December 31, 2025 • 36 mins
Dan Beyer and Aaron Torres discuss the end to a rough season for the USC Trojans as they lose their bowl game against TCU a week after announcing the yearly Notre Dame rivalry will discontinue. Dan and Aaron welcome former NFL lineman and FSR host Geoff Schwartz onto the show to discuss all of the headlines around college football as the bowl season wraps up and the playoff quarterfinals begin. Plus, Dan and Aaron react to what Draymond Green said recently about playing on Christmas.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fox Sports Radio had the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
He Happy New Year's Eve. You made it through twenty
twenty five. Congratulations. How much longer does Lincoln Riley have
That's a whole other question. Aaron Torres disaster at the
Alamobile and it just gets bad to worse for the
Trojans head coach.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Interesting month for him, to say the least, with the
Notre Dame stuff, which you know you and I were
filling in in this time slot last week, well right
around this time, and yeah, the Notre Dame stuff certainly
rubbed a lot of people in that community the wrong way.
And fast forward and now it's not much better. After
the the Alamo bo loss on Tuesday night.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
We're gonna get a chance to hear how things ended
last night for the USC Trojans in dramatic fashion in
San Antonio. And it's only fitting because it is New
Year's Eve. We got the Reliant Relyia Quest Bowl going on,
once known as the Outback Bowl. We've got the the
(01:09):
Cheese Its Bowl going on with Texas and Michigan about
to play.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I believe it's the cheese at Citrus Bowl, which feels
a little counterintuitive to me, but hey, I who am
I to talk about food groups?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Citrus Bowl is always a staple in Orlando, and then
it's not the granddaddy of them all, but it's one
of my personal favorites. We've got Sun Ball action, Arizona
State Duke from El Paso. It's what we've got on
this New Year's Eve. I love it. I told Aaron
(01:43):
before the show why I love the Sun Bowl so much.
It's a stadium that we don't get the Sea a
lot because we don't get to see UTEP, right, we
don't see UTEP football that often the Relia Quest Bowls
where the Buccaneers play in Tampa, So when the Buccaneers
are playing, we're seeing that every other week in the
National Football League. This stadium sells out. It's on CBS,
(02:05):
it's not on ESPN's variety of options of bowl game
channels to watch, and it's the top crew because it's
the only CBS Bowl game they have. So sign me
up for some Arizona State Duke on New Year's Eve
in the Sun Bowl because the Sun Bowl is where
it's at on December thirty.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
First, I will tell you really quick.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I know that there is a lot of dirt being
thrown on Bowl Season's grave, and I get it. And
I know we're gonna talk about the Alamo Bowl in
a second. But the Sumbowl, I agree. I think it's
a really cool setting that we don't get see very often.
I'll also say this despite the result, because you're a
man that spends some time in San Antonio.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Santoni is a really fun like I was watching.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I was looking at yesterday the river walk and this
and that, no disrespect. I don't know if I would
want to live in San Antonio, but to go travel
there once every couple of years, it's always a fun trip.
So I was watching that Alamo Bowl with nostalgia because
of course, so I was there for the Final four
back in April of this year.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
So you should go there when there is in a
final four.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Yeah, I bet.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I bet you should go there in June during an
NBA finals for nine days. Yeah, for a while. I've
been there. I've been there. It's different than the Final four,
trust me, it's different. San Antonio, El Paso, Milan. Speaking
of Milan, the roads of Milan runs through Saint Louis
see Iliam Allen and Alyssa lu and Ambergen Glenn compete
at the twenty twenty six prevage in US Figure Skating
(03:28):
Championships January seventh through the eleventh b there as the
twenty twenty sixth US Olympic Figure Skating team is named
live tickets at US figure Skating dot org. So if
you missed it last night, maybe you were in bed
getting ready for tonight's New Year's Eve festivities, hoping to
get that rest so you can stay up late. This
is how the Alamo Bowl ended last night. In overtime
(03:48):
between USC and TCU.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Sailes dumps.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
It left pain clicks one tackle at two at times forward.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
Silist texid to the to the five.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Is it yet, pads, Let's.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
See Sis touchdown. Ken seals the deal here tonight and
the horn Frogs have filed the MAgric against USC one
four time.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Okay, now, it was a game that probably shouldn't have
come down to that play, but it did. TCU ends
up descending a kicking overtime. At the end of regulation
forces overtime, USC kicks a field goal. TCU facing a
third and long and on a screen pass. That's how
it ends up breaking down. Now, what the thing I
love about it is it's very representative of what we
(04:42):
are now thinking about USC and what we are thinking
of Lincoln Riley. Here's a school that has a lead
in a game in overtime and the opponent is in
a really, really tough spot. You miss a few tackles,
you don't do your assignment, and the next thing, you know,
a third and long as a touchdown reception in TCU
(05:03):
ends up winning the ballgame. And it seems like it
was a perfect metaphor Aaron Torres for how things have
gone for Lincoln Riley. I can't remember someone's name who
was so hot that was the can't miss coach that
had everything there for them. Have a reputation now that
(05:23):
has been spoiled so much without a big grand scandal,
sure without like some crazy thing happening behind the scenes
that we didn't know that came to light. This like
Lincoln Riley was not only thought to be possibly the
next king of college football, but whenever he wanted, he
(05:43):
would go on to the National Football League, bring his
offense there and end up winning a Super Bowl or
having success at the pro football level. I think that
was the path that we all thought was there for
Lincoln Riley. Now that path does not seem like that,
and I think we look at Lincoln Riley in a
completely different light than we did when he took over
(06:06):
at Oklahoma for Bob Stoops. It's just been a crazy
one to eighty in how I think Lincoln Riley is
perceived by so many.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah, it's really interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
I remember being on air doing my College foot you know,
it's not a college football show, but my Saturday show
with Jason Martin during the year after Caleb Williams won
the Heisman Trophy. If you remember, they went seven to
five I think in the regular season, and that was
the big Well, Caleb Williams is going to be gone
next year? Does he try to leave for the NFL?
And I said, why would the NFL want him? Because
(06:36):
you know, and this is all in the moment, but
the offense completely fell apart in that second year. Couldn't
run the football, play calling wasn't good, defense was obviously atrocious,
and it was actually Caleb Williams who was largely carrying
them at various points in the season. And it just
it does feel like you know, and I think part
of it too, Dan, because there was a comment that
(06:56):
Lincoln Riley made after the game where he said, I
really believe a window here has opened. It's taken a
lot of effort by a lot of people, but I
believe the window is open. Now people are saying, dude,
you're going into year five, and so I bring it
up because it's everything that he did at Oklahoma.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
I would also.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Add him going eleven and one in year one at USC,
losing in the Pac twelve Championship game, then losing a
bowl game. I think going eleven and one probably didn't
help his cause either, because it just further elevated this
is the guy. He's unbelievable, He's this, he's that, and
it not only has not been that, but like you said,
(07:34):
it's just this weird thing of it just feels like
since about the middle of that first year at USC,
it's been one negative headline after another.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I would even say that for the way that he
left Oklahoma. Oh yeah, then now all of a sudden,
all of Norman, all of the state of Oklahoma that's
not still water. It couldn't stand Lincoln Riley for that move.
And so the goal golden boy, if you will, the
(08:02):
young offensive mind. The way that he left Oklahoma was
the first mark in that you talk about the success
that they had at USC up until their final two
games of that season, ending up in a great spot.
But then, okay, it takes a little bit of a turn.
Like we thought, honestly when Oklahoma, when he was leading Oklahoma,
(08:24):
that you would just go to Oklahoma as a quarterback
and you would win the Heisman Trophy. That's because it's
Baker Mayfield, it's Kyler Murray. That his offense was going
to allow you to do that. And the question was
again how long was he going to stay there? When
was he going to go to the NFL? And now
and to hear the comments of him in this war
of words, this is what really stood out to me
(08:47):
because it was brought up at the Alamobile again earlier
this week and he made comments about it and took
a shot at Notre Dame. And this story just for
whatever reason, is not dying. Yeah, and I don't know why,
but the telling factor to me, Aaron on why I
think the Lincoln Riley situation has just gone a complete
oneint eighty and for a person that who has thought
(09:08):
so highly and nothing major has happened to I just
can't believe that everybody has soured on him. Is that
it seems that everybody's signing with Notre Dame. And that
may be a general sort of comment, but Notre Dame
is the easy school to hate, right independent, They're by themselves,
and I feel that more of the groundswell of support
(09:30):
in this argument has not been for USC, but it's
been actually for Notre Dame, as both of these sides
have been exchanging their word. So that's the That's the
part to me where I'm saying, while people are actually
looking at Notre Dame and saying, yeah, Notre Dame's in
the writing, whoever wants to take the side of Notre
Dame right like, that's where we are. And I think
part of that is because of what has become with
(09:54):
Lincoln Riley's reputation.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Well, and I know it doesn't pertain to him being
the hottest NFL candidate, which is I know the theme
of the conversation at one point he was. But what
I will say is it does feel like remember when
remember when the move happened and Oklahoma fans are just
bashing him. Oh he's you know, he's soft. He's and
you know he's afraid of going to the SEC because
(10:17):
we knew that Oklahoma was going to the SEC at
that point. Everything they said has kind of become true, right,
is that his team's play soft. That team Oklahoma got
softer the longer that he was the head coach. He
as a person, I don't know him personally, but him
as a character in the college sport or the football
(10:38):
landscape is kind of soft. But I think it's a metaphor.
