January 3, 2023 • 45 mins
Today on 2 Pros and a Cup of Joe, Jonas Knox, Brady Quinn and LaVar Arrington react to Bills S Damar Hamlin being in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest after a hit on MNF. Aaron Rodgers and the Packers ‘manifested’ their win-and-in- status heading into week 18 and the guys recap a wild and controversial College Football Playoff.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's the best of two pros and a couple of
show with Lamar Area, Rady Quinn and Jonas Knocks on Radio.
First show of three for us here, and we were
expecting to talk about just a great football weekend, wire
(00:22):
to wire, great games all the way throughout. We get
to one of the most anticipated Monday night football matchups
that we can remember in a long time between the
Bills and the Bengals last night, and then midway through
their first quarter, after making a play on Tee Higgins,
Tomar Hamlin, the defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, stood
up and just collapsed. Um went into a cardiac arrest
(00:46):
and the very latest from the Buffalo Bills that he
is still in critical condition. They were able to get
his heart beat back on the field, and that is
where we are at right now. But look, you guys
have been a lot up close and personal, more so
than I have a majority of people listening. I mean,
you guys have seen a lot of wild things on
a football field before injuries, emotions, all that stuff. I
(01:08):
don't recall seeing a lot of things that even came
close to what we saw last night. That was I'm
sure horrifying for a lot of people who were watching,
and even for guys who have played them in a
part of the game, I've never witnessed anything like that. Now.
I've been through some tragic events, but you know, they
didn't take place in the middle of a game like that.
(01:29):
I've seen injuries. We've seen guys who have gone down
and you've got down on a knee and prayed around
other teammates, and you've watched them be carried off and
you know, or or they get up and they are
able to walk it off and and they give you
the sign of everything's gonna be okay. This was this
was different. You know, this was one of those moments
(01:51):
that really made you look back and kind of reflect
on the game itself, the risk that athletes put themselves in.
And obviously we still don't have a lot of information
on what exactly it is that took place, but we
do know Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and if if,
if not for the twenty medical professionals who acted swiftly
(02:12):
on the field to save his life, I mean, it
could have been catastrophic and and I guess from the
last update that we've received from the Buffalo bills. You know,
he's in critical condition at this point. However, it looks
like the prognosis moving forward is a bit more optimistic
than what it was when they're performing CPR for nine minutes.
(02:33):
So just a crazy, scary event. And even how it happened,
because it seemed like it was so out of the ordinary.
It wasn't one of those big collisions. It wasn't a
hit like we saw with Josh Sweat this past weekend
where he laid limp on the field or motionless. You know,
this was a hit where it didn't seem overly vicious.
(02:54):
Him and Tehiggans both went to the ground and he
got up and then subsequently fell with as you saw afterwards,
how scary that moment then became. But again credits to
UM all the medical the medical staff involved with both
teams for being able to save his life. It puts
(03:15):
things in perspective when you see those things happen. I
actually did experience something kind of close um to to
what happened last night, UM in the hit that took place,
and it was seven when our tight end was was
hit in in the Michigan game. Bob Stevenson, UM one
(03:38):
of the most scariest moments, upsetting moments that that you
could ever have. It's it's a it's a surreal moment
when you see and and I don't even think the
hit last night was even that. It wasn't that, it
(03:58):
wasn't a bad hit. It wasn't like it was a crazy,
crazy valient hit. And then and then he you know,
he went to the ground. It just you know, however
it happened, it happened, and you saw how serious it
was in nature the way he fell back down to
(04:19):
the ground. Um and not that kind of mixed the
two stories, but just when when you see and you
experience something so close up and and you're so close
to it, those those first those first few moments, man,
are you know, you just start re evaluating so quickly,
(04:40):
like you you start you start thinking about all the
things that you're thankful for. You you start praying and
and hoping that you know it's gonna work out and
and be okay. You know, those two guys never played
any football again after after that hit. Um in in
nine in Happy Valley. Um, I don't know, you know
(05:02):
what what the young man's you know, future is and
in terms of playing the game. You just hope that
you know he's okay, and you hope that you know
he you know, finds his way back to to the
level of health that he had before before that moment
took place, and and that whatever the prognosis was that
(05:26):
comes out of it, is that you know that they're clear,
hopefully on what it was. And I guess when you,
when you again put it in perspective, you did. I
think the first thing you you ask yourself is, man,
is it worth it? You know? And you started thinking
(05:48):
about I don't play anymore, but I have to two
sons that played the game, and you immediately start to
ask yourself, you know, are you okay with it? Are
you okay with your kids playing? And I know that
that's probably what a lot of people thought last evening,
And I think that that's one of those hard conversations
(06:09):
to actually have, you know, when something like that happens.
But I also would say, putting it in perspective, you know,
it's it's you. You understand that it is a valid
game and that certain things you know, can happen. And
and is that you know is the physicality of the game.
(06:31):
The reason why that happened. I don't know. Um, but again,
I hope the young man is is okay and recover
as well. And you know, I don't know, I don't
know how you know how we you know, people will
make sense of it, because that's a hard one because
it's connected to a physical game. It's uh. You could
(06:54):
tell by the reactions of the players that it was
just a different deal. Like you can also tell by
the sense of urgency on the field. Anybody that's ever
you know, seeing a loved one get taken away in
an ambulance or get taken away. You know, there's like
a pace that they're at and when it when it's okay,
you know, we we just want to make sure everything's okay.
They're looking at vitals, they're checking everything, and they get
(07:16):
them loaded up and they take them away. There was
a sense of urgency almost immediately. To Brady's point, they
acted really fast and a lot of people got together
and just to see the reactions of the players, you
could tell, for I would probably say a majority, if
not all of them, had never seen anything to that level.
(07:36):
And to see how bothered and upset and I mean
basically disturbed would be the best way for it. Just
The looks on their face was pretty telling of just
how serious the situation was on the field. I can't
even imagine. Man, that's that's rough. It's it's incredible to
think that. And I know Troy Vincent of the NFL
is come out and almost fallen on the sword for
(07:57):
Roger Goodell, but um, it's it's incredible to think that
the NFL paused for a period of time and thought
they were maybe gonna go back out and and call
and play that game. Well, there's no chance because you
had two men, one Ezac Taylor and another other, Sean McDermott,
who weren't going to allow that to happen. And credit
(08:20):
to them, you know, forget records, forget what they've accomplished
so far as head coaches. They both walked across the
field and talk to each other, and it looked like
Zach Taylor initiated. It was like, this ain't happening, Like
you go back to your locker room and talk to
your players. I'm going back to mind, but I don't
think either one of us are in a position to
want to go play a meaningless football game in the
(08:42):
grand scheme of life. And I say that only because,
like I, I understand there's playoff implications and all this
stuff that we care about with football. We talked about
it every day. But now you're talking about guys who
just witnessed something that they may never witness again in
their life, where a medical staff had to save someone's
life on the field right there in front of him,
(09:03):
and he made a play that looked very similar to
all the plays that had occurred before that in the
game and maybe throughout their lives playing football to a degree,
and he just dropped. I mean, that is a scary,
scary event for all parties involved to witness, and and
I just I sit back and think to myself, it
took and I'm not gonna base this off of social media,
(09:27):
um the cess pool that that is. But it took
them so long to be able to call it for what?
For what reason? I mean, you're the NFL, who knows
what was gonna occur. Once tomorrow Hamlin went into that
E M. S. When when went to the hospital, you
have no idea the status of that young man, and
(09:49):
that's all that matter at that point, not playing a game.
So I was a bit disappointed by the NFL handling
it and kind of delaying the inevitable just calling it
at that point and I realized there's a lot of
communication involved. They're still trying to get more information, but
you I mean, as in ESPN, by the way, to
(10:10):
the tremendous job covering it all parties involved, whether it
was up in the booth and Joe Buck and Troy
Lisassaulters who was um incredibly strong handling it, and everyone else,
if everybody even studio, they did such a good job
handling something that you're just not prepared for from a
broadcast standpoint. But the NFL said to me was finally
(10:30):
got it right. But just it looked so so bad
for about half an hour forty five minutes, a period
of time where you're like like what why is this
like still being considered postponed? Like this this game is over,
they're not playing tonight, like send the fans home. Had
people sitting a stance for what an hour or more
than an hour waiting to get a decision to be made.
(10:52):
It was that was ridiculous in my mind. Look do
we learned during COVID there there's ways that you can
figure out out how to reschedule a game and get
it done quick. I mean, Brady, you called a college
football game, what nine am local time in l A
at the River's Bowl. Like there there's options, there's you know,
other days, there's way ways to figure this out, the idea.
(11:15):
Just to see the look on those players faces and
for those coaches, you had to understand, these guys aren't
playing like this is this is different. They know it's different.
There's a different vibe, a different field to it. Just
the fact that there was any sense that, well, we
could probably get this in, you know, just just let's
see how this works. And then yeah, that was crazy.
