May 24, 2025 • 37 mins
LaVar Arrington, TJ Houshmandzadeh, and Plaxico Burress talk about the media spat between Ryan Clark and Robert Griffin III over Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark, the changes to the playoff format of the College Football Playoff and the NFL staying the same, Ben Johnson's comments on his QB Caleb Williams, and more!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Fox Sports Radio Video Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
This is up on Game hought Bye Hush Mazada for
the touchstats. This is the show for you. Watch LeVar
Light Too with LaVar ary tet TJ, hush Benzada and
Plaxico Burres.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
J A love the way you break the game down.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
L Lady man, you were jacked by my flat number
two overall ninety nine and plaques Man, you were.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Seven five seven product.
Speaker 5 (00:27):
Ain't everybody new flat was growing up.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Around her man agree of the best to ever do
it on and off the field. Now live from the
Fox Sports Radio studios, here's pro bowlers LaVar airy tet TJ, Hushman,
Zanna and Silver Bowl champion Plaxico Burress.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
All right, all right, alright, alright, welcome into the show.
It is a Saturday, It's a beautiful Saturday morning, well noon,
where some of you guys are at and uh well,
it's all a lot.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
To talk about. It's up on Game TJ.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Hutchman's out of its Plexico Burst. You want to talk
some Bryan Clark RG three, just want to get the
fella's take on it. This big topic out there. You know,
no need to be drama driven by it. But let's
let's let's get some perspective on it. I'm curious. Uh,
we got a lot of other things to get to
(01:21):
as well.
Speaker 6 (01:22):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You know, obviously we had some things take place with
votes in the National Football League.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
But there's some conversations to be had.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
But but before we get into all of those things, Uh, Fellas,
you know, how y'all doing, man?
Speaker 6 (01:36):
How you feeling? Man? You know, LeVar were good out here, man?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
This week has been really great weather, real hot, clear skies.
It's a little gloomy yesterday than it, you know, kind
of opened up, and I'm assuming the same thing is
gonna happen today.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
Baby, feeling really good.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It's looking pretty bright outside right now, TJ. So I
cannot can relate to what you're saying.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
Right there.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I heard the microphone hitting and get all loud because well,
maybe Plexico feels like he can jump in and feel
the same way we feel right now. How is it
looking in New Jersey or wherever it is you're at
in the world, plex.
Speaker 7 (02:13):
Well, it hasn't been It hasn't been good from a
weather standpoint. It's been raining basically since Tuesday. We haven't
seen the sunshine in four days. And on the wake
up yesterday and today it was blistering forty seven degrees,
(02:34):
so we are not It doesn't feel like Memorial Day
weekend to us from a weather standpoint. But Memorial Day
is not about the weather. It's about the holiday. That's
everybody that serves. So Happy Memorial Day weekend to everybody.
We just want some sunshine. I just want to get
on the grill, you know, but can't even do that.
(02:56):
But we're gonna figure.
Speaker 6 (02:57):
It out here.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
If you are hanging out here with us, brow, you'll
be able to get on that griland.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
Well, there would be no no problems there with that.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
So but speaking of problems fellas, obviously, we we saw
the start of the w n b A season and
Caitlyn Clark and obviously.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Which is interesting because it's Kitlyn Clark.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
But anyway, uh and Angel Reves had their their their game.
I mean, Angel Reeves got a hard foul from Katelyn Clark.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
Why does it?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Why are these two players such lightning rods for driving
this racial racial divide, racial conversation. I have no idea.
Was it that hard of a foul? People talk ass
during games all the time. In fact, I encourage it
(03:53):
when I play, because I'm an as talker when I played.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
There's nothing wrong with.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Some healthy trash talk during the course of a game
in competition, when it's especially two of the top premier
players that are going at it. Fell as it turned
into this war of words between Kitlyn clark followers and
Angel Reese's followers, and then it's spilled over into the media.
(04:23):
RG three had some interesting perspective on how much he
feels that it's clear that Angel Reese and the way
that he did it obviously irritated Ryan Clark, but how
much Angel Reese truly, truly, truly hates Kitlyn Clark. And
(04:43):
I guess the way he had it set up. He
was talking his wife, who is a white woman, was
in the background. It seemed as though RG three was
taking shots at her in a way that maybe could
be disparaging towards our black racial racial group, which is
(05:04):
strange because you know, RG three is, of course black.
Ryan Clark had some things to say and took shots
at the wife and doing so, or at least seemingly so.
Ryan Clark came out and apologized and here's what he
had to say. But I want to get on the
other side of the comments. I just want to get
some perspective on you guys on what's off limits, what's
(05:29):
in play. You know, how should these things in the
future be handled, because obviously, you know, we're living in
a day and age where you have to be aware
of what's taking place, how you say it, how it's
going to be.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Received, what backlash could come from it.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
But here's what Ryan Clark had to say after the
comments he had going towards RG three and his wife too, Grete.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
I was out of line, I was out of bombs.
Speaker 8 (05:54):
I apologize to all of the people that don't like
rg's take or takes or the way that he moves,
or even if you just in this conversation take my
side and want to support me, leave this family alone.
Families should be off limits. I started that by bringing
her into it. I see that no matter what my
(06:16):
intent was, the impact was different.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Now, obviously, Angel Reese transferred from Maryland and ended her
career at LSU. Ryan Clark is an LSU alum as well. Again,
Ryan Clark makes he makes the media circuit quite a bit.
We talk about him quite a bit, and granted this one,
I'll take full credit for saying that this. I just
(06:41):
wanted to hear y'all's perspective on it, because we all
know them. But in this scenario, should it have gone
to the extent that it did. I mean to make
a point about, you know, RG three talking about Angel
Reese in this moment, did it need to go down
the lane that it did? How do you guys see
these things?
Speaker 6 (07:00):
You know?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
How if it were you and you were sitting where
say RG three was sitting, or sitting where Ryan Clark.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
Was sitting, does how do you handle this situation?
Speaker 6 (07:11):
Fellas?
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Let me say this. I don't know RG three, I've
never met him. I know Ryan Clark. I've met Ryan,
We've talked. Ryan is a good dude man, And I
think you guys can attest it. Anybody that's met Ryan
will say he's just a genuinely good dude. He's a
nice person, he's a good human being. I think he
(07:35):
tries to treat everybody how he would want to be treated.
And so when he said, oh, when I brought his
family into it, my intent wasn't to talk bad upon them,
but I see how many may have taken that, and.
Speaker 6 (07:50):
So he apologized this.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
There's always going to be a racial some type of
racial divide. When it came the sports, it's always been
that way. It's always especially in boxing. Everybody supports their
kind and this is what sports is. I think what
happened was when RG three said Angel Reese hates Caitlyn Clark.
(08:16):
Hate is a strong word. That is a strong word
to say. So now when you say that in the
world of social media, everybody's gonna go to her page
and everybody's gonna start being disrespectful towards Angel Reese because
he said, oh, she hates Caitlyn Clark.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
To me, it's a great rivalry. They've helped each other out.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Once LSU played Iowa in the women's college basketball Tournament.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
That game sparked a.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Competitiveness between these two women to where it was like, Okay,
we hope this can go on into the WNBA, and
it has. But to use the word hate, it's just
compet that if juice is flowing in the game. And
I didn't think it was a hard fare. I thought,
I'm not giving you an a one. She got up,
she took offense to it, no big deal. Water off
(09:10):
a duck's back. And so now with RG three and
Ryan Clark. Again, I don't know RG three. I don't
know him, but I do know Ryan, and so it
takes a lot for a man to apologize. I don't
know how y'all are.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Well. See, Hey, hey, I'm not apologizing. It is what
it is.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Because if you say something about my family, cool cool
now now it's no whole bars. Just when I see you,
whatever happens happens. Yeah. And I'm getting too I'm getting
too old and had that mentality, but you know I'm not.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
I'm not as mature right now. I'm hoping to be
that way here.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
So all day, man, you know obviously, man, you know,
I had the opportunity to play with all see in Pittsburgh,
and and I got a front row seat to know
and understand and you know, and play with this man
(10:08):
because he was right next to me. He was like
my locker made me him and Casey Hampton. So I
understand him. I know him very well. And for him
to come out and apologize about something, it says a
lot about Ryan Clark because if you know him, when
he makes a statement or he says something, he rides
(10:30):
with it.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
You know, he stands on it.
