January 9, 2025 • 43 mins
Wayne and Matt discuss Packers, Badgers and the College Football Playoff with Wisconsin State Journal Columnist Jim Polzin.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
A lot of teams are in the playoff hunt for
you know, deeper into the season because there's twelve now
instead of four. So I think I think the conversation
is is bigger from August till you know, first week
of December, and I think it then carries over into
the non playoff Bowl. So I think that's part of
it is. I just think people are interested. And as
(00:20):
much as people want to complain about the portal, and
and you know, I've had so many fans say I'm
done with college football, Well, the numbers are indicating that
people aren't done with college football. So I think the
portal brings on intrigue in terms of how teams are
constructed and how teams can play with so many new
pieces each and every year.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
And I just think it makes people keep watching.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
This is the Larravian la Peye Podcasts, a production of
iHeartRadio Podcasts with hosts Wayne Larvie, the voice of the
Green Bay Packers, and Matt Lapey, the voice of Wisconsin
Badgers football and men's basketball. The Laravian la Peye podcast
is present and by UW Credit Union. Here for every U.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
HI, everybody, I'm Wayne larevie and I'm Matt Lapey. On
this episode of the Lara Vie La Pay Podcast, we
visit with the sports columnist of the Wisconsin State Journal,
Jim Polesine. Much to talk about NFL Playoffs, Wildcard weekend,
College football playoff quarterfinals, college sports, and full swing, and
we'll talk about it all from a Wisconsin perspective. Stay tuned,
(01:27):
good stuff coming up on the Lara vi La Pay podcast.
Ready to give fees the stiff arm. Uw Credit Union
can help because since nineteen thirty one they've been committed
to eliminating fees for members joined today at UWCU dot org.
Insured by NCUA. Terms and conditions apply, and we welcome
(01:47):
in Jim Polesine, this sports columnist Wisconsin State Journal. And Jim,
thank you so much for taking time out Lots going
on across the state and in your role, I mean,
you're covering it all right. You've got the Packers on
a Sunday, the Badgers on a Monday night, you know,
as it goes through the whole process, and might have
the bucks along the waist at some point. This is
(02:09):
a pretty busy time for you, I would imagine.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah, it's been really one of the big changes but
also the big blessings in the taking over this role
like three years ago now it's been is that my
my horizon has expanded in terms of what I cover
has been. It's it's been fun. I was for so
long I was locked in on Wisconsin men's basketball, and
then you know, football was kind of the secondary thing,
(02:32):
and that was great.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I love doing that.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
You kind of get in a rhythm of a year
and a season doing that. But this, you know, branching
out a little bit more as expand has helped me
find more stories and meet more people and you know,
tell different types of stories. So it's been it's been fun.
I think it came out a good time in my career,
so busy as good as I always say.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Yeah that you just touched on a Jim Because as
a columnist, obviously you will have opinion pieces, but you
can also do some deep dive feature sure, and I
would imagine that variety. It is pretty exciting for you.
You don't have to just lock into one specific you know,
strictly opinions or you know fact that you know, just
(03:12):
strictly beat reporting. You get to do a little bit
of everything.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Just yeah, I mean that's the good side of it.
There definitely is. That's the best, the really good side
of it. I can just go tell stories. I think
that's when I took over this role, is trying to
kind of find an identity of what I wanted to
look like or what I wanted to be. Number one
is I'm following a legend and Tom Moates and and
learn pretty early on or knew going in that you
can't be like oh Sie, he's just walking encyclopedia of
(03:38):
Wisconsin sports, and to try to do the job like
he did it would be foolish. It's just you got
to play to your strengths a little bit. And I
think one of my strengths is as a storyteller, and
that can present itself in a lot of different ways.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Like Matt said, there are times where I have to
my opinion.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Has to come out in a piece and and and
I have to you know, provide commentary on a subject,
a game, whatever. But there's other times I can just
go in to look for different types of stories. And
tear jerkers are are, you know, just different types of
things that aren't types of stories that aren't being told
about people that maybe that are a little bit off
the radar. So that's been fun, and that's been you know,
(04:18):
that's been the great part of this job. I think
the challenge is, and I think I continue to learn
this is balancing those two. You know, where does my
voice come in a story where it might not in
a different story In terms of you know, not every
piece has to be opinions, So does the reader have
to distinguish what's an opinion piece and what's a takeout?
You know, kind of a deep dive. That's been a
(04:39):
little bit of a you know, of a thing I've
had to learn as we go. It's a little bit
of a growing process.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Hey Jim, your business has gone basically from paper to
digital in recent years and most people probably consume their
newspaper on a tablet you know what, I mean a
computer to But how has that changed what you do?
And is there more of an immediacy of things you
have to do. You're not necessarily a beat reporter, so
(05:08):
I'm not saying you have to break stories all the
time like they do. But has the timetable changed for
you and in what you do.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
A little bit?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And that does make it tricky like I think back
to you know, some of these, like let's use Wisconsin
men's basketball as example, the Packers whatever, if they're playing
a night game, there's almost zero chance that that's going
to appear in the next day's paper. So I kind
of have to take that into account in terms of
how I'm writing a column because some people I don't
(05:37):
know what percentage. I have not figured out what percentage
of people that are reading this in the newspaper are
reading it eighteen hours after the game ended, right or longer.
So it does change kind of the timing of it all,
and you try to almost take a big picture approach
to everything in terms of game coverage now and kind
of what people might still be talking about two days later.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So that's part of it.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
But also there are people that are going to be
reading this in the moment, like we It's funny. The
one different thing I do that Tom Olts didn't do
is I file something at the Buzzer. Now for almost
every game I cover is it's called what I liked
and what I didn't like, And that's kind of a quick,
quick hit piece just from that game that if you
want to jump online right after the game ends, and
(06:21):
some people do.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
They want an immediate reaction. You can get that.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Now there's a column I write that doesn't come until
a couple hours later, that, you know, is a little
bit more, like I said, a big picture thing. So
it's a balancing act in terms of writing for two
different crowds. I can tell it's funny in the in
the comments I get from people, I can tell where
they're reading it. If I'm getting emails, it's almost always
(06:46):
from a print subscriber. If I'm getting online feedback, it's from,
you know, someone that's read my story on Madison dot
com or Badger Extra. So it's it's that's kind of
been kind of interesting to learn over the years, but
it's you know, it's again it's something that's evolving too.
I don't think you can get stuck in one way
and keep doing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Over and over again. You got to evolve to the
world around you.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
Anybody actually write letters anymore, and as you have to
explain that to the younger writers over there, they do.
You still get handwritten notes.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Once in a while.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, and again you can tell it's an older person
that does it. But there are people that will sit
down and I've gotten stuff from people.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It'll be front and back.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
You know that they've clearly taken their time, and I
always try to get back to them because this is
someone that sat down and written instead of just typing
me two sentence or three sentence email.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
So yes, I mean it's it's rare, I'll say.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
But every once in a while, I'll still get mail,
and I you know, I've had to make sure I
remind myself to check my mailbox at work because I will,
you know, not done that for a while, and there'll
be a letter in there from that has clearly been
in there for a couple of weeks and was related
to a topic that I've something I've written about weeks
and weeks ago.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Jim Posing is our guest, a sports columnist Wisconsin State Journal. Jim,
this is uh, this is a busy week in Wisconsin.
The Packers heading to the playoffs, the Bangers engrossed in
Big Ten play. I mean, all kinds of stuff going on.
The Bucks are in the middle of their NBA season.
How do you prioritize things? Are you allowed to basically
(08:16):
make your schedule from your editors?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, I've got pretty uh, pretty big leeway. In terms
of what I can write.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I mean, I have a weekly meeting or meetings with
my bosses and we kind of float ideas around.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And those guys and and my.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Coworkers too, are really good at, you know, kind of
talking through things and you know, giving me ideas and
what they're thinking.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
That helps.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
But I've you know, I get a pretty big blank
slate at the beginning of the week in terms of
what I want to write about. And and and obviously
if we're traveling, we have to clear that stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
But again that I think that makes it fun.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
There was a there was a time when I was
coming to just men's basketball that I would sit down
and map out my schedule in you know, in July
or August whenever the schedule came out, and I'd kind
of know what I'm doing for from November first through
the end of March of this season ends. Uh, this
is a little bit more week by week, and and
and if a topic pops up that I need to
provide commentary on, that's you know, I need to do
(09:12):
it and be able to react to it.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
So it's it's it's a good thing.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
I know, and my wife that we've been married for
almost twenty five years now. She knows that once August
first hits and until baby's basically April first, that anything
can pop up at any time. And she's been very
understanding with that.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
That's always the key and understanding Spoules, no doubt. I
don't know if you, if your wife is like mine,
that we get toward the end of the summer, it's like,
isn't it time for you to get.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Out of the house.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Isn't it time for the season to start. That's that's
how it works here. Let me get your maybe with
both of you actually thoughts on obviously got Packers and
the and the Eagles coming up this weekend. I sit
here and I'm I'm looking at this from afar. I
guess I'm not handering as much as a lot of
Packer fans are because I thought this team could be
(10:05):
pretty good. I didn't know if it was ready to
be great yet. Maybe it will, who knows, maybe it'll start,
start or run this weekend. But Jimmy, your general thoughts
on where this team is right now and the outlook
not just this weekend, but maybe the path that it's
on more long term.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Yeah, I'm glad you said that, Matt, because I think
I've had to remind myself a couple of times over
the last couple of weeks that of what my own
preseason expectations were, and going into the season, I kind
of thought this team was a year away, just because
it's still very very young team, the youngest team in the NFL.
