Baseball Set for Scrimmage, Cowboys Welcome Micah Home, High School Football's Fun Friday Slate

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Who said bye weeks weren't busy.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
On a Friday afternoon here in Austin, Texas, we welcome
you in to another edition of the Craig Ways Show.
I'm Jay Krman, the producer of this program, in for
Craig today. He is actually up in Dallas tonight, gonna
call some high school football as he does every week
on Victory Plus getting ready for Salina and Panther Creek tonight,

(00:27):
so we'll keep the show on the tracks without him.
It's a bye week for Texas football, but still a
lot going on in the world of sports. Should be
a very fun show starting now all the way up
until five pm today. We appreciate you joining us here
on Sports Radio thirteen hundred, The Zone and the free
iHeartRadio app as we help you get the weekend started.

Speaker 1 (00:49):
Here's what's coming up.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
In a moment, we'll recap last night's game in the NFL,
a pretty typical Thursday night football game in a lot
of ways we'll get to we'll also get to the
Ryder Cup. We've been previewing it all week for you
here on the program. Cameron Parker, who was in yesterday,
had a couple of comments on it.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
Tuesday.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Then we talked to Jeff Shackleford on Wednesday. Mark McCumber,
the former Team USA Ryder Cupper from nineteen eighty nine.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
He was on the program yesterday.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
If you miss those that are available wherever you get
your podcasts under the craig Ways show. Things not exactly
off to a flying start for Team USA. We'll get
you all caught up on the Ryder Cup as this
program rolls along. It is a Friday, which means inconceivable

(01:41):
takes us to well, as craig Way calls it, the
most flaccid of the lower forty eight. It's inconceivable a
Florida Man Friday coming your way. Later on this hour,
we'll talk to baseball. As we hit the second hour
of the show, some division races are in the rearview mirror,

(02:03):
Others going to come down to this final weekend of
the MLB regular season. Then we'll have a special treat
at around three fifteen, we'll talk to Brett Loftus. He
is live at tike In Park in Houston, the voice
of the Texas Tailgaters. Now, some of you might have
seen the Tailgators. They were just up the road to

(02:24):
Dell Diamond last weekend. They are an expansion team in
Banana Ball. We'll talk to him about sort of his
journey and what touring through Texas has been like. One
of my best friends. Very excited to have him on
the show. At about three fifteen Today, we'll head down
the home stretch with a lot of football, and there
is a lot on tap for that. This weekend, we'll
talk with aj Sanchez of Texan Live at about four

(02:46):
to fifteen get his thoughts on a really good slate
of high school football in the Austin area. This week.
We've got a big match up for the Dallas Cowboys.
Dak Prescott and company prepared to face Micah Parsons and company.
Who'd thought we'd be saying that a few months ago,
But we'll hear from Dak Prescott as he gets to

(03:09):
prepare to face his old friend Dallas Cowboys in what
suddenly feels like a must win game. I know it's
early in the season to declare that, but Cowboys Packers
just one of many matchups in the NFL that we're
looking forward to. It's a great college football slate this weekend.
So many ranked matchups I believe four of them, and

(03:31):
many more kind of under the radar good games in
college football. We'll talk to you about those as the
program heads down the backstretch later this after youod okay.
Thursday Night football Seahawks twenty three, Cardinals twenty said. It
was kind of a typical Thursday Night game. Also a
typical NFC West game from what we've seen this year,

(03:55):
in that there were a lot of momentum swings, came
down to only a handful plays, and in the end,
the team that made fewer mistakes wound up winning the
football game. I think we'll see a lot of games
like that in the NFC West this season. Let's talk
about the winning team. First, Seattle at three to one.
There's some sneaky Mike McDonald stats that came across my

(04:21):
timeline this morning kind of raised my eyebrows as to
how successful he's been in just a short stint as
the Seahawks head coach, especially away from home. Mike McDonald
has won nine of his first ten road games as
the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks, and he's a
defensive guru, right and since he left Baltimore, where a

(04:46):
lot of people kind of had him in mind as
a potential John Harbass successor. We've seen those two defenses
go in opposite directions. You think about the Baltimore Ravens
right their struggles on the defensive side of the ball
to start the twenty twenty five season. I know they've
played some pretty thirty offenses, but their second to last

(05:09):
in the NFL in scoring defense through three weeks.

Speaker 1 (05:12):
It has been an issue for Baltimore.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
You think about the way the Lions beat them on
Monday Night Football just a few days ago, and then
the big come from behind win for Buffalo in that
Sunday night thriller to start the season. When Mike McDonald
was their defensive coordinator, that was consistently a top five
scoring defense and the year he left, Ravens were best

(05:35):
in the league in that category. Now the Seattle Seahawks,
who now I know the roster wasn't in the best
shape when coach McDonald took over. The previous two years,
they were a bottom ten team in scoring defense, actually
twenty fifth in the league two years in a row.

(05:56):
Last year improved to twelfth. Right now they're fourth in
terms of scoring defense. And that Seattle defense dominated the
Arizona Cardinals for the first three and a half quarters
of last night's game, should have had the game wrapped
up before things got well very Thursday Night football late
in that game, with Arizona going down the field to

(06:20):
tie things up before the eventual game winning field goal
for Seattle. Sam Donald continues to win games fourteen wins
a year ago as the quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings.
I know Craig said it on the program last week,
maybe Minnesota wishing they had hung on to him right
about now a little early to say that. I'm not
going to throw in the towel on JJ McCarthy ed

(06:41):
And like I said last week, I'm still pretty high
on this Vikings team. I think their defense is terrific.
I think Brian Flores is a terrific defensive coach. But
Sam Darnald is cooking to start the year quarterback rating
at one hundred and six. That's higher than it was
last year in Minnesota. Seventy percent completions, five touchdowns, only

(07:04):
two picks.

Speaker 1 (07:04):
That's the key.

Speaker 2 (07:05):
Sam Donald's not turning the ball over, a trend that
has continued from last year. They've got to go to
guy in Jackson Smith and Jigba and I think the
Seahawks team really believes in him. I know the play
calling wasn't the most aggressive down the stretch in that
game last night, but they played like a team that

(07:26):
really believes in their quarterback. And coach McDonald said as
much after the win.

Speaker 1 (07:33):
Sam's playing out of his mind right now. And you
see him.

Speaker 3 (07:37):
He's just like such a cool customer, but he's a
guy on a mission.

Speaker 4 (07:42):
He's just so determined for us to be a great
team and a great offense.

Speaker 5 (07:45):
And he's doing a great job leading this.

Speaker 1 (07:48):
That he is.

Speaker 2 (07:50):
And the Seahawks coming into the year kind of picked
to be a middle of the pack team. Their win
total was eight eight and a half depending on where
you looked. They're three to one and they've got a
division win in their back pocket. And by the way,
that's eight straight for Seattle over Arizona. We'll get to
them in a moment here. Seattle has won eleven of

(08:11):
the last thirteen matchups with the Cardinals dating back to
twenty thirteen, and that is including a tie those matchups
in Arizona. How about that one win in thirteen years
for the Cardinals at home against the Seahawks.

Speaker 1 (08:28):
They're two and.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
Two and last week Craig and I ran through some
NFL Power rankings on the show. They were sitting at
around eighteenth. Then we had a debate about it. I
said they were still ranked too highly at that point.
I don't think eighteenth is a horrible ranking for the
Cardinals just in terms of where they stack in the

(08:50):
NFL right now. But it's tough to tell what to
make of this team. I don't really see them moving
a whole lot higher or a whole lot lower that
back of the middle of the pack as this season
goes along. The offense isn't consistent. It looks like it's
supposed to for now, maybe a quarter and a half
per game. We saw it in that win over Carolina.

(09:13):
They were all over the Panthers in the first half,
almost gave the game away late because the offense was
absent in that second half. And then these last two weeks,
the slow starts are certainly of concern for Drew Petsing's offense.
Marvin Harrison Junior and Kyler Murray not really on the
same page early in that game. It was nice to

(09:34):
see them link up for a couple of key completions late.
Marvin Harrison junior, a big second half and he's gonna
be fine, terrific, can't miss wide receiver prospects. Sorting through
kind of an uncharacteristic slump to start his NFL career,
and we'll see just how he's able to adjust. But

(09:54):
the consistency for that Cardinals offense from quarter to quarter,
game to game.

Speaker 1 (10:03):
It's just not really clicking.

Speaker 2 (10:05):
And you know, in year three for Jonathan Gandon, I
think he would have hoped for a better looking offense
at this point, at this juncture in the season. The
other thing from last night that'll grab some headlines is
the new kickoff rules, right, and this is the very
Thursday night thing to happen a technicality, right, Chad Ryland's

(10:28):
kickoff doesn't go into the correct landing zone in these
new NFL rules designed to you know, both encourage more
kickoff returns and cut down on some of the injuries
that the old kickoffs would produce. Seeatlet got the ball
at the forty on what's turned into their game winning
drive because of that. And I saw something interesting these

(10:49):
first few weeks, and I'm sure Craig picked up on
it too, being the Rams fan that he is. Those
knuckleball kicks, low squib kicks that that kind of force
the return men to play on their heels. There's two
teams doing it right now, the Rams and the Panthers,
and those two teams are holding their opponents to a

(11:12):
league low in terms of starting field position, five yards
better than any other team on these new kickoffs league average.
Right now, teams are starting drives at around the thirty
Panthers and Rams opponents they're starting at the twenty one
off of their opposing kickoffs. It's five yards better than

(11:33):
any other team. And so that's a trend that we're
just starting to see now. Maybe those two teams, the
Panthers and Rams, are on the cutting edge. Arizona certainly not,
and that key mistake last night might have kept them
from forcing overtime. So we'll circle back to the rest

(11:55):
of the football coming out this weekend coming up, But
first we're going to talk Ryder Cup, and there is
not a lot of red on the board, meaning American
points during that morning session. We'll recap that and take
a live look at some of the afternoon pairings who
are just now making the turn towards the back nine.