Speaker 7 (10:33):
And I did think that it was a little bit
out of bounds when you're going to people homes. Blah blah.
We always talk about this. You know, there's two things
about business. I mind, my mind, my own business, to
stay out of everybody else's business.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
Indeed, that's what I do.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
I don't go into nobody home and whatever the case
may be, it's out of bounds for me as a
human being. But you know, getting to this whole Angel
Reese and and Caitlyn Clark thing, this whole thing started
in college and I took my daughter to watch the
Final four in Albany.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
I mean, it was two years ago.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
LSU was playing IOWA in the final four to get
to the national championship, and you could, you could. I mean,
the divide was clear as day. It was white versus black.
That's what it was for them, two young ladies in
that in that building that night, playing that game. And
(11:32):
it's going to continue. And it takes me back to
like the Magic versus Bird. You know, everybody wanted Caitlyn
Clark to go out on top because she's probably going
to go down.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
And this was one of the most.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
Highly decorated college female basketball players of all time and
it takes me back to the you know, nineteen seventy
nine Magic versus Larry Bird, and you know Magic and
Michigan State winning the national champion against Larry Bird, and
that continued on for the next two decades in the NBA.
(12:07):
But from a RG three standpoint, I don't think that,
you know, when he said hate, I don't really think
that he, you know, used the right contexts in which
these young women, you know, compete against each other. Man,
it's good to see it's competitive, and like the generation
(12:27):
of women's basketball has changed in the last five to
ten years, which I have been I have witnessed personally
for my daughter, just you know, watching the landscape of
women basketball, man, and where it is now.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
Man, it's good for the game.
Speaker 7 (12:45):
And I don't These two young ladies don't hate each other.
They they they compete and they go out and they
just want to beat each other. That's all it is.
But there's no hate.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Man.
Speaker 7 (12:58):
It's good for the game, and it's good for these
young women to witness that, you know what they they
care about winning and competing, and I think that's all
it is.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Bottom line.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I don't think that we need to treat these adults
as children. Right, it's sports when there's a something that happens.
You know, We've seen hard files take place in the NBA.
We've seen dudes getting each other's faces. You know, Anthony
Edwards just hit SGA the other night with the ball, right,
(13:31):
got got irritated, got bothered hitting with the ball. Nobody,
nobody is is crashing out over it. I just feel
like we have to be careful in these moments because
while I agree I think RC is a dope dude.
Like I played with him in and UH and Washington
got to know him. We create the AFRO coalition, me,
him and Sean Taylor. We we all grew our hair
(13:54):
out together and was trying to be the hardest hitter
is on the field to die. Personally, my personal on
it is I know Ryan Clark as a person as well.
I know his family, and he has done a hell
of a job being an ambassador of his family and
of our game.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
When you enter into this, this realm.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Of media, you have to be fully aware of as
your profile grows and as much as his has grown,
you have to understand the gravity of what your words carry.
So when you're in the locker room and you're that
type of guy, the guy we got to know in
the locker room that can't actually, in every single situation
(14:35):
be the guy that is in media. You have to
take take the understanding of what it represents to look
at a situation and approach it in a way where
it's authentically you, which makes us special because we played
the game and now we're in media, but also takes
the responsibility of understanding that you are a media personality
(14:58):
now you are no.
Speaker 5 (14:59):
Longer an act.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I don't identify t J hodgman Zada and Plexico Burds
when we're doing up on game or myself LeVar Arrington
as a as a player. I identify with us as
media media people. We are one hundred percent media that
are former athletes. So when you have a situation where
(15:24):
it was whether whether it was a hard foul, whether
it wasn't, it led to whatever the the exchange was.
After we see that happen here and there, we saw
the Pistons, we saw what happened with Jannie and Janice's dad,
and there was different things that came out from that.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Like these things.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Happen, I feel like to turn it into what it's
what it became was was to me that was a
misread and a misjudgment because Ryan Clark is so much
more relevant than RG three, And to bring that scenario
to life where he's talking about RG three and pinpointing
(16:04):
the things that he pinpointed on RG three's wife and
the liking of the color of the skin and bringing
throwing out milk. To me, that's where I feel like
this is a learning a learning experience for not just
Ryan Clark, but for all of us, right, Like, there's
no reason for us to take a sport situation and
(16:25):
turn it into that. Like if I disagree with something
one of y'all say, or y'all disagree with something I say,
we don't immediately like y'all know what I like, I
know what y'all like. We've been around each other long enough.
There's no reason for us to go into that type
of arena to prove a point, Like the point is
not that serious to me, to prove to the world
(16:47):
that my point is better than your point. Y'all did
what I'm saying. Like to me, that's what my conclusion was.
If I were to say anything about this scenario, it
would be keep it to your opinion and your thought
process on what took place, how that impacts the game.
This is one of the biggest stories in all of sports.
That's good for the WNBA. You're getting more exposure, whether
(17:09):
you like it or not in terms of why you're
getting that exposure. The bottom line is Angel Reese and
Kaylin Clark drive the needle on relevance of the game.
Outside of that, unless you're a big time WNBA fan,
an avid fan, you're not paying that close of attention.
Had that incident never happened, there would have been no
real discussions other than the fact that two champions you know,
(17:33):
locked horns in the opener and one of them got
got not to the ground, didn't like it, boom, whatever
happens from there.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
But it's at a blowout.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
The game was a blowout, so Kaitlin ball.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
It was a blowout.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
So that's why the game isn't being talked about.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
The incident between RG three and Ryan Clark is taken
over because, which is crazy, wasn't a competitive games why?
Speaker 5 (17:57):
But think about what you just said, TJ.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Ryan Clark and RG three became the biggest storyline out
of a storyline that what should have been the story
in itself, right, Like the story is, you got and
this would never have happened if Larry Bird, it would.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Have never have just talked on the side, said what
they had to say to each other, and that would
have been the end of it. If they could have
done that. Also, they could get each other's numbers. They
may have each other's numbers, talk it out on the phone.
And whether you talk it and it's amicable, word isn't.
(18:33):
It's not in the public eye. They could have handled
it themselves.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
But they're the talent. They're the talent, and they're the athletes.
I look at it from the standpoint of handle y'all businesses.
Players try to be responsible over your brand and your name.
Build it the way that you want to build it,
approach it how you want to approach it. But then
once the media gets a hold of it, the media
is going to have it, and to certain parts of
the media, you expect them to be a certain type
(18:57):
of way in how they handle back and forth and
rivalries and all those things. You expect it because that's
their hook. That's how they get people to view them
and pay attention to them. I feel like for us
who have played the game, we should always hold ourselves
to a higher standard, a higher understanding and esteem for
one another and the people that are coming and doing it. Now,
(19:18):
we all have children that are playing the game. I
would never want want this to be the way my
kids or your kids are covered. I would just want
it to be like stay down the lane, stay in
the lane in terms of what your knowledge is, your
understanding of it, and get perspective on it. But the
way our see went about it, I mean, he apologized
(19:39):
for it. So I don't think I'm saying anything that's
out of pocket, Like we get it, Like let's be
media people and let's represent ourselves well. Because at the
end of the day, I don't see color with my teammates.
