December 31, 2025 • 22 mins
Chris Plank is in for Big Ben and talks about the drama surrounding Patriots WR Stefon Diggs and his recent felony chargers, the pain and suffering that comes with being a Raiders fan, a preview of Miami vs. Ohio State & Texas Tech vs. Oregon, and more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Mahler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
station for the Benmatlers Show at Foxsports Radio dot com.
You can find it there or stream us live every
night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
But I don't know.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
I don't know how any show can't lead. Can't lead
with his twenty minutes into the program, thanks blink, But
can't lead without having a conversation about one of what
I thought was the best stories in the NFL this season.
Turning into an absolute bleep show. But what else would
you expect from anything involving Stefan Diggs. He is facing
(00:56):
now a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge
of assault from an incident that is now four weeks old.
According to a police report, a woman went to police
on December sixteenth and shared that she was working as
a private chef on December second, as the date of
(01:19):
the incident, when Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and allegedly
smacked her across the face after they had discussed money
owed to her. According to police, she said she attempted
to push Digs away when he allegedly tried to choke
her with his elbow around her neck, and later threw
her onto the bed and said lies when she said
(01:42):
she had not been paid. After the alleged assault, According
to this report, she left her position and the residence
to stay with a friend. When she returned on December
ninth to rech to Reever property, Diggs referred her to
his assistant, who told the woman she had to sign
a on disclosure agreement before she would be paid. She
(02:03):
didn't sign. She didn't sign it for the report, and
in foreign police on December sixteenth that she didn't want
to file charges before deciding to do so on December
twenty second, diggs attorney said in a statement that the
allegations are unsubstantiated. Now, as somebody that has absolutely fallen
(02:25):
in love with the story of the Patriots this year,
Stefan Diggs has been one of those. I don't know
if the term would be bounced back, but you know,
truly kind of reminding you that he's a dude.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I'm the dude. He's a dude, And.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
The last few weeks, I think it's fair to say
has been some of his best ball all season long.
Had ten catches in the win over Baltimore, one hundred
and thirty eight yards in that game, over one hundred
yards in the Jets game, though, who hasn't had over
one hundred yards receiving against the Jets. But I don't
know what to think about this because it is a
(03:01):
massive distraction leading up to the playoffs. And again, the
Patriots are going all in this weekend to try to
get the one seed and we'll see how that pans
out for them. They don't control their own destiny because
somehow they lost to the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
So props to you, Coop for beating the Raiders twice
this year.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
A very big task with the way things have gone
for Vegas so far in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
But I again, I don't know what's true and what's not.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
I take people at their word, but what a terrible
distraction to have at this point in the season. So
Stefan Diggs, who has been one of the great stories
this year, guy that has been questioned was Apparently the
dude at about three different places resurrects his career in
New England and on the week of I guess you
(03:48):
could say, the week before the start of the playoffs,
has this that drops as a massive distraction in the
lap of the New England Patriots.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I promised at the bottom of the hour a quick
preview of the playoff games that are coming up over
the next twenty four hours. First tonight, you get Ohio
State versus Miami. Now, one side story to this game.
Jeremiah Smith, the very talented wide receiver for the Buck Guyes.
Whenever he made his collegiate decision, it came down to
(04:22):
Ohio State and Miami. He's a Miami guy. He's a
Miami guy. Nobody knew whether or not he was going
to end up playing for the Buck Guyes or for
the Hurricanes. He's had an outstanding run for Miami for
Ohio State. Miami has kind of been, you know, fine
without him, but it's been one of the major conversations
leading into tonight's game. The other big conversation is Ohio
(04:46):
State trying to repeat as hard as it is. And
when Ryan Day spoke to the media yesterday, he was
asked about the importance of the people in life, in
around the program that have been leaders for Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Little at a lengthy will listen to a little bit
of it.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Always comes down to people. So when when you're winning,
I wouldn't say it's easy.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Nothing's easy.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
But so I think when when you go through a setbacker,
you go through adversity, that's when.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
You really find out about people.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
You find out about the people that are around you.
You find out about.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
You know, how how tight your group is.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
And I think that it's been said before Ohio State
you win with people and making sure that you have
the right people around you.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
So Ohio State, that's an interesting kind of angle because
they've had incredible turnover in people last year. Jim Knowles,
their defensive coordinator, leaves goes to Penn State as a disaster.
Your offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly wins a national championship with
Will Howard as his quarterback, goes to Las Vegas.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
That was a disaster.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Chip Kelly today became the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. What
do they do they have Matt Patricia a chance in
the college game, and you give him some dudes, and
he was pretty good.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
This year, really good this year, elite this year.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Meanwhile, on the offensive coordinator side of things, that turnover continues.
