December 9, 2025 • 45 mins
Tony and Austin talk Kyle Schwarber, all the Bengals news, and more on ESPN 1530!
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sincy 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 (00:21):
Good afternoon, Happy Tuesday. Welcome into the next and latest
edition of Cincy three sixty on the home of the Bengals.
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station of service Here and
now re number one of our good friends at Skyline Chili.
Anytime you're feeling good and hungry, it's Skyline time. We
are happy. We're excited to have you along for the
next three hours of local, mostly local Cincinnati sports talk.
(00:46):
And uh we'll do that with the guests this afternoon
as well. Joe Daniman from Fox nineteen, we'll join us
at one o'clock. We've got a ton of Bengals news
that happened yesterday, from players being released, to players going
under the knife, to players going back into concussion protocol.
Games are being flexed, and yes, after a day to
(01:11):
harp on a loss, today we'll explain to you what
the pass forward looks like for an eight and nine
home playoff game for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Wait, ye, this wasn't discussed before the show? Yep? Are
you back on?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well, no, I'm just in a b I'm in a
worse place today because of what just happened a few
minutes before we came on the air, which is the
second time, and I would say there, it is second
time in three days, Austin, and I've bought back in.
So what I did when that fourth quarter started in
the Bengals Bills game and the Bengals took that twenty
(01:48):
eight to eighteen lead with just under eight minutes left,
you know what I did? I bought back in. I said,
my gosh, they're going to do this. They're going to
run the table and they're going to make the playoffs.
It was the first time, outside of just talking about
what the path could be, that I allowed myself mentally
to go to that place. Man, this feels like a
(02:09):
playoff game. This feels like a heavyweight battle. This is
what playoff football is all about. And as that lead
evaporated and the Bengals lost the game, I was more mad,
yes at the Bengals, and had execution down the stretch
and third and fifteen defense. I was also mad at
myself because I I let myself believe I shouldn't have
(02:33):
done that. And then she kind of stowed on it
yesterday and came in today and ready to take the
next step, pick up the pieces. And then this Kyle
Schwarber stuff continued to happen, and people continued to talk,
and not just random people, that's all with the Philadelphia
(02:55):
Choir talked about Kyle Schwarber coming to the Reds on
Nick cross comments, Barry Larkin's comments. Brad Doolittle on ESPN
dot com projected Kyle Schwarber to come to the Cincinnati Reds.
Our good friend Jeff Carr. I saw a post from
him earlier this morning, Maneff doing where Jeff was like, Man,
this feels different. It feels like it can happen. It
(03:17):
feels like Kyle Schwarber to the Cincinnati Reds. And you
know what I did again this morning, Austin, I allowed
myself to believe, and I should know better at my age,
how long I've been a Cincinnati sports fan, that these
things tend to just not happen. These things tend to
come crashing down pretty quickly. And that's what happened today.
(03:41):
I went to pay a bet and a debt to
our good friend down the hall, Willy cutting him.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Of course, Yeah, I've bet.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I think the last four times i've bet Willie, I've
taken the Bearcats and I had to pay off multiple
bets with some hot fudge Sundays. And before I left,
you and I were in this studio talking to Kyle Schwarber,
Sure and the Reds and options and what this looked like.
And then I got back fifteen minutes later and you said,
Kyle Schwarber, big news. And for a second I thought,
(04:12):
no way, Kyle Schwarber's here. Kyle Schwarber signed with the Reds.
And then you proceeded to tell me that the National
League leader from last year in home runs with fifty
six is going back to the Philadelphia Phillies on a
five year, one hundred and fifty million dollar contract.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
I made sure to make it the last thing I
told you. You said, Kyle Schwarber, five years, one hundred
and fifty million. You said really, I said, yeah, with
the Philadelphia Phillies. I thought about it. There are a
lot of layers to this. I think the most important
one is understanding that Kyle Schwarber is the exception to
(04:55):
the rule if the Reds. You know, I think the
Reds did sue him and did try to pursue him,
and I think he really thought about it, and if
he had accepted it, he would have been the exception
to the rule when it comes to their payroll. Sure,
and now because he is in Philadelphia with the Phillies,
(05:18):
I don't think the Reds view any of those other
free agents as a player worthy of being the exception
to the rule. Which means, here we go. They're at
that five to seven and a half to ten to
maybe twelve million dollars worth of payroll that they have
to spend to try to make last team, last year's
(05:39):
team better than this year's team.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Here's the naive nature that I live in, at least
in my brain. I say, well, if the Reds had
an offer lined up for Kyle Schwarber, why can't they
turn that offer to a Kyle Tucker, to a Cody Bellinger,
to an Alex Bregman, to a Pete Alonzo. Why can't
they just turn that attention and that money and go
get another big splash. Jeff Passon did report in the
(06:06):
Schwober deal that Cincinnati the dark course because of its
need for a power bat an appeal to Schwarber, who
grew up in Middletown, did not meet the financial demands
that others were willing to meet. So that is the
report from Jeff Passing is that the Reds were in
but did not meet the financial demands that other teams
(06:29):
were willing to meet. And there's also a part of
me that says, you know what this is about playing
the game as well. I don't think Chris Henry Jr.
Last week Austin was ever really thinking about going anywhere
by the Ohio state. Sure, but do you know what
Chris Henry Jr. Probably got by making the spectacle that
he did.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
A couple of extra bucks.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Probably got some extra money. And Kyle Schwarber again, when
the Philadelphia Inquire is reporting that this is a real
possibility that Kyle Schwarber is leaving to go to Cincinnati
and the tingency plans need to be made, that's enough
to get some people in Philly I would think uneasy.
And in doing so, Kyle Schwarber probably got that fifth
(07:09):
year that he was looking for. He gets thirty million
per year, five years, one hundred and fifty million, And
since Kyle Schrober likes Cincinnati, Austin, when he's done with
that five year deal, he could just move back and
enjoy the rest of his life in Cincinnati. Now, there's
part of me that thinks there's a little bit of
that at play too, sure, and that's that's that's okay
(07:30):
for Kyle Schwarber to do. I'm just mad at myself
again because I believed, now again many would say, will
you put together a pretty good offer to at least
make Philly uneasy? Bregman, Alonzo, Bellinger, Tucker. I'm sure there's
other names out there, power hitters, electric bats that this
(07:54):
lineup needs. Why not take that money, Austin and move
that to a different player? As you mentioned, and I
know are good friend Charlie Goldsmith, who is at those
winter meetings right now, already kind of laid out that's
just not really the direction that he views or we
viewed the Reds going.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
I don't think anyone expects them to pivot in that way.
Is I think the point that we're trying to make
here is, Okay, this is the one guy that we
feel like we'd be worthy of taking that big of
a risk and being able to go all in in
a way for him. And I think there are different
(08:29):
layers to that. There's a guy like Schwarber being, you know,
the hometown hero, and the way that you can market
him and profit off of him and get money in
return from him that maybe you wouldn't get for a
Pet Alonzo or a Kyle Tucker or whatever it might be.
I also will say I think those guys have flaws,
(08:52):
maybe more than Kyle Schwarber does.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I mean, you had fifty six home runs he did
hit two forty, yeah, and that would have been great
for the Reds last year. Kyle Tucker had a tough
season towards the end of last year, and the Cubs,
who have ten times more money than the Reds, aren't
willing to go after him. Bregman, Where's he gonna play
third base? You just got key Brian Hayes. Doesn't make
(09:16):
as much sense.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Now. I would love it if they had Alex Bregman,
no doubt, but based off their previous moves, doesn't really
make as much sense. And so I feel like the
Red said, this is the Golden Goose, We'll try like
hell to get him. And if we don't, we'll stick
to our original plan. Now, I'm not saying that's the
right thing. I'm not saying I like that. I'm not
(09:38):
saying I'm happy that it's happening. I'm trying to take
you inside the mind of the people in that organization
in a way that they operate. And I think it
was presented to Bob and Phil and the ownership group
that says, listen, if we can land Kyle Schwarber, there
can be a serious return on investment here that can
set us up not only to win, but not to
(10:00):
hurt us financially in the future. And the conversation, whether
you like it or not, with the Reds, starts and
stops with money. Nick Carl said it the other day.
Our ownership group operates so that they can break even
every year. That is their goal. And whether or not
you believe that, I'm not sure that I do. That
(10:20):
is the truth of the general thought process is about
the bottom line. Sure, and it's an unfortunate reality for
a lot of teams in Major League Baseball that the
financials are more important than the wins and losses. And
that's true with the Cincinnati Reds as well.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Winter Meetings. Also happening more in Major League Baseball, Edwin Diaz,
the All Star closer from the Mets, is going to
the Los Angeles Dodgers. The rich continue to get richer.
How about the Tigers coming out and saying, Hey, there
are no untouchables on our team. You want to come
get tariq'skuball, come get them.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Would you rather be a Reds fan or a Tigers fan? Today?
You get the rug pulled out from underneath you about
Kyle Schwarber or your owner says, we know we're never
going to be able to sign school ball, so everybody's
up for grabs.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Probably on this day. The Reds, I don't know, Tigers
have won the World Series recently, that's also true. We'll
dive into the college hoops landscape at some point today.
NKU and Kentucky are in action tonight. What I think
we'll do We'll revisit the conversation we had during the
bye week about NFL contenders and pretenders. We'll also, after
last night's Monday Night football game, throw some quarterback tears
(11:35):
out on today's show as well. The Heisman finalist have
been announced.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It is.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia, Jeremiah Love, and Julian saying, those
are your Heisman finalists this year. By the way, I
saw on Sports Illustrated Austin a mock draft that had
the Bengals drafting Jeremiah Love. Oh so just load up
on the offensive side of the ball and see what
(12:04):
else happens. Last night, Monday Night football, I'll say this,
my son loved the Monsters broadcast. Loved watching the Monsters
broadcast your ZINC. I watched on my phone the regular broadcast,
and my, oh my, what a game that was last night.