You know, it's easy to forget this. Now, when he
left for USC, we did not know that USC was
going to the Big Ten. And the reason he went
to USC was because he thought it was going to
be an easier pathway to the college football playoff. And
so I only bring that up because he goes to
(10:58):
the USC because he thinks it's an easier pathway. Then
they go to the Big Ten. Now he wants to
cancel Notre Dame. And to your point, I think this
is the crazy part. It's not only that Notre Dame
fans have are on Notre Dame side. It's not only
that the general public that just wants to see the
game keep going. You and I had this discussion last week.
We played the Petros Papadekas sound on The Dan Patrick
(11:21):
Show when Brady Quinn was filling in Petros a USC
as prominent a voice as there is in the media.
Keishawn Johnson, it's USC people that are not happy with
Lincoln Riley for the decision to cancel that game. And
I really felt like, and I forget if we talked
about it last week, but I really felt like that
(11:41):
was the line in the sand for Lincoln Riley at
USC specifically of we've let you come in and change
everything the way that we do everything. But Keishawn Johnson
said it in that big rant that he did that
went crazy viral. Is you gotta start winning now or
you're not gonna be here. I don't care about this.
That the other thing you look away Notre Dame. You're
(12:01):
afraid to play quality competition. You better make the college
football playoffs soon or you're not going to be here
very long.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Lendale White's another I can see this. Lendale Whites on
Twitter last night had the variety of tweets, most of
which I can't read on the air on how things
ended up playing out, but even Mattleiner responded another USC,
So you have USC on USC crime with all of this, I.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Will say this.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Sue Cravens, who played for USC and in the NFL
for a while, was going off last night too, in
a respectful way. Let me see here, he said, playoff
or bust. Done with the waiting, And then I saw
one that I wanted that I saw here. This is
what he said. He said, this was from fourteen hours ago,
So about you know, you know whatever, ten pm Pacific,
he said, Get more players in the building, coaching and
(12:51):
showing these guys what it really means to be a trojan.
Let practices be open again and allow every single media
camera on the sideline create that Pete Carroll and environment
of competition. Pressure makes diamonds. So basically every USC alum
that's in the media is calling themself.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I'll try to clean up this Lendale White tweet or
the tweets makes sense. A bleep team couldn't win a
Bleep Bowl. We lost a week bleep TCU, so that
means we're sorry as bleep. There's do you all ever
practice tackling ever? Or is it always about offense? That
was a clean one that I could read good. Yeah,
so a lot of a lot from Lendale White last
(13:31):
night in frustration, like a lot of the frustration that
Aaron talks about usc Alum's former players having about the
Lincoln Riley era. And the crazy thing is is I
always thought that Lincoln Riley was a and he maybe
I don't know him personally, but had this sort of
I guess personality early on, maybe at Oklahoma that I
(13:52):
thought was something that would warm up, and it just
does not. Has happened, hasn't happened at all. And then
then he gets on the defensive and that sounds even worse,
like there are some people who can maybe pass it off,
but he can't do it. The turnaround to me is
just it's surprising, like I look at someone like Russell
Wilson where nothing bad has ever happened to him, and
(14:15):
his play is kind of gone down south, can't play
at the level that he once did of someone that
we just looked completely different at. But that's on field
performance mostly driven his personality and what he tries to
portray I think does lead into maybe some of the
turn with it, but nothing like what we've seen with
(14:37):
where I thought Lincoln Riley was at the top of
the food chain of coaches and now at the bottom,
not well liked in a tough spot at USC. Very
very strange.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Okay, So I just thought of one in real time, okay,
and it didn't happen as quickly as Lincoln Riley. How
about Northwestern's new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly. This dude, Okay,
whatever we think of Chip Kelly, let's just go through
for even post Oregon, he goes to the Philadelphia Eagles
(15:09):
back to back ten win seasons a decade ago and
by the way, a year ago national championship with Ohio State.
Now he's the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. Like I just
I was thinking a little bit about that yesterday. Is
like imagine telling someone the peak Oregon years where they
(15:30):
were scoring sixty without even trying that. It was just like, oh, yeah,
in ten years, this guy will be the Northwestern head coach,
like it would have been inconceivable at that point. Again,
I know it's a longer period of time, but there
aren't to your point about Lincoln Rady, there aren't a
lot of good examples of we didn't even think he
was attainable at the college level to get him to
(15:50):
leave Oklahoma, but he'll be in the NFL at some point.
It's a matter of if not when. And now he's
basically saying year five is when our window is opening.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
At USC, Year.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
One in Philadelphia was amazing for chip Kelly. Then it
all went downhill. Then he ended up being Austin in Philadelphia,
was with the Niners for a year that was just
a completely forgettable year. And then to your point, there
was never a point where you got back up to
the to the high. I thought that last year with
Ohio State there was a bit of a building back
up because the UCLA tenure was a pretty much a failure.
(16:22):
And then now with the Raiders job, and to your
point now at Northwestern, Yeah, it's been an interesting cycle.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Chip Kelly is the Northwester like that just does not
sound like it should be the thing that it is.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
You know, no, not at all. I completely agree. Good nominee.
If you have any other nominees, let aeron know at
Aaron Underscore towards.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
His life is completely falling apart professionally.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Tune on in at Dan Byron Foxes where you can
find me. Sesame Street helped raise all of us. Now
it's our turn donate this holiday season at sesame dot
org because the world needs Sesame and Sesame needs you.
We're gonna talk with Fox Sports Radios Jeff Schwartz, part
of Countdown to Off, presented by Bett MGM, that you
hear every Sunday morning here on Fox Sports Radio. He's
(17:04):
familiar with the USC program played at Oregon, but southern
California native will get his thoughts on that, plus his
thoughts on the college football playoff quarterfinals. I get going
tonight with the Cotton Bowl featuring Miami against Ohio State.
He is aeron Torres. I'm Dan Byer. Isaac lowincronnez here,
as is Jason Stewart.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsportsradio dot
com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
A very happy New Year's Eve twenty twenty six. Just
around the corner. He's erin Torres. I'm Dan Byer. Jeff
Schwartz is around our corner. But first, Aaron, have you
heard about trainer games? Add this to your binge list.
Ten athletes go head to head for a chance to
win an I Fit trainer contract with two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars streaming on Prime Video starting January eighth.
(17:52):
He is the co host of Fox Sports Radio's Countdown
to Kickoff, presented by Bett MGM alongside Bill Krackenberger and
Brian no every Sunday morning. Make sure you tune in
Sunday at ten o'clock Eastern time. Is they take you
all the Way to kick Off on Fox Sports Radio
on the iHeartRadio app presented all by Bett mgm. Former
NFL i'man Jeff Schwartz joins the program. Happy New Year, Jeff,
(18:13):
how are you?
Speaker 6 (18:14):
I am making sweeping judgments about every conference and team
based off of exhibition Bowl games. That's what I'm doing.
All right, Great, We're gonna make sweeping judgments on anything,
and we're gonna we're gonna do the the the it
was it transversive property when you do, like the sixth
seed in the Big ten beat the three seed in
the Big twelve, and that seed beat beat Oregon, and
(18:35):
this seed beat that and therefore my team's winning.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
What about Dame. They didn't play anything.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
They're not playing they're not playing correct.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
It's a it's a great it's a great day. Then
to be in the Big Ten, except if you're USC
and Lincoln Riley. That's where Aaron and I started the show.
And just to if you if you didn't catch it, Jeff,
it's basically I can't remember and neither early can Aaron.
