December 30, 2025 • 39 mins
In the third hour, Dick Fain and Hugh Millen chat with Jon Wilner about the lawlessness of college football, Michigan’s new hire, USC-Notre Dame, and CFP changes, then talk about the current College Football Playoff format issues before having Fun with Audio.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood letting you know that
this hour of Softian dick on your home for the
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Why not make it a Duke's night tonight. Reserve your
table today at Dukeseafood dot com. On Sports Radio ninety
three point three KJR.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
FM, It's time for a weekly PAC twelve conversation with
Sennose a Mercury News reporter John Wilner, brought to you
by Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com
have the most amazing collection of all things Seattle Seahawks
gear UW hats the largest selection of Sonics gear.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Anywhere in the world.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Learn more at simply Seattle dot com.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Hi, John, how's the holidays treating the Wilner Clan?
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Oh, Welcome, Happy Holidays, Happy.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
New Year, Happy New Year's. We'll move a little bit
towards your window. You're you're breaking up already on us, John,
So we're kidding.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
Network, Get on, Moss, I'm right now.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Oh, I gotcha.
Speaker 6 (01:01):
The engine is off and hopefully the reception is going
to be okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
All right, Well, That's that sounds good, right there. John.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Let's let's start with the the madness that has been
ann arbor for the last three or three weeks or so,
and it ends with Kyle Whittingham going to a Michigan
I thought you your quote on Twitter in response was
very funny, Hugh. His quote was quote, this sport is
bleep face drunk.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
And I'm here for all of it. That sounds response,
So go ahead.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
I'm here to tell us why you're here for all
of it.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
It was unlike any other sport in the lawlessness, the
lack of leadership, the insanity that happens, and it's it's
great content, and it seems to be getting even more
insane by the month.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
Really. I mean, you think.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
About Michigan and everything they did wrong and yet they
still end up with a Hall of Fame coach, and
you think about State and it took them almost two
months and they got turned down left and right, and
they end up with Matt Campbell, who's one of the
best coaches in the country.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Big ten did very well.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
For itself during this the coaching carousel cycle here and Michigan,
it's like, you know, they stumble and bumble and then
all of a sudden.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
They've got Kyle Whitningham. It's incredible.
Speaker 7 (02:21):
Well, because you're on in Seattle, a lot of folks
had had a lot of speculation about whether Jedfish attempted
to get the job. There's reports of that. What do
you believe happened in that regard? Did Jedfish try to
be a candidate for that job? And if so, what
(02:42):
was Michigan's response? Tell us about all that?
Speaker 6 (02:44):
I know exactly what Michigan did not see with Fish.
I mean, certainly he was a second tier candidate conversations.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
I don't know how.
Speaker 6 (02:57):
I can't confirm that he spoke directly to the Wolverine
administration in their search firm, or if his agency did,
But certainly there was interest on his part. Why would
there not be. It's Michigan, but for whatever reason, they
were not real high on him. Now, it would have
(03:18):
happened if Kyle Whittingham had turned them down, and maybe
Jeff Brown from Louisville had turned them down. I think
that eventually they probably would have gotten to the point
where they gave Fish serious consideration. But there were several
layers of candidates above him.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Why do you think Whittingham would have been or why
do you or do you not think Whittingham would have
been a candidate? If you would have retired after last season,
could you have seen them coming to Kyle Whittingham after
a year of I don't know, being in the media or.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
What have you.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Yeah, it doesn't seem to be his The vibe would
have been as good to get winning him now he's
fresh off a ten win season, if he had remember
in twenty twenty four, they lost Cam Rising to that
hand injury. They finished second to last in the Big Twelve.
(04:09):
It was like Whittingham's worst year in a decade. And
if he had retired off of that and then he's
out of coaching for a year, whether he's in the
media or just kind of hovering on the side of
the industry, I just don't know that it would have
been an easy enough sell to Michigan fans, Whereas right
now he's an easy sell, right ten win coach going
(04:31):
to the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
He's been stepped down two.
Speaker 6 (04:35):
Weeks earlier and clearly wasn't ready to end his coaching career.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
I mean, it couldn't have worked out better for.
Speaker 6 (04:42):
Michigan and he's he's also the perfect coach for what
they need now, right, He's never had NCAA problems, he's
never had personal problems. His teams are tough, they are disciplined,
they're a lot like a you know, a Bochem Beckler team.
You could speak to this better than I could, but
you know, you think of a Sham Beckler team or
(05:02):
even a Jim Harbaugh team in Michigan, and it's kind
of like what you see with Utah.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
No doubt my son was getting recruited somewhat by Utah.
And I was in on a meeting, several meetings actually
during spring, kind of in the back, just watching how
he operates and what have you. One thing I love
about it is their defensive mindset. Their DBS is like, hey,
let's get up in your face man and man like,
(05:28):
like he's going to be able to recruit some dbs. Now, yeah,
he recruited Lineman, you know, because of poly thing and
going on in Utah. But but just where he is
just philosophically, I think he really you know, he wants
to get after a defense that I think absolutely fits
the the brand of Michigan for all these decades.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
No question, run the ball, play, physical, great defense. I mean,
it's it's it's a perfect fit in almost every way.
He is sixty six, right, but he's got a lot
of energy. And nobody's looking at this as him being
in charge of Michigan for eight or ten years. Like
Harball was right, they want somebody to get them back
(06:12):
on track both competitively and the culture within the building,
and he's perfect guy to do that for four or
five years.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I almost see a little bit like the Husky's hiring
Chris Peterson and the one knock on Chris Peterson coming in,
or the one question we had on Chris Peterson, which
I think played out somewhat was is he going to
be able to get the four and five star guys
at Michigan?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
That was the question.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Is Chris Peterson going to be able to get the
four star guys at Washington? And he got some, but
Chris Peterson's recruiting classes weren't awesome. Chris's magic was him
making four and five star guys out of three star
guys that he was able to do. So is there
any question in Kyle Whittingham being able to get the
(07:00):
superstar athletes to Michigan, especially if he's playing this kind
of slobber knocker style football.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
I don't think so he will be able to get
the guys he needs to get to win with his system.
I mean, it's Michigan and the big you know, selling
point now is the money. And Michigan's got plenty of money,
right They got they got Larry.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Ellison's money for nil, they got seven.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Home games times one hundred and ten thousand tickets sold
to help their revenue sharing, and all the Big ten
TV money. I think that with the resources at Michigan,
you know, he's gonna have a good staff, the Michigan tradition,
the Big Ten platform, I don't think he's gonna have
a problem getting the guys he needs to win. Does
(07:45):
that mean he's gonna he's gonna win the Big Ten
on a regular basis?
Speaker 5 (07:49):
I don't know. But does it mean he's gonna have
Michigan in the.
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Twelve or sixteen team college football playoff pretty regularly?
Speaker 5 (07:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (07:56):
I would bet bet he does. And the biggest thing
for that Michigan is he's going to extend the scandals.
I mean, it's just one dumpster fire after another for
them for four years.
Speaker 7 (08:08):
John Wilner with us. John, we heard from Lincoln Riley
a couple of days ago regarding the Notre Dame. You know,
of whatever this fiasco has become, and it feels like
we're listening to a sordid breakup. Right, what was your
response when you heard Lincoln Riley and the nature of
his allegations directed towards Notre Dame And what do you
(08:32):
think Notre Dame's best reply would be to Lincoln Riley
in those comments?
Speaker 6 (08:38):
I mean, Notre Dame kind of got to jump on
the Trojans by announcing the series.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
With BYU before USC and Notre Dame had announced that
their series was on hiatus.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
You know, both both sides are out acting in their
own self interest and blaming the other side.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
And that's that is what college sports is all about.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
Whether it's you know, the conference is battling over the
CFP or USC and Notre Dame disagreeing over their series.
Everybody is protecting their territory. And this is a downstream
issue from USC leaving the Pack twelve. Right, if they
(09:22):
won the Pac twelve, there would not be a problem
playing Notre Dame. And also the College Football Playoff, the
CFP is dominating every decision that every conference and every
school are making.
Speaker 8 (09:33):
Right.
Speaker 6 (09:34):
That is, USC saw what happened with Notre Dame. They
saw the report that Notre Dame has this special deal.
They don't want to give Notre Dame any any more benefits.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Of the doubt.
Speaker 6 (09:46):
It's all the CFP is gobbling up the sport. Now,
some people might think that's good. I don't necessarily think
it is good, but that is what's happening. I mean, look,
we're going to see that on Thursday, the Rose Bowl
is starting at one o'clock instead of two. It's been
at two o'clock for decades, right, but it's starting at
one because of the CFP, because they want to get
(10:07):
a triple header in and not knock the Sugar Bowls
kickoff too late. So the Rose Bolt finally read we're
going to move up an hour. That USC Notre Dame.
