September 30, 2019 • 40 mins
Chris and Rob discuss the Dallas Cowboys loss at the hands of the New Orleans Saints and debate whether Dak and the Cowboys have been exposed as frauds. MLB insider Jon Morosi joins the Odd Couple to discuss the upcoming MLB playoffs and who has the best shot at winning the World Series. The guys give their picks for who will be World Champions when the MLB playoffs are over. Chris and Rob discuss Patrick Mahomes performances this weekend. Plus, the guys react to the NFl's decision to suspend Vontaze Burfict's for the rest of this season.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Rod Harker. As I was
watching this game, Oh yes, you knew it that you
would be chomping at the bit, that you would be
so excited that you would run head first, no thought
(00:48):
to it, no rhymer reason, just forget all logic. You
would run head first into being a prisoner of the moment.
And I am talking about the New Orleans Saints outlasting
the Cowboys from Dallas twelve to ten on Sunday Night football.
(01:14):
Oh I'm not even gonna spoil your fun. Go ahead
and say what you want to say, and then I'll
rebut it with the facts. But go ahead, I told
you so. How about that? I told you so? You
were ready to put Dak Prescott on some pedestal. Oh,
he's an elite quarterback. Look what he's done. The first
(01:35):
three weeks against nobody. He was playing the hallum god
of the Washington generally, right the Washington Generals. That's who
he played. And finally played a good team that has
a good defense, and he will did once they stopped
(01:55):
the running game. That's the problem with Dak. That's why
the fifty five executives in that Bleacher of the Athletic
report said he's the third tier quarterback. He can't win
the game when it's all about him. They said, you
know what the Saints said, We dare you throw the
damn ball, Dak. We dare you, We'll stop the run.
(02:20):
Eight guys in the box. Ezekiel Eli couldn't go anywhere.
He needed bus fare to get to the ten yard
line he could get and you it's sad, you know
we got the one because I know you spent all
you know I did. I can't prepare with that. But anyway,
(02:40):
it doesn't mean that I'm blaming Dak entirely. But this
is what we've seen before when he plays better teams,
better defenses, and it's about him. This reminded me of
the playoff game against the Rams. You remember they stopped
Ezekiel Elliott and then all of a sudden, Dad couldn't
do it. And that's what Chris separate rate you from
(03:00):
being a good quarterback who wins games and a great
quarterback and an elite quarterback who when you don't have
your running game and when the defense isn't as good
as it normally is and other things aren't working for you,
sometimes somehow, some way, you can pull it out and
you can win that game. And that's what people are
(03:21):
waiting for. That's why he doesn't have a deal sign
with the Cowboys yet. That's the reason why. Yes, so
I'm not because he wants forty million. No, that ain't it.
I'm just telling you, if they really believed he was
that guy, they would have signed. They would have signed
them already. So there we are, and everybody saw it
on national television for themselves, and right away I thought
(03:43):
to myself, this is the Dak I was talking about.
He's a day late, in a dime short when that
running game ain't running. So there you go, And now
you tell me he's on a track to be elite.
After watching that garbage last night by Dak Prescott, You're done. Yeah,
I'm done. You are the biggest prisoner of the moment
(04:08):
at Fox Sports Radio. I can't believe you, rocket on
Jason Smith. I can't believe you, Rob Parker, as much
as you throw that phrase out, prisoner of the moment,
your Brither of the moment. I see you an undisputed
WHI skipper. You're Bristher of the moment. You come with me,
You're a prisoner of the moment. Look at you. One game,
(04:33):
one game? Has Aaron Rodgers been superb every game this season?
Heck Tom Brady was garbage yesterday. But but it happens,
Patrick Mahomes, you ain't through four tons of yardis They
got the win, but no touchdowns. So now he's not
on track to greatness as he's still the greatest quarterback
(04:55):
gover as he's still he's the greatest quarterback in the league.
He got still, but the Lions they skulked them. That's
a short menu, Rob Parker, there's a short menu, and
he got that menu done with the w. I'm sorry. Look,
if this was Dak Prescott's rookie year, even maybe his
(05:16):
second year, and you could only you could say, oh,
he beat the Giants four hundred yards for TDS. Look
what he He He beat Washington, which is hapless, he beat Miami,
which is hopeless. Then I could get with you, but no,
we have a resume with Dak. We have three and
(05:38):
a half years of Dak. We know what this guy
has made of. He was ten and six as a rookie.
He was nine and seven the year after that with
Ezekiel Elliott out for six games. Did they make the playoffs?
He was thirteen and three the year before that. I mean,
thirty and three is a rookie. Ten and six last
(05:58):
year and he's made the playoffs twice and then ever
since he got a number one receiver, a legitimate number
one Amari Cooper, who, yes, was blanketed yesterday Marcus Lattimore
took him out of the game. Excellent defense by New Orleans.
But ever since they've given him Amari Cooper. You know
(06:21):
what DAX record is, It's ten and three. And in
those ten victories are two against the Philadelphia Eagles, one
against the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees, and one
over the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs. So yeah, they
lost to a team that was good but hindered yesterday,
(06:44):
But the track record still stands No, but you you
are being a total prisoner of them. I'm not, and
I'm giving you three and a half years of produc shot.
It's about what you've done. It's for what you've done
for me lately. And again, no, I didn't hear that.
I muted it out. What it What it tells me
(07:04):
again is the numbers that he put up against all
the were fraudulent because when he came up against the
good defense and then he loses to Teddy Bridgewater backup quarterback,
and the Saints won a game without even scoring a touchdown.
That couldn't even be the team that couldn't even score
a touchdown against the Cowboys. So Ezekiel Elliott no good anymore. No,
(07:25):
he had thirty five yards, they stopped him. And I'm
just saying, that's when I need my quarterback to be
able to beat the team because I don't have the
running game. That might not be as I need my
running back my best already, no fifteen million a year
or two to run the ball. This is the problem,
(07:47):
is that sometimes you need your quarterback to rally the
troops to make it happen. It was a there was
a throw in there during the comeback to Cobb that
was offline. If he hit Cobb and Strip it could
have broke for something. Instead, it was behind them. Those
are the throws well behind that pass. It was behind him.
(08:10):
But I'm not gonna sit here and act like Dak
was tremendous because but I am gonna say I still
think he is in roots who be coming an elite quarterback,
Not a top five guy, but an elite quarterback that
you can win championships with and be, you know, not
just a game manager, Not Trent Dilford, not even I'm
(08:31):
not even gonna say Joe Flacco, but be better than that.
He can be that. And I saw nothing yesterday to
discourage me from that viewpoint. All I'm saying I didn't
make us. I've seen it on the Cowboys bulletin boards
were in New England. If I'm not doing that, all
I'm saying, and you can go to your houses of
(08:51):
ill repute and say, look, honey, I'm in the New
England Patriots locker room. Hey, if the Cowboys want to
put me on their highlight reel, they can do the
same thing. I'm good for that. All I'm saying is
all those yards and points and all that stuff that
he did against those also Rams. I would have loved
(09:14):
if he would have come out and thrown the ball
and beat the Saints. And then you'd say the first
three weeks were against dog poo poo or whatever you
want to call it, and the Giants are rolling, and
then I'm okay, if you think against the Washington Redskins, stop,
I'm talking about Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and they beat the Redskins. Everybody.
(09:37):
Everybody rams yesterday. Everybody beats the Redskins. Okay, So I'm
not even bothering down the Rams. The Rams, they had
they also had a job. Happens. But but that's what
I'm trying to tell you. The Rams. The Rams been
to the Super Bowl, do not the Cowboys? And until
they get there? Did they win it? Did they go?
(10:00):
It's a short menu. Did they go? Buffalo Bill? Stop,
you keep credit for what for losing? No for lose
the Rams quarterback credit for getting there once they got there.