(12:26):
And by game, I mean an absolute train wreck. For
the first time, I watched a player have two turnovers
on the same play, Jalen Hurts through an interception. The
player that intercepted the ball fumbled it. Jalen Hurts recovered
that fumble and then fumbled it away. He threw four
interceptions and fumbled the ball last night. Justin Herbert, he
wasn't that much better. But Justin Herbert had surgery on
(12:48):
his left hand earlier in the week. Sure, that's dog
mentality to have a surgery and come out and play
in the same week. In the end, it was Cameron
Dicker and his winning for the Los Angeles Chargers, and
all of a sudden, the Eagles have lost three games
in a row. The Philadelphia Eagles are now eight and five, Cowboys, Bears,
(13:14):
Chargers have all now good news for Philly as they
now play the Raiders and the Commander's next, so they
might be able to get right. But it's an uneasy
feeling right now in Philly, one would think, and I
don't know another way to put it than an absolute
train wreck last night, which kind of made it enjoyable
to watch.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
It was fun. You can't look away for some of those,
you know, Yeah, and that's what it was. I'm fascinated
by the Eagles offense and why it does and does
not work at times. And I think their offensive line
has been a bit of an issue obviously, just not
being able to run the football. It starts with that.
And I like Jalen Hurts. I'm a big Jalen Hurts fan.
(13:54):
But you know, I think we'll talk quarterback tiers later on. Yeah.
Is he ever one of those guys that you feel like,
all right, got to win the game on this drive,
He's gonna do it? Not at this point, I don't
feel that way.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
It is the official end of Week fourteen in the
National Football League as well. Hold up, well, this is unprofessional,
but I normally don't take phone calls. Hello, Carly, Yeah,
probably around five o'clock.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Do you do you do you need me to turn
your mic off? Sorry?
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Yeah, that was unprofession That was Carly hearsay. I am uh,
I'm gonna have to bounce out before quick hits today.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Damn it. You got me right there? You got me
good right there?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Apparently, Uh, the forty four year old Philip Rivers workout
didn't go well, so they're they're they're exploring all options.
So if I were to leave here about two forty five,
could I get dainty by five?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I don't think so. But damn that was funny. Good
job you got me. I need to turn your mic.
Oh you got I was like reaching for it. I
was like, gosh, this must be an emergency. This is unprofessional, colleague.
Can I can't see you? So I don't know what
you're Gosh.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yes, forty four year old Philip Rivers is working out
for the Colts.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
We always used to call them pill Rivers, and he's
gonna need a couple of them if he wants to
get through the seat. You know.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
The funnest part about that. Last night, I'm watching, you know,
the lead into Monday Night Football, and Schefter comes in
and talks about that, and I'm looking at the face
of Troy Aikman, and Troy like was stunned. Yeah, he
was stuttering. He had nothing to say. Swagu just had
like this look on his face, like what And Jason
Kelsey's like, yes, yes, I want to see this. And
(15:36):
it did give us, if anything, austin a moment last
night where people like on social media started re sharing
some of their favorite philip Rivers clips. Sure forty four
retired in what twenty twenty officially m cults are working
out Philip Rivers. What does that say to all the
other quarterbacks in the NFL that are actually at.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Do you think it's you bring up Troy Aikman. Aikman
had a similar situation. His last season was two thousand
and In the off season going into two thousand and three,
he had agreed to play for the Miami Dolphins and
started training and then it fell through at the last minute.
So kind of a similar situation with Troy, which is
(16:15):
kind of interesting. Yeah, I mean, how do you feel
if you're like Ben Denucci Right now? It's like this
dude has actually played in the NFL recently. Yep, he's
not abysmal Brett. So let's talk about Brett Rippon for
a minute. Was with the Bengals all off season, was
on the Bengals practice squad. Was the Bengals backup quarterback
(16:38):
at a point this year when Jake Browning was starting.
And I think back to the Lions game when Zach
Taylor did irreparable damage to he and I's relationship in
the way he kept putting Jake Browning out there on
the field, and I was screaming at the television. Put
Brett Ripping in. Put Brett Ripping in, and he didn't.
(16:58):
A couple of days later, Joe Flacco has acquired Brett
Ripping is cut. That's how bad apparently Brett Rippen is.
He goes to the Colts, he's on the practice squad,
and now Briley Leonard, Daniel Jones, and Anthony Richardson are
all hurt and they're looking around saying, we're gonna have
to try Phil Rivers over Brett Rippon. Here's what I
want to know.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
I want I want to I want to go into
that meeting where they are just throwing names out that
are currently like backups in the NFL or free agents,
and like each one is getting shot down. I want
to know who said, you know what? I wonder what
Philip Rivers is doing? And then there's because whoever.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Did that had to go back into the well, and
then there's like a silence in the room while everybody
like it hits everybody, right, yeah, I think so.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
And then someone's like, you know what, because you know
someone in that room said, what should we call Andrew Luck?
I'm sure someone said that you should. Yeah, I'm sure
Ri's name thrown around.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Yeah, there's another perfect example of a guy like there had.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
To be twenty names that were thrown out in this conference.
And then finally someone said Philip Rivers, what's he doing?
And they're like, wait, what is he? Oh he's only
forty four, he's not forty okay, and then Philip Rivers says, yeah,
I'll come work out. And then Philip probably got to
the workout and he was like, all right, what do
we got here? And they're like, all right, we're gonna start.
But we need you because we go to Seattle on Sunday.
(18:23):
And then he was like, who Seattle? Well, what's after that?
San Francisco, Jacksonville, Houston. I'm good.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, that's the thing. I'm good if man Rivers has
got to be able to just like the game plan.
Let's say they sign him. The game plan's got to
be We're going to turn the ball and hand it
off to Jonathan Taylor forty times, right, Like that's all
it is. I mean, they're fighting for a playoff spot, though,
(18:51):
I just I can't believe.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
I'm watching like Scott Van Pelt is trying to hold
it together last night. Is this breaking news is being read?
Do you want it to happen?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Oh my gosh, yes. That gives me five years left.
I can exhaust all options. Absolutely. If I turn on
a TV.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
If I turn on a TV Philip Rivers Pro Football
Hall of Fame semi final, if.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
I see Philip Rivers at four on Sunday warming up
in Seattle, I'm.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
I'm locked in for what? Yes? What a storyline that is?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
They know why Phillip's working out five days a week
right now?
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Do you think they called Brady? Oh had to have
called Brady. If you're gonna call Rivers, you gotta call
Brady Man.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
That's what I want to know. I want to know
what other obscure names were thrown out in that meeting
Peyton that eventually got to Philip Rivers. Just Peyton, I mean,
what what a disrespectful move to every backup and practice
squad quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I'm trying to see see if I can pull up
who's available or who's just out there right now? Three
guys out there right now? CJ. Bethard, Jeff Driscoll, Okay
Bengal Legend, Jake from.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Logan, Woodside Beast, Taylor Heineken. Do you call Fitzpatrick called
fitz Magic?
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah? I mean good for the colts Man, good for
Philip Rivers. If you're on the spot track website, it
has like trending players. Number one is Jalen Hurts. Number
two is Philip Rivers. If you go down to number ten, though,
this is my favorite one. Quinton Jammer. Did you see
(20:47):
this from Quinton Jammer last night? So, the former Charger
cornerback played in the NFL. NFL for twelve years, admitted
on social media last night to in multiple games over
the worst of his career in twenty eleven being completely
drunk on the field.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And he was like, he was like fun and people
like replied with like videos of him getting beaten in here,
like were you drunk here?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah, probably, I couldn't imagine. That makes me wonder sometimes I.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Couldn't imagine trying to play that position drunk, Oh my gosh, no,
or any position at that.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
What would be the easiest one to play drunk long snapper? Well, obviously,
but even then you could ruin the game. Uh, probably
like de tackle or something. Maybe just hide in the.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Middle, Yeah, don't get tackles specifically, although like there had
to be an odor.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
The receivers had to be like, dude, are you drunk?
Maybe he said it was tequila though.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Ooh man, what a fun first segment today that started
with such agone.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
And I feel like we didn't even get to all
of it. No, Kyle Schwarber is a Philadelphia Philly. There's that.
Good for him. Man, We got plenty to go with
you when you turned thirty eight, Kyle.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Since he three sixty thanks to Skyline Chilly on ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, Well.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
In the NATI brought to you by Hey During Window
Company on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the
Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Welcome back since he three to sixty.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
The Tuesday Afternoon edition a little bit long in segment one,
So we'll be quick here, get back on the clock
and we'll dive into everything that happened with the Cincinnati
Bengals just yesterday, a very busy day for the Bengals yesterday.
Before we get to any of that, we'll open up
the phone line here for a phone call.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Mark is calling in. What's up? Mark?
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Yeah, I didn't get to call in yesterday.
Speaker 5 (22:41):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
The game Sunday, Uh, I saw two dumb decisions.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
One out of coach and one out of quarterback. I
mean the coaches. I thought he was it was a
dumb decision. Gimember the Jets game because this scenario repeated itself.
They had the lead and then he had Joe Flacco
and the shotgun for three plays and Uh, the Jets
were able to get him off the field. He didn't run,
(23:08):
he didn't try to run the ball. Okay, fast forward
to this game. He didn't have Burrow under center when
they should have ran the ball with p Ryan.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
They was running the ball. I think p Ryan was.
Speaker 6 (23:21):
Averason what six yards of carry, So you had to lead.
It was the lead was only three points, but you
still had to lead five minutes to go. You know,
how about a couple of running plays. And then the
other dumb decision was that ball looked like it was
slipping out of.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Burrow's game when he when he.
