December 31, 2025 • 42 mins
In the final hour, the guys make their picks for all the CFP quarterfinal action, which begins tonight, they talk about the vibes around the Panthers, and the belief they could make a run, if they were to make it to the playoffs, they preview the night in sports, read funny texts, & more
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Final hour of the Young Guns right here on Sports
Radio ninety two seven wfn Z, our third third show
of the holiday season.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Right, we did one before Christmas.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I think that's right.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
You want to go all the way back to Thanksgiving?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
No, I mean Thanksgiving is the better holiday. So we
were here after Thanksgiving. We were to take before Christmas
the day after Christmas.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Now we're here with you on a New Year's even.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Look, we are fifty six minutes away shrop from you
not having a dump flounder, which might be the the
biggest upset of all upsets. After you know, the day
after Christmas, my man out here dropping the F bomb.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Well, you know, I've really been on a lovely that.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You just want to reveal that. By the way, too,
so somebody could call up and say I heard the
F word on the error, but they didn't because it
got dumped. Wasn't Willie though?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
So but on the air too.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
He did, Yeah, he did so that he would be
a hypocrite. But no, dude, I've been dump button happy recently.
I'm glad I didn't. I didn't have to use it.
Sunday Panthers post game. Everyone did a fantastic job keeping
it clean. But yesterday running the Charlotte Food and on
a broadcast, I had to utilize the dump button as well.
What someone either on the court or in the stands
(01:26):
was not happy with they so had to had to
exercise that. So it's been getting a lot of use.
It's been getting a lot of use. Hopefully not today.
Keep it together, flound I.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Gotta talking Drake may here at any point. Neutral No,
we're gonna talk some neutral site games.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
Yeah, all right, well neutral sight. I didn't curse about,
so that's good.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
When I did come in to check when on Shoppy
on Sunday during Panther post game, Yeah, I've.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Never It's like it's it's like, you know, seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Flounder approach a woman for the first time, there was
just so much nervousness on his I always getting right,
and you were like you were just so scared. I
don't like talking white people on the phone because I
gotta hit the dump button. It's like, well, you know,
you got ten seconds after they say to get rid
of it, But what if I don't hear it, well,
then that's no.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Usually this is one thing that I will say.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Willie does a really good job of keeping up with
that because you'll just say you'll hear Oh.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You know, I can't know that is true.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
But no, I always have to be locked in doing
Panda's post game on the phone because I've had the
dump people before, and especially whenever Will's not in studio.
It makes it more difficult too, because uh, sitting in
the host chair, there was a dump button over there
that can be used.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, you can use you can dump yourself.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Now mine is a little bit further away from me,
So that's part of the reason.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I don't think it takes you ten seconds to get
over there.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Yeah, yeah, it shouldn't. If it takes me ten seconds
to get over there, I have some real probably I
was out of breath last night. It was something listening
to you on the phone. Well, I had to park
at the Jackson Parking Deck. So if anybody knows where
this is in Chapel Hill, it's probably about a mile
to the Smith Center. Should shouldn't really be that bad.
(03:13):
There are a lot of stays though, and I have
said that my my new arch nemesis is stairs.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I thought it was women. There can be two.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Now, how's you, how's your how's your? Uh, how's your
life going over there.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I means has that been going great? It's not going great.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
But I mean I've at least had options that just
fell through. It's a point mainly because I'm action is by.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Me well, and you know, Fiddy's daycounter is still up there,
and at some point it did have dates being being
filled out.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Oh he's still talking to the same girl, so it's
still going to be filled out.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
So and look it's gonna be like a negative seven
at some point. But yeah, it was. It was just
really funny seeing Shoppy. It was like, you know the
way people described Hacksaw when he ran the board for Nick,
how he was always nervous and timid behind the board.
That's how Shoppy is during Panther post game, this game show,
it's it's once. It's about once a week you have
to dump somebody. I had to do it the week
(04:09):
that I was on. Somebody just came in dropped a
h They played like bleep.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And I'm all right, well you can't say that.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Nope, you can't tell.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
But hopefully none of these these the CFP quarter final games,
Hopefully none of these games turn out to be dump worthy.
You got Ohio State Miami tonight at the Cotton Bowl,
Texas Tech Oregon tomorrow with the Orange Bowl, followed by
Indiana and Alabama at the Rose Bowl, and then we
conclude the night with Georgia and Old Miss down at
(04:39):
the Sugar Bowl.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Let's just go through these games and order.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Fle will make our predictions right now, starting with Ohio
State and Miami.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Who do you have advancing to the semi finals?
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Yeah, so I thought this game, I said yesterday when
we were doing ball and are falling. I think this
is going to be an incredibly close game between these
two sides. I think, as we said earlier, it's going
to be a boring game. There's not gonna be a
lot of offense in this one.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
But if you like two.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Forces going up against each other, the offensive lines going
up against the defensive lines, I think you're really going
to like this game because I think both defensive lines
are going to be able to have a pretty good
amount of success.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I'm gonna go with Ohio State.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
I think the championship pedigree from last year is certainly
something that can propel them over the top.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Also, trust Julian say and.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
Believe it or not a little bit more than I
trust Carson Back mainly because we've been here with Carson
Back before and he hasn't necessarily performed.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
The best on this stage.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
So I believe that when it's all said and done,
Ohio State finds a way to win. But it's going
to be one of those ugly games. I'm thinking seventeen
thirteen is the final. I've really thought about this one,
and I've really wrestled with it because I think both
teams are even. I think you do have questions about
quarterbacks because saying just this might be the best defensive
(06:01):
line he has seen all year.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
With how good Miami is up front that you.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Have questions about coaches, even though you know Ryan Day
to go over the hunt last year and and won
a national championship. This is the most confident Miami has
been under Mario crystal Ball because they they went on
the road, they won a game at Texas A and M,
and they finally won their I guess, their first legitimate
big game with crystal Ball as the head coach. I
(06:27):
think they make this game ugly enough, and they make
the plays late. I think I think Miami advances. I
think Miami and look, I don't think.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
You're trusting Carson Beck and Mario crystal Ball. That's the
thing for me. Doubling down on those two is tough.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
I am because you know, and maybe this is where
because to you it's it's a neutral field game. If
Miami was having to go to Columbus, I'd pick Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
To win this football game, and see that would make
it less interesting.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
But because this game is on a neutral field, and
I think both fan base, with both both fan bases
while we're presented down there Jerry World, I think that
does play a factor. I think Miami wins this game
seventeen fourteen. Oh, and I think they punched our ticket
to the CFP semi final. Shopping you usually hate college
football talk. I'll open the floor though, too. Do you
have a picking tonight's game?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Well, I really just like it whenever it's just around
crappy UNC football discussion, So shch we hardly ever talk
about Well.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
When was the last time we had atario football discussion?
It's been a while.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well you got the last show, that's right, Yep, Yeah,
there's that, But no, this one, I know who I'm
rooting for. I will be rooting for Miami in this one.
But I do think Ohio State having the experience of
being here before Ryan Day being a national champion now,
I think that experience will actually have quite a bit
(07:45):
of value over Miami and Mario chris Ball. I mean,
we talk about how important the Panthers getting into the
playoffs would be for just this young team to have
that experience, and you can carry it forward. We look
at the Buffalo Bills and the NFL playoffs and say
their experience is a reason why we take them to
be serious contenders in the AFC this year. Without Patrick Mahomes,
(08:06):
I think that has to carry over to college football
as well. I think Ohio State is going to be prepared.
I don't know if I can trust Carson beck See.
I think Ohio State wins this game. If we're doing
score predictions, I'll probably go twenty one to thirteen.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
All right, let's turn our attention to the Orange Bowl.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Maybe the best game of the four quarterfinal games we
have for this year's CFP. WEW, who you got between
Texas Tech and Oregon this one?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
This one was the toughest one for me to pick.
I believe that Texas Tech does enough. I think that
defense is going to come up with some stops when
they need to. They're not going to shut down this
Oregon offense.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
It's not going to be a complete shutdown like some
of the other games that we've seen so far this
year from Texas Tech. But I do believe that they
are going to be able to come up with timely plays.
Love Jacob Rodriguez, think he's an absolute deserve to be
in that Heisman conversation. And I think Baron Morton is
a really good quarterback that just nobody talks about going
(09:12):
into this playoff. Everybody's focused on Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson,
you know, some Gunner Stocked and some of these other
guys they're talking a little bit more about, Julian saying,
I think this is a game where Morton shows out,
the offense puts up enough points in the end. I
think it's gonna be a little bit of a shootout,
(09:33):
not the shootouts that you're used to with the Oregon
I mean, we're we're not talking forty five thirty eight
or something like that. But I do think when it's
all said and done, I'm gonna go with Texas Tech
to win this one thirty one to twenty eight over
the Oregon Ducks.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I let it be known, I'm rooting for Texas Tech
to win this football game. That's too Yes, that's who
I think I'm rooting for out of all the teams
left to win the national championship. And when I first
got into the sport, loved you know, Leach and those
those Graham Harrold Red Raider teams. They were a lot
of fun the way they played. So I've always kind
of followed Texas tack from afar, like Patrick Mahomes some
(10:08):
of the other quarterbacks that have rolled through Lubbock. I
think I think Oregon's better. I think I think they've
they've got the better coach. I think they I think
he'll get a squad more motivated. I think, you know,
with not having the long layoff, I think, you know,
they've got some momentum built up with what they did
against James Madison and then you know, the way Dan
Lanning was able to really talk to his team after
they after they beat James Madison, but because they didn't
(10:30):
finish the game the way he wanted them, I think
that they'll be even more motivated to put together a
much more complete performance.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I think it's a fun game.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
I think it's competitive, but I think the Ducks they
emerged twenty eight twenty four.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
They make it to the semi finals. Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
We'll be rooting for Texas Tech as well in this one.
