10/2/25 - The Mo Egger Radio Show - Mo Egger

Episode Transcript
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Did someone say cat fight? Sorry, that's the first thing
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Let's move on.

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Detroit rolls into Cincinnati to take on our beloved Bengals.

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Will the Orange and Blacks.

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Speaker 6 (00:41):
You know that game weeks ago felt like that's going
to be one of the best games of the year.
Now I think we're all looking forward to it with dread.
We'll see what's up mulllegg or ESPN fifteen thirty. Thanks
for listening. Hopefully you're having like the greatest Thursday of
all time. Show rundowns available on Twitter at moegar thanks

(01:03):
to share Facts Credit Union, which has merged with Emery
Federal Credit Union at moegar. It's always weird, you know,
there's this mad dash to the postseason. Every game matters
for weeks on end, hyper intense. Now just over, we're

(01:24):
gonna look ahead, and frankly, I think it makes a
lot more sense to look ahead. Jeff Carr is gonna
do that with coming up in about fifteen minutes on
the Reds lots of Bengal stuff a little bit later on,
and the Bearcats with Chad Brendle coming up in just
about forty minutes, Lease Stirling as well. The Red Series
against the Dodgers went the way a lot of people
expected it to. The Reds chances of winning came down

(01:47):
to two things, and both probably had to happen. One,
this starting pitching needed to be excellent. Needless to say,
it was not number two. They were going to have
to play really clean baseball in the field. On the
they were gonna have to take advantage of any Dodgers' mistakes,
which they did to their credit in the first inning
last night when ti Oscar Hernandez dropped that ball down

(02:08):
the right field line.

Speaker 5 (02:09):
But the defense was leaky.

Speaker 6 (02:11):
The starting pitching wasn't very good. Yes, they made it
interesting both nights, but if they were going to win
this series, They were not gonna win slugfests. They were
not gonna win by allowing the Dodgers to score ten
runs and then eight runs.

Speaker 5 (02:23):
It just it wasn't gonna happen.

Speaker 6 (02:25):
The series itself was severely compromised on Sunday, and I
don't blame Terry Francono for how he managed Sunday's game.
You got to manage that game, assuming you need to win,
not relying on the Miami Marlins, not looking at the
scoreboard going okay, we're cool.

Speaker 5 (02:42):
The Mets are losing. So he had to use Nick Lodolo.

Speaker 6 (02:46):
And in order to manage Game two of the National
League Wildcard Series, you've got to get there first. So
he did what he thought he needed to do in
that moment. But I think most of us, when Nick
Lodolo came into Sunday's game, huh, well, if they get there,
there goes your Game two starter. So their chances of

(03:06):
winning this series were compromised on Sunday before the series
even started, before the Reds even clinched a playoff spot,
Because I think every single one of us would have
preferred Nick Lodolo's start last night. I'm guessing he would
have been allowed to throw more than fourteen pitches instead
of Zach Lttel, who was pulled from the game a

(03:28):
few batters too late. But the series their chances of
winning it were compromised on Sunday. Their chances took a
nose dive on Tuesday when Hunter Green threw his fourth
pitch of the game and show, Hey, Otani nearly hit
it into the Pacific Ocean, and I think, just there,
you kind of thought, uh, oh, it doesn't look like.

Speaker 5 (03:48):
Homer has it. Homer Hunter has it.

Speaker 6 (03:52):
He might have been tipping pitches. You'll hear some audio
related to that coming up here in just a bit.
But you know, it was hard to imagine them winning
the series if the starting pitching wasn't awesome. I think
you kind of knew, if not the fourth pitch, certainly
for me at least by the end of the first inning,
even though LA only had one run, that the starting
pitching wasn't gonna be awesome.

Speaker 5 (04:13):
There are chances of winning the series.

Speaker 6 (04:15):
Took a nose dive in the first inning of Game one,
and then they totally went up and smoke when they
loaded the bases. And I put this on social media
last night. The Reds with the bases loaded and two
outs this season were atrocious. Only two teams had a
lower OPS in those situations bases loaded, two outs. Only

(04:36):
one team had a lower OPS in all of baseball
with two outs and runners in scoring position than the Reds.
So their chances I thought totally went up and smoke.
When they load the bases down three to two in
the sixth inning, they had their fourth, fifth and sixth
place hitters coming up, and they do not score ground
ball to shortstop, force out at the plate, pair of

(04:57):
strikeouts inning over game over season one. There were other things,
and we will discuss Terry Francona's decision making. We certainly
did that at nauseum yesterday about Game one. I don't
know why Nicolodola was pulled out for fourteen pitches, but
to me, like those those were the three things that
doomed the series.

Speaker 5 (05:20):
And so.

Speaker 6 (05:21):
Now a couple of things. The goal for next year
should be quite simple. Let's make sure Game one sixty
two doesn't matter. You know, we said it all year along,
because it looked like if the Reds were gonna make
the playoffs, they were gonna hang in there till the end.
Because the starting pitching was gonna be good enough, but
there was a very good chance that they were on

(05:43):
the outside looking in, maybe by just a game or two.
That's obviously not what happened, but it came close, and
we thought, we thought, you know what, if they're on
the outside looking in and they missed the postseason by
a game or two. God, there are so many games
we're going to look back on, starting on opening Day
when the bullpen gate flung open before the ninth inning

(06:05):
and Ian Jabou came charging out. Think of all those games.
I'm not going to torture you, I'm not going to
torture myself, but think of all those games during the
season that felt like they were there for the taking,
felt like they would win, felt like they were a
hit away from winning, or an out away from winning,
and they didn't. Tons of them, including just over the

(06:26):
last couple of weeks, and every single time, certainly in
the final two months of the season, you thought, you
know what, that might be the game we look back
on and agonize over if they don't make the postseason.

Speaker 5 (06:38):
Well, they did make the postseason.

Speaker 6 (06:40):
But yet you could still do the same thing because
the inability to get into the postseason before the final
game caught up to him. So ideally, next year they
don't need game one sixty two, They don't need Game
one sixty two to mean anything. That should be the
goal because it did catch up to him this year.

(07:02):
Nicolodolo may have started last night and may have gotten rocked.
That LA lineup is awesome. Nicolodolo may have started last
night pitched great, and then Andrew Abbot pitches tonight and
the red still lose. Who knows, But they didn't have
a chance to lay out their best laid plans for
the postseason because they had to work too hard to
get to the postseason because they weren't good enough over

(07:24):
the course of the entire season. That's got a change.
That's got a change. I think the hardest leap is
the leap the Reds have to spend this offseason making.
They are infinitely better right now than they were three
or four years ago, better positioned, better players, better farm system.

(07:49):
Making the postseason was not at all an insignificant development.

Speaker 5 (07:53):
It's a box. At some point, you got a check.

Speaker 6 (07:56):
We talked about this during the season, like that would
if they made the playoffs. That would be tangible proof
that this plan, which was hatched a long time ago,
is working. And I do think there's benefits here to
you know, these guys having gone through that stretch in
September where it felt like every night was an elimination game,

(08:17):
and there's benefit to playing in that environment they were
in in Los Angeles. There's benefit to looking up close
at what a World Series champion looks like and understanding
that's how we have to play, that's what we need
to do. So making the postseason, even if their stay
was very, very brief, more brief than anybody else in
the sport, there's benefits to that. It's a good first

(08:37):
step to take right. You can't be playoff perennials if
you don't make it the first time. So good step,
good step, good season. Not a great team by any stretch,
not a very good team by any stretch, slightly above average,
but they made the playoffs, and that's cool, that's great,
But I think the hardest lead to make is to

(09:00):
go from average ish slightly above.

Speaker 5 (09:05):
Look, at the end of the day, they.

Speaker 6 (09:08):
Won two more games than a team that finishes with
a five hundred record. They won eighty three games. Now
that the bar to make the postseason has never been lower.
So if the idea is to get in as the
sixth seed every year, okay, but I mean I think
the goal is something better than eighty three and seventy nine, right,
if the goal should be by that last week of

(09:29):
the season, you've got like an X next to your
name and the standings because you've clinched the division and
maybe you're playing for seeding, maybe you're playing for home field,
but you have the opportunity to lay out your rotation.
You can go into the postseason with a plan instead
of one that you're kind of trying to cobble together
on the fly, which Tito Francona was forced to do

(09:50):
because it took until the very last.

Speaker 5 (09:51):
Minute for this team to get to the playoffs.

Speaker 6 (09:54):
That step from where the Reds are to where they
need to be is I think the hardest step to
take to go from good ish, slightly above average a
playoff team with a not very impressive record to where
the Brewers are, or yeah, I'll go ahead and say it,
where the Dodgers are to go where those teams are

(10:18):
that don't need Game one sixty two to get in,
that have had an X or a Y or whatever
letter next to their name for weeks. To take that step.
This offseason is going to require I think some real
heavy lifting and some real tough decisions like this. This

(10:39):
matters because there is a track record here of the
front office kind of standing pat or in some cases,
like last offseason, not exactly standing pat, but not exactly
seeming like they were willing to go to the end
of the earth to construct the best possible team. It's
not to say there weren't good acquisitions made this offseason.
They won the Brady Singer trade. We like Jose Travino,

(11:02):
Austin Hayes had his moments, didn't have one with the
bases loaded in the sixth inning last night, unfortunately. But
there's there's still a lot of work to do, and
so the question becomes, does the front office do it
this offseason? Like you look at this roster, there's there's

(11:22):
players with upside. I think that's unquestionable. They've got a
surplus maybe, but at least a nice, well, you know,
healthy stockpile of starting pitchers. I think they're operating from
a pretty enviable place in that regard. But man, there's
room for improvement almost everywhere every outfield position, third base, offensively,

(11:44):
second base, short stop, corner infield, DH catcher. Now, room
for improvement doesn't mean that you're gonna swap out all
of those guys. I'm not sure Elie Delacruz should play shortstop,
but I feel like he's going to be a part
of the team next year. And that's fine. There are pieces,
there's some good pieces. There probably really aren't enough of them.

(12:08):
And so as the offseason starts, and granted it's you know,
gonna be weeks before they could actually do something to
their team because we have the rest of the postseason
to unfold in front of us, But the question becomes,
do you trust Do you trust this front office to
take this team and help it make that next but
oh so difficult step. I don't know, man, Like I

(12:32):
will be honest, because that's what we do on this show.

Speaker 5 (12:34):
I don't know.

Speaker 6 (12:36):
And in the back of my mind is and this
isn't all on Nick Krawl, but in the back of
my mind, there are so many instances where it felt
like the idea was to either sit back and just
wait for the next season to start to see if
players who were okay last year can be even better,
or to make some moves but not the move to

(12:58):
acquire some players but maybe not enough. So this is
a huge offseason for this team. They have checked that box,
make the postseason. Now what what now? We started talking
about all right, they got there. They barely got there,
they barely, they barely scraped in. But okay, they got there.

Speaker 5 (13:18):
Now what.

Speaker 6 (13:20):
Now what to ensure that they have the best possible
chance to advance once they get there next year, or
ensure that they go in next year better equipped to
compete because they don't need the last game of the
season to sneak in. I think most of us understand,
Like we're talking about the team offensively, we're talking about

(13:42):
the lack of pop. You know, we joked about it
all year in the second half that Ellie de la
Cruz went like twelve weeks without a home run and still.

Speaker 5 (13:50):
Led the team.

Speaker 6 (13:53):
You know, that's that's an indictment against Delli, but it's
also an indictment against the lack of pop on the team.

Speaker 5 (13:58):
So how does that get fixed? How does that get dressed?

Speaker 6 (14:00):
What does the composition of the roster look like at
the start of twenty twenty six compared to what it
was here at the end of twenty twenty five and
at the end of the day, do we really believe
this front office can take what they have and put
it in a better position to compete in the postseason
next year and be taken as legitimate seriously as legitimate

(14:23):
championship contenders. We will see five point three seven four
nine fifteen thirty is our phone number, UH eight sixty
six seven oh two three seven seven six. We do
have a lot of guests today, but we will carve
out some room for your phone calls if you care
to chime in at Moeger on Twitter. Thanks to Delta Dental,
Delta Dental is building healthy, smart, vibrant communities for all

(14:43):
good at Delta Dental, oh dot com. Uh the perspective
of our guy, Jeff Carr Locked on Red's Locked On
Bearcats podcasts.

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Speaker 6 (15:28):
Speaking of said app, that's where we put all the
podcasts of this show, so listen to them.

Speaker 5 (15:33):
Anything you might have missed.

Speaker 6 (15:34):
Good baseball stuff from earlier this week, lots on the
Bengals as well, the podcast of the show or service
of Long Neck Sports Grow awesome place to watch college
and pro football this weekend. Wilder Hebrin and Richwood and
the host of the Roundtable show, which, by the way,
I had the Reds one I was going to host tonight,
which it would have been bittersweet because I would miss
this show, but I would have gotten to go to

(15:55):
Long Necks. I guess I can still go tonight to
watch Lance and Rocky, Jeff carrs with us Locked On
Red's podcast and the Locked On Bearcats podcast. It was, uh,
what a week ago today you called in drunk with
euphoria about how the Reds had been in the Pittsburgh Pirates,
and yet here we are a week later talking about
something entirely different.

Speaker 3 (16:15):
Jubilation, the consternation, the twenty twenty five Cincinnati Reds and deck.

Speaker 6 (16:20):
Actually, yeah, uh, one moment across the last two nights
that stood out to you.

Speaker 5 (16:27):
Give it to me.

Speaker 3 (16:29):
I think it was Ellie with the bases voted in
the sixth as much as I didn't want it to
be as much as I wanted to be the other
way around, where it was, all right, this is the
point where Ellie just transforms, and he didn't. And I
thought that based on his last couple of weeks in September.
He was getting his second win and he was going
to be ready for the big stage. But he had

(16:50):
a chance to transform that game and really turned it
into the Reds favor and he couldn't. And I know
there were two outs, and obviously the two guys before
him could have done something as well. But if there's
gonna be a guy in this lineup, it's got to
be him. And for much of the season, at least
in the second half, it was.

