January 9, 2026 • 25 mins
Craig chats with this year's NSMA Texas Sportswriter of the year, Cedric Golden of the Austin American-Statesman!
They discuss tonight's CFP semifinal matchup between Indiana and Oregon, reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of the 12-team format, and even delve into Texas' transfer portal strategy and what the next couple of weeks could look like around the program.
Plus, Cedric shares which NFL Wild Card playoff matchup he views as a de facto conference championship this weekend.
They discuss tonight's CFP semifinal matchup between Indiana and Oregon, reflect on the benefits and drawbacks of the 12-team format, and even delve into Texas' transfer portal strategy and what the next couple of weeks could look like around the program.
Plus, Cedric shares which NFL Wild Card playoff matchup he views as a de facto conference championship this weekend.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'll be there in a form you don't have tour, Okay,
I don't know about the rest of you.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
There are certain songs you hear that.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Take you to a certain place and you can't think
of anything else, at least in the immediacy of the moment,
but that one particular place. And for me, when I
hear ain't no mount high enough, I think of remember
the Titans.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I just do. I don't know, but I'm glad.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
To have you with us, and very pleased to be
joined by good friend, a longtime colleague in the business.
We go back to the days when I was working
in Dallas and he was working for the Tyler Morning
Telegraph covering high school football. Of course, he's been sportswriter
and columnists and now the newly minted Texas Sports Writer
(00:53):
of the Year for twenty twenty five, recognized by the
National Sports Media Association. So he'll be ad that coming
up at the end of June in their annual awards
dinner in my hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. So it's
great to have Cedric Golden with us. I appreciate it. Seid, congratulations,
how are you man?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I'm great. When they called me about the award. I
was I thought the guy had lost Kirk Bose's phone number,
and I'm just calling to get it for me since
I talked to Kirk all the time. But man, yeah,
that was very humbling. Just to be mentioned with such
some really great journalist was kind of cool. That's cooler
to me than winning it, just being mentioned, So yeah,
(01:33):
very blessed. It was cool though.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, and I don't know about you, but the two
times that I've wanted it means something special because it's
a peer vote.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It's coming from.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
The way the NSMA wards National Sports Media Association, they
have these individual awards for all fifty states and the
District of Columbia. They have that, and then they have
a National Sports cash or the Year in the National
Sports Writer of the Year. Each state has a Sportscaster
of the Year and a Sports Writer of the Year.
And uh, you are only allowed to vote for and
(02:08):
this is completely fair sportscasters and sports writers in your state.
So only people in the state of Texas can vote on.
So it's obviously people who have known and read your
work said that that that did the voting.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Here and that and that really warms my heart. Creak
because when you think, when you think about all the
great writers in this state, there are just too many
to name on this call. But uh just is really
really gratifying to know that they that they appreciate my
work because I respect the job itself of sports writers
(02:43):
and sportscasters like yourself. You know, before we started this call,
I was telling you you and you and Kirk Bowles
are two artists working sports journalists I've ever been around.
And the example that you guys have have laid forth
for us younger bucks in the business has made it
really fun. And you know, I was talking to my wife,
(03:07):
I go, don't let it get lost that while we
were at the Orlando Airport that Miss Beverly Golden and
Miss Linda Way were just so happily playing in their
phones while we talked about stuff that they don't care about.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
That's true, and that was the last time we saw
each other in the Orlando airport before leaving on what
was supposed to be a seven am flight, and we
get delayed over an hour because the pilot, by his
own d mission, got fooled thinking he had an oil leak,
when in fact there was just a little bit of
oil on the bottom part of the calling of engine
number two that cost me my connecting flight to Columbia,
(03:46):
and got American to reroute me to Saint Louis, got
a rental car, drove like a bat out of hell
down I seven. He get to get to Columbia. You've
made that dry before. Saint Louis to Columbia and got
there forty minutes before airtime. And I did a quick
interview with Vick Schaeffer and slap the equipment together. Boom
six fifteen. We were on the air and off and running.
But that's kind of the life all of us lead,
(04:06):
at least at times, right.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
That's what we do because this man, we love what
we do and never got into this for money. And
you know, we like paying our bills, but we just
love this business and love We love what we get
to do. We love storytelling, We love letting people inside
a peek behind the curtain of these programs, especially the
University of Texas that we cover. And when you get
(04:32):
stopped and I know you get stopped more than most Craig,
they always say, man, I appreciate what you do. Yeah,
that's more than any paycheck man, Because the gratification, appreciation
from the people we serve is why we.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Do it well, no doubt about it, and said, I
think one of the things that's impressive about your work
is that you like a great many things. Now, you
and I both have known some grizzled old veterans sports
writers and sports broadcasters, and that they were in for
one sport maybe two, football or basketball, or football in baseball.
But I've known you long enough to know you love
(05:06):
college football, you love the NFL, you love college baseball.
Covered it extensively as we all were blessed to be
around Augie Garito during those years. You love boxing, you
followed the sport of kings really well. And there's so
many things in high school football which we were both
kind of cutting our teeth on in the early days.
(05:28):
Those kinds of things, and those things still draw you
into it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Done it.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
It's not just that the heavy duty covering the nine
hundred pound gorilla on campus here in town.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Oh Man, I'm still in mourning that the state basketball
tournament is no longer in Austin. Still in mourning about
that's my favorite event, per.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
It was awesome all time.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Man. I've covered Super Bowls five and fours College World Series.
