December 30, 2025 • 40 mins
In the final hour, Willie & Fitty react in real time to Luke Kuechly being a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, while Steve Smith was left off the ballot, Vashii Hurt joins to talk all things Panthers ahead of Saturday's big game in Tampa Bay, the guys preview the night in sports, they read funny texts, & more
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:16):
So what's ready?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
On ninety two seven, wfn Z Texter earlier in the program,
was asking about my New Year's Day spread. Again, we're
be traveling on New Year's Day, so we're not going
to do a big, huge New Year's Day meal. But
he was asking about block eyed peas, collards. What's the
other thing that was on there? It was one other,
It was one other, one other food item that is
(00:43):
that that is attached somewhat to the New Year's Day.
I forget what it is.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I forget what it is either because I don't eat
the New Year's Day meal.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
My dad does.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
But surprise, surprise, I don't eat any of the stuff
that you're supposed to know New Year's.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
So I am not a big collareds guy. Don't take
my othern card for me because I eat liver mush
like there's nobody's business.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
I eat college. Either.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I had a very bad black eyed peas experience. This
is this is this is Willie's story time. So I
was dating a girl in Texas who had a step
mom who was of the Jewish faith and kept strict kosher.
And so, from what I understand, you're supposed to cook
black eyed peas in either bacon or bacon fat or
(01:31):
some sort some sort of pork product keeping strict kosher.
She obviously did not do that, and they were just
very bland. I've come to realize that those are actually
supposed to be better off with the bacon fat. But
I have not tried him.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Since buck Eye. Dave asked, was dry brisket on the
New Year's.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
All night, Dwhite says ham and then we got poor
followed up behind it.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
So I guess pork and so getting pork and sour kraut?
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Interesting?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
You ever had sour kraut?
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, I I I've told you about how I I
doctor up the the sour kraut the Ukrainian way, and
you take the sour out of the kroud, you fry it.
And again pork fat, onion, sauted onions, little paprika, and
it's called capusta, and that stuff is great, great a
(02:32):
hot dog. I know you're very anti other things for
a hot dog because you think that you want your
sausage to be pure.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Who doesn't Sour Kraut's just one of those.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Ham hocks, is what I was thinking of. That's That's
what I was thinking of.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Sauer Kraus is one of those things that like I've
never tried it because the way it smells, because it's
not it's not it's not something that you want to
like when you when it's cooking. And my dad, like
my dad would eat Sauer Kraut and like Vena sausages
for you know, like whenever we would.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Have like whatever, do whatever, do whatever for dinner.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
We'll do we'll do a little hot dog day during
one of these met games and I'll make some some
Ukrainian crowd for.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
But yeah, I've never done the New Year's but like
I'm not a New Year's Like I've never understood celebrating
New Years, like I.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Understand going out for New Years and whatnot. It is
amateur hour, like.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I've like for me, man, like you know, How'm gonna
celebrate tomorrow. Give me, Give me a good football game,
Give me Ohio State Miami for I mean three and
a half hours, play their butts off. Then I can
turn it over to Ryan Seacrest's New Year's Eve party
because now we got to name it after him and
not Dick Clark. And I'll watch the final ten twenty minutes.
Watch the ball drop go to bed.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
They will.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Uh there'll be some ringing in the new year between
me and uh the missus, at least some ringing in.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Just got just got just got word, just just got word.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
It's it's it's the time to do that this month
for me, I've been I have been so told. We're
in we're in the business of trying to be be
making and we've been tracking the stuff and whatnot. So
it's gonna be a good it's gonna be a good
ringing in the new year's situation.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Well, I hope, I hope. I hope it goes great
for you, Willie.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
This is what happens. Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Texta goo's meal meat is corn beef. That's another one
as well. Sour kraut in Texas. Pete on a dog,
I don't know about that. I don't know about that.
You gotta have bustard on a hot dog as far
as I'm concerned.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Do you get into like the specialty type of hot dogs?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Like we're like whenever I.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Go to Subdog, there's the Subdogs in Chapel Hill, Like
I get let's call it, I think the fire like
the firehouse or the fire truck, and like and it's
got like Jalipino's, it's got hot sauce on it.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Or like, are you that I'm I'm like.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Hot dog bougie, where you're only eating like a Carolina dog,
a Chicago dog, like the way that you've been brought
to eat a hot dog.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Usually, Yeah, I'm not hot. I'm not going uber specialty
on a hot dog.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I will go. I will go sauer kraut and mustard.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Sometimes throw me some, throw me some of those onions
in the onion sauce. Sometimes, if I'm in the mood,
I'll go chili cheese. If I'm in Chicago, I'll get
a Chicago dog. But I'm not really deviating from those
three personally.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
This guy say is gonna have a shepherd's pie with
elk meat for New Year's that's weird.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I can't leave from.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Rock Barn Goes.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
If you've never had a Ruben sandwich, now that's that's
that's a good call.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
I've never had a Ruben.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
You've never had a Ruben? Really?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
No?
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You would? You know who makes good ruben? Your favorite
deli up in New York City?
Speaker 6 (05:41):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Yeah, they don't melt the cheese on the meat. They
have to melt the cheese on a separate plate and
then pour the cheese on the meat because they just
don't have enough grilled space.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I find that pleasing to watch whenever they're making their sandwiches,
Like I don't know why, but I think it makes
their meat and their cheese taste better. They got to
cook it separate. But I can't confirm her it not
because I've never been.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
It's a great place, So I went with bad company.
Last time I was there, my wife and I were
with one of her college friends who was just an
absolute kill joy, and it was one of those things
where like she's one of those latch on type of people,
wanted somebody that my wife knew from college, and like
(06:28):
we were trying to give her the brush off, and
just she she was like the seattle corners on the
panther receivers the other day, not having it, not having it.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Sorry, that was a little much.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
That was one last one for you people who didn't,
you know, appreciate the earlier discussion we had. But as
we spin it forward to the Buccaneers, listen, I know
maybe people were a little bit angry about the tone
that I've had today. It was a great opportunity for
a couple of reasons. Number One, Atlanta has left you
a little bit of an insurance policy. Beating the Saints
(07:03):
is no easy task for them, but you have that
if it doesn't happen. I think I gave you the
number earlier, seventy eight percent playoff probability per NFL's Playoff
projector if you will, regardless, I still want to do
this by our own sword. And Tampa comes in reeling.
(07:24):
They are a mess offensively, Baker's turning the football over.
It does not look right. They got scorched and torched
by Quinn Ewers. This should be a win will football
game for the Carolina Panthers. But what do you trust
more Tampa reeling? Or do you trust the jekylin Hyde
(07:47):
nature of the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Can I say I trust the Panthers and then not
be a home or answer, because I'm gonna believe this
team is going to bounce back until they don't bounce back,
because that's who they are, That's that's who they've been
on though. But but okay, but we got two months
of evidence, sure, like the last two months have shown
us they're gonna win a game, We're gonna get excited,
(08:11):
we're gonna start saying things that we probably shouldn't say.
Then they're gonna lose a game, and guess what we're
gonna do. We're gonna say some things we shouldn't say,
and then we're gonna win a game. And that's just
that's just who they've been. Every time they've gotten they've
been knocked down on the mat, they've gotten back up
in a way that's different from where Tampa. Where Tampa
is just for the last two months, they've come a
(08:33):
part of the seams. Todd Bowles has gone on one
of the great rants we've seen from a head coach
this year in the National Football League. You've got players
now tweeting about Todd Bowles in a way that you're
not used to seeing tweets stay up there after the
tweet gets sent. But that's what Bucky Irving did. I
think they give me vibes like where Carolina basketball was
(08:53):
that year with Caleb Love and r. J. Davis, where
that locker room was just done with itself. I think
this core is done. I think this group is done,
and they're just ready for the season to be over,
and I think this game inherently means more to Carolina
because they've never been here, Like no one on this uh.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
From the Panthers perspective, Bryce.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
JC, you know, Date, Derrick Brown, whoever, they haven't played
in a moment like this, And I think that that
that'll that'll that will motivate them in a way that
they haven't motivated all year long. So I think I
trust the Panthers a slight bit more than I trust Tampa.
With that being said, if the Panthers get beat, would
not be would not be surprised at all.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, that's the thing about it is that.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I trust Tampa being lousy more than I trust. You know,
the Panther is letting down. I think they'll bounce back.
I think this is something that that again, knowing they
haven't won in Tampa doesn't make me feel a woman
fuzzy inside. But I also think that they're playing a
(10:02):
team that's dead on arrival. Now that's not something going
to bank on. You can't just walk over this team.