Speaker 6 (17:11):
I think of how many times this year we talked
about his performance in the context of what the Reds
were demanding from him. By many measurements, he didn't have
a bad year. By the measurement of what the Reds
needed from him this season based on how the rest
of the roster was constructed, he didn't do enough. And

(17:33):
so to me, the main goal next year is to
take some pressure off of Elie dela Cruz. How are
they going to do that?

Speaker 2 (17:41):
They have got to focus.

Speaker 3 (17:42):
I think the main focus of this offseason and whether
it's trade, free agency, whatever, is to get that anchor
in the lineup because they don't have. And as much
as you know, we had hoped, different guys would step up,
and they would do it at different times, but not
in a consistent enough manner to the point where you
could count on them moving forward. But nobody really took

(18:04):
over that mantle where it was like, we need a
hit right now, you go give it to us. There's
nobody in that lineup that does that. And you know,
there's the opportunity, of course, that everybody's going to talk
about all off season of Kyle Schwarber, and that really
just depends on how much investment ownership really wants to
put into the roster, because they could do that. But

(18:24):
at the same time, that's me saying that and not
the folks that are writing the chicks down their Grand
American Ballpark, So there's going to be some opportunities, and
I think Nick Carl's gonna have to get creative with
trades because on the other side of what they need
is what they have, and what they have is a
lot of the same thing. They have a lot of

(18:44):
infielders and not a lot of outfielders, and they gotta
figure that out. There's just too many there's too many
pieces that fit in the same place, and you can't
put two pieces in one place.

Speaker 6 (18:55):
We often talked leading up to this year and in
the early stretch the early going this season about the
lack of corner infield production. I think one of the
most damning things that happened with this team this year
is Christian and Carnassi on strand just did not work out.
I'm not sure how many more chances that guy is
going to get. They've got a third baseman in key
Brian Hayes, who is awesome with the glove. There's no

(19:17):
getting around that he is horrific with the bat. He
is below league average. They have a decent amount of chunk,
a decent amount of money invested in him moving forward.
He's got years of team control because of the contract
he signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Speaker 5 (19:32):
Moving forward, for a team.

Speaker 6 (19:33):
That has such offensive deficiencies, can you have a guy
who's an offensive zero at third base?

Speaker 3 (19:41):
No, because there's there's already question marks about your second basement.
There's question marks about I love TJ. Friedel and his
on base ability, but I wonder about him moving forward
because he's not necessarily he's kind of on the downslope
of his prime, as it were, So what does that mean?
And then you have absolute blank question marks in you know,

(20:04):
left field and who's going to play first base? All
these different things, Like you could say, well, Spencer Star
is going to be here, Stouth Stewart's going to be there,
that's fine, but it doesn't seem like the Reds have
this appetite to want to do that. And so if
you're looking at third base and you're saying that we've
got this dude for seven and a half million for
the next four years, but you tell me that half

(20:24):
of his game is completely just a black hole a deficiency,
like that's that's such a problem for me, Like you've
got to acquire somebody else in another position that is
just as good with the bat as he is with
the glove to make up for what he doesn't do.

Speaker 5 (20:41):
Am I wrong for wanting an entirely new alfield?

Speaker 3 (20:46):
I don't think so. I love the idea of the
potential of Noel vi Marte, but that is the story
of the Reds for the last thirty years, is that
you love the idea of the potential of what they've
put on the field, and none of it's really ever
come to fruition. So there's still too many question marks
around noelvi Marte for me to fully commit and say yes,

(21:09):
they don't need to worry about that position moving forward.
And like I mentioned with TJ Friedel, like, that's a
dude that people constantly say, like, how much longer is
he going to be here? Well, first of all, he's
under team control for a couple more years, so they
don't have to necessarily worry about that. And by the
time that he's free agent eligible, he's going to be
to the point that you're looking to replace in any
way the way that this game is. So I'm with you, Like,

(21:32):
I think that Nick Krawl could get could you know,
shot till you drop this offseason, and it would make
total sense to me.

Speaker 6 (21:39):
I'm conflicted about Matt McClain because I want to give
him a pass for the fact that he didn't play
at all in twenty twenty four, and even in a
really down year for him, he managed to hit fifteen
bombs last night, notwithstanding was decent with the glove, stole
eighteen bases. But they had him written in black magic
marker in the two hole this past season that ended

(22:01):
yesterday as the starting second basement. I don't think I
can do that, So what's the plan there moving forward?

Speaker 3 (22:07):
I think he's got to be written in pencil, but
you're right, definitely not in the top of the lineup
for sure. His glove is so good at second base,
and I think that if they decided something else, and
I don't necessarily believe that Elie de la Cruz is
on the way to the outfield, but if for some
reason that happened, he would be your shortstop and then
you would really need to see him step it up

(22:28):
with the bat. But I tend to believe he will.
But I think they've got to definitely keep one eye
on him at the beginning of the season because if
we continue to see this where it's lots of strikeouts,
lots of weak contact, and every so often you get something,
but it's definitely not enough to really trust it. Then
they've really got to be honest with themselves and say

(22:49):
who is Matt McClean moving forward? Because he did not
play a full season in twenty twenty three, but if
you talk to most people, they feel like he did.
And it was the performance that he put in twenty
twenty three that put these expectations in our minds about
what we would get out of twenty twenty five, and
we got maybe fifty percent of that if you're being generous.

(23:11):
And so how does he attack twenty twenty six Because
if it's not a quick start, then they've got to
have a plan be and maybe that is Gavin Lux.
Maybe they keep him around and he's the backup plan
for Matt McClain, But I don't think that you can,
Like you said right in a Black Magic marker, you
got to be honest with yourself and keep an.

Speaker 5 (23:30):
Eye on him early. Realistically, they have a lot of
starting pitching.

Speaker 6 (23:34):
It's an enviable group, man, and if you're going to
make a trade, you're going to deal from a place
to surplus if you had your way and you've got
to trade one of those guys because you know it's.

Speaker 5 (23:46):
Going to get you what you need in return. Who
you willing to move on.

Speaker 3 (23:50):
From, I'd say Nick Lidolo, just because I'm a little
worried that and I don't even necessarily think it's specifically
the blister. He's just the guy that it seems like
injuries crop up on him every so often. You could
also say the same thing about Hunter Green, but I
think I like Green ceiling more than I like Lodolo's sailing,
and I think that you could still get a lot

(24:10):
for Ladolo because he's not to the point where people
believe he's injury prone at this point in his career,
So I still think you could. Really you could probably
land your anchor of the lineup with a guy like
Nick Lodolo in that trade. So if I were picking
and it came down to that, then that's probably where

(24:31):
I may because you also have Andrew Rabbit from the
left side, ye have Brandon Williamson from the left side,
so it's not as if you would be depleting your
rotation of a lefty per se, because you still have
other options. But I'm with you. I think that if
they're going to make an impactful enough trade, there's going
to be a name that we kind of maybe squirm
a little bit whenever we hear it.

Speaker 5 (24:52):
One more was next year's closer on this year's team?

Speaker 3 (24:57):
Absolutely, I think it's Connor Phillips. Connor Phillips is the
guy that you can trust. He may not be the
closer on opening Day, but I think he takes the
closer job relatively quickly. Next year. There's going to be
a market for Amelio Pagan that I think is beyond
what the Reds are going to want to pay him,
or any closer for that matter, just because they're a

(25:18):
team that they put certain values on certain players, and
I don't think they have the same value for a
closer that almost had forty faves.

Speaker 6 (25:28):
The closes eru't opening the closern't opening day this year
was Ian Jabou. So as long as that's not the answer,
then I'm open anything. Jeff Carr locked on Reds podcast
and the Lockdown Bearcats podcast as well. Thanks man, I
appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
I appreciate it.

Speaker 5 (25:43):
Go right there you go, Lee Sterling helps make us
some money.

Speaker 7 (25:46):
Next Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty traffic from.

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A guarantee credit approval from their family to yours for life,
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(26:44):
The Reds are done playing, but the baseball playoffs continue.
Three do or Die game threes, Tigers and Guardians scoreless,
bottom second in Cleveland, Padres and Cubs coming up at
five at Wrigley Red Sox and Yankees and the Bronx.
At eight pm tonight, our guy Lee Sterling joins us
Paramount sports dot com.

Speaker 5 (27:02):
We're by the.

Speaker 6 (27:02):
Way, folks who have used this Folks who have used
his service, Maybe I should slow down. Folks who have
used his service can tell you he has won eleven
straight NFL games, eleven straight, by the way, on this show.
Last week Lee went three and zero and he had
a forty unit play last week on South Carolina covered

(27:23):
with Ease in a blowout thirty five thirteen. So Paramount
sports dot com is a place you should go. Lie
is on Twitter at Paramount sports Lee, what is up?

Speaker 10 (27:32):
Well, if you come down for the Bengals Dolphins game,
I think we can score tickets for like seventeen bucks
the beer.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
The beer might be more expensive.

Speaker 5 (27:40):
Here here, I'll give you a lock for that game.
Are you ready?

Speaker 2 (27:43):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (27:44):
Right now?

Speaker 6 (27:44):
It's scheduled for primetime. That game will not kick off
in the dark.

Speaker 10 (27:49):
No, no chance, no chance, I'm gonna My brother in
law is always trying to get me going in December
when when things aren't looking good, I usually tell him,
like what's going on, like with the tailgate, and they'll
tell me, oh, we got like subs. I'm like, unless
you've got like surf and turf, I'm not going.

Speaker 6 (28:09):
I understand. I understand. Let's start with college football. We've
got a game in the Big twelve Texas Tech big
favorites against Houston.

Speaker 10 (28:19):
So Texas Tech's best win was against Utah thirty four
to ten in Salt Lake City, and it wasn't a fluke.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
They dominated three.

Speaker 10 (28:29):
Four eighty four to two sixty three in total yards,
so over two hundred and twenty yards advantage. They played
more than half the game with a backup quarterback. Houston's
best game and best win was against Colorado. That's right,
two to three Colorado, whose wins were only against Delaware
and Wyoming. They even have a common opponent, Oregon State.

(28:52):
Houston won in overtime twenty seven to twenty four. Tech
blasted them easypas forty five fourteen. Texas Tech's watched their
defensive line. All four new starters come from the Portal,
not high profile programs programs like Stanford, UCF, Northern Illinois,
and Georgia Tech. But these guys play, They are nasty.

(29:16):
They held Devin Dampier, the Utah quarterback who runs like
the win to twenty seven rushing yards Houston. I mean,
they're playing this game here, It's gonna be tough.

Speaker 11 (29:29):
Texas Tech is top two.

Speaker 2 (29:31):
In nil money this year.

Speaker 10 (29:33):
The only team that's lost money lost the game in
the top six here was Texas and they had to
play another top NIL team in Ohio State.

Speaker 2 (29:43):
So Tech is loaded here.

Speaker 10 (29:45):
Houston is going into this gunfight with a knife. I
like Tech big here, thirty eight to twenty one.

Speaker 5 (29:50):
All right, Lee backs the Red Raiders.

Speaker 6 (29:52):
Cincinnati is coming off a very good win on the
road against Kansas. I was still surprised to see them
slight home favorites against Iowa State.

Speaker 5 (30:00):
Should they be laying points?

Speaker 2 (30:03):
I think they should. And here's why.

Speaker 10 (30:04):
I Was State lost their best to two defensive backs
both were first and second team All Big twelve last year.
They just don't have the depth there and they only
rush for one hundred and eleven yards on a whopping
forty seven carries against Arizona. So if I think if
they control of the line of scrimmage, which I think
since he has a chance to do, I think they're

(30:27):
the right side here. So you know, I think those
three receivers are going to do some real damage against
the Iowa State secondary. So you got to play to
win here. If they do, they get the job done here.

Speaker 2 (30:38):
I like Cincy. They keep rolling.

Speaker 10 (30:40):
We called them last week to win They're also averaging
eight point three yards per play here top ten in
the country. Were Cats roll here thirty to twenty four lead.

Speaker 6 (30:52):
There you go, Lee Sterling, Paramount Sports dot Com. Make
sure you check it out. The Bengals are big home
dogs against Detroit. This number is big.

Speaker 5 (31:01):
I think it should be bigger, how about you.

Speaker 10 (31:04):
Cincinnati's offensive numbers are awful.

Speaker 2 (31:07):
The adjustment since show.

Speaker 10 (31:09):
Burrow's injury has resulted in turnover after turnover at Minnesota,
then punt after punt in Denver. I don't want to
go all analytics on you here, but from every formation
they've used, they have a negative EPA Expected points added here.
Good teams come home off the consecutive road losses and

(31:34):
whip a bad team here. But the Bengals are not
a good team and the Lions are not a bad
team here. Detroit big thirty eight to seventeen.

Speaker 6 (31:44):
It hurts to hear you say that, but that doesn't
make it any less true. Lee Sterlingparamount sports dot Com
Your game of the weekend, Houston and Baltimore.

Speaker 10 (31:53):
YEP, a great game here because all's on the line here.
Either team loses this game, there in trouble, almost no
shot of making the playoffs. So you want to get
Texans against the Ravens without Lamar Jackson. Find out which
side to the right side. Just call eight hundred four
hundred nine seven four one first five callers. We're going

(32:14):
to give them Texans and Ravens on me. And like
I said, we are rolling in football eleven straight NFL wins,
another forty max wager last weekend. We have a forty
five unit play going this weekend. We're seventy three and
twenty nine on those plays. Check out all the specials
for football. And first time ever in six years in

(32:34):
the UFC, we have a forty and a fifty unit
selection on the same card. We've won fourteen out of
seventeen UFC cards, So you want to get involved seven
selections fifty seven dollars, and we're also four to zero
Major League Baseball playoffs and get the rest of the playoffs.
It was to ninety seven last week, ninety.