Brian Hartline takes over as their O seed, does a
fantastic job, so good that he gets hired as a
head coach at USF South Florida, and now they've got
to go with a new play caller, which is the
old play caller. It's who else but Ryan Day. So
constant turnover, but they've had good people in places that
(06:28):
have Ohio State in a spot where they had to buy,
they've got a chance to repeat, and they're doing it
with two new coordinators and technically a third when you
consider that Heartline's not even gonna call plays after calling
plays all year long. Meanwhile, Miami has kind of become
the place where transferred quarterbacks go and excel under Mario Christobal.
(06:50):
Last couple of years we saw cam Ward develop into
the top pick in the draft, and this year you've
seen a guy who's had a roller coaster ride in
Carson Beck, get things just in time to help Miami
find themselves in a position where they're in this quarterfinals
of the college football playoffs.
Speaker 6 (07:07):
Certainly, I think all of us saw some of the stuff,
some of the noise surrounding the end of his tenure
over at Georgia and then him starting his new tenure
at Miami. And because he's so quiet and reserved and
didn't get much time in front of the microphone in
front of the media, I think some narratives kind of
they ran on their own, and being around them from
(07:28):
day one, one thing that really stands out. He's all
about team, He's all about his teammates, and his work
ethic is off the charts.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
So media day today didn't really give us any good
I guess you could say bulletin board material. But it's
gotta be a fun one tonight. The number wildly has
not moved at all, no movement whatsoever in the line
between Ohio State and Miami. I'm just making sure there
was no shit. I say all this, and all of
(07:57):
a sudden it's like, whoh, it's dount of seven and
a half opened at nine and a half, stays at
nine and a half. No real shift whatsoever. The only
place where you've seen a little bit of movement is
in the total. This game open at forty two and
a half and is now down to forty and a half,
So I don't know if that means they're foreseeing a
(08:18):
little bit more of an offensive struggle than what they
might have. But Ohio State Miami tonight six thirty Central,
seven thirty Eastern the Cotton Bowl first quarterfinal game. Ohio
State looking to repeat and looking to do something in
these playoffs that hasn't happened yet in the very short
(08:39):
era of the twelve team playoff. The team with the
buye no team of the first round by one last year.
But also remember no team that played on the road
in the first round one last year. We've already seen
that happen twice with Texas, A and M and the
Alabama They came here to Oklahoma beat Sooners, but should
be a fun one tonight. Miami might be getting hot
(09:00):
at the right time. Ohio State, I mean again, consistently
has been one of the best teams, if not the best,
in college football. The only blemish on their record the
Big Ten Championship game lost to Indiana Exercise the Demons
and beating Michigan this year, beat Texas to start the season.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It's really good football team. It's going to be a
fun one tonight.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Mellor
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (09:28):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Throat every day.
Speaker 7 (09:40):
Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest
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Speaker 4 (10:00):
Bottom of every hour, I've promised a quick preview of
the college football playoff games if you missed last hour,
we went in depth on what to expect in tonight's game.
That's Ohio State in Miami and the Cotton Boll should
be a fun.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
One. Number hasn't moved, it's nine and a half.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Meanwhile, the other big game, I'm real excited about Texas
Tech and Oregon Number one.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I haven't seen a lot of Texas Tech this year.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I live in and lived past tense in Big twelve
country right now, Big twelve not near the top of
that depth chart for a lot of college football fans.
But man, Joy McGuire and Texas Tech have something special
cooking and tomorrow night, I guess we can say now
since it's officially New Year's Eve, they've got to find
a way to slow down the unique and challenging running
(10:46):
game of Oregon.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Who's Joey McGwire is.
Speaker 8 (10:48):
They're very creative. You know, Will Stein does a great job.
I know Will very well, excited for him getting a
Kentucky job. And then one of the old line coaches
is Max little brother, you know when he's going with
him in Kentucky, and I think he has a lot
to do with what they do run game wise. But
(11:09):
they're one of the teams that we actually throughout the
year in the offseason study because they are so creative
in the in the run game.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
You know, the.
Speaker 8 (11:17):
Biggest thing whenever we've talked about it and will continue
to talk about it throughout the game, but what we
have to do on defense is we have to set edges,
we have to do a good job of taking on
half a man and and try to push the ball
where we wanted to go versus where they wanted to go.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
So I would say, of the four games that we
have coming up, Oregon Texas Tech might be the least
anticipated game of all of them, right, I mean, I
do think Ohio State and Miami. I mean we can
we can debate and discuss that that that might be
number one, maybe Alabama, Indiana two, Ole Miss Georgia three,
(11:56):
just because it's a rematch. But Oregon in Texas Tech
probably fourth in interest unless you're Jeff Schwartz and you're
an Oregon alum, or unless you're the great Cody Campbell
and you're spending all this money to have Texas Tech
where they are right now. But it's also to me
the most fascinating game because of the storylines involving what
(12:16):
Oregon doesn't have. Both their offensive and defensive coordinators are
still coaching and are still preparing Oregon for the playoffs,
but both have new jobs. Dan Lanning talked about that
process in getting ready for Tomorrow Night with two coaches
that are probably mentally already moving on to their next job.