Floyd Mayweather fights the State Basketball Tournament was the best
event going because you got to see NBA players before
they made it to the NBA. Chris Bosh, Kendrick Perkins,
TJ Ford, Daniel Ewing, Shack, all of those guys came
(06:09):
through here and we got to watch them in our city.
How cool was that. So I've been to the San
Antonio one twice and they do a good job in
the Alamo Dome, but it's not the same. It's not
the same. And now that they lopped off a week
of south By, maybe, just maybe, Craig, I'm a dreamer,
(06:30):
maybe they'll bring it back to Austin. That's my dream.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I think it.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Would have to take something like that because of the
ongoing angst that the Oil has to deal with with
hotel pricing for its member institutions coming down. It's tough
to tell one a school coming from the Panhandle that
you've got to pay two fifty nine a night per room,
you know, to put the guys in, and that's probably
(06:54):
at a bargain price off of that.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Because we know what it can do.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
But hopefully, like like you said, we can dream, we
can hope for that. Let me let me start off
a getting your thoughts on last night the college Football
Playoff semifinal. Here was a great finish to a great
gay Miami and Ole Miss. And now a lot of
folks are nodding their head and saying, this is what
the college football Playoff is supposed to be all about.
(07:17):
And this is what I've been haranguing about. Said, I
think get you to go to sixteen, because I think
you'd got more of that if you had four more
on campus games starting it off.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
That's what I'd be off for. How about your thoughts
on it?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I'm all over that. And how about the best sixteen?
How about how about no more James Madison, no more
tu Lane. Let's get the best sixteen teams. Let's get
those four extra home games, and and you're going to
get the quality of college football that we saw last night. Man,
that was I was glued to the screen. I just
couldn't get enough. That was the best, one of the
(07:51):
best fourth quarters. I mean that that was that ranks
up there with two thousand and five forty one thirty eight. Yep.
I mean he didn't know who was gonna win that game.
To the very last play.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
We and and at that time, the way Trinidad Chandlers
was playing, I'm like, I wouldn't be shocked if he
pulled this off. And so I'm happy for the U.
Michael Irvin is nuts. He's absolutely happy for the You.
You know, if Michael Iervn's not on drugs, he has
a really big problem. You know.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I made this comment earlier in the program today that
that Trinidad Chandlists at times reminded me on those last
couple of drives of what Vy did both in the
Michigan Rose Bowl and in the one against usc making
plays with his feet, his arm, last second chuck downfield
to an open receiver. It kind of it kind of
took me back twenty years thinking about that watching how
(08:48):
he played last.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Night, you know, and he took him a while to
get started, and if he got started a little bit earlier,
I think they win that game. But you gotta remember
Miami dropped four interceptions in that game. I mean, those
guys was like, man, is there like a big stick
of park on the football? What what's going on? Why
can't you hold on to the football. And so at
(09:09):
one point I told my cousin. I was like, you know,
it's just seventeen to sixteen in Miami, should be up
by two touchdowns. I mean I was thinking, oh, miss
Mike steal this one, and they almost did. So. Uh
it makes me excited about where the sport is going. Uh.
The portal is a problem. They got to fix that.
But the product on the field that we saw last night.
(09:32):
Give me more of that, Craig, give me that all
day long.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
We're three for three.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, New twelve team semifinals were three for three on
really good games.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yeah yeah, that's that's that's a good point.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
And you know what, you know what, Jake, and when
it happens organically like it did last night, and you
know that here in a week or two, they're gonna
announce they've got expanded How could you not exactly, They're
gonna expand it. And they've just got to make sure.
And I'm not a elitist by any any stretch of
the imagination. I'm not an elitist, but we got to
(10:05):
figure out how to get the best sixteen. And we
know that Tulane and Jim Madison or not in the
top twelve in college football, and they've got to figure
that part out. And I know, I know people are
very like, oh, we got to give a little guy
a chance. Look, I got his teeth knocked out twice.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
The little guy needs to stay at the kiddy table
and let grown folks handle grown folks business in January.
That's just how that is.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Either that or and here's here's another thing. You know,
like we just saw an unbelievable FCS National Championship game.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Fun.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah, and Illinois State had to play in that round
of twenty four, had to go to Southeastern Louisiana win
a game there just to get to go to upset
North Dakota State up in Fargo. Maybe maybe you have
a play in round out of that that kind of
like the first four and basketball. I have a twenty
fourteen field, but have it only be with the G
(11:03):
fives and a couple of the other ones, and that
the G fives are not eligibible to be in the
round of sixteen unless they play their way into the
round of sixteen. Maybe something like that, Because you and
I both know said the university presidents, the ones of
those G five institutions are not going to vote on
wanting to do with the expansion of the playoff unless
(11:24):
they somehow, even in an ancillary, auxiliary fashion, get included in.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
This thing absolutely because they want to avoid any type
of antitrust law. Right, they could come down the pipe.
The little guy is gonna take his shot, because you know,
just to get into the playoff is a boon for
some of these smaller programs than the money that they
get from making the playoffs. But nobody wants to see
(11:50):
forty seven to three. I know I don't not in
a playoff situation. And so it's two years in a row,
and hopefully, hopefully they'll figure out a to reward the
little guy and but make sure that the fans are
getting the best product possible at the most important part
of the season.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Good point, Ceder Golden, Texas Sports Writer of the Year
for the Austin American Statesmen. Joining us here on sports
Radio Am thirteen, Hunderson, let me get your thoughts on
the log worn program now coming off the Centers Bowl
Game and getting the win in that, and Sark and
the staff dealing with the portal politics and the portal
primacy of the money that goes around and the very
(12:31):
interesting you know, NASCAR always had the phrase for this
called the silly season, and I think it's kind of
applicable with regard to the portal season going on right now.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It's crazy how many guys are leaving, Craig. What happened
to the culture. You know what happens is guys want
more money, and more money is the answer to everything.
