The Fellas with Anthony Gargano & Jason Fitz discuss Notre Dame’s Big Win, CFB Playoff Triple Header Preview & MORE!

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Don't listening to Fox Sports Radio Radio.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
Well, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, Buddy,
Happy Happy Fox Football Saturday. I hope everybody's having a
great holiday season. Merry Merry Christmas. From the Fellas on
this epic college football weekend. We saw it last night

(00:28):
Notre Dame last night, uh with the win over Indiana
and the first playoff game, it was fabulous. Welcome in, Fellas,
Jason Fitz, Anthony Gargano and as we come you alive
from the ti rack dot Com studios tyrack dot com.
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(00:50):
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Speaker 3 (00:57):
Good morning, FITZI how else this was that last night?

Speaker 4 (01:01):
You know, I think what you just said. We need
to spend a little bit of time it just remembering
how awesome last night was. Because I didn't I didn't
see anything in the game that surprised me. Look, my
prediction on record was seventeen point win for Notre Dame.
Some trash touchdowns at the end of the game changed
the way the final score looks. This was a blowout

(01:22):
by Notre Dame, and the takes started flying on Twitter
in the first quarter of that game that this is
why Indiana shouldn't have made the playoff. Blah blah blah,
blah blah. We have hours this morning to get to
a lot of the narratives about the college football playoff.
I want to just take a minute and remember how
cool it was to watch a home playoff game in

(01:43):
college football, to see that crowd, to see you know,
the way the ESPN put the broadcast together, the beginning
of it, the hype video, like everything about what we
saw last night was magic in my veins. I loved
all of it. And I know the game wasn't great,
but as we get into that, let's say, at least
take a second to remember that after years of yelling
about college football playoffs, we saw it last night and

(02:05):
it was a delight.

Speaker 2 (02:08):
You know, I couldn't agree with you anymore. I swear
to God, I freaking love this thing.

Speaker 3 (02:15):
I do. Yeah, it's gonna get tweaked and whatever, but
I love it.

Speaker 2 (02:19):
I can't believe we're actually having a playoff.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
I can't. Don't last night, so I was, I was.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
I had to go pick up Chinese food for the family, right,
because we got Chinese last night.

Speaker 3 (02:35):
Yes, so I'm listening to.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
ESPN and they went to they went to like a
Notre Dame played who was it was in Indiana. It
was thirty years ago Notre Dame Penn Stayed or something.
I forget what it was. But they were talking about
a playoff and it was thirty years ago, and it
was like, you know, the polls and the arguments, and

(03:03):
it was this slice of in fact, Ron Franklin, if
you remember, the late great Ron Franklin did the game
right and and and he's talking about the polls.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
And everything else.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
And I'm thinking of myself, Oh my god, I forgot
all the nonsense and the stupidity of a of a
pole and how ridiculous the whole thing was. And now
we actually have a playoff. It's so freaking awesome. And

(03:37):
you know, there was a there was a I don't
know if you saw this, but somebody tweeted it out
a picture it was there. It was like dawn outside
Notre Dame Stadium yesterday and it was snow covered, and
there was a snowman and it said welcome to Notre
Dame Stadium and it was like, Oh my god, how

(03:59):
freaking cool this.

Speaker 4 (04:01):
I felt so much yesterday, Excitement going into the day,
excitement going into the night. I feel it today about
these games and these home crowds particularly, and I think
part of the reason I'm in an appreciation moment is
because no matter what the game looks like, the environment
is what makes college football beautiful to me. And you know,
we talk so much that I do what I do

(04:23):
because of my love of the NFL, but my favorite
sport to cover is college football. And part of that
is because you know, frankly, as a UNLV fan, I
don't really usually have much to root for one way
or the other, so my week doesn't live or die
by the Saturday outcome. I know this year is a
little bit different, so I understand that part of it
is I don't have the same emotional outcome investment, so

(04:45):
that makes it easier just to watch. But I just
for my money, I don't think that there is a
better visual emotional experience than watching college football. The way
the crowds react the atmosphere is the environments and to
see that in a playoff atmosphere like the next round.
When we get to the next round, of the playoffs
is going to feel so stale compared to what we

(05:07):
just saw. There is no way a neutral site game
can match the energy of what that crowd was, what
that crowd's gonna be today. Like the thought of Penn State,
you know, the thought of the horseshoots, and like all
of these Texas's home environment these in the playoffs is
just such a goosebump sort of moment for the sport.
It's it's amazing. And look, you can't control whether or

(05:28):
not the outcomes are gonna be great. You can't control
whether the games are going to be great themselves. And
I do think that we're in for a day of
several blowouts. I just I believe that the matchups aren't
great in some of these situations, and that's just gonna
happen sometimes. I don't think that you have to make
wholesale changes to things just because you didn't love the
way the outcome came out one time either, you know.

(05:50):
I just think we got to like all calm down
a little bit on the mass overreaction of well, Indiana
didn't blog, and the College Football Playoff needs to change
their entire process and we shouldn't have the teams. There's
like the reality of it is. I think by next
week we're gonna be saying, wow, I'm not even sure
there were really twelve playoff worthy teams, But who cares,
because over the course of this weekend we get to

(06:11):
see home playoff games.

Speaker 3 (06:13):
I don't know.

Speaker 4 (06:13):
I just think it was visually beautiful.

Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, I dude, yes, yes, yes, yes, here's the thing
we're gonna tweak. Well, they'll tweak it, and yeah, do
I think there needs to be some tweaking involved.

Speaker 3 (06:28):
I do, And I would.

Speaker 2 (06:29):
Even you know, i'd increase it to sixteen and I
would even do that and get rid of any by
weeks and stuff like that.

Speaker 3 (06:36):
But whatever, that's all that's easy.

Speaker 2 (06:39):
That that's all easy fixes, all easy tweaks. Anybody who's
complaining about anything is ridiculous and complaining for the sake
of complaining, because the fact that there is a playoff
system in place finally is such a win. You're and

(07:00):
everything said was spot on about just the pomp and
circumstance of college football, how it's consuming, how we consume it, uh,
with the energy around it, campuses, I mean, you name it,
and we'll get into the whole thing about the portal
and what needs to happen and how they have to
do everything. We'll discuss all of it. But you're right

(07:21):
to celebrate this thing. And I'm in a celebratory mode
as well, because and you've seen from time to time
in the NFL the wildcard first round blowouts. I remember
there were four blowout games in the NFL Wildcard weekend.
It's just going to stuff like that's going to happen

(07:44):
each year. It's going to change, especially now with n
I L and the portal. Who knows how teams are
going to be so all that stuff will figure it out.
The idea of the format, the idea of having a
playoff in play it's just a win. And so anybody

(08:04):
who's talking about, wow, this is a mistake, I know
how you could possibly think this is not a great idea.

Speaker 4 (08:12):
I also think that part of what's happening is a
little bit with the reaction to Indiana getting their butts kicked,
and frankly that again I was stressed twenty seven to seventeen.
For anyone that didn't spend their Friday night watching college football,
this game was not twenty seven to seventeen. As the
update told you it was twenty seven to I think
it was twenty seven to three. With about two minutes

(08:33):
to go, there was a lax touchdown to the no
on side kick recovery, which was beautiful, and then another touchdown,
and before you know, the final score looked much closer
than the final outcome. But what's happening right now with
the Indiana conversation, to me is a bit of confirmation bias,
you know, and confirmation bias is a very simple way
of saying that you think something moving in, and you

(08:54):
want to believe something moving in, so then when you
see something you apply it. Because what I hear right
now quickly is that everybody's immediately just jumping on the
Indiana didn't play anybody and as such didn't belong. And
I hear you, I understand where people are coming from
with that logic. I would just remind you that Notre
Dame also didn't play anybody. I mean, like, this is
so the they didn't play anybody argument. In fact, let's

(09:17):
keep going down the list. I mean, Texas really didn't
play a juggernaut of a schedule. Penn State's best resume
ticks were two good losses. Right now, it's like, so
the they didn't play anybody argument that is now being
assigned to Indiana in a loss. It's just a little
bit like you walked in thinking they didn't play anybody.

(09:37):
They got their butts kicked, so that must mean they stink.
I think we got to calm that down just a
little bit because they didn't play anybody. Argument this year
in college football is a little bit everywhere, right, so
other than you know, Georgian, there's a few places where
they play juggernaut schedules. But I just think that that's
one of the fails that happens right away, is like, see,
they didn't belong. They didn't play anybody. Well, neither did

(10:00):
the fighting Irish. And the fighting Irish looked like national
championship caliber defense last night. So you know, so this
is all at the end of the day, as boring
as it is for people, sometimes this is all about matchups.
And I don't think any End is a bad football team.
They're a pretty good football team. I also think that
last night was a murderers row matchup for him going
into it. It just it never favored what they do well.

(10:22):
Notre Dame's defense was built to handle this sort of moment.
They had a great game plan for it. It's just
they just got their butts kicked. They just got their
butts kicked.

Speaker 2 (10:32):
And it's cold football. I mean, it's called football. And again,
I've seen plenty of lowouts. I had plenty of games
just like that, twenty seven to seventeen where it's twenty
seven to three and a couple fourth quarter trass touchdowns
and you get that final score. And I've seen that
in the NFL playoffs a million times. So I don't

(10:54):
know what that proves other than it's it's just a game.
The format should stand on a tone. Now, if you
want to talk about the format, this is awesome. They
they gotta go to sixteen. Then you can't have buys.
You got to fix the seedings and then your your gold.

Speaker 4 (11:15):
Yeah, I think great the buys, I yes, I think
we got to get the buys are going to turn out.
I think through the process of all of this to
be such a wild advantage, especially you know, just not
playing that extra game is such a huge moment here.
I think sixteen makes sense for that reason. And look,

(11:36):
the other side of it is, I don't know if
this was just year one or if it was just
the way, the way it's always going to be. But
I don't know, Like I walk away from it saying,
if you give me more playoff games, I'll take more
playoff games. Like It's just we feel that way in
the NFL and every other major sport. We look at
it as much as we yell and scream every time
this playoff expansion, Why do we do this? Then all
of a sudden, you hit the NBA playoffs and everybody's

(11:57):
paying attention to it, right, so it doesn't matter this
It feels like.

Speaker 2 (12:00):
Let's not get into that already because at some point,
especially after the Lebron conversation and then the whole fig
of oh the NBA sucks, which we talked about about
a month ago right after the league started and it
was three hundred thousand threes. But but you're but you're right,

(12:25):
like the play who's turning.

Speaker 3 (12:26):
Down playoff games? And I hate the.

Speaker 2 (12:28):
Buys, I do because I do think it's too much
of an advantage.

Speaker 3 (12:33):
In the NFL.

Speaker 2 (12:35):
The way it works with one buy, I think is awesome,
a one buy per conference if you look at it,
because the fight for the one seed is a big deal.
So they're playing till the end.

Speaker 4 (12:50):
Yeah, And I think what we saw last night too
was how big home field advantages. And shout out to
Notre Dame. And I'll be honest, I was unaware of
this until I was talking to the Golicks a couple
of days ago. The Notre Dame when the original college
Football when they announced this over a year ago, what
the schedule look like. We always knew that this weekend

(13:11):
was going to be the opening weekend of the college
football Playoff. We knew that it was going to fall
on this weekend. So Notre Dame as a school, changed
their entire academic calendar, everything backball so that finals were yesterday,
so that more kids were on campus just on the
off chance that they might host a playoff game in
the first weekend of the college football Playoff. Shout out

(13:32):
to them for doing that, because that makes a huge
difference in all of this, right, And when you see
how big home field advantages, and then you think about,
you know, eventually, when this thing gets expanded, the fight
that is going to exist to try and get one
of those home playoff spots. It just what a difference
Today I would feel so differently about Tennessee Ohio State.
If that game wasn't at Ohio State, and that is

(13:54):
just the part of it that I think is a
killer for the balls. And so yeah, I think watching
everybody just I don't to see if they can get
a home playoff game. It's such a decisive advantage, especially
at the college level. I think it would be epic
and walking away from last night just that again, all
the fields you get watching how crazy it is that
a place like Notre Dame was the first in the

(14:16):
NFL playoffs. The first game is always the the you
know worst. So if the Jags make the playoffs, ever
they're buried on the Saturday afternoon. The Texans are usually
buried on the Saturday after and so it's always a
team that's like, we're not sitting there saying the same
thing about their home field, Evans, no offense Texans fans
for the first for the Friday night first playoff game
to be at home at Notre Dame. It wasn't at

(14:38):
Boise State, it wasn't at you know, a weird random
location that people may not want to watch as much
of It was at Notre Dame. I don't know today's
going to have to live up to a lot from that.

Speaker 3 (14:49):
Dude.

Speaker 2 (14:50):
You're so right about Notre Dame hosting. I freaking love it.
I did I all day. I was looking forward to it.
I mean just there was funny all day. I did
my show in the afternoon, in the in the morning,
and I'm like, oh man, I can't what tonight, man,
Friday night, Friday night football at Notre Dame playoff, Oh

(15:13):
my god. And I joined every second of it. I
know the game wasn't it wasn't thrilling, but yeah, I
enjoyed every second of it, just the whole the whole thing.
It's uh, hey, one thing. Signetty's got to tone it down.

Speaker 3 (15:27):
Dude.

Speaker 2 (15:27):
As much as I respect him, no end, but he's
got to tone it down.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
And why is he punting? Yeah, I mean that's you're
down three scores and you're punting the football.

Speaker 4 (15:39):
There were a couple of times in the second half
I thought their play calling was awful, really conservative, and
you know, I was. We did a post game reaction
pod for the show I host for Yahoo Sports, and
we had to pick winners and losers, and I said,
I think out of this, and you know, I know
everybody really respects Signette, but man, I thought he had

(16:01):
a bad game last night, his head coach, Like I just,
you know, frankly, there wasn't a lot that they were
able to do to try and get their receivers open.
There wasn't a lot of creativity. I didn't love the
play calling. They weren't doing much to try and help
with rubs or you know, picks or anything that they
could do to try and win some of those one
on one matchups that they weren't winning. So they weren't
throwing the ball with any.

Speaker 2 (16:21):
Reverse the field, like you know, sometimes you've got to
call some stuff that reverse the field.

Speaker 4 (16:26):
And then you're right the punt when you're down. You know.
It's just even when they went for the field goal
at one point to make a two score game a
two score game, like I just I felt like for
all of the yapp and and all the talking and
all of the game day telling you how great you are,
maybe you talk big, but you coached really conservatively in

(16:46):
this matchup.

Speaker 3 (16:48):
Frighteningly scared. It felt like, you know, I didn't get it.

Speaker 2 (16:53):
And I'll be honest with you, why would you turn
that game into a slug fest like the minute, you're down,
and you're down early.

Speaker 3 (17:01):
You're down fourteen right, all right?

Speaker 2 (17:04):
So I get you know, I even get going for
the field goal to make it fourteen three only because
you got to come away with points. So I like,
I get it. But really the play calling, they should
have been opening it up. The only time they moved
the ball early was right before half when they got
the field goal and they opened they got some tempo,
they opened it up, Like, where was that and why

(17:27):
was not that about the game plan? I could have
told you you don't want you don't want to try
to run on Notre Dame.

Speaker 4 (17:33):
Well, and you mentioned no problem going for the points.
I hate burning a time out to decide to kick
it out now like that. I hate that. And you know,
look at look at the opening kickoff of the second half.
While it didn't result in points, it was Notre Dame
that ran the cute little, you know, reverse flip sort
of thing and got themselves a big return out of it.
Where were those sort of creative moments that were going

(17:56):
to at least make you think that they were up
to something. Because I'm with you, dude, he's that's what
he does.

Speaker 2 (18:01):
Yeah, like he's known for those you know, those gadget
plays and those you know, interesting wrinkles, and there was
none of them.

Speaker 4 (18:11):
There were none of them, and Notre Dame. Clearly from
the outset they had so many guys in the box,
they were basically saying, hey, you gotta beat us one
on one on the defense on the outside, You're gonna
have to beat us because we're not gonna let you run.
From the outset, that was clear. And the problem was
their wide receivers were never able to win those one
on ones against a very good secondary defense.

Speaker 3 (18:34):
We loved their second There was elite.

Speaker 4 (18:37):
Why I didn't like this matchup going in, but it's
why I didn't like the match.

Speaker 2 (18:40):
Yes, yes, anyway, we're gonna take quick time out. You
know what today's show is going to be about, all right,
you hear right off the start, man, we're celebrating this stuff.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
This stuff is freaking awesome. Where the fellas.

Speaker 2 (18:51):
He's Chason fitz On, Anthony Gargano right here as always
on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 5 (18:58):
Fox Sports Radio as the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to listen.

Speaker 2 (19:09):
Live all right, Welcome back, fellas from the tirerack.

Speaker 3 (19:15):
Dot Com studios.

Speaker 2 (19:18):
Jason Fitz Anthony garganam reacting to the first ever playoff
game in college football history was made. And you know what, well,
I think both our messaging this morning is let's not
take that for granted that we actually were the first,
you know, generation to witness a college football playoff game,
a real playoff system, this whole bogusness that we had

(19:43):
seen for years and years, and then it took all
this time to get to this point. It's amazing that
we seek the like the fight of the crumbling of
the NCAA from that's hit point, because forever they would

(20:04):
move right, you went from polls to the bcs that
you had four right, but finally had a real playoff
system in place, and it took forever. It's amazing, like
the shift change in the sport and how much better
it is. And it's one of those things where you

(20:24):
know we were we were right, or for forever we
complained about the lack of a playoff system and the
lack of movement in college football and we were right, dude.

Speaker 3 (20:40):
This is what it is.

