January 4, 2023 • 38 mins
Jason Smith and Mike Harmon give you all the latest updates on Damar Hamlin.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
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(00:24):
to Fox Sports Radio. Greetings and welcome inside. Happy Tuesday,
The Jason Smith Show with my base friend Mike Harmon
Live in the tiraq dot com studios where, well, I
aged about eighty years the end of that Syracuse Louisville game.
(00:45):
But I'm ready to go, Mike Harmon, rearing back and
ready to go here for the next four hours with
you on the positive, you were already bald and wrinkly. Yes,
so there was that. Yes, It's it's like Yoda, Oh,
Yoda's eight hundred, nine hundred doesn't even matter. I mean,
I mean, real, when you're eight hundred, what does it
matter that it doesn't even matter? Uh? At that point,
(01:06):
we have so much to get to and and and
obviously the DeMar Hamlin story is still front and center
keep sending those thoughts and prayers and karma Uh towards
Cincinnati today. If you could try to gauge how today
was for DeMar Hamlin versus what happened last night, Today
looks to be a bit of a better day. DeMar
(01:26):
Hamlin is his condition looks like it's improved a little bit,
according to uh, Hamlin's uncle, who did interviews with ESPN
interviews on NFL Network, saying that he's improving from where
he was yesterday. We're gonna keep praying. I know he's
in great hands of the medical team he has here.
They've been doing a tremendous job. And just for for
a second, before we get into the details on this
(01:48):
and all the different things that happened today, you know,
just think about this. The medical community that was able
to get on the field so fast and save his
life because he had a cardi arrest incident. He had
a heart attack on the field, and because the medical
professionals were there so fast, they will get on the field,
restart his heart, save his life, get him to a
(02:10):
hospital where he is getting incredible care right now, and
it looks like with every few hours there's a little
bit better story for it. Now he's still in critical
condition and he's still being being sedated, but according to
his uncle, things were a little bit better, which is good, right.
A little bit is staying you know, staying the same.
A little bit better in a situation like this is
pretty good. Right. You don't want the backslide. You don't
(02:31):
want to hear what this happening. Now. We have to
take care of this issue. But it seems like so
far today, if the needle is moving one way or
the other, it's a little bit towards the positive, which
is is the best thing we can we can think
about and hope for and just keep going hopefully that
this is how it goes the rest of the time,
and he continues to show improvement, show improvement. Wake up
and find out, dude, you got like seven million dollars
(02:53):
worth of presents to spend U dollars to buy presents
for your kids in your hometown and mkeys rock because
we got like seven eight million dollars in your in
your go fund me that you wanted. I'm really really
I can't wait for that moment. Yeah, it is one
of those circumstances. Obviously, we were on air for the
four hours waiting on updates, waiting on the different reports
(03:15):
from the stadium, from the medical center, watching the prayer
circles to fond digs heading there, all of the news
and trying to make sense of the reports. And you know,
in the end, you know, they postponed the game and
people were upset. People they'll get over yourselves, all right,
we move forward. We're talking about the humanity not just
(03:36):
of h Hamlin, but also the T. Higgins side, the teammates,
the families across the NFL. It's it's sent ripples through
all of it. And so today you had the reaction,
the aftermath, and and you're just waiting for all those updates, refreshing.
I know you were doing it all day, Justin and
(03:56):
you and I going back and forth sharing any update
we saw that that even jed positively, you know, all
the good thoughts. It was. I went to my daughter's
soccer game this afternoon and people were coming up to
me going, what did you guys here? What did you
How did you do your show last night? All of
those kind of things, you know, because they had heard
bits and pieces and just trying to piece it all together.
(04:17):
Just the outpouring of emotion in the community that shows
out of this. You mentioned the charity. Uh, you know,
a lot of the NFL luminaries. My favorite one of
the last hour or so was seeing in in the
Twitter verse how wrestling legend Chris Jericho donated, but he
he misspelled his own name, so he called himself an idiot,
(04:38):
and he doubled his He doubled his donation. He went
back and donated again, so his surname was correct the
second time. I like the one guy who donated because
you see the names come up and he says donating
for fans everywhere except for Steve, who is a blank, right,
like that was oh yeah, yeah from their fantasy league.
Yeah yeah, yeah, except for Steve, who was a blank. Okay, Steve,
(05:02):
look at you, Steve, You're the worst guy in the world.
Uh so again, I mean, look, this is something you
know he wanted to raise and now and now it's
you know, eight million dollars. I mean, my goodness, I
really I can't wait. I can't wait. Yeah, because he
he started that before he was even drafted. Yeah, he
was mean and he was trying to do it. Look,
(05:23):
I'm gonna do this toy drive and you know, we
pulled the first one off kind of buy himself a
little bit, and that was this thing. I'm gonna keep
doing it, keep doing it now. I mean, dude, the
guys eight million dollars in toy drive money to spend.
That's I mean that, that is I really there's there's
parts of of sports world where I want to be
a fly on the wall when things happen, right, I
want to see what reaction is like Normally, it's like,
(05:46):
I want to be in the Jets locker room when
what the hell is Robert Solids always the team at
hap time? It sounds like this, but really, if you
asked me where would you like to be a flyinal?
I want to be in Tamar Hamlin's room when when
he wakes up and that you see the joy of
his fan only members And then one of them says, okay,
we got to talk about your go fund me page.
What why, why? What happened? You wanted for it? Yeah? Um,
(06:09):
it's over eight million dollars right now, Tom Brady are
all these guys are donating and it's a thing, and
it's unbelievable. He's gonna go, wait, wait, what did you say?
Eight million? Dollars. Yet I mean it's I mean, really,
it's just gonna. It's keep going. It's going and going
and going. And I couldn't believe it when it was
at four five hundred thousand last night and now here
we are tonight, now here we were eight milk in
(06:31):
dollars and it's still going. This is this is so
awesome and you know it's it's I was thinking about
this all day and it really just hit home with me.
About it is that the people who are donating, yes,
a lot of it as Bills fans, because look, Bill's
mafia goes out there, you know when when they see
somebody in trouble, they want to help, right, whether it's
a Bill's player or not, or Andy Dalton helping them
(06:52):
get in the playoffs, whatever it was. But it really is,
it really is is something to see people. And yes,
you have a lot of celebrities, a lot of people
who have the money don't which is great, but you
have so many people doing this and it's I really
I look at it as I think people say, I've
gotten so much joy out of the NFL for my
entire life. However old you are, you, but you're learned
(07:13):
old enough to start watching football. For me, it's well
over forty years. I mean, I don't know how much
enjoyment because I'm a Jets fan, but bits and pieces
in the game, it's I love the game, right, I mean.
And and people see this and say, I've got so
much enjoyment from this game over my life. It's such
a big part of me and my family and my
friends and and and what I like to watch and
what I like to think about and talk about. Somebody's
(07:34):
in trouble. How can I help? Right, Well, I can't
go to the hospital. I'm not a doctor. I'm not somebody.
I can't I I'm not inventing something. What what does
he have going He's got a toy drive that he
needs money for for kids in his hometown. Yes, that's
what I will do. And people want to try to
find a way to help. And that's and that's that's
what sticks out to me about this is that's how
I I view why this is happening. Whereas here's a
(07:56):
guy that's part of a of a business that gives
us great joy that is also dangerous, and and he
has chosen to do it, and the people who chose
to do it for for their own personal gain and
for their entertainment. Value for us is incredible and and
so we're gonna go help when we can. And that's
why I see this thing going seven And it could
be a ten million dollars by the time we get
off the air tonight. Yeah, it's it's something you know,
(08:19):
I want to say. It was nove what early November
we started doing kind of an appreciation moment, right, remembering
the good little bits and pieces and news stories or
performances that might be overshadowed because of where a guy plays,
or or the larger issues around the team. And it's
easy to be cynical. And one of the things out
(08:40):
of the holiday season as we're getting into the new year,
people are getting back to work, finishing up vacations, whatever is.
We always see the generosity and generosity of spirit for
a couple of weeks that really it's front and center,
right Salvation army kettles. Uh. People are you know donating
the end of the year. Some of it is tax related,
(09:02):
but the rest of it, you know, there's they're they're
picking their cause for the year or their annual donations.
