Tony Pike's Cincy 360 -- 12/3/25

Tony and Austin talk Bengals / Bills, Crosstown Shootout, Kyle Schwarber to the Reds, check in with Mo Egger, and more on ESPN 1530!

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
This is Tony Pike sincey three sixty about Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
sponsored in part by Skyline Chili. Stop by Skyline Chili
for a three way or cheese cony today. Feeling good,
It's Skyline time. This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Good afternoon, Happy Wednesday. Welcome in. It is Cincy three sixty.
Thanks to our friends at Skyline Chili. Thank you for
listening on this the home of the Bengals. ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Our phone lines will be open
five one, three, seven, four nine, fifteen thirty. Sorry, they're

(00:45):
actually open right now, so you can give us a
call and we'll talk to you today. Outside of talking
to you today, we'll hear from Zach Taylor. He speaks
to the media today in his normal Wednesday press conference timeslot,
and we have two other press conferences that are happening
today that we'll get to an hour. Number three. The
Crossdown Shootout happens Friday night, and then Championship Weekend in

(01:07):
college football on Saturday, and then Bengals Bills on Sunday.
It's a huge sports weekend. But the Cintas Center will
be rocking on Friday night. We'll hear Richard Patino's comments
from today. You'll hear Wes Miller's comments from today. We'll
get those in the third hour. Can I interrupt of
today's show? Sure?

Speaker 3 (01:25):
Because it feels like there's a lot of smoke and
I don't know if there's fire or not all. But
have you seen this about Kyle Schwarber?

Speaker 2 (01:34):
I have from Ken Rosenthal.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
In Rosenthal, John Hayman, there is the word serious being
thrown around about the Reds and their interest in Kyle Schwarber.
And there is a potential interest or there is interest

(01:58):
in a return to Cincinnati from Kyle Schwarber. Now, these
are big time baseball people. We talked about Jeff Passing
that these aren't rumors. We're talking about Ken Rosenthal, We're
talking about John Hayman, people that know stuff in Major
League Baseball that keep linking the Reds to Kyle Schwarber. Now,

(02:23):
there are plenty of other teams still interested, as they
should be the guy hitting nine thousand home runs. But
doesn't it feel like this is a more serious This
is more than kicking the tires type of thing.

Speaker 2 (02:36):
That's what I was gonna say. I read the Ken
Rosenthal tweet, and I've seen other comments around it, and this,
this to me is more than just like local Cincinnati
media saying it can happen. This to me feels like
national again. This it's one of the most sought after

(02:59):
free agents from this class without a doubt, so hearing
not it just it makes it feel like there's actually
a chance. And again, as you mentioned Austin, there are
other teams interested.

Speaker 3 (03:14):
The Red Sox, the Orioles and how about John Hayman
reporting the Pittsburgh Pirates right among other teams. Could you
imagine what the vitriol would be from the Reds fan base, right,
if Kyle Schwarber was a Pittsburgh pirate, that would be
that might be the unforgivable sin for Mastelini's and for

(03:38):
Nick Crawl if that were to be the case.

Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, perr Ken Rosenthal, the Reds have serious interest. Schwarber
is interested in the potential homecoming. Its just imagine what
that does to the city and the fan base.

Speaker 3 (03:52):
I'm not gonna allow myself to get over I'm not
gonna be like convincing myself that, oh my gosh, Kyle's
going to be a Red They're really gonna do it.
But but I have to acknowledge that this is more than, oh,
the Reds are interested, There is mutual interest. It's more
than the Reds are serious. Like, what was it two

(04:15):
weeks ago? The Reds were interested in Devin Williams. That's
all we heard. Then he signs a three year, fifty
one million dollar deal with the New York Mets yesterday
or two days ago. Reds probably never really were in
the conversation for Devin Williams, but of course they were interested,
and that's what they're interested. Serious interest from both sides
makes it feel like it's a lot more possible.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
Right, likely is not the word I used, but possible possible.
I think it's a good way to go. I like
that from the Reds. Yeah. Now, I don't expect much,
but damn it's nice to at least think of what
could be.

Speaker 3 (04:50):
This is what I want to hear from my ball
club in the winter, exactly that they're serious about trying
to improve this team. Kyle Shwerber hit fifty six OH
runs last year, Three of them were against left hand
He's from Middletown. How much last year did we complain
about the fact that the Reds could not hit left
handed pitching.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
They couldn't hit anything.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
Kyle Schwarber could hit everything, including left hander.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
And like in this day and age where you talk
about the DH and the expanded role, it's not like
he's at the end of his career. No, he's got
plenty of time left and he's got plenty of power.
And oh, by the way, Austin, I think this gets
lost at times. This is a hitter friendly ballpark, regardless
of how the Reds play it. This is a ballpark

(05:32):
you can come to and hit home runs. Yeah. On
top of being from Middletown, that's probably also why there's
mutual interest because he probably thinks he can hit a
lot of home runs in Cincinnati.

Speaker 3 (05:40):
He probably thinks he could hit one to Kentucky and
I bet he could.

Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (05:45):
Could you imagine Elie de la Cruz protected in the
lineup by Kyle Schwarber.

Speaker 2 (05:50):
I'd like to. That'd be pretty cool, would I'd like to? Man?
We would?

Speaker 3 (05:57):
Okay, so let's let's talk lineups here now. Now I'm excited.
Would you lead off Ellie and go Schwarber in the
two hole probably? Or would you lead off Schwarber, which
is what the Phillies have been, and let Elli be
right behind Ellie in the probably lead off Schwarber. Okay,
that's I think that's how I would play it. I
feel like it would be better for Elizardo de la

(06:18):
Cruzo if Kyle Schwarber was hitting behind him.

Speaker 2 (06:22):
Man, this, see this, This is the problem. This is
a problem we are talking about. We're talking about lineups
based on interest, Yes, but my goodness, that's what happens
when separate hits.

Speaker 3 (06:34):
And right as we say that, right as we come up,
as the show starts, left hander Anthony k Oh is
in agreement on a two year, twelve million dollar contract
with the Chicago White Sox. So if Jerry Reinsdorf is
spending money, yep, And Jerry reins Dwarf hates to spend money,
it's time. If he's spending money, let's do it. It's

(06:57):
time to go get Kyle Schwarber.

Speaker 4 (06:58):
Bring.

Speaker 3 (06:59):
If the Pirates are trying to build around Paul Skins,
why can't we try to build around Hunter Green and
Elie de la Cruz and others.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
I'm just excited thinking about what the lineup could look like.
And you go back to this Austin. I know we
use the term a lot in sport. There's not there's
not this much smoke with actually something being talked about.
Some's got to be on fire, right, There's there's a
fire somewhere. It's got to be some warmth now at
some point now this is I would be more than
happy to break in at any point today with breaking

(07:27):
news with Kyle Schwarper, there is news in college football.
Pete Thamil is reporting that Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian
Hartline he'd expected to become the next coach at South Florida.
Good for him. OSU's offensive court, off off offensive play caller.
He's the play caller for the Buck Houst. He's also

(07:49):
he's also built a I think a reputation around college football.
Is one of the best wide receiver developers in all
of the game. It's not one of the best, he
is the best. NFL he has been trying to poach
him for years to be a wide receiver. This is
a dude who played in the NFL with the Dolphins
and Browns for a good chunk of time. He was
a fourth round pick out of Ohio State in that

(08:12):
two thousand and five draft. He's an Ohio guy through
and through, born and raised up there, and Canton went
to Glen Oak High School. This is an awesome dude
who is like, I don't even think Ohio State fans
are upset. I think people were worried because it's National
Signing Day and they lost a wide receiver earlier this
morning who flipped a four star from Ohio State to

(08:34):
USC and Chris Henry Junior. We were all waiting his decision.
Thankfully he decided to stick with the Buckeyes. So Chris
Henry Jr. Is still coming to Ohio State. But Brian Hartline,
We've talked about it before, the unique job that is
South Florida. You are in a rich.

Speaker 3 (08:58):
Rich, talent rich environment down there, and you've got dudes
that have to go to USF that think they should
be at Florida, that think they should be at Florida State,
that think they should be at one of the SEC schools,
and they come down there trying to prove a point.
And with the guy who develops and has the acumen
of one Brian Hartline and obviously his familiarity down there

(09:19):
with that part of the country in Florida, I mean
come on with it now, Brian Heartline, Good luck, man,
I'll be getting some USF gear. I love that guy.

Speaker 2 (09:26):
And it's not like that as like a program now
void of talent, right, I mean they had a very
good year this year. Yeah, good enough that their coach
is now the coach at Auburn. Yeah, right, like that.
There's something there playing an NFL stadium. Yeah, there's something
there with what they're building. I mean South Florida this
year they pulled off a nice run. They beat Boise State,

(09:46):
who was ranked open the year they beat Florida when
they were ranked. They did fall to Miami at Florida,
but I was a good South Florida team this year.
It makes me wonder. Austin and I know this is
a what if if you go back a couple of
years when the Bearcats made their move to Scott's Sodderfield,
do you think Heartline would have been interested then if
the Bearcats came knocking or do you think it was

(10:08):
just kind of the point in his tenure at Ohio
State where he's like, Okay, now I'm ready to move on. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (10:13):
I don't know that I would assume he would have
been interested. I mean It's not like if Scott Saderfield
gets fired today. The interest in the Bearcat program is
not nearly what it was when he was hired right
in the aftermath of Luke Fickle. It was as good
as it has ever been in terms of people wanting
to be there in the Big twelve looming and all

(10:34):
of that now little different. It's not the same at all,
and obviously with the financial concerns as well. So yeah,
I would think I would have thought Brian Hartline would
have been pretty interested. We at that time.

Speaker 2 (10:46):
We'll spend some time today on the college football playoff rankings.
We'll get to that an hour number two with our
second football in the NATI. There is austin some NFL
news as it pertains to the Hall of Fame and
friend of the Show and one of the all time
Bengal greats, Ken Anderson. Yes, Ken Anderson, I believe has
made it to the final three with the Senior Committee finalist.

(11:08):
He's made it to the final five. Yes, three of
Belichick Robert Kraft are two of those, and then Roger
Craig and Elsie Greenwood alongside of Ken Anderson.

Speaker 3 (11:19):
So five of those finalists, only a maximum of three,
and you would think Belichick and Craft would be in.
I would think Belichick would be in without a doubt.
I don't know if any of those others would be
guaranteed to get in. I do think it would be
hilarious if Belichick and Craft got in on the same
year and they would be forced to stand up there
next to each other. That I think would be hilarious.

(11:42):
But yeah, good for Ken Anderson to be a senior finalist.
What we've said it a thousand times. He deserves it.

Speaker 2 (11:48):
Yeah, and.

Speaker 3 (11:50):
Each finalist has to get an eighty percent approval vote
by the full selection committee ahead of Super Bowl sixty,
and that will be announced I think the Saturday before
for the Super Bowl in Santa Clara, where Super Bowl
sixty is being held.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
College football Signing Day today doesn't feel like it carries
the same way as it used to. Has the Bearcats
signed anybody they did? I just don't know much about
him yet. Okay, Scott Sudderfield, we'll talk later today, SCOO.
That's kind of when we're off air, though, So maybe
Mole have something on college football signing Day. College basketball.
It's a good night last night of action the college

(12:27):
basketball world. Duke led by twelve at half. They needed
a three with about twenty seconds left to beat Florida
sixty seven to sixty six. Yukon went on the road
and beat Kansas sixty one to fifty six. Michigan State
looks really good. They beat Iowa Michigan State. Already this
year Austin with Tom Izzo has beaten number fourteen, Arkansas,
number twelve, Kentucky number sixteen at North Carolina. Tom Mizzo

(12:51):
just picking up right where he always leaves off. Also,
last night, Syracuse upsets previously undefeated Tennessee. And you want
to talk about some pan and I can sense it
in Big Blue Nation. Now Austin, Kentucky's five and three Ernie,
They're wins Nichols, val Parreiso, Eastern Illinois, Loyola, Tennessee Tech

(13:12):
their losses Louisville, Michigan State, and North Carolina. Last night,
North Carolina goes into rupp Arena and beats the Kentucky
Wildcats sixty seven to sixty four. It now gets no
easier Austin for Kentucky, as they will now turn their
site to Friday when they take on the Gonzaga Bulldogs

(13:35):
Number eleven in the country at Ropperina.

Speaker 3 (13:37):
A lot of ranked games still on that Kentucky schedule, YEP, Indiana,
Saint John's obviously, Alabama, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Arkansas. It's a lot
Auburn is ranked. This a tough loss. Who would you
rather have lead in your program? Oh, Mark Poper, west Miller, Well,

(13:58):
west Miller. I'd probably pick Richard.

Speaker 2 (14:00):
But you know, the Pope thing's interesting because last year
they had like an ungodly amount of wins vers ranked teams. Yeah,
they just haven't been able to do it this year.
But I know from friends of mine that root for Kentucky,
they spend a lot of money on that roster this
year and they are expecting wins sooner rather than later.
Speaking of Wes Miller, the shootout happens on Friday, Austin.

(14:23):
Is there a lack of buzz around the shootout to you?
It feels like it to me, Yeah, I would say so.

Speaker 3 (14:29):
I mean from my perspective, like I don't have a
dog in the fight, And there's been years in the
past where I've been really excited for the shootout just
because of what it meant, and I think just because
of where Cincinnati Athletics as a whole is at right now. Yes,
and Xavier with the understandable tumultuous turnover of of Benedict

(14:50):
Sean Miller. I don't know that there's that much juice
around it. To me, the biggest story is what happens
if the Bearcats lose.

Speaker 2 (14:58):
Yeah with Wes Miller, and I do think the timing
of the game makes it hard. This is college football
Championship weekend, and it's not just on Saturday. There's big
games on Friday night as well. Those go into Saturday.
You've also got the the background of Bengals Bills on Sunday.
It is timing wise hard and both teams have just

(15:20):
struggled early in the season. It takes away now again,
I expect Friday night comes and the Centas Center sold
out and it's rocking, and you tune in to watch
the game, and I think there will be an uptick
in passion and energy. I do think that, but it's
just different. The lead up to the game feels different
than what it does in recent years. On this side
of things. Have you seen the Ken palm prediction? No,

(15:44):
Ken Palm predicts a final score of seventy two to
seventy in the Crosstown shootout with Xavier winning. I mean
that wouldn't surprise me. The which is crazy to think
about where this was three weeks ago. I know unbelieved.

Speaker 3 (16:00):
I was telling Moe the other day like the I
think we talked about this on the air too, the
two weeks leading up to the shootout. Every year of
the exact scene doesn't matter when it's played.

Speaker 2 (16:09):
Yep, don't matter who's coaching either, matter who's coaching, who's
coaching or play, it always goes the same way. But
that happens on Friday night, and we'll talk about it.
We'll hear again from Richard Patino and West Miller today
in the third hour of the show. Zach Taylor will
hear him at one o'clock this afternoon. We've already got
phone calls to get to. We've got Bengals to talk about,

(16:30):
and again a wide open AFC conference will dive into
the Bengals. The Bengals when we come back on this
the Home of the Bengals ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati sports station.

Speaker 5 (16:44):
This week, though, Hey, it's miss anything for my show,
Get what You missed on the iHeartRadio app or on
the podcast page of ESPN fifteen thirty dot com.

Speaker 1 (16:55):
This is Football in the NATI, brought to you by
Hey Duran Wind Company on ESPN fifteen thirty in the
official Bengals.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
It's just the sound of football. It's crazy, Austin, how
just one win and Joe Burrow coming back completely changes
a feel about a team and a season. This SINCY
three sixty thanks to Skyline Chile. Thank you for listening
in five one, three, seven, four, nine, fifteen thirty. We'll
get to your phone calls in the next segment, but
for now, Austin with the Cincinnati Bengals and with the

(17:35):
openness of the AFC as a whole, the parody that
is surrounding this league. You know, Moe hit on it
earlier in the week on Monday. There was a chance
this year, the first time they played, where you could
make the argument the Pittsburgh Steelers had a chance to
put the Bengals away. They didn't. You could make the

(17:56):
argument that the Baltimore Ravens had a chance on Thursday
to put the Banks away and eliminate them from contention.
Can you make the same argument for the Buffalo Bills,
Because let's make no mistake about this, and this has
been talked about across all platforms right now. I believe
it was. Bruce Arians was on Pat McAfee show earlier

(18:19):
in the week and he said, looking at the bengals
remaining schedule, if the Bengals can beat the Bills, I
like their schedule the rest of the way, I can
see them running the table and getting in the playoffs.
When asked if the Borrow if the Bengals could win
in the playoffs, Bruce Arian said, with Joe b Hell, yeah,
if you're the Buffalo Bills. Austin. Is there conversation around

(18:40):
Orchard Park this week about not only winning to win
the game, but winning to try to eliminate having to
potentially see Joe Burrow again.

Speaker 3 (18:48):
I don't think they think like that right now. I
think it's like, hey, let's beat the Bengals. Like I
really don't think NFL teams at this point in the
season are are like, yeah, we gotta we gotta absolutely
end Joe Burrow right now. We've got to end the
Bengals hopes right now.

Speaker 4 (19:06):
Now.

Speaker 2 (19:07):
Want to get going.