Speaker 2 (32:55):
Seven dollars through the World Series. Check out all the specials.
Love to have you on for the ride.

Speaker 10 (33:00):
Biggest weekend ever at Paramount sports dot com.

Speaker 6 (33:03):
Eight hundred four hundred nine seven four one Paramount sports
dot Com.

Speaker 5 (33:08):
Lee, You're the best.

Speaker 6 (33:10):
Sounds good came up all right, here you go, Lee
Stirling on Twitter at Paramount Sports. That is the lack
of the century. December twenty first Bengals Dolphins originally slated
for Sunday night football at Bad Boys going kick off
at one o'clock. Hey a might kick off that thing
at like nine am, just to get it out of
the way. Chad Brandle next to ESPN fifteen.

Speaker 7 (33:29):
Thirty Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 9 (33:34):
Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center.

Speaker 8 (33:37):
The UC Cancer Center offers personalized prostate cancer care, exclusive
clinical trials and treatments you won't find anywhere else.

Speaker 9 (33:45):
Call five one three five eighty five.

Speaker 8 (33:47):
UCCC A new accident in over on Montgomery Road. That's
at del Breath and on Paddock Roads. Still got that
crash between California and Laidlaw Avenue on southbound seventy five
traffic slow Queen Western Avenue and Fort Washington Way. Five
minute delay on at Ezelic with traffic.

Speaker 5 (34:05):
This report is sponsored by Steve.

Speaker 6 (34:07):
You got the Rams and Niners San Francisco again with
like a billion injuries. That game is on Fox Sports
thirteen sixty. They're the answer to that question. Chad Brendle's
with us Bearcatjournal dot com. Bengals get slaughtered on Monday
night football reds get swept. So now many of us
penning our hopes on the Bearcats, who are trending upward

(34:29):
following their thrilling, stunning road victory against Kansas, now hosting
nationally ranked Iowa State on Saturday.

Speaker 2 (34:37):
Hi, Chad, i'm o, how it going?

Speaker 6 (34:41):
Uh good from a UC perspective, really good. Everything else
we'll discard for the purposes of this conversation. Cincinnati gets
a big road victory. They win the sort of game
that they have lost so many times in recent years.
The script was flipped, I think on the Noah Jennings catch.
They hang on to win on the road against Kansas.

(35:01):
What did we learn about the Bearcats against the Jayhawks?

Speaker 12 (35:05):
I think we learned that their offenses is as advertised
like there were there were definite questions and doubts about
that after Nebraska. Uh with the offense, the passing game
struggling as bad as they did, they have picked.

Speaker 13 (35:19):
It up since then. And the the.

Speaker 12 (35:23):
Things that we saw on the practice field throughout camp,
with a deep wide receiver room, in a deep tight
end room, and you know, multiple weapons out of the
backfield from the running backs to Soresby running the football, like,
all of that stuff looked really good in camp, but
you never know until they started playing the game. They

(35:44):
played Game one and we all went, well, maybe maybe
it wasn't what it looked like in camp.

Speaker 2 (35:49):
Since then it has been.

Speaker 12 (35:51):
And you know, that's not a great Kansas defense, but
it's a power for quality opponent. And Sincecinnati shredded them
with their offense, so I think that is now you know,
this is going to be a whole different animal because
Iowa State is always good on defense.

Speaker 13 (36:09):
They're going to make things difficult for you.

Speaker 12 (36:12):
But I think we can, you know, feel pretty good
about going into any games since the rest of the way,
Cincinnati should have a chance to win because their offense
is going to be able to keep up.

Speaker 6 (36:23):
They're favored against Iowa State, which I think was surprising
to some. What is the biggest challenge in this game?

Speaker 12 (36:29):
On Saturday well, they've played Iowa State twice since joining
the Big Twelve. They've not passed for one hundred yards
in either.

Speaker 3 (36:35):
Game, so that's a concern.

Speaker 12 (36:39):
Also, this defense has not been good though teams have
been challenging them over the top. Teams have been completing
a very high percentage of passes. They have not created turnovers,
they have not gotten a ton of pressure. The stack
numbers have were pretty good up until Kansas, where they
didn't get one. But this team is going to have

(37:03):
to figure some things out defensively to reach their potential
because teams are kind of effortlessly moving the ball against
them so far. And I really like Tyson Bte. I
really believe because we've seen proof of concept of how
good Iowa State has been with this scheme, that there

(37:24):
is upside to this scheme. But they have not impressed
to this point. And if you're going to beat Iowa State,
this defense is going to have to get some stops.

Speaker 6 (37:35):
We have injury reports in college football now, so Dante
Corleone is listed as questionable. Their defense gets a major
boost if he's available. What's your gut tell you about
his availability for Saturday.

Speaker 12 (37:49):
I think it's going to be another one of those
let's see how he feels Saturday morning. I think he's close.
I think he was close last week. They just didn't
think he was quite there yet. That that generally gives
you a good feeling for this week.

Speaker 13 (38:05):
But I you know, you know how this goes.

Speaker 11 (38:07):
I would have felt a lot.

Speaker 12 (38:08):
Better if you came out as probable yesterday, still being
a questionable. This defense can't be as good as it's
not going to get a whole lot better if Dante
Corleone is not in the middle of that defense, giving
opposing offenses fits at the point of attack.

Speaker 2 (38:26):
So they need him back. Then.

Speaker 6 (38:29):
The UC men's basketball season begins one month from tomorrow.
What has practiced so far taught us about this team?

Speaker 12 (38:39):
I don't know a whole lot yet because I think
it's still kind of you know, Wes does three four
days of like defensive boot camp. I think they're still
kind of finding their groove. They're still working both of
the new European guards wings In and Lucas Attari and
Jordi Rodriguez. But I think this team, the thing that

(39:05):
I've I've gathered so far is that this group fits
a lot better together. There's not, you know, Jeff, I
heard Jeff Carr talk about the Reds. The problem they
had is a lot of repeatable parts. Last year, Cincinnati
had a lot of repeatable parts. They had a lot
of pieces that didn't make a puzzle.

Speaker 13 (39:23):
They just kind of were pieces.

Speaker 12 (39:25):
You know, they look good sitting on the table, but
if they don't fit together, you're gonna have a hard
time having success. I still worry a little about a
little bit about who is that number one option on offense.
Who is you know, is day eight Thomas going to
take that step and be that, you know, have that
that breakout final year? What does that look like? I

(39:48):
think the main thing. I think they got a chance
to be excellent defensively, especially with dayda Thomas, Buck Harris.
If you don't know, Sincere Harris is what you know,
the name on his birth certificate says he goes by Buck.
So if you hear anybody talking about.

Speaker 13 (40:05):
Buck, that's who they're talking about. Is Sincere Harris, Boba Miller,
and Mustapha Chom.

Speaker 12 (40:10):
With those four guys on the floor, I think you
can be top fifteen, top twenty good defensively. So that I.

Speaker 13 (40:20):
Think is the biggest thing.

Speaker 2 (40:21):
So far is.

Speaker 12 (40:22):
I think they have a chance to be elite on
one end, but we still have some questions on what
exactly it's going to look like defensively or offensively.

Speaker 5 (40:32):
Excuse me, what's a cooler name? Since here or Buck?

Speaker 13 (40:37):
I mean probably Buck? Right?

Speaker 12 (40:40):
Oh, no, sincere. There's a lot of connotations with that,
like he kind of got to be a nice guy,
right true, And I don't think. I don't think he
necessarily is. I think he's got some nasty to him.
I think that's I think that's one of the things
that I mean, we talk talked about it a million
times that this team lack last year was toughness. That

(41:04):
they were not a physical team. They were not a
tough team. And I think a guy like Cincire Harris
definitely gives you a guy that plays with some edge,
and I think Jalen Haynes, the big Fine, gives you
some of that as well. I think that was definitely
a priority when they went into the portal was we

(41:25):
can't be soft again because it just doesn't work in
this league.

Speaker 6 (41:29):
I'm going with Buck then Bucket is whatever whatever Buck wants,
Buck gets, Chad, thanks so much.

Speaker 12 (41:35):
Well, that's the thing he insists that you call him Buck,
So I'm gonna call him.

Speaker 13 (41:39):
Buck all right.

Speaker 6 (41:40):
If that's his preference. I have no problem with that
at all, Buck it is.

Speaker 11 (41:44):
Thanks so much, all right, thanks Mam.

Speaker 6 (41:47):
Chad Brendel Bearcat Journal dot com. It's far away from
four o'clock. Meanwhile, lef C Cincinnati has their final regular
season road game. Kevin Egan MLS season past Apple TV
is calling the match. Join us at four h five
on ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 1 (42:05):
Thousand dollars. Enter this nationwide keyword on our website.

Speaker 12 (42:08):
Win.

Speaker 2 (42:09):
That's when. Enter it now?

Speaker 6 (42:11):
When When can e f C Cincinnati win? Tomorrow night?
And sorry, it's our Friday Saturday night.

Speaker 5 (42:23):
Good God.

Speaker 6 (42:23):
FC Cincinnati needs help. Uh Philadelphia clearly in the driver's
seat for the supporter shield can clinch it with three
points this weekend, but FC Cincinnati's ummm. Their fate is
not in their own hands. But the only way they
can leave Frog Philly is by getting some help and
taking care of business. They're on the road final roadmatch
of the season for the Orange and Blue as they

(42:45):
take on the New York Red Bulls seven thirty Saturday
Night MLS Season Pass Apple TV Kevin Egan on the call. Kevin,
it's awesome to have you as always. Good afternoon.

Speaker 5 (42:53):
How are you, Oh Mo, I'm good.

Speaker 13 (42:56):
Thanks.

Speaker 14 (42:56):
I'm going to listening to you talking about Cincinnati's chances.
But for me, they threw it away. The team threw
it away, their opportunity at the shield in the final
few minutes, and as you really say, Philadelphia need to
slip up in a big time way to even open
the door for a Cincinnati team that I'm not sure
right now look like they're gonna win those games in
order to win it anyway.

Speaker 5 (43:16):
Yeah, I think that's the thing.

Speaker 6 (43:17):
You know, They've they've got to get healthier, and it
feels like they're inching closer as the playoffs draw nearer.
But I look at the last few weeks and Philadelphia
has been awesome. There have been stretches this year where
it's felt like they were never gonna lose, But this
really does feel like an opportunity loss for FC Cincinnati.

Speaker 15 (43:36):
I just think there's a nature about the Phillies game
right now that there's leaders stepping up in big time
moments for this team. They had one slip up where
they went to Vancouver and actually lost the game seven
MIL on the road, and that was before a big
semi final in the US Open Cup as well. So
that was just a really bad week for Philadelphia. But
they bounced back and even when you know things weren't

(43:58):
going their way in the early going against DC the weekend,
he still felt that with the defending of Blesness and
of mccanya at the back, with the leadership that they
have in midfield, I think Dannie Jean Jack has been
sensational this year. There's something special about this group, and
they're a team. There's no real stars unlike Cincinnati that
have absolute stars in their team. I just thought that

(44:19):
that stoppage time window of seven or eight minutes against Orlando,
Orlando could have scored four or five goals. We were
in studio watching this and thinking where is the leadership?
What's going on right now? And this is where I
think Obina Wobedo coming back to full fitness now is
going to be enormous for Cincinnati.

Speaker 6 (44:36):
Yeah, and is active in training. Looks like will be
available for a selection on Saturday. It has felt to
me like right after the League's Cup that the air
kind of came out of the balloon, at least offensively
for FC Cincinnati, how do they reinflate it.

Speaker 15 (44:53):
It's a question that I'm asking the analyst, and I
still don't know the exact answer to it, quite honestly,
because the players, when you look at the eleven when
it's listed, you're thinking they're good enough to go and
win these games if fully fit, and you rightly said
that they've had some big time injury concerns and worries
in recent times. But get Kevin denk score and get

(45:13):
a vander In behind Brenner. I think it's been a really,
really good signing. But if you need him at times,
kay Kamara can be a really influential figure on the
field and a real leader on the field when you
need them. So it's just it's about pat noon and
firing up this group now. I think the shield needs
to be forgotten about in a way for Cincinnati, and
at this point you turn your attention to the playoffs

(45:35):
and making sure that you hit it in good form,
good camaraderie, good momentum, and an overall good vibe around
the club.

Speaker 5 (45:41):
And how wide open is the Eastern Conference?

Speaker 15 (45:44):
How wide open right now.

Speaker 13 (45:46):
Come the playoffs?

Speaker 15 (45:47):
It's wide open. I think Silly will wrap up the
Shield this weekend. If they win on Saturday, they win
the Shield. It's that simple now after Miami slipped up
during the week the Eastern Conference is anybody's game, and
I'm talking anybody. I'm talking even chicag Go Fire, who
will play in the playing game, most likely against Columbus.
They look really good. They scored five goals at Miami
just a few days ago. It's very much wide open.

(46:09):
Here's what I will say. Cincinnati's concerned. For me, the
biggest concern is home form at TQL Stadium. In terms
of home form, they're the ninth best team in the
East right now, and that was not the case MO
in twenty twenty three when the team won the Shield.

Speaker 11 (46:24):
You know, in twenty twenty.

Speaker 15 (46:25):
Four, this team was solid. TQL Stadium was a home fortress.
So the fans need to bring it to players absolutely,
to bring it to coaching staff as well, and make
sure the TQL Stadium is that fortress that we remember
from those golden years.

Speaker 13 (46:38):
Because this group is good enough. The players are good enough.

Speaker 15 (46:41):
I just there's one small tactical thing that I'm curious about,
and that is the wing back positions at times. It's
such an offensive minded team with Brenner. As I mentioned
Denk with the vander and the wingbacks tend to nearly
be wingers instead of defenders. So therefore sometimes you can
leave yourself a little bit exposed at the back.

Speaker 13 (47:00):
Thought.

Speaker 15 (47:00):
Mark Shuk is a new player who was a winner
for Railsalt Lake, and he was in defensive position, so
I don't think he looked overly comfortable.