You're gonna have to play well. But I believe that
they'll play well, and I think they play hard for
their head coach.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
I think they've been resilient.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Like Fitty said, they can become the first team that's
traded wins and losses in eleven consecutive games to make
the playoffs. We used to get some breaking news here
during the segment. The twenty twenty six Pro Football Hall
of Fame fifteen finalists are out.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
And Luke Keikley is on the list. Carolina Panther legend.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Star studded finalists group. Those you've got, Okay, so you've got.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Willie Anderson, Drew Brees, Joffrey Evans, lineman from Saints, Larry Fitzgerald,
Frank Gore, Tory Holt, Luke Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vini, Reggie,
Wayne Vikings, DT, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson, and
(11:04):
Marshall Yonda. It feels like a year could get in.
It really does. And it's because he's the only linebacker.
He's the only inside linebacker listed.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Well, and it feels like he could be going in
and what could be a star studded class, because I mean,
what Drew Brees' first ballot Hall of Famer is this?
Speaker 1 (11:25):
This could be the year that Tory gets in. Maybe Reggie.
One of those two is going to get in.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Is this Larry Fitzgerald's first year on the ballot.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I believe that's correct. He must He might have to wait, which.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Is the problem. I'm Larry Fitzgerald's having a way to
get in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I'm not I'm not saying I like it.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I put this way. If they did it differently, I
wouldn't have him wait. But again, it's this is it's
kind of dumb the way did they do it. You
put Breeze and Manning in the same year. I don't
think Manning's a Hall of Famer do super Bowl victory
(12:03):
has had the head over Brady. But they can get
there eventually.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
He has Hall of he has Hall of Fame wins.
Did he have a Hall of Fame career? He's a
five hundred quarterback. There are worse quarterbacks in the Hall
of Fame than Eli Manning. There there there are the
fact that Joe Namath got into the Hall of Fame
with the negative touchdown interception ratio is still one of
the more mind blowing things when you think about how
hard it is to get in the camp.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Well, it proves also you can get to Canton with moments.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yeah, so, but no, I would not put them in
the same year. I would make Eli wait because you
can't argue that he lies a better quarterback than Drew Brees.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Darren Woodson showing up here, as surprising as he was,
he maybe an inclusion because of a certain committee because
like he's been retired a long time now, Willie interested Also, yeah,
are they like through like is there I think there's
some sort of like veterans there is no Baseball.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
There's something like that.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
But there's also like the Contributor Committee as well, which
is which is a different set of people too as well.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
I mean, you've got to see more of Darren Woodson
than I did that Darren.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Woodson oh yeah, oh yeah, So then okay, why it's
taken so long?
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Big thing?
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Also with this finalist, you're you're, you're, you're putting a
receiver in. It feels like whether it's Fitzgerald, Reggie, Wayne
Torrey Holt. But Smithy has to wait till at least
twenty twenty seven, which probably means is twenty twenty eight. Sure,
so we're probably two years away from Steve smith getting
into the Hall of fame.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Who would have loved to get that happened this year,
just have them both. But I think this, I think
this is the year for Luke, I really do.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I would.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I mean, I'd love to see it. He's just based
on the way the finalists look, He's he's deserving. I mean,
he's the best linebacker I ever watched.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
And no, no, no, A lot of people bringing up
no Smitty, that's that's tough. Again, I think a lot
of it's the other guys who are around him, and
and I think Steve Smi its senior as a Hall
of Famer. I do think that there are mitigating factors
as to why he isn't put in that are out
of his control. Again, this whole having to wait type situation.
(14:12):
There's a glood of wide receivers and they only put
in one or two a year, and they're the dudes
who've had to wait a little bit longer.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
It's odd.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And and again there's some who jumped the line, like
Larry Fitzgerald, who probably will do so this year.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Seven four five, seven h nine six.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Then we'll come back and vash Ti Hurt will join
us to break down what happened on Sunday and what
we think could happen on Saturday and Sunday this weekend
Sports Radio ninety two seven WFNZ Sports Ready on ninety
(14:49):
two seven WFNZ. I did not expect and maybe this
is not necessarily coming from Panther fans, but there are
a couple people on here who are things some pretty
slenderous things about Luke Keighley's inclusion in the Hall of
Fame finalists scenario here. Like I thought we were pretty all,
you know, of a consensus that Luke Keighley is going
(15:12):
to have a bust and can like that that that
that's shocking to me. I know that that because he
had gotten there to the fifteen before. How many times
had at Smitty gotten to the fifteen?
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Was it was? It?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Was it just last year? Or has it been more
than more than a couple of times?
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Fitty? Oh, I don't, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
This is something man, I can look it up for you, though.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
I think I think he's gotten there at least once
the top fifteen. But from the standpoint of where it is, yes,
he's yeah, yeah, it was actually was it was last year?
Speaker 1 (15:48):
It was last year?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
He was he reached the final fifteen in his first
year of evligibility last year, and then got himself to
be a semi finalist this year, but not necessarily all.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
The way through.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
So the fact that he didn't get to the top
fifteen this year, I think again represents a little bit
of a step back. But like we said of war,
could be because Larry fischeril jumped the line and again
because he might have to wait to turn with other
guys who were involved. It's in that vein we bring
in Vash tire her to talk about the Panthers all
things Carolina with us. She is the Carolina Blitzen and
also on Twitter at Keith Blitzen, joining us on sports
(16:18):
trading on Steven WFNZ. Vash, I hope you had a
good holiday and happy New Year to you. How aere
everything's good?
Speaker 6 (16:25):
Yeah, no, I mean listen meanings full football in December
slash January, So all things are good over here.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I know that that we sit here outside the room
and we just have to lobby there and again as he
goes into that room. But your thoughts on Luke making
it to the final fifteen of the Pro Football Hall
of Fame finalists, You know.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
It's not shocking.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
He did make it, right.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
He is. He's in the final fifteen.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
Yes, yeah, I think I'm not surprised. I think that
although he had a short career, he had an outstanding career.
I don't think that he'll make it in unfortunately, I thought.
I think I think that last year's class might have
been one of the worst classes that we've seen. But
you know, it's not surprising. This is the first time
that he's made it to this round.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
I know that Smitty didn't make it to the last fifteen.
The wide receivers that made it Reggie, Wayne, Tory, Holt,
Larry Fitzgerald. I have no problem including those three over
him at this point.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (17:24):
No, And Smitty will get in eventually.
Speaker 5 (17:27):
I know that he would.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
He would like to consider himself amongst those guys.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
He just he just doesn't.
Speaker 6 (17:34):
Have that those their resumes, so he's gonna have to
wait a little longer, which is going to mean.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
All that's going to mean is that his Hall of
Fame speech is going to be even more spike.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Very much so.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
To the more pertinent matter at hand, how do you
juxtapose knowing what's ahead of Carolina versus what we saw
on Sunday, particularly with the offense, knowing that this is
still a very in consistent football team but still has
control of their own destiny, and also some of the
(18:05):
destiny could also fall their way without any of their
their sword basically taking a.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Part of it.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
It seems like everybody in the NFC South is trying
to give the Panthers a the division and a playoff berth. Listen,
this team has been up and down all season. Par
for the course, I said, heading into this final stretch
coming out of the by I was not sold on
Tampa and and everybody assuming that they would run away
(18:31):
with the NFC South and see that they are struggling mightily,
and and the Panthers, this is what they do. They
win a big game, they went to bed, and then
they come back and they look like a team that
took make a make a playoff run. And I expect
the same thing. This is the difference between, you know,
(18:52):
a team that is still getting there and a team
that is there. The Panthers are still getting there because
they haven't found the consistency that they need to put
out these outputs. Fifty with Bryce had fifty.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Four yards passing abysmal like that is that is egregious.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
I think the longest pass play was eight yards. Longest
play from scrimmage this past week was eleven. I think
that was a run. So you just can't have offensive
outputs like that and expect to make the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
But good news for the Panthers, they will.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
They will.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
They have responded to four outings with with jaw dropping
performances and I and I anticipated that they'll do the
same thing this week when they had to Tampa.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Is it a situation where we are more confident in
Tampa being that dead on a rival team, or more
confident in the Panthers resilience.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
It's the Panthers rezilience.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
For me.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
I won't sleep on Tampa even though they are obviously
in a downward spiral. You know, you still have guys
like my Evan's on that team. You still have some
some veteran guys on that squad who have been in
this situation and who have won those games. So don't
can't count Tampa house. I don't think it'll be a
blog by any means, but the Panthers have shown to
(20:14):
be one of those squads that just are able to
bounce back. They take a lick, and they come back,
and they keep fighting and and so I'm more confident
in their resilience than than Tampa's Tampa's downward spiral talk.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
With Vashtire Hurt Carolina Blitz joining us here on Sports
Ridy on ninety two to seven WFNZ. It seemed yesterday
that Dave Canalis was more prone to leave it at
the feet of Bryce for the inconsistencies in the passing game,
noting that at least that I would note that it
did seem like the offensive line had a rough day
on Sunday. It also felt like there wasn't a lot
(20:51):
of separation of being there inside the stadium. And also,
you know, you have to discredit Bryce and the opportunities.