Speaker 3 (19:08):
Maybe the AFC North thinks that way, but I don't
know that the Buffalo Bills necessarily necessarily think that way.
I think they're trying to catch the New England Patriots.
Do you believe they still have another game against New England? Sure,
games against the Jets and the Browns and Philadelphia, who
doesn't look like they did at the beginning of the

(19:28):
year at all last year. So Buffalo is probably thinking,
we have a chance to win the AFC East if
we run the table.

Speaker 2 (19:35):
Do you think that if the Bengals get by the
Bills on Sunday that they will be favorites in each
of the remaining four games? They'll be favorites at home
against Baltimore, right.

Speaker 5 (19:48):
I don't know that.

Speaker 2 (19:49):
I would say that.

Speaker 3 (19:50):
It maybe depends what Baltimore looks like from an injury standpoint.

Speaker 2 (19:55):
They'll be favorite against Arizona and Cleveland at home, they
will What about the Dolphins game, which.

Speaker 3 (19:59):
By the way, that clear Eveland game could feature Deshaun
Watson at quarterback.

Speaker 2 (20:04):
I saw that they opened up his twenty one day
window today. He sure did. Wow.

Speaker 3 (20:09):
Miami is interesting. They're playing a lot better football right now.
They're not great. I mean, they struggled with New Orleans
last week.

Speaker 2 (20:15):
They did, but they have they've got some good wins.
I mean, they beat Buffalo in this three game stretch,
they beat the Commanders in this three game stretch, they
get to play the Jets and the Steelers before the Bengals.
I mean, you could be looking at a better I
mean you could be looking at a seven and seven
Dolphins team in that week.

Speaker 3 (20:30):
Yeah, which makes the idea of that game potentially being
flexed really interesting. I think it's six days from now
when they have to decide, so they will at least
know the result of that Jets game.

Speaker 2 (20:43):
And obviously what the Bengals have done. Yeah, what the
Bengals have done.

Speaker 3 (20:47):
But yeah, no, I think at home road as of now,
night game, I'm gonna guess the Bengals would be a
slight favorite if they beat Buffalo.

Speaker 2 (21:01):
Do you believe in Cleveland that Deshaun Watson plays this year?

Speaker 3 (21:06):
Yes, I do. I think he will play. I don't
storyline that I don't believe in the I do think
he will play.

Speaker 2 (21:15):
Unbelievable, just from some of the rumblings I've heard around
there are there is other news in the NFL right now.
The Steelers moved on from Darius Slay yesterday. They added
Adam Feelin yesterday. So the Steelers are just gonna keep
getting older.

Speaker 3 (21:27):
Did you see the tweet that went viral Sunday with
Aaron Rodgers. It was about Mike Tomlin. Oh, and it
said Mike Tomlin's gonna say something dumb like we can't
eat soup with spoon or we can't eat soup with forks.
We got to use spoons. And then the Steelers will
sign a twenty eighteen pro bowler. That's exactly what they

(21:48):
did yep with Adam Thieler.

Speaker 2 (21:50):
My favorite part going around right now for the Pittsburgh
Steelers is the screen like the screenshot of Aaron Rodgers
with the band aid on his nose and said, Aaron
Rodgers looked like he just tried to rob Kevin McAllister's house,
and as a whole, as a home alone fan, I
cannot get it out of my head. And now there's
like all the screen shots or they people have like

(22:11):
photoshopped him on Marv's body. I love it, but it
looks like, yes, Aaron Rodgers, outside of playing on Sundays,
just tried to rob Kevin McAllister's house.

Speaker 3 (22:20):
Rogers would say, that's what it's felt like playing for
the Steelers this year. Probably all the stuff that Marv
went through in Uh either either movie?

Speaker 2 (22:27):
Pick one? Do you watch the ones after the second one? Nope?
Hell no, Yeah no, you can't watch today. Like we're
nearing the point where we talk on this show about
Christmas movies, uh huh. Because there are things like that
I appreciate on this platform, Like I appreciate having an
opinion every day, and I appreciate the fact that others

(22:47):
can call in and have different opinions than mine and
we could talk back and forth through those. That's not
the case when it comes to Christmas movies. It's Christmas
vacation and it's nothing else. And if you oppose that,
then I will fight you on that. Whereas other things
you could tell me about the Bengals or the bear
Cats or anything else, and I would listen and take
your opinion and move on from it. You're gonna tell

(23:08):
me Christmas vacations not at the top, then we're gonna
have issues. You're wearing your shirt today. Yeah, we got
a Christmas party here at the office today. Big Christmas
party happening here today the Kenwick Studios. Other things going on.
Evan McPherson.

Speaker 3 (23:24):
Mack has been named the AFC Special Teams Player of
the Week. McPherson, of course six for six in field
goals in Baltimore, two extra points scored twenty points for Cincinnati.
Bengals also opened up the practice window for linebacker Shaka Hayward.
Come on, Shaka to return, so he gets a roster exemption.
The Bengals can activate him at any point over the
next twenty one days. He suffered I believe a fibula

(23:46):
injury earlier this year, but looks like he's on the
come up. Bengals are practicing right now if I'm not mistaken,
so waiting to see some more from that. We'll hear
from Zach Taylor or maybe they'll do it later this afternoon.
The schedule has screwed me up over the last two
weeks with the Thursday game, but Zach coming up at
one o'clock.

Speaker 2 (24:06):
What'll we expecting from Zach today? Obviously, I think it's
safe to say Trey Hendrickson's not going to play this week. Yeah,
which is interesting because Joey Bosa left Buffalo's last game
against the Steelers with the hamstring injury. Bosa leads the
Bills in sacks. It's already a banged up Bills team
on the offensive side of the ball. No, Joey Bosa
would be significant for the Bengals. On Sunday, what do

(24:27):
you feel about T Higgins and his availability this week?
I thought it was interesting.

Speaker 3 (24:32):
I believe I read from Jay Morrison the other day
that the way he wrote it was that T Higgins
is expected to come back. Yeah, so the fact that
he was out there for that walk through Monday, and
I guess the mini by probably helped a little bit.

Speaker 2 (24:46):
I'm surprised by that.

Speaker 3 (24:48):
I thought, just based off the way that it looks
like a bad one, it might be a couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (24:54):
So hopefully there's some more indication on that, and if
there's would be obviously massive to get him back.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
Sean McDermott did say about Joey Bosa today is that
he's weak to weak. Okay, so potentially don't know what
that means. I mean McDermott and Zach Taylor are having
a great job, doing a great job with the coach speak. Yeah,
no new news on Kyle Schwarber, not that yet. How

(25:21):
about this This quote from Sean McDermott all right, you
asked what was going through the minds of Buffalo.

Speaker 2 (25:26):
Yep. Quote.

Speaker 3 (25:27):
I don't think we can afford to be inconsistent.

Speaker 2 (25:30):
Not now.

Speaker 3 (25:31):
Our backs are against the wall. That's the way it is.
That's where we're all aware of it. That's where we're going.
Eight and four backs against the wall.

Speaker 2 (25:39):
That thing. Okay, okay, I'll buy Oh, hold on, we
got to tweet here from the Reds. Let's see what it's.

Speaker 3 (25:46):
Oh ah, Spencer Steer and Rhet Louder are going to
be on the Red's Hot Stove League.

Speaker 2 (25:51):
That's all I wanted. One Reds thing real quick. We'll
break and get to these phone calls. Last night I
had a chance to do sports talk down the hall. Yeah,
and I sounded good. I have our guy, Michael Anderson
reached out to me yesterday. He said, hey, you know,
today's Giving Tuesday and the Reds Community Fund is matching
donations as they're trying to raise funds for the community Fund.
I got a follow up message from Michael Anderson, thanks

(26:13):
again for the opportunity. The Red's Community Fund raised over
sixteen thousand dollars yesterday. That's awesome. So obviously with more
donations coming in, but awesome stuff with the Red Community
Fund and so many good things that they do. We'll
take ourselves a break. We'll come back. We'll get to
your phone calls next. On the Home of the Bengals,
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 1 (26:33):
You've been listening to football in the NATI on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 6 (26:45):
This is Dan Horde joined Dave Lapoman me for Bengals
game plan tonight starting at six on the official home
of the Bengals, Cincinnati's ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 2 (27:02):
Welcome back ESBN fifteen thirty. It's sincey three sixty thanks
to our friends at Skyline Chili. Anytime you're feeling good
and hungry, it's Skyline time. It is a tradition Austen
on Friday night, I will find Skyline Chili before the game.
It is the Skyline Chili Crossdown Shootout. I need you
to have a double portion for me. I have vowed

(27:24):
I'm trying to lock in before the New year, trying
to get like on it instead of a hard time
to do it. I know normally that's why people do
it in January. While I'm testing myself. Yeah, I'm trying to.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
I'm going to like trying to be in a full
sprint by January first.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
Okay, wait till I bring you a couple treats from
the holiday party today around three five. I'm stay. Yeah,
I have vowed the last two times you see as
went to the Cintas Center to not go back for
the shootout, and like here I am kind of getting
pulled back in. Like I asked Mayor last night, I'm like,
do we want to go to the shootout on Friday?

(28:00):
I don't know. I don't know what to do. It's
a it's a it's kind of I think it's the
feeling you had as the game approached with Ohio State
and Michigan where you kind of get that You're you're
thinking like during the week where it's like whatever we'll see,
and then it gets closer You're like, man, I've got
this feeling again, and I know what that feeling leads to. Pain.

(28:20):
By the way, a fun stat I saw from Paul Fritchner.
Is it fun? Actually? Nope? Uh Kerkkrisa was asked by
Kelsey Conway after the game on Monday night about the
game coming up on Friday, and he made a reference
of playing the team from Norwood.

Speaker 3 (28:36):
Oh that's a fun that's one of my fun little
favorite things about this right And.

Speaker 2 (28:40):
Yeah, we know we got to go play that team
from Norwood and head there, and we know they like
to bring intensity, so we'll be ready and we'll bring
it as well. It led to a funny stat from
Paul Kerk. Crisa is currently the only player that will
be on the court on Friday night that was alive
born the last time you see went and won at
the Centa Center.

Speaker 3 (29:00):
So you said that's not a fun stat. Nonna say
I would be. I'd be putting that on a billboard.
And we do have, you know, plenty of Xavier fans
who listen. I'll be the Xavier representative. That's awesome. There
you go, there you go. Uh, what's Shane got to
say today?

Speaker 2 (29:18):
Shame?

Speaker 7 (29:19):
How's doing?

Speaker 2 (29:19):
What's up?

Speaker 7 (29:20):
I just I've been meeting the call for a long time.
I met you after the Iowa State game. I was
with Angelo Dawkins. I was a driver.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
Nice nice, We had we had.

Speaker 7 (29:29):
A blast up there and then you got fired, so
I didn't.

Speaker 4 (29:33):
Probably got a hold of it.

Speaker 2 (29:35):
That's true. That was a good time. Yes, yes, And then.

Speaker 7 (29:40):
I didn't get to watch the b YU U See game,
and I'm sitting there listening to it on the radio,
and the whole time I'm listening to him like, why
is Tony not coaching the Bearcat He should be a
defensive coordinator. I hate their defense, the way they run,
and I'd give anything.

Speaker 2 (29:56):
For you to be the I don't know. I like
to think I know a lot about defense. I as
long as I've been around the game. I'm just not
a huge fan of the three three five.

Speaker 4 (30:08):
Oh, it's terrible.

Speaker 2 (30:09):
It's uh it to me. It's it's in today's football
and playing in a conference like the Big twelve, I
think it's hard to have continued success against it. And
one of the things that it's supposed to help against
is the passing game. And you know they they played
a Baylor team this year and Baylor was one of
the best passing attacks in the country and they limited them.

(30:29):
TCU was one of the best passing attacks in the
country as well, but they've been gashed on the ground.
The three three five just it doesn't bode well against
teams that can run the ball, and you see too
many of those in the Big twelve.

Speaker 7 (30:41):
And my other thing is I'm a Steelers guy. Oh
and I can't believe you and Mo Haven said it
when the Hurricanes played you see, do you remember the
little airplane flying around saying fire Al Golden?

Speaker 2 (30:55):
Oh my gosh, I do.

Speaker 7 (30:58):
I do out when the bingo tired him.

Speaker 4 (31:01):
I'm like, what a joke. But I think the Steelers
will get it together.

Speaker 2 (31:06):
And when they have North does it? Does Adam feel
make a difference for you? Yeah?

Speaker 4 (31:12):
I think so.

Speaker 2 (31:12):
Okay, Okay, I cracked up.

Speaker 7 (31:15):
Every time I hear Zach Tailor's press conference. It sounds
just like Marvin Lewis and Dick Wibo's just.

Speaker 2 (31:20):
Going through the motions.

Speaker 7 (31:22):
And for Austins, I thank you man.

Speaker 3 (31:29):
All right, let's go. When do the Bearcats play in
the college football Playoff? Okay, easy, he's gonna come at me.
You expect you to just sit here and take it
it easy?

Speaker 2 (31:39):
There was I do remember that.

Speaker 4 (31:41):
Now.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
Al Golden was the coach of Miami when they came
to Nippert Stadium and lost, and there was a banner
that said fire out Golden flying around the stadium. It's
crazy to too many years to visit that twenty fifteen. Wow,
that's insane.

Speaker 3 (31:58):
Huh good, where's that banner at today?

Speaker 2 (32:03):
Good question? I would We couldn't use it. We got
to extend our now most of money. He needs to
see one more week before the d is put back in.

Speaker 3 (32:15):
I was wondering about that, so let's give it one
more week. We had a caller ask about that.

Speaker 2 (32:18):
We'll give it one more week, Mike, what's happening?

Speaker 4 (32:21):
Man? Hey, guys, appreciate it.

Speaker 8 (32:25):
You got a.

Speaker 4 (32:28):
You got a an excitement level going. Here's for sure.
I'll get to that last. But I'd like to start
off with some college basketball and then go to Kenny
Anderson and these senior selections. Okay, college basketball. From what
I can ascertain, the three toughest schedules that have been

(32:48):
played so far, Alabama's played the toughest. They'd played everybody,
and that Michigan State with ISO, they played a lot
of good teams, and that that's the that's looking Michigan
State team I've seen in ten years.

Speaker 2 (33:02):
It's at least it's scary to me because normally Izzo
struggles early on and then come February March they're rolling.
He's got this team playing well now, I can't imagine
what they're going to look like come March.

Speaker 4 (33:13):
He's got that guard kid named Guard.

Speaker 2 (33:15):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (33:16):
I always always think of Ralph got his baseball player
way back in the day. But no, he's got some
serious athletes and they're long too. They're very long. Yep.
And the third team has done Zaga, but that's not
unusual for mister Mark Hugh, who's the most underrated coach
in all of America.

Speaker 2 (33:32):
Yeah, I think I think there's a sneaky I think
Duke as well. Duke has played Kansas, Arkansas, and Florida
so far, and they do play Michigan State on Saturday.
So Duke's played a tough schedule as well and have
been unblemish through that as well.

Speaker 4 (33:46):
Yeah, they are, but boy, I'll tell you what that game.
I'm not going to miss Michigan State in Duke. That's
just be a dandy. Regarding Kenny Anderson and uh the
three selections, so they're five. Let me make sure I
have this straight. There's five possibilities and three selections.

Speaker 2 (34:07):
There can't be any more than three selections. To be
one of the three, you have to get eighty percent
of those votes.

Speaker 4 (34:14):
Okay, I don't see how Elsie Greenway doesn't get in.
And the only reason he hasn't been in before was
he played in the Shadow of They had about seven
or eight Hall of Famers on.

Speaker 2 (34:24):
That deepot and the Steel Curtain. Yes, oh my god, the.

Speaker 4 (34:27):
Line Jack Hamm and Jack Lambert and then Mel Blunt
and this one and that one on it was just unbelievable.
So I see Elsie getting in. He was six time
Pro bowler, two time All Pro, got a couple of
rings to show for it. I just don't see how
he doesn't get in. But boy, I'm telling you, I'm
saying my prayers for Kenny Yeap because it's just it's

(34:50):
just a shame, right Tony, because he was a great
quarterback that played for either a bad or average team.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
It's always hard, I think, to do if you just
go stats, because if you put his statistics up to
many guys that are in the Hall of Fame, Ken
Anderson should already be in, you know, but so much
comes down to who you played for and what the
teams did through the full time you were there. I mean,
Ken Anderson was an MVP in the National Football League,

(35:18):
a four time Pro boy, he was the most valuable
player in nineteen eighty one over thirty two thousand passing
yards just under two hundred passing touchdowns. There are Hall
of Fame quarterbacks that are in that don't have those
types of numbers. But again, I think it's just so
much more as taken in. I'm with you, I hope
more than anything that Ken Anderson gets in.

Speaker 7 (35:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (35:38):
Plus he's just such a wonderful human being. But one
more thing about Kenny, Now, I think if I recollect,
he was very accurate passer, if I'm not mistaken, didn't
throw a lot of picks.

Speaker 2 (35:51):
Right, I don't have the full stats ahead of me,
but I would imagine his accuracy was his strong point.

Speaker 9 (35:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (36:00):
I mean, he wasn't flashy or anything, but boy was
he was he what's the word efficient? Efficient? Okay, now
we get to Schwarber. Now, come on, guys, everybody doesn't
Everybody does not necessarily want to go back to their hometown.
Now some guys do. Some guys could care less about that.
It's not like Middletown's the Honolulu. Okay. So, and now

(36:27):
I know the Giants are in the hunt because they
need a left handed power hit a really really bad
So I heard that from the John Morosi on the
MLB Network last night. So I, I, you know, Kyle Is.
He hits home runs, but you know he's a career
about a two forty he played for the two forty hitter.
He played for the Red Sox back in twenty twenty one.