Speaker 4 (20:42):
Yeah, And the funny thing is everybody complained about the
lack of playoff system. You're right, and complained about some
of the movement processes, and now everybody's complaining about the
playoff system and about the movement. Like we're never happy.
But I hadn't thought about it till you were just
saying it. I mean to think about so often for
all of us. You think about your ability to sit

(21:04):
down later in life and tell your grandkids I watched
this like I saw this person play, and I tell
you that all the time. Like we sit here right
now and as a society, everybody likes to just crush Lebron,
But we also know that when we're all old sitting
on the front porch, so we're gonna say, oh, that
guy's no good. I watched Lebron, Like we're going to
revise some of the way we talk about some of
these players as we get older. That's just what happens.

(21:24):
It is amazing to think that this generation right now
of fans is going to be able to sit here
in thirty forty years and say, no, I watched the
death of the NCAA, the wholesale changes of college football,
like I watched the sport change into something that when
we try and describe what college football was for a generation,
for multiple generations, when we try and describe, as you

(21:47):
mentioned earlier, that it used to just be voted on
for a national champion the side you're going to get
when you try and explain that in thirty years of no, no, no,
trust me, they didn't even used to play for a championship.
They just voted on it. Like that's that's and it
is wild. Yes, And now we're seeing all of it
sort of, we're seeing an empire collapse, We're seeing a
new birth of the sport. We're seeing all of this

(22:09):
right in front of us. And I'm not saying all
of it's gonna be done perfectly, but man, this is
a really cool historic moment to be living through for
the sport.

Speaker 3 (22:17):
I know.

Speaker 2 (22:18):
And I just kept wondering why it took so long, Right,
I get I'm grateful that we get to say it,
but it just made so much sense for so long
that I never I never understood it.

Speaker 3 (22:33):
It needs to bother me and buy I just it was.
It was unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (22:39):
Now I love where it's at. I love the like
it's we've now ripped the band aid off of it
and and I l and and and all that stuff
in the portal and everything, and which is free agency.

Speaker 3 (22:56):
You know.

Speaker 2 (22:56):
Now, now there's times that now we could go about
tweaking it and talk about tweaking it, and we will.
But it's finally to the point where it kind of
makes sense, like let's call it what it is, right, Like,
you know, it's.

Speaker 3 (23:10):
A minor league system. That that's awesome.

Speaker 2 (23:13):
Everybody loves it, and you know, let's forget to pretext
us here.

Speaker 4 (23:18):
Yeah, and frankly, I don't. I guess this is where
are we not entertained? Like if we're getting a great product,
and I really don't care about whether or not it's
a minor league system or whether or not we pretend
that there's academics of all. Like I don't care about
any about that. I just want to watch college football, dude.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
I feel the same way, you know, and listen, in fairness, right,
let's talk about because Notre Dame's had fat Notre Dame
had finals like you brought up and players got finals
like they did, so you know, God bless.

Speaker 6 (23:52):
Yeah, and you know, it's it's funny when you think
about just sort of what we've got right now versus
what we had and where it's going to go.

Speaker 4 (24:05):
And it's also hysterical that that. To me, it comes
back to, you know, the overreaction last night from people
like Sean McDonough even on the on the and Shawn
has always been very kind to me, but Sean McDonough
on the broadcast last night saying the game has been
a dud and this is gonna make the committee reimagine,
you know, how they select their teams. And then you
got Lane Kivin out there, you know, tweeting the committee saying,

(24:28):
great job putting together a competitive game. You know, I
would just I would, in a world where we all
love to complain about everything, I would just caution a
little bit of this concept that now suddenly today, in
this moment, we want the committee to start worrying about
competitive games. Like remember what the committee is actually charged
to do. The College Football Playoff Committee is given a

(24:49):
set of criteria in writing, and then they sit down
and they vote on what they believe are the twelve
best teams in college football, the twenty five best teams.
But they select the twelve best teams for the college
football playoffs. They are specifically not supposed to factor in
whether or not they think it will be a good game.
They're not supported, Like, do you really want the committee,

(25:10):
Lane Kiffin or Sean mcdonner or anybody else sitting back
and saying, well, why don't we rank this team at
eight instead because that'll be a better game. Like, that's
not their job. Their job is to decide who the
top twelve are and if it happens to be that
from that top twelve we get a slaughter. That's not
the committee's problem. The Committee's job is done. They don't

(25:32):
even need to watch these damn games at this point.
They did what they were charged to do, which is
come up with what was in their mind the twelve
best teams. And you know, if Lane Kiffen is mad
that Ole miss was left out, maybe be Kentucky. I mean,
I understand that everybody's going to question whether or not
Indiana belonged again. I'll say that I think this is
a bit of you know, confirmation bias and re business

(25:53):
history on all of this. But I specifically do not
want to start sitting here saying, well, the Committee should
have seen the this was gonna be a bad matchup,
because man, if we that's a slippery slope. That is
a objective. That is a you're asking all of a
sudden for feelings on matchups to be considered in these things.
That that's and then ratings will be considered all the
things that they don't consider right now, despite the conspiracy theorist,

(26:17):
it just, man, I don't want that slippery slope for
my committee.

Speaker 3 (26:21):
Dude, I'm so with you.

Speaker 2 (26:23):
You know, all you're supposed to do is give me
the teams, all right, Like, don't I don't want you
to actually try to, you know, put together these matchups.
It's like, think about it, you know, Notre Dame I
didn't like to draw that. Notre Dame got I thought,
you know, and look at Penn State got an easy draw.

Speaker 3 (26:44):
But that's all part of the randomness of the whole thing. Like,
just leave it be.

Speaker 2 (26:50):
Don't try to match teams up, don't try to like, oh,
look at his first round, you know, look at this team.
They try to do that with the basketball tournament. Just
to word, let it play out. The games will be.
Some games will be good, some games won't be. I mean,
just let it be.

Speaker 4 (27:07):
Yeah, And if the problem with trying to consider what
makes a good matchup is that then you get into
this weird what are you rewarding and how are you
rewarding it? And why are you rewarding it? And you know,
this is just I think I'm so cautionary to this because,
to be very very clear, I think that last night's

(27:28):
final score is more competitive than some of the final
scores we're going to see today. And so you know
the problem is everybody's gonna start yelling and screaming, and
what do we do. You know, obviously we've got another
show between now and then, but man, I just wouldn't
be surprised at all if the next round gives us
a couple of just absolute butt whoopings. And so all
of a sudden we're looking around and you know, in

(27:50):
two weeks we'll all be sitting here saying, shouldn't we
just only have four playoff teams?

Speaker 3 (27:53):
Like no, no, no, no, no, no no.

Speaker 4 (27:57):
And that's why that's why I think we all just
got to calm down a little bit on the like, Hey.

Speaker 2 (28:01):
This is I gotta be honest with you, though, like
i'd I agree with you, I Sean McDonough, I just
I don't get it. I mean, you lived through it,
you've seen it, Like, I just don't understand it.

Speaker 3 (28:17):
I don't.

Speaker 2 (28:18):
I get link Kiffick because he's got agenda, right, so
he's yeah, that's who he is.

Speaker 3 (28:24):
But give me a break.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
And like, if you're a part of the college football coterie,
you understand that what you saw in the past and
now the evolution of it, this is the right thing
to do.

Speaker 3 (28:36):
It just is and the interest is there.

Speaker 2 (28:39):
I don't, I don't. I mean, you know the rate.
It's ABC Friday Night. You know last night it was
a magical night. Right, It's a few days before Christmas?
We did you have snow? We had snow last night?

Speaker 4 (28:51):
Yep, yeah, I mean perfect.

Speaker 2 (28:54):
Right, like your cozy did Christmas trees up. You're watching
Notre Dame playoff game gets Indiana and it's snowing outside.
Come on, I mean, it's that's that's like, thank god, right,
you could take a moment enjoy it well.

Speaker 4 (29:11):
And also if we're presuming, if somebody is presuming in
you know that frankly, there would have been a better
matchup against you know, Alabama for example, or Ole Miss
any of those things. Who knows, the other part of
it is like we have a result on one side,
we have a result where Notre Dame went in and

(29:31):
just knocked a snot out of Indiana. Again, I will
remind everybody a Notre Dame team that didn't play anybody
knocked the snot out of an Indiana team that didn't
play anybody. But sitting here saying, well, Alabama would have
performed better, you know, Ole miss would have been a
better matchup. Who who knows? Like, what we know is
that Indiana got their butts kicked, and that's really all
we know. Everything else is just presuming, and you're stacking

(29:53):
all of these dots together. And let's just remember that
part of the reason some of those other teams were
left out was because on their worst day they weren't
good enough. And by the way, on their worst day,
they wouldn't have been good enough in this matchup either,
So like, who just who knows? I just I always
find it really interesting to me in these situations that
we're gonna presume because Indiana got their butt kicked, that

(30:16):
we would have had the absolute juggernaut of a matchup
of an Alabama team that truly showed up, not of
the Alabama team that we saw frankly at times, just
bewilderingly bad football from so I just that's the part
of this at all. We're not playing apples versus apples.
We're playing apples against pretend to oranges. And that just
doesn't make any.

Speaker 3 (30:35):
Sense to me.

Speaker 2 (30:36):
Yeah, apples get to pretend to oranges.

Speaker 3 (30:40):
That's a good line.

Speaker 4 (30:40):
They're not even real.

Speaker 3 (30:42):
They're not even real.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
Yeah, yeah, but I'll tell you lost. The whole thing is,
you know, no team's good like day just because they
didn't play anybody, and everybody said a lot, they didn't
pla anybody I look at and.

Speaker 3 (30:55):
They had that one bad loss. That's a good team, man.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Really is the quarterback finally, you know, got into a rhythm,
found himself, found his place in the offense. The defense
we knew has been a lead. It's a really good team.

Speaker 4 (31:13):
Yeah, and it concerns me that Riley Leonards can't he
just won't push the ball down the field. I wonder
if that at some point, But man, I think this
conversation about Indiana could look a lot different in about
a week and a half when Notre Dame does the
same thing to Georgia. This Notre Dame defense is legit
in every possible way, like I've said, and you know,

(31:34):
Riley Leonard's ability to be part of a three headed
monster running back is just man, that's tough. It's tough
to beat. They They've figured out an offensive rhythm in
this game, and you know, frankly, they were at times
I felt like toying with Indiana. They've got to clean
a few things up. Man. If Ridley Leonard doesn't turn
the football over, they can win a national championship like

(31:55):
this is. My national championship pick for Yahoo was Oregon
over Notre Dame. So I didn't see anything last night
that made me change my mind on that, and I
think Oregon or sorry, I think Notre Dame now gets
the great benefit of taking on a Georgia team with
the backup quarterback, and they're going to do the same
thing that they did to Indiana. They're going to stack
the box huge, and then they're going to ask a

(32:16):
Georgia team that led the nation in dropped passes this
year to suddenly beat them one on one on the outside.
That ain't gonna happen. George is gonna struggle to put
points up against this defense.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
I was thinking the same thing, and guess what whether
Beck was in there or not, they still struggle, I think.

Speaker 4 (32:35):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean their offense has been
bewilderingly bad at times this year, especially with the drop.

Speaker 2 (32:43):
So yeah, all right, let's say quick tea out, we'll
come right back. What a fun morning, man, already lots
to talk about. We will dive into today's action a
little bit later on the NFL, the whole thing. You
know how we do every week fellas on Fox?

Speaker 4 (33:01):
Happy holiday? Can I I know, because you have work
to do, keep it? But the music did you have
you ever noticed that it's singular happy holiday?

Speaker 3 (33:11):
Wow? Yeah, I just.

Speaker 4 (33:13):
Noticed this the other day. I've listened to this song
thousands of times and there's only one or two times
in the song. He actually pluralizes the word. Every other time.
It's happy holiday, happy holiday, Happy holiday to you. And
even the backup singers are singing holiday, not holidays.

Speaker 3 (33:27):
Blew my mind, happy holiday. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (33:31):
It's weird. I always thought it was happy holidays and
instead it's happy holiday. That's weird. It's weird.

Speaker 3 (33:37):
Wow, Yeah, you know what.

Speaker 2 (33:40):
You're right, You're right, And it's funny because we've all
heard it all a million times, like and we and
you just you know, in your mind, go hoppy holiday
and here it is and it's it's funny. That's the
title of the song, Happy Holiday.

Speaker 4 (33:58):
Williams Holidays. And there you go like yeah, yeah, yeah,
but mind blowm sorry, you have actual work to do
to no.

Speaker 2 (34:05):
No, actually, for this time, we just say welcome back
live from the Tyraq dot com studios.

Speaker 3 (34:12):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (34:15):
Hey, but we'll get into a little holiday stuff too
in a bet. But I kind of want to start
setting up today and what today looks like, because there's
three of them that they starting getting noon. Man, I
got basketball practice today, eleven thirty to two.

Speaker 3 (34:38):
I got basketball practice.

Speaker 4 (34:39):
They want you, the kids want you to cancel practice.
It's right before Christmas. The football gods wants you to
cancel practice, right before Christmas.

Speaker 3 (34:46):
Oh my god, do I want to cancel practice bad?

Speaker 4 (34:50):
You know what you need to do, like today's focus coach. Coach,
here's the thing, I'm gonna give you a little speech. Heick.
Sometimes the most important thing you do on the court
is what you do off the court. Sometimes the best
way to bring a team together is to bring that
team together, but not in a focused way that makes
them work on, you know, the skills of basketball, but
makes them work on the skills of being human beings

(35:11):
and teammates and the best teammates they can be. And
the best way to do that watch party feels like
it's a watch party moment. Bring the team together, a
little pizza. You know, it's just you do the thing
everybody watches. Everybody hangs out together. Bonding. Bonding is what
everybody needs. You know what.

Speaker 3 (35:30):
That's that's pretty good. That's pretty pretty good.

Speaker 4 (35:38):
Won't help you when you're getting your butt kicked in
the next game, but you know what, your team will
come together. It'll be the glue that holds you together.
Like if this were Disney movie, you guys would all
skip practice and the kids will be forever excited about
the pizza party they got while they watched college football player.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
Yeah, you're right, we could have went to the pizza party.
Oh my god. Yeah, so so we p So it's
eleven after it's actually eleven o'clock.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
It's eleven to two.

Speaker 4 (36:07):
Practice for kids.

Speaker 2 (36:08):
Well, here's why we have two teams in this JV
because it's basically JV middle school, So we have two
It's a horrible story, but thank god it ended up fine.
So there's there's two teams, right, so I coach the

(36:30):
the I coached one of the teams and the other
team is coached by another guy. And he had a
stroke and thank god he's now fine. It's unbelievable. He
has a stroke. And he's a great guy, great shape,
the whole thing. And I felt horrible. He so anyway,

(36:56):
so it's in flux. So my assistant and I, I said, listen,
we'll coach those kids too.

Speaker 3 (37:01):
We'll just run the whole thing.

Speaker 2 (37:03):
We'll use our system and and you know, get them
in and they're they're a bit of a challenging group.
They're like, I don't want to call it a B team,
but they're that kind of those kinds of kids. They're
they're fun, but they're not serious as much, right so,
and they don't pay attention.

Speaker 3 (37:20):
Right, So I said, we'll do that. Well, well, we'll coach.

Speaker 2 (37:25):
Both of the teams, right and then and then I
sent the thing out to the parents last night about
so that's why we have we actually have two combined
practice sessions. So then the then the guy calls me
up last night, I said, listen, I because I fill
up to it I can coach. I was like, oh
so man, I'm like that's great, and so we'll be
there to help you. So we'll help you at all.

(37:47):
But now and i'm thinking about it, I'm going I go, hey, buddy,
you got it.

Speaker 4 (37:55):
See, uh, that's amazing, Like, glad we glad we talked
to this. We'll see on the flip side, that's it.
You know, that's that's the right thing to do.

Speaker 2 (38:04):
Listen, I'm there for you, man, I'm there for you,
just not today, all right.

Speaker 4 (38:10):
Look, I for one think that that is absolutely reasonable
on your end. It's you know, it's like, hey, there's
a there's a line on how far I want to
go to help, and I've now crossed that line. I
think that's the only way to.

Speaker 2 (38:21):
Handle because if I go eleven to twelve thirty, I only.

Speaker 3 (38:25):
Miss not even in the entire first quarter. Right, I'm home.

Speaker 2 (38:30):
I lived ten minutes from the school, so I'm home
and i'm second start a second quarter.

Speaker 3 (38:35):
I'm nestled. If I do the whole practice, I'm dead.

Speaker 4 (38:42):
Yeah, and then you're missing you know you don't you
can't miss the Penn Steak cap.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
I mean it's college, right, Oh, dude, you know you
know who. I'm Telly Pharaoh is Okay. So Adam was
paralyzed in a game he played for Penn State. This
was against Ohio State. He gets hurt, bad spinal injury.
He wakes, he works his way back. Now, thank god,

(39:08):
all these years later.

Speaker 3 (39:10):
He can move.

Speaker 2 (39:11):
He's got a family, the whole thing. But he's mister
Penn State. Joe Paterno went and visited him every week
in the hospital during his recovery, and he was really,
really scary. And so I'll tell you the story coming
up about Adam. As we set up the games where
the fellas on Fox.

Speaker 1 (39:31):
You're listening to Fox Sports.

Speaker 2 (39:34):
Well, good morning, good morning, Good morning.

Speaker 3 (39:40):
Buddy.

Speaker 2 (39:40):
Heaby yeaby yea by uh Fox Football Saturday fellas Jason
Fitz Anthony Gargano. As we hang out from the tire
rack dot Com studios, ti rack dot Com will help
you get there fast free shipping. Free road has a
protection over ten thousand recommended installers. Tire rack dot Com
the way tired buying should be. As we hang out

(40:03):
are not in the first ever college football playoffs, the
EPICH Saturday three games today, we talked all about last
night and the Irish beating Indiana and signetti great, great atmosphere,
the whole thing.

Speaker 3 (40:20):
Hey, FITZI let me just finish the story.

