Pacers Shock Knicks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Named MVP, Jim Irsay Passes, Dallas Stars Rally, Texas Baseball, Texas QB Draft Buzz & More!

Welcome to "The Morning Kickoff Show" with Mike "Hardball" Hardge & "The World's Strongest Man" Mark Henry. Today the guys talked about the NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 last night as the Indiana Pacers make a miraculous comeback against the New York Knicks. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander wins the NBA MVP Award. The passing of the Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay. The Dallas Stars excite their fans with a comeback victory last night against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL Conference Finals. A way too early NFL Draft talks which has a Texas quarterback already projected to be drafted high. A preview of the Texas baseball and softball games tonight. You can hear it all here on “The Morning Kickoff Show!”

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thank you for tuning in to the podcast of The
Morning Kickoff with myself, Mike Carboll Hartz, and the world's
strongest man in WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry.

Speaker 2 (00:10):
Guys, we really would like it if you would advertise
with us, because we only go as far as you
let us.

Speaker 1 (00:16):
That's right, Folks, tune in and make sure you tell
five friends to tell five friends. The Morning Kickoff seven
to nine am Monday through Friday right here on Sports
Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone. Good Morning, Austin, k Town, Fluggerville, Htown, pair.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
Land, Leander and Seals, be Texas or wherever you may
be listening.

Speaker 3 (00:37):
This is a throwback Thursday.

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Edition of The Morning Kickoff on Sports Radio AM thirteen
hundred The Zone. The Eastern Conference Finals had a great
finish and an MVP was named.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
The Dallas Stars.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Had an improbable comeback. NFL announced Hard Knocks participants.

Speaker 3 (00:58):
We've got Eric Henry.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
Of Horn twenty four to seven joining us talking all
things Texas and speaking of Texas coach Jim Slosnagel SEC
Coach of the Year will be joining us at eight
am previewing the Tennessee matchup as the volunteers defeeling Alabama,
so we know that matchup for today and again a

(01:21):
way too early twenty twenty six quarterback evaluation that has
one well you guessed it, Arch Manning in it, so
we'll talk about it there.

Speaker 3 (01:35):
I am your host, Mike Harballharts.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
My co host is a WWE Hall of Famer, it
recognized as the world's strongest man.

Speaker 3 (01:42):
He is Deep Mark Henry. Good morning Austin.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
And of course we've got our guy Marcus behind the boards. Marcus,
before we get into this, you know, we come into
the show and we give shout outs to our cities.
Right k Town where I'm from, Salesby, where the big
fellas from.

Speaker 3 (02:00):
Come on, where are you from? Man, I'm from the
h Man Houston for Life. Okay, so we're gonna have
to I put h Town in there. I just wanted
to make sure that I was representing you properly. Oh okay, yeah, yeah, yeah,
you got me enough?

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Okay, cool. Then I'll make sure I'll continue to do that.
And if you want to be a part of the show,
all you got to do is text the word Texas,
follow by your message to eight one five three zero
standard data and message rates may apply. That's the word
Texas followed by your message to eight one five three
zero Standard data and message rates may apply. Also, we're

(02:32):
gonna give you a chance to win a pair of
tickets to go see Judas Priest and of course Alice Cooper.
But all you got to do is use that new
and improved Ieheart radio app, you know, the one that
you got us on your presets. All you got to
do is hold that microphone down and leave a keyword
for today. And I'll give you that keyword a little
bit later. But let's get right into the NBA. Last night,

(02:54):
we had two things happen. Number One, shay Gilchris Alexander
was finally named named MVP, and I know a lot
of folks were thinking that he was going to be
named at It was between Joker Sga and Antetokoupo Giannis. Well,
the votes were in and of course it came down

(03:16):
to Shay Gil Chris Alexander. He was really excited about that,
so excited that he brought his entire team in and
bought them rolexes O.

Speaker 3 (03:26):
So he is truly a team guy.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
He understands the message at that moment. But the question
and the situation that is out there right there, right now. Mark,
They have not there has not been an American MVP,
someone born in the US to win the MVP the

(03:49):
last seven times.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Think about that. Wow, think about that. It's international game now,
It definitely is. But that's why everybody's looking at Cooper.
That's what they wait. I wish he's our guy. I'm
putting all my eggs in the Cooper Flag basket.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
You got to, I mean, because everybody is looking for
him to say.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
I want to go back in time to the month
before the Olympics and they were at training camp and
they had Cooper Flag at the training camp and.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
Bam out of Bayo got done.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
Yeah, Anthony Davis got done.

Speaker 3 (04:35):
He was he was killing him and they were like, man,
who is this dude? Remember?

Speaker 2 (04:42):
And that was his first like on the scene type
of presence against the best players on Earth. So what's
going to happen to the guys that are not the
best players on Earth?

Speaker 1 (04:56):
Some Cooper Flag Knights in Dallas. He definitely need to
get it going. You gotta get up there, man. I
want to see his first game, so we'll see.

Speaker 2 (05:06):
Hey, I saw Lebron's first game. I want to see
coop of play first game.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
There you go.

Speaker 1 (05:11):
Well, here's how it breaks down on the MVP voting
Shake Gil, Chris Alexander seventy one first place votes, twenty
nine second place votes for a total of nine hundred
and thirteen total points. Joker got twenty nine first place
votes and seventy one second place votes, Gianni's got all

(05:34):
third place votes, Jason Tatum got all third place votes,
and Donovan Mitchell got third place vote. So congratulations to
Shank Gil Chris Alexander. We'll talk a little bit more
about him a little bit later as they get.

Speaker 3 (05:49):
Ready for a game number two.

Speaker 1 (05:51):
But the NBA continues to be drama field and having
so much fun. And when I say that they're having fun,
they are definitely and Italy having a lot of fun.
And last night with seven seconds was the longest seven
seconds for a New York Knicks fan. As one of
the worst displays of closing out a game, it happened.

Speaker 4 (06:18):
Well, Tyrese, those lastics, well, Tyrese, those last six minutes.

Speaker 5 (06:31):
Two point game Indiana with it, he broke, don't take it.

Speaker 6 (06:40):
Back pedal play from the game.

Speaker 1 (06:50):
Unbelievable. It ended up being a two to tie the game.
This was a display of failure. It was also a
display of a team that in the first time, first
time in the history of the NBA, that a team
had given up a lead like that and ended up

(07:14):
losing the ballgame. They were up fifty or fourteen points
with two minutes and fifty seconds left in the game.
In regulation, NBA teams were zero in nine hundred and
seventy in those ballgames. That means nobody came from a

(07:39):
fourteen or more deficit to in the final two minutes
and fifty seconds of regulation. In the playoffs in the
last twenty seven postseasons, they are now one in nine
hundred and seventy.

Speaker 2 (07:54):
Hey, it'd be a shame before God if they fired
that coach, because that was the coaching mistake.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
They eight points.

Speaker 2 (08:05):
I would have called the time out and cussed everybody
out on the bench. They Mama's everybody, you.

Speaker 1 (08:14):
Do not play the clock. You never play the clock.
Are you gonna get played? That was a coach's fault.
They listen. He had a great season, They unbelievable season.
They're in a conference final, but in a huge giant

(08:39):
right noceros. But he didn't do his job when it
mattered most.

Speaker 2 (08:48):
He allowed them to play like that, never called the
time out and got everybody on the same page. All
they'll work it out. We got you know, I man
in thirty seconds. That was horrible. I'm Nate Smith running
around shooting threes. Nobody's hockey checking him. Man, I'd have

(09:09):
brought one of those guys that didn't have four or
five fouls on the Listen, I need him checked. If
you get if you go to the line, I'd rather
don't let him get the ball off.

Speaker 3 (09:21):
That's NBA basketball. So I'm just.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
Saying, like all the New York Knick fans in the
world are in shock.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
I was sitting there just puzzled.

Speaker 2 (09:33):
I love New York, but as you can hear, over
the last month and a half, all I've done is
singing HALLI Brad Halliburton's praises. He's a dog and everybody
counted him out. You cannot count that guy out. He
is a player, and I think that he's developing. He's

(09:57):
like Neo from the Matrix. Now he believes in itself.
Now he truly believes that he's not overrated, and he's
letting everybody know, well he talked about it in the
post game, and here's what he had to say, because
he never stopped believing in his team and how he

(10:19):
got things done well.

