The Best of Covino & Rich

Dan Beyer and Aaron Torres, in for Covino & Rich, talk all things MLB All-Star Game, including the 4-second matchup between Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes, ugly uniforms, Livvy Dunne's unnecessary microphone, and much more! A wrinkle to Caleb Williams' contract should be scaring Bears fans. Plus, the guys preview the college football season and debate who will be the most intriguing team in the SEC.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Hey, thanks for listening to the best of Cabino and
Rich podcast.

Speaker 2 (00:05):
Be sure to catch us live every day from five
to seven pm Eastern two to four Pacific on Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Find your local station for Cavino and Rich at Fox
Sports Radio dot com, or stream uslive every day on
the iHeartRadio app by searching FSR.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Congrats you've made it to the middle of the week
of the second half of the Major League Baseball sees
it as soon on the horizon for me, Aaron Torre
is just hours away from the start of the Open Championship,
which I'm pumped about, and everybody getting their pre Olympic
I guess taste flavor if you will. With USA basketball

(00:42):
in action plus a lot of football, we gotta get
to today.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Busy day.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
You know, they say that mathematically this is the slowest
sports day on the calendar. But I'll tell you it's
been a really fun summer day. And I mean the
NBA Finals transitioning right into COPA and the europe Championships
and oh, by the way, I know everybody's tired of Brownny,
but it's given us something to talk about with Summer
League Day.

Speaker 2 (01:06):
After the MLB All Star game.

Speaker 1 (01:08):
It doesn't feel if this is the slowest day of
the sports here, then this this is gonna be a
It has been.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
A great year and it's gonna be a great year
going forward.

Speaker 3 (01:15):
If you're a Chicago Bears fan, I am not feeling
great right about now. We'll get to that in about
twenty five minutes or so, as we were broadcasting line
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know we're gonna talk about the uniforms from last night

(01:37):
because it's all that anybody is talking about last night
or today because people aren't really locked in on the
All Star Game.

Speaker 1 (01:46):
I don't know that pitching change in the seventh inning.
I really, you know, I was up all no. I'm
just totally kissing no.

Speaker 3 (01:52):
And the great part about it was the most hyped
thing about the All Star Game last night leading up
to that game in Arlington ended up lasting about four
point six seconds, and that was the schemes versus Judge.
I mean, there was more drama in the schemes. Soto

(02:13):
at bat just to see if they were gonna be
able to get to Judge. And I loved when Soto,
who was very I don't want to say boombastic in
saying that, don't worry, he was gonna make sure that
Judge was gonna be able to face schemes. And then
he does so on a walk and like points to him.

(02:33):
It's like, see, I told you so. I don't think
that's what he had in mind, Like he tried to
play it off, is that was what he wanted to do.
But the fact that the matter is Judge went up
there kind of had a smile on his face when
Soto ended up saying it, and then one pitch and
done and the whole hype was over. Like it was
so quick if you blink, you missed what was the

(02:56):
most hyped point about last night's All Star.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Game, no doubt.

Speaker 1 (02:58):
And it was funny because you know, obviously I don't
have the MLB package.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
I don't know if you do.

Speaker 4 (03:03):
Dan.

Speaker 1 (03:04):
Uh Pittsburgh Pirates games living here in lovely Southern California. Uh,
they don't come on all the time, let alone once
every five days. When Paul Skeens pitches, and so you
and I were on for Covino and Rich and when
I got back from this show yesterday on on Tuesday night,
I made it a priority to check out that first inning.
And obviously he mows down the first two guys. Wan

(03:25):
Soto ends up with that walk. But to your point,
this was the big the biggest.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Part of it. And I'm sitting there excited.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
You know, they're talking about, oh, he's got this uh,
this this fast, this this sinker at like you know,
ninety four and the slider and and you know, you
can just see why he has had such immediate success.
And then exactly what you just said, it leads to
the moment we've been waiting for era Judge versus Skeens.
We've all been ground out the third ending as.

Speaker 5 (03:54):
How it was, Yes, it was.

Speaker 3 (03:56):
It was so quick and and there's there's a part
of me that says, this is what Aaron Judge did
was the reason why everyone still says that the Baseball
All Star Game is the best, and it's the reason
is twofold. Actually it's number one that the NFL is
and now the NBA is just so awful, like they're

(04:19):
just atrocious that it's really hard to get worse than
what those games are. But there is the point in
this All Star game, and when you have thirty nine
first time All Stars, no one wants to make No
one wants to make a fool of themselves. No one
wants to strike out. No one wants to give up
the home run. No one wants to make an error.

(04:40):
It's not that they want to make a great play.
It's awesome if you do.

Speaker 5 (04:42):
It's awesome.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
If you had a two run home run, it's awesome.
If you hit a three run shot like Otani did.
All of those things are awesome and they're living up
to the moment. But the last thing that you want
to do is strike out, even if you're Aaron Judge
and you are in this hyped matchup with Paul Skens.
So what makes the All Star Game g I think
these guys try because of personal pride. Sure, nobody wants

(05:04):
to look like an idiot out there. Nobody wants to
look like they don't fit with these other All Stars. Plus,
when you're only pitching an inning, if you're a pitcher,
it's not like an NBA game where you can be
subbed into the third quarter and hit a couple of
threes and people forget what happened. There's none of that,
like your time is at that point and then it's
over with. So if Judge is at the plate and

(05:26):
he sees the first pitch from schemes that he likes
a lot of times, I should tell not a lot
of times, but you know there are pictures where you're like,
you know, what, if they give you one to hit,
hit it. And I think that's what Judge was thinking.
I don't want to strike out in this much you know,
hyped up matchup. So if I just make contact, I
may not go yard, but at least I didn't strike out,

(05:47):
and he gets the best in me, and there's there's
hype about that. That's why I think he took the
first pitch, thought that he could hit it, did grind
it out, and it was all over.

Speaker 2 (05:55):
No doubt.

Speaker 1 (05:55):
And I think that when you look at that, and
what would you look at the MLB All Star Game
in general? Like you said, nobody wants to be embarrassed.
And I think it's not only not about not striking out,
it's that you fall behind in the count. Then he
can get to some of the off speed stuff he
can get to some of the you know, the off
speed stuff being ninety four to ninety five miles an

(06:16):
hour as opposed to one hundred and one one hundred
mile prower fastball down the middle, And so yeah, I
think there is something too. For whatever reason, it seems
like the NBA players have all made a pack that
if we all just don't embarrass each other and put
in zero effort, then nobody can be embarrassed. Whereas I
think there is still a little bit of competitive pride

(06:36):
in the MLB All Star Game, which makes it the
best All Star Game, but of course also leads to
a situation where Aaron Judge is freely swinging on the
first pitch to make sure that he doesn't fall behind
or get struck out.

Speaker 3 (06:49):
Since we're talking about schemes and this isn't a Major
League Baseball deal, this may be biting the hand that feeds.

