December 30, 2025 • 54 mins
Today’s Best of Features:
(00:00-14:04) – Scott Agness from Fieldhouse Files joins Query & Company to talk all things Indiana Pacers with Jake Query. They discuss the concerns they have with how fatigues and worn out Pascal Siakam looks with the team struggling and him having to shoulder the load every single night. Scott pinpoints when the Pacers accepted that this was going to be a losing season and what message the front office is sending to the team by constantly bringing players in for that last roster spot.
(14:04-28:57) – Jake Query continues his conversation on the problem with college athletics and how things are getting out of hand with coaches finding loopholes in athletic eligibility. He plays what Matt Painter had to say following Purdue’s win last night over Akron on the matter.
(28:57-46:03) – ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder makes his weekly visit on Query & Company and his conversation with Jake Query starts out by discussing why the Indianapolis Colts are starting Riley Leonard on Sunday when they didn’t against the Jaguars two days ago. They also talk about the future of the franchise and why he ultimately believes both Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard will be back next season.
(46:03-54:56) – Matt Weaver from 247 Sports joins Jake Query from the Indianapolis airport to continue previewing Thursday’s College Football Playoff game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Matt provides an update on how healthy IU is going into the game, assesses if the Hoosiers have an advantage over the Crimson Tide if rain is in the forecast, and identifies something Curt Cignetti has done really well.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
But I have a great pacer trivia question as well,
which I will allow you Eddie Garrison to go up
against Scott Agnes of Fieldhouse Files to see which of
the two of you has the prowess to answer it correctly.
Oh boy, Scott from Fieldhouse Files joins us now in
the Java House Peel and Port guest line. Java house
dot com is the website Jake twenty five the code
for twenty five percent off and you can get the
(00:21):
bundle of peel and poor pods. It is so simple.
You peel and put them an eight ounces of water
instant beverage, the amazingly smooth Colombian, the Wrangler Energy and
the Liquid Science hydration beverages, all available in bundle form.
Just use the fan in the search bar when you
go to Java house dot com to see what I'm
talking about. All right, Scott, are you ready for the
(00:42):
trivia question regarding the pacers that I can ask to
both you and Eddie and you have to not think
about it, Give me your instinctive off the top of
your head answer and see which the two of you
is closer.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
And by the way, Sunday, I stopped by the broad.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Ripple location of Java House.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I was there too. What time were you there?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Six o'clock baby, okay, right before closed? It was a
four thirty actually, okay.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
It's a great location, by the way. Okay, and thank
you for going in there. Eddie, here you go.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Would you like to guess first or second on this? Oh, Scott,
We're gonna do this card Sharks fashion, do you guys?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Either one of you guys remember the show Card Sharks,
not me? Okay.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
In Card Sharks, they would present a scenario and the
first person has to give a number and then the
second person says whether they think that number is higher
or lower? Okay, the answer is higher or lower. So Scott,
I will let you go first with this. You cannot
think about it. I need instinctive off the top of
your head, gut reaction answer. Okay, tell me the number
of players that have scored a point in the NBA
(01:42):
this year, representing the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Go twenty one, Eddie, twenty six, Eddie.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
In Card Sharks fashion, you have to say, well, gosh,
twenty one is a good guess, and then you have
to give your rationale and then say, but I think
that number is going.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
To be higher.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
So sorry your explanation please, Eddie, I'm just taking a
guess the correct answer, Eddie Garrison is your winner. Twenty
four players have scored for the Pacers this year. Twenty
four players. Wait, we're not doing prices right style.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So I was over, so.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Card shark style you are correct, as you said over Okay,
so price is right style. Scott wins twenty four players. Scott,
the reason I bring that up? At what point do
we enter into the category when you used to? And
I realized not all these guys are around, right, I
mean Mac McClung, you know, short lived, Ray j Dennis
no longer around, Jeremiah Robinson, Earl no longer around, you know,
(02:39):
But the number of players that are there, At what
point do the Pacers say, and in particular for a
Pascal Siakam, we've got to start now going back into
preservation mode and getting making sure that we're not wearing
anyone out, because Pascal Siakam I worry about.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Tell me why I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Yeah, I'm with you now, Jake.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
If you remember about a month ago, I think we
had a similar conversation. I said, Hey, we got to
see them after the NBA Cup. Let's see what they
look like through the rest of this year.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Then we can make a determination.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
A lot of fans already calling for taking a lot
of fans calling and enjoying these wins, which is I
never can get involved with that and engage with that.
But I think you are at the point. To your
exact point here is you realize, all right, this season,
for its original purpose to get back to the NBA Finals,
it's not in the cards here. So you have to
(03:34):
have that long term vision so that you can restart
things next season and pick up where you left off
and not have more injuries and compounding and things. And Siakam,
you're absolutely right, and you can tell he's going through
a rut, both physically but more so mentally, like this
losing streak, in the constant demands of him and players
(03:54):
not being in the right positions, that's just all confounded him.
And I think he's also at the point where he
is just fried. I almost think he should go on
that Lebron James mysterious three week vacation back to Miami
and then suddenly returned, because I think his body deserves it.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I mean, Scott honestly, And I mentioned this earlier, and
let's dive a little deeper into this aspect of it
with siakam And I can't remember the exact you know,
like wordage that was used or the explanation thereof, But
when Siaka was acquired by Indiana, you know, one of
the selling points about him, which turned out to be right, was, hey, listen,
(04:35):
just because he's a veteran player, he is not low.
He doesn't come with the mileage on him out of
Toronto with year round basketball and deep runs annually and
et cetera that a Durant or a Lebron or you know,
or even like a Paul George have had, right, and
so you were getting a slightly younger version of his age,
(04:55):
if you will. My worry is that this year is
going to eradicate all of that advantage on the back
end of his contract. Now, am I way overthinking this?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
No? I think it's fair.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I think you're more worried though, Jake and the big
picture of where he's at mentally in terms of this
situation and being part of it, and how much urgency
does he have to maximize the rest of his career,
and also to show in good faith that you're putting
a group around him that's given him a.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Chance every single night.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
I think there are all those factors that you are
concerned with, but to me, it starts with that engagement,
that comfort level that when you go out there, you
legitimately have a chance to win every single night. I
don't think they've felt that way here in the last
couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Do you think last night there was a play Scott,
you know, we talked about it earlier.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I think it was third quarter, maybe late third quarter.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
They rotated the ball over did Houston to the top
of the key and Durant has a wide open three.
And when I say wide open three, it didn't have
to be. But I think even Durant was surprised at
the literally five players for Indiana that didn't even come
out beyond the free throw line extended and just stood
(06:13):
and watched, and it looked like five guys that were like, man,
we are so over this. And the middle of that
group was Siakam. I mean when I say in the middle,
I mean like physically speaking, he was on the floor
and he happened to me in the middle.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But that's what that was.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
The first time that I began to truly wonder if
this was not the emotional toll on Siakam that we
have feared. But he has to know going into it
what the reality is, does he not? Because there's no toping.
Nie Smiths been out, you know, nim Hart was out
at the beginning. No Halliburton. You know he had to
(06:48):
know going into it what this year was going to
look like.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Did he not?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Yes? But nobody thought it was looking like this, Jake,
not no one.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I mean myself included to be fair, Yes.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
No, you know, if they were sitting here and they
were the Charlotte Hornets, they're at eleven and twenty one,
they've lost just one.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Game in a row.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
There's you know, on the road, they've they're four and twelve.
That's reasonable. But to be at this point where you
have it one in three weeks, you've won one road
game the entire season, that you have the worst record
in the league, No, I'd be lying to you if
I thought that. I thought they'd probably be twenty seconds
something like that in the standings, especially as the injuries
(07:25):
kept piloting up here. But yeah, that picture or that
play rather that you described there, I think all of
us that were watching can play it back in our
minds because it was the epitome of what we've seen
throughout this month, in particular, where I do not think
it was guys giving up or just casually going through anything.
I think it was a group that didn't have a
(07:46):
ton of time together, some players in the wrong position,
some holding their ground to where they think they should be,
and it was just a bunch of confusion. And the
result is you allow a Hall of Famer, one of
the best to ever do it, have as old open
of a shot as he's ever gonna see. There wasn't
anybody within five feet of him, which is even more confounding.
With that you leave everybody else to go get Durant,
(08:09):
especially when.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
He was the leading scorer in the game.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Are we getting a little of the helium aspect here? Eddie?
Speaker 1 (08:14):
By the way, do we need to get Scott to
do when he Scott? We've already got you doing the
lollipop guild stuff, right. I thought we fixed this. It
comes and goes. We have a helium tank that sits
you know here. Now it's not part of the Java
House guest line. I should say that, right, But you
know occasionally it fires up Scott the I want to
(08:34):
get back to one other thing, and that is and
I know that this is probably broken record stuff matherin
Jeris Walker. Is there anything more that we can see here?
Or do we now have pretty definitive idea as to
who they are? And does that now maybe even take
a back seat to other players that we want to
see what they can do a lah for example Cam Jones,
(08:55):
who's now going to get his opportunity.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Yeah, I think one thing was Ben at mcmat and
you got to recognize he's laying it out there even
though he's not feeling great. He's not one hundred percent.
He's not just dealing Jake with one injury, but quietly
dealing with two. He's got that turf toe and then
he's also got a spring right thumb in his shooting hands,
and so I can factor all of that in when
(09:18):
considering his current situation, and I think he's done a
nice job here and as a whole in different games.
You want more consistent scoring, You want him to be
have that engagement. Yes, the points are not as quite
as high as maybe you would have hoped. He's more
like thirteen fourteen the last several weeks and the twenty
in a row twenty points per game like he started
(09:39):
the season. In terms of like a Jared Walker, I
think there's a lot more he can show. He's just
overthinking everything is how I simplify it with him, Like
the moment's too big at this moment. I like, I
want to see more Furfy. I wouldn't mind seeing more
Cam Jones. But more than anything, I think it's important
to make sure all the these guys are healthy and
(10:01):
not have them, you know, forcing anything out there or whatever,
trying to have the big picture in mind here. It's
good to the seron Nei Smith back. You're on the
verge of seeing Ben Shephard, I think return. It was
notable that he was upgraded to questionable and then downgraded
into out, so that suggests that he went through shoot
around wasn't quite feeling good enough to return.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
But he's on the doorstep and that's encouraging.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
Scott to kind of go back to the trivia question
to start the conversation. As Chick noted, twenty four different
players have scored for the Pacers this year. I think
they have had twenty six total players on the roster
at various points throughout the season. What kind of message
does that sendo the locker room When you are a
team that just went to the NBA Finals, you felt
(10:45):
like going into the season you could still squeak into
the playoffs, and now it seems like, you know, the
front office or the coaching staff is kind of just
bringing in a fresh body every other week to kind
of fill out that last roster spot.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
To me, it shows, hey, this front and off is
still trying. They haven't given up and pulled the plug
on this season at all, because they're not bringing in
players just because the other guys haven't worked or whatever,
or you know, they've had these different injuries that have
piled up and they're trying to find the right combinations.
At one point they were down forwards, then they needed
guards and ball handlers. Most recently it's been centers, and
(11:21):
so sure they could have kept running back James Wiseman,
but he was not productive. He was not doing the
things they wanted out on the court. He did not
have that basketball IQ that would lead to the place
like we've often seen here recently, like Kevin Durant getting
the open shot. So if I'm a player. I'm seeing
the commitment thus far from the Pacers that they're not
(11:42):
giving up on the season. They're trying to find guys
out there. The reality is there's a reason those players
are available in the first place, two months here into
the season, and so yeah, the challenge with it going
into this year is we knew that Tyrees wouldn't play,
but that would that's not excuse for.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Not getting back to the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
But then it just felt like all these injuries filled
over that at some point there was about nine or
ten different guys on the injury report, four different emergency
hardship contracts. That's where we had to reset expectations. But no,
we did not expect the six win type season here.