Speaker 4 (10:20):
Ty Reese, those last six minutes get your heart pumping
a little bit.

Speaker 3 (10:25):
That's most fun, you know, Winning this fun.

Speaker 6 (10:27):
And uh, you know, I'm so proud of the resilience
of this group.

Speaker 3 (10:30):
We've shown it all year.

Speaker 6 (10:31):
We had to win in so many different, random, unique ways.

Speaker 3 (10:35):
Had today we just kept kept going, kept fighting and uh, man,
that's I know.

Speaker 4 (10:40):
It's how your goal, but you keep entertaining us. We
got to go back to end of regulation. Was there
any thought in your mind of taking it too and
was there hesitation or were you always going to come
back out.

Speaker 3 (10:48):
One for the two?

Speaker 6 (10:49):
And then Mcheal hit the ball and I didn't know
how the times left. I just tried to gather myself.

Speaker 3 (10:53):
And knocked the shot down.

Speaker 6 (10:54):
I thought it was a three h I tried to
hit the sally and it didn't work, but we finished
it in over time, So man, okay, and you had
to do the jokes sign too, right, Yeah, everybody's wanting
me to do.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
I was gonna hold it for the right time. That
felt appropriate.

Speaker 6 (11:08):
And then you know it went overtime, so well, we
got to say that for later with.

Speaker 4 (11:14):
All the incredible advice that Reggie Malaria has given you
in your personal relationship with him was go for the kill,
always go for the three and the win one of them.

Speaker 3 (11:22):
Just go win the game, Just go win the game. Well,
New Stith was incredible too.

Speaker 4 (11:25):
I mean it took a full effort from everybody, but
just to see the different levels, especially in a game
where it felt like New York had controlled this whole game,
what was it like to see in the toughest moments
everybody rise.

Speaker 6 (11:33):
Yeah, we've played a lot of games where it felt
like the other team that control it ain't over.

Speaker 3 (11:37):
Till it's over till his zero. That's a hell of
a win, you know.

Speaker 6 (11:42):
But I really do think there's a lot for us
to improve on.

Speaker 3 (11:45):
You know, we got I don't know.

Speaker 6 (11:46):
What the final rebound number was. I felt like they
dominated us there. That's a that's area where we wanted
to be great. We weren't good today, but we just
figured out the way to win.

Speaker 1 (11:53):
Man.

Speaker 3 (11:53):
I'm just so proud that it's Drue.

Speaker 5 (11:54):
Thanks Tyres.

Speaker 3 (11:55):
We'll see on Friday for sure, for sure, How do
you not like that, dude?

Speaker 1 (11:58):
Yeah, you definitely got to like And I love the
way that he goes about everything and continues to have fun.
His dad was acting a fool as usual when he
got a chance to see his son make that shot.
So I'm impressed with all of that. Let's keep this
party going. Coming up next, we're gonna talk about hard Knocks.

Speaker 3 (12:18):
That's right.

Speaker 1 (12:19):
They made a decision on who the team will be
for the season, but they also did us a favor
to watch an actual division.

Speaker 3 (12:28):
I love it.

Speaker 1 (12:29):
Right here on the Morning Kickoff on Sports Radio AM
thirteen hundred The Zone. We're just getting started here on
a Thursday edition of The Morning Kickoff. Right here on
Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone, Mike Harball hars
world's strongest man in WWE Hall of Famer d Mark Henry,
and of course we got our guy Marcus holding it down.

(12:52):
Also coming up in the next segment will be joined
by Eric Henry of Horns twenty four to seven as
he breaks down all things Texas Longhorns. And at the
top of the hour, we'll have coach Jim Slasnagel as
they get ready for a day baseball folks. Three pm

(13:12):
first pitch and two forty five pregame right here on
AM thirteen hundred to zone. You can hear Craig Way
and Keith Morland right here. But I want to get
into this conversation about the NFL and hard knocks. But
before we get into that mark, yesterday it was announced
that Jim Ersay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, passed away.

(13:35):
They haven't said what he passed away from, but he
was one of those guys that was not afraid to
voice his opinion. He was not afraid to say it
with his chest, as we like to say, and he
did never back down from any type of situation. I
saw a video yesterday of Ersay, and this is what
made me think of you.

Speaker 3 (13:57):
Is he was a during his time, he was a
He squatted.

Speaker 1 (14:04):
I believe at one point he just casually squatted five
eighty five and everybody was kind of in shock with that.

Speaker 3 (14:13):
But you know, it just says.

Speaker 1 (14:15):
That this guy was one of those dudes that was
about that life. He was about that life, and a
lot of folks continue to voice their opinions about him,
saying that they miss him and all the players that
played for him, knew that he was one of those
owners that was about that life.

Speaker 3 (14:33):
Yeah, he was a good guy.

Speaker 2 (14:35):
I met him a couple of times. Nothing, never had
any one on one individual conversation and nothing like that.

Speaker 3 (14:44):
But he just seemed like a solid human. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:47):
And I mean, I know he had his demons and
you know what, you know some of what led to
his untimely demise. You know, he wasn't an old man
six years old. It's still a lot of life left.
And I pray for his family and you know, wish

(15:08):
the best for all of the people with his team
coping and everything.

Speaker 3 (15:12):
I just retweeted.

Speaker 1 (15:14):
The video of him squatting five twenty five like it
was nothing so sad, sad day in Indianapolis, and he
had actually tweeted out for them to get the victory,
talking about the Indiana Pacers. Wish them luck and for
them to go out and get the victory. That's unbelievable

(15:36):
when you think about it. But I wanted to get
into this because finally they have found the teams that
they want to put in hard knocks and this year's
team and I'm kind of excited about this because we
already know that their fan base is off the chain.

Speaker 3 (15:56):
But the Buffalo.

Speaker 1 (15:57):
Bills were announced yesterday that they will be the featured
team on Hard Knocks, and it is the first time
in franchise history. We're gonna get a chance to see
Josh Allen go to work every single day. You're gonna
see Sean McDermott go about his business, Brandon Bean do

(16:18):
his thing in the front office. But this is a
team that a lot of folks, a lot of folks
think has a chance to win the Super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (16:28):
You just had Josh Allen win the MVP.

Speaker 1 (16:31):
Now he gets an opportunity to showcase his behind the
scenes work ethic. Those teams that follow them, I mean
those those reporters and everybody that's part of that, they
follow them, they'll get a chance to you know, we'll
get a chance to see what they see every single day.
But I've always liked Hard Knocks because of the storylines.

(16:52):
You see guys come into camp, you see guys get released,
you see guys get contracts, you see all the different
things in the conversations that go along with it. But
having this team, the Buffalo Bills involved is.

Speaker 3 (17:06):
Something that I look forward to hard.

Speaker 2 (17:09):
I think that it exposes a little bit too much,
you know. I mean it's entertaining for us as fans,
but the true football savants and the competitive coaches hards,
they're sitting there studying film, looking at formations, personnel, seeing

(17:30):
who gets cut like they do. They really monitor it all.
And that's the one thing that I think is a
negative about it.

Speaker 1 (17:39):
But wait, wait, wait, wait wait, what do you mean
that the h they're watching film and cutting it?

Speaker 3 (17:45):
And what do you mean by that?

Speaker 2 (17:46):
When I say that, I mean you're you're getting to
watch practice. Basically, you don't get to watch the full practices,
but they have.

Speaker 3 (17:55):
You get to see them doing things.

Speaker 2 (17:57):
You see them in different formations, you see them running
plays against each other, and that's that's a part of
it that I feel like is a little bit too intrusive.

Speaker 7 (18:08):
Truth.

Speaker 3 (18:09):
I mean, I wouldn't want everybody knowing what we're gonna do.

Speaker 1 (18:12):
Well, they're not going to show the entire uh setup
and call and all that other stuff. But they I mean,
they scrimmage against people all the time. There's other teams
that are there anyway, so it's not just that. But
I look at it and I I love this kind
of stuff right here because it's just like after a
while you forget that they're there and you just go

(18:33):
be yourself. And then you have people within your organization
that edited to make sure that there's nothing that shouldn't
be out there.