He did have the football with a clean pocket and
receivers open. He did not make the throws. But I
do think that the blame should probably be more shared
than at Bryce's feet solely.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
How do you feel?
Speaker 6 (21:08):
Yeah, you know, I don't know if if And even
the sentiments that I've seen online and looking at Canalysis
press conference, he took some ownership. He said a few
opportunities were there to get the ball downfield.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
But because of.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
The way Seattle was playing defense, you know, if that
window was was there, it probably closed really quickly and
Bryce wasn't able to capitalize on those moments.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
It is definitely shared as far as the you know,
the offensive output.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
On Saturday, even if Bryce was going to his checkdowns.
You know, as a head coach, as a signal caller,
as a as the offensive coordinator, you kind of leave
that charge as far as the aggression, and.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
You set the tone, and I think they.
Speaker 6 (21:56):
Set a pretty conservative tone. I think they wanted to
kind of muck it up and they got what they
wanted in the first half. The problem is in the
second half the turnoversus what killed them and then of
course that face mask penalty on JC because even at
that point they were still in it. But as far
as who's to blame for the offensive output, I think
(22:18):
it's shared, And honestly, I think it would probably be
a little bit.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
More on Canalis because he's a.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
Guy who sets its own as a head.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
Coach and as the offensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
How would you discern the discussion that surrounds Bryce Because
we've had a couple of them today on the air,
and fans definitely are in their feelings about it. There
are people who are dug in and think that Bryce
is not a solution or an answer the long term
quarterback issues. There are others who feel like, look at
the wins and losses. He has won more this year
and has been a big part of why they've won.
(22:49):
Look at the game winning drives. I know that the
numbers on the raw sets aren't where you see a
lot of elite, upper echelon quarterbacks would see, but they
are at least winning in spite of them. How do
you look at the future of the Panthers with Bryce Young?
It's a signal caller.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
I think that you have to you have to roll
with him.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
I think you know, at this point, what are you
gonna do.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
Are you gonna try to rehabilitate a veteran who might
not have done well at previous stops.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
Are you going to try to draft.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
Which really is a crap shoot. You never know what
you're gonna get. They gave up a lot of capital
on Bryce for Bryce, and he's shown flashes of what
he can be.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
This is just your two in the system with he
and Dave p Analysis still getting to know each other.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
I don't think you. I don't think you pull the
plug on a guy that has that has performed and
and shown.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
If Bryce didn't have these plays, these draw dropping plays
that make you go okay.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
Now, this is why he was drafted number one.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
Then I understand the reservations. But he has made the place.
He is shown to have a clutch gene, which a
lot of guys do not have. That's in thenate property
that you just have to have. We're in clutch moments,
you are able to perform and come up big. So
he has all the all the traits that you want
in a franchise quarterback. It's just sometimes it's a slow
(24:14):
burn and sometimes it.
Speaker 6 (24:15):
Might not pop immediately, and sometimes it pops look in Miami,
and then it fizzles. So I'm of the of the
opinion that a gradual progression is probably the best and
we're seeing that with Bryce. And you know, I just
don't think the rolling the dice on a veteran or
(24:37):
a or a rookie quarterback would be would be beneficial
for the Panthers fast.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
I heard editor in chief Carolna Blitz on Twitter at
Keith Blitzen also MZ Carolina Blitz as well on that
same platform X we have also been asking a question
about whether or not you feel Dave Canalis should be
the play caller moving forward after this season. I think
we all can agree they were not in a position
(25:04):
to make that kind of change mid season because of
the options in the house, not necessarily being better than
Canal is doing it on his lonesome. But do you
feel that is something that he and Dan Morgan take
a look at this offseason.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I don't. I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
I don't think so.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
Listen, the trend is for these younger, you know, head
coaches to the head coaches as well as offensive coordinators.
That way, you kind of don't have to worry about
an offensive coordinator getting a job elsewhere. It happened to
install a completely new office, which you've seen in Tampa Bay,
you know, two years.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
In a row.
Speaker 6 (25:39):
So I don't. I don't think that Dave Canalis gives
that up, not willingly, And I don't know if Dan
Morgan is ready to relinquish those responsibilities.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
Dave is still a young.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
Coach, He's in year two. I'm not I'm not. I
would give him another year the helm at head coach
and as well as offensive coordinator to to kind of
to kind of find his own group, kind of find
his own taste managing both.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
But you know, I don't I don't think they're ready
to pull the plug, and I don't think.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
That that's something that that that Dave will give up willingly.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Panthers find themselves with control of their own destiny. Or
win Saturday over Tampa Bay puts them in the playoffs.
A win by Atlanta over New Orleans also puts them
in the doomsday scenario. Part of this is fascinating Vashti
because while I think there might be a little bit
of a lack of honor in going in the back door,
(26:39):
I think a lot of Panther fans would not mind
it happening that way, just based on the fact that, hey,
it's been eight years, you find any way into the
tournament that you can.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
Right, there's no shame in going in it through the
back door, because they earn that as well. They earned
that by sweeping the Falcons. They earn that by beating
Tampa Bay once. So even if they get in by
by what some may deem as default, because the Falcons
went out, who cared? Like the records are the same
(27:09):
they ended up in the head to have matchups, they
were more successful, So they would have earned that playoff
spot just as much as they would have if they
go on Tampa Bay and handle business in Tampa playoffs
out of playoffs and and keeping the season alive. Is
keeping the season alive.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
It shouldn't matter really how they get in. It's is
getting in that really matters.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
So there are a lot of people who feel like,
you know, you've gotten eight wins, progression from two to
five to eight is an incredible season. Do you look
at this season with an air of disappointment if they
don't get in?
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Or do you.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Look at it as it's another step forward? You know,
we're happy we got this far. It's not a big
deal if they don't make the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
Yeah, I'm not If they don't make the playoffs, will
it will it be? Will it be this disappointing for
fans and people around the building. Absolutely, because the Panthers
had ample opportunity to lock up that playoff spot. That
being said, I would not seem the season of failure
if they didn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Progression is there like.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
This time last year. Panthers fans were knee deep in
mock draft and now they're preparing to go to Tampa
for a playoff.
Speaker 5 (28:25):
Week zero type situation.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
And that's what you want it. You know, it's been
a long time since Carolina.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
Has been in this position.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
And so yeah, you want to see progress, you want
to see steady growth. So playoffs are not.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
The season is not a failure.
Speaker 6 (28:41):
It could be a disappointment with how it ended potentially,
but definitely not a failure because of the progress that has.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Been made meaningful football in January in this economy. Incredible stuff,
fashed I heard Carolina Blitz. We'll look forward to it,
look forward as well to your coverage as the Panthers
get ready to go to Tampa. Thank you so much
for the time, and hopefully we're talking to playoff football
next week.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
That's right, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
That's fast I heard joining us here on Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ. It is now time for
Fitti's final hour update.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
It's all right to be at.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
A little hometown or a big old city. Might as
well shared, might as well smile, lose home.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Wow, that's right, Willie.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
This where Sport Is is brought to you by Bet
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(29:57):
the Champions Tour, so be interested and to see how
how often we see Tiger not only back on the
golf course, but maybe doing so on a different tour.
And how about the quarterback ride for the Indianapolis Colts
this year. You know, you start with Daniel Jones. Daniel
Jones was putting himself in position really to be in
the MVP conversation after the Colt started was at six
(30:19):
and one their first six seven games of the season.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Or so really you just you just had to throw
that one in there.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
You bring Philip Rivers out of retirement and now they're
turning to Riley Leonard will.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Start their season finale.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
So just you know, a reminder care of a lot
of Panther fans that it could be doing like Bryce Young.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Other teams have it worse off than you do, could
get worse. I could get worse here man in Belmont,
you're wrong for tweeting that there are some people who
are looking at this. I keep calling back to this
Kickley situation, people saying some things about Dukie I.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Don't agree with.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
We'll get into that and also our New York Buttcher
Shop clip of the day as well, and the wrap
up comes your way next sports ready or not?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
I just have a WFNZ.
Speaker 7 (31:26):
Well, look, I don't blame coaches.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
You know, I've got friends that are playing with twenty
seven year olds and they feel bad. I said, don't
feel bad. We don't have any rules. Why should you
feel bad? But let me give you this real simple.
The rules bees the rules. So if you put your
name in the draft, I don't care if you're from
(31:50):
Russia and you stay in the draft, you can't play
college basketball.
Speaker 7 (31:55):
Well that's only for American kids.
Speaker 8 (31:58):
What if your name is in that draft and you
got drafted, you can't play cut because that's our rule. Yeah,
but that's only for American kids. Okay, okay, now here's
the next lawsuit. Well, we don't have a say over
European players. You do if they're playing in college basketball.