And here was an opportunity for people to show the
best of themselves at this moment, right, And so five
dollars here, ten dollars, twenty dollars, thousands of dollars, whatever
people contributed. I mean, we're talking a couple hundred thousand
(09:23):
people that have come together at this point, Jason, and
that that needs to be acknowledged. We talked a lot
about the medical personnel and the greatness and the training
and the responsiveness, and it all goes hand in hand, right,
The good thoughts and prayers, whether you're religious or not,
they don't hurt, right, all the good thoughts that you
send to players in games and and in this particular
(09:44):
say session right at this last twenty four hours, it's
really a powerful thing. And and coming together like this,
you always want to look for the best of people,
uh and not be so cynical, because, let's face it,
we cover a lot of stories where the syner is
um uh can shine through. Here was here's one where
at least I'm a little wider eyed and feel a
(10:06):
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cool going on with us? Yeah, very cool. Uh. Damar
(10:26):
Hamlin's number three bills jersey has been among the highest
selling jerseys on fanatics since last night in any sport,
not just the NFL. Wow. Cantics just announced that all
the proceeds from Hamlin's jersey sales will be donated to
his toy drive, which five point five million dollars. Oh
my goodness, all them that they're making the Hamlin jersey
(10:49):
special because you know, look, not every player has has
the has a jersey, only a handful on each team,
So they're gonna make those jerseys. They're gonna rush to
make those jerseys and send all the money to his
toy drive. That's that's yeah. I mean I saw the
social media for all NFL teams had actually replaced their
logos with the back of his jersey as well. Just
(11:11):
how eliminated. Oh there. You know, there's gonna be kids
in McKee's rocks next Christmas. They're gonna say what did
you put on your list a bicycle? Go? Look out
in the front it's a jaguar. Oh my goodness, it's
an escalade. Gonna go get this all this well, all
these kids, Oh my god, it's really this part of
this story is just so and look, it's something positive
(11:34):
to focus on. Look, why is the story gaining gaining
so much attention? Because it's something positive to focus on
on this. You know, you're waiting and hitting refresh on
the computer and checking and checking social media. Is there
an update, is there an interview? Is there something? But
this is this is a positive thing to hold onto
that we can focus on that, you know, as this goes, Hey,
this is something that's just even if the money stopped
(11:54):
right now, it's an unbelievable story. And it's not. It's
just gonna keep going, keep going, keep going, and and
and you're gonna see all kinds of money. Uh. I mean,
we could be over ten million dollars by the time.
Maybe not by the end of the show tonight, but
but maybe by tomorrow. Because you're talking in one day,
we've hit almost seven million, right so now now now
you're gonna in another day, could it be ten million?
If you think about this, it's at five point five.
(12:16):
So if you give four point five right now, we
could be there. That's you know, I'm gonna call Steve Cohen.
I'm gonna call Steve, all the guys in your neighborhood, Yes,
but I call all. Yes, I'll call my next door
j j Abrams and yeah, I'll call Lilian who's ninety
five years old. Lilian, let me tell you what do
you need? Jason. That's you would tell me what do
you need? What's going on, what's going on in sports?
(12:39):
I want to know that's my neighbor right there. It's
a beautiful thing though, right because I mean, obviously this
now allows that program to expand, right And we talked
a lot about his upbringing and his neighborhood and and
all of that. Now you think about Pennsylvania, think about
all the other good works beyond toy drives that they'll
be able to do off of this. At such a
(13:00):
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talk about how with Discover you can redeem the rewards
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about amazing learn more at discovered dot com slash redeemed
rewards terms they do apply. So while this is happening,
there are other big developments regarding the game last night.
There's a controversy brewing about what was said the resumption
(13:23):
of the game and not And boy was today one
of those crazy days where you sat back and said,
look at what's happening. We get into all that and
more coming up next Jason Smith, Mike card to keep
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(14:53):
And uh, just something else really cool to tell you
about the Buffalo Sabers one tonight in over to time
and uh, they're social media page, Uh put a picture
of the team up saying that this one was for you, Damar.
Their picture of their social media pages pray for Damar. Uh,
you know, just really it's it's awesome to see everybody
(15:16):
coming out for this in the community of buffalo continued
to roll around. Uh, Damar, hamlet really is something, because
it's really just it's been that kind of day where
you know, he's gonna be told all the things that happened,
you know, surrounding his injury and what happened. It's it's
gonna be a story that is just gonna wow him.
Every every three seconds, there's gonna be something and you're
(15:37):
not gonna believe this, and you're not gonna believe that
you're not and then then this happened. It's gonna be
oh my, keep keep going. Give me popcorn. I want
to be that kid from the internet today's spinning the
popcorn on his finger, making the popcorn in the movie
theater like he's like he's like he's Bob Couzy and
he's spinning the popcorn and flipping it up. I'd be
that popcorn listening to people tell the story about what
happened after he got hurt. Well, that guy's gonna get
(15:59):
a promotion to every Hollywood premier, right, He's got to
be front and center handing, you know, popcorn. Two guys
like Brad Pitt and stuff down the road. Yeah, if
you can spin a bucket of popcorn on your middle
finger while there's popcorn in it and you're making it.
I mean, you're a you're a legend. But he was
(16:21):
layering up all that fake butter and all of that.
I mean it was stuff. Don't forget the shoveling of it.
Oh yeah, that was an art Yeah, but it was
it was an art form that that is a refined skill.
Right there. I saw the the image from Great American Ballpark.
They had Hamlin's face and his stats and everything up
there as well, so attributes across and and certainly you know,
(16:45):
it's one of those things that unites we We talked
about football brotherhood, but you know, certainly we we know
the crossover. Right. How many Jersey exchanges do we see
baseline of NBA games time and time again of of
NFL players coming in and shaking hands with those luminaries
and on and on it goes. So, yeah, it's the
larger fraternity coming together, which is again looking looking for
(17:09):
the positive, the best, the best of humanity, uh coming
out in this time. Uh. So again, all your big thoughts,
all our big thoughts with Damar Hamlin and his family
in Cincinnati. Keeps sending them keeps sending them. Now, the
the business part of this story is something that did
take front and center today because there is news on it,
and it's a debate, it's a it's a debatable thing.
(17:31):
And if you think the NFL is definitely not going
to resume the Bills Bengals game at some point, think again.
We did get the story from Commissioner Roger go Adell
today that the Bills and the Bengals is not going
to be played this week. Right, that will not happen.
The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the
medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, the Bills, the Bengals,
(17:52):
the NFL Player Association. They are not going to play
the game this week. There is also no change to
this week's NFL schedule. So what does this mean, Well,
they obviously don't need to play the game, right, you
can figure it out. People will figure out their fantasy championships,
we can figure out seatings in the playoffs. We can
(18:12):
do that and we don't need to play the game.
But but here's the thing. Knowing the NFL, and this
gets into a little bit of a of a dicey
area with this, But knowing the NFL and going back
with the business part of it, here's what I can
see now again. You don't need to play it. You
don't need to play again. No, nobody needs to play
this game again. We don't need to We can go on.
(18:33):
We can play the games this weekend, go to the
we can do it. But here's the NFL, and I'm
gonna look at it from how I think the NFL
looks at this situation. Okay, what do we do here.
Let's kick the can down the road, Let's see what happens.
Let's see what happens. And hopefully Damar Hamlin is okay
and he pulls through and he's all right, and hopefully
(18:54):
this game isn't gonna wind up having a bearing on
playoff seatings. Hopefully it doesn't, but if it does, if
we're playing this week and something happens for the playoffs
and the Bills Bengals game is needed to decide something
that's needed to decide seating, they're gonna play this game
because the NFL. Look, Look, this is still a game
(19:17):
that's out there, and I can see the NFL again,
this is what I'm thinking. I can see the NFL
saying business wise, do we want to set a precedent
that we're just not gonna play games, right, because look
at what happened during COVID. When it was a COVID.
Did we miss a game? We did not miss one game.
We did not miss one game. We had a we
had a global pandemic, and we didn't miss one game. Right.
(19:39):
We played on Tuesday, Tuesday afternoons at noon. We played
on Wednesdays to play. We are playing these games. We
are not going to cancel games. The NFL is not
in that business. They don't want to set the precedent
of hey, here's a scary injury and we are not
going to play the rest of this game. Now, this
is something that should be Hey, this was an easy decision. Right,
(20:02):
the guy's getting CPR in the field, We're not playing
this game, right, it's done. Yes, they're scary situations. The
NFL has seen it. We saw a player die on
the field in the early seventies, and the NFL is
still finding a way to go on. It's a dangerous game,
and I understand this, But the NFL, you can see
from their past how they acted during COVID. If we're
gonna play this game, hey, Broncos have no quarterbacks. Sorry,
(20:24):
you gotta play the game. But we don't have a quarterback. Sorry,
I gotta play the game. So Kendall Hitton, good luck
going out there trying to throw the football and win
a football game when you're not really a quarterback. This
is how the NFL is, and I can see them
thinking that if we don't play this game, we opened
the door to other times where a game can be
abandoned and we're not gonna We're not gonna do that.