(12:20):
As the US tries to get back on level footing
with Team Europe on Day one of the Ryder Cup.
We also encourage you to join the show. You can
use our text line by texting the word Texas followed
by your message to eight one point five three zero.

(12:41):
We'll try and get to your questions your comments. Standard
messaging and data rates may apply, and if you're joining
us on YouTube or Twitter, where we live stream the show,
feel free to leave us a comment with your thoughts
there as well. We'll get to one of these questions
coming up about the al MVP. That's a hot topic

(13:03):
that we'll discuss during the three o'clock hour of the
show as we get to some baseball stories. But coming up,
what's going on at the Ryder Cup. It's a Friday
edition of Fire Me Up Friday of The Craig Way
Show during a Longhorn bye week on Sports Radio thirteen
hundred The Zone.

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Carge and Henry.

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The morning kickoff, We Taste at seven. It's The Craig
Way Show with the voice of the Texas Law Boards
and Hall of Fame broadcast There.

Speaker 5 (18:58):
Craig Way.

Speaker 2 (19:02):
Back with you on a fire me Up Friday with
you from two to five. Today you're on Sports Radio
thirteen hundred the Zone. Jacerman filling in for Craig Way,
and all week long we've been getting you ready for
the Ryder Cup on this program. Talked to Mark McCumber
yesterday of Sirius XM and of course, more famously of

(19:26):
the nineteen eighty nine US Ryder Cup team that tied
Team Europe that year, actually Europe retaining the Cup on
that occasion. Talk to Jeff Shackelford on Wednesday, author reporter.
He's plugged in to the Ryder Cup world. He helped
us kind of make sense of some of the narratives

(19:49):
coming into this Ryder Cup. Would the New York crowd
be too rowdy with the money the stipend for the
Team USA players be a distraction. I used to throw
all that out the window this morning and watch some
golf waiting two years for this event. But Team Europe
came out ready and they took the morning session the

(20:13):
foursomes alternating shot by three matches to one. And this
was not a pretty start for the American team. Well,
take that back, the very start was electrifying. Bryson de
shambeau teed off first and nearly drove the green, sending

(20:37):
five thousand fans on the first hole into a frenzy.
Him and Justin Thomas would go one up on John
Rahm and Tyrol Hatton. You know how many holes they
won after that, zero four and three a win for
Team Europe. In that match, Ludwig Oldberg and Matt Fitzpatrick

(21:00):
won their pairing five and three over the world number
one Scotti Scheffler and Russell Henley. And Russell Henley was
off his game this morning, and not surprisingly Kegan Bradley
offering him a chance to sort of sit and reset
this afternoon. Outside of a really electrifying birdie put on thirteen,

(21:24):
we did not see the type of rock rolling skills
that Russell Henley possesses that earned him a spot on
this team. Oberg and Fitzpatrick, to their credit, I don't
know who was beating them with birdies on four of
the first six holes this morning. Took control of that
one early, so did Rory McElroy and Tommy Fleetwood. And

(21:47):
you know the American crowd with the eighteen dollars cocktails
flowing in all in New York City, even they're having
a hard time rooting against. I think Rory and Tommy
Fleetwood on Team Europe this morning they turned their match
into a route a five and four victory over Colin
Morrikawa and Harris English. So the US had to salvage

(22:08):
something from the fourth match of the morning and Xanderschoffley
and Patrick Cantley Patty Ice, who I believe it is
now six and two in Ryder Cup matches six two
and one over the last few times this event has
been held. They were able to hold off a late
charge from Robert McIntyre and Victor Hovland and clinched it

(22:32):
on the eighteenth green, a two hole victory in that
final match out, making it three to one in Team
Europe's favor.

Speaker 1 (22:41):
But it got scary there.

Speaker 2 (22:42):
It got Dicey for a moment, and you know the
pressure those guys were likely feeling looking up with the
scoreboard and seeing that Team Europe took those first three
matches for about a good forty five minutes. Those were
the only golfers on the course. So now the new
pairings of teed off. They're on course now and there's

(23:04):
a little more red on the board, meaning American leads
than there was this morning. Scottie Scheffler is now paired
with JJ Spawn. They took an early lead over John
Rahman Sepstraca, but rom and Straca catching fire now two
up through ten holes. Sepstraca has been unbelievable in that

(23:29):
match so far, starting with a chipped in birdie from
the fringe on the second hole.

Speaker 1 (23:37):
Match two.

Speaker 2 (23:38):
Ben Griffin in his Ryder Cup debut, paired with bryceon Deshambo.
They're up against Tommy Fleetwood and Justin rose By one
hole through nine. Cam Young, the New York native making
his Ryder Cup debut, and our Cameron Parker called his shot.

(23:58):
Expecting big things from Cam Young this weekend. Kind of
likes how his game might be suited to Bethpage Black
and even though he's a local guy. Young, not one
of those guys who's really going to lean into riving
up the crowd, one of many more subdued, relaxed type
of personalities on that American side. He's off to a

(24:19):
good start, paired with Justin Thomas, who was missing a
lot of greens this morning. There was some conversation on
the USA Network broadcast that JT was just a little
bit off his game. Some people may be surprised to
see him getting the nod in the afternoon from Captain
Keegan Bradley. But so far that gamble paying off as

(24:40):
Young and Thomas are two up through eight over Ludvig
Oldberg and Rasmus Hoyguard. Hoyguard who nailed a birdie on
whole number one during his Ryder Cup debut for Team Europe.
But so far too good from Cam Young and Justin Thomas,
who as the pairing right now are playing at a

(25:03):
two underclip and they have that two hole lead. Last
match of the afternoon through eight, Rory McElroy and Shane
Lowry pair together. They fell behind after the first hole
after that birdie by Patrick Cantley, but they have since
recovered and after two straight birdies on six and seven.

(25:28):
Roy McElroy Shane Lowry are two up on burns and
can't lay. So as it stands right now, Team Europe
with three points on the board of the US as well,
and you need fourteen and a half points to win.
We're only four matches into this thing, and there's twenty
four matches to go, including the four that I just
told you about. There's a lot of Ryder Cup golf left.

(25:51):
But what does it mean that the US is down?
And not just that down on their home course early
in this Ryder Cup. In every Ryder Cup since nineteen
ninety one, if you go three and one in that
first session or better, then you've got a pretty good

(26:15):
chance of winning. You're seven to one in the spot
that Team Europe finds itself in right now. Now, there's
more variables in play, for instance, the US with the
home crowd advantage at this point in the competition, the
US not getting anything close to its best level during

(26:37):
the first eighteen holes this morning. Right now though, two
matches led by the Europeans, two matches led by the Americans,
and as we speak, another birdie on whole eight for
Young and Thomas. They are three up on Oberg and
Hoyguard USA Network has the Ryder Cup coverage and we
are hopefully in for a very exciting three days up

(27:03):
on Farmingdale.

Speaker 1 (27:04):
New York. No major dust ups with the crowd yet either.

Speaker 2 (27:08):
All those people worried about the chirping back and forth
between the Europeans and the New York crowd. There was
one chirp though, that even the Europeans had to applaud.
Rory McElroy this morning, it was yesterday on the practice course,
actually was trying to tighten up his shirt, fumbling around

(27:31):
with the top button on his team europe Polo guy
in the crowd says, hey, Rory, you don't need buttons
to choke. European guys all around him were giving Rory
a hard time. Rory was acknowledging the chirp, Hey game
recognize his game Sometimes New York crowd hoping that they

(27:52):
have a lot to say as this Ryder Cup goes along.
Second hour of The Craigway Show on this final Friday
of September, Lots still to go on the show, talking baseball.
In just a moment before we talk banana ball with

(28:13):
my good friend brit Loft is the voice of the
Texas Tailgaters expansion franchise, starting out of Savannah, Home of
the Bananas. Then later on in the program, we'll pivot
to a great weekend of football ahead. We'll talk some
college football towards the tail end of this hour, look
at some of the ranked matchups and maybe if you
under the radar matchups to keep our eye on this weekend.

(28:37):
Of course, we're keeping you posted on the Ryder Cup
throughout the day, where Team Europe leads by three points
to one. Remember you got to get fourteen and a
half to win the Ryder Cup. Team Ussay needs that
in order to reclaim their prize from a couple of
years ago, after Team Europe took care of business in

(28:59):
Row Home back in two thousand and twenty three. Robin
Straka still three up on Scheffler and Spawn, Tommy Fleetwood
and Justin Rose, tied with Ben Griffin and Bryce and Deshamba,
and then Justin Thomas and Cam Young.

Speaker 1 (29:14):
The lone red on the board right.

Speaker 2 (29:16):
Now for Team USA three whole lead over Ludwig Oberg
and Rasmus Hoyguard and a tight one in the final
match of the afternoon with Rory McElroy and Shane Lowry
one up at the moment through ten over Sam Burns
and Patrick Can't let Later on in the program, we'll also.

Speaker 1 (29:35):
Visit with E. J. Sanchez of Texan Live.

