run it through that machine, where you know, they put it through the wrap. And that's another that's another addendum that I'm gonna add to the story. And so um we get to me, and I give the guy the tree, and he gets on his walkie-talkie, and he's like, Um, Charlotte, I need you out here to the um to the Christmas tree rap station. And I'm like, oh Lord, you know, I'm like, what's what's going on? Charlotte comes out and she's like shaking her head. She's got her walkie-talkie, and she's putting her hands on her head, and I'm like, what's happening? She's like, sir, that's got a yellow ribbon on it. And I'm like, what's that mean? She's like, these are the trees that you were not supposed to cut down. These are the trees for next year. And I'm like, oh my God. So I'm like, well, what do I do? And she's like, well, let me get on the phone. So she gets on to walkie-talkie and she calls, you know, a bunch of people. And long story short, I had to pay double for the Christmas tree. So it'll cost me almost 200 bucks for this Christmas tree. Once I get it, all right, then they take it out, and I'm like, I'm not driving an hour and a half this thing on top of our Dodge caravan. It's a$200 Christmas tree. So I shove this thing inside the caravan, and my kids are in the back, mind you. And so half of them have branches in their face all over. I have a the tree stump right next to my head. I can't even look at my wife because you know I'm I'm all ticked off that I spent$200 on this thing. And I'm telling you that four months after that Christmas tree, I was still cleaning out pine needles from our van. And I, oh my, I was so hot, Kenny. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05: 45:35

That's great. I love that stuff.

SPEAKER_00: 45:38

Sap everywhere.

SPEAKER_05: 45:40

Um yeah, I I you know, I I thought about this question, and uh, you know, I I'm I'm the type of person that I'm I'm terrible at getting gifts, uh, receiving them, I guess. And I I'm to the point where I've done it for quite some time now. I I hold the box out and I let the doll tear the wrapper off, and I'm like, oh, okay, thanks. You know, because I I don't mind giving gifts, it's just that I'm terrible at receiving them. And um, but you know, the but but when I was a kid growing up in Bel Air, I we our family didn't have a whole lot. We didn't have, you know, we weren't real well off. And um, you know, I can I can recall it was one of those times where we gotta do something for the kids or you know, me and my sister, and we so they they took us up to like the Salvation Army Christmas party. And uh and it was just like what you would think. I mean, it I'm sure it's really Salvation Army, they do such good things, but yeah, the the the Santa Claus's soup was dirty, you know, he just didn't smell good, and I'm just like, what is happening here, you know? And you know, and I got like a model, and and you know, I I can't stand putting I I if I change a light bulb in the house, my wife gets excited. I'm as a kid getting the freaking model that I gotta put together that so you know that was it right there for me. I was just like, I can't I can't do this.

SPEAKER_00: 47:26

Over there pulling scratch off scratchers.

SPEAKER_05: 47:32

Yeah, so uh, you know, and so you know, I fortunately, you know, we we my sister and I survived it, but uh, you know, it was just one of those things growing up in eastern Ohio where you know that was it was it was always gonna be an interesting time at Christmas time. And probably the other story that jumps out in my mind we had a family relative, and I I can't honestly say what level of cousin it was. They would come into town at Christmas time, and that's the only time I ever saw him. Yeah, and my grandmother always told me I was named after the dad.

SPEAKER_04: 48:15

Okay.

SPEAKER_05: 48:16

And the dad's name was Sonny, and I'm like, what the hell? But they had a couple kids, and in Bel Air, you just wherever you know, you get on a hillside and you just go sled riding, and they so we take up the sled riding, and one of the kids was uh paralyzed, not full, but like from the waist down.

SPEAKER_04: 48:40

Okay.

SPEAKER_05: 48:41

And there was no supervision, it was like, you know, he he wanted to do it, and we put him on one of those like silver circle sleds, and he went down the hill and he went underneath a car. And I you talk about feeling bad as a kid.

SPEAKER_00: 48:58

I was like did he uh he had the Griswold um the shellac that Griswold made in the um that he put on the bottom of that sled or what no, I think it was just the the gravel road that we were going on was giving him his speed.

SPEAKER_05: 49:18

You know, it was like but I I to this day I still think about that and I and we never saw him again after that for Christmas. I mean it is wasn't a good sight, so I was like, well, you know, but uh I felt so bad though. You know, if I could I you know I I'm not laughing at someone that's oh nice, I guess but if you can imagine me at the top of the hill, it started off great, yeah. You're like, oh god, he's he's veering off the path, and then boom, you know, and there comes everybody out, and I'm like, oh man. So not a good uh not a good Christmas there, but uh one that you always remember. Now, is it possible? Can you share the the Jay Stoner story about the buying a live Christmas tree?

SPEAKER_00: 50:22

Kenny, you're gonna have to help me on this one because I vaguely remember it, but I remember they went and got a live Christmas tree.

SPEAKER_05: 50:30

And then they cut it down, they brought it in the house, and then they went, I believe, for a Christmas party or something.

SPEAKER_04: 50:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05: 50:36

And they came back and it had a huge spider's nest in it, and it was like all over that.