(20:47):
So we're going to look at this and see if
we have to, we will play that. This is not
going to be the NFL saying we're playing this game
no matter what this is not. This is not going
to be that, because that's something that not even the
NFL could come back from from a public relations standpoint.
It would be too it would be too awful for them.
But if this game is needed for for that, I
(21:07):
can see them saying after this week, we're gonna play
the Bengalsh Bills game, then we're gonna start the playoffs
the week after, and we're not gonna have a week
off between super you know, I I can That's how
I'm looking because if you think they're not gonna play
the game. Just think about how the NFL is progressed
when when during a global pandemic and we don't know
what's going on, we're gonna play all these games. Yeah,
(21:28):
if this game is needed, they will play it. If
it's not, if it's not needed, and it's okay, you
know what, Yeah, okay this game because of these circumstances,
we can we can abandon, we can go on and
move it. But if they have to, if there's a
way to do it, they will play the game because
that's what the NFL does. Yeah, I would anticipate just
to that level. Right. I don't think this is a Hey,
(21:50):
here's a coin flip situation like you you've had in
high school football and day op, you're the odd team out.
Sorry you lose. No, that's not getting They're not gonna
a termined seeding that way. Uh. And let's face it,
if the game is needed, what better for the drama, pageantry, pomp,
and circumstance of the NFL too. Hey, one one game
(22:12):
decides the number one overall seed. Uh in this conference
with with these two teams that have battled all years.
So yeah, it's it's certainly in play. Yes, the Mannings
will lose some luster on the Pro Bowl games or
whatever the hell it is they're trying to do this year.
I haven't paid much attention. I just know they announced
them because they're gonna jam the Mannings into every piece
(22:34):
of programming possible at this point. But yeah, it's it's
there's no reason to make that decision today, right. The
only decision that needed to be made in a timely
matter was the medical assistance and then deciding to postpone
the game. After that, there's no urgency. You've got a
slated games this week, and it may all be a
(22:56):
moot point. I know there's been a lot of anger
on the NFC side as far as what got flex
to whatever else. Again, it'll it'll, it's, it'll all work out.
It'll it'll be fine, uh for Roger Goodell and company
trying to figure out that the best way to go
and yes, with with the other teams in the a
f C playoffs, get some level of advantage. Would be
(23:18):
some argument, folks would make, like its exigent circumstances. As
you said during COVID Tuesdays, we were coming on Wednesday
evening breaking down Wednesday afternoon NFL games. Right, here's the
Baltimore Ravens in the playoff hunt playing on a Wednesday.
Natural disasters, weather events, all sorts of circumstances have have
(23:41):
You've moved games, you know, to other facilities to help
continue the machine moving on. So I don't I don't
believe for a minute, if the opportunity is there to
play it that they'll they'll move it on and just
say no, no, no, we we give up a game
because you we We talked about precedent a lot when
it comes to sports and society in general and from
(24:04):
a decision making process, because I remember is as ghoulish
as it may seem, and I know that there's a
lot of folks always ready at the keyboard or at
the microphone to get angry. And it is the larger
business they're also trying to be sensitive to, right, corporate
partners and advertising sales or whatever. There's there's a lot
that that flows from it. As much as in the
(24:28):
immediacy of things. Uh it it may seem distasteful and
off putting, it is a reality that the league has
to adjust with as well. So you need to be
cognizant of that first and foremost the players, coaching stats
and those teams affected. Um. But beyond that, yeah, there
there's still is the larger mechanism to work through. I mean, look, look,
(24:51):
if if you just to give another layer to this
of how the NFL is, you know, can still the
fact that they haven't they haven't canceled it already tells
me it's on the able. Well why haven't you canceled it? Right?
Unless it's on the table, you don't need to. We
may need to play the game. And and like I said,
there's reasons around it. There's hey, and mainly is we
don't want to get in the precedent of of canceling games.
(25:11):
But just think about this, if you think really, NFL
really gonna do it. What was one of the big
controversies today, right the fact that ESPN reported last night
after the injury to Damar Hamlet and he got any
and he was getting CPR on the field, they were
told that the game's gonna resume in five minutes, right,
we're gonna they had they had spended the game while
it was going on. They gave both teams time and
(25:33):
Joe Buck was on TV he said it four times
the game we were we were told the game's gonna
resume in five minutes, and a couple of times he
even said, is that right? Is that where where it's
resuming in five minutes? And Troy Vincent, head of the
NFL p A last night, did an interview and said, no,
we never said anything like that. Basically that Joe buck
was making that up, was making up the fact that, oh,
you know, we're gonna start again in five minutes. Um,
(25:56):
Joe Burrow was warming up on the field. You saw
some players that were milling around. We're gonna get to
start playing this game. Um, yeah, I'm not gonna believe that.
There was no directive to start the game again. Now,
it was hectic. I'm sure what's going to happen. We're
gonna play again, We're gonna go in five minutes. I'm
sure that was the NFL getting their decision out to
(26:21):
we're gonna play this game, and then it was met
with whatever reaction it was, and the Bills said we're
not playing and they just moved on because there's no
way ESPN is gonna go on the air and say, yeah,
the game's gonna start in five minutes unless they were
told by the NFL unless the people they were and
(26:41):
Joe Buck even said, we got it from this person
who was talking to the NFL. Right, this is what's
going on. ESPN is not gonna go on and just
say something that reckless. We were told the game's gonna
start again in five minutes unless they were told about it.
Look that you can say, you can say many things
you want to about ESPN, but they're they're not doing
that unless they were told. So that comes out and
(27:03):
Joe again, Joe Bucks said it like four times. We're
gonna play. That's right, we're new, We're playing again, and
it sounds insane. He's got no reason to lie about it.
Joe Buck's not gonna make it up. Well I think
we're gonna start again in five minutes. Well, Joe, I
don't know about that. No, you stop over there. I'm
gonna say what I want to say. The ESPN responded
to Vincent today, Yeah right quote constant communication in real
(27:23):
time between ESPN and league and game officials. As a
result of that, we reported what we were told in
the moment and immediately updated fans is new information was learned.
This was an unprecedented rapidly evolving circumstance all night long.
We refrained from speculation. End quote. It was it's the
(27:44):
NFL because we've seen this before, right and and just
to let you know how a decision like this has
made just think about this for a second. In the NFL,
we have seen tremendously scary injuries. It's going on. You're
seeing him worked on on the field, and it's a
scene that none of us have even even seeing scary
stuff with guys going down on kickoffs and getting injured
(28:06):
and not moving. This was above being scary. But what's
the s op for the game? They take a few
minutes and we play again. And I'm sure because that's
the way it was standard operating procedure was when this happens,
we take a break, everybody takes a couple of minutes,
We get back on the field, we play the game. Yes,
we're gonna play the game. And that decision is made
in a vacuum by whoever is making it not understanding
(28:29):
look at all the ramifications that are going on surrounding us.
We just watched a guy who who who We don't
know if he's alive right now, and and we just
watched you get taken off the field and you're telling
we gotta get back on the field and play. So
this is a decision that it looks to me, hey,
we're trying to back away from this. Now the NFL knows, hey, there,
we are not gonna look good if this gets out
there that we're the ones that said, hey, yeah, we're
(28:50):
gonna play this game in five minutes. So what I
what what I would say happen knowing from my life
and TV and and stressful situations in in a booth
and look, Frostburg, I know you can talk about it too.
You know you're in the booth every week for Chargers games.
You know the way information flow goes, someone makes that
decision at some point. Now do they do they make
it um fully understanding the consequences of everything going around? No?
(29:16):
Maybe then that's why. Maybe this is a case where
it was, hey, this is normally what we do. We're
gonna play the game in five minutes. Okay, we're playing
in five minutes, and Joe Buck is having to tell
people that people are we gonna play this game? Are
we not? All the questions on social media are we
playing this game? We don't need to play. That's how
it happens, And it happens, and it happens like that,
and and and and knowing that this was gonna be
(29:38):
the backlash. Yeah, I don't doubt that anybody wants to
back away from any responsibility of this. No, no, no,
we we never said. We never said, we never said.