I have teammates and people that have played in the
league that I have an affinity for, the love for,
(20:00):
and they're they're they're white, they're they're Polynesian. You know,
I love them because they were my teammates. I love
them because we played together, you.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
So I don't I don't take shots at even if
I don't know you, I don't take shots at you
that way because there's still a real formal respect for
one another that is connected to what we did and
now what we're doing in the media.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
So that's how I would look at it.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I appreciate you guys on on the perspective and the
candor on it. And so anyway, we're gonna talk some
more sports. On the other side of the break. The playoffs. Yeah,
there was a debate on the table. The Detroit Lions
wanted to change the way the playoffs are done, the
seeding once you make it in.
Speaker 5 (20:45):
Uh didn't happen, But.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
We'll talk about it and how that plays a part
in college football.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Uh, in the playoffs in college So we'll get back
to that.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
T J.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Hutchman's Out of Plexico Burst. I'm LeVar Arrington. This is
Up on Game and you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
All right, welcome back in.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
To t J.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Hutchman's Out of Plexico burs and LaVar Arrington of Up
on Game. Be sure to check out the Fox Sports
Radios YouTube channel. There's a ton of great videos from
many of our Fox Sports Radio shows. Just search Fox
Sports Radio on YouTube and you'll see a whole bunch
of video highlights from our shows. And be sure to
subscribe so you always have instant access to our Fox Sports.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
Radio videos on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Fellas there there was obviously the rules of the Competition
committee and all that stuff that they were making their
their votes and all these things, and Detroit, the Detroit
Lines withdrew their their push for withdrawing the I guess
the NFL playoff seating, meaning if a team were to
(21:55):
end the season winning their division and they make it
into the the playoffs, obviously another team makes it out
of the division, they're a wildcard team. The Detroit Lions
wanted to do away with there being that automatic bye
week for the team the top two top two teams.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Am I?
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Am I getting this wrong? Am I?
Speaker 6 (22:19):
No?
Speaker 9 (22:19):
It was about It was specifically about the wild card
round about if it's so last year, the big example
being Vikings had a better record win lost record than
the LA Rams, but the Rams are the ones who
had home field for the wild card. The proposal would
have changed it so that the team with the higher record,
regardless of whether you win the division, the division winner
(22:42):
doesn't get an automatic home field wild card just because
they won the division go by.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Record, which in comparison, And I'm gonna wrap this into
the college football playoff because I feel like it's kind
of interesting and relevant because basically what we're saying, what's
being said here is you're there is and tell me
if I'm wrong, Fellas, there's a devaluing of winning the division.
You're basically saying that it's more important to get a
(23:10):
better record than it is to win your division. Now,
but we saw place in college that took place in
college too, right, Like people were about Roise State in Arizona.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Okay, and what did college do?
Speaker 6 (23:21):
They changed it?
Speaker 4 (23:22):
Okay, go ahead, y'all take you Yeah, they changed it.
Go ahead, plaques, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (23:26):
We saw this with the Seattle Seahawks back in what
was it, oh, seven o nine when the New Orleans
Saints went to Seattle.
Speaker 4 (23:34):
And the game Seattle had a losing record.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
Yeah, there was seven and nine, and I believe that.
Speaker 7 (23:44):
The Saints were like ten and six and they go
to Seattle because they win the division with with a
with a worst record.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Than the Saints had at the time. So this is
not the first time that this has happened. Do you
feel like that's not I that's the thing. This is
a thing, though. This is a thing if you're in
a division that's really bad it's not gonna stay bad.
It just just so happens. This always happened. It always happens.
(24:15):
The NFC North was just a really strong division last year,
this year, past year. Right, Yeah, they're really strong. And
so it's like, ah, we got three teams that have
these great records and they have to go on the
road and play a team with a marginal record because
their division wasn't good to me, if you're an owner
(24:37):
and you're in a division that's not as strong, you're like, hey,
I for sure, we for sure gonna get a home
playoff game. And this is a thing though for the
fans that travel. You know how hard it would be
for the fans because now you don't know if you
have a home playoff game or not, and then now
you got to get your tickets at the last minute.
(24:59):
And so from a competitive perspective, I get it, we
have a better record, we should be playing at home.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
But the fans are what make the game.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
The fans are the reason why the NFL is the
most popular and the best game in the world. And
so at some point we have to put the fans
at the forefront of this and say, you know how
hard it would be Oh, yeah, you thought you had
a home playoff game. You're going on the road to
play the Minnesota Vikings and you have what six days,
(25:28):
and you know how expensive those flights are going to be.
You know they already jack up the hotel prices, and
so I get it. But to me, it's been like this, man,
just leave it what it is, leave it the same,
because this doesn't happen often. It just when it does,
everybody wants to complain about it.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Blecks.
Speaker 7 (25:49):
I mean, listen, I had my saying I really don't
agree with it. I'm actually on the other side of
the fence of this whole thing. If you go out
and your estella, just like you said, the NFC North,
you know, guys are winning what thirteen, twelve, eleven games
(26:09):
and you gotta go play the damn Atlanta Falcons in
Atlanta and they're you know, seventy nine. I believe that
the team with the best record should host a playoff game,
and it was unfair to the Saints when it happened.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
And you're looking at yourself, No, I wouldn't say a
better record.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
If you have a losing record and you get into
the playoffs, I agree with it. And you're playing a
team that's a eleven or twelve win team, you have
a losing record, and you have to go on the
road to play that team.
Speaker 6 (26:44):
That is what I do not agree with at all.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Who is that bow? Are you in the bat who
said that bow?
Speaker 6 (26:51):
What you got? No?
Speaker 10 (26:51):
I just I think I think this would make more
sense if we were using a team other than the
Vikings last year as an example, because they lost to
two teams all year, the Rams and the Rams and
the Lions. And you know what they could have done
if they wanted a host playoff game, they could have
beaten the Rams, or they could have beaten the Lions,
but they didn't.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
So it's just it's moving.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
It's interesting that you say that bow, because I believe
in the sanctity of if you're going to set up
something this goes to the college playoff as well. If
you're setting it up where the best two teams, whether
whether we think they're the best because they are the
best in terms of their roster, or what their capabilities
(27:36):
or potentials are, you know, could have been versus what their.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Accomplishment and achievement is.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
I can't get away from if you play the games
and the games lead to two teams being in a divisional,
a division or conference conference championship. That's a team that
didn't play in the conference championship is viewed to be
a more superior team and get a better ranking because
they're in a tougher a tougher conference.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
I don't buy that.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
If it's the league where I think there's more parody,
Like you said, TJ, from year to year, you're not
going to be totally sure what division is going to
be the toughest division. If you were going into last year,
I don't think too many people would have sat there
and been like, yeah, the NFC North is going to
be the strongest division in the National Football League. We
(28:29):
would all say the AFC West or the AFC North.
We would say an AFC team, most likely in an
AFC division is going to be the strongest division.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
And it happened to be the NFC North that was
one of them.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
You don't just change it just because this one time,
this one year that division had a very strong year.
Speaker 6 (28:51):
You just can't.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
You just can't do it.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
They were aligned the way they were, they were aligned
up the way that they were, and if you.
Speaker 5 (28:59):
Did better in your division. You did better in your division,
but you didn't win it.
Speaker 7 (29:03):
Yeah, division, you make it East versus West, and you
take the top eight teams with the best record, and
you play the playoffs, period point blank.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
So do away with divisional titles.
Speaker 6 (29:15):
Do away with divisional titles.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
Take the best East conference, Western conference, the teams with
the best record, those eight teams, you go to the playoffs,
period point blank.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
What if what if nine or ten teams have the
same record.