Uh you know, playing in Miami, Oregon only two and
a half point favorites in this one. I'm not as
confident in Oregon as I was earlier in the season.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I will be rooting for.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Texas Tech and I'm also gonna pick Texas Tech to
come away with this game. I think that they will
be a fun team to kind of I don't know
if you can call it really upset. They are the
fourth seed and Oregon so fifth seed, but the odd
makers will tell you it's an upset. But yeah, I
think Texas Tech wins this one. I think they muck
it up. I think I think they make it ugly.
I think Texas Tech wins seventeen to fourteen.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Oh my goodness, Well that would be that. I gotta
tell you that would be a stunner for me.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Good because these offenses, I feel like are too good.
These defenses are really good too. But I'm hoping that's
not the scenario.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
We run into.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Let's turn our attention to the most important bowl game
of all the bowl games, a Rose Bowl, the granddaddy
of them all. That's right, Number one, Indiana, Number nine
Alabama flown to you.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Got all right?
Speaker 5 (11:51):
Yeah, we got to pick the speed up here just
a little bit. So I'm gonna go with Alabama to
win this game. I think Ty Simpson makes enough plays
and it's just something about Indiana, man, especially with them
missing Stephen Daley along the defensive line. I think that's
gonna be a really, really tough loss to overcome for them.
I also wonder if Indiana's going to be able to
(12:13):
run the football on Alabama. They've run the football well
for most of the season, but are they going to
be able to do that against the front as good
as Alabama's is. So I'm gonna take Alabama and Caitlin
de Bor to emerge in another big game because that's
what he seems to like to do wherever he goes.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, I hate that I agree with you, but I do.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
I don't think the Cinderella story ends in a positive
way for Indiana. Well, they've already done and achieved is historical.
Is the best season in program history. I don't think
it culminates international Championship. I think Alabama wins this game,
and I think they win it. That was rather going away.
I've got the Crimson tide thirty one to twenty, so
(12:53):
I've got them winning by two possessions to advance of
the semi finals.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah. I'm gonna roll with Indiana here.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
If it feels odd that they're the Cinderella, but they're
They're the number one seed in the country thirteen to zero.
They definitely feel like a significant underdog even though they're
favored by seven points. I think they're able to take
care of business in the Rose Bowl, and I will
have them beating Alabama twenty seven to twenty three.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Okay, all right, let's finish it up with the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia and Ole Miss really quickly. I did not give
my score prediction officially for Bama. I'll go a lower
scoring game between these two sides.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
I go twenty four to twenty one Alabama over Indiana.
Georgia Ole Miss a waxing I think. I think Georgia
just comes out and pounds them. I think this is
one of those games you know early in the season
they actually put together a really solid performance against them,
had the lead and ended up, you know, basically just
(13:54):
costing themselves down the stretch. I don't think that's going
to be the same in this game. I think with
that Lane Kiffin on the sidelines. Even if Lane was
on the sidelines, I don't know how much faith I
would have in them. I just have so much faith
in Georgia the way they're playing towards the end of
the season. So I'm gonna go with Georgia heavy in
this one, thirty four to ten over ole Miss.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yeah, I've I've got blowout City written. I'll over this one.
I think this is where Pete Goldings, you know, inexperience
as a head coach really does show up against Kirby
Smart and the Dogs. I've got Georgia big thirty one fourteen.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I also have Georgia in this one.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I think ole Miss is able to keep it close
in the first half, and then I think Kirby Smart
is able to make some adjustments and really open things
up in the second half.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Give me Georgia thirty five twenty four.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
All right, there's a look at our CFP predictions for
the CFP quarter final.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Action gets underway tonight.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I can hear all that action right here on Sports
Radio ninety two to seven WFNZ. When we come back,
we'll turn our attention back to the Panthers. One final
Panther top before we do get out of here. Did
the loss in Seattle less than your belief the Panthers
could make a run if they were to make the playoffs?
We'll talk about that right here on Sports Radio ninety
two seven w f Z. A. Well, that beat got
(15:19):
Shroppy up and moving, and they got flounder, I guess
up and moving as as well. So one of the
oh yeah, one of the better rejoints we've had today.
You haven't been in your oh yeah DJ bag that
you were on Christmas Eve, Junior. Well, you know, I mean,
is this hard to go wrong with with Christmas tunes?
But you know that's that was definitely a good one
(15:40):
to come back to. We only got two more segments
to go, guys than we're we're done. We got to
hate for a while, I think too, probably, Yeah, which
is unfortunate because I feel like, you know, we've you know,
we we we found our stride. That's right, flounder quick cussing.
We still have still had two segments to go. Okay,
thirty six minutes left, ang Seattle lost less than your belief.
(16:02):
I could get cranked up about this, so you know,
but look, we got to give the microphone back to
the professionals starting on Friday because Mac and Bone they'll
be back for a football Friday six to ten am
Charlotte Sports Today. They'll be on from ten to twelve,
Adam gold Is on Friday twelve to three because Walker
filling in for go Maylely in the afternoon from from
(16:22):
three to six. But Monday, January fifth, when we come
back from the weekend, we'll be back at full capacity,
back hopefully getting ready for a Panther playoff game. If not,
we'll be putting a you know, a the finishing touches
up on what's been a entertaining twenty twenty five you know,
Panther season. As they go into Week eighteen with the
(16:45):
win and in situation, if they beat the Bucks, they
win the division. But if they lose to the Bucks
and the Falcons beat the Saints, then they also win
the division. They would make the playoff with an eight
and nine record. You know, when we were talking I
think last week I was kind of talking about how
I thought I felt like if Carolina got in, they
(17:06):
were going to be a problem for whichever team from
the NFC West had to come to Charlotte, And because
we know it's going to be you know, a a
a NFC West team with the way that the playoff
picture has has shaped up here as we've entered the
final week of the regular season, after watching what Seattle
came into our building, it did to us, and having
(17:27):
seen what happened when we went to San Francisco, I
do think maybe if, if, if that, if that game
did sway you and your disc and in your discipline,
that they could win a playoff game. I could not
argue with with with that. Are you in that same vein, like,
do you think that even if the Panthers win, they're
probably one and done with how Seattle just kind of
came in here and over and over the course of
(17:49):
four minutes, were or sixty minutes were able to I'm
not gonna say, man handle Carolina, but kind of you know,
put Carolina away with with relative ease, or do you
still think because of how good they've been at home,
they'll still be a problem or for whatever.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
It's to come east.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Yeah, I think they could still be a problem.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
I definitely think that how much of a problem I
think is going to be maybe more of the question
how long do they hang around in the game. I
don't know now if you believe that they are going
to be able to win that game, because it's either
going to be Seattle again yep, or San Francisco again.
(18:25):
So because I don't think there's a way the Rams
can win the division not after the other night, so yeah,
I or even move up to that five seed. So
I think that's where you're looking at it and saying
you might not feel nearly as confident because you know,
San Francisco is getting a little bit healthier. The way
that brock Perty has been playing here recently has been tremendous,
(18:51):
and you know, Seattle, you just saw that group that's
an incredibly difficult Now, maybe maybe that's the matchup you want,
because we've said it, it's really hard to beat a
team two times in a season. But I and that's
the thing going into this game against Tampa too though,
So I think that certainly is maybe the more advantageous
(19:15):
one because you know, a lot more about Seattle, you
would basically just go right back into prepping against them
after you were doing so just a couple weeks prior.
But I yeah, I'm not feeling nearly as confident as
I once was when I thought maybe there was a
chance that this could be the Bears, maybe this could
(19:37):
be the Packers, someone like that. I thought at that rate, Yeah,
Carolina would have a chance to win.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Even the Rams. I think Carolina would have a chance
to beat them.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
I just don't know about the Seattle San Francisco combo
if that actually works.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Yeah, I feel like the issue is that the team
that you match up with the best is no longer
on the table to come here, and that's the Rams. Yep,
because that's that's the one. That's the one game you
saw Carolina's offense really look productive because you had the
issues against San Francisco where canal Its just didn't run
the football nowhere near as much as he should have.
(20:12):
And then you have the issues on Sunday against Seattle
where you only had two drives that had four plays
or or more against him.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
The thing about.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Seattle is, you know, you you put Sam Darnald in
a situation where he you know, there were plays that
could have been made. He obviously did have you know,
the the sap and there the sack and the strip
fun and the strip fumble. The first play of the
game for Seattle on offense, I mean, should have been
an interception, like that's a that's a play nine times
out of ten JC Horn makes just didn't make it,
(20:41):
you know, on Sunday, and that was highly unfortunate. Derek
Brown almost almost had an interception. I think you'd rather
see Donald than Party with the way that that Party
has been playing here the back half of the season.
But it does kind of feel like they'll be there'll
be one and done, which you know would be disappointing
(21:02):
in the moment, because you know, you get a home
playoff game, you like to at least advance advance to
the second round. It would still be a tremendous sign
of growth and progress. But I do think with and
Aus really just how bad this offense has been at
home too. At times, like in the middle of the year,
when I thought that this team was going to be
(21:22):
what they are now, which is a five hundred football team,
it was because I thought they were going to be really,
really good at home and struggle on the road. And
when they were winning games at home, they were scoring points.
They scored against Miami, they scored against Dallas, they scored
against Atlanta. It's felt like here the back half of
the of the season, you had what seven point game
against New Orleans, a ten point game or a yeah,
(21:45):
a ten point game against Seattle. Like even at home,
this offense has has gone away. So that's probably the
reason for the biggest disbelief in them to make noise,
because I think the defense has proven that they can
do what they gotta do to give yourselves a shot,
but the end consistencies on offense makes it harder think
they could go into the playoffs and beat a team
from an NFC West, which feels like that division might
(22:07):
produce the NFC representative in.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
The Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
I think it's guaranteed to produce. That's where I would
go with it.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
I think it is gonna be one of those three
teams that ends up making it. I don't think I'm
not nearly as confident in the Rams as I once was.
