More UFL Coaching Departures, BIG TRADE & Week 3 Preview | UFL Podcast #100

The REF & Zach are back for EPISODE 100 of The UFL Podcast!

Join the gang as they dive into the latest coaching departures in the UFL, the BIG Houston/Michigan Trade, Week 3 Preview & much more!!!!

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This week in the UFO podcast, Crazy Coaching, Changes a
Trade and episode one zero zero. It is episode one hundred,
the century mark of the UFL Podcast. It starts right now,
long till three. Welcome back, everybody to the UFL podcast.

(00:39):
I am Zach Kileman sitting in the seat as well
sometimes and next to me of course. In the Big Shebang,
the penultimate episode, if you will, it is the ref
on the opposite side.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
And before we even go.

Speaker 1 (00:52):
Further, ladies and gentlemen, I can't believe I'm saying this,
but we have made.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
It to episode one hundred.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
We've done everybody, let's know what I'm saying. We have made
it to the century mark. It's hard to believe. It's
been four years in the making.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
But it's the fun. We've done it. It's made it.

Speaker 1 (01:17):
We've finally hit that. And not to give too much
way before I'll let you talk, we've got a special
video one of us will be dropping a later this week,
just kind of looking back a little. But for now
we're in the present, one hundred episodes. My friend, did
you think we'd make it? I thought we were gonna
get here. I knew we would get here. I knew
it would happen one of these days. I knew just

(01:38):
it would come, and you know what, we finally made it.

Speaker 3 (01:41):
Some people thought it would never happen. Part of me
wanted to just keep dragging it out as long as
we could, just to.

Speaker 2 (01:47):
Build it up.

Speaker 3 (01:48):
But if you look at it in all reality, we've
actually done way more than one hundred episodes. If you
count Springstock and Summer Stock and all of these other
like end of year streams and then the Christmas streams
and the New Year's streams.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
And the live streams for the drafts, we.

Speaker 3 (02:08):
Probably hit like one hundred episodes quiet not even mentioned
a tou And.

Speaker 1 (02:12):
Like all these other things like shoot, man, this show
alone we probably hit I'd say one ten or so
by that now with all the extras.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
But uh man, a tou. I mean talk about that.

Speaker 1 (02:22):
We're gonna start putting a ch account on that because
we're starting to put down and lay down some episodes
there too. But this is the OG, this is the original,
the one that spawned it all on this channel, and
we're glad to hit it under episodes.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
We're glad you're along for it too.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
For any of those that have been through the entire
ride wheel your thanks a ton for Raymon Let's joining.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
One hundred episode. Welcome aboard.

Speaker 1 (02:41):
We ain't stopping yet, no train, no train, ending their
journey in the station. We are leaving the station and
heading to a wondrous new destination down the road for
many episodes ahead. But yeah, episode one hundreds here, everybody.
Thank you all for at least my little spilling this.
Thank you all for tuning in. You guys have been great.
Thirty five hundred subs and counting for this show, many

(03:04):
a thousand followers on social, many hours watched.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
We appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (03:08):
You guys rock You're You're the ones that make us
keep coming back one hundred percent. Zach, I'm telling you
one of my favorite things to do every time we
do any of our live shows is to meet the
people that listen, meet people that don't even know about
our show, that are learning about our show for the
first time. Just having an opportunity to travel and meet
people that you've met online.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
This is really what it's all about.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
It's all about the spring football community, and that's why
it's Springstock, Zach.

Speaker 2 (03:34):
That's why we have it Springstock.

Speaker 3 (03:36):
If we look back at what Springstock was if we
just go into the time machine.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
It was you know, the USFL.

Speaker 3 (03:45):
They were playing all eight teams in one location, and
so Springstock was the spring football community traveling from all
over to the country to the one central hub for
the USFL. And I think that really kind of kicked
off what this mission statement was, you know, signing people's
silly USFL podcast cards and all that stuff is amazing.

(04:08):
And yeah, I can't wait to do more episodes. I
can't wait till the next Summer Stock. I can't wait
till hopefully a Springstock five, and you know, all the
things that are yet to come, and of course ATU
and Pro Football Newsroom.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
And who knows what else we got up our sleeves.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
I mean, we got all sorts of things in motion,
and there's all sorts of things and the works always
and you know me, Zach, even if I'm killing myself
at work, I'm gonna be working on some project one
way or another.

Speaker 2 (04:37):
I know you which I did work on.

Speaker 3 (04:41):
Finally, you know, I've had a concept for a thing
and I worked on like a set design for it
for like I'll share it with you after the fact.
It's it's really neat Zach. Actually, I'll spill the beans
on one of the things. So it's the frame for
me is a CRT TV, right, That in itself is cool.

Speaker 2 (05:00):
But what I did is I found.

Speaker 3 (05:01):
A picture of a CRT TV and cropped out the
screen and overlaid the screen as a separate layer above
my camera on like a ten percent opacity, So you
see the slight glare of the CRT screen over my camera.

Speaker 1 (05:18):
That actually looks pretty dope, dude, it's pretty sweet. I'm
definitely thrilled to see where this project goes. I don't
even know what it's gonna be, but I have a
cool little frame for it. Oh that's gonna be good.
I can't I'm gonna have to ask you on the
side about that one thing. I'm sad I didn't get
these up. By the way we're talking sets, I've got

(05:38):
your two banners that you lent me from from Summerstocks
and Springstocks past just hasn't been hung up yet. That
hopefully by next episode you'll see this transformed. It won't
be as glorious as this TV set up, I'll mind you,
but it will be great to have some memories up
of years past gone by. Good times, I'm glad you're

(05:59):
taking your time because I though I don't have that
rough shirt sitting up on my well, we're still there
right there, so in fact I could see it on
frame if you're looking closely.

Speaker 2 (06:09):
Yes, yes, exactly.

Speaker 3 (06:11):
So yeah, don't feel bad, Zachy boy. This has been
like since Christmas, so pushing on like four months on that.
So we'll get there.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
One of these days. It's gonna be up there. We'll
see it come up.

Speaker 1 (06:26):
Speaking of speaking of the of the come up cup Uppins,
we talked a lot about coaches on this show and
a lot of times, uh, you know, kind of seeing
who goes where, maybe some some moves and changes. This
year's been kind of wacky because of the DC defenders
old uh coaching staff basically gonna be their main people
leaving for Tennessee State with Reggie Barlow. But also while

(06:49):
we do have more news on that, I think the
bigger one that most people were kind of blown up by,
and as we hinted that with this episode today, uh
over at over in San Antonio are Smith Wonderkin air
Raid offensive Coordinator, Tech Friendly offensive Coordinator. He is walking,
he is stepping away from the San Antonio Brahmas mid

(07:12):
season here after week two, and we got a lot
of updates from Wade Phillips on specifically who is to
what on this whole thing, what moves are gonna be done.
But here's the thing here, initial reactions to fun. I mean, look,
I know it hasn't been pretty the last three games
if we're talking production, but this guy has a proven
track record in this space. So kind of surprising that

(07:34):
for someone who had a lot of momentum for a
name in this league that he's saying, look, I'm out.

Speaker 3 (07:41):
It's interesting. I'll say it's interesting. It feels like there's
a story behind the scenes. I don't know if the
story's fully out there.

Speaker 2 (07:48):
There is people commenting on it. We have seen.

Speaker 3 (07:51):
Brandon Silver's chiming in not just on this, but a
few things in the recent past around the UFL and
even just the move of like the Roughnecks over to
San Antonio and that whole Schmas.

Speaker 2 (08:04):
But you know, he commented on this situation.

Speaker 3 (08:06):
He says, this is what happens when you have no
say in personnel and people trying to switch up your
system when it's worked.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
For years now.

