Pregame Show - Almost Got Schwarber, Pens Lose Malkin

Mark and Tommy Radio talk about Schwarber staying in Philly, get into the Pens and the news of Malkin to IR, and much more.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Guaranteed human.

Speaker 2 (00:04):
It's the dog part.

Speaker 1 (00:07):
With all the dogs there.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
And the people, he said, you don't really know because
it's the dog park.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
It's the dog part.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
Well, well, well, Kyle Schwarber signed with Philadelphia Reupt five
years one hundred and fifty million. The Pirates had reportedly
offered four years one hundred million plus, and like cockwork,
Noah Hyles at the Post Gazette, who's a good writer,

(00:40):
good guy, but he's a Bucco fan, he absurdly tweeted
that the Pirates quote actually weren't far off. Yeah, here's
the thing. Basic math tells me the Pirates were far off.
Four years one hundred mili plus is a long way
from five years one hundred and fifty mil. That is

(01:01):
far off. But the offer, as reported made by the
Pirates went up after the fact. It went up after
Schwarper signed with the Pirates, who got clarified that it
was four years, one hundred and twenty five mil, which
means the Pirates offered the same average annual value as

(01:22):
is being trumpeted. That's if you choose to believe that
was the exact offer, which I do not believe. It
went up after Schwarper signed the Pirates and their students
should have gone all the way. Well, the Phillies offered
five years one hundred and fifty mil. The Pirates offered
five years one hundred and forty eight point five.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Mili just missed, just missed.

Speaker 3 (01:46):
In Penguins news of getting Malkin and Blake Lizant are
on injured reserve. They're both week to week. Heinen and
Puhland got called up. That is not good news about Malkan,
especially with the way he's been playing. What I would
do now if I'm Dan muse Is, I use the
kid line Kendall, Coyvenen and McGroarty.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
I make that my second line in terms of minutes
and roll.

Speaker 3 (02:12):
In NFL news, Mike Tomlin at his press conference today said,
I've been on the hot seat for nineteen years.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
He is black Trump. He's black Trump.

Speaker 3 (02:25):
He is the second biggest bist artist in the country
behind the president. He's Black Trump. Nineteen years on the
hot seat. Yo, You've never ever, for a second been
on the hot seat. That's one hundred percent BS. Mike Tomlin,
since today he took the job, has had the equivalent

(02:47):
of a lifetime contract. Yeah, I know the fans chanted fire, Tomlin,
they're not deciding, so don't pisted on my leg and
tell me it's raining. Indianapolis Colts fate with a crunch
at quarterback. He they're looking at Philip Rivers to come

(03:08):
back at age forty four, hasn't played in five years.
He should bring all his kids into play special teams
once he have twenty two kids. No, it's actually ten,
and he's a grandfather too. He just wants to get
out of the house. Dude, stop being Catholic for five seconds.
I'm begging you. I bet he's really piss Notre Dame

(03:29):
didn't get into the CFP.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
Joining me. Now it's Tommy Radio.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
Tom I gotta ask, how did the offer to Schwarber
by the Pirates somehow go up after he re up
with the Phillies. They said it was four years one
hundred million plus. Then it got clarified to four years
one hundred and twenty mili, so everybody could say it's
the same average annual value that the Phillies offered.

Speaker 4 (03:55):
It's really so laughable that anybody would say that too,
that it is the same and not see through that
that plus was doing such heavy lifting beforehand, when they
first initially reported it, and then to come out on
the back end and make it match up exactly with
thirty million a year.

Speaker 1 (04:09):
I mean, how do you buy into that, Kroc?

Speaker 4 (04:11):
And how does anybody nationally locally, anybody report that with
any sincerity without clarifying what a crock it.

Speaker 1 (04:19):
Is, especially locally where they should know better.

Speaker 3 (04:21):
Like I'm a big fan of both Noah Hayles who
I quoted and Jashould Mackie. But they're pirate fans and
they report on the team like they're pirate fans.

Speaker 1 (04:28):
How could you not see this?

Speaker 4 (04:30):
They want to believe this is like they want to
believe the spitting in your face on this one is
so egregious to oh yeah, one hundred and twenty five
was actually what it was?

Speaker 1 (04:37):
Well, why wasn't that the reported offer?

Speaker 4 (04:38):
Then when Rosenthal and all the national people broke it
a couple days, agohy was it one twenty five?

Speaker 3 (04:42):
And you have to way overpay to get any kind
of free agent, not even a guy like Schwarber. If
you've got like a mid level free agent, which is
where they should start, they should put training wheels on
before they, you know, go buy a custom built swin.
But but they they there's no groundwork late to convince
anybody of any ability and value to come here, let

(05:04):
alone at Kyle Schwarber.

Speaker 4 (05:05):
You're so right with what you just said, and I
said yesterday this is kind of malpracticed by the pirates
because you're pretending right now.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
Oh no, it's not malpracticing.

Speaker 3 (05:13):
It's lying, and it's what they're doing exactly what they
want to do in terms of managing profit.

Speaker 4 (05:18):
You're right, I made the classic mistake where I misidentified
them for doing the wrong thing when they're doing exactly
what they want to do.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
There, you're right about that.

Speaker 4 (05:26):
But my point is, like, go out and entertain some
players that you could maybe signed, some fringe big league
bats that might have one or two more years left
in the tank, not this fantasy of Isn't that what
Tommy fam is probably And that's all you're gonna get. Though,
if you're Pittsburgh, they made a big mistake.

Speaker 3 (05:45):
They need to find somebody that nobody else wants, that
still has potential that you know, you know that was
and it's too late now.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
Trevor Bauers. Guys, so you have to go out.