But man, when you look at just the sheer amount
of talent that is bailed man, just off the top
(13:03):
of the bun DeAndre Moreland, Angela Foule, Derek Williams, Quinn,
Dravan Weisinger, Why Chocolate Livingston, C J. Baxter, Kobe Black,
Jered Gibson, Trey Owens. Men, it is amazing how many
guys are jumping ship. And you know what, Craig, it
only takes one or two people to tell you the
(13:24):
wrong thing. What do you make at Texas? Oh? I
make blah blah blah. Woh, you can get one hundred
thousand more here jump in the portal and then and
and and you look up and there's gonna be some
guys because the portal closes I think next Friday. Except
for the four teams that were in the semis, they're
gonna get an extra four days, but you're gonna look
(13:44):
up next week and that portal's gonna be closed, and
it's still gonna be busting at the seams with players
who are unemployed all of a sudden, and what they're
gonna do. They're gonna go, well, I'll just declare for
the league and you you get cut in a second
week of training camp. That's what's gonna happen. So what's
gonna what I think is gonna happen. And I'm really
(14:04):
kind of concerned. Greg uh Sark still hasn't landed an
interior guard. And there's some there's some names out there.
There's some guys out there that that I think they're
gonna they might be able to get. Keep these names
in mind over the next week. Wisconsin, Joe Bruner is
a is a four year starter for the Badgers. Ohio States.
Ted Grishabola is a big time player. Those are a
(14:27):
couple of guys that might be on Texas's radar because
they've got to they've got to figure out a way
to replace DJ Campbell and Cole Hudson on that interior.
They're finally Brandon Baker and Trevor Goosby. They're okay there,
but they've got to get some debt on the inside
line and linebacker as well. So we're gonna find out
(14:48):
a lot about Sark over this next week because you're
gonna do some wheeling and dealing. There's a lot on
this roster.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Yeah, you know, you've probably heard this said. I've heard
this as the most common comment I've heard coming from
campus and from people there on the inside are that
what they're hearing is that a lot of these guys,
whether they're considering the portal or whether they definitely in
(15:15):
the portal from their quote unquote agents, are representatives. And
I thought Sark really spoke eloquently about that down in Orlando.
Is the thing of just get in the portal and
it'll all work out. We'll get you some more money.
Just get in the portal. That seems to be the
most commonly repeated phrase to a lot of these guys,
(15:36):
from family members, agents, pseudo agents, whatever you want to
call them, just get in the portal.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
And we'll find you some money.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
And the thing is this, I'm a bargain basement shopper,
great bev, and I don't go Christmas shopping anymore. We
go Christmas shopping in mid January, when the sales hit there,
you go, what after Christmas? Sale is coming? It's coming, Craig,
and there's gonna be some good talent at bargain basement prices.
(16:07):
January fifteenth throws around, and you're a you're an offensive
tackle or a guard or a backer, and you've been
asking for five hundred thousand, and Sarky calls you and says,
I got two fifty. Get me on the plane in Austin.
It's amazing how fast that price is gonna come down
when that clock is ticking. And for any receiver out there,
(16:29):
Cam Coleman, I know a lot of people want Cam Coleman.
But if Cam Coleman, and I know he's not that,
if he's listening right now, I'm gonna ask you, Cam,
do you want to play with Brandon Sowersby? Or do
you want to play with Arch Manning. That's an easy call, Cam,
that's an easy call.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Do you want to live in Austin or loveck?
Speaker 4 (16:48):
You want to? Do you want? Do you want? You
want Tumbleweeds? Do you or do you want the five
to one two? Give me? You know? Cody Campbell, is
a guy. He is, he is right south, he is
breaking bread. But you know, and if you offer me
three million to live in love It for a year,
I'm just gonna I'm just gonna get my allergy medicine updating,
(17:11):
and then I'm just gonna go. But but if you're
offering if Texas goes two point five and Ted goes three,
you take the two point five and you come play
with Arch because the chances are you're gonna have much
bigger numbers here and then the collectives that go along
with that. This is where you need to be, cam Coleman,
(17:33):
this is where you need to become. To Austin Craig
Waye will take good care of you.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
And said, we'll write good things about you. Is it
to you?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Does it seem like Cody Campbell is boom pickings on steroids?
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Absolutely absolutely boom pickings on steroids. And you give a
softball player a million bucks man, you got money to burn? Yeah,
I watched her. She's good, but it's dollars good. He
did that. I heard because his wife is a softball fan.
And okay, I'm all, I'm all about that. Good for them.
(18:10):
But I think if you're if you're part of a
winning situation. And let me let me say Texas Tech
is on the rise. Joey mcguards don't have a job
Craig in Lubbock, and maybe it does run through Lobbock
now that Texas is no longer in the Big twelve.
But I would I would much rather play with arch
(18:32):
Manning for who is for my money, with Sam Levitt
and swordsby the three, that's one of the three best
returning quarterbacks in America. And I don't know, not too
many people played as well as arch Manning last five games.
He was electric.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Craig no doubt, no doubt, Cedra Goldens was. Okay, let
me get your thoughts. First of all, who do you
got tonight? Indiana or Oregon?
