Keys to Texas-Ohio State, Micah Parsons Trade Reactions, and an MLB Update

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Glad to have you with us.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
Here Cameron Parker alongside the producer Jay Kerman here on
a fire me up Friday, Glad to have you with us.
We're less than twenty four hours away from kickoff between
Texas and Ohio State, number one first number two to
begin the two thousand and twenty five season. So glad

(00:21):
it's finally here. It's been almost eight months since Texas
and their twenty twenty four campaign ended against this same
very team in Jerry Rold at the College Football Playoff
semi final in the Cotton Ball.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
So we're super excited for this weekend.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
I know you guys are as well, looking forward to
today's program. So first off, we'd love to hear from
you and hit us up on our text line. Text
to We're Texas to eight one five three zero, followed
by your message. Want to get everyone's predictions for Texas
and Ohio State tomorrow, Please text in your predictions the
final score. You can also download the free iHeartRadio app

(00:59):
and leave us a talk back message as well as
we get set for Texas and Ohio State. Of course,
we're gonna have all day coverage beginning tomorrow, so here
here's the Plan. Seven am pregame coverage begins with our
third in Longhorn preview podcasts, of course, hosted by Nick Shuley,

(01:22):
a fantastic podcast. You have Jeremy Hills, Fozzy Whittaker, Rod Babers,
Alex okafor I think I might be missing one more
in that list as well, but all of them sat
down previewed Texas Ohio State. That'll run at seven am
tomorrow on thirteen hundred The Zone. Then after that our

(01:44):
local pregame show, Longhorns Game Day Line from Cover three
off Anderson Lane. I'll be out there with Mike Hardball
Harje as we preview Texas in Ohio State. We're going
to visit with Patrick Murphy from buck Nuts two four seven. Yeah,
that's then actual name that there's Horn two four seven
Ohio States is buck Nuts two four seven. So we're

(02:06):
gonna visit with Patrick Murphy. Get his thoughts on this game,
the fan base, his expectations for this season. I think
Ryan Days won in the hot seat for a long time,
and even with the national championship, I still don't know
how secure his seat is. And of course Julian's saying
now the quarterback QB one for Ohio States. So we're
gonna visit with Patrick Murphy in preview tomorrow's game. Brian

(02:29):
Rackville actually had a conversation earlier this week with Mike Hardball,
Harge and Mark Henry will play that for you on
tomorrow's show. He had some great insight on this game.
We're gonna visit with Craig Way and Roger Walls from
the booth in the Horseshoe. They were there twenty almost
twenty years ago when Texas took down Ohio State number two,

(02:52):
first number four Vince Young the line of Swede that
was a catalyst for the Longhorns two thousand and five
National championship run any parallel, So looking forward to that.
Then at ten am, network coverage begins Texas and Ohio
State Craigway, Roger Wallas An Will Matthews live from Columbus, Ohio.
It'll be heard not only on thirteen Under the Zone,

(03:13):
but also on ninety eight point one FM, cave At FM,
and also on one O three one, Austin's eighty station.
If you're in Austin, you can listen on the free
iHeart Radio app. And then after the game there's network
postgame with Craig Rodgrin Will and they're going to visit
with Arch and Michael taff, Anthony Jo all those guys.
But then after that we're excited to bring you for

(03:36):
the first time here on thirteen of the Zone, the
third and Longhorn postgame Show hosted by Nick Schuley and
the guys as well. So we will carry that live
on our YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook platforms, and then we'll
carry it right after network postgame right here on thirteen
hundred the Zone. So local postgame show super fired up
for that here on a fire me Up Friday, bringing

(03:59):
our Jay Kerman Jake I believe now, of course Texas
on the road to begin, so it's not a true
Longhorn's game day, but this is the first time you'll
be back in Austin for a Texas game since since one,
since you were a student.

Speaker 3 (04:18):
Yeah, since let's see, would have been the last home
game played in twenty twenty two would have been sarks
first season, one in which Casey Thompson and Hudson Card
both saw reps at quarterback, one in which I was
full of cautious optimism for the future.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
But I'm not gonna lie like him.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
Being back here feels a little bit like, you know,
getting an a on a group project where you didn't
really do any of the work.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
Well, we're glad to have you, and we're super excited
to have you this season. I'm sure you're excited to
be back at DKR for a home game because they're
the cards a little bit different since since last time
you were there.

Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, they've got a little bit more. Well, the South
end zone, the new South Zone is complete. I have
not seen a drone show yet in person. I haven't
really seen kind of the version of Texas that everyone
expects this team to be. Play a live game in
front of this atmosphere. I am so so pumped up
for next week. No matter what happens tomorrow, the drone

(05:17):
show is fun now. I think, unfortunately so Sam Houston
will be a night game, so a drone show there,
and then I think the only other night game perhaps
this season is A and M.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
I don't remember. If Arkansas is an early kickoff, I think.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
That can be flex. I think it's going to be
either afternoon or evening.

Speaker 2 (05:35):
Okay, so there might you have a couple of chances
for a couple of drones shows this year, but I'm
right there with you. I'm super excited. Texas begins their
home season against San Jose State next week, but of
course Ohio State tomorrow. So today's show let me preview that.
So up next, Jeff how From on Texas Football will
join us. I don't know if he's in Columbus or not.

(05:56):
I know Bobby Burton's up there. I know cjf Ucal
was up there. No Jerry up there. So we're gonna
get Jeff How's thoughts on this game. He's been around
this program for a long time. We're here from Jeff Howe. Course,
Craig Way is not with us in studio today. He's
on the road and you know football season is here
when he's already got a travel nightmare story to tell you.

(06:19):
It's been a tough, tough day, tough last night, tough
day for Craig, Roger and Will Matthew's getting to Columbus, Ohio.
They're actually supposed to be landing there right now, but
I believe they had the flight of Chicago, get a
rental car and then we'll be driving to Columbus tonight.
So Craig will check in at about three fifteen. Hey,

(06:40):
maybe Roger and Will or with them with the car,
with him in the car, we could get some stories
from there. Roger last night was at a house park
for what used to be called the Taco Shack Ball
as Anderson took down McCallum on KBFO and Keg Say
and plus fantastic listening to him and Keith Morland. So
we'll check in with Craig at three fifteen fifteen. Gene Watson,

(07:02):
director of player of personnel the Chicago White Sox, will
join us TAKO MLB Kyle Schwarber for home run game
last night, the third MLB player to do that this season,
as the Phillies look dangerous. And then my Rangers, although
they have won their last two series. Corey Seger now
on the IL. The pencitis actually had surgery yesterday. He

(07:25):
hit a home run. Two days ago, hit a home
run against Los Angeles, then was taken out of the
game with stomach pains. Turns out he needed an active
appendectomy done so when under the ninth I believe yesterday
he'll be on at least a ten day IL. We'll
see Nathan Valdi, who is my al Cy Young pick

(07:47):
out for the season. I believe Marcus Simmons still in
the IL for the first time in almost a decade,
So Rangers have a five percent chance of making the playoffs.
We'll get Jen's thoughts on if it's too little too
late for the Rangers. They do have a very tough
schedule coming up. It is Friday now, Jake Kerman, you
are new to this program. Are you familiar with what

(08:08):
Friday and inconceivable mean?

Speaker 1 (08:11):
Yet? I think I think I've got this.

Speaker 3 (08:14):
I remember from my first time behind the board we
heard a lot of Florida man.

Speaker 1 (08:19):
Stories on Fridays. Yeah, so I still got to wait
into the deep end.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
On that one Friday, we traveled to the more flaccid,
the lower forty eight states, and we reach for that
low hanging fruit, Jay Kerman, and today we are going
to find some great stuff on in conceivable. It might
be inconceivable that the Cowboys will not have Michaeh. Parsons
next Thursday. Speaking of Micah Parsons, Jerry Jones had an

(08:46):
eleven eleven minute ramble rant whatever you want to call it.

Speaker 1 (08:53):
Was there a question in there, Jara, So I think
he was just talking to himself.

Speaker 2 (08:56):
He still doesn't know Michael Parson's first names. Sun Steve
even had the correct them, which is so embarrassing. It's
so good, Jake, it's so bad. It's so good. We
have to play you the eleven minute remark Steve Sarkshan.
We've heard a lot of sound from this week. Got
more sound for you coming up in the three o'clock cours.
So a lot of fun on today's program here before

(09:19):
we visit with Jeff How real quick, Jake, won't get
your thoughts on this.

Speaker 1 (09:24):
Did you watch any college football last night? I did? Okay,
what'd you watch?

Speaker 3 (09:29):
I saw the tail end of South Florida and Boise
big win for the Bulls in Tampa. I saw the
tail end of Rutgers beating Ohio at home. And I
saw the second half of Nebraska's win an Arrowhead Stadium
over Cincinnati.

Speaker 2 (09:47):
I'm glad you brought that up, because for a moment
there I was wondering, Okay, what will we have more
Nebraska total points or the number of TV shots to
the homes in Taylor Swift in their suite. I mean,
I think we had at least five or six in
the first half. Nebraska finished with what six points in

(10:09):
the first half No. Thirteen because they wanted. They won
in a thirteen unanswered point run. There For a while there,
I was a little bit worried about Nebraska's offense there.
I still am. Dana Holgerson, the new OC did not
know that until last night. Yeah, Nebraska did win against
underwhelming Cincinnati team.

Speaker 1 (10:26):
He kind of expected them to win. But yeah, a
lot of questions with Dylan Reila.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
I think Cincinnati's now lost I think six in a
row dating back to last year. And you know, Dylan Roola.
A lot's been made of his idol, Patrick Mahomes being
there to see him last night and Dylan basically doing
the Patrick Mahomes impression. Somewhat inefficient night through the air,
but then a big celebration and a win at Arrowhead

(10:51):
Stadium without covering the spread.

Speaker 2 (10:54):
Hey want to know is better than starting off zhe
to one. My biggest take from from last night, I
think Minnesota has the best uniforms in college football outside
of Texas. I love that yellow and brown burgundy. That's
just me. My dad does not agree, but I love Minnesota.

Speaker 1 (11:10):
I love PJ.

Speaker 2 (11:11):
Fleck, maybe because we're both bald and some bald men
right Row the boat.

Speaker 1 (11:15):
But we'll see Week one of the.

Speaker 2 (11:17):
College football season underway Thursday. There was action tonight, There'll
be a lot of action and tomorrow the Big Daddy
Texas and Ohio State. Where to preview that game? Up
next with Jeff Howe from on Texas Football. As this
fire me up Friday on thirteen hundred zone in the
Free iHeartRadio app. Continues after this, Jeff, Now, not really,

(11:40):
I don't I do think about scorpion bites. As we
welcome in Jeff Howe from on Texas Football. Follow him
on Twitter at Jeff hout OTF. The OTF does not
stand for only fans, right, stands for only Texas Football.

Speaker 1 (11:54):
Okay, big negative on that. Nobody needs to Nore wants
to see that on both sides, On both sides. Here,
how you.

Speaker 4 (12:02):
May work fifteen seconds into this thing. I'm already classing
it up, so thank you.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
That's how we do it, right. It's not a Jeff
Howe and Cameron Parker interview without it.

Speaker 4 (12:12):
Uh, Feral hog talk is coming up, so just stand
by your well.

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Yeah, well, let's let's start with the Ohiose State first
and then Ferrel Hall talk.

Speaker 1 (12:20):
Okay, we can do that. Yeah, Well, first off, where
are you joining us from?

Speaker 5 (12:24):
Here?

Speaker 1 (12:24):
Are you from?