I would say if that was the team that was
coming here, and I'm not sure.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Maybe there is still a way that they can get here.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
If they can, then I feel like that's the best
matchup for Carolina and they might be able to actually advance.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
But I think the other two teams, they're gonna battle.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
It out on Saturday, and that's gonna be the team
whoever you know, has the home field advantage, is going
to be the team that has the best chance, I think,
to make the Super Bowl. I don't see anybody else
coming out of the NFC, just because I.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Mean, Philly not playing great right now.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
I know they're kind of an up and down team
week to week, very similar to how the Carolina Panthers
have been for most of the season.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
But I don't trust them. I don't trust the Bears.
Speaker 5 (23:08):
I think it's way too early for them as well,
so that you know, maybe that does open it up
where if Carolina is able to win, it gives them
an opportunity. But I do think that when you look
at it, the passing game inefficiencies at times. I mean
the fact that you know, you're talking about a team
that just threw for fifty four yards in a game,
(23:30):
I mean that certainly is something, but yeah, I mean
we talked about it. The biggest thing is that you
don't have an offensive identity, and so it's hard to
feel really confident in a team, even if they get
to the playoffs that doesn't necessarily have an offensive identity.
The defense, I think you're right, they're going to be
able to hold them in most games unless you get
a team that can really run the ball successfully against them.
(23:53):
To the tune of what you saw when James Cook
was here and and Buffalo, I think that that's probably
the one scenario where you could see Carolina getting blown out.
That's the thing they're going to be in the game
that they play. I just don't know if they can
necessarily win the game that they play, because, as you said,
I felt more confident in this team earlier in the
season at home.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Than I've felt here as we've come down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
A reminder of following us right here on Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ, we have Hornets Basketball coming
your way from noon to one to be Hornet's pre game.
I think it's Willie p and Travis t Bow and
Hancock with that, and then at one o'clock we'll have
the broadcasts from Spectrum Centers. So whenever we get off
the year, keep it right here for coverags of Hornets
and Warriors. Charlotte's adopted son Steph Curry back in town
(24:39):
for a midday Mattine right here on New Year's Eve.
It's it's really hard to just really disagree with anything
that you said, which sucks because I love to argue
and disagree with you, but there's nothing there that you
said that I do.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I do disagree with.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
What I find interesting with with Panther fans is, let's
just say that Carolina loses on on Saturday, right and
whether they get they lose, close, blown out, whatever it is.
Then we get to Sunday and then we watch Atlanta
when on you know, be beaten Orleans, which would then
(25:16):
grant us still the NFC South title. How do you
think Panther fans would and should go about celebrating winning
the division at that point, because then you literally lose
back to back weeks with a chance to clinch with
to win, and you're now counting on another rival to
to get you into the playoffs. Do you think there
(25:38):
would be maybe the same excitement around it as opposed
that they beaten Seattle on Sunday or Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Well, I mean, of course not, it would be more
of the NFC South title.
Speaker 5 (25:49):
It would It would basically be like Dwight Shreut's birthday
party that he throws for Who is it, Kelly? I
believe at the one time where it literally just has
a sign that says it's your birthday, Like you would
walk in and you'd be like, all right, you know,
you'd feel like, hey, we got another opportunity, but we
kind of backed our way into this. I think that's
(26:09):
the reason why you've got to go out and take
this game, because then when you're up there, you're celebrating
with the hats and the T shirts. I mean, where
are you gonna celebrate with the hats and the T shirts?
If if Atlanta wins? I mean, is everybody even gonna
be in the facility that day? Or a they gonna
have a watch party and then all of a sudden,
it's gonna be like March Madness. They'll have a cam
(26:30):
in the room on them and they'll celebrate at the
end and everybody would be popping champagne. I don't know
if you necessarily get that type of feel if it
comes down to that, but I would just love to
see this team go to Tampa, take it from Baker
Mayfield and literally celebrate on his field, because that would
(26:53):
be tremendous. As much trash as Baker has talked, as
much as vitriol as he has towards Carolina, that would
just feel so sweet for Panther fans.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
So I'm hoping that's how it goes. Trut.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Would you buy an NFC South Division championship shirt if
they lost on Saturday but Atlanta won on Sunday and
we back toward our way into the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Hey, we still won, didn't We We're still in So yeah,
hell yeah, I'd buy that shirt. Man. It's probably cheaper
than the summer league shirt too. From the from the.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Side, championship, Okay, you know it's a division title, it
means just a little bit less, I guess.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Dude, I would definitely buy that. I mean, this is
this team is done. It hasn't looked pretty right that,
that's for sure. We don't have any losses that have
been like fun. Because even the Arizona loss, being as
close as it was, you know, a failed comeback, that
was still one to where it was very frustrating that
the Cardinals got out to the lead that they did
(27:51):
early in that game. You know, you I think I
said this the other day with Colin, is that you
don't have any losses on the season like that Sunday
Night football between the Bears and the forty nine ers
where it's a fun football game and you just came
up short.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
We don't really have any of those.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Whenever we lose, it is it is ugly, right, But
this team is still exactly where we wanted them to be,
and I think they've overachieved a little bit because I
had them in that seven to eight win range as well,
and they've been competitive, and in the conversation throughout the
entire year, it has come down to the last week
and it's a shame they haven't been able to take
(28:30):
care of their own business late here in the season,
but you know, they've had to rely on help from
other teams. But yeah, I mean, even if they lose
on Saturday and the Falcons help us out and we
get in, I think you can't be too frustrated because
you still made the playoffs for the first time in
a long time, and I think that's something to be celebrated.
I think it's you know, you can be slightly disappointed
(28:51):
with how you made your way into the playoffs, But
I think you have to step back and take and
take a wide angle, you know, view it this season
and say, hey, this is better than where we thought
we'd be, and we're in the dance and anything can happen,
like you know what I mean. And I don't think
you should have expectations when you get into the playoffs
if anything happening. But I think it's just as good
that this team, as young as they are, will have
(29:12):
some of that playoff experience.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
I'd love to see the locker room speech from Dave
Canalis if they backed or their way into the playoffs,
like because I would imagine that everyone would be around
on Sunday and let's just say it four fifteen or
so when that that game goes final. If Atlanta were
to emerge victorious, hey, gather thems all because I you know,
I guess they would have some hats and T shirts
(29:34):
on hand just in case. I think that'd be an
interesting locker room speech because you you wouldn't be happy
with how you how you did, how you did it,
but you still.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Did enough to win. What is uh?
Speaker 1 (29:46):
You know, I guess you could definitely say with the
division division champ having losing record, would be the worst
division you know, in the National Football League.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
So now the.
Speaker 5 (29:59):
Interesting thing is how disappointed are you if they lose
and they don't end up making the playoffs because let's
say the Saints win. Oh, very I think, but you
are still so far ahead of schedule if he wins.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I don't want to sound like Willie p like where
he was basically chastising Mac, but I think, like, what
what would hurt is you you basically put yourself in
position with the Saints game, with the Bucks game or
the Seahawks game, and then the Bucks game you had
you had three chances to really do this thing, and
(30:35):
you would have failed to do so, you would have
struck out three times. That would be a real hard
pill to swallow, because you could commend yourself for putting
yourself in that in that position, but then the fact
that like because like if if they would have beaten
New Orleans on the road, I just don't see the
math working out into a way where they just wouldn't
have gotten gotten it done. But you didn't. You didn't
(30:57):
get that game Seattle. Yes, that was a hard game
to expect them to win. That's maybe the best team
in the National Football League. But you know, the Bucks
were lost to a bad Miami team and now you
have this Bucks team.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
That would be like the poop and the diaper.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Is the fact that you had three chances to get
or done and you failed to do so.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
Yeah, I feel I feel you, I feel you. I
mean Arizona would be another. Well, you'd go back and
look at certain games and be, like many if they
end up winning this game, then things change, would it
My thing is is would it be? And this is
a good question for you guys, because I'm not you know,
I don't consider myself a fan. But would you be
(31:38):
more angry or would you be more dejected?
Speaker 3 (31:42):
I mean dejected? Yeah, I think that's I think that's
kind of where you're at, where there's sometimes where you
lose and you're angry, you're pissed off because you're like, dude,
we should have won this division. This is ridiculous. I
don't think that year. Yeah, I think that's where you're at.
I think that's where you're at.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
The anger comes next year if we start a season
and granted we don't know how good Jacksonville is going
to be but we're down twenty six to three to Jacksonville.
If we're getting our doors beaten off by a bad
Cardinals team, that's where, like, like this year it was frustration,
I think next year will just be pure anger because
(32:20):
now you know, this is as Macis said, this is
the year before the year whatever. Even what they what
they've done this year is already an achievement. They they
achieved this year. They took a step in the right direction.
They make the playoffs. That's that's that's the gravy on top,
and then everything else is just really adding on to that.
Next year is going to be the year where, like
you think that we've been critical, now we've been hyper analytical.
(32:43):
Now next year is going to be the year where
every little mistake Price makes, every little mistake Dave Canalis makes,
if Dan Morgan misses on a draft pick, a free
agent acquisition, whatever it is, it's going to be criticism
on top of criticism on top of criticism. So that's
where I think the comes in. We're a year away
from that, but I do think like when you get
(33:03):
to that part or that point as a sports fan,
that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Like when you get to.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
A point where your team makes you angry, that's because
they have done something to make you believe they should
give they should be playing better and winning more and
achieving more than what they're doing as opposed to the way,
like you know, a lot of maybe hornets fains feel
it's just like there is just no hope, there is
no life end of the tunnel because it's been the
same bleep over and over and over again for twenty years.