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Man, I'm gonna I've got to go with with with
Fernando Mendoza in company, I just think they're on one.
I think I think that Kurtz Signetti is a boss
and uh they they own They've beaten Oregon twice or
in the last couple of years. So I'm going with
the with the hot team. I have them winning at
(19:15):
all before the tournament started. And but I'm telling you Miami,
Miami's shown me something, and uh, I just don't think
Carson bek can do that again. I really don't. I
don't think Carson Bekson don't do that again. So I'm
taking I'm taking Indiana to win tonight and then Indiana
to win the championship.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Okay, and now we're on the cusp of the NFL playoffs.
What stands out to you most about wild Card weekend?
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Oh? What stands out most is I have no idea
who the best NFL right now? Don't we usually know, Craig.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
We have a pretty good indication, don't we.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Do you really believe in bo Nicks? Do you really
think that Denver Bronco is gonna be able to score
enough points to win this tournament?
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Sam Donald?
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Sam Donald? I watched them throw four pick game three
weeks ago, and so what I see is a real
opportunity for two teams that are playing one another this weekend.
I think the Buffalo Jacksonville winner is going to go
to the Super Bowl. I believe. Wow, I don't believe
(20:19):
in New England yet. I mean, you really, ramondre Stevenson
running for one fifty every week? You think that's gonna
happen every week? I love Rabel. I love Rabel, I
love I love the culture there. But I think that
Trevor Lawrence is playing as well as anyone in the league.
I think that I think that Josh Allen, there's no
(20:40):
my Homes, there's no burrow to keep you. You're gonna
let Drake may keep you, you know, from from from
getting or Trevor Lawrence keep you from getting there. I
like the winner of that game in the AFC and
then the NFC. Man, I think the Lost Angeles Rams
(21:00):
are the best team in the NFC, even though they're
just a little squirrely. They give away the leads, but
they're the most talented team. Two good running backs, arguably
the best receiver poking the coup. Devonte Adams is going
to be back from that Hammy. They have like eight
tight ends who are all very good and catch the football,
and they have good pass rush. Jared Versus is a beast.
(21:22):
I like the Rams in the NFC right now.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
My biggest question about them as a Rams fan, my
biggest question is can they win in Philly?
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Can they win in Chicago? That's that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
And as we get to later January, with the temperatures,
they proved last year that they could play one Italy.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Last year, they should have won last year, Craig, they
get all they could handle last year. I'm not big
on Jalen Hurts right now. There's something going on with
Jalen Hurts and he doesn't have that that that swag
that he's had the last couple of years. And we
know Saquan is different this year than he was last year.
So I think the Rams is gonna have to come
(22:01):
via road. But I think the Rams are a veteran team.
They they've got Matt Stafford on a heater and and
if they if they can win this game and got
you got to think they're gonna be Carolina. I really
like their chances to advance, and it was not wouldn't
be the first time a wild Card team went road
(22:21):
road road to get there.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Cedric Golden, Texas Sports Writer of the Year join Us said,
when you get ready to go to Greensboro with BEV,
get with me in advance.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
I'll give you what.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
The restaurant scene has changed a bit since I left Greensboro,
but I can tell you about you know me ice
cream because it's been there for over one hundred years.
My great grandfather took my grandfather there when he was
a kid. My grandfather took my dad there when he
was a kid. My dad took me and my brothers
and sister when we were kids. I took my kids there,
and I'm trying to get my daughter to take my
(22:55):
grandkids there so we can say six generations of ways
have eaten ice cream from you. And then there's Stamey's
Barbecue across the street from the Greensboro Coliseum, which is
kind of one of the home churches of the North
the Carolina style of barbecue that started. It's kind of
the ground one of the ground zero places. So uh,
you know, I'll give you some more recommendations when we
(23:17):
get a little bit closer. But I'm excited you're get
me to go back there, uh to receive a very
well deserved honor.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Do you do you still go back to Greensboro every
year and sit on a porch and drink your adult verge.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I you know what.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
I go to the beach and in North Carolina, but
usually I wind up spending at least a night in
Greensboro because Linda likes the driving. So we drive uh
there and we take a couple of two three days
going up there, and we go we like Ashville in
the mountains. It's just kind of like Austin was forty
years ago, set in the mountains.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
It's really cool.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
And then we go to Greensboro and then and so
I make it a young Young price cream or stay
In's for barbecue or both and see some see some
old friends.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
And then we head down to the coast for a
couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
So yeah, I still go back to the home state,
even though this is my home state and has been
since nineteen thirty eight.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Are you telling me that you married a woman who
likes to drive?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
That's rare, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
It's crazy because that's what you That's your whole life.
You spent your life on interstates, and God had the
presence of mind to send you a woman who doesn't
mind a good road trip. You are so blessed.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
This is when I knew I married the right woman.
A that b She sends me a text when I
was on the road last year for baseball and said,
Max months he's not in the lineup for the Dodgers tonight.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
What's going on? I thought, Man, I married the right woman.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
Oh, my god. Yeah, and people people say that that
there's no such thing as a soul mate. They don't
know the ways that's love love.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Hey said.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I appreciate the time, give love to BEV and look
forward to CD on down the road.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I appreciate you doing this, all right, take care, all right.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
That's Cedric Golden, Texas Sports Writer of the Year from
the Austin American Statesman.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
We'll be back with more
I'll be there in a form you don't have tour, Okay,
I don't know about the rest of you.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
There are certain songs you hear that.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Take you to a certain place and you can't think
of anything else, at least in the immediacy of the moment,
but that one particular place. And for me, when I
hear ain't no mount high enough, I think of remember
the Titans.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
I just do. I don't know, but I'm glad.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
To have you with us, and very pleased to be
joined by good friend, a longtime colleague in the business.