Speaker 5 (06:57):
But why was Livy don miked up? Yeah? I mean,
what's that said?

Speaker 1 (07:03):
Why was it Livy done micd up? She's the h
you know, she's one half of Baseball's power. I guess
sports is power couple right now. I don't want to
undersell her role in it either, So.

Speaker 3 (07:12):
I get it, but he was gonna throw one inning,
and then inning was the first inning, the one where
everybody is captivated. And I understand that you're trying to
capitalize and do what you can to maximize this moment,
but it's also the point of where the only clip
you get is just her clearly yelling come on Paul.

Speaker 5 (07:32):
Like that was it?

Speaker 3 (07:33):
Like that was It seemed to be a waste of resources.
I don't know if she was mic the whole game,
and if someone just listened to her for nine innings,
that would have been kind of weird, but it was
just it seemed because they they panned her in the crowd,
there was a conversation, then there was another point all
of a sudden, clear as day, you know, that's what
she yells. I think she yelled, come on, Paul, and
then she got the strikeout and cheered and that was

(07:55):
the end of it. But it just seemed it just
seemed like the judge scheme showed that the Livy Done
payoff didn't, you know, resonate the profits that you would
have hoped.

Speaker 1 (08:05):
So I just looked it up while you were speaking,
and I know you're mister TikTok much more than I am.
Livy Dunn has eight million TikTok followers. That's a lot,
but it's especially a lot when you compare it to
the entire official MLB account has seven point four millions.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
So I don't know where the correlation is.

Speaker 1 (08:27):
You know, if this was David Stern back in the day,
he would have made the phone call Schemes is going
out for ending two.

Speaker 2 (08:32):
Three and four.

Speaker 1 (08:33):
I know, I think you can only go three, but
he's going out for ning two and three because we
need some more Livy done content. So if I was
the MLB, i'd i'd soak all that up as much
as I could too. When when the girlfriend of your
one of your players has a bigger TikTok following than
the entire account does your your own league account, I
think you gotta take advantage of it. And by the way,

(08:54):
I'm looking by the way really quick, I'm looking right
now on TikTok uh the two most well, I guess
the show Hey home Run was number one, but the
number two and number three most viewed tiktoks from last
night Number.

Speaker 2 (09:09):
Two let's go Paul, there was yep and number one
with Skeens versus Judge.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
So there are content power couple. What else can I say?
Are they a power content couple? Content power couple, That's
what they are.

Speaker 3 (09:22):
It just seemed like and maybe it was worth it,
but the waste of the wireless mic it was just
and by the way, I don't mind the cutaway shots,
but if you're gonna mic someone up, let's cash in
on it.

Speaker 5 (09:35):
Let's utilize it.

Speaker 3 (09:36):
And then there's also the point of weighing the fact
of what do you do with Skeens, who's obviously getting
a lot of the hype, but obviously for the numbers
that you just read. With Livy Donn and her popularity
on TikTok, can't necessarily make it all about her, So
there is a weighing aspect to it. If she wasn't

(09:57):
miked up, I think it would have been the perfect balance.
I think it was a little too much Libby done
of being miked up and then not utilizing or made
it just seem very awkward.

Speaker 5 (10:07):
Where if you just.

Speaker 3 (10:08):
Panned to her in the crowd cheering or showing or clapping,
I think that would have been fine. I apologize, been
a good happy medium. Yeah, I apologize. For whoever we
stole this from in our pre show meeting. I don't
know if it was Bursch or Ling Garter, whoever, but
somebody said, should they be or are they trying to
make them into the Taylor Swift?

Speaker 2 (10:27):
Travis Kelcey of base Let'll.

Speaker 5 (10:28):
Tell you who it was. It was interndan intern was.

Speaker 3 (10:33):
He's just bringing it yesterday, the home run numbers today,
the swift Kelsey.

Speaker 5 (10:37):
That's exactly what it is.

Speaker 1 (10:39):
Yeah, No, and listen, play into it right because everybody
you know, and we look, we spent you know, every
show on this network for weeks at a time talked
about the Taylor Swift effect. But it's like, I give
the NFL credit. It was like, there are very few
things in pop culture that are as big, probably not bigger,
but pretty darn Chloe to the NFL, and they were like,

(11:02):
one of them just fell into our lap. We're gonna
take advantage of it. So yeah, I think they should
have soaked it up. Like I said, if David Stern
was running the league, Paul Skeans would have gone out
for a second inning. I can tell you that right now.
So they could have used that mic U for more
good than anything else, but certainly did feel like they
were hoping to capitalize. And I guess maybe from a

(11:23):
social impressions perspective, they actually might have considering that. Like
I said, Paul Skeens versus Judge was number one, and
then Livvy Livy screaming go Paul go was was number two.

Speaker 5 (11:35):
Again, there was there was a time where starters would
go two or three. You remember, Yeah, And so it's
not like it's not crazy.

Speaker 3 (11:42):
To think that's what I'm saying when you go, I
know it's not one, two, three, but it basically was
with Judges one bitch at batt, Like I mean, what's
what's the harm of going out there a second inning.
What's the harm of having your biggest name leading into
this All Star game getting more camera time?

Speaker 5 (11:59):
You know?

Speaker 3 (12:00):
If I mean, if if Otani would have had one
at bat, we wouldn't have had the.

Speaker 5 (12:03):
Three run home run in the third.

Speaker 3 (12:05):
Sure, you know, like there's like there's that aspect of
it as well, and I get the you know, everything
is weighing. We just talked about it with the home
run derby and how much you want to use a
guy and make sure that they don't get injured. But Yeah,
just it doesn't seem like it's too much to ask.
But I'll tell you that that wasn't even the thing
that bothered me the most last night. And this on

(12:26):
the heels of again in the last forty eight hours,
and we talked about home run Derby yesterday.

Speaker 5 (12:30):
We all loved the home run Derby.

Speaker 3 (12:32):
And usually I like to crap on a lot of things,
and I'm not crapping on the All Star Game, but
i am crapping on something that was said about the
All Star uniforms.

Speaker 5 (12:39):
That nobody liked last night.

Speaker 3 (12:41):
Michael Rubin, founder of Fanatics, was on DP show Dan
Patrick earlier today on Fox Sports Radio Okay, and all
of the drama and all of the conversations about how
horrendous last night's uniforms, not only design but color were.
This is what Michael Rubin had to say about their
role in producing last night's All Star Game uniforms.

Speaker 4 (13:03):
What role did Fanatics play in Major League Baseball's uniforms
and what role will you play can you play moving forward?

Speaker 6 (13:10):
Yeah? Look, I think any time anything goes wrong for
a player or a fan and we have any part
of it, we feel some responsibility. Certainly, I think it's
well known at this point that you know, we've been
making the jerseys for you know, eight years in the
factory that we own, and the factory that we owns
been making the jerseys for more than twenty years. I
think both fanatics and Nike each one innovate as much

(13:32):
as they can. I think this particularly case, Nike want
to innovate the jersey and not everything worked the way
they want it. By the way, we've had the same
thing happen with us, when not everything that we want
to innovate works the way we want. The good thing
is we listen to players, we listen to fans, and
now we're going back to the bigger letters, the bigger numbers,
the tailor pants, and fans are excited. So that's the

(13:54):
great thing about sports fans. They're super passionate. They got
When you do well, they're going to tell you did well.
When you do poorly, they're going to speak loud.