The Cowboys haven't gotten there. That's all I'm saying. Thanks
(10:20):
for listening to the Odd Couple Podcast. Be sure to
check us out live every weekday from seven pm to
ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for the Odd Couple at Fox
Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R. Let's
(10:42):
bring in our man, the MLB Insider here at Fox
Sports and for the MLB Network does a great job
of covering the league. John Morosi, John, welcome to the
Eye Couple. What's up? How's it going with my friends?
But I love this time? Here? Got the playoffs going on,
and I tell you what, Michigan finally look good offensively
on Saturday. Oh, stopping against ructs? Are you kidding me? John, Paul,
(11:06):
I can't even give you. I got a daughter one
good thing against the Scarlet Knights and all as well. Right, well,
I'm hoping you're right, John, but I'm not too confident.
You know, they call the Scarlett Knights the general Hospital
of the Big Ten because if when you play them,
everybody gets well, right, that's the truth, is the true, John.
(11:28):
But look, before we get to the playoffs, which, as
you say it, start tomorrow with the NL Wildcard. The
home runs three hundred seven by the Twins, I mean
obliterated the record three hundred and six by the Yankees.
Are people in baseball liking this? And I mean players, coach, managers, executives,
you know, the league officers, even the writers like this, Dude,
(11:50):
this baseball like the fact that these homers are flying
out of the park like they are. What's an excellent question, Chris,
I think it's It depends on on who you ask.
I would say so the pitchers don't like it in
a general rule, the hitters are fine with it, UM.
But on a on a deeper level, there is a
(12:11):
sense in the game that around the people that care
about it, and you're you're certainly talking about the right
people that the players and just indeed the fans, the media,
all of us who spend our lives around the sport, UH,
there is a concern about the way it's being played
UM and and how to make the game as close
(12:31):
to its best version as as we can we collectively
those that care about the game UM. So to that end,
MLB is working with with an analysis UM scientifically this
year on the issues pertaining to the ball and why
UH it has not had the same amount of drag
that it once did in terms of just how far
it's traveling in the air. A lot of reasons potentially
(12:52):
in factors for that um, but but it is something
that MLB is looking at. I do think that there
may be h modification asians made to the process that
goes into making the ball next year based on that analysis,
because I think you're right that when the games get
a little too high scoring, it certainly makes them longer,
(13:13):
it takes them away from maybe the game that we
all grew up following and loving. So I do think
it's going to be a big topic. We'll certainly hear
it discussed a lot, probably about six weeks from now
at the General Managers meetings. But until then, the ball
that we're seeing in the playoffs will be the same
ball that we've had all season long, and so I
would expect a lot of offense. And I think at
(13:35):
one point in time in the last couple of years,
there was some concern on the part of baseball about
the lack of offense against bullpens, and that's why we
saw the move made towards the three batter minimum for
really fitching starting next year, if that in fact ends
up being adopted. So there's been a lot of different thoughts,
a lot of different conversation Chris and Rob about where
(13:56):
the game is right now, and I do think that
to use the word concerned is fair. There are people
around the game on both sides, hitting, hitting and pitching
that are a little concerned about why the game is
being played this way. And I do think we're gonna
have a pretty substantial reckoning along those lines during the winter. John, Well,
let's let's turn to the NL Wild Card tomorrow, right,
(14:20):
Nationals and Brewers. And I don't know. I think the
Nationals are the scary team in the National League in
the playoffs with their pitching. If I got one game,
I want shrewser on the mound, and the Brewers were
unbelievable after losing, yellish, but I like the Nationals. Am
I wrong too? Rob? It's a great point about how
(14:41):
good their pitching rotation is in Canby. They've got Shrews
are lined up for tomorrow. They've got Patrick Corbyn and
Steven Strasburg waiting in relief. There is every reason to
believe the Nationals win this game tomorrow when you look
at the teams in the field, the Brewers, of course,
yellow is out. Lorenzo Kinesman battling injury, Ryan Bronze and
Battling injury. It is a It would represent a monumental,
(15:06):
big picture upset if the Brewers win this game. I
believe I realized how great they've played over the last month.
But the Nationals are simply the more talented team. All
that being said, this is a Nationalist team that has
not won a playoff round since moving to our nation's capital.
Even before then, when they were the Expos, they didn't
really win and reached the championship series of the National
(15:27):
League either. So yes, it's just one game and so
it's not a full series, but to win a winner
take all game at Nationals Park would represent a pretty
big turnaround from where the Nationals have been as an organization.
They have a history of underperforming in October. They've choked.
They have they have because and they've had some years
(15:49):
in there when they've had the best record in the
National League and they still have not advanced in the playoffs.
So they've got to find a way to write a
different script. They've got Max Chers around the mount again.
Max reached the World Throughs with the Tigers, but it's
never won one. So there is a there's a lot
at steak there. I think when you when you consider
the fact that Strasbourg can opt out after this season.
(16:12):
Anthony Rendon, MVP candidate a free agent after this season,
some legacies are at steak. I believe. In the National
League Wildcard Game tomorrow night, John Morosi from MLB Network,
Fox Sports, MLB Insider joining the Eye couple. John, how
much pressure are the Dodgers feeling, because I mean, if
they get to the World Series again and don't win it,
(16:36):
it's just gonna be like, I mean, obviously it's it's horrible,
you know, and you keep going and then it begins
it's not even a success anymore. It just looks bad.
So are they feeling that they are? And they should?
And the irony is, you wouldn't say, in a normal situation,
if a team gets that far and and loses at
(16:57):
that level multiple years in a row, is it the
coach or in this sport is the manager? And the
answer there is no. Dave Roberts has done an exceptional job.
He is one of the best communicators I've ever seen
in covering sports. He's that good. I think we are
seeing with the Dodgers a front office that fairly I
(17:18):
think it's not a bad idea to have this as
your guiding principle. But they are all about sustainable success,
incrementals success year after year after year, and they've done
a great job of keeping themselves in the playoffs every
single year without ever falling back. That is an admirable achievement.
But you want to have the ultimate prize and they
(17:38):
don't have one right now. And oh, by the way,
they're not a small market team, so they are facing
I believe that that reputation if they don't win it
this year of not being able to win the big one.
And I don't know, though, when you've proceeded with the
club and the way they have that the answer is
going to be to go out there and sign your
(17:59):
biggest free because they've just done a really good job
of incrementally building the club very well with a lot
of depth. But the one weakness in recent October's has
been the bullpen. Is probably the most scrutinized player in
the game entering these playoffs. He has been better in September.
They actually have a pretty good bullpen all the way around.
(18:20):
But again, if he all of a sudden falters early
on in a playoffs series, there is going to be
immense pressure on Dave Roberts to move away from him
as closer and install anybody else in that role, whether
it's another reliever or move a starter there. And that
is a very difficult atmosphere in which to begin a
playoff series when you are that close to the brink
(18:42):
of one blown save away from panic. And I think
Dodger fans would feel that way if if they lose
one of the first couple of games of a series
on a blown save by Jansen, the panic of the
Dodger fans will be palpable. To all of you who
are living in Los Angeles, they know that's the case,
and it's maybe not fair, but that's the way it
(19:04):
is because of what's happened in the the last two postseasons.
So you're exactly right. There's a lot of pressure there,
pressure on the Nationals, but I think in some ways
guys even more pressure on the Dodgers, because it's a
really hard thing to get to the World Series in
three straight years and then lose it all of those
times for a similar reason. If in fact that's the case, John,
last thing, we got about a minute to go. Tell
(19:27):
me why we shouldn't pooh pooh the AL wildcard. I
know Oakland won ninety seven games and in Tampa Bay
one ninety six, but people look at this, this is
by far the weakest as far as Starpower matchup all
the teams in the postseason. Why should we pay attention
to this game? It's gonna be great baseball. It's gonna
be managed with urgency on both sides by two excellent managers.