We go back to the days when I was working
in Dallas and he was working for the Tyler Morning
Telegraph covering high school football. Of course, he's been sportswriter
and columnists and now the newly minted Texas Sports Writer
(00:53):
of the Year for twenty twenty five, recognized by the
National Sports Media Association. So he'll be ad that coming
up at the end of June in their annual awards
dinner in my hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina. So it's
great to have Cedric Golden with us. I appreciate it. Seid, congratulations,
how are you man?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
I'm great. When they called me about the award. I
was I thought the guy had lost Kirk Bose's phone number,
and I'm just calling to get it for me since
I talked to Kirk all the time. But man, yeah,
that was very humbling. Just to be mentioned with such
some really great journalist was kind of cool. That's cooler
to me than winning it, just being mentioned, So yeah,
(01:33):
very blessed. It was cool though.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, and I don't know about you, but the two
times that I've wanted it means something special because it's
a peer vote.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
It's coming from.
Speaker 3 (01:45):
The way the NSMA wards National Sports Media Association, they
have these individual awards for all fifty states and the
District of Columbia. They have that, and then they have
a National Sports cash or the Year in the National
Sports Writer of the Year. Each state has a Sportscaster
of the Year and a Sports Writer of the Year.
And uh, you are only allowed to vote for and
(02:08):
this is completely fair sportscasters and sports writers in your state.
So only people in the state of Texas can vote on.
So it's obviously people who have known and read your
work said that that that did the voting.
Speaker 4 (02:19):
Here and that and that really warms my heart. Creak
because when you think, when you think about all the
great writers in this state, there are just too many
to name on this call. But uh just is really
really gratifying to know that they that they appreciate my
work because I respect the job itself of sports writers
(02:43):
and sportscasters like yourself. You know, before we started this call,
I was telling you you and you and Kirk Bowles
are two artists working sports journalists I've ever been around.
And the example that you guys have have laid forth
for us younger bucks in the business has made it
really fun. And you know, I was talking to my wife,
(03:07):
I go, don't let it get lost that while we
were at the Orlando Airport that Miss Beverly Golden and
Miss Linda Way were just so happily playing in their
phones while we talked about stuff that they don't care about.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
That's true, and that was the last time we saw
each other in the Orlando airport before leaving on what
was supposed to be a seven am flight, and we
get delayed over an hour because the pilot, by his
own d mission, got fooled thinking he had an oil leak,
when in fact there was just a little bit of
oil on the bottom part of the calling of engine
number two that cost me my connecting flight to Columbia,
(03:46):
and got American to reroute me to Saint Louis, got
a rental car, drove like a bat out of hell
down I seven. He get to get to Columbia. You've
made that dry before. Saint Louis to Columbia and got
there forty minutes before airtime. And I did a quick
interview with Vick Schaeffer and slap the equipment together. Boom
six fifteen. We were on the air and off and running.
But that's kind of the life all of us lead,
(04:06):
at least at times, right.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
That's what we do because this man, we love what
we do and never got into this for money. And
you know, we like paying our bills, but we just
love this business and love We love what we get
to do. We love storytelling, We love letting people inside
a peek behind the curtain of these programs, especially the
University of Texas that we cover. And when you get
(04:32):
stopped and I know you get stopped more than most Craig,
they always say, man, I appreciate what you do. Yeah,
that's more than any paycheck man, Because the gratification, appreciation
from the people we serve is why we.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Do it well, no doubt about it, and said, I
think one of the things that's impressive about your work
is that you like a great many things. Now, you
and I both have known some grizzled old veterans sports
writers and sports broadcasters, and that they were in for
one sport maybe two, football or basketball, or football in baseball.
But I've known you long enough to know you love
(05:06):
college football, you love the NFL, you love college baseball.
Covered it extensively as we all were blessed to be
around Augie Garito during those years. You love boxing, you
followed the sport of kings really well. And there's so
many things in high school football which we were both
kind of cutting our teeth on in the early days.
(05:28):
Those kinds of things, and those things still draw you
into it.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Done it.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
It's not just that the heavy duty covering the nine
hundred pound gorilla on campus here in town.
Speaker 4 (05:37):
Oh Man, I'm still in mourning that the state basketball
tournament is no longer in Austin. Still in mourning about
that's my favorite event, per.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
It was awesome all time.
Speaker 4 (05:47):
Man. I've covered Super Bowls five and fours College World Series.
Floyd Mayweather fights the State Basketball Tournament was the best
event going because you got to see NBA players before
they made it to the NBA. Chris Bosh, Kendrick Perkins,
TJ Ford, Daniel Ewing, Shack, all of those guys came
(06:09):
through here and we got to watch them in our city.
How cool was that. So I've been to the San
Antonio one twice and they do a good job in
the Alamo Dome, but it's not the same. It's not
the same. And now that they lopped off a week
of south By, maybe, just maybe, Craig, I'm a dreamer,
(06:30):
maybe they'll bring it back to Austin. That's my dream.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I think it.
