The "Feeling Super" Edition

The Super Bowl is right around the bend, plus Clemson faces Duke an a huge matchup in ACC basketball this weekend.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Each time, or Clipson Sports Talk with Lawton Swan.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
Finally, Clemson Sports Talk has come back to drive time.
Hello everybody, Lord and the Swan back in the saddle
once again. It is the show that shakes the south Land.
Clemson Sports Talk for you each and every afternoon as
you make your way around the great state of South
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(01:04):
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That's Clemson Sports Talk dot com. And as always, the
show that Shakes the south Land, brought to you in
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(01:27):
to two drip, Drip drip, you know the jingle, seven
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Speaker 3 (01:32):
That's Mets plumbing. All right.

Speaker 2 (01:34):
The Super Bowl coming up this weekend, Super Bowl Sunday,
it'll be the Kansas City Chiefs in the Philadelphia Eagles,
six point thirty pm on Fox. We'll get into that game.
My prediction, my prediction.

Speaker 3 (01:49):
On it coming up.

Speaker 4 (01:52):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
At the end of the show. Kansas City, though favored
only by one and a half going into this ballgame
a little bit so rising there and now the game
is a pick them. And when you look at the
matchup predictor according to ESPN, fifty six point one percent
with the Philadelphia Eagles, that game taking place down at

(02:12):
Caesar's Superdome in New Orleans. So a three peat on
the line, the first ever in the Super Bowl era
is on the line. And you've got a rematch of
a Super Bowl just two years ago, which was a
back and forth affair. So that's the big story to

(02:32):
follow in sports. Also this weekend on Saturday at six
point thirty to be Clemson and Duke at Little John Coliseum.
We talked that linked yesterday with Tim Ray about this
ballgame for a couple of reasons, most notably the fact
that this is a matchup between two of the top
teams in the ACC and the Duke Blue Devils are

(02:54):
absolutely one of the top teams in the country, sitting
there at number two, behind only Auburn. So for Clemson,
it's a team that even with what they've put together
this year, with the success, it's amazing because I think
we all became accustomed when this league was a little
bit smaller where you played everybody twice with Duke in

(03:16):
North Carolina and Maryland, et cetera. That if you were
where Clemson currently sits in the standings in men's hoops,
you are safe in the NCAA tournament. If you were
ten and two in the ACC in nineteen ninety seven,

(03:37):
you were deemed one of the best teams in the country.
If you were eighteen and five overall back in that day,
same storyline. But what Clemson currently lacks, and what a
lot of teams in the ACC lack, is the respect
that this league would have maybe if North Carolina was

(03:58):
sitting where Clemson is sitting, And that to me is
a part of the bigger issue when you have a
partial changing of the guard in your conference, because with
Duke still doing what they're doing, the perception is, of

(04:18):
course that the ACC is down across the board. Now,
the league did not do itself any favors in their
matchups with the SEC. I think it was what fifteen
wins for the SEC and just two for the ACC
something like that. I mean, it was rough, I know,
it was just too Clemson and Duke, the two top
teams in the league, were the only ones that won
in that sec ACC challenge, regardless of how many games

(04:40):
were played.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
But then.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
You look at North Carolina and where they sit, and
it would be very easy, I think, to consider this
league to be a much more challenging conference if instead
of Clemson attendant too, it was North Carolina. And if
if you just swapped those two schools in name alone,
all of a sudden, being nine and three for wake

(05:07):
Force at the SMU seems a lot better.

Speaker 3 (05:12):
In the conference in conference play.

Speaker 2 (05:13):
That's just what happens, and well, I think is incredible
incredible about the SEC. It's not about how good those
teams are, and they certainly are given what they did
against the Atlantic Coast Conference. But because you haven't had
historic powers outside of Kentucky and you flooded the top

(05:37):
ten with teams because of how good you've been, does
it matter to the world if it's Auburn or Alabama
on top of that conference, it's not gonna get knocked
the way it would if, say there was just one team,
if there was only Auburn at the top and everybody

(05:59):
else was kind of mediocre. But that league, by virtue
of the number of teams and the job they have
done out of conference has created an environment where you
cannot argue against how good they are and then the ACC. Conversely,

(06:21):
I think if people would respect Clemson and Louisville more,
I think you'd certainly have a different feeling about this
league with Clemson, Louisville and Duke at the top. But
because you're not in North Carolina or maybe even Virginia,

(06:42):
given what Tony Bennett's done or did during his tenure there,
the league as a whole, the perception is it can't
be any good. And again I need to, in fairness
say you did not do yourself any favors with the
way you played against the SEC and the ac SEC challenge.
If that thing was about fifty to fifty, you know,

(07:03):
maybe you're feeling a little bit differently about the whole shebang. Nonetheless,
for the Tigers, they will absolutely have their hands full
with the Duke Blue Devils. This team credit to John Shire.
Now the transition is going very well from coach k

(07:23):
to him. It seems eerily similar, I think in terms
of maintaining the success that we saw at Ohio State
when it was Urban Meyer passing the keys to Ryan
Day and when you have a positive transition. You don't
really have an oulster. You have a guy hanging it up.

(07:45):
I think that makes it a lot easier for the
teams to have some continuity, maintain a level of continuity.
And even though you know there's a lot of turnover
in this college basketball world in twenty twenty five, I

(08:07):
do think that the continuity of not going outside of
Duke's coaching staff and to a stranger that you know,
maybe you bring in from across the country. You bring
in a guy that played there, that understands the system
and what coach k and those guys want to do,
and I think it's paid off for them. Cooper Flagg

(08:29):
currently second in the ACC and scoring as a freshman
averaging nineteen zero point five to five points per game.
Then Connupple, He's averaging thirteen and a half six foot seven,
two hundred and seventeen pounds freshman out of Wisconsin. You've

(08:49):
also got another player scoring a double figures in Tyreechs Proctor.
Proctor's a junior guard from Australia who played at the
NBA's Globe Academy. He averages eleven points per contest. He's
a six to six guard, and you got Sion James
grad student who played at Twulane, who is another six

(09:13):
foot six player. And then the big man in the middle,
Common Mulocke, who averages eight points per game six rebounds
per contest as well, and all of these guys shoots
seventy five plus.

Speaker 3 (09:31):
From the free throw line.

Speaker 2 (09:32):
As a matter of fact, the seven to two center
Melcke averages almost seventy seven and a half percent from
the free throw line as a freshman. Big guy shooting
the basketball like that from the line gonna be tough.
And that's where I think this game is gonna be

(09:53):
very difficult for Clemson, just the matchups, the size six
six seven, six ' nine for your guards and your
guard forwards at Duke, and all of those guys can really,
you know, play pretty well with the ball in their hands. Additionally,

(10:17):
you've got the big man in the middle of seven
foot two. You're gonna put Victor Lockin on him. Lockin's
gonna be giving up about three inches if you try
to guard Cooper Flag with Chauncey Wiggins, which is what
I suggested, Then all of a sudden, you run yourself

(10:38):
into a situation where Ian Shefflin has to guard a
player that probably matches up worse with him than Cooper Flag.
I mean, this four guard lineup essentially the Duke runs,

(10:59):
it really does hinder your ability to slow them down.
And if you were to say, well, you just take
Locking out of the game and put put Ian Shefflin
on the big man, that makes a lot of sense
until you realize that Cheflin's an undersize sixt' seven and
you'd be giving up six inches in the post.

Speaker 3 (11:17):
You can't do that.