But honestly, I'll tell you that I ESPN is not
lying about it. ESPN is not making up that they
were told by the league that we're gonna start again,
by someone in the in the NFL that was in
charge of the game, there was in charge of this,
that they were gonna start the game in five minutes.
(29:59):
There's just no way. Well, you're going into journalistic and
integrity and credibility. Uh, you are a league partner, so
we we know oftentimes there's there's that line you have
to tow. So for the ESPN to put out that
statement and adamantly refute Vincent's comments from that conference call
last night, it's a pretty big deal, right because that
(30:22):
that has been as you say, standard operating procedure. UH.
The rules analyst John Harry had his UH was the
guy that they were getting information from. And because of
the exigent circumstances. Okay, maybe maybe they change what what
has historically been protocol, but that certainly wasn't communicated through
(30:46):
whatever channels. Right there was somewhere on here. I don't say,
uh blanket that someone's lying, but but clearly both sides
are entrenched and what they feel. Uh here Again, it
goes back to the coaches and the leaders and captains
(31:07):
of these squads that looked around the sideline and and
I think forced the issue. We'll we'll see eventually they'll
be the books written in and larger background of the
sequence of events. But in this moment, you know, you
had the leaders on the sidelines that that took it
into their hands. So five ten, whatever that timeline was, um,
(31:30):
they rendered it. Moot. We could talk about how complicated
other banks make it to redeemed credit card rewards, or
we could talk about how with Discovery you can redeem
the rewards for cashing any amount at anytime. I mean,
talk about amazing learn more at discovered dot com slash
redeem rewards. That's discovered dot com slash redeem rewards terms
they do apply. The Jason Smith Show with my best
(31:51):
friend Mike Harmon, Uh coming up next? Have we seen
Jim Harbaugh coaches last game at Michigan Big Store are
coming up next? Right here, Jason and Mike Fox. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith Show
with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern seven pm Pacific. Hey,
(32:11):
it's Ben hosting The Fifth Hour with Ben Mallory. Would
mean a lot to have you join us on our
weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name is
the Fifth Hour, I'll tell you it's a spin off
of the Ben Maller Show. Cold Hit Overnights on FS
are Why should you listen? Picture if you will? A
world will We chat with captains of industry in media,
sports and more every week Explorer some amazing facts about
(32:34):
human nature and more. Listen to The Fifth Hour with
Ben mallow or the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast
or wherever you get your podcast, Fox Sports Radio, The
Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon, and
we'll have more on tomorrow. Hamlin coming up in a
few minutes again today, If you're looking for the needle
to go one way or the other, it looked like
(32:54):
it was a positive day for him. While he's still
in critical condition. He is fighting. His uncle says he's
in great hands. And we're keeping our thoughts headed towards
Cincinnati and our karma and um keep supporting his go
fund me. But look, there's other big things happening in
the world of sports that are big deals, and especially
with going on what you know now, and we're gonna
(33:16):
spend some time with that. Look, it's very heavy talking
about tomorrow, Hamlin, but there's, like I said, there's other things,
other fun things to talk about. To me, you give
you a little bit of time away from things. But
this story today that just a few days after losing
in the college football semifinal, Jim Harbaugh has talked with
the Panthers about their head coaching job. Owner David Tepper
(33:38):
had a conversation with our Bob about the opening uh
once the two season ends. Now, this is a job
that Steve Wilkes has right now. He's considered a strong
candidate to keep the job. Kept the team afloat. We
didn't think they would be even close to where they
were a week ago, and hey, we could potentially you
win the NFC South. All right, they didn't. They blew
a big lead, but still Wilkes has done a good job.
(34:00):
What does this mean? I get that if you are Michigan,
you're mad because you just signed him to a contract
extension last year. You gave him a lot of money.
But I'll tell you how this is all gonna end
with Harbor in Michigan. Right, what's going on? Last year
he had the flirtation with the NFL after beating Ohio State,
going to the CFP. Same thing here he beats Ohio State,
he goes to cfp's talking the NFL again. This is
(34:21):
how it's gonna end. Every year Jim Harbaugh succeeds, He's
gonna do this to get things added to his deal
at Michigan, whether it's more of an extension, more money, something,
He's going to do this because this is when you
do it. Oh, we beat Ohio State again. We we
put fifty on them on the road and we made
it to the semifinal. Yes we lost, but this is
(34:44):
a great year. One another big ten too big tents
in a road to Yeah, I want more. This is
when you push because when you have succeeded, this is
when you can get what you want from the school.
Maybe it's more money, maybe it's facility, whatever it is.
He's going to do this every year, and when he
doesn't or slash, he gets the right NFL opportunity, he
(35:04):
will take it because you know, he's still mad about
how it ended in San Francisco. Couldn't get along. He
gets the super Bowl, he's pushed out, he goes to Michigan.
This was the gig for him. That's how it's gonna
end for Hardball as long as he's winning. This is
what's gonna happen to the end of every year. Hey,
I'll talk to the NFL. No, I'm a Michigan guy,
but you know you never say no. This isn't the
job for him. No, Caroline is not the gig. But
(35:26):
if a big gig comes up and Michigan is gonna
balk and giving him a little bit more, then guess what,
then he's gonna go to the NFL because no matter
what he's done, what he's wanted to do, and what
they asked him, do it Michigan get the program back
to being a national powerhouse. Win big Ten's beat Ohio State,
beat Michigan state check check check. He's done all of
those things right. Hopefully he keeps it going. But if not,
(35:49):
he's done this. He's got to the top of the
mountain Michigan. He's done what they've asked them to do.
So he's gonna keep asking for more. And if the
combination of hey, you're not gonna give me more and
the right opportunity comes up, then he goes back to
the NFL. Yeah. It's comical how the accomplishments of the
last couple of years and and what his record and
success that Michigan has been overall, it gets categorically dismissed
(36:11):
by so many people, um lazy takes. But it is
what it is. Uh. You know, remember who you are?
Right the old Simba line that Mufasa gives him in
the fun and exciting world of the Lion King. Yeah,
I just went there. Uh. And that's what Michigan Football
needed to do. I remember after the COVID season when
they went two and four, uh, and they reduced his
(36:32):
his deal quote, I reacted, no big deal, attacking each
day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind as always didn't
really mean anything to me. It's just money, big deals
like no is it's still pride blanket with you. But
to your point, Yeah, Denver and Carolina. Those those are
not the jobs. Man. Obviously, the Waltons can could give
(36:52):
him all all sorts of cash and and power. Do
you you want to go try to fix Russ? Maybe
maybe not? Uh Carolina, even Temper, who's an aggressive coach.
I like the job Wilkes has done. I'd like to
see him get a shot. But I'd understand if they
start looking at Harriball thinking that he's the guy to
extend that bit of a turnaround for. But yeah, you're
(37:13):
gonna use the leverage every chance you get. He'd be
an idiot if he didn't. And if his people weren't
leaking all over the place. Hey you know who called
me today? But yeah, but the Caroline. He's not gonna
leave Michigan for Carolina. This was to let everybody know, Hey,
guess what, guys, I'm still open to the NFL. If
(37:35):
the right gig you want to call me. I know
you like Sean Payton, but he's only one guy, you know.
I'm I'm another guy. I I could I could take
this gig, And if he gets the high profile gig
he wants, that's what'll go. But it's got to be
that combo of Michigan's not taking care of him and
the right opportunity. If that happens, he'll go. Why are
the Bears keep texting me? Twitter it out out a
(37:57):
fresco If I gets swollen dome That Jason Smith's show
with my best friend Mike Harmon coming up next. We
get back into the biggest story. We get back into
what's going on with tomorrow Hamlet and what happened today
all over the television and your radio. This is Fox
Sports Radio.
Thanks for listening to The Jason Smith Show with Mike
Harmen podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
ten pm to two am Eastern seven to eleven pm
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for
The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harmon at Fox Sports
Radio dot com, or stream us live every night on
the I Heart Radio app by searching FSR. You're listening
(00:24):
to Fox Sports Radio. Greetings and welcome inside. Happy Tuesday,
The Jason Smith Show with my base friend Mike Harmon
Live in the tiraq dot com studios where, well, I
aged about eighty years the end of that Syracuse Louisville game.
