10/9/24 - The Mo Egger Radio Show - Mo Egger

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Giants in prime time coverage starts Sunday at four on
ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Bengals Coach Prime.

Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's excellency, Hi, what's up. My name is Maulager and
this is ESPN fifteen thirty. You're listening to our show today.
You have to pay to be on the leading list.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
I'm behard, I'm sorry. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Hey, anyway, we're glad you're here. That's not going to
be a topic on the show today. The show preview
is up. It's available. You can watch it at Moeger
on X. Thanks to our friends at Emory Federal Credit Union,
your credit union with heart since nineteen thirty nine. Good
EMERYFCU dot org. We have a lot of different stuff today,

(00:46):
a lot of different stuff today.

Speaker 3 (00:48):
Joe Burrow is going to talk live in about ten minutes.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Bengals back in the practice field, and some good news today.
Sheldon Rankins was dressed for practice, Mike Hilton was a
dressed for practic this Their official injury designations will be
released a little bit later on. Bengals need those two players,
and so that is good injury news. After a couple
of days of mostly bad injury News quarterback of the Bengals.

(01:14):
We'll talk at three point fifteen. At least, we think
he has not been punctual. We love Joe Burrow. He's
having an excellent season. He's having in many respects a
better year than when he was an MVP finalist. But
he's not having a great year in terms of his punctuality.
Perhaps today will be different, Perhaps Sunday will be different.

(01:34):
We're going to use one of our all time favorite
sports talk radio tropes as it relates to the Bengals
here in a bed, and it's you know, we do
this sometimes, the concept of buying low and selling high.
Remember early in the season, early in the red season,
we employed this, like Ellie de la Cruz had that

(01:54):
crappy game against the Phillies, and you had people who
wanted him benched, and you had people who wanted him demoted,
and you had people that wanted him might I think
sent to prison and I you know, we did the
trope which was you know, I'll i'll I'll take your
Elie Delacruz stock, I'll take it. And we did this

(02:14):
with Hunter Green too, So we do this game sometimes, right,
So the Bengals like, if you bought the Bengals right now,
you'd be buying them pretty low. They have one win,
They are tied for the fewest wins in the league
right now. Their defense is atrocious. They're going on the
road and playing a Giants team, by the way, Melik

(02:35):
Neighbor's still in the NFL's concussion protocol. A Giants team
that's coming off a pretty important and pretty impressive win
on the road against the Seattle Seahawks.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Is this a good buy low opportunity? Yes? Would you
buy the Bengals as a stock? We'll spend some time
on that.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Also, Danner and I, Paul Danner Junior and I talked
yesterday about the trade deadline, which is now less than
four weeks away. And I think it's my guess is
the Bengals aren't gonna be uber active. My guess is
the Bengals aren't gonna be in a position where you
can clearly say that it's time to move on from
players like, for example, T Higgins. But there's a part

(03:16):
of the conversation that I find fascinating, fascinating, and I'll
tell you what it is a little bit later on. Also,
there are some lessons we can learn from what the
Reds have done with their managerial position. Two two lessons,
one you could apply to your everyday life and the
other we can apply to how we talk about the Reds.

(03:38):
We're gonna get to that a little bit later on
as well. By the way, speaking of Terry Francona, we
were holding out hope that we can get him on today.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
He has obviously been very busy. We're not gonna have
him on today.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
And I'm happy about this, not because I can't wait
to have Terry on, but we have been told we're
gonna get it done.

Speaker 3 (03:53):
It's gonna happen. And I'll be honest with you.

Speaker 2 (03:57):
If Terry came on this show today, this would be
about the twenty fourth interview he will have done since
he got hired.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
What are we gonna find out that's new?

Speaker 2 (04:04):
I'm more interested in talking to Terry francona future Hall
of Fame manager, when some stuff has happened, when some
stuff has happened to the roster, when the Rads have
hopefully done some stuff to the team, And so I
cannot wait for that. But I think I mentioned that
briefly yesterday, and so I just wanted to a point
out that we're not gonna do it today, and Lance
had him on last night and did a terrific interview

(04:26):
with him.

Speaker 3 (04:26):
But you know, sometimes you gotta wait your turn, and
if your.

Speaker 2 (04:31):
Turn comes right after everybody else, it can be kind
of tricky to do anything new. And so I am
a little bit more excited to talk with Terry later
on as some other point when there's stuff to talk
about it. We have been given assurances by the Rads
that that will happen, and we appreciate that. So we're
gonna break early because we've got Joe Burrow live. A
few other odds it ends to get to as well.

(04:53):
We're in a bit of a holding pattern still with
the uc game on Saturday. I've talked to a couple
of people at you who do not believe any determination
is going to be made before, at the earliest the
middle of the afternoon tomorrow as to whether or not
the game is going to be played on Saturday. Nobody
seems to think that when you see in UCF play

(05:14):
that the game will be played anywhere but the Bounce
House as long as it is structurally sound. And frankly,
I chatted with somebody at UCF on Monday, and who said,
you know, the concern wasn't necessarily damage. It wasn't necessarily destruction,
which hopefully that is minimal. The Gulf side of the
state looks like it's in for something that I can't

(05:35):
even comprehend. But what they wonder about is whether or
not the State of Florida is going to tell UCF, look,
there's just a better way to use emergency resources in
Orlando and around the campus in other parts of the state,
which would then mean they can't play the football game.
But if you have wondered are they going to play

(05:55):
it in Charlotte? Are they going to play it in Cincinnati,
It doesn't appear that anybody thinks that that is actually
going to be the case. So we will see. And
again my guess is we know something by the time
at least we leave the air tomorrow at six o'clock.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
More on that coming up in a bit. We'll step away.

Speaker 2 (06:13):
Joe Burrow, if he's on time, we'll join us on
the other side of this. My name is Meegar. This
is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, Cincinnati and the
Giants on Sunday, Born and Lamp Tonight six to eight
live on ESPN fifteen thirty. Same for the game on Sunday,
which kicks off at eight twenty. Pregame coverage starts at

(06:36):
four o'clock and can't wait. I'll be at Dickman's and
Fort right on Sunday night. So you know what you
can do is like spend your day watching NFL games
at home and then join me.

Speaker 3 (06:48):
See you there.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
If you missed anything from earlier this week, including Paul
Dayner Junior on a billion different Bengals topics both good
and bad, or if you missed the Tony and Mo
Football Show or anything else, go find it on the
iHeartRadio app or on my page at ESPN fifteen to
thirty dot com podcast of this show or a service

(07:10):
of a Long Necks Sports Grill. The Bengals are getting
quarterback play that, on average, is better than the quarterback
play the Bengals got in twenty twenty two. In twenty
twenty two, Joe Burrow was an MVP finalist, didn't win

(07:31):
the award, but he was an MVP finalist. This season,
through five games, Joe Burrow has a higher completion percentage
than he had that season. He has more than a
yard a yard higher yards per attempt and completion rates
than he did that season. He is being sacked at

(07:52):
a lower rate than he has at any point in
his career, five point nine to eight percent his career
high eight point nine three percent during the Super Bowl
season of twenty twenty one. He is averaging his highest
touchdown percentage of his career. He has equaled the lowest
interception percentage of his career so far. The lowest was

(08:15):
his rookie season, when he had an interception percentage of
one point two That was obviously during an abbreviated rookie year.
Is he having an MVP season, No, because the MVP
isn't going to be the quarterback of a team with
a losing record, but his play through five games from
not necessarily looking at counting stats and rate stats, although
he does lead the league in touchdown passes, but metrically

(08:40):
there's a lot to like about his season in comparison
to the year where he was an MVP finalist. By
the way, in twenty twenty one, when he should have
been an MVP finalist, he had a league high seventy
point four percent completion percentage. This year, seventy two point three,
his average yards per attempt was eight point nine six.

(09:03):
He's just off that pace this year eight point seventy nine.
You're giving up on that guy. I'm not here. He
is at the podium at the event you originally known
as Paul Brown Stadium.

Speaker 4 (09:13):
Is that in the case? No, to ask that you
can get treatment for a week, you said, yeah, always
get treatment.

Speaker 5 (09:22):
When you went back watched tape, had your meetings on Monday,
we asked you about vale Varian be some sort of change.

Speaker 2 (09:30):
He said, something that's got to change. Where'd you come
out of that with?

Speaker 4 (09:36):
I was really happy with how we played.

Speaker 6 (09:39):
You.

Speaker 4 (09:40):
No, it's just like every game.

Speaker 7 (09:41):
You wish you had a couple back that that you
didn't take advantage of.

Speaker 4 (09:44):
But you know, overall, I thought we played really well.

Speaker 8 (09:47):
Did you feel like anything has changed this week?

Speaker 4 (09:51):
Or is everything you spent the same? I mean you
changed week to week.

Speaker 7 (09:56):
I wouldn't say you ever stayed the same. You're always
growing and learning and changing things week to week. Things
that didn't work, things that worked, find new things. So, uh,
you know, every week's a little different.

Speaker 9 (10:11):
How challenging is it?

Speaker 2 (10:13):
There has been challenging to balance the record with the
fact that you guys have lost the four games black
of binding fifteen points and there really is just a
couple of plays.

Speaker 4 (10:23):
I don't know if in I don't know if you
balance that. You know your record is your record doesn't
matter how you lost 'em. Mmmm. You know the goal
of this week is is to go one and know
for the week, and then we move on.

Speaker 3 (10:36):
How unique a player is.

Speaker 2 (10:37):
Tea picture was telling us that, you know, a lot
of people may take for granted that you can.

Speaker 10 (10:43):
Throw a ball in a certain window in slants both
touch downs, and you can throw a ball in a
certain place and not lead them into roquot for instan
for example, how unique is the receiver to be able
to turn his hips?

Speaker 3 (10:57):
Do that have the catch raise and.

Speaker 4 (10:59):
Do it all one pack?

Speaker 7 (11:00):
Yeah, Te's T's body control is elite. You know, I'm
confident that I can throw the tea in any window,
whether it's late early, Gotta throw it behind him in
front of him, because his body control is so elite
and his arms are so long and his hands are
so good that he's gonna make the throw right.

Speaker 4 (11:23):
So that gives me confidence.

Speaker 7 (11:24):
Thrown to him over the middle in a lot of
different ways in a lot of different windows on a
lot of different plays because he just consistently makes those
tough catches.

Speaker 11 (11:32):
As as these games get more and more high scoring,
that puts more pressure on every possession. The offense doesn't
look like it's feeling any pressure, obviously keeps scoring. How
do you guys knock pressed or not try to do
too much with more pressure on each position.

Speaker 4 (11:45):
In fact, we found a rhythm early in each of
these last four games. I would say, and when you
can find a rhythm early, that just.

Speaker 7 (11:54):
Gives you a lot of confidence and puts the defense
on their heels and then you feel like you can
call any play and that we're gonna make it work.
So that's our job as players, no matter what play
is called, no matter what look you get, try to
find a completion, try to find positive yardage, try to

(12:14):
find a first down. You know, we're gonna continue to
play that way. Our playing each week has been great.
We're gonna continue to to build on the run game.
We know what the past game is, so we're gonna
continue to get better.

Speaker 4 (12:27):
The last Sunday, Joe that this team right now used
to have a championship level. What do you think needs
to improve the most for you guys can get to everything.

Speaker 12 (12:38):
Is there any a particular ashplat one and more than you.

Speaker 3 (12:41):
Ork that needs to get better?

Speaker 4 (12:43):
No, we all gotta get better. Do you think this
team can get there to where you want to go?

Speaker 1 (12:49):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (12:49):
I know we can.

Speaker 4 (12:50):
Uh, whether we do or not is to be determined.

Speaker 7 (12:54):
But I know, you know, based on the players that
we have in there and the coaches that we have
up there, I know we can get to where we
want to to.

Speaker 4 (13:00):
Uh, it's just a matter of doing it.

Speaker 6 (13:03):
Talking about there have been.

Speaker 12 (13:04):
Tough conversations UH on Sunday kind of rout the course
of the week and how they that happen happening have
then it happened to maybe more this year than the
pretty years.

Speaker 4 (13:11):
To take it just one year. M that's tough to say.
You know, a lot of 'em, A lot of 'em.

Speaker 7 (13:20):
I'm not privy to a lot of 'em are happening,
you know, behind closed doors. But you know, tough conversations
happen every day in here. That's the the nature of
the business.

Speaker 6 (13:32):
Really go.

Speaker 10 (13:34):
When UH offenses are having problems during a eight particular game,
they'll say, Okay, we know we can lean on whatever
you guys seem to that being able to lean on
kind of change. It's almost game plan and game plan.

Speaker 4 (13:47):
I mean, is is that kind of unique? Yeah? I
think we have, you know, our foundations in what we're
built on. On offense.

Speaker 7 (13:55):
I think we're we're expanding that more this year and
you know, at the end of the day, we know
we can drop back and throw it. But it's been
exciting to see the evolution of the run game and
the play action game. We're really clicking on all cylinders
right now and we just got to take that to
the next level.

Speaker 4 (14:15):
So how do you feel like you're playing some of
the best football do you up?

Speaker 2 (14:18):
Career?

Speaker 4 (14:18):
I would say that yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
I mean coming off the risk, there was so many
questions on what you would be, what you could be
need for yourself.

Speaker 13 (14:24):
You didn't know.

Speaker 14 (14:25):
Are you surprised that it's.

Speaker 4 (14:26):
Gone as well? So for.

Speaker 7 (14:29):
I wouldn't say that, you know, I would say I'm
still not still not quite thrown it the way that
I would like. You know, I'm making good decisions, I'm
putting the ball where.

Speaker 4 (14:40):
I want to.

Speaker 7 (14:42):
You know, I still think there's another level of improvement
that I can get to. Coming back from injury on
ball location and spin rate and all that. So that's
going to continue to get better as I get healthier,
and so there's there's always another level to find.

Speaker 5 (14:58):
What do you feel like is the bald between Jamar
said something a couple of ways ago before the Chiefs
gave that you guys for the team to be in
the AFC, and you start acting like it. So what's
the balance between knowing that you guys feel like you
have a lot of talent, you're one of.