Speaker 2 (11:21):
I think the other thing that you have to ask
yourself going into this game, and I know you don't
want to play zone, but do you have to play
zone here? Do you have to put yourself in a
situation where you're playing zone to try to protect just
the mismatches that you would have if you try to

(11:43):
guard man for man across the board. I mean, Chase,
just wait until tomorrow to see how undersized Clemson's guards
look in this game. And you might have noticed in
that Georgia Tech game. One of the reasons is that
I thought the yell Jackets did such a good job
on the boards is the fact that they had two

(12:06):
very capable big men who were fairly consistently at or
near the rim, being disruptive, and if they didn't, even
if they couldn't pull the ball down and rebound it,
they were tipping the ball out. They were doing everything

(12:26):
they can to maintain possessions. And I would imagine with
Clemson being completely undersized by comparison to the Duke Blue levels,
that they'll probably have a lot of second chance points.
And that's not good. Again, Duke's only two losses this year.
They had a five point loss early in the season

(12:51):
taking on Kentucky, and then they had a three point
loss back in November against Kansas seventy five seventy two.
So both of their losses came in November to what
absolutely you'd you would label the blue blood plope blue

(13:11):
blood programs.

Speaker 3 (13:13):
Easy for me to.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
Say in college basketball. John Shire is now seventy four
and twenty in his third season at Duke and one
in one against Clemson. Brad Brownell is in his fifteenth
year in Tigertown. He is two eighty three and one

(13:35):
ninety four at Clemson and four and fourteen all time
against the Duke Blue Devils. Now, the other storyline in
this game, doesn't you know, isn't about the on the
court action. It's about Dick Vital, set to make his
broadcasting return since the twenty twenty three National Championship Game.

(14:04):
And as I noted, and I think it was earlier
this week when we were talking with Brett Friedlander. We'll
play some of Brett Friedlander's interview in our number two,
but when we were talking about Brett Friedlander earlier this week,
one of the things that Brett talked to us about
was the fact that he kind of feels like, and

(14:27):
I feel this way too, that with Coach K's return,
fans who maybe had tired of his stick, and I
don't think it's like fake like. I don't think he's
putting on, but I think some of the embellishment and

(14:47):
everything that he did over the years wore off on
people after twenty twenty seasons of it or more. And
you know, I hate that he's had the help the
help issues with cancer and all that. But I'm thinking
a little break from Dicky v is gonna make the
heart grow fonder. I think people are going to actually

(15:09):
enjoy hearing him back out there, and I'm sure he
will be an emotional guy and when he wears his
emotions on his sleeve again, it's Clemson and Duke. That
matchup has been shifted a six point thirty start. It
was originally scheduled for a six o'clock start at Little
John Coliseum, and then there will be a quick two

(15:31):
day turnaround and the Tigers will face off with North
Carolina on Mondays. So for Clemson, it's gonna be a
little bang bang action against the Duke Blue Devils in
the North Carolina tar Heels. So that's what you've got
coming up there. And if Clemson wins, it's a huge win,

(15:53):
I mean no doubt about it, because you're starting to
put yourself in position to finished second in the Atlantic
Coast Conference. Plus, this weekend, Louisville plays at Miami. The
Cardinals are also tended to in league play, which means

(16:16):
they already hold the tiebreaker over Clemson because they are
one of the teams that beat the Tigers this season
in the conference, along with Georgia Tech the other night.
And then to further that, Miami is not very good.
So Louisville will the win over Miami. And what I
think most people would pencil in as a likely loss

(16:38):
for Clemson against Duke would not only put the Cardinals
in a little bit of the catbird seat, But it
would also begin to reintroduce SMU into the conversation because
SMU right now not in the conversation winning the league,

(16:59):
but maybe finishing second. As SMU and wake Forest technically
are both nine to three this year. SMU doesn't play
this weekend. Their next matchup is on Tuesday, they will
host pitt wake Forest does play this weekend against cal So.
A big game on multiple fronts for Clemson, A big

(17:21):
game certainly for the Duke Blue Devils, and maybe even
more so for the Atlantic Coast Conference. A big game
because maybe if Clemson wins, the Tigers will begin to
get a little more credit for where they sit because
their name's not North Carolina, and maybe with that taking place,

(17:44):
you might see the league get a little more respect.
They might say, well, man, you know, Clemson might be
better than we thought. And that's the thing, right Like
most people after Clemson made the run to the Elite
eight and brought back Chase Hunter and Ian Shefflin all that,
I think most people thought this team could be really
good again. And Brad Bronell went out and used the

(18:05):
portal and I think not only is it a really
good team. I think there's a chance it's one of
the better teams that Brad Brannells had at Clemson.

Speaker 3 (18:19):
But man, just no respect, no love.

Speaker 2 (18:24):
For the acc It's not quite Valentine's Day, but there
is no love for the league. A zero three four
to five OO eighty six. That is the text line
in the phone line. And again, you could be a
part of the program anytime, any place, anywhere. And don't
forget about our friends over at Alumni Haul. Tiger fans,
bring your best to game day. Hop over to Alumni

(18:44):
Hall for the best tail getting accessories, Tiger jerseys, hats,
apparel and more. Shot for the best and newest collection
of officially licensed Clemson gear to cheer your Tigers on
this style. And don't forget when you spend one hundred
and fifty dollars in store, you'll get ten dollars in
Alumni Hall rewards. You can use them right then and
roll them over and use them later whatever you want
to do. Or check them out Online's Alumni Haul dot

(19:05):
com Alumni Hall where Tiger fans shop. Go to our
website as well to get to Alumni Hall's website. I
think that's another good way for you to do it,
and it also will support us because when you purchase
and you go through our link, you don't have to
buy the thing that's linked, but then when you start

(19:25):
shopping around, we'll get credit for that. So we do
appreciate it. Again, Thank you to Alumni Hall for being
loyal supporters of the program. All Right, when we come back,
a little segment for our fine feathered friends peeking over
the fence and hanging out with us the South Carolina Gamecocks,
so you.

Speaker 5 (19:41):
Could continue to peek over the fence at the best radio.

Speaker 2 (19:44):
Showing the naked The late great Cleveland Man there as
one former Gamecock is now in the Hall of Fame,
the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and it's a pretty
incredible story because of something his brother did back in
twenty eleven. Stay with us, Lawton Swan hanging out with
you on a Friday afternoon Clemson Sports Talk ahead of

(20:05):
the Super Bowl matchup coming up this weekend again between
the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. It'll be
a rematch of a Super Bowl just two games ago,
as the Chiefs look for a third consecutive Super Bowl victory.
More on that matchup coming up in a little bit.

(20:27):
But last night it was announced that there are going
to be four players who are being inducted into the
NFL Hall of Fame, Eric Allen, Jared Allen, Antonio Gates,
and the former South Carolina game cock Sterling Sharp, who

(20:48):
played his career with the Green Bay Packers. And why
this is notable is because Sterling Sharpe's brother, Shannon is
already in the Hall of Fame. And many of you
might recall, and we've played this audio before and look,
this is a Clemson show. But when I was growing up,

(21:11):
one of the best wide receivers in the NFL bar
none was absolutely Starling Sharp.

Speaker 3 (21:18):
And had he not gotten injured, I.

Speaker 2 (21:21):
Mean, he was well on his way to securing an
easy induction into the NFL Hall of Fame. But because
of his brother's success during his career in the NFL,
a three time Hall of Fame or a four time
All Pro, he was actually inducted into the Hall of

(21:43):
Fame before his brother. And because of that fact, when
Shannon Sharp got to the microphone at his Hall of
Fame induction, he talked about how he was not the

(22:08):
best player in his family, but yet he was in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame. This audio dating back
to twenty eleven when Shannon Sharp, boy's hard doing these
two guys together because of the two days. But when
Shannon Sharp was inducted.

Speaker 5 (22:27):
My big brother, Stirling, I'm the only player of two
hundred and sixty seven men that's walked through this this
building to my left. They can honestly say this, I'm
the only pro football player that's in the Hall of Fame,
and I'm the second best player in my own family.