(32:21):
So that means you don't have a say over high
school kids. So whatever, a high school kid does before
he comes here, don't you do one thing because there's
a suit, Because what you're.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
Saying is.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
If he's in Europe, we don't have the same rules.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
What that is John Caliperi with the New York put
Your Shop Cut of the Day locations in Dilworth, Cornelius,
Indian Land, Fort Mill. It will open a week from
tomorrow in Belmont also and Carrie in the Triangle area,
New York puts Your Winebar dot Com. I enjoyed a
very awesome prime riven. When I mean prime riven, a
(33:00):
prime rib cooked up by chef Johnny p Papa putting
on the prime rib over Christmas weekend was delectably tasty.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
No dry brisket at the house.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
What you're saying there was no dry brisket at the
house is what I'm saying. That's cali Perry on the
James Nadje situation. I had that on the It was
on the sheet today. We just got so carried away
with other things. But yeah, the James Naji stuff, it
has felt like a slippery slope and a Pandora's box
about to be opened for these College of basketball coaches
right now.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Yeah, and undoubtedly. That was a minute twelve of a
seven minute rant.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Oh it was long. I watched the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
It's long that calib PARI went on last last night.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
You know tom Izzo has this is now like the
second time is that I was spoken out against this
sort of thing. Hubert had to press our yesterday just
to climb to comment because it's not his program.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Here's a problem.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
All these guys can make these great demonstrations, how about actions.
How about holding these other coaches accountable. It's one thing
to bloviate about this for public perception and public clout.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
How about actions. Well that's what Dan Hurley basically.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
He gave a statement I think it was to Matt
Norlander of CBS and basically just said, look, it's time
for there to be a different governing body outside of
what the INSTABLA does, because it feels like every time
the INAA tries to put down some sort of jurisdiction
they lose in court. Basically calling for there to be
a commissioner collective bargaining and.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
This was always as a toothless, spineless organization like this
was always.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
The next step.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
I think when NIL became what it became when the
portal became what it became.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
But like we haven't seen.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
This night in sports looks like this acc opener for
the Heels against Florida State again tomorrow it's Wake and
State as well as Duke and Georgia Tech. We got
three balls today Coastal in the Independence Ball against Louisiana Tech.
I almost booked Mike Eyuva just to talk Coastal and
just to talk Mike to Mike Eva because he's a
(35:01):
good dude and he works with the Chant the Clear's
athletic department. Right now Independence Bowls. It's funny. Of the
three bowls that have been played today, I've been to
two of them. I've been to the Independence Bowl and
then USC TCUs that i'd capped the Alma Bole. I've
been to that one. I've not been to the Music
City Bowl, even though Missouri has played there recently. Tennessee, Illinois.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
Is that game? Were you at the Missoo UNC Independence Bowl?
Speaker 2 (35:22):
I was not at that one. I was at the
Miszoo South Carolina Independence Bowl. Brad Smith beating Steve Spurrier,
coming back from twenty one to nothing down twenty eight
to seven down. Brad Smith's final college game beating us.
Was it Sam Mitchell, the quarterback at South Carolina at
that time?
Speaker 1 (35:40):
That sounds right, Yeah, I think.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
I think you're right. Y'all beat the you know one
out of us.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
So for that game. For that game, I was not there.
I was supposed to go, and I was told to
stay back and do radio do the network post game
for MISSOO at that time, which was not a bad
gig at the same time, nice little paycheck at to
sit there and talk to my guy Gary Link, and
we had We didn't have fun because we had a
basketball game kind of around the same time, and so
(36:07):
they were they were low on people, so they called me,
which is usually the way it works with me.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
Oh that's probably how you answered the phone.
Speaker 8 (36:17):
Uh uh.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Steph Curry by the way here tomorrow against the Hornets.
Some last minute text. Again, there are there are some
people who are saying some things about Luke Keigley being
in the finalists, people talking about Smitty not being part
of the final fifteen either. Look, I don't want to
say anything bad about Smitty. Fitzgerald's better I receive than
(36:40):
he was.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
I think.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Yes, And I think again I mentioned this Baiel guy
thinks that I'm being disingenuous with saying, oh, you're suing.
You jumped the line. Look, he's not able to jump
the line. Yes, but I also think it was Blake Mitchell,
not the Sam Mitchell. Blake Minchell. That's my fault. I
got the I got the first name of the I
got this. I know, I know I had the surname right.
It was Blake Mitchell. Yes, that was one. But no,
(37:06):
he gets the he gets the right to jump the line.
I do think that of the Halls of Fame, they
do it the best. The NFL does. It's still an
imperfect process. I do like that you have the the
opportunity to have people speak on your behalf inside the room,
and it's not just this silent ballot with dudes who
are making or or making value judgments on guys like
(37:31):
it is in baseball, and and and trying to be all,
you know, cute seeing to be like, well, I'm looking
root thro the steroid goes because the steroids ruined baseball,
even though it's a museum, you know, like that kind
of stuff. The uh, the thing about it is, though,
I do think it's a situation where smody has the
way to turn, and it's it's it's the unfortunate fallacy
(37:53):
of this part of the project problem and the fact
that there's a Glato wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Yeah, there's just a log jam there, I thought Colin
and we talked to him off the air. Interesting take.
He thinks he gets in next year. He thinks he doesn't,
you know, not on the ballot this year, thinks he's
on the ballot next year and pushes his way in.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
He said that if if it was if Luke gets in.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
Yeah, So I think I think, I think, I think
I would disagree with vashtags. I think I think Luke's
going in this year, and.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
I think based on the other finalists, that tells me
he's going in this year. So he's the only is
the only middle linebacker in And I.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
Guess, I mean, I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
I guess the Paylerts don't have enough cachet to be
a franchise to put multiple Hall of Famers in in
the same year, because that was always, like, I think
the dream was to have the same year, you know,
whether it was Pep and Luke or Pepin Smittye or
Luke and Smithty go in at the same time.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
That means you probably played in the Hall of Fame
game too.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
And then you get the Hall of Fame game, which
they haven't played in since the inaugural season.
Speaker 4 (38:46):
I do believe Jacksonville, right, yep. But that's just it
was not not meant to be.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
But I do think when this voting process comes to
an end, what it will be what announced Well the
night before the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Right usually Bell Honors or whatever.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Well, I think we'll know that Lukeiq was going to
the Hall of Fame. We'll get a gold jacket.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
It should be a lot of fun. I had fun today.
This show flew a lot of times. This morning show
can sound like it drags when you don't do it
very often.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
But man oh man, we had fun today.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
I enjoyed it, even though we didn't bicker like many
people thought we were going to.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Was it disappointing for all of you thisa morning?
Speaker 4 (39:20):
It wasn't disappointing for me.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
I think we bickered more with others than we bickered collectively,
not necessarily with each other, which maybe was disappointment, which.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Is the best kind of bickering.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Happy New Year to all of you.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
It's my last time on the air in a long
form show for twenty twenty five. It will be on
Panther or assume me a Hornet's pregame tomorrow. Sad there's
no Panther post game on Saturday because of the timing,
just because it falls before Hornets. So hopefully I get
to do a Panther post game with you all during
the playoffs. Until next time and until next year. For
Fittie Marlow Willip saying so long. Sports Reading on into
(39:56):
seven WFMZ, Colin Hoggard and Charlotte Sports Today are next
So what's ready?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
On ninety two seven, wfn Z Texter earlier in the program,
was asking about my New Year's Day spread. Again, we're
be traveling on New Year's Day, so we're not going
to do a big, huge New Year's Day meal. But
he was asking about block eyed peas, collards. What's the
other thing that was on there? It was one other,
It was one other, one other food item that is
(00:43):
that that is attached somewhat to the New Year's Day.
I forget what it is.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I forget what it is either because I don't eat
the New Year's Day meal.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
My dad does.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
But surprise, surprise, I don't eat any of the stuff
that you're supposed to know New Year's.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
So I am not a big collareds guy. Don't take
my othern card for me because I eat liver mush
like there's nobody's business.
Speaker 4 (01:03):
I eat college. Either.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
I had a very bad black eyed peas experience. This
is this is this is Willie's story time. So I
was dating a girl in Texas who had a step
mom who was of the Jewish faith and kept strict kosher.
And so, from what I understand, you're supposed to cook
black eyed peas in either bacon or bacon fat or
(01:31):
some sort some sort of pork product keeping strict kosher.
She obviously did not do that, and they were just
very bland. I've come to realize that those are actually
supposed to be better off with the bacon fat. But
I have not tried him.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Since buck Eye. Dave asked, was dry brisket on the
New Year's.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker 3 (01:55):
All night, Dwhite says ham and then we got poor
followed up behind it.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
So I guess pork and so getting pork and sour kraut?
Speaker 1 (02:05):
Interesting?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
You ever had sour kraut?