Speaker 6 (47:07):
In a few days ago, Kevin egan MLS season past,
joining SFC Cincinnati on the road Saturday night for a
game against the New York Red Bulls. When I think
of New York and FC Cincinnati, they've got a really
colorful shared history, even going back to you know, before
f C Cincinnati was a major league soccer club. In
the US Open Cup, they've had heated playoff battles. It's

(47:30):
kind of gone sideways for New York this year. They're
not going to be in the postseason. What's gone wrong?

Speaker 15 (47:35):
Yeah, it's and they made MLS coup remember last year. Yeah,
they've fallen off a cliffs in the same way the
LA Galaxy. Hap maybe not as bad as the Galaxy,
but it's crazy to think that the two teams that
made it to cook last year won't be in the postseason.
For New York, they've got a little bit of an
identity crisis. I think they've gone with two older, experienced
veterans upfront, but traditionally they've been the high obtained pressing team,

(47:59):
and some of the players they brought in, quite frankly,
have not been good enough. So I think Sandra Schwartz
will be under a bit of pressure. I think this
is the perfect time for Cincinnati to go there, quite honestly,
because the air, like you mentioned, the air being burst
for Cincinnati. I can't imagine too many New York Red
Bulls fans have shown up to support this team after
the felt to make the playoffs. So I think Cincinnati
can go there and really, you know, get on the

(48:21):
front foot early, try and get a few goals, and
just turn around their mojo and focus on themselves. But
you're right, the Red Bulls Cincinnati playoff history and the
battles over the years. Think of me Asga and that
yeah the referee post game, and I think of Luco
Acosta and that goal from nearly the halfway line. I
was actually on the call for that one in Cincinnati.

(48:43):
There's been some great games between these teams, and it's
never been easy for since.

Speaker 6 (48:47):
No question, we'll see if they can get three points
on the road and just regain their form. Saturday Night,
seven thirty, Kevin Egan MLS season past Apple TV.

Speaker 5 (48:56):
I hope you can join us at some point during
the postseason. Kevin, thanks so much anytime.

Speaker 13 (49:00):
Oh and listen.

Speaker 15 (49:01):
I hope Cincinnati turned it around, and I hope Cincinnati
make a ruin. I want to find myself at TQL
Stadium and my last coup day.

Speaker 5 (49:08):
Likewise, let's make that happen. Kevin, thanks so much.

Speaker 2 (49:11):
Cheers mout, take care, you got it.

Speaker 6 (49:12):
Seven thirty, Saturday Night, MLS Season past, Apple TV FC
Cincinnati on the road against New York. Of course, you
could also listen to the match on ESPN fifteen thirty
thirteen after four ESPN fifteen thirty, on moeggor your phone calls.

Speaker 5 (49:26):
We were were a little guest free for a bit.

Speaker 6 (49:29):
Dan Glaskins in just about thirty minutes, tarn is today
the last day for Brendanman and Jones on baseball?

Speaker 2 (49:36):
I believe so.

Speaker 5 (49:37):
All right, So the final.

Speaker 6 (49:38):
Brandiman and Jones on Baseball of the Year coming up
later on this hour. Yeah, we started the show by
talking about the series, and honestly, like there are some
things you could second guess that Tito did. I would
have pulled Zach Lttel earlier than Tito pulled him. I

(49:58):
would have left Nick Lodolo to pitch longer than he
allowed them. The Dodgers were just better. The Reds were
gonna have to play perfect in the field.

Speaker 5 (50:06):
They did not.

Speaker 6 (50:07):
They were gonna have to take advantage of scoring opportunities
they did not. They did not on Tuesday, they did
not last night. The starting pitching was gonna have to
be great.

Speaker 5 (50:18):
It was not.

Speaker 6 (50:19):
I don't know that that two game series can be
boiled down to any one moment.

Speaker 5 (50:28):
But they've.

Speaker 6 (50:30):
It still feels like and look, man, Sunday was fun.
Sunday was catharsist. They made the postseason like sports are
supposed to be fun. Enjoy the victories. If you went
overboard on Sunday, awesome, good for you, no harm. And
having all those games in September mean something, And the

(50:51):
roller coaster ride and preparing for the postseason and watching
them play in the postseason lots of fun. It still
feels like the gap between where they are and where
we all want them to be is pretty damn big.
I don't think it gets closed by doing nothing. And like,
I bring this up because right or wrong, if you

(51:14):
care about the Reds, you know that there's a bunch
of different instances in pretty recent history where it's kind
of felt like the plan has been for, you know what,
the team to just play better. Hey, they took a
step this year, they'll just naturally take one this coming season.
To me, the avatar for that, if you will, is

(51:37):
twenty eleven. That's forever ago, right, that's you know, nearly
a decade and a half ago. But twenty ten to
twenty eleven, I remember that offseason vividly going, hello, do
anything to make the team better. That twenty ten team
was better than this one. This year Walt Jockety was
in charge, God rest his soul. Dusty Baker was the manager.
Did nothing. I read a piece in The Athletic yesterday

(51:59):
Brian Price offering a first hand account of what it's
like to be fired for their Leadership series.

Speaker 5 (52:05):
It's really really good.

Speaker 6 (52:06):
Brian Price was doomed to fail from day one because
his first team in twenty fourteen. Remember the previous offseason,
they looked at that ninety win team that year that
lost to the Pirates and went, eh, you know, we
were kind of okay. I remember that offseason vividly screaming
do something.

Speaker 5 (52:23):
They didn't. They ended up losing more than they won.

Speaker 6 (52:29):
Twenty twenty to twenty twenty one, twenty twenty three to
twenty twenty four.

Speaker 5 (52:35):
Hey, look we've arrived. We've got all these young players.

Speaker 6 (52:38):
Okay, well, you're gonna fortify the team, gonna go get
some established guys. The answer was no, what happened last year.
The team was bad enough to get the manager fired.
And so, like when you're a fan, you have history,
and unfortunately there is a history of the Reds looking
at what they have and thinking, eh, we're good, completely

(52:59):
reasonable to be fearful that that'll be the case this offseason. So,
and even this past offseason where they did stuff and
did stuff that worked, you walked away from the offseason
thinking kind of incomplete. The day before Opening Day, Tony Pike,
Austin Elmore, and I were talking about what the Reds
might do at the deadline. The day before opening day,

(53:22):
four months prior, if we're doing that this March Nick
Crawl will have failed. The hardest step is to go
from pretty good to really good, to fringe contender to
real contender. I don't think that's gonna happen by just
kind of being passive this offseason. Seventeen minutes after four

(53:45):
o'clock at moleggor on Twitter, where we have a poll question.
We'll get to your phone. Calls are coming up five
point three, seven, four nine, fifteen thirty plus. We'll go
back to a night nearly six years ago where Zach
Taylor won me over.

Speaker 5 (53:57):
I'll explain.

Speaker 6 (53:57):
Coming up at four thirty five on ESPN th fefteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 7 (54:01):
Nation, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 9 (54:06):

Speaker 8 (54:09):

Speaker 9 (54:17):
Call five one three five eighty five.

Speaker 8 (54:18):
Uccc use caution on westbound two seventy five, getting reports
of metal debris in the right lane between Hamilton and
Coal Rain southbound seventy five near Western Avenue. It's an
accident and another accident on reading road over at Sunnybrook Drive.
I'm at ezelic with traffic.

Speaker 5 (54:37):
This report is sponsored by rapid Rate.

Speaker 7 (54:39):
This is Football in the NATI, brought to you by
Belterra Casino and Bealterra Park on ESPN fifteen thirty, the
official home of the Cincinnati Bengals the NATI.

Speaker 6 (54:53):
When I travel, people go more where you're from, Natty,
I'd say nascinnati.

Speaker 5 (54:59):
I don't say nasty. No, they don't say. They don't
say nasty Natty either.

Speaker 11 (55:03):
Aron.

Speaker 5 (55:03):
How are your wings?

Speaker 2 (55:04):
Oh phenomenon?

Speaker 9 (55:06):
They just stand a chance.

Speaker 5 (55:07):
Paid off my my Bengals.

Speaker 6 (55:09):
Vikings back to Arran today with a couple of styrofoam
containers of wings.

Speaker 5 (55:14):
Uh from a place that is uh. I'm not gonna mention.

Speaker 3 (55:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (55:18):
Twenty four minutes after four o'clock, five one, three, seven,
fifteen thirty is our phone number. Jim, You're on ESPN
fifteen thirty. Jim, Good afternoon.

Speaker 5 (55:27):
How are you hey, Mo?

Speaker 11 (55:29):
How you doing well?

Speaker 5 (55:31):
What's up?

Speaker 16 (55:33):
Losten? I'm sorry, man, I call in here way too often.

Speaker 5 (55:36):
Don't apologize for reality.

Speaker 16 (55:38):
Yeah, I don't get on all the time. But the
reality is is I sit in an office all day
surrounded by a bunch of people who call me the
sportsball guy and.

Speaker 5 (55:51):
You and me, both Jim I have the exact same existence.

Speaker 16 (55:55):
I mean, they will talk about Star Wars and Star Trek,
you know. I mean, look, when I was seven eight
years old, loved it, loved it. But they feel to say,
I can't get a word in edgewise. So I call
in here just to talk sports with you.

Speaker 5 (56:13):
Well, it's nice, it's nice for you to do so.
And the floor your.

Speaker 16 (56:17):
Well what I want to mention. And I and I
don't listen to sports talk twenty four to seven, So
I don't know if this has ever been brought up,
but to me, I think what's happening right now with
the Cincinnati Bengals I would classify as the curse of Burrowhead.
I don't know that we ever recovered from that ridiculous

(56:38):
blunder that Mike Hilton, former Steeler and our mayor, your mayor.
I don't live, I don't live in Cincinnati, but you know,
we we haven't been the same game since. I mean,
if you if you look at it, we really haven't haven't.
And I think it runs deeper too. I think from

(56:59):
the quarterback perspective, especially with Joe Burrow, I think it
might be the curse of Greg Cook. Oh oh, or
maybe the ghost of Greg Cook. I don't know. I mean,
I'm not old enough to remember, but I've seen highlight.

Speaker 5 (57:15):
Uh, Jim, I don't know where you went, Johnny? Yeah, no,
I you know.

Speaker 6 (57:18):
Bill Walsh said Greg Cook was the most talented quarterback
he ever coached. You know what, da've The one thing
the Bengals have had often in their history is quality
quarterback player, right, Ken Anderson was an MVP, Boomer was
an MVP, and Carson Palmer had good years, Andy was
had his moments, and Joe Burrow has been terrific. But yeah, man,

(57:39):
I mean, if if you go back, if if I
would have said that the burrow head comment came from
Mike Hilton before they played in the AFC title game,
the second go round, right, the one that they lost.
And I think if if you or I would have
said that here, we would be two more than two
and a half years later. They still haven't been back
to the postseason since, and they're sitting here making us

(58:00):
talk about how this team compares to those of the
nineteen nineties. We would have said, well, man, a whole
bunch of stuff will have gone wrong. And that's exactly
what's happened. A lot of stuff has gone wrong. And
you know, I was on Paul Danner Junior and Jay
Morrison's podcast earlier today, and you know, we were talking
about just our general thoughts, and mine is just how

(58:21):
the Bengals have gone from a good enough roster just
two years ago to survive with Jake Browning as the
quarterback and a good enough roster to get to back
to back AFC title games to what they have now,
which looks like a disaster, and how that reflects so
poorly on on Duke Tobin. You know, I mean, we

(58:41):
can hammer away at Zach Taylor and he deserves it
for that performance on Monday, and we can whale away
at Jake Browning. I think he'd be the first to
tell you he deserves it. But like, look at the team.
How many guys do they have that You're like, you
know what, that's a building block, that's a foundational piece.
So even if this season goes sideways, I want this
guy or I want these handful of players to be

(59:02):
here next year. There simply aren't that many.

Speaker 16 (59:05):
Yeah, and I don't know how much much research we
did on Scott Peters. But our offensive line doesn't look
I mean cohesives. They don't even look like they you
know that they have any stick on them to get
I mean, they're they're just nothing to do.

Speaker 5 (59:22):
They can't line up correctly.

Speaker 16 (59:24):
No, it's it's embarrassing. It's embarrassing. So I don't know.
I don't know what we can do. But Detroit might
put one hundred on us Sunday. I'm going to that game,
and quite honestly, I don't they're they're saying we need
to wear paper bags on our head. Quite honestly if
we lose. If we lose this game, I might want

(59:45):
to put a plastic bag over my head.

Speaker 5 (59:47):
Well, I please don't do that.

Speaker 6 (59:49):
You know, the the darkest eras in Bengals history. When
I think of them, I think of that feeling, not
so much on Sunday, but in the days leading up,
when you thought, for a couple of how are they
going to lose this week? How are they going to
embarrass themselves this week? And you know, while there were
certainly seasons where they were far from championship caliber for

(01:00:12):
the most part, for a large stretch of time in
the early twenty tens and over the last four years.
You've never done that. Even if they were underdogs. She thought,
you know what, they've got a puncher's chance. You're not
going to find anybody, Jim, and I'm not either, who's
going to think they have even a remote chance of
winning the game on Sunday. That's how far things have fallen.
And to me, that same feeling is what has defined

(01:00:36):
so many of the worst teams in Bengals history and
so many of the darkest periods in Bengals history.

Speaker 16 (01:00:42):
Well, our captains need to need to rally the team
and now. And I include the three hundred million dollar
wide receivers that we have out there. Who paid these guys?
And I don't know how many replays I've seen of
Jamar Chase giving up on a play, giving up on
a block. You know, those are the kind of things
that we're paying money for you to be a leader,

(01:01:05):
not just a great football player, to be a leader.

Speaker 5 (01:01:07):
And you know it's it's sad, Jim.

Speaker 12 (01:01:13):
All right?

Speaker 16 (01:01:13):
Can I mention something about baseball real quick?

Speaker 5 (01:01:15):
You can do whatever you want, all right.