I didn't get the feeling at all at any point
(11:35):
after it happens, seeing the looks on faces, I don't
know how they played this game like you're looking. Two
thousand twelve, we had a player take his own life
and and and the life of his baby's mama. The
day before game. I mean we were literally I was
driving in to go to the facility and I was
directed by the police to take a different negative. Which
(11:56):
was extremely unusual. Was that the day before the game. Yeah,
it was a Saturday morning before and I called my
quarterback coach, Jim's Horn, and he always said to me
on the phone was Brady, there's been a tragedy that's
taken place. He goes, I need you to listen to me,
and I need you to go to the stadium and
wait for further instructions. And I saw I was like, Coach,
(12:18):
what is going on? He's like, He's like, I can't
tell you at this time. He goes, I need you
to wait, and I need you to go to the stadium,
and I need you to tell that to every other
player two that's still coming in, because obviously I'd get
in there before most. And so as we start started
to funnel into the stadium locker room, there are a
few players who are already aware of the situation, given
(12:38):
who his his baby mama was and what had already occurred.
And you know, at that point I wasn't sure what
the thing, but once I was being told what had
taken place, I was in a state of shock. I mean,
this was a player that I lined up from every
day that season and stretched lines. He was our base
inside linebackers starter and core special teams player. He had
(13:02):
just had a little baby. I remember sitting out during
one of the events at the stadium and the suite
looking out on in the field with him and his
daughter Zoe and talking about life and perspective and how
things change when you have a child, and all of
that gone, and guys were like literally in the state
of shocks. Some guys were, you know, crying their eyes out,
(13:26):
you know, losing a friend, losing a teammate. And I
remember thinking myself, like, how in the world did they
expect us to go play a game? And yet the
NFL pushed forward and it was it was probably one
of the more ruthless truths and like hardest times in
my life, like in perspective thinking about the game of
football and and whether it matters or not because of
(13:48):
everything that transpired, even the following week with you know,
the um, the funeral and everything that that you know
transpired that season, but it just it all felt so
meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But just the
fact that, you know, obviously the people in Kansas City
did the best they could to handle the situation, which
no one's prepared to handle that. But the reality was,
(14:11):
you know that there should have been more time and
consideration taken for all parties involved. And so I'm glad
the NFL again came to the right conclusion at some
point last night, and how they end up, you know,
scheduling this it seems like kind of insignificant at the moment,
and I know it matters for the greater scheme of
what the NFL, you know, provides as a form of
(14:32):
entertainment for football. But again, until they understood, until they
get a better sense of Damarrow Hamlin's health, it's gonna
be hard to want to think that that you should
have either team move forward given what you know. Tee
Higgins was a part of in that play, and Cincinnati witnessed,
and even Buffalo, I mean, some of those players stayed
in Cincinnati where the rest went back because they want
(14:53):
to stamp with their teammate. Yeah, there was a report
from Lisa Salters in any ESPN that said Stefan D.
Biggs took an uber to the hospital and was just
sort of still in a kind of a state of panic,
just wanted some some answers wanted to know what was
going on. It's just an uneasy feeling trying to get
back on a plane and go back to Buffalo when
your teammate is in a hospital that you saw nearly
(15:16):
die on a field feet away from you. It's that's
just a crazy, crazy situation all the way around. Be
sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and a
Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LaVar Errington and Jonas
Knocks week days at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app
on the Playing Field Over in the NFC. When it
(15:39):
comes to the world of football, um, you know, some
of us were poking fun at Aaron Rodgers and the
Green Bay Packers weeks and weeks ago. I mean I
was a believer from from the get go. I don't
know about you guys. I mean I was definitely a
believer from the get go that the Green Bay Packers
were going to be making a run here. I mean
I believe I had the Packers going to the Super Bowl. So,
um yeah, I tried to tell everybody. I was trying
(16:00):
to tell you guys, when you guys are ready to
just side, you know, I was trying to be I
was the one talking about Aaron Rodgers licking toads and
how I felt like it was going to be really
the best thing for this team moving forward, and so
they're really going to do this, huh, like, like this
is really gonna happen. Rogers called his shot, and then
of course after the game on Sunday, and that just
(16:23):
dismantling of the Minnesota Vikings. He spoke big picture about
the Green Bay Packers and what he saw moving forward.
Things have been happening for us the last few weeks
exactly as we need them to happen. And that's the
mindset that I've had the entire time, that that there's
some destiny involved with this and and this just saw
(16:45):
us to go out and fulfill that. That's a dangerous
team if they get into seven it so it looks
so bad, right, I mean, this is what I think
this team has been cabled. Now they've got a lot
of help right defensively, special teams. Um, it was a
(17:09):
Nikim Hines what was it your first name? That the
kickoff return and they've got my goodness like that dude.
I think he's averaging what over ninety kickoff yards a
game since he's come on on the Packers, Like he's
been phenomenal for them and helping set up fuel position
and all that. And and just look as a quarterback
when you've got a dynamic returner. You know, I'll be
(17:31):
I'll be honest, Like when they're returning for touchdowns, Like
sometimes that can make you kind of you love it,
but you kind of hate it at the same time
because you get out of a rhythm right Like it
could be fifteen twenty minutes before you touch the football game,
maybe a half hour depending on stoppages and how long
drives are. But when they're just setting you up, if
like plus field position, when you get the brown midfield
(17:51):
and that's where you're starting your drives, you love that
because you know a lot of times with offense coordinators
they're aggressive and they're gonna dial up shots right away,
or just the fact that you really don't need to
do that much before you get back into the red
zone or in the end zone. Is Nixon was way off,
I was like, I thinking that he hinds almost we'll
(18:13):
clean it up in the podcast. Think nobody heard it,
But that's that's usually never the case. Actually, Um, I
mean I listened back and I'm like, oh, I thought
we were I thought we were taking that out. I
guess Jonas was joking. And the next week I thought
we were taking that out. Um, But but in all seriousness, like,
(18:35):
that's such a big lift to this offense that I
don't even know that anyone. I mean, Aaron Rodgers talked
about it. But but again, this is all about the
power of the mind and manifestation of making these things
come true. LaVar, right, is that how this works? First
of all, Joe, if you're just leave leave cue alone, man,
let'tle make his points. Um. Secondly, you know, watching the
(19:00):
way green Bay played in that game, they looked like
green Bay from last year. There were glimpses of it.
And for them to be in the position that they're
in after the start of the season, that they've had
to be able to get things going the way that
(19:21):
they've had that they have this late in the season. Man,
I don't remember. I don't recall it very vividly, so
you'll you'll excuse me if I don't have it all
the way correct. But it reminds me a little bit
of when the Steelers found the way to get into
the playoffs, and I think they were like an eighth
(19:43):
seat or something to that effect. When when they got
in the year they wanted. I want to say that
it was the O five year they beat Denver in
the a f C title game. Jake Plumber was the quarterback.
I want to say it was that they were a
sixth seed, because that's sixth seed. That was when they
beat Indianapolis and Jerome Bettis fumbled and and their Indianapolis
(20:08):
was going to return it for a touchdown and Ben
Roethlisberger made a play which basically saved saved their super
Bowl run and got them there for a super Bowl
on the path too. So so sixth seed is I
don't know that that had even ever happened, maybe once
or so, not even certain that that's ever happened. And
I would assume green Bay would have to be a
(20:31):
very very um, you know, low ranked team um in
terms of the seating if they were indeed, like what
what has to happen for them to make the playoffs?
By the way, the Packers all they needed was Cleveland
to beat Washington, which they did this password and the
irony to that too. And this isn't to big fun
(20:52):
of coach Rivera because you know, people were taking shots
out of him after the game because he wasn't aware
that they could be eliminated. But I mean Rodgers talked
about it. He literally said like for Browns fans, like
go Brown's before this week even took place. And of
course you know they end up again everything that they
said they needed to happen, they they manifested it. So
(21:16):
it's it's all coming full. So I think it all.
I think it all worked out because this is one now,
once again, the way that Aaron Rodgers planted out to happen.
You know, I think that this was the script that
he wanted to play out. I think he wanted people
to understand the level and the magnitude of of gravity
(21:39):
to greatness that that Aaron Rodgers has. And and right now,
you know he's showing everyone. And you know, that's just
how I see it. Man. You know, if the Aaron
Rodgers movie, it's the Aaron Rodgers story, I think it'll
be better than Kurt Warners. You know, I'll watch it.
(22:00):
What what wouldn't be He's gonna make his own yeah,
I mean, but it's gonna come out on Prime videos
after after the season. You know. But it's not like
Rogers is playing that great. I mean, you know, you
just sound such a Bears fan. No, I'm not listen that.
I don't care. What do I care and move on,
and they're going to the playoffs. He's probably gonna go
(22:22):
on a Super Bowl runs. It is what it is.