Speaker 6 (29:33):
Well, it goes to a tiebreaker of who be doing.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
I mean, I tend to say, if you do away
with conference titles, then do away with or in conference
in college division and the pros.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
If you do away with with.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
The conference and division titles, then let's figure it out
from there. I have no problem with with with what
you're saying. Take the best teams with the best records,
who win the tie breakers, whatever it may be, and
then from there figure out the same exact approach to
figuring out who has the home games or whatever the
bye weeks would be.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
I get that, but you can't have both.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
You can't have this is your divisional champ, this is
your conference champ. And then you sit there and you say, well,
this is a conference champ of the a SEC. But
the conference champ from the ACC doesn't get a bye,
doesn't get the seeding that they should get off of
winning their conference because the team that didn't even play
(30:32):
in the conference championship and the SEC or the Big
Ten is considered to be a better team or the
ranking that they're better. Florida State didn't even I mean
there was a year Penn State didn't get into the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
Now, this wasn't thet when they expanded.
Speaker 7 (30:48):
Field, they won the Big Ten.
Speaker 5 (30:53):
Today, they won the Big Ten and a team that was.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
Not even today.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
I'm just saying, I got.
Speaker 6 (31:01):
A college discussion.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
If I can say that's that's fine.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
I got a man. Nobody loves their school like LeVar Arrington.
I've never met anybody that love they.
Speaker 6 (31:14):
School more than you.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
There's one thing that I do honestly think should change
with this whole playoff scenario. If you are a divisional
winner in these in in the NFL, and you have
a losing record and you win your division, you should
not have the privilege of playing a home playoff game
(31:37):
if the team that you're playing against has a better record.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
But is it is it the teams at the franchise's
fault that their their conference, their their division stinks.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
They stunk.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Like if you're in a position, organizations player, you're in
a transition.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
If you're in the position to win your division based
off of how trash the rest of your division is, that.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I mean, it just is what it is. That's what
it turned out to be. That year and maybe the
next year after that. You can have a poor season
and be able to win your conference.
Speaker 6 (32:10):
You win your division.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
Unfathomable man of having a losing record and b O
Bill be and being able to play at home.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
If you won your division, you won your division. That's
what I mean to me.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
That's what it represents, all right, Welcome back in up
on game.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
It's Plexico Bursus, TJ.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Hushman's out on LeVar Rrington coming up in our two cuffs.
The Legend will be joining the show and we will
be talking about the NBA playoffs.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
They have been pretty interesting.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Looks like a showdown of well some some loaded rosters
out of the East and the West heading for the
championship round. But we'll discuss that before we get to
the end of this. Our fellas, Ben Johnson had some
interesting things to say. He's trying to change the narrative
as it applies to the Chicago.
Speaker 6 (33:00):
And One Caleb Williams.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Here's what he had to say. How you guys feel
about this?
Speaker 6 (33:04):
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 11 (33:06):
I love the opportunity to come on in and change
that narrative. That's where great stories are written, and so
we're looking to write a new chapter here. It's coming
to my attention that the quarterbacks have been out in
the media over the last week, and just a.
Speaker 5 (33:20):
Gallut in front of that a little bit.
Speaker 11 (33:21):
I just wanted to say, I wasn't here last year,
and so I can't speak too much in terms of
what it was like before he got here and when
he got here last year. But for my four months
on the job, he's been outstanding to work with and
we just are focusing on getting a little better every day.
Speaker 5 (33:38):
How y'all feel about it?
Speaker 4 (33:40):
I mean he should feel that way, and I also
feel like this can be a season for Caleb Williams
is adh this is what we thought he would be
as a rookie. No matter how good you are, man,
it's gonna be some growing pains in the National Football
League Man, it's the best of the best. This is
the highest level of football you can play at. And
(34:02):
now you have an offensive head coach that's gonna design
and make everything about you. It's gonna it's not gonna
be Okay, you're gonna fit into my system. It's gonna
be what do you like? And I'm gonna build this
system around you with the principles that I know are
going to work. And so for me, I really think
(34:22):
if this doesn't work, they not gonna blame Ben Johnson
because he resurrected Jared Goff. They gonna blame Kayler Williams
and the fact that Ben Johnson is saying what he's saying.
Speaker 6 (34:35):
It's no pressure on Kayler Williams.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Man, Kayleb Williams wants to play as good as he
can play, and I believe he will.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
If you you look at this team.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
Offensively, skill guys up front, defensively, inside out, where's the weakness.
Speaker 6 (34:51):
Well, they don't have a weakness.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
And so once again this division, if JJ McCarthy and
the Vikings and Kevin O'Connor can now pull it together,
there's gonna be another tough division.
Speaker 7 (35:04):
Oh, it's gonna be a tough division regardless, because I
think moving forward right now that the Minnesota Vikings and
the Detroit Lions are have the you know, the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
But with that being.
Speaker 7 (35:18):
Said, and Ben Johnson knowing and understanding what the Detroit
Lions want to do offensively offensively gets against them, I
think it benefits Ben Johnson the Chicago Bears moving forward
in this division. But just like you said, man, listen,
when a new coach comes in and he makes the statement,
(35:42):
we are going to play to Caleb williams strengths and
we are going to cater our game and our offense
around him. So that's all you can ask for as
a player, as a quarterback, being the number one pick
in the draft and expected to be a generational talent
moving forward, there's nothing more you can ask for.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
So, you know what, there are no more excuses. You
have the wide receivers, you have a new young head coach,
you have the defense. But it's the fact of the
matters that you're playing in one of the best divisions
of football. So where do you go from there? And
from Caleb Williams, if he is the player that we
(36:22):
think he can be, then the Chicago Bears should be
one of the best, you know, teams in football. And
it also takes me back to the Baltimore Ravens when
they had Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson's on the sideline.
We didn't even know that they had a whole separate
team or offense to fit Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 7 (36:41):
Now look at what he's doing. So if they have
the offense building around Kayler Williams, he has no excuses
moving forward.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
We'll see. I think it sets up for them to
make this a better season for Caleb Williams. But I'm
with y'all. They do have have weapons on the team.
They do have a defense. You know, I don't have
enough time to go into all of the names, but
they do have good personnel to be able to win.
(37:10):
So if they are going to win, it certainly will
be leadership and it certainly will fall on the weight
of Caleb Williams arms. We got our two coming up shortly.
This is up on game Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio Video Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:03):
This is up on Game hought Bye Hush Mazada for
the touchstats. This is the show for you. Watch LeVar
Light Too with LaVar ary tet TJ, hush Benzada and
Plaxico Burres.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
J A love the way you break the game down.
Speaker 4 (00:21):
L Lady man, you were jacked by my flat number
two overall ninety nine and plaques Man, you were.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Seven five seven product.
Speaker 5 (00:27):
Ain't everybody new flat was growing up.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Around her man agree of the best to ever do
it on and off the field. Now live from the
Fox Sports Radio studios, here's pro bowlers LaVar airy tet TJ, Hushman,
Zanna and Silver Bowl champion Plaxico Burress.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
All right, all right, alright, alright, welcome into the show.
It is a Saturday, It's a beautiful Saturday morning, well noon,
where some of you guys are at and uh well,
it's all a lot.
Speaker 5 (00:58):
To talk about. It's up on Game TJ.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Hutchman's out of its Plexico Burst. You want to talk
some Bryan Clark RG three, just want to get the
fella's take on it. This big topic out there. You know,
no need to be drama driven by it. But let's
let's let's get some perspective on it. I'm curious. Uh,
we got a lot of other things to get to
(01:21):
as well.
Speaker 6 (01:22):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
You know, obviously we had some things take place with
votes in the National Football League.