(00:45):
But I'm ready to go, Mike Harmon, rearing back and
ready to go here for the next four hours with
you on the positive, you were already bald and wrinkly. Yes,
so there was that. Yes, It's it's like Yoda, Oh,
Yoda's eight hundred, nine hundred doesn't even matter. I mean,
I mean, real, when you're eight hundred, what does it
matter that it doesn't even matter? Uh? At that point,
(01:06):
we have so much to get to and and and
obviously the DeMar Hamlin story is still front and center
keep sending those thoughts and prayers and karma Uh towards
Cincinnati today. If you could try to gauge how today
was for DeMar Hamlin versus what happened last night, Today
looks to be a bit of a better day. DeMar
(01:26):
Hamlin is his condition looks like it's improved a little bit,
according to uh, Hamlin's uncle, who did interviews with ESPN
interviews on NFL Network, saying that he's improving from where
he was yesterday. We're gonna keep praying. I know he's
in great hands of the medical team he has here.
They've been doing a tremendous job. And just for for
a second, before we get into the details on this
(01:48):
and all the different things that happened today, you know,
just think about this. The medical community that was able
to get on the field so fast and save his
life because he had a cardi arrest incident. He had
a heart attack on the field, and because the medical
professionals were there so fast, they will get on the field,
restart his heart, save his life, get him to a
(02:10):
hospital where he is getting incredible care right now, and
it looks like with every few hours there's a little
bit better story for it. Now he's still in critical
condition and he's still being being sedated, but according to
his uncle, things were a little bit better, which is good, right.
A little bit is staying you know, staying the same.
A little bit better in a situation like this is
pretty good. Right. You don't want the backslide. You don't
(02:31):
want to hear what this happening. Now. We have to
take care of this issue. But it seems like so
far today, if the needle is moving one way or
the other, it's a little bit towards the positive, which
is is the best thing we can we can think
about and hope for and just keep going hopefully that
this is how it goes the rest of the time,
and he continues to show improvement, show improvement. Wake up
and find out, dude, you got like seven million dollars
(02:53):
worth of presents to spend U dollars to buy presents
for your kids in your hometown and mkeys rock because
we got like seven eight million dollars in your in
your go fund me that you wanted. I'm really really
I can't wait for that moment. Yeah, it is one
of those circumstances. Obviously, we were on air for the
four hours waiting on updates, waiting on the different reports
(03:15):
from the stadium, from the medical center, watching the prayer
circles to fond digs heading there, all of the news
and trying to make sense of the reports. And you know,
in the end, you know, they postponed the game and
people were upset. People they'll get over yourselves, all right,
we move forward. We're talking about the humanity not just
(03:36):
of h Hamlin, but also the T. Higgins side, the teammates,
the families across the NFL. It's it's sent ripples through
all of it. And so today you had the reaction,
the aftermath, and and you're just waiting for all those updates, refreshing.
I know you were doing it all day, Justin and
(03:56):
you and I going back and forth sharing any update
we saw that that even jed positively, you know, all
the good thoughts. It was. I went to my daughter's
soccer game this afternoon and people were coming up to
me going, what did you guys here? What did you
How did you do your show last night? All of
those kind of things, you know, because they had heard
bits and pieces and just trying to piece it all together.
(04:17):
Just the outpouring of emotion in the community that shows
out of this. You mentioned the charity. Uh, you know,
a lot of the NFL luminaries. My favorite one of
the last hour or so was seeing in in the
Twitter verse how wrestling legend Chris Jericho donated, but he
he misspelled his own name, so he called himself an idiot,
(04:38):
and he doubled his He doubled his donation. He went
back and donated again, so his surname was correct the
second time. I like the one guy who donated because
you see the names come up and he says donating
for fans everywhere except for Steve, who is a blank, right,
like that was oh yeah, yeah from their fantasy league.
Yeah yeah, yeah, except for Steve, who was a blank. Okay, Steve,
(05:02):
look at you, Steve, You're the worst guy in the world.
Uh so again, I mean, look, this is something you
know he wanted to raise and now and now it's
you know, eight million dollars. I mean, my goodness, I
really I can't wait. I can't wait. Yeah, because he
he started that before he was even drafted. Yeah, he
was mean and he was trying to do it. Look,
(05:23):
I'm gonna do this toy drive and you know, we
pulled the first one off kind of buy himself a
little bit, and that was this thing. I'm gonna keep
doing it, keep doing it now. I mean, dude, the
guys eight million dollars in toy drive money to spend.
That's I mean that, that is I really there's there's
parts of of sports world where I want to be
a fly on the wall when things happen, right, I
want to see what reaction is like Normally, it's like,
(05:46):
I want to be in the Jets locker room when
what the hell is Robert Solids always the team at
hap time? It sounds like this, but really, if you
asked me where would you like to be a flyinal?
I want to be in Tamar Hamlin's room when when
he wakes up and that you see the joy of
his fan only members And then one of them says, okay,
we got to talk about your go fund me page.
What why, why? What happened? You wanted for it? Yeah? Um,
(06:09):
it's over eight million dollars right now, Tom Brady are
all these guys are donating and it's a thing, and
it's unbelievable. He's gonna go, wait, wait, what did you say?
Eight million? Dollars. Yet I mean it's I mean, really,
it's just gonna. It's keep going. It's going and going
and going. And I couldn't believe it when it was
at four five hundred thousand last night and now here
we are tonight, now here we were eight milk in
(06:31):
dollars and it's still going. This is this is so
awesome and you know it's it's I was thinking about
this all day and it really just hit home with me.
About it is that the people who are donating, yes,
a lot of it as Bills fans, because look, Bill's
mafia goes out there, you know when when they see
somebody in trouble, they want to help, right, whether it's
a Bill's player or not, or Andy Dalton helping them
(06:52):
get in the playoffs, whatever it was. But it really is,
it really is is something to see people. And yes,
you have a lot of celebrities, a lot of people
who have the money don't which is great, but you
have so many people doing this and it's I really
I look at it as I think people say, I've
gotten so much joy out of the NFL for my
entire life. However old you are, you, but you're learned
(07:13):
old enough to start watching football. For me, it's well
over forty years. I mean, I don't know how much
enjoyment because I'm a Jets fan, but bits and pieces
in the game, it's I love the game, right, I mean.
And and people see this and say, I've got so
much enjoyment from this game over my life. It's such
a big part of me and my family and my
friends and and and what I like to watch and
what I like to think about and talk about. Somebody's
(07:34):
in trouble. How can I help? Right, Well, I can't
go to the hospital. I'm not a doctor. I'm not somebody.
I can't I I'm not inventing something. What what does
he have going He's got a toy drive that he
needs money for for kids in his hometown. Yes, that's
what I will do. And people want to try to
find a way to help. And that's and that's that's
what sticks out to me about this is that's how
I I view why this is happening. Whereas here's a
(07:56):
guy that's part of a of a business that gives
us great joy that is also dangerous, and and he
has chosen to do it, and the people who chose
to do it for for their own personal gain and
for their entertainment. Value for us is incredible and and
so we're gonna go help when we can. And that's
why I see this thing going seven And it could
be a ten million dollars by the time we get
off the air tonight. Yeah, it's it's something you know,
(08:19):
I want to say. It was nove what early November
we started doing kind of an appreciation moment, right, remembering
the good little bits and pieces and news stories or
performances that might be overshadowed because of where a guy plays,
or or the larger issues around the team. And it's
easy to be cynical. And one of the things out
(08:40):
of the holiday season as we're getting into the new year,
people are getting back to work, finishing up vacations, whatever is.
We always see the generosity and generosity of spirit for
a couple of weeks that really it's front and center,
right Salvation army kettles. Uh. People are you know donating
the end of the year. Some of it is tax related,
(09:02):
but the rest of it, you know, there's they're they're
picking their cause for the year or their annual donations.