The Bears aren't even bol eligible this year, so it
doesn't even matter. Okay, so the Green May Packers are
you know, they've been a better team for twenty five years.
So we go back to the whole manifestation thing, Like,
so I understand, like I believe in the power of belief,
the mind, all that stuff too. But just because you
(22:45):
say it and trying to manifest it, what about other
people are trying to do the exact opposite and saying
it manifesting it against you. Like Rafters is higher his manifesting, Yes,
and it took him licking the toad, as Jonas would say, Um,
you know, he's he's experienced the level of mental enlightenment
(23:07):
that has led to him being able to manifest um
what he wants. That's that's why I told everybody to
R E L A X, you know, and and went
from there. I mean, it's just this is just Aaron
Rodgers esque, that's all I'll say. Like, you're right, que Like,
who's to say that, Well, you said it's gonna happen
(23:27):
this way, So that's how it's gonna happen. I mean,
tom Brady, he couldn't come out and manifest something. It
seems that would be more powerful. Well, it does seem
like tom Brady is manifesting. I mean some way, somehow.
They're one of the worst, really really good teams in
the league right now. I don't I don't get it.
I don't get it. But they're the chaps. They're going
(23:50):
into the playoffs. They've they've clenched, so I mean, for
as poorly as they've seemed to have played, they don't
have very many losses. It's kind of weird. But you
know what, tom Brady has a different level of manifestation
um that you know. Other people, you know, they just
don't possess it, you know. And I am being totally
(24:12):
sarcastic to everyone out there. And if you hear a
little bit of a twins or whatever in my voice,
it's because I was screaming in my head off for
for four quarters yesterday. And you know, you don't realize
how loud you're screaming, by the way, and in a
stadium that's really loud, until the noise of the stadium subsides,
and then you realize that to hear in order to
(24:34):
hear yourself and to feel like the yelling that you're
doing to the players during the game, how obnoxiously loud
you are. Um, you don't realize until your vocal cords
are angry with you by by the end of the game,
queaking into it. I mean, we ask you how we
are bailed out the crumby Big ten. While we didn't
(24:58):
have a good showing this year. Yeah, yeah, it's not
been good. Penn State represented man, Yeah they did. I
think a lot of people were shocked that it went away,
that it went Actually no, I had Penn Stanley by
the way. I was shocked the Penn State wasn't favored
Initially they were the underdog, and then as leading up
to the game that that line moved. But I love
(25:20):
the over which I believe Hit loved the Penn State
in that one. But let me ask you this. I
saw some pictures from the stadium, you tossing to travel
well like they were you were you? Yeah? Were you yelling?
Because you guys were outnumbered. It looked like it was
a sea of red. You know, it was crazy. By
the time we got to the fourth quarter. You could
(25:43):
we we overpowered. We we probably represented. It looked as
though we represented twenty five percent of the stadium. Yeah,
they represented. They repped that. It sounded like they were
fifty percent. You know, we were overtaking their their fan base.
Like it was pretty cool against there were no utah
(26:09):
utes up in there. I mean at half, you guys,
because it was tighter. It was to a tighter half. Yeah,
it's fourteen fourteen. It had to have been fun. Like
that was a good game until it was very I
mean it was it was what you thought it was
going to be. Um they were going to Yeah, well
he was. He was the difference maker in the game.
And unfortunately he was the difference maker because he kept
(26:32):
stepping out of out of the truck and going into
the Serengetti. Man. And then when you be running into
Serengetti and there's a whole bunch of lions out there
running into Serenghetti and you catch them, you know you're
gonna catch your body. I mean, you're just gonna catch
a body. You gotta stay fid Yeah, man, but he
you know saying no hills, you know, we say North Hills.
(26:55):
What was that you ain't ready for the gettyman, Serengetti,
and I guess basice this right now, I don't know
SERENGETI uh, it is two pros and the Cup of
Joe here on Fox Sports Radio. By the way, congratulations
at Sean Clifford final games Penn State at two. So
(27:19):
congratulations old guy. He played well. Man, he great and
that was his that was his last last one. LaVar.
You think he's gonna he's gonna try to go pro
or you think he's I mean, I'm sure he wants
to play play at the next level. But I'm sure
he you know, the one thing about him being so older,
(27:42):
so much older, you know, his level of maturity is there.
You know, he created his business um limitless, and he's
got he's got plenty of athletes that he's already been
representing and getting them an I L deal. So I mean,
I'm I'm I'm blown away by his business acumen and
(28:02):
just his willingness to take a chance on on creating
a startup business while in school while playing. But who
better to do it than someone who understands exactly how
school works. Um understands the schedule of of how football
works and is able to balance out all of those things.
And there may be a tab bit of sarcasm in
(28:24):
that as well. Um classes yeah, yeah, yeah, a little
sarcasm there. But but at the same token, you know what,
there is some genuineness and that as well. Sean Clifford
is a very impressive, impressive young man. But by going
back to it, did you do you think he he
will try to go progra There's a kid at Notre
(28:45):
Dame who had a great bowl game and probably could
have had a shot to try to go that route,
and he just he've already now'd like that said, I'm
done playing football. I've got a job lined up, come
here in a couple of days. I wouldn't be surprised
if he did that. I wouldn't be surprised if he
did that, but uh, I would guess that he would
want to play it out and see if there is
(29:05):
a chance for him to make it onto a roster.
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LaVar Arrington and
Jonas Knox week days at six am Eastern three am Pacific. Hey,
it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Mallory
would mean a lot to have you join us on
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(29:27):
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(29:49):
comes to the college football playoffs, that was maybe the
best stretch of high level football. I'm I think I've
ever seen in day in college football, those that playoff
on on Saturday. The playoff matchups TCU Michigan and tons
of storylines coming out of both of those. Then obviously
(30:12):
Georgia Ohio State to finish it off. Unbelievable college football
just from an entertainment standpoint. Hard to do better than that.
College pro I don't care what sport it is. That
was absolutely phenomenal what we saw on Saturday. I had
a little bit of everything, right guys, I mean you
had like tight games, high scoring, good defense. At times
you had controversy, especially the way the first game had
(30:35):
ended with the Tlane player. It was targeting, I mean,
but let's be honest, that was, by the definition of
the rule, targeting against Michigan excuse me, against the Michigan
player should have been called, although in that moment it
really felt like the officials didn't want to interject themselves
into the game, knowing that it would have given not
only a fifteen yard penalty to Michigan, but another chance
(30:58):
to potentially come back and win that thing, even as
it seemed to have been unlikely in that moment. But
I digress. Uh, And you had that in the next
game too, right Marvin Harrison, that Hitt that he ends
up getting knocked out of the game with a concussion
and however, somehow, some way, uh, it's not considered targeting. Um,
so a bit of controversy I think in both with
(31:21):
the least how it was officiated. That being said, what
a season for TCU and them just kind of being
a team of destiny and the way they played the season.
And and how about Georgia, I mean, wire to wire,
the defending national champions once again are gonna have a
chance as almost a two touchdown favorite to defend their crown.
And so how about that for Kirby Smart in their team.
(31:43):
That's pretty wow. Man. I was at the game. We
saw coach direct um thoughts and prayers and the shots
out to him, and you know how he you know
where he's at with things dealing what what he's dealing with.
But man, that TCU. To me, first thing I thought,
is he's that or he TCU is? What's I think
(32:08):
it's great for college football. And I think it's great
for college football because TCU is one of those type
teams you'd say, as Cincinnati went, you know, the year
before and how well they played, and you're like, you
would love to see a team like Cincinnati make it
into the playoff and and see if they could do it. Um.
(32:29):
I didn't think that TCU stood a real chance against Michigan.
I don't know about how a lot of other people
felt about it, but I just thought that the way
Michigan has been playing, that they would be too much,
especially in the run game. And I know they had
to start her out, but they still have a talented,
(32:50):
you know, talented back and and still have a talented
offensive line. I just thought it was I thought it
was interesting on I honestly that TCU and Georgia came
out the most prepared out of the four teams, and
it's interesting because they both ended up winning. Now, with
(33:11):
that being said, Michigan did adjust like they always do,
and they did come storming back, but they weren't able
to to get some key stops and key moments. And
I think Marvin Harrison Jr. Going out with that concussion
was the difference in the game, because I don't even
think that it comes down to that final field goal.
(33:32):
If Marvin is still in that game. He was dicing
them up and and in the end. It's interesting because
Stetson been it and the dude is a freaking warrior,
man um. You know that that last drive when when
he was hitting them down field and going after it,
I was I was surprised in a way that that
(33:55):
Ohio State went so conservative after strout run. I would
have stayed on the gas because there you were settling
for a fifty yard fuel goal in college, I'm thinking,
what in the hell are you thinking running the ball
up the middle like that? I mean, I just that
that was to me, probably as much as we want
(34:18):
to talk about Marvin Harrison and him not coming back in.