Speaker 2 (29:38):
We got a pretty pack slate of high school football
around Central Texas tonight. We'll get his thoughts on some
of the great matchups around the area. Just because it's
a Longhorn bye week doesn't mean it's a quiet week
at all in football, whether that's high school, college or pro.
And we'll talk pro football towards the end of the
program with the Dallas Cowboys getting ready to take on

(29:59):
the Green Bay and the Houston Texas in search of
their first win so in Major League Baseball. Last night,
the Detroit Tigers snapped their skid and got a four
to two win over the Cleveland Guardians. Boy, it's been
a rough go for the Tigers, who at one point

(30:20):
were miles ahead fifteen and a half game lead over Cleveland,
but prior to Thursday, they had lost eleven of their
last twelve, while the Guardians had won seventeen of their
last Night team starting pitching obviously a huge factor in
that Guardians bullpen been just lights out and you can

(30:41):
sort of see the frustration starting to set in for
Detroit a couple of days ago, and Jason Bennetti said it.

Speaker 1 (30:46):
They're played by a play broadcaster.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
He said, this frustration is either going to be a
turning point or a rock bottom point. And it looks
like Detroit Tigers still fighting for that final playoff spot.
They're tied at the moment with Cleveland atop the American
League Central, but the Guardians hold the head to head tiebreaker.

(31:10):
Another team kind of stumbling down the stretch in the
American League to Toronto Blue Jays. Right now, they are
tied with the New York Yankees for both the American
League East Division lead and the number one seed in
the AL as a whole. Seattle on another seven game
win streak, catching up just one game behind the Yankees

(31:34):
and Blue Jays. However, Mariners closed the season out with
the Dodgers. Over the weekend, Yankees are hosting the Orioles.
Blue Jays are at Steinbrenner Field taking on the Rays.
Toronto's got both tiebreakers over the Maritors and the Yankees,

(31:57):
and boy, with home field advantage be a big deal
for the Blue It's important for any team in this postseason,
but they have got some pretty wide splits. No team
in the American League won more games at home than
the Blue Jays and the Mariners, both identical records fifty
one to twenty seven at home this season. If they

(32:18):
can clinch home field advantage throughout the American League playoffs,
it would certainly be a shot in the arm. You
look at some other division races well. The AL wild
card coming down to two of these three teams qualifying.
The Red Sox at eighty seven and seventy two, the

(32:39):
Tigers one game behind at eighty six and seventy three,
big life raft of a victory last night, and the
Astros at eighty five and seventy four, currently on the
outside looking in one game out now. Astros need to
win this weekend. They also need some help. They are

(33:02):
at the Angels with Jason Alexander on the mountain night
against the Professor Kyle Hendricks.

Speaker 1 (33:08):
They could use some losses.

Speaker 2 (33:11):
They need help from of all teams, whatever's left of
the Texas Rangers.

Speaker 1 (33:17):
At one point we're right in the mix.

Speaker 2 (33:19):
Had a slew of injuries down the stretch of the season,
derailing their late wild card push. Rangers are in Cleveland
taking on those red hot Guardians. The Red Sox are
playing the Tigers.

Speaker 5 (33:35):
So.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
If one of them sweeps that series, all the Astros
have to do is go two to one against the Angels. However,
they split that series in any way, because of the
way the tiebreakers are falling, it looks as though the
Astros have very very little margin for air as far

(34:00):
as they should be concerned. Postseason starts tonight in Los
Angeles against the Angels for the Houston Astros. In the
National League, there's one wild card spot left. The Cubs
they're in at eighty nine and seventy not going to

(34:20):
catch the Brewers, but they're going to host a wild
card series. The Podrays they're in eighty seven and seventy two,
three games behind the Dodgers at the moment. In the
National League West, the New York Mets are eighty two

(34:42):
and seventy seven, trying to hold off a late push
from the Cincinnati Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks. And the Diamondbacks,
if you remember, sold off at the deadline. What a
run they have had, led in part by Heraldo Perdomo,
just to get themselves in the mix here in the
second half of the season, but it looks like they're

(35:05):
coming to the end of the line after losing eight
to nothing blanked by Craig Ways Los Angeles Dodgers led
by Yoshinova Yamamoto, who fired six scoreless innings yesterday for
his twelfth victory of the season. You know Yamamoto hadn't
gotten a whole lot of run support this year for
the Dodgers. I bet you he was relieved on his
last regular season start. He got plenty of help from

(35:28):
the Dodger offense, including two homers from Freddie Freeman off
of a bill Chris Mappin in an eight to nothing
Dodger win. Might be the knockout punch for the Arizona Diamondbacks,
who sit two back with three games to go, Mets
and Reds separated by one game for that final National

(35:52):
League wild card spot. There's also some college baseball this weekend. No,
not an official game, but a twelve inning scrimmage at
Dell Diamond between the Texas Longhorns and the Texas Tech
Red Raiders.

Speaker 1 (36:07):
It's at one pm tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (36:09):
Jim Schlosnagel said that he timed it up to match
with this Texas bye week. You heard from him on
the program earlier this week, and you heard from him
live on the morning kickoff show this morning. Mike Harball,
harj and the World's strongest man, Mark hen Wei. They're
on every morning from seven to nine am. Right here
on thirteen hundred the Zone Again. That's a one pm
first pitch for the Long Horns, a twelve innings scrimmage

(36:32):
with Texas Tech. Should be a beautiful day tomorrow. Anyone
step outside this morning, it's about sixty sixty five degrees
before sunrise. Yeah, that's what it's going to feel like
for about the next week or so around here. Good
time to get out. Spend your bye week Saturday at
Dell Diamond. And if you were there last week, you
may have seen something a little different up and round rock.

(36:55):
The Texas Tailgaters, an expansion team from Banana that's right,
Banana Ball, sort of a different take on baseball. They've
been touring through Texas all fall long, and in a
moment we're gonna catch up with their broadcaster, Brett Loftus,
a good.

Speaker 1 (37:15):
Friend of mine.

Speaker 2 (37:15):
He is inside the broadcast booth at dyke In Park
as the Tailgaters conclude their tour through Texas by taking
on the Savannah Bananas later tonight on TNT.

Speaker 1 (37:30):
That's next, He're onna fire.

Speaker 2 (37:32):
Me up Friday afternoon on the Craig wat Show Sports
Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone and as always on
the free iHeartRadio app. He's not just a broadcaster, He's
a broadcast entertainer and one of my best friends. Brett
Loftus joins the program now the voice of the newest
banana ball franchise, the Texas Tailgaters. Brett, how's the view

(37:56):
from the press box at dyke In Park right now?

Speaker 5 (38:00):
Man? It's uh, it's beautiful, Jake. You know it's it's
the elite stadium.

Speaker 11 (38:05):
Uh.

Speaker 5 (38:05):
You know we're gonna keep the roof on this thing
the whole weekend too, So I'm I'm excited. Hap you
came back with a little hey baby too. Man, that
that was hype that Yeah.

Speaker 1 (38:13):
Well, we'll circle back to that later.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
But but tell me, Brett, when you came into the
ballpark and walk by that right field foul pol was it.

Speaker 1 (38:21):
Still ringing from Howie Kendrick's home run?

Speaker 5 (38:24):
I think so, man, Uh it was.

Speaker 4 (38:27):
I actually walked out there yesterday to the to the
Crawford boxes, and I can tell you.

Speaker 5 (38:34):
I don't know how these guys play left field here
like left fender left field here and left center field
is just unreal.

Speaker 4 (38:41):
That's a hard still wall out there too, So uh,
it's got to be hard to play left field.

Speaker 5 (38:45):
But yeah, I think right field was probably still ringing
a little bit.

Speaker 2 (38:48):
Well, I'll leave the Astros fans be for now. Of course,
both of our favorite teams have celebrated some of their
best moments of our lifetime at dyke In Park or
was that known as me it made Field? But this weekend,
it's banana ball that's taking over, and briefly for some
people out there that might have never heard of or
seen banana ball yet. Number one, you're probably not spending

(39:09):
a lot of time on social media. Number two, how
would you sort of explain it to somebody that's learning
about it for the first time.

Speaker 5 (39:16):
Yeah, I would say banana ball.

Speaker 4 (39:17):
You know, it's it's it's baseball, but it's the most
entertaining form of baseball you'll you'll ever watch. We have
eleven different rules that differentiate us from the sport of baseball.
A lot of dancing you know, hitter walk ups. You know,
our our scoring system is different. You know, it's not
based off a run, the rather points. So whoever wins
the inning gets a point. That's one of our eleven rules.

(39:40):
So h and one one misconception about those who maybe
have heard our sport and maybe try to say this
is our Our game is not rigged. It is a
highly competitive sport. We don't know the outcome of the
game going into the day. We do know, you know,
our entertainment. We have an entertainment script, so we kind
of know roughly when certain things are gonna have and

(40:00):
entertainment wise in the game.

Speaker 5 (40:01):
But from a strictly competitive.

Speaker 4 (40:03):
Baseball standpoint, in banana ball, it is not scripted fully competitive.

Speaker 5 (40:07):
So that's a little spark notes on our on our
beautiful sport.

Speaker 2 (40:10):
Yeah, so you guys will rehearse, right, those walk ups
and sort of TikTok style dances, all the shenanigans and
things that happen. But I mean there is a competition
going on down on the field, and as a broadcaster, right,
how do you kind of walk that balance of Okay,
this is entertainment versus this is a sport.

Speaker 5 (40:29):
I think it's all about feel. I think you want
to be as entertaining as possible. I mean from day
one when I started broadcasting, you know.