Speaker 3 (08:15):
I made a joke on around the UFL this Monday,
And I'm not gonna mention what joke it is, because
it's going to point out exactly what it is. But
if a wise man would put two and two together,
And I think it's funny, right because we have Brandon
Silver's coming to bat for AJ Smith, which I think
you had mentioned. Kellen Mond has now even responded to

(08:36):
that and kind of come to a little bit of
defense there, and it's kind of creating a schmas But
that almost makes me feel like, Okay, I know AJ
and Brandon are tight, and if Brandon's saying this out there,
I almost wonder is AJ having those conversations with Brandon
be like, dude, this stuff is a mess over here.
If I had the personnel I wanted, we would be

(08:57):
winning games, you know, most even wonder Zach, remember what
was it last week, not this past weekend, but the
weekend before when Wade Phillips and his wife may or
may not be you know, getting you know, having a
little bit of fun in the booth.

Speaker 2 (09:12):
But A. J. Smith was up.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
There too, remember, and we were we were watching, We're saying, well,
that's a little strange that both coaches are up in
the booth here, and I almost wonder, I amost wonder
if that has something to.

Speaker 3 (09:25):
Do with whatever whatever it is that's going on. Huge
blow for the Bramas.

Speaker 2 (09:31):
Let's say that.

Speaker 3 (09:32):
Look, they didn't play pretty for the to open up
the first two games. They got shut out in the championship.

Speaker 1 (09:38):
But A J.

Speaker 3 (09:38):
Smith has a proven track record. You know, three games
isn't going to define your career. But losing him three
games into the season, two games into the season, rather.

Speaker 2 (09:54):
I don't know. I don't know.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
That can't be a good sign for the Bramas, right,
that just can't be good for them. Maybe maybe they'll
get as lucky as DC where they're just who knows,
Maybe they'll lose Greg Williams and DC will get even better.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
Right, It's that seems to me.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
They lost that coach and they outperformed anybody's expectations so far.

Speaker 2 (10:14):
But yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
It feels like there's a story behind the scenes. It
doesn't feel like a clean breakup from what I understand.
This happened Wednesday morning, the day that we're recording this,
in a letter that he sent out to players, and
it was just.

Speaker 2 (10:29):
Here it is I'm walking away.

Speaker 1 (10:32):
Yeah, it's it's too bad, you know. And again it's
not that I don't know. It's not that I don't
I don't feel like this system is fully waned. Yes,
I've had on a tu I've been like maybe people
are figuring it out, but like it feels kind of
strange that, you know, the choices is now, you know,
like like it's almost like to me, the worry of

(10:52):
maybe the stock of his coaching status in a way,
you know, you have three you know, again, you have
a bad championship performance where you have your offense that
well had been pretty successful and during the season got
shut out and then you come in and yeah, personnel
is a big deal, but you know, many of us
felt that Kellen Mond and company, you know, you had
a lot of returning stars on the offense to change
out the quarterback and it felt like, you know, it

(11:14):
was just gonna be coming down to who can fill
in that space and run at very to me college
friendly offense And it is not really uh, it really
hasn't manifested itself yet. You know, there are they are
getting yards, but they're not finishing drives, They're not being
efficient with drives, and it's really been burning them so
you know, if it's really about personnel, which you know, honestly,

(11:34):
I kind of kind feel like we're in speculation zone
territory with this at this point. You know, I could
maybe see that, you know, we've had to talk about
a little bit on Okay, when does the court Where
does the coaching dynamic of the league change from these veteran,
well known coaches to having the younger guys or the
guys that are kind of trying to use the space

(11:55):
on the come up ins to have a little more say.
I don't know if that's the whole case. If that
is what's being talked about with Brandon Silvers, would be
unfortunate if a J. Smith didn't have a say in
personnel and he's like, you know, here, this is what
we trust and you take it and we're I don't
know if we'll get the true answer to that, but
I do know that I think when you're hearing a
current player questioning a pass player on system, I'm not

(12:19):
sure it's a system issue because I feel like it's
execution in that case. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would
say the personnel is a little bit more of the
side that if I was completely frustrated and giving this
stuff and going, you know what, screw it, this ain't working.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
I'm out. That's what I'm looking at.

Speaker 3 (12:35):
Yeah, yeah, well it's interesting nonetheless, but if you were
hoping to hear of their replacement, we have some good
news for you. James Larsen confirmed with head coach Wade
Phillips on Wednesday that Peyton Party is going to be.

Speaker 2 (12:51):
Taken over as offensive coordinator for the team.

Speaker 3 (12:54):
He served as the team's wide receivers coach and special
teams coordinator over the last couple of years, so he's
at least aware of the players. It's not too dissimilar
than what we've seen before. A shift happens you move
one of those coaches up into a position. We'll have
to wait and see who Peyton parties replacement is going
to be, or if he just kind of tackles all
of these roles, which I mean not unheard of in spring.

Speaker 2 (13:18):
Football to have multiple roles, but that's I mean, that's
a wide array.

Speaker 1 (13:22):
Offensive coordinator, wide receiver, and special teams might be might
be a lot for I don't know, it might be
a lot for someone to handle, but we'll see. Well,
we'll definitely keep you updated, but it just doesn't feel
like a good sign for the Brahmas.

Speaker 3 (13:37):
And we're going to talk about picks later. But you know,
as a Panthers fan, Zach.

Speaker 1 (13:41):
You probably feel pretty good about this weekend because you
get to rebound against a team in disarray that has
gone zero and two and now has lost their offensive coordinator.
I mean, we'll, we'll definitely see. I think that, you know,
sometimes through adversity comes a bit of grit, So I mean,
I'm not going to fully dissuade that notion whatsoever, but

(14:05):
you know, it is it is a shame. But yeah,
I mean, like I said, switching to Peyton party, you know,
they're moving around pieces. Cody Latamer's coming in apparently, so
they're bringing ex Brahma to be the receiver tight end
room coach, and then they're moving Just Thompson over to
the special teams to take over for Peyton Park.

Speaker 2 (14:20):
There you go, Yeah, you answered my question for me.

Speaker 1 (14:24):
And this comes from from ninety four one FM's The
Blitz with Jason and Joe. It's a local local radio
show out that way, so yeah, definitely. This is also
from Wade Phillips's mouth, so not me, just spewing that
because they're saying it. Wade was on the show to
address some of those issues today. But yeah, you know,
through like I said, through diversity, maybe you have a

(14:45):
little bit more come up. And I mean we still
talk about the fire coming from DC beating Birmingham and
kind of that last minute switch, you know, of having
Harris take over in that position, and maybe that's what
we see here, but you know, right now, you know, again,
it's a shame to see a that's well established like
AJ stepping out of this league because I you know,
a lot of us in this space, we like guys.

(15:06):
It's like, oh yeah, he's definitely you know, he's sitting there.
He's ready for a position to take over as a
head coach. We just need to, you know, someone who
is on the older sides, maybe the air Apparent, waiting
to move on.

Speaker 2 (15:16):
And I don't know how much longer.

Speaker 1 (15:17):
Wade Phillips had, but a lot of us felt that
he's kind of ready, you know, like he was that
next guy.

Speaker 2 (15:22):
So it's just an even bigger blow.

Speaker 1 (15:24):
And you consider that that was the air Apparent to
many of our own minds, and we might not see
that now.

Speaker 2 (15:30):
Yeah, yeah, it's damn shame. It'll be interesting to see.

Speaker 3 (15:33):
You know, when we were talked about this last week,
the league is talking about expansion. We seemingly got confirmed
last week that they're gonna at least attempt to two
teams next year.