SPEAKER_00: 50:42

Yeah. Spiders were all over the house. Yes, and um they found spiders for months and months after that in their house.

unknown: 50:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 50:59

And you know, it totally reminds me of the Griswold, you know, squirrel.

SPEAKER_04: 51:04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00: 51:04

But that's what you were gonna mention when you mentioned the dogs, you know, in there. So um, no, yeah, he uh stoner. That was a that was a classic story.

SPEAKER_05: 51:16

Yes, without a doubt. And that's another reason not to get a real Christmas tree. So uh well to finish up, your favorite Christmas movie that you don't mind watching more than once over the holidays?

SPEAKER_00: 51:27

Uh definitely home alone. Uh I'm a home alone guy, you know, and uh just just the uh just the antics that go on in that movie, just I mean, how can you not? Uh, you know, I mean, being alone on Christmas and you know, the creepy guy next door and you know the people wanting to rob you. Just I mean, there's nothing better, Kenny, in my opinion, than Home Alone. That's just a classic, classic movie for me.

SPEAKER_05: 52:00

Yes. Well, mine has always been Christmas Vacation, and it's mandatory at Christmas time for us. And I just heard Chevy Chase on a podcast the other day talking about something that happened in that movie, the scene where he's hanging on the gutter after he's hanging up the lights, yeah, and he slides down and falls into the bushes.

SPEAKER_00: 52:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_05: 52:23

He said that there was a the garbage cannon that they would use to put out there in the scene when they were putting their garbage out. One of the crew members put it behind the bushes to get it out of this out of the scene, and so when he fell, he goes, I didn't land in bushes, I landed on that damn garbage can.

SPEAKER_00: 52:45

So I still, you know, I still take a line out of that movie, and it was one of the best lines ever. You know, when somebody asks me if I'm surprised, I always pull out. I wouldn't be more surprised if I wake up if I woke up in the morning with my head sewn to the carpet, you know, when Eddie appears out of nowhere. And that line in that movie, for some reason, just gives just I I crack up every single time I hear that.

SPEAKER_05: 53:14

But if you can make a comedy movie and you can add a dinner table scene with the family, I they you know, w Will Farrell does it in his days of thunder or whatever that show was. And then you get you get Eddie sitting at the table there, and and uh you know, I I I now now that you reminded me of that, I I was when Jake was young, my son, and he was still young, not enough, not old enough to know that I'm I was messing with him, we went back to my wife's uh parents' house for Christmas, and um you know, we sat down at the dinner table and and uh and usually her dad would say Grace before we ate the meal or whatever. And um you know, I'm not a big I I'm not good at that. I you know, her dad has kind of the voice for it, you know. And I decided I said I said, hey, how about we change it up a little bit and let Jake do Grace this year?

SPEAKER_00: 54:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05: 54:23

And I told him the thing that they did in Christmas vacation.

SPEAKER_00: 54:29

And play ball, right? He started he was started doing the national anthem.

SPEAKER_05: 54:33

Yeah, and uh and and the looks I got around the table was like, I can't believe you, you know, why did you marry this guy? But you know, I'm like, why not? Let's have some fun. I don't care.

SPEAKER_00: 54:48

He's got a lip fungus that they haven't quite identified yet.

SPEAKER_05: 54:55

So I don't know. I I don't know, but I'm I'm I'm losing my mind at this time of the year, you know. So I'm uh I'm not even close. I haven't even tried Christmas shopping, and it's it's a nightmare, you know. So I um look forward to uh just getting through it, I guess.

SPEAKER_00: 55:15

Yeah, I hear you. And I think uh foot I think football is gonna be that uh thing that we uh try to get through a lot of these things with, too. It's just part of our tradition of what we do in our family. And um, yeah, you know, I think uh what not a better way than the Bengals and the Browns win, and then uh after Christmas, we'll look we'll root for a high state victory.

SPEAKER_05: 55:37

Yeah. And I tell you what, I just since we're on the whole Christmas thing, I did get nostalgic two Christmases ago, and it the big dinner table there, we got all the family in from my side, her side, everybody around the table. And I break out a box and I said, Hey, cell phones go in the box. We're gonna sit around the table and eat Christmas dinner, talk to each other, that kind of thing. Everybody says, Okay, they put it in the box. We sit down, her dad does grace, and you know, the plates are getting passed around, and everybody you just started hearing the forks and the knives cutting and everything. And right in the middle of it, you hear the loudest ring of a phone that you could imagine. And the one person, it was Suzanne's dad, 82 years old. It's his phone goes off, and he's talking to this girlfriend that he has. Hello, and he's talking real loud. And I'm like, what are we doing? I I just said, never mind, that's it. I just box out and pass it around. I said, forget it.

SPEAKER_00: 56:49

Yep, it's uh it's Christmas time, and I like I like it, you know, because you know, the dad says in there he had a lot of help from uh Jim Beam and his friend Jack Daniels, you know.

SPEAKER_05: 57:03

Well, I think that's gonna put a wrap on uh the the Christmas special of the SOB. Thanks for listening to Scarlet Orange and Brown podcast.