Speaker 5 (14:00):
And I like that.

Speaker 2 (14:01):
That's what makes us a better company.

Speaker 3 (14:04):
I get the company line. Can we just say we
messed up? Or can we just say nobody wears that
color blue? Or if you thought it was green? I
have no idea, Like there's just a point when I
hear innovation and pushing the envelope. I mean, the uniforms
were such a discussion, as Ruben addressed, of just the
lettering and the numbering on the back of the regular uniforms.
But last night was just aaron It was a whole

(14:25):
different circus. I mean, it was the coloring, the design, Like,
that's not innovative. Nobody wants that. Usually when we're talking
about alternate jerseys, it's because we want fans to buy
those jerseys. If the NBA is allowing teams four different jerseys,
we want that NBA fan to buy four different Lebron

(14:45):
jerseys if they're a Laker fan, or four different Luca
jerseys if they're a Mavericks fan. No one is buying
these all star jerseys because of how horrendous they look.
So how that can be innovative, I have no idea.
I just would love to hear that was a completely
swinging a miss by us. Well that was that, you know,
those were off the mark last night, and and that's

(15:05):
what I just I wanted to hear, or someone from
Nike and stepping up in Major League Baseball. But like
those I don't know how those can get through different
levels of approval and be okay. That level of blue
is almost unwearable. I don't know what you could match
it with. But to have Ruben just kind of be like, yeah,
I'm trying to be innovative, you know what. Yeah, we're
gonna listen to the fans, or we're gonna make changes.

(15:27):
Hopefully they heard the fans loud and clear, and they
do away with these things soon, sooner rather than later.

Speaker 2 (15:34):
Well, I think they're gonna do away with him for sure. Yeah,
I don't.

Speaker 1 (15:38):
I don't think I'm as fired up about Michael Rubin's quotes.
I mean, any business has successes and failures and you
try to use his words innovate and it doesn't work
out well. But I also think there is, to your point,
a baseline level of would the consumer, like, like is
the consumer interested in this?

Speaker 5 (15:59):
Right?

Speaker 1 (15:59):
Like you're very passionate about golf. You could lead every
show that you do with golf, but you know that
the consumer doesn't want to hear about the TPC at
Cromwell unless somebody storms the green on the.

Speaker 2 (16:12):
Final you know, the final green.

Speaker 1 (16:14):
But like you know, like like the corn Ferry Tour,
you probably have a take on, but the consumer doesn't
want that no offense. But it's like they probably don't, right,
And it's like, so you have to kind of find
that balance of Yeah, I'm trying to innovate and put
together the best show possible, but I also have to
have the consumer in mind.

Speaker 2 (16:31):
And it does.

Speaker 1 (16:31):
Feel like someone somewhere in the MLB office should have
been like, this doesn't this doesn't make any sense. The
color schemes don't make any sense. And I think the
biggest point to your point, Dan, is when you make
an alternate uniform, it is to get people to buy it,
and I don't think anybody's rushing out to buy those today.

Speaker 3 (16:50):
They used to wear those uniforms, those tops during the
home run derby, like that was the change and then
they flipped it. So not like during home run Derby
you're wearing your normal uniform and during the game you've
worn this special Major League Baseball All Star uniform. But
previously remember the basically were they were hitting shirts. Yeah,

(17:13):
first of my I kind of, you know, use you
as our resident baseball guy. But I remember like for
years it was just basically pull over tops that they
would have that would have American and National over them
or across them that they would just put over there,
you know, put you know, over their heads and wear
during home run derby.

Speaker 7 (17:30):
Yeah, I remember, you remember, like Ken Griffy Junior and
Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa wearing kind of like the
sleepless tops that and those looked fine. And then having
of course the the the actual team uniforms, and I
in the home run derby. I actually liked the hats
that they used for the home run derby because they
still preserved the team's colors even though it was a

(17:50):
different design. Yeah, this one was just kind of a mess.

Speaker 3 (17:56):
I just don't know anybody, yeah that is going to
buy these, like I need to wear that. You know
how difficult it is to match that color blue? And
maybe matching these days is maybe I'm showing my age.
I'm telling on myself, but like to be like to
have anything go with whatever color blue?

Speaker 5 (18:12):
That was atrocious. But I don't know.

Speaker 3 (18:15):
Just some of the take just some of the takeaways
that we've got from last night. Oh, I'll give you
one other thing, one other thing from last night. This
would be my last one. There was his stat out
there and again I also like to poo poo stats
a lot of times because I think that they're made
up and ridiculous. But I do think Bruce Bochi becoming
the second manager of all time or in history to

(18:38):
win an All Star Game on both sides is a
bigger accomplishment than it reads, because to manage in an
All Star Game you have to take a team to
the World Series, So that's a full accomplishment in that way,
and then to be able to do it in both
leagues tells you that you've done it two times with

(18:58):
two separate teams, and then you end up winning those games.

Speaker 5 (19:02):
So like it. It seems like it's kind of.

Speaker 3 (19:04):
An odd stat, but it's actually one that does show
the greatness of a manager to be able to have
that opportunity, because you have to be extremely successful to
be even you know, to even be in that role
in the first place. So I did like that from
last night. So Bruce Bochi joining Tony LaRussa with a
bit of history last night with the All Star Game win.

Speaker 1 (19:26):
Yeah, I did not see that stat come across the screen,
but that that is actually a legitimately impressive stat. Also,
if you had asked me, hey, who's the first guy
to do it. I would have a thousand said yeah.

Speaker 5 (19:37):
Yeah, he's the only one.

Speaker 3 (19:38):
A's and then Cardinals and then now Boach you did
with the White Giants and what's that said?

Speaker 2 (19:43):
Never with the White Sox.

Speaker 3 (19:45):
Rememb remember when he had the fan tell him to
pinch run.

Speaker 5 (19:49):
You remember that clip? Vaguely? Oh my goodnes purse, you
remember that.

Speaker 2 (19:54):
I don't actually look.

Speaker 3 (19:56):
It up during the break. This was this was within
the last couple of years. During all White Sox game,
there's a fan literally yelling at Tony Larusa Tony pinch
run for him, and Larusa looks back and then starts
to walk on the field and then they pinch run
and all the fans are around this guy, giving him
a roundable path because the fan actually made the call.

(20:17):
So maybe joining Tony LaRussa isn't that great? No, just kidding.
Tony LaRussa was a great manager.

Speaker 5 (20:22):
Just yeah.