(36:48):
I believe he might have been a rental player at
the end of the year because he had only had
like one hundred and thirty at bats. I'm not sure,
but I like to be awesome Tony, but god, you
know how much money. Oh, this guy's gonna get.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
It all career wise two thirty one. He hit just
two forty last year, but again, fifty six home runs.
I think that's the thing. Like, if I'm not reading
from Jeff Passing and Ken Rosenthal, I'm not even putting
into thought Kyle Schwarber being here, and he was back
in Middletown for an event a couple of weeks ago,
and he said all the right things about Cincinnati, which

(37:25):
I kind of assumed he would. But man, if it
wasn't coming from just baseball guys that cover the whole league,
I probably wouldn't think any more of it. But again,
you hear it enough and you wonder, Okay, is there
fire where there's that much smoke? I don't know, but man,
it would be fun in Cincinnati for baseball if they

(37:46):
found a way. But I'm with you, the amount of
money is gonna cost. I don't see it happening, but
it would be a heck of a story.

Speaker 4 (37:53):
I think we should all contribute, like fifteen bucks a piece.

Speaker 2 (37:59):
Let's go get this team. We're all in. I throw
fifteen on it. I'm in for fifteen. That's Austin does
that weekly to the foundation at Ohio State.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
Yeah, okay, Austin. Now the dirty laundry really comes out.
Yeh see, I knew, I knew there was something dirty
about that whole deal with you? All right, you guys, thank.

Speaker 2 (38:23):
One more thing on the Swarberg this, John Hayman said
earlier Austin, The Reds are indeed interested in hometown here.
Kyle Schwarber would be quite a coop if they could
pull it off. Red Sox Orioles pirates, including of course,
the incumbent Phillies, all in on Kyle Schwarber. Ken Rosenthal
first linked Schwarber to Cincinnati. So there you have it

(38:43):
uh one more call and then we'll break to finish
up the hour mark. What's up?

Speaker 8 (38:49):
Okay? One one Can Anderson comment and one cow swarber. Okay,
let me let me go with the Can Anderson first.

Speaker 10 (38:58):
I could be wrong.

Speaker 8 (38:59):
You may be able to give me some a inside
on this. That was a stretch from seventy eight, seventy
nine in eighty. He didn't have particularly good seasons those
three years, and the Bengals drafted Jack Thompson and tried
to replace him. So sometimes sometimes I wonder if that

(39:23):
bad stretch, you know, that was some injuries in there too.

Speaker 7 (39:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (39:27):
Seventy eight he only seventy eight, He played twelve games,
but he threw ten interceptions, or he threw ten touchdowns
to twenty two interceptions, So seventy eight was a nightmare. Season.
Seventy nine he played in fifteen, sixteen touchdowns, ten interceptions,
and then another injured year in nineteen eighty he started
twelve games, six touchdowns to thirteen interceptions, So there was

(39:49):
a you're one hundred percent right, there was a stretch
in there over three years with what thirty two touchdown
passes and fifty five in or se So yeah, I
completely understand that.

Speaker 8 (40:02):
Yes, yeah, I wonder if that's what's hurting him, that
that three year bad stretch he had. If he if
he could have had better seasons during that time, with
that he would have he may have been a shoe in.
I could be wrong, but this my opinion. Sure, okay,
my cow swore, of course. And I'm confused. I heard

(40:24):
y'all earlier say if they were able to land in
he bashed first a second. Now, I thought, I thought, see,
you can talk about my lineup, then you be going yep.
I thought I thought we needed somebody in the middle
of the lineup, not somebody at the top. So I'm
confused that putting him one or two, I thought he

(40:45):
would solve the either third or fourth or wherever you're
going to bat Ali, I mean, we got a lead
off hit or so.

Speaker 2 (40:52):
I just look at how he hit fifty six last year,
and he did it out of the one hole for
the Philadelphia Phillies. And whether that's him being comfortable or
whether that's Philly just saying, hey, from pitch number one,
you better have your stuff. And if not, Kyle Schwarber's
gonna jump all over it. I think there is a
little bit of value to that, But I certainly understand
the point.

Speaker 8 (41:12):
Yeah, if it were me, if it was my choice,
I will probably be batting third. Yeah, in that way,
at least I'm getting him in that bat Sure in
the first hit, Sure, you know, and go from me.
So yeah, let me get all the show.

Speaker 2 (41:29):
Appreciate it. See what happens here Austin. We've got to
shootout Friday. We've got Bengals bill Sunday Championship weekend. And
we mentioned a little bit on Swarburn. Now we're talking
about Swarburn, the lineup.

Speaker 3 (41:43):
We love people from Cincinnati, We love hometown heroes, home
run hitters.

Speaker 2 (41:51):
Do you know, off the top of your head, out
of the fifty six home runs he hit, how many
were out of the leadoff spot or how many were
leadoff home runs?

Speaker 3 (42:00):
Oh, I feel like he set a record for this,
didn't he fifteen?

Speaker 2 (42:03):
Fifteen? Yeah, And like that's that to me? Is the
thing like when you have a Kyle Schwarber leading off,
you don't get to just like groove the first pitch
over to get comfortable in the game. You know, like
so many times pitchers are like, all right, first pitch
of the game, let's get as striking here. You're uncomfortable
right away, like you have to make sure and warm
Up's like, all right, I gotta be ready because I

(42:24):
got Kyle Schwarber coming up here.

Speaker 3 (42:26):
And again the notion of your best hitter coming to
the plate more frequently, yea, I think is and.

Speaker 2 (42:33):
Are you going to pitch around him? With Ellie de
la Cruz on deck? Right again? What are we doing?
And he is just a rumor? Here's the other thing
I can't I'm losing.

Speaker 3 (42:42):
The other thing we'd have to consider right for heartbreak
is the Reds have made it very obvious that they
don't value hitting home runs in the way that they
approach games and some of the decisions made by Terry Francona.
And maybe part of that is that they haven't had
guys in the lineup that are viable, guys that they
feel like can hit those home runs. How does that

(43:03):
change your day to day strategy on construction of the lineup?
And if you're struggling to score runs, why wouldn't you
put your most prolific home run here in the leadoff spot?

Speaker 8 (43:15):
Right?

Speaker 2 (43:16):
And I don't, I just.

Speaker 3 (43:20):
I know Mark's talking about badam third or fourth. No,
I want him up more frequently. I would almost say
put Ellie at lead off and put Schwarber behind him
or flip him. I don't care, but you got to
get those guys up to the lineup more frequently, or
up to the plate more. Frick at us December third
lineup potential with Dyle Schwarber. Kyle, if you're listening, come home.

(43:41):
In the words of the great Jeff Brantley, why don't
you come home, back to the house.

Speaker 2 (43:44):
Come home.

Speaker 3 (43:45):
We've been waiting on. We'll take a break. When we
come back, Kyle call in.

Speaker 2 (43:52):
We'll put an end to hour number one, and then
we'll start our two with Zach Taylor's weekly press conference
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station WC Welcome back
since the three sixty ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

(44:15):
I have one question, Austin. I've been reading a lot
about Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers. You know, the
big Ben I saw came out and said that, you know,
it might be time to move on from Tomlin. I
know James Harrison had some things to say about Mike Tomlin.
Ben Roethlisberger floated out there that Tomlin should go and
be a great fit for Penn State. Who still has

(44:37):
a job opening. My question is this, I know they
have championships in the past, How could have of a
job as Pittsburgh right now? With their roster it's not
the best. I mean, they are essentially a fossil. They're
old in most every position. TJ Wats just getting older.
Cam Heyward's is just getting older. Jalen ram he is

(45:00):
just getting older.

Speaker 7 (45:02):
Are you?

Speaker 2 (45:02):
Who is your foundational piece on the offensive side of
the ball? Like, how good of a job would Pittsburgh
be right now in the coaching carousel that could be?

Speaker 3 (45:13):
Yeah, I think you just see more of that of
ownership in the way that that franchise is built. It's
probably still in a desirable position. I mean, obviously they've
had three head coaches in the last fifty I think
they would want Zach Taylor. Yeah, I bet they would.
Zach Taylor's kind of kicked their ass.

Speaker 2 (45:35):
Speaking to Zach Taylor, he speaks, We'll carry that next
On ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 10 (45:42):
Joe Burrow is back and he plays here on ESPN
fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 5 (45:51):
Skylines, Mac and Chee's three Ways Back. It's your favorites.

Speaker 1 (45:55):
Tony Pike since he three sixty about Cincinnati from since,
sponsored in part by Cincy Shirts Cincy shirts all since
y all Day.

Speaker 10 (46:06):
This is ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (46:13):
Our number two is here thanks to Cincy' shirts on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. What better holiday gift
to give or receive than a Sinci shirt? Gift cards
or go in and knock off all of your holiday
list at any of the retail locations for Cincy shirts.
We are certainly appreciative of them. Austin, Do we have

(46:36):
Zach Taylor yet? Is he late to the podium today?
We do not yet have wow Zach Taylor at the
post now. As of late, he's almost been freakishly early,
eager to the podium, eager to talk. So it must
be maybe there's a lot going on in the background today.
Maybe there's some things we don't know about. We're waiting.
I believe we're we do. I think we have Zach. Now,

(46:58):
let's throw it to Zach Taylor in his weekly Wednesday
press conference. Maybe maybe is limited today?

Speaker 11 (47:08):
Same with Tage Brooks, same category. Both been good progress.

Speaker 9 (47:12):
We tre andrickson practice.

Speaker 2 (47:17):
We'll tends out about the building.

Speaker 11 (47:20):
A lot of this group has been around for a while.
I know some of them have left and come back,
but they've had a lot of continuity over there. I
know they've added a couple of new pieces, but you know,
they've done a good job. Sean has been a part
of that defense obviously for nine years now. Bobby Babbage
has been there I think the entirety at the time
as well, So a lot of continuity over there, a
lot of veterans I know how to do it, a

(47:41):
lot of young guys that they're working in the mix
as well. So just a really really solid group that
makes things difficult for.

Speaker 4 (47:49):
Why do you.

Speaker 12 (47:50):
Think yourself, Dan Pitcher and Joe works so well?

Speaker 11 (47:54):
That's well, I think, like anything, we've been together a
long time. You know, it's just been here since before
I got here. We made him the quarterback coach right
when Joe walked in the door, so that relationship has
just continued to grow over Joe's tenure here. I like
to think it's it's guys that you know, we can

(48:16):
adapt each other and work well.

Speaker 9 (48:18):
With each other.

Speaker 11 (48:18):
And put Brad Kraig thro up in that mix, you
put Jake Browning in that mix, you put Joe Flackman
that mix as well. So I just think that it's
it's you know, people that like working together see things
the same way. Everyone's got input. Everybody I just mentioned
has input on how we do it. I don't think
there's any egos involved there with how it needs to
be done. And we're able to try to problem solve

(48:39):
during the week and during the game as well and
try to get the best result.

Speaker 12 (48:42):
Why do you think that matters or plays a role
in Joe being able to take it's a one half
where it's a little bit see gives around running second
half them all and more.

Speaker 11 (48:53):
I think we just we keep things fluid during games
and always want his feedback. That's one thing I learned
early in my career as a quarterback coach is if
you've got a quarterback that's earned the respect to give
his voice, then you listen to it. He's the guy
that's out there who's got to do it and problem
solved to get it done. And so we've we've always
made it a point to give Joe that voice and

(49:13):
he learned it really from day.

Speaker 9 (49:14):
One when he got here, and.

Speaker 11 (49:16):
So you're able to I thought he played well, but
to work through any issues. Sometimes there's gonna be some
holes in the action, you know, or maybe you have
a three an hour or two and you need to
find a rhythm and you might have had this plan
you set in place to go do it, but hey, Joe,
what do you need to get us going here? And
he's always really good with the feedback.

Speaker 3 (49:34):
On that concussion particle?

Speaker 2 (49:36):
Does tea or any prior do they have to clear
it before they can be a full participate?

Speaker 7 (49:41):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (49:42):
In practice?

Speaker 5 (49:42):
Is that how that works?

Speaker 9 (49:43):
Correct?

Speaker 13 (49:46):
Jack had the word of the week, and the weather
here has presented some conditions that are I don't want
to say equivalent to what it will be like in Buffalo,
but if closer maybe how much thought do you give
to taking advantage of that in the sense of exposing
your guys to it. I think it's like, I think

(50:06):
it's supposed to snow again this week, we ever consider
taking them out.

Speaker 9 (50:10):
We're always very mindful.

Speaker 11 (50:13):
I like to be outside every week, not every day necessarily,
but but you like to get at there some point.
I think it's I told our players great news, it's
gonna be cold and Buffalo and it's gonna be cold
here the next couple of days, and so they were
excited to hear that.

Speaker 9 (50:26):
So we get a chance to get out there and
work in the.

Speaker 11 (50:27):
Elements, and and so we're always very mindful of where
we're gonna play and how we need to practice and
like to get outside. The players like being outside at
least for part of the week, and I don't like
to be inside every day. If we can avoid it,
sometimes you can't avoid it.

Speaker 2 (50:43):
Why do you think the North is so wide open
this year?

Speaker 9 (50:46):
I mean it's still it's still tough teams.

Speaker 11 (50:48):
I mean, I don't think anybody likes going into DAFC
North and playing any of the four of us. So
just I think it's well coached teams, top players, a
lot of experience, So it's always been a tough division.
Y'all are able to go out and get away on Sunday.

Speaker 4 (51:06):
What kind of.

Speaker 14 (51:06):
Momentum do you think this couldn't give you?

Speaker 11 (51:08):
What y'all still happened, Fron the rest of the Our
biggest focus right now is just find a way to
beat Buffalo and take it from where of this from there,
but right now.

Speaker 9 (51:16):
That's really all that matters.

Speaker 15 (51:18):
So it stands out about James Cook when you watch
him and how it's kind of evolved.

Speaker 11 (51:23):
Yeah, a lot of strengths. I think I can list
a lot of attributes that make him. He's got great
patience and vision and quickness and acceleration and play strength.
So I mean, you can just go on and on
and name every intangible and physical.

Speaker 9 (51:36):
Trait you want a running back to have.

Speaker 2 (51:37):
He has it.

Speaker 11 (51:39):
A lot of confidence in the scheme I know from
working with Aaron Kromer in the past their line coach.
He does a great job and Joe Brady painting a
vision for what they want in the run game and
how it's supposed to be from a technique standpoint, we're
supposed to hit and so you've seen back have success,
you know, and so I don't think that's shocking. And
it's not even just him. He's a great back, but

(51:59):
the other backs get in there and do great jump
as well.

Speaker 9 (52:02):
So really dangerous attack.

Speaker 15 (52:04):
How challenging is it when you're dealing with an elite quarterback,
but then you also have to deal with rushing attacks.

Speaker 11 (52:09):
It's why they've been one of the top offenses consistently
over as long as I've been a head coach, heir,
you know, And so they're they're they've got great talent,
they're well coached, They've got a lot of confidence, and
they can throw the ball, they can run the ball.

Speaker 9 (52:23):
They do a great jump you run.

Speaker 16 (52:25):
The defense is at right now you've talked about sort
of gradual provement generally, but specifically in that phase, there
are things you're still looking for.

Speaker 11 (52:33):
Where do you think that group's just continue to grow
and every week presents a new challenge.

Speaker 17 (52:37):
You know.

Speaker 11 (52:37):
It's you know, from Pittsburgh to Baltimore to Buffalo, and
everything's got its unique challenges in terms of what players
they're actually calling and how they're going to attack you
different ways and so challenging. And then the quarterback. You know,
they're not afraid to run the quarterback either, you know.
So you get to you know, third in less than
five and you might have a quarterback run coming at you.
In the whole red zone, you got a quarterback run
coming at you. So they're not afraid to do that.

(52:59):
That's that's an extra half for them. That makes it
really challenging when they're willing to do that. So again,
our guys feel like they got a great point in place.
Now we just got to go execute it over the week.

Speaker 12 (53:08):
How does defending Josh Allen fit into your run defense?

Speaker 9 (53:13):
But it's.

Speaker 11 (53:17):
We play several quarterbacks that present challenge. They're outstanding throwers
and really challenging runners, and so you have to be
mindful when his progression's out there. He's not afraid to
put his foot in the ground and go get it,
you know, and and then try to run through people
as well.

Speaker 9 (53:35):
So it's he's a challenge to deal with.

Speaker 12 (53:38):
I mean, I don't know if he can answer to this,
but how often do you see on film where maybe
his second or third progression is actually to run the ballwards?

Speaker 11 (53:48):
I think, No, he's I mean I've seen him get
through every progression he's got, exhaust the entire thing, and
standing back there and play quarterback. I think like like
any quarterback that's got experienced like he does, they can
identify the coverage very quickly and say okay, I can
I can get one too and put go, you know,
and there's going to be avoid there. And other times
they just know they got that innate feel of time

(54:09):
in the pocket coverage where I don't need to run.
I can sit back here and exhaust my progression. So
he's got the experience to do all that, and it
makes him really challenging.