Speaker 2 (15:13):
The best teams at AFC, But at the same.

Speaker 3 (15:15):
Time, your record is what it is.

Speaker 2 (15:18):
You guys have to earn the.

Speaker 10 (15:19):
Right to feel like you are the team to be, Like,
what's the balance of that?

Speaker 4 (15:25):
I would say right now, we're not the team to be.

Speaker 3 (15:27):
We're one and four.

Speaker 7 (15:28):
I don't think there's any balance to find. I don't
think we can say that about ourselves right now. You know,
there's a lot of work to do before we can
consider anything postseason wise, you know, I think right now
we just have to focus on the week to week,
day to day and trying to get a win.

Speaker 12 (15:45):
What's a bee to do for us between us and
the teams that want the provision for one four.

Speaker 7 (15:51):
T and I think that's to be determined. I think
it's too early to tell a lot of new faces obviously,
but you know, we're five games in, so we've still
got a lot of season left to play. So I
think that's a question for a later date.

Speaker 11 (16:05):
When you were talking about your pick on Sunday, you
were like, that's on you. Jamal was like, it's on
me at Evan take the blame for the kick, Like,
you know, a lot of accountability publicly. However, you want
to say, why is that so important? What does that
do for a team to have a bunch of guys
who would put their hands up.

Speaker 4 (16:21):
A specific place.

Speaker 2 (16:22):
You know.

Speaker 4 (16:22):
I think it's important to.

Speaker 7 (16:25):
Control what you can control, focus on what you can
focus on, and so for me, that's looking at the
plays that I could have been better. And that's every week.
You know, there's always plays that you feel like you
could have done something more optimal for a better outcome. Uh,

(16:45):
And so that's that's what I'm focused on for me,
That's what I'm focused on for our offenses, uh, focusing
on the plays where we didn't quite execute the way
we wanted to and improving that se.

Speaker 4 (16:57):
Teddy's got the biggest time with this, Uh Sunday night,
What does he give you?

Speaker 7 (17:02):
In there in the meeting, so I think, you know,
the integrity that bots kind of ShaSS.

Speaker 4 (17:06):
He shipped up and so it was shorted up.

Speaker 1 (17:08):
What does he give you in a game like this?

Speaker 7 (17:10):
You know, Ted's a tough, physical player, brings a lot
of energy, you know, the leader of the O line,
that's uh, you know, he he brings something to the
table that you can't quite quantify. He's you know, organized dinners,
having guys to his house, building that team chemistry that's required.

Speaker 4 (17:29):
Uh, and so those guys are.

Speaker 10 (17:30):
Kind of.

Speaker 4 (17:31):
You know for that role is kind of forgotten, but uh,
really important one.

Speaker 3 (17:36):
Do you feel like get y'all with the Rappe what
it is?

Speaker 12 (17:39):
You're probably get maybe too close to being too.

Speaker 2 (17:41):
Deep in a hole in game to get him.

Speaker 9 (17:43):
But y'all, what what woy is that going?

Speaker 7 (17:46):
When you're eliminated from playoff contention? You know that's that's
a long ways away. So you know we're one and four,
not where we want to be. But you know, we
got another opportunity on Sunday, and we got another one
after that, and then we have ten more after that.

Speaker 4 (18:01):
So, uh, a lot of football to be played.

Speaker 7 (18:03):
You know, obviously, you know, nobody's making excuses, nobody likes
where we're at right now, but you know there's bright
spots and there's a lot of football to be played.

Speaker 2 (18:12):
See you said you are preparing to playing.

Speaker 13 (18:15):
Damn you're perfect.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
You still aren't able to land even though obviously when
you played great? What are you preparing to play? What
do you need to do this week in terms of preparation?

Speaker 7 (18:24):
Yeah, I'm playing. I'm preparing like that every week. You know,
I kind of always have. But you know, when you
you know the way things have been going, that's how
I'm preparing going forward.

Speaker 3 (18:36):
What U Jamal makes it play? Like the touchdown deep
ball or.

Speaker 11 (18:39):
The screen like does see what surprise me?

Speaker 2 (18:41):
Be more?

Speaker 9 (18:41):
It's almost normal and.

Speaker 11 (18:42):
Just going to see and stuff like that.

Speaker 7 (18:43):
It doesn't surprise me, but it's always fun to watch
and always great for the little stat line with how
the offense has.

Speaker 4 (18:49):
Been playing, Joe, I mean said that you guys have
to keep getting better.

Speaker 14 (18:53):
Do you think there's another level for this offense beyond
you get hardy.

Speaker 4 (18:56):
To do it?

Speaker 10 (18:57):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (18:57):
I think so.

Speaker 7 (18:58):
And whenever you don't whenever you don't you know, score
touch on every drive and you know, make every third down.

Speaker 4 (19:06):
There's always room to improve, and so we're focused on
controlling what we can control. That's getting better every day
and next cuuming the way we need to. Your spin
rates and your ball control locations. Sorry, uh, aren't exactly.

Speaker 15 (19:20):
Where you want it to be right now, and you're
still putting up the numbers and playing away or what
do you think you're doing particularly well.

Speaker 6 (19:26):
During this stretch?

Speaker 2 (19:28):
Mmm?

Speaker 7 (19:29):
No, I think I'm taking care of the ball pretty well,
being smart with it and finding the guy finding completions.

Speaker 4 (19:35):
You know, That's what it comes down to. Is not
always gonna get the the best look for for the
call that you have, but.

Speaker 7 (19:44):
Can you make that play where it might not look great,
can you make that into a positive.

Speaker 4 (19:49):
Gain for your team by finding a completion.

Speaker 7 (19:53):
And our guys are doing a great job of catching
'em underneath balls and getting those you know, the that
hidden yardage two three, four x three yards after the
catch where instead of second.

Speaker 4 (20:02):
And seven now it's second and three. That's big play.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
That's not what you know.

Speaker 7 (20:08):
Not everybody sees that, but that's what keeps you on schedule.
That's what gets your first downs and that's in turn
what gets your touchdown. So I'm gonna continue to play
ball the right way, the way that I feel like
we need to to try to win games and try
to find that next level.

Speaker 10 (20:25):
Let's you things, have over twenty sacks already this year,
making the defensive front of which is pretty good. But
eleven different guys have you know, they have contributed to that.
It doesn't seem like they lists, you know, as much
as some teams, but I guess they're effective when they do.

Speaker 7 (20:41):
Yeah, they really get pressure with their with their games
and their their talent up front. You know, their front
four is elite, some of the best in the league.
So it will be a challenge for our guys and
it will be a challenge for me and our coaching
staff to find, you know, the right calls and the
right moments to try to take the shots because of
how good they are up front. Trying to help our

(21:03):
guys in any way that we can with you know,
moving the pocket, drop it back, play action, you know,
mixing it up on them, just showing them a lot
of different looks because if you just sit there and
let them tee off on you, they're gonna get to you,
So it'll be it'll be a challenge.

Speaker 3 (21:20):
Situations especially like this.

Speaker 12 (21:22):
How big relationship or house relationship with Zach had developed
over the years and kind of what's that been like, Ma, sure,
he's always trying to navigate kind of situations like this one.

Speaker 4 (21:30):
Yeah, has there even better?

Speaker 7 (21:31):
We're you know, I've always had a great relationship with
with Zach, and he's been very positive about certain things,
and he's been intense about things that he feels needed
he needed to be intense about. So I think our
coaching staff is handling this the right way and we're

(21:52):
trying to get this thing flipped and turned to where
we want to go.

Speaker 12 (21:56):
There's an aspect of, you know, behind the scenes, and
the staff doesn't get credit for for how they manage you.

Speaker 3 (22:01):
Have a lot of situations on this game.

Speaker 4 (22:03):
Yeah, I would say that.

Speaker 7 (22:04):
I think, you know, we've been in these spots before
and you know, not quite this one, but you know
we've come out better on the other end. So all
you can do is get back to practice and continue
to try to get better.

Speaker 4 (22:19):
That's what we're gonna do. You be a complete in
seventy two percent of your past. What's the biggest all
went today?

Speaker 7 (22:25):
You gotta have good players around you that you know,
make tough catches. You gotta know what you're looking at.
You gotta have an offensive play caller that understands your
strengths and what you like. And you know, everybody's got
to be on the same page. And you have to
you know, work those completions, those timing completions throughout the
week in practice so you have confidence to be able

(22:47):
to throw it at the timing and in ball placement.

Speaker 9 (22:49):
That you need.

Speaker 4 (22:50):
You have all number in mind for a season percentage.

Speaker 7 (22:52):
That you'd like to see, No, I think it, you know,
I'm always I'd always like to be over seventy. I
think that's pretty pretty achievable for me. You know, game
to game it will vary cause you know, sometimes you
like gotta throw the ball away. Sometimes some things happen
out of your control. But uh, you know we're in
a good spot.

Speaker 10 (23:11):
Does Kalon tipdo status for someday?

Speaker 4 (23:13):
I mean, how does that kind of change things? If
he isn't able to go over if he is.

Speaker 7 (23:16):
With how he can you know attack his Yeah, he's
a great player, you know, really athletic, big Wong physical,
so when he's out there, you always have to be
aware of him. I'm not entirely sure what his status is,
or if he's practicing, or if he's planning on plan,
but we're we're we're preparing like he is.

Speaker 10 (23:32):
When you talk about your spin rate and not being
totally satisfied with it, do you think that's the type
of thing that only you notice as a perfectionist.

Speaker 3 (23:40):
Do you think your receivers see a difference.

Speaker 7 (23:43):
Yeah, I told him they might have to catch a
couple of wobblers this year until we get it back
on track.

Speaker 4 (23:47):
But that's part of coming back from injury.

Speaker 3 (23:50):
Is it every throw?

Speaker 10 (23:52):
Is it an occasional throw?

Speaker 3 (23:54):
How how often do you feel.

Speaker 4 (23:56):
That there's a difference. It's just occasionally. That's something that
you're working through. You talk about being in similar spots
in the cast a couple of years ago.

Speaker 7 (24:06):
This season, you're in a spot where you need wins
and then you rip off ten wins in a row
in the age of championship game.

Speaker 4 (24:13):
When you look back to that, what stands out to
you about the team's ability to get you that way?

Speaker 14 (24:18):
When you know what happened, then.

Speaker 4 (24:20):
Just continue to get better.

Speaker 7 (24:23):
That's you know, you're gonna have injuries, Teams are gonna,
you know, falter week to week. If you just consistently
try to get better day to day, I think that's
the recipe for success. And if you don't, then somebody
else is and you're gonna end up behind everybody. So
as long as everybody in this building is coming to

(24:45):
work with the idea that they need to get better today,
I think we'll be all right.

Speaker 2 (24:49):
Right there you go, Joe Broke, our friends in the
local pro football media drag that bad boy out right.
That was a long and by the way, good job
with the audio. Tarn was that you or do the
Bengals boost the audio of the questions? We could hear
the questions today. That was getting to hear him crystal clear,
but we could hear them today, Bengals.

Speaker 3 (25:07):
That was the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (25:08):
I good job by the Bengals. All Right, we're getting there.
We're getting there. A lengthy Joe Burrow press conference more
tonight on Bengals game plan from six to eight on
ESPN fifteen thirty, and of course, the game on Sunday
Night on ESPN fifteen thirty kicks off at eight twenty
pre game covered starts at four o'clock. We'll do sports
headlines by the way you heard them. Mention Cavon Thibodeau,

(25:29):
who suffered a fractured scaphoid bone in his wrist and
had surgery today. Brian Dayball, the Giants head coach, at
his press conference, described him as week to week that
is going to be worth paying attention to New York
winning last week on the offensive side of the ball.
Without both Devin Singletary and Malink Neighbors, who remains in

(25:50):
the NFL's concussion protocol, we have.

Speaker 3 (25:52):
A lot of ground to cover. We got to get
a break.

Speaker 2 (25:54):
In twenty five from four ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station.

Speaker 1 (25:58):
Look on the ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of
the Bengals sports headlines.

Speaker 2 (26:06):
Our service to Kelsey Chevrolety, home of lifetime powertrain protection
and guaranteed credit approval from their family to yours for life.

Speaker 3 (26:13):
Kelsey chef dot Com. All right, Bengals News.

Speaker 2 (26:17):
Sheldon rankins back same from Mike Hilton at Bengals practice today.
No official designation as of yet, but that's good news.
Cincinnati also has cleared Djivy cornerback. You remember, suffered a
knee injury and a bad one in that Week sixteen
game against the Minnesota Vikings last year. Eligible to be

(26:38):
added to the active roster at any point during a
twenty one day period during which he can practice. Bengals
Giants Sunday night on ESPN fifteen thirty Bengals game Plan
Tonight from six to eight o'clock. You also heard Joe
Burrow be asked about Cavon Tibodeau, the standout pass rusher
for the New York Giants. He had wrist surgery today

(26:58):
and is being called day to day by head coach
Brian Dable. This is one of baseball's best days. We
have four playoff games, two of them are potential elimination games.
Right now, they have played two innings. In Detroit, Tigers
have a one nothing lead over the Guardians in Game
three of their series. It's tied at one. Later this afternoon,

(27:20):
in Queens, it's the Mets and Phillies Game four. New
York has a two to one lead. Tonight in Kansas
City Royals and Yankees Game three, that series is tied
at one, And in San Diego tonight, where look playoff
baseball is awesome in large part because of the atmosphere,
right like playoff baseball.

Speaker 3 (27:38):
Like most sports, playoff games just hit different.

Speaker 2 (27:41):
Playoff baseball atmospheres are different, especially with the fan based
like San Diego, especially when you work in a great rivalry.
That was an awesome, enviable atmosphere in San Diego last
night Padres, when Fernando Tattias continues to be an absolute
postseason beast, six to five to the final score. Game
four of that series is tonight in San Diego. Padres

(28:05):
have a two to one series lead. I think that's
all I got for a local sports headlines no news
on Saturday, UC and UCF.

Speaker 3 (28:13):
I did chat with somebody.

Speaker 2 (28:16):
While we were running the Joe Burrow interview at a
ninety second conversation with someone who said, don't role out
the possibility of the game being played at the venue
originally known as Paul Brown Stadium.