You know, look the medical staff, even though he came
out frustrated, they wouldn't give him his helmet. You know,
they looked appear to like he was okay. But again,
I'm not going to get into the long term health
issues and everything with that. That played a huge impact.
But that decision in and of itself to not be
more aggressive in that moment, I think is what's spelled
(34:40):
Ohio states demise. Like I just to me, that was
that was a bad, bad situation to put ruggles in
their kicker a fifty yard to win it, and that
was how what you're supposed to do it. I just
you're almost for a team that I think at Georgia
on the ropes, right, you're almost kind of begging or
hoping for a chance in that instance, if that's how
(35:01):
you wanted to play out. So I thought that was
one of his bigger coaching blunders. Answer me this, because
hold on, because when I'm watching the game, all I
could sit there and say to myself was, Wow, they're
afraid they're going to turn the ball over. They're they're
afraid and is that a lack of confidence in the
receiving corps? Is that a lack of confidence in Marcus Stroud?
(35:24):
Excuse me? C J. S Grout. He played, He played
himself into a more solidified draft status in Stock in
this game, I thought he played a phenomenal football game.
And to be in one of the most pivotal moments
of the game, he makes an amazing run. Why do
(35:45):
you now throttle down? Like do you feel like that
was an indictment on their trust of what what Strout
could do in in that scenario, Like, I'd rather do
it this way and trust the leg of the kick.
Stroud was the best player on the field. Well, Marvin
Jones Jr. Was the best player. Marvin Harrison. Marvin Harrison, Jesus,
(36:08):
you know I had a rough day yesterday. By the
way we go, they are coming up. We'll get you.
You got it coming up? Um to your point through LaVar,
I'll echo that. And I know Jones was to I
mean with the way I look at this draft class
now after seeing that from c. J. Stroud, it's Bryce
(36:32):
young than c J. Stroud, Like I think if you
go with Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, ahead of either
one of those two guys. You are hoping and praying
they develop like Josh Allen has, Like that's what you're
hoping and you're praying for. And I'll tell you this much,
there's only one Josh Allen, and there's only one circumstance
where Josh Allen went to into in Buffalo and had
(36:53):
the same offensive coordinator for three years, the same stability
and head coach and and everything for three years in
their run office, and then they give him arguably one
of the best of not the best wide receiver in
Stefon Diggs in year three. If that's your plan for
Will Levis or Anthony Richardson, great more power to you.
I think it eventually is gonna work out for you.
But otherwise you better go with a guy like Bryce
(37:15):
Younger c J. Stroud. Both those guys are more prepared
to take over what is usually a pretty bad franchise
than the other two guys are because they've got some
internal work to do before that. So I'm with you.
I thought c. J. Stroud proved a lot of doubters
and people wrong showing his mobility not only running, but
I think in the pocket like that was What impressed
(37:35):
me most is the way he slid and moved around
in the pocket, got out of harm's way. Because if
you think about, like, that's what he's gonna have to
do in the next level. He's the draft to do
a bad football team with a bad offensive line, He's
going to have to be able to do that the
next level. And he put that on display. Uh. Michigan, man,
what they just they couldn't get a stop. And I
(37:58):
mean every time you thought, okay, now now they're starting
to figure it out. Now they're starting to roll mis tackle,
and it was like they couldn't stop TCU from big
plays and it was just there was no answers for him.
And you just saw the way that game finished up
in the bad snap at the end and the targeting.
I mean, it just that was a bad, bad look
(38:19):
all the way around from Michigan. They're a big play machine, man.
I mean, Quinn Johnston will probably be the first wide
receiver taking in this draft class um Darius Davis. Their
slot and returner is dynamic Tape Barber. It's almost gets
left behind because of the other two and how good
they are, you know, and even with Kendre Miller out Demarcado,
(38:39):
the SMU transfer, came in as a backup running back.
He's been fantastic what he's asked to And obviously Duggins
played tough and then and they've got other guys who
kind of pitch in, who've got size and speed to
behind those guys. So it's just it's a really interesting cast.
And look, say Dyke's has has kind of been They've
been the forgotten team in ways as far as you know,
playing against other teams out there Texas. This season they
(39:02):
were obviously an underdog and other times where they've been
an under underdog. This this game there are seven a
half point underdog. Well now there are two touchdown underdog,
you know, the TCUs ten three and one against the spread.
So I think they really love being in that position
and it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun to see,
you know, if they can pull this thing off. The
(39:23):
Roman Wilson touchdown or now touchdown that was that was
a bad call. I don't really know how you determined
that he had possession until he got across the plant,
Like that's the only way you could look at that play.
I thought the officiating in these games was inconsistent, and
there was times it was just downright bad. And I'm
(39:45):
sure Mike or Deep Plantina will be upset about that,
but um, the reality is it just it just was.
It was incredibly inconsistent from game to game and with
the calls, and I thought targeting in particular got little
bit exposed in a couple of different ways. You know,
in the first case, in the TCU Michigan game, there's
(40:06):
two definitions of targeting, one where there's a defensive player
and then one with the way the player uses their helmet.
And I think both plays were defined or both rules
were defined in each of them, one with the the
TCU player and the way he used his helmet to
hit the Michigan player in that case, that was the
first one, and then the second one would have been
(40:26):
Marvin Harrison, in the process of making a catch, who's
considered defenseless, took a shot that had a neck area.
You know, I don't know how you get you keep
a guy out from a game with concussion symptoms or
if that's the concern, if he wasn't hit to the
head or neck area, because even when he came to
the ground, it wasn't like his hammer had really slammed
against the ground. It was that initial hit from I
believe bollard um that that would have caused that, and
(40:49):
they should have been targeting as well. Let me ask
you a question the targeting in the Michigan TCU game.
Do you guys think if that's the second quarter they
called targeting because I do, yes, yes, So just think
about that. It's broke, like you can't like that. That's
that's an egregious mistake to make. And if they're if
their reasoning is, well, you know in that in that
point in the game, we didn't want to We didn't
(41:11):
want it to impact the result of the game. Okay,
then why is the rule there to begin with? If
you're calling it in the second quarter, why would you
not call it in the fourth quarter with the game
on the line? It was clearly targeting. I didn't know.
I don't know how they came back with that. I'm
not gonna go as far as saying it's broke. I
just think it's as a group of officials, you have
to have the confidence to make that call. You have
(41:32):
to be able to say this is the rule. I
don't care what point time when it happens in the game,
it should be targeting, and we should make this call.
So to me, that's more of the issue is if
you're factoring in the situation of the game over the
health and safety and well being of players, then you've
got your priorities wrong. M It's well, I was just
(41:54):
gonna say, I saw a lot of hits where I
was in conflict as to if it was targeting and
I was in conflict of of it, like, and some
of them they put their the crown of their head down.
Done targeting the minute I see the head go down,
(42:14):
that's targeting. But there were somewhere the hit was even
like I'm gonna be honest now now because he did
put his head down a little bit. But I just
I see some of these hits where they're lowering themselves
but they're turning their body to make contact with their shoulder.
(42:36):
I'm well, I think what I'm trying to figure out
now is are we getting to a point now where
we have to say they have to hit them with
less force? You know, because now I'm I'm I'm now
starting to wonder are hard hits like are those penalty?
Are those penalty offenses? And and that's kind of where
(43:00):
I'm at now. I watched how Jalen Smith could have
planted the quarterback in the in the game that you know,
in the New York game, and he pulled up. He
pulled up because he didn't, you know, he thought that
the guy didn't have the ball. And and I know
that that's because you don't want to get a dumb penalty.
(43:21):
It's considered to be a dumb penalty if Jalen Smith
takes him down to the ground, or if he thumps
him and hits him and the ball has been released
and then now here comes a flag. You know. Some
of this is is kind of striking me as are
we now needing to I mean, and and I'm just
I'm not even trying to be like, you know, sarcastic here,
(43:45):
I am being totally honest. Are we now getting to
a place where there has to be the conversation of
monitoring how hard you approached to make a head? And
that's that's it's a dilemma. I don't know it's that
so much. I just think they need to be more
consistent with the way they're calling, you know, the use
(44:07):
of the crown of the helmet they they've changed the
size of it. It used to be if you put
a bowl on top of your head, that was what
they defined as the crown. Now they're not defining that
as the crown anymore, you know, because they thought there's
too many guys who are getting called for hits that
where they were they were using the proper technique. But
they're considering it targeting because just to hit to the
head and neck area, you know. Now they've they've really
(44:30):
changed it to where it's a smaller circle on the
top of the helmet and so it helps to see
them lowering it. But really it's just the use of
that very top portion of the helmet to create contact
in order to call it targeting. So um that that's that.
I just think the rule needs to be officiated more consistently.
It hasn't been. And that's a bigger conversation for another day.
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
(44:52):
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
radio dot com and within the I Heart Radio app.
Search f us are to listen live
It's the best of two pros and a couple of
show with Lamar Area, Rady Quinn and Jonas Knocks on Radio.