Speaker 4 (40:34):
Eighteen years old, it was always you know, you got
to make the broadcast as entertaining as you possibly can,
no matter the outcome of the game. Well, now the
game itself is, you know, exponentially more entertaining than.

Speaker 5 (40:47):
A regular baseball game.

Speaker 4 (40:48):
But you also have to know you got tow the
balance between being entertaining and also having the feel in
the moment to give the viewer at home. What this
means from a competitive standpoint, you know, this weekend big
implications for the playoffs. You know, the Bananas if they
sweep this weekend, they will take over the number one
seed for the Banana Ball Tour Championship going in the
next weekend to our playoffs. If the Tailgaters take just

(41:11):
one game and the Party Animals will have the number
one seed who had the number one seed the entire year.
So this weekend, maybe more than almost any other in
the history of our sport, has major implications when it
comes to a competitive standpoint.

Speaker 5 (41:23):
So we're all very excited about that, all.

Speaker 2 (41:25):
Right, So let's back up right because it started with
just the Savannah Bananas, it expanded to include the Party Animals.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
Now you're one of four teams.

Speaker 2 (41:34):
Tell me about what it's been like as the voice
of the Texas Tailgaters touring through Texas for the first time,
because you've been Chris crossing the state over.

Speaker 1 (41:43):
The last month or so.

Speaker 4 (41:45):
Yeah, we started in Frisco the first weekend of September,
and then we went to San Antonio the second week and.

Speaker 5 (41:51):
Then we ended up in Round Rock down there with you.

Speaker 4 (41:53):
Guys in Austin last weekend, and now we're here in Houston.
It is a lot of fun. You know, I really
enjoy at the state of Texas. I love it here.
I honestly could live here. Austin was such a fun place.
And yeah, I mean the maturation of our sport, you know,
having the Texas Tailgators is a four team this year,
getting their Headliner Tour in their inaugural season, which no

(42:14):
other team has done.

Speaker 5 (42:16):
You know the Bananas.

Speaker 4 (42:16):
When Banata Ball started, they had already been established as
a coastal playing league team. The Party Animals they had
been around for a few years and then finally got
their anaugirl Headliner Tour last year.

Speaker 5 (42:24):
In twenty twenty four.

Speaker 4 (42:25):
The Firefighters their inaugural season being in twenty twenty four
as well, didn't have a headliner tour.

Speaker 5 (42:30):
Until this year, so it was special for us to you.

Speaker 4 (42:33):
Know, for me to walk right in the door, to
be a part of this thing that's so special with
Banata Ball as a whole, but then our brand as
the Texas Delegators, and then they get to headline six
games and be the home team in Texas for three
weeks and then get to, you know, spend the last
weekend of the year here.

Speaker 5 (42:45):
In Houston at the Big League Ballpark. That's so much fun.

Speaker 4 (42:48):
And then next year we're gonna add two more teams
to the sport that'll be named here in just a
couple of weeks, so we'll have sixteen and we'll have
an official league next year, the Banana Ball Championship League.
So I believe the first year of that now it's
a tour what it's been with these four teams this year.

Speaker 5 (43:02):
Next year to be an official league.

Speaker 1 (43:04):
So that's a look into the future.

Speaker 2 (43:05):
I want to go to the past a little bit
because a couple of years ago you and I were
working together in North Dakota right calling play by play
for all sorts of high school collegiate events. I went
back to DC for a bit, you went back to
South Carolina. Tell me about what the process was like
as you kind of auditioned and went through the interview

(43:26):
process to become the voice of the Tailgaters, because I
know it was pretty unique for well, a pretty unique organization.

Speaker 5 (43:33):
Yeah, it was. It was crazy.

Speaker 4 (43:35):
Johns Leslie, who is over STAA, which is a sportscasters
Talent Agency of America, you put out a filler describing
a broadcast that said nothing of the Savannah Bananas. Dan Doherty,
who was a coworker of a coworker of hours in
North Dakota, recommended me John texting me and sent me
the application. There's a bunch of video prompts I had

(43:57):
to do just on video, just on my cellphone.

Speaker 5 (44:01):
Had to added some stuff together.

Speaker 2 (44:03):
It's almost like COVID style, right, you're just sending videos
from your basement.

Speaker 4 (44:08):
Yeah, and it's not like your regular broadcasting tape. Like
I had to send a video of a WWE style intro.
I had to voice over highlights, I had to create
a storyline, and I had to put all these videos
together and then once I did that, I sent that
in a few months later in February, I had my
first interview.

Speaker 5 (44:28):
With Jesse Cole, which is the owner of an organization.

Speaker 1 (44:30):
That's the Yellow Tuxedo Man if you haven't seen the.

Speaker 5 (44:34):
Man wearing the yellow tucks.

Speaker 4 (44:35):
And then in early March, I went down to Savannah,
had what we call test drive here in Banana Land.
Mind you, I wore Cowboy head my audition tape, and
I had no idea that the Texas Tailgeters existed.

Speaker 5 (44:47):
And then they.

Speaker 4 (44:47):
Obviously they obviously pitched me for that, which was ironic enough.
And then yeah, mid middle of March, got a contract offer,
moved to Savannah in April, and you know, been off
and running ever since.

Speaker 2 (45:00):
That is that is just incredible. I remember talking to
you kind of that week of next thing. I know,
I'm here and hey, I'm in Savannah. Oh and hey
I'm on the air here. Tell me what that was like.
They just kind of threw you right into the fire
right away.

Speaker 5 (45:16):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 4 (45:17):
It was funny because we got down there and they
wanted to see, you know, the guys that lived in Savannah,
how I would match with them, and some of my
other skills outside of just broadcasting. That weekend and so
after there were two games that week, and so game
one I was just kind of there observing, and at
dinner that night, Jesse and our executive producer, Yvonne tresakud
BTV are talking and I'm just standing right there, just

(45:38):
like a flying wall almost, but they're talking about me,
and Evan's telling him how I had such a good day,
and Jesse's like, we're gonna put him on air tomorrow, right,
and Evan's.

Speaker 5 (45:46):
Like, we can see.

Speaker 4 (45:47):
And Jess's like, oh, We're going to give him a
live hit tomorrow night. And Evan's like okay, and so
we go and you know, did the live hit and
Jesse texted me right after I did it, and that
obviously felt really good and very complimentary. So yeah, getting
getting to work and work so closely with a guy that,

(46:09):
you know, I compared to another day. I was talking
to somebody I always wondered growing up, like what it
must have been like in the early days of Apple
or Microsoft, working with Bill Gates.

Speaker 5 (46:18):
We're going to Steve Jobs some of your more innovative
minds of all time.

Speaker 4 (46:22):
And then I kind of just come to the conclusion, Well,
I'm getting to, you know, work with Jesse Cole right
now on the early stages of Banata Ball in our
entire organization. So it is special to get to work
with a guy like that, especially that initial weekend.

Speaker 2 (46:33):
Yeah, I get some SNL vibes from from the way
you describe Banana Land a little bit. And hey, look,
it reminds me a little bit on my first show
here just a few weeks ago with Craig Way. He said, Hey,
get your mic ready, we're going to introduce you out
on air, and now here we are. I bring up
all that because this weekend is special for you. It's
your national television play by play debut games on TNT

(46:56):
this weekend from Houston. I mean a couple of years ago,
could you have ever dreamed up a scenario like this
and for it to.

Speaker 1 (47:04):
Come in a big league stadium? No less.

Speaker 5 (47:08):
Yeah, it's you know, Jake, you know this. I've been
my entire life.

Speaker 4 (47:12):
I've wanted to be a Playboy player. I've never wont
to do anything else. I mean, you know, some guys
have changes of heart. Some guys want to be pro
ball players, and then that ends up fizzling out or
some guys want to leave this at the third and
they kind of changed since I was literally since I
can remember four years old, I wanted to do this,
and you know, tonight's really really special for me and

(47:33):
this weekend as a whole. You know, I never thought
I'd do it at twenty four. I thought I'd have
at least a three in front of my age. And
I think that just speaks to this organization, speaks to
how blessed I am to get to put on a
headset and broadcast in the Major League stadium on National
TV at twenty four years old. Just the opportunity that
Jesse Cole in this entire organization is given me, you know,

(47:56):
and k O Scallop for those that do watch the Bananas,
the voice this is out of Bananas, the mouthpiece of
our organization, I would.

Speaker 5 (48:03):
Say, outside of Jesse.

Speaker 4 (48:05):
He is actually a wedding this weekend and his Ironman
streak of two hundred and sixty four straight games is
coming to a conclusion. So that is the reason that
I'm doing play by play this weekend. So hate that
Vico's not here, but very blessed and excited for the
opportunity and very very excited to get to sit in
the seat of such a legend as Vico Scale Man.
I mean, Vico has done so much for our organization's

(48:27):
done so much for the Bananas. I don't think a
product that we have from our television. I don't think
we would be anywhere close without that guy. I don't
even know where we would be at without Vico Scale,
who started back in the middle of COVID when the
Bananas were just still a collegiate summer league team, and
before Banana Ball he even really was formed. So Vico's

(48:47):
a legend, and it is very humbling to get to
be the guy who kind of steps in his seat
for even just two games. William's getting married so or
not getting married at a wedding.

Speaker 2 (48:58):
It's like it's like our Cameron Parker going to another wedding,
but as Craig Way reminds us, not yet his own.
I guess there is a positive then to a fall wedding,
the much maligned fall weddings in the middle of an
amazing sports weekend.