Speaker 2 (23:29):
Now I let that applause play out, and I'll tell
you what was going on in the background, Sterling Sharp
getting emotional fans rising to their feet to recognize his talent.
He played just seven seasons in the NFL. These were
sixteen game regular seasons. Five of his seven seasons he

(23:53):
was a thousand plus yard receiver nearly six as he
had nineteen ninety one nine hundred and sixty one yards receiving.
He had four years where he had eleven or more
touchdown receptions, and quite frankly, had it not been for
his injury, his numbers would have been fantastic on parallel

(24:21):
levels with some of the great wide receivers in the
history of the game. His career was absolutely brief by
the standards that the Hall of Fame typically has, but
there's no doubt in my mind as a Clemson guy,
as the orange kool Aid drinking guy, that Sterling Sharpe

(24:41):
not being in the Hall of Fame was a big miss.
And one of the things that makes his situation so
much more difficult to fathom is that he never missed
a game.

Speaker 3 (24:59):
As a player.

Speaker 2 (25:02):
He was never out during his seven seasons, and the
only action he ever missed was after the regular season
finale in nineteen ninety four, when he was sidelined permanently
after a spin a spinal injury. He became the sixth

(25:22):
player to record one hundred NFL catches in a season
back in nineteen ninety two. He had one hundred eight
receptions that year that was a single season NFL record,
passing Art Monk. He led the NFL that season in
yards receiving and touchdowns with fourteen hundred and sixty one
yards and thirteen touchdowns. He became the first player to

(25:46):
record two career one hundred catch seasons in NFL history
when he called one hundred and twelve passes the following
year in nineteen ninety three, which set a new record
for the most receptions in a single season. He led
the NFL and receptions three times, including with ninety and
nineteen eighty nine. He led the league in touchdowns twice,

(26:07):
including a franchise record for the Packers of eighteen in
nineteen ninety four, his final season. And think about this,
three time Pro, all, three time All Pro, sixty five
career touchdowns and doing that in just seven seasons, nearly
averaging ten touchdowns a year.

Speaker 3 (26:27):
I mean, he was he was elite.

Speaker 2 (26:31):
He was absolutely elite and a scary playmaker. And then
the other thing too, you know, on the heels of
the Super Bowl. I mean, he's a guy that likely
wins a Super Bowl if he's still with the Green
Bay Packers just a couple of years later. I mean,

(26:52):
the Packers had a stretch there in the mid to
late nineties. In ninety seven when they were in the
Super Bowl, they wanted over the New England Patriots thirty
five to twenty one. The following year they return, they
do get beat by Denver, but again they're doing that
with Brett Favre and no Sterling Sharp.

Speaker 3 (27:11):
It's well deserved. It's much deserved.

Speaker 2 (27:14):
And it's also nice to see the Pro Football Hall
of Fame get something right, which a lot of these
Hall of Fames tragically miss out on they wait too long.
Congratulations to Sterling Sharp. Yes, the former Gamecock, but still
a fantastic player when I was growing up. Stay with
US Clemson's Sports Talk on a Friday. The super Bowl

(27:37):
right around the bin will stick with some NFL conversations.
So looking at that Hall of Fame class that we
just were talking about a few minutes ago, Antonio Gates,
you also had Sterling Sharp, which we talked about earlier
than Eric Allen and Jared Allen also being inducted in
the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August second, by

(27:58):
the way, in Canton, Ohio. But that four member class
is the smallest class in two thousand and five. That
was when Dan Marino, Steve Young, Fritz Pollard, and Benny
Friedman were insure enshrined into the Hall of Fame. So
a very small class. I mean, you know, I follow
the Hall of Fame, but I don't like go man

(28:20):
four man class. That's a small class. But apparently that
is the case, Antonio Gates. The eight time Pro Bowl
selection at tight end. Entered the NFL as an undrafted
rookie with the San Diego Chargers in two thousand and three.
He played basketball at Kent State helped lead Kent State

(28:41):
to an Elite Eight appearance.

Speaker 3 (28:43):
In two.

Speaker 2 (28:45):
He finished his professional football career with nine hundred and
fifty five receptions, which is fourth in league history for
a tight end, and one hundred and sixteen receiving touchdowns,
which is the most for a tight end now. Eric
Allen had fifty four career interceptions, test the twenty first
most twenty first all time, and fourteen of the twenty

(29:10):
players in front of him are already in the Hall
of Fame. Allen played for the Philadelphia Eagles, the New
Orleans Saints, and the Oakland Raiders and returned four of
his six interceptions for touchdowns in nineteen ninety three. That
was one of his six Pro Bowl seasons as a player.
Then there's Jared Allen, who played twelve seasons, many of

(29:33):
them with the Kansas City Chiefs and the Minnesota Vikings.
He had one hundred and thirty six career sacks, that's
twelfth best all time.

Speaker 3 (29:41):
Sacks.

Speaker 2 (29:41):
Did not become though an official stat in the NFL
till nineteen eighty two. He also had an NFL record
for safeties, and ten of the eleven players in front
of him are in the Hall of Fame. Terrell Suggs,
the only one who isn't in the Hall of Fame
that's ahead of him in that category, was a finalist
this year. And of course we mentioned Sterling Sharp. In

(30:07):
his seven seasons, only Jerry Rice caught more passes and
had more touchdown receptions than Sharp.

Speaker 3 (30:15):
That's all you need to know.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
I told you elite company man for Sterling, but just
four guys in that Hall of Fame class. But here's
the other thing. We also had the slimmest margin for

(30:37):
the NFL MVP, as Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen just
barely beat out Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens for
the Most Valuable Player Award. Allen is the first player
in twenty one seasons to capture the MVP without being

(30:58):
named First Team All Pro. Since the MVP was handed
out in nineteen fifty seven. The only other players to
win the awards despite not being a First Team All
Pro were John l Way with the Broncos, in eighty
seven and Steve McNair and No. Three with the Titans.
Josh Allen received twenty seven first place votes, twenty two
second place votes, one third place votes, no fourth, and

(31:21):
no fifth for a total of three hundred and eighty
three points. Lamar Jackson got twenty three first place, twenty
six second, no third, one fourth, and no fifth for
three hundred and sixty two, so just twenty one points
separating those two at the top. Saquon Barkley finished third

(31:45):
with one hundred and twenty points, a big drop off there,
and then Joe Burrow with eighty two. Patrick Mahomes, who
will be looking to win his third consecutive Super Bowl,
finished sixth in the vote with no first place votes,
no second place votes, and just three third place votes.

(32:08):
He had eight fourth place and six fifth place votes
for a grand total of thirty one points. Thirty one
total for Pat Mahomes. Which brings me to our poll
question that we put up on Twitter. If you don't
follow us on Twitter, please join us at Clemson's Sports.

(32:29):
But the other day during the show, I was talking
about Andy Reid and how I felt like, you know,
big part of the success of the of Kansas City
is more Andy Reid than it is Patrick Mahomes. That
poll question finished with Andy Reid getting sixty three percent,

(32:55):
sixty three percent of the votes over Patrick Mahomes. And again,
I think part of it's the scheme and the way
he guys are open, Like I could complete some of
those passes because Andy Reid has done a remarkable job
of maneuvering the defense in a way that allows for
Patrick Mahomes to make easy plays, and that will be

(33:18):
a big part of this game. How can Philadelphia limit
Andy Reid's ability to just find guys in space and
create concepts where maybe there are three crossing routes going
to the right and you have a guy that's you know,
maybe it's Travis Kelsey coming across to the left, and

(33:39):
the defender, this guardian Kelsey just gets caught up in
the wash. It's not a pick. It's just a bunch
of traffic, a bunch of gobbly gook. He's got to
get through, and the next thing you know, you've got
Travis Kelce with the football with a full head of steam.
Fifteen five yard pickup. I mean, I think that's going
to be a part of the storyline on Saturday in

(34:03):
the Super Bowl is how do the Philadelphia Eagles defensively
go about disrupting what Andy Reid wants to do on offense?
Because to me, time after time after time when I
watch Kansas City, it's more scheme than talent, and I

(34:25):
think that's why they've been able to continue to win
even when there's been changes in their roster. It doesn't
hurt you, right when you bring in a guy like
DeAndre Hopkins by any means, and you have all the
pieces around Pat Mahomes. But there's been plenty of roster turnover,
but yet they continue to win. A zero three four

(34:46):
or five zero zero eighty six text line phone line
here on a Friday afternoon, it is the show that
shakes the south Land. Now, when we get back former
Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy way in on Clemson footballs over
under this year of nine and a half wins, we'll
hear what McElroy had to say. When we return final

(35:09):
seven of Hour number one on a Friday afternoon, don't
forget in the the uh cream filling section of the
final hour, that would be those two blocks in the middle.
We're gonna give you our two listeners who may or
may not be here yet, a little bit of our

(35:30):
interview that we did with Brett Friedlander. Then we'll put
a bow on the show at the end. Talking about
the super Bowl. I'll make my prediction on that one.
We might also make a prediction on Clemson and Duke.