Speaker 3 (05:54):
And bring Trevor Bauer back to the big leagues regardless
of pr imagine the staff they would have had for
a couple of years and they brought him in.

Speaker 1 (06:00):
There are guys like that all the time in MLB.

Speaker 4 (06:02):
Mark not like Trevor ba not like Trevor Bower because
he's still probably in his prime, but.

Speaker 1 (06:06):
I don't He's still in Japan.

Speaker 4 (06:07):
Right Mexico, he was pitching down in Mexico like Kenny
Powers and dominating the Mexican League.

Speaker 3 (06:13):
Well, then he should stay there. That's that I like,
I'd rather be in Mexico than pitch for the Pirates.

Speaker 1 (06:19):
The Pirates, Yeah, not just like.

Speaker 3 (06:20):
Kenny Power, like Steve Nebraska for the movie The Scout, but.

Speaker 1 (06:24):
He's a cy young winner that. Yeah, you could probably
see some more prime ers in.

Speaker 4 (06:27):
But like last year, someone like Paul gold Schmith signs
with the Yankees for eight million dollars a year or
something like that. It wasn't that dramatic of a of
an asking price for one year. But let's say let's
say the Pirates would offered fifteen mil. It's like we're
go above the Yankees. Where would gold Smith signed the Yankees?
What would you have to overpay by because they're gonna
take pay cuts to go to Yankees, Phillies, Dodgers, those teams.

Speaker 1 (06:47):
I just take the bs.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
I just tat anybody acting like there was there for
a snowballs chance in hell of Kyle schwarb Or signing
with the Pirates. It was never ever going to happen.
If they had offered the same as the Phillies, he
would have signed with the Phillies. If they would offer
twenty percent more than the Phillies, he probably still would
have signed with the Phillies.

Speaker 1 (07:06):
But it doesn't matter because they were never going to
offer that.

Speaker 3 (07:08):
In fact, I don't believe they offered what is now
being reported, Just like the Nailor thing, the Naylor thing,
they talked about what's seventy eight mil, yes, and they
never made an offer.

Speaker 1 (07:17):
Period. They're liars, you know.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
I can tell when Travis Williams and Ben Sherrington and
Bomb Nutting lie.

Speaker 1 (07:22):
Their lips are moving.

Speaker 4 (07:24):
The Pirates almost got them. Team is shaping up pretty
nicely though.

Speaker 1 (07:26):
This year.

Speaker 4 (07:27):
You got Naylor playing first base, you got Schwarver coming
in at DH. I mean, they almost had a really
great offseason. That's exactly what they were going to do
You saw it coming from a mile away if you
wanted to. They were gonna dangle that carrot out there. Oh,
we were just in on that guy. Ah, shoot, I
can't believe he signed there. We were so close. And
just keep inspiring, hope. And it's gonna be the same
lineup with what Connor Griffin, you think that'll be the

(07:47):
big splash that they make in opening day roster. That'll
be the guy what the password? No, Connor Griffin, I'm
saying like that, forget the password. He's not a splash,
Connor Griffin.

Speaker 3 (07:55):
No, I think their big acquisition that is going to
be the password guy. And whoever they get for Mitch kel.

Speaker 4 (08:00):
Or who when they trained him, shall be another version
of the pass word. Got a twenty three year old
like number six prospect in an organization.

Speaker 3 (08:07):
I always love it when the Pirates get a guy
who's described USTI a ready for the major triple A player. Well,
his previous employer didn't think, so they had him in
Triple A.

Speaker 4 (08:17):
And what a great track record the Pirates have with
developing talent too. So you'd think if there's one organization
out there that's going to unlock something that's been missing
with a player at another organization. It's the Pittsburgh Pirates. Mark,
you think there's a good chance that Jacksonwinsky's in this
starting day starting opening day lineup.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
No, I think he might be on the roster, but
I think they would see the optics of him starting
as being good lord what they are, which is terrible.

Speaker 4 (08:39):
I felt like you had to think about that for
half a second, and that's half a second too long.

Speaker 1 (08:42):
They suck well.

Speaker 3 (08:43):
The whole Schwarber situation reminds me of the half court
shot in semi pro, where there is no ten k,
but Duke's is so hopped up on goofballs and grass
he doesn't know what's going on. If Schwarba would have
taken an offer from the Pirates, the Pirates would have
given him a big check that says one hundred and
twenty million.

Speaker 4 (09:01):
They would have gone to the commission er two and
tried to come up with some equivalent to Father Patt's
foot was on the line. His foot was on the line,
Father Pat, relaxed, Jackie, the beer company will pay it.

Speaker 1 (09:11):
That's not really a sponsorship, Father Pat, which just sounded.

Speaker 3 (09:14):
Don's professional second half coming up one O five nine,
The X.

Speaker 1 (09:21):
It's the Woody Show weekday mornings at six. It's pretty cool.
It is super cool. The X at one five nine,
you can win a drip.

Speaker 5 (09:30):
It's the Mark Madden Tree Game Show with Mark Madden
and Tom Up for men on one O five nine.

Speaker 6 (09:36):
The X.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
It's the dog part.

Speaker 1 (09:43):
With all the dogs there.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
And the people. You say that you don't really know
because it's the dog park. It's the dog part.