One example after another of the playoff gobbling up the sport.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Now you think that potentially this rivalry could be saved
in week zero?
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Tell us how dout that?
Speaker 5 (10:30):
Well?
Speaker 6 (10:30):
So the thing is USC doesn't want to play Notre
Dame in the middle of the season. I don't blame him,
They don't want to go to South Bend in October,
in the middle of the Big Ten season. They want
to play the first three weeks when all the non
conference games are played. The big issue right now is
Notre Dame.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Is already scheduled out.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
I mean, if you look, they got Texas, I think
they got Alabama, they got Auburn, they got all these
big time home and home series scheduled for like the
next four or five years.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
In the first couple of weeks of the season.
Speaker 6 (11:03):
They don't want to add USC and end up being
in a position where they're starting out you know, one
and two or zero to three. But because they're scheduled out,
they they're not going to put the Trojans in week.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Zero week one.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
I think if we're going to get to that point
where the teams play in a traditional non conference spot,
it's not gonna happen until the twenty thirties when Notre
Dame has some openings on its schedule. If we're up
to me, if I'm the Tzara College Football USC, Notre
Dame is the kickoff game for the whole season, played
on Week zero, and the championship game is in the
(11:40):
Rose Bawl in January first.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Yeah, they would say to be thirteen what thirteen weeks
right in between that one bywok, yeah, one by week
that would work again.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Yep, yeah, no doubt. Now you said that. Everybody's responding
to the CFP. We saw this year, uh, the changes
in the seed right, and there was a second group
of five team added. Do you see any changes for
next year and beyond? Based on how the committee is
(12:14):
watching the developments for the playoffs for this year, I do.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
Some of the changes have already been agreed upon. So
one thing that's going to be different starting next year
is there won't.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Be two group of five teams.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Even if the ACC champion is zero and one and eleven,
there's not going to be two group of five teams
because they have written into the new contract. And this
is confusing but important. Starting with next season, the CFP
has a new contract, so there are different rules, and
one of those rules is the champions of the ACC
(12:51):
Big twelve, Big ten and sec are automatically going to
get in. That leaves one spot for the group of five.
We won't see what happened this year year happen again.
But that's not the only change I'm sure at this point,
I think they're going to probably increase it to sixteen teams.
They have until January twenty third to decide if they're
(13:14):
going to expand the format for next year. They have
to tell ESPN by the twenty third of January. I
think they're going to do it, but we know for
sure there's going to be a change in the group
of five access and I think there'll be a change
in the number of teams. I think they're going to
expand to sixteen. Now, if they do expand a sixteen,
one question is going to be will the opening round
(13:36):
just be sixteen one verse sixteen two, verse fifteen, or
are they going to create some kind of stupid double buy.
I would not put it past the CFP to create
a stupid double buy system, even though they should just
do a straight one verse sixteen.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
But we'll have to see.
Speaker 7 (13:55):
John, You and I have been of a like mind
in that the power four teams that they have to
have involvement from the Group of five. Of course they're
gonna ask land right in Anti trust court. We already
know that they get poor legal advice because they were
advised to keep appealing Allston even though they were losing,
they go all the way to Supreme Court. They lose
(14:16):
nine to nothing in that one, and that's led to
the nil and the transfer port on all the mess
that we see. Are we certain that by pushing out
one team from the group of five that there could
be some anti trust exposure in a collective case from
the group of five by cutting.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
The air, I don't think so.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
I think as long as there is one access spot
for the Group of five, they will avoid.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
Some kind of anti trust case.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
I mean, this is the piece that people all the
complaining that's going on about the Group of five. The
last couple of weeks, very few people were talking about
the fact that there's the legal exposure.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Of course they have to you.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
Can't have half the teams in the FBS saying the
other half are banned from the postseason. Think about the BCS.
Speaker 8 (15:10):
The Senate, an I trust subcommittee was having hearings on
the BCS. If they try to keep the Group of
five out of the CFP, they're gonna be in court
in you know, three seconds, So there will always be
one spot. I don't think the Group of five will
will raise an issue with the change that's coming next season,
(15:31):
where that limits the group of five to one. As
long as they have that, I think everything will be fine.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Well, we're gonna keep seeing those blowouts in games that
people don't want to watch. I mean, the ratings for
James Madison Oregon were barely higher than the ratings for
Washington Oregon in a regular season matchup that didn't mean anything.
So you know, I know you compared the group of
five results that we saw to last year's NFL first round.
I kind of think John, that's a one year in
(15:57):
anomaly for the NFL because the first matchups this year,
we could see four or five of the six lower
seeds win in the NFL this year, and then you know,
go back to twenty twenty two five point differential, including
a one point game and a three point game. The
twenty twenty three playoffs had a one point wildcard game.
I don't know if you can really use the NFL
(16:19):
wild card game as a comparison, can you.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
Well maybe that was a one year an nominally, but
look at what the CFPS last year first round game,
Ohio State forty two, Tennessee seventeen. Look at the quarterfinal,
Ohio State led Oregon thirty four to nothing right, right,
So my point is whether whether that you know, the
ACC screwed up. That's the reason James Madison was in
(16:43):
the ACC tiebreaker was completely screwed up. Miami should have
been in it as the ACC representative, which would have
opened the spot for Notre Dame and there would have
been one group of five. But there's always going to
be a couple of lopsided games. I think in the
first rounds. I just do and and the as as
long as the CFP is going up against the NFL
(17:03):
on that Saturday in December, there's good. The ratings are
going to be bad. The NFL is taking no prisoners.
I mean, you guys saw the matchups they put up
against the CFP two saturdays ago. Uh, there were big
time matchups, right. They are going to continue to do that,
basically staying too the CFP get off our lawn.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
We were here first, and.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
They were the NFL had that third Saturday in December first,
and then the CFP moved in and they're they're not
gonna mess with Goodell's not messing around.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
There, John Wilner with us. John, you're like that that
buddy that we all want to have, that just you
know so dog on much about college football. I just
want to go out and have a stake and a
bottle of wine and just kill I just talked college
football like for four hours with you, but I love it.
I don't want to lead you someplace that that uh,
that maybe you have a stronger opinion, But I'm gonna
(17:56):
just give you the floor here on my last question,
what's on your mind that we haven't discussed, Whether you're
going to write about it in a column or what
have you? The playoffs coming up? What's on John Wilner's mind?
Speaker 6 (18:11):
Oh goodness, gracious. I mean to be honest, I think
that the NFL situation is a bigger threat than folks realize. Right,
And as I'm sure you guys know, the NFL is
talking about opening up their media deal, right, I mean,
it's only been three years. They want to open up
(18:34):
the media deal. They want to add Goodell wants to
add the eighteenth game. Right now, my understanding is they
want to add the eighteenth game. They want to move
the Super Bowl back to President's Day weekend? Right, Well,
what's going to happen there? That probably means that they're
going to have yet another regular season weekend in January
when the CFP is trying to get oxygen and attention,
(18:58):
and I think college football is in a is, you know,
headed into the ABYSS if it continues to go up
against put its postseason up against the NFL. They got
to figure out a way to fix the calendar and
move it, move everything forward, and next year the championship
(19:18):
game is like December January twenty fifth. It's ridiculously late.
They got to get it back to where they're playing
close to January first and getting the season over with
before the final weeks of the NFL and the NFL playoffs.
And and to me, that's a that's a real big
The calendar is a huge issue.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
The NFL is.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Out for blood in this matchup, and that's a losing
battle for college football.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
August August games are coming. Yeah, I think August games
are coming.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
There's no reason they should not play.
Speaker 6 (19:53):
There's no reason they should not start everybody on week zero,
and that would give them a lot more flexibility.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
John, you had a seven game win streak come to
an end with Hawaiian winners.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Hell of a game on Christmas Eve. That was a
great game.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Oh my goodness, Hawaii got to win late over cal
but you are still a sizzling twelve and five on
the season. In Wilner's winner. So here's what we want.
Give it, Savior, Wilner's winner, pick for last. Give us
the winners of the other three college football playoff games.
We got Miami, Ohio State, we got Oregon, Texas Tech,
(20:30):
we got Alabama, Indiana, and we got.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Ole miss Georgia.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
So Savior Willner's winner, pick for last, and give us
the winner of the other three games.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Well, just outright winners.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
I think that Georgia will handle Mississippi Georgia is they
are a juggernaut right now. I think Indiana Alabama's gonna
be a great game, a great game, and I think
that there's potential for Ohio State and Miami to be
a great game too. I'm of the opinion that the
teams that have buys are at a competitive disadvantage. Three
(21:04):
and a half weeks off is a long time, and
the teams that just played ten days ago are in
much better shape.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
So which leads us to I would like Willner's winner.