Speaker 2 (12:24):
I know Bobby and Cedar are up, are up in Columbus?
Are you Are you hanging out here in Austin. I'm
safely inside my domicile at this point. Ohio State fans
not necessarily a group that I want to frequent with
or mingle with, So I figured, hey, just stay here,
make sure the make sure the house doesn't burn down,
hold the fork down, and we're good.

Speaker 1 (12:44):
No, but I I would just encourage Longhard fans be safe.

Speaker 4 (12:47):
Even even the sensible Ohio State fans will tell you
that the the reputation, as unfortunate as it is, is
deserved and it's been earned.

Speaker 2 (12:56):
Yeah, I'm a little bit worried for for Craig up there,
because of all the stories he's had, you know, just
going to Texas Tech. I've I've had friends who were
at the Horseshoe and O five and unfortunately have not
heard a lot of good things that came from that
trip in the classiness of Buckeye fans. But hopefully everybody
will be okay this week, and hopefully for Texas fans taken,

(13:17):
they come out with a victory they get back to
their cars pretty quickly. Let's start with this, Jeff, I
went on ninety two to one the Ticket in Fate
Fill and was asked this question, and I'll give I'll
give my answer, but I was kind of I didn't
really know the answer it to begin with. And I
was asked, is Sark under a lot of pressure to

(13:37):
win this game tomorrow?

Speaker 4 (13:42):
This gout brought This has gotten brought up several of
our live streams this week, and I came to this
conclusion because this guy brought this listener opinions, and as
we're talking it out, I feel like fair or unfair
if Texas lose this game. I think the narrative is

(14:04):
less to do with Sark and nationally, it's more more
what do we make of Arch? So I think it
would have to be how does the game play out?
But I think it's it's weird to say Sark is it.
Sark feels like he's in that spot where Ryan Day
was last year. I think where James Franklin finds himself
this year. Sark maybe a year away from being in

(14:25):
that boat. I feel like there's so much attention on
Arch and we all know that some of it good
some of it, you know, click forming and whatnot. But
I feel like the narrative Cameron for better or worse,
is gonna.

Speaker 1 (14:39):
Be about Arch.

Speaker 4 (14:40):
Like, if Texas wins the game, it's not gonna be
oh Man Sark beat RyanDan in his own house. It's man,
Look at Texas with Arch Manning, Are they gonna win
a national championship?

Speaker 2 (14:47):
Yeah, that's a really good good point there. I think
if you were doing a power ranking of who's under
the most pressure to win tomorrow, I think Ryan Day's
number one because he was already under so much pressure
last year. Now he loses both his coordinators, Chip Kelly
to the NFL. Knowle's the Penn State somehow his rival.
I feel like if Ryan Day loses tomorrow, there will

(15:09):
be more questions about him than if Texas lost tomorrow,
questions about Sark.

Speaker 4 (15:14):
Because you've got a fan base in Ohio state fan
base that even though they won a national championship, there's
a it's a small percentage, but there's probably fifteen to
twenty percent of that fan base that's more upset about
the Michigan loss, yeah, than they are happy about the
national championship. So, I mean Ryan Look, Ryan Days, he's

(15:34):
not John Cooper, He's not you know, just for men
James Franklin, as my colleague Cjvogle likes to call him.
He's not even souped up Larry Koker, as I've dubbed
him at this point, Like he's got a national championship
and you went into the playoff era, you don't flop
your way into that. But he's one in four against Michigan.
So I feel like whatever Ryan Day does, if he

(15:58):
gets to the end of the year and eleven and
zer going into that game and eleven or one coming out.

Speaker 1 (16:02):
Of it, it's.

Speaker 4 (16:04):
It's gonna be the same kind of insane talk that
we heard last year after that game in Columbus.

Speaker 1 (16:09):
Yeah, without a doubt.

Speaker 2 (16:10):
Okay, let's look at actually this product on the field
for Texas replacing four starters on the offensive line, and
it sounds like what we've heard this week is that
who we thought would be the starting five might be
shaken up a little bit. Could we see Connor Strow.
I've heard a lot of Jayden Chapman talk. What are
your expectations for this offensive line going into the Marvel's game,

(16:33):
and who do you think we'll see as the first
five out.

Speaker 4 (16:36):
I think a lot of it hinges on what is
Trevor Gusby's availability number one and number two? If he
plays at what percentage is he gonna be you know,
he's gonna be wearing some club we know, some kind
of club apparatus on his left hand if he plays.
If he plays, I feel even Trevor Goosby, you know,
eighty five percent is better than a lot of tackles

(16:58):
nationally and one hundred percent, so I'll I'll take that.
I think it has more to do with you know,
when you look at that left guard battle specifically, I
think it's got more to do with Connor Strow had
a really good camp Cameron from everything we heard, like
it wasn't coach b from Sark, Like Connor Strow really
really came along. And I feel like he's assignment sound

(17:18):
may maybe more more assignment sound than NATO missoulu uh.
That's just kind of one of the things we've heard
coming out of practice this week. So I think you'll
see both of them whichever one starts. I mean, I
think there's a real chance you see Connor Strow come
out with the number one offense tomorrow. My thing with
the offensive line is this, I don't think it's I

(17:38):
don't think it's a bad offensive line, and it's not
necessarily replacing the starters. It's that in replacing the starters
and elevating guys like Trevor Gooseby and Cole Hutson back
into the starting line and a guy like Brandon Baker.
You look last year, what made that line so good
is Hudson and Gooseby where you're sixth and seventh guys,
whereas now you're sixth and seventh guys are going to

(18:00):
be either Connor Strow or Netto Mizulu. You know, Connor
Robertson's probably in that mix at this point. Jayden Chapman
might be in that top six, seven, eight, And those
are guys that just haven't played a lot of football.
So that's where it's not and it's not even depth,
it's just you don't have a lot of proven commodities

(18:21):
within that group. I feel I've looked, I've seen much
worse Texas offensive lines in the last fifteen years, and
I know that's not setting the bar very high, But
I don't worry about this group from a talent perspective.
It's just they haven't played a ton together, and just
some of these guys just fought out, just haven't played
much football.

Speaker 2 (18:35):
And especially you have a quarterback who's making this first
true road start in an environment like the Horseshoe. Being
able to establish the push up front will be huge.
You mentioned Trevor Gooseby's injury. Another injury of note appears
to be standing for transfer wide out and Mosley And
you know, during springball, in fall workouts. I mean, Jeff,

(18:55):
you know this better than anybody. You know, the question, Hey,
who's standing out will get thrown out a lot to
the sark and the coordinators and the players, and sometimes
they name someone right, You get excited and then they
don't play at all. I don't think that will be
the case with Parker Livingston. I'm hearing we've heard a
lot of buzz about him this spring this fall. But
it does appear like Parker is gonna have a huge
role in this offense, possibly this year, especially with m

(19:18):
at Moseley's injury.

Speaker 4 (19:19):
Even if Mosley were to play a lot in this game,
which I don't think he will. If he does play,
I don't see him taking a ton of snaps. Lewis
is gonna be your number three wide receiver at this point.
I mean, and that's another position outside of Ryan Wingo
and DeAndre and Moore. You got a lot of talent,
just don't have a lot of proven commodities. But Livis,
I feel like he's perfect for this offense. Camera just

(19:42):
when you look at what I think the route tree
is gonna look more like with Archie quarterback, I think
it's gonna be a lot more not just shots down
the field in terms of just your go balls, but
a lot outside the numbers, those deep comebacks, those deep
stop routes, the back shoulder throws, even like the deeper
in breaking routes. And I think this offense is going
to be more about arcs throwing it on the spot

(20:04):
and guys either running to it or running under it,
rather than being so much based on yards after the
catch like it was the last couple of years with Quinn.
I think that's perfect for Parker Livings. So he's a
long strider, he can get on top of guys, take
the top off a defense, So I think he's perfect
for kind of that role. I'll put it this way.
I go back to two thousand and five Igo all
the way back there. And if Parker Livingston can be

(20:28):
for Arcs what Billy Pittman was for Vince Young, He'll
have had a really good year.

Speaker 2 (20:34):
It's a receiver room, Jeff, that I'm really high on.
I'm not sure, you know. DeAndre Moore had his injuries
this past season. Ryan Wingo had Lasa Guye surgery in
the spring. I think being able to see the football
is pretty big for a wide receiver. And then this
is an incredible freshman class coming in Clee c Lockett,
Jamie French. There's a lot of guys I think a
meist comparison before, Jeff. You know, there's that picture of

(20:56):
the Alabama wideouts, right. I think I can't remember Sark
with CEC, but it was like Wattle, Harry Ruggs, DeVante Smith.
I think this Texas receiver room could be pretty similar
by the end of the year in terms of the
talent in depth. Sark has built this position and the
go along with arch Man at quarterback.

Speaker 4 (21:15):
Yeah, and Jerry Judy was a first year back at
him as the OC. They have four first rounders in
that room. You know, of those young guys, I think
Dylan mccutch is probably actually ready to play right now,
but it's how much is he going to play because
he's primarily a slot guy. You know, DeAndre Moore is
in the slot, so I don't know how much you're

(21:35):
gonna see him play on Saturday. I think of the
other guys, Kalik Lockett's probably come the furthest since camp started.
That's not a knock on Jamie French, but I just
think Calik Lockett's kind of hit his stride, for lack
of a better term, the last couple of weeks of camp.
And I think Michael Terry might have the highest ceiling
of any of these guys, but he's probably also got

(21:55):
the furthest to come just because he's learning how to
be a wide receiver first and foremost. So I think
of those young guys, it'll either be Daylan McCutcheon or
Kalie Lockett I think will be the first, the first freshman,
true freshman you see on the field tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (22:08):
Talking with Jeff Hout from on Texas Football, who do
you expect to be more aggressive tomorrow? Sark on offense
or PK on defense. I think it's gonna be Sark
on offense in these games. You go back even the
Alabama game in twenty twenty two, Cameron, think back to
that game before Quinn got hurt. I mean, it came
out and they're ripping the ball down the field and

(22:29):
they're moving out on Alabama almost at will. And you
know the twenty three game in Tuscal loose in Michigan
last year. Play at your quarterback strengths, put the game
in his hands, turn him loose.

Speaker 4 (22:39):
I think that's what Sark is gonna do with Art
if PK is not. He's never been a big blitz guy,
and I don't think he's suddenly going to flip that
switch and be a big blitz guy. My thing is
stimulated pressure. How many different looks do you show Julian
saying and the thing that I'm I really want to
see and I think can take this defense even to
another level beyond what it was last year. I go

(23:00):
back to Dwayna Keena's first ten yere at Texas and
this is his job now as the defensive passking coordinator.
I've never seen a Texas defense where the back end
tied with the front, where you can tie fronts and
coverages the way Duwayna Keena and well Muschamp did. And
I think now that you know Dwayna Keenan and Johnny
Nansen worked together at Arizona, I think Dwayne Kennan and
p K there's some synergy there. So I really want

(23:22):
to see Cameron how that looks. I think what you're
missing in terms of the communication with Andrew mccoopa and
today bar moving on, I think you could make up
for it just with the synergy between those three coaches
A Keena, Nansen and PK to tie the front end
with the back end.

Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah, it was secondary's best friend. Is what a good
pass rush in Texas has that? And Colin Simmons and
Trey More Outside of Arch Manning, who what are you
paying attention to the most in tomorrow's game between Texas
and Ohio State? Could be a player, could be positional group.
What's got your eye? There's there's a there's a few things.

Speaker 6 (24:00):
One.