Speaker 3 (09:54):
I often refer to Mike Tomlin is Black Trump on
Twitter and occasionally, like now on the show because I
think the president and the Steelers coach maybe the two
biggest horseman or artists on the planet. When I said
that on Twitter earlier, somebody rightly pointed out that Trump
has won two inaugurations since the last time Tomi won
a playoff game, which is to say, whammy. Sticking with

(10:19):
the Bucko talk, besides Schwarber signing today with the Phillies
and the offer the Pirates made to Schwarber somehow getting
inflated after the fact, all the way up to the
same average annual value the Phillies signed Schwerberfore, there's a
report that Arizona wanted to trade Kettle Martey to Pittsburgh.
Marty pretty good second basement for Arizona. But Marte's contract

(10:43):
has the Pirates on his no trade list, and when
the subject was even broached, he said immediately no trade.
Nobody wants to play for the Pirates. That's not going
to change. And Cabali made a real good point on
Twitter when he said that now that the Pirates ain't
signed Schwarber, what does everybody think when they don't spend

(11:05):
one hundred million they offered to them. They offered them
one hundred MILLI hundred twenty million, dependent on who you believe. Okay,
if they're willing to spend that, shouldn't they spend on
on whoever is the next man up in free agency?

Speaker 1 (11:19):
But they won't.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
Penguins host Anaheim tonight, first of five games in a
row with PPG Ducks on top of the Pacific. Gotier, Carlson,
Terry Krider, a bunch of good forwards, but not necessarily
great in the back. Truba mister headache on defense for Anaheim.
Sydney's to look at Anaheim. Check out these numbers. One
hundred and seven goals four to ninety five against. Could

(11:42):
be a shootout, but let's hope not literally, because the
Penguins always lose shootouts. Jari nod and goal whichs going
to be shilloffs in the crease. I'm not outraged, but
I might have played the hot hand at home, you know.

Speaker 1 (11:57):
Coming back to PPG.

Speaker 3 (11:58):
As mentioned earlier, Malkin on the injured list, he's weeked
the week, so is Blake lazatte Heinen and Puhland called
up to take those roster spots. Uh, you should go.
The Penguins are in a playoff spot right now. They've
played well. They merit your attention. Uh, Tom, what's the

(12:21):
best story this year with the Penguins. I'd say it's
the kid line because it's indicative of the team changing
direction and how Kendall's played in particular.

Speaker 4 (12:30):
Yeah, definitely, it's got to be that because that's the
one that you know encourages you for the future. You
can see the team heading in a certain direction. It's
a direction that you like with their success and their
success ahead of schedule, and I think that in turn
is a driving factor with the team. You can't even
be surprised with Sin anymore, right because he just kind
of is gonna do this until he doesn't and we
should be surprised when he doesn't it.

Speaker 1 (12:51):
That'll surprise by eighteen goals, that many goals.

Speaker 3 (12:53):
But then again, when you think he knew we lacked scoring,
so he took it upon himself like he always does.

Speaker 4 (12:59):
I'd say to the goaltending has to be a huge surprise.
The fact that Tristan Jarry, specifically when healthy, has played
statistically speaking, like a top five goaltender this year.

Speaker 1 (13:08):
Who saw that at all?

Speaker 4 (13:10):
Who saw the chance to him trading to Edmonton even
being a thing? Well, there's no question Jarry being so
good is intriguing. And I'll be blunt a big reason
it's intriguing. I keep waiting for it to blow up
to end. It's kind of hard to trust him. It
feels like he's doing it's impossible to trust it. It feels
like he's doing the thing where he's fooling us.

Speaker 3 (13:29):
He's been inconsistent throughout his career despite his talent.

Speaker 1 (13:32):
He's never won a playoff series. Why would I trust him?

Speaker 4 (13:34):
And when things start to get a little comfortable with
him as far as like I'm settling into being the
number one goaltender now and then you have to feel
the pressure of that start to mount, that's when he
usually wilts, So I'm expecting that wilt to still happen.

Speaker 3 (13:48):
Jarry's stats aren't overwhelming. He's seventh in save percentage, tenth
and goals against. I mean, that's good, but he's looked
the part. He's looked good in there. And that's the
oddest part about Area's renaissance.

Speaker 4 (14:01):
And I'm sure you'd say that it has been very
few and far between this year where he has been
very deep in his net, which, as you say, is
the siren song.

Speaker 1 (14:09):
Not not not just me EJ, who knows more about
glove than anybody.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
If he's out on the top of his crease and
his gloves at a proper angle, when he sets up,
he's gonna have a good night.

Speaker 1 (14:19):
And that's been the case most nights.

Speaker 4 (14:21):
And how is it that that is such an obvious
thing for someone like EJ, someone like you, that it
hasn't it's obviously been told to Jari, and it's not
drilled in or connected with him that he's like, Hey,
I'm deep in my net.

Speaker 1 (14:32):
I need to get out on the top of my net.

Speaker 3 (14:34):
Here nothink Jari has done wrong, He's been has been
something he's told to do and quite the opposite.

Speaker 4 (14:40):
But I'm just surprised that nothing, especially like that hasn't
been able to be coached out of him completely.

Speaker 1 (14:44):
Maybe it has. It looks good this year so far,
Carlson ralling and playing so well.

Speaker 3 (14:48):
I get it's because he wasn't among the first six
players selected by Sweden. There's motivation there. The Penguin should
send Sweden to thank you note. But you know what
part of.

Speaker 1 (14:58):
It is he hated Sullivan. He just did. He hated him.

Speaker 3 (15:01):
And whether that and it is an excuse for making
a play bad, it's not not a good one. But
I think it factored in.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
Yeah, I think so too. And why do you think
Tom I brought this up the other night to press Box.

Speaker 3 (15:13):
One of the beat writers said he just hated him, like,
wasn't annoyed by him, hated.

Speaker 1 (15:18):
As a person, like it was a personal thing.

Speaker 3 (15:21):
Didn't elaborate, but I just think he didn't respect them,
because I'm trying because don't forget Sully won twice here,
but but there.

Speaker 1 (15:28):
He didn't get any of those rings.