Speaker 2 (40:23):
So there's a there's a kidnam, a guy named Adam Taliaferrow.
Adam played for Penn State. I think the injury happened
in two thousand and one. I want to say so.
Adam was a highly recruited defensive back. It's a special
team's play. He gets hit right on the neck. He

(40:44):
laid motionless on the field. It's it's right in the horseshoe.
Never forget taught. You know, we've he's a friend of mine,
so we've talked about it a million times. And tell
me the whole story. He was mean back to the
hospital and they said they thought he would never move again,
and awful thing. He spends months in a rehab and

(41:11):
he works his way. He still struggles on one side,
but he can walk now. He has a family, right God,
thank God. It's it's an amazing story of recovery. It's
a beautiful story. In fact, it should be a movie.
And Adam is a Penn State through and through. Joe
Paterno used to fly in every week to Philadelphia to

(41:36):
visit him.

Speaker 3 (41:37):
Every Thursday.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
He would come in and he would bring a different
set of coaches, he would bring different players, and he
did it for two years and it was a beautiful story.
So Adam is mister Penn State.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
Right.

Speaker 2 (41:52):
He's a huge, huge part of the organization of the
of the football program and you know, does a lot
of work with alumni and the whole thing.

Speaker 3 (42:02):
Right, So he's mister Penn State.

Speaker 2 (42:04):
So he tells me yesterday that his daughter has a
recital of the Nutcracker at twelve o'c at one o'clock
on Oh wow, today.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
There is mister Penn State. Right.

Speaker 2 (42:20):
The guy's like, I mean, knows every you know, he's
very close to friendly. He helps recruit for Franklin, the
whole thing. And he's like, dude, can you believe it?
I have to go to this recital. It's his daughter.
I supposed to do.

Speaker 3 (42:36):
Well.

Speaker 4 (42:36):
Yeah, what do you do in that situation? Like is
look on the rare times of my life that I've
missed important sport sporting events, and I usually, especially like
when I was touring and living on a tour bus
in general, a lot of times what I would do
is turn absolutely every device off, But that is so
hard to do, you know, like because if you turn

(42:56):
every device off, you tape the game, then you got
to like make sure that you know and accidentally hear
anything you don't accidentally see that You really have to
turn your phone off now in today's society, because you
never know where you're gonna get an accidental notification, or
whether somebody that you haven't talked to in ten years
decides that's a moment to ask you a question about
the game or comment on it. Like I think you
have to turn every device off in not even airplane mode,

(43:19):
because you don't know if something's gonna pop through that
way and you're gonna have to record it and then
you come home and you watch it like it's live
in its entirety on the TV without skipping any commercials
because you don't want to take the chance to hit
a wrong button. Like I think that's the only way
you can do it.

Speaker 3 (43:36):
Yeah, you're right, you're right. I don't know how else
you can do it.

Speaker 2 (43:40):
He said that he's going to uh, like he'll watch,
you know, he'll figure out a way where he's you know,
can follow the game during the performance.

Speaker 3 (43:53):
Because you can't.

Speaker 4 (43:54):
That's always a good idea, but boy, it never like
because then you're in the middle of something and all
of a sudden, a huge play happens. Whether you're watching
on Game Center like sort of thing, watching the play
by play of it, or just checking in intermittently. Like
then you're not focused on either, you know, you're just not.
If Benn State runs away with the game, that's a
great way to do it. If State run a tight game,

(44:15):
oh that is going to be you know, then all
of a sudden, it's like, yeah, honey, you were great.
We'll talk about it later. Let's get home.

Speaker 2 (44:22):
You're spot on, You're so right, You're so spot on
with that. So let's get into it. Let's kind of
look at these three games. We'll start with the aforementioned
Penn State SMU. Now I'll ask you. Now, it's going
to be freezing at in the Happy Valley, So Dallas
kids not used to the freezing right like it's going

(44:46):
to be you know, in the twenties, teens and twenties
to start a kickoff. So I'm curious right now. Again,
the essay offense is a different animal. Now, obviously Penn
State has the advantage when it comes to the you know,

(45:09):
the trenches, it should be able to bully SMU. But
during the course of the season, SMU is pretty good
against the run. You're feeling routed. I think you feel
route for all three games.

Speaker 4 (45:26):
I feel route for two of the three games, but
this one you have. So here's the hard part about
you know, it's just size. You know, when you talk
about size and depth on the line, and what do
we see last night? You know, coming into the game,
Indiana's numbers against the run were really stout, really stout,
and then throughout the course of the game, it's like, okay,
that that that's not going to hold up against a

(45:48):
team that's just more physical, that's more powerful, and then
has more size and more depth and offensive and defensive
line size and depth. It's just not something you can
fake your way through, right, And so to me, this
comes down to Penn State's ability to control the line
of scrimmage. It's gonna be there, you know. I just
I don't think that SMU can stop that. And I

(46:08):
do think it's surprising to me because you mentioned the weather.
I don't feel I feel like we've been so obsessed
with Tennessee going into Ohio State that we haven't really
talked enough about the fact that SMU that is a
bunch of good old Texas boys going up to Happy
Valley or to yeah To going up to Happy Valley.
Like that's that's a level of freezing. They're gonna freeze
a little tushes off. There's no doubt about that. That's

(46:28):
a really professional football analysis for you there. But uh yeah,
I think the cold is gonna it's gonna bother them
immensely in it. And this is the best thing about
these home field advantages. It's like you, if you're Penn State,
you know you were gonna have all the momentum from
the out right, You were gonna have all of the

(46:49):
the juice coming into this. Like the SMU is gonna
have to survive a couple of really big punches early on.
And I keep going back to the a c C
Championship game. I thought they came out tight in the
a c C Sampionship Game, and by the time they
woke themselves up and they were themselves they had already
dug a hole they couldn't get out of. You do
that at a Happy Valley, you're going to be down
twenty one, nothing before you have a chance to do anything.

(47:09):
I feel like this is the sort of game that
they're going to lose thirty one to seventeen, thirty one, thirteen,
some of that range.

Speaker 3 (47:17):
Yeah, I could. I could see that. I could totally
see it.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
You know what sucks is, I'm just looking at the
hourly weather for today for State College. So at kickoff
at noon, it's going to be twenty five degrees wins
at eleven mile an hour, and that's the high. Today's
twenty five. It sucks because right around four o'clock snow,

(47:44):
and it's going to snow all night. Ah man, we
just missed it. I wish the gay was later. If
the gay was later, we get the snow game.

Speaker 4 (47:53):
I mean, Penn State fans wish it was later too.
I mean if that had been a nighttime wide out
in the snow, my god, that would have been apt. Absolutely,
you know, an epic home field advantage and at a
great sort of vibe and feel. This is the fan
of a West Coast team yelling and screaming into the
abyss for a minute. I hate the fact that when

(48:16):
they schedule these things, they don't sit there and say, hey,
what's the best probability for decent weather. I really do
like the fact that they put Ohio State at night
in Texas in the middle of the day, Like Texas
is going to be the easiest environment into play in
and so to put Texas in the middle of the
day instead of Texas at night is such a weird

(48:36):
advantage to give. And we see that all the time,
where you know, a West Coast team in the NFL playoffs,
because it's all about which teams are going to get
the best ratings in which teams they want to put
on TV. I get it at different times. It's why,
you know, as I've said before, the Jags and Texans,
and you know, it feels like every time the Raiders
have been in the playoffs both times in the last
fifteen years, good god, they've been like early Saturday afternoon games,

(48:58):
and it's just it's kind of weird to me. But
to me, you put the teams that are going to
have the decent weather in the best situation. So I
would have put Texas at night, and then I would
have put Penn State and Ohio State is my afternoon games.
But that's just me screaming into the abyss.

Speaker 3 (49:12):
Yeah, no, I feel you, although, no, you're right.

Speaker 2 (49:15):
I mean, listen, they're going up at the best game
at night and that's kind of you know how it is.
So let's get back to Penn State and Oha and
SMU do So is there any game script that you
think that SMU can stress them a little bit? Now

(49:35):
here's the thing, right, SMU only gives up ninety yards
on the ground, all right, now the off The interesting
thing is, uh can pen now Penn SMU is vulnerable
through the air. Penn State does not have good receivers,
although they have like an incredible, incredible tight end and Warren,

(49:58):
so Aller to Warren could be a huge day for them.

Speaker 3 (50:03):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (50:04):
I'm curious to see if if they can do. I
like that for Shot Smith at running back too. I mean,
he's legit. What do you think?

Speaker 4 (50:12):
Yeah, one hundred percent. This The funny thing is, as
much as we want to make everything in football about
points points points, I believe in the college football playoff,
if you can run and you can stop the run,
you will win. And I mean, hell, we saw that
last night, right, Like the team that could run also
stop the run and they won. And so there's two

(50:33):
headed monster Penn State running backs. I think they find
room against SMU, and they're gonna have to find room
against SMU. So, you know, I think that's a big
key to me is can Penn State? Because if Penn
State truly cannot run the football in this game, it
gets really complicated. SMU is such a speed, you know, offense.

(50:53):
I just don't know how you get You keep your
legs warm and you get that speed in that weather.
That's what it's part of. This is just bad timing,
bad matchup. Like again, I'll say the same thing about
SMO I said about Indiana. I don't believe SMU is
a bad football team. I believe that this feels like
a bad matchup in part because of the way Penn
State runs their offense, in part because of the way

(51:15):
I think Penn State's going to control the line of scrimmage,
in part because they're going to control time of possession,
which is just then you've got this speed offense that
likes to spread things out and get going. It's just
going to be standing there getting cold and cold and cold.

Speaker 2 (51:28):
You know, dude, I know I'm thinking about Jennings right,
and listen, Jennings to help apply, right, you know, a
dull threat you could do with so many different things,
but the dull threat on speed doesn't do well on tundra, right,
Like that never translates to tundra.

Speaker 4 (51:48):
Yeah, oh god, you're so right about that. And you know, also,
when you're talking about even if the guys that aren't
used to it are just running a milliseconds slower, you're
gonna be running a millisecon and slower against one of
the best best pass rushers in college football. Yeah, like,
that's just Jennings is going to have to be lights out.
He's gonna have to move the pocket, he's gonna have

(52:09):
to climb the pocket, and he's gonna have to be
really accurate. Like I think there are chances for them
to take some deep shots, and the question is just
Ken Jennings, you know, get free enough to do that,
and can they actually stress the back end of Penn
State's defense.

Speaker 2 (52:22):
Yeah, yeah, you've seen this before, right when these dome
teams go outside. This is again brings us back to
how we started the show, which was the beauty of
the playoffs and the home field advantage, right like this
is you know, the game was on the NFL network.
I just happened to watch it the other day on

(52:44):
Thursday was on and it was the There was an
NFC championship game between the Falcons and Eagles, and Michael
Vick was the quarterback. And I remember because I was
at the game and it was free and it was
one of those twenty degree days and Mike just kept

(53:05):
running under the big coat like he.

Speaker 3 (53:08):
Wanted nothing to do with the cold. Man, Like when
you're coming from the Dome, you're coming from the warm weather,
and you got to play those elements like that's real.
That's no joke.

Speaker 2 (53:21):
It's one thing for Indiana that's used to the weather, right,
that's some us I used to that nothing.

Speaker 3 (53:30):
And that's bone chilling.

Speaker 2 (53:32):
That's you know, Hills of Pennsylvania winter cold.

Speaker 4 (53:37):
Oh my god, I mean that's and and then you
start thinking about that cold and the way it impacts
just everything in the offense, you can call it. I
don't think that there's a game in the first round
of the playoffs that I would feel more that I
would feel more different about than this one if it
were in the other spot. Yes, I agree, it's a

(53:58):
different game.

Speaker 3 (53:59):
I think.

Speaker 2 (54:00):
I think matchup wise, they got a real shot. But
I think people are glossing over like every time I
hear someone and they're analyzed the game, and I get it, like,
you know, nobody wants to predict a blowout, and they're
talking about how SMU as this and that, and I
just keep going, how is that speed not negated like

(54:20):
all that stuff. I don't know how it's not negated
in that kind of weather outside on that kind of field.

Speaker 4 (54:26):
Yeah, and that doesn't take anything away again, I mean,
even losing the ACC championship game, I thought one thing
that was impressive for SMU is that they dug themselves
into a hole and they they got out of it.
Like they played after the first quarter. They played a
really good game. Unfortunately, they just the hole was too big,
and you know, frankly, it was it was interesting to

(54:47):
see them come out as tight as I felt like
they came out in that game, but they were able
to overcome that. There's a lot of respect here for
what SMU can do, particularly offensively. It's just if they
can't get the ball, doesn't matter. And you know, when
you talk about the way Penn State runs the ball,
you know, I just there's so much opportunity there I'm

(55:08):
with you. You've said something throughout the course of the year
that I think we need to remember going into the playoff,
and that's other than Tyler Warren, Penn State does not
really have that outside receiving that. They do not have
a clear They don't have a clear cut number one
wide receiver that we all look at and say, ah,
that's the guy. I wonder if that hurts them throughout
the run of the playoffs, But in this game, I
think they have that Their goal is just going to
be to run the ball one hundred and fifty times,

(55:30):
you know, exaggeration, but their ball is Their goal is
going to be to control the clock, to run the ball,
and just crying down SMU, which I think they will like.
This feels like one of those games that is seven
to three for a long time and then you wake
up all of a sudden it's twenty one to three
and you're like, man, how did we get here? That's
just how it feels like it runs to me.

Speaker 3 (55:47):
I can totally feel I feel you on that. I
totally feel you on that.

Speaker 2 (55:53):
It's uh, it's funny because you're right like you why
I think back to the A sec championship game. I
mean they I mean, you couldn't get a slower start, right,
Like they came out and they looked like a mess.
If they do that against Penn State, I don't know.
I don't know how that defense gonna hold up either,

(56:13):
Like just the pounding on that old line, I.

Speaker 3 (56:16):
Don't know how that's gonna work, you know.

Speaker 2 (56:19):
I mean, let me go through their schedule and like
you know, you saw Clemson, and Clemson's not very good, right,
So I don't know. I don't know what you glean
from that. If you can glean that they can hold
up against bigger teams, big ten teams, I just don't
say it. Here's who they had Fincy, and you tell

(56:42):
me if there's anything like Penn State. You got Nevada, Houston,
Christian BYU, TCU, Florida State, Louisville, Stanford, Duke Pitt, Boston College,

(57:04):
Virginia Cal and Clemson.

Speaker 4 (57:09):
I mean, some of those teams weren't bad football teams
this year, especially when they played them, Like Louisville have
moments this year, Boston College even have moments this year.
But but my god, like are any of those like Juggernauts. No,
this is gonna be all I'm just looking for. Is
there a Penn State light? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (57:28):
Is there?

Speaker 4 (57:28):
There isn't odam in No.

Speaker 3 (57:30):
I don't say it.

Speaker 4 (57:31):
I don't.

Speaker 3 (57:31):
I don't see a Penn State light.

Speaker 2 (57:33):
So it's one thing to say, well, yeah, you know what,
you know, they're pretty good against the run. They they
can hold teams on their you know, they've held they've
held teams on their one hundred yards. But this is
this is two big backs, I mean, two good backs
with complementary backs, a big old line. I just think

(57:53):
it's a different animal.

Speaker 4 (57:55):
Yeah. I actually agree one hundred and that it's that's
the context that we have to have. That's why, you know, frankly,
in the NFL, when you hear, oh, that's the second
best defense against the run, of the top five defense
against the run, that means something. It does. In college football,
those sorts of stats mean nothing to me because it
is so common to see. You know, we remember an

(58:17):
era where every year the top passing offense in college
football was Hawaii, Right, Like, does that mean that suddenly
a big boy team was scared to take on Hawaii? No,
it just meant that, like with who they were playing
and who they were playing against. They could put up
a bunch of yards and a bunch of numbers. Huzzah. Like
that's just when you start to look at some of
these numbers. Well the top I'll give you the Tennessee

(58:38):
Ohio State game. Those are two defenses that can stop
the run against two offenses that can run the football. Absolutely.
Those two teams have played real football teams in the
process of it. They've played enough opponents that I think
we've seen that have comparable size up front. That's the
part of like what everybody says it's brand biased certain conferences.
To me, it's not brand bias. I got size bias.

(58:59):
Like if you've got huge human beings upfront, that to
me is what if you've got not just five huge
human beings either, Like Ohio State has had to shuffle
their offensive line all over the place. That hasn't been
good at times, but man, they got they got hoss
after hoss after hoss up there, and that's just that's different.
That size thing just is that's just a different beast.

(59:19):
And that's what we saw last night. Like the game
was won last night on a line of scrimmage on
both sides of the ball by Notre Dame. So I'm
I'm even more convinced after last night's playoff matchup that
if you are bigger, faster, stronger, and better coached.

Speaker 2 (59:33):
Upfront, you will win these games. It was skilled and
this is why last night, I think you and I
both liked Notre game. And we saw them struggle against
Ohio State, and we saw Indiana struggle against Michigan. Even
though they won the game that came with stress game,
they struggled to get margin because they struggled to run

(59:57):
the football. And you knew it, you knew you saw
it once. The two comps were perfect, right, Ohio State
and Michigan they're deep those units, So how are they
going to run against Notre Dame.

Speaker 4 (01:00:13):
Yeah, that's why we're one for one on one thing transparent,
like it's easy. Take all your emotion out, take all
your their thoughts about conferences out, and just you know,
look at the matchups and the fat boys. It'll leads
you right to a winner.

Speaker 3 (01:00:30):
Yeah, I feel you.

Speaker 2 (01:00:31):
All right, We'll continue going through all the games where
the Fellaws hanging out right here.

Speaker 3 (01:00:36):
Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 5 (01:00:39):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
Fellas from the Tirak dot com studios.