Speaker 3 (35:40):
We'll see.

Speaker 2 (35:41):
But speaking of Clipson Clypson not your football team, you know,
the ACC released the schedule for the twenty twenty five season,
and Greg McElroy on a podcast lash radio show Network
Hall of Always College Football was ask about Clemson's nine

(36:07):
and a half win total, expected nine and a half
win total in twenty twenty five and whether or not
he would take the over or the under on that total.
Here's Greg McElroy, the former Alabama quarterback now a college
football analyst.

Speaker 6 (36:25):
The team that I feel best about right now going
over their season win total probably the Clempson Tigers. And
they're sitting there at nine and a half. I'm just
gonna tell you right now. Their first game of the
seasons against LSU, very difficult game in the non conference. However,
it is at home and they have a lot of
pieces back off of a playoff team from a year ago.

(36:46):
Does it feel good? No, No, it doesn't feel great
because there's not much margin above that. They have to
go ten and two, eleven to one or twelve and
zero for that ticket to cash. But I like Clempson
that much. I actually think they have a really good
chance of doing that.

Speaker 2 (36:58):
So McElroy says, I'm still win more than nine and
a half. All right, let's parse this out a little
bit through the twelve game regular season schedule and again,
well in advance August thirtieth, you open the season, as
he mentioned, at home against LSU. To me, that's one
hundred percent of coin toss even though I think Clemson

(37:20):
is certainly returning enough pieces to win that game in
the home field environment and all of the reasons that
McElroy brought up. You know, if you assume that nus
Myer's healthy, and again there's a lot of assumptions this
far out, even for Clemson from the standpoint of you
know what that roster looks like, or who's healthy and

(37:40):
who gets banged up. But I think that's one hundred
percent of toss up. So you can't just check the box. Yeah,
big dub right, all right? Game two versus Troy no
doubt you're gonna beat Troy at home. If you don't,
that's a monumental. That's a Northern Illinois Notre Dame type loss.
At Georgia Tech, I think will be tougher than you've

(38:03):
been accustomed to. But Clemson is still the more talented
team of those two, So I would check that box
as a win. Syracuse and fran Brown come to town
September the twentieth, that's gonna be a Clemson win. I
don't have really any hesitations or reservations on it. Going

(38:23):
up to North Carolina, obviously, the storylines are gonna encompass
Bill Belichick, a Super Bowl champion head coach versus Dabo
Sweeney College Football national champion head coach. That'll you know,
it's a road environment, but it's not your typical, you know,
road environment. Although Clemson had some trouble the last time
they went up there to North Carolina. But I would

(38:45):
take the Tigers to win that. When at Boston College,
absolutely take Clemson there at home against SMU again. I
really like Clemson in that matchup as well. That's seven
versus Duke. You like Clemson Florida State possibly a toss
up game. But I would think Clemson would be favored.
But if we throw that in a toss up category,
that's fine. So that's two in the toss up at

(39:09):
Louisville should be a challenge. That might be a little
bit of a toss up game versus Firman, No doubt
that's a victory for Clemson, and that would put you
at eight. And you got that South Carolina game, which
is like the ultimate toss up as well right now,
so there are four hinge games of which you have
to win too. The two I feel most comfortable thinking

(39:30):
Clemson would win would be Florida State in Louisville. If
I had to pick it, yes, I would say Clemson
wins ten games this coming season because I don't think
it's all that far fetched to believe that Clemson could
lose to LSU and run the table. I don't think
it's all that far fetched to believe that Clemson could

(39:51):
beat LSU and lose at South Carolina. Like I think
eleven and one, ten and two is probably about the spot.
And depending on how good the defense is this year
with Tom Allen and some of the changes that Clemson
has made on the defensive side of the ball, whether

(40:12):
that becomes schematically and how they attack and all that,
there might be twelve twelve to zero schedule. There Again,
the thing that will bother Gamecock fans about this is
it's the thing I've been on the air saying for
six or seven years now and maybe even longer, what
ten years, ten years I've been saying this. Clemson, even

(40:36):
in this transfer portal nil era, tends to be, by
comparison to the teams in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the
most talented roster. And when you have the most talented roster,
and you have a program that has got the fundamental
principles of discipline and accountability with a coach who's figured

(41:02):
out how to really capture the ability to focus and
live in the moment. Dadmosweeney and Tiger fans and Gamecock fans.

Speaker 3 (41:10):
Heck, you guys know this. You don't have to take off.

Speaker 2 (41:14):
Your garnet shady glasses to have this conversation about how
Clemson was such a roller coaster ride under Tommy Balden.
Then Tommy Balden will tell you he comes on this
show every week during the college football season on Friday,
and he talks about how that was the thing that
he really struggled with was keeping those kids, those young adults,

(41:38):
from just getting over zealous about who they were as
a team based off of one week's success. And the
reason Clemson hasn't been much of a roller coaster, and
the reason Clemson hasn't had many games like that Duke
game a year ago that was kind of a shocking loss,

(41:59):
is because they run a very consistent program and they're
more talented than most of the teams that they currently
face in the ACC. So if it were me, I
would agree with Greg McElroy. Although there are four swing games,
I think Clypson has got the goods to win at
least two of those and push themselves to ten on

(42:20):
the season. Our number two right around the band and
stay with us.

Speaker 1 (42:24):
Each time for Clipson Sports Talk with Luwton Schwan.

Speaker 2 (43:05):
It is our number two. That's drivetime right here on
the show. The shakesare south Land, Clemson Sports, saltlat and
Swan hanging out with you on a Friday again. The
Clemson Tiger men's basketball team this weekend facing off with
the Duke Blue Devils, the second rate Blue delse six
thirty on ESPN talked a little bit about that one

(43:28):
in our number one. We'll give our prediction on the
Super Bowl in the at the end of the show,
and then segmus two and three. On the program today
we'll reset some of our conversation with Brett Friedlander a
zero three four five zero zero eighty six text line

(43:51):
phone line, and again the show, The Chase of south Land,
brought to you in part by our good friends over
at Mets Plumbing seven three to two drip drip, you
know the jingles seven to three to drip. So talk
to a little bit about the NBA this week, because
the trade deadline came and went, and it wasn't without
a shocking move where the Dallas Mavericks sent Luka Doncic

(44:15):
to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis mega trade.
And that wasn't the only big deal in the NBA
trade season. We mentioned the one with Darren Fox going
to the Spurs. We mentioned the one where Jimmy Butler
went to the Golden State Warriors. But if you're wondering

(44:37):
when the Los Angeles Lakers will debut Luca, it sounds
like that's gonna happen on Monday. So Luca and the
Lakers will apparently kick off their career together. On Monday,

(45:02):
Lebron James, by the way, passed Michael Jordan as the
oldest player to score forty points in a ball game.
In the Lakers won twenty one to twelve win over
the Golden State Warriors. Lebron James scored forty two points