Closing out the twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Scott Agus is our guest Java House Peelingport guest line
before we let you go, Scott Fieldhouse files where you
can read his work.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
By the way, one guy that I'm curious about, because.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I believe I'm correct in this, I believe if it's
not the first, it was very close to the first
in terms of the Pacers home game. The first at
least within the first group of substitutes at that time,
was Taylor Peter their rookie draft pick. We have not
seen a lot of him since. What was the I
(12:51):
guess what has been the reasoning for that? Is that
sim strictly a numbers game or was there something they
did or did not see early on? And obviously I
know that he's a two way player.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Yeah, it's strictly a numbers game, is how I view that, Jacob.
I mean, back then, you had no TJ. McConnell, no
Quintin Jackson. I'll obviously Haliburton was out and Smith was out,
so you had so many guys missing time that you
just kept going down the list of two way guys.
And Ethan Thompson's been the one that's been contributing the
most among.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Those two way guys.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
But Quentin Jackson is ahead of Taylor, and so I
think a large part that's that's the reason why he's
been out of the rotation here. You're good at that position.
You've needed bodies at center and on the wing spot.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
All right, Scott, appreciate the time as always. Happy New
Year to you.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
All right, Absolutely, Happy new Year to you guys.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Enjoyed Pasadena, you know, I well appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Take an umbrella. I'm telling you, Scot. By the way, Scott,
have you been to the Rose Bull before?
Speaker 3 (13:48):
No, this is the first time for all of that experience.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Take a seat, cushion and an umbrella, but it's awesome,
and try to bring home a win for Indiana, certainly
Indiana Alabama. Scott, one of the nine hundred and foury
six thousand Hoosiers that are going to be in Pasadena.
You literally right now, it is difficult to go on
social media or any of the different news sources right
(14:14):
here being one of them. And I appreciate everybody that
tunes into this program. With all the options that are
out there, it is difficult to enter into the arena
of discussion about college athletics without hearing the conversation of
all of this happening with college basketball. And I think
the thing that makes it so interesting and at the
(14:38):
same time frustrating, it's almost like the movie pulp Fiction.
You know, the movie pulp Fiction. You're like halfway through
the movie before you realize that what you're seeing is
a movie of different storylines that are taking place, non sequential,
(15:00):
but at the end it kind of all comes together
and you're like, Okay, now I can see the different
pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. They just seem to kind
of go out of order. And the NCAA and they're
handling of or they're trying to get the tiger by
the tail of this whole saga involving Nil and everything
(15:23):
that goes into it is the same way of it
almost feels like it's out of order.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
I had mentioned that this all is coming to a
head because in the past week you have back to
back stories of Scott Drew at Baylor going out and
getting a mid season pickup from a player who's already
(15:52):
been drafted into the NBA but as yet to sign
a contract. And then you have another player that is
in the G League on a two way contract and
has already scored three points in the NBA this year
that now is rumored to be being recruited by a
number of different schools, including if you believe reports, Indiana,
(16:18):
And you have two ways to look at it. One is, look,
everybody needs to take a hard line here and stop
this carousel from spinning before everybody pukes. And then the
second is, yeah, but you either get on board or
get left in the dust. Which way is it? One
(16:39):
of the most and I think has a future beyond
coaching if he ever so chose. In terms of administrative
aspect towards college athletics, a guy that I think defines scruples.
(17:00):
And maybe I'm wrong, maybe I've been sold to Billy Goods.
But the guy that I think is the pillar of
going about and doing things with integrity, doing it with principle,
and doing it with the right intentions in mind, at
the core of what college athletics are supposed to be.
(17:22):
And maybe very soon we will say what they used
to be. But the guy that I think has become
a spokesperson for the sport and for what should be
right about it, and one that even if you're the
biggest diehard fan of a rivaling school, you should be
proud that this state has produced Matt Painter. And last
(17:46):
night Purdue ran at times a clinic against Kent State,
who's going to be a good team in their league.
But after the game, Matt Painter was asked about comments
that tom Izzo had already made about his concern of
where this is all headed. And the first thing that
Peter said simply was, can we all please, at least
at the very start of this, get on the same
(18:09):
page of some sort of outline as to what this
deal the ceiling should be.
Speaker 6 (18:14):
Yeah, we just want to know the rules so we
can abide by them. Like we don't.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
We don't know what's going on.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
So that that's what I would say, Like we need
some leadership, we need someone to step up, and like
here's how it's ran. Here's name, image and likeness, here's
the transfer situation.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Like whatever.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
Like we can go on to all these different examples
and give us the rules, we'll abide by them, you know,
because that's who the rules are for. The rules aren't
for the people who cheat. The rules are for the
people that abide by them. And so like that's where
this is all goes down, and there's no communication, like
we just want to know, like tell us what to
tell us what to do, tell us how to go
(18:51):
about it, and then like you know, we'll go from there.
And it's just there's just a lot of gray area right.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Now, here's where that gray area gets compounded. For example,
Alec points out Jake, the Trent and Flowers recruiting report
has been deemed false.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
Wait, my only friend, Alec, that's right, who worked with
my other friends, Scott, yes, last night.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
You have two of them, then, I guess so. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It says he wants to go back to college because
he's a two way guy and wants to right his
wrongs and improve his stock. Most schools that were rumored
to be interested in him said they're not recruiting him.
I could see that them saying that now, right, I'm
not saying that that's false. But that's not an isolated incident.
I guarantee you there's more out there about that and
(19:37):
within that. Okay, And here's where a lot of this
problem lies. And I'm going to speak from truth here.
That's not going to be very popular. There is amongst
and the sport basketball and baseball are the two sports
that jump out to me the most on this. Travel
(20:02):
sports and year round sports within a specified sport is
ruining sports in many aspects. Those of you who have
kids playing travel baseball, I have bad news for you.
And I know that kids love playing baseball, and it's wonderful.
It's a great sport. It's a great game, and it's
fun for kids to go out and play with their
(20:22):
friends and everything else. But you get to a certain
point where you might notice that your kid's involvement suddenly
comes with an increased price tag for different groups, coaches
or organizations that are taking the money for your kid
to play, which is by the design, and they're going
to tell you that your kid needs to play in
(20:45):
that league, your kid needs to play for that team,
your kid needs to increase and play at a higher profile,
because that's what's going to allow them to play at
the college level or for another team, or for a
better program, a better system that improves their speed, their velocity,
their curve, whatever it might be. And while there may
(21:05):
be isolated cases of that, in more cases than not,
it's because it's about the money that you are being
fleeced to pay, and you're getting swept up and caught
up in this hype that your kid's a better player
than they are. I'm sorry to break it to you now.
On the basketball side of things, I always laugh at it.
You can tell it. You see a picture of some
(21:26):
team and it used to be this is the number
one fifteen and under team, fourteen and under team, thirteen
and under team. Now it's like, and I get it
all the time. If I could show you my DMS,
you would be floored at the number of things I get.
I got news for you, and I'm not trying to
(21:47):
be Debbie Downer and I'm not trying to be pessimistic Pete.
I'm being realistic Rick here. Okay, every team that has
second grade kids is a number four team in the country.
Nobody's the number one team, everybody's the fourth ranked team.
Everybody's got the number one point guard in America for
(22:08):
kids that are nine years old. I got dms right
now from fifteen different parents and coaches telling me about
how their kid, their school, their team is the number
one team, they're second graders, they're third graders. Ain't none
of it matter anything until every kid's gone through puberty.
But it's all a racket set up to fleece the
money out of people to continue to pay to support
(22:31):
half the time these completely shady AAU programs or travel
ball programs and everything else with some guy whose pocket's
getting fatter and fatter and fatter, and he's convinced that
if he facilitates for five hundred kids, one of them
might get to the NBA and someday he'll be interviewed
on a thirty for thirty while kicking back his royalties.
That's exactly how ninety percent of this works. And I
(22:52):
know that sounds ludicrous, but I'm realistic, Rick, and there's
a reason I'm bringing this all up. Okay, Now, I
could look at a right now. You show it to me.
It's the funniest thing in the world. I see it
on Facebook and social media all day long, bunch of
kids holding up their rings at some tournament out in
Las Vegas or in Cincinnati or whatever, some AAU team,
and you look at the photo and you're like, I
(23:13):
can absolutely tell the one kid who's dad, he's on
the team because his dad's bankrolling this whole thing. You
can absolutely tell it. The four foot ten kid that
weighs sixty four pounds, Like, that kid's on the team
because his dad is the one that is convincing his
wife that they need to be paying for this, because
his kid's gonna get his shot someday to go play
big time Division one sports. Guess what dominant seventh grade,
(23:35):
dominant second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade kids,
you know what, most of them grow up to be
nice backup JV point guards. Because then everybody else goes
through puberty and it all evens out. And the same
thing happens in college recruiting because all these players now
they no longer are represented by they play for Lawrence
(23:56):
North or Warren Central or North Central or Brownsburg or
Ben David or Rebuff. Now it is they play for
you know, Indie Heat or Ohio Elite or whatever the
AAU programs are. And it's the AAU coaches again trying
to get that pocket that right. It's the AAU coaches
that are selling and over selling these guys as being
(24:19):
bigger and better than what they are, and they are
convincing all of these kids that they are going to
be NBA or g League or European Professional League players,
and the reality is that like one percent of all
players reach that point and they're still at its core
should be those players that college athletics allows for a player,
(24:42):
whether he is a player from rural America, whether he's
a player from inner city America, whether he's a kid
from suburban America, a kid who gets the opportunity to
advance his education and his worldly experience in doing so,
perhaps financially in a situation otherwise would not be afforded
to him or her, And those are the ones that
(25:05):
this potentially is going to hurt, because what happens if
all of a sudden, now you are becoming essentially nothing
but a G league and you are doing it with
just one year rentals, over and over and over, facilitated
by greasy AAU funded money, funneling, channeling, sponsorships and all
of that, and now all of a sudden, you're losing
(25:26):
sight of what the true purpose of the college experience
should be. And it sounds ridiculous except for you realize
that ninety eight percent of players playing in college basketball
are never going to be in a situation where their
livelihood has changed because of the game and playing it
beyond the age of twenty two, and Matt Painter is
(25:49):
well aware of that fact.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
We got to keep fighting for the ones that aren't
pros because you end up being a pro and you
get yourself in that position. But when you go look statistically,
ninety four ninety five percent of all pros have to
get another job, so we should probably fight for them too.
You know, making it isn't going to the NBA. You know,
making it is just being the best version of yourself
(26:12):
and helping other people like that's making it, Like and
so we get lost in this little world we're in
when in reality, like, let's don't lose that train of
thought about doing what's best for them. But it's getting
really hard quit with the landscape we're in right now.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
I go back to.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
One of the best lines I've ever seen while sitting
in a movie theater, and like, I literally I stopped.
And there have been great lines in movie history. Hope
is a good thing, perhaps the best of things. It's
a great line, great line, There's just one thing I
(26:55):
want you to do for me?
Speaker 2 (26:56):
When? When? What are we waiting for?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
It's a great line from Rocky Too. It's a great line, endless,
but one of the great lines I've ever heard. And
it wasn't a movie but a documentary, was in Hoop
Dreams with William Gates, who I've mentioned on this show before,
when they followed William Gates and Arthur ag both kids
my class class of nineteen ninety one in high school,
and they followed him for all four years of high school,
(27:22):
through their journey in the Chicago public schools and in Gates' case,
going into the parochial schools in Saint Joseph in Westchester, Illinois.