Speaker 4 (49:14):
Yeah right, I mean this is uh, this is a
big sports weekend.

Speaker 5 (49:17):
Obviously, I'll be missing it tomorrow night. You're tied your
other Tide. I should say, I know your Longhorn, but
your your.

Speaker 4 (49:24):
Childhood Tide and my Georgia Bulldogs playing each other. So
be missing that that big football Saturday tomorrow afternoon.

Speaker 5 (49:30):
But I think I'll be all right.

Speaker 4 (49:33):
I'll just look at the beautiful roof here and the
ball flying and dyking park can be all good.

Speaker 2 (49:37):
Well, let me get a prediction from you before we
let you go. Bama, Georgia. Your dog's my kind of
second love. Well, first love now turned into second love.
The Alabama Crimson Tide. What can we expect from that one?
What's what's your pick?

Speaker 5 (49:51):
Well, I mean if you you know, after week one,
Ty Simpson and Alabama look bad, I mean really bad.

Speaker 4 (49:58):
And you know since then, I know they played for
cupcake teams, but you know they've really got kind of
turned the tide a little bit, no pun intended, and
on Georgia's side of things, was not impressed first few
weeks by Gunnar Stinckton. And they walked into Knoxville and
Gunner Stockton looks like he could be in New York
for the Heisman. Defense didn't look very good, but they
played very well in the second a half.

Speaker 5 (50:18):
Holding down Joey all Allen, I can't say.

Speaker 4 (50:21):
His names, the quarterback for Tennessee and hap of the
second and a half, and so I was very excited
going into this weekend. This is the first time that
these two teams have played in Athinson's twenty fifteen. There's
rumors of a of a blackout that's gonna happen here
for Georgia. I don't know if that could be confirm
or denied. So I think the Dogs is gonna win.

(50:42):
I think it's gonna be a very good football game.
I don't think at the top of last year's game.
I think the Dogs win it by two possessions, but
the score is a little deceptive at the end. I
think it's a thirty eight twenty eight final score, Dogs.

Speaker 5 (50:54):
The top and half.

Speaker 2 (50:55):
Hey, I hate the prediction and I hate to let
you go, but I'm absolutely love that you took the
time to come join us.

Speaker 1 (51:01):
So so proud of you.

Speaker 2 (51:02):
That's Brett Loft is the voice of the Texas Tailgators.
We got to get you back to talk some MLB
once the banana ball season winds down, Why don't we?

Speaker 5 (51:11):
Yeah, you know, I.

Speaker 4 (51:12):
Am I'm pretty disappointed in my Atlanta Braves this year,
but hopefully, hopefully we still have really.

Speaker 5 (51:18):
Good Major League Baseball playoffs.

Speaker 4 (51:19):
The playoff chase right now, going to the final weekend
really really fun.

Speaker 5 (51:22):
So that does fire me up.

Speaker 2 (51:24):
That's Brett loftis fired up on a fire me Up Friday.
We've got much more to come, a great slate of
college football to break down for you right here on
Sports Radio thirteen hundred The Zone, third and final Hour
on a Friday afternoon here in Austin. Jake Krban, the
producer of this show, in for Craig Way today. Craig

(51:47):
is getting ready to call some Friday night lights in
Dallas on Victory Plus. Should be a fun one for
him with Salina and Panther Cree tonight, and it should
be a fun weekend for Craig Way as well. Can't
wait to get his thoughts when he returns on Monday.
Going to enjoy some live music, getting to see a

(52:10):
living legend in Ringo Star. Hope Craig keeps his phone
on him though, because there is a lot of good
college football to keep up with. We'll start with a
huge matchup in the SEC, one of two really big
SEC matchups here with Alabama taking on Georgia. Of course,

(52:32):
last year in Tuscaloosa, these two teams play the Thriller.
A lot of people said that victory for Alabama a
good candidate for Game of the Year Tide where all
over The Dogs early got on top by twenty eight
points in the first half before Carson Beck and company
started storming back. Eventually, a key interception in the end

(52:54):
zone and a highlight real touchdown for Ryan Williams swung
the game in Alabama's favor late. But the Tide, who
came out of that game ranke number one. How did
they follow it up? A road lost to Vanderbilt and
under Kaitlin de Boor, the Tide are just two and
four in road SEC games. So having to go between

(53:18):
the hedges at Sanford Stadium and beat a team that
hasn't lost there since twenty nineteen, Yeah, that's a tall task.
Remember it was South Carolina who pulled that upset over
Georgia back in twenty nineteen. Took three interceptions from Jake
fromm Holinski, the South Carolina quarterback in that game. Man,

(53:41):
it has been six years since Georgia lost between the hedges.
That's what Alabama and Caitlin de Bor are trying to
do as three and a half point underdogs in Athens
on Saturday night. Now, a couple things in play. Number one,
Alabama getting a little healthier on offense, particularly at the

(54:03):
running back position. It's a position in Alabama hasn't gotten
a whole lot out of this season, particularly in that
loss to Florida State, but they haven't needed it.

Speaker 1 (54:12):
They're getting Jim Miller back.

Speaker 2 (54:14):
Remember they lost Justice Haynes to the transfer portal not
too long ago, and he's made a pretty big impact
at Michigan type of home run hitter that this Alabama
offense might be missing a little bit in this game.
But Jim Miller can provide that power runner with a
good second gear to him. Danny Lewis Junior might return
to for Alabama. All that's to say they might be

(54:35):
able to take a little bit of pressure off of
Ty Simpson, who really struggled on the road at Florida
State in that loss for Alabama in the Opena. And now,
for all we know, this Florida State team could be
one of the last twelve in the end as an
acc contender. We'll learn a lot more about them when
they take on Miami in a couple weeks time. Miami

(54:57):
team who, as we talked about yesterday when on Texas
Football CJ. Vogel joined the program, a lot of people
been very pleasantly surprised by Miami. He wants your thoughts
on Miami all the rest of the college football playoff
contenders as well.

Speaker 1 (55:12):
We offer the text line to you. All you have
to do.

Speaker 2 (55:16):
Is text the word Texas to eight one, five three zero,
follow by your message. In the same text, for instance,
somebody said, Texas, does this host know how much a
golf ball costs way less than seventeen dollars? Well, does
that texter know how bad I am at golf? If
he thinks I'm done after losing one ball on the course,

(55:38):
think again. We've got plenty more texts we're going to
get to when we talk about NFL a little bit
later on in this hour. But Georgia and Alabama, Ty Simpson,
he's been quietly terrific over the last couple of weeks. Now,
I know what you're gonna say. Playing Uell Monroe in

(55:59):
Wisconsin at home, it's just not the same caliber as
what you're gonna see from Georgia, even if Tennessee exposed
some weaknesses in the Georgia secondary last week, but Simpson
was over those two games a total of thirty one
for thirty six, just under six hundred yards through the air,

(56:21):
seven touchdowns, no interceptions, and the most important thing, he
got rid of the ball quickly.

Speaker 1 (56:27):
It's only sacked once in those two games.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
That's gonna be key because Georgie's pass rush was able
to impact the game a lot on the road in
Knoxville when they grabbed a win over Tennessee to come
from behind win a week ago. But Kaitlin de Boor
had a choice before the season right he could hand
the reins over to Tye Simpson or opt to bring

(56:55):
in the five star recruit Keelan Russell, who he brought
in as perhaps the heir apparent to lead his offense
to run his system now with O c Ryan Grubb
in place the way he intended it and the way
a lot of Alabama fans probably visualized things would go
when Caitlin de Boor was appointed as Nick Saban's replacement

(57:18):
after his sudden retirement. Here's what Debor had to say
about Simpson a couple of days ago.

Speaker 3 (57:28):
You know, one guy that's really stepped up a lot
is our QB. You know, just really proud of the
way Ties become more vocal, and you know, especially in
the in the wake of some adversity, he's you know,
you've really.

Speaker 5 (57:44):
Seen that that come on.

Speaker 3 (57:46):
And what I love about it is it's just real, genuine,
you know, it's real, it's it's heartfelt. The way he
talks and the appropriate times. He just really has a
good sense. He's really grown as a leader that way.
And so there's more guys that lead and in a
vocal way, but I would say those two guys are
on offense one defense. If I had to pick them,

(58:08):
be those guys and our guest here Bray is going
to be one of those guys that picks and chooses
the right time to say the things. And when he speaks,
everyone listens because it's not all the time, but it's
at the right time. And you know, that'd be something
that I would say about Bray. You know, in his
vocal leadership.

Speaker 2 (58:26):
The way Alabama was rocked and rattled on the road
to start the season at Florida State makes me so
hesitant to back them in a spot like this against
an opponent like this, where you know Kirby Smart has
had this game circle. It's not like they could have
prepped ahead brutal grind of a schedule having to face

(58:49):
Tennessee a couple of weeks ago. But I'm taking Alabama
in the upset on the road, Penn State trying to
flip a script on last year's just like Georgia will
be tomorrow night when they take on Oregon Top ten
matchup Night Game Happy Valley on Saturday Night Games on Peacock.

(59:14):
Oregon has an extra week to prepare, or should say
Penn State does coming out of a bye, But really,
this is the first big test for both of these
two teams. Oregon's most difficult game, you could argue coming
into this week's game, was Oklahoma State. Guess what they
don't have a coach right now? Can James Franklin get

(59:40):
this Penn State team over the hump? And the answer
won't be settled for sure in this game, but it
would give a lot of people confidence that he could
get them over that big playoff hurdle. If they're able
to knock off Oregon at home tomorrow night, I think
there's a lot more rusher on Penn State than Oregon

(01:00:01):
in this game, just because of that simple fact. Penn
State defense has been outstanding to start the season. Their
offense hasn't quite looked as crisp as maybe some people
thought it would, but it hasn't been tested. It beat Nevada,
Florida International, and Villanova to start their twenty twenty five campaign.

