March 18, 2025 • 38 mins
Doug and Dan Beyer discuss whether or not the First Four should be considered a part of the NCAA Tournament. Doug explains why UNC needs to play well to justify their inclusion in the play-in game. Doug welcomes NFL Analyst John Middlekauff onto the show to talk about Aaron Rodgers, the Bengals and the other major headlines around the NFL. Plus, Dan takes Doug through a game of Rank 'Em.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Thanks for listening to the Doug Gotlieb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five,
twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local
station for the Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching app as car Booming Up America. Doug Gottlieb
Show FIE Sports Radio Coming to you from the tyrack
(00:24):
dot Com studios tyrac dot com. Well we get there,
unmatched selection, fast free shipping, free road has protection over
ten thousand recommended installars tyrec dot com. It's the way
tire buying should be. Hey, welcome in, we are we
are joining you on. It's really weird, right does the
nc It's always been this whole thing, like does the
(00:46):
ncaa term? And start? Now? Does it not start?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Now?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
How do we look at it? What does it look?
You know? Is this the And the only thing I
can tell you is if you you know, if you
go buy our our bracket chat challenge, you know, if
you go buy our bracket challenge, then no, it doesn't
start tonight, right because our bracket challenge, Well, you can
(01:11):
you have till Thursday to get the bracket in. Like basketball,
Tractor Supply knows that a winning season takes practice, team working,
it can do attitude. It's Bracket Challenge season and Fox
Sports Radio is Bracket Challenge is live, so be sure
to complete your bracket at Fox Sports treda dot com
right now. The winning bracket in the Fox Sports Radio
(01:32):
Bracket Challenge will win twenty five hundred dollar gift card
to tract to Supply, and a perfect bracket will win
you a million dollars. So fill out your bracket now
until Thursday morning before the games begin. Visit Foxsportsradio dot
com to register, to get rules and to fill out
your bracket. It's all sponsored by Tractor Supply for life
out here. So are you guys okay with saying that
(01:53):
the NCAA tournament doesn't begin today? Like these are the
play in games in order to be in the uncate
tournament to win today? By are you okay with that?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I mean, I don't sure I'm fine with it?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
What's your hesitation?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
YEA, No, I just I feel like it's obviously we
all enjoy Thursday. I just I'm one for I don't
think seventy six is as bad as people think it is.
Once we went to sixty four, or from sixty four
to sixty five and then to sixty eight, it felt
like the cat was out of the bag. And my
(02:33):
point is is, I woke up this morning and I'm like, Okay,
what about if there was a game going on right
now for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, and
I wouldn't hate it that much. Granted, if it was
Alabama State in Saint Francis, maybe I'm not as locked
into that. But if coming up in two hours, Doug,
we had San Diego State in North Carolina, and then
(02:53):
tonight we had Texas and Xavier. At tomorrow we had
more of the same, I'm totally fine with that, which,
then I think woul add value to the NCAA tournament.
So while we may not like this opening round game,
and I know you love Dayton, you love that arena,
and by all accounts they do a great job of it,
I feel a little bad that they kind of get
tossed to the side when I actually think that if
(03:16):
you do expand this tournament, it could add some value.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So okay, so can I meet you halfway on something?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Sure?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Huh? Okay? I think I'm actually okay with expansion from
this standpoint. Okay, I think you take we knew obviously
pretty early on, and we actually practiced at ud Arena
when we were playing I don't think we're playing Wright State.
I think it was when we played oh When we
played Ohio State, we had a couple of days in
(03:43):
between games and we called the guys Dayton. They're like, sure,
use the gym use whatever you want. They were awesome.
So so we're practicing there and I told you guys, like, look,
here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna win the horizon
the tournament. We're gonna play here in the first four,
and then we're gonna go play Duke.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Like.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
This is what it looked like, because I knew what
our numbers look like at a conference, and the more
I thought about it, the more I thought, Okay, if
we're gonna do it, let's do it the right way.
Here's the right way. Okay. The teams that win their
conference tournament get to be in the field of sixty four,
(04:21):
including the swack champion, including you know all of these,
all of these sixteen seats, right will they'll be the
sixteens and the fifteens whatever, and then what you make
those extra games for are all play in games, all
of them playing games. So are they the NCAA tournament
(04:41):
If you want to call it the NCAA tournament, great,
sure they are. But the reality to it is that
I would love that too. And I like Carolina versus
San Diego State, right, two teams who are in the
final four. But truthfully, you have the super elite high
major against I mean, let's not call San Diego State
a mid major anymore, but they're somewhere in that lower
(05:04):
level high major sort of program that's been amazing for
the last twenty five years. Like you see your Vine
playing today, why not you see your Vine against Indiana? Sure,
I have those. I would love them to be all,
especially now that we have a Power four and then
maybe you throw in the Big East into the power force.
(05:25):
You have the Power five against everybody else, and those
all of these ancillary games be not be what's called
aqs automatic qualifiers, and that I'd be okay with. I
don't think it's that big a thing because you're not
really in the NCAATE tournament. And I think the big
thing is that we need to we should one protect
(05:50):
that you win your conference or conference tournament, however you
want to select that you do it. You get one
team automatically in I think that's great. And then the
other part too, it is and by the way, you're
kind of given like if Alabama State is playing Duke,
you're kind of giving Duke almost a double buy because
they don't play right. And then the last part is
(06:11):
you you answer the questions that we have all season long.
And look, there's three hundred and sixty four teams, so
the idea that we don't have to expand I still
think it keeps the bracket hole. You just have more
teams playing in for your playing If you win, you
become a twelve seed or a thirteen seed, I don't
(06:32):
know what the numbers look like. And you do that
across the board, you win, you become an eleven seed,
and I think it makes for a more competitive field
and it still values the regular season. It and as
long as you secure some of those those play in
spots for some of the mid majors. Again, I'd just
like to use the uc of your vine because I
(06:53):
know their team and I think they're very, very good
and worthy of be in this field that I would
be all.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
For, and I think that it's important for people that
don't remember, or people that have maybe not been familiar,
just didn't know. People have forgotten. The reason the tournament
expanded in the first place was because the WHACK split
up into the Mountain West. The WHACK was a sixteen
school league. However, they did not want to They did
(07:23):
not want to lose in at large bid for one
of the schools, right Doug. So you had an automatic
bid go to the WHAC. And now this new conference
that formed from the WHAC called the Mountain West that
we all know and love now that also got an
automatic bid. But they weren't willing with the new conference
to take away an at large bid to a school,
so they said, well, let's make it sixty five and
(07:45):
then they put it on the worst teams in the
bracket to go and play a first four game, the
two sixteen seeds that we had, and then that was
their way of figuring out. Then when they saw how
that worked, well, gosh, we could have another one, and
then we could have a another sort of opening round
game if we did it at the eleven or twelve
seed line. But it really started because they were not
(08:08):
willing to give up the at large spot for the
sake of an automatic bid from a new conference.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Okay, so how many more games would this create if
we went from sixty eight to what was.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
It, seventy six? Yeah, I would create four more.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Okay. So here's always been my idea. I've been Udy
Arena is amazing, cool area, also centrally located. You know,
not only do you have Dayton to fly right out
of after the game. It does and they fill it
up and with Xavier playing there, it's going to be
kind of awesome. But I think what you do is
you rotate the historic venues for the other ones. You know,
(08:45):
like what makes college basketball cool is yes, home court advantage.
We talked about that earlier this week. But also you
know the Palaestra in Philly, Hinkle, which got a chance
to host tournament tournament games in the COVID year. Fog
Allen used to host tournament games a long time ago,
right like you, every year you rotate you wanted to
(09:06):
date and every year, fine, Daton's one and then the
other site is pick historic venue and move it around
the country. And I thought that I think that'd be
really cool, especially if you have it high major versus
mid major, and you have some of these historic teams
like in North Carolina coming into town.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, I think that when they are discussing this, they're
kind of meeting you halfway in terms of, yeah, you're
gonna need another site to do it, because you'd have
four games in one place and then four games maybe
in another. But I also think that they want to
have the ability to put teams closer to a western region,
so and it would allow your TV window to be
(09:45):
a little bit bigger if you wanted to go on
a West coast sort of thing where you could have
a later night game. I think that's also what they're
looking at. Yep, So I think you'd probably see something
west of the Mississippi with that. The funny thing is,
Doug is with the bubble this year and outside of
Green Bay, the team that I watched the most of
the season was Ohio State, and they aren't a tournament team.