Speaker 3 (28:26):
That doesn't mean it's gonna happen right now.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
The game is scheduled for Orlando for the Bounce House
on Saturday, and if it gets moved, it could get moved,
but at the same location on Sunday or Monday or
later on in the schedule.

Speaker 3 (28:40):
I think, right now it feels like I don't think neutral.

Speaker 2 (28:45):
I don't think a neutral city is very high on
the list of possible options. You could, I guess understand
the desire to play it at a neutral stadium. If
not a neutral city, that's obviously where the venue originally
known as Paul Brown Stadium would come into play. But
there will be a lot of people claiming they know

(29:06):
what's gonna happen with that game, and obviously the most
important concern is the health and well being and survivability
of the people down there in Florida a quarter after
four on ESPN fifteen thirty. So this has been a
theme on this show this week, and I think it's
been a theme among a lot of Bengals fans and
Bengals podcasts.

Speaker 3 (29:27):
What do we do at one and four?

Speaker 2 (29:30):
And like, we kind of knew this is how it
was gonna work, right, We go into Sunday and we
talk about how massive that game was, and it was,
I mean, they were If McPherson makes the kick or
if the Bengals finish that game in regulation, we feel great, Like,
I mean, let's be honest, if McPherson makes that kick.

(29:52):
The defensive performance was still bad. The defense of metrics
are still atrocious, but we're not focusing on it. We're
talking about how Burrow and the offense are lighting everybody up.
He's playing at an MVP caliber level if he makes
that kick. We talk about how they scored one hundred
and eight points over the last three games. We discuss
a two game winning streak, and we talk about how

(30:14):
they're now road favorites in New Jersey against the Giants,
but they lose, and so it's the season's over. It's
not for me now, I'll acknowledge I'd have felt a
thousand times better at two and three than one and four.
I understand the mathematical improbability, if you will, of them
getting to the postseason after starting with four losses in

(30:35):
their first five games, and I think we would all
acknowledge there is gonna be a point where, if the
losses continue without a win, that at some point you're
gonna have to declare their postseason hope's dead. And maybe
that Sunday one in five feels a lot different than
one and four because it is, but also context is needed.

(30:55):
Not every one in four is the same, Not every
losing record is the same, Like I look around the NFL.
The Dallas Cowboys have a winning record. They've also given
up more than they have scored. They've got a ton
of injuries, Mikeah Parsons hasn't played, there's no outside threat
beside Ceedee Lamb. And they're suddenly in a division that's

(31:16):
got a Cook and Washington team, still, a dangerous Philadelphia team,
and a Giants team that.

Speaker 3 (31:21):
Has some life.

Speaker 2 (31:23):
They were a Steeler's fourth down stop away from being
two and three. Context is needed. The Bengals one in
four feels different than Carolina's one and four. The Bengals
one and four feels different than Jacksonville's one and four,
which was an zero to four last week. The Bengals
one and four feels different than Cleveland's one and four.

(31:44):
The Browns have an awful offensive line, a terrible impossible
to like and get behind quarterback with a bad contract.
Their defense has regressed significantly. They're middle of the pack
in every conceivable defensive metric. Bengals one and four feels
different than New England's one and four. And I say
that despite the fact that New England I guess would

(32:06):
when the tiebreaker with the Bengals, but there's still no
one for the quarterback to throw too, and they have
benched Jacoby Brissett. They're gonna go with Drake May. They
have been atrocious the last couple of weeks. Context is needed.
The Bengals have allowed five more points than they have scored.
They have an offense that is almost completely healthy. I
did see that Zach Moust did in practice today. I

(32:27):
don't know what that's all about, but an offense that's
almost completely healthy. The five starting offensive linemen are healthy.
The two starting wide receivers are healthy. All of the
backups behind t and Jamar are healthy. Running backs have
been healthy, the loaded tight end room is healthy. The
quarterback is healthy. The takeaway after Game one was Joe

(32:49):
looks uncomfortable. It was he looked uncomfortable in a loss,
but it was he looks uncomfortable more than anything else
they could have eked out that game. And the take
way is still Joe looks uncomfortable. Granted the losses have continued,
Joe doesn't look uncomfortable. I know the Bengals defensive issues

(33:10):
are well spoken for. We know what they are, and
I'm not sure how much they can get fixed. That's
a sobering thing. It's also sobering to think about how
we knew last year the Bengals defense was a liability
and it's even worse in many respects this year. But
you're giving up on a team if you are, you're
giving up on a team that has a quarterback playing

(33:32):
at the level that Joe has been playing. It's not
been perfect. He had the pick on Sunday against Baltimore.
You had the pick against the Carolina Panthers. He had
the fumble that went for a touchdown against Kansas City.
So yeah, he's not been perfect, but he's been damn
near perfect. Does that continue?

Speaker 3 (33:55):
Maybe not.

Speaker 2 (33:56):
But are you betting against Joe Burrow? Are you betting
on him suddenly regressing and being a league average quarterback.
There's nothing in his track record when he's healthy to
suggest that that's the case. Hell, even last year, which
was a lost year for Joe Burrow. Last year, he
gets off to a terrible start and he finishes the
season with a thing on his wrist. It was right

(34:19):
around this time last season, though, when he started to
play like one of the best two or three quarterbacks
in the league. I said this at the top of
the hour if you look at his numbers, not the
numbers that you count, the the the rate stats, percentages,
things that have to compute difficult math.

Speaker 3 (34:37):
He's having a.

Speaker 2 (34:38):
Better season this year than twenty twenty two, when he
was a finalist to be the MVP. I'm not here
to tell you everything's great. I'm not here to tell
you the Bengals are Super Bowl contenders because right now
they're not. Here's what I'm here to tell you. Let's
give him the next four games. Can this team be
four and five going to Baltimore? I admit it's a

(34:58):
low standard. This is not what we should be talking about.
Can this team be four and five going to Baltimore?
That means obviously they got to win three of their
next four games. By the way, they're favored this week,
They're going to be favored, I think against Cleveland. Next week,
probably home favorites against Philadelphia and a quarterback who can't
stop committing turnovers, and they'll be favored at home against

(35:19):
the Las Vegas Raiders. Are they gonna win all four games?
Really hard to say they will, given how bad they've
been on defense. But would you really wager an amount
of money that matters to you against this offense winning
three of the next four, and if they do, maybe
they can't win the division. Maybe Baltimore beats them on

(35:40):
that Thursday night, four weeks from tomorrow and totally punts
the Bengals out of division contention and delivers a big
blow to their playoff hopes. Maybe that happens. But can
we just get to there? Can we just get me
to that game? I know we did this all the
time during baseball season and it didn't work. And man,
I'm the first to admit this is not how I
wanted to frame the season. I didn't want to be

(36:01):
talking about how, gee, you know what good in New
York win there and then you're two and four. I
wanted to be talking about, like, how they got off
to a killer start and canal feast on this October
schedule that's not very good and then go to Baltimore
with one of the best records in the league and
separate themselves from the Ravens.

Speaker 3 (36:18):
But we can't. What we can do is apply context.

Speaker 2 (36:22):
Joe Burrow is playing as well as he ever has,
This offense is as efficient as it's been in the
Borough era, and it's healthy. I'm not betting against that group.
I'm not betting against that group. I'll take three and
one over the next four. And by the way, I
will fully admit this defense is atrocious. It's a problem.
I'll fully admit man Zach Taylor on Sunday I hated

(36:45):
how he handled overtime. I've doubled down on it, even
though I've had people on this show tell me I'm wrong.
I'll put my money down, at least I'll put my
name on it. I'm not going to bet with strangers
on the internet. Of course, this team will be four
and five going to Baltimore. I'm not betting against Joe

(37:07):
Burrow yet, not betting against this offense yet. And I'm
not ready to bail on a team that I thought
back in June and July legitimately had a chance to
win the whole thing. I don't care about winning the
whole thing right now. I care about them getting to
that Baltimore game and having it matter. They can do

(37:28):
that if they win three of their next four. Look
at the opponents, Look at how they're playing offensively. By
the way, offensive Dvoa Baltimore is number one in the NFL.
The Washington Commanders are number three in the NFL. The
New York Giants are seventeenth, seventeenth, middle of the pack.

(37:51):
Do you know where the Cleveland Browns are? Dead last?
Do you know where the Philadelphia is? The Eagles are fifteenth,
middle of the pack. You know where the Las Vegas
Raiders are twenty eighth? And they're also twenty ninth in
defensive DVOA. The offense is the Bengals lost to at home.

(38:16):
The last two home losses are elite by every measurement,
and the Bengals might have had and did have a
lot to do with their current elite ranking. I get Burrow,
I get the way he's playing. I get a healthy offense.
I get a softer schedule, I get a low standard.

(38:39):
I get to win three of the next four when
I'm going to be favored against teams that aren't great,
probably not a playoff team in the mix. Philadelphia might
be the exception. I'm not betting against this offense. Might
bet against him if you tell me they're going to
the playoffs. Might bet against him if you tell me. Look,
let's wager on them winning the North, even playing for

(39:00):
a championship. The season is about the next four games.
I think they go three and one. You are welcome.
Lines are open five one, three seven, four nine, fifteen thirty.
We're not gonna make a wager, because I don't make
wagers with strangers. But if I'm wrong and I'm proven wrong,

(39:24):
it's one thing to tell me after the fact that
I was wrong.

Speaker 3 (39:27):
Tell me I'm wrong now.

Speaker 2 (39:30):
At Maleger on social media. Better if you call five one,
three seven four nine, fifteen thirty. There are two things
to draw from the Reds hiring Terry Francona. I'll tell
you what they are coming of. At four oh five
on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati sporteen.

Speaker 1 (39:44):
Shoe with a third touchdown, Zacha Taylor's men finally achieve
a second winn. Bengal listening as Joe Burrow and his
Bengals Bible New.

Speaker 3 (39:56):
York's hecks Upango, we.

Speaker 4 (39:59):
Will be Laurens and Black.

Speaker 1 (40:01):
When's the first trial from the chemist Victory?

Speaker 4 (40:05):
Why done?

Speaker 1 (40:06):
When you get the call from Dan Hood at Dave Black?
What a dry? Coverage starts Sunday at fool on ESPN fifteen,
the official home of.

Speaker 3 (40:15):
The four or four ESPN fifteen thirty, Maleger, Thank you
for listening.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
I hope you're having awesome Wednesday a tonoon. It is
gorgeous ound spend some time today. And if you follow
me on social media, maybe you saw this.

Speaker 3 (40:33):
Maybe you were there.

Speaker 2 (40:36):
At Fountain Square to celebrate Skyline Chili's seventy fifth birthday.
So they had a big party at Fountain Square. Skyline
was there and it was awesome. There was a local
ice cream company there, uh, and it was just a blast,
and uh, you know how much I.

Speaker 3 (40:56):
Love Skyline Chili.

Speaker 2 (40:58):
They also have a new record for most photos of
cheese Coney's posted to Instagram within an hour. Now, I
bet you didn't know this was from the Guinness Book
of World Records. I bet you didn't know that was
a record. Well now it is. And just a really
good time. And the weather was gorgeous and I wanted
to just stay there so we could do our show outside,

(41:20):
but as it is, had to come to ken Wood,
and so here we are. We'll spend a few minutes
with Jordan Bishall, who was a UC's baseball coach. They
have a fallball few fallball events coming up here in
the coming days.

Speaker 3 (41:31):
We'll do that at four twenty.

Speaker 2 (41:33):
And I've heard this a lot Terry Francona got hired,
and it tells you they're gonna spend and I don't
really disagree with that, but I think there are two
far more important takeaways. Well, I think there's one far
more important takeaway, and I think there's also a lesson,
and you know me, I like lessons. We'll talk about
both the takeaway and the lesson coming up here in

(41:54):
just a bit, but I did this before the top
of the hour, and I don't want to make people wait.
I have a time been accused of not being the
most optimistic person when it comes to the Bengals, and
I'm frustrated that it's October ninth, they've played five games,
and we've had to recalibrate our expectations for the season
and how we talk about them. I would love, at

(42:17):
some point to go into October talking about how they've
got to fend off challengers in the AFC North instead
of trying to leap frog teams and catch teams in
the AFC North. It would be awesome if they could
spend October at some point building upon the awesome start
they just had. Instead of U zero to two two

(42:37):
years ago, one in three last year, one and four. Now,
it would be terrific if Duke Tobin can figure out
a way to repair a defense in the offseason that
doesn't involve just throwing money at it, because that's not
gonna work anymore. Because the finances of the team are
a little bit different than they were in twenty twenty one.
It would be great if Luanna Rumo could figure out
a way to squeeze more out of the defensive players

(42:58):
they have.

Speaker 3 (42:59):
But I just I refuse to say season over. I
refuse to start talking about draft positioning. I refuse to
even entertain the idea that they should tank, which they're
not going to.

Speaker 2 (43:12):
One in four is a big, big hole. It's not
one that they cannot crawl out of. And again, like
I'm I'm the context guy. Now, if they were four
and one, if they were four and one, which by
the way, they were in twenty eighteen, and I remember

(43:33):
them being four and one and being excited that they
were four and one, but not really feeling like what
they were doing was sustainable. It was a trash can defense.
It was an offense that was doing some things with
smoke and mirrors. I got yelled at. Sometimes you have
to look beyond the record. I'll do that with this team.

(43:55):
I'm not gonna do it as we look way ahead
to December, because I'm not looking ahead to December. I'm
sure trying to win the next four games. I'm trying
to make that Baltimore game matter. So here's what I
want to do. I want to take a look at
the next four weeks and see if we can get
to a point where they can then use the next
Baltimore game and play a team that they just scored

(44:16):
thirty eight against as a jumping off point. Just get
to that jumping off point. Get to the trampoline, so
to speak. Are you putting it past this offense to
do that?

Speaker 3 (44:26):
I am not. I'm not.