(01:00:26):
Drew Aller, a guy that many have projected as a
potential first round talent, hasn't exactly lit up the stat
sheet yet to start the year.

Speaker 1 (01:00:36):
They've leaned on their running game a lot.

Speaker 2 (01:00:39):
That combination of K Tron, Allen, Nick Singleton might not
find a better one two punch in a backfield in
all of college football this year. That game highly highly anticipated.
A couple more ranked matchups to run through Fox Big
Noon kickoff eleven AM for US here at Austin tries

(01:01:01):
to bounce back against USC. I talked yesterday about how
impressed I've been with USC. The way they've run the
ball reminds me a little bit more of those Lincoln Riley,
Oklahoma teams than anything we saw from USC. With Caleb
Williams no slight to that offense, but this USC team

(01:01:21):
is a lot more balanced. Jada Mayov has been very efficient.
Louke Altmeier and Illinois have to answer the bell. This
game has seen some very interesting line movement. USC opened
as a one and a half point favorite, and in

(01:01:42):
light of last week's events in Bloomington, they are now
favored by almost a touchdown six and a half. We'll
see if the folks in the Desert are right and
that USC can enter the conversation as a real playoff
contender if they go on the road and beat Brett

(01:02:03):
Bi Lama and the fighting Alni. One more big time
ranked matchup on ABC at two thirty. LSU will take
on Old Miss, who will be led by the fairest
state transfer, Trinidad Chambliss, who came on in relief when
the Rebels were struggling a little bit against Arkansas, stepped

(01:02:27):
up in a big way twenty one of twenty nine
three for over three hundred and fifty yards in that game.

Speaker 1 (01:02:33):
Was able to avoid negative plays. That's the whole key
for a Lane Kiffin offense.

Speaker 2 (01:02:37):
If they're on schedule and they're not shooting themselves in
the foot, they're really hard to stop. And outside of
a couple of shaky quarters against Kentucky. This Old Miss
offense has looked the part at home against an LSU
defense that has certainly looked the part. LSU is ranked
number four, Ole Miss is number thirteen, But the public

(01:03:02):
like to Ole Miss so much that the underdog is flipped.
Ls You opened as nearly a two point favorite. Now
they're nearly a two point underdog. It's about one and
a half right now, depending on where you look. In
a hostile environment in Oxford. What can Garrett Nussmeyer do

(01:03:24):
should be a lot of fun, full day of college football.
I'm going to take LSU to go to Old Miss
and get the victory. We'll shift our focus to the
Friday night lights next.

Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
EJ.

Speaker 2 (01:03:37):
Sanchez from Texan Live will join the program and discuss
plenty of marquee matchups around Central Texas. You listen to
the Craig wa Show right here on Sports Radio AM
thirteen hundred, The Zone and always for free on the
iHeartRadio app. Well, we just talked you through a very
jam packed college football slate on tap for the weekend,

(01:04:01):
But why not start your weekend tonight with high school football?
A busy night for high school football all around the area.
I've got aj Sanchez on the line from Texan Live EJ.
You live and breathe this calling games almost every night
of high school football, it seems. First off, how are
you thanks for taking the time to stop along your

(01:04:22):
journey and chat with us.

Speaker 7 (01:04:24):
Yeah, man, of course, always have me talking some Friday
nightlights and you are correct, Yeah about two games a week,
but really no other place I'd rather be. But before
we do get into it, did I hear you pick Alabama?

Speaker 1 (01:04:36):
I did.

Speaker 2 (01:04:37):
I took two sec road teams. I'm just asking for it.

Speaker 15 (01:04:40):
Today as you are. Man, I'm ready. I'm ready to
get into it.

Speaker 7 (01:04:45):
Wouldn't be a conversation between you and I if I
didn't give you a little grieve about the top.

Speaker 2 (01:04:49):
Well, look, I'll give you a chance to narrow it
down because you've called what dozens of games already this season.
Is there one matchup that delivered the most host that was,
you know, the most memorable of your slates so far
this year?

Speaker 7 (01:05:04):
You know it's two of the teams I think we're
planning on talking about right now. I drove down to
the Brass Valley and I went to College Station for
Weiss to take on a and m Consolidated. It was
two teams I believe Consolidated began the year in the
top ten and at the time Weiss was in the
top ten. Consolidated had just lost to forty in their

(01:05:24):
pre district schedule, So it was one that I wanted
to jump on. And it was forty eight to forty
as the final with the Tigers taking down the Wolves.
But that was probably the one where you know a
ranked matchup. I mean, you know this, Jake, with the
games that you've called as well, you know, sometimes the
schedule before you know doesn't dictate you know what that

(01:05:44):
game's going to be. This was legitimately two teams that
should be playing pretty close to Thanksgiving.

Speaker 2 (01:05:51):
Well, and I want to stick with the Tigers for
a second because under coach Schmid, they've not only looked
good again coming off that regional semifinal win from a
year ago, but they're building momentum rivalry win over College
Station last week, and it seems like EJ they've done
it in different ways. Against Weiss, it was that rushing
attack setting the tone and then last week it was

(01:06:12):
chunk plays through the air and stingy defense.

Speaker 7 (01:06:16):
Well, they had a quarterback battle that really wasn't cemented
even by the time that I took their game in
in Week three. Jake, it's always the funniest thing with
you know, A and M consolidated. I mean this, you know,
with as much respect as possible. There's no you know,
four or five star player that you know you circle
on their schedule.

Speaker 16 (01:06:34):
That you have to go out and watch.

Speaker 7 (01:06:35):
They have eleven offensive players and eleven defensive players that
are really well coached, and so I think that's why
you get a little bit of that parody.

Speaker 15 (01:06:45):
And Brandon Schmid, the head coach of the.

Speaker 7 (01:06:47):
Tigers, he's an offensive line coach by trade, and even
talking with you know, coaches that have had to go
up against him, they say, hey, if your offensive line
coach is your head coach, we're not going to be
able to you know, scheme anything really passed you, because
that's how you know your team is disciplined. And that
was really the way they came out and got that
win against White and got that win over over College

(01:07:08):
Station Chunky Mooring, who he's going to be a next
level player now he's like the tip of the spear.
But like you said, whole goodwin has taken over at quarterback.
He's looked really, really good. He possesses a really.

Speaker 16 (01:07:20):
Nice touch on the ball.

Speaker 7 (01:07:21):
And you know, the Tigers were a team where everybody
said after they graduated heavy after last year, you know,
are they going to be back? And they've they've kind
of put all of those, you know, naysayers to rest.

Speaker 2 (01:07:33):
So tonight they get three and oh Anderson, who has
defended well right from the jump. But they've really been
able to move the ball with a lot of effectiveness
this year, due in large part to the transfer in
and running back Caleb Crenshaw.

Speaker 7 (01:07:49):
Anderson is one of my favorite teams in the area.
JAG for that reason, I was a big fan of
Crenshaw when he was at Austin LBJ. So he's making
the jump, you know, from four A Division two to
five A Division one, and he's answered the bell. And
this is an Anderson team that thought last year was
their windows. Quite frankly, you had Max Gerlick, who's now
at utsat quarterback and TCU Horned Frogs fans will remember

(01:08:12):
Ed Small who broke the all time often ID receiving
record a year ago. So the question always was, hey,
you know, is our defense gonna be able to carry
along our offense until it's ready. That's dispelled now. Caleb
Crenshaw a year ago, and I mean this wholeheartedly, pound
for pound, was my favorite running back in the Austin

(01:08:33):
area and there was never a doubt to me that
the four eight to five a jump would be too much.
But he's answered the call. He's averaging nearly, you know,
over one hundred yards of game. And that that defense,
like you said, Liam McMillian, is one of the most
underrated edge players in the five to one two.

Speaker 15 (01:08:48):
That's that Anderson team is I think.

Speaker 7 (01:08:50):
A surprise to everybody else, but not a surprise to them.

Speaker 2 (01:08:54):
Yeah, two sacks already for mcmillion. That Anderson defense has
forced seven turnovers and they've given up sixteen points in
just three games. Is that defensive success going to translate
at console tonight? What do you think Donald Hatcher's team
has to do to pull it.

Speaker 1 (01:09:10):
Up set there?

Speaker 7 (01:09:12):
Well, Caleb Crenshaw has to touch the ball twenty five times,
and I know it's twenty twenty five. Not supposed to
talk about running the ball. It's supposed to be air raid,
get on the expressway and go. But that really is
you have to limit how much Consoles on offense. And
it's really because Console's trench play is what's kind of

(01:09:33):
different ways, but it's all based through the line. And
so if you were able to give Crenshaw twenty five
looks and you turn it over to mcmillion and another
Austin Obja.

Speaker 16 (01:09:43):
Transfer that, I don't want to get.

Speaker 7 (01:09:45):
Less in the mix everybody else on that defense. So
if they have Crenshaw over about one hundred and forty yards,
I think they can, But I would still take the
Tigers in that game.

Speaker 2 (01:09:56):
Okay, well stay in five A Division one because I'm
filling your seat tonight. Typically in Fluckerville calling Weiss Wolves games,
you kind of travel everywhere. But Weiss is clashing with
Hendrickson tonight. This is more of your traditional air raid
style offense for both of these teams.