(10:08):
I know you played them the way that they played
at the end of the year, like they're just completely
I don't know, it's just a mess. They're seventeen and fifteen,
but they're on the bubble. In fact, there were so
much on the bubble they were the third team out
according to the selection committee. So then that is the
question is do you want to see a team like that,
like when we're expanding that way? And I guess my
(10:30):
argument is it's not to allow that team the opportunity
to get into the tournament when maybe they don't deserve it.
And it could be Ohio State, it could be Indiana,
it could be West Virginia, whatever team you want to
put in. It's just the fact of I would like
to just see those teams play with something on the line.
It's why I watch the conference championship games. So in
(10:50):
terms of like watching those games, I get why people
who are against expansion would point to the bubble this year,
because I don't even know if you get the seventy
two teams that you say should get in there, but
you put something on the line, you put something meaningful
in it, I'm going to be interested in it.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Yeah, I'm I'm I'm totally okay with that. And and
oh yeah, by the way, one of the things that
we're learning and we kind of talked about it yesterday.
I know it's on Fox. I know the brands that
are in it. You know, with this new Crown tournament,
that thing's going to be a mess because half the
teams aren't going to have most of their guys playing
because they're they're literally in the transfer portal. And some
of the other teams have coaches that have been fired. Right,
(11:26):
So whereas everybody plays in the NCAA tournament, I I
actually have evolved on it, and I've never been expansionist.
I still think because the value to the tournament is
in that bracket. I still think you keep the bracket hole.
You just have to play. You got to win a
game to earn the right to be in the tournament.
And I think, you know, like you said, it would
(11:47):
put a tremendous amount of pressure on the teams, on
the players and the coaches. I think be a good watch.
And I do think that the multiple sites and like
why not? Yeah right, like, oh literally, why not.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
I'm also going to take this opportunity to pat myself
on the back and did not saying on the Doug
Gottlieb Show because I said it ten years ago before
you came the Fox Sports Radio Doug. But because of
this expansion of the bracket, I thought that a sixteen
seed would beat a one seed, and the reason being,
and I'm not saying that this happened.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I think the opposite, by the way, just so you
know I've been wrong.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
The reason I thought was because of how it expanded,
where now we essentially have six sixteen seeds, so really
two of those were fifteen seeds for how the bracket expanded,
all of those schools were always in the tournament. So
we just assigned the two worst fifteen seeds and we
put them as sixteen seeds. Now, I don't know if
(12:39):
UMBC was would have been one of the two fifteen
seeds FTERU played in the first four two years ago
and then they went and beat Purdue. That actually may
have helped them in that game against the boiler Makers.
But it's just the point of when you're putting those
first four sixteen seeds, it actually means that the other
two sixteen seeds that are in the bracket actually probably
(13:00):
our fifteen seeds and maybe a little bit better than
people think.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, I will say this, okay, and I mean this
in all sincerity, and you know, because you've watched our
teams play, like by the end of the season, had
we had Yonatan Levy Levy, who's our starting center, who
joined us midseason, wasn't healthy most of the run, and
Anthony Roy broke his ankle off for leading the country
and scoring. Have we had both of them? And we
(13:23):
played and won the Horizon League Tournament and not you know,
And and then played like I don't think we could
beat Duke. I just we we do not have that,
you know. But I thought, I thought the opposite again,
I thought all of my thoughts were the opposite of it.
And I thought because Division one basketball had expanded so
(13:45):
much that this instead of playing the two hundredth best
team or two hundred and fortieth best team, now you're
playing like the three three hundredth best team. I thought
that was too big a hill to climb. What I've
come to look And I actually use Wichita State's final
four teams as the great launching point, which is that
(14:07):
team wasn't healthy all season long until they won the
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. They beat Gonzaga in the second game,
who was a number one seed, and Gonzaga nearly lost
to Southern in the first game, and similarly to Virginia,
Gary Bell was the starting guard for Kevin Pangos is
(14:31):
their best player. Their two guard was Gary Bell. Gary
Bell got hurt in that game against Wichita, so two
things happened at once. Wichita got healthy and Gonzaga had
a big injury. And then Wichita made I think thirteen
threes in that game, and I want to say the
most they had made all year long was nine in
a game. And so the point is that between the
(14:53):
three point shot between an injury here or there and
an addition here or there, and now you factor in
that schools at our level, we can get junior college
players or guys that played Naia and they have an
extra year of eligibility, so you can. We didn't, but
well we'd like to in the future have twenty four
(15:14):
to twenty five year old guys playing against you know,
teenagers who play for some of these elite teams. It does,
in fact give you a chance. And then we've seen
it play out as such with you you know UMBC.
I mean that that deal was they lost DeAndre Hunter, sure,
and and you know FDU had had old at older players,
(15:39):
older players, and they pulled off a magnificent upset. So
now it does it does get me to what I
wanted to get to in this opening part of the show,
It's Doug Gottlieb Show. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio
and also available on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Doug
Gottlieb Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. Speed up your hiring
process with Express Employment Professionals. Reduce time to hire, cut costs,
buy the right talent for contract and full time roles.
Visit expresspros dot com today and transform your hiring process.
Wait to hear what one current Steeler said about the
wait for Aaron Rodgers and whether or not he wants
(16:27):
to be the Steeler. We'll get to that in a second. First, though,
damn before we get to you with an update, I've
never I've look, as I said, this is the first
time in twenty three years, I think that I haven't
been on a selection show. And there was a year
where UCLA got in by the skin of their chinny
chinchin and then I picked them to win. You win
(16:49):
a couple of games and people are like wholl wait,
wait a second, wait a second, you know that you're
being a hypocrits Like no, no, no, whether or not
you deserve to be in the tournament and whether or
not you're capable of winning games based upon match cheap
or two completely different things. Has that always been your thought?
Or do you think you have to win to show
that you should have been included?
Speaker 3 (17:08):
No, I agree with you. Well one does not mean
the other. Otherwise then we would just take top recruiting
classes and well we think that they can win, or
they could win the championship, or they could win this game. No,
I think it's got to be on the work that
you did.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Right, right, So, but I do think that Carolina it's
a little different. Okay, first of all, Carolina because they're
North Carolina, right, Like North Carolina is the coolest. Let's
not kid ourselves, right, just if you're if you're actually
honest with yourself, if you're actually honest with yourself, like
(17:45):
there is I don't think there is there is any
school in college basketball that's cooler than North Carolina. They
have Carolina blue uniforms, argyle down the side, jumpman logo,
(18:06):
and Michael freaking Jordan went there. Let's not even get
into the National Championships or all the All Americans or whatever.
North Carolina is cool. But North Carolina being the last
team in and getting in when they probably shouldn't have
been like, they don't have to win tonight, but you
better look like you're damn close. Otherwise they become like
(18:29):
Tommy Boy right where they only got the job because
of their last name, not because of any value that
they bring to college basketball. Fair unfair, and I think
it's actually fair, Like they don't have to win tonight.
If they don't win tonight, everyone will say they shouldn't
have been in it. But if they're not competitive night,
(18:49):
well I think it'll feel doubly so. So I'm not
somebody who believes that you have to win to show
you should have been included. If that was the case,
then half the teams are in the tournament can say
they shouldn't have been included in the tournament after round one.
But I do think that North Carolina, because North Carolina
is so regal, is so cool that you know they
(19:12):
got in because like, hey, we're North Carolina, of course
we're supposed to be in there. That you better be
competitive tonight, all right, So Doug Gottlieb Show Fox Sports Radio.
Let's welcome in John Middelkoff, who joins his son the
Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio. Uh. Did you
read what Cam Hayward said about waiting on Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, I actually watched the cliff. My thing would be,
you know, I get Aaron's a little out there, but
you guys just accepted Russell Wilson, who I would say
most people don't exactly they resonate, you know, with most
people in most locker rooms. So I get what he's saying.