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Yeah, I I I've told you about how I I
doctor up the the sour kraut the Ukrainian way, and
you take the sour out of the kroud, you fry it.
And again pork fat, onion, sauted onions, little paprika, and
it's called capusta, and that stuff is great, great a
(02:32):
hot dog. I know you're very anti other things for
a hot dog because you think that you want your
sausage to be pure.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
Who doesn't Sour Kraut's just one of those.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Ham hocks, is what I was thinking of. That's That's
what I was thinking of.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
Sauer Kraus is one of those things that like I've
never tried it because the way it smells, because it's
not it's not it's not something that you want to
like when you when it's cooking. And my dad, like
my dad would eat Sauer Kraut and like Vena sausages
for you know, like whenever we would.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
Have like whatever, do whatever, do whatever for dinner.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
We'll do we'll do a little hot dog day during
one of these met games and I'll make some some
Ukrainian crowd for.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
But yeah, I've never done the New Year's but like
I'm not a New Year's Like I've never understood celebrating
New Years, like I.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Understand going out for New Years and whatnot. It is
amateur hour, like.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
I've like for me, man, like you know, How'm gonna
celebrate tomorrow. Give me, Give me a good football game,
Give me Ohio State Miami for I mean three and
a half hours, play their butts off. Then I can
turn it over to Ryan Seacrest's New Year's Eve party
because now we got to name it after him and
not Dick Clark. And I'll watch the final ten twenty minutes.
Watch the ball drop go to bed.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
They will.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
Uh there'll be some ringing in the new year between
me and uh the missus, at least some ringing in.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
Just got just got just got word, just just got word.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
It's it's it's the time to do that this month
for me, I've been I have been so told. We're
in we're in the business of trying to be be
making and we've been tracking the stuff and whatnot. So
it's gonna be a good it's gonna be a good
ringing in the new year's situation.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
Well, I hope, I hope. I hope it goes great
for you, Willie.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
This is what happens. Uh.
Speaker 2 (04:19):
Texta goo's meal meat is corn beef. That's another one
as well. Sour kraut in Texas. Pete on a dog,
I don't know about that. I don't know about that.
You gotta have bustard on a hot dog as far
as I'm concerned.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Do you get into like the specialty type of hot dogs?
Speaker 4 (04:33):
Like we're like whenever I.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
Go to Subdog, there's the Subdogs in Chapel Hill, Like
I get let's call it, I think the fire like
the firehouse or the fire truck, and like and it's
got like Jalipino's, it's got hot sauce on it.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Or like, are you that I'm I'm like.
Speaker 3 (04:50):
Hot dog bougie, where you're only eating like a Carolina dog,
a Chicago dog, like the way that you've been brought
to eat a hot dog.
Speaker 2 (04:59):
Usually, Yeah, I'm not hot. I'm not going uber specialty
on a hot dog.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
I will go. I will go sauer kraut and mustard.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Sometimes throw me some, throw me some of those onions
in the onion sauce. Sometimes, if I'm in the mood,
I'll go chili cheese. If I'm in Chicago, I'll get
a Chicago dog. But I'm not really deviating from those
three personally.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
This guy say is gonna have a shepherd's pie with
elk meat for New Year's that's weird.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
I can't leave from.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Rock Barn Goes.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
If you've never had a Ruben sandwich, now that's that's
that's a good call.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
I've never had a Ruben.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
You've never had a Ruben? Really?
Speaker 5 (05:37):
No?
Speaker 1 (05:38):
You would? You know who makes good ruben? Your favorite
deli up in New York City?
Speaker 6 (05:41):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Yeah, they don't melt the cheese on the meat. They
have to melt the cheese on a separate plate and
then pour the cheese on the meat because they just
don't have enough grilled space.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
I find that pleasing to watch whenever they're making their sandwiches,
Like I don't know why, but I think it makes
their meat and their cheese taste better. They got to
cook it separate. But I can't confirm her it not
because I've never been.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
It's a great place, So I went with bad company.
Last time I was there, my wife and I were
with one of her college friends who was just an
absolute kill joy, and it was one of those things
where like she's one of those latch on type of people,
wanted somebody that my wife knew from college, and like
(06:28):
we were trying to give her the brush off, and
just she she was like the seattle corners on the
panther receivers the other day, not having it, not having it.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Sorry, that was a little much.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
That was one last one for you people who didn't,
you know, appreciate the earlier discussion we had. But as
we spin it forward to the Buccaneers, listen, I know
maybe people were a little bit angry about the tone
that I've had today. It was a great opportunity for
a couple of reasons. Number One, Atlanta has left you
a little bit of an insurance policy. Beating the Saints
(07:03):
is no easy task for them, but you have that
if it doesn't happen. I think I gave you the
number earlier, seventy eight percent playoff probability per NFL's Playoff
projector if you will, regardless, I still want to do
this by our own sword. And Tampa comes in reeling.
(07:24):
They are a mess offensively, Baker's turning the football over.
It does not look right. They got scorched and torched
by Quinn Ewers. This should be a win will football
game for the Carolina Panthers. But what do you trust
more Tampa reeling? Or do you trust the jekylin Hyde
(07:47):
nature of the Carolina Panthers.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
Can I say I trust the Panthers and then not
be a home or answer, because I'm gonna believe this
team is going to bounce back until they don't bounce back,
because that's who they are, That's that's who they've been
on though. But but okay, but we got two months
of evidence, sure, like the last two months have shown
us they're gonna win a game, We're gonna get excited,
(08:11):
we're gonna start saying things that we probably shouldn't say.
Then they're gonna lose a game, and guess what we're
gonna do. We're gonna say some things we shouldn't say,
and then we're gonna win a game. And that's just
that's just who they've been. Every time they've gotten they've
been knocked down on the mat, they've gotten back up
in a way that's different from where Tampa. Where Tampa
is just for the last two months, they've come a
(08:33):
part of the seams. Todd Bowles has gone on one
of the great rants we've seen from a head coach
this year in the National Football League. You've got players
now tweeting about Todd Bowles in a way that you're
not used to seeing tweets stay up there after the
tweet gets sent. But that's what Bucky Irving did. I
think they give me vibes like where Carolina basketball was
(08:53):
that year with Caleb Love and r. J. Davis, where
that locker room was just done with itself. I think
this core is done. I think this group is done,
and they're just ready for the season to be over,
and I think this game inherently means more to Carolina
because they've never been here, Like no one on this uh.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
From the Panthers perspective, Bryce.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
JC, you know, Date, Derrick Brown, whoever, they haven't played
in a moment like this, And I think that that
that'll that'll that will motivate them in a way that
they haven't motivated all year long. So I think I
trust the Panthers a slight bit more than I trust Tampa.
With that being said, if the Panthers get beat, would
not be would not be surprised at all.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Yeah, that's the thing about it is that.
Speaker 2 (09:42):
I trust Tampa being lousy more than I trust. You know,
the Panther is letting down. I think they'll bounce back.
I think this is something that that again, knowing they
haven't won in Tampa doesn't make me feel a woman
fuzzy inside. But I also think that they're playing a
(10:02):
team that's dead on arrival. Now that's not something going
to bank on. You can't just walk over this team.
You're gonna have to play well. But I believe that
they'll play well, and I think they play hard for
their head coach.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
I think they've been resilient.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
Like Fitty said, they can become the first team that's
traded wins and losses in eleven consecutive games to make
the playoffs. We used to get some breaking news here
during the segment. The twenty twenty six Pro Football Hall
of Fame fifteen finalists are out.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
And Luke Keikley is on the list. Carolina Panther legend.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Star studded finalists group. Those you've got, Okay, so you've got.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Willie Anderson, Drew Brees, Joffrey Evans, lineman from Saints, Larry Fitzgerald,
Frank Gore, Tory Holt, Luke Eli Manning, Terrell Suggs, Adam Vini, Reggie,
Wayne Vikings, DT, Kevin Williams, Jason Witten, Darren Woodson, and
(11:04):
Marshall Yonda. It feels like a year could get in.
It really does. And it's because he's the only linebacker.
He's the only inside linebacker listed.
Speaker 3 (11:15):
Well, and it feels like he could be going in
and what could be a star studded class, because I mean,
what Drew Brees' first ballot Hall of Famer is this?
Speaker 1 (11:25):
This could be the year that Tory gets in. Maybe Reggie.
One of those two is going to get in.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
Is this Larry Fitzgerald's first year on the ballot.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
I believe that's correct. He must He might have to wait, which.
Speaker 4 (11:37):
Is the problem. I'm Larry Fitzgerald's having a way to
get in the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
I'm not I'm not saying I like it.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
I put this way. If they did it differently, I
wouldn't have him wait. But again, it's this is it's
kind of dumb the way did they do it. You
put Breeze and Manning in the same year. I don't
think Manning's a Hall of Famer do super Bowl victory
(12:03):
has had the head over Brady. But they can get
there eventually.