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Would have to take something like that because of the
ongoing angst that the Oil has to deal with with
hotel pricing for its member institutions coming down. It's tough
to tell one a school coming from the Panhandle that
you've got to pay two fifty nine a night per room,
you know, to put the guys in, and that's probably
(06:54):
at a bargain price off of that.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Because we know what it can do.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
But hopefully, like like you said, we can dream, we
can hope for that. Let me let me start off
a getting your thoughts on last night the college Football
Playoff semifinal. Here was a great finish to a great
gay Miami and Ole Miss. And now a lot of
folks are nodding their head and saying, this is what
the college football Playoff is supposed to be all about.
(07:17):
And this is what I've been haranguing about. Said, I
think get you to go to sixteen, because I think
you'd got more of that if you had four more
on campus games starting it off.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
That's what I'd be off for. How about your thoughts
on it?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
I'm all over that. And how about the best sixteen?
How about how about no more James Madison, no more
tu Lane. Let's get the best sixteen teams. Let's get
those four extra home games, and and you're going to
get the quality of college football that we saw last night. Man,
that was I was glued to the screen. I just
couldn't get enough. That was the best, one of the
(07:51):
best fourth quarters. I mean that that was that ranks
up there with two thousand and five forty one thirty eight. Yep.
I mean he didn't know who was gonna win that game.
To the very last play.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
We and and at that time, the way Trinidad Chandlers
was playing, I'm like, I wouldn't be shocked if he
pulled this off. And so I'm happy for the U.
Michael Irvin is nuts. He's absolutely happy for the You.
You know, if Michael Iervn's not on drugs, he has
a really big problem. You know.
Speaker 3 (08:26):
I made this comment earlier in the program today that
that Trinidad Chandlists at times reminded me on those last
couple of drives of what Vy did both in the
Michigan Rose Bowl and in the one against usc making
plays with his feet, his arm, last second chuck downfield
to an open receiver. It kind of it kind of
took me back twenty years thinking about that watching how
(08:48):
he played last.
Speaker 4 (08:48):
Night, you know, and he took him a while to
get started, and if he got started a little bit earlier,
I think they win that game. But you gotta remember
Miami dropped four interceptions in that game. I mean, those
guys was like, man, is there like a big stick
of park on the football? What what's going on? Why
can't you hold on to the football. And so at
(09:09):
one point I told my cousin. I was like, you know,
it's just seventeen to sixteen in Miami, should be up
by two touchdowns. I mean I was thinking, oh, miss
Mike steal this one, and they almost did. So. Uh
it makes me excited about where the sport is going. Uh.
The portal is a problem. They got to fix that.
But the product on the field that we saw last night.
(09:32):
Give me more of that, Craig, give me that all
day long.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
We're three for three.
Speaker 4 (09:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:36):
Yeah, New twelve team semifinals were three for three on
really good games.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yeah yeah, that's that's that's a good point.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
And you know what, you know what, Jake, and when
it happens organically like it did last night, and you
know that here in a week or two, they're gonna
announce they've got expanded How could you not exactly, They're
gonna expand it. And they've just got to make sure.
And I'm not a elitist by any any stretch of
the imagination. I'm not an elitist, but we got to
(10:05):
figure out how to get the best sixteen. And we
know that Tulane and Jim Madison or not in the
top twelve in college football, and they've got to figure
that part out. And I know, I know people are
very like, oh, we got to give a little guy
a chance. Look, I got his teeth knocked out twice.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
The little guy needs to stay at the kiddy table
and let grown folks handle grown folks business in January.
That's just how that is.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Either that or and here's here's another thing. You know,
like we just saw an unbelievable FCS National Championship game.
Speaker 4 (10:41):
Fun.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
Yeah, and Illinois State had to play in that round
of twenty four, had to go to Southeastern Louisiana win
a game there just to get to go to upset
North Dakota State up in Fargo. Maybe maybe you have
a play in round out of that that kind of
like the first four and basketball. I have a twenty
fourteen field, but have it only be with the G
(11:03):
fives and a couple of the other ones, and that
the G fives are not eligibible to be in the
round of sixteen unless they play their way into the
round of sixteen. Maybe something like that, Because you and
I both know said the university presidents, the ones of
those G five institutions are not going to vote on
wanting to do with the expansion of the playoff unless
(11:24):
they somehow, even in an ancillary, auxiliary fashion, get included in.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
This thing absolutely because they want to avoid any type
of antitrust law. Right, they could come down the pipe.
The little guy is gonna take his shot, because you know,
just to get into the playoff is a boon for
some of these smaller programs than the money that they
get from making the playoffs. But nobody wants to see
(11:50):
forty seven to three. I know I don't not in
a playoff situation. And so it's two years in a row,
and hopefully, hopefully they'll figure out a to reward the
little guy and but make sure that the fans are
getting the best product possible at the most important part
of the season.
Speaker 3 (12:08):
Good point, Ceder Golden, Texas Sports Writer of the Year
for the Austin American Statesmen. Joining us here on sports
Radio Am thirteen, Hunderson, let me get your thoughts on
the log worn program now coming off the Centers Bowl
Game and getting the win in that, and Sark and
the staff dealing with the portal politics and the portal
primacy of the money that goes around and the very
(12:31):
interesting you know, NASCAR always had the phrase for this
called the silly season, and I think it's kind of
applicable with regard to the portal season going on right now.
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It's crazy how many guys are leaving, Craig. What happened
to the culture. You know what happens is guys want
more money, and more money is the answer to everything.