So in terms of calibrating expectations throughout the season, I
(10:43):
think you do have to kind of take a step
back and remind yourself. Part of me thinks this team
should be further along and wishes this team had one
of those signature victories.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Over the best teams on that schedule, right.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I think that would make me feel a lot differently
about this team's chances going into the playoffs. I know,
for sir, for sure, that if it had a healthy
Gior Alexander on defense and a healthy Christian Watson on offense,
I would feel much better about this team's chances to
not only win Sunday in Philly, but make an extended run.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
I think that's changed how I look at.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
This team, and yet I look at offensively, I think
this team could click at any point. Defensively, I think
this has a chance of being a really good defense.
I think Matt Leffleur is a good coach. I think
Jeff Haffley is a good defensive corner. I think there's
so much good about this team. I just wonder whether
it's quite ready to be great just yet, especially in
a year where some great teams have emerged around it.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
You know, Jim I would agree with that, and Matt
and I have talked about this, so I'm gonna bore
him for a moment, but I'll run this by you.
When they decided to come off of Aaron Rodgers, it
was a three year process because you had major salary
cap hits for the first two years, and not just
Rogers contract, but David Bachtiari's as well. You could do
nothing in free agency the first year, which was last year,
(11:59):
you had a little more allegate way this year. Next
year you're out from under those contracts completely. Here's the thing.
I think what they did was they added a couple
of pieces that grew the program. But here's what changed.
When they went in and beat Dallas and then took
a San Francisco team that wasn't playing very well in
(12:20):
the postseason, and they took them into the fourth quarter.
I mean, the Packers could have beaten the Niners. The
Lions damn well should have. They were leading twenty four
to nothing, and the Niners didn't play a good game
until the Super Bowl against Kansas City and they lost
in overtime. But when the Packers went in and beat Dallas,
I don't think any of us had any idea that
that twelve and five Dallas team was on the verge
(12:41):
of cratering. In other words, the Packers exposed them last
January for what they were becoming. And that's what you
saw this year from Dallas. So I'm not saying take
anything away from the Packers for that win, but the
fact is, I mean, you looked at that win and
what did it do. It changed expectations, not just from
people like you and me or fans, it changed expectations
(13:04):
in that front office. And they went out, They got
Josh Jacobs, they got Xavier McKinney, and they're going for it,
and absolutely all the credit in the world to them.
But let's go back to what it is, the process.
The process never changed with the win over Dallas. The
expectations did. The process didn't. If all goes well, the
(13:26):
Packers should have their best team in this era next year,
not this year. Next year. Now, people in twelve sixty
five Lombardi Avenue don't agree with me on that, and
God bless them, go for it. Absolutely. What makes you
think you can't win it? It's the NFL. But by
the same token, I believe, regardless of where they go
(13:46):
in the playoffs this year, their best team will be
next year.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
Yeah. I know that doesn't bore me at all. By
the way, I think it's important. It's an important refresher
I think for you know, for me, and just important
for fans to hear.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Period.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
Go ahead, M sorry, you.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Know, I think it's great perspective. And I think you're
exactly right because when you talk about what should have
happened last year, or what probably a lot of us
expected to happen last year was maybe something like seven
and ten, where that second half run doesn't happen, and
certainly the playoff win doesn't happen, right, I think if
last season ends at seven and ten or something some
record around that, and you see progress from Jordan Love
(14:22):
to convince you that he's the guy going forward, then
that's a natural step forward last year and then eleven
and six looks a whole lot better this year, right
What happened, as you said, was a great second half run,
a playoff, an impressive playoff win, an impressive playoff loss,
and then all of a sudden, the expectations get ratchet,
especially after you make a couple of big moves in
(14:44):
the offseason. So I think you're right, and that's why
it's it's important. I think it's important to remember that
this year was not a step Regardless of what happens
from here on out, this was not a step backwards.
It's maybe not as much of a step forward as
people hoped for or dreamed of, but I think that's
partly because it'll step forward last year was so large.
Speaker 5 (15:03):
Yew As. I need your perspective on this too, because
we're of the common things that you hear about the
Packers right now, and certainly injuries have factored in. Is
that in the receiving corps there isn't a dude. They've
got talent, young talent, but not a dude. Is that
over simplifying or is there something to that?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
You know? Man I asked in the pregame this past weekend,
asked Matt Lafleur that question You know, when you see
Minnesota and see Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, either one of
those guys would be number one by far. In Green Bay,
you see a Jamar Chase out there. You see these
number one receivers and you say to yourself, well, the
(15:45):
Packers have five receivers. Philadelphia has two receivers, but maybe
a tight end Goddard's getting off injured reserve. That's all
they've got the rest of their receiving cord. I mean,
Johan Dotson's been a big disappointment for pick up at
via trade a couple of years ago, the big disappointment.
But the Packers have four or five guys who are
really good, but do they have the dude? And that's
(16:06):
the potential dude would be Christian Watson. He has the
talent to be that guy, but he can't stay healthy
and he won't be there for the run this year.
So I honestly think that in some ways, Jim, I'd
love to get your perspective on this. I understand the
Packers have good receivers and maybe one of them will emerge,
(16:27):
but let's be honest, the receiving Corps did not take
a major step forward this year. I mean they were
second of the league and drop passes, So they did
not take that major league. Doesn't mean they won't next year,
and I think they will because these are good receivers.
But do they have the number one dude?
Speaker 5 (16:42):
No?
Speaker 4 (16:42):
And I think in some ways that kind of hurts
your offense. Why because a number one dude like Justin
Jefferson sucks the life out of a defense, and not
just on Sunday, but in preparation, an attention that goes
into that game plan and that's the key. For example,
Brian Flores, who plays a lot a lot of zone
in his defense. In Minnesota, they came upon the Packers,
(17:03):
he took a look at the landscape and this is
with Christian Watson to the lineup, and he said, we'll
go man with these guys, because you know, there is
not one dude who's going to blow the top off
of this. I'm not sure Watson. I don't think he
played in that Minnesota game. I'm not sure Jim I
lose track, but he was in and out of the
lineup down the stretch. So I think that's kind of
(17:24):
where they're at. I think one of these guys needs
to emerge as we go forward, But not everybody agrees
with that.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yeah, almost every guy you listed was a first round
draft pick right in terms of the Justin Jefferson and
Jamar Chase. So you're having to if you're going to
go out and get a guy, and there's no such
thing as a shurtfire dude, but you're almost almost forced
to use a first round pick on it. That's something
the Packers haven't done, and I think that's a sound strategy.
(17:52):
I think they've found a lot of I mean, DeVante
Adams has certainly turned into a dude, and he wasn't
a first round pick, So I don't think you have
to do that. You just need somebody to those guys
to take a big step. And you know, Christian Watson
is the obvious candidate if he can stay healthy, but
that's been the challenge for him. I expect a little
bit more on Jayden Reid this year. I thought Dantevin
Wicks had a chance to take a big step and
(18:13):
that has not happened. Romeo Dobbs when he's in the lineup,
has been pretty solid. But you know, I think I
agree with you guys like you look at this receiving court.
I like it, I just don't know that I love it,
and I thought there was a chance that I would
love it by the end of the season, and it
has not happened yet. But I think there's whole like
I don't think we're any of those guys have listened.
I don't think you can give up on it because
(18:33):
they're so young.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Exactly, and I think there's a good chance somebody and
maybe the group collectively will emerge. I don't think they
took a step back, Matt, but I don't think they
took the major step forward that you hope for in
second and third year players on this level.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
This is going to be such an interesting playoff. As
they all it's always the case. But for me, you know,
I think of the Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell, all
Gas Noebreaks saw it and it eventually came back to
bite him in the NC Championship game. But we talked
about this earlier way with John Coon. None of us
expects him to change his philosophy. But right now, of
(19:09):
the of the top teams in the NFC, you got
obviously the Lions, you got the Vikings and the Eagles,
who do you trust the most to make that deep
run and get to the super Bowl among those three.
Obviously we'll see if the Packers can interrupt that with Philadelphia.
But of those top three teams, who do you trust
the most?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Man, I think my answer has probably changed over the
last month, back and forth between Detroit and Philly and
maybe even Minnesota for a second.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
I'm still taking Detroit.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
I just watched that game, you know, on Sunday night
against Minnesota and went into it thinking, at some point,
these injuries have to catch up with Detroit, right I
just they're they're still beat up, especially on the defensive
side of the ball. That I just thought they'd hit
a brick wall at some point and it hasn't happened.
And I think a lot of it has to do
with Dan Campbell this They we have an identity and
(20:02):
they are a hungry team. They're a tough team. They're
a physical team, and I think that can carry you
a long, long way. And now you have to go
through Detroit to get past them. That's the team I
would take, even though I know, like you look at
the entry list and it's long and it's daunting. Philly,
I really really like Jalen Hurts. Being rusty going to
(20:24):
the playoffs concerns me a little bit. But there's a
lot of talent on both sides of the ball there too.
So those are the top two in my minds. And
I know that's just kind of going chalk, but I
think those are the clear two favorites.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Yeah, I can't agree with you more. Minnesota was exposed
by Detroit in that game. Minnesota's good, They're real good,
and they're a level above the Packers is that's been proven.
They beat it, beating them twice. But they're not quite
on the level of Detroit. And I believe Philadelphia and
Philadelphia is the most sound team going into these playoffs
offense and defense, but you can't count out Detroit number one.
(21:00):
They are coordinated by in my opinion too, the best
assistants in the league today on offense and defense. What
Aaron Glenn did in the Vikings game was brilliant. He
just blitz the daylights out of Sam Darnald and turned
Sam Darnald into what we know he is and has
been in his career. So but Philadelphia, when you look
at them, gosh, across the board, they're so solid in everything,
(21:22):
they do the running game. If they can't throw it,
they're gonna run it. Defensively, they have been very sound
Vic Fangio, you know, a lot of people try to
run his defense. Nobody really runs it effectively except Vic Fangio.
And so this is Philadelphia's, in my opinion, is the
team that I think could challenge Detroit. But Jim, I'm
with you. I've seen nothing to tell me all season,
(21:44):
even with all these injuries, that anybody is better than Detroit.
In the NFC.