I mean, he's very prideful. I like Cam have had
him on the podcast before. But at the same time,
(19:58):
like the Steelers aren't really in a position to dictate
turns out. I don't know if you've seen their quarterback
depth chart doesn't look great.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Yeah, okay, So for people who missed it, he's, you know,
Steelers defensive captain and on his own podcast. Uh, what
days today? I guess is that today? Today? I guess
you said he's.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Good this morning?
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, yeah, this this morning. I ain't doing a darkness retreat.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Actually we have the sound here's here's Cam Heyward.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
I ain't doing that the darkness, darkness, treat retreat. I
don't mean any of that crap, like either you want
to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. That's that's simple.
That's the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that's
the recruiting pitch. You know, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want
to be part of it, so be it. If you don't, no,
no skirt on my back.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
What are we waiting for? I mean, I know we're
waiting for Aaron, but what could he possibly be waiting for?
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Well, I mean, he's just the Kevin O'Connell tells him
that we watch you because that you know, if you
factor in them with the Giants and the Steelers, it's
a much better opportunity unity. And obviously the irony that Farbes,
who he like, vowed to be different than he's basically
following the same exact path. But like farvs, I mean,
(21:10):
Aaron would be like, there's no way his team would
be as bad if he played like last year, if
he was on the Vikings with who they have to
play with and their coaching staff and their defense. So
you know, I think a lot of people feel he's
just just trying to decide, but could it just be
as simple as he's just playing that over the next
week or two that did Kevin O'Connell's going to call
(21:31):
him and say, we need you because I do think Doug,
you know, Sam Donald leaves, which I get after the
last couple of games, you know, and allowed them to
sign a bunch of people. But I look the other
day J. J McCarthy at Michigan the year they won
the Natty, they played fifteen games. He threw twenty two touchdowns,
which I know you're a Charger guy, and everyone's like,
(21:53):
they're going to trade for DK metcalf and then what
does hardball do? He goes signed McKay specton, Like Harbaugh
wants to run the ball and play defense. JJ's never
played like that. Well, the one thing you saw last
year once Kevin O'Connell, and really we did this with
cousins too, Like he likes McVeigh, he likes to throw.
They're the young version of Andy Reid. We have no
clue of JJ McCarthy. We know he can throw, but like,
(22:14):
can he play like that? One? Can he stay healthy?
And two like he's never been asked to carry a
roster like that and throw bombs. So I do wonder
if they're kind of going back and forth with life
do we give, you know, especially coming off the injury,
and how Skinny looked in that when they showed him
in the playoff game or whatever was that week seven,
whenever they showed him at the end of the season,
(22:36):
he looked like you weigh one hundred and fifty pounds.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Yeah, and it felt like a reach where he was drafted.
I mean, the whole thing is so interesting. You know what,
who do you guys know who was the first one
to utter the expression that tracks? That tracks? We all
know what that tracks means, right Like, but if you
were to and if you were to say, there's a
(23:00):
quarterback who's super talented, kind of well traveled, kind of
a pain in the ass sitting out there, you know,
and everybody's everybody's waiting nothing to make a decision. And
you know there's a picture of him in Malibu on
the beach, wrapped in a blanket, you know, walking up
and down the sand. You're like, Aaron Rodgers. The tracks
(23:22):
that tracks. This whole process is classic Aaron Rodgers, is
it not.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah, I mean, I know Packer fan, they got first
class problems and they get mad at Florin Goudikins. But
those guys truly made the right decision. I mean that pivot,
which was not easy to do. I know he had
a kind of a weird year after the two MVP seasons,
but it's not easy to get rid of Aaron Rodgers.
(23:49):
And I think it's fair to say that if they
had a true owner, you know, I don't know if
they would have been allowed to do that, but that,
I mean, think how much easier the Hawfe has been
with pivoting off, you know, and the money and just
and just the headache.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
It's one of the more bizarre things ever. But if
you say bizarre and quarterback, those are really the two guys,
Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Speaking of Russell Wilson, I
think he does TV. I don't. I don't see football
just because he can't be a backup quarterback, like he
just doesn't. For him to do that, it's such a
(24:25):
sacrifice of ego and all the cheesy interviews and whatever.
Do you think he finds a home this year in
the NFL, at least in the in the preseason and
in training camp.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Well, if Rogers ends up going to Pittsburgh, that would
take him, Like he wouldn't be their backup, backup plan anymore,
you know the Giant. If you're them, do you just
wait to pull the trigger on that until after the
draft and see if you know, maybe you get Shud
or Sanders. But I don't does Brian Daball and Joe
(24:57):
Shane want to tie their job security in a division
with that loaded Eagles? You know, Dak Prescott and obviously
Jayden Daniels with Russell Wilson, especially how poorly Russell played
in the cold last year. I don't know, man, I
think I'm with you. I mean, it looks like he's
got one possible destination or Cyan r Because like you said,
(25:20):
I mean there are certain guys you know, look at
who typically becomes lifetime backups, Like I was kind of
looking at some of the Titans draft history. You know,
Mark's Mariota is gonna play in the league for another
five years and he's gonna end up being a backup
for a decade. You know, Mac Jones, like there's gonna
be a long time backup. It's usually not like Cam
Newton that that was a weird spot and just kind
(25:40):
of ended fast and Russell's it's a different situation because
it's a different type player. But I'm with you, there's
not like a Joe Flacco four year renaissance of being
a backup, Like that's just not happening.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
No, I agree with the Jauminokoff's our guest string out
the podcast and Volume podcast Network. You joined this Doug
Otam show here on Fox Sports Radio. Okay, So I
understand that teams carry a reputation. People always said the
Chargers were cheap, and I would point out, for the
last five years or so, the Charges were paying a
lot of people a lot of money. Now maybe they
(26:15):
were cheap in coaches for whatever reason they made the
Highers they've hired, but they've paid out a lot of money.
The Bengals have a similar reputation, but that's for people
who don't follow the Bengals. They don't play free agency,
but they have always paid their own guys. Right, They'll
try and draft guys they think are undervalued, and then
if they prove themselves to be worthy, most times they
(26:37):
keep those guys. They may be cheap, but they're cheap
in the free agent market and they're cheap in terms
of some of the other support staff stuff, but not
in terms of their players. All that said, what's your
reaction to essentially bringing back all four of their stars,
if you will, while still attempting to kind of rebuild
that defense.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I just think we're all products of our experiences, and
I think they went through something that honestly, I don't
really remember happening in at least my adult life, with
the Carson Palmer situation. And I remember hearing Whitworth talk
about he's like, now, part of the reason their team
got pretty stacked under Dalton was because of the trade
(27:18):
they made for Carson Palmer. But that team was really good,
and if you would have plugged the Carson Palmer on
that team, that they could have won a super Bowl, right,
because I mean he was competing with the Cardinals, and
I think you look at that and you go, I
don't want to go through that situation. And I like
Carson a lot, but I think Joe Burrow is a
better player, and Joe like it's weird, right, you know,
(27:41):
sometimes we see it in the NBA, We're like, should
he be doing this? I don't only blame Joe for
saying like we need to keep our good players. And
now it doesn't mean he's right, and it doesn't mean
like paying two writers, you gotta pay demarches. But is
it the right move to also pay Higgins? I think
that's highly up for debate. But I also understand if
(28:04):
you're Mike Brown in the Bengals, like kind of doing
that to make the guy the most important person in
your franchise. Now is Joe by a mile like you
can fire the coach tomorrow? He's I mean, I don't
want to save the relevance, but he's pretty replaceable. Joe
Brok's not. And I just think they don't want to
go through that situation that really how many teams in
(28:25):
the league can really relate to definitely how many owners
in this modern day football. So I think it was
more he was putting pressure on him and they just
kind of wanted to put a smile on his face.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
I can't blame himough, he is. He's a special, special player.
Got John Mitalcoff joining us here Doug Gottlieb show Fox
Sports Radio. As a lot of free agency has has
kind of gone down. What teams surprise you the most
with their moves.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Uh well, I think in general, free agency is pretty overrated.
I mean, this is the league that the best players
and even like the second tier high end guys don't
hit the market on their first contract. So most of
the guys hitting the market, like this is a sport
where this is not baseball. If any of the teams
wanted to keep any of the players that just hit
(29:14):
the free agent market, they would still be on their
original teams. And I think, like I understand like the
Patriots breaking the bank because they just need some players.