Speaker 2 (44:30):
I think it'd be irresponsible to I think it'd be unfair.
They can be unfair to the way that Joe Burrow
is playing. They can be unfair to the way the
offense is constructed. By the way you can crush the
Bengals for how they've constructed their defense, You've also got
to credit them for how they've constructed the offense. So
apply context. I did it when they were four and

(44:50):
one six years ago. I'll do it at one and
four this season. I felt like there was a dark
cloud coming when they were four and one in Marvin
Lewis's last year. I think there are some of your
skies ahead of us as long as this offense keeps cooking.
Are they going to score thirty eight points every game? No,
but I'm not betting against this quarterback, not over the

(45:10):
next four games. Let's see here, Ted, you are in Florida,
hopefully safe.

Speaker 9 (45:17):
Hi.

Speaker 2 (45:18):
Ted, You're on ESPN fifteen thirty. It says Ted on
the screen. It says Ted and Florida on the screen.

Speaker 9 (45:30):
Oh, I said curbed that they called me curb.

Speaker 3 (45:34):
What do you want to be called?

Speaker 1 (45:36):
Cerb or Curd?

Speaker 6 (45:39):
Curb?

Speaker 3 (45:39):
K I r B you want to be called cerb
or Ted?

Speaker 9 (45:45):
It doesn't matter. I'm my word got that in the riot.
I was just thinking about this thing. As far as
a couple of questions, a couple of pops on my mind.
I've been watching the bags they started back in sixty eight. Anyway,
far as far as the defense, I can't the same way.
It can't do something financially with with Joe and his

(46:06):
contracts and restructure some more money to get a little
bit more defensive past rush you.

Speaker 11 (46:11):
Know what I mean.

Speaker 3 (46:12):
It's it's not it's not on.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
It's not on Joe Burrow to give the Bengals a
loan so they can go buy defensive players.

Speaker 9 (46:19):
Well, I just thought, maybe he's not be willing to
do it.

Speaker 2 (46:21):
I don't know, it might be, but I mean, I
I don't know that I would be screw it. You
you signed me to a contract knowing how good I am.
I'm your meal ticket when you sign me, you and
that implied that you you felt like you could figure
out a way to do what you needed to do.
There's still enough money to spend to have at least
a competent defense, and you have a draft.

Speaker 3 (46:39):
So I don't this is it's not up to Joe
Burrow to fix the defense.

Speaker 9 (46:44):
Well I agree with Yeah, I agree with yet curtain
degree anything. Yes, thing I was gonna do is I
agree with you as far as the thoughts, as far
as the Bengals are down yet, Yeah, they're not done
with the U. You look at the records of all
the asking teams and now they're not all that great. Actually,
if you look at the records, were like one game

(47:05):
behind they in the wild card race. If you look
at all these aftts.

Speaker 2 (47:11):
Did you need a stat I have, And I also
think of like if you just look around the league
and ignore the records for a second. Like the Buffalo
Bills just lost consecutive games and Josh Allen looked like
a shell of himself. Now, I would also say the
Bills have in every year of the Josh Allen era,
lost consecutive games.

Speaker 3 (47:29):
But they've got some stuff to fix. The Jets just
fired their head coach.

Speaker 2 (47:32):
They have an old quarterback who on Sunday was behaving
like a man who just had to spend his NFL
Sunday at a pumpkin patch. The Miami Dolphins are a
non factor as long as to a tanger I Looa
is hurt. The Baltimore Ravens are very good. There's still
a question that dogs them about can you finish games
against really good teams, which they almost didn't do on

(47:54):
on Sunday. Pittsburgh, the bloom has come off of that rose.
Maybe they turned to Russell Wilson this week. The Browns
are a dumpster fire. Houston just lost Nico Collins. Doesn't
look like Joe Burrow is on his way back yet.
The Innianapolis Colts have a great offensive line and nothing else.
The Titans are terrible. The Jaguars are maybe a game
away from firing their coach. The Chiefs might be in

(48:16):
a league by themselves, and yet they've played a bunch
of close games. The Denver Broncos have a terrible offense,
So did the Los Angeles Chargers, so to the Las
Vegas Raiders, who are having an inn season quarterback competition,
like I can come up with a reason, with the
exception of Kansas City and maybe the exception of Baltimore,
I can come up with a reason why any team

(48:37):
in the AFC might not go far, might not make
the playoffs, or might not live up to its potential.
I can do it with Cincinnati, but I can do
it with almost everybody else. And most of those teams
that I just mentioned don't have an offense that's cooking
the way Joe Burrow in the offense is cooking.

Speaker 9 (48:52):
Here, I agree with you. Also, yeah, seasons were not
when you got twelve games to play.

Speaker 2 (49:03):
I mean sure, yeah, I mean there's there's the benefit.
Ted Curb, whatever you want to be called. Where are
you in Florida?

Speaker 9 (49:11):
I'm down Pensacola, not down in the Tampa area, Florida,
originally originally from portion of Ohio.

Speaker 3 (49:19):
Nice. All right, well your your course that I've been
to Portsmouth.

Speaker 9 (49:25):
Yeah, it's just down the river from Cincinnati. I used
to have season tickets, uh for a good long time.
That can't make the can't make the game up there
from down here.

Speaker 3 (49:38):
It's a it's a little bit of ammal ted. Thank
you for listening from.

Speaker 6 (49:43):
One of the things.

Speaker 9 (49:44):
I was listening so much forward to the Bengals to
get into the super Bowl because I got friends to
connection down and down the Louisiana for the for the
super Bowl game. Yeah, you know where they're gonna play
the super Bowl, And I was open the hell to
have a chance.

Speaker 2 (50:02):
In beginning, Well, you know what you should do is
if you can, if you have connections, you should still
go to the super Bowl.

Speaker 9 (50:10):
Yeah, it's my heart, just my heart's stuff there.

Speaker 3 (50:13):
Or get the tickets to the super Bowl and then
and then sell them.

Speaker 9 (50:19):
Well that's what I thought about that too, But that
my heart is to go to the game one more
last time because I'm not I don't have a lot
of years left.

Speaker 2 (50:27):
Oh Tad, you have, you have decades left. Don't talk
that way. Good to hear from you. Thank you for
calling him.

Speaker 3 (50:33):
We'll do it again. Okay, I can't appreciate.

Speaker 9 (50:36):
I appreciate getting talked. It can't make you one more
thing to you.

Speaker 3 (50:39):
You do whatever you want, Tony, Yeah, just one.

Speaker 9 (50:42):
One quick, Tony guys on the is the New show.
I watched him, listen to him every day. I've been
trying to get you, guys the phone number. Every time
I try to listen to you. Listen to him, he
says that phone number so fast. He can't get how
he slowed up a little bit. Maybe other people want
to your phone number. You know what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
You mean the phone number that you just called.

Speaker 9 (51:04):
Yeah, your your phone numbers?

Speaker 2 (51:06):
Yeah, all right, I will. I will reprimand those guys.
I will reprimand Tony for saying the phone number two
fast tomorrow.

Speaker 9 (51:14):
Okay, Okay, I appreciate it you talking to you.

Speaker 3 (51:18):
Okay, Hey, Curb, it's good to talk to you. I
hope we hear from you again.

Speaker 9 (51:22):
Okay, all right, go Bengals, there you go.

Speaker 2 (51:25):
Like I I could pollke a hole in every some
of those teams have better records. Like again, I'm I'm
not talking about the super Bowl. I'm not talking about
winning the division. I'm talking about like just sort of
getting upright, just getting in a position where you could
you could at least look at the last Let's say
they get to the Baltimore game, like that's that's the

(51:48):
midway point of the season.

Speaker 3 (51:49):
It's a seventeen game year.

Speaker 2 (51:50):
Baltimore game is game ten, right, So can they get
to the midway point of the season where they can
still make something of this year?

Speaker 3 (51:59):
I think the ends, Yes, I am.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
You know. It's the trope of by low sell high.
I think there are teams I would sell high on.
I would sell high on the Atlanta Falcons, who are
insanely fun to watch, have a winning record three and two.
Team they have given up more than they have scored.
All three of their wins have been handed to them.
And then there are teams I'm buying low one. Bengals

(52:25):
are one of them. Jordan bishel UC's baseball coach.

Speaker 1 (52:28):
Next, this is football in thenetti on, the official home
of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (52:39):
Have the Bengals injury designations here. Shortly Sheldon Rankins was back.
He practiced, so did Mike Hilton if you need a
baseball fix. By the way, weather is awesome.

Speaker 3 (52:49):
Right now. You can watch the.

Speaker 2 (52:51):
UC baseball team in a fourteen inning exhibition game at
home this Saturday against Pitt. First pitch is going to
be at three o'clock. The admission is free, concessions will
be open. The Bearcats, in the middle of the fall
ball season, just played eighteen innings at IU last Saturday.
The head coach of the Bearcats is Jordan Bischell. By

(53:13):
the way, the second Bischel ball at Buckethead's event, which
that's on my way home. I is October the twenty third, Wednesday,
two weeks from today, so I might stop buying. In fact,
I think I will hope to see you there. That
starts at six o'clock. The head coach of the Bearcats,
Coach Bischell, is with us. It's good to heavy coach.

Speaker 3 (53:32):
How are you.

Speaker 9 (53:33):
I'm doing well. Appreciate you having me on home.

Speaker 2 (53:35):
I appreciate you doing this. Describe explain the concept of
fallball to me. Not so much the workouts and the practices,
but when you play another team they're gonna play eighteen
innings against Pitt. Is this a situation where like a
control a controlled scrimmage in the NFL where you talk
to the other coach about pitchers you want to use
or things you want to do, or does it look

(53:56):
like a game you might play in the spring.

Speaker 9 (53:58):
Yeah, it's gonna look a lot closer to a game obviously. Well,
we'll pitch it a little bit differently, maybe mix our
lineups a little bit more. You might see more liberal substitutions.
But it's you know, the guys that are between the lines.
It's unscripted, just baseball keeping score. Really, it's so interesting
because our guys are on campus in August and then

(54:18):
we've got six months before our first game and you're
trying to get a gauge for what your team looks
like when the bullets actually slyly. So it's just a
couple of good opportunities in the fall to see what
it looks like against another team.

Speaker 2 (54:30):
What do you try to accomplish on an annual basis,
What do you try to accomplish in the fall that
sets the table for when you get restarted in the spring.

Speaker 9 (54:38):
Yeah, you know, to some extent it all goes well.
You almost have to feel like you're somewhat ready for
opening day. When you wrap up that fall segment, we
get about six weeks in the fall where we can
go with our guys on a relatively daily basis. There's
some rules in there where we have to have a
day off, but kind of five to six days a
week for six weeks, which if you look at the spring,

(55:01):
we really only get two and a half weeks of
full practice once we get going. And then once we
start playing, you're playing four days a week. You take
a day off seat, your practice time is pretty limited
in the spring, so you really have to have to
make a lot of headway, especially with your new faces,
just understanding what your identity is, what your concepts are,
you're hitting approach, and so it really is a pretty

(55:21):
critical stretch for.

Speaker 2 (55:22):
Development well and kind of guide me through the transfer
process as well. Because your your season ends in the
spring and hopefully on an annual basis later and later,
but it ends in the spring, and then you know,
the academic year starts in late summer. It's a short
window to get kids to your roster, to bring them
in to talk to them.

Speaker 3 (55:41):
How does that work.

Speaker 9 (55:43):
Yeah, kind of mid June to late July is just
a really active stretch of trying to find the right
fits and get them on board. And the draft plays
into that with being in July and I'm knowing exactly
who you're going to lose. But really, you know what
used to be a summer of really hunt in quality
high school players, now we kind of have to divide
and conquer where we stay on top of that, but

(56:04):
also spend a lot of time on keeping an eye
on a couple of thousand guys that have gone in
and trying to find the right fits to fit there.
And thankfully we had a pretty successful summer with it.

Speaker 2 (56:14):
You brought in twelve new transfers among those group of kids.
Where is the biggest impact going to be made once
the game start to be played in the spring.

Speaker 9 (56:25):
Yeah, on the mound for sure. Our pitching did a
pretty nice job last year, considering we had very little
depth and very little experience, which is not a great combination.
But we brought in a couple of left handers, Colan
o'c connor and Adam Rackett, who were really quality rotation
guys at the Division IE level at their schools. Several

(56:45):
other guys who have had some success and have some upside.
Our pitching depth looks just tremendously different than last year.
And some of that's a couple of freshmen coming in,
but most of it some quality guys that have logged
a lot of career college inning.

Speaker 2 (57:00):
You're a freshman, you show up on campus and then
fall ball begins, and oftentimes, you know, maybe just weeks
after you played, you know, at at at a lower
level high school or on a club team or something
like that. And I've watched a lot of high school
baseball my life, and there are times where I go, God,
there are kids here who are going to be making
a significant leap in competition, a significant leap in terms

(57:22):
of venue, a significant leap in terms of expectations. So
what's what's fallball like for a freshman has just shown
up on campus.

Speaker 9 (57:30):
I think fast, I think really early fast. You know,
the speed of everything is faster. Obviously the pitching has
increased velocity, but the times, the first base, the just
the speed of it changes.

Speaker 6 (57:40):
You know.

Speaker 9 (57:41):
The great thing for us is we get, you know,
about six months with these guys before our first game.
That that counts, so we have a chance to slow
it down to them a little bit. But September it's
not surprising to see guys that we think are going
to be very good players kind of look like bad players,
quite frankly, and it's just part of the process of learning.

(58:02):
But yeah, it's a tough adjustment, and the transfer portals
probably made that even tougher because college baseball has gotten older,
more veteran. At this level, there's less eighteen and nineteen
year olds making a big impact. And you see it
too with the strength side of things. I mean, there's
just such a big difference between a twenty two year
old body who's really worked in the weight room versus
an eighteen year old, and so it takes some work.

(58:24):
But we also saw last year that through the course
of the year those guys can really help us as
the year goes on.

Speaker 2 (58:28):
What's the most common thing with a freshman, just say,
a position player that you have to work with when.

Speaker 16 (58:33):
He shows up Handling's failure, I think more than anything
you know at this if you're coming to play at
this level, you know you're probably almost undoubtedly the best
player on your team, the chance your best player in
your league, maybe the best player in your state.