Speaker 3 (12:07):
He has Hall of he has Hall of Fame wins.
Did he have a Hall of Fame career? He's a
five hundred quarterback. There are worse quarterbacks in the Hall
of Fame than Eli Manning. There there there are the
fact that Joe Namath got into the Hall of Fame
with the negative touchdown interception ratio is still one of
the more mind blowing things when you think about how
hard it is to get in the camp.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Well, it proves also you can get to Canton with moments.
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Yeah, so, but no, I would not put them in
the same year. I would make Eli wait because you
can't argue that he lies a better quarterback than Drew Brees.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Darren Woodson showing up here, as surprising as he was,
he maybe an inclusion because of a certain committee because
like he's been retired a long time now, Willie interested Also, yeah,
are they like through like is there I think there's
some sort of like veterans there is no Baseball.
Speaker 1 (12:57):
There's something like that.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
But there's also like the Contributor Committee as well, which
is which is a different set of people too as well.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
I mean, you've got to see more of Darren Woodson
than I did that Darren.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
Woodson oh yeah, oh yeah, So then okay, why it's
taken so long?
Speaker 4 (13:14):
Big thing?
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Also with this finalist, you're you're, you're, you're putting a
receiver in. It feels like whether it's Fitzgerald, Reggie, Wayne
Torrey Holt. But Smithy has to wait till at least
twenty twenty seven, which probably means is twenty twenty eight. Sure,
so we're probably two years away from Steve smith getting
into the Hall of fame.
Speaker 2 (13:32):
Who would have loved to get that happened this year,
just have them both. But I think this, I think
this is the year for Luke, I really do.
Speaker 4 (13:39):
I would.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I mean, I'd love to see it. He's just based
on the way the finalists look, He's he's deserving. I mean,
he's the best linebacker I ever watched.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
And no, no, no, A lot of people bringing up
no Smitty, that's that's tough. Again, I think a lot
of it's the other guys who are around him, and
and I think Steve Smi its senior as a Hall
of Famer. I do think that there are mitigating factors
as to why he isn't put in that are out
of his control. Again, this whole having to wait type situation.
(14:12):
There's a glood of wide receivers and they only put
in one or two a year, and they're the dudes
who've had to wait a little bit longer.
Speaker 1 (14:19):
It's odd.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
And and again there's some who jumped the line, like
Larry Fitzgerald, who probably will do so this year.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
Seven four five, seven h nine six.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
Then we'll come back and vash Ti Hurt will join
us to break down what happened on Sunday and what
we think could happen on Saturday and Sunday this weekend
Sports Radio ninety two seven WFNZ Sports Ready on ninety
(14:49):
two seven WFNZ. I did not expect and maybe this
is not necessarily coming from Panther fans, but there are
a couple people on here who are things some pretty
slenderous things about Luke Keighley's inclusion in the Hall of
Fame finalists scenario here. Like I thought we were pretty all,
you know, of a consensus that Luke Keighley is going
(15:12):
to have a bust and can like that that that
that's shocking to me. I know that that because he
had gotten there to the fifteen before. How many times
had at Smitty gotten to the fifteen?
Speaker 1 (15:27):
Was it was? It?
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Was it just last year? Or has it been more
than more than a couple of times?
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Fitty? Oh, I don't, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (15:34):
This is something man, I can look it up for you, though.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
I think I think he's gotten there at least once
the top fifteen. But from the standpoint of where it is, yes,
he's yeah, yeah, it was actually was it was last year?
Speaker 1 (15:48):
It was last year?
Speaker 2 (15:49):
He was he reached the final fifteen in his first
year of evligibility last year, and then got himself to
be a semi finalist this year, but not necessarily all.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
The way through.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
So the fact that he didn't get to the top
fifteen this year, I think again represents a little bit
of a step back. But like we said of war,
could be because Larry fischeril jumped the line and again
because he might have to wait to turn with other
guys who were involved. It's in that vein we bring
in Vash tire her to talk about the Panthers all
things Carolina with us. She is the Carolina Blitzen and
also on Twitter at Keith Blitzen, joining us on sports
(16:18):
trading on Steven WFNZ. Vash, I hope you had a
good holiday and happy New Year to you. How aere
everything's good?
Speaker 6 (16:25):
Yeah, no, I mean listen meanings full football in December
slash January, So all things are good over here.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
I know that that we sit here outside the room
and we just have to lobby there and again as he
goes into that room. But your thoughts on Luke making
it to the final fifteen of the Pro Football Hall
of Fame finalists, You know.
Speaker 6 (16:44):
It's not shocking.
Speaker 5 (16:46):
He did make it, right.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
He is. He's in the final fifteen.
Speaker 6 (16:50):
Yes, yeah, I think I'm not surprised. I think that
although he had a short career, he had an outstanding career.
I don't think that he'll make it in unfortunately, I thought.
I think I think that last year's class might have
been one of the worst classes that we've seen. But
you know, it's not surprising. This is the first time
that he's made it to this round.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
I know that Smitty didn't make it to the last fifteen.
The wide receivers that made it Reggie, Wayne, Tory, Holt,
Larry Fitzgerald. I have no problem including those three over
him at this point.
Speaker 5 (17:24):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (17:24):
No, And Smitty will get in eventually.
Speaker 5 (17:27):
I know that he would.
Speaker 6 (17:29):
He would like to consider himself amongst those guys.
Speaker 5 (17:32):
He just he just doesn't.
Speaker 6 (17:34):
Have that those their resumes, so he's gonna have to
wait a little longer, which is going to mean.
Speaker 5 (17:39):
All that's going to mean is that his Hall of
Fame speech is going to be even more spike.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Very much so.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
To the more pertinent matter at hand, how do you
juxtapose knowing what's ahead of Carolina versus what we saw
on Sunday, particularly with the offense, knowing that this is
still a very in consistent football team but still has
control of their own destiny, and also some of the
(18:05):
destiny could also fall their way without any of their
their sword basically taking a.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Part of it.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Yeah, it's crazy.
Speaker 6 (18:11):
It seems like everybody in the NFC South is trying
to give the Panthers a the division and a playoff berth. Listen,
this team has been up and down all season. Par
for the course, I said, heading into this final stretch
coming out of the by I was not sold on
Tampa and and everybody assuming that they would run away
(18:31):
with the NFC South and see that they are struggling mightily,
and and the Panthers, this is what they do. They
win a big game, they went to bed, and then
they come back and they look like a team that
took make a make a playoff run. And I expect
the same thing. This is the difference between, you know,
(18:52):
a team that is still getting there and a team
that is there. The Panthers are still getting there because
they haven't found the consistency that they need to put
out these outputs. Fifty with Bryce had fifty.
Speaker 5 (19:04):
Four yards passing abysmal like that is that is egregious.
Speaker 6 (19:08):
I think the longest pass play was eight yards. Longest
play from scrimmage this past week was eleven. I think
that was a run. So you just can't have offensive
outputs like that and expect to make the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (19:21):
But good news for the Panthers, they will.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
They will.
Speaker 6 (19:24):
They have responded to four outings with with jaw dropping
performances and I and I anticipated that they'll do the
same thing this week when they had to Tampa.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Is it a situation where we are more confident in
Tampa being that dead on a rival team, or more
confident in the Panthers resilience.
Speaker 6 (19:50):
It's the Panthers rezilience.
Speaker 4 (19:51):
For me.
Speaker 6 (19:52):
I won't sleep on Tampa even though they are obviously
in a downward spiral. You know, you still have guys
like my Evan's on that team. You still have some
some veteran guys on that squad who have been in
this situation and who have won those games. So don't
can't count Tampa house. I don't think it'll be a
blog by any means, but the Panthers have shown to
(20:14):
be one of those squads that just are able to
bounce back. They take a lick, and they come back,
and they keep fighting and and so I'm more confident
in their resilience than than Tampa's Tampa's downward spiral talk.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
With Vashtire Hurt Carolina Blitz joining us here on Sports
Ridy on ninety two to seven WFNZ. It seemed yesterday
that Dave Canalis was more prone to leave it at
the feet of Bryce for the inconsistencies in the passing game,
noting that at least that I would note that it
did seem like the offensive line had a rough day
on Sunday. It also felt like there wasn't a lot
(20:51):
of separation of being there inside the stadium. And also,
you know, you have to discredit Bryce and the opportunities.
He did have the football with a clean pocket and
receivers open. He did not make the throws. But I
do think that the blame should probably be more shared
than at Bryce's feet solely.
Speaker 1 (21:07):
How do you feel?
Speaker 6 (21:08):
Yeah, you know, I don't know if if And even
the sentiments that I've seen online and looking at Canalysis
press conference, he took some ownership. He said a few
opportunities were there to get the ball downfield.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
But because of.