(19:50):
And so if you love drama and being able to
second guess the manager and make decisions, you tune into
this game. The Rays have a very young group, yes,
and maybe not a lot of superstars there, but they
play a very exciting brand of baseball. In the A's
Matt Chapman is a highlight reel over a third base,
very similar to know and Ronado. And by the way,
they went to the same high school. Arronado and Chapman
(20:12):
did Eltoro High School, Lake Forest, California, same time, same team,
even they were teammates high school. Amazing, two great players
in the same position in the major leagues right now,
and also with Oakland, I expect we're gonna see Sean
Maniah start that game. A dynamic lefty who has come
back and he has played phenomenally well since returning from injury.
And remember this name too late innings for the A's
(20:34):
Hay Sus Luzardo. Amazing, dynamic young rookie arm You could
be the Francisco Rodriguez of these playoffs. Hi, all right, John,
great stuff, man. We appreciate it, and we'll get you
back on during the playoffs at some point. Love it, guys,
I love talking baseball with the end again. Well, we'll
check back on the World rings too. They have a
tough game against Iowa on Saturday, and they could lose
(20:56):
it very easily. And if they do that, then I
will much like the Dodger fans. Alright, then we'll see you.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern,
four pm Pacific. All right, let's start off with this, Chris,
give me your hot take for the baseball playoffs. Just
(21:17):
something that you know will make people go scratch their
head and go what did Chris say that? Well, there's
a part of me saying Washington, We'll get to the world.
Say that again. What was that a part of me
saying Washington, like, there's a part of me that wants
to put the Nationals in the World Series, but I'm
(21:42):
not going there. I was. I want to, I want
to with all my heart, but I hate the Dodgers
will outlast them, and uh so I'm not going there.
So what I'm gonna go with as my hot take
is that in this series with Minnesota, Aaron Judge will
(22:04):
hit four home run wow, four home ross series. Yes,
that would be like he's gonna light it up. That's
a hot take. All right, here we go. I'm sorry,
Los Angeles. I know everybody thinks it's just destined that
the Dodgers with that roster they want a hundred and
six games, that they're going to the World Series again.
(22:24):
I don't believe in the bullpen, Chris. I'm saying the
Dodgers will not and ot make it to the World
Series for a third year in the row. I'm sorry, Alright,
I can I give you? That is a hot take?
Can you? I wanted to go there, but I can't.
I can't. All right, give me your surprise take. You
(22:47):
got a surprise take for the MLB playoffs? No, all,
I mean I'm looking at my picks. I don't think
I have any like real I got and I didn't
steal it from you. But I think the Nationals will
get to the World Series. I know you weren't ready
(23:08):
for that, right, I weren't ready to make that claim.
But Chris, they have the pitching. They have that. They've
had a good team for years, they've underachieved. They turned
this thing around. You remember how bad they were when
they started this season without Price Harper, Dave Martine as
a manager, was gonna get fired. It was a disaster.
(23:29):
They turned it around, the Nationals. I think if anybody
can do it to the throne the Dodgers in the
National League and can be them, Chris, you know what
beats good hitting and the playoffs good pitching, It would
be a It would be a great story, it would
be It would be a great story. Here's the thing, though,
(23:51):
Suzer hasn't really been Scherzer in September and a good
amount of the whole season in general, He's not Suzer.
Am I wrong? No, that that's I mean he has
so that's where I'm a little skeptical. But you're right.
I mean, they generally they got good pitching, but I'm
(24:13):
just not sure Shirts is gonna be the regular season
ace that he always has been. All Right, I'm gonna
say that finally is gonna turn around for them at
Strassburg and those guys. All right, Chris, give me your
World Series pick, and who wins? How many games? I
have got Houston beating the Yankees in the ALCS over
(24:39):
the Dodgers. It's and again, it's all for me to
say they're gonna be there three straight years and lose
it three straight times. But Houston, that wrote that staff,
right right, I mean, they've got it all And and
here's the thing when you when you look at Verlander
and Hole and drinking all these guys, look at what
(25:03):
they're doing in this juice ball era, if I can
call it that, at least this juice ball season, Like
that's how great they've been, that they're getting it done
in this season where a lot of the balls are
flying out of the park. So I'm going with Houston
over the Dodgers. I'm going to say it in seven.
(25:24):
That's what it was the first time back in twenty seven.
Got them doing it again in seven. All Right, I'm
going to here we go. I got the Nationals advancing
to the World Series and they will play the New
York freaking Yankees. Chris. I've been saying it all year
(25:46):
on my podcast. The Yankees despite all their injuries, everything
all they did was win that It was unbelievable. They
want but with all the injuries, other teams would have
fallen off off. So I'm gonna go that the Yankees
will beat the Astros in the ALCS and it will
be the New York Yankees over the Washington Nationals in
(26:13):
the World Series. I just think if the Yankees can
get their bats going and get some decent and you
know what the Yankees doing when we talk about the
Bronx bombers right and it's a high drive to deep center.
Bat ball is high, it is far. It is God
(26:34):
Monument Park the Sanchino I got the Yankees in six
games over the Nationals and they win their first championship,
Chris since two thousand and nine. Wow, Yankees, Well, they
have had a great season and if they could copy
(26:57):
with that, it would be something special. Thanks for listening
to the Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure to catch us
live every weekday from seven pm to ten pm Eastern
four to seven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find
your local station for the Odd Couple at Fox Sports
Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on
(27:18):
the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R. Your boy,
hit us, hit us, Hit me up? On Twitter yesterday,
who Patrick Mahomes my homeboy? Patrick mahomeboy, Yes, he liked
something that I put out there. It must have been positive.
(27:41):
It's surprisingly No, it wasn't. It was just like I
was asking a question, I said after he went touchdown
lists against the woful Lions. I said, it's Patrick. Is
Patrick Mahomes still the greatest quarterback ever? Question mark? I said,
I'm asking for a friend. I didn't mention Chris Bussard
(28:04):
and I tagged you and him in it, and there
wasn't must have liked it because I was in it
was bigger such supporter, I look, but it was cool.
I mean, he actually liked it. That is cool. And
and here's what I've said, since you obviously overstated it,
Patrick Mahomes, I said this on video and I've said
(28:27):
it here on the eye Cup has the chance the
potential to become the goat. He's not there now. He's
not the greatest. You can't say that, but he has
the potential to become the goat. Two things need to happen.
He's the number one stay healthy of course, and number
two wins super Bowl. That have to win six. But
(28:50):
you know, four's just not a small But you gotta
be liking a Joe Montana class to be conversation, because
then Joe is better than you do you know what
I mean? Like, if you can't get the four, it's
hard for you to come up with anything else. If
he puts up all these great numbers. And there was
an article today you probably saw it. I can't remember
(29:11):
where exactly it was, where a writer was predicting that
he's going to throw for over six thousand yards. It
didn't come out today, but within the last week a
writer predicting he's gonna throw for over six thousand yards,
which would be phenomenal. He was on that pace after
three weeks. That's hard to fathom. Yeah, well, the game
the records like fifty and the game's changed a lot.
(29:34):
What you do throw a lot more so, But I agree,
I think if he does that, that would be incredible. Obviously,
this game against the Lions hurt a little bit, you know,
what and I'll give Look, I'm starting to think Detroit
is legit defensively, man, their defense is good. Rob. Only
(29:54):
problem you can't buy in at all. I can't. You
know why. I've seen the Stafford. I've just seen the
This is the problem I have with the Lion. They
should be four and no, Chris, they should be You
remember they gave up. They gave up that game to
the Arizona. They remember they were up twenty four to six.
That's a game you gotta win, rookie quarterback. They should
say they should be three and one, And I'm saying
(30:15):
that they should have beat the Chiefs yesterday. They had them,
They had him on the road, they had them in
the roads. But I'm not gonna kill him. I mean,
the Chiefs do this everybody. But this is what you
gotta do, though, if you want to get to that
next level, you have to win a game like this.
Do you you're right at home, You're you're you're matching
every touchdown against them. You hold the best quarterback currently
(30:36):
playing to no touchdowns, Chris, and you can't beat them
at home. Do you see what I'm saying? I hear you.