Speaker 9 (12:36):
One thing I'll give great credit to coach Stein and
coach Lapoi. They've worked their tails off. You wouldn't know
a difference that they're taking other jobs. They're spend a
lot of time at night working on the job that
they're about to go into, but they's spent a lot
of time during the day on the job that they
have and the job that they feel responsible for towards
our players. They've worked extremely hard and the players around
them have prepared really, really hard, which has been awesome
(12:58):
to see.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
I can't even imagine what it would be like to
have the excitement of a team that you've Will Wilstein
is the guy that I've covered quite a bit. He's
the offensive coordinator at Oregon. You heard him mention he's
taken on the Kentucky head coaches job. I can't even
imagine what it's like to be getting ready for a
playoff game. Your blood, your sweat, your tears, your fight,
you scratch your claw, and you finally get to the playoffs.
(13:22):
You finally get to the cusp of potentially playing for
a national championship. And what happens, Well, you get another
job and you finally reach the pinnacle of being a
head coach, and for both of these coordinators in Power
four leagues, burning the candle of both in pretty much
what we're doing here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
I see my man, Mojo Rising is on the phone
and he wants to talk about hour, well at least
my beloved Raiders. So let's do this here. Let's do
this Mojo Rising, the Mojo and what's going on?
Speaker 10 (14:01):
Many they gone through to the other side. Light on fire.
Mister plank Man, you're filling in for the Godfather. You know,
at the beginning to show you were talking about how
filling in on this show you feel like you have
some animosity from the callers, because, I mean, come on,
the guys list, that's right. I mean, so anyway, I
want to agree with the Lovely Lorrain on her suggestion
(14:24):
that mister Coop he absolutely should play that card that
you know he was in Liar Liar. I mean, come on,
he was the son of Jim Carrey and Lyar Liar.
That's beyond the classic movie, beyond the classic movie. If
you don't know that movie, then you've been lost in
the world. So if anybody who has a heart and
you hear that, like, come on, why would you switch?
I mean, come on, they're they're married, they're all they're
(14:46):
Denver fans are all going to be super happy sitting
at the game. So I think he's got an inside track.
You know, if he uses that card, he may not
even have to. He may just get there to people
may be all happy and drunk already and they'll switch
the seeds for him and everything. So I mean, I'm
praying for the guy. And you know, being a Raider fan,
that's why I called it, mister Plank, I argue with
Arnie on Sunday nights, and you're right, the agony, the
(15:09):
absolute agony of being a Raider fan. Now, you're right,
we're never where. You're never going to be in a
situation again because you're gonna have to even worry I'm
about going to a playoff game because at this rate,
the Raiders, I don't know, they'll never I don't think
they're ever going to sniff the playoffs again, you know,
And as a legendary Raider fan, I go back to
the days in Super Bowl eleven when the Raiders beat
(15:31):
the Minnesota Vikings. What was it thirty two to twelve
or thirty two to fourteen when Fred bullitt Nikoff was
the MVP of the Super Bowl and he never even
he didn't even score a touchdown in that game. He
just set up the two touchdowns from the begainn couldn't
you imagine that that fled Blinkoff then even scored touchdown
in nineteen seventy seven in the Super Bowl and won
the MVP. That's how far I go about, mister Plank.
(15:52):
So yeah, the agony, the absolute agony of being a
Raider fan. I've called him before and told mister Mallard,
there's an absolute embarrassment to see the Vegas crowds. It
doesn't matter if it's the Panthers, it's half to half
the stadium, like when the Niners play there, or the
Chiefs play there, or the Broncos. It's all red or orange.
It's it's it's an embarrassment, it truly is. I mean,
(16:14):
and as a Raider fan, I don't I can't even
survive watching them anymore. Honestly, I don't know how you
feel about it, but it's just sad. It truly is sad. Mister.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I appreciate the phone call.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
I've been in a great mood. I have a good life. Well,
my wife's happy with me this week. Kids seem to
adore me. Got a good job. I'm sitting in for
the Godfather, Lorraine and Cooper. Here life, I'm back home.
It's not as cold here as it was in Saint Louis.
Life is good. And then I reminded that I'm pinned
(16:50):
with the hell of being a Raiders fan.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Two things.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
The NFL made an egregious error air whenever they did
not pair the Raiders with the Rams in LA.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And I get it.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I wouldn't want to do that either if I was
Stan Kronky, because the Raiders are more popular in Los
Angeles than the Rams or the Chargers would have been.