(33:28):
The Panthers, it feels like they've kind of crawled out
of that tunnel to where next year there's going to
be a lot of hope, a lot of belief, but
a lot of expectation.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
I mean, the thing was you got to a point
where people were just numb. I mean, that's what was
so bad about the last few years was that people
almost just didn't even care.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
The team would lose and they'd just be like, oh, yeah,
no another loss, Uh, what are we gonna do. There's
no point in getting angry, there's no point in even
being dejected.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
We just don't care. That's the point.
Speaker 5 (33:59):
That's the thing you're you're wanting to make sure that
you're out of and it feels like they are. So yeah,
I think there would there would be, you know, a
feeling of being dejected. But at the same time, I
think that's Dad, You're right, it's a good thing.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Man.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
That's not the worst place to be. Let's hope that
that's not what happens though. They go out, they win
this division down in Tampa. You finished with a nine
to eight record. Somebody said it on the text line.
I think they might have texted over it. So I'm
not seeing it right here, but you would want the
or JJ said it right here. I want the winning record.
So maybe we can string together two winning seasons in
(34:34):
a row. That would be I think one of the
big goals for Panther fans since that hasn't happened in
franchise history.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
That would be the way that you'd want to do it.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Get into the playoffs this year at nine and eight,
and then next year take that next step potentially, you know,
challenge for that three seed, two seed in the NFC,
something like that, just to take those incremental steps and
get that to maybe that double digit win.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Mark Sports Trading a nine to two seven wfnz's The
Young Guns. He on a New Year's Eve Wednesday week
come back, we'll shut down our final show of the
year in the holiday season. You're listening to Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ. One more segment to go
(35:27):
here on the Young Gun Sports Radio ninety two to
seven wfn Z. We're twelve minutes away from Hornets Basketball
Hornets pregame with the esteemed William Eugene Palachik. He'll be
at Spectrum Center. They'll be joined by Travis t Bone Hancock.
They'll be with you from twelve to one. Then they'll
turn it over to Sam Farb with the voice of
the Hornets as Hornets and Warriors will come your way
(35:49):
today from Spectrum Centers. After we're done here, keep it
right here for some great local Hornets basketball coverage. We're
now joined in the Chandlerville to studios by the guy
who's going to run that board Smoke. Get your get
your microphone over there, Miss harryal human being. I was
wanting you to get some airtime. You just happen to
(36:09):
come waltzing into into the studios, so well, we'll let
you talk with us here in the final segment. You
would be with us if you you know, weren't the
afternoon guy, and weren't working until twelve one o'clock in
the morning, like you are crunching all the great Carolina
Panthers numbers. How are you feeling about the panthers chances
to get this thing done on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (36:28):
And Tampa, I'm feeling pretty damn good about it.
Speaker 6 (36:30):
I just it's more so because I've told Kyle this
a couple of weeks ago, and I think it's coming
more to fruition. This feels like the AFC South in
twenty twenty two, minus Carolina having a hot end to
the season, because if you remember that year, the Tennessee
Titans had been had having a stranglehold over the AFC
(36:51):
South since twenty nineteen, about the same time that Tampa's
had a stranglehold over the NFC South. And then the
difference is Ryan Tannehill got hurt and they had to
rely on a rookie in Malik Willis all while the
Jaguars went from three to eight to about five hundred
and it culminated in final week showdown in Jacksonville between
(37:11):
the Titans and the Jags, and the Jags won and
that ended, I mean, the good era of Tennessee Titans football.
I don't know ifxactly it's not exactly the same, but
it feels very similar to that collapse from Tennessee back
in twenty twenty two, and when you see Tristan Wurf's
fighting arguing with Bucky Irving, when you saw Mike Evans
(37:32):
losing his mind after the Thursday night loss, when Mike
Evans has been in the league for over a decade
and hasn't lost his mind like that, possibly ever outside
of the Jameis Winston fight. It it's very alarming, and
I just feel like I can't trust this Tampa team
to get the job done when they're limping into the
(37:53):
season at the end of the season and Baker Mayfield
is getting more and more hurt by the second. I
don't know who's more injured right now, Baker Mayfield or
Haines King. So I just I noticed team is completely inconsistent.
But I just feel like Carolina will get the job
done this Saturday.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
I hope, so man, I do hope that they are
the team that that doesn't there. I mean, this is
it's been It's been a roller coaster season for the
team itself. It's been a roller coaster season for Smoke,
and I this this room has seen some things.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
We don't want to know what they mean.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
And it's uh, it's it's experienced some things as well
as we've we've been here working pre and post game
during the Panther season. Smokers, New Year's Eve, do you
do you get into this quote unquote holiday? And do
you have a resolution you'd like to announce over the air.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
No, I don't really have a resolution.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
I also don't really get into this holiday just because
I know the main thing from this holiday is everyone
getting into Times Square for some reason and watching a
ball drop while it's what ten degrees in New York City.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
Shout out the segment one. I just I.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Can't do that, Smoke. Let me ask you a question,
would you.
Speaker 5 (39:11):
To in order to see a ball drop to bring
in the New year p in a two liter bottle?
As our guy who was it earlier Ina Skeletons inflatable
skeleton said that he had to do when they went
to New York.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Okay, all right, that makes sense some with you.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
That is disgusting. And to do it in New York
when I've heard a lot of stories about Times Square.
No peeing in Times Square is nothing. Now, yes, you
know most of the city. Half the city smells like
p anyways, I think.
Speaker 4 (39:43):
You kind of stick out of maybe you don't, you know. Yeah,
here's the point. Yeah, he ain't from around.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Here, are you.
Speaker 4 (39:52):
Well?
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I don't think they sound like that up there.
Speaker 4 (39:54):
But I wanted to get in this text from the
hog Father Colin Hogger.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Looking into the Spectrum Center right now.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Oh yeah, that's right, he's going to the game today.
Speaker 4 (40:04):
But bad news for Colin man, he said, never thought
I'd be heading into the Spectrum Center with someone wearing
an opponent's jersey.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
But here I am.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
The question is who is who is to someone? Is
it family or is it friend?
Speaker 4 (40:19):
I'm assuming it's it's it's one of the it's one
of the young'ins walking in there, probably with the with
the Warriors courage.
Speaker 3 (40:24):
But that's that's that's on you, man, what like, oh,
this is a take like this is gonna get you.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
You can't be dyeing your your your your son in
a jersey of a of a of a team you
don't want him.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
To root for.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Oh stop, So you're telling me that if your child
came up to you and said, Dad, I really want
to Tony Jersey. I, I.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
You know, I've I've really been digging this. Baker Mayfield Fellah, No,
oh you can't go into division. Well no, so yeah,
that is different. That is different.
Speaker 5 (40:58):
Oh, here's it here, it is if he if your
son comes up to you and it's like, dad, I've
been watching the NFL all year. My favorite player is
Josh Allen. No, you're a bad father.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
You're not.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
You're You're just a terrible father.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
I think that's that's what we've come down to with
Panthers household. Okay, so you're going to force your kids
to take on the fandom that see that didn't see
to me, you can't do that.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
There there there are two teams. I think it's up.
It's not up for discussion. Your NFL team and if
you're a big if you're a big college team.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
It's in Collins.
Speaker 3 (41:33):
It's a five years less than a year.
Speaker 5 (41:36):
Considering that it was that less than a year ago,
you weren't even a Panther fan. I find that unbelievable
to say that you've gotten to that point already.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
That's that's insanity.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
There's those those it's but I think it should be
that way for like or I guess like if you're like,
let's say, for for for shopping, you're not gonna let
your kid grow up to be a fan of a
different hurd, you know, a different hockey team outside of
the Hurricane.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
Why he wears jerseys of different teams all the time.
That's what are you talking about?
Speaker 1 (42:06):
That's part of like Shroppi's like, that's that's what you
so stop.
Speaker 5 (42:11):
If your child comes up to you and says, you
know what, Connor McDavid is my favorite player.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
I want a Connor McDavid jersey. You're gonna tell him.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
Now, No, I would get him a Connor McDavid j
There you go, good guy.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
That's and that's why fandom isn't what fandom used to be.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
Well, first, you got a calf kids, and I don't
think we'll have to worry about that for a long time.
Speaker 5 (42:29):
Christen Huntersville says, people with our kids should not be
handing out parenting advice.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
All right, we got we gotta wrap things up, y'all.
I hope you all have a happy New Year.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
Though.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
That's gonna wrap it up for this edition of the
Young Guns. That's that's us for twenty twenty five as well.
Next time we'll talk to you, it'll be next year.
Coming up next, it's Horning's Free Game right here on
Sports Radio ninety two seven w f n z a
Final hour of the Young Guns right here on Sports
Radio ninety two seven wfn Z, our third third show
of the holiday season.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Right, we did one before Christmas.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
I think that's right.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
You want to go all the way back to Thanksgiving?
Speaker 1 (00:28):
No, I mean Thanksgiving is the better holiday. So we
were here after Thanksgiving. We were to take before Christmas
the day after Christmas.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Now we're here with you on a New Year's even.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Look, we are fifty six minutes away shrop from you
not having a dump flounder, which might be the the
biggest upset of all upsets. After you know, the day
after Christmas, my man out here dropping the F bomb.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Well, you know, I've really been on a lovely that.
Speaker 3 (00:54):
You just want to reveal that. By the way, too,
so somebody could call up and say I heard the
F word on the error, but they didn't because it
got dumped. Wasn't Willie though?
Speaker 2 (01:03):
So but on the air too.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
He did, Yeah, he did so that he would be
a hypocrite. But no, dude, I've been dump button happy recently.
I'm glad I didn't. I didn't have to use it.