It's a wasted I'm I'm not saying the seasons over
there three there are three zero and one, right, the
three three one. What I'm saying in order for you
(30:56):
to make that next step, that was the game you
should have won on you held them to no touchdowns.
If I told you Patrick Mahomes had no touchdowns, there's
no way you think they win that game. But you
gotta give him credit for holding him to no touchdowns.
I am, but but it's not about I'm just saying
that we gotta wins. We'll see once they start playing
division games, we'll see because that's a rugged division, right,
(31:18):
and they're right there in the mix right now. But
that was right. The Arizona game was terrible. That's the game.
You can't give up. That's the game. If you win
that game, Christian your three right, you're three and one
one and you're three to one, and then you say, okay,
through the first four weeks you won only lost to
the Chiefs. You could live with that. Yeah, yeah, now,
(31:41):
I'm with you. But I was impressed because I thought
they were gonna be exposed and Kansas City was gonna
run all over him. And here's the thing, you know,
and and I think rob today's sports climbing, and we're
obviously a big part of it. But it was different
when you and I were growing up and even and
early in our careers. But today's sports climate is so overreactionary. Yes,
(32:07):
you know what I mean, I'm not even I'm not
trying to be you know, funny and criticize each other
jokingly and say we're prisoner. You're a prisoner moment, he's
a prisoner. None of that. I'm just saying there we
overreact whether heck it happens in the NBA two where
you treat a Tuesday night game in Utah in early
(32:29):
January like it's the biggest thing in the world, you know,
if if Lebrin misses a game winner or something. You know,
and and and in football, we've got to understand, I mean,
there's a reason only the Dolphins went I mean, I
guess New England obviously went undefeated in the regular season two,
but you know what I mean, there's a reason only
(32:51):
even though there may be one team that's superior to everybody,
they're not gonna go undefeated in most cases, No, they won't.
And when you're gonna lose, you know, you might mean
a great team will will be eleven and five or
twelve before that means you're gonna lose four or five
games two weaker opponents, or at least most of them
two weaker opponent. This past week was this past uh
(33:13):
week was unbelievable when you looked at UH Tampa Bay
coming to LA and blowing up. I know that they
made the game closer at the end, but to me,
they blew out and you know, and that happens. I mean, look,
I'm not saying the Rams. They got some questions. I
didn't think they make the playoffs, so you know, I've
got some questions about what they're three and one, But
(33:33):
right right, I mean, let's not throw them out because
they had a bad Sunday. It happens. All these teams
are really good. Patriots could have lost, well, they easily
could have lost that game. I mean, look, Buffalo outplayed them.
They did, they should have won. Outplayed New England through
the air and on the ground. And I'm not just
(33:54):
going by the yards, but you just watched it, right,
They ran all over them in New England. Could moved
to football, could not move Tom Brady, what do you
have one hundred and fifty yards. Uh no, like that mini,
you know, and a pick in the end zone and
uh what was it? Buffalo had a chance and they
just could not. They definitely did, you know, I mean
(34:16):
Josh Allen was out, although Barkley did. Okay, Matt Barkley
came in. If Josh Allen played, they might have beaten them, right,
but that you know. So I'm just saying that, you know,
this happens, and it's our climate. Now. You know, when
you didn't have sports talk radio and yeah, I mean shows,
we didn't act that right. We didn't react as strongly.
(34:38):
Oh okay, they lost. They you know, they'll bounce back
because we had because we had to wait for the
paper to come out, right right, you know, No, really
did absolutely right, So a sports Center ran like seven
the same show seven times a day, exactly. Think about
Think about that. That was that long ago, Chris, No, No,
That's why I say at the beginning of our career,
(34:58):
some things are different. But um, you know, that's just
the climate we're in and things. Speaking of different things
being different, Rob vintaze Berfect, now you saw this now
suspended for the entire season for a helmet to helmet
hit on one of the players from the Indianapolis Colts yesterday,
(35:21):
and I look, some people are saying it's over gone, overboard.
He's certainly gonna appeal and he should, he should, But
I'm fine with it. I mean, it's harsh the rest
of the season, gonna cost him over a million dollars.
He signed for a two million dollars deal. But if
you look at that hit, Rob, I mean, I don't
(35:44):
know if it was a tight end, Vince, give me
a little help. Was at the tight end? Who? Yeah?
Who caught the ball for the Colts. And he caught
it like on the ground. He was on his knees,
so he's kind of nobody had touched him. So he's
getting up and Berfect just flies and with his helmet
and it's a helmet to helmet hit. Clearly an egregious foul,
(36:06):
a no no in today's NFL. And they're throwing him.
They're throwing him out for the rest of the season.
And like I said, here's why I'm with it. RB.
I was gonna say, can you hear me? Yeah, now
go ahead and give your serious let me just let
me just say this. I know you like it because
you don't even like him tackling it. I just want
(36:27):
to be you gotta be careful with me, with the
health of the players. You can't have a reckless guy
with a rap sheet Chris keep doing the same thing.
He's been warned, he's been suspended, he's been chastised. You
can't keep doing it. And not only the NFL, but
the Players Association should agree with it. You can't have
(36:48):
your membership getting hurt, have a guy reckless doing stuff
that could hurt membership. No, it's already dangerous enough within
the rules. Absolutely, and you said it. Look last year
he was suspended for four games. Yeah, well four games
last year for PDS okay, But the year before he
had twenty seventeen four games for an illegal hit. Twenty
(37:13):
sixteen he got three or four games for a you know,
similar type situation, dirty hit. And I think the NFL
rightly is like, look, if we just suspend him four games,
he's not learning his lesson, and Chris is something that
will teach him his lesson, and I think it'll spread
to other players as well. Right, here's the thing. If
(37:35):
you're the league and you just give him, like you said,
at three or four game suspension, he comes back and
seriously hurt somebody. People gonna say this dude had told you,
he showed you over and over and over that he
wouldn't play by the rules, and you still let him play.
I think what they did. I know it seems harsh, Chris,
you know, to be out the whole year, but this
(37:57):
is not like they did it on his first defense.
He's had more than enough opportunity to correct your game,
no doubt, to be more careful, to understand. It's like
you said, it's already a violent game if you played
by the rules. No, you're right, and he may be done.
(38:18):
He may be done. Here's the thing with Berfect, it
goes back to high school. Now high school there were
allegations that he was dirty. Then he gets to college
Arizona State, and even not only games, but in practice,
they're saying he's dirty. I've heard some things about some players.
I'm not even gonna get to the name of them,
but when I was in Detroit, they said that they
(38:39):
had a teammate who tried to hurt other players. Do
or practice Christian own teammates. That's unbelievable. That's unbelievable, and
that's why I Remember Berfect wasn't drafted. He's a good,
really good player, but he wasn't drafted because of his
dirty reputation. And obviously with the Bengals, I mean you
saw all types of stuff. These we went over a
(39:00):
little bit of it. So I just look, he's got
the track record and another player had. If they had
done that and they didn't have his resume, they wouldn't
have been suspended the entire season. But I think in
this case it's justified. Here's the interesting thing, too, Rob,
we talked about when we grew up. I mean, perfect
would have fit right in Oh, it was a different
(39:21):
seventies Zack, Jack Lambert, uh before us even Dick Butkus.
I mean that's how they were laying people out. And
don't forget you you don't remember Daryl Stingley. Yes, it
was paralyzed from a hit in a football game, Jack Tatum,
some god right guys. Guys died on the football game
(39:44):
at some games. So it was a totally different game.
And it's a miracle that Moore didn't you know, suffer
and they went, dude, it right, You're right, it is
a miracle. It is. Fox Sports Radio has the best
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our
shows at Foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio
(40:04):
app search FSR to listen live.
Thanks for listening to the Best of the Odd Couple podcast.