Same school that produced Isaiah Thomas and Darryl Thomas of
Indiana fame, and both of them were thought to be
surefire NBA level players. And at the end of that
documentary they interview William Gates, who went under Marquette, had
(27:45):
a knee injury, had a modest career in college. They
get ended their for him from a playing standpoint, and
he says in that documentary, everywhere I go, everyone says
to me the same thing, don't forget about me when
you get to the NBA. And then he paused and said,
and what I want to say back to them is,
don't forget about me if I don't get there. And
(28:09):
every kid right now playing somewhere in the summer league
is convinced, as they probably should be, that the game
is always going to be there for them. And we
used to live in a world where there were people
who knew better that were able to say to them, son, daughter,
I want you to chase those dreams and aspirations, but
(28:30):
I want you to also have something in store if
in fact that isn't there for you. And the avenue
in which those things used to be there for people,
Matt Painter and others now are aware of the fact
that what if that also goes away, and that's the
real danger of where college basketball may be. Again, not
(28:52):
trying to be pessimistic, Pete, just realistic.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Rick. We went with this. Here's a contribute question for
Stephen Holder.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Stephenholder of ESPN dot com who joins us on the
Java House, Peel and Port guest line.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
He is the one that.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Was responsible for confirming the news that Riley Leonard will
be your starting quarterback for the final game of the
season for the Colts coming up on Sunday. Stephen, would
you like to guess why we went with the Ghetto
Boys as our artist of choice today?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Hmmm?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (29:29):
Is this the Houston connection?
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Look at the big brain on Steve. Yes.
Speaker 7 (29:35):
Yes, listen, listen, Scarface the greatest Houston. I mean when
you say Houston, you're saying the homeless Scarface as far
as I'm concerned, but you know that might just be me.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Listen. I love the song Scarf. Love the song Scarface.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
And the other day, actually, we were driving in the car,
not that anybody cares, I canna tell you anyway, and
I'm driving. Shannon's in the pastor seat and she says
is this that song where you do that ridiculous duck
down again when the gunfire happens.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
I said, yes, as a matter of fact, it is.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
It's an entire it's an entire routine that happens when
you ride in the car with me. I can tell
you that right now.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
So speaking of that, Steven, we now know that, in
fact at the driver's wheel with his hands on the
wheel will be Riley Leonard for the Colts coming up
on Sunday. What does this mean both in the short
term and then beyond crazy? Is that sounds and hear
me out on this for philip rivers.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
Okay, Well, I'll take the second part first. In terms
of philip rivers long term. For philip Rivers, as we
sit here today, there is no long term Okay, let
me be clear about that. I sense no inclination from
him to give this any further consideration, and I certainly
don't hear that from the Colts. In fact, you know,
(30:57):
they don't ever want to be in this position ever
again where they have to call Philip rivers. So you know,
I want to I want people to kind of understand
it from that perspective, like it wasn't you know it
would be a great idea, let's go get Philip Rivers
because we think he's a great option. It was more like,
we don't have any options. We might have to call
Philip Rivers. You understand that, Like those are two different things,
(31:20):
you know. So anyhow, that's where that stands in terms
of what it means to Riley Leonard. I think it's
an opportunity. It's what it is. It's an opportunity. It's
a tough spot, no question about it. I mean that
Houston defense is it is super Bowl caliber, there's no
question about it. And they come for the quarterback, buddy.
(31:41):
So he's going to get a test under fire and
it is going to be a I guess baptism under
fire if you will. And he just better be ready,
that's all I can say. He better be ready, and
it might be ugly, it might not go according to
the plan. I don't think any of that is necessarily
an awful thing, because you know, he could be their
(32:01):
long term backup if he proves worthy of it. And
so that's kind of where that stands.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Stephen. Didn't they find themselves in.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Or is there some truth to this thought that I
had from earlier, and that is Chris Ballard and Shane
Steiken needed to start Riley Leonard on Sunday for the
reasons that you mentioned, but at the same time also
because at some point, you know, Shane Stiken is the
quarterback whisper and Chris Ballard is hired to judge, assess
(32:31):
and then acquire talent coming out of the draft out
of college. They are getting ready potentially to go in
for end of your meetings. Don't they need to be
able to say, wouldn't it not have been an indictment
in a totally meaningless game for them to not have
gone with a guy that is, to some extent the
reason why they should have that job validation?
Speaker 7 (32:53):
Well, I mean, I just think for consistency's sake, you
kind of had to do this. And what I mean
by that is the stated objective when you signed Philip
Rivers was we are doing this to make a run
at the playoffs. Now that didn't work, but I understand it,
and I actually don't hold that decision against them, right,
(33:13):
I think it makes sense now now that they are
out of playoff contention. I think if you, if you
want to be consistent, that goal that Carrot is no
longer out there, so there's nothing to prohibit you from
playing the player that you drafted. But Sunday, well this
(33:34):
past Sunday, Well yeah, that's fair. But I would say
this they said ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I get it, but.
Speaker 7 (33:40):
You can you can accept the explanation or not. But
the thinking was they wouldn't know they were eliminated until
Saturday night, and by then it's too late to go
back and change what you've done all week. In terms
of preparation, you would be putting Riley Leonard out there
without the adequate preparation.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
I get it.
Speaker 7 (34:02):
Okay, well, look, I mean I get I get.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Why, I get the explanation. I'm not saying I buy it.
You know what I mean, I'm not saying you I
mean because my thought on that is yeah, but.
Speaker 7 (34:11):
They put Phillip although it is true, it is true
that Rivers did take the snatch, but go ahead.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Well, but I mean what I'm saying is, I mean,
it's it's water under the bridge now. But with the
explanation of we have to go with Rivers because that's
who we used in the weak preparation, I get that.
But then at the same time they went with Rivers
three days after he was coaching a high school team.
You know what I mean, Like it wasn't like he
(34:35):
was there leading.
Speaker 7 (34:36):
Up because he has he's uniquely prepared to do.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
That understood, I understand, but rather than it has been
in the building all year.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
I mean, but regardless, So I.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Would say I would just say this in closing on
this point, I do think there is at least some
recognition that, look, Philip Rivers came and did us a favor.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Oh totally, I get it.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
And he did a good I mean, let's I know
they didn't win the games, all things considered, he did
a good job, no question. And he's a very likable
guy and all of those things. The reason I asked
about him beyond this year, crazy as it sounds, when
I look at next year, it is my opinion their
best option at quarterback next year is Daniel Jones. But
(35:21):
he's not under contract. Let's say that he has resigned.
You don't know for certain that he is going to
be one hundred percent and up to speed ready to
go in Week one. What quarterback on their roster gives
them the best chance to win until Daniel Jones is
able to take the keys and also has the least
(35:42):
messy transition of power.
Speaker 7 (35:46):
Well, that's an important part of the question, I think
that last part, so I think the answer, Well, let
let's back up, let's address it this way. Here's what
I think is probably going to happen.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
How about that.
Speaker 7 (35:58):
I think the likeliest way forward here is, as you said,
that they intend very very strongly too, or their preferences
very strongly, to re sign Daniel Jones, get him healthy.
They have already sort of latched on to the Aaron
Rodgers story, and I'm pretty sure that Daniel has been
(36:21):
in touch with Rogers, you know, to kind of get
some advice from him on how he bounced back from
his achilles in such short order, which he did do.
He didn't play great coming off of it, but he
did come back pretty quickly. Now, Daniel's ten years younger,
so that helps. Anyhow, they think of a duplication of
that as possible. So let's say they're right. Let's say,
(36:43):
which they can't possibly know now, but let's say they're right,
you get them back. There is that chance that he
might not be fully ready to go on day one.
Anthony Richardson is under contract for next year. The reality
is they moved on from Anthony Richardson. They didn't say that,
but I'm saying that. But they all said it with
their They said it with their with their actions. I
(37:07):
anticipate he gets traded. So if that remains true, I
think they are grooming Riley Leonard to probably be a
long term backup. And you have Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard.
That's what I see happening.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
What would Richardson realistically fetch on the market?
Speaker 7 (37:26):
Not a ton and because there's some uncertainty with him, right,
I mean injury performance, all of that for sure.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
But but I think there's.
Speaker 7 (37:37):
Gonna be I don't think there's gonna be a lack
of interest, but I'd also don't think teams are gonna
be willing to give up the house.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
You know.
Speaker 7 (37:46):
I think there's there's two different questions. What seems to
be interested? I think, yes, this is not a great
quarterback class in the NFL draft. I don't know what
free agency looks like, but it's probably not great depending
on who falls out of the trees. So I anticipate
there will be teams interested in looking at him in
(38:07):
some capacity. But you know, but what are you going
to What are you going to get in terms of
a draft pick. I think it's probably a mid round pick,
is what I think. Could you get a little more
if there are multiple suitors, Yes, but I'm not talking about,
you know, some sort of like Day one or two pick.
I mean I think you're maybe a couple of mid
(38:28):
round picks or something like that. I mean, if you
got a third round pick, you would be thrilled, I
feel to be completely honest. So I don't think people
should have unrealistic expectations about that. The trade, in my opinion,
would be more about, you know, just moving forward with
Daniel Jones and honestly accommodating Anthony Richardson, who, if he's
not going to get the job, isn't going to want
(38:49):
to be here.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Do you think Stephen that the uncertainty Stephen Holder my
guest ESPN dot com, he's on the job, a house peeling,
poor guest line. When you try to assess, and we'll
begin with Chris in trying to determine whether or not
Chris Ballard returns next year, is there a bigger uncertainty
of answer because of the validity of which case you
(39:11):
could spell out either side of it, or because simply
we just don't know yet the motivations and the workings
and the operating procedures of Carli Orsi Gordon.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
So we don't know.
Speaker 7 (39:30):
I think on that second point, we don't know entirely
what to expect from her. However, I do think we
have some pretty good clues. I mean, some of which
she has told us and some of which we just
know from observing her, or at least me from observing her,
and not just this year, for many years observing Carli Gordon, right,
I mean, she didn't just parachute in, you know, six
(39:52):
months ago. She's been around for many, many years. I
would say that the thing about her is is very
very methodical. That is the thing that I think I
think encapsulated her best. You know, she she is methodical
(40:12):
in terms of what she says, in terms of what
she does, in terms of the decisions that she makes,
all of these things. So I don't think this is
going to be something where she makes an emotional decision.
We lost six or seven in a row. I'm over it,
Get out of here, right, That's not what this is
going to be. Whatsoever, I can guarantee you that I
(40:32):
will also guarantee you that she has thought and plotted
and considered what the next moves would be, depending on
what comes next, what are the subsequent moves. All of
that has been considered down to a very granular level,
because that's who she is. So whatever she decides, not
(40:54):
everyone is going to agree with it, but I will
tell you it will be well thought out.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
And I would say that.
Speaker 7 (40:59):
As much as I respect the jim irsay a lot,
but I do think we have evidence that he sometimes
made rash decisions, right. I mean, Jeff Saturday wasn't inter
room coach. I would venture to say, Carli Ersa. Gordon
would never ever, ever ever do that, right. So I
just think that's where they're different. She will not make
(41:20):
emotional decisions. She will make rational decisions and methodical decisions,
whereas her father thought a little more with his heart
I think.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
Than his head.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Okay, Stephen, before we let you go, Now, we've had
this intermittently.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
We've had fun with it.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
We've got a chipmunk that's quite frankly empetomized that runs
our computer. We got a chipmunk that he runs on
a wheel and it runs our computer. Force but occasionally
we believe he's hitting the met pipe and he starts
running too fast and it speeds things up.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
So your voice is a little sped up here.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Now we've had fun with others doing follow the Yellbrick
Road and a couple of Alvin and the Chipmunks things.
You sound a little like Mickey Mouse right now. Is
there any chance we can just get you to say
you're in Mickey's funhouse? This is Mickey Mouse on the fan.
Can we just get you to say that, and just
in your normal voice? But I think it'll take care
of itself.
Speaker 7 (42:14):
All right, let me try this here with a straight face.
What's the one?
Speaker 1 (42:20):
How about simply how about simply m I c k
e y You're in Mickey's funhouse.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
That'll work.
Speaker 7 (42:32):
M I c k e y You're in Mickey's funhouse
or playhouse.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
Trust me, either way it works. Believe you me.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
When you go back and you listen to the podcast,
which I know you do, either one works, I believe
believe me. Okay, Colts Texan's coming up Sunday. Lastly, before
we let you go, you know, and we'll get into
it a later time. More on Ballard and stichen In
futures and that kind of thing, saying, would you and
I guess a two part question, any other curve balls
(43:04):
we might see on Sunday and then certainty of the
future of the franchise we will know better how long
after the game.