I'll take the Ducks. I think that they are favored
by one and a half. Was the last time I look.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Here, but we can give you one and a half.
Speaker 5 (21:24):
I mean, I'll take two and a half.
Speaker 6 (21:26):
Hey, you know what I take the Ducks if it
were three and a half. I think they're gonna beat
Texas Tech handily. And I would also not be surprised
to see Oregon end up in the championship game.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Okay, all right, sounds good. I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
I think they beat Texas Tech should be a kind
of a low scoring game. I would think, though, because
I think both those plays are very, very good. John,
we appreciate it. I want to ask you before we
let you guys who want to ask.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
You one favor? All right, one favor?
Speaker 5 (21:52):
Hit me.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
Illinois is beating Tennessee right now in the Music City. Boy,
if if Illinois wins, they finish nine and four, can
we at least then say, in all of our pregame
or our preseason, you know college football breakdowns that you do,
can you at least not use the words the Huskies
didn't beat anyone good in twenty twenty five, because a
(22:15):
nine and four Big Ten team that wins a bowl
game over an SEC team, in my opinion, is a
good football team, and the Huskies kicked the crap out
of Illinois.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
They did.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
That was their best win of the season, and I
would think that Illinois will have a good chance to
enter the last AP poll with that win over Tennessee,
which would give Washington one win over a ranked opponent.
And you'd have to, I mean, any explanation in Washington
season would have to include they did that. They had
(22:48):
to win over a ranked opponent. There's no doubt about that.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
Love it.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Thanks John, Happy New Year. We'll talk to you next week, Sandy. Guys,
you bet John Weller five.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Twenty five Back after this, we'll talk some more college
football and the NFL as well. I'll get back to
our Sam Darnold conversation with Hugh on ninety three point
three KJRFM. Speaking of football, I'm watching this just after
I asked Wilner for his favor Hugh of at least
giving the Huskies a quality win if Illinois hangs onto
this game. Not thirty seconds after I said that, Illinois
(23:18):
kicked the field goal to go ahead twenty seven to
twenty one with four minutes left to go in the game,
and Tennessee promptly returned the kickoff ninety four yards for
a touchdown. So now Tennessee is ahead by one point
in with Illinois's ball trying to get the winning at
field goal on this drive. But let's dive into a
couple of things that John talked about there. And first
of all, I want to get your take on the
(23:39):
group of five. I understand your point that logistically it's
going to be impossible. The lawsuits would be crazy if
the group of five is eliminated from the college football playoff.
Now do you also believe that it's good that a
group of five team is in the playoffs or do
you feel like it's just a necessary evil that the
(24:00):
group of five is in the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
I'm not terribly against one. I mean competitive, Like, to me,
I would rather see the best, but if you wanted to,
you know, kind of like the NCAA tournament. You know,
you know there's there's conferences that that get the basketball
tournament I'm talking about, there's conferences that get the sixteenth seed, right,
and you know there's next to no chance they're going
(24:26):
to do anything, but they're allowed to be part of
the dance. So I'm just kind of more pragmatic in
my approach as a fan that if if I truly
say that I hate these games like these, like what
are they doing?
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Like?
Speaker 7 (24:43):
Then I should be most concerned about intervention and having
a lot more games mandated by the courts. Right if
they if the power foward schools end up losing in
a in a lawsuit, and I don't trust them and
their decision making these legal issues because of the decisions
(25:05):
they've already made and the mistakes that they've made.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
I just think that they're where while we used to
have a sliding scale, I used to think that college
football talent was a sliding scale from the top Power
five teams down slowly to the bottom Power five teams
to the top group of five teams, which some of
those top group of five teams are actually better than
(25:28):
the bottom Power five teams. Now I feel like it's
a chasm, and the chasm is growing. The chasm between
the big the Big ten SEC and the next two
power conferences is growing, And the chasm between the next
two power conferences and the Group of five is growing,
(25:49):
and I feel like it's just going to continue to grow.
So I just think these scores are going to be
worse and worse and worse. And to me, you know,
I totally understand your comparing. Listen to the NCAA basketball tournament.
To me, it's almost like becoming like Major League Baseball
saying we're gonna give the best minor league team a
(26:11):
slot in our playoffs.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
I think it's the chasm is becoming that big.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
That's interesting. I don't know. I mean, you take the
best two. Uh you know what if they played you know,
Purdue or or even u c l A. U c
l A is the worst power for a team I saw,
at least for one day. I know they beat Penn
State and started Penn State's unraveling. But uh uh, that's
a good question. I to me, I just figure that
(26:40):
you've got to just set aside a spot or two.
Wilner's convinced that one is enough. Maybe maybe he's right,
But but the degree to which you are concerned about
an unwanted consequences that is the uh, the product of
two factors, the the magnitude times of probability. And you
(27:05):
could say, well, we're probably okay by just having one team,
but if you're not the magnitude, you go and lose
an anti Truscourt where they have treble damages, which is
just another word for saying triple and all of a
mandated re mandated restructure of the college football Playoff, including
many more teams from the group of five. Like, to me,
(27:27):
it's like, don't don't mess around with that, don't f
around and find out, don't.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Poke the bear?
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Are you?
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Are you okay if they expand it to sixteen because
John seems to think that that's the way that we're going,
or do you like it at twelve? Does do are
we getting to the watering downpoint if we get to sixteen?
Speaker 7 (27:45):
Well, if it's sixteen, then to me, it's really fourteen
if you have a couple because I'm assuming there'd be
two teams from the group of five, so that's fourteen.
So this year I think of it as a ten
team tournament because there was ten Power four. Who are
the teams? Who would be the three teams that would
have got in had there been three more teams? Uh?
And four more teams Notre Dame b Yu likely uh.
(28:11):
Probably Texas would have been one of one of four
extra teams. Right off the top of my head, I
know there's a fourth, but so teams Vanderbilt.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
So you just made the point there for sixteen teams
capable of winning a national championship.
Speaker 7 (28:26):
Yeah. Yeah, but I also think, look, the answer to
all your questions is gonna be money. Yeah, And so
they're going to be driven by money. That's why we're
going to see August football games. For the reasons are
articulated by John Wilner. Hey, we don't we don't want
to lose money to the NFL because the NFL is
trying to get their money. So how do we fit
(28:47):
it in the calendar. Well, we're going to play more
games in December and a few games in August, right right,
Like that's that, that and and so everything you know.
So I look at it and I say, we can
all agree on this, regardless of where you stand. Maybe
you're of the mind that eight would have been enough.
(29:08):
Maybe there's a few people. I don't think there's many,
but some people might like the four team playoff. Maybe
there's a lot of people who want to sixteen. There's
some people who want to thirty two. We can agree
on this. It's a linear scale. The more you tilt
the more teams you have in the postseason for the
college football Playoff, the more you diminish the regular season
(29:32):
for the best teams. Correct, correct, You don't diminish the
regular season for the team's fighting that you bring in
more teams that are saying, hey, we got a chance,
we got to I get that, but the very top teams,
EH one, Ohio.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
State, the Ohio State Michigan game could be meaningless, you
know when when usually it's not meaningless.
Speaker 7 (29:54):
Right, So there was a time when there was just
four teams or you'd say Michigan Ohio State winners going in.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Yeah, well the loser is out and that's all right,
and then you wouldn't have that anymore, all right. Coming
up next, our second Fun with Audio.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
This is the NFL edition courtesy of Jackson Felts on
ninety three point three KJFM.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
It's now time for someday in Dick's Fun with Audio,
Jimmy g.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Pawn Star, Jimmy mister garoppolo.
Speaker 7 (30:20):
Now let's have some fun with audio.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Some people that are listening to the entire show might
be saying, wait a second, Jackson, wait a second, Fane,
you already did fun with audio. Yes we did, Yes,
we did. But see, Jackson had this idea, and I
think it was quite a good one. Because this is
our last Show of twenty twenty five. We had a
ton of good audio clips, so he decided to break
them up into College Fun with Audio at three forty
(30:45):
five and NFL Fun with Audio at five forty five.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
So, Hugh, did you hear this?
Speaker 9 (30:49):
What's that?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Victor?
Speaker 4 (30:50):
In ESPN's Monday Night Countdown yesterday, Troy Aikman had this
to say about the resurgence success of once failed quarterbacks
Ike Sam Darnold.
Speaker 9 (31:01):
North Turner came in my third year in the league,
totally turned our offense around, turned my career around. Michael
Irvin and Emmitt Smith would tell you the same thing.