Speaker 7 (01:10:15):
Oh absolutely, I mean Weiss even from Steve van Meter,
who really got that program, you know, off the ground.
He is a disciple of the air ray. He turns
it over to Vernon Hughes, who's now at miss ski
Horn in the district of Doom, you know, up in Dallas.
And now you have Malcolm Hill and he's not necessarily
an air raid guy. But he's a tempo and you know,
air it out guy, And why wouldn't you when you see,

(01:10:36):
you know, the guys that he has in his stable,
Trey Moore, the four star receiver who has thirty two offers. Thirty,
he's gonna have his exactly. He had two more in
this week. It's hard to That's how you know he's good, Jake,
when you can't keep up with how many offers he gets,
because he gets a new power power four one each week.
So he's going to be the best player on the field.

(01:10:56):
Jackson Chad if nobody knows historic quickly, you know he's
slated to be the backup a year ago as a
freshman freshly turned fourteen, unfortunately injury to starting quarterback Jacks Brown,
who's now at Arkansas State, and he has to lead
a team who had deep postseason aspirations as a freshman,
so he has a full year in a system. Now

(01:11:17):
he's airing it out a little bit more. Not to
mention you know the players they all around, you know,
on the defensive side too, you have you know a
Tyland Henderson who has a Texas Tech offer as a receiver,
he's playing middle linebacker. You have Garrett Stinnett, who just
who was a defensive back that just committed.

Speaker 15 (01:11:33):
To Sam Houston State.

Speaker 7 (01:11:35):
So you know, the athleticism of Weiss is it is jarring,
and that's the reason why Brandon Schmidt knows that that
team is one that can be in the third round.
Hendrickson's a little bit, you know, kind of an unknown.
Still you're calling this game that I so obviously you know,
but it's a matter of which team you're gonna get.

Speaker 15 (01:11:54):
I really like Pete Blajo junior.

Speaker 7 (01:11:56):
Okay, he he's a sophomore last year now coming into
his own off and he has a stable too. Romelo
Boykin is not going to get talked about because of
Trey Moore, and I'm not going to let that happen
because Mellow over the last four weeks has been as
good as any receiver in Central Texas. You add Trevor Morgan,
a little bit of a speed option e J Neil
Adams the running back and Adaria Times, who in three

(01:12:18):
years hasn't given up a sack on the Hawks offensive line.

Speaker 2 (01:12:22):
That is really something and I promise you this, I'll
try not to let anybody fly under the radar if
they're making a big impact tonight. But there could be
a lot of points scored in that game. And you know,
remember the thrill in the vill a few years backs,
or that return to free COVID atmosphere. Could be some
fireworks in that one between Weiss and Hendrickson perusing the

(01:12:43):
rest of the games are around the area and looking
through the computer picks. Now there's one matchup where the
computer things there's pretty much just one point in between
the two teams, and I want to see if you agree.
It's round Rock and Cedar Rich. The Dragons got their
first win of the sea in a week ago. I
know Cody Moore's crew didn't expect to be oh and three,

(01:13:04):
but they were able to take care of McNeil really controlling.

Speaker 1 (01:13:07):
Time of possession in that game.

Speaker 2 (01:13:09):
Did they find a winning formula in that one and
can they use it tonight against Cedar Ridge.

Speaker 7 (01:13:14):
I think they they're going with what they're always good at,
and that is, you know, smashmounth football.

Speaker 16 (01:13:20):
And though I know Round.

Speaker 7 (01:13:21):
Rock fans, I mean you and I are from the area,
they're worried about oh and three. But we need to
remember something about the schedule they had played, right Colleen Temple,
you're I mean, you're talking about teams that haven't lost yet.

Speaker 16 (01:13:32):
Temple right now is.

Speaker 7 (01:13:33):
Undefeated, as is Colleen Shoemaker. Those two are actually going
at tonight in North Detex. That's gonna be a fun
one to keep up with. But they they played a
gauntlet of a pre district schedule, So I'm not.

Speaker 16 (01:13:44):
Worried about Round Rock now.

Speaker 7 (01:13:47):
What is inst matchup is Cedar Ridge reminds me of
old Big Twelve. And the reason I say is, look,
they're two and two, They're scoring a ton of points.
They have not had a game yet where they have
not put up thirty points yet, and so the shootout
they had with Hutto a couple of weeks ago. I

(01:14:09):
think that Round Rock is going to be fine, but
do not let them get in a hole tonight against
the a Ridge.

Speaker 2 (01:14:16):
Yeah, it's one of those games where whoever has the
ball last has tended to have success in those Cedar
Ridge games this year, clash of styles kind of comeing
toe to toe.

Speaker 7 (01:14:25):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:14:25):
One of those tough non district games for Round Rock
was Vista Ridge and they get Vandergrift tonight.

Speaker 1 (01:14:31):
The computers are picking Vandergrift by three scores. Is this
one get to be closer than mat in your eyes?

Speaker 5 (01:14:38):
I think close there.

Speaker 7 (01:14:39):
Now. If you ask me my professional opinion, I probably
would still, you know, roll with Vandergriff. Vister Ridge has
earned their spot right now. They don't just give you,
you know, the record that they have, So I want
to still put some respect on miss Ridge when I
say this, But Vandergrift is a team that's had to

(01:14:59):
recover after what I thought was the most surprising result
in Week one of the Texas high school football season,
straight off of a six A Division two title, not
a by different run out of regional semi final run
A title when they beat South Lake Carrol in December,
and they lost forty eight to fourteen to Dripping Springs
open up the season, and everybody who was worried about

(01:15:20):
what's going on, they've righted a ship miles to DECKI
has been awesome. Shelton, who is headed to air Force.
Mister Ridge will keep it closer than that. And if
you ask me, I think this is a game, you know,
heading into the second half.

Speaker 1 (01:15:35):
We'll see if it plays out that way.

Speaker 2 (01:15:37):
Two teams that could really use a win coming off
of losses McNeil and Stony Point. You mentioned McNeil coming
up short against Round Rock. We could go Stony Point
shut out by that vander Griff team last day took
the field always tends to be kind of a close
and funky game. When McNeil and Stony Point get together,
the computer thinks McNeil has a slight edge.

Speaker 1 (01:15:58):
What do you think?

Speaker 7 (01:16:00):
McNeil has some really dynamic athletes. Jake Jaden Saltz their
starting quarterback.

Speaker 15 (01:16:04):
He's committed to Colgate.

Speaker 7 (01:16:05):
Jerrell Gary, who is all kind of in that Romelo
Boykin category where you know, he may not have, you know,
the tray more amount of offers, but he is just
so versatile in all purpose yards. He's the type of
guy who's gonna finish with seven hundred through the air
and five hundred on the ground. So I agree in
the fact that McNeil should be.

Speaker 5 (01:16:28):
Favored in this game.

Speaker 7 (01:16:29):
But you know, Sony Point has impressed me in the
early season. I know you're saying, hey, EJ, they're zero
and two in district and they're two and two overall.

Speaker 16 (01:16:37):
How is that impressive?

Speaker 7 (01:16:38):
Look, they played two undefeated teams in district. They played
Vandergrift and Visa Rich and they hung with Vista Rich.
That final score was thirty one to twenty one. But
Buda Johnson a solid team that's going to make the
playoffs in six A be ten seventeen to fourteen in
week two, So I think it's going to be exactly
you know what you remember as former voice of the

(01:16:59):
McNeil Mavericks over there, Jacob's right, going to.

Speaker 16 (01:17:01):
Go to the phone call. Don't think I'm gonna go
to the phone call without bringing that up.

Speaker 7 (01:17:04):
But I think that Sony Point has the pieces to
potentially I guess if you want to call it an upset,
you can, But I would take McNeil's simply for the
fact that I think they have the two best skill
players in this matchup.

Speaker 2 (01:17:18):
Yeah, you saw that McNeil team week one. That game
was pretty tight for a while before Weiss wound up
pulling away in the second half. McNeil could really use
a victory there before they take on Vandergrift on the
road in a week. Coach Hermus goes against his old
mentor in coach Sanders.

Speaker 1 (01:17:34):
All Right, I'm gonna ask you to look ahead.

Speaker 2 (01:17:36):
I know we're a little less than halfway through the
high school football season. And shoot, you might be a
little more than halfway towards your destination towards San Antonio
where you're calling the game tonight. But what is a
matchup that's on the calendar coming up that you're really
really anticipating even though it's just late September.

Speaker 7 (01:17:54):
You know what, Jake, when I really think about this,
I'm thinking, Uh, we're gonna use team that you know
we've already talked about. I'm really still interested in Weiss's
College Station, which is going to be in College Station
this year, because I think that, you know, with A
and M consolidate, if they take care of business tonight,
which I anticipated they would, that could be for you know,

(01:18:17):
a potential second third seed. And that is the last
thing you want to do in twelve five A Division one,
because you have to go to thirteen five A Division one,
which has two top ten teams in it in Angleton
and Laporte.

Speaker 16 (01:18:30):
Wie did that a year ago.

Speaker 7 (01:18:31):
They had to go down to Angleton, who made a
regional final run and they lost.

Speaker 15 (01:18:36):
If you can finish in the top two seeds in.

Speaker 7 (01:18:38):
This district, and it's going to be a race between
Anderson Weiss and College Station Henderson. They're all on a
race for it. But that game might determine the difference
between the two seeds and the three seeds, and the
difference between driving down to the Greater Houston area and
staying closer to home for what might be your toughest matchup.