Speaker 3 (18:40):
I mean, you got you've been.

Speaker 2 (18:42):
I do like them for the interactions between like you
know the coaches and players, absolutely and you see you
you you learn people's personalities absolutely, Like that's that's the
love of the show.

Speaker 1 (18:55):
Yeah, I'm all in for this and I look forward
to it. And the fact too, Now that Hard Knocks
has made the announcement that they will be covering the
Buffalo Bills, they also said that during the end season
part of it, they will be covering the NFC East,

(19:17):
so we get a chance to see all of the
teams that the.

Speaker 3 (19:20):
Cowboys play, including the Cowboys.

Speaker 1 (19:23):
They will be featured on the in season part of
this that comes out in December. So for me, I
am all in on what the NFL is doing this year.
Buffalo who is trying to be the new America's team
in the Cowboys, the Eagles super Bowl champs, New York

(19:44):
who they're trying to figure out what the hell is
going on in New York, and then the Washington Commanders,
who is the hottest team in their owner believes that
they are now the new America's team. So it's interesting
to me with all of this movement that is going
on in in the NFL.

Speaker 2 (20:00):
If I was not a Cowboy fan, I think I
remember you asked.

Speaker 3 (20:04):
Me who would you be a fan of?

Speaker 2 (20:06):
I think it would be Buffalo And it's because of
their fan base how much like they respect the other fans,
they want to have a good time. They dive off
tables and I mean drive off benches and jump through tables.
I like the tailgating part of the big part really.

(20:27):
But they got a great team and it's a team
of toughness. It's not a team that's a finesse team.
You know. Josh Allen Man like, if you got a
great quarterback, that's a good part of having a you know.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
A team that's going to win. And they got one.
So you're interested in being part of Bill's mafia. So
you want to be jumping through table.

Speaker 2 (20:53):
I didn't say that I wanted to. He's a w
w E wrestler. He's done this before. Yeah, I've been
put through tables.

Speaker 3 (21:00):
I'm like, ain't you done with that? Bro, I'm really done.

Speaker 2 (21:04):
I will watch and I would direct, hey, hey look
look you gotta go one leg, don't go go leg right,
So yeah, you start looking at this and to me,
I really really look forward to this part of the
season in the very beginning. It starts August the fifth
with the Buffalo Bill's preseason version of Hard Knocks before

(21:30):
the season starts. But they're in season. It's the NFC.
We'll find out what kind of leader he is too.

Speaker 1 (21:35):
We're gonna find out a lot about a lot of
people in this particular moment. Coming up next, we've got
our guy, Eric Henry of Hoardes twenty four to seven,
as he breaks down all things Texas Longhorns. Texas baseball
is in the SEC Tournament. We'll talk about the awards
and I want to ask him about the offensive line
when it comes to the University of Texas. Right here

(21:58):
on the morning kickoff on sports Radio A thirteen hundred
the zone, we're still efforting Eric Henry of Horns twenty
four to seven. He might come on with us. If
he doesn't come on with us today, he'll come on
with us later. But I want to get back into
the NBA real quick. Mark, because I think that one
of the things that we needed to talk about and

(22:19):
kind of break down is last night's performance. Last night's
performance by the New York Knicks. The New York Knicks,
as we said, we're up by fourteen points with a
couple minutes left in the ball game, and then you
got Aaron Naismith, who you were pretty adamant that they

(22:42):
needed to do something to stop him. He was eight
of nine from three point land, scored thirty points, and
he was integral in the comeback for the Indianapolis Pacer
or Indiana Pacers. But I want to go back to
the Knick side of things, Carl Anthony Towns. I believe
he probably played his best game of the season all around.

(23:04):
He had ten defensive rebounds twelve total. He was effective
in every single step of the way. But it was
clutch time where you get a chance like Jalen Brunson,
who was very special in the game himself. But he
was one of six from three point Land and they
shot thirty two percent from three, as Indiana shot forty

(23:29):
percent from three, and they end up choking, choking. Yes,
but my question is you already trying to fire the
coach so we're not.

Speaker 3 (23:40):
Going to do that. Coach ain't getting fired.

Speaker 1 (23:43):
Thibodeau is one of the best defensive coaches in the league.
That's why a lot of players don't want to play
for him because he expects so much from you on defense.
But they gave up one hundred and thirty eight points
yesterday in this ball game. So when you watched this
game and you saw it unfold, what was running through

(24:03):
your mind besides firing the coups.

Speaker 2 (24:06):
Call a time out? The league went actually the league
with like six minutes and twenty some seconds, it was
seventeen point lead, and I was like, I was bragging.
I was like, wow, call Heffter. The Towns did his thing.

(24:30):
Good job, man, They gotta do better with Brunston. And
Brunston had four files at the time. I was like, man,
he gotta stay out of foul trouble, right, And I'm like,
wait a minute. That's when the run started and they
Smith hit his first one, and then a guy that

(24:52):
hardly ever plays, Ny Smith plays, but he's not the scorer.
He's usually like the fourth option. He hit a three,
So that's back to back. They six points in like
ten seconds, and then Ny Smith comes around again. The
next possession hits another one, and I'm like, okay, call

(25:13):
it time out. This is when it was like nine points.
They waited and waited and waited. It never came yep,
And that's that's the coach. That's the coach's fault. Okay,
let me ask you this. Why can't it why why
can't it be the player's fault. They know what's going on.
They had it too because they relaxed, because they looked

(25:36):
at the clock. They're all like this hard. They're looking
up at the at the replays. Man, I'm like, focus, guys,
play the game. I'll tell you when the when the
time runs out.

Speaker 3 (25:51):
They it was.

Speaker 2 (25:52):
It was mismanager at the highest level. And the players
shouldn't be really mad at the coach because all of
them are pros exactly. And Jalen Bronson should have just said.

Speaker 1 (26:04):
To himself, well, he was in foul, but he was
in foul trouble himself. He was trying to get his
mind right, trying to figure everything else out. But look
at the end of it at this particular point, Yes,
coaching does matter, but leadership matters. And when I say leadership,
I'm talking about you emmy on the field, on the court,

(26:25):
making sure that everybody is doing their job to make
sure that the game is being handled.

Speaker 3 (26:31):
Who's your favorite basketball PA?

Speaker 1 (26:33):
We can all look at the clock and see and
look at the score dwindling down, Doctor J.

Speaker 2 (26:40):
You don't think Doctor J would have called the timeout himself.
The hell with the coach. You don't think he would
have called the timeout if he had a seventeen point
lead and it was down to nine with five minutes. Yeah,
he might have. Yeah, you're right. He would have been like, man,
what are we doing? Yeah, he would have called the

(27:04):
time out and oh, oh hard seven point lead with
two minutes left, six point lead, Nate Smith hits the
three and go now you're up about three.

Speaker 1 (27:18):
Call it time out at that point. Again, you knew
as well as I do. At that point things were changing.

Speaker 3 (27:26):
For I was in shocked.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yeah, yeah, things were changing quite a bit during that time.
And consistently, this is who Indian Indianapolis is, I mean
Indiana is.

Speaker 2 (27:39):
This is who they are. Well, they turn up when
when it when it gets tight. So that's that's another
well coached team. But they also have players that can
get rid of the nerves and focus on what the
coach is telling them. You can you can listen to
Halliburton talk and you can hear the intellect.

Speaker 3 (27:59):
They're a smart group of guys.

Speaker 2 (28:02):
And in the Knicks, I'm sure minus about three people
on that team, they got some smart guys. They got
three Villanova guys on that team.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
Yep. So you don't go to Villanova being a dummy.

Speaker 1 (28:16):
Well, they ended up losing that game, and it'll be
something that they will have to live with for quite
some time because of the fact that there was an
opportunity that was missed, especially when you're up that high
in the point differential, so it creates the moment that
you need to be to be at the elite level.

Speaker 3 (28:39):
Did were they tired? Was it the minutes?

Speaker 1 (28:41):
Was it them being out on the court as long
as they did in the in the in the stress
of being in the other tournament, I mean tournament, being
in the other round of the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (28:52):
No, I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (28:53):
I think it was the getting caught up with the
New York outside people. We outside carding the towns. He
pointed at people. He high five and his teammates he
had thirty five last night. He played great. He should
be high five and then being excited about it. How
about the inbounds how about a proper end brown bounds play?