Speaker 3 (01:00:55):
Chase from Fitz Anthony Gargana, Hey, don't forget.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
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(01:01:19):
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(01:01:40):
your podcasts, and you'll see this one posted right after
we get off the air. Jason Fitz Anthony Gargano going
over these games today. So I think we're both kind
of sussing out any agreement that it feels like a
Penn state. Now the line is eight and a half
and again I would like, I mean, I would lay

(01:02:03):
over ten. I think this is a ten point game.

Speaker 4 (01:02:07):
Yeah, I got a double digit win, A convincing easy
double digit win. Unless there's a backdoor cover at the
end of this thing, I can't imagine it being single
digits to me.

Speaker 2 (01:02:17):
I mean, look at the teams, and you could see
teams that Penn State had that advantage up front. I
mean they just they murdered right like you know. They
put up thirty four against West Virginia. They put up
fifty six against Kent State. Illinois was good with a
good defense. They beat him twenty one to seven. They

(01:02:39):
beat UCLA twenty seven to eleven. They went at USC
they went at Wisconsin twenty eight thirteen. We talk about
the loss against Ohio State, which was the good loss.
They roll Washington thirty five to six. They rolled Purdue
forty nine to ten. That they eaked over over Minnesota,

(01:03:02):
a tough game, but they win twenty six to twenty five.
They rolled Maryland forty four to seven. And of course
in the Big Ten Championship, it was that back and
forth shootout with Oregon. So I mean this one and
I can't see the other thing is I just don't
see SMU stopping them. I mean, Clemson puts up thirty

(01:03:25):
four on them. And again, I know the game was
weird early and there was some turnovers and everything, but man,
like you know, Clemson was able to really dart them
down the field.

Speaker 4 (01:03:39):
Yeah, and I've still got the Big Ten Championship game
in my mind too, where you know, frankly, if I'm Oregon,
I've been losing sleep ever since that game because of
the way Penn State just ran the ball all over
me and controlled me on the on the line of scrimmage.
So we've seen against what is maybe the most under
talked about, number one, top overall seed defeated team in

(01:04:01):
college football, right Like, we saw Penn State absolutely get
into a shootout and take them all the way down
to the buyer. So that also plays into this, like that,
let's let's not make this complicated. Oregan's a much better team,
you know than at this point than sm you could
imagine to be, and we just saw what Penn State
did to him. So also when you talk about some

(01:04:22):
of those scores and you throw out the twenty eight
to thirteen, like that's Penn State football. This year, Like
they're comfortable just controlling the clock, They're comfortable taking yards
in small chunks. They're comfortable just wearing you down throughout
the course of the game. They're comfortable in an ugly
twenty eight thirteen sort of football game. And this feels
like it could be you know that, Like I think

(01:04:42):
this to me, this is sort of a thirty one
thirteen sort of game. But yeah, I think I think
this is a hand just an easy If you're Penn
State fan in the fourth quarter, you're laughing and you're
checking your phone and you're seeing how everybody thinks you're
gonna match up in the next round.

Speaker 3 (01:04:57):
Yeah, yeah, Now I see the same thing.

Speaker 2 (01:05:01):
All right, Let's go to the team that saim you
played in that championship game, Clemson and Clemson. I this one.
I just don't see it. I mean, I know Dabbo
is an accomplished coach. I don't see how that Clemson

(01:05:21):
team stays with Texas.

Speaker 4 (01:05:24):
I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:05:25):
Now, you know, the report is yours ankles. Yours ankles
is better. I'd still use arch, but you know, I mean,
other than trying to have Huers as a sitting duck,
I just don't see it.

Speaker 3 (01:05:40):
I don't see how that game's close.

Speaker 4 (01:05:42):
Yeah, And frankly, if it's Arch, I think that only
plays even more into Texas's hands. Just Quin yours has
not been himself since the injury earlier this year, and
I just and I don't have any reporting, I want
to say that loudly, this is just my brain being
my I look at this and I just wouldn't be
surprised at all after the season if we find out

(01:06:04):
that Quinn's getting something sort of scoped or cleaned up,
because he earlier in the year was throwing the ball
so effectively, particularly while he was climbing the pocket, and
then he has the shoulder injury and he just hasn't
been His accuracy hasn't been the same since. And that's
I think a little alarming. The thing that holds Texas
back at this point has been Quinn Ewers to a

(01:06:27):
certain extent. And you know, we saw that in the
SEC Championship game that if you can take away the run,
there's nothing that Texas was able to do to sort
of counter that. So will Clemson come in and try
and take away the run? Yes, But here's the thing.
The only way you're beating Texas is if you score
and I don't know how this Clemson offense is going
to score against state Texas defense, I continue to yell

(01:06:48):
and scream. Has a bunch of grown ass men back
there like that Texas defense is. Look if you just
love watching a defense that communicates well, that seems to
always be in position, that we also knows how to control,
keep the ball in front of them, that they know
how to bat the ball down, one is coming towards them.
They just there is nothing that this Texas defense can't accomplish.

(01:07:09):
I just don't see where the points are going to
come for Clemson. I feel like Clemson is going to
beat their head against the wall the entire game trying
to figure out how sustained drives. This one is the
biggest blowout of the day.

Speaker 3 (01:07:18):
To me, Yeah, I do.

Speaker 2 (01:07:21):
I feel the same way. I you know, I don't
see how this game's close. I really don't, you know,
I mean, that'sn't of all the teams, I think Clemson
is the weakest.

Speaker 4 (01:07:36):
Yeah, I mean they backed into the College.

Speaker 2 (01:07:37):
Football I mean more than Indiana, more than that CMU.
I just I just I look at that team and
I you know, I don't see, I don't say it
neutral field.

Speaker 4 (01:07:49):
Right now today I would take Indiana over Clemson, So
I think what you're saying is fair. And then it's
also just a bad matchup, like it's again, I keep
going back to some of these matchup things. But man,
Kate Clebnick has been up and down. He's gotten better,
much better he's played. He's sort of the opposite of
Quinn you weers. He's played so much better towards the

(01:08:09):
end of the year than he did in the beginning
of the year. And I'll give him credit for that growth.
But against this Texas defense, where he's gonna have tiny
windows to throw into, I just, man, I don't trust
Kate Kate Clebnick at all.

Speaker 3 (01:08:20):
No, I don't either at all. I don't either.

Speaker 2 (01:08:23):
And you know, Texas like you know, when they have
an advantage like that, like Dave Berry teams like Texas
is the is, the is the if they if they
they exploit your matchup, and then it becomes downhill. And
here's the only way Clemsy could stay in the game

(01:08:46):
is if their defense creates havoc. And it's this slog
of the game. I mean, the minute you fall down
fourteen nothing. You know, your your toast. I don't see
how they can they can get back into a game
like that.

Speaker 4 (01:09:04):
I love that point by you because that's going to
be a theme for the two games we've talked about
so far. There's just no wiggle room, Like if you
are SMU and if you are Clemson, you cannot fall
down by two touchdowns. Like the minute this becomes a
fourteen game point game, it might as well be a
twenty eight point game. I don't think either of these

(01:09:25):
teams can dig out of that hole, even if they've
done it in the past this season that the opponents
that they're taking on are not the type of opponent
that they're going to be matched up well against to
be able to come out of this. If you are
made one dimensional against either of these teams, it's just
going to get ugly. And that's that it feels to me.
Like as much as Dabo you know, has made it clear,
hey we're in the College FOOTBA Playoff, Yeah, congrats you are.

(01:09:45):
And if the way to judge Clemson as a program
now is simply make the College Football Playoff, that's going
to be something year and year out. I think they're
capable of doing in the ACC. If the way we're
supposed to be judging them is winning national championships, we're
gonna be reminded today that there is there is a
full on ocean between where Clemson is and where the

(01:10:05):
best of the best in college football is.

Speaker 2 (01:10:07):
Right now, you know what's crazy? College football has done
the unthinkable.

Speaker 3 (01:10:17):
I want you to.

Speaker 2 (01:10:19):
I want you to. I want you to figure out
what that means. When I say college football has done
something that no no other sport has able to do,
no other and nothing it's been able to unseat this.

Speaker 4 (01:10:42):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:10:44):
I mean basically, what else happens today?

Speaker 4 (01:10:48):
Oh my god, there are NFL games today, Yes, the
NFL games today, Batman digo like there are NFL and
by the way, brazen by the NFL all the way back,
because remember, we knew that this was going to be
the opening weekend of the College Football Playoff over a
year ago. We knew that the schedule was gonna have

(01:11:10):
games last night and today. We knew that over a
year ago, for the NFL to schedule Saturday games against
the College Football Playoff was truly Roger Goodell saying nope,
we owned the territory we want to own, right, and
so I'm genuinely interested, you know me, I love my
ratings conversation.

Speaker 3 (01:11:27):
Yeah, yeah, I'm.

Speaker 4 (01:11:28):
Genuinely interested to see what happens when we're looking at
some NFL games taking on college football. Like I'm going,
I'm meeting a buddy at Buffalo Wi Wings and I'm
gonna I'm gonna watch where I can I can get
as much of this going on at once. But man,
I like that is gods, you're right. We haven't even
talked about the NFL yet and there are actual NFL
games today. That's incredible.

Speaker 2 (01:11:49):
Yeah, and listen, I mean, you know, obviously this has
always been a weekend where the Saturday games start right like.
The end of college football is when you see the
Saturday games right like. But normally this is not. This
is like you get a couple of trash ball games
or whatever. It's here only in the bowls season. So

(01:12:10):
you know, the NFL owns it right, but not anymore.
And I you know, listen.

Speaker 4 (01:12:19):
You can see that with the matchups they picked for today,
like Texan's Chiefs Steelers Ravens. Coming into the season, No,
this was expected to be, like they didn't give you
fluff Saturday games like they've done sometimes where it's like
we'll just bury you this tea. No, they gave you
two games. One they thought could be for you know,
conference domination Texans Chiefs, and the other even if the

(01:12:40):
teams weren't good, you were getting one of the better
rivalry Steelers Ravens. And all of a sudden, it's like
there's a lot on the line in both of these
games and we're not even talking about it.

Speaker 3 (01:12:49):
Wow, go yeah, And I'll be honest with you. I go, yeah,
I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:12:58):
I can't. I can't explain to you. I'm going in
my mind, I'm thinking I care about college more. It's playoffs, right,
So playoffs always trump regular season in my eyes, but not.

Speaker 4 (01:13:13):
In Major League Baseball. We'd still be leading with Major
League Baseball going on. We would still be leading with
the NFL right now.

Speaker 3 (01:13:20):
I know we would. I know.

Speaker 2 (01:13:21):
It's why it don't on me, like we haven't even discussed.
And again, it's two great games. The other thing I
was a little surprised is.

Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
Those games Texans Chiefs one o'clock and Steelers Ravens four
point thirty, Like they don't go prime time. Now, think
about that I gotta take quick. We gotta take quick too,
But think about why don't they go to.

Speaker 2 (01:13:45):
Prime time where the fellas right here at Fox Sports
Radio fellas from the Tyraq dot com studios. My Man
TJ on Twitter has a good point. Now, they always
play on Saturday. This is a Saturday week that they play.

(01:14:08):
But teachers do a good point about the Christmas on Wednesday.
You need Saturday games to play on Wednesday.

Speaker 4 (01:14:16):
Oh yeah, that is a very fair point. That is
a that's a smart to play on the Wednesday that
they told us a year ago they weren't going to
play on. But yes, that is a very I mean
Roger Goodell flat out came out and said not this year,
but the year before when he was asked after Christmas
Day success, if they would continue to play games on
Christmas Day. Remember they played on Christmas because it was

(01:14:38):
a Monday. This is a leap year, it goes to Wednesday.
And his response at the time was, we're not going
to play on the day that we don't usually play,
so we have no interest in suddenly putting football on
a Wednesday. But what do you know, when they released
the schedule this year, they did put football on a
Wednesday for Christmas Day because there's money to be made,
and so it does make sense that you have to
back end to Christmas to Saturday. I can see that.

(01:15:01):
I mean, I wonder if there would have been a
way to do a Thursday night game and then a
you know, mini buy or have an extra have extra
Thursday night games instead, if you want to stay out
of the way. Frankly, right, you could could have had
a Thursday night smortgage board. But yeah, I can see
why that justifies putting the game on Saturday. But the

(01:15:21):
NFL also is smart enough to do what they want
to do, when they want to do how they want
to do it, and people are going to consume it.
The ratings are still going to be good. If college
football actually outrates it, I'll be I think that's a
stunning sort of eye opening moment for college football and
for the NFL. Next year, the Christmas days on a Thursday,

(01:15:42):
so it makes absolute sense to have their usual Thursday
as they always do.

Speaker 3 (01:15:47):
Yeah, I think next year you'll get three games. Yep,
you know. But yeah, like here's the thing, I'm with you.

Speaker 2 (01:15:55):
I'm not expecting that the NF the college football out
ratings the NFL. But I think it's gonna be a
lot closer. It's not going to be the slaughter like
you'll see Christmas like Christmas last year with the NBA
and the NFL just blew it away.

Speaker 3 (01:16:14):
Yeah, I don't think you're going to see that today.

Speaker 4 (01:16:18):
Yeah, I agree with that. I think it's gonna be
a heck of a lot closer. And you know, it
is funny because we just talked about Christmas Day football
and don't even mention that there's NBA games. It's just
that Christmas. It took what one year of Christmas NFL
for all eyes to be like, oh, what are the
Christmas Day games this year? You know? So it is

(01:16:38):
amazing what a juggernaut they are.

Speaker 3 (01:16:40):
Oh yeah, no, I mean it's it's it really is.

Speaker 2 (01:16:44):
It's it's it's unbelievable, right, Like you know, we think
about how it just dominates, but it's the sport, right,
so if you combine the two, I mean, it's the sport.

Speaker 3 (01:16:56):
Like we just are in love with this sport.

Speaker 2 (01:17:00):
I FITZI it's amazing, Like I love the other like
I love basketball and I love the MLB, and you know,
I love hockey. But there's nothing like this, like this
all thing and this spectacle. Are you kidding me? This
weekend right like last night, today, Tomorrow, Monday night, all Wednesday,

(01:17:27):
and then through next week like the holidays, all the
ball games. It's it's the smortgage port. It's the greatest
thing in the world, you know, I mean it is
the only thing that sucks about football is this is
the windows too short?

Speaker 4 (01:17:42):
The interesting you know, you think about what everybody's used
to and just the fact that we had a game
Day yesterday, what three in the afternoon on a Friday
is wild and then there'll be game Day again this morning,
you know, trying to think about my my heart out
to all of the people that work in production behind
the scenes that are used to getting a little break

(01:18:04):
before Christmas with their families, and now it's like, you know,
I'm not talking about nobody's sitting here crying for you know,
the the talent on the set of Game Day every day,
for the millions they make, but there's a lot of
production people that are suddenly scrambling to get from one
city to the next to cover college football force and
has never had to do this this time of year.
So it's It's wild how we were already football obsessed,

(01:18:26):
but now when you add these college football playoffs and
it takes a total different level.

Speaker 2 (01:18:30):
Yeah it does, Yeah it does. It's uh, it's pretty cool, man.
It's it's it's it's a lot of fun. I can't wait.
All right, so we're gonna come back. We'll lead off
and this should be the best game. So we have
to dive into Ohio State in Tennessee. We'll also get

(01:18:52):
into some NFL where the fellas hanging Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (01:18:57):
Listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (01:19:00):
Good morning, good morning, good morning, good morning, Buddy, happy happy,
h Fox Football Saturday. I hope everybody's holiday season is
great and glorious, and I know it's hectic, but trying
to enjoy it. We're broadcasting live from the tirack dot
Com studios. Tyrack dot com will help you get there.

(01:19:21):
On that selection fans, free shipping, free road as a
prediction over ten thousand recommended installers, tyrac do tire rack
dot Com The way tire bike should be. Jason Fitz
Anthony Gargano. Every week we are the fellows. We hang
out together and we love it. Love talking to you guys,
love talking about our football and our sports, and today

(01:19:44):
again marks the epic day of the playoff. Last night
we saw it Notre Dame against Indiana. I've talked all
morning about it so far, about that game and how
the Irish are obviously legitimate national championship contenders. We saw
that last night. They are legit in every which way,

(01:20:04):
and today we'll get it. We'll see big favorites. We
both of us look and say bed match up for
SMU because of the cold of Happy Valley.

Speaker 3 (01:20:19):
Don't know how that's going to work out.

Speaker 2 (01:20:21):
And then Texas is just supremely talented over Clemson.

Speaker 3 (01:20:26):
But what about tonight?

Speaker 2 (01:20:27):
Tonight is a fascinating game right Tennessee, Ohio State.

Speaker 3 (01:20:33):
And Ohio State, and there's another one.

Speaker 2 (01:20:36):
It's going to be frigid in Columbus twenty five degrees kickoff.
It's going to be nasty. But I'm curious FITZI is
Tennessee live.

Speaker 4 (01:20:55):
I have a hard time believing that everything goes chalk
after the year that we've just seen, so I find
myself just grasping for an upset opportunity, and if I'm
gonna find one, if I'm gonna take one, if I'm
gonna play one, it's Tennessee because we know that Tennessee,
when they do things the right way, can play like

(01:21:17):
a national championship contender. The question is can they eliminate
the penalties that have just killed them all year? Can
Nico Yama Liavo play clean football? Like? That's all part
of it. But this is just this is a running matchup.
This is two teams that are going to try and
run the football against two teams that are not easy
to run the football against. And that's the exciting part

(01:21:38):
of it. Plus, if we're being honest, over the course
of the last few weeks, Will Howard hasn't necessarily been
a world beater, right, Like, go back and watch some
of these issues in Ohio State has had go back
and watch the Michigan game, like there's been even even
outside the Michigan game, you know, pick six at the
beginning of the game a few weeks before that for Will. So,
I look at this and say, both is going to

(01:22:00):
try and run the football, but whichever quarterback doesn't lose
the game for their team is going to be that
that's the ultimate difference. Who can we trust?