Speaker 3 (20:23):
The White Sox tenure did not did not work out well.
All right, he's Aeron Torris, I'm Dan Byer. That's that's
putting a bow on the All Star festivities in Arlington.
Hit erin up at Aeron Underscore Tours. You can find
me at Dan Byer on Fox Mazzi blanios this year.
Papa Bear Ryan Smith. Ryan McBain is our technical producer.
He's hanging out as well as we are live with

(20:44):
the Tireraq dot com studios. Coming up next Bad News
Bears fans. I'll just leave it at that.

Speaker 5 (20:51):
He's eron. I'm Dan Incoveno and Rich here on Fox
Sports Radio.

Speaker 4 (20:55):
Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup in
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Speaker 8 (21:06):
Live, Hey Gang Listen is Jay Glazer, host of Unbreakable,
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(21:28):
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Speaker 5 (21:31):
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Speaker 3 (21:45):
Let's coming on and Rich here at Fox Sports Radio.
He's Aaron Torres. I'm Dan Byer. The Chicago Bears got
their quarterback, but I don't know if they got the
news that they really wanted.

Speaker 5 (21:54):
We'll discuss in just a matter of seconds.

Speaker 3 (21:55):
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Speaker 3 (22:29):
Fox Sports Radio dot com furnished by tire Rex dot Com.
The way tire buying should be. Caleb Williams finally under contract,
signed on the dotted line now ready to start his
career in the NFL and do it with the Chicago Bears.
There are a couple of things with this Kleb Williams
situation that intrigued me aarin, one of which is a
tweet that was put out by the thirty third team

(22:52):
covering the NFL like they do and saying, is this
the best setup for a rookie that we've se in
the NFL ever for a rookie coming into the league.
Is this the best that it's been considering DeAndre Swift
in the backfield? DJ Moore, You're bringing Keenan Allen, you

(23:13):
have Cole Kmet, you drafted Roma Dunze, You've got Gerald
Everett there, like, there are weapons galore for the Bears
now offensively. And I don't know if it's the greatest
situation for a rookie of all time. I think it's
the best situation that we've ever seen for a number
one pick. And it's something that Commno and Rich have
actually talked about before on the program in just saying

(23:35):
for the fact of like the expectations that Caleb Williams has,
I don't know if they're truly reachable because now they
almost have to be reachable Aaron because of how they
have set him up for success, that anything less than
reaching these expectations, which I actually think maybe the playoffs

(23:56):
would actually be a disappointment for a Chicago Bears fan.

Speaker 2 (24:00):
Yeah, so I've seen this take a lot.

Speaker 1 (24:03):
Certainly, I think for a number one overall pick, I
haven't gone through every single one, but I think there's
certainly a debate because most number one overall picks, it's
tough sledding and certainly the talent, especially at the skill positions,
Like I don't think not only is it not the
best situation ever for any rookie quarterback, I don't even
think it's the best situation for a rookie quarterback in

(24:25):
this class. Like Michael Pennix actually has a He's got
just as much talent around him, and he has no
pressure to even play this year let alone you know
who knows how long. And so it feels weird to
say that a rookie the exact quote from the thirty
third team, and I know it's former coaches and everything.

(24:45):
Has a rookie ever walked into a better situation than
Caleb Williams. Yeah, I think a lot of rookies happen
now is a number one overall pick. Ever, that's a
different conversation. But even that, Dan, I'll say this, the
one thing that concerns me about Caleb Williams. It's not
even a Caleb Williams thing. It's that you have a
defensive head coach that's largely kind of in a make

(25:06):
or break year, right, and if it goes whatever sideways
is if I don't know if you have to make
the playoffs from Matt Eberflus to get another year, but
you do have to be right in that conversation. And
so to me, it's hard to say that it's even
the best situation for a number one overall pick, because
even somebody like Kyler Murray there wasn't as much talent

(25:26):
around him, but you had a coach that was brought
in specifically to cater to his specific skill set, where
that I don't believe that's what Caleb Williams has in
Matt Eberflus. Doesn't mean that Eberflues can't be good, doesn't
mean that maybe the talent around Caleb Williams isn't better
than others have experienced, But that coaching situation makes me
hesitate there.

Speaker 3 (25:45):
Dan, I I agree with you on some of what you.

Speaker 2 (25:51):
Said, Penni's a step too far, Yeah.

Speaker 3 (25:54):
Because he's not gonna play, yeah, you know, like so
I don't even like consider him as part of the equation. Like,
you know, Patrick Mahomes is probably drafted in a better
situation because you know, the Chiefs, you know, already had
Alex Smith as their quarterback and so he waited a
year and then it was it was ready made for him.
But that's not the you know, that's not the situation

(26:16):
that Caleb Williams is entering in. And I do think
number one overall pick matters because the Bears have the
number one overall pick and they weren't the worst team
in the NFL, and a lot of times when teams
are faced with the task of taking a quarterback number one,
they're usually rock bottom in the league. That's because that's

(26:36):
why they have the number one pick, and that's why
you need to move on. So those are like some
of the issues that why I think Caleb Williams is
in probably the best situation at least for a number
one overall pick, because of what we think he is
as a prospect and for what the Bears put around him.

(26:57):
The thing about eber Flus that I because I've thought
about the exact scenario that you mentioned, what I think
ends up happening is if it doesn't work out for
Eberflus this year, what offensive coach doesn't want that job?

Speaker 5 (27:12):
Ye to know that you have Caleb Williams. You know.

Speaker 3 (27:17):
It's one of the reasons why I actually think Ben
Johnson stayed with the Lions is if he didn't get
the Chargers job to go and coach Justin Herbert, what
quarterback situation was out there that was really really appealing
for you? Now, maybe it was, you know, like he
turned down Washington, you know at the end and didn't

(27:37):
want to interview with them. Maybe he doesn't want to,
you know, deal with a rookie situation, and maybe he
wants to have more of an idea. And I'm not
saying that Ben Johnson is going to the Lions. It's
just the point of any offensive coach. If you're a
hot offensive coordinator and you have an opportunity to go
to a place where a quarterback is in place, I
think it makes that job much more appealing than other
spots that maybe don't have their quarterback in place like Seattle,

(27:59):
you know, if they interviewed Ben Johnson and then after
that interview he ended up saying that he wanted to
go back to Detroit. Maybe he didn't love the you know,
the Gino Smith situation, or how Seattle really wasn't in
position to draft the quarterback in the first round. So
I think I think that if Eberflus doesn't work out
in Chicago, Chicago should have their pick of the litter
of any offensive coach that would want to go there.

Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, it's kind of interesting to think about all the
scenarios that could happen if it doesn't go right for
Eberflus this year. And let's say Kayleb Williams doesn't totally
bottom out. He's not terrible, he just clearly doesn't reach
his potential with Matt Eberflus as his head coach. Like
you mentioned Ben Johnson, you know, Ryan day is, you
know one or two loss, you know, bad losses in

(28:42):
big games away from Hey, maybe I need to try
and figure out an exit strategy out of Ohio State.
Lincoln Riley obviously, can he be good enough where the
Bears would want them, But you know, kind of show
not enough progress where everybody's like, it's clearly not going
to work at USC after that whatever it was seven
and six year, eight and whatever was eight and five
year a year ago. So the opportunities are there. But

(29:04):
I do still think to the original point, I just
think any level of coaching instability, I don't think you
can then label the quarterback situation the best situation anyone's
walked into, because ultimately, yes, in theory, if it doesn't
work with ebraflus, you're going to go offensive. Mind Hopefully
the organization is smart enough to bring in somebody who's

(29:26):
gonna sync with Caleb Williams and kind of have a
kind of a co opted relationship there, but none of
it's guaranteed, and at the end of the day, it
would still mean a second head coach, a second offensive coordinator,
a second system in two years for Caleb Williams, and oh,
by the way, in what is obviously a very tough
division with the emergence of the Packers with Jordan Love,
the Lions aren't going anywhere, even if maybe this is

(29:49):
their best year with some of those guys coming off
of rookie contracts to the next year or two, the
point I'm trying to make it.

Speaker 2 (29:54):
Obviously, the Vikings as well, is that I.

Speaker 1 (29:57):
Think there will certainly be a long line that will
be interested in that job if it doesn't work out
for Matt Eberflus. But I think the fact that we're
even considering that argument makes it hard for me to
believe that that in definition, can possibly make it the
best opportunity for any young quarterback that's ever walked into
the league.

Speaker 3 (30:16):
Fair Enough, there's another part of this Bears conversation, which
if I'm a Bears fan, I'm not loving. And it's
the news that Mansi mentioned off the top, and she's
probably gonna tell us in a couple of minutes the
same thing. But it is the report from NBC Sports
that one of the hang ups with the Caleb Williams
negotiations on his contract was he wanted that as part

(30:38):
of his deal with the Bears, he wanted language in
there that said that they couldn't franchise tag him after
his rookie deal is done. And while I understand that
the franchise tag for a majority of NFL players is
a bad thing because they want security, they want that
opportunity to get that guaranteed money on a new deal.

(31:00):
I don't know the great look that it provides Aaron
that it provides for the Bears. Aaron that Caleb Williams
is already thinking of an exit strategy when he hasn't
even taken a snap under.

Speaker 5 (31:13):
Contract with the Chicago Bears.

Speaker 3 (31:15):
Like, I don't know if it puts pressure on Chicago
to then give him that long term deal after he's
eligible after his third year, but to just be like,
I don't want the franchise tag. Can I have this language,
which by the way, is now not in the contract
so they could franchise take him. It's just it's odd
for me to wait this long for this deal to
get done and then have the sticking point b I

(31:37):
don't want to be franchise tag in case I want
to leave Chicago after my rookie deal.

Speaker 1 (31:42):
So I didn't perceive that that was that he's trying
to get out. I think it's that he's trying to
get to that second contract where you really set up
your generational wealth as fast as possible, and that one
year in theory, you know, I guess maybe two years
could could hold it up. The one thing I will
say about Caleb Williams, and really it's it's I don't
think it's him. I think it's kind of his camp,

(32:04):
if you will. It seems like his father is making
a lot of decisions behind the scenes. It does feel
like they're always like trying to kind of quote unquote
get over on people. I don't know, it's just like
you go back to some of the stuff with you know,
before last year at USC where the dad would and
I think it was you know, the dad or people
around him were already asking about ownership stake in a team,

(32:29):
you know. Again, some of the stuff about we're not
gonna have an agent because obviously there's a slotted rookie
salary for us. It just feels like I get wanting
to be smart business men, and I get the idea
of not just going with league norms because they've been
norms since the beginning of time. But it does feel
like it just feels like they're trying to I don't

(32:52):
know if it's show how smart they are or get
you know, I don't even know the right way to
frame how I feel, but it it does just feel like, again,
there's always just something where they're trying to, you know,
get one up or or you know, I don't again,
I don't know how to fool.

Speaker 5 (33:08):
You said it, you said it three times.

Speaker 3 (33:09):
It's always something Yeah, you could say that with you know,
you know that person, you know that where you're just
like you know what with them, it's always something yep.
And I think that's the case with Caleb Williams. Yeah,
that it's always something well yeah, or.

Speaker 1 (33:21):
The people that are advising them, and it just feels like, yeah,
it just feels like there's always you got to prove
a point. We're we're smarter, we're doing it different. It's
like we get it. It's okay, why don't you throw
your first career touchdown pass before we get too excited?

Speaker 2 (33:33):
I get it. But this is just the latest.

Speaker 1 (33:36):
But this is stuff that you know, we've been hearing
about all of this for over a year now, dating
back to that Big GQ interview that he and his
dad did, where again, there was ownership stake, there was
all sorts of things that they were kind of kind
of kind of asking for.

Speaker 4 (33:48):
So Fox Sports Radio has the best sports talk lineup
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to live.

Speaker 3 (34:01):
I'm sorry, rules are rules, But when the SEC holds
their media days, yeah it's football season.

Speaker 5 (34:07):
Welcome in.

Speaker 3 (34:07):
Yeah, there's no Covino and no Rich and there's no
Danny g and no Spotty. But you have Aaron and
me and you've got Ryan burshing are our executive producer.

Speaker 5 (34:15):
Who's hanging out today, Papa Bear.

Speaker 3 (34:17):
Ryan McBain's here and Mante Belonios is at the news
desk giving us the latest of what is happening on
this Wednesday as there is a bunch of news. You
heard her talking about the SEC and the possibility of
maybe expanding to a nine game schedule. One of the
many things that we are talking about is the SEC
is dominating college football talk and it will right now

(34:39):
here on CNR. Hit them up at Aaron Underscore Tours.
You can find me at Dan Byer on Fox. And
if you do want to get in on our sports
traditions conversation, your own traditions for sporting events, easy to
do so eight seven seven nine nine on Fox. That's
eight seven seven nine nine to six six ' three
six ' nine. Your own traditions, the things that you

(35:00):
to get ready for your favorite sporting events of the year.
Mine is eating cinnamon rolls during the early morning hours
of watching the Open Championship. Ryan Bershinger loves to fire
up the old Madden on Thanksgiving Day but not playing
as the Lions at home. And Aaron Torres just has
a smorgasboard of food in the morning of the opening

(35:21):
of the college football season and then burns it off
by flipping the remotes back and forth. Right, that's about
all of I think I did a step counter on
the first day of college football, and at four o'clock
in the afternoon, I was about at twenty six twenty
six steps in the opener of the college football season.

Speaker 1 (35:40):
The irony, of course is, you know, I'm blessed to
host the postgame show eleven pm Eastern every Saturday, and
I actually usually don't eat heavy because then I just
get groggy and end up falling asleep. But that first day,
you gotta celebrate. I mean, you can't. You know, you
can't go light and you know, eat twigs and berries.

Speaker 2 (35:59):
You gotta eat.