So I think there's been and there's always this has
always been debated. I guess I think there's been a
lot of quarterbacks that have been drafted high who have
left the game and have been labeled a bus And
(31:21):
I think it's unfair because I do feel that organizations
and coaching has failed quarterbacks more than quarterbacks have failed organizations,
Because I you know, I again, I've been there. I've
been around the best of the best, and I've been
around others that that aren't as good.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
I think Hughes Hugh, I think Troy is spot on
there I think. I always think about how many quarterbacks
are out there that just had middling NFL careers that
would have been multiple time Pro Bowlers had they just
gone someplace else.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
And I think there's a lot of them.
Speaker 7 (31:56):
I completely agree. And I had been at the Rams
with North Turner and then he was pivotal in UH
and you know, with the Cowboys trade for me on
Draft Day, so I went. I knew Norv played for
NorVa two teams, and Troy had been uh a pastor.
Look at Troy's passer rating his first two years. One
(32:18):
year was in his fifties, and the and the and
in the sixties, and people were saying he's the bust.
And I remember seeing Norv and before after those two
years before he went to.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
To Dallas at fifty five and sixty six, his first
two years pastor yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:35):
Yeah, and I uh And at this point he had
had many camps but not any games with Troy, and
I don't I think it was in the summer. I
can't remember exactly what, but I remember talking to him
and and saying, so, what do you think of Troy Aikman,
Because a lot of people say, this dude's a bus
right and Nord looked at me like I had four
eyeballs and he and he just said, the guy's incredible,
(32:57):
Like he's he's got incredible balance, he's got incredible actress.
You know, he's got everything you want. And and yet
that's not what people had thought. Yeah, and so you wonder,
you know, the Sam Donald's and all the rest. It's
a relevant question for sure.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
Of course, if Sam Donald was drafted by Andy Reid,
he'd probably still be the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Well, we had we had Dick Cory. We we were
running the exact same offense as Norf. That was one
of the reasons that Cowboy was traded for me, because
so three seven zero shu pump like like five five posts.
I knew then, and I had seen how it was
installed by Dick Corey, and I had seen how it
(33:41):
was installed by North Turner and every so I was
able to compare what you just put that sound up
that I didn't know you were gonna put up. I've
lived it, and and so, uh, I totally agree with.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Troy, Hey, huge, hear this? What's that giant star wide receiver?
Speaker 4 (33:58):
Elik neighbors remember him a high draft pick in the
fantasy football season this year.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
I know I drafted him in the second round. That
was awesome.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
He suffered a torn acl in late September and missed
most of the season. But now Neighbors is poking fun
of himself in a new commercial for I Hop's Bottomless Pancakes.
Speaker 10 (34:16):
Every year, thousands of fantasy football leagues make their last
place team spend twenty four hours ah in pancakes and aha,
what's the hell?
Speaker 9 (34:24):
Just like you helped everyone's fantasy team this season.
Speaker 10 (34:28):
Which is why I hop is launching Bottomless Pancakes. It's
a big win for last place fantasy finishers and anyone
who loves pancakes.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
You believe Neighbors, it is me. I wish him like
first off pick on.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
You can we get this kid.
Speaker 10 (34:41):
Some pancakes get free. Bottomless Pancakes with select breakfast combos
start in January.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
Fifth tip of the cap to any star athlete that
can make fun of himself like that, especially in a commercial.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Because I killed him, he killed so many fantasy teams.
My goodness, I'm so sory.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
I didn't even know you.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
D oh yeah, drafting to say Dixon and in my draft,
so I'm in two. I'm in one by myself and
I'm in one with Dixon and Dixon. I drafted Elak
neighbors Dixon some pancakes.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, we fought through. He actually made the playoffs, but
we lost in the first round of the playoffs. We
could have been much much better with that.
Speaker 7 (35:18):
Might be a shot at the Giant Brass too, Like yeah,
hell yeah, I'll do that, you know, think about it, right,
could be?
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Could be, Hey, you dear that? What's that?
Speaker 7 (35:27):
Dick?
Speaker 4 (35:28):
Yesterday on his FS one show, Colin Coward reacted to
a recent report that the Ravens are growing tired of
Lamar Jackson and could trade their quarterback.
Speaker 11 (35:36):
Big big story today breaking in Baltimore. Mike Preston, a
respected long term beat reporter that covers the Ravens, breaks
the story today that Lamar's fallen asleep in meetings that
you know, he's playing video games late into the night.
When he does show up to mandatory camp, he shows
up for a day next year. His cap hit is
(35:57):
twenty four percent a Baltimore's cap. There's about six quarterbacks
in the league. I would not even pick up the phone, no.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Matter the offer.
Speaker 11 (36:06):
Then there's another six to eight guys that I'm not
going to get on the phone and call people, but
I would take a call if you offered me three
firsts Lamar to me was always in the first group.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Now he's transitioned.
Speaker 11 (36:19):
If this is true and I trust Mike Preston, he'th
in the second one, I'll take phone calls.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
My question on.
Speaker 4 (36:25):
Lamar is Lamar, what are you going forward? Are you
Kyler Murray going forward and just going to continue to
play video games? Now, you're a way better quarterback than
Kyler Murray. You're more accomplished than Kyler Murray. But that
type of work ethic as you get older and less
able to rely on your athleticism, or are you going
(36:46):
to be Luka Doncic and Luka Doncis was thirty pounds
overweight with the Dallas Mavericks and he got to Los
Angeles and for whatever reason, some say it was Lebron
kicking him in the ass saying I'll work out.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
With you, let's go.
Speaker 4 (37:03):
Others say it was just he was just happy to
be out of Dallas and he wanted to make sure
that he goes down in history as one of the
greatest players of all time. Which I firmly believe he
will be one of the greatest players of all time,
maybe even a top five guy all time.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
He's certainly on that trajectory. Which are you, Lamar, I
have no idea.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
Are you the guy that's going to hear all this
criticism and flip the switch like Luca did, or are
you just gonna say, yeah, you know what, I'm making
fifty five million dollars a year and I don't care
if I have won a Super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (37:31):
Well, it's a hell of a question because he's a
two time MVP. Last season twenty twenty four season, he
came within an eyelash, I think within one point of
breaking the all time passer rating record held by Aaron Rodgers.
He also rushed for nine hundred yards. Like that guy
is a year removed from likely an MVP. You know,
(37:55):
some people think he deserves to have had it. I
think Josh Allen also deserves to have had it. Flip
a coin, either one of them would have been a
worthy pick. His playoff performance is such that the running
nobility and whatever percentage of that running ability is his
(38:15):
game in the regular season. As a general rule, we've
seen this across the board. The running opportunities dry up
in the postseason, that's right, or at least they're vastly
diminished because you've got you're playing against the very best
defenders and generally tend to be faster, better, better coast,
what have you. And they're playing with utmost efforts, so
(38:40):
they don't you can't you can't beat them for a
nine yard scramble because somebody was loafing. Everybody is like
full go, right, because it's the playoffs, and so that
is in part one of the reasons why he has
not been successful in the playoffs. So now when you
throw this in, look, he had a lot of injuries,
and so maybe he was just like, well, this is
(39:01):
a lost year. Is this truly his character? Was he
that way before last year? Was he that way before
when he won the other MVP? I don't know. Are
these are real serious questions about a very elite quarterback
who might end up in camp. Oh he's still a
(39:22):
young guy, right, Was he thirty thirty one? I want
to say thirty off to look it up.
This is Duke of Duke Seafood letting you know that
this hour of Softian dick on your home for the
Huskies and Kraken is probably brought to you by Duke Seafood.
Why not make it a Duke's night tonight. Reserve your
table today at Dukeseafood dot com. On Sports Radio ninety
three point three KJR.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
FM, It's time for a weekly PAC twelve conversation with
Sennose a Mercury News reporter John Wilner, brought to you
by Simply Seattle. Our friends at simply Seattle dot com
have the most amazing collection of all things Seattle Seahawks
gear UW hats the largest selection of Sonics gear.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Anywhere in the world.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Learn more at simply Seattle dot com.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Hi, John, how's the holidays treating the Wilner Clan?
Speaker 5 (00:46):
Oh, Welcome, Happy Holidays, Happy.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
New Year, Happy New Year's. We'll move a little bit
towards your window. You're you're breaking up already on us, John,
So we're kidding.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
Network, Get on, Moss, I'm right now.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Oh, I gotcha.
Speaker 6 (01:01):
The engine is off and hopefully the reception is going
to be okay, okay.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
All right, Well, That's that sounds good, right there. John.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Let's let's start with the the madness that has been
ann arbor for the last three or three weeks or so,
and it ends with Kyle Whittingham going to a Michigan
I thought you your quote on Twitter in response was
very funny, Hugh. His quote was quote, this sport is
bleep face drunk.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
And I'm here for all of it. That sounds response,
So go ahead.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
I'm here to tell us why you're here for all
of it.