Speaker 3 (01:22:08):
So?

Speaker 4 (01:22:09):
I think there's reason to trust Tennessee, but man, I'm
I'm grasping at straws to get there. I think Tennessee
can win this matchup, but they got to play. They
got to play perfect football. That's asking a lot for
this team.

Speaker 3 (01:22:21):
And they can't fall behind.

Speaker 4 (01:22:23):
Yep, yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:22:28):
You know, you can't throw yourself back into the game.

Speaker 4 (01:22:32):
Now, this is Dylan Sampson's team, Like they're running back
is everything for this team. So they got to stay
ahead of the change. Which is why, like I'll go
back to pre snat penalties at inopportune times, Tennessee has
had stupid formation penalties, stupid false starts, all of those things.
Now they're going to be in this environment in the
fridgi cold, trying to control their adrenaline and do all

(01:22:54):
of that stuff and then make sure in that process
that they're disciplined because of five yard penalty is death
to a drive for the way this offense is designed, Like,
this offense is designed to run the football, and you
can't do that when you get behind the chains.

Speaker 2 (01:23:09):
So I here's here's how Tennessee stays close. Olive State
had some issues on its offensive line, right, you know,
they lost Josh Simmons. Is their left tackle against the
Oregon and then his replacement, Zam Mitchowski, went down the
next game, and then Seth McLoughlin, who had who won

(01:23:34):
the Remington Award at center had eight tiers as a
Kelly's tendon. Like, they've had some issues when it comes
to their O line and you're going up against the
best defensive line in the country.

Speaker 4 (01:23:50):
Yeah, and the one of the hard things about Ohio
State's offensive line something that a couple of my buddies
have pointed out pointed out to played offensive line in
college FOOTBA at the highest level. In the minute somebody
gets nicked up, they're pulling from their starting five to create,
you know, the opportunity. So in the last game we
saw I think it was their right guard pulled out

(01:24:11):
to left tackle at one point, and that's just sort
of what you have to do. Sometimes. The problem is
that creates a weak spot in multiple places on the
defensive on the offensive line, because now all of a sudden,
you're bringing them backup over here, and we're gonna be
worried about timing over there. All of these things start
start stacking and stacking and stacking. So, yeah, Tennessee's defense

(01:24:31):
should be able to get after that Ohio State offensive
line for sure. The question is can they force Will
Howard to make a stupid mistake? And if he does, man,
this game flips on its head. I like I said, Look,
if you told me right now that this was going
to be a slaughter for Ohio State, I'd say, Okay,
I could see Tennessee finding a way to screw this
thing up. But if you get the best of both

(01:24:53):
of these teams, if if Ohio State and Tennessee both
play their best football on this game, in this game,
this game comes down to the last possession, like Tennessee
can hang with Ohio State all day every day.

Speaker 2 (01:25:05):
That's what I think. Man, I'm thinking the same thing.
I gotta tell you. I I think it's a game. Man,
I think it's a game. I really do you know.
I think it's a I think we're gonna see something
fun tonight because and I don't know to your point,
and you said something that's so that I feel the

(01:25:25):
same way about. There's no way it's gonna be four
chalk games. I just don't see four chalk games. And
I can't see SMU going into Happy Valley in twenty
degree weather and grinding it out against Penn State. I

(01:25:47):
just don't. I don't say it. I mean, I know
they have great athleticism and Jennings is a terrific multi
fret quarterback.

Speaker 3 (01:25:57):
But cold is real. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:26:01):
The the take teams like that out of a quick start,
off a quick surface, and you slow them down and
slowing them down a tick against the Penn State defense,
you know, I think, I think, I don't think you
could have the same effect on it.

Speaker 3 (01:26:18):
And then the uh, I don't.

Speaker 2 (01:26:22):
I don't believe for a second that Klemsy can hang
with Texas. So then it goes back down to like,
are all four games gonna be blowouts? So maybe, like
you said her earlier, we're trying to come up with
a way where we're gonna see a great game.

Speaker 4 (01:26:37):
Yeah. But the funny thing is, you know, you mentioned
the cold, and I'll remind for anyone that doesn't know,
I lived in Nashville for you know, over twenty years
and now being in Connecticut. When I go back down
to Nashville, it is funny that I'm walking around in
a hoodie and everybody else is wearing multiple layers down there,

(01:26:58):
and I sort of laugh about it. But the cold
is going to be a factor for Tennessee tonight. Those
those Knoxville boys have not experienced the cold that they're
going to experience tonight, many of them. And they have,
They're they're certainly not used to it. It's it is
amazing to me having been in Connecticut for several years
at this point, or a handful of years. How you know,
when I first got up here, just the thought of

(01:27:19):
functioning and trying to shovel the driveway was like, oh
my god, how am I even doing this? And now
you've been here for a little while and it's like, yeah,
I walk into the gym when it's fifteen degrees outside
wearing a T shirt and shorts like it's it's gonna
be okay. It's only a few minutes, you know, So
your body acclamation is real. And you know, for an
offense that wants to put for a team that wants

(01:27:41):
to play physical football as Tennessee does. Like we talked
about SMU getting slowed down, Well what about the car
accidents that are happening up front every single snap of
the football in cold and just I would just tell
anybody that doesn't think it's a big deal, imagine walking
outside in colder temperatures than you've experienced in years, and
just standing across from somebody, just ask him to slap

(01:28:01):
you in the face over and over and over again.
Eventually body just sort of breaks down to that. And
as you well know, brother, like any sort of hesitation
in physicality, that's gonna lose you this sort of football game.
So it's hysterical to me because I look, I want,
I want to believe that Tennessee can make this a game,

(01:28:21):
because it's the most logical game to be tight. But
golly like, I just wonder, in the first ten minutes
of the game, I could easily see the first ten
minutes a Nico turnover, a stupid throw he didn't need
to make, which is sort of on brand at some point,
a stupid turnover, a couple of just short of a
first down, he got a couple of punts, and before

(01:28:42):
you know it, thinks seventeen nothing and now all of
a sudden, your ability to just sit there and run
the football seems like it's gone, and then you end
up with it with a massive blowout. I hope that's
not the case. I picked Tennessee to win in my
Yahoo bracket but I picked Tennessee because I just I
cannot believe that, in the wildest year we've experiens in
college football in my memory, that everybody, all the favorites

(01:29:03):
are just gonna win. It just hasn't worked that way
all year. So that's a dumb reason. But that's the
only reason I can give you no.

Speaker 2 (01:29:10):
And also, I mean, you're talking about Ohio State team.
That loss to Michigan was was eye popping? Yeah, I
mean right, I mean, wasn't that eye popping that they
would actually lose that game? And to this day, I
you know, listen, I know we talk about Jay, we

(01:29:32):
talk about Ryan day Chip Kelly called a tragically bad game.
What was he doing? I still don't even know what
he was trying to do? And I know they talked
about out physically Michigan. Were they that afraid of The
only conclusion I can come to is that they're that
afraid of that offensive line.

Speaker 4 (01:29:51):
And if you're that afraid of that offensive line, going
a city Tennessee defense Like so, we've talked a lot
about Notre Dames defense and Texas's defense, and both of
those are physical defenses. To communicate really well, they're both
defenses that don't make a lot of mistakes. Like I've

(01:30:12):
got a lot of praise for those Tennessee's defense flies
to the football. That is to me, the difference is
you've got a defense and at times is a little
reckless the times puts themselves in bad situations. But boy,
like they just they fly to the football. They have speed,
they have aggressiveness. These are all things that you know
going up against. If that Ohio State offensive line is

(01:30:34):
even a little sleepy to start the game, oh man,
Howard's just going to get beat over and over and
over again in this game. And so yeah, that's that's
the funny thing is.

Speaker 3 (01:30:45):
It's not like he's not prone to mistakes.

Speaker 4 (01:30:49):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:30:50):
Sure.

Speaker 4 (01:30:51):
And you know, we come back to what I said
in an hour ago that you know, over simplification, But
if you can run the football and stop the run,
you win. We saw that last night. I think we
will see that definitively in the Texas game. And I
think at you know, absolutely Penn State is going to
run the football. I don't think MU is gonna be
able to stop it. You look at this game. If
Ohio State's offensive line isn't playing up to snuff, they're

(01:31:15):
not gonna be able to run the football the way
they need to to win this game. It's it's pass protection, end,
it's run, run blocking, both of those. Like the big
boys up front are gonna have to come up big
in this game.

Speaker 2 (01:31:26):
Don't you think that that's the only That's my only
conclusion as to why Chip Kelly went with that game plan.
He should have been throwing, he should have been attacking
them all down the field all game.

Speaker 4 (01:31:41):
I like your conclusion better than my conclusion, which was
just ego, you know, we're gonna out physical, and so
often when you hear football coaches say that, it's like
this is who we are. Well, you know what, sometimes
in these matchups, you gotta kind of gotta have the
CounterPunch and it's like, all right, let's figure out what
else we're gonna do. I never saw that from Chip Kelly.
Att I just man. I think pride is a downfall

(01:32:02):
of man, and pride is a downfall of Ohio State's offense.

Speaker 3 (01:32:07):
That's pride. Butch yeah, I hear you, I do, I
hear you. Tech. Now the flip side is can Tennessee
move the ball?

Speaker 4 (01:32:25):
I mean that that's going to come down to can
Dylan Sampson effectively run because that's Tennessee. You know, for
anybody that hasn't really watched a lot of tennesseeasons a
few years ago, when their offense was dynamic, that's not
who they are now. You know, now this Tennessee football
team is a run it. Let's their offense is going

(01:32:45):
to be How do we mitigate a little bit of
the mistakes that can be there from Nico, how do
we protect our quarterback a little bit who's young, and
then how do we run the football like Dylan Sampson.
You know, we we've gotten so used to some dynamic
running back performances. This year, Dylan Sampson is easily one
of the best running backs in the country.

Speaker 2 (01:33:04):
Absolutely, yeah, I feel you man, it's good. I'm like,
I can't wait for it. It's gonna be Uh, that's
gonna be really good, really good.

Speaker 3 (01:33:16):
My man, Eddie Webster is the same thing.

Speaker 2 (01:33:18):
Let's see Ohio State runs the ball and readjust to
those O line injuries, that's a big deal.

Speaker 3 (01:33:26):
Big deal. Well, I.

Speaker 2 (01:33:31):
Get again, as we're going through these games, you and I,
like I always, I'm a big believer and I love
doing this. This exercise where you talk through the games
and come with listen, we may be wrong, completely wrong,
but I like where we're at as we're talking through
the games, kind of coming up with a conclusion as

(01:33:53):
to how the game script's gonna go, how it's gonna look.
And I think we're kind of on the same page
at all three of them.

Speaker 4 (01:34:01):
Yeah, and I think maybe part of me is just
begging for Tennessee, Ohio States to give us a good game,
because if that game gets out of control early, I
there's just a shot. I mean, there's a very sad
shot that we end up with four first round games
that are all just gross by halftime, and the game

(01:34:22):
last night, by by the end of the first half,
especially when Notre Dame got the field goal right before
the half, you're like, yeah, this thing's over. Like that
just had that sense. I want one game to at
least keep me on the edge of my seat until
the fourth quarter. I just don't know if we're gonna get.

Speaker 2 (01:34:35):
As question, did you still because I listen, I think
we all agreed that there's no way that that in
the end it's gonna come back, all right, So yeah,
I agree. However, I still enjoy it, like I enjoyed
the night even as halftime. Right, They're going to halftime

(01:34:57):
and there's staved in and there's Herbie and the whole thing,
and I'm watching and I'm looking forward to the second half,
and I'm just like, I was into the game, even
though I kind of knew the outcome and it wasn't
particularly exciting. I mean, anytime you get a ninety nine

(01:35:18):
yard touchdown, wrong, I mean, come on, but I was
into the game.

Speaker 3 (01:35:21):
I just thought I was enjoying the whole night. Can
you Yeah, does it have to be a great, thrilling,
edguracy game for you to enjoy it?

Speaker 4 (01:35:32):
Well, the first game, no, But this is you know,
I've never done speed dating, but I can only imagine
that it's gotta be something like this where the first
the first speed date, you're like, oh, that was fun.
It's not going anywhere. That was fun. The second speed
day comes in, you're like, definitely not feeling anything here,
but still having fun. The third speed dating comes in
and you're like, Okay, this isn't going the way I

(01:35:53):
wanted it to go, but it's fine. By the time
you're in your fourth one, you're like, all right, let's
just get through this like, that's my.

Speaker 3 (01:36:00):
It's crazy.

Speaker 4 (01:36:01):
Now Saturday night, they're gonna be sitting. I like, just
give me, give me something. Give me a close game,
Give me a close game, give me snow, give me chaos,
give me like I want. I want absolute pdulum in
the Saturday night game like I I want. And I'm
sorry to alls fans in Ohio State fans, I would
love to have Saturday Night in a dream world. Suddenly

(01:36:22):
out of nowhere, the forecasters are wrong and we're talking Blizzard.
You can barely see the field. Oh my god, everybody's
slipping everything. That's what I want. I want like and
this thing, like especially it's gonna be late at night.
You look, I never complained about work, but we start
our days early and they end late. For me on Saturdays.
I want something where I don't feel like taking a

(01:36:43):
nap at the beginning of the second half, because I
just like keep me entertained, gladiator me on this one.
Let's go.

Speaker 3 (01:36:53):
Yeah, yeah, that's a great point. Great point.

Speaker 2 (01:36:56):
All right, Well come back, Uh we'll shift our focus
a little bit. We'll get into the NFL coming up.
We'll take a look at today's games. We'll look at
some of the big storylines, including the miracle recovery of
Patrick Mahomes. Nobody recovers like he does. Where the fellas
hanging out right here on Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 5 (01:37:19):
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 2 (01:37:34):
My man Mark in So Mark Mighty, Mark our fine
production man. He said, because.

Speaker 3 (01:37:49):
Are you ready, hot, Hot, let's go. You know exactly
how to speak to me.

Speaker 4 (01:37:56):
Yeah too, Anthony, Anthony, g I can ask you a question?
Is there totally taking us off the rails for a second.
But we we realized sometimes that we've turned into our parents.
That's just an inevitability in life, right, And so one
thing that I remember strongly about my dad when I
was a kid is that my dad always would get

(01:38:18):
up in the morning and go get coffee from the
coffee pot because you know, I'm pre Starbucks and so
you go. But whatever was left in the coffee pot
from the night before, he would just pour into a
glass and drink it. And right, that's just my like
never really cared about whether it was hot or whether
it was cold. My dad just drank coffee in the morning,
right like so I always I remember as a kid

(01:38:38):
thinking that was so weird that he would get up
and he would just you know, like, oh, there's coffee
left in the pot. I will just drink that even
though it's been there, you know since yesterday afternoon. So,
you know, during the last commercial, because I drink iced
coffee all year like that. I don't ever drink hot coffee,
you know this. I'm all iced coffee all the time.
So during the commercial, I went down to get myself
some coffee. But the funny thing is I saw my mug, said,

(01:39:01):
I got this big old, like huge mug that sitt
up the gask from yesterday. It's big old mug. And
yesterday in the you know, the middle of the day,
when I have my iced coffee, I put some like
some one of those Fair Life protein drinks and a
protein chocolate protein drinks. It kind of makes my coffee amocha,
gives me some protein in it. It's my boogie way
of doing it once a day. And so I looked

(01:39:21):
and there was still some left in there, and I
was like, all right, that's awesome, Like still some coffee
left from yesterday with the protein drink left in it.
It's fine, Like it's been out all night, all day,
all night. I don't care. Went down, I added a
bunch of iced coffee into it, came up and started drinking.
And I realized in that moment, I become a dude.
I'm just I'm just walking in on my Hey, the
coffee left in the cup is going to be just fine.

(01:39:42):
I don't care about the protein drink that's been out
for you know, probably fifteen hours. My house was cold anyway.
I keep my house cold, so it's not like it
ever got warm, right, so, you know, it was already cool.
I just added some new ice to it and put
in some fresh iced coffee, and bam, there we go.
I'd become my father.

Speaker 2 (01:40:00):
Yeah, no, I listen, I find nothing wrong with that.
By the way, I'm not a call I can't. I mean,
I'm with you. I'm not a big. I can't drink
coffee cold, So I'm a big, you know. I'm like,
it's funny to me, right because it's freezing outside the

(01:40:21):
other day. I stop, but I get my I get
an Americano every every day, right with just just black no. Uh,
you know, the amercano is just expressed, though, but four
shots of it, right, so it fills the cup and
so and I get it hot, I get it black.

(01:40:43):
No sugar, right, because I can't. I don't like sugar.
And no, I just literally don't like the taste of sugar.
That's it, right, And then I and truthfully, I try
to do intermittent fasting, so you're not allowed to have
any like I would dew cream or milk or something,
but you can't have any of that stuff. So they

(01:41:06):
always asked me, you want to call? You want iced?

Speaker 3 (01:41:09):
Is that iced? I'm like, it's freaking twenty five degrees? No,
I want it hot. What's roll with you? But you're
to your point like here it is cold, like your
the house is called and you're drinking cold coffee?

Speaker 4 (01:41:23):
Yeah, I mean, look, there's never the main I'll be honest.
I don't. I don't like hot, think like I don't.
It's a rare moment for me to even like soup.
I don't like. Google apparently doesn't like me either, as
they're yelling at me. But no, it's rare for me
to even try soup. I'm I'm a i'm a I'm
a cold drink guy year round, A cold drink guy.

(01:41:45):
And by the way, do you.

Speaker 3 (01:41:46):
Know where.

Speaker 4 (01:41:48):
No, no, no, no, no are you?

Speaker 3 (01:41:51):
I love the soup. I love it.