Speaker 9 (54:18):
Mike Pearson's having a heck of a season.

Speaker 2 (54:20):
How has that impacted just the late call a managing game?

Speaker 11 (54:25):
I just I have a ton of confidence in them.
I don't think it's overall affected a whole lot of
decisions we've made.

Speaker 9 (54:34):
I really I don't.

Speaker 11 (54:37):
I mean, I just I have confidence in them. I
can't think of one moment where it should we go
for this, No, Evan's going to make a fifty something yarder.
I don't feel like there's been that as many decisions
as maybe past years. It just it feels that way.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe as I reflect back on the season,
I'd have four good answers for you. But he's he's
playing with a ton of confidence. You see it in

(54:58):
practice too. I mean, that's what you all don't see,
that he's doing this in practice. He's been doing this
as training camp, the same consistency, and then going out
there in the game and giving our team a lot
of confidence.

Speaker 2 (55:07):
You're you're you're a good reader of games when.

Speaker 6 (55:09):
They're unfold unfold, they you ever get a sense, you know,
like in Baltimore, this is going to be you know,
let's get points.

Speaker 8 (55:18):
This is going to be.

Speaker 9 (55:20):
Or this is going to be going forward.

Speaker 11 (55:23):
I mean that's what it turned into. You don't always
predict that, you know. I think a lot of times
against Baltimore, you you always both teams are capable of scoring,
and both teams can play their defense too, So you
gotta field as the game goes.

Speaker 9 (55:35):
And is there a point where you said, you know what, uh,
let's get points.

Speaker 11 (55:39):
Yeah, I think you know that second or third drive,
our defense, you know, outside of the first drive, and
they scored the touchdown and we've got some stops and
and again I don't know that I did influence necessarily
all the decisions, but you felt like, let's just keep
taking points and building from there and our defense is
playing well.

Speaker 5 (55:56):
What do you think it takes some young guys a
little bit longer to realize how where the details are
consistency is what? Do you think they just maybe clicked
for some people later rather.

Speaker 9 (56:05):
Than That's a hard one to answer.

Speaker 11 (56:11):
I think it's probably pretty rare for a guy to
come in his first year and just everything clicked for him.
And you know, I can't give you a great answer
and why. It could be different positions, it could be
different personalities, it could be a different college experience. It
could be a guy that transferred didn't transfer. But I
can think examples of all of them, of guys that

(56:32):
succeeded and didn't and they all have different backgrounds.

Speaker 9 (56:35):
So I don't know's.

Speaker 11 (56:38):
I like to think as they get more experience on
the field with us, then they got a better chance
of succeeding. And so we've tried to give guys that
experience to keep learning and keep gaining. And there's gonna
be mistakes made. I've said that in here a million times,
but you keep seeing guys just continue to grow and
get better, and they've got that opportunity. And I don't
think that they fear failure with us. I don't think
that they feel like if I go in there make

(57:00):
a mistake, I'm done.

Speaker 9 (57:01):
They're they're going to be done with me. That's not
really the approach we have.

Speaker 11 (57:04):
We we like to keep coaching through it and coaching
a in a We're gonna be critical of mistakes you make.
At the same time, be positive and encourage the growth.
And again not not like guys just fear of failure
that we're not I'm not going to get to see
a field.

Speaker 5 (57:17):
Again for you, because obviously there's a lot of pressure
on you as well as I head coach and coaching
staff when things don't go well, how do you kind of.

Speaker 9 (57:24):
You just do what's right.

Speaker 11 (57:25):
I don't worry about the pressure it's on me. You
just you make the right decision for the program. And
and as long as you're just making those decisions, then
then I like to think more times than not, the
best case know is going to play off for you.
So it's tremendous uh leadership, experience, energy.

Speaker 9 (57:46):
He's just done a great job.

Speaker 11 (57:47):
He's he's really a really good example of that room
because I think you're going to describe every player in
that room the same way, and so for Dalton to
be the last added peace to that. He just has
walked in the door and fit right in. And I'm
really happy we have him, have enjoyed him being around
and enjoyed the role he's playing for us. But I

(58:08):
think he's he's just a great example of what that
old line room really is. And it's all great personalities,
Guys that love football, guys that really understand have a
high football IQ.

Speaker 9 (58:19):
And so it's a good group to be around.

Speaker 15 (58:21):
The December run, if it's going to happen, it's going
to fall on the offensive line at least to a degree.

Speaker 2 (58:26):
You want to run game.

Speaker 9 (58:27):
Go on, you want to protect Joe.

Speaker 15 (58:29):
How confident are you in just that group and how
they've kind of become what they are now.

Speaker 9 (58:34):
A lot of confidence. They have a lot of confidence.

Speaker 11 (58:36):
I think the offensive we've got a lot of confidence
in them. The team's got a lot of confidence in them.
They played well, but again it's it's the preaching to
the whole team right now. It doesn't matter what we
did last week. We got to keep doing it over
and over again.

Speaker 4 (58:48):
And so.

Speaker 11 (58:50):
We can't just assume because we did some good things
on Thursday night that that's going to cry over Sunday.
Our guys understand that. I think that's why we've always
kind of been strong later in the season. Our guys
have had a great approach at and this year's a
new year and we're gonna have to do the same approach.

Speaker 15 (59:03):
Fits was talking about Dolphin's intangibles and he pointed out
that he's always the first one at the spot attack
with helping the guy up.

Speaker 2 (59:10):
When you were playing quarterback, how much did you take
note of that?

Speaker 8 (59:13):
Who who was there? Oh? Yeah?

Speaker 11 (59:15):
Now you feel that guys that take a lot of
pride in protecting the guys behind him. And whether that's
backs receivers, picking up receivers down the field, or being
the first one to pick up the quarterback, you know it's.

Speaker 13 (59:28):
You.

Speaker 11 (59:28):
You You like a guy that that's got that protective
nature to him and covered down the field is how
we define that, and I think Dalton is a great
example of that.

Speaker 12 (59:37):
Closely monitor got rookie like Jalon Rivers seemed to be
making a lot of progress and you make that change
dong with Scott.

Speaker 11 (59:48):
I think part of the Jalen's I mean, Jalen got
banged up and so it was that's what led to
the change. Jaln's got a tremendous mindset, so I don't
worry about him. He's making great progress this year. I
got a lot of confidence in him. He's going to
get a ton of opportunity, so that that's not a
concern of mine just because of who he is and
kind of the work he's put in to get where
he's at.

Speaker 9 (01:00:07):
He played tackle for us.

Speaker 11 (01:00:08):
Early in the year, then we moved in the guard
and he's handled all that really well, and so I
think he's.

Speaker 9 (01:00:14):
He's a guy that.

Speaker 11 (01:00:15):
Is going to play big role for us.

Speaker 5 (01:00:17):
He's similar with Buffalo.

Speaker 11 (01:00:27):
Yeah, I mean there's certainly plays and concepts that show up.
I think, you know, they they suited around their quarterback.
We suit ours around our quarterback, and and they're both
really talented quarterbacks. To say they have different place styles,
there's a lot of similarities that they have, and then
there's some differences. I'm not going to get into all
of them, but so I think that they do what's

(01:00:49):
best for their offense led by their quarterback, and we
do what's best for our offense led by our quarterback.

Speaker 5 (01:00:54):
What's the biggest impact you think Scott Peters has had
on the offensive line room this year.

Speaker 11 (01:00:58):
I think he's done a great job getting the best
out of all these guys. The development of the young players.
We've had several young players come in and play, and
I think they've only gotten better. I think as as
our line as a whole, it's a really cohesive unit
that's improved overall from top to bottom.

Speaker 9 (01:01:18):
So I'm I think he's done a really good job
Ken since the finals, for the whole of the year time.

Speaker 11 (01:01:24):
I know he's been in before, but ye, your interaction tremendous.
A huge fan of Ken Anderson. He's He's always been
great to me, through good times and bad. He's an
example of a guy, you know, when we've struggled, who
was there still supporting me, genuinely supporting me and our
team and the direction we're headed. And so you you really,

(01:01:45):
I genuinely appreciate people like that. Ken and I have
always had a great relationship through his foundation, through him
just coming to practice, through text messages, and so I
I have done my own research. I mean, he absolutely
should have been in the Hall of Fame a long
time ago.

Speaker 9 (01:02:01):
He should absolutely be in now.

Speaker 11 (01:02:03):
I mean statistically he's he's in a better position than
a lot of people that are in it. You know,
NFL MVP and of the Year, let his team to
Super Bowl.

Speaker 9 (01:02:13):
I mean, all all the.

Speaker 11 (01:02:14):
Great perform at the completion percentage, everything he's done, statistically
should he should be in there right now. So this
year is the year he absolutely absolutely should be in it.
If he's not, then it's it's a shame. Do you
see him as a guy that can be Well, I'm
not going to pretend like I've dug through all his
tape and washed it all, but I just know statistically,

(01:02:35):
when you look at how he played, I mean, and
then people that are in you know, it's just he
deserves to be in absolutely and so and he did it.
He did it over a long period of time. I mean,
he did it over a really long period of time.
So look forward to see him get in there.

Speaker 18 (01:02:53):
SAX and Anderson playing first state championships the next couple
of days.

Speaker 13 (01:02:56):
Will you need to pulling for both those?

Speaker 9 (01:02:58):
Absolutely? Yeah.

Speaker 11 (01:03:00):
You know Travis Bramer, his son played at Anderson last year,
so I know he still goes a lot of the games.
And I've been following Anderson all year. They have a
tremendents team, and I think they're playing the same team
they played last year if I'm not mistaken. I know
they're proximate five fifty three am this year. Seven minutes earlier.
I saw that, So, uh, definitely pulling for Anderson, Definitely
pulling for Saint X. You know, got a lot of
people that I know that are there, and so two

(01:03:23):
great nights of football, you know, Thursday and Friday. And
I hope I'm not missing anybody else in the area,
but those are two teams that I feel like I've
I've really followed over the last couple of years, and
great football coming from the Cincinnati area.

Speaker 9 (01:03:34):
So it be fun to watch.

Speaker 19 (01:03:36):
Tight End position is big in the in the in
the NFL. It's gotn big back again. Both these teams
have good tight ends and a strong position group. What
do you think about Buffalo's tight ends? What are their strengths?

Speaker 11 (01:03:50):
Yeah, good group. I think they compliment each other really well.
You know, the group of guys that they have. I know,
Kid's been out, He's always been a guy that we've
been a big fan have. Again, they've got good depth there.
Those guys all understand their role. They've gotten a lot
out of that position and just.

Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
Like we have.

Speaker 11 (01:04:07):
You know, I think we've always James Casey, I've always
said this is the best Titan coaching the NFL and
does a great job developing getting the most out of
guys that we have, whether they were guys that have
been here throughout for guys that we added in the
free agency, you know, they've They've always had their top
years playing for James, and so I think it's it's
two teams that are well coached that position, and I've

(01:04:28):
gotten a lot of value out of those guys.

Speaker 9 (01:04:31):
Okay, thank you, all right.

Speaker 2 (01:04:33):
That is Zach Taylor, just finishing up speaking with the
media at pay Course Stadium. I did see that as well.
Austin the Anderson Raptors. They lost by seven in the
state finals last year. They have practiced every day at
five fifty three am, seven minutes early to make up
for the seven points they lost by and they get
a chance at retribution this weekend.

Speaker 3 (01:04:52):
It's also very rare to see a high school football
team practice in the morning. Yeah, almost never happens, yep.
I I do think that's a unique and a cool
wrinkle about about Anderson. I'm blanking on their head coach's name,
but he was on with with Eddie and Rocky down
the whole a couple of weeks ago, and just the

(01:05:15):
energy he attacked a phone call with was awesome.

Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
Yeah. So pursuit of a championship, aggressive pursuit of a championship. Yeah, yeah,
I agree. I wish I knew his name. I feel bad.
I there's there's a lot of normal stuff there from
from Zach Taylor. I don't think any of that was,
you know, earth chattering. There's one thing I want to ask.

(01:05:42):
It's almost now like Zach has put off with the
Trey Hendrickson thing. Yeah, at this point, with no other understanding,
what are we led to believe about what's going on
with Trey Hendrickson and the Bengals. I think we're led
to believe that we don't know all the details. There's
got to be some there, right, this is what is
If not, then he's just he's just essentially saying I'm done.

(01:06:07):
This is what I come back to.

Speaker 3 (01:06:10):
If they knew that his injury was going to keep
him out this long, correct, they would have put him
on the injured list, on the injured reserve like every
other team in the NFL, and designated him to return,
opened up a roster spot. And so I don't know
what's going on, but the information we can gather, if
the team did not take that action, that would lead

(01:06:31):
you to believe that they think the injury should be
healed by now, or that he would be able to
play by now, and not putting him on the injured
reserve list and the way that Zach has talked about
it each of the last couple of weeks leaves the
door open to the idea that we're just on Trey's

(01:06:53):
timeline and until he's ready to play, we don't know
what's going to happen. Yeah, and the part he said
the other day, and I talked about this when you
were out yesterday, like the first thirty seconds of his
press conference, where he was kind of cutting off reporters
and just kind of seem miffed by the whole thing,

(01:07:15):
that to me is the most indicative.

Speaker 2 (01:07:18):
Yes, And again, you don't want to you don't want
to assume you don't. This is just literally taking the
knowledge and the information that we can see on the outside. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:07:29):
I don't think it's outrageous to say that there are
people in the Bengals organization that think he is healthy
enough or should be healthy enough to play.

Speaker 4 (01:07:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:07:38):
I don't think that that would be an over the
moon statement, And I think these actions would lend to
me believing that.

Speaker 2 (01:07:47):
Yeah. One other quick update from National Signing Day? Have
you seen this with Chris Henry that he signed with
the Buckeyes. He did not shut up. He has not
sent in his paperwork yet. This was on the top
McAfee reporter a couple of minutes ago. CBS we trust
that CBS Sports College Football is actually discussing this right

(01:08:11):
now with two four seven Sports that he is weighing options.
According to him at both Oregon and USC it's not
a money thing. With Chris Henry Jr. It's clearly a
Brian Hartline thing and he wants to make sure that
he's making the right decision. So as of now, does
not appear that it's officially signed from Chris Henry Junior
yet at Ohio State. Something to watch for, maybe Scott

(01:08:35):
Saderfield makes a run at him. Your talkbacks are next.
ESBN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Stations ruined.

Speaker 10 (01:08:42):
Joe Burrow is back and he played.

Speaker 9 (01:08:44):
It's that time for talkbacks.

Speaker 20 (01:08:46):
Press the microphone and record your message for Austin and tone.

Speaker 2 (01:08:51):
Please keep it.

Speaker 20 (01:08:52):
Clean and dope, be mean and sprinkle sprinkle, drip drips.
It's that time for talk It's our favorite partner since
three sixty So Austin, buddy, play those talkbacks on your
screen and please try out to sabotage.

Speaker 2 (01:09:12):
Sitting down the Hall. Last night, Austin, it occurred to
me just how lucky we are to have the talkback
audience that we have here on ESPN fifteen thirty. I
don't think talkbacks could happen on the other station. Oh no,
they absolutely cannot. We're lucky and we're thankful. I mean,
you want to talk about awful.

Speaker 3 (01:09:31):
I've heard terrible, I've heard vile things. The talkbacks down
the hall. We would lose the license in seconds second.

Speaker 21 (01:09:43):
It's the Lord Happy hump days.

Speaker 2 (01:09:45):
Lord couldn't save us either.

Speaker 21 (01:09:46):
Have a start bench cut for you, Tony and Austin,
and for talkback nations.

Speaker 2 (01:09:50):
Okay?

Speaker 21 (01:09:51):
Christmas villains, Oh, Scrooge, O, the Grinch, Jack.

Speaker 2 (01:09:58):
Frost Man, that's good. I think the best villain was Scrooge,
and it made the ending so much better when he
wakes up after his third visit and a tone for
all the wrong he's done. I think you can make
the same argument for the Grinch. I'll start Scrooge, i
will bench the Grinch, and I'll cut Jack frost Is

(01:10:19):
there any such thing as an actual Christmas villain? Great question?

Speaker 3 (01:10:22):
They all change at the end. Is there one that
doesn't change out there? I'll start the Grinch bench Scrooge,
and I honestly don't know that much about old Jack
Frost other than he's been nipping at my nose.

Speaker 22 (01:10:34):
Tony and Austin, this is big kahuna in Kentucky. Hey,
Bengal fans, I got some bad news for you. Y'all
ain't winning no six games to finish out the season.
I'm sorry. You know why because for some reason the
team done moved on from Cave york In. That good
luck charm was five and zero last year. That's some
bad karma right there. Should have kept him. Hey, Steeler fans,
don't be booing future Hall of Famer Mike Tomlin. Don't

(01:10:55):
boo sticks, don't do renegade.

Speaker 18 (01:10:57):
What you should do is boo yourselves.

Speaker 8 (01:10:58):
Do it.

Speaker 2 (01:10:59):
Put down that triple the mirror and say boo. And
while you're at it, go boo your mother.

Speaker 3 (01:11:04):
Oh, hezel to Austin, that's a pretty good kahuna impression.

Speaker 2 (01:11:08):
A quick Google search you come up with the following.
Scott Farcas, who he was the bully? And Chris say that, yes,
Scott Farcas Christmas story bully. We don't like bullies around here.
Harry Marv They never really had toned for anything. They
were villains. They got what was coming to him. Hans
Gruber from Die Hard Okay could fall in the same category.