Speaker 7 (43:14):
M So, now, I don't know that there are any
huge curveballs outside of outside of Leonard. I mean, I
think you're gonna see guys like Jonathan Taylor play, you know,
most of the other key players who are not hurt.
I mean, I can't imagine seeing the sauce Gardener out there,
for example, he's got the calf uh and wants to
(43:35):
try to play maybe if he can, But I can't
see what the point of that would be. So I think, yeah,
I think we can kind of predict what the lineup
will look like outside of Leonard in terms of the
time frame after that. That's a that's a complete unknown,
complete unknown. I will say, I do think it was
(43:55):
notable that last year Jim Mercy say put out that
statement literally the night of the season finale, right after
during that snowstorm that I got caught in. If you're
a call after the Week eighteen game, you put out
that the statement that he was retaining Chris Ballad and
Shane Stiken, and so there was no you know, there
(44:18):
was no consternation about that. Whether they will proceed similarly,
I don't know. I have no expectation whatsoever, because there's
nothing to base it on. So I do think though,
I will say I do think whatever they're going to do,
you have to think they know, you know what I mean,
Like this thing, we were headed this way for a while,
(44:41):
We lived and headed this way for a while. And
so in terms of this season, the results of this season, right,
I know, they just got eliminated, but the odds we
were always against them, right, and so and I don't
even think that's what this is going to come down to.
I think this is a long term decision based on
a preponderance of lots of different things. So we'll see
(45:04):
what they do. But I think they I think they
probably have a very good idea of where this is going.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
You know, preponderance is a really big word for Mickey Mouse.
I'm not gonna lie to you like it's which is
kind of fun. Can we just one last time, how
about this just simply go m I C K E
Y m O U S E can we get that
real quick.
Speaker 7 (45:23):
Why are you doing this to me? Uh m I
c K E y M O U s E.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
I W.
Speaker 7 (45:34):
I worked for Hey, listen, I worked for the Mouse Company.
Speaker 1 (45:36):
Right, you're obligated, Steven, You have no choice, right, your
empowered you?
Speaker 7 (45:42):
Why the hell did I do that?
Speaker 2 (45:45):
Hearing Mickey use profanity is also outstanding? All right, Steven,
appreciate it? All right? You got it, Stephen Steven Holder.
Speaker 1 (45:56):
Uh and by the way, his Miami Hurricanes now representing
the world as they take on the Ohio State University.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
California, indeed the place to be.
Speaker 1 (46:06):
Don Fisher was on with us earlier said that it
is overcast there, but that is not necessarily a bad
thing because I do believe, and I know that I'm
probably crazy when I say this, if it is a
rain soaked Rose Bowl, and I don't know that it's
supposed to rain during the game itself, but I think
(46:26):
all leading up to it, I think rain may favor
Indiana because Alabama does not run the ball well, which
is weird to say about Alabama, but they are a
past first team and that might be advantage Indiana, who
feels like they are more balanced offensively. But a guy
who joins us now on the Java House peelaporg guest line.
You can read his work with peags dot com also
with two four seven twenty four to seven sports, whichever
(46:49):
way you would like to use that numerical combination. Matt
Weaver joining us on the program, and Matt, you are
on your way to Pasadena?
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (47:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (47:00):
I'm in a terminal b here at the airport. I'm
gonna be bored in about twenty three minutes.
Speaker 1 (47:06):
Okay, you are flying direct or you're going through a city,
and if it's through a city, we're going to guess it.
Speaker 2 (47:12):
Or are you flying direct?
Speaker 8 (47:14):
I'm actually going through two cities. One of them I
don't get off the plane. One of them I don't
get off the plane.
Speaker 2 (47:19):
So you're flying southwest? Is that right? Yeah? I'm going
to go that. You're going through Dallas and Vegas.
Speaker 8 (47:27):
You got the second one right, but not the first one.
Speaker 2 (47:30):
Where's the first one?
Speaker 8 (47:32):
Phoenix?
Speaker 1 (47:33):
And you're not getting off the plane in Phoenix? Or
you're not getting off the plane in Vegas.
Speaker 8 (47:38):
I'm not getting off the plane in Phoenix like a
forty minute layover. I'm guessing some people will get off
and some people will get on here or there, then
why do they get that fifteen minute layover and then
from there to.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Lay All right, fair enough, There's nothing more sad, by
the way than the lady with a one ten slim
cigarette of which one hundred of it is ash that
is sitting there pulling like three levers and the vay
I guess airport during her twenty eight minute delay. But nonetheless,
all right, Matt, let's get to this Indiana Alabama, the
you know, from an Indiana standpoint.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
Let's start with health.
Speaker 1 (48:11):
We talked about this with Don a little bit earlier,
but the latest of where things stand from Indiana from
a health standpoint, and is there anybody surprising that might
have popped up on the injury report that is of
question for Indiana?
Speaker 8 (48:25):
No, I mean, I think they had four guys. Obviously
the two you know, obviously the Stephen Daily thing. Everybody
kind of knew that right after the Big Ten Championships.
Kellen Wyott's been out since like October in terms of
bryce and bonds. Was another one. There was a fourth
one has escaped in my mind, but it wasn't funny.
(48:46):
I don't think he played a lot Brendan Frank and probable,
I think is a pleasant surprise. I wondered if he
was going to be able to come back, and people say, well,
he's just a kickoff guy. Well, he's a really good
kickoff guy. Like basically teams don't return kickoff when he's
out there, and that's a big weapon to have, especially
you know you're playing to get a team like Bama
with their speed athleticism. You know, anytime you can keep
them from touching the ball and running with it is
(49:07):
obviously a positive. So if he's able to kick and
he's back to his old self, that's that's a nice
that'd be a nice addition for I you.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Is there anything that you got indication map from Kurt
Signetti or uncovering this that Indiana looks at with Alabama
and sees maybe some sort of an achilles that Indiana
creates a new wrinkle to exploit, or we at the
point of the year now where it is, this is
who we are and this is what we do.
Speaker 8 (49:34):
Well. And you're always you're obviously always looking for every
little advantage you can get. I think, you know, I mean,
Brian Haynes kind of said it when we talked to him.
You're kind of the point where you just do what
you do now you're still going to try to I mean,
Brian Haynes and both on both sides of the ball,
they're they're so good at attacking the weakness or finding
the weakness and an exploitas on the other team. And
obviously there everybody has a weakness. Even Indiana undefeated has weaknesses.
(49:57):
I mean, nobody's perfect. They just have a lot less
weak This is everybody else. And they do a great
job of not letting people, you know, kind of get
to them or exploit them. So, you know, I think
on you know, offensively, I heard what you said before
I got on. I do I agree with you. I
think rain is a benefit Indiana. I think there's a
better running team. Alabama's really struggled to run the ball
(50:17):
now you know, they can still do other things. The
bores offense. They throw a lot of quick passes to receivers.
But I do think weather favors Indiana. But I think,
you know, if you can get them into some second
and third and long unfavorable behind the behind the chains
kind of distances, you know, even without Wyatt, I'm sorry,
without uh Stephen Daily and tell them whyatt you know,
those two two of their best pass rushers. I still
(50:38):
think you can get some pressure on them, you don't
they have you know, hopefully I get tied Censon into
some mistakes. But and then offensively, like I said, you know,
I think I think Indiana so balanced. I just think
they'll take whatever Alabama gives them if they want them to,
if they if they if they played back, then they'll
run the ball if they're playing up. And then you
I think the Stemon doesn't throw on the ball, you know,
on the field. Of course, weather will play a part.
But I think offensively those do whatever they whatever the
(51:01):
you know, Alabama showing that they can do.
Speaker 1 (51:03):
Is there concern or have you seen any reason to
be concerned that the moment may suddenly kind of sweep
up Indiana?
Speaker 8 (51:15):
You know, I don't think so. I think last year
that was probably a little bit of it. And they
were they were for you know, that team. They had
a good year last year, you know, but they that
was the first time any of those guys pretty much
had ever been in that kind of situation. They a lot,
you know, and I know they have a lot of
new faces, but you know, the key guys on this
team have played in these types of games, and they
played on the biggest stages, you know, And I mean like,
(51:38):
you know, if they were gonna get swept up at something,
I would have thought it might be like the Big
Ten Championship. Playing in your backyard. You're going to get
some TV had and beaten since you know, what is
it the late eighties, and so you know, I think
they've shown that the that the wise is there gonna
be some nerves and startup shore. There will be will
there'll be some russ. I mean, they haven't played since
well it December of that game December sixth, I think
(51:58):
against the Hot State, so you're talking almost a month.
I mean literally almost a month. There's probably and you
know obviously Alabama played more recently, so there'll probably be
some runs and nerves, but I think they'll settle in.
This is a veteran team with a great leadership Aiden Fisher,
Pat Coogan, Mendoza, you go on down the list. This
is a really veteran team that they're just very bus
(52:19):
like it. So I don't think they'll get caught up
in the moment, and I think they'll be fine. With that.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Okay, Lastly, Matt, the one thing that is of interest
I won't say concern bit of interest to me, and
I want you to tell me if you think I'm
overthinking it, and that is that if Indiana is to
win a national championship, which I mean they're the number
one seed, right they're going to have to play three
consecutive weeks against three consecutive very deep and strong teams,
(52:43):
regardless of who it is. And they have the two
best wins in college football right now, but they didn't
have to do it week after week after week. Does
Indiana have the depth to be able to go up
against a blue blood three weeks in that is also
going into their third game in three weeks and has
better depth on their roster.
Speaker 8 (53:06):
No, I think that's a great point. And I think
I don't think you're overthinking that at all. And and
do I think they can do it? Yeah, but we
won't know for sure. I mean there are some spots.
And obviously now the end is a finn spot. I
mean you're down to McAll Kamara, and I mean I'm
not sure who the other guys gonna be. Maybe in
Duke Way, maybe they put Mario Landino. But no matter what,
(53:27):
you've lost two really good players and your depth is
taking a hit. And if you have any more injuries
than some other spots, you know, it could be tough.
Especially like you said, there's no every other week, there's
no bye weeks. Now you're gonna be playing. If you win, now,
you play well the night, and then you'll get like
ten days. I think the national champions of the nineteenth
maybe get a little bit more time, but still it's
basically week after week after week. So yeah, I think
(53:48):
you make it a great point and we'll find out.
I think they have the depth, but this is where
this is where it's gonna get tested for sure. If
they make a run here and they have a great
straight coach and Derek Owens, if you get this team
physically ready to play, so I think they can do it,
but you never know. Injuries are the uncontrollable, you know,
you just there's nothing you can do about them. And
if those crop up then obviously that could throw a
(54:09):
monkey mentioned everything.
Speaker 2 (54:11):
Uh did you pay for the early bird boarding Delio?
By the way, Uh, I think I'm like, I'm in
d I'm going to say you're b six. I'm gonna
say you're B six. What number do you got? B what?
Speaker 8 (54:23):
I think it might be B two?
Speaker 2 (54:25):
Oh nice? Yeah, you're fine. Your your your window or
I mean, you're not middle seat. You're good. You're good.
Speaker 8 (54:30):
So I think i'm B too.
Speaker 1 (54:31):
So I mean, if people get off the plane in Phoenix,
get up and start throwing your elbows around, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (54:36):
Festival seating, I mean most of.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
It, matt We appreciate the time, short notice. I realized
safe travels by all means, and we'll be reading the
coverage at twenty four to seven and peaks of the
Rose Bowl between Indiana and Alabama.
Speaker 2 (54:48):
Certainly appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (54:50):
Okay, thanks you guys have a great dew year.
Speaker 2 (54:52):
Appreciate it you too.
Speaker 1 (54:53):
Matthew Weaver joining us on the Java House Peel and
Poor Guest line
But I have a great pacer trivia question as well,
which I will allow you Eddie Garrison to go up
against Scott Agnes of Fieldhouse Files to see which of
the two of you has the prowess to answer it correctly.