Speaker 5 (01:28):
But there's some conversations to be had.
Speaker 3 (01:30):
But but before we get into all of those things, Uh, Fellas,
you know, how y'all doing, man?
Speaker 6 (01:36):
How you feeling? Man? You know, LeVar were good out here, man?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
This week has been really great weather, real hot, clear skies.
It's a little gloomy yesterday than it, you know, kind
of opened up, and I'm assuming the same thing is
gonna happen today.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
Baby, feeling really good.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
It's looking pretty bright outside right now, TJ. So I
cannot can relate to what you're saying.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
Right there.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
I heard the microphone hitting and get all loud because well,
maybe Plexico feels like he can jump in and feel
the same way we feel right now. How is it
looking in New Jersey or wherever it is you're at
in the world, plex.
Speaker 7 (02:13):
Well, it hasn't been It hasn't been good from a
weather standpoint. It's been raining basically since Tuesday. We haven't
seen the sunshine in four days. And on the wake
up yesterday and today it was blistering forty seven degrees,
(02:34):
so we are not It doesn't feel like Memorial Day
weekend to us from a weather standpoint. But Memorial Day
is not about the weather. It's about the holiday. That's
everybody that serves. So Happy Memorial Day weekend to everybody.
We just want some sunshine. I just want to get
on the grill, you know, but can't even do that.
(02:56):
But we're gonna figure.
Speaker 6 (02:57):
It out here.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
If you are hanging out here with us, brow, you'll
be able to get on that griland.
Speaker 5 (03:02):
Well, there would be no no problems there with that.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
So but speaking of problems fellas, obviously, we we saw
the start of the w n b A season and
Caitlyn Clark and obviously.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
Which is interesting because it's Kitlyn Clark.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
But anyway, uh and Angel Reves had their their their game.
I mean, Angel Reeves got a hard foul from Katelyn Clark.
Speaker 6 (03:30):
Why does it?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Why are these two players such lightning rods for driving
this racial racial divide, racial conversation. I have no idea.
Was it that hard of a foul? People talk ass
during games all the time. In fact, I encourage it
(03:53):
when I play, because I'm an as talker when I played.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
There's nothing wrong with.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Some healthy trash talk during the course of a game
in competition, when it's especially two of the top premier
players that are going at it. Fell as it turned
into this war of words between Kitlyn clark followers and
Angel Reese's followers, and then it's spilled over into the media.
(04:23):
RG three had some interesting perspective on how much he
feels that it's clear that Angel Reese and the way
that he did it obviously irritated Ryan Clark, but how
much Angel Reese truly, truly, truly hates Kitlyn Clark. And
(04:43):
I guess the way he had it set up. He
was talking his wife, who is a white woman, was
in the background. It seemed as though RG three was
taking shots at her in a way that maybe could
be disparaging towards our black racial racial group, which is
(05:04):
strange because you know, RG three is, of course black.
Ryan Clark had some things to say and took shots
at the wife and doing so, or at least seemingly so.
Ryan Clark came out and apologized and here's what he
had to say. But I want to get on the
other side of the comments. I just want to get
some perspective on you guys on what's off limits, what's
(05:29):
in play. You know, how should these things in the
future be handled, because obviously, you know, we're living in
a day and age where you have to be aware
of what's taking place, how you say it, how it's
going to be.
Speaker 5 (05:41):
Received, what backlash could come from it.
Speaker 3 (05:44):
But here's what Ryan Clark had to say after the
comments he had going towards RG three and his wife too, Grete.
Speaker 5 (05:51):
I was out of line, I was out of bombs.
Speaker 8 (05:54):
I apologize to all of the people that don't like
rg's take or takes or the way that he moves,
or even if you just in this conversation take my
side and want to support me, leave this family alone.
Families should be off limits. I started that by bringing
her into it. I see that no matter what my
(06:16):
intent was, the impact was different.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
Now, obviously, Angel Reese transferred from Maryland and ended her
career at LSU. Ryan Clark is an LSU alum as well. Again,
Ryan Clark makes he makes the media circuit quite a bit.
We talk about him quite a bit, and granted this one,
I'll take full credit for saying that this. I just
(06:41):
wanted to hear y'all's perspective on it, because we all
know them. But in this scenario, should it have gone
to the extent that it did. I mean to make
a point about, you know, RG three talking about Angel
Reese in this moment, did it need to go down
the lane that it did? How do you guys see
these things?
Speaker 6 (07:00):
You know?
Speaker 3 (07:00):
How if it were you and you were sitting where
say RG three was sitting, or sitting where Ryan Clark.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
Was sitting, does how do you handle this situation?
Speaker 6 (07:11):
Fellas?
Speaker 4 (07:12):
Let me say this. I don't know RG three, I've
never met him. I know Ryan Clark. I've met Ryan,
We've talked. Ryan is a good dude man, And I
think you guys can attest it. Anybody that's met Ryan
will say he's just a genuinely good dude. He's a
nice person, he's a good human being. I think he
(07:35):
tries to treat everybody how he would want to be treated.
And so when he said, oh, when I brought his
family into it, my intent wasn't to talk bad upon them,
but I see how many may have taken that, and.
Speaker 6 (07:50):
So he apologized this.
Speaker 4 (07:55):
There's always going to be a racial some type of
racial divide. When it came the sports, it's always been
that way. It's always especially in boxing. Everybody supports their
kind and this is what sports is. I think what
happened was when RG three said Angel Reese hates Caitlyn Clark.
(08:16):
Hate is a strong word. That is a strong word
to say. So now when you say that in the
world of social media, everybody's gonna go to her page
and everybody's gonna start being disrespectful towards Angel Reese because
he said, oh, she hates Caitlyn Clark.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
To me, it's a great rivalry. They've helped each other out.
Speaker 4 (08:38):
Once LSU played Iowa in the women's college basketball Tournament.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
That game sparked a.
Speaker 4 (08:49):
Competitiveness between these two women to where it was like, Okay,
we hope this can go on into the WNBA, and
it has. But to use the word hate, it's just
compet that if juice is flowing in the game. And
I didn't think it was a hard fare. I thought,
I'm not giving you an a one. She got up,
she took offense to it, no big deal. Water off
(09:10):
a duck's back. And so now with RG three and
Ryan Clark. Again, I don't know RG three. I don't
know him, but I do know Ryan, and so it
takes a lot for a man to apologize. I don't
know how y'all are.
Speaker 6 (09:26):
Well. See, Hey, hey, I'm not apologizing. It is what
it is.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Because if you say something about my family, cool cool
now now it's no whole bars. Just when I see you,
whatever happens happens. Yeah. And I'm getting too I'm getting
too old and had that mentality, but you know I'm not.
Speaker 1 (09:45):
I'm not as mature right now. I'm hoping to be
that way here.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
So all day, man, you know obviously, man, you know,
I had the opportunity to play with all see in Pittsburgh,
and and I got a front row seat to know
and understand and you know, and play with this man
(10:08):
because he was right next to me. He was like
my locker made me him and Casey Hampton. So I
understand him. I know him very well. And for him
to come out and apologize about something, it says a
lot about Ryan Clark because if you know him, when
he makes a statement or he says something, he rides
(10:30):
with it.
Speaker 6 (10:31):
You know, he stands on it.
Speaker 7 (10:33):
And I did think that it was a little bit
out of bounds when you're going to people homes. Blah blah.
We always talk about this. You know, there's two things
about business. I mind, my mind, my own business, to
stay out of everybody else's business.
Speaker 6 (10:47):
Indeed, that's what I do.