I mean, their rockster sucks. But I also understand like
Howie going, like, yeah, we like Milton Williams, but we
think we're gonna pay a guy playing fifty percent of
the snaps fifty, you know, twenty five million dollars a year.
(29:37):
I think when you look at like the Vikings, they
had to say somebody they get, you know, multiple offensive
linemen from the Colts. They get Hard Grave and Jonathan Allen.
But if you look at the prices they're paying, it's
like God, they are paying premiums to get these players.
So I'd argue sometimes and I'm guilty of this too,
because it's exciting, Like think about everyone freaked out, like
(29:57):
how the three Niners? What not give Aaron Van eighty
eight million dollars or Lehu Funga who just misses NonStop games?
And so I think it's that time of year there's
no games going on where people overreact to it. And listen,
I get so many people dming me like, so what
are the Chargers doing? What are the Chargers doing? It's like, guys,
(30:17):
if you haven't if you think Jim Harball was going
to trade a high pick and then give DK Metcalf
one hundred million dollars, you have not followed his twenty
year coaching career like that. He was never you see
the smile on his face when he when he signed
Mackay Beckton. Think about two of the best dinings last
year to all trumps. Derrick Henry got eight million dollars
(30:38):
and Zach Bond got four million dollars. I mean that's
so they got to combine like guaranteed money last year
twelve million dollars and they were two of the you know,
I guess Derek Heckley was second team All Pro because
Saint lom Bark, who got twenty seven million dollars, was
the first team All Pro. Yet some of these guards.
Look at the Rams. Last year they gave Jonah Jackson
like fifty million dollars. In less than a year later
(31:00):
they created him to the Bears. I just think free
agency with the big money guys. You're not signing Reggie
White and be On Sanders here anymore. But those guys
are not available.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Thirty three hit raise what I've been told He's jout Middlecoff.
The podcast is called Three and Outs on the Volume
podcast Network. Download it only if you want to be
entertained with really good insight into the NFL. Otherwise, I
don't worry about it. But if you want that great
stuff download download three and Out as a podcast, John,
thanks so much for join us. Dog Steug gotlib show
(31:32):
here on Fox Sports Radio. If you feel like owning
a home is out of reach, Rocket is here to
give you back the keys, right back the keys. And
what is so much of these stories you're going to
hear in these upcoming weeks? Watching basketball is kind of
the American dream. Right, kid comes from nothing, works his
(31:54):
way up and now you know who he is. It
starts off his life. Well, Rocket believes in the same thing. Right,
the American dream is owning your future, owning your own home,
because they believe that everyone deserves a shot at the
American Dream. Own the Dream. Visit Rocket dot com or
call eight hundred and four Rocket. Coming up next to
the Doug gottlib Show live at Tyreck dot com studios.
(32:16):
Who are the three best teams in the NCAA an
in what order we'll find out next?
Speaker 5 (32:21):
Be sure to catch the live edition of the Doug
Gottlieb Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
S Doug Gottlieb Show Fox Sports Radio, like basketball, Track
Supply knows that a winning season takes practice, team work
in a can do attitude. It's Bracket Challenge season and
the Fox Sports Radio Bracket Challenges live. Be sure to
complete your bracket on Fox sports Radio dot com right now.
The winning bracket in the Fox Sports Radio Bracket Challenge
we'll win a twenty five hundred dollars gift card to
(32:50):
Track Supply, and the perfect bracket will win you one
million dollars. Find your bracket now, fill out your bracket?
How excuse me? Until Thursday morning where the games begin.
Visit foxport Tradio dot com register, get rules and fill
out your bracket. It's all sponsored by Tractors Apply for
life out here. It is the Doug Gottlieb Show. This
is Fox Sports Radio. Every day. At the end of
(33:12):
the first hour we turn over to Dan Buyer and say,
let's play game.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
This is game time on the Doug Gottlieb Show.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Hey Dan, what's the game?
Speaker 3 (33:26):
All right? Doug, get out your bracket?
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Today is rank them.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Doug ranked the three best teams in the NCAA tournament field.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
You know what, I saw Cooper Flag walk up the stairs,
the stairs the ladder to cut down the net at
the ACC tournament on like he's fine, So I know
who my number one is. Everything else gets really really interesting.
(34:00):
Three best teams. I'm gonna go with Florida at three,
Houston at two, Duke at one.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
All right, number one overall seed Auburn does not make
the top three. All right, Doug. Rank the three double
digit seeds that could do damage in this tournament.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Three double digit seeds. I love that question. They could
do damn.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
We usually look in the range of what ten to thirteen.
I think fourteen's a bit of a stretch, but fourteen
could win a game. I don't know. If they're gonna
win two. But yeah, we've seen a fifteen seed go far.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
But I'd say, uh, Yale, Okay, he does coach Jones say, oh,
he's such a good coach. They do a really really
good job.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
They got A and M coming up in Denver on Thursday.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I think if they're healthy, this wouldn't be the case.
But Lipscomb, Okay, Lipscomb and a team that I've watched
play really well down the stretch, really well those stretches.
Colorado State. They haven't lost a game since I think
it was like what February eleventh. Yeah, I mean they've
(35:21):
been playing some really good basketball. I'm gonna go. Uh yeah,
I'm gonna go Colorado State.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Colorado State the twelve scene in the West Region, facing
Memphis and Seattle on Friday. They're also favored in that game.
So the twelve favored over the five. All right, Doug.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
So it's not an upset by the way if they win, right.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Yeah, but still that fits the criteria of double digit seeds.
That tracks, Yes, that tracks, Doug. Rank your three favorite
first round games the matchups that we actually have.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Ew. I like that. I like this question.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
I feel okay, go ahead, No, go ahead. I was
just gonna say I feel that the Kansas Arkansas game
is like on one of the highlighters, because of the coaches,
because of the brands.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Sure, New Mexico, Marquette, New Mexico, Marquette, Donovan Dent really
really good, really really good, Marquette really really good. And
Cam Jones hasn't had as good as second half of
the season as he had first half the season, but
really good. That one's gonna be fun. I love that game.
(36:30):
M I would go Creighton versus Louisville.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
Okay, Creighton versus first game on Thursday.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I think both teams are underseated. Both teams are underseated.
And Utah State versus UCLA.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Okay, you versus seven to ten matchup in the Midwest,
that's in Lexington on Thursday night. All right, Doug rank
the three best first and second round host cities. I
don't know if you've been to all of them, but
I know some of them you have for sure. What
to say, have not been to I don't know, I know,
I have no idea. I just I don't know. I
know you've been to Milwaukee obviously, and you've been to
(37:17):
Providence in Wichita. So yeah, I know you went to
a final four in Seattle. At one point you and
I were together in Lexington. I guess good.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
People back in Seattle. Good to have back in Seattle.
It is it's got to be a killer for Seattle
that they don't have Gonzaga there, right, because that was
I'm sure that was the dream when they booked that thing.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Do we have Oregon so that helps?
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Yeah? Yeah? Uh okay, So I got Seattle. What are
their sites ten for I'm not huge on Middlewauke. I'm
gonna go.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
We know you're big in Wichita too with the sh Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:56):
I am yeah. Wichita is going to be three media
and then meetly Walk K two and then Seattle, which
they'll have some really dumb somebody throwing the fish thing
got so cliche good, a lot of coffee references. I'm
going to Seattle one.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
And that's game time.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Game.
Speaker 5 (38:17):
This is game time on the du Gottlieb Show.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
It's dog Gottlieb Show here on Fox Sworts Radio. Bruce
Pearl joins us next to The Dog Gotlieb Show Fox
Ports Trio
Thanks for listening to the Doug Gotlieb Show podcast. Be
sure to catch us live every weekday three to five,
twelve two Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local
station for the Doug Gottlieb Show at Foxsports Radio dot com,
or stream us live every day on the iHeartRadio app
by searching app as car Booming Up America. Doug Gottlieb
Show FIE Sports Radio Coming to you from the tyrack
(00:24):
dot Com studios tyrac dot com. Well we get there,
unmatched selection, fast free shipping, free road has protection over
ten thousand recommended installars tyrec dot com. It's the way
tire buying should be. Hey, welcome in, we are we
are joining you on. It's really weird, right does the
nc It's always been this whole thing, like does the
(00:46):
ncaa term? And start? Now? Does it not start?