And here was an opportunity for people to show the
best of themselves at this moment, right, And so five
dollars here, ten dollars, twenty dollars, thousands of dollars, whatever
people contributed. I mean, we're talking a couple hundred thousand
(09:23):
people that have come together at this point, Jason, and
that that needs to be acknowledged. We talked a lot
about the medical personnel and the greatness and the training
and the responsiveness, and it all goes hand in hand, right,
The good thoughts and prayers, whether you're religious or not,
they don't hurt, right, all the good thoughts that you
send to players in games and and in this particular
(09:44):
say session right at this last twenty four hours, it's
really a powerful thing. And and coming together like this,
you always want to look for the best of people,
uh and not be so cynical, because, let's face it,
we cover a lot of stories where the syner is
um uh can shine through. Here was here's one where
at least I'm a little wider eyed and feel a
(10:06):
little better about humanity. Off of this, we're live from
the ti iraq dot com studios. Tirac dot com will
help you get there and unmatched selection, fast, free shipping free,
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iraq dot com the way tire buying should be. Well, uh, Frostburg,
you haven't you have an updated something else? That's pretty
cool going on with us? Yeah, very cool. Uh. Damar
(10:26):
Hamlin's number three bills jersey has been among the highest
selling jerseys on fanatics since last night in any sport,
not just the NFL. Wow. Cantics just announced that all
the proceeds from Hamlin's jersey sales will be donated to
his toy drive, which five point five million dollars. Oh
my goodness, all them that they're making the Hamlin jersey
(10:49):
special because you know, look, not every player has has
the has a jersey, only a handful on each team,
So they're gonna make those jerseys. They're gonna rush to
make those jerseys and send all the money to his
toy drive. That's that's yeah. I mean I saw the
social media for all NFL teams had actually replaced their
logos with the back of his jersey as well. Just
(11:11):
how eliminated. Oh there. You know, there's gonna be kids
in McKee's rocks next Christmas. They're gonna say what did
you put on your list a bicycle? Go? Look out
in the front it's a jaguar. Oh my goodness, it's
an escalade. Gonna go get this all this well, all
these kids, Oh my god, it's really this part of
this story is just so and look, it's something positive
(11:34):
to focus on. Look, why is the story gaining gaining
so much attention? Because it's something positive to focus on
on this. You know, you're waiting and hitting refresh on
the computer and checking and checking social media. Is there
an update, is there an interview? Is there something? But
this is this is a positive thing to hold onto
that we can focus on that, you know, as this goes, Hey,
this is something that's just even if the money stopped
(11:54):
right now, it's an unbelievable story. And it's not. It's
just gonna keep going, keep going, keep going, and and
and you're gonna see all kinds of money. Uh. I mean,
we could be over ten million dollars by the time.
Maybe not by the end of the show tonight, but
but maybe by tomorrow. Because you're talking in one day,
we've hit almost seven million, right so now now now
you're gonna in another day, could it be ten million?
If you think about this, it's at five point five.
(12:16):
So if you give four point five right now, we
could be there. That's you know, I'm gonna call Steve Cohen.
I'm gonna call Steve, all the guys in your neighborhood, Yes,
but I call all. Yes, I'll call my next door
j j Abrams and yeah, I'll call Lilian who's ninety
five years old. Lilian, let me tell you what do
you need? Jason. That's you would tell me what do
you need? What's going on, what's going on in sports?
(12:39):
I want to know that's my neighbor right there. It's
a beautiful thing though, right because I mean, obviously this
now allows that program to expand, right And we talked
a lot about his upbringing and his neighborhood and and
all of that. Now you think about Pennsylvania, think about
all the other good works beyond toy drives that they'll
be able to do off of this. At such a
(13:00):
huge thing. We could talk about how complicated other banks
make it to redeem credit card rewards, or we could
talk about how with Discover you can redeem the rewards
for cash in any amount at anytime. I mean, talk
about amazing learn more at discovered dot com slash redeemed
rewards terms they do apply. So while this is happening,
there are other big developments regarding the game last night.
There's a controversy brewing about what was said the resumption
(13:23):
of the game and not And boy was today one
of those crazy days where you sat back and said,
look at what's happening. We get into all that and
more coming up next Jason Smith, Mike card to keep
it right here, Fox Sports Radio. Tire act dot Com
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live editions of The Jason Smith Show with Mike Harman
weekdays at ten pm Eastern seven pm Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio and the I Heart Radio app Fox Sports
Radio The Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harman.
(14:53):
And uh, just something else really cool to tell you
about the Buffalo Sabers one tonight in over to time
and uh, they're social media page, Uh put a picture
of the team up saying that this one was for you, Damar.
Their picture of their social media pages pray for Damar. Uh,
you know, just really it's it's awesome to see everybody
(15:16):
coming out for this in the community of buffalo continued
to roll around. Uh, Damar, hamlet really is something, because
it's really just it's been that kind of day where
you know, he's gonna be told all the things that happened,
you know, surrounding his injury and what happened. It's it's
gonna be a story that is just gonna wow him.
Every every three seconds, there's gonna be something and you're
(15:37):
not gonna believe this, and you're not gonna believe that
you're not and then then this happened. It's gonna be
oh my, keep keep going. Give me popcorn. I want
to be that kid from the internet today's spinning the
popcorn on his finger, making the popcorn in the movie
theater like he's like he's like he's Bob Couzy and
he's spinning the popcorn and flipping it up. I'd be
that popcorn listening to people tell the story about what
happened after he got hurt. Well, that guy's gonna get
(15:59):
a promotion to every Hollywood premier, right, He's got to
be front and center handing, you know, popcorn. Two guys
like Brad Pitt and stuff down the road. Yeah, if
you can spin a bucket of popcorn on your middle
finger while there's popcorn in it and you're making it.
I mean, you're a you're a legend. But he was
(16:21):
layering up all that fake butter and all of that.
I mean it was stuff. Don't forget the shoveling of it.
Oh yeah, that was an art Yeah, but it was
it was an art form that that is a refined skill.
Right there. I saw the the image from Great American Ballpark.
They had Hamlin's face and his stats and everything up
there as well, so attributes across and and certainly you know,
(16:45):
it's one of those things that unites we We talked
about football brotherhood, but you know, certainly we we know
the crossover. Right. How many Jersey exchanges do we see
baseline of NBA games time and time again of of
NFL players coming in and shaking hands with those luminaries
and on and on it goes. So, yeah, it's the
larger fraternity coming together, which is again looking looking for
(17:09):
the positive, the best, the best of humanity, uh coming
out in this time. Uh. So again, all your big thoughts,
all our big thoughts with Damar Hamlin and his family
in Cincinnati. Keeps sending them keeps sending them. Now, the
the business part of this story is something that did
take front and center today because there is news on it,
and it's a debate, it's a it's a debatable thing.
(17:31):
And if you think the NFL is definitely not going
to resume the Bills Bengals game at some point, think again.
We did get the story from Commissioner Roger go Adell
today that the Bills and the Bengals is not going
to be played this week. Right, that will not happen.
The NFL continues to be in regular contact with the
medical team caring for Damar Hamlin, the Bills, the Bengals,
(17:52):
the NFL Player Association. They are not going to play
the game this week. There is also no change to
this week's NFL schedule. So what does this mean, Well,
they obviously don't need to play the game, right, you
can figure it out. People will figure out their fantasy championships,
we can figure out seatings in the playoffs. We can
(18:12):
do that and we don't need to play the game.
But but here's the thing. Knowing the NFL, and this
gets into a little bit of a of a dicey
area with this, But knowing the NFL and going back
with the business part of it, here's what I can
see now again. You don't need to play it. You
don't need to play again. No, nobody needs to play
this game again. We don't need to We can go on.
(18:33):
We can play the games this weekend, go to the
we can do it. But here's the NFL, and I'm
gonna look at it from how I think the NFL
looks at this situation. Okay, what do we do here.
Let's kick the can down the road, Let's see what happens.
Let's see what happens. And hopefully Damar Hamlin is okay
and he pulls through and he's all right, and hopefully
(18:54):
this game isn't gonna wind up having a bearing on
playoff seatings. Hopefully it doesn't, but if it does, if
we're playing this week and something happens for the playoffs
and the Bills Bengals game is needed to decide something
that's needed to decide seating, they're gonna play this game
because the NFL. Look, Look, this is still a game
(19:17):
that's out there, and I can see the NFL again,
this is what I'm thinking. I can see the NFL
saying business wise, do we want to set a precedent
that we're just not gonna play games, right, because look
at what happened during COVID. When it was a COVID.
Did we miss a game? We did not miss one game.
We did not miss one game. We had a we
had a global pandemic, and we didn't miss one game. Right.