Oh boy, Scott from Fieldhouse Files joins us now in
the Java House Peel and Port guest line. Java house
dot com is the website Jake twenty five the code
for twenty five percent off and you can get the
(00:21):
bundle of peel and poor pods. It is so simple.
You peel and put them an eight ounces of water
instant beverage, the amazingly smooth Colombian, the Wrangler Energy and
the Liquid Science hydration beverages, all available in bundle form.
Just use the fan in the search bar when you
go to Java house dot com to see what I'm
talking about. All right, Scott, are you ready for the
(00:42):
trivia question regarding the pacers that I can ask to
both you and Eddie and you have to not think
about it, Give me your instinctive off the top of
your head answer and see which the two of you
is closer.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, let's do it.
Speaker 4 (00:53):
And by the way, Sunday, I stopped by the broad.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Ripple location of Java House.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
I was there too. What time were you there?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Six o'clock baby, okay, right before closed? It was a
four thirty actually, okay.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
It's a great location, by the way. Okay, and thank
you for going in there. Eddie, here you go.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
Would you like to guess first or second on this? Oh, Scott,
We're gonna do this card Sharks fashion, do you guys?
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Either one of you guys remember the show Card Sharks,
not me? Okay.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
In Card Sharks, they would present a scenario and the
first person has to give a number and then the
second person says whether they think that number is higher
or lower? Okay, the answer is higher or lower. So Scott,
I will let you go first with this. You cannot
think about it. I need instinctive off the top of
your head, gut reaction answer. Okay, tell me the number
of players that have scored a point in the NBA
(01:42):
this year, representing the Indiana Pacers.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
Go twenty one, Eddie, twenty six, Eddie.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
In Card Sharks fashion, you have to say, well, gosh,
twenty one is a good guess, and then you have
to give your rationale and then say, but I think
that number is going.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
To be higher.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
So sorry your explanation please, Eddie, I'm just taking a
guess the correct answer, Eddie Garrison is your winner. Twenty
four players have scored for the Pacers this year. Twenty
four players. Wait, we're not doing prices right style.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
So I was over, so.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
Card shark style you are correct, as you said over Okay,
so price is right style. Scott wins twenty four players. Scott,
the reason I bring that up? At what point do
we enter into the category when you used to? And
I realized not all these guys are around, right, I
mean Mac McClung, you know, short lived, Ray j Dennis
no longer around, Jeremiah Robinson, Earl no longer around, you know,
(02:39):
But the number of players that are there, At what
point do the Pacers say, and in particular for a
Pascal Siakam, we've got to start now going back into
preservation mode and getting making sure that we're not wearing
anyone out, because Pascal Siakam I worry about.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Tell me why I'm wrong.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Yeah, I'm with you now, Jake.
Speaker 4 (03:01):
If you remember about a month ago, I think we
had a similar conversation. I said, Hey, we got to
see them after the NBA Cup. Let's see what they
look like through the rest of this year.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Then we can make a determination.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
A lot of fans already calling for taking a lot
of fans calling and enjoying these wins, which is I
never can get involved with that and engage with that.
But I think you are at the point. To your
exact point here is you realize, all right, this season,
for its original purpose to get back to the NBA Finals,
it's not in the cards here. So you have to
(03:34):
have that long term vision so that you can restart
things next season and pick up where you left off
and not have more injuries and compounding and things. And Siakam,
you're absolutely right, and you can tell he's going through
a rut, both physically but more so mentally, like this
losing streak, in the constant demands of him and players
(03:54):
not being in the right positions, that's just all confounded him.
And I think he's also at the point where he
is just fried. I almost think he should go on
that Lebron James mysterious three week vacation back to Miami
and then suddenly returned, because I think his body deserves it.
Speaker 1 (04:10):
I mean, Scott honestly, And I mentioned this earlier, and
let's dive a little deeper into this aspect of it
with siakam And I can't remember the exact you know,
like wordage that was used or the explanation thereof, But
when Siaka was acquired by Indiana, you know, one of
the selling points about him, which turned out to be right, was, hey, listen,
(04:35):
just because he's a veteran player, he is not low.
He doesn't come with the mileage on him out of
Toronto with year round basketball and deep runs annually and
et cetera that a Durant or a Lebron or you know,
or even like a Paul George have had, right, and
so you were getting a slightly younger version of his age,
(04:55):
if you will. My worry is that this year is
going to eradicate all of that advantage on the back
end of his contract. Now, am I way overthinking this?
Speaker 3 (05:06):
No? I think it's fair.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I think you're more worried though, Jake and the big
picture of where he's at mentally in terms of this
situation and being part of it, and how much urgency
does he have to maximize the rest of his career,
and also to show in good faith that you're putting
a group around him that's given him a.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Chance every single night.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
I think there are all those factors that you are
concerned with, but to me, it starts with that engagement,
that comfort level that when you go out there, you
legitimately have a chance to win every single night. I
don't think they've felt that way here in the last
couple of weeks.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Do you think last night there was a play Scott,
you know, we talked about it earlier.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I think it was third quarter, maybe late third quarter.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
They rotated the ball over did Houston to the top
of the key and Durant has a wide open three.
And when I say wide open three, it didn't have
to be. But I think even Durant was surprised at
the literally five players for Indiana that didn't even come
out beyond the free throw line extended and just stood
(06:13):
and watched, and it looked like five guys that were like, man,
we are so over this. And the middle of that
group was Siakam. I mean when I say in the middle,
I mean like physically speaking, he was on the floor
and he happened to me in the middle.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
But that's what that was.
Speaker 1 (06:27):
The first time that I began to truly wonder if
this was not the emotional toll on Siakam that we
have feared. But he has to know going into it
what the reality is, does he not? Because there's no toping.
Nie Smiths been out, you know, nim Hart was out
at the beginning. No Halliburton. You know he had to
(06:48):
know going into it what this year was going to
look like.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Did he not?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Yes? But nobody thought it was looking like this, Jake,
not no one.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
I mean myself included to be fair, Yes.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
No, you know, if they were sitting here and they
were the Charlotte Hornets, they're at eleven and twenty one,
they've lost just one.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Game in a row.
Speaker 4 (07:05):
There's you know, on the road, they've they're four and twelve.
That's reasonable. But to be at this point where you
have it one in three weeks, you've won one road
game the entire season, that you have the worst record
in the league, No, I'd be lying to you if
I thought that. I thought they'd probably be twenty seconds
something like that in the standings, especially as the injuries
(07:25):
kept piloting up here. But yeah, that picture or that
play rather that you described there, I think all of
us that were watching can play it back in our
minds because it was the epitome of what we've seen
throughout this month, in particular, where I do not think
it was guys giving up or just casually going through anything.
I think it was a group that didn't have a
(07:46):
ton of time together, some players in the wrong position,
some holding their ground to where they think they should be,
and it was just a bunch of confusion. And the
result is you allow a Hall of Famer, one of
the best to ever do it, have as old open
of a shot as he's ever gonna see. There wasn't
anybody within five feet of him, which is even more confounding.
With that you leave everybody else to go get Durant,
(08:09):
especially when.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
He was the leading scorer in the game.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Are we getting a little of the helium aspect here? Eddie?
Speaker 1 (08:14):
By the way, do we need to get Scott to
do when he Scott? We've already got you doing the
lollipop guild stuff, right. I thought we fixed this. It
comes and goes. We have a helium tank that sits
you know here. Now it's not part of the Java
House guest line. I should say that, right, But you
know occasionally it fires up Scott the I want to
(08:34):
get back to one other thing, and that is and
I know that this is probably broken record stuff matherin
Jeris Walker. Is there anything more that we can see here?
Or do we now have pretty definitive idea as to
who they are? And does that now maybe even take
a back seat to other players that we want to
see what they can do a lah for example Cam Jones,
(08:55):
who's now going to get his opportunity.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Yeah, I think one thing was Ben at mcmat and
you got to recognize he's laying it out there even
though he's not feeling great. He's not one hundred percent.
He's not just dealing Jake with one injury, but quietly
dealing with two. He's got that turf toe and then
he's also got a spring right thumb in his shooting hands,
and so I can factor all of that in when
(09:18):
considering his current situation, and I think he's done a
nice job here and as a whole in different games.
You want more consistent scoring, You want him to be
have that engagement. Yes, the points are not as quite
as high as maybe you would have hoped. He's more
like thirteen fourteen the last several weeks and the twenty
in a row twenty points per game like he started
(09:39):
the season. In terms of like a Jared Walker, I
think there's a lot more he can show. He's just
overthinking everything is how I simplify it with him, Like
the moment's too big at this moment. I like, I
want to see more Furfy. I wouldn't mind seeing more
Cam Jones. But more than anything, I think it's important
to make sure all the these guys are healthy and
(10:01):
not have them, you know, forcing anything out there or whatever,
trying to have the big picture in mind here. It's
good to the seron Nei Smith back. You're on the
verge of seeing Ben Shephard, I think return. It was
notable that he was upgraded to questionable and then downgraded
into out, so that suggests that he went through shoot
around wasn't quite feeling good enough to return.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
But he's on the doorstep and that's encouraging.
Speaker 5 (10:25):
Scott to kind of go back to the trivia question
to start the conversation. As Chick noted, twenty four different
players have scored for the Pacers this year. I think
they have had twenty six total players on the roster
at various points throughout the season. What kind of message
does that sendo the locker room When you are a
team that just went to the NBA Finals, you felt
(10:45):
like going into the season you could still squeak into
the playoffs, and now it seems like, you know, the
front office or the coaching staff is kind of just
bringing in a fresh body every other week to kind
of fill out that last roster spot.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
To me, it shows, hey, this front and off is
still trying. They haven't given up and pulled the plug
on this season at all, because they're not bringing in
players just because the other guys haven't worked or whatever,
or you know, they've had these different injuries that have
piled up and they're trying to find the right combinations.
At one point they were down forwards, then they needed
guards and ball handlers. Most recently it's been centers, and
(11:21):
so sure they could have kept running back James Wiseman,
but he was not productive. He was not doing the
things they wanted out on the court. He did not
have that basketball IQ that would lead to the place
like we've often seen here recently, like Kevin Durant getting
the open shot. So if I'm a player. I'm seeing
the commitment thus far from the Pacers that they're not
(11:42):
giving up on the season. They're trying to find guys
out there. The reality is there's a reason those players
are available in the first place, two months here into
the season, and so yeah, the challenge with it going
into this year is we knew that Tyrees wouldn't play,
but that would that's not excuse for.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Not getting back to the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
But then it just felt like all these injuries filled
over that at some point there was about nine or
ten different guys on the injury report, four different emergency
hardship contracts. That's where we had to reset expectations. But no,
we did not expect the six win type season here.
Closing out the twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Scott Agus is our guest Java House Peelingport guest line
before we let you go, Scott Fieldhouse files where you
can read his work.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
By the way, one guy that I'm curious about, because.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
I believe I'm correct in this, I believe if it's
not the first, it was very close to the first
in terms of the Pacers home game. The first at
least within the first group of substitutes at that time,
was Taylor Peter their rookie draft pick. We have not
seen a lot of him since. What was the I
(12:51):
guess what has been the reasoning for that? Is that
sim strictly a numbers game or was there something they
did or did not see early on? And obviously I
know that he's a two way player.
Speaker 4 (13:02):
Yeah, it's strictly a numbers game, is how I view that, Jacob.
I mean, back then, you had no TJ. McConnell, no
Quintin Jackson. I'll obviously Haliburton was out and Smith was out,
so you had so many guys missing time that you
just kept going down the list of two way guys.
And Ethan Thompson's been the one that's been contributing the
most among.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Those two way guys.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
But Quentin Jackson is ahead of Taylor, and so I
think a large part that's that's the reason why he's
been out of the rotation here. You're good at that position.
You've needed bodies at center and on the wing spot.
Speaker 1 (13:35):
All right, Scott, appreciate the time as always. Happy New
Year to you.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
All right, Absolutely, Happy new Year to you guys.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Enjoyed Pasadena, you know, I well appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (13:44):
Take an umbrella. I'm telling you, Scot. By the way, Scott,
have you been to the Rose Bull before?