Sunday Panthers post game. Everyone did a fantastic job keeping
it clean. But yesterday running the Charlotte Food and on
a broadcast, I had to utilize the dump button as well.
What someone either on the court or in the stands
(01:26):
was not happy with they so had to had to
exercise that. So it's been getting a lot of use.
It's been getting a lot of use. Hopefully not today.
Keep it together, flound I.
Speaker 1 (01:37):
Gotta talking Drake may here at any point. Neutral No,
we're gonna talk some neutral site games.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
Yeah, all right, well neutral sight. I didn't curse about,
so that's good.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
When I did come in to check when on Shoppy
on Sunday during Panther post game, Yeah, I've.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Never It's like it's it's like, you know, seeing.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Flounder approach a woman for the first time, there was
just so much nervousness on his I always getting right,
and you were like you were just so scared. I
don't like talking white people on the phone because I
gotta hit the dump button. It's like, well, you know,
you got ten seconds after they say to get rid
of it, But what if I don't hear it, well,
then that's no.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Usually this is one thing that I will say.
Speaker 5 (02:17):
Willie does a really good job of keeping up with
that because you'll just say you'll hear Oh.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You know, I can't know that is true.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
But no, I always have to be locked in doing
Panda's post game on the phone because I've had the
dump people before, and especially whenever Will's not in studio.
It makes it more difficult too, because uh, sitting in
the host chair, there was a dump button over there
that can be used.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, you can use you can dump yourself.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Now mine is a little bit further away from me,
So that's part of the reason.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
I don't think it takes you ten seconds to get
over there.
Speaker 5 (02:49):
Yeah, yeah, it shouldn't. If it takes me ten seconds
to get over there, I have some real probably I
was out of breath last night. It was something listening
to you on the phone. Well, I had to park
at the Jackson Parking Deck. So if anybody knows where
this is in Chapel Hill, it's probably about a mile
to the Smith Center. Should shouldn't really be that bad.
(03:13):
There are a lot of stays though, and I have
said that my my new arch nemesis is stairs.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
I thought it was women. There can be two.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Now, how's you, how's your how's your? Uh, how's your
life going over there.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Huh.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I means has that been going great? It's not going great.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
But I mean I've at least had options that just
fell through. It's a point mainly because I'm action is by.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
Me well, and you know, Fiddy's daycounter is still up there,
and at some point it did have dates being being
filled out.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
Oh he's still talking to the same girl, so it's
still going to be filled out.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
So and look it's gonna be like a negative seven
at some point. But yeah, it was. It was just
really funny seeing Shoppy. It was like, you know the
way people described Hacksaw when he ran the board for Nick,
how he was always nervous and timid behind the board.
That's how Shoppy is during Panther post game, this game show,
it's it's once. It's about once a week you have
to dump somebody. I had to do it the week
(04:09):
that I was on. Somebody just came in dropped a
h They played like bleep.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And I'm all right, well you can't say that.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Nope, you can't tell.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
But hopefully none of these these the CFP quarter final games,
Hopefully none of these games turn out to be dump worthy.
You got Ohio State Miami tonight at the Cotton Bowl,
Texas Tech Oregon tomorrow with the Orange Bowl, followed by
Indiana and Alabama at the Rose Bowl, and then we
conclude the night with Georgia and Old Miss down at
(04:39):
the Sugar Bowl.
Speaker 2 (04:40):
Let's just go through these games and order.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Fle will make our predictions right now, starting with Ohio
State and Miami.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
Who do you have advancing to the semi finals?
Speaker 5 (04:47):
Yeah, so I thought this game, I said yesterday when
we were doing ball and are falling. I think this
is going to be an incredibly close game between these
two sides. I think, as we said earlier, it's going
to be a boring game. There's not gonna be a
lot of offense in this one.
Speaker 3 (05:03):
But if you like two.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Forces going up against each other, the offensive lines going
up against the defensive lines, I think you're really going
to like this game because I think both defensive lines
are going to be able to have a pretty good
amount of success.
Speaker 3 (05:19):
I'm gonna go with Ohio State.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
I think the championship pedigree from last year is certainly
something that can propel them over the top.
Speaker 3 (05:26):
Also, trust Julian say and.
Speaker 5 (05:27):
Believe it or not a little bit more than I
trust Carson Back mainly because we've been here with Carson
Back before and he hasn't necessarily performed.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
The best on this stage.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
So I believe that when it's all said and done,
Ohio State finds a way to win. But it's going
to be one of those ugly games. I'm thinking seventeen
thirteen is the final. I've really thought about this one,
and I've really wrestled with it because I think both
teams are even. I think you do have questions about
quarterbacks because saying just this might be the best defensive
(06:01):
line he has seen all year.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
With how good Miami is up front that you.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Have questions about coaches, even though you know Ryan Day
to go over the hunt last year and and won
a national championship. This is the most confident Miami has
been under Mario crystal Ball because they they went on
the road, they won a game at Texas A and M,
and they finally won their I guess, their first legitimate
big game with crystal Ball as the head coach. I
(06:27):
think they make this game ugly enough, and they make
the plays late. I think I think Miami advances. I
think Miami and look, I don't think.
Speaker 3 (06:38):
You're trusting Carson Beck and Mario crystal Ball. That's the
thing for me. Doubling down on those two is tough.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
I am because you know, and maybe this is where
because to you it's it's a neutral field game. If
Miami was having to go to Columbus, I'd pick Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (06:52):
To win this football game, and see that would make
it less interesting.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
But because this game is on a neutral field, and
I think both fan base, with both both fan bases
while we're presented down there Jerry World, I think that
does play a factor. I think Miami wins this game
seventeen fourteen. Oh, and I think they punched our ticket
to the CFP semi final. Shopping you usually hate college
football talk. I'll open the floor though, too. Do you
have a picking tonight's game?
Speaker 4 (07:15):
Well, I really just like it whenever it's just around
crappy UNC football discussion, So shch we hardly ever talk
about Well.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
When was the last time we had atario football discussion?
It's been a while.
Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well you got the last show, that's right, Yep, Yeah,
there's that, But no, this one, I know who I'm
rooting for. I will be rooting for Miami in this one.
But I do think Ohio State having the experience of
being here before Ryan Day being a national champion now,
I think that experience will actually have quite a bit
(07:45):
of value over Miami and Mario chris Ball. I mean,
we talk about how important the Panthers getting into the
playoffs would be for just this young team to have
that experience, and you can carry it forward. We look
at the Buffalo Bills and the NFL playoffs and say
their experience is a reason why we take them to
be serious contenders in the AFC this year. Without Patrick Mahomes,
(08:06):
I think that has to carry over to college football
as well. I think Ohio State is going to be prepared.
I don't know if I can trust Carson beck See.
I think Ohio State wins this game. If we're doing
score predictions, I'll probably go twenty one to thirteen.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
All right, let's turn our attention to the Orange Bowl.
Speaker 1 (08:23):
Maybe the best game of the four quarterfinal games we
have for this year's CFP. WEW, who you got between
Texas Tech and Oregon this one?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
This one was the toughest one for me to pick.
I believe that Texas Tech does enough. I think that
defense is going to come up with some stops when
they need to. They're not going to shut down this
Oregon offense.
Speaker 5 (08:51):
It's not going to be a complete shutdown like some
of the other games that we've seen so far this
year from Texas Tech. But I do believe that they
are going to be able to come up with timely plays.
Love Jacob Rodriguez, think he's an absolute deserve to be
in that Heisman conversation. And I think Baron Morton is
a really good quarterback that just nobody talks about going
(09:12):
into this playoff. Everybody's focused on Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson,
you know, some Gunner Stocked and some of these other
guys they're talking a little bit more about, Julian saying,
I think this is a game where Morton shows out,
the offense puts up enough points in the end. I
think it's gonna be a little bit of a shootout,
(09:33):
not the shootouts that you're used to with the Oregon
I mean, we're we're not talking forty five thirty eight
or something like that. But I do think when it's
all said and done, I'm gonna go with Texas Tech
to win this one thirty one to twenty eight over
the Oregon Ducks.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I let it be known, I'm rooting for Texas Tech
to win this football game. That's too Yes, that's who
I think I'm rooting for out of all the teams
left to win the national championship. And when I first
got into the sport, loved you know, Leach and those
those Graham Harrold Red Raider teams. They were a lot
of fun the way they played. So I've always kind
of followed Texas tack from afar, like Patrick Mahomes some
(10:08):
of the other quarterbacks that have rolled through Lubbock. I
think I think Oregon's better. I think I think they've
they've got the better coach. I think they I think
he'll get a squad more motivated. I think, you know,
with not having the long layoff, I think, you know,
they've got some momentum built up with what they did
against James Madison and then you know, the way Dan
Lanning was able to really talk to his team after
they after they beat James Madison, but because they didn't
(10:30):
finish the game the way he wanted them, I think
that they'll be even more motivated to put together a
much more complete performance.
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I think it's a fun game.
Speaker 1 (10:38):
I think it's competitive, but I think the Ducks they
emerged twenty eight twenty four.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
They make it to the semi finals. Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (10:46):
We'll be rooting for Texas Tech as well in this one.
Uh you know, playing in Miami, Oregon only two and
a half point favorites in this one. I'm not as
confident in Oregon as I was earlier in the season.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
I will be rooting for.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
Texas Tech and I'm also gonna pick Texas Tech to
come away with this game. I think that they will
be a fun team to kind of I don't know
if you can call it really upset. They are the
fourth seed and Oregon so fifth seed, but the odd
makers will tell you it's an upset. But yeah, I
think Texas Tech wins this one. I think they muck
it up. I think I think they make it ugly.
I think Texas Tech wins seventeen to fourteen.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Oh my goodness, Well that would be that. I gotta
tell you that would be a stunner for me.