And well, maybe this level of suck that the Raiders
are in right now, it wouldn't have mattered, because if
you think Vegas is a bit of a bandwagon town,
and I think it's fair to say, LA can jump
(17:26):
off that bandwagon whenever you're not as good as you
should be. And that's what hurt the Raiders whenever they
went back to Oakland. It's embarrassing. It's just it's bad
enough that you're bad. It's bad enough that you're a
bad team right now. Added to the fact that every
home game your stadium's taken over. Add into it that
(17:48):
the Chiefs, your hated rival, won the Super Bowl in
your stadium, and even though the Chiefs are bad, you
can't even enjoy it because you're But I watch what
the Jaguars are doing this year. I watch what the
(18:09):
Bears are doing this year. I watch what teams that
sucked last year are doing this year. And I watched
what Washington did when they got a quarterback. They you
know what do all these teams have in common, Well,
they got a quarterback, and in the instances of Jacksonville
and Chicago, they got a coach that can work with
said quarterback, Liam Cohen. And Liam Cohen and Ben Johnson
(18:30):
have done incredible jobs in developing these quarterbacks. I was
listening to Antonio Pearce, and for as much animosity that
I think that he holds towards the Raiders, they were
trying to get him to say something bad about Max
Crosby being shut down, and Antonio pears was going through
(18:51):
his Max Crosby's a fighter, he wants to play YadA, YadA, YadA.
And then he stopped and he said, but I would
really want a quarterback. And you know, Derek Carr is
what Derek Carr is. And I think Raider fans have
learned that he wasn't as terrible as many people try
to make him out to be when you consider that,
I think Vegas since his final game that he played
(19:11):
is on like seven different starting quarterbacks in three years.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I mean, it's just terrible.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
So Antonio Pierce was always fighting to try to get
up and get what Jane Daniels. He thought the Raiders
should trade up to number two, give up everything to
get Daniels, and maybe it would have been a different
world for him. But there's a failed head coach who
had to go through a quarterback disaster, and he's like, listen,
you can get mad about, you know, telling a player
that he's hurt and he's gonna be put on ir
(19:38):
and you're not playing him, but you also need to
get in a position where you actually have a serviceable quarterback.
Geno Smith sucks, all right. I know this isn't breaking news,
and Seahawk fans are probably applauding, but the man cannot
handle adversity. It's one of the coolest career arcs you'll
ever seen. Guy was a backup for like and all
(20:00):
of a sudden gets to Seattle and resurrects his career.
It's cool, but it's over. It's ov er over. As
Arnie Spanier would say, go get Fernando Mendoza, Go get
Dante more and maybe you get sucked into some of
these trade talks with Lamar Kyler.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Don't let yourself do that.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Evaluate your quarterback and get him, because I do think,
believe it or not, the Raiders have some dudes.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Genti's going to be a stud. Max Crosby is one of.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
The best edge rushers, if not the overall best defensive
players in the league. Your left tackle's been hurt all
year long. You've got a decent interior of your offensive
line and names like Kayleb Rodgers and Dylan Park.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Receiver needs help, corner needs help. But they got dudes.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Now. By the way, it would help if we didn't
have a senior citizen as our head coach too. And
can we normalize retiring at a regular age? I learned
last night.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
I did not know this.
Speaker 4 (20:56):
I did not know the Packers had the age rule
for the president of their franchise.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
I think it's the smartest thing that anyone could ever do.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Now, if you wanted to fight it, you'd probably win
in court because you know agest rules and things of
that nature. But when you turn seventy, you know what
you are within the Packers organization as the president.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
You're out.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
You've aged out. Can we normalize seventy being an age
where you're playing the back nine of your career and
you're not trying to rebuild a franchise. I'm so down, man.
Life is good. My life is great. I've never been
happier until I turn on that suck of a franchise
(21:38):
that just basically drains my will to live. And then
I gotta see Coop be all happy with his Broncos,
and I got to see both the Charger fans that
get all their celebrations, and I mean, it's just terrible,
just terrible right now. And then you gotta watch, by
the way, that was a pretty funny take. You got
to watch Titan fans, Mojo Risen, Titan fans come in
(22:00):
and take over your stadium.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Ah, the humanity. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Search FSR to listen live.
Thanks for listening to the best of the Ben Mahler
Show podcast. Be sure to catch us live every weeknight
from two to six Eastern eleven pm to three am
Pacific on Fox Sports Radio and to find your local
station for the Benmatlers Show at Foxsports Radio dot com.
You can find it there or stream us live every
night on the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
This is the best of the Ben Maler Show on
Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
But I don't know.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
I don't know how any show can't lead. Can't lead
with his twenty minutes into the program, thanks blink, But
can't lead without having a conversation about one of what
I thought was the best stories in the NFL this season.