Speaker 2 (15:44):
We'll see, We'll see. He's been a pretty active well,
we'll see. But you know, he might step away.

Speaker 3 (15:53):
But if I was the UFL and I do expand,
I mean, there's a few guys that I have in
mind that should be moved in to that head coaching position,
and he would be one of them. So whether he
stepped away, I still think it's worth a try, or
at least trying to extend the olive branch whatever the
situation is, into saying, hey, whatever happened here, it happened.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
Hey, we have this new team. You can build whatever
you want.

Speaker 3 (16:19):
You picked the players, you picked the personnel, you picked
the you name it. You got it within reason, right,
You're not gonna get You're not gonna be like a
twenty twenty three XFL Arlington renegade staff where you have
like remember they had like dual.

Speaker 2 (16:33):
Wide receiver coaches, dual offense.

Speaker 1 (16:35):
Like ever, like I can't off plus I can't believe
they had dual offensive and defensive coordinators. That is insanity
that you that that roster was. I mean again, I
don't mind if you like for job opportunities when that's fine,
it's just it's crazy look back and see that in
a space like this, you had dual coordinators in two spots.

Speaker 2 (16:56):
Wild stuff.

Speaker 1 (16:56):
But you know, those days are definitely, as we've talked,
maybe a little behind us.

Speaker 2 (17:00):
Who knows, maybe.

Speaker 1 (17:02):
He might see maybe he might see AJ pop up
somewhere else, because I'm not sure. You know, we aren't
in his head right now. All I know, all we
know is speculative wise, we think maybe he needs a
break from some of the bad taste in his mouth
the last three contests or so in the offseason.

Speaker 2 (17:16):
But wish him the best.

Speaker 1 (17:17):
Hopefully we see him again in the space soon because
he's a He does have some great ideas in the space, definitely,
and it's good. One of the better air raid coaches,
So the time will tell. Meanwhile, one of the veteran
guys we were talking about. So this ain't the only
coaching news today. This is the bigger one that drop,
But the other one, you know, you kind of sit
here and you think a little bit, this ain't too shocking,

(17:37):
but also, damn, we were kind of hoping that he
would finish out the year before heading over with Reggie Barlow,
like they had discussed. And so Greg Williams, the DC
defenders defensive coordinator, has been getting a ton of praise
last few weeks for incredible performances and game plan against opponents.
He is now stepping away to go and get ready
for Tennessee States season, which you know is a.

Speaker 2 (17:59):
Bit of a blow.

Speaker 1 (18:00):
However, in this news I do find that you should
see similar vision. His son, Blake Williams, is gonna be
taking over as a defensive coordinator. It's someone that I
think has been looking for this potential opportunity. By the way,
and you can argue, well, wait a minute, his son's
taken Well no, hang on, hang on, this is this
is still Greg's defense. It's gonna be the same philosophies
and whatnot. You know, it's just they needed, I think,

(18:22):
for stability's sake, continuing the what they're doing. It's probably
for the best at this moment. You maybe revaluate the
position at the end of the year. But thoughts on
him moving on after saying that he wasn't going to
move on. That's that's the part that sticks out to
me and a lot of people.

Speaker 3 (18:39):
I expect I expected some of these guys to leave
before the end of the season, whether they said they
were going to or not.

Speaker 2 (18:46):
Did I expect maybe Greg Williams to do it. I
don't know.

Speaker 3 (18:50):
I'm not so sure, but I and I'll even go
as far as to say I wouldn't doubt if another
one of these coaches heads over to Tennessee State too
before the end of the season.

Speaker 1 (18:58):
Because let's be honest, Zach Well, we talked about it
last week, but ESPN they brought it up on TV.
Nobody really wants to be here, and you know, and
and let's be fair, you know, let's not dig into that,
because I do know what he meant by that.

Speaker 2 (19:16):
Look, there's an opportunity on the table, and you.

Speaker 3 (19:19):
Could sit and finish the season with the UFL, but
there's a chance that that opportunity doesn't wait for you.
And that's kind of the reason that you're in the
UFL is to get that extra that new opportunity, take
that step forward, whether that be college, whether that be
the NFL, whether that whatever it is that you want
that next step to be really and so.

Speaker 2 (19:41):
You can't be mad at it. It's unfortunate.

Speaker 3 (19:44):
I'll say this, the coaching change didn't impact DC as
much as well. I think it positively impact them somehow.
When it came to the head coach leaving, well, you
look at last season and then you compare it to
the two and oh start this year. When they started
the season against the Stallions.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
Nobody gave him a shot.

Speaker 1 (20:03):
Nobody really thought they were gonna go to and oh
here we are, here we are. Now you lose your
defensive coordinator. I don't think it's gonna be great, but
it is his son.

Speaker 3 (20:12):
If anybody's gonna know how Greg Williams was running that defense,
it's probably his son who's probably picked up every little thing.

Speaker 2 (20:20):
His dad probably coached him when he was younger.

Speaker 1 (20:22):
He's probably he's coaching alongside with him.

Speaker 2 (20:26):
So to me, I think a J.

Speaker 3 (20:29):
Smith walking away is gonna have a much larger impact
to the Brahmas than this is gonna have to the defenders.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
But it's still not great. It's just not it's just well,
a couple of things.

Speaker 3 (20:42):
One as the UFL, you know they're sitting around and
probably not greatly pleased with this, although you know it's.

Speaker 2 (20:54):
Just the way of life.

Speaker 3 (20:55):
But this season has just been a little coaching mess
from the very beginning.

Speaker 2 (21:01):
And we're only we're not even three weeks in. We're
not even three weeks in.

Speaker 3 (21:05):
We had I mean, Ken wizen Hunt step down and
then come back, and then we have A J. Smith
stepped down and Greg Williams stepped down, Like so his
next week is A J.

Speaker 2 (21:18):
Smith gonna come back? Like it's one of them going to.

Speaker 1 (21:20):
Come back and be like, actually, which AJ, bro, if
you want to come to Houston, I'm sure they would
find a spot for you.

Speaker 2 (21:27):
I'm just saying putting it out there.

Speaker 1 (21:30):
You know what, you know what's amazing is and again
it's probably because you know who would you feel it?

Speaker 2 (21:35):
But C J. Johnson continuing to survive the.

Speaker 1 (21:38):
Craziness and stand atop the mountain being like, look at me,
we're gonna talk about CJ.

Speaker 2 (21:43):
You know what I got.

Speaker 3 (21:45):
I got positive thoughts about my man CJ and his iPad.
I was fully on board with Dark ref for the
rest of the season.

Speaker 2 (21:52):
Oh to ten Man that he's a genius. We'll talk
about that brought you back in.

Speaker 1 (22:00):
He did bring me back in, Zachie boy. He knew
exactly what I wanted and he got it for me.
And he did it despite you. So I at you.
You said you were fully fine with O in ten.
So now you've changed in the span of a few days.

Speaker 2 (22:12):
Because he actually did something.

Speaker 1 (22:15):
One he slighted you, Zach Well, okay, okay, that's one.

Speaker 2 (22:22):
That's one.

Speaker 3 (22:23):
He's like, okay, Ref, I got a I got a
reel him back.

Speaker 2 (22:27):
And he watched eight to You this Monday on his iPad.

Speaker 1 (22:30):
He's sitting there in his house watching it, and he
heard me and he saw the lights doing whatever they
were doing.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
He said, I gotta solve this. That's our that's that's
our fan. Okay.

Speaker 1 (22:42):
I like the ref. He's a nice guy. I can't
do him like that. And so he got on the phone.

Speaker 2 (22:48):
I won't. I don't know what he said to Mike Nolan.
It may have been a threat.