Speaker 16 (01:01:17):
I just want to say I took a little exception
to what you said yesterday about not wanting a salary cap.
I understand your point about the Dodgers. Hey, they have
the money, they're doing the right thing, go and spend it.
But you know, we have generations of people that grew
up in this town that have never seen the Reds
win a playoff game, and you're you're losing those.

Speaker 5 (01:01:38):
People them, no doubt.

Speaker 16 (01:01:41):
The only thing that can save them is if we
make this thing fair. And it's never going to be
fair for the Cincinnati Reds until we get a salary cap.

Speaker 5 (01:01:51):
But why why why then is it fair for the
Milwaukee Brewers?

Speaker 16 (01:01:55):
The Milwaukee Brewers are you got it? You gotta admit
they're doing amazing things. Also do the related job scouting
and sure, and you could admit they're one off. They're
one off, and they've never they've never won a World Series. No,
but I mean Mariners have never won a World Series.

Speaker 6 (01:02:19):
Sure, short, and the New York Mets haven't won one
in thirty nine years, and the New York Yankees have
won one this century, and the Dodgers prior to COVID
hadn't won one since nineteen eighty eight. I mean, I
think if there's one thing we learned about this year,
and look if here's my thing about the salary cap. Okay, like,
just as a basic philosophy that has less to do

(01:02:40):
with sports than anything else, I am opposed to anything
that restricts what people can make. My business doesn't have
a salary cap. Sometimes we act like it, but but
your business, I would imagine, doesn't have a salary cap.

Speaker 5 (01:02:52):
So I am opposed.

Speaker 6 (01:02:54):
Salary caps were not put in place in other sports
originally to ensure competitive balance. They were put in place
to strict salaries, and if they guaranteed competitive balance, I
could tell you, as a fan of the New York Knicks,
I spent the last thirty years wondering when they're going
to be competitive in a salary cap league. But I
guess for me a Number one, I'm philosophically opposed to

(01:03:16):
anything that prohibits people from making what they are worth.
But that said, if you want to go, okay, fine,
there needs to be a salary cap. Two things have
to happen. The owners need to be completely unified on
doing everything they can to get one. In the history
of baseball's labor negotiations, that has literally never happened. Owners
have caved pretty much every single time. Number Two, if

(01:03:39):
they are unified in wanting a salary cap, they're going
to have to come up with something that the players want.

Speaker 5 (01:03:45):
Now.

Speaker 6 (01:03:46):
One of the things that often gets mentioned is, well,
give them earlier free agency. Okay, earlier free agency, So
free agency after four years instead of six, all right,
That means Elie de la Cruz would be a free
agent at the end of this year. How do we
feel about that?

Speaker 13 (01:04:01):
Like?

Speaker 6 (01:04:02):
You know, so, so people want a salary cap, and
I always ask like, all right, in order to get
the players to say yes to it, which they never have.
The owners have been trying for forty five years to
get one. In fact, beyond that, what are you going
to give the players? And I have literally never gotten
the answer to that. That would that would be to
the satisfaction of the players union. They don't want to

(01:04:27):
increase the minimum salary anymore, which they did during the
last CBA. They don't want to give them earlier free agency.
In no other sport to do players play for six
years before they hit free agency. And no other sport
could a team literally control you for twelve years if
they stash you in the minor leagues for six owners
will not give that up. And so if you want
to say, well, they need a salary cap, cool, what

(01:04:48):
are you willing to give the players in order to
get one?

Speaker 5 (01:04:50):
And I've never heard what the answer is.

Speaker 16 (01:04:54):
Yeah, I know some some sort of revenue share or something.
I don't know the answer either mode, but I know
the jectory that the NFL is on versus the trajectory
that the Major League Baseball is on. You know it's
not competitive. Yeah, major League going the way of Tennis.

Speaker 6 (01:05:12):
Maybe, But I don't know that that has to do
with financial equity. The Kansas City Chiefs have made the
Super Bowl five of the last six years. Has the
AFC been competitive? But I mean like in a salary
cap league. One team has been to the Super Bowl
in one half of the league in five of the
six years, so so the salary cap has obviously not

(01:05:33):
guaranteed competitive balance.

Speaker 16 (01:05:37):
No, there's a lot of luck to be involved in it.
Hidting Patrick Mahomes instead of John Ross might have might
have helped the Bengals a little bit.

Speaker 6 (01:05:45):
I mean, I would argue, I would argue we have
more parody in baseball right now. We're just over the
last quarter century. We've seen the Kansas City Royals make
consecutive World Series. We've seen the Tampa Bay Rays go
to the postseason time and again. The Milwaukee Brewers are
a small and success. There's randomness to the postseason. They
haven't made the World Series, but they've got a shot
every year. As a Reds fan, I'll take that. Put

(01:06:08):
me in October in seven of eight years, and I'll
roll the dice. The Saint Louis Cardinals and not a
big market, just ran the National League Central for a
quarter century. I refuse to subscribe to the belief that
a team gets a pass because it's a small market team.
I will absolutely acknowledge that the Dodgers have advantages that
the Reds do not. Fine, but other teams find ways

(01:06:32):
to be more competitive on an annual basis than the
Reds have for thirty years despite having that advantage work
against him.

Speaker 16 (01:06:39):
Yeah, the Reds have been embarrassing. But I will say
that there's a little kid out there somewhere who absolutely
loves the Reds and absolutely loves Ellie da la Cruz,
and he's not going to get to watch him play
for his team in a few years because of this.

Speaker 6 (01:06:56):
Sure, but having a salary cap isn't going to guarantee
that Dela Cruz stays in Cincinnati.

Speaker 16 (01:07:04):
No, but it gives us a better shot at it.

Speaker 5 (01:07:05):
It might give him a better shot.

Speaker 6 (01:07:07):
But but I mean, players change teams all the time
in the NBA, it's kind of a league defined by
player movement. Players changed teams all the time in the NFL.
So and and by the way, like I'll swing it
back to what I said a few minutes ago. If
if you say, well, baseball needs a salary cap, and
they're willing to give players earlier free agency, which I
would bet they would want, and you've developed Eli Dela

(01:07:29):
Cruz and the nine year old kid has fallen in
love with him. Instead of enjoying Eli Dela Cruz for
six years now, he's going to enjoy him for four.

Speaker 5 (01:07:37):
But hey, he's got a salary cap.

Speaker 16 (01:07:41):
I think we'd have a chance to sign him after
four years if if we had that. Yeah, but Dal
Stewart or any of these guys, I mean, you know,
it's tough to see. First of all, a lot of
times we keep players in the minors because we don't
want to start their flock.

Speaker 5 (01:07:55):
No doubt.

Speaker 16 (01:07:55):
Don't agree with that either.

Speaker 6 (01:07:56):
No, no doubt, no, But but I mean like, but okay,
so now out in the NFL, we have a salary
cap league, right, and then teams have to be broken
apart because you can't pay them all. Right, Bengals have
a salary cap. Right, Bengals have a salary cap, and well,
you know, I mean for you gotta let good players
walk because you can't pay them all.

Speaker 5 (01:08:15):
Because there's a salary cap. You got to fit them
all out of this.

Speaker 6 (01:08:18):
Now, you know, it's a different sport because one guy
is going to occupy so much of the payroll. That's
not necessarily going to be as much of the case
in baseball if you had a cap. But we have
players that have to move teams all the time because
teams can't afford them because they can't fit them under
the cap. So let's just say you decide we want
to pay Elie de la Cruz and we want to
pay you know, one or two of these pitchers, and

(01:08:40):
then Sal Stewart hits you know, free agency, and it's, uh, oh,
we can't pay him because we can't fit him under
the cap. So having a salary cap, by no stretch,
is going to ensure that you have a better chance
to keep your kid's favorite players.

Speaker 5 (01:08:54):
Jim, I've enjoyed it immensely.

Speaker 6 (01:08:56):
Call again, man, thanks so much, All right away, Late
twenty three from five ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 7 (01:09:03):
You've been listening to Football in the NATI on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals. Cincinnati's
ESPN fifteen thirty. Traffic from the UC Health Traffic Center.

Speaker 8 (01:09:22):

Speaker 9 (01:09:30):
Call five one, three five eighty five.

Speaker 8 (01:09:32):
UCCC on eastbound two seventy five and accident blocks off
the right two lanes. That's on the Combs Hail Bridge.
Right now, traffic stomp and go back from three mile
up to an hour's worth of delays northbound four to
seventy one right lane blocked from a disabled vehicle on
the Big Mac Bridge.

Speaker 9 (01:09:49):
I'm at ezelic with traffic. This report is sponsored Bye.

Speaker 6 (01:09:52):
Try Dan Klaskin's host of Fantastics Insider Football on Sirius
XM Fantasy to talk fantasy football. Give us some fantasy
football advice, which I badly need.

Speaker 17 (01:10:04):
Dan.

Speaker 6 (01:10:04):
This week, my OH to four team is going up
against Richard Skinner's oh and four team should be an
absolute fantasy football classic, some battle of.

Speaker 18 (01:10:14):
The football brains, right there, no doubt about it. You know,
the toilet Bowl usually comes at the end of the season.
You guys are getting an extra special treat early.

Speaker 6 (01:10:25):
Yes, and by the way, I have the second most
amount of points in the division I'm in. But I'm
oh and four. This is not my fault. I'm abdicating
myself a responsibility for this.

Speaker 18 (01:10:36):
There we go, There we go. Well, you get an
Adda boy for that, mo you get an ATA.

Speaker 5 (01:10:39):
Boy, Thank you so much.

Speaker 6 (01:10:41):
The key this time of years, you got to navigate
bye weeks, which begin in week five.

Speaker 18 (01:10:46):
Yes, no doubt about it. There's bye week blues kicking
in four teams on by this week, the Falcons, the Bears,
the Packers, the Steelers. Make sure they're out of your lineups.
But we got by and eight of the next nine
weeks outside of Thanksgiving week and week thirteen you got
three weeks, but three buys. You got Week eight stix
byes by mcgeddon, whatever you want to call it, it's

(01:11:07):
definitely something worth playing before and here there's some helpful
tips to deal.

Speaker 13 (01:11:11):
With bye weeks.

Speaker 18 (01:11:12):
Plan ahead, not too far ahead. You don't need to
be worrying about week eleven right now because things change
pretty quickly. But definitely looking ahead these next couple.

Speaker 13 (01:11:20):
Of weeks not a bad idea.

Speaker 18 (01:11:21):
Watch the wire. My favorite part of bye week starting
up are players and fantasy managers. They're being forced in
the cutting players they don't want to. So be sure
to stay on that transaction wire each day of the week.
And then, obviously, as these bye weeks start coming, as
you make trade for players, you know, if a guy's
already threw is by, that's one last game you'll have

(01:11:43):
to miss after you acquire. So keep all those things
in mind.

Speaker 6 (01:11:46):
All right, let's start with some critical Week five injuries
beginning in New York.

Speaker 18 (01:11:53):
Yes, oh my goodness. Actually let's start with tonight's game. O.
I shifted that on your sense the notes, because I mean,
we got to talk about the forty nine ers. It's
the end of your report.

Speaker 2 (01:12:02):
It should all be.

Speaker 13 (01:12:05):
Tonight.

Speaker 18 (01:12:06):
There's no Brock party, there's no Juwan Jennings, there's no
Ricky pearsall. It's Christian McCaffrey time and pray and hope.
But they're almost ten point Dogs, So the forty nine
ers very dicey.

Speaker 2 (01:12:18):
This week.

Speaker 18 (01:12:18):
You mentioned the Giants the buzz kill of the week
with Malik Neighbors and suffering that gruesome knee injury ending
his season. Right when the Giants get their young quarterback
off the bench and things are looking exciting Giants fans,
I mean they can relate to U s Bengal fans,
I think quite a bunch. But fantasy managers dealing with
life without him turn to guys like Darius Layton whatnot.

(01:12:40):
But Tyreek Hill another season ending injury there, so he's
out for the Dolphins. And my wife, Kelly, you think
you got it most she had Molik Neighbors and Tyreek
kill on. Oh, it was a rough week for her.

Speaker 11 (01:12:53):
Rough week.

Speaker 18 (01:12:53):
If you're waiting on Terry mclaughin two, I'm not sure
the Commanders are getting that wide out back. They are
trending though, to get back quarterback Jayden Dangles with his
knee issue. So we get one of the best fantasy
quarterbacks back, right when we lose one of the best
fantasy quarterbacks and if not the best fantasy quarterback, Lamar
Jackson out this week, probably multiple weeks with this knee issue.
I think he sits out through the by I don't
think we'll see him until week nine. Bucky Irving, the

(01:13:16):
running back we're all keeping our eyes on. Doesn't look
like a serious long term issue, but I don't expect
him to play this week. You can miss multiple weeks
as you're getting second opinions on his acorn foot issue.
Juba Hubbard. He didn't practice today. That's two days in
a row for the Panthers. I'm starting to get worried
about his status.

Speaker 11 (01:13:32):
Let's check that.

Speaker 18 (01:13:33):
Friday injury report. Rico Daddle. With all these injuries and
all these buys, If Twopa Hubbert's out, this guy's a
starting RB two potentially. Joe Mixon doesn't think I keep
coming back at all this season. I don't know what
happened there Mode, but I do know if he's sitting
on your fantasy bench, you can go ahead and cut him.
With Marx has arisen in that Texans back so they

(01:13:53):
really like the rookie guy. J Spears. He's trending in
the right direction towards the return. Might not be this week,
but hopefully soon. With the ankle, there's the Titans can
use him and Brailin out and the Jet's gonna be
without him. He's placed on IR. I expect Breife Hall
to get more volumes, so he's definitely seeing his fantasy
stock on the rise.

Speaker 6 (01:14:10):
Dan Klaskins is with us on Twitter at Dan Klaskin's
host of Fantastics Insider Football on Serious XM Fantasy. Give
me your Week five studs, duds and sleepers.