Speaker 1 (35:59):
You got to load up because it is a celebration.
And incredibly, we're closing in here in just a couple
of weeks on this year's celebration for twenty twenty four.

Speaker 3 (36:08):
In when SEC Media Days are underway, there are always
stories being generated four day event, and they were the
first conference to go four days, right they were, I believe,
so they made it the week long event. I know,
it was crazy to think. I remember back in the
day when I covered, you know, in the Big Ten,
and the basketball one was just a day. The football

(36:30):
one may may have been two days, but I don't
think that it was. I think it was just one
day back then. But now you kind of have to
have a whole week. And sorry, when you have sixteen
and eighteen schools in your conference, kind of have to
do it that way anyway, but it allows each of
the schools at least a window get their headlines. And
today's sure feels like Alabama Texas Day, no doubt. I
don't know what we've had previously, but that's what today's

(36:52):
SURE feels like. With Steve Sarkisian and kaln de Bor
being able to talk and speak with the media.

Speaker 2 (36:57):
Yeah, yesterday was Kirby smart.

Speaker 1 (36:59):
You know, we didn't get chance to talk about a
Cavino and Rich and probably not a topic that the
guys were normally hit on, but I thought it was interesting.
Kirby Smart said, players getting off the field issues are
collective and for people who don't know, collectives are the
ones who handle the nil money. It's it's outside of
the coaching staff whatever, their collective actually finds players, so
it's it's like a professional model. I think day one,

(37:19):
Dan I was thinking about it. I think Nick Saban
was the star of Day one because he was, of
course the guy who who picked against I don't want Sae.
He picked against Alabama, but he picked Georgia and Texas
in the in the SEC Championship game. But he also
did say if Texas stanks, they're walking into this league
and running things, they don't know what's coming for him.
So I felt like he was kind of the breakout

(37:41):
star of day one. Day two was Kirby Smart and then,
as you alluded to throughout the day today here on Wednesday,
it's been a lot of Sark and a lot of
Kalin de Borr in his SEC media days.

Speaker 3 (37:52):
Damn't you the thing about Sabin and I feel like
for as much clout as he has, and this happens
in the pros as well, I know everybody thinks that
you know, Troy Aikman when he's broadcasting games is so
pro Cowboys because he can't get it out of your
head of him being in a Cowboy uniform with a

(38:13):
star on his helmet and winning three Super Bowls. I
think if you're impartial and truly listen, you would understand
maybe Troy Aikman knows a little bit more about the
Cowboys than the other thirty one teams because of his
connections with the team. But to say that you have
a favorite is I just I don't believe that's the
case with these with these announcers.

Speaker 5 (38:34):
Also because a lot of.

Speaker 3 (38:36):
The analysts that you have are former players or former coaches,
so they know the former coaches or the coaches that
are here there, and a lot of times coaches move
different places. So maybe you don't have the grudge that
you think. It's all about relationships. It's not really the
reality that I think fans think these broadcasters have.

Speaker 5 (38:55):
That's not their real world.

Speaker 3 (38:57):
But I do think that there is something that Nick
Saban coming out and giving an actual opinion of who
he thinks is going to win the conference. Because if
he comes out and just says, well, I think Alabama's
going to win the league. Now, all of a sudden,
he becomes a bit of a caricature as a college
football analyst. And so I actually do think it was

(39:18):
important for him. If he doesn't think Alabama is going
to win the league, then he shouldn't pick Alabama to
win the league despite his history with that program. And
by the way, it's not that George and Texas is
outlanded by any means, right, you know, it seems like
it's pretty chalk. But I don't think that he could
risk that for his reputation as an analyst to come

(39:39):
out and say Alabama, because then we're not taking him
seriously at all when he's actually breaking down teams and
making other predictions throughout the year.

Speaker 1 (39:48):
Well, and I'll take it a step further is if
you actually listen to the full quote. The quote was
Georgia Texas, and then he kind of went into you know,
Alabama and he said, we with Alabama said we have
to shore up the secondary. But if you actually read
the whole quote, and I know nobody does that anymore,
he said something to the effect of, you know, I
like Texas and they have concerns, but he said they

(40:09):
might have the best. You know, quinn Ewers is great,
but even though he's been hurt, they have the best
backup quarterback in the league. And he said arch went
twenty one of twenty five during their spring game. And
I actually haven't looked that up to confirm, but that
was like, Oh, this guy's really doing his homework and
he's not gonna go on air and just you know,

(40:32):
spit out, oh you know, yeah, well, and I recruited
him four years ago and just go off thinking that,
you know, having coached against these guys or whatever, that
I have some you know that I have enough insight
where I don't have to do the homework.

Speaker 2 (40:44):
So even in that quote.

Speaker 1 (40:46):
He gave a couple real nuggets about well arch Manny
did this in the spring game, and even if viewers
goes down, I still like the quarterback depth that they have.

Speaker 2 (40:53):
And he said a couple things about Georgia.

Speaker 1 (40:55):
So that was what impressed me about Saban was it
is very clear that not only is he afraid to
not only is he afraid, excuse me to give real opinions,
but by all accounts, it really does feel like he's
doing all of his homework.

Speaker 3 (41:06):
It also helps to talk about this today as opposed
to say Monday or Tuesday, because we did hear from
Klein de Boor and Ross Dellinger. Yahoo Sports actually did
a really good rundown of what Debor has been going
through specifically at these SEC media days, and the interactions
with Sabin have been really good. You sometimes wonder does

(41:28):
the coach stick around, does the coach end up trying
to be separate themselves from everything? There is a there
is a weird balance with it, and I think that
it would be not It wouldn't be good for Klen
de Boor if Nick Saban just completely left Alabama high
and dry, But it also wouldn't be good for Klen

(41:51):
de Boor if Nick Saban was everywhere. Like so there's
this navigation too of just finding out of where does
Nick Saban have his have his say, de Boor was
saying that he's Saban's picked up the phone every single
time he's called, and Saban still has in office.

Speaker 5 (42:10):
It's just not right across the hall from Kalen to Bors.

Speaker 3 (42:13):
I think it's at the stadium and not at the
practice facility, but that Saban is readily available, and I
think that's really gonna help Alabama and Kalen de Boor
in his first season, because yeah, if you have too much.

Speaker 5 (42:25):
Or too little.

Speaker 3 (42:26):
If you have too little, it makes it look like, Okay,
this isn't a Saban guy, and only Saban guy guys
end up working. And if you do too much, then
it's not your program anymore. So it is quite a
fine fine dance to try to navigate if you're you know,
if you're the Alabama head coach and now the former
Alabama head coach, whether you're a broadcaster or not. So
it is a weird situation and just trying to get

(42:48):
used to. But it seems like Saban and de bor
have handled everything about as well as you could so far.

Speaker 4 (42:53):
Well.