(29:17):
They met, No, the three that came before that, they
had four of them in the game.

Speaker 3 (29:26):
Two of them should have been turnovers and wasn't.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
One killed them at the end, and then one was inconsequential,
So three of the four should have been turnovers. So
got lucky and regained his footing on the inbounds and
caught the ball and was able to put the ball

(29:52):
in the play. So like, what is that, Well, it's
an opportunity. Do you remember when Houston and Duke played, Yeah,
and the timeout came and they called it inbounds play

(30:13):
and scored. That's what Nick should have done last night.
If it gets tight, call a timeout and call a
play where it is. I'm begging there, he goes, Mark
Henry getting the hot and I love it.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
I love it. When we come back, we're gonna talk.

Speaker 1 (30:32):
Texas Star, Dallas Star. Excuse me, they got a great victory,
and of course we're gonna give you an opportunity to
win a parent tickets to go see Judas Priest and
Alice Cooper. Don't go anywhere the Morning Kickoff rolls on
right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.

Speaker 3 (30:49):
Welcome back to the Morning Kickoff.

Speaker 1 (30:50):
Right here on Sports Radio AM thirteen hundred The Zone.
In the next segment, we will have our guy coach,
Jim Slosnegel joined us to preview the matchup against Tennessee.
But right now we want to give you an opportunity
to win a pair of tickets to go see Judas
Priest and Alice Cooper. That's right, make sure you get

(31:11):
a chance to do that. All you got to do
is get over to the AM thirteen hundred to Zone
on the iHeartRadio app, tap that red microphone.

Speaker 3 (31:20):
And leave the word feed.

Speaker 1 (31:24):
Feed is the word of the day for a chance
to win a pair of tickets to go see Alice
Cooper and Judas Priest. October to twenty fifth at the
Germania Insurance Amphitheater. Get over there and leave the word
feed for your chance to win.

Speaker 3 (31:40):
You know, we gonna do that hockey because we don't
do enough hockey.

Speaker 1 (31:44):
And last night the Dallas Stars had one unbelievable game
that you sit there and you're still trying to figure
out and if you're a hockey fan, you know exactly
what I'm talking about. How in the world did we
want in this game? As the Dallas Stars beat the
Edmonton Oilers six to three to take a one game

(32:08):
series lead in the Western Conference Finals.

Speaker 3 (32:13):
And let me just tell you, it was loud in
the house. Dallas Stars, Dallas Stars.

Speaker 1 (32:47):
They were excited, they were fired up about it.

Speaker 3 (32:50):
But that's not it. That wasn't even the end of it.

Speaker 1 (32:53):
They found a way to get it done as they always.

Speaker 3 (32:57):
Do, and guess what they got the game ceiling.

Speaker 1 (33:01):
Goalus exciting times for the Dallas Stars. Those fan bases

(33:29):
lose their absolute mind. And if you've ever been to
a hockey match, I've gotten a chance to go to
a professional one. When I say professional, I'm talking about NHL,
and I've been able to go out to the Cedar
Park Center where these guys have definitely definitely had a great,
great time. And Mark this is you know a lot

(33:50):
of folks don't always get into hockey, but hockey playoff
there's nothing else like it.

Speaker 3 (33:57):
Loud, I mean.

Speaker 7 (34:01):
Hard.

Speaker 2 (34:01):
I can't even describe to you the energy that you
feel when you're sitting close to the boards and you
see a bunch of people just.

Speaker 3 (34:13):
Skate into the boards at.

Speaker 2 (34:14):
I mean fifty miles an hour, and when they hit it,
it's just so loud.

Speaker 3 (34:20):
It's a train wreck.

Speaker 2 (34:21):
It's a train wreck on ice, and you just don't
realize how fast those guys. I thought they were bigger. Oh,
there's a lot of big guys. It's some big ones,
like you know, Lemieux was big, but I'm talking about
for the most part, those guys are like two hundred pounds.
But they're going fifty sixty miles an hour on ice,

(34:42):
no doubt. And the skill that it takes to turn
and cut and stop.

Speaker 3 (34:51):
And then try to use a stick to score.

Speaker 2 (34:53):
Yeah, it's just an impressive game that I wish that,
you know, I would have been exposed to as kid,
because it seemed like it would have been so much
fun to play you.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
You playing judgment, that's judgment one hundred percent.

Speaker 2 (35:11):
I would not have wanted to play goalie either. I
would not have wanted to play goal Well.

Speaker 1 (35:16):
Nobody would have wanted to play against you. If you're
on ice, can't control yourself, and.

Speaker 3 (35:23):
You couldn't control myself.

Speaker 2 (35:25):
I've been able to control myself and everything I've ever.

Speaker 1 (35:28):
Done, I would have loved to see it. Let's you
know what I always try. You always try to get
me to do something I.

Speaker 3 (35:37):
Can't. Let's go you only now.

Speaker 1 (35:41):
Oh my gosh, I would have barely walk I would
have loved to know you pulling up some film of you.

Speaker 2 (35:52):
I'm glad, I amuse you, but I'm gonna tell you
you are hilarious. Hey, I couldn't even walk on it.
I lived in Colorado Springs. I feel like five times.
Oh my goodness, Mark, I mean this is on concrete.
Oh so, imagine being out there on ice and actually
trying to skate.

Speaker 3 (36:12):
No, thank you, Oh my god, I'll just be a spectator.
I would have.

Speaker 1 (36:16):
Loved to see Mark Henry on skates trying to not
not because you're right. Everything you have ever done, you've
been you always cracking the ice.

Speaker 3 (36:27):
No, it wouldn't have been that.

Speaker 1 (36:28):
You would have been cracking somebody's ribs as you're coming
through them. You talk about, oh man, they be going
into the You talk about the speed of them going
into the wall. Inside checking somebody, you hip checking somebody.

Speaker 2 (36:45):
So I've seen a glass break before. I've said that
would have been a regular occurrence.

Speaker 3 (36:49):
If I played.

Speaker 1 (36:50):
They would have said you were no longer allowed to
play hockey unless you're gonna start paying for all this
up in here.

Speaker 3 (36:56):
There is no way.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
You crack the ice, crack the glass.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
Oh there's no way.

Speaker 1 (37:04):
There's no way that would have been able to go by.
They take a one o lead, they will continue to
play on Friday night at home in Dallas.

Speaker 3 (37:14):
You can watch that. Man their tickets. Oh whoa, whoa, whoa.

Speaker 1 (37:21):
I'm looking at the price of the tickets for the
game on Friday night, and the tickets are as low
as low as eight hundred and forty three dollars to
low as low.

Speaker 3 (37:37):
That's called a sell ploy. They are trying to get
you to go pay that money.

Speaker 1 (37:43):
Not paying that, not paying that for a hockey You
got a media paying and I got a good.

Speaker 3 (37:48):
TV too, And my TV is beautiful.

Speaker 1 (37:52):
My TV is beautiful, and my couch is even better.
So you sit there and you look at that. Tonight
you got Florida taking on Carolina. That will tip, that
will drop the puck at seven o'clock. And then on Friday,
the Dallas Stars take on Edmonton Game two in Dallas.

Speaker 3 (38:10):
What an exciting last series.

Speaker 2 (38:12):
That's Canadian American, right.

Speaker 1 (38:15):
Yeah, yeah, Because the next two games. I mean, whoever
wins this will be an American team. Yeah, the other
series will be an American team. Plan for the title.
Coming up next, we will have the coach of the
Texas Longhorns baseball team, Jim Slowsnagel, reviewing the end of
the season and previewing the SEC matchup against the other

(38:38):
team that claims that they're ut Tennessee this afternoon right
here on the Morning Kickoff on sports Radio AM thirteen
hundred The Zone. Welcome back to a throwback Thursday edition
of the Morning Kickoff right here on sports Radio AM
thirteen hundred The Zone. In our number one, we talked
about the Eastern Conference Finals as Indianapolis, Indiana came from

(39:02):
behind to beat the Knicks. We also talked about hard
knocks and who is going to be the participant, and
we just talked Texas, I mean Dallas Stars. But right
now we're being joined by the head baseball coach of
your Texas Longhorns, Jim Slasnagel, as they are on the
road in Hoover, Alabama for a big time matchup which

(39:24):
now has been finalized. They will be taking on the
Tennessee Volunteers this afternoon at three o'clock. You can listen
to the game right here starting at two forty five
with Craig Way and Keith Morland as they bring it
all to you. Coach, say, how was your travels out
to Hoover, Alabama.