Turning into an absolute bleep show. But what else would
you expect from anything involving Stefan Diggs. He is facing
(00:56):
now a felony charge of strangulation and a misdemeanor charge
of assault from an incident that is now four weeks old.
According to a police report, a woman went to police
on December sixteenth and shared that she was working as
a private chef on December second, as the date of
(01:19):
the incident, when Diggs entered her unlocked bedroom and allegedly
smacked her across the face after they had discussed money
owed to her. According to police, she said she attempted
to push Digs away when he allegedly tried to choke
her with his elbow around her neck, and later threw
her onto the bed and said lies when she said
(01:42):
she had not been paid. After the alleged assault, According
to this report, she left her position and the residence
to stay with a friend. When she returned on December
ninth to rech to Reever property, Diggs referred her to
his assistant, who told the woman she had to sign
a on disclosure agreement before she would be paid. She
(02:03):
didn't sign. She didn't sign it for the report, and
in foreign police on December sixteenth that she didn't want
to file charges before deciding to do so on December
twenty second, diggs attorney said in a statement that the
allegations are unsubstantiated. Now, as somebody that has absolutely fallen
(02:25):
in love with the story of the Patriots this year,
Stefan Diggs has been one of those. I don't know
if the term would be bounced back, but you know,
truly kind of reminding you that he's a dude.
Speaker 3 (02:38):
I'm the dude. He's a dude, And.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
The last few weeks, I think it's fair to say
has been some of his best ball all season long.
Had ten catches in the win over Baltimore, one hundred
and thirty eight yards in that game, over one hundred
yards in the Jets game, though, who hasn't had over
one hundred yards receiving against the Jets. But I don't
know what to think about this because it is a
(03:01):
massive distraction leading up to the playoffs. And again, the
Patriots are going all in this weekend to try to
get the one seed and we'll see how that pans
out for them. They don't control their own destiny because
somehow they lost to the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
So props to you, Coop for beating the Raiders twice
this year.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
A very big task with the way things have gone
for Vegas so far in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (03:22):
But I again, I don't know what's true and what's not.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
I take people at their word, but what a terrible
distraction to have at this point in the season. So
Stefan Diggs, who has been one of the great stories
this year, guy that has been questioned was Apparently the
dude at about three different places resurrects his career in
New England and on the week of I guess you
(03:48):
could say, the week before the start of the playoffs,
has this that drops as a massive distraction in the
lap of the New England Patriots.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
I promised at the bottom of the hour a quick
preview of the playoff games that are coming up over
the next twenty four hours. First tonight, you get Ohio
State versus Miami. Now, one side story to this game.
Jeremiah Smith, the very talented wide receiver for the Buck Guyes.
Whenever he made his collegiate decision, it came down to
(04:22):
Ohio State and Miami. He's a Miami guy. He's a
Miami guy. Nobody knew whether or not he was going
to end up playing for the Buck Guyes or for
the Hurricanes. He's had an outstanding run for Miami for
Ohio State. Miami has kind of been, you know, fine
without him, but it's been one of the major conversations
leading into tonight's game. The other big conversation is Ohio
(04:46):
State trying to repeat as hard as it is. And
when Ryan Day spoke to the media yesterday, he was
asked about the importance of the people in life, in
around the program that have been leaders for Ohio State.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Little at a lengthy will listen to a little bit
of it.
Speaker 5 (05:04):
Always comes down to people. So when when you're winning,
I wouldn't say it's easy.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Nothing's easy.
Speaker 5 (05:14):
But so I think when when you go through a setbacker,
you go through adversity, that's when.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
You really find out about people.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
You find out about the people that are around you.
You find out about.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
You know, how how tight your group is.
Speaker 5 (05:26):
And I think that it's been said before Ohio State
you win with people and making sure that you have
the right people around you.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
So Ohio State, that's an interesting kind of angle because
they've had incredible turnover in people last year. Jim Knowles,
their defensive coordinator, leaves goes to Penn State as a disaster.
Your offensive coordinator, Chip Kelly wins a national championship with
Will Howard as his quarterback, goes to Las Vegas.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
That was a disaster.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Chip Kelly today became the offensive coordinator at Northwestern. What
do they do they have Matt Patricia a chance in
the college game, and you give him some dudes, and
he was pretty good.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
This year, really good this year, elite this year.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
Meanwhile, on the offensive coordinator side of things, that turnover continues.
Brian Hartline takes over as their O seed, does a
fantastic job, so good that he gets hired as a
head coach at USF South Florida, and now they've got
to go with a new play caller, which is the
old play caller. It's who else but Ryan Day. So
constant turnover, but they've had good people in places that
(06:28):
have Ohio State in a spot where they had to buy,
they've got a chance to repeat, and they're doing it
with two new coordinators and technically a third when you
consider that Heartline's not even gonna call plays after calling
plays all year long. Meanwhile, Miami has kind of become
the place where transferred quarterbacks go and excel under Mario Christobal.