Speaker 3 (01:11:30):
What about Kevin's brother Buzz Buzz was a bully too,
he did you know you could bully him?

Speaker 2 (01:11:35):
Oogie Boogie once kidnapped Sannah. What'd you call him Ugie Boogie?

Speaker 4 (01:11:40):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:11:40):
I always called him Ugie Boogie. Oh maybe it ugi Boogie,
Ugie Boogie Ooki Boogie.

Speaker 23 (01:11:47):
The only bad thing about listening to fifteen thirty is
having to listen to the Chris Canty promos. You know
that's not even his full name. His real name is
Chris Canty.

Speaker 5 (01:11:58):
Shut the hell up, Wow, go Muskies.

Speaker 2 (01:12:03):
Can't He's actually been nice to the Bengals. He has,
He's changed.

Speaker 14 (01:12:07):
Former President Ronald Reagan and Whale. I wouldn't get too
excited about Kyle Schwarber coming to Cincinnati. I mean, I
don't know if he has any connections here or not.
I don't even know where he's from. But it's not
like he's Hello.

Speaker 2 (01:12:21):
Hello, true. He is from Middletown, though.

Speaker 24 (01:12:28):
Forms to Brian Hartline, that's a well deserved opportunity and
as far as Kyle Schwarber to the Reds in the
words of Michael Scott, no doubt about it. I'm ready
to get hurt again.

Speaker 2 (01:12:42):
No doubt about it, no doubt about it.

Speaker 3 (01:12:45):
I think it's more applicable to to Scott's tots, Nick
Crawl is Michael Scott.

Speaker 2 (01:12:51):
Have you did you have a chance over the break
to check in on the Chris Henry.

Speaker 3 (01:12:55):
News and hope it goes away, okay, and hope the
paperwork is just kind of like a just lost.

Speaker 2 (01:13:03):
And okay, it's like just has to send it to
Hugh Jackson thing.

Speaker 24 (01:13:05):
Yeah, yeah, hey Tony, just a quick follow up to
something he mentioned to start the show. If you guys
already mentioned this in the meantime, apologies, but Brian Hardline
actually did interview for the Cincinnati job. Yeah, before they
hired Scott Siderfield.

Speaker 2 (01:13:21):
Yeah, I know it just because interview, Like would he
have taken it?

Speaker 4 (01:13:26):
Right?

Speaker 2 (01:13:26):
Like he wasn't offered, right, he wasn't offered I wonder
if he would have taken it if just sometimes people
interview just to kind of go through that process and
get an understanding of it. That's just another one that
John Cunningham just absolutely nailed high energy how Wi.

Speaker 25 (01:13:41):
Field, Williams, Darnell Burton, Jonte vaugh and the amazing Lazelle Durton.
I missed the days when an open shooter is gonna
knock down that three, six, seven threes a game consistent
when you played it ranked opponent. Your thoughts, you're gonna
eat them. Yep, not anymore, man, I missed those days.

Speaker 2 (01:14:05):
I'll tell you.

Speaker 3 (01:14:05):
From all the basketball I watch, usually when three point
shooters are left open, they do make the shot.

Speaker 2 (01:14:11):
You need to make your shots, and you're you, guys,
well the cast the losers have been in charge of
this Red's team for twenty years.

Speaker 26 (01:14:20):
Run this organization into the ground. They've stomped on the traditions,
the rich history of this I think they're finally starting
to feel the heat from the fan base.

Speaker 2 (01:14:33):
I hope they are.

Speaker 26 (01:14:35):
I hope they feel like they have to sign Kyle Schwarber,
and I hope it gets done.

Speaker 2 (01:14:41):
Come on meany to Hi boys.

Speaker 27 (01:14:43):
I want to give you a little bit of a
sprinkle of sprinkled drip trip. This is Walker from the
West Side, and we'll af thinking about betting the Bengals
when the division don't. They're plus eight to fifty great value, sure,
but if you think they're going to win out to
get there, you might as well keep doubling up your
money and bet the money line every single time from
here until they're After the end of this week, you
would have bet a ten dollars bet, you'd be up

(01:15:04):
to thirty two.

Speaker 28 (01:15:04):
Double that up, you'd be up to about seventy five.

Speaker 27 (01:15:07):
You're already at your value there, So keep doubling up, boys, let's.

Speaker 2 (01:15:11):
Go Okay, Well, thank you for that.

Speaker 29 (01:15:15):
We had an interesting discussion in our family last week
while we were watching the first two parts of The Godfather. Wow,
the First Godfather a Christmas movie. Oh, Christmas decorations, there's
Christmas shopping, there's Christmas lights.

Speaker 2 (01:15:37):
That's a good point.

Speaker 4 (01:15:40):
Oh it's a Christmas movie.

Speaker 2 (01:15:42):
I don't think I view it as a Christmas movie.
But I also don't view Harry Potter as a Christmas
movie while others do because it was filmed during like
Christmas time, like there's Christmas trees and Christmas break and
all that. I still view it as a Christmas movie
just because of that. I've never seen The Godfather.

Speaker 16 (01:15:58):
Yo, we got them shaking in a buffalo boots weapon
the city out here and sunny hot on.

Speaker 2 (01:16:02):
What up, Tony?

Speaker 7 (01:16:03):
What up? Man?

Speaker 16 (01:16:04):
I've been listen to Bill's podcast, and man, sounds like
they a little bit nervous. These fans out there, They
a little bit scared. You should be just like Wes.
You should be scared on Friday. You better get this
win against every g. Time is ticking on you, man,
just like coach sat y'all already know how I feel
about him. I'm out the door with that coach already.
And Yo, Reds get swore home. I want to see

(01:16:24):
if he can hit one of Kentucky in great American
small park.

Speaker 2 (01:16:28):
I bet he could. We're not trying to hit home made.

Speaker 30 (01:16:33):
From the in the lext. Sorry back home this morning
about it was a great trip to Utah, but as
as always, it's good to get back home. But not
happy about my Wildcats. I don't know, Mark Pope, come on, dude,
uh excited for Sunday with the Bengals. If they win Sunday,

(01:16:53):
I think they got a really good chance to make
the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:16:56):
So whoday, go Reds. And I guess, Oh no, he
didn't even get it in he said. I guess, I guess.

Speaker 31 (01:17:03):
Man, Hey, Tony, I heard you announce on the radio
today that you were going to the Christmas party. That's
kind of surprising. I didn't think new employees within the
first ninety days as they were new hire where we're
allowed to gourty.

Speaker 2 (01:17:17):
That's valid point.

Speaker 3 (01:17:20):
You should well, you should put a name tag on tonight. Hi,
I'm Tony, Tony.

Speaker 2 (01:17:24):
Good to eat you. I've been there a couple months,
talasst guy in the room, been there a couple of months.
How are you you know something?

Speaker 16 (01:17:29):
When I was growing up the Cross Town Shoot, I
was very special.

Speaker 3 (01:17:32):
You actually have to do that to a couple of
our people, folks. Just reintroduce yourself me.

Speaker 10 (01:17:39):
You know something.

Speaker 16 (01:17:40):
When I was growing up the Cross Town Shoot, I
was very special.

Speaker 2 (01:17:43):
Yep. He used to shut down the city.

Speaker 16 (01:17:45):
I can remember getting the Cincinnati Inquiry or the Cincinnati Post.

Speaker 2 (01:17:49):
Goes straight to the sports section article and just read
about UC and Xavier.

Speaker 16 (01:17:52):
Yes, sitting here wondering, man, how my Bearcat's gonna beat
the Musketeers, and we already know what town was gonna
be on. He was either on on nine or Channel nineteen.
That's how it was back then. It had significant meaning.
Now it's a rider with no meaning on a load
you see by ten.

Speaker 2 (01:18:09):
I also, I've said this before, I think that the
new age of sports hurts it as well. You don't
have guys that have been in the rivalry for three
or four years that see it and build up to it.
You got guys that have been in Cincinnati a couple months,
and that takes away from it as well. And both
teams are not very good.

Speaker 18 (01:18:26):
Afternoon boys, Austin, you were supposed to be in charge
of keeping track and checking your boy Tony. He just
quoted from an article saying it would be quite the
coupe if the Reds could get Schwarber.

Speaker 2 (01:18:40):
Yeah.

Speaker 18 (01:18:40):
I was waiting for you to chime in and tell
them that that is not proper use of the wordage.
So we're gonna need you to step up your game.

Speaker 2 (01:18:48):
Son. Yeah. There gets to a point everyone's life where
you just try enough and you give up.

Speaker 3 (01:18:52):
I do appreciate you calling me out, and I want that.
That being said, I have tried sometimes long times with
Tony and it goes in one ear and out the other. Ye,
And so I've given up.

Speaker 2 (01:19:07):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (01:19:08):
And you know, if he wants to make a fool
of himself. Thank you's you go right ahead?

Speaker 2 (01:19:12):
Thank you? Doesn't matter if he gets fired, he gets rehired.
One's doing well today.

Speaker 32 (01:19:19):
Question for you, fellas, who plays another snap first the
rest of the season.

Speaker 2 (01:19:23):
Jamar Stewart or Trey Henderson Stewart. I don't think Trey
will ever play again. For the things.

Speaker 33 (01:19:29):
I don't know how much you pay attention to the
online chatter, but there's a pretty funny thing going on
right now. And I don't understand the NFL's dress code
rules and all that, but the idea of the Bengals
going ninja mode and wearing all white if there's snow
in Buffalo, I find pretty dang funny.

Speaker 2 (01:19:49):
Is that a thing?

Speaker 3 (01:19:51):
All that stuff has to be announced ahead of time.
So my understanding is how it works is that the
teams submit what uniforms they want to wear for each
game in June, and then between June and the start
of the regular season, it's all ironed out. You know,
if a team wants if the Bengals want to wear
all white at home, then the other team will wear

(01:20:13):
their dark uniform and blah blah blah blah blah. So
the Bengals have known that they're gonna wear the all
white jersey and pants combination for a while.

Speaker 2 (01:20:22):
I would think.

Speaker 3 (01:20:23):
Now, I do think that the pants are decided on
like the week of for the most part, but the
other stuff has to be submitted to the league previously.
So actually, the Bengals are wearing their orange helmets, so
they're not wearing the white helmets this week. They're wearing
their white jerseys with white pants and the black socks.

(01:20:45):
Here's what's interesting about that. The Bengals have not worn
that combination in back to back regular season games since
they got the new uniforms. The only time in the
history of these new uniforms twenty twenty one on that
they have worn this exact combination the exact same in

(01:21:05):
back to back games was the twenty twenty one playoffs
when they were at Tennessee and at Kansas City in
the Divisional round in the AFC Championship Game.

Speaker 34 (01:21:15):
Okay, hey, the top ranking Tony in Austin. Tony, congratulations
on sixth nationally from Awful Announcing on Best College Duo
Announcer broadcast does Austin. If I was you, I would
take Tony to a nice dinner to celebrate.

Speaker 2 (01:21:38):
Now, that reminds me, for whatever reason, of that voice. Austin.

Speaker 3 (01:21:41):
Also, I think they wore them back to back in
the twenty two playoffs as well, which would have been
the win in Buffalo and then the AFC Championship game
in Kansas City, So back to back postseasons.

Speaker 2 (01:21:50):
I'm sorry, Tony continued. Did you hear yesterday at all
from George from the Valley?

Speaker 8 (01:21:55):
No?

Speaker 3 (01:21:56):
Okay, he ain't got the guts to show up. Okay,
we haven't talked about this so that you're number six.

Speaker 2 (01:22:01):
Number six, Big Time, number one in the Big twelve,
number one in the Big twelve. Yeah, nationally. No, I'm
not taking Tony out to a nice dinner.

Speaker 3 (01:22:11):
He's the one who makes the big bucks. Dan Horse,
I was gonna say, I think Tony needs to take
Dan out the day. Yeah, I'm just and Ben Jarvis
brad ellis, Oh man.

Speaker 21 (01:22:21):
It's the Lord doing a double dip. I didn't get
to hear Zach Taylor's press conference. Oh what's the latest
on Tea Higgins?

Speaker 3 (01:22:31):
Guy just exists without the Internet. God, would I appreciate
I appreciate it. Yeah, you're supposed to be omnipotent. He's limited.

Speaker 5 (01:22:40):
Okay, Boys get one.

Speaker 30 (01:22:44):
Christmas or Bengals make the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:22:48):
Bengals, Reds, The rest of the Reds are not that.
If it's like Bengals to the super Bowl, then yes.
If the Bengals get and losing the first round, I'm
still taking Swarbur.

Speaker 3 (01:23:02):
That's not the question. It is do they make the
playoffs or do the Reds get Kylee Swarber.

Speaker 2 (01:23:06):
I think I'll take Swarburg.

Speaker 3 (01:23:07):
Do you think if the Bengals make the playoffs in
a potentially a playoff situation without Patrick Mahomes and without
Lamar Jackson, you betting against the Bengals an the AFC? No, Okay, no,
but that would mean that they would get back to
the super Bowl.

Speaker 2 (01:23:24):
But I think that the Reds are a playoff team
and a contender with.

Speaker 3 (01:23:28):
Why do you think that they have no relievers at
the moment they can add relievers, still have money left.

Speaker 2 (01:23:32):
They know they won't. Yeah, it's a good question though, Bengals. Okay,
just a reminder, Bearcats eight right, there we have days
and there we go in center. Well said not so
fun when the Rabbits got the gun hunt, Tom, that's
true I can say about that.

Speaker 35 (01:23:52):
Yeah, I wanted to ask you guys something. Do either
one of you guys ever watch like high school or
college wrestling. We have some of the best in the
country just in this area, just like it is just
like football. And if you guys get a chance to
go out and support a local high school, I think
you would be impressed about just the camaraderie and that

(01:24:13):
in that whole.

Speaker 2 (01:24:14):
Community of wrestlers. So if you get a chance, go
out and check it out. I have not gotten in.
I know that under Dick Engles, toute legit reading. Reading
was always a contender in wrestling. I remember the Charlie
Moore Invitational happened all the time. I would always go
up to the Charlie more Invitational and check things out.
Reading coach actually wanted me to come out for wrestling
at one point because he said I was gangly. Gangs

(01:24:37):
turned gangly. That means long arms, long legs. He said,
I'd have been tough to get to. Yep, it'd have
been tough to get to. But I played basketball instead
played I don't know if really didn't play.

Speaker 4 (01:24:46):
That I play.

Speaker 17 (01:24:48):
Totally agree with you guys, you got to get the
Schwarmer thing done. Trade Brady Singer and another one of
the arbitration eligible guys to free up your money. It's
about fifteen sixteen million. Trade those guys off. Time for
the young guys Chase Burns and Rett Louder to be
in the rotation. Anyway, Love what Brady Singer did, but
that's the move you need to make. The free up
the cash if you truly can't go above that twenty million.

(01:25:09):
That's what they need to do. And I have it
on good authority, Big Kahunah and Kentucky. If he hasn't
already chimed in, he will clap back tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:25:16):
No Kahuna really, he really doesn't need to leave. No
more talkbacks like ever again, come.

Speaker 2 (01:25:21):
On bray it. But yeah, all right, that's it.

Speaker 8 (01:25:29):
Was it.

Speaker 2 (01:25:29):
Football in the NATI is next. We'll talk to some
college hoops and out come in yet, Chris Henry, take
your phone calls five one three, seven, four nine fifteen
Wait five one three, seven four nine fifteen thirty. Yeah,
that's right on the whole. How many times you say
that last night? Say fifteen thirty? Just once? Second time?
Going to break? First time I was so locked in
on the number. Second break, I gave the wrong one.

(01:25:52):
But at seven four nine, fifteen thirty, give us a call.
We'll talk to you an hour number three on ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 10 (01:25:57):
From the courts in.

Speaker 1 (01:25:59):
The NATI, grutch you in part by Bud Light and
by Oakley Greens on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home
of the Cincinnati Bengals.

Speaker 2 (01:26:11):
All right, it is football in the NATI. Welcome back,
ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station. It happened last night, Austin.
Let's take a few minutes an update and discuss a
couple of the storylines surrounding the college football playoff rankings.
It was a final regular season rankings. Obviously, Championship weekend
happens this coming weekend Friday and Saturday. But with that,

(01:26:33):
no change at the top. Ohio State Indiana remained number
one and number two. Now Texas A and M's loss
has shifted some things. Texas A and M drops from
three to seven, which means Georgia moves up to three,
Texas Tech moves up to four, Oregon moves up to five,
and Old Miss without a head coach moves up to

(01:26:55):
number six. Oklahoma stayed at number eight, and the interesting
thing is Alabama has jumped Notre Dame, so Notre Dame
falls from nine to ten, Bama goes from ten to nine,
BYU is eleven, Miami is twelve, Texas is thirteen, and

(01:27:18):
then after that. I don't think it really matters much.
A couple of the talking points here Austin, a lot
of people trying to make a case for Texas. I
don't think Texas has a path. They have three losses.
A lot of people are making a case from Miami.
The case from Miami, Austin to me is a little
bit different because Miami is at twelve. Their regular season

(01:27:39):
is over, They're not playing for a conference title game.
But while losing to Louisville and SMU, Miami did have
a head to head win against Notre Dame. How much
should that factor into the college football playoff rankings knowing
that the Notre Dame game was the very first game
of the season. Since then again, Miami has slipped up
against teams that are both no longer ranked or I'm sorry,

(01:28:00):
Miami has slipped up against teams that are no longer ranked.
Does Miami have a case to be angry being at
twelve on Notre Dame is at ten.