Speaker 6 (23:42):
Tried to throw it, So you know, the great quarterbacks
would have just probably ate that ball.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Yeah, I said, you either you either have to just
take it and give yourself up and fall down and
take a two yard loss, or you got to throw
the ball at at the defender's ankles. You know, one
of the two, you just gotta you gotta chalk it up.
And I guarantee Burrow, if he had the chance again
one hundred times, he would do that.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
It's just it's one of.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Those plays you kind of knew the whole way it
was going to end poorly. But yeah, I'm in agreement.
So myj p rynd ran well five point two of
carrying just six carries, they only carried the ball nineteen times,
which was a little surprising because they were leading pretty
much the whole game. I thought maybe they would run
the ball a little more, but it was hard because
Burrow for three and a half quarters played so well
(24:26):
that you really didn't mind him dropping back and throwing.
But hindsight being what it is, Yeah, you could have
handed the ball off a couple more times.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
I mean, when is this coach going to realize that.
Speaker 6 (24:36):
You can't close the game out running the ball? I mean,
he refuses to do that, and he keeps coming back
to bite him.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I just don't.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
I just don't think he's ever going.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
To learn that you need to run the ball to close.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
The game out and he can still try to throw
it no matter who the.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Quarterback he is.
Speaker 6 (24:55):
Yeah, So that's the thing that frustrated me about it.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Uh And as far as Chaps, I'm outside. As far
as Kyle.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
Schwolzer, did you really think the Reds were really getting
the home did you?
Speaker 4 (25:12):
Hear?
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I mean that's the problem. I let myself believe that
they were for sure.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, I never thought that was a possibility.
Speaker 6 (25:20):
Todd, Okay, they cut Jermaine Burton yesterday, another wasted draft, hick.
So are we gonna Are we gonna stop drafting players
with character issues? That you got to take a chance off.
Speaker 4 (25:33):
Are we gonna stop doing that now?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
You would?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
You would think, Mark, I appreciate the phone call man,
Thank you. We're gonna dive into the Jermaine Burton thing
when we got back. When we get back, it rings
to me the comments that Nick Saban made during the
draft when Jermaine Burton was drafted and the warning that
he gave and and that warning that pretty much came
to fruition when it comes to Jermaine Burton. We'll talk
about that and of all things Bengals. When we returned
(26:00):
what was a very busy Monday. Right here on ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station, thanks to Skyline Chilly, you've.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Been listening to Football in the NATI on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals. Every sport, every story,
every angle. Moeger Today at three pm on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
For ten years, families have truck.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Since the three sixty continues now on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 7 (26:38):
On the valve. Here's the one to oh bitch Warber swings.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
The hammers is high in the air.
Speaker 7 (26:44):
It is deep down the right field line of it's fair,
it's gone, and it is a fair ball.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Just inside the right field valvepowl.
Speaker 7 (26:55):
That is a two run home run for Schwarber, his
forty second home run of the year, and that makes
it a four to one Phillies lead.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
That's just mean, and it is mean because it has
to go as our win Schulers call the day. And
win Schulers does not mean. Win Schulers is everything you want.
And Christmas bottled up in the holiday season into one
four delicious cheese spreads.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Did we even offer Schwarber some wind Shulers. Why not?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
They didn't meet the financial demands and they didn't offer
win Schulers to me the taste of the holidays. Don't
let your holiday party go without win Schulders. It pairs
well with anything any of their four flavors. Thanks to
Win Schulers if you missed it earlier. Kyle Schwarber has
signed a five year, one hundred and fifty million dollar
(27:44):
deal to go back.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
To the Philadelphia. But the Reds are not sitting on
their hands to the Reds have made to sign it.
Here we go. Cincinnati has signed left hander Joel Valdez.
Maybe Joel Valdez to a minor league contract. Dez was
selected by the Reds in last year's minor league phase
of the Rule five draft. He posted a two point
(28:06):
three four ERA over fifty seven at a third innings
between Double A Chattanooga and TRIPAA Louisville last season. The
battle four the bullpen lefty rages on and Joel Valdez
enters the conversation. Take that teams playing chess financial flexibility.
(28:27):
Now that Schwarber is out.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Of the Phillies are playing checkers. Reds are like, watch this,
watch this move. Speaking of moves, plethra of moves happened
yesterday as it relates to the Cincinnati Bengals. Let's go
through these, Austin, I think, in the least surprising of
any of the news yesterday, the Dolphins Bengals game has
been flexed from Sunday night football to a one pm start. Yeah,
(28:51):
probably the least surprising of any of these.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, it was frustrating. I think there's a chance that
that game stays on Sunday night if the Bengals had
been in the Buffalo bill. Yes, because of what the
Dolphins are doing. Because of what the Dolphins are doing,
playing much better football right now. But because you know
the the ramifications that you know, I think, most notably,
this week's game between the Bills and the Patriots could
(29:15):
have on the AFC playoffs. And if the Patriots win
the AFC or win the game over the Bills, they
win the AFC East. But if Buffalo wins, then both
those teams Baltimore and New England are fighting for their division,
so they they turn it over to the Patriots and
the Ravens. Yeah, other news o'clock in Miami, though after
(29:39):
being here, might take a little bit to get used
to the former third round draft pick from Alabama, a
draft pick in which Nick Saban on Draft Nights sat
at the podium and talked about some off the field
and character issues. That is Jermaine Burton. I have the
audio if you want to here. This is Nick Saban
(30:01):
immediately after the Bengals drafted his former wide receiver Jamaine Burton.
Speaker 8 (30:05):
For you last year, is a tremendous competitive He's got
great quickness, He's got really good speed. He can come
in and out of a break, he can beat man
to man.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
I mean, I really really like this guy.
Speaker 8 (30:17):
The number one thing that he needs to do and
I think emotional maturity is the best way to say
it is, do the right things all the time.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
He does the right things on the field.
Speaker 8 (30:29):
He knows the importance of what he has to do
on the field. He wants to be a player, that's
all he thinks about yet. But you got to do
the right things in your life all the time so
that you can do the best things that you can
do on the field and be the best.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
You can be.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
I think that was a very nice way of saying
that he has some issues. Yep, those issues were never
able to be worked out for the Cincinnati Bengals. As
Mo put it yesterday, four catches on fourteen career targets
for Jermaine Burton. Jermaine Burton, despite Jamar Chase being suspended
for a game this year, despite T Higgins missing due
to injury, Jermaine Burton never even was active this year
(31:04):
for the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
I can't believe you just said he had fourteen targets. Yeah,
that seems like a lot. Yeah, I never would have
thought that.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Four catches, fourteen targets for the career for Jermaine Burton,
which in Cincinnati now comes to an end. As Zach
Taylor said yesterday the Bengals have officially released Jermaine Burton.
Your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Wish it wouldn't have taken so long. What the hell
took so long? Was my initial thought. I talked about
it a little bit yesterday. I'm sure there was somebody
in the organization that was willing to be a little
bit more patient, but I feel like they had maybe
told him it's the last straw. You know, whatever happens next,
you get no more strikes. And it sounds like something
else happened between this week and then going to Buffalo
(31:50):
where he ended up getting suspended, and we don't know
what it is. Nobody's been able to say exactly what
it is, but clearly it was too much in the
Bengals are like, we're done with this.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Shortly after that was announced, it was announced that Trey
Hendrickson was going to be seeking a second opinion for
his injuries, the injuries that have now kind of just.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Carried on.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
The injuries were not as significant when they first happened
to put him on the injured list, yet they've drug on.
It's been very weird. We've talked about this openly Austin
with Trey Hendrickson and the unique nature around every Monday
press conference Zach Taylor pretty much shutting the door on
Trey Hendrickson. Well, the door is now shut on Trey
Hendrickson for the remainder of the year, as he, after
(32:38):
getting that second opinion, is going to undergo a surgery
that will likely end his season. The question I have
does it end the time in Cincinnati officially for Trey Hendrickson?
Speaker 3 (32:49):
I would guess yes. We'll have to get into over
the course of the offseason all the different options and
paths for the Bengals to take to fix their defense
and what ultimately is the best decision for the franchise.
One of those options would be to tag Trey Hendrickson
for a relatively affordable price for an edge rusher if
(33:13):
they need that position. Still. I don't even know if
it's that as much as if you can get a
guy on that type of money that increases his trade
value tenfold. And so are you willing to go back
to anybody who had had those conversations with you previously
and said, Okay, well, now he's healthy and he's cheap,
(33:35):
Now will you give us a third round pick for him?
And maybe you're able to get something like that, and
the Bengals will find a way to take another loser
in the third round. So I don't know. I would
assume it's over. I wouldn't be surprised if there is
some sort of franchise tag placed on him. But I
think we've reached the point where it's best for both
sides to just move on.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Also, like I don't want another offseason distraction. You also,
if you're the Bengals, need to figure out Shamar Stewart.