Such a turnaround of of I guess how we view
someone that we've seen a one eighty from Lincoln Riley,
(19:04):
who was once the hottest name maybe in alive coaching
with college football and maybe eyes on the NFL, to
now being I don't know, just such. It feels like
such a negative factor in college football. You won't shut
up about the Notre Dame rivalry. What are your thoughts
on Lincoln Riley and how things have gone during his
time not only with USC, but just through a wildest
(19:26):
coaching career.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Look, man, you just have to feel, really, I don't
know what the word is, impressed, right than a an underdog,
like a little chippy underdog who just is, like, you know,
just battling every week, and there after four years of
a rebuild, they've arrived on the scene, you.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Know, windows out.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
You just you just have to like love college football
because this doesn't happen in any other sport where an
underdog like USC can can pick themselves up by their
bootstraps and work as hard as possible and get themselves
in a situation or maybe they cover a road game
next season. So let's hope that us he can do that.
It won't be playing Notre Dame obviously at home next year.
(20:08):
I think I think everyone's just tired of it, Like
you're freaking USC man, Come on, come on your USC now.
I played in the era where you know, Pete Carroll
was dominant USC. And as much as the talk is
about Reggie Bush, who's the best colleture I've ever seen,
and Matt Lionard and and Lendell White and and uh
and the wide receivers they had, they won in their
(20:30):
trenches right. All five offensive lineman got drafted nearly every
year when I played them, Their backup defensive lineman got drafted,
right Like they had a backup linebacker, their fourth linebacker
who didn't start for them and was a fourth round
draft pick. Like that's what USC was. USC's not that anymore.
They get pushed around, and that's the problem. They get
pushed around. When they stopped getting pushed around, they'll start
(20:53):
winning more football. We know that he can coach quarterbacks.
We know he can coach wide receivers, We know all
those things. The problem is that get pushed around. That's
the problem. They get pushed around. And when they stop
getting pushed around, then they'll start winning bigger football games.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
So let me ask you this, Jeff, on that topic.
So I'll be honest. So I think two things can
be true. I think most people kind of understand the
basics of why USC decided to either opt out or
they could whatever the verbiage is with the Notre Dame thing.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
I've actually been.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
Surprised how vocal USC people are, Like Keishawn Johnson, Petros
Papadek is basically saying, we don't care what era it is.
We don't care how many trips you have to make
across country to play as part of the Big Ten.
This is a rivalry that we want and we care about.
Have you been surprised how actually vocal the USC contingent
has been on the decision to end that rivalry.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
I don't think so, because you know, those guys grew
up with that rivalry and it meant some into them.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
And.
Speaker 6 (21:59):
They grow up in an era where you know, that
game felt like I would imagine like the fact that
like national Championship, right, like like we beat Notre Dame,
were as good as we think we are, and I
think that those guys are going to miss out on that.
And it was good. It was always a good way
to test yourself to play Notre Dame. Look, let's be real,
if USC was being Notre Dame, they keep the rivalry
(22:19):
going kind of that simple, right, But but they're not.
They're not being Notre Dame. And that's why the rivalry's gone.
And you can make all the excuses you want. You
want to play wig zero, which just makes no sense
to anyone. No one wants to play the game wing zero.
You know, they want to play the game early in
the season because USC is topically better early in the season.
Like that's when they play they beat LS you were
in the season like that, they're better early in the season.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
I don't know why.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
I just can continue the way it is. You go
when you play there, you play there in October, you
play in Southern California, you play November. I just continue on. Yeah,
scheduling is hard, man, Like that's one thing that that
Pete Carrolsey back to that era that USC fans talk
about NonStop. They scheduled hard man, They went back east
all the time. They played in Arkansas when Arkansas was good,
they played Virginia Tech in DC. I believe like they
(23:02):
always scheduled tough. They never shot away from anything. It
just feels like those players that played, and some of
those guys were earlier than that us. He never shot
away from those things. I feel like they feel like,
you know, being a big dog program as they are,
you shouldn't shine away from those type of games. And
it very much feels like they're shying away from those games. Now.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
They had a home and home with Ohio State when
they now they're conference foes. But in eight No. Nine, yeah,
like it was, that's when they actually played schools. He's
aeron Torres. I'm Dan Byer. Jeff Schwortz joining us here
on Fox Sports Radio. I know we were laughing at
the bull records, but the SEC just lost again with Vanderbilt.
Could this be a sign to come when it comes
to the college football playoffs starting this over these next
(23:45):
couple of days. Jeff, Well, I hope so, yeah, right, everyone, Yeah,
I hope so.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
I I didn't look the bowl game thing man like
Iowa was the worst team to play in the bowl game,
Our Army, Navy. Like these teams, they have no opt outs.
All they do is run the football, right, That's just
what they do, and they live for these moments, right,
Like I like, I was never gonna think down about
playing the Relia Quest Bowl, right And I'm not saying
that Vanderbilt can, you know, think down about the game.
(24:12):
But you know, you know, Diego pave Is coming back
from Ohio week of Heisman ceremonies and Vannerbelt wanted to
be a playoff team and all these things, and now
you have to play. Now, go play like the super
fiscal IOWA team. Like, it's just a it's a tough spot.
We don't I think we we we talk about situation
a lot in bowlgames. We actually don't take it that seriously.
Like I think people sort of dismiss it. Oh lol,
(24:34):
that team doesn't really want to be there. But I've
been on a team that didn't want to be the
but we lost thirty eight to six in a bowl game.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
We did not want to be there.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
I know that feeling, And that's natural if you don't
if you're not in the bowl game, you think you
should be in, or you lose a conference championship game,
or you know you're supposed to be a playoff team
and you're not. So I just don't know how we
judge it right, because then these rosters leave and they
move on. And so, look, the Big Ten is good.
They're good. They've been good all season.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
If you play.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
Iowa Van Dy in Week seven, you'll probably get a
different result, right, Like, it's a different type of game.
So it's great for the Big Ten. I think he
does continue tomorrow. I think sorry with tonight. I think
I think Ohio State Win's a close game. I think
it's close, and I think with your Miami a little
bit of credit, they're not as bad as people want
them to be. I think Oregon wentz tomorrow, and I
do think that Indiana, I think they handle business pretty well.
(25:21):
Out to Alabama. It's a bad matchup for Obama.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
You know you just brought up a point that I
brought up to Dan earlier today. Is you know, I
know we've said it's playoff or bust, and you know,
in this era, I think it really struck me today,
and I'm curious for your perspective. If you are at
Ohio State those types of programs. Can you actually have
a successful season if you don't make the playoff in
(25:44):
this era?
Speaker 4 (25:45):
And I'll give you an example.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Right, So, like Texas is playing right now, I don't
think they would say their season is a failure. I
don't think they would say their season is a success either.
Is there a world where, again, if you're in Ohio State,
if you're a Michigan under normal circumstances, that you can
even have it, Notre Dame opting out of the Pop
Darts Bowl. Is there is there a world for programs
like that in this era where you can deem it
(26:07):
a successful season if you are not one of those,
at least for now twelve teams in the playoff.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
I think that's only true for about seven or eight teams. Right,
So you're looking at the Georgia's, the Alabama's, the Texas right,
the Oregon, Ohio st. I think Penn State isn't that
at least they were which James Franklin, they were obviously
a favorite to being the postseasons here in Miami. Maybe Clemson,
you know, Texas Tech, the way they're spending and want
(26:33):
to win, Maybe they're in that group now, But otherwise
that's about it, right Like otherwise, you in a given year,
if you make the playoff, that's really great, but you
really shouldn't shouldn't strive for that to be the only
way you measure success. I do think though, that the
teams I mentioned Indiana, by the way, it might be
that in the in that group. Now, I think we
have to look at the regular season a little bit
(26:54):
differently for those teams, and I view it now more
of an NFL type mindset, where where the regular season
is all about prepping for the playoffs. Like if you
are a certain number of NFL teams, yes, you want
to win every game, but you want to make sure
you're playing your best football in December to get ready
to play in the playoffs. Right, you'd like to knock
go on the playoffs losing you know, seven games in
(27:15):
a row, four or five games in a row seven
obviously a lot, but you know three games with the
Rams right now, probably don't want to go into it.
They're gonna rest everyone this weekend. Most likely. You don't
want to go in the postseason losing your last two
games your starters played, right, Like, that's not a good
feeling to head in the postseason, and I think college
football teams now the ones I mentioned, their goal is
just getting the finish line healthy and get ready to
(27:36):
play your playoffs. Like, for example, my Ducks, I'll talk
about them. I think when they lost January first last year,
their entire purpose this year was to get back to
tomorrow and play in a different type of game than
they played last January first. So all they did all
season was to prepare for this this weekend. Hopefully more so,
you know, they win a game by three or by six,
(27:58):
or or you know they pull the starters in the
Corgan's JMU, it's all, it's it's it's all to get
to this point to play tomorrow's game. Same with I
think Ohio State feels the same way. Indiana to some
extent I imagine, feels the same way. Georgia feels the
same way. And so I think it's we have to
maybe view those teams sort of in the NFL esque lens,
where the first six, seven, eight weeks like just win
(28:20):
like win, and then just sort of peak right now.