Speaker 3 (01:28:11):
I guess it really just depends on who you lost
to and how the committee views those teams. Yeah, that's
ultimately I guess what is the deciding factor?

Speaker 2 (01:28:23):
Now?

Speaker 3 (01:28:23):
If they were ten and eleven and Miami is number eleven,
I would I would say that's wrong. Sure, but clearly
the other losses for Miami, which are who I don't
even know.

Speaker 2 (01:28:37):
Miami lost to Louisville and SMU, neither team is ranked.
Notre Dame's losses were to Miami, into Texas A and
m Yeah, so the first two games of the year,
and they've since won ten straight games. Yeah, those are
better losses than Miami has wins. Right, that is correct,
and Notre Dame I guess that they've won ten games
in a row. So I get the back and forth

(01:29:01):
a big twelve dynamic that I think is interesting knowing
what we know Austin and seeing the teams that are
kind of on the outside looking in, and that the
top doesn't matter because you're still gonna have two automatic
bids that are taking up this weekend as well, so
the top, you know, you're still gonna have teams on
the outside looking in. That a lot of people feel
are deserving. BYU is an interesting one because they're at

(01:29:24):
number eleven. They play Texas Tech. Is there a scenario
Austin where you could see Texas Tech going from number
four to out of the playoff if they lose to BYU.
I wouldn't think so. So the Big Twelve could essentially
steal a second bid If BYU beats Texas Tech. I
think the Big Twelve is a two bid league Texas Tech.

(01:29:45):
Caase takes care of BYU, then it doesn't matter. But
what I do think is interesting when you look at
championship weekend Austin, Oklahoma's not playing football this weekend, Texas
A and M is not playing football this weekend. Old
Miss is not playing football or is not playing football.
They make up five, six, seven eight in the rankings.
Alabama is number nine at ten and two. I would

(01:30:09):
believe if Alabama wasn't playing in the SEC title game
this weekend, they would be in the College Football Playoff.
But because they're in, it sure feels to me like
they have to beat Georgia because if three losses, I
think they'll be out. You could legitially make the case
that in Alabama stance, it hurts them playing in the

(01:30:29):
SEC title game, and there's nothing they can do about it.
That's just kind of how it is. But if they
lose their out when they're in regardless. But I think
if they were neutral this weekend, I think they'd be in.
I think their body of work would would would agree
with that.

Speaker 3 (01:30:46):
Maybe so, but you don't want to leave it up
to something weird happening.

Speaker 2 (01:30:54):
You don't want to You don't want to.

Speaker 3 (01:30:56):
Leave it up to Okay, maybe BYU does beat Texas
Tech or you know, however, it might work out to
where you can get bumped out for being idle. So
as difficult as a task as it is to go
to Atlanta and beat Georgia, sure you can remove all
doubt by beating Georgia. Yes, And this is the reality

(01:31:19):
of the Southeastern Conference. This is the conference that you
talk about and everybody you know warships about being such
a great conference. Okay, well, now here's the opportunity for
you to This is part of it. You don't necessarily
have the same rules, and you have a bit of
a tougher path than everyone else.

Speaker 36 (01:31:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:31:40):
The biggest winner of the last college football rankings, Arizona
moved up seven spots to number eighteen in the college
football playoff rankings. And'll ask you one more question on
this as an Ohio State fan Austin and we brushed
over this earlier in the week. Ohio State in Indiana
number one and two. Ohio State in Indiana, regardless of
what happens on Saturday, are both in the college football playoffs.

(01:32:02):
How are you handling From an Ohio State standpoint, how
are you handling the game Saturday? Are you? Are you
unloading the playbook? Are you playing Vanilla as possible? Because
there is a likely there's a scenario where you would
turn around and play Indiana again, How are you handling
the game Saturday night if you're Ohio State? Well, I

(01:32:24):
do think you wouldn't turn around and play them in
the same week. No, not the same week, but you
could see them again.

Speaker 3 (01:32:30):
I think it's it's likely that both of these teams
get by weeks no matter what happens, and whoever wins,
they basically flip spots from one to two. I could
see that you would basically, I think, determine just how
much you show and what exactly your plan of attack

(01:32:52):
is based off of what happens in the games prior
to you. That's what's nice is other than who's the
a C game? ACC game is the only one that
that tips off or that play kicks off at the
same time. Yeah, I don't know. I think you should
always try to win, but we've seen.

Speaker 2 (01:33:10):
That are try to win. But are you? Are you
exhausting all avenues of the playbook?

Speaker 3 (01:33:15):
No, I don't think that that either of these teams
would really have to.

Speaker 2 (01:33:20):
Yeah, yeah, I don't. I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:33:23):
I'm fascinated by it because Kurt Signetti's offense is the
only one in the country that I feel really worried
about as an Ohio State fan. Like, obviously Matt Patricia
has done incredible work with that defense, but Kurt Signetti
is a great offensive mind. There's no other offense in
the country that like strikes fear into me like Indiana does,

(01:33:45):
even with Matt Patricia. So for that reason, you know,
does Kurt Signetti come out and try to prove a point?
Does he try to go thirteen to zero?

Speaker 2 (01:33:54):
I think the title for Indiana would would mean a
lot more huge deal. It would mean a lot more
huge deal for what it's worth.

Speaker 3 (01:34:00):
I think the other thing too here is Ohio State
has been dealing with some injuries. Carnell Tate, Yeah, Jeremiah Smith,
They're not one hundred percent healthy, so I think that
might play into it as well.

Speaker 2 (01:34:13):
If you went by just the playoff rankings last night,
Ohio State would await the winner of Oklahoma and Alabama
to play Texas Tech would await the winner of Oregon
and a conference champion that'll be decided this weekend more
than likely two lanes. Yes, Georgia the three seed would
await Old Miss or another one of those conference champions,
and then Indiana would await the winner of Notre Dame

(01:34:34):
and Texas A and M. That is how the four
teams with the bye would currently play out in the
college football playoff.

Speaker 3 (01:34:42):
Let's see that being said. If I'm Ohio State, I
would rather, I think right now, play the winner of
Notre Dame in Texas.

Speaker 2 (01:34:53):
Ay, absolutely, I would agree, one hundred percent, and like
the same wis in all of this is what is
a committee do with Old Miss now that they don't
have a coach? You know, does something happen over the
weekend that Old Miss could fall in this? I don't
think so, but it is interesting to see where they
would they would go with that. Let's switch gears. Let's

(01:35:14):
talk some college hoops in our number three. We'll also
take your phone calls in our number three on the
Home of the Bengals, ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.
Thanks to our friends here at sin.

Speaker 1 (01:35:24):
T Shirts, you've been listening to football in the NATI
on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the Cincinnati
bengalss Tony Pike since e three sixty, About Cincinnati from Cincinnati,
Sponsored in part by Penn Station East Coast Subs hand

(01:35:48):
crept It hot grilled subs, fresh cut fries in lemonade.
It's all about good taste Penn Station East Coast Subs
order um line today. This is esp the end fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 2 (01:36:06):
Welcome back. It is since E three to sixty. This
is the third and final hour of the Wednesday edition
on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station. Thank you to
our friends right across the street from us at Penn
Station and all the locations. We certainly appreciate their support.
As we roll along into the third hour. Phone lines
will be open five to one, three, seven, four, nine,

(01:36:27):
fifteen thirty you can call if you want to talk Bengals,
if you want to talk more Kyle schwarb I'd be
happy to do that. I also want to know what
the interest is for the Crosstown Shootout because it feels,
as Austin and I discussed at the start of the show,
it feels like there's less buzz around this game going
into this year. And I know there are factors that
go into it. It's played on a Friday night, It's

(01:36:49):
much earlier on the schedule than what it has been normally.
It is also on a weekend where you have college
football championships being decided, college football playoff spots being decided.
It has Bengals Bills implications on Sunday. So the timing, uh,
what else is going on in the sports world. It
doesn't help that neither of these teams right now is

(01:37:10):
very good. I'm not saying that the teams can't improve,
but right now they're not very good.

Speaker 13 (01:37:15):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:37:15):
All of those things go into this, and so I'll
open it up to you five, one, three, seven, four, nine,
fifteen thirty. What's your excitement level around the Crosstown Shootout?
What's your build up around this year's shootout compared to
years in the past. It's shootout number one for Richard Patino,

(01:37:37):
I believe, Austin. We have some audio of Richard Patino
from earlier today talking about said shootout. We sure do.

Speaker 37 (01:37:42):
Let's go to that introductory press conference. You said you
understand the responsibility of this game, and so just curious
how you're embracing that challenge as you care for your
first cross.

Speaker 38 (01:37:51):
Well, I mean, I would say, as boring as it sounds,
on a day to day we approach it, you know,
like any other game, and that you know, that's the
responsibility of a coach. With that being said, you know,
we know how passionate our fan base is.

Speaker 28 (01:38:08):
We know how passionate their fan base is.

Speaker 38 (01:38:10):
We're all so close together, you know, so we totally
respect the rivalry and you know the amazing tradition that
the game has.

Speaker 28 (01:38:22):
Our guys know it, you know.

Speaker 38 (01:38:24):
But on a day to day we're not working any harder.
I can promise you see is doing the same thing.
But we obviously know it is a huge game for
both programs.

Speaker 28 (01:38:36):
You know, we're gonna fight our butt off to see
if we can get a win.

Speaker 39 (01:38:39):
Coach, if you can think back to when you got hired.
How long was it before someone brought up the shootout
to you?

Speaker 38 (01:38:46):
I mean, I can't even remember what I had for
breakfast today, so I mean my memory is not real good.

Speaker 28 (01:38:50):
But what I can tell you is you hear it
a lot.

Speaker 38 (01:38:53):
You know, when you're out in the community, whether it's
Xavier fans, you see fans, the community really races the game,
and that's a cool thing to be a part of.
You know, you want to take a job where people care.
Clearly our fan base does, clearly theirs does. So yeah,
you hear it a lot, you know, from both sides.
And you know, we certainly know it's a big, big challenge.

(01:39:16):
They're a really good team, but we also understand it's
huge for the fans as well.

Speaker 39 (01:39:22):
Is it weird or is it hard to explain to
the guys or get them to feel the gravity of
a game like this when they're all coming to Xavier
for the first year.

Speaker 2 (01:39:32):
No, no, it's not.

Speaker 38 (01:39:34):
I mean, certainly if you had players playing in the
game last year. But Uce is dealing with the same thing.
Everybody in college basketball is dealing with the same thing.
Just because nobody on our team has played in the
game doesn't mean that they don't understand how important it is.
You know, it's a huge rivalry game, and so you know,
big game certainly the next game as well. But you know,

(01:40:00):
I don't try to make a bigger deal of it
as we're scouting, as we're preparing than we would any
other opponent. But everybody knows the gravity of the game
on both sides.

Speaker 37 (01:40:12):
You see ranks number four defensively and Ken Palmit efficiency.
Just what stands out about that side of the ball
And have you guys faced anything similar to that so
far this year?

Speaker 38 (01:40:21):
Well, I mean, I think from like a length standpoint,
they're similar to Georgia.

Speaker 28 (01:40:26):
They're really big, they're very long, they're very.

Speaker 38 (01:40:29):
Athletic discipline defensively, you know, so certainly that's going to
be a huge challenge for us. They've got really good
defense personnel, they're committed to it, you know, so like
everything else, you know, taking care of the ball, you know,
being smart around the basket's got to be very important
for us.

Speaker 40 (01:40:48):
You say that, you know, even if the guys are
transferring in, they still understand the gravity of the game.
Have you done anything to you know, research yourself and
then kind of pass it along and teach the guys
the history of this game, this rivalry. Are you doing
anything different to kind of prepare for that so they
do know the background of it all.

Speaker 38 (01:41:06):
No, I'm treating it like I would any other game.
I mean, these are guys. They don't care about what
happened in nineteen eighty. I wish they would, but they're young,
they're young players. I mean, they don't you.

Speaker 28 (01:41:16):
Know what we taught.

Speaker 38 (01:41:17):
We don't talk about, oh, ten years ago, this is
what happened though.

Speaker 28 (01:41:22):
Those guys just don't care. I mean, that's this young generation.

Speaker 38 (01:41:24):
What we just talk about is how can we beat
uc which is going to be a very very tough task. Again,
I don't want to like gloss over it like it's
not a big deal. It's certainly a big game and
a huge opportunity for us in the building. But what
happened in the past that would just totally blow over
their heads, you know. So you just we came in yesterday,

(01:41:47):
watched the Saint Francis edit, dove in on U see,
and it'll be business as usual.

Speaker 9 (01:41:53):
All right.

Speaker 2 (01:41:54):
So that is part of what Rick Patino Richard Patino
had to say earlier today about the shootout. I do
think it's interesting Austin that he's kind of just hoping
about you know, we're approaching this day to day like
any other game we play. Yeah, you know, wes Miller
made a comment after their loss or after the win
against Tarleton State about we know what the next game

(01:42:16):
is and we don't approach the next game like it's
any other game. So, at least from an approach side,
you have two different variables there, right, one coach who
at least on the outside, is saying it's it's just
a normal game, whereas the other is saying this, this
game means more. And I think there's an like I

(01:42:37):
expect that to Wes Miller's been here for five years.
Wes Miller has seen what happens if you don't beat Xavier, right,
So I think there is an understanding to that. But
at the same time, it to me, it's hard if
you don't have the I don't want to say the

(01:43:04):
the bad blood or animosity, but that sometimes helps the
rivalry game, you know what I mean. And it just
it's not it's not as prevalent now as what it
was in years past.

Speaker 3 (01:43:15):
Yeah, I mean, you think about there's I don't know
that Patino feels any pressure. Absolutely, I think this is
a way almost to put the pressure back on you
see mm hm, it's just another game for us. Meanwhile,
it's mounting in Clifton right Absolutely, it's like, uh, we

(01:43:35):
got to win this game, like right now?

Speaker 2 (01:43:37):
Yeah, like and and not to me like and there's
some there's some there's twenty seconds of Kerk Crisa like.
Outside of that, they're like from the players. Austin I said,
Kerk Creese is the only player that will play on
Friday night that was even alive when these two teams play.
When when you see last one at the Centa Center,

(01:44:00):
you know, there's just not there's not the understanding in
my belief anymore of just how much this rivalry means.
I mean, the closest thing we got was this twenty
second clip from Kerk Crisa after the Bearcats beat Tarleton
State on Monday. How excited are you for that game?

Speaker 9 (01:44:19):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (01:44:20):
Exciting, of course.

Speaker 35 (01:44:21):
I mean this.

Speaker 9 (01:44:23):
The Outer School is up in Norwood, so happy, happy.

Speaker 2 (01:44:25):
And excited to go there.

Speaker 39 (01:44:26):
And and uh I heard it's a it's a big fight.

Speaker 19 (01:44:30):
So we're definitely going to bring him.

Speaker 2 (01:44:32):
So the school in Norwood, the other school he used
the term happy happy, and uh that they're going to
bring it because they're going to bring a fight.

Speaker 8 (01:44:41):
So like.

Speaker 2 (01:44:41):
But outside of that, like like the Cumberland years, there
was hate there Xavior like nowadays. And this isn't this
is not about the fans. I would venture to say
Austin that there are a lot of fans of Xavier
that couldn't tell you one UC player, sure, and there's
a lot of UC that couldn't tell you one Xavior player, right,

(01:45:02):
And in years past that's been different. It's like man,
j P. Mccura, Man, he draws me nuts, man, Jared
Cumberland draws me nuts. You know, there's just not that anymore.
And I think that rivalries missed that.

Speaker 3 (01:45:15):
Yeah, And we kind of talked earlier too about how
the the arena for both sides really hasn't been filled
with too many people. A very small crowd for U
see the other night against Tarleton State, Xavier not quite
as full as we expected. And I see here from
Lance McAllister. Xavier has indicated that there are now a

(01:45:36):
limited number of tickets available for the Crosstown shootout due
to the Bearcats returning a portion of their allotment. U
SEE tells Lance that they declined to purchase seventy five
tickets that were in the upper corner level and some
last row one hundred and ten dollars apiece, So there

(01:45:59):
wasn't a ton of demand for those. UC made sure
to take care of students and team needs.

Speaker 2 (01:46:05):
Okay, but even that, I mean that goes into it
as well.

Speaker 3 (01:46:08):
That's that's strange, right, there's not demand from the UC
side to take care of students and team needs. Now
there are people in the reply saying that you know,
their season ticket holders, they never got an email from
u SEE asking if they wanted to buy tickets about
I don't know, but that in and of itself is strange.

Speaker 2 (01:46:25):
And to further the point, there's one other note here.
Outside of Day Dave Thomas Austin, no one on ey
of the roster's ever played in the shootout, So, you know,
how can you bill it the way? Outside of Wes
and dayDay, who can talk to the team this week
and say, look, you guys don't understand what you're going
to walk into Friday from a fan standpoint. Outside of that,

(01:46:47):
there's it's just different.