Speaker 7 (10:48):
I don't go into nobody home and whatever the case
may be, it's out of bounds for me as a
human being. But you know, getting to this whole Angel
Reese and and Caitlyn Clark thing, this whole thing started
in college and I took my daughter to watch the
Final four in Albany.
Speaker 6 (11:09):
I mean, it was two years ago.
Speaker 7 (11:11):
LSU was playing IOWA in the final four to get
to the national championship, and you could, you could. I mean,
the divide was clear as day. It was white versus black.
That's what it was for them, two young ladies in
that in that building that night, playing that game. And
(11:32):
it's going to continue. And it takes me back to
like the Magic versus Bird. You know, everybody wanted Caitlyn
Clark to go out on top because she's probably going
to go down.
Speaker 6 (11:42):
And this was one of the most.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
Highly decorated college female basketball players of all time and
it takes me back to the you know, nineteen seventy
nine Magic versus Larry Bird, and you know Magic and
Michigan State winning the national champion against Larry Bird, and
that continued on for the next two decades in the NBA.
(12:07):
But from a RG three standpoint, I don't think that,
you know, when he said hate, I don't really think
that he, you know, used the right contexts in which
these young women, you know, compete against each other. Man,
it's good to see it's competitive, and like the generation
(12:27):
of women's basketball has changed in the last five to
ten years, which I have been I have witnessed personally
for my daughter, just you know, watching the landscape of
women basketball, man, and where it is now.
Speaker 6 (12:43):
Man, it's good for the game.
Speaker 7 (12:45):
And I don't These two young ladies don't hate each other.
They they they compete and they go out and they
just want to beat each other. That's all it is.
But there's no hate.
Speaker 6 (12:58):
Man.
Speaker 7 (12:58):
It's good for the game, and it's good for these
young women to witness that, you know what they they
care about winning and competing, and I think that's all
it is.
Speaker 6 (13:09):
Bottom line.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I don't think that we need to treat these adults
as children. Right, it's sports when there's a something that happens.
You know, We've seen hard files take place in the NBA.
We've seen dudes getting each other's faces. You know, Anthony
Edwards just hit SGA the other night with the ball, right,
(13:31):
got got irritated, got bothered hitting with the ball. Nobody,
nobody is is crashing out over it. I just feel
like we have to be careful in these moments because
while I agree I think RC is a dope dude.
Like I played with him in and UH and Washington
got to know him. We create the AFRO coalition, me,
him and Sean Taylor. We we all grew our hair
(13:54):
out together and was trying to be the hardest hitter
is on the field to die. Personally, my personal on
it is I know Ryan Clark as a person as well.
I know his family, and he has done a hell
of a job being an ambassador of his family and
of our game.
Speaker 5 (14:12):
When you enter into this, this realm.
Speaker 3 (14:14):
Of media, you have to be fully aware of as
your profile grows and as much as his has grown,
you have to understand the gravity of what your words carry.
So when you're in the locker room and you're that
type of guy, the guy we got to know in
the locker room that can't actually, in every single situation
(14:35):
be the guy that is in media. You have to
take take the understanding of what it represents to look
at a situation and approach it in a way where
it's authentically you, which makes us special because we played
the game and now we're in media, but also takes
the responsibility of understanding that you are a media personality
(14:58):
now you are no.
Speaker 5 (14:59):
Longer an act.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
I don't identify t J hodgman Zada and Plexico Burds
when we're doing up on game or myself LeVar Arrington
as a as a player. I identify with us as
media media people. We are one hundred percent media that
are former athletes. So when you have a situation where
(15:24):
it was whether whether it was a hard foul, whether
it wasn't, it led to whatever the the exchange was.
After we see that happen here and there, we saw
the Pistons, we saw what happened with Jannie and Janice's dad,
and there was different things that came out from that.
Speaker 5 (15:41):
Like these things.
Speaker 3 (15:42):
Happen, I feel like to turn it into what it's
what it became was was to me that was a
misread and a misjudgment because Ryan Clark is so much
more relevant than RG three, And to bring that scenario
to life where he's talking about RG three and pinpointing
(16:04):
the things that he pinpointed on RG three's wife and
the liking of the color of the skin and bringing
throwing out milk. To me, that's where I feel like
this is a learning a learning experience for not just
Ryan Clark, but for all of us, right, Like, there's
no reason for us to take a sport situation and
(16:25):
turn it into that. Like if I disagree with something
one of y'all say, or y'all disagree with something I say,
we don't immediately like y'all know what I like, I
know what y'all like. We've been around each other long enough.
There's no reason for us to go into that type
of arena to prove a point, Like the point is
not that serious to me, to prove to the world
(16:47):
that my point is better than your point. Y'all did
what I'm saying. Like to me, that's what my conclusion was.
If I were to say anything about this scenario, it
would be keep it to your opinion and your thought
process on what took place, how that impacts the game.
This is one of the biggest stories in all of sports.
That's good for the WNBA. You're getting more exposure, whether
(17:09):
you like it or not in terms of why you're
getting that exposure. The bottom line is Angel Reese and
Kaylin Clark drive the needle on relevance of the game.
Outside of that, unless you're a big time WNBA fan,
an avid fan, you're not paying that close of attention.
Had that incident never happened, there would have been no
real discussions other than the fact that two champions you know,
(17:33):
locked horns in the opener and one of them got
got not to the ground, didn't like it, boom, whatever
happens from there.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
But it's at a blowout.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
The game was a blowout, so Kaitlin ball.
Speaker 6 (17:45):
It was a blowout.
Speaker 1 (17:46):
So that's why the game isn't being talked about.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
The incident between RG three and Ryan Clark is taken
over because, which is crazy, wasn't a competitive games why?
Speaker 5 (17:57):
But think about what you just said, TJ.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Ryan Clark and RG three became the biggest storyline out
of a storyline that what should have been the story
in itself, right, Like the story is, you got and
this would never have happened if Larry Bird, it would.
Speaker 4 (18:13):
Have never have just talked on the side, said what
they had to say to each other, and that would
have been the end of it. If they could have
done that. Also, they could get each other's numbers. They
may have each other's numbers, talk it out on the phone.
And whether you talk it and it's amicable, word isn't.
(18:33):
It's not in the public eye. They could have handled
it themselves.
Speaker 3 (18:36):
But they're the talent. They're the talent, and they're the athletes.
I look at it from the standpoint of handle y'all businesses.
Players try to be responsible over your brand and your name.
Build it the way that you want to build it,
approach it how you want to approach it. But then
once the media gets a hold of it, the media
is going to have it, and to certain parts of
the media, you expect them to be a certain type
(18:57):
of way in how they handle back and forth and
rivalries and all those things. You expect it because that's
their hook. That's how they get people to view them
and pay attention to them. I feel like for us
who have played the game, we should always hold ourselves
to a higher standard, a higher understanding and esteem for
one another and the people that are coming and doing it. Now,
(19:18):
we all have children that are playing the game. I
would never want want this to be the way my
kids or your kids are covered. I would just want
it to be like stay down the lane, stay in
the lane in terms of what your knowledge is, your
understanding of it, and get perspective on it. But the
way our see went about it, I mean, he apologized
(19:39):
for it. So I don't think I'm saying anything that's
out of pocket, Like we get it, Like let's be
media people and let's represent ourselves well. Because at the
end of the day, I don't see color with my teammates.
I have teammates and people that have played in the
league that I have an affinity for, the love for,
(20:00):
and they're they're they're white, they're they're Polynesian. You know,
I love them because they were my teammates. I love
them because we played together, you.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
Know what I mean.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
So I don't I don't take shots at even if
I don't know you, I don't take shots at you
that way because there's still a real formal respect for
one another that is connected to what we did and
now what we're doing in the media.
Speaker 5 (20:26):
So that's how I would look at it.