Speaker 1 (42:53):
I think the last point you made is an important
one is that often when we see these transitions at
these major, major programs, it's one guy handing the program
literally to another. Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley Urban Meyer
to Ryan Day coach k to John Shire, Roy Williams
to Hubert Davis. So I think that's kind of the

(43:15):
interesting part that I don't think, really, I don't want
to say it doesn't get talked about, because it certainly has,
but you know, there's not a lot of examples of
elite coach kind of stepping aside when he still got
his fastball. I'm not talking about well, you know, six
years ago they made a Final four, and that the
program has been going downhill since, and that sounded like Caliperry,

(43:35):
that wasn't the attention, But you get the point. It's like,
there's not a lot of examples of a guy basically
still at the height of his powers. And I think
you could say, even though that it win the championship
last year, Nick Saban did win the SEC but handing
it over to somebody completely new and so I think,
because especially that he has no real ties to debor

(43:56):
that I'm aware of anyway, I think it is kind
of important that, to Nick Saban's credit, it feels like
he's been hands off. I think he actually even said
during today's broadcast that he hasn't been in the facility
at all, basically, you know, since since the day or
two after he stepped away. And I think, especially for them,
it's important because then you know, you have players that

(44:18):
were recruited by Nick Saban. Again, this isn't a Ryan
Day taking over for Urban Meyer, where we were all
kind of rolling in the same direction, and I do
think there would be a weird thing of like, well,
if Sabin's here too much, is he still running this thing?
Do I have to respect the new guys? So I
give credit to Saban. You spend fifteen years of your
life turning something into the best in the business that

(44:41):
it is, and it feels like he really has kind
of handed over the keys. And again to your point,
Dan said, listen, I'm here if you need me, but
I'm not gonna be over your shoulder because I don't
want to send the wrong impression.

Speaker 3 (44:53):
Is that by default the best story, the most intriguing
story of the CC this year.

Speaker 2 (45:01):
I don't think it is.

Speaker 5 (45:03):
You don't think it is.

Speaker 2 (45:04):
I yeah, sorry, go ahead, I'm sorry.

Speaker 3 (45:06):
No, I just like it's just because like replacing Nick
Saban and Alabama like that, like it says, it says
was you know it?

Speaker 5 (45:14):
It is what it is.

Speaker 3 (45:15):
I just almost feel like by default now I think
that there are two or other two or three that
are really really intriguing, but it's just tough to top
that and to find out if Alabama is going to
be able to keep at the level that they had
previously been.

Speaker 1 (45:32):
Yeah, the only the only reason I think it's there's
a story that's bigger is because you have two of
the biggest brands coming in this year. I mean, I
don't think it's by necessarily by accident that Nick Saban
did decide to step away at this exact moment, when
the league's changing, when the sport's changing, when the postseason changing, whatever.
But I I just think, you know, if I had
to rank them one two, I probably would say, Hey,

(45:55):
Texas and Oklahoma coming in, two massive brands, Like respectfully,
this is SMU going to the ACC or something like,
this is two massive brands that started all these dominoes.
And I think why I would put a little bit
higher is to what you brought up a second ago, Dan,
is that like Texas, whether it happens or not, they're
coming into this league to win this puppy. Like they

(46:18):
think they won the Big twelve, they made the fourteen
playoff last year, and they believe that they have a
roster that's good enough to win the SEC, win a
national championship. Don't know if it's gonna happen, none of
us do, but that to me makes it interesting. Now,
Oklahoma is still in a little bit of a rebuild.
I mean, you and I had Chris Plank on last
week when we were filling in, and I think even

(46:39):
Oklahoma fans understand it's gonna be a process. Their schedule
on paper appears to be a little bit tougher. But
I think because those two teams come in again, I
know I've said it three times, massive brands, but then
also one that really believes that they're good enough to
win it, that just leads to a fascinating fall for
the Texas Longhorns, specifically, if.

Speaker 3 (46:59):
Old Man does what we think they can do or
what they could maybe do, I don't I you're right,
Like you're right with the Texas Oklahoma thing, and I
also think I'm right with the Alabama thing. And even
if Ole Miss goes on a run like that, like
I just look at I look at ole Miss, and honestly,
I look at Missouri, which I know is probably the

(47:21):
fifteenth out of the sixteen sixteenth school people want to
talk about in the SEC even though they you know,
coming off of a great season and continued you know,
could have great success, Like you want to talk about
teams that are knocking on the door and trying to
trying to get there. If it's not Texas in Georgia
or if it's one of those two teams that aren't there,

(47:43):
you gotta figure out who's next.

Speaker 5 (47:45):
And ole Miss and.

Speaker 3 (47:47):
Missouri actually have great opportunities to then maybe be that
other team.

Speaker 5 (47:52):
So so while they're not the.

Speaker 3 (47:54):
Top stories, Aaron like, it's just tough to top Saban
and it's tough to top Texas, you know you moving
in just the possible of a success of link Kiffing
and ole Miss and maybe what Missouri could continue. I
think is very intriguing when you look into the SEC.

Speaker 1 (48:08):
Two very interesting teams because it's easy to forget. You know,
we get Alabama Georgia in the SEC championship game. Both
those teams won eleven games last year and both really
you know, dominant bowl game wins over big ten teams.
I mean, Ole Miss just goes to the Peach Bowl
and destroys Penn State. Now Penn State's its own thing,

(48:30):
and what's up with that offense? But then you know,
we've talked a lot about the Ryan Day stuff and
what is.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
There a hot seat? How hot is it? Whatever?

Speaker 1 (48:41):
But I think everybody thinks it's the Michigan three straight
losses to Michigan. But as somebody who was on air
that Friday night of the Cotton Bowl, where they literally
could not move the ball against Missouri, and Missouri was
good defensively, but they weren't Michigan or Alabama or whoever.
That was the night where it felt like the temperature

(49:02):
got turned up because you'll lose three straight to your rival.
It's like, Okay, that's bad. But this Missouri team, great school,
great season, you know, moderate historical success, and they just
couldn't do anything. And that was when they went heavy
in the portal. Obviously, all reports are they went heavy
in nil. They were to their credit able to retain

(49:23):
a couple guys that had legitimate NBA or NFL draft opportunities.

Speaker 2 (49:27):
Excuse me, but I think people.

Speaker 1 (49:29):
Forget that it was really that Missouri game, a dominant
win from Missouri.

Speaker 5 (49:34):
I'll tell you what.

Speaker 3 (49:35):
As an Ohio State fan, I don't think it has anything.
I don't think that can anything to anything.

Speaker 2 (49:40):
I disagree. I totally disagree.

Speaker 3 (49:43):
Devin Brown got hurt, and so now you have a
QUARTERBA for three points. Yeah I know that's because I'm
just telling you Aaron, I'm just telling you, like is
in the I'm not disagreeing that Ryan Day's hot seat
isn't hot, but I don't think a cotton ball that
they really interested in playing is the reason why it was.

(50:05):
It was twenty five years ago when John Cooper was there,
not winning bowl games.