Speaker 4 (15:30):
You know, I'm trying to think of it from a
hockey perspective, And you remember that kind of it wasn't
so much a veiled shot he took at Sullivan earlier
this year when he said, you know, guys are playing
what they're supposed to play like, he.

Speaker 3 (15:43):
Didn't use Sully's name, and he said that the coaches
were asking players to do things they couldn't.

Speaker 4 (15:48):
Yeah, so if you're looking at from like a hockey
perspective and why he hated him, I guess that would
be the one thing that you would point to and
be like, he was just not a good coach as
far as Carlson was considering how he was deploying the
rest of the defenseman and now that's drastically changed. Everybody
plays their role appropriately. Carlson does those things because he can,
but Graves doesn't because Graves cannot. So I hope it's

(16:09):
not a personal thing. Maybe it is, Maybe he just
hated the guy's guts, but I think there is something
to that. You know, everybody played the same way. Carlson
didn't like that at all.

Speaker 3 (16:17):
Anaheim as Truba on defense who knocks it out of
the playoffs in that New York series a couple years back.
I mean, SID came back at the end, but the
series had totally reversed in the rangers favor by then,
So Sid better keep his head up. I wish Boco
was up for this game. I'm a bit surprised he's not.
Troupe is a guy his head could get severed by

(16:38):
a skate and I wouldn't be bothered.

Speaker 1 (16:41):
I mean, he's that kind of player.

Speaker 3 (16:42):
He's been that dirty and that malicious that long where
I wouldn't care if something really bad.

Speaker 4 (16:46):
Happened to total scumbag, and especially for what you just
referenced that series against the Rangers, because Sid was dragging
the Penguins to the second round in those playoffs. At
least he was going to beat the Rangers in the
first round. They had no answer for him. Their only
answer for him was true of being a cheap bastard
and taking his head off, and then him missing a
game and then the Rangers grabbing momentum back. Penglins are
gonna win that series with a third string goalie, Mark.

(17:07):
That's how great Crosby was before he got hurt.

Speaker 1 (17:10):
You know what could be the answer to Jacob Truba tonight,
the iron Lotus. Don't do it. Don't do it. I
was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong.

Speaker 3 (17:20):
Getting back to Jari real quick, Tom, do you believe
Jari will get traded this year because they can't trade
him now because it would implode the dressing room with
him playing so well and the Penguins playing so well.
I think if they stay in the playoff spot, he
stays the whole season here, and even though that'll take
his trade value way down, because you want to get
him to Edmonton while that needs there, while they believe

(17:42):
there's a need there, and before they get somebody else
instead of him.

Speaker 1 (17:46):
But I just.

Speaker 3 (17:46):
Don't think that Dubas will disrupt the dressing room as
long as the Penguins are are looking to make the postseason.

Speaker 4 (17:54):
I don't think you can disrupt the dressing room right
now to that degree. I mean, of course you can.
You can do it every here.

Speaker 3 (17:58):
What the problem is when he came up, he was
pretty good, not great, but he didn't give any indication
that he would step in seamlessly.

Speaker 1 (18:06):
For Jari playing like he is now, Yeah, no doubt
about that.

Speaker 4 (18:10):
I guess you could trade him now, but you're right,
it would just completely implode that locker room. And I
don't know if he'll get traded because what changes between
now and the trade deadline. If Jari continues to play
this way, the Penguins will still be on the fringes
of a playoff spot, probably on the right side of
that fringe, but it'll still be a tight race. The
locker room would implode just as much, if not worse,
if you traded him deeper into the season and you're

(18:30):
in that race. So I think Jari's here and if
he stinks out loud, you're not gonna be able to
trade him a and be You're gonna fall out of
the playoff race.

Speaker 3 (18:36):
I hate to say this. All it would take for
them to be able to trade him would be like
eight losses in a row.

Speaker 4 (18:43):
Yeah, probably, I think that happens at some point, and
Jari being the author of a decent amount of those
eight losses, maybe five of them.

Speaker 1 (18:49):
Yeah, but if he's the author, then eats yourself. So
I no, if you're going to trade him right now
is the best time?

Speaker 4 (18:54):
So like, do you lose eight games two to one
where Jari's standing on his head but you just keep
losing them? I don't know, tough, don't think that's gonna
happened wild And then again, I mean tonight's a big
test because it's the first game with Geno out.

Speaker 3 (19:08):
You got five games nor at home. Got to win tonight,
even though Anaheim's very good and get off to a
good start in this homestand the Penguins have not been
great at home either, just six four and two this
year at PPG better record on the road than at home,
although not by much. Next we'll continue to urinate all
over notere Dame one O five ninety X.

Speaker 6 (19:28):
Tonight's the Penn square up against the Ducks. Game time
is seven. Our coverage starts at six here every game,
and the best coverage right here on your home of
the penns one O five nine DX.

Speaker 1 (19:43):
Is this season.

Speaker 5 (19:47):
When you're in the kids the mark man on one
O five nine DxD.

Speaker 2 (19:57):
Park the docks, and the people you see you don't
really know because it's the dog park. It's the dog park.

Speaker 3 (20:12):
We've been talking about the buckos and the sham of
the offer they made to Swarbur, which seems like a
lot of money, but it's not when you know that
that Schwarber.

Speaker 1 (20:23):
Will not take it.

Speaker 3 (20:25):
And I've been talking about how so many of the
people who cover the Pirates for the various outlets in
Pittsburgh or Pirate fans, And you might say there's nothing
wrong with that. I think the best relationship to have
when you cover a team with that team is adversarial.
And if you think I don't cover the Penguins in
that fashion, boy, you should see some of the emails
and texts I've gotten over the years from people who

(20:47):
work for that team and played for that team when
I've been critical.