Speaker 5 (11:32):
Good because these offenses, I feel like are too good.
These defenses are really good too. But I'm hoping that's
not the scenario.
Speaker 3 (11:39):
We run into.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Let's turn our attention to the most important bowl game
of all the bowl games, a Rose Bowl, the granddaddy
of them all. That's right, Number one, Indiana, Number nine
Alabama flown to you.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Got all right?
Speaker 5 (11:51):
Yeah, we got to pick the speed up here just
a little bit. So I'm gonna go with Alabama to
win this game. I think Ty Simpson makes enough plays
and it's just something about Indiana, man, especially with them
missing Stephen Daley along the defensive line. I think that's
gonna be a really, really tough loss to overcome for them.
I also wonder if Indiana's going to be able to
(12:13):
run the football on Alabama. They've run the football well
for most of the season, but are they going to
be able to do that against the front as good
as Alabama's is. So I'm gonna take Alabama and Caitlin
de Bor to emerge in another big game because that's
what he seems to like to do wherever he goes.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
Yeah, I hate that I agree with you, but I do.
Speaker 1 (12:31):
I don't think the Cinderella story ends in a positive
way for Indiana. Well, they've already done and achieved is historical.
Is the best season in program history. I don't think
it culminates international Championship. I think Alabama wins this game,
and I think they win it. That was rather going away.
I've got the Crimson tide thirty one to twenty, so
(12:53):
I've got them winning by two possessions to advance of
the semi finals.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
Yeah. I'm gonna roll with Indiana here.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
If it feels odd that they're the Cinderella, but they're
They're the number one seed in the country thirteen to zero.
They definitely feel like a significant underdog even though they're
favored by seven points. I think they're able to take
care of business in the Rose Bowl, and I will
have them beating Alabama twenty seven to twenty three.
Speaker 3 (13:22):
Okay, all right, let's finish it up with the Sugar Bowl.
Georgia and Ole Miss really quickly. I did not give
my score prediction officially for Bama. I'll go a lower
scoring game between these two sides.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
I go twenty four to twenty one Alabama over Indiana.
Georgia Ole Miss a waxing I think. I think Georgia
just comes out and pounds them. I think this is
one of those games you know early in the season
they actually put together a really solid performance against them,
had the lead and ended up, you know, basically just
(13:54):
costing themselves down the stretch. I don't think that's going
to be the same in this game. I think with
that Lane Kiffin on the sidelines. Even if Lane was
on the sidelines, I don't know how much faith I
would have in them. I just have so much faith
in Georgia the way they're playing towards the end of
the season. So I'm gonna go with Georgia heavy in
this one, thirty four to ten over ole Miss.
Speaker 1 (14:14):
Yeah, I've I've got blowout City written. I'll over this one.
I think this is where Pete Goldings, you know, inexperience
as a head coach really does show up against Kirby
Smart and the Dogs. I've got Georgia big thirty one fourteen.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
I also have Georgia in this one.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I think ole Miss is able to keep it close
in the first half, and then I think Kirby Smart
is able to make some adjustments and really open things
up in the second half.
Speaker 2 (14:36):
Give me Georgia thirty five twenty four.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
All right, there's a look at our CFP predictions for
the CFP quarter final.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Action gets underway tonight.
Speaker 1 (14:44):
I can hear all that action right here on Sports
Radio ninety two to seven WFNZ. When we come back,
we'll turn our attention back to the Panthers. One final
Panther top before we do get out of here. Did
the loss in Seattle less than your belief the Panthers
could make a run if they were to make the playoffs?
We'll talk about that right here on Sports Radio ninety
two seven w f Z. A. Well, that beat got
(15:19):
Shroppy up and moving, and they got flounder, I guess
up and moving as as well. So one of the
oh yeah, one of the better rejoints we've had today.
You haven't been in your oh yeah DJ bag that
you were on Christmas Eve, Junior. Well, you know, I mean,
is this hard to go wrong with with Christmas tunes?
But you know that's that was definitely a good one
(15:40):
to come back to. We only got two more segments
to go, guys than we're we're done. We got to
hate for a while, I think too, probably, Yeah, which
is unfortunate because I feel like, you know, we've you know,
we we we found our stride. That's right, flounder quick cussing.
We still have still had two segments to go. Okay,
thirty six minutes left, ang Seattle lost less than your belief.
(16:02):
I could get cranked up about this, so you know,
but look, we got to give the microphone back to
the professionals starting on Friday because Mac and Bone they'll
be back for a football Friday six to ten am
Charlotte Sports Today. They'll be on from ten to twelve,
Adam gold Is on Friday twelve to three because Walker
filling in for go Maylely in the afternoon from from
(16:22):
three to six. But Monday, January fifth, when we come
back from the weekend, we'll be back at full capacity,
back hopefully getting ready for a Panther playoff game. If not,
we'll be putting a you know, a the finishing touches
up on what's been a entertaining twenty twenty five you know,
Panther season. As they go into Week eighteen with the
(16:45):
win and in situation, if they beat the Bucks, they
win the division. But if they lose to the Bucks
and the Falcons beat the Saints, then they also win
the division. They would make the playoff with an eight
and nine record. You know, when we were talking I
think last week I was kind of talking about how
I thought I felt like if Carolina got in, they
(17:06):
were going to be a problem for whichever team from
the NFC West had to come to Charlotte, And because
we know it's going to be you know, a a
a NFC West team with the way that the playoff
picture has has shaped up here as we've entered the
final week of the regular season, after watching what Seattle
came into our building, it did to us, and having
(17:27):
seen what happened when we went to San Francisco, I
do think maybe if, if, if that, if that game
did sway you and your disc and in your discipline,
that they could win a playoff game. I could not
argue with with with that. Are you in that same vein, like,
do you think that even if the Panthers win, they're
probably one and done with how Seattle just kind of
came in here and over and over the course of
(17:49):
four minutes, were or sixty minutes were able to I'm
not gonna say, man handle Carolina, but kind of you know,
put Carolina away with with relative ease, or do you
still think because of how good they've been at home,
they'll still be a problem or for whatever.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
It's to come east.
Speaker 3 (18:02):
Yeah, I think they could still be a problem.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
I definitely think that how much of a problem I
think is going to be maybe more of the question
how long do they hang around in the game. I
don't know now if you believe that they are going
to be able to win that game, because it's either
going to be Seattle again yep, or San Francisco again.
(18:25):
So because I don't think there's a way the Rams
can win the division not after the other night, so yeah,
I or even move up to that five seed. So
I think that's where you're looking at it and saying
you might not feel nearly as confident because you know,
San Francisco is getting a little bit healthier. The way
that brock Perty has been playing here recently has been tremendous,
(18:51):
and you know, Seattle, you just saw that group that's
an incredibly difficult Now, maybe maybe that's the matchup you want,
because we've said it, it's really hard to beat a
team two times in a season. But I and that's
the thing going into this game against Tampa too though,
So I think that certainly is maybe the more advantageous
(19:15):
one because you know, a lot more about Seattle, you
would basically just go right back into prepping against them
after you were doing so just a couple weeks prior.
But I yeah, I'm not feeling nearly as confident as
I once was when I thought maybe there was a
chance that this could be the Bears, maybe this could
(19:37):
be the Packers, someone like that. I thought at that rate, Yeah,
Carolina would have a chance to win.
Speaker 3 (19:42):
Even the Rams. I think Carolina would have a chance
to beat them.
Speaker 5 (19:45):
I just don't know about the Seattle San Francisco combo
if that actually works.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
Yeah, I feel like the issue is that the team
that you match up with the best is no longer
on the table to come here, and that's the Rams. Yep,
because that's that's the one. That's the one game you
saw Carolina's offense really look productive because you had the
issues against San Francisco where canal Its just didn't run
the football nowhere near as much as he should have.
(20:12):
And then you have the issues on Sunday against Seattle
where you only had two drives that had four plays
or or more against him.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
The thing about.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Seattle is, you know, you you put Sam Darnald in
a situation where he you know, there were plays that
could have been made. He obviously did have you know,
the the sap and there the sack and the strip
fun and the strip fumble. The first play of the
game for Seattle on offense, I mean, should have been
an interception, like that's a that's a play nine times
out of ten JC Horn makes just didn't make it,
(20:41):
you know, on Sunday, and that was highly unfortunate. Derek
Brown almost almost had an interception. I think you'd rather
see Donald than Party with the way that that Party
has been playing here the back half of the season.
But it does kind of feel like they'll be there'll
be one and done, which you know would be disappointing
(21:02):
in the moment, because you know, you get a home
playoff game, you like to at least advance advance to
the second round. It would still be a tremendous sign
of growth and progress. But I do think with and
Aus really just how bad this offense has been at
home too. At times, like in the middle of the year,
when I thought that this team was going to be
(21:22):
what they are now, which is a five hundred football team,
it was because I thought they were going to be really,
really good at home and struggle on the road. And
when they were winning games at home, they were scoring points.
They scored against Miami, they scored against Dallas, they scored
against Atlanta. It's felt like here the back half of
the of the season, you had what seven point game
against New Orleans, a ten point game or a yeah,
(21:45):
a ten point game against Seattle. Like even at home,
this offense has has gone away. So that's probably the
reason for the biggest disbelief in them to make noise,
because I think the defense has proven that they can
do what they gotta do to give yourselves a shot,
but the end consistencies on offense makes it harder think
they could go into the playoffs and beat a team
from an NFC West, which feels like that division might
(22:07):
produce the NFC representative in.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
The Super Bowl.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
I think it's guaranteed to produce. That's where I would
go with it.
Speaker 5 (22:13):
I think it is gonna be one of those three
teams that ends up making it. I don't think I'm
not nearly as confident in the Rams as I once was.