Speaker 3 (13:48):
No, this is the first time for all of that experience.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
Take a seat, cushion and an umbrella, but it's awesome,
and try to bring home a win for Indiana, certainly
Indiana Alabama. Scott, one of the nine hundred and foury
six thousand Hoosiers that are going to be in Pasadena.
You literally right now, it is difficult to go on
social media or any of the different news sources right
(14:14):
here being one of them. And I appreciate everybody that
tunes into this program. With all the options that are
out there, it is difficult to enter into the arena
of discussion about college athletics without hearing the conversation of
all of this happening with college basketball. And I think
the thing that makes it so interesting and at the
(14:38):
same time frustrating, it's almost like the movie pulp Fiction.
You know, the movie pulp Fiction. You're like halfway through
the movie before you realize that what you're seeing is
a movie of different storylines that are taking place, non sequential,
(15:00):
but at the end it kind of all comes together
and you're like, Okay, now I can see the different
pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. They just seem to kind
of go out of order. And the NCAA and they're
handling of or they're trying to get the tiger by
the tail of this whole saga involving Nil and everything
(15:23):
that goes into it is the same way of it
almost feels like it's out of order.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
Now.
Speaker 1 (15:31):
I had mentioned that this all is coming to a
head because in the past week you have back to
back stories of Scott Drew at Baylor going out and
getting a mid season pickup from a player who's already
(15:52):
been drafted into the NBA but as yet to sign
a contract. And then you have another player that is
in the G League on a two way contract and
has already scored three points in the NBA this year
that now is rumored to be being recruited by a
number of different schools, including if you believe reports, Indiana,
(16:18):
And you have two ways to look at it. One is, look,
everybody needs to take a hard line here and stop
this carousel from spinning before everybody pukes. And then the
second is, yeah, but you either get on board or
get left in the dust. Which way is it? One
(16:39):
of the most and I think has a future beyond
coaching if he ever so chose. In terms of administrative
aspect towards college athletics, a guy that I think defines scruples.
(17:00):
And maybe I'm wrong, maybe I've been sold to Billy Goods.
But the guy that I think is the pillar of
going about and doing things with integrity, doing it with principle,
and doing it with the right intentions in mind, at
the core of what college athletics are supposed to be.
(17:22):
And maybe very soon we will say what they used
to be. But the guy that I think has become
a spokesperson for the sport and for what should be
right about it, and one that even if you're the
biggest diehard fan of a rivaling school, you should be
proud that this state has produced Matt Painter. And last
(17:46):
night Purdue ran at times a clinic against Kent State,
who's going to be a good team in their league.
But after the game, Matt Painter was asked about comments
that tom Izzo had already made about his concern of
where this is all headed. And the first thing that
Peter said simply was, can we all please, at least
at the very start of this, get on the same
(18:09):
page of some sort of outline as to what this
deal the ceiling should be.
Speaker 6 (18:14):
Yeah, we just want to know the rules so we
can abide by them. Like we don't.
Speaker 2 (18:18):
We don't know what's going on.
Speaker 6 (18:21):
So that that's what I would say, Like we need
some leadership, we need someone to step up, and like
here's how it's ran. Here's name, image and likeness, here's
the transfer situation.
Speaker 2 (18:29):
Like whatever.
Speaker 6 (18:30):
Like we can go on to all these different examples
and give us the rules, we'll abide by them, you know,
because that's who the rules are for. The rules aren't
for the people who cheat. The rules are for the
people that abide by them. And so like that's where
this is all goes down, and there's no communication, like
we just want to know, like tell us what to
tell us what to do, tell us how to go
(18:51):
about it, and then like you know, we'll go from there.
And it's just there's just a lot of gray area right.
Speaker 1 (18:56):
Now, here's where that gray area gets compounded. For example,
Alec points out Jake, the Trent and Flowers recruiting report
has been deemed false.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
Wait, my only friend, Alec, that's right, who worked with
my other friends, Scott, yes, last night.
Speaker 2 (19:13):
You have two of them, then, I guess so. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
It says he wants to go back to college because
he's a two way guy and wants to right his
wrongs and improve his stock. Most schools that were rumored
to be interested in him said they're not recruiting him.
I could see that them saying that now, right, I'm
not saying that that's false. But that's not an isolated incident.
I guarantee you there's more out there about that and
(19:37):
within that. Okay, And here's where a lot of this
problem lies. And I'm going to speak from truth here.
That's not going to be very popular. There is amongst
and the sport basketball and baseball are the two sports
that jump out to me the most on this. Travel
(20:02):
sports and year round sports within a specified sport is
ruining sports in many aspects. Those of you who have
kids playing travel baseball, I have bad news for you.
And I know that kids love playing baseball, and it's wonderful.
It's a great sport. It's a great game, and it's
fun for kids to go out and play with their
(20:22):
friends and everything else. But you get to a certain
point where you might notice that your kid's involvement suddenly
comes with an increased price tag for different groups, coaches
or organizations that are taking the money for your kid
to play, which is by the design, and they're going
to tell you that your kid needs to play in
(20:45):
that league, your kid needs to play for that team,
your kid needs to increase and play at a higher profile,
because that's what's going to allow them to play at
the college level or for another team, or for a
better program, a better system that improves their speed, their velocity,
their curve, whatever it might be. And while there may
(21:05):
be isolated cases of that, in more cases than not,
it's because it's about the money that you are being
fleeced to pay, and you're getting swept up and caught
up in this hype that your kid's a better player
than they are. I'm sorry to break it to you now.
On the basketball side of things, I always laugh at it.
You can tell it. You see a picture of some
(21:26):
team and it used to be this is the number
one fifteen and under team, fourteen and under team, thirteen
and under team. Now it's like, and I get it
all the time. If I could show you my DMS,
you would be floored at the number of things I get.
I got news for you, and I'm not trying to
(21:47):
be Debbie Downer and I'm not trying to be pessimistic Pete.
I'm being realistic Rick here. Okay, every team that has
second grade kids is a number four team in the country.
Nobody's the number one team, everybody's the fourth ranked team.
Everybody's got the number one point guard in America for
(22:08):
kids that are nine years old. I got dms right
now from fifteen different parents and coaches telling me about
how their kid, their school, their team is the number
one team, they're second graders, they're third graders. Ain't none
of it matter anything until every kid's gone through puberty.
But it's all a racket set up to fleece the
money out of people to continue to pay to support
(22:31):
half the time these completely shady AAU programs or travel
ball programs and everything else with some guy whose pocket's
getting fatter and fatter and fatter, and he's convinced that
if he facilitates for five hundred kids, one of them
might get to the NBA and someday he'll be interviewed
on a thirty for thirty while kicking back his royalties.
That's exactly how ninety percent of this works. And I
(22:52):
know that sounds ludicrous, but I'm realistic, Rick, and there's
a reason I'm bringing this all up. Okay, Now, I
could look at a right now. You show it to me.
It's the funniest thing in the world. I see it
on Facebook and social media all day long, bunch of
kids holding up their rings at some tournament out in
Las Vegas or in Cincinnati or whatever, some AAU team,
and you look at the photo and you're like, I
(23:13):
can absolutely tell the one kid who's dad, he's on
the team because his dad's bankrolling this whole thing. You
can absolutely tell it. The four foot ten kid that
weighs sixty four pounds, Like, that kid's on the team
because his dad is the one that is convincing his
wife that they need to be paying for this, because
his kid's gonna get his shot someday to go play
big time Division one sports. Guess what dominant seventh grade,
(23:35):
dominant second grade, third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade kids,
you know what, most of them grow up to be
nice backup JV point guards. Because then everybody else goes
through puberty and it all evens out. And the same
thing happens in college recruiting because all these players now
they no longer are represented by they play for Lawrence
(23:56):
North or Warren Central or North Central or Brownsburg or
Ben David or Rebuff. Now it is they play for
you know, Indie Heat or Ohio Elite or whatever the
AAU programs are. And it's the AAU coaches again trying
to get that pocket that right. It's the AAU coaches
that are selling and over selling these guys as being
(24:19):
bigger and better than what they are, and they are
convincing all of these kids that they are going to
be NBA or g League or European Professional League players,
and the reality is that like one percent of all
players reach that point and they're still at its core
should be those players that college athletics allows for a player,
(24:42):
whether he is a player from rural America, whether he's
a player from inner city America, whether he's a kid
from suburban America, a kid who gets the opportunity to
advance his education and his worldly experience in doing so,
perhaps financially in a situation otherwise would not be afforded
to him or her, And those are the ones that
(25:05):
this potentially is going to hurt, because what happens if
all of a sudden, now you are becoming essentially nothing
but a G league and you are doing it with
just one year rentals, over and over and over, facilitated
by greasy AAU funded money, funneling, channeling, sponsorships and all
of that, and now all of a sudden, you're losing
(25:26):
sight of what the true purpose of the college experience
should be. And it sounds ridiculous except for you realize
that ninety eight percent of players playing in college basketball
are never going to be in a situation where their
livelihood has changed because of the game and playing it
beyond the age of twenty two, and Matt Painter is
(25:49):
well aware of that fact.
Speaker 6 (25:51):
We got to keep fighting for the ones that aren't
pros because you end up being a pro and you
get yourself in that position. But when you go look statistically,
ninety four ninety five percent of all pros have to
get another job, so we should probably fight for them too.
You know, making it isn't going to the NBA. You know,
making it is just being the best version of yourself
(26:12):
and helping other people like that's making it, Like and
so we get lost in this little world we're in
when in reality, like, let's don't lose that train of
thought about doing what's best for them. But it's getting
really hard quit with the landscape we're in right now.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
I go back to.
Speaker 1 (26:34):
One of the best lines I've ever seen while sitting
in a movie theater, and like, I literally I stopped.
And there have been great lines in movie history. Hope
is a good thing, perhaps the best of things. It's
a great line, great line, There's just one thing I
(26:55):
want you to do for me?
Speaker 2 (26:56):
When? When? What are we waiting for?
Speaker 1 (27:01):
It's a great line from Rocky Too. It's a great line, endless,
but one of the great lines I've ever heard. And
it wasn't a movie but a documentary, was in Hoop
Dreams with William Gates, who I've mentioned on this show before,
when they followed William Gates and Arthur ag both kids
my class class of nineteen ninety one in high school,
and they followed him for all four years of high school,
(27:22):
through their journey in the Chicago public schools and in Gates' case,
going into the parochial schools in Saint Joseph in Westchester, Illinois.
Same school that produced Isaiah Thomas and Darryl Thomas of
Indiana fame, and both of them were thought to be
surefire NBA level players. And at the end of that
documentary they interview William Gates, who went under Marquette, had
(27:45):
a knee injury, had a modest career in college. They
get ended their for him from a playing standpoint, and
he says in that documentary, everywhere I go, everyone says
to me the same thing, don't forget about me when
you get to the NBA. And then he paused and said,
and what I want to say back to them is,
don't forget about me if I don't get there. And
(28:09):
every kid right now playing somewhere in the summer league
is convinced, as they probably should be, that the game
is always going to be there for them. And we
used to live in a world where there were people
who knew better that were able to say to them, son, daughter,
I want you to chase those dreams and aspirations, but
(28:30):
I want you to also have something in store if
in fact that isn't there for you. And the avenue
in which those things used to be there for people,
Matt Painter and others now are aware of the fact
that what if that also goes away, and that's the
real danger of where college basketball may be. Again, not
(28:52):
trying to be pessimistic, Pete, just realistic.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
Rick. We went with this. Here's a contribute question for
Stephen Holder.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Stephenholder of ESPN dot com who joins us on the
Java House, Peel and Port guest line.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
He is the one that.
Speaker 1 (29:09):
Was responsible for confirming the news that Riley Leonard will
be your starting quarterback for the final game of the
season for the Colts coming up on Sunday. Stephen, would
you like to guess why we went with the Ghetto
Boys as our artist of choice today?
Speaker 2 (29:26):
Hmmm?