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Now?
Speaker 1 (00:49):
How do we look at it? What does it look?
You know? Is this the And the only thing I
can tell you is if you you know, if you
go buy our our bracket chat challenge, you know, if
you go buy our bracket challenge, then no, it doesn't
start tonight, right because our bracket challenge, Well, you can
(01:11):
you have till Thursday to get the bracket in. Like basketball,
Tractor Supply knows that a winning season takes practice, team working,
it can do attitude. It's Bracket Challenge season and Fox
Sports Radio is Bracket Challenge is live, so be sure
to complete your bracket at Fox Sports treda dot com
right now. The winning bracket in the Fox Sports Radio
(01:32):
Bracket Challenge will win twenty five hundred dollar gift card
to tract to Supply, and a perfect bracket will win
you a million dollars. So fill out your bracket now
until Thursday morning before the games begin. Visit Foxsportsradio dot
com to register, to get rules and to fill out
your bracket. It's all sponsored by Tractor Supply for life
out here. So are you guys okay with saying that
(01:53):
the NCAA tournament doesn't begin today? Like these are the
play in games in order to be in the uncate
tournament to win today? By are you okay with that?
Speaker 3 (02:05):
I mean, I don't sure I'm fine with it?
Speaker 1 (02:10):
What's your hesitation?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
YEA, No, I just I feel like it's obviously we
all enjoy Thursday. I just I'm one for I don't
think seventy six is as bad as people think it is.
Once we went to sixty four, or from sixty four
to sixty five and then to sixty eight, it felt
like the cat was out of the bag. And my
(02:33):
point is is, I woke up this morning and I'm like, Okay,
what about if there was a game going on right
now for the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, and
I wouldn't hate it that much. Granted, if it was
Alabama State in Saint Francis, maybe I'm not as locked
into that. But if coming up in two hours, Doug,
we had San Diego State in North Carolina, and then
(02:53):
tonight we had Texas and Xavier. At tomorrow we had
more of the same, I'm totally fine with that, which,
then I think woul add value to the NCAA tournament.
So while we may not like this opening round game,
and I know you love Dayton, you love that arena,
and by all accounts they do a great job of it,
I feel a little bad that they kind of get
tossed to the side when I actually think that if
(03:16):
you do expand this tournament, it could add some value.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
So okay, so can I meet you halfway on something?
Speaker 3 (03:21):
Sure?
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Huh? Okay? I think I'm actually okay with expansion from
this standpoint. Okay, I think you take we knew obviously
pretty early on, and we actually practiced at ud Arena
when we were playing I don't think we're playing Wright State.
I think it was when we played oh When we
played Ohio State, we had a couple of days in
(03:43):
between games and we called the guys Dayton. They're like, sure,
use the gym use whatever you want. They were awesome.
So so we're practicing there and I told you guys, like, look,
here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna win the horizon
the tournament. We're gonna play here in the first four,
and then we're gonna go play Duke.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
Like.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
This is what it looked like, because I knew what
our numbers look like at a conference, and the more
I thought about it, the more I thought, Okay, if
we're gonna do it, let's do it the right way.
Here's the right way. Okay. The teams that win their
conference tournament get to be in the field of sixty four,
(04:21):
including the swack champion, including you know all of these,
all of these sixteen seats, right will they'll be the
sixteens and the fifteens whatever, and then what you make
those extra games for are all play in games, all
of them playing games. So are they the NCAA tournament
(04:41):
If you want to call it the NCAA tournament, great,
sure they are. But the reality to it is that
I would love that too. And I like Carolina versus
San Diego State, right, two teams who are in the
final four. But truthfully, you have the super elite high
major against I mean, let's not call San Diego State
a mid major anymore, but they're somewhere in that lower
(05:04):
level high major sort of program that's been amazing for
the last twenty five years. Like you see your Vine
playing today, why not you see your Vine against Indiana? Sure,
I have those. I would love them to be all,
especially now that we have a Power four and then
maybe you throw in the Big East into the power force.
(05:25):
You have the Power five against everybody else, and those
all of these ancillary games be not be what's called
aqs automatic qualifiers, and that I'd be okay with. I
don't think it's that big a thing because you're not
really in the NCAATE tournament. And I think the big
thing is that we need to we should one protect
(05:50):
that you win your conference or conference tournament, however you
want to select that you do it. You get one
team automatically in I think that's great. And then the
other part too, it is and by the way, you're
kind of given like if Alabama State is playing Duke,
you're kind of giving Duke almost a double buy because
they don't play right. And then the last part is
(06:11):
you you answer the questions that we have all season long.
And look, there's three hundred and sixty four teams, so
the idea that we don't have to expand I still
think it keeps the bracket hole. You just have more
teams playing in for your playing If you win, you
become a twelve seed or a thirteen seed, I don't
(06:32):
know what the numbers look like. And you do that
across the board, you win, you become an eleven seed,
and I think it makes for a more competitive field
and it still values the regular season. It and as
long as you secure some of those those play in
spots for some of the mid majors. Again, I'd just
like to use the uc of your vine because I
(06:53):
know their team and I think they're very, very good
and worthy of be in this field that I would
be all.
Speaker 3 (06:58):
For, and I think that it's important for people that
don't remember, or people that have maybe not been familiar,
just didn't know. People have forgotten. The reason the tournament
expanded in the first place was because the WHACK split
up into the Mountain West. The WHACK was a sixteen
school league. However, they did not want to They did
(07:23):
not want to lose in at large bid for one
of the schools, right Doug. So you had an automatic
bid go to the WHAC. And now this new conference
that formed from the WHAC called the Mountain West that
we all know and love now that also got an
automatic bid. But they weren't willing with the new conference
to take away an at large bid to a school,
so they said, well, let's make it sixty five and
(07:45):
then they put it on the worst teams in the
bracket to go and play a first four game, the
two sixteen seeds that we had, and then that was
their way of figuring out. Then when they saw how
that worked, well, gosh, we could have another one, and
then we could have a another sort of opening round
game if we did it at the eleven or twelve
seed line. But it really started because they were not
(08:08):
willing to give up the at large spot for the
sake of an automatic bid from a new conference.
Speaker 1 (08:15):
Okay, so how many more games would this create if
we went from sixty eight to what was.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
It, seventy six? Yeah, I would create four more.
Speaker 1 (08:22):
Okay. So here's always been my idea. I've been Udy
Arena is amazing, cool area, also centrally located. You know,
not only do you have Dayton to fly right out
of after the game. It does and they fill it
up and with Xavier playing there, it's going to be
kind of awesome. But I think what you do is
you rotate the historic venues for the other ones. You know,
(08:45):
like what makes college basketball cool is yes, home court advantage.
We talked about that earlier this week. But also you
know the Palaestra in Philly, Hinkle, which got a chance
to host tournament tournament games in the COVID year. Fog
Allen used to host tournament games a long time ago,
right like you, every year you rotate you wanted to
(09:06):
date and every year, fine, Daton's one and then the
other site is pick historic venue and move it around
the country. And I thought that I think that'd be
really cool, especially if you have it high major versus
mid major, and you have some of these historic teams
like in North Carolina coming into town.
Speaker 3 (09:22):
Yeah, I think that when they are discussing this, they're
kind of meeting you halfway in terms of, yeah, you're
gonna need another site to do it, because you'd have
four games in one place and then four games maybe
in another. But I also think that they want to
have the ability to put teams closer to a western region,
so and it would allow your TV window to be
(09:45):
a little bit bigger if you wanted to go on
a West coast sort of thing where you could have
a later night game. I think that's also what they're
looking at. Yep, So I think you'd probably see something
west of the Mississippi with that. The funny thing is,
Doug is with the bubble this year and outside of
Green Bay, the team that I watched the most of
the season was Ohio State, and they aren't a tournament team.
(10:08):
I know you played them the way that they played
at the end of the year, like they're just completely
I don't know, it's just a mess. They're seventeen and fifteen,
but they're on the bubble. In fact, there were so
much on the bubble they were the third team out
according to the selection committee. So then that is the
question is do you want to see a team like that,
like when we're expanding that way? And I guess my
(10:30):
argument is it's not to allow that team the opportunity
to get into the tournament when maybe they don't deserve it.