Speaker 6 (21:24):
The way Seattle was playing defense, you know, if that
window was was there, it probably closed really quickly and
Bryce wasn't able to capitalize on those moments.
Speaker 5 (21:34):
It is definitely shared as far as the you know,
the offensive output.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
On Saturday, even if Bryce was going to his checkdowns.
You know, as a head coach, as a signal caller,
as a as the offensive coordinator, you kind of leave
that charge as far as the aggression, and.
Speaker 5 (21:54):
You set the tone, and I think they.
Speaker 6 (21:56):
Set a pretty conservative tone. I think they wanted to
kind of muck it up and they got what they
wanted in the first half. The problem is in the
second half the turnoversus what killed them and then of
course that face mask penalty on JC because even at
that point they were still in it. But as far
as who's to blame for the offensive output, I think
(22:18):
it's shared, And honestly, I think it would probably be
a little bit.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
More on Canalis because he's a.
Speaker 6 (22:23):
Guy who sets its own as a head.
Speaker 5 (22:25):
Coach and as the offensive coordinator.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
How would you discern the discussion that surrounds Bryce Because
we've had a couple of them today on the air,
and fans definitely are in their feelings about it. There
are people who are dug in and think that Bryce
is not a solution or an answer the long term
quarterback issues. There are others who feel like, look at
the wins and losses. He has won more this year
and has been a big part of why they've won.
(22:49):
Look at the game winning drives. I know that the
numbers on the raw sets aren't where you see a
lot of elite, upper echelon quarterbacks would see, but they
are at least winning in spite of them. How do
you look at the future of the Panthers with Bryce Young?
It's a signal caller.
Speaker 6 (23:08):
I think that you have to you have to roll
with him.
Speaker 5 (23:11):
I think you know, at this point, what are you
gonna do.
Speaker 6 (23:14):
Are you gonna try to rehabilitate a veteran who might
not have done well at previous stops.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
Are you going to try to draft.
Speaker 6 (23:22):
Which really is a crap shoot. You never know what
you're gonna get. They gave up a lot of capital
on Bryce for Bryce, and he's shown flashes of what
he can be.
Speaker 5 (23:32):
This is just your two in the system with he
and Dave p Analysis still getting to know each other.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
I don't think you. I don't think you pull the
plug on a guy that has that has performed and
and shown.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
If Bryce didn't have these plays, these draw dropping plays
that make you go okay.
Speaker 6 (23:50):
Now, this is why he was drafted number one.
Speaker 5 (23:52):
Then I understand the reservations. But he has made the place.
He is shown to have a clutch gene, which a
lot of guys do not have. That's in thenate property
that you just have to have. We're in clutch moments,
you are able to perform and come up big. So
he has all the all the traits that you want
in a franchise quarterback. It's just sometimes it's a slow
(24:14):
burn and sometimes it.
Speaker 6 (24:15):
Might not pop immediately, and sometimes it pops look in Miami,
and then it fizzles. So I'm of the of the
opinion that a gradual progression is probably the best and
we're seeing that with Bryce. And you know, I just
don't think the rolling the dice on a veteran or
(24:37):
a or a rookie quarterback would be would be beneficial
for the Panthers fast.
Speaker 2 (24:43):
I heard editor in chief Carolna Blitz on Twitter at
Keith Blitzen also MZ Carolina Blitz as well on that
same platform X we have also been asking a question
about whether or not you feel Dave Canalis should be
the play caller moving forward after this season. I think
we all can agree they were not in a position
(25:04):
to make that kind of change mid season because of
the options in the house, not necessarily being better than
Canal is doing it on his lonesome. But do you
feel that is something that he and Dan Morgan take
a look at this offseason.
Speaker 6 (25:16):
I don't. I don't think so.
Speaker 5 (25:17):
I don't think so.
Speaker 6 (25:18):
Listen, the trend is for these younger, you know, head
coaches to the head coaches as well as offensive coordinators.
That way, you kind of don't have to worry about
an offensive coordinator getting a job elsewhere. It happened to
install a completely new office, which you've seen in Tampa Bay,
you know, two years.
Speaker 5 (25:38):
In a row.
Speaker 6 (25:39):
So I don't. I don't think that Dave Canalis gives
that up, not willingly, And I don't know if Dan
Morgan is ready to relinquish those responsibilities.
Speaker 5 (25:51):
Dave is still a young.
Speaker 6 (25:52):
Coach, He's in year two. I'm not I'm not. I
would give him another year the helm at head coach
and as well as offensive coordinator to to kind of
to kind of find his own group, kind of find
his own taste managing both.
Speaker 5 (26:10):
But you know, I don't I don't think they're ready
to pull the plug, and I don't think.
Speaker 6 (26:13):
That that's something that that that Dave will give up willingly.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
Panthers find themselves with control of their own destiny. Or
win Saturday over Tampa Bay puts them in the playoffs.
A win by Atlanta over New Orleans also puts them
in the doomsday scenario. Part of this is fascinating Vashti
because while I think there might be a little bit
of a lack of honor in going in the back door,
(26:39):
I think a lot of Panther fans would not mind
it happening that way, just based on the fact that, hey,
it's been eight years, you find any way into the
tournament that you can.
Speaker 6 (26:47):
Right, there's no shame in going in it through the
back door, because they earn that as well. They earned
that by sweeping the Falcons. They earn that by beating
Tampa Bay once. So even if they get in by
by what some may deem as default, because the Falcons
went out, who cared? Like the records are the same
(27:09):
they ended up in the head to have matchups, they
were more successful, So they would have earned that playoff
spot just as much as they would have if they
go on Tampa Bay and handle business in Tampa playoffs
out of playoffs and and keeping the season alive. Is
keeping the season alive.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
It shouldn't matter really how they get in. It's is
getting in that really matters.
Speaker 2 (27:30):
So there are a lot of people who feel like,
you know, you've gotten eight wins, progression from two to
five to eight is an incredible season. Do you look
at this season with an air of disappointment if they
don't get in?
Speaker 1 (27:45):
Or do you.
Speaker 2 (27:46):
Look at it as it's another step forward? You know,
we're happy we got this far. It's not a big
deal if they don't make the playoffs.
Speaker 6 (27:54):
Yeah, I'm not If they don't make the playoffs, will
it will it be? Will it be this disappointing for
fans and people around the building. Absolutely, because the Panthers
had ample opportunity to lock up that playoff spot. That
being said, I would not seem the season of failure
if they didn't make the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (28:13):
Progression is there like.
Speaker 6 (28:16):
This time last year. Panthers fans were knee deep in
mock draft and now they're preparing to go to Tampa
for a playoff.
Speaker 5 (28:25):
Week zero type situation.
Speaker 6 (28:27):
And that's what you want it. You know, it's been
a long time since Carolina.
Speaker 5 (28:32):
Has been in this position.
Speaker 6 (28:34):
And so yeah, you want to see progress, you want
to see steady growth. So playoffs are not.
Speaker 5 (28:39):
The season is not a failure.
Speaker 6 (28:41):
It could be a disappointment with how it ended potentially,
but definitely not a failure because of the progress that has.
Speaker 2 (28:48):
Been made meaningful football in January in this economy. Incredible stuff,
fashed I heard Carolina Blitz. We'll look forward to it,
look forward as well to your coverage as the Panthers
get ready to go to Tampa. Thank you so much
for the time, and hopefully we're talking to playoff football
next week.
Speaker 6 (29:04):
That's right, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (29:05):
That's fast I heard joining us here on Sports Radio
ninety two to seven WFNZ. It is now time for
Fitti's final hour update.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
It's all right to be at.
Speaker 1 (29:19):
A little hometown or a big old city. Might as
well shared, might as well smile, lose home.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
Wow, that's right, Willie.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
This where Sport Is is brought to you by Bet
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(29:57):
the Champions Tour, so be interested and to see how
how often we see Tiger not only back on the
golf course, but maybe doing so on a different tour.
And how about the quarterback ride for the Indianapolis Colts
this year. You know, you start with Daniel Jones. Daniel
Jones was putting himself in position really to be in
the MVP conversation after the Colt started was at six
(30:19):
and one their first six seven games of the season.
Speaker 1 (30:23):
Or so really you just you just had to throw
that one in there.
Speaker 3 (30:27):
You bring Philip Rivers out of retirement and now they're
turning to Riley Leonard will.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Start their season finale.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
So just you know, a reminder care of a lot
of Panther fans that it could be doing like Bryce Young.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
Other teams have it worse off than you do, could
get worse. I could get worse here man in Belmont,
you're wrong for tweeting that there are some people who
are looking at this. I keep calling back to this
Kickley situation, people saying some things about Dukie I.
Speaker 1 (31:04):
Don't agree with.
Speaker 2 (31:04):
We'll get into that and also our New York Buttcher
Shop clip of the day as well, and the wrap
up comes your way next sports ready or not?