(06:50):
Last couple of years we saw cam Ward develop into
the top pick in the draft, and this year you've
seen a guy who's had a roller coaster ride in
Carson Beck, get things just in time to help Miami
find themselves in a position where they're in this quarterfinals
of the college football playoffs.
Speaker 6 (07:07):
Certainly, I think all of us saw some of the stuff,
some of the noise surrounding the end of his tenure
over at Georgia and then him starting his new tenure
at Miami. And because he's so quiet and reserved and
didn't get much time in front of the microphone in
front of the media, I think some narratives kind of
they ran on their own, and being around them from
(07:28):
day one, one thing that really stands out. He's all
about team, He's all about his teammates, and his work
ethic is off the charts.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
So media day today didn't really give us any good
I guess you could say bulletin board material. But it's
gotta be a fun one tonight. The number wildly has
not moved at all, no movement whatsoever in the line
between Ohio State and Miami. I'm just making sure there
was no shit. I say all this, and all of
(07:57):
a sudden it's like, whoh, it's dount of seven and
a half opened at nine and a half, stays at
nine and a half. No real shift whatsoever. The only
place where you've seen a little bit of movement is
in the total. This game open at forty two and
a half and is now down to forty and a half,
So I don't know if that means they're foreseeing a
(08:18):
little bit more of an offensive struggle than what they
might have. But Ohio State Miami tonight six thirty Central,
seven thirty Eastern the Cotton Bowl first quarterfinal game. Ohio
State looking to repeat and looking to do something in
these playoffs that hasn't happened yet in the very short
(08:39):
era of the twelve team playoff. The team with the
buye no team of the first round by one last year.
But also remember no team that played on the road
in the first round one last year. We've already seen
that happen twice with Texas, A and M and the
Alabama They came here to Oklahoma beat Sooners, but should
be a fun one tonight. Miami might be getting hot
(09:00):
at the right time. Ohio State, I mean again, consistently
has been one of the best teams, if not the best,
in college football. The only blemish on their record the
Big Ten Championship game lost to Indiana Exercise the Demons
and beating Michigan this year, beat Texas to start the season.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It's really good football team. It's going to be a
fun one tonight.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Mellor
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific on
Fox Sports Radio and the iHeartRadio app.
Speaker 7 (09:28):
Hey, this is Jason McIntyre. Join me every weekday morning
on my podcast, Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre. This isn't
your typical sports pod pushing the same tired narratives down your.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Throat every day.
Speaker 7 (09:40):
Straight Fire gives you honest opinions on all the biggest
sports headlines, accurate stats to help you win big at
the sportsbook, and all the best guests. Do yourself a
favor and listen to Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre on
the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
Bottom of every hour, I've promised a quick preview of
the college football playoff games if you missed last hour,
we went in depth on what to expect in tonight's game.
That's Ohio State in Miami and the Cotton Boll should
be a fun.
Speaker 3 (10:14):
One. Number hasn't moved, it's nine and a half.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Meanwhile, the other big game, I'm real excited about Texas
Tech and Oregon Number one.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
I haven't seen a lot of Texas Tech this year.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
I live in and lived past tense in Big twelve
country right now, Big twelve not near the top of
that depth chart for a lot of college football fans.
But man, Joy McGuire and Texas Tech have something special
cooking and tomorrow night, I guess we can say now
since it's officially New Year's Eve, they've got to find
a way to slow down the unique and challenging running
(10:46):
game of Oregon.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Who's Joey McGwire is.
Speaker 8 (10:48):
They're very creative. You know, Will Stein does a great job.
I know Will very well, excited for him getting a
Kentucky job. And then one of the old line coaches
is Max little brother, you know when he's going with
him in Kentucky, and I think he has a lot
to do with what they do run game wise. But
(11:09):
they're one of the teams that we actually throughout the
year in the offseason study because they are so creative
in the in the run game.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
You know, the.
Speaker 8 (11:17):
Biggest thing whenever we've talked about it and will continue
to talk about it throughout the game, but what we
have to do on defense is we have to set edges,
we have to do a good job of taking on
half a man and and try to push the ball
where we wanted to go versus where they wanted to go.
Speaker 4 (11:32):
So I would say, of the four games that we
have coming up, Oregon Texas Tech might be the least
anticipated game of all of them, right, I mean, I
do think Ohio State and Miami. I mean we can
we can debate and discuss that that that might be
number one, maybe Alabama, Indiana two, Ole Miss Georgia three,
(11:56):
just because it's a rematch. But Oregon in Texas Tech
probably fourth in interest unless you're Jeff Schwartz and you're
an Oregon alum, or unless you're the great Cody Campbell
and you're spending all this money to have Texas Tech
where they are right now. But it's also to me
the most fascinating game because of the storylines involving what
(12:16):
Oregon doesn't have. Both their offensive and defensive coordinators are
still coaching and are still preparing Oregon for the playoffs,
but both have new jobs. Dan Lanning talked about that
process in getting ready for Tomorrow Night with two coaches
that are probably mentally already moving on to their next job.