And it could be Ohio State, it could be Indiana,
it could be West Virginia, whatever team you want to
put in. It's just the fact of I would like
to just see those teams play with something on the line.
It's why I watch the conference championship games. So in
(10:50):
terms of like watching those games, I get why people
who are against expansion would point to the bubble this year,
because I don't even know if you get the seventy
two teams that you say should get in there, but
you put something on the line, you put something meaningful
in it, I'm going to be interested in it.
Speaker 1 (11:04):
Yeah, I'm I'm I'm totally okay with that. And and
oh yeah, by the way, one of the things that
we're learning and we kind of talked about it yesterday.
I know it's on Fox. I know the brands that
are in it. You know, with this new Crown tournament,
that thing's going to be a mess because half the
teams aren't going to have most of their guys playing
because they're they're literally in the transfer portal. And some
of the other teams have coaches that have been fired. Right,
(11:26):
So whereas everybody plays in the NCAA tournament, I I
actually have evolved on it, and I've never been expansionist.
I still think because the value to the tournament is
in that bracket. I still think you keep the bracket hole.
You just have to play. You got to win a
game to earn the right to be in the tournament.
And I think, you know, like you said, it would
(11:47):
put a tremendous amount of pressure on the teams, on
the players and the coaches. I think be a good watch.
And I do think that the multiple sites and like
why not? Yeah right, like, oh literally, why not.
Speaker 3 (11:58):
I'm also going to take this opportunity to pat myself
on the back and did not saying on the Doug
Gottlieb Show because I said it ten years ago before
you came the Fox Sports Radio Doug. But because of
this expansion of the bracket, I thought that a sixteen
seed would beat a one seed, and the reason being,
and I'm not saying that this happened.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
I think the opposite, by the way, just so you
know I've been wrong.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
The reason I thought was because of how it expanded,
where now we essentially have six sixteen seeds, so really
two of those were fifteen seeds for how the bracket expanded,
all of those schools were always in the tournament. So
we just assigned the two worst fifteen seeds and we
put them as sixteen seeds. Now, I don't know if
(12:39):
UMBC was would have been one of the two fifteen
seeds FTERU played in the first four two years ago
and then they went and beat Purdue. That actually may
have helped them in that game against the boiler Makers.
But it's just the point of when you're putting those
first four sixteen seeds, it actually means that the other
two sixteen seeds that are in the bracket actually probably
(13:00):
our fifteen seeds and maybe a little bit better than
people think.
Speaker 1 (13:02):
Well, I will say this, okay, and I mean this
in all sincerity, and you know, because you've watched our
teams play, like by the end of the season, had
we had Yonatan Levy Levy, who's our starting center, who
joined us midseason, wasn't healthy most of the run, and
Anthony Roy broke his ankle off for leading the country
and scoring. Have we had both of them? And we
(13:23):
played and won the Horizon League Tournament and not you know,
And and then played like I don't think we could
beat Duke. I just we we do not have that,
you know. But I thought, I thought the opposite again,
I thought all of my thoughts were the opposite of it.
And I thought because Division one basketball had expanded so
(13:45):
much that this instead of playing the two hundredth best
team or two hundred and fortieth best team, now you're
playing like the three three hundredth best team. I thought
that was too big a hill to climb. What I've
come to look And I actually use Wichita State's final
four teams as the great launching point, which is that
(14:07):
team wasn't healthy all season long until they won the
Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. They beat Gonzaga in the second game,
who was a number one seed, and Gonzaga nearly lost
to Southern in the first game, and similarly to Virginia,
Gary Bell was the starting guard for Kevin Pangos is
(14:31):
their best player. Their two guard was Gary Bell. Gary
Bell got hurt in that game against Wichita, so two
things happened at once. Wichita got healthy and Gonzaga had
a big injury. And then Wichita made I think thirteen
threes in that game, and I want to say the
most they had made all year long was nine in
a game. And so the point is that between the
(14:53):
three point shot between an injury here or there and
an addition here or there, and now you factor in
that schools at our level, we can get junior college
players or guys that played Naia and they have an
extra year of eligibility, so you can. We didn't, but
well we'd like to in the future have twenty four
(15:14):
to twenty five year old guys playing against you know,
teenagers who play for some of these elite teams. It does,
in fact give you a chance. And then we've seen
it play out as such with you you know UMBC.
I mean that that deal was they lost DeAndre Hunter, sure,
and and you know FDU had had old at older players,
(15:39):
older players, and they pulled off a magnificent upset. So
now it does it does get me to what I
wanted to get to in this opening part of the show,
It's Doug Gottlieb Show. You're listening to Fox Sports Radio
and also available on the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
Be sure to catch the live edition of The Doug
Gottlieb Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Doug Gottlieb Show, Fox Sports Radio. Speed up your hiring
process with Express Employment Professionals. Reduce time to hire, cut costs,
buy the right talent for contract and full time roles.
Visit expresspros dot com today and transform your hiring process.
Wait to hear what one current Steeler said about the
wait for Aaron Rodgers and whether or not he wants
(16:27):
to be the Steeler. We'll get to that in a second. First, though,
damn before we get to you with an update, I've
never I've look, as I said, this is the first
time in twenty three years, I think that I haven't
been on a selection show. And there was a year
where UCLA got in by the skin of their chinny
chinchin and then I picked them to win. You win
(16:49):
a couple of games and people are like wholl wait,
wait a second, wait a second, you know that you're
being a hypocrits Like no, no, no, whether or not
you deserve to be in the tournament and whether or
not you're capable of winning games based upon match cheap
or two completely different things. Has that always been your thought?
Or do you think you have to win to show
that you should have been included?
Speaker 3 (17:08):
No, I agree with you. Well one does not mean
the other. Otherwise then we would just take top recruiting
classes and well we think that they can win, or
they could win the championship, or they could win this game. No,
I think it's got to be on the work that
you did.
Speaker 1 (17:21):
Right, right, So, but I do think that Carolina it's
a little different. Okay, first of all, Carolina because they're
North Carolina, right, Like North Carolina is the coolest. Let's
not kid ourselves, right, just if you're if you're actually
honest with yourself, if you're actually honest with yourself, like
(17:45):
there is I don't think there is there is any
school in college basketball that's cooler than North Carolina. They
have Carolina blue uniforms, argyle down the side, jumpman logo,
(18:06):
and Michael freaking Jordan went there. Let's not even get
into the National Championships or all the All Americans or whatever.
North Carolina is cool. But North Carolina being the last
team in and getting in when they probably shouldn't have
been like, they don't have to win tonight, but you
better look like you're damn close. Otherwise they become like
(18:29):
Tommy Boy right where they only got the job because
of their last name, not because of any value that
they bring to college basketball. Fair unfair, and I think
it's actually fair, Like they don't have to win tonight.
If they don't win tonight, everyone will say they shouldn't
have been in it. But if they're not competitive night,
(18:49):
well I think it'll feel doubly so. So I'm not
somebody who believes that you have to win to show
you should have been included. If that was the case,
then half the teams are in the tournament can say
they shouldn't have been included in the tournament after round one.
But I do think that North Carolina, because North Carolina
is so regal, is so cool that you know they
(19:12):
got in because like, hey, we're North Carolina, of course
we're supposed to be in there. That you better be
competitive tonight, all right, So Doug Gottlieb Show Fox Sports Radio.
Let's welcome in John Middelkoff, who joins his son the
Doug Gottlieb Show on Fox Sports Radio. Uh. Did you
read what Cam Hayward said about waiting on Aaron Rodgers.
Speaker 2 (19:36):
Yeah, I actually watched the cliff. My thing would be,
you know, I get Aaron's a little out there, but
you guys just accepted Russell Wilson, who I would say
most people don't exactly they resonate, you know, with most
people in most locker rooms. So I get what he's saying.
I mean, he's very prideful. I like Cam have had
him on the podcast before. But at the same time,
(19:58):
like the Steelers aren't really in a position to dictate
turns out. I don't know if you've seen their quarterback
depth chart doesn't look great.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
Yeah, okay, So for people who missed it, he's, you know,
Steelers defensive captain and on his own podcast. Uh, what
days today? I guess is that today? Today? I guess
you said he's.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
Good this morning?