Speaker 3 (22:53):
Is probably a probably threatened him and maybe well they're
in the hub.

Speaker 2 (22:59):
Who knows what.

Speaker 3 (23:00):
He probably slid a note under his door and said,
if you don't accept this trade, I'll let you fill
in the dots. What Curtis Johnson would have put in there,
but it would have been ruthless. And he probably had
that picture of him and SpongeBob attached to it, so
he knew CJ means business bro and so boom breaking

(23:24):
flipping news. Marcus Simms to the Roughnecks for Cam Carter's act.

Speaker 2 (23:30):
Best trade of the year, am I right? Oh, totally
totally for you. It's uh, it's wondrous.

Speaker 1 (23:37):
Although I have been justifying this trade as best as
I can, but oh my god, they let go a
fantastic weapon. I know that the Panthers have a very
solid group of receivers.

Speaker 2 (23:48):
But you let go the most explosive guy.

Speaker 1 (23:52):
You let go the one with the most potential to
explode on any play.

Speaker 3 (23:56):
Because and yeah, Zachi boy, it's time time for the reversal.
They had to reel me back in sh come back
ref sh and here it all starts this weekend, which
is unfortunate because I really wanted the Showboats to win.

Speaker 1 (24:13):
I thought the show Boats were gonna win. I was
dead set on zero and ten. But come on, Zachie boy,
now and now it's ten and oh, which makes even
more sense.

Speaker 2 (24:22):
Who wants twelve?

Speaker 1 (24:23):
And oh what an ugly number twelve, ten, ten, nice
and clean ten and oh baby, let's go rough them up.

Speaker 2 (24:34):
Drill, baby, drill, you are back.

Speaker 1 (24:37):
Oh dude, that's so good. It won't be for long.
That's the only downside of this old thing.

Speaker 2 (24:43):
Oh it's gonna be for long? What's gonna be for long?

Speaker 1 (24:48):
Me being like this endlessly, win after win after win
after win after win, dude.

Speaker 2 (24:55):
You name it. It doesn't matter who's throwing the ball.

Speaker 1 (24:57):
Anthony Brown, he's gonna make a mistake and somehow it's.

Speaker 3 (25:02):
Getting caught and it's resulting in a touchdown.

Speaker 2 (25:06):
A story. Touchdowns, this time story as old as time.

Speaker 1 (25:12):
The ref getting niped up. You'll see it, all right,
Well we'll find out because uh e J. Perry has
had some success against Houston in the past. Just just
gonna say it, you know, good luck, good luck. Here here,
here's why. Analysis on the opposite part of this, because
they traded for Cam Carter, an offensive tackle for Michigan.

Speaker 2 (25:33):
You know they do.

Speaker 1 (25:34):
In the last few years. We have talked me and
especially Jake Wall about the security of the pass rush
and trying to protect in the past. They definitely can
generate run game.

Speaker 2 (25:44):
It's just that.

Speaker 1 (25:45):
Need good tackles and they have not been able to
find that solution. Cam Carter through recent spring seasons has
played above average for that position and is at times
played as the best of the said week. In previous
weeks at the said position, Oh you aren't getting in
a way, hopefully a little bit of an upgrade at
that spot. The thing is, though, who steps up and

(26:07):
who is is the definitive number one? Is it going
to be Coc mahyor in my eyes, which I think
it could be. Do they give Samson Nakula a few
more reps?

Speaker 2 (26:15):
You know?

Speaker 1 (26:16):
Are we gonna lean in more on the tight ends?
We'll find out, you know, but I think that's what
they're banking on, is they they saw I think, for
how much, how many, how many sacks and pressures they
were given up, especially against Birmingham, and I think they
that was the panic mode, was going, Okay, you know,
we have a roster that can win. But that was
one thing we felt that you know, Bryce Perkins and

(26:36):
Danyelling more comfortable with, was that pass rush. I think
that's justification. There was also something coming out that Marcus
Simms injury history might be played into this with how
they decided to make this move. I mean, I'll be
fair for you, Steven. You guys do need and as
much as it does kill me because I do like
some receivers on Houston's roster, those guys haven't been performing

(26:58):
as needed. I mean we're talking about last week, a
winnable game that gets dropped by usually very I would say,
very sure handed J Butler. And you know, someone like
Marcus Simms maybe makes that catch or maybe he allows
Ranthony Brown to find someone more open. And I think
that's the logic. But can they find him in the
passing game. That's what the other side of the coin is.

(27:20):
They're gonna find a way. The answer is always yes
here and I'll say this.

Speaker 3 (27:24):
I've seen some people online trying to compare this to
the Luca trade, But again me, I think this is
an amazing trade. I don't see that at all with
the Luca trade. Oh my god, just so one sided
and the MAVs got screwed.

Speaker 1 (27:37):
But no, no, no, here, the Roughnecks one out so
well that now this is a perfect trade.

Speaker 2 (27:42):
We need many more trades. Ce J. Johnson, my man,
I knew you had it, and you.

Speaker 3 (27:48):
Dude, you've had this up in your note pad, up
in your.

Speaker 2 (27:52):
iPad, up in the iPad cloud.

Speaker 1 (27:55):
Why didn't you share it with me sooner? These are
the things that magic are made of, Zach. Ten and
oh ten and oh ten and oh you know what
I'm gonna Oh, I'm gonna admit something here, as much
as it has killed me in the past to hear
you say ten.

Speaker 2 (28:12):
And though I'd rather have this version of the ref
than a let's lose everything, well, we'll see who shows
up next week. Oh at, please give me that it's
a little more optimistic than hear it. Yep, throw it
in the towel.

Speaker 1 (28:24):
Get My favorite season is the theme is the Troit
Lions eight season. I want that now doing the same
thing in twenty twenty four or five. I'll tell you
if they lose again this.

Speaker 2 (28:36):
Week, it might flip back.

Speaker 1 (28:38):
Dude. The whites are gonna flicker and I will see
a man possessed coming and returning. Hell yeah, hell yeah,
I want no dark rough episode one hundred. By the way,
he needs to stay away. I'm glad this version is
uh is here me two.

Speaker 2 (28:52):
I can't.

Speaker 3 (28:53):
I have no control over it, Zach. That dude just
shows up whatever he wants. I'm like, I just black
out for a little bit, and all of a sudden,
I'm like, did I blink?

Speaker 2 (29:00):
Thinker? What was I talking about? I don't even know.

Speaker 3 (29:03):
But dude, CJ, he's keeping the Boogeyman away from me
this week I'm telling you he was reading all the.

Speaker 2 (29:09):
You should see the things I send him.

Speaker 1 (29:12):
It's like when you send him love letters, hate letters,
angry letters.

Speaker 3 (29:17):
I'm just I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed. And this
weekend I sent him I can't. I put on some lipstick,
kissed a napkin, took a picture of it, sent it
to him, said this one's for you, CJ. There's more
if you get more trades like this.

Speaker 1 (29:34):
This is Adam Sandler in uh In Daddy's Boy or
whatever where it's like, uh, I'm so angry. I'm sorry, baby,
I didn't mean it. Please come on back, Please come on?

Speaker 2 (29:47):
How dare you throw that play?

Speaker 1 (29:49):
How dare you not catch I'm sorry, baby, I don't
mean to I'm frustrated. Sometimes this is you, this is you.
You're Adam Sandler right now, dude, CJ.

Speaker 2 (30:00):
Winning my heart back so.

Speaker 3 (30:02):
Quick, so fast, you saw it like record turnaround time.

Speaker 2 (30:07):
And this speed due this Saturday.

Speaker 1 (30:10):
The saturdays when we're turning it all around, and it's
a shame.