Speaker 4 (24:01):
I want to see what this offense does in the
red zone on your red zone possessions, uh two man
field goal kicking and how much does Sark trust Will
Stone and or Mason Shipley and you know at what
points in the field does he still consider this offense
to be in four down territory, like that's gonna be
something that I want to see. Uh, And then I

(24:23):
want to see if CJ. Baxter is on a pitch
count tomorrow. I think he will be Cameron to an extent.
But man, in this kind of game, if you if
you start giving the guy carries and he gets into
a rhythm and you know he's maximizing his runs to
where he's turning you know, three or four yard games
in the six seven yard games, and then though as
he grind, as he wears down a demen if you're

(24:44):
talking about two hundred and twenty five pounds back, I
mean those six and seven yards, if your patient stick
with the run, are they twelve or fifteen.

Speaker 1 (24:51):
Yards later in the game.

Speaker 4 (24:52):
So I think I think they may go into this
game with having an idea that CJ.

Speaker 1 (24:57):
Baxter is gonna be on a pitch count.

Speaker 4 (24:59):
I wouldn't be surprised if we looked up at the
end of the day and he's got you know, I
think probably my expectation is to be kind of in
the nine to twelve range with carries.

Speaker 1 (25:08):
I wouldn't be surprised if he's fifteen plus tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (25:10):
Yeah, I'm curious how Stark and running backs coach Chad
Scott handled this running back room because you bring back CJ.

Speaker 1 (25:16):
Baxter.

Speaker 2 (25:17):
Of course, Trey Wiser had a fantastic year this past year.
You returned Jared Gibson, who was kind of in the
doghouse at points with fumbling issues, and then of course
you bring back Christian Clark and some of these running backs,
you know, they need to find some rhythms, some consistency
to get in the flow with the offense and the
offensive line. So definitely a key point to watch out
for tomorrow's game. Before we talk Farrell Hoggs here prediction

(25:40):
for tomorrow. I think Ohio stayed by the end of
the year.

Speaker 4 (25:50):
I think for this game, I just think there's too
much stuff that's new, Julian's saying. I mean, at least
Arcs is adjusted to the speed of the college game. Julie,
the sand is going to be seeing it for the
first time, and I don't know that this is the
defense that you want to, you know, take your quarterbacks
confidence and his ability to read a defense for a
test drive. So I think Cameron is probably going to

(26:11):
be ugly in the first half on both sides, and
then Texas eventually pulls away wins by a touchdown.

Speaker 1 (26:16):
Okay, Jeff Hall taking the Longhorns.

Speaker 2 (26:19):
Okay, Farrell Hoggs, if you don't this is super inside
base I think for this program. But you sent me in, Craig,
a text from our group, text from when we all
work together back at the old old spot in Farrell Hoggs,
I'm guessing this ties back to it.

Speaker 1 (26:38):
Tom Herman, right, yeah, yeah, Well, and I'm I'm.

Speaker 4 (26:43):
Fascinated by Farrell Hoggs because I think people need to remember,
like I grew up in Florence, right, So, Farrell Hoggs,
I mean, the people do have faral hog Problems's got
a lot of ranchers out there, so we'll talk about.

Speaker 1 (26:53):
The hog problem.

Speaker 4 (26:54):
But yeah, the fascinating thing is we found out actually, uh,
you know, coach Joe Austin, a Southwestern is really kind
of the Craig and I were doing an interview with him,
and this is that was really the first time where
that stretch of I thirty or yeah, of one thirty,
I should say, the stretch of one thirty that goes
like from Butdeah all the way down to sagein where

(27:14):
it's eighty miles where the speed limits eighty miles an hour,
Like you've got a massive feral hog problem on that
part of one thirty, and like eighteen wheelers will just
be cruising by an eighty and the hall like you
can't break right, so you're just plowing into these faral
hogs that are overpopulated in that part of the state.
And basically you're just getting exploding hogs on the road.
So like it's it's uh, they're quite resilient creatures. I mean,

(27:38):
I've heard stories of like you know, faral hog v
rattlesnake farl hog ridge because like you bite into the
hog skin and like it's breaking teeth, so then the
rattlesnake is trampled because it doesn't have fangs at that point.
Like I've heard all kinds of stories like that that
faral hogs just fascinating me. So I saw one that
it didn't quite make it across across Ranch rom twelve

(28:00):
the other day on my way into town. So I
had to let you and Craig know about that asap,
just in case I need to show content. I know
y'all got a lot to cram in into a couple hours,
but there's always time for feral hat talk always.

Speaker 1 (28:12):
We appreciate it very much.

Speaker 2 (28:15):
Okay, before I let you go, describe your thoughts on
the Michael Parsons trade in one.

Speaker 1 (28:21):
Sentence, pain pain, and you got it.

Speaker 4 (28:27):
Like, first off, the fact that Jerry and the press
conference Yester, they called him Michael. I lost kind of
how many times did that happened? Trying to in some
weird way replicate the Herschel Walker trade that is impossible
to replicate. I just I don't know, man. As a
Cowboys fan, I watched the Netflix documentary and it was,

(28:51):
you know, eight episodes of Jerry trying to take credit
for stuff that happened thirty five years ago that he
really doesn't deserve credit for in the first place.

Speaker 1 (28:58):
And it's just accepting that.

Speaker 4 (29:01):
Reality, Cameron, that as long as he still lives and breathes,
the buck stops with him, and whatever the owner wants,
the owner is gonna get.

Speaker 1 (29:10):
So until that's no longer the.

Speaker 4 (29:12):
Case, we'll keep I'll just stay on the hamster wheel
with the other Cowboys fans, and we'll keep, you know,
falling off and getting back on every fall.

Speaker 1 (29:21):
He is Jeff out from on Texas Football.

Speaker 2 (29:23):
How can we read and watch your work pregame and postgame,
maybe even during the game.

Speaker 4 (29:30):
Yes, on Texas football dot com. You can get over
there the on Texas Football YouTube channels. Go to YouTube
typing on Texas football'll pop up. Go ahead and subscribe.
We'll be doing. We got a pregame show, we got
to watch along, we got postgame show. So in addition
to consuming content on the zone, go ahead and check

(29:50):
us out over on Texas Football before, during, and after
the game tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (29:54):
Thanks buddy, tell the telling me. I said, Hi, and
watch out for those throw hawks.

Speaker 1 (29:57):
Huh.

Speaker 4 (29:58):
Cameron mister just sitting over here in the corner. He's
still kicking. He's still alive and well. So he sends
his regards.

Speaker 1 (30:05):
Good to hear.

Speaker 2 (30:05):
Good there, we'll talk to you soon. But all right,
Bud Jeff out from on Texas Football. Follow him on
Twitter at Jeff Howe O TF No, it's not only fans,
it's otf on Texas Football, him, Rod Babers, CJ. Fogel,
Jerry Hamilton, Bobby Burton do excellent work and Bobby actually
will join us on our pregame show tomorrow eight point thirty.

(30:29):
He'll join me in Hardball Heart's Live from cover three
on Enerson Lane, as we'll preview Texas for Ohio state
number one, first number two. Okay, from the rust Belt
to the Sunshine State, Sunshine, Sunshine State.

Speaker 1 (30:42):
There we go.

Speaker 2 (30:43):
It's time for Inconceivable on a Friday, and that means
we travel to the more flaccid of the lower forty
eight states. Up next on thirteen hundred The Zone. Fire
me Up Friday, The Craig Way Show. I'm your host today,
Cameron Parker filling in for Craig Way as he journeys
from Austin in Texas to Columbus, Ohio. As Craig, Roger

(31:04):
and Will believe we're supposed to head out to Columbus,
but flights got canceled, some different travel arrangements were made.
Craig got a story for us coming up next year
about three fifteen. He'll join us from the road. And
Roger Wallace actually was calling high school football last night.
He was at House Park for the Taco Shack Bowl.
Love that place. Anderson and McCallum, him and Keith were

(31:27):
on the call. And then not too many people probably
will go from calling a high school football game in
the stands by the way, and then two days later
calling a game at the Shoe, maybe the first person
in history. We'll visit with Craig and hopefully maybe Roger
and Keith are with him on the way up there
as well. We're gonna hear from Jerry Jones this hour.

(31:49):
He had an eleven minute ramble. I think you started
talking to himself. There was no question asked. I don't
think he just went on and it's so bad, it's
so good that we have to play the whole thing
for you because someone texted in Jerryatric and I'm a
little bit worried about Jerry Jones here.

Speaker 1 (32:10):
Actually I'm beyond worried.

Speaker 2 (32:11):
I think he's completely lost it, completely lost eleven minute rant.
No one should talk for eleven straight minutes, especially after
you trade your best defensive player. So that's coming up
later on here in the three o'clock. Our next hour,
we're gonna hear from Gene Watson, MLB insider and director

(32:33):
of player personnel for the Chicago White Sox about a
month away from playoff Baseball Man. One of my favorites
in sports is playoff Baseball and the teams.

Speaker 1 (32:43):
Are getting some teams are getting hot. Dodgers are getting hot.
O Town he looked good last night.

Speaker 2 (32:47):
Yankees on a five game win streak, the Socks on
a four game win streak. Astro is still hanging on
Milwaukee losing their closer. A lot happening in Major League Baseball,
So we'll discuss that with Geene Watson coming up here
in a second, we're gonna hear from Steve Sarkisian and
his weekly teleconference with the SEC. But real quick note here,

(33:11):
the points spread points are bread in this game. Tomorrow
has actually moved now, ohiose it opened as a two
and a half point favorite in Columbus, and I believe
it's the first time the number one team has been
the underdog in Week one. It's the first time Texas
has been the number one team to begin the season.

(33:33):
But apparently a big well bet came in and I
believe the total was five hundred and fifty thousand dollars
A Mattress Mac, That's what I was wondering. So, Mattress Mack,
could it be moved the line on some sports bets
to Longhorns actually being favored by minus one? Now, Wily

(33:54):
Fandel still has Texas at as a one and a
half point underdog. The buck Geys have not been a
dog since twenty eighteen against Michigan and have been favored
by less than three points at Ohio Stadium only once
since twenty and twelve. So if the line closes with
the buck Guys as the favorite, Texas would become the
first team ranked number one in the preseason AP Top

(34:18):
twenty five to be an underdog in its first game
and right now as it stands, depending on their sportsbook,
some are showing Ohio State minus one and a half,
some are showing Texas minus one year.

Speaker 1 (34:32):
But that shows you how tight.

Speaker 2 (34:35):
Vegas expects this game to be come tomorrow and I'm
lean in Texas. And that's when we heard Jeff Howe
he picked the Texas and his prediction from on Texas Football. Okay,
Steve Sarkisian with a few question and comments from his
weekly teleconference on Wednesday on the SEC conference call.

Speaker 7 (34:57):
Alrighty, exciting to kick off the col college football season.
Kind of enjoyed that we're kicking off early, that we're
one of the first games kicking off that we don't
have to sit around the hotel all day, but that
we get to wake up and go play. Obviously a
great challenge for us going to going to the shoe
at Ohio State, defending national champs, very good football team.

Speaker 8 (35:19):
I think at the end of the day, this is
going to.

Speaker 7 (35:21):
Serve as a great barometer for us of kind of
where we're at and you know, the things we're good at,
things we need to improve upon. Naturally, we're we're going
up there to try to win the ball game, but
I also think that this one game won't define our season.
You know, we got a lot more games to go play,
not only non conference, in conference play and with hopes

(35:42):
of some postseason aspirations.

Speaker 1 (35:44):
First up is Peter Naco Civil three. Steve, thanks for
doing this.

Speaker 9 (35:48):
Is there an update on him at Moseley's.

Speaker 1 (35:50):
He's going to be available for you guys this weekend
in Columbus.

Speaker 8 (35:53):
He's limited this week.

Speaker 1 (35:55):
Thanks as a David Eckert of the Austin American Statesman. Hey, Steve,
I appreciate the time. I'm just wondering, what are you
curious about this weekend? What are you hoping to find
out about your own team on Saturday? Everything?