Speaker 8 (39:45):
Yeah, it was great, good morning, Thanks for having me on. Yeah,
travel was fine. We got out here quickly and safely,
threw our stuff in the room, had a good practice
last night, got settled in and excited to get things
going today.

Speaker 1 (40:02):
Coach, this is the first time that the Texas Longhorn
baseball team has entered the SEC. You end up being
SEC champs with the victory in Oklahoma, you end up
finishing the season with a winning series, and of course
you got some guys named to the All SEC teams.

Speaker 3 (40:22):
Talk about the first year so far.

Speaker 1 (40:24):
I mean, I know there's still a lot out there
and now it's real money time coming up pretty soon.
But talk about the journey of this season as a whole.

Speaker 8 (40:35):
Yeah, it's been It's been an awesome experience, that's for sure.
I Mean, we certainly don't want it to end anytime soon.
But when you look back on how chaotic things were,
you know, in June.

Speaker 7 (40:47):
Of last year.

Speaker 6 (40:49):
Uh.

Speaker 7 (40:50):
You know, as I made the transition.

Speaker 8 (40:51):
Over here, how chaotic it was for our staff personally, uh,
from a from then from a recruiting standpoint, and then
chaotic for the players. You know, so many unknowns, don't
know each other, don't know who's going to stay, who's
going to leave, who's coming in, and Uh, it's just
a great testament to our staff and and then especially

(41:15):
the old, that core older group of players that we're
able to get in establish a culture. Guys have had
total buy in, I mean complete and total buy in.

Speaker 7 (41:25):
Which is what you you know, it's it's necessary to
even have a chance.

Speaker 8 (41:30):
And then you know, you get in the season and
guys perform, and then we had all the injuries and
guys continue to step up and play well with with
a lot on the line and against the very best
teams in the very best league in the country, and
UH just couldn't be more proud of them, and just
a great example of of what a true team can do.

Speaker 7 (41:54):
Right.

Speaker 8 (41:55):
Not I mean, we we have some really good players,
but to some of our parts is what's uh is
what made has made this team special and hopefully I
still think our best baseball can be ahead of us.
We're gonna have to get creative on the MAUD both
today and in this weekend and then certainly next weekend
without Jared Spencer, We're just gonna have to be super

(42:18):
creative and and see how those things play out.

Speaker 7 (42:20):
But uh, I love our team, I love.

Speaker 8 (42:23):
Her competitiveness, and uh the opportunity to play at home
in the postseason. Hopefully we'll play to our advantage.

Speaker 2 (42:30):
Coach Hard is gonna handle the baseball particulars. I'm here
for comic relief and to be a travel agent. I'm
hoping that after y'all get this win, y'all have a
little time to kind of, you know, decompress. And there
is a place called Dreamland.

Speaker 7 (42:52):
Oh yeah, and.

Speaker 2 (42:53):
You talk about some good ribs. I want you to
go get that Dreamland barbecue. Do that for y'all. You
get a fried pie, bring me a fried cherry pie
back please?

Speaker 7 (43:05):
All right? I'm on it, buddy. Uh yeah.

Speaker 8 (43:08):
I coached at Tulane for early for eight years, and
UAB was in our conference, So make plenty of trips
to Birmingham and plenty of trips to Dreamland. So I'll
grab some ribs and that fried pie and just.

Speaker 7 (43:21):
Stuff in my pocket and bring it home to you.

Speaker 3 (43:28):
Hey, coach, On a.

Speaker 2 (43:29):
Real note, early in the season, we talked about I
guess y'all would like you know, had ten wins real fast,
and I said, Coach, it's getting close to everybody, you know,
getting very hopeful. And you said to me, Mark, we're
gonna have to see what it looks like in our conference.

(43:51):
We got to see what games, how it looks, and
how we look against.

Speaker 3 (43:55):
The people that we're going to be competing with.

Speaker 2 (43:57):
At the end, Coach, we had a great season, successful season.
What are you going to have to do now to
get them to be reminded that it's not over, that
this is another starting point for your team. Oh.

Speaker 7 (44:14):
They they're very aware of that. You know, these guys
are very aware of that.

Speaker 8 (44:17):
They when you're at Texas, you know what the standard
is and and that's why you know, it's it's cool
to win the SEC regular season. It'd be great to
hang around in this tournament for a little bit. But
they're very aware of I mean, you know, they've been there.
Our players have been most of them been there at Texas,
you know, longer than me and so and I obviously

(44:38):
have my own personal standards, which is, uh, you know,
to be in Omaha and win the last game.

Speaker 7 (44:44):
And uh so.

Speaker 8 (44:46):
Yeah, that's that's that's the total focus that's going to
affect the decisions we make today.

Speaker 7 (44:51):
And uh you know, again, we're going.

Speaker 8 (44:53):
To have to be creative with with how we play
this particular game to this afternoon, especially given our situation
from a starting pitching standpoint. So we got to we
really got to line things up for next week, but
you know, and still give ourselves a chance to be
competitive today.

Speaker 3 (45:09):
Coach I wanted to stay right there.

Speaker 1 (45:11):
Have you decided what direction you're going to go with
the starting pitching today? You're facing a team in Tennessee,
the team that actually won the national championship last year
and now you get a chance to play them. Have
you thought about the process and what you're going to
go against this squad today?

Speaker 7 (45:30):
Oh, certainly have thought about it. Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 8 (45:32):
We're going to start. You know, we're going to start.
We're gonna kind of open things up with Ethan Walker,
left handed pitcher that's been pitching out of our bullpen
really well. So it's a ton of strikes.

Speaker 7 (45:45):
Just want him to get us off to a good start,
he'll throw for.

Speaker 8 (45:48):
A little bit and then we're gonna, you know, we'll
roll some other guys out there. Our bigger challenge today,
I mean, Tennessee's got a great team. They scored fifteen
runs yesterday in a big ballpark. It's really hard to
score in our Our bigger challenge today is we're we're
facing maybe the best pitcher in college baseball, or at
least they got to maybe the highest draft.

Speaker 7 (46:07):
Pick in Liam Doyle.

Speaker 8 (46:08):
So we're gonna have to We've got to do a
good job and put the ball in place. You know,
we we strike out too much. We gotta we gotta
be more competitive than that. And then you're and we're
facing maybe the best strikeout pitcher in college baseball. So, uh,
we gotta just got to find a way to stay
on his basketball.

Speaker 7 (46:28):
You know, you can't.

Speaker 8 (46:29):
He's got he's got great off speed pitches too, but
you can't. When the guys left, he's running the ball
in ninety seven ninety eight miles an hour. Uh, you know,
there's no there's no staying back hoping to get a
break the ball. I mean, you gotta, you gotta be
on his basketball. And then if he leaves an all
speed pitch in the middle of the plate. You just gotta,
you know, be competitive with it. So all of this

(46:51):
is just great preparation for the postseason.

Speaker 7 (46:53):
Again.

Speaker 8 (46:53):
Last weekend we faced, you know, a guy in the
third game of a series throwing one hundred miles an
hour with great movement and a ton of strikes. And
then today we're going to face the best lefty in
the country, so.

Speaker 7 (47:05):
We will be well prepared for next week. But we
need to be competitive today.

Speaker 3 (47:09):
So let's talk about it right there.

Speaker 1 (47:12):
Max Blue comes back last weekend, get some reps against,
like you said, two of the best pitchers in the
conference in Oklahoma, and now he's going to come back
and play this week. How was he feeling after that
weekend and where is he right now as far as
feeling well enough to play?

Speaker 8 (47:33):
Yeah, he's knock on wood.

Speaker 7 (47:35):
He's good to go.

Speaker 8 (47:36):
I asked him yesterday if he had any recurring soreness
from on the weekend or from all this wings he's taken,
and he.