First show of three for us here, and we were
expecting to talk about just a great football weekend, wire
(00:22):
to wire, great games all the way throughout. We get
to one of the most anticipated Monday night football matchups
that we can remember in a long time between the
Bills and the Bengals last night, and then midway through
their first quarter, after making a play on Tee Higgins,
Tomar Hamlin, the defensive back for the Buffalo Bills, stood
up and just collapsed. Um went into a cardiac arrest
(00:46):
and the very latest from the Buffalo Bills that he
is still in critical condition. They were able to get
his heart beat back on the field, and that is
where we are at right now. But look, you guys
have been a lot up close and personal, more so
than I have a majority of people listening. I mean,
you guys have seen a lot of wild things on
a football field before injuries, emotions, all that stuff. I
(01:08):
don't recall seeing a lot of things that even came
close to what we saw last night. That was I'm
sure horrifying for a lot of people who were watching,
and even for guys who have played them in a
part of the game, I've never witnessed anything like that. Now.
I've been through some tragic events, but you know, they
didn't take place in the middle of a game like that.
(01:29):
I've seen injuries. We've seen guys who have gone down
and you've got down on a knee and prayed around
other teammates, and you've watched them be carried off and
you know, or or they get up and they are
able to walk it off and and they give you
the sign of everything's gonna be okay. This was this
was different. You know, this was one of those moments
(01:51):
that really made you look back and kind of reflect
on the game itself, the risk that athletes put themselves in.
And obviously we still don't have a lot of information
on what exactly it is that took place, but we
do know Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest and if if,
if not for the twenty medical professionals who acted swiftly
(02:12):
on the field to save his life, I mean, it
could have been catastrophic and and I guess from the
last update that we've received from the Buffalo bills. You know,
he's in critical condition at this point. However, it looks
like the prognosis moving forward is a bit more optimistic
than what it was when they're performing CPR for nine minutes.
(02:33):
So just a crazy, scary event. And even how it happened,
because it seemed like it was so out of the ordinary.
It wasn't one of those big collisions. It wasn't a
hit like we saw with Josh Sweat this past weekend
where he laid limp on the field or motionless. You know,
this was a hit where it didn't seem overly vicious.
(02:54):
Him and Tehiggans both went to the ground and he
got up and then subsequently fell with as you saw afterwards,
how scary that moment then became. But again credits to
UM all the medical the medical staff involved with both
teams for being able to save his life. It puts
(03:15):
things in perspective when you see those things happen. I
actually did experience something kind of close um to to
what happened last night, UM in the hit that took place,
and it was seven when our tight end was was
hit in in the Michigan game. Bob Stevenson, UM one
(03:38):
of the most scariest moments, upsetting moments that that you
could ever have. It's it's a it's a surreal moment
when you see and and I don't even think the
hit last night was even that. It wasn't that, it
(03:58):
wasn't a bad hit. It wasn't like it was a crazy,
crazy valient hit. And then and then he you know,
he went to the ground. It just you know, however
it happened, it happened, and you saw how serious it
was in nature the way he fell back down to
(04:19):
the ground. Um and not that kind of mixed the
two stories, but just when when you see and you
experience something so close up and and you're so close
to it, those those first those first few moments, man,
are you know, you just start re evaluating so quickly,
(04:40):
like you you start you start thinking about all the
things that you're thankful for. You you start praying and
and hoping that you know it's gonna work out and
and be okay. You know, those two guys never played
any football again after after that hit. Um in in
nine in Happy Valley. Um, I don't know, you know
(05:02):
what what the young man's you know, future is and
in terms of playing the game. You just hope that
you know he's okay, and you hope that you know
he you know, finds his way back to to the
level of health that he had before before that moment
took place, and and that whatever the prognosis was that
(05:26):
comes out of it, is that you know that they're clear,
hopefully on what it was. And I guess when you,
when you again put it in perspective, you did. I
think the first thing you you ask yourself is, man,
is it worth it? You know? And you started thinking
(05:48):
about I don't play anymore, but I have to two
sons that played the game, and you immediately start to
ask yourself, you know, are you okay with it? Are
you okay with your kids playing? And I know that
that's probably what a lot of people thought last evening,
And I think that that's one of those hard conversations
(06:09):
to actually have, you know, when something like that happens.
But I also would say, putting it in perspective, you know,
it's it's you. You understand that it is a valid
game and that certain things you know, can happen. And
and is that you know is the physicality of the game.
(06:31):
The reason why that happened. I don't know. Um, but again,
I hope the young man is is okay and recover
as well. And you know, I don't know, I don't
know how you know how we you know, people will
make sense of it, because that's a hard one because
it's connected to a physical game. It's uh. You could
(06:54):
tell by the reactions of the players that it was
just a different deal. Like you can also tell by
the sense of urgency on the field. Anybody that's ever
you know, seeing a loved one get taken away in
an ambulance or get taken away. You know, there's like
a pace that they're at and when it when it's okay,
you know, we we just want to make sure everything's okay.
They're looking at vitals, they're checking everything, and they get
(07:16):
them loaded up and they take them away. There was
a sense of urgency almost immediately. To Brady's point, they
acted really fast and a lot of people got together
and just to see the reactions of the players, you
could tell, for I would probably say a majority, if
not all of them, had never seen anything to that level.
(07:36):
And to see how bothered and upset and I mean
basically disturbed would be the best way for it. Just
The looks on their face was pretty telling of just
how serious the situation was on the field. I can't
even imagine. Man, that's that's rough. It's it's incredible to
think that. And I know Troy Vincent of the NFL
is come out and almost fallen on the sword for
(07:57):
Roger Goodell, but um, it's it's incredible to think that
the NFL paused for a period of time and thought
they were maybe gonna go back out and and call
and play that game. Well, there's no chance because you
had two men, one Ezac Taylor and another other, Sean McDermott,
who weren't going to allow that to happen. And credit
(08:20):
to them, you know, forget records, forget what they've accomplished
so far as head coaches. They both walked across the
field and talk to each other, and it looked like
Zach Taylor initiated. It was like, this ain't happening, Like
you go back to your locker room and talk to
your players. I'm going back to mind, but I don't
think either one of us are in a position to
want to go play a meaningless football game in the
(08:42):
grand scheme of life. And I say that only because,
like I, I understand there's playoff implications and all this
stuff that we care about with football. We talked about
it every day. But now you're talking about guys who
just witnessed something that they may never witness again in
their life, where a medical staff had to save someone's
life on the field right there in front of him,
(09:03):
and he made a play that looked very similar to
all the plays that had occurred before that in the
game and maybe throughout their lives playing football to a degree,
and he just dropped. I mean, that is a scary,
scary event for all parties involved to witness, and and
I just I sit back and think to myself, it
took and I'm not gonna base this off of social media,
(09:27):
um the cess pool that that is. But it took
them so long to be able to call it for what?
For what reason? I mean, you're the NFL, who knows
what was gonna occur. Once tomorrow Hamlin went into that
E M. S. When when went to the hospital, you
have no idea the status of that young man, and
(09:49):
that's all that matter at that point, not playing a game.
So I was a bit disappointed by the NFL handling
it and kind of delaying the inevitable just calling it
at that point and I realized there's a lot of
communication involved. They're still trying to get more information, but
you I mean, as in ESPN, by the way, to
(10:10):
the tremendous job covering it all parties involved, whether it
was up in the booth and Joe Buck and Troy
Lisassaulters who was um incredibly strong handling it, and everyone else,
if everybody even studio, they did such a good job
handling something that you're just not prepared for from a
broadcast standpoint. But the NFL said to me was finally
(10:30):
got it right. But just it looked so so bad
for about half an hour forty five minutes, a period
of time where you're like like what why is this
like still being considered postponed? Like this this game is over,
they're not playing tonight, like send the fans home. Had
people sitting a stance for what an hour or more
than an hour waiting to get a decision to be made.
(10:52):
It was that was ridiculous in my mind. Look do
we learned during COVID there there's ways that you can
figure out out how to reschedule a game and get
it done quick. I mean, Brady, you called a college
football game, what nine am local time in l A
at the River's Bowl. Like there there's options, there's you know,
other days, there's way ways to figure this out, the idea.
(11:15):
Just to see the look on those players faces and
for those coaches, you had to understand, these guys aren't
playing like this is this is different. They know it's different.
There's a different vibe, a different field to it. Just
the fact that there was any sense that, well, we
could probably get this in, you know, just just let's
see how this works. And then yeah, that was crazy.