(45:22):
on fourteen to twenty five shooting to lead the Lakers
to their tenth win in the past twelve games. James,
at forty years old in forty three days, is a
month older than Michael Jordan was when he scored forty
three points on February twenty first, two thousand and three. Now,

(45:47):
the other thing about Lebron that I think is just
absurd is how his numbers just aren't falling off. And
that's where I think adding in a guy like Luca
is going to be huge for Lebron James. But man,
his career stats right now for Lebron you might not

(46:12):
realize this, and we won't talk much more about the NBA,
but when you combine his regular season and playoff scoring,
but he's about to become the first player to ever
score fifty thousand career points. Lebron James, if this is

(46:36):
exactly up to date, which I believe it is, is
that forty nine thousand, seven hundred and sixty one career points,
so just two hundred and thirty nine points away from
the fifty thousand mark in his career. Kareem Abdul Jabbar

(46:59):
is second on that list forty four thousand, one hundred
and forty nine, so over five thousand points behind Lebron.
Carl Malone is third on that list, and Kobe Bryant
is fourth on that list, over ten thousand less points
than Lebron James. Michael Jordan is fifth. Jordan scored thirty

(47:23):
eight thousand, two hundred and seventy nine total points in
his career. He did have a few seasons that he
took off, but you can extrapolate that data and know
that he would not be at forty nine thousand at
this point. I mean, Lebron is just shattering numbers, and

(47:45):
it's crazy because he's so healthy. I mean, he continues
to stay healthy. Of those top guys, though, Lebron James,
excuse me, Michael Jordan has the most points per game
at thirty points six. Lebron James, still playing in his forties,

(48:06):
is fifth on that list. The only players that have
averaged more points per game on this list than him
are Wilt Chamberlain, who's number two behind Jordan at twenty
nine point one, Kevin Durant, who's still active at twenty
seven point five, and then Jerry West, who is tied
with Lebron at twenty seven point three. It's been a remarkable,

(48:29):
remarkable career, but just two hundred and thirty nine points
away from not just a milestone, but a milestone that
nobody has ever touched. And I mean I'm guessing of
active players, Kevin Durant is eighth and he's sixteen thousand

(48:54):
points off of where Lebron James is. James Harden is
twelveth he's twenty thousand behind. So what does that tell
you about how good Lebron James has been both in
health wise and consistency. It's almost it's almost mind blowing.
A zero three four five, zero zero eighty six text line,

(49:15):
phone line. You could be a part of the program anytime,
any place, and of course anywhere. We talked a little
bit earlier about the Pro Football Hall of Fame. One
of the guys who was eligible that did not get
to get in this year, saw an article about Eli Manning.

(49:39):
We talked about the brother Sharp, how about the brothers Manning?
And in an article on ESPN, Jordan ren Rannon said
that even though Eli Manning had Hall of Fame moments,

(50:00):
he may not have had a Hall of Fame career.
Manning was one of fifteen finalists who were considered but
didn't make the cut for the final ten. The group
of four who will be inducted did not include a quarterback.
You might have noted earlier as it was Eric Allen
at cornerback, defensive line with Jared Allen, tight end Antonio

(50:22):
Gates and wide receiver Sterling Sharp. But I think Manning
is a unique case study, and he's a unique case
study because some of what he did was legendary in
the sport. Topping that undefeated New England Patriot team in

(50:48):
the Super Bowl incredible, Nobody expected that, and then to
win his second Super Bowl and two Super Bowl MVP
puts him in rarefied air amongst some of the greats
in the sport. Top ten all time in passing and

(51:10):
top ten in passing touchdowns. When he retired back in
twenty nineteen, he had a track record of durability and
never missed a game in his sixteen years because of
his because of injury, and unlike Shannon Sharp, you know,

(51:31):
his older brother was not only the more decorated, or
excuse me, that might not be the best way to
put it. His older brother was the more likely Hall
of Famer in terms of kind of the numbers of
his statistics, but he just didn't play long enough. And

(51:52):
for Peyton Manning there was a no brainer hall of famer,
a no brainer hall of famer. And so here is
a guy who, much like Shannon Sharp, is not the
best football player in his entire family or in his family. However,

(52:16):
however is the easiest way to say that, and just
kind of waiting to see if he'll ever find his
way in. It would be the scenario would be as
would be like this, like if Eli were in and
Peyton were not, and you interviewed Eli and Eli got
put in and said, man, you know, I'm the only guy.

(52:37):
I'm the only guy who's not the best player in
his family. My brother is you know or whatever. So yeah,
I don't know how you look at guys like that,
because the quarterbacks in those scenarios get the credit in
those wins, they also have to stand in front of

(52:59):
the media in those losses, and a lot of individuals,
for whatever reason, don't always do well when that limelight
is on them. And there are even many individuals out
there who, when they have a brother who casts a

(53:19):
shadow as large as Peyton manning shadow was cast, don't
don't even end up matriculating to a school or to
a program that even allows you to achieve a similar endpoint, Right,

(53:39):
I mean, how many guys can say, Man, my brother
was one of the great quarterbacks in the history of football,
and I was able to equal him in Super Bowl victories?
Not many, And and I think there's a you gotta

(54:03):
give some credit, a little bit of a testament to
his intestinal fortitude just to be able to gut that out.
No matter how much you love the sport, growing up
in it with a father that played it, there had
to be an immense amount of pressure with Eli Manning.
And maybe he just enjoyed it. Because he did end

(54:25):
up going to Old miss where his father played. He
didn't follow in in Peyton's shadow at Tennessee. He decided
to do his own thing and credit him for that,
and I would think he would likely be a a
Hall of Famer at some point, just giving his success.

(54:46):
But what a what a unique story he really has.
And I don't watch, you know, their little Manning cast
during the games all that often, but every once in
while I will flip over and catch it. And those
two guys, those two brothers, they have pretty good personality,

(55:09):
and I'm not sure that really came across, especially for Peyton.
You know, when he was a quarterback, it was it
was almost a little bit robotic in a sense. But
then to see, you know, how that show's come together
and the popularity that it has, you are kind of
impressed with those two guys as individuals, with the way

(55:32):
they can work the camera and entertain guests and have
some incredible, incredibly funny punchlines and throw some jabs at
each other from time to time. Now, some other notable
names that did miss out on being first ballot Hall
of Famers, like Eli Manning were also his former teammate

(55:53):
Michael Strahan, the NFL single season sack leader. Chris Carter
and Terrell Owens were also on that list, and defensive
linemen from the Minnesota Vikings John Randall was another name
that could have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall

(56:16):
of Fame this season, but we'll have to wait another year.
And the article that I saw also talked about the
comparison that a lot of people will make about Eli Mannings,
comparing him to Ken Stabler, who was inducted after he
passed away back in twenty sixteen. But you know, you

(56:38):
know what, I don't know, Like in baseball, right, I'm
assuming the best player that's not in the Hall of
Fame was Pete Rose. I mean that kind of is
an argument that people make all the time about baseball.
And then there have been some others now in the
steroid era that people obviously would point to. But I
wonder who are the best? Let me throw this in

(56:59):
the Google best NFL players not in the Hall of Fame.
Who are these guys? This is an article from twenty
twenty four, So let's see who are the top players
not in the NFL Hall of Fame. Who's not in Canton.

(57:21):
All right, I'm gonna give you a thumbs up thumbs
down on these Joe thisman, given that's the Pro Football
Hall of Fame and not the NFL Hall of Fame.
Thaisman's qualifications for Canton should include being a two time
All Star in the Canadian Football League. He initially chose
the CFL over the NFL.

Speaker 3 (57:39):
Do the money. I didn't realize that.

Speaker 2 (57:42):
Wasn't a full time starter in the NFL to age
twenty nine, He's done a lot for the sport, especially
with this broadcasting. I don't know if the NFL has
a limit on when you can and can't get in,
you know what I mean, Like there's a window and
then it closes. I'm gonna go thumbs down on Joe Thaisman.