Be sure to catch us live every weekday from seven
pm to ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio. Find your local station for The Odd
Couple at Fox Sports Radio dot com, or stream us
live every day on the iHeartRadio app by searching f
(00:21):
s R. You're listening to the Best of the Odd
Couple with Chris Brush and Rod Harker. As I was
watching this game, Oh yes, you knew it that you
would be chomping at the bit, that you would be
so excited that you would run head first, no thought
(00:48):
to it, no rhymer reason, just forget all logic. You
would run head first into being a prisoner of the moment.
And I am talking about the New Orleans Saints outlasting
the Cowboys from Dallas twelve to ten on Sunday Night football.
(01:14):
Oh I'm not even gonna spoil your fun. Go ahead
and say what you want to say, and then I'll
rebut it with the facts. But go ahead, I told
you so. How about that? I told you so? You
were ready to put Dak Prescott on some pedestal. Oh,
he's an elite quarterback. Look what he's done. The first
(01:35):
three weeks against nobody. He was playing the hallum god
of the Washington generally, right the Washington Generals. That's who
he played. And finally played a good team that has
a good defense, and he will did once they stopped
(01:55):
the running game. That's the problem with Dak. That's why
the fifty five executives in that Bleacher of the Athletic
report said he's the third tier quarterback. He can't win
the game when it's all about him. They said, you
know what the Saints said, We dare you throw the
damn ball, Dak. We dare you, We'll stop the run.
(02:20):
Eight guys in the box. Ezekiel Eli couldn't go anywhere.
He needed bus fare to get to the ten yard
line he could get and you it's sad, you know
we got the one because I know you spent all
you know I did. I can't prepare with that. But anyway,
(02:40):
it doesn't mean that I'm blaming Dak entirely. But this
is what we've seen before when he plays better teams,
better defenses, and it's about him. This reminded me of
the playoff game against the Rams. You remember they stopped
Ezekiel Elliott and then all of a sudden, Dad couldn't
do it. And that's what Chris separate rate you from
(03:00):
being a good quarterback who wins games and a great
quarterback and an elite quarterback who when you don't have
your running game and when the defense isn't as good
as it normally is and other things aren't working for you,
sometimes somehow, some way, you can pull it out and
you can win that game. And that's what people are
(03:21):
waiting for. That's why he doesn't have a deal sign
with the Cowboys yet. That's the reason why. Yes, so
I'm not because he wants forty million. No, that ain't it.
I'm just telling you, if they really believed he was
that guy, they would have signed. They would have signed
them already. So there we are, and everybody saw it
on national television for themselves, and right away I thought
(03:43):
to myself, this is the Dak I was talking about.
He's a day late, in a dime short when that
running game ain't running. So there you go, And now
you tell me he's on a track to be elite.
After watching that garbage last night by Dak Prescott, You're done. Yeah,
I'm done. You are the biggest prisoner of the moment
(04:08):
at Fox Sports Radio. I can't believe you, rocket on
Jason Smith. I can't believe you, Rob Parker, as much
as you throw that phrase out, prisoner of the moment,
your Brither of the moment. I see you an undisputed
WHI skipper. You're Bristher of the moment. You come with me,
You're a prisoner of the moment. Look at you. One game,
(04:33):
one game? Has Aaron Rodgers been superb every game this season?
Heck Tom Brady was garbage yesterday. But but it happens,
Patrick Mahomes, you ain't through four tons of yardis They
got the win, but no touchdowns. So now he's not
on track to greatness as he's still the greatest quarterback
(04:55):
gover as he's still he's the greatest quarterback in the league.
He got still, but the Lions they skulked them. That's
a short menu, Rob Parker, there's a short menu, and
he got that menu done with the w. I'm sorry. Look,
if this was Dak Prescott's rookie year, even maybe his
(05:16):
second year, and you could only you could say, oh,
he beat the Giants four hundred yards for TDS. Look
what he He He beat Washington, which is hapless, he beat Miami,
which is hopeless. Then I could get with you, but no,
we have a resume with Dak. We have three and
(05:38):
a half years of Dak. We know what this guy
has made of. He was ten and six as a rookie.
He was nine and seven the year after that with
Ezekiel Elliott out for six games. Did they make the playoffs?
He was thirteen and three the year before that. I mean,
thirty and three is a rookie. Ten and six last
(05:58):
year and he's made the playoffs twice and then ever
since he got a number one receiver, a legitimate number
one Amari Cooper, who, yes, was blanketed yesterday Marcus Lattimore
took him out of the game. Excellent defense by New Orleans.
But ever since they've given him Amari Cooper. You know
(06:21):
what DAX record is, It's ten and three. And in
those ten victories are two against the Philadelphia Eagles, one
against the New Orleans Saints with Drew Brees, and one
over the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs. So yeah, they
lost to a team that was good but hindered yesterday,
(06:44):
But the track record still stands No, but you you
are being a total prisoner of them. I'm not, and
I'm giving you three and a half years of produc shot.
It's about what you've done. It's for what you've done
for me lately. And again, no, I didn't hear that.
I muted it out. What it What it tells me
(07:04):
again is the numbers that he put up against all
the were fraudulent because when he came up against the
good defense and then he loses to Teddy Bridgewater backup quarterback,
and the Saints won a game without even scoring a touchdown.
That couldn't even be the team that couldn't even score
a touchdown against the Cowboys. So Ezekiel Elliott no good anymore. No,
(07:25):
he had thirty five yards, they stopped him. And I'm
just saying, that's when I need my quarterback to be
able to beat the team because I don't have the
running game. That might not be as I need my
running back my best already, no fifteen million a year
or two to run the ball. This is the problem,
(07:47):
is that sometimes you need your quarterback to rally the
troops to make it happen. It was a there was
a throw in there during the comeback to Cobb that
was offline. If he hit Cobb and Strip it could
have broke for something. Instead, it was behind them. Those
are the throws well behind that pass. It was behind him.
(08:10):
But I'm not gonna sit here and act like Dak
was tremendous because but I am gonna say I still
think he is in roots who be coming an elite quarterback,
Not a top five guy, but an elite quarterback that
you can win championships with and be, you know, not
just a game manager, Not Trent Dilford, not even I'm
(08:31):
not even gonna say Joe Flacco, but be better than that.
He can be that. And I saw nothing yesterday to
discourage me from that viewpoint. All I'm saying I didn't
make us. I've seen it on the Cowboys bulletin boards
were in New England. If I'm not doing that, all
I'm saying, and you can go to your houses of
(08:51):
ill repute and say, look, honey, I'm in the New
England Patriots locker room. Hey, if the Cowboys want to
put me on their highlight reel, they can do the
same thing. I'm good for that. All I'm saying is
all those yards and points and all that stuff that
he did against those also Rams. I would have loved
(09:14):
if he would have come out and thrown the ball
and beat the Saints. And then you'd say the first
three weeks were against dog poo poo or whatever you
want to call it, and the Giants are rolling, and
then I'm okay, if you think against the Washington Redskins, stop,
I'm talking about Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and they beat the Redskins. Everybody.
(09:37):
Everybody rams yesterday. Everybody beats the Redskins. Okay, So I'm
not even bothering down the Rams. The Rams, they had
they also had a job. Happens. But but that's what
I'm trying to tell you. The Rams. The Rams been
to the Super Bowl, do not the Cowboys? And until
they get there? Did they win it? Did they go?
(10:00):
It's a short menu. Did they go? Buffalo Bill? Stop,
you keep credit for what for losing? No for lose
the Rams quarterback credit for getting there once they got there.
The Cowboys haven't gotten there. That's all I'm saying. Thanks
(10:20):
for listening to the Odd Couple Podcast. Be sure to
check us out live every weekday from seven pm to
ten pm Eastern four to seven Pacific on Fox Sports Radio.