(19:39):
We played on Tuesday, Tuesday afternoons at noon. We played
on Wednesdays to play. We are playing these games. We
are not going to cancel games. The NFL is not
in that business. They don't want to set the precedent
of hey, here's a scary injury and we are not
going to play the rest of this game. Now, this
is something that should be Hey, this was an easy decision. Right,
(20:02):
the guy's getting CPR in the field, We're not playing
this game, right, it's done. Yes, they're scary situations. The
NFL has seen it. We saw a player die on
the field in the early seventies, and the NFL is
still finding a way to go on. It's a dangerous game,
and I understand this, But the NFL, you can see
from their past how they acted during COVID. If we're
gonna play this game, hey, Broncos have no quarterbacks. Sorry,
(20:24):
you gotta play the game. But we don't have a quarterback. Sorry,
I gotta play the game. So Kendall Hitton, good luck
going out there trying to throw the football and win
a football game when you're not really a quarterback. This
is how the NFL is, and I can see them
thinking that if we don't play this game, we opened
the door to other times where a game can be
abandoned and we're not gonna We're not gonna do that.
(20:47):
So we're going to look at this and see if
we have to, we will play that. This is not
going to be the NFL saying we're playing this game
no matter what this is not. This is not going
to be that, because that's something that not even the
NFL could come back from from a public relations standpoint.
It would be too it would be too awful for them.
But if this game is needed for for that, I
(21:07):
can see them saying after this week, we're gonna play
the Bengalsh Bills game, then we're gonna start the playoffs
the week after, and we're not gonna have a week
off between super you know, I I can That's how
I'm looking because if you think they're not gonna play
the game. Just think about how the NFL is progressed
when when during a global pandemic and we don't know
what's going on, we're gonna play all these games. Yeah,
(21:28):
if this game is needed, they will play it. If
it's not, if it's not needed, and it's okay, you
know what, Yeah, okay this game because of these circumstances,
we can we can abandon, we can go on and
move it. But if they have to, if there's a
way to do it, they will play the game because
that's what the NFL does. Yeah, I would anticipate just
to that level. Right. I don't think this is a Hey,
(21:50):
here's a coin flip situation like you you've had in
high school football and day op, you're the odd team out.
Sorry you lose. No, that's not getting They're not gonna
a termined seeding that way. Uh. And let's face it,
if the game is needed, what better for the drama, pageantry, pomp,
and circumstance of the NFL too. Hey, one one game
(22:12):
decides the number one overall seed. Uh in this conference
with with these two teams that have battled all years.
So yeah, it's it's certainly in play. Yes, the Mannings
will lose some luster on the Pro Bowl games or
whatever the hell it is they're trying to do this year.
I haven't paid much attention. I just know they announced
them because they're gonna jam the Mannings into every piece
(22:34):
of programming possible at this point. But yeah, it's it's
there's no reason to make that decision today, right. The
only decision that needed to be made in a timely
matter was the medical assistance and then deciding to postpone
the game. After that, there's no urgency. You've got a
slated games this week, and it may all be a
(22:56):
moot point. I know there's been a lot of anger
on the NFC side as far as what got flex
to whatever else. Again, it'll it'll, it's, it'll all work out.
It'll it'll be fine, uh for Roger Goodell and company
trying to figure out that the best way to go
and yes, with with the other teams in the a
f C playoffs, get some level of advantage. Would be
(23:18):
some argument, folks would make, like its exigent circumstances. As
you said during COVID Tuesdays, we were coming on Wednesday
evening breaking down Wednesday afternoon NFL games. Right, here's the
Baltimore Ravens in the playoff hunt playing on a Wednesday.
Natural disasters, weather events, all sorts of circumstances have have
(23:41):
You've moved games, you know, to other facilities to help
continue the machine moving on. So I don't I don't
believe for a minute, if the opportunity is there to
play it that they'll they'll move it on and just
say no, no, no, we we give up a game
because you we We talked about precedent a lot when
it comes to sports and society in general and from
(24:04):
a decision making process, because I remember is as ghoulish
as it may seem, and I know that there's a
lot of folks always ready at the keyboard or at
the microphone to get angry. And it is the larger
business they're also trying to be sensitive to, right, corporate
partners and advertising sales or whatever. There's there's a lot
that that flows from it. As much as in the
(24:28):
immediacy of things. Uh it it may seem distasteful and
off putting, it is a reality that the league has
to adjust with as well. So you need to be
cognizant of that first and foremost the players, coaching stats
and those teams affected. Um. But beyond that, yeah, there
there's still is the larger mechanism to work through. I mean, look, look,
(24:51):
if if you just to give another layer to this
of how the NFL is, you know, can still the
fact that they haven't they haven't canceled it already tells
me it's on the able. Well why haven't you canceled it? Right?
Unless it's on the table, you don't need to. We
may need to play the game. And and like I said,
there's reasons around it. There's hey, and mainly is we
don't want to get in the precedent of of canceling games.
(25:11):
But just think about this, if you think really, NFL
really gonna do it. What was one of the big
controversies today, right the fact that ESPN reported last night
after the injury to Damar Hamlet and he got any
and he was getting CPR on the field, they were
told that the game's gonna resume in five minutes, right,
we're gonna they had they had spended the game while
it was going on. They gave both teams time and
(25:33):
Joe Buck was on TV he said it four times
the game we were we were told the game's gonna
resume in five minutes, and a couple of times he
even said, is that right? Is that where where it's
resuming in five minutes? And Troy Vincent, head of the
NFL p A last night, did an interview and said, no,
we never said anything like that. Basically that Joe buck
was making that up, was making up the fact that, oh,
you know, we're gonna start again in five minutes. Um,
(25:56):
Joe Burrow was warming up on the field. You saw
some players that were milling around. We're gonna get to
start playing this game. Um, yeah, I'm not gonna believe that.
There was no directive to start the game again. Now,
it was hectic. I'm sure what's going to happen. We're
gonna play again, We're gonna go in five minutes. I'm
sure that was the NFL getting their decision out to
(26:21):
we're gonna play this game, and then it was met
with whatever reaction it was, and the Bills said we're
not playing and they just moved on because there's no
way ESPN is gonna go on the air and say, yeah,
the game's gonna start in five minutes unless they were
told by the NFL unless the people they were and
(26:41):
Joe Buck even said, we got it from this person
who was talking to the NFL. Right, this is what's
going on. ESPN is not gonna go on and just
say something that reckless. We were told the game's gonna
start again in five minutes unless they were told about it.
Look that you can say, you can say many things
you want to about ESPN, but they're they're not doing
that unless they were told. So that comes out and
(27:03):
Joe again, Joe Bucks said it like four times. We're
gonna play. That's right, we're new, We're playing again, and
it sounds insane. He's got no reason to lie about it.
Joe Buck's not gonna make it up. Well I think
we're gonna start again in five minutes. Well, Joe, I
don't know about that. No, you stop over there. I'm
gonna say what I want to say. The ESPN responded
to Vincent today, Yeah right quote constant communication in real
(27:23):
time between ESPN and league and game officials. As a
result of that, we reported what we were told in
the moment and immediately updated fans is new information was learned.
This was an unprecedented rapidly evolving circumstance all night long.
We refrained from speculation. End quote. It was it's the
(27:44):
NFL because we've seen this before, right and and just
to let you know how a decision like this has
made just think about this for a second. In the NFL,
we have seen tremendously scary injuries. It's going on. You're
seeing him worked on on the field, and it's a
scene that none of us have even even seeing scary
stuff with guys going down on kickoffs and getting injured
(28:06):
and not moving. This was above being scary. But what's
the s op for the game? They take a few
minutes and we play again. And I'm sure because that's
the way it was standard operating procedure was when this happens,
we take a break, everybody takes a couple of minutes,
We get back on the field, we play the game. Yes,
we're gonna play the game. And that decision is made
in a vacuum by whoever is making it not understanding
(28:29):
look at all the ramifications that are going on surrounding us.
We just watched a guy who who who We don't
know if he's alive right now, and and we just
watched you get taken off the field and you're telling
we gotta get back on the field and play. So
this is a decision that it looks to me, hey,
we're trying to back away from this. Now the NFL knows, hey, there,
we are not gonna look good if this gets out
there that we're the ones that said, hey, yeah, we're
(28:50):
gonna play this game in five minutes. So what I
what what I would say happen knowing from my life
and TV and and stressful situations in in a booth
and look, Frostburg, I know you can talk about it too.
You know you're in the booth every week for Chargers games.