(58:03):
Phil Simms oof. This might be similar to I don't
know what his stats look like by comparison to Eli Manning, but.

Speaker 3 (58:15):
Sims did win.

Speaker 2 (58:16):
I believe a couple of Super Bowls, right, two super
Bowls with the New York Giants. If you're a Giant fan,
check in. I think he won in eighty six and yeah,
he won two eighty six and ninety. I'm assuming he
quarterback both. They say that part of the reason that
Phil Simms at end is because he quarterbacked in the
era with Joe Montana, John Elway, and Dan Marino, and

(58:37):
it was sort of overshadowed. Sims also completed a Super
Bowl record eighty eight percent of his passes in the
thirty nine to twenty win over over Elway's Broncos. I
don't have his total passing yards, but two super Bowls

(59:00):
I'm leaning to I'm going yes on that one, and
I don't think I think Theisman only got one Super
Bowl if that. Steve Tasker one of the great special
teams players, a punter with the Oilers and the Bills

(59:23):
from eighty five to ninety seven. You know, I don't
know much about him. I remember the name, but because
he's a punter, I'm gonna go, yeah, give him a shot.
Otis Taylor with the Chiefs sixty five to seventy five
wide receiver.

Speaker 4 (59:45):
Man.

Speaker 2 (59:45):
I have to see his stats. That's the only problem.
In Kwan Bolden, I'm gonna go longevity, but no, Jim Marshall.
I don't know much about Tommy Nobus. I don't know
much about Pat Swelling. I remember Swilling. They called him
a key member of the Dome Patrol NFL Defensive Player
of the Year in nineteen ninety one. Seventeen sacks. Maybe

(01:00:11):
Pat Swilling number twelve. Steve Smith Junior. I gotta put
Steve Smith in. I mean that dude, was electric. He
had those years from like from three to eight somewhere
in there where he was just unbelievable. Jo Jacobe offensive
Lineman don't know much about him from their time with
the Raiders. Jim Plunketts on the list at number ten,

(01:00:35):
Elsie Greenwood before my time, Clay Matthews. I'm surprised Clay
Matthews isn't in there.

Speaker 3 (01:00:42):
I really am.

Speaker 2 (01:00:44):
Lester Hayes, I'm too old for me. Roger Craig's kind
of shocking not in there, all right. Sterling Sharp was fifth,
He's checked off the list all right.

Speaker 3 (01:00:52):
Here.

Speaker 2 (01:00:52):
The guys in front of Sterling Sharp heinz Ward Eh,
I need to look at this numbers. Ken Anderson, quarterback
for the Bengals. I saw some videos of him when
I was watching that documentary on Joe Montana, but I'm

(01:01:13):
not sure. Tory Holt, yeah, absolutely, Why was Tory Holton
not in? And Reggie Wayne? Yeah, I would think both
of those guys would be in wide receivers, Tory Holton,
Reggie Wayne. So those are the top guys not in.
And again it looks like about one, two, three of
the top five or six I would say definitely deserve

(01:01:35):
to be in, but Sterling sharp you could check it
off the list again. He checked in at number five
on this list previously because of his short career, But
now the former game cop will be inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame. All right, quick break, we
will come back. We're gonna dive into a couple of
segments of our interview that we had yesterday and hour

(01:01:58):
number one for those of you our two as you'll
get a chance to hear from Brett Friedlander from Saturday
Road dot Com on Twitter at b Friday acc when
we get back right here on a Friday afternoon. It
is the show The Shakes the southlank Clemson Sports Talk
on Fox Sports Radio fourteen hundred in the Midlands and
around the world on the iHeartRadio app. Stay with us

(01:02:22):
Lawton Swan hanging out with you on a Friday Clemson
Sports Talk. So yesterday and hour one we talked with
Brett Friedlander from Saturday Road dot Com and I did
not get a chance he was supposed to be on
Wednesday and hour two and got caught up doing some
stuff and totally messed up watched that interview with him.
So I'm going to reset that for you our two
listeners here as you make your drive home on a Friday.

Speaker 3 (01:02:44):
We won't listen to all of it. We'll listen to
some of it. Again.

Speaker 2 (01:02:49):
Here's our conversation with Brett Friedlander from earlier in the week. Brett,
welcome in Man. Hope you're doing well.

Speaker 4 (01:02:55):
I'm doing pretty well. It's you know, we're getting close
to tournament time and the Super Ball and Sunday, so
it's a it's a good time.

Speaker 2 (01:03:03):
Yeah, you know, it's one of the topics I kind
of have talked about because of the extended college football
playoff and the way it's starting to push even closer
to February.

Speaker 3 (01:03:12):
I ask several.

Speaker 2 (01:03:13):
People that have come on the show, I mean, could
we ever see a day, Brett where we back up
the start of basketball just to protect the season a
little bit, because here we are, you know, past the
midway point and now people are finally tuning in.

Speaker 4 (01:03:28):
You know, I don't necessarily think that's gonna happen, and
I don't think it's necessarily you know, necessary, because I mean, traditionally,
the college basketball season starts with the first Duke UNC game.
You know, that's kind of when people start. No seriously,
that's kind of when people start to notice it a
little bit in the national media starts to get interested

(01:03:50):
in it. So I mean, we're about that time now,
and so it's a it's a month's sprint to March right.

Speaker 3 (01:03:58):
Exactly. Well, And you know, I think the other thing too.

Speaker 2 (01:04:01):
Write anytime you talk about Duke in North Carolina, you
got to talk about Dick Vital and Dicky V's gonna
be in Little John Coliseum after what two and a half,
nearly three years away from the microphone as an analyst
with ESPN for that matchup between Clemson and Duke on Saturday.
It should be a lot of fun to see Dicky
be around, regardless of how people might feel about him
in terms of some of his over the top antics

(01:04:22):
through the years.

Speaker 4 (01:04:24):
You know, the thing with that is, first of all,
I'm going to be there, and I'm going to I'm
really excited about that. But I'm also excited because Dick
is a genuinely good guy who loves college basketball, and
I'm kind of hoping the fact that he's been out
of sight and out of earshot for two years will
kind of make us, you know, forget a little bit

(01:04:45):
and make it a little fresher. You know, his shtick
was a little old, but it's been a while and
I think it's good for college basketball that he's that
he's going to be back. I'm excited about it. I'm
happy for him too.

Speaker 2 (01:04:57):
Brett Friedlander with us heeries on Twitter at b fry ACC,
Saturday Road dot Com, the website, and so Brett from
that standpoint, there's a changing of the guard in the
Atlantic Coast Conference. The new patriarch is about to be
as long as he's still the head coach at Clemson
and doesn't take a job somewhere else. Next year, it'll
be Brad Brownell. Now that Leonard Hamilton announced that he

(01:05:17):
will end his tenure at Florida State and retire from
the game after many many years down there, what does
this mean for the league? You had a great article
on the website on Saturday Road dot Com. I'd encourage
our listeners to go check it out. But just kind
of talking about the changing of the guard in the
ACC at the top with so many legendary and longtime
coaches getting out of the game as recently as this season, Yeah, it's.

Speaker 4 (01:05:42):
Really hard to maintain the level of excellence at the
conference had when you're losing the caliber of Mike Krzyzewski
and Roy Williams and Mike Bray and Jim Beheim and
Tony Bennett, Jim Laerneg. I mean, we're talking about Hall
of famers there, guys who have won national championships, and
you know the fact that they've been replaced by in

(01:06:04):
a lot of cases, first time rookie coaches who are
basically doing on the job training. Adrian Autry and Hubert
Davis and Kenny Paine has already come and gone. The
drop off is has been noticeable, and I think that's
a very big reason for why the ACC's quality has
has really kind of been hurt over the last couple

(01:06:26):
of years. But I think this is a really good
opportunity now that they've kind of we the old guard
is now gone, and I think, you know, these hires
here coming up, the one at Virginia, the one at Florida,
and now the one at Florida State are incredibly important
for the future of the ACC. I think that these schools,
which you know, these are you know, this is not

(01:06:48):
the Virginia Techs, the Boston colleges, the world, these are
these are schools that have had success that are you know,
these programs are have been among the elite. I mean
two of the three have been the final four. Virginia
won a championship, and who knows Florida State might have
had had the season that got canceled.