Speaker 2 (01:41:53):
Last night I had a big we got Chinese last night,
like I told you, and I love the nce wand
I get my hot oil.

Speaker 3 (01:42:02):
I turned the soup red.

Speaker 4 (01:42:05):
God No, when they offer me the soup with my sushi.
When I get it, I'm always like, not, you can
keep it. I'm not gonna like there's just no no,
it's gonna go to waste. I like the occasional tomato
bisk I'm in on.

Speaker 2 (01:42:15):
The My wife makes a great wedding soup. That's ridiculous.
I love it. I mean I love when she does that.

Speaker 3 (01:42:25):
That's three days in a row.

Speaker 4 (01:42:27):
Do you know where the Americano got its name? I
learned this when I was on tour. I don't know
if you know this fun.

Speaker 3 (01:42:34):
I have no idea. I literally have no idea.

Speaker 4 (01:42:37):
So when I was in Europe on tour, humble brag.
When I was in the music business, I went into
a coffee shop and we all ordered Americanos and the
barista was like, hey, do you know where you got where?
These were named after? And I had no idea. But
during World War Two, when Americans were over in Europe,
they used to just everybody in Europe just has like
a little shot of espresso. That's how they start their day. Well,

(01:42:58):
that wasn't enough quid for what Americans even back then
like to drink. They liked bigger drinks. So in Europe
they started designing a drink where they added multiple shots
of espresso and a splash of water to make it
go farther and to make it a bigger drink. And
that was nicknamed the Americano because that's what Americans always ordered,
and so it came from World War two. And wow,

(01:43:21):
the way that we drank our coffee.

Speaker 3 (01:43:23):
So that's oh my god, I I big gulps. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:43:31):
Well, because if you want to if you want to
drink coffee, I want to enjoy by coffee. Like that's
the one thing in Italy they do, You're right, Like
they'll just do a shot of espresso and then they
just they.

Speaker 3 (01:43:43):
Shoot it like it just shot it to kill it.

Speaker 2 (01:43:46):
And I'm like, I like it, but I need, you know,
I need to savor my coffee. I like, I enjoy
drinking it, and it doubles not enough.

Speaker 4 (01:43:58):
That is, we have this common because for me, you know,
during the holidays, for example, if I'm going Christmas shopping,
I always want to stop somewhere, whether it's a little
coffee shop or Starbucks.

Speaker 3 (01:44:10):
I don't caay.

Speaker 4 (01:44:11):
I want to stop somewhere and I want to get
like an iced coffee. Then I'll put like a little
peppermint syrup in or whatever, like something right right right.
But for me, like there is an experience with like
I enjoy. If it's the middle of summer and I'm
gonna stop in at a coffee shop, I'm not a
grab it to go guy. I would rather sit in
that coffee shop and take half an hour and just

(01:44:32):
enjoy like a little little decompressing time. Like if I'm
doom scrolling while I'm drinking coffee, it's because I'm just
allowing myself to have the freedom to do that. Like
I genuinely enjoy when you know, when I want to
meet up with the buddy, coffee for me is my
favorite way to do it because it just feels like
we're gonna sit there for a while. It's like it's
gonna be this warm, cozy even though it's cold coffee.

(01:44:54):
It's gonna be like a more connective hang that way,
Like I associated getting coffee with with it like it's experience.
It's an experience more than it's just you know, if
I want to shot a caffeine, I can just grab
an energy drink and get that. Like I agree to
its totally different.

Speaker 3 (01:45:09):
Well, it's funny he said that.

Speaker 2 (01:45:10):
Yeah, yeah, you're right because some of my happy places,
Like so I do a lot obviously youth sports, right
because of my kids and so you know how many
freaking baseball games at you know, eight o'clock and more
seven o'clock in the morning. The like last Sunday at
Moscow had a quarterback. It was a quarterback. We work

(01:45:36):
quarterback workout. So there's a couple of kids. There's a
quarterback from to local high school actually one high school,
uh Saint Joe's Prep in Philadelphia and another one at
Damatha in Baltimore, and the quarterback coach and then Moss
worked out. There's a there was another younger kid, and

(01:45:57):
then it was these kids that are like sophomores and juniors.
And so we had this workout and it was freaking
outside Sunday morning at with my god, it was twenty
degrees out.

Speaker 3 (01:46:09):
But I have my coffee.

Speaker 2 (01:46:11):
So I always have my coffee and all these things,
the baseball games, like I'm working the kids out, or
I'll probably have a cup of coffee with me at
basketball practice this morning, and it's a I don't know
what it is, but it's comfort and I'm like sipping
it and eventually it'll get luke warm, but I don't care.
I'll still sip it as you know, either coaching or

(01:46:32):
watching or doing whatever. And it's you know, it's it's
like a comfort thing and I love it. And I'm
with you, like I could sit there and talk to
you all day long.

Speaker 3 (01:46:41):
Over a cup of coffee.

Speaker 4 (01:46:43):
Yeah, it's that's how we're like our parents a thousand percent.
Like I've joked with my buddies before, I can't wait
to be old and just go sit it like McDonald's
with all the seniors and get my cheap coffee and
sit there all morning and just talk with the other
old guys about the way life used to be. I
buy like there's a there's a company and no free plugs.
But I will say, Wandering Bear makes this col brew.

(01:47:04):
That's great, and I drink it all the time. I
should note loudly. They don't give me anything for saying that.
I'm just telling it. Wandering Bear is awesome. Uh but
and it's great Colebrew. It's boxed colebrew, right, So, like
all I have to do is just a port and
the cup and the glass. And the funny thing is,
while that's convenient, and while I know that that's all
I need because I just want a little coffee and
it tastes great, there's a part of me that every

(01:47:26):
time I have that, I'm like, it doesn't change the
fact that if I'm going out and about, I still
am natured to want to stop somewhere and get coffee
because I just feel like that's the spoil, that's the
treat your self aspect of it. For me, that just
makes me feel like, you know, like like life's good.
I can stop and get a cup of coffee. I
can slow down my day a little bit, I can
like do a little bit of shopping whatever. Like it

(01:47:47):
changes the whole way that I view that day. If
I'm like, I'm gonna stop somewhere and just get a cup,
you know, and that's you know that it's funny how
that's become associated for me with a level of joy
around it, in a level of life comfort around it.
Even though I have it at home. Every time I
go to buy more for home, I'm like, should I
do this because I'm still gonna want to stop when

(01:48:07):
I get out. But you know, for me, it's it's
it's always got to be around.

Speaker 2 (01:48:11):
Yeah, I love it. I love it, spot on spot on.
With that, hey, let's take a quick moment and uh,
we just want to wish everybody a beautiful, joyous, blessed
Christmas and holiday season and no matter what you celebrate,
we wish you, the guys the best effect. My man's
Southside Chuck just hit me up on Twitter and said, listen,

(01:48:35):
just want to wish you would you would fit see
a safe holiday season and appreciate listening to you guys,
which I thought was very nice. And we appreciate you
Chucky and all of our listeners, and we thank you
guys for being a part of it, sharing with all
of our idiosyncrecies and our undying love of sports.

Speaker 4 (01:48:59):
Right, I don't know there's Southside. Thanks for the holiday wishes.
That's really incredible. I think you know it hits me
every year at this time that you know, your holiday
for everybody that's listening doesn't have to be the way
it's ever been before. It doesn't have to be the
way that it's going to be forever, and it doesn't
have to be the way anybody else does it. Like
you know, it's so funny how we get into Christmas

(01:49:20):
time and there's so much pressure no matter what holidays
she said, to celebrate. So many people feel pressure for family,
and they feel pressure for tradition, and they feel pressure
for all of these different things. And I think as
I've gotten older, the one thing I've realized is that,
you know, life is never the same two Christmases in
a row. So Christmases don't have to be the same
two Christmas is in a row. Whatever it is it is,

(01:49:41):
you know, And if you can find joy and just
appreciating that moment that day for whatever it is for
you in your life right now, there's there's some peace
to that. You know. Sometimes it's hard to slow down
the rat race, and it's hard to it's hard to
just stop and appreciate, like, hey, this is where I am,
and where I am is pretty good, and if it's
not pretty good, I'm really sorry for anybody that's not
pretty good. Just know that if it's not, it's just

(01:50:02):
a day, you know, it's it's it's a day, and
you'll make it through today and tomorrow will be even better.
And it's just I think finding that sort of peace
in the holidays really keeps me centered, at least for
hope and for understanding of where things are and where
things will be.

Speaker 2 (01:50:18):
Beautifully said, I just deep thoughts and I love it.

Speaker 3 (01:50:23):
I love it.

Speaker 2 (01:50:24):
On that note, we'll take a quick time out and
come right back. Fella is hanging right here on Fox Sports.

Speaker 4 (01:50:31):
Radio, Dude, boom.

Speaker 3 (01:50:35):
Fellas, I always like this song.

Speaker 2 (01:50:37):
By the way, don't forget Rapid Radios, the official communication
device of Fox Sports Radio in an emergency. If you
want rapid radios, you would want Rapid radios instant push
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(01:50:59):
and to see go to rapid radios dot com now
for up to sixty percent off and free shipping. All right,
fellas hanging out, Dude, Herbert looked great the other night man.
That was great. I'm a Herbert fan and he looked terrific.
That was that was a that was a really good game.

(01:51:22):
And you're gonna see bo Nicks is only going to
get better. And I know we struggled a little bit
and particularly in the second half, but he's only going
to get better. And it's amazing when Harball has done
with Herbert. I mean, you get good coaching, you get
a good system, and it's just what does wonders for you.

Speaker 4 (01:51:45):
We need to start looking at coaches and having the
same conversation about good coaching that we have so often
about quarterbacks. So, man, if you've got the type of
quarterback that can save you a couple of times a year,
how far ahead of schedule your team can be? And
it's the same thing with coaches. And what are we
talk like? You're talking about two teams that are so

(01:52:06):
far ahead of schedule for where they should be based
on the talent on their roster when you talk about
the Broncos and the Chargers, And I will just loudly
remind even though there's context to why, and everybody wants
to remind me of the context to why, that's fine.
I will loudly remind the world that the Bears elected
not to change head coaches. They had a very clear shot,
according to multiple reports, of getting Harball. They chose not

(01:52:28):
to go to that angle. The Raiders, my beloved Raiders,
chose not to even interview Harball in any sort of
a real way. And those decisions today look pretty damn
stupid by both organizations. And if your answer, Bears fans
is that Harball wasn't going to be willing to work
with Kevin Warren their team president, I will remind you
team presidents are easier to find than head coaches. They

(01:52:49):
can win games, like Harball camp Like, there are.

Speaker 3 (01:52:51):
Just certain things that are simple, right man, Yes.

Speaker 4 (01:52:57):
Sean Payton never sucked at his job, and what do
you know he still doesn't. Harball has never sucked at
his job, and what do you know he still doesn't. Like,
we just overcomplicate so much of this, Like you had
to proven entity right there, and now two bad teams
are gonna be looking for coaches again, and they didn't.
They didn't take a flyer on harmone, which.

Speaker 3 (01:53:16):
Is why I still don't even understand the Belichick thing.

Speaker 2 (01:53:21):
Like I get like I get to go, all right, well,
you know he is older, right, but you look at him.
I mean, he's pretty youthful in how he handles himself,
like you know, you were again him for you know,
god willing, you know, you know, three to five years
and that'll be it, you know, I mean, he'll still

(01:53:42):
won't be in his eighties yet, so you'll have that,
you'll have that three to five year window. Why would
you go after a Belichick to help at least change
the way you do things in your building because so
many of these franchises their building is rotten.

Speaker 4 (01:53:58):
Look at the Jets, I mean, to your point when
we think about the Yeah, but Sempayton, it was well,
you know, I mean he had Drew Brees. Let's see
how it looks without Drew Brees. Still looks pretty damn good.
With Harball, it was all. But he wears out every
locker room. And you know, he never sticks around, and

(01:54:21):
he's been away from the league too long. Whatever excuses
we want to find, and they all look pretty stupid
right now. And I actually agree with you as much
as we've sat back and said, hey, I understand. You know,
nobody wants to get Belichick full creative control, and nobody
wants to let him do everything he wants to do.
I also look around and say, you know what in
three to five years, My god, how many head coaches

(01:54:41):
has my favorite team had in the last five years.
It's exhausting trying to keep up with the revolving door
a head coach. And it just is a reminder for
across the board. And you know the Woody Johnson report
that from the Athletics that was really well written, well
researched about turning down the Jerry Judy trade because Jerry
Judy's Madden rating wasn't high enough. That's it's a real report,

(01:55:04):
and it's just it's a staggering slap in the face
reminder that most teams that really stink just having competence
running organizations. And nothing's gonna change that. Like you're not
going to force the team to sell their their force
an owner to sell their team. That's never gonna happen.
So what do you do if you're sitting here and
you're like, all right, well, I'm a Jets fan and
Woody Johnson is obviously incompetent when it comes to running

(01:55:27):
a football team, So how do you fix that? You know,
I'm a Bears fan, and my god, like, where's your hope,
Like if you're a Raiders fan and whatever Mark Davis is,
I mean, he just doesn't identify talent. Well, like, where
do you find your hope from any of this when
your favorite team is bad and you realize that you
can't even do the simple things like I don't know, interviewing.

Speaker 3 (01:55:47):
Harball, right, I know, I know it's so stupid, man,
it really is. These people are slubtypes. You're so you're
you're just foolish. You got really good coaches.

Speaker 2 (01:56:00):
And the other thing, too, is listen, I know everybody
wants to discover the next guy, and I'm all about
some of the youthful. Hey, let you know, this guy
comes to be you know, highly highly recommended. But give
me a break. Not every young guy who wants to
replicate playing Madden is a genius.

Speaker 4 (01:56:24):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:56:25):
It's like Brandon Brandon Staley for every for every mcveigher's
Brandon Staley. Like guys who aren't ready to to run
a program, run a franchise. I mean, you got to
be smart about things.

Speaker 4 (01:56:41):
Which is you know. Dominique Foxworth wrote for ESPN several
years ago that they need to start a coaching combine
where offensive and defensive coordinators. Positional coaches come in and
they like a combine. They show teams how they would
handle head coaching situations. It's such a different job. Being
a coordinator is not the same as being a head coach.
So the hiring process can never be exact. Like if

(01:57:05):
you are a car salesman, that does not mean that
you're necessarily qualified to take over marketing of a car dealership,
even if you've seen it happen. They're different jobs, right,
So you know, what do you do if you're in
exact hiring over and over and over again, and you
never really have a way to see what these guys
look like. That's why the more the older I get
in all of this, and the more we cover all

(01:57:26):
of this, the more I continue to look around and say,
I really do kind of like second time coaches. I
really kind of like guys that have had a chance
to do it before, because at least I've seen a
little of what they do. You know, at least I
know the vrabel can hire an offensive coordinator. That's a
skill he.

Speaker 2 (01:57:40):
Has, dude, exactly, And it boggles my mind. I know, listen,
he's a dear friend of mine, and I try to
look at things objectively. But I don't know still to
this day, how SPAGS doesn't give them love a chance
when I can easily tell you how the first opportunity

(01:58:00):
went in Saint Louis with a franchise that had one
foot out the door on its way to LA.

Speaker 3 (01:58:08):
I mean, give me a break. That dude deserves a
job more than anybody.

Speaker 4 (01:58:11):
And you'd be weakening the soon to be three time
defending Super Bowl champion in the process.

Speaker 2 (01:58:16):
Come on, they are amazing, man, How may they just
don't lose? It's crazy. We'll talk about them, We'll talk
about the whole league and get back to college football.

Speaker 3 (01:58:28):
Last Hour, Big hour next.

Speaker 1 (01:58:29):
Fellas don't listening to Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 2 (01:58:35):
Well, good morning, good morning, good morning, Good morning, buddy,
Happy happy pre Christmas, Christmas weekend. As we get ready
for the big holidays or pawn us, everybody's starting to
stopping working and got to enjoy themselves. So be safe
out there. Great football stuff happening, Man, What a day today?

(01:58:57):
Three college football playoff games, two NFL games, Big slate tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:59:03):
We're gonna roll through all of the games.

Speaker 2 (01:59:07):
Jason Fitz, Anthony Garganta will come you a lot from
the ti rack dot com studios tyraq dot com.

Speaker 3 (01:59:13):
We'll help you get there.

Speaker 2 (01:59:15):
Over ten thousand recommend it installers, fast, free shipping, free
road hazard protection, ti iraq dot com The way.

Speaker 3 (01:59:23):
Tire buying should be, Fitzy.

Speaker 2 (01:59:27):
Uh, let's look at today's games, and we haven't talked
much about the NFL all all morning.

Speaker 3 (01:59:33):
So let's get to it.

Speaker 4 (01:59:35):
Never heard of it?

Speaker 3 (01:59:35):
Is that?

Speaker 4 (01:59:36):
There? Is that the NFL? Never? Is that a thing?
I didn't even know it existed?

Speaker 3 (01:59:41):
Is it a hysterical? Isn't an hysterical? It's unbelievable.

Speaker 2 (01:59:45):
We got don't know me like about an hour ago,
and I brought up to Fitz and I was like,
you didn't realize what we had not talked about, Like
what these playoffs have done.

Speaker 3 (01:59:56):
They have knocked the NFL out of our front globe.

Speaker 4 (02:00:04):
With only weeks left in the season. Two, I mean,
with weeks left in the season and so much on
the line, we're not it's amazing. Congratulations to college football. Huzza.
It is a big weekend for the sport, but it
is a big day for it is still a big day.
Two massive matchups in the NFL today. I don't want
to take anything away from that, like two can't miss

(02:00:24):
implications all over, including the miracle healer known as Patrick Mahomes.
One Patrick Mahomes that obviously like, look here's the thing.
I'm going to stand to steadfast to this. You and
I are going to go on a tour of all
of the voodoo places in New Orleans for the Super
Bowl so that I can get a doll from each
one of them and I can figure out what I
have to do to get the same level of football

(02:00:46):
god healing and luck that the Chiefs continue to have
and Patrick Mahomes continues to have. Because looked like a
week ago it was just going to be absolute epic.
Oh my god, what's happened? And now all of a sudden,
looks like he's going to play against the Texans.