Speaker 9 (58:47):
And all of a sudden you're surrounding a bunch of
guys like you with more experience than you and it
you're going to fail a heck of a lot more
and dealing with that and still trusting in who you are.
That takes, especially in baseball, where there is a lot
of failure for anybody. Those guys probably have never gone
over ten in their lives in a stretch, and they're
doing it regularly. Now.

Speaker 2 (59:07):
I've watched high school pitchers who are going to play,
you know, high end, high level college baseball toward the
end of their high school careers. They just wipe the
floor with the opposition, and it could be at times
it looks a little bit too easy. So a pitcher
shows up on campus. You talk about learning to fail,
But what's the most common denominator when it comes to
those guys getting used to the college.

Speaker 9 (59:28):
They struggle to get the ball in the strike zone.
You know, high school umpires are going to have pretty
significantly different strike zones than the ones we deal with.
The hitters are so much more disciplined and so much
more comfortable. And if you watch us play, I mean,
we're almost always in the top ten or so in
the country and walk so I think it's even harder
for our pictures the faith our hitters, because they just

(59:50):
they just don't expand the breaking ball that everybody was
chasing in high school, they're not. And so you often
see guys who barely walk to anybody in high school,
all of a sudden in a three and in scrimmage
are walking three or four guys and you're scratching your head.
But some of that is those things. And then again
it's the confidence starts to weigh in a little bit,
the ball starts to spray a little bit.

Speaker 3 (01:00:08):
You know, a year ago, you're getting ready for season one.

Speaker 2 (01:00:10):
At you see in season one of the Big Twelve
relative to maybe what we would have talked about twelve
months ago, are things much more calm in that regard?

Speaker 9 (01:00:19):
Yeah, you know, we have a ton of new guys.
You mentioned all the transfers, and we have thirteen freshmen
as well, so over half our rosters knew.

Speaker 6 (01:00:26):
But the guys we.

Speaker 9 (01:00:27):
Brought back had a lot of experience for us, have
some really good leadership qualities.

Speaker 11 (01:00:32):
Like it.

Speaker 9 (01:00:33):
It may not be a real big group in terms
of quantity, but it's a great group in terms of
their leadership and experience, and that's brought a way, way
way more settled feel to it, and and just our
staff being together for us a second year and spending
time together and you know, knowing where things are and
what's going on, and it's way way more settled, which
obviously helps.

Speaker 2 (01:00:53):
As I'm talking to you, I'm watching an American League
Division Series game Detroit and Cleveland. I'm sure there aren't
many nights that you get a chance to sit down
and watch a nine in in game. But like in
the playoffs, can you sit back as a fan or
are you thinking along with the managers?

Speaker 9 (01:01:10):
You know, I grew up in Wisconsin. In the first
half of my life, I watched the Brewers not be
so bad. They didn't tend to make the playoffs. I
don't know if that's better or worse, because now they
make it every year. But by the second week here,
they've already been knocked out. So I got a chance
to be a fan a little bit for a couple
of games last week. Unfortunately, got three little guys at home.
You're usually asleep by the time the biggest pitches are thrown,

(01:01:32):
but it is fun to you know. What's cool about
it is in the big leagues, there's there's some sort
of measure of energy conservation. Right, you got one hundred
and sixty two games. You just can't go all out
every single day. And you see these guys turn it
up in the playoffs where they don't take a pitch
off and that level of intensity. I think it actually
mirrors the college game a little bit more, where every
game feels like it carries a little bit more value,

(01:01:53):
and that part of it's really fun to watch.

Speaker 2 (01:01:55):
Yeah, No, that's that's actually the part of the college
game that I think I like the most. Right, Like
a guy hits a homer in college, everybody pours out
of the dugout and acts like it's a bigger deal
than they do in a big league game. The Bischl
Ball at Buckethead's event, which is two weeks from tonight.
You had the first one in late September for folks
who heard about it, maybe didn't get a chance to attend.

Speaker 3 (01:02:15):
What's going to happen at Bucketheads?

Speaker 9 (01:02:17):
Yeah, you know, it was great. We had probably you know,
Bucketheads in the Austin Sports Bar and it was packed
wall the wall. A lot of people were in Cincinnati gear,
so I'm they're just enjoying the meal that didn't know
what we had going on, but we had probably well
over one hundred people show off to just get a
feel of us talking about what's going on with the program. Obviously,
we you know, we're in school, academic calendar goes so

(01:02:41):
many months before we start playing games, and we're just
trying to make people, you know, where of what's going
on in our program this time of year. So we
had a couple of players, Nate Taylor and Loudon Brooks stop.
We'll have a couple of different guys join us in
a couple of weeks here, but really just a chance
to talk baseball, talk beer Cat baseball. We's had so
much transition in our program. I'm joining the league and
Stackinson good success last year and we've seen more and

(01:03:04):
more interest. We're just trying to get out in the
community a little bit and let people get to know me.
Our staff are players, and it was great. We had
I think north of twenty alumn there, which was good
to see them, but just a chance for us to
kind of kind of bring Cincinnati Baseball to them instead
of asking them to come to us and talk with
the public a little bit.

Speaker 2 (01:03:22):
I mentioned that's on my way home so I'll come
by and say hi.

Speaker 3 (01:03:27):
Two weeks from tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:03:28):
First things, first fourteen inning exhibition at UC against Pittsburgh
at three o'clock is first pitch.

Speaker 3 (01:03:34):
It costs nothing to get in. Concessions will be opened.

Speaker 2 (01:03:37):
There are other open scrimmages coming up Alumni Weekend Sunday,
the twentieth of October, as well as scrimmages on the
twenty fourth and twenty fifth.

Speaker 3 (01:03:45):
Good to have you, coaches always. Thank you so much.

Speaker 9 (01:03:48):
I appreciate you having me on MO. I know there's
a lot going on this time of year, so I
appreciate you squeezing on a little bearcat baseball.

Speaker 3 (01:03:53):
We'll talk baseball anytime. Thank you so much.

Speaker 9 (01:03:57):
Thanks a boy.

Speaker 2 (01:03:57):
That's Jordan Bischel, the baseball coach at the University of Cincinnati.
Five point three seven four nine fifteen thirty is our
our phone number of sports headlines. I'm being called a
moron on email and on Twitter.

Speaker 3 (01:04:10):
Look, man, like I've used this word a lot, like contact.
Contact matters, Like.

Speaker 2 (01:04:15):
I'm not betting against an offense that is as good
as this one is playing right now. If my goal
is to win three of the next four, that's it.
I'm not talking about beating the Ravens in Baltimore. I
just I want to get to a point where I
feel like I could use that game as a jumping

(01:04:36):
off point, and maybe.

Speaker 3 (01:04:38):
They go there.

Speaker 2 (01:04:38):
At four and five, it gets slaughtered by Lamar Jackson.
He does more Lamar Jackson things in four and six,
and it's a tough putt. But I think they can
win three of the next four. I would rather they
win four of the next four. I don't know that
that's mandatory. I think winning three of the next four
is I think anything shy that than the math.

Speaker 3 (01:05:00):
Gets to be a little, a little tough. I don't know.
I want to spend a few minutes.

Speaker 2 (01:05:05):
I think we need to spend a few minutes on
Terry Francona, because I've heard a lot about what his
hire says about what they're going to do with the payroll,
and I heard a lot about what it means for
what the front office is going to do and acquiring
free agents, and those are very very important things. But
them hiring him tells me something else, and I think

(01:05:26):
teaches a lesson that is next after Headlines twenty eight
from five ESPN.

Speaker 1 (01:05:31):
Fifteen to thirty you've been listening to football in thenetti
on the official home of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:05:41):
Boards headlines or a service of Kelsey Chevrolet, home of
lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from their family
to yours for life, Kelsey chev dot Com. All Right,
Bengals injury report. Sheldon Rankins is back. They call his
participation limited with that hamstring issue, but still a step
in the right direction for him.

Speaker 3 (01:06:02):
Mike Helton is.

Speaker 2 (01:06:05):
Back full go after missing Sunday's game with any problem,
so that's good news. Dj Ivy has been cleared to
practice in a full go today at today's workout. Got
injured against the Vikings in that Week sixteen game last year,
one of the best Bengals games I've ever been to.
Here's the bad news, or at least worth monitoring. Zach
Moss did not practice today. He is on the report

(01:06:26):
with a foot problem. And Mike Kasiki did not practice
today he is on the report with a hamstring problem.
Or Tonight on Bengals game Plan with Dan Horde and
Dave lap Him on ESPN fifteen thirty from six to
eight tonight, the game Sunday evening on ESPN fifteen thirty
kicks off at eight twenty. By the way, Kevon Tabodeau

(01:06:47):
risk surgery today. The standout Giants pass rusher is being
called day today by the Giants coach Brian Daball, who
looks like Austin Elmore, and Malik Nighbors remains in the
NFL's concussion protocol. Meanwhile, the Baseball Playoffs Big day of baseball,
maybe baseball's best day. Four postseason games and one day

(01:07:09):
two of them could be decided to Those series could
be decided right now. Game three between the Tigers and
Guardians in Detroit. Tigers have a two to zero or
two nothing lead in that game. The series is tied
at one. Mets can close out the Phillies. Game four
of that series in Queens that starts at the top
of the hour. Yankees and Royals in Kansas City, Game three,

(01:07:32):
that series tied at one. Padres trying to close out
the Dodgers Game four to nine in San Diego. Padres
lead that series two games to one. No news on
Saturday's game between UCF and Cincinnati regarding time change, location change,
date change, anything like that. With Hurricane Milton bearing down

(01:07:53):
on large parts of Florida. There you go, twenty minutes
away from five o'clock. Your phone calls are still welcome
at five. I've won three, seven, four, nine, fifteen thirty. Uh,
Richard Skinner's gonna join us at five twenty on a
few different Bengals topics. So as soon as the Reds
hire Terry Francona, many of us, myself included, defaulted to

(01:08:15):
this take. Hey, they're not gonna hire Terry Francona. They're
not going to be able to hire Terry Francona unless
they've given him assurances that they're going to spend. And
the Rads need to make some moves this offseason, right,
Are you really going to go into next year with
the starting staff as currently constructed, where nobody's gotten through

(01:08:35):
a full big league season? Are you really gonna let
this outfield be as is without a proven consistent thumper
in the lineup? Do you really have enough depth? Do
you really have enough bullpen arms? Are Aren't there many
places that you could look at and say, boy, there's
an upgrade out there for what they have right now? So, yes,

(01:08:57):
this team needs help, and it needs more help than
in the dugout. It needs help on the field, and
that can involve trading away guys and getting something to return.
Should involve acquiring players via free agency, and obviously it's
going to include players being healthier like Matt McClain, who

(01:09:18):
homered yesterday in his first Arizona Fall League game, or
Christian Incarnacion Strand who's playing in the Fall League and I.

Speaker 3 (01:09:26):
Think had a couple of hits yesterday. So like, there's
a lot of different ways to make the team better.

Speaker 2 (01:09:30):
But yes, we want to see the Reds spend money
on high end players who are in their prime.

Speaker 3 (01:09:38):
That could be a part of the solution.

Speaker 2 (01:09:40):
And it's hard to imagine Terry Francona agreeing to manage here,
come out of retirement and agreeing to manage here if
he hasn't been given at least some assurance that they're
going to be active in doing that. But I think
the more important takeaway is this, Terry Francona can here

(01:10:01):
because the Reds as constructed right now as things stand today,
aren't a pretty good spot. Now is the season unfolded.
Nobody wanted to hear this, but maybe because there's a
degree of optimism and hope that has resulted from Terry
Francona being hired, were a little bit more willing to

(01:10:23):
say this, or a little bit more willing to listen
to this. But the Reds in twenty twenty four weren't
the Reds of twenty seventeen. Weren't the Reds of twenty eighteen.
Teams that had no chances to win, Teams that were
bad and you looked at and said, who's going to
be here by the time they're good.

Speaker 3 (01:10:42):
There weren't many of those guys couldn't say that this year.

Speaker 2 (01:10:47):
Like I think the really exciting thing about Terry Francona
agreeing to come here a man with options. Let's be honest,
if he just made it known, hey, you know what,
I'm here to manage who wants me, he'd have some suitors.
Chances are he'd have some suitors that would pay him

(01:11:08):
more and might be willing or according to some capable
of spending more on the roster.

Speaker 3 (01:11:16):
But I've got to think he liked the baseball situation
as is.

Speaker 1 (01:11:23):
Now.

Speaker 2 (01:11:23):
Look, man, we criticized the Reds this year and made
fun of the Reds this year for a lot of
different things. On the field, it was not a good team.
It was a team that got its manager fired. But
regardless of what they did with David Bell or what
they did in terms of replacing him, as you started
to think about twenty twenty five, it wasn't like there

(01:11:46):
wasn't a place to start with. For me, it's the
starting pitching. How many new managers would like to have
the young starting pitchers. The Reds have more unproven than
we would like, longer injury histories than we would like.
There's still some uncertainty, but that's still a pretty good
place to start. They need some help, would like to

(01:12:07):
see him sign a veteran pitcher who's better than Frankie Montass,
but that's a pretty good place. And yeah, man, you know,
you could talk about who wasn't able to play this year,
who barely played, or in some cases, who played poorly,
but there are some pieces there. And so what Terry
Francona coming here told me was here is a proven

(01:12:30):
baseball man, a guy who's going to be in Cooperstown
one day, a dude who's won in a market like
Boston where there's immense pressure and in a market like
Cleveland where I'm not even sure they care about baseball.

Speaker 3 (01:12:43):
A guy who has.

Speaker 2 (01:12:44):
Managed a veteran team and a guy who has managed
some young guys and had success. He also managed in Philadelphia,
and it's not like he was a disaster. There, proven
baseball man with options who could afford to be discriminatory
in terms of places he would be interested in. Like,
do we think he just came here because he played

(01:13:04):
for the Reds in nineteen eighty seven? No, do we
think he came here just because they've told him, yeah,
we'll spend some money. I've got to think if you're
Terry Francona, you've looked at what the Reds have, and
while you would acknowledge maybe it's not complete, it's a
pretty damn good place to start. That to me is
really encouraging. That to me is at least for me personally,

(01:13:28):
confirmation of something I've believed. Not here today that I
thought the Reds weren't massively disappointing this season.