Speaker 5 (50:09):
But like you have to beat Michigan this year, oh yeah.

Speaker 3 (50:12):
But what I find what I find interesting, and I'm
not gonna make this because we're talking about the SEC.
What I find interesting about it though, is Missouri has
taken a lot of juice from that Cotton Bowl, oh yeah,
to carry over for their own season, which is a
good thing, which has nothing to do with Ohio State.
But that's all been a positive for Missouri. I don't think.

(50:33):
I don't think the Cotton Bowl of any residual effect
for what Ohio State has, but I think it has
a lot to do with Missouri which could help them
in this SEC season.

Speaker 1 (50:41):
Yeah, I'll agree on the Missouri point. I'll be quick
on Ohio State. I think if they win that game
twenty four to three, and Harball leaves and it's like, Okay,
we're gonna run this conference again. But but I don't
know I was on air. That was the temperature in
that moment. As we know with any fan base in
any sport, when you have a loss coming off of

(51:01):
a loss to your biggest rival, maybe it was just
a heat of the moment thing.

Speaker 2 (51:05):
I think it had a little bit more to do
with it than whatever.

Speaker 1 (51:07):
It doesn't really matter, but I do think it speaks
to the broader point of what you just said.

Speaker 2 (51:13):
Missouri really rode that momentum. O misreally rode that momentum.

Speaker 1 (51:16):
And the one thing I will add Dan about just
this new era of college football, I don't know if
I've said it with you. I know I've said it
with j mar Jason Martin on my Saturday show. The
thing that I think college football fans are gonna have
to get used to. Schedules have always mattered, but now
it does feel almost like the NFL. And I keep
saying this, but you know, you know, part of every

(51:40):
year we get a team in the NFL that goes
from worse to first, and part of it is is that, well,
they're playing a worst play schedule. So if they're incrementally
better and they're playing a lot of bad teams, by definition,
they could in theory make a big jump. And I
only bring that up because you look at Missouri and
Ole Miss and part of it is the enthusiasm around
those two specific teams, but part of it is by

(52:01):
these new SEC standards, pretty manageable schedule. Neither place Texas
you know, Old miss does have to play Georgia, but
they get them at home and we don't have to
go through schedules.

Speaker 3 (52:13):
But but that is part of it, and I I would.

Speaker 1 (52:17):
And I would just say from a broader perspective, I
think that's another thing that fans are gonna have to
wrap their arms around. And one of the coaches said
it today at SEC media Days and I can't remember
who it might have even been, Greg Sank, but basically,
like you know this, like like it. I know, divisions
weren't perfect either, but you kind of knew who was
the best team in the conference by the end of

(52:39):
the year because they they you know, even if the
Big Ten East was tougher, you still had to go
through either Ohio State or Michigan to win it. And
I just think there's gonna be weird years where we
might not get the two best teams in the SEC
in the Championship game because of the fact the way
that the schedules are imbalanced. I think it favors both
of those teams that we're talking about Old miss and

(52:59):
Missouri this year because the schedules line up a little
bit more in their favor.

Speaker 5 (53:03):
Yeah, it is.

Speaker 3 (53:04):
It is funny when you look at you know, you
take Georgia for example, and you're like, Okay, you have Texas,
Alabama and Ole Miss on your schedule. Yeah, But then
when we talk about Texas Alabama and Ole Miss, we say,
you guys, got Georgia on your schedule. You know, so
that there's this there's this back and forth of it
that you know well and that you do have and
if you're Missouri in that scenario, you know, yeah, it's

(53:25):
a little better to not have Georgia, say, on your schedule.

Speaker 4 (53:28):
Well.

Speaker 1 (53:28):
And I think that's like and like George is kind
of an interesting like example of that, right, is that
Georgia could be the best team, but all of a sudden,
you used to have Vanny in South Carolina on your schedule.
I know, South Carolina's historic rival. And I think as
they redo the schedules, they may be kind of an
annual thing. But those are probably the two worst teams
in that old SECS. They're not on the schedule. Now,

(53:49):
all of a sudden, you got at Old miss you
got at Texas or yeah, at Texas and at Alabama,
and it's like, I don't think Georgia's losing all three
of those games and somehow missen the SEC championship game.
But again, compare it with what Missouri's got, and all
of a sudden, you're like, you could see the scenario
where Missouri's eleven and one. Uh, you know, Georgia's whatever,

(54:11):
nine and three, or Alabama's may be really good, but
they're nine and three because of the schedule. It's just
I just think, again, without nerding out too hard on
team by team schedules, that's just going to play a
much bigger role going forward than I think a lot
of people think.

Speaker 3 (54:26):
And I think this is the right way to put
a bow on it because Manzi's been talking about it
in our updates. This league wants to find out how
things are going to play out in a twelve team playoff,
and when they see how they respond, then they'll make
the decision on expanding from eight to nine conference games.
If it's beneficial or not in the scenario that you

(54:48):
just laid out aaron of where you have these teams,
it may not be as important. And I still have
a question on what's going to happen to actual conference
championship games in the future of college football dependent on,
you know, on the changes that we could have. But
if you are Greg Sank and you haven't made that
decision yet, and you see in this scenario that you

(55:10):
laid out, if a Georgia team does have three losses,
how does that affect him? Well, that trickle down effect
is then all right, do you or don't you add
that ninth game that that you would maybe need or
not need.

Speaker 5 (55:21):
So I think that I think all of.

Speaker 3 (55:23):
That is tied together with how this plays out because
of the number of teams and the you know, the
way that the schedules are so uneven. So it's still
it's a work in progress, but one that could have
you know, huge ramifications for this year because nobody knows
really what to expect.

Speaker 1 (55:38):
Well, and it just speaks to again, I think it's
the nflification, if you will. It's a bad, bad, bad word.
Not not a bad word, but a bad way.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
To explain it.

Speaker 1 (55:47):
But again, where you know Chargers, if they take off
with Justin Herbert this year, you know, in theory they
could with with Jim Harbaugh excuse me, and Justin Herbert
in theory could be you know, a team that just
gets into the field, but that hypothetical team that you
don't want to play as the second or third team
out of that division. And I think you can see

(56:07):
that with the Georgia, right is that they don't have
the best record, or the loser of the SEC championship
game now gets into the field as the seven, eight, nine,
ten seed, whatever it is, and all of a sudden
you're looking up in there in the semi finals because
just the way the schedule broke didn't allow them to
win the league. Of course, get that first round by
which will be included going forward. Just an interesting new

(56:28):
world of college football that we're entering.

Speaker 5 (56:30):
He's eron Torres.

Speaker 3 (56:31):
I'm Dan Bayer in for Cavino and Rich here on
Fox Sports Radio. The SEC may not be expanding anytime soon,
that seemed to be the message from SEC media days,
But could another league be expanding in the not so
near future. We discussed those ramifications. He's erin Torres. I'm
Dan Byer in for Cavino and Rich That's Next Tire

(56:52):
on Fox Sports Radio