Find your local station for the Odd Couple at Fox
Sports Radio dot com, or stream us live every day
on the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R. Let's
(10:42):
bring in our man, the MLB Insider here at Fox
Sports and for the MLB Network does a great job
of covering the league. John Morosi, John, welcome to the
Eye Couple. What's up? How's it going with my friends?
But I love this time? Here? Got the playoffs going on,
and I tell you what, Michigan finally look good offensively
on Saturday. Oh, stopping against ructs? Are you kidding me? John, Paul,
(11:06):
I can't even give you. I got a daughter one
good thing against the Scarlet Knights and all as well. Right, well,
I'm hoping you're right, John, but I'm not too confident.
You know, they call the Scarlett Knights the general Hospital
of the Big Ten because if when you play them,
everybody gets well, right, that's the truth, is the true, John.
(11:28):
But look, before we get to the playoffs, which, as
you say it, start tomorrow with the NL Wildcard. The
home runs three hundred seven by the Twins, I mean
obliterated the record three hundred and six by the Yankees.
Are people in baseball liking this? And I mean players, coach, managers, executives,
you know, the league officers, even the writers like this, Dude,
(11:50):
this baseball like the fact that these homers are flying
out of the park like they are. What's an excellent question, Chris,
I think it's It depends on on who you ask.
I would say so the pitchers don't like it in
a general rule, the hitters are fine with it, UM.
But on a on a deeper level, there is a
(12:11):
sense in the game that around the people that care
about it, and you're you're certainly talking about the right
people that the players and just indeed the fans, the media,
all of us who spend our lives around the sport, UH,
there is a concern about the way it's being played
UM and and how to make the game as close
(12:31):
to its best version as as we can we collectively
those that care about the game UM. So to that end,
MLB is working with with an analysis UM scientifically this
year on the issues pertaining to the ball and why
UH it has not had the same amount of drag
that it once did in terms of just how far
it's traveling in the air. A lot of reasons potentially
(12:52):
in factors for that um, but but it is something
that MLB is looking at. I do think that there
may be h modification asians made to the process that
goes into making the ball next year based on that analysis,
because I think you're right that when the games get
a little too high scoring, it certainly makes them longer,
(13:13):
it takes them away from maybe the game that we
all grew up following and loving. So I do think
it's going to be a big topic. We'll certainly hear
it discussed a lot, probably about six weeks from now
at the General Managers meetings. But until then, the ball
that we're seeing in the playoffs will be the same
ball that we've had all season long, and so I
would expect a lot of offense. And I think at
(13:35):
one point in time in the last couple of years,
there was some concern on the part of baseball about
the lack of offense against bullpens, and that's why we
saw the move made towards the three batter minimum for
really fitching starting next year, if that in fact ends
up being adopted. So there's been a lot of different thoughts,
a lot of different conversation Chris and Rob about where
(13:56):
the game is right now, and I do think that
to use the word concerned is fair. There are people
around the game on both sides, hitting, hitting and pitching
that are a little concerned about why the game is
being played this way. And I do think we're gonna
have a pretty substantial reckoning along those lines during the winter. John, Well,
let's let's turn to the NL Wild Card tomorrow, right,
(14:20):
Nationals and Brewers. And I don't know. I think the
Nationals are the scary team in the National League in
the playoffs with their pitching. If I got one game,
I want shrewser on the mound, and the Brewers were
unbelievable after losing, yellish, but I like the Nationals. Am
I wrong too? Rob? It's a great point about how
(14:41):
good their pitching rotation is in Canby. They've got Shrews
are lined up for tomorrow. They've got Patrick Corbyn and
Steven Strasburg waiting in relief. There is every reason to
believe the Nationals win this game tomorrow when you look
at the teams in the field, the Brewers, of course,
yellow is out. Lorenzo Kinesman battling injury, Ryan Bronze and
Battling injury. It is a It would represent a monumental,
(15:06):
big picture upset if the Brewers win this game. I
believe I realized how great they've played over the last month.
But the Nationals are simply the more talented team. All
that being said, this is a Nationalist team that has
not won a playoff round since moving to our nation's capital.
Even before then, when they were the Expos, they didn't
really win and reached the championship series of the National
(15:27):
League either. So yes, it's just one game and so
it's not a full series, but to win a winner
take all game at Nationals Park would represent a pretty
big turnaround from where the Nationals have been as an organization.
They have a history of underperforming in October. They've choked.
They have they have because and they've had some years
(15:49):
in there when they've had the best record in the
National League and they still have not advanced in the playoffs.
So they've got to find a way to write a
different script. They've got Max Chers around the mount again.
Max reached the World Throughs with the Tigers, but it's
never won one. So there is a there's a lot
at steak there. I think when you when you consider
the fact that Strasbourg can opt out after this season.
(16:12):
Anthony Rendon, MVP candidate a free agent after this season,
some legacies are at steak. I believe. In the National
League Wildcard Game tomorrow night, John Morosi from MLB Network,
Fox Sports, MLB Insider joining the Eye couple. John, how
much pressure are the Dodgers feeling, because I mean, if
they get to the World Series again and don't win it,
(16:36):
it's just gonna be like, I mean, obviously it's it's horrible,
you know, and you keep going and then it begins
it's not even a success anymore. It just looks bad.
So are they feeling that they are? And they should?
And the irony is, you wouldn't say, in a normal situation,
if a team gets that far and and loses at
(16:57):
that level multiple years in a row, is it the
coach or in this sport is the manager? And the
answer there is no. Dave Roberts has done an exceptional job.
He is one of the best communicators I've ever seen
in covering sports. He's that good. I think we are
seeing with the Dodgers a front office that fairly I
(17:18):
think it's not a bad idea to have this as
your guiding principle. But they are all about sustainable success,
incrementals success year after year after year, and they've done
a great job of keeping themselves in the playoffs every
single year without ever falling back. That is an admirable achievement.
But you want to have the ultimate prize and they
(17:38):
don't have one right now. And oh, by the way,
they're not a small market team, so they are facing
I believe that that reputation if they don't win it
this year of not being able to win the big one.
And I don't know, though, when you've proceeded with the
club and the way they have that the answer is
going to be to go out there and sign your
(17:59):
biggest free because they've just done a really good job
of incrementally building the club very well with a lot
of depth. But the one weakness in recent October's has
been the bullpen. Is probably the most scrutinized player in
the game entering these playoffs. He has been better in September.
They actually have a pretty good bullpen all the way around.
(18:20):
But again, if he all of a sudden falters early
on in a playoffs series, there is going to be
immense pressure on Dave Roberts to move away from him
as closer and install anybody else in that role, whether
it's another reliever or move a starter there. And that
is a very difficult atmosphere in which to begin a
playoff series when you are that close to the brink
(18:42):
of one blown save away from panic. And I think
Dodger fans would feel that way if if they lose
one of the first couple of games of a series
on a blown save by Jansen, the panic of the
Dodger fans will be palpable. To all of you who
are living in Los Angeles, they know that's the case,
and it's maybe not fair, but that's the way it
(19:04):
is because of what's happened in the the last two postseasons.
So you're exactly right. There's a lot of pressure there,
pressure on the Nationals, but I think in some ways
guys even more pressure on the Dodgers, because it's a
really hard thing to get to the World Series in
three straight years and then lose it all of those
times for a similar reason. If in fact that's the case, John,
last thing, we got about a minute to go. Tell
(19:27):
me why we shouldn't pooh pooh the AL wildcard. I
know Oakland won ninety seven games and in Tampa Bay
one ninety six, but people look at this, this is
by far the weakest as far as Starpower matchup all
the teams in the postseason. Why should we pay attention
to this game? It's gonna be great baseball. It's gonna
be managed with urgency on both sides by two excellent managers.