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, yeah, this this morning. I ain't doing a darkness retreat.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (20:23):
Actually we have the sound here's here's Cam Heyward.
Speaker 4 (20:25):
I ain't doing that the darkness, darkness, treat retreat. I
don't mean any of that crap, like either you want
to be a Pittsburgh Steeler or you don't. That's that's simple.
That's the pitch. If you want me to recruit, that's
the recruiting pitch. You know, Pittsburgh Steelers. If you want
to be part of it, so be it. If you don't, no,
no skirt on my back.
Speaker 1 (20:44):
What are we waiting for? I mean, I know we're
waiting for Aaron, but what could he possibly be waiting for?
Speaker 2 (20:49):
Well, I mean, he's just the Kevin O'Connell tells him
that we watch you because that you know, if you
factor in them with the Giants and the Steelers, it's
a much better opportunity unity. And obviously the irony that Farbes,
who he like, vowed to be different than he's basically
following the same exact path. But like farvs, I mean,
(21:10):
Aaron would be like, there's no way his team would
be as bad if he played like last year, if
he was on the Vikings with who they have to
play with and their coaching staff and their defense. So
you know, I think a lot of people feel he's
just just trying to decide, but could it just be
as simple as he's just playing that over the next
week or two that did Kevin O'Connell's going to call
(21:31):
him and say, we need you because I do think Doug,
you know, Sam Donald leaves, which I get after the
last couple of games, you know, and allowed them to
sign a bunch of people. But I look the other
day J. J McCarthy at Michigan the year they won
the Natty, they played fifteen games. He threw twenty two touchdowns,
which I know you're a Charger guy, and everyone's like,
(21:53):
they're going to trade for DK metcalf and then what
does hardball do? He goes signed McKay specton, Like Harbaugh
wants to run the ball and play defense. JJ's never
played like that. Well, the one thing you saw last
year once Kevin O'Connell, and really we did this with
cousins too, Like he likes McVeigh, he likes to throw.
They're the young version of Andy Reid. We have no
clue of JJ McCarthy. We know he can throw, but like,
(22:14):
can he play like that? One? Can he stay healthy?
And two like he's never been asked to carry a
roster like that and throw bombs. So I do wonder
if they're kind of going back and forth with life
do we give, you know, especially coming off the injury,
and how Skinny looked in that when they showed him
in the playoff game or whatever was that week seven,
whenever they showed him at the end of the season,
(22:36):
he looked like you weigh one hundred and fifty pounds.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
Yeah, and it felt like a reach where he was drafted.
I mean, the whole thing is so interesting. You know what,
who do you guys know who was the first one
to utter the expression that tracks? That tracks? We all
know what that tracks means, right Like, but if you
were to and if you were to say, there's a
(23:00):
quarterback who's super talented, kind of well traveled, kind of
a pain in the ass sitting out there, you know,
and everybody's everybody's waiting nothing to make a decision. And
you know there's a picture of him in Malibu on
the beach, wrapped in a blanket, you know, walking up
and down the sand. You're like, Aaron Rodgers. The tracks
(23:22):
that tracks. This whole process is classic Aaron Rodgers, is
it not.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Yeah, I mean, I know Packer fan, they got first
class problems and they get mad at Florin Goudikins. But
those guys truly made the right decision. I mean that pivot,
which was not easy to do. I know he had
a kind of a weird year after the two MVP seasons,
but it's not easy to get rid of Aaron Rodgers.
(23:49):
And I think it's fair to say that if they
had a true owner, you know, I don't know if
they would have been allowed to do that, but that,
I mean, think how much easier the Hawfe has been
with pivoting off, you know, and the money and just
and just the headache.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
It's one of the more bizarre things ever. But if
you say bizarre and quarterback, those are really the two guys,
Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson. Speaking of Russell Wilson, I
think he does TV. I don't. I don't see football
just because he can't be a backup quarterback, like he
just doesn't. For him to do that, it's such a
(24:25):
sacrifice of ego and all the cheesy interviews and whatever.
Do you think he finds a home this year in
the NFL, at least in the in the preseason and
in training camp.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
Well, if Rogers ends up going to Pittsburgh, that would
take him, Like he wouldn't be their backup, backup plan anymore,
you know the Giant. If you're them, do you just
wait to pull the trigger on that until after the
draft and see if you know, maybe you get Shud
or Sanders. But I don't does Brian Daball and Joe
(24:57):
Shane want to tie their job security in a division
with that loaded Eagles? You know, Dak Prescott and obviously
Jayden Daniels with Russell Wilson, especially how poorly Russell played
in the cold last year. I don't know, man, I
think I'm with you. I mean, it looks like he's
got one possible destination or Cyan r Because like you said,
(25:20):
I mean there are certain guys you know, look at
who typically becomes lifetime backups, Like I was kind of
looking at some of the Titans draft history. You know,
Mark's Mariota is gonna play in the league for another
five years and he's gonna end up being a backup
for a decade. You know, Mac Jones, like there's gonna
be a long time backup. It's usually not like Cam
Newton that that was a weird spot and just kind
(25:40):
of ended fast and Russell's it's a different situation because
it's a different type player. But I'm with you, there's
not like a Joe Flacco four year renaissance of being
a backup, Like that's just not happening.
Speaker 1 (25:54):
No, I agree with the Jauminokoff's our guest string out
the podcast and Volume podcast Network. You joined this Doug
Otam show here on Fox Sports Radio. Okay, So I
understand that teams carry a reputation. People always said the
Chargers were cheap, and I would point out, for the
last five years or so, the Charges were paying a
lot of people a lot of money. Now maybe they
(26:15):
were cheap in coaches for whatever reason they made the
Highers they've hired, but they've paid out a lot of money.
The Bengals have a similar reputation, but that's for people
who don't follow the Bengals. They don't play free agency,
but they have always paid their own guys. Right, They'll
try and draft guys they think are undervalued, and then
if they prove themselves to be worthy, most times they
(26:37):
keep those guys. They may be cheap, but they're cheap
in the free agent market and they're cheap in terms
of some of the other support staff stuff, but not
in terms of their players. All that said, what's your
reaction to essentially bringing back all four of their stars,
if you will, while still attempting to kind of rebuild
that defense.
Speaker 2 (26:56):
I just think we're all products of our experiences, and
I think they went through something that honestly, I don't
really remember happening in at least my adult life, with
the Carson Palmer situation. And I remember hearing Whitworth talk
about he's like, now, part of the reason their team
got pretty stacked under Dalton was because of the trade
(27:18):
they made for Carson Palmer. But that team was really good,
and if you would have plugged the Carson Palmer on
that team, that they could have won a super Bowl, right,
because I mean he was competing with the Cardinals, and
I think you look at that and you go, I
don't want to go through that situation. And I like
Carson a lot, but I think Joe Burrow is a
better player, and Joe like it's weird, right, you know,
(27:41):
sometimes we see it in the NBA, We're like, should
he be doing this? I don't only blame Joe for
saying like we need to keep our good players. And
now it doesn't mean he's right, and it doesn't mean
like paying two writers, you gotta pay demarches. But is
it the right move to also pay Higgins? I think
that's highly up for debate. But I also understand if
(28:04):
you're Mike Brown in the Bengals, like kind of doing
that to make the guy the most important person in
your franchise. Now is Joe by a mile like you
can fire the coach tomorrow? He's I mean, I don't
want to save the relevance, but he's pretty replaceable. Joe
Brok's not. And I just think they don't want to
go through that situation that really how many teams in
(28:25):
the league can really relate to definitely how many owners
in this modern day football. So I think it was
more he was putting pressure on him and they just
kind of wanted to put a smile on his face.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
I can't blame himough, he is. He's a special, special player.
Got John Mitalcoff joining us here Doug Gottlieb show Fox
Sports Radio. As a lot of free agency has has
kind of gone down. What teams surprise you the most
with their moves.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Uh well, I think in general, free agency is pretty overrated.
I mean, this is the league that the best players
and even like the second tier high end guys don't
hit the market on their first contract. So most of
the guys hitting the market, like this is a sport
where this is not baseball. If any of the teams
wanted to keep any of the players that just hit
(29:14):
the free agent market, they would still be on their
original teams. And I think, like I understand like the
Patriots breaking the bank because they just need some players.