I think Georgia Green example, like their defense was not
very good early to their standards. It's really good now
right like right now is when you want to be
playing your best football. I think Oregon last year learned
that the hard way. They probably weren't beating Ohio State
with their best game anyways, but they just weren't as
ready to play on January first, and they peaked way
too early in.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
The season last one for me, Jeff Schwartz joining us,
how to think that Oregon got the raw end of
the deal. They have Ohio State in their bracket, and Rea.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
We don't have to beat him anyways, at some point
you would have to beat him. I get it, you
would have beat him anyways. I think it would have
been different if you played him. Secondly, but I don't
think we beat I think they were too good last year.
They were they were a fantastic team.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Maybe or maybe Ohio State loses on the other side
of the bracket and you never have have to You
never have to face that's, you know. And the reason
I actually brought it up is because I'm curious about
ole Miss because now if this is a rematch game,
ole Miss hung with Georgia for the most part in
their game in Athens earlier this season. But if it
(29:17):
falls apart, I think we're all gonna say it's because
of Lane Kiffin, And I'm wondering how much is it
to allow Kirby Smart and Georgia a second chance at
Old Miss? How do you see that game playing out
tomorrow night.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
So I do wish the committee try to avoid rematches,
because you know, the Dupla Committee does that, like they
they purposely try to schedule teams so they don't have
rematches early in the You can't you can't stop it
in what happens to you know, in the final four, right,
but you can avoid rematches in the round of sixty four,
in the round of thirty two. It does feel like
(29:49):
you could have set up a situation where Old Miss
and Georgia don't play again. But it is, it is
what it is. I think Georgia is gonna smoke them,
and I don't think I was going to do with
Lane Kiffin. I think they're just better than All Miss.
And you know, this earlier game, Old Miss scored thirty
five point I think it wasn't the first three cores,
and Georgia just shut them down in the second half.
And they did that to a lot of teams this season.
They did Tennessee. They did to Old Miss. They did
it to Bama in the first Bama game. I think
(30:12):
Georgia is just much better. And again to my point
about preparing for this time of year, Old Miss is
happy to be here, right, Georgia wants to win a championship.
I mean, those are the kind of different mindsets, right,
And that matter is in my opinion when it comes
to how the game's gonna go tomorrow. And look, is
it ideal that half a Lay's staff is in the
(30:33):
Old Miss building right now? Probably not. That's something that
Old Miss has to deal with. But I think they
lose tomorrow, and nothing to do with with Lane. I
think they lose with Lane. I think lose lose without Lane.
So I'm curious obviously to see how that goes. But
I think Georgia and Indiana are my favorite. Just like
put them together in a parlay, it pays minus one
twenty and just those teams are gonna win.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
There it is, and start twenty twenty six off on
a winning note. If you listen to Jeff Schwartz. Of course,
you can listen to them every Sunday morning, along Zide,
Brian No and Bill Krockenberger on Countdown to Kickoff, presented
by Bett MGM each Sunday morning at ten o'clock Eastern Time,
seven Pacific. As they take you all the way to Kickoff, Jeff,
we appreciate the time. Happy New Year. Talk to you
in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
Take care, guys. How good new year.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Fox Sports Radio had the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
He's aeron Torres, I'm Dan Byer. It's Fox Sports Radio.
The Road to Milan runs through Saint Louis, cee Ilia
Mallin and Alyssa. Lewin, Amberg Glenn compete at the twenty
twenty six priviagen US Figure Skating Championships January seventh through
the eleventh. Be there as the twenty twenty six US
Olympic Figure Skating team is named. Live tickets at usfigure
Skating dot Org. New Year's Eve tomorrow, my wife got
(31:46):
a text from her cousin in Sydney, Australia, already saying
Happy New Year, rubbing it in that they're already in
twenty twenty six. We got a little left to go.
Here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
What's twenty twenty six like flying car?
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Apparently it's amazing. Yeah, it's it's really it. It's this
thing that it's the stuff that dreams are made of. Otho.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I think that's like the sixth straight New Year's Eve
that I've made that joke on Fox Sports ratio.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Make it seven, Let's do it again next year. A
year from now, I'll.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Be wondering what twenty twenty seven is like flying cars,
and who knows what else.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
We're not sure next season if the Golden State Warriors
will be playing on Christmas Day. But if they do,
we know Draymond Green, if he's a member of the Warriors,
then we'll not be happy about it. Because this is
what Draymond Green had to say about playing on Christmas
speaking on The Draymond Green Show podcast.
Speaker 7 (32:32):
Yes, it is an honor to be considered one of
the draws, the great draws that is in the NBA.
To play on a day where everybody's watching, it's incredible.
All of those things are great, but two things can
be true at once. Planning on Christmas Day also sucks.
And the reason it sucks is number one. What I
just said, it can affect your mood. Number two, We
(32:53):
are human beings and just like everyone else enjoy Christmas
Day with their families. That kind of get it's messed
up for us.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Any empathy sympathy for Draymond Green in saying, yes, it's
an honor, Yes it's it's a great tradition, but it
sucks to play on Christmas.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
No, I think that, you know, it's the classic athlete
of I hate to be like that guy, but you know,
you get paid a lot of money. And by the way,
anything to do with sports, how many Christmas Days have
you worked, Dan Byer, because I know I was in
Christmas Day.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
I didn't take off. Yes, but you've worked Christmas Day,
you know.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
And I think it's it's a sports thing. Actually very randomly,
but Will Muschamp, who is actually now the Texas defensive coordinator,
but he was in a non coaching role this year
for Georgia, and I remember him tweeting out first Thanksgiving
with the family in thirty two years or something like that.
Speaker 4 (33:54):
It's just what you do. You know.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
There's the old saying to whom much is given, much
as expected. And by the way, I think there's actually
a lot of NBA players that would love the privilege
of playing on Christmas Day, and two, I just think
it's a privilege and it's part of it. And oh,
by the way, they're usually playing at nighttime and you
got all day to spend.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
With the family. Jason Stewart is our executive producer. Jason,
there's a massive disconnect here. I thought the same one.
Lebron said something similar last week. It's like the disconnect
is exactly what Aaron said. I mean to think about
what the size of these people's paychecks. Yes, you guys
talked about hosting on Christmas. How about the people that
are getting paid twenty twenty five dollars an hour to
(34:35):
work on Christmas all around the country. I just think
there's such a disconnect here. But you can only say
this on your way out the door, right, I don't think.
I don't think a first or second your NBA player
could get away with this. Raymond Green will get away
with it. But it's just it's kind of like a
just a blatant disconnect. This reminded this is This may
(34:55):
sound really stupid, but it reminded me. When I was
in college, I worked at camps in the mall, and
people wanted like a couple of days after Christmas off
because it was they were in high school or like no,
like in fact, like our hours are we're open until
like ten instead of like eight o'clock, we're open earlier.
(35:17):
It's Black Friday. This is when people like when shopping.
Speaker 7 (35:19):
It.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
It comes with the territory. Now, ten teams play on
Christmas Day, so that means twenty teams don't. But also
if you're not playing on Christmas Day, it probably means
that you're not really good exactly, and so there's that
aspect of it. Listen, the Lakers always play. So if
you're signing with the Lakers, just know that you're not
going to be home for Christmas for the next however
(35:40):
long your contract is, and honestly with your if your
Draymond for the rise that the Warriors had, Yeah, it
does stink, but that's a part of the deal. And
I just don't think that anybody feels bad. It would
be great to be home, be great to be home
New Year's Eve, new Year's Day, whatever the case is.
But nobody feels bad when it's a part of the
part of the gig.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
I'll also say if you're playing five o'clock. You got
all morning. No different than us hosting radio at noon
seven pm Eastern one. Right, Lions fans, Chris, I'll go
home and they celebrate Thanksgiving at night. They go to
the game in the morning.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Right.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
We did our Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday when I was
home this year. Yeah, so people were correct, Thanksgiving wasn't canceled.
Is the point that it is correct? He's erin Torres.
I'm Dan Byer adjacent Stewart, Chris Burfet, Isaac Low, and
Kron Here the most controversial calls in sports.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
Next
Fox Sports Radio had the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at foxsports Radio
dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
He Happy New Year's Eve. You made it through twenty
twenty five. Congratulations. How much longer does Lincoln Riley have
That's a whole other question. Aaron Torres disaster at the
Alamobile and it just gets bad to worse for the
Trojans head coach.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
Interesting month for him, to say the least, with the
Notre Dame stuff, which you know you and I were
filling in in this time slot last week, well right
around this time, and yeah, the Notre Dame stuff certainly
rubbed a lot of people in that community the wrong way.