Speaker 18 (01:14:23):
Yes, sir, Let's finish and start here with our studs.
Marion Hampton. I am a little concerned. The Charger is
going to be without left tackle Joe Walt, so that
is problematic. They're already without their right tackle as well.
But man, with je Harris out for the season, it's
volume and that's what I like here For Hampton, he
had a twenty five plus fantasy points last week. I
expected to get close to twenty again this week. Versus

(01:14:45):
the Commanders. George Pickens also benefiting from injury Ceedee Lambs out.
He's really stepped up big time for the Cowboys. The
former Steeler really haven't heard a lot about his locker
room problem seeing any of the antics Alsborthkyan's production. He's
a top ten fantasy wide this week in the game,
I expect to be fool of fireworks for fantasy between
Dallas and the Jets. On the dud side, I know

(01:15:06):
Bo Nicks look like he should be in the Hall
of Fame when he played against the Bengals on Monday night,
but I don't expect the same results of Philadelphia, where
they actually have a defense. Bo Knicks outside my top
fifteen this week, which means all of his passing targets
down there as well. Outside the JK Dobbins. Not really
trusting too many Broncos in my starting lineup. We're gonna

(01:15:26):
sit te Higgins. I don't need to tell you why.

Speaker 13 (01:15:28):
It's pretty obvious you.

Speaker 18 (01:15:30):
Need a quarterback to have a receiver. T Higgins now
outside my top forty, which is really disappointing for what
was a third round pick. He needs to play his
way back into your lineups. And some sleepers. Love me
some Matthew Stafford tonight. I don't think it's going to
be huge numbers, but I do got him in the
top fifteen. I looked for him to throw for multiple
scores to defense with them. Nick Bosa also banged up

(01:15:51):
for the forty nine ers, and love me some Cam
statfho loved this dude when he was at Arizona State.
Didn't get enough shares of him in season long, but
now with the Giants back to belonging to him and
him alone, be it is in my top ten this week,
actually number twelve, so he said RB one this week
versus the Saints, who are better than any think it's
going to be a pretty good game here. I actually

(01:16:11):
think Skataboo ends up with twenty plus touches. That certainly
makes him fantasy valuable.

Speaker 6 (01:16:16):
Dan Klaskins is with us to talk about fantasy football. Also,
you're involved with something coming up on Saturday, November the eighth,
which will help honor America's veterans.

Speaker 18 (01:16:26):
Yeah, definitely, mo. I want to tell people about our
DAV five K. It's coming back. It's fourteenth annual year.
We're super excited about it. As you said, Saturday November
eighth at the Banks in Cincinnati. It's a race, walk,
a role all honoring America's veterans. And you can't make
it in person, you can still take part virtually all
November one wherever you are. The DAV five K supports
DAV We're a nonprofit here locally, but We help more

(01:16:50):
than a million veterans every year in life changing way
through our pre programs and services. It's really more than
a race. It's way just to thank the man and
women have served our country. And if you want to
learn more of sign up. We'd love to have you
there at dav five k dot org.

Speaker 13 (01:17:02):
The website to do.

Speaker 6 (01:17:03):
It, Saturday, November the eighth, dav five k dot org.

Speaker 5 (01:17:08):
Well chat next week. Thanks so much.

Speaker 18 (01:17:11):
All right, I hope you the best of luck playing skinny.
Somebody's got a way you got. You gotta end up.

Speaker 5 (01:17:16):
Pie, probably tie.

Speaker 6 (01:17:18):
Probably, That's that's how my life works. Yeah, yeah, Well
we'll see Dan. Thanks so much. Dan Klaskins follow on
Twitter at Dan Klaskins. Dylan Dingler a solo homer in
the top of the sixth inning for the Detroit Tigers,
giving them a two to one lead over Cleveland Game three,
decisive Game three of that AL Wildcard Series. Cubs and

(01:17:39):
Padres getting underway at the top of the hour, Brendiman
and Jones on baseball for the final time this year.

Speaker 7 (01:17:45):
Next Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 9 (01:17:51):

Speaker 8 (01:17:54):
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No one covers the Bengals like ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati.

Speaker 6 (01:18:40):
Sorts in forty five minutes and somebody told me, Hi,
what's up late forty hour? This is ESPN fifteen thirty
A bow egger, thanks for listening. It's the bud Light
five o'clock happy hour. You know, Bengals pep Rally bomps
O show on Fridays. So this is my Friday, so

(01:19:01):
this is my last hour that well, working Saturday and Sunday,
because that's what we do in this business, and I'd
have it no other way. Still, bud Light five o'clock.
Hap Yet you can go for a nice cold bud
Light right now. Probbably we'll have a few tonight sports
night too. He got the baseball, got an interesting Fursday
night football game despite all the San Francisco's injuries. Bud Light,

(01:19:25):
easy to drink, easy to enjoy. Jay Morrison coming up
in just a few minutes. We'll spend a few minutes
on the Bengals with him. I didn't get a chance
to get to this last hour, but I do want
to go back to December of twenty nineteen and compared
to what we saw on Monday night that here, in
just a bit, we have put a bow on the
Red season, which you know, they always faced a very

(01:19:48):
uphill battle and beating the Dodgers, they were gonna have
to play completely clean in the field.

Speaker 5 (01:19:54):
They did not.

Speaker 6 (01:19:55):
I thought that series was compromised when Nicko Lodolo had
to pitch in Game one sixty two. I thought it
took a nose dive when Hunter Green just did not
show up in Game one, and I thought the final
straw came in the sixth inning when they loaded the
bases down by one and couldn't get a run in,
with Elie de la Cruz fanning to end the six inning.
I also thought the Red's bottom of the order allowed
Yoshi Yamamoto to really kind of settle down after that

(01:20:19):
rough first inning. And the rough first inning was a
byproduct of an error by ti Oscar Hernandez. But I thought,
you know, once the Red score two runs, you could
feel Yamamoto settling in, and I think the offensive issues
at the bottom of the order allowed him to settle in.
And so now we look ahead, you know, like Sal Stewart,

(01:20:40):
you can't help but wonder what does the make of
this team look like had they called him up earlier?
And that is a player who you're obviously excited to
be on the team next year. But like where like
one of the things that happened this season that totally
killed them was Christian and Karnasi on Strand. I don't
even want to say turn into a pumpkin, just that

(01:21:00):
may be what he is, a four to a player,
a bench bat like he was by now supposed to
be like the starting first basement of this team. Maybe
getting some d Jack bats. So what they do at
first base, your guess is as good as mine. Maybe
it's going to be Sal Stewart. His natural position, if
you will, is third base. You have an offensive zero

(01:21:20):
out there. And I asked this after the trade deadline. Look,
keep Brian Hayes. I kind of wish he would have
charged that ball he let just roll over to third
base last night. But as a defensive player was magnificent.
But how good does his defense have to be for
you to put that bat in the lineup every day
when it gives you next to nothing? So this team

(01:21:44):
has to be better offensively next year. Do you just
go into the offseason thinking third base is going to
be an offensive zero?

Speaker 5 (01:21:50):
Really?

Speaker 6 (01:21:52):
So you can make a case that they need a
whole new outfield. You can make a case they need
something different than what they have right now with both
corner infield spots. They have to get better production from
second base, they have to find protection for behind Ellie,
and they need more guys on base in front of Ellie.
Ellie himself has to perform better. I would really like

(01:22:14):
to think that next year we're not talking about where
he plays anymore because it's settled. Either he's a good, big,
leading shortstop who doesn't make as many errors, or he's
playing somewhere else. Like, there's still a lot of uncertainty.
So they made the postseason. That's not insignificant, that's tangible
proof of progress. It was a fun ride in September.

(01:22:37):
But to go from where they are to what they
need to be is going to require some work and
some really tough decisions. And we'll see if this front
office is up to the task. Eleven minutes after five o'clock,
we have folks waiting. I don't want to make them
wait any longer. Mike, go ahead. You're on ESPN fifteen
thirty and I finished small.

Speaker 5 (01:22:59):
For Can you take me off the speakerphone please?

Speaker 2 (01:23:03):
Oh it's not that.

Speaker 17 (01:23:04):
I was just coming back from the bathroom. I apologize. Hey,
thanks for putting me on. I appreciate.

Speaker 12 (01:23:12):
Well.

Speaker 6 (01:23:13):
Yeah, looking at your emails, you've seem like you've been
such a fan of the show so far that I
couldn't wait any longer.

Speaker 17 (01:23:19):
Yeah, you know, I'm a big sam though. I congratulated
Tony on his ACE anniversary today, but I said, hey, Tom,
I've been talking to Mo on the radio since two
thy ten. Sure, so he got a little ground. You

(01:23:40):
got to make up. Derek cowboys on his way.

Speaker 5 (01:23:43):
He and Austin are both on their way.

Speaker 17 (01:23:46):
Yeah, he was a little bit disgruntled today, but you know,
like that's why, Hey, U, you were talking to that
guy earlier about the salary cap and stuff, and I
bet you're I've bet you are in the camp of
thank God for Kirk Flood, right, thank you, thank you.

(01:24:07):
I don't know people know what that means.

Speaker 5 (01:24:09):
Should should be, should be in the Hall of Fame.

Speaker 17 (01:24:13):
Yep, great center fielder.

Speaker 6 (01:24:15):
Very very good player, but the central figure in bringing
free agency to baseball and subsequently all the professional sports.

Speaker 2 (01:24:23):
Yep.

Speaker 17 (01:24:25):
You can't getting back to the series tonight. You can't lose.
You can't give up eighteen rounds and two dams and
most anybody. And that's what's so perplexing, though, is that's
what we had our hopes riding on. Was it was
the pitching. And that's what got Niece of doggone frustrated?

Speaker 2 (01:24:47):
What what?

Speaker 17 (01:24:48):
What were you mad or just disappointed or how did
you feel about it?

Speaker 5 (01:24:52):
I don't think mad is the right word.

Speaker 9 (01:24:54):
I was.

Speaker 6 (01:24:54):
I was disappointed. I can't say that I was stunned,
you know again, Like on Sunday when I saw Nikolodolo
jogging in from the bullpen, my thought was, Okay, that's fine,
You've got to manage today thinking about today and nothing else.
But that is probably gonna hurt their chances of winning
Game two.

Speaker 5 (01:25:15):
And it's a best of.

Speaker 6 (01:25:16):
Free series, right, you know, you can only lose twice,
So that that amplified to me at least, that amplified
the pressure on Hunter Green, and he just wasn't up
to it. I mean, you know, Hunter, you know what
a big fan I am. You know what I think
he has meant to this team this year. But if
they were going to beat the LA Dodgers twice, chances
are those games we're going to be three to two

(01:25:38):
or four to three, a low scoring game.

Speaker 5 (01:25:41):
They were not going to win a slug fest.

Speaker 6 (01:25:42):
Hunter Green throwing batting practice on Tuesday night meant that
the only way the Reds were going to win that
game was going to be via slugfest. And that's that's
not how they're built, and it's not how they're built
against the team that can run at you, Blake Snell
and Yoshinobo Yamamoto. Now the Dodgers' bullpen is a mess,
which is I think at some point going to catch
up to him here in the postseason. But the way,

(01:26:04):
the way the Reds had a chance was they're starting pitching.
The starting pitching basically, uh remove them from having a
chance against the Dodgers well going forward.

Speaker 17 (01:26:15):
And I hate I know you hate to talk about
this because I do it too. Okay, next year, next year?
What are we gonna do next year?

Speaker 11 (01:26:22):
Next year?

Speaker 17 (01:26:22):
I've heard you say this, You you get aggravated with
that poled next year crap.

Speaker 5 (01:26:29):
But I but I don't now.

Speaker 6 (01:26:30):
I don't now, because that's where the conversation should go,
like what do they do that's better?

Speaker 5 (01:26:34):
What do they do that's next?

Speaker 17 (01:26:36):
But we got to get a we gotta figure out
a way to get a legit home run hitter, right,
everybody knows it. And do you and do you think
our pitching staff, for as good as it is, it's
just still a little bit young and we could use uh,
well singers on you. I'm just wondering that in his playoffs,
it looks like if we had a second, more season

(01:27:00):
starter you see it after Hunter's lost. Yeah, I could
be totally wrong, but what do you think you.

Speaker 5 (01:27:06):
Can never have enough pitching.

Speaker 6 (01:27:08):
I think though, that the pathway to get a bat
more likely involves I think them trading from one of
their trading from their surplus of pitching and moving one.

Speaker 5 (01:27:18):
Of those guys.

Speaker 6 (01:27:19):
They need a guy who can hit the ball out
of the ballpark, and if Sal Stewart can be one
of those guys, awesome. I don't know that you can
turn down the opportunity to get a thumper because you
think Sal Stewart, who's been in the big leagues for
a month, is going to hit thirty home runs for you.
But they just need better offense top to bottom. It's
not like they were a great team getting on base.

(01:27:41):
Their two hole production this year was the worst in
the sport. That was supposed to be Matt McClain. That's
got to be fixed because, yeah, you want a guy
who can hit the ball out of the ballpark, but
I don't want thirty solo home runs. You want more
traffic on the base pass. I think they have to
figure out what they want to be in terms of
their offensive identity because they stop stealing bases this year

(01:28:02):
below league average and stolen base rate. They were below
league averaging on base percentage, they were below league averaging
home runs. So it's one thing if you're you know what,
we don't have a thumper, but we're gonna be more
aggressive on the bases.

Speaker 5 (01:28:13):
We're gonna run more.

Speaker 6 (01:28:14):
We've got a lot of high on base percentage guys.
Neither ended up being the case this year, and so
I'm kind of curious, all right, who's your thumper that's
gonna protect Ellie? But are they gonna have more guys
who are good at getting on base next season? Are
they gonna have better production from the two spot?

Speaker 5 (01:28:30):
Can they move.

Speaker 6 (01:28:31):
Forward with the lack of outfield productivity we saw this
year where you know, Austin Hayes was okay, but you
can do better than that.