Speaker 7 (47:43):
Said not at all. So I think we're in a
good spot.

Speaker 8 (47:46):
And you know, we'll just keep running him out there,
keep getting him at bat so he can he can
get sharp and coach.

Speaker 1 (47:53):
We want to be remiss if we didn't congratulate you.
I know that those awards and everything else just kind
of are part of the job and the journey as
far as being able to be successful. Congratulations on your
SEC Coach of the Year Dylan Valantis Freshman of the
Year in the SEC, and of course your defense obviously

(48:14):
being recognized. How cool was that when you got the
word about those.

Speaker 7 (48:18):
Guys, Yeah, it was awesome.

Speaker 8 (48:21):
And really, uh, you know, certainly you know we we
know the strengths, uh, and areas of concern on our team.

Speaker 7 (48:27):
And uh, but you know we we we did lead lead.

Speaker 8 (48:30):
The league in Era A and and uh, I think
I think we haven't checked lately, but I know at
one point last weekend we were either leading the league
or second and fielding percentage. So they're in today's baseball,
you know, hitting homers and big run scoring. You know
that there is still something to be said for pitching
in defense, and so uh, there's a lot of different
ways to win a ball game. And and uh, we

(48:52):
certainly wouldn't be in this situation if it wasn't for
those great players.

Speaker 7 (48:54):
So very thankful for.

Speaker 3 (48:55):
Them, no doubt about it.

Speaker 1 (48:57):
As always we're excited for the weekend, but most importantly
we're excited for everything going forward, because yes, this weekend
is very, very important, but the following week is when
all the money starts to move around, and that's all
for the trophy.

Speaker 3 (49:12):
So we thank you for taking the time today.

Speaker 1 (49:14):
I know it's a busy day, but we appreciate you
and best of luck today.

Speaker 7 (49:19):
All right, thanks you guys, have a great day, no problem.

Speaker 1 (49:22):
There is coach Jim Slasnagel letting us know Ethan Walker
is going to get the start today and then they'll
fill it in and of course Texas plays.

Speaker 3 (49:31):
At three o'clock today.

Speaker 1 (49:32):
You can hear pregame with Craig Way and Keith Morland
right here on AM thirteen hundred the Zone. Great stuff
by coach Slasnagel as they get ready to take on Tennessee.
Tennessee big time matchup, national champion from last year, so
you get to see where you're graded immediately. I also

(49:55):
wanted to talk about this because Mark, we've been discussing
the quarterback position for quite some time now, whether it's
in the NFL or the college game, and the stories
about one arch Manning is something that a lot of
folks are really running with, especially when you hear that

(50:19):
Sark played Quinn yours and Quinn says that he's had
he had a very very sprained ankle throughout the entire season.
And the question has been about is arch Manning ready
to be that quarterback? Is he the one that the
reason why Sark didn't play arch was because was he ready?

(50:43):
Was he not ready? Is it something else that is
involved in that? So Joel Klatt, I love Joel Klatt,
former baseball player and now he's one of the best
to do it in the game of football as far
as his insight on certain things, and he talked about
arch Manning and.

Speaker 3 (51:04):
How he believes that he may be that guy.

Speaker 5 (51:08):
It's time for arch Manning. Arch Manning is going to
be number two.

Speaker 9 (51:11):
I know he only started two games last year, and
I'm always big on experience, but did you see him
play in those two games? Don't we know anything about
Steve Sarkisian and the way that he builds an offense
around the tools that he has. And now with arch
you've got a big quarterback six two hundred and twenty
five pounds, he can move, he's got a stronger arm

(51:32):
than quinn Ewers. Quinn was experienced, and there's no doubt,
and Sark was loyal to Quinn, there's no doubt. But
like there's a difference to the offense when Manning went
in than when quinn Ewers was in. This is not
a knock. It just becomes more dynamic. And the reason
is is because Arch puts more players in conflict on
the field than what you were yours did. Again, not

(51:53):
a knock, just a comparison. Arch puts edge defenders in
conflict because he can run, and that was something last year.
I don't think anybody realized how athletic he actually is
on the outside. But he can run, and then he
puts safeties in conflict because he can threaten every blade
of grass on the field. He's got a great arm,
a really great arm, and he's accurate with it.

Speaker 5 (52:16):
I look up and I think to myself.

Speaker 9 (52:18):
You know what, Arch is going to be really good again.
I know it's a projection, and I know that maybe
some of this is his last name, but it's just
going to work out. If there was a quarterback with
the exact same build and history and a different last name,
but in the same situation with Sark.

Speaker 5 (52:34):
With Texas, Arch brings that downfield threat.

Speaker 9 (52:37):
Averaged almost ten and a half yards per past attempt
last year. That would have ranked second in college football.
If he had played more, that would have been only
behind Jackson Dark. He's been sitting, He's been learning for
two years. Speaking of Arch, and I think he's going
to hit the ground running now. He's got a hell
of a challenge Week one, he's going to have to
go on the road and play Ohio State. He puts
defenders in conflict. I know he's not experience, but I

(53:01):
trust everything around him, even if some of the players
are going to be an experience around him. I trust
the system around him. I trust his upbringing. I think
Arch is going to be an absolute star. I will
be shocked if it does not work out for Arch
at Texas.

Speaker 3 (53:19):
How you feel about that that music? They should have
changed the music? Oh my gosh, I'm not talking about
the music. Like what he said. I'm joking. What he
said was very complimentary. But you need reps.

Speaker 2 (53:33):
And I know Arch has had thousands of reps the
time that he's been here, But when you have thousands
of reps against air, it's thousands of reps against air, right,
I want to see him have one hundred reps, two
hundred reps against somebody that's trying to take his head off.

Speaker 3 (53:52):
And then when that's when he'll use.

Speaker 2 (53:56):
His abilities in their perious form. He'll throw the ball
when he should throw the ball, he'll run when they
back off, like, those are the things.

Speaker 3 (54:07):
That I want to see.

Speaker 2 (54:07):
His ability to make a decision very quickly, and that
was one of the things that we saw with Quinn
is sometimes Quinn would not step in the throws, be
consistent with your with your processes every time, because you
wanted to be peer. Yeah, and that's it. You know,

(54:31):
everything else will take care of yourself. It's just time
and experience.

Speaker 3 (54:36):
Yeah, I know that. You know, you start to.

Speaker 1 (54:41):
I'm not gonna say I'm very reserved in this analogy,
not analogy, but this analyst of arch Manning. I am
very conserved when it comes to this. And the reason
why is because of the pressure that is being thrown

(55:03):
on this young man. Whether it's the build, whether it's
the last name, whether it's just the aura that is
wrapped around him. We've seen guys come in here that
have been players of the year. Quin yours was a
five star perfect score quarterback. He got booted. Basically, he

(55:27):
got underappreciated, I believe and for those that think that, oh,
if he would have been our starting quarterback, he would
have we would have won the national championship, that's not
necessarily true. I mean, those are the types of things
that I am very, very reserved about because it just

(55:49):
seems like he there's other players around him that have
to be a part of this. Right, you have to
have pieces around you and a coach that believes in
your plays. I'll never forget when Coach Sark talked about
this when Arch got the start, he said, I went
in and looked at the play sheet, and you know,

(56:11):
we were talking, and we had a bunch of deep
shots on there.

Speaker 3 (56:14):
We had wild plays every.

Speaker 1 (56:16):
Single call, and it was like, we're not going to
hit every single.

Speaker 3 (56:20):
One of those. You're not.

Speaker 1 (56:23):
But I understand it because he has the ability to
stretch the field and be able to be accurate down
the field.

Speaker 3 (56:29):
So I see that. I understand that.

Speaker 1 (56:32):
And as he said, he's got ability to put pressure
on people on the outside because of his frame and
the way that he can move.

Speaker 3 (56:39):
He's an elusive quarterback.

Speaker 1 (56:40):
I see that, but he's going to make mistakes because
of the speed of the game. He's going to have
some trouble against His first game of the season as
the starting quarterback is against Ohio State, a bad defense.
Downs may be the top player in the draft next

(57:04):
year as a safety. You don't go from Alabama as
the starting safety as a freshman that they tried to
play early to a guy that goes to Ohio State,
it starts and leads their team, you got to be
a bad man.