But man, when you look at just the sheer amount
of talent that is bailed man, just off the top
(13:03):
of the bun DeAndre Moreland, Angela Foule, Derek Williams, Quinn,
Dravan Weisinger, Why Chocolate Livingston, C J. Baxter, Kobe Black,
Jered Gibson, Trey Owens. Men, it is amazing how many
guys are jumping ship. And you know what, Craig, it
only takes one or two people to tell you the
(13:24):
wrong thing. What do you make at Texas? Oh? I
make blah blah blah. Woh, you can get one hundred
thousand more here jump in the portal and then and
and and you look up and there's gonna be some
guys because the portal closes I think next Friday. Except
for the four teams that were in the semis, they're
gonna get an extra four days, but you're gonna look
(13:44):
up next week and that portal's gonna be closed, and
it's still gonna be busting at the seams with players
who are unemployed all of a sudden, and what they're
gonna do. They're gonna go, well, I'll just declare for
the league and you you get cut in a second
week of training camp. That's what's gonna happen. So what's
gonna what I think is gonna happen. And I'm really
(14:04):
kind of concerned. Greg uh Sark still hasn't landed an
interior guard. And there's some there's some names out there.
There's some guys out there that that I think they're
gonna they might be able to get. Keep these names
in mind over the next week. Wisconsin, Joe Bruner is
a is a four year starter for the Badgers. Ohio States.
Ted Grishabola is a big time player. Those are a
(14:27):
couple of guys that might be on Texas's radar because
they've got to they've got to figure out a way
to replace DJ Campbell and Cole Hudson on that interior.
They're finally Brandon Baker and Trevor Goosby. They're okay there,
but they've got to get some debt on the inside
line and linebacker as well. So we're gonna find out
(14:48):
a lot about Sark over this next week because you're
gonna do some wheeling and dealing. There's a lot on
this roster.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Yeah, you know, you've probably heard this said. I've heard
this as the most common comment I've heard coming from
campus and from people there on the inside are that
what they're hearing is that a lot of these guys,
whether they're considering the portal or whether they definitely in
(15:15):
the portal from their quote unquote agents, are representatives. And
I thought Sark really spoke eloquently about that down in Orlando.
Is the thing of just get in the portal and
it'll all work out. We'll get you some more money.
Just get in the portal. That seems to be the
most commonly repeated phrase to a lot of these guys,
(15:36):
from family members, agents, pseudo agents, whatever you want to
call them, just get in the portal.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
And we'll find you some money.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
And the thing is this, I'm a bargain basement shopper,
great bev, and I don't go Christmas shopping anymore. We
go Christmas shopping in mid January, when the sales hit there,
you go, what after Christmas? Sale is coming? It's coming, Craig,
and there's gonna be some good talent at bargain basement prices.
(16:07):
January fifteenth throws around, and you're a you're an offensive
tackle or a guard or a backer, and you've been
asking for five hundred thousand, and Sarky calls you and says,
I got two fifty. Get me on the plane in Austin.
It's amazing how fast that price is gonna come down
when that clock is ticking. And for any receiver out there,
(16:29):
Cam Coleman, I know a lot of people want Cam Coleman.
But if Cam Coleman, and I know he's not that,
if he's listening right now, I'm gonna ask you, Cam,
do you want to play with Brandon Sowersby? Or do
you want to play with Arch Manning. That's an easy call, Cam,
that's an easy call.
Speaker 2 (16:46):
Do you want to live in Austin or loveck?
Speaker 4 (16:48):
You want to? Do you want? Do you want? You
want Tumbleweeds? Do you or do you want the five
to one two? Give me? You know? Cody Campbell, is
a guy. He is, he is right south, he is
breaking bread. But you know, and if you offer me
three million to live in love It for a year,
I'm just gonna I'm just gonna get my allergy medicine updating,
(17:11):
and then I'm just gonna go. But but if you're
offering if Texas goes two point five and Ted goes three,
you take the two point five and you come play
with Arch because the chances are you're gonna have much
bigger numbers here and then the collectives that go along
with that. This is where you need to be, cam Coleman,
(17:33):
this is where you need to become. To Austin Craig
Waye will take good care of you.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
And said, we'll write good things about you. Is it
to you?
Speaker 3 (17:43):
Does it seem like Cody Campbell is boom pickings on steroids?
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Absolutely absolutely boom pickings on steroids. And you give a
softball player a million bucks man, you got money to burn? Yeah,
I watched her. She's good, but it's dollars good. He
did that. I heard because his wife is a softball fan.
And okay, I'm all, I'm all about that. Good for them.
(18:10):
But I think if you're if you're part of a
winning situation. And let me let me say Texas Tech
is on the rise. Joey mcguards don't have a job
Craig in Lubbock, and maybe it does run through Lobbock
now that Texas is no longer in the Big twelve.
But I would I would much rather play with arch
(18:32):
Manning for who is for my money, with Sam Levitt
and swordsby the three, that's one of the three best
returning quarterbacks in America. And I don't know, not too
many people played as well as arch Manning last five games.
He was electric.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Craig no doubt, no doubt, Cedra Goldens was. Okay, let
me get your thoughts. First of all, who do you
got tonight? Indiana or Oregon?
Speaker 4 (18:54):
Man, I'm gonna I've got to go with with with
Fernando Mendoza in company, I just think they're on one.
I think I think that Kurtz Signetti is a boss
and uh they they own They've beaten Oregon twice or
in the last couple of years. So I'm going with
the with the hot team. I have them winning at
(19:15):
all before the tournament started. And but I'm telling you Miami,
Miami's shown me something, and uh, I just don't think
Carson bek can do that again. I really don't. I
don't think Carson Bekson don't do that again. So I'm
taking I'm taking Indiana to win tonight and then Indiana
to win the championship.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
Okay, and now we're on the cusp of the NFL playoffs.