Speaker 6 (01:34):
It was unlike any other sport in the lawlessness, the
lack of leadership, the insanity that happens, and it's it's
great content, and it seems to be getting even more
insane by the month.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
Really. I mean, you think.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
About Michigan and everything they did wrong and yet they
still end up with a Hall of Fame coach, and
you think about State and it took them almost two
months and they got turned down left and right, and
they end up with Matt Campbell, who's one of the
best coaches in the country.
Speaker 5 (02:08):
Big ten did very well.
Speaker 6 (02:10):
For itself during this the coaching carousel cycle here and Michigan,
it's like, you know, they stumble and bumble and then
all of a sudden.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
They've got Kyle Whitningham. It's incredible.
Speaker 7 (02:21):
Well, because you're on in Seattle, a lot of folks
had had a lot of speculation about whether Jedfish attempted
to get the job. There's reports of that. What do
you believe happened in that regard? Did Jedfish try to
be a candidate for that job? And if so, what
(02:42):
was Michigan's response? Tell us about all that?
Speaker 6 (02:44):
I know exactly what Michigan did not see with Fish.
I mean, certainly he was a second tier candidate conversations.
Speaker 5 (02:55):
I don't know how.
Speaker 6 (02:57):
I can't confirm that he spoke directly to the Wolverine
administration in their search firm, or if his agency did,
But certainly there was interest on his part. Why would
there not be. It's Michigan, but for whatever reason, they
were not real high on him. Now, it would have
(03:18):
happened if Kyle Whittingham had turned them down, and maybe
Jeff Brown from Louisville had turned them down. I think
that eventually they probably would have gotten to the point
where they gave Fish serious consideration. But there were several
layers of candidates above him.
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Why do you think Whittingham would have been or why
do you or do you not think Whittingham would have
been a candidate? If you would have retired after last season,
could you have seen them coming to Kyle Whittingham after
a year of I don't know, being in the media or.
Speaker 7 (03:47):
What have you.
Speaker 6 (03:48):
Yeah, it doesn't seem to be his The vibe would
have been as good to get winning him now he's
fresh off a ten win season, if he had remember
in twenty twenty four, they lost Cam Rising to that
hand injury. They finished second to last in the Big Twelve.
(04:09):
It was like Whittingham's worst year in a decade. And
if he had retired off of that and then he's
out of coaching for a year, whether he's in the
media or just kind of hovering on the side of
the industry, I just don't know that it would have
been an easy enough sell to Michigan fans, Whereas right
now he's an easy sell, right ten win coach going
(04:31):
to the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 5 (04:33):
He's been stepped down two.
Speaker 6 (04:35):
Weeks earlier and clearly wasn't ready to end his coaching career.
Speaker 5 (04:40):
I mean, it couldn't have worked out better for.
Speaker 6 (04:42):
Michigan and he's he's also the perfect coach for what
they need now, right, He's never had NCAA problems, he's
never had personal problems. His teams are tough, they are disciplined,
they're a lot like a you know, a Bochem Beckler team.
You could speak to this better than I could, but
you know, you think of a Sham Beckler team or
(05:02):
even a Jim Harbaugh team in Michigan, and it's kind
of like what you see with Utah.
Speaker 7 (05:08):
No doubt my son was getting recruited somewhat by Utah.
And I was in on a meeting, several meetings actually
during spring, kind of in the back, just watching how
he operates and what have you. One thing I love
about it is their defensive mindset. Their DBS is like, hey,
let's get up in your face man and man like,
(05:28):
like he's going to be able to recruit some dbs. Now, yeah,
he recruited Lineman, you know, because of poly thing and
going on in Utah. But but just where he is
just philosophically, I think he really you know, he wants
to get after a defense that I think absolutely fits
the the brand of Michigan for all these decades.
Speaker 6 (05:51):
No question, run the ball, play, physical, great defense. I mean,
it's it's it's a perfect fit in almost every way.
He is sixty six, right, but he's got a lot
of energy. And nobody's looking at this as him being
in charge of Michigan for eight or ten years. Like
Harball was right, they want somebody to get them back
(06:12):
on track both competitively and the culture within the building,
and he's perfect guy to do that for four or
five years.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I almost see a little bit like the Husky's hiring
Chris Peterson and the one knock on Chris Peterson coming in,
or the one question we had on Chris Peterson, which
I think played out somewhat was is he going to
be able to get the four and five star guys
at Michigan?
Speaker 3 (06:38):
That was the question.
Speaker 4 (06:39):
Is Chris Peterson going to be able to get the
four star guys at Washington? And he got some, but
Chris Peterson's recruiting classes weren't awesome. Chris's magic was him
making four and five star guys out of three star
guys that he was able to do. So is there
any question in Kyle Whittingham being able to get the
(07:00):
superstar athletes to Michigan, especially if he's playing this kind
of slobber knocker style football.
Speaker 6 (07:06):
I don't think so he will be able to get
the guys he needs to get to win with his system.
I mean, it's Michigan and the big you know, selling
point now is the money. And Michigan's got plenty of money,
right They got they got Larry.
Speaker 5 (07:21):
Ellison's money for nil, they got seven.
Speaker 6 (07:24):
Home games times one hundred and ten thousand tickets sold
to help their revenue sharing, and all the Big ten
TV money. I think that with the resources at Michigan,
you know, he's gonna have a good staff, the Michigan tradition,
the Big Ten platform, I don't think he's gonna have
a problem getting the guys he needs to win. Does
(07:45):
that mean he's gonna he's gonna win the Big Ten
on a regular basis?
Speaker 5 (07:49):
I don't know. But does it mean he's gonna have
Michigan in the.
Speaker 6 (07:53):
Twelve or sixteen team college football playoff pretty regularly?
Speaker 5 (07:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (07:56):
I would bet bet he does. And the biggest thing
for that Michigan is he's going to extend the scandals.
I mean, it's just one dumpster fire after another for
them for four years.
Speaker 7 (08:08):
John Wilner with us. John, we heard from Lincoln Riley
a couple of days ago regarding the Notre Dame. You know,
of whatever this fiasco has become, and it feels like
we're listening to a sordid breakup. Right, what was your
response when you heard Lincoln Riley and the nature of
his allegations directed towards Notre Dame And what do you
(08:32):
think Notre Dame's best reply would be to Lincoln Riley
in those comments?
Speaker 6 (08:38):
I mean, Notre Dame kind of got to jump on
the Trojans by announcing the series.
Speaker 5 (08:43):
With BYU before USC and Notre Dame had announced that
their series was on hiatus.
Speaker 6 (08:50):
You know, both both sides are out acting in their
own self interest and blaming the other side.
Speaker 5 (08:58):
And that's that is what college sports is all about.
Speaker 6 (09:00):
Whether it's you know, the conference is battling over the
CFP or USC and Notre Dame disagreeing over their series.
Everybody is protecting their territory. And this is a downstream
issue from USC leaving the Pack twelve. Right, if they
(09:22):
won the Pac twelve, there would not be a problem
playing Notre Dame. And also the College Football Playoff, the
CFP is dominating every decision that every conference and every
school are making.
Speaker 8 (09:33):
Right.
Speaker 6 (09:34):
That is, USC saw what happened with Notre Dame. They
saw the report that Notre Dame has this special deal.
They don't want to give Notre Dame any any more benefits.
Speaker 5 (09:45):
Of the doubt.
Speaker 6 (09:46):
It's all the CFP is gobbling up the sport. Now,
some people might think that's good. I don't necessarily think
it is good, but that is what's happening. I mean, look,
we're going to see that on Thursday, the Rose Bowl
is starting at one o'clock instead of two. It's been
at two o'clock for decades, right, but it's starting at
one because of the CFP, because they want to get
(10:07):
a triple header in and not knock the Sugar Bowls
kickoff too late. So the Rose Bolt finally read we're
going to move up an hour. That USC Notre Dame.
One example after another of the playoff gobbling up the sport.
Speaker 4 (10:23):
Now you think that potentially this rivalry could be saved
in week zero?
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Right?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Tell us how dout that?
Speaker 5 (10:30):
Well?
Speaker 6 (10:30):
So the thing is USC doesn't want to play Notre
Dame in the middle of the season. I don't blame him,
They don't want to go to South Bend in October,
in the middle of the Big Ten season. They want
to play the first three weeks when all the non
conference games are played. The big issue right now is
Notre Dame.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
Is already scheduled out.