I didn't get the feeling at all at any point
(11:35):
after it happens, seeing the looks on faces, I don't
know how they played this game like you're looking. Two
thousand twelve, we had a player take his own life
and and and the life of his baby's mama. The
day before game. I mean we were literally I was
driving in to go to the facility and I was
directed by the police to take a different negative. Which
(11:56):
was extremely unusual. Was that the day before the game. Yeah,
it was a Saturday morning before and I called my
quarterback coach, Jim's Horn, and he always said to me
on the phone was Brady, there's been a tragedy that's
taken place. He goes, I need you to listen to me,
and I need you to go to the stadium and
wait for further instructions. And I saw I was like, Coach,
(12:18):
what is going on? He's like, He's like, I can't
tell you at this time. He goes, I need you
to wait, and I need you to go to the stadium,
and I need you to tell that to every other
player two that's still coming in, because obviously I'd get
in there before most. And so as we start started
to funnel into the stadium locker room, there are a
few players who are already aware of the situation, given
(12:38):
who his his baby mama was and what had already occurred.
And you know, at that point I wasn't sure what
the thing, but once I was being told what had
taken place, I was in a state of shock. I mean,
this was a player that I lined up from every
day that season and stretched lines. He was our base
inside linebackers starter and core special teams player. He had
(13:02):
just had a little baby. I remember sitting out during
one of the events at the stadium and the suite
looking out on in the field with him and his
daughter Zoe and talking about life and perspective and how
things change when you have a child, and all of
that gone, and guys were like literally in the state
of shocks. Some guys were, you know, crying their eyes out,
(13:26):
you know, losing a friend, losing a teammate. And I
remember thinking myself, like, how in the world did they
expect us to go play a game? And yet the
NFL pushed forward and it was it was probably one
of the more ruthless truths and like hardest times in
my life, like in perspective thinking about the game of
football and and whether it matters or not because of
(13:48):
everything that transpired, even the following week with you know,
the um, the funeral and everything that that you know
transpired that season, but it just it all felt so
meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But just the
fact that, you know, obviously the people in Kansas City
did the best they could to handle the situation, which
no one's prepared to handle that. But the reality was,
(14:11):
you know that there should have been more time and
consideration taken for all parties involved. And so I'm glad
the NFL again came to the right conclusion at some
point last night, and how they end up, you know,
scheduling this it seems like kind of insignificant at the moment,
and I know it matters for the greater scheme of
what the NFL, you know, provides as a form of
(14:32):
entertainment for football. But again, until they understood, until they
get a better sense of Damarrow Hamlin's health, it's gonna
be hard to want to think that that you should
have either team move forward given what you know. Tee
Higgins was a part of in that play, and Cincinnati witnessed,
and even Buffalo, I mean, some of those players stayed
in Cincinnati where the rest went back because they want
(14:53):
to stamp with their teammate. Yeah, there was a report
from Lisa Salters in any ESPN that said Stefan D.
Biggs took an uber to the hospital and was just
sort of still in a kind of a state of panic,
just wanted some some answers wanted to know what was
going on. It's just an uneasy feeling trying to get
back on a plane and go back to Buffalo when
your teammate is in a hospital that you saw nearly
(15:16):
die on a field feet away from you. It's that's
just a crazy, crazy situation all the way around. Be
sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and a
Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LaVar Errington and Jonas
Knocks week days at six am Eastern three am Pacific
on Fox Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app
on the Playing Field Over in the NFC. When it
(15:39):
comes to the world of football, um, you know, some
of us were poking fun at Aaron Rodgers and the
Green Bay Packers weeks and weeks ago. I mean I
was a believer from from the get go. I don't
know about you guys. I mean I was definitely a
believer from the get go that the Green Bay Packers
were going to be making a run here. I mean
I believe I had the Packers going to the Super Bowl. So,
um yeah, I tried to tell everybody. I was trying
(16:00):
to tell you guys, when you guys are ready to
just side, you know, I was trying to be I
was the one talking about Aaron Rodgers licking toads and
how I felt like it was going to be really
the best thing for this team moving forward, and so
they're really going to do this, huh, like, like this
is really gonna happen. Rogers called his shot, and then
of course after the game on Sunday, and that just
(16:23):
dismantling of the Minnesota Vikings. He spoke big picture about
the Green Bay Packers and what he saw moving forward.
Things have been happening for us the last few weeks
exactly as we need them to happen. And that's the
mindset that I've had the entire time, that that there's
some destiny involved with this and and this just saw
(16:45):
us to go out and fulfill that. That's a dangerous
team if they get into seven it so it looks
so bad, right, I mean, this is what I think
this team has been cabled. Now they've got a lot
of help right defensively, special teams. Um, it was a
(17:09):
Nikim Hines what was it your first name? That the
kickoff return and they've got my goodness like that dude.
I think he's averaging what over ninety kickoff yards a
game since he's come on on the Packers, Like he's
been phenomenal for them and helping set up fuel position
and all that. And and just look as a quarterback
when you've got a dynamic returner. You know, I'll be
(17:31):
I'll be honest, Like when they're returning for touchdowns, Like
sometimes that can make you kind of you love it,
but you kind of hate it at the same time
because you get out of a rhythm right Like it
could be fifteen twenty minutes before you touch the football game,
maybe a half hour depending on stoppages and how long
drives are. But when they're just setting you up, if
like plus field position, when you get the brown midfield
(17:51):
and that's where you're starting your drives, you love that
because you know a lot of times with offense coordinators
they're aggressive and they're gonna dial up shots right away,
or just the fact that you really don't need to
do that much before you get back into the red
zone or in the end zone. Is Nixon was way off,
I was like, I thinking that he hinds almost we'll
(18:13):
clean it up in the podcast. Think nobody heard it,
But that's that's usually never the case. Actually, Um, I
mean I listened back and I'm like, oh, I thought
we were I thought we were taking that out. I
guess Jonas was joking. And the next week I thought
we were taking that out. Um, But but in all seriousness, like,
(18:35):
that's such a big lift to this offense that I
don't even know that anyone. I mean, Aaron Rodgers talked
about it. But but again, this is all about the
power of the mind and manifestation of making these things
come true. LaVar, right, is that how this works? First
of all, Joe, if you're just leave leave cue alone, man,
let'tle make his points. Um. Secondly, you know, watching the
(19:00):
way green Bay played in that game, they looked like
green Bay from last year. There were glimpses of it.
And for them to be in the position that they're
in after the start of the season, that they've had
to be able to get things going the way that
(19:21):
they've had that they have this late in the season. Man,
I don't remember. I don't recall it very vividly, so
you'll you'll excuse me if I don't have it all
the way correct. But it reminds me a little bit
of when the Steelers found the way to get into
the playoffs, and I think they were like an eighth
(19:43):
seat or something to that effect. When when they got
in the year they wanted. I want to say that
it was the O five year they beat Denver in
the a f C title game. Jake Plumber was the quarterback.
I want to say it was that they were a
sixth seed, because that's sixth seed. That was when they
beat Indianapolis and Jerome Bettis fumbled and and their Indianapolis
(20:08):
was going to return it for a touchdown and Ben
Roethlisberger made a play which basically saved saved their super
Bowl run and got them there for a super Bowl
on the path too. So so sixth seed is I
don't know that that had even ever happened, maybe once
or so, not even certain that that's ever happened. And
I would assume green Bay would have to be a
(20:31):
very very um, you know, low ranked team um in
terms of the seating if they were indeed, like what
what has to happen for them to make the playoffs?
By the way, the Packers all they needed was Cleveland
to beat Washington, which they did this password and the
irony to that too. And this isn't to big fun
(20:52):
of coach Rivera because you know, people were taking shots
out of him after the game because he wasn't aware
that they could be eliminated. But I mean Rodgers talked
about it. He literally said like for Browns fans, like
go Brown's before this week even took place. And of
course you know they end up again everything that they
said they needed to happen, they they manifested it. So
(21:16):
it's it's all coming full. So I think it all.
I think it all worked out because this is one now,
once again, the way that Aaron Rodgers planted out to happen.
You know, I think that this was the script that
he wanted to play out. I think he wanted people
to understand the level and the magnitude of of gravity
(21:39):
to greatness that that Aaron Rodgers has. And and right now,
you know he's showing everyone. And you know, that's just
how I see it. Man. You know, if the Aaron
Rodgers movie, it's the Aaron Rodgers story, I think it'll
be better than Kurt Warners. You know, I'll watch it.
(22:00):
What what wouldn't be He's gonna make his own yeah,
I mean, but it's gonna come out on Prime videos
after after the season. You know. But it's not like
Rogers is playing that great. I mean, you know, you
just sound such a Bears fan. No, I'm not listen that.
I don't care. What do I care and move on,
and they're going to the playoffs. He's probably gonna go
(22:22):
on a Super Bowl runs. It is what it is.
The Bears aren't even bol eligible this year, so it
doesn't even matter. Okay, so the Green May Packers are
you know, they've been a better team for twenty five years.