I would say if that was the team that was
coming here, and I'm not sure.
Speaker 3 (22:27):
Maybe there is still a way that they can get here.
Speaker 5 (22:29):
If they can, then I feel like that's the best
matchup for Carolina and they might be able to actually advance.
Speaker 3 (22:36):
But I think the other two teams, they're gonna battle.
Speaker 5 (22:39):
It out on Saturday, and that's gonna be the team
whoever you know, has the home field advantage, is going
to be the team that has the best chance, I think,
to make the Super Bowl. I don't see anybody else
coming out of the NFC, just because I.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
Mean, Philly not playing great right now.
Speaker 5 (22:57):
I know they're kind of an up and down team
week to week, very similar to how the Carolina Panthers
have been for most of the season.
Speaker 3 (23:05):
But I don't trust them. I don't trust the Bears.
Speaker 5 (23:08):
I think it's way too early for them as well,
so that you know, maybe that does open it up
where if Carolina is able to win, it gives them
an opportunity. But I do think that when you look
at it, the passing game inefficiencies at times. I mean
the fact that you know, you're talking about a team
that just threw for fifty four yards in a game,
(23:30):
I mean that certainly is something, but yeah, I mean
we talked about it. The biggest thing is that you
don't have an offensive identity, and so it's hard to
feel really confident in a team, even if they get
to the playoffs that doesn't necessarily have an offensive identity.
The defense, I think you're right, they're going to be
able to hold them in most games unless you get
a team that can really run the ball successfully against them.
(23:53):
To the tune of what you saw when James Cook
was here and and Buffalo, I think that that's probably
the one scenario where you could see Carolina getting blown out.
That's the thing they're going to be in the game
that they play. I just don't know if they can
necessarily win the game that they play, because, as you said,
I felt more confident in this team earlier in the
season at home.
Speaker 3 (24:14):
Than I've felt here as we've come down the stretch.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
A reminder of following us right here on Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ, we have Hornets Basketball coming
your way from noon to one to be Hornet's pre game.
I think it's Willie p and Travis t Bow and
Hancock with that, and then at one o'clock we'll have
the broadcasts from Spectrum Centers. So whenever we get off
the year, keep it right here for coverags of Hornets
and Warriors. Charlotte's adopted son Steph Curry back in town
(24:39):
for a midday Mattine right here on New Year's Eve.
It's it's really hard to just really disagree with anything
that you said, which sucks because I love to argue
and disagree with you, but there's nothing there that you
said that I do.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
I do disagree with.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
What I find interesting with with Panther fans is, let's
just say that Carolina loses on on Saturday, right and
whether they get they lose, close, blown out, whatever it is.
Then we get to Sunday and then we watch Atlanta
when on you know, be beaten Orleans, which would then
(25:16):
grant us still the NFC South title. How do you
think Panther fans would and should go about celebrating winning
the division at that point, because then you literally lose
back to back weeks with a chance to clinch with
to win, and you're now counting on another rival to
to get you into the playoffs. Do you think there
(25:38):
would be maybe the same excitement around it as opposed
that they beaten Seattle on Sunday or Tampa Bay on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Well, I mean, of course not, it would be more
of the NFC South title.
Speaker 5 (25:49):
It would It would basically be like Dwight Shreut's birthday
party that he throws for Who is it, Kelly? I
believe at the one time where it literally just has
a sign that says it's your birthday, Like you would
walk in and you'd be like, all right, you know,
you'd feel like, hey, we got another opportunity, but we
kind of backed our way into this. I think that's
(26:09):
the reason why you've got to go out and take
this game, because then when you're up there, you're celebrating
with the hats and the T shirts. I mean, where
are you gonna celebrate with the hats and the T shirts?
If if Atlanta wins? I mean, is everybody even gonna
be in the facility that day? Or a they gonna
have a watch party and then all of a sudden,
it's gonna be like March Madness. They'll have a cam
(26:30):
in the room on them and they'll celebrate at the
end and everybody would be popping champagne. I don't know
if you necessarily get that type of feel if it
comes down to that, but I would just love to
see this team go to Tampa, take it from Baker
Mayfield and literally celebrate on his field, because that would
(26:53):
be tremendous. As much trash as Baker has talked, as
much as vitriol as he has towards Carolina, that would
just feel so sweet for Panther fans.
Speaker 3 (27:02):
So I'm hoping that's how it goes. Trut.
Speaker 1 (27:05):
Would you buy an NFC South Division championship shirt if
they lost on Saturday but Atlanta won on Sunday and
we back toward our way into the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Hey, we still won, didn't We We're still in So yeah,
hell yeah, I'd buy that shirt. Man. It's probably cheaper
than the summer league shirt too. From the from the.
Speaker 5 (27:24):
Side, championship, Okay, you know it's a division title, it
means just a little bit less, I guess.
Speaker 4 (27:30):
Dude, I would definitely buy that. I mean, this is
this team is done. It hasn't looked pretty right that,
that's for sure. We don't have any losses that have
been like fun. Because even the Arizona loss, being as
close as it was, you know, a failed comeback, that
was still one to where it was very frustrating that
the Cardinals got out to the lead that they did
(27:51):
early in that game. You know, you I think I
said this the other day with Colin, is that you
don't have any losses on the season like that Sunday
Night football between the Bears and the forty nine ers
where it's a fun football game and you just came
up short.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
We don't really have any of those.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
Whenever we lose, it is it is ugly, right, But
this team is still exactly where we wanted them to be,
and I think they've overachieved a little bit because I
had them in that seven to eight win range as well,
and they've been competitive, and in the conversation throughout the
entire year, it has come down to the last week
and it's a shame they haven't been able to take
(28:30):
care of their own business late here in the season,
but you know, they've had to rely on help from
other teams. But yeah, I mean, even if they lose
on Saturday and the Falcons help us out and we
get in, I think you can't be too frustrated because
you still made the playoffs for the first time in
a long time, and I think that's something to be celebrated.
I think it's you know, you can be slightly disappointed
(28:51):
with how you made your way into the playoffs, But
I think you have to step back and take and
take a wide angle, you know, view it this season
and say, hey, this is better than where we thought
we'd be, and we're in the dance and anything can happen,
like you know what I mean. And I don't think
you should have expectations when you get into the playoffs
if anything happening. But I think it's just as good
that this team, as young as they are, will have
(29:12):
some of that playoff experience.
Speaker 1 (29:14):
I'd love to see the locker room speech from Dave
Canalis if they backed or their way into the playoffs,
like because I would imagine that everyone would be around
on Sunday and let's just say it four fifteen or
so when that that game goes final. If Atlanta were
to emerge victorious, hey, gather thems all because I you know,
I guess they would have some hats and T shirts
(29:34):
on hand just in case. I think that'd be an
interesting locker room speech because you you wouldn't be happy
with how you how you did, how you did it,
but you still.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Did enough to win. What is uh?
Speaker 1 (29:46):
You know, I guess you could definitely say with the
division division champ having losing record, would be the worst
division you know, in the National Football League.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
So now the.
Speaker 5 (29:59):
Interesting thing is how disappointed are you if they lose
and they don't end up making the playoffs because let's
say the Saints win. Oh, very I think, but you
are still so far ahead of schedule if he wins.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
I don't want to sound like Willie p like where
he was basically chastising Mac, but I think, like, what
what would hurt is you you basically put yourself in
position with the Saints game, with the Bucks game or
the Seahawks game, and then the Bucks game you had
you had three chances to really do this thing, and
(30:35):
you would have failed to do so, you would have
struck out three times. That would be a real hard
pill to swallow, because you could commend yourself for putting
yourself in that in that position, but then the fact
that like because like if if they would have beaten
New Orleans on the road, I just don't see the
math working out into a way where they just wouldn't
have gotten gotten it done. But you didn't. You didn't
(30:57):
get that game Seattle. Yes, that was a hard game
to expect them to win. That's maybe the best team
in the National Football League. But you know, the Bucks
were lost to a bad Miami team and now you
have this Bucks team.
Speaker 2 (31:08):
That would be like the poop and the diaper.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
Is the fact that you had three chances to get
or done and you failed to do so.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
Yeah, I feel I feel you, I feel you. I
mean Arizona would be another. Well, you'd go back and
look at certain games and be, like many if they
end up winning this game, then things change, would it
My thing is is would it be? And this is
a good question for you guys, because I'm not you know,
I don't consider myself a fan. But would you be
(31:38):
more angry or would you be more dejected?
Speaker 3 (31:42):
I mean dejected? Yeah, I think that's I think that's
kind of where you're at, where there's sometimes where you
lose and you're angry, you're pissed off because you're like, dude,
we should have won this division. This is ridiculous. I
don't think that year. Yeah, I think that's where you're at.
I think that's where you're at.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
The anger comes next year if we start a season
and granted we don't know how good Jacksonville is going
to be but we're down twenty six to three to Jacksonville.
If we're getting our doors beaten off by a bad
Cardinals team, that's where, like, like this year it was frustration,
I think next year will just be pure anger because
(32:20):
now you know, this is as Macis said, this is
the year before the year whatever. Even what they what
they've done this year is already an achievement. They they
achieved this year. They took a step in the right direction.
They make the playoffs. That's that's that's the gravy on top,
and then everything else is just really adding on to that.
Next year is going to be the year where, like
you think that we've been critical, now we've been hyper analytical.
(32:43):
Now next year is going to be the year where
every little mistake Price makes, every little mistake Dave Canalis makes,
if Dan Morgan misses on a draft pick, a free
agent acquisition, whatever it is, it's going to be criticism
on top of criticism on top of criticism. So that's
where I think the comes in. We're a year away
from that, but I do think like when you get
(33:03):
to that part or that point as a sports fan,
that's a good thing.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Like when you get to.