Speaker 7 (36:07):
It's a new team, new people doing new things, new roles,
new responsibilities. You know, everybody's had to elevate their game
from from last year to the next, whether it's a
third year's player to a senior player, a second year
player to a third year player, from a special teams
guy playing more on offense or defense, from kids who
are in high school, you know, now playing for us

(36:28):
in college. So I'm curious about it all. It's going
to be it's going to be fun to kind of
get answers to a lot of things that we have
questions about, which is quite frankly, just about everything.

Speaker 9 (36:37):
Next to Joe cooka of Inside Texas, hey stark with them.
It limited looks like when you're looking at the other
receivers in that room, a lot of them are young,
a lot of them are freshmen. What does it take
considering you've had freshman wide receivers make impacts in the past,
whether it be worthy, whether it be some other players
who have transferred out, what does it really take for

(36:58):
some of those freshmen wide receivers or red shirt freshman
wide receivers to make an impact and get into games
in games like this?

Speaker 7 (37:07):
Well does have to earn our trust, you know at
the end of the day, it's not about ability, it's
what you're able to do. And so what you're able
to do is what ultimately you show us. And then
if you can do it consistently, that earns our trust.
And when you have our trust, we're going to play you.

Speaker 1 (37:22):
Thanks to Steve Moulton.

Speaker 6 (37:23):
The diseasy, Hey, coach, you got me all right, Yes, sir,
I appreciate the time. Hope you're doing well, Sir. I
heard your press conference earlier the week, But I'm really
intrigued with starting with the same team that you just
played in the last game in terms of preparing. I
know that was a quick turnaround for that semifinal game,

(37:43):
but this long layoff, how different or similar is preparing
for the same team and a given calendar year for you, coach?

Speaker 7 (37:52):
You know, oddly enough, this isn't the first time I've
had to I've had to do this. I've had to
do this another time in my career when as a
University of wat Washington we played Boise State in the
in the Las Vegas Bowl in twenty twelve, I guess
it was. And then the start of the twenty thirteen
season we turned around and opened with them the next year,
so not completely foreign to it. We had kind of

(38:14):
a similar situation with Nebraska around that same time. You know,
I think, you know, part of it is, you know, schematically,
you know, how much are people really going to change?
But names and faces, some of them can remain the same,
some of them are new, and then you know, what,
how do.

Speaker 1 (38:33):
People evolve and grow in their roles.

Speaker 7 (38:35):
That are some of the returning faces, and so, you know,
there's challenges to it all. I mean, I think at
the end of the day, there's some commonalities.

Speaker 1 (38:43):
I'm sure that they'll be that they do.

Speaker 7 (38:45):
There'll be some new things and maybe they move some
some pieces around some people in different spots, you know,
whether it's you know, what do they do with jeremiahs?
They use them the same way as they use them differently?
Do they use them on punt returns? Do they use
them on kick returns? You know, how much do they
do with Caleb downs styles? So a lot of similar
names from last year is just how much do they evolve?
And then how much have we evolved with some of

(39:06):
the people in our organization and some of the schemes,
And so that's that's part of the process. Of a
game one and that those that's always one of the
challenges of game one is the unknowns uh and then
trying to put your players in the best position to
have some success.

Speaker 6 (39:20):
And if I heard you're right, you said, this is
your first trip to the Shoe and is there any
part I listen, I know that the game has got
your full focus, coach, but is there any part of
you the fan wise, that will enjoy the scenery if
you will before the kickoffs?

Speaker 1 (39:38):
No, I mean, I'm going to take it in.

Speaker 7 (39:39):
You know, I've been like I said, last year is
my first time going to the big House too, and
so you know, historically for me, traditionally when I get
to a stadium, I kind of do a lap around
the field and I try to take it in. I
try to take in the fanfare, and I'll do the same.
I got a ton of respect for Higo State for decades,
you know, and you know, going way back to those

(40:02):
great teams and great players they had. And so I'm
excited for our players, I'm excited for our staff and
us that we get to experience this. And like I said,
I'll take it in and then you know it's time
to kick it off and we'll be dialed in and
focused on the task at hand.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
I think we're at the point now where, at least
I am where I'm tired of talking about it. I'm
tired of listening about it, watching about it. I'm just
ready for football to be played. Jay Gerbin, me too.
Let's talk about it some more. Exactly, we still have
about an hour and a half of the day's program.
We have Craig Way coming up next as the Craigway Show.

(40:37):
Appropriate Name continues after this on the free iHeartRadio app
and on thirteen hundred the Zone I Loove. The next
stop for Craigway, Roger Walls, Will Matthews will be Columbus, Ohio.
I could be wrong, but they join us now here
on the thirteen hundred of Zone hotline. As I said
in the beginning of the show, guys, you know it's

(40:59):
football season when you have a travel nightmare. And unfortunately
for you guys, it came for came on the opening
week of the college football season. Good afternoon. Where are
you guys joining us from on the road.

Speaker 10 (41:13):
Hey, gam you know you just rolled back with love train.
We got the Broadcaster train, or rather the Broadcaster rental
FOURD escape from O'Hare Internactional Airport in Chicago, beginning a
three hundred and eighty mile drive now to Columbus. So yes,

(41:33):
Roger Wallace and Will Matthews are with me this this
melodrama started last night by Spoder, who happens to be
my son Andy Way first had to affect him, but
he actually is pretty lucky. He ha his his flight canceled.
It was due mainly to a lot of the really
bad weather in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Speaker 1 (41:51):
But they canceled his flight.

Speaker 10 (41:53):
Because he was going to go out at five this morning,
and they gave him early notice. He was able to
get them to reap book him round trip out of DFW,
so all he had to do was drive up to
the Metroplex last night, stayed at my daughter's house, flew
out this morning. He's already on campus.

Speaker 1 (42:10):
He's roaming around.

Speaker 10 (42:11):
He's visiting all the campus fights and all extra well.
As the evening progressed, then we got word of it
Roger and I about the same time. Roger was in
the middle of calling as you mentioned, he was over
at Alice Park calling what is now known as the
Shoal Creek showdown Anderson and McCallum, and he got wind

(42:31):
of it and texted me and I had just got it,
so and Will got word of it.

Speaker 1 (42:37):
So then it touched off.

Speaker 10 (42:40):
A long night of between texting and calling different travel components,
the people who handle travel for the University of Texas,
and I was on the after hours line with a
representative for nearly two hours, going back and forth between
that text and what was ultimately revealed was that there

(43:06):
are no flights left going to Columbus.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
Everything is booked because of fans making the trip up there.

Speaker 10 (43:13):
And by the way, when we got to the airport
this morning, we could see it everywhere.

Speaker 1 (43:18):
The airport was jammed.

Speaker 10 (43:20):
So we were looking at, you know, what's the best
ad option right now, and you know, we had I
had them checked flight to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Roger had
to check Dayton, Pittsburgh.

Speaker 1 (43:40):
And ultimately it looked like it might work.

Speaker 10 (43:44):
To get into Louisville, but there was going to be
a long layover, and any way you slice it, I
had to come through Chicago, and so we were gonna
have to go through Chicago, and I wasn't going to
get to Louisville till about seven o'clock and then it's
a three and a half. It's gonna wind up being
around the same. So what we said was, you know,

(44:06):
put it as much in our hands as possible, sentenced
to Chicago.

Speaker 1 (44:11):
Put me in a rental.

Speaker 10 (44:12):
We'll get there and and the nice thing is they
have worked to where we can still fly home out
of Columbus on Sunday morning.

Speaker 1 (44:21):
But that's what it is.

Speaker 10 (44:22):
And so, yeah, you're right, travel nightmares happen. And we're
in a rental and we're in stop and go traffic
on I two ninety four getting close to downtown Chicago,
and we've got three hundred and sixty eight miles to go,
a full tank of gas, we don't have any cigarettes,
and we're not.

Speaker 1 (44:42):
Wearing dark glasses. So there it is.

Speaker 2 (44:44):
And no crows light for the love ride to Columbus,
but maybe some diet coke. It sounds like you guys
are already in mid season four.

Speaker 10 (44:55):
Yeah, yeah, See, we we all fought, the three of us,
thought that this would be the easy one. This would
not be the problem. We thought the problem and it
still may come will be. When we got to flight
at two Polo for the Mississippi State game, or even
Gainesville for the Florida game. You know, one of those
far flung destinations.

Speaker 1 (45:14):
Not so Columbus, Ohio proved to be.

Speaker 10 (45:17):
And it started because of weather in the Dallas for
were there, so it slowed everything. Our flight wasn't actually
canceled hours, was.

Speaker 1 (45:24):
Just delayed by close to.

Speaker 10 (45:28):
Three hours three and a half hours, and so we
had no shot to make the connecting flight. And because
of that then it brought about a reworking. For a while,
it was really up in the air. It did not
look good. It was there were very very few options.

Speaker 1 (45:45):
And I know a lot of other long worn fans who.

Speaker 10 (45:47):
Had similar itineraries to the one we had also probably
had to scramble to see about finding a way to
Columbus because it's not easy.

Speaker 1 (45:56):
For sure. I know Roger Wallis is with you.

Speaker 2 (46:00):
I enjoyed listening to his call last time, the Shoal
Creek Showdown with Keith Morland. And I'm wondering, is Roger
Wallace the first person ever to broadcast a high school
football game from the bleachers at House Park and then
find himself less than forty eight hours at the Horseshoe
calling an Ohio State football game.

Speaker 11 (46:23):
Well, probably because of just starting that many opportunities to.

Speaker 1 (46:27):
Do those two things in forty eight hours.

Speaker 11 (46:30):
I know I did a game last year forty eight
hours before being in the Big House, but that was Week.

Speaker 1 (46:34):
Two, so that wasn't at House Park. But yeah, it's
you know, you're.

Speaker 11 (46:38):
Going to go from five thousand to maybe one hundred
and five thousand.

Speaker 1 (46:42):
Craig, you must send similar Yeah.

Speaker 10 (46:46):
By the way, Cam, I did call what was then
a Taco Shag Bowl in two thousand and five before
the Texas Ohio State game and the Horseshoe on night,
but but that was on the root at House Park.

Speaker 1 (47:00):
Roger had to work from the stands.

Speaker 10 (47:02):
We were up on the roof for that night back
in two thousand and five. So so yeah, it's happened before,
but not on the same side of the stadium.

Speaker 2 (47:11):
So foreshadowing of something good to come, right because Texas
won that game in O five and now we're looking
at tomorrow.

Speaker 10 (47:20):
Yeah, you know, I think it'll be a real entertaining
game and and the three of us have talked a
little about it.

Speaker 1 (47:29):
I'll let Will Matthews jump in here.

Speaker 10 (47:31):
You know what, what's your take on what you see
from these two teams.

Speaker 12 (47:36):
Yeah, I mean, you've got two teams who've had some.

Speaker 1 (47:39):
Incredible talent they had to go to the NFL. They're
rebuilding and they are two brand new teams who are
gonna collide with a couple of key names in there.

Speaker 12 (47:50):
We're excited to see Colin Simmons do his thing. And
on the other side of the ball, Arch Manning. We've
been waiting what seems like forever for that guy to
walk into a limelight, and so there's a lot there,
but there's some questions.

Speaker 1 (48:03):
Really on the line we had.

Speaker 12 (48:06):
We we've got four new starters and all they've got
some experience, they still got to be cohesive there, and
you know, with losing a couple of key stars on
the defensive side, with John A. Barn and also Macouba,
who's doing some incredible things in the NFL.

Speaker 1 (48:23):
Super proud of those guys. There's some there's some questions
there with some young bucks coming into the.