And fast forward and now it's not much better. After
the the Alamo bo loss on Tuesday night.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
We're gonna get a chance to hear how things ended
last night for the USC Trojans in dramatic fashion in
San Antonio. And it's only fitting because it is New
Year's Eve. We got the Reliant Relyia Quest Bowl going on,
once known as the Outback Bowl. We've got the the
(01:09):
Cheese Its Bowl going on with Texas and Michigan about
to play.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
I believe it's the cheese at Citrus Bowl, which feels
a little counterintuitive to me, but hey, I who am
I to talk about food groups?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Citrus Bowl is always a staple in Orlando, and then
it's not the granddaddy of them all, but it's one
of my personal favorites. We've got Sun Ball action, Arizona
State Duke from El Paso. It's what we've got on
this New Year's Eve. I love it. I told Aaron
(01:43):
before the show why I love the Sun Bowl so much.
It's a stadium that we don't get the Sea a
lot because we don't get to see UTEP, right, we
don't see UTEP football that often the Relia Quest Bowls
where the Buccaneers play in Tampa, So when the Buccaneers
are playing, we're seeing that every other week in the
National Football League. This stadium sells out. It's on CBS,
(02:05):
it's not on ESPN's variety of options of bowl game
channels to watch, and it's the top crew because it's
the only CBS Bowl game they have. So sign me
up for some Arizona State Duke on New Year's Eve
in the Sun Bowl because the Sun Bowl is where
it's at on December thirty.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
First, I will tell you really quick.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
I know that there is a lot of dirt being
thrown on Bowl Season's grave, and I get it. And
I know we're gonna talk about the Alamo Bowl in
a second. But the Sumbowl, I agree. I think it's
a really cool setting that we don't get see very often.
I'll also say this despite the result, because you're a
man that spends some time in San Antonio.
Speaker 4 (02:44):
Santoni is a really fun like I was watching.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I was looking at yesterday the river walk and this
and that, no disrespect. I don't know if I would
want to live in San Antonio, but to go travel
there once every couple of years, it's always a fun trip.
So I was watching that Alamo Bowl with nostalgia because
of course, so I was there for the Final four
back in April of this year.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
So you should go there when there is in a
final four.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
Yeah, I bet.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I bet you should go there in June during an
NBA finals for nine days. Yeah, for a while. I've
been there. I've been there. It's different than the Final four,
trust me, it's different. San Antonio, El Paso, Milan. Speaking
of Milan, the roads of Milan runs through Saint Louis
see Iliam Allen and Alyssa lu and Ambergen Glenn compete
at the twenty twenty six prevage in US Figure Skating
(03:28):
Championships January seventh through the eleventh b there as the
twenty twenty sixth US Olympic Figure Skating team is named
live tickets at US figure Skating dot org. So if
you missed it last night, maybe you were in bed
getting ready for tonight's New Year's Eve festivities, hoping to
get that rest so you can stay up late. This
is how the Alamo Bowl ended last night. In overtime
(03:48):
between USC and TCU.
Speaker 4 (03:51):
Sailes dumps.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
It left pain clicks one tackle at two at times forward.
Speaker 5 (03:58):
Silist texid to the to the five.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Is it yet, pads, Let's.
Speaker 5 (04:03):
See Sis touchdown. Ken seals the deal here tonight and
the horn Frogs have filed the MAgric against USC one
four time.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Okay, now, it was a game that probably shouldn't have
come down to that play, but it did. TCU ends
up descending a kicking overtime. At the end of regulation
forces overtime, USC kicks a field goal. TCU facing a
third and long and on a screen pass. That's how
it ends up breaking down. Now, what the thing I
love about it is it's very representative of what we
(04:42):
are now thinking about USC and what we are thinking
of Lincoln Riley. Here's a school that has a lead
in a game in overtime and the opponent is in
a really, really tough spot. You miss a few tackles,
you don't do your assignment, and the next thing, you know,
a third and long as a touchdown reception in TCU
(05:03):
ends up winning the ballgame. And it seems like it
was a perfect metaphor Aaron Torres for how things have
gone for Lincoln Riley. I can't remember someone's name who
was so hot that was the can't miss coach that
had everything there for them. Have a reputation now that
(05:23):
has been spoiled so much without a big grand scandal,
sure without like some crazy thing happening behind the scenes
that we didn't know that came to light. This like
Lincoln Riley was not only thought to be possibly the
next king of college football, but whenever he wanted, he
(05:43):
would go on to the National Football League, bring his
offense there and end up winning a Super Bowl or
having success at the pro football level. I think that
was the path that we all thought was there for
Lincoln Riley. Now that path does not seem like that,
and I think we look at Lincoln Riley in a
completely different light than we did when he took over
(06:06):
at Oklahoma for Bob Stoops. It's just been a crazy
one to eighty in how I think Lincoln Riley is
perceived by so many.
Speaker 4 (06:13):
Yeah, it's really interesting.
Speaker 3 (06:14):
I remember being on air doing my College foot you know,
it's not a college football show, but my Saturday show
with Jason Martin during the year after Caleb Williams won
the Heisman Trophy. If you remember, they went seven to
five I think in the regular season, and that was
the big Well, Caleb Williams is going to be gone
next year? Does he try to leave for the NFL?
And I said, why would the NFL want him? Because
(06:36):
you know, and this is all in the moment, but
the offense completely fell apart in that second year. Couldn't
run the football, play calling wasn't good, defense was obviously atrocious,
and it was actually Caleb Williams who was largely carrying
them at various points in the season. And it just
it does feel like you know, and I think part
of it too, Dan, because there was a comment that
(06:56):
Lincoln Riley made after the game where he said, I
really believe a window here has opened. It's taken a
lot of effort by a lot of people, but I
believe the window is open. Now people are saying, dude,
you're going into year five, and so I bring it
up because it's everything that he did at Oklahoma.
Speaker 4 (07:11):
I would also.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
Add him going eleven and one in year one at USC,
losing in the Pac twelve Championship game, then losing a
bowl game. I think going eleven and one probably didn't
help his cause either, because it just further elevated this
is the guy. He's unbelievable, He's this, he's that, and
it not only has not been that, but like you said,
(07:34):
it's just this weird thing of it just feels like
since about the middle of that first year at USC,
it's been one negative headline after another.
Speaker 2 (07:42):
I would even say that for the way that he
left Oklahoma. Oh yeah, then now all of a sudden,
all of Norman, all of the state of Oklahoma that's
not still water. It couldn't stand Lincoln Riley for that move.
And so the goal golden boy, if you will, the
(08:02):
young offensive mind. The way that he left Oklahoma was
the first mark in that you talk about the success
that they had at USC up until their final two
games of that season, ending up in a great spot.
But then, okay, it takes a little bit of a turn.
Like we thought, honestly when Oklahoma, when he was leading Oklahoma,
(08:24):
that you would just go to Oklahoma as a quarterback
and you would win the Heisman Trophy. That's because it's
Baker Mayfield, it's Kyler Murray. That his offense was going
to allow you to do that. And the question was
again how long was he going to stay there? When
was he going to go to the NFL? And now
and to hear the comments of him in this war
of words, this is what really stood out to me
(08:47):
because it was brought up at the Alamobile again earlier
this week and he made comments about it and took
a shot at Notre Dame. And this story just for
whatever reason, is not dying. Yeah, and I don't know why,
but the telling factor to me, Aaron on why I
think the Lincoln Riley situation has just gone a complete
oneint eighty and for a person that who has thought
(09:08):
so highly and nothing major has happened to I just
can't believe that everybody has soured on him. Is that
it seems that everybody's signing with Notre Dame. And that
may be a general sort of comment, but Notre Dame
is the easy school to hate, right independent, They're by themselves,
and I feel that more of the groundswell of support
(09:30):
in this argument has not been for USC, but it's
been actually for Notre Dame, as both of these sides
have been exchanging their word. So that's the That's the
part to me where I'm saying, while people are actually
looking at Notre Dame and saying, yeah, Notre Dame's in
the writing, whoever wants to take the side of Notre
Dame right like, that's where we are. And I think
part of that is because of what has become with
(09:54):
Lincoln Riley's reputation.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Well, and I know it doesn't pertain to him being
the hottest NFL candidate, which is I know the theme
of the conversation at one point he was. But what
I will say is it does feel like remember when
remember when the move happened and Oklahoma fans are just
bashing him. Oh he's you know, he's soft. He's and
you know he's afraid of going to the SEC because
(10:17):
we knew that Oklahoma was going to the SEC at
that point. Everything they said has kind of become true, right,
is that his team's play soft. That team Oklahoma got
softer the longer that he was the head coach. He
as a person, I don't know him personally, but him
as a character in the college sport or the football
(10:38):
landscape is kind of soft. But I think it's a metaphor.