Speaker 2 (57:21):
Texas has other players. They have ten other players that's
gonna be on the field absolutely, and Downs is gonna
have to play his position absolutely.

Speaker 3 (57:30):
I mean run at him and throw it over his head.

Speaker 2 (57:35):
I think Sarka is gonna have a great game plan
put together. They're gonna know what they're doing long before
they get the Columbus.

Speaker 3 (57:42):
Yeah. I know, they're just executing the plan. I listen again.

Speaker 1 (57:48):
I'm hopeful that this goes well for the University of Texas.
I am hopeful that this plan of attack with this
quarterback and arch Manning being who he is in the
expectations being as high as they are, I hope that
these things go well because he is what everybody expects

(58:12):
to be.

Speaker 3 (58:13):
He is the future of this program.

Speaker 1 (58:15):
He is already on draft mockboards as one of the
top quarterbacks. By the way, I'll be remiss if I
didn't mention that. You heard him say number two quarterback
is arch manning for Texas. But the number one quarterback
that Joel Klatt has there is former Westlake chaparral Cade
Klubnick as the top quarterback in his top ten going

(58:38):
into this twenty twenty five season.

Speaker 3 (58:40):
So there are some good names in there.

Speaker 1 (58:43):
John Matter from Oklahoma is number three, Sam love Lett
from Arizona State, Drew Aller, Grant Nussmyer, DJ Lagway, Leonora Sellers,
Luke Altmar, and Carson Back round out the ten of
those quarterbacks. So it is going to be an interesting season.

(59:05):
And again not hating on arch Man and big fan
of what he can do, big fan of his ability.

Speaker 3 (59:13):
I just think we need to pump the brakes a
little bit. I think the breaks need to be pumped
a little bit.

Speaker 2 (59:17):
But also they don't list arch as a pocket passer
or a dual thread quarterback.

Speaker 3 (59:24):
They just list him as a quarterback.

Speaker 2 (59:27):
But he ran the ball last season, so at one
at one point, his speed got up to twenty two
miles an hour. So anytime that you can run in
the four or five range and you're a quarterback, that's
going to add a level of versatility to your game plan.

(59:49):
And I think Sark is a genius aid that he's
going to trust the process. I almost hate to say
that because the seventy six.

Speaker 3 (59:57):
Is made of the dirty word.

Speaker 1 (01:00:00):
Something that I hope does not turn into dirty words.
It's something that comes out of your mouth. Next, in
the World's Strongest Take, Oh yeah, coming up next, we
got Mark Henry bringing you his world's strongest take right
here on the morning kickoff on Sports Radio AM thirteen
hundred the zoon.

Speaker 3 (01:00:19):
The beat just drops, so you know what that means.

Speaker 1 (01:00:21):
WWE Hall of Famer and the World's Strongest Man, deed,
Mark Henry brings you his world's strongest take.

Speaker 2 (01:00:28):
Take it away a big fellow hard yep, you know
the time and then what time is? It's time for
the World's Strongest Take by the World's Strongest Man.

Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
Marcus. Back then they didn't know me.

Speaker 2 (01:00:44):
Now I'm hot, they all on me, guys. My take
today is about a quarterback that was not listed in
those top five the backs that they said had the
most pressure on them this season. And if I remember correctly,

(01:01:08):
hard JJ McCarthy was on that list, and I told
you why he was injured. He had a good preseason
before he got hurt. But still they had they had
the head of the quarterbacks and he's a rookie. Let

(01:01:29):
him earn his bones. Who should be on that list
this season is one Caleb Williams. This is a guy
that the Chicago Bears went out and got the best
offensive lineman and free agency available. They drafted well, they

(01:01:55):
got him of will start tight end out of the draft.
They got Burton the third, a really good wide receiver. Guys,
there's Longhorn gonna be playing on that field that's used
to playing in the cold. Devin Duvina explosive, consistent, Did

(01:02:20):
I say consistent? Those are the things that a quarterback needs.
Consider a guy that he knows is going to be
in the right place at the right time.

Speaker 3 (01:02:29):
Duvene is going to be there.

Speaker 2 (01:02:31):
He's an athletic guy, a lot Deebo Samuel like. And
then you bring in this big six', six two hundred
and fifty pounds tight end with soft, hands.

Speaker 3 (01:02:43):
And you bring.

Speaker 2 (01:02:44):
In out of everything that was brought in talent, wise
they brought In Ben, johnson the guy That.

Speaker 3 (01:02:52):
Caleb wanted the.

Speaker 2 (01:02:54):
Most he left a winning franchise to come and coach this.

Speaker 3 (01:03:01):
Guy so we're, gonna we're gonna put the record.

Speaker 2 (01:03:08):
Up Harges hartes got The Chicago bulls, Schedule bears all
the other The, bulls The Chicago bears now turned in
The Hearts, bulls and he's gonna he's gonna run it.

Speaker 1 (01:03:21):
Down i'm gonna tell you the win lost record all,
Right week One, minnesota.

Speaker 2 (01:03:30):
That's a win in conference Every Ben johnson is gonna
pull out all the.

Speaker 1 (01:03:36):
Stops At detroit loss Because detroit Is detroit. Hosting The cowboys.
Lost oh okay at The, Raiders no wait wait wait

(01:03:57):
yeah at The raiders.

Speaker 3 (01:03:58):
Win so now we're two and two.

Speaker 1 (01:04:03):
At The Washington commander's, lost even though they had a
great game against each other last.

Speaker 3 (01:04:11):
Season New orleans, Win baltimore love?

Speaker 1 (01:04:19):
Okay Lost cincinnati when At cincinnati At cincinnati when? Okay
New York giants win At minnesota love. Okay pittsburgh win

(01:04:46):
At philly, Lost cleveland. Win forty Nine ers?

Speaker 3 (01:04:58):
Win what?

Speaker 2 (01:05:00):
Yeah forty nine ers or. Not the forty nine ers
that you remember And. Detroit oh, MAN i think they should.
Split but, Yeah i'm gonna go with a win, one two,
three skip one, game which one by The? Packers, Okay?

Speaker 1 (01:05:19):
PACKERS i did that for, him Don't they played The packers?

Speaker 3 (01:05:26):
Twice not they only playing? Once, okay now they play them,
twice they should play them. Twice, Yeah packers. Twice?

Speaker 2 (01:05:36):
Split, okay win at, home lose on the round the.

Speaker 3 (01:05:45):
Road, okay, one, two, three ten and.

Speaker 1 (01:05:49):
Seven, wow you have them going ten and seven and
you got The cowboys going eight to.

Speaker 3 (01:05:56):
Nine, Yes.

Speaker 2 (01:06:00):
And i'm going to tell you my take right. Down
Caleb williams lives up to the. Expectation he could not
live up to the expectation last year because he didn't
have a functional system around.

Speaker 3 (01:06:15):
Him that's the.

Speaker 2 (01:06:18):
Take the analysis of him is That caleb loves to
do the. Impossible he loves the attention and the feeling
that he gets from running out of the pocket doing
A Michael vick spin around head, pump faking the ball

(01:06:42):
and then running twenty, yards or running to the line
of scrimmage and zipping one across the field to somebody
that's wide. Open because of a broke down. Coverage he
can't do that. Anymore he's got to be consistent in his.
Delivery he's got to be consistent and running the and
getting the people the ball that needs the ball in

(01:07:03):
those situations, well and Being johnson is gonna make that.

Speaker 3 (01:07:06):
Happen speaking Of.

Speaker 1 (01:07:07):
Ben, johnson he is looking forward to the opportunity to
change some of the issues at the quarterback, position and
he spoke On Caleb.

Speaker 3 (01:07:15):
Williams it's coming.

Speaker 10 (01:07:17):
To my attention that the quarterback has been out in
the media over the last, week and just a gall
out in front of that a little. BIT i just
wanted to SAY i wasn't here last, year and SO
i can't speak too much in terms of what it
was like before he got here and when he got
here last. Year but for my four months on the,
job he's been outstanding to work with and we just

(01:07:40):
are focusing on getting a little better every.

Speaker 7 (01:07:41):
DAY i like.