Speaker 3 (01:13:35):
They were.

Speaker 2 (01:13:35):
I'm certainly not here to tell you that the red
should just hire a new manager and then Nick Crals
should go in like a four month cruise and leave
the roster alone.

Speaker 3 (01:13:43):
They need help.

Speaker 2 (01:13:44):
If the biggest Reds offseason acquisition as a manager, that
is a disaster of an off season. But they went
to Terry Francona and said, you want to manage the Reds.
And Terry Francona knew enough about the Reds and what
they have and what the roster is, what the farm system.

Speaker 3 (01:13:58):
Does, and I felt good enough to say, y'all come here.

Speaker 2 (01:14:04):
That's a really encouraging thing if you're a Reds fan,
and it's easier to acknowledge now than it might have
been three weeks ago. I was asked, when David Bell
got let go, do you think this is a desirable job?
The fact that a guy who doesn't need to do this,
whose resume is complete, who I'm sure was living a fine,

(01:14:24):
comfortable life in retirement, the job was desirable enough that
he says, yes, I'll come here. That is a reflection
of what the Reds are today, not what they're gonna
be in February, of what they are today.

Speaker 3 (01:14:39):
That's good.

Speaker 2 (01:14:42):
It's also something about this man like I listened to
Nick crawl talk and I've had a few conversations with
people with the club.

Speaker 3 (01:14:51):
You know, they decided we're throwing a hell Mary here, right,
you know.

Speaker 2 (01:14:55):
It's to me, it's like walking up to the prettiest
girl at the dance and you're a little bit shaky.
Maybe you're not the best looking guy, and maybe you've
been rejected before. But you say screw it, shoot or shoot,
I'm asking, and she says, yes.

Speaker 3 (01:15:10):
It's the lesson there.

Speaker 2 (01:15:12):
It never hurts to ask, Never hurts to ask in sports,
never hurts to ask in real life.

Speaker 3 (01:15:19):
Luke Fickle taught us that he replaced a.

Speaker 2 (01:15:22):
Guy in Tommy Tumberville who the last time he had
a press conference on signing day, sat up there with
a goofy look on his face and I think he
probably had his golf spikes on and basically was like,
why recruit, Why recruit anybody from here? We can't get
him with Luke Fickle said, screw it, we're gonna ask.
We're not gonna get them all. We're not gonna get most.

(01:15:43):
We're gonna lose that to some programs that maybe we
can't compete with with every kid, but we'll get some.

Speaker 3 (01:15:50):
Look what happened. It never hurts to ask.

Speaker 2 (01:15:55):
The Red's recently a punchline because of what ownership has said.
They haven't made the playoffs in forever in a full
season at least have an advance in the playoffs in
three decades.

Speaker 3 (01:16:06):
Kind of a disappointing team this year. Like lots of
reasons that.

Speaker 2 (01:16:11):
The Reds have been a punchline, lots of reasons to
call them a disappointment. They're the kid who looks like
me at the dance who decided to ask the prettiest
girl if she wanted to dance. The prettiest girl said yes.
She's not gonna say yes if you don't ask. You
can apply that to free agents. You could apply it

(01:16:32):
to teams who might be dangling a player that you
don't think you could afford. Whatever it is. I think
we've long been conditioned here to not really thinking big,
not really thinking like, yeah big, which is why I
think we get stuck in like whenever there's an opening.
We just mentioned our favorite former players. There's no guarantee

(01:16:56):
this is gonna work you. Maybe it won't, Maybe the
team is just not that good, maybe the game has passed.
Terry francona buy I don't know, but it's hard to
argue with the resume. It's hard to argue with how
well regarded he is in the sport you can't get
Terry Frank ConA if you don't swing for him. Oftentimes
guys like that will say no, I'm good or yea,

(01:17:19):
all look at an opportunity elsewhere. Like there's something to that, man,
I don't know whether it applies to the rads of
the Bengals or just your everyday life, dude. Sometimes it
doesn't hurt to ask why not? What's the harm? Sometimes
the pretty girl says yes, turn away from five o'clock.

(01:17:40):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (01:17:43):
God, by the way, I guess fans are melting down.

Speaker 2 (01:17:46):
You see released their tip off times and the Skyline
Chili Crosstown Shootout, which is going to be fourteenth of
December at two o'clock in the afternoon, is going to
be on ESPN Plus. It will also air, by the way,
on both seven HUNDLW and fifty five KRC.

Speaker 3 (01:18:04):
And so folks on.

Speaker 2 (01:18:05):
Social media are losing their mind, because there's never a
time on social media where people aren't losing their mind
that the game is gonna be on ESPN Plus, and like,
I don't like it, but I don't know, man. We're
putting NFL playoff games on streaming services in the next
two years, we're gonna start putting NBA Conference Finals series

(01:18:27):
on Amazon. And somehow a regular season college basketball game
being on a streaming service as anticipated as this game
is is somehow a shock. Like sure, man, I wish
Thursday Night Football was not on Amazon Prime. I wish
the NFL's Christmas games. Frankly, I kind of wish they

(01:18:47):
weren't playing on Christmas. But they're good games. I want
to see them. I wish they weren't on Netflix. I
wish there weren't playoff games on Peacock. And I say
that as a Netflix subscriber, and I say that as
an Amazon Prime subscriber.

Speaker 3 (01:18:58):
I ain't getting Peacock.

Speaker 2 (01:19:00):
And so, you know, fortunately we have establishments that got Peacock,
and so I watched the Chiefs and Dolphins this past year.
If Bearcat basketball was going to be on Peacock, I'd
get Peacock.

Speaker 3 (01:19:12):
I don't know, man, Like this is this is where
we are.

Speaker 2 (01:19:15):
There are baseball games on Apple, there are baseball games
on Prime, there are baseball games on Roku, there are
NHL games on ESPN Plus. But at December college basketball game,
I know it's a huge deal here and to be
honest with the man around the country, it's a regular
season college basketball game in December. I say that as
somebody who loves the shootout, who values it as his

(01:19:36):
favorite Cincinnati sporting event. I don't know, man, when when
you've when you've watched what's and I trust me, man,
I wish there was more stuff on stuff I didn't
have to pay for. But when we're putting NFL playoff
games on streaming services, we're somehow shocked that are regul

(01:20:00):
little season college basketball game is on a streaming service.
All right, I'm not sure I'm gonna, you know, like
it when they put baseball playoff games on streaming services.
I'm not sure if you're an NBA fan as I
am gonna love it when they put like the Eastern
Conference Finals on Amazon Prime. Like people treat ESPN Plus

(01:20:29):
like it's this this, like you know, rinky dink hard
to find things like they put UFC fights on on
on ESPN Plus and every Saturday night it feels like
everybody on social media has it.

Speaker 3 (01:20:44):
Again.

Speaker 2 (01:20:45):
I do not like it, but like blowing hot air
about it and losing your mind over it to me
ignores all this other stuff that has gone to a
streaming service. So Tearran asked me if I was going
to talk about UC fans and Xavier fans losing their minds.

Speaker 3 (01:21:01):
So there I did.

Speaker 2 (01:21:06):
A couple of minutes away from five o'clock, more of
your phone calls are coming up. Richard Skinner is going
to join us at five twenty, and I'll tell you
what trade I would make at the deadline if I
were the Bengals, if they were in a position to
make a trade that coming up in just a few
minutes on moeggor Glad you're with us on ESPN fifteen thirty,
Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 3 (01:21:24):
Station Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 8 (01:21:29):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center Mammograms Save Lives.
Called five to one three five eight four pink to
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If you're on southbound seventy five between Western Avenue and
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Speaker 3 (01:22:03):
That's Me.

Speaker 2 (01:22:04):
What's Up Muger ESPN fifteen thirty one hour away from
Bengals game plan with.

Speaker 3 (01:22:11):
Dan Horden Dave Lappers.

Speaker 2 (01:22:13):
It's the bud Light five o'clock Happy Hour, thanks to
our friends at bud Light.

Speaker 3 (01:22:19):
One of those sounds.

Speaker 2 (01:22:20):
I've had a really really busy last two days and
like ultimate first world busy, and so what I'm looking
forward to tonight is not doing a thing except I
might do a fire outside, turn the baseball games on,
maybe have a cigar and crack open a nice cold
bud Light, and of course post about it on social media.

(01:22:41):
So go ahead and do that, by the way, tomorrow,
and you're gonna get this every Thursday if you're on
the West side of Cincinnati, and I think I'm gonna
stop by one of these the Football face Off, where
you have a chance to win a trip to Vegas
and maybe even tickets to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
The competition moves to the West side of Cincinnati. Two

(01:23:03):
of my favorite places, the Scoreboard and long Shots tomorrow
from seven to nine. Maybe I'll swing by both, have
a nice cold bud light, join the competition. Just go
to either one of those two bars between seven and
nine tomorrow and you might win in to go to Vegas,
maybe go to the super Bowl.

Speaker 3 (01:23:21):
So there you go.

Speaker 2 (01:23:23):
Quickly, and I'm late in doing this. We'll take a
phone call or two here in a second. We have
a pulp questions thanks to United Heartland Insurance.

Speaker 3 (01:23:30):
Two of them.

Speaker 2 (01:23:32):
One is about what I've kind of talked about for
a large part of the afternoon. If you had a
wager or amount of money that matters to you, would
you bet on or against the Bengals winning at least
three of their next four games? And that's the season
to me? Three of the next four. Forget the division,
forget a wild card, for forget where they may go

(01:23:53):
in the playoffs, forget seating, forget how many wins it's
gonna take. They I feel comfortable and saying they have
to win at least three of their next four. I
do not feel comfortable saying the season's over at one
and four on or against vote now at moeger on X.
This other one is interesting to me, uh not because

(01:24:14):
I feel like the either of these two scenarios are
gonna unfold.

Speaker 3 (01:24:19):
But I'm I'm always curious about.

Speaker 4 (01:24:23):
Like.

Speaker 2 (01:24:25):
How much fans are willing to be okay with helping
a hated rival, and I think the Chiefs are one.

Speaker 3 (01:24:35):
So I asked this.

Speaker 2 (01:24:36):
Let's say the Bengals were so bad at the trade
deadline that they chose that they chose to trade t Higgins.

Speaker 3 (01:24:43):
Like they've they've bottomed out, haven't recovered.

Speaker 2 (01:24:47):
They're two and seven, maybe they're three and six, and
they go, Okay, we're not bringing this guy back, so
we're gonna shop him. Let's say they got two offers.
The first offer was from the Kansas City Chiefs in
exchange for for first round pick. Now it's the Chiefs,
chances are it's going to be a very late first
round pick. You got that, or any other team offering

(01:25:09):
a seventh round pick? Which one would you say yes to?
Because it's interesting. I brought this up to somebody yesterday,
and I brought up to Paul Danner Junior on the air,
and I brought it up to somebody else off the air,
and I said, like, the Chiefs need wide receiver help,
Like if you stink and you're just trying to make
your team better. Do you care where he goes if
you're gonna lose him anyway? And in both instances, the

(01:25:32):
feedback or the response that I got was, dude, they're
not trading him to Kansas City. So, as a fan,
which would you be okay with? Vote now and I'll
share with you the results coming up at five thirty five.
In the meantime, grab one or two before we move on.
Rich In Cleeves, thank you for your patience here on.

Speaker 3 (01:25:52):
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 4 (01:25:53):
Hey Mo, how you doing.

Speaker 3 (01:25:54):
I'm wonderful yourself?

Speaker 14 (01:25:57):
Good?

Speaker 13 (01:25:57):
So, in the theme of asking the prettiest girl dance? Yeah,
for the Reds off season, how about this? I think
they could make one move. And as far as I know,
the Reds only have two players under any kind of contract, right,
Hunter Green and Jonathan India. They're the only two I
think have have any kind of a contract.

Speaker 2 (01:26:17):
Those are Those are the only two players that have
a salary guaranteed, like a specific salary guaranteed.

Speaker 9 (01:26:24):
Yes?

Speaker 13 (01:26:25):
Correct? So why not go after Juan Soto offering five years,
two fifty with an opt out after three and to
make it a player team opt out three years, you
get three years at Wan Soto hitting behind de la Cruz.
At the end of three years, the player or the
team could opt out. I think he turns twenty six

(01:26:47):
later this month, that he'd still be twenty nine years old.
He could get out, still get a big fat deal
at twenty nine years old. He could give us the
Red through three years when we're low salary, kind of
like when burn was low salary. Go go for the
goal and put him in the lineup. I think that
solves a lot of problems. You know, if he was

(01:27:09):
forty one and one nine this year plus hit to
eighty eight, which is probably about the fifth highest hour
in the league, what do you think I mean, Reds
can afford it?

Speaker 9 (01:27:19):
Right now?

Speaker 3 (01:27:19):
Why why would anybody say no? Why would anybody be
opposed to that?

Speaker 2 (01:27:22):
Why would anybody be opposed to uh Juan Soto at
twenty six years old starting next season in right field
for the Reds?

Speaker 4 (01:27:31):
Right?

Speaker 7 (01:27:31):
I mean?

Speaker 13 (01:27:32):
I know we laughed, but I laughed when I thought
we when I heard Terry Francona's name and here he is.

Speaker 3 (01:27:37):
Yeah, now, why not ask.

Speaker 2 (01:27:40):
Right, like, if you're really serious about winning, and why
would why would at this stage in the game, you
you eliminate any possibility now signing a manager, and what
you would have to pay Terry Francona is dramatically different
than what you would have to pay Juan Soto. But
I would I would like to think that if we're
talking about like a three year window in which the

(01:28:03):
Reds can win, that I would like to think that
they will at least make an effort to go after
the absolute best players.

Speaker 3 (01:28:10):
Uh And why so?

Speaker 13 (01:28:13):
Right, it had fifty million, but you have I think
Green's only getting what like seven eight nine something like
that over the.

Speaker 6 (01:28:20):
Next three years.

Speaker 13 (01:28:21):
Yeah, India is probably you know, after his next year
or two or here, he could even be traded, you
never know. And then everybody else is in there either
not even to arbitration yet or they're just beginning arbitration years.
So you've got your best players at window ends, he
can leave, you get the fifty million off the books,
and you start signing your own players. But I mean,

(01:28:44):
if you want to go for a championship, that's the
way to do it now, and you don't have much
money in your pay roll.