Speaker 3 (29:29):
Ah?
Speaker 7 (29:29):
Is this the Houston connection?
Speaker 2 (29:31):
Look at the big brain on Steve. Yes.
Speaker 7 (29:35):
Yes, listen, listen, Scarface the greatest Houston. I mean when
you say Houston, you're saying the homeless Scarface as far
as I'm concerned, but you know that might just be me.
Speaker 2 (29:50):
Listen. I love the song Scarf. Love the song Scarface.
Speaker 1 (29:55):
And the other day, actually, we were driving in the car,
not that anybody cares, I canna tell you anyway, and
I'm driving. Shannon's in the pastor seat and she says
is this that song where you do that ridiculous duck
down again when the gunfire happens.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
I said, yes, as a matter of fact, it is.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
It's an entire it's an entire routine that happens when
you ride in the car with me. I can tell
you that right now.
Speaker 2 (30:16):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (30:16):
So speaking of that, Steven, we now know that, in
fact at the driver's wheel with his hands on the
wheel will be Riley Leonard for the Colts coming up
on Sunday. What does this mean both in the short
term and then beyond crazy? Is that sounds and hear
me out on this for philip rivers.
Speaker 7 (30:35):
Okay, Well, I'll take the second part first. In terms
of philip rivers long term. For philip Rivers, as we
sit here today, there is no long term Okay, let
me be clear about that. I sense no inclination from
him to give this any further consideration, and I certainly
don't hear that from the Colts. In fact, you know,
(30:57):
they don't ever want to be in this position ever
again where they have to call Philip rivers. So you know,
I want to I want people to kind of understand
it from that perspective, like it wasn't you know it
would be a great idea, let's go get Philip Rivers
because we think he's a great option. It was more like,
we don't have any options. We might have to call
Philip Rivers. You understand that, Like those are two different things,
(31:20):
you know. So anyhow, that's where that stands in terms
of what it means to Riley Leonard. I think it's
an opportunity. It's what it is. It's an opportunity. It's
a tough spot, no question about it. I mean that
Houston defense is it is super Bowl caliber, there's no
question about it. And they come for the quarterback, buddy.
(31:41):
So he's going to get a test under fire and
it is going to be a I guess baptism under
fire if you will. And he just better be ready,
that's all I can say. He better be ready, and
it might be ugly, it might not go according to
the plan. I don't think any of that is necessarily
an awful thing, because you know, he could be their
(32:01):
long term backup if he proves worthy of it. And
so that's kind of where that stands.
Speaker 2 (32:06):
Stephen. Didn't they find themselves in.
Speaker 1 (32:10):
Or is there some truth to this thought that I
had from earlier, and that is Chris Ballard and Shane
Steiken needed to start Riley Leonard on Sunday for the
reasons that you mentioned, but at the same time also
because at some point, you know, Shane Stiken is the
quarterback whisper and Chris Ballard is hired to judge, assess
(32:31):
and then acquire talent coming out of the draft out
of college. They are getting ready potentially to go in
for end of your meetings. Don't they need to be
able to say, wouldn't it not have been an indictment
in a totally meaningless game for them to not have
gone with a guy that is, to some extent the
reason why they should have that job validation?
Speaker 7 (32:53):
Well, I mean, I just think for consistency's sake, you
kind of had to do this. And what I mean
by that is the stated objective when you signed Philip
Rivers was we are doing this to make a run
at the playoffs. Now that didn't work, but I understand it,
and I actually don't hold that decision against them, right,
(33:13):
I think it makes sense now now that they are
out of playoff contention. I think if you, if you
want to be consistent, that goal that Carrot is no
longer out there, so there's nothing to prohibit you from
playing the player that you drafted. But Sunday, well this
(33:34):
past Sunday, Well yeah, that's fair. But I would say
this they said ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (33:39):
I get it, but.
Speaker 7 (33:40):
You can you can accept the explanation or not. But
the thinking was they wouldn't know they were eliminated until
Saturday night, and by then it's too late to go
back and change what you've done all week. In terms
of preparation, you would be putting Riley Leonard out there
without the adequate preparation.
Speaker 2 (34:00):
I get it.
Speaker 7 (34:02):
Okay, well, look, I mean I get I get.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Why, I get the explanation. I'm not saying I buy it.
You know what I mean, I'm not saying you I
mean because my thought on that is yeah, but.
Speaker 7 (34:11):
They put Phillip although it is true, it is true
that Rivers did take the snatch, but go ahead.
Speaker 1 (34:15):
Well, but I mean what I'm saying is, I mean,
it's it's water under the bridge now. But with the
explanation of we have to go with Rivers because that's
who we used in the weak preparation, I get that.
But then at the same time they went with Rivers
three days after he was coaching a high school team.
You know what I mean, Like it wasn't like he
(34:35):
was there leading.
Speaker 7 (34:36):
Up because he has he's uniquely prepared to do.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
That understood, I understand, but rather than it has been
in the building all year.
Speaker 2 (34:44):
I mean, but regardless, So I.
Speaker 7 (34:47):
Would say I would just say this in closing on
this point, I do think there is at least some
recognition that, look, Philip Rivers came and did us a favor.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Oh totally, I get it.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
And he did a good I mean, let's I know
they didn't win the games, all things considered, he did
a good job, no question. And he's a very likable
guy and all of those things. The reason I asked
about him beyond this year, crazy as it sounds, when
I look at next year, it is my opinion their
best option at quarterback next year is Daniel Jones. But
(35:21):
he's not under contract. Let's say that he has resigned.
You don't know for certain that he is going to
be one hundred percent and up to speed ready to
go in Week one. What quarterback on their roster gives
them the best chance to win until Daniel Jones is
able to take the keys and also has the least
(35:42):
messy transition of power.
Speaker 7 (35:46):
Well, that's an important part of the question, I think
that last part, so I think the answer, Well, let
let's back up, let's address it this way. Here's what
I think is probably going to happen.
Speaker 3 (35:56):
How about that.
Speaker 7 (35:58):
I think the likeliest way forward here is, as you said,
that they intend very very strongly too, or their preferences
very strongly, to re sign Daniel Jones, get him healthy.
They have already sort of latched on to the Aaron
Rodgers story, and I'm pretty sure that Daniel has been
(36:21):
in touch with Rogers, you know, to kind of get
some advice from him on how he bounced back from
his achilles in such short order, which he did do.
He didn't play great coming off of it, but he
did come back pretty quickly. Now, Daniel's ten years younger,
so that helps. Anyhow, they think of a duplication of
that as possible. So let's say they're right. Let's say,
(36:43):
which they can't possibly know now, but let's say they're right,
you get them back. There is that chance that he
might not be fully ready to go on day one.
Anthony Richardson is under contract for next year. The reality
is they moved on from Anthony Richardson. They didn't say that,
but I'm saying that. But they all said it with
their They said it with their with their actions. I
(37:07):
anticipate he gets traded. So if that remains true, I
think they are grooming Riley Leonard to probably be a
long term backup. And you have Daniel Jones and Riley Leonard.
That's what I see happening.
Speaker 2 (37:21):
What would Richardson realistically fetch on the market?
Speaker 7 (37:26):
Not a ton and because there's some uncertainty with him, right,
I mean injury performance, all of that for sure.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
But but I think there's.
Speaker 7 (37:37):
Gonna be I don't think there's gonna be a lack
of interest, but I'd also don't think teams are gonna
be willing to give up the house.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
You know.
Speaker 7 (37:46):
I think there's there's two different questions. What seems to
be interested? I think, yes, this is not a great
quarterback class in the NFL draft. I don't know what
free agency looks like, but it's probably not great depending
on who falls out of the trees. So I anticipate
there will be teams interested in looking at him in
(38:07):
some capacity. But you know, but what are you going
to What are you going to get in terms of
a draft pick. I think it's probably a mid round pick,
is what I think. Could you get a little more
if there are multiple suitors, Yes, but I'm not talking about,
you know, some sort of like Day one or two pick.
I mean I think you're maybe a couple of mid
(38:28):
round picks or something like that. I mean, if you
got a third round pick, you would be thrilled, I
feel to be completely honest. So I don't think people
should have unrealistic expectations about that. The trade, in my opinion,
would be more about, you know, just moving forward with
Daniel Jones and honestly accommodating Anthony Richardson, who, if he's
not going to get the job, isn't going to want
(38:49):
to be here.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Do you think Stephen that the uncertainty Stephen Holder my
guest ESPN dot com, he's on the job, a house peeling,
poor guest line. When you try to assess, and we'll
begin with Chris in trying to determine whether or not
Chris Ballard returns next year, is there a bigger uncertainty
of answer because of the validity of which case you
(39:11):
could spell out either side of it, or because simply
we just don't know yet the motivations and the workings
and the operating procedures of Carli Orsi Gordon.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
So we don't know.
Speaker 7 (39:30):
I think on that second point, we don't know entirely
what to expect from her. However, I do think we
have some pretty good clues. I mean, some of which
she has told us and some of which we just
know from observing her, or at least me from observing her,
and not just this year, for many years observing Carli Gordon, right,
I mean, she didn't just parachute in, you know, six
(39:52):
months ago. She's been around for many, many years. I
would say that the thing about her is is very
very methodical. That is the thing that I think I
think encapsulated her best. You know, she she is methodical
(40:12):
in terms of what she says, in terms of what
she does, in terms of the decisions that she makes,
all of these things. So I don't think this is
going to be something where she makes an emotional decision.
We lost six or seven in a row. I'm over it,
Get out of here, right, That's not what this is
going to be. Whatsoever, I can guarantee you that I
(40:32):
will also guarantee you that she has thought and plotted
and considered what the next moves would be, depending on
what comes next, what are the subsequent moves. All of
that has been considered down to a very granular level,
because that's who she is. So whatever she decides, not
(40:54):
everyone is going to agree with it, but I will
tell you it will be well thought out.
Speaker 2 (40:58):
And I would say that.
Speaker 7 (40:59):
As much as I respect the jim irsay a lot,
but I do think we have evidence that he sometimes
made rash decisions, right. I mean, Jeff Saturday wasn't inter
room coach. I would venture to say, Carli Ersa. Gordon
would never ever, ever ever do that, right. So I
just think that's where they're different. She will not make
(41:20):
emotional decisions. She will make rational decisions and methodical decisions,
whereas her father thought a little more with his heart
I think.
Speaker 2 (41:28):
Than his head.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Okay, Stephen, before we let you go, Now, we've had
this intermittently.
Speaker 2 (41:34):
We've had fun with it.
Speaker 1 (41:37):
We've got a chipmunk that's quite frankly empetomized that runs
our computer. We got a chipmunk that he runs on
a wheel and it runs our computer. Force but occasionally
we believe he's hitting the met pipe and he starts
running too fast and it speeds things up.
Speaker 2 (41:51):
So your voice is a little sped up here.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
Now we've had fun with others doing follow the Yellbrick
Road and a couple of Alvin and the Chipmunks things.
You sound a little like Mickey Mouse right now. Is
there any chance we can just get you to say
you're in Mickey's funhouse? This is Mickey Mouse on the fan.
Can we just get you to say that, and just
in your normal voice? But I think it'll take care
of itself.
Speaker 7 (42:14):
All right, let me try this here with a straight face.
What's the one?
Speaker 1 (42:20):
How about simply how about simply m I c k
e y You're in Mickey's funhouse.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
That'll work.
Speaker 7 (42:32):
M I c k e y You're in Mickey's funhouse
or playhouse.
Speaker 2 (42:39):
Trust me, either way it works. Believe you me.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
When you go back and you listen to the podcast,
which I know you do, either one works, I believe
believe me. Okay, Colts Texan's coming up Sunday. Lastly, before
we let you go, you know, and we'll get into
it a later time. More on Ballard and stichen In
futures and that kind of thing, saying, would you and
I guess a two part question, any other curve balls
(43:04):
we might see on Sunday and then certainty of the
future of the franchise we will know better how long
after the game.