Speaker 2 (02:00:59):
I mean he didn't even get a week one week
of Carson Wentz. I was actually looking forward to it.
I wanted to see Andy so Andy Reid.

Speaker 3 (02:01:10):
I watched him win.

Speaker 2 (02:01:12):
With Koy Detmer aj Feeley, I watched him win with
Jeff Carcaya. I was curious to see I mean Kevin Cobb,
I mean he could take quarterbacks and he could win
with him.

Speaker 3 (02:01:27):
I was curious to see if he could rehab Wentz.

Speaker 4 (02:01:32):
I mean that you are. It's just a glutton for
ugly if it. I love the concept of it. It
is interesting to me, though, given the fact that they
have a two game lead in the AFC, I really
expected that this would be an easy one to just
have him sit out. You know, They've got three tough
games down the stretch Texan Steelers, Broncos. None of those

(02:01:53):
are easy out. So I understand, you know, hey, let's
get the win and try and seal up home field
and see where it goes from there. But man, I
would have I would add, no problem, just get him
a week off and then let's see where it goes.

Speaker 2 (02:02:04):
You know, yeah, man, exactly exactly. How about Deontay Johnson?
Is that the weirdest story.

Speaker 4 (02:02:14):
You think we'll ever get the whole? Like, what's going
on that Deontay Johnson is just I mean to just
be cut at this point. It's just, you know, there's
very little for a team to cut a player at
this point. It just means that they have no use
for you whatsoever. Like there's a there's not a chance
that you might even want to consider bringing him on

(02:02:34):
the field. There's so little advantage this late in the
season other than creating a roster spot for somebody else.
So like that's churn and burn that we usually see
for the very bottom of a roster, not for somebody
that we perceive to be talented. So's I cannot, for
the life of me figure out how that thing went
that far off the rails.

Speaker 3 (02:02:52):
And you know what's nuts is that he was good, like,
he's good at Carolia, he's a good receiver. What in
the world happened in that he became just not like
he hated it there.

Speaker 2 (02:03:07):
I don't know, Like it's bizarre. Man I still I'm
still trying to figure it out.

Speaker 4 (02:03:14):
Yeah, I, And how do you rebound from that? You know,
it's just because guys that can play get extra chances
after chance after chance. We all know that. But man,
I just that is this is a tough look in
the league. The league wants to get people to chance,
but once you've been sort of shut out, it's hard
to just work work your way back in. And ironically

(02:03:36):
it's the perception is that being you know, you're being
torn out of this thing because you're just not good enough.
So I don't know how you break that it's the
wild fall from grace is pretty pretty crazy to me,
it really is.

Speaker 2 (02:03:48):
All right, let's look at the games. We're gonna go
start with the NFL. We'll end with college at the
end of the hour. But let's look at the NFL
this weekend and go over the storylines. We just talked
about Mahomes and the miracle healer that he is. So
it's Chiefs and Texans. Chiefs now three and a half

(02:04:10):
point favorite over Houston. I'll be honest with you, I
think that line is extremely low. I you know, I'm
shocked at that low. It's that low.

Speaker 4 (02:04:22):
Injury no injury, Yeah, I mean there is a spot.
I'm not sure that we know the right way yet.
To look at this Texans team. This Texans team has
been riddled by their own version of injuries. They've certainly
had their own difficulties this year. And this is a
Texans team that, you know, it's funny to me, I
have to loudly say, this is a nine to five

(02:04:42):
Texans team that feels like a bit of a disappointment
against a thirteen and one Kansas City Chiefs team that
we are trying to tell the world is broken. You know,
and so it is. It's funny to me that the
narrative on both of these teams is just so wildly
out of place. You know, I don't even know that
we can appreciate what Houston is right now because the
expectation is that they would be competitive with the Chiefs.

(02:05:04):
They are certainly not that things have been much more
difficult this year for CJ. Stroud than any of us
expected that the Chiefs are. It's not that they're a
bad football team. It's just taking on sorry, the Texans.
Not they're a bad football team. They're just taking on
a Chiefs team that I don't know how you beat them.
I just don't know.

Speaker 2 (02:05:22):
I hear you, and I look at it, and I
keep thinking about it. I'm like, you know, I don't
like the way that the Chiefs are protected. I mean,
Texas in Houston is protecting Watson Watson, oh my god, Stroud.
And I'm looking at it. I'm going the way the

(02:05:44):
Chiefs defense is playing right now. I think it's a
bad matchup for him.

Speaker 4 (02:05:49):
I do.

Speaker 2 (02:05:50):
And I know that he's get beat all but and
I know the left tackle has been not been fun.
But you get Hollywood Brown back give you any some toy.

Speaker 3 (02:06:01):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (02:06:01):
I think if as long as they could protect and
I love it where kids see these defense is at
I mean, I don't know, I look at this game, yeah,
but I mean protect.

Speaker 4 (02:06:11):
The Texans are i think second in the league in
sacks at this point, top five defense against the past,
so like, yeah, this is That's part of why I
was a little concerned that they're putting the Chiefs in,
like the Chiefs got putting Mahomes in. The Chiefs got
to figure out this tackle issue quickly because if there's
a team that could turn this this thing on its head,
it is that Texans defense just turning around and making

(02:06:34):
Mahomes take hit after hit after hit, and it's just
that to me is just it's a difficult look. I
think the Texans defense is going to be the bright
spot and this is going to be ugly football game.
Ugly football game. Like I'm all in on hammer in
the under on this one.

Speaker 3 (02:06:49):
Yeah, I could say. I can totally say it.

Speaker 2 (02:06:53):
What you think about because the after gave the rematch
Ravens and Steelers. I love love Baltimore in this game,
and I know Lamar we struggles against Pittsburgh, and I
know they're down, you know, wide receiver depth, but I
just I saw Pittsburgh last week without George Pickens. I

(02:07:17):
just don't see this offense being able to generate enough
enough to win the game.

Speaker 4 (02:07:24):
Yeah, I agree with you that that offense just is
missing an element. On the other side of it, the
Ravens offense, like Derrick Henry the last few weeks, has
not been Derrick Henry, and so I'm a little concerned.
Has there been a bit of a wall. Have we
hit the lates He's I know, it's impossible to question
Derrick Henry because the conditioning and everything else that we've
always seen, but in the last two or three games,

(02:07:46):
he has not looked is dominant. Even in the win
over the Giants, it was like kind of an afterthought.
So they're gonna need a big statement from Derrick Henry
in this game. He's gonna have to have a better
game production wise, play a little bit better than he
did against the Steelers the first time. So I think,
you know, what Derek Henry looks like in this game
is a big part of what we'll take moving forward
for the Ravens. But it is pretty clear that as

(02:08:09):
good as RUSS has been this year with Mike Tomlin
and I really have to tip the cap. I was
very wrong about Russell Wilson being cooked. RUSS does not
look like the Russ we were all getting scared of
without George Pickens. They like Pat Fryarmuth is not going
to be the guy that wins a super Bowl for
the Steelers. It's a nice story, but they've got to
get They've got to get Pickens out there and healthy.

(02:08:32):
I know, I.

Speaker 2 (02:08:34):
Dude, and I look at this game today and I go,
I love Baltimore. I know it's with six and a
half forever the line is. I'll tell you exactly. I
look at it and I could see Baltimore. It's stole
up to seven. Yeah, and I like him. I'd lay
the seven man, I would.

Speaker 4 (02:08:55):
Yeah. I feel pretty good about that. I feel pretty
good about landing the seven on it. And it's if
the Steelers get to win here in this game, then
it is time to recalibrate some of the Steelers conversation.
I feel like, you know, we were just talking about expectations.
I feel like at times the Steelers are a little
forgotten in the AFC Gauntlet and at times this year,

(02:09:19):
it's just like nobody wants to get at that level
of tipethy gap. Wow, the Steelers a super Bowl type
team like it just hasn't the limitations offensively prevent anybody
from going all in. If the Steelers gonna win here,
I think we do need to sort of change our
conversation in tone of who they're competitive with, because that
clearly they get a win, they're clearly going to be

(02:09:40):
in the driver's seat for winning their division. And then
it becomes can they compete with the Buffaloes and the
Kansas Cities of the world. Like, Buffalo to me is
still the best team in the AFC. I don't care
about records. The Buffalo is a team that I'd be
the most scared of going in to the playoffs. But man,
the Steelers team with that defense, they can beat anybody.

Speaker 2 (02:09:57):
We know that, yeah, yeah can, But you got to
be able to generate some offense. That's where you know,
picking because Pickens gives you that threat down the field.
Mike Williams is not it, and he could just give
you that threat down the field, which opens up things
for you know, Nagy and War and I think otherwise
you just sit.

Speaker 3 (02:10:18):
In the box all day long and you don't have
to worry about them down the field.

Speaker 4 (02:10:22):
Yeah, and that's it's it's amazing how the one thing
you can't be if you want to win a Super Bowl,
in my mind, you can't. You cannot become one dimensional.
You cannot become one dimensional. And so now look at
some of the teams we're talking about and ask which
teams are easiest to sort of take away one thing
from And that's kind of reere. It's ugly ahead in
this game, I think, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (02:10:42):
I'm with you, Hey, Rams, Jets tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (02:10:48):
How you know, Rims are interesting because they they still
have if they could protect staffort, they're still dangerous, and
you know they could win forty four forty two against
Buffalo or twelve six against the Niners.

Speaker 3 (02:11:04):
I like him again.

Speaker 2 (02:11:05):
Tomorrow Jets are a mess, and I think the Rams
could be a little dangerous come next month.

Speaker 3 (02:11:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (02:11:13):
Anytime you have a receiver and quarterback combo that they
have and a head coach that gets so much respect.
I love the way you said. I mean beating the
Bills forty four to forty two and then just winning
an ugly game against the forty nine ers it's still
a win, you know. And the West has turned out
like I don't know if any of these teams in
the West are actually that good, but god is it

(02:11:35):
fun to watch, right, I have no idea right.

Speaker 3 (02:11:37):
Now, I like it. I like the Rams better than
anybody in that division, Seattle.

Speaker 4 (02:11:43):
In Seattle, right, I have to like them better than Seattle.
Like Seattle is just so damn inconsistent, like every week
that every time I buy into Seattle, they come out
laying egg the next week, and then I sell on
Seattle and they come back and they suddenly win a game.
I just this Seattle team, which, by by the way,
their defense, Seattle's defense is ahead of schedule for where
I thought they'd be, but their offense has too much

(02:12:05):
talent to be as just wildly unpredictable as it is.
Like it's just on if we were doing the video
game version of it. The Seahawks offense is too good
to be where they are, And for the Seahawks to
have a losing record at home this year is just staggering.
Things were not used to. Yeah, I think the Rams
are the scariest team in their division, and then they'll
turn into the team that everybody says you don't want

(02:12:26):
to face in the playoffs, but there is some truth
to that. But I don't think we want to get
twisted like the Rams. While they could, they can beat anybody,
even given Sunday, I'm not putting them in the same
tier as I'm putting the Eagles, the Lions, the Vikings,
and maybe even the Packers at this point.

Speaker 3 (02:12:41):
No, I of course not. I'm with you, but I
think they're a dangerous team, like they could they could be.
Like I don't I don't see them going to Super Bowl,
but I think they could knock somebody off. Yeah, I'm
totally like if you had if you had.

Speaker 2 (02:12:55):
To play Detroit, right, think about this, if they had
to play the Rams, had to play Detroit, they could
win the way Detroit is bagged up defensively, I mean
they could, they could beat them.

Speaker 3 (02:13:12):
They could beat the Lions.

Speaker 4 (02:13:15):
I mean considering they just I just said how much
I love the Bills, and we saw what the Rams
did there. You're right, You're absolutely right, and the Lions
are are quickly becoming a, I think a national concern.
You know, you can only go so far in the
depth chart on the defensive side of the ball, and
it's crazy to me that this is a team that's
twelve and two and we're worried about whether or not

(02:13:37):
they're going to be healthy enough to do what they
should get the chance to do in the playoffs. I
just I don't know how much. It feels like they've
already taken more than they can possibly handle on the
defensive side of the ball.

Speaker 3 (02:13:47):
With do that, I think.

Speaker 2 (02:13:50):
I hate to say this because I think they're a
great story and I think when they're healthy, they're a
super Bowl team.

Speaker 3 (02:13:58):
I think they're terrific. I just don't. I don't say it.
I don't know how you're gonna hold on. I don't.
I mean, you just lost too much, and then you
lose Montgomery on top of it.

Speaker 2 (02:14:10):
Yeah, like their whole defense has just been decimated, their
secondary decimated, and then then you lose Montgomery, who's such
a vital piece of that offense. Like, here's the thing,
I would give them a puncher's chance even with all
the defensive injuries if their offense was intact, because you

(02:14:33):
need one side of the ball to compensate, So you know,
you could go just give me a like you go
to your defense, Just give me a stop, one or
two stops, and because of my potent offense, I could win.
But taking Montgomery off the offense is a big deal.
He's the tenderizer.

Speaker 4 (02:14:55):
That is amazing. I love the way he said that,
and I'm gonna steal that from you from now on.
And you're right. And it's heartbreaking for the Lions to
be twelve and two and sustain the injuries that they
have speaks to how amazing everyone has been inside the building,
the great job that they've all done. I think you know,
tip of the cap. It's just they're twelve and two.

(02:15:15):
Doesn't have the same margin of errors we've talked about
a few times with the Vikings and the Eagles right
on their heels. I just now, more than ever, I
just if you tell me that the NFC is going
to go through Philly, that is a problem for everybody else.
That is a problem for everybody else and for the Lions.
You just can't afford. You don't have any wiggle room.

(02:15:36):
You're gonna have to win every game the rest of
the season. You're gonna have to and even that, you know,
you're just you've got to manage to stay healthy in
that process. Also, that's asking a lot to askin no.

Speaker 2 (02:15:46):
I mean, so you look at Chicago like they desperately
need to buy to have any kind of chance, they
have to have a buy. So you're at Chicago, who,
by the way, are a mess, but it's still at Chicago.

Speaker 3 (02:16:01):
Then you're at San Francisco.

Speaker 2 (02:16:03):
They're banged up too, but I don't know, like I
could see them having one last Hey, let's let's put
it together and win. And then you end the season
against Minnesota, who may need the game to try to
catch it for the number one overall.

Speaker 4 (02:16:19):
That that game could easily be for the division and
the and the number one overall seedy, that's crazy, right
to go into that. And so yeah, absolutely you're the
problem is when you don't have any any sort of
margins and you are as banged up as they are.
It's not like Kansas City, Like I think Kansas City
could sit ma homes this week and still be fine.

(02:16:41):
The Lions can't do anything they have. They have to
be all, you know, im pedal to the medal of
the entire way. They're gonna have to win every game
and then they're gonna have to hope that you know,
the buye helps them get a little healthier.

Speaker 2 (02:16:54):
Yeah, dude, I guess, and I think it's a problem.
I think that's a q huge problem, huge problem. And
look at the Eagles. Eagles have Washington, right, So now
you look at the NFC and the race for that
one seed, the Eagles have Washington Minnesota because Minnesota is

(02:17:15):
alive in it too now, right. So you got those
two teams, like you said, nipping at the lion's heels.
Minnesota's in Seattle, and we just saw how the Packers
handled Seattle, right, so Minnesota is very much alive still

(02:17:37):
for that one seed.

Speaker 4 (02:17:39):
Yeah, and that's we keep looking around at the Vikings
and just the quietest twelve and two I can remember
in a long time. And to think that they've done
twelve and two out of this thing and they haven't
had their rookie quarterback all year, Like, it is wild
to me how Minnesota has managed to survive the EBB
and flow and to get to where they are right

(02:18:01):
now and not have even needed their first overall pick.
It's just their first round draft pick. I should say,
Sam Donald to me, if I'm the Vikings, this is
very unpopular, but if I'm the Vikings, I'm franchising Sam
Donald at the end of the year, I don't care.
I'm looking at the quarterback position as an overall value,
and I know I got a guy, Like I'm not
gonna let Donald walk out of the door until I'm

(02:18:23):
sure that JJ can play, and who knows? Who knows?
Like your goal is to get a quarterback, And my god,
Sam Donald has just resurrected himself in this building. It's
it's pretty incredible to watch. So seeing the Vikings play
the way they're playing, and the fact that we've all
gotten confidence now in Sam Donald, like that is that
in and of itself is just it's a home run.

Speaker 3 (02:18:46):
It really is. Now.

Speaker 2 (02:18:47):
Now, Minnesota does have green Bay next week, right, so
they have to go Seattle at Seattle Green Bay, and
then at Detroit.

Speaker 3 (02:18:55):
So it's pretty vicious.

Speaker 4 (02:18:56):
That's a gauntlet they even if they lose one, to
lose two of those. If I'd have told you coming
into the season with no Jj McCarthy that this was
going to be what a thirteen and four football team?
My god, Like that's like we knew Minnesota was going
to be pretty good. I don't think any of us
New Minnesota is going to be elite, elite.

Speaker 3 (02:19:19):
It is elite. Now.

Speaker 2 (02:19:20):
The interesting thing is the Eagles, right, they have at
Washington and then they have two home games, the Cowboys
and the Giants, two dead teams. That team the Eagles
can be. It's unbelievable. Sixteen and one.

Speaker 4 (02:19:43):
The Eagles ability at this point, with everything in front
of them, the Eagles ability to get to this number
one seed is now. The Eagles have two losses, so
the Eagles will be fifteen and two. But I'm sorry too, Yeah, yeah,
but fifteen and two.