You have a decision to make on Joseph Osai, who's
played much better down the stretch. A lot of things
are going to go into that decision around Trey Hendrickson,
but his season comes to a close, and then I
(34:16):
think the most pressing concern right now for the Cincinnati
Bengals revolves around t Higgins. T Higgins hit his head
on the turf multiple times against the Buffalo Bills, but
each time he cleared concussion test and got in the
game and finished out the game. He obviously had the
one handed catch at the end of the game. However,
(34:37):
Ben Baby reported that Higgins reported concussion like symptoms after
the game and is now back in concussion protocol, so
he was in the team's injury tent twice, cleared both checks,
he returned to the game. There's no concrete answer on
now his status against the Baltimore Ravens. Zach Taylor didn't
(34:59):
really provide up date. He's back in protocol, going to
go through it this week. I have a hard time
believing with his second concussion since week twelve that he
would play. But there's nothing concrete about that. But a
little bit concerning you saw the hits. You saw his
head hitting on the turf. Concussions have been an issue
for t Higgins and they now are an issue as
(35:19):
those symptoms carried on after the game as well.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
He had that hit and he came back in the game,
and I was really surprised just way off the way
that he reacted to the first hit, and then I wondered, okay, well,
maybe he just kind of scared himself, like, oh crap,
I just hit my head again, And I think that's
what happened on the second one. So had a couple
of drops, went into the tent, came back, and then
initiated himself a second review to make sure he was okay,
(35:46):
and he passed again, So that in and of itself
would tell me if I'm T Higgins, I'm not all
the way there mentally to if I'm worried about Okay,
hold on, I need to get checked out again. Yeah,
then probably sets there, Yeah exactly. And then after the
game went to the Bengals trainers and said, hey, I'm
I'm still feeling this way. I think it's also important
(36:08):
to note that those tests are not done by the
Bengals trainers. Those are independent league people who put him
back into the game, or not put him back in
the game, but clear him to be able to go
back in the game. So, I mean, there was a
joint statement between the NFL and NFLPA that said everything
went as it's supposed to go, and he just felt,
(36:29):
you know, like he still had those symptoms after the game.
So I would be surprised if we see T Higgins
on Sunday against paulk You and me both to go
back to the Trey Henderson thing for a minute, do
you think it's a little weird that, now that the
Bengals are all but eliminated, that Trey decides I'm going
to have surgery. This whole thing from the start has
(36:50):
been weird to me. That was the first thing I thought.
It's like, oh, now you're going to have surgery, and.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Now you go get the second opinion, or at some
point that the Bengals say, hey, look, we done all
we can do. You know, what do you want us
to do from this? Yeah? We have plenty more on
the Cincinnati Bengals. We've got an AFC North path. I
guess we'll do that. What would be the fall out
if the bengals did miss the playoffs? Joe Burrow's need
for perfection? We got contenders and pretenders. We've got quarterback tiers,
(37:19):
We've got college hoops to discuss. Joe Daniman will join
us at one o'clock. We'll finish up our number one
with a few more of your phone calls. Next on
the Home of the Bengals. It's ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station. Welcome back since the three sixty ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's grab a couple of phone
(37:42):
calls before we get to Joe Daniman to round out
our number one.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Mark has given us a call. What's that?
Speaker 5 (37:46):
Mark?
Speaker 9 (37:48):
Yes, Yes, I want to make a comment about Sharber College.
If you remember last year, and I can't think of
his name, the left handed pitcher that went from White
Sox to the Red Sox who was almost the best
pitcher in the American League. Las Yes, Crochet, Crochet. Sorry,
(38:10):
I couldn't think of his name. Every time his name
was mentioned last year and they named the teams that
were interested in him, the Reds were always one of them.
The Reds were never getting him. The Reds were never
getting Kyle Schwarber. The Reds are never going to get
a big name player ever, ever, ever. As a diehard
(38:34):
Reds fans for I don't know how many years, seventy years,
at least seventy, They're never going to go anywhere with
this ownership. I mean, this is the reason this team stinks.
Making the playoffs last year was the worst thing could
have happened. They think they had a good season, they
think they have a good team.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
They do not.
Speaker 9 (38:57):
They have so many bad players on the steam and
they need so much improvement on each position, almost every position.
Every position has to be better. Go ahead, you want to.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Say you're good, You're good.
Speaker 9 (39:11):
No, I mean it's just a terrible team. Austin are
you there, Austin.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Right now, I'm here. I'm here.
Speaker 9 (39:17):
Mark, Yes, do you remember me calling in last summer
on Sunday's wanting to trade of the pitcher? What's his name? Yes, Homer, Yeah, yeah,
Hunter Hunter Green. See when you get old, you can't
remember names. Anyway, every every Sunday I would call in
(39:39):
and have a different trade with Hunter Green. Are they
seriously looking to trade him? Or is this just talk too?
Speaker 3 (39:45):
I think that's all tall.
Speaker 9 (39:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
I think they might listen, but I don't think they
would seriously consider trading him.
Speaker 9 (39:52):
Well, they need to because they need a hitter so bad.
All right, I'm gonna get off of here, Gonna close
with this comment that I've been wanting to make all seasons.
Oh boy, your boy, Joe, sure look good Sunday. Yes,
favorite game of the year are winning. They're not winning
(40:13):
the super Bowl this year, and they're not winning the
next year or the year after. Now, kick me off
the air, Mark.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
Now, we have a lot of Marks that call in
and uh. I would have a conversation almost identical to
that with Mark and Louisville every Sunday afternoon, following usually
a Red's loss on the Extra Inning Show. Down the
hall on WLW. He is really just a breath of
fresh air, is Mark and Louisville. Yes, and he hates
(40:44):
the Bengals, which is funny. Fair fair, Let's go back
up to line.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
What's up Mike, Hey, guys, enjoying the show today?
Speaker 4 (40:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (40:55):
I just want to let you guys know, with Christmas
coming up, I'm going to a tough time right now,
and you're guys show and love show every day really
helps me get through the days. And I don't tell
you guys that I appreciate as much as I should
on how much I appreciate your show.
Speaker 3 (41:11):
We thank you, Mike. We appreciate you. Yeah, we do
appreciate you, man, Thank you.
Speaker 5 (41:18):
We're breaking news. The Bengals Dolphins game has been flexed
to four a m. So people can watch.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
The game and go to church.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
I like it.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
I like it.
Speaker 5 (41:29):
Game going on. Herbert Herbert guts that game out last
night because I I think a lot of guys might
not have played. They probably could have got out of plane.
Uh if if they had wanted to. I would think,
what was that thing on his arm, Tony.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
That little box, some type some type of just protective
cast that gives him enough flexibility that he can move
his fingers like he needs with his grip, but also
at the same time protect that that I would imagine
will open wound as much as possible.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Yeah, because you could tell at the end of the
game they were showing the back of his arm and
there was quite a bit of boy you were right
about how about yes, sorb we honeying. Really, I know
you guys are having fun with it, but we knew
Shorber wouldn't come in here.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
I wonder how much there was ever any interest in
how much it was just Kyle Schwarbur and his agency saying, Okay,
if we if we position this the correct way, we
could probably get more money.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:29):
I think you're exactly right on that. Yeah, why not?
Why not because there's no way. Yeah, that's just the
way to do it. You just put some extra pressure
on the other teams and Bingo, especially the team he's
already listening. I must like it, and Tilly he must
like it in Philadelphia well enough. Plus he knows he's
on a team that has a chance to get a ring.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
So, like I said, if he likes it in Cincinnati
that much, when his five year deals up, he can
move back here and retire.
Speaker 5 (42:53):
Yeah, or or they could maybe get him when he
files for early Social Security at sixty two and picking
him up for less than what you guys.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Philip Rivers is working out at forty four, swar will
still be in his prime.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
Yeah. But by the way, it just it was just
made official. Philip Rivers is signing We Go Baby.
Speaker 5 (43:15):
That is unbelievable. That's the last team he played for,
wasn't it. Yeah, you're not joking of.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
That's being reported by Adam Schefter and others.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Right, I guess I don't have to go to Indy today,
then I guess that's off the table.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Yeah, yes, yeah, Well he's got like fifteen kids, you
know he needs the money. Oh my god, he does
have like nine or.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
Ten kids, right, he does, he does.
Speaker 5 (43:39):
It's unbelievable. Hey, I got a scheming question for you.
So when a team gets in the red zone, it
does is it impossible for defense to play zone or
is it impossible for a defense to play zone in
the lower red zone from ten yards in it.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
You'll actually see more teams play zone in the reds
unless you get to the low red zone, then a
lot of teams are going to go man. But the
red zone, with the field being shrunk, if you're able
to drop seven or even drop eight, there's just a
lot of zones you can eat up. Because the field
is shrunk, you don't have to worry about the deep
shot anymore. You can shrink that down. More teams in
the red zone will go zone. But once you get
(44:22):
to the lower red zone, then you see a lot
of man demand where they're going to bring more pressure.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
So in the lower red zone you're just not enough room.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
Yeah, yep, okay, But.
Speaker 5 (44:31):
As a quarterback, then would you rather face the zone?
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Well, I guess man, But yeah, zone, you're gonna get
more time, Mike, I.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
Appreciate you, man, Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 5 (44:41):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yes, I have a good one. We will get to
the rest of our phone calls. We've got all time
in the world an hour number three, So in between
two and three, we'll take more of your phone calls
for now. Joe Daniman stands by to join us next
on the Home of the Bengals ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station Cincinnati.
Speaker 5 (45:00):
Make us the number one preset on your car radio
and on the free new and improved iHeartRadio app free,
Never sounded so good ESPN fifteen thirty
Sincy 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 (00:21):
Good afternoon, Happy Tuesday. Welcome into the next and latest
edition of Cincy three sixty on the home of the Bengals.
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station of service Here and
now re number one of our good friends at Skyline Chili.
Anytime you're feeling good and hungry, it's Skyline time. We
are happy. We're excited to have you along for the
next three hours of local, mostly local Cincinnati sports talk.
(00:46):
And uh we'll do that with the guests this afternoon
as well. Joe Daniman from Fox nineteen, we'll join us
at one o'clock. We've got a ton of Bengals news
that happened yesterday, from players being released, to players going
under the knife, to players going back into concussion protocol.
Games are being flexed, and yes, after a day to
(01:11):
harp on a loss, today we'll explain to you what
the pass forward looks like for an eight and nine
home playoff game for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Wait, ye, this wasn't discussed before the show? Yep? Are
you back on?
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Well, no, I'm just in a b I'm in a
worse place today because of what just happened a few
minutes before we came on the air, which is the
second time, and I would say there, it is second
time in three days, Austin, and I've bought back in.