Speaker 3 (20:27):
I appreciate you guys on on the perspective and the
candor on it. And so anyway, we're gonna talk some
more sports. On the other side of the break. The playoffs. Yeah,
there was a debate on the table. The Detroit Lions
wanted to change the way the playoffs are done, the
seeding once you make it in.
Speaker 5 (20:45):
Uh didn't happen, But.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
We'll talk about it and how that plays a part
in college football.
Speaker 5 (20:50):
Uh, in the playoffs in college So we'll get back
to that.
Speaker 6 (20:53):
T J.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
Hutchman's Out of Plexico Burst. I'm LeVar Arrington. This is
Up on Game and you're listening to Fox Sports Radio.
All right, welcome back in.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
To t J.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
Hutchman's Out of Plexico burs and LaVar Arrington of Up
on Game. Be sure to check out the Fox Sports
Radios YouTube channel. There's a ton of great videos from
many of our Fox Sports Radio shows. Just search Fox
Sports Radio on YouTube and you'll see a whole bunch
of video highlights from our shows. And be sure to
subscribe so you always have instant access to our Fox Sports.
Speaker 5 (21:27):
Radio videos on YouTube.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
Fellas there there was obviously the rules of the Competition
committee and all that stuff that they were making their
their votes and all these things, and Detroit, the Detroit
Lines withdrew their their push for withdrawing the I guess
the NFL playoff seating, meaning if a team were to
(21:55):
end the season winning their division and they make it
into the the playoffs, obviously another team makes it out
of the division, they're a wildcard team. The Detroit Lions
wanted to do away with there being that automatic bye
week for the team the top two top two teams.
Speaker 6 (22:17):
Am I?
Speaker 5 (22:17):
Am I getting this wrong? Am I?
Speaker 6 (22:19):
No?
Speaker 9 (22:19):
It was about It was specifically about the wild card
round about if it's so last year, the big example
being Vikings had a better record win lost record than
the LA Rams, but the Rams are the ones who
had home field for the wild card. The proposal would
have changed it so that the team with the higher record,
regardless of whether you win the division, the division winner
(22:42):
doesn't get an automatic home field wild card just because
they won the division go by.
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Record, which in comparison, And I'm gonna wrap this into
the college football playoff because I feel like it's kind
of interesting and relevant because basically what we're saying, what's
being said here is you're there is and tell me
if I'm wrong, Fellas, there's a devaluing of winning the division.
You're basically saying that it's more important to get a
(23:10):
better record than it is to win your division. Now,
but we saw place in college that took place in
college too, right, Like people were about Roise State in Arizona.
Speaker 1 (23:19):
Okay, and what did college do?
Speaker 6 (23:21):
They changed it?
Speaker 4 (23:22):
Okay, go ahead, y'all take you Yeah, they changed it.
Go ahead, plaques, go ahead.
Speaker 6 (23:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (23:26):
We saw this with the Seattle Seahawks back in what
was it, oh, seven o nine when the New Orleans
Saints went to Seattle.
Speaker 4 (23:34):
And the game Seattle had a losing record.
Speaker 6 (23:38):
Yeah, there was seven and nine, and I believe that.
Speaker 7 (23:44):
The Saints were like ten and six and they go
to Seattle because they win the division with with a
with a worst record.
Speaker 4 (23:53):
Than the Saints had at the time. So this is
not the first time that this has happened. Do you
feel like that's not I that's the thing. This is
a thing, though. This is a thing if you're in
a division that's really bad it's not gonna stay bad.
It just just so happens. This always happened. It always happens.
(24:15):
The NFC North was just a really strong division last year,
this year, past year. Right, Yeah, they're really strong. And
so it's like, ah, we got three teams that have
these great records and they have to go on the
road and play a team with a marginal record because
their division wasn't good to me, if you're an owner
(24:37):
and you're in a division that's not as strong, you're like, hey,
I for sure, we for sure gonna get a home
playoff game. And this is a thing though for the
fans that travel. You know how hard it would be
for the fans because now you don't know if you
have a home playoff game or not, and then now
you got to get your tickets at the last minute.
(24:59):
And so from a competitive perspective, I get it, we
have a better record, we should be playing at home.
Speaker 6 (25:04):
But the fans are what make the game.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
The fans are the reason why the NFL is the
most popular and the best game in the world. And
so at some point we have to put the fans
at the forefront of this and say, you know how
hard it would be Oh, yeah, you thought you had
a home playoff game. You're going on the road to
play the Minnesota Vikings and you have what six days,
(25:28):
and you know how expensive those flights are going to be.
You know they already jack up the hotel prices, and
so I get it. But to me, it's been like this, man,
just leave it what it is, leave it the same,
because this doesn't happen often. It just when it does,
everybody wants to complain about it.
Speaker 5 (25:47):
Blecks.
Speaker 7 (25:49):
I mean, listen, I had my saying I really don't
agree with it. I'm actually on the other side of
the fence of this whole thing. If you go out
and your estella, just like you said, the NFC North,
you know, guys are winning what thirteen, twelve, eleven games
(26:09):
and you gotta go play the damn Atlanta Falcons in
Atlanta and they're you know, seventy nine. I believe that
the team with the best record should host a playoff game,
and it was unfair to the Saints when it happened.
Speaker 6 (26:26):
And you're looking at yourself, No, I wouldn't say a
better record.
Speaker 4 (26:29):
If you have a losing record and you get into
the playoffs, I agree with it. And you're playing a
team that's a eleven or twelve win team, you have
a losing record, and you have to go on the
road to play that team.
Speaker 6 (26:44):
That is what I do not agree with at all.
Speaker 5 (26:48):
Who is that bow? Are you in the bat who
said that bow?
Speaker 6 (26:51):
What you got? No?
Speaker 10 (26:51):
I just I think I think this would make more
sense if we were using a team other than the
Vikings last year as an example, because they lost to
two teams all year, the Rams and the Rams and
the Lions. And you know what they could have done
if they wanted a host playoff game, they could have
beaten the Rams, or they could have beaten the Lions,
but they didn't.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
So it's just it's moving.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
It's interesting that you say that bow, because I believe
in the sanctity of if you're going to set up
something this goes to the college playoff as well. If
you're setting it up where the best two teams, whether
whether we think they're the best because they are the
best in terms of their roster, or what their capabilities
(27:36):
or potentials are, you know, could have been versus what their.
Speaker 5 (27:41):
Accomplishment and achievement is.
Speaker 3 (27:43):
I can't get away from if you play the games
and the games lead to two teams being in a divisional,
a division or conference conference championship. That's a team that
didn't play in the conference championship is viewed to be
a more superior team and get a better ranking because
they're in a tougher a tougher conference.
Speaker 5 (28:06):
I don't buy that.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
If it's the league where I think there's more parody,
Like you said, TJ, from year to year, you're not
going to be totally sure what division is going to
be the toughest division. If you were going into last year,
I don't think too many people would have sat there
and been like, yeah, the NFC North is going to
be the strongest division in the National Football League. We
(28:29):
would all say the AFC West or the AFC North.
We would say an AFC team, most likely in an
AFC division is going to be the strongest division.
Speaker 5 (28:40):
And it happened to be the NFC North that was
one of them.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
You don't just change it just because this one time,
this one year that division had a very strong year.
Speaker 6 (28:51):
You just can't.
Speaker 5 (28:52):
You just can't do it.
Speaker 3 (28:54):
They were aligned the way they were, they were aligned
up the way that they were, and if you.
Speaker 5 (28:59):
Did better in your division. You did better in your division,
but you didn't win it.
Speaker 7 (29:03):
Yeah, division, you make it East versus West, and you
take the top eight teams with the best record, and
you play the playoffs, period point blank.