So we go back to the whole manifestation thing, Like,
so I understand, like I believe in the power of belief,
the mind, all that stuff too. But just because you
(22:45):
say it and trying to manifest it, what about other
people are trying to do the exact opposite and saying
it manifesting it against you. Like Rafters is higher his manifesting, Yes,
and it took him licking the toad, as Jonas would say, Um,
you know, he's he's experienced the level of mental enlightenment
(23:07):
that has led to him being able to manifest um
what he wants. That's that's why I told everybody to
R E L A X, you know, and and went
from there. I mean, it's just this is just Aaron
Rodgers esque, that's all I'll say. Like, you're right, que Like,
who's to say that, Well, you said it's gonna happen
(23:27):
this way, So that's how it's gonna happen. I mean,
tom Brady, he couldn't come out and manifest something. It
seems that would be more powerful. Well, it does seem
like tom Brady is manifesting. I mean some way, somehow.
They're one of the worst, really really good teams in
the league right now. I don't I don't get it.
I don't get it. But they're the chaps. They're going
(23:50):
into the playoffs. They've they've clenched, so I mean, for
as poorly as they've seemed to have played, they don't
have very many losses. It's kind of weird. But you
know what, tom Brady has a different level of manifestation
um that you know. Other people, you know, they just
don't possess it, you know. And I am being totally
(24:12):
sarcastic to everyone out there. And if you hear a
little bit of a twins or whatever in my voice,
it's because I was screaming in my head off for
for four quarters yesterday. And you know, you don't realize
how loud you're screaming, by the way, and in a
stadium that's really loud, until the noise of the stadium subsides,
and then you realize that to hear in order to
(24:34):
hear yourself and to feel like the yelling that you're
doing to the players during the game, how obnoxiously loud
you are. Um, you don't realize until your vocal cords
are angry with you by by the end of the game,
queaking into it. I mean, we ask you how we
are bailed out the crumby Big ten. While we didn't
(24:58):
have a good showing this year. Yeah, yeah, it's not
been good. Penn State represented man, Yeah they did. I
think a lot of people were shocked that it went away,
that it went Actually no, I had Penn Stanley by
the way. I was shocked the Penn State wasn't favored
Initially they were the underdog, and then as leading up
to the game that that line moved. But I love
(25:20):
the over which I believe Hit loved the Penn State
in that one. But let me ask you this. I
saw some pictures from the stadium, you tossing to travel
well like they were you were you? Yeah? Were you yelling?
Because you guys were outnumbered. It looked like it was
a sea of red. You know, it was crazy. By
the time we got to the fourth quarter. You could
(25:43):
we we overpowered. We we probably represented. It looked as
though we represented twenty five percent of the stadium. Yeah,
they represented. They repped that. It sounded like they were
fifty percent. You know, we were overtaking their their fan base.
Like it was pretty cool against there were no utah
(26:09):
utes up in there. I mean at half, you guys,
because it was tighter. It was to a tighter half. Yeah,
it's fourteen fourteen. It had to have been fun. Like
that was a good game until it was very I
mean it was it was what you thought it was
going to be. Um they were going to Yeah, well
he was. He was the difference maker in the game.
And unfortunately he was the difference maker because he kept
(26:32):
stepping out of out of the truck and going into
the Serengetti. Man. And then when you be running into
Serengetti and there's a whole bunch of lions out there
running into Serenghetti and you catch them, you know you're
gonna catch your body. I mean, you're just gonna catch
a body. You gotta stay fid Yeah, man, but he
you know saying no hills, you know, we say North Hills.
(26:55):
What was that you ain't ready for the gettyman, Serengetti,
and I guess basice this right now, I don't know
SERENGETI uh, it is two pros and the Cup of
Joe here on Fox Sports Radio. By the way, congratulations
at Sean Clifford final games Penn State at two. So
(27:19):
congratulations old guy. He played well. Man, he great and
that was his that was his last last one. LaVar.
You think he's gonna he's gonna try to go pro
or you think he's I mean, I'm sure he wants
to play play at the next level. But I'm sure
he you know, the one thing about him being so older,
(27:42):
so much older, you know, his level of maturity is there.
You know, he created his business um limitless, and he's
got he's got plenty of athletes that he's already been
representing and getting them an I L deal. So I mean,
I'm I'm I'm blown away by his business acumen and
(28:02):
just his willingness to take a chance on on creating
a startup business while in school while playing. But who
better to do it than someone who understands exactly how
school works. Um understands the schedule of of how football
works and is able to balance out all of those things.
And there may be a tab bit of sarcasm in
(28:24):
that as well. Um classes yeah, yeah, yeah, a little
sarcasm there. But but at the same token, you know what,
there is some genuineness and that as well. Sean Clifford
is a very impressive, impressive young man. But by going
back to it, did you do you think he he
will try to go progra There's a kid at Notre
(28:45):
Dame who had a great bowl game and probably could
have had a shot to try to go that route,
and he just he've already now'd like that said, I'm
done playing football. I've got a job lined up, come
here in a couple of days. I wouldn't be surprised
if he did that. I wouldn't be surprised if he
did that, but uh, I would guess that he would
want to play it out and see if there is
(29:05):
a chance for him to make it onto a roster.
Be sure to catch live editions of Two Pros and
a Cup of Joe with Brady Quinn, LaVar Arrington and
Jonas Knox week days at six am Eastern three am Pacific. Hey,
it's Ben, host of the Fifth Hour with Ben Mallory
would mean a lot to have you join us on
our weekly auditory journey. You're asking one in God's name
(29:27):
is the Fifth Hour, I'll tell you it's a spin
off of the Ben Maller short cold hit overnights on
FS are Why should you listen? Picture if you will?
A world will? We chat with captains of industry in media,
sports and more every week explored some amazing facts about
a human nature and more. Listen to the Fifth Hour
with Ben mallow or the I Heart Radio app, Apple
Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. So when it
(29:49):
comes to the college football playoffs, that was maybe the
best stretch of high level football. I'm I think I've
ever seen in day in college football, those that playoff
on on Saturday. The playoff matchups TCU Michigan and tons
of storylines coming out of both of those. Then obviously
(30:12):
Georgia Ohio State to finish it off. Unbelievable college football
just from an entertainment standpoint. Hard to do better than that.
College pro I don't care what sport it is. That
was absolutely phenomenal what we saw on Saturday. I had
a little bit of everything, right guys, I mean you
had like tight games, high scoring, good defense. At times
you had controversy, especially the way the first game had
(30:35):
ended with the Tlane player. It was targeting, I mean,
but let's be honest, that was, by the definition of
the rule, targeting against Michigan excuse me, against the Michigan
player should have been called, although in that moment it
really felt like the officials didn't want to interject themselves
into the game, knowing that it would have given not
only a fifteen yard penalty to Michigan, but another chance
(30:58):
to potentially come back and win that thing, even as
it seemed to have been unlikely in that moment. But
I digress. Uh, And you had that in the next
game too, right Marvin Harrison, that Hitt that he ends
up getting knocked out of the game with a concussion
and however, somehow, some way, uh, it's not considered targeting. Um,
so a bit of controversy I think in both with
(31:21):
the least how it was officiated. That being said, what
a season for TCU and them just kind of being
a team of destiny and the way they played the season.
And and how about Georgia, I mean, wire to wire,
the defending national champions once again are gonna have a
chance as almost a two touchdown favorite to defend their crown.
And so how about that for Kirby Smart in their team.
(31:43):
That's pretty wow. Man. I was at the game. We
saw coach direct um thoughts and prayers and the shots
out to him, and you know how he you know
where he's at with things dealing what what he's dealing with.
But man, that TCU. To me, first thing I thought,
is he's that or he TCU is? What's I think
(32:08):
it's great for college football. And I think it's great
for college football because TCU is one of those type
teams you'd say, as Cincinnati went, you know, the year
before and how well they played, and you're like, you
would love to see a team like Cincinnati make it
into the playoff and and see if they could do it. Um.
(32:29):
I didn't think that TCU stood a real chance against Michigan.
I don't know about how a lot of other people
felt about it, but I just thought that the way
Michigan has been playing, that they would be too much,
especially in the run game. And I know they had
to start her out, but they still have a talented,
(32:50):
you know, talented back and and still have a talented
offensive line. I just thought it was I thought it
was interesting on I honestly that TCU and Georgia came
out the most prepared out of the four teams, and
it's interesting because they both ended up winning. Now, with
(33:11):
that being said, Michigan did adjust like they always do,
and they did come storming back, but they weren't able
to to get some key stops and key moments. And
I think Marvin Harrison Jr. Going out with that concussion
was the difference in the game, because I don't even
think that it comes down to that final field goal.
(33:32):
If Marvin is still in that game. He was dicing
them up and and in the end. It's interesting because
Stetson been it and the dude is a freaking warrior,
man um. You know that that last drive when when
he was hitting them down field and going after it,
I was I was surprised in a way that that
(33:55):
Ohio State went so conservative after strout run. I would
have stayed on the gas because there you were settling
for a fifty yard fuel goal in college, I'm thinking,
what in the hell are you thinking running the ball
up the middle like that? I mean, I just that
that was to me, probably as much as we want
(34:18):
to talk about Marvin Harrison and him not coming back in.