Speaker 9 (12:36):
One thing I'll give great credit to coach Stein and
coach Lapoi. They've worked their tails off. You wouldn't know
a difference that they're taking other jobs. They're spend a
lot of time at night working on the job that
they're about to go into, but they's spent a lot
of time during the day on the job that they
have and the job that they feel responsible for towards
our players. They've worked extremely hard and the players around
them have prepared really, really hard, which has been awesome
(12:58):
to see.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
I can't even imagine what it would be like to
have the excitement of a team that you've Will Wilstein
is the guy that I've covered quite a bit. He's
the offensive coordinator at Oregon. You heard him mention he's
taken on the Kentucky head coaches job. I can't even
imagine what it's like to be getting ready for a
playoff game. Your blood, your sweat, your tears, your fight,
you scratch your claw, and you finally get to the playoffs.
(13:22):
You finally get to the cusp of potentially playing for
a national championship. And what happens, Well, you get another
job and you finally reach the pinnacle of being a
head coach, and for both of these coordinators in Power
four leagues, burning the candle of both in pretty much
what we're doing here on Fox Sports Radio.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Be sure to catch live editions of The Ben Meller
Show weekdays at two am Eastern eleven pm Pacific.
Speaker 4 (13:48):
I see my man, Mojo Rising is on the phone
and he wants to talk about hour, well at least
my beloved Raiders. So let's do this here. Let's do
this Mojo Rising, the Mojo and what's going on?
Speaker 10 (14:01):
Many they gone through to the other side. Light on fire.
Mister plank Man, you're filling in for the Godfather. You know,
at the beginning to show you were talking about how
filling in on this show you feel like you have
some animosity from the callers, because, I mean, come on,
the guys list, that's right. I mean, so anyway, I
want to agree with the Lovely Lorrain on her suggestion
(14:24):
that mister Coop he absolutely should play that card that
you know he was in Liar Liar. I mean, come on,
he was the son of Jim Carrey and Lyar Liar.
That's beyond the classic movie, beyond the classic movie. If
you don't know that movie, then you've been lost in
the world. So if anybody who has a heart and
you hear that, like, come on, why would you switch?
I mean, come on, they're they're married, they're all they're
(14:46):
Denver fans are all going to be super happy sitting
at the game. So I think he's got an inside track.
You know, if he uses that card, he may not
even have to. He may just get there to people
may be all happy and drunk already and they'll switch
the seeds for him and everything. So I mean, I'm
praying for the guy. And you know, being a Raider fan,
that's why I called it, mister Plank, I argue with
Arnie on Sunday nights, and you're right, the agony, the
(15:09):
absolute agony of being a Raider fan. Now, you're right,
we're never where. You're never going to be in a
situation again because you're gonna have to even worry I'm
about going to a playoff game because at this rate,
the Raiders, I don't know, they'll never I don't think
they're ever going to sniff the playoffs again, you know,
And as a legendary Raider fan, I go back to
the days in Super Bowl eleven when the Raiders beat
(15:31):
the Minnesota Vikings. What was it thirty two to twelve
or thirty two to fourteen when Fred bullitt Nikoff was
the MVP of the Super Bowl and he never even
he didn't even score a touchdown in that game. He
just set up the two touchdowns from the begainn couldn't
you imagine that that fled Blinkoff then even scored touchdown
in nineteen seventy seven in the Super Bowl and won
the MVP. That's how far I go about, mister Plank.
(15:52):
So yeah, the agony, the absolute agony of being a
Raider fan. I've called him before and told mister Mallard,
there's an absolute embarrassment to see the Vegas crowds. It
doesn't matter if it's the Panthers, it's half to half
the stadium, like when the Niners play there, or the
Chiefs play there, or the Broncos. It's all red or orange.
It's it's it's an embarrassment, it truly is. I mean,
(16:14):
and as a Raider fan, I don't I can't even
survive watching them anymore. Honestly, I don't know how you
feel about it, but it's just sad. It truly is sad. Mister.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
I appreciate the phone call.
Speaker 4 (16:28):
I've been in a great mood. I have a good life. Well,
my wife's happy with me this week. Kids seem to
adore me. Got a good job. I'm sitting in for
the Godfather, Lorraine and Cooper. Here life, I'm back home.
It's not as cold here as it was in Saint Louis.
Life is good. And then I reminded that I'm pinned
(16:50):
with the hell of being a Raiders fan.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Two things.
Speaker 4 (16:56):
The NFL made an egregious error air whenever they did
not pair the Raiders with the Rams in LA.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And I get it.