Speaker 5 (29:13):
So do away with divisional titles.
Speaker 6 (29:15):
Do away with divisional titles.
Speaker 7 (29:17):
Take the best East conference, Western conference, the teams with
the best record, those eight teams, you go to the playoffs,
period point blank.
Speaker 5 (29:28):
What if what if nine or ten teams have the
same record.
Speaker 6 (29:33):
Well, it goes to a tiebreaker of who be doing.
Speaker 3 (29:38):
I mean, I tend to say, if you do away
with conference titles, then do away with or in conference
in college division and the pros.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
If you do away with with.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
The conference and division titles, then let's figure it out
from there. I have no problem with with with what
you're saying. Take the best teams with the best records,
who win the tie breakers, whatever it may be, and
then from there figure out the same exact approach to
figuring out who has the home games or whatever the
bye weeks would be.
Speaker 5 (30:08):
I get that, but you can't have both.
Speaker 3 (30:11):
You can't have this is your divisional champ, this is
your conference champ. And then you sit there and you say, well,
this is a conference champ of the a SEC. But
the conference champ from the ACC doesn't get a bye,
doesn't get the seeding that they should get off of
winning their conference because the team that didn't even play
(30:32):
in the conference championship and the SEC or the Big
Ten is considered to be a better team or the
ranking that they're better. Florida State didn't even I mean
there was a year Penn State didn't get into the playoffs.
Speaker 5 (30:45):
Now, this wasn't thet when they expanded.
Speaker 7 (30:48):
Field, they won the Big Ten.
Speaker 5 (30:53):
Today, they won the Big Ten and a team that was.
Speaker 6 (30:56):
Not even today.
Speaker 5 (31:00):
I'm just saying, I got.
Speaker 6 (31:01):
A college discussion.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
If I can say that's that's fine.
Speaker 4 (31:06):
I got a man. Nobody loves their school like LeVar Arrington.
I've never met anybody that love they.
Speaker 6 (31:14):
School more than you.
Speaker 4 (31:15):
There's one thing that I do honestly think should change
with this whole playoff scenario. If you are a divisional
winner in these in in the NFL, and you have
a losing record and you win your division, you should
not have the privilege of playing a home playoff game
(31:37):
if the team that you're playing against has a better record.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
But is it is it the teams at the franchise's
fault that their their conference, their their division stinks.
Speaker 5 (31:48):
They stunk.
Speaker 3 (31:49):
Like if you're in a position, organizations player, you're in
a transition.
Speaker 5 (31:54):
If you're in the position to win your division based
off of how trash the rest of your division is, that.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
I mean, it just is what it is. That's what
it turned out to be. That year and maybe the
next year after that. You can have a poor season
and be able to win your conference.
Speaker 6 (32:10):
You win your division.
Speaker 7 (32:12):
Unfathomable man of having a losing record and b O
Bill be and being able to play at home.
Speaker 5 (32:17):
If you won your division, you won your division. That's
what I mean to me.
Speaker 3 (32:20):
That's what it represents, all right, Welcome back in up
on game.
Speaker 5 (32:27):
It's Plexico Bursus, TJ.
Speaker 3 (32:28):
Hushman's out on LeVar Rrington coming up in our two cuffs.
The Legend will be joining the show and we will
be talking about the NBA playoffs.
Speaker 5 (32:37):
They have been pretty interesting.
Speaker 3 (32:39):
Looks like a showdown of well some some loaded rosters
out of the East and the West heading for the
championship round. But we'll discuss that before we get to
the end of this. Our fellas, Ben Johnson had some
interesting things to say. He's trying to change the narrative
as it applies to the Chicago.
Speaker 6 (33:00):
And One Caleb Williams.
Speaker 5 (33:01):
Here's what he had to say. How you guys feel
about this?
Speaker 6 (33:04):
I love it. I love it.
Speaker 11 (33:06):
I love the opportunity to come on in and change
that narrative. That's where great stories are written, and so
we're looking to write a new chapter here. It's coming
to my attention that the quarterbacks have been out in
the media over the last week, and just a.
Speaker 5 (33:20):
Gallut in front of that a little bit.
Speaker 11 (33:21):
I just wanted to say, I wasn't here last year,
and so I can't speak too much in terms of
what it was like before he got here and when
he got here last year. But for my four months
on the job, he's been outstanding to work with and
we just are focusing on getting a little better every day.
Speaker 5 (33:38):
How y'all feel about it?
Speaker 4 (33:40):
I mean he should feel that way, and I also
feel like this can be a season for Caleb Williams
is adh this is what we thought he would be
as a rookie. No matter how good you are, man,
it's gonna be some growing pains in the National Football
League Man, it's the best of the best. This is
the highest level of football you can play at. And
(34:02):
now you have an offensive head coach that's gonna design
and make everything about you. It's gonna it's not gonna
be Okay, you're gonna fit into my system. It's gonna
be what do you like? And I'm gonna build this
system around you with the principles that I know are
going to work. And so for me, I really think
(34:22):
if this doesn't work, they not gonna blame Ben Johnson
because he resurrected Jared Goff. They gonna blame Kayler Williams
and the fact that Ben Johnson is saying what he's saying.
Speaker 6 (34:35):
It's no pressure on Kayler Williams.
Speaker 4 (34:37):
Man, Kayleb Williams wants to play as good as he
can play, and I believe he will.
Speaker 6 (34:41):
If you you look at this team.
Speaker 4 (34:43):
Offensively, skill guys up front, defensively, inside out, where's the weakness.
Speaker 6 (34:51):
Well, they don't have a weakness.
Speaker 4 (34:53):
And so once again this division, if JJ McCarthy and
the Vikings and Kevin O'Connor can now pull it together,
there's gonna be another tough division.
Speaker 7 (35:04):
Oh, it's gonna be a tough division regardless, because I
think moving forward right now that the Minnesota Vikings and
the Detroit Lions are have the you know, the Chicago Bears.
Speaker 6 (35:17):
But with that being.
Speaker 7 (35:18):
Said, and Ben Johnson knowing and understanding what the Detroit
Lions want to do offensively offensively gets against them, I
think it benefits Ben Johnson the Chicago Bears moving forward
in this division. But just like you said, man, listen,
when a new coach comes in and he makes the statement,
(35:42):
we are going to play to Caleb williams strengths and
we are going to cater our game and our offense
around him. So that's all you can ask for as
a player, as a quarterback, being the number one pick
in the draft and expected to be a generational talent
moving forward, there's nothing more you can ask for.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
So, you know what, there are no more excuses. You
have the wide receivers, you have a new young head coach,
you have the defense. But it's the fact of the
matters that you're playing in one of the best divisions
of football. So where do you go from there? And
from Caleb Williams, if he is the player that we
(36:22):
think he can be, then the Chicago Bears should be
one of the best, you know, teams in football. And
it also takes me back to the Baltimore Ravens when
they had Joe Flacco and Lamar Jackson's on the sideline.
We didn't even know that they had a whole separate
team or offense to fit Lamar Jackson.
Speaker 7 (36:41):
Now look at what he's doing. So if they have
the offense building around Kayler Williams, he has no excuses
moving forward.
Speaker 3 (36:50):
We'll see. I think it sets up for them to
make this a better season for Caleb Williams. But I'm
with y'all. They do have have weapons on the team.
They do have a defense. You know, I don't have
enough time to go into all of the names, but
they do have good personnel to be able to win.
(37:10):
So if they are going to win, it certainly will
be leadership and it certainly will fall on the weight
of Caleb Williams arms. We got our two coming up shortly.
This is up on game Fox Sports Radio
Hosts And Creators
Brady Quinn
LaVar Arrington
Jonas Knox
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