You know, look the medical staff, even though he came
out frustrated, they wouldn't give him his helmet. You know,
they looked appear to like he was okay. But again,
I'm not going to get into the long term health
issues and everything with that. That played a huge impact.
But that decision in and of itself to not be
more aggressive in that moment, I think is what's spelled
(34:40):
Ohio states demise. Like I just to me, that was
that was a bad, bad situation to put ruggles in
their kicker a fifty yard to win it, and that
was how what you're supposed to do it. I just
you're almost for a team that I think at Georgia
on the ropes, right, you're almost kind of begging or
hoping for a chance in that instance, if that's how
(35:01):
you wanted to play out. So I thought that was
one of his bigger coaching blunders. Answer me this, because
hold on, because when I'm watching the game, all I
could sit there and say to myself was, Wow, they're
afraid they're going to turn the ball over. They're they're
afraid and is that a lack of confidence in the
receiving corps? Is that a lack of confidence in Marcus Stroud?
(35:24):
Excuse me? C J. S Grout. He played, He played
himself into a more solidified draft status in Stock in
this game, I thought he played a phenomenal football game.
And to be in one of the most pivotal moments
of the game, he makes an amazing run. Why do
(35:45):
you now throttle down? Like do you feel like that
was an indictment on their trust of what what Strout
could do in in that scenario, Like, I'd rather do
it this way and trust the leg of the kick.
Stroud was the best player on the field. Well, Marvin
Jones Jr. Was the best player. Marvin Harrison. Marvin Harrison, Jesus,
(36:08):
you know I had a rough day yesterday. By the
way we go, they are coming up. We'll get you.
You got it coming up? Um to your point through LaVar,
I'll echo that. And I know Jones was to I
mean with the way I look at this draft class
now after seeing that from c. J. Stroud, it's Bryce
(36:32):
young than c J. Stroud, Like I think if you
go with Will Levis and Anthony Richardson, ahead of either
one of those two guys. You are hoping and praying
they develop like Josh Allen has, Like that's what you're
hoping and you're praying for. And I'll tell you this much,
there's only one Josh Allen, and there's only one circumstance
where Josh Allen went to into in Buffalo and had
(36:53):
the same offensive coordinator for three years, the same stability
and head coach and and everything for three years in
their run office, and then they give him arguably one
of the best of not the best wide receiver in
Stefon Diggs in year three. If that's your plan for
Will Levis or Anthony Richardson, great more power to you.
I think it eventually is gonna work out for you.
But otherwise you better go with a guy like Bryce
(37:15):
Younger c J. Stroud. Both those guys are more prepared
to take over what is usually a pretty bad franchise
than the other two guys are because they've got some
internal work to do before that. So I'm with you.
I thought c. J. Stroud proved a lot of doubters
and people wrong showing his mobility not only running, but
I think in the pocket like that was What impressed
(37:35):
me most is the way he slid and moved around
in the pocket, got out of harm's way. Because if
you think about, like, that's what he's gonna have to
do in the next level. He's the draft to do
a bad football team with a bad offensive line, He's
going to have to be able to do that the
next level. And he put that on display. Uh. Michigan, man,
what they just they couldn't get a stop. And I
(37:58):
mean every time you thought, okay, now now they're starting
to figure it out. Now they're starting to roll mis tackle,
and it was like they couldn't stop TCU from big
plays and it was just there was no answers for him.
And you just saw the way that game finished up
in the bad snap at the end and the targeting.
I mean, it just that was a bad, bad look
(38:19):
all the way around from Michigan. They're a big play machine, man.
I mean, Quinn Johnston will probably be the first wide
receiver taking in this draft class um Darius Davis. Their
slot and returner is dynamic Tape Barber. It's almost gets
left behind because of the other two and how good
they are, you know, and even with Kendre Miller out Demarcado,
(38:39):
the SMU transfer, came in as a backup running back.
He's been fantastic what he's asked to And obviously Duggins
played tough and then and they've got other guys who
kind of pitch in, who've got size and speed to
behind those guys. So it's just it's a really interesting cast.
And look, say Dyke's has has kind of been They've
been the forgotten team in ways as far as you know,
playing against other teams out there Texas. This season they
(39:02):
were obviously an underdog and other times where they've been
an under underdog. This this game there are seven a
half point underdog. Well now there are two touchdown underdog,
you know, the TCUs ten three and one against the spread.
So I think they really love being in that position
and it's gonna be fun. It's gonna be fun to see,
you know, if they can pull this thing off. The
(39:23):
Roman Wilson touchdown or now touchdown that was that was
a bad call. I don't really know how you determined
that he had possession until he got across the plant,
Like that's the only way you could look at that play.
I thought the officiating in these games was inconsistent, and
there was times it was just downright bad. And I'm
(39:45):
sure Mike or Deep Plantina will be upset about that,
but um, the reality is it just it just was.
It was incredibly inconsistent from game to game and with
the calls, and I thought targeting in particular got little
bit exposed in a couple of different ways. You know,
in the first case, in the TCU Michigan game, there's
(40:06):
two definitions of targeting, one where there's a defensive player
and then one with the way the player uses their helmet.
And I think both plays were defined or both rules
were defined in each of them, one with the the
TCU player and the way he used his helmet to
hit the Michigan player in that case, that was the
first one, and then the second one would have been
(40:26):
Marvin Harrison, in the process of making a catch, who's
considered defenseless, took a shot that had a neck area.
You know, I don't know how you get you keep
a guy out from a game with concussion symptoms or
if that's the concern, if he wasn't hit to the
head or neck area, because even when he came to
the ground, it wasn't like his hammer had really slammed
against the ground. It was that initial hit from I
believe bollard um that that would have caused that, and
(40:49):
they should have been targeting as well. Let me ask
you a question the targeting in the Michigan TCU game.
Do you guys think if that's the second quarter they
called targeting because I do, yes, yes, So just think
about that. It's broke, like you can't like that. That's
that's an egregious mistake to make. And if they're if
their reasoning is, well, you know in that in that
point in the game, we didn't want to We didn't
(41:11):
want it to impact the result of the game. Okay,
then why is the rule there to begin with? If
you're calling it in the second quarter, why would you
not call it in the fourth quarter with the game
on the line? It was clearly targeting. I didn't know.
I don't know how they came back with that. I'm
not gonna go as far as saying it's broke. I
just think it's as a group of officials, you have
to have the confidence to make that call. You have
(41:32):
to be able to say this is the rule. I
don't care what point time when it happens in the game,
it should be targeting, and we should make this call.
So to me, that's more of the issue is if
you're factoring in the situation of the game over the
health and safety and well being of players, then you've
got your priorities wrong. M It's well, I was just
(41:54):
gonna say, I saw a lot of hits where I
was in conflict as to if it was targeting and
I was in conflict of of it, like, and some
of them they put their the crown of their head down.
Done targeting the minute I see the head go down,
(42:14):
that's targeting. But there were somewhere the hit was even
like I'm gonna be honest now now because he did
put his head down a little bit. But I just
I see some of these hits where they're lowering themselves
but they're turning their body to make contact with their shoulder.
(42:36):
I'm well, I think what I'm trying to figure out
now is are we getting to a point now where
we have to say they have to hit them with
less force? You know, because now I'm I'm I'm now
starting to wonder are hard hits like are those penalty?
Are those penalty offenses? And and that's kind of where
(43:00):
I'm at now. I watched how Jalen Smith could have
planted the quarterback in the in the game that you know,
in the New York game, and he pulled up. He
pulled up because he didn't, you know, he thought that
the guy didn't have the ball. And and I know
that that's because you don't want to get a dumb penalty.
(43:21):
It's considered to be a dumb penalty if Jalen Smith
takes him down to the ground, or if he thumps
him and hits him and the ball has been released
and then now here comes a flag. You know. Some
of this is is kind of striking me as are
we now needing to I mean, and and I'm just
I'm not even trying to be like, you know, sarcastic here,
(43:45):
I am being totally honest. Are we now getting to
a place where there has to be the conversation of
monitoring how hard you approached to make a head? And
that's that's it's a dilemma. I don't know it's that
so much. I just think they need to be more
consistent with the way they're calling, you know, the use
(44:07):
of the crown of the helmet they they've changed the
size of it. It used to be if you put
a bowl on top of your head, that was what
they defined as the crown. Now they're not defining that
as the crown anymore, you know, because they thought there's
too many guys who are getting called for hits that
where they were they were using the proper technique. But
they're considering it targeting because just to hit to the
head and neck area, you know. Now they've they've really
(44:30):
changed it to where it's a smaller circle on the
top of the helmet and so it helps to see
them lowering it. But really it's just the use of
that very top portion of the helmet to create contact
in order to call it targeting. So um that that's that.
I just think the rule needs to be officiated more consistently.
It hasn't been. And that's a bigger conversation for another day.
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