Speaker 5 (01:28:40):
TJ. Friedel's a nice player. You can do better than that.

Speaker 6 (01:28:44):
God knows they can do better than the production they
got topped about him in right field? Is Noel ve
Marte really the answer out there? Does he plays center field?
Are they gonna have more depth where we're not watching
Jacob Hertebes and Blake donn in a revolving door of
like you know, for a play in the outfield, Like
there's there's some really really important things that have to
be addressed. But I'm with you. I think you start

(01:29:06):
with a guy who can hit it out of the yard.
But I'm not sure that by itself is the only
remedy for their offense.

Speaker 17 (01:29:15):
You know what I was thinking, the reincarnation of Kevin Mitchell.

Speaker 6 (01:29:19):
Well, Kevin Mitchell fortunately is not dead, so we don't
need the reincarnation. But yes, I would take a guy. Mike,
thank you was always I gonna run iou. I would
take some version of that. It goes without saying Jay
Morrison next to ESPN fifteen.

Speaker 7 (01:29:32):
Thirty Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty traffic from.

Speaker 8 (01:29:38):
The UC Health Traffic Center. The UC Cancer Center offers
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(01:29:59):
the Double A Highway on northbound seventy one after redbank
use caution reports of debris in the right lane.

Speaker 9 (01:30:06):
I'm at e Zelk with traffic. This report is sponsored
by Express.

Speaker 7 (01:30:10):
This is Football in the Natti, brought to you in
part by Postman Law and Vice Skyline Chile on ESPN
fifteen thirty to the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 6 (01:30:22):
Jane Morrison joins us on Thursdays Bengals Talk dot Com,
also part of the Growler Podcast with Paul Dayner Junior.
If if you want to read something really sobering, good
to Bengals Talk dot Com and.

Speaker 5 (01:30:37):
Read about what the Bengals are in jeopardy of doing.

Speaker 6 (01:30:41):
If they get beaten by the Detroit Lions on Sunday,
which pretty much everybody thinks is going to happen. So
let's Jay. It's nice to have you as always. So
in the aftermath of Monday night, I guess the question
is now what.

Speaker 19 (01:30:55):
Get back on the horse, get back to work. And
I mean there's no other answer. This is ah, this
is not the kind of game you can put your
head down and pout and they've they've got to come out.

Speaker 13 (01:31:06):
It's been interesting.

Speaker 19 (01:31:07):
I was I was really interested to see, you know,
yesterday they had a night walk through and they were
free to go after that. They had had all their
meetings done and everything and so By the time Jake
Browning was done with his press conference, we walked in
the locker room into it goes down. Nobody's in there.
They'd all gone home for the night. So today was
really the first day we got a chance to kind
of take the pulse of the locker room and talk

(01:31:28):
to some of the leaders. And it was it was
It was what you would want to see. And hear
Jamar talking about addressing the team after the loss and
telling people we wants to see them get mad and
angry and and not just take the loss. And Ted
Carris was pretty about as animated as I've seen him

(01:31:48):
since since he's been here. Whether that translates to Sunday,
I don't know, but it does seem like they are
in the right state of mind to get the same
turn around.

Speaker 5 (01:31:56):
Who are the leaders of the team on defense, Yeah.

Speaker 19 (01:32:00):
That's a great question. I mean, Logan Wilson is just
he's been here for a long time, he's respected. He's
maybe not playing like the kind of what you would
expect from a leader. You know, he's getting a little
bit older, but that there is a major absence there
on that side of the ball. I mean, they voted

(01:32:23):
Trey Hendrickson a captain, but he's just kind of in
his own little world and I don't know what he's
like in meetings and that type of thing, but he's
he's not the one that's working in the locker room.
He's rarely in the locker room when we're in there,
and I think that's more product of us than his teammates,
but it is. That's that's an area where they are lacking.
And that's another thing, just not not just defense, but

(01:32:46):
everybody focuses on what Joe Burrow can do as the
player and the loss of him in that regard, but
he's the one guy that was the vocal guy that
was getting in guys' faces and really stepped into that role,
and losing him in that role as a leader, it's
almost as important as losing him on the field as

(01:33:06):
a player. So there's there's some voids there and they're
looking for guys to step up. And I'm not sure,
you know, we kind of talked about on the podcast today,
who do you want to build around on that defense?
There's not a lot of answers.

Speaker 6 (01:33:20):
How long is Jake Browning's leash, whether it be in
terms of finding a guy from elsewhere or just seeing
if Brett Rippon could do any better.

Speaker 19 (01:33:31):
Well, if it's the latter, If it's if your answer
is gonna be Brett RiPP and I think the leash
is a little bit longer. If it's going out and
getting someone somewhere else, I think it's it's shorter. I
think it's something they have to be open to, especially
if Sunday looks like the last two weeks. If they

(01:33:52):
come out and they getting a shootout with the Lions
and they still lose, I think that changes things. But
if this offense is as dreadful as it's been the
last two weeks on Sunday, I think they really have
to start considering it because at some point you.

Speaker 2 (01:34:04):
Wait too long. If they don't beat.

Speaker 19 (01:34:06):
Detroit, does anybody think they're going to go to Green
Bay and women? Does anybody have a lot of confidence
they're going to beat Pittsburgh all of a sudden, you're
two and five. Is it worth it at that point
to give up assets and try to go get a
quarterback and get somebody in here and get this thing
turned around. If they're gonna go out and get somebody else,
it needs to happen soon and Sunday might be the
determining factor.

Speaker 5 (01:34:25):
I think that's the fear.

Speaker 13 (01:34:27):
You know.

Speaker 6 (01:34:27):
I think a lot of us came out of that
Denver game not so much thinking about, all right, you know,
how do they survive these next few weeks?

Speaker 5 (01:34:34):
But but how bad? How bad is this going to get?

Speaker 6 (01:34:38):
And if it gets as bad as we all fear,
what's what's that going to mean for coach? What's what's
that going to mean for the staff? What's that going
to mean for the direction of this organization?

Speaker 19 (01:34:48):
Yeah, it's there's gonna be some tough questions. Because we
talked about it even last year when they fired Lou
that you only get to do that once. Blow it up,
find escapegoat. If things go south this year, it could
be Zach on the chopping block. And I don't know
that he gets a path with Burrow being heard because
they've he's already proven it once. He had a winning

(01:35:09):
record when Burrow got hurt two years ago. So if
this thing goes super south, I do think that he
would be in jeopardy of not coming back. I don't
think it's going to happen in the mid season. It
makes no sense. There's nobody on this staff with head
coaching experience. You're not going to be better by by
promoting a rookie head coach. And even if it's like it,
it was someone like dam Pitchery. He's never even been

(01:35:30):
a play caller before. So I don't think anything's going
to happen in season. But if this thing does go
the way a lot of people see it going, then
there could be a change at the end of the year.

Speaker 6 (01:35:39):
This is this is not the conversation I thought we'd
be having right now about a month ago.

Speaker 5 (01:35:46):
Jay, awesome as always, Man, Thanks so much.

Speaker 13 (01:35:49):
Okay, thank him.

Speaker 6 (01:35:50):
That's our man, Jay Morrison read them Bengals Talk dot
Com and part of the Growler podcast with Paul Daaner Junior.

Speaker 5 (01:35:57):
I believe we.

Speaker 6 (01:35:58):
Are guests free the rest of the way five I
have won three seven four nine, fifteen thirty and eight
sixty six seven two three seven seven six. We do
have a pole question or pole questions come your way.
They're on Twitter thanks to United Heartland Insurance. You know
it's it's October Q four Q four, as we say
in the corporate world, Q four and so Q four

(01:36:19):
you started thinking about well insurance right, any kind of
insurance home car, boat, motorcycle, life house, you name it well.
United Heartland Insurance can help you save boatloads of money.
Find out more uhi ns dot com. Considering the entire
body of work, regular season and postseason, how would you

(01:36:42):
assess Terry Francona's job performance this season?

Speaker 5 (01:36:46):
Great? All right? Not good?

Speaker 9 (01:36:48):
Or awful?

Speaker 5 (01:36:50):
Right now? Alright leads the way with sixty four percent.
Vote Now at Mullleger here, I'll retweet myself. I might
pin it.

Speaker 6 (01:37:00):
No sports headlines and looking back on December twenty nineteen.

Speaker 7 (01:37:04):
Next, you've been listening to football in the NATI brought
to you by Cincinnati Tax Resolution powered by Tope Sheldon
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty Traffic from.

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(01:37:49):
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Speaker 9 (01:37:54):
I'm at ezelic with.

Speaker 5 (01:37:55):
Traffic this report.

Speaker 2 (01:37:58):
Did someone say calf fight?

Speaker 4 (01:38:00):
Sorry, that's the first thing that came into my mind.

Speaker 2 (01:38:03):
Well, let's move on.

Speaker 4 (01:38:04):
Detroit rolls into Cincinnati to take on our beloved Bengals.
Will the Orange and Black send the Lions back up
I seventy five with their tail between their legs? Catch
the goal live from Dan Hord and Dave Lapon. Coverage
starts Sunday at twelve node stream for free on the
new and improved iHeartRadio app for ESPN fifteen thirty, the

(01:38:25):
official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 6 (01:38:28):
Our headlines are a service to Kelsey's Chevrolet Home of
lifetime powertrain protection and guaranteed credit approval from the family
to yours for life kelseyshev dot Com. The Bengals are
getting sent to play the Detroit Lions in a game
that does not feel like a Super Bowl preview. It'll
kick off at four to twenty five Sunday. You just

(01:38:49):
heard the guy with the deep voice pregame coverage with
me and Tony at the Holy Grail starting at noon.

Speaker 5 (01:38:54):
You want to injury report, here you go.

Speaker 6 (01:38:56):
Charlie Jones, now go again, Shamar Stewart, No go again,
No offense full, which is good news coming out of
concussion protocol. BJ Hill limited, Daxhil that they're saying rest
and knee non injury related limited today, Matt Lee limited
as well the Roundtable Show tonight at six from Long
Necks Richwood on seven hundred w WELW starring Lance and Rocky.

(01:39:17):
Thursday Night Football Tonight, Rams and Niners that is on
Fox Sports. Thirteen to sixty wheels have come off for
the Guardians in Cleveland Detroit, putting a four spot on
the board in the seventh inning, and Tigers lead Game three,
the final game of that series six' to, One guardians
coming to the plate in the bottom of the. Eighth

(01:39:39):
winner of that game will take on The Seattle mariners
in The Alds padres And cubs playing right now At Wrigley,
field bottom.

Speaker 5 (01:39:47):
Two The cubs.

Speaker 6 (01:39:49):
Lead The cubs do not lead the game of, scoreless
but The cubs have guys on second and.

Speaker 5 (01:39:52):
Third nobody.

Speaker 6 (01:39:53):
Out winner of that series advances to Play milwaukee and The.
Yankees And Red sox played tonight In New. York first
pitch at eight. Pm, obviously the winner of that series,
advances and we'll take on The Toronto Blue.

Speaker 5 (01:40:06):
Jays there you, go, uh you AND i the rest
of the. Way, wow we have full. Lines.

Speaker 6 (01:40:12):
Unbelievable try to get, everybody everybody we can. In, bob go,
ahead thanks for hanging.

Speaker 5 (01:40:18):
On what's?

Speaker 12 (01:40:19):
Up?

Speaker 3 (01:40:20):
Hey, well how you?

Speaker 5 (01:40:21):
Doing i'm. Wonderful how about? Yourself?

Speaker 20 (01:40:24):
Well actually. GOOD i just kind of out of the
hospital day or so, ago But i'm.

Speaker 5 (01:40:28):
Doing what's going?

Speaker 11 (01:40:29):
On?

Speaker 5 (01:40:29):
Man is everything? Okay?

Speaker 11 (01:40:31):
Yeah everything's.

Speaker 20 (01:40:32):
GOOD i had a low blood sugar. Thing i've had
diabetes for fifty, years but gotcha one smart enough to
catch on with. It but, no everything's good. Man, Hey first,
off tomorrow, NIGHT i Got Eric church Buddy.

Speaker 5 (01:40:46):
Refereena, Yeah i'm. JEALOUS i WISH i was.

Speaker 20 (01:40:48):
Going well we we'd love to see you, there BUT
i wish well listen to him.

Speaker 2 (01:40:57):
INSTEAD i.

Speaker 5 (01:40:58):
UNDERSTAND i.

Speaker 6 (01:40:58):
WISH i WISH i was my original plan when that
show was. ANNOUNCEMENT i would be there tomorrow, night but
other obligations have pulled me in that.

Speaker 20 (01:41:09):
DIRECTION i got, you, hey you guys were talking About
Kurt flood a few minutes, ago and of, course being
a former, CARDINAL i have some fond memories Of Kurt.
Flood but the guy who really needs to be in
The hall Of FAME mo is a guy who's still talked,
about probably more than any ballplayer on a regular basis than.

(01:41:31):
Anyone and his name Is Tommy. John For Tommy John
surgery won two and eighty eight games in his. Career
mode to eighty, eight.

Speaker 5 (01:41:44):
You will have no argument for.

Speaker 20 (01:41:45):
Me for just the surgery, ALONE i mean the you,
know the guts to have that thing done and all that.

Speaker 5 (01:41:55):
Stuff i'm, like my, god how was that guy not
in pitch twenty six?

Speaker 6 (01:42:00):
Seasons Tommy john aded dramatically in the mid seventies By
Tommy John surgery pitched until he was forty six years
old and pitched. Effectively he was An All. Star he's
a guy who never gave up home. RUNS I i
should probably well know don't care too much about pitcher
wins and, losses but he does have two hundred and

(01:42:22):
eighty eight. Wins as you, MENTIONED i would have us
it meant.

Speaker 11 (01:42:27):
A whole lot more back in those days.

Speaker 5 (01:42:29):
Too there's pitchers pitch deeper into.

Speaker 20 (01:42:31):
Games, Absolutely Bob gibson has more complete games than he has.