Speaker 1 (20:51):
And for me it's the opposite reason.

Speaker 3 (20:52):
It's the team I've supported since I'm a boy, and
it belongs to me as much as them. I've said
that to players, this team belongs to me more than
does you, and some smirk, and you know what, if
few have understood, and I think you could probably guess
exactly who the ones who have understood are.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
But with the.

Speaker 3 (21:09):
Pirates, they need to be covered like a crime syndicate.
That's what the media and Pittsburgh should treat them like
an ongoing criminal endeavor, because their design is to cheat
this city and all of you out of every single
penny they can. And if that's not true, show me
any evidence whatsoever to the contrary. Over the past decade

(21:34):
in that vein, I don't think we've criticized Notre Dame enough. Tom.
I keep hearing Notre Dame got screwed, and I keep
asking people to tell me how specifically did Notre Dame
get screwed. I know you don't feel they did, But
if you can put yourself in their shoes for a second,
why would they say that.

Speaker 4 (21:53):
I'm trying to rack my head on a good reason
putting myself in Notre Dame shoes.

Speaker 1 (21:57):
I hate these shoes. They're uncomfortable shoes. I don't know.
I mean, you lost.

Speaker 4 (22:01):
You played two games against really good teams this year,
Miami and Texas, A and m two playoff teams.

Speaker 1 (22:05):
You lost them both.

Speaker 4 (22:06):
If you split one of those games, if you just
split that series, you're in.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
No questions asked, You're in. So you did it to yourself.

Speaker 4 (22:12):
I know that was all the way back in August
and then the first week of September, but still counts.

Speaker 1 (22:16):
Those were regular season games. Why did Notre Dame specifically
get screwed? And not say Texas or say BYU?

Speaker 4 (22:22):
Who I think Byu actually has a bigger case of
being screwed than Notre Dame because remember what they said
with Alabama, Mark, We're not punishing Alabama because you lose
in a conference championship game.

Speaker 1 (22:32):
That's what they did to BYU.

Speaker 4 (22:33):
They punished BYU because they lost in the big team
championship game.

Speaker 1 (22:36):
Who would win a game between BYU and Notre Dame.
It doesn't really matter, though, does it.

Speaker 4 (22:39):
I think Notre Dame would beat a lot of teams
in the playoffs case it does, but I think Notre
Dame would beat Alabama. I think Notre Dame would beat Oklahoma.
I think Notre Dame would beat All miss. They would
definitely beat the group of five teams that are in there.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
But I don't think Notre Dame would beat any of
the above. Oh would aside from the group of five games, No,
they definitely would. None of those teams are good. Mark,
there's four good teams this year in college football, the
top four, four great teams. Everybody else can be beat. Well,
I can't compare Notre Dame to James Madison a two
lane because of course not a college football playoff won
an x amount of that level team, and it is

(23:10):
for all the wrong reasons. They hope that someday that
can recreate the first round March madness upset in a
game like that. It's just never gonna happen because, as
I've said repeatedly, football and basketball at that level just
aren't the same.

Speaker 4 (23:25):
There's no equivalent right for a JMU or two lane
in football to get hot from three point range, right like,
shoot sixty percent from three and just overwhelm somebody with that,
and you can't you can't overcome it in two halves
of basketball.

Speaker 3 (23:35):
And in football, having two good players doesn't make you
potentially a great team. We're in basketball it does.

Speaker 4 (23:41):
And you know where the difference really shows at that level,
mark it's in the trenches. Right Like teams like Oregon
who's playing James Madison, They're just gonna wash James Madison
off the field. That line of scrimmage is gonna get
pushed back five yards either direction, defensively or offensively, and
they're gonna run it right down their throats. They will
barely have to crack open their playbook. This is basically
like a up game for those teams.

Speaker 3 (24:01):
So let's say the big debate is Bama or Notre Dame.
Would you agree with that? I think so, because Miami
with the head just forget about James Madison tu lane
for reasons I just described. You'd say the tenth team
was Bama.

Speaker 1 (24:14):
Well they technically were nine. Ten was Miami and they
said we'll head to head. You have to play Miami
beat Notre Dame. So there's no argument there.

Speaker 4 (24:20):
I agree with that. So if you wanted to argue
Alabama versus Notre Dame, I think I would put Notre
Dame in. Why because I think they're better than Alabama,
And I think that's part of.

Speaker 1 (24:28):
What the committee is.

Speaker 3 (24:30):
Give me some kind of of like evidence where Notre
Dame is better than Bama.

Speaker 4 (24:34):
Alabama has not been able to run the ball for
a month straight. They just ran for negative three net
rushing yards against Georgia. Meanwhile, Notre Dame I think has
the best player in the country who plays running back.
They run all over with recency. I think that's what
you should go within a certain degree. Maybe, I mean,
there's a lot of elements to this. I think you
should win.

Speaker 3 (24:51):
Bama beat Georgia earlier in the year, but it's earlier year.
Bamas from the SEC.

Speaker 4 (24:56):
Bamas from the SEC, and they were the second place
team in the SEC tnically the first place team in
regular season standings. They finished number one after the regular seasons.

Speaker 3 (25:05):
Well, you said earlier, and I agree that if Notre
Dame would have won one of their two losses, they're
in shame, no doubt. I'll tell you another thing they
could do that would have got him in for sure,
Join the ACC.

Speaker 1 (25:15):
I think the ACC. They're definitely in the playoff also
because they would run that conference every year, don't no question.
I don't know. I don't know. Is it arrogance because.

Speaker 3 (25:24):
They just have this mistaken impression that they're special, that
they are above the rest of college football because they've
always been independent, always had that national TV deal. But
tom the reaction to them being big effing babies because
they didn't make the playoff shows they're not special because
except for Notre Dame fans, everybody else thinks they're acting

(25:45):
like an ass.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
They do.