Speaker 3 (01:46:50):
This is kind of off topic, but what did you
make of Jizzle being in the building building and now
all the conversation around him.

Speaker 2 (01:47:00):
It was the only thing that I thought was odd
about it is on the same night Gigsel is in
the building, Keishan Tillery played four minutes your backup point guard,
you know, and Wes Miller was asked about it after
the game and gave like a very coach answer, like
that was a coach's decision and I'm not going to
go into it anymore. Now, Wes was asked more about
Gisel James and he said, look, Jigsel has never not

(01:47:23):
been double negative. Gigil has never not been enrolled at Cincinnati,
So even while he was doing the things necessary that
he needed to do when it was his life, he
was still enrolled in online classes at you See. So technically,
since he's been a student at U See, he could
rejoin the team. I would imagine what I've heard, at
least up to this point is there's not an avenue

(01:47:44):
that he rejoins the team this year. Now, I think
that door is open if he does the things necessary
that he could return next year to the team. But
I don't think he would return this year. It didn't
help that UC put him on the JumboTron on Monday night.
You know what I mean? Like anytime like jizzl being there.
As soon as someone gets it, it's gonna be all over

(01:48:05):
social media. Why put it on the jumpbo tron, You're
just inciting the curiosity and the rumors. How funny would
it be if he ran out of the tunnel on
Friday night? Could he go get fifteen? He played well
against Savior. I don't know that in his career, I
don't know that he could.

Speaker 3 (01:48:24):
When I think of Gizsel James, I think of a
lot of jump shots being missed, a lot of dribbling,
a lot of dribbling, a lot of jump shots being missed.
Looks good though, That's good.

Speaker 2 (01:48:34):
Yeah, I'm glad to see that. Glad he's at the game.
Me too.

Speaker 3 (01:48:38):
Necessary don't know that he's the answer, don't know that
there are any answers, but I'm.

Speaker 2 (01:48:46):
Excited for the drama. I love seeing you squirm. Oh
I'm squirming? What that pit? The pit in the stomach
is there? Uh, we'll get to your phone calls when
we come back. Since he three sixty on ESPN in
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Welcome back our three centy

(01:49:12):
three sixty thanks to Penn Station. Thank you for listening
on ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. We got a
couple of minutes here. We'll take some of your phone calls. Uh, Tony,
what's going on? Hey guys, thank you, it's doing good.
How are you hey? Good in a while?

Speaker 36 (01:49:28):
First of all, I thought the cross onund shootout was
next week, so it shows how much Yeah, there's either
had not that paying attention, just haven't.

Speaker 2 (01:49:36):
Had to hear about it.

Speaker 36 (01:49:37):
But the thing that really kind of brought something back
to me was when I saw Lance's post about tickets,
you know, extra tickets being available. I don't remember seeing
seeing something like that, going back to maybe huggins.

Speaker 2 (01:49:52):
First year at the Garden. We were at one.

Speaker 36 (01:49:57):
Of the UC home games where nobody was there, and
they announcement inside the shoes saying, hey, there's tickets.

Speaker 2 (01:50:03):
Available, blah blah blah.

Speaker 36 (01:50:04):
We literally ran to the indoor ticket office and was
able to get some tickets and yeah, they were the
best seats, but yeah, they need I just hope Wes
is bringing in some of the former players to talk
about this rivalry, the robbery needs to get ramped backed up.

Speaker 2 (01:50:18):
I mean, we went from being midnight.

Speaker 36 (01:50:20):
Man, it's the ESPN all the way down to on
the Oak Show at three am in the morning.

Speaker 4 (01:50:26):
So it's kind of like we need to get us back.

Speaker 36 (01:50:29):
It's great for the city, it's great for both schools,
it's great for the alumnis of both schools, and it
just needs to get to where it used to be
and bring back that intimidate, dominate, and celebrate slogan.

Speaker 2 (01:50:43):
Would be kind of cool too. Yeah, Tony, I echo that.
I appreciate your phone call, thanks for listening. You know
that's part of it as well. Austin. It's just, again,
there's so many factors that go into it, but there's
just not the buzz around either of the programs right now.
And again I think those are for different reasons. Xavier

(01:51:05):
has a new coach roster that was pieced together, and
I think more than not Xavier fans are willing to
give Richard Patino a pass West Miller's in year five
and the team is already underperforming, not because they lost
to Louisville, because they lost at home against Eastern Michigan.
Is a twenty three and a half point favorite, and

(01:51:25):
they didn't look great against Tarleton State on Monday. They're
trending in the wrong direction. It's just hard to generate
as much buzz that way. It's just the nature of
what it is. What's up, Jeff, How are you.

Speaker 8 (01:51:39):
Happy?

Speaker 5 (01:51:40):
Wednesday?

Speaker 8 (01:51:40):
Gents?

Speaker 32 (01:51:42):
No real dog in the fight for the Crosstown shootout.
But I have been betting against UC with the points
recently and it's turned out very well.

Speaker 2 (01:51:49):
Yeah you've been winning.

Speaker 8 (01:51:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 32 (01:51:55):
Not ready to jump on the other team money line
just yet, but those twenty four and a half point
spreads against the not so good guys have turned out pretty.

Speaker 8 (01:52:02):
Yell so far.

Speaker 2 (01:52:03):
The Tarleton the Tarleton thing was crazy to me because
Tarleton State was playing without seven players and sixty one
percent of their scoring going into the game, and it
was a two point game at halftime. It's just it
hasn't looked good and they've not gotten better, whereas at
least about Xavier you can look and say they've improved

(01:52:23):
each game they've played in.

Speaker 32 (01:52:27):
Yeah, well, I know this is killing you obviously, Tony.
So back to the playoff for a second. Let's take
a shot. Alabama loses on Saturday and they're a three
loss team all of a sudden, Yeah, what single player
has ESPN been hyping as the second coming of God
presumed the Heisman Trophy winner since day one of the preseason.

Speaker 2 (01:52:50):
Out of out of Alabama or out in general, Arch Manning? Yeah,
any reason to get back in?

Speaker 32 (01:52:56):
Texas also has three losses. What do you think the
odds are ESPN puts the squeeze on the committee to
try to hop Texas.

Speaker 2 (01:53:03):
In there over Alabama for a ratings game. I think
if it came down to the two, I think I
think there are folks out there that would lean Texas
for those reasons. And Texas did play better down the stretch.
I think Alabama's overall body of work is much better.
But I don't think you're far off with that take.
I could see that happening.

Speaker 32 (01:53:26):
I could just see Sunday mornings somebody from ESPN leaning
into the committee room and saying.

Speaker 4 (01:53:31):
How much money are we paying you people?

Speaker 32 (01:53:34):
And somewhere down the road, if in one we do
go to sixteen teams, I could easily say see ESPN
saying we would like to have one or two slots
for ESPN to pick h in the sixteen team playoff
committee based outside of the bylaws of whatever those rules.

Speaker 14 (01:53:52):
Are or whatever.

Speaker 2 (01:53:54):
I mean at this point, as much as NCAA feels
like the wild wide one, I wouldn't put anything past
them for the future.

Speaker 32 (01:54:05):
Well, it's we know what the money involved that it's
certainly not out of the realm with possibilities. But hey,
we've got great football. We got great football to watch
Saturday and just lead into Sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:54:14):
So that's it.

Speaker 4 (01:54:15):
Let's kick back and enjoy it.

Speaker 2 (01:54:17):
Thank you, Jeff that afternoon. Yes, Sir Austin, what's up?

Speaker 7 (01:54:21):
Man?

Speaker 4 (01:54:23):
Hey, what's going on?

Speaker 14 (01:54:24):
Y'all?

Speaker 4 (01:54:24):
I listened to the show every day you wanted to.
I also wanted to talk college football playoffs.

Speaker 2 (01:54:30):
Please?

Speaker 4 (01:54:31):
Just how the last.

Speaker 32 (01:54:32):
Caller said Texas would have three losses and Bama would
have three losses.

Speaker 36 (01:54:37):
I don't think those three losses would compare to each other.

Speaker 2 (01:54:42):
Yeah, I I don't either. I mean, if you just
put them side by side and you look at the
Texas body of work and you look at the Alabama
body of work. Alabama started with a loss to Florida State,
they lost to Oklahoma. Those are the two losses. Texas losses. Again,
came to the number one team in the country, but
then the loss to Florida I think hurts Texas more

(01:55:04):
than anything. And they were blown out by Georgia, whereas
Alabama did play Georgia the first time around and actually
beat the Georgia Bulldogs. So yeah, I don't think. I
don't think the two are the same. I would agree
with that.

Speaker 4 (01:55:16):
And I also think you can't ponent somebody for playing
an extra game than everybody else. That would almost destroy
the conference championships in my eyes.

Speaker 2 (01:55:26):
Yeah, and I think that's the biggest concern right now
for future conference championship games. Is a scenario would you
ever could you ever see a point where a team
is like, I don't want to play in the conference
championship game?

Speaker 3 (01:55:37):
Yeah, I guess they could, right, I guess they could again,
if it would it be a forfeit, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:55:43):
Like if Oklahoma isn't gonna get penalized, if Old Miss
isn't gonna get penalized, if Texas isn't gonna get penalized,
or anyone else in the rankings. You know, Notre Dame
is not playing Texas A and m Oregon, They're not
playing If they're not going to be penalized, then why
would a team say, well, yeah, let's go play a
next game where we can lose and be penalized for it.

Speaker 4 (01:56:03):
Exactly, That's what I'm saying. Also, what do you guys
think the Bengals chances of making a late playoff.

Speaker 2 (01:56:09):
Pushes if they win on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (01:56:13):
I think they've got pretty good odds, to be completely honest,
right now, it's fifty to fifty. It really just comes
down to can they beat Buffalo. They do have a
reasonable chance even if they lose to either Buffalo or Miami.

Speaker 2 (01:56:25):
I feel pretty good about it.

Speaker 3 (01:56:27):
I mean, I don't know what defense is going to
show up, the one we saw for the first ten games,
the one we've seen for the last three, But I
feel pretty good right now, better than I having any
point this season.

Speaker 2 (01:56:37):
To be honest, they're a five and a half point
dog if you just go by spreads. I think they'd
be favored in their final four games. And I know
Austin talked about it. We talked about the Ravens and
Dolphins maybe being a little bit closer. But if they
beat the Bills, I think they would be a favorite
in their final four games and if that's the case,
go win them all and get yourself in the playoffs.
If they beat Buffalo Monday is a completely different feeling,

(01:57:00):
a completely different vibe, and it is let's go do
this thing and what does that scenario and path look like?

Speaker 4 (01:57:07):
That's where I'm at. Well, anyway, Roll Tide, Go Bengals.
I love listening to the show. Y'all keep doing good work.

Speaker 2 (01:57:13):
Thank you, Austin, Thanks Austin, Austin said, Roll Tide. Austin
was a northern HEAs in northern Kentucky. How do you
think Austin became a Tide fan? Roll Tide?

Speaker 3 (01:57:25):
There's not really a lot of Like, there's not a
big time college football programs anywhere near northern Kentucky.

Speaker 2 (01:57:33):
Wow, we'll take one more phone call then if that's
the that's the stance we're gonna take, Let's go to Dayton.
What's up, Dick? That was rage bait. I'm kidding, Richard.

Speaker 8 (01:57:46):
Dick.

Speaker 2 (01:57:46):
Are you there?

Speaker 4 (01:57:48):
Hey?

Speaker 2 (01:57:49):
Hey, you're on the good man. You're on the air
with me?

Speaker 8 (01:57:54):
Yeah?

Speaker 41 (01:57:54):
How are you doing? I was just taking But did
you guys have a good Thanksgiving?

Speaker 2 (01:57:59):
Sure?

Speaker 5 (01:57:59):
Did?

Speaker 2 (01:58:00):
Absolutely?

Speaker 41 (01:58:02):
Oh.

Speaker 42 (01:58:03):
But the shock for is Thursday when I knew listen
to you yesterday, Austin and our very that I thought
the Bengals would win over the Ravens. When Joe Burrow
comes back, you can count on them winmen.

Speaker 2 (01:58:19):
Austin, you know they've won.

Speaker 3 (01:58:21):
They've won eight straight games that Joe Burrow has started.

Speaker 2 (01:58:25):
How about that?

Speaker 41 (01:58:26):
That's good and I'm putting my hope. I'm telling you,
I think Ohio State is going to squeeze by by
a field goal, a last minute field goal, and it's
going to be high scoring. I think that. I think
the way. I don't know if Indiana's good defenses, but
I think they're going to go all the way at

(01:58:47):
the Big ten.

Speaker 2 (01:58:48):
Guys, I don't think Indiana can stop Ohio State. I
think that's going to be an issue on the defensive
side of the ball. But I'm with you. I think
Ohio State wins, Dick. I just don't think it's as close.
I think Ohio State wins by more than a touchdown.

Speaker 41 (01:59:00):
I would say, yeah, and the Bengalis might have a
chance Sunday, you know.

Speaker 4 (01:59:04):
Baby, absolutely, Babe, Yeah, I think.

Speaker 2 (01:59:08):
Dick have a good one. Now, we were at Twin
Peaks on Monday. Yeah, and you never you ever see
like on the bottom of the screen on on ESPN
they have like the matchup predictor, like this team has
a seventy percent chance to win, this team has this
much of a percent chance to win. Did you happen
to see what the matchup predictor had for Indiana Ohio State? No?

(01:59:32):
Do you want to guess? No? Indiana fifty oh see
Ohio State forty nine? Pers That's enough for me. Put
it on the on the on the wall bulletin board
like I would. I would never think that the matchup
predictor would lean to Indiana in this And I don't

(01:59:53):
know what all goes into the analytics and how they
come up with those predictions, but right now.

Speaker 3 (01:59:58):
I know that we've had a lot of doubt. It's
about FPI in the past.

Speaker 8 (02:00:01):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (02:00:02):
Right now, Ohio State opens a five and a half
point favorite. That's down to four and a half again.
I maybe it's close for a bit. I see Ohio
State as the far better. Do you remember the beat
Indonia shirts? I? Do you need one? Might have to
pull those out? You need one? I got a couple
that worked because they did they took care of business

(02:00:22):
and Michael Pennox got taken care of as well. All right, dude,
just anyway, we'll be back. Since he three sixty on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, thanks to Penn Station.
Welcome back since he three sixty, Thanks to Penn Station.

(02:00:43):
Thank you for listening. Moweger comes up and uh just
a bit, he'll join us for quick hits in a
couple of minutes and we'll get you all sett for
what's coming up on the Mowegar Show. Before that, Austin,
can we take a quick journey to Orchard Park? What's
going on in Buffalo?

Speaker 3 (02:00:56):
Bill's just released their injury report for practice today. Now
this is noteworthy. They held a walk through practice. Okay,
so not a full practice for the Bills, but there
were three d nps. Linebacker Terrell Bernard dealing with an elbow,
Defensive end Joey Bosa did not he's got a hamstring
and wrist in listed week to week yes, and wide

(02:01:19):
receiver Joshua Palmer all did not participate in the walk
through practice. Starting tackles Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown, Dawkins
dealing with a concussion, Brown with a shoulder.

Speaker 2 (02:01:31):
Both of them were limited.

Speaker 3 (02:01:33):
Tight End Dalton Kincaid also limited in practice, defensive tackle TJ. Sanders,
tight end Jackson Hawes, full back Reggie Gillum, long snapper
Reed Ferguson all listed as full participants for the Bills today.
So the big ones there though, starting tackle Spencer Brown
and Dion Dawkins. Obviously Joey Bosa as well. We'll see

(02:01:57):
more about the Bills and we'll get the Bengals into
report a little bit later on. Additionally, we were talking
about uniforms earlier. Today, Buffalo will wear their traditional home
uniforms white helmets, blue jerseys, white pants with the blue socks.

Speaker 2 (02:02:12):
Buffalo. Let's just let's call what it is. No reason
for Dion Dawkins to rush back, No, Joey Bosa, take
your time, hamstring. You don't want to push those things.
Certainly not in the cold. No, absolutely not. By the way,
too much white gonna be on the field. Bill should
be wearing in blue breeches. Yeah, that's fair, Uh, question
for you answer. The coaching carousel has been all over

(02:02:37):
the place in college football. Some have called it one
of the biggest coaching carousels ever. When you look at
till next year. The jobs that have been open and
what has resulted from those jobs. If you go from
you know, Kentucky has hired Will Stein, Michigan State has
hired Pat Fitzgerald. U CLA went and got James Madison's
Bob Chesney Lsu and Lane Kiffin, and then Ole miss says,

(02:03:00):
all right, we'll take our decordinator, Pete Golding and we'll
make him the new head coach. And then Florida got
John Sumral from Tulane, and then Arkansas got Memphis Ryan Silverfield.
Auburn went to USF and got Alex Golish us F
then one and got Brian Hartline. Stanford went and got
former Stanford quarterback ta Vita Pritchard. Tavita Pritchard. I actually

(02:03:23):
saw that on Hard Knocks last night. Ta Vita Pritchard
is a quarterback coach for the Commanders. There you go
and they show this team meeting where they announced he's
leaving to be the head coach Stanford. It was a
really cool moment. Oklahoma State went and got Eric Morris,
that's their new coach. Virginia Tech hired James Franklin. And
I can't help but wonder, Austin, what's going on at

(02:03:45):
Penn State. Yeah, a team that was ranked number two preseason,
that played hard early in the year in some games,
and then falls off the face of the earth fires
James Franklin and has yet to fill the void head coach.