Speaker 5 (21:51):
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We're visiting with Jim Paulzine of the Wisconsin State Journal.
Let's switch our attention to the college football playoff.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Here.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
A lot of votes about hand ringing at the blowouts,
which really shouldn't be that biggest surprise. We had a
lot of these on a fourteen playoff. But in a
general sense, Jim, have you been entertained, What if anything
would you tweet with this format?
Speaker 2 (22:26):
I've been very entertained. I'll say this.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
I've watched more college football, you know, probably all season
than I have in past seasons, just because I think
the lead up in the regular season had a ton
of value just in terms of figuring out who's going
to get in this playoff, and then once it started,
even with the blowouts, I was very, very intrigued. I
think the one obvious tweak I'm not the first one
(22:48):
to suggest this, is that I would like the home
games to continue into the second round. I think I
think Ohio State should have been playing at Oregon. I
think that's, you know, as much of an advantage to
a top as it is to sit out a week.
I think it's even more advantage for that team to
play a home game in its first game. So that'd
be my tweak. I think I would also tweak the seeding.
(23:09):
I don't know that if you're considered the eleventh or
twelfth best team in the country, you deserve to be
getting a buy into the quarterfinals.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
That's the other thing. But all in all, I like
I like the number it's at.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
I have a feeling they're going to bump up a
couple spots to fourteen at some point, which doesn't anchor
me in any way. But I like twelve where it's at,
and I've.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Been fascinated from start to finish.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah, you know, I have two And you know, it's
interesting to see some teams start to catch fire. I
didn't know much about Notre Dame, but boy have I
been impressed by them. You see Penn Steak kind of
get it going to Ohio State. It's a second win
to reprieve after that Michigan loss at the end of
the regular season. It's been fascinating to watch and you
see these teams kind of evolving. And boy, tell you what,
(24:00):
Ohio State, the way they went at Oregon, that was amazing.
I was shocked that they beat them the way they did.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Yeah, best, I think the best team out there when
it's right Ohio State just the explosive. It seems to
check all the boxes, even though they've had their share
of injuries as well. The one thing, though, I got
to admit that I've been wrong with I thought going
into this Bowl season in general, I thought, maybe at
the point they need to repurpose this stuff with opt outs,
(24:29):
the portal calendar and all of that, maybe just move
these games two week zero the following year. But I'm
looking you know, I've glanced at you know, the television
numbers are big. I think Alabama and Michigan had more
than six million people in Michigan played a lot of
backups because of guys who had opted out or whatever,
but the brands are so big.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
I don't know, Jim.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Every time, I think we've kind of hit the end
of the line with the non playoff bowls. People tune in,
they like football, they like gambling. So I guess you
were able to. I was able to go ahead and
scratch that itch in the month of December at early January.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Yeah, And I do think the playoff has generated just
interest all around college football to the point where you're,
you know, you want to tune in for Alabama Michigan
because Alabama is a team that everyone said should be
in the playoffs. So I think it's fun for people
to tune in and say, oh, maybe that Alabama team
is not as good as we thought it was, and
to watch that. I just think, you know, there's more
teams talked about during the year now because everyone's not everyone,
(25:28):
but a lot of teams are in the playoff hunt
for you know, deeper into the season because there's twelve
now instead of four. So I think the conversation is
is bigger from August till you know, first week of December,
and I think it then carries over into the non
playoff Bowl. So I think that's part of it is.
I just think people are interested and as much as
(25:49):
people want to complain about the portal, and and you know,
I've had so many fans say I'm done with college football, Well,
the numbers are indicating that people aren't done with college football.
So I think the portal brings on intrigue in terms
of how teams are constructed and how teams can play
with so many new pieces each and every year. I
just think it makes people keep watching.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
On the Lery vi Lape podcast, here we're with Jim Polzine,
sports columnists Wisconsin State Journal. You know, I agree with you.
I the portal drives me crazy because it gets my
head spinning. Okay, so I don't know who's gonna show
up where, but once they get there, and I'm seeing
this especially as I watch college basketball, once they get there,
you know, you assemble the team and you go with that,
(26:33):
and you you just understand, these guys aren't gonna be
there four years or that type of thing. But it's
it's very interesting. I wonder, guys, and I would ask
both of you this, does it give hope? I mean,
you know, you're kind of not stuck with the guys
you recruited in terms of four year players. You can
if things didn't go well and your four year recruits
(26:55):
you get, you can go into the portal and maybe
get somebody quarterback who can turn you around, some players
who can make a huge difference immediately. What do you
guys think?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Yeah, I think the answer to that is yes and no.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I'm coming from a p Wisconsin perspective, right and I
think the big thing that happened this year is Indiana.
Indiana provided hope for anybody in that third fourth tier
wherever we put in Wisconsin right now, that you can
fix things pretty quickly if you get the right mix
of players and the right schedule. So I do think
(27:26):
in this portal era, if you hit it right, you
can exceed expectations. The one thing I think the portal
has changed is it always used to be that a
team like Wisconsin could get old and be experienced and
then maybe take down the powerhouse like Ohio State. Because
maybe Ohio State had a bunch of guys leave for
the NFL and was a little bit younger or inexperienced
(27:48):
that year. Now Ohio State could just go out and
sign five or six players to fill holes out of
the portal, and five of the six best players in
the country, and it makes catching those elite teams, I
think a little bit more challenging. So I think there's
I think there's a better chance of getting in that
you know, I guess I would say five to twenty range,
maybe a little bit more difficult chance of getting past
(28:11):
the top five.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Does that make any sense?
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Yeah, No, that's a great point. And you mentioned Indiana.
I think Indiana will do for this era what Wisconsin
did back thirty plus years ago. Albarez gets there and
a program that had been a have not for a
long long time all of a sudden became a player
on the national States. Not to win a national championship,
(28:34):
I guess, but certainly one that could win the Big Ten,
go to the Rose Bowl and win a ton of games. Well,
Indiana in this era, at least for one year. We'll
see what you know, twenty twenty five brings, But like
whoa if they could do it, there's a have not
if ever there was one in college football. But I've
always I've said this for quite a while now with
(28:56):
Wisconsin been weighing a Moore you with this one here,
I think the Brewers have to look at it as
the college equivalent to being the Milwaukee The Badgers have
to look at this as the college equivalent of being
the Milwaukee Brewers. You know, they're not going to get
the highest priced free agents out there. You've got to
get some guys with Jim and I were talking off air,
(29:17):
a chip on their shoulders, somebody from if it's an
FCS program, a D two, a D three, not across
the board, but certainly in some cases where they've been
very good at that level, and now you trust that
that player will continue to develop and be really good
at Wisconsin, much like we've seen the Brewers build the
occasional splash free agent, but in a lot of ways,
(29:38):
just more of those grinders you get young and you
hope they can develop within your organization, but with college
athletics too, and we'll see if it happens. But there
has to be some kind of a set of rules
here where if it's through a CBA, whatever, it is
where a player will at least commit for two years
(30:00):
into your program because this free agency every year is crazy.
And I don't know how you change the calendar because
you still have academic issues believe it or not that
you have to you have to deal with here. Maybe
you start the season earlier and ended earlier. I don't know, Jim,
that seems like that's just a mess the way December
(30:21):
works with the port.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Yeah, I've seen suggestions, but every every solution seems to
bring out about another set of problems. I feel for
guys like Luke Fickel and other coaches in December, I mean,
it's it's it's chaos because you're, you know, you're putting
together a high school you're finishing off a high school
class that that signs that first week in December. You're
(30:44):
probably having to spend a good chunk of late November
into early December figuring out how you're going to retain
the guys you want to retain for the next season.
And that's, you know, that's become a challenging and of itself.
And then once you kind of figure out what holes
need to be filled, you are diving into the portal
and trying to trying to find the right pieces when
(31:06):
you're not spending a lot of time getting to know
these guys.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
And Greg greg Gard always calls it speed dating.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
And that's what it's become, is you're you're trying to
find guys that are good fits athletically and schematically but
also culturally. And it's just it's become a little bit
like throwing darts and you just kind of hope you
you've got the right fit, and then things can change
on a dime. A guy you thought might be in
(31:31):
your plans for twenty twenty five can decide on December
twenty seventh or something that he wants to go in
the portal or leaf the NFL or whatever. So it's
it's madness. And I do think you know you mentioned CBA.
I mean there's there's a bunch of things that need
to be fixed contracts and enforceable contracts, and you know,
(31:53):
probably these guys have to become employees somehow. I don't
know how that gets done. And you know, I I
also want to make it. I think the student athletes
deserve some sort of saying all this that there's this
right now, the system that's been put around them is
something they didn't necessarily agree to because they don't really
have a spot at the bargaining table. So I don't
know how you fix it. That's a lot of words
(32:13):
to describe that. I think we're still a long way
from getting to a place where it's it's sustainable and
something that works.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
And it's a lot like NFL free agency, Jim, you
mentioned it many words ago, that getting the right person
in there, you know, I mean, not all of these
people you bring in through the portal paying out. And
I'm getting ready to do a game Kansas and Iowa
State College basketball next week, and I'm looking at these rosters,
(32:44):
and I'm looking at aj store and I'm watching Kansas
and this guy he can't get on the floor basically,
and you could tell Bill self is trying to get
him in there a little bit, but he ends up
making a terrible mistake at the defensive end of the floor.
He gets pulled out. Ryland Griffin from Alabama goes in
and takes his minutes, and it's just and I watch
(33:06):
these teams and it's interesting. Iowa stake, it's a bunch
of what we would call second tier portal guys and
they work and they fit and that team is really good,
third ranked team of the nation right now, and Kansas
is struggling a little bit. Still top ten, but struggling.