You know, it's easy to forget this. Now, when he
left for USC, we did not know that USC was
going to the Big Ten. And the reason he went
to USC was because he thought it was going to
be an easier pathway to the college football playoff. And
so I only bring that up because he goes to
(10:58):
the USC because he thinks it's an easier pathway. Then
they go to the Big Ten. Now he wants to
cancel Notre Dame. And to your point, I think this
is the crazy part. It's not only that Notre Dame
fans have are on Notre Dame side. It's not only
that the general public that just wants to see the
game keep going. You and I had this discussion last week.
We played the Petros Papadekas sound on The Dan Patrick
(11:21):
Show when Brady Quinn was filling in Petros a USC
as prominent a voice as there is in the media.
Keishawn Johnson, it's USC people that are not happy with
Lincoln Riley for the decision to cancel that game. And
I really felt like, and I forget if we talked
about it last week, but I really felt like that
(11:41):
was the line in the sand for Lincoln Riley at
USC specifically of we've let you come in and change
everything the way that we do everything. But Keishawn Johnson
said it in that big rant that he did that
went crazy viral. Is you gotta start winning now or
you're not gonna be here. I don't care about this.
That the other thing you look away Notre Dame. You're
(12:01):
afraid to play quality competition. You better make the college
football playoffs soon or you're not going to be here
very long.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
Lendale White's another I can see this. Lendale Whites on
Twitter last night had the variety of tweets, most of
which I can't read on the air on how things
ended up playing out, but even Mattleiner responded another USC,
So you have USC on USC crime with all of this, I.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
Will say this.
Speaker 3 (12:29):
Sue Cravens, who played for USC and in the NFL
for a while, was going off last night too, in
a respectful way. Let me see here, he said, playoff
or bust. Done with the waiting, And then I saw
one that I wanted that I saw here. This is
what he said. He said, this was from fourteen hours ago,
So about you know, you know whatever, ten pm Pacific,
he said, Get more players in the building, coaching and
(12:51):
showing these guys what it really means to be a trojan.
Let practices be open again and allow every single media
camera on the sideline create that Pete Carroll and environment
of competition. Pressure makes diamonds. So basically every USC alum
that's in the media is calling themself.
Speaker 2 (13:09):
I'll try to clean up this Lendale White tweet or
the tweets makes sense. A bleep team couldn't win a
Bleep Bowl. We lost a week bleep TCU, so that
means we're sorry as bleep. There's do you all ever
practice tackling ever? Or is it always about offense? That
was a clean one that I could read good. Yeah,
so a lot of a lot from Lendale White last
(13:31):
night in frustration, like a lot of the frustration that
Aaron talks about usc Alum's former players having about the
Lincoln Riley era. And the crazy thing is is I
always thought that Lincoln Riley was a and he maybe
I don't know him personally, but had this sort of
I guess personality early on, maybe at Oklahoma that I
(13:52):
thought was something that would warm up, and it just
does not. Has happened, hasn't happened at all. And then
then he gets on the defensive and that sounds even worse,
like there are some people who can maybe pass it off,
but he can't do it. The turnaround to me is
just it's surprising, like I look at someone like Russell
Wilson where nothing bad has ever happened to him, and
(14:15):
his play is kind of gone down south, can't play
at the level that he once did of someone that
we just looked completely different at. But that's on field
performance mostly driven his personality and what he tries to
portray I think does lead into maybe some of the
turn with it, but nothing like what we've seen with
(14:37):
where I thought Lincoln Riley was at the top of
the food chain of coaches and now at the bottom,
not well liked in a tough spot at USC. Very
very strange.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Okay, So I just thought of one in real time, okay,
and it didn't happen as quickly as Lincoln Riley. How
about Northwestern's new offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly. This dude, Okay,
whatever we think of Chip Kelly, let's just go through
for even post Oregon, he goes to the Philadelphia Eagles
(15:09):
back to back ten win seasons a decade ago and
by the way, a year ago national championship with Ohio State.
Now he's the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. Like I just
I was thinking a little bit about that yesterday. Is
like imagine telling someone the peak Oregon years where they
(15:30):
were scoring sixty without even trying that. It was just like, oh, yeah,
in ten years, this guy will be the Northwestern head coach,
like it would have been inconceivable at that point. Again,
I know it's a longer period of time, but there
aren't to your point about Lincoln Rady, there aren't a
lot of good examples of we didn't even think he
was attainable at the college level to get him to
(15:50):
leave Oklahoma, but he'll be in the NFL at some point.
It's a matter of if not when. And now he's
basically saying year five is when our window is opening.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
At USC, Year.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
One in Philadelphia was amazing for chip Kelly. Then it
all went downhill. Then he ended up being Austin in Philadelphia,
was with the Niners for a year that was just
a completely forgettable year. And then to your point, there
was never a point where you got back up to
the to the high. I thought that last year with
Ohio State there was a bit of a building back
up because the UCLA tenure was a pretty much a failure.
(16:22):
And then now with the Raiders job, and to your
point now at Northwestern, Yeah, it's been an interesting cycle.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
Chip Kelly is the Northwester like that just does not
sound like it should be the thing that it is.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
You know, no, not at all. I completely agree. Good nominee.
If you have any other nominees, let aeron know at
Aaron Underscore towards.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
His life is completely falling apart professionally.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
Tune on in at Dan Byron Foxes where you can
find me. Sesame Street helped raise all of us. Now
it's our turn donate this holiday season at sesame dot
org because the world needs Sesame and Sesame needs you.
We're gonna talk with Fox Sports Radios Jeff Schwartz, part
of Countdown to Off, presented by Bett MGM, that you
hear every Sunday morning here on Fox Sports Radio. He's
(17:04):
familiar with the USC program played at Oregon, but southern
California native will get his thoughts on that, plus his
thoughts on the college football playoff quarterfinals. I get going
tonight with the Cotton Bowl featuring Miami against Ohio State.
He is aeron Torres. I'm Dan Byer. Isaac lowincronnez here,
as is Jason Stewart.
Speaker 1 (17:20):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Foxsportsradio dot
com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (17:31):
A very happy New Year's Eve twenty twenty six. Just
around the corner. He's erin Torres. I'm Dan Byer. Jeff
Schwartz is around our corner. But first, Aaron, have you
heard about trainer games? Add this to your binge list.
Ten athletes go head to head for a chance to
win an I Fit trainer contract with two hundred and
fifty thousand dollars streaming on Prime Video starting January eighth.
(17:52):
He is the co host of Fox Sports Radio's Countdown
to Kickoff, presented by Bett MGM alongside Bill Krackenberger and
Brian no every Sunday morning. Make sure you tune in
Sunday at ten o'clock Eastern time. Is they take you
all the Way to kick Off on Fox Sports Radio
on the iHeartRadio app presented all by Bett mgm. Former
NFL i'man Jeff Schwartz joins the program. Happy New Year, Jeff,
(18:13):
how are you?
Speaker 6 (18:14):
I am making sweeping judgments about every conference and team
based off of exhibition Bowl games. That's what I'm doing.
All right, Great, We're gonna make sweeping judgments on anything,
and we're gonna we're gonna do the the the it
was it transversive property when you do, like the sixth
seed in the Big ten beat the three seed in
the Big twelve, and that seed beat beat Oregon, and
(18:35):
this seed beat that and therefore my team's winning.
Speaker 4 (18:37):
What about Dame. They didn't play anything.
Speaker 6 (18:40):
They're not playing they're not playing correct.
Speaker 2 (18:43):
It's a it's a great it's a great day. Then
to be in the Big Ten, except if you're USC
and Lincoln Riley. That's where Aaron and I started the show.
And just to if you if you didn't catch it, Jeff,
it's basically I can't remember and neither early can Aaron.
Such a turnaround of of I guess how we view
someone that we've seen a one eighty from Lincoln Riley,
(19:04):
who was once the hottest name maybe in alive coaching
with college football and maybe eyes on the NFL, to
now being I don't know, just such. It feels like
such a negative factor in college football. You won't shut
up about the Notre Dame rivalry. What are your thoughts
on Lincoln Riley and how things have gone during his
time not only with USC, but just through a wildest
(19:26):
coaching career.
Speaker 6 (19:27):
Look, man, you just have to feel, really, I don't
know what the word is, impressed, right than a an underdog,
like a little chippy underdog who just is, like, you know,
just battling every week, and there after four years of
a rebuild, they've arrived on the scene, you.
Speaker 4 (19:45):
Know, windows out.