(19:50):
And so if you love drama and being able to
second guess the manager and make decisions, you tune into
this game. The Rays have a very young group, yes,
and maybe not a lot of superstars there, but they
play a very exciting brand of baseball. In the A's
Matt Chapman is a highlight reel over a third base,
very similar to know and Ronado. And by the way,
they went to the same high school. Arronado and Chapman
(20:12):
did Eltoro High School, Lake Forest, California, same time, same team,
even they were teammates high school. Amazing, two great players
in the same position in the major leagues right now,
and also with Oakland, I expect we're gonna see Sean
Maniah start that game. A dynamic lefty who has come
back and he has played phenomenally well since returning from injury.
And remember this name too late innings for the A's
(20:34):
Hay Sus Luzardo. Amazing, dynamic young rookie arm You could
be the Francisco Rodriguez of these playoffs. Hi, all right, John,
great stuff, man. We appreciate it, and we'll get you
back on during the playoffs at some point. Love it, guys,
I love talking baseball with the end again. Well, we'll
check back on the World rings too. They have a
tough game against Iowa on Saturday, and they could lose
(20:56):
it very easily. And if they do that, then I
will much like the Dodger fans. Alright, then we'll see you.
Be sure to catch live editions of The Odd Couple
with Chris Brussar then Rob Parker weekdays at seven pm Eastern,
four pm Pacific. All right, let's start off with this, Chris,
give me your hot take for the baseball playoffs. Just
(21:17):
something that you know will make people go scratch their
head and go what did Chris say that? Well, there's
a part of me saying Washington, We'll get to the world.
Say that again. What was that a part of me
saying Washington, like, there's a part of me that wants
to put the Nationals in the World Series, but I'm
(21:42):
not going there. I was. I want to, I want
to with all my heart, but I hate the Dodgers
will outlast them, and uh so I'm not going there.
So what I'm gonna go with as my hot take
is that in this series with Minnesota, Aaron Judge will
(22:04):
hit four home run wow, four home ross series. Yes,
that would be like he's gonna light it up. That's
a hot take. All right, here we go. I'm sorry,
Los Angeles. I know everybody thinks it's just destined that
the Dodgers with that roster they want a hundred and
six games, that they're going to the World Series again.
(22:24):
I don't believe in the bullpen, Chris. I'm saying the
Dodgers will not and ot make it to the World
Series for a third year in the row. I'm sorry, Alright,
I can I give you? That is a hot take?
Can you? I wanted to go there, but I can't.
I can't. All right, give me your surprise take. You
(22:47):
got a surprise take for the MLB playoffs? No, all,
I mean I'm looking at my picks. I don't think
I have any like real I got and I didn't
steal it from you. But I think the Nationals will
get to the World Series. I know you weren't ready
(23:08):
for that, right, I weren't ready to make that claim.
But Chris, they have the pitching. They have that. They've
had a good team for years, they've underachieved. They turned
this thing around. You remember how bad they were when
they started this season without Price Harper, Dave Martine as
a manager, was gonna get fired. It was a disaster.
(23:29):
They turned it around, the Nationals. I think if anybody
can do it to the throne the Dodgers in the
National League and can be them, Chris, you know what
beats good hitting and the playoffs good pitching, It would
be a It would be a great story, it would
be It would be a great story. Here's the thing, though,
(23:51):
Suzer hasn't really been Scherzer in September and a good
amount of the whole season in general, He's not Suzer.
Am I wrong? No, that that's I mean he has
so that's where I'm a little skeptical. But you're right.
I mean, they generally they got good pitching, but I'm
(24:13):
just not sure Shirts is gonna be the regular season
ace that he always has been. All Right, I'm gonna
say that finally is gonna turn around for them at
Strassburg and those guys. All right, Chris, give me your
World Series pick, and who wins? How many games? I
have got Houston beating the Yankees in the ALCS over
(24:39):
the Dodgers. It's and again, it's all for me to
say they're gonna be there three straight years and lose
it three straight times. But Houston, that wrote that staff,
right right, I mean, they've got it all And and
here's the thing when you when you look at Verlander
and Hole and drinking all these guys, look at what
(25:03):
they're doing in this juice ball era, if I can
call it that, at least this juice ball season, Like
that's how great they've been, that they're getting it done
in this season where a lot of the balls are
flying out of the park. So I'm going with Houston
over the Dodgers. I'm going to say it in seven.
(25:24):
That's what it was the first time back in twenty seven.
Got them doing it again in seven. All Right, I'm
going to here we go. I got the Nationals advancing
to the World Series and they will play the New
York freaking Yankees. Chris. I've been saying it all year
(25:46):
on my podcast. The Yankees despite all their injuries, everything
all they did was win that It was unbelievable. They
want but with all the injuries, other teams would have
fallen off off. So I'm gonna go that the Yankees
will beat the Astros in the ALCS and it will
be the New York Yankees over the Washington Nationals in
(26:13):
the World Series. I just think if the Yankees can
get their bats going and get some decent and you
know what the Yankees doing when we talk about the
Bronx bombers right and it's a high drive to deep center.
Bat ball is high, it is far. It is God
(26:34):
Monument Park the Sanchino I got the Yankees in six
games over the Nationals and they win their first championship,
Chris since two thousand and nine. Wow, Yankees, Well, they
have had a great season and if they could copy
(26:57):
with that, it would be something special. Thanks for listening
to the Odd Couple podcasts. Be sure to catch us
live every weekday from seven pm to ten pm Eastern
four to seven pm Pacific on Fox Sports Radio. Find
your local station for the Odd Couple at Fox Sports
Radio dot com, or stream us live every day on
(27:18):
the iHeartRadio app by searching f s R. Your boy,
hit us, hit us, Hit me up? On Twitter yesterday,
who Patrick Mahomes my homeboy? Patrick mahomeboy, Yes, he liked
something that I put out there. It must have been positive.
(27:41):
It's surprisingly No, it wasn't. It was just like I
was asking a question, I said after he went touchdown
lists against the woful Lions. I said, it's Patrick. Is
Patrick Mahomes still the greatest quarterback ever? Question mark? I said,
I'm asking for a friend. I didn't mention Chris Bussard
(28:04):
and I tagged you and him in it, and there
wasn't must have liked it because I was in it
was bigger such supporter, I look, but it was cool.
I mean, he actually liked it. That is cool. And
and here's what I've said, since you obviously overstated it,
Patrick Mahomes, I said this on video and I've said
(28:27):
it here on the eye Cup has the chance the
potential to become the goat. He's not there now. He's
not the greatest. You can't say that, but he has
the potential to become the goat. Two things need to happen.
He's the number one stay healthy of course, and number
two wins super Bowl. That have to win six. But
(28:50):
you know, four's just not a small But you gotta
be liking a Joe Montana class to be conversation, because
then Joe is better than you do you know what
I mean? Like, if you can't get the four, it's
hard for you to come up with anything else. If
he puts up all these great numbers. And there was
an article today you probably saw it. I can't remember
(29:11):
where exactly it was, where a writer was predicting that
he's going to throw for over six thousand yards. It
didn't come out today, but within the last week a
writer predicting he's gonna throw for over six thousand yards,
which would be phenomenal. He was on that pace after
three weeks. That's hard to fathom. Yeah, well, the game
the records like fifty and the game's changed a lot.
(29:34):
What you do throw a lot more so, But I agree,
I think if he does that, that would be incredible. Obviously,
this game against the Lions hurt a little bit, you know,
what and I'll give Look, I'm starting to think Detroit
is legit defensively, man, their defense is good. Rob. Only
(29:54):
problem you can't buy in at all. I can't. You
know why. I've seen the Stafford. I've just seen the
This is the problem I have with the Lion. They
should be four and no, Chris, they should be You
remember they gave up. They gave up that game to
the Arizona. They remember they were up twenty four to six.
That's a game you gotta win, rookie quarterback. They should
say they should be three and one, And I'm saying
(30:15):
that they should have beat the Chiefs yesterday. They had them,
They had him on the road, they had them in
the roads. But I'm not gonna kill him. I mean,
the Chiefs do this everybody. But this is what you
gotta do, though, if you want to get to that
next level, you have to win a game like this.