Speaker 6 (10:50):
I mean, if you look, they got Texas, I think
they got Alabama, they got Auburn, they got all these
big time home and home series scheduled for like the
next four or five years.
Speaker 5 (11:02):
In the first couple of weeks of the season.
Speaker 6 (11:03):
They don't want to add USC and end up being
in a position where they're starting out you know, one
and two or zero to three. But because they're scheduled out,
they they're not going to put the Trojans in week.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
Zero week one.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
I think if we're going to get to that point
where the teams play in a traditional non conference spot,
it's not gonna happen until the twenty thirties when Notre
Dame has some openings on its schedule. If we're up
to me, if I'm the Tzara College Football USC, Notre
Dame is the kickoff game for the whole season, played
on Week zero, and the championship game is in the
(11:40):
Rose Bawl in January first.
Speaker 4 (11:42):
Yeah, they would say to be thirteen what thirteen weeks
right in between that one bywok, yeah, one by week
that would work again.
Speaker 7 (11:51):
Yep, yeah, no doubt. Now you said that. Everybody's responding
to the CFP. We saw this year, uh, the changes
in the seed right, and there was a second group
of five team added. Do you see any changes for
next year and beyond? Based on how the committee is
(12:14):
watching the developments for the playoffs for this year, I do.
Speaker 6 (12:19):
Some of the changes have already been agreed upon. So
one thing that's going to be different starting next year
is there won't.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
Be two group of five teams.
Speaker 6 (12:27):
Even if the ACC champion is zero and one and eleven,
there's not going to be two group of five teams
because they have written into the new contract. And this
is confusing but important. Starting with next season, the CFP
has a new contract, so there are different rules, and
one of those rules is the champions of the ACC
(12:51):
Big twelve, Big ten and sec are automatically going to
get in. That leaves one spot for the group of five.
We won't see what happened this year year happen again.
But that's not the only change I'm sure at this point,
I think they're going to probably increase it to sixteen teams.
They have until January twenty third to decide if they're
(13:14):
going to expand the format for next year. They have
to tell ESPN by the twenty third of January. I
think they're going to do it, but we know for
sure there's going to be a change in the group
of five access and I think there'll be a change
in the number of teams. I think they're going to
expand to sixteen. Now, if they do expand a sixteen,
one question is going to be will the opening round
(13:36):
just be sixteen one verse sixteen two, verse fifteen, or
are they going to create some kind of stupid double buy.
I would not put it past the CFP to create
a stupid double buy system, even though they should just
do a straight one verse sixteen.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
But we'll have to see.
Speaker 7 (13:55):
John, You and I have been of a like mind
in that the power four teams that they have to
have involvement from the Group of five. Of course they're
gonna ask land right in Anti trust court. We already
know that they get poor legal advice because they were
advised to keep appealing Allston even though they were losing,
they go all the way to Supreme Court. They lose
(14:16):
nine to nothing in that one, and that's led to
the nil and the transfer port on all the mess
that we see. Are we certain that by pushing out
one team from the group of five that there could
be some anti trust exposure in a collective case from
the group of five by cutting.
Speaker 5 (14:36):
The air, I don't think so.
Speaker 6 (14:41):
I think as long as there is one access spot
for the Group of five, they will avoid.
Speaker 5 (14:47):
Some kind of anti trust case.
Speaker 6 (14:49):
I mean, this is the piece that people all the
complaining that's going on about the Group of five. The
last couple of weeks, very few people were talking about
the fact that there's the legal exposure.
Speaker 5 (15:00):
Of course they have to you.
Speaker 6 (15:02):
Can't have half the teams in the FBS saying the
other half are banned from the postseason. Think about the BCS.
Speaker 8 (15:10):
The Senate, an I trust subcommittee was having hearings on
the BCS. If they try to keep the Group of
five out of the CFP, they're gonna be in court
in you know, three seconds, So there will always be
one spot. I don't think the Group of five will
will raise an issue with the change that's coming next season,
(15:31):
where that limits the group of five to one. As
long as they have that, I think everything will be fine.
Speaker 4 (15:37):
Well, we're gonna keep seeing those blowouts in games that
people don't want to watch. I mean, the ratings for
James Madison Oregon were barely higher than the ratings for
Washington Oregon in a regular season matchup that didn't mean anything.
So you know, I know you compared the group of
five results that we saw to last year's NFL first round.
I kind of think John, that's a one year in
(15:57):
anomaly for the NFL because the first matchups this year,
we could see four or five of the six lower
seeds win in the NFL this year, and then you know,
go back to twenty twenty two five point differential, including
a one point game and a three point game. The
twenty twenty three playoffs had a one point wildcard game.
I don't know if you can really use the NFL
(16:19):
wild card game as a comparison, can you.
Speaker 6 (16:22):
Well maybe that was a one year an nominally, but
look at what the CFPS last year first round game,
Ohio State forty two, Tennessee seventeen. Look at the quarterfinal,
Ohio State led Oregon thirty four to nothing right, right,
So my point is whether whether that you know, the
ACC screwed up. That's the reason James Madison was in
(16:43):
the ACC tiebreaker was completely screwed up. Miami should have
been in it as the ACC representative, which would have
opened the spot for Notre Dame and there would have
been one group of five. But there's always going to
be a couple of lopsided games. I think in the
first rounds. I just do and and the as as
long as the CFP is going up against the NFL
(17:03):
on that Saturday in December, there's good. The ratings are
going to be bad. The NFL is taking no prisoners.
I mean, you guys saw the matchups they put up
against the CFP two saturdays ago. Uh, there were big
time matchups, right. They are going to continue to do that,
basically staying too the CFP get off our lawn.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
We were here first, and.
Speaker 6 (17:26):
They were the NFL had that third Saturday in December first,
and then the CFP moved in and they're they're not
gonna mess with Goodell's not messing around.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
There, John Wilner with us. John, you're like that that
buddy that we all want to have, that just you
know so dog on much about college football. I just
want to go out and have a stake and a
bottle of wine and just kill I just talked college
football like for four hours with you, but I love it.
I don't want to lead you someplace that that uh,
that maybe you have a stronger opinion, But I'm gonna
(17:56):
just give you the floor here on my last question,
what's on your mind that we haven't discussed, Whether you're
going to write about it in a column or what
have you? The playoffs coming up? What's on John Wilner's mind?
Speaker 6 (18:11):
Oh goodness, gracious. I mean to be honest, I think
that the NFL situation is a bigger threat than folks realize. Right,
And as I'm sure you guys know, the NFL is
talking about opening up their media deal, right, I mean,
it's only been three years. They want to open up
(18:34):
the media deal. They want to add Goodell wants to
add the eighteenth game. Right now, my understanding is they
want to add the eighteenth game. They want to move
the Super Bowl back to President's Day weekend? Right, Well,
what's going to happen there? That probably means that they're
going to have yet another regular season weekend in January
when the CFP is trying to get oxygen and attention,
(18:58):
and I think college football is in a is, you know,
headed into the ABYSS if it continues to go up
against put its postseason up against the NFL. They got
to figure out a way to fix the calendar and
move it, move everything forward, and next year the championship
(19:18):
game is like December January twenty fifth. It's ridiculously late.
They got to get it back to where they're playing
close to January first and getting the season over with
before the final weeks of the NFL and the NFL playoffs.
And and to me, that's a that's a real big
The calendar is a huge issue.
Speaker 5 (19:39):
The NFL is.
Speaker 6 (19:41):
Out for blood in this matchup, and that's a losing
battle for college football.
Speaker 7 (19:46):
August August games are coming. Yeah, I think August games
are coming.
Speaker 5 (19:51):
There's no reason they should not play.
Speaker 6 (19:53):
There's no reason they should not start everybody on week zero,
and that would give them a lot more flexibility.
Speaker 4 (19:58):
John, you had a seven game win streak come to
an end with Hawaiian winners.
Speaker 3 (20:04):
Hell of a game on Christmas Eve. That was a
great game.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
Oh my goodness, Hawaii got to win late over cal
but you are still a sizzling twelve and five on
the season. In Wilner's winner. So here's what we want.
Give it, Savior, Wilner's winner, pick for last. Give us
the winners of the other three college football playoff games.
We got Miami, Ohio State, we got Oregon, Texas Tech,
(20:30):
we got Alabama, Indiana, and we got.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
Ole miss Georgia.
Speaker 4 (20:33):
So Savior Willner's winner, pick for last, and give us
the winner of the other three games.
Speaker 5 (20:39):
Well, just outright winners.
Speaker 6 (20:41):
I think that Georgia will handle Mississippi Georgia is they
are a juggernaut right now. I think Indiana Alabama's gonna
be a great game, a great game, and I think
that there's potential for Ohio State and Miami to be
a great game too. I'm of the opinion that the
teams that have buys are at a competitive disadvantage. Three
(21:04):
and a half weeks off is a long time, and
the teams that just played ten days ago are in
much better shape.