Speaker 6 (19:46):
You just you just have to like love college football
because this doesn't happen in any other sport where an
underdog like USC can can pick themselves up by their
bootstraps and work as hard as possible and get themselves
in a situation or maybe they cover a road game
next season. So let's hope that us he can do that.
It won't be playing Notre Dame obviously at home next year.
(20:08):
I think I think everyone's just tired of it, Like
you're freaking USC man, Come on, come on your USC now.
I played in the era where you know, Pete Carroll
was dominant USC. And as much as the talk is
about Reggie Bush, who's the best colleture I've ever seen,
and Matt Lionard and and Lendell White and and uh
and the wide receivers they had, they won in their
(20:30):
trenches right. All five offensive lineman got drafted nearly every
year when I played them, Their backup defensive lineman got drafted,
right Like they had a backup linebacker, their fourth linebacker
who didn't start for them and was a fourth round
draft pick. Like that's what USC was. USC's not that anymore.
They get pushed around, and that's the problem. They get
pushed around. When they stopped getting pushed around, they'll start
(20:53):
winning more football. We know that he can coach quarterbacks.
We know he can coach wide receivers, We know all
those things. The problem is that get pushed around. That's
the problem. They get pushed around. And when they stop
getting pushed around, then they'll start winning bigger football games.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
So let me ask you this, Jeff, on that topic.
So I'll be honest. So I think two things can
be true. I think most people kind of understand the
basics of why USC decided to either opt out or
they could whatever the verbiage is with the Notre Dame thing.
Speaker 4 (21:24):
I've actually been.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
Surprised how vocal USC people are, Like Keishawn Johnson, Petros
Papadek is basically saying, we don't care what era it is.
We don't care how many trips you have to make
across country to play as part of the Big Ten.
This is a rivalry that we want and we care about.
Have you been surprised how actually vocal the USC contingent
has been on the decision to end that rivalry.
Speaker 6 (21:48):
I don't think so, because you know, those guys grew
up with that rivalry and it meant some into them.
Speaker 7 (21:57):
And.
Speaker 6 (21:59):
They grow up in an era where you know, that
game felt like I would imagine like the fact that
like national Championship, right, like like we beat Notre Dame,
were as good as we think we are, and I
think that those guys are going to miss out on that.
And it was good. It was always a good way
to test yourself to play Notre Dame. Look, let's be real,
if USC was being Notre Dame, they keep the rivalry
(22:19):
going kind of that simple, right, But but they're not.
They're not being Notre Dame. And that's why the rivalry's gone.
And you can make all the excuses you want. You
want to play wig zero, which just makes no sense
to anyone. No one wants to play the game wing zero.
You know, they want to play the game early in
the season because USC is topically better early in the season.
Like that's when they play they beat LS you were
in the season like that, they're better early in the season.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
I don't know why.
Speaker 6 (22:40):
I just can continue the way it is. You go
when you play there, you play there in October, you
play in Southern California, you play November. I just continue on. Yeah,
scheduling is hard, man, Like that's one thing that that
Pete Carrolsey back to that era that USC fans talk
about NonStop. They scheduled hard man, They went back east
all the time. They played in Arkansas when Arkansas was good,
they played Virginia Tech in DC. I believe like they
(23:02):
always scheduled tough. They never shot away from anything. It
just feels like those players that played, and some of
those guys were earlier than that us. He never shot
away from those things. I feel like they feel like,
you know, being a big dog program as they are,
you shouldn't shine away from those type of games. And
it very much feels like they're shying away from those games. Now.
Speaker 2 (23:22):
They had a home and home with Ohio State when
they now they're conference foes. But in eight No. Nine, yeah,
like it was, that's when they actually played schools. He's
aeron Torres. I'm Dan Byer. Jeff Schwortz joining us here
on Fox Sports Radio. I know we were laughing at
the bull records, but the SEC just lost again with Vanderbilt.
Could this be a sign to come when it comes
to the college football playoffs starting this over these next
(23:45):
couple of days. Jeff, Well, I hope so, yeah, right, everyone, Yeah,
I hope so.
Speaker 6 (23:51):
I I didn't look the bowl game thing man like
Iowa was the worst team to play in the bowl game,
Our Army, Navy. Like these teams, they have no opt outs.
All they do is run the football, right, That's just
what they do, and they live for these moments, right,
Like I like, I was never gonna think down about
playing the Relia Quest Bowl, right And I'm not saying
that Vanderbilt can, you know, think down about the game.
(24:12):
But you know, you know, Diego pave Is coming back
from Ohio week of Heisman ceremonies and Vannerbelt wanted to
be a playoff team and all these things, and now
you have to play. Now, go play like the super
fiscal IOWA team. Like, it's just a it's a tough spot.
We don't I think we we we talk about situation
a lot in bowlgames. We actually don't take it that seriously.
Like I think people sort of dismiss it. Oh lol,
(24:34):
that team doesn't really want to be there. But I've
been on a team that didn't want to be the
but we lost thirty eight to six in a bowl game.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
We did not want to be there.
Speaker 6 (24:39):
I know that feeling, And that's natural if you don't
if you're not in the bowl game, you think you
should be in, or you lose a conference championship game,
or you know you're supposed to be a playoff team
and you're not. So I just don't know how we
judge it right, because then these rosters leave and they
move on. And so, look, the Big Ten is good.
They're good. They've been good all season.
Speaker 2 (24:59):
If you play.
Speaker 6 (25:00):
Iowa Van Dy in Week seven, you'll probably get a
different result, right, Like, it's a different type of game.
So it's great for the Big Ten. I think he
does continue tomorrow. I think sorry with tonight. I think
I think Ohio State Win's a close game. I think
it's close, and I think with your Miami a little
bit of credit, they're not as bad as people want
them to be. I think Oregon wentz tomorrow, and I
do think that Indiana, I think they handle business pretty well.
(25:21):
Out to Alabama. It's a bad matchup for Obama.
Speaker 3 (25:23):
You know you just brought up a point that I
brought up to Dan earlier today. Is you know, I
know we've said it's playoff or bust, and you know,
in this era, I think it really struck me today,
and I'm curious for your perspective. If you are at
Ohio State those types of programs. Can you actually have
a successful season if you don't make the playoff in
(25:44):
this era?
Speaker 4 (25:45):
And I'll give you an example.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Right, So, like Texas is playing right now, I don't
think they would say their season is a failure. I
don't think they would say their season is a success either.
Is there a world where, again, if you're in Ohio State,
if you're a Michigan under normal circumstances, that you can
even have it, Notre Dame opting out of the Pop
Darts Bowl. Is there is there a world for programs
like that in this era where you can deem it
(26:07):
a successful season if you are not one of those,
at least for now twelve teams in the playoff.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
I think that's only true for about seven or eight teams. Right,
So you're looking at the Georgia's, the Alabama's, the Texas right,
the Oregon, Ohio st. I think Penn State isn't that
at least they were which James Franklin, they were obviously
a favorite to being the postseasons here in Miami. Maybe Clemson,
you know, Texas Tech, the way they're spending and want
(26:33):
to win, Maybe they're in that group now, But otherwise
that's about it, right Like otherwise, you in a given year,
if you make the playoff, that's really great, but you
really shouldn't shouldn't strive for that to be the only
way you measure success. I do think though, that the
teams I mentioned Indiana, by the way, it might be
that in the in that group. Now, I think we
have to look at the regular season a little bit
(26:54):
differently for those teams, and I view it now more
of an NFL type mindset, where where the regular season
is all about prepping for the playoffs. Like if you
are a certain number of NFL teams, yes, you want
to win every game, but you want to make sure
you're playing your best football in December to get ready
to play in the playoffs. Right, you'd like to knock
go on the playoffs losing you know, seven games in
(27:15):
a row, four or five games in a row seven
obviously a lot, but you know three games with the
Rams right now, probably don't want to go into it.
They're gonna rest everyone this weekend. Most likely. You don't
want to go in the postseason losing your last two
games your starters played, right, Like, that's not a good
feeling to head in the postseason, and I think college
football teams now the ones I mentioned, their goal is
just getting the finish line healthy and get ready to
(27:36):
play your playoffs. Like, for example, my Ducks, I'll talk
about them. I think when they lost January first last year,
their entire purpose this year was to get back to
tomorrow and play in a different type of game than
they played last January first. So all they did all
season was to prepare for this this weekend. Hopefully more so,
you know, they win a game by three or by six,
(27:58):
or or you know they pull the starters in the
Corgan's JMU, it's all, it's it's it's all to get
to this point to play tomorrow's game. Same with I
think Ohio State feels the same way. Indiana to some
extent I imagine, feels the same way. Georgia feels the
same way. And so I think it's we have to
maybe view those teams sort of in the NFL esque lens,
where the first six, seven, eight weeks like just win
(28:20):
like win, and then just sort of peak right now.