So what I did when that fourth quarter started in
the Bengals Bills game and the Bengals took that twenty
(01:48):
eight to eighteen lead with just under eight minutes left,
you know what I did? I bought back in. I said,
my gosh, they're going to do this. They're going to
run the table and they're going to make the playoffs.
It was the first time, outside of just talking about
what the path could be, that I allowed myself mentally
to go to that place. Man, this feels like a
(02:09):
playoff game. This feels like a heavyweight battle. This is
what playoff football is all about. And as that lead
evaporated and the Bengals lost the game, I was more mad,
yes at the Bengals, and had execution down the stretch
and third and fifteen defense. I was also mad at
myself because I I let myself believe I shouldn't have
(02:33):
done that. And then she kind of stowed on it
yesterday and came in today and ready to take the
next step, pick up the pieces. And then this Kyle
Schwarber stuff continued to happen, and people continued to talk,
and not just random people, that's all with the Philadelphia
(02:55):
Choir talked about Kyle Schwarber coming to the Reds on
Nick cross comments, Barry Larkin's comments. Brad Doolittle on ESPN
dot com projected Kyle Schwarber to come to the Cincinnati Reds.
Our good friend Jeff Carr. I saw a post from
him earlier this morning, Maneff doing where Jeff was like, Man,
this feels different. It feels like it can happen. It
(03:17):
feels like Kyle Schwarber to the Cincinnati Reds. And you
know what I did again this morning, Austin, I allowed
myself to believe, and I should know better at my age,
how long I've been a Cincinnati sports fan, that these
things tend to just not happen. These things tend to
come crashing down pretty quickly. And that's what happened today.
(03:41):
I went to pay a bet and a debt to
our good friend down the hall, Willy cutting him.
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Of course, Yeah, I've bet.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
I think the last four times i've bet Willie, I've
taken the Bearcats and I had to pay off multiple
bets with some hot fudge Sundays. And before I left,
you and I were in this studio talking to Kyle Schwarber,
Sure and the Reds and options and what this looked like.
And then I got back fifteen minutes later and you said,
Kyle Schwarber, big news. And for a second I thought,
(04:12):
no way, Kyle Schwarber's here. Kyle Schwarber signed with the Reds.
And then you proceeded to tell me that the National
League leader from last year in home runs with fifty
six is going back to the Philadelphia Phillies on a
five year, one hundred and fifty million dollar contract.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
I made sure to make it the last thing I
told you. You said, Kyle Schwarber, five years, one hundred
and fifty million. You said really, I said, yeah, with
the Philadelphia Phillies. I thought about it. There are a
lot of layers to this. I think the most important
one is understanding that Kyle Schwarber is the exception to
(04:55):
the rule if the Reds. You know, I think the
Reds did sue him and did try to pursue him,
and I think he really thought about it, and if
he had accepted it, he would have been the exception
to the rule when it comes to their payroll. Sure,
and now because he is in Philadelphia with the Phillies,
(05:18):
I don't think the Reds view any of those other
free agents as a player worthy of being the exception
to the rule. Which means, here we go. They're at
that five to seven and a half to ten to
maybe twelve million dollars worth of payroll that they have
to spend to try to make last team, last year's
(05:39):
team better than this year's team.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
Here's the naive nature that I live in, at least
in my brain. I say, well, if the Reds had
an offer lined up for Kyle Schwarber, why can't they
turn that offer to a Kyle Tucker, to a Cody Bellinger,
to an Alex Bregman, to a Pete Alonzo. Why can't
they just turn that attention and that money and go
get another big splash. Jeff Passon did report in the
(06:06):
Schwober deal that Cincinnati the dark course because of its
need for a power bat an appeal to Schwarber, who
grew up in Middletown, did not meet the financial demands
that others were willing to meet. So that is the
report from Jeff Passing is that the Reds were in
but did not meet the financial demands that other teams
(06:29):
were willing to meet. And there's also a part of
me that says, you know what this is about playing
the game as well. I don't think Chris Henry Jr.
Last week Austin was ever really thinking about going anywhere
by the Ohio state. Sure, but do you know what
Chris Henry Jr. Probably got by making the spectacle that
he did.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
A couple of extra bucks.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Probably got some extra money. And Kyle Schwarber again, when
the Philadelphia Inquire is reporting that this is a real
possibility that Kyle Schwarber is leaving to go to Cincinnati
and the tingency plans need to be made, that's enough
to get some people in Philly I would think uneasy.
And in doing so, Kyle Schwarber probably got that fifth
(07:09):
year that he was looking for. He gets thirty million
per year, five years, one hundred and fifty million, And
since Kyle Schrober likes Cincinnati, Austin, when he's done with
that five year deal, he could just move back and
enjoy the rest of his life in Cincinnati. Now, there's
part of me that thinks there's a little bit of
that at play too, sure, and that's that's that's okay
(07:30):
for Kyle Schwarber to do. I'm just mad at myself
again because I believed, now again many would say, will
you put together a pretty good offer to at least
make Philly uneasy? Bregman, Alonzo, Bellinger, Tucker. I'm sure there's
other names out there, power hitters, electric bats that this
(07:54):
lineup needs. Why not take that money, Austin and move
that to a different player? As you mentioned, and I
know are good friend Charlie Goldsmith, who is at those
winter meetings right now, already kind of laid out that's
just not really the direction that he views or we
viewed the Reds going.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
I don't think anyone expects them to pivot in that way.
Is I think the point that we're trying to make
here is, Okay, this is the one guy that we
feel like we'd be worthy of taking that big of
a risk and being able to go all in in
a way for him. And I think there are different
(08:29):
layers to that. There's a guy like Schwarber being, you know,
the hometown hero, and the way that you can market
him and profit off of him and get money in
return from him that maybe you wouldn't get for a
Pet Alonzo or a Kyle Tucker or whatever it might be.
I also will say I think those guys have flaws,
(08:52):
maybe more than Kyle Schwarber does.
Speaker 2 (08:54):
I mean, you had fifty six home runs he did
hit two forty, yeah, and that would have been great
for the Reds last year. Kyle Tucker had a tough
season towards the end of last year, and the Cubs,
who have ten times more money than the Reds, aren't
willing to go after him. Bregman, Where's he gonna play
third base? You just got key Brian Hayes. Doesn't make
(09:16):
as much sense.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Now. I would love it if they had Alex Bregman,
no doubt, but based off their previous moves, doesn't really
make as much sense. And so I feel like the
Red said, this is the Golden Goose, We'll try like
hell to get him. And if we don't, we'll stick
to our original plan. Now, I'm not saying that's the
right thing. I'm not saying I like that. I'm not
(09:38):
saying I'm happy that it's happening. I'm trying to take
you inside the mind of the people in that organization
in a way that they operate. And I think it
was presented to Bob and Phil and the ownership group
that says, listen, if we can land Kyle Schwarber, there
can be a serious return on investment here that can
set us up not only to win, but not to
(10:00):
hurt us financially in the future. And the conversation, whether
you like it or not, with the Reds, starts and
stops with money. Nick Carl said it the other day.
Our ownership group operates so that they can break even
every year. That is their goal. And whether or not
you believe that, I'm not sure that I do. That
(10:20):
is the truth of the general thought process is about
the bottom line. Sure, and it's an unfortunate reality for
a lot of teams in Major League Baseball that the
financials are more important than the wins and losses. And
that's true with the Cincinnati Reds as well.
Speaker 2 (10:43):
Winter Meetings. Also happening more in Major League Baseball, Edwin Diaz,
the All Star closer from the Mets, is going to
the Los Angeles Dodgers. The rich continue to get richer.
How about the Tigers coming out and saying, Hey, there
are no untouchables on our team. You want to come
get tariq'skuball, come get them.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
Would you rather be a Reds fan or a Tigers fan? Today?
You get the rug pulled out from underneath you about
Kyle Schwarber or your owner says, we know we're never
going to be able to sign school ball, so everybody's
up for grabs.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
Probably on this day. The Reds, I don't know, Tigers
have won the World Series recently, that's also true. We'll
dive into the college hoops landscape at some point today.
NKU and Kentucky are in action tonight. What I think
we'll do We'll revisit the conversation we had during the
bye week about NFL contenders and pretenders. We'll also, after
last night's Monday Night football game, throw some quarterback tears
(11:35):
out on today's show as well. The Heisman finalist have
been announced.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It is.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia, Jeremiah Love, and Julian saying, those
are your Heisman finalists this year. By the way, I
saw on Sports Illustrated Austin a mock draft that had
the Bengals drafting Jeremiah Love. Oh so just load up
on the offensive side of the ball and see what
(12:04):
else happens. Last night, Monday Night football, I'll say this,
my son loved the Monsters broadcast. Loved watching the Monsters
broadcast your ZINC. I watched on my phone the regular broadcast,
and my, oh my, what a game that was last night.
(12:26):
And by game, I mean an absolute train wreck. For
the first time, I watched a player have two turnovers
on the same play, Jalen Hurts through an interception. The
player that intercepted the ball fumbled it. Jalen Hurts recovered
that fumble and then fumbled it away. He threw four
interceptions and fumbled the ball last night. Justin Herbert, he
wasn't that much better. But Justin Herbert had surgery on
(12:48):
his left hand earlier in the week. Sure, that's dog
mentality to have a surgery and come out and play
in the same week. In the end, it was Cameron
Dicker and his winning for the Los Angeles Chargers, and
all of a sudden, the Eagles have lost three games
in a row. The Philadelphia Eagles are now eight and five, Cowboys, Bears,
(13:14):
Chargers have all now good news for Philly as they
now play the Raiders and the Commander's next, so they
might be able to get right. But it's an uneasy
feeling right now in Philly, one would think, and I
don't know another way to put it than an absolute
train wreck last night, which kind of made it enjoyable
to watch.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
It was fun. You can't look away for some of those,
you know, Yeah, and that's what it was. I'm fascinated
by the Eagles offense and why it does and does
not work at times. And I think their offensive line
has been a bit of an issue obviously, just not
being able to run the football. It starts with that.