And you know, it's just getting the right people and
fitting them in there. That's a huge challenge. And the
(33:27):
last thing I'll say in the subject is the Packers
have a defensive coordinator because he got sick of this
whole process at Boston College. Jeff Haffley, head coach of
Boston College for the last four years, finally said I
don't want to do this. I want to coach, and
he went to the NFL. And I can tell you
right now he's happy as a clam coaching defense and
coaching the Packers, and you know, the Packers of the
(33:49):
beneficiary because I think he's done a great job of
that defense.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
Now, it is interesting that, Jim, you had a great
You got a lot of great points here. But you
know where people will tell you and I've heard this
same thing, well I'm done. I'm done with college sports.
And then you look at the television rating. It's like
at the end, you you hate, like with with college football,
you hate Sunday through Friday, but on Saturdays you're going
to you're going to take in the game in person,
(34:14):
you watch it however you consume it. But the sustainability
of it, that that is that is a major, a
major concern moving forward. And then how how competitive can
the Wisconsins of the world really be? You know, what's
the ceiling? What really can be the ceiling for Wisconsin?
Those are questions that remain to be answered.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yeah, the thing I thought, the thing I think when
you when you brought that up, that I where my
mind went was a lot of the people have told
me they're done. This is come during basketball season. Have
now watched Wisconsin basketball team. You get off to a
pretty good start, and I think if there's anything that
can kind of bring you back into the fold as
a fan, it's it's a winning team and a team
that's been fun to watch. So you know, all of
(34:58):
a sudden, the people that say the transfer portal is
killing NCAA Athletics see you guy like John Tom Jay
pretty well in his first couple of months, and like, oh,
you know, maybe this isn't such a horrible thing after all.
So I just think winning is the cure for almost anything,
and it and make fans jumped back on board pretty quickly.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Yeah, they seem to. They seem to embrace Badger's legend
Russell Wilson to those five on teams here, it's.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
My gosh, yeah, oh Lobard. Yet, man, if you get
a Russell Wilson in the portal, wolves are off. We're
all with you, We're for you.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
The example I always use is when when I hear
Wisconsin fans complain about the transfer portal is, uh, well,
you know, look at the volleyball team. You seem to
be pretty interested in this volleyball team, and in Sarah Franklin,
who's is one of the best players to pass through.
Here is a transfer, and Carter Booth is a transfer.
They've had a lot of transfers. Uh, you know, help
kind of keep this program at an elite level.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
Yeah, listen, you know, kind of on that note, I
know we're going to wrap up here at a moment,
but women's sports, volleyball and basketball over the last couple
of years have really come to the for especially last
year with the Caitlyn Clark phenomenon. All right, without Caitlin Clark,
are people watching women's college basketball the way they were
(36:19):
a year ago? That's the thing I wonder about. And
what do you guys see on the beat that you're on.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Wisconsin volleyball especially has been I mean it's the last
five years has exploded. And part of that is that
you had some players in here, elite players that led
this program to national title, and I think it took off,
but it had taken off even before there. I think
people have just become more enthralled in that sport in general.
(36:45):
Like you give volleyball a chance. And this is I'm
speaking from experience. You watch a volleyball game on TV
and you're like, Wow, this is something special. You go
to a game in person, it's a completely different sport
in person. It's really a fabulous sport to watch. And
then you know, these are players that you can see,
You get to see their faces, you get to learn
more about them, and it's become a really big thing.
(37:07):
And you've got a guy like Kelly Sheffield who is
over and over and over just promoting this sport as
much as he can. I mean, now, now I just
wrote about this week. There's Madison has a professional women's
volleyball team that's debuting this week and they'll play its
first home matches next week at the Fieldhouse, and and
has brought in some players from former players from Wisconsin
but also around the country, and so I think it's
(37:28):
gonna be big. I think people will. I think people,
because of what Wisconsin has done in volleyball at an
NCA level, will latch onto this professional team. And I
think it'll do pretty well here. I think there's gonna
be some pretty big crowds. So I think that's a
big thing. I mean women's basketball again. I go back
to what I said in my previous answer. You bring
in a winner, it's gonna fill the seats.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
I was.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
I was on the beat back in the you know,
early two thousands when Jane Albright had this program clicking,
and the crowds there were pretty pretty good. So I
think I think I think fans will attached to a winner.
And this program is still kind of slowly but surely
trying to get to a level where it can.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Be a winner.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
But I think if it does, I think fans will
jump on board. I think that's a program. I think
that's a sleeping giant from a fan standpoint. I think
people want to follow that program. It's just they need
something to convince them.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
Yeah, and I think nationally Wayne, it will be good,
but I can't imagine it would match last year. Katelin
Clark is carrying women's basketball. She just is, and the
rivalry with her and Angel Reese at the college level
extending to the w NBA that now I think now
it doesn't have nearly the depth of talent that the
(38:40):
men's game has, but the women's game has more depth
than it used to have. You've got more teams that
you could say, yeah, you got a shot, you have
a shot, and there are still stars in the game,
So I think there could be a little bit of carryover,
but to expect the viewership numbers that it had last
year with Caitlyn Clark is probably not realistic.
Speaker 4 (39:01):
Yeah, absolutely, but it's still I mean, a very good
sport was revealed there and I think it's going to
be it'll it'll it'll be a good Uh, it will
be a great fouto.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
Yes, last question for me, guys, for both of you
big time college football guys, I can't wait to watch
the playoff games as we go forward here the semifinals.
Give me your picks. Who do you think is gonna
win this thing.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I tend to think it'll be Ohio State. Maybe this
is wishful thinking. I think it'll be an all Big
ten final Ohio State versus Penn State. I think Ohio
State's gonna win. I think Ohio States got the most talent.
I think they've got a little bit of chip on
their shoulder after the Michigan loss, so I'll I'll take
Ohio State. My question to Matt before he answers is
if this, if this program wins a national title, what's
what is Ryan days?
Speaker 2 (39:49):
You know, how favorable is he there?
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Like?
Speaker 2 (39:51):
What what is his approval ranking in Columbus? Uh?
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Because he's lost to Michigan four three times, but a
national title is pretty hard to top.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
Yeah, it's kind of goal I thought, is to try
to you know, the ultimate goal. But I've said this
for a while. It's good with not everybody there, but
with a certain percentage of the fan base.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
Is going to be yeah.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
But yeah, you won the national title. Is a great parade,
get a great rally back at you know, we're indoors
or outdoors however they do it if they win it
all but man, you got to beat Michigan. That's four
straight years as for the college crowd is just different,
and especially at a place like that where they're crazy.
Maybe not always in a bad way, but sometimes in
(40:29):
a bad way. There would be a certain yah butt,
but there would be a lot of people jumping back
into saying, hey, I was with them all along. And
so if you're Ryan Day, do you a double bird
everybody there and take another gig or do you just
keep collecting those ten million dollars and see if you
can beat Michigan the following year and go back. It's
just it is a the old line of the SEC.
It just means more. That applies to Ohio State as well,
(40:51):
and and other selected schools not in the SEC. It's
just different.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Yeah, absolutely, Jim listened. We can thank you enough for
taking time out. Great to have you with us, and
you know, continued success on the beat, which is all
of Wisconsin sports and we certainly enjoy reading you.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Thanks guys. I appreciate it, good talk.
Speaker 4 (41:12):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
Man, take care, we'll see it. I guess I didn't
give my pick, So people if they hear this after
the games, they can laugh at me, but I think
Ohio State is the best team there. We'll see if
it's either Texas or if it's Notre Dame or Penn State,
if they can kind of pull them into more of
a grinder. I'm not the biggest believer in momentum game
(41:34):
to game, but the fact is before the season started
waying people viewed Ohio State as the most talented team
in the country, and certainly it's been playing that way.
Speaker 4 (41:44):
Yeah, I certainly did. I mean that Rose Bowl win
over Oregon was so impressive, but you know, the team
that's really jumped out of me, Matt and I didn't
realize they were this good, especially defensive lean that's Notre Dame,
and I think they've got a good shot at Penn State.
I'm of the ilk that believes James Franklin until he
wins a big game, as if the two playoff games
he's won so far aren't big, but wins a really
(42:07):
big game, I'm going to kind of doubt Penn State,
but should be good. I think both games gonna be good.
I don't know what you think. Texas has played real
well and so it'll be interesting to see on all
fans out.
Speaker 5 (42:18):
Yeah, Darrow escape for those guys in the game against
Arizona State, which was clearly the most entertaining game I
think of this playoff here, at least through the quarterfinal round.
Joe Rudolph the former Badger offensive lineman. He was an
no aligned coach at Wisconsin. He's the offensive blank coach
at Notre Dame. So I never really thought I would
be rooting for Notre Dame to do something. But if
(42:39):
they do, I'd be really happy for him because he's
a heck of a coach, really smart guy and just
a great dude. So happy for him that they're having
such a good year.
Speaker 4 (42:48):
Boy, if you're a football fan, just a great weekend
coming up with the college football playoffs and the NFL
playoffs all underway. Well that'll do it for us. This
time special thanks to Wisconsin State General Sports column as
Jimpoe's for math. This is Wayne, Thank you very much
for listening to the Lreravian la pay podcast.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
The Laravian la Pey Podcast is a production of iHeartRadio
Podcasts with hosts Wayne Larravy and Matt Lapey, with production
engineering by Dave McCann. The Lreovian la Pey Podcast is
presented by UW Credit Union. Here for every you listen
to other episodes available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts,
or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.