Speaker 2 (01:28:48):
There's there's no there's there's no denying that there's no
arguing against what you just outlined. You have to mention
the Jamber Candelarios do sixteen, so it's it's Candelario, it's uh,
it's candlela Amelio Pagan has seven to eight. If my
computer was working, I'd pull these numbers up. Hunter Green's
salary goes up to I think just north of six.

(01:29:11):
India's making five. Stevenson is set to go to arbitration
and he's gonna get a big pay raise. Espinal is
set to go to arbitration. I think we would like
to keep him around. Ty France is going to arbitration.
He made six seven eight last year and it was
a weird year for him because he was awful with
Seattle and then he proved to have some value here.

(01:29:31):
But yeah, as a as a general rule, you're right,
there's nobody on the team that right now is due
to make eight figures, and so like, if you're gonna
go for it, why would you be dismissive? Now if
you want to say, look, we're not giving him a
ten year contract because we're not going to pay Hi
until he's thirty six years old, I guess that's one thing.

Speaker 3 (01:29:50):
But if if if he's open to hitting free agency again.

Speaker 2 (01:29:53):
When he's twenty nine or twenty nine or thirty years
old and still have an opportunity to break the bank.
I don't why you wouldn't present him with at least
an offer. I could not agree more with you. All Right, cool,
we're now We're now to a point, Rich, Thank you
were now to a point. This is what I like
where we're actually talking about the Reds going after Juan Soto.

(01:30:17):
Purely from a baseball perspective, there cannot be anybody who
just heard that four minute conversation who would say, Nah,
you know we got a we got Will Benson.

Speaker 3 (01:30:31):
You know we're gonna do it.

Speaker 2 (01:30:32):
We're gonna put Spencer Steer out there, right, we got
Jake Frayley, Like sure, sure, And I think the carry
you're dangling there is will pay a lot in the
short term, and you could still hit free agency when
you're twenty nine or thirty years old, which which, by
the way, that's that's kind of the the crux of

(01:30:52):
why they did what they did with Hunter Green, and
it's what I think they at least may try to
do with Ellie Della Cruz. Yes, I want, but like
all right, Wan Soto may laugh at you, Okay, Terry
Francona might have laughed at them. Like if you're a
Nick Krawl and you call Terry Francona, you at least

(01:31:13):
have to entertain the possibility like this man may laugh
at me when I get on the other end of
the phone, or if I go and see he may
laugh at me.

Speaker 3 (01:31:24):
You want me to what you want me to? There's
the rads.

Speaker 2 (01:31:30):
No, Instead, they said, screw it, Let's go after the
best guy. And I don't know what the other options
would have been.

Speaker 3 (01:31:36):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:31:38):
You know, we talked about Skip Schumacher and David Ross
and then we did the merry go round of everybody's
favorite Reds players from the nineties. But they asked and
he said yes, and he said yes because they had
They had some things that I'm sure made the job attractive.
I know, I've listened to Terry Francona talking about it

(01:31:58):
eighteen times since Monday.

Speaker 3 (01:32:00):
That made the job attractive.

Speaker 2 (01:32:04):
So if you're gonna decide, you know what, it doesn't
hurt to ask, It doesn't hurt to jump into the derby,
you know, why not? Now the answer as well, they're
just not gonna spend that money. Okay, but you're paying
two managers right now, paying one of the best of

(01:32:26):
the twenty first century a hefty amount of money. Your
free agency approach last offseason did not work. Now that
there were some players that worked out. Nick Martinez was
frankly kind of a god said to that team last season,
and then some other big parts during the season. The
Espinaal pickup was okay in ty France, but you know,

(01:32:48):
like legitimately, it doesn't hurt. It doesn't hurt. If you're
gonna say screw it, let's spend some dough. The question
is will they spend some dough? A quarter after five,
spend some time with our friend Richard Skinner from Local twelve,
and then we'll update our poll questions and the trade
proposal that I would not say no to. Coming up

(01:33:11):
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:33:14):
Cincinnatis es Pequin part by blood Light and by Skyline
Chili on the official home of the Bengals, Cincinnatis ESPN
fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:33:24):
I heard that Donado's at with Orlando Brown and they
haven't gotten back to me on my punts for punts
for pizza. Idea you know, I was told on social
media can also be pints for pizza. Bengals force four punts,
they win, and if they do that, they can give
away pints or pizza or whatever. Richard Skinner is here

(01:33:46):
from Local twelve and Local twelve Dot Comedies on x
at Local twelve skinny, how's it going?

Speaker 6 (01:33:53):
It's going well, by the way, So those of us
that covered the beat, we do a little thing on
game day we call a b pool. We put you know,
five bucks in the may have five different pools of
different somewhat statistical but macob things. And one of the
Sunday was when would the first punt of the game occur?
And I actually I actually won that one.

Speaker 3 (01:34:13):
Is it the whichever team punts?

Speaker 6 (01:34:16):
Yeah? I was w chever team punts because Bengals offense
is humming pretty good right now. Baltimore's offense is humming
pretty good, and think he humming very well at all.
So it felt like a good, oh, a good category
to be a part of.

Speaker 2 (01:34:29):
Well, the Bengals have forced the other team to punt
seven times over their last four games, and so that's
that's less than to your basic math will tell you
that's less than.

Speaker 3 (01:34:38):
Two punts a game.

Speaker 2 (01:34:39):
I think if the average NFL team gets eleven drives
per game, if if luennar Arumo's defense can somehow force
two punts per half, I say the Bengals win against
almost anybody right now.

Speaker 6 (01:34:52):
Yeah, I mean, this offense is really good at the moment.
You know, to put up thirty plus points per game
three straight games and somehow lose two of them, it
seems just crazy to me. That shouldn't happen. Yeah, maybe
you can lose a shootout like they did on Sunday,
but you shouldn't lose two of those type of games
and then no offense. The Carolina win was I don't
eve want to call it comfortable. Was comfortable enough, I

(01:35:13):
guess based on where this season is gone with that
wasn't exactly comfortable either. So uh, you know, the one
they all say is this, and I know everybody's freaking out,
and wonder fo is rightfully time to freak out a
little bit. But the three best offenses in football mode
and you correct if you think I'm wrong, but I'm
doing off statistics in my eyeballs, or the Bengals, Baltimore
and Washington correct and you've played two of them, and

(01:35:33):
you don't have to play yourself, which is a good
thing because they probably lose themselves somehow someway. So I think, again,
you do have to play. Ball's work in but you
know the one thing you can hang your hat on.
I think that's a lot of times lost seasons are
cold because both sides of the football stink and you
have nothing to hang your hat on, and then injuries
occur and knock on wood. If you're a Bengals fan,

(01:35:55):
you know the offense is fairly healthy at the moment.
And if it's healthy, there's no reason I think it's
not going to keep clicking. And you don't need the
defense to be great. You see to the b eh
and now, so you're Sheldon Rankings practice today. That's a
good sign. Mike Kilton's back, that's a good sign. It's
not a great sign that Ginostone hasn't been very good.
It's not a great time that Vombell can't run. It's
not a great time that your man product can't run anymore.

(01:36:15):
But you got some reinforcements back and that's got to
help some Again, against an offense, it's not elite, they're good.
They're not bad games. Joneses played pretty well this year.
They ran it really well against Seattle. But at the
end of the day, this is not Baltimore or Washington's offense.

Speaker 3 (01:36:29):
At your point, I've just made it about the next
four games.

Speaker 2 (01:36:32):
I want to get to that Baltimore game four and five,
and then I could use that Ravens game as a
jumping off point. So part of it is the opponents
they play. They're favored on Sunday Night, maybe gonna be
larger favorites since we found out about Kaevon Thibodeaux. They're
gonna be favorites on the road against the Cleveland team
that's a dumpster fire at least slight favorites at home
against Philly. They'll be favored against Las Vegas. I get

(01:36:55):
a chance to win three out of four with a
quarterback who's putting up better numbers than he did when
he was MVP finalist. I'm not betting against that, and
I'm not talking about making the playoffs or winning the
division or winning the title. I'm talking about getting the
Baltimore where I have a chance to use that as
a jumping off point.

Speaker 3 (01:37:11):
I think this team does that.

Speaker 6 (01:37:13):
Yeah, and there's I mean, it's not out of the room.
And they went all four to go five and four
going to the BA. Yes, so yeah, to your point,
it's you know again, I momentum is a sickle thing.
None of us can ever changibly put a finger lin
in games and seasons whatever. But you know, you remember
a couple of years ago when suddenly they had a
really tough schedule, when they rip off ten wins in
a row, and it just felt like, where did that

(01:37:35):
come from? I mean, all of a sudden, you look
at your wait, wait, they just won ten games in
a row. You don't do that in this league. Now,
I'm not going to tell you this teams with the
defense as it is right now, is capable of ripping
off ten wins.

Speaker 5 (01:37:44):
In a row.

Speaker 6 (01:37:45):
But that's like Alice Capa about this a little bit today.
He's like, you know, we win one, we feel confident
we're gonna win a second, and then we're gonna feel
confident we went a third. I thought that's probably a
good tack to take. I mean, it's probably only tack
you can take as a player, but I get it.
It feels like that's all it takes. And again, It's
not like you're going, boy, how's this team gonna score
when they can't stop anybody? And and I get you
can flip and go, well, how are they gonna stop

(01:38:06):
anybody gonna score? If you had issues on both sides
of the ball, well then that's a bad team. You don't.
You got some issues that are a little injury related,
not a lot. I mean some of it is guys
like a cam killer. Brit for whatever reason has regressed
a little bit. And I do think it's fixable for him,
but you know, I need to see it to believe
it right. You know, DJ turns played well in moments Again,

(01:38:27):
getting Mic back doesn't hurt.

Speaker 2 (01:38:29):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (01:38:29):
You know, I wish Vaughn was twenty six year old gone.
Unfortunately he's not.

Speaker 9 (01:38:32):
Just four issues.

Speaker 6 (01:38:34):
But I'm not asking this defense to hold people when
things are right to thirteen points. You just ask them
to horm hold to twenty three?

Speaker 13 (01:38:41):
Can you do that?

Speaker 3 (01:38:41):
Four punts one a quarter, four punts? I need thirty six?

Speaker 6 (01:38:46):
You know what that needs to be a fifty shirt shirt.

Speaker 3 (01:38:48):
Four punts, four punts thirties.

Speaker 2 (01:38:50):
I think that's thirty six point four percent of the
other teams draw and you could work in a turnover,
you could work in stopping them on fourth down. I
just want if the other team's punter takes the field
four times, the Bengals will win. With the way the
offense is playing now, the Bengals will win. The one
part of though, of that defense that I I just

(01:39:11):
I'm not sure gets fixed. And maybe Geno Stone plays better,
and and maybe I give Jordan Battle of Mulligan for
what I saw when he got uh put on the
field on Sunday, because it wasn't good. I just I'm
not sure they're gonna get better at safety. No.

Speaker 6 (01:39:25):
And I talked to a couple of people today as
we're watching practice. I said, you know, are you gonna
have to spend another offseason fixing that safety room? You are,
not just through the draft, but through free agency. There's
a part of me that says that Geno Stone will
get better. But it also feels like Geno Stone, like
Nick Scott, was a one off right, Like he had
this one off year in Baltimore, Like Nick Scott kind

(01:39:46):
of had you know what, Dick Scott's here in LA
wasn't great that he stormed YouTube off, you know, starting
in the playoffs, including the Super bowlgins the Bengals. I
do think Geno is a better player than Nick Scott
by far, but it is looked ugly. I mean, like
blown coverage and taking bad angles, not looking fast. Now,
he was a guy that stole balls last year and
zactly he asked by that today he said, you know,

(01:40:07):
don't go hunting those. And I don't think he knows
hunting though. I don't think that's the problem with him
hunting turnovers. He just hadn't been very good. And you know,
Vaughn looks like an old safety and it sucks because
he does a lot of things right. And to your
point on Jordan Battle, I mean, I know that the
cry from the fans battle cry for lack of a
better term, fan, the fans has been got to get
for Jordan battlesnaps. Did you watch him on Sunday Guys,

(01:40:29):
it was horrifyingly bad. Uh So, yeah, that that that
parts a bit scary of your bank.

Speaker 3 (01:40:35):
I mean part of was.

Speaker 6 (01:40:35):
Honestly, there's a part of me that the way DJ
Turner played the week before when he came for King
Tyler Bread, I'm thinking, you know, it wouldn't be a
bad idea of putting Dak Hill back at safety.

Speaker 13 (01:40:44):
Well, that's.

Speaker 3 (01:40:47):
Unfortunately it is.

Speaker 2 (01:40:48):
And I I feel for him because it feels like
since about the middle of the offseason, he has done
everything you could ask him to do.

Speaker 3 (01:40:55):
Has he played great?

Speaker 6 (01:40:56):
No, but nobody played well.

Speaker 3 (01:40:59):
He's played well. He's fine.

Speaker 2 (01:41:00):
As we've talked about their defensive issues, we haven't complained
about Dax's Hill, and I feel for him. What do
you think that does for the decision about what to
do with the fifth year option this offseason?

Speaker 6 (01:41:12):
It's a great question. I think they end up picking
it up. I really do because in talking to you know,
Zach publicly in press conference and he probably heard his
answer to it again. They're all heart broken, but they
think Dax has a bright future. We talked to Lou
on Monday. Lou talked about how he thinks he has
a bright future. If you he has a bright future,
the bright future is in just one more year, right,
it should be at least the fifth year option. But

(01:41:33):
it's a legit point of do you pick up a
cornerback coming off major knee surgery. We saw what it
did to Joebiyuzier. He was never he wasn't the same
player by any stretch of the imagination. Now, Dax is
a bit younger than Cheetoh was, but still it's a
corner coming off major knee surgery. And so that's a
big ask, my guess would be, and it's just a

(01:41:53):
guess of how he responds to the surgery, maybe what
you see to some degree, because you got to do this,
you know, sooner rather than later. It does not coming
up tomorrow or next week. But again it's a decision
point you have to come to if you feel confident
whatever we have process he's in that he's going to
be back close to one hundred percent early next year.