Speaker 2 (01:18:55):
Yeah, it's amazing the difference that that game might make
in the respective seas for both teams. You can say
the same thing potentially about Bastrop and Liberty Hill. I
was at House Park last night. Basstrop facing the McCallum
team that really played them tight last year, won that
game sixty eight to seven. Their offense is humming with
four star quarterback West and Nielsen, and then Liberty Hill

(01:19:16):
will doing the same thing as ever with that slot seed.
Those two could be on a collision course in District
eleven to five a D two.

Speaker 7 (01:19:24):
Oh, I cannot wait for that matchup to happen. And also,
you know, don't sleep on Blouoberville a big win over Elgin.
The good thing about that district in particular, Jake, is
that those matchups are in the final three weeks of
the year. That's when everybody starts to play each other.
And I know that's just how the schedule shakes out.
You know, there's no network trying to boost ratings or
anything like that to make them in prime time or anything.

(01:19:46):
But it's going to come down to, Hey, Bloomerville, bas Drop,
and Liberty Hill. They're all going to play each other.
We don't have to worry about it. But those three
teams are all on a collision course. West and Nielson
is so fun. And I have to credit, you know,
Michael Adam of the Austin Sports Journals. You know you
are in you're in this industry and you see, you know,

(01:20:06):
a thirty.

Speaker 16 (01:20:06):
Points per game at the high school level.

Speaker 7 (01:20:08):
You have pretty good offense forty oh wow, you know
you're putting the points on the board fifty. You're like, okay,
this is all time all state of Texas, regardless of classification.
Bastrop is averaging sixty point four. That's that's a thing.

Speaker 14 (01:20:25):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (01:20:25):
So I'm I'm just a big fan of them.

Speaker 5 (01:20:27):
You got to see it last night.

Speaker 7 (01:20:29):
The first time they've gotten out to this record since
two thousand and nine.

Speaker 16 (01:20:33):
And this is kind of just a continuation from their
run a year ago.

Speaker 7 (01:20:36):
And I'm all in on the Bears. That Bastrop is
going to be a really fun team to watch.

Speaker 2 (01:20:40):
Yeah, I know that defense gave up fifty five points
against Preston Wood Christian, but they have made a heck
of a lot of plays this year. It's an oppertunistic
bass drop defense, and we'll see how they match up
against some of those teams coming up on the tail
end of that schedule.

Speaker 1 (01:20:54):
EJ.

Speaker 2 (01:20:54):
Last question for you, a player or a team that
maybe nobody's talking about right now, but we might talk
about them a few weeks from now a little bit
differently in a good way.

Speaker 7 (01:21:07):
I mentioned them at the top of it, and it's
not necessarily that anybody I'm copping out.

Speaker 16 (01:21:12):
First of all, I'm gonna make sure that you know.

Speaker 7 (01:21:13):
That it's hard to say for an undefeated team, but
I'm going with dripping springs. Everybody kind of shoot away.
A forty eight to fourteen opening win against Vandergrius, Okay,
so I feel like that was kind of swept under
the rug. And since then fifty five nothing against Wagner,
thirty one twenty six over a really good Harker Heights
team up in Kaleen, and then on the road at

(01:21:35):
Butty Johnson, who I mentioned was a playoff team fifty
two to nothing, and a month from now.

Speaker 16 (01:21:41):
You're gonna get your tests.

Speaker 7 (01:21:42):
You're gonna get October seventeen again Clack Travis, which right
now is gonna be a top ten matchup and one
that I hope to be around or potentially call. And
then they finish up with Westley, So yes, they might
be riding a little bit of the you know, having
played the lakes west Lake and Lake Travis, but dripping springs.
I circle that October seventeen game and they get Lake

(01:22:05):
Travis a run or even beat Lake Travis.

Speaker 16 (01:22:09):
They have them at home. I'm all in on the Tigers.

Speaker 2 (01:22:13):
And the Tigers get Aikens at home tonight at Austin
High and then Booie's, so they could very well, you
don't want to jump ahead to conclusions, but they could
be looking at seven to zero going into that game.

Speaker 1 (01:22:25):
EJ. This was a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 (01:22:27):
Appreciate all of your insight, and hey, I'll let you
off the hook before we get to the Dallas Cowboys
because I know you get thoughts there too.

Speaker 7 (01:22:35):
That's the next time conversation, Jake. I appreciate you man,
thanks so much for having me on.

Speaker 1 (01:22:39):
That's EJ. Sanchez of Texan Live.

Speaker 2 (01:22:42):
We will talk Dallas Cowboys and NFL coming up here
on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone through Key.

Speaker 1 (01:22:53):
Want to thank EJ.

Speaker 2 (01:22:54):
Sanchez from Texan Live joining us on a fire me
up Friday. Hey, with the Longhorns on by, there's still
plenty to be fired up about, including lots of Marque
matchups in high school football this weekend. Starting tonight, you
can hear Ejay's work on Texan Live. Okay, as promised

(01:23:14):
some NFL previews to get to. We'll start with the
Sunday night game. The Green Bay Packers come to Arlington
to take on the Dallas Cowboys. That's right, Michaeh Parsons
returning to Dallas to take on his former team. And look,

(01:23:34):
the Dallas Cowboys our team with a lot to prove,
particularly on the defensive side of the ball coming into
this matchup, and Green Bay not a team that pushes
the ball vertically downfield quite.

Speaker 1 (01:23:47):
So much as the Cowboys.

Speaker 2 (01:23:49):
Last few opponents saw the Bears really exploit the Cowboys
in that area a week ago, and Brian Schottenheim are
very open about some of the communication breakdowns, and we'll
see what kind of changes, if any, are made on
the back end for Dallas coming into this game. But
we'll see whether Jordan Love pushes the ball a little
bit more than usual against a very much struggling Dallas

(01:24:12):
Cowboys secondary. Of course, Dak Prescott, if he wants to
keep pace in this game, he'll be doing so without
Cede Lamb. That means he'll have to rely a little
bit more on the Cowboys' newest wide receiver, George Pickens.
He's been in that number one role before, remember, as
a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Will tell you more

(01:24:33):
about them in a few minutes, but here's what Dak
had to say when asked about George pickens added importance
in this particular game with Ceedee Lamb sidelined.

Speaker 17 (01:24:43):
Yeah, it's where we needed to be on this point. Obviously,
there's always going to be growth. That's with any receiver,
anybody that I'll play with. That's in the sense of
we're never complacent, We're always going to push it. But
very comfortable, very confident, and what he's going to do
where he where I expect him to be, where he
expects the ball just and those communications are continuously happen.

(01:25:03):
I mean, just conversation we just had out there today
was uh one one that was needed after you know,
a couple of make completions on a certain ball, just
getting back at it and us having the same mindset
of how we're going to tack that route. He's a
great player. I told you all that from the time
he shows up. These receivers, guys like George CD, they
make it easy for chemistry to grow, right do they
go do their job. I just you know, talk to

(01:25:24):
him a little bit about what I expect here, what
I expect there, and they go and make plays. And
so I'm looking just to continue to build on on.

Speaker 1 (01:25:30):
What we've only started.

Speaker 2 (01:25:31):
And then Dak Prescott was asked about facing Michaeh Parsons.
The two longtime teammates probably thought they were going to
continue to be teammates a lot longer than the way
things ended up. There'll be Michaeh Parsons lining up against
Dak Prescott for the first time on Sunday night, and
what did what did Dak have to say to reporters

(01:25:51):
when asked about how that's going to feel.

Speaker 17 (01:25:54):
Yeah, it'll be fun. It'll definitely be fun. Yeah, it's
one me and my fiance were just talking about the
other day and just just all the the reps of
practice going against Micah, you know, in times when he
couldn't hit me, whether him getting back there, just the
trash tug back and forth, me telling him, you know,
he wouldn't tackle me anyway, he still can't bring me down.

Speaker 5 (01:26:12):
He got to get to that point.

Speaker 17 (01:26:13):
So just getting to go out there and compete with
a guy that's that's a good friend that you've that
I've competed with in numbers of ways throughout this building,
outside of this building. Yeah, just excited to go and
have that match up. But he's got five guys up front,
plus tight ends and running back. Said, he's got to
get through, So then we'll worry about if you can
get to me.

Speaker 2 (01:26:33):
Green Bay a six and a half point favorite in
that matchup seven to twenty on NBC, And hey, you
don't even have you don't have to leave your couch
at all.

Speaker 1 (01:26:43):
On Sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:26:44):
Why it's the first of the NFL International games going
on this season. Interesting matchup with the Carson Wentz led
Minnesota Vikings taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin, and
it's a game that the Steelers certainly looking to bounce
back with the victory in and Aaron Rodgers already doing

(01:27:06):
his best to endear himself to the Irish fans.

Speaker 18 (01:27:10):
Like my guests on tap, I haven't seen any taps
around here, but I went to years ago. I was
on the island, in a different country on this island,
and I had to go to four different bars to
find a guess on tap. So I'm hoping that's not
the case tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:27:25):
Yeah, he likes a Guinness on tap. That should bring
a few more Rogers jerseys into the stands at Croke
Park on Sunday morning. That's an eight thirty Central time kick,
just under twelve hours before the Cowboys will take the
field against the Green Bay Packers. Texans are looking for

(01:27:45):
their first win as well. They will host the Tennessee
Titans at noon on CBS. Odds makers like Houston by
seven and a half points in that matchup. We'll talk
a little bit more about the rest of the NFL
slate and update you on the Ryder Cup square board.
We wrap up today's edition of the program next on
AM thirteen hundred, The zone,

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