Speaker 1 (01:07:44):
That, yep keep it, simple keep it, simple and now
he's going to get an opportunity to get. Better i'm
a big fan of what they're going to be able
to work, on not a big fan of you picked
predicting them to go ten and. Seven but it is
what it, is and we will see how that plays.
Out and, UH i don't THINK i was being.

Speaker 3 (01:08:06):
Generous it sounds like it a little. Bit it was
one of Those.

Speaker 1 (01:08:11):
WINSCINNATI i don't think you're GONNA i don't think they
have enough to Beat. Cincinnati they almost Beat cincinnati last. Year,
AGAIN i don't think they have enough to Beat. CINCINNATI
i don't see them Beating pittsburgh.

Speaker 3 (01:08:27):
Either pittsburgh gonna lose a lot more games than you.

Speaker 2 (01:08:30):
THINK i just, giants but they don't lose.

Speaker 3 (01:08:35):
Sounds so we will. See we will see how it.

Speaker 1 (01:08:37):
Goes as, usual another great take by the world's strongest.

Speaker 3 (01:08:42):
Man will close out the show and send you to.

Speaker 1 (01:08:44):
Damn coming up, next but we're gonna talk a little
bit About texas, Baseball texas softball where you can find.
It AND i got an update on who is actually
gonna be on the call with my Man Craig way
right here on the morning kickoff on SPORTS RDO am
thirteen Hundred The. ZONE i want to thank Coach Jim
slasnegle for joining us today on the morning kickoff right

(01:09:08):
here On sports RADIO am thirteen Hundred The. Zone and
if you missed any part of that. Interview all you
got to do is get over to the podcast page
wherever you get your, podcasts and of course just get
over to The iHeartRadio. App make sure that we're set
as your, preset and of course you set your alarm
for us to be on every single Day monday Through

(01:09:32):
friday at seven a. M i wanted to also point
out the fact That Texas softball we Had Mike white.
On you can listen to that podcast from. YESTERDAY i
want to Thank Danny davis of The Austin American. Statesman of,
course you want to make sure that you can Follow
Joe cook Of Inside. Texas Eric HENRY i believe was

(01:09:54):
on a flight To, Hoover alabama to be able to
cover the baseball tournament as so we will see what
ends up. Happening But Texas baseball will take On tennessee
to defending national.

Speaker 3 (01:10:06):
Champion that game will be at THREE.

Speaker 1 (01:10:08):
Pm you also will be able to Watch Texas.

Speaker 3 (01:10:12):
Softball Texas softball.

Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
Plays tonight at eight, o'clock which is kind of crazy
when you think about, it softball being that, late but
especially with us being at The central time, zone so
it's a little bit, interesting But i'm excited for both
of these teams because of the success in their first
season in.

Speaker 3 (01:10:30):
THE sec and where they are.

Speaker 1 (01:10:32):
Now, Obviously Texas softball is now playing in A Super,
regional which means that they are two wins away from
going back TO okc to represent THE sec and Represent
texas in The College World. Series you go To texas
baseball that is in their first year in THE, sec

(01:10:53):
Coach Jim slasnegel being able to be Named coach of The.
Year you Got Dylan, valantis who was one of the
last players signed in this class recruiting class to now
be Named freshmen of The. Year we found out just
a little while ago he's gonna go With Ethan walker
as the starter in today's. Game so if they can

(01:11:16):
get through that and see what is going to happen moving,
Forward texas is doing some amazing things and they continue
to move.

Speaker 3 (01:11:24):
Forward, tonight cit he was.

Speaker 2 (01:11:25):
Gonna mix it up a little bit after, that but
he didn't say with who exactly. Exactly, tonight we've Got
game two of The Western Conference finals AS okase Host.
Minnesota Shay Gilchris alexander was NAMED mvp of the, league
getting seventy one the first place votes and that is

(01:11:47):
an amazing.

Speaker 3 (01:11:48):
Number and he went out and bought his team all.

Speaker 2 (01:11:52):
Rolexes you're gonna buy me And marcus, something you, know
real nice when we get some you, know, awards.

Speaker 3 (01:12:01):
Awards for what? For, Really i'm Not i'm not THE.

Speaker 1 (01:12:06):
Mvp we we are the MVPs here WE i.

Speaker 3 (01:12:11):
Just wanted to bestow on.

Speaker 1 (01:12:13):
You, well bestow somewhere else because you gotta take no
butt BECAUSE i me And mark is trying to come.
UP i, SEE i, SEE i patch yourselves down BECAUSE
i ain't the. One i'm gonna check your own pockets
at that.

Speaker 2 (01:12:31):
Situation but, yeah it has been a a really really good.

Speaker 3 (01:12:36):
Week.

Speaker 1 (01:12:37):
Uh baseball season is still going on right. Now we've
got THE Sec tournament that is, happening and the brackets
are are are interesting because you start looking at these.
Teams texas will Play tennessee. Today oklahoma continues to, win
so they will. Advance they will take On, oklahoma will

(01:12:57):
take On, Vanderbilt Ole miss will take on number two Ranked,
arkansas and the winner of the game that will be
taking place in just at eleven o'clock will Be TEXAS
a AND m Versus. Auburn that winner will take ON
lsu On. Friday so these teams are being moved. Around
some of these games are being flipped and moved because

(01:13:20):
of the way that the tournament has been set.

Speaker 3 (01:13:22):
Up so we will see what ends up happening.

Speaker 1 (01:13:25):
There But TEXAS a AND, m they get the victory
yesterday nine to nothing Over Mississippi.

Speaker 3 (01:13:30):
State now they will take On.

Speaker 1 (01:13:33):
Auburn this, afternoon well this morning at eleven.

Speaker 3 (01:13:37):
Am so this single, Elimination, yeah is win or go.

Speaker 1 (01:13:41):
Home wow is cutthrow, Cutthrow which is good because now
all these, teams you don't have to use up all your.
Pitching so a lot of these teams are already. In
we already know That texas is in the. Tournament we
already know THAT, Lsu, vanderbilt And arkansas are all going
to be in THE ncaa. Tournament tennessee defending national champion

(01:14:05):
in the. Tournament so a lot of folks are looking
at these. Games these games are for The TEXAS a AND.
Ms the games are For. Oklahoma those teams are the
ones that are fighting to get into THE Ncaa, tournament
and they won't get in unless they get the victory
or play for a. Championship TEXAS a AND m is
not getting in unless they win the whole. Thing, yeah

(01:14:27):
and this was the team that started the season number.
One that is that's, poor that's. Awful that is awful for,
them but they're. Fighting they still got that, opportunity so
we will see what ends up. Happening, also we want
to make sure that we tell all the, kids, congratulations
you made it to the finish. Line today is the
last day of. SCHOOL i know everyone is. Excited, teachers thank,

(01:14:50):
you thank you for what y'all have been able to
do taking care of some of these knucklehead, kids including.
Mine But i'm proud of, them And i'm glad that
the summer is here and they will be enjoying theirselves.
Immediately no school, tomorrow going into the, weekend and now
we start to really put in the. Work summertime is,

(01:15:10):
fun but now's the time to get, better.

Speaker 2 (01:15:13):
Spending that money all these. Camps, Yeah i'm, already.

Speaker 1 (01:15:17):
Bro, YEAH i mean that's why you're trying to get
me to go get you Some i'm trying to get
somebody else to buy you.

Speaker 3 (01:15:23):
Something somebody we get. Award you, know.

Speaker 1 (01:15:25):
You, know you the closest thing you gonna get to an,
award is right? Now you might you might get your,
donuts depending on what happens in this.

Speaker 3 (01:15:35):
Basketball seaton's a. Bit you gotta pay your.

Speaker 1 (01:15:38):
BIT i will definitely pay my, bet but you may
be the one paying off the. Bet we shall, See
we shall see For, marcus For.

Speaker 3 (01:15:46):
Mark, HENRY i am harball.

Speaker 1 (01:15:47):
Hard make sure you're tuning in two forty five pregame
show With Craig way And Roger wallace Because Keith mortland
is calling some other, games So Roger wallace pinch hitting
and taking over right. Here just remember, this, folks don't
believe everything you, see because even salt looks like. Sugar
have a great, dad, kids have. Fun don't get on

(01:16:10):
your parents'. Nerves, peace