Speaker 5 (21:12):
So which leads us to I would like Willner's winner.
I'll take the Ducks. I think that they are favored
by one and a half. Was the last time I look.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Here, but we can give you one and a half.
Speaker 5 (21:24):
I mean, I'll take two and a half.
Speaker 6 (21:26):
Hey, you know what I take the Ducks if it
were three and a half. I think they're gonna beat
Texas Tech handily. And I would also not be surprised
to see Oregon end up in the championship game.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Okay, all right, sounds good. I think you're right.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
I think they beat Texas Tech should be a kind
of a low scoring game. I would think, though, because
I think both those plays are very, very good. John,
we appreciate it. I want to ask you before we
let you guys who want to ask.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
You one favor? All right, one favor?
Speaker 5 (21:52):
Hit me.
Speaker 4 (21:53):
Illinois is beating Tennessee right now in the Music City. Boy,
if if Illinois wins, they finish nine and four, can
we at least then say, in all of our pregame
or our preseason, you know college football breakdowns that you do,
can you at least not use the words the Huskies
didn't beat anyone good in twenty twenty five, because a
(22:15):
nine and four Big Ten team that wins a bowl
game over an SEC team, in my opinion, is a
good football team, and the Huskies kicked the crap out
of Illinois.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
They did.
Speaker 6 (22:27):
That was their best win of the season, and I
would think that Illinois will have a good chance to
enter the last AP poll with that win over Tennessee,
which would give Washington one win over a ranked opponent.
And you'd have to, I mean, any explanation in Washington
season would have to include they did that. They had
(22:48):
to win over a ranked opponent. There's no doubt about that.
Speaker 7 (22:50):
Love it.
Speaker 3 (22:50):
Thanks John, Happy New Year. We'll talk to you next week, Sandy. Guys,
you bet John Weller five.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Twenty five Back after this, we'll talk some more college
football and the NFL as well. I'll get back to
our Sam Darnold conversation with Hugh on ninety three point
three KJRFM. Speaking of football, I'm watching this just after
I asked Wilner for his favor Hugh of at least
giving the Huskies a quality win if Illinois hangs onto
this game. Not thirty seconds after I said that, Illinois
(23:18):
kicked the field goal to go ahead twenty seven to
twenty one with four minutes left to go in the game,
and Tennessee promptly returned the kickoff ninety four yards for
a touchdown. So now Tennessee is ahead by one point
in with Illinois's ball trying to get the winning at
field goal on this drive. But let's dive into a
couple of things that John talked about there. And first
of all, I want to get your take on the
(23:39):
group of five. I understand your point that logistically it's
going to be impossible. The lawsuits would be crazy if
the group of five is eliminated from the college football playoff.
Now do you also believe that it's good that a
group of five team is in the playoffs or do
you feel like it's just a necessary evil that the
(24:00):
group of five is in the playoffs.
Speaker 7 (24:03):
I'm not terribly against one. I mean competitive, Like, to me,
I would rather see the best, but if you wanted to,
you know, kind of like the NCAA tournament. You know,
you know there's there's conferences that that get the basketball
tournament I'm talking about, there's conferences that get the sixteenth seed, right,
and you know there's next to no chance they're going
(24:26):
to do anything, but they're allowed to be part of
the dance. So I'm just kind of more pragmatic in
my approach as a fan that if if I truly
say that I hate these games like these, like what
are they doing?
Speaker 6 (24:43):
Like?
Speaker 7 (24:43):
Then I should be most concerned about intervention and having
a lot more games mandated by the courts. Right if
they if the power foward schools end up losing in
a in a lawsuit, and I don't trust them and
their decision making these legal issues because of the decisions
(25:05):
they've already made and the mistakes that they've made.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
I just think that they're where while we used to
have a sliding scale, I used to think that college
football talent was a sliding scale from the top Power
five teams down slowly to the bottom Power five teams
to the top group of five teams, which some of
those top group of five teams are actually better than
(25:28):
the bottom Power five teams. Now I feel like it's
a chasm, and the chasm is growing. The chasm between
the big the Big ten SEC and the next two
power conferences is growing, And the chasm between the next
two power conferences and the Group of five is growing,
(25:49):
and I feel like it's just going to continue to grow.
So I just think these scores are going to be
worse and worse and worse. And to me, you know,
I totally understand your comparing. Listen to the NCAA basketball tournament.
To me, it's almost like becoming like Major League Baseball
saying we're gonna give the best minor league team a
(26:11):
slot in our playoffs.
Speaker 3 (26:13):
I think it's the chasm is becoming that big.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
That's interesting. I don't know. I mean, you take the
best two. Uh you know what if they played you know,
Purdue or or even u c l A. U c
l A is the worst power for a team I saw,
at least for one day. I know they beat Penn
State and started Penn State's unraveling. But uh uh, that's
a good question. I to me, I just figure that
(26:40):
you've got to just set aside a spot or two.
Wilner's convinced that one is enough. Maybe maybe he's right,
But but the degree to which you are concerned about
an unwanted consequences that is the uh, the product of
two factors, the the magnitude times of probability. And you
(27:05):
could say, well, we're probably okay by just having one team,
but if you're not the magnitude, you go and lose
an anti Truscourt where they have treble damages, which is
just another word for saying triple and all of a
mandated re mandated restructure of the college football Playoff, including
many more teams from the group of five. Like, to me,
(27:27):
it's like, don't don't mess around with that, don't f
around and find out, don't.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Poke the bear?
Speaker 5 (27:33):
Are you?
Speaker 4 (27:34):
Are you okay if they expand it to sixteen because
John seems to think that that's the way that we're going,
or do you like it at twelve? Does do are
we getting to the watering downpoint if we get to sixteen?
Speaker 7 (27:45):
Well, if it's sixteen, then to me, it's really fourteen
if you have a couple because I'm assuming there'd be
two teams from the group of five, so that's fourteen.
So this year I think of it as a ten
team tournament because there was ten Power four. Who are
the teams? Who would be the three teams that would
have got in had there been three more teams? Uh?
And four more teams Notre Dame b Yu likely uh.
(28:11):
Probably Texas would have been one of one of four
extra teams. Right off the top of my head, I
know there's a fourth, but so teams Vanderbilt.
Speaker 4 (28:21):
So you just made the point there for sixteen teams
capable of winning a national championship.
Speaker 7 (28:26):
Yeah. Yeah, but I also think, look, the answer to
all your questions is gonna be money. Yeah, And so
they're going to be driven by money. That's why we're
going to see August football games. For the reasons are
articulated by John Wilner. Hey, we don't we don't want
to lose money to the NFL because the NFL is
trying to get their money. So how do we fit
(28:47):
it in the calendar. Well, we're going to play more
games in December and a few games in August, right right,
Like that's that, that and and so everything you know.
So I look at it and I say, we can
all agree on this, regardless of where you stand. Maybe
you're of the mind that eight would have been enough.
(29:08):
Maybe there's a few people. I don't think there's many,
but some people might like the four team playoff. Maybe
there's a lot of people who want to sixteen. There's
some people who want to thirty two. We can agree
on this. It's a linear scale. The more you tilt
the more teams you have in the postseason for the
college football Playoff, the more you diminish the regular season
(29:32):
for the best teams. Correct, correct, You don't diminish the
regular season for the team's fighting that you bring in
more teams that are saying, hey, we got a chance,
we got to I get that, but the very top teams,
EH one, Ohio.
Speaker 4 (29:48):
State, the Ohio State Michigan game could be meaningless, you
know when when usually it's not meaningless.
Speaker 7 (29:54):
Right, So there was a time when there was just
four teams or you'd say Michigan Ohio State winners going in.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Yeah, well the loser is out and that's all right,
and then you wouldn't have that anymore, all right. Coming
up next, our second Fun with Audio.
Speaker 4 (30:07):
This is the NFL edition courtesy of Jackson Felts on
ninety three point three KJFM.
Speaker 2 (30:13):
It's now time for someday in Dick's Fun with Audio,
Jimmy g.
Speaker 3 (30:18):
Pawn Star, Jimmy mister garoppolo.
Speaker 7 (30:20):
Now let's have some fun with audio.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
Some people that are listening to the entire show might
be saying, wait a second, Jackson, wait a second, Fane,
you already did fun with audio. Yes we did, Yes,
we did. But see, Jackson had this idea, and I
think it was quite a good one. Because this is
our last Show of twenty twenty five. We had a
ton of good audio clips, so he decided to break
them up into College Fun with Audio at three forty
(30:45):
five and NFL Fun with Audio at five forty five.