Speaker 3 (02:04:00):
It seemed like they were picking up some steam with
Kilanie Sataki from b YU yesterday, and then it appears
that the CEO of Crumble Cookie, who is heavily involved
I guess with the Church and Byu, got up off
the couch and made sure that Kilanie Sataki was.

Speaker 2 (02:04:21):
He's taken care of. He's staying with the Koks.

Speaker 3 (02:04:23):
This is apparently all that has happened with Penn State
so far. They talked to Urban Meyer, wasn't interested. Talk
to Mike Elko he got an extension at Texas A
and m talked to Kurt Signetti, Matt Ruhle, Marcus Freeman,
Eli Drinkowitz. None of them were interested. Brian Kelly tried
to get Kaylin de Borr assuming they lose to Auburn.

Speaker 2 (02:04:45):
Didn't happen.

Speaker 3 (02:04:47):
Lincoln Riley pulled his name out of the occasion, tried
to get Sataki.

Speaker 2 (02:04:51):
Nothing.

Speaker 3 (02:04:52):
Where do they go now? By the way, Jeff Brohm
has just told the University of Louisville he's not freakingly Yeah,
he's staying. I've seen the name Dan Mullen floated around.

Speaker 2 (02:05:04):
I like that. I like Dan Mullen. I don't want
we saw Big Ben said that Mike Tomlin should go
take that job. I bet, I bet Mike love that.

Speaker 3 (02:05:13):
You want to go get Brian Kelly. You think I
think there's an interesting name here, Okay, Brian Daboll, Brian
Dave all of course came up with Penn State. Okay,
he's available, Okay, could be. I'd be interesting.

Speaker 2 (02:05:30):
I think desperate, but I do think that's a possibility.
Be interesting.

Speaker 3 (02:05:35):
Isn't it funny? Nobody seems to be interested in Brian Kelly.
It is a little interesting. I think he's got something
about the name Manny dis from Duke Okay, maybe got
him playing the a SEC title game.

Speaker 2 (02:05:51):
Sure.

Speaker 3 (02:05:52):
Yeah, I feel bad for Penn State. I'm so sorry
for them. By the way, we're talking earlier about Chris
Henry Jr. His paperwork not being filed. Oh there's been
some more drama. Oh no, how about this four star
athlete by the name legend Bay was committed to Ohio State.

(02:06:13):
He's flipped to Tennessee, oh He is decked out in
Ohio State gear at his ceremony. Wanted to be a Buckeye.
His mom would not sign his paperwork because she wanted
him to go to Tennessee.

Speaker 2 (02:06:26):
Wow. So going to Tennessee basically against his will.

Speaker 14 (02:06:31):
Wow.

Speaker 2 (02:06:33):
Could you imagine?

Speaker 3 (02:06:33):
How do you feel if you're Tennessee this guy commits
to You don't learn a bunch of Ohio State gear.

Speaker 2 (02:06:38):
But his mom does.

Speaker 3 (02:06:40):
Interesting this is I was talking about this yesterday. The
may the mayhem, and the chaos and the messiness of
college football.

Speaker 2 (02:06:49):
Yep.

Speaker 3 (02:06:50):
I think that's what we like about it. And I
do think that eventually it will turn on itself and
be detrimental. And I think it's already detrimental, sure, but
I don't know that wherever we ever really wanted to
change because we can't get enough of it. It's a
It's a soap opera every single day, and even to

(02:07:10):
the point where National Signing Day has.

Speaker 2 (02:07:12):
Turned into this. He's just got to take it in, man.
Dere Kat's got anybody today. Mulager joins us next for
Quick Kits on ESPN fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station.

Speaker 10 (02:07:21):
From the Quick Kits on ESPN fifteen thirty?

Speaker 2 (02:07:26):
Are we looking for more? Is Mo here Austin? Have
you seen Mo? I have seen Mo? Where is he?

Speaker 3 (02:07:33):
It's Quick Kits. He's supposed to be in here. He
should be here any moment, all right. I told him
we're waiting on Mulgar.

Speaker 2 (02:07:38):
He was very busy. The studio is donned with a
yule log fireplace on the TV. Is that right? We've
got apparently a candle's been brought in here. A fake
candle has been brought in And if if, if you're
heading in, if you're heading in holiday, so the iHeart

(02:07:59):
holiday party. There is an opportunity you can just come
and talk to Mo on air from three to six.
I'm told I think there are You could maybe talk
to Joe Burrow.

Speaker 5 (02:08:07):
We could hear from Joe Burrow three fifteen.

Speaker 2 (02:08:09):
Maybe what if someone's in here and wants to talk,
then what are you gonna do?

Speaker 5 (02:08:11):
Anybody is well, we're gonna have to tell Joe sorry,
you've had your moment in the sun. First of all,
First of all, I'm so happy. Yeah, I'm so happy
because I know we've been looking forward to this day
because today was gonna be the day that I found
out if I'm Employee of.

Speaker 2 (02:08:24):
The Year and I wasn't. Oh no, who got it?

Speaker 5 (02:08:28):
Ryan Seacrest, Oh in, iHeartMedia. This is the sixth time.
This is the sixth time in seven years.

Speaker 2 (02:08:34):
Stuff.

Speaker 5 (02:08:34):
Six times in seven years he's won, Sarah least one
at the one year. Wow, six times in seven years,
Ryan Seacrest, I heeart Employee the Year.

Speaker 2 (02:08:41):
But your way of just mixing six seven in because
someone asked me the other day, is MO trolling people
with the six seven thing? No I want you said
six out of seven years, So I didn't know.

Speaker 5 (02:08:52):
If you have a middle school kid in the car
right now here, she is losing his mind their mind?

Speaker 2 (02:08:57):
Yep.

Speaker 5 (02:08:57):
So looks listen. Honored to be nominated, sure, you know,
so not a big deal. But when I saw Awful
announcing rank you and Dan Horde as the sixth best
college football crew in among the G four. So sorry
to Miami University. Your radio crew doesn't count, I guess no,
but number six, thank you and frankly underrated. As far
as I'm.

Speaker 2 (02:09:17):
Concerned, we've got this open door policy today.

Speaker 7 (02:09:19):
We do.

Speaker 2 (02:09:19):
We do. There's Christmas music happening right outside the door
really quick.

Speaker 5 (02:09:22):
It did soften the blow. None of us were named
as one of the twenty greatest radio personalities of all
time by The Inquirer. Why is the acquire hatus? I
put Kelsey Conway on, I put Pat Brennan on. Yeah,
we're gonna make fun of Jason Williams when he writes
his inevitable the has lost its Lunnar luster thing. Yeah,
we put their people off. Can't get in the top
twenty of all time. Nobody on this radio station.

Speaker 2 (02:09:44):
Incredible, unbelievable. What are you coming up on the show?
And outside of folks that want to stumble on in,
it's very festive. It is very festive. There's a candle
in front of you.

Speaker 5 (02:09:56):
Let's start banging the drums. Sign Kyle Shwarber. Let's just
like where there's smoke, there's far Can somebody just come
out and say the Red should sign Kyle Schwarber.

Speaker 3 (02:10:05):
You want me to say it, I'll say it. The
Red should sign Kyle Schwarber. The Red should sign Kyle Schwarber.
There's no reason not lead off. You get about them,
lead off? You gonnaut Hm number two, What do you think.

Speaker 5 (02:10:14):
I'll hit him lead off, I'll hit him where he wants. Kyle,
where do you want to back?

Speaker 8 (02:10:17):
Seven?

Speaker 5 (02:10:17):
First second will give you an occasional day off on
like Ellie de la Cruz. Give me the reason why not.
Don't say it's because they won't do it. That's not
a reason why not. Tell me why they shouldn't is
because they can't afford it. Lie they can afford it.
Sometimes in life you have to decide I'm going outside
my budget. We'll explain. I'll make a comparison to my life,
because that's every.

Speaker 2 (02:10:37):
Reason I have. I have a potential. One he's thirty
two years old.

Speaker 10 (02:10:41):
Who cares?

Speaker 3 (02:10:42):
He turns thirty three in March, and there's not going
to be baseball more than likely next sun.

Speaker 5 (02:10:48):
I don't care. I do see that matter. No, I
want to win in twenty twenty six. Fair, I want
to get to the postseason in twenty twenty six. I
want to treat this year like the world is ending
next year.

Speaker 2 (02:10:58):
Let me do this. Then.

Speaker 5 (02:10:59):
I did this topic once when Walt Jockey was GM,
and because Walt Jockety had a sense of humor, he
laughed at it. I said, you should like some nut
job was claiming the world was going to end in
like twenty thirteen, and I'm like, go all in, Mayan, Colen,
go all in on this year. Because the world's going
to end. Why are you plan for a future that
may not exist? And they did that year, right, Matt
Lato's all those guys, they tried. They can't close. They tried.

(02:11:20):
I would do the same thing, pretend baseball ceases to
exist in twenty twenty seven. Don't you want to be
the team that wins the final World Series?

Speaker 2 (02:11:27):
Oh? I like that. I was asking. We were asked
today you could choose one Bengals make the playoffs this year.
Red signed Kyle Schwarber. Pick one, Kyle Schwarber. That's what
I said.

Speaker 3 (02:11:37):
I said the Bengals because I think they could win
the Super Bowl if they get in the playoffs without
Mahomes and without Lamar Jackson.

Speaker 5 (02:11:43):
There is certainly something to that because the AFC is
wide open. But like, I'm a fatal flaws guy, and
that's maybe a glass half in the way of looking
at it. What's your fatal flaw going to be? And
the fatal flaw is going to be their defense. I
think the dopamine rush of Sonny Kyle would be incredible. Yeah,
and I'd be kind of addicted to it. Yeah, like

(02:12:03):
Griffy all over it.

Speaker 2 (02:12:04):
There is Ah, there's one player Friday Night in the
shootout that was alive the last time the Bearcats went
and won at the Centas. There's one player playing Friday
Night that's ever played in a crosstown shootout before. Wow.
I would venture to say that if you went and
pulled Xavier fans, they couldn't tell you maybe more than
one player on UC's team and vice versa. Yeah, how
much is just the new landscape of college sports hurting

(02:12:27):
the shootout? It's not helping. I mean, it'sn't helping. Neither
team is great right now.

Speaker 5 (02:12:31):
Yeah, but I know, I know for the dudes, Like
I know Steve Logan senior year, he's talked about this.
His senior year was the year they went to Centas
and won. I know how much it meant to him.
Now if you remember the year before, he won't like
me mentioning this. He got his pocket picked at half
price by Lloyd Price. Not the first time or last
time Lloyd Price probably picked somebody's pocket. Sure, And so

(02:12:52):
Steve as a senior, was like, I want to come
back and win this game. Keny Martin leans into this
rafort Kenny went one in three in it, yep, because
it was a part of his college basketball experience a
year after year after year. I know Jeremiah Davenport went
oh to four in the shootout. I know how much
that hurt him. And so I'm with you, I think
that is hurt you know what. I think the the

(02:13:14):
equally amazing streak is when I was a freshman in college,
Danny Fordson scored forty points at the Cincinnati gardens Man
and the Bearcats beat Xavier. That's the last time they've
wanted in consecutive years, you know, ninety six.

Speaker 2 (02:13:29):
I also feel like with the teams, there's not like
a JP mccura, who U see fans disliked. Here a
Jared Cumberland who zavior fans disliked. There's just not that
characters animosity. There's not the characters. Yeah, and like Patino
today didn't I mean, I don't want to say downplay it,
but he's like, we're approaching this like we do every
other game.

Speaker 5 (02:13:49):
Every coach does that the first time. I mean, every
coach says that.

Speaker 2 (02:13:54):
Like I just hope Wes is lee. I hope Wes
is having former players come back and talk about the
meaning of this game. And I know Kirk cries maybe
through a little gasoline act with his postgame comments on
on Monday, but.

Speaker 5 (02:14:04):
I do think that I do think there's something about
the familiarity with dudes on the other team.

Speaker 38 (02:14:10):
J P.

Speaker 5 (02:14:10):
Mccieraen never had an especially great game against UC, but
you see, fans just decided we hate him. And I'll
tell you this, by the end of David West time
and Xavier, I was ready to take him to the NBA.
Like I believe for years people have talked about, well,
it's lost its luster. I don't think it's lost its luster.
I think it's changed. And I think in that regard.

(02:14:31):
As much as a fan of this era as I am,
I think it's in this particular regard, it's changed in
a way that's not as good for the sport. Now
at seven thirty on Friday, when the barn goes in
the air, there's gonna be nothing better. But I agree,
I do think that the constant turnover. I think you're
constantly having to relay to guys, here's what this rivalry means.

(02:14:51):
But if Boba Miller has a big game, he's gonna
be a Xavier villain forever and likewise for you know,
one of their guys. So whoever that may be. And
I use Boba because I think if he's healthy, he
is the best player on the floor. Yes, and that's
a factor in this game. We talk about it every year.
Jared Cumberland's senior year, he was the best player on

(02:15:11):
the floor. We went into the game thinking he should
be the best player on the floor. So it's about
one of two things. An unheralded guy that suddenly comes
from nowhere and has a great game Zay has had
many more of those over the last twenty five years.
Or does the best player on the floor prove that
he's the best player on the floor. I think that
should be Baba. Yeah, doesn't mean it will be. I
don't know that he has enough of a resume for

(02:15:32):
us to say definitively that he is. We'll see what
else you got coming up on the show. I think
I just did a show for you perfect. Eric Wood's
going to be on the show. Nice Elder High School,
Buffalo Bill's radio analyst talk about the game on Sunday,
we have that Rick Boring will be on the show.

Speaker 2 (02:15:49):
Rick is going to talk Rick talking in the press conferences.

Speaker 5 (02:15:52):
Savior and Rick has me as a guest on his
podcast tonight.

Speaker 2 (02:15:55):
Nice.

Speaker 5 (02:15:55):
Oh, and I'm gonna ask him, like, does anybody on
the Musketeer Report podcasts want to hear me?

Speaker 2 (02:16:01):
Like we can like fan request, Yeah, we want.

Speaker 5 (02:16:05):
I'm going to the n KU game tonight to see.

Speaker 2 (02:16:07):
Rick lovely so after the holiday party.

Speaker 5 (02:16:10):
After the holiday party, because unlike Austin Elmore n Ku Alum,
I like the Norse.

Speaker 2 (02:16:17):
I like the can.

Speaker 3 (02:16:19):
I drive over there to go to games all the time,
with an hour and a half drive to Highland Heights.

Speaker 2 (02:16:23):
The last time I.

Speaker 3 (02:16:25):
Did have to go an hour and a half because
the daggum bridge was out for the bridge is fine.

Speaker 5 (02:16:30):
Clowns that lit it on fire in jail.

Speaker 2 (02:16:32):
I know, huh, I haven't been. I don't have a
good excuse.

Speaker 5 (02:16:35):
Who else, Richard Skinner, Amy Wagner, We're gonna talk about
Joe Burrow. We'll hear from Joe Burrow today and anyone
else that comes in, anybody else that swings by.

Speaker 2 (02:16:45):
A nice background.

Speaker 5 (02:16:46):
This is one of my favorite shows of the year.
We have the fake fireplace.

Speaker 2 (02:16:51):
It's going.

Speaker 5 (02:16:52):
This is like the one day year where like people
know where this studio is.

Speaker 2 (02:16:54):
I'll be hanging around, so if you need me to
bring anything, just think that's We're gonna put name tags
on me and Tony at least. All right, Well, I've
just been recently hired, so I want people to know
who I have a good idea. We've never done that.

Speaker 5 (02:17:05):
Do you know how many people have started working here?
I will ask like, are you here to meet somebody?
And they're like, no, I work here.

Speaker 2 (02:17:11):
Many good to see everybody.

Speaker 5 (02:17:13):
We should have name tags. We should all that that
might be you know, in the Seinfeld that was one
of the campaigns. Let everybody should have a named everybody
here should.

Speaker 2 (02:17:23):
Have a name tag, all right?

Speaker 5 (02:17:24):
Would help a woman who works here. She's very, very nice.
She worked here for a month and I saw her
a couple of times and then she's like, oh, yeah,
you know I do work here, Like, oh sure, I
thought you were somebody's wife. I don't know. We don't
introduce anybody to anybody.

Speaker 2 (02:17:38):
I agree, that's fair here they are, that's fair.

Speaker 5 (02:17:41):
Like when I first started working as nineteen years old,
they walked me around.

Speaker 2 (02:17:45):
This is this is Mo.

Speaker 17 (02:17:46):
This is Mo.

Speaker 2 (02:17:46):
Okay, no one cares here.

Speaker 5 (02:17:48):
Yeah, we've had We've had to do that for you twice.

Speaker 2 (02:17:51):
Next time we get together for a breakfast, we'll bring
that up. Is next on Cincinnati Sports Things Pancakes. I
have a good rest of your.

Speaker 10 (02:17:59):
Wednesday, WCKY, Cincinnati.

Speaker 1 (02:18:04):
Make us the number one pre set on your car
radio and on the free, new and improved iHeartRadio AD
free never sounded so good.

Speaker 10 (02:18:10):
ESPN fifteen thirty.

Speaker 5 (02:18:12):
Hey it's ball.