Speaker 2 (30:14):
It's a shame because.

Speaker 1 (30:15):
I really I I'm not even gonna change it, Zach,
I'm gonna put my well, we're gonna get to the picks.
But you know we're doing the weekly staff picks for
newsroom that we're gonna be having a graphic for every week.

Speaker 2 (30:27):
Oh joke.

Speaker 1 (30:28):
I filled that thing out so early and I picked
the show boats.

Speaker 2 (30:32):
I did it like Monday.

Speaker 3 (30:33):
As soon as that list, I said, I am not
rooting for the I'm not picking the roughnecks.

Speaker 2 (30:38):
Screw you.

Speaker 1 (30:39):
Oh well, ten, sign us out and look, and you
know what, I'm not gonna undo it.

Speaker 2 (30:45):
I'm not gonna undo it.

Speaker 3 (30:46):
I think that's gonna be part of the reason I win,
we win, ten, and Oher win.

Speaker 2 (30:50):
It's gonna be you have a ref slaw within the
reps law. Is that what I'm hearing? Dude? Just wait
to all the layers of ref's law.

Speaker 3 (30:56):
Like I said, I didn't know there was a name
for the ref's law when we both lose. But this year,
after all of these like weird happenings, it's dark Ref's law.
Ref's law is when one team wins and the other
team loses dark Ref's law, we both lose. The unfortunate thing.

Speaker 1 (31:14):
Is we've still just ken for the love of God
one both of our teams.

Speaker 2 (31:18):
Win in a single weekend. Still ain't happening yet.

Speaker 1 (31:22):
But I also say, you need CJ's got to pick
up the slack here, my guy. It's not that Mike
Nolan ain't doing it. He just can't do it against Birmingham.
That's the only thing that's Staling's logo shows up on
the on the schedule sheet and h All logic gets
thrown out the door.

Speaker 2 (31:35):
That's the only downside, Zach, I.

Speaker 3 (31:37):
Just figured it out. This is the episode one hundred.

Speaker 2 (31:41):
Luck.

Speaker 3 (31:43):
I think we could break Ref's law this week. Buddy,
I we're gonna get into picks. We still have another
transaction here.

Speaker 1 (31:50):
Oh do we talk No, we did talk about this, well,
we didn't talk about actually didn't talk about this transit.

Speaker 3 (31:54):
Okay, yeah, sorry, let's jump into that and then let's
get into picks.

Speaker 1 (31:58):
There is a little more sadness and you know what,
full disclosure, Bram is also beating the Panthers all time,
and so yeah, maybe hopefully logic gate thrown out the
door this week too. What will not help, though, even
with certain changes for the Brahmas is losing your too,
your defensive pot, your two time defensive at this point,
now Brilin speaks he is out for at least on IR,

(32:20):
which is implying at least doesn't seem like he's gonna
be back get anytime soon. Which, by the way, two
major ones on IR this week is Alex mcgowall so
was going on IR that was recently announced as well.
So now Matt kraw is gonna get the start there
for sure. But yeah, rough, rough go, especially for those
two teams. You know, at least Birmingham you got three

(32:42):
deep on on those on those pass.

Speaker 2 (32:44):
Rushers that you need.

Speaker 1 (32:45):
Uh Michigan though, massive blow, even if it's even if
Brilin hasn't really been getting back to the QB, pressures
are a big deal and he brings a lot of
pressures and gets QBS riled up.

Speaker 2 (32:55):
So damn shame there.

Speaker 1 (32:56):
You're gonna have to see a lot of other guys
on that front and maybe some more creative what's is
the compensate But too bad because also stars you don't
like seeing stars go out for the year. So Frank
Gindall go out last year and have to be out
multiple weeks, it sucks that the Speaks might be out
multiple if not the entire season. Got to evaluate how
the ir goes for him.

Speaker 3 (33:13):
Yeah, now it's a tough blow for your team. The
way things are going, I still think the Panthers still
have a good shot of making the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (33:22):
So it could be a situation.

Speaker 1 (33:23):
Where maybe Britlan Speaks missed most of the season, but
he comes back either a late season or for the playoffs,
tries to kind of give you that extra boost.

Speaker 2 (33:31):
We've seen I think things like that.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
Things like that happen in the spring leagues before. I
mean we've seen it in the NFL. Of course, the
longer season it makes it a little bit easier.

Speaker 2 (33:43):
But yeah, it's still man.

Speaker 3 (33:44):
You guys, you got a little bit of a bamboozle
going into this week. But as we talk about the
picks here in a little bit, you at least have
something going for you, and that you're playing a team
that just lost their offensive coordinator and is coming off
a well, i'll say a two game losing streak, but
really a three game if you want to go as

(34:06):
back as.

Speaker 2 (34:06):
The championship, although I don't think that's fair.

Speaker 3 (34:09):
Uh two game losing streak, recent losing streak. But Zach
I think you mentioned too is like sometimes the things
that kind of put the team over the top, a
little bit of grit, a little bit of Okay.

Speaker 2 (34:20):
No, no, no, we're not going out like this. We'll see, uh,
let's jump into the picks. Let's and I'm not going
to jump to that game.

Speaker 1 (34:28):
We'll just start at the first one with the Renegades
and the Stallions. First home game for the Stallions here,
I'm open to see a good crowd. I know people
are getting fired up and amped about it. I've been
seeing our man Luke from State of the Stallions getting
people rowdy and riled up.

Speaker 3 (34:42):
I'm excited to see the shirtless end zone. I know
there was some talk that that might not return this year, but.

Speaker 1 (34:48):
No, no, no, it's coming back. It's coming back. Fans are
making it happen. We just need Coole Kublik out there
to He needs.

Speaker 2 (34:58):
To make it happen too. Experience absolutely, I mean he was.
It was being teased all last season.

Speaker 3 (35:04):
Zachie, boy, it feels like he was out there on
the sidelines teasing it, and it just never happened.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
This is the year shirtless fans.

Speaker 1 (35:13):
Don't let him get away with it and don't tell
him the ref said to do it.

Speaker 2 (35:18):
Just no, I won't say that. No, jump over the
thing and take off his shirt.

Speaker 3 (35:22):
He won't mind jump in, be in and hell yeah,
tell them the ref senta this one.

Speaker 1 (35:29):
You might actually have to ask brock Heward though, because
it's a Fox Friday night broadcast.

Speaker 2 (35:32):
Oh well, yeah, might be. You might get the first.

Speaker 1 (35:34):
Crack at it. If he's bold enough to do it,
we'll actually know it. No, I take that back, because
it's not even Brock could be Jenny taftan, No, we
don't want to jump into that, into that weird is there?

Speaker 3 (35:46):
Well, I would let Gabe Way in on that from
our discord.

Speaker 2 (35:50):
I think Gabe from our.

Speaker 3 (35:51):
Discord would say otherwise, and that he would be perfectly
fine for Jenny Taff to participate in the end Zone
ritual in Birmingham. I think there's probably a couple other
people in our discord that would agree.

Speaker 2 (36:04):
I'm not saying anything. I'm just gonna leave it then yes,
move on, uh pick for you.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
Well, I'll tell you this, man, I went into last
week thinking, Wow, the Renegades really are bouncing back. They
you know, they kept saying we're a new team, even
though we have kind of the same players. And after
Week one, I said, you know what, maybe there's something
to this mindset, because they did play like a new team.

Speaker 2 (36:30):
Week two.

Speaker 3 (36:31):
On the other hand, they barely beat my dog shit Roughnecks.
They barely did it in a piss poor game. They
had really no action until the fourth quarter.

Speaker 1 (36:41):
And so you could argue, well, the Stallions, they didn't
really play that great in Week one.