What stands out to you most about wild Card weekend?
Speaker 4 (19:39):
Oh? What stands out most is I have no idea
who the best NFL right now? Don't we usually know, Craig.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
We have a pretty good indication, don't we.
Speaker 4 (19:48):
Do you really believe in bo Nicks? Do you really
think that Denver Bronco is gonna be able to score
enough points to win this tournament?
Speaker 2 (19:56):
Sam Donald?
Speaker 4 (19:57):
Sam Donald? I watched them throw four pick game three
weeks ago, and so what I see is a real
opportunity for two teams that are playing one another this weekend.
I think the Buffalo Jacksonville winner is going to go
to the Super Bowl. I believe. Wow, I don't believe
(20:19):
in New England yet. I mean, you really, ramondre Stevenson
running for one fifty every week? You think that's gonna
happen every week? I love Rabel. I love Rabel, I
love I love the culture there. But I think that
Trevor Lawrence is playing as well as anyone in the league.
I think that I think that Josh Allen, there's no
(20:40):
my Homes, there's no burrow to keep you. You're gonna
let Drake may keep you, you know, from from from
getting or Trevor Lawrence keep you from getting there. I
like the winner of that game in the AFC and
then the NFC. Man, I think the Lost Angeles Rams
(21:00):
are the best team in the NFC, even though they're
just a little squirrely. They give away the leads, but
they're the most talented team. Two good running backs, arguably
the best receiver poking the coup. Devonte Adams is going
to be back from that Hammy. They have like eight
tight ends who are all very good and catch the football,
and they have good pass rush. Jared Versus is a beast.
(21:22):
I like the Rams in the NFC right now.
Speaker 3 (21:24):
My biggest question about them as a Rams fan, my
biggest question is can they win in Philly?
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Can they win in Chicago? That's that's the thing.
Speaker 3 (21:32):
And as we get to later January, with the temperatures,
they proved last year that they could play one Italy.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Last year, they should have won last year, Craig, they
get all they could handle last year. I'm not big
on Jalen Hurts right now. There's something going on with
Jalen Hurts and he doesn't have that that that swag
that he's had the last couple of years. And we
know Saquan is different this year than he was last year.
So I think the Rams is gonna have to come
(22:01):
via road. But I think the Rams are a veteran team.
They they've got Matt Stafford on a heater and and
if they if they can win this game and got
you got to think they're gonna be Carolina. I really
like their chances to advance, and it was not wouldn't
be the first time a wild Card team went road
(22:21):
road road to get there.
Speaker 3 (22:23):
Cedric Golden, Texas Sports Writer of the Year join Us said,
when you get ready to go to Greensboro with BEV,
get with me in advance.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
I'll give you what.
Speaker 3 (22:32):
The restaurant scene has changed a bit since I left Greensboro,
but I can tell you about you know me ice
cream because it's been there for over one hundred years.
My great grandfather took my grandfather there when he was
a kid. My grandfather took my dad there when he
was a kid. My dad took me and my brothers
and sister when we were kids. I took my kids there,
and I'm trying to get my daughter to take my
(22:55):
grandkids there so we can say six generations of ways
have eaten ice cream from you. And then there's Stamey's
Barbecue across the street from the Greensboro Coliseum, which is
kind of one of the home churches of the North
the Carolina style of barbecue that started. It's kind of
the ground one of the ground zero places. So uh,
you know, I'll give you some more recommendations when we
(23:17):
get a little bit closer. But I'm excited you're get
me to go back there, uh to receive a very
well deserved honor.
Speaker 4 (23:23):
Do you do you still go back to Greensboro every
year and sit on a porch and drink your adult verge.
Speaker 2 (23:29):
I you know what.
Speaker 3 (23:31):
I go to the beach and in North Carolina, but
usually I wind up spending at least a night in
Greensboro because Linda likes the driving. So we drive uh
there and we take a couple of two three days
going up there, and we go we like Ashville in
the mountains. It's just kind of like Austin was forty
years ago, set in the mountains.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
It's really cool.
Speaker 3 (23:50):
And then we go to Greensboro and then and so
I make it a young Young price cream or stay
In's for barbecue or both and see some see some
old friends.
Speaker 2 (23:58):
And then we head down to the coast for a
couple of weeks.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
So yeah, I still go back to the home state,
even though this is my home state and has been
since nineteen thirty eight.
Speaker 4 (24:07):
Are you telling me that you married a woman who
likes to drive?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
That's rare, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
It's crazy because that's what you That's your whole life.
You spent your life on interstates, and God had the
presence of mind to send you a woman who doesn't
mind a good road trip. You are so blessed.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
This is when I knew I married the right woman.
A that b She sends me a text when I
was on the road last year for baseball and said,
Max months he's not in the lineup for the Dodgers tonight.
Speaker 2 (24:38):
What's going on? I thought, Man, I married the right woman.
Speaker 4 (24:41):
Oh, my god. Yeah, and people people say that that
there's no such thing as a soul mate. They don't
know the ways that's love love.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Hey said.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
I appreciate the time, give love to BEV and look
forward to CD on down the road.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
I appreciate you doing this, all right, take care, all right.
Speaker 3 (25:00):
That's Cedric Golden, Texas Sports Writer of the Year from
the Austin American Statesman.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
We'll be back with more
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