Speaker 1 (33:08):
A point where your team makes you angry, that's because
they have done something to make you believe they should
give they should be playing better and winning more and
achieving more than what they're doing as opposed to the way,
like you know, a lot of maybe hornets fains feel
it's just like there is just no hope, there is
no life end of the tunnel because it's been the
same bleep over and over and over again for twenty years.
(33:28):
The Panthers, it feels like they've kind of crawled out
of that tunnel to where next year there's going to
be a lot of hope, a lot of belief, but
a lot of expectation.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
I mean, the thing was you got to a point
where people were just numb. I mean, that's what was
so bad about the last few years was that people
almost just didn't even care.
Speaker 5 (33:48):
The team would lose and they'd just be like, oh, yeah,
no another loss, Uh, what are we gonna do. There's
no point in getting angry, there's no point in even
being dejected.
Speaker 3 (33:56):
We just don't care. That's the point.
Speaker 5 (33:59):
That's the thing you're you're wanting to make sure that
you're out of and it feels like they are. So yeah,
I think there would there would be, you know, a
feeling of being dejected. But at the same time, I
think that's Dad, You're right, it's a good thing.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
Man.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
That's not the worst place to be. Let's hope that
that's not what happens though. They go out, they win
this division down in Tampa. You finished with a nine
to eight record. Somebody said it on the text line.
I think they might have texted over it. So I'm
not seeing it right here, but you would want the
or JJ said it right here. I want the winning record.
So maybe we can string together two winning seasons in
(34:34):
a row. That would be I think one of the
big goals for Panther fans since that hasn't happened in
franchise history.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
That would be the way that you'd want to do it.
Speaker 5 (34:42):
Get into the playoffs this year at nine and eight,
and then next year take that next step potentially, you know,
challenge for that three seed, two seed in the NFC,
something like that, just to take those incremental steps and
get that to maybe that double digit win.
Speaker 1 (34:56):
Mark Sports Trading a nine to two seven wfnz's The
Young Guns. He on a New Year's Eve Wednesday week
come back, we'll shut down our final show of the
year in the holiday season. You're listening to Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ. One more segment to go
(35:27):
here on the Young Gun Sports Radio ninety two to
seven wfn Z. We're twelve minutes away from Hornets Basketball
Hornets pregame with the esteemed William Eugene Palachik. He'll be
at Spectrum Center. They'll be joined by Travis t Bone Hancock.
They'll be with you from twelve to one. Then they'll
turn it over to Sam Farb with the voice of
the Hornets as Hornets and Warriors will come your way
(35:49):
today from Spectrum Centers. After we're done here, keep it
right here for some great local Hornets basketball coverage. We're
now joined in the Chandlerville to studios by the guy
who's going to run that board Smoke. Get your get
your microphone over there, Miss harryal human being. I was
wanting you to get some airtime. You just happen to
(36:09):
come waltzing into into the studios, so well, we'll let
you talk with us here in the final segment. You
would be with us if you you know, weren't the
afternoon guy, and weren't working until twelve one o'clock in
the morning, like you are crunching all the great Carolina
Panthers numbers. How are you feeling about the panthers chances
to get this thing done on Saturday?
Speaker 3 (36:28):
And Tampa, I'm feeling pretty damn good about it.
Speaker 6 (36:30):
I just it's more so because I've told Kyle this
a couple of weeks ago, and I think it's coming
more to fruition. This feels like the AFC South in
twenty twenty two, minus Carolina having a hot end to
the season, because if you remember that year, the Tennessee
Titans had been had having a stranglehold over the AFC
(36:51):
South since twenty nineteen, about the same time that Tampa's
had a stranglehold over the NFC South. And then the
difference is Ryan Tannehill got hurt and they had to
rely on a rookie in Malik Willis all while the
Jaguars went from three to eight to about five hundred
and it culminated in final week showdown in Jacksonville between
(37:11):
the Titans and the Jags, and the Jags won and
that ended, I mean, the good era of Tennessee Titans football.
I don't know ifxactly it's not exactly the same, but
it feels very similar to that collapse from Tennessee back
in twenty twenty two, and when you see Tristan Wurf's
fighting arguing with Bucky Irving, when you saw Mike Evans
(37:32):
losing his mind after the Thursday night loss, when Mike
Evans has been in the league for over a decade
and hasn't lost his mind like that, possibly ever outside
of the Jameis Winston fight. It it's very alarming, and
I just feel like I can't trust this Tampa team
to get the job done when they're limping into the
(37:53):
season at the end of the season and Baker Mayfield
is getting more and more hurt by the second. I
don't know who's more injured right now, Baker Mayfield or
Haines King. So I just I noticed team is completely inconsistent.
But I just feel like Carolina will get the job
done this Saturday.
Speaker 1 (38:13):
I hope, so man, I do hope that they are
the team that that doesn't there. I mean, this is
it's been It's been a roller coaster season for the
team itself. It's been a roller coaster season for Smoke,
and I this this room has seen some things.
Speaker 3 (38:28):
We don't want to know what they mean.
Speaker 1 (38:29):
And it's uh, it's it's experienced some things as well
as we've we've been here working pre and post game
during the Panther season. Smokers, New Year's Eve, do you
do you get into this quote unquote holiday? And do
you have a resolution you'd like to announce over the air.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
No, I don't really have a resolution.
Speaker 6 (38:49):
I also don't really get into this holiday just because
I know the main thing from this holiday is everyone
getting into Times Square for some reason and watching a
ball drop while it's what ten degrees in New York City.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
Shout out the segment one. I just I.
Speaker 3 (39:04):
Can't do that, Smoke. Let me ask you a question,
would you.
Speaker 5 (39:11):
To in order to see a ball drop to bring
in the New year p in a two liter bottle?
As our guy who was it earlier Ina Skeletons inflatable
skeleton said that he had to do when they went
to New York.
Speaker 3 (39:27):
Okay, all right, that makes sense some with you.
Speaker 6 (39:30):
That is disgusting. And to do it in New York
when I've heard a lot of stories about Times Square.
No peeing in Times Square is nothing. Now, yes, you
know most of the city. Half the city smells like
p anyways, I think.
Speaker 4 (39:43):
You kind of stick out of maybe you don't, you know. Yeah,
here's the point. Yeah, he ain't from around.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
Here, are you.
Speaker 4 (39:52):
Well?
Speaker 2 (39:52):
I don't think they sound like that up there.
Speaker 4 (39:54):
But I wanted to get in this text from the
hog Father Colin Hogger.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
Looking into the Spectrum Center right now.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Oh yeah, that's right, he's going to the game today.
Speaker 4 (40:04):
But bad news for Colin man, he said, never thought
I'd be heading into the Spectrum Center with someone wearing
an opponent's jersey.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
But here I am.
Speaker 1 (40:12):
The question is who is who is to someone? Is
it family or is it friend?
Speaker 4 (40:19):
I'm assuming it's it's it's one of the it's one
of the young'ins walking in there, probably with the with
the Warriors courage.
Speaker 3 (40:24):
But that's that's that's on you, man, what like, oh,
this is a take like this is gonna get you.
Speaker 1 (40:31):
You can't be dyeing your your your your son in
a jersey of a of a of a team you
don't want him.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
To root for.
Speaker 5 (40:38):
Oh stop, So you're telling me that if your child
came up to you and said, Dad, I really want
to Tony Jersey. I, I.
Speaker 3 (40:47):
You know, I've I've really been digging this. Baker Mayfield Fellah, No,
oh you can't go into division. Well no, so yeah,
that is different. That is different.
Speaker 5 (40:58):
Oh, here's it here, it is if he if your
son comes up to you and it's like, dad, I've
been watching the NFL all year. My favorite player is
Josh Allen. No, you're a bad father.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
You're not.
Speaker 3 (41:12):
You're You're just a terrible father.
Speaker 5 (41:14):
I think that's that's what we've come down to with
Panthers household. Okay, so you're going to force your kids
to take on the fandom that see that didn't see
to me, you can't do that.
Speaker 1 (41:25):
There there there are two teams. I think it's up.
It's not up for discussion. Your NFL team and if
you're a big if you're a big college team.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
It's in Collins.
Speaker 3 (41:33):
It's a five years less than a year.
Speaker 5 (41:36):
Considering that it was that less than a year ago,
you weren't even a Panther fan. I find that unbelievable
to say that you've gotten to that point already.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
That's that's insanity.
Speaker 1 (41:47):
There's those those it's but I think it should be
that way for like or I guess like if you're like,
let's say, for for for shopping, you're not gonna let
your kid grow up to be a fan of a
different hurd, you know, a different hockey team outside of
the Hurricane.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
Why he wears jerseys of different teams all the time.
That's what are you talking about?
Speaker 1 (42:06):
That's part of like Shroppi's like, that's that's what you
so stop.
Speaker 5 (42:11):
If your child comes up to you and says, you
know what, Connor McDavid is my favorite player.
Speaker 3 (42:16):
I want a Connor McDavid jersey. You're gonna tell him.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
Now, No, I would get him a Connor McDavid j
There you go, good guy.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
That's and that's why fandom isn't what fandom used to be.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
Well, first, you got a calf kids, and I don't
think we'll have to worry about that for a long time.
Speaker 5 (42:29):
Christen Huntersville says, people with our kids should not be
handing out parenting advice.
Speaker 3 (42:32):
That's a good point.
Speaker 4 (42:33):
All right, we got we gotta wrap things up, y'all.
I hope you all have a happy New Year.
Speaker 2 (42:38):
Though.
Speaker 1 (42:38):
That's gonna wrap it up for this edition of the
Young Guns. That's that's us for twenty twenty five as well.
Next time we'll talk to you, it'll be next year.
Coming up next, it's Horning's Free Game right here on
Sports Radio ninety two seven w f n z a
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