Speaker 3 (36:45):
You could also add into the mix. Yeah, Alex Magoo's out,
but Corals no slouch. He was here, He was here
last year. He was there when they beat the Renegades
in the first game of the season last year in fact,
And so when I put those two things to get there,
it just feels like another opportunity for the Stallions to
continue rebounding.

Speaker 2 (37:06):
Right.

Speaker 3 (37:07):
You know, Skip is mad about losing Week one. Yeah,
you know that there's a good amount of players, if
not all of the players, that are.

Speaker 2 (37:15):
Angry about losing Week one.

Speaker 3 (37:18):
And just because they got the win last weekend doesn't
mean that they're done being upset, and you know what,
put another little chip on the shoulder because you lost Magoo, which,
if I will add, it feels like there's a little
bit of a curse in Birmingham when it comes out
to season starting quarterbacks. Yes, we didn't really see too

(37:41):
much of it last year, but if you look at
USFL season one boom injury, USFL season two boom injury,
and now we hear we are of UFL season two,
first game of the season injury. And the one thing
I can say about every other time they've had not

(38:01):
just a quarterback injury. Last year was an anomaly in
the number of injuries they had. They still won the
damn championship, right right, And so.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
I I'm pretty definitive in my answer that I think
the Stallions are gonna win this.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
I hope they win it too.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
They have their first home game and I want to
see the Stallions win because I want more people to
show up these damn Stallions games in Birmingham, and a win, Well,
those things help.

Speaker 2 (38:28):
Might be crazy, Zach, but they do help.

Speaker 1 (38:30):
I mean they do usually help. Yeah, for a doubt,
shirtless section will go, will go hard. No one's gonna
like my pick though, I'm picking Arlington.

Speaker 2 (38:38):
Boom my god, I'm picking Arlington.

Speaker 1 (38:40):
Tell me I am I am sold that that. I
think that was playing down your pont last week. I
think that Luis present crew with that veteran offense, can
take advantage of Birmingham. And I also want to believe that.
I think Arlington's defense is not getting enough credit. I
want to see how the Stallions tackle that because I

(39:03):
don't right now. I know it's early season. I've never
I've been always iffy about Matt Carrall. I think he
is serviceable and he is good to get a spark.
We'll find out how he is with people getting a
full week of film on him. And I also think
Arlington has changed it in relief. Yes, that performance was weak,
it was definitely against Houston. It's gonna get judged, but

(39:25):
I'm standing up for the two and zero team that
to me, I still believe has the most cohesion on
the offensive side of the ball to where I think
it's gonna be a fun game. You know, Arlington was
in pretty much damn near every game last year. Can
they finish the deal which they didn't last year against
the Stallions in a pretty in a pretty good game itself.
I think this time they can and I think it's

(39:46):
gonna make a lot of people stir it up a
little bit personally. I also am going to put in
an extra bit that I believe we see case Cook
has hit the field in this one.

Speaker 2 (39:55):
Interesting.

Speaker 1 (39:56):
Yes, interesting, I am doubling down on that.

Speaker 2 (39:59):
Neither happened.

Speaker 1 (40:00):
Well, have fun talking on Monday about it. But I've
got Arlington. You'll stick with the Renegades. Well, I'll tell
you this, Zach. There's one thing that's for sure.

Speaker 3 (40:07):
I think we're gonna learn who the real Renegades are
this weekend. Are they a team that can hang with
the big boys, or are they a team that got
lucky playing the Brahmas in Week one and the Roughnecks
in Week two and then all of a sudden hits
a big brick wall in the form of real competition. Yeah,

(40:30):
I think that's what's gonna happen. But I hope it's competitive.
I really do I want, especially because I do think
I love the Friday night format. I wasn't so so
sure how much I would like it, but I do
like it. You kind of get a little bit of
after dark feel out of it.

Speaker 1 (40:46):
Sometimes you get a great game, sometimes a little bit
of wonkiness. But I think this one's gonna be a
fun game to watch. I do think it's gonna be close.
I don't think it's gonna be a complete blowout.

Speaker 3 (40:57):
But we are gonna learn who this ren the Gate's
team is, and to a certain extent, we may learn
who the Stallions team is.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
We may we may.

Speaker 3 (41:07):
Moving to Saturday, first game of the day, which I
have all sorts of thoughts about this one.

Speaker 1 (41:15):
Roughnecks at the Showboats. And now I mentioned earlier in
this week, prior to CJ. Johnson putting the entire Spring
football world on notice with the greatest trade known to
spring football man, sure, I said.

Speaker 2 (41:35):
There's no way ohing ten. I hate this team.

Speaker 3 (41:39):
I hope they lose every game, and quite frankly, I
just want the Showboats to win for all sorts.

Speaker 2 (41:47):
Of different reasons. But now I look at this trade and.

Speaker 1 (41:49):
I say, I think I know what's going on here.
CJ is playing a little bit of ropidope right, wearing
the other teams out. All of these teams have been
beating all of their effort on the.

Speaker 2 (42:02):
First two weeks to crack the case. Let's pull out
the magnifying glass. Zacky boy. Oh wow, look at the Roughnecks.
They suck, they stink.

Speaker 1 (42:12):
They did such a good job of convincing the league
that how bad they were.

Speaker 2 (42:18):
They even convinced me. They even had.

Speaker 1 (42:22):
Me out here spreading misinformation about how bad piss poor,
stinky pooh pooh. This Roughnecks team was only for the
ruse to be uncovered, only for the shield whatever you
want to call it, to be raised away from my

(42:42):
eyes and the truth be pointed out, not just to
me but to the world. With such an amazing trade
that's gonna have amazing, spectacular, game changing outcomes on the
feel Old I gotta go rough next ten and old

(43:04):
Baby rough them up.

Speaker 2 (43:07):
Drill, Baby, drill.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
Let's go the changes in at whatever it was trying
to be funny with a trebu Oia Chippy Buffett song there,
but no, I'm not gonna do it. Okay, cool, that's fair.
I guess sure. You finished two point two point loss
against Arlington. Anthony Brown can't get in E. J. Butler
can't catch a catch a well placed football on a

(43:31):
fourth and twelve. I'll give you that, uh, I see
I see and raise you though defense on Memphis that's
been playing pretty good against some higher tier opponents. And
I also raise you Ken wizzen Hunt, who is back
for his second week under that offense. You know we
have talks about quarterback. I feel A. J. Perry has

(43:51):
been pretty serviceable, sands a pretty damning pick early on
in that half. I don't see Houston walking away with
this one, my friend, I just don't.

Speaker 2 (44:01):
I won't be walking away. They're gonna be dancing away
with it, Zack. They're gonna be liked. We win, we win.

Speaker 3 (44:08):
That's what we're gonna be doing after the game. It's
gonna be amazing. You're right, we won't be walking away
with it.

Speaker 1 (44:13):
The only dancing that's gonna happen is probably Ken wizzen
Hunt throwing it back after he gets a dumb I'll
tell you.

Speaker 2 (44:18):
That, dude.

Speaker 1 (44:19):
If Ken wizen Hunt does drop a little bit down
there goes a little low, Yeah, I think I think
he does pull it in.

Speaker 2 (44:25):
That's the only thing though. If he drops it like
it's hot, I'm I am fearful.

Speaker 3 (44:30):
That the roughnecks are not pulling it out. But I
don't think he's gonna do it. I don't think he's
got the Todd Hayley and.

Speaker 2 (44:36):
Give me Memphis. I can't.

Speaker 1 (44:38):
I can't pick Houston again. I know you're thinking's happening,
but I I look at the man. I look at
the man with the with the iPad. That's all I
gotta say. And my my excuse anymore is man with
the iPad roster not executing.