A lot of teams are in the playoff hunt for
you know, deeper into the season because there's twelve now
instead of four. So I think I think the conversation
is is bigger from August till you know, first week
of December, and I think it then carries over into
the non playoff Bowl. So I think that's part of
it is. I just think people are interested. And as
(00:20):
much as people want to complain about the portal, and
and you know, I've had so many fans say I'm
done with college football, Well, the numbers are indicating that
people aren't done with college football. So I think the
portal brings on intrigue in terms of how teams are
constructed and how teams can play with so many new
pieces each and every year.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
And I just think it makes people keep watching.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
This is the Larravian la Peye Podcasts, a production of
iHeartRadio Podcasts with hosts Wayne Larvie, the voice of the
Green Bay Packers, and Matt Lapey, the voice of Wisconsin
Badgers football and men's basketball. The Laravian la Peye podcast
is present and by UW Credit Union. Here for every U.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
HI, everybody, I'm Wayne larevie and I'm Matt Lapey. On
this episode of the Lara Vie La Pay Podcast, we
visit with the sports columnist of the Wisconsin State Journal,
Jim Polesine. Much to talk about NFL Playoffs, Wildcard weekend,
College football playoff quarterfinals, college sports, and full swing, and
we'll talk about it all from a Wisconsin perspective. Stay tuned,
(01:27):
good stuff coming up on the Lara vi La Pay podcast.
Ready to give fees the stiff arm. Uw Credit Union
can help because since nineteen thirty one they've been committed
to eliminating fees for members joined today at UWCU dot org.
Insured by NCUA. Terms and conditions apply, and we welcome
(01:47):
in Jim Polesine, this sports columnist Wisconsin State Journal. And Jim,
thank you so much for taking time out Lots going
on across the state and in your role, I mean,
you're covering it all right. You've got the Packers on
a Sunday, the Badgers on a Monday night, you know,
as it goes through the whole process, and might have
the bucks along the waist at some point. This is
(02:09):
a pretty busy time for you, I would imagine.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Yeah, it's been really one of the big changes but
also the big blessings in the taking over this role
like three years ago now it's been is that my
my horizon has expanded in terms of what I cover
has been. It's it's been fun. I was for so
long I was locked in on Wisconsin men's basketball, and
then you know, football was kind of the secondary thing,
(02:32):
and that was great.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I love doing that.
Speaker 1 (02:33):
You kind of get in a rhythm of a year
and a season doing that. But this, you know, branching
out a little bit more as expand has helped me
find more stories and meet more people and you know,
tell different types of stories. So it's been it's been fun.
I think it came out a good time in my career,
so busy as good as I always say.
Speaker 5 (02:51):
Yeah that you just touched on a Jim Because as
a columnist, obviously you will have opinion pieces, but you
can also do some deep dive feature sure, and I
would imagine that variety. It is pretty exciting for you.
You don't have to just lock into one specific you know,
strictly opinions or you know fact that you know, just
(03:12):
strictly beat reporting. You get to do a little bit
of everything.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Just yeah, I mean that's the good side of it.
There definitely is. That's the best, the really good side
of it. I can just go tell stories. I think
that's when I took over this role, is trying to
kind of find an identity of what I wanted to
look like or what I wanted to be. Number one
is I'm following a legend and Tom Moates and and
learn pretty early on or knew going in that you
can't be like oh Sie, he's just walking encyclopedia of
(03:38):
Wisconsin sports, and to try to do the job like
he did it would be foolish. It's just you got
to play to your strengths a little bit. And I
think one of my strengths is as a storyteller, and
that can present itself in a lot of different ways.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Like Matt said, there are times where I have to
my opinion.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Has to come out in a piece and and and
I have to you know, provide commentary on a subject,
a game, whatever. But there's other times I can just
go in to look for different types of stories. And
tear jerkers are are, you know, just different types of
things that aren't types of stories that aren't being told
about people that maybe that are a little bit off
the radar. So that's been fun, and that's been you know,
(04:18):
that's been the great part of this job. I think
the challenge is, and I think I continue to learn
this is balancing those two. You know, where does my
voice come in a story where it might not in
a different story In terms of you know, not every
piece has to be opinions, So does the reader have
to distinguish what's an opinion piece and what's a takeout?
You know, kind of a deep dive. That's been a
(04:39):
little bit of a you know, of a thing I've
had to learn as we go. It's a little bit
of a growing process.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
Hey Jim, your business has gone basically from paper to
digital in recent years and most people probably consume their
newspaper on a tablet you know what, I mean a
computer to But how has that changed what you do?
And is there more of an immediacy of things you
have to do. You're not necessarily a beat reporter, so
(05:08):
I'm not saying you have to break stories all the
time like they do. But has the timetable changed for
you and in what you do.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
A little bit?
Speaker 1 (05:15):
And that does make it tricky like I think back
to you know, some of these, like let's use Wisconsin
men's basketball as example, the Packers whatever, if they're playing
a night game, there's almost zero chance that that's going
to appear in the next day's paper. So I kind
of have to take that into account in terms of
how I'm writing a column because some people I don't
(05:37):
know what percentage. I have not figured out what percentage
of people that are reading this in the newspaper are
reading it eighteen hours after the game ended, right or longer.
So it does change kind of the timing of it all,
and you try to almost take a big picture approach
to everything in terms of game coverage now and kind
of what people might still be talking about two days later.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
So that's part of it.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
But also there are people that are going to be
reading this in the moment, like we It's funny. The
one different thing I do that Tom Olts didn't do
is I file something at the Buzzer. Now for almost
every game I cover is it's called what I liked
and what I didn't like, And that's kind of a quick,
quick hit piece just from that game that if you
want to jump online right after the game ends, and
(06:21):
some people do.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
They want an immediate reaction. You can get that.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Now there's a column I write that doesn't come until
a couple hours later, that, you know, is a little
bit more, like I said, a big picture thing. So
it's a balancing act in terms of writing for two
different crowds. I can tell it's funny in the in
the comments I get from people, I can tell where
they're reading it. If I'm getting emails, it's almost always
(06:46):
from a print subscriber. If I'm getting online feedback, it's from,
you know, someone that's read my story on Madison dot
com or Badger Extra. So it's it's that's kind of
been kind of interesting to learn over the years, but
it's you know, it's again it's something that's evolving too.
I don't think you can get stuck in one way
and keep doing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
Over and over again. You got to evolve to the
world around you.
Speaker 5 (07:07):
Anybody actually write letters anymore, and as you have to
explain that to the younger writers over there, they do.
You still get handwritten notes.
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Once in a while.
Speaker 1 (07:14):
Yeah, and again you can tell it's an older person
that does it. But there are people that will sit
down and I've gotten stuff from people.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
It'll be front and back.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
You know that they've clearly taken their time, and I
always try to get back to them because this is
someone that sat down and written instead of just typing
me two sentence or three sentence email.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
So yes, I mean it's it's rare, I'll say.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
But every once in a while, I'll still get mail,
and I you know, I've had to make sure I
remind myself to check my mailbox at work because I will,
you know, not done that for a while, and there'll
be a letter in there from that has clearly been
in there for a couple of weeks and was related
to a topic that I've something I've written about weeks
and weeks ago.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
Jim Posing is our guest, a sports columnist Wisconsin State Journal. Jim,
this is uh, this is a busy week in Wisconsin.
The Packers heading to the playoffs, the Bangers engrossed in
Big Ten play. I mean, all kinds of stuff going on.
The Bucks are in the middle of their NBA season.
How do you prioritize things? Are you allowed to basically
(08:16):
make your schedule from your editors?
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Yeah, I've got pretty uh, pretty big leeway. In terms
of what I can write.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
I mean, I have a weekly meeting or meetings with
my bosses and we kind of float ideas around.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And those guys and and my.
Speaker 1 (08:30):
Coworkers too, are really good at, you know, kind of
talking through things and you know, giving me ideas and
what they're thinking.
Speaker 2 (08:37):
That helps.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
But I've you know, I get a pretty big blank
slate at the beginning of the week in terms of
what I want to write about. And and and obviously
if we're traveling, we have to clear that stuff.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
But again that I think that makes it fun.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
There was a there was a time when I was
coming to just men's basketball that I would sit down
and map out my schedule in you know, in July
or August whenever the schedule came out, and I'd kind
of know what I'm doing for from November first through
the end of March of this season ends. Uh, this
is a little bit more week by week, and and
and if a topic pops up that I need to
provide commentary on, that's you know, I need to do
(09:12):
it and be able to react to it.
Speaker 2 (09:15):
So it's it's it's a good thing.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
I know, and my wife that we've been married for
almost twenty five years now. She knows that once August
first hits and until baby's basically April first, that anything
can pop up at any time. And she's been very
understanding with that.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
That's always the key and understanding Spoules, no doubt. I
don't know if you, if your wife is like mine,
that we get toward the end of the summer, it's like,
isn't it time for you to get.
Speaker 4 (09:42):
Out of the house.
Speaker 5 (09:42):
Isn't it time for the season to start. That's that's
how it works here. Let me get your maybe with
both of you actually thoughts on obviously got Packers and
the and the Eagles coming up this weekend. I sit
here and I'm I'm looking at this from afar. I
guess I'm not handering as much as a lot of
Packer fans are because I thought this team could be
(10:05):
pretty good. I didn't know if it was ready to
be great yet. Maybe it will, who knows, maybe it'll start,
start or run this weekend. But Jimmy, your general thoughts
on where this team is right now and the outlook
not just this weekend, but maybe the path that it's
on more long term.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
Yeah, I'm glad you said that, Matt, because I think
I've had to remind myself a couple of times over
the last couple of weeks that of what my own
preseason expectations were, and going into the season, I kind
of thought this team was a year away, just because
it's still very very young team, the youngest team in the NFL.
So in terms of calibrating expectations throughout the season, I
(10:43):
think you do have to kind of take a step
back and remind yourself. Part of me thinks this team
should be further along and wishes this team had one
of those signature victories.
Speaker 2 (10:54):
Over the best teams on that schedule, right.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
I think that would make me feel a lot differently
about this team's chances going into the playoffs. I know,
for sir, for sure, that if it had a healthy
Gior Alexander on defense and a healthy Christian Watson on offense,
I would feel much better about this team's chances to
not only win Sunday in Philly, but make an extended run.
Speaker 2 (11:14):
I think that's changed how I look at.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
This team, and yet I look at offensively, I think
this team could click at any point. Defensively, I think
this has a chance of being a really good defense.