I think Georgia Green example, like their defense was not
very good early to their standards. It's really good now
right like right now is when you want to be
playing your best football. I think Oregon last year learned
that the hard way. They probably weren't beating Ohio State
with their best game anyways, but they just weren't as
ready to play on January first, and they peaked way
too early in.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
The season last one for me, Jeff Schwartz joining us,
how to think that Oregon got the raw end of
the deal. They have Ohio State in their bracket, and Rea.
Speaker 6 (28:47):
We don't have to beat him anyways, at some point
you would have to beat him. I get it, you
would have beat him anyways. I think it would have
been different if you played him. Secondly, but I don't
think we beat I think they were too good last year.
They were they were a fantastic team.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Maybe or maybe Ohio State loses on the other side
of the bracket and you never have have to You
never have to face that's, you know. And the reason
I actually brought it up is because I'm curious about
ole Miss because now if this is a rematch game,
ole Miss hung with Georgia for the most part in
their game in Athens earlier this season. But if it
(29:17):
falls apart, I think we're all gonna say it's because
of Lane Kiffin, And I'm wondering how much is it
to allow Kirby Smart and Georgia a second chance at
Old Miss? How do you see that game playing out
tomorrow night.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
So I do wish the committee try to avoid rematches,
because you know, the Dupla Committee does that, like they
they purposely try to schedule teams so they don't have
rematches early in the You can't you can't stop it
in what happens to you know, in the final four, right,
but you can avoid rematches in the round of sixty four,
in the round of thirty two. It does feel like
(29:49):
you could have set up a situation where Old Miss
and Georgia don't play again. But it is, it is
what it is. I think Georgia is gonna smoke them,
and I don't think I was going to do with
Lane Kiffin. I think they're just better than All Miss.
And you know, this earlier game, Old Miss scored thirty
five point I think it wasn't the first three cores,
and Georgia just shut them down in the second half.
And they did that to a lot of teams this season.
They did Tennessee. They did to Old Miss. They did
it to Bama in the first Bama game. I think
(30:12):
Georgia is just much better. And again to my point
about preparing for this time of year, Old Miss is
happy to be here, right, Georgia wants to win a championship.
I mean, those are the kind of different mindsets, right,
And that matter is in my opinion when it comes
to how the game's gonna go tomorrow. And look, is
it ideal that half a Lay's staff is in the
(30:33):
Old Miss building right now? Probably not. That's something that
Old Miss has to deal with. But I think they
lose tomorrow, and nothing to do with with Lane. I
think they lose with Lane. I think lose lose without Lane.
So I'm curious obviously to see how that goes. But
I think Georgia and Indiana are my favorite. Just like
put them together in a parlay, it pays minus one
twenty and just those teams are gonna win.
Speaker 2 (30:52):
There it is, and start twenty twenty six off on
a winning note. If you listen to Jeff Schwartz. Of course,
you can listen to them every Sunday morning, along Zide,
Brian No and Bill Krockenberger on Countdown to Kickoff, presented
by Bett MGM each Sunday morning at ten o'clock Eastern Time,
seven Pacific. As they take you all the way to Kickoff, Jeff,
we appreciate the time. Happy New Year. Talk to you
in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 6 (31:11):
Take care, guys. How good new year.
Speaker 1 (31:13):
Fox Sports Radio had the best sports talk lineup in
the nation. Catch all of our shows at Fox sports
Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
He's aeron Torres, I'm Dan Byer. It's Fox Sports Radio.
The Road to Milan runs through Saint Louis, cee Ilia
Mallin and Alyssa. Lewin, Amberg Glenn compete at the twenty
twenty six priviagen US Figure Skating Championships January seventh through
the eleventh. Be there as the twenty twenty six US
Olympic Figure Skating team is named. Live tickets at usfigure
Skating dot Org. New Year's Eve tomorrow, my wife got
(31:46):
a text from her cousin in Sydney, Australia, already saying
Happy New Year, rubbing it in that they're already in
twenty twenty six. We got a little left to go.
Here in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 4 (31:55):
What's twenty twenty six like flying car?
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Apparently it's amazing. Yeah, it's it's really it. It's this
thing that it's the stuff that dreams are made of. Otho.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
I think that's like the sixth straight New Year's Eve
that I've made that joke on Fox Sports ratio.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Make it seven, Let's do it again next year. A
year from now, I'll.
Speaker 3 (32:10):
Be wondering what twenty twenty seven is like flying cars,
and who knows what else.
Speaker 2 (32:13):
We're not sure next season if the Golden State Warriors
will be playing on Christmas Day. But if they do,
we know Draymond Green, if he's a member of the Warriors,
then we'll not be happy about it. Because this is
what Draymond Green had to say about playing on Christmas
speaking on The Draymond Green Show podcast.
Speaker 7 (32:32):
Yes, it is an honor to be considered one of
the draws, the great draws that is in the NBA.
To play on a day where everybody's watching, it's incredible.
All of those things are great, but two things can
be true at once. Planning on Christmas Day also sucks.
And the reason it sucks is number one. What I
just said, it can affect your mood. Number two, We
(32:53):
are human beings and just like everyone else enjoy Christmas
Day with their families. That kind of get it's messed
up for us.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Any empathy sympathy for Draymond Green in saying, yes, it's
an honor, Yes it's it's a great tradition, but it
sucks to play on Christmas.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
No, I think that, you know, it's the classic athlete
of I hate to be like that guy, but you know,
you get paid a lot of money. And by the way,
anything to do with sports, how many Christmas Days have
you worked, Dan Byer, because I know I was in
Christmas Day.
Speaker 2 (33:31):
I didn't take off. Yes, but you've worked Christmas Day,
you know.
Speaker 3 (33:36):
And I think it's it's a sports thing. Actually very randomly,
but Will Muschamp, who is actually now the Texas defensive coordinator,
but he was in a non coaching role this year
for Georgia, and I remember him tweeting out first Thanksgiving
with the family in thirty two years or something like that.
Speaker 4 (33:54):
It's just what you do. You know.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
There's the old saying to whom much is given, much
as expected. And by the way, I think there's actually
a lot of NBA players that would love the privilege
of playing on Christmas Day, and two, I just think
it's a privilege and it's part of it. And oh,
by the way, they're usually playing at nighttime and you
got all day to spend.
Speaker 2 (34:12):
With the family. Jason Stewart is our executive producer. Jason,
there's a massive disconnect here. I thought the same one.
Lebron said something similar last week. It's like the disconnect
is exactly what Aaron said. I mean to think about
what the size of these people's paychecks. Yes, you guys
talked about hosting on Christmas. How about the people that
are getting paid twenty twenty five dollars an hour to
(34:35):
work on Christmas all around the country. I just think
there's such a disconnect here. But you can only say
this on your way out the door, right, I don't think.
I don't think a first or second your NBA player
could get away with this. Raymond Green will get away
with it. But it's just it's kind of like a
just a blatant disconnect. This reminded this is This may
(34:55):
sound really stupid, but it reminded me. When I was
in college, I worked at camps in the mall, and
people wanted like a couple of days after Christmas off
because it was they were in high school or like no,
like in fact, like our hours are we're open until
like ten instead of like eight o'clock, we're open earlier.
(35:17):
It's Black Friday. This is when people like when shopping.
Speaker 7 (35:19):
It.
Speaker 2 (35:19):
It comes with the territory. Now, ten teams play on
Christmas Day, so that means twenty teams don't. But also
if you're not playing on Christmas Day, it probably means
that you're not really good exactly, and so there's that
aspect of it. Listen, the Lakers always play. So if
you're signing with the Lakers, just know that you're not
going to be home for Christmas for the next however
(35:40):
long your contract is, and honestly with your if your
Draymond for the rise that the Warriors had, Yeah, it
does stink, but that's a part of the deal. And
I just don't think that anybody feels bad. It would
be great to be home, be great to be home
New Year's Eve, new Year's Day, whatever the case is.
But nobody feels bad when it's a part of the
part of the gig.
Speaker 3 (36:00):
I'll also say if you're playing five o'clock. You got
all morning. No different than us hosting radio at noon
seven pm Eastern one. Right, Lions fans, Chris, I'll go
home and they celebrate Thanksgiving at night. They go to
the game in the morning.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Right.
Speaker 8 (36:10):
We did our Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday when I was
home this year. Yeah, so people were correct, Thanksgiving wasn't canceled.
Is the point that it is correct? He's erin Torres.
I'm Dan Byer adjacent Stewart, Chris Burfet, Isaac Low, and
Kron Here the most controversial calls in sports.
Speaker 2 (36:26):
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The Burden
The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.