Speaker 3 (44:56):
I don't see it. So see, here's what you don't know, Scott.
You know Skype they're shutting Skype down.

Speaker 2 (45:02):
Okay, it's not it.

Speaker 3 (45:04):
We still have like a couple more weeks and so
I can still get on that on Skype and get
on C. J.

Speaker 2 (45:10):
Johnson iPad during the game and be like bro bro, bro,
bro Bro, here's what we need to do.

Speaker 1 (45:14):
Run the play. Put out Sims. Doesn't matter who the
quarterback is.

Speaker 2 (45:17):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (45:18):
Put anybody out there, and you know he's gonna put
out there himself.

Speaker 1 (45:25):
It's gonna be amazing too. He's having away pads, khakis
and all. This is masterclass levels of ref today.

Speaker 2 (45:33):
This is what I needed for.

Speaker 1 (45:35):
Masterclass. Moving on Brahmas and Panthers coming up. That would
be on the Sunday for the thirteenth Panthers hosting Bramas.
As we talked about losing their offensive coordinatorre gonna be
switching the Peyton party after aj Smith walks away. Uh yeah,
I mean I'll lead off this one. Even with Breelan

(45:56):
Speaks going on IR and the Marcus Smith trade.

Speaker 2 (45:59):
I'm gonna go Michigan.

Speaker 1 (46:01):
I think I think even if you want to talk
maybe the change in coaching personnel. Uh, I'm not one
hundred percent sold that san Antonio's defense is this is
up to snuff for what last year's used to be.
I think that's also holding them back because they do
need as we've seen with Wade Phillips, they need that
defense to generate stops that allows their offense to get
good field position and kind of capitalize. And this year

(46:24):
it's just not been happening. Yes, they've been getting they've
actually been getting reasonably good yards They're apparently last I
checked was a third and totally yardage. But that being said,
you gotta consider garbage time for two games, and most
of the time, it's just not been performing. Like I said,
players have not been able to execute on catches. Kellen
Mon's filking skittish when he's been behind center. I don't

(46:45):
buy it. Even with the changes, I can't buy it.
Give me Michigan, and for love of God, Mike Nolan,
Please God, I just stay with Bryce Perkins.

Speaker 2 (46:52):
What the hell are you doing? Man? You are torturing
me and everyone else. Just pick Brice. Stop playing around.

Speaker 1 (47:00):
I think even when I was watching the game last week,
I'm pretty sure the announcers brought up that Mike Nolan
is going to use both quarterbacks in the game, and
I said, oh, Zach's probably so angry right now.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
There's no reason. Now, there's no reason.

Speaker 1 (47:16):
Don't play Danny Ethling unless you need to put him in,
which you don't need to unless Bryce is out.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
Just stick with Bryce, stick with Brice.

Speaker 1 (47:25):
Yeah, yeah, I'm not sure what the situation is there.
But you know what, Zach, it's hard for me to
disagree with you, and I am going to add into
the fact, or at least agree with you, that I
think the coaching change for the Brahmas is going to
have a pretty decent impact on this team that was
already struggling to kind of fire on all cylinders when

(47:47):
it comes to offense. And so when you have a
struggling offense, and then you lose your offensive coordinator. Uh,
I don't know if you're really going to get the
injection that you want unless you add somebody. Maybe you
have like an outside an outside perspective come in. But
it's not like somebody that's This guy's been on the team,
he's been coaching on the team. So what is he

(48:09):
going to say that it's different to these guys that's
going to make them execute?

Speaker 2 (48:12):
Over what Aj Smith was telling them?

Speaker 3 (48:14):
Who is we mentioned has a proven track record when
it comes to spring football five and zero with the
Roughnecks in twenty twenty, start out the season, four and
oh with the Roughnecks in twenty twenty three. He went
to the championship with the Brahmas in twenty twenty four.
Yeah right, and so yeah he had a little little
rough start this season. But when you take them out

(48:36):
of the mix, I do think you get a big
impact there. And so unless it is something which these
things you can't control, and I think it's partially the
reason we're seeing DC.

Speaker 2 (48:49):
Perform the way they are.

Speaker 3 (48:51):
If the players get the right chip on their shoulder,
anything is possible. But I don't know, I just don't
see it out of that team. From what I out
of the first two weeks, they just they struggled kind
of everywhere that you would need them to maximize. And
this is just feels like a good opportunity for the
Panthers to come off a tough loss, get back on

(49:12):
the winning side of the column, get above five hundred,
and move on with their day and continue towards the playoffs.

Speaker 1 (49:18):
If Michigan's smart, they'll they'll stick with the run game,
because this the San Antonio front is not the same
as last year's. It's been getting blown off the ball
in both losses. And while there I wouldn't will say
the Panthers are not really creaming the crop top of
the level like say A Saint Louis has been, or
even how Arlington did in Week one with Kalon Bollage.
They have some good talents in Nate McCreery and Matt

(49:39):
Colburn who should be starting more by the way to
where they can probably move them around. So that's my
thing is, can you get anything defensively to slow down Michigan,
because you know it's not that they have middle pup yards.
They just get behind so quickly and then when they
get stops, they have no defense right now. That's the
same as this Wade Phillips unif from last year just
throws you off. You know, this team lies so much

(50:00):
on having stops, creating turnovers, then creating offense via that
it's hard to say that I buy it right now.
So I wish blucked the Peyton party. If he impresses,
I'll be talking a ton about him this coming week.
But right now, hard task.

Speaker 3 (50:15):
Yeah, now, I'll tell you this final game of the
weekend Sunday, three pm, Eastern Defenders traveling to Saint Louis
to take on.

Speaker 1 (50:21):
The battle Hawks. I think this is the week that
DC gets exposed.

Speaker 2 (50:27):
I think this is the week that they're not coming
out with the win.

Speaker 1 (50:33):
And it pains me a little bit to say it,
and I said it on ATU.

Speaker 3 (50:38):
BattleHawks are the team to beat right now. The BattleHawks,
I mean with their running game. That running game alone.
If Jacob Sailors stays healthy, we're looking at MVP candidate
early early season MVP candidate Grant. We have eight more
games to go, so a lot can change, and we've
seen things like this change. But if this dude continues

(50:58):
to play like this, three touchdowns alone last week plus
a two point conversion. Yeah alone, He won that game
right like, like you know.

Speaker 2 (51:09):
And none of the other points would have even mattered.

Speaker 1 (51:13):
Now we're going to dcuh's had some wins, close wins,
lucky wins maybe in some es when it you know, either.

Speaker 2 (51:21):
Way you want to look at it, I don't know.
I just don't. I don't see them.

Speaker 3 (51:26):
Being able to surpass the battle Hawks on the road especially,
And so that's the other thing that uh DC had
as a luxury is first their first two games of
the season at home, and even with a small crowd
in DC, they're rowdy.

Speaker 2 (51:42):
They're loud. You can hear it on TV. The stadium
looks half empty and you still hear a crowd. You're
good acoustics. I mean, that's the thing.

Speaker 1 (51:48):
That's what's great about audiy field. It reverberates sound very
well to create the distractions you need. You know, even
if it's not a full stadium, you have thirteen thousand
last games, So I mean, you know, that still is
pretty damn good, and that still is going to be
very frickin' loud on television. And that's also saying given that,
and I've talked about this. You know, we're talking about
ABC broadcasts, which are notoriously like ABCSPN. They're notoriously bad

(52:11):
at mixing audio with UFL games. DC shines when it
comes to like being one of the two fan bases.
They just seem to let it fully go out and
so that it'll stand up. But Saint Louis, you know,
I think everyone's looking at Saint Louis as is this
They want to know if this is legit? You know,
is this the team that will finally put it all
together and can possibly bring them to the promised land

(52:33):
of having a championship birth. You know, two very dominant wins, yes,
against lower kail opponents. But as we talked, you take
care of low tier opponents, you know, you you basically
put your stamp on it.