Speaker 4 (25:46):
But then they're also gonna get special treatment from the
NCAA next year with that clause that kicks in where
if they finished top twelve, they're in. No matter what
eleventh place team you're out, Notre Dame gets an automatic bid.
So for some reason, the NCUBLEA, even though Notre Dame
had very little leverage nowadays, decided to bend the need
of them again and say sure, we'll put this in.

Speaker 3 (26:04):
Well, and that rule that takes effect next year, that
guarantees in that spot if they're twelve.

Speaker 1 (26:09):
For above.

Speaker 3 (26:10):
That goes back to why Notre Dame feels so raw
now because they've gotten the benefit of every doubt up
until now.

Speaker 1 (26:17):
Up until this very one instant yes again, which.

Speaker 3 (26:20):
Makes them even bigger babies, because it's one time things
didn't go their way.

Speaker 4 (26:23):
And again you can trace it back at the end
of this all it boils down. It simplifies to the
fact that you lost your two important football games this year.
Just win one of them and you're in. That's all
it took for them. And by the way, it was
a huge mistake. I think to expand past four.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
I like it.

Speaker 4 (26:38):
I like having twelve teams to reveal the extra football.
But as I've said and pounded the table on these
past couple of days, you only need four. There are
four teams that can win the title. That's going to
be the case almost every year. Ever heard that Joe
Katie get it unpregnant. I've been trying to figure out
a way to adapt.

Speaker 3 (26:52):
That, to make the punchline be a Notre Dame got screwed,
but there's no even remotely tasteful way to do it.
And here's the worst part about Notre Dame being left
dot Tom. Those fans will bitch about this forever. You
already had one of their players posted, you know, their
schedule for next year, the teams they're playing. The opponents said,
we're out to punish every one of these people, right, like,

(27:13):
like all of those opponents conspired to keep you out
of this playoff.

Speaker 1 (27:16):
But that's Notre Dame. They just think they're on some
kind of holy crusade.

Speaker 4 (27:20):
Meanwhile, at backfire, really at backfires, because the player puts
out that schedule and he's like, Revenge Tour twenty twenty
six Notre Dame football. It's the softest schedule you've ever seen.
They play nobody. I think Miami's their toughest game. Next year,
They're just gonna ease their way into eleven and one
get number ten in the country, and that clause is
gonna kick in and they're automatically gonna qualify. I'm honestly

(27:40):
so happy to see Notre Dame crash out as hard
as they are Right now.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
I gotta bring this up did you see the interview
after the game?

Speaker 3 (27:46):
Lest I justin Herbert after yes Peed Philadelphia was kind
of rude to the I don't know who that was
the interview Arren rut Ledge. Yeah, Like, would you say
he was rude? Yes, I think he was rude just
a little. I thought he was distracted more than rude.

Speaker 4 (28:00):
I thought that he Well, the first initial thing that
you caught in the hot Michael he saying, I just
want to go celebrate with my team, and then Lauren
was like, well, can we just have to have a
word with you here for a second, and then he
just had that, you know that that face that looked
like he was really I said to him, if I'm.

Speaker 1 (28:13):
Her and I have any prize an interview, I say, okay,
get lost, go have fun.

Speaker 4 (28:17):
I guess she feels obligated to do it though, because
he has to do it. It's part of the agreement
quarterbacks for the winning team.

Speaker 3 (28:21):
I said, I would have said, look justin literally, we're
both required to.

Speaker 4 (28:24):
Do this exactly, and it's just such a layup interview too. Hey,
how to go out there. Guys came together, get their
wind the hand. I don't care what players have to say.

Speaker 1 (28:32):
Well they never say anything interesting.

Speaker 3 (28:34):
Well, I don't care what they have to say, Like my, my,
you know, my theory about about this show is a
most important guest second, uh callers third, But I am
number one by a large margin because I control me.
But like, when's the last time we had an athlete
on this show say something truly interesting? And I'm grateful

(28:54):
when they come on, and I'm lying through my teeth
when I say that, all the people remember is who
the athlete has. They don't remember with sid or Mario.
And then I am grateful too, along with Troy, because
they're the three unique guys that I had on who
always did good work and said memorable things on this show.

Speaker 1 (29:10):
But mostly who cares?

Speaker 4 (29:12):
Yeah, you know that seems to be what the debate
is evolving too. It's just like who cares about these
after game interviews? They don't say anything interesting?

Speaker 1 (29:18):
I thought about who cares what they have to say
at all? In general?

Speaker 4 (29:21):
I agree with that, and that's on the athlete too,
Like show some personality right, like come across like I like,
I just want to talk.

Speaker 1 (29:29):
I would like a Kenny Powers out there. I would
like somebody like that.

Speaker 3 (29:32):
I give I always gave Kornheiser credit because he used
to have a radio show.

Speaker 1 (29:36):
He stopped having coaches and athletes.

Speaker 3 (29:38):
He said, when you have coaches and athletes, they never
say anything interesting, and then you're indebted to them.

Speaker 1 (29:43):
He just had other writers and broadcasters. I love Tony.

Speaker 4 (29:46):
I also love like a golden rule that he had
on his radio show radio show too. I think where
if you called in, don't ask him how he's doing, Like,
don't say, hey, how's your day going, because you don't care.
I don't care. Just get into your topic and get
the hell out of it. I got bad from the
Kornheiser show.

Speaker 3 (29:59):
Why When I was working for ESPN and he was
doing the National show for ESPN, they did a mock
draft the year we drafted Plex. I think that was
one maybe yes, And they were supposed to have Bouchette
on to make the draft pick, which now they introduced me.