Speaker 12 (48:28):
Limelight and and corner and how that's gonna work. So
super excited to see.

Speaker 1 (48:34):
You a coach a can of rings there.

Speaker 12 (48:36):
And the answers on the defensive side, which we're super
excited about what they're going to be able to do
that is going to be our right spot as things
get cohesive on the offensive side.

Speaker 1 (48:47):
So I can't wait.

Speaker 3 (48:49):
And we were visiting with Jeff Howell a little bit
earlier and the topic of aggression came up from the
coaching staff. Do you have a sense of whether we'll
see more aggression from the offensive game plan with Sark
or the defensive game plan with PK.

Speaker 8 (49:05):
Jake.

Speaker 1 (49:05):
I think they'll pick their spots. Uh.

Speaker 10 (49:08):
The defense is always I think going to be attacking
and aggressive, and and Duynea and Keena was on with
us A Long War and Weekly the other night and
and kind of echoed those sentiments.

Speaker 13 (49:16):
Uh.

Speaker 10 (49:17):
The offense I think will have its opportunities. I know
people are asking a lot about the downfield targets for
arch uh well with a Matthew Golden having headed on
to the NFL, But you know, I still think that
the weapons that they have, and and seeing what Ryan

(49:37):
Wingo is capable of doing for them, and and DeAndre
Moore is just a you know, ready, steady guy.

Speaker 1 (49:45):
And then and then the.

Speaker 10 (49:46):
The implementation of jack induries coming in.

Speaker 1 (49:49):
Through the portal.

Speaker 10 (49:50):
I think I think all of that will make a
difference on the offensive side, and I'm really curious to
see how the two headed.

Speaker 1 (49:56):
Monster will work at running.

Speaker 12 (49:58):
Back in and seeing CJ.

Speaker 10 (50:01):
Baxter back there supplementing Trey Wiser and vice versa. And
I do think we're also going to see Christian Clark
in the mix. They were really pleased with his work
in the fall camp, so you could see any number
of different guys come out of the backfield as well.

Speaker 2 (50:17):
Yeah, I'm glad you mentioned the running back room, Craig,
because we talked about it with Jeff how and Roger.

Speaker 1 (50:21):
Love to get your thoughts on this.

Speaker 2 (50:23):
You know, last season with all the injuries, it got
to the point where where Sark didn't want to use
running backs on special teams because if Trey went down
the next thing, you know, the number two running back
might have been arch Manning at that point. But you
returned CJ. Baxter from injury. He might be limited, but
we expect him to plan on Saturday. Same thing with
Christian Clark. Then you have Jerk Gibson back there as well,

(50:46):
you have a couple of freshmen coming in and then oh,
by the way, yeah, Trey Wiser ran for a thousand yards.
How do you see Sark in running backs coach Chad Scott,
you know, kind of utilize this running back room, especially
with an offensive line that is replacing four starters.

Speaker 11 (51:03):
Yeah, I mean, you know, Trey Wison approved it. And
also we could see him on his special teams. Baxter
is going to be interesting.

Speaker 1 (51:10):
How does he adjust to being back.

Speaker 11 (51:12):
And then don't forget what Sark does down at the
backfield with these guys catching the football. Wiser was big
last year, Jayden Blue was big last year two years ago.

Speaker 1 (51:21):
I mean c J.

Speaker 11 (51:22):
Baxer made some great catches out of the backfield and.

Speaker 1 (51:25):
That is such a weapon.

Speaker 11 (51:26):
But I want to go back to what Craig said,
because I think Jack Andrees is going to have a
huge year.

Speaker 1 (51:31):
I bought Gunnery Helm was going to have a big year.

Speaker 11 (51:33):
And the way Sark uses the tight end, and I
think Inuries is going to be, you know, kind of
that old saying that Arch's best.

Speaker 1 (51:39):
Friend, because he's going to be sometimes that checkdown.

Speaker 11 (51:42):
He's big, he's got a big catch radius and he
can get down the field.

Speaker 1 (51:47):
I expect big things from him.

Speaker 2 (51:49):
Yeah, and Sark talked about he knew injuries was good,
but he was kind of surprised, maybe taking back a
little bit, back a little bit by what he saw
on tape, his athleticism, obviously his ability to run after
the catch. It'll be a fun matchup, guys, tight end
first tight end, because the other tight end Texas was
recruiting from the portal was former Perdu Tech tied ind

(52:11):
Max Claire, who, by the way, is suiting up for
the buck guys tomorrow.

Speaker 10 (52:16):
Sarge said he recruited both of those guys hoping the
land won on me. He ultimately landed Andrees, but of course,
you know he's They've had great production out of a
tight end spot, so that's definitely something to watch tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (52:30):
It's gonna be an exciting matchup.

Speaker 2 (52:31):
We're gonna visit with Craig Waye and Roger Wallace from
the booth tomorrow actually on Long Corn's game Day, our
pregame show beginning at eight o'clock from Cover three on
Anderson Lane. We've been able to visit with you guys
from from from a lot of good spots, including the
Big House. Tomorrow it will be the Horseshoe, almost twenty
years to the day since the last time I know, Craig,

(52:53):
you were there in the broadcast booth for Texas, Ohio
State in two thousand and five, catalysts for that national
champampionship team. Sark is hoping the same thing is in
store for Texas tomorrow. Okay, I don't think you're gonna
be able to make City Tavern tonight, Craig, although you are,
I think you could qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs. The
way you drive, what is what is on deck? There's

(53:16):
no BUCkies on the way to Columbus, So where's the
next stop.

Speaker 10 (53:19):
At It's just a lot of concrete highway and we're
gonna see a lot of the state of Indiana, right,
you know, down in and around Indianapolis. We will pass
relatively close to Roger Wallas's hometown of Oxford, Ohio.

Speaker 1 (53:33):
So on our way into Columbia.

Speaker 11 (53:35):
Yeah, date nine seventy, we won't get close enough to
Doxford to go down memory Lane. I want to tell you.
And oh five, that was my second year in the sidelines.
Santonio Holmes got a touchdown pass and I nearly got
trucked about three times from over anxious ball boy slash
managers from Ohio State. Will can take them on, We'll
can dole it out. If they come at him, they're

(53:57):
gonna be on.

Speaker 1 (53:58):
The business end of it.

Speaker 11 (53:59):
But I was going, what in the world have I
gotten myself into.

Speaker 2 (54:03):
I'm looking forward to to hearing Will's stories because I know,
well you you probably will.

Speaker 1 (54:08):
A little sad. Now.

Speaker 2 (54:09):
I know you were in Detroit with the Lions, but
I'm sure you were a little sad you missed out
on Texas taking on Ohio State and the Horseshoe the
year after you graduated.

Speaker 1 (54:18):
Yeah, I really was.

Speaker 12 (54:20):
You know, after you leave in college, you never know
what the next team will be. Like, you see the
talent and you're super excited for them, but you know
you're off doing your thing. And for me, I got
got a chance to be on the Lions for a
couple of years there.

Speaker 1 (54:35):
But when I was in Detroit, I was like, these
guys are really good.

Speaker 4 (54:39):
They came in here.

Speaker 12 (54:40):
And they took business the last second catch by my dude,
Limus Swede, and so excited to be actually there this time.
You know, you hear about these games that that kind
of mark your history as a team, and you want
to be there and it doesn't matter how long we're

(55:01):
gonna have to drive twenty four forty eight hours.

Speaker 1 (55:04):
We'll get there to get there, but we're.

Speaker 12 (55:07):
Gonna get there. We're gonna get that, We're gonna get
that memory, and we're gonna, you know, watch Texas do
their things. Super excited for the Guys Network.

Speaker 2 (55:14):
Coverage on the Longhorn Ready Network begins tomorrow at ten
am right here on thirteen hundred and soon. Additionally, also
on ninety eight point one cave At FM in Austin's
eighty station one O three one FM, Well Matthew's on
the sideline, Roger Wallace and Craig Way in the booth.
Guys Safe travels to Columbus and looking forward to visit

(55:34):
you tomorrow on Longhorn's Game Day.

Speaker 10 (55:37):
You know, I was just thinking about something, Cam. I
think we just did our segment for tomorrow. You could
just lift it and place that in tomorrow if you wanted.
And no, no, even on the fire me Up Friday,
you do not need to come back with the Zach
Galafanakas thing from the Hangover. We're the three best lat

(55:57):
You don't.

Speaker 1 (55:58):
Have to do that. You don't have to do that,
you have to do that.

Speaker 2 (56:00):
I think people would be a little confused. As Man, Craig,
Wayne Raw and Roger and Will. They're driving to the
stadium right now, kickoffs and kickoffs in two hours.

Speaker 1 (56:07):
I think we might confuse them a little bit. But
hey guys, thanks.

Speaker 2 (56:11):
So much again, Save travels and looking forward to talking
to you all tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (56:15):
Sound good fellas, have a one.

Speaker 2 (56:17):
See yuh, Greg Way, Roger Wallace and Will Matthews joining
us from the road. Traveling from Chicago to Columbus. Who
five and a half hours, but hopefully they get there
safely and they'll get there in time for Texas and
Ohio City again. Our coverage begins tomorrow seven am with
a third and Longhorn preview podcasts Nick Shuley, Dereck Johnson,

(56:39):
Alex okafor Fozzy Whitaker, Rod Babers, Jeremy Hills. They preview
Ohio State and then at eight o'clock our local pregame show,
Longhorns Game Day, Me and My Cars live from Cover
three out of Anderson Lane, and then ten o'clock Number
one first Number two kickoff at eleven am Central Time,
and you can listen to it right here on thirteen

(57:00):
hundred the soon ninety one ninety eight point one Cavid
FM and one O three one Austin's eighty station. And
if you're in Austin on the free iHeart radio app.
Up next, what did Jerry Jones call Michah Parsons. That's
next on the Craig Way Show. Gold on the ceiling
by the Black Keys Natives from Ohio. Michah Parsons got

(57:24):
some gold one hundred and twenty million dollars guaranteed one
hundred and eighty eight potentially over four years, except it's
going to be paid by the Green Bay Packers and
not the Dallas Cowboys. We're about twenty four hours removed
from that earth shattering trade. As the Cowboys have shipped
away three have shipped away three time All Pro linebacker

(57:46):
in defensive end Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers
for two first round draft picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark.
And as you know, Jerry Jones, I call him the
greatest showman on earth to have not played in the NFL.
Night he played it for Arkansas in won a national championship.
But for someone who has not played in the NFL,

(58:08):
he is the NFL's greatest showman. And that was proved
again once again yesterday with this eleven minute rent from
Jerry Jones as he opened a press conference discussing the
Micah Parsons trade.

Speaker 1 (58:25):
It's so bad, it's so good here it is.

Speaker 8 (58:28):
Well with that ben too broad.

Speaker 13 (58:32):
Obviously, we did think it was in the best interest
of our organization, not only the future, but right now
this season as well. We've gained a Pro Bowl player.

(58:53):
We've gained a Pro Bowl player in an area that
we had big concern in, our concerns in on the
end side of our defense. Let me be let me
go beyond your question. First of all, I want to
tell you that I really like Michael. I appreciate the

(59:17):
years four years that we've had him here, and he's uh,
he's a great player, and so we are very appreciative
of the fact that he's a great player.

Speaker 3 (59:30):
Uh.

Speaker 13 (59:30):
There's no question that I could have signed him in April,
and so, UH we all know that to have agreements,
all parties have to agree. But this was by design.

Speaker 8 (59:48):
Uh.