I think Matt Leffleur is a good coach. I think
Jeff Haffley is a good defensive corner. I think there's
so much good about this team. I just wonder whether
it's quite ready to be great just yet, especially in
a year where some great teams have emerged around it.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
You know, Jim I would agree with that, and Matt
and I have talked about this, so I'm gonna bore
him for a moment, but I'll run this by you.
When they decided to come off of Aaron Rodgers, it
was a three year process because you had major salary
cap hits for the first two years, and not just
Rogers contract, but David Bachtiari's as well. You could do
nothing in free agency the first year, which was last year,
(11:59):
you had a little more allegate way this year. Next
year you're out from under those contracts completely. Here's the thing.
I think what they did was they added a couple
of pieces that grew the program. But here's what changed.
When they went in and beat Dallas and then took
a San Francisco team that wasn't playing very well in
(12:20):
the postseason, and they took them into the fourth quarter.
I mean, the Packers could have beaten the Niners. The
Lions damn well should have. They were leading twenty four
to nothing, and the Niners didn't play a good game
until the Super Bowl against Kansas City and they lost
in overtime. But when the Packers went in and beat Dallas,
I don't think any of us had any idea that
that twelve and five Dallas team was on the verge
(12:41):
of cratering. In other words, the Packers exposed them last
January for what they were becoming. And that's what you
saw this year from Dallas. So I'm not saying take
anything away from the Packers for that win, but the
fact is, I mean, you looked at that win and
what did it do. It changed expectations, not just from
people like you and me or fans, it changed expectations
(13:04):
in that front office. And they went out, They got
Josh Jacobs, they got Xavier McKinney, and they're going for it,
and absolutely all the credit in the world to them.
But let's go back to what it is, the process.
The process never changed with the win over Dallas. The
expectations did. The process didn't. If all goes well, the
(13:26):
Packers should have their best team in this era next year,
not this year. Next year. Now, people in twelve sixty
five Lombardi Avenue don't agree with me on that, and
God bless them, go for it. Absolutely. What makes you
think you can't win it? It's the NFL. But by
the same token, I believe, regardless of where they go
(13:46):
in the playoffs this year, their best team will be
next year.
Speaker 5 (13:49):
Yeah. I know that doesn't bore me at all. By
the way, I think it's important. It's an important refresher
I think for you know, for me, and just important
for fans to hear.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
Period.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
Go ahead, M sorry, you.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
Know, I think it's great perspective. And I think you're
exactly right because when you talk about what should have
happened last year, or what probably a lot of us
expected to happen last year was maybe something like seven
and ten, where that second half run doesn't happen, and
certainly the playoff win doesn't happen, right, I think if
last season ends at seven and ten or something some
record around that, and you see progress from Jordan Love
(14:22):
to convince you that he's the guy going forward, then
that's a natural step forward last year and then eleven
and six looks a whole lot better this year, right
What happened, as you said, was a great second half run,
a playoff, an impressive playoff win, an impressive playoff loss,
and then all of a sudden, the expectations get ratchet,
especially after you make a couple of big moves in
(14:44):
the offseason. So I think you're right, and that's why
it's it's important. I think it's important to remember that
this year was not a step Regardless of what happens
from here on out, this was not a step backwards.
It's maybe not as much of a step forward as
people hoped for or dreamed of, but I think that's
partly because it'll step forward last year was so large.
Speaker 5 (15:03):
Yew As. I need your perspective on this too, because
we're of the common things that you hear about the
Packers right now, and certainly injuries have factored in. Is
that in the receiving corps there isn't a dude. They've
got talent, young talent, but not a dude. Is that
over simplifying or is there something to that?
Speaker 4 (15:24):
You know? Man I asked in the pregame this past weekend,
asked Matt Lafleur that question You know, when you see
Minnesota and see Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, either one of
those guys would be number one by far. In Green Bay,
you see a Jamar Chase out there. You see these
number one receivers and you say to yourself, well, the
(15:45):
Packers have five receivers. Philadelphia has two receivers, but maybe
a tight end Goddard's getting off injured reserve. That's all
they've got the rest of their receiving cord. I mean,
Johan Dotson's been a big disappointment for pick up at
via trade a couple of years ago, the big disappointment.
But the Packers have four or five guys who are
really good, but do they have the dude? And that's
(16:06):
the potential dude would be Christian Watson. He has the
talent to be that guy, but he can't stay healthy
and he won't be there for the run this year.
So I honestly think that in some ways, Jim, I'd
love to get your perspective on this. I understand the
Packers have good receivers and maybe one of them will emerge,
(16:27):
but let's be honest, the receiving Corps did not take
a major step forward this year. I mean they were
second of the league and drop passes, So they did
not take that major league. Doesn't mean they won't next year,
and I think they will because these are good receivers.
But do they have the number one dude?
Speaker 5 (16:42):
No?
Speaker 4 (16:42):
And I think in some ways that kind of hurts
your offense. Why because a number one dude like Justin
Jefferson sucks the life out of a defense, and not
just on Sunday, but in preparation, an attention that goes
into that game plan and that's the key. For example,
Brian Flores, who plays a lot a lot of zone
in his defense. In Minnesota, they came upon the Packers,
(17:03):
he took a look at the landscape and this is
with Christian Watson to the lineup, and he said, we'll
go man with these guys, because you know, there is
not one dude who's going to blow the top off
of this. I'm not sure Watson. I don't think he
played in that Minnesota game. I'm not sure Jim I
lose track, but he was in and out of the
lineup down the stretch. So I think that's kind of
(17:24):
where they're at. I think one of these guys needs
to emerge as we go forward, But not everybody agrees
with that.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
Yeah, almost every guy you listed was a first round
draft pick right in terms of the Justin Jefferson and
Jamar Chase. So you're having to if you're going to
go out and get a guy, and there's no such
thing as a shurtfire dude, but you're almost almost forced
to use a first round pick on it. That's something
the Packers haven't done, and I think that's a sound strategy.
(17:52):
I think they've found a lot of I mean, DeVante
Adams has certainly turned into a dude, and he wasn't
a first round pick, So I don't think you have
to do that. You just need somebody to those guys
to take a big step. And you know, Christian Watson
is the obvious candidate if he can stay healthy, but
that's been the challenge for him. I expect a little
bit more on Jayden Reid this year. I thought Dantevin
Wicks had a chance to take a big step and
(18:13):
that has not happened. Romeo Dobbs when he's in the lineup,
has been pretty solid. But you know, I think I
agree with you guys like you look at this receiving court.
I like it, I just don't know that I love it,
and I thought there was a chance that I would
love it by the end of the season, and it
has not happened yet. But I think there's whole like
I don't think we're any of those guys have listened.
I don't think you can give up on it because
(18:33):
they're so young.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Exactly, and I think there's a good chance somebody and
maybe the group collectively will emerge. I don't think they
took a step back, Matt, but I don't think they
took the major step forward that you hope for in
second and third year players on this level.
Speaker 5 (18:46):
This is going to be such an interesting playoff. As
they all it's always the case. But for me, you know,
I think of the Detroit Lions and Dan Campbell, all
Gas Noebreaks saw it and it eventually came back to
bite him in the NC Championship game. But we talked
about this earlier way with John Coon. None of us
expects him to change his philosophy. But right now, of
(19:09):
the of the top teams in the NFC, you got
obviously the Lions, you got the Vikings and the Eagles,
who do you trust the most to make that deep
run and get to the super Bowl among those three.
Obviously we'll see if the Packers can interrupt that with Philadelphia.
But of those top three teams, who do you trust
the most?
Speaker 1 (19:30):
Man, I think my answer has probably changed over the
last month, back and forth between Detroit and Philly and
maybe even Minnesota for a second.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
I'm still taking Detroit.
Speaker 1 (19:40):
I just watched that game, you know, on Sunday night
against Minnesota and went into it thinking, at some point,
these injuries have to catch up with Detroit, right I
just they're they're still beat up, especially on the defensive
side of the ball. That I just thought they'd hit
a brick wall at some point and it hasn't happened.
And I think a lot of it has to do
with Dan Campbell this They we have an identity and
(20:02):
they are a hungry team. They're a tough team. They're
a physical team, and I think that can carry you
a long, long way. And now you have to go
through Detroit to get past them. That's the team I
would take, even though I know, like you look at
the entry list and it's long and it's daunting. Philly,
I really really like Jalen Hurts. Being rusty going to
(20:24):
the playoffs concerns me a little bit. But there's a
lot of talent on both sides of the ball there too.
So those are the top two in my minds. And
I know that's just kind of going chalk, but I
think those are the clear two favorites.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Yeah, I can't agree with you more. Minnesota was exposed
by Detroit in that game. Minnesota's good, They're real good,
and they're a level above the Packers is that's been proven.
They beat it, beating them twice. But they're not quite
on the level of Detroit. And I believe Philadelphia and
Philadelphia is the most sound team going into these playoffs
offense and defense, but you can't count out Detroit number one.
(21:00):
They are coordinated by in my opinion too, the best
assistants in the league today on offense and defense. What
Aaron Glenn did in the Vikings game was brilliant. He
just blitz the daylights out of Sam Darnald and turned
Sam Darnald into what we know he is and has
been in his career. So but Philadelphia, when you look
at them, gosh, across the board, they're so solid in everything,
(21:22):
they do the running game. If they can't throw it,
they're gonna run it. Defensively, they have been very sound
Vic Fangio, you know, a lot of people try to
run his defense. Nobody really runs it effectively except Vic Fangio.
And so this is Philadelphia's, in my opinion, is the
team that I think could challenge Detroit. But Jim, I'm
with you. I've seen nothing to tell me all season,
(21:44):
even with all these injuries, that anybody is better than Detroit.
In the NFC.
Speaker 5 (21:51):
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We're visiting with Jim Paulzine of the Wisconsin State Journal.
Let's switch our attention to the college football playoff.
Speaker 4 (22:09):
Here.