Speaker 3 (30:48):
So, Hugh, did you hear this?
Speaker 9 (30:49):
What's that?
Speaker 3 (30:50):
Victor?
Speaker 4 (30:50):
In ESPN's Monday Night Countdown yesterday, Troy Aikman had this
to say about the resurgence success of once failed quarterbacks
Ike Sam Darnold.
Speaker 9 (31:01):
North Turner came in my third year in the league,
totally turned our offense around, turned my career around. Michael
Irvin and Emmitt Smith would tell you the same thing.
So I think there's been and there's always this has
always been debated. I guess I think there's been a
lot of quarterbacks that have been drafted high who have
left the game and have been labeled a bus And
(31:21):
I think it's unfair because I do feel that organizations
and coaching has failed quarterbacks more than quarterbacks have failed organizations,
Because I you know, I again, I've been there. I've
been around the best of the best, and I've been
around others that that aren't as good.
Speaker 4 (31:37):
I think Hughes Hugh, I think Troy is spot on
there I think. I always think about how many quarterbacks
are out there that just had middling NFL careers that
would have been multiple time Pro Bowlers had they just
gone someplace else.
Speaker 3 (31:54):
And I think there's a lot of them.
Speaker 7 (31:56):
I completely agree. And I had been at the Rams
with North Turner and then he was pivotal in UH
and you know, with the Cowboys trade for me on
Draft Day, so I went. I knew Norv played for
NorVa two teams, and Troy had been uh a pastor.
Look at Troy's passer rating his first two years. One
(32:18):
year was in his fifties, and the and the and
in the sixties, and people were saying he's the bust.
And I remember seeing Norv and before after those two
years before he went to.
Speaker 4 (32:30):
To Dallas at fifty five and sixty six, his first
two years pastor yeah.
Speaker 7 (32:35):
Yeah, and I uh And at this point he had
had many camps but not any games with Troy, and
I don't I think it was in the summer. I
can't remember exactly what, but I remember talking to him
and and saying, so, what do you think of Troy Aikman,
Because a lot of people say, this dude's a bus
right and Nord looked at me like I had four
eyeballs and he and he just said, the guy's incredible,
(32:57):
Like he's he's got incredible balance, he's got incredible actress.
You know, he's got everything you want. And and yet
that's not what people had thought. Yeah, and so you wonder,
you know, the Sam Donald's and all the rest. It's
a relevant question for sure.
Speaker 4 (33:14):
Of course, if Sam Donald was drafted by Andy Reid,
he'd probably still be the quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Speaker 7 (33:21):
Well, we had we had Dick Cory. We we were
running the exact same offense as Norf. That was one
of the reasons that Cowboy was traded for me, because
so three seven zero shu pump like like five five posts.
I knew then, and I had seen how it was
installed by Dick Corey, and I had seen how it
(33:41):
was installed by North Turner and every so I was
able to compare what you just put that sound up
that I didn't know you were gonna put up. I've
lived it, and and so, uh, I totally agree with.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Troy, Hey, huge, hear this? What's that giant star wide receiver?
Speaker 4 (33:58):
Elik neighbors remember him a high draft pick in the
fantasy football season this year.
Speaker 3 (34:03):
I know I drafted him in the second round. That
was awesome.
Speaker 4 (34:06):
He suffered a torn acl in late September and missed
most of the season. But now Neighbors is poking fun
of himself in a new commercial for I Hop's Bottomless Pancakes.
Speaker 10 (34:16):
Every year, thousands of fantasy football leagues make their last
place team spend twenty four hours ah in pancakes and aha,
what's the hell?
Speaker 9 (34:24):
Just like you helped everyone's fantasy team this season.
Speaker 10 (34:28):
Which is why I hop is launching Bottomless Pancakes. It's
a big win for last place fantasy finishers and anyone
who loves pancakes.
Speaker 3 (34:35):
You believe Neighbors, it is me. I wish him like
first off pick on.
Speaker 7 (34:39):
You can we get this kid.
Speaker 10 (34:41):
Some pancakes get free. Bottomless Pancakes with select breakfast combos
start in January.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
Fifth tip of the cap to any star athlete that
can make fun of himself like that, especially in a commercial.
Speaker 3 (34:52):
Because I killed him, he killed so many fantasy teams.
My goodness, I'm so sory.
Speaker 7 (34:58):
I didn't even know you.
Speaker 4 (34:59):
D oh yeah, drafting to say Dixon and in my draft,
so I'm in two. I'm in one by myself and
I'm in one with Dixon and Dixon. I drafted Elak
neighbors Dixon some pancakes.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, we fought through. He actually made the playoffs, but
we lost in the first round of the playoffs. We
could have been much much better with that.
Speaker 7 (35:18):
Might be a shot at the Giant Brass too, Like yeah,
hell yeah, I'll do that, you know, think about it, right,
could be?
Speaker 3 (35:25):
Could be, Hey, you dear that? What's that?
Speaker 7 (35:27):
Dick?
Speaker 4 (35:28):
Yesterday on his FS one show, Colin Coward reacted to
a recent report that the Ravens are growing tired of
Lamar Jackson and could trade their quarterback.
Speaker 11 (35:36):
Big big story today breaking in Baltimore. Mike Preston, a
respected long term beat reporter that covers the Ravens, breaks
the story today that Lamar's fallen asleep in meetings that
you know, he's playing video games late into the night.
When he does show up to mandatory camp, he shows
up for a day next year. His cap hit is
(35:57):
twenty four percent a Baltimore's cap. There's about six quarterbacks
in the league. I would not even pick up the phone, no.
Speaker 3 (36:05):
Matter the offer.
Speaker 11 (36:06):
Then there's another six to eight guys that I'm not
going to get on the phone and call people, but
I would take a call if you offered me three
firsts Lamar to me was always in the first group.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Now he's transitioned.
Speaker 11 (36:19):
If this is true and I trust Mike Preston, he'th
in the second one, I'll take phone calls.
Speaker 3 (36:25):
My question on.
Speaker 4 (36:25):
Lamar is Lamar, what are you going forward? Are you
Kyler Murray going forward and just going to continue to
play video games? Now, you're a way better quarterback than
Kyler Murray. You're more accomplished than Kyler Murray. But that
type of work ethic as you get older and less
able to rely on your athleticism, or are you going
(36:46):
to be Luka Doncic and Luka Doncis was thirty pounds
overweight with the Dallas Mavericks and he got to Los
Angeles and for whatever reason, some say it was Lebron
kicking him in the ass saying I'll work out.
Speaker 3 (37:01):
With you, let's go.
Speaker 4 (37:03):
Others say it was just he was just happy to
be out of Dallas and he wanted to make sure
that he goes down in history as one of the
greatest players of all time. Which I firmly believe he
will be one of the greatest players of all time,
maybe even a top five guy all time.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
He's certainly on that trajectory. Which are you, Lamar, I
have no idea.
Speaker 4 (37:20):
Are you the guy that's going to hear all this
criticism and flip the switch like Luca did, or are
you just gonna say, yeah, you know what, I'm making
fifty five million dollars a year and I don't care
if I have won a Super Bowl.
Speaker 7 (37:31):
Well, it's a hell of a question because he's a
two time MVP. Last season twenty twenty four season, he
came within an eyelash, I think within one point of
breaking the all time passer rating record held by Aaron Rodgers.
He also rushed for nine hundred yards. Like that guy
is a year removed from likely an MVP. You know,
(37:55):
some people think he deserves to have had it. I
think Josh Allen also deserves to have had it. Flip
a coin, either one of them would have been a
worthy pick. His playoff performance is such that the running
nobility and whatever percentage of that running ability is his
(38:15):
game in the regular season. As a general rule, we've
seen this across the board. The running opportunities dry up
in the postseason, that's right, or at least they're vastly
diminished because you've got you're playing against the very best
defenders and generally tend to be faster, better, better coast,
what have you. And they're playing with utmost efforts, so
(38:40):
they don't you can't you can't beat them for a
nine yard scramble because somebody was loafing. Everybody is like
full go, right, because it's the playoffs, and so that
is in part one of the reasons why he has
not been successful in the playoffs. So now when you
throw this in, look, he had a lot of injuries,
and so maybe he was just like, well, this is
(39:01):
a lost year. Is this truly his character? Was he
that way before last year? Was he that way before
when he won the other MVP? I don't know. Are
these are real serious questions about a very elite quarterback
who might end up in camp. Oh he's still a
(39:22):
young guy, right, Was he thirty thirty one? I want
to say thirty off to look it up.
Dave 'Softy' Mahler and Dick Fain News
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Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!