Speaker 2 (52:45):
Good teams do that.

Speaker 1 (52:46):
Now you get to play a team that while I
will say till the end of the Earth, I don't
buy DC's offense one bit. I think it's way too inefficient.
But that defensive side, even with Greg leaving and his
son Blake coming in, that's gonna be the test ultimately
of what happens with Saint Louis. Can Manny Wilkins prove
that it's not just been weak defense has been he's

(53:06):
been playing, and that he can deliver in the passing game.
And can they continue to generate the run with the
rpo V of Wilkins or Jacob Sailors that they were
able to do in previous games. DC's got a legitimate
front seven that can swallow up run defense, so that's
the biggest challenge will be can they find any room
and as Manny Wilkins taking that true step, this will

(53:27):
be the game. I think that proves of Manny has
made that step or not, in that he will find
ways to scramble. DC's been allowing that either with Alex
McGoo or e J. Perry, but I don't know if
they'll have as many opportunities. Maybe I'm wrong, but I
think Wilkins will get challenged in the passing game a ton.
I still believe that this is the team, though, so
I gotta go with Saint Louis, though again I don't.

(53:48):
I also have to say that battlewk's defense is not
get enough credit. It's a lot of veterans that return
that are guys, their studs, and their defense has under
Anthony Beck has still been consistently one of the better
ones in the league with Beck, So I just don't
buy DC offensively. This isn't twenty twenty three, Abrams Smith,
This ain't Jordan ta'amu of really, I guess twenty twenty
maybe twenty twenty two if you want to look at

(54:09):
the numbers he put up with the Bandits. But like
he's I guess twenty twenty three. Be it, he's not
been efficient. I don't see the efficiency or the vision
with that offense. Maybe this changes, but it's the tougher,
one of the tougher opponents you're gonna get, so good luck.
I gotta go with Saint Louis at home. If DC impresses, though,
I'll stop the slander because clearly I have nothing else

(54:29):
to stand on after this week.

Speaker 2 (54:30):
If that happens, yeah, well it's funny, right.

Speaker 1 (54:33):
This is a big week for a lot of teams,
so we talked about, well, even the first game of
the week.

Speaker 3 (54:39):
I think there's a big week for both of them,
the Renegades and the Stallions.

Speaker 2 (54:42):
It's an opportunity.

Speaker 3 (54:44):
For them to prove yep, we are the team kind
of on both sides of it, different reasons.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
Funny enough. Yeah, oh yeah, you look.

Speaker 1 (54:51):
To game two almost the same thing for the exact
opposite reasons.

Speaker 2 (54:55):
Both these teams are searching for a win.

Speaker 3 (54:58):
One of them's coming out with a win, one of
them's continuing down a path that no team wants to
be a part of. You have the Brahmas and the Panthers,
where you have a little bit of coaching change. You
have a talent change over on the Panthers, so there's
a little bit of interesting dilemma there. And then you
have the defenders who have won against all odds. I'd say,

(55:19):
when people didn't really have a lot of maybe stocking
this team early in the season, started to and oh
but again they have a chance to They both really
have a chance to prove themselves.

Speaker 2 (55:28):
All these teams have something on the line, and for
a Week three game, that's nice.

Speaker 1 (55:34):
That's nice to have things matter this early in the
season for you know, rather than we look to uh,
there's been a lot of the seasons where Stallions clinched
that playoffs spot early.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
This year seems like there's gonna be a little bit of.

Speaker 3 (55:49):
A competition for these spots coming down the stretch, right
I'm looking forward to the XFL Conference alone is so honestly,
I think it's gonna be very competitive all the way
down to the wire.

Speaker 1 (55:59):
You know, DC, I can see them, they can they
can go back, and I think it's see Saint Louis
splitting the series here. You know, I think, to me, Arlington,
this will be a statement game on how legit we
can see them possibly challenging for a playoff spot. You know,
USL side definitely has more questions, you know, and honestly,
if the Panthers lose to the Brahmas off of a

(56:19):
bad week or you know, just not having stuff together
and say the Showboats do walk away and to me
get that win against Houston, well the dynamics change back
a little bit where we're fighting for the second.

Speaker 2 (56:29):
Spot a little bit more.

Speaker 1 (56:31):
But it feels like the XFL Conference again like last year,
is going to be kind of wide open. You know,
it's gonna be three teams vying for that spot until
the bitter end. You know, maybe things change this week
the USFL Conference, But I'm not not sold yet. I'm
not afraid, not afraid. I'm not sold yet.

Speaker 2 (56:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (56:46):
Yeah, Well, at least it's another fun week coming up,
and we have a whole bunch of more.

Speaker 2 (56:50):
Fun weeks still ahead of us.

Speaker 3 (56:53):
We're at episode one hundred, so I mean by the
end of the season, who knows where we'll be, and
then at us every Monday, and then summer stocks coming up,
and we got so much fun ahead of us. I'm
I'm just looking forward to the Roughnecks finally getting on
the winning side of things.

Speaker 2 (57:11):
It's just gonna be so good.

Speaker 1 (57:13):
You wait, Zach, you wait once it's one and oh,
then two, and oh, then three and oh, it's NonStop.

Speaker 2 (57:20):
I was wrong. It was a two game pre season.
Who would have new who would have thunk it? J Man,
what a genius he is. He got everybody thinking this team.

Speaker 3 (57:33):
Is a pushover and then this week that all changes. Okay,
the world's about to be on notice, rough.

Speaker 1 (57:40):
Them up, about to find out real quick. But okay,
not bad. Any other final thoughts with episode one hundred. Again,
thanks to all that have tuned in for these episodes
through one hundred plus if you want to count the
live streams. Really, you guys are awesome and there are
tons of dedicated people that we met through this that
we're glad to have met. So yeah, appreciate it. All

(58:01):
the same, can't say that enough morehead, so much morehead,
I think.

Speaker 3 (58:06):
Hell yeah, yeah no, and I I'll echo that and
say thank you everybody for joining us along the journey.
And if for whatever reason you joined us along the
journey and you haven't subscribed, what.

Speaker 2 (58:20):
A great opportunity to do it.

Speaker 3 (58:22):
It's episode one hundred. Subscribe, click the bell. It builds morale.

Speaker 2 (58:25):
I'll let you know when we go live, just like
every Monday.

Speaker 3 (58:29):
It lets you know when we go live, just like
Springstock in summer stock. And it also lets you know
when new episodes of this little silly show pop up
on that little old silly thing called YouTube. So get
signed up over there, do it and like the video.

Speaker 1 (58:43):
It's free, Yeah, bastards, Yeah, hey yeah, be sure, yeah,
without a doubt. Follow us at USFL or UFL podcast,
Jesus s Thorre and throwback there at UFL podcast on
favorite platforms, you know, check us out atu Mondays around
the UFL six o'clock Eastern time. Uh again, this show,
we don't have a tu see, I would say, uh

(59:04):
so that's just spit, continuing the legacy, honestly, and we
hope to see some of you in the chat as well.
Also feel free drop a comment like it as we
were talking. You know, helps the show, helps us and
helps us keep doing these great things with spring football.
Without your support and what viewers, we might not be here.
So thank you very much for the ref I'm Zach
Kyle and saying so long for one hundred more episodes ahead,

(59:26):
We'll have it here at the UFO podcast. Stay tune everyone,
have a great week at football.

Speaker 2 (59:31):
Catch you later.