Speaker 3 (02:19:59):
I get a little ower.

Speaker 4 (02:20:00):
Okay, well over, can you imagine finishing the season fifteen
and two and having to play wildcard weekend? Yeah, that's crazy.

Speaker 3 (02:20:09):
Crazy. Let's say quick break. We'll come back and go
through all the games.

Speaker 2 (02:20:14):
Continue our foray into the league, Fellas, Jason Fitz, Anthony
Gargot out right here Fox Sports Radio.

Speaker 5 (02:20:22):
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app. Search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 2 (02:20:35):
Fellas Jason Fitz, Anthony Gargano hanging out with you guys.
Wish to everybody a merry Christmas. Come you Alive from
the ti Raq dot com studios. Hey, don't forget try
Anthony Show. The podcast goes up, so if you missed
any of it, make sure you search Fox Sports Radio

(02:20:57):
wherever you get your podcast. This show me up as
soon as you get so we're off the air and
the show we'll be up. And it was a solid
and make sure you review, rate and like the podcast.
And shortly after US, I mean right after US will
be the Countdown to Kickoff, brought to you by bet MNGN,

(02:21:18):
Brian no Where, Tornberger, Betting Allens, Jared Smith got you
covered all right right through college kickoffs every Saturday morning.
Listening to Countdown and Kickoff, presented by Ben MGM right
here on Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app. All right, buddy,
we're kind of going through some of the games for
tomorrow and where they the implications in the NFC. The

(02:21:40):
NFC is really interesting because of that one set up
for grab and when we look at today today is
really the AFC because you have the Chiefs, Ravens, of course,
the Bills at eleven and three, they hosted Patriots tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (02:21:57):
Where are you at with Baltimore? Like Baltimore is interesting
because there was a point where everybody thought what Baltimore
would be the real was the real.

Speaker 2 (02:22:06):
Favorite, and then Buffalo has overtaken me. It's so interesting
during the course of the season, how it's like a
horse race, right like forever in the NFC it was
the Lions, and now all of a sudden, it's the Eagles,
with the Packers kind of surpassing the Lions. Minnesota and

(02:22:29):
the Lions neck and neck. So you can almost visualize
it like a like a horse race.

Speaker 4 (02:22:35):
Yeah, and I think the horse race for the Ravens.
The problem is, you know, they have the horsepower to
beat anybody anywhere anyway, and they don't always use it.
This offense struggles more than I think they should at times.
They're coming off an easy win thirty five to fourteen
over the Giants. The Giants are futrid, we all know that,
but and they didn't really need to do much. Lamar

(02:22:58):
went off in that game. It was great, and like
I said earlier, the Ravens didn't really have to use
Derek Henry much in that game. But I do think
you do have to look at sort of this the
way the season has gone for them and the last
couple of quality teams that they've faced, the Ravens have lost.
They lost to the Steelers, they lost to the Eagles.

(02:23:18):
They did get a win over the Chargers in there.
I want the Ravens to be dominant offensively because they
have so many weapons and they can beat you in
so many different ways. I just don't know that we've
seen that same level of dominance that I expected. They've
been very good, they've been very good. But when I
think of great teams in the AFC, I think of Buffalo, right,

(02:23:40):
and Buffalo is a great football team at this point,
and I think Kansas City, even though it doesn't look great,
the outcome is always great. So those are the two teams.
I get benefit of that out too. I think the
Ravens could beat anybody, or get beat in any boy,
any of these playoff teams. Yeah, that defense, man, that
defense oh stinks at times. I mean just that that

(02:24:01):
defense gives a big plays, gives up chunk yardage, just
that that defense can be exposed.

Speaker 2 (02:24:08):
I hear you, buddy, I hear you, and you start
to look at you know what potentially you know, uh
what potentially Buffalo can be in the playoffs, Like right,
now they're rolling so much like if you you pair
it up Baltimore on Buffalo, I don't know how they
stop the Bills.

Speaker 4 (02:24:31):
Yeah, they don't. They simply they don't have a chance
to stop the Bills. And you know that's where things get,
you know, particularly if you're if you're Baltimore. I don't
think they can stop the Bills. I don't think they
can stop even a team like the Chargers, as wild
as that is to say, I don't think that they
can stop the Texans. The Steelers they can stop because simply,

(02:24:54):
you know, the Steelers without George Pickens aren't themselves, but
they just a few weeks ago struggled to score against
the Tute. So like, how many of these teams do
have a ton of confidence in Baltimore over Not many,
not many. And I came into the season thinking that
Baltimore was gonna have the best offense in the NFL,
and they just they aren't that threat. They aren't. They

(02:25:15):
aren't what the Bills are.

Speaker 3 (02:25:17):
No, not at all, Man, not at all. And you
know you saw it.

Speaker 2 (02:25:24):
You saw what they did to Detroit, Like the coaching
was brilliant, right, So you got Ty Johnson and they
realize that they have no one that can cover Ty
Johnson out of the backfield because they got linebackers off
the street.

Speaker 3 (02:25:38):
So they isolated Ty Johnson and then had all day long.

Speaker 2 (02:25:43):
And then they knew the minute that Josh Allen got
out of the pocket, he was unstoppable.

Speaker 3 (02:25:49):
And like, the only prayer that they had when it
came to a.

Speaker 2 (02:25:53):
Stop was to kind of contain Josh inside and not
lett him get out in the pockets. Once you did that,
that's what he creates, goes down the field or runs it.
I mean, it's amazing how he dominated that game.

Speaker 4 (02:26:10):
The funny thing is when you look at the playoffs standings,
if they were to start today, the Bills would get
the Broncos in the first round, and I think the
Bills would slaughter the Broncos. The Steelers would get the Chargers.
Interesting matchup. Texans and Ravens would be the four or
five game. And we just talked about how there's been
Texans have had their fair share of issues this year,

(02:26:30):
but man, I don't know that if I'm the Ravens,
I really love the idea taking on that wide receiver
corp with CJ. Stroud. I don't that's not going to
make me comfortable that I'm gonna get a bunch of
stops for sure. You know, the Texans should be able
to move the ball against that Ravens defense the way
they're playing right now. So it is interesting that even
if you project out of the playoffs, that's a tough

(02:26:50):
first round matchup for the Ravens.

Speaker 3 (02:26:53):
Yeah, it is, It really is.

Speaker 2 (02:26:56):
TA War is a weird day because you don't have
a ton. Oh, by the way, we just have some
breaking news. The Falcons accorded to against It's ESPN accord
to Adam Schefter, the Falcons are expected to cut Kirk
Cousins before the ten million dollar roster bonus. Now again,

(02:27:17):
we kind of expect that because you're gone with Pennix
and there's no reason to keep him, so why paying
the ten million dollars roster bonus. So he'll get cut
and he'll all of a sudden go back and get
paid again because somebody will somebody will give them a
three year deal.

Speaker 4 (02:27:35):
Yeah, So when does that ten million dollar roster bonus
due to shift?

Speaker 3 (02:27:39):
March seventeenth.

Speaker 4 (02:27:40):
Okay, so they'll cut him and they'll designate him a
post June first cut to try and save themselves some money,
I'm sure. But for anyone that tells you there's no
consequence to it, I will just remind you I don't
care about my owner's actual money. I don't as a
Raiders fan. I don't care if Mark Davis spends every
dollar he's ever made and just throw about the window.
I don't care. But I do care about salary cap ramifications.

(02:28:03):
So cutting Kirk Cousins, according to overthecap dot Com, will
result in a forty million dollar dead cap hit next year,
and that's a post June first designation. Saves them more
money to do that way. So it's either going to
be a forty million or a sixty five million dollar
cap hit next year. But I beliek they'll go forty.

Speaker 3 (02:28:21):
Yeah. The only thing is it's got to get done
by before March seventeenth.

Speaker 4 (02:28:25):
Yeah, but then they can designate it a post Juam
first cut, right, So they do it before March, but
they have a certain time where they can designate even
though the cut's made, they can designate.

Speaker 3 (02:28:36):
So can you actually sign with another team right away?

Speaker 4 (02:28:39):
Right as soon as he's cut? It's just for the
logistics of their and you're one thousand percent. Right, Kirk
Cousins is going to start somewhere next year. That's just
that's gonna happen. And I know he looked washed this year.
I know it's been very bad this year. I get
all of that. But quick math for everybody. Just look,
Raiders Giants are likely to address quarterback in the draft.
But most people don't think should Ur and Cam Mortar

(02:29:01):
day one starters. So Raiders Giants off the top of
my head. The Browns also going to be in that list.
The Jets gonna be in the list of teams that
need a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (02:29:12):
I mean, I got in front of me, right, So
I'll go for each team. Texas, Kansas City are fine.
What about the Steelers They could be in the market
for quarterback.

Speaker 4 (02:29:23):
I think they're probably bring Russ back, you know, if
they can.

Speaker 2 (02:29:27):
I don't know, like you rather have. I mean, I
don't know what I mean. Russ is okay, but if
you could upgrade, should you be should you upgrade?

Speaker 4 (02:29:35):
Yeah? If you can, you should, yeah, one hundred percent.

Speaker 3 (02:29:38):
Baltimore's good, Denver's good Chargers, good Rams, good Jets. I
don't know what they're gonna do with he who knows.
Jets are going to do period.

Speaker 4 (02:29:45):
Jets are gonna need a quarterback though next year. I
mean of some sort. I would think, like I put
the Jets on it, need a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (02:29:52):
Next, Eagles washing any good giants like you said draft,
Falcons have panics, Arizona is good. What's Carolina gonna do
with Bryce Shawn? Has he earned them on the shot?

Speaker 4 (02:30:02):
Yeah? He gets another shot.

Speaker 2 (02:30:04):
You mentioned Cleveland, they could certainly use a quarterback. Cincinnati
is good. Tennessee we just saw them go to be Rudolph.
I mean, Cousins profiles with Kennis with Tennessee real well. Colts,
I mean they're going to bring him back, but you
know Richardson, But I don't know. I mean, I don't

(02:30:28):
like Richardson, do you No?

Speaker 4 (02:30:31):
And I think the Colts are on the They got
to bring somebody into compete to protect themselves.

Speaker 2 (02:30:36):
Yeah, I mean, you need a veteran, so you have
Richardson and Cousins. I don't know, it makes sense to me. Yep,
Lions Bears are good, Minnesota's good. I mean, I don't
know how long Gino has.

Speaker 4 (02:30:51):
I would think they would stick with Gino again.

Speaker 3 (02:30:53):
I would think you would think but who knows how
long he's got New England, Buffalo, good Jacksonville. Lawrence isn't
going anywhere Raiders. You talked about nine Ers. The Party
thing is interesting. Do you bring Cousins in to San
Francisco and not pay Party?

Speaker 4 (02:31:14):
I think they still like the goal is to not
If the goal is to not pay a quarterback, then
you don't bring in anybody. If they're going to pay
a quarterback. I think they pay Party for the same
price that they can get if they can get him
for the same price as Kirk Cousins. I mean, it
depends on how much Kirk is making. Does Kirk want
to go out there just to try and win a
Super Bowl?

Speaker 2 (02:31:34):
Too?

Speaker 5 (02:31:34):
Like?

Speaker 4 (02:31:35):
Does he is he willing to be a backup somewhere
where you know, he knows the offensive language, he knows
how it runs, He's got sort of the ins and
out of that. That's interesting, But I think they're more
likely to stick with.

Speaker 3 (02:31:47):
Perty funny Baldy.

Speaker 2 (02:31:48):
I were talking about that they could move on from him,
just why Yeah, that's a possibility. Anyway, we got lots
to get to jeez, we got one more second it man,
I think flies.

Speaker 4 (02:32:01):
That's by the way, including including the draft possibilities those
that was six teams. We came up with six teams
quickly on the list that Kirk Cousins could go start
on immediately. So he's gonna start somewhere.

Speaker 2 (02:32:12):
Yeah, yeah, I'm with you, fellas, hanging right here. Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 5 (02:32:18):
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app search FSR to
listen live.

Speaker 3 (02:32:30):
Do it say it?

Speaker 4 (02:32:31):
Brother, Nobody get thinking like Frank does.

Speaker 3 (02:32:34):
Well, it's you man, You're you know, you got the
gene you got to.

Speaker 4 (02:32:41):
There's just something, there's just something like even all January,
I'm gonna have like Sinatra on Serrius XM, the Sinatra Channel. Yeah,
it's my my want for that hazy vinyl sound of
Frank Sinatra. I'm bing Crosby and it just doesn't it
doesn't end. Like this is a great question, when do

(02:33:02):
you stop Christmas music?

Speaker 3 (02:33:03):
Brother? Like it?

Speaker 4 (02:33:04):
Because Christmas when when I was a kid, you know,
before all of these stations existed, it was always sad
noon on Christmas Day because all the local stations, like
all you have was regular radio, local radio and noon
on Christmas Day, they all flipped back over to regular radio.
So like you only had Christmas music in the morning,
and like Christmas eve Day and the morning was all
you had. Is it a sad times? I don't know

(02:33:24):
how I handled it.

Speaker 2 (02:33:26):
Yeah, I'm with you. I think you know, because I'd
like to leave the lights up for a while. I
hate January and February. God, I hate those months.

Speaker 4 (02:33:38):
The decorations up all through January decorations. I'll take you
there in February maybe after the super Bowl, who knows.

Speaker 3 (02:33:45):
Yeah, yeah, I shake do it? Leave it? Leave it Bay.

Speaker 2 (02:33:49):
Hey, like two hate months, January, fab hate them worst.
Uh hey, let's wish while we're wishing Christmas. Wish is
tall all of our audience like we did. We love
you guys, and I have a wonderful you know holiday
and your family fits. You said something beautiful. I won't

(02:34:10):
make you reiterated, but it was just great talking about
the you know, finding your happy place and being hopeful. Uh,
wanna wish our five production staff, Brianna, Merry.

Speaker 3 (02:34:22):
Christmas, Merry Christmas. You got any wishes? What are you
going to be doing?

Speaker 4 (02:34:29):
I'm just gonna be taking it easy.

Speaker 3 (02:34:31):
Staying home, sleeping, and then I work that night. Okay,
all right, you'll see your family.

Speaker 4 (02:34:38):
I will. I'm gonna see my mom and my grandma
and just kind of have a relaxing day.

Speaker 3 (02:34:44):
Nice, nice, mighty Mark. Merry Christmas, buddy.

Speaker 1 (02:34:48):
Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas.

Speaker 4 (02:34:50):
It's been great.

Speaker 1 (02:34:52):
It's still great. Oh, I'll just be I think I'll
be home that day.

Speaker 3 (02:34:56):
Nice, nice, good stuff. Well, we appreciate you guys, you know,
without a doubt. Thank you so much. Fitzy. What are
your plans? Man?

Speaker 4 (02:35:07):
You know, I was kind of the same thing on Christmas.
I always go to a local place and feed people
and try and help out, get back a little bit
in the community.

Speaker 3 (02:35:16):
To bet.

Speaker 4 (02:35:16):
That's a you know, just again, it's a reminder of
making Christmas great for wherever you are in your life.

Speaker 3 (02:35:22):
In that moment.

Speaker 4 (02:35:23):
What about you, You've got, you know what the eighty
seven courses of fish to work on, like how they.

Speaker 3 (02:35:30):
I gotta get you down, dude, I gotta know, we
got to plan this. I gotta get you down. Yeah.
I'll do the uh, the Feast of the seven Fishes.
That's what we do.

Speaker 2 (02:35:43):
And so I'll and I do the cooking on Christmas Eve.
So I'll go Christmas Eve morning, I go to my neighborhood,
South Philly. All the old all the old stops. So
I'll get the fish.

Speaker 3 (02:35:56):
I'll get scalp, scallops and crabb and shrimp and smelts
and uh scoon jeil and uh bakala all the all
the scoon jeal what.

Speaker 2 (02:36:14):
Yeah, like all the all the fishes like kadamri. Well, right,
will they say gallamad? I don't know, don't ask, it's just.

Speaker 4 (02:36:25):
Don't okay.

Speaker 2 (02:36:26):
All the octopus it's you know, it's ridiculous, right, So
I get all that. I'll start the night before, like
on the on Monday. I'll get this on Monday. I'll
get the fish and then i'll cook the crab beginning
Monday night. And then Monday night I'll make the crabs

(02:36:48):
in spaghetti and no simmer for like eighteen hours, like
sixteen hours.

Speaker 4 (02:36:55):
So the crab in spaghetti is in one dish together.

Speaker 2 (02:36:59):
Yeah, So it's just crab. And what it is is
it's crab and a red sauce. Right, we call it
a crab gravy, but it's it's crab and a red
sauce so it's a huge pot filled with with the
Baltimore crabs, right like those those crabs, the Maryland crabs,

(02:37:19):
and it'll with a tomato sauce and then it'll cook.
I'll cook it and then I'll put on the on
the low heat for hours and the sauce takes on
the taste of the shells of the crab and it's
like incredible. And then I'll make pasta when everybody comes over,

(02:37:41):
I'll do the whole pasta stuff and I'll make the
pasta fresh and then put the crab gravy in the
crab on top of it.

Speaker 4 (02:37:49):
And that sounds absolutely incredible, honestly like that. I need
pictures of this. I need to see how it all
goes down like this, this.

Speaker 3 (02:37:56):
I got it.

Speaker 4 (02:37:57):
That's amazing, all right, real quick. It's just way better
than dry turkey.

Speaker 3 (02:38:03):
So we like so we like Penn State today, we
like Texas and are we going in on Tennessee.

Speaker 4 (02:38:12):
I'll go in on Tennessee. What the heck going on Tennessee?
Because we need an upset.

Speaker 2 (02:38:16):
We gotta get something right. We we got to get
the upset, all right, So that's our plan. Everybody, have
a great Caliday. Man, we love you. We'll see you
next Saturday.

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