Speaker 1 (31:11):
I just have a WFNZ.
Speaker 7 (31:26):
Well, look, I don't blame coaches.
Speaker 8 (31:30):
You know, I've got friends that are playing with twenty
seven year olds and they feel bad. I said, don't
feel bad. We don't have any rules. Why should you
feel bad? But let me give you this real simple.
The rules bees the rules. So if you put your
name in the draft, I don't care if you're from
(31:50):
Russia and you stay in the draft, you can't play
college basketball.
Speaker 7 (31:55):
Well that's only for American kids.
Speaker 8 (31:58):
What if your name is in that draft and you
got drafted, you can't play cut because that's our rule. Yeah,
but that's only for American kids. Okay, okay, now here's
the next lawsuit. Well, we don't have a say over
European players. You do if they're playing in college basketball.
(32:21):
So that means you don't have a say over high
school kids. So whatever, a high school kid does before
he comes here, don't you do one thing because there's
a suit, Because what you're.
Speaker 4 (32:31):
Saying is.
Speaker 7 (32:33):
If he's in Europe, we don't have the same rules.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
What that is John Caliperi with the New York put
Your Shop Cut of the Day locations in Dilworth, Cornelius,
Indian Land, Fort Mill. It will open a week from
tomorrow in Belmont also and Carrie in the Triangle area,
New York puts Your Winebar dot Com. I enjoyed a
very awesome prime riven. When I mean prime riven, a
(33:00):
prime rib cooked up by chef Johnny p Papa putting
on the prime rib over Christmas weekend was delectably tasty.
Speaker 4 (33:11):
No dry brisket at the house.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
What you're saying there was no dry brisket at the
house is what I'm saying. That's cali Perry on the
James Nadje situation. I had that on the It was
on the sheet today. We just got so carried away
with other things. But yeah, the James Naji stuff, it
has felt like a slippery slope and a Pandora's box
about to be opened for these College of basketball coaches
right now.
Speaker 3 (33:33):
Yeah, and undoubtedly. That was a minute twelve of a
seven minute rant.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
Oh it was long. I watched the whole thing.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
It's long that calib PARI went on last last night.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
You know tom Izzo has this is now like the
second time is that I was spoken out against this
sort of thing. Hubert had to press our yesterday just
to climb to comment because it's not his program.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
Here's a problem.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
All these guys can make these great demonstrations, how about actions.
How about holding these other coaches accountable. It's one thing
to bloviate about this for public perception and public clout.
Speaker 4 (34:04):
How about actions. Well that's what Dan Hurley basically.
Speaker 3 (34:07):
He gave a statement I think it was to Matt
Norlander of CBS and basically just said, look, it's time
for there to be a different governing body outside of
what the INSTABLA does, because it feels like every time
the INAA tries to put down some sort of jurisdiction
they lose in court. Basically calling for there to be
a commissioner collective bargaining and.
Speaker 2 (34:29):
This was always as a toothless, spineless organization like this
was always.
Speaker 4 (34:33):
The next step.
Speaker 3 (34:34):
I think when NIL became what it became when the
portal became what it became.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
But like we haven't seen.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
This night in sports looks like this acc opener for
the Heels against Florida State again tomorrow it's Wake and
State as well as Duke and Georgia Tech. We got
three balls today Coastal in the Independence Ball against Louisiana Tech.
I almost booked Mike Eyuva just to talk Coastal and
just to talk Mike to Mike Eva because he's a
(35:01):
good dude and he works with the Chant the Clear's
athletic department. Right now Independence Bowls. It's funny. Of the
three bowls that have been played today, I've been to
two of them. I've been to the Independence Bowl and
then USC TCUs that i'd capped the Alma Bole. I've
been to that one. I've not been to the Music
City Bowl, even though Missouri has played there recently. Tennessee, Illinois.
Speaker 4 (35:18):
Is that game? Were you at the Missoo UNC Independence Bowl?
Speaker 2 (35:22):
I was not at that one. I was at the
Miszoo South Carolina Independence Bowl. Brad Smith beating Steve Spurrier,
coming back from twenty one to nothing down twenty eight
to seven down. Brad Smith's final college game beating us.
Was it Sam Mitchell, the quarterback at South Carolina at
that time?
Speaker 1 (35:40):
That sounds right, Yeah, I think.
Speaker 4 (35:42):
I think you're right. Y'all beat the you know one
out of us.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
So for that game. For that game, I was not there.
I was supposed to go, and I was told to
stay back and do radio do the network post game
for MISSOO at that time, which was not a bad
gig at the same time, nice little paycheck at to
sit there and talk to my guy Gary Link, and
we had We didn't have fun because we had a
basketball game kind of around the same time, and so
(36:07):
they were they were low on people, so they called me,
which is usually the way it works with me.
Speaker 4 (36:13):
Oh that's probably how you answered the phone.
Speaker 8 (36:17):
Uh uh.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Steph Curry by the way here tomorrow against the Hornets.
Some last minute text. Again, there are there are some
people who are saying some things about Luke Keigley being
in the finalists, people talking about Smitty not being part
of the final fifteen either. Look, I don't want to
say anything bad about Smitty. Fitzgerald's better I receive than
(36:40):
he was.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
I think.
Speaker 2 (36:44):
Yes, And I think again I mentioned this Baiel guy
thinks that I'm being disingenuous with saying, oh, you're suing.
You jumped the line. Look, he's not able to jump
the line. Yes, but I also think it was Blake Mitchell,
not the Sam Mitchell. Blake Minchell. That's my fault. I
got the I got the first name of the I
got this. I know, I know I had the surname right.
It was Blake Mitchell. Yes, that was one. But no,
(37:06):
he gets the he gets the right to jump the line.
I do think that of the Halls of Fame, they
do it the best. The NFL does. It's still an
imperfect process. I do like that you have the the
opportunity to have people speak on your behalf inside the room,
and it's not just this silent ballot with dudes who
are making or or making value judgments on guys like
(37:31):
it is in baseball, and and and trying to be all,
you know, cute seeing to be like, well, I'm looking
root thro the steroid goes because the steroids ruined baseball,
even though it's a museum, you know, like that kind
of stuff. The uh, the thing about it is, though,
I do think it's a situation where smody has the
way to turn, and it's it's it's the unfortunate fallacy
(37:53):
of this part of the project problem and the fact
that there's a Glato wide receiver.
Speaker 3 (37:56):
Yeah, there's just a log jam there, I thought Colin
and we talked to him off the air. Interesting take.
He thinks he gets in next year. He thinks he doesn't,
you know, not on the ballot this year, thinks he's
on the ballot next year and pushes his way in.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
He said that if if it was if Luke gets in.
Speaker 3 (38:11):
Yeah, So I think I think, I think, I think
I would disagree with vashtags. I think I think Luke's
going in this year, and.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
I think based on the other finalists, that tells me
he's going in this year. So he's the only is
the only middle linebacker in And I.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
Guess, I mean, I don't know that.
Speaker 3 (38:26):
I guess the Paylerts don't have enough cachet to be
a franchise to put multiple Hall of Famers in in
the same year, because that was always, like, I think
the dream was to have the same year, you know,
whether it was Pep and Luke or Pepin Smittye or
Luke and Smithty go in at the same time.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
That means you probably played in the Hall of Fame
game too.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
And then you get the Hall of Fame game, which
they haven't played in since the inaugural season.
Speaker 4 (38:46):
I do believe Jacksonville, right, yep. But that's just it
was not not meant to be.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
But I do think when this voting process comes to
an end, what it will be what announced Well the
night before the Super Bowl.
Speaker 1 (38:57):
Right usually Bell Honors or whatever.
Speaker 4 (39:00):
Well, I think we'll know that Lukeiq was going to
the Hall of Fame. We'll get a gold jacket.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
It should be a lot of fun. I had fun today.
This show flew a lot of times. This morning show
can sound like it drags when you don't do it
very often.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
But man oh man, we had fun today.
Speaker 3 (39:13):
I enjoyed it, even though we didn't bicker like many
people thought we were going to.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
Was it disappointing for all of you thisa morning?
Speaker 4 (39:20):
It wasn't disappointing for me.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
I think we bickered more with others than we bickered collectively,
not necessarily with each other, which maybe was disappointment, which.
Speaker 4 (39:30):
Is the best kind of bickering.
Speaker 1 (39:33):
Happy New Year to all of you.
Speaker 2 (39:34):
It's my last time on the air in a long
form show for twenty twenty five. It will be on
Panther or assume me a Hornet's pregame tomorrow. Sad there's
no Panther post game on Saturday because of the timing,
just because it falls before Hornets. So hopefully I get
to do a Panther post game with you all during
the playoffs. Until next time and until next year. For
Fittie Marlow Willip saying so long. Sports Reading on into
(39:56):
seven WFMZ, Colin Hoggard and Charlotte Sports Today are next
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