Speaker 3 (01:07:06):
By twenty twenty right in twenty twenty.

Speaker 4 (01:07:08):
Yeah, And so I think it's important for these schools
to maybe divert a little bit of money from football
and invest it in hiring coaches that you know, can
step right in and be successful right away. So I
think this is a real turning point here for the ACC.
And it'll be interesting to see how these three schools

(01:07:31):
do it, because if you look at what has happened
at Louisville, yeah, coaching is everything. I mean, look at
the difference Pat Kelsey has made in year one. So
if they make the right hires, the ACC can make
a comeback here.

Speaker 2 (01:07:45):
Listen, when Kelsey was at Winthrop, there were people at
Clemson that wanted him to come in to replace Brad
brown Ell. If that's any indication of sort of where
his his star has been for a while in the
mindset of a lot of people. And you know that
all too well. Again, Brett Friedlander. Saturday dot Com is
where you could check out his work, and he's online
at b frid ACC on Twitter. So from that standpoint,

(01:08:06):
I think the other thing that surprises me, though, Brent,
is the fact that you're you're talking about smaller rosters
with basketball and to have guys like Tony Bennett and
Lara Naga at Miami leave the game.

Speaker 3 (01:08:18):
And Lara nigga' is an older guy.

Speaker 2 (01:08:20):
I mean, there's, you know, nothing wrong with that if
he's ready to hang it up, but it's kind of
shocking and maybe a little bit disturbing. I think when
you think about perhaps even college football, where the management
of the number of players and the finances and everything,
the way in IL has changed it is so much greater.
It's really shocking to see the impact that it's had
on some coaches already right here in the ACC.

Speaker 4 (01:08:42):
Yeah, I mean it's not just it's not just the ACC.
I mean Nick Saban decided he didn't want to have
to deal with it. Jay Wright and Basketball didn't want
to have to deal with it. And I think that
it's it's becoming a younger and younger man's game as
far as coaching is concerned because number one is now
a year round situation because not only are you recruiting

(01:09:05):
high school kids, but you're re recruiting your own players
every year because you know they're they're they're holding out
for better offers. And with the portal, you know, there
is always something going on and it's just exhausting. And
I think that you see that younger guys like John
Shire at at at Duke are better equipped to handle it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:27):
Again, that's Brett Friedlander with us from yesterday's show in
hour number one. All right, quick break, we'll come back.
We'll hear a little bit more from Brett Friedlander. Then
we'll come back. We'll make our predictions on Clemson Duke basketball,
and we'll talk about our predictions on the Kansas City
Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles when we return. It is
the Show That Shakespare south Land Clempson Sports right here

(01:09:49):
on Fox Sports Radio fourteen under the Midlands and of
course heard around the world weekdays on the iHeartRadio app Rocket.
Then rolling along with you on a Friday, the Show
The Shakespare Southland. All right back into our interview we
did with Brett Friedlander in our one yesterday. The biggest
thing I thought when it all started, Brett, if I'm
being honest, and I think most people probably felt this way,

(01:10:10):
that the thing that we would dislike the most would
be the NIL side of it. But I found that
it's really the portal. And I think if the portal
could get rained in a little bit, we'd clean up
a lot of the major issues that coaches and staffs
are having across the country.

Speaker 4 (01:10:25):
Yeah, I believe that that kids should have the opportunity
to move around and go to places that they know
that they feel more comfortable. And I guess with nil,
and you know, they can make more money. But but
you're right, I think there's got to be some limits
to it, and there's got to be some kind of
there's got to be some kind of rules that's played
by it. Right now, it's kind of like the wild

(01:10:45):
Wild West. And I mean, you have kids that are
that are playing at their fourth school in four years
or their fourth school in five years. And I don't
think that was really the way this thing was meant to,
you know, to work. I mean, it is still college basketball,
and I mean you're not making any progress tour your
your degree. If you're doing that, you know, it's basically
minor league and and that's that's definitely got a change.

(01:11:09):
I think the nil portion of it is going to
be rained in a little bit once we start having uh,
you know, revenue sharing and you know, I think that
that will will even things out. But you're right, the
portal is the big, the big thing, and there's just
no continuity anymore, continuity anymore with programs. And you know,

(01:11:31):
Clemson's basketball program is one of the few right now
who you see a lot of the same guys there
from last year and the year before. I mean, you know,
the Hunter brothers have been around for three years. Schifflin's
been there now is his fourth year, you know, uh
and and so you know, but but that's the rarity anymore.

(01:11:51):
I mean, now you're basically recooling your roster every year.
I mean, look at Duke, they've got two returning players.
That's it too.

Speaker 2 (01:11:59):
Yeah, it's wild and Clemson and Duke again. I'll face
off at Little John Colisey and that game time got
moved a little bit later. It'll be a six thirty
tip off on Saturday. That's February the eighth. That's a
great day that's my birthday, So I'm excited about maybe
Brad Brownell and Clemson can deliver a little Tiger victory.
I know on Tuesday night there was a disappointing loss

(01:12:20):
for Clemson, falling against Georgia.

Speaker 3 (01:12:22):
Tech triple overtime.

Speaker 2 (01:12:23):
I was shocked at this stat and I followed Clemson
basketball my entire life. Britt that's just the third triple
overtime game in Clemson basketball history. I really feel like
there would have been more, and it was the first
one I think in the ACC in five seasons. I
was like, how is that even possible? There's so many
tight games.

Speaker 4 (01:12:41):
I don't know, it's just a matter of the ball
going in the basket or not going in the basket,
because I mean, Clemson had chances at the end of
regulation in the first two overtimes to win the darn thing,
and they couldn't put it in the hole. You know,
it was I was concerned about that game right from
the get go. It was a classic trap game with
coming in on Saturday, you know, a Georgia Tech team

(01:13:04):
that Clemson figured to beat, and a nine o'clock start.
Those are always kind of a tricky. I think you're
gonna see a very different Clemson team on Saturday. Now,
this is not to say they're gonna win the game,
because I've seen Duke a number of times and they
are just special. But I think they can. I think

(01:13:24):
the atmosphere at Little john will be different than it
was yesterday. And I just you know, but it was.
It was a shocking result. Nonetheless, I you know, it's
a game that Clemson really needs to win, and they're
one in three now in overtime games this season.

Speaker 3 (01:13:41):
Yeah, I know.

Speaker 2 (01:13:42):
And I said yesterday on the program, I thought, I thought,
you know, you want those kind of games because you
know down the stretch you're probably gonna deal with them.
But the problem is you'd like to be on the
other end of it, just to give yourself a little
a little positive momentum.

Speaker 3 (01:13:56):
When you do get in those matchups. Again.

Speaker 2 (01:13:58):
Brett Friedlander hanging out with us year on the program
today talking a little college hoops. Brett, the other thing
you in kind of I guess in a comparison when
you talked about the coaches in the ACC, one of
the things that you can kind of segue that to
is the success that we see in the SEC right now.
But in your mind, is that success that the SEC
is currently having a byproduct of the coaches or is

(01:14:21):
it more to do with the advantage that we know
that that league has in terms of the financial situation.