And I like Jalen Hurts. I'm a big Jalen Hurts fan.
(13:54):
But you know, I think we'll talk quarterback tiers later on. Yeah.
Is he ever one of those guys that you feel like,
all right, got to win the game on this drive,
He's gonna do it? Not at this point, I don't
feel that way.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
It is the official end of Week fourteen in the
National Football League as well. Hold up, well, this is unprofessional,
but I normally don't take phone calls. Hello, Carly, Yeah,
probably around five o'clock.
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Do you do you do you need me to turn
your mic off? Sorry?
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Yeah, that was unprofession That was Carly hearsay. I am uh,
I'm gonna have to bounce out before quick hits today.
Speaker 3 (14:31):
Damn it. You got me right there? You got me
good right there?
Speaker 2 (14:35):
Apparently, Uh, the forty four year old Philip Rivers workout
didn't go well, so they're they're they're exploring all options.
So if I were to leave here about two forty five,
could I get dainty by five?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
I don't think so. But damn that was funny. Good
job you got me. I need to turn your mic.
Oh you got I was like reaching for it. I
was like, gosh, this must be an emergency. This is unprofessional, colleague.
Can I can't see you? So I don't know what
you're Gosh.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
Yes, forty four year old Philip Rivers is working out
for the Colts.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
We always used to call them pill Rivers, and he's
gonna need a couple of them if he wants to
get through the seat. You know.
Speaker 2 (15:12):
The funnest part about that. Last night, I'm watching, you know,
the lead into Monday Night Football, and Schefter comes in
and talks about that, and I'm looking at the face
of Troy Aikman, and Troy like was stunned. Yeah, he
was stuttering. He had nothing to say. Swagu just had
like this look on his face, like what And Jason
Kelsey's like, yes, yes, I want to see this. And
(15:36):
it did give us, if anything, austin a moment last
night where people like on social media started re sharing
some of their favorite philip Rivers clips. Sure forty four
retired in what twenty twenty officially m cults are working
out Philip Rivers. What does that say to all the
other quarterbacks in the NFL that are actually at.
Speaker 3 (15:54):
Do you think it's you bring up Troy Aikman. Aikman
had a similar situation. His last season was two thousand
and In the off season going into two thousand and three,
he had agreed to play for the Miami Dolphins and
started training and then it fell through at the last minute.
So kind of a similar situation with Troy, which is
(16:15):
kind of interesting. Yeah, I mean, how do you feel
if you're like Ben Denucci Right now? It's like this
dude has actually played in the NFL recently. Yep, he's
not abysmal Brett. So let's talk about Brett Rippon for
a minute. Was with the Bengals all off season, was
on the Bengals practice squad. Was the Bengals backup quarterback
(16:38):
at a point this year when Jake Browning was starting.
And I think back to the Lions game when Zach
Taylor did irreparable damage to he and I's relationship in
the way he kept putting Jake Browning out there on
the field, and I was screaming at the television. Put
Brett Ripping in. Put Brett Ripping in, and he didn't.
(16:58):
A couple of days later, Joe Flacco has acquired Brett
Ripping is cut. That's how bad apparently Brett Rippen is.
He goes to the Colts, he's on the practice squad,
and now Briley Leonard, Daniel Jones, and Anthony Richardson are
all hurt and they're looking around saying, we're gonna have
to try Phil Rivers over Brett Rippon. Here's what I
want to know.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
I want I want to I want to go into
that meeting where they are just throwing names out that
are currently like backups in the NFL or free agents,
and like each one is getting shot down. I want
to know who said, you know what? I wonder what
Philip Rivers is doing? And then there's because whoever.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Did that had to go back into the well, and
then there's like a silence in the room while everybody
like it hits everybody, right, yeah, I think so.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
And then someone's like, you know what, because you know
someone in that room said, what should we call Andrew Luck?
I'm sure someone said that you should. Yeah, I'm sure
Ri's name thrown around.
Speaker 3 (17:59):
Yeah, there's another perfect example of a guy like there had.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
To be twenty names that were thrown out in this conference.
And then finally someone said Philip Rivers, what's he doing?
And they're like, wait, what is he? Oh he's only
forty four, he's not forty okay, and then Philip Rivers says, yeah,
I'll come work out. And then Philip probably got to
the workout and he was like, all right, what do
we got here? And they're like, all right, we're gonna start.
But we need you because we go to Seattle on Sunday.
(18:23):
And then he was like, who Seattle? Well, what's after that?
San Francisco, Jacksonville, Houston. I'm good.
Speaker 3 (18:30):
Well, that's the thing. I'm good if man Rivers has
got to be able to just like the game plan.
Let's say they sign him. The game plan's got to
be We're going to turn the ball and hand it
off to Jonathan Taylor forty times, right, Like that's all
it is. I mean, they're fighting for a playoff spot, though,
(18:51):
I just I can't believe.
Speaker 2 (18:53):
I'm watching like Scott Van Pelt is trying to hold
it together last night. Is this breaking news is being read?
Do you want it to happen?
Speaker 3 (19:01):
Yes?
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Oh my gosh, yes. That gives me five years left.
I can exhaust all options. Absolutely. If I turn on
a TV.
Speaker 3 (19:13):
If I turn on a TV Philip Rivers Pro Football
Hall of Fame semi final, if.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
I see Philip Rivers at four on Sunday warming up
in Seattle, I'm.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
I'm locked in for what? Yes? What a storyline that is?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
They know why Phillip's working out five days a week
right now?
Speaker 3 (19:35):
Do you think they called Brady? Oh had to have
called Brady. If you're gonna call Rivers, you gotta call
Brady Man.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
That's what I want to know. I want to know
what other obscure names were thrown out in that meeting
Peyton that eventually got to Philip Rivers. Just Peyton, I mean,
what what a disrespectful move to every backup and practice
squad quarterback in the NFL.
Speaker 3 (20:00):
I'm trying to see see if I can pull up
who's available or who's just out there right now? Three
guys out there right now? CJ. Bethard, Jeff Driscoll, Okay
Bengal Legend, Jake from.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Logan, Woodside Beast, Taylor Heineken. Do you call Fitzpatrick called
fitz Magic?
Speaker 3 (20:26):
Yeah? I mean good for the colts Man, good for
Philip Rivers. If you're on the spot track website, it
has like trending players. Number one is Jalen Hurts. Number
two is Philip Rivers. If you go down to number ten, though,
this is my favorite one. Quinton Jammer. Did you see
(20:47):
this from Quinton Jammer last night? So, the former Charger
cornerback played in the NFL. NFL for twelve years, admitted
on social media last night to in multiple games over
the worst of his career in twenty eleven being completely
drunk on the field.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And he was like, he was like fun and people
like replied with like videos of him getting beaten in here,
like were you drunk here?
Speaker 4 (21:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Yeah, probably, I couldn't imagine. That makes me wonder sometimes I.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
Couldn't imagine trying to play that position drunk, Oh my gosh, no,
or any position at that.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
What would be the easiest one to play drunk long snapper? Well, obviously,
but even then you could ruin the game. Uh, probably
like de tackle or something. Maybe just hide in the.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
Middle, Yeah, don't get tackles specifically, although like there had
to be an odor.
Speaker 3 (21:42):
The receivers had to be like, dude, are you drunk?
Maybe he said it was tequila though.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Ooh man, what a fun first segment today that started
with such agone.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
And I feel like we didn't even get to all
of it. No, Kyle Schwarber is a Philadelphia Philly. There's that.
Good for him. Man, We got plenty to go with
you when you turned thirty eight, Kyle.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Since he three sixty thanks to Skyline Chilly on ESPN
fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports Station, Well.
Speaker 1 (22:08):
In the NATI brought to you by Hey During Window
Company on ESPN fifteen thirty, the official home of the
Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
Welcome back since he three to sixty.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
The Tuesday Afternoon edition a little bit long in segment one,
So we'll be quick here, get back on the clock
and we'll dive into everything that happened with the Cincinnati
Bengals just yesterday, a very busy day for the Bengals yesterday.
Before we get to any of that, we'll open up
the phone line here for a phone call.
Speaker 3 (22:35):
Mark is calling in. What's up? Mark?
Speaker 4 (22:39):
Yeah, I didn't get to call in yesterday.
Speaker 5 (22:41):
Uh.
Speaker 4 (22:42):
The game Sunday, Uh, I saw two dumb decisions.
Speaker 6 (22:46):
One out of coach and one out of quarterback. I
mean the coaches. I thought he was it was a
dumb decision. Gimember the Jets game because this scenario repeated itself.
They had the lead and then he had Joe Flacco
and the shotgun for three plays and Uh, the Jets
were able to get him off the field. He didn't run,
(23:08):
he didn't try to run the ball. Okay, fast forward
to this game. He didn't have Burrow under center when
they should have ran the ball with p Ryan.
Speaker 4 (23:19):
They was running the ball. I think p Ryan was.
Speaker 6 (23:21):
Averason what six yards of carry, So you had to lead.
It was the lead was only three points, but you
still had to lead five minutes to go. You know,
how about a couple of running plays. And then the
other dumb decision was that ball looked like it was
slipping out of.
Speaker 4 (23:39):
Burrow's game when he when he.
Speaker 6 (23:42):
Tried to throw it, So you know, the great quarterbacks
would have just probably ate that ball.
Speaker 2 (23:47):
Yeah, I said, you either you either have to just
take it and give yourself up and fall down and
take a two yard loss, or you got to throw
the ball at at the defender's ankles. You know, one
of the two, you just gotta you gotta chalk it up.
And I guarantee Burrow, if he had the chance again
one hundred times, he would do that.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
It's just it's one of.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
Those plays you kind of knew the whole way it
was going to end poorly. But yeah, I'm in agreement.