Speaker 11 (01:42:36):
Losses, Yes.

Speaker 20 (01:42:41):
But you know, what you guys were talking about one other,
thing and it made me think about the year That
Trent green went down with the injury for The rams
and they brought up this guy Named Kurt warner who
turned out to be pretty. Good it was, okay, yes, yeah,

(01:43:01):
Yeah AND i you, KNOW i know that's one of
those rare things that happened that that you, know, nobody
nobody ever sees.

Speaker 6 (01:43:11):
Coming but my, favorite my favorite Non bengals team of
all time was the greatest show on. TURF i love that. Era,
YEAH i love that. Era you, know they played The.
Bengals in, fact it was tomorrow's twenty six years ago.
Tomorrow they played a game At Riverfront stadium early in the.
Season Kurt warner kind of an unknown AND i Remember

(01:43:32):
Aza keem jumping over. DUDES i Remember Isaac bruce AND
i remember going like this is this is a brand
of Football i've never seen. Before and that stretch which
was fleeting. Right it was basically three, years you, know
played one to One Super, bowl lost the First Brady
Super bowl to The patriots at the end of The
all one. Season that is my favorite Non bengals team
of all. Time like, that that era of football with

(01:43:55):
the greatest show on turf In Saint louis was just
unlike ANYTHING i had ever.

Speaker 11 (01:43:59):
Seen amo, here, listen listen to this. Story.

Speaker 20 (01:44:03):
Man this is the first year THAT i worked for The. Titans,
okay nineteen ninety. Nine, yeah and the fourth or fifth
game of the year we played The rams In nashville
and The titans, Won and of course that year the
two met in The Super. Bowl and HERE i, am

(01:44:24):
my first of ten years with The, titans And i'm
rooting for The.

Speaker 5 (01:44:28):
Rams you were you were rooting against the?

Speaker 11 (01:44:31):
Team you, were absolutely, Yeah but you, KNOW i mean.

Speaker 5 (01:44:36):
Did your coworkers know?

Speaker 13 (01:44:37):
That?

Speaker 16 (01:44:39):
Uh, well you know.

Speaker 20 (01:44:40):
WHAT i only worked really with THE pa, Guy, okay
so he knew. It but you, know beyond, HIM i,
mean there weren't there weren't here in the course of the.
Game you talk to a few folks here and, there
and you, know people you'd meet before and, afterwards but.

Speaker 11 (01:44:57):
You, know beyond, That, no not, really.

Speaker 20 (01:45:02):
But BUT i, UH i always thought that that was
one of the funnier things that HERE i am working
for these guys and rooting for those other.

Speaker 6 (01:45:11):
GUYS i WOULD i would imagine that in the in THE,
uh in the in the, profession in the industry of pro,
sports that happens on a somewhat regular. BASIS, BOM i gonna, run,
man thanks so. Much all, right, well, thanks all, right
have a have a great, day have a great. Weekend, Uh,
josh go, ahead you're ON espn fifteen. Thirty, Hi, josh.

Speaker 18 (01:45:33):
It's good to talk to.

Speaker 5 (01:45:34):
YOU i, Worry i'm wonderful. YOURSELF i can't.

Speaker 17 (01:45:37):
Complain i'll say seven out of, Ten, okay not?

Speaker 5 (01:45:40):
Bad they not.

Speaker 11 (01:45:42):
Bad.

Speaker 3 (01:45:42):
Yeah the couple of things.

Speaker 21 (01:45:45):
Here the uh the guy that called, earlier he was
making some really good points about the.

Speaker 13 (01:45:50):
Salary.

Speaker 21 (01:45:50):
CAT i tend to side with you and THAT i
don't think that's the. ANSWER a couple of THINGS i
would do to try to make, it, HONESTLY i would
institute a salary floor like THE nfl. Has that, way
you don't get teams like The marlin spending sixty seven
million on their roster and Then dodgers spending you know,

(01:46:11):
whatever they spent upwards of three hundred.

Speaker 17 (01:46:13):
Million there needs to be a.

Speaker 21 (01:46:15):
Floor it can be. Done you can win in a small.
Market The Kansas City royals did it ten years. Ago
you have to, draft you have to, Develop you have
to have an ownership group that cares about, winning which
in The red, CASE i don't think they, do considering
the ownership of the team looked you in the face

(01:46:36):
a few years ago and said they weren't.

Speaker 18 (01:46:38):
Interested so.

Speaker 3 (01:46:42):
But it can be.

Speaker 21 (01:46:42):
DONE i don't think the cap is the big issue.
Here LIKE i, SAID i would institute a salary floor
and correct.

Speaker 5 (01:46:49):
Me If i'm.

Speaker 21 (01:46:49):
Wrong don't the individual teams in baseball have to negotiate
their own media, Deals.

Speaker 5 (01:46:55):
Yes Which Rob manford to a large degree is trying to.

Speaker 6 (01:46:58):
Change And i'm not sure that's a bad, thing but,
yes Major League, baseball that.

Speaker 17 (01:47:03):
Needs to be.

Speaker 21 (01:47:03):
Changed, yeah because you need you need to be able
to get one big deal and then split the loop.
Evenly because The reds in The valley situation that that
has hampered.

Speaker 6 (01:47:12):
Us uh, sure, YEAH i, mean when when you've had
and the regional sports network model has had better, days
we'll put it that. Way but when you have you,
know the The yankees and The mets and and others
who can start their own television networks and and and
collect all that, money all the revenue from owning those

(01:47:33):
television networks are at least a part of.

Speaker 5 (01:47:35):
It it does it widens the.

Speaker 6 (01:47:38):
Gap it widens the gap that was already there between
a big market and small.

Speaker 21 (01:47:42):
MARKET i understand that's the bigger issue to me than the.
Cap you, know things like that switching gears as part
of The. BENGALS i know J morrison just kind of
hit on. It i'm truly afraid that ownership is going
to give that more time under.

Speaker 3 (01:47:58):
The guise of, well got injured.

Speaker 6 (01:48:02):
FEELING i think that fear is uh is. LEGITIMATE i
Think Joe burrow getting injured and not being available Cuts
Zach taylor some. Slack it does not give him a,
pass at least for.

Speaker 2 (01:48:15):
Me you, know.

Speaker 6 (01:48:16):
You you could acknowledge that you don't have the quarterback you.
Want that limits your ability to, win but that doesn't
excuse you for having your team unprepared and what or
not having solutions to problems that other teams or that
your your team itself. Presents H and, so like WHAT
i watched On monday, Night Tony pike has done a

(01:48:38):
marvelous job of pointing out Where Jake browning's deficiencies cost the.
Team he has to play, better and it is completely
fair to wonder would they be better with almost anybody,
else but remove that from.

Speaker 5 (01:48:51):
It that team On monday night looked.

Speaker 6 (01:48:53):
UNPREPARED i think the worst thing you could say about
an athlete is that he or she quit in, Competition
AND i think the worst thing you could say about
a coach is that his or her team is. Unprepared
WHAT i saw On monday was a horrible reflection Of Zach,
taylor AND.

Speaker 21 (01:49:09):
I think they've given up on the. MAN i, Mean
Jamar chase said it himself in the post. GAME i,
mean you don't make comments like. That IF i think
he's lost the locker. ROOM i Think.

Speaker 11 (01:49:19):
James.

Speaker 21 (01:49:19):
RIGHT i, MEAN i don't think they're going to fire
a mid, season although there's plenty of owners of. WOULD
i just feel like he's going to get a. Pass
it sure looks more and more game and game. Like
burrow is fighting a lot of coaching. Deficiencies it's becoming very.

Speaker 6 (01:49:38):
Apparent, yeah coaching, deficiencies roster, deficiencies front office, deficiencies AND
i just what they're doing is not. Sustainable it may
work in a given, week it may work for a.
Month it may work for an entire, season although it
didn't last. Year what they're doing putting everything on, him
which means he's got to stay. Healthy this is it's not. Sustainable,

(01:50:02):
josh thanks very.

Speaker 9 (01:50:03):
Much.

Speaker 13 (01:50:05):
Thank.

Speaker 21 (01:50:05):
You you.

Speaker 6 (01:50:06):
Know there was a night twenty, TWENTY i think BEFORE
i accidentally MISTAKENLY i, SAID i guess said twenty, nineteen twenty,
Twenty Joe burrows rookie.

Speaker 5 (01:50:14):
Year he got hurt.

Speaker 6 (01:50:17):
And income The Pittsburgh steelers For Monday night football on
an evening where we thought they were gonna get. Destroyed
The bengals came into that game with a record of
two ten and one.

Speaker 5 (01:50:31):
And The steelers had a.

Speaker 6 (01:50:33):
Record they were not entirely in free, fall but they
were starting to show. Cracks but that was a team
at that season at one point was eleven or. Zero
they lost a couple of games in a. Row then
they came To cincinnati to take On Ryan finley and The.
Bengals The bengals won that. Night Ryan finley wasn't great

(01:50:55):
by any remote stretch of the. Imagination he completed seven
pass but The bengals won the game twenty seven to.
Seventeen AND i remember that night Thinking bengals might have their.
Coach they were two and fourteen the year. Before they

(01:51:15):
were not very good that. Season they weren't great Before
joe got injured at the end Of. November BUT i
remember that game that night thinking they have a coach
who figured out away with nothing really to play, for
with the franchise still reeling from the aftermath Of joe
suffering an injury that ended his rookie season against a better,

(01:51:37):
team hall of fame coach on the other, sideline washed
up but hall of fame quarterback on the other, team
and they he figured out a way to piece together
a game plan that had the team ready to play that.
Night what they did On monday was the antithesis of,

(01:52:02):
that having a team handicap by not having their starting,
quarterback having a team handicap by a roster that just
doesn't have a lot of very good.

Speaker 5 (01:52:14):
Players there just aren't a ton of.

Speaker 6 (01:52:16):
Them but a head coach who before has found ways
to piece together enough of a plan and get his
team just prepared enough to go and compete could not
do it On. Monday and so when that happened in twenty,

(01:52:39):
TWENTY i thought like they got their. Guy seeing the
exact opposite makes me think they no longer have their.
Guy so that's Why Zach taylor's in my. Crossairs, yes
cut him some slack for not Having Joe. Burrow you
get no slack for not having your team. Prepared, actually

(01:53:00):
When i've seen you do it, Before i've seen you
do it with. Less by the, way they won the
next week with a different. Quarterback in twenty, TWENTY i
remember thinking that year like that's pretty damn good, coaching,
Man like that's this team has zilch to play.

Speaker 5 (01:53:13):
For neither of these guys are very good.

Speaker 6 (01:53:15):
Quarterbacks Ryan finley, NEVER i don't think he ever threw
a pass in ANOTHER nfl. Game i'm not sure he
ever appeared in AN nfl game after. That WHAT i
saw On monday night was the exact. Opposite WHAT i
saw In monday night was a coach that just threw
up his hands and had no. Answers now there's that
part of. It there's also the part where you look
at this roster is currently. Constructed they will take a

(01:53:36):
ton of heat For, hey look you Paid jamar and.
T one of my reasons for Paying tea was who
else you're gonna?

Speaker 5 (01:53:42):
Pay?

Speaker 6 (01:53:43):
Who else you're gonna give the money. To who else
are you stashing money aside to keep long? Term look
at this roster right. Now you might think they've misappropriated
money for T. Higgins you may think they're silly for
paying two wide. Receivers there's fair things to be said about.
That look at this team right. Now who else are
you putting aside money to? Keep look at the last

(01:54:03):
three draft?

Speaker 5 (01:54:04):
Classes?

Speaker 6 (01:54:05):
Huh you got a dude In Jermaine burton who never.
Plays third round pick from last. Year get a guy McKinley,
jackson fourth round pick last, year never plays in a
whole slew of draft classes that have yielded next to.
Nothing so this ain't just About Zach. Taylor it certainly
ain't just about not Having Joe. Burrow it is also
about a roster that has all sorts of. Issues AND

(01:54:26):
i think the really frustrating thing is we knew what
some of those issues would be because we saw the
same players create the same issues last, year and those
players are back this. Year so, yeah, Man, zach, dude
you gotta have your team ready to.

Speaker 5 (01:54:44):
Go you've done it before with. Less you didn't On. Monday.
NOW i wonder If you're the, Guy Duke.

Speaker 6 (01:54:50):
Tobyn you created, This you put this team. Together you
have a team full of guys That i'm not sure
have any foundational. Pieces i'm supposed to trust you to
get this fixed this coming off season with The Joe
burrow Clock ticken Oh, man gotta, Go we're Back Monday

(01:55:13):
twin peaks In, Westchester tony AND mo football Show bengals
Pep rally pushes us out of the way.

Speaker 5 (01:55:19):
Tomorrow have a great. Weekend thank you for.

Speaker 6 (01:55:23):
Listening anything you might have missed go find on The
iHeartRadio app and don't Forget we're The Holy grail On
Sunday tony AND i starting at noon Before Bengals. Lines
thanks To Tarren bland for Producing. TARRAN i hope you
enjoyed The. Wings have an awesome. Birthday thank you very.
Much have an awesome.

Speaker 5 (01:55:38):
Night have a great.

Speaker 6 (01:55:39):
Weekend this IS espn fifteen, Thirty Cincinnati Sports.

Speaker 2 (01:55:42):
Station.

Speaker 7 (01:55:47):
CINCINNATI'S espn fifteen Thirty traffic from.

Speaker 8 (01:55:52):
THE Uc Health Traffic. Center THE Uc Cancer center offers
personalized prostate cancer, care exclusive clinical trials and treatments you
won't find anywhere. Else call five one three five eighty FIVE.
Uccc an accident is now cleared on eastbound two seventy
five on The Combshail. Bridge all three lanes of, reopen
but still major delays back From Dixie highway on westbound

(01:56:15):
two seventy. Five another accident After Springfield pike that is
on the right SHOULDER i Met exelic with.

Speaker 9 (01:56:21):
Traffic this report is sponsored

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