You know the way information flow goes, someone makes that
decision at some point. Now do they do they make
it um fully understanding the consequences of everything going around? No?
(29:16):
Maybe then that's why. Maybe this is a case where
it was, hey, this is normally what we do. We're
gonna play the game in five minutes. Okay, we're playing
in five minutes, and Joe Buck is having to tell
people that people are we gonna play this game? Are
we not? All the questions on social media are we
playing this game? We don't need to play. That's how
it happens, And it happens, and it happens like that,
and and and and knowing that this was gonna be
(29:38):
the backlash. Yeah, I don't doubt that anybody wants to
back away from any responsibility of this. No, no, no,
we we never said. We never said, we never said.
But honestly, I'll tell you that I ESPN is not
lying about it. ESPN is not making up that they
were told by the league that we're gonna start again,
by someone in the in the NFL that was in
charge of the game, there was in charge of this,
that they were gonna start the game in five minutes.
(29:59):
There's just no way. Well, you're going into journalistic and
integrity and credibility. Uh, you are a league partner, so
we we know oftentimes there's there's that line you have
to tow. So for the ESPN to put out that
statement and adamantly refute Vincent's comments from that conference call
last night, it's a pretty big deal, right because that
(30:22):
that has been as you say, standard operating procedure. UH.
The rules analyst John Harry had his UH was the
guy that they were getting information from. And because of
the exigent circumstances. Okay, maybe maybe they change what what
has historically been protocol, but that certainly wasn't communicated through
(30:46):
whatever channels. Right there was somewhere on here. I don't say,
uh blanket that someone's lying, but but clearly both sides
are entrenched and what they feel. Uh here Again, it
goes back to the coaches and the leaders and captains
(31:07):
of these squads that looked around the sideline and and
I think forced the issue. We'll we'll see eventually they'll
be the books written in and larger background of the
sequence of events. But in this moment, you know, you
had the leaders on the sidelines that that took it
into their hands. So five ten, whatever that timeline was, um,
(31:30):
they rendered it. Moot. We could talk about how complicated
other banks make it to redeemed credit card rewards, or
we could talk about how with Discovery you can redeem
the rewards for cashing any amount at anytime. I mean,
talk about amazing learn more at discovered dot com slash
redeem rewards. That's discovered dot com slash redeem rewards terms
they do apply. The Jason Smith Show with my best
(31:51):
friend Mike Harmon, Uh coming up next? Have we seen
Jim Harbaugh coaches last game at Michigan Big Store are
coming up next? Right here, Jason and Mike Fox. Be
sure to catch live editions of The Jason Smith Show
with Mike Harmon weekdays at ten pm Eastern seven pm Pacific. Hey,
(32:11):
it's Ben hosting The Fifth Hour with Ben Mallory. Would
mean a lot to have you join us on our
weekly auditory journey. You're asking, what in God's name is
the Fifth Hour, I'll tell you it's a spin off
of the Ben Maller Show. Cold Hit Overnights on FS
are Why should you listen? Picture if you will? A
world will We chat with captains of industry in media,
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(32:34):
human nature and more. Listen to The Fifth Hour with
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Jason Smith Show with my best friend Mike Harmon, and
we'll have more on tomorrow. Hamlin coming up in a
few minutes again today, If you're looking for the needle
to go one way or the other, it looked like
(32:54):
it was a positive day for him. While he's still
in critical condition. He is fighting. His uncle says he's
in great hands. And we're keeping our thoughts headed towards
Cincinnati and our karma and um keep supporting his go
fund me. But look, there's other big things happening in
the world of sports that are big deals, and especially
with going on what you know now, and we're gonna
(33:16):
spend some time with that. Look, it's very heavy talking
about tomorrow, Hamlin, but there's, like I said, there's other things,
other fun things to talk about. To me, you give
you a little bit of time away from things. But
this story today that just a few days after losing
in the college football semifinal, Jim Harbaugh has talked with
the Panthers about their head coaching job. Owner David Tepper
(33:38):
had a conversation with our Bob about the opening uh
once the two season ends. Now, this is a job
that Steve Wilkes has right now. He's considered a strong
candidate to keep the job. Kept the team afloat. We
didn't think they would be even close to where they
were a week ago, and hey, we could potentially you
win the NFC South. All right, they didn't. They blew
a big lead, but still Wilkes has done a good job.
(34:00):
What does this mean? I get that if you are Michigan,
you're mad because you just signed him to a contract
extension last year. You gave him a lot of money.
But I'll tell you how this is all gonna end
with Harbor in Michigan. Right, what's going on? Last year
he had the flirtation with the NFL after beating Ohio State,
going to the CFP. Same thing here he beats Ohio State,
he goes to cfp's talking the NFL again. This is
(34:21):
how it's gonna end. Every year Jim Harbaugh succeeds, He's
gonna do this to get things added to his deal
at Michigan, whether it's more of an extension, more money, something,
He's going to do this because this is when you
do it. Oh, we beat Ohio State again. We we
put fifty on them on the road and we made
it to the semifinal. Yes we lost, but this is
(34:44):
a great year. One another big ten too big tents
in a road to Yeah, I want more. This is
when you push because when you have succeeded, this is
when you can get what you want from the school.
Maybe it's more money, maybe it's facility, whatever it is.
He's going to do this every year, and when he
doesn't or slash, he gets the right NFL opportunity, he
(35:04):
will take it because you know, he's still mad about
how it ended in San Francisco. Couldn't get along. He
gets the super Bowl, he's pushed out, he goes to Michigan.
This was the gig for him. That's how it's gonna
end for Hardball as long as he's winning. This is
what's gonna happen to the end of every year. Hey,
I'll talk to the NFL. No, I'm a Michigan guy,
but you know you never say no. This isn't the
job for him. No, Caroline is not the gig. But
(35:26):
if a big gig comes up and Michigan is gonna
balk and giving him a little bit more, then guess what,
then he's gonna go to the NFL because no matter
what he's done, what he's wanted to do, and what
they asked him, do it Michigan get the program back
to being a national powerhouse. Win big Ten's beat Ohio State,
beat Michigan state check check check. He's done all of
those things right. Hopefully he keeps it going. But if not,
(35:49):
he's done this. He's got to the top of the
mountain Michigan. He's done what they've asked them to do.
So he's gonna keep asking for more. And if the
combination of hey, you're not gonna give me more and
the right opportunity comes up, then he goes back to
the NFL. Yeah. It's comical how the accomplishments of the
last couple of years and and what his record and
success that Michigan has been overall, it gets categorically dismissed
(36:11):
by so many people, um lazy takes. But it is
what it is. Uh. You know, remember who you are?
Right the old Simba line that Mufasa gives him in
the fun and exciting world of the Lion King. Yeah,
I just went there. Uh. And that's what Michigan Football
needed to do. I remember after the COVID season when
they went two and four, uh, and they reduced his
(36:32):
his deal quote, I reacted, no big deal, attacking each
day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind as always didn't
really mean anything to me. It's just money, big deals
like no is it's still pride blanket with you. But
to your point, Yeah, Denver and Carolina. Those those are
not the jobs. Man. Obviously, the Waltons can could give
(36:52):
him all all sorts of cash and and power. Do
you you want to go try to fix Russ? Maybe
maybe not? Uh Carolina, even Temper, who's an aggressive coach.
I like the job Wilkes has done. I'd like to
see him get a shot. But I'd understand if they
start looking at Harriball thinking that he's the guy to
extend that bit of a turnaround for. But yeah, you're
(37:13):
gonna use the leverage every chance you get. He'd be
an idiot if he didn't. And if his people weren't
leaking all over the place. Hey you know who called
me today? But yeah, but the Caroline. He's not gonna
leave Michigan for Carolina. This was to let everybody know, Hey,
guess what, guys, I'm still open to the NFL. If
(37:35):
the right gig you want to call me. I know
you like Sean Payton, but he's only one guy, you know.
I'm I'm another guy. I I could I could take
this gig, And if he gets the high profile gig
he wants, that's what'll go. But it's got to be
that combo of Michigan's not taking care of him and
the right opportunity. If that happens, he'll go. Why are
the Bears keep texting me? Twitter it out out a
(37:57):
fresco If I gets swollen dome That Jason Smith's show
with my best friend Mike Harmon coming up next. We
get back into the biggest story. We get back into
what's going on with tomorrow Hamlet and what happened today
all over the television and your radio. This is Fox
Sports Radio.
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Mike Harmon
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