Speaker 13 (59:49):
I did uh make Mike on offer. Uh. It wasn't acceptable, UH,
and I honored the fact that it wasn't done in
the way that he wanted to do it through an agent,
So he was made an offer. There's not an ounce
of vindictiveness. There's no bad feelings on my part about

(01:00:14):
the fact that we didn't come together on an agreement.
The facts are and we'll cover it, I'm sure with
many of your questions, but the facts are, specifically, we
need to stop the run, and we haven't been able

(01:00:34):
to stop the run at key times for several years.

Speaker 8 (01:00:39):
And when you.

Speaker 13 (01:00:42):
Have the kind of extraordinary pass rush that Michael had,
then the way to mitigate that pass rush is to
run at you. If the pass rush doesn't get you
ahead pretty big time and you're playing even or behind,
then you've really got a problem in stopping the run.

(01:01:04):
And so we have felt as we embark on changing things.
We have a coach that we're mighty proud of in Brian,
and we're excited about the changes that we're making, not
only in the coaching staff but in the team. I

(01:01:25):
think out of our sixty players that we would count
as the actives and a percent of the practice squad,
over one third of those players are new and so
we are doing what I've said many times that if
you are the one that owns and when you look

(01:01:48):
in the mirror, you've got to change, and so that
this was a very deliberate as it played out, reflection
on a key player that could bring us a lot
of consideration, a lot of consideration now in the player

(01:02:09):
that we got that can help us stop the run,
and a lot of consideration in the future, a lot
of capital that is required to build a team. It
takes many players to be tried to play in the NFL.
It takes eleven on the field. At the same time,

(01:02:30):
it takes a minimum of thirty or forty at minimum
to have both defense and offense, not including players that
are involved in our special teams. So it takes more
than one. And so you do have to allocate your resources,
whether it be draft picks or whether it be finances,

(01:02:53):
you have to allocate those resources. There was no question
in our mind that Michael could bring us a lot
of resources on a trade that has been on my
mind since we hired Brian, and so there was no question.

Speaker 8 (01:03:13):
As it turns out, all.

Speaker 13 (01:03:15):
The publicity about the not having a contract, certainly you
did your part in making sure that it was known
that he was potentially available, and I appreciate that very much,
and I say that a little tongue in cheek. I'm
not really as serious about it, but I will say

(01:03:38):
this that it was important that we did get if
we could get it, the kind of interest that we
got in making a trade for Mike. He was an
asset that we got four great years out of.

Speaker 8 (01:03:54):
But when you.

Speaker 13 (01:03:55):
Are talking about making a contract the kind that he
got and for the future, sure, that's quite a commitment.
And none of that counts about what he did those
first four years. It all goes against what he can
do for you in the future, the length of that
contract and maybe more. Well, then you've got to really

(01:04:16):
weigh how many players And I'm just going to give
you this, Not only do we immediately get a player,
but those draft picks could get us. I'm talking top
Pro Bowl type players could not necessarily going to be
quick to say you won't necessarily get those players, you
got to draft them or acquire, but they could get

(01:04:36):
us as few as three or as many as five
outstanding players.

Speaker 8 (01:04:42):
Now, not only do.

Speaker 13 (01:04:44):
They contribute in a game that needs a lot of
players on the field not to be elementary, but they
also give you better odds that they're going to be
a high percentage of those who are going to be
available just from the strandpoint of attrition or from the
standpoint of just sheer limit on how far one player

(01:05:04):
can go. Very few players are me on playing one
hundred plays a game out there at the time. So
this trade was not just thought about today. This trade
has been going on in our minds and our strategies
and being talked about.

Speaker 8 (01:05:23):
It's been going on offspring.

Speaker 13 (01:05:27):
It culminated today and it came quick, But that's the
way things go. It does happen fast when it happens,
but you've laid a lot of water. I mean, you've
laid a lot of things out there on the water
to make it happen. I want to be sure that
our fans understand. I think a lot of my come

(01:05:48):
and I wish him so much success. I don't want
him to have success when he played the Cowboys as
much as I do want him to have overall success.
Mika Parsons did an outstanding job for us for four years,
and a little bit of the way herschel Walker may
have had his greatest contribution to the Cowboys. What he

(01:06:11):
brought to us when he left could be a tremendous
thing for our fans, and the success of this team,
Kenny Clark, we knew beginning, we really knew beginning this
spring that if we could pick up a top interior

(01:06:34):
defensive lineman just to offset not having a pass rusher,
even though it's Micah, but where we're long, where we're
strong is in our pass rushing depth, and we knew
if we could get an interior alignment that that was
at least something that would improve us right there. On

(01:06:55):
a top interior alignment, he comes in strong for us,
and he comes in accomplished for us, and so we're
glad to have him.

Speaker 8 (01:07:04):
It was a prerequisite.

Speaker 13 (01:07:05):
We went down the teams and we only picked teams
that had room on their cap that could pay Michael,
and we only picked teams that had top tackles and
tier tackles that we wanted to have any dialogue with
at all about a trade. That was the criteria of
trading top existing tackle that could come in here and

(01:07:28):
play for us right now this year and offset the
fact to whatever degree more or less that we don't
have that excellence that Michael Parsons has there, but we
do have the depth to come in here and do that.

Speaker 8 (01:07:43):
And then if we could.

Speaker 13 (01:07:44):
Get the picks that we ultimately getting, and we did
have several teams that we might have had an opportunity
to do something.

Speaker 8 (01:07:52):
Well, we did have that, and so this was no.

Speaker 13 (01:07:57):
This was no instantaneous happening this afternoon over about a
five minute period. The other thing that I would like
to say is I firmly did me made a commitment
to Michael this spring Michael and paid him and to
pay him.

Speaker 8 (01:08:18):
At that time, I.

Speaker 13 (01:08:20):
Was battling and knew that the other alternative probably was
I had no idea of what we might be able
to get, but I knew that it was very likely
to be several players that we could use those resources
for all the way draft picks as well as cap space,
and so that was on our mind the minute that

(01:08:42):
we saw that we were quite possibly we're going to
have an issue about whether or not we could do
a contract or not. That gave us time, That gave
us imagineering that couple with bringing in a new coach
and bringing in a new staff, we felt it fit

(01:09:04):
for us to have more players, more excellent players. If
we do a good job of acquiring those players, plus
have a team this year, that would give.

Speaker 8 (01:09:15):
Us a better chance. Dare I say that.

Speaker 13 (01:09:18):
But absolutely it's not a uh, it's not a zero
that we're dealing with as far as how much better
that we were trying to be even not having Michael.

Speaker 8 (01:09:31):
I've got several other things.

Speaker 13 (01:09:33):
That I could answer a question with, but I'll stop
and just let you ask questions.

Speaker 2 (01:09:36):
The other thing, there's a lot to impact from that
eleven minute rant, and we will unpack that the top
of the four o'clock ourd we need to break. We'll
be back to wrap up our number two here the
Craig Ways Show on thirteen hundred The Zone. Joe glad
to have you with us, broadcasting to you live from Austin, Texas.
A rainy Austin, Texas and those of you who are

(01:09:59):
t traveling to Columbus or who are already there, be safe.
The weather's perfect, perfect football weather in Ohio for tomorrow's
game between number one Texas and number two Ohio State.
A quick look at what's to come on tomorrow's show,
or tomorrow's shows rather. Our coverage begins at seven am

(01:10:20):
right here on thirteen under the Zone with a Third
and Longhorn preview podcast, Nick Shuley, Alex Okafoor, Jeremy Hills,
Rod Babers, Fozzy Whitaker, Oh Man, I think you miss
the one. I always forget one. But all those guys
and possibly one more. They'll preview Ohio State. That'll run

(01:10:41):
from seven to eight am, eight o'clock Longhorns Game Day,
myself and my cards. Now we did not fire Mark Henry.
He's in Europe, still still DJing.

Speaker 1 (01:10:53):
Good for Mark.

Speaker 2 (01:10:54):
He'll come back across the pond, I believe sometime next
week and will be with us live from Beevo Boulevard
for our first home broadcast as Texas takes on Zen
San Jose State University. But it'll be my and Mike
Hardball hearts tomorrow live from Cover three Anderson Lane. Come out,

(01:11:15):
catch the show, catch the game. Hardball will be hosting
a watch party there. If you're down South and looking
for a place to watch the game, come hang with
me at Pluckers South Lamar. I'll be there to take
watch Texas take on Ohio State. That watch party is
brought to you by Dulce Vita Tequila. So looking forward
to that. Network coverage begins ten am. Greg Way, Roger Walls, Well, Matthews,

(01:11:40):
God Willing. They're on there with a Columbus, Ohio right now.
After travel issues and weather in the Dallas Fort Worth
Metro got to them. They're making that five and a
half hour drive from Chicago, Illinois, to the south and
then to the east to Columbus, oh House. So covered
begins at ten am eleven AM kick We know it'll

(01:12:01):
be like eleven eighteen after all of the pregame shenanigans,
and then postgame following the network post game will be
the third and Longhorn postgame show. It will be Nick
Schuley and his gang. They'll be hosting, and so they
will go live after network coverage. Actually they'll go live
a little bit before that. It'll be carried on our YouTube, Facebook,

(01:12:24):
and Twitter platforms in addition to THEIRS as well. And
then when our network postgame show ends, THEIRS will be
aired on a tape delay, but it'll be broadcasted right
here on thirteen hundred the Zone. So I know a
lot of you probably might be leaving your watch party,
leaving Ohio Stadium.

Speaker 1 (01:12:41):
You're gonna miss some of the pregame.

Speaker 2 (01:12:42):
Well if a post game, if you want to catch it,
it'll be broadcasting live from thirteen hundred to Zone and
on the free iHeart Radio app. Want to hear from
you next to where texts eight one to five to
three zero, and we've got some great messages regarding the
Michael Parsons trade. We just play for you Jerry's eleven
minute answer and why you traded MIKEL Parsons.

Speaker 1 (01:13:04):
I still don't know why he did it, but here's
one text.

Speaker 2 (01:13:08):
Do you think Jerry Jones needs a toothpick to get
all the bs out of his teeth? After that press conference?
I'm so sick of hearing the herschel Walker comparisons in
this day and age, not even close. I know the
Joneses aren't going anywhere. As a fifty three year old fan,
I'm ready to bail for another team. Here's my theory

(01:13:30):
on this trade. Because Jerry talked about how him and
Schottenheimer we're thinking about how we gotta stop the run.
Why did we make the trade? We got stopped the run?
Then why didn't you trade him? In April? They were
still negotiating with Micah up until about two weeks ago,
so I don't believe for a moment that they had

(01:13:51):
in their idea, Hey, we got to stop the run.
We're gonna trade my caparsions. We're not gonna acceit him.
They were actively trying to extend my capartions. He had
a deal, he had a deal set with Micah now
as agent. But with Micah that tells me, okay, Jerry's
talking a little bs there as a textra mentioned, my
theory is this Netflix documentary dropped America's team.