Speaker 4 (17:05):
I wouldn't want to do that either if I was
Stan Kronky, because the Raiders are more popular in Los
Angeles than the Rams or the Chargers would have been.
And well, maybe this level of suck that the Raiders
are in right now, it wouldn't have mattered, because if
you think Vegas is a bit of a bandwagon town,
and I think it's fair to say, LA can jump
(17:26):
off that bandwagon whenever you're not as good as you
should be. And that's what hurt the Raiders whenever they
went back to Oakland. It's embarrassing. It's just it's bad
enough that you're bad. It's bad enough that you're a
bad team right now. Added to the fact that every
home game your stadium's taken over. Add into it that
(17:48):
the Chiefs, your hated rival, won the Super Bowl in
your stadium, and even though the Chiefs are bad, you
can't even enjoy it because you're But I watch what
the Jaguars are doing this year. I watch what the
(18:09):
Bears are doing this year. I watch what teams that
sucked last year are doing this year. And I watched
what Washington did when they got a quarterback. They you
know what do all these teams have in common, Well,
they got a quarterback, and in the instances of Jacksonville
and Chicago, they got a coach that can work with
said quarterback, Liam Cohen. And Liam Cohen and Ben Johnson
(18:30):
have done incredible jobs in developing these quarterbacks. I was
listening to Antonio Pearce, and for as much animosity that
I think that he holds towards the Raiders, they were
trying to get him to say something bad about Max
Crosby being shut down, and Antonio pears was going through
(18:51):
his Max Crosby's a fighter, he wants to play YadA, YadA, YadA.
And then he stopped and he said, but I would
really want a quarterback. And you know, Derek Carr is
what Derek Carr is. And I think Raider fans have
learned that he wasn't as terrible as many people try
to make him out to be when you consider that,
I think Vegas since his final game that he played
(19:11):
is on like seven different starting quarterbacks in three years.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
I mean, it's just terrible.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
So Antonio Pierce was always fighting to try to get
up and get what Jane Daniels. He thought the Raiders
should trade up to number two, give up everything to
get Daniels, and maybe it would have been a different
world for him. But there's a failed head coach who
had to go through a quarterback disaster, and he's like, listen,
you can get mad about, you know, telling a player
that he's hurt and he's gonna be put on ir
(19:38):
and you're not playing him, but you also need to
get in a position where you actually have a serviceable quarterback.
Geno Smith sucks, all right. I know this isn't breaking news,
and Seahawk fans are probably applauding, but the man cannot
handle adversity. It's one of the coolest career arcs you'll
ever seen. Guy was a backup for like and all
(20:00):
of a sudden gets to Seattle and resurrects his career.
It's cool, but it's over. It's ov er over. As
Arnie Spanier would say, go get Fernando Mendoza, Go get
Dante more and maybe you get sucked into some of
these trade talks with Lamar Kyler.
Speaker 3 (20:17):
Don't let yourself do that.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Evaluate your quarterback and get him, because I do think,
believe it or not, the Raiders have some dudes.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Genti's going to be a stud. Max Crosby is one of.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
The best edge rushers, if not the overall best defensive
players in the league. Your left tackle's been hurt all
year long. You've got a decent interior of your offensive
line and names like Kayleb Rodgers and Dylan Park.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
Receiver needs help, corner needs help. But they got dudes.
Speaker 4 (20:46):
Now. By the way, it would help if we didn't
have a senior citizen as our head coach too. And
can we normalize retiring at a regular age? I learned
last night.
Speaker 3 (20:55):
I did not know this.
Speaker 4 (20:56):
I did not know the Packers had the age rule
for the president of their franchise.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
I think it's the smartest thing that anyone could ever do.
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Now, if you wanted to fight it, you'd probably win
in court because you know agest rules and things of
that nature. But when you turn seventy, you know what
you are within the Packers organization as the president.
Speaker 3 (21:17):
You're out.
Speaker 4 (21:18):
You've aged out. Can we normalize seventy being an age
where you're playing the back nine of your career and
you're not trying to rebuild a franchise. I'm so down, man.
Life is good. My life is great. I've never been
happier until I turn on that suck of a franchise
(21:38):
that just basically drains my will to live. And then
I gotta see Coop be all happy with his Broncos,
and I got to see both the Charger fans that
get all their celebrations, and I mean, it's just terrible,
just terrible right now. And then you gotta watch, by
the way, that was a pretty funny take. You got
to watch Titan fans, Mojo Risen, Titan fans come in
(22:00):
and take over your stadium.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Ah, the humanity. Fox Sports Radio has the best sports
talk lineup in the nation. Catch all of our shows
at foxsports Radio dot com and within the iHeartRadio app.
Search FSR to listen live.
Host
Ben Maller
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