Speaker 1 (30:17):
We tried to get ed Bouchette from the Post Gauzette,
but he wasn't available. So here's Mark Madden from ESPN
twelve fifty.

Speaker 3 (30:22):
So at that point, I'm obviously, you know, kind of
pissed and so, but I didn't straight I picked Plex
who they did pick that year, and then Kuiper's on.
I go, hey, mal can I ask you a question
and he goes, yeah, go ahead. I go, how come
every single year you get like none of the draft
picks right, like nobody in the first round goes where
you say?

Speaker 1 (30:41):
And then the next year the.

Speaker 3 (30:42):
Expert again, because I've asked that question on the show,
how do you pull that off? And of course they
hung up on me, and Tony said, I was banned
from the show. But years later I had Mel on
the show and I repeated that question. He goes, that's
a really good question. I'm just glad it works out.

Speaker 1 (30:55):
See.

Speaker 4 (30:55):
I think Mel Kuiper has a lot of self awareness
about him, Like I think he laughs that stuff off.
That Tony would ban you from the show for taking
a shot at Mel. You didn't even take a shot
at Tony, who deserved the shot for saying what he
said when.

Speaker 1 (31:06):
He brought you on.

Speaker 4 (31:06):
How could he do that? Well, No, that's just Tony.
It's a weird way to bring somebody on though. I mean,
it's kind of funny, but it's weird.

Speaker 3 (31:13):
That's like one time I was on ESPN TV and
this may have been my last appearance on ESPN TV.
The Steelers are playing the Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
Maybe two thousand and one sounds right, And it was
the Cordel AFC Championship game.

Speaker 1 (31:28):
The Brady game, right, the Bletsoe game when Bletsoe had
to play.

Speaker 3 (31:31):
Yeah, And they had me on, and the Patriots radio
guy goes on this long like you know, babyface die tribe, saying, Hi,
the Patriots is superior team and raw raw, and we're
gonna kill the Steelers blah blah blah.

Speaker 1 (31:42):
Then they cut to me and I go, yeah, he's
probably right, and they're like, what do you mean. I go, well, no,
I mean he made a lot of good points.

Speaker 3 (31:48):
I mean I think the Patriots are the better team,
and I talked about the Steelers weaknesses and why I
felt the Patriots would probably win, which, of course is
exactly how it turned out. And then afterwards the producer
calls me back because why did you do that? I go,
what you mean, That's how I really feel about the game.
He goes, well, we wanted you guys to like battle
with each other. Go then you need to tell me that.
Don't assume that I'm a Homer.

Speaker 1 (32:08):
Wow.

Speaker 4 (32:08):
Look, you could see the beginning stages of what ESPN
was going to become there, right, it's all about debate,
debate format you're to begin tonight.

Speaker 3 (32:15):
I see the beginning stages of them getting rid of me,
that's for sure. One oh five nine.

Speaker 1 (32:19):
Listen to the X everywhere you go anywhere everywhere.

Speaker 5 (32:24):
Tell your sport device Alexa play one oh five point
ninety X.

Speaker 1 (32:27):
On iHeartRadio from the Dollar Energy Fund Weather Center.

Speaker 3 (32:31):
This report is sponsored by Taco Bell gott to be
cloudy today, look for a high of thirty eight. Expect
a wintry mix tonight, a mix of snow and rain,
dropping down to an overnight low of thirty four.

Speaker 1 (32:42):
Taco Bells looks fravings boxes give you decad in options.
Five dollars gets you fan favorites. One oh five nine
DX dog part.

Speaker 2 (32:54):
With all the dog there and then people you see.
I don't really know because it's the dog park. It's
the dog park.

Speaker 1 (33:06):
Tom, what do we got for today's trifectum?

Speaker 4 (33:08):
For the trifecta today mark in honor of Philip Rivers
coming back at forty four years old. We don't know
that for short doing well He signed he's on the
practice Yes, he's a practice squad member of the Indianapolis.

Speaker 1 (33:18):
So are their quarterbacks? Now?

Speaker 3 (33:19):
They got the rookie who's banged up Richardson's rivers? Is
that all they got is the rookie and Philip Rivers.

Speaker 4 (33:24):
Philip Rivers and the rookie is their quarterbacks. And Leonard's
banged up this week, like you said, so there's no
guarantee that he could even play. There's got to be
some other bumby guy. I guess that they'd signed to
their team just to fill out a roster at that spot.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
I'd like to see them use Peyton Manning just to
get that Manning cast off a Monday Night TV. That
is the worst TV ever, that that Monday Night simul cast.

Speaker 4 (33:42):
Do you think Ben wishes he got the call? Do
you think Ben is thinking, well, Philip can do it, I.

Speaker 1 (33:45):
Can do it, right. Ben's not as Catholic all right?

Speaker 4 (33:50):
But anyway, my trifecta today, I got three athletes and
movies that just looked like old bastards in those movies.
Number three, I'm going with Harrison Major League. Looked like
he was like a fifty five year old pitcher there
for the Indians in that movie. I'm sure he was
supposed to play like a thirty year old vet, but
he looked way older than that. It was supposed to
be Gaylord Perry, did you know that that's what he
was supposed to be?

Speaker 1 (34:09):
Indians back in the set? Didn't he played until he
was like eighty or something like that. Didn't Perry play
forever for a while? Yes, number two? And then you cheat?
You can you know you can do that? Keep going
And this is who Philer Rivers is most like.

Speaker 4 (34:21):
But Paul Blake Scott Bakula in Necessary Roughness coming back
to play for the college team when he was what
forty years old? Welcome to football. But number one's got
to be Red Dunlop right and slap shot. I mean,
was Paul Newman fifty two years old when they filmed
that movie. He's out there looking like the Silver Fox
in that skating around the ice.