Speaker 1 (01:14:13):
I haven't watched it yet.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
I don't think I will after this trade, but I'm
sure because Jerry talked about it in that eleven minute
ramble the Herschel Walker trade and compared that trade to
this trade, which I don't think is even in the
same universe as the Micah Parsons trade. But my thought
is my theory Jerry was rewatching that documentary because he

(01:14:36):
probably loved to watch himself talk, because he spent most
of the documentary talking about himself and how great he was.
They visited the Mahearschal Walker trade, and he got the idea,
why don't I do that again with Michah Partsons, except
I'm gonna do it a lot worse, and I'm going
to trade it to the Green Bay Packers, who are
already a playoff team that have already owned the Cowboys

(01:14:58):
in the last fifteen years. Think about this, guys, des
caught it. Who was out against the Green Bay Packers
at Lambo twenty fourteen. Twenty sixteen, Aaron Rodgers rolls out left,
finds his tight end and then Mason Crosby shout out Georgetown,
Texas ends the Cowboys hopes in the playoffs for a

(01:15:19):
second time in three years. Twenty sixteen, Cowboys hire Mike
McCarthy from Green Bay after he was fired, large part
to Aaron Rodgers, large part two the just not doing anything.
Hire Mike McCarthy, and then two years ago the Green
Bay Packers absolutely slaughter McCarthy in the Cowboys, basically ending

(01:15:40):
the McCarthy run. I know he coached last year, but
the Cowboys were toast after that playoff lost. The team
culture could have not been any worse. And now you
trade him to the Green Bay Packers. It trade Micah
Parsons the Green Bay I think everyone in Lambeau this
season just they hold Jerry Jones dear to their heart
because boy to the cow do the Cowboys do? The

(01:16:01):
Packers just absolutely own the Cowboys in the twenty first century.
Just absolutely embarrassing. It's only gotten worse. Now, the second
part of this, and this goes back to Jerry, is
the CBA in the contracts. So Cowboys, of course took
their time to extend Dak, Prescott, and CD Lamb. So

(01:16:24):
before their deals. This is coming from Bill Bonnwall in
the ESPN, Cowboys were paying Prescott, Lamb, and Parsons forty
eight million dollars per season combined. Lamb was on a
rookie contract and as was Parsons. Dak was on his
second contract. Now, Prescott and Lamb re signed Parsons expecting
him to go sign So if he got the same deal,

(01:16:47):
believe as he got with Green Bay, those three players
would combine the average one hundred and forty one million
dollars per year. If and this is Bill's point, and
I agree that the Cowboys couldn't win Super Bowl with
their top three players making forty eight million dollars combined.
How are they going to do that? With the price
tag nearly tripled at one forty one. Now, of course

(01:17:09):
the CAP's going up, it's a little bit different, but still,
if they re signed Michah Parsons, over half their cap
would be going to three players. The closest team that
did that was the La Rams in twenty twenty two,
when Cup, Aaron, Donald, and Stafford combined to represent forty
eight and a half percent of the team's salary cap.

(01:17:32):
What happened to the ram They went five to twelve
and all three players got hurts.

Speaker 1 (01:17:36):
Now, is it apples to oranges? Maybe?

Speaker 2 (01:17:39):
But do I think the Cowboys would have been good
this season with Michael Parsons? Not really In two or
three years maybe depending on how Shotenhybrid felt the team.
But now without Micah Parsons, I don't think they stand
a chance at all.

Speaker 1 (01:17:55):
Well, have more on Michaeh.

Speaker 2 (01:17:56):
Parsons in this deal later on in this hour, But
up next, Geene Watson from the Chicago White Sox joins
us on the Craig Way Show. Well, we've almost reached
the final month of the regular season for Major League Baseball,
so it's a perfect time to catch up with our
friend MLB insider and the director a player person out
with the Chicago White Sox. Gene Watson, Well, I believe,

(01:18:19):
joins us. Not too far away from my hometown of Charlotte,
North Carolina, and not too far away from Craig Way's
home of town of Greensboro, North Carolina.

Speaker 1 (01:18:29):
Good afternoon, Gene. What's going on?

Speaker 5 (01:18:32):
Guys?

Speaker 1 (01:18:32):
How are you? How is ROLEI Durham treating you. It's
been a great week.

Speaker 5 (01:18:38):
I've been able to see a lot of old friends
and see some good baseball. I spent a day at
Cameron Indoor Arena. I spent a day at the old
Durham Bull Stadium where they filmed Bull Durham. So it's
been a lot of.

Speaker 1 (01:18:54):
Fun, a great week.

Speaker 2 (01:18:55):
Me and Craig always talk about, you know, where do
we want to broadcast the game from Cameron Indoor?

Speaker 1 (01:19:01):
Is up there?

Speaker 2 (01:19:01):
Not done just because Cameron Indoor is you know, my
name is Cameron, but because of course you know the
the Cameron crazies, the atmosphere. Have you taken in a
game at Cameron Indoor before, just been able to visit him?

Speaker 1 (01:19:15):
I have not.

Speaker 5 (01:19:16):
You know, we were able to walk out on the floor.
We weren't able to shoot because they were filming a
documentary while we were there. But I have been fortunate
enough to be in Cameron Indoor absolutely by myself and
then Alan Phildhouse.

Speaker 1 (01:19:31):
I was able to shoot.

Speaker 5 (01:19:32):
Baskets at Allen phild House and Lawrence, Kansas and you
know both just you know, there's few places in the
world lambeau Field, Cameron Indoor, Allen Field House, the old
Yankee Stadium, Finway Park where you really fill the history,
and Cameron Door certainly fits up into that category.

Speaker 1 (01:19:49):
Well, let's talk some baseball here, mentioning it.

Speaker 2 (01:19:51):
We're almost at the point of September, less than thirty
games ago in the regular season, getting a good idea
of who the playoff teams will be in. And one
of those teams we think is the defending World champions
of Los Angeles Dodgers. And no, I'm not talking to
the Dodgers just because it's Craig Way's program, But hey,
oh tiny pitch very well last night, Jean. They're on

(01:20:11):
a four game win streak. I know they still chill
Milwaukee for the number one seed in the National League,
but do you get to send the other teams in
the league are now seeing the Dodgers, who struggle a
little bit after the post trade deadline, now are kind
of finding their groove.

Speaker 5 (01:20:28):
Of course, and I've said before, when when you know
you're good, when you know you have a good team,
one of the things that you can fall subject to
is wishing the season away and looking at certain spots
on the calendar and going, my gosh, we got this
far to go to get to the end of the season.
But the most important thing is that once you get

(01:20:51):
into mid September, that you're playing great baseball at that time.
And the other thing is, like, you know, if you
clinch early, you can't turn it off and turn it
back on, and so you really got to keep that edge.
Which is why wild card teams are so dangerous in
October is they fight so hard to get in. They
come up against a team that clinched a couple of

(01:21:12):
weeks ago. The mindsets are completely different. And so I
don't think it's surprised to anybody that the Dodgers are
where they are. They've got a tremendous roster, a great manager,
a great team, and they're certainly the team to beat
until somebody beats them.

Speaker 2 (01:21:25):
A couple of wild cards who are starting to play
some good baseball. You have the Yankees, who lost to
La last season in the World Series, and in the
Red Sox. The Yanks are on a five game win streak,
Boston's on a four game win streak, they're both trailing
to Ron, who's at a fantastic year. But I think
it might be you know, the other teams as well,
talk about how, you know, maybe some teams are a

(01:21:45):
little bit whare how the Dodgers are playing got to
be the same feeling for teams in the American League.
Watching the Yankees go on this little bit of a
win streak, and also the fact that the Yankees, I believe,
how the easiest schedule remainding in baseball. That could provide
a big momentum boost for the Yanks heading into the postseason.

Speaker 5 (01:22:05):
It does camera, but I still think there's an issue
in style of play, and I think that that was
kind of exposed in the eight games that the Red
Sox and Yankees have played, with the Red Sox winning
seven of them. Boston is younger, they're very athletic, they
can beat you different ways, where the Yankees kind of
lay back and wait for the three run home run.
And so I don't think the styles of play go away.

(01:22:29):
And the other thing for me is, you know, the
Yankees have got to be good teams. They're doing a
lot of damage against you know, second division teams and
clinting ourselves this weekend. But they've got to prove that
they can go in and beat some good teams. But
more importantly, you know, the Red Sox have controlled that
series this season, and so I think it's going to
be important for them at some point to start playing

(01:22:51):
better baseball versus the better teams. And Boston is really
really dangerous when you look at that rotation led by
Garrett Crochet and so Don Rafaela, Trevor Story in the
year he's having and Willie Abray. You this is a
very dangerous team in October, and I think that they're
kind of laying in the weeds right now as a

(01:23:12):
team that could really make a push for the World Series.

Speaker 2 (01:23:15):
And Boston made a pretty big move today releasing Walker Bueller,
a thirty one year old and former two time World
Series champion, two time All Star, and they called up
one of their best prospects in Peyton Toley. What can
you tell us about Totally and how he's gonna help
the Red Sox bullpen heading into this postseason push.

Speaker 1 (01:23:36):
Well, I was.

Speaker 5 (01:23:37):
Actually here seeing Totally and Raleigh Durham, and he got
called up, and so now the trip is kind of going.

Speaker 1 (01:23:43):
Man no A tremendous talent.

Speaker 5 (01:23:46):
I saw him pitch at Texas Christian University last year,
days after he had lost his mother, and just a
high leverage, you know, creates great angle, very good deception
to the plate, and just a other weapon for them,
you know, going into October, and so you know they're
gonna be very very dangerous, and he's certainly, you know,

(01:24:07):
one of the guys that's gonna help them out the
rest of the way.

Speaker 2 (01:24:09):
Talking with Genie Watson, director of player personnel the Chicago
White Sox. Okay, last night we saw Schwoverer hit three
home runs. I figure the favor favorites to win the
MVP Awards this season probably the same guys that went
to last year, right Aaron, Judge O'tani. But we're seeing
some compelling cases from you know, Cal Ray, the Big Dumper,
I think the best nickname in baseball right now in Swarver.

(01:24:31):
Do you think those two guys are doing enough to
possibly win that award? Could voto of fatigue set in
or do you think this will end up being Judge
and o'tani again.

Speaker 5 (01:24:43):
I really think it'll be Judging o'tani again. You're talking
about two of the star players in our industry and
two of the largest markets in our industry, and for
as great a year as cal Rawley has had, there's
not a lot of national draw to cal Rawley, and
these awards are atctually voted on before the season ends,
so it's not like they can go into the playoffs

(01:25:04):
and set a bigger stage for themselves and earn more votes.
So I really think we're still in a phase where
Otani and Judge are going to pull those titles away.

Speaker 3 (01:25:14):
Geene, it's Jay Kurban here, just following up on Kyle
Schwarbur's big performance last night with the four home runs.
It's only happened twenty one times in MLB history, dating
all the way back to the start of the game.
That's more rare than a perfect game, and yet that's
the third time it's happened this season. Is that a
coincidence to you or is there something to that here
in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 5 (01:25:36):
Well, I was fortunate enough to be in Baltimore that
I Josh Hamilton did it, and then saw a perfect
game a few weeks later with Matt Kaine in San Francisco.
So that's one of the highlights of my career. But
I think it really speaks to the water down of
pitching at the major league level right now.

Speaker 1 (01:25:54):
And you know, when you have the number.

Speaker 5 (01:25:58):
Of injuries that this this industry is taken on and
you're bringing on, you know, a lot of guys that
are at the Triple A level that wouldn't normally get
an opportunity to play at the major league level. And
that's not to diminish you know what any of these
hitters have done.

Speaker 1 (01:26:13):
It's extremely hard to hit at the major league level.

Speaker 5 (01:26:16):
So too to reach out a compliment that accomplishment is
absolutely tremendous.

Speaker 1 (01:26:21):
But the fact of the matter is pitching is not
as deep as it once was.

Speaker 14 (01:26:26):
You've got a number of guys that normally wouldn't pitch
at the major league level due to injuries and so,
and you have more information than ever as a hitter,
but it's still extremely hard to walk up to a
plate four times a game and hit a.

Speaker 1 (01:26:40):
Home running every at bat.

Speaker 5 (01:26:42):
And Kyle Schwarber's just a bit of a tremendous talent
since his career at University of Indiana and he's he's
turned into one of the premier power hitters in the
game of baseball.

Speaker 2 (01:26:53):
Jean, Should I hold out any hope for my Texas Rangers.
I know they won the last two series, but they're
gonna be without Nathan Valdi, who had a compelling case
for al Cy Young out for the rest of the season,
Corey Sieger to the al after undergoing appendectomy surgery, and
the ESPN just gives them a five percent chance of
making the playoffs despite all of.