Speaker 4 (01:14:28):
Well, I think those two things go hand in hand,
because if you can pay the best coaches, you're going
to get the best coaches, and you're going to keep
the best coaches. Keep in mind that Buzz Williams down
at Texas A and m was in Virginia Tech for
a while r Le's because he had a better offer.
And you know, the ACC is putting a lot of

(01:14:49):
resources into football because that's the you know, the driver
of the financial bus these days, and you see it
North Carolina with with with Belichick and that whole situation.
But there's just not enough money left over to to
really funnel to basketball. Well, the SEC because the difference

(01:15:09):
in revenue, they do have enough money to commit the
kind of capital that needs to be committed to football
to stay on top, even though the Big Ten kind
of seems to pass them this year. But they also
have enough money to pay the coaches, to pay the
players now that it's legal, and so I think that yes,

(01:15:31):
the coaching is definitely better in the SEC right now.
I mean just look at Rick Barnes and CALIBERI and
Nate Oates and I mean the risk goes on, but
yet the finances also have a lot to do with
it as well.

Speaker 2 (01:15:45):
Back to this matchup with Duke and Clemson. I know,
kind of yo yoing you around a little bit, but
you got me thinking. You know, when you look at
Cooper Flag, he leads to Blue Devils in scoring, assists, rebounds.
I mean, he's probably going to be the number one
pick in the NBA draft. How do you slow that
kid down?

Speaker 4 (01:16:00):
Yeah, he's physically more mature than an eighteen year old.
But you know the thing with Cooper Flagg is that
he really his basketball IQ is off the charts, and
he knows when his team needs him to take you know,
they take control offensively to go score. He knows when
it's time to try to you know, against North Carolina,

(01:16:23):
they came out and doubled him the first five six possessions.
He had four assists on the first six baskets that
his team had and he had the other two. So
you know, he's not a selfish player. He doesn't force it.
He lets the game come to him, and it's really
tough to defend him because of that. I think the
best way to defend him is to be physical with him.

(01:16:43):
It doesn't get him off his game, but it just
kind of makes him do things that he doesn't particularly
care to do. The problem with that is that he's
already got that star quality and if you're physical with him,
you're probably gonna get in the foul trouble. And if
that's the case, then and you know, he's got an
open door. The other thing, too, is that he's not

(01:17:06):
Duke's only options. If you want to try to take
him away, that's great, But kan Ka Nipple is a
marksman man. I mean, when he's on his three point
shooting is like a layup. They've got other guys to
their backcourt. Tyrese Frocter can get to the room, see
on James. They've got a lot of offensive options.

Speaker 3 (01:17:25):
So there you go.

Speaker 2 (01:17:26):
That's our time with Brett Friedlander. Final segment Around the Band.
Full interview with Friedlander. By the way, in yesterday's podcast,
stay with.

Speaker 7 (01:17:32):
Us, What have you done for me lately? It's a
fair question. Just don't lose sight of the bigger picture,
don't forget history looky for us at Clemson. The answer
to the questions what have you done for me lately?

(01:17:53):
And what have you done? Always are the same. We win.

Speaker 2 (01:18:48):
Final segment on a Friday, Super Bowl Sunday around the Bend,
six thirty on Fox. It'll be the Philadelphia Eagles and
the Kansas City Chiefs, a rematch of the Super Bowl
two years ago that was won by the Chiefs by
three thirty eight thirty five. I believe it was the

(01:19:09):
final score. We talked about that one earlier. But give
you my prediction on it real quick.

Speaker 3 (01:19:17):
Look, I know what to pick them.

Speaker 2 (01:19:21):
I'm fascinated by what's happened with Philadelphia with adding Saquon Barkley.
I'm mesmerized in a lot of respects by their willingness
to push the envelope when it comes to short yardist situations,
short yardist situations because of their confidence in Jalen Hurts
in the tush push. I am not an advocate for

(01:19:42):
getting rid of that play in the game. I'm an
advocate for figuring out a better way to stop it.
Either way, they are gutsy, gutsy team. The Buffalo Bill's
tried it with the reigning MVP now Jared Allen, and
couldn't get it done. And I give a lot of

(01:20:05):
credit to Kansas City because even when Buffalo could have
maybe manipulated the clock trying to maybe get you don't
have to like push for the yard if you can
get the defense to jump off sides right, and they
just weren't capable of doing that. Buffalo never looked comfortable

(01:20:26):
in those situations. Honestly, it was ironic. Every play for
Philadelphia felt like one that was set up for them
to be successful. And they controlled the line of scrimmage,
they controlled the angst and the concern. I mean, it

(01:20:47):
was the exact opposite of in my opinion, it was
the exact opposite of what we saw in that Kansas
City game where it felt like the aggressor of the
team with the ball was doing less than the team
that had the ball. And when the Eagles were facing
Washington and Washington was backed up against the you know,
the goal line or need a fourth and shortstop, it

(01:21:10):
was like Philadelphia is in control. And if Philly is
in control in those same situations and this game against
Kansas City, unlike the way Buffalo was, then I think
the Eagles can actually win this matchup, and I think
most of the people will be rooting for them because
I think there is a tired this aspect to the

(01:21:33):
Kansas City Chiefs for a lot of NFL fans. If
Philadelphia can do that kind of control the line of scrimmage,
if they're able to be successful in those short yard
of situations and they're still willing to risk it for
the biscuit, then I think the Eagles can win a
very close ballgame. But if they can't do that, it

(01:21:54):
could get out of hand, even though the Eagles have
a really good defense. I think Kansas City's momentum, I
think their playmaking ability, and as I noted all week,
I think the ability for Andy Reid to scheme up
some players to be open would be enough for Kansas
City to win. I'm gonna lean in, though, on confidence

(01:22:14):
and the fact that this streak has never reached three
in the NFL, and say that that continues. I'll take
Philadelphia to win the Super Bowl. I think it'll be
another good game. I think it's somewhere in the neighborhood
of about like it was last time. But I'll go
Philadelphia thirty five Kansas City thirty two. I'll say the
Chiefs at some point go for two or something to

(01:22:36):
try to get back in the game. And that's the
way it is. Thirty five thirty two, all right for
Clemson to due Man. My buddy asked me before the
game what I thought the spread would be, and I
thought it would be Duke minus six, just home environment,
all of that. ESPN's matchup predictor has Duke favored to
win seventy four point one percent of the time compared

(01:22:59):
to Clemson's twenty five point nine percent of the time.
But the spread on this game was fairly close to
what I thought Clemson plus seven and a half, so
I was thinking in that six six and a half range,
So I was about a point off on it, and
based on a lot of projections, many people believing Duke

(01:23:21):
will cover that spread as they come out of Clemson
with a big, convincing win tomorrow. And I'm not sure
I'm all that dissimilar in that respect, given the free
throw shooting of the Duke Blue Devils, the talent, the height,
the length, I think the matchup problems the Clemson presents,
even if Victor Lockin can stay out of foul trouble

(01:23:42):
and stay on the floor. I'm not sure Clemson is
ten points to the good on this duke team, So
I would take Duke winning this game somewhere in the
neighborhood of like seventy five sixty five. I don't think
they crack eighty five though, could be eighty one seventy one,

(01:24:04):
you know, somewhere in that range feels about right.

Speaker 3 (01:24:08):
But you never know.

Speaker 2 (01:24:08):
Man, if Clemson comes out hot again, that environment could
be a big part of the success for Clemson, the
fans in the arena.

Speaker 3 (01:24:16):
But all in all, I mean, this duke team looks legit.

Speaker 2 (01:24:20):
And maybe if Clemson had beaten Georgia Tech and this
was a game for first place in the ACC, I
might lean in on a little luck, if you will,
a little a little battle boost.

Speaker 3 (01:24:34):
So to speak. But I'll take Duke winning somewhere in
the neighborhood. I think.

Speaker 2 (01:24:38):
I think I'll go eighty one seventy one. They hit
a couple of late free throws and crack eighty That's
my guess. All right, We'll be back on Monday. Until then,
as always, y'all take care now and go Tigers.