Speaker 5 (22:09):
A lot of votes about hand ringing at the blowouts,
which really shouldn't be that biggest surprise. We had a
lot of these on a fourteen playoff. But in a
general sense, Jim, have you been entertained, What if anything
would you tweet with this format?
Speaker 2 (22:26):
I've been very entertained. I'll say this.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
I've watched more college football, you know, probably all season
than I have in past seasons, just because I think
the lead up in the regular season had a ton
of value just in terms of figuring out who's going
to get in this playoff, and then once it started,
even with the blowouts, I was very, very intrigued. I
think the one obvious tweak I'm not the first one
(22:48):
to suggest this, is that I would like the home
games to continue into the second round. I think I
think Ohio State should have been playing at Oregon. I
think that's, you know, as much of an advantage to
a top as it is to sit out a week.
I think it's even more advantage for that team to
play a home game in its first game. So that'd
be my tweak. I think I would also tweak the seeding.
(23:09):
I don't know that if you're considered the eleventh or
twelfth best team in the country, you deserve to be
getting a buy into the quarterfinals.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
That's the other thing. But all in all, I like
I like the number it's at.
Speaker 1 (23:24):
I have a feeling they're going to bump up a
couple spots to fourteen at some point, which doesn't anchor
me in any way. But I like twelve where it's at,
and I've.
Speaker 2 (23:35):
Been fascinated from start to finish.
Speaker 4 (23:38):
Yeah, you know, I have two And you know, it's
interesting to see some teams start to catch fire. I
didn't know much about Notre Dame, but boy have I
been impressed by them. You see Penn Steak kind of
get it going to Ohio State. It's a second win
to reprieve after that Michigan loss at the end of
the regular season. It's been fascinating to watch and you
see these teams kind of evolving. And boy, tell you what,
(24:00):
Ohio State, the way they went at Oregon, that was amazing.
I was shocked that they beat them the way they did.
Speaker 5 (24:07):
Yeah, best, I think the best team out there when
it's right Ohio State just the explosive. It seems to
check all the boxes, even though they've had their share
of injuries as well. The one thing, though, I got
to admit that I've been wrong with I thought going
into this Bowl season in general, I thought, maybe at
the point they need to repurpose this stuff with opt outs,
(24:29):
the portal calendar and all of that, maybe just move
these games two week zero the following year. But I'm
looking you know, I've glanced at you know, the television
numbers are big. I think Alabama and Michigan had more
than six million people in Michigan played a lot of
backups because of guys who had opted out or whatever,
but the brands are so big.
Speaker 4 (24:48):
I don't know, Jim.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Every time, I think we've kind of hit the end
of the line with the non playoff bowls. People tune in,
they like football, they like gambling. So I guess you
were able to. I was able to go ahead and
scratch that itch in the month of December at early January.
Speaker 1 (25:05):
Yeah, And I do think the playoff has generated just
interest all around college football to the point where you're,
you know, you want to tune in for Alabama Michigan
because Alabama is a team that everyone said should be
in the playoffs. So I think it's fun for people
to tune in and say, oh, maybe that Alabama team
is not as good as we thought it was, and
to watch that. I just think, you know, there's more
teams talked about during the year now because everyone's not everyone,
(25:28):
but a lot of teams are in the playoff hunt
for you know, deeper into the season because there's twelve
now instead of four. So I think the conversation is
is bigger from August till you know, first week of December,
and I think it then carries over into the non
playoff Bowl. So I think that's part of it is.
I just think people are interested and as much as
(25:49):
people want to complain about the portal, and and you know,
I've had so many fans say I'm done with college football, Well,
the numbers are indicating that people aren't done with college football.
So I think the portal brings on intrigue in terms
of how teams are constructed and how teams can play
with so many new pieces each and every year. I
just think it makes people keep watching.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
On the Lery vi Lape podcast, here we're with Jim Polzine,
sports columnists Wisconsin State Journal. You know, I agree with you.
I the portal drives me crazy because it gets my
head spinning. Okay, so I don't know who's gonna show
up where, but once they get there, and I'm seeing
this especially as I watch college basketball, once they get there,
you know, you assemble the team and you go with that,
(26:33):
and you you just understand, these guys aren't gonna be
there four years or that type of thing. But it's
it's very interesting. I wonder, guys, and I would ask
both of you this, does it give hope? I mean,
you know, you're kind of not stuck with the guys
you recruited in terms of four year players. You can
if things didn't go well and your four year recruits
(26:55):
you get, you can go into the portal and maybe
get somebody quarterback who can turn you around, some players
who can make a huge difference immediately. What do you
guys think?
Speaker 2 (27:04):
Yeah, I think the answer to that is yes and no.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I'm coming from a p Wisconsin perspective, right and I
think the big thing that happened this year is Indiana.
Indiana provided hope for anybody in that third fourth tier
wherever we put in Wisconsin right now, that you can
fix things pretty quickly if you get the right mix
of players and the right schedule. So I do think
(27:26):
in this portal era, if you hit it right, you
can exceed expectations. The one thing I think the portal
has changed is it always used to be that a
team like Wisconsin could get old and be experienced and
then maybe take down the powerhouse like Ohio State. Because
maybe Ohio State had a bunch of guys leave for
the NFL and was a little bit younger or inexperienced
(27:48):
that year. Now Ohio State could just go out and
sign five or six players to fill holes out of
the portal, and five of the six best players in
the country, and it makes catching those elite teams, I
think a little bit more challenging. So I think there's
I think there's a better chance of getting in that
you know, I guess I would say five to twenty range,
maybe a little bit more difficult chance of getting past
(28:11):
the top five.
Speaker 2 (28:13):
Does that make any sense?
Speaker 5 (28:14):
Yeah, No, that's a great point. And you mentioned Indiana.
I think Indiana will do for this era what Wisconsin
did back thirty plus years ago. Albarez gets there and
a program that had been a have not for a
long long time all of a sudden became a player
on the national States. Not to win a national championship,
(28:34):
I guess, but certainly one that could win the Big Ten,
go to the Rose Bowl and win a ton of games. Well,
Indiana in this era, at least for one year. We'll
see what you know, twenty twenty five brings, But like
whoa if they could do it, there's a have not
if ever there was one in college football. But I've
always I've said this for quite a while now with
(28:56):
Wisconsin been weighing a Moore you with this one here,
I think the Brewers have to look at it as
the college equivalent to being the Milwaukee The Badgers have
to look at this as the college equivalent of being
the Milwaukee Brewers. You know, they're not going to get
the highest priced free agents out there. You've got to
get some guys with Jim and I were talking off air,
(29:17):
a chip on their shoulders, somebody from if it's an
FCS program, a D two, a D three, not across
the board, but certainly in some cases where they've been
very good at that level, and now you trust that
that player will continue to develop and be really good
at Wisconsin, much like we've seen the Brewers build the
occasional splash free agent, but in a lot of ways,
(29:38):
just more of those grinders you get young and you
hope they can develop within your organization, but with college
athletics too, and we'll see if it happens. But there
has to be some kind of a set of rules
here where if it's through a CBA, whatever, it is
where a player will at least commit for two years
(30:00):
into your program because this free agency every year is crazy.
And I don't know how you change the calendar because
you still have academic issues believe it or not that
you have to you have to deal with here. Maybe
you start the season earlier and ended earlier. I don't know, Jim,
that seems like that's just a mess the way December
(30:21):
works with the port.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Yeah, I've seen suggestions, but every every solution seems to
bring out about another set of problems. I feel for
guys like Luke Fickel and other coaches in December, I mean,
it's it's it's chaos because you're, you know, you're putting
together a high school you're finishing off a high school
class that that signs that first week in December. You're
(30:44):
probably having to spend a good chunk of late November
into early December figuring out how you're going to retain
the guys you want to retain for the next season.
And that's, you know, that's become a challenging and of itself.
And then once you kind of figure out what holes
need to be filled, you are diving into the portal
and trying to trying to find the right pieces when
(31:06):
you're not spending a lot of time getting to know
these guys.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
And Greg greg Gard always calls it speed dating.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
And that's what it's become, is you're you're trying to
find guys that are good fits athletically and schematically but
also culturally. And it's just it's become a little bit
like throwing darts and you just kind of hope you
you've got the right fit, and then things can change
on a dime. A guy you thought might be in
(31:31):
your plans for twenty twenty five can decide on December
twenty seventh or something that he wants to go in
the portal or leaf the NFL or whatever. So it's
it's madness. And I do think you know you mentioned CBA.
I mean there's there's a bunch of things that need
to be fixed contracts and enforceable contracts, and you know,
(31:53):
probably these guys have to become employees somehow. I don't
know how that gets done. And you know, I I
also want to make it. I think the student athletes
deserve some sort of saying all this that there's this
right now, the system that's been put around them is
something they didn't necessarily agree to because they don't really
have a spot at the bargaining table. So I don't
know how you fix it. That's a lot of words
(32:13):
to describe that. I think we're still a long way
from getting to a place where it's it's sustainable and
something that works.
Speaker 4 (32:23):
And it's a lot like NFL free agency, Jim, you
mentioned it many words ago, that getting the right person
in there, you know, I mean, not all of these
people you bring in through the portal paying out. And
I'm getting ready to do a game Kansas and Iowa
State College basketball next week, and I'm looking at these rosters,
(32:44):
and I'm looking at aj store and I'm watching Kansas
and this guy he can't get on the floor basically,
and you could tell Bill self is trying to get
him in there a little bit, but he ends up
making a terrible mistake at the defensive end of the floor.
He gets pulled out. Ryland Griffin from Alabama goes in
and takes his minutes, and it's just and I watch
(33:06):
these teams and it's interesting. Iowa stake, it's a bunch
of what we would call second tier portal guys and
they work and they fit and that team is really good,
third ranked team of the nation right now, and Kansas
is struggling a little bit. Still top ten, but struggling.