Do you you're right at home, You're you're you're matching
every touchdown against them. You hold the best quarterback currently
(30:36):
playing to no touchdowns, Chris, and you can't beat them
at home. Do you see what I'm saying? I hear you.
It's a wasted I'm I'm not saying the seasons over
there three there are three zero and one, right, the
three three one. What I'm saying in order for you
(30:56):
to make that next step, that was the game you
should have won on you held them to no touchdowns.
If I told you Patrick Mahomes had no touchdowns, there's
no way you think they win that game. But you
gotta give him credit for holding him to no touchdowns.
I am, but but it's not about I'm just saying
that we gotta wins. We'll see once they start playing
division games, we'll see because that's a rugged division, right,
(31:18):
and they're right there in the mix right now. But
that was right. The Arizona game was terrible. That's the game.
You can't give up. That's the game. If you win
that game, Christian your three right, you're three and one
one and you're three to one, and then you say, okay,
through the first four weeks you won only lost to
the Chiefs. You could live with that. Yeah, yeah, now,
(31:41):
I'm with you. But I was impressed because I thought
they were gonna be exposed and Kansas City was gonna
run all over him. And here's the thing, you know,
and and I think rob today's sports climbing, and we're
obviously a big part of it. But it was different
when you and I were growing up and even and
early in our careers. But today's sports climate is so overreactionary. Yes,
(32:07):
you know what I mean, I'm not even I'm not
trying to be you know, funny and criticize each other
jokingly and say we're prisoner. You're a prisoner moment, he's
a prisoner. None of that. I'm just saying there we
overreact whether heck it happens in the NBA two where
you treat a Tuesday night game in Utah in early
(32:29):
January like it's the biggest thing in the world, you know,
if if Lebrin misses a game winner or something. You know,
and and and in football, we've got to understand, I mean,
there's a reason only the Dolphins went I mean, I
guess New England obviously went undefeated in the regular season two,
but you know what I mean, there's a reason only
(32:51):
even though there may be one team that's superior to everybody,
they're not gonna go undefeated in most cases, No, they won't.
And when you're gonna lose, you know, you might mean
a great team will will be eleven and five or
twelve before that means you're gonna lose four or five
games two weaker opponents, or at least most of them
two weaker opponent. This past week was this past uh
(33:13):
week was unbelievable when you looked at UH Tampa Bay
coming to LA and blowing up. I know that they
made the game closer at the end, but to me,
they blew out and you know, and that happens. I mean, look,
I'm not saying the Rams. They got some questions. I
didn't think they make the playoffs, so you know, I've
got some questions about what they're three and one, But
(33:33):
right right, I mean, let's not throw them out because
they had a bad Sunday. It happens. All these teams
are really good. Patriots could have lost, well, they easily
could have lost that game. I mean, look, Buffalo outplayed them.
They did, they should have won. Outplayed New England through
the air and on the ground. And I'm not just
(33:54):
going by the yards, but you just watched it, right,
They ran all over them in New England. Could moved
to football, could not move Tom Brady, what do you
have one hundred and fifty yards. Uh no, like that mini,
you know, and a pick in the end zone and
uh what was it? Buffalo had a chance and they
just could not. They definitely did, you know, I mean
(34:16):
Josh Allen was out, although Barkley did. Okay, Matt Barkley
came in. If Josh Allen played, they might have beaten them, right,
but that you know. So I'm just saying that, you know,
this happens, and it's our climate. Now. You know, when
you didn't have sports talk radio and yeah, I mean shows,
we didn't act that right. We didn't react as strongly.
(34:38):
Oh okay, they lost. They you know, they'll bounce back
because we had because we had to wait for the
paper to come out, right right, you know, No, really
did absolutely right, So a sports Center ran like seven
the same show seven times a day, exactly. Think about
Think about that. That was that long ago, Chris, No, No,
That's why I say at the beginning of our career,
(34:58):
some things are different. But um, you know, that's just
the climate we're in and things. Speaking of different things
being different, Rob vintaze Berfect, now you saw this now
suspended for the entire season for a helmet to helmet
hit on one of the players from the Indianapolis Colts yesterday,
(35:21):
and I look, some people are saying it's over gone, overboard.
He's certainly gonna appeal and he should, he should, But
I'm fine with it. I mean, it's harsh the rest
of the season, gonna cost him over a million dollars.
He signed for a two million dollars deal. But if
you look at that hit, Rob, I mean, I don't
(35:44):
know if it was a tight end, Vince, give me
a little help. Was at the tight end? Who? Yeah?
Who caught the ball for the Colts. And he caught
it like on the ground. He was on his knees,
so he's kind of nobody had touched him. So he's
getting up and Berfect just flies and with his helmet
and it's a helmet to helmet hit. Clearly an egregious foul,
(36:06):
a no no in today's NFL. And they're throwing him.
They're throwing him out for the rest of the season.
And like I said, here's why I'm with it. RB.
I was gonna say, can you hear me? Yeah, now
go ahead and give your serious let me just let
me just say this. I know you like it because
you don't even like him tackling it. I just want
(36:27):
to be you gotta be careful with me, with the
health of the players. You can't have a reckless guy
with a rap sheet Chris keep doing the same thing.
He's been warned, he's been suspended, he's been chastised. You
can't keep doing it. And not only the NFL, but
the Players Association should agree with it. You can't have
(36:48):
your membership getting hurt, have a guy reckless doing stuff
that could hurt membership. No, it's already dangerous enough within
the rules. Absolutely, and you said it. Look last year
he was suspended for four games. Yeah, well four games
last year for PDS okay, But the year before he
had twenty seventeen four games for an illegal hit. Twenty
(37:13):
sixteen he got three or four games for a you know,
similar type situation, dirty hit. And I think the NFL
rightly is like, look, if we just suspend him four games,
he's not learning his lesson, and Chris is something that
will teach him his lesson, and I think it'll spread
to other players as well. Right, here's the thing. If
(37:35):
you're the league and you just give him, like you said,
at three or four game suspension, he comes back and
seriously hurt somebody. People gonna say this dude had told you,
he showed you over and over and over that he
wouldn't play by the rules, and you still let him play.
I think what they did. I know it seems harsh, Chris,
you know, to be out the whole year, but this
(37:57):
is not like they did it on his first defense.
He's had more than enough opportunity to correct your game,
no doubt, to be more careful, to understand. It's like
you said, it's already a violent game if you played
by the rules. No, you're right, and he may be done.
(38:18):
He may be done. Here's the thing with Berfect, it
goes back to high school. Now high school there were
allegations that he was dirty. Then he gets to college
Arizona State, and even not only games, but in practice,
they're saying he's dirty. I've heard some things about some players.
I'm not even gonna get to the name of them,
but when I was in Detroit, they said that they
(38:39):
had a teammate who tried to hurt other players. Do
or practice Christian own teammates. That's unbelievable. That's unbelievable, and
that's why I Remember Berfect wasn't drafted. He's a good,
really good player, but he wasn't drafted because of his
dirty reputation. And obviously with the Bengals, I mean you
saw all types of stuff. These we went over a
(39:00):
little bit of it. So I just look, he's got
the track record and another player had. If they had
done that and they didn't have his resume, they wouldn't
have been suspended the entire season. But I think in
this case it's justified. Here's the interesting thing, too, Rob,
we talked about when we grew up. I mean, perfect
would have fit right in Oh, it was a different
(39:21):
seventies Zack, Jack Lambert, uh before us even Dick Butkus.
I mean that's how they were laying people out. And
don't forget you you don't remember Daryl Stingley. Yes, it
was paralyzed from a hit in a football game, Jack Tatum,
some god right guys. Guys died on the football game
(39:44):
at some games. So it was a totally different game.
And it's a miracle that Moore didn't you know, suffer
and they went, dude, it right, You're right, it is
a miracle. It is. Fox Sports Radio has the best
sports talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our
shows at Foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio
(40:04):
app search FSR to listen live.
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