So myj p rynd ran well five point two of
carrying just six carries, they only carried the ball nineteen times,
which was a little surprising because they were leading pretty
much the whole game. I thought maybe they would run
the ball a little more, but it was hard because
Burrow for three and a half quarters played so well
(24:26):
that you really didn't mind him dropping back and throwing.
But hindsight being what it is, Yeah, you could have
handed the ball off a couple more times.
Speaker 4 (24:34):
I mean, when is this coach going to realize that.
Speaker 6 (24:36):
You can't close the game out running the ball? I mean,
he refuses to do that, and he keeps coming back
to bite him.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
I just don't.
Speaker 6 (24:45):
I just don't think he's ever going.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
To learn that you need to run the ball to close.
Speaker 6 (24:50):
The game out and he can still try to throw
it no matter who the.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Quarterback he is.
Speaker 6 (24:55):
Yeah, So that's the thing that frustrated me about it.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Uh And as far as Chaps, I'm outside. As far
as Kyle.
Speaker 6 (25:06):
Schwolzer, did you really think the Reds were really getting
the home did you?
Speaker 4 (25:12):
Hear?
Speaker 2 (25:12):
I mean that's the problem. I let myself believe that
they were for sure.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
Yeah, I never thought that was a possibility.
Speaker 6 (25:20):
Todd, Okay, they cut Jermaine Burton yesterday, another wasted draft, hick.
So are we gonna Are we gonna stop drafting players
with character issues? That you got to take a chance off.
Speaker 4 (25:33):
Are we gonna stop doing that now?
Speaker 3 (25:35):
You would?
Speaker 2 (25:36):
You would think, Mark, I appreciate the phone call man,
Thank you. We're gonna dive into the Jermaine Burton thing
when we got back. When we get back, it rings
to me the comments that Nick Saban made during the
draft when Jermaine Burton was drafted and the warning that
he gave and and that warning that pretty much came
to fruition when it comes to Jermaine Burton. We'll talk
about that and of all things Bengals. When we returned
(26:00):
what was a very busy Monday. Right here on ESPN
fifteen thirty, Cincinnati Sports Station, thanks to Skyline Chilly, you've.
Speaker 1 (26:06):
Been listening to Football in the NATI on ESPN fifteen thirty,
the official home of the Cincinnati Bengals. Every sport, every story,
every angle. Moeger Today at three pm on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 3 (26:29):
For ten years, families have truck.
Speaker 1 (26:31):
Since the three sixty continues now on ESPN fifteen thirty.
Speaker 7 (26:38):
On the valve. Here's the one to oh bitch Warber swings.
Speaker 3 (26:42):
The hammers is high in the air.
Speaker 7 (26:44):
It is deep down the right field line of it's fair,
it's gone, and it is a fair ball.
Speaker 3 (26:51):
Just inside the right field valvepowl.
Speaker 7 (26:55):
That is a two run home run for Schwarber, his
forty second home run of the year, and that makes
it a four to one Phillies lead.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
That's just mean, and it is mean because it has
to go as our win Schulers call the day. And
win Schulers does not mean. Win Schulers is everything you want.
And Christmas bottled up in the holiday season into one
four delicious cheese spreads.
Speaker 3 (27:17):
Did we even offer Schwarber some wind Shulers. Why not?
Speaker 2 (27:22):
They didn't meet the financial demands and they didn't offer
win Schulers to me the taste of the holidays. Don't
let your holiday party go without win Schulders. It pairs
well with anything any of their four flavors. Thanks to
Win Schulers if you missed it earlier. Kyle Schwarber has
signed a five year, one hundred and fifty million dollar
(27:44):
deal to go back.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
To the Philadelphia. But the Reds are not sitting on
their hands to the Reds have made to sign it.
Here we go. Cincinnati has signed left hander Joel Valdez.
Maybe Joel Valdez to a minor league contract. Dez was
selected by the Reds in last year's minor league phase
of the Rule five draft. He posted a two point
(28:06):
three four ERA over fifty seven at a third innings
between Double A Chattanooga and TRIPAA Louisville last season. The
battle four the bullpen lefty rages on and Joel Valdez
enters the conversation. Take that teams playing chess financial flexibility.
(28:27):
Now that Schwarber is out.
Speaker 2 (28:28):
Of the Phillies are playing checkers. Reds are like, watch this,
watch this move. Speaking of moves, plethra of moves happened
yesterday as it relates to the Cincinnati Bengals. Let's go
through these, Austin, I think, in the least surprising of
any of the news yesterday, the Dolphins Bengals game has
been flexed from Sunday night football to a one pm start. Yeah,
(28:51):
probably the least surprising of any of these.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
Yeah, it was frustrating. I think there's a chance that
that game stays on Sunday night if the Bengals had
been in the Buffalo bill. Yes, because of what the
Dolphins are doing. Because of what the Dolphins are doing,
playing much better football right now. But because you know
the the ramifications that you know, I think, most notably,
this week's game between the Bills and the Patriots could
(29:15):
have on the AFC playoffs. And if the Patriots win
the AFC or win the game over the Bills, they
win the AFC East. But if Buffalo wins, then both
those teams Baltimore and New England are fighting for their division,
so they they turn it over to the Patriots and
the Ravens. Yeah, other news o'clock in Miami, though after
(29:39):
being here, might take a little bit to get used
to the former third round draft pick from Alabama, a
draft pick in which Nick Saban on Draft Nights sat
at the podium and talked about some off the field
and character issues. That is Jermaine Burton. I have the
audio if you want to here. This is Nick Saban
(30:01):
immediately after the Bengals drafted his former wide receiver Jamaine Burton.
Speaker 8 (30:05):
For you last year, is a tremendous competitive He's got
great quickness, He's got really good speed. He can come
in and out of a break, he can beat man
to man.
Speaker 4 (30:15):
I mean, I really really like this guy.
Speaker 8 (30:17):
The number one thing that he needs to do and
I think emotional maturity is the best way to say
it is, do the right things all the time.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
He does the right things on the field.
Speaker 8 (30:29):
He knows the importance of what he has to do
on the field. He wants to be a player, that's
all he thinks about yet. But you got to do
the right things in your life all the time so
that you can do the best things that you can
do on the field and be the best.
Speaker 3 (30:41):
You can be.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
I think that was a very nice way of saying
that he has some issues. Yep, those issues were never
able to be worked out for the Cincinnati Bengals. As
Mo put it yesterday, four catches on fourteen career targets
for Jermaine Burton. Jermaine Burton, despite Jamar Chase being suspended
for a game this year, despite T Higgins missing due
to injury, Jermaine Burton never even was active this year
(31:04):
for the Bengals.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
I can't believe you just said he had fourteen targets. Yeah,
that seems like a lot. Yeah, I never would have
thought that.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Four catches, fourteen targets for the career for Jermaine Burton,
which in Cincinnati now comes to an end. As Zach
Taylor said yesterday the Bengals have officially released Jermaine Burton.
Your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (31:27):
Wish it wouldn't have taken so long. What the hell
took so long? Was my initial thought. I talked about
it a little bit yesterday. I'm sure there was somebody
in the organization that was willing to be a little
bit more patient, but I feel like they had maybe
told him it's the last straw. You know, whatever happens next,
you get no more strikes. And it sounds like something
else happened between this week and then going to Buffalo
(31:50):
where he ended up getting suspended, and we don't know
what it is. Nobody's been able to say exactly what
it is, but clearly it was too much in the
Bengals are like, we're done with this.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Shortly after that was announced, it was announced that Trey
Hendrickson was going to be seeking a second opinion for
his injuries, the injuries that have now kind of just.
Speaker 3 (32:14):
Carried on.
Speaker 2 (32:16):
The injuries were not as significant when they first happened
to put him on the injured list, yet they've drug on.
It's been very weird. We've talked about this openly Austin
with Trey Hendrickson and the unique nature around every Monday
press conference Zach Taylor pretty much shutting the door on
Trey Hendrickson. Well, the door is now shut on Trey
Hendrickson for the remainder of the year, as he, after
(32:38):
getting that second opinion, is going to undergo a surgery
that will likely end his season. The question I have
does it end the time in Cincinnati officially for Trey Hendrickson?
Speaker 3 (32:49):
I would guess yes. We'll have to get into over
the course of the offseason all the different options and
paths for the Bengals to take to fix their defense
and what ultimately is the best decision for the franchise.
One of those options would be to tag Trey Hendrickson
for a relatively affordable price for an edge rusher if
(33:13):
they need that position. Still. I don't even know if
it's that as much as if you can get a
guy on that type of money that increases his trade
value tenfold. And so are you willing to go back
to anybody who had had those conversations with you previously
and said, Okay, well, now he's healthy and he's cheap,
(33:35):
Now will you give us a third round pick for him?
And maybe you're able to get something like that, and
the Bengals will find a way to take another loser
in the third round. So I don't know. I would
assume it's over. I wouldn't be surprised if there is
some sort of franchise tag placed on him. But I
think we've reached the point where it's best for both
sides to just move on.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
Also, like I don't want another offseason distraction. You also,
if you're the Bengals, need to figure out Shamar Stewart.
You have a decision to make on Joseph Osai, who's
played much better down the stretch. A lot of things
are going to go into that decision around Trey Hendrickson,
but his season comes to a close, and then I
(34:16):
think the most pressing concern right now for the Cincinnati
Bengals revolves around t Higgins. T Higgins hit his head
on the turf multiple times against the Buffalo Bills, but
each time he cleared concussion test and got in the
game and finished out the game. He obviously had the
one handed catch at the end of the game. However,
(34:37):
Ben Baby reported that Higgins reported concussion like symptoms after
the game and is now back in concussion protocol, so
he was in the team's injury tent twice, cleared both checks,
he returned to the game. There's no concrete answer on
now his status against the Baltimore Ravens. Zach Taylor didn't
(34:59):
really provide up date. He's back in protocol, going to
go through it this week. I have a hard time
believing with his second concussion since week twelve that he
would play. But there's nothing concrete about that. But a
little bit concerning you saw the hits. You saw his
head hitting on the turf. Concussions have been an issue
for t Higgins and they now are an issue as
(35:19):
those symptoms carried on after the game as well.