Speaker 7 (43:14):
M So, now, I don't know that there are any
huge curveballs outside of outside of Leonard. I mean, I
think you're gonna see guys like Jonathan Taylor play, you know,
most of the other key players who are not hurt.
I mean, I can't imagine seeing the sauce Gardener out there,
for example, he's got the calf uh and wants to
(43:35):
try to play maybe if he can, But I can't
see what the point of that would be. So I think, yeah,
I think we can kind of predict what the lineup
will look like outside of Leonard in terms of the
time frame after that. That's a that's a complete unknown,
complete unknown. I will say, I do think it was
(43:55):
notable that last year Jim Mercy say put out that
statement literally the night of the season finale, right after
during that snowstorm that I got caught in. If you're
a call after the Week eighteen game, you put out
that the statement that he was retaining Chris Ballad and
Shane Stiken, and so there was no you know, there
(44:18):
was no consternation about that. Whether they will proceed similarly,
I don't know. I have no expectation whatsoever, because there's
nothing to base it on. So I do think though,
I will say I do think whatever they're going to do,
you have to think they know, you know what I mean,
Like this thing, we were headed this way for a while,
(44:41):
We lived and headed this way for a while. And
so in terms of this season, the results of this season, right,
I know, they just got eliminated, but the odds we
were always against them, right, and so and I don't
even think that's what this is going to come down to.
I think this is a long term decision based on
a preponderance of lots of different things. So we'll see
(45:04):
what they do. But I think they I think they
probably have a very good idea of where this is going.
Speaker 1 (45:09):
You know, preponderance is a really big word for Mickey Mouse.
I'm not gonna lie to you like it's which is
kind of fun. Can we just one last time, how
about this just simply go m I C K E
Y m O U S E can we get that
real quick.
Speaker 7 (45:23):
Why are you doing this to me? Uh m I
c K E y M O U s E.
Speaker 2 (45:33):
I W.
Speaker 7 (45:34):
I worked for Hey, listen, I worked for the Mouse Company.
Speaker 1 (45:36):
Right, you're obligated, Steven, You have no choice, right, your
empowered you?
Speaker 7 (45:42):
Why the hell did I do that?
Speaker 2 (45:45):
Hearing Mickey use profanity is also outstanding? All right, Steven,
appreciate it? All right? You got it, Stephen Steven Holder.
Speaker 1 (45:56):
Uh and by the way, his Miami Hurricanes now representing
the world as they take on the Ohio State University.
Speaker 2 (46:03):
California, indeed the place to be.
Speaker 1 (46:06):
Don Fisher was on with us earlier said that it
is overcast there, but that is not necessarily a bad
thing because I do believe, and I know that I'm
probably crazy when I say this, if it is a
rain soaked Rose Bowl, and I don't know that it's
supposed to rain during the game itself, but I think
(46:26):
all leading up to it, I think rain may favor
Indiana because Alabama does not run the ball well, which
is weird to say about Alabama, but they are a
past first team and that might be advantage Indiana, who
feels like they are more balanced offensively. But a guy
who joins us now on the Java House peelaporg guest line.
You can read his work with peags dot com also
with two four seven twenty four to seven sports, whichever
(46:49):
way you would like to use that numerical combination. Matt
Weaver joining us on the program, and Matt, you are
on your way to Pasadena?
Speaker 2 (46:57):
Is that correct?
Speaker 4 (47:00):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (47:00):
I'm in a terminal b here at the airport. I'm
gonna be bored in about twenty three minutes.
Speaker 1 (47:06):
Okay, you are flying direct or you're going through a city,
and if it's through a city, we're going to guess it.
Speaker 2 (47:12):
Or are you flying direct?
Speaker 8 (47:14):
I'm actually going through two cities. One of them I
don't get off the plane. One of them I don't
get off the plane.
Speaker 2 (47:19):
So you're flying southwest? Is that right? Yeah? I'm going
to go that. You're going through Dallas and Vegas.
Speaker 8 (47:27):
You got the second one right, but not the first one.
Speaker 2 (47:30):
Where's the first one?
Speaker 8 (47:32):
Phoenix?
Speaker 1 (47:33):
And you're not getting off the plane in Phoenix? Or
you're not getting off the plane in Vegas.
Speaker 8 (47:38):
I'm not getting off the plane in Phoenix like a
forty minute layover. I'm guessing some people will get off
and some people will get on here or there, then
why do they get that fifteen minute layover and then
from there to.
Speaker 1 (47:48):
Lay All right, fair enough, There's nothing more sad, by
the way than the lady with a one ten slim
cigarette of which one hundred of it is ash that
is sitting there pulling like three levers and the vay
I guess airport during her twenty eight minute delay. But nonetheless,
all right, Matt, let's get to this Indiana Alabama, the
you know, from an Indiana standpoint.
Speaker 2 (48:10):
Let's start with health.
Speaker 1 (48:11):
We talked about this with Don a little bit earlier,
but the latest of where things stand from Indiana from
a health standpoint, and is there anybody surprising that might
have popped up on the injury report that is of
question for Indiana?
Speaker 8 (48:25):
No, I mean, I think they had four guys. Obviously
the two you know, obviously the Stephen Daily thing. Everybody
kind of knew that right after the Big Ten Championships.
Kellen Wyott's been out since like October in terms of
bryce and bonds. Was another one. There was a fourth
one has escaped in my mind, but it wasn't funny.
(48:46):
I don't think he played a lot Brendan Frank and probable,
I think is a pleasant surprise. I wondered if he
was going to be able to come back, and people say, well,
he's just a kickoff guy. Well, he's a really good
kickoff guy. Like basically teams don't return kickoff when he's
out there, and that's a big weapon to have, especially
you know you're playing to get a team like Bama
with their speed athleticism. You know, anytime you can keep
them from touching the ball and running with it is
(49:07):
obviously a positive. So if he's able to kick and
he's back to his old self, that's that's a nice
that'd be a nice addition for I you.
Speaker 1 (49:14):
Is there anything that you got indication map from Kurt
Signetti or uncovering this that Indiana looks at with Alabama
and sees maybe some sort of an achilles that Indiana
creates a new wrinkle to exploit, or we at the
point of the year now where it is, this is
who we are and this is what we do.
Speaker 8 (49:34):
Well. And you're always you're obviously always looking for every
little advantage you can get. I think, you know, I mean,
Brian Haynes kind of said it when we talked to him.
You're kind of the point where you just do what
you do now you're still going to try to I mean,
Brian Haynes and both on both sides of the ball,
they're they're so good at attacking the weakness or finding
the weakness and an exploitas on the other team. And
obviously there everybody has a weakness. Even Indiana undefeated has weaknesses.
(49:57):
I mean, nobody's perfect. They just have a lot less
weak This is everybody else. And they do a great
job of not letting people, you know, kind of get
to them or exploit them. So, you know, I think
on you know, offensively, I heard what you said before
I got on. I do I agree with you. I
think rain is a benefit Indiana. I think there's a
better running team. Alabama's really struggled to run the ball
(50:17):
now you know, they can still do other things. The
bores offense. They throw a lot of quick passes to receivers.
But I do think weather favors Indiana. But I think,
you know, if you can get them into some second
and third and long unfavorable behind the behind the chains
kind of distances, you know, even without Wyatt, I'm sorry,
without uh Stephen Daily and tell them whyatt you know,
those two two of their best pass rushers. I still
(50:38):
think you can get some pressure on them, you don't
they have you know, hopefully I get tied Censon into
some mistakes. But and then offensively, like I said, you know,
I think I think Indiana so balanced. I just think
they'll take whatever Alabama gives them if they want them to,
if they if they if they played back, then they'll
run the ball if they're playing up. And then you
I think the Stemon doesn't throw on the ball, you know,
on the field. Of course, weather will play a part.
But I think offensively those do whatever they whatever the
(51:01):
you know, Alabama showing that they can do.
Speaker 1 (51:03):
Is there concern or have you seen any reason to
be concerned that the moment may suddenly kind of sweep
up Indiana?
Speaker 8 (51:15):
You know, I don't think so. I think last year
that was probably a little bit of it. And they
were they were for you know, that team. They had
a good year last year, you know, but they that
was the first time any of those guys pretty much
had ever been in that kind of situation. They a lot,
you know, and I know they have a lot of
new faces, but you know, the key guys on this
team have played in these types of games, and they
played on the biggest stages, you know, And I mean like,
(51:38):
you know, if they were gonna get swept up at something,
I would have thought it might be like the Big
Ten Championship. Playing in your backyard. You're going to get
some TV had and beaten since you know, what is
it the late eighties, and so you know, I think
they've shown that the that the wise is there gonna
be some nerves and startup shore. There will be will
there'll be some russ. I mean, they haven't played since
well it December of that game December sixth, I think
(51:58):
against the Hot State, so you're talking almost a month.
I mean literally almost a month. There's probably and you
know obviously Alabama played more recently, so there'll probably be
some runs and nerves, but I think they'll settle in.
This is a veteran team with a great leadership Aiden Fisher,
Pat Coogan, Mendoza, you go on down the list. This
is a really veteran team that they're just very bus
(52:19):
like it. So I don't think they'll get caught up
in the moment, and I think they'll be fine. With that.
Speaker 1 (52:22):
Okay, Lastly, Matt, the one thing that is of interest
I won't say concern bit of interest to me, and
I want you to tell me if you think I'm
overthinking it, and that is that if Indiana is to
win a national championship, which I mean they're the number
one seed, right they're going to have to play three
consecutive weeks against three consecutive very deep and strong teams,
(52:43):
regardless of who it is. And they have the two
best wins in college football right now, but they didn't
have to do it week after week after week. Does
Indiana have the depth to be able to go up
against a blue blood three weeks in that is also
going into their third game in three weeks and has
better depth on their roster.
Speaker 8 (53:06):
No, I think that's a great point. And I think
I don't think you're overthinking that at all. And and
do I think they can do it? Yeah, but we
won't know for sure. I mean there are some spots.
And obviously now the end is a finn spot. I
mean you're down to McAll Kamara, and I mean I'm
not sure who the other guys gonna be. Maybe in
Duke Way, maybe they put Mario Landino. But no matter what,
(53:27):
you've lost two really good players and your depth is
taking a hit. And if you have any more injuries
than some other spots, you know, it could be tough.
Especially like you said, there's no every other week, there's
no bye weeks. Now you're gonna be playing. If you win, now,
you play well the night, and then you'll get like
ten days. I think the national champions of the nineteenth
maybe get a little bit more time, but still it's
basically week after week after week. So yeah, I think
(53:48):
you make it a great point and we'll find out.
I think they have the depth, but this is where
this is where it's gonna get tested for sure. If
they make a run here and they have a great
straight coach and Derek Owens, if you get this team
physically ready to play, so I think they can do it,
but you never know. Injuries are the uncontrollable, you know,
you just there's nothing you can do about them. And
if those crop up then obviously that could throw a
(54:09):
monkey mentioned everything.
Speaker 2 (54:11):
Uh did you pay for the early bird boarding Delio?
By the way, Uh, I think I'm like, I'm in
d I'm going to say you're b six. I'm gonna
say you're B six. What number do you got? B what?
Speaker 8 (54:23):
I think it might be B two?
Speaker 2 (54:25):
Oh nice? Yeah, you're fine. Your your your window or
I mean, you're not middle seat. You're good. You're good.
Speaker 8 (54:30):
So I think i'm B too.
Speaker 1 (54:31):
So I mean, if people get off the plane in Phoenix,
get up and start throwing your elbows around, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 2 (54:36):
Festival seating, I mean most of.
Speaker 1 (54:38):
It, matt We appreciate the time, short notice. I realized
safe travels by all means, and we'll be reading the
coverage at twenty four to seven and peaks of the
Rose Bowl between Indiana and Alabama.
Speaker 2 (54:48):
Certainly appreciate it.
Speaker 8 (54:50):
Okay, thanks you guys have a great dew year.
Speaker 2 (54:52):
Appreciate it you too.
Speaker 1 (54:53):
Matthew Weaver joining us on the Java House Peel and
Poor Guest line
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