Speaker 5 (01:27:13):
That, Yeah, they really have to go on a run.
And the really hard part is that Seattle is so
talented with their pitching. Houston's just done a tremendous job
of you know, being able to take on water and
still you know, hold the fort down. And so I
think it's going to be very difficult, especially with the

(01:27:33):
loss of Seger and just an unfortunate time for something
like that to happen. It's been that kind of year
for the Rangers. But make no mistake, they'll regroup and
they'll be back.

Speaker 1 (01:27:44):
But you know, you're.

Speaker 5 (01:27:45):
Really what you're really hoping for this time of year
is to go on a ten out of twelve, a
twelve out of fifteen. Your team gets sparked by something
that happens in a game that just gets them on
a run.

Speaker 1 (01:27:57):
And you kind of got to have the momentum twenty
six man roster to do that.

Speaker 5 (01:28:02):
So when you take injuries like Evalde and Singer, it's
really a big blow to the twenty six man roster.

Speaker 2 (01:28:08):
Yeah, a tough schedule ahead, Houston at home, Milwaukee, the Mets,
Houston again, all possible playoff teams, Gino, what is the
last month like for a front office? You know, a
team like the Rangers, you know, they make all these
deadline moves right to push themself to the playoffs, and
now they're at a point where it kind of looks

(01:28:30):
like they're on the outside looking in.

Speaker 1 (01:28:32):
What is that last month like for a front office?

Speaker 5 (01:28:38):
I think first and foremost, you're you're talking about who
you might put on waivers that has some dollars attached
to them that somebody might pick up to help them
make a final push.

Speaker 1 (01:28:49):
And help you get in.

Speaker 5 (01:28:50):
You know, there are very few teams that have that
financial flexibility.

Speaker 1 (01:28:54):
To do that, But I think each team.

Speaker 5 (01:28:56):
Will examine the players that they could potentially run lavers
and maybe save some dollars the last five six weeks
of the season, and then you start talking about who
are your two call ups going to be out of
Triple A and potentially giving them a strong evaluation period
through the month of September to see, if you know,
to give them a good momentum push into spring training

(01:29:18):
to make your club in twenty twenty six. And so,
you know, you start to evaluate your processes as to
you know, what went wrong, what went right, what could
we have done differently? And most of the time when
you examine why things went wrong.

Speaker 14 (01:29:33):
It's due to health.

Speaker 1 (01:29:34):
And it's very hard to go you know, one hundred
and sixty two games and one hundred and eighty one season,
eighty one days, and it's stay healthy.

Speaker 5 (01:29:42):
And so most of the clubs that underachieved what their
marker was.

Speaker 1 (01:29:46):
It's mostly due to health.

Speaker 5 (01:29:47):
And so that's really what what teams are looking at
at this point.

Speaker 2 (01:29:52):
Last thing for you, Gino, you're as big of a
college football fan that I know. I know you love
to attend games. You've been to some fantastic games in
your lifetime. Where's Gane Watson going for college football this season?
You're gonna find yourself at hard Rock Cafe Stadium for
Notre Dame Miami.

Speaker 1 (01:30:08):
What do you got scheduled coming up? So I know
I'm gonna be at Notre Dame A.

Speaker 5 (01:30:14):
And M in South ben Oh, and I'm actually having
to fly to Tampa Sunday morning, and the thought has
crossed my mind. And then flying to Miami for the day.

Speaker 1 (01:30:24):
I just don't think I'm gonna be able to do it.
But God, it'll be fun.

Speaker 5 (01:30:27):
Tomorrow to watch Arch and see how he settles in
in front of that big crowd. And it's gonna be
a great day for the University of Texas. And and
we're looking forward to the whole weekend super excited. And Hey,
Notre Dame's got a fantastic defensive back by named Leonard
Moore who is from Round Rock, Texas. I know you
know him very well. He is an absolute stud.

Speaker 2 (01:30:47):
And of course Jaydon Greathouse, the former Westlake product, a
handful of Austin Nits on that fighting Irish team. Hey, Geno,
appreciate the time. Safe travels, and we'll talk to you
next week.

Speaker 1 (01:30:59):
Okay, you guys have a great weekend. Take care, all right.

Speaker 2 (01:31:01):
Geene Watson, director of player Personnel the Chicago White Sox
and our MLB resident insider. All right, we have more
cowboy thoughts because why not? And a few more party
thoughts running at Jake's prediction for Texas and Ohio State
as we continue our three of The Craigway Show, Cameron
Parker alongside Jake Kerman. As we're lessened in twenty four

(01:31:28):
twenty four hours from now, Jake, we will know who
has won between Texas and Ohio. Stay crazy to think
about it's finally here. Almost eight months ago, me and
Hardball were leaving at and T Stadium still just in
disbelief that Texas once again was so close to reach

(01:31:48):
the national championship, gets so far away. Of course, the
Jack Sawyer scoop and score after Texas got down to
the goal line. We don't have to rehash that entire thing,
but Texas trying to avenge the loss to Ohio State
and the College Football Playoffs semi final as they open
up their twenty twenty five season as a number one

(01:32:11):
team in the country against the number two Ohio State.
But guys, before we continue to talk about that game,
to the text line when texts coming in the Cowboys
trading Parsons or is the Cowboys trading Michael Parsons like
the Texans trading JJ Watt. That's a good question, good

(01:32:34):
comparison what I believe entering in that extension, he was
also a three time All Pro defensive lineman, three time
Pro bowler.

Speaker 1 (01:32:46):
He led the league in sacks with twenty and.

Speaker 2 (01:32:48):
A half sacks, and the only difference was I don't know.
The Texans were kind of on the verge of being
playoff teams. I guess the Cowboys are two. I think
that's pretty fair, right. I think for the Texans they
were on an upward trajectory at that point. With JJ Watt,

(01:33:08):
I don't know what. I don't know what playing the
Cowboys are on. You could say up down, it doesn't matter.
The Eagles are still hurt the vision, but I would
think I'd say it's a pretty similar comparison, Jake.

Speaker 3 (01:33:21):
I just think timing wise in the careers, you're trading
a guy entering his prime before his big payday. I know,
we just talked to Gene Watson, director of player personnel,
Chicago White Sox. This feels a little bit like the
one Sodo trade from a DC fan perspective, And you know,
the Nationals won the one Sodo trade, but it doesn't matter.

Speaker 1 (01:33:42):
Look where they are. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:33:44):
Yeah, I think for Dallas in I see some arguments
from Cowboy fans, the few Cowboys fans who defend this
trades that the team wasn't gonna be any good anyway.
You know one text coming yesterday saying nine wins or less?
I predicted them nine wins are us with their schedule
the Eagles twice, the Commanders twice? Those are four games.

(01:34:07):
I'm not sure that you can win home or road.
You have green Bay on the schedule. It's going to
be a tough year for Dallas overall, with or without
Micah Parsons. The sad thing is with Michah Parsons on
the team, the Cowboys were tenth in pressure rates overall.

Speaker 1 (01:34:28):
Low. Where does that fall to now? Well, I'll tell
you what.

Speaker 2 (01:34:33):
Dante Fowler all of a sudden becomes the most important
pass rushers.

Speaker 1 (01:34:37):
In Washington last year.

Speaker 2 (01:34:38):
Yeah, but if you had told us that a year ago,
we would have thought, Man, what happened to Michaeh Parsons?

Speaker 1 (01:34:44):
Was he hurt?

Speaker 2 (01:34:45):
There's one more stat from Bill Barnble here that I
want to get to that will not make Cowboy fans happy.
E p A are If f'mate with the EPA stat
expected points added, it's an analytic electric kind of like
strokes game for golf. Almost over the past four seasons,

(01:35:07):
the Cowboys for the league's best defense with Micah Parsons
on the field by EPA per play.

Speaker 3 (01:35:15):
I mean, that's not some you don't need analytics and
you just see that guy out there and it strikes fear.

Speaker 2 (01:35:19):
Well, here's where he gets worse. Across one thousand and
thirty nine snaps. Those same Cowboys immediately became the league's
worst defense by the same metric when Parsons was on
the sideline or inactive. Obviously, every team's gonna get worse
when their best player isn't playing. But I'm not sure

(01:35:41):
that you can say, hey, when your best player isn't playing,
you become the worst defense in the entire league. And
that's where the Cowboys could be at with Micah Parsons
this next season. Now, you know, obviously there is some
truth to the fact that Dallas could not stop the run.
You know, I think the biggest cry I had with
Dan Quinn was, yeah, the defenses were athletic. They were

(01:36:04):
they were athletics, they were quick, they would force turnovers,
forced takeaways. But hey, when you got to the playoffs.
The recipe, whether it was against Green Bay or whether
it was against San Francisco, was just run the ball
down Dallas's throat run, run right at Micah Parsons, and
it worked. Cowboys got hammered by San Francisco got hammered
by Green Bay. Now does that mean you can't figure

(01:36:27):
out a way to stop the run with Micah Parsons.
A lot of was put in the Mazi Smith, the
former Michigan Woverrainge first round draft pick from what twenty three,
He's been as close to a buss you can get, Jake.
I do not think you'll be a Dallas Cowboy a
year from now. Cowboys completely whipped in that pick.

Speaker 1 (01:36:46):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:36:47):
Yeah, has Jerry Jones and Steven will McLay hit on
some draft picks, Certainly they hit on Micah Parsons, the
tallest pick in the draft. But I still think you
can build a defense around Micah Parsons. Sure, maybe the
Cowboys aren't a great run defense, but that's why you
hire someone like Matt ever Blues to come in and
you fill holes like that. To think that Kenny Clark's

(01:37:09):
going to come in all of a sudden just because
he's a pro bowler and change the run defense. I
don't think so at all. And even with the two
first round draft picks, I know, two first round draft
picks is a pretty big haul in the NFL for trades. Still,
they're going to be late first round draft picks because
you think, I can almost unless Jordan Love again has

(01:37:32):
just a bunch of injuries, the Packers are going to
be good enough to be a playoff team this year
and next year. And that first round pick is going
to be towards the end of first round rather than
the top of the first round.

Speaker 3 (01:37:42):
And while you're on the subject of the draft, I
know you have to stop the run, and you have
to do it somewhat inexpensively. Given the Cowboys financial situation,
like you addressed, had they signed Micah Parsons to this deal,
it would have been nearly half of their cap space
for that contract, Dak Prescott's contract, and cde M's contract.
Cowboys picked twelfth in the last draft. They took Tyler

(01:38:03):
Booker Guard out about Alabama, who I think is going
to be a terrific pro. But this was an amazing
draft for run stoppers. Next pick, the Dolphins went with
Kenneth Grant, defensive tackle, Michigan. Two picks later, Jaleen Walker,
a lot of people felt was a steal inside linebacker
and speed rusher out of Georgia on to the Falcons.
Three picks later, Walter Nolan out of Ole Miss. Some

(01:38:26):
people had him a lot higher on their boards. He
goes to the Cardinals three picks after that. Not exactly
drafting for the needs you discussed today.

Speaker 1 (01:38:34):
It's tough. It's tough.

Speaker 2 (01:38:37):
It's not like the Cowboys have so many holes. And
now we'll go into this season the next season not
only needing interior defensive lineman Jake, they're gonna need ed
rushers as well. But hey, you know Frey more Colin Simmons.
Now I don't want to wish either of those guys
ill will and have them on the Cowboys. Maybe I
would have a week ago with Michael Parsons was still

(01:38:59):
on the team, but not anymore. We'll be back to
wrap up today's program up next here on thirteen hundred.

Speaker 1 (01:39:05):
The Zone

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