Speaker 1 (34:40):
Yeah. It never.

Speaker 3 (34:41):
The thing is I've seen in the low minors, not
least back then for hockey, so many guys who looked
that old end really Yeah.

Speaker 1 (34:49):
So like like he fit right in that look. Okay,
that's it for me who has not seen a lot
of people that looked like that.

Speaker 3 (34:56):
That's that's not accurate for me to say, though, Tom,
because like when Slapshot came out, I was like thirteen,
So it wasn't like I was driving up to John's time.

Speaker 1 (35:03):
To see to see Jets games. Yeah, the who the
movie was based on the Johnston Jets.

Speaker 4 (35:08):
Yeah, I mean like there have been, you know, athletes
that have looked that old for sure. I think Sid's
gonna start to get that silver fox thing going sooner
or not later. But he just looked a little old
out there to be playing hockey. But those three are
my guys. I was gonna put Burt Reynolds from the
remake of The Longest Yard two, the coach version of
Burt Reynolds, because he's old as dirt when he comes
in there for that final play.

Speaker 3 (35:26):
That run play designed to be old though design Oh yeah, exactly, Yeah,
designed to be Burt Rentlands.

Speaker 4 (35:32):
So I left him off the list. I hope Phil
Rivers plays, though, Mark. I think it's trending in that
direction too, which I'm excited about.

Speaker 3 (35:39):
If he's if he, I mean he's on the practice squad,
why wouldn't he just jump right on the roster though.

Speaker 1 (35:44):
I think they want to have him practice today and tomorrow.
But what are the alternatives.

Speaker 4 (35:48):
I guess it's just Riley Leonard with the bum whatever
he has. I think, so they have to I'm gonna
look that up right now. There's got to be another
option out there for the Colts that they signed. But
I think we're gonna see Rivers if he as long
as he can operate an offense. I think that's the
last thing they have to check off. I think he's
going to do.

Speaker 3 (36:03):
You know that restarts his Hall of Fame clock. Yes,
which sucks. That's stupid.

Speaker 4 (36:07):
He was a semi finalist this coming class, That's what
I mean. Yeah, it's wild for him. He wouldn't get
in there.

Speaker 1 (36:12):
That'll be just as dumb. Yeah, but then he has
to wait five years again.

Speaker 3 (36:17):
That'll be just as dumb as is the is the
Hockey Hall of Fame not letting yags in because he's
still playing.

Speaker 1 (36:22):
In some po dunk league in check. Yeah, I agree
with you, and I think Rivers is a Hall of Famer.
I think that all.

Speaker 4 (36:28):
I think all three of that class, that quarterback class
is going to go in and it's going to be
held up as one of the greatest quarterback classes ever.

Speaker 1 (36:34):
You know what I mean, the Rivers, Manning, and Roethlisberger class.
You know what this does? This point guarantees Ben and
Eli both get in on first ballot.

Speaker 4 (36:41):
Eli already missed his first ballot. Eli was available, That's right,
really did he?

Speaker 1 (36:45):
Yeah? He didn't get in on the first back. It
shocks me. Yeah, it doesn't because of New York. Do
you think Ben will get in first ballot? It depends on.

Speaker 4 (36:51):
Who he's with, because Brady's gonna be on there soon. Right,
that's an automatic first ballot. Ben is better than Eli,
Ann Rivers if you look at that and those three.
He won out from those three. So if one's first ballot,
to me, it.

Speaker 1 (37:03):
Would be Ben. Yeah. But Ben didn't play in New York.

Speaker 4 (37:06):
He didn't play in New York. Yeah, that's why we
thought he was gonna go first ballots, and he did not.
Eli also only went on two playoff runs. He just
happened to win the Super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (37:14):
Time is tremendous that the only two years he ever
even won a playoff game, he won the Super Bowl.
I know, Tom, here here's some news and I'll get
to this later. Did you see the new rule FIFA
put in for the World Cup. No, there are now
mandatory hydration breaks midway through each.

Speaker 4 (37:31):
Half, and this is taking place this summer. Yep, they
did that when they had the World Cup and guitar right.

Speaker 3 (37:37):
Tom, focused big picture. Those aren't hydration breaks, those are
commercial breaks. They finally found a way to ruin it soccer.

Speaker 1 (37:46):
Yeah, yeah, just sucks.

Speaker 3 (37:49):
But on the bright side, Shedor Sanders is going to
start the rest of the season for Cleveland. Tom, I
gotta get this in before we we go to break
and ignore my radio show to watch over Pool and Inner.

Speaker 1 (38:00):
But but uh, now, I forget shard Door. Was it
something right?

Speaker 3 (38:08):
You know, if if Burrow's healthy all next year and
should Dour, I mean, Sara was great, really good, and
if Baltimore's roster plays up to his capability next year,
it could be rough on the Steelers next year.

Speaker 4 (38:20):
I kind of thought that would be the case this year,
right with the Bengals and the Ravens, and they just
really sputtered.

Speaker 1 (38:25):
You're right.

Speaker 4 (38:26):
If things keep breaking in a direction where those two
stay healthy, the Ravens and Bengals, and should Or keeps improving,
it could get pretty dire for the Steelers. Deshaun Watson
comes back next year too, potentially, Mark, don't forget about that.

Speaker 1 (38:36):
But isn't he just gonna be like a mentor?

Speaker 4 (38:38):
I think so, or maybe massage therapist a terrible mentor,
just a terrible mentor.

Speaker 1 (38:44):
We're gonna they should stand a quarterback room. Listen. Don't
listen to anything this guy says, especially off the field.
What fie the X