(01:42:15):
You know, I usually give those injuries a year. Now,
DJ Ivy's back practicing off of this kind of a
similar thing, and he heard that on December sixteenth, And
I don't think DJ is gonna be able to play
this week, but it's probably gonna be in the next
couple of weeks. DJ and again he's he's an answer.
He's a nice player, but he'll be back in a
couple of weeks. And so you're now looking at a
ten month We'll tell the ten month recovery for Dax

(01:42:36):
does get him back in time. Probably for the starting
next season, maybe not for full training camp, but at
least for the starting next season. And so if you
believe he can do that, and you believe in him
and believe in what he did, yeah, I think you
do pick up the fiftyear option. But it is an
interesting question.

Speaker 3 (01:42:49):
Yeah, no, uh, I agree with your answer. I appreciate
the time as always. Man, Thank you.

Speaker 6 (01:42:55):
You bet mine be good.

Speaker 2 (01:42:56):
Richard Skinner from a Local twelve and Local twelve dot com.
Punts for pizza. You know, I just what I do
is I just come up with ideas and then it's
I'm willing to sell to any area pizza store. I'm
willing to sell the intellectual property as long as you
become the official pizza. The Mullagger Show. We're looking for

(01:43:16):
an official pizza. We're looking for an official official ice cream.
And I don't know that I have anything that goes
with punts and ice cream, but maybe I don't know punts.

Speaker 3 (01:43:27):
The magic number is four. We'll be charting this on
Sunday night.

Speaker 2 (01:43:32):
If the other team's punters on the field four times
and punts like not in the field to hold for
you know, pats and stuff punts for four punts on
Sunday they will win. It is twenty nine away from
six o'clock, the poll questions will update and the trade
request I would not turn down if it's time to

(01:43:53):
make a trade. Coming up on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati
Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (01:43:58):
You've been listening to a Football in the Net brought
to you by Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered by Top Sheldon
on the official home of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 3 (01:44:10):
Is this the game Joe Burrow where the third touchdowns.

Speaker 1 (01:44:15):
Zach Taylor's men finally achieve a second win? Bank listening
as Joe Burrow and his Bengals l New York's Jocko.
We will beat Borings and Black? When's their first for
trial from the Chamaso victory. Find out when you get
the call from Dan Hood and Dave Black What a try?

(01:44:38):
Coverage starts Sunday at four on the ESPN fifteen third,
the official home of the Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:44:44):
Are Dan and Lamb doing the game plan show from
anywhere that I could go to. Last week, I was
going to go to Oakley Greens, and then I was
told that somebody that doesn't like me was there, and
so I.

Speaker 3 (01:44:55):
Didn't go.

Speaker 1 (01:44:57):
Stay wearing that room.

Speaker 3 (01:44:58):
They'll be doing right there. Oh, since studio, it's an
in studio version of Bengals game Plan. Wow.

Speaker 2 (01:45:03):
All right, very good sports headlines are a service of
Kelsey Chevrolet Home of Lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit
approval from their family to yours for life, Kelsey chev
dot Com. All right, Bengals injuries, I'll give you the
good news. First good news is Sheldon Rankins did practice today.

(01:45:24):
He was limited, but step in the right direction after
missing a couple of games with the hamstring issue. Mike
Hilton full going practice today after he missed Sunday's game
against Baltimore with a knee problem. Dj Ivy has been
cleared to return, so he is practicing. Bengals have twenty
one days to have him practiced without him counting against

(01:45:44):
the fifty three man roster. A couple of other guys
that showed up on the report. Josepho Side limited with
the shoulder. He did not practice for Mike Kasicki, Hammy
and Zach Moss foot Bengals Giants Sunday Night eight twenty
kickoff game coverage at four on ESPN fifteen thirty a
couple of Giants notes Molik Neighbors remains in the NFL's

(01:46:07):
concussion protocol, so he was an OG today and Cavon
Thibodeaux had rist surgery today, so he was an OG.
They're calling him day to day. Bengals are three and
a half point road favorites on Sunday. Bengals game plans
six to eight on ESPN fifteen thirty Baseball Playoffs. Four
games on this Wednesday, two happening right now. They're going
to the bottom of the eighth inning. In Detroit. Tigers

(01:46:30):
lead the Guardians by a score of three nothing, looking
to take a two game series lead. Detroit has used
basically a bullpen day today, five pitchers combining for six
for eight shutout innings, giving up just six hits. They're
headed the bottom of the second inning. In Queens, the
Mets and Phillies are scoreless. New York trying to close
out that series in Game four later this evening. In

(01:46:51):
Kansas City, it's the Royals and Yankees, Game three, series
tied at one, Dodgers Padres Game four, San Diego hosting
and leading two games one. I am not the only
person who is not bailing on the Bengals. I'm not
doing this to be a home I'm doing this because
just legitimately part of it is the opposition. The Commanders

(01:47:15):
and Ravens have proven to be very good offensive football teams.
Baltimore number one in offensive DVOA, as you just heard
Skinny say in Washington, number three. I love how Burrow
is playing.

Speaker 3 (01:47:28):
If you look at.

Speaker 2 (01:47:29):
Twenty twenty two, Joe Burrow, who that's obviously not the
Joe who took the team to the Super Bowl, but
it is a year where he was an MVP finalist.
He finished fourth in the voting that year. Compared to
that season, Joe Burrow has a higher completion percentage. He

(01:47:51):
has a higher passing success rate. He is throwing for
more yards per attempt. He is completing passes for more
yards per completion. He has a higher quarterback rating, he
is a higher QBR, and he has a lower sack rate.
He has a lower interception rate, and he currently leads

(01:48:15):
the league in touchdown passes. In twenty twenty one, he
was not an MVP finalist, but he took the Bengals
to the Super Bowl, was the NFL's Comeback Player of
the Year. He led the league in completion percentage. This year,
he's completing a higher percentage of his passes. He led
the league in average yards per attempts eight point nine

(01:48:35):
to six this year, very close eight point eight nine.
I'm not betting against that guy over the next four
weeks when he's playing against Daniel Jones, who played very
well against Seattle last week, Deshaun Watson, who is terrible
and is behind an offensive line that has given up

(01:48:55):
ten or more pressures in every game, Jalen Hurts, who
has a turn over in his last nine games, and
either Aidan O'Connell or Gardner Minshew, whichever lousy backup caliber
Raiders quarterback wins this week's in season practice battle. I'm
not betting against Joe Burrow to win three of the

(01:49:15):
four games between now. In that Baltimore game, that's it.
The season is about the next four. Get me to Baltimore.
I'm wagering on Joe doing that. I'm not alone. Tarren
pulled this for me. Is this from his TV show
or his radio show that he never hosts?

Speaker 4 (01:49:31):
Radio show?

Speaker 2 (01:49:32):
Mike Greenberg was on his own radio show today. Yes,
he never's on his own radio show. All right, Well,
here's Mike Greenberg talking about the Bengals earlier today on
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 15 (01:49:44):
The Bengals, their defense is so bad, but in these
games against good teams, like they had Kansas City dead
to right and they had Baltimore dead to rights. Yet
they had that game one and Burrow throws a terrible
interception late and then they get a bad they get
a botched hold on a field goal. Otherwise they're gonna

(01:50:04):
win that game. Just think how different you would feel
right now if they were two and three, if they
beat Kansas City. They're three and two, and we're talking
about them as a super Bowl team despite how bad
their defense has been. So look, Cleveland is terrible, the
Steelers are not really that good. The Ravens are the
class of that division. But the Bengals absolutely had them

(01:50:24):
beat yesterday, even at one and four.

Speaker 3 (01:50:27):
I'm not ready to write off Cincinnati.

Speaker 14 (01:50:28):
I'm gonna look at the odds then for Cincinnati to
make the playoffs, because I bet you can. If you
think they might be able to make it all the
way back, you can play them right now at yes,
at plus one forty. So what Vegas is telling me,
that's a pretty short number at plus their schedule is
so easy. Yeah, so that's a that's a good take
by you, and it's reflected in the betting market. Don't

(01:50:48):
sell your Cincinnati Bengals stock right now. The process by
which they've gotten here is a lot more favorable than
their record would indicate.

Speaker 2 (01:50:55):
All right, there's Mike Greenberg. Is that what's a guy's name?
Hembo heiney Rambo.

Speaker 3 (01:51:03):
Anyway, so there you go, not alone.

Speaker 2 (01:51:05):
There's Mike Greenberg formerly of Mike and Mike now on
the radio show that he hosts about twelve times a year.
Acclaimed book author and uh, somebody that when he came
to Cincinnati sort of big timed all of us. Mike
Coulik was cool as hell Mike Greenberg. But anyway, he's
on board with the banks. Poul questions excuse me, or

(01:51:27):
a service of United Heartland Insurance if you need insurance
and think about all the different things you need to ensure.
United Heartland Insurance can help uhions dot com.

Speaker 1 (01:51:42):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:51:43):
If you had to wageern amount of money that matters
to you, would you bet on or against the Bengals
winning at least three of their next four games?

Speaker 3 (01:51:49):
Fifty four point six percent of you say, on, here's
the other one.

Speaker 2 (01:51:55):
Now, we're all hoping the Bengals play themselves back into contention,
and if they do that, nobody's gonna want them to
trade away established players. We're gonna want them to trade
four established players. But let's be honest. T Higgins is
not likely to be a Bengal in twenty twenty five.
If the team stinks, it only makes sense to talk
about whether or not the team would trade him. So

(01:52:16):
I ask this, if the Bengals were so bad at
the trade deadline that they chose to trade T. Higgins,
and we're weighing these two offers, which would you want
them to say yes to? Aang the Chiefs offering them
a first round pick, a team that could use wide
receiver help, or be any other team offering them a

(01:52:37):
seventh round pick.

Speaker 3 (01:52:38):
I'm a little surprised. Seventy nine point.

Speaker 2 (01:52:41):
Two percent of you say take the Chiefs trade. By
the way, I could not agree. More like, if I'm
gonna trade them, I only care about one thing, using
the trade to better position myself for next year. Where
the guy goes to and what they do with him
is irrelevant. He helps them win another championship. Fine, I

(01:53:03):
wasn't gonna win it. I now, I don't know that
Kansas City would be interested in T.

Speaker 3 (01:53:07):
Higgins.

Speaker 2 (01:53:08):
I'm guessing they would be. I don't know that they
would offer a first round pick. I'm just kind of
curious as to how many folks are like, Look, I
hate that team so much and I'm so tired of
seeing them win that I'm not trading them a high
end wide receiver like T Higgins. If I've decided to
make the trade, and hopefully the Bengals aren't in a
position where that's a choice. But if I've decided to

(01:53:29):
make the trade, I'm just looking for what's best for me.
That's independent of who the other team is, whether it's
somebody like Kansas City or yes, even someone inside the division.
Vote now at Mulwagger, twelve minutes away from six o'clock.
Bengals game plan is coming up. In just about fifteen minutes,

(01:53:51):
it's the bud Light five o'clock Happy Hour on ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station. Siggers have one three zip
over the Gardians go Detroit. You asked, I gave you
an answer. In Queen's right now, the Mets and Phillies
are scoreless in the bottom of the second second inning,

(01:54:12):
but the Mets at the bases loaded with two.

Speaker 3 (01:54:14):
Outs again New York.

Speaker 2 (01:54:16):
Yeah, they loaded him in the first inning, correct, Yes, yeah,
New York trying to close out that series up two
games to one. By the way, I did not mention
this in the sports headlines, and it's funny. I just
got a text here about it. UCF and uc are
still on for three point thirty on Saturday. There is

(01:54:36):
a very good beat writer that I follow who covers
UCF sports, mainly for The Orlando Sentinel, and I would suggest,
if you care about such things and you're on X,
to take a look at Matt Merschall's Twitter feed, and
he does a good job covering UCF. He tweeted a

(01:54:57):
couple of things within the last couple of minutes that
the Big two Well has told him that as of
right now, the game is still on for Saturday at
three thirty in Orlando, and then about an hour after that,
he retweeted the UCF Police Department, who which tweeted tornado
warning main campus.

Speaker 3 (01:55:17):
Not great.

Speaker 2 (01:55:19):
I've heard some suggest they'll play the game on Sunday
in Orlando I've heard some suggests they're going to play
it on Monday in Orlando. I've heard it suggested maybe
the game be played at Cincinnati but instead played at
Pey Court.

Speaker 3 (01:55:31):
Stadium on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:55:34):
I would imagine there's a lot of different contingencies on
the table because I think, number one, we don't know
what the full scale of the damage is going to be.
We don't know what the full scale of the impact
on Orlando is going to be. And I know Orlando
is where a lot of people from like the Tampa
area have gone because Orlando is not supposed to get

(01:55:55):
the biggest brunt of the storm.

Speaker 3 (01:55:57):
I guess. But I chatted was somebody in my role
as pregame host.

Speaker 2 (01:56:04):
Typically on Mondays, I will reach out to the other
school sports information director, and so I did that on Monday,
and you know, added like, hey, now you guys are
getting ready for the worst. Hope everything's okay. Hope we
play the game, you know, hope everybody safe. And what
I was told was, you know, based on what they're
being told by whether people, was that if if things

(01:56:24):
got to a point on Saturday where the game is
moved or not played on Saturday, that it would be
because of the exhaustion of emergency resources in the state
and the state not wanting the resources that would typically
go to the game to be used on the football
game and be best deployed elsewhere. I would imagine that

(01:56:48):
either by the time we go on the air at
three o'clock tomorrow or by the time we leave the
air at six o'clock tomorrow, we'll have something a little
bit more definitive. But as of right now, the game
in Orlando is on. Uh so is a Bengals game plan.
I can guarantee you that's going to be on. Dan

(01:57:09):
Hord and Dave Lapham set to a takeover and here
for the next two hours on all things Bengals. We
return tomorrow at three oh five. Don't forget since he
three sixty at noon, and have an awesome night. Thanks
to Darran for producing. This has been the abut Light
five o'clock Happy Hour on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports
station

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