I mean, their rockster sucks. But I also understand like
Howie going, like, yeah, we like Milton Williams, but we
think we're gonna pay a guy playing fifty percent of
the snaps fifty, you know, twenty five million dollars a year.
(29:37):
I think when you look at like the Vikings, they
had to say somebody they get, you know, multiple offensive
linemen from the Colts. They get Hard Grave and Jonathan Allen.
But if you look at the prices they're paying, it's
like God, they are paying premiums to get these players.
So I'd argue sometimes and I'm guilty of this too,
because it's exciting, Like think about everyone freaked out, like
(29:57):
how the three Niners? What not give Aaron Van eighty
eight million dollars or Lehu Funga who just misses NonStop games?
And so I think it's that time of year there's
no games going on where people overreact to it. And listen,
I get so many people dming me like, so what
are the Chargers doing? What are the Chargers doing? It's like, guys,
(30:17):
if you haven't if you think Jim Harball was going
to trade a high pick and then give DK Metcalf
one hundred million dollars, you have not followed his twenty
year coaching career like that. He was never you see
the smile on his face when he when he signed
Mackay Beckton. Think about two of the best dinings last
year to all trumps. Derrick Henry got eight million dollars
(30:38):
and Zach Bond got four million dollars. I mean that's
so they got to combine like guaranteed money last year
twelve million dollars and they were two of the you know,
I guess Derek Heckley was second team All Pro because
Saint lom Bark, who got twenty seven million dollars, was
the first team All Pro. Yet some of these guards.
Look at the Rams. Last year they gave Jonah Jackson
like fifty million dollars. In less than a year later
(31:00):
they created him to the Bears. I just think free
agency with the big money guys. You're not signing Reggie
White and be On Sanders here anymore. But those guys
are not available.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
Thirty three hit raise what I've been told He's jout Middlecoff.
The podcast is called Three and Outs on the Volume
podcast Network. Download it only if you want to be
entertained with really good insight into the NFL. Otherwise, I
don't worry about it. But if you want that great
stuff download download three and Out as a podcast, John,
thanks so much for join us. Dog Steug gotlib show
(31:32):
here on Fox Sports Radio. If you feel like owning
a home is out of reach, Rocket is here to
give you back the keys, right back the keys. And
what is so much of these stories you're going to
hear in these upcoming weeks? Watching basketball is kind of
the American dream. Right, kid comes from nothing, works his
(31:54):
way up and now you know who he is. It
starts off his life. Well, Rocket believes in the same thing. Right,
the American dream is owning your future, owning your own home,
because they believe that everyone deserves a shot at the
American Dream. Own the Dream. Visit Rocket dot com or
call eight hundred and four Rocket. Coming up next to
the Doug gottlib Show live at Tyreck dot com studios.
(32:16):
Who are the three best teams in the NCAA an
in what order we'll find out next?
Speaker 5 (32:21):
Be sure to catch the live edition of the Doug
Gottlieb Show weekdays at three pm Eastern noon Pacific.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
S Doug Gottlieb Show Fox Sports Radio, like basketball, Track
Supply knows that a winning season takes practice, team work
in a can do attitude. It's Bracket Challenge season and
the Fox Sports Radio Bracket Challenges live. Be sure to
complete your bracket on Fox sports Radio dot com right now.
The winning bracket in the Fox Sports Radio Bracket Challenge
we'll win a twenty five hundred dollars gift card to
(32:50):
Track Supply, and the perfect bracket will win you one
million dollars. Find your bracket now, fill out your bracket?
How excuse me? Until Thursday morning where the games begin.
Visit foxport Tradio dot com register, get rules and fill
out your bracket. It's all sponsored by Tractors Apply for
life out here. It is the Doug Gottlieb Show. This
is Fox Sports Radio. Every day. At the end of
(33:12):
the first hour we turn over to Dan Buyer and say,
let's play game.
Speaker 5 (33:19):
This is game time on the Doug Gottlieb Show.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
Hey Dan, what's the game?
Speaker 3 (33:26):
All right? Doug, get out your bracket?
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Today is rank them.
Speaker 3 (33:31):
Doug ranked the three best teams in the NCAA tournament field.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
You know what, I saw Cooper Flag walk up the stairs,
the stairs the ladder to cut down the net at
the ACC tournament on like he's fine, So I know
who my number one is. Everything else gets really really interesting.
(34:00):
Three best teams. I'm gonna go with Florida at three,
Houston at two, Duke at one.
Speaker 3 (34:08):
All right, number one overall seed Auburn does not make
the top three. All right, Doug. Rank the three double
digit seeds that could do damage in this tournament.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
Three double digit seeds. I love that question. They could
do damn.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
We usually look in the range of what ten to thirteen.
I think fourteen's a bit of a stretch, but fourteen
could win a game. I don't know. If they're gonna
win two. But yeah, we've seen a fifteen seed go far.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
But I'd say, uh, Yale, Okay, he does coach Jones say, oh,
he's such a good coach. They do a really really
good job.
Speaker 3 (34:53):
They got A and M coming up in Denver on Thursday.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
I think if they're healthy, this wouldn't be the case.
But Lipscomb, Okay, Lipscomb and a team that I've watched
play really well down the stretch, really well those stretches.
Colorado State. They haven't lost a game since I think
it was like what February eleventh. Yeah, I mean they've
(35:21):
been playing some really good basketball. I'm gonna go. Uh yeah,
I'm gonna go Colorado State.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Colorado State the twelve scene in the West Region, facing
Memphis and Seattle on Friday. They're also favored in that game.
So the twelve favored over the five. All right, Doug.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
So it's not an upset by the way if they win, right.
Speaker 3 (35:39):
Yeah, but still that fits the criteria of double digit seeds.
That tracks, Yes, that tracks, Doug. Rank your three favorite
first round games the matchups that we actually have.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
Ew. I like that. I like this question.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
I feel okay, go ahead, No, go ahead. I was
just gonna say I feel that the Kansas Arkansas game
is like on one of the highlighters, because of the coaches,
because of the brands.
Speaker 1 (36:08):
Sure, New Mexico, Marquette, New Mexico, Marquette, Donovan Dent really
really good, really really good, Marquette really really good. And
Cam Jones hasn't had as good as second half of
the season as he had first half the season, but
really good. That one's gonna be fun. I love that game.
(36:30):
M I would go Creighton versus Louisville.
Speaker 3 (36:42):
Okay, Creighton versus first game on Thursday.
Speaker 1 (36:45):
I think both teams are underseated. Both teams are underseated.
And Utah State versus UCLA.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Okay, you versus seven to ten matchup in the Midwest,
that's in Lexington on Thursday night. All right, Doug rank
the three best first and second round host cities. I
don't know if you've been to all of them, but
I know some of them you have for sure. What
to say, have not been to I don't know, I know,
I have no idea. I just I don't know. I
know you've been to Milwaukee obviously, and you've been to
(37:17):
Providence in Wichita. So yeah, I know you went to
a final four in Seattle. At one point you and
I were together in Lexington. I guess good.
Speaker 1 (37:27):
People back in Seattle. Good to have back in Seattle.
It is it's got to be a killer for Seattle
that they don't have Gonzaga there, right, because that was
I'm sure that was the dream when they booked that thing.
Speaker 3 (37:36):
Do we have Oregon so that helps?
Speaker 1 (37:38):
Yeah? Yeah? Uh okay, So I got Seattle. What are
their sites ten for I'm not huge on Middlewauke. I'm
gonna go.
Speaker 3 (37:53):
We know you're big in Wichita too with the sh Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:56):
I am yeah. Wichita is going to be three media
and then meetly Walk K two and then Seattle, which
they'll have some really dumb somebody throwing the fish thing
got so cliche good, a lot of coffee references. I'm
going to Seattle one.
Speaker 3 (38:13):
And that's game time.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
Game.
Speaker 5 (38:17):
This is game time on the du Gottlieb Show.
Speaker 1 (38:21):
It's dog Gottlieb Show here on Fox Sworts Radio. Bruce
Pearl joins us next to The Dog Gotlieb Show Fox
Ports Trio
Host
Doug Gottlieb
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.