And you know, it's just getting the right people and
fitting them in there. That's a huge challenge. And the
(33:27):
last thing I'll say in the subject is the Packers
have a defensive coordinator because he got sick of this
whole process at Boston College. Jeff Haffley, head coach of
Boston College for the last four years, finally said I
don't want to do this. I want to coach, and
he went to the NFL. And I can tell you
right now he's happy as a clam coaching defense and
coaching the Packers, and you know, the Packers of the
(33:49):
beneficiary because I think he's done a great job of
that defense.
Speaker 5 (33:53):
Now, it is interesting that, Jim, you had a great
You got a lot of great points here. But you
know where people will tell you and I've heard this
same thing, well I'm done. I'm done with college sports.
And then you look at the television rating. It's like
at the end, you you hate, like with with college football,
you hate Sunday through Friday, but on Saturdays you're going
to you're going to take in the game in person,
(34:14):
you watch it however you consume it. But the sustainability
of it, that that is that is a major, a
major concern moving forward. And then how how competitive can
the Wisconsins of the world really be? You know, what's
the ceiling? What really can be the ceiling for Wisconsin?
Those are questions that remain to be answered.
Speaker 1 (34:36):
Yeah, the thing I thought, the thing I think when
you when you brought that up, that I where my
mind went was a lot of the people have told
me they're done. This is come during basketball season. Have
now watched Wisconsin basketball team. You get off to a
pretty good start, and I think if there's anything that
can kind of bring you back into the fold as
a fan, it's it's a winning team and a team
that's been fun to watch. So you know, all of
(34:58):
a sudden, the people that say the transfer portal is
killing NCAA Athletics see you guy like John Tom Jay
pretty well in his first couple of months, and like, oh,
you know, maybe this isn't such a horrible thing after all.
So I just think winning is the cure for almost anything,
and it and make fans jumped back on board pretty quickly.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Yeah, they seem to. They seem to embrace Badger's legend
Russell Wilson to those five on teams here, it's.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
My gosh, yeah, oh Lobard. Yet, man, if you get
a Russell Wilson in the portal, wolves are off. We're
all with you, We're for you.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
The example I always use is when when I hear
Wisconsin fans complain about the transfer portal is, uh, well,
you know, look at the volleyball team. You seem to
be pretty interested in this volleyball team, and in Sarah Franklin,
who's is one of the best players to pass through.
Here is a transfer, and Carter Booth is a transfer.
They've had a lot of transfers. Uh, you know, help
kind of keep this program at an elite level.
Speaker 4 (35:57):
Yeah, listen, you know, kind of on that note, I
know we're going to wrap up here at a moment,
but women's sports, volleyball and basketball over the last couple
of years have really come to the for especially last
year with the Caitlyn Clark phenomenon. All right, without Caitlin Clark,
are people watching women's college basketball the way they were
(36:19):
a year ago? That's the thing I wonder about. And
what do you guys see on the beat that you're on.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Wisconsin volleyball especially has been I mean it's the last
five years has exploded. And part of that is that
you had some players in here, elite players that led
this program to national title, and I think it took off,
but it had taken off even before there. I think
people have just become more enthralled in that sport in general.
(36:45):
Like you give volleyball a chance. And this is I'm
speaking from experience. You watch a volleyball game on TV
and you're like, Wow, this is something special. You go
to a game in person, it's a completely different sport
in person. It's really a fabulous sport to watch. And
then you know, these are players that you can see,
You get to see their faces, you get to learn
more about them, and it's become a really big thing.
(37:07):
And you've got a guy like Kelly Sheffield who is
over and over and over just promoting this sport as
much as he can. I mean, now, now I just
wrote about this week. There's Madison has a professional women's
volleyball team that's debuting this week and they'll play its
first home matches next week at the Fieldhouse, and and
has brought in some players from former players from Wisconsin
but also around the country, and so I think it's
(37:28):
gonna be big. I think people will. I think people,
because of what Wisconsin has done in volleyball at an
NCA level, will latch onto this professional team. And I
think it'll do pretty well here. I think there's gonna
be some pretty big crowds. So I think that's a
big thing. I mean women's basketball again. I go back
to what I said in my previous answer. You bring
in a winner, it's gonna fill the seats.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
I was.
Speaker 1 (37:49):
I was on the beat back in the you know,
early two thousands when Jane Albright had this program clicking,
and the crowds there were pretty pretty good. So I
think I think I think fans will attached to a winner.
And this program is still kind of slowly but surely
trying to get to a level where it can.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
Be a winner.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
But I think if it does, I think fans will
jump on board. I think that's a program. I think
that's a sleeping giant from a fan standpoint. I think
people want to follow that program. It's just they need
something to convince them.
Speaker 5 (38:19):
Yeah, and I think nationally Wayne, it will be good,
but I can't imagine it would match last year. Katelin
Clark is carrying women's basketball. She just is, and the
rivalry with her and Angel Reese at the college level
extending to the w NBA that now I think now
it doesn't have nearly the depth of talent that the
(38:40):
men's game has, but the women's game has more depth
than it used to have. You've got more teams that
you could say, yeah, you got a shot, you have
a shot, and there are still stars in the game,
So I think there could be a little bit of carryover,
but to expect the viewership numbers that it had last
year with Caitlyn Clark is probably not realistic.
Speaker 4 (39:01):
Yeah, absolutely, but it's still I mean, a very good
sport was revealed there and I think it's going to
be it'll it'll it'll be a good Uh, it will
be a great fouto.
Speaker 1 (39:12):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (39:12):
Yes, last question for me, guys, for both of you
big time college football guys, I can't wait to watch
the playoff games as we go forward here the semifinals.
Give me your picks. Who do you think is gonna
win this thing.
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I tend to think it'll be Ohio State. Maybe this
is wishful thinking. I think it'll be an all Big
ten final Ohio State versus Penn State. I think Ohio
State's gonna win. I think Ohio States got the most talent.
I think they've got a little bit of chip on
their shoulder after the Michigan loss, so I'll I'll take
Ohio State. My question to Matt before he answers is
if this, if this program wins a national title, what's
what is Ryan days?
Speaker 2 (39:49):
You know, how favorable is he there?
Speaker 1 (39:51):
Like?
Speaker 2 (39:51):
What what is his approval ranking in Columbus? Uh?
Speaker 1 (39:55):
Because he's lost to Michigan four three times, but a
national title is pretty hard to top.
Speaker 5 (39:58):
Yeah, it's kind of goal I thought, is to try
to you know, the ultimate goal. But I've said this
for a while. It's good with not everybody there, but
with a certain percentage of the fan base.
Speaker 4 (40:08):
Is going to be yeah.
Speaker 5 (40:08):
But yeah, you won the national title. Is a great parade,
get a great rally back at you know, we're indoors
or outdoors however they do it if they win it
all but man, you got to beat Michigan. That's four
straight years as for the college crowd is just different,
and especially at a place like that where they're crazy.
Maybe not always in a bad way, but sometimes in
(40:29):
a bad way. There would be a certain yah butt,
but there would be a lot of people jumping back
into saying, hey, I was with them all along. And
so if you're Ryan Day, do you a double bird
everybody there and take another gig or do you just
keep collecting those ten million dollars and see if you
can beat Michigan the following year and go back. It's
just it is a the old line of the SEC.
It just means more. That applies to Ohio State as well,
(40:51):
and and other selected schools not in the SEC. It's
just different.
Speaker 4 (40:57):
Yeah, absolutely, Jim listened. We can thank you enough for
taking time out. Great to have you with us, and
you know, continued success on the beat, which is all
of Wisconsin sports and we certainly enjoy reading you.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
Thanks guys. I appreciate it, good talk.
Speaker 4 (41:12):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 5 (41:12):
Man, take care, we'll see it. I guess I didn't
give my pick, So people if they hear this after
the games, they can laugh at me, but I think
Ohio State is the best team there. We'll see if
it's either Texas or if it's Notre Dame or Penn State,
if they can kind of pull them into more of
a grinder. I'm not the biggest believer in momentum game
(41:34):
to game, but the fact is before the season started
waying people viewed Ohio State as the most talented team
in the country, and certainly it's been playing that way.
Speaker 4 (41:44):
Yeah, I certainly did. I mean that Rose Bowl win
over Oregon was so impressive, but you know, the team
that's really jumped out of me, Matt and I didn't
realize they were this good, especially defensive lean that's Notre Dame,
and I think they've got a good shot at Penn State.
I'm of the ilk that believes James Franklin until he
wins a big game, as if the two playoff games
he's won so far aren't big, but wins a really
(42:07):
big game, I'm going to kind of doubt Penn State,
but should be good. I think both games gonna be good.
I don't know what you think. Texas has played real
well and so it'll be interesting to see on all
fans out.
Speaker 5 (42:18):
Yeah, Darrow escape for those guys in the game against
Arizona State, which was clearly the most entertaining game I
think of this playoff here, at least through the quarterfinal round.
Joe Rudolph the former Badger offensive lineman. He was an
no aligned coach at Wisconsin. He's the offensive blank coach
at Notre Dame. So I never really thought I would
be rooting for Notre Dame to do something. But if
(42:39):
they do, I'd be really happy for him because he's
a heck of a coach, really smart guy and just
a great dude. So happy for him that they're having
such a good year.
Speaker 4 (42:48):
Boy, if you're a football fan, just a great weekend
coming up with the college football playoffs and the NFL
playoffs all underway. Well that'll do it for us. This
time special thanks to Wisconsin State General Sports column as
Jimpoe's for math. This is Wayne, Thank you very much
for listening to the Lreravian la pay podcast.
Speaker 3 (43:07):
The Laravian la Pey Podcast is a production of iHeartRadio
Podcasts with hosts Wayne Larravy and Matt Lapey, with production
engineering by Dave McCann. The Lreovian la Pey Podcast is
presented by UW Credit Union. Here for every you listen
to other episodes available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts,
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