Speaker 3 (35:22):
He had that hit and he came back in the game,
and I was really surprised just way off the way
that he reacted to the first hit, and then I wondered, okay, well,
maybe he just kind of scared himself, like, oh crap,
I just hit my head again, And I think that's
what happened on the second one. So had a couple
of drops, went into the tent, came back, and then
initiated himself a second review to make sure he was okay,
(35:46):
and he passed again, So that in and of itself
would tell me if I'm T Higgins, I'm not all
the way there mentally to if I'm worried about Okay,
hold on, I need to get checked out again. Yeah,
then probably sets there, Yeah exactly. And then after the
game went to the Bengals trainers and said, hey, I'm
I'm still feeling this way. I think it's also important
(36:08):
to note that those tests are not done by the
Bengals trainers. Those are independent league people who put him
back into the game, or not put him back in
the game, but clear him to be able to go
back in the game. So, I mean, there was a
joint statement between the NFL and NFLPA that said everything
went as it's supposed to go, and he just felt,
(36:29):
you know, like he still had those symptoms after the game.
So I would be surprised if we see T Higgins
on Sunday against paulk You and me both to go
back to the Trey Henderson thing for a minute, do
you think it's a little weird that, now that the
Bengals are all but eliminated, that Trey decides I'm going
to have surgery. This whole thing from the start has
(36:50):
been weird to me. That was the first thing I thought.
It's like, oh, now you're going to have surgery, and.
Speaker 2 (36:55):
Now you go get the second opinion, or at some
point that the Bengals say, hey, look, we done all
we can do. You know, what do you want us
to do from this? Yeah? We have plenty more on
the Cincinnati Bengals. We've got an AFC North path. I
guess we'll do that. What would be the fall out
if the bengals did miss the playoffs? Joe Burrow's need
for perfection? We got contenders and pretenders. We've got quarterback tiers,
(37:19):
We've got college hoops to discuss. Joe Daniman will join
us at one o'clock. We'll finish up our number one
with a few more of your phone calls. Next on
the Home of the Bengals. It's ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station. Welcome back since the three sixty ESPN fifteen
thirty Cincinnati Sports Station. Let's grab a couple of phone
(37:42):
calls before we get to Joe Daniman to round out
our number one.
Speaker 3 (37:45):
Mark has given us a call. What's that?
Speaker 5 (37:46):
Mark?
Speaker 9 (37:48):
Yes, Yes, I want to make a comment about Sharber College.
If you remember last year, and I can't think of
his name, the left handed pitcher that went from White
Sox to the Red Sox who was almost the best
pitcher in the American League. Las Yes, Crochet, Crochet. Sorry,
(38:10):
I couldn't think of his name. Every time his name
was mentioned last year and they named the teams that
were interested in him, the Reds were always one of them.
The Reds were never getting him. The Reds were never
getting Kyle Schwarber. The Reds are never going to get
a big name player ever, ever, ever. As a diehard
(38:34):
Reds fans for I don't know how many years, seventy years,
at least seventy, They're never going to go anywhere with
this ownership. I mean, this is the reason this team stinks.
Making the playoffs last year was the worst thing could
have happened. They think they had a good season, they
think they have a good team.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
They do not.
Speaker 9 (38:57):
They have so many bad players on the steam and
they need so much improvement on each position, almost every position.
Every position has to be better. Go ahead, you want to.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Say you're good, You're good.
Speaker 9 (39:11):
No, I mean it's just a terrible team. Austin are
you there, Austin.
Speaker 3 (39:16):
Right now, I'm here. I'm here.
Speaker 9 (39:17):
Mark, Yes, do you remember me calling in last summer
on Sunday's wanting to trade of the pitcher? What's his name? Yes, Homer, Yeah, yeah,
Hunter Hunter Green. See when you get old, you can't
remember names. Anyway, every every Sunday I would call in
(39:39):
and have a different trade with Hunter Green. Are they
seriously looking to trade him? Or is this just talk too?
Speaker 3 (39:45):
I think that's all tall.
Speaker 9 (39:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
I think they might listen, but I don't think they
would seriously consider trading him.
Speaker 9 (39:52):
Well, they need to because they need a hitter so bad.
All right, I'm gonna get off of here, Gonna close
with this comment that I've been wanting to make all seasons.
Oh boy, your boy, Joe, sure look good Sunday. Yes,
favorite game of the year are winning. They're not winning
(40:13):
the super Bowl this year, and they're not winning the
next year or the year after. Now, kick me off
the air, Mark.
Speaker 3 (40:21):
Now, we have a lot of Marks that call in
and uh. I would have a conversation almost identical to
that with Mark and Louisville every Sunday afternoon, following usually
a Red's loss on the Extra Inning Show. Down the
hall on WLW. He is really just a breath of
fresh air, is Mark and Louisville. Yes, and he hates
(40:44):
the Bengals, which is funny. Fair fair, Let's go back
up to line.
Speaker 5 (40:49):
What's up Mike, Hey, guys, enjoying the show today?
Speaker 4 (40:54):
Thank you.
Speaker 5 (40:55):
I just want to let you guys know, with Christmas
coming up, I'm going to a tough time right now,
and you're guys show and love show every day really
helps me get through the days. And I don't tell
you guys that I appreciate as much as I should
on how much I appreciate your show.
Speaker 3 (41:11):
We thank you, Mike. We appreciate you. Yeah, we do
appreciate you, man, Thank you.
Speaker 5 (41:18):
We're breaking news. The Bengals Dolphins game has been flexed
to four a m. So people can watch.
Speaker 4 (41:23):
The game and go to church.
Speaker 3 (41:25):
I like it.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
I like it.
Speaker 5 (41:29):
Game going on. Herbert Herbert guts that game out last
night because I I think a lot of guys might
not have played. They probably could have got out of plane.
Uh if if they had wanted to. I would think,
what was that thing on his arm, Tony.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
That little box, some type some type of just protective
cast that gives him enough flexibility that he can move
his fingers like he needs with his grip, but also
at the same time protect that that I would imagine
will open wound as much as possible.
Speaker 5 (42:03):
Yeah, because you could tell at the end of the
game they were showing the back of his arm and
there was quite a bit of boy you were right
about how about yes, sorb we honeying. Really, I know
you guys are having fun with it, but we knew
Shorber wouldn't come in here.
Speaker 3 (42:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
I wonder how much there was ever any interest in
how much it was just Kyle Schwarbur and his agency saying, Okay,
if we if we position this the correct way, we
could probably get more money.
Speaker 3 (42:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (42:29):
I think you're exactly right on that. Yeah, why not?
Why not because there's no way. Yeah, that's just the
way to do it. You just put some extra pressure
on the other teams and Bingo, especially the team he's
already listening. I must like it, and Tilly he must
like it in Philadelphia well enough. Plus he knows he's
on a team that has a chance to get a ring.
Speaker 2 (42:46):
So, like I said, if he likes it in Cincinnati
that much, when his five year deals up, he can
move back here and retire.
Speaker 5 (42:53):
Yeah, or or they could maybe get him when he
files for early Social Security at sixty two and picking
him up for less than what you guys.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
Philip Rivers is working out at forty four, swar will
still be in his prime.
Speaker 3 (43:06):
Yeah. But by the way, it just it was just
made official. Philip Rivers is signing We Go Baby.
Speaker 5 (43:15):
That is unbelievable. That's the last team he played for,
wasn't it. Yeah, you're not joking of.
Speaker 4 (43:23):
No, I'm not.
Speaker 3 (43:23):
That's being reported by Adam Schefter and others.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Right, I guess I don't have to go to Indy today,
then I guess that's off the table.
Speaker 5 (43:29):
Yeah, yes, yeah, Well he's got like fifteen kids, you
know he needs the money. Oh my god, he does
have like nine or.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
Ten kids, right, he does, he does.
Speaker 5 (43:39):
It's unbelievable. Hey, I got a scheming question for you.
So when a team gets in the red zone, it
does is it impossible for defense to play zone or
is it impossible for a defense to play zone in
the lower red zone from ten yards in it.
Speaker 2 (44:00):
You'll actually see more teams play zone in the reds
unless you get to the low red zone, then a
lot of teams are going to go man. But the
red zone, with the field being shrunk, if you're able
to drop seven or even drop eight, there's just a
lot of zones you can eat up. Because the field
is shrunk, you don't have to worry about the deep
shot anymore. You can shrink that down. More teams in
the red zone will go zone. But once you get
(44:22):
to the lower red zone, then you see a lot
of man demand where they're going to bring more pressure.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
So in the lower red zone you're just not enough room.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
Yeah, yep, okay, But.
Speaker 5 (44:31):
As a quarterback, then would you rather face the zone?
Speaker 2 (44:33):
Well, I guess man, But yeah, zone, you're gonna get
more time, Mike, I.
Speaker 3 (44:39):
Appreciate you, man, Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 5 (44:41):
Guys.
Speaker 2 (44:42):
Yes, I have a good one. We will get to
the rest of our phone calls. We've got all time
in the world an hour number three, So in between
two and three, we'll take more of your phone calls
for now. Joe Daniman stands by to join us next
on the Home of the Bengals ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati
Sports Station Cincinnati.
Speaker 5 (45:00):
Make us the number one preset on your car radio
and on the free new and improved iHeartRadio app free,
Never sounded so good ESPN fifteen thirty
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